SHOUTOUTS GO OUT TO: Ninjakitty122 and everybody else who has been lovely enough to read out fic!
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Solas watched as the group started to pack the camp. A light drizzle had started in the predawn. The children had been woken by it and were now "helping" the adults pack. Solas stood apart from all of them. He knew the moment he tried to help Etha would glare at him and Felassan would freak. The only one still sleeping was Sera and that was only because Solas's spell hadn't worn off yet.
"Daddy, why is Aunt Sera napping?" Lori asked. She had her mother's coat draped on top of her head to keep out the rain, and the blue fabric nearly swallowed the child.
"She's just really tired, da'len," Solas told her. "I'm certain she'll wake by the time we read the Deep Roads."
"Oh." Lori started batting at the sleeves of the coat absentmindedly. "Why we going to the Deep things?"
Solas frowned. He didn't know how to explain this to her and didn't want to crush the girl's heart. Or, for that matter, his own. "To help your Uncle Dorian fix the amulet," he decided to say. "You'll get to see all sorts of new places," he told his daughter. He smiled at her. "And the Deep Roads will be a lot drier than it is here."
"Uncle Varric said that where dwarfs live. We gonna see dwarfs?" she asked in excitement. "Aunt Sera needs to wake up so she can see the dwarfs!"
Who was Varric? Solas assumed it was a dwarf friend of Nimwen's or something like that. Perhaps it was something to ponder later, though it was rather curious to see so many different races coming together as friends. Not to mention odd. Yet, this thought left Solas feeling warm inside. Though, the news of what became of the People by that time still disturbed him.
Solas laughed and patted Lori's head. "I'm certain she'll be able to see them. We'll be there down there for awhile, da'len." He stood and picked Lori up. The long coat stayed over her as he did this. "For now, we should see to finishing packing the camp."
"I can help!" Lori said with enthusiasm.
"Lori?"
"I here, mama!" the child called out.
Nimwen spotted Lori with Solas and walked over to the pair. "I can't let you out of my sight for a minute, can I?" Nimwen sighed with a shake of her head. She looked at Solas. "We're almost done. You ready to go?"
"Yes." Solas gave her a small smile.
The two of them headed back to the others. Little Parsey and Atisha were already seated on a hart. Solas helped Lori onto the same one. The saddle was only just big enough from the three kids. With only three harts remaining the red was now also carrying supplies with the other. Aleron led the other hart over to them.
"Are we heading out?" he asked. There was unease in his voice. "I don't much like the idea of the Deep Roads or being that far underground." The human shivered.
"Are you alright, Aleron?" asked Nimwen.
"Just feeling a little sick," he muttered and pushed his damp hair from his eyes. "I don't like being trapped under layers of earth."
Solas smiled at him. "The roads are sturdy." He turned to the others. "The closest entrance is this way."
The forest thickened the deeper in they went. Soon the group was walking single file. The rocks marking an entrance into the Deep Roads was just ahead. Solas stopped and looked around for the path leading down to the massive doors.
"Here!" Solas called and gestured to the others.
"Finally," Nimwen sighed. "Hey, Dorian?"
"Yes?" the altus replied.
"I was just wondering. Do you have any idea where we are? If we were back in the future, I mean."
Dorian stroked his moustache as he pondered this. "I'm not completely certain, but this does look somewhat like the Imperium."
"I see."
Solas frowned but didn't comment on this. Instead he led the way down into the tunnel. Massive double doors were already opened to the well lit path beyond. This entrance wasn't one used for trade but he knew some of the durgen'len did tend to use it when there were fresh nuts and berries growing in the forest above them. Thus it wasn't really shocking when their group were greeted by around five durgen'len.
"Name your business, surfacer," snapped a well armored male. He spoke in dwarvish, making it a little hard to Solas to understand. It had been sometime since Solas has last heard the language.
"We're travellers seeking passage to Orzammar," Solas replied, trying his hardest to keep the words to a level of understanding.
The dwarf stroked his massive beard. He frowned. "Do you have payment, elf?" He glanced at those behind Solas. "For all your," he hesitated, eying Iron Bull and the humans, "kin."
"I do," Solas replied. He reached into a pouch around his belt, ready to pay these durgen'len for passage.
"Hold!" The next moment a smaller male scurried through the group. He stopped by his fellow, grinning from under his shorter beard. Gray had settled into his auburn hair but Solas knew him at once.
"Hallmar!"
"By the stone, Fen'Harel as I live and breath!"
"Daddy, what they saying?" Lori asked.
"One moment," Solas told her and the others behind him. He turned his attention back to Hallmar. "Shouldn't you be further north?"
"Aye, I was at that, but they needed extra hands for gather and trade," the dwarf said with a grin. "I be leading this group." Hallmar turned to his fellows. "His group travels free. They're friends of the stone."
The guard dwarf grumbled and moved off.
"You're in luck, we're heading to each major thaig."
"That is good news," Solas agreed. He turned to the others. "They've agreed to give us passage," he told them.
"Thank goodness," Nimwen said. "So how do you know this Hallmar?"
Before Solas could Answer, Hallmar tugged him down. "Hey, could ya give me that language like with the elvish years back?" he whispered. "Could be useful for trade."
Solas chuckled and knelt down. He reached himself and forced the essence passed Hallmar's defense and into his mind. "Can you understand me?" he asked his friend.
"Aye, I like this language. Nice, simple; to the point."
Hallmar always had his mind on making more trade with the surface. He was one of the oldest dwarves still in the trade.
"He talk normal now!" Lori exclaimed. "Daddy, how you do that?"
"'Daddy?'" Hallmar stroked his beard. "My, my you've been a busy wolf, haven't you, Fen'Harel?"
"Not as much as you," Solas teased him.
Hallmar snorted. "I only got the six."
"Six?" Nimwen snorted. "I don't think I could handle that many."
"Agreed," said Dorian.
"I am Nimwen," she said to Hallmar. "I just wanted to say thank you for giving us passage," she said with a bow.
"Whoa now!" Nimwen turned around and saw Iron Bull with Lori in his arms.
"What are you doing?" asked the mage.
"She tried jumping out of the saddle," Iron Bull explained as he placed her on the ground.
Nimwen stood with her hands on her hips. "Lori, why did you do that?"
Instead of answering, the little girl raced passed her mother and stood right in front of the dwarf.
"Hi!" she greeted cheerfully. "Can I touch?" she asked pointing to his beard.
Hallmar chuckled and squatted down to the girl's level. "You're full of energy, ain't ya?" He wiggled his face so the beard tickled the girl's nose. The elven girl squealed and proceeded to poke the dwarf's beard.
"Fuzzy," she gasped. She looked back. "Mama, it's fuzzy!" she proclaimed.
"That's great, da'len," Nimwen replied, her face red. "I'm sorry, she doesn't really understand personal space," the mage apologized.
Hallmar let out a booming laugh. "Ya think after six little blighters I have any regard for personal space myself?" His eyes sparkled.
"Never would have guessed," Solas said with a smile. "How long is your group stopped here for, Hallmar?"
"Another hour at most." Hallmar straightened and stroked his beard. He frowned. "Not much growing out there this time." He turned and barked at his men, "One more run, men; then ya get home to your families!"
A cheer rose up and a few of the dwarves scurried passed Solas and the others. They vanished into the world above.
"So, Hallmar, how do you know our friend Solas?" Iron Bull asked the dwarf.
"Solas?" Hallmar looked up at Bull with confusion. "I ain't know anyone by that name."
"My other name is Solas," Solas stated. He knew what was going to come the moment he said this to Hallmar.
"What was wrong with being called 'wolf" all the time? Sick of it?" teased the dwarf. "Perhaps your woman not like calling you 'Rebel Wolf,' hey?" he winked at Solas.
Solas rolled his eyes at the ceiling. He felt a hundred years younger whenever he spoke with Hallmar. But the old dwarf had the effect on him. They'd been friends since Hallmar's father had first opened more trade routes with Fen'Harel and June.
"Ya have that effect on him?" Hallmar winked at Nimwen.
"I have my ways," Nimwen said, smirking slyly at Solas. "Right, vhenan?"
"My, my, somebody give me a fan the air has turned rather scandalous," Dorian smirked.
Solas shook his head. "To answer your question, Iron Bull, I met Hallmar when his father wanted to open more trade routes with the surface."
"I was nothing more than a little blighter then." Hallmar grinned. "But Fen'Harel comes down for more than trade every few years. We are friends more than trade partners now."
"Interesting, and how do you feel being friends with an elven god?" asked Dorian.
Nimwen shot him a look.
"Merely curious," he said.
Hallmar let out a loud gaffaw. "Above he might be called a god, but Fen'Harel is Fen'Harel. The elf I know loves a little too many games of chance. He still bends before the stone."
"Don't remind me," Solas muttered.
"Come now, the cave in came from the stone's will." Hallmar smirked.
"'Cave in'?" Nimwen repeated.
"Aye, and ain't it a story." Hallmar's eyes glazed with the memory. "First time Fen and I worked together on a new trade route to the surface. It woulda kill more if Fen not been there, but we got cut off from the main group. Great time."
Solas shook his head. "Only you would call being stuck with little food and broke limbs a 'good' story, Hallmar."
"Always the downer, ain't he?" Hallmar snorted. "Get ya a little drunk and it goes away." He grinned at Nimwen. "I'm guessing that how ya won him?"
Heat flared in Solas's face.
"Aw, come on, Solas," Nimwen teased him. "We all know you fell in love with me for my personality."
"Perso-what?"
"Looky, Aunt Sera's awake!"
Everyone turned as the archer groaned and rubbed her head while muttering to herself. Her eyes finally focused and she reentered the waking world. She did not look happy.
"You!" she shot to her feet only to grow wobbly as a drunkard. "What the friggin' the fuck you do to me?" she slurred angrily at Solas.
"Language," Nimwen hissed.
"What?" Sera blinked slowly. "Oh, right, kiddies. Forget I said that kids, eat your vegetables and all that nonsense…" She gripped her forehead. "Did ya club me with a badger while I was out? My head is stabbin' me."
"You shouldn't be moving so much after being under a sleeping spell," Nimwen informed her.
"'S that right?" Sera glared at Solas. "The fuc- I mean frig- wh-what you do that for?" she finally sputtered.
"You needed to calm down and sleep off the shock," Solas explained.
Hallmar snorted. "If that's the way you calm people, I'd like for ya to try it on me."
"Hallmar, there's no need to do so. You're always calm."
Sera squinted at the dwarf. "Who're you?"
"Hallmar, trades dwarf, at your service." He bowed to Sera. "And long time friend here of Fen's. The old codger pulled a fast one on ya, hey? He does that to everyone."
Solas sighed. Hallmar was just teasing and he didn't mind. What he did mind was the fact hearing his real name again might just set Sera off.
Sera looked back and forth between the dwarf and their group. "Why's we got a dwarf now?" she asked warily. Her eyes widened when she finally noticed their surroundings. "Why are we underground?"
"We're taking the Deep Roads," Nimwen explained. Her voice was calm, clearly trying to keep Sera from panicking again.
"Deep Roads?! Where there's Darkspawn?!"
"No, no, Darkspawn, remember?" Nimwen reminded her. This calmed the rogue somewhat, but she was still on edge.
"N-no, I don't think I…" Sera shook her head. "No ,there's no way I'm goin' down there."
"Sera, this is the only way," Dorian said.
"I don't care, magebits," Sera hissed.
"You're coming," Solas stated in calm tones. "No matter if it's under your own power, tied to a hart, or under another sleeping spell. You don't have a choice."
"You ain't making me do nothin'," Sera yelled at him.
"A-aunt Sera?"
The archer looked down and her rage softened when she saw Lori staring up at her. "What you want?" She was biting down the anger with her teeth.
"Why don't you wanna come with us?" Lori asked.
Sera sighed. "It's not simple, lil Inky."
"Are you scared?"
"I ain't scared!" Sera snapped.
The girl's eyes widened in surprise, but strangely enough she remained calm. "It's okay," she said. She hugged the archer around her waist. "Mama said it's okay to feel scared."
"I ain't scared," Sera grumbled.
"I don't want you to go." Lori looked at her pleadingly. "Please stay?"
Sera opened her mouth to speak, but no words came. Her brow furrowed and she looked ready to refuse. Before she could though, Lori let out another "please?" and the storm on Sera's face calmed.
"Alright," she sighed. She gave the girl a pat on the head. "You're killing me, lil Ink. Makin' it real hard to be smart right now."
"So you stay?" Lori asked, eyes hopeful.
"Yeah, yeah, I'll go in the stupid death tunnels."
"Yay! Mama, Aunt Sera's staying!"
"That's great, sweetie," Nimwen said as she looked at her daughter with pride.
"Thank you, Sera."
"Hey, if I don't come I'll be stuck in the world of elf snobs," Sera said.
"True, you would be," Solas stated. "And we can't have that, now can we?"
Beside Solas, Hallmar was stroking his beard. "What are these darkspawn? I don't much like the sound of them. They something like the corruption those Forgotten spread before my people tunneled through stone to the surface?"
Solas looked at his friend. "Exactly that from my understanding of it."
"And ya say they take our roads." Hallmar scowled. "Well, we ain't giving them up without a fight."
"I'm glad to hear that," Nimwen said.
Solas frowned. While Nimwen sounded calm as she said this, there was sadness in her beautiful eyes. Whatever happened, given all he knew about this future, it seemed she wanted them to fight for their homes, but in doing so - He cut off that train of thought.
Instead of pressing this, Solas turned to Hallmar. "When your men return, will be heading for Kal-Sharok first?" Solas changed the subject.
"Aye." Hallmar nodded. "We can get more goods and start heading towards Orzammar the morning after. Kal-Sharok is a good few days away with what we have now. Even if your beasts help pull the goods."
"When will we be leaving?" asked Nimwen.
"Now." Halmar nodded to where the rest of his group were just returning. They loaded the bags into the few small carts they had.
Solas watched them and noted most held food but others had flowers. A few of the dwarves grinned and exchanged words about who had found the best grouping of flowers for their wives back in Kal-sharok. Solas chuckled to himself.
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FW: And so Hallmar enters at last. This story has really helped me get the personality (and the name) of the dwarf who will enter in Final Hour. I admit I really adore Hallmar especially as this story progresses.
HH: We all need a Hallmar in our lives, and Hal has been one of my personal fav of the OCs in this series ^^ stay tuned for more!
