Chapter five

Alys had no idea how long had passed since they left the burning fortress, but as she opened her eyes she saw the templar called Barris sitting next her. His brown eyes looked tired and his dark skin looked almost reddish as if it had been a little burned. Her throat felt dry and she tried to keep herself from coughing, but it was no use. Carefully the templar held her head and made her drink from a waterskin.

"Easy… I am not sure the Herald will welcome us if you got hurt," Barris said softly.

"Y…. you know who I am?" Alys asked as her eyes widened.

"Well, yes and no. I know you are not the Herald. I saw her in Val Royeaux. When you arrived at the keep I would have said something, but the others - not even the Lord Seeker - seemed to not care. I knew something strange was going on and that only confirmed it. I guessed the Herald sent you, so I was curious as to see what would happen… In hindsight I am not sure if that was wise," Barris said with regret.

Alys sat up and saw all the wounded templars around them. Around forty had managed to escape with them, but many of them were wounded. She tried to get up, but Barris caught her arm.

"Careful now. You are still weak," he said softly.

"They need help and I can give it to them," Alys said with determination.

"Usually young girl apostates are more weary of templars," he smiled kindly and she felt fear in her gut. She tried to calm herself as she shook her head.

"That doesn't matter. They need help. That is more important," she said with determination as she walked over to the first injured templar with her pack and took out whatever potions and bandages she had left. Barris went over next to her and kneeled down. He held a hand on the templars wound to keep it from bleeding and help her as she tended to it.

"I hope your Herald is as forgiving as you. We have nowhere to go if the Inquisition turns us away," he said in a low voice, that was filled with worry.

"She will not turn you away. I promise," Alys promised.

"You know her so well that you can promise something like that?" Barris asked with a doubtful smile.

"She is my sister," she replied in a low voice not looking at him and he nodded with understanding.

It had been days since Miluanna had returned to Haven. She had only heard once from Krem, that they were returning and to expect to receive around forty templars. Her and her advisors had kept this news to themselves, but Miluanna feared what the reaction from the mages would be. Cullen had suggested some amount of supervision, but Miluanna knew they would never accept it. Especially not after she had promised them their freedom within the Inquisition. They night was slowly arriving as the sun was setting in the distance. She had crawled up on the roof of one of the small houses and looked into the distance. She didn't feel the chill of the snow, but just stared into the distance. She closed her eyes and begged for the wind to make her prayer travel with it, so that her Creators would hear.

"Ma halani. Creators, watch over my da'veh'nan. And if the Dreadwolf is traveling in her steppes, may he see an innocent of youth and not the presumption of age. Fen'Harel - the last of the Creators, who walks amongst us - spare her and protect her, as you did the dahlens of the past,"

She heard footsteps in the snow, but didn't pay much attention to those either. The presence had crawled up on the roof next to her, before she turned her head to see Solas standing there, panting and looking at her. He was wearing a long green coat that she had made for him. She couldn't help but chuckle at his panting and with the wry grin he looked back at her.

"I amuse you, do I? We can't all be as graceful as you,"

She felt a blush creep up on her.

"Grace does not help me with what is important. I have your wisdom to guide me for that," she replied honestly and wondered, where she got her boldness from. She looked away with a shy look on her face, but suddenly she turned serious again.

Solas looked at her tenderly. He hated seeing her so worried. She was as gentle as any spirit he had come across and as wise as those, whose company he enjoyed the most. She was lacking in knowledge, perhaps, but a keen interest in learning and an ability to learn quickly, which meant that it did not matter. With every word exchanged between them, he felt her knowledge grow and her mind adapt around it - in fact he felt that even he gained a new perspective with each word exchanged. Even an old dog could learn new tricks it seemed to him - but the real surprise was that it came from someone so young. Hahren… that was what he was. Her elder. Yet in her words he found the wisdom of an old woman, making them equals in his mind. But he had come to find her youth a strength as well. Her mind was not yet set in old ways, but he could not determine if it was her surprising spirit or her youth that gave her the quality in her, which he admired most.

"She will come home safely," Solas tried to comfort.

"She has too. Solas, if she is lost to me…" she began, but he quickly hushed her as he crouched down next to her and gently placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Do not think such dire thoughts. She is stronger than she knows. Thinking with such despair will not help or quiet the worry in your heart," he offered kindly squeezing her shoulder. Without thinking she put her hand on his, that was still resting on her shoulder.

"You are right, of course…. Sometimes I wish I had Cassandra's faith," she breathed sadly.

"Even Cassandra's faith wavers. Especially when her own confidence is concerned. You know this. She has relied on you for that certainty," he smiled fondly and she gave a breathy chuckle.

"Dear Cassandra. She is a better leader than she gives herself credit for. Pointing out that she is doing all she can, and that the people around her is confident in her ability, is the least I can do to make her feel at ease," she replied smiling to herself.

"Yet you are not as generous as to offering this kindness to yourself," Solas pointed out.

Miluanna looked at him with a sad, but reflecting look, that showed him that she was considering his words. This was possibly the look he had come to admire the most in the brief time he had known her. It was a sign that she was growing and that her spirit was absorbing something knew. He could not imagine that he would ever want her to change, but seeing her spirit grow made him feel alive. And for all the misery he felt he had brought to the world, he felt as if with every moment she grew, he would have given the world a better chance of recovering from all his mistakes. She was about to answer, when she broke their eye contact to look towards the distance behind him. She got up and narrowed her sharp hunters eyes.

"Alys!" she laughed brightly and with a quickness, that always seemed astonishing to him, she jumped of the roof and into the snow. Solas chuckled as she ran through Haven towards her sister, but did feel a slight concern, when he saw the number of templars. Not to mention the mages already gathering, looking less than pleased. He took a deep breath and thought it better to get down there and help Miluanna mediate the situation.

As he approached he already saw the mages bearing their teeth and the templars grasping their weapons in the distance. He made a scout run after Cullen, while he approached them as well. Miluanna had run directly to her sister and had her in a tight embrace. Alys looked more than a little uncomfortable - her hair dyed a colour matching her sister's. As Miluanna pulled away Solas imagined a scolding would be what came next, but Miluanna too saw the trouble brewing between the mages and templars. So after thanking the chargers, she stood in front of the slowly approaching templars, the mages a few meters behind her. Solas stepped up next to her and they were quickly joined by Cassandra and Cullen. When the templars came near they kept a respectful distance and Miluanna turned to give the mages a saying look, without words ordering them not to act. Alys stepped forward and approached a young templar with dark skin and very short hair.

"Barris, this is the Herald of Andraste, this is Commander Cullen and Seeker Pentaghast. I told the templars that I was certain you would welcome them amongst our ranks," Alys said very politely and for a moment her eyes met Solas' as if seeking for approval. Discretely he nodded at her, knowing that she was not experienced among strangers, but knowing she hoped that it would help.

"I am pleased to see so many of the Templar order is willing to talk. That was not the impression I got at our last meeting, Ser Barris," Miluanna said with a casual, but not unwelcoming tone.

"Yes, that was unfortunate. We represent those, who might still be willing to negotiate,"

Ser Barris explained.

"Then I welcome you to join us and we can negotiate a peace between the Inquisition, mages and templars," Cullen said with a smile.

Barris was about to reply, when he looked towards the mages. Grand enchanter Fiona stepped forward.

"I would like to join, if I may Herald," the Grand Enchanter requested politely.

"Of course," Miluanna answered.

Cassandra agreed, "I suggest that Solas and Enchanter Vivienne, join us as well," she suggested looking at Miluanna smiled and nodded.

"Let us get this over with so we can close the breach," Miluanna agreed, she then looked at The Iron Bull.

"Bull, keep an eye on Alys," she said with a determined voice and Solas could see Alys losing inches at her sister's tone of voice. Solas gave her a comforting smile before following Miluanna, Barris, Fiona, Cullen and Cassandra.

Alys was in the house she shared with her sister. She was bathing behind a screen, as The Iron Bull and Sera kept her company. Bull, her babysitter, and Sera, her friend. Alys tried to wash out the red colour in her hair, but she noticed that her previous golden locks turned brown. Perhaps, she was not as experienced and knowledgeable as she had believed. She made a heavy sigh as tears spilled silently from her eyes. She had made everything worse and not resolved a thing. Had she not been foolish enough to go to the Templars, maybe her sister would have been able to, and everything wouldn't have turned out as horrible. The voice of Envy rang in her mind and its words spread through her veins to her heart like venom. It's words had held a terror worse than any snakebite and like a snakes venom they left her muscles aching, her heart pounding, blood shivering and her eyes constantly shedding tears from the pain. She would have been lost in her thoughts if not for Sera's insistence on constantly talking.

"You sister is just so… elfy! You can hear her frowning with superiority and disapproval all the way in Orlais," Sera huffed.

"What do you mean she is elfy? So am I," Alys pointed out, not letting her pain show, thankful that she screen was hiding her.

"No you are not. You are fun! You treat people like people. She looks down on everyone with that Dalish superiority. Like she would know tits from asses anyhow," Sera groused.

"She is a little strict," Alys said in a low voice.

"Hey now, it's not like that. You sister is trying to protect you. There is a reason why Commanders don't send certain people into battle. It is not because those who are not send are valued less, but because their skills are needed elsewhere," Bull reasoned.

"Who says she needs protection?" Sera objected.

"All I am trying to say is that in the Qun we all have a role. I am Benhasrath. I spy, I fight and use me sneakiness to my advantage. It is what I am good and by embracing it I can excell. It also makes me trustworthy. Your sister sees who you are, Alys. She sees your potential, like the way my Tamassran did for me. There are enough warriors and diplomats here,but who patches them up? Who makes sure that they can fight another day? Who gives the diplomats hope, when the task before them seems daunting? You could be that person. That is what your sister sees, when she looks at you," Bull said with a calm confidence.

Alys had gotten out of the water and stepped out from the screen with a robe around her.

"Do you really think so?" she asked hesitantly and Bull gave a soft smile.

"I know so. But being that person takes training. Training that you won't get in the field, but here at camp. If you are to be the safe harbour, you can't be moving around. You need to be, where people can count on you to be. Otherwise they get worried, confused - even terrified,"

"Tits and ass is all that is..." Sera huffed under her breath, but Alys gave Bull a smile.

This was when they heard a knock on the door and Krem came in.

"Hey Chief. The Herald just left for the breach with the mages and the templars," he reported.

"Let us hope it works. I hate demons being everywhere," Bull grunted.

"So she is bringing both? What for?" Sera asked.

"The templars have been recruited into the Inquisition until an agreement can be made with the rest of the order. Some of the templars have joined for good and left the templar order. It worried the mages, but when the Herald offered the templars to join as part of the inquisition - under the Inquisitions command and not the templar order - the mages seemed to calm after that. Daring seems to run in your family," Krem winked at Alys.

Alys went to her bed and looked out the window, staring at the sky and the breech waiting to see it close. After about an hour it finally did and when the Herald returned, Alys was standing at the gates waiting for her sister. Solas and Miluanna were walking in front of the group, but unlike the rest of the group they had been quiet most of the way. As they walked Miluanna's hand hit Solas' and with a blush she looked at him, but he merely gave a serene smile. She looked into the ground and at the same time they started to talk.

"It was…" Solas began, but was interupted by Miluanna's; "I just wan... "

"Please continue," Solas offered.

"I was just going to thank you for all your help. If not for your knowledge and expertise I doubt it would have worked. We wouldn't have been able to seal the breech without you," Miluanna said shyly looking at him.

"My part was small compared to yours, Herald, but it is nice to know that my efforts are appreciated," he replied almost fondly.

"That doesn't happen often I imagine… Because you are an apostate and people are narrow minded - not because you are not useful… knowledgable… I was going somewhere pleasant with this originally, I swear," she replied a little mortified rubbing her face with her hands, but Solas merely gave his usual warm chuckle.

"It is rare that people even notice my existence, but do not pity me. It is so by my own choice," his voice was so soft, that it made her feel warm and cared for even, when it meant nothing.

"Then I will pity all of us, who are not granted your company more often," she replied with a mischievous grin, but her cheeks burning more than ever.

"For the time I remain, I will grant you my company as often as you should desire it," and at that Miluanna looked into his eyes. They both stood still as the crowd continued to walk past them and Miluanna felt petrified. She looked into his eyes and he was breathing with his mouth open, but not from fatigue. There was something tender in his eyes, that she recognized from the future in Redcliff. Then as sudden as it appeared it vanished as something terrible sad in his was reflected in his eyes. Before they could continue, however, Alys had thrown her arms around both of them. Miluanna had not realised that she and Solas had been that close until that moment. Solas gave a fond rumble and returned the young elf's hug and so did Miluanna. She ran her fingers through Alys' now brown hair. Alys let go of both of them and looked up at her sister with a almost shameful look.

"It looks pretty and your own colour will grow out someday," Miluanna said fondly and put an arm around her sister as they walked back to Haven.

Solas was looking around at the celebrations from a corner of the small village. Everyone were dancing for joy, but all he really felt was relief. He had made a terrible error in judgement, but for now his greatest one had been put to rest. He looked at Miluanna talking to Cassandra, and unknowingly he began to smile. She felt his heart with hope. He felt despair so often, but he almost never made it known. Yet, she could with a single word or glance convince him, that his efforts were not in vain and that hope still existed - no matter how dim it might seem to him at times. Had she been a spirit - he was drawn from his thoughts, when he saw Alys standing looking into the wilds. Her entire being was filled with worry and he could almost sense it from her. When he walked over to her, and she didn't turn to see him, he knew for certain something was amiss.

"You are troubled," a statement not a question.

"My…." she hesitated and looked at him, with something resembling shame and uncertainty.

"You can tell me, what is troubling you," he encouraged.

"My friends are gone. They are usually always here, but now they are not," Alys clarified.

Solas looked around, but had never noticed any creatures around, that would qualify as friends. He knew from Miluanna that Alys had imaginary friends, which was why she to worry for her younger sister so. Alys was much too old to have imaginary friends and he could tell that the young elf was aware of it. He did, however, notice that the veil was very quiet. He had expected the spirits to slowly return after the breach had been sealed. Naturally, he could not see the spirits through the veil, but there was always a stir usually, but then he felt nothing but - disquiet.

"Something is amiss," he agreed and the younger elf seemed relieved.

"Should we tell my sister?" she asked with uncertainty.

"For tonight we should….."

Solas was interrupted by the alarm sounding. Alys was about to run to the gates, when Solas stopped her.

"Go to your cabin. Your sister would not want you in danger," Solas advised.

"But Solas…" Alys objected almost painfully.

"I know you want and can help, but if there are wounded we will need you safe. Go to your cabin and wait there," he said more firmly, and though he saw annoyance in the young elf's eyes she did as he asked.

"Solas, take Alys and go with Cullen and Cassandra. Keep her safe," Miluanna had asked him holding his hand tightly in hers. He had been reluctant to leave her side - much more so than he expected. But he could not refuse her request. The unspoken request that should the worst happen to her, Solas would look out for her sister. He knew that he couldn't possibly bring Alys with him on his travels, but he knew he could make sure she was safe somewhere. It was not a responsibility he felt he could take on, but he also realised that he couldn't refuse Miluanna anything. He had not realised that he in that short amount of time had come to care for the Herald and her sister. Their well being had for some reason become important to him. So instead of keeping the detached distance, he had imagined, he found himself repeating words she had spoken to him, when he asked how she was going to protect him.

"However I have to." He had vowed.

So now they were fleeing Haven through the snow, while the dragon was hovering over the village. And in the middle of everything was Miluanna, Blackwall, Varric and Dorian. The remaining templars had been anything but thrilled, when their lower officers had joined the Inquisition. Led by the Elder One, who was livid that the mages had joined the Inquisition as well. Solas had felt a chill in his bones, when he saw the orb their leader was carrying. Guilt plagued him, and so he had not mentioned the templars to Alys, knowing she would believe it to be her mistake. Solas caught Alys stopping ever so often - clearly conflicted about leaving her sister behind. When she stumbled in the snow, Solas reached for her hand and Sera was at her side in an instant. Both Sera and Solas helped Alys up.

"She will make it. She is strong that one," Sera tried to comfort her.

"She is right, darling. She has remarkable skills for survival. The best thing you can do is focus on the task at hand and keep those thoughts at a distance. It does no good to dwell on it," Vivienne told Alys. Madame de Fer was standing a few meters in front of them. She was higher up and looked more like a being of pride than ever, to Solas. Solas knew that Vivienne was not thrilled that the Inquisitor had entrusted Alys' teachings to him. Yet, somehow, Miluanna seemed to get along with the prideful and calculating Enchanter - who was undoubtedly in the Inquisition for no ones benefit than her own. Solas would have advised Miluanna against forming a friendship with Vivienne, but as he saw there interaction, he felt that no such advice of caution would be necessary. Still covered in snow Alys looked at Solas, who gave her as kind a smile as he could at that moment.

"Perhaps the refugees would benefit from your talents as a healer. It might help them feel safer," he suggested.

"An excellent idea, Solas. Surprising coming from you," Vivienne replied with superiority as she reached out towards Alys.

"Fenhedis lasa," Solas muttered under his breath.

That was when they heard a massive sound ringing through the valley. Solas turned as fear struck his heart. An avalanche was covering Haven in snow and the dragon only just escaped into the air, as the snow drowned everything in its path.

"NO!" Alys screamed and ran back towards the village, Solas only catching her as she passed.

"Let me go!" She fumed trying to struggle free of Solas' grasp.

"Da'len we must stay here," Solas tried to reason - his own heart feeling disquiet. Alys started to pound into his chest, while struggling to get free.

"Ir halani! Ir halani!" She insisted, before giving into grief and crying into Solas chest. His grip turned into a fatherly embrace as he tried to comfort her.

"Ir halani…." she sobbed again.

"I know. I would like to as well, but for now we can't," he said softly and saw the others, who had been in shock, now hurrying even more to get as far away from Haven as possible. Sera ran after Iron Bull, who followed her back to Solas. He gave Solas a saying look, to which the elf nodded. The Iron Bull then picked up the crying girl in his arms and carried her after the rest of the people, Sera on one side and soon Vivienne on the other. Through the crowd Solas' eyes met Cassandra's who's worry reflected his own. He turned to look towards Haven once more.

"I should not have left your side…" he whispered before pulling his hood up and following the rest of the people fleeing Haven.

- Author's note-

I am so sorry this chapter took so long. There has been so much going on in my life, but I am back to writing and hopefully my next chapter won't take so long. Thank all your favourites. If there is anything about these characters, you would like me to write about, feel free to let me know.

Lots of thanks - Cowoline