Solea had been happily avoiding almost everyone for the last few days, spending most of her time out in the forests surrounding Haven. She joyfully discovered that a little distance and some dense foliage dampened the clamor that arose from within the walled encampment. She basked in the peaceful quiet of nature. Sometimes, if she closed her eyes, she could pretend that she was back in the familiar forests outside Kirkwall.

On one occasion, she was meditating in a small clearing, desperately seeking calm after being startled by a couple templars in the camp. There weren't many around, which made her job of avoiding them easy, normally. She was cross-legged on the floor, channeling the flow of energy and mana through her body in time with her breathing when she sensed an approaching presence and heard the faintest rustling of movement.

Her eyes shot open and she turned to see Solas standing frozen just on the edge of the trees surrounding the small clearing. He seemed utterly surprised that she'd noticed his presence which drew a small smile to her face even as she hurried to withdraw her mana.

"I am sorry, Herald. I did not mean to disturb you. I was not expecting anyone else to be out here."

She waved off his apology, not managing to conceal her cringe at the use of her abhorrent title. Solas was a mystery and his seemingly unending magical knowledge made him a threat to her secret. However, she was drawn by the lure of that same pool of wisdom, but she'd been too busy avoiding everyone in Haven to broach the subject with him. Plus, the elf seemed to enjoy solitude even more than she did.

"Please, call me anything but bloody Herald." She gestured him forward and then added hesitantly. "Join me, if you wish."

The elven apostate, to her surprise, nodded and sat himself next to her on the ground, mirroring her pose. They sat in quiet meditation, each in their own minds. An hour passed, and she sensed him adjusting slightly next to her. Seizing the opportunity, she broke the silence and voiced the first question of the many that she'd been dying to ask him.

Solas seemed slightly amused but answered it easily and soon she found the flood of questions pouring out of her mouth. Rather than become annoyed or mocking her childish ignorance, he seemed to genuinely enjoy answering every inquiry she made, regardless of the subject matter. Solea found herself utterly fascinated by his tales of his journeys into the fade and had to bite her tongue to withhold the burning desire to share some of her own experiences with the fade.

Their conversation was ended by the retreating sunlight, but the two elves made their way back to Haven together. Solea's head was swimming with information. Solas promised her that he was happy to share more with her later and she thanked him eagerly for indulging her curiosity. Privately, she hoped she hadn't become suspicious about her interest in magic.

The next day, she was having yet another archery contest with Varric when the now familiar heavy footfalls of the Seeker sounded through the trees. Quick as a flash, Solea darted up onto a tree branch, hiding in the shadows near the trunk. She didn't want any part in whatever it was the Seeker was looking for.

Varric shot her an amused grin before he faced the approaching woman with arms thrown open in exaggerated welcome. "Seeker! To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"I'm looking for the Herald. I was told she came out here with you."

Varric made a show of looking around. "Well, I don't see her. Perhaps-"

"Enough, dwarf!" The Seeker cut him off, "I don't have time to play games, we need her in the war room at once. Just tell me where she is!"

Solea sighed, remembering her previous promise to meet with the advisors of the newly formed Inquisition to discuss the next step in stopping the breach. She had hoped she would have more time. Knowing she had no choice, Solea dropped down behind the Seeker without a sound.

"Well then, we best get to it."

The Seeker shrieked and whirled around with her blade out forcing Solea to duck to avoid being sliced open. Varric chuckled openly and the Seeker's eyes narrowed in anger. With a huff, she sheathed her sword and marched off back towards Haven, clearly expecting Solea to follow.

Staring at the retreating woman, Solea wondered, "Do you think she ever laughs?" When she got no response from Varric, she glanced at him to find his expression had grown serious. "What's wrong?"

"You're supposed to meet the advisors today, right? But you don't know who any of them are."

"Well no, that's the whole point of meeting them." Solea joked but her smile quickly melted as Varric's unease set her on edge. "Maker, Varric you're scaring me. Just tell me what you're worried about.

"Cullen is one of the advisors." Varric declared, lacking his usual eloquence.

"No." Solea froze as horror curdled in her stomach. "No no no…I can't- I have to leave." She clutched desperately at the worn red scarf knotted around her arm. "Varric why wouldn't you tell me this sooner. He can't meet me, he'll know!" Her mind was racing, planning escape routes already when Varric went to grab her hand comfortingly only to pull it back with a yelp.

Startled herself, Solea realized electricity was dancing along her arms and she was glowing bright blue as her body responded to her anxiety. She danced away from Varric, apologies tumbling from her lips. Fighting with her emotions she restrained the errant energy as her fingers slid against red fabric. She really wished her parents were here.

"Herald!" The sharp cry of the Seeker's voice rudely reminded her that she didn't have the luxury of time.

Varric grabbed her hands reassuringly and as she met his gaze, she saw the hesitation in his face. She could see him reconsidering, ready to tell her that she didn't have to do this and that he would just whisk her away back to her parents. Back to a place where she wouldn't have to face templars or old friends of her mother.

Solea couldn't believe she actually missed life as a fugitive, but anything was better than this startling maze of people and responsibilities. The crackling green fissure on her left hand was a bleak reminder of her reasons for staying. People's lives, and possibly the fate of the world, depended on her ability to close the Breach. If she didn't succeed, there would be no life to go back to.

Resigned, she gave Varric a wane smile and reassured him that she would in fact be fine, although he didn't seem very convinced. Chasing after the Seeker, her stomach churned uneasily at the approaching challenge. She donned the impassive mask she'd perfected to hide her emotions around people she couldn't trust. It was a trick she'd mastered at a young age, essential for the safety of the Champion's daughter.

The Seeker said nothing all the way to the war room for which Solea was grateful. It gave her time to gather her thoughts and steel her nerves. Just before she stepped into the room where the advisors waited, Solea gripped the scarf on her arm once more and took a deep breath. She couldn't afford a slipup in front of the sharp-eyed Leliana, but she could already sense his presence through the door.

The faint warbling of lyrium was stronger now that she was in the room and she clenched her fists tightly behind her back, hiding their tremble from the occupants of the room. She stepped close enough to the table to not seem rude but not an inch closer. The Seeker wasted no time, heading straight into introductions as she pointed first to the towering blond man.

Cullen Rutherford, leader of the Inquisition's forces and former Knight-Captain of Kirkwall, was not wearing templar armor. She noted this as something to ask Varric about later. His less formal appearance was only a slight comfort. He still had lyrium in his veins and there was the risk he could recognize her from Kirkwall.

He said nothing but then, to her horror, he offered a hand in greeting. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Herald."

Nails digging into palms, she barely restrained a flinch and nodded sharply at him. "You as well." She croaked out through the anxiety lodged in her throat. There was a weighted pause before Cullen lowered his hand with an awkward cough. Solea could feel eyes burning into her but she was barely holding it together as is. Making physical contact was asking too much. Thankfully, Cassandra pushed on and introduced the ambassador Josephine Montilyet, a cheery Antivan woman decked in golden finery. Solea managed a small smile of amusement as Cassandra rather undiplomatically introduced Leliana as the spymaster.

Solea spent the rest of meeting avoiding looking at the templar and doing her best to speed along the conversation. So eager to leave, she didn't even protest being more or less ordered to journey into the chaos in the Hinterlands and seek out some Chantry woman named Mother Giselle.

Later, far outside the walls of Haven when she could finally breathe easy again, she fired arrow after arrow into the trees before her while cursing her situation with every colorful swear word she'd ever overheard in The Hanged Man. How in Thedas was she supposed to work with a templar?