"Report."

"Iron Bull and the Chargers followed up on that lead. They took out the Venatori, and found the cache."

Ruya nodded to Brehan. "Anything interesting in the cache?"

"Some runes, basic supplies. Iron Bull is of the opinion this particular bunch had a mind to turn bandit rather than continuing the whole 'let's rule the world' thing. He and Dorian are on their way back now."

Josephine stabbed the air with her pin. "Fiona has arranged the additional residences."

"Where does that leave our mages?"

"We have fifty battlemages remaining with the Inquisition." Cullen glanced at his list. "As well as eight healers, and another thirty assorted. Minaeve has elected to remain with the Inquisition, and is handling the administrative side of the mages."

"I'm glad to hear it. How are our templars?"

At that, Cullen smiled broadly. "We have almost two hundred remaining, however the vast majority have chosen to stop taking lyrium. Senior Enchanter Gillian is currently dedicating her efforts towards mitigating their difficulty."

"I take it's she's having some success?" Ruya raised an eyebrow.

"She is. She has also had some success with helping those who were affected by the red lyrium but had not yet lost their minds."

"Jerath, any news on your end?"

"Merrill had a girl. She's decided to name her Leandra."

"Maker, that's wonderful news." Ruya smiled.

Josephine actually made a squealing noise. "When do we get to meet the baby?"

"Whenever Carver's brother is willing to let the newest member of the family out of his sight."

Cullen laughed. "So, sometime in the next decade?"

"Also, we cleaned out the warren near Cadash Thaig. Orzammar can secure the route, and start the reclamation."

#

Dorian greeted her with a kiss to the cheek. She gave him a hug. "How was Tevinter?"

"Oh, the usual. Blood magic, demons, scheming, and plotting. I brought presents."

#

Ruya started to give the other woman a bow, and then made an oof noise when Lenore hugged her. "Inquisitor, it's wonderful to see you again."

"Lady Lenore. When they told me Kal'Hirol was sending a delegate, I wasn't expecting you."

"Oh, I'm the Ferelden delegate. He's the Kal'Hirol delegate." She waved at the dwarven man behind her.

Brosca nodded. "Inquisitor."

"Paragon Brosca."

He grinned. "Nice place you've got here."

#

"How did the trade agreement go?" Ruya asked Josephine. She watched Brosca, Lenore, and Zevran head to the tavern.

"We got what we wanted, but Brosca drove a harder bargain than I was expecting. Still, it is better than we were going to get from Orzammar. King Bhelen was not particularly happy with the results of your recent excursion." Josephine sighed. "I do not think Brosca believes the report about the Titans, but his people are at least willing to work with us."

"And the news from Ferelden?"

"King Alistair and Queen Cathiel are being polite, but have made it clear they would prefer if foreign forces withdrew from Ferelden soil."

Ruya sighed. "I'll talk to Cullen. We should begin withdrawing our forces from the areas they are no longer needed."

#

Iron Bull shook his head. "So, I'm curious. The mage, is she with you?"

"Yep," Brosca said, grinning up at the Qunari.

"Because I thought she was with the elf."

"Yeah, he's mine too," Brosca said.

Iron Bull laughed. "A Crow and a mage... that's a lot to handle."

"Yeah," Brosca said, rubbing his fingernails against his shirt before blowing on them. "That's why they made me a Paragon."

Lenore chuckled. "Helping stop a Blight may have had a little to do with it."

"Nah, it was mostly the other thing," Brosca said. "What about you, Bull? I hear you've got a mage of your own."

"Is there a discreet bone in either of your bodies?" Dorian asked.

Iron Bull chuckled. "It's a new experience. Never had the 'bed caught fire' thing be something other than a metaphor."

"Oh, yeah, that's an issue," Brosca said. "But I find the electricity thing more than makes up for the occasional case of combustion."

#

Ruya smiled to herself. After seeing the coldness that existed between Jerath and many of his former companions, watching him talk to Lenore was rather sweet. The mage, at least, appeared to have forgiven him. Jerath, for his part, appeared nearly as relaxed with Lenore as he was with his Wardens.

Brehan waved to her, and gestured to where someone approaching the great hall, and walked down to meet them. The woman was clearly Rivaini. Cullen joined her as she walked over to greet the newcomer. "Isabela."

"Cullen. Hawke told me you were part of the Inquisition. He also said someone managed to get the stick out of your ass." She grinned.

The tips of Cullen's ears turned red. "Inquisitor Trevelyan, this is Admiral Isabela of the Felicia Armada."

"Inquisitor, nice to meet you."

"Likewise." Ruya held out a hand, and the other woman shook it. "You have ships for the relief efforts?"

"I do indeed. We can start running foodstuffs across just as soon as they are loaded, and..." Isabela's smile broadened. "Lenore."

"Isabela." Lenore walked up to Isabela and gave her a hug as well as a... Ruya found herself turning a bright shade of crimson. Cullen's jaw fell practically to his knees. Somewhere, a chantry caught fire. "It's been too long."

"Entirely." Her gaze went to the elf behind Lenore. "And my, my, look at you, all grown up."

"Isabela." Jerath nodded to her in greeting.

"Inquisitor, we'll have to continue this another time. Lenore and I have some catching up to do." Isabela took Lenore's hand, and the two women walked out of the hall.

Brehan shook his head. "I really hope they know each other." He turned towards Ruya. "Inquisitor, Commander. Are you alright?" Ruya made a squeaking sound. Cullen shook his head and rubbed at his eyes. Brehan nodded at them both dubiously, and then glanced at Jerath. "How do you know Isabela?"

"Met her at a whorehouse."

"Maker's breath." Brehan stared at him. "You're..." He blinked. "You're serious. Does Morrigan know that?"

"She should, she was there when it happened." Jerath's expression never changed.

"I..." Brehan sighed. "Don't want to know."

#

"You two seem to be getting along well." Ruya smiled at Lenore and Dorian.

"I was just telling Dorian about life in the Circle. Wonderful libraries, colleagues, moonlight orgies on the top of the tower."

Ruya made a choking sound as Cullen began emphatically shaking his head. Dorian laughed. "Oh, the looks on their faces."

"They are more fun than Alistair and Cathiel." Lenore grinned. She rested her chin on her hands. "And just as adorable."

"They do complement each other beautifully."

"Don't you two have work to be doing?" Ruya tapped her foot.

"Yep." Lenore turned to Dorian. "So, how long did it take him to work up the nerve to kiss her?"

"We are not having this conversation." Cullen folded his arms.

"It wasn't long after we arrived in Skyhold. Though he did sweep her off her feet and carry her down a mountain before then."

"Oh, how romantic." Lenore grinned. "The first time I invited him for some alone time he stuttered then turned around and actually ran."

"Commander." Dorian turned and stared. He waggled a finger. "That is no way to treat a lady."

Ruya covered her face with her hands as Cullen stuttered. "I was sixteen. And..." He swallowed. "And we are not having this conversation."

"Lenore, are you traumatizing my commanding officers?" Jerath's voice cut off whatever reply Lenore was going to make.

"No, I'm traumatizing an old and dear friend." Lenore smiled. "And his beautiful lady love. Oh, a warning Inquisitor. I accidentally told Isabela you were an Amell, and she's making noise about completing the set."

"She's..." Ruya stared at Lenore. "What?"

"If you decided to go for it, she's really a fan of the electricity thing. Or any carnal magic, really."

"What."

"You know, when you..." Lenore tilted her head to the side. "You have no idea what I'm talking about."

"What."

Lenore turned to Dorian. "She has no idea what I'm talking about."

"What."

"What kind of Circle was Ostwick, anyway?" Dorian shook his head.

"What."

"We have to fix this." Lenore gestured at Ruya.

"What are friends for, after all?"

"What."

Dorian took one of Ruya's arms, and Lenore took the other. "Come along, Inquisitor. We need to have a chat."

"Birds. Bees. Creative uses of ice."

Cullen stared after them, confusion on his face. Then he turned to Jerath. "Do you have any idea what just happened there?"

"You should sit down, Commander."

#

Lenore hugged the Inquisitor goodbye, whispering something into her ear. Ruya promptly turned bright red again. Cullen sighed, and then smiled. Despite the amount of teasing he'd had to endure over the last few days, it had been good to see Lenore again. They'd managed to get in a few games of chess, and talked about old times. She'd been able to help him track down a few of the other Ferelden templars. Matthias, it seemed, had left the templars and was now working for House Brosca. It was good to know his mentor was well.

#

Cullen and Ruya walked down through the war camps. Since Anders had rejoined them, Jerath had again moved his people outside of Skyhold, save for Dagna. They'd taken over a battered auxiliary tower. Ruya had offered to remove the restriction regarding allowing Anders into Skyhold, and Jerath had pointed out that if he'd disagreed with the restriction, he'd have argued the point. He'd agreed to the restriction to protect Anders, not Skyhold.

They drew near to find a small commotion. Cassandra knocked Iron Bull off his feet with a well-timed shield bash. The Chargers immediately responded with playful boos and hisses, met by the Wardens and Blackwall cheering for Cassandra. Ruya laughed. Cullen smiled. "Everyone playing nice?"

"Everyone except Cassandra." Krem shook his head. "She's picking on poor, helpless, decrepit -" Whatever else Krem was going to say was cut off by Iron Bull throwing a handful of mud at him.

"We were just practicing, Inquisitor." Cassandra stepped out of the sparring ring, and accepted the cloth Nathaniel handed her.

"And putting on an incredible show, my lady." Nathaniel gave her a bow.

"I..." Cassandra actually blushed. "My intent was not to put on a show."

"You'll have to excuse Nathaniel." Talsaad grinned. "He has a thing for pretty women who can kick his ass."

"Well, yeah." Carver glanced back at her.

"What's not to like about that?" Jerath asked.

"He is Ferelden, after all." Loghain shrugged.

Cullen started to say something, and then glanced at Ruya. "They make a very good point."

Ruya chuckled, and then turned to Jerath. "We've been asked by a member of the University of Orlais to assist with an operation in the Frostback Mountains. I know it's out of your area of expertise, but I'd like your people to come along."

"At your command, Inquisitor."