When I finished the game, I'm rather sure I flipped every table in existence, and then went into shock for almost a week after that only being able to think that my poor girl had fallen in love with the Dread Wolf.

Anyway, shock is over, now annoyance and waiting time for DLC, which they better have...

While I wait, there are several little shorts I have cooking in the background. This is the first one that done, which is probably one of my favorites.

This story will always been 'complete' as every chapter can stand on its own, but be sure to watch it becuase it will be updated randomly, to about three I think.

Again, sorry for any typos, no Beta...

Enjoy!

~ D.R.O.H

Tethered Hearts

His Promises

He hadn't been able to go far.

Even in the months since the defeat of Corypheus and his own vanishing act, Solas still wondered the same places he had traveled with the misfit group that had made up the Inquisition. He had thought with time, he would venture further, find new places to explore in the fade, but he couldn't. If he did, his chest would ache, and he couldn't breath. It was like he was tied there, a barrier blocking his way from setting foot on ground she had not traveled.

It was a willing confinement though, and he found himself becoming less and less agitated by the fact of his seemingly rooted feet. He should have known better after all, she had wound herself too tightly into his heart for him to simply leave her.

He couldn't be with her though, not now, not with the world the way it was. Still, he ached for her, his arm physically weighted down by their emptiness. He needed to see her again. It had been months he told himself; surely it was all right to see her face again, if only in memory.

That was why he was here after all, retracing steps taken before, only this time he was alone. The forest was dense there, with large jagged mountainsides and the half eaten runes of his people. The Emerald Graves, a name that suited the place now he supposed, for so many of his people had died here, their memories sewn deep into the land.

He found the spot he wanted an hour or so in, where a slopping ridge side backed a small clearing. In the distance he could hear the sound of water, a small trickling fall filling into a shallow lake.

Solas stopped, raising his staff to weave protective wards to ensure his own safety. Once he was done he lowered it, but stopped to look upon his weapon with admirations. It was wooden, with metal resin wrapped around it and a wooden figurehead near the top. She had carved it, made it – his inquisitor, his love – with the knowledge she had practically begged Blackwell to teach her. He found irony in the detailed wolf head and he had all but bit his own tongue off when she had gifted it to him, already attached to the staff and enchanted with powerful runes.

"Why a wolf?" He had asked, unable to help himself.

"Well, you see… I saw you admiring the Fen'Harel statues we found and I thought it suited you." She had answered smiling.

"Don't you think this will give me bad luck?" He had mused, causing her to tilt her head.

"I've told you I think the Dalish have some of our stories wrong Solas, just as you claim. After all, why would there be so many statues of him if the Dread Wolf were truly evil? Why would they have called upon his strength in battle?" She had grinned at his expression of shock. "Maybe he can lend you his strength, just like you lend me yours."

Solas shook his head free of the memory and settled himself on the ground, staff at his side. Such a kind heart, one willing to see things, know things differently, even when they were written in stone, Solas had hardly been able to stop her questions.

Taking in a deep breath he leaned his back against the tree and tried to relax. He tried to think of the tree as nothing more then that, a tree, but it was hard to when she had always been there, even during his last few journeys to the Fade. Even now, he could almost feel her callused fingers caressing his scalp as he laid upon her outstretch lap. Almost heard her humming an old Dalish tune as he sunk deeper and deeper into sleep and finally let the Fade take him.

When he became lucent again he found himself in the Fade's reflection of the world he had just been in. The colors were slightly off, and the forest seemed brighter, but he knew where he was and what would soon take place.

As if thinking it had called it into action he heard the sound of footsteps – four sets to be precise. He watched as the women he loved led her little group into the small clearing and looked around, her vibrant short red hair off setting the green of the land. She looked around carefully has her small group waited for her direction.

He watched himself sigh and look upon the redhead with a troubled face as the Tevinter Mage smiled easily and Iron Bull rubbed the space between his massive horns.

"Hey Boss? You sure you know where your going?" He asked, causing the redhead to hunch her shoulders and look back at them through shining ice blue eyes. She gave a small sheepish smile to which the massive warrior groaned.

"Sneaks, you have got to be an anomaly among your people." Dorian said with a smile, shaking his head. Solas remembered a time where he had felt a tinge of jealousy at the other mage's nickname towards the Inquisitor, but that had passed quickly when he had learned the man had no interest in women as anything more then friends. "How can a Dalish get lost?" He teased.

Face flushing she had huffed annoyed. "Oh, shut up." She grumbled, pouting as she looked around for a moment before her eyes landed on his memory replica. Solas watched himself crack a small smile.

"It is quiet odd Ausra." He pointed out, causing the young women to look even more annoyed.

"Your not suppose to side with them Solas." She sighed, rubbing her head and looking about before her eyes came to rest on the tall cliff side. "Alright, just stay here, I'll go take a better look." She muttered, dropping her pack and twin dangers before walking over to the bottom of the incline.

The Elven God watched his copy take a step forward, a look of worry flashing over his face. "Lethallan…" He had trailed off, as the female elf had ignored his protest, quickly and skillfully climbing up the cliff side. Beside his memory self, Iron Bull chuckled.

"Look at her go, she's quiet the fearless climber she is." He laughed and Dorian smiled in agreement. Solas could only remember too well how fearless Ausra could be. He recalled a time when he had found her sitting on the railing of her balcony, completely at easy as she read a book. He had made a fuss, thinking she would fall. Her balance was unwavering though, it was part of what made her such a good rouge.

"Hey, I bet if we looked up, we could see under that armor she's wearing" Bull pointed out, leaning. His weakness for redheads was a bit annoying to the elven mage. Still, he hadn't even had to defend her as he watched a good sized rock chuck around the size of a fist come hurtling down and hitting the large warrior in between his horns. Bull winced a bit, before laughing. "Ah, come on boss, we know who you belong to, I'm just teasing you!" His rather non-apology only earned him another rock to the head.

Solas had often wondered if the Qunari had simply taken the hit because he knew it wouldn't hurt him or if he really thought it was that funny. Either way his past self had said nothing to the bigger man's words and simply looked slightly smug while Dorian continued to chuckle at his best friend's expense. He had deserve it after all, no one, not even Solas could have ever truly owned her.

"Okay!" Her voice echoed from far up. "We just need to keep going straight, I think I can see the dragon's nest."

"Awesome!" Bull crowed, shouting something in his people's tongue. "Get your butt back down here so we can go and slay it boss!"

"I'm comin'. " She grumbled and Solas watched as his former self waited and then heard a sudden cracking noise followed by a Dalish curse as well as others. "Crap!" He had tensed up at that, and watched the three men become worried as a sudden splash was heard on the other side of the cliff. There was silence for a moment before Ausra's voice came again. "I'm okay! Ag…"

Solas couldn't help but smile as he watch Dorian and Bull crack up in a fit of laughter while his ghost covered his face with his hand, embarrassed for her, though he covering a smile. "I'll go and retrieve her." He had said finally, and headed off, leaving the two incapacitated members behind for the time being.

He followed himself around the cliff side to where the small lake and waterfall were that he had heard before entering the Fade. He found Ausra sitting in the shallow part of the water, up to her waist in it, her hair and leather's soaked through. She gave his ghost a sheepish grin as he shook his head and walked into the knee-deep water.

"Honestly emma vhenan, you need to be more careful." He scolded her, often wondering if the woman truly was nearly 29 years old and not a child. All his memory self got was another playful smile and thus he shook his head and reached out to offer his hand.

Solas could only watch as he knew what was to come and Ausra took his hand only to smirk like a cat suddenly and tug, her foot tripping the older elf up. With a loud splash he watched himself fall into the water, only saving his head from being soaked thanks to out stretched hands. By then the woman was laughing, her newly free hand whipping her hair back as it dripped water down her face.

If it had been anyone else, Solas might have been upset with them, but he found himself smiling as he watched the memory, for it was that playful, carefree spirit of hers that had drawn him in.

"Ausra…" His memory self said annoyed as he pushed himself over to sit up much like she was. "That was hardly necessary."

"I beg to differ it was completely necessary." She challenged back still giggling. "I mean, I figured since you were going to get wet anyway." She shrugged, and he saw his ghost raise an eyebrow in question.

"Why would I have gotten wet? The water is hardly that deep over here." He pointed out and Solas could only sigh at his stupidity that moment. Sometime he missed too much. Either way, Ausra had shut him up before he could ponder her answer anymore, as she leaned forward and capture his lip in his, her raised hand gliding over his smooth scalp. He saw his own surprise quell quickly and his reaction was to move closer, causing the water to ripple around them as his hands touched her neck, her hair.

He remembered at the time how surprised he had been, for she hadn't initiated affection since the first time they had kissed. Perhaps she had been too worried he would turn away from her? He remembered how silly that thought was, because any resistance he had always seemed to falter the moment he touched her, something he had realize that night on the balcony.

For loosing her had seemed an unbearable thought at the time.

He watch them part for a moment, his own heart warm even if he was simply watched, he remember every touch like it was him there, and not his ghost. "The others will come looking." He had reasoned with her, to which she had laughed at, her hand running over an ear, making him shutter.

"Dorian knows better, and Bull is not that stupid." She explained, leaning back on her other arm so she was staring up, beckoning him. Solas watched as his memory self thought about her words and quickly realized she was right. Swiftly, he moved half his body over hers, water dripping on to her face as he ducked his head and met her lips once more.

Solas groaned slightly, running a hand over his face and he took in a deep breath. Jealousy clawed at him, even though it was directed at himself. Perhaps this had been a mistake, for now he felt his mouth water and his stomach pool with heat as he watched a happier time with the women that held his heart.

Finally they separated and Solas watched as his ghost picked himself up and then helped Ausra stand. She had smiled her hands lingers on his face before he took them away with his own.

"We must go Vhenan". He whispered and turned, stepping from the lake. That was where Solca memory ended of the incident, but the Fade did not waver, even as he watched himself turn the corner where he knew he would cast a fire spell to dry himself off.

Instead his attention turned to Ausra who stood where he had left her in the water. She sighed, her eyes going down cast for a moment as she shook her head. "I don't understand you sometimes." She said to herself, though Solas knew whom she spoke of. "When we were in the fade, I saw everyone's fear, I saw yours. I know you don't want to be alone." She muttered, brushed water from her face, her sharp arrow like Vallasin seeming darker with her flushed face. "So why do you keep pushing me away?"

Solas stared at her, unable to really think at her words. She had never mentioned seeing that, nor did he recalling something like that. Yet she must have seen it, for he knew he hide his fear well. She was right though; he did push her away, but only because he had known their love was doomed.

In another world, that is what he had told her.

Even so, it dragged at his heart to see her down cast face as she tried to reason out his motives. She had trusted in him so fully, never doubting him, and then he had betrayed that.

"Oh vhenan'ara…" He whispered to her memory, wishing he could reach out and touch her face. "I never meant to cause you pain." Yet he had, many times. He probably still did, leaving her as he had.

He watched her face then, as she suddenly took in a deep breath and closed her eyes. When they opened again, they shined with steal resolve he saw so often within them. "Can't get rid of me that easy." She grumbled to herself, quickly picking her way through the water and back onto land. Stunned again, Solas could only watch as she ran off after his fade self, a smile on her face.

The Fade scene faded then, and the next thing Solas knew he was awake in the real world once more. The light of the sun was nearly gone and he knew he had slept for hours.

Taking a deep breath he tried to not need for the women he had just seen again, but not been able to touch. Once again the Fade had give him insight to something he had not known about, a few extra second to show him his heart's determination.

She never had given up, not even when he had walked away from her the night he had freed her from her cruel slave markings. Not even when he had told her to harden her heart to her pain. He had promised to explain, but Solas had run before he could and now he knew not what had happened to her. Had she finally given up on him? No, he knew she hadn't, for he often had to avoid her spies who were out looking for signs of him.

She would never give up, never stop looking for him.

Solas was counting on that un-breaking will of hers to keep her strong while he was gone.

"Emma vhenan," He muttered, standing up finally, to continue on his way. "Hold firm just a bit longer." For Solas would come back, he would see her again, hold her again, and kiss her again. He would make love to her and worship her mind, body and spirit, because he had to. He needed to. The tug at his heart that pulled at him, pulled him to her couldn't be cut no matter how hard he tried.

In another world, that is what he had told her, and that is what he intended to bring about. He would change the world, because it needed to be change, because his people needed him. Then, once it was done, he would return to her, he would follow the tether that held him to areas she had been. He would tell her the truth and except what ever came.

He owed her that much, and far more but it was a start, a future.

One where he would run to her, instead of away.

For both their sakes.