Chapter Text
In the absence of a large war on the forefront of people's minds, Divine Victoria, with a push from her Ex-Herald friend, decided to start rebuilding Haven and the Temple of Sacred Ashes. Neither would be the same, but it was something to occupy the people with. Just doing cleaning up the remaining messes from the war and near-end-of-the-world.
Aaliyah Lavellan, ex-Inquisitor and seemingly retired Dalish Mage, offered her help with the effort. Despite being an arm short of normal, her magic was still fine and she made do fortifying the new buildings, and laying runes down for protection and stability. The work was good and kept her mind from drifting to unhappy places.
Eventually, she requested some help from her friends, enlisting them to make four tombstones. She gave them names, but avoided the silent questions they raised. She didn't want to face them yet. Not yet. Not even he knew what she had lost that fateful day at the Conclave.
Sooner than she expected, Haven was reborn as New Haven, and the temple was well on its way to completion. So that's where she found herself, a small elf standing in the doorway of the temple, and it was like time stopped fast forwarding and she realized she was still alive.
Sucking in a shuddering breath, Aaliyah turned from the building, starting the trek back towards New Haven. The air was crisp and chill, carrying the sharp bite of Winter across the land. She reveled in it, allowing it to ground her, the cold clearing her mind as she actually looked at the land and the small refuge on it. The land was recovering from the attack it had suffered, as the nature could attest to. Peering in the open gate, the mage quietly watched the people who had moved in, many of them were the same people she had watched build the very town they were in.
Letting out a huff, her breath fogged the air and made her smile at the sight. Something about huffing out steam drew simple happiness out of her and amused her. Her easy smile lasted as she bought some flowers from a kind eyed boy and his mother, and finally faded when she reached the snow-covered gravestones. Crouching in front of them, she set the flowers down before brushing the snow off the stones.
Grannie, Sanne, and Hallae Lavellan
Jade Trevelyan
"Hey guys," She breathed out, smiling sadly, "Sorry it took me for long to get here, I was...taking in life."
The wind sighed as it passed her, the trees trembling even though they had no leaves to shed.
"How's life wherever people like us go? I bet it's better than this mess," An amused huff left her, "Though Sanne, you'd probably love the Red Jennies; your type of people...I'm sorta glad none of you lived to suffer through this. You all deserved better though."
Swallowing heavily, she rubbed the tears back, succumbing to the dark weight in her chest as she shifted to be sitting in the snow. It was cold, and wet, but she really couldn't care less at the moment.
So she spoke, let it all out, every story she could recount from over the years, laughing and crying until she was just reduced to a shivering mess in the middle of the wilderness. A mess that would have likely stayed there for hours if she hadn't had guests.
The footsteps pulled herself out of her memories, and with a slight numbness, Lee stood and wiped her face as she turned to face her visitors.
Only to be met with ex-magister Gereon Alexius and her old spymaster, Divine 'Victoria.'
"Oh, Leliana, I didn't know you were visiting," Lee glanced between her and Alexius, clearly confused, "...much less bringing along such an old...friend." Lee shifted her weight awkwardly as Leliana smiled apologetically.