Where's Hawke?

Silence.

"Where's Hawke?"

Varric's voice was the only one that carried over to the Inquisitor. Complete chaos had unfolded at Adamant. Crossing the fade, facing the nightmares, and finally getting only one chance to escape – and now, nothing. A completely battered fortress; a Grey Warden garrison with absolutely no idea what to do; and now a friend she had managed to let down in the worst possible way.

"Hawke didn't make it."

It was all she could get out. Here she was, the great Inquisitor, Lady Aaliyah Trevelyan: reduced to only four simple words to try and describe the pain that she knew many would feel. Stroud would not meet Varric's gaze, and the "Well…" that left the dwarf's mouth told Aaliyah all she would need to know: this story wasn't one Varric could change.

Aaliyah couldn't say much else as Cassandra attempted to give some sort of comfort, though as Varric walked away, she knew leaving him alone was the only comfort he'd get.

Dealing with the Wardens was exhausting, yet allowing them to fight for the Inquisition was one of the few merciful acts Aaliyah felt like she could allow. If anything – she owed it to Hawke. Hadn't Marian said her brother was a Grey Warden? The guilt had already settled in on the Inquisitor's shoulders, and she had a feeling it would not get shaken off so lightly. Even a small touch from Cullen couldn't drag her out of that feeling of remorse. If Stroud had stayed, the Wardens would've had no one left of significant rank. Yet how did she end up getting the choice between two lives? She was not the Maker – simply the Inquisitor. Though being "hand chosen by Andraste" wasn't her greatest argument against it.

The trip back to Skyhold took too long for Aaliyah's liking. Varric wouldn't speak unless he had to, and truthfully, Aaliyah could not blame him. He had lost his best friend, and she knew that if something had happened to one of her closest companions, she'd most likely be a wreck. She held onto her staff as they made their way across the bridge and back into Skyhold, and with a promise that she'd stop by her Commander's tower, Aaliyah headed to where she knew Varric would be mourning.

Aaliyah simply listened. It was all she could do. The story about Hawke and her mother inviting those who had been sent to kill her in was one that she wouldn't soon forget. Even then, Aaliyah couldn't imagine the sorrow that Varric had to be feeling.

"Carver needs to be told." Varric had taken up his usual spot at the table, staring into the fireplace like it would hold the answers to all their problems.

Aaliyah took a seat beside him, knowing he would need the privacy to write, but unable to tear herself away just yet. "That's her Grey Warden brother, isn't it? Do you think he'll return to Ferelden? Or even Orlais?" she couldn't help but ask out of curiosity, wondering if the news of his sister's death would make the last Hawke return to aid whatever cause he could.

The noise that left Varric was a mix between a scoff and laughter, and he paused in his writing to look at the Inquisitor, "Junior? I don't know. That kid will do whatever he wants – at least to a degree. And it probably wouldn't be all that safe anyway with Corypheus still out there waiting for his chance to strike. If that's all you wanted to know, I should uh….shit."

Aaliyah rose an eyebrow, frowning when the usually smooth dwarf looked like he was about to crumble under this new burden of informing those Hawke had been close to of her fatal trip. "Varric? Is there anything I can do?"

"Nah, I was just thinking. What in the hell is going to happen with Blondie? Hawke never wanted to leave him behind, but….shit. He'll get a letter, at least I hope it'll find him eventually."

The problem of Anders wasn't one Aaliyah could really concern herself with. She knew about the mage, in small snippets that Varric and Marian had told her during their time talking. Hawke had told Aaliyah that leaving him wasn't her choice, but Corypheus had an adverse affect on many, and with Anders, he was too much of a risk. How did one take the news that the love of their life was gone? No longer with them, despite whatever promises made?

Leaving Varric to his letters was difficult, but Aaliyah found herself walking in the direction of the Commander's tower. Cullen gave her comfort, an inner peace that she hadn't known she was missing until the former Templar had simply grabbed her and kissed her on the battlements. "Cullen?" Aaliyah pushed against the wooden door, letting it swing open as her gaze fell on the man standing behind the desk. He didn't look happy, though she couldn't blame him after fighting their way through a fortress – and in her case, the Fade.

"Inquisitor. I was hoping you'd stop by." Cullen's warm gaze was all that grounded Aaliyah. She sometimes wished she could throw caution to the wind and just stay against his broad chest without a care in the world. She interrupted whatever battle report from Adamant he was in the middle of saying by simply laying her head against his shoulder and sliding her arms around him.

"Do you ever sleep, Commander?" She asked lightly, closing her eyes as she took in the familiar feeling of his strong arms finally returning her impromptu hug.

"Occasionally. Though I'd sleep better if I didn't have to worry about you falling in and out of the Fade so much." His words were stern, though that was something Aaliyah welcomed every single time she went to see him. His concern was heartwarming, to say the least, and she'd be a liar if she didn't say she was trying to keep sight of him during the battle before the hideous dragon had shown up to cause such a mess.

"I'll keep that in mind the next time I find myself in that predicament," Aaliyah smiled, still not letting go of the man that she was falling for. She took a deep breath and finally stepped back, releasing Cullen from her hold, "All right. Start all over with the report, I'm not ashamed to say I didn't listen to most of it when I walked in here."The look Cullen gave her was one of pure mirth, and Aaliyah simply offered her smile in return as she pulled her own blonde hair out of the ponytail it had originally been in. She listened to him stammer after a moment, and she leaned over the desk slightly as the stammering eventually gave away into a grumble.

Varric would never let her forget that while she was off making Curly nervous, one of the biggest threats she'd be facing was currently making its way to her doorstep.

Because when Blondie arrived, a brand new shit storm unleashed itself on Skyhold.