"Ah, excuse me?" a soft voice piped up, "I'm here for my 11:00 A.M. appointment?"

"Name?" Solas curtly inquired, without looking away from the computer behind his portion of the long desk spanning the room of the DMV lobby.

"Elena Lavellan."

"Lavellan?" He echoed, surprise seeping into voice. He set aside the cup tea he had been holding and kept his eyes focused on the screen in front of him as he typed her name into the computer system.

Sure enough, her appointment popped up in italicized black letters under his rotation schedule the moment he hit search. Lavellan wasn't exactly a common surname; in fact, it was more often associated with one of the more well-known…..Oh no.

He groaned internally before he finally glanced over at the petite woman in question; she was staring at him expectantly with bright eyes, a wide smile flitting across her dainty features as she clutched a stack of papers to her chest. Solas let his gaze linger over the looping lines of the vallaslin marking her face.

Dalish.

"Yes, Elena Lavellan. Did I get the time wrong?" Her face slowly fell, "I swore I put the right time in my calendar!" One of her hands immediately went into her purse, digging through it for her phone.

"No, no. You are correct. Forgive me, you are….not what I was expecting." Solas finished reluctantly.

She chirped a light laugh. "It's okay, I imagine a Dalish testing for her driver's license isn't exactly a common sight."

That was an understatement.

"I was under the impression the Dalish did not use cars on their reservations, and have no need to seek a license."

"Well some of us have jobs off the reservation, and last time I checked, the city is no place for halla." She said jokingly.

There was no amount of tea large enough that could prepare him for this.

Ignoring her last statement, he got back to business, "I assume you brought all the necessary paper work and requirements."

He stood and held out his hand.

"Ah, yes, Birth Certificate, Permit, Insurance, check, and proof I passed the written test…" She quickly shoved the stack of papers she had been holding into his hand.

He plucked her permit out from the pile and gave it back.

"You're going to need that. My name is Solas, if there are to be introductions. You may meet me at the far end of the room."

He then turned, leafing through the rest of her paperwork to double check it was complete. He scanned her birth certificate out of curiosity.

Elena Nehnisa Lavellan.

He skipped over the rest of it and settled on her birthday, May 31st, 1987.

28. It struck him as odd that if she wanted her license that she would wait so long before testing. Most people interested in driving wanted to get their driver's licenses as soon as possible; almost immediately after their year of permit driving. Even the rare Dalish individual who expressed an interest in driving followed the same pattern. This woman didn't particularly seem to care that she waited nearly ten years past the norm.

Solas dropped her paperwork on the desk of the temp who sat directly behind him. He was toying with his finely groomed moustache while carrying out whatever heated debated he was engaged in on the phone.

"Dorian." Solas interrupted.

Dorian cupped the edge of the phone so the person on the line wouldn't hear him.

"Yes Sol–Ah dear maker! You look dreadful."

Solas sighed.

"Make copies of those for our records. Elena Lavellan." He said, gesturing at the papers.

Dorian's eyebrow quirked up in amusement. He leaned back in his chair around Solas to get a better view at the woman in question; she was waiting ardently by the end of the desk adjacent to the set of doors leading to the parking lot, smoothing out the wrinkles in her sweater.

"And now I can see why. Flemeth sure has it out for you, assigning all the aspiring Dalish drivers under your rotation." Dorian laughs to himself, stealing another peek at Elena. "You know Solas, she's quite adorable. You might actually enjoy your job this morning."

Solas groaned and walked away, dismissing Dorian's comments with a wave of his hand. But Dorian brought up a valid point; his supervisor did have a tendency to assign him clients she knew would test him. He was going to need to have a long talk with Flemeth after this.

He snagged his work commissioned black wind breaker that had "Haven's Department of MotorVehicles" written in bright white block lettering off the coat rack and shimmied into it. He also grabbed a clipboard and pen before pushing past gate that separated the lobby from various offices behind the desk to meet Elena.

He appraised her again, this time not letting himself get distracted by her vallaslin. Bright blue eyes beamed up at him from a mop of loose black curls that had fallen loose from a messily crafted bun. She also had a thick splattering of freckles that speckled their way over the bridge of her small, slightly crooked nose and across her cheeks. A warm smile tugged at her lips as he approached. Solas felt his chest tighten.

Ah. Damn it.

She was adorable.

"After you, Ms. Lavellan." Solas said, attempting to quell sudden fluttering in his chest, and opened one of the glass doors for her.

"She can't be nearly as bad as the last one." Dorian called out to Solas as he followed Elena out into the daylight.

Maybe Dorian was right.

As it turns out, Dorian couldn't possibly have been more wrong.

"STOP." Solas yelled, his palms slamming against the dashboard to steady him as Elena brought the car screeching to halt along the side of the road.

Saying Elena was a bad driver would be a courtesy.

She was an atrocious driver.

Her whole demeanor had changed once she buckled herself in. Gone was the warmly grinning woman from the lobby and in her place was one severely spooked halla. Solas could see her eyes widening in panic the longer they drove; the tension rising in her was tangible as they made their way onto increasingly difficult roads.

And her highway driving was a nightmare.

Solas lost track of how many rules she had broken and abandoned his clipboard all together in attempt to guide her back to a safe part of the road.

They sat there for a few minutes, hearts racing and breathing fast.

"Did you even attempt to drive in the time you've had your permit?" He scolded, breaking the silence and retracting a hand from the dashboard to pinch the bridge of his nose.

"Yes!" She said defensively, "I practiced….some…."

And then she mumbled something unintelligible.

"Come again?" Solas probed, peering over at her.

Her fingers were gripping the steering wheel so hard her knuckles blanched, causing the freckles on her hands to become more prominent in contrast.

"I didn't exactly practice with a car per se…." She looked at him sheepishly. "You said it yourself, the Dalish don't really drive so it's not like anyone has a car parked about to practice with. So I had to improvise."

Solas stared at her in mild horror.

"I thought our tractors would suffic—"

"You thought you could learn to drive on a tractor?"

"Well yeah, Dalish!" She pointed to the blue ink on her face. "I figured it couldn't be that much different, they operate simil—"

"Driving is not just about understanding how to operate the vehicle!" He cut her off exasperatedly, "It is much more complex than that. You passed your written test! You should know how important it is to be cognizant of the rules of road."

"Much easier said than done!" She countered, red faced and flustered.

"Evidently."

Solas unfastened his seatbelt and threw open the passenger door, stepping out. It took every ounce of his self-restraint to not stomp around the nose of the car to the driver's side.

He yanked the door open and pointed forcefully.

"Out."

Her fawn like eyes met his. Regret coiled in his stomach as he watched at the shame and embarrassment swirl in their light blue pools.

He softened slightly, he dropped his gesture amended his command, "Please."

Elena slipped out of the driver's seat and skirted around to the other side.

Solas adjusted the seat, the mirrors, and refastened his buckle as she slid into the seat beside him.

"Seatbelt." He gently reminded her in an even tone.

He checked his surroundings before pulling out onto the road again. For him, driving was easy; navigating roads was second nature and came as natural as breathing. He could easily acclimate to any type of car, any type driving, and any type of course.

He felt the weight of her lingering stare and got the impression he was being watched closely.

"How are you so good at this?" Elena finally asked.

"Lots of experience."

"That…makes sense." She finished lamely.

He would have laughed at her bluntness but he reminded himself he was still mad at her. No matter how cute she was when she blushed.

After that, they drove back to the DMV in silence.

A few times, Elena would turn to him and open her mouth as if to ask another question, only to quickly snap it shut and hastily turn to look out the window. She regained her voice as they pulled into the parking lot.

"So…." Elena started to say as he parked the car.

"So. I believe it is obvious and goes without saying, but I will regardless. You are not receiving a license." Solas stated as grabbed his clipboard and exited the vehicle. He strode towards the entrance to the building, Elena close on his heels.

"How long must I wait before I retest? Can I try again later today?"

He chuckled sardonically, "Was that a serious question?"

She stared at him in confusion.

"You will not have, by some miracle, figured out how to drive any better than you did during your first attempt in a few hours. You need real driving experience before you can even consider retaking the driving exam." Solas explained, stopping in front of the glass doors.

"But I really need to get my license. I'm going to be required to drive for my job."

"I sincerely hope you are joking."

The look on her face told him she was sincerely not.

Her expression melted away some of his annoyance, and he held the door for her again, "Here at our facility we offer a driver's training course, which I highly recommend you look into. The sessions are designed to teach you everything a beginning driver needs to know, and is taught by the most experienced instructors."

"Instructors such as you?" She inquired as she passed through.

"Yes, such as I."

"So if I enroll, will you teach me?"

"I…" Solas paused in front the of desk gate and considered his words.

He didn't want to hurt her feelings, but she was a terrible driver and very well could be a hopeless case. But never has he once turned away the opportunity to teach someone, anyone willing to listen he would tutor.

Though teaching Dalish in the past had never turned out well for him. His previous Dalish students never wanted to adhere to his advice, would get into very heated arguments, and always terminate the lessons. He couldn't simply flat out tell her that he thought most, if not all, Dalish student drivers are stubborn, refuse to take direction, and can't learn how to drive. But he never had issues with elves that lived in the city, or any other race for that matter. Just the Dalish.

Deep down, he knew why was so uptight towards her people, and inadvertently her. His own history got in the way.

"I don't think that's a good idea." He unlocked the gate and tried to get through, but Elena was too quick. She rapidly snuck around him, and planted herself firmly in his path.

"Why not."

Her eyebrows furrowed, drawing his attention back to the icy blue lines honoring Sylaise inked on her face. She didn't miss where his focus went to.

"Ohh," She snubbed, crossing her arms over her chest. "It's because I'm Dalish, isn't it.

Out of the corner of his eye, Solas saw Dorian's head pop over the desk divider separating his space from the temp adjacent to him, not even remotely trying to hide the fact he was eavesdropping.

"Not entirely." Solas tried to side step her, but Elena mirrored him. "But the Dalish do have a tendency to be fickle in their commitment."

"So you're just going to assume that I'm going to be the same way, and not take me?" She said, annoyance slipping into her voice as she moved to the side again to prevent him from getting around her.

"I have yet to check my lesson schedule, I might not be able to take on any new students at this time." He said evasively.

"You can." Dorian's sing song voice cut into their conversation, "I have the schedules up right now."

Dorian flashed him a dazzling smile.

"You stay out of this." Solas glared at him.

"I'll prove to you that the Dalish can learn to drive!" She said, attempting to jab him in the chest with a finger, but he caught her hand before she could actually poke him.

Solas' heart skipped a beat at his sudden, impulsive contact; a pleasant sensation ran down the length of his spine and pooled in his gut. Her fingers were soft and slender, and oh so warm. He averted his eyes from their interlocked fingers and met her gaze, causing her flush a lovely shade of pink. The sensation within him amplified.

"I told you once already, it's probably not a good id—"

"Well, well, what have we here?" Another voice added itself to fray.

The woman it belonged to came sauntering out of her office at the commotion. She was dressed in a steel gray suit, her heels clicking against the linoleum floor as she approached. Her white hair pulled back in rivets, accentuating the intensity of her piercing amber eyes that flickedamusinly between Solas and Elena.

"Good afternoon Flemeth." Solas said in a clipped tone, releasing Elena's fingers as politely as he could.

Elena whipped around and introduced herself. "I'm Elena Lavellan, and I'm interested in taking your driver's training course. And I asked Solas to be my instructor, but ah, he," She nodded her head sharply in Solas' direction, "won't take me."

Flemeth inspected the woman before her, and Solas had the sinking feeling his fate was sealed before his supervisor had even opened her mouth.

"He won't? Such a shame, there is much potential I see in you." Flemeth's eyes met his.

Solas mouthed "Absolutely not".

Amusement danced like flames in her eyes, "Of course Solas will take you, I'll make sure you're on his rotation. You'll start next week, Monday if it suits you. I'll let him work out an exact time. Should he give you any problems child, you know where to find me." She spun on her heel and began to walk away.

"Dorian, how are those file transfers coming along?" She added over her shoulder before returning to her office, leaving as quickly as she came.

Dorian's head immediately dipped out of sight.

"Early mornings work best for me." Elena chirped smugly.

Not only was she Dalish, she was also a morning person. Splendid.

"The earliest time slot we offer starts at eight." Solas said, giving in. It was his duty after all, and least she was willing to learn. He could respect that.

"Sounds perfect!"

"You'll receive an email explaining the program further, and what to expect. You will confirm your appointment online. Do you have any other questions for me Ms. Lavellan?"

"Not at the moment, but I'm sure I'll have some lined up next week. See you Monday, bright and early!" She beamed another adorably, smug smile his way and finally walked out.

He extracted Elena's unfinished exam from the clipboard and tossed the board in the designated bin before making his way back to his desk. He noted Dorian was trying to contain his snickering behind a hand clamped over his mouth, but was failing. Rolling the exam paper still in his hand, Solas lightly smacked the Tevinter upside the head, mussing his painstakingly styled hair.

"Quiet, you."

"Hey!" His hands flew to his hair, perfecting it back into place, "You have to admit, this was the most entertaining debacle we've seen all month Solas. I do look forward to seeing how this plays out."

Solas stole a glance through the entry doors. Elena was outside sitting on the bench, waiting for someone to pick her up, looking hopeful.

Maybe she was different.

He shook his head, clearing Elena from his thoughts and turned to leave Dorian's desk. He now had a lot of work to do before he could begin preparing for the night ahead.

When his shift finally ended, he had managed to test three more students, aid Dorian in his file transfers, and finish the enrollment process for Elena. He couldn't wait to get out of this boring excuse of a day job, and slip into his real passion.

He knocked at his supervisor's door on his way out.

"Solas," Flemeth's voice beckoned from within her room. Solas walked in.

"I have been meaning to speak with you about my latest assignment."

"You're displeased with my decision."

"Putting it simply, yes."

"You think it unwise."

"It will not end well. I believe Elena will be better suited with another instructor."

"This is where you and I disagree. I think the two of you have a lot to learn from each other."

"You are aware of my history with the Dalish, I wish not to cause unnecessary conflict. It can be avoided if she was instructed by someone else."

As the words spilled from his mouth, he suddenly wanted to take them all back. There was a tiny part of him that did want to be her instructor; to be proven wrong about the Dalish. Her determination and willingness to learn had left a rare impression on him.

And the fact that she genuinely wanted him to be the one to teach her was a little flattering.

Flemeth gave him a knowing look. "She will be good for you."

"What is good for me is unimportant. If you truly believe this will be good for her, then I will defer to your judgment." Solas complied with a nod, and turned to exit the office.

"One more thing…"

He stopped in his tracks, glancing over his shoulder.

"Good luck tonight, old friend."

The roar of crowd was muted from the inside of his black Bugatti Veyron, its windows deeply tinted to protect his identity from the fans gathering along the side of the street. Curious eyes were dying to get glimpse of the illusive Dread Wolf as he rolled into his place among the other racers. The revving of engines filled the air as the competitors around him anticipated the start of the circuit.

The thrill of racing, the freedom of the road, it sang to him. Solas watched, excitement building with each step the flagger took, darting into the middle of the street a hundred feet in front of them.

She raised the flags in her hands high above her head, waving them to command all the attention.

The crowd's reaction is instantaneous; the cheers and bellowing grew louder, rowdier and more demanding.

Solas took a deep breath and prepared his ritual of counting down the seconds until the flagger dropped her flags, signaling the start of the race.

3

Long fingers comfortably gripped his steering wheel as he shifted into a comfortable position in his seat.

2

The cheers and screaming from the outside world started fading away as he focused his attention down the stretch of road before him.

1

Revas.