안드라스테: 창조주의 신부

옛적에, 테빈터 제국은 일깨우는 바다 근처의 작은 어촌을 습격하여, 병약하고 노쇠한 자들만을 남겨둔 채 마을 주민들을 민라투스 시장에 노예로 팔아넘겼습니다. 그중 하나가 바로 어린 안드라스테 님이었지요.

그분은 머나먼 이국땅에서 노예로 자랐으나, 탈출에 성공하여 모국으로 돌아가는 길고 험난한 여정에 오릅니다. 그리하여 그분은 가진 것 없는 신세에서 알라마리 전쟁군주의 아내가 되셨습니다.

그분은 매일같이 신들에게 기도를 드리며 테빈터에 남아 핍박받고 있는 마을 사람들을 도와달라고 간청했습니다. 산과 바람의 거짓 신들은 그녀에게 응답해주지 않았지만, 진정한 유일신은 달랐습니다.

창조주께서 그분께 말을 걸어 영계와 현실, 그리고 그 모든 생명체까지 당신 손으로 만든 모든 것을 보여주셨습니다. 안드라스테께서는 인간들이 허상의 신들과 악마를 숭배하며, 어떻게 주님을 잊어버렸는지, 무슨 연유로 주님께서 자신의 창조물을 저버리셨는지를 보았습니다. 그러나 그분의 간절한 목소리가 창조주께 전해져 그분의 마음을 움직였고, 주님께서는 안드라스테 님을 자신의 곁에 두고 만물을 다스리도록 하셨습니다.

그러나 안드라스테께서는 사람들을 저버리지 않으셨습니다.

그분은 창조주에게 다시 돌아와, 창조주의 자손을 잔혹한 제국에서 구해 달라고 간청했고, 창조주께서는 마지못하여 인류에게 다시금 기회를 주기로 하셨습니다. 안드라스테께서는 남편 마페라스에게 돌아가, 주께서 보여주신 모든 것을 말했습니다. 안드라스테 님과 마페라스는 함께 알라마리 군을 집결 시켜 제국의 마법사 군주를 향해 진군했고, 주님 또한 그들과 함께하셨습니다.

주님의 검은 불과 홍수, 기근과 지진을 일으켰습니다. 그들이 가는 곳마다, 안드라스테께서는 창조주의 자손에게 노래하였고, 사람들은 그 말에 귀를 기울였습니다. 안드라스테 님을 따르는 이들이 점점 늘어나 제국을 뒤덮을 만큼 많아졌을 무렵, 마페라스는 사람들이 자신이 아닌 안드라스테만을 사랑한다는 것을 깨달았습니다. 그로부터 벌레가, 그의 마음을 좀먹으며 자라나기 시작했습니다.

마침내 안드라스테 님과 마페라스의 군대가 민라투스 성문 앞에 당도했을 때, 안드라스테 님은 그곳에 계시지 못했습니다. 마페라스가 그분을 테빈터에 넘기고자 몰래 계략을 꾸몄기 때문입니다. 이에 집정관은 대가로 마페라스에게 일깨우는 바다 남쪽의 모든 땅을 약속했습니다.

그리하여 안드라스테 님은 알라마리와 테빈터의 군세 앞에서 말뚝에 묶여 화형을 당하셨고, 시기에 눈먼 그분의 남편은 군대를 물리고 어떤 행동도 취하지 않았습니다. 그의 심장은 이미 벌레에게 집어삼켜졌기 때문입니다. 그러나 안드라스테께서 화형당하는 모습을 보자, 집정관은 마음이 약해졌습니다. 그는 안드라스테 님을 가여이 여겨 검을 뽑아, 그분께 지체 없이 죽음을 베풀었습니다.

창조주께서는 사랑하는 안드라스테 님의 죽음에 몹시 슬퍼하시며, 마페라스와 자신을 배신한 모든 인류를 저주하였고, 만물에 다시 한번 등을 돌려 오직 안드라스테 님만을 자신의 곁으로 거두어 가셨습니다. 오늘날까지 우리의 성녀께서는 창조주의 곁에 앉아 다시 한번 당신의 자녀들에게 자비를 베풀어 달라고 간청하고 계십니다.

—저스티니아 2세의 설교에서

 

There was once a tiny fishing village on the Waking Sea that was set upon by the Tevinter Imperium, which enslaved the villagers to be sold in the markets of Minrathous, leaving behind only the old and the infirm. One of the captives was the child Andraste.

 

She was raised in slavery in a foreign land. She escaped, then made the long and treacherous journey back to her homeland alone. She rose from nothing to be the wife of an Alamarri warlord.

 

Each day she sang to the gods, asking them to help her people who remained slaves in Tevinter. The false gods of the mountains and the winds did not answer her, but the true god did.

 

The Maker spoke. He showed her all the works of His hands: the Fade, the world, and all the creatures therein. He showed her how men had forgotten Him, lavishing devotion upon mute idols and demons, and how He had left them to their fate. But her voice had reached Him, and so captivated Him that He offered her a place at His side, that she might rule all of creation.

 

But Andraste would not forsake her people.

 

She begged the Maker to return, to save His children from the cruelty of the Imperium. Reluctantly, the Maker agreed to give man another chance. Andraste went back to her husband, Maferath, and told him all that the Maker had revealed to her. Together, they rallied the Alamarri and marched forth against the mage-lords of the Imperium, and the Maker was with them.

 

The Maker's sword was creation itself: fire and flood, famine and earthquake. Everywhere they went, Andraste sang to the people of the Maker, and they heard her. The ranks of Andraste's followers grew until they were a vast tide washing over the Imperium. And when Maferath saw that the people loved Andraste and not him, a worm grew within his heart, gnawing upon it.

 

At last, the armies of Andraste and Maferath stood before the very gates of Minrathous, but Andraste was not with them, for Maferath had schemed in secret to hand Andraste over to the Tevinter. For this, the Archon would give Maferath all the lands to the south of the Waking Sea.

 

And so, before all the armies of the Alamarri and of Tevinter, Andraste was tied to a stake and burned while her earthly husband turned his armies aside and did nothing, for his heart had been devoured. But as he watched the pyre, the Archon softened. He took pity on Andraste, and drew his sword, and granted her the mercy of a quick death.

 

The Maker wept for His Beloved, cursed Maferath, cursed mankind for their betrayal, and turned once again from creation, taking only Andraste with Him. And Our Lady sits still at His side, where she still urges Him to take pity on His children.

 

—From The Sermons of Justinia II