6: Dangerous Assumptions

Cullen stood in the doorway of the healer's cabin; frigid air whirled around him building a mound of snow at his feet. The mercenary captain, Ela, was laid inside on a makeshift cot. He had been standing there, staring at her, for longer than he would have liked to admit. The thought of her passing had plagued his mind since she they had parted ways. She saved his life, after all.

When he returned to Haven he had been too bogged down by the surge of new recruits and general chaos the Breach had caused to come and inquire about her health. When he finally found the time, the healer was nowhere to be found. Even now, after the Breach had stopped growing and the chaos from earlier had died down, there was no sign of him. For now, a rather cranky apothecary had taken over and he, and everyone else, was too busy to tell him how she was doing. So, he had come himself, only to stand in the doorway frozen by his nerves.

The woman had clearly expressed her distrust of him. No. Not distrust, something more. The way she had looked at him with so much viciousness, so much rage. Her eyes wide and alert. An air of defiance had been about her; he was sure that if he had tried to force her to go to Haven, she would have put up a tougher fight than the one the Herald and Cassandra had faced the day before. Fear, that's what it was. He couldn't blame her for feeling it. She was a mage in the middle of a war; hunted at every turn by templars who didn't care if she was decent folk or not.

The meeting last night with Cassandra and Leliana had offered even more insight into her situation. From the information they had shared with one another, they had concluded that the Herald and Ela were related. The purple eyes were a good giveaway. The fact that they were both mages another, but he had not been sure of it until Cassandra told him that the Herald had called her Ela after he had hit his head. Apparently, the boy thought she had been killed at the Conclave like so many others.

The news had given Cassandra a renewed vigor. She wanted the woman apprehended for questioning. She wanted to know everything. How she survived, who they were, why they were there. The Seeker had almost sent out a group of soldiers to carry the woman to the dungeons. He had protested against it however, his gut telling him that the mercenary captain knew nothing of what had happened. She was most likely just trying to see if the Herald was alive. In an effort to stave off Cassandra's hunt, he had agreed to try and question the woman himself.

It did not inconvenience him much, he had already planned on checking on the woman's condition, and it was better him, than a stranger who she had not dealt with before. He knew how mages thought. If a stranger came to question her about the Breach, about the Herald, she would never trust them. At the first opportunity she would take the boy and run.

Cullen hoped their prior alliance would allow her some amount of trust in him; hoped it would allow her to listen without suspicion of ulterior motives. Even if she believed he was a templar, he had been kind to her and, hopefully, that - along with the information on the Herald -would allow her to trust him. All he needed was a modicum of her trust to prove that he was a decent man; that the Inquisition was filled with good people. Then, and only then, could he work at getting answers.

Another gust of wind slapped at his back, tossing in more clumps of snow and scattering discarded papers. The cold was beginning to seep through his gloves and nip at his hands. Taking a deep breath, Cullen stepped into the cabin closing the door behind him. The howling of the wind dulled and only the quiet crackling of the fire on the opposite wall and the sound of Ela's ragged breaths remained. He made his way to the cot stepping over empty bottles and papers that littered the floor. He stopped when he was a foot away.

She was fast asleep. Her eyes flittered back and forth behind her eyelids; her shapely eyebrows knitted together in discomfort. The need to help her was almost overwhelming, but what could he do? Waking her seemed wrong. She had sustained serious injuries and she needed her rest. It was better to let her sleep than to wake her for questioning.

Her tongue swiped at chapped, bleeding lips periodically. Cullen glanced around the cabin looking for a basin of water, or a flask, but found none. The lack of water made him wonder if she had been forgotten; there were a number of wounded in Haven that needed attending to, and not enough hands, but he had given explicit orders that she be taken care of.

He made a mental note to berate the first person he could about leaving her in this condition. The wound on her brow wasn't even stitched up. A yellowish salve had just been spread over it. To his relief there was no swelling on her face, just slight bruises speckled the area around her eye. Or were they freckles?

He took another step forward. Leaning over her, he examined the speckling of bruises that mingled with near identical freckles. They spread from her forehead to her pert nose and across her plump cheeks, they were only a shade darker than her skin, almost unnoticeable.

The scent of lyrium hit his nose, it hung heavy in the air around her, sweet and inviting. It pulled at a need deep within him and his mouth went dry. He licked his lips and shifted awkwardly on his feet trying to ignore its enticing scent. How long has it been?

"Commander,"

He jerked backward, turning on his heel abruptly. A lithe gray-haired elf stood in the doorway, a roll of cloth and two flasks held close to her chest. The door hung open letting the low light of the setting sun and the green eerie glow of the Breach stream in, casting dark shadows across her face. She gave him a shaky, unsure bow and he wondered if she performed the gesture to every human she greeted.

"Adan told me you were asking after this woman," she stated plainly keeping her gaze downward. She moved toward the cot and Cullen stepped to the side, folding his hands behind his back in an effort to be less imposing. The elf peeled back the pelt and the metallic scent of blood quickly consumed the cabin.

The armor Ela had worn the previous day had been stripped from her and tossed on a raggedy wooden table. Now she wore a long cotton shift that clung to her body drenched with sweat and a dark splotch of crimson above her wound. The shift did little to hide her form and he averted his gaze.

The elf gave a quiet 'tsk' at the sight. "I'll need to change her bandages and check fer an infection," she rolled the pelt beneath the woman's feet and rolled up her sleeves. "I'm not sure if we'll be able to help her if one has set. Do you mind?" She gestured for him to turn his back and he nodded.

He turned making his way over to the fireplace. It had done little to subdue the chill in the air and he grabbed a log and fed it into the fire. It crackled happily at the offering. Cullen rested his arm on the thin mantle and stared into the orange haze as the elf worked in silence.

"What injuries did she sustain?" he asked finally.

"She needed fifteen stitches if you just want to know the worst of it."

"I don't."

The elf gave an audible sigh before answering him. "Well, she had a broken arm we managed to mend, but it'll be stiff fer a'while. A rib was broken as well. It isn't healed yet. The wound on her side missed her major organs, but she won't be up and walking anytime soon. And she shouldn't try to either," she paused and he could hear her opening the flasks. "She'll most likely have some confusion when she awakens. Is there anyone who could help her?"

He took a moment to think on the question. She was Aiden's relative, and he was in a similar state. The Qunari and the rest of her band had left early that morning; he hadn't seen hide nor hair of them since and he wasn't sure if they would actually return. There was no one else that they knew to be associated with the two of them. No one to care for them, or help them. They only had each other.

"I'm not sure," he responded after a moment.

"I've finished, sir." the elf stated, he turned to see her pulling the pelt back over the woman. "Should I have someone watch over her until she awakens then?"

"No, no, she wouldn't take kindly to strangers," he said quickly. "Have someone come by every so often to check on her condition, with water, other than that leave her be. When she awakens send someone for me." he commanded. "If I find that she's been neglected again, there'll be hell to pay." She gave another bow before scurrying out of the cabin.

He kept his place at the fire, watching the woman's chest rise and fall; wondering if she would pull through. She was strong, but she had lost much in a short amount of time and he had seen that tear down the strongest of men. He let out another deep sigh. It was going to be a long week, and he prayed that she would make it through. If his intuition proved correct, the boy would need her.

Kata tossed another ruined tent to the side. Their camp was a mess and their search was going nowhere. Someone had ripped through their tents, ravaging through their belongings and taking anything of value. Ripped cloth and the occasional undergarment was all that was left scattered through the ever-climbing snow. Lilith stood ahead of him, knee deep in the fluff, picking up piece after piece only to throw them back down again, frustration apparent on her face.

The snow was falling relentlessly and the sun was beginning to set past the mountaintops, its reddish light mixing with the Breach. The sight made his stomach clench. His Kadan would have found it breath taking though. She always enjoyed sights like this for reasons he would never understand. The only thing he did know was that the imekari was alive and they would need her sword to get him back.

"Creators," Evsa cursed from his side, "there's nothing left." She overlooked the debris with angry eyes, clutching the remnants of what he assumed to be a robe. "Whoever went through our things took anything of value. There's no point in digging through the snow, we should just retire to Haven."

He grunted in response. She had been complaining since he had roused them early that morning.

"This is not pleasant for me Saarebas. I do not expect it to be pleasant for you." He stated firmly. "The sooner we find the sword, the sooner we return. "Raising a gloved a hand he produced a ripped light blue cloth. "It was wrapped in this. Find it."

He made to turn away from her, to continue his search through the snow, when Evsa gave a defiant growl. "A sword won't help her now!" She hissed. "She needs us more than she needs a sword! You brutes always think things can be fixed through-"

"Pashaara!"

She flinched at the word.

"Assist or leave," he declared, "but do not bother me again." He turned away from her, focusing back on the ruined tent he had tossed aside.

The commotion drew Lilith's attention. The blond-haired woman looked on with stern eyes and hands on her hips. She gave him a beckoning nod. He dropped the tent before trudging over to her. She met his gaze with a fervent glare. The woman was only as high as his shoulder, but she stood back straight as an arrow, arms crossed across her chest; demanding respect, demanding attention.

"Basalit-an," he addressed. "What do you require?"

Lilith took a deep breath in. "Aiden is alive," she began. "The Boss is half-dead, and you have us digging in the snow." She accentuated each word carefully adding as much emphasis as possible. "It is not surprising that Evsa is acting the way she is," she continued, "she is cold, and battle worn. The girl has only been with us half the year, most of that spent walking around Thedas. If we inform her of the circumstances that require the sword, she may be more likely to assist."

His chest flared with rage. It was the most outlandish idea he had ever heard from the woman. The elves were judgmental and nearly as close-minded as the Qunari. How would a Dalish react to finding out their leader shared a body with a spirit? He himself had not taken the news positively. When Kadan had told him of her predicament, he had drawn his sword, ready to strike her down. The only reason he had relented and followed her was because she had saved his life, shown him how to live without the Qun, given him direction when he could find none.

"No."

"Maker's breath!"

"She is still new, Kadan would not want it."

She threw her hands skyward in frustration. "I doubt it will matter if she dies!" She noted in a hushed tone leaning toward him.

Kata stood stoic for a moment, considering the idea.

"We've already lost Raul, may he be returned to the stone," she added quickly, "but we cannot lose Ela because you spent your time squabbling with someone who is easily replaceable. She needs that sword to recover. It's the only way she'll be able to get Aiden back."

She reminded him too much of a Tamassran, he felt like a child again. The heat that had flared in his chest moments ago died down as he considered the idea. It seemed a simple solution. Kill the elf if she tried to put their leader in danger, but he knew better than to believe anything was simple. It would do to stop the elf's complaining, however. After a while, he gave a soft grunt of approval.

"If it comes to it, I want no parts of it." He conceded.

"I'll handle it." she promised grinning. She called to Evsa as she moved past him, a smile still on her face. A thin arm wrapped around the elf's waist and pulled her close as Lilith told her of their leader's predicament. His ears strained to hear them, but the howling wind drowned them out. A feeling of uncertainty began to creep into his chest. This was a dangerous game they played too often.

It was bad enough that they had lost so many members. Now there were only four left. Lilith was a capable saarebas, strong and well versed in her art. She had been the third one to join their mercenary band and had shown nothing but loyalty since that day. The other one however, Evsa, was proving to be less useful than he and Kadan had hoped. She still acted as if she was with her clan, her ideals clouding her judgement at time. It was a problem he had experienced himself.

Letting out an exasperated sigh he trudged through the snow to, where he presumed, Kadan's tent had been pitched. He racked his brain for where she usually hid her precious items. It was always a guessing game with her. She never hid them in similar spots, paranoid that someone, mainly the imekari, would catch on. Despite her paranoia, she never hid the sword far.

He turned to face the tree line; it seemed a likely hiding spot. She had a habit of using obvious landmarks to hide her items, a habit he thought foolish. The trees were all in a similar state, their trunks bent backwards, limbs twisted and broken off. There was no way to tell if any had been previously oddly shaped and whether or not Kadan had used them to mark her place.

Falling to his knees at the nearest trunk, he thrust his hands into the snow and began digging. His gloves did little to stave off the bite of the snow, but he kept on, moving from side to side digging until he hit the hard, frozen ground. Ahead of him he saw Lilith and Evsa begin searching again, it was a good sign he supposed. Moving to the next tree he began the process again, then to the next, and the next.

It was beginning to look hopeless. If someone had found the sword, they would be very powerful. For a short while at least. He wasn't sure of the specifics, but Kadan had told him enough to convince him that it was evil, healing properties and all. She should have done away with-it years ago, but she was stubborn and held too much pride to let the precious heirloom be destroyed.

His Kadan's stubbornness was beginning to wear on him. As mush as he respected her, cared for her, Kata couldn't help but think if he hadn't been by her side for so many years she would have fallen to ruin long ago. Rushing off foolhardily into danger, taking risks to save time, endangering herself for others; how many times would she risk death?

How many times must I pull her from the brink? Kata kept digging, his frustration growing. He had hoped their lives would be different when she took in the imekari. That she would be calmer, more careful. That they would move away from the mercenary life. She had even spoke of finding a home in the mountains. Somewhere far from Templars and other Bas. It had given him hope.

It was not so easy though. If anything, the imekari caused them to move more, to need money more. They ended up needing twice as many jobs to keep him clothed, fed, and educated. And for what? For him to be this Inquisition's pawn?

The imekari was half dead when they came back from the Temple. Kata had wanted to tear them apart. His body had burned with rage at them and himself. He should have taken him when he'd fallen from the Rift, but it was too dangerous. When he saw him again, trudging after the Seeker his eyes wide with fear he had thought of running with him then.

How far would we have gotten? He knew the answer and he didn't like it.

Something hard and rough whacked against his fingers. Running his hand along the object, a smirk pulled at his lips. Wrapping his fingers around the cold iron sheath he yanked it from the snow. The blue cloth that had covered the sword was gone and the scratched sheath was covered in small spots of rust that had formed long ago.

The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end as he brushed the snow from the sword. He snatched up a piece of ripped cloth and wrapped it around the sword until it was hidden from his view. Swiping the snow from his legs, he made his way back to the others, sword held tight in hand. Lilith was the first to notice him.

"I have found it." he said raising the wrapped item slightly.

"Ah, good," she raised herself from the snow and moved to him. "Evsa took the news moderately well," she whispered. "I'll keep an eye on her till I'm sure she isn't going to turn on us anytime soon."

He nodded gazing over at the red-head. The news was good…for now. He doubted if they could really trust the saarebas, but at this moment they had to take what help they could get. Safety laid in numbers and they had few.

His Kadan and imekari needed him and he needed the elf to help them, even if he didn't like to admit it.

She was surrounded by an ink-black gloom. It was all encompassing, suffocating, but she felt no fear. She had been here before. The place between life and death, deep within her own mind that beckoned to her whenever she was close to the end. Ela let herself drift down into the void, the outside world nothing more than a distant buzz now. The pain she felt earlier was gone, replaced by a beautiful numbness.

Another consciousness sat just beyond the blackness, trying to worm its way in and exert its will. She tried to ignore it. It surrounded her black sanctuary, squeezing every so often trying to find a chink in her mental armor. The spirit was persistent in its efforts to reach her. It wanted her to live, desperately so, and it sat on the other side of the blackness chattering away trying to sway her opinion.

'You cannot give up.' it declared pointedly, squeezing the space around her.

"Why not?" Ela asked exhaustion clear in her voice. Her willpower had been sapped considerably from holding the spirit at bay and she didn't know how much longer she could hold. The spirit must have felt the same. Usually, by now, it would yank her from the void and send her slamming back to her physical body.

'Our job is not yet finished.'

"Your job perhaps."

'We are the protectors of your family.' The spirit flared slightly, bright and overbearing. 'You have a duty.'

It was getting closer. She felt herself begin to falter. "Let me go," she pleaded. "My brother is gone. He doesn't need me anymore…no one needs me anymore."

'You cannot pass yet,' it stated, growing closer. She could feel its warmth begin to wrap around her.

"Leave me be!" she cried out, attacking the invading force with all the strength she had left. "I don't want to be here anymore! I don't want to be anyone's protector!"

The spirit rushed toward her, pulling her from the darkness. 'It is your burden! You will bear through it.' The voice commanded pushing her back into her body. 'You have not completed your duty.'

A cry flew from her lips as the pain of her injuries returned to her full force. Her body felt like it was on fire: her side throbbed fiercely, her face pulsed, her arm felt as if it was stuck full of needles. Something clattered to the floor causing her heart to race and an arm wrapped around her shoulders. She jerked away on instinct, her eyes shooting open. Kata's crimson eyes came into view.

Ela let out a long sigh, dropping her head back down against his arm. She focused on her breathing, letting his piney scent fill her nostrils with each breath. Kata waited patiently for her to calm down before offering a worn flask to her lips. She accepted it greedily, forcing down the cold liquid in big gulps. She felt him swallow a lump in his throat and knew a tongue lashing was ahead.

"You should have dodged," he stated calmly setting the flask down. "You could have dodged."

She pushed herself upward, her side pounding in protest. "I know," was her simple reply. He huffed at her, his nostrils flaring and his eyes narrowing, asking her the obvious question of why she hadn't. It never left his lips though. He just sighed, his hand absentmindedly rubbing her shoulder.

"Kadan?"

"Hmm," she groaned.

"Dodge next time."

A chuckle escaped her before she collapsed back down, curling her body inward. The chainmail of Kata's armor bit into her cheek adding to the pain she felt. She ignored it and let herself shed a few silent tears. They flowed down her face in thin streams, tinkling against Kata's armor. She let only a small stream of emotions flow from the dam that she had erected to keep herself sane; yet, the pain from it bogged her mind in a thick fog.

Tucking her legs to her chest something cold and firm slid down her leg, she knew without looking what it was. It was the reason the pain of her wounds had begun to fade, the reason the spirit had over powered her. That damn sword. Ela cursed it inwardly, the irony of the matter all too apparent to her. The one time she no longer wants it, there it is.

Kata shifted under her awkwardly, doing his best to not disrupt her too much. "I have news," he uttered after a moment. Wiping the tears from eyes with a bare arm, she sat up to face him. His face was still impassive as he looked at her, but she saw through the assumed indifference. All his emotions laid in his eyes, all the worry, the pain, the anger; it was all there just beneath the surface. His eyes were filled with turmoil.

"Did you find a body?" she asked quietly, her voice hoarse. "Did you find anything? Anything at all?"

He shook his head and her chest tightened.

Her voice quivered. "What then?"

"Kadan, the imekari is alive." He revealed calmly.

"W-what?"

"Aiden is alive."

She sat staring at him, her eyes glazed over, her jaw slack, her mind unable to understand the weight of his words. "He-" she started.

"Is alive." Kata finished.

The news hit her with the weight of a bronto kick to the chest, and she sure she would collapse at any moment. "How?" she asked hollowly.

He told her everything he knew. What the hole in the sky was, about her brother's captors, the Mark on his hand — which alarmed her more than anything else — and how he they had him under guard every step of the way. Then he went on to inform her about Evsa's newfound knowledge over her. It was concerning to say the least. She had only decided on a select few knowing of her…condition, and she did not think the elf was ready.

Ela threw her legs over the cot, tossing the heavy pelt to the side and sending the sword clattering to the ground. Stitches dug into her side painfully. She ignored it. The sword had done enough to get her moving.

"How long have I been asleep?" Ela inquired hastily, limping over to the bench where her clothing sat. She began examining her gear. The breast plate was salvageable, as was the rest of her gear, save for the leather jerkin. Two long rips ran through the side of it stained black with blood. She ran a finger over the frayed edges of the tear, the attack from the demon running through her head again.

"Nearly three days." Kata answered rising from his seat. He picked up a roll of bandages and moved to her side. "The last I saw of the imekari he was still considered a prisoner, though, now, many of the Bas see him as their savior."

She pulled the cotton shift off herself and threw it to the ground. Bandages covered her entire torso, all stained crimson, and all reeking fiercely. "Sent from the Maker, I'm sure." She muttered as Kata worked at replacing the bandages. "We need to get him and get far, far away from here."

Kata grunted in agreement lifting her injured arm gingerly. "You should pin your arm down," he suggested looking over it.

"Where are the others?" She asked ignoring him. Her arm was indeed in bad shape, it was stiff as a board and her thumb and forefinger were not responding as they should have. None of that mattered to her. Ela began pulling on her armor.

"Outside, watching the village."

"Where is Aiden?"

"Inside one of the village huts."

"Guards?"

"Two outside," he replied. "We will have to make it past the Commander's troops to reach him."

"Will it be hard?"

"No," he answered, helping with the last of the buckles for her breast plate. "They are preoccupied with other matters it seems. Let me pin your arm."

"I'll be fine," she protested, but he grabbed the limb anyway and using a spare piece of cloth looped it over her torso and shoved her arm inside. "Mother hen," she grumbled under her breath in irritation. Ignoring her, he tightened the cloth until he was sure it was secure.

"I'll need the sword." She said making a motion to grab it.

"No," Kata scolded pulling her away from it gently, "I'll be your weapon." He scooped the sword up for himself. She snorted at his declaration, but agreed. He motioned for her to sit on one of the low stools and she obliged while he went outside and gathered Lilith and Evsa.

Ela took the small moment of privacy to take a deep breath and collect her thoughts. Her mind was racing. Aiden was alive, with a strange mark on his hand, and held captive by this Inquisition. It was mind boggling to think he had somehow survived the explosion at the Conclave. Relieving, but mind boggling. She couldn't imagine the stress that he was under.

The door swung open and the remnants of her band marched in, Kata taking up the rear. Lilith didn't waste a second to embrace her. She ran to her, blonde hair streaking behind her, and tossed her arms around her neck. Ela returned the gesture slowly, carefully, patting her back with her one free hand.

Evsa stood to the side, brown eyes downcast, knuckles white as she clutched her staff.

"I understand you know," Ela said parting from Lilith. "It seems bad, I know, but this wasn't my choice. It was never my choice. The spirit is well contained, I can assure you. If yo -"

"I don't know if I can believe that," Evsa murmured, letting an awkward silence, thick and heavy, come over the room. Ela felt herself holding her breath. Kata stood behind the elf, his body tense, waiting patiently to cut her down at a moment's notice.

"But you're different," she went on, "that I can see. All this time and I never even guessed. Then, you saved me, when you could have just killed me. And you paid me. I don't agree with it, but I think I'll stick around…for now. I owe you that much."

Ela smiled, a wave a relief washing over her. Kata relaxed, his shoulders dropping back down. "I'm glad to hear that," she said nodding, the relief she felt clear in her tone. Lilith smiled wide and placed her hand on her hips content with herself. "Then we have another issue to discuss." Ela informed standing from her seat.

The mood of the room sobered.

"My brother," she began. "He is being held by this…Inquisition for whatever is on his hand. It controls these Rifts, and it stopped the growth of that thing in the sky. I will not ask you all to fight for me when the possibility of death is so high. It is my burden, and mine alone. But, I wil- I cannot leave him here." She corrected herself. "There is no money in this, no reward, nothing that I can giv-."

"Oh, shove it," Lilith interrupted. "We've been with each other for almost as long as you've had that boy. We're family, an odd one, but a family nonetheless."

"I will not abandon you, Kadan." Kata pledged.

"I'll stand with you." Evsa said twisting her hands around her staff.

A comforting warmth formed in her chest. It took everything in her not to cry at their pledges of loyalty.

"Then let's get to work," she said straightening her back.

They developed a plan quickly. In the early morning, they would leave to retrieve her brother and then find a way out of the village. She let her men rest for the night, staying up to keep watch herself while meditating in an attempt to erect a barrier between her and the spirit. Letting their consciousness meld was not an option. She sat cross legged atop the raggedy table till the rays of the early morning peeked from behind the mountain. Waking her men, she let them devour a quick meal before heading out.

The wind immediately slapped her in the face, stinging her cheeks. Ela pulled the hood over her head in attempt to keep warm. Following the downtrodden path to the village, her heart dropped when she saw that a group of soldiers were already up and training. Lilith patted her shoulder reassuringly. They continued to move forward, and when none of the soldiers made a move to investigate, she felt a small sense of relief. They made their way through the gates quickly, keeping their heads down.

Villagers stared as they passed by, their eyes drawn by Kata's bulky form and curved horns. She ignored it, trying to memorize from Lilith's crude map where her brother's cabin was. Rounding a corner, it became obvious. Just as Kata said, two guards stood next to the door with swords at their hips.

Making their way to the guards felt like an eternity. It was only a short distance, ten steps at the most, but every step felt like it took ten years. Her heartbeat pounded in her ears. She wanted to rush ahead, burst into the cabin, pick up her brother, and run. Never looking back at Haven, or the cursed Breach.

The guards eyed them suspiciously as they approached, their hands moving to rest on their sword hilts. Ela licked her lips. Kata moved to her side putting on his best glare.

"I've come to see the boy, Aiden, the Herald of Andraste," she stated calmly despite the pounding of her heart.

The guards looked straight ahead. "We cannot allow you entry, Lady Cassandra's orders." They replied unwaveringly. "Only the healer and his assistants may enter."

Ela scuffed under her breath. "I am his sister," she declared. "This lady and her orders mean nothing to me. You will allow me to enter, or I will enter without your approval. The latter will result in bodily injury for you, I can assure you that."

One of the guards snarled at her, drawing his sword with a hiss. "Sister, or not you will not enter while I still draw breath." The second guard, warily, followed suit.

Crunching snow and murmuring voices sounded behind them, her skin prickled from the eyes laid on her back. They had an audience. The spirit pulsed inside her, yearning to take control. Her barrier held.

Snapping her fingers deftly, her team jumped into action. Kata slammed the head of the first guard against the cabin's wall. The poor man didn't fall unconscious immediately and he gave it another slam till his body went limp. Ela lunged at the second guard casting a spell of sleep over him. She fiend a punch to make it look as if she had knocked him unconscious and caught him by his jerkin as he fainted. Behind them, Lilith and Evsa erected a barrier between them and the rest of Haven. The villagers flew into a fit, screaming and cursing and calling for their heads. The crowd was growing larger by the moment.

Kata dragged the unconscious guards out of the way, then took his post next to the door. The two mages stood on either side of the barrier, their staffs raised. The plan was going as well as it could all things considered.

"It will be a fight to get out." Kata said eyeing the growing crowd.

Ela couldn't help but agree. "The sword may be our only option, old friend." She mumbled casting a fearful eye over the crowd. Kata only grunted in response.

She gave a reassuring pat on his arm and turned to head inside the cabin.

"HALT!" a voice rang out.

Ela stopped mid-step. Turning, she saw an armored woman had bullied her way through the crowd; a group of soldiers stood behind her, their hands hovering over their sword hilts.

"Who are you? What do you think you're doing?" She yelled through a thick Nevarran accent, stopping in front of the shimmering blue barrier.

Ela observed the woman from under her hood carefully as she moved in front of her. Her eyes were narrow and firm. They were familiar to Ela; they were the eyes of a woman who would move mountains to achieve her goals. Lifting her hands slowly, she pulled the hood back and the woman's eyes light up with a hunger at the sight.

"I am the Herald's sister," she stated loudly, raking her eyes across the gathered crowd. "And I have come for my brother."

"I am Cassandra Pentaghast," the woman said with a growl. "And the Herald is under the protection of the Inquisition. If you are, as you say, his sister, then you should not mind dispelling this barrier and coming with me. I have questions for—"

Ela chuckled sardonically crossing her arms. "In fact, I do mind."

Cassandra's face crinkled at the interruption. She drew her sword in one quick movement. "Then I will not allow you to enter that cabin." She declared.

Ela chuckled again. "Lady Cassandra, you are not in a position to stop me," she said motioning to the barrier with a smile on her face. "And, even if you were," she glanced over at Kata who stood beside her, his claymore raised in preparation. "You would find the task a difficult one. My brother may be under the protection of the Inquisition, but — from what I understand — he has endured more injury while under your protection than he ever has with me. I intend to take my brother and we will leave this blasted place behind."

Angry shouts came from the crowd.

She ignored them, turning her back. The woman threatened her from behind, shouting that they would never let her leave with the Herald, she was surrounded, she could never escape through force. She ignored her too. The sword strapped to Kata's back would ensure their escape.

Making her way to the door, she took a deep breath in, preparing to see her brother battered and beaten. Before she even laid a hand on the door handle, the veil thinned, something popped, and Evsa cursed. She snapped her head around to see a bald mage assaulting their barrier. Lilith and Evsa did their best to reinforce it, but whoever the mage was he was too strong. The barrier caved under his assault. She rushed forward knowing that Kata would not waste a second to engage the woman.

Someone cursed, a woman screamed, and swords hissed out of their sheaths.

Cullen had thought his day was going smoothly. He had slept peacefully through the entire night. His hair had worked with him. Breakfast had been tolerable; yet, here he was, wedged between a rock and a hard place. Namely, a Qunari and Cassandra.

While looking over a map of Haven to find space for their new recruits, a soldier had barged into his tent, raving about the Herald being kidnapped. He didn't need a description to know who it was. Setting off without letting the soldier finish, he had come to find the situation far worse than he had imagined. Rounding the corner, he came to see Solas destroying a barrier, and the Qunari and Cassandra lunging at each other. Despite his better judgment, he shoved his way through the crowd, ordered his men to stand down, and thrown himself in the middle. The Maker had to be smiling on him, he thought, no one had stabbed him…yet.

Now, the massive horned man stood in front of him, claymore raised to his throat, the Herald's sister at his side. Amethyst eyes bored into him, hard and unyielding, surrounded by tresses of charcoal hair that fell to her waist. Her arm was laid on her comrade's, the only reason the Qunari hadn't cut him down.

"Cullen, stand aside." Cassandra growled through clenched teeth. He could feel her eyes burning into the back of his head.

"Stand down, Cassandra," Cullen said glancing over his shoulder. "Let me handle this." The mercenary captain shifted in front of the Qunari, her arm still resting on his massive bicep. Her eyes focused on Cassandra in a hard glare.

"Commander," the captain said glancing his way. "Glad to see you are well."

"And I you," he replied steadily, glancing down at the blade. "Though, this isn't how I thought we would meet again." She patted the Qunari's arm and he, reluctantly, lowered his sword. Cullen nodded in thanks, before turning and motioning for Cassandra to do the same. She groaned in disgust, but obliged.

"I've come to see my brother, Commander."

"I can see that," he said sternly. "You could have approached me first."

The mercenary captain shook her head in disagreement before replying. "Your Inquisition has done enough to him, taking him prisoner, dragging him along on an assault on the Breach. He nearly died!"

"He agreed to help us!" Cassandra shouted lurching forward. The Qunari's muscles clenched and he lunged to meet her, but the mercenary captain slapped her arm against his chest, stopping him in an instant.

"So you say," the captain grumbled.

"Cassandra, we can resolve this." Cullen argued without turning.

"Can we?" The captain asked.

"We can. We just need to work with one another. Allow me to accompany you inside, unarmed, we can clear up these misunderstandings. You can see your brother." Cullen suggested.

"This is a foolish idea." Cassandra voiced.

He ignored her.

"There is no need for us to fight one another," he added stepping forward, "we can help you and your brother and you can help us. There is more going on here than either of us can see on the surface." She gave him a hard look. He was sure she was going to deny his request.

"Kata…guard the door." The captain ordered turning toward the cabin. The Qunari grunted in understanding, shifting to let Cullen pass. Cassandra protested profusely, a few of his soldiers as well. He assured her that it would be okay, passed his sword to a nearby soldier, and followed the woman inside. The door closing soundly behind them.

The inside of the cabin was stuffy and dark. The Herald was laid on a bed, a wet cloth laid on his forehead, murmuring in his sleep. The mercenary captain rushed to his bedside falling to her knees. She ran a hand through his curly hair kissing his cheek.

He stayed by the door, feeling completely out of place, and watched her nuzzle the boy lovingly. The resemblance between the two was painfully obvious now: the unruly raven hair, the full lips, the jewel like eyes, the light brown skin, all of it was the same.

"Thank you." She whispered it, almost inaudibly, before clearing her throat and repeating it again. "Thank you, for calming that down out there. And, I suppose, I should apologize…for causing it."

"There were other ways to go about this," he said crossing his arms, "a lot of people could have been hurt."

"Didn't know what else to do," she replied simply, "from what I understood you all were holding him prisoner."

"Ah, well, we were…at first." Cullen revealed his tone lightening. Spotting two stools he pulled them over to the bed and offered her one. Thanking him quietly she took a seat. Cullen cleared his throat and leaned forward in his chair. "I assume you would like to know what happened to him." She nodded. "Well, your brother, he helped us. He agreed to help us try and close the Breach. Lady Cassandra and the mage who took out your barrier kept him alive. There were many who wished to take him to Val Royeaux to be put to trial, but Cassandra kept them from him."

"Well, he didn't exactly escape unscathed." She hissed quietly. "But…I suppose I owe the woman an apology."

Cullen was happy to hear that.

"So, what do you need to know of me?" she asked sucking a deep breath in.

Cullen cleared his throat. "The most pressing question is how he managed to survive at the Conclave?"

"I wasn't there…not when it happened anyway. I had to go back to camp to retrieve one of the mages who hired my company."

"The tall woman with you?"

"No…a man, it was strange. He wasn't there when I arrived. His tent was empty and before I could even try and find him…boom." She muttered mimicking an explosion with her hand.

The Commander's face twisted at the news, but he continued on with his questions. "Who are you two? Where do you come from?"

She answered slowly, thoughtfully. "We came from Orlais to Ferelden a few months ago. The war has made it hard for anywhere to be safe, so we took the risk of coming here for the pay."

"Your accent isn't Orlesian," the Commander said accusingly. "Where are you from originally?"

She glared at him from the corner of her eye, sending chills down his spine. "Far from here."

"You can trust me."

"Can I?"

"You must, if we are to work together."

"You must forgive me," said Ela rising from her seat, "You seem a proper man, and I will cooperate to the best of my ability, but there is too much at stake for me and my brother. So, besides my origins and anything related to my heritage, what would you like to know Commander?"

Cullen grimaced. "You're making this harder than it has to be. Two of my men have already been killed by you."

"I did no such thing," she fired back. "Kata injured one of your men. I put the other to sleep."

"It does not change the fact that you attacked them," he said crossing his arms over his chest. "And then you almost crossed blades with Lady Cassandra, the person who kept your brother alive."

"It is rather hard to cross blades with someone, when you don't have a blade to cross." She grinned sarcastically.

"You know what I mean." He snapped in irritation.

Ela sighed, produced a worn leather flask, and threw her head back taking a long drink. They sat in awkward silence for long time listening to the sound of the boy's breathing. Tossing and turning in his bed, he muttered in his sleep a cold sweat growing on his brow. His sister watched on with heavy eyes, her mouth pursed thin, reminding Cullen of his own sister.

How much does Mia worry over me like this? He thought sadly. I should write her more.

"I can see I've put you in an uncomfortable situation and I'm truly sorry, Commander." She said softly. "I have a solution, however. Take me into custody, it is obviously what Lady Cassandra wishes. All I ask is that you leave Kata to guard my brother, he'll listen to my orders. The other two, the mages…they…well they won't interfere. I don't think my plan would have even worked considering his state."

Cullen watched as Ela spoke. It seemed the fight had been drained from her. The warrior he had met on the battlefield was gone, replaced by this tired, pragmatic woman. The unyielding eyes that had drilled into him earlier were as soft as flower petals now, all pleading and teary. He found himself feeling sorry for her. All she wished to do was keep her brother safe.

It was a sound proposition. Cassandra would accept the surrender, most likely tossing the woman into the same dungeon her brother had sat in. Letting the Qunari guard the boy would no doubt rub her the wrong way.

It could work though.

The Herald stirred again, mumbling his sister's name, begging for something they couldn't understand. Suddenly he launched upward, his eyes shooting open, his breath quick. Fear shone bright in his eyes as they darted around the room, trying to make sense of everything. It melted away when he saw his sister.

"Aiden!" Ela's exasperated cry filled the cabin as she fell to the Herald's side grasping his face tightly. She fussed over him checking his head, his arms, anything that could have been injured. The boy, confused, sat quietly letting her. His bright eyes followed her every move like he couldn't believe she was real, like she would disappear at any moment.

For a while Cullen thought they had forgotten him. They sat with one another hugging, and talking about their battles. It made wonder how his own family would greet him after such a long separation. Mia would be furious no doubt. When they turned their attention back on him, he was half in his day dreams and missed what the Herald had said to him.

"It is an honor to meet you, Commander Cullen." The Herald repeated. Cullen nodded, gave a warm smile and returned the curtesy.

She looked at him then, with those soft lilac eyes brimming with tears. It pulled at something inside him. That same stupid flutter stirred in his chest. "Is my proposition enough, Commander?" Ela asked solemnly.

He went to answer, but found himself unable to find the words. He couldn't do it.

"It won't be necessary," he replied after a moment. Cassandra would be furious. He only hoped that she would take it out on a training dummy and not him. "I've gotten all the answers I needed. If you agree to stay in Haven and help us, my men will be ordered to stand down and you to be left alone. The villagers will no doubt be happy to hear you've awoken, Herald." A sad smile grew on Ela's lips. The boy looked between them, puzzled as to what was going on. "I'll do my best to keep Lady Cassandra from hounding you. Ah, and, what should I tell your men?" He inquired.

"Nothing, they'll come to me." Ela said.

He nodded to her. "Take some time to rest, the both of you. Your wounds have not yet healed and things will only be harder from here. When you are ready head for the Chantry, I'm sure you'll find us there." He stated heading for the door. He had his hand on the handle when she called for him.

"Commander Cullen,"

He turned, surprised she had used his whole title.

"Thank you…for everything."