#gingerwort truffles and worms for assan

[martiancake]

There are ten places set at the table

Does this mean Assan and Manfred eat with the group?

[himluv]

The Incident, pt. 2

Impossibly, this is Chapter 30(?!?!?!) of my Rookanis fic Say My Name (Say it Twice). Thank you to everyone who's been reading along and leaving such wonderful comments. I hope you all enjoy this chapter!

Read The Incident, pt. 1

Read from the beginning

With Embria sky-high on gingerwort truffle tea, Lucanis's night has been thoroughly derailed. But... is that really such a bad thing?

The trip through the Crossroads was slow, and stressful. For the most part Rook was in a good mood, marveling at the magic all around them, and laughing at things Lucanis could neither see nor hear. But Spite was furious, spitting and hissing and shouting the whole way about her being poisoned. It did nothing to help Lucanis focus on helping her. And then she burst into tears as he tried to get her into the Caretaker’s boat.

“I can’t swim,” she cried over and over. 

“I know, Embria, it’s okay.”

“It’s not okay!” She sniffled. “It’s embarrassing! What kind of person doesn’t know how to swim?”

He shrugged. “Plenty of people.”

She looked at him with red-rimmed eyes. “Do you know how to swim?”

He winced. “Yes.”

Her face crumpled and two delicate tears fell, one down each cheek. He tried to guide her into the boat, but she just shook her head. “I can’t.”

“Dweller,” the Caretaker said in its soothing voice. “You are safe here.”

She sniffed and wiped at her face. She looked at the spirit for a long moment, as if she couldn’t see it correctly, then she looked back to the boat and stepped right in. 

Lucanis sighed and thanked the Caretaker as he sat down next to her. She instantly put her head on his shoulder and sniffled some more. 

“What’s happening to me?”

His heart clenched at how small and frightened she sounded. “The gingerwort truffle tea, remember?”

She chuckled. “Oh, yeah. Worms.” She snorted. “Creators, Assan is so funny.”

He had never heard her use the Elven gods as a curse, or even invoke them in reverence. She’d given that up when it became clear the Evanuris were not the benevolent beings the Dalish had always believed. So, Lucanis knew she was very, very impaired for it to fall off her tongue so easily, and without notice. 

Mierda, he was going to kill Davrin. 

“Lucanis?”

“Yes?”

“I’m sorry.”

He peered down at her, frowning. “For what?”

She heaved a disappointed sigh. “I don’t think we’re going to meet in the music room tonight, after all.”

He chuckled at that. “No, probably not.” He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and pressed the corner of his mouth to her forehead. “But, that’s all right.”

She peered up at him, her pupils still so, so wide. “Are you sure?”

“Yes, Embria, I’m sure.”

They were quiet for a moment, the Caretaker rowing them through the Fade. It was almost peaceful, until Rook sniffled and wiped at her face. 

Rook. Is crying! Again?! Spite howled. He was handling Embria’s impairment much worse than she was. 

Lucanis froze, momentarily unsure what to do. Then he gently rubbed his hand up and down her back. “What’s wrong?”

“I just…” She shuddered and shook her head. “I’m sad.”

He took a deep breath, knowing this was going to be a long evening. “About what?”

Her face crumpled as a fresh wave of tears overwhelmed her. “I really wanted to see you tonight.”

He smiled, but bit back his chuckle. It wouldn’t do to hurt her feelings now. “I know,” he said. “But, I’m here, now.”

She sat up so she could look right at him. She was a mess, her cheeks wet and blotched red from crying. Her eyes were swollen and her chin wobbled with the force of her frown. “Will you stay with me?”

He blinked at her for a moment, not comprehending the question. Did she think this little incident would chase him away from her? “What do you mean?”

She sniffled. “When we get to the Lighthouse,” she said. “I don’t want to be alone.”

He let out a relieved sigh. “Of course,” he said. He’d already planned to stay by her side – she could not be left on her own like this. 

The Caretaker brought the boat up to the dock at Beacon Island without a word. Lucanis helped Rook up and carefully guided her back onto solid ground. Her grip on his elbow was so tight, he knew that, if not for his leathers, she’d leave bruises. 

Only when they stepped through into the Lighthouse, did Lucanis think about where to take Rook. She was right, he couldn’t leave her alone in this condition. The Lighthouse was a perilous place on a normal day – he couldn’t imagine navigating it while hallucinating. 

But, he also knew he couldn’t sit with her in her chambers. Not even two weeks ago that room had unraveled him completely. And while he was improving daily, he wasn’t ready to spend hours facing that wall of water and its pale, shimmering blue light. 

There was the music room, but there wasn’t anywhere comfortable to lay, and he knew Rook would need to sleep this off eventually. Which left the pantry. His room. His cot. 

His mouth went dry at the thought. He’d fantasized about bringing her to his room, about retrying that mortifying almost-kiss, and where that might lead now that they were together. But, he had never imagined her in his room like this.

Spite settled now that they were back in the Lighthouse, the demon’s anger relegated to faint hissing and growls. He circled Rook protectively as Lucanis led her through the library and out into the courtyard. They were lucky, for once, and no one was outside. The last thing he wanted was to explain to the others what had happened, and where he was taking her. 

He led her into his room without incident, but once he closed the door, she stopped and blinked around the room. 

“This is the pantry,” she said.

“It is,” he said. He cleared his throat. “I don’t want to leave you alone like this.”

Embria smiled at him, slow and sweet. “Thank you, Lucanis.”

He nodded, then ducked down to grab the spare blankets from under his cot. He laid them out and made an attempt to fluff the thin, sad pillow he sometimes used. His bed was uncomfortable by design, to make it hard to fall asleep. But it would have to do for now. 

“Get comfortable,” he said. “Have you eaten since breakfast?”

She nodded, shrugging out of her Halla leather overcoat. “There were snacks with tea.”

He did not even want to try to imagine what Davrin thought passed for snacks to pair with his atrocious tea. “Are you hungry?”

She shook her head, and now that her tears had subsided, Lucanis thought she looked a little pale. Right. Strife had suggested a bucket, and he should probably get a carafe of cool water and a washcloth. Just in case.  

“I’m going to get us some water, all right? I’ll be right back.”

She nodded, but it was a slow, dazed motion. He was not at all sure she’d heard him, but he needed to get that bucket, so he stepped out quickly and gathered some supplies. When he returned to the pantry Rook stood bent over a basket, her arms elbow deep in coffee beans. She was giggling and swirling her hands through the beans, and her pants were on the floor. 

Lucanis stood and stared for a long moment, processing the sight before him. 

She still wore her long-sleeved linen tunic, which was long enough to reach her mid-thigh. Though, the slits at the hip showed a hint of the brown fabric of the shorts she wore underneath. She wasn’t technically indecent, but he was certainly not prepared to see so much of her skin. 

He might be taller than her, but Embria carried more weight, her body full and curved. Her legs were pale and looked so smooth and, Maker help him, there was no gap between her thighs when she stood upright. He desperately wanted to run a hand up the inside of her leg, to know how soft and warm her skin would be just beneath the hem of her tunic. 

And these were wildly inappropriate thoughts to have about her at this moment. She was impaired, as good as poisoned by one of Viago’s concoctions. She was vulnerable, and he would never take advantage of that. 

But, mierda. She looked good. 

He closed the door behind him and pointedly did not look at her as he stepped past to set the bucket beside the bed. He pulled a carafe of water, a bowl, a washcloth, and two glasses out of the bucket and set them on the side table nearest the cot. He poured some of the water into the bowl, and soaked the washcloth in it. Then he poured her a glass of water. Only then did he clear his throat and turn to face her. 

She was still playing with the coffee beans, a wide grin on her face, but her eyelids drooped and her skin was quickly losing color. 

“Embria,” he said. “Do you want to lay down?”

Her brow furrowed as she considered his words. Then she nodded, and tottered over to him. Lucanis was very, very careful to keep his eyes on her face as she approached him. He expected her to sit on the cot, to perhaps even collapse onto it as her exhaustion caught up to her. But, Embria did neither of those things.

She stepped up to stand before him, her gaze fixed on his mouth. She was so close, he could feel the heat from her body. She was always so warm. And she still wasn’t wearing any pants.

“Embria.” Her name was hardly a whisper off his tongue. He felt transfixed, rooted in place with nowhere to run. No desire to run.

She lifted her hand and traced her index finger along his bottom lip. “I never noticed this scar before,” she said. There was no heat in her voice, no intent. She sounded in awe of the the little echo of the slice on his lip. He’d bore it for so long he didn’t even remember how he’d got it. 

Maker, he was trembling. A deliciously vicious mix of anticipation, worry, and lust rattled through him. He needed to stop her, now. 

“Rook,” he said, his voice low and sharp.

She blinked and looked up at him. Her eyes went wide and she drew her hand back from his face. “Oh! Oh no. Lucanis, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean–”

“It’s all right,” he said. “Just–” he exhaled. “Just drink this–” he handed her the glass of water “–then lay down.”

She took the glass and sat on the cot. She took careful sips until the cup was empty. He took it from her, refilled it, and left it on the table within her reach. She let down her hair from its usual half-up, half-down bun, running her fingers through it and sighing. Her tunic lifted dangerously with the motion, baring just a little more of her thighs.

Lucanis cursed under his breath and shook his head. This night was going to be a special brand of torture. Then he helped her slide under the blankets and settle in to rest. 

He crouched beside the cot to look her in the eye. “If you start to feel sick, there’s a bucket right here,” he said. 

She scrunched her nose at the idea, but nodded. “Thank you.”

He smiled at her and brushed a stray lock of hair back behind her ear. “I’m happy to care for you,” he said. And it was the truth. This wasn’t how he’d expected this evening to go, but he was happy to share it with her regardless. “Now, sleep,” he said. “You should feel better when you wake up.”

He stood and made to go, but she took his hand in hers. “Will you lay down with me?” She whispered, as if she was afraid to ask. She winced. “Just until I fall asleep?”

Lucanis sighed. He knew he shouldn’t. His self-control had already been put to the test tonight, but her eyes were heavy with sleep and glimmered in the candlelight. He knew he could never tell her no.

He blew out some of the candles, dimming the light in the room, and quickly changed from his leathers into his usual shirt and slacks. He skipped the vest and boots, then he climbed onto the cot behind her, his back to the wall. 

It was a small, uncomfortable cot when he was alone. Sharing it with Rook was an improvement, even with the blanket firmly between them, but there was no way to lay together without his front pressed to her back. They lay curled together, her under the blankets while he stayed on top of them, and Lucanis marveled at how naturally his body fit around hers.

It would be such an easy thing to bury his face in her hair, to press a gentle kiss to the back of her neck. He wanted to, just as he wanted to wrap his arm around her waist and breathe her in. Lucanis had not shared a bed with someone since he and Illario were boys. He’d forgotten how comforting it could be, knowing he wasn’t alone.

 She was so warm, even through the blanket, and the rhythm of her breathing was as soothing as the sound of water lapping in the canals back home. In the quiet, half-dark of the pantry, Lucanis listened to Embria breathe, and imagined a lifetime of nights of just that. He smiled at the thought, and it didn’t take long for him to doze. 

He didn’t know how long they’d laid there, if he’d even really fallen asleep, when she moaned. Instantly, he was awake and alert.

She moaned again, lurched, and then heaved over the side of the cot and into the bucket. 

He sat up and swept her hair back from her face as she heaved again. He rubbed her back in gentle circles, something he remembered his mother doing when he’d been sick as a boy. He didn’t know if it actually helped ease the sickness, but he knew it felt good. 

It took a few moments, and Rook’s retching was not quick or efficient – each heave seemed to take tremendous effort – but eventually, the sickness passed. She lay panting, her face hanging off the cot, over the bucket as she spat the last of the sick from her mouth. 

“Fuck,” she groaned. She rolled onto her back, one bare leg off the cot with her foot firmly planted on the floor. 

Lucanis reached over her for the glass of water. “Here,” he said. “Little sips,” he reminded her as she took it. He watched her take a few swallows, then took it back and set it down. Then he wrung the washcloth out into the bowl, and laid it across her forehead. 

She sighed. “Oh, that’s nice.”

“How’re you feeling?” Her whole body quivered from the exertion of expelling Davrin’s terrible tea, but her voice sounded clearer. More like herself.

“Uh,” she said. “Better? I’m not seeing things anymore.” She blinked, then frowned at him. “We’re lying in your bed.”

He smirked. “Don’t worry, Rook,” he said. “I’ve been a perfect gentleman.”

She snorted. “Of course you have,” she said. “I’m more worried I haven’t been very ladylike.” She shifted under the blankets, then froze, her eyes going wide. “Lucanis?”

“Embria.”

“Where are my pants?”

His smile widened. “Somewhere by the coffee beans.”

She glanced around, then put a hand to her head. “What the fuck was in that tea?”

He frowned. “How much do you remember?”

She scowled, but wouldn’t look at him. After a moment she said, “all of it.”  She covered her face with both hands. “Lucanis, I am so sorry.” She made to get up, but he pressed her shoulder back down. 

“You need to rest,” he said. 

But, she wasn’t listening. “You asked for slow and a week later I’m half-naked in your bed? Puking?! What is wrong with me?!”

“Rook,” he said, again using that low, sharp tone.

She looked at him, her eyes wide and her brow pulled low with concern. 

“Enough,” he said. “Let’s go back to sleep.” He removed the washcloth from her forehead, setting it back in the bowl. 

She watched him, her eyes shining in the candlelight. “Okay,” she whispered. She rolled away from him, onto her side with her back pressed flush against his front. 

This time, Lucanis brushed the hair away from her face and pressed a gentle kiss to the crook of her neck. This time, he let his arm drape over her waist and she laced her fingers through his over her stomach. This time, it was perfection 

“Goodnight, Embria,” he whispered against her neck. 

“Goodnight, Lucanis.” Her voice was thick, but he couldn’t tell if it was sleep or emotion that made it so. Either way, he pulled her closer, breathed in that smoky-sweet scent of her hair, and smiled. Sleep came quickly after that, for them both. 

Sniiiiiifff. Faint stink of sour dirt. Sick. Poison. Gone. Now, smoke and berries. Salt and coffee. Together. Rook is soft. So soft. Hair between fingers, against his face. Our face. Smells good. Smells nice. Like FREEDOM. Like home.

Hmmmmm. Take care. Never hurt. Our Rook. 

Rook sleeps. Lucanis sleeps. Spite rests and will watch. 

Always. Take care of. Our Rook.

[gimme-the-gun-ill-shoot]

Me every time Davrin walks onto screen, speaks, breathes or otherwise gives a look at my Rook(any of them) : Omg hi~hihihihihi~ 🤗😘❤️❤️😘😘🤗

Me at Assan always: Baby boy baby, widdle man, babiest baby, my second son(Manfred is my first) I'd die for you, kill for you. And most importantly, sneak you so many gingerwort truffles and worms Davrin would be mad at me for it, even if I get covered in Griffon Puke. You are worth it baby~😭😭😭😭😭😭

[sunsetwaltz]

I noticed Rook and Davrin can parrot each other in two of their late game romance scenes, depending on your dialogue choices.

Rook (before Tearstone Island): I'm game. Davrin (after Tearstone Island): I'm game if you are.

I've included a video and transcripts below if anyone's interested.

BEFORE:

Davrin: And him, too. Our half-bird, half-cat kid. I want all that. ↳ (Humorous): We can handle it. Rook: C'mon we can handle one baby griffon. Davrin: It'll take two of us to corral him. Rook: I'm game.

AFTER (Intimate scene):

Rook: And that talk about our future—do you still mean it? Davrin: 'Course I do. Only question is, what sort of future? ↳ A simple life of adventure. Rook: The Davrin and Rook kind. Whacking monsters in the head and stealing their treasure. Davrin: The open wilds, full rucksacks, and each other. Rook: Nice and straightforward. Davrin: I'm game if you are.

These two are full of small little moments like this, inside jokes and back and forth references. There's "the road less travelled", "our half-bird, half-cat kid", "gingerwort truffles (tea and worms)", "I'm game", flying with Assan, "old-fashioned fun", "whatever comes (next)" and the whole hunt-chase-bait metaphor.

P.S. Rook's "nice and straightforward" line is a small nod (maybe unintentional?) towards Varric's line* at the beginning of the game—which is bittersweet when you consider the timing of the intimate cutscene :') *about a non-Shadow Dragon Rook: "One of the strongest pieces on the board, but [they tend] to think in straight lines."

[hyperions-light]

I have more!

- When you walk around Minrathous with Neve, if you stop and give people money, she sometimes asks the people you give to if they have somewhere safe to go ;-;;-; AHHHH ! IM IN LOVE WITH HER?!

- Worms! =D

- When Rook gets trapped in the fade prison at the end and then comes back Davrin tells you that Assan missed you, and that he kept digging around in your room trying to figure out where you were ;-;

-Spite wants to swing from the big rotating artifact in the center of the library lol

- For some reason Spite does not believe Lucanis about certain magical things, but he does believe Emmrich

- If you bring Lucanis with you to the final battle and you loiter around enough Solas will speak to him; he identifies Spite as a spirit of determination and offers to separate them (Solas where were you in DA2). They refuse; in a romanced Lucanis route Spite specifically cites that Solas hurt Rook as a reason he does not trust Solas <3

- The speech that Dorian gave in the Minrathous chantry about how he was wrong about slavery ;-;

- In Solas’ sad piano room there are murals with the inquisition symbol in them and a chair with the Inquisition eye ;-;

- How Morrigan mentions it was kind of embarrassing in hindsight that she explained Elven history to the Dread Wolf lol

- When you are pursuing Anaris you can find a note about how you defeated some of the other Forgotton Ones in the previous games

-Xenon lost the urchin =( (Probably better for the urchin)

- If Davrin dies on Tearstone island (DONT do this, too sad— did it accidentally) Taash says they will publish his book so that people know how to hunt monsters, Rook says they hope wherever Assan is has a lot of gingerwort truffles and worms ;;;;;;-;;;;;

- Davrin used to sing to the halla!!!! What if I’m in love with him!!!

- How Davrin 100% believes redemption is possible because he is a Warden <3

- When you destroy the Blight eruption and then return to Lavendel the whole town is covered in flowers! It made me smile!

- How Taash tells Bellara that it’s okay she’s upset about Cyrian and that she should let the team help ;-;

- How seriously Davrin takes getting Taash’s new pronouns right <3

- How Seer Rowan says that the spirits told her Taash changed their pronouns and so she calls them ‘Cousin’ now

- If you take Davrin to the Hall of Valor after the battle of Weisshaupt, the spirit in the tavern will use him as an example of someone who is very successful with a sword and shield and basically call him a Big Damn Hero!!! And Davrin says something like ‘I’ll try to live up to that’!!! He is perfect!

-If you resist the near overwhelming urge to punch the First Warden in the face, he helps you during the Cauldron quest !

- When you are fighting in the Hall of Valor, around the 8th round or so Isabela sends out a bunch of Darkspawn and says that she got them from a guy named Armax who used them to torment Shepards lol

- When Rook enters Lucanis’ mind prison they ask if they’re going to have to turn into a mouse or fight giant spiders to get past the guards lol

Will keep adding! Add yours, if you want!

Round 2 of Veilguard (Watcher first, Crow second), going to note the little details I love (SPOILERS):

- When my rogue Rook is jogging I can hear the sound of the arrows in their quiver clinking against each other

- When you take Harding to practice her stone powers, after she moves the second one she raises her hands up in victory. Cute!!!

-The companion outfits!! They’re so detailed! The embroidery on Harding’s shirt, the intricacy of Bellara’s sleeves!! How elegantly Neve’s clothes are cut and draped! The little crow skulls on Lucanis’ buttons and fasteners!!

- The way the light glances off of Bellara’s earring. The hairs at the back of her neck that aren’t caught up in her bun

- The expressions!! They’re so good! The way Bellara’s brow wrinkles in the middle of her forehead under her Vallaslin; how she blinks rapidly when she’s talking about Cyrian (Bioware why can’t I hug her ;-;). How Neve smiles at you! Ahhhhh! Dare you not to fall for Lucanis when he looks at Harding all soft after he makes her coffee and she hates it!!!

- The way the grocery list/cooking rotation paper on the wall in the kitchen changes throughout the game

- Little notes everywhere where your companions write to each other and the people they care about! Harding’s letters to her mother! THE BOOK CLUB!

- The little references to the other games everywhere! Joining chalice, Aura’s letter, Blackwall’s commendation, Malcolm Hawke mention in Weisshaupt! Finding Thom’s little rocking griffon! Arainai’s Talon! The thing that made the Harvester in Golems of Amgarrak! The dog named Ostagar! The Arishok refusing to split from the Qun! Heir in the Diamond!

- Elgar’nan thinks Lusacan used to be bigger and Ghilan’nain still cares for her halla

-the whole Necropolis but ESPECIALLY the gardens

-the candlehops!

-How when you pet the cats the rumble feature activates on the controller because they’re purring

- THE MINRATHOUS CAT CAFE <3

- The vendor in the market in Antiva who tells you the story of how she killed her husband if you return there repeatedly

-the two novice Crows on the balcony who complain about how hard it is to correctly throw the crow graffiti thing

- when you tell those two lovers to escape antiva they show up in the necropolis

- the watchers are sooooo put out that they missed the undead dragon lol

- the necropolis moves! And if you return there sometimes it’ll spawn new rooms and you can go in them!

- there are tabletop games in Thedas and Hezenkoss was super into them

- Emmrich keeps Hezenkoss’ skull in his room to talk to lol

- How Rook is so— sometimes unexpectedly— wise and caring, so thoughtful and considerate! I love them!

- The way the choir crescendos and then cuts out right before Solas says ‘Vhenan’!!! AHHHHHHH

- The way he bends in on himself and clutches at the dagger when Mythal is talking to him; the way he says her name

- ‘I don’t know how to feel’ ‘I do. I know exactly how to feel.’ ‘Just don’t leave.’ ‘Never.’ ;;;;;;;;;;-;;;;;;;;;; FUCK!!! You can’t just say that that way!!!

More soon…