Set a year after the end of Trespasser, he had stalked almost every night in her dreams. Watching staying in the shadows until this night. . . . Warning character death

Prides Ashes

It had been a trying day, his spies had reported several disturbing movements in the Orlieans and Ferledan courts it seemed Orlias had a particularly small but growing anti-chantry group though Solas ever put much stock religion but Divine Victoria and the inquisition were doing well putting right what he had helped destroy. The ferledans however were still pressing for the Inquisitions disbandment. He was proud of his heart, not giving in to wishes of its king to disband. But for now these things were not important. It had had been two days since he had seen her in the fade. His heart had been busy at the fall fair at the winter palace. He had even thought of sneaking out to the fair and watch hidden just to be close to her again.

But she had never been away from their dream for more than 3 nights. He waits and searches for her . . . eager for her to fall into sleep. He closes his eyes waiting. . . Longing for his hear to come closer.

The sound of thunder fills his ears. Solas opened his eyes in surprise as the air grow cold around him. His eyes open to see himself surrounded by a darkness. . Ma Vhenan he though as he looked around. Normally he would amongst the trees of the arbor wilds before he broke her heart, no this was wrong. . Dark. No trees to hide in. It was so cold. The thunder grows louder angrier. Vhenan he thought.

Something was wrong, the thunder came faster, he turns his head as the sound begins to morph from thunder to cries of sorrow. He knew the voice

"Why Solas? Why?" her tearful voice plead in the darkness.

His heart dropped. "Ma Vehnan,"

"Why?"

He turned to the direction of the sound. . ."Why what Ma Vhenan. Why are you crying?" The first time in a year, since he left his heart lying on the ground her mark glowing about to take her life. . And his first words to her was why what? This was not what he wished his first words to her when they were once together again. And that was a wild dream. But still what he envisioned was not this.

"I know what you have done in the past, I have accepted it though you did not mean to destroy your world and the pain it caused you but." Her sorrow was too much she could not continue to speak.

He turned, behind him she sat on the ground bent over her head to the ground she was wearing a her favorite blue uniform, her long red curls cascading forward covering her face, her hands caked red with blood, "Vehenan." Solas reached out to touch her shaking hand but pulled away.

In that moment she vanished "NO! Don't you EVER call me that again? The dread wolf, the great trickster, you took my broke it to pieces, you took my hand, still I loved you and fought for you. Even when Leilana and the others said you a lost cause. Cole and I did not give up. But now. . Guess the jokes on me." Her voice had begun to change the sorrow was melting away into a white hot anger.

His heart pounded in his chest at the sorrow and hate in her voice "Arya, my love what is wrong, why is there blood on you? Are you hurt?"

She hissed" A I hurt? No one has ever hurt me over and over the way you have. But this time you went too far. . If you wanted me dead you should have made your man finished the job, or kill me yourself! " another sob filled with anger cut through the night.

Her words made his heart drop "Kill? Why would I ever want any harm to come to you? You are my light my heart, I would NEVER send anyone to harm you much less kill you. Ma Vhenan,'

"You have no heart. It died with Cole."

His eyes flashed a hint of pain Compassion gone by his

hand. The words coming from her mouth did not make sense. Of all the lives he would want to take the lives of two he considered his heart and his family were not on that list, pain confusion. Why? "Cole, dead? Ma- Arya wha- ? How?-"

"You know you sent them. . ." appearing before him he saw her jacket and her remaining hard caked in blood, blood shot eyes from hours of tears and pale gaunt skin from lack of nutrition. The look on her face of anger and sadness set his blood afire. But he could see for now she was not thinking rationally but he had to know. . .

"If I wished you dead, you would be."

She laughed angrily, "Well obviously Cole got in the way or I WOULD dead. Your man came from behind while we were listening to the alienage healer tell of Fenheril"s escape from Anduril clutches. Cole saw him come from the crowd" he continued as tears fell from her cheeks. "He stepped in front of me. . . I didn't even think a spirit could die." She placed her hand to her face.

Solas reached out to comfort her but she pulled away. "A plaza full of children. Solas if you want me dead just call me, I'll let you finish cutting my heart out."

His heart was broken, not only was his friend an innocent spirit was dead, but for some reason his own heart blamed him. "You know me, I would never do anything to harm you. You are the light in my world. My reason, my heart beating outside my body. Your death or

Coles death . . . You know me I could not bear it if anything happened to you." Searching her over to see if she was in one piece. "Why do you think I would harm you or Cole?"

His words did little to soften her eyes, he could feel her heart turning colder by the moment "Because the killer, one of your spies confessed to it all. Do not bother denying it, he told us everything. How you sent out the order to have me killed because you could afford any weakness or chance that you might change your mind about killing us all. Guess you didn't plan on Cole stepping in. Or u finding the dagger you enchanted to not only kill my body but my soul. Was loving me that bad?"

The elvhen apostate froze "One of mine . . . confessed. No! They knew you and Cole were never to be harmed. Harm others to keep you safe yes, but no. You have it wrong." And if one did go rouge he had bigger problems than he thought.

"Leilana may be the Divine but her spies are just as good as ever. So please do not insult me any more Solas. You taking my Vallaslin telling me you loved me but couldn't stay with me was heart breaking. Watching you walk through the Eluvian as I lay dying from the mark your "miscalculation" and not even looking back. . Soul crushing. Losing my hand hey nothing huh I mean why I need my spirit blade. Oh and let's not forget my own clan refusing to take me back. . . NO! I have suffered much in the name of love for you, but this? You wanted a war Dread Wolf, you HAVE IT! Weather it is you or your kin we will stop you. Or Die trying." Each breath broke him a bit more. It took all he had to keep the pain from showing as she closed her eyes. "Good bye my love. Cassandra is right as long as I allowed you to find me in the fade, the more I put everyone in danger. And THAT is what got Cole killed."

He reached out once more as a wall of darkness began to form between them. "Tel'abelas, Ma Vhenan."

As the Darkness covered her face. May the dread wolf never catch my scent!"