**Hope you all had an excellent holiday, whatever you celebrated!**

Part 3

Return to SkyHold

"What?" The word broke from Astlyr's lips like an breath.

"Astlyr," Cole's voice had an edge to it. Fear? "Why did he sound like-?"

"Shhhh, Cole," she whispered tensely to her spirit friend. She was not certain if he was picking up on her concern, or if he too had recognized the voice.

"He will sleep now, to regain his strength. He is extremely weakened," Myfanwy was explaining as she lowered the person who had once been her brother to the ground with great care. There were tears in her eyes, though Astlyr didn't know if they were of loss or reverence.

"Well, if it is a demon, it is playing a slightly longer game than expected," Dorian said, letting the magic in his hand settle with a motion.

"This is no demon," Myfanwy growled, gently arranging her new charge's head on a tuft of grass. "This is Lord Fern'Heral the Dread Wolf, and you would be wise to show some respect."

"Sorry, sweetie, but we can't start genuflecting to everything that claims to be a god. If we did that, we'd never stop kneeling," Varric cut in.

Astlyr was still staring at the unconscious elf. If he was a demon he was like none she had ever seen. Though she knew they could take over human bodies, and then look like the human they inhabited. This one had slightly changed the body. That was new. After a moment she slid her sword back into its sheath. "We'll take him back to Skyhold."

"What?" Cullen gasped, staring at her with wide eyes.

"We don't know for certain what this thing is, but if it is dangerous, what better way to deal with it than keeping it well guarded?"

"Or bringing it into our home where it can more easily slit our throats?" Varric looked up at her with a look so incredulous his eyebrows seemed ready to mutiny and abandon his brow all together.

"What are you talking about?" asked Myfanwy, eying the group.

"We want to take...Fen'Heral, back with us to our fortress." Astlyr explained.

"We?" Cullen retorted. "You want to bring it back, and I cannot comprehend why. This seems foolhardy, Astlyr, and that is a word I do not normally associate with you."

"Cole," Astlyr said, turning to the young spirit, who was still standing uneasily beside and now slightly behind her. "Can you tell if that thing is a demon?"

"It is not a-" Myfanwy began, but Varric cut her off.

"Yes, we know. To you he's The Dread Wolf," Varric too turned to Cole, "How about it, Kid?"

The boy stepped timidly from behind Astlyr's shoulder. She had never seen him act like this. Whatever he did, no matter how strange, he usually did with confidence. Cole extended a hand towards the still figure on the ground, but he did not touch it. Astlyr could not see his face, but his shoulders tensed. "What is he doing?" Myfanwy asked, staring suspiciously at the young man in the over-large hat.

"I can still feel the sadness," Cole spoke and Astlyr could tell he was not channeling, as he usually did, "but it is locked away in slumber. I cannot easily break through. A veil of smoke hides him. I sense no malice behind the curtain." he stepped back, lowering his hand. He tilted his head to look up at Astlyr with his grey eyes, "I do not think it is a demon."

"Oh, well, if Cole doesn't think so," Varric was still looking very suspicious. "And what about her?" he gestured to Myfanwy.

"Another excellent question," Cullen said, folding his arms.

"I am the guardian," Myfanwy answered, her tone matter-of-fact. "I must accompany Lord Fen'Heral at least until he awakens and can give me further instructions. But he chose you as well. I will defer to your judgment, as long as it is in his best interest."

"And if you deem our decisions not to be in his best interest?" asked Dorian, "just out of academic curiosity?"

Myfanwy wrinkled her nose as though Dorian had briefly been speaking another language. She shook her dark hair back from her angular, elven features, "Then I would have to attempt to kill you. I doubt I would succeed, so I am very hopeful that Lord Fen'Heral chose well in his companions."

"Alright everyone," Astlyr turned to her people, now using the commanding voice which dusted off on rare occasions, "I don't know anything more than you, but I do know something very strange, and possibly not evil has happened here. We have to take the good where we can find it. I would like to take...him" she was uncertain what to call the young man on the ground, "back to Skyhold. I am still the Inquisitor, though these days I am not certain why, and if that title still yields me any power, then I am making a judgment. We will keep him under strict guard, both mage and warrior. Cole will watch over him as well," she suspected she would have a hard time keeping the curious spirit away anyhow. "At the first sign of demon-y behavior we kill, no questions asked. Anyone have any concerns to voice, voice them now."

"No Ma'am," Cullen snapped to smart attention. Varric and Dorian laughed at him, but then Dorian saw Astlyr's look and straightened his own shoulders, dipping his head in ascent to her ruling. Only Varric hesitated. "If you think this is the right thing to do, Inquisitor," the dwarf finally said.

"I do," Astlyr nodded. She glanced sideways at Cole, willing him not to speak. No doubt the spirit boy knew just how uncertain she actually was. He did meet her eyes, but he managed to keep quiet, for which she was intensely grateful. "We have horses waiting outside the temple. We'll carry him there and then put him on a horse and head back to Skyhold."

"Very well," Myfanwy bowed from the waist to Astlyr. It was clear the elf had figured out who was in charge. "This Skyhold...is it a village? You said fortress, but I do not know what one of those looks like."

"You've never seen a fortress?" Varric asked, dubious.

"I have lived in the wilds all my life," Myfanwy shrugged. "My brother and I avoided humans and larger villages because we knew how important it was that we remain free and able to help our lord."

"Riiiight," Varric said, with an expression that implied he thought Myfanwy had a few screws loose.

"Let's get him up, shall we?" Cullen took charge of the situation, deftly. He strode over to the limp figure. Seemingly on a whim he knelt and felt for a pulse. He gave Astlyr a quick non of affirmation before scooping up the young man in a shoulder carry. "Shall we?"

"Let's." Astlyr agreed, hurrying with the others to hastily pack up their camp. Then, with Myfanwy walking beside Cullen, her expression concerned as she made sure the unconscious figure's head did not loll too much, the group made their way out of the temple.

Once outside the overgrown temple walls Astlyr and her friends whistled for their horses. Smoke came trotting up, leading the others. Astlyr strapped her packs to his back and then she buckled her armor on with an unwilling feeling. The day was too fair to be burdened down by so much. Cullen pulled on his chain shirt and breastplate, but left his shoulder pauldrons in the pack. He rode with the strange elf before him in the saddle, propped against him.

As they made their way along a narrow wooded path, single file, with Myfanwy on Cole's horse, Astlyr was feeling remarkably good about the situation. She felt certain that once they got back to Skyhold, and this strange spirit person woke up, that they would finally have some answers, not the least of which was why he had spoken to her in that voice.

There was a faint whistle, then a solid 'thunk' and she heard Cullen yell. Before she even had a chance to turn there was another whistle and something sliced her brow at the hairline and clattered against her horn. Blood began instantly pouring into her right eye. Reacting as quickly as she was able she reached down and grabbed her shield, which hung on a special strap on her saddle.

"Rally!" she shouted to her people, jerking Smoke's reins around. Dorian was already out of the saddle, Varric drawing Bianca. Cullen was one the ground, having clearly fallen from his mount, and was struggling to regain his feet. An arrow was buried deeply into the bicep of his left arm. The unconscious elf was beside him in the dirt.

"Where are they?!" Astlyr growled, scanning the forest around them, sliding from the saddle. She gave Smoke a slap on the rump and the horse moved out of her way as best he could in the dense trees.

More arrows hissed in, but this time she was ready and they pinged harmlessly off her shield. Others lodged in the loam around the feet of her friends, or into nearby trees.

"I've got them!" Cole appeared briefly in front of her then vanished again, knives drawn.

Another cluster of arrows flew from the forest towards Cullen and the fallen elf. Dorian reacted faster than Astlyr thought possible, calling a wall of ice to stop the projectiles. Myfanwy loaded her own bow, firing several rapid shots between the trees. She was rewarded by the thud of a body hitting the earth. "Over there!" Varric shouted, aiming Bianca.

Astlyr felt useless without ranged weapons or the power to teleport she was pointless in this fight. She turned towards Cullen, who still crouched, also seemingly unsure what to do. She planted her shield in the dirt as she squatted behind it, so they were concealed on one side by the shield and on the other by the legs of Cullen's horse. "I don't think he was badly hurt when we fell," Cullen said of their elven charge as she turned to face her.

"What about you?" she gestured to his arm.

"I'll process that when the adrenaline wears off. You've got your own." he nodded towards her.

Astlyr swiped warm blood from her eye with annoyance. It was making it difficult for her to see, but the pain was not bad. There was another metallic ring as an arrow struck her shield.

They heard strangled screams from the trees to their left, and shortly two more in the direction that Dorian and Varric had fired their magic and bolts. Then Cole blinked back into the group, an intense expression of anger on his features. "I killed them," he said.

"I believe we helped," Dorian interjected, coiling magic back around himself and hurrying to the side of the wounded.

"My lord!" Myfanwy gasped, dropping to her knees beside her fallen deity.

Cole was with Cullen then, kneeling and checking over the arrow. "This goes deep. Biting. Needs a healer."

"Yes," Cullen said between gritted teeth, "I agree."

Cole placed his hands around the arrow, "sooth," he breathed.

Cullen's face cleared slightly, and he gave Cole a quick smile. "That's is an interesting trick."

"We still need a healer," the boy said, standing and turning to Astlyr. He took a knee in front of her crouched form and placed a cool hand on her brow. "This is not bad. Sooth," he said, and she felt the pain lesson considerably.

"Let's see," Dorian moved to see Astlyr's wound as well. He placed firm fingers under her jaw. "Just fix your gaze on my glorious face while I check for damage to your eye."

"It's fine Dorian," Astlyr assured him, but she let her friend fuss. "It missed my eye, it's just bleeding like mad."

"You can never be too careful with head wounds," the mage replied, wiping away blood with great gentleness.

"Who were they?" Astlyr asked as Cole moved back to comfort Cullen.

"Elves," answered the boy, simply.

"But we're helping elves," Varric sounded annoyed.

"They're from a nearby Dalish tribe," Myfanwy explained, checking a shallow cut on her thigh where a arrow had grazed her.

Astlyr nodded to a mark on Cole's cheek. It was dark, not like the bright red blood a human would sustain, but she knew it was a cut. "Looks like they fought back a bit."

"They did not want to die," Cole's voice had an edge to it.

"So we're helping Dalish and being attacked by Dalish?" asked Cullen. He grabbed the arrow lodged in his arm and broke it off with a firm motion and a grimace. Cole placed his hands to sooth the wound again.

Myfanwy glared at him as though she thought he was stupid. "Do all humans live in the same tribe? Do all humans have the same beliefs? Of course not. Those that attacked are new to the area, but their hunters had noticed my brother and I bringing offerings to the temple. I do not know if they merely feared you, or if they suspected we had Lord Fen'Heral with us. They believe that our lord was responsible for the death of the other gods."

"You mentioned that before," Varris nodded, eying the surrounding forest with distrust.

"Did you kill them all?" Astlyr asked.

"I will check," Cole vanished.

Dorian expertly wound a bandage around Astlyr's head, careful of her horns, "there we are. Good as new."

Astlyr stood, pleased that there was no hint of dizziness from a concussion. Qunari had hard skulls, and the arrow had struck the thicker bone at the base of her horn. "Can you ride?" She asked Cullen.

Dorian scrutinized the arrow lodged in the warrior's arm, "I don't see a lot of bleeding. As long as you keep the arm still you should be alright."

Cullen nodded curtly. "Someone else can ride with sleepy though," he nodded with resentment to the limp figure in the grass.

"They are all dead," Cole reappeared, looking solemn.

"Alright," Astlyr whistled and Smoke gathered the scattered horses back together, "let's get home. I'm ready for this adventure to be over."

"You brought back what?!" Cassandra was using a voice she usually reserved for battling demons and informing her men when they had done something particularly idiotic.

"This is interesting," Iron Bull cut in in his usual level tone.

The group had managed to reach Skyhold without further incident. Now they had gathered in the infirmary where the healers (especially the women) were fussing over Cullen's arm. They were baffled by the elven man who now lay to one side on a bed. "I told you what we did," said Astlyr, feeling annoyed. She was seated on a bed herself, and a younger healer was checking her head.

"For the record," Varric raised his hand slightly, "I said this was a bad idea from the beginning."

"For once you and I agree," Cassandra folded her arms and glared at the assemblage. "Astlyr, I never imagined you would be the one to bring a potential demon right into Skyhold."

"He is not a demon," Myfanwy piped up for the third or fourth time. Her voice was starting to sound tired.

Cas folded her arms. "Yes, so you said. An old god, then. Even if that is true, which I am far from certain I believe, what would stop a god from doing whatever he liked with our fortress?"

"Well, he is unconscious at the moment," Dorian pointed out before being glared down by Cassandra, "I'll...be over here," he moved away and began idly fiddling with some of the healing supplies.

Casandra continued. "We don't have the forces here at the moment to hold out against something so powerful."

"I don't think he's going to be that powerful," Cullen put in as a healer expertly tucked his arm into a sling, then batted her eyelashes at the handsome warrior. He little noticed. "Myfanwy said it is severely weakened, and I am inclined to believe her. Until now it was inside a dead bird, which can't be good for anyone. As soon as it went into the body of Myfanwy's brother over here it collapsed to sleep it off. If we are dealing with a deity, it's a weakened one."

Cassandra was not looking reassured. Astlyr sighed, standing up to her full, and impressive, height to look more commanding. "Alright, I'll say it again. For some reason I still have the title of Inquisitor, which means you all must still believe I should be in charge, at least to some degree. I made a decision, I have to live with it. I did not make it without first considering the effects on my people and this fortress. Whatever is laying on that bed came to me for help, and I helped. It's what I do. I know some of you are displeased with my decision, but it was mine to make."

Cassandra opened her mouth, then closed it again into a hard line, but her expression was assenting.

"Astlyr is right," Josephine spoke for the first time. She had been sitting in the corner, madly scribbling on her notes. "If we expect her to be our Inquisitor, she cannot be merely a figure head."

"I understand you gave me my authority during wartime," Astlyr said, her voice steady, "and now perhaps we should discuss new, better, peacetime leaders."

Cassandra shook her head, setting her jaw. "I believe that you can be both. I followed you into the Fade. I followed you to take down a giant hole in the sky itself. I can keep my faith in you from faltering so easily."

Cole, who had been sitting protectively with Cullen, walked over now that the warrior was well taken care of. "The air is full of anxiety," he said, matter of fact. He glanced at Varric, "I think Cassandra is right. I think we should turn that thing back out into the cold. Or kill it," he finished, meeting the seeker's gaze.

"Cole, please," Varric heaved a sigh. "Just because I feel something doesn't mean everyone needs to know it."

"I want to help," the spirit said, in a hushed tone.

"Cole, tell them mine," Astlyr got the boy's attention.

He walked towards her and stopped. She hesitated, then held out her hand. He took hold of her fingertips, a very gentle touch. "My people are frightened and that twists me inside. Like ice creeping though my veins. Cold, cruel, crushing, crashing, crystallizing. I want to reassure, but I can't. I don't have the right words. Have I made a mistake? Have I...I could never harm them. Never. I want to be a good leader to them, and it haunts me always. A dark figure with a knife. Can I keep my shield between them and danger?" he let go, looking at her for approval.

"Thank you, Cole," she said, meeting the gaze of her followers.

Cassandra nodded. "Alright, Astlyr. We'll keep him here. Under guard at all times."

"Cole will sit with him too. The second he wakens Cole can teleport to us to let us know," Astlyr said.

"Very well. As for you..." she addressed Myfanwy.

"I will stay with my lord," the elf stuck out her chin, her eyes fierce.

"I wasn't going to suggest a dungeon," the seeker smiled faintly. "Merely that you should be watched carefully. It will be easy to keep an eye on you here, as my men will already by guarding the other newcomer."

"And some of mine," Cullen put in. "Templars, in case of magic."

This seemed to suit Myfanwy, and she sat back down on the bed beside the man that had been her brother.

"Alright, so we have a plan," Astlyr sighed, feeling suddenly very tired. "Now can we get back to business as usual, at least for the moment. My team and I missed breakfast."

"I second that," Cullen said, smiling. "Honestly," he gave Josie a grin, "this is what happens when you leave Skyhold. I can't recommend it." She chuckled.

The group, sans Cole, made their way out of the infirmary and towards the tavern. Astlyr hung back with Iron Bull. He tilted his head towards her as they spoke in hushed tones. "That was an interesting leadership tactic," Bull said, grinning crookedly. "Giving them orders, then showing them your soft underbelly."

Astlyr sighed, scratching bandages at base of her horn, "I know. In battle it's easy. Watch the flank! Tighten up that shield line! Arrows fire! This peacetime crap is what I'm no good at. Half the time I have no idea why I am still the leader. Because I make an impressive figurehead?" she gestured to herself emphatically.

"If that's all they wanted they'd put me in charge," Bull chuckled.

"You would probably do better than me," she said, woefully.

"Believe it or not I'm an even worse peacetime leader than you. Ask Krem. He gets fed up with me when we're not fighting. I'm lazy, you see," he gave her another lopsided smile, his single eye twinkling.

"But your chargers respect you."

"Your people respect you."

"I feel like their respect is hanging by a thread," Astlyr fidgeted with her white hair, which was falling from its bun. "When I was saving the world it was easy to see why they would follow me, but now..." she paused looked at her hand, which was gloved, but in her mind's eye she saw the mark, dark green and still.

"Well, one thing people don't want to see is a mopey leader," Bull gave her a playful jostle which would have sent a human tumbling.

She bumped him forcefully back with her hip, smiling as she saw the dragon tooth she had given him hanging on a leather necklace, fall out of his shirt front. He laughed in his too-loud way and tucked it back in. "So, Kadan, I can tell there's more you wanted to talk about besides your poor leadership techniques."

Astlyr nodded. "I didn't mention it to the others, and only Cole and I seemed to notice, but when the old god thing changed bodies it spoke to me."

"What did it say?" Bull's thick brows knit.

"'My friend,'" she answered. "But it wasn't what it said that mattered. It was the voice it used. I could have sworn it was...but now I'm thinking I must have imagined it."

"What? It sounded like your mother? Your long lost best friend, Jim?" he was trying to make her laugh.

"You're not far off, actually," she said, leaning her shoulder against his. He put his massive arm around her as they walked.

He seemed to ponder, "long lost best friend eh? Well, let's see. I'm right here. Dorian's right there. Who else would you call your..." he hesitated, glancing sideways at her.

She nodded in answer to his look. "I'm certain now that I'm crazy for thinking it. It must have been my imagination, but at the time I could have sworn that that thing-" she jabbed her thumb in the direction of the infirmary, "spoke with Solas' voice."

****Chapter 4 likely coming: 01/01/15