#but i have an AU where she ends up with krem instead

[apricote]

anyway this is posted from my phone but @woohooincoffin @landgraabbed have me thinking abt my lavellan in this chili's tonight.

[choccy-zefirka]

Haha no worries, I figured "Ah, they must be busy in another fandom, good for them, not everyone has the stomach to relive the horrors of Dragon Age fandom" hjfjhgdfjghdfg

I love the idea of two different character AUs, though in my face, they always end up spawning into separate OCs! For example, one of my own Gereon kissers, Elgara Lavellan, is a city elf mage who's an ex Tranquil, but then I had an idea about her having never been made Tranquil and instead going through the entire Circle pipeline to Enchanter... But that character transformed into an entity with her own distinct voice and appearance and is now Sophia. XD They just keep multiplying out of control, so I commend you for keeping a handle on this and still maintaining the integrity of a single OC!

And yeah, Gereon vs Halward is pretty much a solid part of my own headcanons now! Some old-timers on my blog might remember a fic where they ended up setting the poor Gull and Lantern on fire, though that fic is now down because my quality standards keep evolving. There is so much to chew on wrt the two magisters' respective parenting styles, especially if you consider how, as per WoT, Felix was never a good mage and yet his father still stood by him (and I am sure he would have supported him dating anyone he wanted, too, though I saw some Tevinter Pride fanart once where Felix was beside Dorian, Krem and Maevaris wearing ace colors, and that spoke to me).

Anyway I love Martina, and if she ever shows up back on your blog, I will be following with keen interest :3

Do hit me with all the Martina lore though, if she still tickles your brain so many years later!

Sorry for the wait, I literally had this all typed out on google docs but then I ended up writing more of my Elden Ring fic and got lost in my own bullshit.

Martina Trevelyan, the first born and heir apparent until she was discovered as a mage. She has two different modes in my head, when I ship her with Gaspard, she is 35 and a bit past her prime, but there is a whole plot from Divine Leliana to make her Gaspard wife, so they can place a legitimate born mage on the sun burst throne.

When I imagine Martina and Alexius, she is the first enchanter of Ostwick and the old friend and once mentor of Vivienne. She is 51 to Alexius 55. She is bitter. She lost her disciples when the tear in the sky appeared and the conclave went up in flames. She commiserated to his pain in the same way Fiona does, about the idea of losing a precious child. So she forgives him, she accepts his anger at the death of his son. She sits by his side as he receives the news. She is the one who pushed Dorian to reconnect with him, and she together with Gereon, because he is just Gereon to her now, they rage at Dorian's father, because that foul man did not deserve a son, much less a living one. Poor Dorian, gets angrily adopted by a bitter and a grieving mages all at once.

[pikapeppa]

Fenris/f!Hawke modern AU smut: Work

I wanted to write some SEXTING and some really shameless smut, so modern bartender AU FenRynne it is.

~6300 words; only half of the chapter is posted here. The half with the sexting is only on AO3, sorry. Trying to format the texts in Tumblr would make me want to die.

Featuring art from @schoute���! The SPICY version is on AO3. 

***************************

When Fenris spotted Hawke making her way through the Hanged Man’s lively crowd, he blinked in surprise. She wasn’t scheduled to work tonight.

“Hey, handsome,” she said loudly as she came to stand beside him. 

“Hawke,” he greeted. “What are you doing here?”

“Oh, nothing,” she said innocently. Too innocently.

He glanced at her suspiciously. She was wearing her usual leather jacket, but under the jacket was a top that showed the swell of her petite breasts to their full advantage. And instead of her standard jeans, she was wearing a skirt – a tight black skirt that Fenris knew for a fact was made of the sort of slinky material that was very easy to slide up her thighs. 

She looked good. Very good, in fact. Far too good for a random drop-by at their workplace on a night when she wasn’t working. 

He forced his attention back to scanning the Hanged Man for any trouble that might need his intervention. “Why are you here, Hawke?” he asked.

She batted her eyelashes. “What, can’t a girl drop by at work to say hello to her extremely sexy boyfriend?”

“You can,” Fenris said. “But I don’t believe you’re just dropping by.”

A slow smile lifted her raspberry-red lips. “What do you think I’m here for, then?”

He raised an eyebrow, then huffed and folded his arms as he went back to scanning the bar. “If I didn’t know better, I would think you are on a date.”

“And why would you think that?” she asked. 

“Because you look good enough to eat,” he said slyly.

To his surprise, her coy smile melted, and Fenris’s stomach jolted: the look on her face was intense all of a sudden, and it was an abrupt enough change to alarm him. 

“Is something wrong?” he asked.

She licked her lips, then stepped closer to him and hooked her fingers into the belt loop of his pants. “Fenris,” she said, “I have to tell you something.”

“What?” he said tensely. “What is it?”

She stood on her tiptoes and pulled on his arm, and Fenris tilted his head closer to her so he could hear her over the noise of the karaoke singers in the corner. “What’s wrong?” he demanded.

She pressed her lips to his ear. “I’m wet. And I’m not wearing any underwear.”

He froze. She nipped his earlobe with her lips, and he dragged in a breath and leaned away from her teasing lips. “Hawke, you can’t… I’m working,” he said weakly. 

She stepped closer to him and tugged his belt loop. “When’s your break? Is it soon?”

He stared at her, thrown off both by her intensity and by his own body’s reaction to it. Given that he and Hawke had spent practically all of their spare time in the last couple of weeks twisted together in his bed or hers, Fenris would have thought he’d started getting used to her near-constant seduction attempts. But if his stiffening cock was anything to go by, two weeks of constant sex wasn’t nearly enough to build any kind of immunity to her.

He pulled his errant gaze from the dip between her breasts back up to her face. “Can you not wait until I’m off tonight?”

She shook her head. “Please, Fenris. Just a quick one. We can use Varric’s office, he’s not here tonight.”

“What?” he blurted. “No, absolutely not. Hawke–” 

She pulled him down again to whisper in his ear. “When is your break?” 

“In ten minutes,” he rasped. “But–” He broke off with a grunt when she nipped his earlobe again.

He forced himself to step away from her and awkwardly adjusted his posture so his feelings wouldn’t show so much. “What is going on here?” he muttered. He glanced around the bar, both to look for trouble and to see if anyone had noticed his and Hawke’s behaviour. “Why are you so… why can’t you wait until tonight?”

“I tried,” she whined. “I was waiting. I was trying to hold out until the end of your shift, but I got too horny so I, you know. I got busy for a while on my own. But Fenris, it’s not the same.”

“Not the same as what?” he asked.

She stepped right up to him and pressed her palms to his abs. “It’s not the same as having your cock inside me.”

A rush of heat surged low in his belly, but Hawke wasn’t finished. “I took care of myself a few times, but it – it’s not good enough. It just makes me want you to touch me. So Isabela said–”

“Isabela?” Fenris said sharply.  “She – why did she know you were–?”

Hawke winced. “I might have whined to her about how horny I was. She said I should just slap on a skirt and come down here and maybe I’d get lucky if I hit on you while you were working.”

“Of course she did,” Fenris muttered.

Hawke smiled at him, but her cheeks were still flushed, and her fingers were twisting restlessly in the fabric of his t-shirt. “It… look, it seemed like a good idea at the time, probably because my brain melted into my panties. Or maybe I’m just an idiot.”

He squeezed her arm. “I can confirm that you are an idiot,” he said seriously. 

She laughed. Then, to Fenris’s pleasure and dismay, she pressed her groin against his thigh.

He swallowed hard and squeezed her arm more firmly. “Hawke…” 

“Please,” she whimpered. “I know I’m an idiot, but I’m here now. And if I have to wait for another two hours for you to fuck me, I swear I’m going to explode.”

He stared helplessly at her. Her amber eyes were wide and glazed with lust, and her fingers were pressing into his abs, and… venhedis, she was starting to tilt her hips toward his thigh in a subtle grind.

“Hawke…” he breathed.

“No panties,” she murmured. “I’m ready for you. All you have to do is fuck me.” 

He blew out a shaky breath. Then, from the back of the room, there was a crash of breaking glass and some shouting. 

“Back off, shem!” 

“And what’ll you do about it if I don’t, knife-ear?” 

Fenris sighed and gently pushed Hawke away. “I have to deal with this,” he grumbled, and without looking at her, he strode toward the scuffling patrons at the back of the bar. By the time he’d pulled the patrons apart and ejected them from the Hanged Man, Hawke was gone. 

Fenris frowned as he looked around. Had she really left? After all that shameless begging, had she really just gone home? 

The other bouncer, Keran, wandered over to him. “Hey. Are you ready for your break now?”

“Hm?” Fenris said distractedly. “Er, yes. Thank you.” He made his way over to the bar where Piper and Krem were slinging drinks. 

“Have you seen Hawke?” Fenris asked. “Did she leave?”

“She’s in the stockroom,” Piper replied. “She said she wanted to check something.” 

The stockroom? Fenris thought. Why was Hawke in the stockroom? He supposed he should be grateful at least that she wasn’t in Varric’s office. 

He nodded his thanks to Piper, then formed a plan as he made a beeline for the stockroom. He would tell Hawke to go home and wait for him, and then he’d finish off his shift without the constant distraction of her smiling lips and her unruly hands and her slinky black skirt with no panties underneath. And then, when he was no longer at work, he’d give her exactly what she was begging for.

He entered the stockroom and carefully closed the door behind him. At first glance, he couldn’t see her through the packed shelves and the neatly stacked boxes. “Hawke?” he called.

“Back here,” she called back. 

Fenris wound his way carefully around the shelves toward the sound of her voice. She was leaning against one of the shelves, and she smiled slowly as he approached. 

“Fancy meeting you here,” she purred.

He gave her a chiding look, then gestured for her to approach. “Go home and wait for me,” he said. “It is less than two hours.” 

“Not until you kiss me,” she said. 

He frowned at her, and she pulled a mock-sad face. “Can’t a girl request a goodbye kiss from the handsome elf she loves?” she said.

“Not when that girl has extremely obvious motives,” he said dryly.

She nibbled her lower lip and shifted her weight to one hip. “Please? Just one little kiss? Just to tide me over?”

He gazed at her in exasperation, and she took a little step closer to him and tugged the edge of his jacket. “Just one kiss,” she said. “And then I’ll go home.”

He sighed, then tipped her chin up. “Fine,” he murmured. “One kiss. Then you will go home and wait for me.” He lowered his lips to hers and kissed her gently. 

Her lips parted slowly beneath his own. They shared a slow, soft kiss, and Fenris relaxed as he savoured the softness of her lips. Then the tip of her tongue grazed the edge of his lip, and his breath caught in his chest. 

He slanted his mouth more firmly over hers, and her hand rose to cradle the nape of his neck. The next thing he knew, he was delving his tongue into her mouth to stroke the slickness of her tongue as it tangled with his. 

She breathed a little sigh and pressed herself against his chest, and Fenris broke from her kiss and squeezed her hip. “You should go,” he whispered. 

“Soon,” she panted. She stroked his neck and pressed her hip against his groin. “Just one more minute. Kiss me again–”

He kissed her hard, and she whimpered against his lips before he muffled her with his tongue. A breathless heartbeat later, her hip was rubbing against the bulge of his cock, and his wayward hands were smoothing over her waist and then over her ass to pull her more firmly against his body, and… venhedis, there was no point denying it: he wanted her. He wanted her as desperately as she wanted him, and she needed to leave. 

She needed to leave. Fenris needed her to leave the Hanged Man and go home before his overeager cock made him forget why she should.

He broke from her lips. “Hawke–” 

“I want you,” she whined.

“And I am yours,” he whispered. “Just… just not right now.” Then, against his better judgment, he kissed her again. 

She whimpered and plucked at the collar of his jacket, then slid her hand down his arm and pulled his hand away from her ass. She took a smell step back and pushed his hand between her legs, and he stopped breathing altogether: she was pulling his hand up along the inside of her thigh, and his excitement was ratcheting higher at the thought of what awaited him beneath her skirt. 

“Hawke,” he rasped. “This is – I shouldn’t–”

“Just feel how badly I want you,” she whispered. “Just touch me, and then I’ll leave. I promise. I swear.”

He breathed hard and didn’t reply. A torturous moment later, Hawke released his hand and stepped back. “Okay,” she said tremulously. “Okay, you win, I’ll go to your–”

He grabbed her hips, and she gasped in surprise as he pinned her back against the shelf. Then she gasped again when he started pushing up the smooth fabric of her skirt. 

“All right, I’ll feel you,” he panted. “And then – f-fasta vass...” He trailed off with a shaky breath. His fingers were grazing the inside of her thigh, and already they’d found a trickle of slippery moisture. 

She mewled and clutched his shirt, and he pressed his forehead to hers. “I will feel how wet you are, and then you’re going home,” he gritted. 

“Yes,” she whined. “Yes, yes, anything you – fuck!” 

“Shh,” he hissed. His fingers were slipping through her slick and silken folds, and she was so wet that her thighs were painted with it. When his fingers slid higher to brush her clit, he found the precious bud swollen and firm beneath the pad of his finger. 

“Fenris,” she moaned. 

“Quiet,” he grunted. He gently massaged her clit until she was jerking her hips in time with the careful slide of his finger, and then they were both panting with desperate sharpened breaths that grew sharper with every pounding beat of his heart.

Hawke dug her nails into his shoulder and kissed him clumsily before pulling away. “Do you… do you want me to leave?” she panted.

“Not yet,” he said distractedly. Her fists were gripping the collar of his jacket and her face was twisting in that distinct way that heralded her impending climax, and the fact that they were in the storeroom at the Hanged Man and that anyone could walk in at any moment was barely important anymore; what mattered was the fitful jerking of Hawke’s hips and the erratic quality of her breathing, and the slick heat that was coating his fingers as he rubbed the swollen bud between her legs… 

She suddenly gasped. “Fenris–”

He sealed her lips with a kiss, and she came with a whole-body shudder and a moan that he stifled with his tongue. When her shaking started to calm, Fenris angled his wrist and thrust two fingers inside of her.

Her spine arched, and she gasped into his mouth. “Fuck!” she cried.

He hastily covered her mouth with his other hand. “You have to be quiet,” he insisted. 

She nodded furiously, but he could still hear her moaning through his palm, and her hips were rolling toward him to take his fingers deeper. He shook his head ruefully, then shifted his hand from her mouth to cradle her neck.

“Hawke,” he whispered. “Be silent.”

She smiled at him. “So bossy,” she said breathlessly. “You can use that – that bossy voice anytime with me…” She trailed off with a soft moan and twisted her hips toward him, and he curled his fingers inside of her until she gasped. 

“Fucking Maker’s balls,” she whined, and Fenris huffed in exasperation. Was she totally incapable of being quiet? 

He curled his fingers slowly, drawing a fitful mewl from her lips, then nipped her neck and her ear. “Shut up, Hawke,” he growled. 

She burst out a little laugh. “Smooth talker,” she breathed. Then the storeroom door opened. 

Hawke froze, and Fenris hastily pulled his hand out of her skirt. Then Piper’s voice called out. “Fenris, your break is over. Keran’s wondering what the fuck happened to you.”

Her voice was laced with a drawl of humour. Hawke slapped her hand over her mouth to stifle her laughter, and Fenris gave her a chiding look before replying to Piper. “I’m coming,” he called back.  

“Uh-huh,” Piper said drolly, and he heard the sound of the storeroom door swinging shut. 

Hawke grinned at him. “Not yet, you aren’t,” she whispered. 

Fenris scowled at her, but she was laughing so hard now that her shoulders were shaking, and he couldn’t help but smile at her. “Go home or I’ll throw you out,” he threatened. 

“Ooh. I’m so scared,” she teased. 

He abruptly pinned her against the shelf again and pressed his hips to hers. “Go home right now and wait for me,” he growled. 

She gasped and nodded eagerly, and Fenris stepped away to let her slip past him. He watched with a combination of frustration and amusement as she hurried out of the storeroom, then quickly adjusted himself before following her out with as much decorum as he could muster.

Read the rest on AO3!

[scentedstrangercreation]

A Qunari and a Warden walk into a bar.... (Sten x warden AU)

It had been a busy week at Skyhold. Preparing for the arrival of a Qunari ship had proved an intensive task. But as expected, Josephine seemed to anticipate every last detail. A partnership with the Qunari was an almost unheard opportunity, and everyone was determined to make the talks as successful as possible.

Bull, on the other hand, couldn’t wait for them to leave. It had been years since he’d been around his people, and he was ashamed to admit he wasn’t quite sure how to act. He knew his duty was to the Qun, and everything that may entail when the day came, but that day wasn’t here yet. Who knows, he may not even be alive to see it. He hoped he wasn’t at least.

After helping with introductions, he quickly retreated to the Herald’s Rest. The Inquisitor could handle herself for now, and he needed a drink. As usual, the tavern was warm and humming with activity. He spotted Warden Cousland sitting alone at the end of a long, wooden table; fiddling with the edges of a neatly wrapped box.

Bull eyed her curiously between swigs of ale. She was waiting for someone.

The Warden had only been with the inquisition for a few weeks. He liked her. At least he liked what he knew about her. She was warm and charismatic in a way that immediately put you at ease, and she knew it. No one seemed to notice between the songs and stories that she never actually revealed anything about herself. Sure everyone knew the tale of the Hero of Fereldan, but who knew Elissa Cousland? Who was the ex-noble, the orphaned Grey Warden who stopped the Blight and lived to tell the tale?

Now, here she sat alone in a tavern full of people, looking more nervous than Bull had yet seen her. He picked up his drink and made his way over.

“Waiting for someone?” Bull slid onto the wooden stool across the table.

A smile briefly softened her face, “An old friend.”

She looked clean. Her hair was brushed loose from its normal braids, and she smelled like incense and spice. Waiting for a friend indeed. He was finally going to learn something about this woman.

“Can I get you a drink while you wait?”

“I think I owe you enough coin as it is.” She grinned, resting her chin against her palm.

She hadn’t won a single Wicked Grace game since arriving at Skyhold. Bull was almost certain this was intentional. She was studying all of them, collecting and cataloguing every move. He might have thought her a Ben-hassrath if he didn’t know any better.

“This one’s on me.” He offered.

“No really, I’m—,” she trailed off as her gaze moved past him. Her eyes grew round and earnest, “Sten!” she called out, standing from her chair.

Sten? Bull furrowed his brow in confusion, turning to look over his shoulder where the Arishok stood tall and broad in the doorway. 

Later, when Bull told Dorian about his night, he wouldn’t admit how long it had taken him to connect the dots between the Warden and the Arishok. He knew the Arishok had travelled with the Warden during the Blight, but he never considered their relationship to be anything more than a temporary alliance, certainly not friends.

The imposing Qunari looked out of place in the busy tavern, and Bull wondered if he looked the same to others. Either way, the Warden didn’t seem to notice or care. She practically bounced around the table, throwing her arms around the towering figure.

Bull didn’t know what he was expecting, but it was certainly not for a small, brief smile to curl at the edge of the Arishok’s mouth.

Elissa took a step back, gazing up at him. They were so close. Bull glanced between them, too distracted to read their lips. He felt the gears turning aimlessly in his head, but for some reason they weren’t clicking into place.

The Warden turned from the Arishok, beckoning him to the table where Bull sat, still confused. He realized he hadn’t swallowed the ale in his mouth, when she addressed him.

“Have you met—,” She began, but Bull interrupted, finally swallowing and standing respectfully.

“Shanedan, Arishok.” Bulled bowed his head slightly.

The Arishok regarded him silently before nodding his head once, “Hissrad.”

Bull flinched internally at the title. He couldn’t remember the last time someone had used it, and it was jarring to hear so far from home.

“I brought you something,” The Warden reached for the wrapped box on the table and offered it to the Arishok.

Bull took the opportunity to sit back down and observe, quietly sipping on his ale.

The packaged looked small in the Quanri’s hands. He lifted the lid and released a small chuckle—a chuckle—before lowering the box just enough to reveal golden cookies inside. If that wasn’t a shock enough, his next words were.

“Thank you, kadan.”

Bull choked on his drink, coughing and spilling ale before he could control himself. Laughing, cookies, kadan. Bull couldn’t think straight.

“Sorry, I—,” Bull apologized, attempting to regain composure between sputtering coughs. But he needn’t worry, neither the Warden nor the Arishok were paying him any mind. They were standing close again. So close that for one, alarming and confusing moment, Bull thought they might kiss. Instead, the Warden stepped away.

“How was the journey?” 

“Long.” The Arishok answered simply, his hand wandering curiously to one of her loose strands, “your hair, it’s different.”

“I grew it out.”

“Impractical.” He said, allowing a piece to slowly slide from his fingers.

“You don’t like it?” she grinned, raising a brow.

“I did not say that.”

Bull looked around for someone, anyone else to notice what was happening, but no one else in the busy tavern seemed to care. He looked down at his drink, briefly wondering if he was hallucinating.

“Is the dog here?”

“Bear?” she asked, “he’s around here somewhere. I’m surprised he hasn’t found you yet.”

“Indeed,” the Arishok looked around expectantly, “he’s getting careless.”

“He’s getting old, Sten.” She laughed, “He’s probably upset you haven’t come to visit sooner.”

“Hm.”

“He’s not the only one upset, you know.” She raised her chin, “your last letter was…brief.”

“Letters are a poor substitute to conversation.”

“And neither is a poor substitute to both.” She crossed her arms.

“I am here now,” he said, setting the box down on a table and stepping closer again.

“And? Do you have something to say?”

“Nothing that you would wish me to say in a crowded tavern.” Bull wondered if he imagined the change in the Arishok’s tone.

Elissa released a quick, surprised laugh, “Then I suppose we should find somewhere more private.”

“As you wish, kadan.”    

The Warden turned back to Bull, trying and failing to conceal the flush rising up her neck, “thanks for the company, Bull.”

She waved, but he could only nod dumbly, absently raising his mug in her direction.

Without another word, the Warden took the Qunari’s willing hand, leading him from the tavern and out into the night.

Bull wasn’t sure how much longer he sat in silence, but it must have been a while. He finally stood up and walked over to the abandoned gift. He poked it distrustfully as though it might twist into smoke, but it was real.

“You, uh—, you okay, Chief?” Krem appeared beside him, “you look like—,”

“Like I just watched the Arishok, leader of my people, skip off holding hands with the Hero of Fereldan?”

“Uh, sure…” Krem scratched the back of his neck, “I guess?”

Bull swallowed the remainder of his drink, “you got anything stronger than this?” he held up his empty cup.

“As a matter of fact—,” Krem pulled a metal flask from his waist, “from that temple last week. Not sure what it is, but it’ll knock ya on your ass, if that’s what you’re looking for.”

Bull swiped the flask, and took a deep swig, “I need to find a very large stick.”

With that he walked away.

“Well that was rude.” Krem said to no one but himself, before returning to the Chargers with the abandoned box of cookies in-hand.  

[royal-babey]

mass effect au or a modern au? ^^

I did want to do Mass Effect, but I have no ideas ‘’^^ so modern it is!~Tw for mentions of child abuse and mentions of attempted sexual assault. Also vomiting, sickness, and car crashes!~1) In a modern au, Adair is in college studying to be a doctor after the death of Mahanon (car crash), Solavellis is studying to be a lawyer after the injustice to his cousin, Kit is in the foster system after his abusive parents finally kicked him out after seventeen years of imprisonment, and my wardens, Nico Mahariel And Aya Tabris, are still grey wardens, but in this verse they’re just an elite group of soldiers. Nico has a debilitating disease that he lost Tamlen to, and later it causes him to have to leave the wardens. He starts volunteering at a wolf rescue shelter! Aya is there because he would rather be a soldier than in jail. He had those two choices. (I don’t have any ideas for Percy, Bel, Tarot, or my twins ‘’^^)2) Adair meets Dorian off campus when Adair is dragged to a party by his friends, and whoops they end up in bed together both hungover. Still clothed though, much to Adair’s relief. They had just been talking drunkenly and passed out. Vis meets Cassandra when the security guard calls for her to come down and take custody of Vis after he was caught vandalising a wall with graffiti. As the head of security, she has to endure his endless flirting. In the end she says ‘’If I buy you a coffee, will you shut up?’’ It works ;D. Kit meets Bull when he’s 19, two years out of the system (he was adopted uwu ) Bull saves Kit from some guy trying to take advantage of him (Kit’s naivety and muteness are both great weaknesses, and make him an easy target for /very/ bad people....) Bull beat the shit out of the guy, managed to calm Kit who was in ‘’bite, kick, and scratch’’ mode, and called Krem to come help out since he was less intimidating than a giant horned man with lots of scars. They took him to the nearest coffee shop and spent the rest of the afternoon drinking coffee, and even ordered lots of pizza! Nico meets Zev in the wardens. Zev isn’t to /become/ a warden, but they do meet on the barrack grounds a lot. Zev is in an elite group called ‘’the crows’’, and they kind of hit it off. (The crows in this verse are not child kidnapped/torturers/etc. Just another group of soldiers experienced in assassinations)3) Adair has a pet duck called mango, Kit adopts a cat and just falls it Kitty, Vis gets a dog called Millie, Nico adopts a wolf and calls it Falon, and Aya adopts a green cheek conure and calls it grass :/4) Adair haunts the local bookstore, witch craft store, and frequently buys books on the occult and different healing herbs to mix into beverages, or just have as incense. He also smokes elfroot. Vis kind of sleeps around the campus and goes to a lot of parties, whilst causing a fuck ton of trouble. Kit basically just hangs around with the chargers and /finally/ starts dating Bull after a year of knowing each other when they just finished being in a bar brawl, and it’s an impulsive victory kiss followed by more victory kisses, and Krem yelling at them to get a room. Nico is unfortunately in hospital a lot and spends more time there than the field, but he is one of the fastest rising officers in the grey warden ranks. Aya is close as his second in command, and frequently berates Nico to take better care of himself. When he isn’t soldiering, he’s doing charity work at refugee and homeless centres.5) Mahanon died in a car crash, in a car /Adair/ was driving. Adair’s anxiety got the better of him, and he crashed into an oncoming truck. Mahanon died upon impact, where as Adair was knocked unconscious and was hospitalised for a month or so. That’s why he’s so interested in occult. He wants to talk to Mahanon again. When he does though...It’s quickly replaced by a demon, and he’s semi-possessed. Mahanon’s spirit is the other half trying to protect the rest of Adair that /isn’t/ possessed. Tamlen and Nico had been messing around in an abandoned warehouse, trying to find ‘’ghosts’’. Instead they found a tainted mirror, and Tamlen accidentally broke it. The taint infected them both, and when Merrill came looking for them, she found them both unconscious and barely alive. They were rushed to hospital, and where Tamlen died just a few days later from it, Nico barley survived, but it still affects him. He collapses every so often, is feverish and vomits a lot, and has to spend a few days in sick bay.

[jamiedodgerart]

if you're happy to tell us, i'd love to head more about ur inquisitor :00!! his debates with dorian sound fun

:DDD yeah sure! soz this is late

pica’s 1/6 of an inch tall

(im kidding. his name was originally a pun, but not a typography one - he’s a rehash of an old oc i had way back in the day, who was based off a magpie. hes actually on the short side for a dwarf, i want to say around 4′3″)

he was a lyrium smuggler before the inquisition, and specifically was the front man who sold it. he’s a champion liar and man of many faces, and knows how to disappear in plain sight (which is easy if you’re a dwarf and most law enforcement on the surface are humans. to a human guard dwarves all look the same and theyre too short to really get a good look at their faces). he had a pretty transient lifestyle- he didn’t get tied down, didn’t get too attached to anyone or anything, had pretty few posessions. he was 26 (or the dwarf equivalent of 26. hows dwarf aging work in dragon age anyway) when the carta got him to spy at the conclave, and you know how that went

look ok. the first half of his career as inquisitor was just. wingin’ it. no one really knew what the fuck he was supposed to be doing, least of all him, so he just pretended he knew what he was doing till, i wanna say the end of into the abyss. after talking to mal hawke some he learned that, hey, everyone’s always winging it, and also that his decisions kind of really mattered. (and that those decisions he makes can. kill people) for the first time in his life, he realizes hes actually important, and what he does changes things on the large scale

so after that, he got to thinking. the world kinda sucks. and it sucked before the war. and the leaders of thedas are really not doing all that much about it, except trying to kick each other in the nuts while their enemies are weak and completely forgetting that politics Cannot Survive as a practice if theres no farmers able to make food for diplomats to eat. so, orlais, if your farmland is all gunched up with battlefields, then you need to fix that, don’t you. but the inquisition is really, really good at providing stability! it’s good at establishing patrols, safe trade routes, providing local employment, and is a fairly reliable consumer of local goods. so pica capitalized on that, and quietly spread inquisition presence all over southern thedas. this led to immense inquisition influence, with very little fanfare.

you can guess why the rulers of thedas tried to get rid of him as soon after corypheus was taken care of as possible. they branded him a tyrant and like. ok. they werent like. super far off. bc at this point he was kinda trying to see how much of the world he could take over before anyone noticed/tried to stop him and also figured he could do like, a way better job at leading it than the current rulers could. and he wasnt beholden to anyone either (not like empress celene! elected to her throne by… uhhhhhhhhhhh divine providence or something. i mean shes doing an ok job but like i didnt vote for her) so if he really really wanted to he could go full dragon reborn

ive got off topic but point is he figures humans have had their go and they fucked it up, so it’s a dwarf’s turn and he’s going to put the world back together himself. (ps hey bioware can we have some dwarf stuff in the next game. im js. weve had a whole load of elf nonsense and its nice and all but dwarfs had a cool ancient society too yknow)

after trespasser he elects to keep the inquisition around, because he worked hard to make this glue keeping the bits of thedas stuck together and he’ll be damned if he’ll let solarse and his minions screw it up. but it gets nerfed heavily and hes pissed about it

he romanced cassandra! i really like their relationship- they look to each other for moral guidance. pica knows he can get flighty and relies on her to keep him in line, and always asks her for advice when he sees her in the courtyard. he usually doesn’t follow it but he feels it’s important to have her perspective on things

they disagree on a lot of stuff (like he made celene and briala co-leaders but she was in favor of gaspard) but he trusts her judgement, and supported her in becoming the divine

he’s a little weird about religion, specifically relating to the stone. the surfacer part of him that hates caves is like pff hippie garbage, but the bit that’s generations old and wants to belong to a larger whole of a culture is Super Into It. cole said he felt the stone’s presence around pica one time and externally he didnt react but internally he was yelling WHAT THE FUUUUUUUCKKKKKKKKKKKKK I LIVED IN SUCH PEACEFUL IGNORANCE I DIDNT NEED TO KNOW THAAAAAT and after the mythal thing hes like fuck believe what you want. whatever floats your boat. we live in a world where nugs have little people hands so if it comforts you to know a god did that then live your truth

re mages he figures theres a way better way for them to fit into society than the circle. its dumb. they can LIFT THINGS WITH THEIR MINDS. USE THAT FOR BUILDING. they can HEAL WOUNDS WITH THEIR MINDS. THEY CAN TALK TO SPIRITS AND SHIT THEY CAN PROBABLY FLY WHY ARENT WE USING THIS THEY’RE WASTED IN TOWERS LEARNING TO SHOOT FIREBALLS OR WHATEVER people who fear magic are cowards. chantry more like sham-try. 

hes big on research and development. he sent samson to dagna for research and in the au where mal lives he sent anders to her too. cos. like. dude COEXISTS WITH A SPIRIT. thats cool as SHIT how does it WORK. 

(im gonna make a post abt the mal lives au soon. its good)

hes largely responsible but he has also impulse bought at least three stuffed dragons. also, if the textiles technology were available, hed have dragon jammies. it’s the little things in life.

he collects notes he’s found talking about him and hangs them up by his desk. his favorite is the one samson wrote calling him a damnable rogue. he says hes doing things right, if he’s making people mad

hes trans! im not sure how thatd be regarded in dwarf society, in undergrounders i doubt it’d be very acceptable given their emphasis on reproduction, but house cadash has been on the surface for generations and has probably adopted more liberal views on lgbt stuff. either way hes not very open about it, and it’s really easy to pass when he’s around humans (i get the feeling dwarves and humans look for different things, when they’re trying to guess gender. for example hes got some beard scrub, which in human terms means male but in dwarven terms probably either means very young male or unkempt female) (the added implication to this is that varric might keep his beard to stubble so he looks younger) he met krem and had an instant Trans Solidarity moment, which also comes with the Trans Fear that the person Knows that you’re trans and could out you. it’s a weird kind of trust and for me feels like that one performance art piece with the people holding the bow and arrow. anyway hes cool w krem but doesnt talk to him all that much. theyve got pretty different interests.

his best friends are probs cole and dorian! he’s very curious, and likes to hear different perspectives on things. he and dorian often play chess and discuss all sorts of stuff. they end up yelling a lot because they both want to talk but the other started saying something before they were done with their point, which they started saying before the other was done with their point, and so on. he doesnt get very far in the slavery argument until hawke starts chillin at skyhold more regularly and can adequately school him on the state of tevinter slavery (fuck i gotta make a post about that. mal’s had a lot of development since i last talked about him)

he listens very seriously to cole’s observations. he can really appreciate the input of someone who watches so much more than speaks, and heartily supported his ventures in becoming more human.

he also gets along very well with josephine and likes to trick her into taking days off. hes also always down to chat w dagna and scout harding! and varric, of course. it’s always nice to talk to someone without having to crane his neck up at them all the time

(this is the reason he doesnt usually spend time w bull. hes just too tall and its uncomfortable knowing your face is at your friend’s dick height while ur trying to discuss battle strategy)

uhh trivia, at one point i thought i’d fucked up cassandra’s romance by not flirting with her enough so i meant to go for dorian’s instead, bc while i had wanted to romance cass since uhh i dunno one of my mutuals first reblogged a picture of her, i underestimated how charming and cool of a guy dorian ended up being. so in canon i say pica had a crush on both of them for a little while

its late and i think i got mostly everything so enjooooooy

as a parting gift, this is him

[ariannadi]

Her Heart on its Knees

AU thing I thought of… Cause y’know lmao

Sooo basically Arian and Cullen exist in a variety of different universes, one where she meets him in Kirkwall, one where she joins the Inquisition as a member of the inner circle, one where she stays with her clan, one where she becomes Inquisitor, etc. etc. etc. This takes place in the second one. Evelyn Trevelyan is Inquisitor, and Arian, curious about human society, joins the organization in hopes that her clan will warm up to the idea of becoming its ally. 

Over the months, Arian falls for Cullen, and the two become very close - though she’s convinced he’s involved with the Inquisitor. When Perseverance rolls around, Evelyn does what she believes is best, and Arian takes immediate action.

“How could you!?”

Evelyn glanced up from her stack of reports to find Arian, the young Dalish woman who had joined them in Haven, standing in front of her desk, looking angrier than the Herald had ever seen her. 

“How could I what, Arian?” she asked, genuinely confused.

The elf just inched her way toward the Inquisitor, her crystalline eyes sparking like flint on steel upon closer inspection.

“You said you would look out for him; you told me outright that you would help him in anyway you could. How does telling Cullen to go back on lyrium accomplish any of that!?” she barked, her bared teeth only adding to the effect.

Evelyn just blinked, setting down the quill she’d been writing with. “Arian. The man was visibly troubled, and he wanted to continue leading the Inquisition’s army. I did what I believed best. We will figure out a better solution once-”

“No!” Arian interrupted, slamming her hands down on the desk’s surface. “You don’t get it, do you? Cullen has one chance to be rid of everything he’s faced, and it needs to happen now. I don’t care if lyrium is easing the hardships of his position - it’s the one thing still leashing him to his past. If you cared about him you would believe in his capability to overcome this. Instead you’ve given up on him, and for what? Your army?” She rose from where she’d been hunched over, flinging her arms outward. “I hope you’re happy with the choice you’ve made." 

"Do not question my means of solving matters, Arian.” Evelyn seethed, standing from her desk and towering over the elf. “Cullen could very well die if he continues abstaining from lyrium. Would you rather that happen?”

“You don’t know that. Cullen isn’t like the other templars who have quit. He’s proven himself time and time again.” Arian argued, her voice tight.

Evelyn really didn’t have time to be lectured by the girl - instead pinching the bridge of her nose in frustration.

“The decision has been made, Arian. Now I suggest you leave me be. I have a multitude of reports to finish up.”

The elf, her expression completely wounded, slowly shook her head. “Fen'Harel ma ghilana,” she whispered, then turned on her heel and stormed out of the room.

Evelyn plopped back down into her seat the moment the door to her quarters slammed shut, a tired breath passing through her lips as she stared up at the rafters of the ceiling.

It took everything to will the angry tears in her eyes from sliding down her cheeks, but the more Arian pondered the situation the harder they fell.

This wasn’t fair. Cullen didn’t deserve this, especially from the woman who was supposed to have his love and support no matter what. How she wished she had been there the day they came to the Commander’s ultimatum; she would’ve done anything to prevent the current outcome from happening.

Perhaps she could still make an impact, she thought as she marched through the main hall of the castle, cutting through Solas’ veranda to cross the bridge to Cullen’s office. As expected, the man was present, hunched over his desk with a determined look on his face. Although Arian was quiet in her entry, that didn’t stop him from glancing up once she had shut the door behind her.

“Arian,” he acknowledged, rising upward. “Is there something you need?” He must’ve noticed the tears on her cheeks, for a second later he came right up to her, his expression concerned.

“I’m sorry, I just-” she wept, scrubbing at her face, “Cullen, why did you listen to her? You had come so far and…” she lowered her head, hugging herself. Cullen looked as though he wanted to comfort her, but his hands just hovered at his sides.

“Is… Is this about the lyrium?” he asked, and she nodded helplessly. 

“I know she’s the Inquisitor, but you’re so much stronger than you realize, Cullen,” she breathed, looking up at him. “Maybe it’s too late to convince you otherwise, but…”

Cullen appeared to be visibly touched, and finally he reached out and placed a shaky hand on her shoulder.

“Arian, I…” he started, but was interrupted by the door to his office swinging open. Both the Commander and elf turned to eye the interloper, who ended up being Evelyn.

“Inquisitor-” Cullen began, but went silent once the woman held up her hand.

“I should’ve known you were going to come here after our spat,” Evelyn directed to Arian, displeasure lacing her tone. Cullen seemed surprised at the comment, his eyes flickering between the two women.

Arian regarded the Herald with a blank expression, her breathing steady. “I couldn’t abide by your decision, Inquisitor. Dismiss me if you must, but at the very least reconsider your choice.”

To the elf’s shock, Evelyn’s face shifted; a small, respectful smile appearing on her lips.

“You needn’t worry about being dismissed,” she said, crossing her arms. “I’m… impressed that you stood up to me on your own accord, all for the sake of someone else.” Her eyes shifted to Cullen. “Commander, you have my permission to continue abstaining from lyrium use, if that is your wish.”

Cullen looked dumbstruck initially, but he quickly collected his bearings, clearing his throat. “Inquisitor. That day when you came here after my…outburst, I never actually went through with your orders. I almost did, held a vial to my lips, even. But… I couldn’t.”

Arian’s face brightened, a gasp of breath escaping her lungs as she quickly turned to face the man. 

“You haven’t taken it again?” she beamed. Cullen shook his head.

“I… I actually wanted to ask you how you felt about it first, Arian.” he explained, rubbing at his neck. “I probably should have done so sooner, seeing as you found out elsewhere.”

The elf felt her mouth part slightly. “You wanted my opinion?” she questioned in disbelief, and the man nodded.

“You are genuine in your observations. And, well… you have always had my best interest in mind. It seemed appropriate.”

Arian felt her cheeks heat, a gentle smile rising on her lips as his words nestled their way into her heart. 

“Well, I think we’re all quite aware of how Arian feels,” Evelyn said, a smirk tugging at her lips. “Now if all’s settled, I have more reports to tend to. Commander. Arian.” She gave a halfhearted salute to them both, then proceeded to exit Cullen’s office. 

“You… you were really so concerned for me that you stood up to the Inquisitor?” Cullen asked once Evelyn had left, his voice quiet.

Arian chewed at her lip, knowing she was likely in for a lecture on obedience. “I couldn’t watch you suffer, Cullen. I know the Inquisition is important, but, so are you. I respect Evelyn, but I couldn’t stand by her decision. You… you mean too much to me.”

Cullen was silent, likely contemplating a proper response. All the while, Arian stared down at her feet, knowing she had overstepped and hoping he wouldn’t be too harsh on her. She was, after all, simply looking out for her best friend.

And the man who held her heart.

“Thank you,” he finally said, and Arian’s eyes flew upward. The Commander was regarding her with a tender expression, his tawny eyes more compelling than they had ever been.

“Thank you?” Arian repeated, confused.

Cullen offered her a smile. “It’d do me well to remember that even if Evelyn is Inquisitor, I do not always have to abide by her commands. After everything that happened that day, I suppose I was simply inclined to agree.”

“You’re your own person, Cullen,” Arian murmured, stepping closer. “Not everything needs to be order and formality.”

The Commander chuckled at that. “Something I am slowly learning every day,” he admitted, resting his hands on the pommel of his sword.

Arian found herself regarding him for a moment, watching the gentle rise and fall of his shoulders as he took in a deep breath. His eyes were fixed on the far wall of his office, giving the elf an opportunity to study the sharp angles of his profile, the sculpted slope of his nose.

She found herself smiling. Even now, he looked to be at peace.

“Hopefully Evelyn won’t be too angry,” Arian uttered, twiddling her fingers. “I wouldn’t want to put a rift between you.”

“Colleagues disagree sometimes. I am sure she won’t take the objection to heart, Arian.” the man replied, turning to look at her properly.

The elven woman blinked, then shook her head. “No, that’s not… I mean, I meant, I wouldn’t want this to tarnish your… personal relationship with her.”

Cullen raised a brow. “Personal?” he inquired.

Arian sighed, her shoulders sinking. “You and Evelyn are seeing each other, right?”

“H-what?” Cullen chuckled in disbelief. “If we are I haven’t been made aware. What would make you think such?”

Arian herself was stunned, just now realizing her hunch had been wrong. “You... well, you’re always working together and… well…” she stuttered.

Cullen shook his head, but a gentle smile graced his cheeks. “I do not have feelings for Evelyn, Arian. Our relationship is strictly professional. Besides, last I heard she was weasling her way into getting information about Krem from Bull.”

Arian attempted a response, but failed; the elf too busy processing all that he had revealed to her.

“Oh.” she finally spoke, feeling foolish. “Forgive me, I didn’t mean-”

“Arian,” Cullen nearly whispered, resting his hand on her arm. “Is there a reason you considered such?”

The elf looked up into his gentle eyes, and instantly she was lost. Something within screamed at her to take advantage of this moment, but the slightest bit of doubt still held her back.

“I…” she breathed, swallowing thickly. “Yes, but… I-I don’t want to ruin things. You’re a dear friend to me and I couldn’t bear the thought of…” she lowered her head, refusing to speak further.

She wouldn’t have to.

Before she knew it, Cullen’s hand had risen from her arm, instead cupping her cheek. Carefully he turned her face upward until she was gazing right at him, and only then did she realize just how close he was.

“You could never ruin things, Arian,” he reassured her, his words sweet and slightly timid. “For months now I’ve wondered… Arian, do you… have you ever thought about this? About us?”

Surely this couldn’t be happening. There was no way Cullen was asking if she had ever thought of being with him.

“I…” she swallowed, “Yes. But I-I don’t want to jeopardize what we have now. We could just stay friends and it’d be perfectly oka-”

Cullen didn’t allow her to finish. Instead, he had bent forward and slanted his mouth over hers; the tender movement of his lips drawing a soft whine from the elf’s throat.

There wasn’t a single word to describe how Arian felt in those precious seconds. Surprised. Relieved. Grateful. Warm.

The two eventually parted, both looking flushed as they simply gazed into one another’s eyes; both contemplating what this meant for them.

“That was…” Cullen breathed, all at once looking shy.

“Uh-huh,” Arian followed dumbly, offering him an affectionate smile. Cullen reciprocated it, the hand he still had on her cheek moving to tuck a strand of hair behind her pointed ear.

“I… I don’t think I’ve ever mentioned just how lovely you are,” he murmured, his eyes carefully studying her face. Arian giggled girlishly, her head gently falling into the crook of his neck.

“And now you can do so as much as you’d like,” she nearly sang, sighing happily when Cullen pressed his smiling lips into her hair. 

Likes and reblogs are always soooo appreciated!! <3

[silent-of-spirit]

A wine soaked night- Roman AU

@dadrunkwriting

YAY! OOOOOKAY so this did NOT go the direction I originally intended it to, but I still like it? Roman AU is still new, so I am playing with things. I hope you enjoy!!! (Also first official piece I’ve written in 2017 I think? Thanks for helping me beat writer’s block in the face!)

“Aren't they handsome?”Ellania's breath was hot on her ear, voice dipping into a low purr.Her fingers were trailing idly over Liahra's heated flesh, both ofthem loose and flushed from the spiced wine they had been steadilyplied with all evening. Their cups had never been empty- a testamentto the quality of the slaves of House Mahariel, recently come intotheir fortune through the games.

Shecould practically feel Ellania's feral grin from behind her on thechaise as she admired her stock- the finest gladiators in the South,oiled and standing at attention for the viewing pleasure of all ofher guests for the evening. Liahra averted her gaze... again... theheat rising steadily in her cheeks. Ellania was getting handsy, asshe was wont to do when drunk, but Liahra couldn't quite bringherself to mind it, the wine and... scenery dulling her judgment. Shecould feel more than see Krem's disapproving brow from where he stoodbeside the chaise, ever vigilant.

“Ihate the games.” Liahra said at last, letting her gaze rove overthe crowd instead of Ellania's prized décor.Her friend laughed, high and bright and thoroughlyamused, a hint of disbelief amidst the melody.

“Youcan hate the games and still appreciate the players, pet. How couldyou not when they are so-” She hummed, the feral smile taking overher face again as she let her eyes caress their forms. “Lookat them, Liahra. They are div-” Ellania squealed suddenly, clappingher hands in excitement. Her eyes were shining with mirth, somethingmore heated glinting beneath. “They finally finished preparing mynewest addition.” She said, slightly breathless. Liahra reluctantlyturned her gaze back to the line of gladiators, then stopped short,the air stolen from her lungs.

It washim.

Shetook a large drink, unable to tear her eyes away. She tried to ignoreEllania's victorious smirk from beside her.

“Quiteeye-catching, isn't he?” She purred, gaze following Liahra's tosettle on him. “The one who saved your Krem in the arena, was henot?”

“Yes.”She breathed the word. How many years had it been since that day?Three?

“Haveyou ever fucked a gladiator?” Ellania asked suddenly. Krem chokedon his water, spluttering and coughing as Liahra's face flushedcrimson. She turned on her friend with wide eyes.

“Ellania!”She hissed, unable to meet her gaze.

“Ohplease. Don't start acting like the blushing virgin.” She laughed,lifting Liahra's chin with gentle fingers. “You forget I know youbetter than that.” She murmured, leaning in close. Liahra couldfeel the heat rise further in her cheeks. Ellania stopped just shortof her lips, barely a breath apart before she pulled back just assuddenly. Liahra had to struggle to find her breath, her headswimming. Ellania laughed again. “Wine turns you shy- who wouldhave thought?”

“Justas it turns you to a harlot.” Liahra shot back, crumpling intolaughter at the look of shocked amusement on her friend's face.

“Thereshe is! Gracious, I thought I had lost you to the drink.” They fellinto a fit of helpless giggles, their mirth so infectious that evenKrem had begun to laugh at their expense. “Come, come. Now thatthey have all been presented, I would introduce them to youpersonally.” Ellania rose from the chaise, cup in hand, the othertugging at Liahra's free one.

“You-what?” Liahra managed through the haze of inebriation. She followedobediently, eyes widening as she realized the destination of the paththey were on. She took another large drink, praying the wine wouldsoothe her suddenly frayed nerves. She had only seen him the once inthe arena, not even near to him, and yet her thoughts had beenconsumed by him ever since.

For three years.

Foolishgirl.

Theywere halfway down the line of gladiators now, and Liahra had notheard a word of any of the introductions. Her mind was consumed bythe one at the far end, and she cursed herself for her impropriety.What would her uncle think? She took another drink, embracing theburn in her throat.

“Liahra,are you even listening?” The accusation startled her from herreveries, and she looked up into the bemused face of Ellania, browquirked.

“Apologies.My mind was otherwise occupied.”

“Withterrible things, I hope.” Ellania said saucily, grinning at the drylook she received.

“Withthe journey home. My uncle has taken ill, and I never intended totarry this long. I should be going.” She said in way of an excuse,though not false. Ellania pulled a face.

“Ishall see to the horse and cart, mistress.” Krem said gently, therelief at escaping the party evident in his voice. She smiled andinclined her head in dismissal.

“Thankyou, Krem.”

Ellaniawatched his retreating back with narrowed eyes before her gazeflicked back to Liahra. A brilliant smile graced her lips. “Wellyou simply must meetthe new addition to our gladiators before you go.” Liahra pinnedher with a stern look, very much doubting her ability to maintaincomposure while so inebriated. But there was mischief in Ellania'seyes, and Liahra knew she would not be swayed. She very nearlydragged Liahra over to him. “Lady Liahra Lavellan, may I introduceour newest prize fighter- The Iron Bull.”

Shetook a deep breath and gave what she hoped wasn't a forced smile, allthought flown clear from her head. He was massive- towering above herand rippling with thick muscle, silvery skin covered in scars andoil. She swallowed past the lump in her throat, drawing her fan andflicking it open as she forced her gaze past the wall of him to hisface. One eye was upon her, stormy green and mysterious, somethingdark lurking in the depths. The other was covered with a patch madeof metal, fitted to the crags of his face.

Theeye he had lost in defense of Krem, a gladiator too soon seen to thesands, saved by a man who should have killed him. It was the talk ofArlathan for weeks after, the tittering only growing when Liahra hadbought the boy, then freed him and hired him as a personal bodyguardinstead. The man who had saved his life seemed to have disappeared-until now.

He waseven more striking up close. Overwhelmingly so. She could feelherself getting uncomfortably warm, waving her fan in a desperateattempt to abate the searing heat that seemed to accompany hispresence.

“Sheis lovely, is she not?” Ellania asked sweetly, a smirk upon herlips. Liahra opened her mouth to retort, but promptly closed it atthe sound of a voice- low and gravelly- that cut her to her core.

“Withoutequal, to be sure.”

Shestumbled for thought, for response, chasing the threads of her mindthat had fled from wine and heated thoughts.

“Alreadytrained so well to respond to questions with idle flattery.Impressive.” She said dismissively, returning her gaze to Ellaniawith a tight smile. She missed his small smirk. “He seems quiteformidable. I commend you on the new addition. May he bring glory toyour house.” She said, suddenly wishing she had more wine. Ellaniagave her a strange look, but smiled. She made her farewells quicklyafter that, retreating to the safety of her carriage and the coolnight breeze. He had so long been only in her mind, that it wassurreal to see him turned flesh and close enough to touch. She triedto clear the images from her thoughts. She could not afforddistractions. Her duties were far too important...

Shewas, of course, regaled with stories of the evening days later.Ellania said it was a wine soaked night of revelry and debauchery,that she should have stayed and partaken in the festivities. It waswith no small amount of shame that she pictured him first andforemost at the mention.

“Andhow is your betrothed?” Ellania asked over tea. Liahra summoned atight smile, the weight of her station suddenly crashing back downupon her.

“Heis well.”

[nomorecaffeineforyou]

Dear Wintersend Letter

Dear Wintersend Creator,

Hello! I hope you’ve been having a good new year thus far. I’m Fille and I’m honored that you’ve been chosen to have me as your exchange partner. No doubt you’ve got a fantastic already existing body of work; I’m really looking forward to whatever you’ll create! I’ve laid out here a few guidelines for my prompts and the kind of things I like to see just in case you wanted a little more of a reference.

My AO3 is linked in my sidebar if you want to get a better idea of what I write and I’m generally very flexible. If you’re really stuck, you can always send me any questions you have at all on anon and I will dramatically cover my eyes and go OH NO WHO IS THAT I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THIS COULD BE ABOUT while I answer it.

Good Shit

Character studies exploring every available aspect. Found families. People overcoming their differences to come together and people recognizing their similarities through their differences as they come together. Letting things get weird and sticky but finding comfort in that and coming toa  resolution. Domesticity, nonsexual and sexual intimacy, supporting but being willing to call the other out on their bullshit or push them towards something greater. Mutual comfort while unpacking and dealing with trauma; also, coming together to weather a traumatic experience. Well done angst that might seem overwrought, but is worth the light at the end of the tunnel. Character driven fluff and smut. Enthusiastic consent play, light bondage, service tops/service bottoms, spanking, shibari, oral sex, praise kink, dirty talk, orgasm denial, switching, femdom, pegging, hair-pulling, rough sex that comes after sparring, hair-pulling. Meaningful but realistic sex where you’re allowed to laugh and no one takes it too seriously. My biggest kink is mutual respect and affection (no, really). I also have a weakness for epistolary and faux anthropological/sociological study styles, even if the formatting can be difficult.

BONUS! I am eternally weak for the Chargers as NPCs, so any appearance of them means I will adore your work until the end of time. There is no easier in to my heart.

Background pairings I would love to see if you want to squeeze them include but are not limited to: Dalish/Skinner, Dagna/Sera, Cassandra/Vivienne, Josephine/Leliana, Iron Bull/Dorian, Female Inquisitor Who Is Not Human/Any of the women at Skyhold (and I do mean any), Isabela/Merrill, Aveline/Isabela, Female Hawke/any of the Kirkwall gals (and I do mean any), Female Hawke/Merrill/Isabela, Male Inquisitor Who Is Not Human/Iron Bull, Male Inquisitor Who Is Not Human/Dorian Pavus, Male Inquisitor Who Is Not Human/Cullen Rutherford, Male Inquisitor Who Is Not Human/Krem, Male Inquisitor Who Is Not Human/Blackwall, Male Hawke/Fenris, Male Hawke/Varric, Leliana/Cassandra, Morrigan/Leliana, Josephine/Vivienne, Sera/Cassandra, Josephine/Sera, Any Male Charger But Bull/Any Male Charger But Bull,   Leliana/Sera, Cassandra/Krem, and Lace Harding/Dagna.

I haven’t actually played Origins yet, but if you wanted to include Leliana/FWarden Who Is Not Human, Morrigan/FWarden Who Is Not Human, or Zevran/Male Warden Who Is Not Human, that would be fine, too.

Non, Merci

Scat, watersports, bloodplay, vomit play, vore, rape roleplay, love triangles, character bashing, OTT angst, ageplay, infidelity, pregnancy, whump, kid fic, women being dominated by men, soulmate fic, AU fic, A/B/O dynamics and tropes, descriptions of gore that go beyond the typical canon. Referencing or hinting at abuse, rape, or assault is fine, but I’d rather not see it played out. I’m also not a huge fan of tons of angst or sadness without a happy ending; I like things bittersweet, not full on sour. Also, no human Wardens or Inquisitors, please. I have nothing against them; I just find the other origins more interesting. I have no preference regarding classes. If you’re drawing me porn and you’re an artist, I really don’t like the style where both people look super shiny; I tend to read it as oily or sweaty and it takes me out of the scene.

First person and second person POV also don’t generally work for me as styles and I would prefer you stick to canon. Pairings I would really not like to see at all are here but not limited to: Iron Bull/Any Of The Chargers (the power dynamics really squick me out), Cole/Anyone, Anders/Anyone, Blackwall/Any Female Characters, Solas/Any Female Characters, Cullen/Any Female Characters, any pairings that don’t acknowledge Sera and Dorian as gay or disrespect Krem’s gender identity, Dalish/Any Male Characters, Skinner/Any Male Characters, Male Hawke/Any Female Characters, Female Hawke/Any Male Characters, Fenris/Anders, Fenris/Isabela, Fenris/Dorian, Krem/Dorian, Female Inquisitor/Cullen Rutherford, Female Inquisitor/Blackwall, and Female Inquisitor/Solas.

I know this is a lot to take in, but you’re doing great. Onto the prompts!

Dagna/Shaper Valta

Talk about rare pairs, am I right? You don’t have to dig much deeper than the Deep Roads for these two. Still, I think there’s something to these two. I found their similarities rather striking; they’re both intelligent, relentless in their pursuit of their work, they see Orzammar for what it is, both of their fathers disagreed with what they chose to do, they don’t have any regrets regarding their decisions, etc. Valta also talked about the Titan in a very similar way to how Dagna talked about the Fade if you let her study the samples from Adamant. I think they’d really hit it off. I would love to see them talking shop or reminiscing about their lives in Orzammar.

Colette/Lace Harding

And the rare pairs get even rarer. Colette is Professor Bram Kenric’s sword wielding city elf assistant you meet in the Jaws of Hakkon DLC who’s attending the University of Orlais. (Here are a couple clips of her; skip to 1:47 for this one.) She’s researching the early Tevinter temple ruins in the Frostback Basin and how they relate to Inquisitor Ameridan. If you chat with her, she’ll tell you about the discrimination she faces as an elf attending an Orlesian university and comments on how elven assistants are common, but get no credit for their research. Professor Kenric is the exception. She’s very driven and determined to succeed in her work and it shows; that’s something she and Lace have in common. Kenric also mentions that Lace has brought artifacts back to camp for them, so I’m sure that she and Colette have at least met before.

I don’t have anything specific in mind, but something that you could have a lot of fun with is a Road to El Dorado style piece with Lace helping Colette search for an artifact in a particular ruin and possibly fighting off some Hakkonites together heroically. Bonus points if they end up having to rescue Professor Kenric and the Chargers show up as the cavalry along with Lace being an adopted Charger.

Dalish/Skinner

Okay, so just hear me out because this prompt's a little convoluted, but it could be hilarious.

So, we know that merchant families in Antiva have their feuds like anyone else. Let's say that for reasons, one of them in particular decides to retaliate by the Montilyets' rise to power by planning to kidnap Yvette. Rather than allow her sister to stay in Val Royeaux or potentially draw the mercenaries to Skyhold, Josephine chooses to take out a contract and have The Bull's Chargers kidnap her instead and take her somewhere safe to watch over her while she investigates the plot and brings the would-be kidnappers to justice.

Contrary to expectations, Yvette is a delight. She takes to the Chargers' lifestyle surprisingly well and it's just the inspiration she needed as an artist to really flourish, except she develops a huge crush on Dalish. At first, it's completely harmless and just a lot of starry eyed wistful gazing and overwrought elvhen motifs in her sketches. Skinner's not happy, but is pacified by The Iron Bull's litany of "you could literally eat her alive, she's practically a baby, we just have to get through this one job and you'll never have to see her again". Then, despite efforts to discourage it, Yvette's crush on Dalish starts getting too big to ignore and on top of all that, her girlfriend shows up.

Who is Yvette's girlfriend? I don't know. Maybe she's a Tal Vashoth pirate who automatically sets Bull on edge, maybe she's a shady apostate with a penchant for blood magic and betrayal, maybe she's a noblewoman from a disgraced house who supposedly goes through young women like tissues. It's up to you! All I ask is all's well that ends well. I want a lighthearted romp, not heavy drama. I've tagged the pairings with Josephine that I prefer most for this piece, but if you'd like to pair her with Vivienne, Sera, or Lace Harding, I wouldn't be opposed. Pentilyet doesn't really do it for me.

Female Inquisitor/Cassandra Pentaghast

Something I feel that the Cassandra romance genuinely missed out on was the possibility of an interfaith relationship between her and the Inquisitor (besides the obvious lack of not being able to romance her with a female character). I would really like to see that explored in fic.

How does she handle a partner with a belief system radically different from hers (Dalish, the Qun, the Stone, Avaar, Chasind, whatever the Vashoth or Tal Vashoth might believe in) or a nonbeliever? How much does the degree of faith affect their relationships? How do the Chantry's views on them get in the way? If her partner's actually considered to be clergy (or was before the Inquisition, such as a Keeper, an augur, a tamassran, etc.), how does she come to terms with that? Does anyone in the Inquisition help her through this trial? Do any couples who deal with these cultural differences aid her?

I don’t want to see any unhappy endings with this one, but feel free to explore it as much as you possibly can and don’t be afraid to get bitter or dark. Smut is not necessary for this prompt, but if you feel the urge, I always appreciate it, especially if it’s pseudoreligious sex full of allegories. That’s my shit.

Shokrakar

My giant women, how I love them.

I just really want some Shokrakar smut, especially if you can expand on the Valo Kas and how they fit in. I'm always down for plot with my porn. I would prefer to see her paired with any of the female characters in Inquisition, but especially Josephine, Cassandra, or Vivienne.

And that’s everything! Thanks for reading! I can’t wait to see what you do. Good luck!

Best,

        Fille

[silent-of-spirit]

Roman AU: Visiting Dorian.

So I switched it to ‘Dorian visiting’ because it fit better. I hope you don’t mind

She woke slowly, head pounding, noseand throat feeling as though they had been stuffed with scratchycotton. She had to force her eyes open, groaning at the invasion ofbright light. She heard a shuffling movement beside her, then a handlike ice was applied to her forehead. She jerked away from thesensation, retreating beneath the blankets of her bed.

“Still burning.” She heard thegentle voice of her mother, tutting disapprovingly as she shuffledelsewhere in the room.

“I'm fine.” Liahra said weakly,voice muffled from her hiding place.

“You are unwell.” Her mothersnapped. There was a moment of silence that fell heavy in the airbefore she sighed. “I- I am sorry. That was unworthy of me.”Liahra pushed the blankets away, wincing again at the light and howit seemed to lance through her skull. She settled her eyes upon thewoman whom she loved above all others, studying the lines of her faceas she sat with downcast eyes.

“What troubles you, mother?” Sheasked gently, trying to ignore the incessant pounding in her head andpowder in her lungs as she swung her legs from the bed.

“Gracious, Liahra!” Edina hissed,rushing from her chair to push her daughter back down into thecushions.

“Let me up! I have been in thisdamned bed for three days. It is driving me to madness.” Sheflushed in shame at the look of admonishment she received at heroutburst. “Apologies, mother.” She said quietly, averting hergaze. Edina gave her a sharp look, but allowed her to rise, gesturingfor one of the servants.

“Will you please see to the baths,dear?” She asked the girl kindly. The servant smiled and curtsied,dismissing herself to the adjacent chamber. Liahra searched hermother's face for what could be weighing so heavily.

“Mother?”

“A Tevinter magister will be stayingwith us for a while.” The woman said at last, refusing to meet herdaughter's gaze. Liahra felt as though the wind had just been knockedfrom her, and she had to lower herself back down to the bed in shock,suddenly dizzy.

A magister? No. No, it isn'tpossible. Uncle would not bend knee... not now.

Shecould feel the rage flooding her, white hot and consuming. Hewouldn't, she tried totell herself, but she quickly found reason replaced with emotion, andshe found herself striding from her room, purpose in her steps and asharpness in her eyes. She heard her mother's startled cry as sheswept past, but ignored it. The wind blew through the corridors, aharbinger of a storm to come. Fitting that there should beanother presently. She thoughtwith bitterness.

Herrage was evident enough that it sent the servants scurrying from herpath, despite the desperation of their duties. They were hurried. Sohe must be coming soon, she thought- followed swiftly by another- Notif I can help it. She wasvaguely aware of Krem when she passed him in the hall, his headswiveling to do a double take before following her, steps clipped.

“My lady!” Hecalled after her, but she ignored him as well, striding through theestate to her Uncle's study. Her night shift was billowing aroundher, the fabric shimmering and translucent, but she could not bringherself to care about the impropriety of it. She was of a singlepurpose, driven to find the reasoning behind this utter madness. Sheignored the way her head pounded and set her vision blurry, ignoredthe burning in her throat and lungs, ignored the light sheen of sweaton her skin as she tried to rid the fever.

“Uncle!” Shebarked as she rounded the corner, blowing into his office like a galewind leaving destruction in its wake. He knew this would come. Henodded his dismissal to the servant who was standing near, eyes wideand a little afraid. The boy scurried from the room as fast as hislegs would carry, tossing a single look back over his shoulder at thetempest that was Liahra. Maeral lifted his gaze to her, tired andresigned.

“I had no choice,my dear.” Her nostrils flared, flame present in her eyes.

“Thereis always a choice.”She snapped, staring him down with unforgiving fury. Krem and Edinaappeared in the doorway then, both a little breathless. Krem lookedbetween the two of them, immediately averting his eyes when theyrested on Liahra. He cleared his throat uneasily, unclasping hiscloak and holding it out to her. Her eyes snapped to the movement andshe grabbed it from his grasp with a small grunt of thanks, coveringthe indecency of her nightclothes. Maeral watched the exchange,breathing carefully to avoid rousing his temper. He needed to bereasonable when he knew she would not. Not about this matter inparticular, at least. He did not blame her.

“There werequestions of my loyalty to the Senate, and to Arlathan.”

“Why?Because you voice reasonin a room of those who would see us bend a knee to the Empire?” Shedemanded.

“Not all-”

“Fuck all!” Shescreeched.

“Liahra!” Hermother hissed, outraged.

“No,mother! I will not besilent! Not in this.” She shook her head vehemently. “No, not allof them are in support of occupation, but enoughof them are. Enough to pose issue and cause harm.”

“And if my voiceis removed from the Senate, it is one less in opposition. Try tounderstand what is at stake, Liahra.” Maeral reasoned, his voicerising slightly at the last.

“Soyou let them cajole you into letting a magisterinto our home? You arethe cleverest man I know. Surelyyou would have found a way around this!”

“I encouragedit.” He said simply. Her rage instantly abated, replaced insteadwith horrified confusion. Edina moved behind him, placing a hand onhis shoulder in support. Krem stood stock still, watching theexchange with sharp eyes.

“You... what?”Liahra finally said, voice soft and hurt.

“Think about it,da'len.” He said gently, but she just shook her head in confusion.“A magister under our roof- think of the information we cangather.” He could see the understanding dawn on her, her lipsparting in a surprised 'oh'. She immediately lowered her eyes,clasping her hands in front of her as her cheeks flushed scarlet.“You have a good heart, Liahra, and a good head on your shoulders.You are quick and clever, but you need to learn temperance,especially with a political situation so volatile. It is wonderfulthat you speak your mind, but remember that there is also virtue inwaiting until the opportune time.”

“Deepest regretsfor my outburst, Uncle. It was hasty and ill-considered. I shall dobetter.”

“Thank you,da'len. I know this is hard for you, but I trust you will make meproud.” He said gently, gesturing to Krem to lead her out. “I amrelieved to see you are feeling better. You should see to a bath andget properly attired- Tamlen comes at the noon bell, and the Magisternot long after.” She inclined her head, following Krem from theroom.

“You gave me aright fright, storming out like that in little more than your skin,mistress.” Krem tossed back at her. “You were near death notthree days ago- you shouldn't have exerted yourself like this.”

She grabbed his armgently, pulling him back to look at her. When he turned back with asigh, she took his hand in both of hers, squeezing tightly.

“I'm sorry, Krem.You're right, of course.” She paused. “You are my dearest friend,and I deeply apologize for causing you worry.” He let out a huff ofamusement and jerked his head toward the end of the hall with a smallsmile.

“On our way,ladyship. Your mother will have my hide if you aren't ready in time.”

~~~~

“Tamlen! Howlovely to see you again.” Liahra called from across the courtyard,taking measured steps to where he stood. He greeted her with abrilliant smile, suited for his handsome face.

“Ah, ma lath!”He pulled her into a warm embrace. He smiled again when he pulledback, eyes roaming her face. “You are radiant as ever- a truejewel. I am a lucky man.” She blushed prettily beneath hisattentions, tucking back an escaped blonde curl.

“You flatter me,Tamlen.” She said with a laugh.

“On the contrary!I speak only facts, as ever.”

“Ah, Tamlen!”Maeral stepped into the courtyard in opulent robes, clapping theyounger man on the back heartily. “So good of you to bear witnessto an historic event such as this.” Tamlen chuckled.

“I would be lyingif I said that the thought of seeing my betrothed bore no weight inmy decision.”

“Ha! As I hope itwould.”

The servant sent towatch the road came scurrying in the gate, standing at attentionbefore them. “The magister's carriage draws near!” Maeral noddedonce.

“Very good. Thankyou. Please see that the wine has been brought out for our guest.”The servant bowed and darted into the house, disappearing from sight.Apprehension coiled tightly in Liahra's belly, her uneasiness fromearlier settling back upon her with startling intensity. She couldfeel the tension in her shoulders, and she forced herself to swallowpast the lump in her throat, head beginning to pound in earnest oncemore.

She grew only morerigid when the carriage pulled into the courtyard, pulled by four ofthe finest horses she had ever seen, massive with shining onyx coats.She admired them for a moment, hoping to calm her nerves, but hergaze flitted to the carriage door the instant the driver stepped tothe earth. She could distantly feel Tamlen's gaze on her face, browfurrowed.

The door clicked,and she took a steadying breath, willing herself to be calm as itopened. From the carriage stepped a man in opulent finery, arms andhands bedecked in all manners of gold jewelry. He wore no shirtbeneath his robes, leaving his right shoulder and half of his chestbare. Bold. His hair was perfectly coiffed, moustache expertly waxedand shining, and his bright eyes were rimmed with kohl. He wasdevastatingly handsome, and a perfect picture of arrogance andwealth.

She hated himimmediately.

He turned his gazeto them, gesturing widely with his hands as a smile graced his lips.“My gracious hosts, I presume.” Maeral stepped forward with agrin that looked completely genuine, belying none of the anxietyLiahra knew he too felt.

“I am Maeral ofHouse Lavellan, and we welcome you to our humble home.” He bowed,bowed, before the magister, and she bristled at the sight.Tamlen's grip tightened on her hand, and she afforded him a smallsmile in thanks, the gesture slightly comforting.

The Tevene man lethis gaze sweep over the grand estate with a small smirk. “Humble?Gracious, one wonders what extravagant would be in this fine city.”Maeral laughed good-naturedly.

“You are tookind.”

“Ah! But whereare my manners?” The magister said suddenly, bending in a sweepingbow, “My name is Dorian of House Pavus of Minrathous- how do youdo?”

Her mother steppedforward, offering her hand with a serene smile. “I am EdinaLavellan, sister to the charming master of the house. It is apleasure to make your acquaintance.” Liahra knew they needed toplay nicely, but it did not sit well with her... at all. They wereprostrating themselves before a man who was a part of the structureof a country wanting to rule the world. It did not sit well, and shehad to remind herself to remain calm. Not only was the reputation ofher uncle at stake, but Tamlen's as well. If she made a fool ofherself, she made a fool of them. The thought tempered her annoyancesomewhat.

The magister-Dorian, she reminded herself- bowed over her mother's proffered hand,kissing it lightly. “Charmed.” He said with a grin before turningto Tamlen, seeming to briefly assess her from the corner of his eyes.Tamlen smiled brightly, ever friendly and kind.

“Tamlen of HouseSabrae. It's a pleasure, Magister Pavus.” Dorian quirked a brow,but then laughed heartily, startling them all.

“Oh, I am not amagister.” He said finally, still chuckling. They all exchangedconfused looks. “Well, I suppose all Southerners must think anymage from the Imperium is a magister, hm? No, I am an altus,next in line to take my father's seat in the Magisterium, should hechoose to leave it to me. Much like your 'Senate' seats.”

“Senate seats areelected, not passed down.” Liahra said, berating herself for theunintended bite in her tone. Dorian turned to her, seeming to assessher again, eyes slightly narrowed but smile still present. She raisedher chin slightly, noticing how the corner of his lips quirked alittle more in response. He was looking at her as if he knewher- and that was more unsettling than his presence as a whole.

“And who are you,my dear?” He asked, voice positively dripping with honey. She fixedhim with a smile of her own, predatory and vaguely threatening. Itdid nothing to deter him, in fact, it seemed to further amuse him.

“LiahraLavellan.” She said simply. She did not offer her hand in greeting,merely met his challenging gaze with her own, a standoff that had theothers shifting uncomfortably. Dorian broke the stalemate, smilingbrilliantly and turning away.

“Such apleasure to meet you in particular, Lady Liahra.” Maeral made amove to step in and guide the man away, too aware of the bait Dorianleft- a bait he knew Liahra would snatch. Restraint was not askill to be perfected in a few hours' time.

“Ser Pa-

“In particular?”She asked pointedly, and Maeral closed his eyes, clenching his jaw ashe let out a slow breath of defeat.

“I have heardquite a bit about you.” Dorian said smugly.

“Oh?” She saidcasually, though the dangerous glint in her eyes gave her away.

“Indeed. Speakingout against honored Tevene guests, decrying the games while stillattending, shameful public displays of vocal aggression againstvisiting Imperium dignitaries, the 'rescue' and freeing of aTevinter slave condemned to death for treason- you are a hot topicfor debate in the Empire.” He said with a smirk. “Most unbecomingof one with such status, and even so,  you sit in your palace on yourhill and deign to judge while doing nothing for a cause youapparently so heatedly support aside from spew vitriol and makeyourself a fool.” Dorian watched her phase through a whole host ofdifferent emotions, fury being the primary. She looked as if she madeto say something, but held back at the last moment, clenching herjaw. He smiled.

Yes, she was justthe sort he needed for his mission- just as he'd hoped she might be.

He turned back tothe lord of the house, the man seeming stunned for a moment. “MightI have a tour?” Dorian asked helpfully, allowing the man to shakehimself from his daze. He spluttered nonsense for a moment beforeturning and leading him inside.