Solea spent over a month in the Hinterlands representing the Inquisition and trying to quell the embittered war of templars and mages. It was endless days of fighting, running back and forth through the woods performing menial tasks, helping refugees, closing small rifts and constantly being attacked by demons, mages, templars, and even a terrifying run in with a bear.

She was the happiest she'd been since leaving for the Conclave.

At the forward Inquisition camp, Solea had been greeted by a cheery dwarven woman that introduced herself as Chief Scout Harding and informed the elf that she was in charge of the Inquisition scouts in the area. The conversation was brief as Harding gave her a quick rundown of the current situation, but Solea found herself liking the dwarf's bright disposition.

After fighting her way through the crossroads, Solea and her party had sought advice of Mother Giselle as they'd been instructed. The Chantry woman had been visibly shocked by Solea's age, as had most of the people she'd met. Clearly no one had believed the Herald of Andraste was truly as young as they'd been told. To her credit, Mother Giselle recovered quickly and suggested that the smartest move would be to head to Val Royeaux to appeal to members of the Chantry. Even generating the smallest doubts in the Chantry's condemnation of the Inquisition, she said, would be enough.

Solea and her party had spent the next several weeks doing whatever they could to aid the people living in the war-torn region. Through her deeds the Inquisition gained fame as a force for good in the world, and after weeks trapped in Haven, Solea was glad to be actively working to help people. The work was tiring and the fighting tough, but she threw herself eagerly into the work.

It took two weeks before Varric started giving her knowing looks, and another week after that before she sensed the Seeker catching on. Solas was the only one in the party that didn't seem to care how long they stayed in the Hinterlands. Solea couldn't help that she wanted to avoid returning to Haven and the pressure of her title. So, when the Seeker asked when the Inquisition would be ready to journey to Val Royeaux, Solea snapped.

"We will leave when I say." Striding angrily away from the campfire where they'd been gathered, Solea curled into her bedroll without another word to anyone.

A couple days later, Solea was forced to relent. Forced to handicap herself and fight with no magic or powers, she was exhausting herself in battle both physically and mentally as she adapted her fighting style. A stupid mistake against some bandits, led to a dagger in her shoulder and she spent two days asleep as her exhausted body struggled to heal itself. The moment she awoke, Varric demanded if she was so eager to die just to stay away from Haven and a chagrined Solea organized the journey home. A couple days later and she was headed to Val Royeaux, once again accompanied by the Seeker, the elven apostate and her protective dwarven shadow.

"That went well." Varric muttered as they walked past the grand marble statues that flanked the pathway out of the Summer Bazaar. His concerned gaze tracked the rigid back of the teenager in front of him.

Solea's fists were clenched and rage boiled in her gut. Before the conclave, she'd never had to worry so much about maintaining control. The situations she'd faced in the last couple months were proving to be the harshest tests against the tranquil nature she used to pride herself on. She was beginning to understand why her mother always said she took more after her father in temper. She was barely restraining the urge to scream in frustration.

Varric knew better than to try and talk to her when she was this upset but unfortunately her other companions didn't know her as well.

"Are you alright?" Cassandra inquired abruptly.

Solea whirled about in a fury. "I just got called a naïve little child with delusions of grandeur by the head of your order in front of all the people I was hoping to garner support from." She felt Varric nudge her arm slightly in warning and she paused to suck in a calming breath, reigning in her emotions by sheer willpower alone.

She wasn't angry at the Seeker for what had happened. She was mostly frustrated with people's idiotic need to play politics and ignore the world-ending threat in front of their faces. Plus, the continuing reminder that no one would take her seriously because of her age yet demanded she be responsible for saving the world was absolutely infuriating.

Continuing in a quieter yet still noticeably sharp tone she said, "In the last hour I've been insulted, sent a message by way of fired arrow, invited to a ridiculously inappropriate ball, and approached by the leader of the mage rebellion with an offer of alliance shrouded in as many stipulations as Varric has chest hairs."

Solea took another deep breath. "Regardless, we need to get back to Haven so we can figure out what do next. Creators know I haven't a clue what our next step should be."

"If I may make a suggestion." Solas said, "The location given by these so called 'Friends of Red Jenny' is nearby. Perhaps we should address that before we head back to Haven."

"Great idea." Solea nodded, "The letters hinted at trouble." She twirled one of her blades in her hand. The familiar grip was comforting in her palm. "I could use a good fight."

"I will not go fishing for an alliance with the Templars."

The three Inquisition advisors and Cassandra stood frozen at the vitriolic disgust in her voice. They had never heard Solea speak with such emotion. She was normally quiet during war meetings, always unsure of why they required her attendance and felt vastly unqualified to be making any serious decisions about the Inquisition.

The advisors had approached Solea and Cassandra the moment they walked through the Chantry doors in Haven. Solea's surprise at the appearance was overshadowed by a startling discovery she had about an unforeseen consequence of her time in the Hinterlands. Weeks of fighting against templars and the forced proximity that her fighting style required had lessened her fear of them.

She still clung nervously to the scarf on her arm, an unconscious nervous tic, but despite being within a dozen feet of Cullen, her body wasn't pushing her to flee the room immediately. However, being able to remain in the same room as a retired templar because she absolutely had to was one thing; she would not be going anywhere near an entire fortress of the holy warriors. On this, she would not budge.

Josephine and the Seeker seemed mostly surprised at her outburst; this was the first time she'd actively protested against something they'd suggested. Leliana was analyzing her reaction, as always, but Cullen seemed genuinely angered by her refusal to even consider approaching the Templars for aid.

Normally of a calm demeanor, the man's eyes were steely. "You think the mage rebellion is more united? They could be ten times worse."

"What I think, is that the Lord Seeker has lost his grip on his sanity." Solea clenched her hands behind her back. "What I know is that the Templars have abandoned their posts. I know that the mages approached us. And I know who I would trust to have my back."

The former Templar flinched back from her harsh words and, suddenly exhausted, Solea declared with finality. "You want to label me the Herald of your sacred Andraste and demand I attend war meetings and be the face of the Inquisition? Well this is what you get. Either I have the power to make decisions, or I don't."

Taut as a bowstring, she marched out of the Chantry and back into the swirling winter winds. Despite only just returning, she strode back out the large wooden gates and into the forest to seek solitude and hopefully, some manner of calm.