Chapter Text
Chapter 1
Aredhel Lavellan stood in her chambers, the door barred against anyone coming in even the windows locked and the curtains pulled so that nothing could get in. She was looking into a mirror at her now smooth face and it brought tears to her eyes. She brought a hand up to her cheek and touched where the pale blue markings of Sylaise once stood proudly on her skin. She had been drawing the markings back on her face after Solas had left her in the grove and she didn’t want anyone to know that her markings were gone or that she was heartbroken.
The marks of slaves. He had called them. Then He had asked her if she would have liked them removed. She could remember the day she first got her Vallaslin, a proud day for her. She had been young, barely into her apprenticeship as First to the Keeper when her talent for healing showed itself.
Blessed by Sylaise. She had always been told. More tears slipped from her eyes, it had been like this for three days. They had gone to the Temple of Mythal, a place that nearly sent her to her knees with it’s magisty, it’s history, and now it was lost again. The Well of Sorrows, instead of drinking herself as a true Keeper would she had taken one look at Him and saw the minute shaking of His head. She had allowed a human to drink from the Well when it should have been her. She was the First to the Keeper and a Keeper’s duty was to preserve the history of the People. But for Him, she let a human drink...for Him...she...she-
“Inquisitor?” A voice floated through the heavy wood door, breaking her inner tirade on how she could have done better, one of a scout she didn’t recognize the specific voice meaning it wasnt one of her inner circle. She waited and the person seemed to have left. She looked back at her mirror, seeing dark circles under her eyes. She had also been avoiding sleep, knowing that sleep would draw her to His realm. She felt a pain in her chest and wrapped her arms around herself, falling to her knees as she began to sob. Moments later the sound of wood splintering made her jump up, lightening crackling at her fingertips and she screamed as she flung a ball of lightning at a pair of horns that peaked out over the railing to the stairs.
“Whoa Boss, nearly got me that time.” Iron Bull’s deep rumbling voice laughed.The smile vanished from his face as he saw her huddled form on the floor. She heard two other sets of footsteps and curled tighter into herself, embarrassment burning with the pain of her broken heart. She heard Dorian gasp and felt someone fall to their knees at her side, a warm hand on her back.
“Aredhel...” His smooth voice made her turn into him, her fingers clenching into his silky shirt as her face buried into his neck.
“Dorian….” She whispered softly.
“Shit Buttercup, what happened to you?” She heard Varric’s voice float over to her. Of course he’d be there, Iron Bull, Dorian, and Varric had become her best friends...outcasts like her. Iron Bull the Qunari that turned Tal Vashoth to save his company, Dorian the mage who ran away from a place ruled by mages to continue to be himself, and Varric a surfacer dwarf with a tragic love life that could mean his death. The thought made her sob harder as she felt Dorian’s deceptively strong arms tighten around her.
“Come come now my dear Lady Inquisitor.” He purred as he shifted his hands to her face. “Dry those eyes...no one likes to look like….like….” his golden eyes flitting over her face, tracing where then lines of her Vallaslin once stood. "Oh my...."
"Boss...your face." That brought on a whole new wave of tears and Iron Bull looked panicked as Dorian cut him a sharp look.
"Why dont you and Varric go and get some wine and something to eat for our dear Lady here." Dorian suggested.
"Got you Sparkler. Take care of her, c'mon Tiny." Varric mumbled as he lead the Qunari away.
"Dori?"
"Hush, be thankful you are such a dreadful sight that it makes me want to mother hen you." He dismissed her question as he waved his hand to the large marble tub that was in the corner of the room. Snow drifted down and filled the tub quickly and he shot flames at it to melt tye snow turning to water quickly and filled the room with warmth and steam. "undress." He said, his voice gentle but leaving no room for argument. He turned his back to her and began rummaging through the cabinet by the tub smiling at all the fancy soaps from Orlais, Tivinter, and Antiva. He grabbed a few bottles, sniffing them before dumping some into the tub, giving the water a soft purple tinge and bubbles as he swirled his hand in the water, the room starting to smell of lavender, lilac, and mint. He turned to see Aredhel with her arms wrapped around her naked torso. "Get in." He made a motion to her as he slid his rings off his hands and pulled off his shirt. He heard the sound of water splashing. "Is it to hot?"
"No...why are you doing this?"
"Because it is obvious your heart is broken. And my version of cheering you up will work better than Bull or Varric. So between just us girls what happened?" He asked as he pulled a stool over and sat down by the tub, pulling a small shell from her bath box and using it to cup water to pour over her hair. She couldn't help the small bubble of a giggle from spilling from her lips.
"You are hardly a girl Dorian."
"You are right, but then again I am the only male to look at you and find you aesthetically pleasing like a fine work of art." He grabbed the comb he had given to her for her Birthday and began to gently comb through her hair. "Be thankful it's not lady Vivienne seeing you in this state." He smiled as she laughed and his carded his fingers through her snow colored tresses and scooped up some of the shampoo in a small jar before lathering it up and set about lathering her hair.
"She would probably accuse Solas of rubbing off on me...." her voice trailed off and tears sprang into her eyes. "Oh Dorian."
"Tell mama Dori all about it." He cooed at her.
She gave him a watery smile. "After the Temple of Mythall....Solas said he wanted to take me somewhere....somewhere real not in the Fade. I thought....I thought we were going to be one....I've been waiting for him to take me as his for a while now. Creators none of my suitors in the clan made me feel as he did, taught me as he did, I've learned things that I never thought possible, looked to him for approval as if he were my Keeper..."
"You mean you and Solas never?" He asked rinsing the suds from her hair and smoothing conditioner through the wet locks.
"Not physically....sometimes we stumbled upon each other in dreams but never physically. Would it shock you to learn that I am a virgin?"
"Actually...yes....yes it would with the jokes with Bull and the Chargers."
She sighed. "Jokes are easy...but the only touch I know is my ow-" her mouth was covered by his fingers.
"While I do love you Aredhel it is like I would love a sister, I do not need to know that much." He said with a smile as he rinsed her hair again before he began to rub soap over her back and shoulders while she soaped up her more sacred areas.
"Sorry. But yes...I had hoped that Solas would be my first. He kissed me with such passion and longing I was sure that this trip alone would be the one to tie us together."
"What happened?"he asked as he prompted her up and out of the tub. Grabbing one of the soft woolen towels and handed it to her while he fetched her robe and shot a fire ball into the fireplace to rekindling the fire, bathing the room in warmth and light.
"He...told me that he had loved me...and that the markings on my face were slave markings. Yet another thing the Dalish got wrong. So I took to painting the markings on when I left my room....I didn't want anyone to know." She sighed as she dried herself off as best she could and slipped into the luxurious dressing Robe that Vivienne had given her when Dorian prompted her. She was lead over to her vanity, the mirror covered with a cloth. The sound of her door opening once more made her look to see Varric and Iron Bull walking back in, their arms filled with wine bottles and plates, a basket sat in the crook of Varrics arm.
"What is all of this?"
"The kitchen staff has been worried about you Buttercup. When we told them you were hungry they gave us a feast."
Bulls low rumbling laugh warmed something inside of Aredhel. "Yeah. Shit boss I need to drop your name to get supplies for mine and Dorians next scene."
"Bull!" Dorian yelped, his dark skin taking on a dusty rose color as he looked scandalized. But his lips twitched as it caused a small laugh from the elf. He busied himself with brushing out her hair, using a warming spell to dry her hair as he brushed. Bull picked up the lounge bench that stood by the banner and moved it over while Varric dragged a table over. They plated some food and poured the wine, Bull hanging onto Dorian’s glass while he fussed over Aredhel’s hair. Aredhel sat with her wine between her hands.
“What time is it?”She asked.
“Mid morning.” Varric said with a chuckle. “Then again you wouldn’t know because the world hasn’t seen Inquisitor Lavellan since her Legendary defeat of the Evil Magester Corypheus.”
“Legendary?”
“Yeah Boss, they say you and Corypheus were lifted into the sky by Andraste and you killed him with Andraste’s Flaming sword.” Bull snorted as he pushed a plate filled with her favorite fruit to her. “Eat something Boss, you haven’t been seen in three days and I doubt you’ve eaten.” His voice held no room for argument and she sighed as she grabbed a bit of fruit and began to nibble it as Dorian began to do something complex with her hair.
“Why are you doing my hair?” She asked. Dorian arched an eyebrow at her as he accepted a grape from Iron Bull. “Why my dear Inquisitor it’s your party. The big one Josephine was putting together with all the nobles in Thadas. This one will be bigger than that party at the Winter Palace.” He hummed as he looked at her hairstyle. “Hm….No this one won’t do.” He muttered as he unpinned it and began again. Her eyes went wide and she covered her face.
“No….no no no I cant….Dori don't make me do this….” She felt a light tap on the top of her head.
“None of that Aredhel.” Dorian said dismissively. “You are practically royalty in Thadas now. ”
"Don't worry Buttercup. One of us will be by your side all evening. Hawke will be here, shes got Bethany and a couple of old friends coming with her." Varric offered knowing that the elf had taken a shining to his Hawke.
"Is that a perk for me? Or for you?"
Iron Bull let out a laugh and slapped the blushing dwarf on the back. "And there is our Aredhel." He laughed. "By the way Kadan, I did bring our party clothes up so that we can make a grand entrance."
"Thank you amatus. Now let us get to work." He said downing his wine and truly setting in on fixing the elf up while Varric distracted her with a story.