Weeks of mourning went by before a stranger snuck into Skyhold's gates, broke into the Inquisitor's chambers, and threatened to rip her heart out if she didn't go into the Fade and pull Hawke out immediately.
Understandably, guards and the Inquisitor's companions rushed in as soon as they noticed the intrusion and traced it to the Inquisitor's room.
By that point, the white-haired elf and Inquisitor were both drunk. Sulahn stood on top of her desk with everything kicked to the ground while the intruder brooded on the floor, smiling slightly.
"Is . . . everything all right in here?" Solas asked, stepping forward through the throng of guards and companions standing on the stairs.
"Solas!" Sulahn leaped from the desk to the floor and crossed the distance in a wobbly run, falling into his arms. Grinning widely up at him, she slurred, "It's Fenris! Fenny!" She waved him over. "Tell him what Aveline said on her date!"
" 'It's a nice night for an evening,' " Fenris replied evenly, the alcohol barely affecting him.
"I . . . see. Vhenan, I think you should go to bed––"
"I'm fine. See?" She tried to perform a pirouette as though that would convince him, but she nearly fell before Solas caught her for the second time. Leaning in his arms, she giggled madly.
"Fenris?" Cullen's head poked up from the crowd. "Is that really you?"
"Unfortunately," Fenris mumbled, and he raised a bottle of wine to his lips.
"Ooh. Where's Varric?" Sulahn asked. "Family reunion time!"
"Vhenan, I really think you should lie down. Now isn't the time for a 'family reunion.' "
"What," she responded, "because Hawke isn't here?"
That stopped all murmured conversations.
Fenris threw the bottle against the wall, spreading droplets and shattered glass across the stone floor with little skitters of green.
"Get Varric," Fenris commanded, the words wavering the slightest bit.
Several guards moved immediately to retrieve Varric from his room.
"So," Fenris began, the humor from moments before as distant as the last Blight, "did she offer to stay behind, or did you tell her to?" His gaze landed on Cullen, the one man in the room he knew.
Silence prevailed for a time.
"She offered," Kadram said, and all eyes swiveled to him. To hear him talk was a rare experience.
"Hm. Sounds like her." Fenris played with the red ribbon tied around his arm. "Is she dead?"
"We don't know." This time it was Cassandra who spoke. She had her arms crossed, a position as defensive as when she held her shield in battle.
"No body, no death." Fenris moved his arm as if to take a swig and frowned at his empty hand, his gaze resting on the wall with its darkened spot of wine. "We're going to save her."
"I'm coming."
This time, all heads swiveled to Varric who pushed his way through the crowd. With his hair unkempt, shirt wrinkled, and bags under his eyes, he looked just as bad as the day of the funeral.
"Varric."
"Elf."
Fenris's dark eyebrows rose, his only indication of humor at Varric's use of his nickname. "You came."
"Why wouldn't I?"
"I was going to kill you."
Varric scratched at his chin thoughtfully. "Should I be worried or thankful?"
"The letter."
Varric pinched the bridge of his nose. "Worst of my writing, that. No one should read it, really. In fact, it should have never been written––"
"Varric."
Varric stopped.
"Do you have Bianca with you?"
"Of course."
"Then let's go."
"Now? We don't even know how––"
"We'll figure it out."
"If I may interrupt," Solas butted in, "the Inquisitor is in no condition to do whatever it is you're planning. Let us wait until morning, at the very least."
"At the very least," Fenris scoffed. "You mages are all the same."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Solas's ears twitched.
"Was I speaking to you?" Fenris growled. Solas only grimaced. "I thought not."
Stepping forward with hands outstretched, Cullen interjected, "You can leave in the morning. That settles it."
"Whatever the plan is," Solas muttered under his breath.
With that, everyone left the Inquisitor, who had stumbled to her bed moments ago, to her snoring sleep.
Fenris, however, moved to the balcony once everyone departed.
There he watched the hawks circle over the mountains, red ribbon in one hand, engagement ring in the other.
A/N: Love Fenris so much. That last line hurts