Romantic ideas
Cassandra, Varric and Ennaly found their way to Skyhold by the next dusk. After putting her stuff away and cleaning up, Ennaly found her way to the library, in the hope to find Dorian.
"Just where I left you!" she said, finding Dorian in his chair with a book in his lap.
"It can't be! Our Inquisitor in the flesh!" he replied, getting up and pulling her in an excited hug, lifting her feet from the floor.
They spend the rest of the evening together, discussing Dorian's research and Ennaly's adventures, Dorian on his chair and Ennaly on a cushion on the other side of the window.
Dorian had requested an assortment of books from different libraries all over to research more about Corypheus, and on Ennaly's request, had also researched more about the Elven gods and foci, because ever since she knew the power of the Anchor came from one of her gods, she wanted to know which one. The chance of finding that in research was close to none, but it was still interesting to learn more. She knew the stories the keepers have been telling keepers for years, but certainly that must be more to find in books somewhere.
Dorian had marked several passages for her to read, which she gladly did, before nodding away to sleep and being shooed to her own quarters by Dorian.
It was odd to lay in that large bed in that large room again, all by herself, after several weeks on the roads, but she only mused about it for a short time before she drifted to sleep.
The next day was mostly spent in the war room, where a surprise was awaiting Ennaly. She had gotten letters back from both her mother and her Keeper. They were accompanied by a few trinkets. Her mother had sent her a bracelet with beautiful carved beads, a purple linen embroidered scarf, and a new hairpin, made of ironwood. The top was carved like a halla, surrounded by a dragon with outstretched wings, protective, that would also frame her bun when she wore it in her hair. Her mother wrote that the halla was to symbolize the Dalish in her and the dragon to symbolize her new role as Inquisitor.
"It's so beautiful," Leliana said as she looked at it. "I remember that I found some raw ironwood on my travels with the Hero of Ferelden. Such a magnificent resource."
"You were lucky to stumble upon something like that," Ennaly replied with a smile.
She replaced her old hairpin with the new one and considered the bracelet. She remembered what she was thinking when dressed in her Dalish festival clothes opposite of Solas' fine tunic. Truth be told, weren't these Dalish crafts rooted in the same idea? Sure, the Dalish were not able to weave lyrium, gems and metals together with silk into fabrics and they didn't have gold for jewellery. But these finely carved beads were still expertly created from the finest materials they could find, there was no denying that. There were 18 beads in total, 9 for each of the Gods in the Elven pantheon, with smaller beads in between carved like flowers.
Feeling more in tune with her Dalish roots, she put the bracelet on her wrist and tied the scarf around her neck. She wondered if perhaps she could let her mother come here. She could be safe in Skyhold, and she could be of service with the many skills she possessed.
Her Keeper asked her for help with trouble they were experiencing. So, she made plans with her advisors to help out, and when that was done, they discussed her recent travels. In the end, they decided that Cullen would start preparing for the march to Adamant. They would leave the moment the ball was finished, which was in two weeks to date, and they had finally managed to get invitations.
She spent the entire day locked in duties and studies, and when it was finally over, Josephine left her the cheery message that tomorrow would be used for dress fittings, something Ennaly didn't look forward too.
It had already turned dark and there was still no sight of Solas having returned to Skyhold. So, Ennaly went to find Dorian and dragged him outside. It was a clear night the stars and the moon were illuminating the stone walls of the castle. The nights had started to turn warmer, so even if they were still wearing their coats, it was rather comfortable.
They sat on the wall separating the lower and upper courtyard, feet dangling down.
"Why are we here?" Dorian asked.
"I told you," Ennaly replied. "The walls were closing in on me, I had to go outside."
"Aren't the gardens a better place to be outside?"
She didn't say anything.
"I know why we're here," Dorian said, his voice low. "He's still hasn't come back."
Ennaly paused. "He said he would return today."
"Men say many things. Also, when did he say this, pray tell? From your story, he just ran off."
Ennaly shifted and pulled one knee to her chest. "We met in the Fade," she confessed.
"You met in the Fade?" Dorian looked at her incredulously.
Ennaly sighed. "You know how he can visit all those places, where he gets his stories from? Well, clearly, he can make people join him."
"Maker's balls, Ennaly, you meet in dreams?"
"He shows me around sometimes," she said, looking upwards to the stars. "You know, like ruins before they were ruins."
Dorian stared at her. "And you think he just goes around showing memories to anybody?"
"I don't know, do I," she replied, puzzled, looking back at the Tevinter. She never really thought about that. She thought it unlikely Cassandra would ever enjoy the idea, and Varric… well, he couldn't, could he, since he was a Dwarf?
"How was that, the first time?"
"He tried to cheer me up by showing me Haven. I made your ice halla prance around. I thought he was a desire demon."
Dorian scoffed. "You're kidding."
Ennaly shrugged and let her leg dangle down again. "It was that night in the Dales. That's why I woke up angry."
Dorian looked at her again, incredulous. "A heat of the moment thing, isn't that how you called it? Andraste's eyebrows, you actually meet in dreams."
"They're not sexual."
"But you wish they were."
Ennaly gave him a push.
Dorian laughed, shaking his head. "You're sweeter than sugar together, aren't you? He tried to cheer you up. In a dream. I can't believe it."
"Well, he's still reluctant to actually do anything. I don't know what he's thinking, really."
Dorian changed his voice to try and imitate Solas'. "Oh no. I want to make mad passionate love to dear Ennaly, but she is the Inquisitor, thus I should not, woe is me. So, instead, I shall torture both of us by going on Fade adventures together, that will end magnificently. But I actually want to run my hands all over her scrawny Elven figure. That, and he's probably thinking about your butt."
Ennaly pushed Dorian again, who laughed out loud and almost dropped off the wall. "Watch who you're calling scrawny, I can't help it that you Humans are so wide."
"In for the kill, are you? You wound me. Wide, she says!"
Recovering from laughing together, the door of the Herald's Rest opened to reveal Bull.
"Speaking about wide," Ennaly grinned, looking behind her.
"Admiring the muscles?" Bull said, walking near them and standing behind Dorian.
"Always, Bull, wouldn't dare to do otherwise," she said.
"And you, Vint?" Bull said to Dorian, flexing his muscles.
"Well..." Dorian blustered. "They're useful."
"Useful?" Bull laughed loudly. "What are you doing here, outside?"
"We're just pointlessly waiting like a hopeless romantic," Dorian replied.
"Is this about our two Elves?"
Ennaly sighed. "Can't we just stop discussing me altogether?"
"We could, but you're just too entertaining a subject," Dorian said.
"Shall I fetch us some drinks?" Bulls offered. "Or just join me inside."
Dorian looked behind him, but then looked back at Ennaly again. "Someone has to keep our sad Elf here company outside while she pines away."
"Nah, I should probably go back to my quarters," Ennaly replied. "You can have a drink if you want to. I have a long day ahead tomorrow. And the day after, really." She sighed, and wanted to climb off the wall, when a sudden sound made all three turn and look down to the lower courtyard.
They heard soft hoofbeats on the wood of the drawbridge, then on the metal grating, before it turned to the clatter of hoofbeats on cobble. A lone rider appeared from the entrance, the figure familiar to all.
"You've returned," Ennaly called out, her voice soft yet still carrying to the lower courtyard in the quiet night-time.
The figure paused its horse, looked up, and under the hood, Solas locked eyes with Ennaly. "Yes," he said, his voice a similar soft quality. He smiled. "I have returned. I said I would." He kept her gaze for a few seconds before he turned his horse to move to the stables.
"Who's pining for whom, now?" Dorian whispered in Ennaly's ear, who gave him one final shove in return.
It wasn't until the evening of the next day that she got a chance to speak to Solas again. They only exchanged a few words on his return, before they both went off to rest.
As Josephine had already mentioned, her dress had to be fitted. Josephine and Leliana were both there, together with a team of seamstresses. Ennaly thought that the spymaster couldn't help herself, she loved fashion and allowed herself this indulgence.
"We've taken some liberties on the design, but we are confident that they match your tastes," Josephine mentioned when the seamstresses were busy getting the dress out of a chest. She dreaded whatever would emerge, remembering the low-cut white gown. If it was something like that, she would certainly protest.
But, instead of a dreadful Human-fashioned gown, a beautiful creation of white, purple and gold emerged, diaphanous and Elven looking.
"You remember Solas' sketches, don't you?" Leliana said amused as she saw Ennaly's gaze change from horror to amazement.
"Oh," she said, a bit bewildered. "I wasn't sure if he'd actually done that."
After she had asked Solas about what ancient Elves used to wear, he never mentioned it again and she never asked, so she assumed he had forgotten, or just been unwilling.
"He brought them when you last were in Skyhold, on the way from Crestwood to the Western Approach."
"Well, I need to thank him then, because this is beautiful." Ennaly ran her hand over the material. It was soft and silky, consisting of two layers.
The under layer was made of a white watery silk, finely embroidered with white silk thread to depict a forest scape with trees and flowers and even two hallas in the design. On top was a layer of purple, in the exact shade to match her eyes. It was trimmed in gold and slashed in the front to show the white layer. The fabric was finely gathered at the neckline to a golden filigree medallion, which fastened like a necklace. The back, shoulders and arms were bare.
The seamstresses helped her get in the gown. It was somewhat more revealing at the sides than she might have hoped, but at least the high neckline hid her cleavage. That was a relief, because it meant that when she danced with taller people, they didn't have a view straight down to her navel.
The seamstresses measured the size of a filigree belt that would hold the fabric together from under her breasts to her waist, from where the skirts flared out. They also had to measure the scale of ceremonial pauldrons that would be places on her shoulders, and then bracelets and anklets. All would be made from gold, decorated with small amethysts to match the purple. Elbow-length gloves would to be added, because one could not be expected to dance with bare hands, and it would cover up her Anchor from gaining too much attention.
Some lengths of fabric would be attached to the pauldrons, suspended with chains, it would look beautiful spinning around on a dancefloor. A whole world different than her Dalish festival clothes.
"From the different sketches we got, we decided to go with this one," Leliana said, handing Ennaly the sketches. The sketches were simple a little abstract, but distinct enough to understand the structure. This design, with the bare back, had the most amount of skin showing, even though it was most modest from the front.
And truth be told, as she was observing herself in the mirror, a fabric sash taking the place of the filigree belt, she did feel Elven, and she did feel good. The seamstresses finished their measurements and packed took the dress with them. Ennaly thanked them for their skilled work before they left, leaving Ennaly to wonder how expensive this gown must be.
"We're glad to get sponsored by Comtesse Helene for the expense," Josephine explained, then sighed. "There is... something you should probably know. There are certain nobles, like the Comtesse, who find the history of the Elves rather... romantic and esoteric. They like to collect Elven artifacts as hobby. And you, a Dalish rather than a city Elf... The Dalish are both romanticized and vilified in tales. I thought you should be aware of this before you get surprised by possible attention you could gather at the ball."
Ennaly listened with disbelieving ears. "So you're saying that in addition to thinking of me as a heretic, some part of the nobles will consider me a savage, and a latter part considers me some exotic symbol of history?"
"Sadly, yes," Josephine said quietly. "But don't forget that we do have legitimate allies as well, who respect us and respect you."
"And it will lean into the romantic ideas rather than the vilified ideas to be dressed like this..." Ennaly said, suddenly understanding the bigger picture. "And it would fit better than trying to dress Human, because that's an image I cannot fulfil anyway..."
She stared at the two Human females, both looking at her sympathetically. Sure, they might sympathise with her, but they would never understand how it was to be regarded as something less, yet objectified as something more at the same time.
"Well, I prefer you to be frank," she sighed. "I guess it doesn't surprise me. I have been objectified more than I wish when I met Humans while I was still with my clan."
She understood why this design was chosen, the bare skin on her back would certainly be enticing. It almost made her ill, but she understood why it could be helpful.
"I am sorry you had to endure that," Leliana replied, sincere sympathy on her face.
"At least it has taught me how to deal with this," she said resolutely. "I know when to bat my eyelashes and when to hide myself. Please let me know in which of these groups you expect certain nobles to be, so I can study that and change my behaviour accordingly."
"We shall prepare a list, and we shall help you every step on the way," Josephine replied, resolution in her voice, too. "We know you have skills on the dance floor. That is what we ask of you: impress them with your expertise and show them the sophistication they would not expect. With how well you are doing with your nobility lessons, we think you have it under control."
"Don't forget the effect you will have on the Elves in the palace," Leliana added. "The world has not seen an Elf dressed like you in a few ages."
She only hoped the effect on the palace Elves would be positive.
"In what category do you think Grand Duke Gaspard falls?" Ennaly said, remembering their benefactor.
Josephine and Leliana shared a look. "He despises the Game," Leliana answered. "I think he will enjoy shocking the court with you on his arm when he makes an entrance. He will hope the Empress will take it as a personal offense. Not that she would act on it, but she would understand the symbolism involved. There were rumours that she once had an... Elven lover. A female servant. She will also be invited to the peace talks, in the hope to gain the Elves' alliance."
"Great," Ennaly said sarcastically. It seemed one supposed monarch was going to dangle her like bait in front of the other supposed monarch, and all she could do was to simply endure it and make sure that no assassination would take place. If not, the twisted future she witnessed in Redcliffe might still come to pass. No pressure.
She let it all sink in, before she couldn't suppress a derisive laugh. "Varric's new book is going to sell very well after this."
"If I could have a quick word?" Solas asked as Ennaly made her way to her quarters that evening. She was exhausted and walked past him without noticing him, a light touch on her arm shaking her out of her thoughts.
"Of course," she said, a bit startled, pausing her steps and turning to face him. He must have seen the tiredness in her eyes.
"Busy day?"
"You don't want to know," she sighed. "I do have to thank you, though, for those sketches you gave Josephine a few weeks ago."
"I am glad to have been of help." He smiled. "Say, do you have a free evening anytime soon?"
Ennaly paused, thinking. "Good question."
"Preferably from when it is still light outside."
"Oh." She ran her schedule through her tired mind. "In three days, I believe."
Solas locked eyes with her. "Well then, keep that evening free. There is something I want to show you. But it will take light and a little time to reach it."
"Is it outside Skyhold?" Ennaly asked in puzzlement. "Is it dangerous? Do we need to ask others to come?"
Solas chuckled. "This is not dangerous. I want to show this just to you, Ennaly. And it is not exactly outside of Skyhold." A mischievous grin grew on his lips.
Her heart seemed to skip a beat. "You're making me curious now. Do I need anything?"
"Wear something warm and comfortable. I will take the rest."
She looked at him. What did he have in mind? She was too tired to read his expression.
"Alright," she said with a smile of her own.
Author's note: I refuse to even think of the winter palace outfits as canon. For Ennaly's dress, I was inspired by the beautiful designs of Firefly path. I can't link, but if you search on "firefly path rose armor", you get the idea! Also, there are so many more layers to the whole winter ball if you've read the Masked Empire and have a female Elven inky.