A/N: OKAY! So, these stories were previously published under a different name and also under my other name but due to issues I have combined them and brought them over here in hopes that the issue will be resolved and I hope to have your continued support.
Three years had passed since Corypheus had been defeated at the final battle at the ruins of Haven. The Breach had been sealed, and the Inquisition, once seen as a collection of heretics and thugs, were now respected and seen as seen as heroes rivaling those that had defeated the fifth Blight.
Cassandra Pentaghast, now known as Divine Victoria, had been named as the new divine immediately following the destruction of Corypheus. Truth be told, Leliana was always the Chantry's first choice as successor, but after her flat refusal of the title Cassandra was the obvious, albeit only choice. Leliana's refusal no doubt had to do with the return of the Hero of Ferelden. No sooner had Corypheus been defeated than Warden Cousland had come to Skyhold. Whether he was successful in mission to cure the taint remained unknown. Leliana did not seem to care either way, and her normally hard and business like persona seemed to soften the moment she was back in the arms of her lover. She still remained spymaster to the inquisition, but her methods were no longer lethal.
Cullen remained in command of the Inquisition's forces. Even though he had expressed concern that his leadership might be compromised due his lyrium withdrawals, every last soldier professed that there was not another man they would rather lead them and they would follow him to the void if he commanded them.
The rest of the Inquisitor's allies remained loyal to the Inquisition even when personal matters required their attention elsewhere. No matter where their personal journeys led, they always found their way back to Skyhold and the Inquisition and for many, their home.
As for the Inquisitor himself, he had married Lady Josephine Montilyet in a ceremony that could have rivaled King Alistair's and Queen Anora's no doubt thanks to the many connections that Josephine had made over the years. Leliana had pulled the Inquisitor aside before the ceremony had concluded and at long last gave him her blessing, and all who attended the affair had said that they had never seen two people more in love. The way that Inquisitor Trevelyan looked at his bride could melt even the coldest of hearts. Even Morrigan was seen offering a rare smile when she looked upon them, though she would never admit it.
That had been nearly two years ago. Now Rasler Trevelyan lay awake in his chambers staring at the dark ceiling. Josephine lay next to him, her arm draped over his chest and her head resting on his shoulder. Her long dark hair fell in front of her face and he gently brushed it behind her ear. He had seen her like this countless times before, yet it never ceased to amaze him how beautiful she was. The first night that he had seen her like this, that first night that they had made love, he knew that he would never be able to live a life without her. She had captured his heart, and there was no doubt in his mind that if there was a Maker, he had designed this woman especially for him.
He did not think that any day would make him as happy as the day that she agreed to marry him. No other woman, he thought, would ever hold his heart the way that his beloved did. No love could even come close to the love that he felt for the woman who had remained at his side throughout everything. There was nothing in the world that would compare to what he felt in his heart when he looked at Josephine. Until now.
Rasler carefully untangled himself from Josephine's sleeping form and slowly rose from the bed. He crossed the large room to the small cradle that lay under the massive window and felt his heart soar as he looked down at his sleeping daughter. Aria Alexandra Trevelyan was approaching three months of age, yet Rasler still marveled at how perfect she was. She was the spitting image of Josephine, expect for the pale green eyes she had inherited from her father. A small smile spread across his face as he looked down at what was possibly his greatest accomplishment. Even defeating Corypheus did not give him the satisfaction he felt as he looked down at his baby daughter. Every time he looked at her, which was constantly, he knew that there was nothing in the world that he would not do for her. He would do whatever it took to keep her happy and safe, no matter the consequences to himself. He loved Aria more than his own life, more than he had ever loved another living person besides her mother.
As these thoughts floated around in his mind, he could not help but think of another man who's desire to protect his child had nearly ripped apart the world. Gereon Alexius had been a permanent resident of Skyhold's prison since his judgement at the hand of Rasler himself. Truthfully, Rasler had not given the man a second thought since he had rendered his judgement. In the last months however, he had thought of the man almost daily. He had developed an understanding of Alexius that he did not think possible. While he could never condone the actions that the man took, he felt a deep understanding and if he was honest, sympathy for the former magister. Alexius had lost his wife and ultimately his son and he could do nothing to save them. Rasler felt a sickening feeling deep in stomach when he thought of the idea of losing his family, and if he was honest with himself, he wasn't sure if he would choose a different path than Alexius if presented with his situation.
He wasn't sure what possessed him to make the decision, he wasn't even sure he had officially made a decision. Whatever the case, he grabbed his cloak that had been draped over a nearby chair and quietly made his exit from the room.
The keep was quiet, the occupants having retired several hours ago giving the main hall a rather eerie atmosphere. The guards manning the main entrance saluted once before opening the massive doors leading to the courtyard. A blast of cold wind hit Rasler in the face causing him to shiver instantly. He suddenly had flashbacks to the first battle of Haven when he has caused an avalanche and soon after had to battle his way through a snowstorm. He half ran the length of the courtyard to the entrance of the dungeon.
If the weather was warmer in here, it was not enough of a difference to be noticed. Rasler had never actually been the dungeons since Skyhold had been rebuilt, and he suddenly felt a pang of guilt. Not so much for the prisoners that had earned their stay here, but for the soldiers who guarded this area. He made a mental note to increase the pay of those assigned to this unpleasant location.
The stairs descended lower and lower into the earth, and the torches lining the walls did little in the way of warmth. Rasler shivered under his cloak and drew it tighter around his shoulders. Maker's balls, how far down did this go?
After what felt like an eternity, the stairs evened out and opened to the holding area of the cells. Two guards were seen huddled together in front of a torch, their hands outstretched in an effort to warm their frozen fingers. They seemed not to notice him, both were too busy trying to hold off the onset of frostbite. Rasler cleared his throat to announce his presence, after spending his entire childhood around soldiers, he knew better than to surprise two tired and armed men.
The soldiers looked up and their eyes widened.
"Your Worship!" One of them exclaimed.
Maker he hated that title, even to this day.
"Forgive us My Lord, we were only-"
Rasler held up a hand the soldiers immediately fell silent. "Relax, I did not come here for an inspection. How long have you been down here?"
"Since nightfall My Lord."
Rasler nodded. "You are hereby relieved of your duties this night. Go back to your quarters and get warm."
"But Your Worship, the next watch does not begin for several hours."
"I will take over until they arrive. If anyone should question you send them to me and I will take full responsibility. Now, take the rest of the night for yourselves. That's an order."
The soldiers looked confused but clearly grateful for a chance to be away from this place.
"Yes, My Lord, thank you My Lord." The soldiers made their way out up the stairs and Rasler was left alone. He suddenly became aware of the deafening silence that surrounded him. He shivered slightly, not entirely from the cold. The key to the cells was hanging from a hook at the end of the room and he grabbed it before he could really think about what he was doing.
He made his way down the long isle of cells and thought of the many people that he had sent here without a second thought over the years. Alexius, the mayor of Crestwood, and countless others who had earned a stay here. Crestwood's former mayor had died over a year ago, having hanged himself with his own shirt. Now there was only one remaining resident. Gereon Alexius was housed in the last cell on the left of the long row of cells. He sat awake on his small bedroll, his legs curled under him and a thin blanket draped around his shoulders.
Rasler was unpleasantly surprised to see the change that had come over Alexius. In just three years he had seemed to age considerably, his thin grey hair barely covered his head, and the wrinkles covering his face seemed innumerable. Dark circles formed under his eyes, and Rasler wondered if he had even slept since the day of his sentence.
"Inquisitor Trevelyan." Alexius said raising his head to look at the man who had sentenced him so many years ago. "How kind of you to visit me. I apologize for not greeting you properly."
"If I recall correctly, the last time you greeted me "properly", it led to the events that led you here."
"Is that why you have come? To remind me of my sins? Because I assure you Inquisitor, there is nothing you can you say to me that I have not said to myself a thousand times over the years."
Rasler held his tongue. Condemning a broken man would benefit no one, and he had to remind himself his true purpose of coming here. Before he could rethink his decisions he unlocked the door to the cell and pulled it open. Alexius made no move for the door, only stared at the younger man with a tired curiosity.
"Would you care to take a walk?"
Alexius raised an eyebrow in curiosity, analyzing if this was some kind of trick or trap. "Do you not fear I will try to kill you and make my escape the moment I leave this cell?"
"I'll take my chances." Rasler said, holding out a hand to help the older man up. After a moment of hesitation, Alexius took his outstretched hand, rising heavily to his feet.
"I cannot tell if you are very brave or very foolish." Alexius said, following Rasler into the hall.
"I'm still not sure of that myself."
They made the long trek to the courtyard and a blast of icy wind met them as they stepped outside. Snow had begun to fall, just barely sticking to the ground. Their feet left footprints in the fresh powder as they walked around the deserted courtyard. Alexius did not seem to mind the cold. In fact he seemed to relish the first breath of fresh air he had had in over three years. He stared up at the sky and closed his eyes, taking in the cold night air.
"I had almost forgotten what the sky looked like." He said more to himself than to Rasler.
Rasler felt a stab of sympathy for the man. He had lost everything; his wife, his son, his title even his freedom. It took a great deal of effort for Rasler to remind himself why exactly he had placed the man in prison. Yet criminal or not, he was still a broken man who had lost everything he had ever known and loved. The two men stared wordlessly up at the sky for several minutes, each lost in his thoughts.
"Tell me Inquisitor," Alexius said breaking the silence. "It has been three years since you sent me to rot in the dungeons, and I have not so much as seen a glimpse of you since then. Why did you suddenly feel the desire to prompt this reunion?"
Rasler thought for a moment, unsure of exactly how to answer. "Things have...changed somewhat since then. And while I am not sure exactly how to feel about it, I have been having a hard time seeing your actions as I did before. I do not condone your actions, but I have developed somewhat of an understanding of them."
"Ah, the birth of the young Trevelyan. The guards have spoken of nothing else for quite some time."
Rasler gave a stiff nod, still cautious of giving too much information to the other man.
"I remember the first time I held Felix in my arms, I had never felt such a storm of emotions. I was beside myself with joy, but also overcome with fear. I was still a young man then, and I was determined not to make the same mistakes with my son that my father made with me. I wanted to be a good father, I wanted to raise him to be a better man than me. I wanted to protect him at all costs."
Rasler remained silent, but nodded his head in agreement. He had felt all these things and more when he had first laid eyes on Aria. No words could describe the emotions he felt when he held her in his arms, or the joy he felt when she looked at him and smiled. The idea that there was anything that could take that away from him filled him with overwhelming fear, and if he was honest; anger. He would face the Maker himself if Rasler thought He would pose a threat to his infant child.
"When Felix became ill," Alexius continued "I swore I would do anything to save him. The Blight would not take my son, he was too noble to meet such an end." He looked at Rasler, his pale eyes misted with tears. "Parents are not supposed to outlive their children."
Rasler took of his cloak and wrapped it around the older man. Alexius nodded his thanks and clenched it around his shoulders.
"What is her name?" Alexius asked staring up at the sky.
"Aria." Rasler responded, no longer feeling any threat from this man.
"Keep her close Inquisitor. No living person will ever hold your heart the way that she will."
The two men stood in silence for several minutes, watching the snow fall around them. Rasler wasn't sure how his life had gotten to a point where he was seeking fatherly advice from a convicted criminal and magister rather than his own father. But whatever the situation, he found himself grateful for the other man's company.
It was Alexius who finally broke the silence. "Come, Inquisitor. We best get me back before half the castle sees me and assumes I am attempting to sacrifice you."
Rasler gave a half-hearted smile and the two made their way back to the dungeons.
Nearly half an hour went by before Rasler finally made it back to his chambers. Josephine stood by the window cradling Aria in her arms. She looked up and gave him that smile that was reserved for him alone.
"There you are. I was about to send out a search party."
Rasler smiled as he crossed the room and planted a soft kiss on her cheek. "I apologize love, I couldn't sleep." Aria made a soft squealing noise making Rasler smile. He gently smoothed her dark hair with his hand. "It seems I wasn't the only one."
"It seems someone was not content with the feeding she received just hours ago. Her appetite rivals your's, Darling."
Rasler couldn't help but smile. "That's my girl."
He wrapped his arms around Josephine's waist and they stood staring out the window at the falling snow, and Rasler felt himself feeling grateful for all that he had been blessed with. Even when those blessings came from unexpected places."