#emmrich would feel so guilty for not seeing the signs

[ollypopwrites]

They pulled Rook out of the fade only hours ago, and the first thing Emmrich hears as he leaves his room with an urgent letter meant for the Mourn Watch is weeping or at the very least talking (depending on your own headcanon) from the infirmary.

He’s heard Rook talking to Varric before, he’s felt the ache of empathy — his first instinct to reach out his hand and introduce his parents. I understand, it’s sprinkled through every turn through the Gardens.

Victory to the living. Shrines and deep affection for those who had walked amongst them who no longer do — understanding that the pomp and circumstance around death is also for those left behind and not just the dead themselves.

The Mourn Watch isn’t just a catchy name or a legacy, it’s a promise. Initiate Watchers are first and foremost introduced to the importance of grief. The entire reason they exist is to acknowledge the importance of a life lived. For every wail from a loved one was countless moments of joy, laughter, pain, love, and countless other emotions. Proof that a person mattered.

He’s heard weeping/final goodbyes so often, it never stops pulling at his heart strings, but over time it has become a comfort. But it hurts more to hear Rook.

Rook who has comforted every companion with a loss. Bellara and Cyrian. Davrin and his fellow Wardens. Harding and the Titans. Neve and Dock Town/the Viper or Alia’s victims. Lucanis and Caterina or Treviso and the blighted Crows. Taash and Shathaan. Emmrich and his lichdom or Manfred.

Rook has held their hand, been their strength and their guidance so they can all come out on the other side and become Heroes of the Veilguard.

Meanwhile, Rook’s been stuck in a state of denial for almost a year. Toyed with, offered empty hope that Varric was just hurt, just needed time to recover but was still their comfort and mentor. He was holding their hand while Rook became the Leader of the Veilguard. He was there whenever Rook had doubts or felt overwhelmed.

But none of it was real. And acceptance of the loss of Varric was forced on Rook at the same time Rook watched one of their companions die, thinking at least Lucanis had also joined them, and then got stuck in a prison meant to play on one of the hardest things to grapple with: regret.

For 3 weeks one of Emmrich’s dearest friends/his partner has been missing, only to come out of the Fade with fresh grief no one on the team knew they hadn’t yet had to face. And that’s what Emmrich is supposed to be good at.

That’s Mourn Watch basics. That’s everything he sees so often and affects him so deeply with his corpse whispering. It’s what he faced when he lost his parents. It is part of the reason he is as empathetic and gentle as he is.

But Solas put Rook through a long unwitting torture that was so convincing, so delicately played, that in turn Rook convinced the entire team nothing was amiss.

So, while I believe that, yes, Emmrich is fascinated by Solas. Emmrich has empathy for solas. Emmrich does have academic curiosities and interest in speaking with him.

I don’t believe, as a man who loves what the Mourn Watch does and who very dearly loves Rook (platonically or romantically), he’d have nothing to say about the cruelty of what Solas did to them.