Skyhold.

The fortress beckoned in the distance; offering refuge and a reprieve from the blistering cold. The mage rounded her shoulders against another violent gust of wind and began her descent down the mountain.

Melted snow numbed her toes as it seeped through her heavy wool socks and she was eager to rid herself of her frozen robes and warm herself by a fire. Perhaps she could even coax a warm meal from her host, although she was hardly in a position to make demands.

Her fingers curled around her staff, using it more as a walking stick than anything else and she pulled herself through the snow and up to the gate. The heavy chains clanked and the gears groaned as the doors were opened and a handful of guards approached. "State your business," the man in front demanded gruffly, his hand resting against the hilt of his sword in a subtle threat and she arched an eyebrow.

"My business is my own," she responded coolly. The guard took a step back, glancing once over his shoulder as he deliberated his own forceful response.

"Her business is with me," the voice sent a shiver down the mage's spine and she lifted her head just a fraction as the hooded figure approached. The Inquisition guard fell back to make a path and every heartbeat fell into perfect rhythm with each deliberate sashay of her hips. The hooded figure came to a stop, one hand lifting to rest on her left hip in obvious exasperation. "You're late."

There was no denying the playful smirk that appeared along the edges of the woman's mouth and the mage offered a chuckle, shifting her staff from one hand to the other. "Some things never change, my dear friend," she greeted as she stepped forward and past the guard. His lips were pressed into a thin line, but he said nothing more as he signaled for the gate to be closed behind them.

"It appears not," her tone was solemn as they moved through the courtyard.

"I heard about Haven," the mage said softly. Chancing a glance at the woman beside her, she took note of the shadow of expression that crossed her face. "You did all you could."

"And it was still not enough," came the whispered reply as they reached the top of the stairs. In an instant, her spine straightened as she marched them towards another flight of stairs that lead into the main hall. Silently now, the mage followed, glancing around at the strange mixture of refugees, soldiers and Orlesian nobility. So, the rumors had been true.

A gust of warm air greeted them upon entering and the mage considered shedding her heavy cloak before proceeding any further, but her companion was not slowing and neither could she. There was no time for pleasantries or to make herself comfortable. There were far more important things to do and business that could not wait.

She wiggled her toes inside of her damp socks and frowned as the other woman pushed through a door and the mage struggled to keep up. "I am not as young as I used to be," she huffed, but her attempt at light humor fell upon deaf ears as they shouldered through a larger door.

The other occupants of the room looked up from around the large table they surrounded, eyeing their unexpected visitor cautiously. The hushed conversation tapered off and the mage took the opportunity to rest her staff against the wall and shrug out of her heavy cloak. She shook the snow from her hood and draped it over a chair that rested against the wall. Smoothing her hands down the front of her shabby leather travel armor, she looked up and cleared her throat.

"Warden Commander, I presume?" A woman with cropped black hair peered across the large table with narrowed eyes and the mage nodded once, bowing her head in greeting.

"You would be correct. You must be Seeker Pentaghast. Leliana has mentioned you in passing," she said with a casual shrug of her shoulders. Her eyes moved to another unfamiliar face and the woman bowed her head.

"Lady Josephine Montilyet," Leliana announced and the Warden bowed again before her eyes shifted once more.

He was looking elsewhere; suddenly engrossed with a particular spot on the map they had been scouring over, his finger rubbing furiously against the thick parchment. His forehead was wrinkled in a desperate attempt to avoid eye contact and she felt the breath leave her in one soft hiss. He was older now and far more seasoned, but she would have recognized the sharp angle of his jaw and the broad expanse of his shoulders anywhere. "Cullen..."

He looked up at the sound of his name and blinked. His mouth moved, but no words came forth and he balled his hand into a fist, letting it rest against the table instead. "Oh, h-hello," he finally breathed. Josephine was looking between them in bewilderment, attempting to understand the discomfort and strange tension that suddenly filled the large room.

"I take it you two know one another?" She asked finally, arching a delicate eyebrow as she picked up her pen and tapped the tip against her notepaper.

Cullen sputtered, shaking his head before nodding and trying to compose himself. "Ferelden. Circle," he said shortly and the Warden nodded in agreement. Cassandra folded her arms across her chest and Leliana moved to stand beside the Warden Commander, resting her hip against the table. He offered no further explanation and for the moment, none was needed. The truth, she supposed, would likely come out in time as it always seemed to do ─ but not here, and not now.

"The Inquisitor is not here," Leliana stated simply. "She should be returning soon. However, we do not need to wait for her to fill you in. I have scouts stationed across Thedas and while the Inquisition is growing stronger by the day, things are getting worse all around us. The Wardens..." She trailed off and the Warden took a slow breath.

"I have informants of my own, Leliana. I know. Nothing makes sense," she rubbed at her forehead, exhaling through her nose. "I knew we were involved somehow. Too many pockets of Wardens went dark all at once. I should have been more diligent in following up, but with Amaranthine..."

"Regret does not help us now," Cassandra said shortly. "We can speak with the Inquisitor when she returns. Perhaps she has found more to go on during her travels. Until then, we should continue to gather as much information as we can from our scouts."

That seemed to be the abrupt conclusion of the meeting and Josephine scribbled something onto her paper before looking up at the Warden Commander. "I have made arrangements for your accommodations. Whenever you are ready, I will gladly show you to your room and give you the grand tour," she smiled warmly and the Warden nodded, watching as Cullen swept from the room without a backward glance.

"A warning would have been nice," she shot to Leliana before retrieving her staff and cloak from against the wall. "I am ready, Lady Montilyet. Would it be too much trouble to also request a warm bath? I fear that I can no longer feel my toes."