As I said before, holy shit. 4,000 views. Amazing. When I had first started writing this story I had absolutely no idea how many people would read it. You guys are great. This chapter actually wasn't in my "game plan". I kinda just added it in for more of an effect. Sorry, Garrett's not coming just yet.
It was early in the morning the next day, sun just barely peeking out of the mountain tops, and Cassandra had come to inform the Inquisitor on the most pressing issues they were currently facing. When she entered the room she had found the mage standing in her nightgown in front of the large fireplace, a roaring fire inside it's hearth.
Cassandra felt a bit ridiculous talking to her. It felt like she was talking to a wall. There was no emotion, no movement, no focus, and absolutely no look of recognition from her good friend. Whatever Varric had seen the night before was gone.
The two women now sat, an hour or so later when the seeker had gotten her to move, on one of the plush couches that was in her room. Evelyn had her head tucked in the crook of the seeker's neck. Their bodies were pressed against each other, not in a romantic or sexual way, but that of a mother and a child. The Inquisitor took a deep breath, taking in the woman's scent of robust cinnamon. It brought back memories of her own mother, not the bad but the good. The smell allowed Evelyn to mildly relax, the familiarity of it comforting. Something in the Inquisitor's head clicked and she knew that these problems were something she needed to at least attempt to do. If she had thought that the attack on Adamant would have problems decrease, Maker, she was wrong. The reports spread across their laps, Evelyn locked her eyes on them, trying to concentrate.
"We need either Cullen or Leliana to gather coin in Ferelden. Their plans differ greatly," Cassandra said quietly as she moved that paper towards the back of the stack. "Josephine cannot go. She's still dealing with the nobles near Denerim which I believe is going well."
Evelyn was silent, contemplating. Raising a shaky finger to the paper, she pointed to Leliana's name. The seeker concealed a smile. Progress.
Cassandra led Evelyn down the stairs to Josephine's office. Her body language and expressions suggested that she wasn't willing to put up a fight about it. Then again she had really been feeling much of anything the past couple of days.
"Ah, Inquisitor," Josephine got off of her grand chair to greet the two, seeing them walk through the doorway. Evelyn now wore some informal clothes that Cassandra had found in her drawers and managed to help her into them. Brown trousers and a soft cotton shirt was what she had picked out, hoping it wouldn't be too much. Evelyn contained a pout on her lips. She missed her comfy nightgown.
"I'll take care of her for a little while," Josephine said quietly to Cassandra. Evelyn wandered to a wooden chair next to the ambassador's desk, plopping down hard, arms falling limply on either side of her.
The seeker pulled the Antivan out of earshot from Evelyn. "She hasn't eaten. If you can get her to eat something I think things will improve from there. It's best to leave the Inquisition out of her healing process for the time being, but that's just my opinion. At noon bring her to Solas. He said he might be able to calm her nerves a bit." A disgusted noise came out of Cassandra's mouth. "Where is Cullen in all this? You think if he cared about her as much as we think he does he would be here right now attending to her, her… illness."
The embassador sighed. Her hands wrung around and around anxiously. "It's not like we can force him to. We'll just wait for him to come to her. You should go to training. Those recruits surely need it. I'll do my best with her."
And with that the seeker was gone. Turning around to see the Inquisitor, Josephine began to tell a rather scandalous story about Duke Ersaline from Orlais to get her mind off things, so she hoped. It did and Evelyn had started to smile. After that story she told another, and another as she worked on her papers. By the end of the third or fourth story Josephine had made her giggle once. Let's just hope Solas doesn't make it worse.
"They say brushstrokes can tell a great deal about a painting. It shows expression. The colors tell the mood," Solas said grabbing a handful of brushes, paint, and a cup of water. He had a piece of a paper attached to a piece of wood for a makeshift easel. Setting the paints and water down, brushes still in hand, he turned to Evelyn. "So, Inquisitor, I would like for you to paint me something. Tell me how you feel through the painting."
Evelyn stared incredulously back at the elf. At least she's making eye contact now, he thought."I know you can do it,"
She slowly held out her hand. Solas handed her the brushes cautiously. "Is it alright if I may cast a healing spell first?"
The woman gave him a small nod, and immediately a glow of blue moved over her body. A tension in Evelyn's shoulders released, and a layer of the fog in her mind evaporated away. She walked over to the paper with a brush in hand. Her eyes looked into each different color of paint, trying to find the one that she was feeling. A bold red took her attention. Picking up the jar it was, Evelyn rotated it and watched how the paint moved inside. Dipping one brush into it, she painted on the blank canvas a thick vertical line.
Solas studied her, sitting crosslegged on a table a few feet behind her. A whooshing sound tickled his pointed ear. When he looked to his right he saw Cole standing next to the table.
"What the hell am I supposed to do?" Cole said blatantly.
"Cole!"
The spirit looked very shocked at the elf's screech. Cole lifted a pale finger towards the mage who had now started using black, the previous brush remaining in the red paint jar.
"Ah, I see,"
"She likes candied plums," Cole murmured sitting next to Solas on the table.
"Oh, yes?"
"Yes. Do you think if I find some she will eat them?" He tilted his head to look at the elf, his hat flopping out of his eyes.
As if on cue a loud growling stomach echoed in the room. Evelyn stopped painting, nearly dropping her brush, to look at the two shyly, blushing profusely. From the upper levels of the library Dorian yelled, "Maker, someone get that girl a sandwich!"
Sitting on her balcony, the setting sun to her back, Evelyn was nibbling on a slice of plum which Cole had so graciously gotten for her. The sweet taste reminded her of the parties her mother and father used to throw for her and Garrett's birthdays. Another good memory made her pain lessen.
It was Vivienne's time to stay with the Inquisitor. When Cassandra and Leliana had started arguing about who's turn it was to watch her, like they were fighting over a child of divorce, the First Enchanter stepped in claiming that she would do so gladly. She had helped Evelyn bathe a little earlier, cleaning off remnants of dirt and blood that had stuck onto her skin from the attack on Adamant. Vivienne massaged her scalp with shampoo. While she did so she spoke of her times as a mistress, and as a First Enchanter: the funny, the interesting, and the enraging. Curiously, she noted how the side of her head that was shaved was scared and the skin mangled. Instead of interjecting a question, one that would not be answered, she just continued talking about her irrelevant stories. After her bath, Vivienne assisted her into her nightgown; she would not be going to dinner tonight.
Right after the Inquisitor finished the piece of fruit her companion asked, "My dear, did you sleep last night? Or the night before?"
Evelyn's head shook from side to side slowly. Expecting as much, Vivienne sighed and sat back in her chair. "I know that you and I haven't always agreed on things-"
A quiet scoff came out of the Inquisitors mouth, surprising them both. Quickly she looked at the Vivienne, embarrassed, then closed her lips firmly so no other sounds could accidently come out. Ignoring the rude noise, she continued, "But I do want to help. I want you to get better. The monsters you had seen were horrendous beyond belief. Anyone would struggle as much as you have to see those creatures."
The First Enchanter leaned forward and rested one hand on Evelyn's knee. "But you can overcome this. You mustn't let Corypheus's play things make you weak. You are the leader of this Inquisition. You are strong whether you feel that way right now or not. If you need anything or anyone to help you achieve your old psyche do not hesitate to let me know, my dear."
Evelyn let the words sink in for a moment. I need help. It was a statement. A very true statement. There was only one person she could think of, one person she could fall back in her tender that would help her greatly. She spoke, voice shaky and rough from the days without using her vocal chords,"Send for Cullen."
