Hard Truths

Anasterian Had Laid Everything on The Table So to Speak, Regarding Mythal, Solas, Corypheus, Lyrium, and The Well of Sorrows That Anasterian Had Drunk From. Many Ridiculed Him for this, but Anasterian Offered to Prove he was what he said. Telling them to Bring him an Eluvian. Regardless While they went about bringing An Eluvian, Dorian Decided Now Was The Time to bestow Upon Him his New Hand.

''My Friend, I Had This Made For You. Ever Since You Lost Your Hand To Our Former Comrade and Friend, Fen'Harel, I Sought A way to Make You Whole Again. After Much Searching and A Great Fortune spent, I have Found What I Believe to Be A Suitable Replacement for You.'' Says Dorian as The Pavus Guards Bring an Ornate Hand Before Him. ''Interesting, This Appears to be Made From Ferelden Oak, but It Clearly Incorporates Dragons Webbing and A Gurn Hide. What Does it Cover?'' Asks Anasterian. ''I Had This Commissioned By King Bhelen Aeducan of Orzanmmar, He Had His Smiths and Miners Locate The Suitable Materials From Beneath Cadash Thaig. They Then Worked Lyrium Into The Stone, and Supplied the Necessary Schematics.'' Says Dorian. The Cover is Lifted to Reveal A Strange Stone That Shimmers and Glows.

''Incredible.'' Josephine Marvels. ''Quite My Dear. The Lyrium Is Used as A Catalyst and Primer, It Primes The Hand and Fingers. Then All You Need Do is Flow Some of Your Mana into it, and It should Respond Appropriately.'' Says Dorian. The Smiths Connect The Hand to His Joint, They Then Secure it With A Brace and Lock to ensure it remains stable. ''Ready To Begin Magister Pavus.'' Says One of The Dwarves. ''Right, Cassandra are You ready?'' Dorian Asks. ''Why do I Need to Heat The Lyrium in The Hand? Can't You do this?'' Asks Cassandra. ''Oh How Much Simpler That Would Be. Unfortunately No, The Lyrium Must Be Heated By a Natural Organic Outside ****. You Are Better Suited Than any Body else to do This.'' Explains Dorian.''Ugh! Alright!'' Says Cassandra as She Uses Her Seeker Abilities To Heat The Lyrium. "Alright Now Then, Inquisitor If You'd Flow Your Mana into it?" Asks Dorian and Anasterian Does As He's Asked.

The Results Instantaneous, The Hand Glows Blindingly With A Sharp Light. Lyrium Arches It's Way Up Anasterian's Arm, It Then Run's Across His Chest and Up To His Neck. "Dorian?! What's Happening?!" Anasterian Asks Out of Concern. "It's Alright My Friend, The Residual Fade Energy From The Anchor is Simply Assimilating into The New Energy of The Hand." Says Dorian. "If You Say So." Says Anasterian as The Lyrium Arcs Up To His Face. The Process Suddenly Retracts From His Face and Back to His Arm, But The Markings Left from the Lyrium Surging up his Body Remain. Eventually The Light Dies Down and Anasterian Holds His Hand Up. "I Can Feel It! I Have My Hand Back!" Anasterian Declares. The Magisterium Begins A Thunderous Applause.

In Spite of His New Arm, Anasterian Still Had To Showcase His Talents Gained From The Well of Sorrows, and When An Eluvian Was Brought in, Anasterian Stepped towards it, and Speaking in Elvish, He Touches The Mirror and it Activates, and Again The Magisterium Applauds Thunderously. "You Have Proven You Are No Liar Inquisitor Trevelyen, I Hereby Give The Order, For The Celebrations To Commence! Magister Pavus, We Will Join You At Your Estate." Says Radonis. "Of Course Archon." Says Dorian As He Gestures For The Inquisitor and Company to Follow Him. "Much Has Changed Since The Exalted Council, When I Told The Lucerni About Solas and His Plan's We Agreed Measure's Would Need to be Taken. So We Begin to Build A Number of Networks. Spies, Contacts, Smugglers, Apostates, Elves, Mercenaries, Dwarves, Even Qunari. But The Crown Jewel in My Opinion Was Varric's Assistance." Says Dorian.

"You Mean To Say He Actually Helped? Definitively?" Asks Cassandra. "Oh Come Now Seeker, Even I Know How Bad Thing's Can Get if Chuckles Get's His Way." Says Varric. "Varric's Contacts and Friends In The Dwarven Merchants Guild, Carta, and Coterie Have Proven Invaluable In Securing Us With Information and Lyrium. " Explains Dorian. "Actually What I Said Was, The Inquisitor Intimated to Me That Any Merchant Who Does Business With Us, and Provides What Sparkler Requires At A Discount Will Not Only Earn His Favor, But Will See an Increase in Inquisition Requisitions When The Time's Right." Says Varric. "In Other Words, You Lied To Them?" Cassandra Asks Pointedly. "Not.....Exactly." Varric Says Carefully. "I Think What Varric Means is He Never Explicitly Stated This, So The Dwarves Naturally Ate it Up." Anasterian Says. "Regardless We've Arrived." Says Dorian.

"Your Rooms Have Been Prepared, Follow Me Please." Says Dorian As They Enter The Pavus Family Mansion. "How Have The Magisters Taken To Our Presence?" Josephine Asks. "It Varies, But For The Most Part They Seem Content That The Inquisitor's A Mage, and One Of Considerable Talent." Says Dorian as Varric and Cassandra Enter Their Rooms. "Here We Are, Your Room Inquisitor." Says Dorian as He Leaves Anasterian and Josephine To Settle In. They Enter, and Find A Number of Orlaisen Silks and Free Marches Paintings. "He Certainly Hasn't Lost His Showmanship Or Flair." Josephine Notes. "Quite." Replies Anasterian. "Darling, I Dont Quite Know How To Tell You This, But...........I'm Pregnant." Josephine Says When She's Finished Inspecting the Silks. Anasterian Almost Drops When He Hears What His Wife Says.

"How Long Have You Known?" Anasterian Asks. "This Morning, My Suspicions Had Been Confirmed. My Morning Bleed Hasn't Happend For Two Months, Today, Today Was The Last Nail in the Coffin of Doubt." Josephine Says as She and Anasterian Lock Hands. "Can You Imagine? Our First Child? Our First?" Josephine Emphasizes. "More Than That, Half of Thedas Will Be Clamoring To Arrange A Match, or Offer Congratulations." Says Anasterian as Josephine Gives A Short Laugh. "Shall We Tell Anyone?" Josephine Asks. "Leliana For One, She'd Never Forgive Us If We Didn't. But I Think We Ought to Hold off Until We Return To Val Royeaux. There Are Plenty Here Who'd Like Nothing Better than To Prematurely **** the Inquisitor's Unborn Child." Says Anasterian.

Dorian and The Archon Had Thrown A Great Celebration In Honor of Anasterian's Visit, and Anasterian and Josephine Had Met Many Important Tevinters, Naturally Cassandra Was Always Near Josephine, At His Request. But Right Now, Anasterian Was At The Balcony, Taking in The Sight of Minrathous Under Shade of Night. It Was Beautiful No Doubt about It, Not As Beautiful as Josephine, But Still Quite Beautiful. "Not Enjoying The Festivities My Friend?" Dorian Asks as He Hands Anasterian A Glass of Antivan Wine. "No, They're Fine, I Just Wanted to See The Sight of Minrathous under Cover of Night. But I Also Wanted To Ask A Favour Of You My Old Friend." Says Anasterian. "You've But To Ask." Says Dorian. "I Want To Bring About A Reconciliation Between The Orlaisen and Tevinter Chantries. If I Can Persuade The More Hardliner Clerics of Orlais Can You Persuade The Archon To Agree To A Reconciliation?" Says Anasterian.

"That Won't Be Easy My Friend." Says Dorian. "Yes I'm All To Aware, But Leliana Has Issued Numerous Reforms and If Andraste's Message Is Anything To Interpret, Is It Not Smarter to See That A White Divine Represents The People, Justice, and Love, But A Black Divine Represents Responsibility, Honor and Honesty. Both The Divine's Serve The Same Purpose, and Are Divided, Argue That Andraste, Mage Or No, Would Want A Reconciliation Between Her Followers." Says Anasterian. "I'll Try My Friend, That's The Best I Can Offer Right Now." Says Dorian. "Thank You Dorian, I Trust You and Maeveris Will Come To The Spring Festival In The Dales?" Anasterian Asks. "What Makes You Think You Won't?" Dorian Asks With A Laugh, and He and Anasterian Embrace As Old Friends................