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(Commission) Satin and Scandal.
🕑 Added 2020-08-06 09:41:07 +0000 UTCA commissioned piece.
Cassandra Pentaghast is crowned as Divine, but this role comes at the cost of her lover. The only choices left to her are to abandon the man she loves, or break the rules of her position.
-o-o-o-
The grand cathedral of Val Royeaux was magnificent even compared to the city that surrounded it, stained glass and marble and gilded pillars. Ribbons of silk embroidered with passages from the canticles crossed the ceiling. The smell of incense permeated everything, a hypnotically calming scent that seemed to emanate from every surface, even though no burners could be seen.
A crowd of thousands had assembled to the cathedral’s halls, a crowd of tens of thousands lingered outside to clog the streets of the capital and turn the fields beyond Val Royeaux into a sea of tents.
It was a coronation like no other, even though the naming of a new divine was always a momentous event, with countless numbers of faithful making the journey not just from Orlais, but Ferelden, The Free Marches, Nevarra, even Antiva. This year was different though, this coronation meant change, and that was exciting.
Though few would admit it openly, the Chantry had been treading water the past few decades. As the last blight swept across Ferelden it had done nothing to stem the tide, hiding behind Orlesian borders and hoping that the Grey Wardens would do their job and end the destruction before it could move east.
Then the civil war, Mages freed from their towers, Templars openly dismissing Chantry oversight and running rampant. What had the Chantry done to respond to this rebellion, both of its servants and those they were bound to protect and police? They had offered impotent warnings and useless compromises for months, until finally the Divine had stepped in and dismissed her own advisors’ pleas to stay her voice.
The first real decisive action the Chantry had made in decades, and it had blown up in their faces, quite literally. The death of Divine Justinia had left the Chantry nakedly useless, collapsing into infighting and blame-throwing, all whilst the Inquisition had done the real work and stopped not only the murderers of the divine, but the civil war, a rogue magister, and a fledgling blight.
Cassandra Pentaghast had declared that Inquisition, the one that had led the fight and saved Thedas, and now she was about to take the Sunburst Throne. She was a radical, someone who would have the Chantry use its resources, and whilst there were many wary of what the new Divine had stated were her goals, the prospect of an active Divine was exciting for all.
Cassandra would be good for Thedas, one way or another, either by setting a good example, or by embarrassing herself and putting down any other radical candidates that would upset the status quo.
Inquisitor Anavis Trevelyan had complete faith in the former, even as he stood and tried not to choke on the incense filling is head. He stood near the front of the immense crowd that was packed into the cathedral, watching with mixed feelings as his lover was made the most powerful woman in Thedas.
He was proud of course, and he had absolute faith in her, if he hadn’t, he never would have recommended her… but he wasn’t without his doubts. For one Divines had a nasty habit of being assassinated, it was an unofficial annual tradition that some Orlesian noble with a grudge or Antivan Crow chasing Sovereigns took a knife or a poisoned chalice to the head of the Chantry. And then there was Cassandra herself, now Divine Victoria, supposed to be stately and celibate and remain in Val Royeaux unless under extreme circumstances.
He swallowed and glanced awkwardly up and down the aisle he was standing in, eyeing nobles and clerics who were all watching Cassandra. It was for the best, he reminded himself, steadying his shaking left hand as it twitched. Cassandra was meant for this, she would be happy, and she would have the power to change the world for the better, even if it meant sacrificing what they had built together.
He forced his gaze upwards, clasping his trembling hand in his other and hiding them behind his back. Maybe a hundred feet away Cassandra was sat upon the Sunburst Throne, looking radiant in robes of white and an outrageous, yet admittedly elegant, headdress. Her dark eyes caught his in an instant and her face lit up, a giddy grin spreading over her lips as she realised he was there to watch the most important moment of her life.
She had been nervous all day, that was only natural given what was about to happen, but oddly what made her anxious wasn’t the coronation, but how Anavis would respond. He had supported her outwardly, as he always did, but she knew he must have his doubts. He loved her, and she was leaving him, if only out of necessity.
Cassandra had been scanning the crowd for some time in between recitals of the Canticles and affirmations of her faith. She saw a few familiar faces, but it was only in that moment she saw him. He returned her smile, but his dark blue eyes were so sad it made her grin falter in an instant. She blinked, realising that she was about to be asked to make yet another vow and glanced up at the Grand Cleric.
When her eyes darted back to where her beloved had been standing, he was gone. Panicked, her eyes flew across the crowd, catching a flash of green cloth just by a pillar and recognising it as his cloak. She flicked a wrist and beckoned to one of her guards with a finger, whispering into her ear urgently.
“Please, The Inquisitor, ask him to stay? I would like him to stay… so I can talk to him afterwards.”
“At once, Your Perfection.”
She watched out of the corner of her eye as her guard made her way along the wall and caught Trevelyan by the wrist, speaking softly to him. He looked from her to Cassandra and smiled weakly, nodding. Cassandra breathed a soft sigh of relief and turned her attention back to the matter at hand.
It was late night by the time the ceremony ended and Divine Victoria formally took the Sunburst Throne. A thousand well-wishers and devotees paying their respects to her before at last the great Cathedral was empty of everyone but her, her attendants, and her lover.
Anavis had waited as patiently as he was able, trying to keep his mind occupied. At first he had admired the paintings and stained glass and tapestries, the ones he had seen so many times in books before. The originals were breath-taking, though much like the incense, they were overwhelming. Hardly any surface was not covered in some form of art, and those that were had been polished or gilded to such a sheen they were just as dazzling. It was hard to reconcile the experiences of real life with the opulence of the Cathedral. How many chantries had he seen that were little more than barns, run down and held together only through charity and relentless hard work from the chantry sisters?
How many mouths could just one of these golden-painted pillars feed? How many homes could fit into the cathedral, let alone the sprawling grounds outside. He sighed heavily, faithful though he was, his feelings on the Chantry’s methods and priorities had never been too kind.
Once the ceremony itself had ended he made small talk with the few people that sought him out, mostly nobles or clerics that new him by reputation and hoped that getting on his good side would earn them favour with the new divine. There were a few welcome faces though, Cullen, Leliana and Josephine all passed by for a short while, Vivienne made an appearance, but shot him only the briefest of hellos. Ultimately it was Dorian who he spent the most time with, who as always was more than happy to idly gossip the time away before paying his mostly sincere respects.
“Leave us.”
Anavis jumped at Cassandra’s voice, glancing up to see her rise from the Sunburst Throne and wave away her guards and attendants. After hours and hours of chanting and then talk, hearing only Cassandra’s voice echoing off the walls was a shock to the system.
She moved with purpose down the steps of the dais towards him, the same confident strides she would have made if she were in her usual armour. Strangely, she was more intimidating head to toe in those robes than she had been with a sword at her hip, and that was already plenty terrifying.
Anavis swallowed as she slowed to meet him halfway. “Congratulations are in order Divine.” He smiled, bowing to hide just how fragile his smile was. “Your Perfection.”
“Inquisitor.” She said softly, returning the smile. “Trevelyan.” She closed the gap between them, stepping close and sighing before moving closer.
“My love.” She breathed, pressing her cheek to his and winding her arms around him.
Anavis could have cried, but managed to contain himself, pressing his face down against her shoulder and returning the hug. Cassandra’s grip was tighter than he’d ever felt before, barely softened at all by the lack of plate mail. Even with the incense she smelled the same as ever.
She broke away first, holding him by the forearms as she stepped back, a slight flush glowing over her cheeks. “I… was worried you were leaving.” She said quietly.
“No… I just didn’t want to distract you.” Trevelyan murmured, “this is the most important day of your life, too important to have you thinking about me rather than the coronation.”
“You’re always on my mind, love.” Cassandra smiled before pursing her lips and glancing around the cathedral. “Come, we can talk privately in my chambers.”
“That might not be a good idea…” he winced, glancing around in case any Clerics had lingered to make sure the scruffy mage lingering in the back didn’t try anything with the new Divine.
“Come.” Cassandra repeated, a little more forcefully. “Please?”
The walk up to Cassandra’s new residence was a long one, libraries and living spaces and rooms to prepare herself within all passing by in silence before they stepped into her bedroom. “Is the Divine supposed to have male guests in her bedchambers?” Anavis asked awkwardly as Cassandra gingerly lifted her headdress and brushed her dark hair back into shape.
“Most likely not, and certainly not mages, but I suspect there are many things I am not supposed to do that I will be ignoring.” Cassandra hummed, plucking her gloves from her hands one finger at a time.
Anavis rubbed the back of his neck and sighed. “Victoria, you were born for this… I’ve never been more certain about anything. You are going to change the world for the better, more than I ever could and I’m… eh… I’m just so proud to have been at your side.”
Cassandra turned and smiled, gently winding her arms around him again. “Call me Cassandra, please?” He swallowed again and leaned into the hug. “I’ve always been Cassandra with you, no pretences no illusions… just me, and you.”
“I’m sorry, Cassandra.” Anavis nodded. “This is all so strange.”
“I know… it makes my legs quake. I wonder, how am I to replace Justinia? She was so wise and so patient; in ways I can never be.” Cassandra whispered, squeezing him a little tighter. “I have to live up to her legacy, be the Divine she would have wanted to take her place… but I must also take my own path. I could never forgive myself if I didn’t use this opportunity to help people, even if it is not what Justinia would have done. I must walk the line between honouring her and helping those I must help… I must, no matter what it costs.”
“And… us?” Anavis asked reluctantly, feeling Cassandra’s grip on his cloak tighten immediately. “I… I will do as my Divine commands, if she wishes me to stay by her side… or if she… wants me to step aside.”
“My love…”
“I am your servant, Divine. Please don’t try and spare my feelings.” He said firmly, pulling away as best he could. “If I am a distraction, if you need me gone, I will go, you need only say the word.”
Cassandra was silent for a while, cheek pressed to his shoulder, hands thoughtfully resting over his back. she sighed softly to herself and squeezed before slipping away. “I… will always love you.” she whispered. “But things have changed… I fear we… we cannot have the life we spoke of before. As Divine I cannot marry, I cannot take a lover… I cannot have a family.”
“I… understand.” Anavis nodded weakly, feeling like he was shrinking with every word she spoke.
“I miss you.” Cassandra said, taking his hand and clutching it tight. “I miss you each moment of each passing day. I miss… I miss your voice, and your laugh… I miss you beside me as I sleep at night, but I cannot have you, no matter how much I wish I could.”
She cleared her throat and bowed her head a little. “I wish that our lives were different, that there was no evil in this world, that there was no calling for either of us to answer. Please do not hate me for this… if… if you wish to leave then you have my blessing. If you… you wish to move on without me, to find a lover who can make you happy I wish you nothing but the best.” Her voice broke and she shook her head, letting go of his hand and angrily swatting tears out of her eyes. “F… forgive me, I…”
She trailed off and forced her head up straight, desperate to appear as strong as she had always been before. Anavis’ palms cupped her cheeks, his thumbs gently brushing the few unshed tears from her dark eyes before speaking. “There is nothing to forgive.” He breathed. “You are the most wonderful person I have ever met; I love you more than I have loved anything in my life before and I don’t think that will ever change.”
“Ana…” Cassandra choked.
“I will go… if that is what you want… but I really, really want to stay.” He smiled tearfully. “I would be happy, even if I was the poor bastard cleaning the cathedral privy, if it meant I could be at your side.”
Cassandra laughed, covering her mouth and trembling as he pressed his forehead to hers.
“I will stay by your side for the rest of my life, whatever the price, however I must do it, until the moment you say otherwise.” He promised, “I will love you always, from your bed or from across the cathedral or from the other side of Thedas if I must… if you’ll allow me.”
Cassandra let out a sharp breath of relief and half-lunged, half-fell forwards, tackling him in her tightest hug yet, making him groan with pain before taking her in his arms. “I will think of something, I swear.” She growled, sinking her fingers into his clothes until she worried she would hurt him. “I will fight to be with you. I will not let them take you from me.”
This time it was Trevelyan’s hug that caused a gasp, as his arms caught Cassandra around the waist and hoisted her into the air with a whoop of surprise. The newly coronated Divine Victoria, leader of the Chantry, face and voice of countless masses, giggled like a schoolgirl as Anavis hugged her tight around the belly and spun her through the air, squealing with joy before both fell heavily onto the bed, dizzy and laughing.
She kissed him deeply for what felt like an eternity, letting his hands slip her robes from her body layer by layer until she was bare and returned the favour. The feeling of his hands against her belly and his breath tickling her nape was enough to make the weeks of heartache vanish from Cassandra’s mind.
They were much alike, naked and bare. Varric might have made a joke of that. She was muscular and her curves were certainly subtler than many of the other women of the inquisition, but in all fairness Anavis’ own body was less masculine than perhaps it could have been. He was lean for his height, lithely muscular with rather excellent legs, at least in Cassandra’s opinion. Whilst her muscular bulk made her more masculine than other women, her lover’s slenderness made him notably more feminine than almost all of the other men of the inquisition, except maybe Solas.
Cassandra didn’t need him as she thought she might have when she first saw him in the cathedral. Even as his naked body pressed tight to hers, her breasts against his chest, his manhood against her thigh. She was content to cradle him in her arms, and be held in return, breaths tickling her shoulder and his stubble scratching her cheek. A single, joyful, relived tear slipped from her eye as she felt his pulse against her, and she sighed with contentment.
She held her beloved tight, circling her fingers around his shoulder as he nuzzled to her throat. They talked softly until the dawn light began to creep over Val Royeaux and glow against the curtains of Cassandra’s room though neither could have said what about once the night had passed. By the time the morning came in full both were asleep, sprawled inelegantly over Cassandra’s bed, Anavis’ cheek resting against her collarbone, her hands still holding onto one of his arms, keeping it pinned against her belly and cuddling it unconsciously.
When past noon they were roused, it was only reluctantly that the Divine allowed her lover to slip from her grasp, and only once promises to return had been sincerely made threefold. Cassandra felt light as a summer breeze the rest of the day, she had everything she had ever wanted, her beloved close at hand, the power to make real change, a balance she was determined to keep.
The Handmaidens of Divine Victoria would quickly come to learn that their mistress only looked as happy as she did that day when the inquisitor came to make his reports to her, but they kept quiet of their suspicions, their work was more than well paid enough to allow the Divine her happiness, after all.
Alone in her chambers, The Divine could reliably be found to smile and sigh at her lover’s letters, fantasizing of when they could be together freely.
