It was cold. 'In the south' kind of cold and everything seemed taller. Ramia could only come to the conclusion the nightmares were starting up again. Which meant she was a child again.

Judging by her surroundings she was in Wycome, the wilderness to the north of the Free Marches more specifically. In an encampment, Clan Lavellan's encampment.

The place was bustling, the craftsmen could be heard improving wares, herbalists chattered loud with their laughter and gossip as they turned herbs into medicine.

It was awful how acute her dreams made this unpleasant memory.

The sounds of leaves scattering along the breeze through the camp sent a shiver down her spine. The halla went quiet and nervous, elves in the clan packing and arming themselves as they scurried and spoke in hushed tones.

How quickly the atmosphere had changed.

They had known the humans were coming, but packing and setting off for travel would have taken a week to do. They didn't have weeks. They had no more time at all when the sounds of shouting in the distance was the warning cry before aravels were set aflame.

The hunters and apprentices had already gone to fight. Mothers and children slung on halla and harts, it didn't matter where they took them as long as they got away. Ramia was running, there was so much fire and the dead. Humans and clansmen both.

The smell of blood and smoke was so thick in the air, "knife-ears" and "blood mages" being screamed from all around. A hand was suddenly on her, tugging roughly at her hair and pulling her back, the all too familiar glint of an axe poised for her head.

Before it could meet her a blast of power sent the man reeling, crashing against a rock. Hard enough to kill. Lavellan's first was there, bloody and beaten but not dead. She had never gotten to know his name but he had saved her life.

It mattered little when several arrows flew on him, sending him on his knees a gasped "Run" on his lips. Meeting his own end. Ramia remembered staring at him, too afraid to move and too shocked to scream. But there was Keeper Deshanna in the distance calling to her, begging her to run.

When she rose to her feet and dashed towards her, her feet felt like stone. The path ahead seemed to stretch on forever and no matter how much she cried out for help Deshanna was further and further away and the shemlen behind were getting closer and closer. The beat of her heart getting faster and faster till it was all she could hear over the screams and cries.

Louder.

Louder.

Run faster.

Faster Ramia. Faster.

More fire. So much fire it seared her skin and clutched at her lungs. Blood everywhere.

Keep running.

Voices spoke in her mind, becoming more vulgar and violent as they taunted her.

"Where's mother? Mamae mamae, you cried. Mamae who always promised she would protect you. Who said nothing would keep you two apart, who left for a conclave even when you cried and pleaded for her not to go. Where a page became her face and the letters upon them her voice, as she spent two years in a distant foreign country before seeing fit to bring you to her. Where Inquisitor was more important a title than Mother. She left you alone and now you will die."

Abelas slowly blinked awake, eyes lazily taking in his surroundings. A grumbled sigh to realise yes, he was defiantly still in a cave in the middle of a forest and not say…back at the Temple of Mythal. In Uthenera and NOT helping the Dread Wolf bring back Elvhenan.

Not that he didn't want to restore his world. But, with a quick look to his right at the insufferable girl asleep (rather noisily he might add), he had to question just how much he was willing to put up with to realise their goals. Granted, Ramia had become much more agreeable after their slip up with the undead. She finally seemed to understand that until they were back and reunited with the others they were not enemies, they could play nice.

Abelas' glance in her direction became more questioning when he realised her whimpering and small muffled crying. Rising to his feet he walked over, her face and neck covered in a thin sheen of sweat. Her head tossed from side to side, mumbling words that meant nothing to him but there was no question that she was being plagued by nightmares. He resolved to wake her when her eyes started becoming wet and her whimpers turned to screams.

Ramia awoke with a strangled gasp, eyes shot wide and breathing heavy. Sitting upright almost immediately and taking in her surroundings realising where she was. Hands buried into her hair, she tried to steady her breathing and recompose herself.

"Fuck…fuck! I forgot the runes in the fall…stupid, stupid, stupid…."

"Ramia…?"

"They veil's too thin here…I need those runes to stop those fucking nightmares!"

"You have trouble sleeping?" She didn't seem to hear him, too lost in the anxiety. It probably didn't help that he jostled her awake. Her mind still hadn't settled, so he resigned to comfort her. A hand at her back offering his other one for her to hold onto. Ramia stared at the offered hand, hesitant but accepting it. The feel of something solid and living that wasn't threatening, calming her down more than she thought it would.

They stayed like that for some time in silence. Nightmares were an unpleasant experience, and Abelas would not hold back sympathy simply out of their differences. The adjustment his own sentinels endured after the veil was struck caused similar situations. It was a difficult journey for them to overcome.

"I'm sorry if I woke you up Abelas."

"You are sorry? Well, there are two words I would not have expected from you." Her laugh was shaky, her grip on his hand tightening.

"And laughter? Your condition is worse than I thought." Abelas could attempt being funny when he wanted. He didn't know why but he wanted to help, he felt compelled to. Especially when she looked at him with tired eyes her mirth never reaching them. She was an animated person, it did not suit her to be so sombre. Angry yes, but not sombre.

"I usually have runes placed that strengthen the veil back home, for some reason it makes sleeping easier. No nightmares. Maybe the weakened veil just gives me less control over my dreams and where I can direct them."

"This is a constant issue?" Ramia nodded, eyes downcast as she ran a free hand through her hair.

"The dreams involves screams mostly…my clan screaming and dying. Fire everywhere…I always wake up just as humans snatch me away." Ramia rubbed a pulse at her forehead, brows furrowing at the building pain. "I wish the dreams were just my imagination and not a memory."

Ramia was only thirteen when Clan Lavellan was massacred in Wycome and Inquisition soldiers brought her to Skyhold. She could never truly escape those memories. With Solas' help at the time, runes were made using artefacts that scattered Thedas. Elvhen artefacts that strengthened the veil. At the time it seemed a very good hunch on his part that it would reduce the frequency and potency of her nightmares. Looking back with what she knew now however, it seemed it was basic knowledge for him more than estimation.

Those runes helped all the same, the night's chaotic events made her completely forget about them. Ramia would never go to sleep without them, she worried how she would sleep now. Why bother when she knew what was waiting for her.

It had suddenly occurred to Ramia that she was still holding onto Abelas' hand.

She snatched her hand away, avoiding eye contact. Mentally chastising herself for allowing such affectionate contact. Abelas didn't seem to notice, or at least his face didn't betray any acknowledgment.

"It is still early, you should get more sleep."

"No." she said, much more sternly that she had meant to. Clearing her throat and addressing Abelas fully she twisted her body to face him. "I'll be fine, a bit of food and I'll be right as rain. Come on, we shouldn't waste any more time. Besides…" Ramia rose to her feet, clapping a hand at Abelas' face before pulling up his hood. Ignoring the heavy weight in her stomach telling her not to push her luck with her next choice words.

"If I have to look at those cheekbones any longer who knows what might happen."

"The artful nuances of attraction and seduction are lost to you aren't they?" Ramia had pulled the hood a little harshly, whatever expression was on his face was unknown to her but she didn't miss the amused lilt to his voice as he remarked her bravado.

Ramia walked away with a skip in her step, a cheeky grin on her lips as she stood at the cave's entrance. Her face betraying the jump in her gut when she wasn't met with either ridicule or rejection from him.

"Here's the thing Abelas, when Solas fails and the world stays just as it is." Her smile never left as she turned her head to look back. "You'll learn that you got to live in the moment." She also never saw anything wrong with a little bit of honesty.

"You seem to forget whose side I am on."

"Yeah that part's kind of keeping me conflicted…" That part should have been a no-no. A BIG no-no.

Ramia was good at making bad decisions though. It wasn't as if she would act on it however, Ramia enjoyed complimenting people, although why it always had to be seen as an invitation bothered her at times. But it was nice. She had faith in her mother to look out for Laisa, returning to the temple was a simple enough task. A moment to be herself again felt needed, and that meant being a bit of a tit at someone else's expensive. And a bit of flirting.

That person being Abelas. It was refreshing to know he could be a good sport about it. Despite the circumstances.

"Solas and the Inquisitor found Laisa and are safe. I forgot to mention that."

Ramia took in a large gulp of the night air, exhaling and letting it of her lungs slowly. A serene tenderness to her gaze.

"Good. One less thing to worry about."

"Are you sure you do not wish to rest more?"

"Got a spell that will get rid of my nightmares?"

"Myself….? No. I'm sorry."

"Didn't think so." A hand wrapped around the bend of her arm, pulling her back before she could venture off into the wild. Abelas was staring down at her, face thoughtful. He seemed insistent they don't walk the forest alone at night but it seemed a waste if the weaker of the two did not use this time to sleep and collect strength.

"Yes…?"

He was pulling her back inside the cave, taking her cloak to make a pillow of sorts for her.

"I will find you in the fade." He ignited the campfire, made it stronger before gesturing for Ramia to lie on her back.

"A temporary solution, but you are in no state to wander the forest. You look like you will drop and collapse at any moment."

A grumble was her only argument to give, unwilling to accept that he was right. Ramia was tired, exhausted even. If she could help it she would defiantly sleep. It made sense that Abelas would be somniari, and it seemed the only option available right now. If it could help even a small fraction, perhaps it was worth the risk.

"Why are you being so insistent about this? Don't want to carry me if I drop down asleep?"

"You are quite heavy…"

"I am not that heavy! We were running from fucking skeletons as well, I might add! Of course it'd be difficult carrying me." Abelas' expression stretched into something akin to worry, Ramia was more partial to accept it as him being displeased by her stubbornness.

"Please sleep."

The humorous undertones of the atmosphere seemed to disappear, Ramia's anxiety slowly rising back to the forefront of her mind.

"You promise you'll find me? I'm trusting you even if I shouldn't."

"You have my word Ramia. I promise you won't suffer anymore nightmares tonight."

"…Alright…ok…I can do this."

"Everything will be fine."