#Dorian really said “’Bet’

[shadowhandss60]

Dorian in EOS: You can’t just kill everyone.

Manon: …

***

Dorian in KoA: One wrong move from them and I’ll blast them all into nothing.

Manon: Dorian, you can’t just kill everyone.

[sidemari]

• "The way I love you"•

A short compilation of each character's ways of showing they love you.

Characters included: Aphelios, Hwei, Jayce, Jhin, Jinx, Sett, Silco, Viktor, Yone (separately and in this order) x GN!Reader

Warning: Mentions of Jhin's gun in his text section, since we're talking about a criminal psychopath, lol. Other than that, it's just a silly and cute post.

Aphelios

He must admit that his favorite place in the world is when you're sitting with him on the couch or even in bed, with your back against his torso, his legs wrapped around yours and his head resting on your shoulder as you read the pages of a book out loud.

"Some things are more precious because they don't last long"* You read the sentence, letting it sink in. "Do you agree with that, Phel?"

His eyes widened, he wasn't really paying attention to the story, even though it was a classic of literature. He was just enjoying how pleasant your voice sounded.

"I bet you weren't paying much attention"

He just nodded, his cheeks growing warm with embarrassment.

His hand squeezed yours in apology.

You squeezed it back, letting him know it was okay.

"Aren't you two adorable?" Alune sang in Aphelios's thoughts.

*"The Picture of Dorian Gray" reference.

Hwei

Letting you see his most secret artworks was the way he could show his love for you. Letting you participate in the creation of new pieces was also common, with him patiently guiding you through the process.

"Are you sure about this?" You asked anxiously, trembling when he put the paint-soaked brush in your hands. He just timidly smiled before nodding.

"You inspire not only my art, but my soul as well" His hand covered yours, helping you to put the final brushstrokes on the canvas. "I want you to be part of this"

Jayce

You could say this man likes to be a provider. That being said, he would do anything on his reach to make you happy.

And what usually makes you happy is a whole body massage after a full day of fiddling with trinkets and dealing with daunting equations in the lab.

You sighed in frustration as you laid down on the bed after showering, your aching muscles making you uncomfortable. His hands squeezed your shoulders gently, making you whimper softly.

"You're tense" His hands worked on the right places so you could finally relax. "Let me help you with that"

"You don't have to-" You couldn't finish your line, not when he was so efficiently taking away your pain.

"See?" He teased. "Let me spoil you a little, love"

Jhin

He allows you to play his piano, take off his mask and even hold Whisper - his gun - whenever you pleased. That was his deviant way of showing you were a slightly more important piece in his performance.

"When will you put this to good use, my muse?" He asked, playfully tracing patterns against your thigh with his gun. With the time you’d known him, you knew better than to give in to his distorted ideas.

"Preferably never" You muttered, taking Whisper off his hand and setting it aside. "I learned a new sheet while you were gone, wanna hear it?"

Jinx

She lives for cuddling with you.

It's always the peak of her day.

It feels so intimate and perfect.

Being with you, feeling the softness of your skin, the warmth of your body, the smell of your shampoo and cologne, feeling you melt against her, letting go of your worries as she hums a familiar tune, is the closest thing to heaven she could ever get.

"I could stay like this forever" You whispered, feeling her chuckle against your nape.

"Did you swap your shampoo brand?"

"Jinx…" You deadpanned.

"I'm just teasing you" She kissed your hair. "I could spend eternity with you in my arms"

Sett

This seems so obvious, but not only would he let you freely touch his ears, he would also ask you to give them the attention they need. Also, he would gladly allow you to see through his tough facade, giving you the chance to know how kind and pure he can be.

It was a funny scene, to say the least. A man of almost two meters of height, in his knees, with his head resting on your lap, confessions leaving his lips.

"This feels good…" He sighed, closing his eyes in bliss as you played with his ears. You pulled one of them playfully. "H-Hey!"

"You are really something" You mused.

Silco

Almost every night you can prepare for laying down on the couch, with your head on his lap, his fingers combing through your hair as he tells you stories about his past.

Often you fall asleep like that, with him taking you to your bedroom after he notices you wouldn't wake up so easily.

"We used to meet a lot back then, it was-" He was missing your voice responding to his comments. It was when he noticed you had fallen asleep, looking so vulnerable and precious as he played with your hair. "Guess I'll have to finish this story tomorrow"

Viktor

Brews coffee or makes tea for you every day, appearing by your side on the laboratory to help you unwind in the moments you were feeling exhausted or distressed with your work. It's his way of showing he cares about you.

"Here, have this" he squeezed your shoulders, taking your attention away from the trinkets above your desk.

"Hot chocolate today?" You asked quietly, standing up from your seat and taking the cup in your hands. "What made you change your mind?"

"It releases dopamine, you'll thank me later" He kissed the top of your head, making you sigh in delight.

Yone

Letting you in when his world was nothing but chaos was enough to show you he loved you dearly.

He had faced horrible creatures and devilish days for years straight, still, he let his guard down and allowed you to be part of his life when it was pure hell.

You caressed his hair with delicacy, soothing him after a day of battles.

"Can I hug you?" You asked quietly, your fingers now stroking his cheek.

"Please" He whispered against your lips, sighing heavily when you pulled him impossibly close, "You make me feel like I'm alive again" He muttered against your neck.

[felassan]

David Gaider on Dorian, under a cut for length:

"Now this is a fun one. It's no big secret I have a lot of feelings about Dorian, not least of which because he was my first (and only) gay male companion. There's a lot more to him than that, of course (as there should be), and it was quite a trip. So let's go! Now, DAI is a story all its own, but I'm sticking to the characters. In this case, back at the beginning, the writers were going to try something new: we were going to let the artists take a more active role in the companion creation process. Why? Because not doing so had caused a lot of problems. See, here's the thing: writers and artists speak two different languages. When talking about characters, we talk about their story. Who they are. What they want. We'd write up these briefs, huge and full of information... but it was never the information the artists needed. They wanted visual cues. I don't mean describing their appearance. Sure, we'd usually provide that, especially if there was a story case to be made, but often the artists vetoed us on appearance stuff anyhow so meh. No, I mean they looked for visual language while we tended to only talk about who the characters *were*. What would happen is they'd hone in on something visual in our write-up not intended to be a focus. The first write-up for Anders in DA2, for instance, mentioned he was "haggard" after his journey... and the first concept we got was this pale, shriveled man. "What... is this?" "YOU SAID HAGGARD!" 😅"

"That was the other trick: sometimes when we DID try to be more descriptive, we had to be extra cautious because the words could be interpreted very differently. You encounter this recording VO, too. A VO note says "hysterical" and you *meant* "really upset" but the actor read "scream like a banshee" Thus this caused problems, like I said. The artists would struggle, sometimes conjuring details just to give the character *something* but which would change the character... and, to us, the character was created. Done. We were already invested, probably already writing them. Something had to give. So this time we wrote a bunch of character briefs - but short. One paragraph. We stuck to vibes and the *emotions* we wanted the concepts to evoke. And we didn't name them. They got titles like "Slick Con Man" or "Ice Queen", so we wouldn't get too attached. Then we handed these off to the artists. And it worked nicely. The ones that just weren't inspiring we'd discard, no problem. The others had juice... and the artists felt free to play and offer lots of variations because we weren't set on anything yet. A lot of times, what they produced ended up inspiring US. It was a neat back-and-forth."

"This is what led to Dorian, in fact. He came from a short write-up entitled "Rock Star Mage" and it really boiled down to "I'm cool and I know I'm cool, so take that you cretins". And just like that, the first sketches (by Casper Konefal, I think? I bet I'm wrong) were all amazing. Instant fire. Me: "He looks kind of like... Freddie Mercury?" Him: "Is that bad?" Me: "NO ARE YOU KIDDING THIS IS AMAZING" Plus there was a monkey. Sadly, we had to lose the monkey. There were iterations to come, but this was really where Dorian was born: Tevinter mage, noble, savant, and too cool for school."

"When did he become gay? Not right away. Like I said elsewhere, we didn't talk romance and sexuality until after the concepts were more in place. But as we were brainstorming about why this hot shot mage left Tevinter, the idea DID come up that maybe it was because he was gay. Not directly, however. Homophobia isn't really a thing in Thedas, after all, so at first blush I didn't think that could work. "Rich kid gets kicked out of the house for being gay" wasn't a trope I wanted to explore. But, then again, magister families in Tevinter are *obsessed* with the appearance of perfection, so...? Any deviation from the "norm" is considered scandal-worthy. It said weakness. It said you couldn't control your house. Now... THAT had real promise. The writing pit discussed it a lot. So I think it's fair to say that the gay fairy was already circling Dorian even before we got to the romance talk. I think it's also fair to say that the rest of the team realized I low-key wanted to write him, because when everyone started calling dibs, who was left standing for me? (I pick last, remember.) I gleefully snatched him up and got to work... ...about six months later. I was very busy at the time. 😅 That late start meant I had to design and write VERY quickly. And I did. Somehow, though, this one... it came easily. "Catty gay man" isn't digging very deep, no surprise to anyone who knows me, and it had an extra layer of being so fun because Dorian was confident. He sparred verbally. I loved it."

"There was more to it, however. The conflict between Dorian and his father... ugh, how do I say this? Let's be clear: Dorian's story is not MY story, but it's also not far off. I wrote the entire confrontation scene in one go. After I was done, I probably cried harder than I ever have in my life. 🫠 I was unsure whether it was any good, however. I just didn't feel objective. I passed it over to Cori May - my friend but also Dorian's editor - and asked her to please tell me and be honest. She read it. She walked into my office after, tears streaming down her face, and just nodded. "It's good." Here's the thing. Not everyone is going to agree with this, but: I don't think a writer NEEDS to be a minority in order to write a minority. Sometimes those characters should simply exist, and we want them to. But if that character's story is ABOUT their experience as a minority? That's different. Dorian's story didn't need to revolve around his sexuality - and, honestly, it only did so as a tangent to his family issue, but they're so bound together it's probably irrelevant to split them - but my writing him meant it could be. It allowed me to SAY something. That felt good. It felt right. Ramon Tikaram came on board after a lengthy casting process (so many British Indian accents, oh god). I sat in on a few recording sessions... the confrontation scene, though? Ramon: *says line* Me: (curled up on a nearby sofa in fetal position) *shaky thumbs up* Caroline: "Yep. Great work, Ramon!""

"Dorian's sexuality isn't all he's about, but that's certainly how some viewed it. When the character was announced in 2014, his being gay was mentioned as the last of a number of points, and the instant response from some gamers was to act as if we'd called a press conference just to say THAT. 🙄 It was annoying. Still is. Overall, however, the reaction to Dorian was very positive. The number of straight men who said they romanced him still pleases me. The number of fans who privately contacted me who'd been through conversion therapy, some who said Dorian helped them survive? Well. Gosh. 😭 I did write him for Trespasser - though I hear that a late scope cut meant every conversation had been chopped by 1/3rd or more, and that meant a lot of nuance lost. Which is sad, if true, because it sounds like the result of that left some Dorian romancers a bit cold. Such is how game dev rolls. 😔 If you need more proof of how it was hard for me to let go of him, a short story I wrote after Trespasser came out where Dorian has a bit of closure with his dead father: medium.com/@davidgaider... So yeah. He'll always be my boi. And I'll always be thankful Bio gave me this opportunity. ❤️"

[source thread]

User: "I'm not going to lie, it's hard to take my mind off Dorian almost having a monkey." David Gaider: "If by “almost” you mean there was a picture of a monkey that the concept artist put there as a whim, and which would almost certainly have taken more cinematics and modeling time to put in than we could ever afford… then yes. 😉" [source]

[lizzybeeee]

the language being stripped of lore specific terms made it so much worse in retrospect. fr tho Davrin calling Eldrin "Uncle" Eldrin instead of Hahren, like it's okay Davrin you can use elvish around my Rook I won't judge :( I haven't romanced him does he at least call you vhenan??

I could get the use of 'uncle' if Davrin was trying to explain it to Rook who was not elvish (since all elves in this game seem to just instinctively know elvish) since it would make sense to make a connection between the dalish role and familial role for an outsider:

Rook - "Who are we seeing?" Davrin - "Hahren...Uncle Eldrin." Rook - "Hahren?" Davrin - "It's elvish - they're storytellers and caretakers in the clan." Rook - "So...not your uncle." Davrin - "Close enough. He raised me."

Does Davrin call you 'vhenan'? I could have sworn he did in the final love/petting over clothes scene but I did a look up because I couldn't remember...apparently its just my wishful thinking - but don't quote me, maybe it's only in a specific dialogue option? :(

That fact that I can't recall it off the top of my head is telling -> Solas calls Lavellan 'vhenan' so much its burned into my brain, the same with other endearments from other romances. I played as a shadow dragon elf so I was hoping to be able to say 'amatus' - didn't get to do that either.

Which is one reason that the romances in this game really fall flat for me. I loved how different characters had different endearments for you, it made it feel more personal! Bull with 'Kadan', Dorian with 'Amatus', Solas with 'Vhenan', Leliana with 'My Love', and Sera had a 'pick your own' that wonderfully reflected her character!

I assume they were trying to make the language more accessible for new players, but it was never a barrier for me in any of the other games? If anything it always made me more interested/curious in what was going on when I encountered a phrase that I didn't understand. It added to the idea that these characters were from different nations and cultures - they had their own languages and phrases that reflected that -> the world felt bigger because of it!

Even if I didn't understand something, the voice work was always so stellar that even if the exact meaning wasn't understood, I got the intent that it was being said with.

Best examples being Solas and the Arishok - I understand certain words and phrases of each language, but I'm not a translator like some very talented people on this website. Even if I didn't get what was being said I absolutely understood the intent from the emotion and nuances in voice work. Top tier example is Solas and Sera in DAI:

Solas: Our people used to be here. Sera: Pfft, you say that everywhere. Solas: It is more true than you want to believe. Sera: I bet, right? Who wants to think about stepping on dead elves. Solas: Din elvhen emma him? Sera: Oh, you felt that one.

The way that line was delivered was incredible. Didn't understand a word but you could absolutely feel the repressed fury of what Solas was saying - his disgust at what Sera said. Once again, Gareth David-Lloyd coming in with incredible voice work! <3

It's such a strange choice to just...remove that immersion - to have so little of it in-game. Does it require extra work to make certain that the characters language reflects their history and culture? Yes! But what it adds is so immense to the world. I can't imagine not having Solas call Lavellan by elven endearments or having Andrastian characters not say 'Thank the Maker!' or 'Maker's breath!' It was cool worldbuilding! Just like how we say 'oh my god' there's a Thedas equivalent that communicated the very same idea!

Hearing lore specific words and phrases makes me know that I'm playing a Dragon Age game. Playing DATV which severely lacks in those words and phrases made me realize I'm sitting on my swivel chair and looking at a computer screen.

[margareth-lv]

💉 Botox, dermal fillers and tristesse 💉

First of all, I want to make an important disclaimer.

There is not a shred of body shaming in what I am writing about in today's post. Nor is there any mockery of cosmetic surgery procedures.

I myself am a great admirer of facial treatments, effective wrinkle reduction and in not letting time take its toll.

In fact, I think (using my own example) that Botox is not a killer, and that it can beautifully smooth out features. And make you feel better. So - stop shaming women for having Botox.

But let's look at something else.

*** *** *** I think everything has been said about Caitríona Mary Balfe's infamous performance last weekend. So what I'd like to add is pretty much a reiteration of what you've already written about, Sisters in Arms… in Fandom…. But I just cannot help myself.

*** *** ***

The photos below are taken almost a year apart (left - Grilled by The Staff Canteen on 8 March 2023 in Glasgow, right - JW Anderson's catwalk show on 18 February 2024 in London).

Well, nobody gets younger over time (well, unless you're Dorian Grey or, even better, Benjamin Button). And it's not just a matter of good (or bad) lighting on your face. If your eyebrows are sagging, they're not going to lift themselves. Unless you have Botox in your temples. Then you get an effect like the one in the photo on the right.

I bet she also had a suture suspension facelift (also known as a thread lift). This improves the contour of the face.

So admiring Cait's undying beauty (which I don't question, she's really gorgeous!) must include the surgical factor. And there is no shame or disgust about it. *** *** *** Although the most important factor affecting Caitríon's face is obviously Sam. Even with the wrinkles around her eyes, doesn't she look younger when she's close to Sam?

(on the left, Glasgow, 29 April 2022)

And then there's the left, nervously squinted eye, an unmistakable sign that Mr McNobody is hovering nearby.

This eye is not the result of failed facial surgery. It's born out of the Hopeless Narrative, that seems to have no end. What a sad, tragic story this is. An unmitigated disaster.

[21 February, 2024]

[mariaofdoranelle]

The Courtship Deception - Part 3: Curtain

Fic Masterlist

Written for @throneofglassmicrofics

Warnings: moderate alcohol intake

Words: 923

“You can’t hide behind the curtains all night, Princess,” Fenrys said, both of them in the kitchen staff area while Aelin peeked at the party from behind the wooden doors that separated them.

Aelin sighed and smoothed her hands down her black silky dress. Her father thought that arranging this huge party was a good way to “rekindle” something with her suitors—she tried to argue that she dated Chaol for a month when she was eighteen, and never even got to call Dorian her boyfriend, but Rhoe was as dense as a rock, completely blinded by the prize that came after the wedding.

Not that Aelin would marry either of them, but her father didn’t know that yet.

She didn’t know most of the people attending this party, though she knew some names or at least remembered seeing them at some point. They were Rhoe’s guests, even if the party was initially planned for Aelin. She scanned the crowd, trying to find a familiar face, until she found a remarkably singular silver head.

Aelin stiffened, her heartbeat faster as she recognized this particular guest. There was no way he could be here.

“Fenrys.” She lightly tapped his arm. “Go get me a drink.”

The second his back was to her, Aelin turned around, that silver hair guiding her. She hated to deceive her friend like this, but as much as he liked to help her schemes, Fenrys was still her father’s employee, and they were currently being watched.

“Aelin.” A gentle hand on her elbow stopped her, and she turned around to meet Dorian’s concerned gaze. “We need to talk.”

She softened at the sight of him. It’d been a while since they last spoke, and a conversation was needed indeed. Dorian was her friend first and foremost, no matter what arrangements their fathers put them through.

“Of course, I…” A peek at her goal just to check that she didn’t lose him in the crowd. “I’m just gonna get a drink first.”

“Let me get it for you,” Dorian said, disappearing before she could stop him.

Well, at least it worked for her. Aelin politely made her way through her father’s business partners, just brief greetings so she wouldn’t lose that loner figure sitting—

“Thank Mala I found you!” Chaol stopped her, one hand on her shoulder. “Look, we—“

“I need a drink!” Aelin interrupted, voice loud and blunt. She hated to ditch three of her friends like this, but a girl gotta do what a girl gotta do.

“Absolutely.” Chaol nodded, and off he went.

Her footsteps were hurried, knowing she had three men in her tow, but the closer she got, the more certain she was that it was really him. They’ve exchanged flirty texts here and there over the phone, but she hadn’t expected to see him tonight.

“Did Fenrys invite you?” Aelin asked as she sat beside him with no invitation.

Rowan cocked his head, eyes glinting. “I can let myself in.”

“I bet you do.” She took the drink from his hand and took a sip, sending him a witchy look from under her lashes while trying to ignore the bourbon burning down her throat at the same time.

Rowan raised an eyebrow at her. “You did dodge my questions about when I could see you, so I thought I’d get my answer in person.”

She smiled, so very busted. Sneaking out to see a boy required some maneuvering Aelin couldn’t afford with her dad’s new plan and him watching her so closely because of it, but she wouldn’t disclose all that to him.

“Just so you know, I was avoiding that question because I still need to find a time I’ll get that friend of yours off my back.”

“But why?” Rowan asked, smirking. “Taking Fenrys out on a date sounds just lovely.”

Aelin had one palm supporting her chin on the table and another holding Rowan’s bourbon, not knowing where to look—to his gorgeous face or the tattoo on his wrist that his sleeve didn’t manage to cover up—when someone cleared his throat next to them.

It was Fenrys, intrigued onyx eyes focused on her, with Chaol and Dorian next to him. “Your drink, Aelin—all three of them.”

“You took so long that Rowan already got me one,” she said with a straight face, twirling his bourbon in her hand.

Chaol huffed and left, Fenrys placed her Manhattan on the table and positioned himself to watch her from a certain distance, and Dorian watched the scene unfold as if its sight held all answers he sought.

He sipped the drink that was meant for her, then raised it in a greeting. “Prince Rowan.”

Prince?

She widened her eyes at Rowan, just to watch him give Dorian a curt nod and say, “Havilliard.”

Weird. No common person just nodded at a crown prince. Aelin tilted her head, trying to make sense of it.

Rowan’s panicked look under her scrutinizing one sparked the realization, her blood racing.

She should’ve known from the unique silver hair and pine-green eyes combo; even from how Fenrys would refuse to talk about him the same way he did with his job with the Doranelle’s royal family. Aelin felt so dumb for taking days to realize it, but the Whitethorns were so many, it was impossible to keep track of all of them—from the youngest generation, Sellene and Enda were the ones the tabloids focused on.

“You wouldn’t have to keep crashing parties if you weren’t so secretive about your identity, Whitethorn.”

You can get notified when I update by either turning notifications on for @mariaofdoranelle-fics or entering my (sometimes glitchy) tag list!!

TAG LIST

I couldn’t tag the people in bold, sorry!

@aelinchocolatelover

@autumnbabylon

@bookcide

@booksandteaonarainydayislife

@cookiemonsterwholovesbooks

@courtofjurdan

@dreamer-133

@elentiyawhitethorn

@elizarikaallen

@emily-gsh

@empress-ofbloodshed

@fangirlprincess09

@goddess-aelin

@gracie-rosee

@leiawritesstories

@lululululululuop

@renxzs

@rowanaelinn

@s-uppertime

@sarahjswift

@staghorn-mountains

@superspiritfestival

@swankii-art-teacher

@thegreyj

@throneofus7

@violet-mermaid7

@wishfulimaginings

[mdr-mardek]

Despite after seeing the events of Downfall, I really liked that some of Bells Hells seek out to commune with the gods even though they're far from being worshippers. Orym trying with the Wildemother was almost a no brainer honestly, she had her eyes upon him and Orym sensed her presence multiple times. In the Trial Forge I was really pleased to see Imogen wanting to commune with the Stormlord who we know has his eyes on her and Eathbreaker Groon who is ready to receive her. She said it herself, Imogen is not a fighter (like Grog or Yasha), but there's multiple ways to fight. And the fact that the god of battle, competition, and storms laid his eyes on Imogen says something. Ashton has said that he wants to talk to the Arch Heart. That was unexpected and I'm very curious if he will actually do it. Laudna wasn't very eloquent about wanting to talk to a god, but we know she has tried to reach out to the Moonweaver episodes ago but Delilah responded instead. Now that Delilah is silenced, maybe it's the time. For Chetney and Dorian - well - all bets are off. They haven't expressed the desire of wanting to commune with a god I believe, so it's impossible to say if they will do something while they're in Vasselheim.

[starsreminisce]

What are your thoughts on the Band of Exiles and Elain being friends?

and also your thoughts on the plot for an Elucien book?

Vassa and Jurian's personalities seem to be aligned to provide the character development needed for Elain, based on previous books. Vassa, an outspoken queen, was punished by being sent to Koschei for going against the Human Queens. She's described as more foul-mouthed and quick-tempered than Feyre, and from what we've seen, she doesn't like taking shit from anyone. I'm sure that some of her attitude will rub off on Elain to help loosen her habit of people-pleasing.

I'm really curious to see their dynamic and what sort of feelings Elain has towards Jurian. Jurian was the one who truly ended her engagement to Graysen by revealing she was turned fae with a mate, but he was also with her when she was kidnapped by the Cauldron and led Feyre to her. Jurian assured that Elain was safe and untouched and brought Briar to the cliff. People give Jurian grief for what he said about Elain to Lucien, but they forget Jurian's goal in the whole thing: he wanted to sow discord among those who allied with Hybern.

As for the second question, every SJM book has gone differently than I expected, so I try to keep my expectations low and just have some ideas of what's going to happen.

Gut feeling, it will be like ACOMAF without the mental struggle Feyre went through. The struggle Feyre had between Tamlin and Rhys is probably going to be simplified (and amplified) to just Elain and Lucien, with both of them questioning how much the bond influences them.

There is also hope that it will pull a little from TOG Empire of Storms since that's a book where Aelin and Dorian were at a crossroads with their powers and positions and how both of them finally grew into that. We also went to different parts of Erilea, so hopefully, we get to bounce around the different courts of Prythian.

Still hoping it'll be a Pride and Prejudice retelling but let me have this!

Something huge happened that the IC went from "we won't ever touch the Dread Trove items again" to questioning and arguing over its ownership, with Nesta and Rhys butting heads over it, especially with Nesta making a decision on the spot to give it to Bryce after Bryce pleaded that even if Nesta didn't have to give the mask, she just wanted her parents safe.

Nesta's powers flared at her sisters' names, but we were told that Feyre sided with Nesta against Rhys, so I would guess it was Elain she had an issue with.

I hope it starts with Elain resentful that she's being a victim of her circumstances where she couldn't do anything. I hope Lucien picks up on this, and it finally leads to them having a discussion/argument/confrontation about their bond and begins the forced proximity trope SJM loves so dearly.

After that, I'm just along for the ride.

Some things I would we would see but I'm not banking on it.

Personally, I hope it ends with Elain freeing Koschei in the lake, with Lucien trusting her decision to do so. The IC would come down on Elain and Lucien for making a rash and reckless decision. Elain stands up for herself, and Lucien defends her.

I still have a hard time placing Koschei's importance. It's nagging me how I feel it's going to be a one-two punch where Koschei is just hiding the bigger problem, which is probably the Ancient Queen. These are all headcanons/gut feelings, and I'm not placing any bets on them.

The last hundred pages will probably be a whirlwind, and I am begging SJM once again to pace it better, but hopefully, Elain will get her tulip fields visit finally.

Thanks for asking!

[invinciblerodent]

YEAH i instantly knew that you didn't get to that point yet and didn't explain further as to not spoil anything! First my condolences its a fucking hard decision i dont think i'll be able to handle it when i get the game, secondly my question: Do you meet dorian regardless of the choice made here?? And does the game say anything about sacrificing minrathous means hes dies or something like that? Thank you and sorry (lol hahaha 😵‍💫)

Okay!!! Now that I'm thorough THAT shitshow, I'll do my best to answer lol!

So, few things-

You meet Dorian in Minrathous before you would get the quest to recruit Davrin from Varric, which is what triggers this decision. I don't think Dorian dies if you sacrifice Minrathous (he's a powerful mage who can take care of himself, a Magister, AND a returning character- if the Crows in Treviso all survive the attack there, I don't think they would put such a big stake on the other choice), but I could be wrong. I don't see a very big chance of it happening, I think he, Mae, and Viper all probably survive.

I think choosing Minrathous might cut you off from Lucanis' romance altogether, though. I used one flirty line with him before (immediately post-recruitment, it was honestly just the one that sounded the most correct, I don't even think the prompt read as flirty but it definitely was delivered as such), and as I rushed to Treviso after saving Minrathous, I got a strange piece of dialogue from him that I feel implied that he's too heartbroken.

I noticed when taking them out together before that Neve and Lucanis sounded like they were flirting a little bit (I wish I had the line, but she at least definitely implied that she was attracted to him, something about the demon having "good taste"), and after getting to Treviso, he very specifically asked if she was alright- he didn't name any other companion, so that felt significant. I think that if you go long enough with them before doing this quest, the implication of them being kind-of-together becomes more explicit. (They did say in the promo stuff at one point that there will be an NPC romance that makes a choice in the game more difficult, I didn't think it would be this one, but yeah, it definitely came earlier than I had expected.

I don't know if they will reconcile after this- it would be weird if they did, when she had all of the same exact reasons to choose Minrathous as a Shadow Dragon Rook. if they reconcile, it might be possible for Rook to still romance him too, but I wouldn't bet on it.

The choice didn't cut me off from the Treviso area, but I DID get a prompt that said that the waypoints will need to be rediscovered, and it DID remove Lucanis' personal quest from my journal, so I think I'll be reloading to just before recruiting Davrin, and doing that part all again.

Overall I think I lost like a good, idk, 2 hours of progress and Davrin for the time being, but that's with my slow, exploratory playstyle- now that I know what I'm doing, it'll probably go faster.

I won't lie and say that I'm not a little bit bitter about this, but I'm not exempt from "you can deal" when applicable either, lol.

I just wish it had at least, like, another "progress with the main quest?" prompt or something, because I gotta say, I really didn't like that the recruitment quest of the first warrior character tossed me immediately into this. Feels like Mass Effect 2, but at least there you could choose the order in which you recruit the first batch of available companions...

If you're not playing a warrior yourself (which I know most people aren't, it's definitely my preference though), three out of the four companions you get before this part are ranged (two mages, two rogues), and you're basically going the whole game until now without a tank- I think many are likely to rush into recruiting Davrin asap, and that decision fucking things up for them like this, it's... kind of weird. I don't like this aspect.

So, yeah. Might be useful to finish the Treviso and Minrathous quests before recruiting Davrin.

They are keeping me away from my Warden husband, damn it, i don't WANNA go to Treviso, I wanna smooch. :c

[nobodyexpectsthe]

If Pirith had to sacrifice one of his companions to defeat Corypheus, who would he choose?

oh, that's tough.

i think honestly all of them are equally on the chopping block. it makes him sick to think about, for as much of a manipulative bastard he can be and for as much as he resents that they seem to forget he's a person, he cares deeply for them.

he would gladly sacrifice himself but they need the anchor. so. it comes down to circumstance. is he choosing someone for a one way mission? chances are it'd be one of the rogues, which means it's probably varric. cole and sera are just kids to him (even if he's not much older than either of them) but in his eyes they've barely started living.... which for cole is more literal.

this mentality is also why he sends varric out to tevinter, a place he cannot go, with minimal backup and support and why he is not terribly surprised when things go south. it pains him deeply but he knew what game they were playing from the moment he woke up in haven.

if it's a sacrifice for some sort of ritual, that gets... so much harder because there's no justification or skill in play. he just has to pick someone to sacrifice and he knows no one else will make that call.

i think ultimately he would pick blackwall. he never really gets over the lying, and blackwall never really comes around to him and his way of doing things in my run (literally the one dude who didnt come back) and, unfortuantely, blackwall has the least to offer the inquisition when all is said and done. dorian is a tie to tevinter, vivinne to orlais, varric to kirkwall. bull and his chargers are a vital force in the inquisition. sera's jenny network is important ears on the ground. cole provides insight that pirith can't get on his own. cassandra needs to survive to reform the seeker order and find a cure for tranquility. solas is probably his closest friend and confidante outside his advisors so he's biased there but more than that, pirith views him as vital to helping restore what the elvhen have lost.

( which yes his abrupt fucking off is quite devastating and you can bet he spins the fuck out after finding out his good buddy the apostate is his fucking trickster god )

so that really just... leaves blackwall. and he wouldn't feel good about it, but he'd do it. and know no one would ever look at him the same. including himself.

[warpedlegacywrites]

Welcome to DADWC! How about kicking things off with a Theresa-centric fic for "Gamordan Stormrider - (Off the Beaten Path/Shocking/Orlais)" from your high dragons list?

Hi, thanks for this @dadrunkwriting prompt! I was worried whether this prompt list would really work, as it was my first attempt at making one of my own, but I am glad to say it works just fine!

...Unfortunately, I misremembered which character you had specified, and made it about Dorian and Bull instead lol. So enjoy some of them lost at the Winter Palace! ^_^;;;

“Welp.” Bull rests fists on hips as he looks left, looks right, and huffs. “We’re lost.”  “Impossible!” Dorian pushes past him, looks left, looks right… looks left again…. “Shit.”  “Told ya.”  Dorian whirls on him. “How did you manage to get us lost? In the Winter Palace of all places?”  But Bull fixes him with his one, steely eye. “Hey, you were the one who insisted we come down this way.”  “I did no such thing!”  “‘No, not here!’” Bull returns in a mocking version of Dorian’s voice. “‘What if someone hears us? We must find the furthest possible corner of the palace before I will consider fooling around!’”  “... I do not call it that!”  “Semantics, big guy.” Bull claps him on the back hard enough to stagger him another half-step forward, scrutinizing one of the halls. “Let’s try this way,” he suggests, jerking his thumb that way.  “We can’t just pick a random direction.” But no sooner has Dorian said this than he senses… something. He narrows his eyes, focusing his senses on that darkened corridor. “There’s a rift down there.”  “Must be a big one too.” Bull gives a slight shudder. “My teeth have been tingling since we got here.”  Side by side, they make their way toward that sensation. The tingling, back-of-your-tongue, hair-raising feeling that they’ve both become far too familiar with since joining forces with the Inquisition. Normally, Dorian isn’t the sort to walk headlong toward certain danger, but whether it’s the hulking mountain of muscle and perception stalking behind him, or whether it’s the lingering endorphins from their rushed, cramped, well-hidden fuck on the fanciest sofa in the emptiest room they could find… he doesn’t hesitate.  At another junction, they hear it - the unmistakable crackling of a rift. It’s coming from just ahead of them, in the royal wing. Which means…  “The danger is far closer than the Inquisitor realizes,” Dorian whispers.  “Hey look.” Bull gestures toward his right, where a servant’s door lays ajar. “Bet we can follow that back to the ballroom.”  “Right.” Dorian nods. The Inquisitor will want to know about this… 

[pearblossommina]

ToG Read-A-Long, Tower of Dawn, day 9

ch 43

“…Hasar had not bothered to invite any of the healers from the Torre.”

Why not, Hasar! It’s YRENE’S birthday we’re celebrating. You’re kind of a bad friend.

Trading in a therapy horse for a horse with a little more spunk. He’s got this. He’s got improved mobility and strength. He can totally ride a spunky horse through the desert. (Yay!)

Ch 44

"Fae magic is passed down through their bloodlines. It doesn't appear at random. Perhaps these people came here. And then were forgotten by the world, forces good and evil. Perhaps they knew this place was far away enough to remain untouched. That wars would be waged elsewhere. By them." He jerked his chin to a carving of a Valg soldier. "While the southern continent remained mostly mortal-held. While the seeds planted here by the Fae were bred into the human bloodlines and grew into a people gifted and prone to healing magic.”

Uh… Implying Yrene is demi fae as well?

“Perhaps that is why whoever it is that's been stalking the Torre, was hunting me," Yrene whispered. "If they are indeed sent from Morath ...They don't want us realizing any of this. Through healing you."

Maybe she’s a powerful fae princess just like Aelin, the long lost bloodline of some third sibling to Maeve and Mab.

"Marriage is not an option for her."

Hasar's brows lifted. "To a man?"

Rena gave her a sharp look that Hasar ignored.

(Lol)

If this were a different book, I could get invested in a lesbian love triangle. *sigh* If only.

Dude, I want to love this snarky lesbian princess but she’s being kind of mean to Yrene - and they’re supposed to be FRIENDS. What the hell happened? Is she just jealous of Yrene dating a boy? Hasar. PLEASE stop being such a problem.

Ch 45

A conversation about exes with your new lover is always hard to have. But Yrene is kinda his therapist, too, so she does need to help guide him through his feelings and make him come to terms the knowledge that those relationships have ended.

I noticed how, he specifically said he doesn’t love Aelin and doesn’t love Nesryn but she didn’t make him tell her he doesn’t love Dorian.

(Lol) (never stop loving Dorian) (the truest love of all, very platonic love for your best friend)

“He found words. Found language again

Long enough to ask, "Have you ever - ”

"Yes." The word was a rough pant. "Once."

Chaol shoved against the ripple of darkness, the line on that throat. He only kissed it instead. Licked it. Then asked against her skin, his mouth skirting up her jaw, "Do you want to- ”

"Keep going.”

But he made himself pause.”

:(

I don’t know where I got it into my head that Yrene was a virgin - but - did she just admit to where that scar came from? (Ow. Fuck, baby, I love you so much. My heart though. I’m not ready for this sudden trauma reveal! My poor heart was so excited. And now it just hurts)

Ch 46

Oh no, she wasn’t. She was… just the victim of unsatisfying casual sex.

Well, in that case… good for you Yrene! (Not trying to downplay the real trauma of receiving that scar on her neck) (I’m just glad it didn’t come with a big old heap of sexual trauma)(one way or the other I’m glad) (i just wasn’t ready for it, if she was about to reveal that) And hey. I’m glad she found someone like Chaol. Someone she wants to have sex with, and can finally enjoy the act. I’m glad things turned out the way they did. They needed each other. And now they finally have each other. And he helped her achieve several orgasms! Good job Chaol, your healing has gone impossibly well, I bet she’s so glad you’ve regained so much mobility and strength 🤭

And wow. Assassin’s Blade is such a fascinating prequel. How it leaves so much impact on the rest of the books. I guess I didn’t pay very much attention when I was reading it, lol, but it really is pinging my brain with memories of how it’s interwoven into the story.

Ch 47

“Then the prince was gone. Ripped from her hands.

As if he had never been.”

WHAT THE FUCK

THIS IS NOT OKAY

WHAT THE FUCK

“The spider had talked as if they would be taken alive to their lair. For a brief window before the feasting began. And if she had spoken true ...”

Oh good! Ok good, let’s go. Maybe we can still stage a daring rescue

Ch 48

Damn - this is spooky

MAEVE?

What!

I thought she was a fae queen!

She’s not?!

Does that mean - does that mean Rowan is part Valg, too?

Does that mean…. Aelin also is?

This is weird!!!!

Are Valg irredeemable monsters, or are they just… people, like the rest of us?

Is it alway considered a bad thing - to be Valg? Or is it…. Like a nature vs nurture thing, and you don’t always turn out to be an evil ruthless conqueror trying to stomp out all the good in the world? Cause Manon is part Valg, too… all the witches are, and they’re able to do good, and do what’s right… if they choose it!

I guess I have been sorta biased against this fantasy race, but now, I’m wondering if all this setup has been in play to make me see that we’re *really not that different* This is so weird. THIS IS COMPLETELY OFF THE RAILS.

Ch 49

Maeve tricked TWO sisters into believing she was one of their sisters!!!!!!!

TWO SISTER FAE QUEENS!!!!!

That means, Rowan is…… remember way back when… when I was like (ew) (they’re cousins) Does this new information mean, they’re in fact NOT cousins, because Maeve is in fact NOT related to Aelin’s ancestor Mab? is this secretly - now that he’s mates with Aelin - like a true Romeo and Juliet! Valg and fae coming together, the caranam, the combining of powers!!!! All the powers of this realm and the next!!!!

I did not expect this critical information, it’s like changing my view on EVERYTHING right now. This is WAY OFF THE RAILS.

Ch 50

Falkan! he’s not Lysandra’s dad he’s her uncle

I feel stupid for not realizing. (He’s too young to be her dad) (lol)

(This better not be the last time we see him)

Ch 51

Hell yeah, Borte to the rescue

Hell yeah, Kadara triumphant return!

My heart!

Damn!!!! This chapter set has so many intense feelings! Ships sailing, friendships forming, evil bad guys being revealed to be NOT WHAT THEY SEEMED -

I just want to keep reading!

[reminiscentreader]

I Bet You Think About Me

Chapter 3  

“So dignified in your well-pressed suit, so strategised all the eyes on you 

Mr perfectly fine, Taylor Swift

“AMBROSES” Nash suddenly boomed before They had even reached the seats on the other side of the table, and within the blink of an eye Cordelia was getting crushed in what she like to call the cowboy hug. “Nash” she breathed out, because her breath had been taken away, because she could literally barely breathe, “I’ve missed you,”

“Ahh I’ve missed ya too kid

                      ._._._._._._._._._._._._._.

When Nash finally let her go she moved to greet Jameson, she extended her arm expecting a handshake, but Jameson pulled her arm and squeezed her just as hard as Nash did, no doubt taking the mick out of his spine-snapping hugs, “Jamie, I’ve heard you managed to get a girlfriend”

Jameson snorted “ ha, yeah I did, a very good one at that,” he held her at arms length “you said not even troll would like me, but alas I have managed to make a girl fall in love with me”

“I feel bad for her,”

Jameson made a over-exaggerated shocked face before Cordelia flipped her hair - making sure it hit his face - and walking off to find Xander.

                    ._._._._._._.__._._._._._

“Della, Della, Della,”

“Xan!” Cordelia spins round to face him, “where’s your eyebrow?” 

“That’s is a matter for another conversation,what matters now is that you’re here!” Cordelia giggles “ how are your inventions going xander?” He nervously laughs and runs his hand through his dark curls “lets just say they sometimes decide to commit suicide” 

“How unfortunate, I will be sure to mourn” they both burst out laughing and give eachother a quick squeeze before xander goes to find Dorian.

                 ._._._._._._._._._._._._._._

Cordelia is still smiling after her him as Grayson stares at the back her head, desperately trying to find courage to walk up to her, to say something, how would she react? If he did go to greet her would she slap him and scream that she hated him? That he broke her heart and now she wanted to break his neck. No, he told himself this was Cordelia Ambrose, his sweet little daisy, who had a funeral for her favourite pencil, the memory still made him smirk, god it was so pathetic but he played along none the less. Grayson straightened his back and took a deep breath, he could do this.

                    ._._._._._._._._._._._._._._.

Within 2 seconds of meeting her, Cordelia decided that Libby grambs was the nice person she had ever met in her whole life the, She had just been walking up to the girl when Libby flashed the biggest smile at her and offered her a chocolate cupcake, chocolate was her absolute favourite also who wouldn’t take free food, “you have the most beautiful name I have ever heard!” The goth said adjusting her ponytail “ thank you so much, I actually have two middle names as well”

“Really! What are they?”

As Cordelia opened her mouth to tell her somebody cleared they throat, she turned around to see who it was, there he was clad entirely in black staring down at her with his ice cold eyes.

It was Grayson Hawthorne 

._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._ sorry if this one was a little late! I just got back from Florida and the jet lag is 🫠

anyway hope you enjoyed, once again feel free leave suggestions 🫶

[get-wr3ckered]

| Antipodal- (Wrecker x Jedi!oc) |

Summary: Kei'ara and Wolffe have one last spar, and Master Plo greets the Batch upon their arrival. Warnings: none I don't think?

Wordcount: 750+

Notes:

This is pre-Echo to begin with (but don't worry he's a-comin')

I think I've added all the appropriate warnings and tags but if I've missed something or tagged it incorrectly feel free to let me know and I'll fix it asap!

Beautiful dividers by @eloquentmoon

-One-

Chests heaving in near synchronicity neither party showed any sign that they would yield anytime soon.

Despite the thick blindfold that blocked her vision Kei'ara Agri moved with grace and precision as though she could see all the same. Hands bound behind her back, she jumped atop a moving platform with ease. A grin split her lips at the subtle sound of her opponent letting out a dissatisfied grunt at her evasive manoeuvre.

Below her, clad in that telltale plastoid armour stood Commander Wolffe, training blaster in hand. Aiming once again he fired another series of stun rounds in a vane attempt to hit the newly knighted Jedi to no avail. Regardless of the scoff that escaped the confines of his throat as she evaded his attack once again, Wolffe had a similar grin of his own dancing on his lips beneath his bucket, a prideful glint in his eyes at Kei'ara's successful moves.

"How long have they been at it?" Boost Asked, settling between Sinker and Comet on the observation deck.

Comet shrugged in response. He hadn't been there from the beginning, only having joined Sinker after stumbling across him in his search for the Commanders- or more accurately their Commander and the new General. It still felt a little odd addressing Kei'ara as General rather than Commander but regardless he, and the entirety of the 104th, was proud of their vod'ika's accomplishment.

"Fifty-three minutes," Sinker enlightened his brothers without shifting his focus in the slightest. "Wolffe's got her on the ropes."

Boost snickered. His reason for coming to the observation deck is long forgotten now. "That's what you said last time and Kei'ara still won, vod."

"First time for everything," Comet hummed, leaning forward against the railing.

Completely consumed by the ongoing spar, all three troopers were oblivious to their comms flashing one after the other.

Plo Koon let out yet another quiet sigh.

He should have seen this coming really- this wasn't the first time something like this had happened. Having to wrangle the boy of the 104th out of the observation deck to tend to their duties was an all too common occurrence for the Kel Dorian. Finding his wolfpack tucked away in the cramped space, bets flying as they watched their Commanders sparing sessions had become something of a tradition for them.

His boy's inability to not get distracted was perhaps something he should have expected. Surrendering to the knowledge that his men wouldn't be answering their comms anytime soon, the Jedi Master turned to the small cluster of clones to his left in quiet defeat. "It seems we'll have to go to them instead Sergeant."

The Sergeant in question nodded, wordlessly telling the other three members of his squad to follow the General. Toothpick shifting between his lips, one of the men went to no doubt grumble earning himself a look warning from the Sergeant as they moved. Swallowing his remark with a roll of his eyes, the trooper followed his squad and the General in silent dislike.

"My apologies," Master Plo offered as he led them through the facility. "I should have foreseen General Agri being late for your arrival, I do hope you won't hold it against her, though I suspect there is little chance of such regardless of my words."

"Of course, General," Hunter nodded.

A few more turns passed before the Kel Dorian came to a halt at one of the many clone training rooms. The door slid open with a muted hiss to reveal a session seemingly underway. Neither participant offer the newcomers so much as a glance, not that the female's blindfolded state would have allowed for such anyways.

"Commander Wolffe," Plo Koon called out, drawing the clone's attention to himself. "Might I interrupt your spar for a moment?"

"Of course, General," The Commander responded dutifully, holstering the blaster quickly.

As the two spoke, the Commander's sparring partner made quick work of scaling her way back down from the hovering platform she had been perched upon. Despite her clear impediments, she jumped from platform to platform with ease, steps unwavering as she went. Landing back on solid ground with grace, the woman was quick to shrug off her binds and pull the blindfold free.

"Master Plo," A gentle smile pulled at her pale lips. Looking past the Kel Dorian to inspect the four clones behind him, her smile only seemed to grow. "You've brought guests."

"Yes," He nodded, stepping aside and gesturing toward the small squad that accompanied him. "Allow me to introduce Clone Force 99."

Taglist:

Feel free to drop me a message if you want to be added to the taglist!

[gaysebastianvael]

🎶 9 Ship Songs 🎶

Rules: List nine songs for one of your ships

Tagged by @shivunin thank you!! Just nine? HA....anyway I did three songs for three ships (and I can do a million more.)

Taliesin x Sebastian

I Will - Mitski

And we're not out of the tunnel I bet you, though, there's an end Stay with me Hold my hand There's no need To be brave And while you sleep I'll be scared So by the time you wake I'll be brave

Let's Get Married - Bleachers

And I know it’s bad when we look out But bad, bad people don’t live in our house so I’m gonna get right for you honey I'll take all of my medicine, spend you all my money, yeah And I know it’s hard enough to love me But woke up in a safe house singing, "Honey, let’s get married" Don’t wanna walk alone So let’s get married

Read All About It, Pt. III - Emeli Sandé

At night we're waking up the neighbors while we sing away the blues Making sure that we're remembered, yeah, 'cause we all matter too If the truth has been forbidden, then we're breaking all the rules So come on, come on Let's get the TV and the radio to play our tune again It's 'bout time we got some airplay of our version of events There's no need to be afraid, I will sing with you, my friend

Somhairle x Dorian

Stray Italian Greyhound - Vienna Teng

I’m not that kind I’m so good at shooting down any notion This tired world could change It’s all been bought Or at least that was my line No use in spending all that emotion When there’s someone else to blame But you had to come along didn’t you Rev up the crowd, rewrite the rule book Where do I go when every ‘no’ turns into ‘maybe’

Never Look Away - Vienna Teng

Let me uncover the silver in your dark hair The weight of your bones I want to witness the beauty of your repair The shape you've grown For you are made of nebulas and novas and night sky You're made of memories you bury or live by So if you're out there in the cold I'll cover you in moonlight If you're a stranger to your soul I'll bring you to your birthright

I Really Like You - Carly Rae Jepsen

It's like everything you say is a sweet revelation All I wanna do is get into your head Yeah, we could stay alone, you and me in this temptation Sipping on your lips, hanging on by thread, baby Who gave you eyes like that? Said you could keep them I don't know how to act Or if I should be leaving I'm running out of time Going out of my mind I need to tell you something

Royce x Fenris

Stay - Mïrändä

'Cause I have a heart Despite what you may think and what I say And I wouldn’t have it any other way Even though it hurts It’s killing me with every passing day You can heal me now, it makes it worth the pain But don’t leave me now, I’m begging you to stay Oh it’s happening again I know this feeling like I’m losing everything is slipping through me and I’m gone I’d leave it all for a moment with you, is that wrong?

Give Me a Try - The Wombats

I know, sometimes I lose the plot and I cause a scene What do you dream of on the west coast When my head is aching in GMT We could be gigantic, everything I need Vicodin on Sunday nights This could be worth the risk, worth the guarantee This could be the drug that doesn't bite Just give me a try Just give me a try Been kind of hoping you might Get up and give me a try

Wonderful Way - TOUCAN

No matter what happens, darling we’re laughing Sweeter than the sap in a maple tree Just being with you is sending my heart Tumbling more than it would be in a washing machine Oh, my, my, this phosphorescent furnace, fueling our desire Oh, my, my, how pleasant to be burning if you’re the fire

[heniareth]

13, 15 and 18 for the ship memeeeee? 🥰

Helloo Lilou!!!!!! Here are some answers for ya (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧

13. How do they keep in contact when they’re apart? Do they write letters, talk on the phone, or simply wait out the time?

Given that this is Thedas and modern means of communication haven't been invented yet: letters. Letters, letters, so many letters. Although you bet that as soon as Dorian starts producing and selling his sending crystals, Astala is getting some. There's no way anybody can intercept their messages that way, too!

Especially during the time Zevran is in Antiva, they have to be very cautious about what they write in their letters, lest the Crows intercept their correspondence and either of them comes to harm. It's endlessly frustrating to Astala and very, very scary for Zevran because he knows exactly how capable the Crows are and therefore overthinks every little detail. He also writes way less letters due to the nature of his work. Astala writes them almost like they're a diary and then sends them off in a neat bundle (with some kind of protection to make sure nobody else opens them. She has the resources to do that as arlessa). She also sends pressed flowers, little doodles and small trinkets to Zevran. Zevran's letters are comparatively sparse, but they make up for it by being chock-full of sentiment. He is way better at words than Astala. Astala tries to let him know how much she loves and misses him, but she also doesn't want to distract him from work or add to his unhappiness over their separation, so you end up having to read between the lines of her day's report to get what she really means.

15. What songs remind you of their relationship?

Hoooooo boy oh boy oh boy!!!! Songs!!!!! I love those, I'm planning to listen to all those you put up for Revka and Zevran 👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀

For Zev and Astala, I have:

Dust to Dust by The Civil Wars: this is SO Astala and Zevran over the course of the Blight. The first verse is about Zevran, the second is about Astala, it's perfect.

Bulería by David Bisbal: I wrote the first version of Zevran's ambush on the Wardens to this song. It's dramatic, it's over the top, it's delightful. It's also a song that could fit Zevran's relationship to Rinna very well. I really don't want to pit Astala against Rinna, but both have a similar effect on Zev, and... well. The female LI dies in the music video. Like Rinna dies. And like Astala (almost) dies. If it fits, it sits

Alone by Heart: this is for a potential modern AU where Astala is recently widowed with a little kid and works shitty jobs and Zevran is an assassin on the run

18. How do they care for each other when one of them is wounded/sick?

Astala has experience caring for sick family, so she has very good bedside manner. Apart from care, she offers conversation and a distraction if Zevran wants it. She'll smile at his groaning and makes sure he takes whatever medicine he has to take, drinks and eats enough, has fresh bedsheets and clothing, all of those little things that make being sick or wounded a bit more manageable.

That said, if Zevran is in real, immediate danger, all that composure and her cool head falls away. With wounds she'll be tight-lipped and grim, but still help and do so well. If it's a very bad cough, however, if Zevran has spent days sick, unresponsive, and shows o signs of getting better, she gradually loses her nerves and patience. In these situations she needs somebody close who helps her take care of him, because the fear of losing him will gradually make her more scattered, have her freeze up, and generally impede her to function. She basically shuts down under the helplessness. All of this harks back to the time after Adaia's bed when her dad and Shianni got very sick with some kind of cough and she had to manage the household and take care of them. If Zevran gets something similar and gets it bad, it takes her right back to that time.

Zevran, on the other hand, has a terrible patient to manage. Astala will insist on getting up and wandering around when she shouldn't, so a lot of his efforts go towards keeping her in bed. Where the doctor said she should stay. He bears it with good humor whenever he can, makes sure there are plums or other fruit around the house for when Astala feels better, and is not above sitting on her if it will keep her down (he has a very stubborn wife). Apart from that, he'll attempt to lighten the situation with jokes and humor as much as he can. He will also read her letters she gets and pen down answers if she can't be convinced to not work.

The more serious things get, the less light Zevran will be able to make of the situation. He will still try, for Astala's sake, but most of his energies will be focused on getting help, getting medicine, making food, all of that. He is, arguably, better at keeping the work up when things get dire; he's able to set his feelings of helplessness aside and keep going. He can break if worst comes to worst and Astala dies, but right now she needs him functional.

-

And these have been the answers to these questions!! Thank you so much for indulging me, it's been fun to rotate these two in my brain XD XD XD Have a lovely day!!