"I don't know what you think you're doing."

"I'm being clucked at by a hen, evidently."

"Don't play the fool with me, young man."

"If I wanted to play the fool, I could be rather more convincing, I assure you."

"Your glib tongue does you no credit."

"You'd be surprised at the credit my tongue gets me, Your Reverence."

Ruya walked up the stairs to hear Mother Giselle and Dorian bickering. Dorian's tone and the waggle of his eyebrows with his last remark had the normally placid Mother Giselle looking like she was about to slap the smile right off his face. Giselle started to respond, and then caught sight of Ruya. "Oh, I..."

Ruya walked up to stand next to Dorian. "What's going on here?"

"It seems the revered mother is concerned about my 'undue influence' over you."

Mother Giselle lifted her chin. "It is just concern. Your Worship, you must know how this looks."

Dorian folded his arms. "You might need to spell it out, my dear."

"This man is of Tevinter. His presence at your side, the rumors alone..."

Maker have mercy. Might as well get everything out in the open. "What's wrong with him being from Tevinter? Specifically?"

"I'm fully aware that not everyone from the Imperium is the same." Mother Giselle fidgeted slightly.

"How kind of you to notice. Yet still you bow to the opinion of the masses?" Dorian waved one hand.

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

"The truth?" Dorian raised an eyebrow at her.

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

No. They wouldn't. Ruya clasped her hands behind her back and made her voice firm. "There's no cause for concern, Your Reverence." She met Mother Giselle's eyes levelly.

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

Ruya let anger enter her voice. "Do the people know how he's helped the Inquisition?"

"I..." Mother Giselle withered a little. "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." She gave a small curtsy, and left.

Surprise entered Dorian's voice as he watched her go. "Well, that's something."

"She didn't get to you, did she?" She put a hand on Dorian's shoulder.

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

He was lying, but she let it go. Calling him on it would just make it worse. "You don't think she'll do anything?"

"Do what? Yours is the good opinion I care about, not hers. I should ask..." He turned towards her. "Do the rumors bother you?"

She wasn't entirely sure what the rumors were exactly. "I wish they wouldn't disparage you. They don't know you."

"They know you even less than they know me. Perhaps it's odd to say, but..." He shifted his weight from one foot to the other. "I think of you as a friend, Inquisitor. I have precious few friends. I didn't think to find one here."

"I -"

"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."

Not knowing what to say, she hugged him.

#

Brehan was handing off a report to Josephine when Ruya found him. "Got a minute?"

He nodded. "What can I do for you, Inquisitor?"

"Have you heard the rumors about Dorian?"

"Which ones?" He raised an eyebrow.

Ruya blinked. "What do you mean which ones? How many are there?"

"At any given time, there are a dozen rumors about each of your companions. Varric's are the most colorful, but I believe that's because he starts them himself. I think he may also have started the one about Blackwall and the beard of righteousness."

"The beard of..." She shook her head. "What are they saying about Dorian?"

"Well, he's Tevinter, so blood mage and spy are the most common." He shrugged. "But if you want to know which one put Mother Giselle's hat in a knot, I believe that was the one about him seducing you."

"What."

"If it makes you feel better, I think the rumors about him and Iron Bull are supplanting that one nicely."

"What."

Brehan started to laugh. "Inquisitor, it's rumors. Are you really all that surprised people are curious about your relationships?" He gestured at Josephine. "Josie, who are the Inquisitor's suitors this week?"

"Cassandra, Leliana, Cullen, Dorian, Mother Giselle, the Lord Seeker, Chancellor Roderick, Solas, two barons, three maids, and some man named 'Philip.'"

"What."

"Honesty, I don't think Philip even exists."

"I'm not on the list anymore?" Brehan raised an eyebrow. "I think I'm hurt by that."

"Iron Bull said the same thing." Josephine shook her head. "I'm starting to think you two are related."

"What."

He glanced at Josephine, then at Ruya, and then back at Josephine. "I think we broke the Inquisitor."

#

"The red lyrium deposits are being destroyed, and we've cut the red templars down to the core." Cullen drummed his fingers against the hilt of his sword. "It's a pity Maddox thought his sacrifice was the only answer. But that leaves Samson with a severely curtailed army, and enchanted armor he can't maintain. You did it."

"We both fought to make this happen. Don't sell yourself short." Her friends did that entirely too often.

"Well I - thank you. But my work's not done yet." He gestured at his desk. "We're getting recruits by the hour. There's more than a few ex-templars among them. We've struck a blow and given people hope. This is a true victory."

She smiled as she moved to stand next to him, and started to link her fingers with his. He was bending to kiss her when the door burst open, and they both jumped apart.

"Inquisitor, I finished it. Are you talking? Sorry. Have it anyhow." Dagna was waving something above her head. She handed it to Ruya.

"You mean, this rune?" Ruya turned it over, looking at it in confusion.

"It's not just any rune. I made it with red lyrium and what's left of poor Maddox's tools. The rune acts on the median fissures of lyrium to -" The dwarven woman caught herself starting to do the rapid fire speech. "It'll destroy Samson's armor. He'll be powerless."

Ruya exchanged a wide smile with Cullen. "We'll cut Corypheus off from his most powerful officer."

"Maddox covered Samson's tracks thoroughly. But wherever Samson's retreated, we'll find him." He nodded. "Your army stands ready, Inquisitor. For Samson, for Corypheus, for whatever you command."

#

Solas was sitting at his table, staring at a tea cup as though it had personally offended him in some grievous manner. "Something wrong with your tea?"

"It is tea. I detest the stuff." He set the cup down. "But this morning, I need to shake the dreams from my mind. I may also need a favor."

"You just have to ask." She sat on the edge of the table.

He rose, and began pacing. "One of my oldest friends has been captured by mages, forced into slavery. I heard the cry for help as I slept."

She blinked. "I'd be happy to help. What did these mages use to capture your friend? Blood magic?"

"A summoning circle, I would imagine."

"I'm sorry?"

"My friend is a spirit of wisdom. Unlike the spirits clamoring to enter our world through the rifts, it was dwelling quite happily in the Fade. It was summoned against its will, and wants my help to gain its freedom and return to the Fade."

"I thought spirits wanted to find their way into this world."

"Some do, certainly, just as many Orlesian peasants wish they could journey to exotic Rivain. But not everyone wants to go to Rivain. My friend is an explorer, seeking lost wisdom and reflecting it. It would happily discuss philosophy with you, but it had no wish to come here physically."

"Do you have any idea what the mages want with your friend?" She raised an eyebrow.

"No." He gestured. "It knows a great deal of lore and history, but a mage could learn that simply by speaking to it in the Fade. It is possible that they seek information it does not wish to give and intend to torture it."

Her fist clenched. "All right. Let's go get your friend."

Relief crossed his features. "Thank you. I got a sense of my friend's location before I awoke. I will mark it on our map."

Ruya nodded, and went to go fetch the others.

#

Scout Harding met them at the forward camp and gave them a brief overview of the Dales. Ruya left Cassandra and Iron Bull with the Inquisition soldiers to clear the nearby area of demons, and headed in with Solas, Cole, and Blackwall to find the imprisoned spirit. She caught sight of a Dalish encampment as they came over a hill, and made a mental note of its location.

"Thank you for this, Inquisitor." Solas's voice reached her ears as they came around an outcropping of rocks. "We are not far from where my friend was summoned."

"Everything here is blurry. It wants to forget, but now the rocks are solid." Cole kept pace as Blackwall brought up the rear of their little group.

A body lay on the ground in a pool of dried blood. "One of the mages." Solas bent to take a closer look. "Killed by arrows, it would seem."

"Bandits, most likely." Blackwall put a hand to his sword as he looked around.

Ruya continued forward, and slowed when she saw more bodies ahead. Solas caught up to her, and moved to examine the still forms. "These aren't mages. The bodies are burned, and these claw marks..." He went still. "No. No, no, no."

She swallowed. The bodies before them had been killed by a demon.

#

Ruya could feel the power in the summoning stones as they strained to hold the massive creature within at bay. "My friend." Solas stopped in his tracks as he stared at the scene before them.

"The mages turned your friend into a demon." Her knuckles were white on her staff.

He looked down at his hands. "Yes."

She looked over her shoulder at where they'd found the bodies. "You said it was a spirit of wisdom, not a fighter."

"A spirit becomes a demon when denied its original purpose."

As had nearly happened to Cole. "So they summoned it for something so opposed to its own nature that it was corrupted. Fighting?" She saw figures moving towards them. Figures in mage robes.

"Let us ask them." Anger filled Solas's voice.

"A mage." The first of the mages to approach actually looked relieved to see them. "You're not with the bandits?" He smiled. "Do you have any lyrium potions? Most of us are exhausted. We've been fighting that demon..."

"You summoned that demon." For the normally quiet man, the slightly raised voice seemed more like a shout. "Except it was a spirit of wisdom at the time." Solas gestured at the mage. "You made it kill. You twisted it against its purpose."

"I..." The mage lifted his hands. "I..." He swallowed. "I understand how it might be confusing to someone who has not studied demons, but after you help us, I can..."

"We're not here to help you." Solas narrowed his eyes.

"Word of advice?" Ruya glared. "I'd hold off on explaining how demons work to my friend here."

"Listen to me. I was one of the foremost experts in the Kirkwall Circle -"

"Shut up." Solas gestured angrily. "You summoned it to protect you from the bandits."

"I - yes." The mage shuffled his feet.

"You bound it to obedience, then commanded it to kill. That is when it turned." Solas turned to her. "The summoning circle. We break it, we break the binding. No orders to kill, no conflict with its nature, no demon."

"What?" The mage waved his hands. "The binding is the only thing keeping the demon from killing us. Whatever it was before, it is a monster now."

"Inquisitor. Please."

It was Solas. If anyone had a chance to help the spirit, he did. "I've studied rituals like this." If she warped the Veil around the summoning circles, she should be able to weaken them enough that a simple strike or two would break them. "I should be able to disrupt the binding quickly."

"Thank you." Solas unlimbered his staff as they moved forward.

She put up a barrier around her companions, nodded, and focused her magic. She poured her energy into the defensive spells, preventing the demon from doing harm to her friends as they shattered the stones. Blackwall's sword destroyed the last, and the demon collapsed.

#

Solas went to his friend's side, kneeling before a figure that now looked to be a woman formed from Fadestuff. "Lethallin. Ir abelas."

"Tel'abelas. Enasal. Ir tel'him." It's green eyes glowed as it looked back at him. "Ma melava halani. Mala suledin nadas. Ma ghilana mir din'an."

"Ma nuvenin." Ruya watched as Solas gathered his magic. His gestured were gentle as he cast the spell, and the spirit began to fade away. It smiled as it died. "Dareth shiral."

"I'm sorry, Solas." Perhaps if they'd been a little faster.

"Don't be. We gave it a moment's peace before the end. That's more than it might have had." He stood, and his eyes went to where the mages were standing. "All that remains now is them." Solas began walking towards them.

"Thank you." The mage actually looked pleased. "We would not have risked a summoning, but the roads are too dangerous to travel unprotected."

"You tortured and killed my friend."

"We didn't know it was just a spirit. The book said it could help us."

Part of her knew she should stop him. The rest of her... thought of Cole, and turned away. The wind brought heated air as he cast his spell. "Damn them all." Solas looked back at her. "I need some time alone. I will meet you back at Skyhold."

She nodded, and let him go.

#

Iron Bull and Varric were keeping score as they cleared the ramparts of undead. Ruya and Dorian directed their spells at the arcane horror that kept raising the dead, and finally downed it with a simultaneous blast of lightning and fire. She brought down the barrier on the pit, and Dorian lit the pile of corpses with a blast of his magic.

Blackwall blew the horn to signal that the ramparts were clear before they moved on to the next.

#

They caught up with the Venatori mage at the third set of ramparts. He declined to surrender, and Dorian set him on fire. Iron Bull mussed the mage's hair affectionately, and Ruya found herself wondering if that particular rumor was true. Nope. No. Not going there. Didn't need that picture in her head.

Already, Orlesian forces had reclaimed the other ramparts. A Captain Rosselin told her of the beleagured fort, and they continued in. They killed more undead on the bridge, and finished off another arcane horror.

The soldiers inside the fort were surprised to learn the war was over. Being that they were apparently Gaspard's men, they had more than a little cause for concern. She moved some Inquisition soldiers inside, a show of solidarity that she hoped would help sooth matters. She'd have to trust the rest to Josephine.

#

"They keep coming back, searching, seeking, sad, but home is gone."

Ruya held her hands out to her sides as they walked into the Dalish encampment. The Keeper stepped to the front to meet them. "These are not good times to come unbidden before the People. Especially here, where we remember the destruction of our home at the hands of humans. My patience is thin, with all that has befallen. Perhaps you should be on your way."

She bowed. "I met one of your hunters. He's continuing to look for a safe route."

The Keeper blinked. "He trusted you to pass the message on? That speaks well of you."

"What has befallen your clan?"

"The Orlesian war has hindered our progress through the Dirth. The armies cause rockslides. They dig ditches that trip the halla and destroy the aravels, making passage impossible." He sighed. "Precisely when the clan needs him most, my First, Taven, defies my wishes and mounts an excursion to the Emerald Graves." He gestures. "And now I've learned that the grounds of Var Bellanaris are infested by angry spirits from the Beyond."

"I can deal with that for you." She was still very much in the mood to hit something.

"My clan and I would be deeply grateful if you could." He inclined his head. "And be mindful of the resting places of our dead. Var Bellanaris is sacred ground."

#

After killing the demons, she arranged for supplies to be brought in from the forward camp. Some searching found the body of a missing young man, and they brought his belongings, as well as the talisman he'd been trying to find back to his sister.

Herding the golden halla was more fun than it sounded. The halla master gasped when the golden halla joined the herd. "Look, already she makes herself known to the others. She knows she's meant to be here. Thank you, lethallan. I will never be able to express my gratitude."

"I'm just glad I could help."

The Keeper told them of sigils that could be found, strange glyphs that could be revealed with veilfire.

When they left the Exalted Plains, the Inquisition had a new member. An eager young Dalish man named Loranil.

#

"Inquisitor, I must speak with you."

Ruya nodded, and walked over to Josephine's desk. "What is it?"

"I..." Josephine fidgeted a bit, wringing her hands. "Must explain something first about the Montilyet's fortunes."

"I remember you said your family had been forbidden from trading in Orlais."

Josephine nodded. "It devastated our finances. The Montilyets have, in fact, been in debt for over a hundred years."

"I had no idea your family's situation was so precarious." Not that she expected Otwin would care.

"Hardly anyone outside the family does." Josephine smoothed her skirts. "For generations we've done everything to keep creditors at bay. Sold our lands to stave off interest. It's just..." She paced. "It is infuriating to see my family still reduced to this. I'm to become head of our house. If I sell off any more of our land, my family will become destitute. That cannot be my legacy to them."

"Most people worry about their next meal, never mind an estate." She touched Josephine's arm.

"I'm not blind. But I worry for my family." She sighed. "My foolish sister Yvette with her daydreams, my brother trying to rebuild our fleet with their own hands..." She lifted her hands. "Is it wrong to hope they never know hardship?"

No. It wasn't. "Is there anything I can do?"

"I'd almost solved our problems. For a while. I negotiated a chance to reinstate the Montilyets as landed traders in Orlais. We could rebuild with that. But when I dispatched paperwork to Val Royeaux..." She sighed. "I've just learned my carriers were murdered. And the documents restoring my family's trading status destroyed."

"Who hates the Montilyets enough to do that?" Or was this a blow against the Inquisition?

"Leliana made inquiries that bore success. Comte Boisvert, a nobleman in Val Royeaux, claims to know who killed my messengers. He has a request: that you come when I meet him, so he's seen 'publicly conferring' with you."

Ruya nodded. "What will being seen with me gain the comte?"

"The comte will drop hints at parties he's to meet with an important visitor. Allies and rivals will take note. One he's met you, there will be speculation. The comte will subtly spin reports to his advantage." She gave Ruya a pleading look. "He will use us, but if he knows who killed my people, I ask that we indulge him."

"If that's what it takes to get to the bottom of this, I'll meet this comte with you."

"Thank you, Inquisitor. It means..." She gave Ruya a hug. "You are too kind. I must know who killed my couriers just to harm my family."

#

She slipped into Cullen's office and watched him give instructions to his men. "Rylen's men will monitor the situation."

"Yes, ser. We'll begin preparations at once."

"In the meantime, we'll send soldiers to..." He glanced up and saw her. "Assist with the relief effort. That will be all."

"Ser." The men started to leave. Cullen shut the door behind them, and leaned on it for a moment. "There's always something more, isn't there?"

"Long day?" Solas still wasn't back yet. It was silly to be worried about the man, he'd been taking care of himself longer than she'd been alive.

"I shouldn't complain." He walked back towards his desk. "This war won't last forever. When it started, I hadn't considered much beyond our survival. But things are different now."

She walked over to him. "What do you mean?"

"I find myself wondering what will happen after. When this is over, I won't want to move on..." He turned to look at her. "Not from you." He touched the side of her face gently. "But I don't know what you - that is, if you, ah..."

Ruya caught his hand. "Cullen. Do you need to ask?"

"I suppose not. I -"

She sat on the side of his desk, and her hand brushed a bottle. It wobbled, then fell to the ground and shattered. She gasped, and started to apologize, but her attempt to stand back up just knocked another bottle down. He caught her hand, then smile and shoved everything off his desk and to the floor. She smiled as he laid her back on the desk.

#

She woke to sunlight streaming in the window, and the sound of Cullen's heart beating. Ruya lay there for some time, comforted by the warmth of him. A regretful sigh escaped her as she sat up and started looking for her clothes.

On the bed, he shifted. A soft cry escaped him. He murmured, telling something to leave him be. She touched his face, and he woke with a gasp. "Bad dream?"

"They always are." He touched her hand. "Without lyrium, they're worse." He sat up in the bed. "I didn't mean to worry you." He caressed her face gently.

Ruya ran her fingers though his hair. "You can let me worry about you a little." She bent, and pressed her forehead to his.

He laughed as he wrapped his hand around the back of her neck. "All right." He held her to him. "You are..." His voice was little more than a whisper. "I have never felt anything like this."

"I love you. You know that, right?" She'd said it. She could scarcely believe it.

"I love you, too."

Maker help her. Today she could fly.

#

"Inquisitor. I..." Leliana looked down at her feet. "I have been thinking. You remember everything now, yes? The explosion at Haven. The Fade. Escaping the Breach? In your report, you said Justinia was with you. But only you emerged in the end. Why? Why were you the only survivor?"

They'd been close. So close to safety. And then... "Demons tore her from me. I couldn't stop him."

"So you had no time to think. Only to act." Leliana folded her hands. "Her message to me: 'I failed you too.' I'm not sure I understand what that means." She looked up at Ruya. "Did she say anything else? Anything at all? Please, if you remember..."

"I'm sorry, Leliana. That was it."

Leliana rose. "There are no answers in the Fade. Only illusions. A warped mirror." She walked towards the shrine set up in an alcove of the rookery. "Justinia has never failed me. I was her Left Hand. Now she is dead. I failed her."

Ruya turned to walk away, and saw Brehan standing there, watching them. She sighed, and left the rookery.

#

She was most of the way down the stairs when she saw Solas walk in the gate. Ruya went to meet him.

"Inquisitor."

"How are you, Solas?"

"It hurts. It always does, but I will survive."

She laid her hand on his shoulder. "Thank you for coming back."

"You were a true friend. You did everything you could to help." He managed a small smile. "I could hardly abandon you now."

They walked a while in silence. "Where did you go?"

"I found a quiet spot and went to sleep. I visited the place in the Fade where my friend used to be. It's empty, but there are stirrings of energy in the Void. Someday something new may grow there."

"What happens when a spirit dies?" It was hard not to picture Cole when she asked the question. The rest of her companions would be reunited at the Maker's side.

"It isn't the same as for mortals. The energy of spirits returns to the Fade. If the idea giving the spirit form is strong, or if the memory has shaped other spirits, it may someday rise again."

"You're saying your friend might come back?"

He shook his head sadly. "No, not really. A spirit's natural state is peaceful semi-existence. It is rare to be able to reflect reality. Something similar may reform one day, but it might have a different personality. It would likely not remember me."

Ruya hugged him, and he rested his head on her shoulder for a moment. "I'll let you get back to work."

"All right." He nodded to her. "Thank you again."

#

"Report."

"Some of our scouts saw smoke rising from Val Gamord." Cullen indicated the location on the map. "Those who investigated have not returned. I'd like to send in a force to investigate. It's also an opportunity to have our forces work together with the Orlesians."

Ruya nodded. "See it done."

"Sera had some information from her Red Jennies up in Tantervale. I'd like to follow up." Josephine gestured with her pen. "Their information has been useful at times."

"You and Sera can play."

Leliana pointed at the map. "Kirkwall. Sebastian Vael would like the Inquisition to help him with his attempted invasion and annexation." She gestured. "We could bolster his forces with some of our people, keep him from doing more damage. Aveline will back down in the face of an overwhelming force."

"And here I thought you'd actually met Guard-Captain Aveline." Cullen shook his head. "Vael's goal is retaliation, not aid. Give Aveline aid, and she'll send him packing in short order."

"Why is Prince Vael invading Kirkwall at all?"

"Anders." Leliana and Cullen replied simultaneously.

"Sebastian Vael wants revenge against any who may have harbored or aided that particular apostate." Brehan gestured. "Which includes most of Kirkwall's Darktown, Guard-Captain Aveline herself, and depending on how Vael is feeling on a particular morning, Cullen."

"Me?"

"You let Hawke and his companions walk away. Which did include Anders."

Cullen nodded. "I see your point." He glanced up at Ruya. "I'd prefer not to work against Aveline. And aiding Vael would likely create problems for Varric as well, not to mention if Vael threatens Aveline there is a good chance Hawke will end up involved."

"Aid Aveline." Ruya glanced around. "Anything else?"

"A problem, Inquisitor." Josephine pointed with her pen. "The Marquis of Serault took my emissary hunting. Neither returned."

"Leliana, get your people on it immediately."