#and treat our whole group like either idiots or wild animals who will attack them over anything | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

rainydayhogwartsimagines · 4 years ago

Note

Hi can you do draco x hufflepuff reader where they met on the first day of hogwarts and became best friends then had crushes on one another??? It can be head cannons or like a story idc I just wanna feed my hufflepuff heart

Aye! A fellow hufflepuff! Hi there!

There you were. You had made it to hogwarts

You had been anxious that whole day.

See no one was really there to show you how to go about things, especially with that brick wall.

Your parents both were muggles, they had noooo fucking idea how any of this worked

All they knew is that you had a lot of weird moments as a kid

Mostly glass shattering during tantrums or things levitating on their own

Then they got this letter and woman showing up explaining "Look, your kid's a wizard."

So they were like "Ohhhh see that explains things!"

Sure, Mcgonagall helped your family when they had questions but Mcgonagall wasn't there now

But this one kid saw you wandering aimlessly.

"Hi." He said with a grumble after Narcissa recognized that lost look.

You turned around and Draco's heart was like "Oh... Oh no. Oh I'm feeling things for this person."

"Are you... Uhm... Here for... The platform?" You asked.

"Yes. Actually my mother sent me over here because you looked confused" he said.

"Oh! Oh thank God." You said with relief.

So he told you to run through it.

You thought he was joking until he ran through it.

So you followed.

Steam hit your face immediately and you were coughing.

"Wow that's brisk." You coughed.

Draco held back a snort.

You sat with him on the train and he finally introduced yourself.

"I'm Y/n by the way."

"Draco Malfoy." He said with a nod.

"That's... Kind of a cool name." You said.

Something in his gut told him "oh she's definitely not a Slytherin."

"What house are you hoping for?" He asked curiously.

"What?" You asked.

"Hogwarts house? The ones for the school?" He said.

"...There are houses for this?" You asked.

So he explained all of this to you.

He seemed to take great pride in Slytherin

You were just curious.

You stuck with Draco for the most part and some other kids who knew who he was.

"So. How do you not know anything about the wizarding world?" Draco finally asked.

"Neither of my parents are wizards"

Crabbe and Goyle nearly choked on air and Draco seemed to be having some sort of episode.

"What?" You asked.

"You're a mudblood?" He asked.

"It's not like I can control my genetics. And I know enough about the wizarding world to know that is offensive so could you not call me that!?" You said defensively.

That's when it clicked.

"She's a hufflepuff." He thought.

He didn't realize how right he was until you were sorted.

There was this one kid, she was spunky as fuck.

It was her last year there but she seemed to be excited to have someone new in the house.

Her name was Nymphadora but she loved "Tonks"

She was basically your big sister from this point on.

She showed you around with Cedric, she introduced you to new people, she even told you some secrets about the school.

That's when you noticed another group.

This one kid with glasses that NO ONE would shut the fuck up about.

You didn't officially talk to him until you ran into him

Literally. You ran into him after class one day.

"I'm so sorry, I wasn't watching where I was going!" You said.

"It's okay, I wasn't paying attention either." He said reassuringly.

You introduced yourself and Ron introduced himself too.

Two new friends gained.

Course this pissed Draco off.

Because of course you thought Harry was cool.

Truth be told you had no fucking idea why he was famous.

But Draco decided to confront you while you studied.

"Hi draco." You said looking up.

"I see you're spending time with Potter." He said, his voice clearly annoyed.

"Yeah. So?" You asked.

"So? What are you trying to gain?" He asked.

"...Does unconditional friendship and support count?" You asked confused.

"I'm serious. Is it the fame?" He asked.

"... Harry's famous?" You asked.

"... You've got to be kidding me!"

So Draco told you what he knew.

But now you just felt bad.

"Wait so how am I a bad guy here?" You asked.

"What?" Draco asked.

"I've befriended a kid who's family is dead and his aunt and uncle are abusive. And I'm a bad guy because I just want him to feel safe?" You asked.

You did know about his Aunt and Uncle from Harry. You never even met these people and you hated them.

But shit. When you put it like that now Draco felt like an asshole.

You sighed and got up.

"Y/n." He called.

You turned around confused.

"...Can you introduce me to Harry?" He finally asked.

So you did.

Course Ron wasn't too thrilled about Draco hanging out with you guys.

But then the boys discovered that they had a lot in common and it was game over

Tonks really enjoyed seeing you get excited over it all.

Draco was more bearable too

You were like a friendship matchmaker though, especially after you met Hermione.

You both ended up studying together after all of the tables in the library had been occupied.

You thought "See she gets it!"

You both tended to study because it beat doing muggle homework.

Halloween rolled around and Ron said something mean about Hermione.

"Ron! Shut up!" You said after Hermione ran past you in tears.

You ran after her and calmed her down before uhm

Troll in the dungeon?

Draco's common room was in the dungeon so naturally Slytherin had to be moved.

He was walking with the boys when they all realized : "OH SHIT Y/N'S NOT WITH US"

so they all went looking for you when they found the troll.

You had your back against the wall and was of course panicked because you were face to face with a troll and you were eleven.

"Hermione." You whimpered.

"We're doomed." She said.

Draco ran in with the boys and saw the predicament

Well shit.

Thanks to Ron's spell the troll was handled

Course you all got in trouble because you were supposed to be in your common rooms.

Draco was just glad you were safe.

You and the boys celebrated Christmas together, your mom mailing you a polaroid camera to you.

The boys (except Harry) were mesmerized and took a ton of pictures together.

You had a ton of Tonks and Cedric

Then there was this whole thing with the Philosopher's stone and you and Draco were basically having to lie left and right.

"Mcgonagall wants to know if you know who froze Neville?"

"Waaahhhttt someone froze Neville that's wild guys. Really wild."

So other fun fact: Draco's a terrible liar.

When they all came back though oh boy.

The school year was coming to a close and you all agreed to write to each other.

Draco had this one really weird rule though.

If you were to spot him with his parents pretend like you don't know him.

According to Draco, his father wasn't a big fan of him hanging out with people outside of Slytherin.

So when summer started Tonks actually spent a lot of it with you, showing you and your parents the wizarding world.

You loved hanging out with her and she honestly did love you like a little sister.

When school started again though, you promised her you'd write to her about it all.

She was the one who dropped you off at King's Cross that year btw

The next year started and you all sat with each other on the train.

"I just don't see why you need a house elf! It seems barbaric!" Hermione said.

Draco immediately noticed you and smile, moving so you could sit next to him.

You did.

"What's a house elf?" You asked.

"A magical creature who assists wizards." Draco said.

"Unwillingly. They treat them like animals." Hermione griped.

"why are we talking about this?" You asked.

"Because our house elf apparently decided to pay Harry a visit." Draco said with a sigh.

"He said something big was happening this year." Harry admitted.

"If it's bigger than a troll, we might be screwed."

News flash: It was.

Things took a bad turn when Draco knew exactly what the chamber of secrets meant.

Oh God he was SO anxious that entire year.

It didn't help when you ended up petrified

Hermione was almost petrified but you managed to scream "RUN" before you were

He was not a fan of Gilderoy.

He actually called him a "pompous ass" when he acted like baby in the chamber of secrets

When you woke up you found out all about the insane adventure and was like "Dude. Next one, count me in"

The next summer rolled around and you again, spent it with Tonks.

Except this time you and Tonks went to the borrow.

Fred and George fucking LOVED Tonks.

You had these strange interactions with Ron's rat though.

It's like it could understand you.

You would sit at the breakfast table and read the paper right before the wonderful owl that delivered mail would come literally crashing through.

Poor uncoordinated bastard.

Draco was the first to alert the group "uh hey guys. There's kind of a convict on the loose."

None have you had seen Draco over the summer. his parents were great. Just fucking super.

So when you did see him again your heart nearly beat out of your chest.

He dropped the whole "hair slacked back" thing and went natural and it just made you very attracted to him.

Draco noticed a few new things about you

You were taller, and really fucking pretty.

The train ride was not a fun one, you being there crammed on the damn thing with some sleeping dude.

So instead of Harry being attacked by a dementor it was you.

You had a panic attack afterwards, freaking out as the now very much awake Remus talked you through it.

He gave you chocolate and automatically you were like "...this dude is gonna be awesome."

And boy were you right, because he was your favorite professor that year.

Harry seemed to be really paranoid about the dementors though.

A lot more than you were.

He didn't know why yet, but he knew that Sirius had to have some involvement with him.

So Buckbeak. You fucking loved this creature.

Draco however was an idiot.

He stumbled after Goyle pushed him forward into Buckbeak's personal space

Buckbeak almost attacked but you intervened and calmed him down immediately.

"Buckbeak! Eyes on me!" You called.

Buckbeak looked at you but still made attempts to stare at Draco.

"No. Eyes here! Now." You called.

"I'm a friend. See?" You said bowing.

Buckbeak bowed to you and Draco's heart did a whole ass backflip.

You all did notice hermione popping up when she most definitely wasn't there before though

"How does this even work--" "You carry the five" "CHRIST WHERE THE FUCK DID YOU COME FROM!?"

Draco and you did spend a lot of time together.

Course he wasn't the biggest fan of Cedric being around when he was in the Hufflepuff common room.

But you honestly saw Cedric as your brother. And he saw you as a little sister. So. Ew.

Draco didn't know this though.

Then came the lesson on Boggarts and oh boy.

Your boggart was very strange but clearly affected you.

The boggart was you.

You quite honestly were afraid of what you were capable of.

When you were a child you would make things shatter around you, sometimes injuring your parents.

Sure the injuries were minor, but it didn't stop you from feeling guilty after you found out you were the cause.

You were terrified that if one day you snapped now that you were officially trained and more powerful, it'd be a whole lot more destructive.

So yes, you were terrified of yourself.

Remus handled it and Draco pulled you back asking if you were okay.

You kept to yourself for a while. The boggart brought up those anxieties all over again and you were paranoid you'd make something go wrong.

Draco was not having that though and confronted you about it.

You talked it through with him and he assured you that if something ever went wrong he'd make sure that it'd be okay

So from that point on you two were inseparable.

Hogsmeade was honestly the best

Snowball fights and piggyback rides

You laughing as Harry managed to sneak in on the trip, scaring the fuck out of Ron.

Draco giving you his scarf when you got cold.

The group going "Oh. Oh they're totally in love"

Then Harry found out that Sirius black was friends with his parents.

And the leading cause of death of his parents.

You basically vowed that if you ever came across this fucker you'd probably punch him.

Then Lucius found out about Buckbeak.

And oh boy.

That did not blow over well

You called Lucius an "Asshole". To his face.

Hermione came up with a plan and FINALLY revealed "Hey I have a time turner"

You were like "YOU COULD NOT HAVE TOLD ME THIS BEFORE I CALLED THAT VERY TERRIFYING MAN AN 'ASSHOLE'!?"

So you went on a rescue mission

It was an emotional rollercoaster

At one point you were convinced that Harry's dad was alive.

Just to find out that Harry could produce a bright ass patronus.

Then you're discovered your favorite professor was housing a convict.

Then you had a panic reaction and punched the convict.

Just to find out that he was innocent and that Ron's rat was actually guilty.

Then when the actual guilty party was revealed and tried to run you discovered that your favorite professor is a goddamn werewolf.

But hey, Harry now had a godfather!

The next summer came along and Tonks picked you up from King's Cross and met Remus

She couldn't stop staring and neither could Remus.

Immediately you knew something was going to happen there.

The summer was spent listening to Tonks go on and on about this guy who used to be your professor.

Which: you were used to listening to weird shit because there were some girls who did have a thing for Snape.

But you knew way too much about Remus to ever find anything attractive about him.

Anyways: SUMMER!!!

Which again was spent at the Burrow

This time you all ended up going to the World Quidditch game.

When you saw Draco there you had to hide excitement because Lucius was there and-- Holy shit did he get more terrifying-- HOW IS THAT EVEN POSSIBLE!?

Draco still found ways to talk to you though

Cedric noticed the smiles and the glances at each other

The whole group noticed.

It was hard not to when you had that smile that could light up a fucking room on your face.

Fred and George would tease you relentlessly.

But Draco managed to sneak off to you guys and hung out after the game.

Y'know. Right before it went to shit

You all managed to escape but you got separated from Draco and was anxious the entire fucking time

Then he snuck out and went to the burrow and you hugged him

It was the first time you two ever really showed affection to each other.

Especially since Draco was giving you this kind of hug that made you melt into his arms

Molly and Arthur were like "They're in love." Immediately.

He stayed for dinner before having to leave

"So. How long have you had a crush on him?" Fred asked.

"What?" You asked.

"Come on. No one looks at someone that way and doesn't have a crush on them." George said.

The thought of you having a crush on him actually never crossed your mind.

But then they said that and now it was the only thing you could think about.

Which made the next time you saw Draco very... Jumpy.

"Hi." He said as you were reading on the train which scared you so bad your book was unintentionally launched at Harry's head.

Then at the feast he sat next to you and asked if you were okay after you blushed so intensely he thought you were running a fever.

You knocked over your drink.

We can begin to notice that you are a lot more clumsier than usual.

I mean yeah you were always clumsy but this is a whole new range of clumsy.

Then the schools were introduced and Draco whispered in your ear making you nearly scream.

Fred and George were watching these interactions on the verge of pissing themselves

They knew damn well that they were the cause of your nervousness.

Pt 2 coming soon.

#draco fuckingmalfoy #draco imagine #draco malfoy #draco x reader #draco x y/n

101 notes · View notes

forthelulzy · 6 years ago

Text

Heaven By Violence: Chapter 7

There are secrets that we still have left to find There have been mysteries from the beginning of time — “The Riddle”, Five For Fighting

Dorian and Tacere were both right: Cullen arrives back not half an hour after they set out, shouting orders to clear a tent for the Herald. He is wild-eyed and out of breath — the withdrawals have not been treating him kindly, especially under so much stress. He looks like he might collapse, so Leliana takes over, forcing him to at least take a seat in the command tent. She sends Mother Giselle his way.

She then rounds up Vivienne and Solas, as well as the surgeon. Cassandra comes in shortly, and Irene is swept off to the tent. “We will be a moment, my dear,” the First Enchanter says, closing the flap in Cassandra’s face. Leliana leads the Seeker back toward the command tent. There is nothing more they can do, except…

“Where did the other two run off to?”

“Tacere and Dorian were right behind us,” Cassandra says, eyes narrowing. “I left them behind, I did not think…”

Then she explains what they came across and Leliana frowns. A possessed wolf? Demons are rarely attracted to animals, as they have little of interest to them. This kind of thing usually only happens when mages force demons to use beasts as hosts. And who is this mysterious stranger? How did he find the Herald?

A shout comes from the perimeter. They’ve returned, and Leliana immediately notices three things.

One, the newcomer and Dorian are in a hushed, if heated discussion, heads bent together. Tacere strolls along beside them, whistling. Two, the other Tevinter mage isn’t dressed oddly. His clothes are so nondescript it could only be a conscious choice. Three, his face is both familiar and foreign, like a memory with a few details subtly changed.

“He told you he and Tacere were extended family?” she murmurs to Cassandra, watching the group approach. At the Seeker’s nod, she continues, “I think I know who our new friend is.”

She strides forward to intercept them. “I understand you saved our Herald and sent up that flare,” she says. He’s wary when confronted, eyes darting everywhere, seeing everything. She moves in for the kill. With a gracious smile, she inclines her head and says, “You must be Caius.”

He flinches, stepping back with one foot as if by reflex, but he stops there. “I am,” he says carefully.

“Your sister-in-law told us about you,” Josephine says from outside the command tent, a few paces away. “It is a pleasure to finally meet.” Dear, sweet Josephine, always trying to make people comfortable.

Caius frowns. “And what exactly did she say?”

“Not much. Merely that she came to the Conclave looking for you.” Josephine doesn’t mention the other part, the part with the patricide. But Josephine has the best face for bluffing of all of them.

He lets out a sigh. “Yes. The Conclave. I was supposed to be there.” He closes his eyes, only a flicker of grief passing over his face — but Leliana sees it, and it is enough. Survivor’s guilt. Maker, she knows it too well. “I would rather not tell that story more than once.”

Leliana nods. “When Irene wakes, then.”

“If only—” he cuts off, shaking his head and rubbing his temples. “I fear I would be more hindrance than help in there. By your leave, then.” He does not actually wait for their leave, and stalks off. Tacere has long since wandered over to the haphazard infirmary to settle by Julien’s side again, and Caius joins him. That leaves only Dorian, who coughs awkwardly and remarks, “Such a strange fellow,” before returning to the Chancellor. Somehow he’s taken responsibility for Roderick, though as far as Leliana knows no one asked him to. It is good that he has someone looking out for him.

Mother Giselle emerges from the tent behind Josephine, shaking her head. She waves Leliana and Cassandra over. “He is troubled, and I do not know how much my words helped. I believe an ear from those who have been by his side far longer than I would be best.”

Leliana nods, glancing at Cassandra. Her faith has been shaken, but the Seeker has clung ever more firmly to the Maker in recent months. Perhaps if Cassandra did most of the talking…

Mercifully, the Seeker seems to understand her glance, and leads the way.

They find Cullen with his head in his hands in the corner of the tent. He hears them come in, and when he looks up he’s free of tears. Good; Leliana would hate to see him cry unless she were the one to prompt it. She hates seeing anyone cry unless she’s the cause. Something like a mix of grief and self-hatred lingers in that honey gaze, though. This can’t just be from finding the Herald, can it? No, she remembers, Cullen was in charge of the defense, and so many were lost at Haven.

“This isn’t about what that mage said to you?” Cassandra says, not unkindly but not gently either. The Seeker doesn’t do gentle.

“Not— not entirely,” Cullen admits, voice rough, “though it is yet another way in which I have failed to protect those I’m supposed to.” He sighs, runs a hand through his hair. He didn’t manage to grab his pomade from Haven, and it’s starting to curl again. “I remember now. He was one of a few apostates caught in the months running up to the Kirkwall Annulment. It didn’t seem— Maker’s breath, it didn’t seem important at the time. We’d brought him in, an apostate from the wilds. There was another, but he escaped. Irene’s husband, must have been. In any case, it was obvious Caius had never been to a Circle before. The only reason he wasn’t made Tranquil, at the height of the madness, was that he made no trouble at all. Kept his head down. He must’ve slipped away in the chaos, but we had no way of knowing for sure. So many died…”

And, according to all accounts, every last phylactery had been destroyed in the Annulment, a fact that made it all too easy for mages who escaped the immediate danger to keep running.

“I… I will speak to him, try to make amends.”

“All right,” Cassandra says. “And before you get it in your head, you were not responsible for what happened at Haven. If anything, you saved many lives with your trebuchets. To think of defense when the rest of us had become complacent in victory… Cullen, it was not your fault. Should you need confirmation, Irene will wake soon. We are still going forward with that, correct?”

The others may miss it in the dimly lit tent, but Leliana swears Cullen’s cheeks, already flushed from his story, darken just a little bit more at the Herald’s name.

***

Leliana leaves the tent; Cassandra had seemed to want to talk with Cullen further, and while the whole conversation was intriguing, Leliana makes the calculated risk to let them have their conversation. If their Commander falls apart, her curiosity will have been for naught.

“We are still going to name Irene Inquisitor, yes?” Josephine says as they walk across to the central firepit. The war table wasn’t saved, and many reports were lost, but what they do have now that wasn’t there an hour ago is hope. Now, Leliana knows, they will have the luxury of arguing again. She almost looks forward to it. That is, if Cullen can muster the will to argue. He is her favorite person to roll her eyes at, after all. His more idiotic moments are almost funny. And his lack of finesse is legendary.

“I hope so,” Leliana says. “I would have hoped for someone less like a charging bull, but she’s shown a surprising amount of adaptability to her role as Herald.”

“She’s smarter than any of us give her credit for, it’s true. I do wonder how she would fare at the Game, given a little training. She won’t like it but— ah?”

At Julien’s bedside, Caius and Tacere have been talking, but then the Tevinter leaps up and storms away toward the edge of camp. Leliana almost follows him, but he stops within sight, staring out into the snow with his arms crossed.

“He asked, but he did not want to hear,” Tacere says softly, and when Leliana looks at him the elf is staring back, amber eyes glowing in the encroaching dark. He tilts his head, so much like a crow that Leliana wonders where her own are now. She sent them away at the first sign of attack, but they have yet to return. “How must it feel to be dead? Could anyone alive survive it?”

She deals in riddles but does not have the patience to figure out what that means right now; it is enough of a challenge with Cole — and just because Leliana has yet to see the spirit after the attack does not mean he isn’t here, too. “Will there be a problem?” she asks instead.

Tacere looks away, stares at Caius’ back for a long moment. His hand is on Julien’s, stroking circles into the templar’s palm. It has been many days since Irene found him at Therinfal, and he still hasn’t woken. “He is afraid, and grieving in his own way,” Tacere says finally. “Hmm. Is not the whole world afraid, in one way or another? But he has never taken uncertainty well. Much like Irene, he is best when there is a problem to solve, and being told the problem is gone… No, Sister. He will make no trouble. Oh, he will posture, but he is ultimately harmless to anyone but himself.”

“Is that so?”

“Blood sacrifice? Demons?” Tacere smiles again, too wide. “Ah, ah. Despair has been hunting him for years now. He has not broken. Too much pride, though that one has yet to notice. Dear Sister, sweet Sister, the hounds are too concerned with racing each other to notice that the fox has his own teeth.”

Leliana pauses, but Tacere does not drop the smile. “You’ll forgive me if I need to ask him myself,” she murmurs.

Tacere dips into an elegant bow fit for court — while still seated — and blows her a kiss.

Something strange is going on here, and it bothers her that all of her efforts into digging up Irene’s past missed this. The murder was the biggest one, but that her brother-in-law was alive the whole time — she would have liked to know that. Irene never asked her to find Caius, apparently believing him dead. She turns away and approaches him, slipping into her old habits as she does so. She makes no sound, of that she is sure, but before she can hail him he sighs and lets his arms drop to his sides. He doesn’t turn, but speaks lowly if clearly into the dusk.

“What do you want now, Tac? I need — why? Why would they do that?” His voice cracks on the question, and he hugs himself against the chill.

“Do what?” Leliana asks, keeping her voice neutral, soft.

Caius still startles, whirling around with lightning crackling in his palms. He recognizes her, though, and the sparks dissipate. “Maker, don’t do that. You sound just like Tac when he’s trying to sneak up on me.”

“I wasn’t aware I sounded like anything.”

He scoffs. “He said the exact same thing the first time I caught him. But with a lot more pouting. Stupid sneaky types…” He continues mumbling under his breath, before cutting off and turning sharp blue eyes to her. “What do you want?”

“A lot of things,” she says easily. “From you, though? I want to know if you’re a threat.”

She’s expecting him to shrug off her query, as many have before — mage or not — but he shakes his head and grumbles, “Of course I am. I’m not intending to be, but the fact is… I am. You know that.”

Leliana cocks her head. “For being a mage?” She’s not about to blame him for that.

“For being—” Caius waves a hand to indicate himself, “—being a person. Particularly a noble one. We do tend to run roughshod over the commoners, but no one’s clamoring to lock up all the bluebloods.” He crosses his arms, twisting his lips like he’s just bitten into rancid meat. “I know exactly what you mean, though. Yes, I could potentially become possessed at any moment. I could go to sleep and wake up with glowing eyes and murderous intent. It’s been that way for a long time. Julien promised to kill me, years ago. I would hope any one of you would do the same.”

“Even Cullen?”

His eyes drop to the snow between them, expression darkening. “Even he. Perhaps I have been unfair, but my grudges are living things that I have fed for so long I have become attached to them. Do not ask me to forgive just yet, not when—” He cuts off, rubs the bridge of his nose in a gesture that reminds her of Cullen at his most aggravated.

She waits. He wants to tell her, she knows it.

Finally he shakes his head violently and grinds out, “The Tranquil are dead. All of them.”

She can’t stop her gasp, the words like a blow to the sternum. “All of them?”

“Every last one. Tac said the Venatori killed them — the ones who made it to Redcliffe, not left to die by the rebel mages when they left the Circles. They’re using their skulls in some kind of ritual.” His voice gets rougher as he continues, “Tac found a house full of them. Rows and rows of skulls on shelves. They’re dead.” He draws in a ragged breath, shakes his head again. “Do not ask me to forgive. Not now.”

She nods, but her mind is already whirling with this new puzzle. What could this ritual be for? She needs to know as soon as possible— but her crows are all gone. They’ll find her soon enough, no matter where she is.

“I wish to stay and help, though,” Caius says slowly. “I don’t like being scrutinized, but I do understand the reasoning behind it.”

“Unfortunately, it is not my decision to make.” Leliana does not say that it will be Irene’s, that all their hopes are pinned on the woman currently fighting for her life in a tent a short distance away. She thinks back on what the Herald said about her husband and brother-in-law. “I would like to know the story surrounding your exile, though.”

Caius huffs. “Oh, is that all?” Bitter sarcasm laces his voice. “Not even Irene knows those details. Colm hates— hated talking about it and so do I.”

She narrows her eyes. “You know I can easily find out the truth myself.”

“Oh, I doubt you’ll find even half the truth. And not easily. The Imperium thrives on lies.” Caius stands his ground, staring her down. “If my inclusion in this… Inquisition depends upon it, then I may share the relevant facts. But then, that’s not your decision to make.”

Her mask almost slips, damn the man. Her faith has been shaken again, this time in herself. She failed to recognize a threat until it was at their door. In any other circumstance she would have a subtle warning or witty retort ready, she thinks, but she is tired, too tired to continue this. Regardless, she will be watching.

Nothing will escape her notice again.

***

Cullen and Cassandra return from their heart-to-heart, the Seeker finally as tired as the rest of them and the Commander looking better than he has since before the attack. It is a temporary boost at best.

They group on the far side of the fire, near the tent where the Herald is still fighting. The faint hum of healing spells, and the glow that flickers through the thin hide walls, tell them that. Vivienne and Solas snipe at each other, but the mere fact that they are speaking at all is a sign Irene is getting better. Leliana sighs, shuffles the precious few reports she managed to save. So much was lost. So many were lost. But they have her.

She sweeps her gaze over the camp. To the left, the open-air cots with Julien and Roderick. They are both there because there is nothing left for the healers to do. Roderick will die soon — it is incredible that he hasn’t yet, perhaps a testament to the man’s stubbornness — and Julien, she is told, just has to wake up. The healers found no traces of red lyrium in him, but there was the infection, and possibly head trauma. It is a waiting game, at this point, to find out.

Straight ahead, a few of the myriad members of their bedraggled Inquisition have gathered around the fire. Varric is sitting with his knees drawn up to his chest, listening with half an ear to Sera rant about… something. Whatever it is, she’s animated about it, waving her arms around and occasionally wiping at her runny nose. “Stupid, stupid daft tit, thinking she could just—” is the extent of what drifts over to Leliana, before Sera cuts off and presses the heels of her palms to her eyes, rubbing furiously. Varric nods and rests his chin on his knees, staring into the fire. He says something to the elf, but Leliana can’t catch it.

Mother Giselle crosses from the right, where she has been speaking to a few of the soldiers, to Chancellor Roderick’s bedside, and Leliana knows. Flissa approaches as well, steps shy, and draws Dorian away while Mother Giselle gives the last comforts to Roderick. Leliana had heard the Vint had rescued a citizen, but hadn’t thought to ask who. Dorian rises higher in her esteem.

“The Chancellor is dead,” she murmurs to no one. Cullen sighs and rubs his nose.

Vivienne chooses that moment to sweep aside the flap, stare imperiously at the advisors, and declare, “The Herald is stable.”

“Her injuries…?” Josephine asks.

“She will keep her nose, but the scarring will be extensive. Full range of movement should return within the week. She will fight again.”

Vivienne moves away from the tent, presumably off to find rest, robe-dress swishing around her legs. Cullen starts forward, pauses, glances back. Leliana rolls her eyes and moves ahead of him, ducking into the tent without preamble. Dear Maker, the man is about as subtle as a druffalo.

Within, Irene lies prone on the cot. The surgeon is in the corner, gathering her tools and putting them away. Solas is busy arranging the blankets around and over Irene, careful not to brush over the neatly-stitched gash on her chest. It is maybe a handspan from end to end, and the flesh that is sewn together is pink, new. The elf casts a spell under her when he is done, the marks glowing crimson then fading to barely visible. A warming rune. After how close Irene came to freezing to death…

The jagged patch of scar tissue on the Herald’s cheek has changed color: no longer blue and black on the edges but a dark red that will eventually fade to match the rest of her skin, with time. She is still pale, but not alarmingly so. Her nose, crooked and ill-healed from some injury long before they met, is at least whole. Thank the Maker for victories large and small.

The surgeon leaves quietly, and the others file in, circling Irene. Solas glances at them, tilting his head. “I put her under a spell to keep her from thrashing while we worked on her wounds. I can remove it and wake her. It will have no ill effect on her recovery.”

Leliana nods, and Solas snaps his fingers before leaving as well.

It is a moment before anything happens, but then Irene groans and shifts, tossing her head. She moves to feel her chest, but Josephine grabs her hand and holds it gently while Leliana leans forward and says, “Herald?”

Irene’s eyes snap open and she jolts up, dislodging the furs and nearly headbutting the Spymaster. “Shit, shit!” she gasps, jerking her hand out of Josephine’s grip and running it through her sweat-soaked hair. Then she lifts the other and stares at the mark. Her shoulders tremble.

“It’s not… I thought I was dead,” she whispers, voice cracking and breaking like ice beneath their feet. Twisting her head, she fixes Cassandra with an almost pitying look. “The throne of the gods was empty.”

“Pardon?” Cullen says, even as Leliana shifts around to half-kneel on the cot and grip Irene by her shoulders. She doesn’t shake them, but her touch seems to ground Irene, who closes her mouth and takes a deep breath through her nose. “Herald. Irene. What happened down there? Who is the Elder One?”

Exhaling, Irene begins her tale.

#dragon age #dragon age inquisition #da:i #dragon age fanfic #dragon age fanfiction #heaven by violence #lulzy writes

4 notes · View notes