Back in Haven, everyone took turns having their clothing or armour fussed over by Josephine, with Harritt the blacksmith reluctantly in tow. Josephine would ask him about fixing a stitch here or lengthening a section there, and Harritt would grunt and mumble something about being a blacksmith, not an Orlesian draper. He could have pieces of armour shined, for all the good it would do, but that was about the extent of it. Josephine refused to give up, until a young man approached her to ask if she might intervene with an argument between Sister Nightingale and Commander Cullen that was becoming a little too heated for everyone else's comfort.

Cassandra was listening to the argument with rapidly shrinking patience.

"If we hire a boat in Lydes we could get them to Val Royeaux within a fortnight, it would save them at least a week. We cannot give the chantry time to change their minds and back out," Leliana insisted.

"I understand that, but we simply don't have the coin to spare for such a trivial expense," Cullen retorted.

"Trivial? The safety of the Herald is paramount, and the donation from Winterwatch—"

"Should be spent with caution. We need that coin for…"

Cassandra noticed the door was slightly open, and went to close it. She noticed Fae a short distance away, sitting cross-legged on the floor with a large tome in her lap. Seeing an opportunity to distance herself from the bickering, she slipped out of the room and closed the door behind her.

"Miss Tabris, I wondered if I might have a word?"

Fae looked up from her book, evidently annoyed by the interruption. "I'd prefer it if you called me Fae. 'Miss Tabris' makes me sound like some nobleman's third daughter," she said as she stood up.

"As you like. Good book?"

"Don't know. Haven't read it. I've been using it to protect this," Fae slipped a piece of paper out of it. "The list of all the names I could identify from their belongings. Those lost at the conclave, I mean. Not enough to identify everyone, but it means we can give the stuff back to their loved ones."

"May I see it?"

Cassandra scanned down the list.

Keran Wilson, human, Templar Order.

Emile De Launcet, human, mage, formerly Kirkwall Circle of Magi.

Ruvena Blythe, human, Templar Order.

Sadie Brune (Broon? Boon?) elf, mage, formerly Ostwick Circle of Magi.

Regalyan D'Marcall, human, mage, formerly Val Royeaux Circle of Magi.

The names continued all the way down the sheet, and continued on the other side of the page.

Cassandra handed back the page wordlessly.

"Thanks. I'm waiting to give it to Leliana, but by the sound of it, she won't be available for a while," Fae explained, heading towards the Chantry's entrance.

Cassandra fidgeted with one of her gauntlets. "Could I ask you something, Fae?"

"Uh oh, it's my turn to be questioned is it?" Fae smirked. "Varric warned me this might happen. Well, go on." Suddenly she was standing directly in front of Cassandra, peering up at the Seeker through her eyelashes. "Interrogate me," she said, eyes flicking up and down the length of Cassandra's plate armour.

Cassandra laughed awkwardly. "Eh heh. I suppose I should not be surprised that Varric told you about how we met. But, whatever he says about being my prisoner, he did choose to come to Haven willingly."

Fae held the door open for Cassandra to pass through. "I know. And I don't believe Varric would have done so if he really disliked you. Even if you are connected to the templars."

"You truly despise the templars that much?"

Fae rolled her eyes. "Is that what you wanted to ask me about? My opinion of the templars?"

"No- I admit, the questions I want to ask are mainly out of curiosity. I've read Varric's Tales of the Champion, as well as his Tales of the Fifth Blight. However, I am aware of Varric's tendency to bend the truth in favour of…excitement, in his story-telling."

Fae laughed. "It's part of his charm. He's a writer, it comes with the territory."

"Yes, but, you were there. By the Warden's side, and by the Champion's," Cassandra said, eyes shining with excitement.

Fae returned her enthusiasm with suspicion. "And you know this because Varric told you, right? He said you had a lot of questions about me, but he promised me I wouldn't be mentioned in his books."

"I did, and no, you are never mentioned in the books. At the time, Sister Leliana and I were also looking for the Hero of Ferelden; I had hoped that you might be able to help us find her, but by then, you were in hiding as well."

"Speaking of Leliana, she was by our side, too, during the Blight. Why not ask her?"

"I've tried, but Sister Leliana does not share Varric's passion for stories, I'm afraid."

"Really?" Fae glanced sadly at Leliana's tent. "She has changed. But I get where you're going with this. You want to ask what things were true and what things Varric made up for the sake of a good story."

"I do, if that is alright with you."

"Why not? Fire away."

"At the Landsmeet, when Alistair was named King, did Teryn Loghain duel the Hero of Ferelden- your cousin Neria, I mean- in single combat?" Cassandra asked, struggling to contain her excitement.

Fae shot her a puzzled look. "What? No. Why would he?"

"Because he was determined to keep power, of course. It was after all the other lords and ladies had spoken against him, and he was desperate."

"Besting Neria in a dual wouldn't have changed anything, even if he had; it wasn't her in line for the crown, it was Alistair. If he was to challenge anyone, it would have been him."

"Ah. That…makes sense. I also had a question about First Enchanter Orsino, during the Kirkwall rebellion; did he really use the bodies of the fallen mages in a blood magic ritual to become a giant abomination?"

"Yes, but I wasn't there to see it. Hawke told me about it afterward."

Cassandra frowned. "Afterward? I thought you all went your separate ways after the Kirkwall rebellion? Apart from Merrill and the Champion."

Fae hesitated. "We did, but not straight away. We were still all together for a few days, at least, in the aftermath."

"I see."

"Ah, there you are!" Josephine stood at the entrance to the Chantry, clipboard in hand. "Lady Cassandra, Miss Tabris, you are needed inside, please, if you would? We have much to go over before you leave for Val Royeaux."