"It seems this is not the first time we have met, to think that was you this whole time."
Solas held his daughter for the first time in his arms. Terrifying and exciting. His agents had given him privacy for such a momentous occasion. "I hope this time around I will not need to bride you with food to hear you speak will I?" The corners of his eyes crinkled with amusement at the memory. A little girl with big curious eyes and a sharp wit to reveal nothing without something in return. He felt slightly foolish now, to not have recognised her. To sense what bound them through blood, or even more simply just how much she looked like him.
Her hair was a compromise between his own and Moro's in colour and texture. Much more curly than his own would be, if he chose to grow it out. Her eyes were undoubtedly his, just as piercing and probing as his own. They were yet to carry the weight and burden than so many centuries of mistakes and lives lost could bring. He prayed he could spare her such pain. Solas stroked the bridge of Laisa's nose with his thumb, a sudden wave of melancholy overbearing him at the sight of a small bump too small for most to notice.
"You will have your mother's nose…"
The more he thought about Moro the more he could see of her in their child. The more tanned pigment to her skin, her brash behaviour at the tavern. Solas' heart was filled to the brim. This was his child, his little heart held in his arms. Love seemed inadequate and too simple a word to describe the feeling blooming inside him.
Laisa place her fingers on her nose not too soon after her father had, eyes turning inwards to glimpse at her own bridge in vain. This earned her entertained chuckle.
"Babae."
"Yes da'len, what is it?" Laisa's eyes furrowed in thought, fingers digging into the intricate details of his armour and she pondered her question.
"I looked for you while sleeping and you found me." Laisa look up towards a beaten path through the woods her eyes deep in concentration as she stared ahead. Solas wondered if it was coincidence of not, considering that direction she gazed towards led to his destination.
"That I did. I was looking for your mother and in doing so found you. I had not known she kept such a secret from me."
"You want to take me away. Even if it hurts mamae."
Solas was surprised at her insight for a moment, until he remembered it was the entire reason for all of this. Laisa was ancient. Ageing at such a fast rate perhaps because it seemed natural for her to do so, subconsciously. One day she would realise her full potential, she will survive the chaos to come from his plans. The idea of ripping her away from her mother, it left a bitter taste in his mouth.
Laisa does not belong in this world however and he will not risk her heartache for a mother and sister that will not live through his plans.
"But I already love them babae…" A grave, saddened look overcame him. Laisa returned his expression. Solas brought his lips to her temple, he had to be vigilant in his cause. Laisa would not yet understand, but she would. Given time, and distance.
"I know da'len."
"You still love them too."
"…Yes…I do, very much…"
Laisa's mouth puckered into a pout, wriggling out of her father's grasp. Taking cue, Solas lowered her to the ground with a questioning rise to his brow. Laisa tugged at his hand pulling him away from the cave to the camps set up by his agents further along the path.
"Where's Ramia? I wanna see Ramia."
"We will da'len."
"Now."
Solas was taken aback at her sudden change in demeanour. Her eyes glaring daggers, daring him to argue back. He blew out a defeated sight, there was already one young lady fuming with rage against him. He needn't have two.
Further along in the camp Ramia sat by a fire, knees held up to her chest. Solas didn't seem to find it necessary to have her bound despite protest from Drynne and some of his agents. Ramia wasn't a fool, many eyes were trained on her. Any attempts at escape or attack would only be met with her death, or more likely another paralysis spell. She had barely recovered from the last one, body still feeling sparks of unpleasant numb pain, particularly in her head.
Drynne sat across from Ramia. Sharpening her long sword, the glow from the fire illuminating her features to show her deep in concentration. Ramia panned the entire camp, many of the elves seemed calm and relaxed. They chatted and gossiped, as if they weren't helping bring the end of this world, millions would be killed and it meant nothing to them. They couldn't all be ancient elvhen, did they truly see the fate of elves everywhere so beyond improvement to take such drastic measures?
"You're not ancient are you…? Drynne."
A lifted brow was her only clue that Drynne was acknowledging her presence. Ramia could tell she would rather hold her tongue and not address her at all. Drynne continued to attend to her weapon, her eyes never rising from her task.
"No. Why do you ask?"
"Why are you helping him?"
Drynne exhaled excessively through her nose, placing her sword and wet-stone aside. Resting her forearms against her knees, fingers interlocking together she peered past the fire to look Ramia in the eye.
"Listen very closely girl, I don't like repeating myself. I know very little about you, less than I know of your mother." Drynne's frown deepened, the fire distorting the colour of her eyes as they glowed with night brewing in making her all the more intimidating. "But while your mother's position as Inquisitor got you a nice castle to live in with an education and all those lovely little privileges, hell, years before you came into this world screaming and bloody our people were being beaten and killed and raped more often than I like thinking about." Ramia held her tongue from arguing, her eyes glued to the woman before her.
"An elven marquis and leader of an Inquisition and still fuck all has changed."
"Geez Drynne can't you get preachy and pissed off a bit more nicely." Athras strode into the tension filled circle that seemed to emit around the two women, water skin in hand.
"Fuck off Athras, you've done your job. Go crawl off into some brothel or whatever it is you were doing before this."
Athras laughed, cosying up to Drynne and wrapping an arm around her waist.
"Aw come on Drynne, I'm only kidding." Drynne grabs Athras' wrist that holds the water skin, bringing her face to inhale and scowling as her nose was filled with the smell of whiskey. The entirety of her palm was placed against his face, shoving the man as far from her with a hard shove. Drynne wasn't shy in showing her displeasure for Athras, cursing under her breath and leaving to occupy herself with other matters.
Athras brought up his gaze to see Ramia was watching him. Anger and betrayal a clear picture on her face as she glowered at him. He sighed, taking another long swig from his drink.
"How long?"
She could see the guilt in his eyes, subtle as it was. This wasn't just about her, he was betraying her mother. Moro had entrusted the lives of her children to this man and he had taken that trust to meet his own ends. Whether it was guilt or fear he was feeling she couldn't tell. Perhaps a bit of both.
"How long what?"
"How long have you been planning to stab us in the back?" Athras pondered her question. Running a hand through his hair. "Money? Glory in the next life or some bullshit like that?" Athras barked a laugh.
"None of us are gonna live through what Fen'harel has planned."
"Money then?"
"Nope."
"Then what?!" Ramia's teeth were bared, anger seething through her every syllable. Athras rose from his seat to join her side of the fire. She scooted away from him, like his very presence was poison.
"Remember when I told you how far and wide I've travelled?" She scoffed, turning her gaze to the fire.
"That was true then huh?"
Athras Grinned. "There's a difference between lying and withholding information." He pulled his pip from his cloak and begun lighting it. "I saw a lot of fuck up things while traveling. Our people suffering while I got fat on a good life. A good life you had as well." Ramia had known how bad things could get, her mother didn't speak often of her time in Wycome's alienage but there was the dark look in her eyes when she did. Now that she was older she could appreciate and not take for granted the upbringing she had despite the tragedy that led to it.
"How quickly people like you and Drynne seem to think life as a Dalish is simplistic. That as children some of us witness the genocide of our entire clans." The sounds of screams and burning aravels filled Ramia's mind. Her heart beating like a drum when human's cloaked in hoods and armour took her away. When the world Skyhold sounded like prison and Inquisitor like executioner. It had taken many years for the nightmares to go away, but as her magic grew stronger it was easier to block it away. Ramia didn't like thinking about how much harder it would be if she wasn't a mage, she would probably still have to endure the nightmares to this day.
"Go ahead, think me some spoiled brat who doesn't understand anything." Ramia stood on wobbly feet, refusing to listen to any more of what he had to say. Retreating to the edge of camp. "Whatever makes destroying the world and killing innocents easier to swallow."
Ramia braced her arm across a tree trunk, once she was sure she was alone she allowed herself to cry. Close. They had come so close and all their hard work felt a waste. Her sobs were muffled by her need not to draw attention to herself, hand bracing against her face. There was no doubt in her mind that they had gotten to her mother as well. Whatever was here in this forest, it was of great importance to Solas and none of her mother's armies (or what is left of them) had come this far to the north yet. Her brain screamed at her to think of alternatives, to run. Her heart told her to stay behind, her mother's words to protect Laisa echoing in her mind.
"Ramia!"
Feet padding across leafs and grass jolted her from her sombre thoughts. Laisa was running towards her, excited and eager and Solas not far behind.
Ramia held Laisa so close and tight.
"Don't cry."
"Too late." They both laughed at that, almost forgetting that they weren't alone. She had no affection gazes or smiles for Solas. Rising from her knees and holding Laisa protectively against her. "So what happens now?"
Laisa wriggled out of her sister's hold as Solas approached her. Ramia flinched as Solas brought a hand to her cheek. The hurt on his face couldn't be mistaken, but this was the dread wolf, even if he wore her hahren's skin.
"Do you think I would order my men not to harm you only to hurt you myself?"
"It won't be the first time you've hurt me…"
"I would not have paralysed you without it being necessary."
"I'm not talking about the spell."
Solas' eyes widened a fraction, realising her meaning. He brought his other hand up to clutch at her face, bringing her close to press lips against the top of her head.
"I am sorry da'len. My time with the inquisition made me careless, forgetful of my cause. I would not have abandoned you if I could have helped it." When Solas pulled away to look in her eyes he was met only with steel anger. The damage had been done. A brittle smile came over him as he tucked away stray hair behind her ear.
"I had forgotten how black and white you viewed things."
"Maybe I just prefer not to see things with a layer of bullshit. See things for what they are."
"Perhaps."
Ramia pushed his arms away from her, looking out towards the agents as they began to pack and ready themselves to journey forward.
"As I asked, what happens now? Where are we going?" Solas gestured for Ramia to follow him, taking Laisa's hand in his as they lead the way forward.
"I and your mother had the same destination in mind within this forest. There is a temple here."
"Temple? Elvhen?"
"Yes, and old. Your mother will be there, waiting for you I suspect. Although I am sure she has realised her plans have gone awry since Abelas should be there as well." Solas' face became more stern and coming to a halt to face Ramia.
"Once we arrive there you and your mother will be escorted safely back to Skyhold."
"Me, my mother and Laisa."
"Do not make this difficult Ramia…"
Ramia cracked up at his warning, walking off ahead.
"I'm difficult? Well, let's see what mother will have to say about all this."