Finally, after numerous baths I exit the bathroom, towel around my form as I crane my neck to the side quirking it as I use my spare towel to do a double check as I dry off any wet salvia still residing I my silver locks, wincing at the harsh tugs of my hair and grimacing at the disgusting idea of dragon's salvia in my hair.
"Urgh...I feel like shiiiit," Loudly, I whine groaning as I enter my room, finding Solas calmly sketching in his book in our bed, paying no attention, no heed to me, making me arch a brow of irritation but shrug it off as I take a seat on the bedside, lowering my head to focus more on dying my hair with the towel.
"I did offer," Slyly, I hear him call out, my ears hearing the faint turn of a page as I roll my eyes.
"I know... you were adamant fortunately for Eve reminding you of the injured," I mutter.
"I suppose although having to talk to those mages eager on seeing you didn't help," Solas points out as my eyes narrow, recalling his annoyance and reluctance after our big mission when we came back, hoping for us to have some time alone to fix us up from the injuries, only to be halted by scouts demanding my aid but selflessly, Solas saw my state and volunteered, knowing I wasn't in the right frame to help rally the mages or speak to them, without wanting to punch one in the face.
"How so?" I question.
"They couldn't even do the simplest of magic thanks to the stiff teachings of the circle, limiting their abilities…" Annoyed, Solas begins ranting, going off on a tangent about the circle mages being held back by their training similar to Vivienne and them always disagreeing with him and thinking themselves superior, had Solas seething at times.
"Aww sweetie," Jokingly, I smirk giving him a surprise kiss to the cheek making him raise a brow as I peer over only finding the book he was once sketching on to be closed, making me raise a brow but shrug it off as I feel him lean his head back, enjoying the appreciative surprised pecks as I wrap my arms around him, gently rocking him back and forth as we simply enjoy the still silence of peacefulness.
"All you had to do was ask if you wanted to join," I sigh after he finishes his rant.
"And lead to further bruising?" He furrows his brow.
"Touché…still something is up," I mutter finding his behaviour odd as I note his notepad with…wait are those strategies?
"What makes you say that?" Solas queries.
"You're doing the whole silent treatment thing and wait…is this about Bull?" I question leaning in seeing the chessboard layout. Of Couse it is, he's still bitter about their last match of sorts, honestly, Solas hates the Qun as it is, having a Qunari beat him, damaged his precious pride a lot, heh, to think he would get this childish over something so trivial, considering the adult persona he puts up, its adorable, genuinely cute to me.
"Hm?" Solas hums.
"It is, the chess match I mean what is this!?" I frown gesturing to the book in his hand.
"Just some revision," Casually he shrugs as I scoff.
"Aww you're competitive that's adorable," Teasingly, I smirk, pecking his cheek, relishing his cute blush.
"I am not. I am simply brushing up on my skills," Solas reject making me roll my eyes.
"Isn't it better to gain experience playing it than reading it?" I argue making him go silent.
"I suppose but not many I know play it." He defends.
"I can try," I offer.
"You can?" He raises a row surprised.
"Sure I don't see why not, can't be that hard," I shrug.
"Alright…"Solas sighs as I note the hesitation in his tone but he goes with it, desperate to outdo Bull no doubt, plus no doubt it'll bandage his bruised ego thinking he can beat me.
Blinking, I look down at the current chess match before us, after going to change, Solas leaves to get the chessboard and after changing. I find myself on our bed, arms crossed as we sit down, after Solas gave me some quick ass run down son the complex game, we begin it and now are currently playing it. I notice the smug smirk on Solas features at his so called win only making my smirk widen.
"How did you do that!?" Gawking, Solas stares down at his defeat unaware of my sly smirk and my fingertips curled up and hearing the faint click of stone or marble in my hand.
"Nothing just a simple trick of hand," Smugly, I reveal the two pieces I had stolen earlier without him realizing making his eyes widen in shock, only then to narrow in annoyance.
"You cheated?" He scowls.
"Well… I wouldn't call it cheat, simply bringing out outside factors to help. I mean chess is like war, plenty of people have used chess to plan out strategies so…" Cheekily, I smirk playing with the chest pieces.
"You still cheated therefore…" Solas huffs crossing his arms making me snicker at the child.
"You win. Oh my god, you are so petty," Amused, I chuckle at the little revolution.
"I am not." He denies.
"Oh sweetie, it's alright…I find it adorable," Reassuringly I peck his lips a quick chaste kiss much to his annoyance.
"I am not adorable." Feely he argues as I remove my list from his and roll my eyes.
"Sweetie…if it's any solution I know bits and pieces not all of it," I assure him.
"How come? Are you implying I lost to…" Irritated, Solas eyes narrow at my sly smirk.
"A beginner. Yes, yes I am," I confess.
"I hate you," Grumbling, he huffs making me chuckle.
"Aww…I hate you too, but no I remember Denarius often challenging people to chess or a game similar," I bring up thoughtful at the memory.
"He did…?" Solas frowns at the mention.
"Yeah would make me watch, he would use the game for business deals, offering me for the night as the reward if he was beaten, which he never was but you learn a few things when watching matches like that for a while as your only form of entertainment…" Calmly, I conclude as I place a piece down on the newly tidied up game thanks to Solas as we continue this little game of ours...
Groaning, I scowl at my throbbing muscles as I sit on the sofa in my room. Bored, I release a moan of dullness, only to release a hiss of pain as Solas jabs me in the back.
"Don't move, it's bad for your ribs," He huffs.
"So is jabbing!" I hiss back.
"If you're so bored then maybe you should read, I have other duties to tend to." Sharply, Solas reminds me.
"Then do them," I grumble.
"Ah yes and leave you to sneak out, unlikely…." Solas scoffs.
"Urghh…why not we…" Smirking, I lean forward, ghosting my lips on to his shoulder, moving upwards to nibble only to feel Solas' hand on my shoulder, gently pushing me back on the bed.
"No." He rejects.
"Why not?" I whine.
"You're injured," He reminds me.
"That didn't stop you when we got back," Pouting, I mutter.
"That's because I didn't know the cracked rib was that bad…" Scowling, Solas exclaims making me release a small nervous chuckle.
"And you call yourself a healer," Lightly, I tease.
"I don't…" He exclaims.
"Urgh...just read, here, this may be of interest to you, it's about the elven people…" He sighs, offering me a book, making me blink, feeling bullets cascade down my frame.
"Right…or I could just go hang out with-"
"You are not leaving this room." Sternly, Solas crosses his arms.
"Urghhh…and when do you control me!?" Scowling, I glare at him.
"I control your health…" He argues.
"Urgh…." Defeated, I plop myself down on the bed, loudly groaning making him roll his eyes.
"Just read," Tired, he sighs, gently placing me down on the bed, in his lap as he stands, allowing me to sit on his lap as he tends to his other duties. Carefully, he gently places an open book before me, my eyes widening in horror at the lack of images…
"Um…." Struggling, I turn away.
"Um what?" Solas frowns.
"N-nothing…" Nervously, I smile.
"Fennic…you…you can read can't you…" Solas questions frazzled as I turn away ashamed.
"…" Pained, I turn away, curling into myself feeling nothing but anger and shame.
"Fennic…" Gently, Solas calls out to me only making me grimace.
"…Fine I can't! Piss off! This may shock you but slaves aren't educated!" Angered, I jump up, startling Solas as I glare down at him, arms crossed.
"Then how…?" Solas ponders.
"Pictures, I can read out some words but not all," Exhausted, I sigh.
"Then how did you translate Bull's reports?" Solas presses much to my annoyance.
"I read them out to Leliana or had Meredith write out what I said," Simply, I shrug.
"Did she know?" He furrows his brow.
"I think she had an inkling…" I confess.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Solas whispers softly as I scowl.
"I don't know maybes it's the fact that I'm a grown ass adult and I can't read…" I deadpan to the moron having no idea how embarrassing that is, I'm meant to be a slave liberator, I have killed mages, made huge ass decisions and yet I can't do something a five year old can…read.
"It's nothing to ashamed off…" Solas assures making me roll my eyes.
"You say that when finding a young kid being able to read while you can't…" I huff turning away, ruby red only to feel Solas gently place hs lips upon my temple, softly placing his chin on my head, rocking me back and forth calmly.
"How about I teach you?" Solas offers.
"You won't tell anyone?" I frown.
"Of course not, I may even teach you some elven," he proposes making my eyes widen excited.
"You serious?" I whisper eager.
"If you don't mind," He smirks happy.
"Solas...thank you," Grateful, I bow my head.
"There is no need for thanks now then let us begin…tell me what you know." Solas tells me.
"Well I know bits and pieces from Merrill like Dalen means child, Fenedhis lasa I've heard you say but no idea what it means…" I begin only to note Solas going wide eyed, a faint blush on his features as he turns away.
"You okay?" I question frowning.
"I'm fine…" He reassures me.
"Ma serannas is thank you although there is one I was puzzled by," I tell him.
"And that would be?" Sols quires.
"Ma Vhenana you called it to me when I was knocked out," I recall noticing Solas going silent, his features turning darker.
"You heard that?" Solas blinks surprised and also nervous…what did he do? Curse at me? I've probably heard worse.
"The last thing I heard before I blocked out what does it mean? Stay alive, get help? What? Why are you blushing?" I demand lost.
"Fennic, in courting how did it work when you were younger?" Solas asks me gently entwine our hands in his lap as we sit across from one another on the bed.
"Well like I said I don't remember much but I'll say this from what I gathered from my travels, arranged marriages were a thing for city elves, heck I had to save Merrill from some creepy stalker once, seeing it as more of a duty than you now the lovey dovey stuff why?" I elaborate.
"In relationships we take things slowly and seriously, elves bond for life…" Solas explains calmly as my eyes widen at the heavy words and implications.
"Life?" I repeat blinking still reeling in shock at the thought.
"Are you alright having no doubts are you?" Solas questions concerned as I notice the slight fear in his eyes.
"No just a weird idea for life…I mean….I suppose I could put up with you for life," Smirking, I shrug joking.
"And I you," Kindly, he smiles.
"Hey what would you put up with? I'm great company!" Jokingly, I smirk earning a small chuckle from Solas, placing his temple on my own gently…
"Ma Vhenan…it means…my heart." Softly, Solas says to me making my eyes widen at the low whisper, feeling a familiar heat enter my cheeks at the thought. My heart…huh. A soft smile crosses my lips at the thought as next thing I know, he plants his lips on top of mine which I happily return, gently in a soft slow loving kiss as we enjoy one another's company, in one another's arms…