They're so rowdy tonight. Mairenn thought to herself, glaring around the dining hall. She picked at her dinner some more, trying to force her appetite to cooperate. Eying a particularly noisy session of arm wrestling between Blackwall and Iron Bull with detached interest, she didn't hear Dorian at first when he sidled up to her.
"Mairenn, tear your eyes away from the bulging biceps for a second and listen." he scolded, dropping the tome he'd been carrying onto the table with a thump.
"You're one to talk," she shot back, "You're practically quivering with interest."
"If I were quivering, you'd know." That got a laugh, and he pulled up the seat next to her, openly ogling the arm wrestlers in the corner. "I've got something for you, I think."
"Oh?"
"Some exceedingly interesting elven magic I stumbled across in the library. There are a few problems, however."
"Of course there are."
"Parts of the passage are in a form of elvish I don't understand," he flipped the book open, indicating the characters. "And secondly, this is a technique I've never heard of, much less practiced." He slid the book over. Mairenn scanned the paragraph, stumbling over the mysterious characters.
"It is elven, I can tell you that. But it's extremely old, and I can't make out much of it. Here," she said, drawing a finger along a string of characters. "This says something about feeling, in a physical sense, followed immediately by what looks like the character for emotion? But it's not quite right, the downstroke goes off in the wrong direction. It could be something else entirely."
"That's what I thought too. And this is complex magic, I wouldn't even want to attempt it unless we knew for sure." Dorian said, snapping the book shut.
"Well, what's the general idea? Is it even worth the trouble?"
"Oh yes, I think it is. From what I can puzzle out, it's a form, a sort of trance, I suppose, where you can turn the target's emotions against them." Mairenn's brow furrowed.
"Like the Fear spell you use?"
"In a sense. But I think it goes deeper than that. It references other feelings, like hate, hunger, exhaustion. I can't be sure. But I think it's worth looking into."
"Hmm. I'll see if Solas knows anything about it. Maybe he'll recognize the writing." Dorian winked at her.
"Precisely my thought, dear Inquisitor."
With that he left, going instead to hover around the still raging arm wrestling battle. Abandoning her plate of food, Mairenn left the dining hall, paging to the indicated passage in the book and considering it.
"A most skillful form, indicated by the subject as an inherited art… Passed down through the line of Keepers in his clan…" she mumbled aloud, wandering slowly through the castle. "The elf then fixed me in his gaze, and my feeling of exhaustion was increased tenfold… demonstrated further… a sense of starvation, thirst…" She switched to the elven passage, stumbling over the unfamiliar runes tucked into the familiar. "Heh...Hekhan… zhe...var..ness?"
"Hakhiin zevarrnas."
Mairenn screeched and dropped the book in shock.
"Solas! You scared me half to death." she hissed, clutching her chest as Solas bent to retrieve the tome for her. With a small smile he handed it back.
"My apologies, but you did wander into my office."
"I- what? I did?" Mairenn looked around, surprised to find that she was, indeed, in the cupola Solas had taken for his research and mural painting. "Oh… right." Solas's smile widened, though he tried to hide it. "I was coming to find you, actually, I was just…"
"Practicing your elven dialects?" he prompted, indicating for her to take a seat.
"I suppose," she replied, settling into the chair. She tucked her feet under herself, a habit Cassandra hated. "Dorian found this… a spell, we think. Only, parts of it are in a form of elven I've never seen." She handed Solas the book and settled back into the seat comfortably. Something about Solas's office made her feel at home, and she couldn't help but nestle into the comfortable chair whenever she visited. She tried not to visit too often. Sometimes she thought she made Solas uncomfortable. Ever since…She tried not to blush as the memory of their kiss in the fade floated to the surface, and the same circular train of thought occurred.
Ugh, you kissed him. But he kissed you back! Like, a lot. He's so irritating. But he likes you. And you like him. It shouldn't be complicated, but it is. I just want to kiss him some more. Ugh, you did that already. Did he even like it? But he kissed you back.
She made a concentrated effort to come back to reality. Solas was deep in thought, trailing his finger along the page as he read. As she watched, his brow furrowed and he plucked a book from a nearby pile, thumbing through it and consulting the spell's text. He's going to be at it for a while. Maybe I should go. But I'm so warm...comfortable… Her eyelids suddenly heavy, she drifted off.
At first he didn't realize that Mairenn was asleep. He'd been absorbed in the translation for hours, puzzling over the implications of the spell. It wasn't until she mumbled something in her sleep that Solas looked up from the tome. Her dark hair had come slightly loose from her ever present braid and stuck to her cheek. Quietly shutting the books, he went to crouch in front of her. Gently he reached out and tucked an errant strand of hair behind her ear.
"Mairenn," he said quietly, "wake up." Her brows drew together and she burrowed deeper into the chair, grumbling. Suppressing a smile, Solas shook her shoulder slightly. "Mairenn, you need to get to your bed."
"No…" she mumbled sleepily. Solas sighed, considering. It's the middle of the night. No one will see. Trying not to jostle her too much, he lifted the Inquisitor from the chair. She was slight, even for an elf, and weighed next to nothing in his arms. Without waking she adjusted in his grasp, nestling comfortably against his chest. His heartbeat quickened. Hurry up and get her in bed before you do something stupid, he scolded himself, and hastened across the main hall to her quarters.
Solas had never actually seen the Inquisitor's quarters, and was therefore shocked when he opened the door. It hardly looked like a bedroom at all. More like a mad greenhouse. Potted plants and seedlings were everywhere. Mairenn had replaced the hangings with Dalish tapestries, and scattered over every surface not occupied by some sort of plant were trinkets and oddities she'd gathered from their travels. Stacked on and around the bed were various half-read books and piles of parchment. Deeply amused, Solas picked his way through the chaos to the bed. Where do I even lay her? He thought to himself.
"I don't sleep there, Solas". Mairenn muttered, nearly startling him. He looked down at the elf, suddenly feeling self conscious. She blearily returned his gaze, still half asleep.
"Where shall I put you, then?"
"Down, you can put me down."
Solas obliged and stepped away awkwardly, turning to examine a nearby plant. Mairenn stretched and yawned.
"Come, have a drink." she said, beckoning him toward a set of doors just next to the bed.
"I shouldn't. You're tired, and-"
"Shut up, Solas. Come."
Hesitantly he followed. If he'd been surprised by the state of the Inquisitor's bedroom, it was nothing to what he felt when he saw the room they'd just entered. It had clearly been meant as some kind of storage area, but Mairenn had transformed it into a more intimate private room. There was scaffolding along the back wall, and he could see by the piles of bedding atop that this was where she actually slept. Beneath was a table and a pair of chairs, with a hutch that held various wines and glasses, piled atop with books. The most striking feature, however, was the mural. It danced along the wall, the flickering candlelight seeming to make parts of it move. This was a completely different style than his own, clearly a product of clan Lavellan. Halla bounded between stylized branches and hawks circled brightly painted moons and stars.
"It's not like yours," Mairenn said, bringing him out of his reverie. "We didn't paint to tell stories; we paint what we see and feel."
"It feels… sad."
"Yes. I miss them."
She opened the hutch and withdrew a bottle and two glasses, filling them and indicating for Solas to sit.
"I wasn't comfortable in that ridiculous room," she said, gesturing out the doors. "I couldn't sleep. This is better."
"I like it." He sipped the wine. "This is wonderful." he said, sounding surprised. Mairenn laughed, the sound echoing and making Solas's heart feel lighter, as her laughter always did.
"Josephine has turned me on to Orlesian wine, I'm afraid." she said, sipping her own glass. "I don't think I can go back to Dalish wine after this."
"Yes, she has excellent taste."
"So… what did you find out about the spell?"
Solas frowned, considering. "Parts of it I understand, but more research is needed before we can really delve into it."
"I'm free two nights from now, I'd be happy to help."
Solas considered her over his glass. "It won't be very exciting, just sifting through the library."
"That sounds lovely. I could use a change of pace."
Solas shrugged, indicating with a nod that Mairenn was welcome to join. I doubt I'll be able to concentrate, but… he couldn't bring himself to turn down an evening alone with the Inquisitor. He finished his wine and bid her goodnight, lost in thought.
Two nights had passed, and Mairenn stood in front of her mirror, feeling self-conscious. As a rule she didn't generally worry much about what she wore (much to Josephine's dismay), but tonight she had chosen her outfit with care. You're being ridiculous, she scolded herself. She'd donned a loose green tunic and leather leggings, a gift from some leatherworker in Kirkwall. They were beautiful, worked with a pattern of vines and flowers, but too informal for diplomatic meetings. She draped her braid over one shoulder as usual and gave it up. Gathering a small pile of scrolls she thought might be useful, she made her way down to the library.
She was early. Blissfully quiet, the basement library went almost unused by most in the castle. It held the more unusual tomes in their collection, the more accessible fare housed in the rotunda with Dorian and Lelliana. It was colder than expected, and Mairenn considered returning to her room for a shawl or something. Just as she was about to give in and leave, Solas opened the door. He held a bottle and glasses in one hand, balancing a small stack of books in the other. Smiling in greeting, he came and sat next to her.
"I thought I'd provide the wine this time." he said, surreptitiously taking in her appearance. "You look lovely." he mumbled.
"Wine, compliments. Why, Solas, is this a date?" she teased. The elf, usually so stoic, blushed.
"Not at all- I just thought-that is…"
"It's alright Solas, I'm only teasing. Wine sounds nice." Mairenn grinned and settled back into the chair, aware of the slight warmth in her own cheeks. I shouldn't tease him so much. Solas pressed his lips together and uncorked the wine, pouring each of them a glass.
"I thought we'd start with the writings of Keeper Thaenin," he said, steering the conversation into safer waters. They settled into their research, speaking occasionally when they ran across something interesting. Solas did his best to concentrate. The wine paired with seeing the Inquisitor in such an intimate setting were not helping, however. He found himself lingering on her expressions and movements. Her slender legs dangled comfortably over one arm of the chair, her brow slightly furrowed in concentration. When she retreated into deep thought sometimes she bit her lip, or fidgeted with her braid. She shifted in her seat, causing her tunic to ride up slightly, giving him a glimpse of the creamy skin of her waist. The material clung to her in ways her usual leather armor did not, and at one point he realized with a painful rush that he could clearly see the shape of her nipples in the chill air.
For her part, Mairenn could sense Solas's glances. She tried to ignore them, determined that he should make the first move, if a move was to be made. Occasionally she stole a glance in his direction, amused to see that his cheeks and the tips of his ears seemed to be consistently blushing. She finished her wine and her book at the same time, and got to her feet, setting them aside. Solas's eyes followed her as she moved to peruse the shelves. Her thoughts focused on her research, she didn't hear him get to his feet as well. There, on the top shelf, the book she needed.
"Damn," she muttered, stretching as far as possible. Her fingertips just brushed the spine of the book. Before she could step away, she felt a hand on her waist, holding her in place as Solas reached around her and plucked the volume from the shelf. Her heart leapt into her throat as she felt the pressure of his chest against her back, the warmth of his hand resting casually against her side. He did not move away as he handed the book to her, his warm breath tickling her ear.
"Here," he breathed, pressing the book into her hand. Still he didn't move, his hand lingering. Mairenn turned her head slightly, glancing up into his face- he met her eyes and she could feel the heat there. Then he stepped away. Without thinking Mairenn grabbed his wrist, stopping him, and with his hesitation raised on the balls of her feet and brought her mouth to his. His breath tasted faintly of wine, their lips pressing together tenderly at first, then with more hunger. With a low growl he pulled away, grasping his elbows and taking a step back. Hurt, Mairenn's hands fell limply to her sides.
"Why, Solas?" she whispered. He met her eyes, seeing the confusion and dismay. Running his hand over his face in frustration, he closed the distance between them and took one of Mairenn's hands.
"I… can't. There are so many things… You can't be distracted. I can't be distracted." Mairenn frowned, taking her hand back.
"You don't want me." she said flatly. Solas felt a rush of guilt.
"That's not true." he whispered, closing his eyes. "I want you more than… It's like a hunger… I cant even look at you without…"
"Without what?" she challenged. He opened his eyes, meeting hers again. Her breath caught at the intensity of his gaze and she backed away a step instinctively. Solas followed, incrementally closing the gap between them.
"How can you think I don't want you?" He growled. Mairenn's back hit the bookcase.
"Do something about it then, Solas. No more excuses." She saw something move behind Solas's eyes. Slowly he reached out and tucked an errant strand of hair behind her ear, trailing his fingers down the side of her neck and along her collarbone. Mairenn gasped lightly. His other hand reached up and cupped the back of her neck, tightening, and tilting her face upward to his as he brought his lips down to hers. Mairenn felt her stomach flip when Solas's other hand slid to the small of her back and he pressed her body to his. She could feel his breath coming in quick gasps. Her own hands, trembling slightly, worked upwards to his shoulder blades as they embraced. He groaned slightly when her fingers dug into his taught flesh. He had her pressed into the bookcase now as they devoured each other. His mouth left hers and travelled to her exposed collarbone, eliciting a gasp from her.
"Are you sure, Mairenn?" he breathed, looking once again into her eyes. His gaze was dark, and it frightened her a bit, but she found that the tinge of fear only heightened her arousal.
"Yes, I'm sure." She answered, pulling him to her mouth again. He growled into her, slipping his hands under her shirt and trailing them upwards, lifting the shirt slightly and exposing her stomach to the chill air. She moaned when his thumbs found her nipples, his large hands kneading her small breasts while his mouth suckled her neck. She jumped and gasped when she felt his teeth scrape her skin. His lips smiled and he did it again, harder, dancing close to the edge of pain. Mairenn cried out quietly, surprised that her hips instinctively twitched with the pain. Solas chuckled and tugged Mairenn's shirt up, over her breasts. He took a nipple into his mouth as she moaned, gripping his back and writhing slightly as the pressure between her legs started to become unbearable. She could feel how wet she was. She yelped again as Solas's teeth came together on her nipple, the sensation sending shocks down her stomach and causing her hips to buck in ecstasy.
"Stop that," she hissed, her eyes squeezing shut.
"I was under the impression that you were enjoying it." Solas teased, smirking as he felt Mairenn tremble under his hands.
"I- well, yes, but… It's too much," she murmured, suddenly feeling embarrassed. Solas brought his face back up to hers, pressing his cheek against hers as he whispered in her ear.
"I'm not sure I follow," his breath tickled her and she blushed, hesitating. "Say it." he commanded. His hand lingered on the back of her neck.
"You… You'll make me cum…" she whispered.
"Without even touching you?" Solas purred, the arousal clear in his voice.
"Yes…"
Solas groaned quietly, trailing his hand from behind her neck and down between her slightly heaving breasts. His short nails scraped the delicate skin, eliciting a low moan from Mairenn. He reached the waist of her leggings. Teasing, he slipped a finger underneath and slid it around the waistband, smirking when she writhed against his intrusion.
"You've got to stay still, Mairenn." He breathed. Meeting her eyes, he took her wrists in his hands and pulled them up, pinning her arms over her head with one hand. He glanced down at her chest, openly admiring the way her body looked in the position, then locked his eyes to hers again.
Without breaking eye contact he slid his hand down her stomach and into her pants. Mairenn mewled when she felt his long fingers slip under her smallclothes and brush against her lips, the overly sensitive skin aching at his touch. After a second of teasing hesitation, Solas parted her lips, delving a finger into the flowing wetness he'd exposed. He massaged her clit, making her break the eye contact when she threw her head back, nearly cracking it against the bookcase. His fingers slid lower and he slipped one inside, slowly burying it up to the knuckle as the palm of his hand ground against Mairenn's clit. She moaned and ground against him, abandoning any pretense as she desperately tried to bring herself to orgasm. Solas complied, slipping a second finger inside her and thrusting into her as she whimpered. It was a matter of seconds before he felt her clench on his fingers as her hips bucked uncontrollably. He grinned languidly as she melted in front of him, coming down from her high completely out of breath.
Her hair stuck to her neck with sweat. Her exposed breasts heaved, and her taut stomach trembled in the aftermath of her orgasm. His breathing ragged, Solas pulled his hand from her pants and released her wrists, gripping her hips and pressing himself against Mairenn's body as he pulled her into another intense kiss. Mairenn's hands scrabbled across his back, then lower as she searched for the waistband of his breeches. Emerging for air, Solas tugged his tunic over his head, tossing it aside. Mairenn drank in the sight of his exposed chest as she struggled with his pants. He was lean, not especially muscled, with a small amount of dark hair scattered across his chest. The hair trailing up from below was dark, too, prompting her to imagine him for a second with a full head of black hair. She tried not to giggle, instead crouching, and focusing on the laces of his breeches as he watched.
"You have no idea how many times I've pictured you doing that." he rasped, placing his hands against the bookcase on either side of Mairenn, gripping the shelves. She planted a kiss on his exposed hip bone and he sucked in a breath sharply between his teeth. Finally succeeding in unlacing the breeches, she tugged them down to his thighs. His erection, released from its confines, slapped against his taut stomach and throbbed with Solas's heartbeat. Mairenn took him into her hand, grinning wickedly when he let out a shaky whimper.
"Stop. Get up." he commanded. Then it was his turn to fumble with the laces on her pants, his impatience getting the better of him as he simply yanked them down past her hips. Then their mouths met again, their lips bruising as Mairenn shimmied out of her pants. She sucked Solas's bottom lip into her mouth, biting it lightly. With a growl he ran his hands under her buttocks, gripping them hard as he lifted her off her feet. Instinctively she wrapped her legs around his hips, feeling his dick press against her stomach. Panting, he brought his mouth to her ear.
"Tell me you want it," he whispered raggedly. He drew his mouth along the line of her neck, teeth again scraping her collarbone. She moaned.
"I want it, Solas. Please. I need you inside me."
Solas growled and stepped forward, pressing Mairenn against the bookcase as he held her with one hand. The other he used to guide his almost painful erection to her entrance. Mairenn dug her fingers into his shoulders, refusing to prolong the moment and grinding herself down onto his cock. They both threw their heads back as Mairenn gripped him. After a moment, she rolled her hips, groaning as she felt him twitch deep inside. Solas growled deeply and ground into her, making her cry out as her clit rubbed against him. Then he lifted her slightly, slowly beginning to fuck her. All pretense abandoned, she brought her knees up and let him lift her up and down on his dick, crying out as he slammed into her.
"I'm going to cum again," she whimpered, wrapping her legs around Solas's back and burying him as deep as she could while she rolled her hips against him. He hissed as she clenched on him, squeezing his eyes shut at the sensation. She immediately began lifting her hips again. Complying, Solas responded to her rhythm, thrusting into her as she mewled into his shoulder. Her nails scratched his back fueling him to pound into her even harder. When she suddenly bit his shoulder, he nearly lost control. Grunting, he carefully leaned her back, his eyes smoldering as he watched Mairenn's breasts bouncing with his thrusts. Lowering his gaze he could see his dick sliding into her, coated in her juices.
"I'm close, Mairenn."
"Me too, me too."
Their pace became frantic, his hips slamming into hers, both of them grunting, dripping in sweat. Solas growled and pulled Mairenn to his chest, thrusting upwards as deeply as possible. She answered by grinding onto him, crying out as her third orgasm shattered through her. Her gripping, bucking pussy was too much for him, and with a roar Solas buried himself in her, his dick pulsing as they ground against each other. They stayed glued together as their orgasms ebbed, unwilling to part. Carefully, knees slightly weak, Solas staggered to one of the chairs, holding himself inside Mairenn as he sank into it. She adjusted and settled against him. He could feel the aftershocks of her orgasm; every time she twitched, he felt his dick throb again.
"I want more, but I'm exhausted." she finally murmured, bringing Solas back to the present.
"Me too." he sighed. Mairenn shifted and lifted her hips. They watched as his softening member slid out of her, connected by a long string of her wetness. Solas moaned lightly, feeling himself hardening again at the sight. He found himself completely aroused as he watched his own cum leak out of her. Their eyes met, his unspoken thought confirmed in her smoldering gaze. Mouth dry, he watched as she brought her own hand down to her slit, spreading their mixed juices upward to her clit. Following her lead, he wrapped his hand around his now raging erection, still slick with her juices. He couldn't tear his eyes away as she circled her clit, then dipped a finger into her dripping red hole, still spread wide from his intrusion. He groaned, quickening his own strokes, an unbearable pressure spreading across his lower stomach as Mairenn fingered herself in front of him. When she threw her head back and began rubbing her clit in earnest, the pressure began to build. He saw her orgasm pulse through her, her spread lips giving him an unobstructed view as her hole clenched open and closed. It was when another trail of his own cum leaked from inside her that his orgasm tore through him. With a roar his cum burst from him, a burning pool forming on his stomach as his body went limp.
They sat in silence, each catching their breath and willing their muscles to come back to life. Finally Mairenn leaned in and kissed him tenderly, dismounting and hunting up her clothes. Solas pulled his pants back up, wiping his stomach clean with his shirt. He sat limply in the chair, watching Mairenn dress. She moved to the door.
"Where are you going?" he called. She turned and looked at him, one eyebrow raised.
"To bed. Aren't you coming?" she asked.
Solas smiled.