Mahanon had offered to go ahead of the clan to the fortress of the Inquisition, Skyhold, to make ready for their arrival. That was what he had told their Keeper. He had other plans for arriving early. It was thanks to the Creators that his Keeper had put forth the idea of helping the shemlans in their fight against the the Tevinters. The fortress was enormous compared to the hunting lodges and villages that they had been around. Only the ruins of the ancients could rival this place. Hooded watchers spied him and they didn't close the gate on him like other shem places would. The Inquisitor would be in the biggest building, the most important shems were always in the biggest buildings. An elvhan mage draped in a wolf fur lined cape and bare feet came up to meet him.
"Aneth ara," the mage greeted his gaze sharp and deconstructing all that was around him.
"Aneth ara."
"What brings you to Skyhold?"
"My clan wishes to join the Inquisition."
The mage studied him. Mahanon felt as if every secret in his head was being unraveled. "I-"
"Solas?" a familiar voice asked from a staircase that led from a tower. It was a voice that had haunted his dreams, a timbre that did not exist in his clan. Mahanon turned to see the woman that had that voice and a burning need to be near that woman set itself aflame in his being.
"Have you seen..." her eyes widened when she noticed him and she almost stumbled.
Mahanon started to take a step forward to steady her but she found her footing. She stared at him and Mahanon stared at her back. Silent seconds ticked by then a polite cough pulled them out of their shock.
"Yes, Inquisitor?" the mage asked.
"Have you seen Cole?" she asked quickly. "There are some very strange reports and I'm starting to worry."
"I have not but Cole has not been known to do anything harmful." Solas replied with a small smile.
"True." Evelyn turned to Mahanon. "Hello."
"H-Hello." Mahanon fought hard not to just stare at the beautiful woman next to him.
"There is a clan of Dalish that wish to join the Inquisition." Solas gestured to Mahanon.
Evelyn hid her surprise well enough and she smiled brightly." We welcome everyone. Come let's go find Josephine to get things started."
She gestured to the stone stairs that dominated the courtyard and Mahanon followed her. They passed through the mail hall decorated in the sharp sentinels of the raptors of the Free Marshes. At the far end was a sunburst chair with an eye like the banners of the Inquisition. A woman in gold clothing that Mahanon found garish and slightly ridiculous spotted the shem next to him and hurried over. She noticed him as she came closer as the worry that was about to show itself wiped away from her face and instead came a welcoming but polite smile.
"Inquisitor, I hope I am not interrupting." she replied glancing at the close spaced between them.
Evelyn matched the smile. Mahanon knew that it wasn't a real smile, he had seen a real smile and this one was practiced. Like a lure for trap hunting she was waiting to spring something. "Ambassador, may I present Hunter Mahanon from Clan Lavellan."
"Andaran atish'an." Josephine greeted, her Antivan accent adding a strange lilt to the greeting.
"Andaran atish'an, Ambassador." Mahanon bowed slightly. " I came ahead of the rest of my clan to speak of us joining the Inquisition."
Josephine's smile widened. "Of course we would welcome your clan. The Breach is a threat to all of Thedas."
"I just giving hunter Mahanon the Grand Tour." Evelyn cut in before Josephine could start to speak more about The Inquisition.
"That is a good idea, Inquisitor, I shall head to the Quartermaster and have the necessary arrangements ready for when our new allies arrive." Josephine hurried away the way they came leaving Mahanon and Evelyn alone.
"Shall we?" Evelyn asked with a twinkle in her eyes that sparked something in Mahanon's chest.
He followed her through the sparse hall towards the throne. They took a door on the left and started up a winding staircase that ended in another door. Evelyn opened the door and there was another set of stairs that went up to a large bed chamber with a large canopy bed that was only dwarfed by the stained glass windows that gave out grand views of the mountains that surrounded them.
Evelyn turned to Mahanon and smiled. "I-"
Mahanon didn't let her finish, he pulled her close by the lapels of her leather vest and kissed her roughly. Evelyn's gasp gave his tongue the opening it needed and it darted in to explore her mouth. Evelyn's hands gripped his armor, then her fingers found the familiar clasps that held his armor together. Mahanon ended the kiss and cupped the woman's face in his hands.
"I have missed you with every fiber of my being." he breathed and smiled.
Evelyn sighed."I have missed you too. To not be at the lodge this spring nearly killed me."
"Our Keeper made the decision before I could at joining your cause." Mahanon brushed the apples of her cheeks with his thumbs. The calluses on the pads made Evelyn's skin tingle. "I was going to leave the clan if he rejected my offer of coming here."
He finished taking off his armor, leaving him in his leathers. Evelyn moved to start removing her clothing but he slid his hands under hers and took over. He wished she didn't have so many layers but understood that this high in the mountains made the air chillier. Evelyn trembled under his touched and he knew his eyes mirrored the same desire that shone in her eyes. When skin was exposed to his ministrations he would trail kisses to the edge then move on to continue undressing her.
Evelyn's breaths became ragged and her fingers itched to touch the magnificent elf in front of her. A figure that she had dreamed of being near and touching since she went to the Conclave. When her torso was bare he lifted her up, her legs wrapping around his waist as he walked them over to the canopy bed. He sat her down then knelt to start taking off her boots. When he had first done this years ago she had protested that he shouldn't base himself in undressing her but he had cut her off with a kiss that had left her dizzy and speechless.
His lover moved quickly to untie her breeches and shuffle them down her legs. Mahanon chuckled at her eagerness and helped her pull leather and silk from her strong legs so he could get to the juncture of her thighs. The curls were damp and he craved her as a wolf craved the meat from a succulent deer. He feasted on her and callused fingers threaded through his hair as whispered pleas drifted from lips too good for him. Hands that could easily lift him goaded him upwards until her mouth captured his. Her legs wrapped around his waist, crushing him against her as she plundered kisses from him. His hands threaded up into her hair, pulling hair pins from her hair and flinging them to the floor until he could card his fingers all the way through.
"I want to fight beside you, ma vhenan," he breathed. "I want to stand by your side as you face your enemies and send them to the Dread Wolf."
Evelyn jerked away to study his face." Why? What I do is extremely dangerous. I don't think I could stand to lose you to what I do. There are days where I can't believe that I live through the things I do. I would rather have you safe."
Mahanon straightened, Evelyn's legs loosening to give him space. "I do not want to be safe, vhenan. I want to be with you, no matter the cost."
Evelyn shifted over to the other side of the bed, giving him space so that they could talk. "Vhenan, I-"
Mahanon's gaze slivered. "You've found someone else, a shem."
The accusation made Evelyn's body snap into full attention. "Absolutely not, ma vhenan."
"Then why are you pushing me away?"
"Because I care about you too much," she snapped. "You are the best thing that has ever happened to me and I could not bare that what caused this," Evelyn held up her left hand, the hand that held her fabled mark. "cause you pain."
"I feel pain not being there for you. I am a good warrior, a great scout, and I would protect you as no one could."
He came around the bed and pulled her marked hand against his chest. For a moment it looked as if Evelyn would pull away but she let him hold the thing she hated most. Her doe eyes pleaded with him and he could do nothing but pull the hand up and kiss the palm. He had sprung all of this on her, hoping that she would blindly accept what he was offering. She had dealt with more than he could imagine since he had last seen her and he would have to adapt his stratagem.
"I-I have to think about this," she breathed. " I will have to think long and hard about what you are saying."
"That's enough for now," he kissed her palm again. "I will be here tonight, waiting for you, vhenan."