Author's note

I've never written a fanfic before and it scares the piss out of me just posting this. I love this pairing and I wish there were more of this pairing and that's my reasoning for writing this. Also, if anybody actually starts reading this, updates won't be super quick, finals and all. Thank you for reading. I own none of the characters, unfortunately, or else Leliana would've been romanceable in DA:I.

The Beginning

Andraste's tits! The pain was excruciating, it radiated throughout her body. My name is Evelyn Trevelyan, I am 24 years old, my home is in the Free Marches, I went to the Conclave… The Conclave, what happened at the Conclave? The door crashing open broke her reverie. She took in the details. She was sitting, shackled, on a cold stone floor. Something was glowing. She was about to search for the source, but two women came in. One with short, black hair circled her while the other approached cautiously. "Tell me why we shouldn't kill you now," came from behind her, "The Conclave is destroyed. Everyone who attended is dead. Except for you."

Trevelyan didn't give an answer, she furrowed her brow and stared ahead.

The dark-haired woman grabbed her arm "Explain this" So this is where the glow came from.

"I can't" Trevelyan stuttered out.

"What do you mean you can't?"

Honesty, Trevelyan chose, was the best choice."I don't know what that is, or how it got there."

The woman grabbed her collar, "You're lying!" she growled. The red-haired woman finally stepped in and put an arm on the other. Trevelyan then realized the redhead was looking her over before, studying her. "We need her, Cassandra." the redhead said with a grain of authority.

"I don't understand" Trevelyan chimed in. The redhead came towards her. Trevelyan soaked in the details- the woman had flaming, red hair, an emotionless gaze and piercing blue eyes.

"Do you remember what happened? How this began?" she asked.

Waking up in a wasteland. Hearing things come towards me. Hearing a woman's voice 'Run' she said. I ran up a hill, the things right behind me, she reached out, fingertips almost touching. Things blurred. Waking up here. "I remember running. Things were chasing me, and then… a woman?"

"A woman?"

"She reached out to me, but then…"

The dark-haired woman, Cassandra, walks over to the redhead, "Go to the forward camp, Leliana. I will take her to the rift." The redhead, Leliana, left. Cassandra came to Trevelyan and undid her shackles. "What did happen?" Trevelyan asked. "It will be easier to show you," was the response.

She woke up in an unfamiliar bed. An elf came in and became afraid as she became aware of Trevelyan. They talked for a bit until the elf ran away. Trevelyan ran a hand through half-shaved black locks. She was told by the elf that she was needed at the Chantry. As she headed there, she looked around. Haven was busy, she saw but when she looked harder, she noticed the underlying panic. They were staying busy to drown out their fear. She opened the Chantry doors and heard Cassandra and Chancellor Roderick yelling in the back room. She headed inside.

"She is at fault here, Cassandra!" Roderick said. "Guards, Lock her up!"

"Disregard that soldiers," Cassandra said forcefully. Trevelyan was astonished, she had tried and almost killed herself in the process. Not that you haven't tried that before, the little voice in her head said. Shut up. "I tried to seal the Breach, I almost died." Trevelyan said. The mark tingled as she said that, as if emphasizing her point. "And yet, you live," Roderick replied "conveniently for you." The old chancellor then left, and Leliana joined them. They asked her to join the Inquisition, to seal the Breach, and she accepted, willingly.

After that she began talking to everyone, getting a feel for their beliefs and skills. Solas, she learned, loved the Fade, Trev thought that was a tiny bit creepy but let it go. Varric was a storyteller who cares more than he lets on. Cassandra- a warrior, stubborn and straight-to-the-point. And, after being introduced, she talked to Josephine, Cullen, and Leliana. She had saved Leliana for last, but she had watched her, observed her, how she handled herself and others. She had also heard rumors of the spymaster and didn't know how to approach them. As she got closer to the former bard, she began to notice the details. Leliana had a mask everyone saw, cold, calculating, cunning, but when Trevelyan looked deeper, she saw sadness, pain, and a certain softness. It had not surprised her to see that, for the spymaster was not always a spymaster.

The bard was praying when Trev walked over. "What do you think, Herald? What is the Maker's plan?" Leliana said. Trev didn't know what to say. Should she lie and try to comfort Leliana? Or should she tell the truth? Being truthful always seemed like the best option when talking to Leliana. "I'm sorry, I can't speak for Andraste or the Maker. If I had answers, I would gladly share them with you but I don't."

Leliana stood up and looked at her, lost in thought. As quickly as it fogged, her face became clear, back into her mask.

"I apologize for letting you see me this way. It won't happen again."

Trev was shocked. If people didn't let their human out for a bit, things start to crumble. She came closer to Leliana and touched her arm."I will always be here to listen if you were to talk."

Leliana smiled at that but said nothing. Trevelyan walked away with the satisfaction of that.