Eva could hear Cullen sigh as Cassandra fumbled with her helmet. It had to be at least the fifth one they tried on for her, all of them being too big for her head. Even the ones that were made "small" were too big. Eva rolled her eyes as Cassandra shifted the helmet once more, trying to find a different position that would work.

"It doesn't fit!" Eva finally snapped before yanking the helmet off completely. "And it hurts my ears! It squishes them!" She protested further as she handed the helmet back to a very disgruntled Cassandra. It was agreed upon the three adults that Eva needed to be trained in the art of defense if she were going to travel though the Hinterlands and close the rifts. Leliana and Cullen were the strongest to agree to the training with the inevitable bandits, demons, and dangerous rifts within the area. At least that was the reports Leliana received her word from. Since she was only nine and had no previous training from her clans' people or her family, they were left with the task to ensure she would be able to keep herself alive if one of them fell.

"She'll need something specially made," Cullen chimed in. He knew full well that none of their gear would be appropriate for her size, considering he was the one in charge of training the men and fitting them with their correct sizes. He watched as Eva removed the bulky gear from her body, taking anything that she handed to him. "Perhaps Harritt can craft something for her. The hardest part of this is honing on what skills she can access."

"Sir," a voice came behind Cullen as Eva shifted to see who it was. She recognized some of them by their faces, but didn't know any of their names. None of them seemed to have an interest in her anyways. "Sir we-," the soldier began before looking down to Eva. He coughed, in attempt to urge the Commander that it was delicate matter. Cullen took the hint and his gaze shifted to the snowy haired elf.

"Say, Cassandra. Didn't Leliana pick up some tiny cakes in her travels to Val Royeaux?" At first Cassandra rose a brow at Cullen for the random question, but soon took the hint.

"I believe so. Eva, do you wish to try one? They are delicious." Cassandra offered the girl her hand who eagerly grasped it, her grin indicating she was very excited about the mention of sweets. Apparently she didn't have them often since her clan often traveled away from major cities, and any small villages they came across usually didn't have sweets to offer. Cullen waited till they were out of ear shot before turning his attention back to the scout.

"We found the body. Not a mark or burn on her and it very unusual." He paused for a moment as he glanced down to the notes he wrote. "Every other corpse was either burned to a crisp or ashes in the wind, but the Herald's mother was left completely untouched."

"I see…" The scout handed Cullen the report as he briefed the comments before looking back to the scout. "Bring this matter to sister Leliana, discretely. In the mean time we'll prepare for the funeral." Cullen finished the last sentence with a grim expression intact on his features. This wasn't going to be easy for Eva, he knew that much. But she still needed to know that they retrieved the body along with the odd circumstances. Perhaps Solas would know the proper protocol for elven funerals? After delivering the blow of news to Eva he truly didn't want to further upset the girl with questions on what to do with the body. This matter was probably best fit for Josephine.

-

"You should try to make some friends." A male's voice spoke behind her as Eva turned her attention to Cullen, who was now standing next to her. Eva blinked at the random suggestion before turning to glance at a group of kids further ahead near the gates of Haven. It wasn't that she was socially awkward, she met new people on a daily now, all eager to get a glance at her strange glowing hand; but the challenge was interacting around people her age.

"I'm okay with sitting, honestly." She replied but there was a hint of something in her voice that Cullen picked up on. His brows knitted together as he looked over to the elf, taking a seat to her right.

"Shy?" He asked. He felt like a pestering parent, which was odd for him since he wasn't the biggest fan of children, but Eva was different. She had so much responsibilities thrusted upon her daily that she didn't have much of a choice but to act "mature". It bothered him.

"Hardly," Eva clicked her teeth at the question as her bright eyes narrowed some. "They have an issue with me." That caught the Commander off guard.

"The whole Herald business?" He was prying and he knew it, but his curiosity got the best of shook her head as she lifted her hand and tapped the tip of her ears with the pad of her index finger. She didn't bother to look at Cullen to see if he made the connection, but it seemed to sink in rather quickly for the adult. Cullen had seen his fair share of abuse towards races. Mages, elves, Qunari, you name it and he has seen it. But this one took the cake. "Because you're an elf?" He asked in a surprise tone.

"Knife ear," Eva corrected him. She felt her heart sink a little at the name she was recently given by the children, and even some of the adults of Haven. She was different and she knew that, but in her clan everyone got along. Even when they encountered a human hunter, they were usually always welcomed with the utmost respect and always paid that respect back to them. Why were these humans different? Some of them treated her like an- what was the word called again? Abomination? Yes, that was it. Like some deformed ill-bred thing that didn't belong in this world. Her expression matched her sour mood as her heart sank further. Her ears were her mother's favorite, or so she used to say… She would often tweak or flick them to get her attention if she was lost in thought, and she would always laugh when she snapped out of her trance. She shook the memory as her attention fell to the glowing green of her hand. This thing didn't help her either. She didn't even have magical abilities like her mother, yet some of the people thought she would burn their houses down or send demons on them and their lands. She almost rolled her eyes at the thought.

Without warning Eva felt large hands grasping at her sides as she was lifted into the air, a breathless squeak escaped her as Cullen placed her upon his shoulders. She didn't feel the fuzzy cloak he usually had around his shoulders, but she was met with another surprise when he tossed the material up over his head as it landed on her head. He knew she liked wearing his cloak around, especially during the evening hours when the chill was at its highest. Eva grinned as she shifted against him and clipped the large cloak around her shoulders. The feeling of warmth and the smell of spices hit her senses strongly as she puffed out her chest and thrusted a pointed finger forward.

"ONWARD MY GOLDEN LION! TO BATTLE WE GO!" She yelled as Cullen smirked, his hands grasped at her legs as he charged forward. Eva squealed as she latched onto the top of his head, laughing as they ran around Haven together. Cullen's cloak didn't drag along the ground this time, and it actually managed to cover most of his upper back as they charged around. Cullen noticed a few disapproving stares as some parents shuffled their children inside their houses, but he didn't care. The kid needed to have fun once in a while and he would be damned if he didn't entertain her a bit himself. They busted through the entrance of Haven as he rounded near the recruits in training. He had a particular target in mind for their battle as his amber eyes locked on the scout named Jim. He was busy discussing something with the Seeker which gave him the perfect time to attack the man. Cullen stopped as he gathered a handful of snow and began to shape them into small balls, once completed he handed them up to Eva who all too eagerly took them.

"ATTACK THE FOUL BEAST!" She yelled as she began pelting Jim with snowballs. A roar of laughter tore through Cullen as a snowball smacked Jim square in the face, causing the scout to momentarily freak out before he realized what was happening. Cassandra looked surprised before she saw who was throwing the snowballs, and only chuckled in response. Jim on the other hand was not amused as he wiped the snow from his face with a scowl.

"It seems we conquered and defeated the beast, Lady Herald!" Cullen said as he grinned at Jim who only shot him an annoyed glare. "Now we must celebrate with the rest of our allies for it is a great victory indeed!" He exclaimed while looking to Cassandra. At first she seemed hesitant to play along, feeling some sympathy for the scout, but only nodded in agreement when Eva looked to her as well. As quickly as Cullen, Cassandra had also scooped up some snow in her hands.

"Jim, just one more thing before I dismiss you." Said the Seeker. As Jim turned his attention to Cassandra he was unexpectedly met with another blast of snow to the face. Eva squealed with laughter as Cullen and Cassandra joined in. Jim tossed his hands up in defeat before retreating a safe distance from his superiors.

-

Eva, Cullen, Cassandra, Varric, and even Solas had gathered around a large fire as they all ate together. It was rare of them to meet like this, but as Cullen said 'it was a victorious battle worth celebrating' and besides, who could deny the small elf? Varric practically adored the girl to pieces and she felt equally so as she would listen to him for hours with his famous storytelling. She would only retreat when he managed to draw in a large crowd of people. Cullen and Cassandra obviously adored her as well, both having taken time out of their busy schedules to spend some time with her on a daily. Now there was Solas. He, like Cullen, was not crazy about children in general. However, with Eva bearing the mark and her being an elf in general, there was some interest he had in spending time with her. She would tell him various stories of her mother, and to him it was her way of grieving for her loss, but he also was fascinated by their customs and how they lived. In return she would spend time with him as he told her stories of his encounters of spirits from the fade, fascination clearly in her eyes from his tales.

"Oh I bet Jim just loved that." Varric snorted as he rubbed his hands together before putting them near the fire.

The group laughed as they continued to exchange stories from their lives with one another, all but Eva that is. She wasn't well traveled like the rest, but she still enjoyed listening to the others. She noticed that there were some things that went unsaid from Cassandra and Cullen in particular, but she could only guess that it was a sore subject for them. It was sad to say but she understood their discomfort. When people expressed to her about the loss of her mother she would often become uncomfortable and twitchy. Eva drew the fluffy cloak Cullen had given here to wear closer to her frame, her cheeks nuzzling the side of the fluff as the warmth of the fire spread through her. It was a good night, for everyone it seemed.

The sun had set and the stars were shining above Haven, they seemed brighter than usual tonight. The group slowly began to drift apart as hours went passed, most of them retiring to their beds for the evening for an early start in the morning. Eva had already clunked out an hour or so ago, listening to one of Solas's tales about the fade. It was only Cullen and Varric who stuck around to listen to the elf.

"I believe we lost someone." Varric said with a smirk.

"Yes, she has a habit of doing that." Cullen chuckled as he rose from his place, brushing off a few crumbs that had fallen in his lap.

"Can't blame her, she has more exhausting days than most here." Varric added as he too rose from his place. He didn't need to travel too far since his tent was set up near the fire they resided at.

"Yes, today in particular." Solas chimed in and Cullen shot him a questionable look.

"You noticed her mood today, yes?" Solas asked as Cullen nodded. Varric on the other hand was completely lost on the matter.

"I was there earlier, when she was done with her meeting with the Seeker and Lady Nightingale. She had approached those group of children to see if they would allow her in their game of 'tag'. Not only did they blatantly reject her, but they insulted her with harsh words towards her and her people."

"Don't you associate with the elven people?" Varric quickly asked. It didn't make much sense for him to say 'her people' when he too was an elf.

"Not the Dalish, no." He added firmly while casting a side glance towards the dwarf. "Like you don't associate with those of 'children of the stone'." Varric quickly tossed his hands up as if saying he understood the point clear as day.

"It took a blow to her ego and self-esteem, and emotionally she was distressed. I did what I could to distract her, but I fear she will encounter this issue in the future. Especially at her given age." Solas added as he drew his attention back to the Commander, who looked just short of furious.

"It was when you came in did she crack but the smallest of smiles."

"The knife ear comment." He said with anger laced in his tone.

"An insult to our people." Solas said as he referred to the elves in general. "I heard it said to me a few times in my journeys across these lands…Among other things."

"I'll speak with Josephine on this matter. She handles the people in general in whatever she does, she should be able to get them to at least not say it directly to her face." Cullen sighed as he began to rub the back of his neck. He was suddenly aware just how tired he was from the day's activities. "I imagine she won't be trying to interact with strangers again, or at least any time soon." He commented once more, this time it was him speaking his mind.

"Indeed." Solas nodded as he turned his back to them.

Cullen made his way over to the sleeping lump that was now curled against the ground, his large cloak engulfing her entire figure and acting as a blanket for the sleeping girl. He gingerly cradled her head as he lifted her off the ground, shifting her just right so her cheek rested against his chest while he held her bridal style.

"She has a big day tomorrow." Varric sighed as he tossed another log into the slowly dying fire.

"Yes. The funeral." Cullen frowned as he turned to Solas once more. "I will need your help tomorrow, I'm afraid. We don't know these customs and you-," he paused while looking away with redden cheeks.

"Am the only other elf in this village." Solas finished calmly with an amused smiled.

"Indeed." Cullen simply stated as ember colored hues looked down to the sleeping elf in his arms. She looked so peaceful in her sleep, like nothing, not even what resided in the fade could possibly disturb her. He was thankful for that much. "Well, I should get her to bed. Goodnight." Cullen said before turning to leave for Eva's cabin. Tucking her in was almost becoming routine for the two of them. It was oddly comforting to the man and slightly terrifying. Terrifying in the fact that he was warming up to children because of this girl. Maker help him.

-
Morning came too quickly for Eva and she wanted nothing more than to stay in bed all day. Solas was the one to rouse her from her dreamless sleep. She was a grumbling mess with her white haired all in disarray. He was patient while she made herself somewhat presentable, though she struggled with various tangles in her hair from her tossing and turning in her sleep.

Most of the day was spent in preparation for the funeral. She knew how they worked for the most part, having attended a few of them while with her clan, but she herself did not tend to the body. She was given the offer but Eva immediately rejected it. She couldn't. She knew she wasn't strong enough to see her mother, let alone prep her for what was to come. Eva wasn't all that good at saying goodbyes in general. So most of the day she spent preparing where her mother would be buried. She picked various flowers of all her favorite colors, and a few favorite colors of her own as she laced them together in a crown. The flower crown as not part of their customs, but she wanted her mother to wear it so a part of her would have her forever. Solas even gave her the option of picking out a tree to plant for her mother. Usually that didn't happen often, and Eva was all too happy to pick a pine tree. It was her and her mother's favorite. Don't you just love the smell of pine trees? She could practically hear her voice in her head as many memories swam in her mind. It truly was exhausting for her, well at least emotionally. By dusk Eva was drained of energy. She was thankful that the adults had left her alone most of the day, allowing her to process the event on her own terms.

Cassandra, Cullen, Leliana, Varric, Solas, and Josephine were all present. There were even some towns people that had attended as well, but mostly to see what the mother of the child looked like. Eva moved forward, her steps timid and shaky as she approached her mother. She looked beautiful as always, even in death. Her snow white hair neatly tucked behind her ears and the dress she wore was of Dalish. Eva wondered how they managed to get such an item here. She found herself holding her breath as she moved closer, Maker how she wished she would open her eyes and see those sea blue orbs of hers again. Eva bit her lower lip as a sob threatened to escape, but that didn't stop the tears from slipping down her pale cheeks. Her advisors stayed back while they allowed Eva to say her goodbyes. She was whispering something in elven that none of them understood, all but Solas at least. After what seemed like an eternity the small girl stepped back, her hands fumbling together as she joined the others. Solas then stepped forward and began his part of the funeral, which was to sing the songs of the Dalish people, in elven of course. It represented that life moved on after death and to wish the spirit a safe journey through the fade.

Eva found herself by Cullen side once more as she practically latched onto his leg. He wasn't dressed in his amour, thinking it would be inappropriate for the event. So instead he had his leather black pants on and he could feel Eva wiping her tear streaked face against. He felt his heart break a bit as he bent down and picked up the crying girl. Without hesitation her arms wrapped around his neck as she buried her face into the crook of his neck and shoulder. This was probably the hardest thing he had to watch and the others agreed. Josephine dapped at her cheeks at the sight of the Commander and Eva. Even Leliana had to advert her gaze to brush away any tears that had exposed themselves.

Solas finished the song as he moved back to the group, nodding in the direction of the soldiers. It was then Eva remember the colorful crown she made her mother. "WAIT!" She practically screamed and it caused Cullen to jump, as well as the others. She pulled out the flower crown as Cullen placed her on the ground. She nearly tumbled to the ground as she ran to her mother once more. "I-I know it's not part of our tradition." She said with a hiccup, followed by a sniffle. "But I wanted you to have a part of m-me with you." Her voice was cracking as she very gingerly placed the crown on her mother's head, arranging it just right so it looked absolutely perfect. Her fingers lingered in her mother's hair for a moment longer as she tried to imprint the memory of how it felt like velvet to her mind.
"Ghilas atisha, Mamae." Eva whispered to the woman, hoping in some way she could hear her if she spoke in their language.

Eva turned her back quickly as she practically ran back to Cullen. He wasted no time as his arms opened, already kneeling to her height as she ran into his arms. He encased her small frame in a tight hug as she cried into his shoulder. He felt her trembling against him and he frowned as he lifted her up off the ground once more. She didn't watch as the men put her mother into the earth. She couldn't watch that. So instead her face remained hidden in the fur cloak that Cullen wore. There was a large silence, save for the few sniffles that Eva produced along with a few others.

"Da'len," Solas said gently as Eva's attention shifted to the elf. He said nothing more as she looked down to his outstretched hand, in his palm rested the pine seed for the tree. Eva's eyes widen as forest green met greyish blue eyes. With surprise she quickly said something in eleven that Cullen and the others did not understand, and Solas responded just as quickly. Eva looked back to Cullen and nodded, getting the gesture he gently set her down once more as she timidly made her way to Solas. Ever so gently she took the seed from his hand, cradling it like it were about to burst from being too rough.

"You're sure?" Eva asked as she looked back up to Solas, who was all but towering over her from his height. He nodded once more as he stepped aside, joining back with the others as Eva made her way to the grave site. The soldiers had finished burying her mother into the earth, and now it was her job to plant the new life to grow from the grave. With one hand she began digging a hole just above the disturbed dirt, making sure to get a good size hole so that roots could set in. She watched her mother do this before with her father, and now she knew how she felt when she was left with such a task. Eva gently placed the small seed into the ground, the tips of her fingers lingering on it for a moment before she buried it once more.

"You'll need some water so it grows big and strong." Solas was beside her once more as he cupped a handful of snow. A small fire burst from his palm as the liquid fell to the dirt and was absorbed by the earth.

"Thank you…" Eva mumbled and he nodded at her once more, retreating back to the group. She stood and dusted the dirt off her clothing as she turned to them. "I want to be alone for a little while… If that's okay?" They all could hear the sadness in her voice as Josephine stepped forward.

"Of course, and if you need any of us you know where to find us." She said firmly as she bowed slightly to the girl. Eva nodded and turned her attention back to the grave once again. It wasn't like the one she saw the humans make. There were no stone or rocks on top of the grave, but soon there would be a tree and that would be the best thing she could see. Cullen had approached Eva as he removed his cloak from his shoulders, gently placing it around the girls shoulder. Eva nodded her thanks as she pulled the material tighter against her.

"I'll check on you in a bit." He said before moving away from her.

She didn't respond to his statement but she acknowledged it in silence. Small fingers trailed along the disturbed dirt as she made little circles in it. With all the chaos of her hand and these rifts, she wasn't given time to properly grieve for her loss. It felt like a large lump sat in her throat while her chest felt constricted. Was it going to be like this for now on? Overwhelmed with sorrow and grief whenever she thought of her mother? Biting her lower lip Eva quickly brushed away newly formed tears. "I'll visit you every day," she promised aloud knowing there would be no answer for her. "I'll keep you updated on everything." She continued to mumble out as she drew her finger away from the dirt. "I wish we hadn't attended that meeting… It meant you would-," her voice broke off as her hands rested on her cheeks, feeling the dampness of her tears once more. Was she angry that their clan keeper made mother attend that stupid whatever it was? Yes. She was furious. She would still be here if it weren't for her and this silly fight among the Mages and Templars. You didn't need to be well informed on the subject to know that there was a serious issue between the two. Eva heard a lot of stories of certain people being dragged away from their families because of their magical abilities.

"Was that why you went…?" Her voice was almost a whisper as reality dawned on her. Her mother was a mage and a well-respected one at that, at least in her clan she was. Could the Templars have taken her mother away from her if they found them? Was that why they traveled so much and avoided going to large cities? Eva shook her head at the thought as she leaned back, dragging her knees to her chest. It had to be late based on how high the moon had risen. Yet she didn't care. She would sit out here all night if given the chance.

The moon was high as Cullen pushed open the gates of Haven. Most of the town had already tucked in for the evening. It was colder out too, more snow had fallen tonight and he knew the weather would be annoying to deal with tomorrow. He rounded a small hill that resided in front of the blacksmith house as he approached a small clearing. He wasn't surprised at all when he was greeted with a small lump in the distance. From the way Eva's shoulders slacked forward he could tell immediately she had fallen asleep at the foot of her mother's grave. His heart ached for the young girl as he quietly approached her. He noticed a new addition of flowers on top of the ground and they formed the shape of a heart. To be without a mother at nine years would be difficult. Her advisors now practically raised the girl, all chipping in to keep an eye out for her and guide her into the right direction, it was the least they could do for her.

He had the small elf in his arms once again as she slumped against his figure. The moonlight lit up her features and he could see dried tear streaks down her cheeks, and it only made his heart break more. The women were an absolute mess earlier when they had left the girl with her mother. Josephine couldn't stop crying, Cassandra tried to deny that she wasn't disgruntled but it was blatantly obvious, and Leliana and retreated herself as her voice had lowered a few tones. Even Varric was teary eyed from the event. Solas was the only one who stood strong, not showing a glimmer of sorrow, only compassion when he offered her the small seed to plant. Cullen carefully opened the door to her cabin so he didn't disturb the small sleeping elf. The last thing he wanted to do was wake her up after the emotional hell she had been through all day. With great care he set her down on her bed, ensuring she was wrapped up in his cloak and the blankets so she didn't catch a chill.

"I am so sorry…" He mumbled softly as he looked at her sleeping form.

-

Translations:

Da'len = Little One/Child.

Ghilas = to go/go to

Atisha = Peace

Mamae = Mother.