They soon returned to Skyhold and were welcomed back with open arms. Upon the balcony were Cullen, Leliana and Josephine. The soldiers shouted and cheered. Maxwell looked to the others, who smiled as they made their way up the stairs.
Their companions stayed behind as they made their way to their advisers. Upon reaching the top they bowed and then Cullen stepped forward and shook Maxwell's hand. Together they turn to the Inquisition soldiers below, the Inquisition they built. Upon seeing Inquisitor and his guard the crowd cheered even louder.
"A moment, my lord," Leliana whispered.
Maxwell followed, fairly sure of what she was going to tell him and gestured to Ellana to follow them. "Yes?"
"My agents have found no trace of Solas. He has simply vanished. As has Morrigan and her son. If they do not wish to be found, there is likely nothing we can do. But I will keep looking."
Maxwell looked to Ellana, who looked utterly heartbroken. "It's odd he would just leave without a word."
"You said he was upset about the orb."
He shook his head. "That can't be the only reason."
"Now that Corypheus has been defeated, we have a moment to stop and celebrate." Leliana gestured at the great hall. "Afterwards you will be very busy. Every noble in southern Thedas is clamouring to meet you and the guard."
Maxwell chuckled. "Oh, now they're lining up to meet me."
Leliana shrugged. "Such is the way of things. Previously you and the guard were upstarts, nothing more than a leaders of rebels and heretics. Until Corypheus revealed himself, they could not see the single hand behind the chaos. Once he did, they knew: a magister and a darkspawn in one creature. The ultimate evil. And now you are the only power left standing. Enjoy the evening while you can, Inquisitor."
Evelyn was pleased that her brother had survived, though she never actually doubted him. She was now sitting next to Cullen, who looks completely exhausted.
"Am I imagining it, or do we have a moment to breathe?" said Cullen.
"We have a moment," she said.
Cullen laughed. "I think you're right." He ran his hand down her arm. "Your brother brought us here. He's proof that the Inquisition made a difference. That we will continue to do so."
She smiled at him. "Your soldiers put their trust in you, Cullen. I think he appreciates everything you've done."
"I should be thanking the both of you." The look he gave her sent butterflies loose in her belly. "You and your brother gave me a chance to…" He smiled. "To prove myself. In your places, I'm not sure I would have done the same. I should let you…" He looked over the great hall. "Mingle. I'm sure everyone desires your attention." He lowered his head to whisper in her ear. "As much as I might want it for myself."
Erdic was now sitting with his wife Hanara who was hold a baby boy in her arms in a bundle.
"These beautiful," said Erdic as he traced a hand over his son's face.
"I wish you could have been there for the birth," said Hanara.
"Have you named him yet?"
"I want to give that honour to his father."
Erdic thought for a moment. "Temnus."
"Perfect," Hanara smiled and kissed him.
"I've been starting to think about putting all this into a book." Varric turned a chicken leg over in his hand. "I'm thinking This Shit Is Weird: The Inquisitor Trevelyan and His Honour Guard Story. What do you think?" He waved the chicken leg at him. "It's a working title."
"I'm glad you've gone back to writing," Maxwell smiled.
"Well, nothing's certain until it's in print." He nibbled at the chicken. "I still haven't decided if I should do this book. As if anyone will believe this story if I tell it." He set the remains of the drumstick down. "Not to mention, I'll have my hands full with reconstruction and relief efforts in the Free Marches as soon as I get back."
"You should write the book," said Maxwell.
"See what I can once I get home. I'm not leaving for a while yet, though. We'll have to get in one last game of Wicked Grace before I go." He raised his voice slightly. "Curly needs to win back some of his dignity."
Cullen only glared in response.
"Enjoying the party," Ellana smiled.
"Wouldn't miss it," said Theron, who was now holding Starfang in his hands. Cassandra had given it back to him after the battle. "I'm just sorry I wasn't there myself."
"I hear the Empress has invited the King and Queen for peace talks."
"Yeah." Theron took a deep breath. "Elissa asked if I'd be willing to arrange her the use of Josephine and a very large mallet."
Ellana laughed. "I think that can be arranged."
"Ma enansalin." He lifted his glass. "May the Dread Wolf never catch your scent."
Maxwell made his way over to Blackwall.
"All this pomp and ceremony? Can't top seeing that bastard Corypheus burn. No matter what happens to me now, I can say I was there. I helped you bring him down."
Maxwell smiled at Blackwall. "It took all of us, but we did it."
"I shudder to think where we'd be without you leading us." Blackwall bowed. "So now that you've save the world, what's next? Hoping to put it all back together?"
"It'll be a huge undertaking."
"If anyone can do it, you can." He folded his arms. "If you ever need my help, you know where to find me. I'll be ready."
"So…" Iron Bull drained a mug. "Demons, dragons, giant asshole Vint on a big magic rock? You don't let it get dull, boss. Good stuff."
"You helped make it possible, Bull."
He flexed. "That's what they pay me for." He refilled the mug. "It's weird. I joined the Inquisition under orders from the Ben-Hassrath and stayed because Corypheus was an asshole. Now that it's done, I've got no orders. For the first time in my life, I can go wherever I want."
"Or you could stay," said Adaar.
Iron Bull nodded. "Or I could stay. Anyway, the only place I'm going tonight is back for more drinks." He lifted the mug. "To us being alive and the bad guys not!" He drank. "Anaan!"
"Enjoying the refreshments? Josephine sent all the way to the capital for the petit fours."
"I must remember to thank her for the trouble," said Maxwell.
Leliana laughed. "She's been craving the cakes from Madame Lucienne's shop for months. This celebration gave her the perfect excuse." She lifted a glass. "To you, Inquisitor. For all you've done."
Ellana found Cole sitting at one of the tables.
"So many people dead. More still are hurting. They need help. It seems wrong to celebrate." He then looked at her with a smile on his face. "But… I want to. The part of me that's me needs to, after all this. The servant of drinking. Some of them are drinking while lying down."
"Do you have any interest in joining them?" she smiled.
"I don't know," said Cole honestly. "Not now. It makes things more complicated, and I'm not ready. Someday, maybe. What happens next? Where do we go?"
"It will be interesting to see what comes next," Ellana smiled.
Cole nodded. "Yes. Because of you, the Inquisitor and the rest of the guard. Thank you, all of you, for letting me stay."
Sera was having a little trouble standing upright. "Finally got a party, yeah? A bit of fun for saving the world?" She frowned at her empty mug. "It's the least Andraste's Herald deserves for making things normal again. Except for, you know, everything ever again. I mean, is this for us, or for Her? Or, you know, 'Him'? Because I was there, and I still don't know what's real."
Erdic took the empty mug from Sera, and handed her a pastry. "Let the philosophers worry about that. Tonight is for celebrating."
"Still some things to do yet, right? Because I'm in no hurry to go back to…" Sera swallowed the massive bite of pastry she'd taken. "Val Royeaux, that's where I was. You mind if people still stay around? For whatever?"
"This is home, if you'll have it."
Sera laughed. "Shut it, you. I cry, I'm punching everyone. All right, enough of that. Is this a party or what? Raise 'em for winning. Big friggin heroes, Inquisitor. All of us."
"I was passing through the hall this morning, and a serving girl saw me and squealed. Actually squealed. Dropped her laundry and everything. Such a mess. She was completely breathless. 'You were at the battle with the Evil One, weren't you?' I didn't even get a chance to answer. She hugged me. Hugged me. This is your brother's influence."
Evelyn laughed. "Admit it. You're having a ball."
Dorian shrugged. "I don't trust camaraderie. All these people smiling, buying me drinks… it's unnatural. Mind you, I can't say I hate the thought of being 'the good Tevinter.' 'I suppose you can't all be evil bastards.' The blacksmith said that, and he spat when we first met. I hope my father hears. He will shit his smallclothes from shock, I swear."
"You're an example of how noble Tevinter could be."
"For southerners, maybe. Back home they'll be rolling their eyes behind their fans. Meanwhile, they'll conveniently forget the bastards who wanted Corypheus ruling us all." He glanced down at the drink in his hand. "I've decided to stay with the Inquisition. For now."
"You will?"
"Tevinter lacks the presence of my best and only friend." He said looking at Maxwell. "It'll keep."
Josephine had somehow managed to work herself into a frenzy. "Oh, I should never have hired new caterers so late."
"Leave it be, Josie. Everything is fine." Leliana was smiling fondly.
"It is not." Josephine gave Maxwell a beseeching look. "I'm so sorry, nothing's quite as it should be. Do you like the drinks? I'm not sure about them."
"The drinks are fine. It's been a wonderful evening." He ducked as Josephine's pen nearly caught him in the cheek as the woman gestured wildly.
"I hope you're not just saying that. You're not, are you?" Josephine took a deep breath. "What a disaster. The sommelier was late, the invitations to our guests barely went out at all, and… and…" Josephine sighed. "It was so wonderful to prepare for a small banquet instead of the end of the world. Do you know what everyone is talking about tonight, from commoners to kings? Us. Thedas is discussing the success of the Inquisition."
Maxwell gave her a shocked look. "Are you descending into open boasting, Lady Montilyet?"
"I can scarcely think of a better time. Truly we will never forget those we lost, but for tonight… To victory."
"I can't believe it's over. It seemed an impossible task: defy the Chantry, build the Inquisition from nothing, defeat a creature that would be a good…" Cassandra was slowly shaking her head. "And yet here we are, celebrating."
"What's important is that your here with me," said Maxwell pulling himself closer to.
"There was a moment when the orb exploded… I thought for certain you were dead. I prayed. 'Don't taken from me, not after all we've been through'. And then I saw you through the smoke. Sometimes the Maker is kind."
She then looked up at him as a hand traced his face. "I intend to rebuild the Seekers of Truth - to make us the Order we were meant to be. That will take time. Meanwhile, I am free to remain with the Inquisition. I think back to how we first met…" Cassandra looked at him into his pale blue eyes. "And here you stand. The Chosen of Andraste, proven in the eyes of all Thedas. And you are my friend. How did that happen, I wonder? I am pleased it did. You are a great woman, and I will always stand at your side."
"So much to do, my dear. I'll be returning to Val Royeaux to organize the loyalist mages. The empress requires my expertise during what is sure to be a difficult transition. But that will wait. Are you enjoying the celebration? Josephine was in a frenzy arranging it."
Ellana nodded. "As a matter of fact, I am."
"This is all for you, darling. Enjoy yourself. You've earned it." Vivienne smiled. "Go mingle. The night is still young."
Maxwell and the guard spent the rest of the evening enjoying the night. Maxwell danced with Cassandra as was his sister and Cullen. Theron and Leliana was singing and the voices were so beautiful that he found himself lost.
Adaar was having a drinking contest with Iron Bull and Sera. Erdic was with his wife and newborn child and they both laughed at one of Varric's stories. Ellana looks lonely without Solas, but Blackwall managed to convince her to dance with him.
One by one the crowd began to disperse and Maxwell noted out of the corner of his eye that Adaar was leading Iron Bull to her quarters. He also noticed that Cullen and his sister were absent from the party. Ellana had enough and went to a quarters while Erdic and Hanara also went to bed.
He too found himself worn out and was making his way to his chambers.
"A moment before you go," said Cassandra. "There is… something else I wanted to say."
"You know the crisis is over, right?"
Cassandra simply shook her head and went with him through the door.
They soon entered into his chambers.
"What's this about?" he asked.
They stepped out onto the balcony to watch the sun rise.
"Everything is about to change," said Cassandra. "You will be drawn in a hundred different directions in the weeks and months to come."
Which meant they would see less and less of each other. "Cassandra…"
"No, it's fine," she assured. "I simply… wanted to steal a moment. While I still can."
Maxwell then pulled her closer to him and she rested her head on his shoulder as they stared into a new dawn and a new beginning.
Meanwhile, in parts unknown, Flemeth was standing in front of an eluvian and inserted in all of lighting to it. She then sensed a familiar presence approaching her.
"I knew you would come," she said. "You should not have given your orb to Corypheus, Dread Wolf."
Emerging from the trees was none other than Solas, who had a face of complete despair on his face.
"I was too weak to unlock it after my slumber," he said. Tears were actually running down his face. "The failure was mine. I should pay the price, but the People, they'd need me." Flemeth traced a hand on his face and looked into his eyes as if looking at an old friend. "I am so sorry."
"I am sorry as well, old friend," she said bringing him closer to her with tears in her eyes as well.
Solas then looked up at her and suddenly she felt her strength fading away from her. Solas quickly grabbed her and watched as she turned to stone.
He then looked up and his eyes began to glow with smoke coming out of them. It was now time for him to correct the mistakes of his past, but he regretted that it would read to the deaths of so many friends he had made and to the woman he loved.
