I shivered against the cold snow of the Frostback Mountains and breathed on my hands in a feeble attempt to warm them. Haven was destroyed and Allena had seemed to just return from the dead. I watched as the entirety of Haven had been buried under a wall of snow. But somehow in the middle of the night Allena, the mighty Herald of Andraste, had come staggering through the snow, as though back from the Fade itself.

I stood and bent my knee with the Inquisition to Allena. And now we were in search of a new home for all of us. We certainly couldn't sleep in the snow forever.

I glanced to Phillip who shivered on his bedroll beside me. With a heavy sigh I took my own blanket and wrapped it snugly around him before lying back down and attempting to sleep.

I opened my eyes several hours later to find a blanket tucked delicately around my body. Glancing at the child next to me, I noted that he still had two blankets wrapped around himself. I looked around curiously, my eyes finally resting on one particular bedroll directly across from mine. There Krem knelt, carefully rolling his bed and sliding it onto his pack. As I looked closer, I noticed the lack of blanket with the bedroll.

Standing slowly, I carefully made my way to him and cleared my throat. "Krem?" I called softly.

"What." He bit back.

I winced and held out the blanket to him. "Is this yours?" He snatched the blanket from my hand and tossed it haphazardly into his pack. I stood there for a moment longer and finally let a soft sigh. "Thank you." I said sadly before turning and making my was back to where Phillip was just waking up.

Skyhold was everything I could have hoped for and more. A true kingdom that seemed lost to the ages. The perfect place for the Inquisition to live. To thrive. That day Allena picked up a sword. The sword of a leader. Just like that Allena, who was like an older sister to me, went from being a sheltered Dalish Elf from the Free Marches to being a leader. Royalty. The Inquisitor we all needed and deserved.

I stood in the tavern, Phillip's hand in mine. "Please, Ser." I begged. "There must be something I can do. Some way to put a roof over my brother's head. He's too small to do anything himself, but I can work hard. I swear I can. I can serve ale, clean, whatever you want me to do.

The dwarf glanced first to Phillip, then up to me with a nod. "Okay kid. But you work for this." He tossed me a broom and nodded toward the stairs. "The second floor is a mess. Go."

I heaved a sigh of relief and nodded vigorously. "Thank you, Ser." I knelt down next to Phillip with a wide smile. "Go find Solas. He will watch over you."

The boy ran off, leaving me to head up the stairs with a broom with only my thoughts to distract me. That is, until a voice interrupted those thoughts.

"What has been going on with you, Krem De La Crème?" Bull asked from the floor below. "That poor girl has been nothing but nice to you."

"What girl?" Krem spat back.

"Don't give me that." Bull replied, his tone taking an edge. "Alleigha adores you. And her brother looks up to you more than anyone."

I peeked over the rail to see Krem sit down on a chair in the corner and turn his head.

"Don't ignore me, Krem! She is the sweetest person in the world to you. Stop being such an asshole."

"I'm not being an asshole." Krem mumbled.

"Oh really? Angry tones, ignoring her, yelling at her, that's not being an asshole?" Bull shot sarcastically.

"Not when I can't protect her!" Krem stood and clenched his fists, shaking in anger, or possibly disappointment.

Bull stood, staring at him in disbelief. "What?"

"Back in Haven," Krem began, "She was trapped in that burning house and I couldn't save her."

"Krem, she got out. What does it matter how-"

"It just matters, okay?!" Krem shouted furiously. "If I can't protect her, I don't deserve her. That's all there is to it."

"Really?!" I shouted angrily from over the rail. Krem looked up at me from below, his eyes wide in horror. "I've had to endure thinking that you absolutely despised me because of your blighted pride?!" He opened his mouth as if to say something, but I cut him off. "Don't you dare. Don't you dare make excuses. My brother, a child looks up to you. What do you think will happen when he sees you treat me like dirt for your own blighted pride?" I stomped down the steps, my eyes burning from the tears threatening to spill over the brim. "You can't save everyone, Krem."

"I don't want to save everyone! Only you." He shot back, causing me to take an uncertain step back.

"I can't always be saved. You have to understand that." I sated softly. "No one's destiny is certain. We're all part of the Creators' plan. When it's time for us to go, we go. There's nothing we can do about that." I reached for his hand and his eyes shot up to me, bloodshot. "If ever I pass because you, 'couldn't save me,' it won't be your fault. It will just have been my time."

"I can't lose you." He sniffed, pulling his hand from mine.

"Cherish what you have while you have it." I said softly, taking another step forward. "That's what my mum always used to say."

Krem turned to look at me, his features soft. He stood there for a moment, just looking at me before taking me in his warm embrace. "I'm sorry." He whispered with a sniffle.

I wrapped my arms around his neck and sighed contently into his chest. Everything will work out on its own, Krem. Don't try to force things.

Krem nodded and glanced at Bull over my shoulder who gave him a soft smile before leaving the two of us by ourselves.

"Hey!" called a gruff voice from behind us. I turned to glance at the dwarf behind the bar. "What did I tell you about cleaning that floor up there?"

I grinned at Krem before picking up my broom and hurrying back up the stairs.