VI.

Solas' nude form had stood silently as the daemon had wound itself coyly about him, his face as flat and unresponsive as that of a marble sentinel left for centuries to guard the gates of an ancient elvhen temple.

"I could make this very enjoyable," it had purred, "All you must do is...let go." It had kissed his collar bone and placed it's hands upon his chest, the daemon's face shifting slowly to more keenly resemble her own more delicate elvhen features as she had remained prone and prostrate on the floor. "I know what you need. Let me give it to you."

As it had kissed him, Solas had shaken his head and pushed it away. Though his words were still stern, his eyes had held a softness she had not yet understood.

"No, not like this. Lavellan is a child. An innocent. This shall remain between you and I."

"You still try to appeal to, Capernica. That creature died at the hands of human men centuries ago. There is nothing left of her, now."

"Yes, I have seen her memories in the fade. I know what she has suffered."

"You know nothing!" The daemon had immediately seethed, it's color deepening to a darker heliotrope as it's tail had coiled in upon itself. "Do not attempt to speak to me of such things!"

"She was a gentle spirit and they used her to lure women. What happened was not her fault."

"She was bound! They had sung songs of longing, but what they had wanted was not love, it was not pure! It was dark and malignant. She was their slave!" The daemon had begun to stalk in agitated patterns, it's horns growing in size along with it's hostility. "I replaced her. I became what she needed me to be. And when their bindings had at last finally waned, I took her captures one by one. They died in the ecstasy that I gave them!"

"You took vengeance against those that had wronged her. You sought retribution for the women she could not protect."

"And I shall never again do the bidding of another!"

Solas had gestured plaintively. "Were you not sent here by your master? Has the elder one not bound you, as well?"

A flame of bright indigo had ignited between it's horns, the center of it burning white and hot. "Who am I to deny the will of a God?"

"A rightful god would never need to demand your aid. Does he not have power enough to serve his own ends?"

The tip of it's tail had twitched, it's eyes narrowing in thought.

"You owe your allegiances to no one," he had continued. " You are both beautiful and rare. Why allow yourself to be subjected to the whims of a false god when you are a power unto yourself?"

It's horns had recessed visibly as it had continued to evaluate him, it's eyes ablaze. "You would see Capernica, returned?"

"You protected her. You gave her the strength she needed to overcome. Now, the world needs her kind more than ever."

Gradually, the daemon had approached him, searching him meticulously for proof of a future betrayal. '"I have offered you whatever it is you most desire, and it would be this?

Solas had touched it's cheek then, and brushed his lips fully against the breadth of it's forehead, "It is."

"Then, what of you? What purpose would this serve?"

There had been a pleading curiosity in it's voice, an attempt to understand his motivations.

"Then we will all be free."

Defeated, the daemon had sunk warily to it's knees, it's head hung low as it had consented. "Then be gone. And I bid you both to forget this daemon that once preyed alone in the fade."

He had gathered up the daemon in a loose embrace as it had appeared to shrink in upon itself. What had once been, no longer was or could be. And all that had been allowed to remain was the faintest apparition of a slender woman. And though her glow was soft and dim, the being itself seemed warm and powerful.

"Ar lasa mala revas, Capernica," he had welcomed. And in the twilight beyond the veil, the newly liberated spirit of love and passion had kissed him as such.

A/N: *Ar lasa mala revas- You are now free.