Yvette Montilyet fanned herself with her hand and gave a most undignified yawn. She had been forced to come to Skyhold at her parent's insistence and after four days in this dreadfully dull place she was about at her breaking point. Her normally creative mind had reached an impenetrable wall that she could not seem to overcome. She had been staring at a blank canvas for two days and no matter how many times she tried, the inspiration she so desperately needed remained just out of her reach. She sighed in frustration and rose from her chair to stretch her legs.

She opted to take a walk in the garden and hope that she would find some misplaced source of inspiration that she might have missed on one of other half dozen times she had wandered the area. Maker, what was Josephine thinking living in such a drab place? Surely she and her husband would be better suited to a life of luxury? Well, at least Josephine, her husband was a Marcher and what would pass as luxury in that place would make even the poorest noble in Antiva cringe with distaste.

Yvette stepped into the brilliant glow of the sun and a cool breeze hit her face. She took a deep breath, savoring the fresh air after hours of being shut away in the musty keep. There were surprisingly few people in the garden, normally on such a nice day the garden would be packed with people enjoying the day. Today however there were only a handful of people seen around the intricately designed garden. The boy called Cole sat crossed legged at the far end of the garden, tenderly holding a rabbit to his chest and stroking its fur. The rabbit did not seem to mind and almost seemed to be at ease in Cole's arms. Mother Giselle sat on a bench in front of a group of school aged children no doubt giving a lesson about Andraste or The Maker or some other holy figure along with a life lesson of some kind.

And curled up on the nearest bench with her nose in a book which seemed to be her natural pose, sat Yvette's young niece Aria. The girl was not even eight years of age, yet to Yvette it seemed that she had read more books than most scholars. This was one of the many traits that she had inherited from her mother. Yvette remembered when they were children how angry Josephine would become if anyone, including their parents, had the audacity to interrupt whatever story she had immersed herself in. Yvette vividly remembered an incident when their brother Antoine had stolen one of Josephine's books and refused to give it back. Her normally composed sister had called Antoine names that would make a pirate blush.

Aria looked up from her book and gave Yvette a huge smile.

"Hi, Auntie." She said cheerfully.

Yvette sighed and sat down next to the younger girl. "I wish you would refrain from calling me that. It makes me sound dreadfully old."

Aria gave her a quizzical look. "Then what should I call you?"

"Preferably a carriage to take me home to Antiva."

"Do you not like it here Auntie?"

Yvette chose to ignore the title and began to fan herself with her hand. "Oh, it's not all bad I suppose. I just, I cannot fathom why your mother would choose to live in a smothering castle rather than back home."

"Mama says that home is wherever your family is." Aria said closing her book and sitting cross legged on the bench.

"Yes, precisely my point! You and your mother and father could come and live in Antiva closer to family. You would love it there, the sunsets are breath taking."

Aria was silent a moment, her brow was furrowed just like her father's when he was concentrating.

"How big is your estate?"

"Why, more than big enough to hold your whole family quite comfortably."

Aria's eyes widened. "Wow, your home must be twice as big as Skyhold!"

Yvette was thoroughly confused. "Why do you say that?"

"Because Skyhold is huge and the whole Inquisition can fit here but this is a castle. Your home must he huge if it can fit everyone in it."

Yvette chuckled. "No, no dear. I meant your family-you, your mama and your papa."

Now it was Aria who looked confused. "But, the Inquisition is my family too."

"Why do you say that Dear?"

"Well," Aria said looking thoughtful "Papa calls Cullen his brother and Mama calls Leliana her sister, so that makes them family right? And Leliana and Aedan are married so that makes him family. Cole always takes care of me when I'm sick, like Mama and Papa do. Vivienne helps me pick out clothes like Mama, and Varric tells me stories before bed. Dorian helps me with my studies and Iron Bull lets me sit on his lap and the Chargers always bring me back toys when they come home from their adventures. Krem got me a doll from Denerim that looks just like Queen Anora. Sera always plays with me and makes me laugh when I'm sad, and Blackwall teaches me how to take care of the horses. Papa says that family are the people who make you feel safe and happy, so doesn't that mean that the Inquisition is family too?"

Yvette stared at the young girl speechless. She was truly her mother's daughter and possessed an outlook on life that many adults lacked. Yvette had never seen things that way, family did not necessarily mean blood relatives, it meant being loved and cared for by those who meant the most to you. Yvette had always baffled at her sisters willingness to remain in a place such as this, but now thanks to the mind of a seven year old girl, she finally understood her sister's reasoning. Josephine would never forget her first family and always ensured that their interests and needs were met. She had simply found a home with a new family, one that held just as much importance as her first.

Aria hopped off the bench and took Yvette's hand.

"Follow me!" She said excitedly.

Yvette rose and followed Aria through the door leading to the main hall and through another door that opened up a winding staircase. Arya all but drug Yvette up the stairs and at long last the ground leveled out and they stood in front of yet another large wooden door. Aria pushed it open with a small grunt and the two found themselves on the battlements of the keep.

The sun was beginning to sink behind the mountains, and the sky was slowly turning to a brilliant mixture of pink and orange. Yvette had never seen this part of the keep before, and she had certainly never seen the keep look so beautiful. The snow capped tips of the mountains came in and out of view as the clouds drifted lazily by, and the small glimmers of light from the keep's torches gave the illusion that the keep itself was winking at her.

"See Auntie?" Aria said happily. "Skyhold has pretty sunsets too!"

Yvette stared at the young girl. Her pale green eyes reflected the dimming light of the sun, and the light surrounding her reminded Yvette of one of the paintings of Andraste as she looked upon her followers surrounded by the light of The Maker.

Yvette had planned to stay only a few days more, but that few days turned into nearly a month. She had shut herself in her quarters over the next several weeks working on what she called "her masterpiece." Nobody quite knew what this was exactly, but when Josephine's name day arrived the next month, Yvette presented her sister with a new painting for her "drab office." The painting was that of a young girl sitting in a garden reading a book with a brilliant sunset seen in the background. The painting was one that could rival even the greatest artist of Thedas and Josephine hugged her sister tightly thanking her for such a lovely gift.

Aria looked at the painting and turned her head. "Is this Mama?" She asked Yvette.

Yvette gave the girl a brilliant smile. "That my dear is a girl who has inspired me in a way that cannot be put into words." '

Aria squinted the painting again and shrugged, unaware that the girl in the painting was in fact her and that she had given Yvette the inspiration that she had thougth lost to her.