"Inquisitor! Inquisitor! Lady Lavellan! Tamsin! Wake up!"

Urgh fuck off…what time is it…what now? She opened her eyes to find a panic stricken Leliana shaking her awake. This was bad. Leliana's face was pale as a ghost. She was definitely panicking. It was a rare sight, after all nothing rattled her, not even when facing death in the alternate future they went to in Redcliffe did she see her like this. Whatever it was it must be unspeakably bad.

"Leliana, what is it? Are you okay? Is it Samson, is he here?"

"No, it's the clan. Your brother. He's been taken."

Link. No. No, this isn't happening. Tamsin sat up, rubbing her hands over her forehead and down her messy braid. Her heart began to thump in her chest, the feeling of dread setting in her stomach.

"What happened? Are the people okay? Do you know where they've taken him? Who took him? We have to get him back, right now, call a council meeting we have to –"

"Sin…"

Leliana's face was ashen. She looked Tamsin in the eyes, tears welling in her own. Tamsin rose to her feet, rage building. Fists clenching, she turned on the spymaster.

"Leliana, tell me you know where he is and who has him, TELL ME!"

"It was the Venatori. They sacked the camp. They took your brother and then…they burned it to the ground."

"No. No! How did this happen? Why didn't your agents know about it? What were you doing that you didn't see it coming?"

"I'm sorry. They were very careful. We believe they may have used blood magic to conceal themselves from us. My scouts in the area have found several survivors and we are hopeful there will be more."

"Shit, of course they did. There is survivors? Well…that's positive at least, I suppose. What about Link? Have your scouts got any leads at all?"

"Nothing as of yet, ravens have been arriving thick and fast though. I should get back to the rookery and see if there are any updates. Are you okay?"

"Go. I'll be fine. Tell Cullen I need to see him immediately. Wake Dorian and Vivienne. Get them to tell you everything they can about Tevintan blood magic, any prominent citizens who are practiced in it, and any strongholds where it's used. I need a report as soon as possible."

"We'll find him."

"I know."

Probably not alive though.

With that, Leliana took her leave. As Sin heard the lower door close she collapsed to her knees and screamed in pain and frustration. All this time she had been so worried about her enemies exploiting her relationship with Cullen that she completely failed to consider what would happen if they found her people. Perhaps she had been blinded by her faith in her little brother's leadership and skills, or by her growing love for the commander, but that didn't make it excusable. She needed a plan, and she needed one now.

Why take him? What do they want? Is this about Alexius? She was sitting at her desk with her head in her hands, pouring over all the possible scenarios, all the possible ways to go about getting him back in one piece. The trouble with dealing with the Venatori had always been their pension for chaos. They couldn't be reasoned with. They likely presumed Alexius dead, and if so then there was a strong chance Link was dead already. If they intended on using him to blackmail her, was she prepared to give them what it might be that they wanted? If it came down to it and she had to choose between saving Thedas or her brother, was she ready to make either sacrifice? The risks were so great to so many people. The reward in the great scheme of things, while equally as great to her, was minor when it also concerned the entire continent. Just when she thought she was going to break down and cry, she heard the downstairs door open, and she managed to choke back the tears.

Cullen came bounding up the stairs in plain leather breeches, boots, and a linen shirt. He immediately started towards her, but she didn't need him in boyfriend mode right now, she needed him to just do his job. She held her hand up an gestured for him to stop while she considered what orders to give.

"Don't. Right now, I need you to get any men you have in the area to rendezvous with Leliana's agents and retrieve the survivors. Children need to take priority with medical attention, water, and food. Instruct your men to bring them back to Skyhold as soon as possible. I don't give a shit if they have to ride their mounts to the ground to get here, they are to bring them back at all costs. I will have Fiona send some mages to meet them on the road."

"What about Link?"

"Link is not your concern."

"Tamsin…"

"Don't Tamsin me! You have no fucking idea what I am going through right now! My brother is as good as dead no matter what I do! My people have been killed, some may still not make sunrise, and there is nothing I can do about it! Nothing…I'm completely powerless."

"We don't know that."

"Yes! We do! Unless Leliana's men know exactly where he is and are following with some serious fire under their arses, then there exists exactly zero fucking ways that this ends well for him. I weighed up the possibilities, Cullen! You know I am never wrong."

Don't let him see you cry. Don't do it. He can't see you crack. She found herself standing beside her desk, panting. If he didn't believe she wasn't a lady before he sure did now after that display of choice language. He just stood there staring at her. She could see it in his face; pity. There was nothing more she hated in the world than being pitied.

"Don't look at me like that! Don't you dare take pity on me, not you."

She turned away from him so he wouldn't see the tears starting to roll down her porcelain cheeks, and closed her eyes praying to the Gods for a miracle.

"You have your orders, now go."

"We will find him. We will bring him back, one way or another."

"I know. I just don't want to set myself up for disappointment."

"I know."

She opened her eyes to find him in front of her. The pity was gone, replaced by a look she knew well on him: determination. He took her face in his hands, and wiped a tear from just below her eye.

"No, Cullen, I don't want you to see me like this…just go. Do your job."

"I don't care. I love you."

He planted a chaste kiss on her lips and left her alone with her tears.

It had been four days since the news broke of Link's capture. Forces had been dispatched to retrieve survivors, mages were making their way along the road out of Skyhold to meet with them to facilitate healing and recovery. Leliana's agents were very close to discovering the location of the Venatori camp on the Storm Coast where she believed he was being held. She was doing everything she could, she had taken the most logical course of action and things were progressing well from what accounts they had. So why did something still feel so wrong? Why this knot in her stomach? A twisting mass of anxiety and mild terror that she just couldn't untie.

She paced around the war table, eyeing the markers with such intensity she almost could have moved them with her mind. The other council members would be here any moment now, hopefully with news one way or the other.

Hold on, Link. If you're still alive, just hold on, Little Bear.

"Have you been here all night?"

She looked up to see Cullen staring at her coloured fifty shades of concerned. He looked her up and down, taking in her disheveled appearance and his face fell. He couldn't look at her as he handed her the parchment in his hand. She unrolled it and began to read, seeing him lift his gaze to study her face intently as she took in the information in her hands.

"When did this arrive?"

"About ten minutes ago. Leliana seemed to think it best I gave it to you. What are you going to do?"

"The mages should have met your men by now. When was the last time a raven arrived from the rescue party?"

"Yesterday morning. It hasn't been enough time yet to suggest-"

"I'm going after them."

"Tamsin, are you insane? That is exactly what they want, can't you see that?"

"Then they need to be careful what they wish for. I'm going Cullen, end of discussion."

"Then I'm going with you."

"No, you absolutely are not."

"Yes, I am. I will not allow you to go after the Venatori half-cocked and clearly exhausted, it's too dangerous!"

"You will remain here, at Skyhold, where you will wait for further instructions! That is a direct order! Don't think for a second that my love for you changes the fact that I am your commanding officer. I will not tolerate insubordination. Not even from you. Do I make myself clear?"

No, Cullen. You don't want to see this. You can't. I'm sorry but you have to stay. You need to stay where it's safe. She stalked around the table towards the door. He still hadn't answered her. The pure frustration in his eyes was breaking her heart but it had to be this way. He was livid. She didn't want him involved in this, she needed him here, safe. She may have already lost her brother, she couldn't lose Cullen. He might be all she had left.

"I said, do I make myself clear, Commander?"

"Crystal."

The word was icy on his lips. He looked her dead in the eye so she knew exactly how he felt about all of this. Clearly there would be words had between them when she got back but she didn't have time to worry about it right now. Right now she needed to find her people, and find her brother.

"Good."

She stormed out of the war room, the tails of her floor length coat billowing behind her. Leliana was coming down the hall with another roll of parchment in her hand. Incensed and unable to control it, Tamsin shoved her, pinning her with a forearm across her throat against the wall.

"Where are they Leliana?"

For the first time ever she saw genuine fear in the spymaster's eyes. Leliana handed Sin the parchment, and slid down the wall as she was released, gingerly rubbing her throat.

Tamsin entered the Great Hall and turned towards the balcony where Vivienne had established her study. She hated Vivienne with a passion, but she had to hand it to the bitch, she was a fierce battle mage and she was cutthroat to boot. Plus she understood blood magic. She needed her today.

"Vivienne! Get your shit, get Dorian, get Cole and meet me at the gates in 10 minutes."

Clearly having heard the yelling, Josephine emerged from the corridor behind Tamsin, shocked and in a complete tiz. She followed as Sin made toward her quarters to get dressed and gather her weapons.

"Lady Inquisitor! You can't just, yell things like that in the Court! It's…just not done!"

She stopped and wheeled around to face the ambassador.

"Josephine, right now, I don't give a fuck!"

She slammed the door to her quarters behind her, right in Josie's face.

I'm sorry Josie but I just can't care about that right now. Right now I have to hurt something, and I don't want it to be you.

Ten minutes later, she dropped down from the scaffolding just outside the gates of Skyhold. She had chosen to climb down from her balcony rather than risk having to deflect any other futile attempts by her peers at dissuading her from her mission.

"Right, are we ready to go?"

"Yes, Inquisitor, but are you going to tell us where we are going?"

"Viv has a point Sinny, this is all rather sudden, darling."

You need to tell them. They need to know what they're getting themselves into. She looked at the trio around her, nodding her head with resolve. Of course Cole already knew, she could tell the way he looked at her.

"We are going to find my brother."