The journey back had been quiet. Ruya wasn't the only one lost in her thoughts. They'd accomplished what they had set out to do, but she wasn't sure she'd call what happened a victory. Despite her misgivings about Fiona, the woman certainly seemed more reasonable than the Lord Seeker.

She glanced at Cassandra. "Do we have any contacts inside the templars?"

"Few," Cassandra said. "Cullen brought a number of templars and recruits with him when he joined us." She tilted her head. "You have ties within the templars as well, do you not?"

"Until my magic manifested, I was intended to become a templar." Ruya sighed. "I have cousins in their number, and within the Chantry itself. My brother, Otwin, might know how to contact them."

"Your brother is a templar?" Varric raised an eyebrow.

Ruya shook her head. "He's a scholar, active in the Chantry. But he was always the one who kept in touch with everyone. I wrote him to let him know I survived..." She glanced down at her hand. "But I wasn't sure how much I could really tell him about..." She sighed. "Well, everything, really."

Cassandra nodded. "Mention him to Josephine. She can use your ties to reach out."

#

Josephine was waiting for them the moment they set foot in the Chantry. "It's good you've returned. We heard of your encounter."

Cassandra blinked. "You heard?"

"My agents in the city sent word ahead, of course." Leliana walked towards them, flanked by Cullen.

"It's a shame the templars have abandoned their senses as well as the capital." Cullen's voice betrayed irritation, and more than a little anger.

Ruya looked around at the three of them. "We had to do something, and now we have an opportunity."

"Yes." Josephine punctuated the statement by stabbing her pen into the air. "And we have the opening we need to approach the templars and the mages."

"Do we?" Cassandra shook her head. "Lord Seeker Lucius is not the man I remember."

"True. He has taken the Order somewhere, but to do what? My reports have been..." Leliana frowned. "Very odd."

"We must look into it." Cullen folded his arms. "I'm certain not everyone in the Order will support the Lord Seeker."

"Or the Herald could simply go meet the mages in Redcliff, instead." Josephine gestured at Cullen with the pen.

He turned to face her and shook his head. "You think the mage rebellion is more united? It could be ten times worse."

Clearly, this argument had been going on for some time. She felt a stab of irritation. "Or you could stop bickering and make a decision." Maker help her, she sounded just like her mother.."

Cassandra gave her a sharp but approving nod. "I agree

The other three looked abashed. Josephine was the first to recover. "We shouldn't discount Redcliffe. The mages may be worth the risk."

"They are powerful, ambassador, but more desperate than you realize." Cassandra drummed her fingers on her sword hilt.

Ruya frowned, and considered. "You think the invitation could be some kind of trap?"

"If some among the rebel mages were responsible for what happened at the Conclave..." Cassandra trailed off, but nodded again.

Josephine gestured with her pen again. "The same could be said about the templars."

"True enough." Cullen reluctantly nodded, and then sighed. "Right now, I'm not certain we have enough influence to approach the Order safely."

"Then the Inquisition needs agents in more places." Cassandra turned to Ruya. "That's something you can help with."

"In the meantime, we should consider other options." Josephine started towards the war room, and Cullen and Cassandra followed.

It took Ruya a moment to realize Leliana had remained behind. The spymaster turned to her. Leliana's expression was odd. "There is one other matter. Not long ago, the Grey Wardens of Ferelden vanished. I sent word to those in Orlais, but they have also disappeared. Ordinarily, I wouldn't even consider the idea they're involved in all this, but the timing is..." She sighed. "Curious."

Why would wardens vanish? Maker, what if this trouble meant another Blight? "That does sound odd, I agree."

"The others have disregarded my suspicion, but I cannot ignore it." Leliana fidgeted a little with a sleeve. "Two days ago, my agents in the Hinterlands heard news of a Grey Warden by the name of Blackwall. If you have the opportunity, please seek him out." There was tension in her voice. "Perhaps he can put my mind at ease."

"And if he can't?"

Something flashed in Leliana's eyes. "Then there may be more going on than we thought."

#

After so long in a carriage, walking around Haven with Solas was enjoyable despite the chill in the air. He glanced at her. "As I explored the Fade, I felt the presence of an intriguing artifact in the Hinterlands. If you are willing, I would like to locate it. I have marked its location as best I could determine."

"We'll likely head back there soon. We still need to locate that horseman." She stretched her arms up above her head, relishing the ability to move freely. "Can you ride?"

"I tend to prefer my own feet as a method of transportation." Solas demonstrated a better method of collecting elfroot than her normal tactic of simply grabbing the entire plant.

"I'd like to know more about you, Solas."

A trace of wariness appeared in his eyes. "Why?"

"You're an apostate, yet you risked your freedom to help the Inquisition."

He shrugged. "Not the wisest course of action when framed that way."

"I appreciate the work you're doing, Solas." She smiled. "I just wanted to know more about you."

"I am sorry." He glanced over his shoulder back to where the soldiers were training. "With so much fear in the air..." He turned back to her. "What would you know of me?"

"What made you start studying the Fade?"

"I grew up in a village to the north. There was little to interest a young man, especially one gifted with magic. But as I slept, spirits of the Fade showed me glimpses of wonders I had never imagined. I treasured my dreams. Being awake, out of the Fade, became troublesome."

The dreams that had come in the days before her magic manifested had been fascinating. And frightening. "Did spirits try to tempt you?"

"No more than a brightly colored fruit is deliberately tempting you to eat it." He stopped, and pointed to where a family of druffalo were playing in the snow. She smiled at the sight. "I learned how to defend myself from more aggressive spirits and how to interact safely with the rest. I learned how to control my dreams with full consciousness. There was so much I wanted to explore."

"I gather you didn't spend your entire life dreaming."

"No, eventually I was unable to find new areas in the Fade."

"Why?"

Solas spread his hands. "Two reasons." He lifted one hand. "First, the Fade reflects the world around it. Unless I traveled, I would never find anything new." He lifted the other. "Second, the Fade reflects and is limited by our imaginations. To find interesting areas, one must be interesting."

Life was certainly becoming interesting. "Is that why you joined the Inquisition."

He smiled at the question. "I joined the Inquisition because we are all in terrible danger." His shoulder's twitched carelessly. "If our enemies destroyed the world, I would have nowhere to lay my head while dreaming of the Fade."

She laughed. "I wish you luck."

"Thank you. In truth, I have enjoyed experiencing more of life to find more of the Fade."

"How so?" She raised an eyebrow curiously.

"You train your will to control magic and withstand possession." He gestured at her. "Your indomitable focus is an enjoyable side benefit. You have chosen a path whose steps you do not dislike because it leads to a destination you enjoy. As have I."

They stopped at the crest of the hill. There were more travelers on the road below them, heading into Haven. Most looked to be farmers and peasants, but a few wore armor and carried weapons. "You said you'd traveled to many different places."

"This world, or its memory, is reflected in the Fade. Dream in ancient ruins, and you may see a city lost to history. Some of my fondest memories were found in crumbling cities long picked dry by treasure seekers." He gestured. "The best are the battlefields. Spirits press so tightly on the Veil that you can slip across with but a thought."

"Anyplace in particular?"

"I dreamt at Ostagar." His voice took on the cadence of a practiced storyteller. "I witnessed the brutality of the darkspawn and the valor of the Ferelden warriors. I saw Alistair and the Hero of Ferelden light the signal fire..." He gazed off into the distance. "And Loghain's infamous betrayal of Cailan's forces."

Her jaw dropped, and it took her a moment to find her voice. "I've heard the stories. It would be interesting to hear what it was really like."

"That's just it." He turned to meet her eyes. "In the Fade, I see reflections created by spirits who react to the emotions of the warriors." He used his staff to sketch the snow as he spoke. "One moment, I see heroic Wardens lighting the fire and a power-mad villain sneering as he lets King Cailan fall. The next, I see an army overwhelmed and a veteran commander refusing to let more soldiers die in a lost cause."

"And you can't tell which is real?"

"It is the Fade." He used his staff to blend the sketches together. "They are all real."

She leaned on a tree, and watched him. "Have you always traveled and studied alone?"

"Not at all. I have built many lasting friendships. Spirits of wisdom, possessed of ancient knowledge, happy to share what they had seen. Spirits of purpose helped me search. Even wisps, curious and playful, would point out treasures I might have missed."

"I don't know of any spirits by those names."

"They rarely seek this world." He sighed. "When they do, their natures do not often survive exposure to the people they encounter. Wisdom and purpose are too easily twisted to pride and desire."

"You're saying that you became friends with pride and desire demons?"

"They were not demons for me."

In everything she'd read at the circle, spirits and demons blended together. Only a few writers bothered making the distinction, and even those spoke of the danger of any spirit. "Meaning?"

"The Fade reflects the minds of the living. If you expect a spirit of wisdom to be a pride demon, it will adapt." He gestured. "And if your mind is free of corrupting influences? If you understand the nature of the spirit? They can be fast friends."

Ruya considered the notion. How would one go about even trying to befriend a spirit? "I'm impressed that you could become friends with spirits."

"Anyone who can dream has the potential. Few ever try. My friends comforted me in grief and shared my joy." A trace of anger entered his voice, and his gestures became sharper. "Yet because they exist without form as we understand it, the Chantry declares that spirits are not truly people. Is Cassandra defined by her cheekbones and not her faith? Varric by his chest hair and not his wit?"

Ten minutes of conversation, and she'd learned more than she had in months of study. "I hadn't thought about it that way, but I see your point."

"I..." He caught himself, and then gave her a somewhat surprised look. "Thank you. Few are willing to entertain such a notion."

#

The elven woman looked up, then looked again and immediately jumped to her feet. "You're the Herald. Or, well, the one they're calling the Herald, anyway. It's odd to see them accepting a mage as their hero. First we're too dangerous to let out of the Circles, and then we're apostate rebels..." She shrugged. "But they seem to like you. My name is Minaeve. I research demons and other creatures. Seeker Pentaghast and I use what I find to help the soldiers fight them."

Ruya chatted with the young woman while waiting for Josephine to finish her conversation with one of the newcomers. She found herself liking Minaeve. It was good to meet another mage that didn't see all templars as the enemy.

#

Josephine waited until Ruya had finished chatting with Minaeve. "Ah, Lady Trevelyan. May I have a moment? I'd like to discuss your parents."

Ruya nodded. She'd come to bring up that very topic. "What would you like to know?"

"I'd like to dispatch a courier asking the banns of House Trevelyan to align themselves with us. What are your thoughts? Should we approach your family for their formal support of the Inquisition?" Josephine gestured with the pen as she spoke.

"My parents are on a first-name basis with most priests in Ostwick, and I have a dozen cousins in the Chantry." Ruya shook her head and smiled. "When they hear I've been 'touched by Andraste', you'll have to stop them from giving you money."

"I'll take that as a yes. Val Royeau has noted your lineage. It gives the Inquisition some legitimacy, although not so much as we'd hoped."

"Why not?"

"You are from Ostwick. Orlesian nobles consider the Free Marches somewhat..." Josephine took a moment to select her word. "Quaint."

Several angry responses came to her tongue and she forced them all away. Patriotism had its place, but with everything else going on, what did she care about what a bunch of snail-eating mask-wearing buffoons thought about her country? At least the citizens of Ostwick knew better than to eat cheese with mold on it. "Even though I'm a mage? That doesn't give them pause?"

"You're not an unfamiliar sight. Mages from noble families are given more leeway." Josephine shrugged. "Besides, Ostwick's Circle had a reputation for being rather sedate."

It had been. Right up until the rebellion. "My parents made arrangements. I visited home from time to time."

"What parent wouldn't want to prevent their child from growing into a stranger?" Josephine smiled. "It must have soured your relations with the templars."

Ruya shook her head. "I have family in the templars. We'd travel together for the visits." She glanced away for a moment. "Templars at Ostwick were evenhanded enough. A few were almost friendly."

"Commander Cullen will be pleased. For a man no longer with the Order, he takes its faults quite personally." Josephine sighed. "This place is no bastion of civilization, not like the Circle. I hope you don't find the living conditions in Haven too rustic for someone of your station."

More than once in the past year, she'd ended up sleeping in a damp cave. "Don't worry about me. Haven's more than livable."

"Really?" Josephine's voice was doubtful. "If that is how you feel, I'm pleased to hear it. Until next time, my lady."

#

She walked down to where the soldiers were practicing under Cullen's watchful eye. "You there. There's a shield in your hand. Block with it. If this man were your enemy, you would be dead." He turned to the templar standing with him. "Lieutenant, don't hold back. The recruits must prepare for a real fight, not a practice one."

"Yes, Commander." The templar moved to where some soldiers were practicing, and started correcting their footwork.

Cullen noted her, and stepped back to join her. "We've received a number of recruits - locals from Haven and some pilgrims." He smiled. "None made quite the entrance you did."

"I just hope I can help."

"As do we all. It is enough that you would try." He gestured for her to walk with him. "I was recruited to the Inquisition in Kirkwall, myself. I was there during the mage uprising - I saw firsthand the devastation it caused."

A young man rushed up and handed him a piece of parchment. "Ser."

Cullen accepted it, then looked it over and handed it back before turning his attention back to Ruya. "Cassandra sought a solution. When she offered me a position, I left the templars to join her cause." His eyes went to the Breach. "Now it seems we face something far worse."

"I must have this mark for a reason. It will work. I'm sure of it." She wasn't sure which of them she was trying to convince.

"Provided we can secure aid." His voice betrayed doubts similar to her own. "But I'm confident we can. The Chantry lost control of both templars and mages. Now they argue over a new Divine while the Breach remains." He gestured. "The Inquisition could act when the Chantry cannot. Our followers would be part of that. There's so much we can..." He caught himself, and gave her an apologetic look. "Forgive me. I doubt you came here for a lecture."

The cause was worthy, of that she had no doubt. It was good to know at least one other person was enthusiastic about the idea of just getting out there and helping people. "No, but if you have one prepared, I'd love to hear it."

Cullen laughed. "Another time perhaps. I, ah..." He cleared his throat, and for a moment it looked like he was actually blushing. "There's still a lot of work ahead."

The young runner came back with another piece of parchment. "Commander. Ser Rylen has a report on our supply lines."

He rolled his eyes. "As I was saying."

She laughed, and gave him a small bow before leaving him to his duties.

#

Vivienne appeared to be settling in nicely. She raised an eyebrow when Ruya approached. "You came from the Circle at Ostwick, did you not? Senior Enchanter Lydia was a dear friend of mine. Were you at all acquainted?"

Ruya nodded. "Lydia was my instructor. She was almost a mother to me."

"I never met a wiser soul than her." Vivienne sighed. "I understand she was killed by one of her own students when the Ostwick Circle rebelled. I think we both agree that this war must end."

"Ebram became an abomination. He tried to attack the infirmary the templars had set up for their wounded. Lydia held a barrier to try to buy time..." Ruya sighed. "There were too many demons. I couldn't get to her fast enough. She saved many lives, at the cost of her own." She was silent for a moment. "The war benefits no one. It must end, and order must be restored."

"If only the rebels saw things so clearly." Vivienne's voice held a note of angrer. "Justinia's death has shattered the balance of power in Thedas. If it is not restored quickly, countless lives will be lost. Mages, templars, innocent people of all kinds now look to the Inquisition to decide their fate."

And so many of them were looking at her. "I'll try not to let them down."

"Failure is a luxury we cannot afford, my dear." Vivienne nodded. "For almost a thousand years, the world believed it was in the hands of the Maker." Her dark eyes were appraising, and Ruya felt as though she'd been throughly weighed and measured. "And now many believe that you are the agent of his will. Whatever the truth is, that belief gives you power."

"Once this is over, the task of speaking for the Maker will be the Chantry's problem again." Assuming the Chantry ever got it's act together. Surely there was someone who could take the reins of all this.

"That's reassuring to hear." Vivienne glanced at the books piled on the desk she'd claimed. "I've stolen enough of your time, my dear. Don't let me keep you."

#

A young man... at least she was pretty sure he was a young man... let her know there was a mercenary captain out on the Storm Coast that would like to join the Inquisition. She promised she'd look into it, and went to go mention it to Leliana.

Leliana was praying. "Blessed are the peacekeepers, the champions of the just. Blessed are the righteous, the lights in the shadow. In their blood the Maker's will is written." She dropped her hands. "Is that what You want from us? Blood? To die so that Your will is done? Is death Your only blessing?" The spymaster shook her head, then looked at Ruya. "You speak for Andraste, no? What does the Maker's prophet have to say about all of this? What's His game?"

"I speak for no one but myself, and I have no answers for you." She didn't even have answers for herself.

"Then we can only guess at what He wants. The Chantry teaches that the Maker abandoned us. He demands repentance for our sins. He demands it all. Our lives. Our deaths." Leliana punched the cabinet hard enough to crack the wood. "Justinia gave Him everything she had, and He let her die."

"I'm sorry. Her death has clearly hit you hard."

"Not just me. All of us. She was the Divine. She led the faithful. She was their heart. If the Maker doesn't intervene to save the best of His servants, what good is He? I used to believe I was chosen, just as some say you are." Leliana shook her head angrily. "I thought I was fulfilling His purpose for me, working with the Divine, helping people. But now they're dead. It was all for nothing. Serving the Maker meant nothing."

"Maybe you have another purpose." One of the best things about working for the Inquisition is that it gave her something to do, kept her from feeling helpless in this huge mess. "I could help you find it."

"No, this is my burden." Leliana collected herself. "I regret that I even let you see me like this. It was a moment of weakness. It won't happen again. Come. To work then. We will speak later."

#

Sera, it seemed, had found the tavern. "So, this is it, huh?" The elven woman gave Haven a disapproving look. "Oh, no, it's fine, yeah? It's just, I thought it'd be bigger. Pfft... that would've been hilarious if you were a man, right? Wasted. Anyway, stopping wars should earn more sovereigns than this. Need things back to normal for coins to be flowing again. Another reason the templars and mages need to be sat down."

Ruya caught maybe one word in five. "I'm pretty sure the Conclave proved it's not that easy."

"Yes, it is."

"No, it isn't?"

"Why? Because someone yelled it real loud?" Sera smacked the table. "Make them prove it. They're too busy to look up where the real questions are."

She sighed. Conversing with this woman reminded her of the time Lukas had downed two glasses of aquae lucidus. "Right, they should know it's a simple job. End all war, stitch the sky." Sera gave her a confused look, and Ruya clarified. "The easy one first, of course."

Sera laughed, rocking back in the chair. "You're daft, yeah? Most people get special, they lose their snerk. Can't see how stupid it all is. I think I'll like you, Lady Herald. Maybe you are a little touched, yeah?"

Arguing just wasted everyone's time. "As long as the job gets done, I don't care about the rest."

"Fact. Spare the frills, just get it all back to normal. Best plan I've heard." Sera tilted her head. "Only plan I've heard, really. Everyone up their own arses." She slapped the table again. "Let's get things done."