"Even though we have ended the fighting, they are still barring our entrance to Redcliffe Village, so that option is out." Renna said, frustrated. She felt so...impotent. Things kept getting in the way of her goals, and she felt as though the people might be losing faith in her. Renna decided not to stand around doing nothing. She began heading to where her companions were located.

"Don't dally, Renna. There is always something to be done, and not enough people doing it." her mother's voice said in her mind. She smiled softly. She had not heard from her parents since the explosion at the Conclave, but she was certain she would get news eventually. Mother wasn't one to wait for very long. She grabbed at opportunities as they appeared, and Renna was certain that she would see her daughter being a figurehead for the Inquisition as a major opportunity. Varric looked up as she approached.

"We're going to see Master Dennet. I trust this will be the last time." she said before striding away, expecting her three friends to follow. They did, without hesitation. They mounted the horses that Master Dennet had given them, and began to head out to his farm.

"I do not see the point of looking for this...horse-master." Solas voiced, once again. Renna rolled her eyes.

"I have told you before, the Inquisition, if it is to become a proper, respectable army, needs horses. We need the best to become the best, and Master Dennet is the best." she reminded him. He was the best. Renna had heard stories of the horse-master growing up in Ostwick. Grandfather had promised that one day he would get her a horse from Master Dennet. He died before he could fulfill that promise, but here she was, riding one of the great, gentle creatures. It seemed he had kept his promise after all. It did not take long to reach the farm, and Renna carefully dismounted and wandered up to the cabin.

"Well, it seems you have returned." Master Dennet said from his chair. Renna raised an eyebrow at him.

"I will play no more games, ser. We have taken care of your wolf infestation, we closed the rift on your farm, we built the watchtowers that your hand requested, and now, we have eliminated both the mage and Templar camps that have been plaguing the Hinterlands. I will ask you one last time: Will you help the Inquisition as we have aided you?" she finished. The older horse-master watched her for a long time with a blank expression on his face. Finally a wide smile split his features.

"It seems you've finally grown a backbone, Lady Herald. I will take all of my finest horses straight-away. You have yourself a horse-master." he agreed cheerfully. Renna smiled back and shook his hand.

"Pleasure doing business with you, Master Dennet." she replied before turning and leaving the house. Her companions hadn't even finished dismounting by the time she returned to them. Cassandra looked bewildered.

"How did it go?" she asked anxiously.

"We have ourselves a horse-master." Renna replied, easily remounting her horse. Varric groaned.

"I just got off the damn thing!" he moaned. Renna giggled. Varric was riding a pony, but even it seemed to be too large for him.

"What are we to do now, Herald?" Cassandra asked. Renna thought it was strange that, though Cassandra was technically in charge, she nearly always deferred to her judgment.

"We return to Haven. Our time here is done, for now." she decided. It almost felt like she was returning home.


Haven seemed much fuller than she remembered. People were everywhere. Soldiers, mages, Templars, men, women, children, everyone bustled about the small village. Renna felt like she had to shove her way through the throng of people. She saw one woman anxiously looking at her group, and she wondered if it was the wife of the soldier that had died. She approached her nervously.

"Herald, my husband...is he?" the woman asked, brushing a lock of dark brown hair out of her eyes. Renna bit the inside of her cheek.

"What is your name?" she asked.

"I am Lara." the woman said. Renna sighed and reached into her pocket, pulling out the dead man's wedding ring.

"I am sorry, Lara. Your husband was lost in the fighting. He asked me to return this to you." she said sadly. Lara took the ring with trembling hands, but she was not crying. Her eyes were pained, but she held her composure.

"Thank you, Herald. I suppose he died the way he wanted to, not that that really helps me very much. He left me with a child on the way, though he doesn't know it." she admitted. Renna's face fell.

"What will you do, Lara?" she asked. The young woman smiled sadly.

"I will continue to serve the Inquisition, my lady. It is what we came here to do." she said before turning and leaving Renna behind. She had never seen such a strong person in her life. She shook her head before making her way to the chantry. Renna heard raised voices coming from the "War Room" as Varric called it, and she felt like she had never left. She opened the door to see Leliana, Cullen, and Josephine, arguing as though she had not been gone nearly two months. At least this time it was a different argument.

"Having the Herald address the clerics is not a terrible idea." Josephine said, seeming to agree with something previously stated. Cullen gaped at her.

"You can't be serious!" he replied. Josephine shook her head, one of her dark curls falling into her face.

"Mother Giselle isn't wrong: At the moment, the Chantry's only strength is that they are united in opinion." she explained. Leliana stared at her from across the table.

"And we should ignore the danger to the Herald?" she asked. Renna could see that she didn't disagree with the idea, she was just testing Josephine to make sure she was suggesting it for the right reasons. Renna would have to keep an eye on Leliana. She knew more than she let anyone see.

"Let's ask her." Josephine decided, being the first to notice Renna's entrance. Renna stared them all in the eyes, rather than looking at the floor as she would have once done.

"Can they do anything? I mean, it is just a talk, after all." she asked. Leliana's lip quirked slightly.

"Don't underestimate the power of their words. An angry mob will do you in just as quickly as a blade." she reminded her. Renna returned the slight smile. Leliana realized that she had figured out her game.

"I will go with her." Cassandra said, seeming to miss the politics beneath it all. "Mother Giselle said she could provide names? Use them." she stated. Leliana arched an eyebrow.

"But why? This is nothing but a-" she began.

"What choice do we have, Leliana? Right now, we can't approach anyone for help with the Breach. Use what influence we have to call the clerics together. Once they are ready, we will see this through." she said passionately. Renna fought the urge to giggle. Leliana grinned at her, seemingly happy that she, at least, understood what the spymaster was trying to do.

"I suppose we're going to Val Royeaux, then. I'm going to need a change of clothes." she quipped. Josephine nodded.

"You will, I am sure, be able to stay in your own estate when you arrive, yes? I know that you have all kinds of clothes there." she said wryly. Renna's smile faltered. Everything in that estate was picked out by her mother. The trip to Orlais suddenly sounded less fun than it had before.