Brielle is disappointed that Sera doesn't want to accompany her on the trip to aid the Templars with sealing the breach; she'd made up a clever excuse but knowing her, she just didn't want to get near the giant rift. It was understandable, Brie doesn't either. She is disturbed by the glowing mark on her hand, what was it connected to that it should grant her such power? Nothing good, she thinks. She also isn't sure what it would be able to do; what if she can't close the breach? What if it kills her? Terrible thoughts plague her mind as she looks for Cullen to say goodbye. Though she always seeks him out before leaving Haven this time she is afraid to let go of him, she's afraid she might not come back. She is grateful that he always indulges her need for his affection and when she clings to him he only hugs her closer. When she pulls back from their embrace he catches the look of anxiety in her eyes and sighs.

"Brie… you're going to be fine." He says to her slow and steady in an attempt at reassurance.

"I'm scared, Cullen. What if I can't do it?" His recognition of her fear seems only to amplify it just as a sympathetic look can make you cry when you're on the verge.

"Shhh… you stop that. You're not alone, Brie. You've got Varric, Solas and Cassandra with you as well as the bulk of the Templars at your side. Nobody could expect anyone to shoulder this on their own, let alone such a young girl."

He is looking down at her gently, trying to comfort her, but her heart sinks at his words 'a young girl'. She looks up at him in disdain. "I'm a woman, Cullen. I'm not the little girl you le…" She cuts herself off before she says something she'll regret, but she sees it's too late when he looks down and turns away from her. She knows he didn't really leave her behind; he doesn't deserve to feel guilty for that.

"I… I didn't… mean that. I'm sorry, Cullen." She sighs and reaches up to his face, turning his eyes back to hers. "It's just… so frustrating. Most people see me as the Herald, some kind of divine tool to stop impending doom or they see a false prophet, but you… to you I'm a twelve year old girl."

Cullen closes his eyes and lets out a frustrated breath through his nostrils before looking back into her eyes seriously. "I don't see you as a little girl, but I don't quite know how to be with you now, either. We've been apart for so long, and we've both changed so much that it's hard to reconcile." He gives her a small smile, "Brie when I think of you as a girl I think of myself back then, as the boy you remember; but now I'm a man and relating to you as a woman… well, it's going to take some time getting used to."

Brie looks down at her feet and smiles sheepishly, feeling foolish. "I'm sorry, I just feel like…"

"Like nobody knows who you really are?" He interrupts.

She laughs softly and looks back up to him, nodding. He wraps his arm around her shoulder and starts walking with her out to meet with her traveling party, "It's hard enough not to lose sight of yourself swept up in all this, let alone trying to please others or control how they see you." His hand on her shoulder squeezes as if to punctuate his point. "Don't worry about anyone else, you know what needs to be done and you're the only one who can do it."

She gives him one last hug before joining Solas and Cassandra who were waiting by the gate, Varric arrives shortly after and they headed off. When they arrive at the breach she tries to keep herself calm but finds herself wishing that she had asked Cullen to accompany her. Her small party approaches the huge breach, the Templars behind them in support, and she feels like she is going to vomit. Cassandra's warning that they didn't know what to expect sends a spike of sheer panic through her and she instinctively grips onto Solas' arm as she makes her way closer. While they aren't particularly close, Solas is a good friend and companion and when he give her a gentle smile and squeezes her hand in his own she feels as if everything would be alright. Reluctantly she releases him as he calls to the Templars to use their focus to aid her and she steels herself for whatever was to come.

Stepping forward she extends her hand toward the rift, allowing her will and that of the Templars to flow through the mark on her hand. The sky lights up in a blaze of green as the power of her mark seemingly challenges that of the rift. She hears yells from the Templars behind her as they expend all they have into helping her and after a moment that feels like eternity there is an explosive crack as the rift closes and a shockwave sends them hurdling into the ground. One second she is blinded by the fluorescent green sky and the next she finds herself being helped up from the dirt by Solas and Cassandra who are worriedly searching her for injury. Meanwhile, Brie wants to jump about in excitement at actually sealing the breach and surviving!

When they return to Haven a celebration is in the making and she is excited to indulge in an evening of fun and relaxation with her comrades. However, that is not what is in store for them. Within hours of their return Haven is under attack, taking them off guard during their party and sending the civilians of the small town running to their homes to gather whatever they could before fleeing. Cullen is waiting for her at the gate when she finds him and he give her a rundown of the plan for defending Haven, sending her to secure the trebuchets. Her companions are quick to join and they dispatch the first few groups of darkspawn without any trouble, but when the bulk of the army draws close they all fall back to the Chantry for safety. After consulting with her advisors quickly they decide the only option is to provide a distraction and flee.

Brielle moves to exit the Chantry but is caught by Cullen's hand grasping her own. "Be careful, Brie. I'll come back for you!" He calls to her before being pulled away by the throng of frightened citizens he is helping evacuate. Brielle knows it is hard for Cullen to leave her so he can lead the rest of them to safety, but seeing the worried look on his face as they fled cuts deeply into her. Tears sting at her eyes as she races past the fleeing civilians to reach the trebuchet, the intensity of the situation not leaving any energy for fear but only to pray she would live through this. Brielle clears the trebuchet of enemies and awaits the signal from Cullen that they made it to safety. Once she knows they are in the clear, she launches the trebuchet's boulder into the mountains, effectively burying Haven in the resulting Avalanche.

Once the battle with Corypheus is over she trudges through caves and snow for what feels like days, following what tracks are left from her party's escape. She is sure she will never make it to wherever they are; her limbs are frozen through, her teeth are sore from chattering and she's sustained an injury to her side but can't bring herself to remove any clothing in the icy wind to check the severity of it. She stops to look around and sees only the remnants of a small fire, the cave that she had exited from is now out of sight and all she can make out before her is the vicious flurry of snow against the black night. Now, feeling more helpless than she ever has before, she finally lets herself break down. She weeps for those lost in Haven but mostly, for herself; angry hot tears stream down snow crusted cheeks as she thinks of all she will never have. She will surely die out here alone, never having been loved or even kissed, she will never have a family or a full life; and worst of all, she will never see him again. Her heart breaks at that and she falls to her knees, her breath now coming in ragged gasps as she weeps, face buried in her hands, surrendering to her despair.

Then… she hears something. His voice -distant- almost like a dream, then moments later closer, followed by the crunching of heavy boots in show. Looking up from her tear soaked gloves she sees Cullen and his men coming up the hill. They look like angels, lit by the warm light of the torches they carry as they run towards her and for a moment she isn't sure they were real. They are, and before she can properly thank the Maker and Holy Andraste for sending her rescue she is being lifted into Cullen's arms. Brielle clings onto him tightly as he wraps his cloak around her and she buries her face in the fur covering his pauldrons, letting her tired body be cradled against his as he carries her to their makeshift camp.

He lays her down on a cot in a tent close to the fire and covers her weak, shuddering body with furs. She reaches out, taking his hand and he kneels beside her. His warm amber eyes are red and glossy, tears clinging to his dark blonde lashes, his golden curls wet with melted snow and tousled messily.

"Please," she whispers. "Please don't go."

He gives her a weak smile in return and reaches up to brush away the wet hair slicked against her face before pressing a soft kiss to her forehead. Her eyes close at the feel of his lips on her, they feel like a flame caressing her chilled skin and she gently squeezes his hand as he stands. "I'll never leave you behind again, Brielle. Ever." He says softly, his expression pained.

"I must let the healers tend to you; I'll be just outside the tent." He gives her hand a small squeeze in reassurance and then ushers in the healer before leaving. She allows the older woman to strip her then wash and bandage her wounds. Once she is done Brielle redresses and lays back into the bed they made for her while Solas casts a healing aura around her. She takes comfort in the shadow Cullen casts against the flap of the tent where he waits outside as she slowly drifts off to sleep, her last thoughts being thankful prayers that he had come for her and that he would never leave her again.