(A/N, These next few chapters are probably my second favorite part that I've written so far. I hope you enjoy!)

"What were you thinking, Herald!?" Cassandra shrieked at me. "Do you not realize what you've done!? What it almost cost us?!"

Cassandra was yelling violently at me. I couldn't look her in the eye. I suddenly found my big toe to be the most interesting thing in the whole world.

"What would have happened if Talc had not come to your rescue? You would be dead!"

Cassandra paced back and forth in front of me. I was dead inside. I let all my emotions go. I couldn't confront what I had done. This couldn't possibly be real, could it?

"Back off, TinTin!" Talc snarled, planting herself between me and Cassandra, "I think she understands without you rubbing her face in it!"

"You both said you were ready! Went through this whole charade to prove it. Do you still think you are ready, Herald!" Cassandra shouted

I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to hold back the hot tears I felt threatening to form. I quickly blinked them away and shot her a quick look, too ashamed to hold her gaze for long.

"It won't happen again."

"See that it does not. When we are out here we rely on you. If this happens again, the results may not be the same. Any of us could have been hurt or killed." Cassandra growled.

"I think she gets the point, Seeker. The kid is obviously upset over what happened. Yelling at her will won't change anything." Varric stood beside Talc. His voice grated her raw nerves even more.

"The Chantry Mother is further up assisting the refugees injured in the struggle. We must make haste and assist where we can." Solas quickly interjected before Cassandra could unleash her wrath.

"Solas is right. There's no point in us staying here and wasting time beating this like a dead horse." Talc agreed, trying to maneuver me passed Cassandra.

I stepped over corpses and severed limbs that scattered the field we were in. It was difficult navigating through the mess of bodies. So many lives gone simply because I couldn't stop them. What more could I have done?

I managed to find my voice, "Solas will you aid the healers? With this many wounded they will need all the help they can get. Varric, the people will need food and warmth. Can you go and hunt game? I saw plenty of ram tracks as we journeyed here. It shouldn't be too difficult. Cassandra, can you take me to Giselle?"

Solas merely nodded and walked briskly to find the healers. Varric approached me, "Easy there kid. No one would fault you for needing a moment."

I shook my head, "No, the last thing I need is to get trapped in my head. Right now, my thoughts are as dangerous as any sword. If I can keep moving, I can avoid them."

Varric groaned and put a hand on my shoulder, "There are some things you will never forget. Your first is one of them. Even though it happened so fast, you kept your wits about you. That's no small feat. Just pick yourself up and keep walking. You'll get through it. It gets easier with time."

I smiled a bit, "Thank you Varric. Make sure to bring back as many kills as Bianca can find."

Varric laughed, spun on his heels, and patted his crossbow lovingly, "Dont worry. Bianca and I will be bring back enough to last these folks awhile."

"Happy hunting, Shortcake," Talc's voice boomed behind me. She put her hand on my back and I leaned into it a moment. There would be time for comfort later. People needed my help. I turned around and gave her my biggest grin I could. She saw right through my act but didn't say anything.

"Our scouts say that Mother Giselle is this way." Cassandra announced.

We entered further into the small village. It was utterly dismantled. Thatched roofs pulled off, stone walls and fences torn apart. The blood soaked dirt clung to my feet as I walked through. Kinda wish I had those shoes now.

I saw Solas leaning over a wounded soldier. His hand on the man's chest as he yanked an arrow out of the wounded leg. I saw the magic quickly escape Solas' hands and seep into the wound closing it swiftly. I heard him speak small words of comfort. He raised his hand over the mans eyes, "Sleep". And the man slumped into a peaceful sleep. Solas wasted no time hurrying on to the next injured.

We kept walking when I heard a voice say, "There are mages here who can heal your wounds. Lie still." I turned to see a woman kneeling at the side of a wounded man. He was shaking and trying desperately to move away.

"Don't... Let them touch me, Mother. Their magic is...!" He gasped.

Before he could continue the woman cut him off, "Turned to noble purpose, their magic is surely no more evil then your blade."

"But..."

"Hush dear boy. Allow them to ease your suffering." She said with a smooth whisper.

With this he finally leaned back and the mage in question approached and began his work.

"Mother Giselle?" I asked

"I am." The woman said turning to me, "And you must be the one they're calling the Herald of Andraste."

"Well, that is what they call me, unfortunately. I was told you asked for me?" I said quizzically.

She nodded and stood,"Please follow me herald."

I nodded to Cassandra, "Cassandra, can you find a way to make yourself useful?" I wanted to be alone for this. Besides, Cassandra wasn't in this cut scene in the game anyway.

"I will help organize the uninjured. They will need guidance amongst the chaos." Cassandra turned and immediately began shouting at the men idling about.

The two of us walked a few steps before Mother Giselle spoke up, "I know of the Chantry's denouncement of both you and Talc, Herald. I'm familiar with those behind it."

"Both of us?" I asked. I turned to look at Talc, but she wasn't there. She'd disappeared somewhere before even meeting Mother Giselle. I hadn't even notice her slip away.

"Yes, you are claimed to be the chosen prophet of Andraste. Talc is considered the Guardian to the Herald. Also chosen by Andraste. It is no small honor, but I wont lie to you. Some of those speaking out against you are grandstanding, hoping to increase their chances of becoming the new Divine. Some are simply terrified. So many good people, senselessly taken from us."

"Many lives have been affected. It will be difficult to foresee the far reaching effects" I muttered.

"Fear makes us desperate. But hopefully not beyond reason. Go to them. Convince the remaining clerics you are no demon to be feared. They have heard only frightful tales of you. Give them something else to believe."

"Won't our actions prove we are no threat to your Chantry?" I asked.

"To the Chantry, both actions and words are necessary. They will believe every manor of tales conceived unless provided with evidence. Your presence will be necessary. Let me put it this way. You needn't convince them all. You just need some of them to doubt."

"The power of the Chantry comes from a unanimous will. If we break their unity, it may buy us the time we need to prove neither of us are a threat." I said.

"I honestly dont know if you've been touched by fate or sent to help us. But I will cling to hope. Hope is what we need now. The people will listen to your rallying call, as they will listen to no other." Mother Giselle sounded deeply convinced of this.

"That is a lot of power to thrust on two people." I interrupted.

"Even if it was, there is little choice. You could build the Inquisition into a force that will deliver us... or destroy us."

I pondered what this could mean.

"I will go to Haven and provide Sister Leliana with the names of those in the Chantry who would be amenable to a gathering." She paused and shrugged her shoulder, "Its not much, but I will do what I can."

"Thank you for both your help and your advice Mother Giselle. I will take it to heart." I thanked. Mother Giselle turned and walked back to to the refugees.

I sighed, "I want to go curl up in a big blanket back home and forget that we are even here." I muttered to myself. This was all too much.

I looked around, expecting to see Talc nearby. She was still nowhere to be seen. Maybe she had wandered back to the battlefield. I definitely didn't want to go back there again, but It was lonely without her. I really needed a shoulder to lean on, or one of her snarky comments to make me laugh.

"No, I need to remember why I wanted to come here in the first place. This is not a moment for me, but a moment to help others. I can rest tonight. I should go find Solas and put my magic to good use. I may not know much but Fortitude's been pushing me to practicing healing magic anyway." I determined aloud. Risking a moment near Solas seemed a safer option then leaving myself alone to my thoughts.

I made my way back to where I saw Solas last. He was kneeling over a patient, carefully studying him. His hands were brimming with magic as they passed over the woman's still frame.

"Anything I can do to help, Solas?" I asked tentatively.

"I do not mean to offend you, Herald. This is no time for games. How skilled are you at healing magic?" He looked sternly at me as he spoke.

"I just want to help, but I only know the basics of healing magic. Enough to relax muscles and regain some energy."

Solas began working again as I spoke. Before he could respond though, the woman began to seize violently. Solas cursed, "Hold her down!"

I rushed over and grabbed for her flailing arms. Using my own body weight to keep her pinned wasn't easy. Solas turned to the front of the patient and placed his hands on either side of the womans head. I watched intently as he sent tendrils of magic into her skull. He remained purely focused on his task. The thrashing began to weaken. He kept pouring magic into the invisible wound. She stilled.

"Is she?"

"No, but there is too much pressure residing in her skull. Help me turn her to the side." He instructed.

I carefully pushed her on her side. "You are not squeamish?" He asked.

"No I'm not. What do you need me to do."

"I sensed blood pooling under the skull. I must open the wound to release it. She has passed out and we must move quickly before the damage is irreparable. I need you to hold her steady while I work."

I nodded and maneuvered to sit next to him. I grabbed the woman's shoulders and steadied them. He nodded approvingly and called magic into a thin blade. I watched with complete fascination. Studying how the magic churned and folded, melting into a solid blade. He pressed the blade into the woman skull. Thankfully, she didn't move.

"Brace her, I must apply more pressure to get through the bone."

I repositioned and took a firmer grip on her head. With a slight wince he pushed the blade through her skull and pulled back. A steady stream of blood leaked out of the small incision. Solas dismissed the blade and began pouring magic into her head once again. He closed his eyes with concentration. Slowly the stream thinned and became only a trickle of blood.

"I have closed off all the internal wounds. All that remains is the incision." He scooted me out of the way and with a swift gesture the wound was closed. "It will be up to her now. I've done all that I can. Now, what is it you required of me Herald? Forgive me if I was a bit distracted."

"I didn't know magic could do anything like that! How did you form that mini scalpel? Was that spirit magic or something different? How did you know she had a brain hemorrhage? There was no obvious sign of blunt force trauma. Did a witness describe the events leading to the injury?" I was to excited about what I just witnessed to realize I hadn't actually answered his question. Feeling a bit sheepish I quickly shut my mouth to allow him the chance to reply.

He smirked, "Did you come here to pester me with questions da'len?"

Slightly embarrassed I said, "Ah right. Sorry.. I'll just go over there somewhere." I gestured towards an empty field. "You seem to have things in order here. I probably would just get in the way."

"I said nothing of the kind. I seem to recall you boasting about your learning ability. A situation like this forces the opportunity to demonstrate does it not? I'm curious to see this quick study in action."

I smiled. Challenge accepted. "Lead the way then."

I followed Solas on to the next patient. I carefully studied his movements. He offered explanations on how he moved his magic through the body.

On a patient that wasn't in critical condition he guided me on the process. He watched me carefully as I washed my own magic into the patient. I felt all the tissues, blood vessels, and bone. I carefully knitted tissues together under his watchful gaze. He oversaw how I set the bone. Surprisingly enough, he seemed satisfied with my work.

For once, I actually felt myself letting down my guard around him. Dangerous territory I know. I didn't mean for it to happen. But the more he shared, the more I felt myself wanting to know more. We worked together diligently helping many innocent victims well into the night. I dont remember if I even said anything snarky to him. Huh, imagine that.

(A/N, Whats this? Is our Herald letting down her guard for a moment? Our Ayla is ever the curious one. Pretty intense next few chapters coming up, hold on to your seats! Its gonna be a bumpy ride! cya next week ^^)