"Solas?"

Alex called out as she entered his rotunda, looking for the elf and seeing him standing by its walls, after finishing a section of his painting. The elf was still visibly angry when they had returned from Morrigan's eluvian, remaining silent the whole time they walked, and after she had sent a raven from Leliana's rookery to the Arbor Wilds, she headed back down to speak with the elf. He was obviously furious and livid with anger, and she decided to speak with the man while there were very few guards around, lest the elf decided to shout at her.

"Why did you do it?" He asked, still facing his painting, confirming her suspicions that he was still furious, "I warned you not to!"

"Solas…" Alex said gently, and elf rounded on her angrily, "You gave yourself into the service of ancient elven god!"

"What does that mean, exactly?" She asked him, as gently as she could, as to not to provoke him.

"You are Mythal's creature now." He said, "Everything you do, whether you know it or not, will be for her. You have given up a part of yourself."

Alex looked at him incredously, "You don't even believe in the ancient elven gods!"

"I don't believe they were gods, no, but I believe they existed!" Solas countered her, "Something existed to start the legends! If not gods, then mages, or spirits, or something we've never seen. And you are bound to one of them now!" He sighed, trying to calm his emotions down, "I suppose it is better that you have the power than Corypheus, which leads me to the next logical question…what will you do with the power of the Well once Corypheus is dead?"

"The war proved that we cannot go back to the way things were." Alex told him truthfully, "I'll try to help this world move forward."

Solas scoffed, "You would risk everything you have in the hope that the future is better. What if it isn't? What if you wake up to find the future you shaped is worse than what was?"

"I'll take a breath, see where things went wrong and try again."

The elf blinked in shock, "Just like that?"

"If we don't keep trying, we'll never get it right." She told him, and she felt relieved when the elf smiled a little at her positivity, nodding a little, "You're right. Thank you."

Alex's eyebrow raised, "For what?"

"You have not been what I expected, Inquisitor." He said, smiling at her, "You have… impressed me. You have offered hope that if one keeps trying, even if the consequences are grave, that someday, things will be better." He bowed at her a little, "Forgive my melancholy. Corypheus has cost us much. The Temple of Mythal did not deserve such a fate. The orb he carries, and it's stolen power… that at least we may still recover. With luck, some of the past may yet survive."

Alex smiled back at him, thankful that he has at least calmed down and she stepped forward, wrapping her arms at his middle and hugging, making him stiffen for a moment before hugging her back in return, "Thank you, Solas. We couldn't have done this without you."

"You are welcome." He said, before he separated from her, "Now then… I believe I offered you tea and discussions of philosophy, did I not?"

"A drink! Thank the Maker!" Alex cried out as she practically skipped towards one of his sofas, sitting down with a sigh, "Actually, I think you can skip the tea and philosophy. Perhaps some ale and a lesson on elven language?"

The elf chuckled, "I have some ale, left behind by Master Tethras during our last game of Wicked Grace together. I believe that would be sufficient. As for the lesson, why the sudden curiosity?"

Alex shrugged as the elf lowered two goblets and a bottle of ale at the table in front of them, "The way you spoke in the Temple… vir'abelasan… it sounds so… complicated but beautiful. I wanted to learn it."

Solas settled down beside her, and smiled, "You really are remarkable. But very well. This is the very first lesson I will give you. Say this with me. 'Ma serranas, ma falon.' "

"Ma sarrenas…" Alex tried, but Solas shook his head, "No, ser-ra-nas…"

"Ma serranas, ma falon." She said again, and the elf nodded approvingly, "What does it mean?"

"It means 'Thank you, my friend.'" Solas told her, and she smiled, before she blinked, hearing a whisper.

Hahren…harellan…

"Hahren…?" Alex whispered, and Solas blinked in surprise, "How… where did you hear that?"

"Err…" Alex stuttered, before shrugging, "From the Dalish camp in the Exalted Planes, remember? I think one of them called another elf 'hahren'?"

"Oh." Solas answered, still looking at her suspiciously, "Yes… 'hahren' is elvish. It means elder."

"I see." Alex said, and she smiled brightly at him in an effort to draw away the subject, "Any other phrases you wish to teach me?"

Solas nodded and brough out a book of text, complied by several pages filled with elven languages, and she bit her lip, hoping that the elf didn't mind what she just said, while resolving herself to learn more of the language to understand the voices from the Well better.