#skyhold garden

[krems-chair]

In hindsight, there has to have been something iconic about the moment the Inquisitor finds out Solas can just sashay into someone's dreams and lobotomize them like I'm sorry he can WHAT? The guy I dragged into my subconscious for a tour of a place he'd already been to could have chopped my consciousness into tiny bite-sized pieces and flame-broiled them just to feel something? Meanwhile Sera's in a corner somewhere dumping holy water in a circle around herself just in case

[martyrmarked]

i think that, once it's made clear what they are, who they were, she carefully, gently wraps the oculara and takes them back to skyhold to be buried. she doesn't tell anyone this outside of the immediate inner circle because no one really needs to know, that isn't the point, but she wants to ensure they find some rest and the only place she knows will be safe is skyhold.

she asks viv, solas & dorian to help her and buries them in the quietest corner of skyhold's garden.

[stinkrascal]

so does emmrich... like...... live inside the necropolis? do you think he has a fancy house down there? a garden? a backyard??? are there sidewalks? does he have a hoa. how does this work

[cuerue]

was thinking about varric’s nickname for taerel and i think im going to go with “sprout” bc of his love for gardening/plants

and a lot of people would see varric call him that and go “awww, that’s cute :)” bc they have no idea just how poisonous the plants he is growing are

[rellanas]

I maintain that the reason why Arthur has different prosthetics for different occasions/outfits is because even he wouldn't be able to go literally decades of being friends with Vivienne without her intervening on his wardrobe eventually.

[moss-flesh]

thinking about my special girl addy

[katabasiiis]

"Oh. Oh no." She pressed a hand to her mouth, less out of concern and more to suppress a smile. Of course Shianni's party hadn't seen real mountains before; the hills around Denerim were a few pleasant bumps compared to the Frostbacks. "No, I don't imagine that was a fun climb. When you leave, I'll have proper travel rations sent with you; you can eat while you walk that way."

When the cooks had brought all they had prepared, Sigrid stood and served it herself. In Denerim - in all of Ferelden - the nobility would never think to do so themselves, but among the Avvar, it was an act of hospitality just the same from thanes and augurs as from a hold's average inhabitants, one of the many things that had made Sigrid so happy to stay and become one of her husband's people. She hoped it would make as good an impression on Shianni as it had on her.

The meal was small, and over quickly, but warm and satisfying, and she could have just as easily gone for a long nap rather than talk. Slipping Ari back into the sling, she led Shianni out into the garden where the air was cool and crisp and there were fewer ears to eavesdrop.

"There are Venatori in Denerim," she said without preamble. "That's what I was hoping to work with you to fix. My people can't get into the city without pissing off the queen, but they have far more experience dealing with those Tevinter fucks than I expect your people do. I think we can work together to do something before it becomes a problem for either of us."

It was last I checked. Shianni smiled a little at that, less because the joke amused her and more because it was a joke, for what it told her about lady Sigrid that she said it. It was either meant to put her at ease, or the Inquisitor's wife simply held lightly on formality. Either option raised her in Shianni's opinion.

"We'd be glad to accept some food", she said, gesturing for her guards to be at ease. If her response came out more formal than the question, it was only because she was erring on the side of caution, not wanting to seem too casual and lose the respect of either lady Sigrid or anyone else listening. The wife of the Inquisitor could do as she pleased—this was, at least for now, her home—but Shianni was Bann and had to act the part. She was here to make alliances, not friends.

"This Breach concerns all of us", she said as they sat. "I'm helping my people as well as yours being here—there really is no need to be grateful. And the world's dangerous enough to travel without a baby." She smiled at the little one. Somehow it seemed silly to hold on to formality when speaking over a sleeping baby. "Truth be told, I underestimated the climb. We haven't sat down to eat since we broke camp this morning—I thought we were so close. My captain is the only one of us who've ever seen mountains before."

[arcane-gold]

escaping da twt for a little bit here’s a wip i might never finish. malloch is wasting inquisition resources (picking flowers from skyhold’s garden)

[tovi-paruscyanus]

Skyhold Garden

[gamerism]

↪ DRAGON AGE INQUISITION: SKYHOLD - GARDEN

[abyssal-ilk]

please give us vivienne headcanons the people want them

then the people will be given them! as a holiday present or something, idk, this has been in the drafts for a minute. i've got a whole bunch but have some off the top of my head

- vivienne struggles sleeping anywhere in a location she isn't used to. so the early days of both haven and skyhold, sleeping out on the road, settling into an inn for the night– it's all difficult for her. she's a mage, and notably one who does not like exploring the fade when she dreams. each new place she sleeps takes her to a new part of the fade, and it sometimes leads to her skipping sleep when she can risk it. she will also actively avoid solas if they happen to be in the same part of the fade while sleeping. he's tried tempting her to explore more of the fade and he is NOT defeating the pride demon allegations.

- her favorite place to sleep is in bastien's estate! she's very wary of any spirits she encounters there still, but she enjoys spending time in the fade's version of the estate's garden. she hated sleeping in both the monnstimard and ostwick circles, though.

- vivienne is an alcoholic. in the same way your aunt says that it's fine that she drinks so much and its not a big deal because it is Just Wine, vivienne usually has a glass in her hand more often than not. she very rarely drinks to the point of being inebriated, but she gets stressed when she hasn't had a drink and relies on it maybe a bit more than she should. she doesn't drink red wines, though. she won't even touch them.

- adding onto the previous one, dorian and vivienne are drinking buddies! usually it's just vivienne having a glass or two while dorian gets trashed, but there has been a few times where it has been the reverse. they don't talk about it afterwards.

- vivienne does have a favorite type of magic and it is her healing magic, not her ice or even her sword. being a healer means people rely on her, which she likes, and it also means she doesn't need to rely as heavily on other people when she can do it herself. the act of healing is also pretty therapeutic to her in a weird, morbid sort of way. feeling bones snap back into place, sinew threading itself back together, and burns fade to scars under her fingers makes her feel powerful in a way her combat magic just. doesn't.

- this leans more to canon, but vivienne is also an alchemist! her heath potions are potent as hell, but holy shit is there a kick to them. in general vivienne has several practical skills that a lot of other circle mages don't. she can make potions, she can stitch wounds, she can sew clothes, do her own laundry, cook– anything and everything to be as reliant on herself as possible.

- sometimes during down-time moments with sera she'll tap her nails against whatever is near her to get that scrape-y, crawly sound. skitter skitter.

- and one of my favorite ones, vivienne has worked with/hired the bull's chargers in the past before inquisition! she occasionally hired them when she needed some beast to be killed for an ingredient, a pelt/hide, or if it was generally causing problems and it would look good for her to stop those problems. she pays them well and, on one occasion, joined them to take down a particularly bothersome drake. bull missed that fight though 😔

if anyone would like more or to share their own, feel free to send in an ask <3!!

[elfbotanist]

working on my version of veilguard, so far it goes like:

act 1:

exactly the same. inquisitor lavellan hired people who were unpredictable to track down Solas. And they did, untill that plan backfired. Well, shit. Solas is trapped. Evunaris are blighting the world with their two blighted dragons.

Solas continues to advice rook and rook informs the inquisitor. We need the wardens. But the first warden hates the inquisitor as much as he hates rook. Inquisitor is a wise woman, she knows she can talk down first warden so she does exactly that (you can do that as rook in game so why not as inquisitor? I seriously don't know why this game won't work if inquisitor was the protagonist but anyways it is what it is. Let's continue)

act 2: 

after weisshaupt's fall, thousands of wardens dead, inquisitor realises this is not going to work. A group of seven misfits cannot win a war against immortal gods. They had an army, a network of spies and alliances with two nations when they were fighting corypheus... they need that strength once again. So time for inquisition 2.0 (kinda makes sense why different provinces/organisations will be willing to make an alliance with a former hero with a name than a random kid). So rook has some ground work to do while the inquisitor sets up the new inquisition at the lighthouse, which is much easier because they got dreadwolf's eluvian. The lighthouse was the heart of Solas' rebellion and now it's functioning as that once again. Lighthouse servers its purpose. Every adviser is there, inquisitor herself now acts like an adviser and rook gets the job done.

But you cannot win a war against immortal "gods" without having an immortal "god" on your own team, right? You need everyone on your side, even the people you can't trust fully. Inquisitor understands this and some members of the inquisition, that is Cassandra, is more than willing to get Solas out of that prison and have a "talk" about varric. And Cole needs someone who can understand him "i do not understand...the demon behind the crow's eyes is a friend or a foe?". So the inquisitor makes a deal with the dreadwolf. Freedom in exchange of his alliance.

They track down the dragons. With the help of our new dragon hunter, remaining wardens, what's left of inquisition army, the crows/shadow dragons and the dreadwolf himself. Rook manages to kill the dragons and wound Ghilan'nain with minimum loss of life.

In Arlathan, Rook et al infiltrates venatori's ritual. At lighthouse Solas senses that Elgar'nan has trapped Rook and their companions. He informs the inquisitor that he can help...Inquisitor suprised from his eagerness to help rook of all people (whose daily agenda is to annoy Solas to death) is hesitant. Solas says he wants to save the elves just like inquisitor wants to save her people.

"There is no other motive behind my plea other than saving innocents from being sacrificed for Elgar'nan's sadistic whims, like I did during my rebellion...Trust me vhenan. I know his mind"

So rather than Rook just telling Lavellan that "Oh Solas is good. You should totally try to redeem him". I'd rather have Adviser Inquisitor Lavellan and Adviser Solas slowly grow close to each other once again, like they did back in skyhold. A perfect parallel.

We all know he can't help but rizz her again with his fade talk

"Allow me to show you something, Inquisitor"

"You and your sweet fade talk"

"No fade tongue this time"

They relive all dai solavellan scenes... Even the crestwood scene. (These parallel moments with her are important because we know she almost changed his mind. That's why he ran away. Avoided her like plague for last 10 years because she has that power. To change his mind. And reliving dai moments with her is going to be the catalyst when we have to stop him in the end and redeem him)

It's here, in the garden, she mentions the letter he had sent. He finally... FINALLY tells her everything. His past, the titans, the veil, the evunaris, the dagger, the blight... his people... him being a former spirit of wisdom... Everything. Lavellan connects the dots and asks if this is why he was so hurt when his friend, a spirit of wisdom was corrupted, because it was personal, because it was his trauma. All new, faded for her.

"Forced to do something against its purpose, fighting... Is that what happened to you vhenan?"

"... Yes"

"But you were always Wisdom to us, to me. My Solas. My wisdom. Everyday at haven and skyhold...I saw the real you. I saw Wisdom. The self you're always mourning. I loved all of you. I still do."

"Your empathy is a blessing. Your spirit pure and unmarred."

"I am only human, Solas. And so are you"

"That I am. A broken man."

"Not to me my love."

act 3:

Eclipse takes place. Solas and Rook kill Ghilan'nain but Neve/Bellara is lost. With the strength of the new inquisition and its allies, it is much easier to get in Minrathous. Rook and companions along with Inquisitor and Solas fight the blight. Solas tells Rook and Inquisitor the blight can sense him, some intelligence is controlling the blight tendril. They need to get to Archon's Palace and kill Elgar'nan with the dagger, while he fight the archdemon.

"What? On your own?"

"Don't be afraid, vhenan. All these years... My feelings for you, they never changed. Ar lath ma"

There's pain in his eyes, like that night in Crestwood. She's not sure what he means.

"Solas..."

" Now go with rook. When next we meet, let us be standing over Elgar'nan's body!"

"Woooow... Your husband is a... dog?"

"That's a wolf rook and he's not my husband"

"He is huge though"

"And fluffy..."

"Inquisitor, you can dream about petting your wolf husband after we're done here."

"He's not my-"

"LET'S GOOOO!"

If Solas is Wisdom, then he is also Pride. In Emmrich words "He is however, a former spirit. Solas cannot help but listen to appeals to his nature... his yearning for reflection." And his duty to save his people. So one last betrayal from the dreadwolf. Blighted Neve/Bellara informs that killing Elgar'nan will destroy the veil.

"Of course he lied! I knew something was wrong... his eyes. He's a terrible liar"

"Inquisitor what are we supposed to do?"

"We stick to the plan, Rook. I'll deal with Solas"

*outside dreadwolf cries in pain*

"Solas..."

"Inquisitor, Solas will do his part. We must press on forward.

"Yes Cassandra, but I need you and Cole with me."

"I understand. Always with you inquisitor."

Inquisitor, Casandra and Cole fight the blight and darkspawns, helping rook and companions get to Elgar'nan.

But Solas can't win alone. Blighted Neve/Bellara uses her power to free Solas and he kills the archdemon, making Elgar'nan mortal. Rook and companions kills him and the veil starts disintegrating.

"I am sorry for this final betrayal. But when you'll see the old world restored..."

Rook persuades Solas. He relents but it's not enough.

"I cannot. To stop now would dishonour those I have wronged to come this far"

"Even if those you've wronged asked you to stop?"

"Vhenan..."

"You think you've gone too far to come back. But you're wrong! I am here, walking the dinan'shiral with you!"

"I lied. I betrayed you."

"I forgive you. All you need to do is stop!"

"Ir abelas vhenan. But I cannot."

(I had to add my boy)

*Cole*

"They sleep, masked in a mirror, hiding, hurting, and to wake them I must burn down the sky again. Break the old chains. But it's not enough. Never enough. This world is too real."

"Cole?"

*Cassandra*

"You need to stop"

"But Varric...."

"Not your fault completely. Honour the death of your friend. All those years ago. When I asked what do you believe in, and you said you believed in People. We are people. Have faith in us, Solas"

*Cole*

"I long for my home, my people, my world. But here is also home. Here is home. She is home. Vhenan, my heart. Ar lath, ma vhenan. Wherever you are, there is my heart. Wherever you are, I am home. She is home and my heart and a cold fortress in the mountains that shines so brightly because she shines, she has made it home and they were together, the Inquisition, my family.... You are not alone Solas"

*Lavellan*

"Banal nadas. Ar lath ma vhenan"

Solas breaks and binds himself to the veil. Vows to keep it intact, protect innocents and help with the blight.

He's ashamed. So ashamed but he needs her to know his sincerity. Needs her to know that he can be that man she fell in love with. Her Solas, as she has said that night in the garden. So he looks at her finally, in her eyes and says. "I will go now and seek atonement." It's a promise, of a better duty, a better path, for her.

"But you do not have to go alone"

"Ar ghilas vir banal"

"Tel banal ara'ma vir shiral ma'lasa. bellanaris"

"Bellanaris"

~

And now we turn to my beautiful city

Black skies changed into blue

And my love is so wise and so pretty

I no longer dream of her

cause she is real

she is here

she is mine

And I am whole

[bg3daydream]

Rumors and Facts 2/3 (Solavellan Fanfiction)

Solas x Female Inquisitor Lavellan Fanfiction.

Summary: +18 (Rated explicit) Lavellan is tired of the rumors that she hears around Skyhold regarding her relationship with Solas, and with all the gossip surrounding her at the Winter Palace. It's nobody's business, and besides, she's done hiding.

There's 3 chapters, with chapters 1 and 3 containing smut, and there's fluff through the whole fic. Chapter 1 is set in Skyhold and chapters 2 and 3 are set in the Winter Palace.

Find chapter 1 and chapter 3 Masterlist of my fics / AO3

Lavellan hadn’t been at the Winter Palace for more than ten minutes, she hadn’t even gone past the gardens and into the palace itself, and she was already fed up with people. They stared at her with no shame, neither had they any shame to talk about her as if she weren’t there, not caring that she heard their venomous comments.

Some were doubting she was actually the Inquisitor, considering she was dalish, while others had no problem calling her a savage elf. She wanted to snap at them, make them eat their words, and it was probably obvious on her face. Josephine was hovering near her, looking half-apologetic for what they were saying, half-alarmed that the Inquisitor may talk back.

Solas moved closer to Lavellan, though he didn’t touch her. He’d kept his hands to himself since approaching the palace, and Lavellan knew that both he and Josephine didn’t want the Inquisitor’s reputation maybe taking a hit by rumors of her and the elven apostate. Lavellan understood and yet, it was difficult to agree.

“Don’t concern yourself with them,” Solas told her quietly. “Not worthy.”

Lavellan took a deep breath and nodded. She could do this. She’d done worse and faced enemies more dangerous. She’d walked out of the Fade alive, twice. She’d survived all that, she could not only survive this but come on top too. She’d trained with Josephine, and so no matter she felt revolted by it, she’d play this so-called Game as she’d taught her and come out victorious.

“I’ll go first, say I’m the bodyguard,” the Iron Bull said, stepping in front of her and Josephine, and behind Cullen, who seemed rather uncomfortable too. “So everyone can look first at the big, mean qunary and be too busy to talk bullshit about you too.”

As so many times before, Lavellan felt a rush of affection and gratitude for her qunary friend. He wouldn’t have to suffer all this, the ball, the looks, and the talks, Lavellan wouldn’t have asked, but he’d offered when he’d seen her worry.

Dorian had offered too, and he had joined Josephine in her preparation of Lavellan for this. He said he too had experience with balls and mean gossiper aristocrats, and with people saying horrible things about you to your face, and that he knew how to navigate that world. Lavellan knew it to be true, but like with Iron Bull, she hadn’t wished Dorian to have to go through this, she knew people would give him a hard time for being tevinter and a mage. He’d insisted.

Everything was a mess and she hated where she was, but Lavellan had to admit, she’d good advisors and companions, and better friends. She was grateful for it.

Dorian was right behind her, seeming unpreoccupied and relaxed, though Lavellan wasn’t sure how much of it was facade. Two women were staring at him with wrinkled noses while clearly talking to each other about him. Dorian first gave them a polite nod, then a wink, which seemed to ruffle them more.

“Aaah…just like being back home,” Dorian said with mocked cheerfulness. “Just stand proud, Inquisitor, but be charming and polite…they’ll have it harder to attack you then, and it’d make them madder.”

“Let’s get inside,” Josephine said quietly, her polite smile not faltering as she endured comments about the Inquisition, greeting people and navigating Lavellan and the others through them. “Leliana’s already there, and we better keep an eye on Gaspar.”

*

Once inside, things hadn’t gone better. So much gossip and mean-spirited conversation, along with so many people wanting to talk to the Inquisitor about this and that. There were also those who refused to acknowledge her, like she were blighted. Lavellan didn’t know what was worse, and there was still no word on the potential infiltrators threatening the empress' life.

At least, she’d gotten to see Leliana playing the Game, she seemed so different from Skyhold, and she encouraged Lavellan to gather more gossip. She said it was leverage against nobles and it’d help them in Court, but Lavellan thought she enjoyed the gossip too, even if just a bit.

She’d also had the chance to meet Josephine’s sister, nice yet so different from her, and to hear her talk about Josephine’s childhood was as delightful for Lavellan as mortifying for Josephine.

“Everything alright, Inquisitor?” 

Josephine asked as she wandered towards her yet again, after she was cornered by some nobles who seemed to believe she ought to do something about the ideas their elven servants may get now that the Inquisitor was an elf.

She’d walked away, which was not polite, but it was better than whatever she may have said to them, she didn’t think she’d have been able to keep it nice. If she’d opened her mouth, Josephine’d have probably had a heart attack.

At least they were not openly ogling her and lusting after her like the group that had cornered poor Cullen. He seemed so uncomfortable and out of place…maybe she should make up some emergency and rescue him. 

“It’s bad that I wish assassins would show up already and all this can end?” She said, and Josephine’s sister let out a giggle. Lavellan knew she didn’t understand why she didn’t enjoy the ball, though, she was elated to be there.

“Everything’s calm for now,” Josephine said, looking around as she smiled and waved politely.

“Yes, our people haven’t reported anything yet.” Maybe she could go ask Cullen again, but she had no desire to try to navigate the people gathered around him. “Do you think I could go back to the hall and gardens, talk to the others, try to find something? I’m of no use here.” She was getting antsy with the waiting and so many eyes and sharp tongues on her.

“Sure, but be back when you hear the bell, don't be late, please Inquisitor.” It sounded more like a command than a polite request. Lavellan liked it when Josephine got bossy, she jokingly called it “polite threatening.”

“Promised.”

*

Outside the main ballroom, there was gossip and staring too, although less eyes were on her as people seemed engrossed talking to each other.

Lavellan saw Solas near a window, leaning against a column, glass in hand. He seemed more at ease and content than she’d expected. She made her way to him, trying to blend in and not attract attention.

“Hey.”

“Inquisitor.” Solas gave her a polite nod.

“How are you? Are you being treated well?” Lavellan could ignore the comments about her, even if they made her mad, but if they talked badly about someone she loved, she wasn’t sure she could keep it civil much longer.

Solas shrugged and smiled. “The Orlesians don’t quite know what to make of me. I try not to give them room to critique the Inquisition on my account.” He lifted his drink to his lips. “The food and drink are excellent, however, and the servants are happy to refill my glass.”

“Why’d you have them introduce you as the Inquisitors’ elven servant?” Lavellan asked, it’d annoyed her.

“Am I not but your servant, Lady Inquisitor Lavellan?” Solas joked and Lavellan huffed, rolling her eyes.

She couldn’t help a small smile, though, she loved it when Solas’ eyes wrinkled when he was amused sometimes, like now, but there was also something else in his eyes, that reminded her of how he looked at her when she was at his desk…Lavellan better not recall that if she wanted to keep her composure.

“Well…someone did call you ‘the Inquisitor’s pet mage’ so…” She tried to joke back, but it made her grimace, she’d wanted to use an anchor blast on that gossiper couple, if that was even possible. “Seriously, though, you could have just told them you were an Inquisition mage.” There was already gossip about the Inquisition employing apostates anyway.

“Have you seen how these people treat their elven servants?” Solas said and Lavellan nodded, it sickened her. “They act like they’re not people. Then they’re careless, talking about everything around their servants as if they can’t hear them. I’d hoped they’d do the same around me, that they’d say things they wouldn’t in front of you and your advisors, so maybe I could learn something useful for you. Leliana agreed,” Solas explained. “Sadly, I don’t have the look of one of their servants, so it’s not working.”

“That's smart.” Lavellan had to admit it, but she still hated hearing people call Solas her servant.

“If you want to find something useful, pay attention to the servants,” Solas said, raising his glass, and one of the servants came to refill it, although she avoided the Inquisitor’s eyes. Solas took a sip of his wine and relaxed against the column again, looking around the room, seeming so calm and collected, Lavellan was envious with how on edge she’d been feeling.

“You seem more comfortable with a grand Orlesian ball than I’d have expected.”

“I’ve seen countless such displays in my journeys in the Fade. The powerful have always been the same, only the costumes change.”

“Oh, that’s right, your Fade balls and dancing with spirits,” Lavellan half-teased. “So… you’re dancing with me tonight, right?”

Solas sighed. “I wish. But you need to win these people over and dancing with an elven apostate will win you few favors here. Perhaps later, when this is over?”

“Later…” Lavellan arched an eyebrow and leaned closer to Solas, lowering her voice so nobody else could hear her. “So, when this is over, you’ll come to my room and we can dance, then?”

Solas leaned towards her too. “Perhaps,” he said quietly, looking at her in a way that made her heart almost skip a beat, and warmth spread through Lavellan.

They hadn’t done anything like that night at Solas’ rotunda again. With everyone busy preparing everything for the ball, eyes and ears everywhere, and so much of her time devoted to it, for the last few days, they’d been lucky if they got a moment for themselves.

Then, during the journey to the palace, Solas had kept his distance. Lavellan understood why but she didn’t think it mattered, pretty much everyone accompanying them seemed to know about them, and the nobles at court were going to gossip anyway.

At least, they had the Fade. Lavellan wasn’t sure how it worked, but whenever they both were asleep, more often than not, either one of them seemed able to wander into the other’s dream, and so they could spend time together, away from everyone else.

Lavellan was pretty content letting Solas walk her around the Fade, to snuggle to him while he told her things about it, but she couldn’t wait for the chance to be alone with him out of dreams again too.

It might not be proper, sneaking Solas into the Inquisitor’s bed, but she didn’t care. She felt silly butterflies fluttering in her belly at the thought of it…whether things turned more intimate or not, at least she’d try her best to sleep next to Solas that night.

Solas looked to the side and pulled back and away from Lavellan, straightening. She looked in that direction too and noticed a couple of nobles eyeing them with interest. She was about to tell Solas that she didn’t care that they might stare and talk about them, but probably Solas what right, whether she liked it or not, that evening she needed that people’s support.

“I hope you enjoy the ball, Inquisitor,” Solas said, dismissing her, and Lavellan tried not to sigh. “Don’t let me take more of your time.”

“I’ll see if I can find anything useful,” Lavellan said, back to business…they had a job to do there, after all, preventing a murder seemed more important than mingling with nobles showing off like peacocks. “Be ready, I’ll let you all know if I find something.”

Solas nodded and Lavellan turned to leave. “Hunt well,” Solas said as she walked away, and Lavellan couldn’t help her smirk at him.

She looked around to room. Some nobles were talking to each other, seeming quite busy to pay attention to her. She should try to eavesdrop on what seemed like an important conversation. Others were trying to pretend that they were not looking and talking about her, while others openly stared.

She spotted the Iron Bull by the end of the room, eating some of those bittersweet nuts, and she approached him.

“How are you doing, Bull?”

He grunted, popping another nut into his mouth. “These nobles keep trying to mess with me thinking I don’t know what they’re doing. If we don’t find something to kill soon, I may use one of their skulls as my new fancy mask.”

Lavellan knew she shouldn’t, but she snorted a giggle. “I feel you.”

“Yeah, I see how they look at you, and the bullshit they say to your face,” Iron Bull scoffed, shaking his head. “Any news?”

“Nothing regarding the assassins. You’re the Ben-Hassrath, tell me what you’ve seen.”

She was half-joking, but she trusted the Iron Bull instinct and experience for this. She didn’t think any assassins could wander around without him noticing it, just like she trusted Solas and Dorian would notice it if there was something magical going on.

“I’ll tell you what I’ve seen.” the Iron Bull's serious look turned amused. “I’ve seen you and Solas, just right now. You two start making out? Not even me and my horns can distract people from it.”

“Iron Bull!” 

Lavellan scolded him with a hissed whisper, even though she knew it was her fault that she had leaned a bit too close to Solas, her mind full of daydreams...probably the Iron Bull didn’t have any trouble reading all her thoughts about Solas just by looking at her. 

“Please don’t start, I have enough with Sera and Dorian.”

“I don’t judge, boss,” the Iron Bull kept his friendly teasing. “You deserve a good tumble later on for dealing with this vipers' nest.”

“Shh!” Lavellan hushed him, embarrassed and worried that someone might hear him, but she couldn’t help the silly giggle that escaped her lips. Would Solas think too that she deserved a good tumble? “Stop it!”

“Alright, alright…but I have nothing of use for you.” Iron Bull shrugged. “All I can tell you is who hates who, who fancies who, who’s sleeping with whom…”

“Tell all that to Leliana, she seems to think all this gossip will be useful for us…I think she enjoys it too.”

“Got it, boss.”

*

By the end of the evening, Lavellan had dealt with several attempted assassinations and several actual murders, she’d been asked once again to decide on things that’d affect people way beyond her reach, and politics had once more changed.

Yet, to her amazement, the ball kept going, now celebrating what was supposedly a victory for Orlais. Lavellan couldn’t understand these people. But sure, most of the victims had been servant elves, so what would the Orlesian nobles care for it, beyond being understaffed. This place still sickened Lavellan, even if she’d tried to play The Game to win, and she succeeded.

She was now at the balcony, alone, feeling tired and done, hoping she’d mingled with the nobles enough, she didn’t think she could keep her polite mask much longer. She’d just finished dealing with Morrigan, whom Lavellan still didn’t know what to think about, when Solas walked into the balcony.

“I’m not surprised to find you here,” Solas said, placing a hand on the small of her back. “Are you alright, vhenan?”

Lavellan nodded. “I’m just tired. I think I’ve done enough chatting and pretending around to win these people’s favor and support for the Inquisition.” She didn’t want to let her advisors down, but she didn’t think she could keep going with it for much longer that night.

“You did.” Solas nodded with a smile. “I heard some people saying how delightful the Inquisitor is.”

“You’re kidding.” Lavellan frowned but Solas shook his head no. “Oh, then, they meant delightful for a savage elf.”

Solas chuckled, shaking his head again and pulling her close with the hand on her back to give her lips a soft kiss, and Lavellan felt like she was able to relax for the first time that evening. When he pulled back, he vowed at her.

“Dance with me, vhenan.”

No matter how tired she was, Lavellan couldn’t help her smile and the butterflies in her belly. “I’d love to.”

Solas smiled too, pulling her close, and for a while, they danced together to the muffled sound of the band, coming from the ballroom. Lavellan’d have happily danced with him for the remaining of the ball, perhaps with stops here and there to kiss him again, but Dorian’s voice interrupted them.

“Nice form, I wasn’t expecting you to know how to dance, Solas,” he teased and Solas brisked, pulling away from Lavellan. “It doesn’t suit the whole hobo apostate thing you have going on.”

Solas glared at Dorian and Lavellan knew he was about to snap, so she talked first. “Shut it you both, no mage bickering at the Winter Palace.” She tried to sound as commanding as Josephine.

“It was a compliment.” Dorian shrugged with a teasing smile.

“I’m not putting up with two tipsy mages arguing,” Lavellan teased back, but who knew, if they started with their who’s got the biggest staff contest, they may send the whole place into the Fade somehow.

“I’m not tipsy!” Solas huffed, sounded almost offended, and Lavellan tried not to laugh but she couldn’t help her snort.

“Yes, you are.” She smiled, reaching to cup Solas' cheek. “But I think you look adorable like this.” Solas looked like he might snap but all he did was lean into her touch as she caressed his cheek, proving her point.

“Please, have some decency, I’m still right here,” Dorian said in mocked offense. Lavellan knew he didn’t judge or mind their relationship, and she knew she could count on his support.

“Did someone send you to come fetch me?” Lavellan sighed, her smile and joking tone has gone at the idea of having to go back inside.

“Afraid so.” Dorian gave her a sympathetic look. “Some have noticed your absence and are inquiring Josephine about it. Still, she didn’t want to force you back if you don’t feel like it.”

“No, I… I’ll be back in a moment.” Lavellan sighed. She was the Inquisitor, her advisors and companions shouldn’t have to deal with inquiring people and worried or plainly nosy nobles. The night was almost over, she could keep going for a bit longer.

“Besides, it seemed you owed some dances?” Dorian asked, smirking and chuckling at Lavellan’s grimace. “I’ll get going, I might need to save Cullen, I heard someone trying to convince him how marriage with his youngest daughter was the best plan of action.”

Lavellan couldn’t help her sympathetic smile. Poor Cullen was having a horrible night, he’d hated every second of it, without even the chance to escape the nobles to fight the assassins.

“Please, go save my commander.”

Dorian vowed to them, half joking but equally charming anyway, and he turned back into the palace.

“We should get back too,” Lavellan said regretfully, taking Solas’ hand as if for moral support and giving it a gentle tug. “I’ll talk and dance with whoever I have to but save my last dance for you, come on.”

Solas let go of her hand. “We shouldn’t. You just earned these people's favor, if you’re seen with the elven apostate now and they talk-”

“They’re already talking,” Lavellan interrupted. She was tired of everyone acting like they had a say on her love life or if she was allowed one. “I’m pretty sure. That orlesian couple who’s always at Skyhold’s hall is here, and they’ve been talking about us for a while, I’m sure they’ve been happy to gossip about us to anyone willing to listen.”

She’d always found that couple nosy and annoying, but the Inquisitor couldn’t really ask the orlesians nobles to leave without causing some ruffle.

“They’ve been talking about us?” Solas seemed half-surprised, half-horrified, and Lavellan tried not to smile.

He usually knew everything that was going on, he always had an answer for everything, yet he seemed so clueless about it, Lavellan had to wonder where his head had been.

“Yes,” she confirmed. “At first it seemed we weren’t interesting enough, being just these two savage elves…” She mocked an expression of disdain, like the nobles had been wearing when they first saw her at the palace, and she was glad when Solas’ eyes wrinkled. “They much preferred a highborn scandal.”

At first, Lavellan hadn’t really realized they were talking about her, but from then on, she’d noticed them staring at her when they thought she wasn’t looking, whispering and quietly giggling, and so she’d caught on…it wasn’t surprising after the rumors at the tavern, but annoying nonetheless.

“But then it seemed we caught their interest. Apparently, there’s been ‘exchanges’ between us’.” She was still not sure of what they were even talking about, and she shrugged when Solas arched a questioning eyebrow. “Apparently we’ve been exchanging gifts of a short, betrothals even.”

“And I had no idea we were!” Solas pretended to be shocked and Lavellan laughed, although she felt flustered that people were gossiping about betrothals, and she was glad Solas wasn’t asking about it. She wondered if it might fluster him too.

“They’re just nosy gossipers,” Lavellan said, trying not to dwell on the actual gossip. “But…with them around, I’m sure people’s talking about us.”

“I am sorry, vhenan, the Inquisitor’s reputation-”

“Stop with that and don’t be sorry,” Lavellan interrupted him. “I am not sorry for one of the very few good things in my life right now and I don’t care what people think about it, I’m not going to hide.”

It seemed Solas was going to say something, some sort of emotion seemed to go through his eyes at her words, but he didn’t, and instead, he leaned to kiss her.

“You know,” Lavellan began when their lips parted. “In my clan, you should only exchange gifts with your family and your spouse or betrothal.” Of course, as so many other social rules, more often than not they tended to ignore it and give gifts to friends. “And kissing someone you’re not bonded to? Tsk, tsk…If these rumors reach my clan, I'm in bigger trouble than with these orlesians hearing them,” she joked.

Solas smiled softly at her joking, but he seemed pensive, as if her words had given him thought, and Lavellan half regretted telling him about it. She couldn’t help but wonder, though, what would her clan make of Solas and their relationship… She’d not seen them in so long, sometimes she wondered if she’d ever be back. 

She didn’t want to think about it right now, she had enough on her plate, and so she reached for Solas' hand again and put on a smile.

“Come on…time we went back to charm these people.”

*

NA:

You can think they went have and behave all proper or you can think they went back and...held hands sometimes, so scandalous, maybe even danced. I hope she danced not only with Solas but with Dorian and Iron Bull too, quite the scandal, but she might be throw out of court.

I worked hard on this fic, it was out of my comfort zone, and I hope some of you can enjoy it, please check the other chapters if you missed them and thanks for taking the time to read this.

If you liked it, please let me know in a comment, and as always, reblogs are more than welcome.

I'm not usually a smut writer, it's not my thing, I'm usually a fluff, hurt/comfort person, but I don't know what Solavellan has done to me.

I hope they can have their happy ending, but I'll have to write it if they don't.

Excuse my English, it’s not my first language.

[fenharelsfang]

Remember this post?

I said I was getting it drawn and I finally have the finished product!

I want to thank @drawinglinestoconstellations for this beautiful, beautiful rendition of that little scene in my head. Everything about this is perfect, from the ambiance to the characters, to the magic and the ghostly spirit form of Solas behind Ellana. I love it so much!!! Please, if you're looking for art, you NEED to commission @drawinglinestoconstellations !!

Here's her carrd to see all the platforms she posts on:

Now, here's a draft of the scene I envisioned:

“When did you realize you were in love with me?”

The question broke apart the companionable silence as spring breaks the ice. Ellana and Solas lounged in her room on her plush, Orlesian bed, his head in her lap as she ran her fingers along every groove and curve of the wolf jaw bone necklace that was a staple of his outfit. He had his eyes closed, enjoying the cool breeze wafting in from the open balcony window, bringing with it the earthy scent of the herbs in the garden below. Every now and then, he felt her fingers brushing over his face when her interest moved from the necklace to counting the freckles across his cheeks. 

Ellana stopped fidgeting and gazed down at him, wondering if he had fallen asleep. Then a divet formed between his brows and his cheeks warmed against her fingertips. Red bloomed in his cheeks as he opened his eyes.

“What’s that look for?” Ellana asked with a laugh, tilting her head to the side. “Are you blushing?”

“I am not,” he replied defensively, even though the evidence was plain as day.

“Then tell me,” she encouraged, an easy smile on her face and a glint of amusement in her eyes.

He hesitated once more and wished he could hide beneath Ellana's golden hair draping around his head.

“Very well,” he finally conceded. “First, a confession: I had been noticing you leaving Skyhold in the pre-dawn hours. Curiosity got the better of me, so one morning I followed to see where you would go.”

“What were you doing awake so early?”

“... Vhenan, is that what concerns you? Not the obvious breach of your privacy?”

“Oh, right. How far did you follow me?”

“All the way to the clearing in the forest down the mountain.”

The realization brought Ellana's face to the same shade as his. Embarrassment flooded her veins. “All the way there? Then you saw–”

“Indeed,” Solas admitted. He found the glow of her face endearing. “You needn't be embarrassed, vhenan. After all, when I saw you dancing is when I truly fell in love with you.”

Her eyes widened in shock. “Really?”

“Yes,” he said, his expression now full of earnest conviction. “You danced with a grace and beauty I have not seen for a very long time. Weaving your magic, you shone like the very Fade itself. I was enchanted. It reminded me of the purest spirits I encountered in the deepest reaches of the Fade. It felt like home.”

Ellana was breathless, his words rolling against her as waves on the shore. He truly had a gift with words. “...Home?” she questioned. He only mentioned once that he grew up in a small village to the north. A village that respected spirits? Was he from Rivain maybe? Nevarra?

She watched as his eyes glazed over, his attention dragged to a painful past. His sorrow was a black abyss with no bottom and she felt it in the very marrow of her bones. It killed her when those memories, whatever they were, possessed him. They held him fleetingly, only a hairs breadth of a moment and then the cloud passed from his eyes and they brightened with love and warmth.

“Yes,” he said. “I spend so much time in the Fade that it feels more real to me than my own home. Only you rival that feeling.”

Shyness took hold and she turned her face from him. “Sweet talker,” she murmured as a contemplative silence fell over them. Then she met his gaze once more and cupped his cheeks in her hands. “Come with me next time,” she offered.

Solas stared up at her in wonder. He sat up and turned towards her. She moved with him, but was distracted by the plans she was making.

“We could have a picnic and dance. Sometimes wisps visit and join me. Maybe together we could attract other spirits to dance with, or, you know, we could just swim or enjoy th– mmf!”

Before she knew it, his lips were on hers, his fingers in her hair. She melted into the kiss and desire settled into her core as he tilted her chin up to deepen it, his tongue gliding along hers. Light-headed, she gripped his shirt for support and found that it ended way too soon. Lids heavy with contentment, she slowly opened her eyes and found him smiling at her. The love for her shining in his eyes had her glad she was sitting on the bed because it made her knees weak.

“What was that for?” she whispered, licking her swollen lips.

He chuckled, amused by her winded response. “You continue to surprise me, vhenan, that's all,” he said. “I've been wanting to ask to join you, but I felt it wasn't right. Admittedly, I followed you more than once. Sometimes I feel you know me better than anyone ever has and I greatly appreciate that. I appreciate you.” 

Her face softened into a smile as she rested a hand against his cheek, caressing it with the pad of her thumb. He closed his eyes and she leaned in to press a gentle kiss against his lips.

“Tomorrow morning?” 

“I'd like that,” he replied as he lowered her down onto the bed.

If they could untangle themselves and get out of bed in the morning. 

[knifecalledlust]

skyhold garden

--

on the rare occasion she wasn't occupied with inquisition duties, she'd spend time in the fortress' garden, keeping her hands and mind busy