#oc: lanarís lavellan

[romancable-tabris]

Curls & Creams & Dreams Such as These, pt 2

Rating: Teen Description: The party arrive in Orlais and Lanarís finally discovers what it is Vivienne needed to pick up. They're happily surprised when they find out. Author's Note: So here's part two I guess????? I wasn't meant to make a fic out of this yet here I am lmao

The carriage arrives at Vivienne’s address at noon. The party all stretch the moment they get out of the carriage. Before they head inside Vivienne talks to the carriage driver who smiles widely after she’s finished. He rides off, leaving the four to look up at Vivienne’s home.

“Welcome to my personal Manoir De Fer. If you’ll follow me please, we have no time to waste! We have a whole day ahead of us.” She walks on in nearly leaving the other three behind as they scuttle along behind her. When they arrive at the door, Vivienne made swooping hand motions and they heard various clicks within the door which then opened for them.

“Couldn’t have gotten a bigger place could you?” Bull joked.

“No, this is actually one of the smaller ones in Orlais. I like them quaint.”

Quaint indeed. Vivienne’s private mansion is nothing short of astounding in both decor and size. She has art displayed all over the entrance hall, the walls were beautiful, dark wallpaper with orangey-gold accents. It was simply beautiful. The floor was so shiny they could near see themselves in the tiles.

“Come now you three, I want to get started as soon as possible.” Vivienne strided down the hall.

They hurried after her down the hall, hearing the front door click again as they left.

“Madam, if I may ask,” Blackwall spoke.

“You may.”

“Where are we going?”

“To the bathroom.”

“The bathroom- surely we should wait outside?”

“No, I’d quite like for Lanarís to be in there with me. You two, I will direct to the living room where you can make yourselves at home.”

“The vagueness is getting weirdly funny now.” Bull whispered to Lana who stifled a giggle.

They couldn’t see it, but Vivienne’s excitement was beginning to bubble up and out of her, a wide smile ever present on her face.

✧

They arrived at her bathroom and Vivienne directed Lanarís inside while she escorted Bull and Blackwall to her living room. The bathroom was as clean as they could’ve imagined. A fluffy white rug decorated the floor. The floor tiles were a professional looking dark blue, with yellow diamonds patterned in. The walls were white with an impressive sheen and two strong white marble pillars stood inside. While Lanarís was admiring the porcelain bath, fit with lion shaped feet Vivienne reemerged in the room, floating various bowls and glasses from a basket over to her bathroom counter.

“If you would would turn your attention to the counter.” She stood proudly next to the collection she had set out.

“What.. is all this? Beauty products?” Lanarís looked up at Vivienne and back at the bottles all with engravings and titles and things on them.

Vivienne picked up a bowl and held it in front of Lanarís’ face.

“Smell this.”

Lanarís smelled that.

“What does it smell like?”

“Like… The fruits of the south. It smells so good? But what for?”

“This my dear… is going in your hair.”

Lanarís squinted momentarily before a dawning realisation struck them.

“You… brought me all the way out here to Orlais… to pamper me?”

“Yes, I did. I’m hoping to teach you how to look after yourself and your hair.”

Lanarís just stared at her in silence. Vivienne, in her confidence, continued.

“I noticed that you rarely seem to do anything special with your curls. That and quite a lot of the time it seems to have quite a lot of foilage and such stuck in it. I know big hair can be hard to keep and I thought perhaps that is why you haven’t really been looking after it? Because it’s troubling?”

Lanarís still said nothing. Vivienne felt the creeping sensation begin in her middle. She acknowledged it and left it as acknowledged. No need to feed into insecurity after all.

“Am I right in my judgement? Tell me if I’ve stepped over a line and I’ll call the carriage driver to take us back right away-”

“I cannot… possibly have the words to thank you madame,” Lanarís started, really looking at Vivienne for the first time since she started speaking. “I have no words..” Tears welled up in their eyes.

Tears were not Vivienne’s domain of knowledge, but she put a hand on the Inquisitor’s back none the less. They left her feeling helpless, tears did. Somehow she always wished she could magic them away, but it was not so simple as that.

“You needn’t say anything. I simply wanted to help you. What with you being so far from home and your clan being nearly untracable I figured some time off might help.”

Lanarís nodded softly and wiped their eyes.

“You do live up to your name Vivienne, but I should think Madame La Cherie would be a suitable one as well.”

“Oh please, Inquisitor. I am only doing my bit.”

“Lana, you may call me by my nickname madame.”

“Then in the same breath, should you wish, you may call me Cher.”

“I would love to!”

Vivienne smiled softly, and though the world had seen her smile before, only the Lanarís and Bastien had the luck to see this very special one.

✧

Once Vivienne had helped Lanarís choose the products they wished to use; all of which seemed fruity in smell, Vivienne showed Lanarís the beginning of what would come to be a succesful hair care journey.

She presented Lana with a round brush, with teeth both long in length and short, towards the base.

“This brush is going to be your new best friend.”

“Oh?”

“When I used to grow my hair long, this brush was my saviour. I’ll show you when we come to doing your curls. Now, would you like to have a bath before we start? You can call for me when you’re done and I’ll help you with your hair.”

“Actually… Could you stay with me?”

“You… want me present? While you bathe?”

Lanarís stumbled, “Please? This room is so big and empty and I’d prefer to be in your company than without.”

Vivienne was quiet for a moment. She looked at Lanarís and their hair and nodded once.

“Alright. I supoose there’s no real harm in me staying if it makes you more comfortable”

Lanarís sighed, relieved. Vivienne left briefly, allowing Lana to set up their bath and fill it up on their own.