Varric burped and made a disgusted face, man the tavern at Skyhold really needed some new ale in. He wasn't one to complain where alcohol was involved, Maker knows the Hanged Man hadn't had quality ale, but the stuff at Skyhold was a new level of awful. He wandered out of the tavern and towards his quarters inside when he noticed Solas standing alone looking anxiously at the front gates. Maybe it was the ale getting to him, maybe his damn compassionate nature was just too dominant to ignore an apostate in peril, but whatever it was, Varric found himself walking towards Chuckles, albeit in not an entirely straight fashion.
"How's it going Chuckles?" he said, presumably too loudly since the elf seemed to startle. "Fine," said Chuckles, going back to his stoic stance staring into the distance. "Looking for something?" Varric continued despite the fact that Solas clearly wasn't in the mood to talk. "Yes." Varric rolled his eyes, "And what would that be Chuckles?" Solas sighed aloud, "If you must know…" Varric let out a quiet I must and Solas sighed again, "I'm awaiting the return of the Inquisitor."
"I thought Dorian said something about her visiting her clan after that debacle at the Temple." Solas fidgeted and looked back at the gate, "She said she was going to stop by her clan to visit briefly before meeting us all back here. That was this afternoon, it's now several hours after sundown. She should be here." Varric smirked a little, noticing the look of concern in the elf's gaze.
"Look Chuckles, she hasn't seen them in a while, I'm sure she's fine, maybe she decided to spend the night with them." Solas seemed to consider this, "No, I do not believe she would do that. Perhaps I should go look for her, perhaps she has gotten into trouble on her way back." Varric shook his head, "I guess that's always a possibility but based on what I know about her, I think she just needs some time with her family."
Solas looked at Varric, "I believe I also know her pretty well." Varric put his hands up in mock surrender, "I'm not saying you don't Chuckles, but Dorian told me what happened today and I can see why she might need some space." Solas looked confused, "What do you mean? I know it was a difficult day, after all she now has the knowle…." "Not because of the encyclopedia of Elf knowledge now in her head, but because of meeting the elves." Solas squished his face up, "I'm confused, you mean Abelas and the rest of the guardians? I found that a pleasant circumstance."
Varric sighed, "Of course you did, but think of it from her perspective. She has never really felt like she fit in with the Dalish. You insulting them every chance you get certainly hasn't helped with that either. She also doesn't feel like she is a good enough elf for you, which is probably why you aren't there with her, but then she meets these other elves, who are connected to her heritage and what do they say to her? That she isn't one of them. That she isn't their people. Take a second and think of how that makes her feel."
Solas seemed to think a bit, "I do not insult the Dalish, I simply challenge their treatment of…." "I once heard you call them a savage band of misinformed stubborn idiots." "I'm allowed to have bad days too," Solas said defensively, "I have never heard her say these things." Varric shrugged, "There are things you say to your friends and there are things you say to your lover." Solas looked like had been slapped, "We are not lovers," he said harshly, and then, "I'm not that selfish."
"Listen, she is the head of an organization whose roots are in a religion she doesn't believe in, with mostly humans who she has spent a lifetime avoiding….She's been through a lot. And no matter how much she smiles and seems to take it all in stride it has to wear on her. She might nod and laugh when you tease the Dalish but ultimately she wants what they want. To know her roots, to be elfy. But you dismiss this notion every time you choose to make fun of the organization she has spent her life in. Do you ever even ask her about her stories or life before the Inquisition?"
There was a silence and Varric was worried he had gone too far. Chuckles deserved the scolding, but perhaps not from a drunk dwarf in the middle of the night. He was about to apologize when Solas broke the silence.
"Elfy?" Solas said, a smile forming on the corner of his mouth. "As you said it's several hours after midnight and I've had a few." Solas looked down at him, "That I can smell." "You worry about her in your way and I'll do it in mine." Solas nodded.
"And what are you two doing up at this hour?" They both turned to see the inquisitor standing a few feet from them. "Well, I can smell what Varric was doing, but what about you Solas? Were you also enjoying a night at the tavern drinking the world's most disgusting ale?"
"Not quite. How was your visit?" "Good, good. It was nice to see family." "Come," Solas said with a smile, "tell me all about it over some tea." "Really?" said the Inquisitor, looking genuinely surprised. "Really," said Solas, leading her up into the castle.
Varric watched them go, thinking again what a weakness he had for hopeless apostates, and trying to figure out how to work this all into his latest book.