"Dorian, this is unwise."
"Commander, I would never steer you wrong -"
"I would though, too right Curly." Sera said around a yawn.
The voices echoed from the rotunda where Solas had lived and worked. Revas grinned to herself as she listened in.
"I fail to see how this will help anything." Cullen growled.
"Ah and that, dear Commander, is why I am here." She could feel Dorian's smirk from her hiding spot.
"I like a bit of fun, me, but Curly has a point. You're all flash and dance no meat."
"The meat, my dear is incoming." Revas could almost see Dorian's leer.
Revas moved closer to the railing and peered down. She could just make out the back of Cullen's head. Sera and Dorian were out of sight.
"Now, Sera, do not bite, hit or otherwise maul our loyal Commander. Commander, please take her hands, excellent, now, you can both march I've seen it, dancing, believe it or not, is quite similar."
Revas grinned madly, dancing? What was Dorian plotting?
"Oy!" Sera shouted and Revas froze, had she been seen?
"He is supposed to hold your waist Sera, which you must realize."
"Ow! Dorian this is ridiculous -" Cullen snapped.
"Move your hand south -" Sera threatened.
"Really you two this needn't be so -" Dorian snapped in exasperation.
Revas was laughing so hard she couldn't hear the rest of the exchange over her muffled giggles.
Then something exploded.
Revas felt pain ripping through her body. She opened her eyes to see dust and rubble everywhere and...sky. She coughed and sat up she had fallen to the ground floor. Her left arm wouldn't work. Still coughing she got to her feet and looked around for attackers or survivors. Then there was another explosion and everything went black.
"Get a healer!"
"She's coming to."
Revas opened her eyes and looked into Cullen's worried face. She coughed and tried to sit up.
"Easy, you've had a fit of some kind." He cautioned. She was half lying in his lap. Her whole body hurt like a cramped muscle that's been loosened.
"I...there was an explosion…" She muttered. Cullen helped her sit up.
Revas looked around and saw Leliana and Cassandra watching her.
"You went white and fell down." Cassandra said.
"Have you ever had a fit like this before?" Leliana asked.
"No...never." She said shakily and got to her feet. Cullen steadied her.
"You need to see a healer." He said.
"Where is the Inquisitor? Is she okay?" She asked pushing Cullen aside. Revas registered their expressions and was off like a shot. Ignoring the pain wracking her body she raced down to the second floor then jumped the rail, hit the floor and rolled onto her feet then raced toward her cousin's quarters. As she ran she dimly realized that there had been no explosion after all.
She danced past a group of Orlesian nobles huddled around the Inquisition throne and slammed open the door leading to her cousin's quarters. Air tore at her lungs as she ran, her body throbbing with each heartbeat. She threw the door open on an empty room. Frantic she checked the storage areas, the balconies and behind the desk, not seeing Lavellan laid out she began to calm down then thought of the ladder to the upper section of the room. Freshly panicked she swam up the ladder ignoring splinters.
Lavellan was there, stretched out on her back, left hand flung over her head and pulsing with the sick green light of the Fade rifts she had spent months closing.
Revas knelt and checked for life, she was breathing and her heart was strong. As she finished checking she heard others arrive.
"Up here!" She shouted.
"I'm okay." Lavellan slurred and sat up.
"What happened?" Revas asked.
"There's going to be an attack, we have to warn them." She said in a tight pained voice.
"Take it easy, I saw some of it, an explosion, that brings down Solas' rotunda?" Revas asked.
Lavellan nodded.
"She's alive and she saw it too!" Revas called as Leliana arrived at her side.
"Inquisitor, what happened?"
"Thank the Maker." Cullen said as he finished climbing the ladder.
"I'm okay, really." Lavellan said gently.
"Bullshit." Revas snarled and glared at Leliana.
"She needs space go get a healer." Leliana's fine features narrowed in anger but she easily leapt down to the main floor and set off at a fast jog for help. Cullen remained and helped Revas get Lavellan to her feet. She was pale and clung to her friends as she closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths.
"Was it real?" Revas asked quietly.
"I don't know." Lavellan replied.
Cullen looked confused but didn't ask for clarification. "Can you manage the ladder?" As he finished speaking the Inquisitor's fire-colored eyes rolled back in her head and she went limp. They caught her between them and Cullen held her. Revas shimmied down the ladder and accepted Lavellan's weight as Cullen maneuvered into the tight space.
Revas was stronger than her lean frame might indicate, she easily and safely cradled her cousin and carried her to her simple bed. She gently laid her down and felt for signs of life.
"She lives!" She called. Cullen joined her and moments later Leliana returned with a healer and Lavellan's companions.
Revas turned to them, rage in her eyes, and stood in front of her cousin.
"She did what you needed, she saved the whole bloody world, now she's dying because of that thing on her hand. Save her if you bear her any love at all." She ordered.
The healer bent to his task, Dorian knelt next to him and examined the mark, he frowned and closed his eyes then held her hand.
"You owe her everything. Save her then let her go. Let her come back to the People and be at peace." She begged them, her tone was less angry but her stance and expression just as fierce.
More than a day later Lavellan woke and called for Revas.
"Lethalin." Revas said as she knelt.
"I am dying." Lavellan said softly. She was pale and he hand trembled as she raised it to touch Revas' face.
"You're strong -"
"The anchor is failing, fading...leaving me. My life is going with it."
"No, I will -"
"Shhh. Be at peace. I should have died at the Conclave Lethalin. Instead I was able to help save all of Thedas. I did good and the People have not had such opportunities for safety and security since the fall of the Dales." She paused to catch her breath and smiled tiredly.
"You should rest -"
"I worry for your Lethallin, what will you do when I am gone?"
"Should that dark day come I will return to the People and serve them."
"Us, serve us Lethallin. You are Lavellan as I am Lavellan."
"Your father was from a different clan, mine was a human." She said softly though the old pain, the old bitterness edged her words.
"You are Lavellan." The dying Inquisitor said again.
"What about the vision?"
"I have warned my advisors. They will do what is necessary to prevent it, if it can be prevented. If you have the strength Revas, I would ask that you stay here, in Skyhold. There must be someone to speak for the People, see for the People. My time is ending but the People can ascend, they can be a new Elvhen nation. We have the Dalish Boon from King Alistair, we have the goodwill and political power of the Inquisition, Briala holds the Orlesian leash... But it will not last. Once I am gone there will be none here to see to them."
"Lethallin you cannot leave me here, my heart is breaking without you."
"All our lives we have been two halves of one whole Revas. You suffer with a divided heart. Stay here in Skyhold, take up my work, the Elvhen will learn to cherish you as I do. Your life will be very hard Lethallin, you may not ever know the happiness I wished for you. I would not ask you but there is no other. Loranil is still just a boy and does not have the strength you do."
"I will do it Eilana, for you, for the People, I will take it up."
"They will never know what you sacrifice for them. I am sorry." Lavellan whispered. Revas held her unmarked hand until she slipped into a fevered sleep.
Cullen was at her side, had been for the full conversation, Revas realized.
"You love her." Revas said as she gently rested her cousin's hand on the bed.
"Yes." Cullen agreed with resignation and sorrow in his voice.
"I'm sorry." She said stiffly and rose. He caught her by the shoulder and pulled her into an embrace. She held him back and after a few seconds allowed herself to cry. She would not be able to weep for her cousin so openly again.
Cullen held her tightly as she buried her face in his chest. He was dressed in a simple tunic and leggings, out of armor for the first time Revas could easily recall. As she wept he closed his eyes, a few spare tears escaped his stoicism and crawled down his cheeks mingling with Revas' dirty golden hair.
Lavellan dreamed in the half-life of near death. She wandered the Fade visiting moments of her life that had brought her joy. She was walking through what would one day be the Inquisition's great hall after accepting the title of Inquisitor. She realized that her advisors were not on hand but she was not alone.
"Hello?"
"I had hoped we would not meet again so soon ma vhenan." She turned on her heel and saw Solas. He was just as he had been when they met outside Haven. The same general issue green armor, the same staff, the same expression of gentle amusement. His fine features, cleft chin, pale skin and scarred forehead, the same gently amused changeling eyes.
She ran to him and he caught her and held her and all her anger and bewilderment were gone.
"You left me." She whispered as she breathed in his scent. How could he be so real, so solid here?
"I wished to protect you...I failed."
"I'm dying Solas."
"Yes." He said and his voice was low and rough with grief.
"I can't stay here with you when I die can I?"
"No. I am so sorry."
"I don't regret anything Solas, loving you saved me. I should have died at the Conclave, I should have died a thousand times after. I didn't, I stayed wary, stayed alive, kept fighting because you were there. When I die, know that I love you still and I do not regret a moment of it."
"Ir abelas…" He started to speak and stopped as his voice failed him. Tears streaked his cheeks. She raised a hand to touch the tears, to meet his ancient eyes. She kissed him, a hungry passionate kiss, then she pulled away.
"Ma ghilana mir din'an" She whispered.
"Halam'shivanas". He said tears in his eyes.
Elven translations:
(based on Dragon Age Wiki)
Ir abelas: I am filled with sorrow / I am sorrow
Halam'shivanas: The sweet sacrifice of duty.
Ma ghilana mir din'an: Guide me into death.