Eve welcomed the fade, she would relieve her most cherished memories from times of the Inquisition. This time she watched as she played wicked grace with her friends, joy was on her face an emotion she hadn't felt for a while. In the corner of her eye she saw the gigantic wolf sit in the distance and watch her as per usual. Eve knew who it was, he would visit her every night and almost every night she would try to change his mind. However Solas would always retreat from her dreams and she could never follow, this time however things would be different. She didn't bother to talk to him, she just shifted her dream to a more intermit one between the two of them. It showed the two of them in one another's arms kissing passionately, Eve looked over to the wolf and noticed him look away from the scene,
"Look Solas!" she demanded from across the fade, and he did. Switching from wolf form to his human form he watched over the memory with a sorrow she only knew too well of,
"I love you." Whispered dream Eve and dream Solas cupped her face,
"I love you too." He breathed out. The real Solas cast away the now painful memory with the wave of his hand and Eve snarled,
"I could come with you Solas I could help you!" she growled though Solas shook his head and again disappeared. Leaving her alone.
….
Eve awoke with a start and hit the ground next to her, tears streaming down her face. The last time she had seen Solas had been a month before, when the Inquisition had disbanded and she had ran away from everything. Eve no longer wanted any part of that world, she would start her own life and see where it led her. When she had first ran it had been difficult, missing her left arm she had struggled more than she thought. Eventually however she found a blood mage willing to perform a ritual where she would gain her arm back, the blood mage did turn into a demon but she had managed. Eve knew she should feel guilty about that, but her body felt numb of most emotion, apart from anger that was still strong.
Pushing those thoughts away she clenched her left hand, looking at where the mark used to be and frowned. Shaking her head she packed her bags and headed towards the ancient elven ruin. That was all she had been doing since she had ran away from her friends, exploring the past ruins and discovering more of her heritage now Solas had shed some light upon it. She would not go back to her clan without her Vallaslin as they would not believe her, and she would even know where to begin,
"I suppose, 'By the way Keeper I kissed the dread wolf passionately and fell in love with him hopelessly' wouldn't be okay." Eve chuckled to herself spitefully before letting her mind go silent and enjoy the scenery around her. When she finally came to her destination she smiled brightly at its beauty, even in its disarray it was still magnificent to look upon. Another temple to Mythal she deduced from the statues as she entered the building, fitting that she would arrive here considering she was still bound to the Goddess or rather mages will. With a deep inhale she ventured further in, watching as the cracks in the ceiling allow light to sparkle off the walls. Nature had intruded and tangled itself around staircases and columns with bright green vines and colourful flowers.
"Beautiful." Eve sighed finally letting her worries go, she only felt free in these places where nothing concerned her. She could forget her past and forget she was bound to Mythal, every day she spent worrying when she would be called upon for her service. Ignoring those depressing thoughts Eve explored finding trinkets and other useless items, laughing at how she used to carry round so much stuff to sell or give to people. Now she had only herself to worry about and she loved it, no one to look after, and no one's feelings to care about apart from hers. Moving from room to room she soon came across a bathing room, almost skipping with joy she made her way over to a large pool. She began to undress when she stopped and chewed on her lip thoughtfully,
"What if this is another 'Well of Sorrows'?" she questioned to herself and thought better of bathing in it.
"There was only one Well of Sorrows, and now it is gone." A velvety voice rumbled and Eve gasped before spinning around to face her attacker. Blades raised she was shocked to see Abelas,
"Abelas!" She breathed still wielding her blades. Abelas walked forward slowly before gently pushing her blades down, he was still dressed in the same attire as when she first met him. However he wore his hood down; showing the long white braid from his head with shaved sides.
"Yes, it is I. Though I must admit I never bothered learning your name last time." He mumbled while evaluating her. Eve noted how he looked at her left hand, knowing he noticed how it no longer glowed green.
"Eve'asha, though friends call me Eve." She mumbled unhappy her peace had been interrupted by someone from the past. She sheathed her blades and put her shoes back on which she had taken off in her hurry for her bath.
"And where are your friends, you travelled with many last time." Abelas remarked and Eve glared at the taller Elven man.
"Gone." She snapped and Abelas hummed thoughtfully,
"And the Elven man…where has he gone?" He enquired again and Eve felt her teeth grind.
"Gone." She snarled again before stalking off.
Abelas watched her with his head cocked in intrigue, her whole demeanour had changed from last he had seen her. He had sensed life, love, happiness alongside the heavy amount of stress and worry, now he only sensed anger. Out of curiosity he decided he would follow her for a while.
…..
Eve left the temple quickly after finding Abelas inside, she wanted her past to forget her but it always seemed to catch up with her somehow. Grumbling to herself she ventured round the forests again with no goal to her direction, just letting her feet take her away. As the light dwindled she found herself a pleasant grove for a camping site, clearing away the leaves she gathered wood for a camp fire. Once everything was set she leaned against a tree and stared into the flickering flames, letting a song come to her lips,
You caused an explosion inside me,
Of feelings I never knew,
More often there were smiles,
When you were around me,
I felt a certain grace.
The light touch of your hand ignited me,
Into the woman I am today.
Born was the powerful phoenix,
From the ashes of decay.
I'd like to say I love you,
But the words don't seem enough.
So I promise you my very being,
And I'll be your Elven lover
By the end Eve had tears come from her eyes again and she smiled sadly into the fire, with a deep breath she cleared her throat and curled up to rest. Abelas frowned from his watch in the distance and deduced quickly what had happened, she had been scorned by a lover. That was why the fire had diminished in her eyes, someone had not taken care of her heart properly. With a shake of his head Abelas cursed people for playing with others in such a way, sitting down on his perch in the tree he settled himself for a long uncomfortable night.
Eve awoke again breathing hard, she growled again after seeing Solas in the fade; and punched the tree behind her repeatedly till her knuckles started to bleed,
"Why won't you leave me alone!? If you don't come to me then leave me!" she screeched before sobs fell from her mouth. When she finally pulled herself together she gathered her things and went in search for something to kill. For the majority of the day she came across nothing dangerous or harmful, the only life was little critters which she would not kill pointlessly. Looking around her she realised that she did miss the joyful days of the Inquisition, she missed all her friends more than she missed her clan. Yes, it had been a time of fear and dread but it had also brought to her some of the best people she had ever known. She pulled the crystal Dorian had given her from her pack, the one he gave her at Halamshiral to contact him when she wanted. At moments of weakness she would contact him, and he would answer, he would always answer. He would not expect her to talk but he would just talk on about how he had been and stories from their other friends, offering her comfort.
Grabbing the crystal she whispered the words he taught her and it began to glow, before Dorian's voice came through slightly disjointed,
"Eve? Well…long time no speak," he mumbled, his voice was sad as usual but he carried on, "I guess you just want to check in on me again…making sure I'm not causing too much trouble in Tevinter?" he joked and Eve could not help but chuckle. "Ahh there's a laugh, I did end up thinking someone else was just pranking me." He uttered. Eve listened as he prattled on about everything from fashion to recent lovers all the while she was travelling across the wilderness. About three hours he talked on endlessly and for that Eve was grateful, however it had distracted her and she narrowly avoided an arrow to her head.
"Shit!" Eve exclaimed.
"Eve! Are you alright?" Dorian asked obviously worried. Eve spun round and noticed three shemlen men and also noticed her predicament,
"Got to go Dorian!" she uttered hurriedly then whispered the words to extinguish the crystals light. Unsheathing her blades she twirled them expertly watching as one of the men glanced nervously at her skill.
"What's a little girl doing on her own out here? Joining those other knife ear bastards are we?" One bearded Shem snarled between dirty teeth. Eve draw her brows in confusion and snorted,
"Joining the other elves where Shem? I know nothing of this." She snapped as they formed a circle around her causing her to spin slowly evaluating them,
"Hundreds have disappeared, left their masters or clans and fled. I haven't seen a knife ear in bout a week….specially one as pretty as you anyhow." The bearded shem leered at her and Eve spat on the floor in front of her as the other two shems chuckled.
"Shame, I haven't seen something as ugly as you in over a week either." She growled in a dangerously low tone, "Now come shemlen scum, I don't have all day." She urged. Finally one shem made a move although it was his last, she spun round and sliced threw his throat with ease letting his blood run over his clothes.
"Bitch!" screamed another as the final two ran at her, she dodged one only to get kneed in the face by the other. She groaned and cursed herself for becoming careless before making to move when she felt a blade across her throat, "Stay down! You just killed my brother knife ear!" the bearded shem roared as the blade cut into her skin. Eve winced while chuckling,
"Your welcome, surely I've done him a favour if he's related to you." She jested though gasped in pain when he punched her across the face.
"Shut up you-"The main was silenced with a gurgle when an arrow punctured his throat. Eve's eyebrows went up in surprise before she pushed the dying man off her and rolled over to avoid the blade of the final shem. He went to swing again when another arrow flew into his head. Eve span round and glared into the forest when finally her saviour came into view,
"Abelas? What are you doing here?" she questioned nervously, noting that he had the exact same arrows as the one that had first fired at her.
"I was following you, but now it seems like I am saving you." He uttered though with a slightly disapproving look. Eve huffed and shook her head,
"How were you saving me when you fired an arrow at me?" she snapped. Abelas chuckled without amusement and mentioned to the dead men around,
"If I had not fired that arrow you would not have noticed these men, I was warning you Da'len." He stated and Eve saw the truth in his words. Sheathing her blades she nodded to him before grabbing her back pack again,
"Why were you following me?" she asked curtly before carrying on with her journey Abelas behind her.
"Intrigue Da'len." He uttered while surveying their surroundings,
"I am no child, may the dread wolf take you!" she growled out and Abelas chuckled at her slip in words,
"He has already taken you it would seem." Eve froze in place before turning to Abelas with a deadly glare "I gathered from Fen'Harel no longer behind around…and your song the other night that you two meant something to each other, my theory wasn't proven however till now." Abelas announced at Eve's reaction. She charged over dropping her back pack, and went to punch him when he grabbed her arm and spun her so her back was to his chest,
"Let go Abelas!" she whispered with venom. Abelas held her tight and let her anger radiate through her body,
"No, I call you Da'len because you are acting like one. You storm around like a child having a tantrum, you Da'len have been better do not let a man take that from you!" he admonished before letting her go and shoving her away,
"What has this to do with you? You barley know me." Eve seethed again as Abelas picked up the pack she had dropped and passed it to her.
"You are bound to Mythal as I am I can sense it, I know no other anymore since the attack on Mythal's temple two years ago. As such we need to look out for each other." Abelas walked on as he spoke and Eve begrudgingly followed,
"How lovely, brothers in arms or whatever." Eve replied sarcastically, to which Abelas did not offer a response.
Views? I would like to continue this if people like it, and feedback on how I could improve would also be great. I am dyslexic so I'm sorry for anything I got wrong :)