The sun was beginning to set over Skyhold. Everything was left a gorgeous combination of yellows and oranges under the Sun's influence. Sarliah Lavellan emerged from Cullen's office after dropping off some important war-related papers and stealing a few quick kisses. The night was fast approaching and the air was chill, so she sped across the walkway to Solas's tower. She greeted him with an "Aneth ara" and walked up the stairs to the next level. She found her friend relaxed in his chair, reading a book about the history of the Tevinter Imperium.
"Ah, 'Liah. I was just checking the facts in this book. It's mostly propaganda," Dorian scoffed, tossing the book on a pile of other discarded tomes, all about the Tevinter Imperium.
"Missing home?" she asked as she pulled a novel from the many shelves that lined the walls.
"Somewhat, yes. Do you ever miss your clan?"
"Not really. I've never really liked being Dalish and my clan is pretty much as Dalish as they come," she replied, leaning against the cold stone. "My family and my friend Deylan left the clan to live in Denerim with me. So, I only keep ties with my clan for sentimental reasons."
Sarliah held up the book that she had retrieved from the shelf: Hard in Hightown. Dorian grinned and adjusted himself so Sarliah could sit with him. She placed her back and legs on the arms of the chair and nestled the rest between his legs. Her head leaned against his chest, his heartbeat sounding in her ear. She pushed a lock of fine, red hair from her face as she found the chapter in which they had left off. Sarliah began:
"Chapter 3. For the second time in what was becoming a very long night, Donnen Brennokovic and his partner, Jevlan, found themselves knocking on a nobleman's door. Once. Twice. No answer. He sighed looking up at the dark windows of the mansion. He was getting too old for this shit," she read, giggling at her friend's words. "'Maybe he's out,' Jevlan offered. The recruit was nervous. In the guard a week and barely able to walk through Hightown, too green for a murder case."
Dorian's arm was wrapped around Sarliah's back, his hand turned the page and he took over reading.
"'He's hiding. Look up.' Donnen pointed. 'He's shuttered up all the windows. There hasn't been a storm in months.' He pounded on the door again, louder," he said, rubbing his eyes part of the way through. "'We should get the captain.' Jevlan shifted and squirmed under his heavy shoulder plates. Donnen had forgotten how badly new guard armor fit. He started to tell the kid where to get it adjusted, and the door swung open."
"Varric is such a strange character," Sarliah declared, drawing laughs from the pair. "'Come inside, quickly!'
"A man rushed them inside and through the house. Every room was dark. No moonlight made it through the shuttered windows. No candles flickered. Their way was lit only by a hooded lantern in the hands of their host. He stopped once they had reached a windowless inside room, where he closed and bolted the door behind him," she continued. "'Comte de Favre?' Donnen guessed.
"The man nodded. In the dim lantern light, Donnen could see that he was dressed in a gaudy brocade doublet, but had thrown a chain mail shirt over it. He wore the helmet from an obviously ceremonial armor set, slightly askew on his head," she read. She paused when she noticed Dorian's soft, shallow breaths. He had fallen asleep. Not wanting to wake him, Sarliah gently placed Varric's tale on the floor and grabbed the first tome that she could reach on the nearby pile. It was a short piece on sexuality in Thedas. While it was an interesting read, Sarliah soon found herself drifting. The pair was an adorable sight, wrapped up in each other's arms and snoozing.
Unlike Dorian, who was refined even in sleep, Sarliah was inclined towards snoring. The tower was quiet and Solas was able to hear her clearly. He grabbed a blanket from his couch and went up the stairs. He turned the corner and saw the two on the chair.
"Children," he whispered. He gently threw the blanket onto them, tucking them in much like a father would. Solas returned to his work as Dorian and Sarliah dreamed.