#teiran lavellan

[teiranlavellan]

OC Body Language

(*)Teiran Lavellan & Aedan Cousland

DEFENSIVENESS.

*arms crossed on chest / crossing legs / fist-like gestures / pointing index finger / karate chops / stiffening of shoulders / tense posture / curling of lip / baring of teeth

REFLECTIVE.

hand-to-face gestures / *head tilted / stroking chin / peering over glasses / taking glasses off; cleaning / putting earpiece of glasses in mouth / pipe smoker gestures / putting hand to bridge of nose / pursed lips / *knitted brows

SUSPICION.

arms crossed / sideways glance / touching or rubbing nose / rubbing eyes / hands resting on weapon / *brows raising / lips pressing into a thin line / *strict, unwavering eye contact / wrinkling of nose / narrowed eyes

CONFIDENCE.

hands behind back / hands on lapels of coat / steepled hands / baring teeth in a grin / rolling shoulders / tipping head back but maintaining eye contact / chest puffed up / shoulders back / arms folded just above navel / wide eyes / *standing akimbo

INSECURITY & ANXIETY.

chewing pen or pencil / rubbing thumb over opposite thumb / biting fingernails / biting lips / hands in pockets / elbow bent / *closed gestures / clearing throat / “whew” sound / picking or pinching flesh / fidgeting in chair / hand covering mouth whilst speaking / poor eye contact / tugging pants whilst seated / jingling money in pockets / tugging at ear / perspiring hands / playing with hair / swaying / playing with pointer; marker; cane / smacking lips / rocking on balls of feet / flexing or cracking fingers sporadically

ANGER & FRUSTRATION.

short breaths / *“tsk” sounds / tightly-clenched hands / fist-like gestures / pointing index finger / rubbing hand through hair / rubbing back of neck / snarling / revealing teeth / grimacing / sharp-eye glowers / notable tension in brow / *shoulders back, head up; defensive posturing / *clenching of jaw / grinding teeth / nostrils flaring / heavy exhales/ *sighing

[teiranlavellan]

Cat Nap

@tevivinter asked: For DAWC: 39. Napping in the sunshine

@honestlywilde asked: (Talesfromthefade) Rogue Lessons for the Mage

@contreparry asked: For the DADWC: Cats in Skyhold!

@dadrunkwriting

I live! It's been so long since I posted. Thank you all for your prompts and I hope you enjoy this feline POV!

One of the clowder of cats that called Skyhold home was a brown and grey tabby with a mangled ear who some called Lucky due to its survival from whatever had attacked it prior to its arrival at the keep and others called it Bailey because it could often be found along the outer wall bathing in the sunlight.

The Inquisitor had taken in all who wandered to Skyhold, even the cats who came, went, and sometimes stayed. Though the cats were officially sanctioned as protection against rats and snakes in the barns and cellars, it had all supposedly started when the Inquisitor brought a kitten back from a mission. But that was just a rumor. Officially.

The tabby named Bailey or Lucky was just now enjoying the luxurious sunshine of a clear day on the outer wall when it’s snooze was interrupted by an unusual break in the routine of Skyhold. The cat opened one eye to stare reproachfully at the disturbance. As usual, it was the Inquisitor. Every time they returned to Skyhold the rhythm of life shifted to a faster, more chaotic pulse. Lucky or Bailey closed their eyes defiantly, wishing the loud voices would cease so as to not to force the cat to find a quieter—just as warm—patch of stone wall. An impossible and odious task to a cat well settled.

“So. What’s wrong with you?” Skinner asked Inquisitor Lavellan while casually observing the keen point of her dagger, “You want to kill shems close-up now or what?”

The Iron Bull burst into laughter, earning an unnoticed glare from Bailey or Lucky atop the wall the Qunari and elves were having this discussion.

Teiran Lavellan adjusted her grip on Cole’s borrowed dagger, asking the spirit to teach her prior to asking Skinner had ended rather as expected: quickly and in confusion. Cole couldn’t understand why Teiran couldn’t feel where the dagger should go and Teiran had left with the dagger and not much else.

“I just. . . don’t want to be helpless if they get that close.” Teiran replied softly to Skinner’s aggressive questions.

The Iron Bull stopped laughing and Skinner’s dark eyes narrowed as she stalked towards Teiran.

Teiran stood her ground with a determined expression as she let Skinner circle her.

As she did, Skinner muttered to herself about her assessment of the inadequacies of the elven mage’s physicality and their lack of an assassin’s scrappy will. “Fine. Watch closely.” Skinner finally announced.

Skinner took off in the direction of the wood and straw dummies behind the Herald’s Rest, followed by Iron Bull and then Teiran.

Lucky or Bailey purred from atop Skyhold’s wall, stretching their toes into the air with pleasure at the noisy people’s departure. Bailey or Lucky napped in the sun until it dropped behind the mountains and shadows heralded the coming of evening and most-importantly: dinner. The tabby stretched and yawned before padding off to the attic of the Herald’s rest where the calm-best-human with the large hat fed all the cats of Skyhold.

[teiranlavellan]

OCs as Mice

If you want to do your own Here

Tagging to do their OCs (if you want to): @ranawaytothedas​, @inquisitor-julia​, @redinkofshame​, @bearly-tolerable​, @buttsonthebeach​, @thevikingwoman​, @shift-shaping​, @ma-sulevin​

Mouse Teiran Lavellan:

Mouse Aedan Cousland:

[teiranlavellan]

Compassion and the Lady of Iron

Thank you @honestly-wilde​ for the prompt!

(Talesfromthefade): “Cole trying to help Vivienne, for the DWC?”

@dadrunkwriting​

Madam Vivienne de Fer stared into the darkness of the canvas tent she shared with three other people in the middle of the forest wilderness.  She had waited, her eyes closed and her hands folded—still visually striking even when in repose—until she heard the semi-silence of sleep from the three tents that housed the Inquisition’s Inner Circle.  She had chosen this tent of her three options because it lacked Blackwall’s stench and Bull’s tendency to take up most of the available space.  Now she listened for the signs that she was relatively alone; the only moments of solitude when traveling with nine companions: Sera’s sleep-mumbling at a predicable broken pace, Teiran’s still-asleep flip from one side to the other and Cassandra’s snore.  She listened to the nocturnal silence outside their tent, the crackle of their ember-filled fire pit being punctuated by various snores and deep breathing. Vivienne was safe.  She could scrub away the invisible mask she always wore.

Fingers running along her soft skin, Vivienne’s façade began to crack and pull away. Bastien’s death had been two weeks ago, but with so much to do at Skyhold, she had made herself believe it didn’t hurt that much.  Not really.  The many threads to pull, cut and tangle amongst the visiting nobles and long-distance contact with Val Royeaux had been a suitable distraction.  But ever since they had left the safety of those ancient, stone walls, Vivienne had felt the bubble of grief begin push its way from beneath the surface.  If she didn’t allow herself some leeway, it would burst at an inopportune time.  So, Madam de Fer had counted on this moment of privacy.

She wept beneath her hands, silently and without a single sob escaping her beautiful lips.  Her heart overflowing with loss, every sentiment she had pushed down and denied leaking through her mute cries.

A voice that wasn’t hers but perfectly mimicking the timbre of her own voice whispered near her head, “Bastien . . . Bastien, how dare you leave me.  How dare you die—It’s alright Vivienne.  I can hel—”

Caught in her moment of vulnerability and sensing a demon in their midst, a stray thought of “Am I in the Fade?” passed through Vivienne’s mind before the blow. Lightening arcing from her palm, she struck above her with the speed and grace of a snake.  Throwing her bedroll aside, Vivienne twisted away from the demon and stood, tears fresh on her face and her finely shaved head brushing the top of the tent’s canvas and pole.

Two screams registered on Vivienne’s right, one following the other.  The mage glanced over and froze in shock.  Sera was hysterical, jumping around like a rabbit caught in a snare.  Teiran’s back was to the enchanter, but the gleam of steel and a knife’s handle protruded grotesquely from the elf’s side.  The horror on Cassandra’s face and the blood on the Seeker’s hands as she held the Inquisitor in place made Vivienne feel as if she had been the one struck by lightning.

Alarmed exclamations and the sound of sleepy confusion outside the tent reached Cassandra’s perception.  The warrior had been plunged headfirst into a crisis, but this wasn’t the first time. She tried to remain calm as the blood pooled around her hand on Teiran’s side, but Sera’s hysterics were jarring her half-asleep mind and the smell of ozone and blood permeated the small space. Looking for aid, Cassandra glanced up at Vivienne, but the enchanter was uncharacteristically frozen in shock and, even more unusual, in tears.  The tent was sliced open as one of Bull’s horns pierced the fabric and then his two meaty, gray hands grabbed and pulled at the wide slash.  The tent fell slack and enveloped them for a brief moment before being flipped off by many hands.  When the fresh night air hit her, Cassandra saw them all stop and stare at the scene lit by Solas’ veil fire.

Solas, clad only in a pair of long pants, was the first to move: a single, hesitant step halfway between the smoldering heap that was Cole and the gasping, bloody mess that was Teiran.  Solas’ face was lined with indecision and reeling with the possibilities; calculating that he could save them both on his own, in this instant if he showed his true capabilities.  His imagination worked out the consequences of his dilemma: either he saved them both right now or risked losing the one he didn’t personally attend to.  However, saving both simultaneously would raise too many questions and then he might lose her in the end.  But could he live with himself if he lost the precious spirit of Compassion to this world of his own creation?  Could he live with himself if he lost the Anchor too?  Solas’ mind railed against his heart, “What was most important to him?”

The eye of the storm, Cassandra took control of the situation.  Drawn by the movement of Solas’ step and seeing the intense swirl of emotions in the typically composed elf, Cassandra decided how best to delegate the healers, “Solas!  Help Cole.” Cassandra moved along the line of faces until she landed on the handsome Tevinter, “Dorian. Help me with her.”

Solas hesitated only for a moment, hovering between mutiny and affront at the decision being made for him, before lithely fade-stepping over to the still-sparking Cole. Checking the spirit for breath, Solas infused as much power behind the healing spell as he dared.

“What happened?” Dorian spat out, yelling over Sera’s string of nearly-incoherent profanities.  

Dorian, wearing a sleeveless robe with a fabric belt, navigated the folds of canvas hiding the contents of the tent until he stepped upon them almost losing his balance in the cramped space.

“Worry about that later.  Vivienne!” Cassandra rounded on the frozen mage in the outline of what was moments before their tent, “Help Dorian.”

Feeling Teiran convulse under her hand, Cassandra braced her.  Dorian kneeled behind the elf.  Teiran coughed blood, her lungs spasming from the puncture of Sera’s knife.

“Ma’am?”  Bull asked cautiously, his eye darting between Dorian and Vivienne.  “Can you walk, ma’am?”

With a swipe of her hand, Vivienne replaced her mask, “Of course dear.”  She held the slit hem of her low-cut dress as she stepped around Sera and sat down beside Dorian, who was muttering agitatedly to himself.  

“No.”  Came the hollow but nonetheless powerful sound emitting from Solas.  He took a step away from Cole and fixed his distant gaze on Vivienne as if he meant to remove her physically from Teiran’s side.  His healing magic was still swirling between his outstretched hand and Cole.  Cole twitched, slowly fading back to consciousness. Solas’ distant gaze, still seeing Cole’s injuries, fell on Cassandra, “Look at what she has done.  We cannot trust her.”

Cassandra looked between Vivienne, Teiran and Solas, then she took hold of the handle of the knife. “Solas, you have enough to deal with healing Cole on your own.  We cannot lose the Inquisitor.  We will deal with that after the danger has passed.”  She turned to Dorian and Vivienne, “Ready.  Now!”  She pulled the dagger free and let it clatter to the ground.  The blood pooled quickly and Teiran slumped unconscious in Cassandra’s arms.  Cassandra, bearing the elf’s weight, gently lowered her on her back.  Dorian and Vivienne followed the body, eyes glazed and green-hued magic swirling and mending.

Solas bared his teeth in frustration, watching the Enchanter closely.  He monitored the internal and external damage being repaired by Dorian and Vivienne from Cole’s side of the tent.  Cole revived under Solas’ hands and took his first shaky breath since being struck.  Solas refocused exclusively on his own patient, sending soothing thoughts and magic to the spirit who was now experiencing a previously unknown facet of having a body: physical pain that cannot be waylaid by will or intent.  Solas reviewed his own first experience in this realm and tried to decide how best to heal Cole’s mind as well as body.

All this time, Sera had continued to stare at the knife, rocking back and forth with her arms wrapped tightly around her knees.  Blackwall stepped up and over to the distraught elf, tucking her under his shoulder, leading her out of the destroyed tent and towards the fire that Varric was building up again.  

Blackwall positioned Sera near the fire.  “This is bad. Bad.  Bad.  Shite. Piss-balls.  I’ve killed her.  I’ve killed Quizzy.” Sera yelled sporadically, sitting on the ground in her underwear.  

Varric sighed heavily at the thought of getting anything out of Buttercup.  Instead the dwarf let Blackwall take over rebuilding the fire and he rejoined the group gathered around the sundered tent.

Seeing Cole’s eyes open and staring, Varric approached and sat opposite Solas, “Kid? Can you hear me, Kid?”

“I still don’t understand.  No matter how I pull at it, the pain won’t go away.”  Cole muttered softly, staring into the stars above rather than looking at either the elf nor the dwarf beside him.

The lines of concentration on Solas’ face deepened, trying to communicate and heal the spirit simultaneously and quickly.

“It’s not that kinda pain, Kid.  You just gotta wait for your body to heal.  But don’t worry, I’ve seen Solas do this before.  It’ll be alright.”  Varric reassured Cole with a hand on the boy’s shoulder.

The sound of glass clinking together announced the return of the Iron Bull.  The Qunari pushed a healing potion into Varric’s hand and then held a blue bottle of lyrium out to Solas.

Eyes still glazed, Solas shook his head, “Give it to Dorian please.  I am almost finished here.”  Solas reached over and grabbed Cassandra’s blanket, throwing it over Cole with an efficient grace. Varric slowly tucked the blanket under Cole’s sides and feet while Solas continued healing the last of Cole’s charred flesh.

Taking a few steps to the right, the Iron Bull kneeled beside Dorian and put a hand on his arm, “Here. Drink this.”

Dorian’s glazed eyes roamed over the uncapped lyrium potion, then one of his bloody hands reached for it.  The mage downed it in three long gulps then returned the blood-smeared vial to Bull. His mustache twitched with the sudden burst of magical energy and his magic took on a more turquoise shade of green as it continued to swirl around the Dalish elf.  Bull handed a red healing potion to Cassandra, who accepted it without taking her eyes off of Teiran’s slack face.  Then Bull stood and came to kneel before Vivienne, offering her a blue vial.

“I have no need of it.  Thank you darling.”  Vivienne refused graciously, never taking her glazed gaze away from the tree line beyond Cassandra’s shoulder.  

Bull grunted and then left the healers to replace the vials in their respective stashes.  Still looking for something to do, Bull pulled the ripped tent completely free of its supports and dragged it over to the newly revived campfire Blackwall had made.  Seeing the rigidity of stress in both Blackwall and Sera, he offered them a thick needle and thread.  Blackwall accepted with a nod, rolling up the sleeves of his shapeless, long nightshirt and the two men began stitching the hole in the tent.  Sera didn’t even look up, her forehead still on her knees.

“Cole?  Can you stand?”  Solas asked, his magic dissipating and his task complete.

           “I can.”  Cole said in his own voice before switching to an imitation of Solas’ voice, “I would see you safe, but I must . . . I need to. . . I need to. . .”  Cole blinked at Solas, “Where did you go?”

           Solas pulled Cole slowly to his feet, then supported his weight under the boy’s shoulder.  Varric lead the way back to the tent he and Cole shared with Iron Bull, holding the tent flap open and then stepping back inside the tent.  Solas tucked Compassion into his bedroll then turned to Varric, “Will you—”

           “I got this Chuckles.  Go help them.”  Varric replaced Solas by Cole’s side.  “Alright Kid, now this is going to taste awful.  But you need to drink it, alright?”  The dwarf said as he uncorked the healing potion.  Solas left them and returned to the other healers, appearing at Cassandra’s side in moments.

           Cassandra started at the elf suddenly next to her, but relaxed when she realized it was just the apostate.  She watched Solas add his healing magic to the other two and marveled at his magical stamina.

           Teiran’s eyes flew open and she struggled to breathe fully, her body shaking and convulsing.  Cassandra and Vivienne held Teiran’s shoulders against the ground in an attempt to keep her body still while the last bits of organ and flesh were healed.

           Solas’ soothing voice broke through Teiran’s sudden distress of consciousness with the calming and foreign sound of Ancient Elven mixing seamlessly with Elven, “You will be able to breathe in a moment.  Lie still and take shallow breaths.”  he instructed, trying to calm her and focus her mind on the challenge of the new language rather than the physical pain.

           Teiran bit her lip and scrunched her face against the pain, trying to block it out and understand what was being said to her but her oxygen-deprived brain swam without focus.

Cassandra gripped Teiran’s shoulder, but it was no longer necessary.  Teiran stayed still of her own will.  The Seeker and turned to Solas, “What was that?”

Ignoring the question, Solas repeated himself with a new mixture of the two elven languages, trying to remember which phrases and words he had already taught Teiran and which ones she would struggle to understand.

Teiran’s breathing came easier as the three mages finally completed their work on her lung and her nearby organs.  Dorian sat back with an exhausted sigh, leaving the other two to do the relatively easy work of stitching the remaining flesh.  When it was done, Vivienne sat back on her heels and narrowed her eyes at the blood soaking her high-collared and embroidered night gown.  With a flick of her hand, she stood and used the dregs of her magical supply to force the liquid from her dress and into the nearby grass.

Solas’ magic still flickered through his grip on Teiran’s left forearm, the Anchor sputtering in response as Solas searched for any flaw in the elf’s healed body.  Once satisfied, he released his grip and turned his lethal gaze on Vivienne, who folded her arms against his condemnation and waited patiently for Teiran to rise.

Palms pressed flat against the tent’s ground cover, Teiran focused on taking deep breaths until the pain in her head cleared and she could feel blood pumping through her limbs. Teiran pulled herself up to her elbows then Cassandra steadied her and pushed the healing potion between her lips. After draining the vial, Teiran felt the rush of vigor and turned to look at each of the faces around her.  Then she ran her hands along her bloody and torn sleeveless tunic and felt the drying pool of blood under her soaked capri-length pants. Dazedly, Teiran asked Cassandra, “Is everyone alright?  Were we attacked?”

Cassandra swallowed, “You were stabbed.  Sera was frightened and likely believed we were under attack.”

Dorian stood, “The question is, why was Cole here at all?  Much less injured.”  The Tevene threw the blood from his clothes into the night air carelessly and turned an eye on Vivienne.

Teiran’s eyes widened and she looked around quickly, her voice wavering, “Co-ole?”

           “Cole is well.  It would appear our First Enchanter struck him down with a bolt of lightning.” Solas spoke through clenched jaw.

           Vivienne cleared her throat and addressed only Teiran, “Inquisitor, I apologize for my part in this unfortunate affair.  Your pet demon came into our tent unannounced and I responded accordingly. However, I could not have anticipated you would also be injured.  Rest assured, we should ensure this does not happen again by sending the demon away and forbidding Sera to sleep in such close proximity to weapons.  It really would be in everybody’s best interest; don’t you agree dear?”

           Solas was deathly still, except for his hands, they were twitching lividly, “It is Cole who is owed an apology from you.  Yet you would use this situation to demean others and ingratiate yourself farther. Truly, it is you who should be sent away.  Cole was only performing his function as a spirit of Compassion.”

“You expect me to apologize to a demon?”  Vivienne asked incredulously.

           Teiran took a deep breath, marveling over the ease with which she could now do so. She understood now, Cole had been trying to help Vivienne who had, of course, reacted poorly.  Putting aside her curiosity over why Vivienne had elicited that response in the spirit, Teiran glanced from Solas to Vivienne.

Over the past couple of months, Teiran had taken to secretly thinking herself Keeper of her own, relatively new Clan.  She refused to turn any of them away, but getting them to work together and become the Clan she saw them potentially being someday was proving a monumental task. Mustering all her leadership skills, she quickly thought of a way to administer justice to restore the relative harmony of the diverse group rather than punish any of its members.

           “I accept your apology, Vivienne.”  Teiran started to stand with Cassandra’s aid, “But you should apologize to Cole as well. I know that you think Cole is a demon who means you harm, but you are the one who harmed him.  And if he surprised you by entering without anyone’s knowledge then he had the chance to harm you, but he didn’t.”  Teiran took another deep breath, then left the stunned mages with Cassandra supporting her steps.  Pulling upon her own magic, Teiran wiped away the blood that clung to her clothes and body.

Solas watched them leave, staring after the Inquisitor and evaluating the fond feeling that was beginning to appear more and more frequently when he interacted with the Dalish elf.

Dorian was the first to move, clearing his throat, he followed Teiran and Cassandra to the campfire and sat beside Iron Bull, who was weaving thick stitches through the tent’s canvas and still sporting only a pair of loose shorts as his nightly garb.

           Teiran, upon entering the company gathered around the flames, was greeted with varying exclamations of joy at seeing her fully recovered.  Teiran approached Sera without Cassandra’s support and sat down next to her.  

Poking out from behind her knees, Sera and Teiran conversed softly, mending the situation.  Soon, Sera was spreading her typical vibrant energy as she moved from person to person to engage them in broken, laughing conversation.  Then, stealing the thread and needle from Blackwall, she snuck up beside Teiran and began flamboyantly sewing the hole her dagger had made in Teiran’s tunic.  Cassandra stiffened at the sight of Sera wielding a sharp instrument so close to Teiran, but the Dalish elf survived the encounter without further injury.

Watching the scene from afar, neither Solas nor Vivienne had moved yet.  Then without looking at the other, Vivienne and Solas each departed. Once they both realized they were heading in the same direction, they paused just outside Cole’s tent.  

Vivienne broke the tense silence, “If I might have a moment of privacy?”

Solas hesitated, then stood aside but remained at the entrance to the tent.

“That is unnecessary, but if it pleases you by all means stay.”  Vivienne replied as she entered the tent.  She found Varric sitting next to and chatting amiably with the gangly, cross-legged teenager.  Vivienne had to remind herself that this was a demon, however much he appeared fragile and naïve.  Swallowing her misgivings and putting the finishing touches of sincerity on her mask, Vivienne steeled herself and completed her task of making an apology for causing “it” harm.  Then she politely reminded “it” to refrain from entering without permission and never at night before taking her leave.  She passed by Solas’ disapproving set of his jaw and rejoined the other companions sitting around the fire.

[teiranlavellan]

Getting to Know You Questions

I did some OC questions for my Aedan Cousland, Garrett Hawke and Teiran Lavellan!

1. Given the choice of anyone in the world, whom would you want as a dinner guest?

Cousland: Morrigan and Kieran. Dinner at home with those he loves best.

Hawke: a rowdy night with the crew at the Hanged Man. Just like the Good Old Days.

Lavellan: surrounded by the Inner Circle and Advisors, all talking to each other and together. Solas sitting beside her for their ongoing private conversations.

2. Would you like to be famous? In what way?

Cousland: I have never desired the responsibility fame brings. I shouldered it once. That is enough.

Hawke: I am already famous. Meh.

Lavellan: I would like to be famous for bringing about good, long-lasting change in the world and those around me.

3. What would constitute a “perfect” day for you?

Cousland: the day I return to my family, free of the blight.

Hawke: slay some monsters, return to Kirkwall but no one remembers me. Watch the changes Varric brings to our home.

Lavellan: one of those quiet days where we’re all spread out around Skyhold. Together and enjoying the peace our actions have bought us. Take a leisurely hike to the field with the best lilac bushes and plan a visit to see far-flung friends.

4. When did you last sing to yourself? To someone else?

Cousland: I’m afraid you have me confused with the court bard.

Hawke: I-I.....don’t remember.

Lavellan: Earlier that day as she was singing the tune of a well-known song with the lyrics replaced to fit what she wants to communicate.

5. Do you have a secret hunch about how you will die?

Cousland: Saving Morrigan from herself. Although I would never admit it. I refuse to die from the blight.

Hawke: I do not.

Lavellan: I will likely die in the attempt to keep world factions from killing each other (Quanri, Tevinter, Solas, Ferelden, Orlais).  In the attempt to keep the world from falling apart.

6. Name 3 things that you and your partner appear to have in common.

Cousland: we appear to have nothing in common. We are opposites who are compatible.

Hawke: I do not have a partner.

Lavellan: we appear to be very similar. We both strive for justice to the point of rebellion, immensely curious, heightened sense of empathy.

7. If you could wake up tomorrow having gained any one quality or ability, what would it be?

Cousland: to have magic. As a rogue, I seek what is forbidden to know. And as a noble, I want to possess all of what the world has to offer.

Hawke: time travel. I want to undo some things.

Lavellan: immortality. As an elf, I want what was taken from me. As a person, I want to have the time to explore and do it all.

8.  If a crystal ball could tell you the truth about yourself, your life, the future or anything else, what would you want to know?

Cousland: my life

Hawke: myself

Lavellan: the future

9. Is there something that you’ve dreamed of doing for a long time? Why haven’t you done it?

Cousland: having another child. I enjoyed having a sibling growing up and my nephew when he was alive. Before, I worried that Keiran would see another child as “better” because they would lack an Old God’s Soul. But right now, my focus is on helping Morrigan deal with the Well of Sorrows.

Hawke: What I want doesn’t matter. It won’t happen.

Lavellan: I’m always working towards what I dream of doing. Making it possible every day in small and big ways.

10. What is the greatest accomplishment of your life?

Cousland: I’ve survived. I survived the attack that wiped out my family. I survived becoming a grey warden and the Hero of Ferelden. I’ve even survived being the last of my line.

Hawke: I will endure. And take a couple of monsters down with me.

Lavellan: The Inquisition and it’s disbandment is my current greatest accomplishment. I’m working on my next one though, give me a couple of years.

11. What do you value most in a friendship?

Cousland: Honesty and forthright.

Hawke: Loyalty. I can count on them always

Lavellan: Growth, That our friendship changes us both as people and we are better for it. 

[teiranlavellan]

Extremely Random OC Questions

If you would like to do your own: Here

1. Would your OC ever accessorize with a cape?

Yes!  Teiran Lavellan loves capes, even the poncho-like ones.  Utility over fashion. . .Josephine, Leliana, Varric and Vivienne are often called upon to consult before Lavellan meets nobles and Skyhold guests.

2. If they were to encounter a bear, what would they do?

So, when traveling to the Hinterlands: Teiran likes to stick very close to Iron Bull, Cassandra and Blackwall.  Then from that relative safety cast spells at the offending bear.  Although, prior to that she would have tried very hard to avoid provoking it.  She dislikes killing anything.

3. Your OC has the chance to either grab pepper spray, a baseball bat, a knife or a shoe, which one would they grab?

Inquisitor Lavellan always has a knife concealed on her person.  She uses it when enemies get too close to the mage.  (this is prior to her Knight Enchanter skills).

4. It’s a sunny day outside, what is their reaction?

“Is it hot?”  Teiran asks, shading her eyes and judging the temperature.  If it is below 80 degrees she’ll venture out for fun, hiking to a waterfall to swim or ride her halla to see something she’s heard/read about or collect lilacs.

5. Have they ever swam with sharks before?

“Sharks?”  Teiran asks, puzzled.  She turns to Solas with the question.  The day is spent asking every companion if they have heard of sharks.  Josephine is prevailed upon to write letters to foreign scholars.

6. Oh no, your oc is hungry and no money, what do they do?

Time to take to the woods and hunt.  Teiran has this skill being Dalish, she just would prefer not to use it.  If Ivun is near, he would take care of her.

7. If they had the chance to kill someone without being caught, would they? If so, who would it be?

If she’s killing someone, it is because they are trying to kill her and she has failed to dissuade them from it.

8. What gif describes their life?

9. What would their username be on tumblr?

theinquisitor (she takes her role very seriously)

10. What is their 3rd favourite colour?

Brown.  Reminds her of trees, aravals, home.

11. Can they do the splits?

*Sera snickers behind her at the idea*  Teiran huffs, “No.  Probably not.”

12.  Do they know which way east is?

Yep.  Dalish skills born and bred to it.

13. Have they ever been kicked in the knee caps before?

No, she’s fairly good at dodging attacks.

14. If they had the chance to go in a hot air balloon, would they?

Teiran looks up at how high that would mean then back at the small basket attached to a balloon.  “I’ll pass thanks.”

15. Would they stop to look at pretty flowers?

*Cassandra, Teiran and Solas deep in conversation about their next move*

Teiran: “Yes, we should do that and--oh look at the pretty flowers!”

She walks over to the flowers and insists they look.  Conversation will resume shortly after they have appreciated the beauty.

16. They have acquired a lion, a peanut butter sandwich and a purple rock, what is their next move?

Teiran pets the lion with one hand and eats the peanut butter sandwhich with the other.  She studies the purple rock before handing it around to the group, each in turn expressing their opinions.  The purple rock seems non-magical and is given to Sera who seems to become fond of it and has stolen it from Blackwall’s hands.  Teiran then begins training the lion to heel, fetch, guard and attack.  She has gained a tasty sandwich and a companion.  The lion follows her around Skyhold and Thedas, terrorizing her enemies and protecting her allies beside her.

17. They see a magical wand, do they touch it?

Teiran would be all over that.  A wand?  Not a huge staff that I have to lug around Thedas, YES PLEASE!

18. If a skeleton talked to them, would they be scared?

Teiran looks around for Dorian, her necromancer, while replying, “That would depend entirely upon what the skeleton said.”

[teiranlavellan]

OCs Negative Traits

Bold always or almost always applies. Italic occasional or situational. 

Tagged by @hansaera (Hi! I love your artwork!)

Teiran Lavellan (pictured here pre-Conclave)

aggressive | arrogant | authoritarian | bitter | brutal | callous | cannibal | careless | cold/cold-hearted | compulsive | controlling | corrects others constantly | cowardly | critical | cruel | delusional | demanding | disillusioned | domineering | envious | emotionally stunted | greedy | grim | guarded | hard | harsh | hypocritical | impatient | impolite | intimidating | irritable | kidnapper | lazy | liar | lustful | materialistic | mean | merciless | messianic | mistrusting | murderer | narrow-minded | obsessive | opinionated | over-bearing | over-critical | over-emotional | over-thinking | patronizing | proud | remote | repressed | rigid | rules with an iron fist | ruthless | sarcastic | self-righteous | self-indulgent | serial killer | taciturn | torturer | touchy | traitorous | unsympathetic | unpredictable | uptight | vain | vengeful

[teiranlavellan]

10 Questions for your Inquisitor

If you want to do your own: 10 Questions for your Inquisitor

1. Had your Inquisitor ever been in love before being sent to the conclave?

No, not really.  Teiran had crushes of course, but nothing serious.

2. Where does your Inquisitor go when they need a break from everything?

Teiran takes her favorite Hart and heads into the forest around Skyhold to walk among the trees, pick lilacs, talk to herself/the forest about her problems.  As a Dalish, this is a familiar/comforting environment to relax in.

3. What is your Inquisitor’s worst memory?

The aravels’ red sails bringing out the red in the fire that burned throughout the camp.  The muffled sound of battle still coming through her fingers pressed over her ears.  Her home under attack from the inside.  Ivun’s gone, bow shaking in his white-knuckled grip.  Her mother’s bone-breaking hug, “Stay here, ma da’len”.  Was mamae crying?

4. What is your Inquisitor’s most treasured possession?

Pre-Conclave her most treasured possession was the Clan Lavellan Keeper’s Staff that had been passed down from Keeper to Keeper (so it previously belonged to her mother).  Post-Conclave, her most treasured possession is her quest journal with all her notes about people’s requests, list of requests/things to do, Solas’ sketches/doodles and her thoughts on everything.

5. What makes your Inquisitor laugh?

Teiran, unlike her sibling Ivun, doesn’t laugh as easily/frequently.  But when she does, she doesn’t hold back.  Probably something unexpectedly happening, something that catches her off-guard and derails her thoughts.

6. Does your Inquisitor have any siblings?

Teiran has an older brother who raised her since she was a young pre-teen.  Ivun is Clan Lavellan’s Master hunter and taught her archery.  More about Ivun

7. Who is the Inquisitor’s closest friend?

Dorian or Solas

8. Does your Inquisitor need a plan or are they happy to wing it?

Teiran needs a plan, she frequently keeps track of her plans in the journal she begins keeping once she realizes that people are going to ask her for her help with things.

9. How much care does your Inquisitor take with their appearance?

Not much.  Teiran favors functionality over anything and dislikes decorations or jewelry.

10. Where did your Inquisitor learn most of their skills and abilities?

Archery from Ivun

Magic from Solas and Dorian

Knight Enchanter from Vivienne

Defensive/close range daggers from Sera and Cole

The Game and Ballroom Dancing from Josephine and Vivienne

Stamina/Shield/Endurance from Cassandra

Read/Write from her mother/Clan Lavellan Keeper

Elven language from Solas (intermediate level by the end of game)

[teiranlavellan]

Dragon Age Asks: Inquisitor + Companions

Vivienne Questions

1. Did your Inquisitor share Vivienne’s views on the circle of magi or disagree and why?

Disagreed.  Sure, fire is dangerous.  But people aren’t as simple as fire.  Teiran, as a mage, is particularly passionate about the hardships of being a mage.  However, she understands that Vivienne’s way of surviving is by beating the game rather than trying to change it.

2. Did your inquisitor view The Game as worthwhile or did they detest court intrigue? How did that affect their relationship with Vivienne?

Teiran, as a very straightforward person, detests The Game.  This puts them at odds, but the two get to know each other fairly well since Vivienne is her main teacher in preparation for the Winter Palace mission.  Teiran appreciates her expertise and Vivienne finds her an able and curious, if not passionate, student.

3. Did the feelings of your Inquisitor towards Vivienne change at all after completing her personal mission about Duke Bastian, if yes, in what way?

After her personal mission, Teiran felt like they were on more like friends rather than strictly teacher and student.  She liked seeing another side of Vivienne and she felt like she understood her more.  Although Vivienne would probably say that they were more like friends once Teiran became a Knight Enchanter.

4. Was Vivienne ever considered a candidate for Divine by your Inquisitor? Why was, or why wasn’t, she made Divine by your Inquisitor?

Teiran never considered Vivienne for Divine because of their ideological differences over mages’ rights.  And she avoided telling her so, because she knew whatever friendship they had would likely disappear.

5. How did your Inquisitor feel about Vivienne? Friends? Allies? Rivals?

Teiran appreciates having Vivienne around for her expertise in things like fashion, etiquette, The Game, and iron-like will.  However, the two never made it past being more than friendly allies.  Things like Vivienne’s treatment of Iron Bull, Teiran’s relationship with Solas, and their differing views on the Circle of Magi kept them from being true friends.

Varric Questions

1. Was your Inquisitor’s relationship with Varric like that of Varric’s relationship with Hawke? Was it better? Worse?

Hawke and Varric were like brothers, but Teiran and Varric’s relationship is more like uncle and niece.  So, family still, but different.

2. How did your Inquisitor feel about Varric’s situation with Bianca? Who did they decide was right about what Bianca did?

Teiran did not like Bianca one bit.  She didn’t really side with anyone: She condemned Bianca for taking such a huge risk without having something in place to stop them if things went badly.  However, she understands the lure of an opportunity.

3. Did your Inquisitor approve of Varric’s stories? Did they read any of his books?

Teiran has read “The Tale of the Champion” in the human villages and she liked it.

4. Did your Inquisitor try to dissuade Varric from believing that they were the herald of Andraste or did they encourage it?

Dissuade of course.  She insisted Varric continue to call her “Loner” instead.

5. Did your Inquisitor leave Hawke in the fade or save Hawke? How did that affect their relationship with Varric?

Teiran left Alistair in the Fade rather than Hawke.  I imagine Varric was pleased, but he would not say so in front of Teiran because he could see how hard of a decision that was for her.

Dorian Questions

1. How does your Inquisitor feel about Tevinter? Did Dorian change their feelings at all about the Imperium?

Teiran greatly enjoyed hearing about Tevinter from Dorian, about all the things he would change and that there were a few good things.  She is relieved to know there are people like Dorian out there who realize the serious societal flaws and want to change them.

2. How did your Inquisitor feel about the Necromancy specialization? Were they intrigued? Disgusted?

Teiran is neutrally negative about it.  She understands the philosophy with her utilitarian perspective, but she is uneasy when the dead are reanimated too much.  She allows that it is useful to throw a dead person on a sword that would have pierced you or a friend, but if they start wandering around too much she gets scared.  It is her deep trust in her friend that she keeps such a level-headed opinion of Necromancy, when her gut-reaction is fear.

3. Did your Inquisitor attempt to have Dorian speak to his father or not? Does your Inquisitor relate to Dorian in terms of struggles with family or sexuality?

Teiran’s own pain over her own family compels her to have Dorian speak to his father.  She doesn’t force Dorian to do more than simply listen to what he has to say, but she feels as his friend that he should take any chance to retain family.  However, if Dorian does not wish to speak to his father after his father says his peace is totally up to Dorian.  She just feels it is important to try and give them a chance. Teiran doesn’t relate to Dorian in terms of his struggles with family or sexuality, but she is ready with a sympathetic ear.

4. Was Dorian a good companion for your Inquisitor? Was there any personality clash between them?

Their personalities are somewhat opposite in the way of flamboyancy, but their opinions and rebellious spirits often align.  They appreciate each other’s personality: Dorian appreciates her authenticity and she appreciates his charismatic, humorous, strong-willed personality.  The two get on fabulously and are the closest (except Solas of course/but that’s a whole ‘nother kettle of fish) in the Inquisition.  They probably would have gravitated towards each other regardless, however going forward in time together caused their friendship to cement quickly and early on.

5. Did your Inquisitor agree with Dorian’s decision to return to Tevinter? How did they feel about his choice?

It broke Teiran’s heart to see Dorian return to Tevinter, however it was also her proudest moment as Inquisitor Lavellan.  Hearing that she inspired him to return to Tevinter to make the changes necessary made her literally cry happy tears. 

And that’s all folks!  Hope you enjoyed hearing about Teiran and her relationships! :)

If anyone would like to do their own: Dragon Age Asks: Inquisitor + Companions

[teiranlavellan]

Dragon Age Asks: Inquisitor + Companions

Solas Questions

1. Did your Inquisitor engage Solas academically with questions or were they uninterested in his experiences?

Teiran always asks all the companions every questions she can think of, but what she liked about Solas is his willingness to answer at length.

2. Did they agree with his opinions about spirits, that they were friends and trustworthy? If not, what did your inquisitor believe instead?

Not initially, but she remained open-minded when he broaches the subject in Haven.  All she had ever known is people warning her about spirits. Then, after a few Fade trips and befriending Cole, she was pretty well convinced they could be friends and trustworthy as likely as anyone else.

3. If your inquisitor was told they were “unlike others of their race” by Solas, how did they respond? Were they angry or grateful?

With a bitter and knowing smile.  She’s known all her life she was an abnormal Dalish elf, but what gets Teiran is how he spins this into a good thing.

4. Did your Inquisitor think of Solas as Fen’harel or did they continue to think of him as their companion, a friend, if he was one to them, even after discovering who he was?

If anything, Teiran was more attracted to him once she found out.  She thinks of him as both Solas and Fen’harel, just as she thinks of herself as both Inquisitor and Teiran.

5. What did they choose, stop Solas or attempt to redeem him, and what motivated their choice? Fear? Love?

Redeem him of course.  There isn’t a person in the game that Teiran doesn’t set out to redeem (though she seriously considered it a couple of times).  She loves him yes, but she more believes that she can help him bring down the Veil without casualties beyond changing the way Thedas is structured and how people live (magic in more abundance, no more demons, no more Templars, etc.).

Cassandra Questions

1. Was your Inquisitor Andrastian? Did their religious beliefs affect their relationship with Cassandra?

Nope!  Teiran can not stand being the Herald and denies it vehemently.  This does disappoint Cassandra, but the two find more common ground elsewhere to overcome this difference.

2. What was Cassandra’s role in the Inquisition to your Inquisitor? Was she a crucial friend/ally or an unnecessary soldier?

Crucial friend! Teiran is very grateful to Cassandra for gradually letting her grow into being the leader of the Inquisition.  In the beginning, Cassandra is more their leader than Teiran.  And she still highly values Cassandra as such.

3. Did your Inquisitor push Cassandra to rebuild or abandon the Seekers of Truth? Why?

Teiran believes in having more than one power in Thedas to be a check on the others if something gets out of hand so she really wants Cassandra to rebuild the Seekers of Truth.  This belief also drives Teiran to reinstate the Grey Wardens.

4. Did your Inquisitor agree with Cassandra’s vision for the Chantry? Did they choose her as Divine?

No. Teiran agrees with Cassandra’s vision for the Chantry, but feels that her talents and vision would be better spent rebuilding the Seekers.  A more important task than being Divine in Teiran’s opinion.  (Leliana gets to be Divine)

5. Does your Inquisitor know all of her middle names?

Umm. . .no.  Teiran would like to know all her middle names just for curiosity’s sake, but she cannot get the Seeker to reveal them often enough for her to memorize them all.  Of course Teiran wouldn’t think to get the information from someone else because if Cassandra doesn’t want to tell her, she would feel like she was going behind her back somehow.

If anyone would like to do their own: Dragon Age Asks: Inquisitor + Companions

[teiranlavellan]

Dragon Age Asks: Inquisitor + Companions

Cole Questions

1. Before Cole’s personal mission, how did your Inquisitor feel about him? Were they comfortable or uncomfortable around him?

Teiran was always comfortable around Cole, she appreciated his desire to help people and felt a kinship with him for being the one-who-says-things-they-shouldn’t-in-polite-company.  She automatically takes him under her wing just like when she taught the little ones in the Clan.

2. What did your Inquisitor think of Cole’s ability to see into people’s thoughts?

She found it quite useful and likened it to her own perceptive abilities, though obviously Cole uses more than just intuition.  Since she considers herself lacking in secrets, she doesn’t often find his ability troublesome.  However, there are times when she finds this is not always the case and there are some things she would rather went unsaid.

3. Was Cole made more human or more spirit and why did your Inquisitor choose what they did?

More spirit.  Teiran, with all her decisions concerning the Inner Circle’s personal missions, tries to give them what they want.  Failing that, what they need.  Teiran struggles with Cole’s mission the most because she would prefer Cole remained the perfect balance of both human and spirit that he already is, however she will not ignore that he wants to be more one or the other (be safe as he sees it).

In the end, she decides there are enough humans in the world, so might as well let him be a spirit, where he can do the most good and be happy doing it.  Although she really hates to make a decision at all.

4. Did your Inquisitor become friends with Cole? Did Cole leave the Inquisition at any point, due to conflict with your Inquisitor? 

Nope.  She adores the Kid just as most everyone else does.  And Cole has always been happy with the Inquisitor.

5. How would you describe your Inquisitor’s relationship with Cole? Non-existent? Or a relationship like that of siblings?

Teiran sees him as one of her kids that she used to teach.  To her, both Sera and Cole are the children of her Inner Circle and she is maternal towards both.

Iron Bull Questions

1. Was your Inquisitor wary of Bull upon learning he was a spy?

Not really, Teiran would have been suspicious if he wasn’t so upfront about everything.  She trusts that she is his friend, even if she knows he is spying on her.  Naive? Yes, a bit.  She trusts her inner circle regardless of who they are generally.

2. How did your Inquisitor react to the Chargers? Did they utilize them as allies or leave them to Bull?

Teiran leaves them to Bull for the most part, though would occasionally send them on missions if needed.

3. Did your Inquisitor prefer to talk things out instead of force? Did they clash with Bull in that way?

Yes! Bull thinks she talks way too much and is impatient with her decisions to try to change people rather than killing them.  However, they compromise with the dragons.  Teiran would leave the dragons alone where obviously Bull wouldn’t so she lets him lead the hunts and he lets her punish rather than behead people.

4. Did they choose the chargers or the Qunari alliance? If they condemned the Chargers to death, how did they feel?

Teiran has always chosen the Chargers, although this decision runs counter to her mostly utilitarian-minded decisions.  She felt miserable letting a boat-full of people die in exchange for the Chargers and even while making the decision she apologizes to Bull because she feels that he wants her to choose the Qunari alliance. 

But she just can’t.  She can’t be the reason that Krem’s seat is empty in that tavern and for taking away his best friend.

5. Was Iron Bull a valuable member of the Inquisition to your Inquisitor? Did they speak to him often?

Iron Bull is valued for his conversation and his brute strength.  Being a squishy mage, Teiran values his physical protection on the battlefield.  But she also enjoyed speaking with him, just as she does with Cassandra, because they would always tell her what think.  She may roll her eyes at his puns, but she adores his company.

If anyone would like to do their own: Dragon Age Asks: Inquisitor + Companions

[teiranlavellan]

Leliana’s Scouts vs Cullen’s Soldiers

@dadrunkwriting

@thevikingwoman Thank you for the prompt!

I actually got to write the rest of them and it was so much fun!  (My own writing is chronological, we don’t have anyone except for Cass, Solas, Varric and the Advisors).

Their camp was nearly packed, but Blackwall and Teiran were still staring at the poorly concealed bundles of gathered herbs, mined obsidian with the superfluous weapons and armor.  Teiran held three books in her crossed arms as she rose from her squat next to the burly warrior and began pacing.  Again.

“Can we really afford to spend more time on this than we already have?  Everything has made it back to Skyhold safely so far after all.”  Blackwall reasoned, hoping his soothing tone would encourage a resolution.

Teiran stopped pacing, hugged the books in her arms tighter, and shook her head resolutely.  “These have to make it back, Blackwall.  They have to.  What if someone else finds it before they can get to it?  We hide them the same way every time.  What if bandits have been watching us hide it the same way every time?”

“I think you are overthinking this.”  Blackwall grumbled.

The Dalish elf’s pacing had taken her out onto a ledge, away from the camp. She frowned into the dark, overcast sky resolutely.  The rest of the Inquisition’s inner circle only had to glance at her posture and expression before putting down their packs and settling in for the inevitable discussion.  Except for Cole, who had disappeared, which surprised no one.

Sera nosily padded through the mud over to Teiran, throwing her arms around her neck.  Teiran jumped, being brought out of her thoughts with a sudden grip around her neck startling her.  “Sera! Please stop doing that!”  Teiran huffed.

“You’re waaay too easy, you know tha’?”  Sera commented and then broke into a fit of giggles at the possible innuendo of her phrase. “But then you’re not tho right?  Cause you aren’t rubbing bits so you’re actually hard.  Too hard lady bits.  We need to work on that . . . ”

“Oh, honestly, does every conversation with you have to be about my personal life?”  Teiran tried to break Sera’s grip, but also keep a solid hold of the books in one arm.

The rest of the Inquisition watched the scene with varied expressions.  They had been traveling together long enough to be moderately acquainted with each other, however Vivienne’s beautiful face still shot daggers over at Sera.  Dorian sighed dramatically; shaking his head and watching the scene play out with moderate amusement.  And Solas became very interested in the ground under his feet.

“No wait!  I’ve got an answer for ya.  You should let me do it.”  Sera proposed, still holding the Inquisitor under her arm.

“Do what?  Let go of me!”  Teiran insisted.

Sera let her pull away, “Pfft.  Hide the stuff of course!  Come on, Your Worship.  No baddie will ever be able to find it once I’m done.”

Teiran rolled her eyes, “That’s it though, Sera.  The Inquisition soldiers need to be able to find it tomorrow.”

“I could write where Sera hides it when I send my report to Scout Harding.” Cassandra offered tersely.  She and Blackwall sat next to each other, their shared impatience growing with each stroke of oiled rag on armor.  Varric and the Iron Bull exchanged an intrigued glance.

Varric’s smooth voice wound its way to where Sera and Teiran stood, “But then what if your messages become waylaid Seeker—”

Cassandra interrupted him, “Then we have a lot more to worry about than resources.”

“Still, it would be a shame . . . How about I write a message to go along with your report?  Clues as to where the treasure is hidden.”  Varric smiled wickedly.

 Sera was literally bouncing in place, shouting in Teiran’s ears with excitement.  While Varric smiled at the effect of his words.

Teiran covered her ears and ducked away from Sera’s exclamations.  The camp stirred with the prospect, all eyes watching their leader for her decision. 

Teiran looked at her books, then at Sera’s buzzed expression, then over to Varric’s mischievous smile.

“They have to be able to find them, Varric.”  Teiran ruled.

Sera punched her fist in the air, grabbed Teiran’s books, then ran headlong back to Blackwall’s pile of resources.

“Bull, keep Sera from hurting herself or my books. And Blackwall, make sure this doesn’t get out of hand please.”  Teiran delegated, trying to ensure success.

The massive Qunari cracked a smile, “Whatever you say boss.”  Teiran smiled back, she knew he would have helped regardless.

She met Blackwall’s gaze, smiling apologetically.  Teiran knew she needed someone to balance out the enthusiasm, but asking Cassandra, Solas, Dorian, Vivienne or Cole would have made them miserable.  Blackwall sighed resignedly, “Alright then.”

 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Josephine Montilyet rolled the message from Scout Harding, an easy task since the scroll had been damp and then dried on its journey from Crestwood to Skyhold.  Josephine placed her initials on the back of the scroll, placing it atop her pyramid of similarly marked ones.  However, instead of reaching for another unread one, she continued to gaze speculatively at Harding’s message.

Along with the list of resources and weapons the Inquisition had gained so far with Teiran’s foray into Crestwood, the intrepid Scout Harding had also included the tally of caches found by both sides.

Josephine’s eyebrows furrowed and she placed her chin in her palm.  Her other hand picked up her quill unconsciously and twirled it as she contemplated the scroll.  She noticed her ink-smeared fingers too late, apparently she had dipped the quill in ink without consciously meaning too either.  “I wish the Inquisitor would call an end to this.  It may boost morale in the short term, but we need everyone to work together as the Inquisition.”  Josephine thought at the offending scroll.

The door to her study creaked open only halfway before Leliana had slipped quietly inside.  She was settling herself in the plush armchair next to the fire by the time the door closed of its own accord.

The Diplomat eyed the innocent looking, redhead as she gazed into her teacup. As a matter of pride and necessity, Josephine always had a steaming kettle and tea at the ready.  She felt it part of her duty to the Inquisition to be ready to entertain guests whenever they dropped by; and in truth she enjoyed maintaining that perception of her.  However, Leliana’s nonchalant demeanor did not fool her.

“Good evening, Leliana.  I was just about to call for Aronhalaan, but since you’re here . . .” Josephine reached for the satchel behind her desk full of scrolls lacking Leliana’s characteristic swirl of lines she used to mark the scrolls she had read.  By the time she had retrieved the satchel, Leliana was in front of her desk, casually inspecting the pyramid of scrolls on her desk.

“It is good that Teiran is in Crestwood.  We are running low on Embrium.  Perhaps we should send word to Scout Harding to mark it as a priority?”  Leliana asked.

Josephine opened her mouth to retort when a knock interrupted her.  Her expression smoothed as she looked from Leliana to the door, “Come in.”  

Commander Cullen appeared in her office, closing the door gently behind him.  “Ah, we’re all here.  Good.”  Cullen observed awkwardly, still standing in the entryway.

Josephine sighed and beckoned him, “Please, have a seat Commander.  Leliana?”  She arched an eyebrow at her friend, warning her away from thoughts bent towards pilfering her messages.  

Leliana and Cullen sat in the two armchairs before the fire, watching as Josephine took the scroll off her desk.   She unfurled it as she stood with her back to the fireplace, rereading it hastily.

“Cullen’s soldiers, after searching every abandoned house in the area, found the last one in the rafters. Apparently, they crafted a rather large bird’s nest and I am told that the items were shaped like eggs.” Josephine explained, still staring at the message.

Leliana scowled, “We took the nest to be metaphoric. Poetic!”

Cullen relaxed, “Good thing my soldiers don’t overthink things.”  He lightly poked fun at the assumption that the scouts would outsmart his men.

“However, Leliana’s scouts found another two days ago disguised as stepping stones across a river.”  Josephine finished, revealing that the two competing parties were tied once again.

Leliana sat up and wore a small smile, “My scouts can spot deception wherever it may hide.”

Now it was Cullen’s turn to frown, “I take it one of the mages helped with that one.  Are they apart of this too?”

Josephine eyed the two of them, “This is ridiculous.  We should be working together, rather than competing with each other.”  Cullen and Leliana shared a glance before staring up at the ambassador.

“It’s good for morale.  Before this, I had to force the assignment on my men.  Following the Inquisitor to retrieve resources is not the most exciting or comfortable task on our list.  Now, they have formed squads and share the past puzzles to see if those who were not assigned can guess where the supplies were found.”  Cullen explained, bursting with pride for his soldiers.

“I have seen similar results among my scouts.  I see no harm in allowing it to continue.”  Leliana added.

Josephine eyed the two of them, “For now.  However, I would suggest that when we go to the Hissing Wastes that this become an exercise in compromise.  The squads should be mixed, both scouts and soldiers completing a mission together.”

Cullen thought a moment before gruffly replying, “Agreed.”

Leliana shrugged in compliance.

[teiranlavellan]

Lilacs

@dadrunkwriting

@silent-of-spirit Lilac prompt/any characters

Thank you for the prompt!!! So, Karissa is a new-ish character that I’ve always had floating around in my head, but this prompt really made me flesh her out a bit.

There is also some Cullen fluff.  Karissa and Cullen are a thing.  I’ve never romanced Cullen before, so this was an exercise in that too.  Hope he sounds right!

  Karissa sipped her tea anxiously, sitting on the edge of Lady Montilyet’s pink armchair.  She crossed her legs at the ankle, adjusting her maroon dress accordingly while she listened to the scratch of quill on parchment.

Leliana’s voice whispered in her mind, “As the Inquisitor’s messenger, you will of course be responsible for ensuring all business is conducted smoothly.  The Inquisitor, Lady Montilyet, Commander Cullen, Seeker Cassandra and myself will need to be informed of all matters before our meetings and this is your primary roll.  However, you are also responsible for maintaining the Inquisitor’s quarters, maintaining her safety.”

Karissa watched the flames in the fireplace dance, “It’s only lilacs.  Nothing dangerous.  Nothing to be worried about.”  She thought, however the idea that someone was getting these into the Inquisitor’s room, without her knowing who was doing so, worried her.

With a flourish, Josephine replaced her quill in the ink pot and leaned back in her chair.  A deep breath, then she stood and called to Karissa, “Thank you for your patience Karissa; here is the last of them for today.”  Josephine reached into a drawer in her vast desk and produced five new scrolls, each bearing her “JM” signature on the outside.

Karissa replaced her teacup in its saucer and hurried to take the scrolls from the ambassador.  Shyly, she dipped her head, “Not a problem, Lady Montilyet.  Thank you for the tea.  Can I bring it down to the kitchens for you?”

Josephine shook her head, “Someone will be by soon anyway for it. Have a good night, Karissa.”

Karissa smiled lightly, “Good night, Lady Montilyet.”  Karissa tucked the new scrolls into her messenger bag, placing them in the central pocket with those lacking the Inquisitor’s signature. “Could it be Lady Montilyet?  She was kind enough to send the flowers, but if it was her she seems like the type to leave a note.”  Karissa argued with herself.  

Her waist-long braid hit her stomach as she turned for the door and left the cozy office.  Karissa pushed the heavy braid back over her shoulder and crossed the large hall that ran through the middle of Skyhold.  The hall seemed larger than usual since there were few people about this late in the evening; Karissa bit her lip and crossed quickly and silently.  She reprimanded herself for being nervous, “This is not the Circle and there are not Templars around every corner, Karissa. You are being ridiculous.”

Still, she wished the lively dwarf were at his customary place by the hearth in this carnivorous hall. She always enjoyed delivering messages to him, though the Inquisitor was more likely to speak to him in person.  “Maybe Varric?  No, he doesn’t seem the type to send flowers.  And if he did, it would be more to make me fret over how they had gotten past me than anything else.  Him or that elf would both do it just to mess with me.  That elf would send something meaner than flowers though; something that would smell just awful.  Thank the Maker the Inquisitor does not send messages to her very often.”

Karissa opened the door that led to the rotunda and prayed to the Maker that the elf who painted there was asleep on the couch in the corner.  The human mage was of the opinion that an elven apostate should not have such a prominent place in the Herald of Andraste’s inner circle.  

Karissa peaked around the wall and exhaled silently in relief when she saw the rotunda was empty. “If the Inquisitor needed more mages with her, she should pick from among her allies from the Circle.”  Karissa thought, a tinge of jealously coloring her perception of Solas as her tirade continued, “The Herald has been chosen by Andraste to lead the other elves, apostates or not, back to the Maker for the good of all Thedas.  Just as Andraste did for all of humankind.”  Karissa flitted over to the empty desk and placed a message from the Inquisitor on it.

“And Solas is not only resistant, but he seems to encourage the Herald’s occasional, sacrilegious thought.  Besides, he is too nice, like he’s hiding something. ” Karissa mused as she climbed the stone steps of the rotunda, passing the library on the second floor and heading to the aviary at the top. “What if he’s the one sending the flowers?”  Karissa’s step faltered and she paused a moment before shaking her head, “I don’t think he has any interests beyond his books and he is certainly too serious for anything so romantic.”

The squawk of seemingly every kind of bird inhabiting Thedas greeted Karissa as she stepped onto the wooden circular platform.

Leliana turned from the window to watch Karissa approach her, the mage’s hands shifting through her bag and collecting scrolls in her arms as she walked.  The Spymaster inclined her head in greeting, “Thank you, Karissa.  Anything to report?”

Karissa swallowed, placed the scrolls in Leliana’s hands, then smiled and met her gaze evenly, “Good evening, Lady Nightingale.  All is well. The Herald is in her room, reading.” She smiled and Leliana nodded, already reading her new messages.

Karissa turned and descended the staircase all the way to the first floor when a terrifying thought occurred to her, “What if the Nightingale placed the flowers there as a test?”  Karissa shuddered at the thought as she crossed the rotunda and opened the door leading to the battlements.  As the cold, evening air hit her; her troubling thoughts cleared and her heart began to beat faster.  She blushed as she remembered how approaching the former Templar used to make her heart race in fear.

Karissa knocked on the thick wooden door and waited a moment.  Cullen pulled the door open with a crooked smile, “You know, you’re the only one who knocks and waits to be let in.”

Karissa smiled slyly back at him, “Is that a bad thing?”

Cullen laughed as he let her in to his small tower.  She crossed over to his desk and leaned against it, “So, is it?”

Cullen stared into her green eyes, “No, it’s . . .it’s quite nice actually.”  Then he broke their gaze as he cleared his throat, “So, how many messages has the Inquisitor sent me tonight?”

Karissa smoothly pulled them from her bag and placed them in his hand, “Only a few.  Do you have any for me to send to her?”

Cullen scanned his desk, “Um . . .yes, here you are.”  Cullen handed her a scroll, which she took without looking away from him.

Suddenly waxing shy, the two broke eye contact and each stared at the floor under their feet with Karissa blushing and Cullen rubbing the back of his neck.

“Well, I better get these to the Herald before she falls asleep on her desk again.”  Karissa told the floor as she headed for the door.

“Oh dear, yes.  I suppose you’d better.”  Cullen fell in step beside her, escorting her to the door. She pulled the door open and Cullen awkwardly took it from her to hold it open for her.

“Sleep well, Karissa.”  Cullen wished, his voice low and deep.

“Thank you, Cullen. Good night.”  Karissa whispered, her breathing shallow, like it always was when his voice did that.  She turned and crossed the stone bridge back to the rotunda, hearing the door close behind her a couple of minutes after she had walked away.

She smiled giddily to herself; running her hands over her braid as she walked into the rotunda, back through the main hall and up the staircase to the left of the Inquisitor’s throne.  Karissa took a deep breath, smoothed her expression, but retained her happy smile. She knocked on the Inquisitor’s door as she opened it a crack, listening for her queue to enter.

“Come in, Karissa.” Teiran’s voice called from across her room.  Karissa stepped inside, closing the door behind her, and then approached the elf at her desk.

“Good evening Herald.”  Karissa said as she placed her bag full of scrolls next to her desk.

Teiran glanced at the amount of work ahead of her, slammed her quill on the desk beside the journal she was annotating, and began her pacing from her desk to her balcony.

Karissa watched her pace for a moment before the white lilacs still on the desk captured her attention.  “Who?  Who could have snuck in here without me knowing?  What if . . . What if it was Commander Cullen?  She was the Herald after all . . .” Karissa fretted, though her expression remained neutrally trained on the Inquisitor.

Teiran paused in her pacing, exhaling loudly as if physically expelling her annoyance. Teiran turned her back on the mountains and leaned against the wall that framed the balcony’s entrance.  She met Karissa’s eyes, “Thank you, Karissa.  Was there anything else?”

“No.  Nothing, Herald.”  Karissa moved towards the offending flowers, “These are beautiful, who sent them to you?”

Teiran looked puzzled a moment, then her expression cleared in a full smile, “Oh!  I picked them this morning.  But . . .” The Inquisitor smile turned shy, “Don’t tell anyone ok?  If they all find out then I will be sent some. All the time.  It’ll just be one more thing about the Inquisitor that will be used against me.  Promise?”

Karissa could have sighed in relief, “Oh, how silly of me!  Well, that’s a relief.  Still, I don’t understand why she wouldn’t want to be sent more flowers.  She obviously likes them enough to go get them herself.”  Instead of showing her relief, she smiled normally, “It’ll be our secret then.”

Teiran smiled at her, and then sat back at her desk, “Well, I better get started.”

Karissa curtsied, “Good night, Herald of Andraste.”

Teiran, leaning back with a scroll under her nose, replied, “See you tomorrow.”

[teiranlavellan]

Guilt

From @love-in-nature:  “For @dadrunkwriting, trying to walk on ice pretty please, Solavellan if you'd be so kind <3″

Thank you for the prompt!! It got a little long, but it was definitely fun.  I’m also not 100% sure what Teiran and Solas look like as a couple (I’m not at that part yet in my own mind).  So thank you for giving me a chance to write them that way.   :) 

Teiran threw her coat on the snow-covered log behind her and placed the parcel of animal fat next to it.  The young Dalish elf quickly replaced her bow across her back and leaned her deer-hide quiver against her coat with anticipation.  She was nearly bouncing on her toes, making the snow crunch as it slid against her boats, as she extracted a single arrow and knelt down.  She unwrapped the small parcel and dipped both sides of the point of her arrow in the fatty substance.  As she stood upright, she eased the bow off her back with one hand, the movement practiced and fluid.

Notching the arrow, she scanned the forest around her: the dark, wet wood contrasted with the blank snow banks and blended where the snow mixed with earth.  Her eyes flicked between tree trunks, she had come to the edge of the frozen lake where there would be space between her targets, it would be bad if the branches of another tree were to come in contact with her arrow as it flew.  Teiran strode towards the line of trees, leaving about 75 yards between the archer and her self-appointed target.  The unoffending tree waited patiently for her attack as she looked around to reassure herself that she was alone.

Satisfied, Teiran stared at her palm as she held it aloft. An apple-sized flame burst into existence and hovered above the skin of her palm.  Teiran smiled affectionately at it before bringing it into contact with the tip of her arrow, igniting it.  The archer serenely smothered the conjured flame as she closed her hand and reached for the bow’s string.

Teiran took aim as she brought her right hand to rest along her jaw with the string digging into the pads of her fingers. Her left hand wrapped around the bow’s limb felt the heat from the animal fat burning as she moved it ever so slightly to the right.  Then she released her tenuous grip on the bowstring and was rewarded for her focus with the sight of the flame streaking through the air before lodging into the tree she had intended to strike.  The flame died on the damp wood.

Teiran skipped back over to her quiver and repeated her preparations, still looking carefully around before using magic and spending more time than necessary lighting the arrow.  Teiran ground her teeth as she felt her anger over the all-important “magic only when required” rule that governed her life surge through her body.  “It isn’t fair.” She thought fiercely as she engaged her bow, pulling it back until her hand met her unmarked face.  With a sullen huff, she hastily released her second flaming arrow, which missed the tree trunk completely and whistled out of sight.

“Great.  Just great.”  Teiran rolled her eyes as she dropped her bow on the ground and briskly stomped over to the tree line, following the arrow’s flight path to the lake beyond.  The elf scanned the icy expanse, easily locating her arrow about 30 yards from the bank where she stood.  Teiran glared at the arrow as she stretched out onto the frozen water, avoiding the thinner sheet that covered the shallow water near the edge.

She launched herself as far as she could onto the lake, letting her feet slide under her, completely focused on keeping her balance.  When she could direct her gaze somewhere besides her feet, Teiran realized she had slid farther to the left than she had intended, but was only a handful of yards from her goal.  Emboldened as only a young adult could be, Teiran began to walk on the ice.  Halfway through her second stride, she slipped, landing on her elbow and shoulder.

“Ah!” Teiran yelped.  The elf was curled into a ball on the frozen lake as she frantically conducted an internal inventory, “Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow. Owwwwww!”  The Dalish elf lay there panting in pain for a few minutes more before heaving herself onto her hands and knees.  The arrow stared back mockingly at her only a couple of feet away.  She growled at it as she crawled to it, the ice burning against her bare palms and soaking through her pants to chill her knees.

Teiran forced her frosted fingers to bend around the arrow as she heaved it out of the ice; apparently the fire had allowed it to lodge itself into the surface of the frozen water.  Triumphant, she laughed defiantly at the arrow and observed the small dent it had made in the lake.

“Teiran!  Mythal grant me strength, what are you doing out there?!”  Ivun’s agitated voice reached her from the tree line near the lake.

The adolescent ground her teeth as she muttered under her breath, “Dread Wolf take me, what is he doing here?”  Then she turned to face him as she sat up on her knees, sitting back on her ankles, “Getting my arrow.  What does it look like I’m doing?” she shouted back sarcastically.  Even from on the lake, she could see him frown at her as he crossed his arms and watched her with silent disapproval.  

Teiran slowly got to her feet and shuffled her way back to the edge, determined not to slip and gripping her arrow.  Pleased that she was nearing the shallower water without loosing her balance, she chanced a glance up at her older brother.  His reddish-blonde hair and tan complexion making him seem very out of place amongst the snow and dark green of the trees.  However, Teiran knew that his tan was in actuality very light for him, simply the result of being a hunter, spending hours in the reflective snow stalking prey in the winter light.  She stared belligerently at the Master of Clan Lavellan, “I’m fine by the way. You don’t have to check on me like I’m a child.  I know what I’m doing.”

Ivun stared impassively back at her, his Sylaisean vallaslin uncreased. Teiran sighed dramatically and turned to judging the distance between the ground and the solid water under her feet. She threw herself forward, but her jump lacked power due to the slippery surface she was launching from and she landed short.  Her boots were instantly soaked with glacial wetness as her feet broke through.  

Teiran flailed and began to fall backwards when a vice-like grip wrapped around her arm, sending her careening through the air in the opposite direction she had been falling.  Ivun dragged Teiran onto solid ground, a lecture on his lips,  “Now, look at you!  All this trouble for an arrow.  Why couldn’t you just let it go?  You have a whole quiver full!”

Teiran pulled out of his grip and spun, “So I got a little wet!  So what!” she bellowed as she replaced her hard-won arrow into her quiver and searched for her bow.  Her anger abated for a moment as she realized it was not on the ground where she had left it.  However her feelings rekindled when she discovered her bow carefully placed on her coat, no doubt Ivun’s doing.  Teiran began her march back to camp, pulling her coat, bow and quiver around her as she went.  The rash motion reminding her of her bruised shoulder as it pinched.

“You better hope your toes doesn’t freeze together before you can make it back!” Ivun called to her as she disappeared.

Teiran sighed as she dispersed the spirits who had taken to reenacting her memory. She sat with her arms around her knees in the Fade, guilt and embarrassment crushing her into a tight ball.

“Hi.” Teiran whispered softly into her knees without looking up at the tall elf standing beside her.

“We were all young once, Teiran.  I am certain he has forgiven you.”  Solas comforted as he sat next to her.

“I know.  I just made things so much harder for him than they had to be.”  Teiran sighed.

“He is not here to cause you pain.” Solas reasoned, uncertain of the underlying cause of her guilt.

Teiran laughed once bitterly, “No.  He’s here to take me back.  He wants me to be Keeper and be his sister.”

It was Solas’ turn to feel guilty as he experienced an irrational stab of discomfort at the idea.

Teiran gestured angrily into the empty swirls of green mist that was characteristic of the Fade, “And I’m going to have to disappoint him.  I’m going to be selfish and make things harder for him again.”

“You are not going to abandon your responsibilities here, Inquisitor.”  Solas stated objectively, both elves already knowing the truth of his assessment.

“Abandoning my responsibilities as his sister.  Solas, I’m all he has left now.  And I . . . I can’t.  I can’t force myself to do it.  Or even consider it seriously.”  She smiled grimly,  “But I know I should.” Teiran admitted sadly, but resolutely.

“You are the only one who can heal the Veil.  He will understand your decision.”  Solas replied, running his hand along her arm soothingly.  Although his guilt still pulled at him, he found he was relieved to actually hear her say that she was not returning to her Dalish clan.

“I know he will understand.”  She blew her breath out in a loud gush.  “And I am sure the guilt I will feel over his understanding will haunt me for many years.” Teiran grabbed his hand as it passed her elbow and brought it to her lips, kissing his knuckles lightly.

[teiranlavellan]

Character Stuff

F E A R S

BOLD ANY FEARS WHICH APPLY TO YOUR MUSE (Characters?) ^^; ITALICIZE WHAT MAKES THEM UNCOMFORTABLE.

Repost, don’t Reblog. (Whew these are heavy)

Teiran Lavellan:

the dark. fire. open water. deep water. being alone. crowded spaces. confined spaces. change. failure. war. loss of control. powerlessness. prison. blood. drowning. suffocation. public speaking. natural animals. the supernatural. heights. death. dying. intimacy. rejection. abandonment. loss. the unknown. the future. not being good enough. scary stories. speaking to new people. poverty. loud noises. being touched. sex.

Aedan Cousland:

the dark. fire. open water. deep water. being alone. crowded spaces. confined spaces. change. failure. war. loss of control. powerlessness. prison. blood. drowning. suffocation. public speaking. natural animals. the supernatural. heights. death. dying. intimacy. rejection. abandonment. loss. the unknown. the future. not being good enough. scary stories. speaking to new people. poverty. loud noises. being touched. sex.

I tag: Please ignore or tag me if you have already done this; I love these so anyone is welcome to consider themselves tagged!

@inquisitor-julia  @shift-shaping   @love-in-nature  @ofclanlavellan

[teiranlavellan]

@ranawaytothedas gifted me these portraits of my Inquisitor Teiran Lavellan as my last gift from my secret palentine!

Look at those beautiful ears!  Her hair!

Thank you! :D