The briefing had gone smoothly, the next course of action decided upon. Jacquelyn, Vivienne, Varric, and Solas would go speak to the mages. That didn't necessarily mean that they would accept their help, but Jacquelyn was willing to speak with them.

The Herald let her hair fall loose around her shoulders, still damp from her bath. She headed for where the recruits were training, sword and shield with her. It would most likely boost morale if the Herald was seen training with the recruits. At the very least, it would boost morale of the troops. Cullen saw her approach, returning the smile she gave him.

"So," she said as she walked over to him, "where would you like me?"

"Excuse me?"

"Where would you like me for training," Jacquelyn asked, suppressing a small laugh. Cullen looked back at the troops, thinking, his arms folded, trying to hide how red he was turning.

"Come with me," he ordered, arms falling to his side as he walked through the training recruits, leading Jacquelyn to a rather tough looking recruit who was busy running through drills. She stopped when she saw who was approaching, however.

"Maker, you're…" she stared at Jacquelyn, brown eyes wide. Jacquelyn bowed her head, smiling kindly.

"Herald, this is Gretta. She shows promise. Could you spar with her today, teach her some of what you know?"

"Of course," Jacquelyn briefly turned her smile on Cullen before turning back to Gretta. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Gretta."

"No, the pleasure is all mine, Herald of Andraste."

"Please, call me Jacquelyn," she motioned to a more open space. "Shall we?"

Gretta nodded, Jacquelyn leading the way, Cullen watching for a moment before returning to where he could watch all the troops. He spotted Siara talking to Varric as they walked around the walls, Siara watching them. Cullen made his way over, Siara raising an eyebrow, whatever conversation had been going on coming to a halt.

"What?" she asked, her voice maybe slightly less irritable than it usually was.

"I have another job for you."

"What? So soon after all that shit went down with Kildarn?"

"I'm hoping you've learnt your lesson."

Varric and Siara shared a look, both seeming mildly amused.

"Okay, assuming what you say is true –" Siara started.

"Which it won't be," Varric interrupted, Siara rolling her eyes, Cullen frowning.

"What's the job and why would I help?"

Cullen held out a sheet of paper, Siara silently taking it, quickly reading it. When she was done, she looked up at Cullen, entirely unconvinced.

"Bees?"

"Yes."

"And only somewhere south? By Andraste's sacred knickers, you know how big an area that is to search? Maker's breath, this is ridiculous."

"You won't be the only one searching," Cullen assured her. "We're also getting in touch with bounty hunters."

"No."

"No?"

"They'll just get in the in way," Siara folded up the paper and slid it into a pocket. "I'll find him on my own."

"You won't be completely on your own," Cullen told her, Siara looking unimpressed. "Cassandra and Sera are going with you."

The Blade shrugged.

"Who?"

"Seeker Pentaghast," Cullen explained, pointing at Cassandra, who was busy hitting a training dummy, "and Sera, a friend of Red Jenny."

"I'm guessing that I don't have a say in this," Siara grumbled.

"No."

"Great," she sighed, walking over to Cassandra, Varric and Cullen staying where they were and watching.

"This isn't going to end well," Varric muttered.

"I think you might be right," The commander agreed, "but Cassandra insisted on not letting Siara out without supervision."

"She's going to be driven mad by Spooks."

"That or they'll kill each other," Cullen sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Maybe you could talk to her? If she causes too many problems then there's nothing we can do for her."

"She knows, Curly. Believe me. I just don't know if she cares."

Cullen nodded, moving back to watch over the troops.

"All the same," he said as he walked off, "I'd appreciate it if you tried."

Varric sighed, muttering to himself. That kid was nearly impossible to get through to, yet people seemed to expect that he could perform miracles. Cassandra was barely containing her hatred for Siara, and Varric knew that Siara could tell. The elf turned and started walking back to him, very mildly irritated. She shrugged as she approached him.

"This isn't going to be fun," she told him.

"The Seeker takes some getting used to, but she'll warm up to you."

"I doubt anyone here who hates me will warm up to me. If they hate me, they hate me. And the Seeker hates me," she shook her head, "I told her that we'd head off tomorrow. She doesn't seem too impressed, maybe because she dislikes taking orders from me. Or maybe it's just my existence she disagrees with," Siara grinned, though it wasn't a nice grin. Varric half scoffed.

"Just don't do anything that'll get you in too much trouble."

"Oh please, you know me, Varric."

"Yes, unfortunately I do."

Siara shrugged again, walking off to find Sera, Varric spotting Cassandra still glaring at the elf as she walked off.

Varric waved Siara, Cassandra, and Sera off. Jacquelyn stood next to him, arms folded.

"I pity Cassandra," she said. "Siara and Sera are enough of handfuls individually. I do not want to think what it would be like putting them together."

"Spooks usually isn't like this," Varric told her. "She's just going through some shit at the moment."

"I know," Jacquelyn assured him. "I suspect she is also a better person than what she pretends to be."

"At least someone realises that," the dwarf grumbled, heading off to his usual spot in Haven. "At this point I worry even Spooks is forgetting it."

Jacquelyn didn't follow him, watching him for a moment before returning to watching where the small group lead by the Blade were going.

"We'll have to go the long way," Cassandra was saying. "The Herald has requested that we stop by the Storm Coast and meet with a mercenary group known as the Chargers."

"Oh, terrific," Siara muttered. "Am I going to be paid extra?"

"You really only care about the money?" Sera asked, frowning.

"Not the only thing. Just… one of the only things. I also care about food. Food is good."

"There are more important things, ya know."

"Give me three examples."

"I'll give ya one big reason. People."

Siara scoffed.

"What have people ever done for me?" she asked. "People pay me to do shit, frequently it's killing other people. So I'm still doing things for people, it's just… for money."

"Well, aren't you a nice person."

"The nicest."

"Enough! You're arguing like children!" Cassandra snapped. Siara half smirked, slightly ruefully, her thoughts slipping back to what felt like a lifetime ago, yet not that long at all.

"You're such a kid."

"You started it."

"Did not!"

"Did too."

"Did – … You win this round, Siara."

Siara shook her head, glancing around at Cassandra.

"You have no idea," she muttered before spurring her horse on faster. Cassandra frowned in confusion, then followed suit, Sera just plain confused.

"What just happened?" she muttered, not having been told anything about what had happened to Siara at the conclave.

As usual, the rain was consistent and miserable. The horses didn't seem too happy about it, but Siara couldn't care less. Sera was grumbling quietly to herself, and Cassandra seemed to be losing patience quite rapidly. The only thing Siara was irritated about was that she was having to take longer to find the damnable bee keeper.

They were met by a female dwarf when they approached the Inquisition camp.

"Seeker Pentaghast," the dwarf greeted. "Welcome to the Storm Coast."

"What's the news?" Cassandra asked, Siara sighing.

"Stuff finding out about the news," she grumbled. "Just point us in the direction of the Chargers."

"I…" the dwarf frowned.

"I'm Siara, hired muscle for the Inquisition," Siara explained. "What's your name?"

"I'm scout Harding. It's nice to meet you. I think…"

"Likewise. Now where are the Chargers? Fill Cassandra in on shit while Sera and I go talk to them," Cassandra glared at Siara, but Harding seemed happy enough to go with Siara's plan.

"They're just down the hill from here, next to the water."

"Many thanks," Siara turned to Sera, getting down from her horse. "Shall we?"

Sera dismounted and followed Siara.

"Are you always this businessy?" she asked. Siara grinned.

"Hell no, I'm just looking for a fight and hoping the Chargers haven't finished off the Vints yet."

"So you care about money and fighting?"

Siara gave Sera an amused look, eyebrows raised slightly.

"Sure, let's go with that."

They walked in silence from there, the sound of battle reaching their ears. They shared a look, Siara reaching around and drawing her twin blades, Sera grabbing her bow and selecting her first arrow, knocking it smoothly. A small smile slipped onto Siara's face, her eyes trained on the Vints as they rounded the corner. She changed pace, now running forward. She slid under a blow as one of the Vints raised their arm to attack one of the Chargers, sliding her gold tinged blade neatly into a gap in the armour under the armpit, slipping it into where the lung would be. The Tevinter warrior cried out in pain before he started drowning on his own blood. The Charger blinked in surprise, but shook it off quick enough as he turned to the next invader. Siara went the other way, eyes locking with a Tevinter's.

She half smiled, a blood thirsty smirk that would have made his blood run cold. He faltered for a moment, then steeled himself against the fear and shot forward, a war cry escaping his lips. Siara didn't even take a step forward, an arrow coming out of nowhere and neatly getting him in the eye socket, coming out the back of his skull. He fell to the ground, dead. Siara looked around in surprise, blinking twice, then nodding to Sera, though she was distracted for a moment. For a moment she had thought that it could have been Jacen.

She shook her head, trying to push the thoughts to the back of her mind. She looked around, leaning back just in time as an axe almost introduced itself to her skull. She glared at the Tevinter who had tried to chop her head open, spinning around, her hair (tied in its usual braid) hitting him in the face, distracting him for a moment, giving her enough time to stick the short end of her darkened dual edged blade up and under his helmet, impaling him through the chin. The second blade found its way into his side, through a gap in the armour.

She drew her blades out at the same time, the man struggling for a moment, then making a mad swing at her, almost getting her in the side of the head. Siara ducked the blow and shoulder bashed him. The armour was hard, and the collision left her with a bit of a sore shoulder, though her own armour absorbed most of the blow. And being shoulder bashed with a spiked plate of armour wouldn't have been the most comfortable thing in the world. The man fell, gasping for breath. Siara left him. He'd die of his wounds soon enough. She looked for her next opponent, but was left disappointed. The last of the Vints had been felled.

"Chargers, stand down!"

It was a Qunari who yelled the order. Siara wasn't too surprised by this, however. She'd heard a bit about the Chargers, they were mercenaries, of course she had. But Cassandra hadn't mentioned it to her, and she half wondered if the seeker had been aiming to take Siara off guard, have the upper hand about knowing something that Siara hadn't. If so, it hadn't worked. She watched as the Qunari walked over to someone who she assumed was a kind of second in command.

"Krem!" he called. "How'd we do?"

"Five or six wounded, chief, no dead."

"That's what I like to hear. Let the throat cutters finish up the break out the casks."

Siara looked around at her final victim in time to see someone neatly slitting his throat. She was almost disappointed, then confused by that thought. She wasn't too happy with it. She shook her head, deciding it was a good time to approach the chief. He turned around as she approached. She was slightly confused about why he was wearing a harness and not a breastplate, but it was up to him what armour he wore. She wasn't exactly wearing the strongest armour.

"So, you're with the Inquisition, huh?" he greeted. "Glad you could make it. Come on, have a seat. Drinks are coming."

Siara half smirked.

"I like drinks, drinks are good," she looked around at Sera, who was walking over to them. "See, now you know another thing I care about. Getting drunk."

The Qunari grinned, a short laugh coming out of him.

"Good to hear you have your priorities right!" he joked, Siara half shrugging.

"That's something I can get behind," Sera agreed.

"Anyway," Siara said, looking back at the Qunari, silently wondering to herself how he lost his eye. "Yeah, I'm with the Inquisition. Kinda. I'm a merc, like you," they walked over to a rock and the Qunari sat down. "Siara. The Blade."

"I've heard about you. And your brother. Hadn't heard you were with the Inquisition, though," they both looked around as the second in command or something came back. "This is Cremisius Aclassi, my lieutenant," he introduced.

"Good to meet you," Cremisius greeted, Siara nodding in returned, then the lieutenant turned to the Qunari. "Throat cutters are done, chief."

"Already? Have them check again, I don't want any of those Tevinter bastards getting away. No offence, Krem," he chuckled.

"None taken," Krem shrugged, half smirking. "Least a bastard knows who is mother was," he turned and started walking off. "Puts him one up on you Qunari, right?" Siara scoffed in amusement, looking from Krem back to the Qunari.

"You haven't introduced yourself," she said.

"The Iron Bull," the Qunari introduced. "Though something tells me you already knew that."

Siara shrugged.

"You got me. Jacen and I heard about you and your Chargers quite a bit. Vaguely surprised the Inquisition didn't hunt you lot out sooner. You're a very skilled bunch."

"Thanks," Bull said. "Might be 'cause we're expensive."

"But worth it. They're paying me a bit. You lot would be worth a lot more than a solo merc."

"Solo? What about your brother?"

"Gone. Just me now."

"I'm sorry to hear that. I'd've liked to meet him. He sounded like an impressive guy."

Siara shrugged.

"He was. Best archer I've known. But y'know how these things go. It was gonna happen eventually," she frowned slightly, suddenly becoming more business-like. "So. Will the Inquisition be getting the Chargers, or you as well?"

"They'll be getting me," Bull replied, standing up and walking a few steps. "You'll be needing a front-line bodyguard. I'm your man. Whatever it is. Demons. Dragons. The bigger the better."

"Hoard of rampaging nugs?" Siara suggested, rather jokingly.

"Eh, I'd just step on 'em," Bull joked back. "There's one other thing," he sobered rather quickly. "Might be useful, might piss you off."

"Them," Siara said. "I'm just representing the Inquisition, though Maker only knows why. The Herald doesn't exactly like me. But anyway, go on," she motioned for him to continue.

"Ever hear of the Ben-Hassrath?" he asked. Siara nodded.

"Qunari organisation. Kinda like elite spies. Or fighters. Pretty near the top. The big guys."

"Yeah, that's them. Or, well… us," Siara raised her eyebrows, vaguely impressed. "The Ben-Hassrath are concerned about the breach, magic out of control like that could cause trouble everywhere. I've been ordered to join the Inquisition, get close to the people in charge, and send reports on what's happening. But I also get reports from Ben-Hassrath agents all over Orlais. You sign me on, I share those reports with your people."

"I was wondering why you were so willing to join the Inquisition," Siara said, rather conversationally. "I guess now I know the answer," she frowned slightly, thinking, Bull not saying anything while she did. "I'd take you on quite willingly. You're a good guy, as far as I know. I haven't heard anything bad about you. Unfortunately, it's not up to me if you join or not."

"Who is it up to?" he asked.

"I'd be guessing her," Siara pointed with her thumb to the person coming up behind her, looking around only afterwards. Cassandra was frowning slightly, but Siara was beginning to think that was just how her face was stuck after the wind had changed.

"What is this?" Cassandra asked, completely business-like.

"The Iron Bull and his Chargers wanna sign on," Siara filled in. "He's Ben-Hassrath. Would report back to his bosses, but would share with the Inquisition the info he got. His band is bloody good, and I fully support them being hired by the Inquisition. I'm sure he'd also be discrete in what info he shared."

"You're Ben-Hassrath?" Cassandra asked, her frown deepening, guard rising.

"Yup."

"Why would we hire you?"

"Because the Blade is right," Bull said. "I'd share what information I got with your spy master. And I'd be careful with what information I was sending back."

"What's to stop you from turning on us?"

"Whatever happened at that conclave thing is bad. Someone needs to get that breach closed. So whatever I am, I'm on your side."

"He'd be no more against you than Varric is," Siara said, folding her arms, staring at Cassandra. The Seeker glared at her.

"No one asked your opinion," she almost snarled.

"I don't care," Siara retorted. "I'm a stubborn ass, and I'm ninety-eight percent certain that Varric would describe me as an adult with the personality of an insufferable teenager. And I'm a hundred percent certain that I'd describe the Inquisition as a bunch of idiots if they didn't hire the Chargers. The Inquisition needs friends, and the Chargers would be bloody good friends to have, as well as the fact that any info we get from the Ben-Hassrath would be useful to have. I'm damn certain that Leliana would put the info to good use."

Cassandra continued to glare at Siara for a moment longer before a sigh escaped her and she turned to look up at Bull.

"Fine. You can join for now. But we'll be watching you."

"I'd expect nothing less," Bull replied, perfectly calmly, him and Siara watching as Cassandra turned and walked away. Sera had long since lost interest in the conversation and had gone off to make friends with some of the Chargers, happily helping herself to a drink.

"She's a bit of a hard ass, isn't she?" Bull asked.

"Apparently she's like that for everyone," Siara replied, perfectly conversationally. "And supposedly she warms up to you. I'm yet to see evidence of that."

"Good to know," Bull rumbled, then turned to find his lieutenant. "Krem!" he called. "Tell the men to finish drinking on the road. The Chargers just got hired!"

"What about the casks, chief?" Krem almost whined. "We just opened 'em up, with axes," he sounded vaguely annoyed about the last part.

"Find some way to seal 'em," Bull replied, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "You're Tevinter, right?" he asked as he walked towards Krem. "Try blood magic," Siara scoffed at that. "We'll meet ya back at Haven."

"One last thing," Siara called, Bull stopping and turning to look at her. "You haven't heard anything about a rather nasty bee keeper somewhere south of Haven, have you?"

"Yeah, I heard something about him," Bull replied. "Why?"

"Wouldn't happen to know where he is, would ya?"

"Yeah… again… why?"

"I got sent the long way to find him. Care to either join or give directions?" Bull looked slightly confused, but looked back around at Krem.

"You lead the men to Haven. I'll take this lot to find a bee keeper."

"Aye, chief," Krem responded, still thinking about how to best seal the casks. Siara smiled. She liked Bull. He was amusing.

Walking into Redcliff put Jacquelyn on edge. There were too many mages around, and she very much didn't like it. Who knew how many abominations would be among them? The thought was enough to make her blood run cold. She took in a breath and steeled herself against the fear, heading toward the tavern. People would stop and turn to watch her, but she was used to this because of Haven. It probably didn't help matters much that she had a cut running from the end of her eyebrow to the middle of her cheek, still bleeding. One of the demons she and her selected entourage had fended off had managed to get a lucky blow in, and the gash was quite large, not just long, but also wide. How had that happened? How had time just gone… weird?

Both Solas and Vivienne had theories, but nothing concrete, and Varric… Well, Varric was just seeming to roll with it. Made some dismissive, if slightly concerned, comment about how it was weird shit. Jacquelyn had just been mildly freaked out by it, and she was reasonably certain Varric could tell. Okay, she was reasonably certain all of her party members could tell, and that her scowl was what was giving it away. She slammed the door to the tavern open, flinching slightly. She hadn't realised she'd put that much force behind it. She certainly hadn't intended to. Everyone turned to face them, Jacquelyn now feeling a little sheepish, casting an apologetic look at Fiona, who had stepped forward, a mildly disapproving frown on her face.

"Welcome, agents of the Inquisition," she greeted.

"A pleasure," Jacquelyn returned, bowing her head slightly. "Sorry about the door."

"Don't worry about it," Fiona assured her, then nodded to Vivienne. "First enchanter Vivienne."

"My dear Fiona, it's been so long since we last spoke!" Vivienne wasn't even trying to hide her dislike for Fiona, speaking with an almost sickeningly sweet tone. "You look dreadful! Are you sleeping well?"

Fiona ignored her, Jacquelyn frowning ever so slightly at Vivienne.

"What has brought you to Redcliff?" Fiona asked, getting to the point. Now Jacquelyn frowned at Fiona.

"You invited us," she said, "back in Val Royeaux. Or have you forgotten?"

"You must be mistaken. I haven't been in Val Royeaux since before the conclave."

"That is… a little strange. Because the person I spoke to sounded and looked exactly like you."

"Exactly like me?" Fiona asked, leaning her head to the side slightly, frowning in confusion, "I suppose there could be magic at work. But why would anyone… Whoever or whatever brought you here, the situation has changed. The free mages have already pledged themselves to the service of the Tevinter Imperium."

Jacquelyn raised an eyebrow, not saying anything for a moment.

"Fiona, darling, your dementia is showing," Vivienne told her, sounding completely unimpressed.

"Andraste's ass," Varric interjected. "I'm trying to think of a single worse thing you could have done, and I've got nothing."

"I understand that you are afraid, but you deserve better than slavery to Tevinter," Solas added.

"As one indentured to a magister, I no longer have the authority to negotiate with you."

"Very well," Jacquelyn said, nodding her head in understanding. "Who is in charge now?"

It was at that moment that the door shut with a rattle, drawing the attention of everyone in the tavern, Jacquelyn turning to face the two men who arrived, one convincingly older than the other.

"Welcome, my friends!" the elder of the two greeted. "I apologise for not greeting you earlier."

"Agents of the Inquisition, allow me to introduce Magister Gereon Alexius," Fiona introduced, Alexius bowing his head ever so slightly.

"The southern mages are under my command," he explained, his voice full of authority. "And you are the survivor, yes? The one from the Fade?"

"That I am," Jacquelyn confirmed.

"One of them, anyway," Varric grumbled.

"Interesting…" Jacquelyn wasn't too happy with the way he said that. It didn't do anything to make her feel at ease.

"You are quite a long way from Tevinter, Alexius."

"Indeed I am, though I have heard you are no Fereldan, either. It seems we are both strangers here," he motioned for her to join him at a table, Jacquelyn following. Fiona looked rather depressed that the fates of she and her fellow mages were in the hands of the Tevinter.

"Felix, would you send for a scribe, please?" Alexius turned to the younger man who had accompanied him into the building, "Pardon my manners, my son Felix," Felix bowed to Jacquelyn, Jacquelyn inclining her head in return. She didn't get the same feeling from Felix as she did from his father, but unfortunately, she wasn't dealing with him, and he was already walking off.

"I am not surprised you're here," Alexius said, drawing the conversation back to the matter at hand. "Containing the Breach is not a feat that many could even attempt. There is no telling how many mages would be needed for such an endeavour. Ambitious, indeed."

"We are fighting a giant hole in the sky, Alexius. We can hardly afford to think small, and failure is hardly an option," Jacquelyn put on her sweetest smile.

"Indeed," Alexius agreed with a small smile of his own, "though there will have to be –"

At that moment Felix returned, and Jacquelyn noticed immediately that there was something wrong, rising to meet the young man. Alexius looked more than a little worried, also rising to his feet. Felix made a motion that he was fine… then promptly collapsed, Jacquelyn hurriedly reaching out to catch him. She managed not to frown as he forced a note into her hand.

"Felix…" Alexius was definitely scared for his son.

"I'm so sorry," Felix apologised, now leaning against the table. "Please forgive my clumsiness, my lady."

"Are you all right?" Alexius asked, Jacquelyn stepping back to give the father and son a little more room.

"I'm fine, Father," Felix tried to assure him, but Jacquelyn knew enough about protective fathers to recognise the look on Alexius' face. He wasn't convinced.

"Come, I'll get your powders," he said, motioning now for Felix to follow him. The younger man had no choice but to follow.

"Please excuse me, friends! We will have to continue this another time," Alexius didn't even look back, striding out of the room with great purpose. "Fiona, I require your assistance back at the castle." Fiona followed, still with a depressed look on her face. Felix followed behind everyone else, still walking as though he wasn't feeling quite right.

"I don't mean to trouble everyone," he said as a means of apology, Jacquelyn shaking her head.

"Think nothing of it," she assured him. "Just concentrate on getting better."

Felix threw her a small smile, then continued after his father and Fiona.

"I shall send word to the Inquisition," Alexius assured her, only now turning to face Jacquelyn. "We shall conclude this business at a later date."

He turned away, and only once they were gone did Jacquelyn pull out the note and read it over, a small frown on her face.

"Come to the chantry, you are in danger," she looked around at her companions, all of them seeming as intrigued and worried as she did.