#but what if someone put a contract out for Lucanis and he realizes that caterina was the one who would’ve had to approve it?

[silverhalla]

I think it would be rly sick if you went to go build a crow rook and the surname was Arainai

like…. just another little compradi trying to bring glory back to your house - rinnala and taliesin are dead by the house’s hand, zevran failed and deserted, guili murdered in the night, all semblance of power lost once again. the house is trying to claw its way back up, futile as it seems. that’s the way of house arainai, isn’t it? talon to knife to talon to knife to nothing, same as it’s been since the house first lost power in the early dragon age. but you, bright-eyed little crow, you’ll break the cycle, won’t you? for the family?

after all, caterina’s prized heir is right there - the demon of vyrantium, the infamous mage killer, sleeping just down the hall. you can be quiet, can’t you? all those means at your disposal, and all the opportunities you could want. you could find a way in under that armor, get to something soft and bruisable and make it bleed. he’s far from home, isn’t he? without a friend? confidantes are few and far between - even a demon must get lonely.

maybe he’d even trust you. you’re a clever little bird, right? you can find something to exploit. after all, what does a would-be talon do except claw, except maim? what else would you be good for? there is no gentleness to crows - you are here to deliver a message: run, little demon, quick as you like.

house arainai will make carrion of you yet.

[thewardenisonthecase]

Moments in Between

Lucanis x Grey Warden!Rook

Read on AO3

Summary: First meeting between Rook and Lucanis. A small rewrite of what happens in game.

The concept of time had long evaded Lucanis, ever since he had been trapped in the Ossuary. Minutes morphed into hours that morphed into days. How long since he had last seen the sun, felt the wind on his face? 

How long since he and the demon had been forced to share one body? 

He tried to ignore Spite best he could. Having a demon inside of him was bad enough, listening to its temptations would only make it worse. 

But after so long…the two of them had finally come to an agreement. 

You get us out. We are freed. We kill Zara. We make her pay. 

If this would condemn his soul to the lolinest parts of the Void, then so be it. 

Lucanis sprung from his prison, killing everyone who had held him prisoner. His heart hammered in his chest, adrenaline pumping in his veins as he killed every Venatori on his way. A reminder of the way things were before. 

Once the carnage was over, Lucanis breathed heavily, feeling Spite’s satisfaction reverberating through him. 

And that’s when he noticed the two women before him. 

“Who are you? Who sent you?” He asked the two of them, a frown on his face. 

“I’m Rook, this is Neve.” She spoke. “Caterina sent us.” 

Lucanis shook his head. “Caterina?” Long ago, he had made peace with the fact that no one would come for him. He should have known better than to doubt that the First Talon would let go of him so easily. “But…why would she send you? You’re not a Crow.” 

Rook raised a brow at him, looking him up and down. “And you’re not fully human. There’s a demon in you.” 

How did they- 

It was then that Lucanis realized the magic he felt emanating towards him wasn’t from the dead Venatori or the prison itself. It came from her. 

Of course it was a mage who would break him out. He sighed. “It’s complicated.” 

She shook his head. “Regardless of it, Caterina promised us a mage-killer…” 

A question was left hanging in the air. Could he still do what had been promised on his behalf with a demon on his body. 

He huffed. “I can still work.” 

“Good, because I am almost certain there are more Venatori coming our way.” The other one, Neve, had spoken. “We have to move.” 

Lucanis took a deep breath. “The Venatori…they have a vial of my blood. They can use it to control me. I cannot leave it in their hands. And I had a contract when I was captured. One of my targets is here. Calivan.” He had to kill him. “Crows don’t break contracts.” 

Rook sighed but nodded. “Alright. We’ll help. But I need a guarantee you’ll help killing some things in return.” 

He put his hands on his waist, agitated to get this done with. “I’ll owe you.”

“I’m sure we’ll all owe each other before this is done, but it works for me. Let’s get going.” 

. 

Rook had expected that the Crow would probably be…perturbed after killing his mark. One year in a small prison, possessed by a demon would sure mess anyone up. 

But she hadn’t expected for him to just stand there, silently, as if listening to someone that wasn’t there. 

She had called his name twice, but he hadn’t heard it. She touched his shoulder, gently. “Are you alright?” 

He flinched, shaking his head and moving away from her, as he finally turned his gaze towards her. 

“What were you staring at?” She asked. Lucanis once again looked at something next to her, before putting his hands on his hips.

“You cannot see him. I wondered.” 

Rook blinked at him. This was too much to deal with right now. She shook her head. “Cleary, we have things to discuss once we’re back on land.” 

“Agreed. I think…it's time I get some air.” 

. 

One year. 

That was how long he had been kept away - from his city, from his family, the Crows. 

And so much had changed in such a short period of time, even if it felt like a lifetime to him. 

His hair blew softly and he felt the wind hit his beard, both which he had grown while in the Ossuary. 

Not that he had had much choice. The Venatori wouldn’t just give him a knife to trim his hair. 

But he hadn’t been the only one to change, as Lucanis soon discovered that Treviso was under occupation by the Antaam. Rook and Neve tried to explain to him as best they could, but too much had been going on at the same time for him to fully understand. He could think on what he had missed later. For now, he only wanted to see his family again. 

. 

Rook could only watch as the Crows spoke. In the time they took to get Lucanis out, the Venatori had sent a message, with Caterina being killed in the chaos. 

She couldn’t help but feel sorry for him as he tried to make sense of what had happened. Rook looked at him, trying to show some support. “I’m sorry.” 

He gave her a small, tight nod, before turning to the others. “I need to work.” 

“Are you sure?” Teia had asked, and Rook looked at him with surprise, listening to him say he just needed a target. 

‘Whatever helps with the grief, I guess.’ she thought to herself as he argued with his cousin. 

“You just got here, and already you want to leave again?” 

“Caterina gave me a contract. I’m not breaking the last deal she ever made.” Lucanis said, his face hardened as he looked at Ilario. “And I owe Rook. Once that’s done…I’ll come home.” 

He turned his gaze to her and she nodded, giving him and his cousin a reassuring nod. “I promise to bring him back in one piece.” 

. 

The trip to this Lighthouse had passed in a blur to him, his thoughts too scrambled for him to concentrate on where he was. 

He was free. Caterina had sent for him. Caterina was dead. Elven gods were real and trying to destroy the world. He would have to kill them. How do you even kill gods? 

And there was also a Blight. Great. The day just kept getting more and more confused. 

They had reunited in the kitchen, and he absently listened to the women talking as he looked into the fire. This was all too much - these explanations and revelations and these feelings. 

His mind returned to the present just in time to hear them talking about how they would get Spite out of his body. 

He turned to look at them. “You’d have to kill me.” 

He contemplated. Perhaps death would be the better option for him after all. Why confront this twisted reality, where he was not even fully himself, when they could just end his suffering more quickly. 

‘You can’t. Give up.’ Spite told him. ‘Not now. We made a deal!’

Lucanis ignored the demon, instead choosing to listen to Rook saying “That can’t be the only way. Do you think we could talk to Spite? Maybe convince him to leave.” 

He shook his head. While that had been a lovely sentiment, he knew the truth. “Talk doesn’t work on Spite.” 

From his peripheral vision, he saw the demon walk away from him and go next to Rook. “She won’t hurt you. How sweet.”

Lucanis’ jaw clenched as he looked away fromthe fire. Taunting was the last thing he needed right now. He bit his tongue as Spite said “I want to talk to her” while looking at Rook. 

The women talked amongst themselves over other options, and he turned his head away from them as the demon continued to shout “Let me talk to them! I want. To talk. To Rook!” 

Soon, there was a pain in his nose, followed by the sound of soft gasps. He touched his nostrils with his fingers, getting them covered in blood. 

“Lucanis!” Bellara had said, rising from her chair. 

“No.” He said, calmly to them. “It’s fine. I’m fine.” 

He saw a frown form on Rook’s face. “Was that Spite? Did he just beat you? Why?” 

“Throwing a tantrum when he doesn’t get his way.” 

She shook her head. “And he’s done this before, yes? Enough that you just...shrug it off.” 

It was then that he saw something in Rook’s eyes. At first, it seemed like pity, but it wasn’t that. It was understanding. 

How? 

It didn’t matter. He decided to say “He’d do this in the Ossuary. The Fade does whatever a spirit wants. Real walls and chains, not so much.” Lucanis sighed. He didn’t want to cause such trouble because of Spite. “Just…give me a minute. He’ll get bored once everyone leaves.” 

“Are you sure? I don’t like the idea of leaving you alone with a demon after-” 

Lucanis shook his head, looking at Rook. “You don’t have to worry about me.” She tilted her head, with a soft gaze, which he dismissed with a hand. “Please.” 

Rook sighed one last time and nodded, motioning for the others to go outside. He heard the door of the kitchen close and he was once again alone.

.

Rook walked back to her room, thinking on the assassin that had joined their team. He had been with them for little over a day and already he had a lot to cope with - escaping prison, the death of his grandmother and now they’d have to think on how they would get Spite out of him. 

Could he even be ready to face the Evanuris if he was possessed? 

Those thoughts were just added to Rook’s ever growing list of problems. 

When she reached her room, she laid in bed and closed her eyes. Of all that had happened, there was one thing that had troubled her the most.

Rook looked at one of her arms, rolling up the sleeve to reveal the several burn scars littered across the limb. 

And he’s done this before, yes? Enough that you just...shrug it off

As her words echoed in her mind, alongside his nonchalant reaction to getting his nose punched, memories of a past she’d wish to forget surfaced. 

“Why didn’t you say anything? Speak out?” 

“It wouldn’t change what happened. Nobody would care. I just…dealt with it.” 

“But you shouldn't have to. No one should.” 

Rook sighed, getting up from her bed. This would be a long night.