Cullen held a vigil for Alistair the moment they got to Skyhold three days later.

He had invited several Wardens during the affair, and they came after they made a detour to Redcliffe, where Arl Teagan gave them the sword, Starfang, and the shield of his mentor Duncan, which Alistair had used to defeat the Archdemon during the Fifth Blight. They decided to hold the vigil in the throne room, as there were many people in attendance, which included her inner circle, Hawke, Leliana, Josephine, Cullen, Arl Teagan, Morrigan, and her son, Kieran, some Inquisition soldiers and the invited Wardens.

Mother Giselle led the rite, speaking verses from the Chant of Light, but Alex didn't pay attention, staring at the sword and shield the Wardens had propped up on a table in front of her throne as she stood beside Cullen, who was holding her hand. Varric had sent a letter to Hawke's brother, Carver, about their ordeal, and even though it hurt her, Alex decided to write the letter herself to send to her sister about her husband's demise, even though she can't remember half of what she had written, as her eyes were too blurred with tears to read what she had written.

The rite ended soon enough, but she remained where she stood, watching the Warden's put Alistair's weapons into a velvet-lined trunk, intended to be put in Weisshaupt and displayed as a symbol of his sacrifice for their order. Cullen saw that Alex was still in grief, so he sent Josephine to deal with Arl Teagan, while he himself dealt with the Wardens.

Alex looked around, watching her inner circles disperse to their rooms, and soon only Hawke, Morrigan, Kieran and herself were left in the throne room. She watched as Morrigan stroke her son's hair as they spoke to each other softly, but soon she found herself staring at the boy, as he looked a bit familiar… particularly when he smiled.

"Cousin."

Alex blinked as she looked behind her, seeing Hawke standing. Her brows were furrowed, as if she was thinking in deep thought, "Yes, Hawke?"

"Why?" Hawke said, looking at her, and Alex looked at her in confusion, "Why did you leave behind Alistair? Why not me? I was… I was ready to sacrifice my life for your cause."

She shook her head, "No, cousin. You didn't think of it as a sacrifice back then. You thought of it as a way to commit suicide."

Hawke blinked in shock at her, and Alex looked over to Morrigan, who was watching them with great interest. She nodded at her, silently telling her to leave, and the apostate witch nodded, taking her son's hand and heading to the gardens where they often stayed. Alex looked back at her cousin, "Varric told me of how you were before, and how you changed since Anders' death. You thought you had failed, that you had nothing to live for since the love of your life is gone. But it isn't like that. You are the Champion of Kirkwall… there are still many things you can do to save people."

Hawke stared at Alex, her eyes reddening, "I wanted to join Anders in death. Why won't you let me?"

The sound of galloping horses outside made Alex smile and she took Hawke's shoulder and made her turn towards the doors, "Because I'm your cousin. And also because I know that they won't let me."

The door to the throne room burst open, and Hawke turned to look. Varric entered, looking slightly happy, followed by Cullen and a tall, muscled young man, with dark red hair, olive green eyes, a square face and clad in a Grey Warden armor. At the sight of her, the man rushed forward as Hawke blinked, and he encompassed her in a great big hug.

"Carver…" Hawke finally muttered out, as the man, her younger brother, looked at her.

"Thank the Maker you're alive." Carver Hawke said, looking over at Marianna, "Varric told me everything. What were you thinking?! Do you know how many letters I wrote to Varric telling him not to make you do anything drastic?"

Hawke shook her head as she looked at him in shock, "He didn't, apparently. But what are you doing here? I thought you were with Aveline."

"Varric said that you were going to Weisshaupt, to tell the Wardens about what happened here in Orlais." Carver said, "I'm not going to let you go there alone. I almost lost you when you went into the Fade. And I'll be damned if I lose you there too." His eyes softened as he looked at her, "Look, I know I've been a prat when I was younger. But we already lost Bethany and our mother. You're the only family I have left. And I am not going to lose you too, d'you understand?"

Hawke's eyes watered as she listened to her brother's speech, and she clung on to him when he was done, tears flowing down her eyes as she held him. "I'm sorry, I didn't know you thought of it that way."

Carver huffed, but he held on to his sister, "Of course, you didn't know. I was an ungrateful, selfish brat."

Hawke laughed a little, "Actually, you were. You still are, in truth."

Carver separated from her and laughed a little, "There she is. That's the Marianna I know." Carver looked up at Alex and Cullen and held out a hand to him, "Knight Captain Cullen, it is good to see you."

Cullen smiled at him as he shook his hand, "Warden Carver, that is no longer my title. I left the Order a few weeks after you left Kirkwall to join the Inquisition. May I present to you Lady Inquisitor Alexandra Trevelyan, the leader of our forces and your second cousin through your Amell bloodline."

Carver blinked down at Alex, "Cousin? So it's true? You're the Hero of Ferelden's younger sister?"

She nodded slightly, and Carver blinked again, before bowing low. "I… it's good to finally meet you, cousin. And thank you… for keeping my sister safe."

Alex curtsied at him, "You're welcome, Carver. Hawke intends to stay for three more days before heading to Weisshaupt. You are welcome to stay here in Skyhold for the meantime. I'm sure you and Marianna have a lot to talk about."

Varric laughed a little before coughing, "Actually, I think they both owe me a drink after all I've done to keep her safe."

The two Hawkes laughed out loud at the dwarf, "Yes, true enough. I do owe you my thanks, dwarf. I…"

But they all silenced then the doors of the throne room opened, and a woman, also clad in a Warden armor, entered, a dark gray hood covering her face and a simple staff at her back. All of them turned to look at her, "I'm looking for the Inquisitor."

Alex walked a little forward, "And you've found her. What can I do for you, brave Warden?"

The Warden shrugged, "It's not a question of what you can do for me, Inquisitor. But more like, what should I do with you."

Alex blinked in shock, before the Warden threw out a hand, and a flash of lightning headed towards her, before a silver shield blocked the attack. She looked up to see Cullen had drawn out his blade and his shield, protecting her from the assault.

Carver and Varric started to attack, with the dwarf shooting bolts, but the Warden merely leapt aside, before flinging out an arm, and Carver got flung towards the wall after the Warden sent a flash of lightning his way. The woman jammed her staff to the floor, her power flaring and knocking Varric backwards, just as Hawke sent a wall of fire on her way. But the Warden merely countered her spell by building one of ice, and leaping over it, knocking Hawke back with the blunt tip of her staff.

The commotion in the throne room must have been rather noisy, as soon, her inner circle came in, their weapons drawn. Blackwall, Cassandra, and Bull charged, and Sera headed over to the higher areas of the room to find a place to snipe the intruder. Vivienne, Solas and Dorian flung out spell after spell, but she merely defended herself with a barrier, before dispelling them. She raised her staff just as her three warriors charged, and three blades met with the staff in a clang of metal.

"NO! MAKE THEM STOP!"

Alex turned around to see Cole, running towards her, wringing his hands. "She's hurting, haunted, hateful… but hapless! Make them stop! Don't hurt her!"

The boy tried to run towards the Warden, but Alex stopped him by holding on to his hand, "Cole! Don't get near her! She'll hurt you too!"

The Warden deflected the blades swinging at her, but then Iron Bull growled menacingly, rushing at her, and knocking her backwards. The Warden fell heavily to the floor, and Sera leapt, landing on the woman and making their enemy grunt in pain, as she kept the woman's hands pinned on her back, "Got ya, you bat shite crazy bitch!"

The Warden intruder growled out in anger as Bull and Blackwall pulled the woman up, and pushing her towards Alex and Cullen, forcing her down and making the woman kneel in front of them. Cullen sheathed his sword and shield, reaching out and drawing the hood away, making him stiffen and gasp out, as fiery red hair and emerald green eyes looked up at him, "Maker's breath!"

Alex blinked as she looked down at the woman, seeing what seemed like a mirror image of her, as Solona Amell's eyes gazed hatefully at her.