Faydren walked up the stairs slowly. She and Dorian had only recently gotten back from Redcliffe. Meeting his father there had certainly been a surprise for both of them since the letter said it would just be a retainer. From there, things didn't go well.

Having her own family issues, Faydren couldn't blame Dorian for his reaction. Once she heard the appalling reason and saw the pain it caused her friend? Well. Magister Halward was just lucky the Inquisitor had such excellent self-control. Sometimes. Needless to say, they left soon after.

The trip back to Skyhold had been unusually quiet considering the typical nature of her travel partner. Trevelyan lamented her inability to find a way to comfort him, but made sure to stay close. Hopefully her presence alone helped in some small way.

Now, approaching the cozy alcove, she spotted Dorian leaning against the wall and gazing out the window. He still seemed so sad, and it hurt her heart. There was a time in her life when she might have known instinctively how to help, but it had gotten much harder for her now. As she struggled to find words, Dorian spoke instead. He must have heard her coming.

"He's a good man, my father. Deep down. He taught me principle is important," his voice was low and somber, laced with hurt. "He cares for me, in his way, but he won't ever change. I can't forgive him for what he did. I won't."

"Are you alright...?" The words were not what she wanted, but it was all she could think of.

"No, not really..." he moved to face her, eyes melancholy. "Thank you for bringing me out there, even if it didn't work out. Maker knows what you must think of me now, after that whole display."

Faydren was startled. He was worried that she'd think less of him? If anything, her opinion of him had only improved. The Tevinter was a good man and a better friend. Knowing that so much heartache hid under that witty bravado only further proved just how strong he really was.

"I think you're very brave," she said with assurance.

"Brave?" Dorian repeated in astonishment.

"It's not easy to abandon tradition and walk your own path. I'm not sure I could do the same."

Watching his eyes crinkle as he smiled softly, Faydren was relieved. Pathetic as her attempt was, apparently it managed to help somehow. She wanted him to be happy. He deserved to be happy.

"At any rate, time to drink myself into a stupor. It's been that sort of day. Join me sometime, if you've a mind," he spoke the offer with warmth.

The Inquisitor gave a slight smile before turning to go. She paused. Dorian looked at her curiously as she chewed her lip and frowned in thought. After a long moment Faydren threw her arms around him and hugged tightly for just an instant before releasing, sliding around the corner, and darting down the stairs. Dorian's initial surprise gave way to a huge grin.

It was much more hushed and dimly lit on the second floor of the Herald's Rest (Faydren tried not to cringe at the name they had given the tavern). Most people didn't look too closely at the shadowy corner table the Inquisitor had sought out for herself, which was exactly how she wanted it. Her pen tip scratched away at a loose leaf of paper as she held it still, brow furrowed in concentration.

Sketching was something she'd picked up in the Circle for those extra boring days. Eventually she got to be fairly proficient with it. Faydren managed to acquire materials from around Skyhold without drawing too much attention, and had since filled a few sheets with sketches of her companions. A certain Commander appeared on them perhaps a bit more often than the others.

They'd continued to spend more time together. One of them always seemed to find a reason for it. Trevelyan found herself looking forward to that time more and more. All of her friends were important to her, but something felt different with Cullen. It was warm… safe. She didn't quite understand it. But that feeling was difficult to come by, so she appreciated it while she could.

"Miss, might I trouble you for a piece of paper?"

Faydren nearly swept all the papers off the table in her rush to cover them. Looking up, it was a young man she didn't recognize and her shoulders relaxed somewhat. He likely wouldn't ask questions about her work. She slid a blank sheet on top of the others before responding.

"Um, of course. Did you need-" the mage cut off as she saw realization dawn on his face.

"O-oh! It's you. I mean, you're her," he straightened and gave a little bow before fiddling with his hands nervously. "I- well, I joined! Saw some bandits. Thought I should warn the Inquisition. So here I am!"

"We appreciate it," Faydren spoke sincerely, wishing he wouldn't be so formal.

"I hope there's some way I can help the Inquisition," his voice was earnest. "Maybe… cleaning?"

"I'm sure you'll find a place," she smiled slightly. Surely there was something for him to do. "Did you still need the paper?"

"Ummm. Yes. If you don't mind. I was going to write out my information for Commander Cullen," the young man nodded vigorously, respectfully taking the sheet she held out. He made it halfway to the stairs before stopping to call back.

"Oh, I'm Sutherland by the way!"

Faydren raised a hand in acknowledgment and he sauntered down the stairs. She tilted her head, pondering. Sutherland… Somebody would make good use of his enthusiasm. Hopefully they found something he enjoyed. Refreshing the ink on her pen, the Inquisitor returned to her sketches.

"We should look into the Western Approach. There have been strange movements from the Venatori there, and we also may discover information related to the Wardens," Leliana pointed out to the gathering at the War Table.

"That place is a wasteland. We don't have the holdings or the supply lines to sustain a force stationed there," Cullen countered.

"I could go," Faydren's voice cut in and they all looked at her in surprise.

"That won't be necessary, Inquisitor," the Commander quickly tried to discourage the idea.

"Why not?"

"There are other agents we could send. It might be unwise-"

"You just said it was troublesome to send a large group. Besides, I'm tired of sitting around Skyhold like some useless figurehead that needs to be protected," her jaw was set with determination. Cullen could already see this was going to be a difficult argument. It was a side of her they didn't see often, but the Inquisitor could be formidable when she chose to be.

Leliana and Josephine exchanged amused glances as Faydren and the Commander argued back and forth, countering each other's points. It was already obvious to them who was going to win, but seeing him try so hard anyway proved quite entertaining. The discussion ended with Cullen in a huff, but Faydren would be leaving for the Western Approach within the week.

"We'll send a small scouting group ahead to set up an outpost camp for you, Inquisitor. You can use it to relay any information you find on your trip," Leliana inclined her head with a smile and left the room.

"I'll make sure appropriate supplies and travel arrangements are made for your departure," Josephine winked at Cullen as she walked out and he sighed.

"I still don't like it. This is dangerous," Cullen leaned against the table and crossed his arms.

"So are a lot of things. But I want to help," the words jogged her memory. "Did you get a report of bandits recently? From a young man named Sutherland?"

"Um, yes I think so," he wasn't expecting such a sudden change in topic. "Why?"

"I was just wondering how you planned on handling it."

"Well the bandits are a threat, albeit a minor one. We'll take care of it."

"And Sutherland? I think he wanted to help," Cullen could see the hint of an amused smile touch her lips. She clearly thought the boy deserved a chance.

"I suppose he can go with our men to dispatch the bandits. It was his tip after all, and they shouldn't prove too much trouble," he watched the full smile appear before it vanished just as quickly.

"Good. I think he'll make a fine addition to the Inquisition."

Faydren made for the doors, leaving him to stare after her. Cullen suddenly scowled as he realized that she'd changed the topic before he was done voicing his disapproval. Leliana and Josephine were going to hear about this later… They were no help at all.

The Commander rubbed the back of his neck. Maybe he was being unreasonable, but he couldn't help worrying about her going off into a desert to face Maker knows what. Knowing that she was fully capable of handling herself in a fight did not ease his mind.

A nagging thought wormed its way into his head - was it just concern that made him reluctant to send her? Or was it also the knowledge that he'd have to go all that time without seeing her? Cullen had grown accustomed to her presence around Skyhold, minus a few short trips to Fereldan and Val Royeaux. This mission could take weeks...

He sighed heavily. It might be for the best. He needed to get over this infatuation before it interfered with their duties.

Dorian could feel his annoyance growing. He and Mother Giselle had never gotten on especially well, and it seemed that tension was coming to a head. The Tevinter already knew that his heritage gave people pause, but to actually imply that he would take advantage of his closeness with the Inquisitor? The fact that other people thought as much didn't bother him, but what if she heard and began to doubt…

"Oh, I..." The Chantry woman stopped talking and actually looked guilty.

"What's going on here?" Dorian felt Faydren move to his side.

"It seems the Revered Mother is concerned about my 'undue influence' over you," his voice dripped with disdain. She may as well find out about the rumors firsthand.

"It is just concern. Your Worship, you must know how this looks," Giselle entreated. Faydren looked back and forth between the two in confusion.

"You might need to spell it out, my dear," Dorian prodded.

"This man is of Tevinter. His presence at your side, the rumors alone..." It seemed the woman was determined not to speak plainly. He stifled a frustrated sigh.

"What's wrong with him being from Tevinter? Specifically?" The Inquisitor's voice grew cold. Apparently the vague statement had been enough for her to get the drift.

"I'm fully aware that not everyone from the Imperium is the same," the backpedaling began but Dorian cut in.

"How kind of you to notice. Yet still you bow to the opinion of the masses?"

"The opinion of the masses is based on centuries of evidence. What would you have me tell them?"

"The truth?"

"The truth is I do not know you, and neither do they. Thus these rumors will continue."

"There's no cause for concern," Faydren interrupted firmly.

"With all due respect, you underestimate the effect this man has on the people's good opinion."

"Do the people know how he's helped the Inquisition? And how he warned us at Haven?"

Dorian could feel the hair on his arms stand on end from static and realized that Faydren was getting really worked up about this. Jaw clenched and eyes sparking, she was practically daring Mother Giselle to disagree with her.

"I... see. I meant no disrespect, Inquisitor, only to ask after this man's intentions. If you feel he is without ulterior motive, then I humbly beg forgiveness of you both," with a slight bow, she scurried away.

"Well, that's something," Dorian said sarcastically.

"She didn't get to you, did she?" The righteous anger of a moment ago had been replaced by calm concern.

"No, it takes more to get to me than thinly veiled accusations," he shrugged.

"You don't think she'll do anything?"

"Do what? Yours is the good opinion I care about, not hers," the dark-haired man looked at her carefully, head tilted. "I should ask... Do the rumors bother you?"

Faydren appeared completely taken aback by the question before pausing to consider. She really hadn't thought about it at all. He chuckled mentally at how adorably straightforward she was. Her eyes grew sad as she responded.

"I wish they wouldn't disparage you... They don't know you."

"They know you even less than they know me," Dorian sighed at the girl's complete disregard for her own reputation. Still, her support touched him deeply - she truly did believe in him. "Perhaps it's odd to say, but... I think of you as a friend, Faydren. I have precious few friends. I didn't think to find one here."

"I-" She appeared at a loss for words. Good. All this serious feelings talk was really outside of his comfort zone.

"Don't speak. I detest confessions, and I'd like to get this over with. Allow me to say I'll stand beside you – against Corypheus, my countrymen, or spurious rumor – so long as you'll have me."

He grinned and placed his hand on top of her head affectionately. For a moment, she just blinked at him in surprise. Then Faydren smiled brighter than he'd ever seen before.

"You may come to regret that," she teased. Her face swiftly returned to neutral, but there was a twinkle in her eyes.

"Oh dear. I'm about to find out the actual reason for your visit, aren't I? If there's an undead-filled bog involved, the answer is no."

"How do you feel about sand?"

"I rescind my answer to your previous question, Inquisitor. I hate sand!"

"Well at least you're not cold, right Sparkler?"

"Oh the Vint's probably still cold."

Faydren continued to walk ahead of them, shaking her head in amusement at the friendly banter. Dorian only used the title when he was miffed because he knew it bothered her. He, Iron Bull, and Varric were her preferred team for longer trips. They seemed to get along better than some of the others and their skills synergized quite well… plus the entertainment value was especially high.

They'd only been in the Western Approach for a few days, and the sand definitely took some getting used to. Leliana had been right though, the Venatori were unquestionably up to something here. After a few skirmishes with the bastards, they sent word back to Skyhold before setting out to find the Venatori stronghold.

If the enemy was able to support so many forces out here, it meant the Inquisition could too. But that location was the key. So now they were out hoping to spot a patrol to follow without being noticed. Or - if they were lucky – stumble onto the base itself. Easier said than done, of course.

Varric moved to her side, matching pace easily. Bull and Dorian continued tossing jabs back and forth behind them. The two would occasionally have surprisingly deep intellectual conversations, but most often they stuck to creatively insulting one another. The Inquisition scout traveling with them appeared at a loss for how to react, his sky blue eyes wide with uncertainty.

Jace had been assigned to go with them after the Inquisitor's party nearly got lost in the desert. Twice. The boy was a good scout, if inexperienced in other areas. His sense of direction and memory for landmarks were excellent, along with a healthy dose of speed and endurance. However, he was a mediocre fighter at best and his social skills were decidedly lacking. The Inquisitor still liked him though.

"What was Hawke like, Varric?" Faydren suddenly mused. "I've read your book, but I'd like to hear it from you."

"I'm surprised the Circle allowed mages to read the Tale of the Champion, considering the ending," the dwarf wiped at the sweat on his forehead.

"Um… they didn't. I had friends who sneaked me a copy. They knew how much I enjoyed your other-" She cut off too late. The damage had been done.

"What's this I hear? The great Inquisitor is a fan?" His expression was beyond smug.

"Don't get ahead of yourself…" she grumbled.

"I still can't believe what a troublemaker you were!" Dorian had apparently been listening in.

"Inquisitor!" Jace sounded excited. She hadn't even seen him run ahead, but now he was waving them to the corner of the cliff face they'd been following.

The four joined him, gazing across the barren waste until they spotted what he did – a keep. It looked old and mostly abandoned aside from several heavily armored individuals guarding the gate. They'd found it.

"Jace, go back to the camp quickly and have them send word to Skyhold. We may need a larger force to take it, but there should be enough supplies inside to hold everyone over until a more permanent solution is found," Faydren was a bit enthusiastic as well. Having a presence here would almost certainly please the advisers.

"Yes, Your Worship," he nodded quickly and hurried away.

"What are we gonna do, Boss?" Bull raised an eyebrow.

"I thought we might search around a bit for possible food or water sources. Maybe keep an eye on their movements. There was a cave in the cliff a ways back that we could use for camp," she looked at the others hopefully. It had sounded like a good plan in her head.

"Not bad, Stormcloud," Varric nodded. "Worth a try at least until our supplies get low."

"And hopefully we can avoid getting lost with a stronghold for a landmark," Dorian joked.

"Oh, shit…"

Everyone turned to see what Varric was focusing on. A group of three Venatori was headed for the keep's gate, dragging a struggling fourth person with them. The captive's armor was clearly recognizable, and without a helmet the shaggy brown hair confirmed his identity. Faydren gasped – it was Jace.

In his haste, the scout must have run across the patrol without warning. He was no good in a straight-up fight. They should have stayed with him. It wasn't necessary for them to remain here. Since he was captured and not killed, they probably planned to torture him for information. The Inquisitor grit her teeth.

"Poor kid… We should head back to deliver the message ourselves before they get too much advance warning," Bull said with regret while Dorian and Varric nodded reluctantly. There was no response. "Boss?"

Faydren was already gone. Sliding down the sandy hill, she stumbled a bit at the bottom before taking off across the dry, cracked earth.

"Well. I suppose we should have seen that coming," Dorian remarked breathlessly.

The Tevinter was right, but Varric was too busy running to formulate a response. The path Stormcloud chose was a good call. It seemed like a dry creek bed, but was deep enough to block any line of sight from the keep. Even Bull was able to move at full height. Based off the turns they'd made, the group should be somewhere around the back of the fort now. With her head start, Varric and the others hadn't even been able to catch up yet.

Rounding one last corner, they spotted her. The gully had grown shallower, allowing Faydren to peek over the edge. Bull marched toward her and was about to say something, but Varric saw her frown and put a finger to her lips. She was right. They were close enough now that the sound of their voices might carry. The rogue grinned at her cleverness. By getting them this close, she had eliminated the option of arguing with her. Now they could either follow and help or sit back and wait.

As he watched, she pointed up at the keep. On this side, it was actually sitting on more of a cliff. The ground didn't even out until about halfway to the front. Following her finger more closely, he spotted it too – there was some sort of cave or tunnel in the rock leading under the keep. It was worth investigating, and definitely better than storming the front gate.

Varric followed his friends up a path that was barely visible among the rocks. Faydren picked her way carefully, and Bull's face was still a disapproving glare. Dorian met the dwarf's eyes with a grin, obviously appreciative of the Inquisitor's cunning as well. Of course, this was still a terrible idea.

Entering the cave, he soon found himself wading through stagnant, ankle-deep water. The smell nearly made him gag. Based on the bucket hanging down from a hole in the ceiling further in, this used to be a well for the stronghold. Wild gesturing and hand motions ensued as the group decided how to approach this. What they came up with was far from optimal and relied heavily on nobody paying attention to the well's opening. But the Inquisitor was determined.

Thankfully the well wasn't terribly deep. Varric's shoulders just barely cleared its rim as he held Bianca up and aimed carefully. He wobbled a bit, reaching a hand out to steady himself against the stone. The dwarf's lips were twitching with barely-contained laughter as he thought about how ridiculous they must look.

Varric's left foot was being held up by Dorian, while Faydren held his right. Both of them were standing on the shoulders of a very disgruntled Iron Bull, who was focusing intently on keeping them all from toppling over. This was going to make for such a great story later… Assuming they survived, of course.

Lining up the shot again, he sent a bolt straight into the neck of one of the wall guards. Nobody seemed to notice him slump to the ground. Varric did the same thing to two more guards without much trouble. Luck ran out on the last one – instead of falling forward or straight down, the body dropped into the courtyard with a reverberating crash.

Shouts of alarm went up all around and more men swarmed into the open area housing the well. Dorian immediately cast a barrier. Bianca took down a couple more before Varric heard a growing growl from beneath him.

"Ah, screw it!" Bull bellowed.

The dwarf barely scrambled out of the well on his own before the other two were launched up through the opening, tumbling over the ledge and landing awkwardly on the ground. Dorian's face was in the dirt with his rear sticking skyward, and Stormcloud was blinking at him upside down from a contortionist position practically on her head. She slowly fell over onto her side before struggling to her feet. This time Varric couldn't hold back his boisterous laughter.

The rope groaned as Iron Bull heaved himself up and out of the well before its wooden mechanism snapped. He planted his feet and rolled his shoulders before grabbing the greataxe from its holster. With a roar, he charged the few Venatori brave enough to move in and crushed them with a single swing. There were shouts calling to fall back and the rest retreated up a set of stairs leading further in. The Qunari rested the axe on his shoulder with a smirk as Dorian stood up, brushing dirt off his robes.

"Is the posturing entirely necessary?" The Tevinter sighed.

"After the stunt we just pulled? Abso-friggin-lutely," Bull grinned hugely.

"Tiny has a point," Varric was still chuckling.

"Guys... Jace?" Faydren brought back the focus. They could fully enjoy this later.

Lucky for them, the Venatori either hadn't placed many men here or they were all out doing whatever it was that they were trying to do in this blasted place. The Inquisitor's team pushed on, swiftly breaking through any resistance they met along the way until they'd reached the top level of the keep.

Jace was being held on his knees by two soldiers as a man in dark hooded robes held a flaming hand inches away from the boy's terrified face. Varric could immediately see the change in Faydren as her aura kicked into high gear, eyes crackling with energy.

"Back away from the boy!" She barked with authority.

The spellbinder turned his head to them slowly, eyes glinting in the shadows of his hood. The fire on his hand went out and he gestured curtly. The soldiers holding Jace dragged the scout to a small cell in the corner and tossed him in, locking the door. He landed with a grunt before getting to his knees and grabbing the bars.

"My lady, what are you doing?!"

"Stay quiet, Jace. We'll be done here soon," Faydren's eyes remained fixed on the enemy mage. Varric could tell she was trying to get a read on him.

"Oh you think so, do you?" The man's voice was smooth and confident. "Well I can see why you might, when so far all you've faced are a bunch of INCOMPETENT IDIOTS."

The shouting was obviously intended for the Venatori lackeys surrounding him and they flinched away. Varric grew uneasy. This man was clearly powerful on his own, and the numbers were still not in their favor. For now, he seemed content just berating his own allies.

"You lot are pathetic. I didn't even have enough time to get any useful information out of our guest. Look at him! How much time do you think I needed, hm?" Those dark eyes turned back to the Inquisitor. If he knew who she was, he didn't let on. "Now we'll have to kill these ones so I may carry on uninterrupted. Perhaps their deaths will inspire more cooperation..."

Varric was unsurprised when Stormcloud called a lightning bolt straight down on his head. She didn't much care for talking with someone she had every intention of killing. The surprise came when the hooded man merely stumbled a bit from the impact, but remained unharmed. He cackled with great amusement, the barrier around him flashing before turning transparent once more. Faydren growled in frustration.

"Oh but you are a feisty one! This should be fun."

Varric and the rest dodged out of the way as a fireball launched from his hand and exploded where they'd been standing. He was still close enough to feel the heat. Dorian's barrier gave them some leeway, but even that wouldn't last forever. Taking aim with Bianca, he pegged two of the remaining soldiers. They had to focus on taking out the foot-soldiers first.

Bull, Dorian, and Varric slowly began wiping out the Venatori. The spellbinder was enthralled with Faydren, so she did her best to draw his fire away from the others. The rogue tried to keep one eye on her just in case she got pinned down, but so far she was deftly dodging all the attacks and throwing back some of her own when the opportunity presented. They all deflected harmlessly off the man's barrier. He was focused on a particularly troublesome assassin when he heard her call out.

"Varric!"

The dwarf turned his head in time to see a blaze of flame that sent him crashing into a stack of crates. What was left of his barrier kept the fire from touching him at least. It seemed Hood had caught on to their strategy, as he was now firing at all of them in turn. Bull was blocked off by a wall of fire strategically placed to keep him out of melee range; Dorian was struggling to keep up his barrier while preventing a volley of projectiles from reaching Jace's cell; and Faydren was dancing around with the assassin who apparently thought Varric was taken care of.

Aiming Bianca, he fired two bolts at the spellbinder in quick succession. They glanced off and Varric cursed. He may not have enough firepower to get that barrier down. With a smirk, the hooded man raised a hand in his direction. Shit. With his own barrier gone, the rogue would have to rely on dodging alone.

Before the blast came, a savage cry echoed across the battlefield. Varric spotted the blue streak he recognized as Stormcloud's fade step shoot towards the mage, stopping just short of him as a golden sword materialized in her hand. The man's jaw dropped in surprise as she swung the blade with great force. Sparks flew as it connected with the barrier, and for a moment it seemed to stop – but then the edge sliced through and the barrier shattered. If he hadn't stumbled backward, the sword likely would have taken off the spellbinder's head. As it was, he escaped with only a minor gash across the chest.

Varric watched in confusion as a smile slowly grew on the man's face. A fiery glyph flared to life beneath the Inquisitor's feet. A gout of flame erupted around her as she attempted to jump away, the force of it throwing her backwards and over the battlements.

"Faydren!" Varric cried out helplessly.

The mage was laughing hysterically, even as two bolts embedded themselves in his chest. A sickly purple aura crept across his skin and his severed head fell to the ground, rolling a few inches before it -and his body- exploded into an acrid black mist. Bull didn't even bother wiping the gore off as the three ran to where their friend had fallen over.

There was a shared sigh of relief and disbelief at what they found. Faydren was about ten feet down, hanging on desperately to the hilt of her spirit blade. She had stabbed it into the stone to stop her fall. There were some minor burns on her hands and face, but she appeared otherwise unharmed. Her fade shield must have been active when the mine went off.

"A little help?" Faydren's voice was strained, but she managed a small smile.

"Your luck never ceases to amaze, my dear," Dorian sighed happily.

After they'd found a way to get her back up and released Jace from his cell, the five of them just sat down against the battlements in exhaustion. Varric marveled at the fact that, yet again, they had managed not to die while doing something completely reckless. He chuckled. Cullen was gonna be so pissed. Jace had been mostly silent since they got him out. The poor kid was obviously stuck between shame at needing to be rescued and gratitude that the rescue actually came.

"Your Worship?" He finally said quietly.

"Yes, Jace?" Faydren had been sitting with her eyes closed, but she opened one to look at him.

"Why did you come for me?"

"Why wouldn't I?"

"I'm just a scout. I'm no strategist, but I know it would have been smarter to go back for more help."

"I happen to like my scouts, Jace. I'd prefer not to lose any if it can be avoided," she closed her eye again. Jace looked at the rest of them, dumbfounded.

"Yes, she's serious," Dorian laughed.

"Stormcloud tends to get attached," Varric shook his head with a grin.

"For better or worse," Iron Bull quipped.

"Hey, we got a new keep out of it," she retorted.

They found some food and drink and rested up for a few hours before Iron Bull and Jace left for the Inquisition camp. With the well closed up and the gates shut, the other three shouldn't have any trouble holding Griffon Wing Keep until they got back. Soon they would have their own foothold in the Western Approach. Varric just hoped Cullen didn't kill him when they got back.