Alex immediately recognized the moustached man and the red headed man behind him from meters away, and even Alona did too, becoming antsy at her grip. But she held her daughter close to her side, as a man in armor and a mask spoke to them.

"Orlais is on your side, Lord Pavus." The man in armor said, and Alex surmised that it was the Orlesian Ambassador, from the man's accent. "The Inquisition's support is not a thing to lose lightly."

The moustached man, and Alex's closest friend during his time in Inquisition, Dorian Pavus, crossed his arms and scoffed, "Which is why the Orlesian court is circling it with a net and collar?"

The red-headed man behind him, her brother and Daylen's twin, Maxwell Trevelyan, saw them approach, his olive eyes smiling in joy. He nudged Dorian from behind, making the man look at him, and he nodded at their direction. Dorian followed his gaze, and his white teeth flashed in a smile as he waved his hand in dismissal to the Orlesian, "But you'll have to excuse me! I see an old friend I must greet."

Dorian and Maxwell turned away from the man, half-jogging towards them, just as Alona broke into a run. "Uncle Dowian! Uncle Max!"

"Alona! Dearest! Look at you!" Maxwell said, catching the little girl and twirling her around, making Alex grin, "Maker's breath! You've grown so much! You look like your mother! Did you miss us, dearest?"

"YES!" Alona said as Maxwell lowered her so that she sat on his arm, and Dorian gave the little girl a peck on the cheek, before taking a piece of candy from his pocket and giving it to her, "Here you are, dearest. I saved this for you. Tevinter chocolate, your favorite."

"YAY!" The little girl said again, hugging Dorian in her arms even as Maxwell held her, "I missed you, Uncle Dowian!"

"Is it me you miss, or the chocolate I bring you?" Dorian asked her, making her giggle, "I miss YOU, Uncle Dowian! Not the chocolate!"

Dorian let out a rich laugh before kissing the little girl, "And I missed you, dearest one. Tevinter is positively dreadful without you." He grinned at Alex as she approached, and he opened his arms. She grinned as she came into his embrace and he hugged her tightly, "Inquisitor! How long has it been? Don't actually tell me. I despise feeling old." They laughed as he stood beside Maxwell again, with her brother now approaching her and giving her a hug as well, "It's good to see you, my friend."

"You both arrived ahead of me. I hope all's well." Alex said as she stepped back.

Maxwell scoffed and rolled his eyes, "That's putting it lightly, sister."

Dorian chuckled again, before putting a hand on Maxwell's shoulders. The man and her brother had grown close during their time in Skyhold, and eventually fell in love, to the point that her brother had left her to follow Dorian as he headed back to his homeland, Tevinter. They wrote often, but Alex missed them both deeply. "It's everything I expected." Dorian told her, waving a hand at the pomp and ceremony around them, "We've been spared the burden of surprise. Orlais wants the Inquisition tamed, Ferelden wants it gone, the Chantry meddles, and Tevinter sends but one ambassador."

"That's him, by the way." Maxwell told her, smiling as he pointed at Dorian, looking proudly at his paramour, "A 'reward for his interest in the South'. I'm just here to look intimidating-ly sexy and carry his bags." He laughed out loudly as he kissed Alona on the forehead.

Dorian looked over at Maxwell and winked, "The 'intimidating-ly sexy' part is true, but as for the bags, I believe your bags are heavier, amatus." He said, making Maxwell laugh out richly as Dorian turned to Alex again, "Thankfully, 'Ambassador Pavus' is a token appointment. Call on me as you like."

Maxwell looked over to see the Orlesian Ambassador approach, and he pointed at the man with a nod, "Sister, looks like he wants to speak to you. Do you mind if we take Alona while you speak to him? We missed her so. You don't mind, do you, dearest?"

Alona shook her head, and Alex smiled as they waved them off, "Alright. Take care of her for me while I speak with the Ambassador."

Maxwell and Dorian's faces split into a grin, and they went off, with Maxwell jogging playfully so that Alona giggled and laughed, and Alex brought her attention to the man who approached.

"Inquisitor." The man said, bowing regally at her, "Duke Cyril Montfort, member of the Council of Heralds and lord of Chateau Haine. I have long followed your work. It is extraordinary."

Alex stifled a giggle when the man mentioned the place, as she remembered the ridiculous tales of her cousin, Marianna Hawke, concerning the previous lord of the area. She bowed a little at the man, "Is that sentiment shared by the rest of the court?"

Duke Cyril let out a small… but rather fake… laugh, "Of course! Orlais wishes only to offer respectful guidance to the Inquisition."

"Does Your Grace feel the Inquisition should continue to rule itself?" Alex asked him, and he waved his hand.

"I would rather see the Inquisition join us freely than be carved into pieces for the chessboard." He told her, making her scowl a bit, "I have not forgotten Justinia's death. I had friends who perished at the Temple of Sacred Ashes. More than the good you have done, it is the good we may do together I don't wish to lose. Whatever happens, Inquisitor. I wish you well."

Duke Cyril bowed at her, and she returned it cordially, but when the man walked away, she couldn't help but mutter out, "More like the good we'll do for your damned army. Fucking Orlesians."

She headed around again, spotting Dorian and Maxwell with her daughter, although they were now joined by Varric, Sera, Cole… and Bull, who was snoring away on the floor after drinking so much in the tavern a few moments ago for his birthday. Cole had Alona, cradling her in his arm as the others had glasses in their hands full of wine.

"As the most eloquent dwarf you know, Sparkles… Number 1…" Varric started, raising his glass.

"Speech! Speech!" Sera egged him on, raising her glass before scowling, "Waaayy too much speech!"

Dorian waved his hands, "Varric, there's really no need…"

"What's going on?" Alex asked as she approached, seeing the shock in both Maxwell and Dorian's faces, just as Varric grinned at her.

"Inquisitor!" Varric said, raising his arms, looking a bit tipsy, "You're just in time! Sparkles, the Imperium doesn't deserve you. Or want you. It may even kill you. But we'll miss you, if it counts."

Alex blinked in surprise, looking at Maxwell and Dorian in shock. Even Alona looked confused in Cole's arms. Maxwell sighed in exasperation as he ran a hand on his forehead, and Dorian looked at her sadly, before looking at Varric and scowling angrily. Varric seemed to have understood, and he grinned uneasily, "Aaannndd you didn't know."

He coughed as he waved a hands on their other companions, "Okay, folks! Time to take the party elsewhere." He looked down at Iron Bull, who was still snoring, talking in his sleep as Cole gave Alona back to Alex to hold, "Ehhh… leave him."

Alex cradled Alona in her arm again, her daughter looking up at her in confusion, as Cole, Sera and Varric walked away. Dorian walked away for a bit, looking slightly forlorn, and Maxwell held his hand in comfort. They turned to her as she approached.

"It's… true." Dorian told her as he faced her, "When the Exalted Council has ended, we're going back to Tevinter… for good, this time."

Alex looked up at Maxwell, who nodded solemnly at her, telling her with his eyes that he would be doing the same. Her throat tightened in sadness, and she swallowed, "You know I'll miss you."

Dorian gave her a sad smile, "Naturally." He answered, before looking up at Maxwell, as if he was telling him to tell her something.

Maxwell sighed as he looped an arm around Dorian's waist, as if he was comforting him, "Dorian's father is dead… assassinated, we believe."

Alex looked at Dorian in shock as he shrugged, "I received notice this morning: a perversely cheerful letter congratulating me on assuming his seat in the Magisterium. We only met a few times while I was home. He didn't say anything about keeping me as his heir." Maxwell tightened his arm around him as he sighed, "This 'ambassadorship'… his doing, I'm told. He must have wanted me away when the trouble began. I have to go back."

She bit her lip a bit before saying, "You'll need help. I could go with you."

Maxwell shook his head, "And leave your husband and your daughter in Ferelden? Not this time, sister. We're sorry."

"I won't be entirely without support." Dorian told her, and he pointed at Maxwell, "I have my amatus with me. Also, Maevaris has gathered other magisters who feel as we do. We'll be an actual faction in the Magisterium. I'll teach them manners. Take them shopping. It'll be fun."

Alex blinked, but she laughed a little before looking at Dorian again, "So you'll truly be a magister, then?"

"Oh yes." Dorian told her, a mischievous smile on his face, "I can't wait to degrade the Magisterium with my presence! A new outfit is required."

"And then what?" Alex asked him again.

"We find his father's killer and kill them back." Maxwell answered for him, looking determined, "Then we find those giving Tevinter a bad name and kill them."

Dorian shrugged, "They're most likely the same people, so that should make the job easier."

Alex looked at him, before she mentioned to Maxwell, giving Alona over to him. Her brother looked confused at her as he held her niece, watching Alex stepped closer to Dorian. He watched as Alex wrapped her arms around his paramour's waist, making Dorian blink, but soon he embraced her back, his arms around her shoulders, his forehead nestled on her hair. "I know it was complicated… but… I'm sorry about your father."

Dorian's eyes watered, and his embrace around her tightened for a bit, before he let her go to look at her, "Thank you. It still doesn't feel real."

Alex raised her hand and touched Dorian's face, "You don't have to go back, Dorian. You put it behind you. You still could. You know Skyhold is still open for you."

Dorian swiped a finger under his eyes, presumably to wipe a tear away, before grinning at her, "Give up the golden opportunity for martyrdom? Perish the thought!" He took something from his pocket and put it in her hand, and Alex saw an ornate pendant, the azure gem radiating a bright light, entwined in a golden holder and attached to a gold chain. The slight warmth of the gem told her that it was magical, as it was like the pull of raw lyrium.

"It's a present… a going away present." Dorian told her, "It's a sending crystal. Amazing what friendship with the Inquisition gives you access to. If I get in over my head, or you're overwhelmed with sorrow for lack of my velvety voice- magic!"

Beside him, Maxwell put a similar necklace, only smaller in size, to Alona, putting it over her head, "I have one, too. So if you ever need us, you can reach us instantly without having to go through ravens."

Alex's eyes watered as she looked down at the pendant, and she looked up at Dorian sadly. He smiled at her gently as he took her face in his hands, "What? You didn't think we would just leave and you'd never hear from us again, did you?" Dorian bent over and kissed her forehead as he hugged her, "You are my dearest friend, perhaps my only friend… as Maxwell is something more. That will never change, no matter where we are." He laughed as he separated from her, "Now let's finish the good wine before the others get back."

Alex nodded, but as Alona looked at her, she became saddened, "What's wrong, Mommy? Why are you crying?"

Maxwell sighed sadly as he ran a hand through his niece's curls, "Alona… we… you're Uncle Dorian and I… we'll be leaving after we're done here. We're going back to Tevinter, and… we don't know if we'll be able to visit you again."

The little girl's eyes widened, realizing that her uncle had just said, and tears fell from her eyes as she let out a bit of a small wail of sorrow, making Maxwell tighten his hold on her a bit as Dorian ran a hand on her back, "Shhh, darling… it'll be alright." Max told his niece, but Alex could see that both men found it hard to leave the little girl, as they were both enamored with her. "You can still talk to us, you know? See this crystal? It's magic! We can speak to us through this. Would you like to try it out?"

Alona was still sobbing, her green eyes red with tears, and Maxwell looked at Alex helplessly. She could see that the man wanted to spend as much time with her as possible, and she nodded, "It's alright. You can take her for a while. I need to speak with Josephine for a moment."

Dorian blinked and he looked at Maxwell as the two of them shared a look, before he turned to her again, "Well… then perhaps it is better that we take her for the moment. Josephine had plans for you. We tried it, at her suggestion… and… well… perhaps it is better that we take your daughter away for a bit." Alex's eyebrow rose, and Maxwell ran a hand down Alona's back in comfort, as the little girl was still crying.

"We'll give her back to Cullen after you and Josephine are done." Maxwell told her, and for the moment, the man looked positively mischievous, "I desperately hope you have fun, sister."

Alex looked in confusion at the pair as they took off, talking about the crystal to Alona and how she could make it work, and she sighed as she turned around, heading towards the direction of Josephine.