Chapter 3: Possibilities

Cold water numbed their fingers as they dipped their bloodied clothing into the fountain with the statues of the two elven dancers.

"It seems a shame to dirty the fountain with blood," Solas commented, scrubbing fruitlessly at his shirt with a small piece of soap.

"Give it enough time and the water will run clean and clear once more," she said, scrubbing at her hands with her own bit of soap, trying to get her fingernails clean. "Dorian swears by this kind of soap from Orlais and while I agree it's quite good at removing grime and blood in small amounts, it may not be good enough for this. My, it sure does carry a strong perfumed scent with it. Not that I mind embrium fragrance, it's just that a little goes a long way."

"Yes, it most certainly does," he agreed, as the air around him grew thick with the intoxicating aroma of her scent. With a sigh he wrung out his shirt and shook his head. "I fear there is no saving it. Not even with the best soap Orlais has to offer."

"You're welcome to borrow mine, but I'm afraid it isn't much better," she offered, undoing the buttons and shrugging it off and attempting to scrub away the spots all over it.

"I fear yours is ruined as well," he lamented.

With a huff she silently agreed, tossing it to the ground and giving it up as a lost cause.

Using a spare bit of bandage Solas soaked the linen in the water and began to scrub at his arm. Even with the soap it was slow going. All the while he couldn't help but sense the rigidity with which Lavellan held herself. "Vhenan? Are you well?"

Her eyes remained fixed down at her under shirt. "Yes, it's only-look." She twisted to show him a rose-sized blossom of blood.

He was about to apologize for ruining her clothing when she pulled it up a little higher and he saw several shards of glass embedded in her side. "It doesn't hurt. Or it didn't but it's starting to now."

All at once his relaxed manner turned to one of intense seriousness. "You've been in shock. Lie down and let me take a look."

She grimaced and bit her lip, but obeyed and pulled her shirt up to expose the area. "It must have happened when I fell."

"Try to lie still. The glass may go deeper than it appears. I will do my best to minimize the pain."

She nodded, squeezing her eyes shut as he carefully removed a few of the smaller pieces first. Despite her efforts, she flinched.

"Vhenan, I need you to lie still."

"I can't help it. Healers make the worst patients." She groaned in an effort to hold back a scream as he pulled a slightly larger, jagged piece from her abdomen.

"Would it help if I distracted you?" At first he wasn't sure if she had heard him, but then she nodded, biting her lip and grimacing from the pain. "Why didn't you want to marry the man your father chose for you?"

Her eyes flashed open and she fixed him with a look, though he was careful to keep his own expression blank and busied himself with tending to the wound. "That's how you're trying to distract me? Good, now my operation is turning into an interrogation."

"Was it purely an act of defiance or did the man possess qualities that made him unsuitable?"

"Really diving into it, aren't we? Fine. No, it wasn't purely an act of defiance against my father. The man he chose had many good and amiable qualities. Certainly ones my father thought were important, anyway. He was a revered hunter and a strong warrior. He was charismatic and tall and handsome and most other girls would have fought tooth and claw to marry him. But he wasn't what I wanted."

"What was it that you wanted?"

She chewed on her lip for a moment. "I'm not sure I knew. Only that he didn't suit me at all. He was conceited and loved the hunt more than he ever would have loved me, I suppose. I guess I didn't want to be the latest conquest he would boast about to his friends. I wanted someone who listened and saw me as a person and not a trophy."

"And does it bother you that he married your sister instead?"

"No. I think she wanted something different from her life than I did. In her eyes, she won the best man. She even beat me out to do it, which from a sisterly-rivalry perspective, was an additional boon. Ow!" She swore as he pulled out the largest shard of glass which gushed more blood like an uncorked bottle. She shivered as his fingers hovered just above her skin, working his spell to heal her wounds.

"The spell has been cast. You should not feel any more pain."

She made to sit up, but he dipped a clean bandage into the water and put a firm hand on her side as he dribbled water over the spot to clear away the blood. She sucked in air through her teeth as the icy water touched her skin. His hand hovered over her once again and a terrible convulsion rippled through her as if she had been zapped with a lightning spell.

"Are you in pain?" he asked, alarm in his voice.

"No, it's not that," she said, color rising in her cheeks. "I'm-I'm…" she took a breath and admitted, "I'm rather ticklish."

A chuckle escaped his lips and she blushed even deeper.

"If you tell Sera or anyone else we know I will have you exiled to a remote island in the middle of nowhere."

This earned her another chuckle as he pressed the wet badge to her skin, gently cleaning the area. "I shall consider myself warned."

She shivered again as he rinsed the area again. Trying to ground herself by focusing on other things that weren't his hand gently roaming over her skin, she made a list of all the things she could see. "There's a nest in that torch sconce over there," she said, pointing to a pillar not far from them. She was quiet for a moment, thinking to herself. "Maybe we could use the Inquisition's resources to build the orphanage here. We could rebuild it into our own nest. It wouldn't take much work compared to what we did with Skyhold. We could have the builders and mages rebuild the structures and the road. It's perfectly positioned for trading, so supplies shouldn't be an issue. That plum tree alone has enough fruit to feed a small army," she said, pointing to an overgrown tree in the western corner.

"There's only the small matter of the darkspawn coming up through the cracks," Solas remarked. "Well yes, obviously we would deal with the darkspawn and clear it up to prevent anything dangerous from happening. But wouldn't it be nice to have this courtyard filled with laughing children running around and playing again? It seems a shame to leave it as a ruin."

Solas's hand grew still for a brief moment as he listened to her. When he had imagined the place occupied, he had imagined the past and the people who once were. She, his vhenan, however, thought of the future and the potential for what the ruins could be instead of what they could have been. Such a subtle difference and yet, her vision and words carried with them a sense of hope for what might be rather than despair for what had been lost.

He dipped the bandage into the water once more and smoothed it down the plane of her belly where the blood had dripped down. "And what of the past? Is there not a case for preserving history? Don't the Dalish pride themselves on recovering their history and artifacts?"

She shivered as his hand hovered over her again. "I think the two are not mutually exclusive. We could recover many artifacts and restore buildings in the traditional styles. While we rebuild we can preserve all that we find and educate the new inhabitants about its history. That way, the memory lives on and the ruins cease to be ruins. Plus, I quite like the idea of restoring a piece of history and breathing new life into it. Leaving this place as a ruin occupied by bandits and darkspawn seems like a way to continue perpetuating the myth that the elvish ways are dying or dead. We could show everyone that there is still life in this place."

"But it would not be the same as it was."

"No," she agreed. "But few places are. Everything changes over time. Look at the nest. It may not have been built by the birds that live in it now for all we know. Yet it is still a good home. And these ruins could be a good place for orphans and refugees who might call it home one day."

Solas felt a lump form in his throat, though he could not name the reason. At first he thought it was because the idea of seeing an elven ruin used by others would corrupt the solemn beauty of it. But that was not quite right. It was her hope. Her desire to change this place not to erase its history, but to continue it, that made him feel this way. How was it that when he looked at these ruins it filled him with melancholy for a moment in time that was lost in the past, yet she saw a vision of renewed purpose and possibilities?

"Solas?"

Calling his name pulled him from his thoughts. "Yes, vhenan?"

"Can I look now?"

"Yes."

She sat up, peering at her side as if still half expecting to see glass sticking out of it. Breathing a sigh of relief, she went to roll down her shirt, but it stuck together where the blood had dried while crumpled up in her fists. "Of course," she said bitterly. "At least I have a couple of clean shirts back in my bag." Unlike the others at her feet, however, she kept this one on, deciding that it was better to arrive back at camp in a bloody shirt than no shirt at all, where Sera would delight in tormenting her.

Solas had resumed cleaning his own skin, though he was clearly having difficulty reaching his back.

"Here, let me," she offered, extending her hand to take the damp bandage and soap from him.

He paused, then handed her the bandage and the soap. Pivoting to give her access, he stiffened as she set to work. Though her ministrations were gentle, he could not help but be aware of the intimacy of the gesture.

"Let me know if I'm hurting you," she said gently as she set the rough cloth against his skin.

"You cannot hurt me, vhenan."

"If that were true you wouldn't have been wounded at all. I was the fool who pushed the bookcase out of the way and let the darkspawn escape. It's my fault you were hurt."

"You thought there was someone in need of aid. I do not think you were foolish to try and help."

She was quiet for a moment as the sounds in the night and the gentle drip of water was all that could be heard. "Solas?"

He turned his head then, letting her know she had his attention.

"What do you think of me then?" It was barely a whisper.

"What do you mean?"

She rinsed the bandage, choosing her words carefully. "I want to know how you feel. Earlier, back inside, you asked me if I was happy. But one thing I didn't tell you was that you make me happy, Solas. When I'm with you the weight of the world doesn't seem so heavy. Simply being around you is a comfort. You are always so steadfast and resolute, I feel as if everything will work out by simply having you at my side. You make me brave when I am afraid. You give me strength when I lose faith. You give me hope when I despair. You challenge me to see things in a way I had not considered. You make me the best version of myself." Her voice dropped then, as if choked by some unseen force. "And I care for you. Deeply. In a way I have never cared for any man before. And I would give you all that I had to offer, Solas, in a heartbeat, except…" She swallowed, forcing her voice not to tremble. She would not be weak in front of him. These words were hers and she was not afraid to share them. "Except there are times when you look at me with such sorrow in your eyes. It only lasts for a moment, but it is there, and I do not know why. I do not know if it is regret or pity or the loss of something or someone from your past, but you keep me at arm's length. So… I want to know. What do you think of me? Do I make you happy or am I hurting you?"

And just like that, she had disarmed him completely. For all his airs and careful composure, she unraveled him with ease. His heart plummeted in his chest and the feelings he suppressed rose to the surface, catching in his throat and burning like molten iron. How could he tell her? How could he tell her he wanted her more than anything in his life, but that duty and honor made a future with her in this world impossible? How could he convey the suffering and agony that was the love he bore for her? To want her so deeply he felt it in his bones, even knowing how cruel it was to do this to her, to love her without giving her honesty or truth. How could he call it love when he kept her at arm's distance, afraid to let her in, afraid to love someone in a world that should not be? "Vhenan…" he breathed.

"No," she whispered, setting aside the bandage now that the last of the blood had been washed away. "No, please. Do not call me that if it is not true. If I am not your heart's love, please do not call me that. I cannot bear it." Her voice betrayed her, breaking and trembling as she fought for strength. The hot burning of tears forced her to shut her eyes, refusing to let herself be weak in front of this man.

And then his hands were pulling her to her feet and cupping her face, but she dared not open her eyes. She could not bear to look at him and see the pain she caused him.

"Vhenan. Look at me, ma vhenan."

She obeyed, so much did her heart crave his words, his touch, his gaze. Tears slipped down, but he brushed them away with the pad of his thumb. And when her eyes met his she was not the only one betrayed by treacherous tears.

"I promise you, vhenan, I would not say it if it was not true." His voice strained and he cursed all that was inside his heart that kept him honor-bound, clenching his eyes shut, unable to bear seeing the hurt he caused her.

"Then why do you keep yourself so guarded from me? You must know by now that you can trust me, Solas. I will not betray your trust. I will not hurt you."

Would but that he could say the same. The tenderness in her expression and her voice crushed his heart for he knew that she spoke the truth and he was the deceiver. He could not trust her, could not trust anyone but himself with his burden. Yet she trusted him fully when she should not. He was Fen'Harel, the liar, the betrayer. And he would hurt her, if not today, then someday in the future.

She reached up and cupped his cheek, gently wiping away a tear that had slid down his cheek, unknown to him.

He felt the wet trail left behind, wondering when it last was when he had let the mask slip and the emotion pour forth. Always, he kept himself composed. How was it that this elven woman found the cracks in his armor to pierce his heart?

"Vhenan," he whispered, trying desperately to hold onto his resolve as it slowly slipped away. "Vhenan, you are the hope that burns bright in the darkness of my soul. And that hope terrifies me. Because I have known what it is to lose everything and everyone to war and powers beyond my control. I know all too well how dangerous it is to hope…" he choked on his words, shaking his head. "And how dangerous it is to love." He said it: the word he had forbidden in his mind and sworn that he would not say aloud. The word that carried with it a promise and a curse.

She gazed up at him with such kindhearted grace, for she understood what he meant. "I know what it is to lose what you love, Solas. I know hope can bring with it great pain for fear that we will be hurt again. But that is why we must cherish hope and love, while we can hold them in our hearts. The future is promised to no one, especially against what we face now. That is why I must tell you how deeply I care for you and offer you my love while it is still mine to give. That is why I must hold onto hope that the tides may change and the future I saw at Redcliffe will not come to pass. I love you, Solas. I love you and I will not let fear steal away what I feel for you." Then she raised herself up on her toes and kissed his lips. And when she pulled away, she whispered, "Ma vhenan."

A shudder rippled through his core as if her words were a spell designed to shatter the last of his defenses.

Her lips touched his cheek. "Ma vhenan." And then she kissed the other and whispered it again. "Ma vhenan." And she kissed his lips again, touching his cheek with her hand where it rested, warm and soothing against his skin.

He covered her hand with his own and the other ran through her hair. "Vhenan," he breathed, blood pounding in his ears as the scent of woodsmoke, embrium, and a hint of jasmine from the flower crown ensnared him once again. He breathed in the deliciously sweet perfume of her scent and felt himself slipping. His grasp on her tightened. "Vhenan," he whispered, barely able to retain his senses. "One more word from you and I will be undone." His every muscle tensed in restraint, eyes shut, seeking some semblance of composure.

Her touch was gentle, stroking his cheek with her thumb, holding him in so delicate a touch and yet rooting him in place. "Ma vhenan, please. I want you."

And as simple as that, his resolve crumbled away and he gave in to desire. Just like before, he caved to his need and kissed her, desperately.

His kiss only caught her off guard for a moment before she returned his passion with great enthusiasm, pressing herself closer into him as he kissed her.

In the cool air of the night he luxuriated in the warmth of her body. His hands lost themselves in her hair as her own snaked around his neck, pulling him closer. She moaned as he deepened the kiss and the sound destroyed the last drop of his reason and he banished any thought of turning back. He wanted this. He wanted her.

And she wanted him. She ground her hips against his arousal and this time it was his turn to let out a deep groan.

He brought his lips crashing back down to hers and his hands abandoned their posts to grip her hips, sliding his palms over the curves of her backside to hold her there against him.

Not that she minded one bit. The feeling of her fingers against his skin was tantalizing as she traced his muscles, touching as much of him as she could.

Even in the loose cotton undershirt the heat of her skin drew him in. Tilting her head to deepen the kiss he then slipped his fingers up under the cloth, letting his palms roam up her back with aching slowness. His touch sent tingling electricity up her body and she shivered in delight as his fingers grazed her sides as they slid back down. Tucking her hair back behind her ear he bent over her, kissing her jawline down to her neck where he lingered, tasting her and nibbling at the delicate skin there as she gave a delightful sigh of pleasure.

Her hands slid down his chest, over his stomach, and down to his waist where her fingers danced over his muscles, stirring the boiling desire within him with her touch. A sound that was half groan and half low growl escaped him as she returned the favor to his own neck, sucking and kissing and teasing him with the invisible patterns she traced along his waist.

A cool breeze cut between them like a rude stranger cutting in on a dance and he hooked his hands around her hips and pulled her flush against him, her arms sliding around and down, over his backside. He opened his eyes in surprise when she squeezed and for a moment she looked at him apologetically before he flashed her a foxy grin and returned the squeeze as his lips descended upon her once again.

His hands slid up her waist again, this time grasping the cloth of her shirt. "Vhenan, may I?"

"Yes," she nodded in enthusiasm, though she shuddered as he raised it, tickling her skin along her sides. She lifted her arms over her head and he eased it up and over, careful not to knock off the crown of flowers: he had already decided he wanted her to leave that on when the rest was gone. The chill of the night did not rest long on her skin before he pulled her flush against him once more, holding her, solid against him. And then his hands were roaming over her back again, this time slipping along the knots to her small clothes. First the one at her neck and then the one at her back and the last of her upper coverings fell away, leaving her chest bare to the elements. Resisting the urge to cover her more sensitive parts that were now exposed to the chilly night air, she tucked her hair behind her ears instead as Solas stepped back to look at her in the moonlight, drinking his fill. And when his eyes had washed over her naked torso they met her own and she had not been prepared for what she saw there: a hungry fire, burning and ready to devour.

Before she knew what was happening he had scooped her up in his arms, one hand supporting her bum and the other pressed firmly against her back as he captured one of her nipples between his lips. She sucked in a sharp intake of breath, caught off guard by the suddenness of it all. And then his lips and his teeth and tongue were drawing forth sensations that drew forth a moan of pleasure from deep in her chest. She had known he was strong and athletic, but something in the ease with which he held her stunned her. Clinging to him with her legs as tightly as possible, she gripped his back the best she could, holding on as the sensations radiated deep into her core under his ministrations. He had started to walk, though where he was taking her she did not know, or much care, so long as he didn't stop what he was doing. He switched to the other side and her moan turned into a pleading whimper of desire as her body begged for more.

Solas lowered her down, resting her back against a soft patch of sorrel and thick grass. Free to use his hands once more, he cupped and massaged her breasts as his mouth continued to delight them in other ways.

"Solas, please," she begged, though what specifically for, she did not know. She only knew she wanted more of him.

"What do you want, vhenan? Tell me and I will happily oblige," he whispered into her ear, his breath hot against her neck. His fingers had picked up where his mouth had left off though and his wicked touches made her breath hitch and her back arch before another moan escaped her. He felt the vibrations from her moan as he sucked and kissed down her neck. His hand slid down over her stomach until his fingertips brushed the edge of her leather breeches. "What do you want, vhenan?" he asked again, his voice low and seductive. "We can stop at any point if you wish."

"No!" she gasped, as his words pulled her mind from the forefront of physical pleasure. "No," she repeated, this time softer and steadier as she ran her hand over his jaw. "Don't stop. I want more. I want all of you," she said breathlessly, wrapping her legs around him and pulling him down to her for a deep, desperate kiss.

A low, deep groan came from his chest. His lips devoured hers, bruising with the ferocity of the kiss as he gave back all the passion she gave to him. Her body responded as well, writhing under him, seeking to touch skin to skin, to be joined truly in passion.

His hand slid up her body, up her arm, interlocking their fingers together above her head.

Her grip on his body loosened and she slipped her hand between them, smoothing down the plane of his stomach before she paused, breaking the kiss to ask, "May I-?"

"Yes, vhenan. I am yours." Then his lips captured hers again and the thrill of sensation threatened to overwhelm him as her hand slid over his arousal. He shuddered as it awakened a primal need within him. Then the groan that rippled through him became more of the low growl of the beast deep in his throat. His body ached for her. After a moment of indulgence he broke away from her lips and set his hands to unclasping her breeches.

She helped wriggle out of them and then he descended back down to kiss her again. Her hand found him again, rubbing along his length. Tossing his head back in ecstasy, she took advantage of the opening and kissed along his neck before nibbling at his earlobe. "Vhenan," he moaned, lost in the sensation.

When he returned to her lips his fingers snaked down between them teasing her through the little that remained of her clothing.

"Solas," she said before a moan of pleasure overtook her. Her hips responded to his touch, tilting and angling with him as he touched all the best spots. He did not relent and little by little the pleasure grew and intensified and her breathing came faster and faster. "Solas, I-" but she didn't get the rest of the words out before a final moan of ecstasy ripped through her body, and she arched her back before the shuddering eased.

And as the final moments had built up inside her Solas had broken their kiss, that look of deep, intense desire burning in his eyes as he watched her reach her peak and throw her head back, gripping the grass tightly in her fists as the wave crashed and broke. He kept his hand between her legs, feeling the throbbing fade slowly as she fought to regain her breath. He brushed a stray lock of hair from her face, studying her and silently relishing in the moment of her pleasure. She smiled up at him, still dazed in her passion-drunk state. "Have I exhausted you, ma vhenan?" he asked in a low voice, taking her palm and kissing it.

In the next moment she had hooked her leg around his and pushed his shoulder in one fluid motion, rolling on top of him so that her legs straddled his hips. "Not even close," she said, a wicked look in her eye. Taking hold of his hands she pressed them to her thighs and brought them up slowly, around her hips and up her stomach to rest on her breasts. She matched his gaze, watching him as she moved her hips over the bulge in his breeches. Rolling them with deliberate slowness as she watched the wanting in his eyes burn brighter.

He closed his eyes, breathing the cold night air into his lungs as he tried not to think of the wet heat of her separated only by a few pesky layers. But the touch of her soft curves and the memory of her from moments ago still pulsing against him was too delicious a temptation to resist. So he gave in, relishing in her touch and her kiss as she continued to grind against him and kiss his neck. He sighed in bliss as her hair tickled him.

"I want you, Solas. I want all of you," she whispered against his ear. "But if you don't want this, I will stop."

He opened his eyes and met her gaze, trailing his fingers down from her chin to her neck and then just over her heart. "No, ma vhenan. I want you as well. If you'll have me, that is." She took his hand in hers, bringing it to her lips and her cheek once again, a small smile filled with excitement and relief as well. Then she released him and began to untie the lacing of his breeches.

"Allow me to assist," he said, easing her to the side with a gentle hand as he stood. He watched her as he undid the laces, heart hammering from the anticipation and the private thrill of it. He stepped out of his breeches and small clothes, gazing down at her for just a moment longer before the magnetic pull of chemistry drew him back to her.

While she was not inexperienced with a man, something about the intensity of his gaze and the pounding of her heart made her nervous and excited all at the same time. In the pale light of the night sky he glowed like marble; as if a statue had come to life.

He knelt before her and bowed his head, trailing kisses over her stomach to her hip where he took ahold of one of the laces on her undergarments with his teeth and pulled it loose. Then he did the same to the other side and pulled the last bit of cloth away. Laid bare before him, he pulled back, questioning for a brief moment how such an exquisite woman had come across his path. Surely he did not deserve to be with this woman made of moonlight and stardust. And yet here she was, wanting him and offering him her love.

An old line of poetry came to mind and he whispered the ancient elven words as he lowered himself over her and kissed her sweet lips. If this is dreaming, I pray I do not wake, that I may stay in bliss for a time.

"Please, ma vhenan," she whispered, her body pressing into his, begging to be joined. With great care and measured control he positioned himself between her legs and slowly entered her. The fit was tight and she grimaced in pain for a brief moment before her body adjusted and relaxed enough for him to slip the rest of the way inside.

He stayed still for a moment, making sure she was comfortable before he started to move. Her hips matched him and her nipples grazed his chest as they moved together. His hands meshed with hers above her head, the anchor glowing dimly green in the light from between their interlocked fingers. Burying himself in the sweet scent of her hair and the flower crown, he lost himself in the perfume and the sensation as she moaned beneath him, sweat glistening on their bodies despite the cold air.

As much as he desired her, Solas was a patient being and he eased and ebbed into the rhythm, listening to the hitch in her breath and the soft moans from her throat until she was begging him not to stop. This time he felt her body tighten around him and go rigid as she cried his name softly before the largest wave hit her. Her muscles clenched around him and a few strokes more was all it took before he was moaning her name in ecstasy as well.

When it was over he made to pull away, but she wrapped her legs around him and bade him to stay. Exhausted, he relented, settling back down to her skin, bodies still, resting his forehead to hers as they both fought for breath.

"Vhenan," she whispered, tilting to kiss his cheek.

"Vhenan," he said in turn, kissing both her cheeks and then her lips.

Later, they were walking back to camp, still caught up in the bliss of their moment together, exchanging private smiles. Somehow his shoulders felt lighter with her hand tucked into the crook of his arm. A faint blush colored her cheeks and a smile that refused to fade lingered on her lips when she looked up at him.

Intrigued by this behavior, he asked, "What are you thinking, vhenan?"

"Many things. Several I believe you would deem inappropriate topics of conversation in front of polite company."

"We are alone at the moment," he offered. "I doubt you risk being overheard."

"Well," she said, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. "I couldn't help but think that you should go around without a shirt more often." Her eyes washed over his chest, which was bare save for his leather vestments (which had cleaned off well enough) and talisman at the moment.

"Hm. I was thinking something similar, only with our situations reversed and in a more private setting."

She chuckled softly, biting her lip. "We don't have to go back to camp just yet. I'm sure there's a lovely patch of grass around here somewhere."

He grinned and shook his head. "It is probably best to return to camp. We have already been gone for some time. It would be unwise to keep our companions waiting."

"Sera and Cassandra have likely been asleep for hours. Or at least that's what I'm hoping."

He raised an eyebrow and she gave him a meaningful look. "I can already imagine what Sera might say if she saw the two of us like this. We'd never hear the end of it," she mused.

Clearing his throat, Solas asked, "I don't suppose you'd consider grabbing my spare shirt from my bag for me, would you? It might save us both pointed questions."

"Of course."

When they reached the camp both Cassandra and Sera were asleep in their bedrolls. The fire was nothing more than smoking embers by that point. Tiptoeing as quietly as possible so as not to wake either of them, she opened her own bag to find a clean shirt and then started to unpack Solas's when she heard Sera's irritated grumble.

"What you doin' now? Iss the middle of the night."

"Needed a clean shirt. Ran into darkspawn at the ruins and mine's filthy."

"But that's not your bag. That one's your bag," she said, pointing to the other bedroll.

"Solas needs a fresh shirt too. I'm just grabbing one to preserve his modesty."

Sera snorted and rolled back over, closing her eyes.