Mid morning found Drakken and Solas climbing a steep ridge seeking yet another pass the caravan could travel. The black haired elvhen warrior had grown quieter than usual his cloak made from the pelt of a black bear pulled over his head so that only his long hair occasional whipped out. Half way up was a narrow ledge the two figures crouched to catch their breath. "Is everything well Lord Levellan?" Solas asked in concern pulling a his own cloak of grey wolf fur tighter.
"It's fine, everything is fine. Solas please stop calling me that, I am no Lord it's bad enough the others persist." Drakken replied not bothering to look at Solas as he watched the multitude of scattered refugees waiting in the valley below them.
"Fine then, my friend what is wrong? Something troubles you." Solas asked once more raising a questioning eyebrow as he leaned his head to one side studying the younger elf.
Drakken sighed deeply, barely heard over the rush of wind. "There is too much wrong to tell Solas. Look at them all..." his strong armored hand swept over the view below. "They think I am what? Some sort of gift from a god that hates elves? Can they not see just how ridiculous that is? I don't understand them. I expected to be home by now, with my own people."
"What they see is hope Drakken and what you must see is they are all your people." Reaching a hand from beneath the furs Solas laid a hand on the warriors shoulder giving it a reassuring squeeze, almost fatherly. If it wasn't for Solas already having a hold of him Drakken would have fell of the ledge for out of nowhere appeared a pale boy in a wide brimmed hat.
"Twisting, turning, you can't find your words among them, so many things don't mean the right way." The strange boy spoke sitting on the ledge the cold not seeming to bother him.
"Cole the boy from Haven?" Drakken looked to Solas for conformation.
"He is indeed Cole and you owe him your life if he hadn't heard your thoughts you would have died a mere hundred feet or so from the camp." Solas explained offering the boy a smile.
"You try to tell them, your screaming it inside, part of you knows better, it's older, wiser." Cole went on his eyes hidden beneath the overly large hat.
"And...he makes just as much sense to me as he did in Haven." Drakken sighed "How did you appear here, magic?"
"I was here all along I wanted to see." the boy waved a hand down toward the valley "Scared, cold, will it be safe? They look to you to fix the hurt. You give them hope yet your hopeless, why?"
The elf warrior stood without replying to the odd boys question, instead he resumed their climb to the top. The wind had settled a little as the sun rose higher. Occasionally Drakken would pause and look down to assure Cole and Solas were safe, offering a hand to pull one or the other up if need be.
"Does he always run from hurt?" Cole asked Solas, it would had sounded like a insulting thing to ask if the boys tone was not so innocent.
Solas merely smirked a bit as Drakken yelled down "I am not running, I am...doing something about all this apparent hoping."
Solas shook his head and quieter hoping Drakken could not hear his soft tones above the gust of wind he leaned toward Cole as they climbed, "I believe if our dear Herald can't solve it through force then yes."
"I heard that!" Drakken grunted as a rock beneath his foot gave way "Watch out!"
Dorrian rode near the front of the caravan secretly hoping to spot Drakken as the elf scouted ahead. Just lost in his own thoughts a curled smile mimicking his mustache's curled upon his lips. The Tevinter mage was rather happy to quietly muse several decent thoughts some involving Drakken some the fact things seemed to be getting done. Funny how progress stopped when everyone thought the elf was dead, Dorian thought to himself. He failed to notice Varric catching up to him until the dwarf spoke.
"So Sparkler, heard you had a bunk mate last night?" Really he couldn't help but to like Dorian which always resulted in teasing, in fact it was Varric's opinion if he didn't tease you he didn't like you.
"Really? Odd, I noticed no such thing." Dorian feigned ignorance keeping his grey eyed gaze straight ahead.
"So the Herald didn't bunk with you last night? Here I thought it was nice of you offering him a place to sleep after he scouted all day only to have Red corner him for a report. Not to mention nearly dying the day before. Must had been some other thoughtful soul." The dwarf grinned watching Dorian's reaction.
Slowly Dorian looked over pausing a moment in thought. Oh no I am not playing his game, Dorian said to himself. "Must have been." Dorian replied flatly, "By the way I noticed it's bitterly cold yet here you are shirt wide open. Tell me does dwarven chest hair have some magic insulating properties? Maybe I should pluck some for testing?"
"You leave my chest hair out of this!" Varric brought a thick hand over his chest and laughed. "I should teach you to grow your own Sparkler."
"I think I shall pass, thank you." By then Dorian could make out Drakken on his hart and Solas on a horse trotting to Commander Cullen. Within moments Cullen called a halt so horses and people could rest a moment. Dorian wanted to offer a wave, some sort of acknowledgement he saw the elf but something stopped him. If Varric knew the elf has been in Dorian's tent no doubt half the Inquisition knew. Better they thought it merely a friendly gesture on Dorian's part to share a tent. He couldn't hear the trio but he could see occasion pointing and gesturing. Apparently Drakken had spotted the Tevinter mage for he lifted his hand in a friendly wave. Dorian turned his head pretending to not see it. For both their sakes perhaps the last night shouldn't have happened, Dorian thought to himself. When he looked up both elves were gone and Cullen was calling to move out.
Solas and Drakken had both returned to the main force to tell them off a narrow pass hidden from view in the valley. The large tawny hart that had been with Drakken since it was gifted to him by another clan danced in the snow as he spoke to the Commander. As soon as he was sure Cullen understood the directions he looked for Dorian, spotting the mage a good twenty yards away he waved but Dorian didn't wave back. Maybe he is angry about that Shemlen comment, Drakken chastised himself for not speaking carefully. He never meant Dorian to think Drakken didn't trust him so few trusted the Tevinter that he was sure things must be difficult for Dorian. The elvhen warrior's shoulders sagged a bit, once more he had to chose what needed to be done over what he wanted to do. He wanted to ask Dorian what was wrong, correct whatever he must have done to earn the mages scorn but it just wasn't a option right now. With a soft sigh and a questioning glance from Solas, Drakken turned his hart to gallop down the hidden pass and find the next ridge.
By the time the sky began to turn gold Solas and Drakken stood on a low rise overlooking a ancient keep. The walls were tall and strong though damaged in several places, the holes in the roof could be seen from here, still overall it was impressive. "This is skyhold." Solas said in a tone that held some sort of reverence for the place.
"It's certainly more defendable then Haven. Do you not find it odd the gates are wide open as if waiting for someone?" Drakken looked to Solas as he checked his sword harness. "We'd best make sure it truly is empty first." Indeed both the outer and inner gates were raised and wide open, banners so faded that they were a solid tan fluttered in the wind. The elf warrior did a controlled slide down the other side of the snowy rise and broke into a long lopping stride as he pulled out his great sword just in case.
Solas worked hard to keep up as the Drakken was several inches taller. It never ceased to amaze Solas just how quickly Drakken could move even in the light plate armor the smith had custom forged for him. They both entered the gates weapons ready but nothing moved but the tattered banners on the battlements. "My spirit friends said no force has held Skyhold for some time now." Solas said as he caught his breath.
"A force maybe not but no one knows there are stories of ice trolls, ice elementals, giants." Drakken said as he slowly paced the lower courtyard, still nothing stirred but the wind. "Seems empty, still we'll gather the warriors and scouts, do a proper search before we bring in the refugees and children."
"Seems a wise course of action." Solas agreed as both left to find their mounts and arrange a preliminary patrol of Skyhold.
The sun was setting as the last of the refugees entered and the gates were closed. Fires were being started all throughout the upper and lower courtyards. Already Cullen was setting up a guard rotation for the night. Drakken had great respect for Cullen the man was intelligent, resourceful, resilient, and he treated the elf like just another person as if the pointy ears had no meaning.
"Commander I volunteer for first watch." The elf snapped a mimic of the salute he'd seen human soldiers give Cullen.
"You're the Herald, after all you have done for us you have more than earned your rest." Cullen replied not even looking up as he poured through hastily made diagrams of Skyhold and its weak points.
"That shouldn't excuse me." Drakken replied, honestly he just wanted to be alone for a little bit a patrol along the battlements he hoped would get him that.
"Fine, if you insist the north wall isn't covered yet. You will have to climb over some debris." Cullen said pointing to a wall that had a taken damage in the center.
"That's not a problem. I'll manage." Without another word the elf turned sharply grabbing a torch from the pile being made and lighting in a nearby campfire as he left. Drakken stood on the battlement watching the darkness, a deep sigh escaping his lips as his free hand pulled up his hood to ward off the cold. He thought he was alone up there until he heard the soft scrape of leather boots on stone back toward the stairs up. His great sword was too hard to wield one handed but one can do wonders with a torch and hunting knife. He pulled the thin curved blade from his belt brandishing it in the torchlight making it clear to whomever was there he was armed.
A small orb of mage light erupted ten yards away "It's just me." Dorian said.
The elf visibly relaxed and tucked his knife back into the belt. "Dorian, why are you up here?" Drakken asked keeping his tone as neutral as possible. He had no intention of letting Dorian know his earlier shunning had stung a bit.
"I wanted to talk to you, about last night. Apparently half if not all of the Inquisition knew you slept in my tent." The mage started as he walked over to the black haired elf.
Drakken shook his head "So? We don't have enough tents for everyone to have their own anyways."
"Yes but no one wanted to be asleep beside the "evil Tevinter mage" bad for one's health and all."Dorian put a hand over his heart as if such a notion wounded him.
"Lucky I survived then." The elf said with a smirk. This close he could see Dorian's expression was serious, almost grim. "Dorian really what is this about, you look upset."
"It can't happen." Dorian replied though the tremble of his lips gave the truth away.
Drakken raised a eyebrow "You mean you and I, can't happen? Why not? I for one enjoy your company."
Fasta Vaas! Dorian swore to himself, why does the elf have to be so damn honest? Dorian was used to being just a play thing not that he didn't get some pleasure out of it but it was always understood that was all it ever was. He never let himself believe any of them could or would care for him past a good tumble in the sheets. "It just can't Drakken."
The elf looked away then up into the star light filled sky sighing softly. "It's not a can't, you're scared, so you cover it with words then run away."
Dorian stood in shock a moment all this time he assumed the dalish elf had little grasp on some notions like lying. But here the elf read right though him like a open book. "You just, I am doing this for you!" Dorian raised his voice as if that would make Drakken understand. Dorian immediately regretted yelling as the elf flinched as if physically hit.
Drakken pulled his hood back so Dorian could look him in the eyes and tell him such things. "So be it Dorian I cannot make you do anything, be anything you don't wish. However you have no power over me as well. I have come to care for you wither you want me to or not." He set his jaw and willed his feet to stay planted, he knew Dorian always had to have the last word there was no sense in not letting him have it.
"You're so damn stubborn! You know that?!" with that Dorian stormed off leaving the elf to look out into the darkness alone. Dorian wiped a tear from his eye as he descended the stairs alone, had he done the right thing? No one had ever honestly cared for him. Even his own father wanted to change him yet here was this elf telling him he cared for him even if he couldn't make him be anything else. I must be the biggest fool alive, Dorian thought but it was too late now his pride kept him from going back up to the ramparts.