warnings: fluff I suppose and Solas is kind of an ass
Notes: For those of you who have not watched The Proposal I highly recommend although you do not have to be familiar with it to understand any of the goings-on in this work.
I hope you have as much fun reading it as I had writing it.
"Solas! Solas! Solas!"
Lavellan's troubled voice rang through the small barrier that was his door.
Nearly causing him to trip over himself and spill his tea from surprise.
Carefully he put the drink on his desk and made his way to the door shortly after.
Pausing for a moment with his hand hovering over the handle.
Taking this moment to breathe in and bring himself some inner peace, knowing full well she would undo all of his composure within seconds. The way she always did. Still he put on a brave face.
He opened the door.
She rushed in. Pushing him along in the process. Kicking the door behind her as she kept her hands on his chest and pushed him back.
"Took you long enough." She snapped at him with impatience.
He was equally as impatient. She had no right to just burst in uninvited, in the middle of his tea time, with demands and an unparalleled attitude.
"Excuse me for not expecting guests at this hour. How ridiculous of me." Solas snapped back through gritted teeth. The sarcasm in his voice dominating.
"I don't think I like your tone." She poked his chest with the tip of her index finger and he nearly growled with irritation.
What gave her the right to touch him and invade his personal space? More importantly what gave her the right to be so warm? Every time she touched him he felt a jolt of heat all through his core.
"I'm fairly certain I don't like yours either Da'len. Why don't you start over before I leave?"
He threatened. It was a mild threat, but it worked better than he could have imagined.
"Oh, please don't go! Solas I really didn't mean to snap at you." Her voice sounded unfamiliarly sincere and her hands were unusually grasping onto his shoulders desperately yearning for his undivided attention.
He had no idea what had crawled up her alley today, but he was intrigued by her sudden vulnerability.
He kept silent wanting her to beg a little more.
He liked seeing her on edge.
"Solas, please. I need your help. My parents are here and you're the only one who can help me."
Curious his eyebrows raised and a light sparked in his eyes.
She had his attention. She had mere moments to use it to her advantage.
She knew this. Knew how impatient she made him everyday.
They drove each other crazy on a good day. His magic lessons always frustrating her to no end with the way he always treated her like a child. She had been taught magic her whole life, she is the first of her clan, and still he thinks she can't be trained enough. The hours they spent together learning how to properly hold a staff and wield a glyph made her want to jump off the nearest bridge from boredom. It was simple magic, that she had perfected years ago, but he always insisted on practicing.
It was a bore that she lived through each day and that wasn't even including his history lessons.
By the Gods he droned on and on with those. Often times he had to wake her up in the middle of one and start over.
Could she really be blamed though? It had been fascinating the first couple of times, but to sit through hours of the same Fade discussions every day became monotonous and especially tiring after exhausting herself with slaying dragons and doing mounds of paperwork with Josephine.
She liked his company and how he was so passionate about these things, but she also had a life to get back to. A real one. Dreams weren't for her when she dealt with very real problems first-hand.
Today for instance.
Possibly a problem bigger than Corypheus- her parents were visiting.
The very idea of Solas being her only hope of survival through their visit was frightening.
She spoke quickly knowing his interest wouldn't last long.
"My parents arrived in Skyhold just minutes ago and they are requesting our presence."
Solas chewed his cheek losing his patience. Obviously not understanding why he was crucial for her meeting her parents.
She continued trying to explain and he smiled in victory at how he finally got to see her drone on and on with something. My, how the tables have turned Ellana.
He tried to appear as bored as possible.
She hated his smug look and how he fit it so well.
"The problem is Solas the last time I talked to them we had been discussing my fertility. They said I was losing years on my life and tried to keep me from going to the Conclave. They wanted me to stay home and wed a young man from a reputable clan and carry on the precious Lavellan bloodline."
She put a finger on his lips before they could open sensing he had a quick retort coming.
"I know this is my problem, but hear me out Hah'ren. They would not let me leave to the Conclave unless I promised them I would find someone and get married in the next few years."
A moment of silence passed as he concentrated on keeping his lips from moving. Her finger oddly smelled of his favorite dessert.
"You might still think this isn't your problem. But it is. I may or may not have told them I found someone and they may or may not have told me they would be coming to evaluate him."
She averted his eyes knowing he would be angry. Her finger leaving his lips mercifully ridding him of that unexpected temptation.
She looked to the ground as she waited for the lecture.
All she got was an exasperated sigh and the expected interrogation. "You didn't? You wouldn't? Did you…you did."
It wasn't a lecture. It gave her the courage to continue.
"I did, I told them I am engaged to you to get them to stop sending so many letters. I never anticipated that they would actually come to inspect."
"You told them we are engaged? Just when I thought you were finally maturing." Solas stepped back from her. The look on his face screamed disappointment.
"I suppose you also told them I fell in love with you while riding atop a dragon and singing Dalish folk music?" He laughed at the nonsense of it all.
It was truly the worst trouble she had ever gotten herself into and he couldn't stop laughing at how he had got sucked into this trouble too.
"You don't have to laugh so much you know? I would make a lovely bride." She defended herself feeling more and more self conscious the more he laughed. Her hand on her hip as it jutted out to show her annoyance.
He just laughed again at how defensive she was getting.
"I'm sure you would for someone who actually wants a naïve, spoiled, troublesome-"
She purposefully stomped on his foot. Her heel digging into his toes until he groaned in pain.
It effectively got him to shut up and turned his laughing cheery mood into an angered one.
Probably not the best way to convince him to help her, but her pride was her pride she had to defend it.
He may not like her violent responses, but he did respect her for defending her pride. He would have done the same.
The fact is it got his attention.
Once she realized he was listening and taking her seriously she continued.
"Look I know I shouldn't have dragged you into my problems, but it was so easy to talk about you Solas. You are exactly who I needed as an alibi, exactly what they want for me in a husband. You're intelligent, you are respected amongst everyone even with your apostate background, you know more about my culture than I do most days and you are young but not too young. Healthy, good look- " She cut herself off not wanting to feed his ego more than she already had. " Well you have good genes. A lot more muscle than most of the suitors they picked for me. And you-"
This time he cut her off.
"Ellana flattering me isn't going to get you out of this."
"Dammit! I know! But I had to try." Ellana had even stepped closer to him and batted her eyelashes. "What do you want from me Solas? I am trying. I will show up to your lessons on time every day and I won't fall asleep."
"Oh, Ellana you'll have to give me something that actually holds my interests still."
Solas raised an eyebrow and she nearly winced at how badly he was defeating her. He knew he had the upper hand and he was using it.
In the distance she heard her parents being announced into the main Hall of Skyhold. It wouldn't be long before they were shown to Solas' room.
She grew desperate and kneeled in front of him. Giving him all the power.
She took both of his hands in hers and brought them to her mouth. Kissing them as if he was a King who she was subject to.
"Oh, Great, Wise, Solas King, I offer you my everything. Unlimited access to all of Skyhold's libraries. Truly unlimited my King I will give you keys."
His eyes were blown wide from her act and he looked faintly in character too. It was odd. As if she was kneeling before an actual King.
"Everything Solas. Keys to my stables. Free passes on missions. If you don't want to go on hunts l will let you stay home. I'll make you a study bigger than this whole rotunda. Please Solas anything! I'll be your personal assistant, I'll make you food. File your paperwork. Rub your dam feet every night if you say yes."
She was almost crying and Solas actually felt some sympathy for her. It was that cursed pouty lip she gave and her big doe eyes watering that really did him in. Still he wasn't doing this for free. She asked for a big favor so he required a big reward.
"Access to the Eluvian for my studies."
If she knew how much he actually needed that she wouldn't be on her knees.
Lavellan had no idea how useful the Eluvian could be to him now. She didn't question it though. It was like getting away free.
She got off of her knees and wrapped her arms around him in a hug.
"Done. Solas thank you so much."
Her arms were tight in the most lovely of ways. He hadn't been touched in so many years that even her unbearable hug was welcoming to his body.
It surprised him how much he didn't want her to pull away and scared him. He shrugged her arms off of him quickly before he could submit to her.
"Don't thank me I'm not doing this for you, besides you don't even know if I will convince them."
Lavellan still looked at him dreamily and it unnerved him.
"Stop looking at me like that!" He blurted. It was unnerving because the look she gave admittedly flustered him and dammit he was a God, he should not get flustered.
"I can't help it, your soft side is very handsome."
She could see he had a heart under all of that proud demeanor and no matter what excuse he gave she still saw this as the kindest thing anyone had ever done for her. She would forever look at him in a different light.
"You think I'm soft?" He asked bemused by her perspective. If she only knew that to look down at his hands was to look down at the hands that had literally massacred thousands of people and taken countless innocent virgin sacrifices. If she only knew she wouldn't think of him that way.
Still their was a kindness in her eyes as she reached out to touch his cheek that he couldn't turn away from. It almost resembled forgiveness- something he had only ever dreamed of.
"I think you're trying and that's more than I deserve right now."
In that moment he found her touch for the first time to be comforting. He leaned into it and he saw a shift in her as well as felt a shift in himself. A new essence in her- vulnerability. How many times had he dreamed of seeing her indomitable focus be dominated?
"Da'len." His voice was low as he leaned in more and found her lips parted. Interesting.
As he leaned in more to close the gap and let his curiosity take control he was stopped by an alpha male voice.
"Are we interrupting something? Shall we come back later at a more convenient time?"
Lavellan instantly swiveled her head to look over her shoulder at the elf who she would forever associate with that sarcastic dominating tone of voice- her father.
She retracted her hand from Solas' cheek fast enough to give him whiplash and sprinted over to her parents with such glee that the slap of being left in her dust barely stung seeing her so happy.
She engulfed her father in a bear hug first making it ever so obvious how dear she held his opinion.
Making Solas extremely nervous as Lavellan's father didn't even stop for a second from staring at him across the room.
Clearly assessing Solas' worth and strength. The gaze made Solas instantly stand straighter in defense.
His one hand cupping his wrist behind his back as he let the man assess him. He hoped he looked proud. He needed to look proud to be with her. That was the easier part of the act. She was a good leader at the end of the day and he did respect her as an Inquisitor. To an extent he even admired her.
When Lavellan turned to hug her mother he noticed they were both getting watery eyes. The father the only one who looked hardened with his emotions. Solas wondered if the man had ever shed a tear in his life. The way he continued to stare cold pinning eyes through his own made Solas anxious for Ellana to return to his side. He was a God and he felt threatened.
Luckily the mother was anxious to meet him.
He gathered that from the smile on her face as she looked up and assessed him the same way the father had. Only difference is she complimented him and he could hear with his elven ears her praise from across the room be whispered into Ellana's ears.
"He's handsome, and so tall, you weren't exaggerating in the letters."
Ellana looked back over her shoulder at Solas who was raising a bemused brow at her now.
It made Ellana blush. He wasn't supposed to hear how she had described him. By the Gods he would never let her live this down.
Before her mother could embarrass her further she took one of her hands and one of her father's and guided them towards Solas.
"Yes, he's tall and handsome mamae, he is also very kind and well mannered. He won't bite if we get closer I promise."
The compliments kept Solas distracted enough to not fear the father as much even as he came over and dominated his space. It was almost unnerving how intimidating such a short elf could be. Three inches or so taller than Ellana and yet so powerful. It obviously ran in the family. That and the gorgeous golden hair. So naturally beautiful. No styling or Orlesian products just silky looking locks that flowed in lazy waves off of shoulders and all the way down to their waists'.
He had to imagine Ellana's was as graceful as her mother's. Speculation was all he had when the Inquisitor refused to let her hair down in the presence of others. He honestly wondered if she ever let it down. She was always surprisingly professional for her age a trait likely drilled into her by her father.
"I save my bites for Ellana."
The Inquisitor immediately flushed red and shook her head nervously back and forth.
He didn't see the problem, his bold words seemed to make the mother light up with excitement.
Ellana started to laugh. The forced laugh that even Solas with little time of knowing her recognized as fake. Ellana's parents definitely noticed.
"Hahaha so not funny Solas." She pinched his bicep hard and his jaw clenched as he tried to keep his composure through the pain.
"I don't know Ellana, I think Solas is being hysterical. To think that he actually believes you would let him bite you. I mean as if my pure Ellana would ever let an elf like you touch her. Truly whatever act you two are trying to pull is ridiculous. You don't even have Vallaslin Solas, you aren't worthy of her." The father chuckled and his laugh was deep and true and Solas felt another pinch but this time at his ego. His pride making him forget his manners.
"An elf like me?" Solas grit his teeth against each other- the telltale sign he was going to burst at the seams.
Ellana gripped his forearm with the base of her hand. Wrapping her fingers around the wrist and trying desperately to remind Solas she was there and he was doing this for her and she needed him to forget his pride for a moment. Her eyes were boring into him and he could feel them burning the side of his face.
He never knew her to be so desperate and vulnerable. This must really matter to her if she put so much trust in him. A man she loathed.
He succumbed to her silent pleas.
"I suppose you are right. I'm not worthy of your daughter. I don't have Vallaslin and I am acting."
Ellana stared daggers at him. She was furious that he would betray her within the first hour of their act.
Her eyes were almost watering as she realized everything she would lose now that the secret was out. She would be taken back to the clan. A suitor would be chosen for her. She would be encouraged to have children with a man she didn't know or care for. She would lose her title and all of her friends here. The mounts, the weapons, the growing army, the protection of Skyhold and all because Solas couldn't betray his pride.
Her body was slowly shifting away from him. She should have never trusted him.
Her father didn't and he always knew best.
"I knew it was an act you don't have to tell me boy. Neither one of you are wearing engagement rings, and my daughter looks as untouched as ever."
Ellana was definitely going to cry now. Not only did her father see through their act, but he was just as embarrassing as before. Why would he bring up the fact that she was a virgin?!
"Dad stop okay, we get it you're mad. It was a foolish act and I'm sorry."
Now Solas' hand was around her forearm and he was reminding her that he was still there. Momentarily perplexed by his touch she let him speak even though she felt so betrayed by him.
"If I may finish?"
"Be my guest."
"We were acting, but not because we aren't together. We are very much engaged and very deeply in love."
Solas stared into her eyes then for added effect.
He was speaking in a tone that even she could believe. He just might save her for the second time that day. A slow smile creeped across her face the more he talked.
"We don't wear rings because many in the Inquisition are still prejudiced against elves and even if they are accepting of Ellana they are not as accepting of me an apostate. For that reason we have kept our engagement secret for our safety and for morale."
Ellana chewed her lip in fascination of how very handsome Solas suddenly was. There was definitely something sexy about a savior even if she should be put off by his grand ability to lie.
Seeing that her dad was buying it she added, "Plus the stone on the ring is so large that it would be a hindrance in battle."
Solas rolled his eyes at her when her parents weren't looking. "Yes there is that issue certainly. As for your daughter being untouched. Well…I am a rather traditional elf."
Ellana almost laughed at how believable he sounded in his lie. If her parents could only feel how hot his roughened hand was on her skin they would know he had seduced many. By the Gods the way she saw his jaw move at this side angle could seduce her and he wasn't even trying. It was not what she expected from him.
"That tradition is unnecessary now. Ellana is losing her best child bearing years. You have my blessing as her mother to –"
"Mother! I am not some toy!"
"He is going to be your husband Ellana, you should both have fun. I cannot wait another year for a wedding and then another year after for the child to be born. You may not have that much time."
"How old do you think I am mamae?!" She was stalking towards her mother with an angry face on.
Solas let her go realizing that her pride could be fought for in the moment.
Besides the father was smiling for once. Solas took this as an opportunity to really seal the deal and bond with him.
"Are they always like this?" Solas said sidelong to the Father.
Both of their proud expressions being replaced with lighthearted smiles and actual laughs. It was a first for Solas and the father.
"Yes. They have always argued like this. It's how they communicate. Ellana will give into her mother's whims eventually though and let her win. She might even hug her in a minute. She is excessively kind like that."
Solas smiled as he watched the father's words come to life.
He felt Ellana's hug vicariously through the mother. Remembering how soft yet firm her arms were.
"Look Solas, I don't like you, but my daughter has let you into her life and I will have to respect that."
Solas smiled in victory. The act had been convincing enough, but this was only the first of many. That much was obvious with the Father's adage.
"However, my daughter is young and naïve, she doesn't know what she needs. I will not let her ruin the bloodline with unworthy men. She will be leaving with us by the end of the month to be paired with a more…appropriate suitor. I'm expecting you to call off this ridiculous engagement before then. Is that clear? Do you understand?"
Solas had no connection to Ellana truly, but he felt obligated to defend her honor.
"No. I don't understand. Last I checked Ellana is a grown woman. She has managed to run the whole Inquisition without experience and very little guidance, and has survived dueling dragons at least the size of this room, forgive me, but I believe that grants her authority over her own choices certainly over the man she wants to marry. Perhaps you should focus on supporting her instead of your Dalish pride."
A moment of shocked silence passed between the two men. Ellana's father had obviously never been talked to in such a manner.
"You dare speak to your elder that way?! I am appalled! Who are you to tell me how to parent?!"
Ellana and her mother turned to the raised voice. Ellana looking extremely worried that all of their hard work of convincing was about to be thrown to the wolves.
Solas held his tongue when he noticed Ellana's face near tears. He was defending her so she wouldn't get hurt and yet he still had to endure seeing her in pain.
"You are not my elder and I am your son in law. Try and respect my opinions and I will try and respect yours." Solas walked to Ellana growing increasingly frustrated that he had let her down and not bonded with the man.
"I'm sorry Da'len I have to leave." He whispered into her ear and she felt her body tremble from the breath wafting on her skin and the heart ache in her heart. He was leaving her when she needed him most.
Before she could reach out and try and stop him he was already gone. He had ran out and she was left with her father storming out in the opposite direction and her mother following him loyally.
All Ellana had left were her confused thoughts and shaking hands. She didn't know who to follow after or what had caused the split she knew it had been something Solas said which only begged the question…
What had Solas said?