#however I am still not letting my Inquisitor disintegrate into the fade for that

[raccoonslittlehands]

what I see in my mind while y'all are praising this fool's looks

[dacompanionreactions]

Hello! How would companions of DA:I react to Inky, who is in fact a demigod (The child of Maker and mortal woman)? and there incredible powers to rip reality, heal any disease and cut, and fully talk with darkspawn and lyriam? With non and Romanced people

This was really fun to write! Sorry it took so longggg

Cassandra is relieved beyond measure. The fact that they were sent by The Maker (who just so happens to be their parent) gives her no doubt that they will win this war. Their abilities could be seen as scary to anyone who didn't know them, but what Cassandra sees is a good friend who just happens to be the child of The Maker.

If romanced, her reaction won't change much. Her primary thought is, "I am the luckiest woman in all of Thedas." She feels truly blessed to have the Inquisitor at her side.

Varric is Andrastian. He's not very vocal about it, but behind his blasphemy, Varric believes in The Maker. At first, he makes a joke about The Maker cheating on his bride. "Poor Andraste. Burned, cheated on... that woman cannot catch a break." Mainly, he's glad the Inquisitor is on his side. He dislikes it when they 'communicate' with red lyrium, stating he'd rather have it destroyed than crack jokes with it. The Inquisitor waves their hand and the red lyrium vanishes without a trace. Varric Greatly Approves.

Solas is in no position to judge. He is Fen'harel after all. He's got nothing against Andrastianism, but he dislikes blind faith. At first he's apprehensive of their overpowered abilities, but as they get closer all he sees is a friend. A friend he's unintentionally hurt.

If romanced, Solas will ask the Inquisitor a lot more questions about her abilities. His reaction doesn't change much, but he finds himself worrying about his vhenan when they're on the field, a lot more than is wise.

"Somebody, get me a fainting couch!" Dorian jests, but he's truly in awe. His friend, the Herald of Andraste ("How ironic."), the child of The Maker himself. He asks the Inquisitor many questions, less about their father and more about their god-given capabilities. When he learns of their ability to cure any ailments, he requests they do something for him. Dorian is eternally grateful to the Inquisitor after they cure Felix of the blight.

If romanced, Dorian will ask more personal questions about the Inquisitor's family, but only if they are willing to share. Mostly, he feels safe and secure when he's with his amatus. The events at Adamant have him feeling a lot worse, however. They were so close to the Golden City, so close to The Maker. Honestly, he was afraid the Inquisitor would be taken from him. Thankfully, his fears were for naught.

Sera is stunned into silence for the first time in her life. "Oh, shite," she says finally. This revelation means a lot to her. It means that the throne in the Golden City has a godly arse to sit on it. It means The Maker is real. The same could be said about what Coryphy-spit said. Sera's main concern is the Inquisitor, though. "Demi-what evers have powers, yeah? I'm just making sure you're not an entitled arse for it." She warms up to the Inquisitor quickly after they use their abilities for good.

If romanced, her reaction isn't much different. However, Sera is more appreciative of her Honey Tongue's powers, because she can use them for pranks. Stuff like punting pies through several fade rifts in Ferelden to hit a noble in Val Royeaux? Priceless. It's a shame her Inky's abilities can't be used to make nice cookies.

Blackwall chuckles at first; he thinks they're joking. When it hits him, he exclaims a loud, "Maker's balls!" The Inquisitor says something about not wanting to think about their father's balls and Blackwall starts wheezing. All jokes aside, he's very glad the Inquisitor isn't allied with Corypheus. He only asks them about their family if they ask about Blackwall's past. It's a mutual respect kinda thing.

If romanced, during the early days he'll be much more reluctant to start a relationship with the Inquisitor. His past is constantly weighing on his mind and he believes he is unworthy of her, unworthy of The Maker's child. As they grow closer, he finds himself feeling safe with her and vice versa. However, he knows the truth will come out, and soon.

Cole is less concerned about their status as a demi-god and more worried about them as a person. The Inquisitor's thoughts are unbearably loud, amplified by The Maker's blood running through their veins. It hurts to hear them. Demi-god. Maker's child. Inquisitor. Herald of Andraste. Why can't they see that I'm just a person like them? Cole takes them by the hand and says with utmost confidence, "You are a person. Everyone else sees it. They treat you with respect because you are worthy of it. Your thoughts are loud, pained. Let me help."

The Iron Bull was raised under the teachings of the Qun, so naturally he feels conflicted when he learns The Maker exists and has a child. Overall, and in the kindest way possible, he doesn't really give two craps. What matters to him is their safety, the safety of The Chargers and the destruction of Corypheus and the demons. Bull admits that he finds it pretty badass how the Inquisitor can snap their fingers and their enemies will disintegrate. It does get rid of the fun of bonking them with a sledgehammer, though.

If romanced, Bull will make some dirty jokes and ask questions like, "How does a god and a person even do it?" It gets a laugh out of his kadan every time. He likes to think of them as the most badass couple in the entire Inquisition, and let's face it... they really are.

Vivienne is rather pleased when she finds out. Their status as a demi-god will be handy when dealing with pushy nobles. She makes a mental note to contact her seamstress in Val Royeaux. They need clothes worthy of a god's child. When she takes them to see Bastien, they stop her from giving him the potion. At first she is apprehensive, but the Inquisitor places a hand on Bastien's face and cures him. Vivienne is forever grateful. "My darling, how ever can I repay you?"

Cullen could not think clearly when they told him. Lyrium withdrawal was making it difficult. The Inquisitor waves a hand over him and his symptoms almost disappear. The Inquisitor apologises and explains that while withdrawal is not a disease or cut that can be cured, they can still lessen the symptoms. He is grateful to them.

If romanced, like Blackwall, Cullen will be hesitant to start a relationship with the Inquisitor. "You're the Inquisitor, The Maker's child. I'm not worthy of you." She says she believes otherwise, and the two share a kiss on the battlements. Cullen is thankful for her presence. The fact that she's The Maker's daughter is just a side-benefit. To him, she is everything.

Leliana is almost angry at first. Not at the Inquisitor, just the circumstances they were in. She hates that the one person who could have saved Justinia was incapacitated by the explosion. "What is His game? You're His child, you must know." She struggles to hide her disappointment when they say they don't know. They talk often about Justinia and The Maker. Eventually, Leliana stops seeing them as just The Maker's child. They're her friend, too.

Josephine is delighted. First of all, it makes her job about ten times easier. Half of her attempts at diplomacy stem from Andrastianism being shared around Thedas. Secondly, it means that the Inquisition is quickly becoming a force to be reckoned with. She will ask the Inquisitor if they want that information public. If their mother is still alive, Josephine reaches out to her contacts to make sure she's brought safely to Skyhold. "It's the least I can do, Inquisitor."

If romanced, Josie's reaction won't change drastically. Mainly, she feels like she's been blessed by The Maker to have them with her. In a way, she has.

[bricousland]

Chapter 8: For One Day Soon

Chapter  Seven  Chapter Six  Chapter Five  Chapter Four    Chapter Three                                   Chapter Two        Chapter One       AO3

Nanami felt soft green grass beneath her and a hot sun above her. The smell of flowers, tree sap, and elfroot filled her nose. She was surrounded by dense, living forest. She could hear birds and a young halla baying for it’s mother not too far away. She hadn’t seen so much green since she��d ventured into the Emerald Graves. It was like being home again; she took a deep breath and let the warmth of the sun prickle across her skin.  

She felt lighter and realized she was without her armor. In a moment of panic she pulled on the power of the fade, but she stopped as someone she hadn’t noticed before stood up from under a nearby tree. The familiar face marching towards her dissolved her panic and replaced it with rage.

“What were you thinking?!” Solas’s voice boomed in her ears. He knelt down to her level and grabbed her shoulders, “Jumping physically back into the Fade, and for what? A dead man? It was foolish, you could have been killed!”

“You haven’t been around. You don’t get to weigh-in.” She pushed his hands away and stood up, she was tired of seeing his face. Nanami looked around the forested area and saw no sign of her friends. “Where are we, demon?”

Solas looked aghast, “I’m not a demon, you’re safe here.”

She tried to think herself out of the vision only to find that her mind was clear, like when she and Solas used to meet in her dreams. It didn’t ease her anger, however, if anything it fanned the flames. “How did you know where I was?”

“Spirits, Veh’nan, you were easy to find.” Solas sighed, “You know you don’t owe the Warden anything; Why put yourself at such risk for a woman half out of her mind with Blight?”

The familiar endearment smoothed the rough edges of her anger. “You said, “Veh’nan”? So, you still...?”  

He was hesitant; Solas looked down and straightened his sleeve, keeping his attention off of her, “Of course… but Nanami --” She closed the distance between them and kissed him. She had been through too much to allow him to be dismissive. No matter how deep in the Fade they were, Solas was as real to her here as he had been in the warm confines of his study. He felt solid and safe, his arms didn’t encircle her, and his lips returned her kiss half heartedly.

Nanami stepped away from him but he pulled her chin up and his lips pressed against hers in a more attentive kiss. The moment was brief and  he released her before he lost himself.

“This isn’t why I came.” He took a few steps away from her to put some distance between them. His hands busied themselves with tugging at the edges of worn cotton sleeves.

“Then why did you?”

“I couldn’t watch you die.”

“Then, you should come back to Skyhold. It will be much easier to protect me there.”

He shook his head, “It’s not that easy.” His eyes avoided hers again, they looked down at the ground or through the dense thicket of trees.

“It can be.”

Solas laughed, short and shallow. “Because you are the Inquisitor?”

“Yes, because I am the Inquisitor! Solas, I’m not going to wait for answers any longer. Why can’t you trust me?”

“It has nothing to do with trust.”

“Trust has everything to do with it, Solas. Whatever trouble you think you’re in or whatever you think you need to do alone, I can help, I can--”

He took her hands in his. “Listen to me.” His voice was soft and thoughtful; while his eyes were weary and pained, “What we had was real. For a while, we traveled the same road, towards the same goals and perhaps it could have stayed that way had things turned out differently. But, they didn’t. Our paths are taking us in different directions and we must walk them. But you needn’t do it alone.” He touched her cheek and ran his thumb across it to catch a tear. “Some love stories are better as short stories, my love.” He leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss to her cheek and whispered in her ear. “It’s time for you to wake up. Goodbye.”

“Solas!” she tried to reach for him but already, the quiet forest was disintegrating around her and Solas was gone.

~ ~ ~

Briana woke up on a straw mattress with Nanami still fast asleep beside her. Her chest, neck, and shoulders were wrapped tight with cotton bandages. Standing at her bedside was a young boy with round yellow eyes. He had a wet cloth in his hands and smiled.“Mother will be pleased.” His voice was flat and lacked the emotion that usually accompanied ten year old boys.

A demon...

Briana sat up in her bed. The pain in her chest shot through every nerve in her body. She grabbed the little boy by his cotton shirt and reached for her axe. When it wasn’t where she was expecting it, she fumbled and fell out of bed hitting the hardwood floor like a heavy stack of potatoes. She yelped while the boy wrested out of her grip.

“Mother!” he cried, flinging the front door open and disappearing from Briana’s sight.

Briana stayed on the floor and stared at the ceiling. The blankets were twisted around her, and her feet were still propped above her on the edge of the bed. Briana was satisfied (by the pain and embarrassment) that she was, in fact, out of the Fade. She peeked under the bandage around her chest and saw a thick, red scar that was still stitching itself together.

Magic made dying complicated.

She had been stabbed through the chest and still managed to live. Who does that? Not Andraste, or Maferath...or Alistair. Just her, maybe she could find a dragon to fight with her bare hands and test the Maker’s resolve to keep her alive. After the initial anger quelled, the realization that she was alone made her listless, her mind was blank, and her eyes set on the wooden beams above her.

The rusty front door opened and swung shut.

“Well, well, the Hero of Ferelden, awake at last and with such grace .”

Fuck me, this is where it all comes full circle.

Morrigan stood over Briana with her arms crossed and brows raised. “I always said Alistair t’was the idiot but sometimes you make me think I was incorrect.”

“Not now, Morrigan.” Briana made no real attempt to untangle herself from the bed sheets.

“Ah yes, I’ve obviously interrupted something very important. Are you going to get up?”

“Nope.”

“Stop acting like a child and get up.” Morrigan snorted “I would have let you die, if I knew that’s what you wanted. You’re the ones who came through my eluvian.”

“Next time wake me up before you decide whether I should live or die. I’m getting tired of you, your mother, and the bloody Maker making that decision for me.”

“You would have survived even without my help, that wound on your chest should have killed you, but it was healing before I even touched it. Someone isn’t ready for you to die yet, Briana Cousland, so you could at least do them the courtesy of living. Get up; the rest are outside eating supper and you will do the same.”

Maker why?

Briana pushed herself to her feet, this time she moved carefully, using the side of the bed for support. She brushed her fingers through her curls and looked around the hut, “So, that was your son?”

“His name is Kieran.”

“Did Alistair meet him?”

“Briefly. Kieran doesn’t know anything about his father, as promised, and I kept him well away. Though I can’t say Alistair made that easy. Fool.”

Briana walked over to the fire and held her hands up to the flame. She felt cold to the core and the humidity that blew in from the windows was ice on her skin. She rubbed her hands together, trying to warm herself but Urthemiel’s quiet song seeped into her and pulled the heat away. “Thank you.”

Morrigan pulled the blankets back over Nanami who still lay unconscious. “For what?”

“For giving us time. I didn’t realize what you were offering. I was so convinced you had betrayed me; I didn’t even stop to think about another explanation. I did so little with the time I had; Alistair begged to come with me but, no, per-usual I had to put the world before us. I only seem to care when I risk losing him.”

“Why do you think that idiot cared for you so much? Because he could count on you to make the tough choices. Sentimentality doesn’t suit you, Briana-- even in your old age.” She tucked the blankets around Nanami and walked towards the fire, she came up behind her friend and dug a finger into Briana’s  bare flesh. It was black, purple, and bruised.. It disappeared beneath the bandages and was about the size of Flemeth’s grimoire. “When did this begin?”

“Sometime after Alistair and I separated.”

“What do you plan to do about it?”

“Put a sword through my belly, eventually.”

“You’re pathetic, this isn’t the Hero of Ferelden who was ready to do what it took to end the Blight.” Morrigan started towards the door.“Go eat, Alistair isn’t the only person who cares about what happens to you. The Dragon Age isn’t the age to mourn someone’s passing. Too many people have been lost, death is apart of everyone’s life. Keep him with you but remember who you are. Things are not going to get better.”

Briana didn’t respond. She walked away from the fire, grabbed a clean linen shirt and pulled it over her head. She went into the frigid Ferelden air with Morrigan. There was a larger, warmer fire lit in the yard. It chased away the damp cold and left the air smelling of smoke with a hint of fresh swamp. The stars were bright and clear in the sky. Flemeth's hut had gone untouched by the Blight that surrounded it, on the other side of a small stream at the front of the cottage, Briana could see dead grass and blighted trees. The perimeter of the cottage, however, looked exactly like it had the day she had left it after (presumably) killing Morrigan’s mother.

Cullen and Sera sat together on a bench with their faces half stuffed with stew. When they saw her, Cullen tried to regain some dignity: wiping stew from the scruff of his ungroomed face and sitting a little straighter. Meanwhile Sera shoveled more food down her throat, more than happy to stay in gravy-faced bliss.

Briana looked between the two of them, unsure wether to laugh or cry, “How did we end up here?”

Cullen set his bowl aside “When the Nightmare reappeared, another spirit showed up in the form of a wolf and defended us. I don’t remember anything after that. Not saving you, or Nanami, or going through an Eluvian, as Morrigan claims we did.”

“What about Alistair? What happened to him?”

“Well, that’s even a bigger mystery, but one I’m sure you’ll be pleased by.” Cullen motioned for her to turn around.

She turned and her heart stopped. He stood there, his clothes too loose for his skeletal frame; his hair too long and frazzled around his square, bearded face but those eyes. She’d never mistake them, not in a million years. “Maker preserve me.”

“He hasn’t done anything but ask for ya.” Sera said through mouthfuls of food, “An’ give Morrigan these sideways looks but she said tha’s normal.”

Briana threw herself into Alistair’s arms. He hugged her tight. Regardless of how skinny or weak he was it was the safest she’d felt in years. His lips pressed against the top of her head and his fingers ran through her hair. She buried her face into the crook of his neck and just held him..

Alistair chuckled, “You’re going to break me.”

“You were dead.” She looked at him, touched his face, traced his cheek bone down to his chin.

“Me, dead? Perish the thought.” His hand rested on the back of her head, “Come here.” He pulled her face close to his and kissed her. He was warm and solid, the same as she remembered. All of her worries were gone. Anything that had been plaguing her before the kiss simply vanished. Even Urthemiel couldn’t rear his ugly head. Not when Alistair was so close and alive. So very much alive.

Alistair ran his hand through her hair and looked over every inch of her face. His eyes lingered on the top of her head and his brows came together as he touched the area where her rose usually sat. “Briana,” his voice was distressed, “Where’s your rose? You’re never without it.”

Briana felt his entire body tense, she reached a hand up to fluff his hair and soothe him but he was fixated on her rose. She tried to find eyes as she explained,“It shattered while we were in the Fade.”

“Wynne put a protection spell on it.” Alistair was curt and sild his hand out of her hair, “It wouldn’t just break.” He looked at everyone around him like they were part of the scenery and no longer people. “We’ve been through worse bloody battles and it’s always survived.” Alistair pulled out of Briana’s embrace.

“It was more than that.”

“I was free.” His eyes turned away from her and flickered from face to face, becoming more and more distant.

“Al” Briana reached for his hand.

“Briana, get away from him.” Morrigan warned.

“Not again, I won’t let you taint my memory of her anymore.” His voice was soft and shaking; tears touched the corners of his eyes. Briana ignored Morrigan’s warning; Alistair lunged at her when her fingertips touched his hands. Faster than her eyes could follow, his hands wrapped around her neck and squeezed.

Alistair looked through her, seeing a demon no one else could. Briana tried to pry his hands from her neck but the lack of air to her lungs, coupled with her injuries, weakened her. She thrust her hands against his chest and with a hard shove, she pushed him away from her and took a few stunned steps back. Before he could reach her again, Cullen was on him and restrained Alistair by the arms. He screamed,and cursed, and yelled, lost in whatever nightmare he conjured for himself.

Briana tried to go to him but Sera pulled her away. Alistair struggled in Cullen’s grasp. He screamed through heavy tears, calling Briana a demon, an illusion, spawn of the darkest depths of the Fade. He kicked and flailed like a child throwing a tantrum and though he was lithe and light, Cullen clearly struggled to hold him back and he kept shouting “I was free. I was free. I was free.”

Just as Alistair deteriorated from violence into sobs, Morrigan waved a hand in front of his face; magic slid up his nose and Alistair’s whole body froze before he collapsed into sound sleep.

“Alistair believes he’s still in the Fade.” Cullen’s voice was muffled behind the blood that pulsed in Briana’s ears. “I suffered the same after the uprising in Ferelden’s Circle. He was fine until he decided something wasn’t right in his world.”

Morrigan nodded, “Take him inside and tie him to the wooden chair near the fire. He won’t be waking up anytime soon but when he does I don’t want another fight.” Cullen nodded and carried Alistair inside while Morrigan turned her attention to Briana. She began to examine the bruises already forming on her neck.

Briana ran her hands through her hair, expecting to feel the velvety petals but instead felt nothing but dry brown hair.

Morrigan sighed, “Well if that’s all,‘tis simple enough to fix. Temporarily, at least.” Morrigan kneeled and pressed her hands into the soil. Magic penetrated the ground and slowly, fresh green vines rose up. Morrigan pushed more magic into the plant until a single red rose blossomed. Morrigan picked it and wove a quick spell around it before handing it to Briana. “This should help but you need to be careful. If the absence of your rose can set him off, who knows what else may. Don’t be alone with him.”

Briana took the rose and tucked it into her hair. She felt the soft red petals beneath her touch and twirled it between her fingers until it sat just right. “Can you erase the memories?”

Morrigan paused and shook her head, “No, the magic involved and the unintended consequences would be worse than its benefits. I will send you with sleeping potions and sedatives. Tis the best I can do. I’m sure the Inquisitor can put him to sleep if it must come to that.”

“Briana, he can recover. I went through something similar after you left the circle.” Cullen said as he stepped out of the hut, closing the door gently behind him. “With time and patience, he will feel the world become solid again. He’ll eventually begin to trust what he smells and feels. I worked through it and he can too. It will never go away though, Briana. The nightmares are continuous and it’s something the two of you will have to learn to live with. However, I have complete faith you’ll pull him out of the worst of it. Much faster and more whole than I could on my own.”

“You should stay at Skyhold with us.” Sera said as she skipped back over to the warm fire, sat down in a chair, and rubbed her hands together. “Until he’s better yeah? You’ll have everything you need there. I’m sure Quizzy wouldn’t mind and I know Bull and I’d like to watch you knock Cullen on his ass a few more times!”

“Thank you Sera but, I don’t want him paraded around in front of Orlesian and Ferelden nobility. It wouldn’t be safe for him to be seen there like this. We’ll go home.”

“You can’t bring ‘im back to the Wardens acting all Blighty.”

“I never said I would.” She had no desire to return to living under the thumb of the Wardens. Sera was right, with Alistair in this condition they may believe he had Blight sickness. They’d eventually find hers too and she’d be thrust into the Deep Roads like the unwanted problem she’d become, or worse.

Then there was, Skyhold. There she’d have Lilly and the entire Inquisition at her beck and call, but she had no desire to expose Alistair to people that still petitioned him to overthrow Queen Anora. She knew she could trust her allies but had no desire to trust the rest of the Inquisition.

Betrayal came cheap.

They needed somewhere safe, and warm, and surrounded by the people who loved her and not just her title. When she thought about it, Briana smiled “Highever, I think we’ll visit my brother in Highever.”