They passed through the Eluvian in complete silence. Seeing their home once again brought little comfort. Varden waited patiently on the other side and to Ellana's surprise he was accompanied by a tearful Mirwen and another Dalish elf. The sight of Areina's body crumpled Varden's normally composed expression. Mirwen and the other elf came forward to take Areina from them.

"Oh my dear girl," Mirwen whimpered as Ari's body changed hands.

Lis piped up as they left.

"Where are they taking her?" she asked with a panicked tone.

"To her clan. They deserve a chance to mourn," Solas replied. He turned to Varden with a questioning look. "How did they… "

Ellana couldn't hear the rest as Lis interrupted, "Then we should go too! She shouldn't be alone…"

"And she won't be," Ellana added. "She will be amongst her family. We should give them some time."

Lis still looked hesitant.

"We could follow; keep our distance. That way they can have some time while we remain close," Ellana compromised.

Her friends started towards the door. Ellana looked back at Solas.

"You go on ahead. I need a minute," he said as calmly as he could.

Ellana followed her friends out and with her gone, Solas let go of his composure. He leaned against the stone wall as his strength evaporated beneath the weight of his regret.

"Whatever you did they deserved," Varden remarked quietly from nearby.

"No, not this time," Solas replied sadly.

"They killed one of our own," Varden added.

"So I killed many of theirs and they'll kill even more of ours and the cycle goes on," Solas lamented. "But where does it end?"

"When this world is gone and born anew, I would presume," Varden replied matter-of-factly.

"I can't believe she's gone," Shivra said, breaking the silence as they walked. "She didn't deserve to go like that…"

Ellana could feel tears forming in her eyes again. Lis stopped walking and let out a loud sob. Ellana went over to comfort her.

"She was so young, so naive!" Lis sobbed. "I screamed at her, told her to stop but she wouldn't! She wanted to save you!"

Not noticing Solas had caught up to them, Ellana lost all control. "No! Don't blame yourself! This is all my fault!" she cried.

In response to Ellana's cry, he took her side.

"No, vhenan. The fault lies with the one that killed her," he said, looking expectantly at Lis but she didn't take the hint. He tried a more blunt approach, "Tell me; what actually happened to her?"

Lis shifted apprehensively. She didn't want to relive it, not so soon. Eventually she found her strength.

"We were waiting and the raven came. We were ready and… They came out of nowhere!" Lis uttered, her tempo growing more rapid with each word. "This woman…she told us to drop our weapons and we did but when she told Ari to give her the bird, she wouldn't do it! That woman threatened she'd burn her to ash and I screamed at Ari but she wouldn't listen! She sent off the bird and the woman just lost it. She could have hit the bird but she didn't even try! She didn't even try, Ellana!" Lis wailed.

Ellana's face contorted in rage. "Who? Who was it? Tell me!"

"I don't know!" Lis shouted.

"Burn to ash…" Solas thought aloud. His brow furrowed as he remembered the scorch marks that the note and raven had apparently suffered. "This woman was a mage?"

Lis nodded through another sob before continuing, "She threw fire at her but it was a thunderbolt that…"

She broke down, unable to continue but Ellana wasn't willing to give up.

"Do you remember anything else about her?" Ellana asked frantically.

"Her armour was different from the rest. She didn't look like one of the Inquisition people. She was very different too," Lis said through sobs as she tried to remember. "Like a superior…"

Ellana nodded her along as she spoke while trying to hide her disappointment. None of what Lis had said was helping her. She felt Solas's hand on her shoulder and the tension in it made her look up at him. His is eyes were wide; terrible recognition written across his face but Ellana couldn't understand why.

"She kept calling me 'my dear', even after what she did to Ari," Lis continued angrily. "Like pleasantries would somehow make up for what she…"

Ellana took a sharp intake of breath and Solas walked away, head in his hands. Lis stopped talking and they all looked on in confusion.

"It can't be; she wouldn't!" Ellana exclaimed having finally put it all together.

Solas stormed back, his anger making Ellana's companions take a fearful step back.

"This is Vivienne we are talking about. Do you really believe she would think twice about crushing some insignificant elf that chose to vex her?" he snapped.

"You may have had your differences but you didn't know her like I did. It can't have been her. It must be someone else," Ellana retorted desperately.

"I knew her well enough," he replied angrily. He turned to Lis recoiled slightly at his attention. "Dark skin, exotic features, likely wearing robes of the finest silk?"

Lis looked nervously at Ellana before reluctantly nodding in response. With that Solas walked away again, cursing under his breath.

"You know this woman?" Miris asked.

"Yes… If it's even her! She had no reason to be there! It can't have been her!" Ellana responded, still struggling.

"Then you know where to find her?" Miris asked coolly.

"I suppose so…" Ellana replied with suspicion.

"Good…good…" Miris mused, tapping Shivra on the back.

Although Miris spoke without any clear hint of anger, Ellana was rightfully sceptical.

"No. We are not going after her! Not until we know for sure," she said as firmly as she could.

"And let her get away! That's bullshit!" Shivra shouted. She stopped short of continuing with her angry remarks when she realised Solas had returned to the fray.

"What better way to determine her guilt than to ask directly?" he remarked.

"You're agreeing with this?" Ellana asked disbelievingly.

"I am agreeing that we should seek the truth. What you do with that truth, is up to you," he said.

"And storming in on her is the answer? No! There must be another way to get the truth before we do anything drastic," Ellana added.

Her friends, each in their own way appeared disappointed by her response but she didn't expect them to understand. They needed vengeance and she had to admit, before any mention of Vivienne she had felt exactly the same way. She fully believed Lis's version of events and it certainly sounded like Vivienne but that conclusion had to be wrong. While it was undeniable that Solas's dislike of the woman was founded in some truths, Ellana still couldn't believe that she would do this. Furthermore she couldn't help but question why she would even have been there in the first place. Certainly not without her knowledge.

"Hmmm… Perhaps you're right. Maybe there is another way," Solas pondered.

"You have an idea?" Ellana asked hopefully.

"Maybe…" he replied, walking away thoughtfully to explore the idea. He stopped suddenly and turned back to her. "You should prepare yourself for the worst, Ellana. The truth is seldom kind."

Ellana and her friends entered Mirwen's tent to an appropriately sombre atmosphere. Their lost friend lay in the centre surrounded by mementos from the forest; the place she had loved most. Candles were dappled about the room. Their lights flickered off her cold skin and for the briefest of moments they gave the cruel illusion of life. Members of her clan stood around her in mourning. Ellana kept back at the entrance while her friends went to join the others. They hadn't spent time with her like Ellana had and she wanted to make sure they had their chance. Watching them brought the pain back again and when she couldn't take it any longer she ducked out of the tent. Mirwen joined her outside.

"I'm sorry," she said much to Ellana's surprise.

"You're sorry? No, this was my failure. I am the one who is sorry," Ellana replied sadly.

"Those that took her life are to blame, not you. You couldn't have known… You didn't ask for this," Mirwen mused sadly.

Ellana was touched by her understanding and acceptance but something in what she said gave her pause. The first part seemed to be the stock answer for this situation so that gave no disturbance and she was right that Ellana didn't ask for this nor could she have predicted it. The sudden thought of predication sent Ellana's mind racing.

"You were there when we returned… We never sent word…no one knew what had transpired but us…" Ellana thought aloud.

Tears rolled down Mirwen's cheeks and she closed her eyes in anticipation.

"You knew! You saw it or whatever you do…you saw it and you knew it was going to happen!" Ellana exclaimed.

Mirwen nodded sadly, choking back tears, "I did."

"You knew and you did nothing!" Ellana yelled, shaking the Keeper by the shoulders. "She was like a daughter to you! You could have saved her!"

"There was no other way! This was her fate!" Mirwen exclaimed.

"Her fate?! Snuffed out before you've even had a chance!" Ellana cried.

"She died for a purpose. With her death you will become so much more; what you must be," Mirwen retorted. "Pain moulds who we are, shapes us in to our future selves. Without it we can't become more than what we are. I could have stopped it and that thought destroys me but it would have been wrong. She chose this path!"

"Shut up! I don't care about your bullshit!" Ellana yelled. "If you could have prevented this then you are a monster for not trying. I don't care about your reasons or your stupid prophecies. Fuck you! Fuck all of this!"

She fixed the Keeper with a furious glare before storming away from their exchange. Her legs carried her to the forest where she crumpled to the floor. She hunched over, face in the dirt as she screamed; tears melding with the ground beneath.

Ellana made determinedly for the tower but the walk was agonising. Quiet mutters followed her wherever she went. Those with more bravery offered her condolences which she took with as much courtesy as she could muster. During a particularly lengthy exchange she looked up at the tower. Solas stood on the balcony watching her from above. She couldn't explain it but something about his stare troubled her. When she finally escaped her peoples' pity and reached the top level of the tower he hadn't come to meet her as he usually did. She went through to find him still out on the balcony. He didn't turn to meet her.

"Solas are you…" she started, getting worried. Even with her words he hadn't moved from his position. "Is everything alright?"

Immediately after she had said it she wished she hadn't. It was a stupid question, given what had just transpired. He kept silent for what felt like an age.

"I killed an innumerable amount of people today," he finally said. His voice was unnervingly even.

"I'm sorry. If there had been any other way," Ellana stuttered in response.

He finally turned, continuing like he hadn't heard her, "And when all was said and done I killed without any real hesitation."

"I didn't mean for it to go that far. You tried to make them see sense," she said. He was slowly advancing and the glint in his eyes was starting to disturb her. "You tried…"

"No…not nearly enough," he replied as he reached her. "But that's not even the worst part." His hand went to her throat as the desperation in his eyes peaked. "To get to you, vhenan, I would have slaughtered all of them without any hesitation. Every last one."

"Solas, you're scaring me," Ellana said feebly, shaking beneath him.

Regaining some semblance of control he released his grip on her throat but his intensity did not diminish.

"You should be. Today has shown me that there is nothing I wouldn't do for you; nothing I wouldn't take," he continued. "I can be a monster if that's what's needed and that thought scares me more than I ever imagined."

He looked away, ashamed but Ellana turned his cheek gently back to face her.

"Protecting those you love are not the actions of a monster," she said with conviction. "But you still should never have had to do what you did. You shouldn't have to protect me. I shouldn't be the one making you weak."

"Not weak," he said as he left her side. "The exact opposite in fact. But that…"

"Is not who you want to be," Ellana interjected.

A look and silence passed between them. As time went on, the look in his eyes softened. Ellana no longer felt afraid but she wondered more than ever what would become of them on this path. Neither were the people they had been all those years ago. So much had changed and with it, they had too. With more yet to come she feared what they would be by the end.

"I'm sorry about your friend," Solas eventually said as he came back over to her side. "She didn't deserve that end and I wish there was something I could have done to prevent it."

"Thank you," she replied. "While you may not have been able to save her, know that the rest of us all owe you our lives. You did save us."

He put his arms around her and she sank in to him.

"I can't possibly understand the pain you are feeling, vhenan, but if there's anything I can do, know that I will always be here," he said.

"I know," Ellana replied in a muffled voice.

Throughout the morning Ellana had managed to avoid speaking with Mirwen again. It was a small mercy but even with that peace she still felt lost. Solas hadn't really said anything when she had told him about the Keeper's knowledge. It was probably a wise decision as even she couldn't think of anything he could have said that would have made her feel better. Plans for Areina's burial were at the forefront of most people's mind but that only brought yet more conflict. The Dalish were set on returning her to the earth as their tradition dictates but Solas was against the idea. Their home was far from a normal realm. It existed with its own rules and limitations which made burial an unwelcome option. Burning was the established method but that was not in keeping with the Dalish tradition. Many of the Dalish seemed unwilling to bend on the issue. Those that felt strongly demanded leave to undertake the rights in the outside world but that suggestion was also argued. Solas wanted to keep whomever he could here until the storm of their actions died down. He was reluctant to allow them to face potential danger for the sake of tradition and Ellana was inclined to agree with him. Ari was dead and whatever they did now was not going to change that. Her friends took a similar view but they all agreed that if the Dalish did go then they would go with them. They weren't about to let Ari take her final journey without them.

"Am I being too harsh? If that's what they want to do then should they not be allowed to decide for themselves?" Solas asked.

"If it wasn't for the Inquisition, I'd say let them do what they want but it's not that simple. We don't know what they're doing, where they are. Even if we sent them to the farthest reaches of Thedas we still couldn't be sure that the Inquisition wouldn't be waiting. If tradition is what keeps you happy then fine but it's not worth dying over," Ellana replied. "Have you spoken to Mirwen about it?"

"Briefly but she was more concerned about you," he responded carefully. "I didn't get much of a chance as the others had to have their say. After that it just descended in to another senseless argument."

"I could talk to her about it. If she's accepting then the others might be more open to the idea," Ellana suggested.

"You really think that's a good idea given your current grievance?" he asked.

"She's probably more likely to listen if she thinks she's going to get her head bitten off," she said, with a laugh.

There was a knock at the door and at Solas's behest Varden entered.

"My lord, our scouts have done as you asked and the results are promising," he said.

"Already? Where?" Solas enquired, getting up eagerly.

"West of Redcliffe but they have been brought to the forward camp for your convenience," he responded.

"Wonderful, then this won't take long," Solas remarked. He took Ellana's hand. "Come with me, vhenan. There's something we need to obtain."

Ellana dutifully followed as he led her in the direction of the hilltop Eluvian.

"Where are we going, Solas? What is it we're going to get?" she asked.

"Answers, my love. Answers."

"It's not her is it?" Ellana asked with sudden dread.

"Of course not!" Solas replied amusedly. "She's still hold up with the Inquisition. There'll be no getting to her for a while… I thought about it, don't get me wrong, but as you said it's not a viable option. Then it occurred to me – it's doubtful that she scoured the wilderness for your friends alone; not our precious Enchanter. There were others. They know what happened and they…"

"Can give us the answer," Ellana finished.

"Exactly. I knew the Inquisition would be trying to watch us; at a distance, of course, but more intensely than before. Luckily for us, distance does not mean safety. You may see your foe in the distance but that can blind you to the wolf sneaking up behind," he mused happily.

Through the woods a group of elves became visible. They surrounded another group; five Inquisition soldiers on their knees.

"But what if they weren't there? How do you know they will have the information we need?" Ellana asked.

"I don't," he replied with a laugh. "But we will soon enough. You need to know the truth, vhenan. Without it you can't move on."

Tears welled in Ellana's eyes at the thought.

"Even if we have to repeat this a hundred more times, I will find the answer for you. You have my word on that," he continued.

He left her side a short distance from the crowd, coming forward alone to meet their captives. The Inquisition soldiers knelt on the ground and all but one looked up at him defiantly. In complete contrast, the remaining one became panicked the second he set eyes on Solas, shaking uncontrollably. His reaction did not escape the Dread Wolf's notice.

"Him," Solas said, nodding to the panicked soldier.

Two of the surrounding elves brought the man forward and took him to his knees at Solas's feet. He came to one knee to meet the shaking man.

"Your friends over there," Solas said, nodding to the other soldiers. "They didn't react when they saw me; just another elf come to accost them. But you? You're different. You know exactly who I am." His tone was gentle, deceptively unthreatening but it didn't stop the man from becoming more panicked with each word. "You were there, weren't you? In that courtyard…watching. I'm right, am I not?"

He waited for a response but none came beyond fearful sobbing.

"Speak!" Solas ordered in a raised voice that made the man jump.

"Yes! I was there…" the man responded weakly.

"Good…that's good," Solas replied, taking the man by the shoulders and returning to his sickly sweet tone. "Then you know better. But you needn't worry, my friend. Answer my questions and nothing has to happen here…you won't have to watch again…"

"Please, no!" the man sobbed.

"Hush… There is nothing to fear," Solas comforted. "Answer my questions and you will all go free."

"Of course! Anything!" exclaimed the soldier.

"Good," Solas replied. "Now… on that fateful day your people hunted some elves. One of those elves was a girl that your people killed." With the mention of Areina the man's sobbing intensified. Solas smiled knowing he was on to the right mark. "I had hoped that you might have been there too and given your reaction…"

"I didn't have anything to do with it! I didn't kill her! It wasn't me!" the man sobbed.

"Of course not! If you had, we wouldn't be having this conversation. No… But you know who did. You were there; you saw. So all you have to do is give me a name. Give me a name and you can all go free," Solas instructed.

"I don't know! I don't know who she was!" the man yelled. "I'm just a soldier! I can't be expected to…"

"Well that is unfortunate," the elf interrupted, getting up off the ground. "And here I was poised to give you your freedom. But now…." He turned away with a darkened expression. "Maybe we should educate your friends. I wouldn't like them to think they're missing out…"

"No!" the soldier yelled. "Please! I…" He stopped, wracking his brain as Solas waited patiently with his back still turned. "Vivienne. The Commander…he called her Vivienne. I'm sure he did! Please, don't hurt them!"

"Well done!" Solas said gleefully, coming back down to the soldier's level. "And now you have your freedom as promised. I hope that you use it more wisely this time."

With that Solas left the soldier still shaking on the ground.

"Take them away from here and release them," he said back in his usual tone to one of the watching elves.

He grabbed Ellana by the arm and turned her tear strewn face away from the others. As he led her back the way they had come he spoke.

"I am sorry, vhenan. It may not be the answer you wanted but at least now you know the truth."

"She will die for this," Ellana sobbed.

"Indeed she will," he replied.

"So now we know who we're hunting," Shivra remarked coldly.

The group was sitting in a circle around Ariena's body. It seemed slightly wrong to be discussing this over their friend but, even though it sounded incredibly stupid, Ellana didn't want to leave her out.

"I hope he hurt them," Shivra continued angrily.

"He didn't need to. The guy had just watched his comrades being burned alive. He wasn't going to put up much of a resistance in the wake of that, was he?" Ellana replied.

Shivra rolled her eyes in annoyance.

"So what's the plan?" Miris asked.

"There isn't one," Ellana replied sadly. "She's hiding and for now, she's untouchable."

Shivra scoffed angrily and made to argue but Ellana cut her off.

"But that can't last forever. She'll regain her confidence and let her guard down. We just have to wait," she said.

"I fucking hate waiting," Shivra added angrily.

Ellana didn't respond. She was distracted by the sight of Mirwen at the tent's opening. She sighed and got up to join the Keeper outside.

"What do you want?" she asked irritably.

Mirwen looked taken aback by her tone. "I mean no harm. I just wanted to check up on you," she replied carefully.

"Well, I'm doing great. Just as miserable and angry as before but thanks for the concern," Ellana responded angrily.

"Good; I would be disappointed if you weren't," the Keeper remarked.

Ellana's brow furrowed.

Mirwen spoke before she could question, "I know you think I am terrible for what I have done…what I chose to ignore. But I want you to know that I agree with you. Not a day will go by when I don't hate myself for what I've done. She was like a daughter to me…"

Ellana wanted to break down but out of the corner of her eye she saw a crop of red hair bobbing nearby. Firanni had come to eavesdrop and Ellana wasn't willing to show the Keeper's First any weakness. She closed her eyes as she tried desperately to hold back her emotions.

"That day when she joined your band I asked you to treat her as one of your own and look at you! You barely knew her and yet her death has torn you apart. You sit here planning elaborate vengeance!" the Keeper continued with a surprisingly joyful tone. "You took her as one of your own. You may not have kept her safe but neither did I. She made a choice, one that I doubt she would regret. She lived her final days as she chose and that was because of you. She left her people still a child but you made her more."

Ellana couldn't find the words to respond. She still hated what Mirwen had done but she was right; the choice had been Areina's to make. Ellana's eyes stung painfully.

"What would have happened if you had stopped her?" Ellana asked once she had regained some of her composure.

Mirwen sighed. "Does it really matter? We can't change the past, no matter how much we may wish it. What's done is done. But know this – she did not die in vain."

Ellana couldn't hold back the tears any longer and they started to stream down her face. The Keeper took her in a motherly embrace.

"I should have known," Ellana remarked once her pain had diminished. "I did wonder why you never told Solas about the spy but I guess I never thought to question."

"It was not a decision I took lightly. Although I must admit, I am resistant to involving your wolf in anything I do without reason," Mirwen replied with a laugh.

A sudden gasp to their side interrupted them. They both turned to Firanni, its only possible source. She stood with a shocked expression.

"What?" Ellana asked.

"I… No one told me…" Firanni started, her expression still appearing alarmed.

"Speak, girl," Mirwen ordered.

"No one told me we weren't supposed to say anything about the spy," she said, with a slight smirk betraying her façade.

"So? That's shocking to you?" Ellana asked in confusion. Looking over at Mirwen she saw her expression filled with worry.

"I didn't think I needed to say anything before but now with Ari I…" Firanni said carefully.

"What did you do?!" Ellana roared, finally understanding Mirwen's concern.

"With all that has happened I thought I had to tell someone," Firanni added.

As if on cue, Ellana saw Varden in the distance making a beeline for them. Fear crushed what little self-control she had left.

"You what?!" Ellana shouted.

"I'm sorry!" Firanni exclaimed with absolutely no sorrow in her tone. "I thought it was the right thing to do!"

"I'm going to fucking kill you!" Ellana bellowed, reaching for the fire haired elf but Mirwen got to her first.

"You foolish girl!" she shouted, slapping Firanni hard across the face. "How dare you overstep your bounds in this way! Don't even think about apologising! You knew exactly what you were doing!"

Ellana was briefly amused to see Firanni squirming beneath Mirwen's ire but her amusement was quickly overwhelmed by her anxiety.

"Shit! What am I going to do?! I can't deal with this, not now!" she ranted to herself.

"He will understand," Mirwen said reassuringly as Ellana's friends emerged from the tent looking concerned.

Ellana laughed mirthlessly, "No he fucking wont!"

"Just breathe. Try and calm yourself!" Mirwen added.

But it was too late for that. Varden was upon them, the commotion having only quickened his pace.

Solas stood hunched over the desk with his back to her as she entered the study. She didn't need to see his face to know he was furious. The air seemed to crackle around him as it is always did when he was truly angry. It made her question how in control of himself he really was. Varden backed away quickly, closing the door behind him. Solas turned his head only enough to be certain it was her before turning away again in disgust.

"So there was an Inquisition spy amongst the Dalish then," he started, managing to contain himself.

Ellana interrupted weakly, "I'm sorry! I didn't… I…"

"And how does that sentence finish exactly? What can you possibly say that will explain this?" he asked, volume rising.

He turned to face her and waited for a response. Ellana looked at the floor shamefully.

"Imagine my surprise to hear that not only did you let an Inquisition spy go, you also thought it fit to provoke them!" he continued. "You practically invited them on yourself, ignoring all the dangers that could bring and who might suffer as a result!"

Ellana stuttered to speak but he wasn't done.

"Not only that but you didn't even have the decency to tell me yourself; I had to hear it from Varden! Imagine my amusement at that!" he shouted.

"I couldn't tell you," she said weakly. Finding her strength she went on, "Look at how you're reacting! You'd have kept me locked up here forever!"

Solas made an angry noise as he closed the distance between them.

"And what if I had?! None of this would have happened! You brought this all on yourself! It is your fault!" he yelled. "Maybe if you had taken the time to actually think and not been so selfish then your friend might still be alive!"

Ellana's eyes widened in shock. Tears started to fall against her will.

"Don't you think I know that?! That's nothing I haven't thought myself a thousand times over!" she sobbed, tears streaming so hard she could only see in blurs. She swallowed, crushing down her self-loathing. "But I never thought I would ever hear you say it; not you!"

Unable to stand the sight of him any longer she turned on her heel and ran.

"Ellana, wait…" Solas called uselessly after her; much too late to take it back now.

Solas with Varden in tow were walking back to the tower fresh from another discussion with the Dalish. His anger from the previous night had not lessened but he had managed to regain his self-control enough to attend to his duties. In the back of his mind he regretted what he had said but his rage kept him from fully admitting it to himself. What Ellana had done was foolish, bordering on idiotic and she had to learn but beneath his blinding anger he knew it was not so simple.

"You have got to be fucking kidding me!" sounded a bellow from close behind him.

He turned to meet it, fully expecting Ellana. Lis's enraged form surprised him.

"Who the fuck do you think you are?!" she yelled, getting unexpectedly close to him. "How fucking dare you! All she does is care about you and this is how you repay her! After all the crap you've put her through already! How fucking dare you!"

Due to the sheer volume of Lis's yells everyone in the vicinity was now intently listening. She didn't seem to notice but their gaping stares only added to Solas's bubbling fury. He raised himself to his full height and took a step even closer to her.

"I suggest you drop this right now or it is not going to end well," he threatened, only just managing to keep himself contained.

To her credit, the girl didn't flinch.

"You don't fucking scare me. So go on, try it," she growled. "I see you for what you are. This isn't about the Inquisition or Ari; you don't give a fuck about them. Your problem is you're the one who's fucking scared."

"Scared? Is that so?" he scoffed doubtingly.

"Uh-huh! Like a fucking child!" Lis jeered. "She put herself in danger; real fucking danger and that scared the shit out of you. Makes you mad doesn't it? Knowing you're so afraid of losing someone. Thought you were stronger than that didn't you?"

He still wore a doubting expression; too gobsmacked to remove it but his doubt no longer reached his eyes.

"But you're not! You're just like the rest of us! So you go and take it out on her like the pathetic coward that you are!" Lis bellowed.

His mind raced with terrible realisation; a reply the last thing he could think of.

"I've known some complete assholes in my time but you've got to be up there with the fucking best of them!" she yelled before storming away.

He didn't recover with her departure. Thinking on his actions his eyes stung at his own foolishness.

"Wow…" Varden remarked from his side with equal parts disbelief and admiration. "She saw right through you, didn't she?"

The day had finally come. Ignoring the insistence that he be left alone, Mirwen had come to tower late in the evening to tell Solas he had got his wish. Time had run out and with it the Dalish had relented. The girl would be burned at the dusk of the following day and that day had arrived. He had wanted to speak with Ellana but the weight of what was to come kept him from her. This day was not about him and it felt wrong to try and make it so. He kept himself sequestered until the light dimmed in the sky.

When he arrived amongst the mourners the girl was already laid across the pyre. Ellana stood on the other side, flanked by her friends. Most of them paid him no mind but Lis glared coldly at him from across the glade. Ellana looked surprisingly strong given the circumstances but Solas was unconvinced. It was a façade, one that he feared she couldn't maintain. He would have loved nothing more than to go to her but now was not the time. So he stayed put; apart from the others as he always was.

Mirwen came forward and silence fell.

"Today we commit to the earth one of our betters," she announced. "Areina was an innocent; full of life and hope. She lived as a child; never doubting, never wanting," she said, voice shaking with emotion. "But she died as a true elf; brave until the end. Without her the world will be forever darkened." She looked directly at Ellana. "But we will not allow her hope to die. We will remember her for what she was and from the ashes we will emerge stronger because of her influence."

She reached over the pyre to kiss Areina's forehead and whispered her final goodbyes. As she took a step back, her face wet with tears, a nearby clan mate handed her a torch. Others stepped to join her and each placed their fire beneath the lost girl. The Dalish sang as it slowly lit, keeping what little tradition they had left. The loss of one of his own saddened Solas as it always did but seeing Ellana weeping in the distance tore at him even more profoundly. Across the flames he could see her collapsing in her grief; only still standing by the grace of her friends. A single tear fell free from his own eyes as he closed them. When he opened them she had fallen to her knees. The flames burned brightly between them as embers danced on against the darkness.

Finding Ellana had taken longer than it usually did. Solas had become so used to walking her dreams that he often knew where she was by instinct. Tonight was different. She had never suffered a loss like this and it had thrown her mind in to chaos. It wasn't until the storm had calmed that he was able to locate her.

She stood at the remembered edge of the world with only ocean stretching out before her. As he came to stand at her side he could see the waves lashing against the white cliffs beneath them. He watched her, unnoticed, as she crouched down to look thoughtfully over the edge.

"You're not going to jump?" he asked, keeping himself outside of her true awareness.

She didn't look up; not able to think or question the formless voice.

"I can't. I'll drown," she replied blankly.

He nodded sadly. The depths scared her. She had abandoned childlike wonder in favour of fear. Steeling himself for the inevitable pain he granted her her awareness.

"Ellana…" he said weakly.

She finally looked up at him and her face crumpled as all her woes came crashing back in to focus. She stuttered, open mouthed and unable to speak. Tears flooded her silently. He couldn't watch her pain any longer.

"Ellana I'm sorry!" he started desperately. "I should never have…"

"No, you were right. It was me. Everything is my fault," she sobbed.

"No. I was angry…" he said as he turned her to face him properly. "Angry and afraid. I was so scared of losing you that I couldn't see clearly. I couldn't see that I was hurting the one person I care for most in this world."

"That doesn't change what I did. You were right," she said, voice thick with emotion.

"No, Ellana. This wasn't your fault. You made a call, as all leaders do and this time it turned out badly. This time you lost," he said. "But that is our burden. Sometimes we have to lose but we can't let that stop us. We have to be stronger than that. She would want you to be stronger than that."

Tears fell down Ellana's cheeks and her face twitched with overwhelming emotion. He placed a hand on each of her shoulders.

"You are strong enough, Ellana. I know it," he said, unwavering in his confidence.

Her tears fell harder.

"I needed you… I needed you so badly and you weren't there!" she sobbed.

He grabbed her in to an embrace and she sobbed in to him.

"I know, vhenan," he uttered sadly with his own tears forming. "I failed you."

The waves crashed relentlessly beneath them.

"How can I come back from this?" Ellana asked, looking down at the ocean.

"You already have. You are indomitable, my love, there is nothing that you can't overcome," he replied.

"Then why am I still so afraid?" she said weakly, eyes still focused on the water.

He followed her gaze to the swelling depths. She was lost but he could help her find her way back. He looked in to her eyes.

"Do you trust me, vhenan?" he asked.

Her brow furrowed in confusion as she responded, "Yes…"

He held out a hand to her and with some hesitation she took it. With a stride he pulled them both over the edge of the cliffs. She screamed as they fell but he held her still. As the lashing waves neared she closed her eyes in anticipation but the cold never came. Her feet met the water as if it were ground. She opened her eyes, no longer afraid. The ocean stretched out before them; calm beneath their feet. She went to her knees and ran her hands along the surface in amazement. She cupped the water in her hands before allowing it to fall with a laugh.

Solas came to her side, "Fear is what we make it. Allow it to consume you and you will drown beneath its depths," he said with a warm smile. "But if we endure then it can be nothing more than ground beneath our feet. You will overcome this, vhenan."

She rose to him, meeting his eyes with the remnants of tears still evident in her own. An outstretched hand stroked his cheek and their lips met. They stood together as one, unmoving against the tide. Extending beneath their feet the ocean waited to swallow them up but neither relented. There was still much to be done.

A/N - For what it's worth, I am sorry about Vivvy. I have literally nothing against her unlike some of the others. I mean yeah, she's not exactly moral. I think Solas had her pretty well pegged as a person and his estimations were hardly glowing but that doesn't tend to bother me. She was sassy as hell, which I can always appreciate. But(!) the whole Ari thing was actually a dream I had, including Viv's involvement so I was pretty bound to it unfortunately. Sorry Viv. Although, it's going to make for fun later so I'm not all that sorry.

Moving on, sorry for how long this was. I cut out loads as is but it still ended up long as fuck. Breaking it up didn't really work either so I'm afraid we must endure. Well not anymore… I'd presume you've already endured if you're reading this… I'll stop now.