"So tell me," Andra began, leaning over the parapet as she and Solas stood atop the walls that surrounded Skyhold, "what's the most interesting place you've ever been?" She was making small talk, just trying to pass the time while she waited for word on any news from the Inquisition. The suspense was killing her slowly, she desperately needed a distraction.

Solas took a moment to think on his answer, "Every place I've been has been equally interesting. I could tell you stories of great battles, tragic romances, seemingly unnatural coincidences..." he trailed off, not wanting to get too carried away. "I suppose... a more appropriate question would be what do you want to hear about?"

Andra shifted her weight to one of her feet, leaning more heavily on that side, and stared out at the icy mountains that framed their second week back at the headquarters of the Inquisition. "Tell me about a great battle."

"Do you want the most recent one?"

"You mean the battle with the Archdemon?"

"I could tell you about that, but I'm sure you've already heard the stories."

"They get more elaborate every time," Andra mused.

Solas laughed. The great battle led by the Hero of Ferelden had unreasonably turned from an unheard of union between humans, elves, dwarves, and mages against a singular cause—the Blight—to something much more embellished. Now it was almost believed that the Hero of Ferelden slew the entire darkspawn horde single-handedly and even defeated the Archdemon, Urthemiel, alone. "But I meant just a little further back. Have you heard about the betrayal of King Cailan?"

"I have, but only when I joined the Inquisition. My clan—" she paused, realizing then that the Ashihari wasn't really her clan any longer, "—they never told me anything. Or maybe just didn't care to know. So long as they could help it, they kept out of the affairs of the outside world. No one wanted to get involved, wanted to hear what was happening. If it wasn't affecting us—them—it didn't exist."

Solas saw then, and realized, Andra might be good at pretending but her heart still tugged her towards the Dalish. He felt for her, but didn't know what to say without sounding cross. So he decided silence was the proper response.

"Did you learn the whole story from the Inquisition?" he asked instead.

"I believe so. They talked about the King of Ferelden joining with the Grey Wardens to take on the Fifth Blight, even though there was no sign of the Archdemon in the beginning and Cailan didn't believe the whole thing was really what everyone was saying it was. And when the final stand was meant to happen, the King's adviser Loghain decided to retreat, leaving everyone to be slaughtered."

"Yes, that's more or less what happened."

"I think Loghain was a coward."

"So does the rest of Theadas."

"He should have stayed, kept his promise."

"He did what he thought was best for his men."

"But—" Andra hissed, feeling very passionate about an event she didn't even see take place, nor was present to witness, "He left his own king to die. His son-in-law, no less!"

Solas clasped his hands behind him, "Did you know that Orlais invaded Ferelden and succeeded in holding power over it for fifty six years? It was gruesome and violent. Fereldens aren't known for bowing down to tyranny so during all those years, there was a constant rebellion desperately fighting back. Even after gaining its freedom, there wasn't peace between the two countries for almost twenty years—and then, only in thanks to Empress Celene ascending the throne." He studied Andra's face, appreciating how intently she was listening to him, "So when King Cailen told Loghain he had sent word to Orlais to ask for help with the Blight, with only a decade of peace separating all that violence, the advisor was enraged.

"Then, imagine facing a battle you knew you couldn't win. That was what Loghain was preparing for at Ostagar. In his mind, he was both saving the country from another invasion and also sparing his men from a needless death."

"No one can know that for certain. It could have been the extra hand they needed to turn the tide of the battle. Perhaps it even could have saved that small village..." Andra thought on the name but couldn't place it.

"Lothering."

"Yes, that."

"You also can't know if it would have."

"He could have at least gave warning that he didn't plan to help. No one would have liked it, but without the extra support, everyone could have pulled out together. No one would have died..." She stopped and sighed, standing up straight, pushing herself away from the parapet.

Solas turned to fully face her, no longer looking out at the chilly view, "What's done is done. No one can change the past."

"You're right, and it's been at least a decade since it all happened."

"There has been much that has happened since then."

"Some of it good," Andra smiled at Solas, "Meeting you, for instance."

The slightest flicker of surprise danced through those blue eyes as he smiled back. "It wasn't so long ago that you hated me."

"Never," Andra retorted quickly. "We fought, more than anything else, but... I treasured your companionship, always. I still do."

Solas hummed, "There were times that your stubbornness infuriated me. You were so rooted in your beliefs."

"You're the same way."

"Indeed. But I was trying to share what I knew with you. Show you that you were clinging to a falsehood."

"You were the only one who saw it that way."

Solas saw the conversation going down the same slippery slope as before and his mind immediately sought an escape. "I don't want to fight about this anymore."

Andra became embarrassed, "Oh! I wasn't trying to start an argument... I just meant that you should always keep your mind open. You were the only one that challenged me at the time. What if one day you meet someone that knows more than you do about something and they challenge you the same way? Then they'll think you're the dumb one and you'll be just as stubborn as I was." She was grinning as she chided him.

"Since when did you become so enlightened?"

"When I decided to take a leap of faith and trust you."

Solas stared into the silver of Andra's eyes with amazement. Something must have been in the air, she was acting so... daring. Unexpected, but not unwelcome.

He realized then what it was that had drawn him to her when they both first joined the Inquisition. Never had there been a time when this beautiful, blonde elf before him had had any reservations on speaking her mind, and in a way that wasn't condemning to others' point of view. She was open, she challenged him, she made him care about things he wouldn't normally care about. She made him about her as he had never cared for another. She was magnetizing.

"Ve'veras emma syl." It was a quiet confession; Andra wasn't even sure she had heard it but Solas' lips had moved with the words and she knew it was no trickery of the wind, or her mind.

"Sal'dirtha," Andra was fixated completely on the older elf before her.

Solas moved forward, closing the space that was between them. Andra felt the heat that rolled off his body and took in the smell that caressed her—of morning dew on the waking woods. He reached out and brushed the back of his hand against her cheek and she reveled in the softness of his touch. His confidence unnerved her but also filled her with excitement.

"Fenedhis."

Andra's breathing hitched and she flushed under that blue gaze. "Ahn?"

"I wish I understood why I'm so chained to you, why you enthrall me so completely." It felt more like Solas was talking to himself but Andra clung to his every word. "Tell me that I am the only one that feels this way." He stared into the silver depths of her eyes, getting lost in an ocean of chrome as he awaited her answer.

"No," Andra breathed, her lips slightly parted, the apples of her cheeks red, "I feel the same."

Solas groaned, his resolve weakening.

All thought Andra might have had about Varric's warning was forgotten. She wanted this.

"This is unwise," Solas said as a final deterrent.

"Ar nuvena ma."

There was no moment to breathe after Andra finished speaking. Solas wrapped an arm around her waist, his palm firmly on the small of her back, pressing her into him. His other hand reached out for the parapet as he backed Andra against it.

Then they melted into each other as their lips met.

Andra reveled in the feeling, no longer cold as a new heat filled her. Solas' lips were soft as she tasted them, and she couldn't help wrapping a hand around the back of his neck to deepen their embrace.

Their tongues danced together and each exhale of breath was a sigh of bliss. Skyhold was forgotten, everyone that dwelt below in the courtyard was forgotten. Nothing mattered anymore except this.

When finally they pulled apart, the duo was flushed. Andra found herself uncontrollably smiling. A laughed escaped her rosy lips as she realized what she had been trying to avoid all this time was her feelings for the older elf that now held her in his arms. Her stubbornness, especially after their fight all those months ago, had kept her from admitting how she really felt. And from the look in his eyes, she realized Solas had been exercising some restraint as well.

But none of that mattered now.


ELVHEN USED:

Ve'veras emma syl: "You take my breath away."

Sal'dirtha: "Repeat that."

Fenedhis: Literally-"Wolf dick", but it's used as a universal curse. The term is also in relation to Fen'harel (the Dread Wolf), so it can be akin to saying "goddammit" as well.

Ahn?: "What?"

Ar novena ma: "I want/need you."