Grace stared at the door that just closed behind Chancellor Roderick. The old man finally understood that there's no use in spewing his poison around.

"Try not to mind the Chancellor much. Understandably, he struggles…" Leliana noted with a sigh and Grace turned around to face her and Cassandra.

"You would be surprised, but I actually am quite familiar with prickly old priests," Grace replied with a lenient smile and a shrug. "What I am not used to, are blackouts and waking up to unknown places." She smirked. "Not that I am complaining about the recent circumstances…Definitely better than the prison cell. I believe that I owe you my thanks for bringing me down that mountain."

Cassandra smiled at her softly. "That actually is courtesy of our Commander. And we should all be thankful to you. You agreed to help us willingly… you did not hesitate even though it could have killed you."

Grace raised an eyebrow at Cassandra. So the Templar carried her down the mountain? That was unexpected, but it made sense after all. She remembered his earlier approach and grinned. This felt like an adequate comeback after how he treated her. A Templar forced to carry an unconscious mage. She smirked and shrugged. "I think I'd require further clarification on what exactly happened… But as I said. I'm not complaining. This is much better than being chained."

Cassandra sighed. "I am sorry about that… there was no way for us to know you were not involved… Not until you agreed to help us…"

Leliana nodded in agreement and added "And we still need your help. Solas thinks that another attempt at closing the Breach should be successful, but the mark needs much more power. We need to discuss the strategy with the rest of our council. Help us fix this. Before it's too late."

Grace blinked in confusion. Now that was an unexpected turn of events. "Well… it's not like I have any other options right? I mean… Don't get me wrong… I'm glad that the mark has some other purpose apart from killing me…" Grace sighed and rubbed her temple. "...If only I could remember what went down… everything would be easier. Of course, the Breach and the remaining rifts need to be dealt with…" She pointed her right index finger at her left palm. "And then I can probably figure out how to get rid of this… Fine… If you are truly trying to restore order, I will help."

Cassandra cleared her throat. "Exactly. And I am glad you are wise enough to see the reason… Honestly… I'm not sure how I would take it, were I in your place. Commander Rutherford and Ambassador Montilyet should be joining us any moment now. We will discuss this further."

"Trust me, I want to see this mark gone just as much as you want to see this mess solved. It feels… too unnatural. And I believe that is a strong argument, considering I am a mage with magic basically running through my veins." Grace played with the crystal on her choker, trying to hide a hint of nervousness in her voice.

So... she was supposed to cooperate with the Templar as well…

His slightly arrogant 'welcome' at the Temple came to her mind again. She frowned a little, not sure what to expect from him. Of course, they were supposed to cooperate. As if it all wasn't hard enough so far.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a hasty clacking of heeled boots on the floor. The woman who entered the war room was dressed in golden ruffled finery and had a charming smile on her face.

"I see that Lady Herald joined our meeting already." There was this strange nickname again Grace thought.

"The Commander is right behind me. I believe he was discussing some urgent business with Knight-Captain Rylen." She chirped with a strong Antivan accent. "Allow me to introduce myself, Lady Trevelyan. I'm Josephine Montilyet. Lead Diplomat and Ambassador to The Inquisition."

Grace nodded with a former smile. "Pleasure to meet you, Lady Josephine."

"I am deeply sorry about the accommodation we were able to provide my Lady. I am sure that you are accustomed to higher standards." Grace widened her eyes at Josephine in surprise.

I guess that staying incognito was too much to ask. I bet Mother dear has already alarmed half a Thedas after the conclave anyway…

She did not have time to answer however and was interrupted by Commander Cullen entering the war room in a hurry.

"Please excuse my late arrival. Did I miss anything?" He looked around the war room finally realizing there was one more woman than usual and he fixed his stare on Grace. "Lady Herald… I am glad to see you are well." He cast down his gaze.

Did he just shift his weight nervously? "Thank you, Commander," Grace noted in a reserved reply as she watched Cullen take his place at the other side of the war table right against herself. His tension was apparent from the moment he saw her.

Leliana and Josephine stood next to him and Cassandra joined Grace at the other side of the table as she began to speak.

"You didn't miss anything at all, Commander." Cassandra noted. "I believe some introduction is in order, right?" She looked at Grace and waited for her nod. "You've met Commander Cullen. He leads and trains our forces."

"Only briefly, on the battlefield." She narrowed her eyes at Cullen. He remained silent.

"And also sister Leliana."

"Pleasure to meet you." Grace nodded again in Leliana's direction.

"My role involves.. a certain level of…" the red haired woman began, only to be interrupted by Cassandra.

"She's our Spymaster."

Leliana grinned at the interruption. "Well, tactfully put, Cassandra." The Seeker shrugged and grinned in response.

Leliana continued. "Well, as you all know, we have met here to discuss the matters of gaining enough support to close the Breach." Grace admired her perfectly controlled face as the red-haired woman began to brief the council.

"I have already sent the ravens to announce the forming of The Inquisition. Herald's mark needs more power, I believe that's why we need to approach the rebel mages for help."

Cullen interrupted her. "And I still disagree strongly." His face was grim and resolute. "The Templars should be our first choice."

Grace glanced at him as he continued to frown. She crossed her arms on her chest, subconsciously trying to brace herself, feeling a spark of anger building in her chest.

Now, now Commander... Your Templar is showing again.

This man seemed like a pure example of why the Templars and mages were not able to work together. So much prejudice. Might be even…hatred?

"The mark needs more power to close the Breach Cullen," Cassandra argued.

"The Templars can suppress the Breach." Cullen was not leaving his case. "I was a Templar. I know what they're capable of!" He barked back at Cassandra.

...was a Templar? So he no longer is one? Can one really leave the order? Grace watched their debate, hesitant to intervene. The mages would be her first choice as well… not only because she was one. It just made more sense to her. There may even be some mages from Ostwick among the rebels. Maybe some of the people she knew survived after all. Oh, what would she give for a familiar face... However, she doubted that her opinion would help.

"Suppressing the Breach makes no sense. The mark is the only key to closing it. Pouring enough power into it..."

"...might destroy us all," Cullen added spitefully.

Leliana looked at him and interrupted him quickly. "That is just a speculation, Cullen..." He glared at Leliana coldly.

Josephine hesitated for a moment and finally spoke out, trying to calm the situation. "There is no use in arguing about the side we would pick. Neither of the groups will even speak to us yet. The Chantry has declared us heretics for proclaiming individuality and for harboring said 'Herald of Andraste'. Looks like our friend Roderick has already been advancing his efforts…"

Grace cleared her throat. "Excuse me… I keep hearing this since I woke up and I definitely am not some kind of self-proclaimed Maker-sent moonstruck…" She waved her hands theatrically and let them fall again. "How would they think that I am some Herald of Andraste?! The Chantry despises my kind… Did everyone suddenly forget that I am a mage? There surely must be a rational explanation to all this madness..." she pinched her nose bridge in distress and closed her eyes.

Cassandra smiled at her. "The people need hope, Enchanter Trevelyan. They've seen what you have done at the Temple. And Chantry fears you. They fear the hope might come from a mage. It would mean they had been wrong about a lot of things…"

Wow. Of course they knew her circle title too. Grace pondered what more they know, but she decided there would be time to worry about that later. She interrupted Cassandra angrily. "Meaning I would be showcased and used as some kind of sacred icon…? Grace frowned. "I don't like that… At. All. And I bet my Chantry-driven family, which you surely already know about, would not be happy about it either. " Then she hesitated for a moment and sighed.

The red-haired rogue moved to stand at the south part of a huge map that was on the war table. "There might be something we can do about our stalemate." Leliana smirked. "There is a Chantry Cleric who asked to speak to Lady Herald. Her name is Mother Giselle. She is stationed in The Hinterlands, where the worst of the fighting is happening right now. Her assistance and influence may prove valuable."

Grace bit her lip and pouted it a little. "Alright. I will go to the Hinterlands and meet Mother Giselle. I think I can see your point… But don't expect me to act out miracles and give sermons along the way. I will let you call me Herald only if it helps us to gain the power we need."

Cassandra shook her head at the sarcastic remark. "I will accompany you. We will leave at noon."

Commander stayed quiet since Leliana cut the dispute short. He just stood there, glaring around. Grace glanced in his direction a few times, only to notice his strained expression. Was she looking for any sign of approval? She wondered whether it would be like this every time. How were they supposed to work together? Grace sighed and reached for the amethyst on her choker - a simple gesture of comfort to her.

Josephine's dashing smile appeared again. "Great, the Herald would be most suited for recruiting new agents. Meanwhile, we need to figure out how to gain more support. We cannot leave this to The Herald alone."

Josephine waited for the rest of them to leave the war room and stopped Grace midway. "Excuse me… There is one more matter to tend to Lady Trevelyan… We already received a few letters asking about your whereabouts. Would you like to… inform your family?"

"You know… I haven't been a true 'Lady Trevelyan' since I was eleven. Please, call me Grace…" She replied to Josephine. "And yes…" she sighed. "I was wondering how long it would take them to find me. Thank you… I would appreciate it if I could borrow parchment and quill. I believe my father would be interested to hear that I survived the Conclave…"

Grace left the war room with mixed feelings. Cullen's reaction crept into her mind… However, she decided to worry about that later. They will be spending a few weeks on the road after all and there will be plenty of time to think about the Commander… there's no harm in trying to figure her coworkers out, right?

She stopped by Josephine's office at the chantry to pick up the parchment and quill and spent the rest of her time before their departure writing a note to her parents at Free Marches.

A few hours later, an elven messenger informed her to pick up her new staff and traveling gear at Inquisition's smithy which was located outside the gates, and also, to Grace's pleasure, next to the stables. She walked through the Haven and explored it before she arrived at the smithy. The village was small and built to withstand the harsh mountain climate. Small cottages were grouped by three or four houses to form a protected space in front of the cottages.

Harrit the Smith did a great job in crafting her new gear. He even equipped her with light but sturdy iron staff and a new set of light armor, similar to the clothes she already got. She was surprised to find out that the man was familiar with the link between schools of magic and staff material. The word of her lightning trick at the Temple traveled quickly, as it seemed.

She could not resist the temptation to peek into the stables right after a little chat with Harrit. To her disappointment, the stables were mostly empty, however, her feet stinged in anticipation as they were supposed to try convincing a Fereldan horse breeder Master Dennet to supply mounts for the Inquisition while on their mission to meet Mother Giselle.

She smiled at the thought, as she passed through the stables, stroking a few curious noses which poked to the dark stable aisle, inhaling the familiar earthy smell of hay along the way. If there was something she truly missed from her past life as a nobility, it definitely was horses. Her house was famous for their steeds, they even had a horse in their crest and everytime she was allowed to visit her home she remembered spending a lot of time in the stables, much to her father's dismay. That was indeed a very long time ago… It almost felt like a different reality.

No.

It was a different reality back then, she corrected herself.

Grace made her way to the gate, where they were supposed to meet with Varric, Solas, and Cassandra, and sat on a small rampart which offered a great view of the fields in front of Haven. Inquisition's troops - their troops, had built tents north from the gate and there were training grounds too. She spotted Commander Cullen who was just finishing forenoon drills with the soldiers. His armor sparkled in the sun and Grace couldn't help herself but admire the way he moved as he sparred with one of the soldiers. She watched the fight with great interest.

There was something off about him… Templars usually carried lyrium along all the time - the hum of it was unmistakable. However, there was none to sense on the Commander in the war room. Was this related to him quitting the order? She watched him move around the training grounds.

Her brother Tristan would approve… she thought, as Cullen stopped to lecture the soldier about his shield technique. She watched him explain the technique to his sparring partner, looking patient, but very demanding and strict. She was quite surprised to see how many men have joined their cause despite all the Chantry anti-propaganda… The Commander knew what he was doing, it was obvious. The soldier watched him closely as he showed him the blocking moves and ways to turn defense into attack. His eyes were sparkling with focus, and Grace immediately recognized that he genuinely enjoyed what he did. Well… of course a Templar would be enjoying a fight…

She watched him run his hand through the straw-blonde locks. The linen of his shirt tightened deliciously around his muscled arm during that gesture. He looked quite different from the man she met in the war room… Not bitter at all. The Commander was quite a handsome man too, when he wasn't scowling. Grace smiled bitterly as she remembered how she and her best friend Ada used to swoon about templars when they were young girls. And no one could blame them… Circle was a boring place for a teenager, so they took their entertainment where they could. The idea of forbidden fruit made it all the more thrilling…

"Ahem... " Somebody cleared his throat a few steps away from her.

Startled by the unexpected interruption she quickly glanced in the direction it came from, to meet an amused hazel gaze. "Don't let me interrupt Specter… You look like you were rather preoccupied there." Varric grinned at her and let out a raspy chuckle.

For how long has the dwarf been standing there?

"No I wasn't!… I was just thinking about… something."

"It definitely looked like you were. Something of great importance."

"What now?! Does the Inquisition suddenly prohibit thinking?"

Varric chuckled again. "Definitely not. But you should be more subtle with your thinking next time. There is a war going on… we wouldn't want you to get too distracted, you know?! Just for your safety."

Grace sighed as the dwarf teased her. "Okay Varric! You surely got me there." Sweeping a lock of her brown and silvery hair out of her eyes as she jumped down the wall, she added. "I was thinking about whether you ever get cold, parading your chest like that all the time."

He humored her, wiggling his eyebrow. "Oh, I don't get cold. Remember, the chest hair." He straightened up to support his statement. She noted to herself to be more careful next time she lets her mind wander.

"It's good to see you standing, lass." He smiled at her widely.

"I tend to have a habit of not giving up easily." She grinned at him in response.

Cassandra and Solas soon joined them and they set out towards the Hinterlands.


It has been almost two weeks since they left Haven.

The Hinterlands were beautiful, if you ignored the rogue templars and mages on every corner, fighting not only themselves but also everyone who encountered them. Grace could not complain, however. It has been great training for all of them and the longer they spent together, the more cooperative and efficient their small party got.

Despite the difficulties and the given circumstances, she found herself enjoying every moment of being on the road. She had to admit that being away from The Circle felt like a whole new world… Grace never left the tower before, except for the mandatory monthly visit at Trevelyan estate and so the only way she was allowed to explore the wonders of Thedas was through the books in Ostwick's Circle library. Even though she had been terribly tired every day and most of the time she felt every muscle aching in her body, she was somehow… happy. They spent some of the evenings sharing stories with Varric and Cassandra and she often delved into deep conversations about The Fade with Solas. His knowledge of the realm was fascinating - one might even say it felt otherworldly. Despite her studies of the arcane, there were things Solas described which made her skin crawl and none of the books in Circle's library contained such details.

Some of the evenings she spent time with Cassandra, learning how to write field reports properly… that was definitely one of the boring parts. They were supposed to report to the council in Haven and in exchange, Leliana sent reports on the new development in their situation to them. Luckily the smell of the parchment felt comforting to her so the boring paperwork had its ups afterall…

During the past days, they managed to help the refugees of The Crossroads and met mother Giselle there. The priestess's open-mindedness about mages was really surprising but it was refreshing. She even agreed to come with them to Haven. The inquisition finally had one Chantry cleric who could see reason and who was willing to support them openly.

Inquisition,

Our mission to Hinterlands has proven to be invaluable already. Mother Giselle agreed to help us and we are currently on the way to the western reaches of the area.

We have encountered countless rebel Templars and mages, both forces having set their camps not far from here. Trevelyan has proven herself to be a brilliant ally. Even though she lacks face to face combat skills, which is expected, considering her Circle training, her magic technique is surprisingly effective. Her storm magic skills are exceptional, proving her Enchanter title has been earned fair and square. My recommendation is close combat training - defensive skills especially. Our few encounters with templars have been… difficult.

Her communication skills are notable, even though she holds an insufferable sense of sarcasm, much to my dismay and to the dwarve's pleasure. But that is another story.

I will be encouraging her to write her own reports from now on.

Maker keep you safe.

Cassandra

Horse master Dennet was a completely different story though. The stubborn veteran refused to give out the best of his herd and Grace could not blame him. He agreed to help the Inquisition under the condition of securing the farmlands and building the watchtowers on the hills surrounding the countryside, which required the party to go back to Haven to pick up more soldiers and supplies. Grace and Cassandra managed to convince the man to provide at least a few horses for them to travel back quickly.


Grace was now happily trotting on the back of a spirited dark bay mare that Master Dennet chose for her, followed by the rest of the party. The mare was a beautiful animal. Her dark chocolatey color contrasted nicely with a thin blaze on her face and her strong legs danced freshly during their journey. They have been riding towards the Frostback mountains for a few hours already. When the gates of Haven finally appeared in front of them, she gave out a thankful sigh and felt a sudden tickle of butterflies in her stomach. She felt like she knew the reason…

Even though he has not spoken directly against her, Commander's reserved approach caused her to not look forward to meeting him again to report the outcome of their mission... She still felt uncomfortable about his palpable distrust in mages and they haven't really spoken to each other after the war room meeting.

The party stopped at the stables and she hopped off the mare and patted her while she fished out a piece of dry bread from her pocket and offered the treat to the animal. The horse gratefully nudged her hand, begging for more which made Grace chuckle. Their stable hands offered to take care of the horse, but Grace insisted she would do it herself. Plus it made a great excuse to postpone meeting anyone of the council, especially the Commander...

She finished the brushing and hid her face in the mare's long black mane while resting her forehead on her neck. The mare turned her head to reach Grace's pockets again in a search for more bread bits, which made Grace giggle. She snorted out in disappointment when she found out there were none left.

"You already robbed me of all food, you rascal… I promise I'll get you some more later." Grace whispered to the mare quietly and gave her a final pat before she left the stables.

The war council agreed to meet right before supper time, so she still had almost two hours left to freshen up. She arrived at her cottage and filled a basin with water from a pitcher. One of the great things about being a mage was being able to warm water up anytime she wanted… no kettles and no waiting. Just one little fire spell and the water was steaming. Not that she was any good with fire on other occasions, but this was one of the few basic fire spells she worked hard to learn. Grace smirked and proceeded to take off her light armor, then washed up the sweat and dirt with rose scented soap - a courtesy of Josephine, and also washed her hair. Then she put on a clean white shirt and a pair of brown leather breeches afterward, along with a well-fitted short black overcoat. The grey scarf became her favourite and she wore it almost everywhere now. She also twisted her wet hair into a low bun before hesitantly leaving her cottage. The cold of the mountain air made her shiver a little and she wrapped her woolen cloak tighter around herself. The light grey fur of the mantle tickled her chin as she made her way to the Chantry to meet with the rest of the council.

As Grace approached the Chantry she stopped for a moment to listen. Was that shouting? It was hard to distinguish how many voices were there, but something was clearly happening. She quickened her steps, following the sound. A strange scene opened in front of her - groups of mages and Templars right in front of the Chantry door, both groups looking as if they were about to rip each other's throats.

The shouting was getting clearer as she got closer.

"Your kind killed the Most Holy!" a young angry-looking man in Templar armor was staring down another man in a robe.

"That's not true! YOUR kind let her die!" The mage snarled back at the Templar and Grace felt a pull in the Veil as he started to gather his energy to strike.

Grace hurried to stop the nonsense, and seconds before the quarrelling men could even notice her, the Chantry door suddenly flew open dramatically as Cullen rushed to step right between the groups, pushing the two men away from each other resolutely.

"Knight-Commander!" The Templar gasped with a clear Marcher accent as he stumbled back under the force of Cullen's shove.

Cullen shot an angry look at the man. "That is NOT my title. We are no Templars anymore." His voice rang with authority and Grace stepped back intuitively. "There is no 'us' and 'them'! We are all part of the Inquisition!"

"Oh, and we can't wait to see the order you and your so-called Herald of Andraste promised to restore!" A shiver of disgust ran down her back as she recognized the voice which was coming somewhere from behind her. Grace frowned and looked around her shoulder. Despite not wanting to, she had to interfere now that the old man started spewing poison around.

"Chancellor Roderick!" She chirped in pretense excitement. "I believe your journey to Val Royeaux went well? The Chantry is surely eagerly awaiting our visit, right?" Villagers made a little space around her as they realised who was standing among them.

Cullen took a few steps in Grace's direction as he finally noticed her when she addressed the Chancellor. Grace stepped forward towards him.

"You all… get back to your duties," Cullen ordered and the crowd started to disperse.

"Haven't you done enough Chancellor?" Cullen asked as he crossed his arms glaring at the zealot.

Grace joined Cullen's side and did not let the Chancellor speak.

"Commander, please remind me again why are you letting this man walk around freely?" She grinned at Cullen.

"... his teeth are too blunt to bite. There is no point in turning him into a martyr while they conveniently sweep 'The Herald' under the carpet." He replied grimly.

Chancellor gasped at the words, incapable of any reply. He just closed his mouth and gritted through his teeth viciously "I'm sure that Val Royeaux Chantry's representatives will be more than happy to meet your Herald." And he turned on his heel and left towards the inn.

Grace crossed her arms as she watched the old man walk away. They stood in silence for a moment.

"I don't get it. Either way I'm invisible to old zealots or he just keeps ignoring me intentionally. Rude." She pouted her lips as she mumbled and shook her head. "I will have to go to Val Royeaux now, right?" She added quietly and let out a frustrated sigh.

Cullen turned to look at her, a slight smirk playing on his face as a reaction to her previous remark. "Ignorance is his way of dealing with the situation I guess… and I don't believe that going to the capital is the best idea. We cannot be sure what will be waiting for you over there… there is no way we can allow them to capture you." He noted as their eyes met.

Grace stared at him and watched his expression for a moment, no witty response coming to her mind. The way he said the last part of the sentence made the butterflies reappear, this time for a whole different reason…

Their eyes were still fixated on each other. She finally broke the stare and put a rogue lock of hair behind her ear.

"We should probably go…"

"Ahem…right…" Cullen cleared his throat as he closed the Chantry door behind her.

They walked side by side in awkward silence.

"… I read your reports from the Hinterlands. You did a good job negotiating with Dennet. Fereldans are not particularly willing to help just anyone, not even their fellow countrymen most of the time…"

Grace smiled. "He is a rather distinctive fellow, that is true… I guess Cassandra made a great impression. She played the biggest part in that."

And the awkward silence crept around them again…

She felt a wave of relief when he opened the war room door and let Grace step in first, but it was quickly gone because they found the council room empty. Cullen took his usual place against her at the war table and began to organize a pile of reports nervously.

Grace watched him. This was the first time they were left alone together. She carefully unwrapped her grey scarf and piled it on the edge of the table.

"I believe I owe you a thank you for getting my unconscious self down here a few weeks ago, Commander."

Cullen widened his eyes at her and the report organizing got more frantic.

"Don't mention it. I did what I had to. I wanted to keep a close eye on you."

Grace frowned. "Because I'm a mage?"

He stopped and lifted his eyes to look at her. "Because we had to be cautious."

Grace shook her head and frowned, her throat clenched. Cautious. So it was his initiative because he did not trust her… oh well. She should've expected that.

"Yeah… it's not like I almost voluntarily died up there, trying to close the damn hole in the sky." A frown was replaced by an indifferent expression as she was trying to understand his strained silence. She decided not to linger on the topic anymore. There was no use… apparently, once a Templar, always a Templar. Their ignorance of things was strong with this one.

"You know what? Forget about it… I wanted to ask… Would it be possible to send soldiers to the Hinterlands with us to build the watchtowers?"

He raised his head again and gave her a small crooked smirk, which surprised her. "Actually… I have decided to go with the troops myself."

"Oh… okay. To be cautious, right?" Grace played with her choker and pouted her lips a little. She noticed his eyes went down to watch the little gesture.

Cullen's mouth went dry and he gulped as his gaze stopped at her elegant fingers and the amethyst. His head was telling him to stop and avert the gaze, but something did not let him. Despite his efforts to ignore it, he noticed how beautifully the overcoat hugged her slender form and made her hourglass figure stand out. He felt a heat of a rising blush on his neck which made him return his attention to the reports in his hands sheepishly.

"That's not what I…"

"That gives me space to head to Val Royeaux with Cassandra and Varric then." Her note made Cullen snap out of his thoughts.

"I've already told you, Herald, that I don't think it is a good idea." Cullen frowned.

"Oh sorry Commander, I forgot that I am supposed to strut into the capital of Orlais with a battalion instead. That would surely send a good message! Just to be cautious of course!" She crossed her arms on her chest as she frowned back. Any feelings of interest or anticipation were replaced by annoyance now. So, apart from being prude about magic he was stuttering and when he was not insulting her kind, he was blushing throughout the whole debate. She almost felt grateful for his one-sidedness… it seemed strange to her how the friction between them oscillated. The thing which really fascinated her though was how stoic he managed to act, despite the clear storm of emotion in his amber eyes. Despite everything, a tiny part of her was beginning to be curious about the man.

Of course you are curious. He's one handsome man… Not that it would mean anything. But still…

The moment Cullen was about to say something in reply, Josephine, Cassandra, and Leliana walked into the war room, interrupting the debate. They must have heard them, because Cassandra stood at Grace's side and spoke out.

"I will accompany her, Cullen. We will get in contact with the Templars as well. We can kill two birds with one stone."

"The Templars?" Grace asked in confusion as she looked at Cassandra. "I don't recall us talking about meeting the Order…"

"There is a good chance that the Order will lend us their voice and support us. We need allies."

"Yes. And that is exactly why we should go to Redcliffe and recruit the mages." Grace argued.

"I never said that we will not do that," Cassandra added with a sly smile on her face. "We need to test our ground to see which of the two might benefit us the most…"

Grace glanced at Cullen. His expression was stern and he was looking at Cassandra. Then he looked at her again and the suspense she felt every time their eyes met was back. The mix of frustration and strain in his eyes made her body tingle.

"I still think the Templars should be the only group we approach, but I have been outvoted again apparently… My men will leave for the Hinterlands at dawn. We will hopefully get back with those horses master Dennet promised you."

Josephine, Cassandra, and Leliana proceeded to discuss something but Grace kept her eyes on him, not paying any attention to what was happening around her.

Of course, he would be convincing them to ditch the mages again… She almost felt sorry for the man. He seemed like the decent sort and has already stated that he had nothing to do with The Order anymore… Why was he still so bitter about the topic?

Leliana's brief cough forced Grace to look at her.

"... the scout problem you encountered, Lady Herald?" Grace blinked in confusion. She did not realize Leliana was talking to her and blushed at the sudden realization that she must have been openly staring at Cullen. Again.

"... oh, right. Forgive me, I got carried away for a moment..."

They proceeded to discuss the possible strategy for Val Royeaux and when they finally left the war room, the sun was already down. Josephine suggested having dinner together at the Chantry, and weirdly, they all agreed.

It was still surprising that the Commander joined them too. He kept quiet most of the time, except for an occasional smirk and after their small exchange in the war room, she did not expect him to stay for long after all.

They all ate supper together and shared some small talk.

Grace had to admit that it was a good idea. Josephine told them about diplomatic missives they were receiving and described the accusations of heresy which were delivered to her office constantly over which they shared a good laugh. The time flew by and even though she would like to stay longer, the tiredness from the journey started to wear on her.

The Herald tucked a loose strand of her hair behind her ear and got up. "All right… Thank you for the distraction. It was nice to get to know you all a bit more. I need to admit though, that during those two weeks a normal bed was what I missed the most..." She picked up her woolen cloak and scarf. "My frail mage body is not used to bedrolls and cold tents… So yeah… a bit of real rest before another demon littered trip is more than welcome…"

"Oh you are right! It's getting late already and I still need to finish some letters, I should take my leave as well…" Josephine excused herself too. Grace shook her head and smiled. Their Ambassador was definitely a dedicated woman.

Cassandra and Leliana decided to take a quick look at some reports before going to sleep and so they all walked to the Chantry's main hall, where their ways separated.

A sudden realization that she and Cullen were headed the same way made her a little nervous.

She looked at him and realized that his expression was telling the same story.

"So… you are not staying in the Chantry? You chose to stay with the troops?" She asked him, trying to maintain a light conversation as he held the Chantry door for her and they walked through the quiet Village. The night was dark and snowflakes were flying sparsely from the sky.

"Yes. How could they trust me and respect me, if they wouldn't see me as one of them? My place as a Commander is among my men. I believe the trust is something earned and I wish to help my soldiers build it." He explained. His voice was warm and she suddenly felt sorry that it was so dark… The amber of his eyes fascinated her and he was quite a pleasant company when he put aside the stuck up attitude she knew him by since they met.

A spark of curiosity ignited in her mind. "… Interesting. It surely makes sense Commander. Is this what they taught you in the Order then? It does not seem like the… usual Templar approach. At least not the one I am used to."

"Well… not exactly… you see, I was the second in command to Knight-Commander when Circles fell… I learned a great many things during my years."

A Knight Captain. Her heart picked up a pace and she hugged her cloak around her tightly, fighting the nausea the revelation caused. However, he didn't quite fit a description of a heartless killer… or a torturer, did he?

Cullen adjusted his gloves, not noticing her paleness due to the dark he continued. "But not from the Order directly… The people I met and my mistakes gave me the most. I feel like I am still learning from them. Might I ask, Lady Herald? Do you miss the Circle?"

Grace raised an eyebrow at him. Not from the order? Did he play a part in the mayhem? Did he ever put a sword through an innocent mage? It didn't seem like him, she repeated in her head. Or at least he was conflicted about it. Not that it would make things any better if even a sliver of it was true. However… speaking of it so directly… what does that mean? Would admitting that she did not lead to another mage - Templar bicker? She played nervously with the end of her scarf as they walked.

"I don't." She decided to play it straight. "As selfish as it may sound, I definitely don't. My magic manifested when I was about 10 years old. My own family put me there as if I was a dangerous trinket which needed to be kept away and hidden from prying eyes. They tried to keep in touch… I was even required to visit them but everything was so different…" Then she sighed and continued, trying to hide the sadness in her voice. "The only thing to miss from the Circle is my friends..."

"Are they still at Ostwick?" He asked.

"No… The Ostwick Circle had riots just weeks after the Kirkwall Chantry incident… The word traveled quickly through the Free Marches and some of the Templars felt like their time had come…" Her voice faltered and she frowned.

You would know, Templar, right?!

"I'm sorry… Can we speak of something else?"

"Oh... I...uh… excuse me, Herald. I had no idea…" Cullen said softly. There was sincere regret in his voice… she suddenly looked so vulnerable. Whatever happened there, it obviously struck her deeply, he thought, still oblivious to her inner struggle.

"It already feels like ages ago." She added.

He realized that even though they walked slowly, subconsciously prolonging their walk, they already were at the gate where the pathways crossed. Her cottage was not far away.

"Trust me, Lady Trevelyan, when I say that I am sure I can understand whatever happened at Ostwick… We both have apparently found ourselves on a very complicated and uncertain ground during the Kirkwall rebellion... " He noted and smiled at her softly.

"If you ever wish to talk…" He stopped himself as his arm mindlessly lifted to reach for her shoulder… He wished to touch her, to comfort her, but his hand fell back to his side quickly as he stopped himself. What was he trying to offer here? That was definitely highly inappropriate. He barely knew her after all. Or was it really? Why would it be inappropriate?!

Grace noticed his gesture and shifted her weight from one foot to another nervously. "Ahem… Frankly… that, I seriously doubt." She cleared her throat and gave Cullen an aloof look. What was he thinking?! His look was gentle… tender almost. How could a Kirkwall Templar act like that and even after openly admitting his previous occupation?! That was surprising to Grace… What a difference it made in comparison with his austere self, whom she knew from the war council disputes. She did not know how to respond to that. It almost felt like a peace offering? They have hardly been on bad terms, however. Her heart started to beat quickly in her chest. She realized they stood there in silence for a good amount of time. He was unsure what to say about her last remark… it made him realise he was a Knight Captain to her… was that a mistake to tell her? Before he managed to say something she finally continued.

"... But… anyways. Thank you… I will keep that in mind… I believe this is where we part. Thank you for the company Commander." Maybe he deserved a chance, despite being a Templar…

His hand lifted to rub the back of his neck nervously. "Anytime. Good night Herald." Cullen replied simply and watched her as she disappeared into her cottage.