#top is at skyhold

[autumnblooms]

Wdym it’s been 10 years since Inquisition came out…. 👁️👄👁️

[oioend]

yuvon's humanoid form ! he hates it.

[orcelito]

oh caving stresses me O U T

like not to be a Vast truther or w/e (except i totally am) but lksjdlfksjdf the cave diving episode of TMA freaked me out soooo bad & ya if i see a video of someone cave diving im like what are you DOINGGGGGG that's the EARTHHHHHHHH what if it BREAKSSSSSSSSSS it's literally so anxiety-inducing. im like not even claustrophobic, i love my little hidey-holes, but i can NOT deal with cave diving, thank u very much

[skylordhorus]

i was doing some editing on the james minecraft skin i made feckin years ago because i found it and it’s Horrifically out of date (who is this white man with weirdly yellow hair)

but i was once again reminded of how bloody bad i am at costume design because i got to his clothes and just went “uhhhhHHHH”

i think about him nearly every day and i still dont rly know what his clothes look like!!!!! my brain gets overwhelmed and just like. inserts the concept of Clothes™️ with approximate textures and colours

[gildedfethers]

yuvon’s elven form. he hates it !

[hawkepockets]

on a second DA:I playthrough i’m noticing so much more foreshadowing in companion/advisor dialogue of how cadash/adaar/lavellan/travelyan as a person HAS to be obliterated by the inquisition as a political, religious, and narrative force and the title of inquisitor.

mother giselle tells you from the beginning it doesn’t matter what you believe about being/not being the herald; you are an icon to the common people and the chantry.

josephine tells you after the truth about “andraste”/justinia is revealed in the fade—it doesn’t matter what you saw or felt, only what is remembered collectively.

dorian tells you if you ask to go with him to tevinter—you can never undo being the inquisitor, and would take away his agency just by being there.

varric tells you in haven that you’re a tragic hero, and asks at the wicked grace game if there is still a “you” separate from the inquisitor.

solas tells you in skyhold, if you tell him you intend to disband the inquisition, that the power you’ve amassed can’t be destroyed, and will only pass to less worthy hands if you relinquish it.

and all of that is just off the top of my head and comes up before ameridan’s name is ever mentioned.

and it’s all been said before but like! fuck! truth is the game was rigged from the start! you’ve been COOKED, inquisitor! YOU CAN NEVER GO HOME! it’s so fucking good

[apostacism]

Wait I did NOT realize that the inquisitor was the one who sought and found Solas' dreaming mind in the return to haven cutscene. I usually select the "that was incredible" dialogue option but when you say "that was... I don't know" (voiced: "when I asked to talk to you I didn't think we'd be doing it in the fade"), he responds with "since you went to the trouble of finding me in your sleep, it was worth doing something interesting," implying that you were asleep the whole time???

That's WILD I always thought that Solas was the one who engineered that encounter but apparently he was minding his business in the Fade when the inquisitor just rolled up and imposed skyhold on top of whatever he was doing and he was like well sure but I hate your choice of venue.

[housederiva]

Here's every version of the letter the Inquisitor gets from their LI plus Varric (which didn't make me cry at all)

If your Inky didn't romance anyone:

Inquisitor, Greetings from miserable, rainy Minrathous! (Don't tell Dorian I called it that.) The rotten weather here is making me nostalgic for Skyhold. The mountains were freezing, but at least the air didn't smell like wet garbage. We'll have to get in another game of Wicked Grace, soon. Harding picked up the trail again. I'd tell you not to worry, but I know how useless that is. Instead, I'll just say: I've got a great team on this. Neve could stare down the Maker, and wait until you meet Rook. He's/She's/They're a natural: Smart, resourceful, completely unpredictable. You'd like him/her/them, as long as you don't try to beat him/her/them at cards. Chuckles'll never know what hit him. I'll write again once we have something solid for you. Drinks at the Hanged Man are on me when this is over. Take care of yourself. Varric

Blackwall:

My love, You have summoned me to Minrathous, and I will answer your call, as soon as responsibilities here in the South allow. I have missed being by your side. Will these troubles be the last we face? The world seems always to conspire, through duty or disaster, to pull you away from me. I do not resent it. You are dedicated to purposes far larger and more significant than myself. I hope you do not think me a fool for hoping that one day, your only concern will be the color you wish our walls to be painted, or the flowers we will plant beside our gate. I'm partial to carnations. Yours always, Thom

Cassandra:

My love, We are no strangers to duty, or the separation it demands of us. You head for Tevinter, and though I want to go with you, there is work we both must do. I will not falter in the tasks that wait before me and I pray my actions, in whatever measure they can, will keep you safe. The others see only confidence in my resolve, but you have always known more than mere appearance. I confess to you, and you alone, that I am afraid. I'm afraid of what may happen, that Thedas will face such turmoil as it did before. I know not what awaits us. Yet even in the face of uncertainty, there are two things I cannot doubt and never will. The first is that our paths are never separated long. That I will find you at my side when I need you, as you will find me at yours. I will play my part in this and follow as soon as I can. The second thing I never doubt is you. Whatever lies before you, trust yourself. Trust your heart as I trust it. It will not lead you astray. Yours, Cassandra

Cullen:

The top of the letter has been punctured by small, sharp teeth, leaving most of a beloved name and a few sentences chewed to read. I fear the puppy started on this letter shortly after I did. I'd start over, but I must send this tonight if it's to reach you. Matters are settled here and I make for Tevinter as soon as possible. I almost believed chaos might spare us this time. I can't say I wished to see Minrathous before now, but I am eager to see you. I long to see your face and know that you are all right. You are I've There's I wish I was better at putting into writing all that's in my mind. For now, simply know that I love you. It is the most cherished constant of my life. The days ahead will not be easy. I know there's much you carry, more than many realize. But whatever you must face, you will not meet it alone. You have my sword, my counsel, my - I could write this list forever when all I mean to say is this - Whatever you need of me, I am yours. Cullen

Dorian:

Amatus, I'm writing. Again. Yes, the sending crystals still work and yes, you'll be in Minrathous in a few short weeks. But a letter, written in blind longing, is real. It can be touched, and it can be held, when ink and paper must substitute for your skin on mine and my breath in your ear. I used to scoff at frequent declarations of affection. Trite, I thought. Save them for rare and precious moments. But time and love are no longer things I care to squander, especially not as we race again toward calamity. And so, in each of these fleeting, ephemeral seconds, I will tell you that I love you. Whether penned or spoken, or conveyed by glance or action, I love you. In this moment, and in all the moments to come, for as long as they do, I love you. I will find you soon. Yours, Dorian

Iron Bull

Hey, Kadan, Not the first time we've marched toward different battles. I know you're keeping the crap from catching fire up in Tevinter. Wish I could be there, but I'll make sure there's a world for you to come back to when you're done dealing with crazy vints and stupid Antaam and whatever other crap Solas kicked up. (Shit, the Antaam. Remember when I was worried what would happen if I went tal-vashoth? That right there!) I know you're gonna be careful, and you've got Morrigan there. Just take care of yourself. If anything happens to you, I'm going to have to take Krem and the Chargers and stomp across all of Tevinter to come get you. It'll be a whole thing, and you know it'll upset Dorian. Being apart from you made me realize something else. I spent so long being whatever the Ben-Hassrath wanted me to be. An investigator. An agent. A mercenary sending reports. These past years, since the Inquisition ended, I've been able to just be what I want to be. And what I really want to be is yours. I like the person I am when I'm with you. So come back safe. Love, The signature appears to be a stylized rendering of the Iron Bull's head.

Josephine:

My Dearest Lord/Lady, I have spoken to friends in Minrathous. They offer us their hospitality, not to mention shelter from the worst intrigues of the Archon's Palace. While you're well acquainted with the roving eyes of grand courts, please take care. Tevinter's regard can be the oldest and cruelest of them all. The family writes the weather back home is beautiful. I do miss our quiet times together. There is a question I've wanted to ask you for so long. I would like to pretend I have been busy, or it was not the proper time. But, if I am being honest, I only waited because I have been afraid of choosing a poor moment. Please, let me make a promise to you here. When we return to Antiva, I will ask you, on the steps of the estate, if you will do me a great honor. And I dream you will say yes. Always yours, Josephine Postscript: I cannot believe it nearly slipped my mind. Yvette and Lord Otranto send their best wishes, and hope to see us back home in time to welcome their third child.

Sera:

(An artistically doodled journal page presumably from the Inquisitor's partner, Sera.) Keep this as close as I need you. (A drawing of a pile of flowers, with lines like it's moving, an arrow pointing to it labeled "us.") - North again, Mini-wrathus still stuck up its own pucker. - Magiturds are scared of us. They don't even know. - We work with Maevaris, right? She's wow. - So many Friends! Jennies in all the walls! - We kill him this time. He took from us twice! (A drawing of a cracked egg scribbled out, with "can't even joke" in letters that tore the page.) - Still thinking of you sideways. - Never mind the Dalish, here's the Veil Jumpers! Tempest-kin! (A drawing of a tall, shorthaired elf (Sera?) and Irelin brandishing two fingers, backflipping as a tree explodes in runes.) - The memory thing makes my head spin. If that Rook doesn't take it, throw it out. - Tell Morrigan ppbbth! for me. - I'll also tell her ppbbth! She knows why. - Tell them to Stripe. Him. Up. I wanted more books. (More heavy scribbles that tear.) - You meet; I'll keep you safe. Then I'm your time off, and you're my time on. (The last section has different colored inks, like Sera has returned to it several times.) New naked names: -Sweet-tits (scribbled out) -Bestest (scribbled out) -Loverly (scribbled out) -Lovey (scribbled out) -My-for-always-and-ever - name's not too long, time's too short. -But "Sweet-tits," though (scribbled out)

Solas:

Vhenan, I do not know if you will see these words. My ritual is ready and will soon be set in motion. Perhaps when you read this the world will be as it once was, and you will see why all I did was necessary. I cannot ask your forgiveness, but I hope you come to understand. That night in Crestwood, when I shared the truth about your vallaslin... you do not know how close I came to breaking. I could have shared the truth, or even put my plans aside and simply stayed with you as Solas... as I wanted. I regret the pain I caused you. What I feel for you will never change. The note is unsigned, but the handwriting is Solas'.

[felassan]

Thoughts on the IGN DA:TV 22 min gameplay - Lighthouse portion

this post is under a cut due to what some peeps may consider spoilers, and length.

This prev post was just some text-based info that I wrote down, mostly based on what was said in the commentary. this post is more of a looking at the visuals with a fine-toothed comb and a bit of theory/speculation stuff mixed in kinda deal. :)

The Lighthouse' Meditation Chamber. It has a comfortable-looking sofa on which to sit or lay down while you ponder and gaze at this fish tank. Back in the day, this would have been Solas' meditation chamber, right? maybe we can go here to commune with Solas via the Solas-Rook connection (whatever it is)? the fish tank gives me fond memories of the Normandy. :') can we collect different fish? do we have to feed them? are they real fish? Fade fish? wisps that are in the form/shape of fish? are they edible? can we eat them? can I swim in there? what would they taste like? I feel like Kargesh, the krogan from Mass Effect who wants to taste the fish from the Presidium lakes 💀 in this room, the light and shadow of the water moving on the ceiling is beautiful. I wonder where Rook's room is?

Top left: quest title referencing the phrase "After the storm". since this gameplay video is set after the siege of Weisshaupt and shows Grey Wardens lamenting what happened there, could the 'storm' here be what happened at Weisshaupt? Bottom left: collectable Codex entry, a tool-tip of some kind or does Rook have new mail? Center: pattern of ancient elven triangles on the wall, arranged like a sun. Right: this looks like a wardrobe. Maybe this is where Rook can change their casual wear? the Inquisitor had a Wardrobe in their quarters. maybe the Meditation Room is also Rook's quarters?

The Lighthouse Library. The seating area on the ground floor is the place we saw the companions gathered together in this group shot. the Lighthouse needs to manifest 4 more seats round the central table for the others hh (Lucanis, Bellara, Rook, Varric). The table has an icon on the mini-map, so it probably has some kind of interactable function. gather the companions? look at the world map?

What have we here, floating in the Library? 👁️ this looks ancient elven, magic, triangle-y and very important. It's not dissimilar to the one floating in Bellara's room, or to this place. The Lighthouse's power source? A strange map? Something that protects the Lighthouse from outside incursion or prying eyes? A model of the Veil and the different worlds? Could this become less broken-looking in terms of the outside 'rock' layer over time, or could more of the triangles light up blue over time as the story and look of the Lighthouse progresses? Does it have something to do with the Lyrium dagger? (the blue and gold color scheme reminds me of the dagger.) Is it connected to the rotating glowing roof of the tower of this part of the Lighthouse, which you can see later on when Rook goes outside into the Courtyard and looks up? I get the impression that the roof spins if this spins.

Left: something which resembles Elgar'nan's headpiece shape in the Lighthouse Library Center left: in the Library, there are books floating suspended in the air and floating upside down bookcases, arrayed around the magical artifact in the center Center right: there is one of these on either side of the Library entrance. they look like places where there were once frescoes or paintings, like what's left is very faded paint. I wonder if these restore overtime or can be restored over time? it reminds me a bit of the Skyhold mosaics. if these walls did hold paintings, I feel like it would have been Solas who painted them. Right: A floating book above a sidetable, from back in the Meditation Chamber

Next we progress into the Lighthouse Courtyard. Could the fragmented Courtyard become less fragmented and a bit more contiguous as the Lighthouse becomes less disrupted? Game Informer's cover story noted that since the Lighthouse is in the Fade, a realm of dreams that responds to your worldstate and emotion, the Lighthouse reflects the chaos and disrepair of Thedas. since the things in it can change, maybe as Rook completes more of the story and helps more of the world it will look less chaotic over time, including the fragmented Courtyard?

Some of the floating chunks have tree roots protruding from the bottoms

What happens to someone if they fall off the edge of a floating courtyard fragment in the Fade hh?

Left: big dog 👍 Veilfire glows in the scone on his chest Top center: this symbol was on the minimap, in front of the Fen'Harel statue. I think it's this one (left), which we saw in the high-level warrior combat gameplay video. it's some sort of collectable in the sort of way that gold/coin is. I guess this is where we go to use or spend this thing perhaps, whatever they are? maybe it's for Lighthouse upgrades? maybe it's what we spend at or trade to the mysterious "enchanter" who helps us with crafting at the Lighthouse? Bottom center: This is the head-shape of Mythal on the exterior of the Lighthouse Library building, like this statue in DA:I Right: the orangey-leaf trees, an ancient elven spaces classic :)

When Rook approaches Davrin's room, the minimap location title changes to "Guesthouse". That's cute 🥺 Is every companion space called a Guesthouse or is that just the name of Davrin's? Or just the name of the area Davrin's is in?

Left: What the glowing 'come talk to me pls 🥺' lamps look like. Some of the room-buildings, like Harding's, have two lamps outside of them though not just one like Davrin 🤔 Center: Rook carries the Lyrium dagger in their casualwear pocket when in the Lighthouse Right x2: Two lil chimneys puffing away, how cute!! Maybe one is the one for the kitchen where the cooking takes place, and one is connected to Taash's room? Taash's room has fires in it that could be forges.

Left: The dev narration tells us that this companion home is Harding's, and it makes sense - there's roots/vines growing up to or down from the ceiling, and the roof has the appearance of glass, like a greenhouse. Perfect for growing things and letting in the sun. There might not be any literal sunlight in the Lighthouse, but as the rooms shape themselves according to the companions, it's just all about Harding and what suits her. Right: I think this is Neve's room. Compare the windows on the front to the windows on the sides in the screenshot of Neve's interior. (same pattern & placement, in a row of 3)

As we can see from when Rook enters there, opposite Neve lives Davrin.

Left: Who lives here? this is next-door to Davrin. Right: And who lives here? this is opposite Harding.

^ the dev commentary at this point mentions Bellara's home at the same time as pointing out Neve's, but I'm not sure which of these two is hers. and this makes 5 homes, I wonder where the other two rooms are? perhaps attached to the main building which holds the Library? btw, how cute is it that the found family basically have their own cozy lil family neighborhood in a pocket dimension? 🥺

At the top of this tower it looks like a lil balcony no? potentially with a door leading out to it? maybe this is the balcony from Rook's room?

This Rook's casual wear has bare feet and triangles on it. Maybe this Rook was a Veil Jumper? I know the Veil Jumpers wear boots or shoes in the field, but this is casual wear. Veil Jumpers also seem quite orange in their color palette.

💜💜

💜💜 I LOVE

Rook standing next to Davrin here gives an idea of how tall it's possible for qunari Rook to be.

There was some debate over whether this room was Davrin's or Taash's. this vid confirms it as Davrin's. (some thoughts on how it reflects Davrin here). in that post I wondered what the green things were - here we can see that they're hanging corked jugs filled with.. sand? :D also interesting to note is that at this point in the storyline, Davrin's room lacks the big monster skull hung over the fireplace in the screenshot. however, it still has the other monster stuff - the skull on the other wall, the spine hanging from the ceiling, the 'horn chandelier' thing. hear me out. what if.. the skull that eventually goes above the fireplace is the skull of the Gloom Howler..? 👁️ if it was your nemesis, and you finaaally felled it, you'd put it in pride of place as your prize, above your fireplace.

Left: in the post about Davrin's room I wondered if the things on the floor in front of the fire next to the armchair were a rug and chew or bone for Assan, and here we can see that is the case. ^^ Right: I think this here in this side alcove is Davrin's bedroll. makes sense that it's tucked out of sight there - it's not visible in the perspective that the screenshot of his room was taken from, so I was wondering where it was.

On the left as Rook exit's Davrin's, we can see what looks like more wooden carvings that he's been working on, like this ogre.

In the Davrin and Assan portion, Davrin and Assan both look so good. I was really happy to see a Davrin focus in this video and Assan is so cute, with adorable animations, sounds and rigging. Assan stretches like a cat before getting up when Rook comes in.. the tail swishes, the ear crooking, the ear twitching.. 🥺 when Rook comes in, it looks like Davrin is warming his hands up by the fire - how do you think the physics of things like temperature work somewhere magical like the Lighthouse? 🤔

I love the purple sparkle effect around gaining approval. :D when hovering over a dialogue line, the wheel sparkles, and when you choose one, it spins. and Rook's name is in purple in the subtitles. its cute!

The Quest Acquired pop-up.

Another quest, this one called "The Price of the Past". A Davrin-associated quest? Davrin's past, or something the Grey Wardens did historically, like what happened to the griffons..?

The purple mist in the dialogue wheel moves and billows, I think that's a cool touch. :)

🥺🥺..

Rook then heads back into the Library.

Top left: two more highlighted interactable scrolls Bottom left: this mini-map icon looks like Varric. :) the dev narration mentions that this video takes place well into the game, and that Hossberg is a later game area. if it's Varric, this means that at this point in time, Varric is still alive and based in the Lighthouse with the rest of the crew, that he doesn't die in the prologue. I feel like this isn't really a surprise as the 'death' flags (at that specific point) in the prologue were a lil.. I dunno how to phrase it, it would have been too telegraphed if that was when? and also if his death is to happen at some point in the game, it will have more of an impact if Rook and new players actually have had a chance to spend time with Varric beforehand. yet, it's somehow still a big relief. :D it's like destroying Bianca was retiring him from active field duty. however, I do feel that he's still at risk and might die later in the game. 😭 just that the moment wasn't the prologue.. 😭 that he's not death-flag free, just that the prologue wasn't the time. btw, if Varric is living in the Lighthouse too I hope he has his own lil area too, at least somewhere to sleep etc. Right: this circle is on one side of the Library walls. it could just be a design on the wall, as it's solid and doesn't go anywhere, and it doesn't look like it goes anywhere at that point on the mini-map either, but idk, the circle has the appearance to me of an entryway and on the outside it has gold with blue triangles like the floating artifact in the Library air. maybe this is a dead end for now, but becomes an opened up/unlocked part of the Lighthouse later?

I wonder what's up the corridor past Varric? there are a few other corridors/places we could see on the Lighthouse minimap but didn't explore in this video, I'm so curious to explore it all :)

Lastly we have the Eluvian Room. this eluvian takes you to the Crossroads, and it's the eluvian we see at timestamp 1:00 in the release date reveal trailer. it sounds like the dev narration calls it the "Vir Revas", which could translate as "Way/Path of Freedom". it's fitting - one lens of Solas' rebellion is Solas as a noble freedom fighter. and it makes sense, an eluvian is a portal that takes you somewhere. on the right is a pretty floating elfy thing.

Eluvian pop-up info, including percentage of the map discovered, how many of the (I assume) treasures you have discovered, and how many (I assume) of the bosses you have killed. Is the symbol at the very top the symbol of the Crossroads? I also love the language of "A path has emerged from the mists of the Fade that leads to a gathering point where all eluvians meet - the Crossroads." it's pretty.

Close-up of one of the magic-gizmos that makes the Lighthouse eluvian work. it's a purple pentagon and inside it it has a pointy shaped thing floating and rotating. these look like the magic-gizmo Bellara is seen interfacing with in the release date reveal trailer, pictured below for reference. (also a purple hexagon with the pointy thing floating in it).

General thoughts/speculation on commentary & such:

I think it's hard to know what qunari Rooks can look like til we see CC itself. ^^

"Willingly or unwillingly" - it sounds like you can agree to take charge of the Lighthouse from Solas after the ritual interference goes awry, and if you don't you end up getting it anyways.

Being able to inhabit, explore and shape the space Solas lived in millennia ago when he first fomented his rebellion against the gods is a dream come true, like I wanna yell. it's so crazy (in a good way) and cool/surreal to think this is the case. I'm soo curious to get in there and rifle around. Rook is the one who leads the band of people living in the Lighthouse now, Rook is the one who wields the Lyrium dagger, Solas sees himself in Rook. Rook is potentially on a path towards inheriting the Dread Wolf mantle as well (that could also be willingly or unwillingly..)

'It shapes itself around your personality' - I wonder if some of the changes in the Lighthouse reflect Rook's world choices and their personality (like dominant dialogue tone) or something?

The glowing companion 'talk to me' lamps is a nice quality of life feature.

Considering that the spaces shape themselves around the companions, I wonder about Lucanis' room. 🥺 maybe he feels safer in a dark open space with nowhere to hide in it so nobody could sneak up on him in there? maybe it's an ingrained tendency owing to the harsh upbringing he had growing up, often going without necessities? maybe he's simply extremely practical and pragmatic, or it's to do with his relationship/history with food and cooking that makes him want to be in the storehouse? maybe this sort of space is familiar, or his room screenshot was taken earlier on in the game before his arc progressed much?

A secret Warden base where people have no idea what goes on there.. this never ends well hh, the Wardens in these sorts of places are always up to something untoward or extreme in the pursuit of their goals of stopping / defending from the Blights. nervous sweating. I wonder what revelations await us there!!

I wonder what could the Gloom Howler be? its name reminds me of the Sandy Howler from DA:I, which was a dragon. if the skull that gets put above Davrin's fireplace is of the Gloom Howler, what clues can we get about the type of entity it is from the shape of the skull? Stalking Wardens and kidnapping griffons implies that whatever it is, this entity has a level of sentience and has plans of a sort, it isn't a mindless beast. what could it possibly want with the griffons? And I wonder when this creature became Davrin's nemesis? Is he a monster hunter because of it? Or was he a monster hunter before it? Also, how does one get mail in the Lighthouse :D

"What's left of the Wardens" implies that the Wardens faced great losses at the siege of Weisshaupt. I wonder, did the First Warden make it? where are they?

Davrin preferring Direct dialogues and approaches makes me curious to find out ingame what the preferences of the other companions are.

Davrin's voice is amazing.

"Turlum", the name for the bond between Wardens and griffons (presumably the one they ride, when the griffon is an adult) moving in unity as one is new lore I think. I wonder what language/culture the word originates from? how does one forge this bond? I can't help but think of Tsaheylu from Blue Avatar dhdjfej

On the gods assaulting the Crossroads.. to take control of the network to assist in their plans for the world? (Briala saw the network's potential of the Crossroads' functional back in the day, for totally different plans tho ofc) you could spread your darkspawn armies all over the world more easily by sending them through the Crossroads. like the Deep Roads, but cubed. or simply to wrest control of it from Rook and the team because they know they are the only ones that can stop them and that that's where they're holed up? and what stops the assaulting enemies from entering the Lighthouse eluvian from the Crossroads? Is it something to do with the dagger, or Solas' own power?

[source]

[instantbee]

I had a friend ask if Solas knew what he was doing to Lavellan when he offered to take her Valaslin away. For context my Lavellan is a Mage. She’s her clan’s First, and I think that *significantly* alters the way the scene reads

In short, absolutely not. He did not know or consider the impact this could have on her.

I think he panicked, realizing he could not bring himself to confess everything to her he reached for the first thing he could think of. Because he was staring at her face when he did it, the Vallaslin was what he landed on. Because seeing someone he loves so much covered in (what are to him) slave markings dedicated to a horrifyingly abusive master is viscerally disturbing and makes him so sad.

Solas generally has a hard time understanding or grasping how things have changed, so he underestimated what the Valaslin could mean to a Dalish elf. And especially a Dalish First. Someone who is so wholly invested in rediscovering and preserving the history and values of her people. And he takes something that is viewed as a defiant reclamation of identity, and a refusal to assimilate to a dominant culture. He takes that and turns a thousand years of that tradition and meaning on its head and says “no, this thing you thought was defiance is emblematic only of subservience” it is a soul crushing revelation. Which was absolutely not his intention at the time

She accepts having her Valaslin taken in an emotionally fraught moment before she can really fully think about it. Emotions are incredibly high, and she makes a fast possibly rash decision because she trusts the person taking it. Because she’s come to love and respect him. She maybe regrets it afterwards. Possibly would have done so regardless of if he broke up with her immediately following it.

Is she still a Dalish First if she’s Valaslin-less? It’s a marking that she earned and she’s thrown it away. In some ways she no longer belongs to and with her people because of its loss.

And then on top of that he leaves her with no explanation beyond “I have distracted you from your duty.” Duty to what? To whom? To her people? She just abandoned a marker of that duty by giving up her Valaslin. Is that what he meant? Was it a test? Did she fail? Why did he take her there and tell her that only to leave her all alone. To take her from her people and then leave her entirely alone.

She’s now stranded amongst Andrastians and Chantry soldiers. A little Dalish girl with no Valaslin. Nothing there to differentiate her from the city born elf servants that actually run Skyhold except the clothing that the Chantry’s inquisition has *deigned* to give her.

She’s alone, she’s surrounded by a religion that hates and persecutes her people, she’s been stripped of everything recognizably Dalish about her and plastered in Andrastean clothing and symbolism and held up as a herald of a religion she doesn’t belong to. Is she even *her* anymore?

Or have all the rough edges of Elfness been shaved and sanded off her and made acceptable to the chantry and the humans? She’s been stripped of identity and cast in a role that will be discarded once she is no longer useful. Then her history will be rewritten, just as the first Elven Inquisitor was (thank you Jaws of Hakkon DLC for THAT) and nothing will remain of the Dalish Elf she was

And Solas helps with that. Facilitates that crisis of identity that was already brewing. He doesn’t mean to, but when has Solas’ intentions ever stopped him from fucking up?

[bg3daydream]

Rumors and Facts 1/3 (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 2 and chapter 3

Lavellan could swear that when she walked into Solas’ rotunda that day, she had no intention of ending up in her current position, which was straddling Solas’ lap while he sat on the couch. She wasn’t very sure of how they’d ended up in that position, not that she’d complain, but still, she could promise she had not gone there for that.

She had gone to speak with Solas about Corypheus, to review all their information about him. At some point, she’d sat on the couch while Solas explained her what he knew. Then, he joined her. Then…then she wasn’t very sure how the conversation had turned into kissing.

The kiss had soon heated into something more, with Lavellan moving to straddle his lap, all thoughts of Corypheus and even where they were gone from her mind, as it always seemed to happen when Solas kissed her like he was starved and she was all he needed.

His hands on her hips caressed their way to her thighs, then to her ass, squeezing it and pushing her even closer. Lavellan moaned softly into the kiss, grounding down on him, and Solas gasped, their lips parting as he pulled back from the kiss.

“Vhenan…” He breathed. “We shouldn’t…”

This again. He always kissed her senseless, made her feel all heated and crazy with want, just to stop at the last moment. Lavellan wasn’t sure how much more her frustration could take. He never told her why, and it only added to it.

“I think we should,” she replied, barely a whisper, kissing him again and wrapping her arms around his shoulders. She could feel he wanted her too, hardening under her, but still, she made herself pull back, just in case she was reading this wrong and he didn’t want it. 

“Do you want to stop?”She asked quietly, leaning her forehead against his.

“Want?” Solas let out a humorless snort, his forehead nudging hers as he shook his head no.

“Then don’t.”

Lavellan rocked on his lap, purposely grinding against him. Whatever Solas was going to say, probably some variation on how they shouldn’t, turned into a moan that sounded heavenly to her ears. He kissed her again then, his hands back on her ass, holding her to him.

His lips moved from hers to her neck, kissing the underside of her jaw,  then a spot under her ear, and the feeling had her rolling her hips against his again. His gasp against the skin of her neck made her shiver in delight, and she hummed as he kept kissing her sensitive skin, until his lips reached the high collar of her shirt. 

Lavellan let go of Solas’ shoulders so she could unbutton the high collar, while Solas’ hands, still on her ass, held her securely to him. She began to undo the buttons, tugging the fabric loose and open, while Solas kissed her newly exposed skin as she went.

She kept going past the neck, opening the buttons down her neckline, tugging open the fabric so Solas could keep going, kissing down her cleavage. Solas placed warm, open-mouthed kisses on the exposed skin at the top of her breasts as he grasped her ass tighter.

Lavellan tilted her head back with a moan, pressing down against him, one of her hands flying to the back of his head, desperate for more.

A loud thump next to them startled them both. Solas lifted his head from her breasts, removing his hands from her butt but keeping his arms around her, holding her securely to his chest as he looked around, scanning the room for threats while Lavellan did the same, half expecting a breach to show up there somehow, spitting demons.

There was no threat, breach, or demons, though, but a big, heavy book that seemed to have fallen from the library upstairs, barely missing the couch.

“Ups, my bad,” came Dorian’s voice from upstairs. “I hope it didn’t hit anyone…but that’s the perils when you set your quarters under a library in which people are researching, right Solas? No need to bring it back, I’ll go get the book myself.”

Lavellan almost jumped from Solas’ lap, rushing to get up, remembering where they were and afraid Dorian was about to walk on them like that.

“Apologies, vhenan, I forgot myself,” Solas mumbled while he got up too, seeming a bit flustered and out of breath…Lavellan guessed she probably looked just the same.

“No, don’t apologize,” Lavellan replied. The only thing Solas could apologize for was not choosing a more private place to set his quarters.

She hurried to button up her shirt again, so Dorian didn’t walk in to see the Inquisitor with her boobs practically falling out of the garment, and Solas reached to help her. When they heard the heavy wooden door opening, they pulled away as if they were burning…considering how heated Lavellan was feeling, it wouldn’t surprise her that much if her skin could actually burn Solas’ fingers.

“Good afternoon,” Dorian greeted as he walked in. “Apologies again, the book just slipped past my fingers.”

Lavellan didn’t know if he’d gotten a peak of them from upstairs, or if he’d heard them, or if he’d just had a lucky guess, but with the way Dorian was looking at them, she knew he knew what he’d interrupted. 

Lavellan wasn’t sure if she should throw the book to his face or actually thank him for reminding them where they were and how little private Solas’ rotunda actually was. 

“So, how’s your research going?” Dorian asked with an arched eyebrow. “Great, I bet.”

“It’s…” Lavellan’s brain suddenly seemed unable to recall a single thing about what she and Solas had talked about before ending up on the couch. “...going.” 

Dorian snorted at her coming short of words, his amusement growing. At least, he was not openly commenting on what she and Solas were doing instead of researching, though Lavellan knew better than to expect no teasing from him on that matter from then on.

“We weren’t researching, merely putting in common what we know and the information we have until now,” Solas said, more articulately than her. “I thought you were the one researching…still for nothing, I presume.”

Lavellan rolled her eyes. The last thing she needed was Solas and Dorian bickering or, as Varric and she called it, engaging in their contest to see who had the biggest staff. Did they really not see how silly they sounded when they got at it? So much for the wise mages…

“Oh, I am researching, I swear if you follow me around you’ll see my face buried only in books and not in other places.” Dorian shrugged, all innocent and serious looking despite his obvious teasing. 

Solas gave him a murderous look, but the blush that spread across his cheeks and the top of his ears took away from it. It was kind of cute, but Lavellan knew that he’d be beyond mortified if she pointed it out.

“Are you still trying to find his real name?” She asked, trying to steer the conversation into serious matters.

Dorian nodded, picking up the book from the floor. “Once I know who he really is, I’ll expose him to the magisterium.”

“Okay…” Lavellan didn’t know much about Tevinter’s magisterium but she trusted Dorian knew what he was doing. “Let’s get to it, then.”

*

Lavellan walked into the tavern, heading to the bar. She tried to do so every couple of days or so, to ask the bartender how was morale doing. There were always people there, drinking, sometimes looking rather down, other times celebrating victory. The Iron Bull and his Chargers had taken residence there, and Lavellan waved at them.

The minstrel was singing a song about Sera. It was quite catchy, but Sera herself, who was sitting on a wooden banister, looked rather unhappy about it. Lavellan’d heard her muttering how the song was creepy, although the Inquisitor found it cute. 

“Good day to you, Cabot,” Lavellan greeted the bartender. “How’s people lately?”

“Fine. Drunk. Got some complaints about you having time to bed your allies,” Cabot said and Lavellan blinked at him, feeling frozen in place. Had she heard right? “I don’t judge. Much.”

She had heard right. Lavellan gaped like a fish out of water. How and why were people saying that? Had Dorian told people about Solas and her? No, he might tease them, but he wouldn’t go around talking about them. 

There were many things she wanted to say. Many things that she should say, like how it was nobody's business. Or why wouldn’t she be allowed some happiness and love, in her sparse free time? Wasn’t she doing enough, wasn’t she fighting enough, sacrificing enough. Were they going to judge her forever, no matter what?

Instead of saying anything of that, though, she heard herself saying, in a slightly panicked and high-pitched voice that didn’t seem her own, “there were no beds, only a couch.”

What, why would she say something like this?! Now the situation was even more embarrassing, if that was even possible.

Lavellan heard Sera’s laugh and she turned to see her looking so amused, that it made Lavellan feel more embarrassed and upset. Was it her who’d told people about Solas and her? How did she know? Or she didn’t know and had just wanted to joke around for her own amusement.

“On the couch!” Sera cackled, running upstairs when Lavellan rushed to her…she didn’t know why, she was probably looking even worse, running after Sera like an idiot while she kept laughing. “Did he call out ‘elven glory’? I bet he did!”

Still laughing, seeming thoroughly amused, Sera rushed into her room and tried to close the door in Lavellan’s face, but she was quick enough to get into the room too.

“Stop it!” She demanded, upset, but Sera just burst into another fit of giggles. “Is it you who’s been saying those rumors about Solas and me?”

“Rumors? You just said you did it on the couch!” Sera kept laughing and Lavellan was more and more mortified. Why’d she say something like that…and why would she run after Sera afterward. “Besides, no, I didn’t! It’s pretty obvious with how you two look at each other…ugh.”

“We don’t look at each other in any way.” Lavellan hated how childish she sounded. She thought they’d been keeping it private…

“Sure you don’t!” Sera huffed. “You look at him, like, all…Oh, Solas, come here!” She mimicked a high-pitched voice, dreamy eyes, and then smooching sounds, before pulling a face. “It’s embarrassing and disgusting, really. And he? Even more disgusting! Looking at you like he wants to eat you, ugh.”

“He doesn’t look at me like that!” Lavellan felt heat spreading across her cheeks…but maybe Sera had a point, the way Solas looked at her sometimes made her feel…things.

Sera snorted. “He does. The other day, you were sitting judgment, and he was looking at you like he wanted to kneel right there and eat you…yikes.” Sera put on a face before cackling again. “Better bang him on the couch than on the throne, though.”

Lavellan felt her face on fire, and she tried very hard not to imagine Solas kneeling between her thighs while she was on her throne. “I haven’t banged him on the couch!”

“But you just said-”

“I know what I said,” Lavellan interrupted her. “I just…I was just pissed at people talking about my love life…” Not only that, but also talking like she didn’t deserve one.

“You’re the Inquisitor.” Sera shrugged. “People’s gonna talk and gossip about you no matter what.”

“Yeah, I can see that…” Lavellan scoffed. It’d been like that since back in Haven. “I hate it anyway.”

“Why do you care?” Sera shrugged again. “Just ignore them, or better yet, scandalize them more!” Sera laughed. “But maybe Josephine will have a heart attack. She wants it all to be so proper,” she scoffed.

“Wait until she hears that the Inquisitor was shouting at the tavern that she banged the elven apostate on his couch,” Lavellan groaned, mortified, and Sera laughed again.

“But why have you not done it for real?” Sera asked and Lavellan just shrugged…if only she knew herself why Solas kept backing out. “I think you should…I mean, it’s disgusting, but I think maybe if you get Solas laid it’d fix whatever is wrong with him.”

“Nothing’s wrong with him!”

“Sure it isn’t.” Sera snorted. “And I think you need to get laid too…even if it’s with Solas.” She made a face of disgust, cackling when Lavellan huffed. “You deserve it. Every time you win a fight, he should get his face bet-”

“I really, really don’t want to keep talking about this,” Lavellan rushed to stop Sera’s lewd comments. “I’m gonna go and try to do some damage control, say I was trying to joke or something…”

“Pfff…good luck with that.”

Sera’s laugh echoed as Lavellan walked out of her room.

*

When Lavellan walked to Solas’ rotunda, her mood was sour. She had caught some more insinuated comments about her love life and some looks, and she felt pretty done with the day. As she went to open the door, she heard someone snickering behind her, and she turned to glare at everything and everyone, but couldn’t catch the culprit.

Solas smiled when she walked in, but it turned into a frown when he noticed her face, as if reading her mood.

“Something wrong?” He asked.

“No, not really.” She didn’t want to tell him about the rumors. She didn’t want them perhaps ruining his mood too, and maybe turning him self-conscious. The last thing she needed was Solas pulling away from her. “But I just feel done with people for today…no matter what, nothing I do is enough and it almost seems like I don’t deserve anything good of my own,” she ranted.

Solas moved closer to her and took her hand in his. “What happened, vhenan?”

Lavellan considered telling him, but it still felt too embarrassing. She shook her head with a sigh. “I’m just tired of people acting like I’m not a person, just, The Inquisitor, always ready to be used…”

Solas squeezed her hand gently, but before any of them could say anything else, the door opened, revealing Sera there, grinning as she aimed her bow at…them?

“What are you doing?!” Lavellan yelled, she was not scared, just perplexed and angrier.

Sera just laughed, losing an arrow that embedded into Solas’s desk. With a curse, Lavellan jumped to grab Sera, hearing Solas curse in that way he reserved for the rogue, but Sera was quicker, closing the door in Lavellan’s face. When she reopened it, Sera’d disappeared through any of Skyhold’s multiple, labyrinthic corridors.

“Ignore her, vhenan, don’t go running after her,” Solas said, sounding as pissed as her. Sure, the Inquisitor running after Sera yet again, in a hall full of people, would have people talking and giving Josephine a headache.

“What in Mythal’s name has gotten into her…” Lavellan wasn’t sure if she was more angry or confused.

Sera and Solas tended to argue, but it was usually childish and petty (not that Lavellan would say that to any of them and become the new target of their disagreement), but it’d never escalated into shooting at each other…this was probably another of Sera’s odd pranks, but someone should talk some safety into her.

Lavellan turned to inspect the arrow on the desk and saw that Solas was tearing a paper from it. So the prank was not only shooting arrows but also leaving notes with them. Sure, who needed Leliana’s ravens when they had Sera’s arrows.

“So, what is it?” Lavellan asked but Solas didn’t answer, eyes on the note. He made to crumple it, seeming flustered, but Lavellan’s curiosity took the best of her and she reached for the paper.

On it, there were only two words “eat her” and then the doodle of a cat…a pussycat, Sera’d say.

“Oh…” Lavellan said, feeling her cheeks heating…why had she told anything to Sera?

The door opened again, saving them from having to acknowledge the note that Solas quickly crumpled. This time, it was Varric who walked in.

“Was that Sera shooting at you two?” He asked, eyeing the arrow on the desk.

“One of her new pranks, it seems,” Lavellan sighed and Solas scoffed. He still seemed flustered, though Lavellan wasn’t sure if it was due to the note or to Sera’s arrow-shooting antics. Both, probably. “Who cares she might fail and kill one of us.”

“It could be worse.” Dorian’s voice came from upstairs and Lavellan looked up to see him leaning over the library’s banister. “She could have thrown a bottle of bees. She likes that.”

Lavellan grimaced. “Did many people see her?” She asked Varric, who nodded.

“Most of the hall, they’re talking about what’s going on with her now,” he confirmed and Lavellan let out a frustrated groan. “Wait until Josephine hears about it.”

“I’m going out, and you all are coming with me,” Lavellan was more begging than commanding. “We’re going to loudly talk about how good our ‘surprise attack defense’ drills are going. Save Josephine the trouble.”

“If you say so, Inquisitor,” Varric chuckled.

“Then, any of you is going to distract Sera while I fill her quiver with ants.”

*

Today had been an odd day for the Inquisitor. 

Instead of researching their enemies, training, listening to reports, planning, and everything else she did on an usual day, she’d been studying Orlesian politique and learning about etiquette and manners with Josephine. She’d even practiced ballroom dancing with her.

Definitely, an odd day for Lavellan.

It was late in the evening and almost everyone had retired to their quarters by the time Lavellan walked into Solas’ rotunda. 

“Vhenan.” Solas was on his desk, studying some papers, but he looked up to smile at her when she walked in. “Do you know everything about proper Orlesian etiquette?” He joked.

“Almost everything. I think Josephine’s going to test me tomorrow.” Lavellan snorted, rolling her eyes. “Do you know what else I’ve been practicing? Ballroom dancing.”

“Oh?” Solas arched an eyebrow at her.

“Yes…do you happen to know anything about ballroom dancing?”

“As a matter of fact, yes I do,” Solas replied, taking Lavellan by surprise. She’d not expected that.

“Really? Where did you learn? Have you ever been at a ball before?” Lavellan couldn’t imagine him, considering what she knew of him, the lonely mage who studied the Fade and dreamed, but who knew.

Solas seemed a bit uncomfortable at her questions and Lavellan wondered if she was being intrusive, but she couldn’t help how curious and intrigued she was.

“I’ve seen some at the Fade,” he finally answered. Lavellan supposed it made sense, but she was still a bit unsure of how the Fade and Solas dreaming worked.

“Did you ballroom danced with spirits? It sounds good.” Lavellan half-joked and Solas gave her a half-smile.

“Something like that.”

“Dance with me now, then.” Lavellan smiled, reaching to take Solas’ hand. “So I’ll have more practice and I’ll surprise Josephine tomorrow with my improved technique.

“My pleasure, vhenan.”

Solas got up and Lavellan giggled when he pulled her to him. His hand was lower on her back and he held closer than it was probably proper in Orlesian etiquette, but Lavellan was certainly now going to complain.

She smiled as she let him guide her, feeling butterflies in her belly at the way Solas looked at her while they danced without music.

Eventually, she stopped, letting go of Solas’ hand to wrap her arms around his neck instead and kiss him.

“Is this a step in orlesian ball dances?” Solas joked.

“Only if I get to dance with you,” she answered before kissing him again.

“Dancing with the elven apostate won’t be good for the Inquisitor’s reputation,” Solas said.

“I don’t care.” She didn’t, she refused to hide Solas as if this was something to be ashamed of, and everyone was talking anyway.

Lavellan kissed him again and Solas pulled her to him with his hands on her hips, holding her so tight to him that Lavellan had to almost cling to his shoulders to keep upright and stay on her feet, bending back at the intensity of his kisses. She felt like she was melting, dizzy and light-headed almost, and still she couldn’t get enough.

She took a few steps back, struggling to keep her balance, and her ass hit Solas’ desk. He pushed at her until she sat down on it, opening her legs to accommodate him between them.

Solas let go of her hips to instead hold her face, kissing her deeply, before he moved from her lips to place kisses down her jaw and neck. Lavellan was wearing one of her high-collared shirts and she rushed to unbutton it, leaving more skin free for Solas to kiss, shivering in delight at the feeling of her hot mouth on her sensitive skin.

She kept unbuttoning past her neckline, reaching her cleavage. She forced herself to open her eyes, glancing upstairs. She couldn’t hear anyone at the library and it was late, probably everyone was already gone. Solas sucked on her neck and she gasped, squeezing her thighs to his sides, her fingers moving again, unbuttoning her shirt  past her chest, not stopping until it was fully open.

Solas pulled away from her neck to look down at her now open shirt, nothing under it, before leaning to hold his forehead against hers, nudging it ever so slightly. He slid a hand down her exposed skin, caressing it softly, from her neck down to her chest, his fingers brushing her nipple as he cupped her breast, making Lavellan gasp and press closer to him, kissing his lips again, while Solas’ hand kept its journey down, leaving a trail of warmth on Lavellan’s skin as he caressed her.

Solas pulled back from her lips to lower his mouth to her neck, trailing a path of kisses down the length of it, past her collarbone, down to her chest.

He kissed a spot between her breasts and then moved to kiss her nipple. His warm tongue brushed over it before he sucked it into his mouth and Lavellan let out a moan, pressing her thighs harder against him and crossing her legs behind his hips, trying to push him closer to her.

She felt Solas gasp against her breast at it, before he circled her nipple with his tongue, moving then to her other breast, kissing his way to her nipple and giving it the same treatment. Lavellan placed a hand at the back of Solas’ head as her hips rocked and writhled, trying to brush and press against him.

Solas released her nipple and trailed a path of warm, open-mouthed kisses down her body, unwrapping her legs from him so he could fall to his knees, kissing her lower belly, before pulling back to look at her. The sight of him knelt between her thighs almost made Lavellan moan.

Solas had her hands half over her naked skin, half over the waist of her trousers, and Lavellan rocked her hips again, trying to lift them to him and encourage him to keep going, if he wanted to. She really hoped he wanted to. It seemed like so, with that hunger in his eyes and that way of looking at her like he was starving for her, but it was not the first time he stopped when things got heated between them, though they’d never gone this far.

His fingers pressed harder on her warm skin and Lavellan let out a small, needy sound, her hips writhing again, desperate for more of his touch. Solas smirked at it and leaned over to kiss her belly.

He pulled back so he could unbuckle her boots, taking them off, and then he hooked his fingers on the waistband of her uniform trousers, looking at Lavellan’s face, waiting. She lifted her hips, trying to encourage him and help him take off her trousers, and so he did, sliding them down her legs along with her small clothes, leaving her completely exposed.

“Vhenan…” Solas whispered as his hands caressed up her thighs. 

Her only response was a small, needy moan. Liquid heat pooled between her legs, and the heated way Solas was looking at her, like he couldn’t wait to devour her, was not helping.

Lavellan thought he was about to bury his head between her thighs, and her hips bucked towards him at the thought, but instead, Solas pulled back slightly to kiss her ankle, then up her calf, placing her leg over his shoulder.

His lips reached her thigh, placing open-mouthed kisses on it, while his hand caressed and kneaded her other thigh, opening her leg wider. He kissed her inner thigh and Lavellan called his name in a needy whisper, the ache between her legs unbearable.

Finally, he lowered his mouth to her. His tongue slidded up her wetness, slowly, and Lavellan took in a shaky breath, closing her eyes. She moaned when his tongue reached her clit, circling it, and her head tilted back. She reached a hand behind her, trying to grab onto the desk somehow so she wouldn’t fall back on it, her other hand flying to Solas’ head.

Small moans and gasps left her lips as his tongue kept pleasuring her, every nerve on her feeling like it was on fire. He stroked Solas’ scalp, gently first, but when he sucked on her clit, she couldn’t help but push his head closer to her with a moan.

His slow pace, with lazy, deep licks along her wetness and clit, alternating with his warm lips sucking her nub, was maddening and yet it felt so, so good.

Her hips kept writhing and lifting, trying to rock onto his mouth, and as they picked their pace, so did Solas, his tongue flicking her clit before sucking on it again. Lavellan moaned, and her thighs tried to close around his head, but Solas kept them open, grabbing them tight, and he moaned into her, making her cry out again.

Whimpers and moans kept falling down her lips as Solas kept going, his tongue and lips moving on her until she couldn’t take it anymore, the pleasure building up until she exploded. 

Lavellan cried out, pushing Solas’ face even closer to her while her quivering thighs closed around his head again.  This time Solas let them, moving one of his hands to hold her ass instead, squeezing. 

His lips were wrapped around her clit, sucking on it as she climaxed, and he kept going while she spasmed and moaned, slowing down only when her grip on his head relaxed. Lavellan stroked his head, trying to catch her breath while small moans still fell down her lips.

When her thighs stopped shaking and fell open, her legs unwrapping from around him, Solas pulled back, kissing her thigh a few times before looking up at her. Lavellan smiled at him, feeling a bit out of herself still, and she caressed his face, cupping his cheek and brushing her thumb over his lips, wet with her moisture.

The intensity with which he was looking at her made her belly flutter and her heart squeeze. He seemed as out of breath as her, and Lavellan tugged at him gently until he got back onto his feet.

“Come here, ma’arlath,” she whispered to him. Holding his face, she leaned to kiss him, and Solas seemed to almost melt into her as he kissed her back, holding her tight to him.

Lavellan slid a hand down his body, reaching the hem of his shirt and pushing it under it, caressing his warm skin, and she felt Solas taking a sharp breath against her lips. She moved to kiss his neck instead and Solas let out a half-gasp, half-moan.

“Vhenan…” He whispered, shivering when Lavellan trailed a path of kisses across his neck.

When she slid her hand down towards his groin, though, Solas reached to stop it, taking her hand on his. Lavellan pulled back to look at his face, worried that something might be wrong. Solas didn’t say anything, but lifted her hand to his lips, kissing it.

“Are you okay?” Lavellan asked him quietly, and Solas nodded with a soft smile.

“You?” He asked back, his voice huskier than Lavellan was expecting.

She smiled. “I believe I need another word…I’m much, much better than okay.”

Solas’ smile turned into a smirk, and he let out a low chuckle before he leaned to kiss her again. Lavellan didn’t try to touch him again or pushed him for more, this was the further they’d gone without Solas pulling away and stopping, and she didn’t want to risk it, even if she wanted to make him feel as good as he’d made her feel. She could wait.

Solas pulled back and reached down to take her small clothes and her trousers, sliding them up her legs again, and Lavellan wiggled until her trousers were back in place. Next, he got her boots, carefully putting them back on her feet and buckling them. Lastly, he carefully buttoned up her shirt.

Once she was dressed again, Solas gave her lips a soft, brief kiss, and pulled back, holding her hands on his and helping her off the desk. Her legs felt a bit shaky and bobbly, she felt like she might just melt or perhaps float, and Lavellan had to hold to Solas to keep her balance. She didn’t miss his quick smirk at it.

Lavellan wasn’t sure of what to do or what to say now, they’d never done anything like this before…she knew she wanted to stay with Solas as long as she could, though, and have him hold her again.

“I know it’s late but do you mind if I stay here with you for a bit longer?” She asked.

Solas smiled in a way that made Lavellan’s heart skip a beat. “Of course, vhenan.”

He took a book from his desk and walked her to the couch with her hand on his, sitting down and pulling her close until Lavellan was snuggled against his chest, his arms wrapped around her and the book angled in a way so she could read it too.

*

NA:

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.

The desk's the one in which I kept landing after jumping from the library.

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.

[daitranscripts]

Iron Bull Masterpost

Main Quest Cutscenes:

Recruitment Pre-Skyhold: The Bull’s Chargers Recruitment Post-Skyhold: The Bull’s Chargers From the Ashes: A Few Faces Here Lies the Abyss: Anti-Demon Stick

Prompted Conversations:

The Threat Remains: It’s At The Top In Hushed Whispers: That’s Honest Champions of the Just: Always Staying Positive Wicked Eyes and Wicked Hearts: That Was a Mess What Pride Had Wrought: That’s Easy Post-game - Investigate: Let's Talk About Being Qunari (Qunari PC) Investigate: Tell Me About Qunari Investigate: Tell Me of the Ben-Hassrath Investigate: Tell Me About Seheron Investigate: Why The Name Iron Bull? - Special: So… You and Dorian? Specialization: Tempest Specialization: Champion Specialization: Reaver

Personal Quest - Demands of the Qun:

Pt. 1 - Letter From the Ben-Hassrath Pt. 2 - Qunari Contact Pt. 3 - Gatt Pt. 4 - Plan of Attack Pt. 5 - A Choice Pt. 6a - Tal-Vashoth Pt. 6b - Alliance - Investigate: How's Our Qunari Alliance?

Approval:

Dragon Hunting - Warm Approval: Meet the Chargers Warm Approval: Tell Me About Your Troops High Approval: Hissrad High Approval: A Courtesy

Romance:

Let's Talk About Us - Ride The Bull Walking Funny Tough Love Kadan - Wicked Eyes and Wicked Hearts: After the Ball Ending

Trespasser:

Catching Up With Iron Bull Prompted Conversation

Deleted Dialogue

Companion Masterpost

[lagunapoint]

Veilguard is nice. Cool interactions, great romances, excellent graphics, excellent combat. I love flashy slashers, so it worked for me. But wraps up in a blanket of sadness at some point, it becomes clear that I kind of like it, but the little elf Inquisitor inside me misses Inquisition, which was completely forgotten in this new part :( I don’t miss the circles and the templars, I miss the little details that built the atmosphere. I’m not saying they should’ve made Inquisition 2. I like the new story, but it would’ve been great to find more little details and Easter eggs. Yeah, it was cool to find the note about Gordon Blackwall. Why didn’t they add more things like that? For a new player, it’s new info and world expansion, and for us, it’s just nice.

But the reason for my post is that yesterday, I got blown away by this fresco.

Here’s Trespasser, the conclave, the rebellion, the ancient elves, Solas, the qunari, the wolf, magister Alexius (?????), the creation of the breach why am I whining if it’s right here- Inquisition? But you know where this fresco was? In the ass of Minrathous. I’m not sure many people would have the patience to get through that quest to this fresco. And if they do, it’s super easy to miss, just by flicking the camera too fast, because this fresco is BEHIND A DOOR hahaha, and because it’s dark! Anyway, because of this drawing, I’ve been whining all morning and floating around like a storm cloud above my keyboard.

So. We’ve got the qunari next to Solas, but there’s not even a hint of the Inqui. I don’t know, maybe the second qunari is supposed to be the Inquisitor? What a load of crap. Okay. How do you draw the Inqui here if everyone’s is different? Just add the Anchor? Didn’t we have enough Anchor symbolism in Inquisition? Where is the Inquisitor? Why add such an important moment (SOLAVELLANS, I’M HORRIFIED) and not include the Inqui?

And now let’s play riddles. Up top there are pieces of frescoes from the Skyhold rotunda. First there’s the tevinter magister from the third fresco of Solas, which appears after choosing the Templars or the mages. If you choose the mages, Solas paints two versions of the future, and at the center is a magister - Alexius, since he’s a key figure in that storyline. And now this magister is painted on the wall of the Minrathous. Is it the same magister? Alexius? Why is he here :( Or has this image now become a generalized representation of 'bad magisters'? Either way, there are even some long-forgotten magister, but no details that would hint at the key character - the Inquisitor. Was this really not that important all this time? 🥲  A reference to the temple of mythal and part of the fresco about the explosion at the conclave, the creation of the breach, and the wolf, black, with no white elements, as part of the conclave fresco. The absence of the second wolf on the right - it’s just empty lore imao It’s probably unlikely, but could this drawing here be meaningless? Maybe someone just added elements they liked? It reminds me of a podcast where the words of Solas and Elio’s ritual were the lyrics to the song 'I Am The One,' which played during the sex scenes in Origins. I didn’t know whether to laugh or focus.

In general I’m satisfied and unsatisfied at the same time. Can someone share their thoughts on this drawing with me, please? Or on all of this eh? <3

The frescos from Skyhold

[daisymeade]

Joining

day 1 : veilguard 30

9:41

It wasn't unheard of for a Legionnaire to join the Grey Wardens. Rare certainly, but they all knew about the rogue that had the honor to travel with the Hero of Orzammar. That wasn't why Sidrin had decided to approach Stroud at Skyhold though.

This was the second time his bro- the King had sent the Legion top-side to fight their ancient enemy, first in Denerim and now here. He hated the sun, the too thin air, and all this...snow, but these foolish Wardens clearly needed help from a level-head. The dying are desperate and prone to rashness but the dead understand the steady effect of the chisel.

The stone beneath his feet hummed and a flutter of anxiety fluttered through him. When would he lose his Stone sense? Could he save it somehow? He thought about asking Gatsi once he was finished with his task. The hum continued and the feeling ebbed away, replaced with calm. This is what he needed to do. It was important, moreso than he could understand right now.

"Thorne?"

Sid came back to himself, to Stroud staring at him, the Joining chalice held expectantly in his hand. He looked over then. Gwa-gatot. His fellow recruit, the human who'd flooded his own village during the Blight, was dead on the floor. Blood and bile pooled around his face and Sidrin felt a pang of sympathy.

Come on, Sid. You're forty-seven, you've seen plenty of people die. This is just some human you barely met. I should have been paying attention. You're already fitting in top-side. Becoming a soft, sun-touched wimer...

"Thorne," said Stroud again, a sharp edge in his voice now. Danger.

See? He thinks so too.

Sidrin sneered, resisting the urge to snatch the chalice from the hand of this troll-kin who constantly sounded like he had something stuck in his throat, much like the rest of his kinsfolk.

A single Legionnaire saw more death and horror than these top-side Wardens could ever comprehend. Dead men didn't know cowardice or panic.

He would show them a better way.

The potion burned like magma down his throat and the song curdled.

[rilamelafin]

Offer Me That Deathless Death

Fandom: Dragon Age Inquisition Rating: M Pairing: Cullen x Female Lavellan Tags: Body Worship, Victory Sex, Bathing/Washing

[Read on AO3]

~~~

He all but carried her up the stairs to her bedchambers, exhausted as she was. He carried her staff for her, something he would never have imagined himself doing even three years ago, before he had been recruited to lead the Inquisition’s forces. Neddirra leaned heavily on his shoulder, every step leaden and weighted as the heat of battle ebbed from her body. She had saved them all. Again. Corypheus was finally defeated, the hole in the sky repaired with nothing but a scar to show how close they had all been to destruction. At the top of the steps, Neddirra’s knees buckled, and Cullen scooped her up properly into his arms. He set her staff in its place along the wall, carried her to the tub he’d had drawn when news of her victory had reached Skyhold ahead of her, and carefully set her back on her feet.

His hands were light as they set to the task of removing the Keeper robes she had crafted since the fall of her clan. As each layer was lifted, he could see her body growing lighter. The tension slowly eased from her brow. She tried to help, started to lean down to remove her leg wraps, but he gently pushed her hands away and insisted she let him. He knelt before her, a supplicant at her feet, as his hands unwrapped the leather that protected her. He was careful to put her robes and other pieces of her armor on their proper stands — they’d be cleaned in the morning — and in minutes he had her bare before him. Her body was covered in grime — blood and corruption, and viscera — and already-darkening bruises.

She was the most beautiful thing he had ever laid eyes upon.

She was alive. 

Cullen helped her into the bath and sat on the stool beside it, taking a cup to rinse the warmed water over her auburn hair. Her breath left her in a rush, her shoulders sinking lower as he worked soap into a lather in her hair. Flakes of red and black fell, staining the water in the tub. He wetted a cloth and began the slow, tender process of cleaning the battle off of her skin. He started with her back, careful of the angry red mark that burned a line over her shoulder blades, and moved slowly down each arm. With every inch of her pale skin he cleansed and revealed, a piece of her seemed to come back to herself and she relaxed against the back of the tub. She was so tired, drawn thin and empty from her battle with Corypheus high in the mountains. Cullen had only been able to see flashes of light in the distance, green and crimson and terrifying. When Neddirra had returned, triumphant, he had finally been able to breathe again.

Once her skin was clean, Cullen helped Neddirra to her feet and out of the tub. She leaned heavily against him as he drew a towel over her body, gently caressing as he helped her dry. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head, her forehead, the tip of one ear — the last one elicited a soft gasp. She tipped her head back to kiss his mouth, lips slow and languid. Cullen’s arms wrapped around her, drawing her as near as he could manage. Her skin was still warm from the bath through his linen shirt, and her hands glided over his chest to wrap behind his neck. She opened her mouth to him, and a low groan rumbled in his chest as her tongue slid against his. He should let her rest, he knew. But her hands tugged at the back of his shirt, drawing it up as best she could, and all Cullen could do was breathe out a laugh against her lips as he pulled back and lifted the shirt over his head. 

Her lips were on his chest the second it was bared to her, tracing over scars, kissing and sucking gentle bruises into his skin, marking him as hers and hers alone. His hands roamed her naked body, feeling for the aches and bruises from her battle, marveled at the strength of her. One hand cupped her breast, and she gasped, breath hot against his chest. Cullen moved his hands under her thighs and lifted her with ease — she was always so light — and she wrapped her legs around his waist. His lips found hers again as he carried her to the bed and gently laid her down into the plush covers. She stared up at him with desire-blown eyes, and a hand trailed down his side, to the hem of his trousers. Cullen gently grasped her wrist and brought it back up to his face so he could kiss her there.

“Allow me to tend to you, just this once.”

Their lovemaking was a place where they were true equals, usually. Tonight, Cullen wanted for Neddirra to just exist in pleasure. She had done so much for him — for the world — he wanted her to stop giving just for one night. His lips traveled slowly up her arm, dotting her skin with gentle, reverent kisses. As he reached the juncture of her neck and shoulders, one of his hands moved between her legs and cupped her there. The gasp and shaking breath she gave went straight to his cock, but tonight was not about him.  He worked her slowly, drawing gasps and sighs and moans from her lips with every pass over her slick core. Her hips canted in time with his fingers. 

Cullen slowed his movements and pressed a kiss to her lips at her responding whine. A promise of more to come. He kissed his way down her body, all lips and tongue — no teeth because she had been marked enough and he wouldn’t add to it tonight — and her hands buried themselves in his hair. She sighed his name as he continued his worship of her. He had learned the Chant of Light in his Templar training. Had he the time, he would recite it in entirety into her skin. He could spend weeks venerating her, and may the Maker strike him down for his blasphemy.  He kissed her inner thigh once, twice, and then his mouth was on her folds, and her voice echoed off the walls of her chambers. 

He could spend hours here, between her legs, tasting her very essence, tongue tracing every line of her while she whispered her pleasure for only him. He groaned into her, and her ankles crossed behind his back, holding him close. Even as fatigued as he knew she was, she was still so strong. His tongue delved into her heat, and he could feel the muscles of her thighs trembling. She was gasping his name now, all but begging him to bring her to release. And who was he to deny her anything? His lips and tongue worked her, sucking and licking gently in just the ways he had learned she liked. Her voice rose, a song sweeter than any lyrium, as she fell apart and he worked her through her climax until she squirmed under him. His jaw ached, but he kissed her folds once more before rising to meet her eager lips with his. She groaned, low and throaty, as she could taste herself on his mouth.

“I love you,” he breathed.

“Ar lath ‘ma.” Neddirra’s hands traced lazily over the scars on his back, leaving gooseflesh in their wake. They trailed down to his pants again, and this time she tugged insistently at them. “Aman na’mis.” He remembered this one. She often said it when they made love, and the memory made him impossibly harder. “Sathan, vhenan.” Please, she begged. Cullen realized she was so exhausted she had fallen back on the language of her people, but he had learned enough in their time together. His trousers were gone in short order, and he blanketed her with his own body. She begged him again in Elvish, and he slid into her with practiced ease. 

The pace he set was slow and languid. He relished in the feel of her, every inch of her skin that touched him. His lips were on her — kissing her throat, her jaw, her lips — as his hips rolled into her. She threw her head back, eyes closed in bliss, no coherent words passing her lips besides his name and a few words in Elvish that he hadn’t learned yet. He kept his pace even and controlled, bringing her to the brink of her climax again. Her whole body trembled beneath him, fingertips bruising into his skin — yet she still never allowed her nails to graze over him after that first time. She shattered again around his cock, voice high and keening, and he kissed his way up her throat again, swallowing her moans with his own mouth. He started to pull back, to finish over her belly as usual, but she managed to hook her legs behind him, holding him in place inside her. Her green eyes seemed to glow in the night as she met his gaze.

“Please,” she whispered. That was all it took, and Cullen’s release washed over him before he could even think to argue. He groaned her name, burying himself deep inside her. Neddirra held him close, whispering sweetness in both Elvish and the common tongue, and all Cullen could do was kiss her. 

As he finally slipped out of her, she dragged him to lay beside her in the bed and curled into his side. Cullen’s arm wrapped around Neddirra’s shoulders, drawing her close, and he pressed his lips to the crown of her head once more before she drifted off to sleep. 

She was alive. She was in his arms. He could finally breathe, knowing she wasn’t facing death and destruction. Tonight, there was no threat to face. No Inquisition to worry after.

There was only them.

[thechildofmythal]

Library Books

Short fic of Cullen x Inquisitor Lavellan slow burn.

The Inquisitor literally bumps into Cullen in the library of Skyhold. Cue some of the oldest tricks in the book, pun intended. There's attraction, there's tension, there's two bookish nerds trying to flirt. Awful and cute.

It's canon that Cullen reads a lot, so it would be easy to find him at the library, I think.

Read here in AO3 if you're a registered user, or find it in its entirety below the cut.

Words: 1 790

*

Ellana Lavellan climbed the stairs to the Skyhold library with her arms full of books. Reaching the top, she looked around to see if Dorian was around, but saw no sign of him. He would have been a great help in getting the books back in their right places, and made it fun, too.

Sighing, Ellana faced returning the books on her own. She took a look at the book on top of the pile in her arms, “A Study of the Fifth Blight,” and began to wander a meandering route between the bookshelves to find its place. Luckily, it did not take too long for her to find it. She tilted her head to read the cover of the next book on her lap while she walked between the shelves - and promptly walked into something tall, furry and immovable. 

“Oh!” she exhaled as a few books fell from her arms to the ground, but felt a stabilising, firm hand on her arm. It was Commander Cullen. She had bumped into his back - face first into the fur mantle on his shoulders. 

“Inquisitor!” Cullen exclaimed in surprise as he turned to face her, holding on to her arm with his hand, a book in the other hand. Ellana noticed he did not have his gloves on for once. “What were you– are you alright?”

Ellana blinked up at the man, trying to reorient herself, but his widened amber eyes on her and the man’s sudden proximity made her all the dizzier. Creators, he smells nice. Why did she always think about his scent? She never thought of what Varric or Blackwall or anyone else smelled like. Did Cullen simply have a stronger smell? Did he use more of some scent? No, it wasn’t that. The smell was very subtle, and it didn’t seem like he actually added any perfume. Perhaps a spicy, vanilla aroma in the hair product he used, then there was the leather of his armour, and most importantly, his own masculine musk that made her feel positively drunk of his presence. 

“Ellana?” Cullen repeated in a softer tone, squeezing her arm with a concerned look.

Ellana realised that the reason why she always noticed his scent was because, well, she noticed everything about him. Except apparently him being there in the library, having just walked straight into him.

“Sorry, I’m fine! I just, uh, wasn’t looking where I was going!” she hurried to explain and get a grip of herself. 

“So engrossed in,” Cullen turned his head to read the title of the book still remaining in her hand, “ A Dissertation on the Fade as a Physical Manifestation? Riveting reading, I’m sure.”

He gave her a lopsided smile, and Ellana swallowed. Her eyes were locked on the scar on his lip, and the tease in his voice made her get all kinds of ideas. She only needed to lean forward a bit, go up on tiptoe, and she could kiss him. It would be so easy. Would he still hold on to her arm? Would he answer her kiss and wrap the other arm around her, too? The thought gave her a thousand butterflies in her stomach.

“Dorian gave me this to read,” Ellana said and ripped her eyes off him to see where the other books had fallen.

Cullen’s hand let go of her. He tucked the book he was holding under his arm, and promptly knelt down on the floor to pick up the fallen books for her. Ellana quickly crouched down as well to clean up her mess, with a flustered face.

“That’s a book for mage students at Circles, ” he said, handing her a book from the floor. “Not the best suited for the likes of you and me.”

“You can say that again. Don’t tell Dorian, but I couldn’t finish it. Awful stuff. He’ll have to explain it to me.”

Ellana reached for the book farthest away at the same moment as Cullen did. Their hands brushed together, they looked at each other, then away, and they both chuckled a little. Cullen then picked up the book easily, having longer reach, and they both stood up together.

“Were you bringing all of these back?” Cullen asked, and with curiosity looked at the titles of the books he had picked up.

“Yes. Reading helps me get to know the world in other than Dalish terms,” she said and shifted, looking down at the books. “You must think me a bore, but I do enjoy reading.”

“If you are a bore, then there’s two of us,” Cullen said softly. Ellana looked up at him, and saw him smiling down at her. The butterflies and the terrible urge to kiss him returned in an instant. 

“Let me help you return these, or you’ll be here all evening,” Cullen offered. He took a book called Beyond the Frostbacks from her hands, and looked around. “This one belongs to this shelf, I think.”

“Thank you,” she said, and took a step aside to look for the right place for the next book called Ferelden: Folklore and History. 

“Rather heavy reading, all of these. Not a fan of Varric’s works, then?” Cullen asked conversationally as they walked between the bookshelves slowly, looking at the shelves and slipping the books in their places. 

“I’ve already read a couple of them, actually, and they’re really good,” Ellana admitted. “But I constantly feel like I’m out of my depth. I try to catch up on knowledge everyone seems to assume the Inquisitor should be well versed in.”

Cullen paused to look at Ellana as she reached to put a book on an upper shelf. With her back to him, he let his eyes wander along her stretched body, taking in her athletic, toned form and, Maker, her round buttocks perking up as she got up on tiptoe. Those were some form fitting trousers she was wearing, he thought appreciatively. She was not particularly short or small, but she had trouble reaching the top shelf. Cullen took a couple of seconds to gather courage to step closer - and to enjoy the view. Then he took a step forward, right next to her, and reached up easily being considerably taller than her. His larger hand covered hers holding the book, and he gently guided the book to its shelf. The book slotted into its place, and her hand ended up in his for a brief moment.

There she was. So close. Looking up at him with those big earnest blue eyes. She smelled fresh - like the moment just before rain, or perhaps freshly washed bed clothes that had been hanging outside to dry, and like a summery meadow in the middle of the night. No one else in Thedas smelled as enticing as she did. Or was as captivating as she was. Or as beautiful, he caught himself thinking. Cullen’s eyes were drawn to her parted lips - she then bit her lower lip, looking up at him, and he felt a sudden urge to bow his head and kiss her. The way she looked at him - he had to misjudge it, right? It would be madness to kiss her. It would be madness if she wanted him to, but she looked like that… This is mad, he decided. Get a grip of yourself. 

Cullen cleared his throat audibly - she blinked her eyes and looked down immediately. He let go of her hand and took a step back. The moment was over. He looked at the last book in his hands and started walking to the next library aisle. 

“You sound like you’re putting too much pressure on yourself,” Cullen said, picking up the conversation. “You should remember to let yourself relax, as well.”

“You’re one to talk. When’s the last time you’ve had a day off?” Ellana asked pointedly, walking after him. She gripped on the book she had left with both hands to stop them from shaking. 

“That, my lady, is beside the point,” Cullen quipped over his shoulder, and placed the last book in the shelf. “May I suggest a book? Some light reading to get your mind off of Grey Wardens and the Fade and Orlesian emperors of old.”

“If Dorian recommended a book on the intricacies of the Fade, are you going to suggest a book on trebuchets?” Ellana teased him, making him stop and look at her with a raised eyebrow.

“As a matter of fact I do know an excellent book on siege equipment, thank you very much,” Cullen said and Ellana couldn’t help but laugh. Making her smile and laugh made his heart swell in his chest. “But I thought of a fictional adventure story, actually. You might think it childish, but I enjoyed it as a younger man. I haven’t read it in years, but it’s harmless fun with a good plot twist.”

Cullen’s eyes scanned the shelves for a moment. “A-ha!” he found it, picked it off the shelf, and presented it to Ellana. 

“Empire’s End,” she read the title and thumbed through the book. She looked up at him, finding herself biting her lower lip again. “It doesn’t seem childish at all. Any romance?”

“There’s a subplot, if you must know,” Cullen admitted.

“Does the couple get a happy ending?” she asked, lifting an eyebrow at him. 

“That would be spoiling it,” he remarked. “And this is actually only the first book of a trilogy.”

“Oh come on, I won’t be reading it if they don’t get a happy ending,” Ellana complained playfully. 

“I didn’t realise you were so starved for romance, my lady,” he noted with a teasing smirk. “Perhaps you should ask Cassandra for book recommendations, instead.”

“I prefer your recommendations, thank you,” Ellana said and surprised her for being forward, “so I get more excuses to talk to you.”

Cullen’s mouth opened, then he breathed out and laughed a little. Boldened by her rather obvious flirt, he attempted one of his own. “In that case, perhaps I should take the two other parts of the trilogy, just to give you the excuse to come and see me when you need them.”

They both chuckled nervously, looking at each other, then away, then theirs eyes finding each other again.

“Sounds great,” she said.

“Good,” he said.

“Um."

“Yes, well…”

“Thank you for the help.”

“Any time, Inquisitor.”

Cullen bowed his head to her, and Ellana took a step back, smiling like an idiot. Then she turned before she would bump into someone else, and walked away. 

Before she left, she looked back over her shoulder - and caught him looking after her. They both looked guilty, then grinned at each other, Cullen shook his head smiling, and she escaped to the staircase.