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At ten years old, Emmrich Volkarin’s life changed. His parents died, leaving him an orphan on the Nevarra/Orlais border. It was by some luck, he supposed later on in life, that he possessed the talents of a mage. It was decided, then, in order to not disturb his life further, he would attend the Orlesian Circle close to where his hometown lay. His childhood was an interesting mix of a Nevarran background and Orlesian culture.
The first years were a trial, but Emmrich pushed through with a profound love for magic itself. He did everything to prove himself worthy of status in the Circle of Magi. He threw himself into study, learning Orlesian and trying to absorb everything he could about magic and the Fade. His hard work paid off, earning him a transfer to the Circle in Val Royeaux as a teenager. Further still, he was granted a leave to study Necromancy in his home country of Nevarra in his early twenties, an opportunity he jumped at. Upon completion of his studies, he returned to Val Royeaux, solidifying himself as a professor in the Circle of Magi and one of the top researchers in Orlais.
Life in the South of Thedas, however, was not easy for mages. He found he never really could gain status equal to that other academics and politicians, villainized for his natural proximity to spirits and demons. Even with his accolades, every few years he would cry himself to sleep lamenting the pain, the horror, the injustice of the system he didn’t ask to be a part of. He wondered if he joined the Wardens, if they would treat him like an equal. He wondered if he didn’t cry as a child at the thought of leaving the border, if they would have granted him study in Nevarra City, where he saw how mages were treated with respect. He wondered if he had the ability to prove that real, hopeful change could happen in Orlais. He thought about leaving it all behind to go to Nevarra, but something still called him back to Orlais: the hope that he could make the world a better place.
Emmrich was on the journey to the Temple of Sacred Ashes when he heard of its explosion. His heart sank at the news, wondering what continuing horrors would befall those caught in the Mage-Templar War. He and the Court Enchanter of Orlais were whisked back to Val Royeaux, unsure of what was to come. He feared the worst, often waking in the night, dreaming that death was cruelly coming to rip him from everything he loved.
He couldn’t have predicted the next series of events. The Court Enchanter, his friend, Vivienne, went to work for a new organization promising to restore order and close the tears in the Fade plaguing Thedas. She went on to become the Divine Victoria, promising reform to the Circles and the mages’ place in the world. She faced an uphill battle, but slowly, life as a mage started improving.
Vivienne named Emmrich as her successor, taking her place as Court Enchanter and First Enchanter, citing his brilliance and knowledge as the perfect set of skills to usher in this new era. Emmrich happily accepted the positions, wanting to make a name for himself as part of movement. There was just one issue he couldn’t quite get around.
“You didn’t have a personal body guard when you were Court Enchanter,” Emmrich said. The words fell off his tongue with a bit of sass he knew Vivienne enjoyed. He wore a mask on the upper half of his face. It highlighted his cheekbones with filigree flowing down like water. A golden skull flanked by wings rest on his forehead between his eyes. The mask did nothing to hide his unamused expression on his mouth, however.
“No, but I have one now,” She countered.
“I’m not the Divine,” he pointed out.
His protests did nothing to sway her. “And it is no longer the time before the Inquisition. Many people are upset because they are afraid of change and will choose to be violent about it. This is as much protection into the future of my rule as it is concern about your safety as your friend.”
Emmrich huffed. He was perfectly capable himself, but knew he couldn’t win this argument. Her word was law, literally.
“Alright, but I reserve the right to request a new one if we don’t get along,” Emmrich said, hoping to retain some power in this situation.
Vivienne chuckled. “Of course.” She waved at a guard, who opened the double doors to the courtyard just outside her offices.
A tall man walked through, muscular and broad. He wore shining gold armor, draped with navy fabric to accent its form. He held a sword at his waist and a shield on his back, both clearly chosen by Vivienne herself. Emmrich knew her tastes. The man wore a mask that covered his entire face, like a helmet. The whole thing was a curved sheet of filigree that hid any sight of facial features or facial structure. It was just smooth metal curved to the vague shape of a head. The man strode in with practiced confidence, walking up to the pair and bowing. Emmrich raised an eyebrow. He was impressed- the man was almost as tall as him.
“Your Worshipfulness; Lord Enchanter,” the man said in his bow. Emmrich could hear on his voice just how young this man was. Not only that, he didn’t have the typical Orlesian accent Emmrich would expect. It sounded Ferelden. Vivienne motioned for the man to stand at full height.
“It’s a pleasure. I assume your armor fitting went well?” She asked of him.
“Perfectly,” he responded with a slight nod of his head. “The mask is extremely comfortable.”
“Wonderful. Please introduce yourself to your new employer,” She motioned at Emmrich.
“Lord Enchanter, it’s a pleasure,” The man said, clearly rehearsed. “I am Theodore Thorne, your new bodyguard.”
“A pleasure,” Emmrich said. “You’re not from Orlais?”
The man shook his head. “No, I’m from Ferelden.”
“I’m surprised,” Emmrich responded. “Soldiers from Ferelden usually state their title with their name.”
At this point, Vivienne interrupted. “He’s not nobility, that’s why.” Emmrich turned to her, raising an eyebrow behind his mask. She continued. “While most lower class Ferelden soldiers are guards and Templars who don’t have hopes of rising through the ranks, Theodore here is different.”
Suddenly, the man’s posture became sheepish. He idly scratched the back of his neck to do something with the hand not on the hilt of his sword.
“Oh?” Emmrich said.
“Indeed. He was training to become a Grey Warden when he saved a village from ruin by Darkspawn. It was against orders of the First Warden, so he was denied his Joining. I found out about Theodore’s skill from a fellow friend in the Inquisition, Varric. He speaks highly and recommended him to the position.”
“I… Thank you,” Theodore mumbled, muffled by his mask. He clearly wasn’t used to being praised.
Emmrich observed the man before him. Despite not being able to see any part of his face, he really was expressive in his body language. It was strange to think this shy man committed insubordination and saved a village, but Emmrich was impressed. He always admired those who fought for the helpless.
“Alright then,” Emmrich said. He still wasn’t convinced he needed a bodyguard, but he was willing to give this a shot, for Vivienne. “Come along. We’ll get you set up.” Theodore nodded, standing at attention.
“Wonderful,” Vivienne said. “I shall see you when I next hold Court.” She walked off, her own guards joining to march at her sides. The doors closed and left Emmrich standing there with the unfamiliar man.
“I have a room in my apartments we’ll set up as yours,” Emmrich said. He was a little miffed at the thought that he would have to move his book storage, but he could always move it back when this inevitably didn’t work out. Surely, he wouldn’t need a bodyguard while in the walls of Val Royeaux.
“Thank you, Lord Enchanter,” The man replied. He bowed again, and this time Emmrich could see the tied back ginger ponytail Theodore sported, as well as the barest dusting of freckles on the back of his neck. It was… cute on such a large and powerful man, he supposed.
Emmrich shook his head. “Please, call me Emmrich.”
~
“Hopefully this doesn’t take too long,” Emmrich said, walking through the grand halls of Val Royeux. Theodore nodded, following behind.
The past few days were interesting. His new bodyguard was the image of professionalism… mostly. He followed Emmrich around like a mabari, silent and intimidating in his faceless mask. He did as he was told, kept his armor shining, and didn’t disturb Emmrich as he worked. Still, there was a spark of… something about him. He would gaze just a little too long at the sunset if Emmrich wasn’t watching and there weren’t any threats around. He would stop and pet the stray cats that occasionally broke into the Circle. He would spend a moment curiously reading over what Emmrich had just written when Emmrich got up to stretch. He was a fascinating man, this Theodore. He still hadn’t seen his face, as was polite.
“How long does Court normally last?” Theodore asked.
Emmrich rolled his eyes. “Anywhere from an hour to the better part of an afternoon. I do hope you’ll be alright- I get a chair but I believe you must stand,” Emmrich winced behind his mask, realizing that he’d be subjecting the poor man to standing for the most boring task in the world.
Theodore shrugged in that funny little way he always did. Not that Emmrich had been watching his body language, of course. “It’s alright. I used to stand for hours as a Warden in training.”
Emmrich found himself wanting to ask more questions about that, but they were rapidly approaching the grand doors to the receiving hall. “Such a noble organization, yet the things they make recruits do. You’ll have to tell me more later tonight. I don’t want this position to be uncomfortable for you.” Theodore softly nodded in thanks as they approached the grand hall where the Divine would be taking Court.
Guards opened the doors and the pair walked in, greeted by the buzz of nobility and the attendants of the Divine and the remnants of the Inquisition. Emmrich greeted a few relevant nobles and quickly took his seat along the side of the hall. He always hated how these meetings inevitably became the nobility complaining about how they wanted more money. These were supposed to be about how the Divine could help the poor, not the already gold-drunk Lords and Ladies of Orlais.
Vivienne walked in and everyone took their places, with her on her throne before the hall. The hall became quiet and a line formed to address the Divine. Emmrich let his mind wander. If there was anything interesting or if his expertise was called upon, someone would say his name.
He thought about his new bodyguard. He silently wondered what his face looked like. If he was from Ferelden, he might be okay with showing his face. Emmrich always thought it a bit strange to cover faces like this, a bit of Nevarra he could never quite shake from his thinking. He’d like to know what his new employee looked like. Maybe even see if he smiled.
As the hour dragged on and more and more people asked for the blessing of the Chantry, his thoughts shifted. Mostly, if he was honest, to his work. He had a class to teach the next day. One of his students seemed shaken up by her recent dreams in which a demon got just a touch too close to possessing her. Emmrich wanted to speak with her and comfort her. He also had some research he wanted to do on the wisps that recently had been gathering in the halls of the Circle. It also gave him a convenient excuse to go play with some wisps and make them dance. He wondered if Theodore would enjoy the sight.
“Your Holiness, I beseech thee…” A new person came to the front, dressed in adventuring leathers.
“How can I help you?” Vivienne said from her throne.
“I only need your support, Your Holiness,” the man said.
“On what matters?” She said.
“… Support the Venatori take over of Tevinter!” Emmrich barely had a moment to react. The man threw magic at Vivienne, causing an explosion. Guards sprang into action, but the chaos descended quickly. There was magic exploding, people screaming, the sound of swords clashing and armor hitting the marble floors.
Emmrich flinched, trying to protect his eyes from falling debris. When he was able to look around, a woman in line made eye contact. She sneered and wound up to throw a dagger at him, aiming straight for his neck.
Fear, The Fear, overtook Emmrich. He found himself paralyzed in his seat, desperately trying to protect himself. He was going to die. He was going to die by a dagger to the throat, and there was nothing he could do. It was going to be painful as he bled out. He imagined the coldness, the horror on his face like the burnt faces of his parents. He didn’t know what was beyond, waiting for him, and now he had to face that horror himself.
The dagger clattered to the ground. When Emmrich was able to look again, breathe again, Theodore was between him and the woman. The dagger had clattered off his shield and now lay at Theodore’s feet. Emmrich watched as Theodore threw his shield with an expert hand. The spines on the edge tore through the Venatori woman’s chest, ripping her to flesh to bloody shreds. Theodore caught the shield like it was nothing and grabbed Emmrich by the wrist and out of his seat.
They ran. Chaos raged around them, but Theodore forced a path through with his shield. He gripped onto Emmrich’s arm with a force that almost caused pain, but Emmrich didn’t care. All that mattered was getting his legs to move and follow Theodore out of there.
Theodore kicked down a side door with a huge crash. He quickly walked through, making their way to the open hallway outside the receiving hall. Emmrich quickly looked around, the iron grip that Death had on his heart fading away at the warmth of Theodore’s touch on his wrist. A group of Ventatori ran towards them, but this time, they were more prepared.
Theodore drew his sword and ran towards the warrior rushing them. He easily impaled him on his sword, the man falling to the ground. It was an easy kill, but now Theodore was surrounded by at least five more agents.
Emmrich couldn’t let that stand. Now that his fear had subsided, his instincts took over. There was a Venatori mage in the back, clearly about to cast something on Theodore. Emmrich started casting himself, blasting the mage with his signature magic from Nevarra. The mage stumbled as the magic hit their chest. He could hear their gasp, clearly not used to the life-sucking power of Necrotic magic. It gave Emmrich just enough time to reach for the body of the Ventatori that Theodore slain. He recited a spell, the words coming easily to him after years of practice.
The corpse started to rise, bones cracking back into place and guts slipping out of the cavity in its chest. It gripped both of its swords and stumbled its way to Theodore. Emmrich felt the power of magic surge in him, coming in waves across his body. He focused on one Venatori, one that had been clearly going for Theodore’s neck. The walking corpse stabbed one of its swords in that Venatori’s back, causing the man to scream in agony. The corpse threw the dying man on the ground, causing the remaining living Ventatori to shout and scream in horror at the sight.
Theodore glanced at the corpse, but if he had any reaction to it, it was hidden by his now bloodstained mask. A Venatori agent stumbled back in fear, and Theodore seized the moment. He sliced at the agent’s knee, sending them tumbling down to the ground in pain.
The living corpse finished off its target. It was at this point that the mage in the back recovered from their hit. They were scrambling at their belt for their signal. Emmrich gave an offended gasp. If they were able to signal, it would be over for them. Emmrich sent another blast of energy, this time taking a page out of Theodore’s book and aiming for the legs. The Mage screamed and fell on their hands and knees.
“Theodore, the mage!” Emmrich sent a little spark of light towards the mage, successfully getting Theodore’s attention in the correct direction. Theodore easily extracted himself from the other agents, letting them fight the corpse of their friend. He ran to the mage and, before they could rise, slammed the edge of his shield into their neck. Their body hit the floor and Emmrich could hear a few bones crack.
He saw Theodore take a breath and stand, almost idly walking over to the other agents and putting them out of their misery from death by walking death. Once the calm settled, once the sounds of screaming and fighting started to die down, Emmrich watched Theodore take a deep breath. His head dropped and he looked at his sword, now covered in blood. He decided to not put it back in its sheath.
Emmrich found himself taking heavy breaths as well. It was times like this he wish he wasn’t in Orlais. The mask felt stifling, even if it was just over the top half of his face. He wanted to feel the chill of fresh air on his skin. He needed to take a moment. He leaned against the wall, trying to find a place to rest. It was the best he could do without completely shirking decorum.
Theodore walked over. In comparison to what just happened, the regular clicks of Theo’s armor sounded like music. “Are you hurt?” Theodore asked.
Emmrich let out a huff. “I should be asking that of you. You were in the action.” Theodore didn’t move, only cocked his head to the side. “I’m fine,” Emmrich finally said with a sad smile. “Are you hurt? I do have some physician’s training if you are.”
Theodore shook his head. “I was afraid the mask would impede my ability to fight, but I’m alright. I’ll do a full examination once I remove my armor and let the court physician know if I’m injured.”
Emmrich nodded, still too exhausted to move from his place against the wall and slightly disappointed in Theodore’s insistence on formality. Theodore walked over to the corpses. He started to rifle through their pouches and pockets, taking whatever notes and items they had. The sounds in the receiving hall died down from chaos to the barked commands of the guards. He so hoped Vivienne was alright. He didn’t know what he would do if he lost her.
Theodore placed some of the looted objects on a small table on the side of the hall. Emmrich looked at them, finally moving from his place. There was valuable information, it looked like. He grabbed one of his pouches, emptying the contents into another bag on his hip.
“Here, place them in here. I’ll deliver them this evening to the Inquisitor,” Emmrich offered his now pouch to Theodore, who paused and graciously took it.
Together they silently gathered the items into the pouch, stuffing it full of papers and suspicious vials. They worked in an easy tandem, one that Emmrich had never experienced with anyone before. Despite the pain they just went through, Theodore made it slightly easier.
“…Thank you,” Emmrich eventually said.
Theodore paused, looking at the older man. “…Pardon?”
“Thank you,” Emmrich said more confidently this time. “For saving me.”
“Oh, uh… of course,” Theodore said. “Thank you for your help earlier. You’re an incredible mage.”
Emmrich smiled at the compliment. “I should hope so. I’ve only been doing this for forty-five years.”
Theodore chuckled at the joke. Something pulled at Emmrich’s heart. He wished he could have seen the man smile as he laughed.
The doors to the receiving hall flew open. The Inquisitor walked out with determination, looking around and spotting Emmrich. He strode over to the duo. It was clear he was pissed. Emmrich stood up straight and Theodore bowed.
“Inquisitor?” Emmrich said. “Is Vivienne alright?”
The Inquisitor stopped before the two and nodded. “She has some injuries, but the medics are taking care of her. I will not stand for such an attack.” He turned his head to Theodore, who seemed surprised at the sudden acknowledgement. “Thorne, I will be contacting the rest of the Inquisition, but I know Varric has some connections you met before you began your work here. Can you call them to Orlais? We’ll need all the help we can get.”
“Yes, sir,” Theodore saluted, but the Inquisitor just stomped away. Emmrich sighed. He could feel Theodore’s anxiousness.
“I’ll join you,” Emmrich softly said. “You don’t have to do this alone.”
There was a pause, but then Theodore looked up at Emmrich. “…Thank you.”
~
This was not the collection of people Emmrich expected when the Inquisitor mentioned Varric’s connections. Apparently Varric had contacted them for various jobs to try and track Solas. How that worked out… Emmrich didn’t know. Theodore mentioned that they were still working on it. But they were here, and apparently all had skills to try and track down who attacked the Divine. They all met in one of the many gilded conference rooms in the palace.
Emmrich sat next to Theodore, who wore a different mask for this meeting. His one was still made of filigree, but was angular and slightly more face-shaped. It had a thin slit from nose to chin, showing just a bit of skin if one looked hard enough. It also showed the top of Theodore’s head, revealing his full head of soft ginger hair. His previous mask was so caked with blood that it took Manfred, Emmrich’s skeleton servant, a full day to try and scrub it out. Theodore had expressed some nervousness about the meeting earlier, but he appeared to have gathered himself once in the room with friends.
“Thank you all for joining us and coming to Orlais on such short notice. I’m sure you heard what happened to the Divine,” Theodore started.
“If the Venatori are here, you know I’ll be here to investigate.” Emmrich looked at the woman who spoke. She was the only one of two people that Emmrich knew before they met at this meeting, although he only knew her by reputation alone. It was Detective Neve Gallus, probably the most famous detective in Thedas. She wore a beautiful brass mask decorated with the signature snakes of Tevinter. Emmrich had heard of her work in the many newspapers that made their way down to Orlais and respected what she did to take down the slavers. It was almost intimidating to meet her in person. She had an air about her that made her seem untouchable, yet down to earth.
“This affects us all,” the man in the black, bird-like mask said. Emmrich could hear the sneer and anger in his voice. “If the Venatori are in Orlais, then they are in every country in Thedas.” The man was introduced to Emmrich as Lucanis, a prominent member of the Antivan Crows. The First Enchanter didn’t like the idea of working with the Crows, but he was going to trust Theodore and his connections. If anything, they knew how to kill, and there was going to be a lot of death to keep Vivienne safe.
“Yeah…” Theodore sighed. His whole body slumped a bit. This was likely the biggest threat that Theodore had ever been tasked with handling. Emmrich wanted to reach out and comfort him, but forced himself to maintain professionalism.
Emmrich made a face under his mask. He didn’t know what was drawing him towards this curious man, but the longer he spent with him, the more he wanted to help Theodore.
“The good news is Venatori are killable,” Warden Davrin said. “This isn’t like that bullshit that got you kicked out. These aren’t Darkspawn; these are assholes who have forgotten to be afraid of the end of a sword.” Davrin leaned back, his full armor clinking as he did so. He wore a standard issue blue and silver mask, one that all Wardens in Orlais wore. It covered just around his eyes.
Emmrich was struck with a sudden pang of jealously. Theodore had introduced Davrin as a fellow Warden, one that protested Theo’s removal from the organization. Theo openly considered Davrin his best friend. At some point, Theodore likely wore a mask like that one. Davrin had likely seen Theodore’s face. Now, the man was stuck behind masks that covered everything. Emmrich wished he could have known Theodore before he was shackled behind gold filigree.
“Exactly,” the massive Qunari at the end of the table said. They crossed their arms over their chest. “So just tell me who to stab.” For someone so blunt, they wore extremely colorful clothing and a gold and feathered mask to top it all off. Theodore had said something about them being a dragon hunter from Rivain and a top person in the Lords of Fortune. They introduced themselves as Taash.
Emmrich heard Theodore take a sharp breath. “The Inquisitor is still trying to investigate how this many Venatori breeched Val Royeux. Unfortunately, given his high profile image and the scandals around him, any further investigation sent out by him would just push the Venatori into hiding. That’s why he’s asked me to take the lead on this.” Theodore sat tall as he spoke, but sitting next to him, Emmrich could see him worrying his fingers under the table. He had reason to be cautious- this certainly was a ragtag group, half connected by member of the Inquisition and this guard.
“I’m happy to help create any distractions,” Emmrich offered. “With my status of First Enchanter, people will be happy to listen to me while you all find the real culprit.” Theodore looked at him, and Emmrich liked to think he smiled under the mask.
“What ground has the Inquisitor covered already? I can help investigate the rest. Also, what scandal is he in this time?” Lace Harding asked. She was the only other person Emmrich previously knew in this council from her connection to the Inquisition. She even wore the simple black eye mask the Inquisitor insisted all members wore when in Orlais.
Theodore sighed. “Nothing much, just caught with the Bull. Outside. Again.” A few people had to stifle their laughs at that. Emmrich just sighed. He was just lucky to have never caught them in the act. What the poor gardens had seen…
“I heard that the Venatori have secretly taken over some Elven ruins as a base of operations in the South,” the excitable woman named Bellara said, “It’s been the talk of the Jumpers all month, but we don’t have the numbers to go and investigate. I bet that’s where they’re hiding.” She excited gestured to a map in front of Harding, so much so that her leather leaf mask shifted on her face.
“I think that’s a great place to start,” Theodore said. “Harding, Bellara, and Neve, if you could investigate if the ruins are being occupied by Venatori and report back. If they are, let’s have Lucanis find a way to sneak in with Taash and Davrin behind as muscle.”
“I like the sound of that,” Emmrich could sense Lucanis’ wicked smile under his crow mask when he spoke.
“Great. Let’s work out the details and get this plan in motion.”
The next three hours were spent working out a plan. Emmrich was happy to lend his influence where he could, granting the group access permissions and advising on the local terrain. Still, it was a long meeting. Once the new teammates had left, he watched Theodore slump forward. His mask made a delightful click on the wood of the table.
“You did great,” Emmrich said. He wanted to put a comforting hand on Theodore’s back, but restrained. He didn’t know if Theodore would like that level of physical intimacy.
Theodore groaned and sat back up, straightening himself out. “My apologies. That was unprofessional of me.”
“You’re perfectly alright. I understand how taxing this much be for you. You can relax around me, I won’t blame or report you.” Emmrich smiled, knowing how stressful managing people could be. He just wanted Theodore to feel comfortable around him.
Much to his relief, Theodore nodded at his words. “Thank you. I… I just don’t know if this is going to work. I feel like I have one chance at success but only half the information I need.”
Emmrich nodded. “Unfortunately, life often leaves us with half the information. You need to trust your team. They’re smart and capable.”
He wanted to believe that Theodore was smiling under his mask. “You’re right. I need to trust them.”
Emmrich let out a breath, realizing how tired even he was. “Care for a walk through the gardens? It might help calm both our nerves.”
Theodore stood. “I’d love that. Thank you.”
~
Emmrich found himself floating.
He recognized it instantly. He was in a dream. He walked amongst the spirits in a place he was always taught to fear. He never liked this part of being a mage, even as a young child, but his education in Nevarra made everything worse. To know that mages in the North didn’t live in fear, that they were taught with kindness on how to avoid becoming abominations rather than having the information beat into them…
It always made his journeys amongst the spirits far more painful. Even now, as he knew he was responsible for reforming the system, the pain of the past still hurt. Despite his academic interest in the Fade, being in it still struck him to his core.
A spirit stood before him. He knew it was a spirit. It looked like Theodore, after all.
From the neck down, it resembled Theodore perfectly. The armor was perfectly shined, his muscled bulged against the fabric of his clothing, the barest hint of freckles on gently exposed skin showed themselves. The face, however…
The spirit seemed to make a face out of the combination of what a face should look like and the intricate metal of Theo’s day to day mask. It was strange and unsettling.
The spirit bowed. “At your service, Emmrich,” it said in Theodore’s voice.
Emmrich sighed. How long would he play along with this? How long would he entertain its whims and allow it to believe it had a chance of possessing him? He hadn’t decided yet. He didn’t want to upset it right away, but he certainly didn’t want to play its games. “Stand, Theodore. You don’t have to bow to me.”
It stood at full height, the face twisting on itself as it shifted with the Fade. It couldn’t decide what it wanted to look like. “What is on the agenda for today?”
Emmrich sighed. “I have work,” he lied. The Fade swirled around him. He was now in his office, ‘Theodore’ standing tall next to him. On his desk were papers with nothing more than scribbles meant to look like writing. ‘Theodore’ pulled back the chair at the desk and waited for Emmrich to sit down. Emmrich did, wondering why his mind had him playing pretend with spirits.
Emmrich pretended to read the scribbles for a bit, then put the paper in front of him down. ‘Theodore’ stood at attention next to him, barely moving. Eventually Emmrich sighed and looked at the spirit. His patience was wearing thin.
“What are you?” he asked with frustration.
“A bodyguard,” it replied.
Emmrich shook his head. “What color is Theodore’s facial hair?”
The spirit paused, unable to answer.
“Exactly,” Emmrich said, standing from his chair. He faced the spirit. “If you’re going to imitate my bodyguard, you can at least have the courtesy to help with my research on spirits. What type of spirit are you and why have you come to talk to me?”
‘Theodore’ slowly turned to face Emmrich, the face of twisted metal morphing in front of him, becoming like half mixed paint. A dark part stretched like a wicked smile. “You can’t even admit to yourself? Why ask me directly?” Its voice twisted, echoing like Theodore’s but only in Emmrich’s head. Emmrich winced.
“Tell me so I can get this dream over with,” He complained.
The spirit leaned down, whispering in his ear. “Lust,” it purred.
Emmrich’s eyes flew open. He froze, not wanting to admit what it said. “W-what?”
A warm, inviting, clawed hand, ran itself down Emmrich’s back. “A strong, handsome, young man is thrust into your life, curious and trusting? When was the last time someone was so… interested in you and your work?”
Emmrich winced, trying to not let it feel so… good. “No, I must wake. You’re speaking nonsense.”
“Am I? He’s not a mage. He would trust your word on whatever you say regarding magic,” It licked at the shell of his ear, and Emmrich had to leave. His heart pounded, his head swam. He had to get out of this, no matter what. “He’s made to obey orders. You could make him do anything you desired.”
“ENOUGH!” Emmrich roared. He forced his body to sit up and he realized he was in the dark of his room, safely in bed. He was covered in sweat that soaked through his pajamas. He hadn’t been that close to a demon in years. He had forgotten how awful the temptation could feel. He had let down his guard and entertained its whims. Why? Just because it looked like…?
The door to his bedroom flew open in a panic. He could only see the bright light of a candle, blinding him as it shone through the darkness of night. Emmrich squinted his eyes.
“Emmrich?!” Theodore’s voice rang out. “Who goes there?!” Emmrich could barely see the outline of a sword.
The mage sighed. It was so sweet that Theodore was ready to fight for him, that he woke himself up for this, but the words of the demon rang out in Emmrich’s head. Emmrich felt more than embarassed.
Was it truly… lust?
“I just had a nightmare,” Emmrich said, hoping to calm his bodyguard. “I’m not in danger.”
He could see the figure behind the bright candlelight straighten, and then Theodore placed the light and the sword down on a dresser across the room. “A…are you alright?” Theodore walked over to Emmrich and sat down on the edge of the bed. He still seemed on alert and concerned. “I don’t need to call a templar, do I?” Was there… pain in his voice when he mentioned a templar? Surely Emmrich was imagining that…
Emmrich could just barely see in the dark, Theodore now backlit from the candle. The man’s silhouette was softer than normal. He didn’t wear his usual armor, instead seemingly in sleepwear that hugged his muscled body. His hair was down from its low ponytail, now in waves that brushed against his shoulders. But, the most noticeable change was Theodore was not wearing one of his masks.
Emmrich’s eyes adjusted, desperate, wanting to see the face of the man who saved him, who dropped everything to just keep Emmrich safe. He wanted to stare into the eyes of the man who threw himself in the way of danger just to keep someone he barely knew alive. He could see the faintest shadows of strong cheekbones and the angle of his jaw. He could see hair tucked behind every so slightly protruding ears, giving him a youthful silhouette.
“You’re sweating,” Theodore said, his voice not muffled by metal in front of his face. Emmrich didn’t realize how delightful it was to hear Theodore’s voice clearly. “Here,” He turned, and Emmrich briefly saw the shape of his nose and how it came to a point.
It was all he could see, but Emmrich was captivated.
Theodore reached over to the nightstand and grabbed a spare handkerchief. He carefully unfolded it and started to dab Emmrich’s forehead. His movements were soft and gentle, as he would break the man if he touched him any more. Emmrich’s heart lurched, wanting to lean into the touch. He wanted Theodore to take away the awful feeling of the demon touching him and replace it with the comfort of the real Theodore, the real one with a true face. He wanted to relax into the arms of another being, one that understood the stresses of his day to day life and could make the feeling go away. Emmrich tried to get his eyes to adjust, to see more of the wonderful man before him, but… he couldn’t in the dark. His heart ached.
“Thank you for checking on me,” Emmrich whispered. Theodore paused. Emmrich could see him look down and to the side, thinking. Eventually he looked back up and shuffled slightly closer. He continued to wipe the sweat from Emmrich’s face, now a breath away.
“I couldn’t live with myself if something happened to you,” Theodore admitted quietly.
“I’m just your employer,” Emmrich tried to counter, even if his heart wasn’t in his words. He couldn’t deny the truth of their relationship, despite how much he wanted more. He turned his head to the hand dabbing him dry, leaning into the touch, just a little.
He saw how Theodore’s hair moved in soft waves as he shook his head. “You’ve given me a home, treated me with kindness, and saved my life when fighting those Venatori. I didn’t know what to do with myself when I was denied my Joining. I feel like I have a purpose now. You’ve done as much for me as I’ve done for you. Maybe even more.”
Words stuck in Emmrich’s throat. His mouth felt dry and unnatural. He wanted to do something, anything. Theodore was so close. He wanted to reach out and touch the man. He wanted to tell him that he’s just as important. He wanted to invite him to bed and wake up to the sight of him. He wanted to lean forward and find Theodore’s lips with his own, kiss him until he spoke of nothing but praises for his bravery…
Theodore pulled back, placing the handkerchief on the nightstand. Emmrich let out a breath he didn’t realize he held. He slumped forward a bit, trying to calm his racing heart. No, it wasn’t professional. He didn’t even know if Theodore felt the same way romantically. Even if he wanted the words to be true, he couldn’t let the demon’s sweet nothings interfere with reality.
“You’re too kind,” Emmrich replied, trying to bite back the sadness in his voice. “If there is anything you need, please let me know. I’d be happy to provide it to you.”
He saw Theodore nod, staring at the floor. There was a pause, like Theodore wanted to ask something, but the question never came. “Please let me know if you have any other trouble sleeping. I’ll have Manfred brew you some tea.”
Emmrich swallowed. This was his last chance to reach out, to speak his feelings, to ask to see Theodore’s face, anything-
“Sleep well, Theodore,” Emmrich said. He disappointed himself.
Theodore stood and walked to the candle and sword. “You as well, Emmrich.”
And then the bedroom door clicked closed, and Theodore was gone.
Emmrich didn’t have to worry about nightmares the rest of the night. The Lust Demon’s words were enough to keep up awake until the early morning sun.
~
The next morning, Theodore was the picture of professionalism. He stood tall in his armor and mask, nothing more than a figure made of metal. Emmrich knew he shouldn’t be caught staring at his bodyguard, but all he could think about were the angles of Theo’s cheeks, the cut of his chin, the barely visible softness of his skin in the faint moonlight…
They walked in the Val Royaeux garden, the morning sunlight streaming down on them and warming the air. Theodore walked behind Emmrich as professionally as possible, much to Emmrich’s dismay. He wanted nothing more than to close the distance between them.
“Theodore, do you enjoy walking about the gardens?” Emmrich asked.
“I do,” Theodore’s voice was muffled once again, and Emmrich was suddenly hit with a wave of sadness. After hearing it so clearly last night, the jumbled words and slight echo grated in Emmrich’s ears. “I kept a flower garden in my youth, before I left to join the Wardens.”
Emmrich smiled. “That’s wonderful!” Emmrich clasped his hands together in delight. “You must tell me what you grew. I kept a small garden at my old apartments, but since moving, I haven’t had the time to maintain one.”
Theodore quickly looked around to see if they were being watched. He stepped forward to stand by Emmrich’s side once he determined they were alone. “I helped grow flowers for dyes. My mother was a weaver, and I helped dye the fabric. Most of the time I would dye things one color, but have you seen flower imprints?”
Emmrich shook his head, keeping as best eye contact as he could through the filligree.
Theodore seemed so much more at ease talking when talking about his garden. His shoulders relaxed just a bit and he adorably tilted his head to the side, his red ponytail swaying in the breeze. Before he could even finish his thought, Emmrich decided he was going to have pots and soil brought to his balcony for Theodore to use as he pleased. He’d cover his apartment in plants if it meant making Theodore happy. “It’s when you take whole flowers, decoratively place them on the fabric, and then press them down to leave an imprint on them. It’s not very efficient and uses a lot of flowers, but it’s beautiful for wedding fabrics.” There was a dreaminess in Theodore’s voice as he spoke. Emmrich was captivated.
“I should love to see your work,” Emmrich replied. “The gold of Orlais is lovely, but I must admit, it has nothing on the beauty of the natural world.”
Theodore giggled and nodded his head. “Orlais certainly has its… tastes.”
Emmrich smiled and was about to respond, but a coming attendant interrupted them. Theodore practically jumped back to return to his station.
“Lord Enchanter! Lord Enchanter!”
Emmrich sighed and turned to the young woman. He put on his pleasant smile to hide how much he hated being interrupted. “Yes, dear? What’s the matter?”
She stopped and bowed to Emmrich despite her huffing and puffing. “There is a group here to see you and your bodyguard. They request your presence immediately!”
Emmrich and Theodore looked at each other, unsure. “Is The Divine or the Inquisitor aware of this?” Emmrich asked.
The attendant shook her head. “The group specifically requested to see you two first.”
“Then lead the way,” Theodore responded. She bowed once again, leading the two down winding hallways and passageways. The perfectly polished marble halls led to crumbling and damp stone. The carpeted floors gave way to cobbles and the high ceilings grew lower and lower. The attendant motioned to a disused entrance to the palace, one clearly meant for servants to enter unseen. Theodore opened the rotting wooden door and let Emmrich through.
“You’ll never guess what we found,” Neve’s voice greeted the duo.
The rest of the team stood just outside the entrance to the palace, Taash and Lucanis holding up the corpse of a Venatori. Only about half of them wore their masks. Emmrich’s eyes widened.
“… Successful trip, I’m assuming?” Theodore said. His voice was professional, but Emmrich could hear the awe in it.
“Yes and No,” Davrin replied. “But we have news.”
Emmrich looked at the corpse and gestured towards it. “Not what I would personally call ‘news’, but I’d love to know what’s going on.” Taash snorted in laughter.
Harding rolled her eyes and cleared her throat. “We were right. The Venatori were hiding out at the old Elven ruins. However, after their loss attacking the Divine, they started moving out of the base.”
“By the time we got there,” Lucanis interrupted, “They were almost fully moved out. We tried to get as much information as we could, but they did a somewhat decent job of cleaning out the space.”
Theodore made a small noise of disappointment. “Not great. Were you able to track them?”
“Not exactly,” Bellara said. She handed a small object to Theodore, who brought it up to his face to observe it. “They didn’t clean out the ruins as thoroughly as they thought they did. This is a message box. It records messages that can be transported. It’s a lot more secure than parchment, but it does require a recognized voice to operate it. I’m seeing if I can break in to get what information it has.”
Theodore nodded, a puppy-like enthusiasm about him. “That’s great!”
“And what about him?” Emmrich asked, pointing to the corpse.
“I didn’t wanna wear my mask, so entering through the front gate was a go no,” Taash said. “It’s way too sweaty. Anyway, I thought we could enter this way so I didn’t have to wear it right away, and we found this spy trying to break in.”
“That’s… less great,” Theodore said. “Not the mask thing, they spy thing. Wait, why didn’t you capture him for questioning?”
Davrin rolled his eyes. “Someone decided to throw some daggers at his neck.”
“What, you wanted me to take a full hit of blood magic?! I’m an assassin; waiting to kill is not what I do.” Lucanis complained. Davrin just rolled his eyes again.
Emmrich sighed at their bickering and took the object from Theodore’s hand, observing it himself. It was beautiful, with decorative engravings and words in a script he didn’t know. It was gently warm in his fingers and he could sense the magic flowing through it.
He had an idea.
“If I may,” he said. Neve motioned for him to do as he wished, and he kneeled down in front of the corpse. Summoning the magic he learned in Nevarra, he spoke a spell until the corpse opened its mouth.
“I’ll watch the south entrance. If no guards come through, we can enter through there. Glory to the Venatori!” It spoke. The Elven box opened and a little voice started speaking on repeat.
Taash dropped the corpse in shock. “GROSS!” They shouted. Lucanis started swearing in Antivan at suddenly having to support it himself.
“I should have known that was the phrase to open it,” Neve mumbled and shook her head.
Bellara didn’t seem to care. “Wow! You got it open! That’s amazing, Lord Enchanter!” Emmrich smiled and passed it to her.
“Thank you, but really, you can call me Emmrich. No need for formality amongst Theodore’s friends.”
“Of course, Lord- uh- Emmrich,” Bellara took the box and listened to the voice, her face not so much betraying her emotions, but rather showing all of them.
“What does it say?” Harding asked, trying to listen in as well.
“It’s part of a conversation! Something about an ambush during a ball,” she reported.
Fear struck Emmrich’s chest. The Divine spoke about not wanting to hide in fear after the attack. She was going to use one of the upcoming semi-regular balls to appear in public. “I must inform the Divine,” He gasped.
“Wait!” Lucanis said. “We can use this to our advantage.”
Emmrich glared at the man in the crow mask. “I will not put her life in danger,” his voice was low and full of anger.
Lucanis raised a hand to calm Emmrich. “Nothing of the sort. But now that we know this is happening, they believe they will have the advantage on us. We can set a trap.”
Emmrich crossed his arms. He didn’t know about using the ball as a trap, but if it would get rid of this threat…
He turned to Theodore. “What is your opinion?”
Theodore was still, clearly thinking. “We have to try.”
Emmrich exhaled. He trusted Theodore on this. “Then we try.”
~
Emmrich held a glass of wine in his hand. He couldn’t sip it, but decorum stated he must pretend to anyway.
Balls were always where the true grandeur of Orlais came to shine. Music floated through the hall, people danced in the finest suits and ball gowns, and gossip flowed faster than liquor.
Emmrich couldn’t deny that he enjoyed the occasional ball. Certainly not as often as the nobility of Orlais did and certainly not the gossiping, but he did enjoy socializing and testing the limits of decorum. He was known in his youth for flirting with men and women alike, stealing glances while he twirled on the dance floor and charming those who were more sympathetic to the plight of mages.
Today, however, his eyes flit from door to door behind his mask with anxiousness. For day-to-day wear, he enjoyed wearing his usual half mask. For balls, he wore one that covered his whole face. He had it custom made in Nevarra; a jewel encrusted skull swirling with the symbols of his homeland. It was quite the attention grabber, which made it perfect to blend into the glitz of the ball.
Emmrich felt a presence come behind him. His heart knew who it was.
“Are the doors guarded?” Emmrich murmured behind his mask. He brought the glass up to the teeth of the mask, almost impulsively, to help hide any reading of his lips.
“No,” Theodore reported, looking around to see who might overhear them. “Guards on every door and Inquisition on every guard. The two doors left have no visible guarding.”
“Wonderful,” Emmrich said. Theodore was the one to eventually make the plan. Have guards and Inquisition ready on almost every door, but leave two easily forgotten doors open. Draw the Venatori there, then have the Crows and the Shadow Dragons secretly watching entrances. The Inquisitor was surprisingly on board with this plan, helping plot out which doors would be best left ‘unattended’ and where the Crows and Dragons could hide in the shadows. If any Venatori managed to get past, then that’s when the Lords of Fortune and the volunteer Wardens would swoop in. Last resort was repositioned Inquisition forces and normal guards.
“Are you nervous?” Theodore asked, his voice soft.
The question took Emmrich by surprise. He looked over at the man. Theo wore gold armor covered in lions that didn’t quite match… well, him. His mask covered his entire face, now full plate with only slits for sight. Emmrich frowned. He hated the sight. “I am,” he admitted. “I want my friend to be safe. I want this threat to disappear so I can get back to the important work,” Emmrich swallowed, waffling for a second on if he should say what was truly on his mind. In the end, he decided to follow his heart. “I want you to be safe.”
Theodore paused, head bowed low. Emmrich could see him take a deep breath. “I want you to be safe as well,” Theodore admitted. His hand gripped the hilt of his sword resting on his hip.
Emmrich nodded, touched. He logically knew that it was Theodore’s job to keep Emmrich safe, but he couldn’t help but think there were more personal reasons behind his words.
Fanfare echoed in the ballroom. All heads turned to the grand staircase. The Divine Victoria made her appearance, dressed beautifully with a delicate mask adorning her face. The Inquisitor walked her down the stairs, insisting he act as her personal bodyguard for the evening. Everyone clapped in delight, although Emmrich’s stress was now at an all time high. They had to be on high alert now.
Unimportant words were said and soon enough the music resumed. People starting dancing and greeting Victoria like she was a queen. People started to come and greet Emmrich. While he normally enjoyed the socialization, his mind was elsewhere. He forced himself to smile and act pleasant, fulfilling his role as First Enchanter, answering questions about the changes to the Circle. The only thing he couldn’t bring himself to do was casually flirt with the random Orlesian nobles hoping to win his affection. He found he only wanted to flirt with Theodore.
The night drew on, causing Emmrich to grow more grey than he already was. He was sure as the night wore on something was going to happen. Theodore stood by his side, offering a comforting hand when needed. It felt wrong. Theodore’s gloved hand felt like a dead weight on top of Emmrich’s formal wear. He want the soft touch again, the gentle brush of skin on skin they had that night in the dark. He was thankful his mask hid his true expression.
Emmrich was about to excuse himself out of anxiety when the doors of the ballroom burst open, causing more than a few screams. Emmrich and Theodore looked to the sound, shocked. In strode the ragtag team Emmrich had grown to love, a mix of Inquisition and Theodore’s friends alike.
“Your Inquisitorialness,” Varric announced as he strode in, his crossbow on his back. “I believe we took care of your Venatori problem.”
Behind him was a slightly roughed up Taash and Davrin carrying an extremely roughed up Venatori leader. Behind them was the rest of the group, including a very proud Harding, Neve speaking to Magister Pavus, and Lucanis cleaning blood off of his daggers. The crowd gasped at the sight.
The Inquisitor strode towards the group, visibly furious. Emmrich started to walk as fast as he could to the group as well, Theodore following close behind.
“And what right do you think you have attacking the Divine?” The Inquisitor asked.
“I’m not answering any of your asinine questions,” the leader jeered. The Inquisitor rolled his eyes.
“You will be taking in to questioning, believe me,” he responded.
“The true Tevinter empire will rise!” The leader tried to lunge at the Inquisitor, surprising Taash and Davrin and barely keeping them restrained.
Theodore drew his sword and pointed it at the Venatori, practically snarling under his mask. The Inquisitor burned with rage, seemingly ready to kill the bastard himself. Emmrich pushed his way through the two men, kneeling down with a cool head and a scarily calm demeanor.
“I suggest,” Emmrich started, voice completely neutral. He stared into the eyes of the leader. With the Venatori’s focus on him, he secretly cast some magic behind his back, “You cooperate with the interrogation. We don’t want any… unnecessary consequences, hm?” The image of black ink started to ooze out of the hilt of Theodore’s sword, still pointed at the Venatori. It leaked down the blade and smelled of death and decay and embalming fluid. A bit dripped onto the bright red robes of the Venatori, causing them to gasp and stutter.
The Inquisitor sighed. “Take them away. I’ll handle this.” Emmrich stood, watching as the group filed out of the ballroom. He smiled under his mask and dismissed the illusion away from Theodore’s sword, much to Theo’s amazement.
“Hey Rook,” Varric said, hanging back and walking up to the duo. “Got a moment?”
“Sure,” Theodore responded.
“Everyone did great today. I think we got a good team. I’m thinking of bringing everyone together to try and hunt down Solas. We don’t quite know what he’s doing to the Veil, and we need to guard it. You in?” Varric asked.
Theodore nodded. “Of course. Just let me know what I can do.”
“You wanna bring Bones in as well?”
“Bones?” Emmrich asked, slightly offended at the new nickname.
Theodore just laughed. “That’s up to him.”
“Well?” Varric asked Emmrich.
Emmrich hummed, still put out over the nickname. “I’ll have to see, but I would love to help where I can.”
“Great! I’ll send Harding with what information we have,” And with that, Varric walked away.
Theodore looked at Emmrich, and it felt like a weight had been lifted off the older man’s shoulders. He let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding and slumped a bit.
“I could use some air, if that’s alright with you,” Emmrich confessed. He felt shy, asking his bodyguard for permission, but it felt right to do.
“Lead the way,” Theodore said. Emmrich was grateful and led them out to one of the many balconies, away from the hustle and bustle and the resuming of the ball.
The air was chill, much to Emmrich’s delight. He took a deep breath and stared out into the glittering lights of Orlais, comforted by the privacy of the curtains that covered the windows into the ballroom. With the sounds of the ball now faded into the background, Emmrich found he could finally think.
Theodore came to stand next to him. “Are Orlesian balls always this… stressful?”
Emmrich chuckled. “Only the good ones. It’s it’s not a successful ball unless there’s at least two murders.”
Theodore chuckled himself, joining Emmrich in staring out into the night. They stood in silence, listening to the breeze.
Eventually, Emmrich couldn’t stand it anymore. He wanted more. “You know, despite living most of my years in Orlais, I never really enjoyed the custom of wearing a mask.”
Theodore turned his head to him. “O-oh?” There was a glimmer of something in his voice. Something like… hope.
Emmrich let his thoughts flow. “It’s stuffy, you can’t see what the other is expressing, and it’s just another barrier between people. When I care about someone, I want to see them. Truly see them.”
There was a tension between them. Theodore looked up at Emmrich. In that moment, Orlais ceased to exist. There was only Theo.
Theodore spoke in the quietest voice Emmrich had ever heard. It was so quiet that it was almost completely muffled by his mask. “May I?”
Emmrich nodded.
With shaky hands, Theodore reached up and undid the ribbon that held the skull mask to Emmrich’s head. His touch was gentle, as if he was afraid of hurting Emmrich. Emmrich closed his eyes, letting Theodore remove it and only opening his eyes when he felt the cold air of the night against his skin.
Theodore stood in awe, staring. His eyes were focused on Emmrich’s face. Emmrich smiled. He reached up and undid the buckle that closed the leather straps keeping Theodore’s mask on. The act felt intimate, just as intimate as their night in the dark. Emmrich’s heart raced. He slowly pulled away the metal.
Theodore’s face was perfect. He was young and still carried a boyish look about him. His face was covered in freckles. He had a strong nose and sharp cheekbones and pink lips. He stared up at Emmrich as if Emmrich was the most handsome man in the world.
Emmrich used his free hand to gently cup Theodore’s cheek. Theodore softly nuzzled into it. Theodore’s skin was soft and warm, just as Emmrich imagined. He wanted to do nothing more than simply stare at the man.
“Thank you,” Emmrich whispered, “For protecting me.”
“Thank you,” Theodore whispered back, “For trusting me.”
Emmrich wasn’t sure who leaned in first, but he quickly found himself kissing Theodore. His lips were soft and timid, and Emmrich was sure to be gentle with him. It was the most wonderful kiss Emmrich ever experienced.