It was a rainy day in skyhold and most, if not all, members of the inner circle had come to the Herald's rast to enjoy a few hours of peace. Of course, this didn't go without a lot of ale and a few rounds of Wicked Grace.
Sighing, Evelyn laid down her hand. She obviously had lost. Again. This just wasn't her day.
"Looks like you're going to be a very poor woman very soon, boss." The bull laughed. Evelyn looked at the faces of her friends. Josephine tried and failed miserably to hide her grin behind her hand. Leliana showed her a smug smile which made Evelyn question if maybe it wasn't bad luck that made her lose. Dorian gave her an empathic look, while Varric did nothing to hide his amusement. And Sera... well, the elven girl had long since found her place snoring below the table.
Downing another mug of ale, the Inquisitor told Josie to shuffle the cards again, but Varric intervened.
"What are you going to bet, Inquisitor? We can't possible have you strip down in here with all the onlookers and I'm pretty sure I heard you say those were your last souvereins you bet last round."
Evelyn leaned back and thought a bit when a wicked thought sprang to her mind. "If I loose... I will sing." This piqued everybody's interest.
"Accepted."
...
And the Inquisitor lost again.
"Well, now Inquisitor. We would like to hear your voice." The tevinterian mage mused.
Evelyn sighed loudly and asked Maryden for her lute. Of course she didn't miss the scrutinizing look everybody was giving her. She seated herself on the table so everybody could see her and started to sofly play the instrument as if to remember how it worked. Working in a few well placed mistakes, she smiled inwardly at Holding a lute again. After tormenting her companions and the other guests for a few minutes and just before anyone could jump up and whip the instrument from her fingers, she started playing a melody that had been ghosting through her head for a few weeks now. And then, she began to sing.
Haunted by your past
those that came before
Nightmares rule your night
fear they come once more
She could see the astonishment on her friends' faces. Yes, the Inquisitor was actually able to sing.
Chased by memories
figures in the dark
Clawing through your mind
they have left their mark
While most of her friends were too shocked to actually listen to the song, a few of them took notice of the lyrics.
Oh lion, my lion your deafening roar
Will again be as loud as it once was before
We fight through the nightmares, the shades and the fade
Til the war has been won and the tides have been swayed
Two people in particular who had not participated in the Wicked Grace game now rose to take a look around the stairs behind which they sat.
Sword and shield in hand
not a soul can see
Behind those amber eyes
lies a silent plea
Worriedly, Cassandra looked at the commander, who seemed to be frozen in place, watching his object of affection.
Suffering in silence
the burden you must bare
Getting lost
in the depths of your despair
Of course Leliana noticed, too. And when the others saw her worried look, one after another noticed something was off.
Oh lion, my lion your deafening roar
Will again be as loud as it once was before
We fight through the nightmares, the shades and the fade
Til the war has been won and the tides have been swayed
As it dawned on everyone just who the Inquisitor was singing about, Josephine wanted to interrupt their leading woman who seemed oblivious that her beloved stood behind her, shaking silently.
Lay your past to sleep
let the fear subside
No matter how lost you are
You don't have to hide
Cullen fell to his knees. He didn't have the strength to stand any longer. All of his locked up emotions, all the terrors of his past came crushing down on him while the woman he loved laid his heart open to all of them.
The templar on his knees
fighting to be free
Rise anew to be the man
you were meant to be
The others thought they understood what the Inquisitor wanted to say with this song. But they still weren't sure if she even knew he was right there behind her.
Oh lion, my lion your deafening roar
Will again be as loud as it once was before
We fight through the nightmares, the shades and the fade
Til the war has been won and the tides have been swayed
After the last Sound of the lute faded away, there was not a single sound in the tavern. Evelyn looked at her companions with a face that didn't reveal any emotions she might had. Slowly, she rose from her place at the table and turned, her eyes finding the figure of her beloved sitting on the ground head hanging with trembling shoulders.
She knew he was trying to hide his tears. She knew her method had been harsh. But she couldn't let this chance of helping him heal go.
She walked to his side and crouched down beside him, laying one hand on his back. He raised his eyes to meet hers and sure enough, there were wet trails on his handsome cheeks. She brushed them away gently and gave him a small smile. Her eyes were now full of love and as he kept looking into her golden orbs, ever so slowly he, too, began to smile.
His voice was throaty, when he spoke up.
"Will you help me stand?"
Evelyn's smile grew wider as she was standing up and extended her hands to him.
"Of course I will."
And when the commander of the Inquisition took her hands and let her help him up, he could feel the wounds of the past finally close.
Big thanks and credit goes to Suzanne van Pelt, who graciously let me use her song "The Lion of Ferelden" for this story.
Please, if you would like to know what this song sounds like, go on YouTube and look for it.
The very first time I heard this song I thought it must be part of the game. Sadly, it's not. Anyway, this is the scene I imagine every time I hear (and sing) this song. I hope you like the song and my little story to accompany it as much as I do.