Sure enough, Elanna stayed in bed well past noon the next day. She rolled over and dozed off again several times after drinking down a glass of water to fight off her headache. Even as she lay, aching in her sheets, she was grateful for Cullen, Varric, Cole, and all of her friends that continually tried to cheer her up. Her heart hurt still, and certainly would for a long while, but she no longer felt so alone in it.

She rose, washed, and took a late lunch in her quarters before taking a solitary stroll around Skyhold. Mother Giselle found her as she wandered the battlements above the garden.

"Good afternoon, Your Worship," she greeted Elanna as she approached.

"Good afternoon, Mother Giselle," Elanna replied, turning to meet her.

The older woman drew up to the battlements to join Elanna. "I wanted to tell you that I am sorry, from the bottom of my heart, for your clan, Inquisitor Lavellan," Mother Giselle began gently. "May the Maker guide them to His side."

"Thank you," Elanna replied numbly.

"Sister Leliana told me," Giselle added quickly, "The fate of your clan is not widely known at Skyhold."

"Not yet anyway," Elanna sighed. "There is no reason for the rest of the Inquisition not to know."

"I was wondering, may I hold a memorial service for them?" the aging priestess asked, hurriedly adding, "I know you are Dalish and do not believe in the Maker, but if it can help—"

"Thank you," Elanna nodded, "It can't hurt. Honestly, I don't know what to believe any more. But, if we do make it publicly known that my clan is dead, the followers of the Inquisition will want to do something about it."

"That is my thinking," Mother Giselle agreed, "And perhaps it will help you mourn as well."

Elanna looked down over the garden. Red and white-robed servants of the Chantry roamed all over, between the flowers. She still could not give a good reason for why she decided to establish a Chantry in Skyhold, other than that it seemed like something her people needed. Perhaps it had been the influence of Mother Giselle as well. She had done so much for the Inquisition and for Thedas as a whole. Perhaps Elanna had been hoping to gather more like her to the Inquisition.

She looked back to Mother Giselle's patient, kind face and asked, "There has to be a god or gods out there somewhere, right? That is what gives this life meaning, after all."

Mother Giselle bowed her head and replied, "That is what I believe, but I am sure you know that."

"I used to believe in the elven gods with all of my heart, locked away by Fen'Harel, forever cursing our people to servitude," Elanna admitted, looking away again. "That belief tied me to the rich, lost history of my people. It made us something worth taking pride in, not just romantic vagabonds. But all this," she gestured broadly around her to Skyhold and her gaze came to fall on her left hand, "I don't know any more."

Mother Giselle nodded, listening intently.

"Maybe everyone saying that I was the Herald of Andraste got to my head, but I still wonder if your Maker had some part in my getting through all of this alive. And then meeting Divine Justinia in the Fade. I can't explain it," she struggled to find the words, "Maybe it was her spirit, waiting to help us as she had helped me before. Maybe it was a spirit that identified as her. Maybe it was something else divine? But Corypheus claims that the Golden City was empty, not that I want to trust anything he said."

"And all the things Solas said about his journeys in the Fade," Elanna continued, "Then the ancients at the Temple of Mythal—my people have been mistaken for centuries. The elven gods were real, I spoke to Mythal herself in the Fade, but they're not what I expected. I can't reconcile it all in my head. I want to believe some of it, but I don't know which parts any more. And here in the Inquisition, this is the world of the Chantry and of humans. I feel lost in it all."

"Faith is believing it something even when you are unsure and do not have all of the answers," Mother Giselle replied, "And these days are trying to the faith of the best of us. Not all of us can have the unshakable wills of Seeker Pentaghast."

"And even she doubted at times," Elanna recalled.

"If you seek them, you will find answers you can believe in," Giselle reassured her.

Elanna let out a short laugh despite herself. "Here I thought you Chantry folk were supposed to work to convert people like me to your faith," Elanna chuckled, "Especially one who is supposed to be your Herald."

"No one can force anyone to believe anything, Inquisitor," Mother Giselle replied sternly, "I would not disrespect your heritage, though I do pray to the Maker for your salvation."

"If I have learned anything since leaving my clan, it is that you shemlin aren't so bad," Elanna replied warmly. "That was Keeper Deshanna's belief as well. That is why she sent me to spy on the conclave."

"Then we owe her a debt of gratitude for her wisdom," Giselle observed solemnly, "For sending us our savior in these dark times. Perhaps it is the Maker's will to work through the Dalish, to save us all."

"Maybe your Maker is real." It was at moments like these Elanna most wanted to agree, to believe that there was a reason and purpose for everything. "Or maybe the Dread Wolf is laughing at us again."

"Perhaps," Mother Giselle nodded. Both women were at a loss for more words. Finally the cleric cleared her throat and asked, "If it is not too much trouble, could you provide me with a list of all of the elves of your clan, so that we can honor them all by name?"

"Of course," Elanna agreed, "I will write something up for you this afternoon, if my advisors give me the time to myself."

"Thank you," Giselle replied, "And again, I am very sorry for your loss. May the Maker comfort your days and nights."