"Ow!" She rubbed her head where she hit it against one of the bedposts, a laugh on her lips.
"Solas, I have to go."
The world outside was black, save for the white snow that lit up the ground, even without the light of the moon. The blizzard had died down, and since Talyn decided to spend the day in bed with Solas, she had wasted precious time. She should have called a council meeting the moment she arrived. That was what the Talyn from a month ago would have done.
But this Talyn, with her memories fully restored, needed to be alone with him. Despite the fact that they had been together since Halamshiral, this time it was different. They were different. She knew who she was now, and the truth was more darker and terrifying than the Talyn from a month ago could have ever guessed.
When she was in his arms, she was home. He chased away the darkness that clouded her soul and kept her from going over the edge of insanity. And she knew that she meant the same thing to him. And she had left him for a thousand years to wander this world alone. She couldn't imagine what she would have done if their places had been reversed.
She probably wouldn't have bothered with the Ancient Ways. She would have shoved a dagger through her heart.
The bed was ruined. The headboard was on the ground in pieces, and only three of the four bedposts still remained, their surfaces marred by claw marks. Feathers were floating gently in the air from the torn up mattress they were still on, and the blankets were little more than shredded pieces of cloth now.
Both of them had bruises and scratches all over their skin from their lovemaking. If it could even be called that. They looked like they had been in a fight.
She was sitting on the edge of the bed, and he was still lounging in the mess of feathers. He was holding onto her hand. His grin was wolfish.
"You're not allowed to leave this bed. I'm not done."
She laughed again. "We've been at it like animals all day, vhenan. Are you ever going to be done?"
"Never."
She leaned over and kissed him.
"I would love nothing more than to spend days in this room with you. Unfortunately, Corypheus isn't dead yet so that's going to have to wait."
He sighed dramatically and let go of her. "Fine, go be responsible and have your meeting. I'll be waiting."
She planted another kiss on his lips and stood to her feet. She started to put her clothes back on.
"When I'm done, we need to talk."
He grinned and swept a hand over the messy room.
"I thought we already talked."
She threw a pillow at him. He caught it and added it to the pile under his head.
"We were in the middle of talking when you distracted me with sex."
He laughed. "It's not my fault you're so easily distracted."
"Actually, it is, because you knew exactly what you were doing."
She had her hand on the doorknob. She turned her head to look at her Dread Wolf one more time.
"Ar lath ma, ma alas'en."
"Ar lath ma. Hurrah ahnna tu ma."
Hurry back to me.
She left before she decided to never leave this room again.
It was so strange, standing around the war table with the others. She had so many secrets locked inside of her, knowledge that she had to pretend she didn't have. And Cullen wouldn't stop looking at her as if she kicked his puppy. She couldn't believe she hadn't noticed his stares until now, or realized what he had meant in Halamshiral. He hadn't just called her beautiful that night, he had been confessing his feelings in his own way.
In another world, in another lifetime, Talyn might have chosen Cullen. He was kind, and honorable, and not terrible to look at. But she belonged to Solas, and he belonged to her. She could never give Cullen what he wanted. And he couldn't give her what she needed. So he was just going to have to learn to let go of her eventually.
"My spies have confirmed that the bulk of Corypheus' army is somewhere in the Arbor Wilds." Leiliana started.
"Do we know what he's doing there?"
"All we know is that he is looking for ancient elvhen ruins. His purpose for such a place is still unclear. But it can't be good."
"The Arbor Wilds is where the Fifth Blight started. Could it have something to do with that?" Cullen asked.
"Considering the fact he's one of the first darkspawn, it probably does." Josephine confirmed.
"Just because the Fifth Blight started there doesn't have to mean it's why he's in the Wilds." Cassandra argued.
"I know what it is your Corypheus wants." A fifth, unwelcome voice interrupted.
Talyn turned to see Morrigan saunter into the room with arrogance in her every step. She looked like some wild creature plucked straight from the forest, her liquid gold eyes were bright against the dark, skimpy clothing she wore. Feathers decorated her shoulder, while a staff made of gnarled wood was strapped to her back.
Talyn scowled. "I didn't say you could come in here."
She hadn't spoken much to Morrigan much. There had been no need to. She only accepted her help because the Empress had offered her to be the Orlesian liaison, but she already had someone who was a master in the arcane arts. She had Solas.
Talyn didn't know why she didn't like being around Morrigan. It wasn't like the human woman had actually done anything to warrant it. There was just something off about her.
Morrigan raised an eyebrow at her tone.
"Perhaps you will forgive me once you hear what I have to say. I know what it is he wants in those ruins, because once upon a time, I was after the same thing."
"What does he want, then?"
Morrigan turned her back to her and started to exit the room.
" 'Tis better if I show you."
So Talyn left the council meeting and traveled down the halls of Skyhold with Morrigan.
She was hit with a painful memory when they walked into a room that once belonged to Zak, a member of Solas' Pack. She could still see the ghosts of warm light and a hundred potted plants lining the walls.
But now it was grey and dusty, empty of the light it once held. The only object in the room was silver mirror that stood as tall and wide as a door, it's surface grimy with age.
Talyn blinked. How the hell did Morrigan drag an eluvian into this place without her knowledge?
"What is it?" She asked Morrigan.
"How much do you know of your own people?" She asked her in return.
"Not much." Talyn lied smoothly.
She understood how frustrated Solas must have felt this whole time, pretending that the knowledge he had didn't exist. Having to listen to people who barely understood the past clumsily explain it to him.
"This is an eluvian, an ancient elvhen artifact that dates all the way to the days of Elvhenan."
"A relic of my people..." She didn't have to fake the wonder that laced her voice. She didn't think that she would see one of these again.
"What does it do?"
With a flourish of Morrigan's hands, magic lit up the room and the surface of the eluvian rippled like a pebble dropping into a pond.
She watched Morrigan walk right up to the mirror, and then walk through it. She followed her, and braced herself for the familiar tingling sensation that came with crossing into the Road.
The world around her was blanketed in a thick fog. The sky above them was equally as gray. And all around them, eluvians filled the void. They were planted into the ground, like delicate trees. Some were black, others were broken. But they were still standing.
"Is this the Fade?" Talyn asked, although she already knew the answer.
"No, but it is dangerously close. The ancient elves left no roads, no signs of travel between temples hiding in the corners of the world. This is why."
"So... these mirrors are like portals? What is this place?"
"I call it the Crossroads. It's like a world in between worlds."
Talyn stopped herself from smiling. She was close.
"So if Corypheus had access to this place..."
"He could enter the Fade in his physical form." Morrigan finished for her.
She wondered which temple was hidden deep in these Arbor Wilds, which one of her enemies followers they would encounter this time. Alexius had already ruined Elgar'nan's Foci with his stupid meddling. Corypheus defiled Solas' with his touch alone.
So which Evanuris was going to play a part in destroying the world this time?
She was disgusted that even though they were imprisoned in another dimension, their touch still lingered on the earth. Even a thousand years later, Talyn would never shake the filth they had left on her skin.
"Well, I guess we're going to the Arbor Wilds." Talyn said.
"Lovely." Morrigan said with a hint of sarcasm. "I'm finally going home."
"I don't need you to come."
The last thing Talyn wanted was to travel with Morrigan. She turned to go back to Skyhold.
Morrigan through back her head and laughed.
"I grew up in the Wilds, Inquisitor. 'Tis a dangerous place, even for one so skilled in the arts of death. If you want your army to survive, you need me."
Talyn paused.
Fenhedis, the strange mage might be right. She knew the Arbor Wilds was where the Fifth Blight started, and that it was a terrifying place filled with witches and cannibals. Or so the stories she heard said. She didn't know what she was walking into.
"I'll think about it."
She left Morrigan alone in the Road.