At this time of the year, the snow fell thick on Skyhold. The courtyard was quieter than it had been in a long time. People had left their numbers as the world returned to normalcy. Many simply wished to return to their families, a sentiment Commander Cullen could appreciate. Others believed the Inquisition's work was done and left to pursue other ventures. The Inquisitor herself had taken this view. She lobbied hard for the Inquisition to disband but he regrettably joined his colleagues in denying her. He believed the threat they now faced was arguably even more dangerous than what had come before. The immediate peril they had met with the rifts was absent but they all knew that, if given a chance, this too could end in the destruction of this world.

Despite the obvious dissent their decision caused, Cullen was still surprised and saddened by Ellana's departure. They all were. She had been troubled for a long time and the events with the Exalted Council only worsened her state but no one imagined she would abandon them. What remained of her companions left shortly after she did. The majority offered their services if they were ever needed but none chose to remain. For their own reasons, each one needed a break from the life they had held for much too long. Even Cassandra was forced to leave to perform her duties as Divine; although she at least, frequently visited. Cullen could afford no such luxury. With Ellana gone - Josephine, Leliana and he were the last defence against Solas and his plan. They could not afford to stand idle lest he gain too much power.

Not that their sacrifice had amounted to much. Their enemy was much too careful. To the untrained eye, it appeared nothing was happening. Events that could be linked to his agents were so un-substantial that they melded in with the everyday happenings of Thedas. A sighting of a group of elves on the outskirts of a town could just as easily be a Dalish clan too close to civilisation; a theft of manuscripts could just as easily be the work of bandits. Leliana insisted a pattern was emerging. Cullen did not doubt her; she was a spy by trade, she knew how these things worked but he could not see it himself. As more joined with Fen'Harel they hoped it would become easier to see his actions. They just had to follow the elves.

Finding Ellana proved even more difficult. There were whisperings of her over the past year; vague sightings in various places but never anything they could trust. Cullen had struggled with the idea of looking for her in the first place - she clearly did not want to be found. He had always held a torch for her, despite his better judgement. He had been cruelly disappointed when it became clear that she only had eyes for Solas. Cullen had hoped that he might have had a chance when Solas left but he had been a fool to think that way. Ellana was much too damaged and he ultimately decided not to act on his feelings. Losing her had hit them all hard but Leliana seemed to be the most affected. She became like a woman possessed with purpose; finding their lost Inquisitor, her one true goal. With Cassandra and Josephine in agreement, Cullen was overruled which left Leliana to quite happily head the hunt.

In spite of his melancholy, he had hope they would succeed. Leliana had managed to remove threats within their own ranks - securing their position. She also regularly spoke of a newly acquired agent: some elf within a Dalish clan acquired through coercion and incentive. He had been their first agent to report any mention of Fen'Harel beyond rumour. He spoke of meetings with the clan's Keeper and talk of recruitment. Leliana seemed to think it was a promising lead. Josephine was doing her part as well; keeping them supplied with whatever they needed even with continued resistance. Many could not accept that the world was in peril once again; believing it to be a ruse set up by the Inquisition to maintain their power. It did not matter to Cullen because he knew the truth. They were doing what they had always done - trying to save the world.

Ellana could barely contain her excitement as they finally stepped out the Eluvian and on to familiar ground. It had been a long time since she had felt this at home. She joined Lis and Shivra on the walk back to the encampment. With the departure of Daman's group and discounting Ellana's rarely used tent, Lis was the only occupant. Shivra had decided to move her belongings in to one of the empty tents and truth be told, it did seem logical to keep the team together. Ellana tried to join in with their discussions but she could not stop fidgeting.

Lis caught her looking at the tower. "Seriously, just go. We'll be fine without you."

"Yeah," Shivra piped up, "You're going to be fuck all help in that state."

"Thanks guys! I promise I'll be back later. We can celebrate!" Ellana exclaimed quickly, not wanting to argue. She was gone before either could reply.

"He's got some hold over that girl, doesn't he?" Shivra mused.

"Yeah. Hope he finally appreciates it," Lis replied bitterly.

It was nearing evening when Ellana reached the long-awaited top floor of the tower. She had hoped this would mean she could have Solas all to herself but when she entered the study, Varden was sitting in a chair opposite Solas's desk. The man himself was seated across and both appeared to be drinking wine.

"Ellana!" he exclaimed, visibly surprised to see her. "You're back already? That was far quicker than anticipated!"

Varden interjected, "Did you succeed?" He spoke with scepticism; plainly not believing she could of completed her task in such a short time frame.

"Well, he agreed to help us…so I would take that as a yes," she replied with irritation. She pulled a piece of paper from her pocket and unfolded it to give to Varden. "Those are the terms we agreed upon. His men will gradually free our agents through whatever means they consider necessary and accompany each one to a nearby village. From there, our people will be able to make their way back here. I told him to send any updates by raven to a location I used to use." She gestured lazily to the paper he now held. "It's somewhere on there if you want to send anyone." She struggled to pull her gaze from Solas while she spoke. He appeared exceedingly pleased, if a bit smug.

"This is excellent news!" Varden said with genuine feeling. Noting neither of his companions seemed remotely interested in him, he went on, "I should probably go and study these terms," before making a tactful exit.

Barely even noticing, Ellana drew ever closer to Solas. "You're drinking? You never drink!"

"I was concerned for you. Varden brought the wine; he believed I may need help sleeping," he replied, raising an unamused eyebrow.

"He doesn't know you very well then, does he? If this place was on fire you would still be able to sleep quite happily." She seated herself on the edge of the desk closest to him with a dramatic sigh. "Not us though! We stayed up the whole damn night so you were right to be worried! You know I need my rest!" she whined, taking his cup from him and finishing the contents.

"Oh you poor thing!" he added teasingly, a hand finding her thigh. "But it went well, hardships aside?"

She filled him in on the details including Shivra joining her team.

"An all-round success," he remarked once she had finished her story.

"I suppose… It went about as well as I could have hoped." She paused, considering him for a moment. "You know, one of the girls was talking about you and she…she said something that got me thinking…"

"Do all of your friends know about us?" he interrupted, brow crinkled slightly in annoyance.

"Well, yes…although it's just those two."

She had not thought that he would take such umbrage to the idea and while she could understand why, she was hardly going to lie to the people she should trust.

She got to her feet as frustration took over. "You're missing the point! She was saying that being with you must make me feel dangerous…" She moved slowly to occupy the space between him and the desk. "It was a strange thought at first; I guess I never looked at you in that way before but now…" She placed a knee on his chair, her body painfully close to his. "…now things are different and thinking on it, it kind of does." She brought the other knee to rest on his other side, fingers touching his neck and lips brought tantalisingly close to his own. "It's kind of hot."

He could no longer stand the provocation and pulled her in for a deep kiss. She voraciously accepted, no longer holding back from him - hands wandering.

"I had no idea power was such a turn on for you," he remarked during a natural pause.

She stopped to gaze briefly up at the ceiling. "Neither did I." She giggled, finally returning her eyes back to his. "But here we are!"

She kissed him again. Beneath her own, she could feel a smile break across his lips.

He pulled away, "Alright, vhenan. I believe I can work with this."

Before Ellana could react, he had risen out of his chair and guided her back to the desk with a heavy thud. She was about to yell at him when he grabbed her hair, forcing her lips to his. She hungrily accepted him. In spite of the potential bruising, she was starting to like this Solas. They began exploring one another's bodies with their hands, each getting ready for what was wonderfully approaching. Ellana whined gratefully before a knock at the door startled them both. She came jumping back but Solas tried to ignore it. The knocking became more insistent and he finally pulled himself away from her. He shouted what could only be an elvhen curse as he smashed his palms off the desk on either side of her in frustration. The fright his action gave her was evident but the look she got in return turned any feeling she had back to desire. He stormed over to the door, opening it only enough to speak with the person on the other side. Ellana could not hear the intruder's side of the conversation but she could hear Solas - clear irritation doing nothing for his volume.

"Oh, wonderful," he remarked sarcastically. He sighed and finally dropped his tone. "I will be with you in a minute."

He came away from the door and turned to Ellana. She thought to bite her lip, knowing exactly what the obvious invitation would do to him.

His expression grew instantly pained. "I have to go," he said, more as if he were convincing himself. "You have no idea how sorry I am…" A slight smile overcame him and his look turned to one of complete seriousness. "Do not move."

His thrillingly forceful tone made something inside of her flutter but he left all too quickly. Disappointed their tryst had been cut short, she lay back on the desk with yet another thud. Wincing slightly, she carefully rubbed the sore points on her back; hopeful she had not received bruises for nothing.

Ellana tried to maintain her desire in his absence but it had been difficult. She was exhausted. The remainder of the wine had helped at first but now it was just adding to her tiredness. Mercifully, he was not long. She was up from the desk and looking out of the window by the time he returned. She met the sound of the door closing with eager anticipation. She could tell he was still angry from the interruption and that would only help.

With an eyebrow raised, he strode towards her. "You moved. I'll make you regret that."

"I look forward to it," was all she managed before he reached her.

He grabbed her and pressed her against the glass with such force that she was afraid she would fall straight through. Her fear evaporated as he kissed her. Her feet no longer touched the ground, his arms wrapped around her taking the majority of her weight. With anyone else the lack of control would cause her discomfort but not with him. Using her legs for grip, she allowed him the use of his hands and together, they removed the upper half of his clothing; never breaking apart. He grabbed her wrists, forcing her arms above her head and in to the glass as he kissed her more deeply. She whined, pulling weakly against his grip, desperately wanting her hands to touch him. He slowly released her wanting the same for himself. Finally freed, Ellana wrapped her legs more tightly around his waist, forcing her hips closer and ran her fingers hard across the breadth of his shoulders. The sound he made only encouraged her - nails this time claiming his back. His lips left her briefly as hands gripped her behind roughly. With a hand to his jaw, she compelled him back to her and powerless to resist, he kissed her once more. Neither deviated until she landed forcefully back on the desk's surface without Solas.

"Remove the clothes," he ordered, watching her intently.

While wearing a smirk, she very slowly undid the threads of her leathers. She knew he would not be able to resist helping for long. Just as predicted, he let out a frustrated growl and gave in but he did so roughly. Ellana swore she heard something rip as he pulled open her leather cuirass. In fear for the rest of her clothing, she held him back as she wriggled out of her leather breeches. Once she had finally slipped her tunic over her head, he took a moment to appreciate her and the compromising position in which she found herself.

"Much better," he finally remarked, delightfully dominating from above. "Now let us see if you are up to task."

Ellana struggled to keep herself awake, aware as she was of the promise she had made to her friends. She got up when she was certain Solas had fallen asleep. Dressing proved difficult. As she had feared, the fastenings were torn out of her cuirass so she abandoned it on the floor and opted to leave wearing just her tunic, trousers and boots. She scrawled a note telling him where she had gone just before she went.

She found her friends lying in the grass next to their tents. Bottles littered the floor around them and both were giggling happily. When Lis heard Ellana approaching, she sat up.

"Hey! It's you! Did you have fun?" she asked, slurring her words.

Ellana sank down on to the floor next to her with a muted laugh. "Oh yeah. I see you got started without me?"

Eager to join in the fun, she picked up stray bottles until she found one that was not empty. They spent the rest of the night chatting and laughing together. Shivra eventually fell asleep in the grass and not wanting to wake her, the remaining two moved their chatter to Lis's tent. Neither was able to fight their exhaustion for long; falling soundly asleep in a heap.

"Ellana?"

Ellana stirred as the voice reached her. She could feel a hand placed on her shoulder but lacked the strength or inclination to act on it. She had been in a deep sleep and was not keen on giving it up.

"Ellana?"

When she eventually opened her eyes, her surroundings jarred her for a moment but all too quickly, memories of last night returned along with a nasty headache. She turned to face the voice that had awoken her and was all the more perplexed to see Solas.

"What are you doing in Lis's tent?" she asked brusquely, rubbing her eyes in an attempt to get them to open fully.

From what little she could see beyond the post-drinking fog, he did not look particularly amused. "Your friends led me to you." He smiled and her worry abated. "It's the middle of the day, Ellana…"

"Well, shit." She sat up suddenly, only worsening her aching head. "It's really that late?!"

She brushed a hand through her hair, wincing as her head pounded. She hoped she at least did not look like too much of a state. Gazing at him, finally in focus, she was surprised to see he was wearing normal clothing instead of his usual armour but there appeared to be no aversion in his eyes. He appeared, at worst, amused by her dishevelled appearance.

"I intended to speak with you earlier but you never surfaced. As time wore on, I thought it best to track you down myself," he continued, smile only widening as she made further futile attempts to fix her hair. "I probably should not have been surprised to find you asleep."

"What did you want to talk about?" she enquired, getting up from the bed and straightening out her clothes.

He rose too, taking her busy hands in his own. "Shall we go for a walk?" he asked, running his own hand across the length of her hair. "Such matters should be discussed in a place of at least some privacy."

They walked through the encampments towards the forest, passing both of her friends. In spite of the hangovers they too appeared to be suffering, they still quite clearly had been eavesdropping. Even with Solas's plain clothing, onlookers watched them with eager curiosity as they went. Once she was certain they were out of sight, she eagerly took his hand. They walked in comfortable silence until they reached the stream. Ellana yawned as they came to a stop.

"Still tired?" he asked, pulling her ever so slightly closer to him.

A second yawn turned in to something of a laugh before she spoke, "It was a busy night!"

He chuckled lightly. "I cannot argue with that sentiment." He released her hand, smirking away to himself. "How's the back?"

She turned and lifted up her tunic to show off the dappled bruising that lay beneath.

"I think you got a bit carried away!" she whined, turning back to face him with an overly dramatic grimace.

"I was not the only one," he said, copying Ellana's actions.

When he lifted his shirt, deep red scratch marks were visible.

She gasped, barely able to contain her embarrassment. "I am so sorry!" She ran a finger gently over the deepest cut. "They don't hurt, do they?"

He turned back to face her allowing his shirt to fall back in to place.

"Whatever injuries I may have sustained were more than worth it, vhenan."

"I couldn't agree more," she said, sliding a hand up the front of his shirt.

With a slight movement, he denied her advances. "We need to discuss your next assignment."

Her disgruntled frown turned to a look of curiosity. "Oh? You already have something in mind?"

"I had something in mind before you even agreed to take this position. Unfortunately, that business with the agents got in the way but now that it is dealt with… I warn you, you are not going to be thrilled with what I must ask of you…"

"Well don't leave me in suspense, Solas!" she exclaimed as he trailed off rather uselessly.

He told her of a Dalish clan currently making their home in the Exalted Plains. Their Keeper was renowned for her knowledge of all things elven. Solas could obviously outdo her in many elements but he only knew his world, as it was when he lived it. His knowledge of what came after the Veil was another story. All he had were pieces, collected from both the Fade and his travels but he needed more. Combining the Keeper's knowledge with his own would undoubtedly expedite their mission. What he asked of Ellana was to meet with this Keeper and negotiate for her to join their ranks. He had been right - the idea did not thrill her. The thought of being immersed in Dalish culture after so long was uncomfortable and, although she had often been involved in diplomacy with the Inquisition, she did not feel she had any particular skill in that area. She was about to start arguing when the approaching voices of her friends broke her from the thought.

Likely sensing her disapproval, Solas remarked, "Come by the tower later and we can discuss the matter further. For now - think on it."

Lis made it first through the trees. "Oh… Sorry. Didn't realise you were still here…" she commented, eyes fixed to Solas with eager curiosity.

Likely visible to Ellana alone, he quite clearly did not enjoy the regard of this stranger.

He shook his head ever so slightly. "It is quite alright - I was just leaving."

Shivra approached him as he moved with a look of awe on her face.

"You know, I was there that day in the ruins when you took down that group of mages. It was bloody majestic…" she interrupted wistfully.

Solas stopped, visibly taken aback. "Ending a life is not an act that should be celebrated, even when there is no other option."

He left, not giving her a chance to respond but even if he had, it seemed unlikely she would have been capable. As he walked away, Ellana could only just hear Shivra's impressed whisper.

"Such a badass…"

"Do you have a thing for him or something? That's adorable!" Ellana teased, giggling mercilessly.

"Fuck off! Nothing like that!" Shivra exclaimed, both angry and so embarrassed, her face had turned bright red. "He's just so impressive! The best part is you'd never know it from looking at the guy - so unassuming, even with all that power."

"Yeah, I don't see it," Lis added with a shrug. "Seems like a pretty normal guy to me. Well, he's got that self-assured thing that all leaders have but otherwise - normal."

"You've not seen him fight!" Shivra retorted angrily. "It's like watching a master painter at work but he does it with what seems like no effort. It would be something to see him take on something really tough…"

"Could you two save this discussion for a time when I am not present?" Ellana interjected feeling uncomfortably awkward herself. "It's way too weird. What did you want anyway?"

"I wanted to run something by you," Shivra started, the wistful look finally gone from her face. "I had been thinking about a friend of mine - Miris. She would be a great addition to our team. She's a very talented agent; a mage too and she's due back from a job anytime now. I thought I might ask her if she would be interested in joining us." She nodded to Lis. "Blondie figured I should run it by you before I did anything…"

"Definitely," Ellana replied, dipping her head to Lis in acknowledgement of the gesture. "If you think she'd be a good fit then she must have something. Although, don't give her any guarantees. I'll need to meet her and get a measure for myself before we make any decisions."

"You won't regret it!" Shivra exclaimed, running off in excitement before anyone could get another word in.

Lis and Ellana sighed in unison.

"So what did he want to talk to you about? Seemed important. Anything my innocent ears can handle?" Lis asked teasingly.

Ellana sighed at the thought. "I think we have a new assignment."

She filled Lis in on what little details she knew. She too was not thrilled by the idea. Lis had little experience of large-scale negotiations and her knowledge of the Dalish themselves was just as limited. She feared she would commit some terrible faux pas and mess it all up. Ellana doubted that. For what she lacked in knowledge, Lis made up for in discretion. She could be blunt, even boorish at times with people she knew but never in a professional capacity. The same could not be said for Shivra. Together, they could not help but worry what a traditional Dalish clan would make of her.

Ellana sat cross-legged on the floor of her tent with notes nestled in her lap. She had already been to meet with Solas in the tower and now knew a great deal more about their next assignment. She had heard of the clan during her youth but never met any of their number. Clan Namahris were considered odd amongst the other clans. Rumour had it they rejected much of Dalish tradition and their Keeper, Mirwen, was said to be especially strange. She claimed to have 'the sight', as it was known. Amongst the Dalish it was not uncommon for people to declare they had the ability to see the future but Ellana had yet to meet one who could back their claims up with any actual proof. Solas treated it with just as much scepticism when he told her of the Keeper's claims but Ellana had too much on her mind at the time to give it much thought. She could not help but ask him the very thought that pervaded her mind - why he did not give this task to quite literally anyone else. She was certain there had to be more experienced and better-suited agents including the most obvious choice - himself. She was surprised to hear she would not be the first person to try to negotiate with the Keeper. Solas had sent many over the years; including approaching the Keeper himself in a manner of speaking. Every time she had denied him. Adding to his frustration, she never dismissed his attempts with any finality; always hinting he could potentially succeed with the next attempt. More recently, she had started sending notes back with the rejected agents. Ellana studied all four now. The Keepers pluckiness and the irritation it no doubt caused Solas over the years was at least amusing.

The first one read – "Although I appreciate all the attention, dear Wolf, your choice of envoy leaves much to be desired. I eagerly await the day you send the correct one."

Solas explained he decided to send Varden following the first note but he was also rebuffed with a similar note. It read – "It is promising to see you are taking my advice to heart. On this occasion, the elf you sent me was clearly a man more worthy of your name but therein rests the problem. The one I seek shares more in common with myself than any man could."

Solas took that to mean he needed to send a female but that did not work either. The third note said simply – "Wrong again, Dread Wolf."

Mirwen must have begun to tire of the continued failures because the fourth and final note was the clearest of them all – "Please apologise to your agent on my behalf, I did not wish to waste either of our time in discussions doomed to fail. I seek one and one alone and without her, I see no point in repeating our meetings. I see her in my dreams, as you do; eyes like steel and a resolve that is just as unbreakable. Until she finds her way back to you, I am afraid we have little more to discuss. I wish you well in your endeavours, Dread Wolf."

Not wanting to accept the implications of her words, it was following this note that Solas in the form of a wolf approached Mirwen in the fade. It was not long after this that Ellana re-entered his life.

The notes certainly piqued her curiosity. Ellana could not deny that the final note in all its ambiguity did seem to be referring to her but she could not see how that was possible. It seemed unlikely that Mirwen would have much knowledge of the Inquisition; definitely not enough to know that Solas had any sort of history with Ellana. Despite Solas's continued scepticism, Ellana did begin to wonder if the Keeper was truthfully having visions.

As she sat pondering, Ellana's research was interrupted by the arrival of Lis, Shivra and another she did not recognise. The stranger was exceptionally tall for a female elf. She carried a silver staff with a usually large curved blade branching down from the top. Her hair was platinum blonde and tied in a stiff bun atop predominantly hard features. Her stare felt oddly intimidating; ice blue eyes fixed to Ellana without a shred of apprehension.

"Hey, hot stuff!" Shivra bellowed with a decided smirk. "This is Miris - the one I was telling you about. I told her about our crew and she wants in! Uh…I mean, if you'll have her…"

Ellana rose to greet her new acquaintance, "It's a pleasure to meet you Miris. So you are interested in joining with us?"

Miris's noble features gave little away. "I am. I seldom work within a team but what Shivra has told me of your exploits is intriguing…enough to reconsider that position. If you find it agreeable, I would be open to the idea."

Ellana narrowed her eyes. "What skills could you offer?"

"My talents include battle prowess, offensive magic and a strong knowledge of elven lore. What I lack in roguish skills, I more than make up for on the battlefield," Miris replied in a matter-of-fact tone.

Ellana was finding her frustratingly difficult to read and doubted further talk would yield much more. She would need to get more creative than mere questioning to assess this woman.

"I am yet to be convinced," she remarked with a hand to her chin in thought.

Ellana turned and walked away from the group. Shivra let out an exasperated cry, likely in the belief that her friend had been rejected outright. Searching the ground around her, Ellana came to a gradual stop at the edge of the forest. She returned, much to the surprise of the others, with two sticks – one of similar length to a staff and the other somewhat shorter.

"If you want to work with us then prove it," she said, throwing the longer stick to Miris. "Show me what you're made of."

She snapped the smaller stick on her knee, which made each section mimic the size a dagger. She unsheathed her actual daggers and threw them to the floor.

"You want me to fight you?" Miris questioned, finally letting her façade slip a little but handing her genuine staff to Shivra all the same.

"Precisely," Ellana replied with a nod. "No real weapons but I want you to take this seriously. Give me everything you have."

She moved away from the group in to the open area between the camp and the forest.

"Very well," Miris replied, swinging her makeshift staff around her body as she came to join Ellana in the open.

Barely able to contain the thrill she already felt, Ellana smiled. "Well then, let's begin."

She had moved before Miris could react. She only just managed to throw out some defensive swings before Ellana was upon her. She used an acrobatic fighting style, much like her opponent. The two of them sparring was a sight to behold and a small crowd formed quickly. Miris kept Ellana at bay with defensive swipes unaware that she was just waiting for her chance. With a particularly wide swing, Ellana saw her opening. She slid beneath the stave with ease and arrived behind her off-balance opponent.

Pressing the tips of her pretend blades to Miris's back she said, "I just killed you. You're going to have to do better than that."

They broke apart. This time Miris moved first, closing the gap with renewed vigour. She managed to connect the pommel end of her makeshift weapon with Ellana's shoulder but it did little to dissuade the relentless elf. She dodged the majority of Miris's attacks and after a particularly harsh tirade of swings, Miris was shocked to find her gone. Before she could turn, a kick hit the back of her knee and her leg crumpled beneath her. A quick shove to the shoulder was all it took to direct her to the ground and Ellana was at her throat before she knew what had happened. Judging by the cheers that followed, the crowd of onlookers had grown.

"And that's you dead again," Ellana stated as she rose once again to her feet.

Ellana paced as her opponent rose, frustration growing in her chest. She could tell that Miris had a great deal of potential but something was holding her back.

"Are you taking this seriously?!" she shouted, anger rising in her tone. "Is this a game to you?! If this was a real fight, that could have been your life or your teammates' lives! I need you to show me that you're more than this!"

Miris had closed her eyes but Ellana was not about to show leniency. She held nothing back and struck at Miris's face but was met with a sudden icy stare. To add to her surprise, her strike was halted by Miris's arm, encased in actual ice. Her makeshift dagger slid on its surface, her own momentum throwing her off-balance. She recovered just in time to dodge an ice shard followed almost immediately by a brutally swung stave. Miris's attacks came thick and fast. Ellana was successfully dodging the majority of the strikes but just barely. A grin formed slowly as she felt herself becoming overwhelmed by Miris's onslaught. Dodging both spells and the stave, she did not have much chance to keep an eye on her footing. She slipped on a forgotten icicle and Miris took her chance, sweeping at Ellana's legs with full force. She slammed to the ground on her already tender back and Miris placed the tip of her stick against her throat in triumph. The onlookers erupted in to cheers.

"That's what I needed to see!" Ellana cried through heavy breath. "Fucking…brilliant…!"

Miris removed her makeshift weapon and offered her a hand.

"Welcome to the team, Miris," Ellana breathed, gratefully accepting the outstretched hand.

A couple of days had passed since Ellana had accepted Miris into their family. She had tried to use her time wisely. Any hours after dusk she kept reserved for Solas but she had spent the rest with her teammates researching the Namahris clan and their Keeper as much as they could. She wanted to know everything before they departed. They were due to leave tomorrow morning as soon as the sun rose. They had a bit of a walk before they would reach the clan's current location but beyond that, she hoped they could keep the travelling to a minimum. The idea of negotiating already made her nervous enough without anything else on top of it.

She was almost satisfied with her research and with only an hour or two left before the sun would set, she intended to stop soon. She had read many of the reports multiple times but she wanted to be certain she had a good understanding of the woman before they met. From what she had read, she certainly was an eccentric.

Once they finally finished up, Ellana made her way to the tower. She had gotten so used to the routine of visiting Solas that she did not think twice about making her way straight through the rooms. It was not until she reached the balcony that she found him, already fast asleep in one of the chairs. Ellana had noticed that he had been sleeping a lot more than usual lately. She presumed he was searching the Fade for some lost piece of knowledge but, worried it was not her place, she never actually asked his reasons. She sat down in the chair next to his watching him with fervour. The fact that he could sleep soundly just about anywhere had always made her jealous. She tended to need a bed; she had to be truly exhausted or drunk to sleep well in anything less.

He stirred and Ellana could do little but smile as he awoke.

"I really wish you would not insist on watching me sleep," he groaned once he noticed her.

Her grin widened. "No way is that going to happen. It's just too adorable." She giggled as he rolled his eyes. "Besides, you can sleep unwatched all you want while I'm away."

"That reminds me, I have something for you." He got up and left her for a moment; appearing again with a wooden box that he handed to her. "A gift for your travels."

She stared up at him, surprise evident across her features before gazing down at the box questioningly.

"A gift?" she repeated.

He sat back down with a groan. "Yes. A gift you should open."

She paused for a moment before she did as she was bid. Nestled within folds of fabric, she found two of the most beautifully crafted daggers she had ever laid eyes on. Both were identical in structure, as was Ellana's preference. A large blade at the top gave way to a typically elven styled grip before another smaller blade that protruded from the base. She ran a hand carefully along the blade of the dagger closest to her and down to the grip – black like obsidian with pale silver accents. She switched her attention in turn to the further– bearing the same colour scheme but reversed.

"I know you had to leave your old favourites behind when you left Skyhold… I thought it only fitting you had proper replacements," Solas remarked, eagerly watching her reaction. "The ebony one is enchanted with fire; the silver - with lightening. A firestorm seemed an appropriate fit for you, vhenan."

Unable to stop touching them, Ellana desperately tried to find the words to show her appreciation. She had never been given a gift like this before. In spite of herself, she could feel tears welling in her eyes.

"They're beautiful!" she exclaimed, launching herself at him.

Likely having the wind knocked out of him, Solas took a moment to recover before managing to say, "I'm glad you like them."

She kissed him deeply but unable to resist for long, she picked her new toys back up again and sat cradled in his lap studying every detail. He smiled down on her, hand stroking her hair as he watched her enjoyment.

"I wish…" he started, stroking hand slowing. She gazed up at him questioningly. "I wish you never had to leave…"

"Aww, you're going to miss me, aren't you?" she teased, reaching out to touch his cheek with an undeniable grin.

"Of course." He contemplated for a moment, still not certain where they stood on a certain issue. "But I could always visit you in your dreams?"

"That would be lovely." She suddenly halted her stroking fingers and her face darkened with concern. "Not as a wolf though..." She turned back to him. "I mean, I'll try pretty much anything once but that…that would be a bit much… I'm not even sure how…"

He placed a hand across her mouth and laughed, cradling her more closely. "No, definitely not as a wolf."

A/N - This chapter was re-written on 24/03/18