Chapter Two: The Herald of Andraste

The room grew quiet after Josephine's announcement. Chancellor Roderick made a quick exit, but his expression upon leaving suggested to Alice that although he was cowed for the moment, he was none too pleased with the new development. Valiant stood at her side, and when she looked down at him, his tongue fell out of his mouth. Was that a smile? She sat a hand on his coat, grateful for his presence in steadying her nerves for the confrontation she expected would come.

"I didn't even know King Alistair was getting married," Cullen commented.

"The arrangement was decided right before I left for the Conclave," Alice admitted, not making eye contact with anyone in the room. Damn Josie, I wish you hadn't said anything. She'd known the Montilyets when they'd visited her family in Ostwick. Alice's great-aunt Lucille threw parties every summer, and everyone who was anyone was there. She and Josephine had met on many occasions.

Cassandra groaned, "That means we kept the future Queen of Ferelden as a prisoner."

"Yes," Josephine said, "It's a diplomatic nightmare. Lady Alice, why didn't you tell anyone who you were?"

Alice felt all of their eyes on her. Valiant sat down at her feet, which she took as a good sign. Straightening her spine again in defiance, she looked her old friend in the eye. "I woke up in cell, with no memory of how I got there. I didn't know what your agenda was, or if anyone could be trusted. I thought it might be worse for me if I said something."

"But you could have died," Leliana stated. "We should have made better accommodations…"

"I nearly did die," Alice stated, raising her glowing mark to punctuate her point. "Sorry, I that came out harsh, it's not your fault that I have this awful thing. I don't think any of you would be here doing this if you had caused that explosion. You don't need to worry about me, though, I'm used to taking care of myself."

"So we have seen," Cassandra confirmed.

"Yes, where does a noble lady learn to fight like that?" Leliana asked.

"If you know about my family, then you know many of my relatives have gone on to be quite capable Templars. We Trevelyans are stronger than we appear. 'Modest in temper, bold in deed' is even our family motto," Alice said with a small chuckle, thinking about the alternate meanings behind that statement. "Leliana, now that name makes sense. You're that Leliana, the one who helped the Hero end the Fifth Blight, and later became Left Hand of the Divine. I'm surprised we never met."

"As am I. The Trevelyan name is well-known enough," Leliana admitted.

"None of which solves our current dilemma," Josephine interjected. "If word gets out that we imprisoned not only the Herald of Andraste, but also the king's betrothed, there isn't a noble house from here to Orlais that will take us seriously."

"He will have to be told," Leliana stated. "There are too many who know already."

Cullen said, "I imagine with the news of the Conclave, he will have assumed that she…"

And Cassandra nodded in agreement. "He probably believes her to be dead along with the others. We cannot keep this from him. But it may mean that our Inquisition has died before it started."

"I've had dealings with the man myself in the past, he was not unreasonable," Cullen added.

Alice had listened to this exchange with a heavy heart. If my mark is the only way to seal the Breach, these people stand no chance of success without me. I have no choice, but it means the marriage will have to wait. The Breach threatens everyone; I can't escape it just by leaving.

"Your solution is obvious," Alice spoke up, gaining everyone's attention again. "You need me to publicly announce my support of the Inquisition."

Josephine smiled in surprise. "You would be willing to do that? I admit, the thought had occurred to me."

Alice nodded. "Alistair may not approve, but the alternative is unthinkable. The Breach needs to be sealed," she stated, "and if I am the only one who can do to it, then I will see it done, for Ferelden, and for all of us." She sighed. I escaped death once. Can I do it again?

"Spoken like a true leader," Josephine said.

"You won't be alone," Leliana assured her, "but we'll need help closing the Breach. It will take time, but I believe we can convince the Chantry to speak with us. Or maybe we could approach the rebel mages."

Alice had to force herself not to smile from the hope rising inside her. Jowan would be so happy to hear someone in a position of power suggesting an alliance with the mages right now, but best not to react too much.

"The templars would be a better choice," Cullen asserted.

"Which does not matter, as neither side will even talk to us at the moment," Cassandra pointed out.

"I'll write a letter to Alistair," Alice said. "Maybe he will have some influence. He has history with the templars and he did just let the rebels move into Redcliffe, after all." Part of why I agreed to marry the man. "Between the two of us, one of us should be able to gain access to their leaders, and I can explain to him what I'm doing with the Inquisition."

Cassandra exhaled a breath of relief. "You...perhaps it really was providence that sent you to us in our hour of need."

Alice met her eyes, and shook her head. "I'd like to believe that the Maker is at work here, but honestly, I don't even know where to start, other than writing a letter that will probably take weeks to even arrive."

"If we send a raven, he will receive it in less than a day," Leliana offered. Why am I not surprised that Leliana keeps ravens trained to send messages to the king? But, I guess they were friends before, maybe they remained so.

Alice just nodded. "The sooner the better."

"And we will work on creating a list of tasks that might expand the influence of the Inquisition while we wait for a reply from His Majesty," Cullen stated.

"Indeed, I have a few ideas, as well," Josephine added.

"I'll need somewhere to write," Alice said. "I'd like to write a letter to my family, as well, to let them know I survived."

"Of course, I have what you need in my tent outside," Leliana agreed.

"And we will meet back here in the morning to figure out our strategy," Cassandra concluded.

The meeting over, Alice followed Leliana to her tent, and sat at the makeshift desk. Leliana gave her privacy, returning to looking over her own documents. The letter to her parents was easy, just a short note to tell them that she was alive and well, and a little about the Inquisition and what they hoped to accomplish.

She added a smaller note for Jowan, but did not name him directly. Alice knew what the Left Hand of the Divine did, and she had no doubt that Leliana planned to read her mail before it was sent. She used the name Alexander, what she and Jowan had agreed to long ago as an alias for him. She was vague in her statements, but informed him of the explosion at the Conclave.

The letter for Alistair was much harder. She had barely spent any time with the king. In fact, it seemed like Leliana and Cullen already knew him far better than she did. She decided to keep it polite, but direct. She made sure to mention her well-being, that she lived through the explosion, and about the mark. She apologized for not coming in person, but told him that she was doing what she could to seal the Breach and restore order. She hoped it sounded convincing.

Swallowing past the prideful lump in her throat, she added the request for any assistance he could provide in trying to set things right. Writing that passage felt uncomfortable, asking a man she barely knew, and who might not agree with her decision, for favors, but she knew that with his backing they stood a better chance. Blessed are the peacekeepers, she reminded herself. Isn't that what I'm doing? I hope I am doing the Maker's work, not that it helped the hundreds of other people at the Conclave.

Her correspondence complete, she stood up, and nearly tripped over Valiant. She had never had a dog before, and this constant companion at her side was an adjustment for her.

"I'm done, boy, are you ready to go take a look around?" she asked him, and he stood up. Apparently, that's a yes.

Alice turned the letters over to Leliana. "I'll just let you seal them," she said with a knowing look. Leliana seemed surprised by her words, but nodded and accepted the letters anyway.

"Where can I find healer Adan?" she asked. Leliana pointed to a cluster of buildings to the east.

"Thanks."

Valiant and Alice walked over to the wooden structures, and she was surprised to see Solas coming out of one of them.

"Ah, the Herald of Andraste, blessed hero to save us all," he remarked. He smiled when he saw the mabari, "And her noble companion beast. Andraste had a mabari, did she not? It is fitting."

"You don't have to make fun of me. I didn't start that rumor," she pointed out.

The smile remains in place, and she finds it hard to determine whether it is truly mocking or not. "Every war has its heroes, I am merely curious as to what kind you will be."

"I honestly have no idea what I'm doing," Alice confessed, trying to keep the bitterness from creeping into her voice. "But I'm willing to help. The Breach is a threat we cannot run from."

"A most pragmatic approach," he commented, and she got the impression he didn't like her answer. Solas looked off into the distance and spoke without looking at her. "I will stay," he said, "at least until the Breach has been closed."

"You were going to leave?" Alice questioned. This elf seems to know more than the others about the mark. I'd hate to lose his knowledge.

"I am an apostate mage. Cassandra has be accommodating, but how long before they use that against me?" he asked, looking her in the eye.

"I wouldn't let that happen."

"How would you stop them?"

"I…" she trailed off, wanting to tell him about her history, about the Mage Underground, and about the role she in particular played in helping apostates, but she dared not reveal that information yet. Besides, she was having trouble reading this Solas person, and had no way of knowing if he was trustworthy. "I'm not without resources," she stated, settling on a vague answer.

"Is that so? Then perhaps your resources will aid us in closing the Breach," he said, and turned away, marking the end of this awkward conversation.

Alice walked away, pondering what she had done wrong already to anger Solas, who had seemed impressed with her in the valley. I don't know these people. I need to be more careful, I guess. They may need me, but that doesn't mean they have to like me.

"At least you like me, boy," she whispered to the hound, who eyed her inquisitively, turning his head. "But you'd better stay outside this time," she told him.

(Whine)

"I doubt a healer would welcome a dog inside his workshop," she explained. "I won't be long."

Valiant took a seat near the entrance, evidently standing guard, as Alice walked inside. The interior of the building was warm, delightfully so. She hadn't realized how cold it was until she felt the heat of the fire. There were a couple of cots in the room, and a table strewn with various potions, bottles, and vials. Adan himself was a bearded man who stood bent over of the tables, reading notes of some sort.

"Are you the healer?" Alice asked.

"Not really," he answered. "But I see you're still alive."

Yikes. Does everyone in this place dislike me? She decided to try a polite approach "You're Adan, correct? I hear I have you to thank for taking care of me while I was unconscious."

"As good as I could anyway, I'm an alchemist, not a healer. But if you need any potions made, I can do that. If I get the ingredients I need." She noticed the gruffness in his voice, but it didn't seem to be directed at her, anyway.

Play to his ego, she thought. "Potion-making is a very useful skill. I would think the Inquisition would want to keep their potion master well-stocked. Why don't you have what you need?"

"The Seeker seems to value a sword more than herbs. I even heard her say 'I don't have time to pick flowers' at one point."

"Huh. Well I have nothing scheduled for the rest of today, maybe I could help?"

He shrugged. "Anything you can gather would be useful. Elfroot is always in short supply during a war."

"So you've seen wars before?" Alice asked. Press him a little for information, but not too much.

"I served King Cailan before the Blight happened. After he died, I didn't stay to serve the regent."

Alistair's brother, and Loghain, the reported traitor who attempted to cover up the massacre at Ostagar. Alice felt grateful that she had been a teenager during that time, and hadn't really felt the effects of the Blight directly, at least not until the refugees started showing up. Things had changed after that.

"So Elfroot. Anything else?" she questioned.

"You were serious? I figured you'd have more important things to do. Well, if you happen across any of these, I'd appreciate it." He handed her a list. She read it, and noticed familiar plants like Blood Lotus and Spindleweed. She doubted they would find any Spindleweed here as it normally gew in warmer climates, but she was willing to bet these "ideas" that Josie, Leliana and Cullen were going to present tomorrow would entail leaving Haven.

"I'll see what I can do." I'm pretty sure I saw some Elfroot next to the Chantry. I'll start there.

"Here, take this," he said, handing her a piece of cloth. She realized upon unfolding it that it was a bag meant to be worn across the body, just right for carrying the herbs.

"Thank you Adan, this is perfect. I'll let you know what I find." She bowed her head a little and walked back to the door. Maybe I can make friends around here. Adan doesn't seem so bad, just stressed. Valiant stood up as she exited.

"Apparently we're picking flowers today," she told him.

(Bark!)

"Seriously? I thought that would bore you," she commented, then laughed to herself. "I'm getting so lonely that I'm talking to the dog now." She shook her head and walked away from the door, the hound trailing along beside her.

Solas was gone from where he had stood before, off to some task unknown to her, but she was grateful. Their last interaction had left her with an unsettled feeling that made her question her abilities. The least I can do is pick some herbs.

She'd learned a lot about herbs from some of the apostates that they had sheltered over the years. There was one about three years ago, a healer named Anders, that had taught her quite a bit. She doubted she could make more than a simple health potion on her own, but at least she knew what the plants looked like.

Her father had been pleased. She supposed a nobleman wanting his daughter to learn more outdoor pursuits was a bit unconventional, but her father had been a great huntsman and fisherman, and he'd taught her about self-sufficiency. Outdoor survival was part of the skills they helped teach the apostates so they could live independent of the Circle. Provided she had a bow or a hook and line, and some way to make fire, she'd always be able to find enough to eat in the wilds. Given her current circumstances, it sounded like she was going to be needing those skills very soon.

But that suited her fine, too. She liked being outside, although her mother would always yell at her about her complexion if she got too much sun. She walked for a while, enjoying the quiet and fresh air. It was a little unnerving at first, hearing a few people greet her as "Your Worship," or "Herald", but she was starting to become accustomed to it.

Elfroot was easy enough to find, and she filled her satchel to the brim, but the others didn't appear to grow in the area. She ventured away from the settlement, down to the frozen lake, now free from demons for the time being, but still had no luck. Valiant barked, getting her attention, and she saw a group of nugs squeaking away just down the path.

"You hungry boy?"

(Bark!)

"Me too, but we can see what they have back up there for dinner. I'm sure we'll be eating roasted nug soon enough once we get on the road."

Passing the stables on her way back, she saw that they were empty. She could see evidence that they had only recently contained several horses, and the thought made her a little sad. Another reminder of what they lost with the explosion at the Conclave.

A man in the roofed section next to the stables was waving at her. The fires, and sound of hammers hitting metal informed her that this was the blacksmith, or maybe an armory. She and Valiant stepped inside the smithy, grateful again for the warmth from the fires. She hadn't realized she'd been out so long.

"Hello," she greeted.

"Greetings, Your Worship. I was informed earlier that I am to outfit you in some basic gear. You must be freezing."

"A little," she admitted shyly.

"It's nothing fancy, but I think have something that will work. I'm Harritt."

"Alice," she said, smiling. "Something warmer sounds fantastic right about now."

"Yes, Your Worship," he replied, and she was disappointed at his politeness. Should I try again? Adan was able to be friendlier, maybe this blacksmith can too. Let's go with the praise route again.

"You seem to have quite the setup here already, Harritt. I bet you can make all kinds of things."

"Well, we mostly do the basics, but I can follow directions pretty well, so if there's something special you want, just bring me the design."

"What a generous offer, thank you," she said. Am I laying it on too thick? I get the impression Harritt isn't used to being praised.

He smiled, and she knew she had calculated correctly. "I'd be happy to create something for such a lady as yourself, Your Worship." The title didn't even grate on her this time.

"So show me what you have for me, Harritt," she prompted with a laugh. He went to the back and brought out a set of soft leather pants, a sturdy pair of boots, and a long leather coat, fit with reinforced shoulders and shiny buttons in the front.

"I love it," she said, and she meant it. It looked warm, and like it would offer some protection against attacks. It was exactly like what she would have wanted.

"You might want these too," he said, handing her a scarf and several hair pins. "We get requests for all kinds of things around here, and I had a few extras lying around."

"Thank you, Harritt. Let me know if there's anything I can do to help you in return."

"Not at the moment, but I'll let you know. There's a building over there," Harritt said, pointing in the direction away from the stables. "It's unoccupied at the moment, you're welcome to change in there if you like."

Alice nodded, and immediately went to the door he had indicated. Valiant sat outside. Hm, I didn't even have to say anything this time. Smart dog. She went inside, and quickly changed into the pants, pulling the jacket on over her long-sleeved top and fastening some of the buttons over her chest. It fit far better than she expected. She relished in the warmth of the lining, and the buttery soft feeling of the pants.

For a second, she wished for a mirror, but realized her appearance didn't really matter right now. It was good enough that she was comfortable and protected, and her mother wasn't here to yell at her if she gained a few freckles from the sun this time. She pulled her hair up above the collar of the jacket so it wouldn't catch on it, and secured it in a bun with the hair pins. With the scarf, her neck was warm enough.

Leaving the building, Valiant again fell into step beside her. Is he going to follow me everywhere? she wondered.

Harritt smiled when he saw her. "Looks good," he said, but his face went pale when he realized he'd just complimented her. "I mean, I hope you're happy with it, Your Worship."

"I am indeed," she responded, deciding to ignore his earlier blunder. "It's very comfortable, and I'm much warmer. Thank you."

"Thank Commander Cullen, he's the one who suggested it."

Cullen did? "I'll be sure to do that. Good day, Harritt."

Alice allowed the smile to fade once she left the smithy, and confusion took over. What am I doing? I'm acting as though I'm going to be staying with these people, but I know that at some point, I'm going to have to leave. Hopefully I can seal the Breach, get this damned thing off my hand, and then...then what, Alice? Go have babies with the king, a man you barely know?

She sighed as she passed through the main gait and back up the stairs to the upper section of town. A cheery bonfire marked the center of the settlement, but as it was getting to be afternoon, the people she had seen warming themselves here earlier were gone. The fire was still burning brightly, evidence that it had not been abandoned for long.

Music played in the distance, and she instinctively walked toward the sound. Another building sprawled in front of her, this one larger than most of the other ones. Now that she was closer, she could hear the sound of boisterous voices from within. A tavern. Probably kind of rough in there, but we might be able get something to eat. She decided to deliver the Elfroot to Adan before seeking out dinner.

Hurrying up the stairs, she quickly opened the door, startling the alchemist.

She chuckled at his expression. "Sorry, Adan, kind of in a hurry, just wanted to drop this off."

His eyebrows shot up when he saw the sides of her satchel bulging with herbs. Alice moved to remove the strap over her head, but Adan shook his head.

"Just empty it over there, and you can keep the bag. I understand you're probably going to be traveling. If you find more things that could be useful, use it to bring them back."

"I can do that," she said, smiling at him. "But for now, I need to be going."

"Good evening, then, Herald."

Alice stepped back out into the cold, but the chill bite to the evening air wasn't as bad now with her new armor. Valiant followed her as she strode to the side entrance of the tavern and opened the door. The loud conversation stopped by the door, and like a wave, each table became quiet and the occupants turned to stare at her. Alice had never felt more uncomfortable in her life. Why did I come here? Maybe I should have just eaten nug like the dog wanted to.

"Herald!" a voice shouted pleasantly. Shit, I know that voice. She scanned the room to find the source, and, sure enough, Varric sat with a few others at a table, a mug of ale in front of him. "Join us," he said, waving his hand, calling her over to the table.

"No, no dogs," a stern voice called. Alice turned and saw a pretty redhead behind the bar.

She looked down at Valiant. "Sorry boy, sounds like they won't let you in."

(Low growl)

"I said get that mutt out of here!" the redhead yelled again.

"Don't be like that Valiant, I'll bring you something good, I promise."

The mabari gave her a long look before turning and going back out of the door. She assumed he had taken up post outside, just as he had at the other buildings she had been in.

Glancing back to the table, she saw Varric raise an eyebrow in question. "You coming, Herald?"

I suppose I am. Alice sat at the table next to Varric, and looked at the others at the table. Next to her were two of the Inquisitions soldiers, and across from them sat two women, one human, and one elf.

"I just came in for something to eat, I can't stay long," she said, already planning on bolting at the first opportunity.

"Nonsense, we were just going to start a game of Wicked Grace. You play, don't you?"

"Maybe another time," she said, looking away and wishing she'd left with Valiant when she'd had the chance.

"Don't be a sour puss, Her- you know, I'm not sure if that's the right thing to call you. Is it Herald, Your Ladyship, or Your Highness?"

Alice frowned. The annoying dwarf is trying to bait me. Play it calm, Alice. "I'm not married yet. The only title I hold any claim to is Lady, and I'd really prefer you didn't use that. You can just call me Alice, that's fine."

Varric looked a little surprised. "You take all the fun out of it, don't you?"

"Fun?" she asked, her temper rising. "You think any of this is fun? We all lost people in that temple!"

Silence again fell over the room.

"But, far be it from me to ruin anyone's fun. I'll find somewhere else to get a meal." She stood up, and with what dignity she had, marched out of the door without a glance backwards.

Outside, Valiant stepped in front of her, causing her to stop and look at him.

"It's okay, I don't need them to like me, remember? I have you."

She heard the voices picking back up inside the tavern on the other side of the door. She sighed, knowing she couldn't go back in there. I'm not even sure where I'm supposed to stay tonight. I guess I'll go back to the place where I woke up.

She walked back through the deserted central pathways, down the stairs and back to the house where she had started her day. The door was unlocked and she opened it to find the interior was well-lit with candles already. Does someone live here? She saw no one else inside, but on the main table, someone had left a plate of food and a note.

Picking it up, it read:

Your Worship,

The others and I came to look for you, but you weren't here. I hope you are finding your way around well enough.

-C

Just "C"? Was that Cassandra? The food smelled amazing, and there was plenty of it for both her and the dog. She tore into it, her growling stomach not letting her eat quickly. Maybe it was her hunger, but she would have sworn she'd never eaten a better meal, and when she finished, both she and Valiant breathed a sigh of relief.

A full stomach improved her physical state, but she still felt nervous. Our own people hate me, and I'm supposed to somehow convince others to join our cause? She glared at the mark and for the dozenth time today wished it away.

I guess nothing can be done about it tonight. Maybe I can start fresh again tomorrow. She sat on the bed, and decided turning in early sounded like a good idea.

Alice awoke, and felt a warm body pinning the covers down next to her. She reached a hand out to stroke Valiant's fur, but noticed the room was still bright and realized she had fallen asleep with the candle burning. Examining it, she could tell by the amount of wax that she had only been asleep for an hour or two.

She tried to go back to sleep, but laid there, restless, her mind racing, recalling what had happened: the Fade, the things chasing her, rifts, the awful pride demon, and everyone laughing at her. She knew she would get no more sleep for a while. She sat up, pushing at the mabari hound who gave a grunt of complaint, but hopped off the bed and curled up on the floor near it.

Smoothing her hair back into place, she pulled the leather jacket back on before heading to the door. Valiant looked up at her.

"I'm going out, do you want to go?" she asked. Valiant humphed and closed his eyes. "I'll take that as a no, then."

She stepped out of her door into the darkness, the way lit only by the moon peeking through the clouds, the energy swirling in the Breach above the mountains, and her own glowing hand. She held her palm out and downward, shining the light on the path below to watch her step. Finding the gate still standing open, she went through, past the tents, to the pier that looked out over the lake. She sat down on the cold wooden surface, and hugged her knees to her chest in a protective position.

What if...what if I can't do this? she thought, tears burning unshed in her eyes. She thought about her fight for the mages, and how confident she had felt then, how much a part of an organization, that her role was important and valued, but she felt none of that now. She just felt alone, and scared. She had no family here, no Jowan and the other mages, and very few people she thought could be friends. Her tears could be held back no longer, and spilled down her cheeks.

She fell back on something that had always given her hope when she was younger. She quietly recited the Chant of Light, hoping Andraste really was listening.

"Herald?" Cullen's voice questioned softly in the night air.

Alice stood quickly, trying to wipe the tears away without him noticing. "Commander," she answered, trying not to look at him.

"I thought that was you," he commented. "I didn't mean to disturb you, but I…" he paused, stepping closer, "are you alright?"

She sighed in frustration, and looked up at him, letting him see her tear-stained face. "I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell the others you saw me like this."

"Of course, Your Worship," he responded.

"Don't you start with that stuff too. Just Alice, please."

"Alright...Alice. May I sit with you?"

"I guess, my embarrassment can't get much worse than it already is," she admitted, sitting back down on the dock, one leg propped on the edge, the other left to dangle over the ice below.

Cullen chose a place near her, looking out over the frozen landscape. "Was that the Chant of Light I heard?" he asked.

"Yes, I've always found it soothing when I'm troubled."

"As have I."

They were both silent a while, until the quiet finally got to Alice. "Why are you here, Commander?"

"Cullen, if we're to be informal," he reminded her. "I'm afraid I'm not very good at this sort of thing. You just seemed to be having a hard time of it, and I…" his words ended, as though he didn't know how to finish that statement.

"A momentary weakness, it won't happen again," she stated firmly, hoping her voice didn't waver.

"Maker's Breath, I must be worse at this than I thought," he said, and Alice couldn't help but chuckle. She peeked over and found him watching her. He asked, "Would you like to talk about it?"

Alice sighed, the humor leaving her expression. She nodded. "I'm scared I can't be what they need. I'm nobody special."

"Special enough to catch the eye of a king," he observed.

She shook her head. "It's an arranged marriage. I've only met him once."

"Oh," he said. "Sorry." He looked away, shifting his long legs uncomfortably. "I assumed you two were close."

"No, It's alright, I agreed to the match. I thought it would give me a chance to do some good."

"You wouldn't consider what we're doing here as such?"

"Of course I do...but Cullen, I'm terrible at this so far. I mean, the whole idea of this 'Herald' business is to bring people together, right? I've only managed to talk to three people today that I didn't anger: you, the apothecary, and the smith."

"Adan and Harritt? If you succeeded in winning them over, I'd say you're far from terrible. Neither of them like anyone, as far as I've been able to tell," a grin threatened to pull at his lips.

She gave him a skeptical look, but then she had a thought. "Oh, that reminds me, I've been meaning to thank you for the armor. It's perfect, exactly what I would have picked out for myself."

"You're welcome, but it wasn't entirely unselfish. I believe you'll be sent out of Haven soon to start spreading word of the Inquisition, and you can't go out there unprotected."

"Right." Another long exhalation, followed by an awkward pause in the conversation.

"Maybe it isn't about being special," he commented after a few seconds.

"Then can we pick another Herald of Andraste?" she joked.

"One day in, and you're ready to quit already?" he teased, a half-smile dancing across his features in the near-dark. "Funny, you didn't strike me as the sort to give up so easily."

"I'm not...you know, Cullen, I think you're right. Maybe I haven't given this enough of a chance."

"You only truly fail when you stop trying."

"Huh. Maybe that's how I'm special: I'm stubborn enough that I won't fail," she said, smiling up at him. "Thanks for talking to me. You're not so bad at this, after all." And maybe Andraste did hear my prayer. I do feel better. Alice stood up, brushing off her pants. "I think I'll try to get some more sleep."

"Tomorrow, then," Cullen said getting to his own feet and heading back toward the tents with the other soldiers.