"This is bullshit," Sera sneered, glaring at the glowing Eluvian, "Can't no one go in a get her?"
Cassandra, Sera, Solas and Morrigan stood in the room with the Eluvian in it. Morrigan was standing next to Solas, in front of the Eluvian, with her head tilted and deep in thought.
"No," Solas stated, leaning his forehead on his staff. With a sigh he stated, "It is locked."
"This...makes no sense," Morrigan shook her head, "She used the key from the Well to-to...change this Eluvian's key...she..." Morrigan lost herself in her thoughts, a hand scratching her forehead, "I am at a loss for words."
Solas' brows furrowed, his eyes closing. He knew exactly where she was and he knew he couldn't do anything to get her back until she walked through the Eluvian herself – he should have prepared more. He had too much confidence in himself, he thought he could have convinced her not to drink from the Well.
"What about Corypheus? Without the Inquisitor and the Anchor...we might not-" Cassandra was cut off by Solas.
"She will return. The fact that the eluvian is still glowing means she is using her key – perhaps trying to find her way back," Solas turned to Cassandra and Sera.
"This stays between us," Solas narrowed his eyes at all three of them, "No on must know the Inquisitor is trapped – or lost – in the Crossroads. If Corypheus hears word that Soora is gone...we will not win."
Sera opened her mouth to protest but quickly closed it. Solas was right, she realized.
"Leliana will know," Cassandra stated, "We can't keep this from her."
Solas nodded, "We tell Leliana...but no one else. We can not take any chances with this. For now we must quickly get the Inquisition's forces back to Skyhold. We do not know where Corypheus is – who knows if he already has another force headed our way. Cassandra, met with Cullen and Josephine and figure something out. Morrigan and I will work on finding out more on how to get Soora back."
"...What about me?" Sera looked at Solas, her arms crossed.
"Make sure no one goes looking for Soora. Keep everyone away from her quarters. Shut and lock her windows, lock the doors – make sure no one gets in...and bring Cole with you."
Sera shut her eyes and sighed loudly, "Doin' this for Quizzy, yeah...Okay, fine."
"Cole will give you a heads up on who might be looking for Soora. Cole can help you distract them."
"Cole can't even make people forget him anymore! How is he-"
"He can help." Solas looked her straight in the eye, "Soora needs time to find her way back and we can't have anyone snooping around. Cole can help."
Sera sighed and nodded, "Right. I-I'll keep people away from her quarters. Lock the doors, windows, everything – I'll do it with Cole."
Mythal had left Fen'Harel and Soora alone – Returning to the Veil through the Eluvian which Soora fell out of.
"So...Fen'Harel?" Soora followed Fen'Harel to the rotunda – déjà vu going through her mind.
He looked back at her and grunted, "Are you just going to follow me?"
"I'm allowed to roam around?" Soora asked, looking around in awe when they entered the rotunda.
"I thought you weren't a slave?" Fen'Harel frowned and walked over to the stairs.
"Hmm?" Soora ignored him, looking up. There seemed to be more floors then in her time. She tilted her head to the side as she looked at the small drawings on the walls.
"I am no slave to any God," Fen'Harel walked up the stairs, mimicking the sound of her voice – girly and annoying, "You made that very clear a couple hours ago."
"I do not sound like that," Soora defended her voice, walking over to the paintings, "And usually people have rules when a guest is in their home."
"My home?" He got to the top of the stairs and looked over the railing at her, an eyebrow raised as he saw her interested in his paintings.
"Y-Yeah," She let her fingers trail over the painting. A wolf. Pure white hair, pale blue eyes. She felt the wolf's eyes follow her hand as she felt over the white paint. She didn't hear Fen'Harel come back down the stairs to stand next to her, she didn't feel his hand as it rested on her shoulder. The anchor glowed green as she gazed back at the wolfs eyes – blinking at her, a slight nod from his head.
"Ah!" She stepped back, pulling her hand away as all the paintings on the wall came to life. The wolf sat in front of her as the tree's leaves flowed in the wind. She looked around the room, different painting with different surroundings started to move.
Soora's mouth opened slightly, in wonder. Fen'Harel stared at her, "You act like you've never seen paintings like these before. They do not have them in the future?"
"N-No...Oh Creators, this is amazing!" Soora smiled and walked past Fen'Harel to each painting, staring intently at each animal and creature that graced her sight. She placed her hand next to the face of a sleeping dragon.
"I wonder why these aren't here anymore," Soora mumbled to herself, sad as she traced the Dragon's horns with her index finger. Is this another thing my people lost?
Unconsciously she pulled her hand back to touch her face, where the Vallaslin once was.
Letting her hand fall to her side she looked over at Fen'Harel, "In my time there is a mage named Alexius...he was able to control time. He tried to kill me with it – failing, obviously. I know a little of the spell – but his form of this magic was used with the power from the br-" Catching herself she quickly changed her words, "His time travel was limited to a couple months in the past...I have no idea if it would even work."
But since the Breach is still present in my time...maybe it will.
"Dorian, Alexius' ex-student and companion of mine, helped Alexius come up with the idea...He taught me a lot of it while we were trying to get back to our time-"
"Wait, this has happened to you before?" Fen'Harel hid his smirk and laughed, "You have bad luck."
Soora froze and stared at Fen'Harel. That laugh.
"To go into the future than be forced into the past – I can not imagine doing it. But I could re-create, if your memory is good." Fen'Harel started up the stairs again, "Follow me."
"My memory is fine by the way," Soora commented as she followed Fen'Harel.
Fen'Harel motioned to her to sit at a desk as he pulled out papers, a quill and ink, "Write down everything you can remember."
Soora sat across from Fen'Harel, picking up the quill she looked up at him. Déjà vu hit her again. The way Fen'Harel leaned back in his chair with a book in his hand...
"Are you just going to keep staring?" Fen'Harel raised his eyes from his book to look at her. A light blush appeared on her cheeks as she focused her eyes on the paper as she wrote.
"Not that I mind being stared at by a beautiful woman – I just assumed you wanted to go home." Fen'Harel smirked, going back to his book.
"I do want to go home." Soora's ears twitched as she continued writing. Thank you Solas for teaching me how to write and read elven...
Even though Soora was the Keepers First, her Keeper never got to teach her how to write or read elven as the Mage-Templar war had started effecting them to where they constantly had to move around. The next couple of hours were silent as Fen'Harel read his book and Soora wrote as much as she could remember on the time travel amulet.
Writing the last of what she could remember, she covered her mouth and yawned. Rubbing her eyes with her hands she yawned again, "Shit..."
"Tired?" Fen'Harel asked.
Soora nodded and fighting back another yawn, "Y-Yeah. I didn't realize how tired I was. Is there somewhere I can rest?"
Fen'Harel nodded and pointed up, "Fourth floor. Take your pick."
"Thank you," Soora stood up and motioned to the papers, "I wrote everything down. The only thing I don't know is what the amulet was made of...you'll probably know something more powerful or...something...whatever..." She felt exhausted as she walked up the steps and around the halls until she got onto the fourth floor. Collapsing on the first bed she saw, she pulled the blanket over and hugged herself.
She heard Fen'Harel yell a goodnight before she drifted off.