As soon as Ari'elle heard the footsteps descending the stone stairs, she knew who it was. She closed her eyes and steadied herself, preparing for this meeting. She had come into the unused chamber through the kitchens, thinking to avoid anyone by using the back way to Josephine's office. Most of those who came this way were discrete and busy; too wrapped up in their own tasks to talk to one who was slipping through.

Apparently Cullen, though, needed to be the one she ran into in this dusty and deserted cavern.

Sure enough, it was Cullen's familiar red overcoat with the soft fur around the collar that revealed itself first. He was looking at the ground, intent on his feet. He did not see her, and for the blissful moments before he did, Ari'elle drank him in.

His face looked a little pale, smudges beneath his eyes. He had always had deep set eyes, but they looked especially… dark today. Was he getting enough sleep? Despite that, though, he looked very fine. His hair was immaculately arranged, his clothes more tidy and put together than usual. The metal on his armor gleamed in the low candlelit and the brilliant reds offset the dense black. He looked, Ari'elle wistfully thought, exactly like the perfect Inquisitor from the Denerim ball.

Just then he looked up and saw her. She felt the impact of his amber eyes down to her toes, a tingling wave of awareness and heat. It was always the same when she saw him. But as she saw Cullen freeze, a façade descending over his face, she knew it wasn't the same for him. Not anymore.

Several thudding heartbeats passed before she could open her mouth. "Cullen," she finally got out, his name sounded strange as she pushed it out through the lump in her throat.

He nodded coolly and returned her greeting, "Ari'elle." And then, as if that were all that was left to say between them, he looked beyond her and started walking.

Shocked, she just blinked as he moved past her side. His indifference… hurt. Snapping out of it, Ari'elle spun around, "Wait!"

A rush of relief passed through her as he did and then almost reluctantly turned back to her. He still looked at her with that blank mask, but now there was a hint of impatience in his eyes, as if she were a total stranger imposing themselves on him. "I, uh…" Ari'elle swallowed hard, and dug deep into her courage. If he were here, she might as well tell him what she had been on her way to talk to Josephine about. "I have decided something." She took a steading breath, "I'm leaving."

For a moment, there was a flicker in the amber depths of Cullen's eyes, and Ari'elle took an involuntary step forward. What had that meant? Did he feel something when she said she was leaving? But she didn't know; it could have been relief she had seen. Casting her eyes on the column of stone behind Cullen's shoulder, she forced herself to continue.

"There are two Anchors now, and it doesn't make sense for them both to be here. I thought I would travel into Orlais, to the Inquisition keep in the Western Approach, or perhaps to the one in Emprise du Lion." Ari'elle thought it unlikely Lady Trevelyan would want to travel so far away from him. Not that she wanted to either, but there was little left for her here. "There are probably many Rifts that need closing, and it would be best for me to… Lady Trevelyan would be centrally situated here. So it would be for the best," Ari'elle repeated. The best for all of them, although she didn't want it to be that way.

A heavy silence thickened in the room, stretching out for so long Ari'elle became nervous. Did he not like the idea? Was he still suspicious of her, so much so that he didn't want to let her leave Skyhold? Finally she could stand it no more.

She looked at him, and instantly her questions vanished. Cullen was practically vibrating, he was so tense. His fists were white with pressure as he held them at his sides, his shoulders almost brittle stiff. But it was his expressions that made her worried. A rapid play of emotions were being chased across his features. Anger, then confusion, sadness, and lastly fear. "Cullen," Ari'elle couldn't bear to see him like that. She had never seen him scared before. "What is it?" She stepped into him, raising her hand up to his face, "What is wrong?"

Just before she touched him, Cullen's eyes snapped to her hand, and he violently jerked himself away. A physical wound would have not hurt as much as the emotional one she received from revulsion on his face; the sheer horror that now filled his eyes. Ari'elle couldn't prevent the half cry that broke from her lips, but she whirled around before he could see how badly his rejection had hurt her. She pressed her lips together and wrapped her arms around her waist. She wasn't going to cry, she breathed in shakily. She wasn't going to cry in front of him.

"I agree with your idea." His voice sounded calm and controlled; as if whatever he had just been experiencing was nothing. Obviously it had been nothing in his eyes.

Ari'elle blinked, her heart sinking. She admitted that that was not the response she had wanted from him. In her secret romantic fantasies, he had declared she could never leave him, then swept her into his arms and kissed her. But with the way he had been behaving recently, she had known it was a useless hope. She had tried to banish it, but she couldn't have stopped it any more than she could have stopped loving him.

This is for the best, she steeled herself. This is for the best.

"Speak with Josephine, she will arrange things." His voice rumbled through the chamber. Ari'elle nodded and practically ran to the stairs. She didn't look back.

Cullen watched the tumble of brown curls leave, little flowers woven through the strands. Her tear filled eyes came back to him, made his chest ache. He had done this to her. He had caused her pain, and because of it she was leaving Skyhold.

No!

Cullen went to follow her, and pain exploded in his head. He fell into a crouch, fingers digging into his scalp. Cullen sucked in air, feeling as if he were being dashed against the stones. Maker, he was going mad. There was something wrong with him. Ever since…

When Ari'elle had reached for him, it hadn't been her. In that second, it had been Evangelina about to touch his face. And he had revolted against that violently. He absolutely hadn't wanted that woman to touch him, had felt physically sick at the thought.

Which was crazy, he shook his head. He worshiped Evangelina; he would do anything for her. She was all that was good in this world, all that was pure.

Ari'elle's shocked expression, the hurt he had so obviously caused her bore into his memory, and his heart twisted. No. This was not him. He didn't go around callously hurting people anymore. He had changed.

Which was why Ari'elle's plan made perfect sense. The calm realization slowly overtook the panic and fear swirling in his body. Instinctively, Cullen fought against the drugging haze slipping through his veins, slowing his pulse to a more natural rhythm. But in a few minutes he was back to himself again, realizing it was not harming him, it was actually helping.

Cullen slowly released his death grip on his own head and stood up. Yes, Ari'elle's plan to move to one of the other Keep's was a good one. She had experience closing Rifts; it would be intelligent to use her capabilities to work through Orlais. Evangelina would stay here, safe, out of harm's way. When she felt ready, Cullen and an armed escort would travel into Ferelden. Evangelina needed much more protection, her safety was far too important to risk.

After all, she was the Herald of Andraste. She was going to save them all from the Breach.

A frown broke through his calm, his head shaking. But a second later that bubble of rebellion was washed away, and he was steady once more.

Cullen closed his eyes again and tried to clear his mind. There were so many conflicting thoughts in his head, he couldn't take it.

Thirsty, he was really thirst. He needed water.

"Cullen!" Josephine's voice snapped his eyes open, and he blinked down at her in surprise. Then confusion. Slowly he looked around the room. He was in Josephine's office, and she and Leliana were looking at him in expectation.

Confused fear snaked through him before he shook it off. Obviously he had just followed Ari'elle up here; to finalize arrangements. "Where is Ari'elle?" She wasn't in the ambassador's office. Had Ari'elle not spoken to Josephine after all?

"She was here this morning," Leliana studied him. "She told us of her plan. And of your agreement to it."

This morning? But it still was the morning! Slowly, Cullen realized that the light coming into the room was that of the late afternoon. And his stomach was full; at some point lately he had eaten.

How many times had this happened to him recently? Completing things he didn't remember doing, carrying on conversations he couldn't recall just hours after speaking them. What had he said and done this time? Would he be able to dredge through his memories and find the answers?

"Are you really okay with Ari'elle leaving?" Josephine asked him gently, her dark eyes searching his.

A crystal clear vision punched him in the gut, blasting through the fog. Ari'elle's face crumpled, tears gathered in her brown eyes. Their conversation came back to him slowly. Abruptly he felt nauseous. Had he really agreed to this? Practically sent her away?

But it made perfect sense, he rationalized. Ari'elle had been the one to suggest it, and Cullen approved of the practicality. His mind calmed; his body easing.

Cullen pulled himself back to the present, nodding his head. "It is a good solution for the Inquisition."

The two friends shared a look before Josephine spoke carefully, "At one point, we had discussed the importance of you making a political match. The idea being that it would gain much ground for the Inquisition."

Cullen shrugged his shoulders. What was her point in this? She continued, "However, we let the issue slide when we realized that you and Ari'elle… well, it is no longer needed. The Inquisition is in good standing now. You do not need to make such an alliance unless you truly wish it. If you and the Lady Trevelyan-"

"The Herald of Andraste," Cullen corrected automatically.

Josephine pressed her lips together for a moment before continuing. "We had just thought that you and Ari'elle were…"

Cullen frowned fiercely, an anger welling in him. He and Ari'elle hadn't been anything! A sudden image of Ari'elle grinning wickedly up at him as she knelt between his knees, his cock in her hand, burst through the anger. Of course they had been something. He lo-

A massive pain battered at the front of his skull, and Cullen groaned, pressing his hands to his eyes. He breathed deeply, kept his mind clear. In a short time he felt the throbbing fade, but he couldn't remember what he had just been thinking about.

"Cullen? Cullen!" He realized Leliana was looking at him with distinct concern. When she saw him blink at her blearily, she asked, "Are you alright? You have been acting strangely for a while now."

"Yes," he fumbled out, still feeling slightly disoriented. But they couldn't know. He wasn't acting strangely; he felt like he was actually going crazy. Fear burned in him. They couldn't know, couldn't guess just how out of it he really was. They would want him to step down from being Inquisitor.

A foreign feeling rose in him. He couldn't give up such a high ranking position. He needed to be in charge. He was the one leading this army; he was the one commanding the troops and the respect of nations. He wouldn't give it up.

"I have just been having some headaches recently. I think it is because I have not been drinking enough water." Cullen crossed to the decanter by the fireplace, filling up a glass and drinking it all down. He refilled it and returned to his spot. "What were you saying before?" He raised his eyebrows and looked down at Josephine, trying to appear for all intents and purposes as if he hadn't just drifted off into his own mind.

"Well," she hesitated. "We just wanted to say that there is no need for you to woo Lady- I mean, the Herald of Andraste if that is not your wish. But if you love her…"

Love Evangelina? "I worship her," Cullen told them; it should explain it all.

He turned and left the office, sipping from the water, and he missed the confused looks Leliana and Josephine shared.

"So, when we goin'?"

Ari'elle started in surprise and looked at were Sera was seated next to her, her legs waving crazily in the air above the tavern door. Raucous noise echoed out into the night, but she and Sera were alone.

"We? You are coming with me?" Ari'elle couldn't help her astonishment.

"'Course!" Sera rolled her eyes. "You're shite at thinking up pranks. More like to make friends with your victims. That's dumb. They are target, Ari. Targets. Not possible friends." Sera made grand sweeping gestures with her hands and fingers, and Ari'elle supposed that they were all movements associated with pulling pranks. She didn't really understand them, but that was because Sera was playing things out in her head. "First, splat! Then, sploosh! Some screams, then we laugh, then after all that, you can 'be nice'." She pulled a face, letting Ari'elle know what her real feelings were about it.

Ari'elle chuckled a little, thankful for the reprieve from her desolation. "Targets first, then friends, huh? I will remember that."

Ari'elle wrapped her arms around her drawn up knees, smelling the scent of lavender she had made into a circlet now lying at her side. She didn't much feel like putting it on; it had just been something to do with her hands. She would miss the garden, Ari'elle sighed. The herbs were at the point where most of them could be harvested. And the flowers were growing so well. Her Moon Flower vines had flourished, the buds ready to pop. Any night now they would open. But she wouldn't be around to see it.

"So, when we goin'?" Sera repeated her question, and Ari'elle shook herself.

"Right. Josephine said that there would be a group of soldiers heading out to Griffon's Keep in a few days. Two or three."

Sera let out a large belch, and it echoed through the stone courtyard. Within a moment, another belch came from the darkness, rivaling hers in loudness. Sera got up and cheered, and Ari'elle heard the laughter of several soldiers making their patrols.

The faint smile on her lips faded; Creator's she would miss this. Skyhold had become a home to her. When she had been with her clan, she hadn't realized just how wonderful it could be to have a real place to come back to, one that would always be there. Despite the fact that she had spent more time out closing Rifts and traveling than at Skyhold itself, the castle had come to mean so much to her. But it would never be the same.

Would he ever miss her? Ari'elle felt the tears welling again, burning her throat. His handsome and beloved face would never look at her the same as it used to. She knew it. His eyes wouldn't darken in passion; she wouldn't touch his bare skin and feel his warmth. No more laughter for her, no more feeling cherished as he held her close.

Despite it all, though, she couldn't regret her decision to alter the course of her life. Ari'elle traced down her vallaslin. Supposedly she had been chosen by Andruil for great things; well, she had chosen her own course. And it had led her to her to many great things. She never would have made such great friends. Never would have discovered the strength within herself, her will to fight for others, to help when she could. She had discovered so much of the world, perhaps even coming close to Keeper Solas's knowledge of it.

And despite the fact that it hurt, she couldn't regret falling in love with Cullen. She hugged the memories of them together to her heart. She didn't want to forget them. Perhaps someday she could view them without the pain, without the hopeless longing. But they were still precious to her.

Ari'elle felt fragile, felt like she would burst into tears at any second. "Sera, I'm just going to…" She cleared her throat. "I need a little time to get ready. I'll come find you tomorrow when… when I am ready," She finished lamely. When she was done crying over everything, would be a more accurate description, but she didn't want to tell Sera that.

A bubble of… something rose in her, but it popped before she could really distinguish what it was. Determination? Fear? Anger? Ari'elle shoved it aside and returned to her tower, curled up in bed, and slept.

When she opened her eyes, she was in a forest. In bewilderment, Ari'elle slowly pushed herself to a stand, spinning slowly. She was in a clearing, and after a second she recognized it. It was the clearing where she had camped with her clan last.

With dawning dread, Ari'elle looked down at herself. She was wearing her Dalish garb, everything perfectly immaculate. Ari'elle brought her hands up to her hair. Yes, her curls were in perfect little ringlets, arrayed with perfect flowers in perfect arrangements.

She closed her eyes. She recognized this, recognized the dream. This is how her whole adventure started. Waking up in this clearing, following the owls that were not truly her owl friends but for some reason she had thought they were. Then she had met Corypheus, and he had bestowed on her the Anchor.

Only now she knew the truth about him. Knew that he was evil, the corrupted magister behind all of the current troubles in the world.

Ari'elle took a deep breath. Another bubble rose in her, and this time she let herself feel it. Fight. It was fight.

Ari'elle's eyes snapped open, and she licked her lip, touching her vallaslin. Determination replaced her fear, replaced the sadness. She reached up with both hands and vigorously ran her fingers through her hair. She shook her head, making sure that her curls twisted and tangled, that the arrangements of flowers were disrupted. More than half of the perfect blooms fell out, the others became snared tighter. Ari'elle swooped down to the dirt beneath her feet, and she scooped some up, smearing it along her clothes and hands, even streaking some across her face.

Feeling much more like herself, much more in control of the 'dream', Ari'elle looked around. Sure enough, four snowy white owls watched her from the branches high above her head.

"Well?" She said in exasperation, "Lead on."

The owls flew away, and Ari'elle raced after them. She noted the same strange way they flew; all sets of wings moving at the same time, the same almost too slow rhythm. They made their way to the heart of the forest again, the woods clearing out instead of growing denser.

And then the trees stopped, the owls disappeared, and once more the very tall mage stood alone. This time he faced her, his arms crossed over his chest.

Ari'elle gulped, fear threading through her. But she raised her chin and briskly strode to him. "Corypheus."

"Ari'elle." His strange and ancient eyes roved over her. "You have learned much while on your adventure," his tone was condescending. "But not nearly enough."

Ari'elle gritted her teeth. "What do you want? Why am I here?"

Fury flashed across Corypheus's face before settling back into cool disdain. "Such disrespect for the one who helped you achieve you dreams." Ari'elle kept her lips pressed together. "Do you not remember our terms for this deal? I would give you one task, and if you do not achieve it, you will return to me."

"I remember," Ari'elle saw where this was going. She had to complete the task; otherwise she was as good as dead. Spend a year in Corypheus's services? She saw what he did to those who followed him, willingly or unwillingly. Savage beasts possessed of red lyrium. Their only thought was of doing what the people who owned them commanded. She didn't want to end up that way, mindless. There was no question that it was a death sentence. "What do you want me to do?"

"It is simple, really." He smiled, and Ari'elle felt a wave of revulsion hit her. "All you must do is kill Lady Evangelina Trevelyan, The Herald of Andraste."

Ari'elle's mouth fell open. She couldn't help it. Kill Lady Evangelina? But why?

The answer came to her quickly. Lady Evangelina was supposed to save the world from Corypheus. Of course he would want her dead.

"Just think of it," Suddenly Corypheus was behind her, leaning to her ear, his voice oily as he whispered. "With her gone, Cullen Rutherford will be available again. He will be free for you, free for you two to be as you were. The man you love would not be in love with her anymore. You two could be together once more, beneath the stars."

Ari'elle sat stunned, his words washing over her. Cullen would be free. She licked her lips, her eyes unseeing. If Evangelina was gone, would Cullen fall in love with her this time? Would they be like they were before, friends and lovers? Would she at least then have a chance?

For a long moment, Ari'elle yearned to agree, to say that she would. But she couldn't. She let out a shuddering breath and shook her head. "No," she whispered. No, she couldn't. She couldn't kill the woman Cullen loved. She could never hurt him.

His words sank in. He knew what she and Cullen had done, what they had been to each other. Abruptly she felt nauseous. Her time with Cullen had been precious and beautiful. How dare he! Then she became extremely angry at this man who tried to be a God.

"No! I won't murder someone for you!" She spun and retreated, gaining distance between them. She was trembling, her hands flexing with the wish to lash out.

For a moment, Corypheus's body shimmered, and she saw again the red lyrium growing from his body, his features distorted and blacked. He regained control of himself and the illusion, and he sneered down at her. "Then you will return to me immediately."

"And if I don't?" Ari'elle raised her brows at him, crossed her arms over her chest.

He smiled smugly. "You won't have a choice." He waved his arm once, then the world around her swirled. The ground became a funnel, and Ari'elle cried out as she was sucked down into it.

Ari'elle gasped as she sat up in her own bed, her body drenched in sweat. Shakily she rubbed her face, gathering her bearings. The dream that was not truly a dream remained with her vividly. She refused to kill Evangelina.

Slowly, Ari'elle realized her hand, the hand with the Anchor, seemed to be humming. Slowly she raised it up and stared at it. It didn't hurt, Ari'elle thought, it just felt… strange. She let it fall back onto the bedspread for a moment, before she made to get out of bed.

A sharp pang traveled shot from her hand up her arm, and Ari'elle inhaled harshly at the pain. A feeling of dread came over her slowly, a dawning realization. Is this what Corypheus meant when she said she would have no choice? She stared down at her palm.

After a few minutes Ari'elle nodded to herself. Very well. She knew what to do.