#cassandra x josephine

[thereinafter-art]

hand kisses for Josephine, drawn for @black-emporium-exchange 2024

[uchidachi]

I wrote FIVE fics for the @black-emporium-exchange this year!

Magelight - Nathaniel Howe/Velanna, M, 2k: Velanna comes to Nathaniel’s room in the keep to agree to start a relationship with him. At three AM.

A Voice on the Line - Fenris/Dorian Pavus, T, 2.6k: The sending crystal that Dorian gave the Inquisitor is stolen by Venatori, and then a deep and mysterious voice comes on the line. Dorian has to keep him talking, or his life may be in danger.

Crowning Glory - Josephine Montilyet/Cassandra Pentaghast, G, 2.5k: Cassandra remembers when she was little, and her mother would brush her hair…

A Good Judge of Character - Gen, G, 1.8k: Davrin and Assan encounter Grey Warden Carver unexpectedly while on a mission in the Emerald Graves.

The Alamarri Falcon - Lucanis Dellamorte/Neve Gallus, T, 2k: Of all the offices in all the cities in all of Thedas, he had to walk into Neve’s

(Also, you should go visit the entire collection, this was such a good year for rare pairs!!)

[illusivesoul]

Yessss girl I'm a feminist 💯

[nikyu0]

Inquisitor Blaithin Lavellan Art Log

Although Shapeshifter wasn't a class in DAI, I did headcanon my Lavellan to be one, the clan wasn't too happy about her preferred animal form tho

Also Cullen is still bad at sensing mages lol

[cairaleighexe]

🗡️ who in the court can be trusted? 👁️

[nevarran-hahren]

the Inquisition gang takes Halamshiral || DA:I

spent many, many hours drawing each and every one of the DA:I companions and advisors and ~reimagining~ their formal wear during Wicked Eyes and Wicked Hearts. everyone is having a good time and being silly (yes, Sera is trying to put a lizard in Solas's pocket)

my favorite part of this piece is the big improvement I've made on facial anatomy and posing! I used the Magic Poser app to create 3D models for reference.

I love tipsy Solas and my Lavellan of course, but I think Josie, Cass, and Dorian are some of my favorites in this. and I was pretty proud of how Bull turned out—he was tough to draw!

[scarfacemarston]

Cullen Rutherford Fluff Alphabet

Note: I sometimes say “you” because it’s shorter than typing inquisitor constantly. This is also Gender Neutral. Please think about reblogging or at least leaving a like! This sort of thing takes time to create. Feel free to request more Cullen!

A - Affection (how do they show affection to their s/o)

Cullen is new to love. Outside of his crush on Amell/Surana, he did not have any romantic feelings towards anyone. Love was terrifying but exhilarating at the same time. It was something entirely new and engaging and something that he would put his all into. He is very physically affectionate and primarily shows his love through embraces, kisses, and cuddling. However, he also allows the Inquisitor to vent or cry as much as they need to. He will also insist on shouldering whatever burdens they are struggling with, whether that's completing extra paperwork, scaring off those who want to bother them, or leaving behind little treats to cheer them up; he can do it all.

B - Best Friend (what are they like as a best friend?)

Cullen doesn't really consider himself to have many friends until Inquisition. In fact, the last time he had friends was Kinloch Hold before it went to hell. (However, this was only with his fellow templars.) Inquisition is when he meets Cassandra, Leliana, Josephine, and the rest of the crew. It took time for him to see them more than colleagues, but they found a devoted, loyal, encouraging friend in the former templar who continued on even when he was at his worst. As time passed, he began displaying a more relaxed side to him and joined in game nights and his time with people like Dorian. 

C - Cuddling (do they like to cuddle? And how would they do it?)

Oh, he loves to cuddle.  His family was very physically affectionate, but that quit once he joined the Templars. He didn't know how touch starved he was until he brushed hands with the Inquisitor and even more so when he held them for the first time. He hadn't allowed anyone near him since the fall of Kinloch Hold. Now, he can't sleep properly without holding the Inquisitor. Even if he can't sleep, his mind and body feel at peace in a way they never could before. 

D - Domestic (do they want to settle down? How good are they at cooking and cleaning)

His childhood dream was to be a templar. He never thought of any sort of domesticity. Templars rarely settled down. He never viewed himself as settling down during Inquisition, either, until he fell in love with the Inquisitor and only then did he dare to dream. After seeing what Mia has, he couldn't help but want the same. He wants a spouse, kids (or to be a busy uncle), and, of course, as many malbari as he can manage.

Cullen is not an amazing cook, but he's functional. Can he make basics like stew? Sure. Could he grill something? Sure. It's straightforward. Porridge isn't difficult either, but he's more likely to live off of rations. During Inquisition Inquisition, Cassandra made sure he ate at least twice a day. He is very tidy, but he has been known to be a disorganized type of organized, too.

E - Ending (if they had to break up with their partner, how would they do it?)

We've actually seen this in the game! He tries to maintain an air of professionalism and keep it with a bit of distance. He will still try to maintain his professionalism if you break his heart, but the hurt might bleed out. He tries to use logic and put some distance between the two of you.  However, it also depends on the circumstances. He can be very gentle about it and very apologetic. 

F - Fiancé (how do they feel about commitment? How quick would they want to get married?)

Again, Cullen didn't have any ideas of romantic commitment until they met the Inquisitor. We know he's incredibly devoted to the templars and the Inquisition, so he has no issue with commitment. However, once he fell in love, he fell in love hard. I don't think it took that long for him to start fantasizing about marriage, even if he was so sure it would never happen. Cullen would wait for the right moment, but it doesn't necessarily need to be planned, just that it feels right like we see in the game. 

G - Gentle (how gentle are they, both physically and emotionally?)

We've seen that Cullen can be incredibly tender and gentle. He especially appreciates having the ability and the safety to do so, emotionally and physically. He isn't ashamed of showing his gentle side - he cares for you more than anyone or anything else - but that doesn't mean he won't glare someone like Jim down if he tries to interrupt. The more comfortable he gets with you, the more likely you will see him become even more gentle. He is far more soft-spoken and sometimes even delicate in the way he touches you. 

H: Hugs (Do they like hugs? How often do they do it? What are their hugs like?)

His hugs are bone-crushing but one of the safest feelings in the world. Some of his hugs can be quite gentle and tender like he's afraid he'll hurt you, but usually, they are more solid, as if he wants to cement you there.

I: I love you (How fast do they say the L-word?)

Cullen feels it quickly, but that doesn't mean he'll say it. When he falls, he falls hard. He doesn't mean to, it's only happened once before and went horribly wrong. He'll try to deny it to himself, also going through self-doubt, thinking he isn't good or deserving enough to have that happiness, but he will sometimes pine for the Inquisitor. Once the Inquisitor is in a relationship with him, he is anxious about when to reveal his feelings, but he will do so in a quiet moment, like cuddling together in bed. However, he'd much prefer his partner be the one to say it first. 

J: Jealousy (How jealous do they get? What do they do when they're jealous?)

As alluded to before, he has a lot of self-doubt and self-loathing as he questions whether he deserves love after everything he has done. Early in the relationship, it would hurt, but he would tell himself that you are making the right decision…but that doesn't mean he'll give up entirely. As he becomes more secure in the relationship, he is more likely to get jealous despite that security because he knows what the two of you have built. He is more likely to step in verbally or give some light PDA.

K: Kisses (What are their kisses like? Where do they like to kiss you?)

He kisses many ways, but they tend to be either tender or passionate. There's not quite an in-between. Expect a lot of stolen kisses, especially if the two of you have or are busy. He loves kissing on the hand, wrist, neck, and behind the ear, anywhere he can.

L: Little Ones (How are they with kids?)

Cullen feels very awkward around children. He's never disliked them, and he was a good brother to his siblings. Some of the younger templars looked up to him during training. However, after becoming a templar, he sort of "lost" his ability to relate to children. He's kind but stiff around them. Sometimes, he could briefly imagine having a child or two of his own, but that was always a fleeting thought. It wasn't until meeting the Inquisitor and reconnecting with Mia that he truly wondered about having a child. He wants it, whether through birth or adoption, but he would never force the Inquisitor into anything. 

M: Mornings (How are mornings spent with them?)

Cullen gets up early. He usually has his armour polished and on, training completed, and reports from the night before reviewed by 7:00 am. He often forgets to eat breakfast or munches on rations or jerky. Cassandra, Leliana, Josephine, and now the Inquisitor all make sure he eats breakfast.

You're a "bad" influence in that he wants to sleep in or stay in bed and cuddle longer. His new time to complete his routine is a whopping…..8:00 am. Since leaving the Inquisition together, he sleeps a bit later but still prefers to wake up early. 

N: Night (How are nights spent with them?)

That man does not sleep. He just doesn't. It's like it's a foreign concept to him. However, it is not all workaholic tendencies. Sometimes, it's to avoid the nightmares he's had for well over a decade. Other times, the lyrium keeps him awake. Even when you pursue a romance with him, he struggles to stay in bed only because he can't shut his mind off, but a nice massage, cuddles, and or sex tends to quiet those thoughts. Otherwise, he's content watching over the Inquisitor.

O: Open (When would they start revealing things about themselves? Do they say everything all at once or wait a while to reveal things slowly?)

Cullen is extremely private about himself. He reveals things incredibly slowly, but sometimes, his most personal moments come out at the most inopportune times when he doesn't have a choice but to reveal them, as seen with his lyrium addiction or his nightmares. These moments are incredibly frustrating to him, and he detests them when they happen. That's why, despite his discomfort, he is telling himself that he must be far more open and communicative so he has power over what to share, what not to share, and when to do so.

P: Patience (How easily angered are they?)

Believe it or not, Cullen can be irritable and angry. Most of it is the lrium, but he holds everything inside of him until eventually, it comes out whether he wants it to not. Usually, it's a whole series of events that cause him to eventually snap, but it is possible for something triggering to cause him to explode or shut down.

However, he is incredibly patient in most situations, but he is not perfect. He will not tolerate many things, as seen with some of the more annoying chantry members in DAI. 

Q: Quizzes (How much would they remember about you? Do they remember every detail in passing, or do they kind of forget? )

Cullen sometimes struggles with his memory due in part to the lyrium but more so because he has so much on his mind. However, he will make you a priority above all else. Unfortunately, he punishes himself if he forgets or gets something wrong. Overall, he commits everything he can to memory, and as his lyrium cravings subside, he is more clearly able to remember things. He wants to know everything you're willing to share, whether it's your birthday, favorite color, favorite food, best battle tactics, or favorite ways to turn you on.

R: Remember (What is their favorite moment in your relationship?)

It's a difficult memory for him, but the relief he felt when the Inquisitor revealed they still cared for him despite his lyrium addiction and his trauma. It's not the most romantic memory, but it is a meaningful one. More positively, he loves how he surprised you with that first kiss on the battlements… until Jim interrupted. The morning after he and the Inquisitor slept together was also dear to him. 

S: Security (How protective are they? How would they protect you? How would they like to be protected?)

We know and have seen how protective Cullen is. He is ready to give up his life at a moment's notice if needed, especially if it's for the Inquisitor. He was willing to leave the Inquisition because he felt he was a liability to it and the inquisitor. He is incredibly selfless and self-sacrificing. He's also not afraid to voice his opinion in defense of his partner. As for him, he doesn't really expect anything in return. However, he already thinks you protect him by looking out for his well-being, whether it's the lyrium, his anxiety, eating, sleeping, etc. He also greatly appreciates it if you speak up in defense of him for whatever reason, but he never expects it.

T: Try (How much effort would they put into dates, anniversaries, and gifts?)

After much worrying, he would fret about it and might turn to someone like Josephine for help or even Varric, Dorian, or Leliana. However, he is capable of giving gifts on his own, planning outings, as seen with the lake and giving his lucky coin to the Inquisitor. He definitely tries, but he's always worried he'll fuck it up somehow.

U: Ugly (What would be a bad habit of theirs?)

He does have a temper and when hurt, he can lash out. We've seen this when he threw his lyrium kit against the wall, nearly hitting the Inquisitor. However, he works very hard to keep control of it. His anxiety and self-doubt can also be a problem, but again, he tries to hide these feelings as best as he can.

As for an actual habit, his pacing and constant movement can be anxiety-inducing to some. His office has a pacing track on it. 

V: Vanity (How concerned are they with their looks?)

He knows he's handsome. He sees the way people look at him and treat him. He's not stupid. We know he styles his hair, but I think PART of that is due to some insecurity about his curls. Other than that, he focuses on the upkeep of his armor, but that is habit and perfectionism. Besides his hair, he doesn't spend much time on his appearance.

W: Whole (Would they feel incomplete without you?)

He would convince himself that he would. He never expected you to return his feelings, but he knows he would be crushed if you ever left him. He would respect your decision but doubt that he'd ever feel whole again as he'd be unlikely to trust himself with another partner.

X: Xtra (A random headcanon for them)

Cullen secretly has a sweet tooth, but he doesn't want anyone to know that. Still, he wouldn't mind being given sticky buns or a pastry. (He's lying. He will devour them.)

Z: Zzz (What is a sleep habit of theirs?)

We know he mumbles, tosses and turns, and has nightmares and insomnia. The poor guy has it all. However, he also sweats and overheats easily. This all improves as the lyrium addiction subsides. However, one thing that does not change is that he overheats easily…………………………….but still wants to cuddle. Once he has his arms around the Inquisitor, good luck getting up.

[aldruiel-scribbles]

Reblog for a bigger sample size

[callahanisms]

inquisition companions react to the inquisitor missing half their arm

because bioware didn’t wanna give it to us, i decided i’d just do it myself. (insert thanos meme) even though i am like years late to the hype.

the game is like 9 years old at this point, but spoilers ahead.

do keep in mind this is my own personal interpretation of each character. it may not be accurate to your own interpretations. (also i know leliana is technically not a companion in inquisition but i included her anyways)

cassandra pentaghast

if cassandra could plunge a knife into the heart of solas, she would. she would not let him get away with betraying you and taking the anchor along with your arm. you had basically fallen into her arms when you emerged from the portal and she had to carry you back to halamshiral. for the days you were unconscious, cassandra was anxious and extra prickly. there were many times where cullen would have to talk her down from her anger. even varric did too.

dorian pavus

the first thing he did was crack a joke. the atmosphere was tense and it just slipped out. “i asked you to come back in one piece, not missing one.” safe to say, the other companions did not approve of his joke. dorian was set to return to tevinter after being notified of his new position as a magister, but he delayed the return to his homeland for you. he sat in your room as you lied unconscious, barely breathing, leg anxious bouncing up and down. when you awoke, you were immediately met with a large and tight hug from him. he knocked the air out of your lungs from that.

blackwall

blackwall admires you. in fact, everyone would go so far as to say he adores you. he thinks of you as strong, capable, almost infallible. you closed rifts, you closed the big green tear in the sky, and you defeated corypheus! what couldn’t you do? all your feats proved to him that you were the strongest leader he could ever know. and yet, you were still mortal. you left the eluvians mortally wounded and exhausted beyond belief, your eyelids so heavy and ready to close so you may drift off into the black void of sleep. blackwall would not let you, not until you were taken away to be cared for. you found him sitting besides you, awake and on guard. your mortality was his reminder that you and him were the same, even if your lives appeared to be completely different. and he understood that the world would need a leader like you and that is dangerous.

iron bull

the bull could feel a stronger kinship with you that day. it appears that the both of you lost something. he betrayed the qun for the inquisition, thus losing a part of himself, his people. you lost a literal part of yourself, something you had to come to terms with after having the anchor for two years. to say iron bull was shaken up would be an understatement. he was getting cassandra to hit him with sticks for days on end while you lied unconscious. he wondered what would’ve happened if he was with you, if maybe...he could’ve stopped solas. but reminiscing never did anyone any good.

cole

as much as he wanted to help you, cole couldn’t. he also understood that you wouldn’t accept his help, no matter how much he insisted. so instead, he did the best thing he could do: help tend to your injuries. what was curious was that he could feel very little of your pain. when he felt your pain two years ago after forming the inquisition, it was concentrated in your hand and forearm. with it gone, you felt at peace. the primary source of pain for you had been washed away. perhaps it was a blessing in disguise, he thought.

sera

sera’s immediate reaction is, like dorian, to crack a joke. everyone is used to her eccentricity. but it felt different this time around. while you laid unconscious, recovering from the long battle, she occupied herself. she had to busy her hands and her legs, keep moving, keep her mind busy. because if she sat too still for even a second, then her mind would think about the worst outcome. she would get images of you, dead, because solas had betrayed you, betrayed her, betrayed the inquisition. hell, he betrayed the world! that knob! thinking he knew what was best! sera’s all the more relieved when it’s revealed you survived. she bursts through the door to see you and hug you tightly, complaining about how much you scared her.

varric tethras

in all honesty, varric should’ve been more prepared to expect...well, the unexpected. he had expectations of you coming out unharmed, untouched. obviously, that was not what happened. and he wondered if he was responsible for this. he had been one of the many people to support you as the inquisitor two years ago, suggesting it. he wondered if he made the wrong decision. but also, part of varric was relieved. he lost someone close to him two years ago. he didn’t know if he could handle losing you too.

vivienne de fer

the court would devour tales of the eluvians and how you managed to survive. that was vivienne’s first thought. people would be talking about you for centuries to come, certainly. and yet, she knew in her soul that was not what you would want. she does her best to minimize what rumors spread when you first emerge from the eluvians and help give you privacy. behind closed doors, vivienne checks on your injuries. part of her is amazed that the anchor was removed so cleanly.

josephine montilyet

josephine has seen many things ranging from serious to just plain absurd. when she was alerted that you had returned with many serious injuries, including the loss of half your arm, she sent messages to get the best possible doctors in all of orlais to help attend to you. the woman was definitely stressed beyond belief. but when she wasn’t trying to get everyone from backing off from you or getting people to look at you, josephine was attending to you herself. you awoke to find her wiping some sweat off your face and when she noticed, she muttered about how great andraste was and embraced you tightly.

cullen rutherford

your knight-commander appeared to take the news very well, much to the disapproval of cassandra. but the moment cullen was alone, in private, he flipped a table, causing everything to crash. all he could feel running throughout his body was regret, guilt, and anger. regret and guilt for not having gone with you. he should’ve. because if he did, maybe you would have came back alright. anger directed towards solas because the apostate had betrayed you, the inquisition. and everything you and him had worked towards was going to crumble. all of his hard work, leliana’s, cassandra’s, josephine’s, it’d all be for naught. cullen ends up spending a lot of time alone while you’re unconscious. he prays to andraste and the maker to distract himself from any wandering thoughts going towards lyrium. certainly the new mabari hound he decided to adopt on a whim helps with distractions at least.

leliana

the woman has seen many things in her lifetime, having experienced the fifth blight itself and been part of that fight against the archdemon. still, things aren’t easy when you come back from the eluvians missing half of your arm. even if it goes against all her duties, leliana stays with you until you wake up to make sure you’re alright. you’re the inquisitor after all and it’s vital that you’re still alive.

solas

he’s the one who took it. you think he cares?

in all seriousness, it gave him no pleasure to remove your arm for the anchor. even if his plan was...well, shoddy we should say, the anchor was going to kill you. he had no choice. carrying your hand and forearm around felt heavy. he could carry it just fine but what made it heavy was the burden that came with his plan to tear down the veil and bring doom upon the world in a desperate attempt to bring it back to what it once was. and also, the burden of having harmed you.

[baphometsss]

genuinely curious

reblog for bigger sample size / explain why in tags

[imdoingaokay]

Romanced!DAI Companions and Advisors (+ Platonic!Vivienne) when The Inquisitor returns to Skyhold late

(A/N: Heyyyy guys... I've missed you :) This past few months have been awful for me... but I'm back... teeheehee

I think this is gonna be really niche so I feel a need to explain what I was thinking??? Basically, The Inquisitor has been on a mission for a while now and they're returning extremely late at night.

Apologies for the inaccurate lore stuff, I don't think hours exist in Dragon Age because they don't have clocks? Or they do??? I dunno man I got a final tomorrow and I don't know if I'm gonna pass

Just know that the whole reason I got inspired for this was because it was late and I was imagining Vivienne watching The Inquisitor come back and her wrapping her robe around her waist like a mom watching their grown child come home from a rave or something

Once again, no beta we die like men

And happy late dragon age day, love y'all)

TW: Mentions of death

Blackwall/Thom Rainer: Unable to sleep. He’s waiting, whittling at the griffon he keeps. He doesn’t want to sleep anways, who will greet his lover? The wind? No. He’ll stay up, just for a few minutes longer, he tells himself… But soon he finds himself whittling into the early hours of the morning. That’s when there’s a stir of the guards, the whispers, and alerts are quiet, as to not wake up the many souls sleeping, but the message is clear.

His love has returned. And he will wait by the gate, a grin on his face and sleepiness in his eyes. He greedily hopes his lover may wish to sleep a few hours before the rest of Skyhold truly awakens.

Cassandra: She’s in bed, but not sleeping, reading a book. She’s trying to sleep, but her anxieties are getting to her. Somehow, ever since she got the letter saying that her love was returning, she fears even more. Her mind is plagued with images of an assassinated Inquisitor on the way back to her. Maker! Why didn’t that fool just bring her? 

Just as she scoffs, she hears something of a commotion outside. She prays for a moment, the news is good, and she throws on her armor, knowing better than to leave her room without it, and rushes to the gate. This is where her fears are put to rest as she greets her lover, a relieved smile on her face. And it is with this her sleepiness finally settles in. after a quick word, she urges her lover to rest, with or without her. All that matters that they returned.

Cullen Rutherford: He hasn’t slept since his lover left. A few moments where he stares off into space, drifting off before yanking himself back into consciousness. So it feels normal for him as he scribbles away the missives on his desk, being sure to double check each one so he didn’t accidentally write something foolish in his sleep deprived state. Somehow, in this half-dead state of his, he can hear the murmuring of guards outside of his door, and one enters. 

The guard has been ordered to inform Cullen of when they see The Inquisitor, so when they enter, Cullen knows what it’s for. And somehow, the sleepiness Cullen once had disappears, replaced with a drive he always feels when his lover returns. He rushes down the battlement steps, sure to not seem too desperate to his men. And in his excitement, he quickly meets his lover halfway on the bridge. They may be on their horse, but Cullen will happily walk back with them, looking up at them like they hold his whole world in their hands. When his lover gets off their horse, however, that is when he embraces them, a chaste kiss pressed to their cheek. This is when he finally asks them to rest with him, as his exhaustion is coming to bite him in the ass.

Dorian Pavus: Dorian has lied to himself multiple times throughout the night. He lied to himself claiming he didn’t care if he was asleep when his amatus returned from their very dangerous mission. So he lays in his bed for hours, trying to sleep. And when he can’t? He lies to himself, coming up with some excuse as to why his mind will not rest. So he waits in the library, sipping a glass of wine while attempting to read nonchalantly. Of course, he seemingly can’t. So he decides to wait on the battlements, claiming he must need some fresh air. Even though he despises how cold it is that night. 

But, somehow, without meaning to, he notices the small group of people making their way across the bridge. And, without a reason at all, a huge weight is lifted off of Dorian’s shoulders. 

He lets out a sigh and returns to the warmth of the library, happy to wait for his lover to come to him. And when he does, only then does Dorian finally agree to go to sleep. 

Iron Bull: Doesn’t sleep, but this is because he knew his lover was coming back tonight. So he waits patiently in the tavern, a ear out and ready, waiting for murmurs of The Inquisitor’s return. And when he does hear, he happily shoots up from his chair and makes his way to the gate, happy to greet his lover.

Bull was only slightly worried to be away from his lover, he knew they could handle their mission without him, but still, who knows what could happen? But the news that The Inquisitor was coming back? That was enough to settle his nerves. But seeing… and feeling his lover in his arms? That is what truly relaxes him.

Josephine Montilyet: Josephine is the only one who is asleep, she was corralled to his bedroom by Leliana, who told Josephine that she would wake her up when The Inquisitor returned. True to her word, Leliana gently shook awake a sleepy Josephine who, wrapped in a robe, quickly made her way to the empty Great Hall. She situated herself onto Vivienne’s balcony. She happily watched her lover pass the gates a promptly made their way to her, greeting her with a gentle kiss, which Leliana thankfully turned away from. Afterwards she’s happy to lead her lover to bed, as the second the pair’s heads hit the pillow, the pass effortlessly into a dreamless sleep.

Sera: Sera’s mindlessly making arrows, her door is locked, as she grew tired of Cole trying to make his way into the room to encourage Sera to talk about her anxieties surrounding her Inky leaving without her. She doesn’t even know her lover has returned until she hears the door jiggle a bit before her lover’s voice calls, “Sera, I saw the light was on, are you awake?”

This is when Sera happily throws the door open and grabs her Inky and drags them inside her room, into her arms. The two were eventually found the next morning by a messenger, who reported The Inquisitor and Sera were fast asleep in a pile of various blankets and pillows.

Solas: Solas isn’t sleeping much either, somehow he can’t take his mind off of his vhenan. He completely understand why his lover would take another person on their adventure, potentially a different mage than him. But he worries when they’re away! And there’s not much to do in Skyhold when The Inquisitor is gone. Most servants and nobles steer clear from him. He busies himself painting the various frescos in the atrium. He’s just taken a break and decided to walk along the battlements, and that’s of course, when he sees his beloved. He’s happy to walk down the stairs of the battlements and meet his lover at the gate, awaiting them with open arms. He happily leads them away, whether to their bed in their room, where Solas will leave them to rest. Or if they prefer, they can spend a bit of time in the atrium alone, Solas would be happy to hear the stories of his vhenan’s journey. 

Varric Tethras: Varric is rotating between the tavern and The Great Hall. Ever since he first got the letter from his lover, happily informing him of their return, he’s only been more nervous. Like Cassandra, he fears the image of a truly tragic hero, beaten down on the way back to the arms of their lover. 

He thinks he’s been writing too much tragedy when he firsts gets that mental image

Nevertheless, he pushes through the night.

Eventually, he’s sitting at his usual spot near the fire, unhappily grumbling to himself, sounding like a real dwarf. His mind is racing, and he can’t seem to get the thoughts to stop. So, for one last time that evening, he walks out of the hall, preparing to return to the tavern for a drink and a song from Maryden. That’s when he sees his beloved standing by the gate, quietly talking with a solider who leads their horse away. They’ve returned and they’re safe, that’s all he needed to know.

When The Inquisitor finally catches a glimpse of their lover, all they see is a bright grin spread across his face.

Varric is happy to go along with whatever The Inquisitor wants, bed, a drink, a tale by the fire, he’s just relieved they’ve returned.

Vivienne: Vivienne lies to herself. The day that she hears The Inquisitor will be returning that evening, she nods and nonchalantly walks away. Yet she finds herself constantly checking the gate everytime there is movement in that direction. She has no idea why, however. Her friend, whom she doesn’t really call friend, is taking an awful long amount of time to just get back to Skyhold. 

She justifies her musings on The Inquisitor’s safety as rationally as she can. If The Inquisitor dies, Thedas will be lost. If The Inquisitor dies, her position in court may affected. If The Inquisitor dies, she will be sad-

That is what gives her pause. She straightens her back, hands quickly going to her face as if to smooth out her frown that was previously there, and then she turns on her heel and returns to her sofa. She attempts to swallow down her fear the entire day, but as the night swiftly covers Skyhold, she finds herself unable to sleep. The moons is high in the sky when she emerges from her room, robe tightly wrapped around her. She is sure not a single soul will see her in such a… vulnerable state. She quickly makes her way to the balcony again, and stays there for what feels like an entire age. But just as she gets ready to sigh and return to a sleepless night in her bed, she hears a disturbance coming from the gate. That is where she sees The Inquisitor, alive and perhaps wrapped in the arms of lover. And with a sigh of… relief? She quietly returns to her chambers. Never speaking of this again.

[leopardmuffinxo]

A surprise, I’ll admit. But not a problem. [x]

[lavellanhell]

So obviously the goal is to establish the Inquisition to serve as an organization that will bring peace to the people and solve all threats. At least that's what they said they read from Justinian's writings.

Leliana went to send a message to the mages and templars. At least one must join in order for us to have enough power to close the breach.

Whether the crows flew in with the message safely or not…

... no reply reached Heaven. Not from either of them.

And so Josephine decided that it was necessary to officially announce the creation of the Inquisition and its interests. Cullen was so upset that even though he's normally a neat freak, he nailed the plaque to the door crookedly.

I don't really understand human politics, but it was clear that a lot of people didn't like the Inquisition. And especially to those who were among the dignitaries of the Chantry. Cassandra knew that the action would soon provoke a reaction, so she began gathering the Inquisition army. For now, it was made up of volunteers, survivors and refugees.

Commander Cullen threw out contacts among his Templar friends who would be willing to join our cause. And indeed some came. Commander did a great job training the soldiers.

Leliana also soon developed a network of spies from her contacts. And Josephine was also active - she actively sought out persons among the nobles and other influential personalities who could contribute some material gift or at least a good word in certain circles.

Even though the numbers weren't high yet, soon Haven was too small for us. In addition to soldiers, merchants and volunteers, crowds of refugees began to flow here, seeking comfort and pinning their hopes on us. To the Inquisition.

[demigoddessqueens]

oh i got one. Dragon age with Solas, Cassandra, Varric, Cullen, Josephine, Leliana, iron bull, and Sera.

Where their inquisitor!S/O has a identical twin to the point it's uncanny. And when said twin came for a surprise visit, they both decided to prank everyone by appearing in separate places so it would look like the inquisitor was in two different places at once. How long did it take before they realize that there were two of them.

Hahahaha! I love it 🤣 Twin shenanigans

Solas - he’s not so easily tricked, but finds you and your twin’s antics humorously endearing

Cassandra - she was surprised at first but after the few times you two prank her, she’s all like “ok haha 😒 very funny”

Varric - he thought he noticed something was different at first, but caught on pretty quick when the three of you had a good laugh over it

Cullen - you’re going to give him a heart attack!! But now he’s double thinking everything like “was that then I kissed or their twin?”

Josephine - takes her a bit of a while but she started picking up on it, with the little mannerisms here and there. Surprised when she figures it out but excited to meet your twin!

Leliana - busy AF so she gets frazzled about it at first, “wait you were there?” “Now you’re here?!”, until you reveal to her it’s your twin. “Oh it’s so nice to finally meet you! I’ve heard so much!”

Iron Bull - he’s perceptive about these things so he also figures it out three of you have a good laugh about the pranks you’ve all pulled in the past

Sera - oh she’s loving this!! Finally two more people who can be her prank buddies in Sky Hold

[andrastes-flaming-arse]

🦁 Cœur de Lion 🦁

As Thedas is plunged into chaos, Aithne Trevelyan desperately seeks to escape the suffocating grip of her noble family and the haunting memories of the Ostwick Circle. Each day is a battle against the echoes of her past, as she longs for a life free from her painful upbringing. Cullen Rutherford, former Knight-Captain of the Kirkwall Circle, fights his own demons. The scars of lyrium addiction run deep, leaving him to grapple with the remnants of a life filled with despair; Cullen feels unworthy of love and redemption. Thrown together as the sky falls apart, both will have to learn to set aside their tempestuous pasts and confront the evils that threaten to engulf everything they hold dear. Through trials involving family, conflict and magic, will love bring them together or ultimately tear them apart?

🦁🦁🦁🦁🦁

A full Trevelyan/Cullen fic that I might extend to Veilguard, with the Inquisitor as the main character because fuck you Bioware. What was Veilguard. Look how you massacred my egg Solas. You took a perfectly good elven god and ruined him. He has anxiety and so do the rest of us after that shit.

[swordbisexual]

A Chest Of Pine And Iron: Chapter Four

[Fenella’s diary]

26 August 9:41

It took us no time at all to find Mother Giselle on the road to Redcliffe. I was right. All we had to do was follow the smell of smoke, which turned to the smell of blood and bodies. It’s a smell I’ve not known all my life, and suddenly, I can pick it out on an upwind draft without a second thought. There were Templars and mages alike who tried to stop us, driven mad by their fight with one another and turning on us without even stopping to ask whose side we were on.

I suppose we don’t know if they’d have listened. And I suppose we left our own trail of blood and bodies to be caught upwind, in the end.

There were many who needed us at the crossroads, and I expected them to clamor for my attention. I’d braced myself for it, already rehearsing the ways I could politely defer to my companions and the guard keeping close to heel behind us. What I wasn’t prepared for was the way everyone turned to look at me and the way they all, one by one, fell silent. Some lowered their eyes, some even dropped to their knees, and the ones who were already on their backs looked up to me with the last glitter of hope in their eyes and a beseeching hand, as if I were the answer to all their prayers. As if I were the second coming of Andraste herself.

All I could do was walk forward and let my eyes skip over each face, not taking in more than a flash of a detail from each one. All those faces became one face, blurring into my memory as a pair of wide eyes, a chapped set of lips open in prayer, flanked by hands covered in road dust and dried blood. The face of the lost. The face of the helpless. The face of a people looking to me like I might guide them.

Maker preserve me. 

Maker preserve them.

Thankfully, Mother Giselle was not so awestruck, and greeted me with a smile warmer than any I’ve seen on a Chantry sister or mother before. “You are the one they call Herald of Andraste,” she said, the lilt of Orlais in her words. She beckoned for me to follow her before I could answer.

I was grateful, for my part, to have someone speak to me like a person and not like something… else. “I am.” There was nothing else for me to say. I can’t deny what I’ve been called, and I can’t deny what I myself saw in the lingering vision of the Conclave that burned in the sky above the ruined Temple courtyard. I am called the Herald, and I must believe that it was Andraste who I saw, who helped me to survive. I must. “You sent for us?”

She took us on a winding walk through the refugees, stopping every once in a while to lay a cool hand to a hot brow and to send for aid. “I know you are branded heretic,” she said, after gently chastising one of the devout who feebly resisted her call for a mage to tend to his wounds. “The Chantry fears you, but it is all politics and grandstanding, as they sit in their gilded comfort and work to determine a new Divine.”

This wasn’t what I expected in the least. “You’re a Revered Mother,” I said, unsure of how else to respond. “You’re part of the Chantry, aren’t you?”

“I am called to serve,” she said. She stopped and turned to take my hands in hers. They were cool and dry, not rough exactly, but not smooth, either. Her hands were the hands of a woman who is not afraid to work, who has scrubbed the dirt out from beneath her fingernails after scrubbing away the dirt that life leaves on those who aren’t lucky enough to have high walls to protect them. She squeezed her fingers around mine, and I felt as if I were the one being blessed, not the other way around. “And this is where I am called to go.”

I looked over my shoulder to see Cassandra, Varric, and even Solas keeping a respectful distance, but watching with varying levels of interest: Cassandra in respect, Varric in curiosity, and Solas in that peculiarly detached sort of observation he has around all the rest of us. Beyond them, I could see someone tending a cookpot, another passing out blankets, and yet another wringing hands while waiting to speak to a harried-looking mage healer. I turned back to Mother Giselle. “How can we serve you?”

If her face was warm before, it was positively radiant at my question. “Many ways,” she said, “but first, you must speak to the Chantry in Val Royeaux. They speak of you as a demon in your own right, but if you go to them like this…” She nodded at me, standing before her, hands in hers, clad in dusty armor and likely with blood on my cheek from where I’d had to run my sword through an angry Templar before he could do the same to me. “They will see you for who you are.”

Should I have laughed so bitterly? Perhaps not. But it rose up from my throat before I could stop myself. “A girl too scared to do anything but lash out and fight back?”

Mother Giselle squeezed my hands a little harder. “So was Andraste, once.”

I would not let myself cry, no matter how hotly the tears pricked at the corners of my eyes. “That would be called heresy by some.”

She finally let go of my hands. “Then I am in good company.”

At her insistence, we have sent her to Haven ahead of us, as there are still some tasks for us to tend to here before we return. I hope that she can bring hope and warmth to the people there as she has here. I feel ill-equipped to fill her shoes down here in the wilds, but at the very least I can seek out ways to help and set things to rights, and fulfill the promise of the Inquisition’s protection that we’ve now given.

--

[A brief message, written in a graceful, flourishing hand.]

Our Lady Herald,

I have made connections where I can, at your directive, and our influence slowly grows. However, it would be in the Inquisition’s best interests if you could garner the material support of your family sooner rather than later. Enclosed is a letter from House Trevelyan, though my courier informed me it is not from the Bann or Lady, but from one of their sons. I do not wish to meddle in your personal affairs, but if your own brother has written you before you have sent word, we may need to sit and discuss the expectations of one in your unique position.

Best,

Josephine Montilyet

--

[A letter stamped with the seal of House Trevelyan of Ostwick.]

Fen,

So, Herald of Andraste, is it? I knew you always wanted to make a name for yourself, but you really went all out, didn’t you? Count this as another for your wins column. Maybe five times over, or a hundred.

All jests aside, I’m worried for you. There’s talk rumbling around court here already, and out in the city, too. Some think you’re a prophet, and some think you should be burned at the stake. Father and Mother are beside themselves, of course. Every night at dinner all I hear about is how to hold is in a right state and how we don’t have a single scrap of anything to present as evidence for your faith, save for a bit of embroidery you did when you were seven and the sword you’ve used in the training yard. But you’d better believe they’re ready to use it, if the Chantry comes calling.

They are proud of you, Fen. They really are. I think they might be a little too bound by tradition, is all, and no one ever taught them how to do things differently. It has to be love for you that keeps you in their hearts and on their lips, just as it’s love for me that keeps me in their hall and at their table no matter what I do. But you’ll always be their little girl, just like you’ll always be my little sister, come tugging at my sleeve and asking me to teach her how to be a Templar too.

I’ve tried to get them to go ahead and send a banner, but you haven’t sent word, and so they won’t even consider it. Damned tradition, and all that. I know you’re busy, but you won’t be too busy to write your brother, will you? If it makes it easier, you can send the letter to me, and I’ll just stick their names on the top and they’ll be none the wiser. I know it’s always been hard for you to find the words to get them to listen.

All my love,

Geordie

--

27 August 9:41

The only reason we haven’t packed up and headed back to Haven already is that I can feel the need to stay. It’s that itch in my palm again, the same pains that bothered me the first time I used the mark to close the rift above the Temple. There’s more rifts here - the Corporal here at the crossroads told me so, but I would’ve known even without him saying - and I can feel the itch down in my blood to close them.

Just to close them. Nothing more. There will be no visions of Andraste there, and no glimpses of a greater purpose. There are only demons, and only I can stop them, it seems.

Solas has done much to instruct me on how to attune myself to the feelings and impulses the mark gives me. He was the one who stabilized it, after all, and there’s a knowing in his gaze when he sees me scratching at my palm. “It pulls you out to find its like,” he said, when we set out in the general direction of the farm where we might find a horsemaster.

I flexed my hand until my knuckles popped. “I just hope it stops once the Breach is closed.”

Little ever disrupts Solas’ countenance, and the furrows are always small and subtle. “I do not think it will be simple.”

“How do you know?” I asked.

“So little is, between the Fade and here.” His eyes got that faraway look again, like he could hear whispers, and maybe he could. “I sense an artifact. Not far. It may make clear some secrets of the Veil.”

I cannot lie, Solas unsettles me. Not because he’s an elf, mind, though I’ll confess I haven’t exactly been brought up to be entirely comfortable at the sight of pointed ears. But there’s something else to him, and I have to continually remind myself that it was he who kept this mark from killing me, and likely he who will have to help me better learn to wield it. “If not on this expedition, then the next,” I said, and he seemed satisfied.

“Picking up extra work already?” Varric surprised me, coming up behind me just as Solas turned to go. When I turned to face him, he made a great show of looking over his crossbow, inspecting its odd mechanisms and adjusting the straps that held it to arms. “A Herald’s work is never done, eh?”

“Our first priority is the Breach, and what it will take to finally seal it,” Cassandra interjected, striding over to join us and glare the same daggers at Varric she always does. He must either like the venom in her looks or has grown so used to it that they glance off of him like a crossbow bolt to plate, because all he did was smirk, which made her lip curl even further up. “Do not get tangled up in whatever Varric spins for you,” she said to me, though the words were as much for him, too. “I do not trust him any farther than I could throw him, and he is frustratingly difficult to toss aside.”

“Like a rock in your shoe,” he said, unruffled as ever, which just made Cassandra turn on her heel in disgust.

I watched her go, then slid a look back over to Varric. “Can we all get along enough today to keep from dying?”

“That’s my preferred way to work, yes.” He waved a hand. “Don’t mind me. Your Seeker is probably right. Just… don’t tell her I said so.”

I went back to checking my armor, taking a moment to tighten the strap of the gauntlet over my left wrist. It’s a fine piece, made special by Haven’s blacksmith Harritt, who helped me to fashion an open-palmed glove as part of its design. My hand and wrist is as protected as it could be with the standard gauntlet strapped to my right, but the mark is left exposed, as great a weapon as the greatsword I carry. I held the end of the strap between my teeth and slid the buckle down to the next notch. “Your secret is safe with me,” I said as best I could around the leather, then let it drop and flexed my wrist. “Along with any other work you might have.”

He seemed surprised that I offered. “We can talk at Haven,” he said. “I need some time to work out if it’s more than a hunch.”

His surprise at my willingness to help stung. I don’t think I’ve already started coming off as lofty and self-important, but if there’s one thing I’ve learned in my life, the difference between how I think of myself and how people see me will always be great, two ideas forever at odds. “I want to help,” I said. “As much as I can.”

He shouldered his crossbow - Bianca, he’s said it’s called, and he talks to the thing like an ill-tempered lover, or perhaps like he would Cassandra, come to think of it - and looked me up and down. “You won’t be able to save everyone, you know.”

I pressed my lips together. “I owe it to everyone to try.”

Varric squinted at me, then smiled and shook his head. “Yeah. You would say that.”

--

[What follows in Fenella’s diary is a page full of scratched out lines and scribbles, as if she were practicing what to write before committing it to something that would bear the Inquisition’s seal.]

Bann and Lady Trevelyan

Mother and Father

To the Trevelyans of Ostwick

Damn it all

I write to you as your daughter and as Herald

As Herald of Andraste

On behalf of the Inquisition

Andraste’s urn, I need Josephine to do this for me

[A line is drawn across the page, bisecting it in half, and below that are rough ink sketches of faces in profile: Cassandra Pentaghast, Varric Tethras, and Solas the elven apostate, likely drawn from life while sitting in camp.]

--

30 August 9:41

I’ve been asleep for most of a day, according to Varric.

We found a rift, after half a day’s searching on foot, the mark pulling me along all the while. I felt the cold prickle of a wraith’s breath before I saw it, and even whirling around as fast as I could, my sword sliced through nothing but air as it sailed past me on an eldritch scream.

I wish I could put into words how it feels to be near the rifts. Or do I? Would I like to be able to express the fear I feel, and the way that this brush between the waking world and the Fade makes my guts churn and very bones seem to shiver as whispers grow louder in my mind, asking me to come, and to lie down, and to let the raw magic of the mark spread throughout my whole body and subsume me into the Fade’s very dark matter? I shiver again just to write those words, which means it must express quite enough.

Without the rest of my companions, I might have died. I know what it’s like to fight a living, breathing body, and have even gotten frighteningly proficient at running my sword through them after years of only bashing bruises with a dull practice blade. But the wraiths and demons that emerge from these rifts chill me down to my soul, and all finesse I might have on the field suddenly feels so clumsy and inefficient in the face of such horror. I must credit Solas with knowing the right magic to ward them off from a distance, and Varric’s aim with Bianca, and Cassandra at my side as more of a fortifying presence than any prayers or Chant have provided me. It was she who held me up, I think, as I went weak in the knees as the last demon finally faded and I was able to brandish my palm and focus the last shreds of my strength into closing the rift.

I’ll need to do better. I’ll need to be stronger. If I’m to nearly faint - or outright faint, given how long I’ve been sleeping - at every single rift I’ve been tasked to close, then I might as well lie down and let the Fade take me right now.

The night air is heavy with the lingering heat of late summer. It’ll be Kingsway tomorrow. It’s a time of warmth, with the harvests still ripening, but sealing that rift has left me shivering. I bundled up in a blanket at first, until I remembered the coat folded in the bottom of my pack. I’d hoped to wear it for the first time back at Haven, to go see the Commander in the training yard, but that was a silly notion, a flight of fancy that I’d do best not to linger on. Besides, I think he would be pleased to know that it’s had some practical use out here in the end, and so I shrugged it on.

It’s the lining of it that instantly made me feel warm, of course. I certainly didn’t think of the note Commander Rutherford pinned to the collar, and the fact that his hands must have folded the garment in order to tuck it safely away in the shipment. It’s an odd thing to even think of at all, much less picture in my mind’s eye with such vivid clarity that it makes my heart thump and a tingling warmth bloom outward from my chest and down into my belly.

Absurd. Utterly absurd. I really ought to put it from my mind, lest I let it consume and distract me from the more pressing duties at hand.

Suitably dressed against my own inner chill, I did venture out from my tent in order to join Varric by the fire again. Solas sat with him, and Cassandra some careful distance away, though the minute I sat down next to Varric I saw her stand up to move closer, inching toward my other side as if she might need to swoop in and protect me from whatever words Varric might wield.

I was going to tell her that she needn’t concern herself so when Varric tilted his head to give me one of his looks. “Nice coat.”

I pulled it tighter around myself. “Thank you. The Commander did well to send it.”

“Ah, that would be Curly’s handiwork.” He gestured at the ironbound grip of his crossbow. “Even Bianca got a nice little facelift sent along.”

I do not know why I felt a sting of disappointment. Naturally, everyone would have received something to help in our efforts in the field. I don’t know why I had some foolish, girlish notion that I’d perhaps been given something special. Yanking that feeling up by the root really will serve me well, just so I can avoid more of these little pitfalls before they become too large to bear.

I took a deep breath and searched for another topic of convrsation, but came up short. “You call the Commander ‘Curly?’”

Varric grinned. “To his face, even.”

Cassandra made a tch of disgust. “Such little respect for authority.”

“Untrue,” he retorted. “I call you ‘Seeker.’”

I was myself still preoccupied with Varric’s nickname for Commander Rutherford. “His hair does have the beginnings of a lovely curl to it, if he’d let it grow a bit more,” I mused.

This was enough to silence Varric and Cassandra’s bickering, and they both turned to look at me. Varric spoke first, and the way his eyes positively lit up was so much like my brothers’ that I felt both a pang of homesickness and the shifting trepidation of knowing I was about to be in for the teasing of my life. “Lovely, is it?”

I felt my face burn. “Objectively,” I said to the fire, wondering if perhaps I could throw myself into it, for a distraction from this conversation if nothing else. “I’m speaking purely objectively, as a person with eyes and a sense of aesthetics and form.”

“Ah, yes. The artist with her sketchbook.” Varric nudged my knee with his. “Plan on rendering Curly’s hair anytime soon?”

“I never will now,” I mumbled.

Thankfully, he was content to leave it at that. “So,” he said, turning to Solas. “What’s this about an artifact?”

We passed the rest of the evening peacefully, after that, or as much as we could with Cassandra continually reminding us of our duty to the Inquisition. I do think that between Solas and I we managed to convince her that this could be of some aid to us, and we made plans to search for these artifacts of the Veil should we grow close enough to them tomorrow, once the matter of horses has been tended to. We may not return to Haven for some time yet, which is all well and good for me. I should not be so eager to go back, no matter how much I would like to see Comm my council for their advice.

--

[A message bearing the Inquisition’s seal.]

Herald,

Your presence may be required in Haven soon, along with that of Seeker Pentaghast. The Revered Mother’s arrival has caused more of a stir than any of us could have predicted, and Chancellor Roderick has become more demanding than usual. There is also the matter of Val Royeaux to discuss, and I should like to see to arranging the guard for your transport to Orlais.

Commander Rutherford