In Search of a Wolf - The Elves of Fen'Harel Book 1 (Dragon Age)

The Exalted Council

It was a time of reckoning for the Inquisition. It had been two years since the closure of the Breach, and the fall of Corypheus. Since then, the Inquisition's power had only grown. Ferelden were calling for the Inquisition to be disbanded. After all, it was in their land. Orlais didn't feel the need for disbanding them, but wanted them to be controlled as an arm of the Chantry. Representatives of these nations and of the Chantry had called an Exalted Council at the Winter Palace, and summoned the Inquisition to attend.

For Laisa, it was strange to be back in Halamshiral. The last time she had been in the city was to assassinate the Baroness Mercier. That had been the day Bridget had arrested and abducted her for torture by the Inquisition. It felt strange then to be helping them, though the Inquisition didn't know it. But Solas's loyalty to Ellana Lavellan ran deep, and though Laisa hated to admit it, she admired the woman too.

She'd spent the last week putting her team in place. Her team. That was something else that felt very strange. Solas was investigating Operation Dragons Breath elsewhere in Thedas and had asked her to begin work at the Winter Palace in his stead. She'd had Diranni collecting the names of those spies in Skyhold who would be attending the council. In addition, she was utilizing the elves they already had in position in Halamshiral, and adding her own.

Crunch was already there, working as a guard in the palace grounds, and Harith had taken a job in internal security. Alaran was working as a gardener, keeping his staff well hidden.

She had just stepped out of an eluvian with Nanin, Arana and her brother Lemrian. It was like having the clan back together. Except this time, there wasn't a vallaslin to be seen. All of them had followed her lead and had them removed. They looked like any other elf now, and could blend in and disguise themselves.

"That was amazing!" Her brother almost shouted, as they stepped through into a deserted palace room. He was elated to be taken off guard duty.

"Sssh!" Nanin hissed at him, but he was smiling. "We're in enemy territory Lem."

The palace had taken on a host of temporary staff for the Exalted Council. The four of them had no specific roles, but were to filter in uniforms among the elven staff as though meant to be there. All of them were to report back to Laisa, but their objectives were simple: look for signs of Qunari interference and thwart it, or lead the Inquisition to it.

"Be careful." She warned them, "Don't let yourselves be recognized, keep your heads down, and this will all be fine."

Together they slipped out of the room onto a balcony, climbing down a trellis and into the grounds. "Where will you be going?" Arana asked her. "Staying safe, I hope."

"Into the city." Laisa shrugged, "If you see any of the others, let them know that Shadow has arrived."

Down in the High Quarter, she smiled at the crowds. Everyone wanted to be first to know the gossip, she supposed. An expensive carriage seemed to have broken a wheel nearby and stuttered to a halt.

"Andraste's ass, what a mess all of this is." A familiar, swaggering voice said.

"Sir, please," Another voice called behind, "We should be getting to the palace, they'll be expecting our arrival. I still don't understand why we're here." The accents were Free-Marcher, Laisa noted with a smile.

"You go on ahead, Bran. Malika and I are heading into the tavern for a few I think. Maker knows we need a drink before all of this."

"But sir, the Inquisition are due to arrive in the morning!"