Chapter Summary: Varic Cullen is trying to hold things together while trying to find out who is behind this.

Author notes: I wasn't going to do this chapter, but there are clues to the real killers, plus I feel like it's a good progression from Solas Mythal and Flemmeth to whats going on outside Solas head.

Cullen ran his hands through the soft stands of curly red hair, hoping against hope it would stir something in the young Danish girl. But she did not move, or speak, he had Grand First Enchanter Fiona check to see if Aryan was still alive three times that morning. Now all he could do was watch her lay motionless on the cot in the back of the room."No change curly?" Varric asked as he entered the tent.

Cullen just shook his head negatively. "Dorian thought she was showing signs of the waking last night. He swore she opened her eyes and called for Solas. . But nothing since then."

"She called for Curly huh? Who did it piss off more your or Dorian?" the dwarf chuckled as he sat his crossbow Bianca down on a nearby box which was being used as a makeshift table/foot prop. He looked at Aryan lying deathly still next to Cullen, who looked more like a lion trying to protect its cub than a general worried about his beloved leader. "Don't think I noticed the look on your face when you said Chuckles name."

"His leaving caused this or so Dorian says. She's not been the same since."a deep venomous anger could be heard in the voice of most the inquesitition when Solas name had come up. Cullen would get more sullen, Bull had broken so many mugs that the barkeeper at skyhold refused to serve him mead in anything but metal, Sera was planning one of pranks (something involving a jar of angry bees, but honestly Varic didn't want to think of what it would be) if the elf ever showed his face, while Blakwall and Dorian were planning to rearrange his face. Though he knew Backwall could do it Varic doubted that Dorian could do much damage without a spell. . "But talking about Chuckles is not why I am here. Let's step outside and Meril will see to her. W-we don't need to discuss this here."the dwarf said, pointing to Aryan lying motionless on the cot. Cullen just nodded as he watched Varic grab Bianca and head out of out the tent as the tiny young dalish girl he met in Kirkwall appeared through the flap. As he pulled the flap back " Let us know if anything changes. We will be in the command tent.

Stepping out of the tent, he caught the whiff of blood, ash, and decay all around, the stench alone was enough to send even the most battle hardened warriors to their knees. It had looked like there had been some kind of hunt gone wrong, most of the clan was shot three times through the heart so precise that he swore the "thing" that did it could not be human, but those were the lucky ones. The ones she was close to her mother, brother and the keeper of the clan got the worst of it. Her mother and brother had their hearts tore from their chest and placed in small wooden boxes on a makeshift altar before the strange wolf statue just outside the camp, while keeper the Dashanna was found strung above with behind her had been an inquisition flag cover in blood. The message was clear someone had a beef with Aryan.

But who? Dorian thought it too theatrical and blunt to be the Venatori. Corphyus was dead, the Wardens were fighting each other and did not care about inquisition so it left Clullen wondering. Especially when they found several Fereldan shields amongst the bodies. A tidbit he had not told anyone but Varic about, but a puzzling one. This was too far north for such heavy patrols, and King Alistar was on somewhat friendly terms with the Dalish. Odd indeed, but to hear Merill tell it the Dread Wolf came and killed them all, something about an ancient story but. . . the girl was a bit odd. Sweet but odd. Plus, he did not believe in such he had heard the stories of how Mythal had aided them in the final hours by providing them with a dragon, but a bunch of pointy eared gods who trick other gods into locking themselves away then killing all their people. Was a bit far fetched if you asked him, plus he did not believe in them. Entering in the command tent, he shot a dark look at Varic "What is our status spy master? You called me in here away from the Inqusiator for a reason I presume?"

"Yeah, first of all Bull has been delayed a day. Another Clan was wiped out same way. Three shots to the heart all in the same place and one of our flags caked in blood hanging over the creepy dog statue outside the reports finding shields with dog emblems on them. Either King Alister has issues with Elves, or."

"Or someone wants to start a war between the inquisition and Fereldan. Its well known that not all the "issues" between us and Bann Tegan are settled."

Varic chuckled " If you mean us refusing to pay that whiney Arl because your kings did not provide enough protection for the images in Redcliff which left an opening for a Teventer Magister to take over? Yeah, if I were the inquisitor then I'd not pay either." Cullen shot the Dawrf spymaster a dark look "Look the guy kicked his OWN nephew out of the kids own home all because he was a mage. If you ask me Arryan is right to ask some kind of protection or recognition for those images that did not join the rebellion before she pays a red copper."

"I agree with you Varric but now is not the time for politics. Someone is trying to start a war. We need find out who before this gets worse. We know to keep our mouths closed, but if it gets out It could escalate things."

"That's putting it mildly Curly, we also had someone wander into camp last night. Claiming she was a member of Clan Levellthan some years before the inquisitors was born. She has asked to speak and pray with her. Something about them is the last of their clan and needing something or another. She's in the medical tent if you want to question her. We found nothing on her that indicates she's a threat."

Cullen nodded, " doesn't mean she's not, I will have a talk with her later. What is the status of the. . " Cullens words trailed off, he did not know exactly how to refer to the burial of a clan of innocents slaughtered by monsters in the night. "Well, why don't you call it a clean up, yes, you're tidying up the area no need mention genocide, I mean no need for unpleasantness." Cullen cringed as Doran voice boom from out of nowhere. "You are not part of the council, Dorian how many times have I told you to stay out of the tent when we are discussing important things."

The Teveniter mage half snorted stared down the table at Cullen. "Yes, very important things like covering up your king's involvement in a slaughter. I can see where that is more important that getting the Inqusitor out here and back to the safety of skyhold."

Cullen could not help but roll his eyes,"That is not what we are doing and you know it. It's like I told you before, we don't know who did this. Both Varric and I feel safer with Bull and company he's brining to get her safely back. Then we will be on our way home. . . Maybe, she'll be awake by then. But for now I would like to have a word with our visitor. Maybe she has seen something."

"Oh the charming old Dalish lady, yes Fiona is seeing to her which, is why she sent me in her stead to this meeting. For some reason she thinks I make a better war council representative than her."

Cullen threw his hands up in defeat. . . .

A/N I want to thank those who might read this and ask you bear with me on the grammar and the speed of the story I promise more to come. I think and hope it will be better just need to get this out of the way. Again I thank you greatly for comment, reviews, and just giving this a chance.