It's been a year. An entire year since Corypheus was defeated and Solas, along with the orb, disappeared. Leliana's efforts have proved futile so far, getting no more information other than he was seen to the west in some ruins. Lavellan looks out her window at Skyhold, mentally scanning ruins that could possibly contain some information about Solas.

The Inquisitor was hard-pressed to enjoy the festivities happening all over Thedas. But her heart was broken and there didn't seem to be any way to fix it. She will never stop looking for Solas. She has so many questions unanswered, with new ones coming up everyday. Drawing herself back to the reality of her bedroom, Lavellan heads downstairs to Solas's study, the only place she feels true peace.

The sting of his absence is still there, but much duller than it used to be. The sadness it brought just to be outside the door has been almost replaced by a bitter determination. She is over crying about it. There are too many people out there that depend on her and there are too many things to do.

It's hard to stay out of his study. It still looks exactly the way he left it, the wall unfinished. The paintings on the wall are some of the most intricate, powerful works anyone inside of Skyhold have ever seen. It portrays their journey together from Haven to the end of Corypheus.

Even with no other leads than "he's out west", Lavellan knows she has to do something to find him. She's always been proactive and the past year has gone by slowly, like dragging a stick through mud. She's done enough waiting around. It's time to put her position on hold and pack her things. She already has some companions in mind. She's no fool. Going to look for Solas alone would be suicide and there are people who care for her enough to travel with her.

Varric, Dorian, and Cole are her first picks. Next to her, Cole has suffered the most from Solas's departure. Solas was really the only person who understood him and did not fear him. He protected him and treated him like a friend. Like a person.

Her bag has been packed and ready to go for about two weeks now. The timing just never felt right to her. All that was left to put in her pack was Solas's documents. Leliana had told her that Solas appeared to be someone different than what they all knew him as. She didn't know what, but he had betrayed them all. Lavellan couldn't understand this nor accept it. Not yet. She needed to talk to him herself.

"Vhenan. Lathbora viran, that is where I travel".

The area was swarming with bandits and everyone was on guard. Cole walked slowly behind everyone, his head swam with the thoughts and feelings of those surrounding them. Lavellan wasn't blind. She knew there were people following them even without Cole occasionally stopping to spout out the rage that was in these thugs' minds.

What she didn't know, however, is specifically who these people were. She knew that she was a huge target for many people. The Inquisitor has many friends and just as many enemies. Their main goal for the day was to cross the hills and reach the ruins on the other side. After about a day's-worth of walking, they'd reached the summit of the hill and were heading down. The ruins were within view.

A branch snapped somewhere from behind them and they all stopped, hands ready on their weapons.

"Be on your guards my friends," Said Dorian.

"White heat. Burning, blistering hatred. The Inquisitor. She did this to us. She must pay," Cole stated.

"That's it. Get behind us Inquisitor." Varric said pointedly.

"I will fight with you, not hide away like a coward. I didn't come this far just to be stopped by some brutes," Growled Lavellan.

A ball of fire shot out from behind the trees and hit the ground directly behind them. They were surrounded as the flames spread and grew into a circle, trapping them.

"Shit," said Varric.

A group of mages came out from the trees. They were accompanied by rouges.
"Inqusitor."

"What do you want with us?" Lavellan shouted.

"Simply put, we want your life."
"You'll never!" Exclaimed Cole.

"Oh. We weren't asking demon."

Varric, having had enough, pulled out Bianca and sent an arrow straight for the intruders. The rouges vanished, as if by magic. One appeared inside the circle of fire right in front of Lavellan.
Her eyes opened wide and she put her staff in front of her, defensive. The rouge smiled. A knife in his right hand swung forward, its intent to strike her throat. Lavellan lifted her arms to block with her staff, but as she did so, another knife appeared and sliced her across her stomach. Blood poured from the wound and she dropped to her knees as the rouge disappeared as quickly as he had arrived. She cried out in paint and she wrapped her arms around her stomach, her mind already growing fuzzy.

"Inqusitor!"

She didn't know who shouted out for her. Her face contorted in pain, all she could do was think about getting out of this ring of fire. The others had managed a few hits and there were bodies on the ground. The others fled, knowing that a blow had been struck on the Inquisitor. She lifted her right arm, panting with the pain of the motion. Blood flowed more freely with the lessened pressure. She closed her eyes as she focused all the energy she had into a spell of ice to squelch the fire. Ice shot from every finger and the fire died down to nothing, ice covering the scorched earth.

A stab of pain shot through her again, the exertion from the spell having torn her cut open wider.
"We… we have to get to the ruins. It'll be safe there." She whispered.

The corners of her vision became fuzzy and it became hard to breathe. Dorian caught her as she fainted. She could hear Varric shouting something as she slipped away.

Dorian had done all he could to stop the bleeding. His protective barriers were some of the best around, but those were no good to them now. After taking care of the immediate problems with the Inquisitor, he scooped her up and they all ran as fast as they could to get to the ruins by nightfall.
Once there, the doors were barricaded and Cole was left to start a fire and get the blankets and bandages out for Lavellan.
"It hurts. Why does it hurt? I can't see anything. It's so hot but I feel so cold."

Varric walked over and said, "Cole. Could you not right now?"

He grabbed the bandages and the healing salves.
"Forgive me Inquisitor."

He took out a small knife and cut through her leather armor to better get the wound. Her flesh was covered in dried blood and was an angry red around the wound.
"Shit. This isn't good," Muttered Varric.

"It would seem as if it is becoming infected," Said Dorian.

"She's getting a fever but Cole here says that she feels cold."

"I need help lifting her to wrap the bandage."
Varric and Dorian gingerly lifted the Inquisitor. She stirred but didn't open her eyes.

"Solas. Solas, where are you?" She murmured.

"She's delirious. Having a fever dream," said Cole.

Varric laid her back down and covered her up with a blanket.
"There's nothing else we can do right now. Whatever was on that knife, it really did some damage."

Lavellan was in a stupor. She opened her eyes just a little. Her vision was hazy at best. She looked at Cole and saw pale skin.

"Solas? Is that really you?" She asked, her voice shaking.

Varric and Dorian looked at each other and then at Cole.

"You may as well play the part. Humor her," said Varric.

The Inquisitor kept talking though.

"You left. You left and you didn't say goodbye. Why did you do that? You said you'd explain everything to me once Corypheus was gone. But you lied."
Cole appeared next to her side and grabbed her hand.
"I had things to do. Things I needed to see."

"But I would have gone with you. I would have gone with you anywhere."

Cole said nothing.

"I'm going to find you. I swear it." Lavellan put a hand softly on Cole's cheek.

"Lie back down, vhenan. You're hurt and you need rest."

The familiar term soothed Lavellan. She closed her eyes and put her head back down on her makeshift pillow.

"Shit, said Varric. "She really thought that was Chuckles huh? I hate to see her disappointment when she wakes up and sees our ugly mugs instead."

"She is peaceful. For now," said Cole.

"Well whatever just happened, we all need our rest."

"I can watch. I don't need sleep," said Cole simply.

Cole disappeared and reappeared on the north end of the ruins, his back to them. Cole didn't need to be looking to sense the presence of others.

"I don't know if I should feel comforted by that or not," retorted Varric.

They made their beds on the other side of the fire. Sleep hit them both like a ton of rocks. Between all the walking, climbing, and fighting they had done that day, it overtook them before either of them could get comfortable.

Gentle footsteps headed towards the warm campfire. Cole turned his head and observed. He sensed no threat.

"Ma sa'lath, what has happened?" The shadow of an elf, long-lost, reached for the sleeping Inquisitor.