There was a sound. A door opening. Footsteps. It seemed odd, to be hearing footsteps. Slowly, her eyes opened. Above her was a roof. The grain in one of the beams formed a pattern that resembled the face of a dog. It seemed to be grinning at her. She blinked, and the pattern was gone. Wait... footsteps? She sat up.

A young elven girl leaped backwards in surprise, dropping the box she was carrying. "Oh." She stared, wide-eyes. "I didn't know you were awake, I swear."

"Don't worry about it. I only -" The events of the previous... day... started to flood back to her.

The elven girl fell to her knees. "I beg your forgiveness and your blessing. I am but a humble servant." She looked up at Ruya. "You are back in Haven, my lady." The girl's eyes were huge, almost worshipful. "They say you saved us. The Breach stopped growing, just like the mark on your hand. It's all anyone has talked about for the last three days."

Three days. Ruya looked down at the mark on her hand. It ached dully, but no longer burned. Waking up was unexpected and meant... "Then the danger is over?"

"The Breach is still in the sky, but that's what they say." The girl scrambled to her feet, and walked backwards a couple steps. "I'm certain Lady Cassandra would want to know you've wakened. She said, 'at once.'"

It took her a moment to put a face to the name. The Seeker. "And where is she?"

"In the Chantry, with the Lord Chancellor." The girl started to leave, and then turned back. "'At once,' she said."

The sound of the door shutting made her jump. Ruya stood, slowly. She felt slightly dizzy for a moment, but it passed quickly. Haven. Then the Chantry would be... She'd find it. Someone had dressed her in... that was a lot of buttons. She found her clothing in a trunk, underneath some of the most overdone armor she'd ever seen. It took her a few minutes to get dressed, and she winced as the armored tunic settled over her bruised shoulder.

She took a deep breath, and walked to the door.

#

She came to a dead stop two paces outside the door. It wasn't the bright light that stopped her, but the crowd of people. Staring. At her. Not just staring. Many of them had their fists pressed to their hearts in a gesture of respect. Some were staring at her with open mouthed adoration.

A voice from the back of the crowd reached her ears. "That's her. That's the Herald of Andraste."

Breath. Right. She started walking. Other voices came. "They said when she came out of the Fade, Andraste herself was watching over her."

"Hush. We shouldn't disturb her."

"That's her. She stopped the Breach from getting any bigger."

"I heard she was supposed to close it entirely."

Some of them were bowing, on their knees, like she was a queen or the Divine. She considered making a run for it, but there were dozens between her and the closed gate.

"Still, it's more than anyone else has done. Demons would have had us otherwise."

The Chantry sisters bowed their heads as she passed.

"Still a lot of rifts left all over. Little cracks in the sky."

"She can seal those, though - the Herald of Andraste."

"Someone had better. You won't seal those rifts with the Chant of Light."

"Chancellor Roderick says that the Chantry wants nothing to do with us."

The huge doors of the Chantry blocked the sight of the people. She felt fifty pounds lighter without all those eyes on her. Her footsteps echoed through the Chantry as she walked towards the inner door. More voices drifted towards her. Arguing. It took her a second to recognize Roderick and Cassandra. Cassandra, it seemed, was now convinced of her innocence, at least.

Her hand was on the door handle. She took a deep breath, and opened the door.

#

Roderick glared. "Chain her. I want her prepared for travel to the capital for trial."

Both templars turned to look at Cassandra. Cassandra gestured. "Disregard that, and leave us." The templars closed their fists over their hearts and left the room.

"You walk a dangerous line, Seeker." Roderick's eyes narrowed.

"The Breach is stable, but it is still a threat." Cassandra returned the glare. "I will not ignore it."

Ruya found her own voice. "I did everything I could to close the Breach. It almost killed me." She was still a little surprised that it hadn't done just that.

"Yet you live." Roderick sneered at her. "A convenient result, insofar as you're concerned."

"Have a care, Chancellor." Cassandra's voice was just a hair short of threatening. "The Breach is not the only threat we face."

Leliana's voice made Ruya jump. She hadn't realized the auburn-haired woman was in the room. "Someone was behind the explosion at the Conclave." Leliana came around the table to stand near Cassandra. "Someone Most Holy did not expect." Her steel-colored eyes watched Roderick. "Perhaps they died with the others - or have allies who yet live."

"I am a suspect?" Roderick actually took a step backwards.

"You, and many others." Leliana's voice was cold.

"But not the prisoner." Roderick gestured at Ruya.

"I heard the voices in the temple." Cassandra shook her head. "The Divine called to her for help."

"So her survival, that thing on her hand - all a coincidence?" Roderick all but threw up his hands.

"Providence." Cassandra gave a firm nod. "The Maker sent her to us in our darkest hour."

The words came almost by reflex. "Though all before me is shadow, yet shall the Maker be my guide."

Cassandra gave Ruya an approving look. "We lost everything..." A note of wonder entered the woman's voice. "Then, out of nowhere, you came."

"The Breach remains, and your mark is still our only hope of closing it." Leliana leaned on the table, gazing down at the map.

"This is not for you to decide." Roderick folded his arms.

Cassandra picked up a thick book and set it on the table. The sound echoed off the stone walls of the room. "You know what this is, Chancellor." She set her hand on the book. "A writ from the Divine, granting us the authority to act. As of this moment, I declare the Inquisition reborn." She stepped towards the Chancellor, forcing him to step back. "We will close the Breach, we will find those responsible, and we will restore order. With or without your approval."

He started to say something, then turned and stomped out of the room. Leliana's eyes focused on the book. "This is the Divine's directive: rebuild the Inquisition of old. Find those that will stand against the chaos." Her voice was quiet, and there was an almost haunted look in her eyes. "We aren't ready. We have no leader, no numbers, and now no Chantry support."

"But we have no choice: we must act now." Cassandra turned to Ruya. "With you at our side."

Ruya's own eyes went to the book. Of all the things she'd expected when she realized closing the rift hadn't actually killed her, this was fairly far down on the list. "What is 'the Inquisition of old,' exactly?"

"It preceded the Chantry. People who banded together to restore order in a world gone mad." There was sympathy on Leliana's face.

"After, they laid down their banner and formed the Templar order." Cassandra shook her head. "But the templars have lost their way. We need those who can do what must be done united under a single banner once more."

Her friends were dead. Her uncle was dead. Even if... there was no place for her to go, not anymore. There was a hole in the sky, and holes in the world. And somewhere out there was whoever had caused the explosion. She was Trevelyan. "If you're truly trying to restore order..."

"That is the plan."

Cassandra held out a hand. "Help us fix this before it's too late."

Ruya nodded, and gripped Cassandra's hand with her own.

#

Haven reminded her of a disturbed anthill. Ravens were flying constantly, taking messages far and wide on black wings. Just outside the walls, young men and women set aside their shovels and picked up swords.

Someone brought her new gear. The leather coat was well-made, and fit her perfectly. She let a servant take away the beaten gear she'd been wearing earlier. Mostly, she just tried to stay out of everyone's way.

Near the apothecary, she came upon Solas doing the same thing. He nodded in greeting. "The Chosen of Andraste, a blessed hero sent to save us."

The ridiculousness of the situation was starting to get to her. People just kept staring. "Am I riding in on a shining steed?"

His gray eyes twinkled. "I would have suggested a griffon, but sadly, they're extinct." He gestured for her to walk with him. "Joke as you will, posturing is necessary." She joined him as they walked a slow circuit of the town. "I've journeyed deep into the Fade in ancient ruins and battlefields to see the dreams of lost civilizations. I've watched as hosts of spirits clashed to reenact the bloody past in ancient wars both famous and forgotten. Every great war has its heroes. I'm just curious what kind you'll be."

Hero. She'd never thought of that word as applying to her. It was still hard to fathom. She hadn't actually done anything, really. For a moment, she watched the apostate out of the corner of her eye. The word might apply more readily to him. He, at least, had chosen this path. "What do you mean, ruins and battlefields?"

He shrugged. "Any building strong enough to withstand the rigors of time has a history. Every battlefield is steeped in death. Both attract spirits. They press against the veil, weakening the barrier between our worlds." A faraway look came over his face. "When I dream in such places, I go deep into the Fade. I can find memories no other living being has ever seen."

Her eyes widened. "You fall asleep in the middle of ancient ruins?" She wasn't even allowed to go near ancient ruins. "Isn't that dangerous?"

"I do set wards." His words were tinged with laughter. "And if you leave food out for the giant spiders, they are usually content to live and let live."

"I've never heard of anyone going so far into the Fade." In the tower, such exploration was actively discouraged. Though no one had ever really explained to her why, exactly. And asking too many questions could be dangerous. Her bloodline only protected her so far. "That's extraordinary."

"Thank you." He smiled at her. "It's not a common field of study, for obvious reasons. Not so flashy as throwing fire or lightning." He tilted his head. "The thrill of finding remnants of a thousand-year-old dream? I would not trade it for anything." He was silent a moment, and then he nodded as if coming to a decision. "I will stay, then, at least until the Breach has been closed."

"Was that in doubt?"

He shrugged. "I am an apostate surrounded by Chantry forces in the middle of a mage rebellion." His eyes went towards a group of templars standing near the gate. "Cassandra has been accommodating, but you understand my caution."

Unfamiliar templars were always to be treated with caution. Never approach a strange dog until you knew if it was friendly. And even then... But the Seeker was a formidable woman, and seemed to be in charge. If she wanted them for her Inquisition... "Cassandra trusts you. She won't let anyone put you into a Circle against your will."

"Thank you. I appreciate the thought." They returned to where they had started their trek. "For now, let us hope either the mages or the templars have the power to seal the breach."

#

She retrieved notes for an alchemist and had a pleasant chat with the blacksmith. It seemed people had joined the Inquisition for many reasons. The quartermaster had joined because her high opinion of none other than Loghain had her unwelcome in many parts of Ferelden. A templar, Lysette, had been rescued by Inquisition soldiers and decided to remain. The merchant, Seggrit, was there because he had nowhere else to go.

Varric was near a campfire, working on some notes. He budged to the side a bit to make room for her on the bench. "So, now that Cassandra's out of earshot, are you holding up all right?" He chuckled. "I mean, you go from being the most wanted criminal in Thedas to joining the armies of the faithful. Most people would have spread that out over more than one day."

Her eyes went to the Breach. "I don't even want to think about how many lives were lost on that mountaintop." As long as she had something to do, she could keep those thoughts at bay.

"A lot of good men and women didn't make it out of there." He put his notes back into a lapdesk. "For days now, we've been staring at the Breach, watching demons and Maker-knows-what fall out of it. 'Bad for morale' would be an understatement. I still can't believe anyone was in there and lived."

"If it was that bad, why did you stay? Cassandra said you were free to go."

"I like to think I'm as selfish and irresponsible as the next guy, but this..." He sighed and leaned back. "Thousands of people died on that mountain. I was almost one of them. And now there's a hole in the sky. Even I can't walk away and just leave that to sort itself out."

No. They really couldn't. "It's pure luck that I escaped."

He raised an eyebrow at her. "Good luck or bad?" He shook his head. "You might want to consider running at the first opportunity. I've written enough tragedies to recognize where this is going. Heroes are everywhere. I've seen that. But the hole in the sky? That's beyond heroes. We're going to need a miracle."

She sighed, and looked up. A miracle. And everyone kept looking at her. If she could just remember what happened maybe... The faces of the dead tried to swim towards her, and she pushed them away. "You are the actual Varric Tethras, then?"

He chuckled. "I am."

She spent a few minutes gushing over her enjoyment of his work. "Your books weren't exactly Chantry approved, but my uncle snuck me in a few. He's a huge fan of your Hard in Hight... was a huge fan."

"He was in the temple?" When she nodded, he put a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry, kiddo."

"There was this elven girl. She was nice. Funny, like everything was a joke. We were playing chess right before it..." Ruya drew her knees up to her. "I don't know her name. All those people dead and..." She sighed. "I can't make myself get any further than that sweet girl is gone and I didn't even know her name."

"They've been compiling a list of the lost." Varric sighed. "Can't make myself look at it, can't bring myself to count the names I recognize."

"We're going to find who did this, right? Bring them to justice?"

"Happy ending all around?" He gazed into the fire. "I hope so, kiddo. I hope so."

"The red lyrium we found at the temple seemed to upset you."

He sighed. "My brother Bartrand and I sort of discovered red lyrium during an expedition in the Deep Roads. We located an ancient thaig, so old it barely looked dwarven. There was this idol there, made of it. Bartrand brought it back to the surface and, well, everything's gone downhill from there."

#

Cassandra found her the next morning, shortly after she'd broken her fast. The two of them walked into the Chantry together. Ruya looked down at her hand, turning it this way and that as she observed the mark. "Does it trouble you?" Cassandra asked.

There was still the dull ache, like touching a nearly faded bruise. "I just wish I knew what it was. Or how I got it."

"We will find out." Cassandra's eyes went to the mark before coming back to Ruya's face. "What's important is that your mark is now stable, as is the Breach. You've given us time, and Solas believes a second attempt might succeed - provided the mark has more power. The same level of power used to open the Breach in the first place. That is not easy to come by."

Solas hadn't been wrong yet. Still, the situation wasn't exactly calming. "What harm could there be in powering up something we barely understand?"

Cassandra actually smiled. "Hold on to that sense of humor." She opened the door, and led Ruya into what they were apparently calling the 'war room.' There were three others already present. She recognized Leliana, and the commander from the mountaintop. The third was a pretty woman in an ornate, Antivan style dress. Cassandra gestured. "You've met Commander Cullen, leader of the Inquisition's forces."

He gave her a friendly smile. "It was only for a moment on the field. I'm pleased to see you survived." She returned the smile, and made a mental note to ask Varric if this was the same Cullen mentioned in his book.

The introductions continued. "This is Lady Josephine Montilyet, our ambassador and chief diplomat."

"I've heard much." Josephine gave a small curtsy, miraculously without disturbing the metal writing board she carried. "It's a pleasure to meet you at last." Hadn't one of her great-grandmothers been a Montilyet? She couldn't remember at the moment.

"And of course you know Sister Leliana."

Leliana nodded, and started to speak. "My position here involves a degree of..."

"She is our spymaster," Cassandra said, cutting the other woman off.

"Yes." Leliana rolled her eyes, but there was a trace of fondness in the gesture. "Tactfully put, Cassandra."

The leadership of the Inquisition. She was standing in a room that contained legends. Ruya willed her knees not to start shaking. "Pleased to meet you all."

Cassandra gestured at the table. "I mentioned that your mark needs more power to close the Breach for good."

Leliana nodded. "Which means we must approach the rebel mages for help."

"And I still disagree." Cullen gestured sharply. "The templars could serve just as well."

"We need power, Commander." Cassandra spread her hands. "Enough magic poured into that mark -"

"Might destroy us all." Cullen stood his ground. Ruya had a feeling this particular argument had been going on for some time. "Templars could suppress the Breach, weaken it so -"

"Pure speculation." Leliana's voice was almost dismissive.

"I was a templar." So it was the same man from Varric's book. Three legends in one room. Josephine was going to turn out to be the Queen of Antiva. "I know what they're capable of."

Josephine swooped in to stop the argument. "Unfortunately, neither group will even speak to us yet. The Chantry has denounced the Inquisition." She pointed her pen at Ruya. "And you, specifically."

Her parents were going to die of shame. "They still think I'm guilty."

"That is not the entirety of it any longer," Josephine said. "Some are calling you - a mage - the 'Herald of Andraste'. That frightens the Chantry. The remaining clerics have declared it blasphemy, and we heretics for harboring you."

Cassandra gritted her teeth. "Chancellor Roderick's doing, no doubt."

"It limits our options." Josephine sketched the air with her pen. "Approaching the mages or templars for help is currently out of the question."

That name. She'd been hearing it the last couple days. It made no sense at all. "Just how am I the 'Herald of Andraste'?"

"People saw what you did at the temple, how you stopped the Breach from growing." Cassandra was watching her, face calm. "They have also heard about the woman seen in the rift when we first found you. They believe that was Andraste."

"Even if we tried to stop that view from spreading -"

"Which we have not." Cassandra interrupted Leliana.

Leliana continued speaking as though the interruption had not occurred. "The point is, everyone is talking about you."

Cullen gave her a wry look. "It's quite the title, isn't it? How do you feel about that?"

"It's..." Scared, confused, intimidated. "A little unsettling."

"I'm sure the Chantry would agree." He sounded amused by the situation. It was heartening, actually, knowing someone found it as ridiculous as she did.

"People are desperate for a sign of hope." Leliana gestured at her. "For some, you're that hope."

"And to others, a symbol of everything that's gone wrong," Josephine said.

"So if I wasn't with the Inquisition..." But where else could she go?

"Let's be honest: They would have censured us no matter what." Cullen shrugged, and rested his hands on the hilt of his sword.

"And you not being here isn't an option," Cassandra added.

"There is something you can do." Leliana gave her an encouraging look. "A Chantry cleric by the name of Mother Giselle has asked to speak with you. She is not far, and knows those involved far better than I. Her assistance could be invaluable."

Finally. An actual direction. "I'll see what she has to say." Alright. She could do this.

Leliana pointed at the map. "You will find Mother Giselle tending to the wounded in the Hinterlands near Redcliffe."

"Look for other opportunities to expand the Inquisition's influence while you are there," Cullen said.

"We will need agents to extend our reach beyond this valley." Josephine pointed her pen again. "And you're better suited than anyone to recruit them."

"In the meantime, let's think of other options." Cassandra looked at each of them in turn. "I won't leave this all to the Herald."

Cassandra was calling her the Herald. That was... Well. Shit.