Finaaaaaally back. Between the classes and a mean case of writer's block I was finally able to finish this chapter! At least it is long!

I don't know when will I be able to update the story but I don't intend to leave it unfinished I promise!

Anyways, as usual I hope you enjoy it despite the delay!

#Valyzons

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Warning: violence, mild swearing and mild sexual themes.


There was something about the Exalted Plains that give Evelyn the chills. There was history in that almost barren land and it wasn't a beautiful one. Everything on it, from the bare trees to the wyven-infested swamps, spoke of broken promises, defeat and death. And the Orlesian Civil War was just the most recent of the wounds that festered in what once was the homeland of the proud empire of the elves. As their horses (and drakolisk) advanced through the burned land Evelyn felt as if a thousand eyes looked at her unwelcomingly. Her connexion to the Fade had increased greatly when Corypheus' artifact scarred her hand and she had developed an unusual sensitiveness towards the Beyond. She was literally feeling watched and she knew that it was the "ghosts" of the land, not spirits as they hadn't crossed the Fade but they couldn't be called demons either as they couldn't be seen or heard, simply felt.

"You okay boss?" asked Bull and she nodded, digging her heels on Fangs to urge him on.

"Let's get this over with, shall we?" there was a command on her voice and her companions sped up behind her.

"You can feel it too right? Anger, resentment, the reinforcements were not enough, a once proud banner now burning in the enemy's hands" Cole's gibberish made sense to her for once and she looked at him, surprised to find that she could feel what he was describing. It wasn't as defined for her as it was for him of course, she could barely catch a glimpse of what he could see.

"Yes, is like the very earth is asking for revenge in this place. It almost frightens me" she admitted, riding alongside him.

"So much suffering" he shook his head and frowned, struggling to find the correct words to describe what he felt "it has leaked into the core of the Plains" he pronounced very slowly looking at her for approval to see if what he had said made sense and she smiled encouragingly.

"That's right. That's how it feels" she shrugged "it's bad but not as bad as the Hissing Wastes. For me they feel like… nothing. But not a good nothing. Absolute emptiness that cannot be filled. The Plains feel like despair but in the Wastes it is as if hope didn't even exist" Cole nodded with a faint smile, seemingly happy to be able to share that part of himself.

"Is there somewhere you like in particular?" he asked, curiosity sparkling in his eyes at the discovery of this new line of conversation. She stood silent for a few seconds, trying to remember if there was somewhere where she had felt particularly good.

"I think… the Emerald Graves. There is something about them that makes me feel comfortable. You see, the Emerald Graves didn't get their name out of thin air yet they feel like hope and new beginnings. It's like the land is not willing to accept sulkiness or defeat, always looking for life and… I don't know, perhaps it's just that it is a very pretty area" the ex-spirit boy shook his head with his comment.

"No. It does speak of life that land. Is the trees. The trees are old and have seen much but unlike these trees they prefer to remember the good times. Every birth, every marriage, a stolen kiss that tastes of peaches, a soldier long-gone returning home, kids splashing in the river" his voice was almost a chant when he spoke of the things he could see… or feel or both. Honestly she couldn't tell if he could truly see those scenes he spoke of or if he simply perceived them.

"Boss, we have company" alerted Bull interrupting their conversation and she quickly looked ahead, narrowing her eyes so as to better see who was approaching. Five, perhaps six men heavily armed and protected with good armor it would seem.

Her hand travelled to the side of the dracolisk where her staff was attached to the saddle while trying to discern which banner they had on their breastplates. A surge of magic started flowing through her veins as she prepared for a possible attack, her companions gripping their own weapons discreetly.

"Halt travellers!" one of the men shouted and as he spoke a line of archers tautened their bows and pointed their arrows at them "Who are you and what business brings you here" demanded the same man who appeared to be in charge.

Evelyn rose both her hands to show that she wasn't armed. She recognized that voice, it was one of the lieutenants of Commander Jehan.

"I am Inquisitor Evelyn Trevelyan and my companions and I are here on Inquisition's business" at the mention of the Inquisition she could see how all the men relaxed and the bowmen lowered their weapons.

"Excuse me Inquisitor, I did not recognize you" the lieutenant was quickly at her side, apologizing profusely but keeping a distance between Fangs and himself, clearly intimidated by the creature.

"Do you see qunari, elves and humans walking together very often?" she asked with a feigned look of surprise. The soldier blushed and stammered, afraid that he might have offended the Inquisitor but she smiled warmly at him "I'm just teasing soldier, don't worry. I know it is your duty to ask and you have carried it out impeccably" the soldier bowed, relief washing over his features "Now take us to Commander Jehan, there are some matters I must discuss with her".

"Of course milady, my men will escort you and your companions to the Citadel. Be on your guard though, the Freemen are becoming bolder with every day that passes" Evelyn nodded with his warning and followed the men that the lieutenant had provided them.

Bolder. After how decimated she had left their ranks it wasn't possible that they were strong again unless there was some magical thing at play. She was placing her bets on red lyrium. It couldn't be a coincidence but the facts didn't add up. She could understand that the Freemen were smuggling and taking the red lyrium to reinforce their men but selling it? To common people and nobles alike? With what purpose? It simply didn't make any sense to her.

By the time they made it to Pont Agur, the sun was setting on the west, its dying rays reflecting in the water of the river as they crossed it. Evelyn had expected to make night in the Dalish camp but according to what they had heard it was too risky. The Freemen and other creatures lured in the dark and they had home advantage. Besides they had tried to make the trip as fast as possible and she felt weary from the nights and days outdoors. A lukewarm bath and a soft bed sounded like heaven to her tired bones.

The Citadelle du Corbeau appeared before them much more solid and protective than the last time they had been there although there were still some gaps in the walls covered by wooden scaffoldings. However she knew that with its defenses restored the Citadelle would be a hard nut to crack if ever anyone tried to take it, gaps in the walls and all. And the defenses seemed to be alert and ready, soldiers walked up and down the battlements and there were a couple massive ballistas pointed at the bridge from the renewed towers of the fortress. The bridge itself had been fortified and was now protected by a barricade that allowed passage for no more than one horse at a time; behind the barricade there was a small wooden wall that wouldn't hold for long against a frontal attack but would make a game out of shooting arrows at any foe that approached with its height advantage.

"It would seem they are expecting trouble" Bull looked around him admiring the new incorporations to the Citadelle's defenses.

"Indeed. And look there, those burns are recent" the Citadelle was divided in two sections. The first covered the land between the bridge and the walls and its defenses were mostly wooden fences and watchtowers with room for a couple of archers each, perhaps three. The second part was the fortress itself, protected by the mighty stone walls. The first line of the fences was half destroyed, burned according to the soot and the blackened marks of the grass surrounding it.

"More of those bloody undead?" asked Sera pushing one of the skeletons of burned wood that collapsed on itself raising a cloud of black dust "oops, sorry" Evelyn shot her a murderous look and Sera rose her hands up in the air trying to suppress a mischievous smile.

"The undead use fire sometimes but this looks more organized than that" Bull signaled at the point that was blackest, probably the origin of the fire "the fire originated in the far side of the fence. It looks like a diversion to me" the Inquisitor nodded in agreement but said nothing and kept riding to the gates that opened before them and a young lad came running to them but stopped on his tracks at the vision of the dracolisk.

"I… I am here to take your horses... to the stables" he said with a trembling voice as they dismounted, his eyes fixed on the creature's prominent teeth.

"Last one who tried to tie that one lost his arms… both o' them" Sera lied, looking at the boy that seemed to shrink with fear.

"Sera! Do not listen to her. Fangs is completely harmless… at least if I order him to be so. He won't hurt you I promise" the boy didn't look much convinced at her words but took Fangs' reigns nonetheless along with the rest of the horses and pulled gently at them so the horses would follow. Fangs followed too, obedient as a sheep.

"Uhm… ma'am?"

"Yes?"

"What should I feed it?"

"Meat of course. It's more dragon than horse after all… and by the way, throw him the food, do not feed him directly from your hands. He usually behaves himself but if he's very hungry someone might lose a hand" the stable boy looked at her wide-eyed and shivered, hurrying towards the stables, clearly dying to put some distance between the dracolisk and himself.

"That was fun" the elf laughed wholeheartedly and Evelyn couldn't help but smile at her own pettiness as the four of them advanced towards the main building of the fortress.

"He was scared. Why is that funny?" Sera rolled her eyes.

"Not now, Creepy, I was starting to not hate you" Cole stared at her, a look of genuine surprise on his sharp features and a ghost of a smile.

"I know. But thank you"

"Ugh, there you go. You ruined it again. I take it back"

"One of these days you two are going to end up in the bed sheets. I can just see it" Evelyn pinched the bridge of her nose after Bull's remark and sped up to be a little ahead of them. She loved them but was in no mood for their arguments, her head was too busy thinking about the burned fences and the fortified bridge.

Luckily a soldier came to her rescue asking them to follow him to what would be their chambers for the night, apologizing in the name of her Commander that was not present in the keep at the moment but would join them for dinner.

The Citadelle was a fortress not a palace yet it had a tower for dignitaries to stay as most keeps that size did. It wasn't fully restored as it hadn't been one of the main priorities when rebuilding the walls but it'd be alright for one night. Her companions would have to share a room but that wasn't a big deal for them, used as they were to sleeping close outdoors when they were on a mission with her. She had a room all for herself though, the only one that seemed to be in perfect living conditions, probably because it hadn't been heavily damages as it was at the top of the tower and was hard to reach by the trebuchets. She bet none of the undead had even bothered to climb up that far.

It was only one circular room with a folding screen used as a partition where the tub was. It had two windows, its shatters making cracking sounds as they were battered by the evening's wind. To her left there was a small desk with paper and quill ready and to her right the double-bed with its beside tables and a drawer both of which had seen better times. Spartan no doubt but it would do for the night, she only hoped that the mattress was in a better condition than the rest of the bed because she really needed the rest.

She was stripping off her armour when someone knocked on her door. It was a soldier that, according to his words, was at the Inquisitor's disposal in case she needed anything. He said so through clenched teeth, obviously not very thrilled with the idea of acting like a servant for the night. Evelyn asked him to bring a couple of buckets of water for a bath with a sheepish smile, silently apologizing for it. She would probably be as annoyed as he was if she was on his shoes.

She stared at the ceiling in blissful silence as she bathed, the warm water relaxing her tired muscles and threatening with making her fall asleep. As much as she tried to leave the mind blank however, her thoughts kept going to Garret Mendris and their marriage contract. She was furious with her father for doing such a thing to her. They had always had a very close relationship and he had promised her once that he would never treat her as cattle as many other lords did. Where was that promised when he signed that contract? It had been signed many years ago, back when nobody knew yet that she had been gifted (or cursed) with magic, back when her life's prospect had been becoming a Templar for some years before getting married and producing children as so many Trevelian's before her had. Back in those days Garret without doubt her best friend, they were inseparable she remembered that. Always stealing madeleines and cookies from the kitchen after giving the slip to the nannies and swimming naked in the river that flowed next to her state. Of course she understood that his father's thoughts when signing the marriage proposal had been most probably that the friendship they shared one day would turn into something stronger. And if her life had been different it might have happened considering how close they were. Still she felt betrayed, he should have asked her nonetheless.

Evelyn wondered what kind of man had Garret become. She remembered him as a very smart child with a quick wit and quite the silver-tongue that was constantly bossing his elder brother, persuading him to do all kind of things for him. And he was mischievous beyond all limits, even more so than herself which was a lot to say. Both of them had enjoyed playing pranks on the service and on their respective elder brothers but, if she recalled well, he found a sort of wicked satisfaction in them. The more elaborated, painful and shameful the prank was, the more he liked it. She waved her hand to dismiss her own thoughts, she was only imagining things.

"Dinner is ready" a voice said next to her and she yelped, splashing water around as she got up in a frightened jump, her hands lighting with fire for a second before she realized that it was Cole next to her.

"Cole! You almost give me a heart attack!" he frowned and looked at her with surprise and mild guilt.

"I knocked. Twice. Varric says I must always knock" had he knocked? She hadn't heard it.

"Then Cole… you did the right thing. I must've dozed off…" only then did she realize that she was stark naked in front of him and she felt heat rising to her head. "And here is a new thing for you to learn. You can't enter a room if there is a woman bathing or changing and you must not look at her if she is naked… well, unless she allows you to of course" he immediately turned his back on her although she didn't miss the confusion on his eyes.

"If I can't do it, why would a woman allow me?" she reached for a towel and covered herself, getting out of the tub and chuckling at his words.

"It's protocol. But you can ask Varric more about the subject. He is much better at explaining things that I am" she shirked the conversation and tapped him on the shoulder. "Don't worry, you'll learn these things eventually. You are doing a great job" she encouraged him and smiled, feeling better when she saw him smile back.

"Is it protocolary if I look at you now?" he asked politely signaling the scant cloth that covered her and she shrugged.

"Technically no but I don't mind… just don't go telling that you've seen me in towel, that would ruin my reputation" she lied with an ironic tone, winking at him to show that she was only joking about the last part.

"They respect you greatly. The people around you. Some fear you also, some feel envious. A beacon in the dark, the savior, healing magic in an injured sky. I don't think they would think different of you because of me saying something like that" Evelyn thought about it, moved if not surprised by his description of how people felt about her.

"Hmm, maybe you are right. But some people, the envious ones probably, those would use that information to poison others. You need to know Cole, information, knowledge is power. A tremendous source of power, that's why we must wield it carefully" as she spoke she signaled him to stay put and went behind the folding screen to change. Sadly, she only had her travelling clothes but that would have to do, dusty as they were.

"That is why you have spies. And a mistress of spies"

"That is exactly why we have spies and a mistress of spies indeed" she finished buttoning her shirt and leather vest and came from behind the folding screen "I'm ready, let's go have diner, I'm starving" she stared in pleasant surprise as he rose his arm and offered to her.

"Varric said that I should do this to all women if I was to accompany them somewhere" she took his arm and chuckled, shaking her head.

"Varric… Well, you are not obliged to do so but it is very gentlemanly" she started walking towards the door, allowing him to take the lead as he knew where they were supposed to go.

"And what if there are three women or more? I only have two arms" she laughed at his confused question and responded with a roguish smile.

"Only offer your arm to one woman Cole. And if you have to choose, choose the one you like most"when they arrived to the dining room the rest of their party was already waiting for them.

"What took you so long Creepy?" asked Sera with an annoyed look and Evelyn was quick to defend him.

"My fault. I was… teaching him protocol. Sort of"

"Whatever" she rolled her eyes "I'm starving"

"That makes two of us, let's get in" they entered the room which was clearly not designed as a dining room as suggested by the several maps posted on the walls. There was a long table in the center of the room and Evelyn guessed that was their war table although it was now covered with a faded tablecloth and surrounded by chairs for all. The food was set already and Commander Jehan quickly got up to welcome them.

"Inquisitor, you will have to excuse the service but we weren't expecting you so soon" she apologized with her distinct Orlesian accent, offering them a seat with a gesture while seating herself on one of the heads of the table.

"That's alright, it's no bother really. I've seen the new defenses and the barricade on the bridge, were you attacked recently?" Commander Jeahn snorted ironically and waited for them to serve themselves before doing so herself.

"More than recently Inquisitor, only four days ago we were surprised by a small contingent of Freemen that reached up to the third line of defenses. They were dangerously close to the walls but they scattered once we started firing from the battlements. Luckily they weren't carrying siege equipment and I fear it might be because it was nothing but a scout party" she poured some wine into everyone's cups and regarded the Inquisitor with a tired look "they burned some of the defenses so we built the barricade at the bridge to prevent further lightning attacks"

"Even if they had carried siege equipment I doubt they would have breached the walls. I have seen the new defenses and they seem very solid"

"Yeah. I wouldn't want to be the one trying to take this fortress" praised Bull before drinking half his cup with one thirsty gulp.

"I was wondering, if you were to take the fortress how would you? Sincerely" Evelyn and Bull exchanged a look as both of them thought about her question.

"I would blow up the bridge. It is the only connexion with the rest of the Plains" answered Iron Bull thinking how hard it had been for the Inquisition to rebuild it after the undead had blasted it. The Orlesian woman nodded a couple of times.

"Yes. That's what they did the first time. We are much better supplied now though. We have set up a small garden in the second backyard too. It would provide us with enough food to endure a long siege" her proud tone indicated that the idea had come from her and it was smart no doubt of that "Inquisitor?"

"I wouldn't blow up the bridge. I would barricade it from the other side. It would do the same trick and make the take easier on the long run but I would attack from the sea" Commander Jehan smiled smugly, clearly expecting the suggestion.

"This is a marsh Inquisitor, those ships wouldn't come very close before running aground" Evelyn shrugged as she kept eating the turkey, slowly chewing so as not to finish it too soon. She was truly hungry.

"I wouldn't want the ships to reach the shore. I would use them for demoralizing the enemy. Waking up every morning to see that you can't leave from land or sea must be maddening. Also I would make the ships fire randomly. The state of alert is extremely useful in a soldier but also consuming. After a couple weeks, most soldiers would be exhausted both physically and psychologically" she sipped the wine, making a great effort to avoid moaning. She truly loved Orlesian wine, it was delicious "Then I would attack. A small group of agents that could melt with the shadows of the night. They would have to swim the distance of the bridge and then infiltrate the fortress through that hole that you still have in your walls, some of them should stay behind and eliminate the sentries at the barricade of course. Their mission would be the commanding officer in charge of the fortress. A snake with no head can't bite" as she finished her explanation she looked at Commander Jeahn who looked at her with a mixture of admiration and fear for a second before chuckling.

"Remind me never to be on your bad side Inquisitor" Evelyn smiled and winked at Iron Bull whom she knew would have done the same as her.

"This was only a virtual siege, Commander. Taking this fortress would take much more of an effort and imagination I'm sure. I wouldn't want to be in the skin of whomever had to take it I assure you" the Orlesian rose her cup and toasted in the name of alliance, quickly turning the subject into easier and less warlike matters.

The rest of the dinner was most pleasant, washed down with casket after casket of Orlesian wine as Iron Bull entertained them with his anecdotes of the Chargers.

"There were some things I wished to discuss with Commander Jeahn. Why don't you go see if the Orlesian's are as good playing Wicked Grace as they say they are?" Evelyn looked at her companions with a smile. Luckily they had such trust between each other that it was fine if she just told them that she needed to be alone. All three of them got up and thanked Commander Jehan for the dinner before leaving for the barracks.

"So Inquisitor, what was it that you wanted to discuss?" the face of the Commander changed into one much more business like and so did Evelyn's although the atmosphere was still warm.

"You have not been the only target of the Freemen lately. Apparently, they are also targeting the elves of the southern Marches and they do not have walls to protect them. My intention was to convince them into rebuilding some of the elven forts that have been abandoned for centuries. The Inquisition can't and doesn't want to do it alone. We want their cooperation and help. Many of the guards that those forts have are beyond our knowledge but the elves would be able to lift them or at least some of them" she explained and Jehan nodded, clearly agreeing with her strategy.

"That won't be an easy task. Elves are hard to convince. But I am sure you don't need me for convincing them" straight to the point then she thought as she drank a little more of the wine to wash down the feeling that bad news were coming. She didn't know why but she had had that feeling all night.

"No, that is a task reserved for myself. Look, I'll cut to the chase. We are going to be swamped with the building, we can't ensure the safety of the forts and the elves at the same time. I was hoping you could spare some men to keep the Freemen at bay while my men deal with the forts. Once they are built, everyone will be safer and I will personally owe you a favor" Commander Jehan shifted uncomfortably in her seat and sighed.

"Listen Inquisitor. If it was up to me you would have two garrisons ready before the sun was up. You are a good woman and a good leader and saved our lives and we owe you. But it isn't up to me anymore" she shook her head and looked at Evelyn apologizing "The Civil War is over you see? This land belongs now to Marquis Roland Montclaire. He is… conservative to say the least. And he doesn't trust the Inquisition… or anyone for that matter. And he is not the only one Inquisitor. Now that both the Civil War and the war against Corypheus is over there are many nobles in Orlais who do not know what to make of the Inquisition. You have an army that could threaten entire nations and the political and economical power to support it. And you also have most of the population on your side. While kings and queens were hiding in their castles, you, in person, were saving them from Red Templars and undead and rebel mages. You are an icon Inquisitor. And many nobles fear that. Sadly, the Marquis is one of them and now I answer before him, not the Empress anymore so I can't mobilize my troops without his direct and express consent. I'm terribly sorry Inquisitor"

Evelyn stood silent, processing in her mind everything Jehan had said. Of course Josie had warned her about those things even before the war against Corypheus was over but it was the first time that she met such a frontal and open opposition. After everything she had done for Orlais! She was furious and emptied her cup so as to calm herself, she didn't want to get angry at Jehan, it wasn't her fault and she had been kind and sincere to her.

"I can write to him if you'd like. I doubt he will answer quickly because he can't deny it but he can slow the process down. It's the best I can do" she offered nicely and Evelyn shook her head in denial.

"No, I will write directly to Empress Celine. Thank you anyways Commander, you have been most helpful. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm terribly tired" both women got up at the same time and Jehan offered her hand in a warm gesture that Evelyn returned.

"I whised I had been able to do more. But send me a letter whenever the Empress answers and my men and I will be ready to assist you with everything we can" Evelyn nodded, unable to muster a friendlier goodbye and left the room heading for her temporary chambers.

She was able to keep her composure until she got to the room and even managed to close the door without slamming it until it was hanging from its hinges as she wanted to do. But once she was in the privacy of the room she kicked the bedpost so hard that the whole bed shook.

"Shit" she all but barked, holding her foot in pain and removing her boots only to find her thumb swelling. She let herself fall on the bed and buried her face on the pillow to scream out all her anger, punching the mattress until the bed was entirely undone.

How could they do this to her? How did they dare? It was thanks to her that they were alive! She should take her army and conquer them all as they feared! She stopped on her own tracks after that thought, scared of herself for a second. She didn't truly believe that… did she? No, she would never use the Inquisition for that, she didn't even know where that thought had come from. Calm yourself down Ivy, it's not like it's the first time you encounter a political setback she told herself, slowing her own breathing so as to relax. Maker, she needed a hug. A big, muscly, blonde, amber-eyed hug. And a kiss. The scarred-lip type. And… she got up before her thoughts carried her away and sat in the precarious desk looking for ink and quill. She would send a letter with the night's events to Skyhold first thing in the morning, the sooner Josie started solving that issue the sooner they could move on to more important matters. She only hoped that the meeting with the elves would be more successful. Luck however, was not on her side.


They parted in the morning just as the sun was rising; getting from Citadelle du Corbeau to the Dalish camp would take them most of the day and the party didn't want to reach the elves after dusk. A small contingent of heavily armed men followed them for a few miles before going back to the safety of the fortress and the four companions rode alone the rest of the way, following the river and avoiding the many places in the Plains that would be perfect for an ambush. They stopped by midday for lunch, settling next to one of the many abandoned towns by the river to eat something and give the horses (and dracolisk) some rest.

"Too quiet. I hate it when it is too quiet, it only means that trouble is coming" Iron Bull grumbled as he ate some of the food they had been given in the Citadelle.

"Perhaps the dracolisk has scared them for real" muttered Evelyn in a halfhearted attempt at joking but the truth was that none of them seemed to be in the right humour for jokes. She turned her back to the eerie town and looked at the river as she fanned herself with the hand. If summer wasn't enough, the humidity made it all worse and she could feel her clothes sticking to her skin under the armour with the sweat. She ate her sandwich in silence under the shade of one of the huge rocks that outlined the river's coast and tried her best not to think of the heat going over what would she tell Keeper Hawen for him to agree with his initiative.

It wouldn't be an easy task, that elf was conservative to say the least but she hoped to be able to show him how their cooperation in that matter would improve their overall conditions. Perhaps they could even stop being nomadic. With the forts as a defense they could start a decent town. Although she imagined that such a ground-breaking thought would cause Hawen's eyes to pop out of their sockets in shock.

She sighed and got up from behind the rock, stretching before kicking Sera that was already snoring like they weren't in one of the most ghostly places on Thedas. The elf let out a list of curses that would make a sailor blush but the Inquisitor ignored her.

"No time for napping. C'mon let's get moving, I want to reach the elven camp as soon as possible" she whistled and Fangs made that screeching sound of his before trotting happily to where she was standing. She caressed his hard scales and waited for the others to be ready before getting on the saddle.

"What is it that we are looking for anyways?" Sera asked, clearly upset about her interrupted sleep.

"Support. From the Elven settlement in the south" Evelyn answered calmly as they resumed their way, a cloud of dust rising after them.

"Why do we need their help? Those knify-ears wouldn't be able to tell an arrow if they were sitting on it" Sera made a scornful gesture and Evelyn shook her head with a smile.

"Sera, they helped us defeat Corypheus remember?" she grunted and said something unintelligible in response "and besides we have to ask them to help us help them because this is their land. Imagine how would they feel if we simply intruded. Wouldn't it be like what the nobles do to the little people?" she looked at Sera with a smug smile and the elf just shrugged although her face changed somewhat, the analogy being accurate enough for her to stop complaining.

"It is still too quiet, I think we are being watched" said Bull that was shifting uncomfortably in his saddle looking around himself, eyeing every rock suspiciously.

"Me too. Let's hurry up" she spur on her mount and so did the others, setting a quick trotting pace south to reach the Dalish camp before pushing their luck too much.


They reached the camp right before dusk and found that the surroundings were heavily guarded by elven archers… or as heavily guarded as the Dalish could afford. There were some Inquisition's soldiers as well and they seemed as exhausted and frightened as the Dalish. They were welcomed by Keeper Hawen who was surprised (and more than a little suspicious) about their arrival but warmly offered them food and shelter for the night. Several elves asked them about Loranil and were relieved to know that he was fine and actually he had ascended in the ranks in the past months. As her companions rested and made conversation with the elves, Evelyn went for a walk with Keeper Hawen, no time for pleasure while there was business to end.

"I guess this is more than just a courtesy visit to tell us about Loranil, am I right?" Evelyn nodded as she walked, her hands on her back, actually grateful for the walk as she could stretch her legs after the whole day riding.

"It is indeed. I am here to settle the problem with the Freemen, we heard that they are getting stronger" Hawen shook his head with a worried frown.

"Stronger is not enough to describe it. In the past weeks they have killed eight of our hunters and injured another group of them. I don't dare allow them to venture beyond the settlement and I've had to settle patrols morning and night. We are also running out of supplies. The Inquisition's forces have been very helpful but not enough, many of them have fallen too" the Keeper sighed and Evelyn almost mirrored him.

"I know. We believe that there is magic involved. Well, not exactly magic, red lyrium. Someone is smuggling it and selling it" she confessed knowing that it would be easier to convince Hawen if he felt nothing was being hidden from him "have the Freemen showed any… strange symptoms? Unusual speed and strength, gaunt look perhaps?" Hawen stood silent for a second, his frown deepening as he thought and nodded slowly.

"I hadn't thought about it but now that you mention it… yes. There was something strange about them. It was as if… as if our arrows didn't do anything to them, as if they didn't feel it. Just like the undead, unless we hit something vital they keep on fighting like if nothing was happening"

"Yes. It sounds like red lyrium" she said with a resigned voice.

"You think the Freemen are smuggling the lyrium?" he asked looking directly at her.

"Honestly? We don't know. They are showing symptoms according to what you are telling us but they don't seem to be organized enough to do something like that in front of the Inquisition" she chewed on her lower lip, wanting to tell him the truth but not to show weakness. The last thing they needed was for Keeper Hawen to think them weak.

"I don't want to question your effectivity Inquisitor, but it seems to me like you and your companions alone won't be able to get rid of the threat of the Freemen all by yourselves" he remarked not without kindness.

"And you are right Keeper. We can't. I don't have enough forces to ensure the full protection of your people. That's why I am here. I have a proposal" and here we go she thought, mentally preparing herself for what was coming. He stood silent for a few seconds, eyeing her with distrust. She could practically hear his brain working like clockwork, weighing whether to trust her or not.

"I'm listening" he said calmly and Evelyn had to keep herself from saying that she had seen walls with a better disposition towards listening.

"We want to rebuild some of the old forts. With your clan. They will take some time to rebuild, with the magical wards and all but after they are built you won't need to rely on foreign forces as much. In fact with some more time and some extra fortification you might not need foreign forces at all" Hawen smiled, the kind of condescending smile you would give a child who speaks about flying like a bird.

"Inquisitor, my people are nomads. For how long would we use a fort?" he asked, his tone just as condescending as his previous smile.

"Perhaps it is about time you stopped being nomads. Perhaps a fort would be the first step towards creating a settlement. A real settlement" she sounded a little harsher than she wanted but weariness had made lose part of her tact.

"You can't be serious. The war with the mages has just ended and you intend us to start a new one?" she shook her head, his voluntary blindness getting her on her nerves.

"With Briala as Marquis there would be no war. Elves have the first chance in centuries to establish themselves as an independent people"

"Empress Celene would never allow it" he retorted and she rose an eyebrow in skepticism.

"With the support of the Inquisition?" he shook his head.

"We are not meant to settle" he said, categorically.

"The sky was not meant to shatter. Mages were meant to be locked up in a tower and an old darkspawn definitely was not meant to come back to try and conquer the world. The world has changed, everything is changing" he stood, silent, looking at her with something dangerously close to anger.

He was about to speak when a whistling sound filled the tense air. Instinctively, Evelyn dodged, the sound triggering a reflex action after the many months of hearing arrows flying around her. Despite her quick reflexes, she wasn't fast enough and the arrow didn't pierce through her arm but left a bleeding wound right above her elbow. She yelled in pain and caught her staff creating a barrier just in time to stop four more arrows that bursted in splinters as they crashed against the invisible barrier.

"We must reach the camp!" shouted Hawen as he summoned a ball of fire and sent it flying towards the rocks where the arrows came from.

"Be careful, we are probably surrounded! We need to get away from the… rocks" she made a pause as a stabbing pain went up her arm. She looked but was unable to see anything beyond the blood and turned her attention from the wound.

"Here, follow me!" he started running downhill and she followed, both their force shields being hit constantly by arrows. Their short race finished in an open meadow where they found a few elves covering behind a rock as they fired arrows on a few men that were running towards them. They looked as Freemen but there was something unnatural about them.

Evelyn didn't take the time to find out what was it that was strange about them and send a salvo of electrical bolts that hit one of them square in the chest leaving him suspended in midair, contorting unnaturally. The other bolts exploded next to the rest of the men, sending them flying in all directions. One was hit by an arrow before he could get up, the others scrambled to their feet surprisingly fast but both Hawen and Evelyn were expecting them. A stone boulder killed one of them, the other two were swallowed by a wall of fire.

As Hawen checked on the elves, Evelyn approached the bodies only to see what she already expected. The veins of the men were marked in red and one of them had a red bulge in his neck. That one had been drinking red lyrium for a long time if it was starting to grow on his skin. She clicked her tongue, worried and turned towards the elves.

"We need to get to the camp" she said chewing on her lower lip, they had no time to lose.

"It is too dangerous to go directly, we'll have to take a detour" one of the elves argued, he was pale with fear but his hands were steady on his bow. She took a second to think about it, she didn't want to risk the lives of those elves but the longer it took them, the worse. She looked at Hawen who nodded, agreeing with the younger elf.

"Fine. Let's go then!" she followed the elves that avoided the rocks, following the river towards the camps. Even before they reached it they could hear the fighting and Bull's roar before he charged.

The camp was a chaos of weapons crashing and screams of pain, elves and Inquisition's forces were fighting elbow to elbow to contain the advance of the Freemen that were attacking in a frenzy, arrows and blows only stopping them when they reached a vital organ. Evelyn casted an ice rune that froze a group of Freemen that were surrounding Bull and it was enough with one sweep of his greataxe to shatter them in pieces.

"Boss! You were missing all the fun!" he called to her, punching a rogue that tried to flank him right in the face, sending him flying a few feet.

"Bull! Close that flank, nobody enters that way!" she ordered without time to lose, pointing at the far end of the river where most of the Freemen seemed to be pouring from "Sera! Cover him!"

"Big guy? Sure! Bits up, face down, you friggin...!" Evelyn didn't hear the rest of the insult, she was looking for Cole as she casted a chain of lightning that hit one of the approaching targets before jumping on the next one, electrocuting them.

"Cole! With me, we have to take the archers down!" she couldn't see him but she knew he was there somewhere, a lethal shadow with mortal accuracy. She herself turned to the rocks and used her staff to channel as much energy as she could draw from the Fade. Her left hand started glowing as the spell charged itself with magical energy and after a few seconds she casted a rift of green magic that started pulling at nearby enemies with a an unavoidable gravitational power.

She was about to let her barrier fall to be able to cast a spell that would kill the enemies drawn by the rift when Keeper Hawen did it for her, unleashing a massive explosion that left the Freemen archers screaming in pain, the nasty smell of burning flesh quickly spreading. Ignoring the stink, the Inquisitor kept going towards the rocks, encountering a soldier that threw himself at her hoisting a mace and aiming it at her chest. She jumped backwards, forgetting the slope and tripped, falling back first to the ground and she had just enough time to rise her staff before the mace fell and met the ironbark. The Freeman was stronger and kept pushing, his face contorted in a demented grimace, bloodshot eyes looking at her green ones as she struggled to match the force of his push. Evelyn could feel sweat running down her temple but he seemed to be pushing effortlessly and she tried to think of a way out, focusing all her mana on keeping the staff steady, the spikes of the mace dangerously close to her face. She was getting ready to cast a mind blast when she saw the metallic shine of a blade and had just enough time to turn her face before blood spurted all over her, the inert body of the Freemen falling to her side.

Cole stood before her, both his blades and himself covered in blood but as calm as always as he helped her to her feet. She patted him on the arm to thank him and tried to clean some of the blood with the back of her hand without much success considering that her hands were also soaked.

"Ivy, they are all red inside" he said, worry clear on his voice and she nodded mirroring his concern. "They are shouting, they are caged, red, red all over, everything is red. Your arm is red also" anguish was almost palpable on him and she looked at the open wound, feeling the throbbing pain that was starting to spread. She tore at the broken shirt and found that Cole was right, the wound had a furious red color that wasn't caused by the swelling flesh nor the blood.

"The arrow must have been imbued with red lyrium. Shit" she had seen those wounds before and she knew that she couldn't heal them with magic, the red lyrium would simply swallow the magic and would keep on expanding. So she focused her magic on keeping the red lyrium at bay, disabling it from spreading through the rest of her arm. The infection wouldn't stop until all the tiny fragments of red lyrium were removed from her skin.

"Cole, check those rocks over there, make sure that those were the last of..." she didn't finish her sentence as she saw through the corner of her eye a familiar shape running towards her. A red lyrium shadow. She casted a barrier to protect Cole and herself but the shadow reached them before she could finish it and one of the red blades that were now its arms hit her in the chest and sent her flying. She hit her back hard against a rock and took a few seconds to regain her breath before she could move. The creature was on her by then and she rolled to avoid its spiky arm, feeling a sharp pain going up her side. Evelyn recognized the pain, she had a broken rib, perhaps two. She quickly got to her feet and created a veilstrike that hit the shadow once and again like a hammer, each blow more powerful than the one before.

It wasn't long before the creature was down and she run towards the place where he had last seen Cole finding the half-spirit perched on the back of another shadow, his blades deep between the shoulders of the creature that cried in pain before falling to the ground. He jumped off the shadow and started running towards the camp following an order that she hadn't given but was about to. There were more shadows there, one already on the ground, two surrounding Bull and a third one under a shower of elven arrows, fighting the few Inquisition soldiers that were still standing.

"Cole, stop the wandering one!" she shouted the order and with her remaining mana caged the two remaining ones inside an electrical field, the lightning bolts hitting the shadows and paralyzing them as they avoided Bull that took advantage of the situation and slew the creatures before they could move again.

They stood in tension for a few more minutes, adrenaline running through their veins as they listened, alert but no further enemies came. The attack seemed to be over. With the immediate danger passed, Evelyn looked around herself. There were bodies all over the camp, elves, Inquisition's soldiers and Freemen in different states of red lyrium contamination. Limping and holding her side, she approached some of the injured and started healing them with whatever magic she still had on her, trying hard not to think about her broken ribs that could wait.

It wasn't until a while later that she saw Keeper Hawen again. Cole was tending to her wounds, bandaging her torso to protect her (three) broken ribs until she had enough energy to put them back in place with magic.

"Inquisitor" she turned with an exhausted look and saw the elf, his face contorted in horror and pain. She recognized that look, it was the look of despair "I reconsidered my position and we will help your men rebuild those forts" she simply nodded slowly and watched as the Keeper went back to organizing the fate of the corpses. There would be no dreams that night in the Dalish camp, only nightmares.


In the end they stayed a few more days than expected, protecting the elves until reinforcements reached the Exalted Plains. They weren't attacked again but they were in a constant state of alert. Evelyn and her companions hunted some of the Freemen, finding a few settlements but not the main one. They encountered some more shadows and several Freemen in an advanced state of corruption but no behemont and no horror. By the time they left, Hawen had already sent some elves to nearby ruins to check which one would be easier to rebuild, which magical barriers had been more weakened with the centuries. She was inclined to leave Bull with the elves but in the end decided against it, he would have obeyed but it wouldn't have been willingly.

This time they didn't encounter any bandits on their way back that was peaceful, hot and boring. The Inquisitor was silent most of the time, deep in thought so as to what to do next, wondering how was she going to deal with Orlais if the elves truly wanted to be independent. It was true enough that nobody really wanted the south of the Plains but she doubted that the nobles were going to let go of it easily. Also, she hadn't forgotten about Garret and the whole marriage business, she was hoping that in her absence Josie or any of the others had found something that could make her bypass the contract. She was so sullen in fact that she openly ignored the banter of her companions and would only answer whenever they talked to her directly.

They arrived to Skyhold in the afternoon, the sun starting its lazy descent between the mountain peaks. Some scouts had probably seen them approaching as when they arrived Leliana and Josephine were waiting for them. The Inquisitor waved her hand at them and left Fangs with Dennet before approaching them. Both of them concerned themselves immediately for her appearance but she dismissed that line of conversation assuring them that she was alright and needed only a bath and a good night's sleep in her bed which wasn't completely a lie. As they walked towards her chambers she informed them of everything that had happened in the Exalted Plains, from the impossibility of assistance of Commander Jehan to the confirmation that there was red lyrium involved in the attacks of the Freemen.

"Did you find any evidence that they were extracting it?" Leliana asked, cutting to the chase as usual.

"No. But I don't think it is them. They are buying it I am sure and they have been buying it for a long time now. They must have a stable supplier. I didn't find any shipping records though and nobody has seen caravans passing that way in months besides the occasional merchant" both the Spymaster and the Ambassador nodded, Josephine quickly scribbling all the new information "I didn't find their headquarters either. They attack with such fierceness that we couldn't take any prisoners and those we catch alive died of the wounds or the lack of lyrium".

"The lack of lyrium? So soon? But Cullen managed without taking it for days" Evelyn shook her head and went into her bedchamber, unclasping her breastplate as she climbed the stairs.

"Cullen wasn't taking the red stuff. It is still too soon though, we have to ask him about it… by the way where is him?".

"Some of the merchants and refugees have been harassed lately by more of those bandits that assaulted you after you came from Starkhaven, he has left with a small garrison to see if he can hunt them down" Leliana informed her with a tone that showed that she disagreed with his decision.

"Cullen? Why? Don't we have enough soldiers for that?" she knew that it was absurd to be worried about him. He was a seasoned warrior that could fend for himself perfectly well on his own but she couldn't help an uneasy feeling at the bottom of her stomach.

"He has been… frustrated of lately. He needed to relieve some tension I believe were his exact words" Evelyn arched her eyebrows, it was understandable but he hadn't done that during the war against Corypheus so why now?

"Frustrated about anything in particular or just suffering from office claustrophobia?" she was about to sit on her bed but decided against it after thinking how dusty her clothes ought to be and bended instead to unlace her boots. The advisors exchanged a look that she missed and Leliana sighed and nodded as Josephine looked at her.

"The marriage contract. We haven't been able to find a solution yet and he is…" Josephine paused for an instant trying to find the right word but Leliana was faster.

"He is pulling his hair out" she said bluntly "Cassandra went with him though if it is his safety you're worried about" Evelyn sighed, completely understanding Cullen's motives.

"The world keeps falling apart and I have to deal with this" she rolled her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose in irritation.

"I am sorry Ivy" apologized Josephine, putting her hand in the Inquisitor's shoulder in sympathy. Evelyn softened her expression and squeezed her hand with a ghost of a smile.

"Don't mind me Josie, I'm just tired and in a bad mood. I will be much more diplomatic once I take the layer of dust and sweat that I'm carrying off me" Josephine moved her hand away from her quickly in an exaggerated gesture in purpose and the three of them chuckled.

"We'll leave you to your bath then" Leliana said with a smile, stepping towards the door to look for a servant to take the water to the Inquisitor.

"I'll see you at dinner" Josephine nodded and hesitated for a second before giving her a quick and unexpected hug.

"I will find a solution to this. I promise. And after that I will propose to you if the Commander doesn't" Evelyn laughed and hugged her back, forgetting the dirty clothes for a second before releasing her.

"You just want him to propose to organize a wedding Josie, admit it" she chuckled and shrugged.

"Perhaps… but I would make it the best wedding in Thedas since the Hero of Ferelden and Alistair Theirin married" she promised with a confident wink and left the room, closing the door behind her.

Evelyn waited for the water and when it came she undressed so the servants could take the clothes and got herself into the bathtub, enjoying the feeling of the hot water slightly burning her skin. She scrubbed her skin for what felt like hours until the water turned a brownish color. She even forgot about the wound on her arm and opened it, blood quickly running down her elbow into the dirty water. She pressed the wound until it stopped bleeding and then got up, pouring some clean water over her head before getting out of the tub. She wrapped herself in a towel and sat on the bed, pressing a cloth to the injury that was still bleeding slightly. She heard the door of her chambers opening and turned her face to see Cullen climbing up the stairs. She smiled tiredly at him and he approached her with a frown, his eyes on her bleeding injury.

"Are you okay?" he asked, moving her hand away gently to see the wound. His frown deepened when he saw the many bruises that peppered her white skin, some already fading and others still in dark shade of purple.

"No. I mean the wound is okay. But I need a hug. And a kiss" she answered and although she was trying to sound funny she just sounded drained. Cullen chuckled and sat next to her in the bed, wrapping her in his arms and kissing her temple lovingly.

"Bad news?" she shrugged and buried her face on his chest as she felt his fingers caressing her long hair.

"The usual. Everything falls apart and instead of cooperating, people keep trying to kill each other. You know the drill" her voice was muffled but he still understood her words and smiled ironically, releasing her to go get a box that she kept under her desk with some bandages and medical ointments.

"I heard about the Orlesians. Did you get any luckier with the elves?" he rotated her arm until it was in the appropriate position and poured some of one of the ointments in a cloth, ,pressing it kindly against the wound. Despite his gentleness, she hissed through gritted teeth in pain.

"Yes but only after we got attacked and half the elves were slaughtered. Why does people never listen to me until something awful happens? I saved the world from Corypheus and they still distrust me! Sometimes I swear I feel like rallying the army against them to give them the monster they want!" he dressed her wound in silence until he listened to that last part that he arched an eyebrow and looked at her disapprovingly.

"Eve, if you did that you would only be proving them right. Besides, the reason why you got to Inquisitor was because you are not the kind of person that would do that" he tied the two sides of the bandage together with a quick pull, his voice calm.

"Is that a threat, Commander?" she asked with a teasing smile, regretting her previous words.

"It is a fact, Inquisitor" he replied, rising one hand to caress her cheek, feeling her leaning into his touch and closing the distance between them to kiss her softly on the lips. A warm kiss that tasted like home. Evelyn clung to him, allowing him to enclose her smaller frame into his bigger one, resting her forehead on his when they broke the kiss.

"Safe and solid, protecting and proud" she whispered and he stared at her quizzically.

"You have to stop taking Cole with you, it's starting to rub off" she chuckled and rested her cheek on his powerful chest, her hands circling his waist.

"That's what he said about you, you know? When we started… well, when "we" started to be a thing. He said safe and solid, protecting and proud and he was right. That's how you feel to me. You're the only thing that makes sense in this stupid, upside down world Cullen. You are the only safe rock in the raging ocean that is my life" immediately after saying those words she groaned "I swear that didn't sound as cheesy in my head" he laughed and closed his arms tighter around her kissing her hair.

"I won't tell anybody, don't worry".

"Good, I have a reputation to uphold" she felt better, so much better. Evelyn rose her face and smiled at him, a clean, honest smile this time and draw the scar on his lip with her thumb. He kissed her fingertip, enjoying the simplicity of those moments that were just theirs.

"I wonder what he would tell me about you" his fingers started drawing blind circles in the naked skin of her back and she purred like a cat, making him smile.

"He said that I was shiny. Similar to the rift actually but clearer… or something like that. To be honest, I don't always remember what he says. Sometimes it is too confusing" she closed her eyes, focusing on the movement of his fingertips, feeling her whole body relaxing to his touch.

"I like him. He is a bit strange sometimes but he is a good lad" he smiled to himself with the irony. Years ago he would have been horrified with the idea of meeting a spirit, now he could consider one something similar to a friend. She nodded in agreement and all of a sudden remembered something and looked at his amber eyes.

"Josie and Leliana told me you were… hunting with Cassandra, did you find anything? he nodded and his face darkened somewhat.

"We found a few of those bandits. They were so maddened with the withdrawal that we were only capable of getting one alive. He is in the dungeons now, I ordered the healers to examine him and give him some lyrium. Otherwise he will die from the withdrawal" she frowned, thinking of the Freemen and told him the whole story, perhaps it was the withdrawal that made them so fragile? He was surprised too though.

"The withdrawal is… very violent with normal lyrium. Even more with red lyrium I guess but it shouldn't be that strong anyways. I think that whoever is distributing it, is giving them pure lyrium. You see, Samson knew what he was doing when he gave lyrium to the Templars. If you give a normal person unadulterated lyrium from the very beginning and you don't control the doses very carefully it… it is like poison. It would explain that they died so quickly but it wouldn't explain the shadows" she sighed and rubbed her eyes, letting herself fall on the bed.

"Can someone please just stop the world? Just for a week, I'm not asking for more. A week for you and I to get lost somewhere where nobody can find us and where we don't have to worry about some zealots drinking red poison that turns them into demonic creatures" she groaned and let herself fall on the bed still covering her face with her hands.

"I wouldn't complain if someone did" he agreed, laying down next to her and propping himself on an elbow to look at her, watching the outline of her body marked by the wet towel that had slide a little down her body to show the beginning of her breasts "unfortunately we can't do that but we can still steal some time" he said roguishly, covering her body with his and starting to kiss his way down her neck.

She giggled, his stubble tickling her and took her hands off her face to bury her fingers between his golden curls, encouraging him to keep going with a sharp moan. Suddenly there was a brusque knock on the door that turned both their attentions from what they were doing.

"Ivy?" it was Josephine and Evelyn had to keep herself from telling her that she wasn't feeling alright and she wanted to be left alone.

"Yes?" she answered, annoyance clear in her voice as she did so, looking at Cullen that hadn't stopped and was kissing her breasts now. She chewed on her lower lip to stop herself from moaning aloud when his lips closed around her pert nipple but what Josephine answered was enough to paralyzed them both.

"Ivy is Garret Mendris, he is here".


As always thank you for reading and supporting my job ^^. Any comments, reviews, suggestions etc are welcomed and encouraged!