Near the Imperial Highway-Orlais

The air smelled like burning flesh, and the sick smell of wood. It got in his nostrils and sat deep in the pits of his lungs. Permeating every facet of his being with the overwhelming need to vomit.

Captain Brandon Durrow stared around at the battlefield before him. There were swords imbedded in the guts of Inquisition soldiers, arrows sticking out of the supply wagons and the throats slit of a few of the horses.

"Captain?" One of his men asked.

"Yes?" He replied. Where is the signs of the enemy troops?

"Orders sir?"

He sighed, and looked around on the twenty troops under his command, eight of them on horseback.

"The light Calvary will return to Skyhold with news, the rest of us will remain, scout the area, and then bury the dead."

"Yes, sir," His Lieutenant replied to him, leading the group of horsemen off.

The Captain, a veteran of the campaign against Corypheus, serving at both Adamant, and the Arbor Wilds, one time Executive Officer to the Commander of Suledin Keep, sighed. The beginning of another long day.

Skyhold

Benjamin Trevylyan walked, hands behind his back, around the Skyhold. The now mostly emptied Skyhold. It has certainly emptied out since Corypheus.

The War with the Elder One was now over. And thus, Benjamin believed it was a good idea if his soldiers went home, if they wanted. The campaign was over. They had their fun, defeated the enemy was vanquished, and order was restored to the world…as much as it ever was. There was little reason for the Inquisition to keep the massive numbers of soldiers and support staff. They could all go home back to their lives, their families, and their farms. They had done well. The Inquisition could return back to what it was meant to be, investigating, supporting, and mediating, not conquering and bludgeoning.

Yet, it was…lonelier here. Even some of the Inner Circle had left. Solas had disappeared, somehow managing to slip through even Leliana's tight nets. Blackwall was gone to the Wardens, and the Iron Bull was back to his usual mercenary life.

At least I still have Cassandra, the thought brought a warm smile to his face, bristling his beard.

But, his thoughts were quickly wiped from his mind as he heard the clip clop of boot steps behind him.

He sighed.

"Sorry for disturbing you Inquisitor," Cullen's voice spoke behind him, you aren't sorry in the least are you? "a messenger just came in from Orlais."

"We lost another one?" The Inquisitor asked.

"Yes," Cullen's voice dropped, "we have. Another ambush on the Imperial Highway?"

"That is what…the fourth in two months?" He asked.

"Indeed Herald."

He sighed. "And still, the enemy does not reveal themselves?"

"No," Cullen shook his head, "no soldiers, no dead, and no identifiable markings were left behind. Whoever it is, is not making it personal, but sticking to the shadows."

A small smile quirked Ben's lips? "And still no news from Leliana?"

"No, her spies have nothing to report," Cullen replied with an ironic tilt to his mouth.

Ben nodded, "War room, now."

Five minutes later saw the Inquisitor gathered with his senior staff. The one constant, the War Room and his Inner Circle had not changed that much. In fact it almost changed not at all. Just the hole in the wall leading up to it, was finally patched.

Benjamin stood looking as Leliana, Cullen, and Josephine came into the room across from him.

Without preamble, Ben brought the meeting to order, "Cullen informs me that the Inquisition has lost another patrol of soldiers in Orlais. First of all, we need to organize a memorial service."

"It is already being set up Inquisitor," Cullen nodded.

"Second, how does this affect us and our ability to keep the world safe?"

"With many of our forces retiring after the war, and with many of our new forces raw recruits…we are stretched very thin, especially in the areas of Orlais." Cullen continued.

"Since the war, and the Civil War, the Orlesian military is…at a decided disadvantage, like us many of their veterans or war causalities have gone home and are enjoying retirement, like us they are stretched thin and weary, and like us they cannot maintain their presence in the world." Josephine commented. "Though the treaty we have with Orlais is ceding some of their defense obligations to us, in the East. Patrolling the border between Ferelden and Orlais, it is these patrols which are being attacked, and if they continue, we may not be able to uphold our part of the bargain."

"That treaty always did make me…uncomfortable…it is not our responsibility to save Celene from herself." Cullen commented.

"Be that as it may…" Josephine said through gritted teeth, "The Inquisitor clearly recognizes that a stable Orlais is in the best interest of the world."

"For the moment anyways," Ben cut in, "It is not the job of the Inquisition to replace the Imperial Army."

The three Advisors nodded at the pronouncement, each in their turn, Josephine still looked dubious, and Ben understood her point… our treaty did not specify when we could leave this engagement.

"Which...brings us to who our enemy is?" Benjamin pressed.

All eyes turned to Leliana who even had the decency to stiffen indignantly under the combined gaze. After all this was more her responsibility then anyone else's, to protect the Inquisition and give her forces somewhere to go when they are under threat.

"Someone…new."

"Someone new, is that the best you can do?" Cullen snorted.

Leliana bristled, her eyes narrowed, her lips peeled, though her words were still professional, if only a little cool. "My power base, the networks I have gathered exists in well-known organizations and institutions, I am well entrenched and prepared to deal with the situation in them. But so far…they have been quiet. This is not a member of the Orlesian Government, or the Chantry, that is for sure."

"So are you useless to us?" Cullen spat at her.

Lelianna was about to reply but was cut off by a hand gesture from the Inquisitor, "Gentleman, ladies…please. Now is not the time to fight. We need answers. Who is after us, and why. If it has not already been done I want the patrol who found the other patrol recalled to Skyhold immediately. I want to speak to the Captain himself."

"Yes, Inquisitor." Cullen nodded.

"I will redouble my efforts Inquisitor," Leliana said, looking properly abashed at her earlier outburst.

"Good," Benjamin smiled, "I know we have been under a lot of pressure lately, but if we defeated Corypheus, we can do this."

The three of them nodded, and he left the room.

Only to arrive at his quarters a few moments later. During the campaign against Corypheus he had spent little time here. Despite being pampered and secluded in the Circle Tower in his youth, and having a generally…diverse opinion…of the outdoors, Benjamin Trevelyan spent most of his time on the open road. Or in camps in one of the many areas the Inquisition went to. Or in Cassandra's quarters. Eight months was almost spent exclusively like this.

And now, during the six months since 'the war' Benjamin had spent most of his time at Skyhold. In his quarters.

Honestly getting a little sick of it, I miss the wide open world.

"Benjamin," A voice said softly behind him.

He whirled around, to see Cassandra Penthghast walking up his stairs. Dressed in a small robe, equivalent of what he normally wore around the fortress.

He smiled. "I am surprised you are not in your armor."

"Spent too much time in it of late, decided for a change, after touring our holdings in Ferelden and Orlais…the Western Approach…hot and sticky."

"Hmm," he murmured.

The two embraced, Ben still sitting, and Cassandra wrapped her arms around him. He stayed like that for a minute, cradling her, holding her close.

"I will admit Ben…it seems you missed me…"

"Of course I did Cassandra," He said, leaning back from her and giving her a look, "and honestly I was concerned about you."

"More patrols?" Cassandra asked.

"Three more since you left. Someone is killing my people…and they do not even have the decency to show themselves."

"And it is effecting you?" Cassandra pressed.

"Of course it is! Someone is killing my men."

"Calm down, I wouldn't love you if you didn't care, about the world, about the Inquisition, and about our individual people who serve us and fight with us. But, you cannot expect this to be easy. The Inquisition is a power now, we are responsible for changing the world. For restoring the world order."

Benjamin sighed deeply, and leaned into her chest. He looked up at her again, frowning. "Corypheus attacked us, directly. We lost people. But he came out of the shadows and challenged us. We know who he was." He smirked. "I expected that things may calm down. I expected that people would be grateful to the Inquisition. I would have expected that people would have been tired. Tired of killing each other, of struggling against the inevitable. For most of the last three years the world has been at war. A shadow war against the Tevinter Imperium and a man-who-would-be-God. A civil war in Orlais, mages and Templars. And the Inquisition brought peace. Yet, someone is challenging us. And I expected us to not be challenged. We defeated a powerful being, who would…dare?"

"As you say, Corypheus attacked us directly, even before we could even look for him. Yet, not everyone behaves this way. The Inquisition is vulnerable, you aren't used to fighting this kind of war. We must learn…I fear."

"So do I." The Inquisitor mused, going into a silence, Cassandra sighed and separated herself, turning him around, wrapping her hands around his neck and beginning to rub the muscles.

Despite the warmness of her tone, and her actions, her words were decidedly cool, "I believe, the Inquisition needs to be an Inquisition again, we need to do what we set out to do from the beginning."

Ben nodded, and smirked, "I love you…my love."

"And I you, take care."

With that Benjamin got up off the ground and went over to his desk, he had missives to write. He did not know where to begin though. Not quite yet. Other than with his orders. More waiting. It's a shame the Inquisition did not develop a way for fast travel across Thedas.

So, he waited. The endless waiting game, looking out over the Frostbacks on the edge of his balcony.