AUTHOR'S NOTES: LOOK WHO HASN'T GIVEN UP ON THIS FIC!

Hello lovelies, yes I have decided to work more on this fic. I actually wanted to give the credit of reviving my inspiration for this fic to Lazyvulcan. Their lovely review and enthusiasm made me want to get back into this fic, and actually gave me the muse juice to fill in the plot blanks that was making it hard for me to continue, so thank you very much Lazyvulcan, you the real MVP!

SHOUT-OUTS GO OUT TO: KMSaum Sirius123, Ravynna Frost, Camilla-Elin, Ashley425, psychoticfriend, raised-sherlock-from-perdition, Lazyvulcan, and all the other lovelies who have faved, followed, and supported this fic!

"I hope you all managed to get some sleep," Cassandra said as she took a seat.

It was obvious the opposite had occurred. If any of them had any semblance of rest, it didn't show in their faces. The advisors and the Inner Circle were gathered in the War Room, ready to start the first official meeting of the investigation. There was hardly anyone there who wasn't struggling to keep their eyes opened, but after handing out coffee and tea, courtesy of Josephine, they were a bit more prepared for the task at hand.

"Let's start from the top," Nimwen suggested. She cupped her tea in her hands, the light minty scent tickling the noses of those closest. There were still shadows under her eyes, but at least she was no longer in the catatonic state she'd been in the night before. "We should get a bearing on where everyone was before this all started."

"Dorian was with me most of the day." Iron Bull said. "I don't know what he did this morning, some library crap I think, but then in the afternoon he was with me and the Chargers in the training yard, even taught Dalish a few 'vint mag- archery techniques."

Nimwen rolled her eyes. "Right, archery." Dalish's abilities were hardly a secret to anyone in Skyhold, but Nimwen found it endearing that the Iron Bull still kept up the facade. She wondered whether it was to try and hide her magic, or if it was now just an inside joke.

"Yeah, then we went to the tavern, had some drinks, and then we were asleep when he started...bleeding." A shadowed look passed over the Qunari's face.

"While we were in my office, Vivienne said she'd spent most of the day coordinating messages with her colleagues amongst the loyalist mages," Josephine stated.

"Solas was with me almost the entire day," Nimwen said. "We were looking over some of the artifacts from Dirthamen's Temple, but then I had to leave for our meeting," she said to the advisors. "Then I came back with tea, and then…"

"It was hard to come up with Cole's whereabouts during the day," said Leliana. "Even without the ability to be invisible he is still quite adept at remaining hidden, and nobody knows for sure where he'd been yesterday."

"Yeah, Hero and I didn't even find the Kid 'til we were in the tavern," Varric sighed. "He was there maybe a half an hour before the shit started."

"I'll try and get more information on Cole's activities, and then I'll map out all their itineraries to find overlaps," Leliana said.

"Alright," Nimwen said. "I think this will do. Cullen I want you to coordinate with the guards to look for any breach in security."

"Yes, your Worship."

"Josephine, do your best to keep this from getting out."

"Very well."

"As for the rest of you, for now there isn't much for you to do. We're fighters, not detectives."

Bull coughed.

"Well, aside from Bull," Nimwen corrected. She stood up. "Just keep your eyes and ears open. Meeting adjourned."

As everyone left, Cassandra stopped Nimwen.

"I would like to check something out," the Seeker said.

"Alright, what is it?"

"Walk with me."

The two women began walking out of the War Room and down the hall.

"Where are we going?" Nimwen asked.

"The kitchens."

Nimwen raised a brow. "Why?"

"The best place for poison to be is in the kitchen, wouldn't you agree?"

"But I thought Fiona said her people couldn't find any trace of poison." Nimwen replied.

"You would be surprised how many poisons are able to go undetected." Cassandra sighed. "It's a stretch, but I think it's our best bet."

Nimwen didn't want to question Fiona's expertise, and trusted the Grand Enchantress knew what to do. Still, she hated feeling helpless, and was willing to investigate any avenue if it meant saving her friends. "Okay."

They walked through the Great Hall towards the kitchens. The late morning crowd in the hall was less noisy than it usually was. The servants flittered to and fro in mostly silence, and the guards on break were not as rowdy. Their quiet made Nimwen feel uneasy, and every in every mutter she caught she thought she heard whisper of the strange illness within Skyhold. She wished they would carry on as normal, if only to help her believe she had things under control.

When they entered the kitchens they were hit by the heat of the hearths and the amalgamated scents of all the food cooking. The two scullions on hand bowed at the Inquisitor's entrance, and she gave them a nod as she and Cassandra approached the head cook.

"Excuse me, Miss Donatien?" Nimwen asked.

The elf jumped at the sudden slam that pierced the air.

Donatien turned around, still holding the large cleaver that had just cut through a large slab of meat. The human woman was ancient, but still had eyes sharp as her knives and hands strong enough to wield a cleaver like a warrior. Her papery skin was wrinkled and browned from decades of working near fires and around hot food, and had hands covered in scars and calluses; she could have been mistaken for a blacksmith. "What do you want?" the woman's rickety voice, asked irritation clear.

"I'm sure you're aware of the incident that occurred last night," Cassandra said.

"Aye I know, caused a right ruckus that did. Thought Corypheus himself had descended," Donatien griped. She wiped the cleaver's blade with her apron, her talon-like hands removing the blood and bits of flesh that clung to it.

"We're trying to find some leads," Nimwen explained. It seemed every time she had to deal with the cook, Donatien always had one of her cutting utensils in hand. She understood why her staff feared the old woman.

"Lead?" Donatien narrowed her grey eyes. "And you think one's in my kitchen?"

"Is there any chance somebody could have come in here and tampered with any of the food?" Cassandra asked, seemingly not intimidated by the cook.

"Like hell there is! I know everything that happens in this kitchen Seeker, everything. Not a pinch of sugar gets spilled without me knowing whose hand gets slapped for it."

"I'm not doubting that, ma'am," Nimwen assured her, slightly nervous. Even though the head cook was ranks and ranks below the Inquisitor, not to mention it was likely a stiff wind could take out the elderly woman, as soon as Nimwen entered the kitchen she felt Donatien practically absorb all her authority, through supernatural means the elf was certain, and left Nimwen feeling like a slab of meat to be hacked at the human's whim. Also she was certain if Donatien did die, she'd just haunt the kitchen forever. "Can you take us through last night, though? Do you remember anything strange happening?"

"You were in here last night, your Worship, did you see anything?" Donatien retorted. She put the cleaver back with the rest of the knives hanging on the wall. "Aside from having to scold one of my new girls for mistaking sugar for salt, it was just another night preparing food for the keep."

"Who has access to this area?" Cassandra asked.

"Aside from that blasted elf, and that blond boy with the ridiculous hat always stealing my things," Donatien growled, smoothing the flyaway hairs coming out of her tired bun. "The only ones with access to the kitchens are myself, my people, and sometimes that Horty girl."

"Why does this Horty only come in sometimes? Is she not one of your scullions?" asked Cassandra.

Donatien scoffed. "Maker no, that fool could burn water. No she's not one of my scullions. Horty came a while ago looking for a job, but she's clumsier than a druffalo and can't cook worth a damn, so I just have her sweep the floor, take care of the trash, deliver things, that sort of work."

"If she does deliveries, than she might know whether someone tried to sneak something in," Cassandra whispered to Nimwen.

Nimwen nodded. "Donatien, do you know where we might find Horty?"

"I don't know what she does outside this kitchen, nor have I ever really cared," the cook replied.

"U-um, you Worship?" one of the scullions spoke up.

"Yes?" Nimwen asked.

The elven girl wrung her hands shyly. "I think I remember her saying something about cats once."

"Cats?" Cassandra repeated.

"Crazy girl is always muttering to herself, but can barely make words when I'm talking to her," Donatien remarked.

'I wonder why,' Nimwen thought to herself. She turned to the servant. "Thank you, that was helpful," she said with a smile.

The girl blushed. "Y-you're welcome, your Worship."

"'Right then, will there be anything else? I have a kitchen to run," Donatien cut in.

Nimwen gulped. "No, no, that's fine."

"Your help has been appreciated," Cassandra added.

"Just get this whole thing sorted out. Worried scullions means distracted brains, which leads to fumbling hands, and I can't stand messes in my kitchen."

"We'll get right on it," Nimwen said with a nervous smile.

Leaving the kitchen with Cassandra felt like Nimwen had just escaped a dragon's lair. She let out a sigh of relief.

"The way she speaks, you'd think she was the Inquisitor," Cassandra mused.

"Remind me again why don't we just have her fight Corypheus?"

"I think that battle would end the world."

Nimwen chuckled. "Probably. Whenever I talk to her it feels like I'm back with my clan, being scolded by Keeper Deshanna for nodding off during a lesson, granted the Keeper had a lot less knives lying around."

"I'm sure. Now, where should we look for this Horty?" Cassandra asked.

"Donatien mentioned cats, and I think Blackwall said there are cats in the stables," Nimwen said.

They made the walk down the stairs to the lower courtyard where the stables sat. As they got closer Nimwen could see Master Dennet tending to one of the horses.

"Master Dennet," Nimwen called out to the human.

The dark human looked up from his work. "Inquisitor, how are you?"

"I'm good, considering…"

"Ah yes, I heard, I send my prayers to your comrades, your Worship."

"Thank you, Dennet."

"Now, what can I do for you?"

"Is there a girl named Horty here?" Cassandra asked.

"Ah yes, she back there feeding the cats," the stable master responded, pointing to the back of the barn.

"Thank you," Dennet," Nimwen said.

They left the human man and made their way to the back of the barn.

"I think that's her," Nimwen whispered to Cassandra.

There was a young woman surrounded by cats. She carried a small basket and took out what looked like bits of meat and handed them to the cats that pawed at her skirts.

"You are Horty?" Cassandra asked.

The girl squeaked, startled, which sent her basket to the ground and the cats scurrying. "Who are-" She turned around but froze upon seeing the Seeker and Inquisitor. She was a human who looked to be Nimwen's age, maybe a year younger. She was an average looking girl, not one who would turn heads, with small eyes and a face brown with freckles and dirt. She had frizzy brown hair that would have looked like a puffball if not for the white kerchief around her head.

"Are you Horty?" Nimwen asked gently. She noticed how nervous the girl seemed.

"I-I um...yes," the human stuttered. She had a small, nasally voice that fit her mousy appearance.

"We need to ask you a few questions," said the Seeker.

Horty's eyes widened. "I-I didn't do n-nothin'!" she insisted. "I-I'm 'llowed to feed the c-cats, M-master Dennet and S-S-Ser Blackwall said I could-"

"Relax, relax," Nimwen soothed. "We aren't here about the cats. We heard you deliver things sometimes to the kitchens, we just want to know if you remember anything suspicious last night."

"I...n-no I don't think so," Horty murmured. She twisted her hands in the skirts of her green dress. "It was dinner time, so the kitchens were real busy milady. If s-something did happen I didn't see. 'cept..."

"What?" Cassandra asked.

The girl squeaked again. "It-it wasn't much, really. I just re-remember Miss Dona yellin' at one of the girls, but she do that all the time. I just 'member her sayin' she was gonna chop the girl's hair off and make rope from it. Then I started thinkin' how much rope could her hair actually make, I mean, I couldn't tell since she had it pulled up-" Horty's eyes widened. "I-I'm sorry I'm ramblin'. Oh, I'm w-wastin' your time. Stupid, stupid…" The girl began muttering to herself.

"It's alright, Horty, you aren't wasting it," Nimwen assured the girl. "But just to be clear, if somebody wanted to get something into the kitchen, is there any way to do that besides you?"

"W-well I suppose, but n-not really," Horty said. "Miss Dona don't like too many people in the kitchen, so she don't like people 'sides me bringing stuff in, and she don't like me too much I think."

Cassandra sighed. "Perhaps we should look elsewhere."

"Maybe," Nimwen replied. She turned to Horty. "Thank you for your time, it was appreciated."

"I-I, yes of course ma'am," Horty replied. "A-anything for you, your Worship."

"Come, let's go," Cassandra said.

She and Nimwen turned to leave.

"W-wait!"

They paused and turned back around.

Horty looked like a deer that spotted a hunter. "W-was that out of line? O-oh forgive me miladies, I shouldn't be ordering you t-to wait-"

"What is it?" Cassandra interrupted.

Horty stopped her muttering, and Nimwen could see her struggling with her words. "I-I was wonderin'..." She played with her apron. "Th-they say one of the ones sick is C-Cole, that right?"

Nimwen raised a brow. "You know him?" she asked. She knew servants could see Cole now, but she didn't think any of them knew him by name yet. Cole had never mentioned this girl either.

Horty nodded. "C-c-could y-you m-maybe...give him this?" She pulled out a simple, clean white handkerchief. There were varying stitch lines in different colors. "M-my granny always say this supposed to have good luck in it. H-he's always helpin' m-me, and is nice. s-so I just thought…"

"I'll make sure he gets it," Nimwen said gently, taking the handkerchief from Horty.

Horty blushed. "Oh, bless you, your Worship," she thanked with a bow.

"We had best get going," Cassandra said.

"Right, good day to you, Horty," Nimwen said to the servant.

"Y-your Worship?"

"Yes?"

"Cole...h-he's gonna be okay, r-right?"

Nimwen tensed. Her mind went back to earlier that morning. She remembered his burning skin, his deathly pallor, the horrible noise he made as he coughed up blood...

Nimwen forced herself to smile. "He's going to pull through this, they all are. I promise." She sounded so comforting and assured. She almost convinced herself.

A small smile appeared on Horty's lips. "Thank you."

As the duo walked away from the barn and towards the stairs, Nimwen's smile fell. She felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Are you alright?" Cassandra asked.

Nimwen sighed. "I made her a promise, I just hope I can keep it."

"You're going to. We will find whatever is responsible and we will help them."

"This is different than our fight with Corypheus, at least with him we know who we're fighting. The enemy has a face. The enemy is inside them, and we don't even know what it is, let alone how it got there."

"And that is why we are going to keep searching until we get our answers."

Nimwen ran a hand through her hair. "I hope you're right."

"You shouldn't lose hope just yet, one of us has to be an optimist," Cassandra said.

"And it has to be me?"

"Who else, myself?"

Nimwen snorted. "Don't doubt yourself; you're the one who's able to put all her faith in a Dalish mage to save the world, there has to be some optimism in there somewhere."

"Not optimism, confidence," Cassandra said with a smile.

"Inquisitor, Seeker Cassandra."

The two women stopped and looked ahead to see one of the castle guards approaching them.

"What is it?" Nimwen asked him.

"Your presence is requested in the dungeons."

"The dungeons, what for?" asked Cassandra.

"Commander Cullen asked for you. He believes he's found a spy."