I came back to the Ballroom in a daze. The swish of dresses and hushed whispers lapped against my ears like the tide. The cool marble wall against my back soothed the rising panic in my gut. My shoulders began to shake and a lump formed in my throat, like rocks had been set on my chest and I couldn't move them. I let my head fallback against the wall and shut my eyes. Why had she looked so scared? Why should I have known who that "him" was? The name was on the tip of my tongue but it vanished like a forgotten melody.

I opened my eyes once more and tried to steady my breathing, tapping each finger on the wall in a rhythm until I finally settled myself. I peaked out from behind the large pillar I stood behind. I doubted very much if my lapse on calm would go down very well in The Game. I sighed in relief when I realised they were all too wrapped up in their own business to care about the lone Dalish in the corner. I rubbed the bridge of my nose, and pulled myself to my stand straight trying to rationalise my panic. It was too similar to a past I couldn't remember, I was overreacting. Everything was fine.

"Lavellan!" It was Leliana calling me, her smile as friendly as it had been the whole evening. I felt useless then, walking with as much grace as I could muster to tell her that I had failed in getting Briala to speak to me.

"Well?" She asked, the others leaned in that bit more, as if I was about to divulge Briala's every secret. A frustration washed over me at the sight of their expectant faces. There was truth in the Elven Ambassador's "token dalish" remark.

"I don't know why you thought this was a good idea," I hissed. All four of them looked as shocked as the other.

"She wouldn't speak with you?" Josephine whispered.

"What? Surprised that two elves didn't have the world to talk about? She is suspicious and uptight and I saw her whispering with the servants. She was suspicious but I garnered nothing useful. She's not as stupid as to simply give the game away because another elf asked her." I turned and walked away to a quieter part of the palace, sweeping up two goblets of wine as I did.
The feeling of not fitting in settled over me like a blanket once more only... it was not simply because of The Winter Palace. I felt out if place in the world. Everything seemed slow and messy. The inquisition seemed distant to me now and I wondered if that was truly all they thought of me? The "token" elf...

No. No! I tried to convince myself. Trevelyan and Leliana trusted me as very few people did. Dorian and Varric cared about me, I was part of their team...They were my friends.
However, I watched as The Inquisitor took a glass of wine from an elven servant, without even deigning to look at her. I thought about how all the servants here were elven and how no one here seemed to question it. I'd finished my second glass of wine before I realised it. It burned down my throat but I swallowed it nonetheless.

The room adjacent to the main hall was smaller and less busy. It's high windows were flung open to the cool night air and there were not as many people here. Less candles too, the cool twilight lit up the space keeping the people furthest away from me as shadows. I felt their heads turn, however, when I entered, but they turned back just as quickly. I held my head higher as I came out onto the balcony, holding in my heart who I was and remembering that I could melt them all with a flick of my wrist. Out over the city beyond, a dark storm cloud rested.

I settled myself on the cool stone of the balustrade and watched as the great black clouds circled around themselves, my own thoughts of anger and injustice deepening in the pit of my stomach. Something was familiar about the magic I felt simmer in my gut. Instinctual. Raw. Is this the power Mythal had warned me about?

"Might I be right in assuming that your evening is not going as planned?" At the sound if his voice, all anger and frustration flooded out of me and I was left with a foolish smile on my face. I turned around and my smile spread. He leaned casually against the door frame, his face impassable.

"I'm sorry about this morning," I whispered, stepping towards him and taking his hand. He flinched at the gesture but relaxed so that his fingers entwined with mine.

"It is new to both of us. Reservations are understandable," he said quietly, both of us so close that we barely had to whisper.

I looked up at him and squeezed his hand, "No more reservations," I said, "These are end times, Solas. I'm not wasting another second dancing around this." I reached up and kissed him lightly on the corner if his mouth, not missing the quiet gasp that came from the room behind us. He smiled down at me and nodded, bringing up my hand to kiss it. We stood out on the balcony for a moment longer, gazing out onto the city, the night time sky now clear and cool. The haze of the city like a fogged window.

"We can't stand out here forever," I sighed.

"No, we cannot," he smiled.

"I feel utterly useless," I said, reluctantly pulling away from him to pace the balcony, "The one simple job I had was to get information from Briala. That was it and I couldn't even do that right." I huffed and tucked a strand of my loose hair away from my face.

"This isn't me," I said, tugging at my flowing purple skirts.

"I think it suits you more than you realise," he whispered, his eyes looking more alive than I'd ever seen them. He looked at me like an idea, like our future was playing out behind those steely eyes of his. And then he smiled gently and cleared the space between us. He kissed me fervently on the lips and I sighed into it.

"Vhenan," he whispered, moving so that he could kiss my neck. I almost dared to push against him but decorum and the reputation of the Inquisition stopped me.

"As much as I'd love nothing more," I sighed as he pulled away to look down at me, "I think we have more pressing matters to deal with."

He stepped back and nodded, "Certainly," he said, but I didn't miss the spark that lit up his eyes. "Perhaps then I could offer some information that might assist in the Inquisition's endeavours?"

I smirked and folded my arms, "A generous offer,"

He looked back out into the room behind us to the corner with a doorway.

"I overheard the servants talking of intruders in the Royal Quarters. Sera has also confirmed this." I arched a brow at the thought of Sera and Solas plotting together but I supposed stranger things had happened.

"Sounds like something that should be investigated."

"Precisely, I would advise caution, however. They have cleared the area, no one is to be allowed entry."

I wet my suddenly dry lips, "We'll have to be careful then, won't we?"

His smirk spread as he turned back inside. I followed closely behind him as he made his way towards the entrance.

"We might need a distraction," I whispered as I eyed the guard on the door.

Solas looked down at me with his brow arched, mischief and cunning swimming in his expression. Without missing a beat he picked up a stray tray of wine glasses, lifted them up proudly and let them fall triumphantly onto the tiled floor. They made such a resounding crash that it drew the attention of the entire court, nevermind the room. I barely had time to register the fact that my dress was irreparably stained.

"Not that kind of distraction I hissed,"

"My lady, please forgive my foolish error," Solas cried.

"What?"

"You must allow me to aid you in cleaning this up. Oh and look, I've ruined your dress," he continued. I realised his act and though it was nearly impossible to stifle my laughter, I tried to play along.

"Oh you utter fool!" I cried out, fanning myself and swooning against the wall. It wasn't long before out performance drew the attention of the guard at the door.

"Is everything quite alright," he hesitated as his eyes scanned over my ears, "... My lady,"

I ignored the sting to my pride but continued in the act, "Of course it's not alright! This fool has ruined my dress with his infernal clumsiness!"

The guard looked between us once more, suspicion rising in his eyes.

"Follow me to your quarters my lady, we shall fix this," Solas said, taking my hand and leading me to the entrance to the Royal quarters. I thought I heard the guard protesting but we were down the long corridor and and through the door at the end before he could stop us.

"Good plan," I panted, "though execution leaves a lot to be desired." I peaked down the corridor again the see the guard whispering to another. They would soon know our act was just that and surely then we'd be thrown out or worse. Was there something worse than being turfed out of the most prestigious ball of our generation? Probably not in the eyes of Josephine...

Solas was silently looking at the marble floor and for a moment I wondered why, until my eyes caught sight of the dried red stain.

"Blood..." I sighed, edging closer to it.

"It seems they were telling the truth about an incident here."

I nodded to him before following the trail through another door and into a large dining hall. The last of it was in a pool beside the long mahogany table. It was still wet but whatever body had left it had been removed.

"They know this is happening and yet they continue these celebrations regardless?" I said.

"They do not wish to cause alarm. They believe continuing the peace talks to be a show of strength. It is a bold tactic, if a little misguided."

"But this isn't Gaspard's doing, or Briala's. They're blind to the real threat. Come on, whoever's done this is still at large."

"Nevalla," again my name on his lips stopped me in my tracks. I turned slowly to face him. He took the three steps towards me to close the distance between us and planted a soft kiss on my jaw.

I sighed as he moved closer to me, placing his knee gently between my legs. He kissed my jaw then my cheek and then my lips. The feeling that pulsed through me was hypnotic and threatened to boil over but I pulled back.

"Is this really the time, or place?" I gasped.

He looked down at me with a charming smile on his face.

"Believe me when I say we are not the only two here stealing a moment together," he continued his administrations and pulled my legs up to wrap his waste.

"Yes but there are more pressing things we should be doing," I kissed the corner of his mouth.

"For once Nevalla, allow yourself to be selfish," and that was all he needed to say.

I gave into the feeling that was slowly building and sighed into his kiss, draping my arms about his shoulders as he set me gently on the long dining table. He kissed me harder and pushed against me and all at once I couldn't believe that this was really happening. Finally a moment with him where I could simply be with him. It seemed wholly unreal and yet each of his touches was seared into my flesh, remaining there forever so that the memory of them ignited the same feeling in my gut that I felt that night. A desire so strong that it thrummed through my blood like a drug.

"Solas..."

"I know," he said, dipping me back so that he could clamber on top of me. I gasped when his hand grazed the apex of my thighs. He kissed me deeply, his hand running up my bare thigh, pushing my dress up. He ground against me, his length hard beneath his trousers. I could barely take it. Electricity burned and hummed all over my skin, every muscle in my body ached and contracted to move in that most base of ways.

My hands flew to his belt and I undid the buckle as deftly as I could manage. He laughed breathlessly at my rushed attempt and helped me as I pulled it through the loop. We paused then. All thoughts of the end of the world sat outside the haze of this moment like a distant dream. It was just his eyes looking into mine. They were so blue, so calm. His lips and his small breathless smile and I could've cried at the love that sat in my throat.

His next kiss was long and deep as he fixed himself above me. I burned for the feel of him and arched my body into him, invited him in once and for all. His hand gripped my thigh and in one fluid motion he was in me. I through my head back in a silent cry at the sensation. Creators, it had definitely been a while. His face was barely an inch from mine as he waited for me to adjust to the feeling. His eyes were almost black with want and his throat quivered with his laboured breath. I kissed him and he groaned, a deep gravelled sound that was entirely unexpected as he moved in me again.

"Valla," he gasped, kissing me deeply and grinding into me. I cried out and tried to smother it with my hand but it was too much. Every nerve in my body was smouldering, threatening to burst into a wave of fireworks with every one of his thrusts. He entwined his fingers in my hair as the other hand flew for purchase on the edge of the table above my head. He pulled back barely to look at me then, his thrusts slowing tortuously. But his eyes were endlessly soft and his mouth fluttered for words that wouldn't come. He bent his neck and sighed into my ear words that I didn't dare wish to hear.

"Ar lath ma, vhenan..."

I held his chin, raising it so that I could meet his eyes. The words I wanted to return got stuck in my throat and all I could do was nod as the feeling between my thighs began to thrum that bit deeper. He took his queue and continued at a quicker pace, but slow enough to watch as with each movement he pushed me closer and closer and, well.

"Solas!" I groaned, throwing my head back as those fireworks shot out through my body. Colours burst behind my eyes and every muscle shuddered. Wherever the edge was, I was well and truly thrown over it.

His hand held my chin and brought my gaze back to his, my body still alight. His eyes darkened and his breathing deepened and then his hands were in my hair and his lips crashed against mine. The thundering of my climax was subsiding and I could feel solas drive into me quicker now. His breathing was becoming ever more laboured, condensing on my face, sweat trickled down his taught neck and he shivered.

"Nevalla..." he whispered and in one final thrust he let out a long moan, raw and unrestrained. He relaxed on top of me, our breathing out of sync, sweat trickling over each of us. My groin ached with the force of it all but I could still feel the distant throbs of my orgasm. I shut my eyes and let the aftermath linger, the calm licks of the shore after a tempest. I didn't want the moment to end but even at that reality was creeping back into our stolen time.

"We need to get back," I whispered.

He shuddered as he withdrew and flopped down on the table beside me. His eyes were closed and he nodded stiffly.

I sat up and tried to ignore the deep throb in my back. That table was going to leave one hell of a bruise.

"Perhaps we could find a bed next time," I said, hopping onto my feet. He merely opened one eye and half smiled.

"I believe the sleeping quarters are on the floor above us," he croaked.

I turned around indignantly, "And you couldn't have mentioned that earlier?"

He chuckled as he stood to his feet and fixed his belt.

"The table seemed apt enough."

I laughed, still dizzy and still giddy and in love. I kissed him deeply once more and was about to suggest exploring the possibilities of the sleeping quarters but we were interrupted by the ghastly clanging of a bell.

"Now we definitely need to go," I said, pulling back from him and making haste back to the main hall. He followed suit and no matter how nonchalantly we tried to emerge together, suspicion leapt off of us. I checked myself in the copper vase once more and frantically tried to smooth my hair that now sat like a birds nest. He chuckled softly to my right and leaned in to whisper.

"Find me later," he said and a shiver ran up my spine, and it was not at the promise that lay heavy in his words. He smiled as he walked away and I tried to return it.

I had heard him say that before. Those exact words. Long ago, in a different time, in a different language but they were his words and... I shook my head and smoothed out one final curl. It was the same atmosphere as that dream, the same excitement the same feelings and desires. I was just mixing up similarities, the realities were twisting around in my head and I had had quite a lot of wine.

No. I straightened out my dress. It was impossible. I took a deep breath. There was no way that Solas had been there. It was an old memory, distant and dreamlike. It was only natural that my mind would shape it into something familiar.

I straightened my posture and made my way towards the Inquisitor. She was talking with someone new and insane thoughts rationalised and desires (somewhat) sated, I thought it was high time that I make myself useful at this insufferable party.