Arlathan Forest was much more pleasant in the afternoon. It was a pleasant tune in Ramia's ears to hear the birds chirping high up in the trees, the water trickling through the rocks in the shallow river that led their way further through the forest.

She walked quite a few steps ahead of Abelas, humming away as she tapped her staff to her tune.

"How long do you think it'll take us to get there?"

"If we journey through the night, a day at most."

Abelas cocked an eyebrow when Ramia paused suddenly, her hand clenching tightly to her staff. He sped into a jog to catch up with her, aware of her caution when she raised a hand to stop him.

"There are people ahead."

Whoever they were they had caught sight of them, turning to approach them. Ramia was prepared for a fight but Abelas extinguished the flame in her hand, the sight of familiar elvhen armour setting him at ease. There were five of them in total, but both Ramia and Abelas knew two of them for certain.

"Drynne, Fen'an. Good to see you both alive."

"And you as well." Drynne gave a curt smile to the Sentinel leader, her eye wide and eyebrows raised as she registered Ramia beside him. "The Dread Wolf has you playing nanny I see."

"I can take quite good care of myself." Ramia interrupted before Abelas could speak, chin held high in a silent challenge. "Thank you very much."

Drynne grinned.

"You certainly know how to stay up." The general's eyes narrowed in threat. "No matter how many times we try to put you down." Ramia's aura crackled with magic, the other agents taking defensive stances. Their magic ready at a moment's notice.

"Enough." Abelas demanded. "Ramia, do not be threatened." His hand rested against her shoulder, coaxing her to calm down. Drynne raised a brow at her easy obedience towards Abelas, arms folding in front of her.

"Gotten the little shit to behave then have you?" The hand on her shoulder tightened, urging her not to be goaded by Drynne's teasing. Ramia gritted her teeth, she hated Drynne with a passion. She was reminded that she was one of many modern and mortal elves who were throwing away so many of their brethren's lives for a world they would not even see.

People like her could do so much under her mother's vision, creating a better world with what they have instead of fruitlessly aspiring for something long since dead. No matter how beautiful and marvellous their history was, no matter how beautiful the buildings and wonders Abelas showed her were.

It was nothing worth destroying millions of innocents for. Paradise couldn't be built on the bones of the dead.

Ramia gave a tooth rotting smile, all smiles and squinting eyes. Fen'an shuffled agitated next to Drynne, he cleared his throat to get both the general and Abelas' attention. Drynne clicked her teeth, motioning for Fen'an and the others to continue their course.

"Solas has given us out orders to head back to base." She glared at Ramia, the smile on her face never leaving, returning the girl a dour loom of her own. "Of that I shall speak no more."

"Be careful Abelas." Fen'an warned. "The slavers we fought, did not all die. Some escaped."

Abelas gave Drynne and Fen'an a nod and farewell, exchanging elvhen with the other agents before pulling Ramia away with a harsh grip on her arm. Her protest at the sudden harsh treatment were ignored until Drynne and the others were out of sight.

The journey through Arlathan forest became much quieter between Abelas and Ramia. The sounds of the scattering wildlife and frogs croaking echoing through the underbrush. Their feet slowly switch from sloshing through mud to crunching against fallen leaves and branches as they delved further from the river and deeper into the forest.

The further they went the denser the forest became, the sun no longer able to pierce through the towering trees above them. This made it seem darker than it actually was, if Ramia wasn't so troubled by her thoughts she would have probably felt creeped out by their surroundings.

"Would you like to rest for a moment?"

"Fine."

Abelas exhaled, frustrated and wondering what had upset her now. He didn't think their encounter with Drynne would bother her this greatly. Not unless it had set off some other problem she had. Ramia sat on a fallen tree log, legs closed firmly together as her hands held a wolf jaw bone, thumb rubbing against its surface. Her eyes glazed with anger held at bay, he would have to be cautious with his choice of words.

"Do you want a fire?"

"My cloak is enough."

Abelas rolled his eyes at her curt responses. Suddenly he started feeling confused. Just over a day ago he would be thanking the gods that Ramia would be so un-talkative and withdrawn. Then again, over a day ago they couldn't stomach each other's company.

This is what happens when he gets flirty. He actually started to enjoy the person's company and now he has unknowingly pissed her off. Abelas was starting to regret ever agreeing to be so heavily involved in Solas' plans all those years ago.

"What's in June's temple Abelas?"

"Hmm?"

"What is in June's temple? Oh wait! You can't tell me can you?"

"I'm sure there a point you are getting to yes?"

Ramia stared at her nails unimpressed, tapping the jaw-bone against her thigh as she collected her thoughts.

"Just thinking…bumping into Drynne reminded me of a few things." Her attention was on Abelas, a brittle smile planted firmly on her face. "I bet whatever's deep in that temple will be very helpful, maybe enough to kill me and my mother to ensure we don't get our hands on it ourselves."

Ah, and there it was.

"I see you have remembered yourself."

"Yeah…you're pretty much his right-hand man right? Bet he's got you doing lots of dirty work." She stared off to the side. Ramia was angry but not at Abelas and not at herself. After getting passed barriers Abelas was actually…pleasant. The dream in the fade brought out a better side to him a side she could under different circumstances called a friend or a teacher.

Perhaps even something else?

But these weren't different circumstances. He was the enemy, the last five years he spent helping Solas see the end of her and everyone she held dear. This temporary alliance made it all too easy to forget that. Her hormones didn't help either.

And quite frankly it sucked if you asked her.

Seeing Drynne, Fen'an and those other agents. Seeing Abelas speak with them in elvhen and treat them as kin just had her questioning the last day. Was his flirting and general improving comradery with her just a ruse? A way to benefit himself and Solas in their endeavour?

It was dishonest. Ramia DETESTED dishonesty. She loathed it.

"I bet cosying up would really smooth out that whole process too."

"Ah, you think I'm manipulating you."

"Shouldn't I?!"

"If I remember correctly, it was you who started this nonsense." That hurt her a little, and a small part of her felt like it only emphasised her insecurities and suspicious on the matter. She blushed, embarrassed at his words.

"If my thoughts and feelings were unwelcome you should have said so."

"They were not unwelcome."

"Stop talking in circles Abelas! You can't mock me and accept me both." Abelas moved over to sit next to her, removing his hood and rubbing a hand through his hair and ending at the back of his neck. This whole conversation felt tedious to him.

"I say it is nonsense because we both know how this will end if we…indulge." Ramia lingered on the world indulge. Did he?

"So you…?"

"Yes."

"Oh…oh…" Ramia wasn't expecting things to be…mutual. Her playful flirting had been just that, playful. Ramia flirted all the time, never expecting anyone to reciprocate. Mostly due to her own lack of interest in the other person.

Of all people it had to be Abelas.

Ramia changed the subject. "You said back in the fade that working with people like me humbled you…what did you mean by that?"

"There is value here. In this world, limited as it is."

"Then why are you helping him?!" Abelas groaned as he wished they could avoid this conversation, twisting to look her fully in the eye. Ramia clearly somehow got it in her head that he might be different to Solas, perhaps didn't see him as determined in restoring Elvhenan as the wolf was.

The Elvhen Empire had been gone for so long and the mortal elves left behind did not deserve the fate awaiting them but…Their characters were not the only thing to enlighten him. Their stories and their suffering had pulled at a part of him he felt was long gone. The part of him that long to see justice brought to those mistreated, that fire inside that made him proud to bear the blood writing still etched on his face.

There was value in what was. That was Ramia's shortcomings. A brave, beautiful but naïve and blind girl who could not see the greater goal. Could not see the value of one piece in a grand design.

"There is no answer I can give that will placate you da'lath'in."

"I don't want answers! I want action! You and Solas both act remorseful yet refuse to seek more peaceful solutions."

"It is not that simple!"

"A cowards words because he is too selfish and arrogant to see another way!" Ramia's screams thundered through the forest, her anger carrying in the wind and tears teased from her eyes. They both went quiet, Ramia's shuddered breathing filling the silence. Her eyes downcast.

"We've tried so hard. My mother gave up everything but me to improve the lives of elves everywhere with what power she could. We could do so much more with your help." She whispered, just loud enough for him to hear, cheeks wet and hands clenched so hard at her sides.

"Shartan, Ameridan, Gaharel…you would spit on their memories and erase everything they accomplished for a dead corrupt Empire! You were never humbled Abelas! You've learnt nothing!"

"Ramia."

"Diana dirthal!" She pulled her clock closer to herself, face in a grimace and backing away when Abelas rose from the log. "Nuva mar'edhis solas ir'tel'sasha!" A hand Abelas can tried to reach out to her fell limply at his side, making no move to approach her, taken aback by her words.

Ramia's anger was raw and hot, it hurt to look at him so she did what she did best.

She ran away.

Abelas' voice calling out to her was a distant blur far away. She kept running until it burnt cold in her throat, until she became numb to the branches that snapped against her in her collisions.

She stopped once it started to rain violently, looking up towards the sky in a silent prayer of thanks. She threw her head back and allowed the rain to pour heavy over her to cool her mind, ignoring the heavy lull as her hair dampened. The water clashing against rock and grass a symphony to her ears.

Abelas cursed when it started to rain, it made finding Ramia all that much more difficult. The water eroding away any traces of her footsteps, making him pray she ran in a single direction and not haphazardly. His worry only worsened when he clutched the staff in his hand, knowing she was defenceless.

His head whipped round at the sound of a scream bursting through the forest, not an ounce of doubt in his mind who that scream belonged to. Hoping by the time he reached her that it wouldn't be too late.