Chapter 5: Dream

(Skyhold Atrium)

A comfortable couch was placed in the atrium that Solas claimed as his office. A freshly washed and tired Jane, laid down on it as Cole sat on the ground next to it. "As much as I expect you would prefer trying this in your own room, "said Solas, "it may lead to the appearance of misconduct on our part."

"And with my reputation already on the borderline due to the rumors of blood magic I need to look as much as a good girl as I can, "Jane said in a mildly sarcastic voice, "I think I've been the subject of rumors before; it feels strangely familiar."

Solas smiled slightly as he handed over a steaming cup. "Drink this, "he said, "It's an herbal tea that will promote both a restful sleep and a hopefully calm walk through the Fade. Try thinking peaceful thoughts as you fall asleep. This may also help lead to a more pleasant memory."

She sat up to take the drink and then raised it in salute before swallowing it all down. She grimaced at the horrible taste as she handed the cup back. She lay back down and let the tea take its course.

Cole stopped fidgeting and put his full attention on the woman once she was fully asleep and Solas sat at his desk, prepared to take notes.

In a different voice, Cole started to speak, "You remember to zip-up your jumpsuit on the way out of the bathroom, that's good. I just jumped us half-way cross the galaxy and hit the target the size of a pin-head, so that's incredible. Besides…"

A few hours later, Solas gently shook Jane awake and handed her another steaming cup as she sat up rubbing her eyes. This time all there was in the cup was a strong, black tea with plenty of honey. Jane took a good swallow and then yawned.

Solas sat next to her on the couch and asked, "Do you remember anything from your dream?"

Jane shook her head in an attempt to clear it further. "Only feelings and a few faces. Humor then feeling honored, worry, frustration and then..." Jane dropped the cup of tea as horrible images with screeching noises filled her head. She grabbed hold to the side of her head as if trying to block out the horrible noise.

Cole, who was sitting on desk, fell forward when the pain and images struck him as well. "Make it stop, make it stop, "he yelled in panic.

Solas used both hands to pull Jane's head back up, and then sharply slapped her across the right check. This broke her out of the mental torture and as she took a deep breaths. Solas then got up to check on Cole. "What the hell was that, "asked Jane in a pain filled voice and then her eyes widen, "No…It was a message, a warning…"

Cole whimpered from his fetal position on the group and whispered, " Beware the Reapers."

(Later in the War Room)

"I don't know the meaning of half of what Cole said while reading Jane's dream, "reported Solas, "Some of the words seem to have no translation so he used the words she would have used in her native language. But what I could get was that she was an officer of some rank in what she called the Earth Military Alliance. She was charged with acquiring a certain artifact before an opposing force did. It was during this assignment, someone called Saren proved traitor. She was then affected by this same artifact that appeared to have been a warning beacon of some sort. It literally wrote the warning into her brain, but it was in a way that she could not understand it. I woke her up at the point where she discovered the artifact, figuring that this was a good stopping point, but then this warning hit her and Cole after she was fully awake."

Cullen frowned and said, "What was the warning for and is it still valid? Just what is a 'Reaper'?"

Solas shrugged and said, "I can't be positive, but this memory seems to be years old. More than likely these Reapers have already been dealt with. There is one other, less obvious thing that struck me as strange."

"Oh?" asked Leliana, "What is that?"

"How old does Jane appear to you?"

Josephine shrugged, "Early twenties, I guess. Why?"

"How can someone so young, be such an experienced commander? How young do you start taking in recruits for you military, Commander Cullen, "asked Solas, "No offense Inquisitor, you are a great leader but still somewhat inexperienced. The order's she gave and how she gave them indicated years of experience."

"Nobles are taught from a young age, but you are right, "said Leliana with a frown, "If she was as confident as you say…"

"Could she be dreaming someone else's memories, "asked the Inquisitor, "Or altering them to make it appear she was doing better than what actually happened?"

"You are being awful quiet over there Cullen, "said Leliana.

"I was wondering why I felt so comfortable talking with her, "he said with a thoughtful look, "I've worked with both veterans so old they creak and recruits so raw they still had straw in their hair. She does not have the demeanor of a raw recruit, but one of a veteran with more than a few years under her belt. It's like talking with one of my peers even though she looks to be ten years my junior."

Looking over some sheets of parchment Leliana frowned, "According the healers, she is physically in her late teens to early twenties. Just a few years older than our youngest recruits…perhaps if proven a talented leader…No. She would have required additional training due to the powers and fighting skills. My guess she was a specialist of sorts, elite training. A commander of an elite team? That takes years. She would have to be in her mid to late twenties to have reached that level and then months if not years of practical experience in the field."

"She is being given another chance, "said Cole walking out from behind Cullen. He reached over to pick up a bird token to look closely at it, "Body is young. Mind is older. Soul is ancient."

"What are you doing here, "asked Cullen taking the token away from Cole, "Shouldn't you be watching over Jane or throwing turnips into the fire."

Cole shrugged and tilted his head as he grabbed another token.

Solas asked, "Where is Jane, Cole?"

"She needed time alone…with the stars, "answered Cole.

(Top of a Skyhold tower)

Jane shivered as she pulled the woolen cloak tighter around her shoulders. At times the cold and stars would cause her to be uneasy for some reason, but this time it felt like home. She sat down, back against one of the walls and just looked up. There was not a single cloud in the sky and she could see all the stars. She read the notes Solas took earlier from her dreaming. It all seemed familiar but didn't trigger anything. Not even another 'message' attack. Was the dream a true memory or just something made up in what they called the Fade.

To be continued…