The Vagrant
By Pyreite
Sequel to: The Trickster Returns
Chapter 2 – An Ululation of Wolfsong
Warning: This chapter contains a confrontation, violence, angst, tears, and a Golden Halla. Discretion is advised.
Ellana watched the wolf warily. The beast was healthier than the wolves she'd encountered. Its fur thick and glossy. Its legs long and sturdy with large black paws. Its triangular ears, perked in readiness, were whole instead of ragged.
Most wolves bore marks of their status in the pack hierarchy. Ears torn from nipping. Scarred muzzles. Patchy fur. The occasional freshly oozing wound.
Scraps were common for low-ranked wolves.
Ellana judged its length and girth by eye. Her suspicion grew by the moment. This wolf lacked the scars and skinniness of a predator that ate once every few days. It was proud too, perhaps defiant as it eyed her instead of bolting. Most wolves were naturally wary of elves, especially those armed with metal teeth and claws.
This wolf was a little too curious for Ellana's comfort. "Ar'vallem ma ghilas", she repeated, hoping to spur the beast to action. A tactical retreat on its part would end their stalemate. Ellana refused to lower her bow and arrow lest the wolf charge. She'd seen the damage sharp and shearing carnassial teeth could do.
Wolves had jaws like a guillotine, capable of crushing bone and rending flesh. Gutted bellies bleeding entrails or bones shattered beyond repair were mortal injuries. Ellana had always believed it was kinder to leave the Halla, felled by a wolfpack, to be slain and consumed. Pain ended with death. The pack also had bellies to fill and cubs to raise.
The delicate balance of nature, cruel and kind, remained in harmony if she did not interfere.
Ellana was sure this bold black wolf wasn't part of that balance. It certainly wasn't wild. Wolves did not look or act like this one did. It was neither wary nor fearful, despite the steel-tipped arrow aimed at the centre of its shaggy forehead. The intelligence glittering in those grey eyes wasn't lupine either.
Ellana frowned when that wolf cocked an ear as if to goad her. The broad shoulders, splayed legs, and erect tail reminded her of one person. Morrigan had been able to change form. Flemeth too. Magic was both deceptive and practical when applied discreetly.
Only one proud and sly elf would dare to set foot in her forest.
"Ma emma harel", advised Ellana. Her eyes narrowed when the wolf growled. The flash of jagged teeth in a curling black lip confirmed his identity. This wolf had been the hunter, but never the hunted. It was too proud to tuck tail and run like its wiser brethren.
It also seemed to understand the elven language.
"Halam sahlin!" roared Ellana.
The outburst revealed her intent. The black wolf's shoulders rolled, turning its muscular neck. The shaggy head dropped low. Ellana's arrow flew straight and true, clipping a furry black ear. The wolf's snarl would have made lesser elves cower.
Ellana's gut reaction was rage.
"Fenedhis!"
A third arrow was nocked to the bowstring. Black paws churned leaves, pebbles, and earth. Ellana aimed. He was fast, but so was she. The wolf sprang, her bowstring slackened, and the arrow was airborne.
Finally, after five hundred years of waiting.
It would be over.
Ellana grunted when he hit her, the bow falling from her hands. She bore the brunt of his weight, toppling over, her back striking the leaf-littered ground. Air whooshed out of her mouth and nose, leaving her winded. She still had enough sense to grasp the hilt of her dagger. She drew the blade when jaws full of jagged teeth closed around her jugular.
Ellana anticipated the life-crushing blow. She groaned when a slick red tongue lapped the underside of her throat. The soft whining, like a wolfpup begging for forgiveness, provoked Ellana. She dug the point of her dagger into a soft underbelly. The agonised yelp was the least of the pains she wanted to inflict.
Fen'Harel had destroyed her life.
He was undeserving of pity or forgiveness.
"Ar tu na'lin emma mi, Harellan", wheezed Ellana. She was unsympathetic when the shock set-in. She felt the tension ripple up and down the wolf's body. Its weight shifted as muscles bunched and coiled beneath black fur. Ellana had known his identity when first he'd bared his fangs.
Magic could not change a person's nature.
Solas was prideful no matter what form he took.
Ellana tensed when the wolf's bulk lessened. Fur shrank inwards, revealing clothes fashioned from cloth and leather. Stocky forelegs and paws transformed into sinewy arms and calloused hands. Muscular hindquarters became hard thighs and shapely calves. The black fur atop the wolf's shaggy head grew long, thick, and luxurious as it sprouted between a pair of pointed elven ears.
Ellana scowled when the wolf's muzzle retreated into a recognisable face. A wet lupine nose thinned and straightened. A long jaw filled with jagged teeth receded into pale cheeks, a cleft chin, and a sensuous mouth. The eyes were last, glowing like hot coals before dying, their inner-light smothered by more than guilt. Solas looked upon her wistfully, his expression remorseful.
"Ma vhenan".
The way he smiled made Ellana's stomach churn. His face was soft and hopeful. His gaze lovingly tender despite the patchwork of scars marring his skin. The puckered lines slashed across his cheeks and chin were dark, deep, and ugly. Solas should have feared the hand that scarred him.
"Nae!" spat Ellana.
"Vhenan", pleaded Solas.
Ellana spat in his face.
The spittle trickled down his cheek.
Ellana was breathing hard when Solas looked down his nose at her. The disdain for her impudence was enraging. She bucked like a wild horse, hips rolling, and legs kicking. She tried to gut him, but her efforts were thwarted when Solas wrested the dagger from her grasp. The blade was cast aside, falling to the ground beyond Ellana's reach.
"Venavis ma vhenan!" urged Solas.
"Nae!" snarled Ellana.
Solas glowered when she refused to submit. He wrestled her to the ground. Long legs tangled with her own as he thrust his forearm under her chin. Ellana, ever-defiant, braced her shoulders on hard earth. She waited until Solas hovered over her. He leaned inward, lips pursed invitingly, his breath warm on her skin.
"Venavis", he whispered.
Solas wanted to kiss her.
The gesture of intimacy (only reserved for Abelas) infuriated Ellana. She struck without hesitation. Black hair flew when her head lashed forward. She clipped Solas squarely in the face, near breaking his nose. The crunch of bone was very satisfying. Ellana savoured his pained cry.
The hard heel of her palm hit him under the chin. Solas tumbled from her with a curse. His hold slackened. His long legs untangled from her own. Ellana took immediate advantage.
Solas was taller, heavier, and had the longer reach. She was quick to capitalise on his error, punching where shorn leather gave way to blood-soaked cloth. Ellana's third arrow had delivered a glancing blow. She ignored the furious roar, shoulder rolling, the metal fingers of her silverite hand closing round another hilt.
"Ar tu na'din!" vowed Ellana.
She spotted her dagger's twin lying in the dirt. She darted forward to retrieve it. Ellana felt more secure when her right hand closed around that leather-bound hilt. She lunged for Solas, wrists crossing, the cutting edges of her blades facing outward. Ellana sliced upward, arms separating in a deadly arc.
Solas smelt burning hair before he felt the bite of frost. The dwarven runes engraved into Ellana's daggers shone an electric lyrium-blue. He caught himself the second before she could carve his head from his shoulders. He danced out of range when Ellana charged. Her focus was unnerving.
Solas admired the flash of her daggers in the sun. Ellana was death personified as she rent the air, blades spinning. Every movement had purpose. Every thought had one motivation. She was breathtakingly beautiful.
Ellana wanted to kill him.
Solas respected her determination, though he refused to cower. He would not shrink in fear from the woman he loved. Ellana's anger was justified. Solas understood her need to rectify a past mistake. He knew how vengeance could consume life as it dealt judgement.
The murder of Mythal had earned the Evanuris an eternity of damnation.
Solas had seethed for aeons. Ellana had loathed his existence for less time, but her desire for revenge was no less consuming. Solas admired her tenacity. Ellana's will to survive was a match for his own. Her inner-fire always burned brightest when under duress.
"Ma vhenan!" implored Solas. "Venavis!"
"Nae!" growled Ellana.
His lady-love slunk like a hunting wolf with single-minded purpose.
Solas saw the interloper before she did.
The skilfully carved horns spiralled up and over a proud cervine head. The flash of a white tail, raised in warning, matched tufted ears. Pale fur tinged with gold glistened along muscular flanks. Long slender legs moved in a blur of motion. Cloven hooves clipped the ground.
Solas stared Ellana down when her blades descended. The intention was clear. His heart clenched in sympathy when her daggers landed on horn instead of flesh. Ellana's frustrated scream made his blood curdle. His need to comfort her was more instinctual than common-sense.
"Ma vhenan!" called Solas. He tried to intercede, to reach for her, but a warm wall of fur and flesh prevented him from making contact. He sought to move around the living barrier. A sharp grunt and a balefully rolling brown eye made Solas pause. He stepped back humbly, head bowing in contrition, when the Halla forcibly separated them.
"Nae! Hanal'ghilan!" shrieked Ellana.
The Golden Halla snorted disdainfully. Her velvet nose wrinkled as she blew warm air into Ellana's face. A swift upswing of her horned head sent Ellana's blades flying. The first, burning hot with demon-fire, scorched bark as it embedded in a gnarled tree-trunk. The second froze the earth when it sank in hilt-deep.
Ellana feinted left before stepping right.
Hanal'ghilan knew her all too well. The doe followed suit, mimicking Ellana's every step. Her elegantly crowned head was kept low to ward off the enraged elf. She pawed at the earth, churning soil and dead leaves. The doe was ready when Ellana tried to slide past.
Hanal'ghilan rushed forward, blocking her advance. Ellana screeched when the doe crowded uncomfortably close. A single turn of that mighty head would deliver a terrible injury. Halla were known for impaling the unwary on their horns. Ellana respected Hanal'ghilan's strength, but at times like this, she detested the doe's loyalty.
The orphan she'd raised loved her far too much.
Hanal'ghilan would not allow her dam and friend to commit murder.
"Nae!" hissed Ellana.
The doe squealed when she stubbornly dug her heels in. Ellana was butted in the belly by a velvet nose. Her hands and clothes were nipped when she stumbled. She was pushed back by a broad chest covered in golden fur. Hanal'ghilan herded her as if she were an ill-behaved child.
"Fenedhis!" swore Ellana.
The doe would never allow her close enough to make the kill. Ellana could improvise. She skidded to a halt, refusing to take another step. Hanal'ghilan stamped and snorted. Ellana's hand descended upon the sheath at her hip. She looked into gentle brown eyes and murmured an apology.
"Ir abelas ma falon".
Ellana vanished from sight.
Hanal'ghilan's alarmed cry alerted Solas to the danger. He saw the flash of silver in the sun. His breath caught in his throat. A single blade, cast with unerring accuracy, cut through the air. He didn't have time to react. Ellana matched Cole in skill and ability.
She was just as fast and deadly.
Solas knew there was no escape. He could have petrified Ellana with a glance, but he refused to use his magic against her. Their love was a double-edged sword. He was ready to accept his fate when in an icy-blue blur, something slammed into him. Solas was knocked off his feet.
He tumbled in the dirt with his would-be rescuer.
The throwing dagger embedded in a tree-trunk beyond them with a sharp thock.
"NAE!" roared Ellana.
Solas was shoved aside when she pounced. A hard kick to the ribs left him gasping. He heard the sounds of a scuffle. The thud of fists on flesh. The clang of steel on steel.
Solas rolled onto his side. His chest heaved. His lungs burned. His brows furrowed when he spied his rescuer tangling with his peeved paramour. His eyes widened when he saw who was responsible for saving his life.
"Abelas!"
The sentinel's golden eyes flashed angrily. He glared at the Lord of the Virvhenas. He had Ellana in his arms. She was red-faced and spitting with rage. Her eyes rolled balefully in her fair elven face.
"Ar tu na'din!" she howled.
Ellana was a writhing ball of violence. She bit and clawed. She kicked and punched. Solas had never seen her so savage. The way she tore at Abelas's hands showed how incensed she was.
"Hanal'ghilan!" commanded Abelas.
The doe's response was swift. She turned agilely, cloven hooves scattering dead leaves. She galloped to the cause of Ellana's fury. Her strident cry was like a bugling war-horn. Hanal'ghilan cantered in a circle around Solas.
The presentation of her golden flank revealed her desire.
"Ar'vallem ma ghilas!" bellowed Abelas. He hastily nodded in the direction of Ellana's hut. He struggled to contain his fierce beloved. His robes were torn. His forearms scored bloody by Ellana's fingernails.
Solas was too startled to argue. He nodded numbly and grasped a tawny spiralling horn. He vaulted aboard Hanal'ghilan's golden back. The doe was Ellana's preferred mount when the Halla herd were on the move. Her responsiveness to the shifting of his weight and the gentle pressure of his thighs astounded Solas.
Hanal'ghilan turned willingly when he gently squeezed her shoulder.
Solas's heart sank when he spied Ellana. Her cheeks were flushed. Her eyes narrow and angry. Her lips were peeled back from her teeth in a vicious snarl. She was breathing hard as if she'd run a thousand miles in a heartbeat.
Solas saw the rage, fear, and grief reflected in her eyes. Moments passed. He couldn't bear the weight of her judgement. He averted his gaze, head bowing in shame. His pride had nearly destroyed the one he loved best in Elvhenan.
"Ir abelas ma'arlath", said Solas. He kneed Hanal'ghilan in the ribs. The doe bleated before taking off at a swift trot. She carried him away when Ellana gasped. Solas heard but did not witness the inevitable fallout of his impromptu visit.
Hanal'ghilan galloped into the underbrush when Ellana's eyes glistened with tears. The outrage bled from her like wine from a punctured wineskin. She ceased to struggle. Her body sagged as if she had lost the strength to stand.
Ellana's knees gave out. Her feet slid apart until she was splay-legged. She teetered precariously before dropping like a stone. Abelas caught her when she fell. His arms were strong and sturdy around her waist and shoulders. He supported her with the tenderness of a man very much in love.
"Atisha", whispered Abelas.
Ellana trembled like a newborn fawn. Solas had never apologised for his misdeeds. He had taken her by surprise. Again. Ellana's face was ashen when her head fell back. She looked skyward through the leafy boughs to the cloudless blue heavens.
"Atisha", soothed Abelas.
Ellana thought of all she had loved and lost after the tearing of the Veil.
Skyhold burned to cinders.
The members of her inner-circle dead.
Thedas engulfed in war.
Ellana remembered the mass burials. The grassy mounds outside the ruins of Skyhold contained more bone than earth. The overgrown courtyard housed the graves of soldiers, servants, and loyal retainers. The esteemed grand hall, now a mausoleum, guarded ten stone cairns. Ellana knew the face and name of everyone entombed there.
Abelas was deafened when she screamed. The anguished wail tore through the forest. Birds flew from their roosts. Rabbits darted into their burrows. Wolves lifted their heads and opened their jagged jaws.
Ellana sobbed on hearing the ululation of wolfsong.
The mournful howls, beautiful and haunting, were neither mocking nor scornful.
The Dread Wolf's kin were not so dreadful.
Abelas believed that their voices, raised in eerie lamentation, proved that they shared Ellana's sorrow. He sank to the ground with her in his arms. He spread his legs to make room when Ellana wilted like a flower withheld from light and water. She lacked the will to fight him. The last of her strength had evaporated in the revelation of Solas's contrition.
Ellana wept like a child.
Abelas took a deep fortifying breath. He was prepared to wait out the worst. Ellana would be distraught for hours. Abelas sighed regretfully as he laid a warm cheek against her hair. He kissed her temple and murmured fondly.
"Atisha ma da'assan".
Elvish Translations: Courtesy of the Dragon Age Wiki – Elven Language.
Ar'vallem ma ghilas – I bid you to depart.
Ma emma harel - You should fear me.
Halam sahlin - This ends now.
Fenedhis – An elven curse, likely translated to 'wolf crap' or similar.
Ar tu na'lin emma mi, Harellan - I will see your blood on my blade, Trickster.
Ma vhenan – My heart.
Nae – No.
Venavis ma vhenan – Stop, my heart.
Ar tu na'din - I will kill you.
Hanal'ghilan – The Path Finder – Name for the Golden Halla.
Ir abelas ma falon – I am sorry my friend.
Ma'arlath – My love.
Atisha ma da'assan – Peace, my little arrow.