A/N - So...I've just come to the immensely embarrassing realisation that I do a TERRIBLE job of copying and pasting this in to doc manager! I seldom read it on here (usually just on my original word docs) so I did not notice but I'm sure you all must have! I am so sorry! And so embarrassed! I will check through at some point because UGH. There are repeats, missing bits and I cannot describe how horrendous I find it. I really wish I could not be so shit. Sorry!

Ellana hurried back to the tower convinced she was going to be late. Each time Emmaera was jostled uncomfortably she let out a disgruntled squeal but all Ellana could do was apologise profusely. She was surprised when she finally made it to the office to find only Solas and Varden present.

"Am I late?" she asked as she barged through the door and ended their quiet mutterings.

Solas gazed quizzically at her. "No… I told the messenger that it was not urgent. They did not relay that message?"

She groaned as she handed the baby off to him. "No they did not. They made it sound rather urgent, in fact."

He sighed, wrapping an arm briefly around her waist. "I am sorry, vhenan, Cyrrian has not yet returned and likely will not until at least the evening. I only intended to inform you of a prospective meeting not an imminent one."

"Not your fault, my love," she uttered, leaning in to him. "Hey, by the way; we missed you…"

He chuckled lightly, drinking in her closeness until Varden coughed very deliberately.

Solas raised an eyebrow. "Envy is a terrible burden, my friend."

"As is pride," Varden added before he could stop himself.

Ellana muffled a laugh rather poorly and Solas glared at them both.

"Oh, don't get grumpy on us," she said, placing a conciliatory kiss on his cheek. "Go put our little one to sleep and find some calm." She hopped up on the desk with a groan. "I am much too exhausted to even move."

With one final frown before he went, Solas did as he was told. Emmaera, oblivious, babbled away happily in his arms.

What passed for a smile for him appeared reluctantly on Varden's features. "So I am to presume that married life is treating you well, my Lady?"

"Ellana, my name is Ellana and I would much prefer you used it," she said sternly, rolling her eyes at the certainty that he would not heed her request. "And yes, it is treating me fine. Much the same as it was before, mind you but I never presumed to think it would not. Years of a relationship were hardly going to be warped for better or worse by a ceremony and a word..."

Varden regarded her blankly, evidently lost by her slight rambling. "I am glad to hear it, my Lady…I think…"

Ellana rolled her eyes yet again. "What about you?" she slyly asked. "Are you and your genteel lover finding your feet?"

His expression instantly fell but he recovered rapidly. "Found and lost repeatedly would be a more accurate assessment. Thank you, by the way, for convincing Fen'Harel to assist her with the nightmares. I regret I did not think of it myself."

With many nights spent together out in the field, Ellana knew well of Shivra's problem but she knew nothing of Solas trying to rectify it.

Her brow furrowed in her confusion. "Nightmares? What are you talking about?"

His eyes widened for a fraction of a second. "You… It was not you? When she described what she experienced, I knew it must have been him but I doubted he would take such an action without your prompting…"

"Wait…Solas helped Shivra with her nightmares? That is what you are saying? No I didn't ask him to!" Her mind shifted back, remembering all Lis had said and experienced in her dreams as well. "I… That's…" Ellana's voice cracked and she trailed off.

"Unexpected," he added, appearing to regret saying it as soon as he had.

A silence followed in which Varden considered her for a moment too long. He seldom gave much away but this time, Ellana could tell that he was approaching her with caution. His gaze flitted to the doorway of the bedroom and they both took in the sounds of Solas speaking quietly to the babbling child in the room beyond.

He rested on her determined eyes again. "I do not claim to know him but you do. Tell me, have you noticed any changes of late?"

Ellana's mind darted between the concept of her claimed knowledge and what he had actually asked before she responded, "Changes? What do you mean 'changes'? Why would you ask that?" Her voice wavered uncomfortably, knowing as she did that the answer to his question was a definite yes.

He regarded her carefully again. "I was told he would and that what we do would change as a result…"

"By whom?" Ellana interrupted.

Varden smiled as much as he was capable. "Who else but Mirwen. But that is…well…"

He fell in to uncomfortable silence but Ellana's racing mind kept her from observing his hesitant disquiet. She should have known it would be Mirwen – it always was.

Varden's gaze flashed back to the doorway and then back to her. "My Lady… Ellana…" He spoke her name as if it caused him great pain but the gesture certainly caught her attention. "If I were to ask something of you, would you be able to keep any mention of it between us?"

Her mind promptly stopped its thrumming. "Keep silent?" This time, her gaze flitted to the doorway and back. "From him? Why would you…?"

"I cannot say anymore without your word," he interrupted, eyes boring in to her. "It is a difficult topic and if you are opposed to what I ask, I would rather no mention of it recur. Although I doubt it is something you would even want to say to him, in truth…"

"Is that supposed to be comforting?!" Ellana, started much too loudly. She lowered her voice before continuing, "I cannot give my word wholly, you know that but any concern you may have I would share. If this is about him then I need to know. I'll do whatever I can to help but I cannot promise I will remain silent. I can only promise that I have no desire to see you harmed and so, any information you may share that he need not know…well…I can be discreet…"

Varden regarded her cautiously for a long, uneasy moment but a sound from the room beyond broke his concentration.

"Ma lath?" Ellana shouted out hopefully. "Could you…could you run me a bath? I am simply exhausted and gods know I would appreciate it immeasurably!"

There was grumbling from the room beyond but it appeared to end with assent. Ellana turned expectantly back to Varden.

He sighed. "'See the changes as they happen' – that is what the Keeper said and… I did not believe her, of course, doddering fools; even those that claim to see the future are seldom trustworthy but…by some means…she was…right is a strong word…" The imploring look Ellana gave him must have hit its mark as he did not miss a beat. "He has been moving people. For what purpose I cannot even begin to imagine and truth be told, I cannot be certain he is behind it but who else could successfully circumvent my role entirely? Quite literally everything – every operation, every movement, every order passes through me in some capacity but yet, these I have never seen."

Ellana's eyebrow arched. "So you're upset because he is not involving you? That's the issue here?"

His mouth hung open for a second, disbelief so plain Ellana regretted her words. "Do not be absurd!" He spoke with such evident derision that he too seemed to regret having spoken to her in such a way. "Apologies, my Lady but I could care less about my involvement. If he were to strike me from my role, then that would be his prerogative. However, I question why…"

"'Why'?" Ellana interrupted, incredulous still. "Have you thought to ask him?"

He waved a hand dismissively. "Of course. He claims to have no recollection of any of it; denies it ever happened."

That struck a nerve with Ellana. She had long suspected that Varden knew a lot more than she thought to confirm but even he was not privy to it all. To her, it was natural for Solas to keep certain things from him, even more so as they progressed but not how he described. Varden was in deep, he knew far too much in actuality and Solas was well aware of that. Nothing he claimed to see or know could be dismissed so readily and to do so would only break necessary trust. That was how Solas would think in this situation – he would not presume for a moment that he could placate Varden with lies or denials. In fact, Ellana was pretty certain he would just have told him to stay out of it and with a dutiful man such as Varden, it probably would have worked. The fact he had not taken that path actually did make Ellana question him, more than she was comfortable admitting.

"He claimed he couldn't remember? That it never happened? What did he say when you showed him proof?" she finally answered, voice trembling slightly.

He sighed once more but appeared relieved, as if he could tell she was finally taking him seriously. "I did not get that far. The discussion was wearing on him and I…he appeared to be struggling. I held no wish to push it further. I do not claim to know him as you do, nor hold the power over him that you do…"

"You want me to ask?!" Ellana interrupted, loud again.

He shushed her just as loudly. "No, merely enquire at your own pace. You judge him best, you know how best to approach such a matter. If you require evidence – that, I can give you but I suggest you first simply question. Perhaps he will be more open with you or, at the very least, significantly less likely to react negatively."

Ellana ran a hand across her head. "Don't bloody bet on it. Alright…I'll…I'll see what I can do but don…"

"Vhenan..." The sound of Solas's tone made them both practically jump out of their skin. "…our little one is asleep and your bath is ready."

With the momentum from her fright, she got to her feet with too much eagerness. "Ma lath! Thank goodness! You have no idea how in need I am!"

Her voice kept rising awkwardly and judging by the inquiring gaze he fixed to her, he had noticed. She stopped once she reached him, arms draping naturally about his neck.

"If Cyrrian is not due until later," Varden started from behind. "I will leave you to one another." Ellana turned back to him and saw the purpose behind his eyes for her alone. "Until later."

She nodded ever so slightly before turning her attention back to Solas and his sceptical stare. The second the door clicked shut behind their guest she kissed him.

"Join me," she purred, before planting another lighter kiss upon his lips.

He stared long and hard in to her eyes as his thumb ran slowly down the length of her cheekbone. "As you wish."

Ellana had so many questions but not the time to ask even one. Solas's appearance had seen to that. She would not question him as she had been tasked, not yet. Although she did not doubt Varden, she had to see the evidence for herself. Solas quite clearly knew something was up and did little to hide that fact. Luckily for her, the idea of them both free of their child's needs and with a warm bath appeared to be the more pressing of his concerns. Quite fortuitously, it did not take all that long for Cyrrian to return to the fold and kill whatever impulse remained to query her. The news he brought certainly warranted their full attention.

The elves Solas had seen fit to hold hostage had more than pulled their weight. With their aid, Cyrrian had made contact with their self-proclaimed queen and it seemed she was willing to meet with them. From that, Ellana found herself travelling to Tevinter awkwardly in the company of both Solas and Cyrrian a few hours later. Cyrrian was their contact so he had to come and apparently this 'Aemilia' had insisted she wished to speak with Fen'Harel himself. Ellana, compelled as she was to follow wherever Solas went, made up the threesome and she just had to deal with it. While they were joined by the band of elves they had promised safe passage, it did little to dampen the uneasy atmosphere. Rumour regarding the Dread Wolf's thorny disposition must have diffused amongst them and so many kept their distance but Ellana did not mind. The introduction of several new personalities was hardly going to help the situation.

Cyrrian gave them a wide berth at first but the longer they all spent together, the more he seemed to wish to prod. Their target was suitably cautious and so had not yet divulged a location for their meeting. It was a wise way of avoiding enemies but it meant the threesome would be forced to spend a rather uncomfortable amount of time together. As minutes of waiting turned to hours, Ellana was increasingly awed by Solas's level of self-control. If she had been able like he was, she would have burned Cyrrian quite a few times but in this instance at least, he acted almost oblivious. He even somehow managed to fall asleep, although that just made Ellana envious. She did suppose that he had more than earned a rest given their earlier bath-time exploits. As she played with the long braid that snaked over her shoulder, she could feel Cyrrian's eyes on her. In an attempt to comfort the nerves tugging at the back of her mind, she laid a hand gently upon Solas's chest to feel his rhythmic breathing. Stare burning upon her still; it did little to quell her annoyance.

"If you don't stop staring at me, I'll wake him up," she threatened rather pathetically.

She could have beaten the abyss out of Cyrrian herself but she could never be as much of a threat in words as the Dread Wolf. Still, Cyrrian just rolled his eyes.

"You have no right to order me," he coldly remarked, sly smile plastered across his aggravating face. "Besides, you owe me. 'All I have to do is name it' – is that not what you said?"

The look he gave made her skin crawl. "It was but…giving words to desires can be dangerous." She flicked her braid free of her hands and fixed her eyes to his. "If you were to name what I think you desire you would regret it. Touch me and he will kill you."

Bizarrely, he laughed and Ellana started to doubt her perception of him.

"The threat of death is amusing to you?" she asked.

He raised an eyebrow, eyes beneath flashing with menace. "Amusing – no. The risk, however, is oddly appealing…"

His words ended abruptly as a groan emanated from Solas. He sat up shortly after, looking around until his eyes rested on Ellana.

"She saw me," he breathed quietly.

Ellana's brow furrowed. "Who saw you?"

His eyes were abnormally wide and filled with wonder. "The rebel mage – the one we are meeting. I searched for her in the Fade, found her and…she saw me, vhenan…reacted to my presence…"

"How is that possible?" Ellana asked, Cyrrian long forgotten. "You were visible?" He nodded. "But you did not grant her awareness?" He nodded again. "And it wasn't just her seeing you? She actually did something?"

"She spoke to me, vhenan, actually spoke to me!" he replied excitedly. "Not a lot and she seemed incapable of much else but that alone is remarkable!" He rose to his feet to pace about.

"So what does that mean, Solas? She is a dreamer like you?" Ellana asked feeling pitifully left out.

He stared down at the ground in thought. "I do not know; the capability is evidently there…" He met her gaze, blue eyes bright with delight. "She has my interest - that much is certain." He resumed his impatient pacing. "Any word whilst I was out?" Ellana shook her head and with a groan, he halted. "Damn. I tire of all this waiting"

He glanced away from her, eyes falling on Cyrrian and the glint within them underwent a notable change. Ellana knew that look and was certain she knew what was coming. Solas had always remained surprisingly aware of the outside world while dreaming. She considered distracting him but the desire to watch it play out won the day.

Head cocked to one side, Solas paced over to stop a foot or so from the ignorant elf. "She was right you know - desire can be dangerous." He crouched down so his cold stare could fully meet its target. "Touch her and I will kill you – that is a promise and I can assure you, there will be nothing remotely appealing about it."

He left Cyrrian to retake his position by Ellana's side in uncomfortable silence.

Heavy silence endured until a raven came and broke it. At long last they had a location and something to occupy them other than bickering. Still, Ellana could not rid herself of the difficult feeling that wavered in the back recesses of her mind. She was reluctant to give it much thought but if she had, she would have known that it was jealousy she was feeling. She usually loved the rare times Solas fell in to exuberant fascination but this time was different. She had never even met this 'Aemilia' woman but she already resented her.

They found themselves out in the middle of nowhere. Ellana had no idea what part of Tevinter they were in anymore but Solas at least seemed to know where their nearest exit was. She was glad although not bothered by the notion of escape. With Solas on hand, she doubted there was anything here that could make them run. The location they were aiming for turned out to be a dilapidated farmhouse in the centre of the nothingness. Initially, Ellana thought it must be a mistake but the rather obvious guards posted outside stopped her short of voicing her doubts. Their reluctant companions abandoned them to the guards almost immediately but they did not need their introductions. Hindered for only a matter of seconds, Solas led them in - a few words from him all it took to gain them entry. With his golden armour concealed beneath a cloak, it seemed that nowadays it did not matter what guise he wore, he would always have that effect on people. Inside, the building seemed to consist of one large room but wrecked structures were still enough to obstruct their view of the voices that permeated through.

"…an hour if we're lucky," said one of the voices.

An almost melodic groan sounded before another voice cut it short, "If we have to move then so be it. We cannot risk waiting on the promise they will turn up."

"Then leave," interrupted the first clearly female voice. "I do not hold you here but I am waiting. Let the Hunters come…"

The voices trailed off as Ellana and her companions finally found their way out in to the open. Three elves stood beneath a large hole in the roof and beside them, a makeshift fire roared with unnaturally green-tinted flames. The only female amongst the three was the best dressed by far – olive robes artfully playing off the hues of her golden hair. She was good-looking in a simple way but what stood out most were her eyes – pale brown that looked almost yellow in the dancing firelight. She regarded each of the new faces judiciously, eyes seeming to rest on Solas the longest until she turned her consideration back to Cyrrian. She strode out and wrapped her arms around him without any hesitation.

"My brother, it has been much too long," she purred before pulling away. "Leave us," she ordered of her people without so much as a glance back.

The fact that they did not seem at all fazed by her lack of interest only confirmed for Ellana that this style of leadership was a regular thing for this woman.

"The far too few letters you sent suggest you are managing well, yes?" the golden haired elf went on with a hurt scowl. Cyrrian nodded and made to speak but she went on over him, "And you must be the great Fen'Harel." She turned to Solas with a sly smile. "I must say the wolf is something of a deceptive moniker; I expected a far more…hulking…individual."

Solas's eyes narrowed. "Wolves favour cunning over brute strength; an attribute you will come to understand I utilise rather well…"

Her eyebrow arched the slightest bit. "I look forward to it… After all, a man with wits seldom loses the day…in my experience…"

Solas's eyes widened at that; the parted lips and sultry tone with which she spoke seeming to have finally communicated to him what Ellana and her envy had seen all along. Unwilling to continue watching this woman, she glanced briefly at Cyrrian who regarded her in turn. He shook his head lightly.

With an internal roll of the eyes, Ellana turned back to the source of her envy just as Solas finally found words, "You must be Aemilia, I have heard much about you…"

"And I you, although some I imagine is more legend than fact."

Solas would rarely pass up an opportunity to discuss how wrong modern elves were about him but now he was clearly much too uncomfortable to even entertain the idea.

"Quite," he interjected dismissively before turning to Ellana with concern only she could see beneath his façade. "Cyrrian you already know as one of my Commanders and this…this is Ellana Lavellan - my wife." He stated her title with such emphasis that it was obvious to them all how clear he wanted to make it.

Ellana failed spectacularly to suppress a smirk. Everything in her wanted to add, "That's right, bitch," but somehow she resisted. She had never suffered jealousy like this with any man so she had presumed it was beneath her. Evidently that was not the case.

Aemilia's eyes widened almost immediately. "Oh…" Recovering rapidly, she painted a smile across her lips. "It is a pleasure to meet you, I'm sure," she said, reaching out for Ellana's reluctant hand. "Lavellan - that is a Dalish name, is it not?"

Ellana released her as expeditiously as she could without seeming overtly rude. "It is. Is that a problem for you?" She felt Solas's palm press in to her back and knew he was likely glaring down on her.

"No, of course not!" Aemilia replied, golden hair dancing around her features with apparent embarrassment. "It is simply curious… I am sorry if I have offended you in any way; that was not my intent."

Ill-advisedly, Ellana took this moment to look up at Solas. The anger she had expected was absent from him, his expression swimming instead with both understanding and imploration. She sighed to herself, the smallest smile tugging the corners of her mouth.

"I took no offence," she stated, trying her best to appear sincere. "Our journey has been long and in my tiredness… I apologise if I portrayed myself rudely - you have done nothing to warrant that..."

Solas's hand glided up and down her back in a brief gesture of thanks before he took control of the conversation.

"Cyrrian tells me you have interest in working with us. While we would welcome such an opportunity, I would know what your expectations may be," he asked.

Aemilia tore her gaze from Ellana and back to Solas, cautious curiosity replaced by a more ardent one. "I do not know how much our mutual friend has deigned to tell you," she started with a knowing look in Cyrrian's direction. "But I have fought against the tyranny of our slave masters for quite some time and not once have we even come close to resolution. So many of our people know nothing but their bonds. Those that do seldom think to unite and fighting alone…well…that is as good as a death sentence." She sighed mirthlessly, golden hair falling about her face. "We cannot change things, not when we are so weak, not when we lack the numbers or the hope to go on." Her expression abruptly brightened. "Your people are different. Everything you touch is changed and I trust you can do the same for Tevinter. Your people - they have the numbers, they have the organisation and what's more, they have you…"

Solas regarded her with scepticism. "You want me to free all the slaves of Tevinter – that is quite the expectation…"

"But yet it is not an expectation you are dismissing outright, most interestingly," she interjected with a sly smirk.

Ellana gazed up at Solas as his own smirk slowly formed. "No, I am not. Merely ensuring you realise the extent of what you ask of us and what I might require in return. Before we get to that, I would ask you…" He paused briefly as though considering his phrasing.

"About the dream?" she finished for him. "You were the wolf, weren't you? Oh, I knew it! I mean…I presumed but I could not fully grasp it at the time…" Her tone had grown more and more excited with each word. "You can control it fully? Make yourself what you wish?" Solas nodded with a self-satisfied grin. "That is simply fascinating! You must…!"

The crash of a door cut her words short and Ellana let out a breath of relief. Watching this exchange was getting painful.

"Hunters sighted to the north! Ten minutes at best!" shouted a voice from behind them.

Aemilia's bronze eyes expanded with fear. Surprisingly fast given her clear preference for magic, she left them to attend to her people – all else forgotten in the wake of the threat.

"Hunters?" Ellana enquired of Cyrrian.

He turned to her, eyebrow raised in what she perceived as mocking of the situation she just had to endure. "Slave-hunters to be exact. The Imperium's entire economy rests on the backs of the enslaved. These hunters exist across the land to crush rebellion and return the free to their rightful place."

"Lovely," she replied, nose crinkling in disgust. She turned back slightly as Solas met her, warm and reassuring as he always was. "Tevinter is quite literally the worst."

Solas chuckled lightly, his chest rising and falling satisfyingly against her back. "A true sentiment but not without flaws. All places have their horrors, vhenan; Tevinter's are just significantly more apparent."

"Yet no one does anything about it," she added angrily. "If only more people would think more than 'out of sight, out of mind' then maybe…"

"First our situation and then bettering the world, vhenan," Solas interrupted, earning a glower. Ignoring her ire, he turned his attention to Cyrrian. "For the sake of clarity, these are individuals who make a career out of returning individuals to slavery or killing them if they cannot – is that correct?"

"Well, yes," Cyrrian replied, appearing somewhat taken aback by Solas's sudden attention. "Although I doubt many humans within this nation would regard the act with such derision…"

"Claimed ignorance does not absolve one of their sins," Solas interrupted firmly. "Nor does it slow the coming of retribution."

"Woe betide the day they bite off more than they can chew," Ellana added, anticipation already building in her chest at the mere suggestion.

Her voice trailed off as Aemilia returned to the fray. "They will be upon us soon. We can take down a few but we will have to run."

Ellana exchanged a look with Solas, one that made him tilt his head and roll his eyes slightly. A wicked grin threatened the breadth of her lips in reply.

"The Dread Wolf has never been much of a runner," she remarked.

Aemilia gazed at them disbelievingly. "These are seasoned hunters in numbers – my people have seen them. They will be upon us in moments and to engage them fully would be suicide…"

With a raised hand, Solas interrupted her, "But you do engage them? If these men were to meet their ends…their deaths would not be thought of as out of the ordinary?"

"We have never fought this many," Aemilia replied, notably sceptical. "But I suppose…if we could, their deaths would not be questioned…"

"Excellent," Solas interrupted yet again. He gazed down on Ellana with chin raised, eyes glinting and half-smile fixed – pride in both name and appearance. "It is not in a wolf's nature to retreat, right vhenan?"

"So predictable," she purred before taking his hand in hers. "If they seek to chain or end us as they have done to so many then they will be in for a surprise."

She led him out the way they had come enjoying every moment of her rival's incredulous stare. A few paces away she heard her speaking to Cyrrian.

"They wish to fight them? All of them?"

Cyrrian laughed lightly. "Unless we are talking about an army, they can handle it."

Their voices faded out the closer Ellana got to the front of the building. Solas shook loose of her hand, his arm finding the curve of her waist instead and holding her in close.

"I am sorry, vhenan, for…all of that," he uttered quietly.

She grabbed his hand back to pull on him as she backed out the door. "You did nothing to vex me, my love; your admirer however…"

He allowed himself a few notes of laughter. "One would hope she has understood the picture. I cannot surmise a way I could have been any clearer."

"Really?" she added, with her own laugh. "I can think of one way…" She licked her lips suggestively.

He rolled his eyes. "There are times I wonder what personal flaw attracted me to such a lewd woman."

"You know you love it."

He drew her in closer with a hand pulling her braid to raise her lips to his. He lowered his voice to a growl, "That I do."

The two they had left behind came rushing out to join them but neither Ellana nor Solas made any moves to part from one another.

"Tell your people to wait inside," Solas ordered of Aemilia. "Their involvement is not necessary."

She nodded and set about organising her people. In the corner of her vision, Ellana could see Cyrrian rolling his eyes at the sight of Solas and her.

"Ready for this, vhenan?" Solas asked; eyes fixed on her in spite of the ominous forms in the distance.

"Always."

With glowing eyes, he took her head in his hands and the familiar pale-blue hue passed down over her skin. It tingled and sparked oddly. She lacked the proper ability to sense changes in magical energies but Solas's tutelage had abided her enough knowledge to know when something was different. She gazed up at him questioningly.

"Something I have been working on for you, my love. Protection as always but with a little something extra. Excluding myself of course, anyone you touch is in for a shock," he explained with a sly smile.

She raised an eyebrow. "Was that supposed to be a pun? An actual pun? Gods, Solas; I'll find out for myself," she lamented, striding away towards the approaching figures in mock disgust.

"Try not to have too much fun with it," he called after her, chuckling away to himself.

By the time the figures were close enough to actually resemble people, Ellana had stopped a distance from them. Solas came to her side, a hand finding the small of her back just as Aemilia came forward too.

"Halt!" shouted out a voice from amongst the humans. "By decree of the Archon, elven must submit or face the blade!"

Ellana stared up at Solas, darkness rising in his eyes.

"No," he said blankly as he raised a hand.

The humans had no time to even begin to react before a wave of Solas's magic wove through them. It cut down the numbers long before Ellana moved. She spun to dodge the attack of the first man she reached, skilfully flicking her heavy braid to strike at his face. As soon as it touched him, the effect was instant and he fell to the floor still sparking.

"Ooo! I like it!" Ellana shouted over the din of battle, already flitting off to her next target.

"I surmised you would, vhenan!" Solas called back.

A light kick or even the graze of an elbow was enough to take down the majority of her combatants and that was a powerful feeling. She had felt such power before, her well-earned skill in battle affording her much but this was far more intoxicating. She found herself wondering how Solas remained at all reserved, especially given that his power dwarfed what she was experiencing to a near ludicrous degree. Every so often as she fought, magic she did not recognise flurried past her. She took a moment to look back and saw Aemilia had chosen to fight with them, annoyingly right by Solas's side. A glance to her right as she kicked yet another further revealed that Cyrrian too fought alongside them. In all her dislike of him, she had never thought to consider his skill in combat and now she watched, she had to admit that it was a pleasing sight. He noticed her watching and raised an eyebrow as his fist met the face of some hapless Imperial. He nodded behind, drawing Ellana's eyes in that direction before moving off once again. As the numbers thinned out, she had noticed that Solas's magic affected fewer and was far less devastating than she had come to expect and thanks to Cyrrian, she saw why. Ellana watched as Aemilia would send out a spell and then he would reply, quite clearly holding back but still just besting her; she then upped the ante and Solas did so too. It was playful, painfully like flirting and it made her blood boil. She met her next few combatants with all her misplaced fury as she made an effort to travel back towards Solas.

"Could you stop playing around and actually do something helpful!" she shouted, her fist bashing more aggressively than was needed in to a nearby skull.

She had managed to bring herself within a few paces of Solas so he grabbed her with little effort. In a matter of moments, she was pinned hard against his chest by a tightly wrapped arm around her waist.

"You have the power of the abyss at your fingertips, vhenan," he purred in her ear, voice thick with his vanity. "You have but to ask…"

Energy fabricated and swirled around them, building to a head at his side. She had never been this close to him when he was casting and to be so now was yet another intoxicating experience. His expression twitched with the anger and disgust he felt towards those he aimed to fell, his usual calm so weak that it barely even registered. He outstretched his free hand and spears of intense light hurtled out to render in pieces any man they touched. Once the last spear had made its wicked journey, it was all but done.

Aemilia said something but Ellana could not hear the words. She had been enraptured, wholly and completely and her breathing had become heavy. As the grip of Solas's arm loosened, she finally regained her breath and her senses.

Aemilia was still prattling on at their side, "Your power…it's… That was…"

"Miraculous," Ellana finished for her.

She gazed up at Solas but his attention remained focused on those few enemies that ran. It was not long before he moved off in pursuit but Ellana still swore she saw something marring his usually so familiar aspect. She shook her head, widening her eyes slightly to ensure she had definitely seen the black, vein-like marks tarnishing his skin but he was gone before she could confirm it. None escaped the Dread Wolf's wrath – turned to stone in reward of their futile efforts. Aemilia regarded it from Ellana's side with wonder but she no longer shared in her rapture. Solas did not use this power outside of the world of the mirrors; "to do so," he had claimed, "would leave a declaration of my presence for all to see." He was probably more than capable of destroying the evidence but even still, Ellana was left questioning what had changed. The breath caught in her throat as he touched a finger to the forehead of one statue and coldly laughed as it burst in to dust.