The trip to Ostagar was as uneventful as you could hope for. We made our standard stop in Redcliffe to see how the market and city had grown. It was also a chance to look for the new spies that I'd had infiltrate the Surface caste merchants so I could get an idea of the day-to-day operations and how they were keeping an eye on illegal activity. The contacts in the Redcliffe market made sure to take some time to meet with me and help me understand what they were working on.

As it happened, Arl Eamon's son Connor was visiting the city at the same time. I asked him about how his studies were going now that the Circle had converted fully into the Amellian College. I wanted to get an idea of how things were while I wasn't visiting the college and I wasn't around any of the professors or Allen. There was a thought that I might not get a proper evaluation if any of them were present.

I had written to Allen before my departure from Orzammar to schedule our annual meeting. He would be attending Trianna and Aelfric's wedding, of course, but that was no place to hold our meeting about the state of the college. That, and I didn't want Allen and Faren around each other for any longer than was necessary. No one wanted a repeat of the last time we'd all been together at Serena and Alistair's wedding. Still, even with the written request, I asked Connor to relay the request once he'd returned to the college.

We left Redcliffe after only a day. I didn't want to waste too much time getting to Ostagar.

When we arrived at Ostagar, I couldn't help but notice that a number of the elves had shaved their heads and were espousing the ideology of Solas. There was no small amount of arguing over a recent series of arrests. Trianna and Aelfric's names were whispered with concern.

One thing that was refreshing was that my arrival brought a good many well wishers. Many elves lined the road to watch the procession of my guards and myself. The dwarves that had remained were all in attendance, cheering us as we rode past. It almost became an impromptu parade if it weren't for the concerning conversations I was hearing about Trianna, Aelfric, and Solas.

I stopped at the Council Building and dismounted. My guards filed around the stairs that led up into the building and Faren escorted me to the door where a pair of elven guards bowed low.

"Andarn Atish'an, Princess Orodum," one of the guards said.

"Aneth ara," I replied with a bright smile and curtsy. My reply was more sociable and typically only used among the Dalish themselves, and not with or by an outsider. I had learned to speak the language from Trianna, but didn't flaunt the fact more than needed. I was named an elf friend, though, so the greetings was still appropriate.

"Is the Council in?" I asked. "I have come to speak with them about a matter dear to me."

The elves exchanged looks before one answered, "Word of your arrival has spread quickly, Princess. Someone is inside waiting to speak with you."

I arched my brows, "Someone? Not the entire Council?"

"There have been complications as of late, my Lady," the other guard chimed in. "You've come in a turbulent time."

"Well, no one better to handle a rocky situation than a dwarf," I jested, but steeled my mind for a problematic conversation. "May I go in?"

"Of course, Princess," the guard bowed his head. "However, we were asked that the conversation be a private one. We would appreciate it if your man would remain outside for now."

"Her man?" Faren growled.

I pat Faren's shoulder and snickered, "You know he didn't mean it like that. Stay here for now. I'm sure I'll be fine."

Faren hummed in disapproval but simply bowed, "As you command, Princess. If you have need of me…"

"I'll call," I assured him. I turned and stopped through the large doors.

As I made my way in, I looked around the meeting hall of the council building, noting that all but one of the seats were empty. Sitting at the head of the table was Solas. His placid smile irritated me immediately, but I wasn't going to let that distract me from my purpose for coming here. If he was who I needed to speak to, then he was who I would speak to. I gathered up my resolve and approached.

"Solas," I said pleasantly as I dipped into a curtsy.

He rested his hands on the table, knitting his fingers together, "Princess Merida. To what do we owe the honor of your visit?"

He was pretending not to know. I wasn't foolish enough to believe for a moment that he wasn't aware.

"I'm not sure if you know this or not," I began politely, "but Trianna and I exchange letters weekly. It's been over a month since she's written to me now. She announced that she and Aelfric would be married in the spring, so with the timing I decided to come check on my friends and help with setting up the wedding."

"You fear something untoward has happened to her and you were uninformed?" Solas reiterated succinctly.

"I do," I confirmed.

"Ah, I see now why you came to me," Solas sighed. "You see, Princess, this situation puts everyone in quite a predicament. Will you please sit and allow me to explain?"

I hesitated a moment before taking a seat. Once I was comfortable, I set my gaze directly on Solas, "I have a reputation for solving predicaments. Please, tell me everything."

"I will be blunt with what you will consider to be the most important detail," Solas kept his tone neutral. "Trianna and Aelfric, as well as several council members and their Firsts have been brought into custody."

"Under what charge?" I kept my tone more curious. I didn't let a hint of suspicion make its way into my voice.

"Insurrection," Solas confirmed bluntly.

"Insurrection?" I asked dubiously. "How could Trianna be brought into custody for insurrection when she is the leader of the elves? Did she plan on usurping herself?"

Solas let out that soft chuckle that I had at one time taken comfort in when I used to play Inquisition, "No, Princess. Insurrection against her people. Lady Trianna and Bann Aelfric were gathering people to actively hinder the progress of our people."

"Lady Trianna successfully united the clans of Ferelden," I countered. "She worked to ensure your people were able to have Ostagar and its surrounding lands as their own, and was working with the clans to integrate traditions and rights to ensure that every path your people have followed for generations was recognized and became a part of this fledgling nation state. How could that be construed as actively hindering the progress of the elves?"

"You do not understand, Princess," Solas responded with that subtle hint of impatience he could get when trying to explain things to people when he was in an impassioned mood. "My people were not destined to settle in some human made fort at the south end of a backwater, human ruled nation. We were destined for greater things."

"What you mean to say is that you used to be immortal beings who enslaved your own people and any others you saw as lesser in a land where the physical realm and the Fade were each part of the same world, and you want to bring your people back to that state no matter how many lives of other races it might cost," I stated boldly, with no subtly to my expression.

"If that is how you see things, Princess, I cannot blame you," he said, still keeping that neutral edge to his voice. "But you cannot understand the world I have come from. You cannot understand how far removed this world is from that one, and how things must go back to the way they were so that all can be right again."
"That is where you are wrong," I shook my head. "You are not simply speaking to a dwarf, Fen'Harel."

Solas' expression changed when I called him by his true name but I wasn't going to let him recover from that. It was time we put our cards on the table.

"You are speaking to a Titan," I allowed the light of the Titans to shine through my eyes so that they glowed a brilliant lyrium blue. "My creators have gifted me their powers and now your ancient enemies are here to safeguard the world that you yourself rent asunder. I will not allow you to kill millions of innocent lives, lives that have worked so hard to live the way they wish to live, simply to make up for your own rash actions in the past."

"If you know who I am," Solas replied with a warning edge to his tone, "then you know what I am capable of. Do you think your newly lent power can contend with one of the Evanuris? Do you think yourself capable of defeating the person who imprisoned the other Evanuris?"

"Do you think I would have come here to save my friends if I didn't believe that I could?" I asked pointedly.

He considered me carefully for several moments before responding, "No. I do not. Tales of your exploits and meticulous planning are well known, Princess. May I ask why you bothered with any pretense at all?"

I slipped back into my conversational demeanor, "My mother used to tell me that you can always start nice then move to angry, but you can't start angry and move to nice. I prefer to do things the nice way if possible. That, and I believe we will need each other before too long, so being antagonistic with each other isn't going to help."

"I'm curious," Solas admitted. "We are clearly at cross purposes. How do you believe we will need one another?"

"There is another Fated that the others have not met yet," I explained. "He is an omega hurlock. He has other sentient darkspawn with him and they are actively searching for the location of the last two old god prisons. He hopes to reap the power of the old gods from them and eventually wage war on all of Thedas."

Solas stared at me intensely, as if considering the consequences of what I had just told him, "Darkspawn do not typically wish to kill the old gods. If what you say is true, and this particular Fated does wish to gain the power of the old gods, then we must join our forces to stop them. I suppose the question now becomes, how do we ally our forces knowing that we will be enemies after this common threat is dealt with?"

"You cannot do what you wish to do without those souls and the power they command," I began carefully. "However, if he gets them, he will become a force to reckon with. If allying with you means we can stop him, then I will do so. I won't move against you until Seven has been dealt with."

"Seven?" Solas asked.

"The darkspawn in question calls himself Seven," I clarified.

"A curious moniker," Solas hummed.

"That's not exactly the point we should be concerned about," I sighed.

"No, you are right," Solas agreed. "I assume for this alliance to work, you wish for me to release your friends."

I smiled snarkily, "You assume correctly. If you wish to lead the elves who believe in you, you should also take them elsewhere. Ostagar was given to the united clans. Taking control over it will eventually bring down the ire of King Maric, and I will be obligated to aid him in any liberation effort he may attempt."

"Are you saying this to give up my hold on this budding city or because you are concerned that such actions would destroy what you and your friends have built?" he asked with what seemed to be genuine curiosity.

"Both," I replied bluntly. "Your occupation of the city threatens to undo all the work the elves have done to make it a place where they can set down roots as a people, while sharing borders with genuine allies. You are putting thousands of lives in danger simply by trying to take control here."

"And where would you suggest I go?"

"I don't particularly care," I admitted. "But I'm sure you could lead those who follow you to Skyhold. It's nice and remote, and out of the way enough to not bother the powers that be."

"So long as they are the powers that be," Solas snipped.

"Assuming I'm one of them, I intend to keep them as they are. This alliance is only temporary, after all."

Solas considered the proposition for some time, "What incentive do I have, other than hostile actions by Orzammar and Ferelden, to move my people to Skyhold. It is a ruin, after all."

"I will provide food and some supplies for your people," I suggested diplomatically. "You'll have what you need to establish yourselves, as well as repairs to the forts foundations as an added gesture of generosity, but nothing more."

"A generous offer, regardless," Solas bowed his head. "Very well, Princess. I will agree to take my people to Skyhold. They will bring what supplies they can with the assurances that your people will deliver what you have promised in a timely manner."

"And you will release my friends and those loyal to them this instant," I insisted.

"Very well. Please wait here and I will bring them to you," Solas stood up and made his way out of the council hall.

I was left alone for some time, but in that time a knock came from the hall's doorway. When I turned to see who it was, a smile spread across my face. A clean shaven dwarf with light brown hair, wearing a thick, brown, leather jacket with silver clasps sauntered into the room. He wore a cocky, confident expression and exuded a swagger that spoke to his roguish nature.

The dwarf stopped a few feet from me and dipped into a sweeping bow, "Paragon Orodum."

"Varric Tethras!" I was grinning from ear to ear. Varric was an absolute fan favorite character, and was extremely handsome for a dwarf. "Did Beraht and Jarvia recruit you?"

He seemed surprised that I knew who he was, but being ever the professional, he didn't let it faze him. He simply nodded, "They did. And as you may suspect, they sent me to deliver some news to you."

"It may have to wait until we have some more time," I hummed. "What does it concern?"

"The state of the Grey Wardens, My Lady," he answered with a tone that suggested the news wasn't good.

"I see…" I thought about the situation for a moment. "My allies will be returning in a few minutes. I'll take some time to get them situated and oversee the exodus of Solas and his followers. We can speak this evening in my quarters."

Varric nodded, "As you say, Princess."

I heard the door to the building open but leaned into Varric, "I'll also need you to do one more thing for me."

"What's that, Princess?" Varric asked curiously.

"I want you to think of a nickname for me. I hear you have a reputation for great nicknames," I smirked.

Varric chuckled and looked at me slyly, "I'll get right on that."

At that moment, Solas entered the chamber followed by Trianna, Aelfric, and several other elves. Trianna's eyes lit up when she saw me and she rushed past Solas to wrap me in an embrace. I hugged her back tight enough for her back to pop.

"I was so worried about you," I said softly.

"I was hoping you would be able to help," she responded with relief in her voice. "I guess you came because I stopped sending letters?"

I nodded, "And because I said I would help with the wedding."

"We're grateful for your aid, Merida," Aelfric added. "We're in your debt."

Solas approached calmly, "As promised, your friends have been released and they are unharmed."

"And you'll be leaving as soon as possible, yes?" I looked up at him.

"It shouldn't take more than a few hours," Solas nodded. "I trust you'll keep your word on the supplies and repairs?"

I gave a nod and motioned to Varric, "Indeed. I was just telling one of my men to relay the order. The supplies will be coming directly from Redcliffe, and the masons will be coming from Orzammar so they might take some extra time to arrive, but you'll get what I promised."

"Very well," Solas conceded. "I will take my leave and gather those who wish to join me. We will be gone before the end of the day."

"It was a pleasure speaking with you, Solas," I curtsied.

"And you, Princess," Solas bowed. "You live up to your reputation. It is rather a pleasant surprise."

"Wait, what's happening?" Trianna asked with a mixture of surprise and suspicion.

"Solas is leaving and he's taking his followers with him," I started to explain. "I'm going to send them some supplies and have some masons help shore up their new home."

"Where are they going?" Aelfric asked.

"Skyhold," I responded with a wink. "Don't worry. He's seen the wisdom in taking his leave."

"Skyhold is a formidable fortress," Aelfric said in thought. "It will be difficult to take if it ever comes to that."

"Let me worry about that," I grinned. "For now, let's just focus on bringing the elves back together and on your wedding."

Trianna chuckled and shook her head, "At least your priorities haven't changed. Also… is that Varric?"

"That is Varric!" Aelfric exclaimed.

"How do all of you know who I am?" Varric wondered.

Solas gathered his people and left within the day. All told he took the equivalent of two clans worth of elves with him. It wasn't a significant number, but it was enough to concern some of the Keepers on the Council. Rumors spread that I had come threatening military action against Solas, but that wasn't exactly true. Still, it dampened my reputation with some of the elves in Ostagar who believed it was possible.

With the Solas situation on pause, we were able to focus on Trianna and Aelfric's wedding.