Solas opened his eyes, it was darker than when he'd gone to sleep, and across from him he could see Ellana lying on her side on the bed roll, beneath her long black hair he could see her eyes fluttering open. Ellana's light eyes met his and there was surprise there; she hadn't believed he would stay. Ellana slowly moved to sit on her knees, Solas followed her lead. They were sitting across from each other, so close their legs were almost touching.

"You're really here," Ellana said, her singsong voice slightly unconvinced. Her hand flexed as if she was considering reaching out for him.

Ellana looked around the small space. "Where is Andar?" she asked, there was clear worry in her voice, whether because she cared for him or because she truly feared Solas could've done something to him, he couldn't say. Solas didn't like the idea of her believing him capable of something like that, just a year ago she had said she didn't believe him capable, but he couldn't blame her if she did. He realised his willingness to burn this world away to bring back the world he'd destroyed, was something Ellana could never truly understand. He knew the loss of life was not something she'd accept, but she couldn't see the people as he did. Yes, she had given him an appreciation of the world and its people, one he was lacking before, but their lives were so short. Just a flicker of light, compared to how it once was. Solas took no joy in the death of any one, but their lives were short. The loss was not as large as his had been. Besides, this was not how it was meant to be.

"Andar is outside the cave, sleeping. I did not harm him."

Ellana looked surprised. "I didn't think you would."

Solas smiled and felt warmed by her trust in him.

Ellana fidgeted with the hem of her shirt. "So, that was…" Ellana's voice died away before she could finish the sentence.

Solas looked at her long fingers twisting the fabric of her shirt, her delicate little hand betraying her feelings. He realised why she was so uncomfortable. That memory was not one she wanted to relive, he was sure, neither did he. Yet she had come here specifically to find the memory, no doubt because of what he had told her over his own travels in the Fade. Maybe she hoped it would help her make sense of what happened back then, or give her insight into his plans. When Solas had found Ellana already asleep, and decided to try and find her, he had already anticipated which memory he would find. After all that was what he connected this place with now, and he couldn't imagine it being any different for her. Did she understand it any better now, did it hurt less?

Tell me you don't care, he'd heard her voice say that to him often over the two year he didn't see Ellana. He couldn't, of course, but he couldn't stay and his selfishness had broken her heart. The brightest spirit he had met since awakening in this age and he had hurt her, cut her so deeply. He had hoped she would move on after he'd left. Find love in the Inquisition like Dorian and the Iron Bull had, but when he had seen her again after those two years she was still alone. And he felt guilty at the joy he felt seeing her.

"I remembered what you told me about the Fade being connected to the location you're in, and I thought if I came here I might have a chance to find the right memory," Ellana explained. Solas realised she felt the need to justify her presence, or perhaps she simply wanted to tell him she'd remembered his stories. "I didn't know whether I would see it, I thought there might be too many other memories here."

"The veil is thin here," Solas said. "That makes dreaming here easier. And the memories you find are greatly influenced by what you expect to find."

"You're not curious why I was here, why I wanted to see that specific memory?"

"I am, but I don't think I have the right to ask you that."

Ellana nodded. "That was yours wasn't it?" Ellana looked up curiously. "I don't think it was mine," she bit her lip, "I'm sorry if that was… intrusive of me."

Solas was surprised, Ellana was apologizing for viewing the memory. "I hardly think I have the right to be angry with you, simply because you revisited a memory that belongs as much to you as it does to me."

"But it was yours, not mine."

"We still share the pain."

Ellana grimaced as if it actually physically hurt her. She ran a hand through her hair, pushing it back from her face. Her hair was longer than it had been, a single small braid ran through it on the right side of her face.

"What made you tell me about the vallaslin?" Ellana blurted out, her words were rushed and her voice almost died away at the end of the question; clearly she was nervous about asking him this. Or maybe she didn't want to discuss that night at all. "I mean why risk telling me something that might reveal your identity if you didn't want to tell me yourself. You planned on telling me something else."

"Yes," Solas pursed his lips. "But I think I would always have told you about the true origins of the vallaslin." Solas looked at Ellana's clear skin. "Perhaps not that night, but eventually. It's difficult to see those markings – knowing what they mean – on the skin of someone you –" Solas stopped himself, "care deeply for."

"I understand," Ellana said. "When I saw members of my clan and tried to explain why my vallaslin was gone, they were less than understanding. Even now, when many elves know who you are, many of them still don't want to believe. It is difficult seeing them, knowing the truth. Even if they don't mean what they used to."

"That's why I wanted to take them away from your skin. I also considered the small chance of you discovering my identity because of my actions that night, but I assumed I was safe as that story is one mostly forgotten."

After a short silence Ellana said: "If you had told me then, the truth about who you are, would you still have disappeared?"

"After we'd defeated Corypheus?" Solas clarified. "I don't know," he admitted. "When I decided to take you there, with the intention of telling you who I was, I thought you would feel so betrayed you wouldn't stay. I decided against the idea not only because I felt my responsibility towards my people should outweigh any selfish desire on my part, but also because I feared you'd ask me to leave. And if you didn't, I had no right to place that burden on you."

"Was there never a moment you considered abandoning your path?"

"I can't, vhenan." He sighed. There had been many times Solas had wanted to free himself from this quest, but he realised any reprise would be only temporary. He knew what was coming, and he knew he couldn't stop it. His means might be horrifying, but he knew the end goal was worth it. Solas was willing to pay the price but he wasn't willing to sacrifice Ellana. When she had told him she was willing to come with him, back when he took the mark from her, he'd believed her. Solas had of course realised she was hoping to change his mind, or wanted to come simply so he wouldn't be alone, but even so he couldn't risk his quest corrupting her as well.

Ellana was studying her hand, clearly avoiding his gaze.

"Is something wrong?"

Ellana scoffed at the absurdity of the question, but when she looked up at him, she looked unsure again. "I just… I don't understand why so much was missing from your memory of that night? I said more than that, I'm certain, I –" Ellana took a deep breath and shook her head. "I told you that I loved you, that I wouldn't give up on you and you've forgotten that?" She looked hurt.

"I haven't, memories aren't always complete when you retrieve them, if we were to seek out the exact same memory now it would be different, I promise you." Solas looked at her, he did remember her saying those things, telling him she refused to give up on him. At the time he hadn't believed her of course, he thought that when she discovered the truth she'd regret her time with him, but she didn't. And maybe she still refused to give up on him.

Ellana straightened herself and swept her hair behind her shoulder; she was composing herself. "You're sure Andar is all right?"

"I seem to remember we cleared out the undead here years ago; Crestwood seems relatively safe now," Solas answered. He wondered whether she was only asking him that to change the subject or because she genuinely was that worried about Andar.

"He gained your trust?" Ellana asked.

Solas felt a sudden heat at the back of his neck at hearing the question. "He… why?"

"Well, you said you followed me because you were worried about me travelling alone with Andar. Has he proven you need not be?"

"Ah, I see," Solas replied, relief washing over him. "I suppose."

Ellana smiled. "Well I guess that's something." Ellana pushed her hair behind her ear. "I'll be sure to tell him the Dread Wolf himself approves."

Solas clenched his jaw and looked away, his eyes came to rest on the new statue of Fen'harel. It was one of a fair few new ones he'd spotted while travelling after Ellana. How he hated those statues, the old ones and the new. He'd rebelled against elves being worshipped as gods, and the statues reminded him of how he'd failed.

"Is something wrong?" It was Ellana's turn to ask the question, and he did with genuine concern. Solas smiled, he wasn't used to being asked that. The elves in his cause, even the ones he could almost call friends, were never worried about him, he was too alien to them for that. He was Fen'harel to them, but Ellana still just saw Solas.

Solas started to rise, he reached out his hand to Ellana who took it and they rose to their feet together. Solas held on to her hand, rubbing his thumbs over her fingers, but keeping hi eye locked on hers. "I can't tell you how much it means to me that you still care, vhenan" he said to Ellana.

She smiled, "always, I'm afraid."

Their eyes were still locked on each other. Solas squeezed Ellana's hand and gently pulled her a little closer. Solas was hardly aware of doing it, Ellana was the only person he'd been truly close to since waking up, and certainly the only one who had become this important to him. Had he been worried? Was that why he'd come here? It was certainly the reason he'd given Ellana and himself for following her and Andar. Solas had also wondered whether Andar would tell Ellana about his relationship to Solas, but that wasn't the reason he'd followed them. In truth he'd wanted to be close to her again. After seeing her, not in the Fade, but physically with him for the first time in a year, he'd wanted more. He wanted to touch her again, not be so isolated. He wanted to be the Solas he'd been at the Winter Palace again, to dance and pretend the band wasn't about to stop playing.

Ellana's bright eyes looked up at him, their strange bright grey tinted with the slightest hint of hazel around the pupil, shining so clear in the night. "Why did you really come?" she asked quietly.

Solas hesitated, paused to compose himself, frame an answer, but he spoke before he intended to. "I just want to look at you," he breathed. His soft whisper was met with a small gasp from Ellana. Didn't she expect him to show her affection? He shouldn't, truly, but as all the times before, when it came to Ellana, Solas wasn't able to resist. Solas leant his forehead against Ellana's. He wondered how things would've been if he had never raised the veil. Would he still have found her, found her, but not as a mortal, as she was now?

Standing like this, so close to one another, he could hear her slightly hitched breathing, mirroring the feeling in his own chest. Slowly, their movements synchronized, they both lifted their chins, their faces close together, slowly, almost unconsciously, they both moved until their lips met. It was a soft kiss, mouths pressed together in familiarity and a silent, constant longing.

Solas let go of Ellana's hand so he could bring his hands up and frame her face as he slowly, intently, deepened the kiss. He could feel her fingers trailing down his arm, until her delicate hand was at his waist. As her hand softly tugged at him, she pressed her body against his, heat spreading through his body. Solas broke away for just a moment, just to look at Ellana as she was now, in this moment.

Ellana however was not as patient; she closed the gap between them, her mouth crashing into his, her kiss much more urgent – desperate – now. A small involuntary moan escaped his lips, a deep heat burned through his chest, burning away all thoughts of Elvhenan. Solas hooked both arms around Ellana's small waist, lifting her slightly as he pulled her tight against his body. Her hand at the nape of his neck, pressing as if trying to deepen the kiss, sent shivers running up and down his spine.

Whether it was the kiss, or the memory he'd just witnessed in the Fade, Solas didn't know, but he felt as he had that day, when he kissed her, like he could give up all other plans and stay lost in her.

Solas made himself pull back a little, "I am sorry. It seems I have a talent for hurting you." He looked at her face, the bare skin reminding him of his cowardice. "I regret not telling you the truth, I believed you would leave, but I should not have kept this from you." Solas took her hand in his. "It would also have meant telling you that the mark that was killing you came from my orb, and I couldn't know how you would react. Still, I should not have kept the truth from you, even if only by omission."

"No, you shouldn't have," Ellana replied, her expression turning hard, but her smile quickly returned. "But just so you know, if it wasn't clear before, if you had told me the truth, I wouldn't have left."

Solas grabbed her waist, pulling Ellana's body back against his own, leaning in to kiss her. But Ellana hesitated, her right hand gently removed his hand from her waist. Solas felt stung just a little, until he saw the expression on her face.

Ellana took a few steps back before sitting down on the grass, her right hand gesturing for him to follow. Solas felt a sudden, demanding heat spreading from the middle of his chest throughout the rest of his body. Kneeling down on the grass, moving slowly to meet Ellana; she moved with him, lying back, pulling Solas with her until she was lying on the grass, Solas covering her body with his own. For all his time living with her in the same stronghold, there were things they'd never done. Solas still felt closer to her than anyone else, despite all the secrets or the fact that they were on opposing sides for the moment. Still he felt close to Ellana, so close that sometimes she seemed an actual part of him, impossible to separate from him. Trying to imagine her truly gone from his life seemed impossible, imagining her gone from the world –

Ellana closed the remaining space between them, and in an instant her lips were on his, her hand at the back of his head, sending electricity running through his skin. Her kiss was urgent, desperate as she deepened the kiss. Solas felt everything fall away, every goal, every principle, it all fell away, all that was left was this moment. Ellana's teeth pulled on his bottom lip before moving along his jawline, toothy kisses tracing to his left ear, teeth pulling at his earlobe. Solas let out a low moan. He returned the gesture, leisurelier, but greedier, nipping at her neck, kissing and biting his way back to her mouth. He wanted to devour her. Ellana's right hand ran down the length of Solas' body, he realised she was reaching for the buckles of his armour, but one-handed she couldn't manage the unfamiliar clasps. Solas leant back, his knees framing Ellana's hips. Solas unbuckled the largest bulk of his armour, dropping it down on the grass. Ellana propped herself up on her elbow, looking impatient to be closer to him. Solas reached out for her face, cupping it in his hands and giving her a quick, urgent kiss, as he straightened himself again he ran his hands down her body, until resting his fingers on the buckles of her leather vest. Solas looked for Ellana's eyes, with the slightest nod she let him know she wanted this, and in response he quickly undid the buckles. Ellana obligingly – and quickly – removed the vest. Beneath it she was wearing a pristine white shirt, the sleeves were muddy already, and as Solas ran his hands up her body – moving along the flat plain of her stomach, across the curves of her ribs and the swell of her breasts – his hands left faint traces on the white fabric.

Ellana's hand reached for him, Solas moved to catch her hand in his, but she instead went for the collar of his tunic and pulled him down against her, he lost his balance and crashed against her, she seemed unperturbed and immediately caught his mouth in a kiss. Ellana broke away, her face still close enough that her lips brushed his skin as she spoke in a husky voice, "I want you to touch me." Her hand moved between them and she started to undo her shirt. A small moan escaped Solas' mouth as he thought of what was to come, and his hands eagerly joined her hand in undoing the buttons at the front of her shirt.

Suddenly there was a low hiss, a sound very familiar to Solas, the air seemed to vibrate in the same way it did near lyrium… someone was coming.

"Get away from her," the sneer was almost inaudible, but even in his fevered state Solas picked up on it and recognised who the voice belonged to. How is he awake already?

Solas looked at Ellana, clearly she had heard it to because she looked scared almost, and… ashamed? Ellana's right hand tightened on his arm, whether she wanted to keep him close a little longer or wanted protection, he wasn't sure. Solas got up slowly, pulling Ellana to her feet as well. He kept his back to the voice, shielding Ellana while she quickly got her shirt buttoned up again. When she finished she looked over his shoulder and he could see the recognition in her eyes. "Andar? Cullen?"

Solas slowly turned around, Andar was leaning on the shoulder of a very tall human woman, he was clearly still weak from the sleeping spell Solas had cast over him. The commander was there as well, his sword drawn, looking younger than the last time Solas had seem him. The woman he had never seen before. She was wearing parts of a Templar's armour, and he supposed she had to be one, or a former Templar like the commander, if so she had to have left the order quite recently because there was still that strange vibration of lyrium hanging around her, reminding him of ancient memories.

Andar held on to one of his blades, clearly wanting to strike, but neither he nor the commander acted. Perhaps they were waiting for a signal from Ellana, or perhaps they knew they wouldn't be able to defeat him.

Ellana felt her cheeks flush, even though she was dressed – except for her vest that was still lying on the ground – she felt embarrassed beyond belief. She was thankful that at least Cassandra wasn't present, but she couldn't imagine this not coming back to her. After all, it couldn't be a coincidence that Cullen was here…

"Are you all right, Lavellan?" Cullen asked. Ellana looked at him, he was genuinely concerned but Ellana couldn't care less right now. "Why are you here?" she demanded. Cullen looked startled at the question. Ellana couldn't be sure if it was her embarrassment or anger at their interruption that made her word come across so harsh.

"I… well, I…" Cullen rubbed the back of his neck. "I wanted to make sure you were all right."

"So you followed me?" Ellana asked, her voice accusatory.

"No! I mean yes, but only to make sure you were all right."

"Was this Cassandra's idea?" Ellana remembered Cassandra's anger and her friendship with Cullen.

Cullen turned bright red. "Er… yes, but only with the –"

"I don't care what the intentions behind it were. I am not a child and she is not my keeper, she has no right to have me followed!"

"Lavellan," Cullen started, but he never finished the thought.

Ellana angrily picked up her vest and put it on. Solas had already put his armour back on and looked patiently at her. Ellana didn't meet his eyes, angrily she buckled up her vest. Her embarrassment was making her be more angry with Cullen than she should be, and maybe she was just angry because she had proven Cassandra right; there had been a reason to follow her.

Solas moved to help her with her vest, but before he could touch her, Ellana saw the familiar shapes and symbols of an antivan fire potion forming around him, he did as well and pushed her out of the way, as gentle as he could, just before… BOOSH! Bright orangey flames licked around Solas' legs, but they died down almost immediately without doing any damage.

Ellana had no doubts about the potion's origins and she turned to face the three new people. "Andar!" Ellana warned. Solas was less forgiving. Just as Ellana looked at Solas, making certain he wasn't wounded after all, she saw a familiar sight. His eyes glowed, blue eyes turning into lightning. Ellana felt fear cut through her, for a moment she felt she deserved no less than to finally be betrayed by her feelings for him. Her eyes shot towards Andar, Cullen, and the stranger they'd brought. They weren't stone, as she had feared for a moment, but they were frozen. They looked like the Venatori and demons she'd found in the Western Approach, suspended in time, but she doubted Solas would use a similar spell, this was something she hadn't seen before.

"What did you do to them?"

"They are unharmed. I promise."

"But what did you do?"

"It is the simplest way to prevent further conflict without restraining them physically."

Ellana shook her head.

"What's wrong?" Solas asked.

"What's wrong? I just saw you cast a spell I have never seen before, a spell that must take a tremendous amount of energy and you cast it without any effort whatsoever," Ellana looked at her frozen allies. Cassandra was right to doubt her.

"I did not mean to upset you, I hoped this would be a safer solution than open conflict."

Ellana shook her head. "I fooled myself didn't I?" She met his eyes. "Thinking I understood who you are, an ancient elf – whatever that truly means – but I don't. You're as different to me as I am to dwarves it seems."

Solas's brow furrowed. "You know me better than anyone else in this world, regardless of whether you know exactly what the differences are between elves from my time or modern elves."

"I hope that's true," Ellana said.

"Your allies will awaken even if I don't release them myself," Solas said, clearly trying to appease her.

"Release them now." Ellana looked defiant, but there was some fear bubbling inside her; she was afraid Solas wouldn't listen to her, and she didn't know what that would do to her.

Solas started to protest, but he gave in to her demand nonetheless. Ellana watched as Solas' eyes lit up again, white lightning veining through blue eyes. And just like that, her friends were free again.

Cullen still held his sword raised in preparation of battle, he looked surprised but collected. The same could not be said of Andar. He pushed away from the woman who was helping him walk and approached Ellana and Solas. His legs still looked wobbly as he made his way towards them. Ellana felt nervous looking at Andar; he was so vulnerable, especially against Solas.

Andar raised the one dagger he was carrying. Ellana glanced at Solas, but he looked calm and she felt a little relieved.

"You're in love with her!" Andar said accusatory. "That's why you came to the slaver's hideout. Not to help any elves there!" Ellana was startled by not only the fact that Andar would say that, but by how he said it. He was so angry, even during the most dire moments of their previous adventure, he'd held onto his calm. Andar raised the dagger, visibly winching at the pain in his shoulder. Ellana had healed it as best she could, but her magic was not specialised in healing and so it was clumsy and incomplete.

"She could change things for our people, and you would stop her!" Andar's arm shook with the effort of holding the dagger up. Behind him Cullen approached, Ellana guessed it wasn't because he wanted to attack Solas, but rather wanted to protect Andar. The woman they'd brought unsheathed her sword as well. Ellana felt the tensions rising with every second and regretted asking Solas to release them before he had gone.

"Andar, please," Ellana reached out for him, but his eyes were fixed on Solas.

"Garas quenathra?" Andar hissed at him. ["Why have you come?"]

Ellana struggled to make out the precise meaning, her understanding of Elvish was very limited, Andar on the other hand spoke it with the same ease Solas did, his quick tongue and strange accent making it harder for her to follow him.

"Falon –" Solas started to say. This phrase she at least understood. ["Friend –"]

"Ma'landivalis him banal'ras! Ma banal las halamshir var vhen!" Andar interrupted him, he raised his dagger higher and took another step in Solas direction. ["My believe in you has turned into shadow! You do nothing to further our people!"] " Art u na'din," Andar hissed. ["I will kill you,"]

Ellana only understood the last part, and even though it was a threat levelled at Solas, when she moved to stand in between them, it was Andar she felt needed her protection.

Solas ignored the threat, his voice was calm. "Lethallin, dirthara lath araval ena." Ellana looked over her shoulder at Solas' soft expression. ["Kinsman, seek truth and the path will emerge."] Lethallin, she thought to herself,it was a term only used for those you were familiar with, Solas had only used it for her or Abelas, even if he was trying to appease Andar, why would he –

"Harellan!" Andar interrupted her train of thought. ["Trickster!"] Ellana had her hand up, gesturing for Andar to calm down, but he pushed past her, ready to attack.

"Ar'din nuvenin na'din," Solas' expression looked pained. ["I don't want to kill you."]

Ellana grabbed Andar's arm, wanting to stop him. Andar almost roared as he ripped his arm free from her grip and swung his dagger at Solas. "Halem sahlin," Solas said, and just like that Andar was frozen again. ["This ends now.]

Cullen came rushing forward, his sword at the ready, he was going to attack Solas, even having witnessed his power for himself. Ellana rushed forward to meet him. "Cullen, please, Andar is fine!" Cullen was more receptive to Ellana's efforts, and reluctantly he stood down. Ellana turned to Solas, she walked over to him. "I think you have to go," she said, not truly willing to accept that herself. "Release Andar, but only once you leave, please."

"Of course, vhenan," Solas said. Then he did something Ellana had not expected, even after what had happened between them this night; Solas took her face in his hands and gave her a long, lingering kiss. When they parted she saw something new in his eyes; something had changed.

Solas straightened himself, and turned to Cullen. "Commander." Solas bowed his head at Cullen, before turning to Ellana. "Dareth, ma'arlath," Solas said, looking at Ellana one last time before leaving. ["Be safe, my love."]