He had returned to Starkhaven right after the Kirkwall disaster. Alone. Broken. More confused than he was willing to admit. After fifteen years of absence, after a life devoted to the Chantry. And to his revenge. Finally making his peace. The vows he still believed in were binding him though he had no idea how he ever should keep them even if he wanted it. He had returned to see after his royal duties, was back to be prince. The prince. The last remaining Vael walking the Maker’s world. If he wanted the bloodline to prevail he was supposed to produce heirs. Sebastian could not even finish the thought without having his head spinning. Too much was unsettled at home and now the sky was ripped apart and threatened all of Thedas. The death of Divine Justinia, the conclave blown up… all this sounded far too familiar. And now word went that a new force was forming. The Inquisition. News were confusing but what had him nearly rage was, that a Mage was considered to be chosen by Andraste herself.

What could that mean? How was this possible? Were people forgetting that fast? Familiar names behind that Inquisition. Seeker Pentaghast and Leliana - the left and the right hand of the late divine. Varric Tethras, his old brother in arms was listed within the so-called inner circle and even Cullen Rutherford, former second in rank of Kirkwall’s templar Order was now part of that movement.

But why giving a Mage so much power? Sebastian could not wrap his mind around that. Too much pain and bad memories. Memories that haunted him still in reoccurring nightmares.

Why in the Maker’s name should Andraste choose an abomination to be her Herald? Sebastian had to see for himself. Had to talk to the people he knew. He would not admit but even though he had braced himself with bitterness and skepticism, he still hadn’t changed that much. Sebastian Vael would never stop caring and he never would refuse to help if he could. Even if he drank too much lately and struggled with his beliefs and even more with his vows after he still had no idea how to be the ruler his country needed, he was a human being full of compassion and dreams of love and peace.

He had considered coming with troops and entourage to make an entrance, fitting his title and role. He had decided to come alone. To listen and to watch and then to make a decision.

After all, if this Inquisition was a seriously uprising power, it could not harm to form an alliance early on. "Again, son… too much pride!” was the last thing his late mother said in his head before Sebastian passed out at the tavern table.

~ ~ ~

"Choir boy? You better wake up!”

This voice… This name… Despite what his dead mother’s voice had told him earlier, now the world definitely was revolving around him. Literally. And it was not only the wine. Sebastian felt miserable and the more because it had been the dwarf to find him like this. Varric Tethras! Of all people! “Still trying to be the chaste prince in shiny armor?” Varric was teasing, but he helped Sebastian to sit up on the bench where he had been sleeping on his arms hunched over the tavern table. With a few words Varric ordered coffee and water and made Sebastian drink.

“I’m not trying to be anything!” Sebastian muttered fully defensive and slightly annoyed. “I am the prince of Starkhaven and I still stand with the chantry and to every single vow I pledged.”

“If you say so…” Varric shrugged. “Getting wasted in a tavern seems not very… appropriate for a man who seeks chaste purity.”

“I don’t think you are the man to decide what suits me and my aims.” Sebastian stretched his back and put as much dignity into his reply as he was capable of. No matter how bad this headache was torturing him, he should not forget who he was.

“So, what brings you to Haven?” Varric asked. “I refuse to think you only randomly show up at the gates of the Inquisition at this times.”

Sebastian closed his eyes, suppressing the urge to curse. Even if it was only internally, the Maker would know about it and it was never appropriate to misuse the Maker’s name in any way.

“I was not aware I have already arrived at my destination.” He managed to say with the little dignity he felt he had left. “My thoughts must have been clearly distracted.” He looked around now with new interest in his surrounding, trying to recall what he could remember from the village on his way to the tavern. Haven was small, kind of oddly crowded with way too many people and the walls were too high to be like this just by coincident. A few houses, a chantry, a tavern trying to mimic a fortress with not too much of success. Few soldiers, lousy equipment, too many refugees. If this was supposed to be the Inquisition, this trip had been a waste of his time!

“I came here to see with my own eyes what this Inquisition is all about.” Sebastian finally answered Varric’s question. „The breach is a serious threat to all of us. I see that. Yet how could you people allow a Mage being announced to be the Herald of Andraste? Varric… can you imagine the pain? Not only mine but of so many people! After what happened in Kirkwall? You have been there! You should understand! You have seen what a Mage did to the Chantry. And now you allow a Mage to be accepted as the chosen one. After another sacred place was blown up and another Mage was involved! And yet said Mage not only runs free but you let her be called Herald of Andraste.” Sebastian’s breath was heavy and fast as he ended his agitated speech.

“She is the one with the mark. She is the one that seals the rifts and suffers unspeakable pain.” Varric sighed compassionately and Sebastian realized it was true and genuine. Then the dwarf finally continued: “Only thing on that matter I’d have to say, choir boy, is: See for yourself.” Varric patted Sebastian’s shoulder. “You might end up being surprised. And one more thing you should know: She never claimed to be the Herald. She avoids being called that whenever she can.” “I bet she doesn’t even believe in the Maker.” Sebastian was not easy to convince. He almost spat the words out in disgust and borderline hatred. “In my eyes, this abomination is not better than Anders. A murderer of innocent people.”

“That is not for me to decide.” Varric mused. “Or to judge. And even less for you, who don’t even know her”

Sebastian tried hard to calm down. “Varric, the breach worries me as much as everyone. I… If this Inquisition really is the best we have to defeat this evil, I came to help.”

Varric hid a smile. He knew the man was stubborn and sometimes narrow-minded. But he was a good one deep inside. There might be hope for him, finally. To grow. To find his path and his place in life. Not ending up as the prudish chantry boy who never could grow up and stand with what ever decision he made. Finally arriving and not longer being torn between too many, too opposite goals that never could be achieved at the same time. Sebastian was still confused and the years in Kirkwall had not been very helpful with that. Soothingly he patted Sebastian’s back.

“You should go and speak to the Seeker and our Spymaster. They might enlighten you more than I am able to. They might be able to convince the mighty prince of Starkhaven that we just try to put shit right back together and that obviously we are the only ones who are capable of doing this because we wield a mysterious power that no one understands, least the person who carries it.” Sebastian fell silent for a moment before he slowly nodded and finally agreed: