#ada x emmrich

[ambrosykim]

my rook is a mourn watcher necromancer and both endings would be such a good fit for her for different reasons. (read below!)

pros for lich emmrich:

the thought of her and their love being immortalised through him means so much to her (him remembering her for the rest of time…). she surrounds herself with skeletons (like her reanimated cat among others), so not only would she be comfortable with him being a lich she would also think it very hot. she has strong feelings on death, she usually wakes up and decides she would not die that day no matter what, so emmrich choosing to extend his life rather than live with the uncertainty is sg that she wholeheartedly supports. she wouldn't need to worry about being left alone after his death which helps with her abandonment issues and feeling like belonging to someone.

pros for human emmrich:

adalina has always felt abandoned by her parents (bc they left her at the necropolis, they clearly didn't want her), so having manfred as their son/ward would be so fulfilling for her (family unit…). having a joint coffin and tombstone would be the ultimate romance for her. she's that meme of dreamily sketching their joint tombstone. since emmrich would likely die before her, she dreams of being the one embalming him. she could then display his mummified body in her workshop/house, so he can still be a part of her everyday life until they're lowered in the ground together. she could detach one of his finger's digits and keep it with her whenever she's away from him.

[profoundlyfaded]

Self-Abnegation Techniques for Sub-Astral Navigation

Rating: Mature, contains sex.

Pairing: Rook Ingellvar x Emmrich Volkarin

Characters: Yaryna ‘Rook’ Ingellvar, Taash, Bellara Lutare, Neve Gallus, Emmrich Volkarin, OC: Ada Wiesinger

Summary: Rook was certain she had never met Emmrich Volkarin before he joined The Veilguard, but the arrival of a chest from her past reveals that might not be the case.

Set any time between The Flame Eternal and The Sacrifice of Souls.

Also on AO3- https://archiveofourown.org/works/61233742

——————

‘What’s in the chest?’

Taash’s voice rung out as Rook unsealed the locking spell and opened it.

‘Why? Wanna fence it?’ Rook shot back with a smirk.

Rook had recognised it the moment she saw it on the library table; one of her own, left with Myrna. It was meant as defiant remark, telling everyone who saw it that she would walk the halls of the Necropolis again.

At the top, her old house robe was folded neatly, the crescent moon clasp gleaming under the twinkling light from the astrolabe above them.

‘Just some personal belongings of mine,’ she elaborated, stroking the deep green velvet. ‘Couldn’t take more than what could fit in a rucksack, a sword, shield and armour when I left.’

She lifted it out of the chest, holding it to her body as the full length skirts tumbled to the floor. It had been an extravagant purchase, needing six months worth of her wages when she had received her promotion to Lieutenant four years earlier. Rook twisted from side to side, watching the skirts sweep the floor, letting a smile tilt her lips up.

‘Didn’t think you liked dresses,’ Taash remarked after a moment, prompting Rook to look up.

Taash’s expression was one of someone still at war with themselves. Rook huffed a sigh, laying the robe over the back of a chair.

‘Most people are surprised to learn that I love them,’ she said softly. ‘Tight bodices, long flowing skirts, and hats. I love hats. I used to watch the nobles come into the Necropolis as a kid, in their dresses, and coats and hats covered in gold and think, that’s what I want.’ She undid the buckles on her tunic, pulling it off to reveal a linen chemise. ‘I felt like a Princess the first time I put this on,’ she spun once she done the coat up, letting the skirts spin around.

Taash raised an eyebrow. ‘You actually look like a necromancer now,’ the qunari remarked drily to Rook’s laughter when she stopped spinning. ‘Is this when I find out you do corpse stuff too?’

Rook rested her hands on her hips. ‘No,’ she said. ‘It was decided that I did not have the finesse required for Death Calling, but had demonstrated a certain, disruptive aptitude that made me the perfect pick for the Reapers.’

Taash opened her mouth as the door flew open.

‘Is that yours?’ Bellara’s voice rang out, followed by the every other step clink of Neve. ‘I saw someone wearing something like it the first time we went to the Necropolis.’

Bellara’s excited chatter prompted Taash to roll her eyes but with a fond smile.

‘Neve, isn’t it amazing? She looks so pretty.’ The elf continued as she rushed forward to examine the clothing closely. ‘Is this what was in the chest?’

‘It’s just some of my old things Myrna thought I’d want,’ said Rook, turning back to peer into the chest.

Some bone white chemises, with draw string fronts and one of her full gown dresses had been carefully folded into the chest along with a box of jewellery containing her meagre collection of grave gold. She carefully lifted them out, settling them on the table to reveal some books and journals. She remembered packing this chest, to serve as a reminder as to who she was; the experiences and lessons learned over her life. She ran her finger over the oldest of the books.

‘Are all Watchers this careful with their books?’ Bellara asked.

‘When they’re as old as this? I’d hope so,’ Rook replied, lifting out her copy of the Fade Compendium and pressing her hand to the cover. ‘It was found with me,’ she said quietly. ‘Emmrich has a copy if you’d like to read it, this one is...’ she trialled off carefully putting the book back. ‘It’s mine.’

‘That’s okay,’ said Bellara. ‘I have more than enough to read with researching the Nadas Dirthalen and the book club.’

‘Book club,’ piped up Taash. ‘What book club?’

‘Oh you know, the one where we meet up, once a month and discuss a book we’ve read. Harding chose the recent one - Mistress of the Scarlet Moon.’

‘You go to this?’ Taash asked Rook.

‘I don’t like books by Irian Cestes,’ she replied. ‘She once wrote one about an undead in love with a woman, it was, ah, off putting. Especially, when she described unraveling the death shroud.’ She shuddered at the memory of the prose. ‘Relationships with the undead are considered a taboo, in most cases anyway.’

‘There’re exceptions?’ Taash groaned in disgust.

‘Besides,’ Rook continued as if she hadn’t heard Taash. ‘I’ve been busy trying to apply some new hexcraft to my shield, and it’s taking some experimentation, leaving little in the way of time for reading.’ She put her hands on her hips, gazing down at the books. ‘There might be something in my old notes that could help.’

She flicked open the top journal, dated five years earlier. Her writing scrawled across the pages, interspersed with diagrams from anatomy classes and magical runes.

‘Crafting Sheild-Hex, already done that,’she muttered, talking to herself as she skimmed the pages. ‘Self-abnegation techniques for sub-astral navigation, not particularly relevant in my field and probably fell asleep judging by the doodles on the page. Erm, Fundamentals of Advanced Hex-Wardweaves using Posch’s Theorem... old,’ she muttered, turning the page. ‘Could work though. I wonder if Emmrich has any books on it.’

‘Does it all have fancy titles?’ Asked Taash.

‘Instead of what? Slaying Dragons with Swords, a study?’ Drawled Neve.

‘It’s a good book for beginners, better title than Self-whatever-you-said,’ defended Taash. ‘What is that anyway?’ Returning her attention back to Rook as she flicked back a few pages in her journal.

‘She doesn’t know,’ pointed out Bellara. ‘She fell asleep in the class. Oh, I bet the Professor knows.’ She clapped her hands together in excitement.

‘Knows what?’ chimed Emmrich’s voice from the mezzanine, prompting all but Rook to glance up as she saw the page she was looking for.

‘What Self-abnegation techniques for.. what did you say Rook,’ said Bellara. ‘That last bit?’ She huffed in frustration. ‘You know, Taash is a right, it is a bit of a mouthful isn’t it?’

‘Sub-astral navigation,’ Neve finished. ‘Self-abnegation techniques for sub-astral navigation. See? Easy’

‘Yes, that, Rook doesn’t know because she fell asleep in a class about it,’ Finished Bellara.

‘And it’s a stupid title that doesn’t mean anything,’ put in Taash with a huff, placing their feet on the table. ‘Rook, you okay?’

‘Yeah,’ she said, snapping the journal shut and lifting a smile as she placed her journal back in the chest, ‘nothing like squandering chances of education at any age.’ She placed the dress and chemise back in chest and closed it with a click. ‘I’m going to put this away in my room.’

She wanted to glance up at Emmrich, but Neve’s eyes bore into her. That clever, inquisitive mind putting together everything that happened in the last few minutes as a smirk formed on her mouth. Rook answered with a grimace.

‘I somewhat suspect the Professor is quite well versed in the subject,’ Neve declared, drawing attention away from Rook.

---//-*-\\---

‘I didn’t realise you were back in the City, Yaryna,’ Ada Wiesinger said as she pressed a kiss to Rook’s cheek in greeting.

The blonde hair Watcher stepped back from her friend, her pin curls sitting perfectly under a wide brimmed hat trimmed with feathers and a bow on the side. Rook had refrained from a hat but looked no less striking in her grey gown and lilac hair caught in an updo with a half bun and corkscrew curls reaching the middle of her back.

‘I’m not,’ she replied as they stepped apart and Ada sat back down. ‘Passing through, with business here before I head back.’

‘Back where?’

‘Minrathous,’ said Rook, as she took the seat opposite, smoothing her skirt across her lap.

Ada’s eyes flared with interest. ‘What’s it like? Are the stories true?’

‘Sometimes,’ Rook replied. ‘Sometimes it’s not too dissimilar to here. Less undead, though.’

Beside her a skeletal attendant set a silver tray with tea before Rook. The scent of camomile and lemon filled her nose and she inhaled deeply; the smell of home, long denied to her. A second plate was set down with a clink. A large scone with heaped pots of clotted cream and jam sat tantalising before her and she grinned at Ada.

‘You shouldn’t have,’ Rook said, turning the cake into its side and slicing through it.

Ada smiled as she mirrored Rook with her own scone. ‘I thought it would be nice; tea, scones, gossip. Just like the good old days.’

‘It would be good to hear how the squad are doing,’ said Rook.

‘Still on those bottom end patrols,’ Ada said with a dismal downturn in her voice, corners of her lips dropping. ‘Fischer still hasn’t forgiven us for not falling back even though he wanted to see the rebellion put down. He doesn’t even censure your methods, in private anyway.’

Rook spread a blob of jam on her scone. ‘We’re soldiers,’ she said, ‘it’s supposed to be orders first, our opinion second. Or preferably, not at all.’

‘That’s alright for you to say,’ groused Ada. ‘You got whisked out of here to go on some grand adventure. To Minrathous.’

‘Grand is one word for it,’ acknowledged Rook. ‘Terrifying is the usual, actual reality.’

‘There’s been talk of a new Blight and the Wardens have scattered,’ said Ada, placing her scone down. ‘There can’t be another so soon after the one in the South, can there?’

Rook placed her scone down, drawing herself up with a straight back to meet Ada’s green eyes. ‘It’s true.’

‘Maker help us,’ breathed Ada. ‘You’ve seen it, haven’t you?’

‘Up close and personal,’ Rook confirmed. ‘It’s unlike anything I’d seen before; a force of pure corruption.’

‘And somehow you have time for tea?’ Asked Ada, picking up her scone then biting into it.

Rook spread some cream over the jam. ‘It’s important to take a moment and pause, connect with those you care about if the opportunity arises.’

Ada drew in a shocked breath.

‘I’d rather be doing bottom draw patrols with you,’ said Rook, biting her own cake. ‘Most of the time anyway.’

She moaned at the taste of the cake, remembering why they used to do this so often once they had earned their paid commissions. Ada laughed at Rook’s reaction.

‘I haven’t had one of these since I left,’ Rook protested with a laugh. ‘Although, I bet Lucanis could whip up some amazing scones if I get him a recipe.’

Ada’s eyebrows flicked up in interest. ‘Lucanis?’

‘A friend who joined my team,’ she replied brightly. ‘Turns out, he’s a bit of a genius at the stove; we’ve not found anything he can’t cook yet.’

‘Fighting the a Blight, and still having time for dinner at a stove?’

‘We have a base, and the ability to travel quickly,’ Rook explained. ‘It’s a lot to explain and take in. The situation isn’t at full, open warfare yet. Diplomacy is needed. And careful planning.’

‘Well you certainly learnt something from the Banners,’ said Ada.

‘I tried to talk them down, as you will recall,’ shot back Rook. ‘But they were determined in their actions. Did anyone look into it? How and why the undead were able to become so riled up?’

‘They sent Mecklesburg,’ Ada informed her. ‘He hasn’t returned and the Necropolis reshuffled. He’s probably found the Halls of Consecration and can’t find his way back. They’ve sent the rescue parties out, but nothing as yet.’

Rook chuckled, picking up her cup and bringing to her nose to inhale it. A thought ticked over as she sipped the tea, the spiral of events leading to the rebellion and a frown straightened across her lips. She placed the cup down on the soft with a clink, a mental note forming to speak to Emmrich about it.

‘So, if you’re in the midst of all that is going on,’ Ada said, ‘but finding time for tea, why are you actually here Yaryna?’

Rook clicked her tongue, leaning back into the chair with her hands on her lap. ‘Five years ago,’ she said, ‘why did I attempt advanced classes on metaphysics?’

‘Seriously? That’s your question?’

Rook nodded. ‘What goes around is apparently coming around, and...’

‘Klaus Van Markham,’ replied Ada as Rook winced at the name. ‘You were trying to prove that Reapers weren’t just shield slingers, that we could understand the intricacies of Death Calling, so you signed up to the hardest class you could find - but you’d been on the overnight patrol.’ Ida sighed with a soft chuckle. ‘You woke up, middle of the auditorium, when the wraiths stormed the class, earning your commendation for valour - you saved two senior professors with a hexed-weaveward that repelled the wraiths back into The Fade.’

‘That was the same event?’ Rook asked, struggling to pull the strands of her memory together. She remembered the attack and the medal but not the proceeding events. ‘I barely remember it.’

Ada laughed. ‘And this has nothing to do with you being seen in the company of Professor Volkarin, one of the aforementioned senior professors, on a regular basis? Including, I heard, kissing in the Memorial Gardens?’

‘They were meant to be closed.’

‘To the public, yes, not the Mourn Watch guards and you know how they gossip,’ replied Ada, then grew serious as she met Rook’s gaze. ‘Yaryna, is it a good idea after everything? He’s a senior Watcher. Senior faculty as well. It could be argued that you’re trying to get yourself back in the good graces of the Watch by being romantically entangled with one of their best.’

Rook froze, opening her mouth then closing it a few times. ‘It’s not like that,’ she managed eventually, rising from her seat.

Ada held her hands up. ‘I’m sure it’s not, but others will think it is and you have to be ready for that.’

‘I don’t care what others think,’ said Rook, placing a couple of gulders beside the plate. ‘Much less anyone who doesn’t know us. Thank you for the tea.’

---//-*-\\---

She stood braced against the table behind her sofa gazing at the aquarium. In the corner of her eye, Varric’s mirror glinted, her jawline visible. It crossed her mind that she should take it to the infirmary, give it back to Varric but he seemed to be doing okay without it. Ada’s words had cut her, worming deeply on her journey back to the Lighthouse. Rook could not have prevented herself from falling in love with Emmrich.

She’d never really considered what other members of the Mourn Watch would think of her relationship with Emmrich. Rook rapped her nails across the table in frustration as a tap to the door echoed through the room before it opened. The soft footsteps prompted her to draw in a deep breath to steady herself.

‘Yaryna, darling.’

Emmrich’s voice was its usual balm. She turned her head to watch him approach. His ever curious gaze sweeping over her. He’d never seen her in a full day gown, nor with her hair so carefully styled but the quirk to his lips told her he enjoyed the sight. She filed the thought away for future use.

‘I feel that you’ve been avoiding me,’ he said quietly with a humorous lilt in his voice.

‘I fell asleep in your class,’ she whispered. ‘It hardly feels like a ringing endorsement.’

Emmrich chuckled, a deep throaty sound that surprised Rook. ‘Yaryna, I’ve fallen asleep more than once in lectures I didn’t feel concerned me. I imagine advanced wardweaving would have me in a stupor.’

‘You’re just saying that,’ Rook replied, turning into him, one hand going to his shoulder, the other to his chest. ‘I can’t imagine there is a single element of Necromancy that wouldn’t interest you, including wardweaving.’

She lifted herself on her tiptoes,pressing a soft kiss to the corner of Emmrich’s mouth. He turned into her, returning her kisses, stroking her jaw.

‘I went to the Necropolis earlier,’ she said once the kiss came to its natural conclusion. ‘Convinced an old friend to tell me why I’d been attempting advanced metaphysical classes but I have to report that we’ve been seen in the Gardens.’

‘Ah,’ Emmrich said. ‘Is that a problem?’

Rook shrugged and held his gaze. ‘I don’t want it to be but we may have to consider my position within Mourn Watch when this is all over. Ada said something about this looking like I was attempting to work my way back into the good graces of the Watch by entangling you in a romantic relationship.’

‘Darling,’ he said softly, pressing a kiss to her lips. ‘There will always be those who might feel the need to judge our relationship. What matters is how we feel.’

‘I know,’ Rook replied, placing her head on his shoulder, letting his presence settle her. ‘Ada did also tell me why I attempted the class - caught up in proving us shield slingers weren't idiots. Fine job I did of that. But I did save your life when the wraiths stormed the auditorium.’

‘That was you?’ He laughed, drawing away to look at her. ‘I knew we’d met before. Your hair is very distinctive.’

‘Lilac,’ Rook intoned with a smile, as Emmrich twisted a curly lock of her hair through his long fingers. ‘Are you really not upset that I fell asleep in one of your classes?’

‘Well, I can’t deny that it was a bit of a blow, particularly when you’ve been at pains to inform me how interesting you find me,’ he told her, the sparkle in his eyes belying the seriousness of his tone.

She stroked his upper arm. ‘Perhaps I can find a way to make it up to you.’

‘Giving you the lecture in person?’ Emmrich suggested, his voice dropping to a salacious tone that had managed to set her alight time and time again, turning her so she pressed up against the table.

His lips moved to her jaw, tracing a route to the sensitive spot just behind her ear eliciting a soft sign. She arched into him, open and willing to his ministrations. Her fingers moved to work the buttons on his vest while his pulled at the laces of her dress’s bodice. The thought of his hands on her body, again, enough to make her rapturously dizzy. The bodice came away leaving her upper half in just a chemise.

‘I’ll need some form of instruction on how to get you out of all these layers if this attire is to become a regular occurrence,’ he muttered against the skin of her neck, drawing the wide neck of her chemise across her shoulder and down her arm with a tantalising scraping of nail against skin before following the line with his lips.

‘They’re just eyelets and hooks, or laces,’ she managed, head rolling back, using a hand to free her skirt on one side. ‘Easier than your buttons.’ She freed the other side to let the skirt slip off her waist and over her hips to begin pooling around her knees. ‘Like anything, however, one only truly learns through regular practice.’

Emmrich used his foot to push the dress the rest of the way to the floor, coaxing Rook forward to step out of the puddle of fabric leaving her in just a chemise and woollen stockings.

‘But I don’t think...’ Rook breathed hands, going to Emmrich’s chest and pushing him against the concealed bedroom door. ‘You need further instruction,’ she finished pushing up onto her tiptoes to kiss him again as he shucked off his vest. ‘You already seem pretty well-versed.’

Rook unclipped his collar pin, pulling it free and placing it on the bookshelf beside the door. With a quick flick of her fingers, she freed the top button and pressed a kiss to the exposed hollow of his throat. She smiled at the sound of him attempting to hold back a moan of satisfaction and Rook flicked out her tongue to taste his skin.

It was enough to enliven her lover. Emmrich turned them so Rook was now against the door, his long fingers bunching her chemise towards her waist. His hands brushed against her hips tugging at her panties and pushed them down. She kicked them aside before turning the door knob. They tumbled into the bedroom beyond.

As their relationship progressed the Lighthouse responded to their need for privacy. Between their living quarters a suite of rooms appeared containing a beautifully adopted bedroom that they had taken to sharing most nights.

Emmrich landed on the bed first, Rook on top. His greying hair falling across his brow. They had found they fitted together with perfection.

‘You are sublime,’ Emmrich rasped out, pushing the chemise over her head and throwing it aside.

Cupping his face in her hands, she pressed another kiss to his lips; long, slow before changing to soft shorter kisses. ‘Am I forgiven?’ She asked between each one.

‘Not yet.’ Emmrich gently bit her lip, tugging it gently, hands moving across her skin, along her rib cage. ‘Lie down, let me see you.’

Rook crawled off him, and moved to lay along the bed collapsing back into pillows at the head of the bed as he stripped down exposing his rakish but well toned body. Rook had been breathless the first time she’d seen him; lean, beautiful, proud and erect in his adoration of her. He was beautiful. Every night they were together she felt the same. Emmrich walked back to the bed kneeling beside her, holding her gaze with blazing emerald eyes as he untied the ribbon on one of her stockings.

‘You should wear these more often,’ he said in a deep voice as he slid the first one down.

He made his way back to her up her leg; pressing a kiss to her ankle, blazing a trail along her calf to inner thigh, slowing as he moved close to her centre of need. Emmrich pressed gentle kisses around her core before blowing a soft breath over her most sensitive area.

‘Don’t tease,’ she warned through a sigh of pleasure.

‘As you wish, my love,’ he told her, untying the other ribbon and repeated his ministrations on her other leg before lifting it over his shoulder.

Rook cried out, her hand meeting his hair as he licked a firm line through her core. She arched into him, crying his name as white light blinded her vision. He was an exemplary lover. Rook cried out again, her free hand going to her hair, tugging at her roots. The cool air touched the rest of her skin, caressing her nipples and behind her knees, the tip of her nose in stark, nearly unbearable contrast to heat within her body.

Then Emmrich was gone. A moment passed before he dropped a kiss to her abdomen, up the soft valley of her stomach to the firm path between her breasts. The words of love they’d shared were nestled in her chest as their fingers entwined above her head.

Their eyes met as he sank into her. Her free hand stroked his jaw, foreheads meeting as she opened her mouth in a silent cry which Emmrich kissed away, reaching for her knee, pulling over his hip to his waist. Their blazing passion ebbing into the flow of love they shared.

She cried out again. This time Emmrich encouraged her sounds with kisses to her jaw, behind her ear.

‘Let me hear you again,’ Emmrich whispered, his own body beginning to coil.

The words were enough. Rook’s cry mingled with Emmrich’s moan until nothing remained but the aftermath of pleasure.

Time vanished until the cool air touched Rook’s skin again. She was curled into Emmrich’s side, one leg over his, hand on his chest. The slow rise of his chest and soft breaths told her he was close to sleep. Rook traced a finger over the soft plane of his chest.

Emmrich opened one of his eyes. ‘Dearest?’

‘Am I getting this lecture?’ She asked, lifting her head.

‘I thought I’d save it until the next time you can’t sleep, darling,’ he replied, closing his eyes and pulling her into a tighter embrace.

[ambrosykim]

no thoughts only my rook lovingly giving manfred a goodnight kiss on the forehead while emmrich watches from a distance, completely smitten like

[ambrosykim]

meet adalina ingellvar, necromancer at the mourn watch. lover of emmrich volkarin. before being recruited by varric, she hadn't seen the sun in over a decade. she has a pet cat called echo. she kisses her skeletons goodnight. she dreams of embalming her dead lover. her best feature is her dead eyed stare. her hair is greying. she refuses to die before she wants to.

picture showing her tattooes under the cut 🫶

[ambrosykim]

um.

thinking of ada x emmrich thigh riding. lich emmrich. ada getting off by griding against his femur. is this anything

[ambrosykim]

[ambrosykim]

uh oh adalina might become a skeleton fucker🫣