Hello! This is my first dragon age fic! I feel like I have some pretty good ideas for this one, too. Anyway, I hope you enjoy!

Chapter One

Corypheus was defeated, the breach was closed, and all of Thedas was breathing a collective sigh of relief. Though no one was more relieved than the Inquisitor herself. Well, at first at she. When Josephine said that every noble was clamoring to me the Elven Herald of Andraste, she meant every noble. The last six months was nothing but parties, politics, and shallow nobles.

Many of the Inquisitors companions came and went from Skyhold, attending to both personal and official business. Cassandra had been elected the new Divine, and many at Skyhold sorely missed her presence. Even Varric had admitted he missed her lurking over him. In truth, the Inquisitor suspected the two had become unlikely friends, even if neither would admit to it.

Blackwall had stayed for some time before the arrival of Grey Warden called him away. The Wardens had extended an invitation to truly join their ranks. An offer Blackwall could not refuse. Dorian had eventually returned to Tevinter dead set on making a difference in his homeland. Though he still maintained close ties with the Inquisition. Cole was still a common sight throughout the hold and Iron Bull had taken to drinking in the tavern more than usual. Sara was frequently gone visiting her friends, but would always return. Vivienne returned to Orlais to help the reconstruction of the circle, and Solas had mysteriously disappeared after the battle with Corypheus.

As for the Inquisitor, she was beginning to miss her clan more every day. She missed running barefoot in the forest with her friends. She missed the stories of the ancients by the fire at night. Most of all, she missed her family.

The Inquisition was at a strange place. Corypheus was defeated, and their goal was complete. Yet, the Inquisition remained. Ellana felt more and more like a puppet putting on a show as time when on. There was very little for her to do beyond some administrative decisions and a few scattered mundane missions.

There was, however, one thing at Skyhold that made everything worthwhile for Ellana, and that was Cullen. The world around them was rearranging, but Cullen was a constant comfort in all the chaos. As the months wore on, Cullen began to see the changes in Ellana. She was hardly eating, and she just didn't seem present. Like her mind was somewhere else.

Cullen found her one evening on her balcony, staring out over the landscape, lost in thought. The sun was setting, the far off peaks set aflame with bright shades of red and orange. In her hand, Cullen noticed a piece of parchment with a broken seal.

He approached her silently, resting a gloved hand on her shoulder to signal he was there. The touch startled her, she had been so lost in thought she had not noticed him.

"Cullen," she sighed, "you mustn't sneak up on me like that."

He smiled, "I'd hardly call that sneaking, my love. Merely approaching."

"Whatever you call it, just don't do it," his good humor was lost on her, and his smile faded.

"Ellana, what is wrong? You've been acting strangely."

Ellana sighed again and leaned into Cullen's shoulder. "It's nothing."

"Well it's obviously something. What's that you have there?" He pointed to the parchment in her hand.

"It's a letter," she said simply, not really wanting to explain.

"Well, I can see that. Who is it from?"

She was quiet, but Cullen gave her a look that said he wasn't going anywhere until she explained herself.

"Keeper Dashana," Ellana relented, "the clan is attending the Arlathvhen in the Dales. The Halla Festival will begin in a week. She also says Shiala, my little sister, has began her training to become her first. And my father and brother are well…" Ellana trailed off.

Cullen could she her holding back tears, "You miss them, don't you?" It was more of a statement than a question.

"More than anything," Ellana collected herself.

"Then you should go to the festival. Go see them."

"I can't… the Inquisition needs me. The mages are still trying to reorganize the circle and…"

Cullen interrupted her and looked her straight in the eyes. "We can handle it. You should go."

"I can't just up and leave, Cullen."

"You're the Herald of Andraste, the leader of the Inquisition, the savior of Thedas. I'm sure you can do as you very well please."

"I don't know…" Ellana said disheartened

"Ellana," he pulled her into a close embrace. "You deserve to be happy, and if this is what you want, then we will make it happen.

Ellana wrapped her arms around Cullen's neck, tightening the embrace and smiling for the first time in weeks. She pulled away and looked up at him, "You'll come with me, right?"

Cullen was caught off guard by the question, "Of course, if you believe it's for the best."

To be quite honest, Cullen knew little about the social niceties of Thedas, but could usually clumsily charm his way through most social interactions with nobles and the like. He knew even less about elven culture. All he knew he had learned from books in the circle library, and what Ellana had explained to him. It would be a miracle if he didn't make a complete and utter fool of himself.

Yet, Cullen could deny Ellana nothing. Her clan was her world before the Inquisition and he knew how much it pained her to be away from them, especially after Corypheus' defeat. Besides, no one in the Inquisition deserved a vacation more.

Ellana kissed the Commander happily. "I need to go talk to Leliana and Josephine. I should probably make sure the Inquisition carries on while I'm gone." Before Cullen could open his mouth to say another word, she was out the door and down the hall. Maker, what had he gotten himself into?

Ellana awoke with the rising of the sun two days later. Rolling over, she faced her sleeping companion. His sleep was peaceful, which had not been the case during the early hours of morning. Cullen's nightmares had decreased in severity and occurred less often, but he still had the occasional terror and would thrash and mutter in his sleep. He would always have some demons he could never fully escape.

Regardless, Ellana was happy he had finally done away with pretense and started staying with her in her quarters. It wasn't a surprise to anyone when it happened, much to Cullen's dismay. The entire hold knew about it, it seemed the leaders of the Inquisition had few secrets. Except for Leliana.

Dressing in silence, Ellana reflected on the journey ahead and the hell she would raise with her father when they arrived. She was after all, bringing a man home with her, a shemlen. Dalish relations with men were shaky on good days, and bonding with shemlens was at best… frowned upon. She needed to prepare him for what was in store, but that would wait until they were underway in a few hours. Right now she would let him sleep.