Skyhold. Her general stood atop the balcony, flanked by Leliana and Josephine. Her soldiers shouted and cheered. If she wasn't mistaken, a few of them were already well on their way to drunk. She smiled, and walked through the courtyard with her friends beside her.

They stayed behind as she climbed the stairs. Her advisers bowed, and then Cullen stepped forward and pulled her into his arms. She hugged him back, and heard the soldiers cheer even louder. Ruya laughed, and then turned to her soldiers. Her Inquisition. She lifted her staff in the air triumphantly, and sent a shower of fireworks into the sky. A moment later, a dozen other mages did the same thing, lighting the sky in a riot of color.

#

"A moment, my lady." Leliana drew her aside.

Ruya followed, fairly sure of what the other woman was going to tell her. "Yes?"

"My agents have found no trace of Solas. He has simply vanished. As has Morrigan and her son. If they do not wish to be found, there is likely nothing we can do. But I will keep looking."

Morrigan she'd expected. Solas, however... "Why would he just leave? Something must be wrong."

"You said he was upset about the orb."

She shook her head. "That can't be the only reason."

#

"Now that Corypheus has been defeated, we have a moment to stop and celebrate." Leliana gestured at the great hall. "Afterwards you will be very busy. Every noble in southern Thedas is clamoring to meet you."

Wonderful. Maybe she should also vanish mysteriously. "The fighting is over. Why do they want to meet me now?"

Leliana actually laughed at her. "You're joking, yes? They wish to bask in the glory of your victory, hoping that some of it will rub off on them. Everyone knows Empress Celene owes you her life, and her throne. A thousand problems remain, and your opinion will be sought on each one - whether you wish to give it or not."

"I don't see what the fuss is about. Corypheus needed to be stopped."

"And you are the one who stopped him." Leliana gestured. "Previously you were an upstart - a mage, of all things - leading rebels and heretics. Until Corypheus revealed himself, they could not see the single hand behind the chaos. Once he did, they knew: a magister and a darkspawn in one creature. The ultimate evil. And now you are the only power left standing. Enjoy the evening while you can, Inquisitor."

That... might take ale at this point.

#

"Am I imagining it, or do we have a moment to breathe?"

"We have a moment." At least one, anyway.

Cullen laughed. "I think you're right." He ran his hand down her arm. "You brought us here. You are proof that the Inquisition made a difference. That we will continue to do so."

She smiled at her general. "Our soldiers put their trust in you, Cullen." Without his sword lessons, she'd have been in trouble many times over. "I appreciate everything you've done."

"I should be thanking you." The look he gave her sent butterflies loose in her belly. "You gave me a chance to..." He smiled. "To prove myself. In your place, I'm not sure I would have done the same. I should let you..." He looked over the great hall. "Mingle. I'm sure everyone desires your attention." He lowered his head to whisper in her ear. "As much as I might want it for myself."

Don't blush.

Dammit.

#

"I've been starting to think about putting all this into a book." Varric turned a chicken leg over in his hand. "I'm thinking This Shit Is Weird: The Inquisitor Trevelyan Story. What do you think?" He waved the chicken leg at her. "It's a working title."

"I'm glad you've gone back to writing." She ran a hand over his shoulder affectionately.

"Well, nothing's certain until it's in print." He nibbled at the chicken. "I still haven't decided if I should do this book. As if anyone will believe this story if I tell it." He set the remains of the drumstick down. "Not to mention, I'll have my hands full with reconstruction and relief efforts in the Free Marches as soon as I get back."

"Don't divide your efforts. The people of the Free Marches are more important than a story." The Inquisition could help with that.

"As it happens, I agree with you. Kirkwall is in bad shape, and a lot of other city-states were hit hard by the war. I'm not leaving for a while yet, though. We'll have to get in one last game of Wicked Grace before I go." He raised his voice slightly. "Curly needs to win back some of his dignity."

Cullen only glared in response.

#

"Glad you made it back in time for the party." Ruya smiled.

"We'll need to talk, Inquisitor. But it can wait one more day." Brehan sighed. "Maker, it's waited this long."

"I hear the Empress has invited the King and Queen for peace talks."

"Yeah." Brehan took a deep breath. "Cathiel asked if I'd be willing to arrange her the use of Josephine and a very large mallet."

Ruya laughed. "I'll see what I can do."

"Ma enansalin." He lifted his glass. "May the Dread Wolf never catch your scent."

#

"All this pomp and ceremony? Can't top seeing that bastard Corypheus burn. No matter what happens to me now, I can say I was there. I helped you bring him down."

Ruya smiled at Blackwall. "It took all of us, but we did it."

"I shudder to think where we'd be without you leading us." Blackwall bowed. "So now that you've save the world, what's next? Hoping to put it all back together?"

Someone had to. "It'll be a huge undertaking."

"If anyone can do it, you can." He folded his arms. "If you ever need my help, you know where to find me. I'll be ready."

#

"So..." Iron Bull drained a mug. "Demons, dragons, giant asshole Vint on a big magic rock? You don't let it get dull, boss. Good stuff."

"You helped make it possible, Bull."

He flexed. "That's what they pay me for." He refilled the mug. "It's weird. I joined the Inquisition under orders from the Ben-Hassrath and stayed because Corypheus was an asshole. Now that it's done, I've got no orders. For the first time in my life, I can go wherever I want."

She stuck a grape on the tip of one of his horns. "You know I'll find you the best fights."

Iron Bull started to smack her on the back, and then gave her a suspicious look. She grinned in response. He shook his head. "I know, I know. Anyway, the only place I'm going tonight is back for more drinks." He lifted the mug. "To us being alive and the bad guys not." He drank. "Anaan."

#

"Enjoying the refreshments? Josephine sent all the way to the capital for the petit fours."

"I must remember to thank her for the trouble." And make sure she got a couple before Sera finished eating them all.

Leliana laughed. "She's been craving the cakes from Madame Lucienne's shop for months. This celebration gave her the perfect excuse." She lifted a glass. "To you, Inquisitor. For all you've done."

#

"He tried to bind me, but it failed. Did you see it? Did you see it?" Cole was practically bouncing, the raccoon chittering on his shoulder. "Demons are bound when you tell them what they are so loudly that it's all they can hear. They have to be what you want. But I know who I am now. I am me, thanks to you."

Ruya pushed his hat down over his eyes and grinned fondly as he pushed it back. "You did it yourself, Cole."

"Maybe I did." He gave the raccoon a bit of cake. "What happens next? Where do we go?"

"The Inquisition is just getting started." Still a lot of people out there who needed help.

"Yes. Because of you. Thank you for letting me stay."

She gave him a kiss on the cheek.

#

Sera was having a little trouble standing upright. "Finally got a party, yeah? A bit of fun for saving the world?" She frowned at her empty mug. "It's the least Andraste's Herald deserves for making things normal again. Except for, you know, everything ever again. I mean, is this for us, or for Her? Or, you know, 'Him'? Because I was there, and I still don't know what's real."

Ruya took the empty mug from Sera, and handed her a pastry. "Let the philosophers worry about that. Tonight is for celebrating."

"Still some things to do yet, right? Because I'm in no hurry to go back to..." Sera swallowed the massive bite of pastry she'd taken. "Val Royeaux, that's where I was. You mind if people still stay around? For whatever?"

"This is home, if you'll have it." She poked Sera in the nose, making the elf go cross eyed for a moment.

Sera laughed. "Shut it, you. I cry, I'm punching everyone. All right, enough of that. Is this a party or what? Raise 'em for winning. Big friggin heroes, Inquisitor. All of us."

#

"I was passing through the hall this morning, and a serving girl saw me and squealed. Actually squealed. Dropped her laundry and everything. Such a mess. She was completely breathless. 'You were at the battle with the Evil One, weren't you?' I didn't even get a chance to answer. She hugged me. Hugged me. This is your influence."

Ruya hugged Dorian. "That's what happens when you're a hero."

"Is that so? Must by why it's so unfamiliar. Mind you, I can't say I hate the thought of being 'the good Tevinter.' 'I suppose you can't all be evil bastards.' The blacksmith said that, and he spat when we first met. I hope my father hears. He will shit his smallclothes from shock, I swear."

"You're an example of how noble Tevinter could be." And hopefully, others would be following suit.

"For southerners, maybe. Back home they'll be rolling their eyes behind their fans. Meanwhile, they'll conveniently forget the bastards who wanted Corypheus ruling us all." He glanced down at the drink in his hand. "I've decided to stay with the Inquisition. For now."

"Would that have anything to do with Iron Bull?"

"It might. You know how it is."

She glanced over her shoulder at where her general was talking to Varric. She certainly did.

#

"Wait..." Cullen narrowed his eyes at Varric. "You are telling me the mysterious vandal was actually Hawke?"

"What can I say, Curly? He hated that statue."

"I..." Cullen shook his head. "I think I may have to tell Aveline."

#

Josephine had somehow managed to work herself into a frenzy. "Oh, I should never have hired new caterers so late."

"Leave it be, Josie. Everything is fine." Leliana was smiling fondly.

"It is not." Josephine gave Ruya a beseeching look. "I'm so sorry, nothing's quite as it should be. Do you like the drinks? I'm not sure about them."

"The drinks are fine. It's been a wonderful evening." She ducked as Josephine's pen nearly caught her in the cheek as the woman gestured wildly.

"I hope you're not just saying that. You're not, are you?" Josephine took a deep breath. "What a disaster. The sommelier was late, the invitations to our guests barely went out at all, and... and..." Josephine sighed. "It was so wonderful to prepare for a small banquet instead of the end of the world. Do you know what everyone is talking about tonight, from commoners to kings? Us. Thedas is discussing the success of the Inquisition."

Ruya put a hand over her mouth and affected a shocked look. "Are you descending into open boasting, Lady Montilyet?"

"I can scarcely think of a better time. Truly we will never forget those we lost, but for tonight...

To victory."

#

"I can't believe it's over. It seemed an impossible task: defy the Chantry, build the Inquisition from nothing, defeat a creature that would be a good..." Cassandra was slowly shaking her head. "And yet here we are, celebrating."

"So we should be. Defeating Corypheus was no simple task." Ruya smiled.

"He was so confident of his power, he could not conceive of losing."

"If he could, he would never have challenged me." Or the woman standing next to her.

"And he would have gone into hiding. Yes, it worked out far better this way. I intend to rebuild the Seekers of Truth - to make us the Order we were meant to be. That will take time. Meanwhile, I am free to remain with the Inquisition. I think back to how we first met..." Cassandra gently pushed her shoulder into Ruya. "And here you stand. The Chosen of Andraste, proven in the eyes of all Thedas. And you are my friend. How did that happen, I wonder? I am pleased it did. You are a great woman, and I will always stand at your side."

#

"So much to do, my dear. I'll be returning to Val Royeaux to organize the loyalist mages. The empress requires my expertise during what is sure to be a difficult transition. But that will wait. Are you enjoying the celebration? Josephine was in a frenzy arranging it."

Ruya nodded. "As a matter of fact, I am." Except that thing that tasted like black licorice.

"This is all for you, darling. Enjoy yourself. You've earned it." Vivienne smiled. "Go mingle. The night is still young."

#

She slung an arm over Sera's shoulder as they listened to Brehan and Leliana sing a slightly tipsy duet about the Blight and their friends.

"... and his beard was full of fleas," Brehan sang.

"Showing off that dwarven valor," Leliana sang back

"By stabbing darkspawn... in the knees" Brehan finished the verse, adding the last words almost as though they were an afterthought while somehow managing to keep his tone serious.

Ruya practically choked on her laughter as Leliana claimed Brehan just tripped through battle occasionally stabbing a darkspawn by accident, and Brehan countered with a verse that informed Leliana there were better ways to defeat emissaries than nailing their underpants to the chantry board. The king of Ferelden could apparently be identified by boots on the wrong feet and his crown on upside down. Sten kept tripping over Saitada as they charged in opposite directions. Oghren felled darkspawn lines just by belching, and it seemed Lenore continually turned her allies into nugs while Zevran kept assassinating all the wrong people. They would have apparently loved to help Jerath fight the Archdemon, but had some difficulty telling which one was which. Josephine actually snorted. They finished with a verse about the Archdemon giving up and turning the entire Blight around to go home out of sheer frustration.

"Tell me you two are going to write one about the Inquisition." Varric grinned broadly.

"It's a work in progress," Brehan replied.

#

Sera did something vaguely resembling dancing with Varric. Josephine danced with Dorian, while Brehan ended up dancing with Vivienne. Somehow, Iron Bull managed to get Cassandra to dance with him, which Blackwall apparently found hilarious until Leliana dragged him out into the mess.

Ruya danced with her general.

#

"You managed to slip away." Cullen's voice was pitched low so as not to carry. "I thought I might claim more of your attention after all."

"I'm glad you're here."

He laughed. "Good."

Ruya grinned, and opened the door. They slipped out before the others could notice.

#

"Battle's over, there will be a new Divine..." Cullen ran his fingers through her hair before pulling her towards him for a kiss. "Yet I don't care about anything other than you being alive."

"Cullen..." She put her arms around his neck, standing on tip toe to kiss him again.

They stepped out onto the balcony to watch the sun rise. "I don't know what happens after this." He put his arms around her as he stood behind her.

Ruya leaned back into him. "Neither do I."