Disclaimer: Dragon Age is owned by Bioware and EA games.

Warning: There are spoilers from Dragon Age: Inquisition, the DLC Trespasser, and the book posted on HerenyaHope's account titled Blood of the People in this book. There are some very major ones if you've never played the games or read the first book in the series.

Flamewing: Hi, this is the second book in a series. Book one is called Blood of the People and can be found on HerenyaHope's account. Herenya and I are co-writers in this series. I write: Solas, Mahvir/ Dirthamen, his ravens, Teren, Theon, and a few character who I will mention only after they enter in the story (otherwise I am giving big spoilers).

Herenya: Hey guys, you stoked for book two? Just in case you're confused, the first story, Blood of the People, can be found on my page (HerenyaHope) in this book I write Nimwen, Lori, Milly, Sinderon, and some minor characters and people I can't name yet because, spoilers. Hope you guys enjoy!

Both: We hope you enjoy this story. Favs and reviews are much loved!

Cold seeped through Dirthamen's thin, tattered robes. His breath rose in a fine plume of mist. The cold was nothing compared to the pain bleeding into his heart. He stood at the edge of the elvhen alienage in Denerim, eyes locked on the mourners. Each were paying their final respects to great elvhen.

Valendrian had passed during the night. Falling asleep to never open his eyes again. Pain stabbed deeper into Dirthamen. He had been beside the old elf until the very end, trying, alongside Shianni, to ease Valendrian's pain.

Now, he felt alone. Lost. Dirthamen closed his eyes and let the pain wrap around him. He wanted to say goodbye, but couldn't bring himself to move closer. Until the past few months he had been a stranger in this alienage. All those he had known, outside of Valendrian, were long dead. Time was cruel to those locked in a moment of it.

He opened his eyes to see a red-headed, female elf walking towards him. "Shianni," it was hard to speak just her name in greeting. His throat felt closed off. He wanted to ask if the sister had been summoned and the preparations made for the pyrior. He couldn't.

"Thank you for being here," she said quietly. Her eyes were red-rimmed and there were shadows beneath them. She looked like she'd aged overnight. "I know-I know it brought him comfort."

"He was much loved," Dirthamen whispered, watching the mourners. His throat closed again before he could ask. He blotted out the images which would tell him. He didn't want to know through his gift. He didn't want to see his-his adoptive son burned twice over.

"It won't be long until we arrange the service. Valendrian was well respected even outside the alienage, at least enough for the chantry to take interest in the funeral." Shianni dabbed at her eyes. "I was wondering if maybe...you'd like to say some words during the service?"

"My thanks, Hahren Shianni, but it would be wiser if I didn't. I am a stranger here." His eyes burned with unshed tears. He forced back the urge to cry. There would be time for that later. He could break down alone.

Shianni looked like she wanted to object, but no doubt the look in Dirthamen's eyes stilled her tongue. "Very well. Regardless, you are invited to the service, of course. I'm sure that's what he would have wanted." Shianni sighed. "I must go; I have an alienage to keep in order."

Dirthamen watched her go. The first few snowflakes started to fall. He looked up at the sky. Frozen tears. He closed his eyes and let the cold the snow wash over him. He-he wanted to go to the service. And, in the same instant, the thought of watching his son be burned… he would go.

He looked towards the mourners. Then, he would vanish and make his way to where his last child was. He wanted to see one of the children he had raised happy, well, and alive. But even she wouldn't live forever. His stomach twisted, heart screaming in pain at the thoughts racing through his mind.

The day after the service came. Without a word to anyone, Dirthamen left the alienage and started to walk. He would make it to the clan then-then he could sleep in the nightmare which was his life.

* ~ x ~ *

"The viscount will see you now."

Nimwen still wasn't used to that title being associated with Varric. Still, she nodded to the seneschal as she stood and made her way to Varric's office. Nimwen pushed open the door to find the dwarf reading a document, his legs propped up on his desk.

"Blue, glad to see you, take a seat," Varric smirked.

"Something tells me that document is just riveting," Nimwen teased as she sat down.

Varric snorted. "Yeah, real page turner." He rolled up the parchment and tucked it away. "So, what can I do for you?"

"Well," Nimwen sighed. "It's Solas."

"What's Chuckles done this time?"

"He hasn't done anything. It's that...I'm not sure he's happy."

"What are you talking about? He's got a lovely, and very rich, wife, a great kid and another on the way-"

"I know, I know," Nimwen cut in. Subconsciously her hand went to her stomach. She had yet to show, but she could still sense the new life growing within her. "I mean I don't think he's happy here, in Kirkwall."

"I hate to break it to you, but nobody's happy in Kirkwall."

Nimwen groaned. "Varric…"

"Calm down," the dwarf said, holding his hands up. "Listen, you just gotta remember this is a guy who spent most of his time eating twigs and talking to rocks, er, spirits, whatever. City life is something he's probably still adjusting to."

"But what if he never adjusts?" Nimwen asked, worried. "I love him and I don't want him to be unhappy, but we have a child, and are going to have another. They need stability."

"I hear you, but I think you need to talk to Chuckles on this one."

"Oh, no," Nimwen shook her head. "If I even bring it up he's just going to deny there's a problem, or assure he has it covered when we both know that isn't the case."

"That's him all right," Varric chuckled. "Say, since you think he's been a bit out of it, why don't you tell him he's invited to Wicked Grace this week? I know he's a devil at cards and Hawke's been wanting to find someone who can pose a challenge to him."

"I'll tell him," Nimwen replied. This sounded good. Maybe a night out was just what Solas needed. "I'll be going now. Thank you, Varric."

"No problem, Blue." The dwarf smiled gently. "If you ever need to talk, you know where to find me, and don't let ol' Bran ever tell you I'm too busy."

Nimwen grinned. "I won't."

"Good, now scram. I have letters from the Merchant's Guild to ignore and wars to stop."

Nimwen rolled her eyes. "As you wish, Viscount Tethras."

"No, not you too!"

Nimwen chuckled as she left the office. She left the Viscount's Keep and began the trek back to her estate. Estate… one would think after having an entire fortress to her name that an estate would be nothing to her. However, the thought was still as jarring as being known as Comtesse Lavellan. Nimwen found she liked Kirkwall well enough. At least, it wasn't the festering hellhole Varric had made it out to be, and she had yet to be mugged, so that was a plus.

She entered the more affluent area of hightown and near the entrance to her house. "I'm home!" she called out as she came inside. She entered the foyer and found Lori on the steps of the stairs with Nummy.

"Hi, mamae," the girl waved.

"Hello, Lori," Nimwen smiled. "Do you know where daddy is?"

"He in liberry," Lori replied.

"Ma serannas, da'len." Nimwen left the girl with her nug and took a left to the home's library. "Solas?" she called quietly as she stepped inside.

"Yes, vhenan?" Solas looked up from the table. The table had a line of sight to the room Lori was playing in. There was a book out on the table that looked to be what he had been reading.

"What are you up to?" she asked, walking to his side.

"Nothing too important." He closed the book and moved it so she couldn't see what he had been reading. "How'd the meeting with the viscount go?"

"He's yet to drown himself in paperwork," Nimwen joked. "He has also given you the great honor of being invited to this week's Wicked Grace game."

"An honor I will have to pass on." Solas stood and moved to the bookcase. "You are well aware I don't gamble anymore. And, no, I am not counting the time with Thom as officially gambling."

Nimwen sighed. "Come on, you might have fun," she said. "And I'm certain Varric wouldn't let things get out of hand, especially if the Guard-Captain is playing as well."

"Ir abelas, vhenan. It isn't a matter of it getting out of hand, but a certainty it will if I go." He pulled down another book. "Let me just put it this way, the last time I really gambled, Orzammar was calling its guards on myself and a friend of mine."

"Okay, that's a story you're going to tell me later," she laughed. "But, all right, maybe cards are a no go. Still, we should do something fun. You've been so tense lately, and who knows how many free nights we'll have after this one comes," she said, patting her stomach.

Solas sighed and turned to her. He pulled her into an embrace. "If it is that important to you, I will go to this card game and just keep myself in check." He kissed her.

She leaned into the kiss. "Ma serannas, vhenan," she said once they parted. "I'm curious to see if you can beat Hawke. Apparently the man is a champion in more ways than one."

"I suppose we will see." Solas released her and set the book down on the table, face down so she couldn't read the title.

She raised a brow. "Is there a reason you're hiding that? I hope it's not a naughty book, vhenan," she teased.

The tips of his ears turned red. "W-what?" he spluttered. Then he took a deep breath and held out the book to her. The book's title was: All you need to know about City Life.

Nimwen blinked. "Well, it's not a naughty book."

"I would hope not," Solas muttered.

"I found chapter two to be the most helpful. All the human titles made no sense to me, and it has that nifty little chart."

"Ma serannas, but that isn't the reason I am reading it." He rubbed his head. "And human titles are very similar to those used in Elvhenan," he confessed.

"Listen, Solas, you're not the only one who's trying to get used to all this," Nimwen said gently. She took his hands in hers. "I know you've been a bit uneasy about moving to Kirkwall, and I'm thankful you're trying this with me. I never thought I would end up in a city either, so we're both learning."

"Vhenan, it's not that," he stopped and shook his head. "I am trying and know it's also a change for you." He set down the book on top of the other which was still face down on the table.

"Then, what is it?" Nimwen asked. "I want to help, but I need to know what's wrong."

"It can't be fixed." He looked away from her. "This world is silent. There are no songs."

"Come again?" Now, Nimwen was worried. "What do you mean?"

Solas took a deep breath. "You've heard the way Cole used to speak, how he told the group he didn't need to eat or sleep because the Old Songs pulled him?" He moved a little way from Nimwen, his back to her now.

"Yes, though I never really understood what he meant," Nimwen admitted. "Are you saying you heard them too? These Old Songs?"

"Before the Veil, magic was woven together, each new spell weaving into the older ones in an unending symphony. The sound is but an echo so distant now I only hear it when in the Fade and even then it's faint, forgotten. This world is silent. It feels dead."

She felt a strike in her chest. "I… I see." She tried not to show how the comment affected her. She knew it was wishful thinking to believe he would so soon forget his goal for restoring Elvhenan, and she certainly knew he would still miss the old world. She knew she and the children would never measure up to the wonders he knew. "Ir abelas, I wish I could understand what you feel, so you wouldn't suffer alone," she said.

"Vhenan," - Solas turned to her - "that isn't want I meant. I am not aiming to return what I was doing four months ago. It's just an adjustment. Like I am a child learning to walk all over again. I didn't want to worry you with this. Ir abelas."

"No, no, worry me with this, let me worry over you," Nimwen insisted. She wrapped her arms around his neck. "I want you to be honest with me, vhenan. Don't ever feel like you have to hide things from me. I want to help you however I can, no matter how big or small my contributions are, okay?"

"Ma serannas, vhenan." Solas kissed her. Then looked towards the room Lori played in.

"Want to make sure she hasn't set anything on fire?" Nimwen teased.

"Just checking she's still there. She did sneak out the first week we were here," he reminded Nimwen.

"Don't remind me," Nimwen groaned. "Thank goodness Hawke decided then to welcome us. Who knows where she would have gone if hadn't found her."

Solas's expression changed. He released Nimwen and moved out into the main room.

Nimwen sighed and looked down at her belly. "What are we doing?" she asked, rubbing her stomach. As suspected, she got no answer. She straightened up and left the library.

Solas was looking at the window over the fireplace, his eyes narrowed. "I thought I felt…" he trailed off.

"Felt what?" Nimwen asked.

"Mamae! Daddy!" Lori came bounding in, Nummy in tow.

"Yes, da'vhenan?" Solas looked away from the window to the little girl.

"Nummy pretty now, look!" Lori picked up the nug and showed her parents.

"Oh, goodness." Nimwen laughed.

The poor nug had a bright smear of pink lipstick on his snout, along with blush on his cheeks and above his beady eyes. The look was all tied together with one of Nimwen's necklaces and one of her scarves wrapped around his body like a dress.

Solas sighed. "You got into the wardrobe again, didn't you, da'vhenan?"

"He pretty," Lori giggled.

Nimwen smiled. "Did Nummy want to have a makeover?"

"Uh-huh, he love it." Lori looked down at the nug. "Right, Nummy?"

Nummy let out a tiny snort.

Solas gave her a small smile. "He looks pretty," he conceded then whispered to Nimwen, "I will go clean the room." With that he headed up the stairs.

"Say, Lori, why don't we give Nummy a bath?" Nimwen asked.

"But-but I make him pretty!" Lori pouted.

"We can use bubbles."

Lori gasped. "Bubbles? Yay, bubbles!" Seeming to forget about the nug's makeover, the little girl hopped around excited for bubbles.

Nimwen shook her head. 'I hope the next one is as easy to please,' she prayed. Those thoughts also made her wonder how she and Solas were going to tell Lori about her new sibling. The couple were still getting used to the idea of a second child themselves, and had yet to come up with a way to inform their daughter.

Nimwen picked up Nummy and took Lori's hand as she led the girl upstairs. As they passed by the master bedroom, Nimwen could hear shuffling and things being moved around. "What's the damage?" she asked jokingly.

Solas looked up from replacing a few items in the wardrobe. "Better than the last time she got into the wardrobe," he stated. His pale gaze flickered over the room. He had gotten most of it picked up.

"Perhaps we should place wards on the wardrobe," Nimwen smirked.

Solas grunted. He picked up the last few items.

Nimwen rolled her eyes and continued down the hall towards the wash room. Having never had a bathtub until the Inquisition moved to Skyhold, Nimwen was surprised when she found the estate had one, since before she thought they were reserved for only the highest nobility. It was a bronze colored tub that sat in the center of the room. However, they would not be bathing Nimmy in it, since the nug would most likely drown in it. Instead Nimwen took the wash basin from the counter and placed it on the floor.

"Now, Lori, promise me you'll actually help and not just make a mess," she said as she used her magic to fill the basin with frost.

"Okay." Lori nodded, watching her mother at work.

Once the basin was filled to the brim with snow, Nimwen used a fire spell to slowly melt the ice into water. It was a trick she made up after realizing hauling buckets of water up the stairs each time she or someone else wanted a bath was more effort than she would prefer, and this way she always had a warm bath ready.

"Okay, water's ready," she said after testing the water's heat with her hand. She unwrapped the scarf from around the nug and gently placed the squirming creature in the basin. "Why don't you give this scarf to daddy so he can put it away?" Nimwen asked.

"Oki doki!" Lori saluted. She took the scarf and quickly toddled out of the room like a soldier on a mission.

Nimwen shook her head. Even if it could be draining, she would always adore how enthusiastic Lori could get over the simplest things. She reached for the bath liquid on the edge of the tub and poured a bit in the water. "Don't worry, we'll get this off you," Nimwen said to Nummy. She smiled when the animal nibbled at her fingers. "I'll never understand how people can eat you," she said.

"You've never had to eat it before. When there's nothing else to eat, they're not too bad," Solas stated as he entered the room. "Lori took this into the bedroom." He lifted one of the boxes of powdered soup.

"Wasn't that on the upper shelf of the cupboard?" Nimwen asked. "How in the world did she get it?"

"I suspect she climbed, vhenan." Solas moved over to the cupboard and replaced the box.

Nimwen sighed. "I can barely keep up with her when she runs, now she's climbing? At this rate who knows what trouble she'll get into?"

"Hmm." Solas turned to Nimwen. "At least she hasn't figured out how to build a ladder out of stone. When it gets there I will worry more." He glanced towards the door. "Lori, were you not supposed to be helping your mamae?"

"Oh, yeah!" Lori was at Nimwen's side, looking up expectantly. "What I do?"

"Take this cloth and wash his back," Nimwen said as she handed the girl the soapy washcloth. "But, be gentle, not too hard."

"Gentle," Lori repeated. She sat crossed legged in front of the basin and started to rub the nug's back with the cloth. "Like this?"

"Very good," Nimwen said after making sure the nug didn't appear to be in distress.

Solas leaned against the wall. When Nimwen glanced at him, it was to see his expression soft as it was only for the two of them when in moments like this or tender moments.

Nimwen patted her stomach and nodded at Lori, silently asking if perhaps now was the time to tell their daughter the news.

Solas blinked and bowed his head.

Nimwen took a breath, preparing herself. "Say, Lori?" she began. "How would you feel about having a younger sibling?"

Lori stopped sculpting Nummy a crown of bubbles and turned to her mother. "What you mean?"

"Would you like to have a little brother or a sister?"

Lori put a finger to her mouth, getting suds on her lips. "I get sister?" she asked.

"You just might."

Lori's eyes widened. "Huh?"

Nimwen turned to Solas. "Want to explain?"

Solas knelt down behind Lori and drew her into an embrace. "You might get either a brother or a sister, da'vhenan," he started. "We won't know until your sibling is born."

"Really?!" Lori squealed and latched her arms around Solas's neck. "When you buy it?!"

Solas chuckled. "That isn't how it works, da'vhenan. You see," he started, "your sibling isn't bought, but is growing in your mamae."

Lori furrowed her brow in confusion. "But it a baby, not plant."

Nimwen held a hand over her mouth as she hid her laughter. "You're right, da'len, babies aren't plants, but they still have to grow, and they grow in their mamae's tummy. You did too."

"Nuh-uh." Lori shook her head. "I no plant."

A small breath escaped Solas. He lifted Lori off the ground. "Then how come you're getting so big if you're not growing, da'vhenan?"

"I dunno." Lori shrugged.

Solas set her down. "You will one day." He gave her a small, gentle smile.

Nimwen felt a warmth in her chest. It still felt like a dream, seeing Solas with their daughter, in a home with another child on the way. It was a life she never thought could be possible, and when her thoughts turned to the one who helped make it happen, she felt an emptiness in her heart.

"Come, Lori, let's get Nummy rinsed off," she said, doing her best to hide her sudden sadness for fear of spoiling the tender moment.

Solas stood. He backed away to watch them once more.

Flamewing: Updates are going to be very Monday after chapter 1. Or, at least, every Monday until I run out of the buffer I have for edited chapters. It won't happen for a few weeks and I am hoping to get more chapters edited.