A/N: set during "here lies the abyss"

olivia and fenris stay behind at skyhold while marian and alistair are out at adamant.

Olivia sat at the edge of the large double bed, fingers twisting into the silky sheets. This had been easier when she was alone in a tent, with only the quiet night wind for company.

Now, she had a sense of just how empty everything was. Their was too much space in the room, too much in the bed. Even with her mabari curled up at the far side of the bed, it felt too empty.

Tugging on her cloak, Olivia gently scratched Lily's head, letting the hound know she was leaving. Lily whimpered and nudged at her master's hand with her greying muzzle, but remained on the bed. Moving as quietly as she could, Olivia slipped out of her bedroom and onto the wide Skyhold battlements.

Outside, it was easier to be alone. There was still noise, voices coming from the refugee camps and the tavern, sounds of horses and harts and other creatures coming from the stables, and occasionally the sound of clattering swords when restless guards sparred to keep awake through the night watch.

Keeping her hood draped over her head, Olivia took slow, even steps along the walls; the mountain winds were crisp, and without her Warden robes she soon found herself shivering. Pulling the cloak tighter around her, Olivia stopped for a moment, leaning against the battlements and staring out across the snow covered mountains.

She wasn't even supposed to be at Skyhold. But the nightmares and the singing – the dreaded Calling that had lent a renewed importance to her mission – had ceased. It was – or, it should have been – impossible, and the only Warden Olivia had been certain she could find was Alistair.

Or, so she'd thought.

He was no longer at Skyhold, but far across Orlais assaulting a Grey Warden fortress. The news, especially once combined with everything else the inquisition had revealed, unsettled Olivia almost as much as the Calling had.

She missed him. They had spent too much time uncertain to waste what they had left, and yet the days seemed to be slipping away even faster now that they were apart again.

"Warden Amell."

Olivia turned with a start, having been too lost in thought to hear the footsteps. Though he wore a hooded cloak as she did, Olivia recognized Fenris' voice immediately. "You startled me," she admitted, tugging her hood down. They hadn't spoken in quite some time – not since the war had broken out, and Olivia had done what she could to find a safe place for her cousin to hide.

"I apologize." He joined her at the battlements, mossy eyes glinting in the moonlight. "Trouble sleeping?"

"More than usual."

Fenris remained silent for a moment, lips curled into the faintest frown. "They're in good company," he finally spoke, though Olivia wasn't certain if he was trying to convince her or himself. "The Inquisitor and her companions are… capable, if nothing else."

Olivia wasn't sure exactly how long Fenris had been in Skyhold, but she assumed it was just as long as Marian had been. She herself had only met one of the Inquisitors companions – besides Varric, that is – and had been intimidated but not necessarily impressed by the qunari mercenary. "You don't think highly of them?"

He grunted. "Some of them."

Neither of them being particularly adept at small talk, they fell into an uneasy silence. Olivia was acutely aware of Fenris' presence, despite the respectful distance he was keeping; she had traveled alone for so long that she couldn't help but feel wary in close company. She was just about to excuse herself back to her bedroom when the yelling broke out across Skyhold, and the telltale sound of the front gates being opened echoed across the courtyard.

A mounted messenger tore through the lower level of Skyhold, his horse stumbling to a stop in front of the stairway. Convinced such urgent news had to be from Adamant, Olivia shared a quick glance with Fenris before the pair headed for the main hall.

Olivia burst through the door before Fenris, nearly running into Leliana. The Spymaster was still in her nightclothes, though her eyes were as alert as ever. She glanced up at Olivia, then continued reading the report she held.

"That's impossible," she barked.

"It's true," the messenger panted. "Straight from Commander Cullen. He saw it."

Leliana scanned the report again. "It cannot be done." She waved her hand at the messenger, dismissing him. Looking up at Olivia, she sighed. "How much do you know about physically entering the Fade?"