He woke from another nightmare. They were getting worse. He should be taking lyrium again. Without it, and without her, he was a mess. His hand shook as he pulled on his shirt. How much longer could he go on like this? It had been a full day since the attack on Haven.
Four months since he'd met her. Trevelyan.
How did she come to be so important to him, after such a short time?
He didn't even properly remember their first meeting.
#
She was Cassandra's prisoner then, an unknown woman they'd fished out of the rubble of the Temple of Sacred Ashes. He had other matters to attend to. If she could close the rift, then she was useful; otherwise, he had to focus on rallying his troops, evacuating the wounded, establishing a new base of operations at Haven.
"She's a criminal," said Finn, one of his lieutenants. "She shouldn't be allowed to go around free like that."
"She's not!" This was Baines, a new recruit. A farm girl from the Hinterlands. "She's got divine power, she does. How else did she survive? She's been sent from Andraste to save us!"
"What a load of—"
Cullen cleared his throat. "Don't you both have work to do?"
"Yes, Commander!" They scuttled away.
Then word came that she had used to strange mark on the hand to seal the Fade rifts. So she was good for something, after all. Cassandra no longer seemed to think it suspicious that she apparently emerged from the Fade. For his part, however, he maintained vigilance. He had seen too much to take anything for granted.
Cassandra found him at the training yard. "She's awake. I've asked her to join us in the Chantry."
"Very good. What do you think of her, Seeker? She was your prisoner, and now some of my soldiers are calling her divine."
"Yes." Cassandra looked uncertain, which surprised him. "I've heard them call her the 'Herald of Andraste,' whatever that means."
"Surely you don't believe that could be true?"
"I — I don't know, Commander. You weren't there. I saw how her mark flashed with a great light and sealed the rift. If it is not the power of the Maker, then what is it?"
"It could be a demon."
Her brows contracted. "I have thought of that possibility as well. You will have to observe her carefully. Your Templar training will be useful. As will mine."