Notes:
Shorter chapter this time, but a few important revelations…or maybe not, lol.

I want to thank my darling beta, Lady Darksbane, for her constant help and support. Please check out her fics, they are truly wonderful. Also many thanks to all of you who are following this crazy fic.

Next chapter: The Sore Loser aka The Day Corypheus Lost His Ball…ahem.

Please feel free to comment, I love reading what you think!

…

Beatrix never saw the healer. She begged Cullen to just let her go to her quarters. As Cullen lay her on her bed after helping her bathe and wash her hair, he told her he would send missives to Josephine and Leliana, who were still in the Arbor Wilds.

"I'll be back before you know it, love," he murmured, smoothing the hair from her face as she looked up at him lovingly. "You should rest."

"I will," Beatrix replied in a low voice. "Just hurry back."

Cullen gave her a lopsided smirk and nodded, straightening up only after kissing the crown of her head. He turned and walked off to the stairs, then went down, closing the door quietly behind him.

Beatrix sighed as she settled on the pillows and blankets. No sooner had she closed her eyes, than the voices came to life. They were telling her things she didn't understand at all, and growing louder. With a grimace she sat up in bed and massaged her temples. It would have been better for Morrigan to take a sip of the Well's water. At least the witch knew Elvish.

There was a knock on the door and she shouted at whoever was knocking, asking them to come in. Solas stepped into the room and gave her a small smile as he walked towards her and sat on the chair that was close to the bed.

"The voices are bothering you, are they not?" the elven mage immediately asked.

"How do you – " Beatrix began, but stopped when Solas held up his hand.

"My spirit friends tell me everything that I need to know. I knew what would happen if you drank from the well. The fact that it was an accident does nothing whatsoever to stop the voices."

"That's comforting," Beatrix commented sarcastically, shutting her eyes tightly for a few moments. But when she opened them again, she shook her head.

She could still hear the bloody voices and they were slowly becoming more than a simple discomfort one could brush away.

"Allow me to assist, Inquisitor," Solas said. "If you can write what you are hearing, I may be able to understand what they are saying."

"I don't write Elvish," Beatrix began, but stopped when Solas shook his head.

"You write down exactly what you hear. I will read it and since I know the language, I might be able to decipher what you are hearing."

"Why do you think this will even work? Things don't 'just work' at the first try, you know," Beatrix pointed out. There was a bad headache that was creeping into her brain and she would soon be rendered speechless – not to mention the fact that her anger was rearing its ugly head. She didn't want to snap at Solas.

"How do you know it will not work? Have a little faith, Inquisitor," Solas replied, his brow furrowed for a few moments. "The fact is that, like most things, the voices will not still until they are heard and understood."

She sighed deeply, then nodded. "There's some parchment and a quill on my desk. I'll start writing exactly what I hear then."

For the briefest of moments, Beatrix's eyes fell on the wolf jaw amulet Solas wore around his neck. Her burrow furrowed, but Solas had already stood up to grab the materials she needed in order to write. Why did Solas wear this amulet and what did it mean? But then there was no way to ponder on this or seek the answer, because Solas returned and she sat herself up in bed and started to write what she was hearing.

When she wrote the same patterns over and over again, she told Solas this and he took the parchment from her to read.

"It says here that there is a way to vanquish Corypheus, Inquisitor," Solas said after a few moments. "You will have to kill the dragon. He will come back to life unless the dragon is dealt with."

"Oh, that's perfect! Why didn't we think about killing his dragon before?" Beatrix clapped her hands together.

The sarcasm in her voice made Solas frown, but returned to the parchment. "You will have help with the dragon. You will have help from Mythal herself."

Beatrix stopped talking, her eyes widening slightly. "Mythal exists?"

"According to the voices, yes," Solas replied, still looking at the parchment. "You will meet her yourself, and very soon."

Beatrix did not laugh. Surprisingly, the voices had stopped. She caught Solas looking at her, his enigmatic half-smile prompting her to speak.

"You know, don't you? You know the voices have stopped."

"I told you before, Inquisitor. Just like everything else, they only wished to be heard and understood."

…

By the time Cullen had returned, Solas was gone. He frowned when he saw Beatrix still wide awake, sitting in front of the fire.

"Love, why are you awake?" He hurried forward to her side as she slowly stood. Taking her in his arms, he saw she was trembling.

"My love, what's wrong?" he murmured. She sighed into his breast plate and looked up into his eyes.

"Solas was just here. He wanted to help me with…" Beatrix began, shaking her head as she pulled her Commander to the love seat. As Cullen sat beside her and turned to face her she sighed again. "I'm hearing elven speech in my head, Cullen. Ever since I drank some of the water in the Well. It was getting extremely annoying and…"

"Maker's breath!" Cullen said, his eyes widening slightly in shock. "I'm sorry this happened, love. I tried to reach you before you fell –"

"This isn't your fault, my love," Beatrix interrupted, pursing her lips. "It was an accident. I was feeling dizzy and I just didn't remember there was water behind me. Please promise me you won't blame yourself."

Cullen let out a sigh and looked deeply into her eyes. "I'll try," came his reply. "Is this why you were ill a while back when we arrived?"

"I – don't know, Cullen. But Solas came here and he tried to help me with the voices," Beatrix replied, her eyes now looking past Cullen's. "He had me write down everything I heard, he read the sounds and interpreted them."

"And? Did he help?"

"Yes, the voices are gone for now. I can defeat Corypheus. But I must kill his dragon first," Beatrix said wistfully, her voice trailing off as if deep in thought.

"And how exactly are you going to do that? You realize that this is the dragon that killed hundreds in Haven? The very same one that almost killed you at Adamant?" Cullen hurried to say, his voice laden with concern.

Beatrix turned back to look at him. "We were in a temple dedicated to Mythal. And Solas just told me I would have help from...from Mythal herself."

"Mythal is going to appear in front of you and help you?" Cullen repeated dumbly. "What?"

"I know it sounds insane, but the fact is that the moment both Solas and I deciphered what the voices were saying and understood, the voices were silent. This has to mean something, Cullen."

Cullen stood up, cursing under his breath and started pacing the length of the room and back. He stood in front of her as she looked up at him and cursed again.

"Maker's breath, Beatrix, do you honestly believe all this is true? An Elven goddess is supposed to help you defeat Corypheus's dragon? Truly?"

"Cullen," Beatrix stood, her hands rapidly clenching and unclenching as she took a deep breath. "You saw the figure, didn't you? The figure that stood in front of us before we ran through the Eluvian?"

Cullen's breath hitched. "That was Mythal?" he asked her, confusion written all over his face.

"No, not Mythal. I'm pointing this out because something else is at work here, and I believe this something else wants me to win. Wants me to kill Corypheus. Wants to help me and the Inquisition. Please don't tell me you can't believe this."

Cullen let out a breath he didn't even know he was holding. He quickly took her in his arms, holding her close and wishing for them never to be apart. Then as he slowly pulled back, he gazed into her eyes and realized there was something that hadn't been said yet. He swallowed thickly, clearing his throat before he spoke.

"If you know that wasn't Mythal," he asked, almost fearing her reply. "then who was it?"

"That was someone I met in my safe place, Cullen. Someone who has been helping me for quite some time now."

Cullen nodded, waiting for her to go on. He could see her struggle to find the words, see her trying to keep calm. When she spoke her words sent shivers up and down his spine.

"That was…the Lady in White."

…

Beatrix had always loved children. Therefore, when Leliana appeared out of nowhere as she was walking around the garden to tell her that Kieran had somehow activated the Eluvian and walked through it, she was considerably alarmed.

"What?!" she exclaimed as her eyes widened in surprise.

"Morrigan has gone through the mirror trying to bring him back. I'm so glad you're –"

But Beatrix simply brushed Leliana aside and quickly rushed to the room where the Eluvian was kept.

The thing was pulsating and shimmering blue as she approached. Once she walked through, the whole landscape changed tremendously. All around her, she could see parts of buildings, masses floating up to the sky and crudely cut staircases in the rock, leading nowhere.

She was in the fucking Fade. How had Kieran managed to get here?

Immediately after realizing where she was, Beatrix heard Morrigan screaming Kieran's name up ahead. She quickly headed off in that direction finding Morrigan standing in a ruined courtyard, looking desperately for the boy.

"Inquisitor!" Morrigan cried out, spinning around to face her. "Kieran came here. I do not understand! To channel the Eluvian into the Fade must have taken great power! Please, help me find my son, Inquisitor!"

Alistair had called Morrigan a bitch while he was in Skyhold. He told Beatrix how Morrigan had fooled everyone, only to get what she wanted. Morrigan, in fact, was indeed cold and determined and Beatrix knew she would get whatever it was she wanted, excluding clumsy accidents and falls into wells. But at this moment there was nothing ulterior, power-driven or calculating in the witch at all. Morrigan was just being a mother. And a damned good one too, Beatrix realized.

"Calm down, Morrigan," Beatrix said in a low voice.

"Calm down?" the dark-haired witch replied. "We're in the Fade! He could be anywhere! KIERAN!"

"We'll find him, Morrigan. I'm here to help," Beatrix replied in the most soothing voice she could muster. Morrigan nodded, looking a bit relieved and followed Beatrix down the path that led deeper into the Fade.

Presently they saw something in the distance. First it looked like a bright light and then, both Morrigan and Beatrix stopped in their tracks when they got closer.

"Kieran!" Morrigan shouted, gasping as she got a better look at the white-haired woman kneeling before her son.

"What is it, Morrigan?" Beatrix asked. "Do you know that woman?"

They walked forward until they were so close, Kieran called out to his mother and went to embrace her. Morrigan fell to her knees and held her boy close.

"I'm sorry, Mother!" Kieran said in a voice full of anguish. "But I heard her calling. She said it was time!"

"Mother," Morrigan practically snarled at the woman who stood before them with an enigmatic smile on her face.

Beatrix looked upon the whole reunion with surprise. Of all the things she had to do today, she'd never expected to meet Morrigan's mother in the Fade. Soon, however, she had much more on her mind. Morrigan started to shout at the white-haired woman, who called herself Flemeth, and tried to attack her.

At that moment, Flemeth's yellow gaze held her own, and Beatrix's eyes widened a touch. She suddenly had to protect her at all costs. Hurling herself at Morrigan, she stopped the dark-haired witch from casting a nasty spell on Flemeth, then stood looking at her hands in awe as Morrigan turned to stare at Beatrix, a confused look on her face.

"What are you doing Inquisitor?" Morrigan demanded. "This woman is trying to take Kieran away from me! I'm defending myself and Kieran and you dare attack me? Why?"

"I don't know why!" Beatrix cried out, her eyes frantically searching Morrigan's for a few moments before looking back at Flemeth, who let out a peal of laughter.

"Such amusing guests," the white-haired witch said, still chuckling.

"Flemeth seeks to possess my son, Inquisitor! She has extended her life like this through the years. I ran from her when she tried to do the same to me!" Morrigan cried out, facing her mother once again. "Take me if you wish; possess my body now if it pleases you, but leave my son alone!"

"I don't understand," Beatrix said, looking confused. "Why wait over ten years to come for your son, Morrigan?"

"Because she kept him well hidden, until recently,"Flemeth chuckled as she fixed her eyes on Beatrix.

Beatrix frowned. Those yellow eyes, where had she seen them before? Morrigan had them, of course, but she had seen them somewhere else.

"You're Mythal!" Morrigan gasped.

Mythal? Beatrix walked a step forward without even realizing it. She was suddenly captured in that yellow gaze, unable to tear herself away from it.

"Mythal, Flemeth, I've answered to other names as well," Flemeth said with her enigmatic smile, her gaze finally falling on Beatrix.

"Ah, the Inquisitor. Harbinger of a New Age. Or so they say," Flemeth cackled. "I wonder, do you really know what part you play in all this?"

Beatrix instead, chose to make another comment, one that the white-haired witch did not take so lightly.

"He is only a boy, you cannot take him away from his mother!"

Morrigan stepped forward, still keeping her eyes on both her mother and her child. "I beg of you, please let him go."

"I have a proposition to make girl," Flemeth replied. "Let the lad come with me and you will finally be free, or choose to keep him and I will never let you go. What say you, hmmm?"

"I told you, mother! I will not let you take him! I may be many things, but I will not be the mother you were to me!" the dark-haired witch lashed out.

A sad expression instantly appeared on Flemeth's face. She turned to look at Kieran who smiled up to her, then clasped both his hands in hers. They looked at each other in silence, and then a bright light passed from the boy to Flemeth. Flemeth continued to smile at her grandson and he looked up happily at her.

"No more dreams?" the little boy asked.

"No more dreams," Flemeth replied. "Go to your mother."

Kieran ran to his mother's side happily, and Morrigan embraced him tightly, letting him go to face her mother again.

"I do not understand," Morrigan said.

"A soul is not forced upon the unwilling, Morrigan. You were never in any danger from me," Flemeth said, then turned her yellow gaze upon Beatrix. "You will prevail, of course, but will be faced with more trials and tribulations than you think possible before the end. He will suffer for the both of you."

"He?" Beatrix echoed, fear gripping her heart.

"Go to the place I have marked on your map in the room where you all meet. You will find a dragon in this place. Morrigan's eluvian should lead you right to it. Battle him and subdue him, and he will come to you when you call him. Listen to the voices. They will never lie to you as men do."

"Mother!" Morrigan called after her. But the white-haired witch turned and walked away, disappearing into a hidden Eluvian behind a broken wall moments later.

Beatrix frowned as she watched the witch disappear. Fear still gripped her heart, and try as she might, she could not shake it away.

"I think it is time to return, Inquisitor," Morrigan commented, taking Kieran's hand in hers. "Let us go back before this place swallows us whole."

…

Cullen woke up to the darkness and cold in the room. Shivering, he turned to face Beatrix, who was tossing and turning in her sleep. She had been quiet during dinner and he could tell there was something on her mind, but other than reveal that she had helped Morrigan and Kieran, she had chosen not to elaborate on the subject. He didn't press her about the details and she didn't give them freely. They had made love and she had fallen asleep in his arms. Sleep had followed him minutes later.

Shivering a little, he stood up and went to the fireplace to start another fire. A glance to the bed revealed that she was still asleep, so he stood for a few moments in front of the fire, lost in his thoughts. He did not hear her stir nor walk to him, and was surprised when she put her arms around him, placing a kiss in between his shoulder blades first.

Cullen turned after a few moments, taking her in his arms. He rocked her gently, and then she leaned back, enough to look deeply into his eyes.

"What is it, love?" He asked.

"Cullen, I met Flemeth, when I was with Morrigan. She claims she is Mythal," she said in a low voice.

He didn't speak for a few moments. Of all the things he could have imagined, this was certainly not it.

"Flemeth…is Mythal?" he echoed.

"Yes. She showed me where to go to get a dragon. This dragon will help me defeat Corypheus's dragon when the time comes."

Cullen's sharp intake of breath heralded what was to come. He quickly disentangled himself from her arms and took her hand, leading her back to the bed where they sat.

"Beatrix," he began, trying to muster the patience he felt was slipping away. "Flemeth is a legend. I guess she could be anything she wants, but that's not the point here. You actually believe she is Mythal?"

She nodded up at him. "I went into the war table room afterwards. There was a token on a spot, it wasn't there before. It's an area in the Arbor Wilds. It makes sense there should be a dragon there, as the temple itself is in the Arbor Wilds. I have to battle the dragon there and subdue it. It will come and help me when I summon it. I won't have to travel to get there either. Flemeth told me that the eluvian Morrigan has will take me to the dragon."

"Beatrix! This is – "

"Insane, I know. I also know what I'm talking about, Cullen. All this is true, whether you believe it or not. I didn't want to tell you, to worry you, but I have to, my love."

Cullen tilted his head to the right, watching her closely. There was something she was leaving out, he was sure of it.

"There's something you aren't telling me, love. What is it?" he asked, trying to keep his voice as calm as possible.

"Flemeth, she said something to me," Beatrix sighed, realizing she couldn't keep avoiding the subject. "Something that I fear greatly. I think she talked about what was going to happen, Cullen and I'm scared!"

He took her in his arms again, and rocked her gently, whispering words of love to her, comforting her as best as he could. After a while, she slowly leaned back, searching for something in his eyes. She seemed to have found it, because she spoke and what she said stunned him into silence.

"She told me I would be faced with more trials and tribulations before the end. She also said something that I haven't been able to get out of my head, my love. She said, 'he will suffer for the both of you'."

The tears she had been holding back now fell, and Cullen once again took her in his arms, his heart breaking. If this was true, it was something that chilled him to the bone. Clearly Flemeth was talking about Beatrix dying. But he couldn't allow that to happen. He would be right there, fighting Corypheus if necessary. He would NOT let her go! He would stop it before it was too late.

"I won't let it happen, my love," he crooned. "You will be safe with me by your side. I won't allow it."

"Solas told me Corypheus cannot attack Skyhold because of the ancient elven magic protecting it. If he attacks, it will be somewhere else.

"Then we shall both face him somewhere else. I won't let you go without me, Beatrix. This is NOT up for discussion. You'll have to kill me to get me to stay."

"But the soldiers?"

"The soldiers have others who would command them here. I will take more to command wherever we face him. But I'll go with them and with you. This I swear," Cullen said fiercely, holding her tightly for a few moments, then letting her go to look deeply into her eyes. "I will see you reach Corypheus and shield you from harm while we battle him."

Beatrix said nothing to this but kissed him passionately, which Cullen returned tenfold. They made love to each other roughly afterwards each with the same intensity. When they climaxed they did so together, falling into each other's arms when they were spent.

She fell asleep almost immediately, but Cullen lay awake, thinking about what she had said. Be it Flemeth, Andraste or the Maker, he would not let Beatrix go.

And if she fell into the Fade again, he would go with her this time.

Even if it meant he would have to end his own life to do it.

…