The trek back to Haven was a long one. I dragged my aching feet alongside the rest of them quietly, the events at Redcliffe still having not escaped my mind. Bull knew what had happened but he was still trying to figure out what was so bad that I barely even spoke at all. I refused to tell them all the gory details, Lilia didn't even tell them everything.

Finally but not soon enough, the familiar silhouette of Haven was on the horizon. Lilia breathed a sigh of relief and led our merry band on.

"I need a bath, and a drink, maybe both," I muttered.

"Seconded," Dorian agreed from behind me. "However, I do not believe that a bath even exists here, believe me, I checked." I groaned.

After some begging Josephine we found one. Literal begging, she only agreed so that I would stop freaking out the guests. I smiled slightly as I sank back into the tub, it was a lot more basic than the ones I was used to and I had to ask Dorian's help in filling it, the ice then fire combination worked a treat.

I sank down into the warm water in contentment gad to be rid of the weeks of dirt that covered my body.

I could hear angry voices outside, Cullen and Cassandra by the sounds of it. Dorian was not letting them in. The door slammed open and I stared at the two who entered, my face half submerged by water.

"Ugh," Cassandra made her almost trademark disgusted noise while Cullen blushed bright red. How can he be such a prude?

"We need to discuss something with you, get dressed and meet us outside," Cassandra said, regaining her composure and staring at me.

"But it's so warm," I complained. She levelled her gaze at me, Christ she terrifying. I huffed and nodded. She turned on her heel and dragged Cullen out with her. Dorian peeked his head round, "What did you do?"

I just shrugged and shooed him out.

"He's a mage," Cullen stated. "We cannot have untrained mages here, it's too dangerous." They had been arguing like this for half an hour.

"Then Solas, Vivienne or Dorian can train him," Lilia said patiently.

"A Tevinter teaching magic?" Cullen said incredulously. I sighed.

"Yes, Dorian has since proven himself after all, and he wishes to stay and help us. Lewis can read him, if there is any plot to speak of, we would know by now," Lilia shot back. "We need him and we will teach him magic. It only makes more sense that those he is more comfortable with are the ones to train him."

Cullen stared at her and me angrily before storming out of the war room, I leant against the war table.

Lilia turned to me, "Go and find Solas, I have already told him about this. He will be teaching you control to begin with." I nodded and left the room, eager to get out into the fresh air. I passed Mother Giselle on the way, blessing some guy or something. She looked up and caught my eye, I blinked, there were depths to her that rarely saw the surface.

"Sit," Solas said, pointing to a rock, we were outside given it was more likely for me to burn down half the village than to master it in one shot. Eminem's 'Lose Yourself' began playing in the back of my mind, I smiled slightly.

"Focus," Solas' patient voice snapped me out of my daydreams.

"On what?"

"Your magic, close your eyes. Do you know what meditation is?" Of course I do, my ex made me do it for hours a day.

I nodded and got into a comfortable position and focused on my breathing. I used to have a mantra to help me get into the state but after a while I needed it less and less.

"Focus on finding your energy," His voice seemed so far away. Then, the outside world was nothing, the only thing in it being me. I felt it, I felt the magic inside me. It was hard to miss really, burning hot and fast, I reached out to it and screamed as it flared up and took over my whole body. My eyes shot open and I looked around, Solas had put up a shimmering barrier around himself, and I saw why. The majority of the snow around us had melted within a 5 metre radius.

"Found it," I joked weakly.

"So it seems. You must learn to control the outbursts," he said sternly, I nodded my head. "Maybe we should take a break," he suggested, I shook my head.

"You can if you want, I am going to stay here a bit," he looked at me and nodded.

I waited until he was out of the danger zone before closing my eyes again, I didn't even need to go into a meditative state this time, the magic was everywhere now. I opened my eyes and looked at a unassuming rock. Pushing my magic out towards it, I squealed as a massive ball of fire hit it and dispersed into various directions. Why fire? I shrugged and continued to practice, determined to get it to a level where I will at least not be a danger to the entire tavern.

Exhausted, I dragged myself up to Varric's and my room.

"Chuckles said you were practicing," I nodded, only just having enough sense to change into a loose shirt and pants before sinking into bed. Varric mumbled something about cards and made his exit.

The next morning we were gathered in the war room.

"I am most curious about this name you heard being shouted out," Leliana mused, looking down at the reports. "Christina, was it not?" Lilia nodded. I forced my face into a mask of indifference, while my heart was threatening to beat out of my chest.

"I will send some scouts to find a lead, maybe she can help us figure out who this Elder One is," She muttered, or maybe she has less of an idea than you do.

I made my exit after that; the room had suddenly become too small. Solas had given me a staff in the hope that it might allow me to control my magic better, it didn't work, the wood just splintered whenever I tried. So, there I was in the same spot as before, throwing fire at a rock. I had improved to the point where the fireballs actually look round and not just a flaming mass being hurtled across the ground. I smiled and walked back to the tavern to work on my reading.

I was sitting on my bed when Dorian walked in; paper was strewn about the place with the English alphabet against the Thedas common version. A book was open by my side as I was attempting to figure out the grammar.

"I figured you needed a break, so I brought that mead you seemed to like so much," He said offering me the bottle, I smiled gratefully and gathered up the papers before he saw the normal Latin English I was writing in.

We sat, drinking and chatting for a while, I was glad the alcohol had the same effect as before, I was sitting in blissful silence, in my head that is. Dorian was on a rant about Vivienne's clothes.

"She thinks she dresses to intimidate, however I have seen whores in Minrathous dress not dissimilar to her," he tilted the bottle back, I looked on in amusement. He turned to look at me, it was a few seconds before I realised I was staring at him, I turned away with heated cheeks.

He chuckled slightly, "Shall we walk?" I nodded.

I shivered as we stepped put into the brisk cold air, night had long since fallen and the village was winding down for the night.

"So why do you think the others are losing their minds of this Christina?" Dorian mused.

"They think she can find out who the Elder One is," I replied shortly.

"And you don't think so?" He pushed.

I shrugged, "I don't know, I think it is a long shot, maybe she is just some unlucky girl at the wrong place at the wrong time."

Silence fell between us, we walked past Lilia talking with Cullen and watched as Cullen slowly went through various shades of red.

"The poor fellow, our dear Herald is going to run him down," Dorian looked over at the two, I snickered. "Now, now, at least try to control that dirty mind of yours," he reprimanded me. Lilia looked over to us, lifted her hand behind her back and gave us the two-fingered salute. We burst out laughing.

"Let's go before we find daggers flying towards our face," I suggested.

We ended up sitting on a rock with our booze, looking over the frozen lake. I frowned at the empty bottle in my hand and took a swig of Dorian's wine. He huffed at me but didn't say anything.

I lay back and look up at the breach, my drunkenness helping keep the cold at bay. We stayed like that for a while, me on my back staring at the sky and Dorian sitting, looking across the lake. I almost wished I wasn't drunk so I could hear his thoughts but quickly dismissed the idea. The temporary peace was welcome.

Author's note

Well that was a long wait. I had writers block and a cousin of mine is doing a crossover fic with dragon age that I have been Beta-ing. You guys want the next chapter as a main quest or little ones? The other storyline I have won't be ready to go for a few chapters yet. The winter palace should be fun :D