Cold.

Elara's fingers were numb, her skin on fire as the wind chilled through her, slowing her trek up the mountain. She found signs of the soldiers' whereabouts as she wandered blindly through the darkness and the snow, black and white blurring together. She strained to keep her pace, following the footsteps in the snow before they were covered up or blown away.

Lightheaded.

She was disoriented in the wide open pasture, lost in the blizzard. She had to make it. Just a little further. She kept moving, forcing her legs to rise and fall even though she'd lost feeling in them long ago. Her nose hurt and her eyes felt bruised, her vision going in and out of focus as she shielded her face with her arm when it became too much.

As soon as she heard their voices and knew they saw her, her body gave out in the snow. When she woke, she was relieved to hear their voices again and to have regained feeling in all of her extremities. Someone sat at her bedside. Mother Giselle.

She listened to the argument between the leaders of the inquisition and debated joining their circle to speak her mind. She hadn't really put a thought together yet though. Better to let them have at it.

When Elara sat up, Mother Giselle coo'ed, "Shh, you need to rest."

"They've been at it for hours," Elara said, aware that she'd been hearing their voices in her sleep, though she hadn't listened to all that was said between them.

"They have that luxury thanks to you," Giselle said softly as she leaned closer. "The enemy could not follow, and with time to doubt, we turn to blame. Infighting may threaten us as much as this Corypheus."

"They are all strong leaders with loud voices, but they will work together," Elara said, hopeful. They'd gotten them this far. "Do we know where Corypheus and his forces are?" She wasn't sure how long she had been unconscious, but she was afraid Corypheus could still follow.

"We are not sure where we are, which may be why, despite the numbers he still commands, there is no sign of him. That or you are believed dead. Without Haven, we are thought helpless. Or he girds for another attack. I cannot claim to know the mind of that creature, only his effect on us."

"Should I speak with them? If they intend to use me, I should have a say in what happens next," Elara said.

"Another heated voice won't help, even yours. Perhaps especially yours."

"I have no intention of fighting with them," Elara said. "If anything, I would try to put out the fires."

"Our leaders struggle because of what we survivors witnessed. We saw our defender stand and fall. And now we have seen her return. The more the enemy is beyond us, the more miraculous your actions appear, and the more our trials seem ordained."

"You mean the more it seems like I am the Herald of Andraste?"

"That is hard to accept, no? What we have been called to endure? What we perhaps must come to believe?"

"I escaped the avalanche. Barely perhaps, but I didn't die."

"Of course. And the dead cannot return from across the veil. But the people know what they saw or perhaps what they needed to see. The Maker works both in the moment and in how it is remembered. Can we truly know the heavens are not with us?"

"I was raised to believe in the elven gods. I know little of the Chantry's teachings," Elara said. "I did not feel the gods guiding or influencing me. And I do not believe I am some kind of chosen one. Especially for a god I know nothing about." Elara sighed, "Forgive me, Mother Giselle. I understand the importance of hope, truly. I just don't give it too much thought. Corypheus is a physical threat that must be defeated through strategic planning, powerful alliances, magic, and metal."

"An army needs more than an enemy. It needs a cause." Mother Giselle stood up from Elara's bedside and broke the somber silence with song.

Shadows fall

And Hope has fled

Steel your heart

The Dawn will come

The chorus that disappeared into the darkness was as spiritual a feeling as Elara had ever felt. It was kinship, mourning, and hope - hope desperately needed.

Elara looked up as Solas approached her bedside. Though he voluntarily joined the Inquisition and aided her in closing the Breach, they had spoken little in Haven. He was quick to deride the Dalish - her and her clan - as children. And he seemed so proud and arrogant to announce that he knew better because he walked the Fade. Though she had taken offense, she disarmed and humbled him with her response. After all, the Dalish would treat him as an outsider, a flat-ear. And he was right to admit that the Dalish could not accomplish what he was gifted the ability to do, to see. She wanted to learn more from him, which she guessed was not the usual response to his claimed knowledge.

"A word," he said and led her away from the main encampment. She followed behind him, admiring the way he carried himself as he and watched in awe as he lit a torch of veilfire with a wave of his hand.

"The humans have not raised one of our people so high for ages beyond counting. Their faith is hard won, lethallin. Worthy of pride, save one detail. The threat Corpyheus wields, the orb he carries - it is ours," he said, warming his hands against the flame. "Corypheus used the orb to open the breach. Unlocking it must have caused the explosion that destroyed the conclave. We must find out how he survived. And we must prepare for their reaction when they learn the orb is of our people."

"What is it? How do you know about it?" Elara asked, confused. She had never seen or learned about any such artifact.

"Such things were foci. Said to channel power from our gods. Some were dedicated to specific members of our pantheon. All that remains are references in ruins and faint visions of memory in the Fade. Echoes of a dead empire. But however Corypheus came to it, the orb is elven. And with it, he threatens the heart of human faith."

"Some? Do you think the orb he wields belonged to somebody in particular?"

"That, I do not know."

Elara sighed, frustrated by the long history of hostility between humans and elves. "Even if we defeat Corypheus, eventually they'll find a way to blame elves."

"I suspect you are correct. It is unfortunate, but we must be above suspicion to be seen as valued allies. Faith in you is shaping this moment but needs room to grow."

"I am ever mindful of the delicate relationship we hold with humans," Elara said. "I will cooperate with them however I must to defeat Corypheus. Clan Lavellan is not so fearful or hostile as many other Dalish clans are. We fostered our relations with the humans in the cities we dwelt by. I will try not to give them a reason to hate us."

"That is good to hear. There may be hope for the Dalish yet. The entire world looks to you now. Show them all how elves are important to this world," Solas said. "By attacking the Inquisition, Corypheus has changed it... changed you. Scout to the north. Be their guide. There is a place that waits for a force to hold it. There is a place where the inquisition can build... grow..."

Elara moved to stand beside him and looked out over the mountain where the sun was rising. "It's beautiful."

Solas looked at her to admire her face as the sun washed over it and replied, "Yes, it is." He only took his eyes off of her once he realized he hadn't stopped looking at her.

She looked up at him and turned to head back to camp. "North it is."

As they crossed the mountains, she walked beside Solas, letting him guide her if she began to stray from the path to the place he knew. The leaders were close on their heels with the army and inhabitants of Haven following behind with carts holding whatever they could salvage from the village before it was destroyed.

The sun was beginning its descent when Solas said, "Not much further now."

Elara climbed up over the rocks to stand on the precipice, at first to find a path for the caravan, when she saw the fortress built into the side of the mountain across from them.

"Skyhold," Solas said.

Elara breathed, "Wow."

"Come," Solas said, leading her down the mountain.

"How do you know of this place?"

"I read about an ancient fortress believed to once belong to an elven god. So, I journeyed here to dream. It will serve the inquisition well."

She looked at him, curious, "Which god?"

Solas looked pleased and replied, "Fen'harel. This was once his."

"Fen'harel…" Elara looked ahead at the fortress again in wonderment. She had only heard stories of the dread wolf leading people astray, betraying the gods, and locking them away. Yet even her own clan worshipped Fen'harel, carving statues of the dread wolf to drive away evil spirits and protect the camp. It always confused her how dichotomous their beliefs were. It occurred to her that she'd read the journal of the keeper of clan Ralaferin, which stated the dread wolf still wandered the earth. "Would he be upset that we are taking up residence in his fortress?"

"I have the feeling that he would not be opposed to it as he has not been heard from for centuries."

"I read the Dread Wolf still wanders the earth. I suppose if he came back, we could just ask him nicely to join us," Elara smiled at him. "Think it would work? Or would he turn into a dragon and eat us all?"

Solas raised a brow, "I do not believe I have heard that one yet. In that version, is he the Dread Dragon?"

Elara chuckled, "Well, I've heard enough tales of terror and so many variations of them that I thought I would make my own. I don't believe half of them are true. The Dread Wolf has been used to scare children. Like the Ferelden humans tell their tales of the Witch of the Wilds."

"Most of what the world supposedly knows to be true has been passed down through folk tales and distorted. It is good that you do not take them literally. Yet, you are afraid of offending him?"

"I am only acknowledging the possibility that he still wanders Thedas. That part may not have been exaggerated. Either way, Skyhold will be the new home of the Inquisition. We would see Corypheus coming from miles away."

Solas could not let the conversation end there, his curiosity piqued since she considered Fen'Harel in a way he'd never heard from a Dalish. "And if he did return, what would you tell him about all his unexpected guests?"

"Oh, I'd take him straight to you and we could have a little elven party."

Solas felt his lips twitch with a flicker of amusement. He had followed her through the Hinterlands with Cassandra and Varric, to the Stormcoast to recruit the Iron Bull, and to Val Royeaux, where they'd met the boisterous Red Jenny and the Enchanter, Vivienne. But until now, he had only seen her public face, the diplomatic and graceful representative of Clan Lavellan. He looked at her with a barely contained look of amusement, "And what if he was not in the mood for a party?"

"Then, I guess we'd just have to engage in a deep conversation and learn whatever we can from him. Maybe he could kill Corypheus for us." Elara smirked, "But he's a trickster, isn't he? I bet he'd enjoy a good party. Not that I know how to throw one. I suppose we could don our flower crowns and run around in the forest barefoot."

"I am certain if he still had the strength of a god, he would not let Corypheus go unchecked," Solas said ruefully, "but maybe he would enjoy your company once he got by your endless sarcasm."

Elara smirked, "What about you?"

"I would like to pick his brain and learn all that I could of our ancestors. And for your sake, I would talk him into this party of yours. You never know, he may actually enjoy cake."

Elara laughed, "I meant, do you enjoy my company? But it's good to know that you would attend my party. I have the feeling you would become fast friends with an old elven god, even one as ill reputed as the Dread Wolf."

He kept pace with her, sensing her sidelong glance, and admitted, "I do. Every conversation is a refreshing change of pace compared to the usual exchange I have with elves."

She had expected from lapse of silence that he hadn't warmed up to her yet, that she was still very much a stranger to him. She would have accepted his silence, but it pleased her to hear his answer. "You are unlike any elf I have ever known," Elara said and quickly added, remembering that clans would admonish him for being different, "I don't mean that in a bad way." She looked back at the caravan behind her and up the path ahead. "We've made it."

He silently acknowledged her compliment and followed her through the front gates. She was unlike any elf he had ever known either, and he was intrigued to see where his journey alongside her would take him.