When Solas went to investigate a loud disturbance by a river, he saw a child with a fat mabari. She could not have been more than ten and was trying to push it into the water. Her white hair was up in a sloppy bun, showing her elf ears and she was wearing a rogue armor set that seemed to be made specifically for her short stature.
"Why. Won't. You. Move," she grunted as she put all her weight on her front hands repeatedly. The mabari never budged and actually yawned. She finally gave up and crossed her arms on the mabari's back to rest. "Okay then. Be dirty. I got my feet wet for nothing."
She waded over to the shore and the mabari trudged out after her, rather proud of itself for not succumbing to the bath. The girl dropped herself onto her hands on the floor beside her boots and flipped to sit so she could put her boots on. She dried her feet on the mabari's fat first.
The mabari started to walk away to look around. "Hey, fat ass, where are you going?" the girl laughed pulling on her second boot and not bothering to tie it so she could follow the mabari. It stopped and looked at her. "What?" It started walking toward her, pushing the side of its body against her, stepping on her feet occasionally. "What're you doing? Paunchy, quit it." She pushed him back but he only pushed his weight against her more.
"He is doing his job," Solas announced, approaching her slowly. "Protecting his partner."
"Hey, hey," she stepped back and the mabari stood pressed against her, between the two. "Back up, man. Paunchy may be fat but he'll still kick your ass."
"Paunchy?"
"Yeah, because he's totally fat."
"You really should not be out here alone."
"I'm not," the girl glared at him, patting Paunchy's back. "And I'm eight. I can fight. We're with the Inquisition."
"Are you, really?"
Paunchy barked suddenly, surprising the girl. "Damn it, Paunchy, what is it?"
Solas pointed at the side of a hill. "Demons."
"Aw, yes! Let's kill 'em, Paunch!" He quickly barked in agreement and they had just started to run to the danger when Solas moved in front of them. "Gah! Hey! What's the big idea, elfy? Out of my way."
"They have darkspawn with them. I'm certain the Inquisition does not wish to have you intruding blight to their ranks."
"Hmm," the girl held her chin as though she were in deep thought. "Probably not. Okay, Paunch, plan get the fuck out!" They ran in the opposite direction, the girl's armored boots clanking softly since they had not been properly put on.
As they ran, the girl's untied shoes were slowing her down. Paunchy was slightly ahead of her, securing their passage when a massive ax came down behind her. "Oh shit! Hurlocks!" She took her mace off her side in case she needed it but went on following Paunchy. He went to the door of an empty tower and scratched on it. The girl pulled it open and from behind the tower came another Hurlock. It froze suddenly and she was lifted off her feet suddenly and thrown inside. She landed on her face and the top of her head hit the other side of the tower. She rolled onto her back, holding her mace across her body, ready to hit the first thing she saw.
Solas had a staff pointed at the door, which he was freezing closed. When he finished, he turned to the girl who was still on the floor and still ready with her mace. "There was more than it seemed. Does the Inquisition know you're out here?"
"I'm sure they'll figure it out," she growled as she stood up and dusted off her pants. She put her mace back on her belt. "The Inquisitor is my mom. Heh…" She patted Paunchy's head. "She's probably having a heart attack right now, realizing I left."
Solas rubbed the back of his neck, looking up at the tower. "Your name?"
"I don't give my name out to people I don't know. Especially not apostate mages."
"Wise."
"You should leave. My dad will come find me and he's a templar."
"Your father? Commander Cullen?"
"Yeah."
"He has not been a templar for many years now. Not since your mother talked him out of taking his lyrium."
The girl's nose wrinkled slightly at being called on her bluff but the expression eased into confusion. "How do you know that?"
"I am… rather familiar with the Inquisition."
"Who are you?"
"An old friend."
"You sure you're not a spy?"
"I think I would have known if I was, da'len."
"Don't call me that," she scoffed. "I'm not an elf and neither is my mom."
"And who told you that lie?"
"My mom says you can't be an elf without a vallaslin."
"That is simply untrue."
"Well, she didn't even want me to get one. How come you don't have one?"
"I am… not Dalish."
"Well," the girl smiled and crossed her arms. "That's nice and vague. Don't tell me what you're not. Tell me what you are."
"You have yet to answer any of my questions."
"Enansal. That's my name. Stupid Dalish name."
"It means gift."
"Yeah but why? I don't get it. All my parents call me Ennie."
"All of them?"
"I have a lot. I have my mom number one, Rinny the Inquisitor and then there's Sera, Cole, Dorian, Cassandra, Cullen. All my moms and dads. They'll come to find me. Well, not Cassandra because she became Divine but Dorian will probably come. He's my favorite dad. He always buys me whatever I want."
"And the others? Blackwall, Varric, Iron Bull and Vivienne."
Ennie rubbed her arm and pouted slightly. "Vivienne doesn't really like me. The Iron Bull is kind of boring to me. He just drinks a lot and Blackwall always gets real quiet around when I'm around. It's like he's afraid of me. Varric is never at Skyhold so I don't really know him that much."
"And…" Solas took a deep breath, avoiding looking at her again. "Has anyone mentioned… anyone else to you?"
"Once. Cullen told me that before my mom married him, she was in love with some other douchebag who left her. He said not to tell Mom that he told me but that douche was my real dad and he asked if I wanted to meet him. Said that Lelianna knew where to find him." Ennie threw her hands up then put them in her pockets. "But I don't care about him. Mom never even mentioned anyone else to me. I only know it because of Cullen and I never did tell her I knew. If it's so bad that she never talks about it then neither should I."
"Did they ever mention this person's name?"
"No. Cullen said if I didn't want to meet him, it would be better that I continue to know very little about him."
"What did they tell you about him?" Solas asked sitting on a wooden stool.
"That he was a self-righteous, asshole mage who thought he knew everything." Solas was certain his pride had been stabbed somewhere. "That's what Dorian said anyway. Cassandra told me the most but I don't really remember. I didn't really care so I wasn't really listening. No one had anything good to say about him except Cole but that's just how he is. Cole helped my mom the most. When I was little, she was always sick. She didn't like to sleep and sometimes we would just be doing whatever and she'd just start crying but Cole was always right there for her."
"I would expect nothing less of him."
"You know an awful lot about the Inquisition people."
"I was very observant."
Ennie's big eyes shrunk as her brow lowered over them. "Who are you? Really?" she asked quietly.
The frozen door exploded in suddenly. Ennie stepped back, drawing her mace and Paunchy moved forward. Solas hardly seemed surprised and when the dust settled, they both recognized Cassandra.
"You came!" Ennie ran to her and jumped on her. Cassandra held her so she would not fall and kissed the top of her head.
"You thought I wouldn't?"
"Well, Divine Victoria doesn't go around saving kids from darkspawn." Ennie stepped off her and readjusted her own armor.
"True, she does not," Cassandra put her hand on Ennie's head, "but Seeker Pentaghast does. Especially when that child belongs to my good friend."
"Well, don't go taking all the credit," Dorian taunted her. "I killed more darkspawn than she did anyway."
"How did you get inside?" Cassandra asked her.
"Oh, that guy," she said casually, pointing to Solas with her thumb.
He finally stood up from where he was sitting. "Seeker," he bowed his head slightly.
"Go with Dorian," Cassandra said, pushing Ennie weakly and Paunchy followed her. Cassandra waited to ensure they were gone before saying anything. "What did you tell her?"
"Nothing. However, I can't say the same for all she told me. How is my vhenan?"
"The same way you left her. Broken. Keep your distance from the girl or I will leave you the same way."