The pain in his chest was maddening. He was half tempted to rip his beating heart from his chest and offer it up if it would help, but it would just leave one more dead soldier on the list. He sighed as he looked around for something else to do. Keep his hands busy before he ripped his hairs out.

He heard familiar footsteps. Light, cautious, then nothing. He looked at her for a moment, she was watching him, watching his movements, his body language. He had attempted to smother his feelings for her, but he couldn't. He would need her to do it. He would need her to kill the relationship before it even started.

"I want you to come with us." Her tone was more asking, gauging his reaction, when he went to leave to gather his gear, her hands tensed. A small reaction on her part, but he could read her small moves. The battlefield had given them time to watch how everyone reacted to the littlest things, her fingertips twitching meant that she was nervous about this whole encounter, "there's a mercenary fortress in the Hinterlands that I would like to acquire for the Inquisition. And I would like you to come with me- us." She corrected herself.

The fact he could make her that nervous made him smile, even if he was smiling on the inside. He let a smirk grace his face.

"Why not take Iron Bull? He is a capable warrior." He pointed out. His statement was logical. His statement could also be seen as bitter, but it wasn't.

Yet he made it sound almost... Teasing. Her eyes told him that she didn't want to say it, but then she smirked and raised an eyebrow as if to say 'really?'

Yet he waited. And she said nothing.

This went on for a moment and before he could say something, she caved. She turned around, her back to him, then she turned her head and looked at him, "you know why."

He nodded and waited for her to walk away before he pulled out the note she had written from his pocket.

Challenge accepted.

Then he went to his temporary quarters to get his gear, and while he was looking for the war horn she had given him, he found a quill and a little bit of ink.

He laid out the parchment and scribbled below her two words a few of his own.

This is a game meant for two.

He let the ink dry as he tied his belt and sword on, and then tied the war horn on that. By the time his gear was all on, the ink was plenty dry, and he folded it, and put it in his pocket. He would think of a way to get it to her without anyone noticing.

He met the group at the gates and Evelyn was sitting atop her chestnut mare, beautiful and simple, and Cassandra and Dorian were on their respective mounts. Blackwall's armored charger was there as well, on the far side, next to Dorian.

Blackwall looked at Evelyn who didn't even bother to hold in a mischievous smirk. She had done it on purpose. It's not that Blackwall hated Dorian, but they had their differences. Their... Distinct differences.

Blackwall got on his horse and they started to ride out. This was going to be a long few days.

They arrived at the camp closest to the mercenary fortress and decided it would be a good idea to rest not only the horses but themselves as well. It was near dark, and Evelyn knew they were all very tired from the traveling.

After pulling the bear jerky from her pack and devouring that with some apples, cheese and water. She bid the others a goodnight.

"How does she eat that?" Dorian asked, "I'm sure we could just catch a bird and make a decent meal."

Cassandra chuckled, "The Inquisitor has a lot of personal matters on her mind." Cassandra poked the fire with a stick as the Inquisition patrols changed groups, "besides, hunger doesn't care what you eat. As long as it fills that void."

But Blackwall had heard enough. Evelyn had been thinking about the words he had said to her. He felt bad enough as is. Knowing that she was having it drag her down... He sighed and took the note from his pocket.

He knew that after every ride she went to sharpen her blades, or go to the nearest source of water. So, he went to her tent, which was the farthest of the tents, and put the note on her sleeping roll, walked out and went to his tent and laid down his sleeping roll. He wasn't hungry, but he was tired.

They all were.