A/N: Since I didn't hear from anyone begging me to put up the next chapter I let everyone wait for the conclusion. And here it is! Oh, BTW, this is a sex chapter, so NSFW and all that. If you don't like sex scenes then when Solas says something like "Let me warm you" you'll want to scroll to the end to check out my usual next chapter teaser.

Before I forget...Quizzishion! Thank you for the compliment regarding Solas' origin in this story. I spent a long time looking at banter and his behavior to make a best guess reaction to where he came from and decided I believed his story about growing up in a small village. Despite his name meaning, he's pretty humbly dressed and seems to me like he's perfectly at home in the wilderness. Even in most of his armors, he looks like he's ready to go camping at the drop of a hat. Obviously he also has experience at court, too. I have more background to introduce for him as this story progresses...and sadly, much of it is tragic. Anyway, glad you enjoyed it!

Ten

Mage Envy

As Ellana stepped through the eluvian to Halamshiral, Solas followed close behind her—but a hand grabbed his shoulder from behind and wrenched him away. Caught off guard, he stumbled with a grunt and found himself facing Dorian.

"Not so fast," the Tevinter mage said, his expression contorted with anger. "I think it's time we have a little chat."

A quick glance at the others told Solas most of them had been taken by surprise by this confrontation—Sera, Rainier, and Iron Bull all wore confused or alarmed expressions. But Varric and Cassandra seemed unmoved.

Solas brushed Dorian's hand off him, taking a step back and shaking his head. "You had only to ask, Tevinter. I had thought the Imperium valued manners, but I can see I was mistaken."

Dorian snorted and tilted his head slightly to speak to Cassandra over one shoulder. "Go after Ellana."

She nodded and Solas' gaze tracked her brilliant golden armor as she stepped into the eluvian after Ellana. He shifted on his feet, his stomach twisting with anxiety. "Whatever you have to—"

He saw the flash of motion as Dorian struck just a fraction of a second too late to guard his face. The human mage's fist hit him square in the nose, sending a brief, hot spurt of pain through his nasal passageways. Solas flinched, pulling backward and grabbing for his nose as hot blood trickled in a little spatter down his chin and onto his over coat. He cursed in elven, the words thick and slurred through his painful nose.

Dorian shook his hand, glaring as he did it. "Imagine that. You have a head as hard as stone. I should have known, considering how stubborn and hardheaded you are."

"Dorian?" Iron Bull asked, a note of disapproval in his voice. "What's going on?"

"Yeah," Sera spoke up. "Herald's not going to like you beating on him. Shoulda used a pie."

"Solas here—our esteemed Fade expert—has been holding out on us, in more ways than one. Isn't that right, Solas?" Dorian asked, his lips curling snidely.

Solas spat blood, grimacing at both the pain and the metallic taste of it. Pinching his nose, he remained silent to let Dorian lay out the case against him, knowing better than to provide the other man with any additional fuel.

"Yesterday while fighting the Qunari we came across an elven mural in the ruins. It depicted their god, Fen'Harel, the one represented by the wolf, removing Dalish facial tattoos." Dorian had pivoted slightly to speak to the others, gesturing as he explained. "And I'm sure all of you remember how the sentinels asked after Fen'Harel too, yes? And then when we were picking up the charges, the Qunari mage called us agents of Fen'Harel." He made a high-pitched noise of amusement in his throat. "How is it that so many, ally and foes alike, keep bringing up this ancient elven trickster god?"

"Fen'Harel?" Sera asked, wrinkling her nose. "You're full of shite, Dorian. It's all shite. The lot of it."

"I'm with Sera," Rainier said, shaking his head. "What does this Fen'Harel have to do with anything?"

"Have you all forgotten meeting Mythal?" Dorian demanded, motioning between them in exasperation. "The elven gods or whatever they were are not mere tales." He turned his gaze back on Solas, lips curled to expose his teeth in a snarl. "And I've now seen our Fade expert cast some very odd, very powerful spells. How does a wandering elven apostate who claims to be self-taught know how to cast fire so powerful he can turn enemies to ash like that." Dorian snapped his fingers for emphasis. "Or even better. Sera, did you notice the way the Qunari mage died?"

"Fried by fire from droopy ears?" she answered with a shrug. "Just the usual magic piss."

"His head was turned to stone," Dorian said, sounding exasperated. "Fire magic doesn't petrify. Obviously. So," he said, glaring at Solas. "Care to explain yourself?"

Spitting more blood onto the stone, Solas snarled at Dorian. "I have nothing to say to you, Tevinter, except that your accusations are baseless and ludicrous." The pain in his face did an excellent job at letting him hide the cold fear crawling over his skin. He continued cradling his nose, glad of the distraction. He could see doubt and sympathy clouding the others' expressions. They likely knew less of the Dread Wolf than Dorian, most of them being less well read than the Tevinter.

"Then explain why these sentinels adopted you as their leader? Hmm? Maybe you can also tell us why the Qunari mage called us agents of Fen'Harel? Or how you always know so much about the past and Elvhenan." He wriggled his fingers next to his head in a mocking gesture. "Is Fen'Harel whispering in your ear?"

Solas let out a dry, thick laugh and then winced as burning pain cut through his nose at it. "You are a fool."

"Does Ellana know what you are?" Dorian asked, sneering. "Does she have any idea that every word out of your mouth is a lie?"

Dorian's words made Solas flinch. He covered the impact of the insult by spitting again before he gritted his teeth and answered, "I owe you no explanations. You are nothing but a paranoid man with some bizarre mage envy. Yes, I do know spells you do not. Why attack me if this bothers you? The problem lies within you, not me."

"Ridiculous," Dorian said, scoffing.

Seeing he'd hit a nerve and noting the way Varric, Sera, and Rainier all smirked with repressed humor at Solas' suggestion that Dorian's real anger stemmed out of jealousy than any real threat, Solas pressed his advantage. "Are you perhaps threatened to learn your privileged Tevinter education was not as thorough as you'd believed? Are you too proud to ask me for aid? Perhaps that is why I know more spells than you."

"That's not it and you know it," Dorian growled.

"He's got a point, Sparkler," Varric put in, chuckling. "I'm hearing a lot of mage envy and not a lot of hard facts."

"Great, it's just a pissing contest between weirdies," Sera said, rolling her eyes. "Can you two just whip out cocks and compare already so we can leave?"

Both Dorian and Solas glared at her as Varric and Sera laughed. Rainier cut off his own laughter and pretended to find the stone beneath their feet fascinating.

"Now I want to see that," Iron Bull said, also bellowing with laughter. "But we all know who'd really win that contest." He paused a beat and then said, "Me, of course."

"Fine," Dorian snapped. "If everyone is quite finished." He stepped backward to free Solas' path to the eluvian. "But this isn't over, Solas. If you won't answer to me, you'll answer to Cassandra and Ellana."

Wiping more blood from his chin, Solas shot Dorian a vicious glare. "I suspect you will be the one to answer to Ellana."

"Oh yes, hide behind your lover's skirts," Dorian grumbled sarcastically. "The lover you won't marry after three years."

Rage scalded Solas' blood, making his face burn all the way to the tips of his ears, but he bit back his reaction and went to the eluvian. As much as he despised Dorian's comment—on multiple levels—it was far truer than he cared admit. Ellana was the one whose opinion mattered…for the moment. He couldn't help but see that soon the humans' distrust would spill over onto her.

I am putting her in danger, he realized, feeling dizzy as the eluvian's magic spread over him. His heart ached as he realized that wasn't exactly true. He had always been the one endangering her, and it was only getting worse.

"Inquisitor, please. You must see that Solas is still lying to us. I understand—" Cassandra broke off, huffing with the awkwardness of the topic. "We all understand you are in a difficult position considering your condition and your feelings for Solas, but you cannot keep the truth from us, if you know it. And if you don't, you cannot afford to be blind to his lies."

"Where is Solas?" Ellana demanded, edging forward. Her hands clenched into fists at her sides. When Cassandra stood firm in her spot blocking the eluvian, her chin jutting out and a muscle in her jaw feathering, Ellana snarled at the Divine. "Harellan. Traitor. Have you forgotten everything Solas helped us accomplish? If he were human, would you turn on him so quickly?"

Cassandra shook her head, her mouth curling downward with irritation. "I have always tried to be fair," she said. "But I could not ignore Dorian's suspicions."

"And what exactly were those suspicions?" Ellana asked with an exasperated shrug and a noise of disgust in her throat.

Cassandra's lips pinched together, eyes narrowing. "We have already met what's left of one elven god. Dorian fears Solas is a vessel, like Mythal."

"That's not possible, Cassandra," Ellana said, trying to muster up a laugh to dismiss the Divine's words. "The elven gods were locked away ages ago."

"Yes," Cassandra said, brow knitting. "By Fen'Harel. We have run across his name repeatedly while fighting the Qunari. The mage we fought shouted it just today, Inquisitor. Surely you cannot have forgotten?"

"Who cares what the Qunari think?" Ellana rejoined with a dismissive gesture, even as she struggled to hide her horror or at least feign a better reaction. Her cheeks were aflame, her body prickling with sweat.

"You are Dalish," Cassandra reminded her. "Tell me what you know of Fen'Harel that Solas cannot be him. Because Dorian's findings on the matter describe Solas perfectly."

"I will not stand here and listen to you impugn Solas," Ellana growled, shoulders heaving as she breathed. "You can ask him these things yourself. I'm sure he will be—"

The eluvian thrummed, glowing brighter as someone passed through it. Ellana's heart hammered and her breath caught in her throat as Solas stepped through, one hand covering his nose. Red stained the front of his robes in a few blotchy patches and had clearly rolled down his chin. His cheeks were ruddy, his eyes fiery with anger.

"Solas!" Ellana rushed for him, shouldering Cassandra aside.

"It is nothing, vhenan," he said, wrapping his other arm around her, but she didn't miss the way he glowered at Cassandra. "Ma serannas, falon," he said to the Divine, the sarcasm and anger in his tone impossible to miss. "You remind me why I have avoided humans in the past."

Cassandra said nothing as the eluvian thrummed again and Dorian strode through, shaking one fist and grimacing.

"You," Ellana snarled, leaving Solas to confront the Tevinter mage. "What in the great beyond is going on here?"

"I believe that question is best directed at Solas, Inquisitor," he said, the anger in his face warping it out of his usual smooth, masculine beauty.

"Dorian's right, Inquisitor," Cassandra said. "We must—"

"You expect me to just believe Solas bloodied his own nose then?" Ellana snapped, fury making her voice quake. "Have we resorted to striking one another like children when we have a disagreement?"

"Thank you, vhenan," Solas murmured behind her. "My sentiments exactly."

"You smug bastard," Dorian growled, stabbing a finger at Solas. "You're using her, hiding behind her and—"

"Enough!" Ellana roared, breathing hard and gritting her teeth. "No one else says a word until we settle this in the study, in private. Is that understood?"

The eluvian thrummed again behind them, admitting Varric through next. The dwarf scampered away from the mirror to gain some distance from it, grinning as he caught onto the tension in the room. "What'd I miss? Did the Inquisitor punch Sparkler?"

"No," Ellana said as she started heading for the door, her shoulders hunched with the burning pressure of her anger at how suddenly events soured. "But do let Sera know I see a pie in Dorian's future." Dorian scoffed behind her but said nothing.

"You got it, Inquisitor," Varric replied.

Ellana led the two humans and Solas out from the storage room, grabbing the first Inquisition scout she saw and asking him to fetch her advisors—and dinner. While she spoke with the scout he kept staring at Solas behind her, his brow knit with something like alarm. He was elven and barefaced, making Ellana immediately suspect he was one of Solas' spies, but it was just as likely he was merely alarmed to see her Fade expert struggling not to stain the carpeting.

Once the scout had left Ellana opened one of the leather pouches she wore around her waist and fished out a bit of ragged fabric she kept for cleaning arrowheads of gore. It was clean and unused, if still damp from their time slogging through the flooding lyrium mine. She passed it to Solas. "Take this."

"Thank you," he said, smiling. "Sadly, I'm sure I have already stained my coat."

"Don't worry, it's so shabby no one will notice," Dorian grumbled.

Ellana glared at him, as did Solas over the improvised handkerchief. "Quiet," she scolded and then resumed her swift pace to the study where she found Cullen and Leliana already present. "Where's Josephine?" she asked, impatient to get the meeting over with.

"She'll be along shortly," the spymaster assured her. "Just making nice with the ambassadors at the summit." Her smile turned dark as her gaze slid past Ellana to take in Solas, Dorian, and Cassandra. "I see you did not take my advice, Dorian." She sighed.

"What advice was that?" Ellana asked, marching up to the table and leaning both hands on it.

"She told me not to confront our illustrious Fade expert," Dorian told Ellana, stalking around her to stand near Cullen to her right. "But Cassandra disagreed. So I made up my own mind and went with the Divine's approach. Most holy cannot be wrong, no?"

Cassandra groaned from her spot along the far left side of the table, where Josephine normally stood. Still wearing her armor, she grimaced, looking uncomfortable at the ongoing dampness of the leather and chainmail she wore that wouldn't be able to dry even a tiny bit through the thick cover of her metallic armor. "I did not tell you to hit him."

"He deserved it," Dorian muttered, snarling at Solas, who stood close to Ellana's left side, a shadow that had said nothing so far as the others discussed him.

"What is this all about?" Cullen asked, frowning with confusion. He shot Dorian a disapproving look. "You hit Solas?"

"Yes, and proudly I might add," Dorian said, sniffing. "He's been lying to us for years. He's still trying to lie to us now." His brown eyes turned to Ellana, softening. "I'm sorry you have to hear this from me, but I'm certain Solas is not who he claims to be."

"Tell me something, Dorian," Solas said, scorn dripping from the words. "Do you enjoy needlessly complicating everything with your paranoid ramblings or does it grow tiresome even to you? Or perhaps it is merely the sound of your own voice you—"

"Solas," Ellana interrupted, shaking her head and frowning. "You're not helping."

The darkness in his blue eyes as he averted his gaze left her feeling heavy and cold with trepidation. He sighed but fell silent. Ellana refocused on Dorian, even though she already knew what he'd likely say. "Go on."

"Thank you, Inquisitor," Dorian said with a dip of his head, though his gaze was on Solas as he snarled, mocking Solas' earlier remarks when Ellana had defended him. "My sentiments exactly."

"Stop acting like children," Cassandra snapped. "Both of you."

"Perhaps it is best if you explain, Divine Victoria," Cullen suggested with a longsuffering sigh.

"The theory is Dorian's," Cassandra said, motioning at the mage across the table from her. "But I could not deny that it rings with truth." She turned her head, staring at Solas with narrowed—but also saddened—eyes. "We know so little of you, Solas, even now."

"You know I helped defeat Corypheus," Solas said, his voice thick through his blood-clogged nose. "You know I have remained with the Inquisition for three years. I have told you everything of import from my life before the Breach. There is little to tell you because I have spent much of my life alone, deep in the wilderness or within the Fade. There is nothing else to tell any of you."

The way he said it seemed so honest and open, even Ellana could forget what else she knew of him. She let her expression soften with care, the sight of his puffy nose and the blood stains on his clothing and skin twisted something inside of her painfully.

"Nothing else to tell us?" Dorian asked, scoffing with derision. "How about the way you petrified a Qunari mage's head today? Or before that when you burned a spearman in front of Divine Victoria into ashes in a few seconds? And every time we go into the eluvians to fight these damned Qunari someone mentions the elven god Fen'Harel." He shook his head, looking around the table. "I'm no scholar on elven gods, but I smell a rat. A very tall, very bald rat."

"I think you mean rabbit," Solas quipped, sneering.

"Enough," Ellana interjected again, raising both hands as if to keep them separated. "I'm not sure I follow, Dorian," she said, feigning confusion. She felt sweat accumulating along her hairline, even though her damp armor had her nearly shivering.

Cassandra answered instead of Dorian. "As I told you, Inquisitor, Dorian believes Solas is a vessel for the elven god Fen'Harel, as Flemeth was for Mythal."

"Ridiculous," Solas growled. He held out the handkerchief and motioned to his face and his overcoat to indicate the bloodstains. "Perhaps my understanding of gods is flawed," he said, "but I should think they'd do a lot less bleeding when punched by spoiled Tevinter princelings."

Ellana covered her face with one hand, breathing deeply to try and school her reaction. How was she supposed to react to this? How did the humans expect her to take this news? Denial.

She let her hand slap down on her thigh, thumping thickly against her armor and let out a dry laugh. "You must be joking."

"Unfortunately we are not, Inquisitor," Leliana said, her hands tucked behind her back. "I have heard Dorian's thoughts on this already, but I did not approve of him taking matters into his own hands." Her blue eyes slid to Solas. "There are many interesting connections we can make, however. I wonder how Lady Lavellan will react should we lay them out for her."

"Don't you think I'd know if I ran across one of my people's gods?" Ellana asked, frowning.

"Unlikely," Dorian said. "Did you recognize Mythal on sight in her vessel?"

"This is a waste of time," Solas spat, red faced and angry.

Ellana crossed her arms over her chest, ignoring the little spurt of pain from her breasts as she did so. "I'm not hearing anything convincing here. Why would an elven god like Fen'Harel join the Inquisition? It's ridiculous. You're all humans—you don't understand our gods. Fen'Harel would not fight to protect the world from the Breach. He was never fond of the People."

"No, but as I seem to recall it, he loved roaming the Fade for spirits," Dorian said, smirking. "Does that sound familiar, Ellana? And perhaps you'd be more convinced if you'd seen the mural I saw yesterday with Solas—of Fen'Harel removing Dalish tattoos. Maybe that will jog your memory?"

Now Ellana arched an eyebrow and, reluctantly, turned to look at Solas. "What mural is this?"

"A sanctuary through one of the eluvians," he explained calmly. "We found a mural depicting it, yes. It only confirms what I saw in the Fade in my dreams within ruins over the years. The vallaslin were used as slave markings." He glared at Dorian. "Apparently seeking ancient knowledge makes me some kind of god to Dorian. By that definition, I suppose you must be a god as well, Inquisitor, for daring to seek out the Well of Sorrows and Mythal's temple."

The ease with which he could deflect evidence, casting it into doubt or rendering it outright outlandish made her shiver, torn between admiring it as a sign of his formidable intelligence and seeing it as dangerous. How easily could he turn it back on her, using her own affection for him to blind her the way Dorian, Cassandra, and now at least two of her advisors surely believed he already was.

"Doesn't it seem odd how much Solas knows about the past?" Cassandra put in. Almost sheepish, she looked to Solas, speaking directly to him after first addressing Ellana. "I understand you claim it is all through dreams, exploring the Fade, but…" She broke off, shaking her head. "No. You know too much. And your familiarity with the Fade is…unsettling."

"To your Andrastian faith, it is," Solas rejoined. "But I was raised agnostically, far from the reaches of the Chantry. Why should I be bound and judged to such rules as if they are absolutes when clearly they are not."

"Perhaps you can explain to us how you came to lead the sentinel elves, Solas," Leliana said, her coy smile in place. "Didn't they serve the goddess Mythal? Why would they swear allegiance to you?"

Now Solas faltered, staring at the spymaster but saying nothing.

"Ah," Dorian said, his grin dark with cruel humor. "Now we've come to it—a question he doesn't have a lie for."

"Mythal's sentinels would never serve Fen'Harel," Ellana cut in, glaring at the humans. "The Dread Wolf was no friend of our gods. You're all thinking backwards." She gazed at Solas, smiling a moment before turning back to the others. "This is evidence against your ridiculous claims. I've heard enough of all this."

"Inquisitor," Cassandra protested, her expression horrified. "Please, you must at least consider the possibility. After all that we've seen…"

"And he hasn't answered my question about the sentinels," Leliana added, eyes narrowing. "How does an elven apostate take charge of a dead goddess' sentinels?"

"By giving them purpose," Solas said, biting the words out. "I recruited them into my spy network."

"Oh?" Leliana asked, arching her brow. "What purpose did you give them? What does your network hope to achieve?"

"The same as the Inquisition's," Solas replied stiffly. "A better world."

Ellana smothered her own emotions, staring down at the grain in the wood of the table in front of her. Half-truths.

"I see," Leliana said, nodding somberly. She drew in a breath and then said, "I'd like to apologize for any role I've had in this mess—to both of you, Inquisitor, Solas."

"I vote we adjourn this," Cullen spoke up then, a look of disgust on his face. "What a waste of time, all this nonsense about elven gods."

"Thank you," Ellana said, nodding to both Leliana and Cullen, yet she noticed the spymaster's blue eyes were slightly pinched at the corners and couldn't shake the suspicion that Leliana was merely diffusing the situation and wasn't about to stop. She'd been opposed to Dorian's actions, but only because she didn't want their evidence exposed in front of Solas…and maybe Ellana too.

The thought made her shudder, arms hugging herself for comfort. Her armor was cold and heavy, still soggy, which wasn't helping at all. "If you'll all excuse me," she said. "I'd like to—"

A creaking noise from the door made them all turn to look as Josephine hurried in, a bright smile on her lips. "Sorry I'm late, everyone! But I've arrived with dinner as an apology." Servants carrying trays of food walked behind her, shuffling and cautious to avoid spilling their cargoes.

Over the mouthwatering scent of meats, cheeses, and rich desserts, Ellana's gaze lingered on the servants. They were all elven, barefaced city dwellers she assumed, though some might be Solas' Elvhen spies. A better world, Solas had told Leliana. She felt abruptly queasy and weak with emotion, feeling the weight of her child inside her and wondering if it would one day walk bowed under a burden, serving human masters. Not a slave, but not free as she, and Solas in his time, had been.

Weighing the potential cost of that better world—the lives and wellbeing of the other races—Ellana found the fierceness of her own determination frightening. It robbed her of breath and seemed to swell her chest until her ribs ached at the thought of her child subjugated and abused. Aware of Solas just behind her, the realization hit her like a fist to the face that their child would likely be persecuted twice over as both elven and mage. Solas' restored world would elevate both their race and all mages—she would become a mage herself.

But would she sacrifice the other races for the sake of her child and the People if there were no chance to save them? Ellana wanted to believe the answer was no and would always be no…but she could feel herself teetering and it terrified her.

Dizzy and with her body flushing hot and then cold, Ellana said, "I'm not feeling well. I'm going to retire for the evening." She shook her head to clear it, quashing the struggle inside herself as she looked to Josephine. "But I do plan to sit on the council again tomorrow."

"Oh, good," Josephine said, her eyes and smile bright. "That is fantastic news. I will relay it to the ambassadors."

"Good night then, Inquisitor," Leliana said, smiling affectionately. "I hope you feel better soon."

Behind her Solas murmured, "You must eat, vhenan."

She sighed, shoulders slouching as the others feigned disinterest in the exchange between the lovers. Turning her back to the humans Ellana said, "I'll have something brought to my room later."

He nodded, blue eyes soft with affection. "I will accompany you and see to it."

"Thank you," she said, resisting the desire to add a term of endearment. Already she knew what the humans must see: a smitten elf woman who refused to doubt her lover. Did they also think Solas feigned his emotions?

Ellana left the study with Solas behind her, ever the dedicated shadow. As the door swung closed behind her she heard Dorian speak, his voice sour with disgust. "Vishante kaffas, those two are joined at the hip."

Her cheeks bloomed with heat overhearing that, but she pushed the embarrassment aside, marching toward the guest wing. Solas' tread followed close behind and as they entered an empty section of hallway Ellana felt the prickling sensation of magic wash over her shoulders. Twisting to look over her shoulder, she asked, "Solas?"

"A healing spell, vhenan."

She stopped and faced him, her brow knitted as she saw the puffiness in Solas' nose had vanished, though the bloodstains on his clothing and skin remained. Unable to hide it, she smirked. "You could have healed yourself at any time."

"Of course," he said, his own smile crooked. "As could Dorian had our positions been reversed. But there was value in letting the others see my blood. In that respect he did me a favor. As the wounded party my arguments had the additional weight of sympathy."

"You're playing the Game," she murmured and shivered, her skin breaking out in gooseflesh. She couldn't pinpoint whether it was trepidation or desire causing the knot in her chest.

"As are you, vhenan," he replied, whispering. "As we must." With one hand he cupped her cheek, caressing with his thumb. "But for you there is only sulahn'nehn." Happiness and joy. He edged closer, as if about to kiss her, but the sound of footsteps reached them both at that moment. They paused, eyes locked on each other a moment before his hand fell away and he stepped back. Now Ellana had no doubt it was longing coiling inside her, warm and needy.

She checked on the person approaching and saw with a frown it was an Inquisition scout. Are we being followed? Grabbing Solas' hand, she said, "Join me?"

"Of course." He let her tug him into a position next to her as they resumed walking. "But you must eat."

"Later," she said, uncaring if the scout walking a short distance behind them overheard or not. "After I get out of this wet armor."

They reached the guest wing and the scout tailing them seemed to depart, heading down a different hallway, apparently on some other errand. Ellana didn't believe it though, and by the time they reached her chamber she was shivering with both anger and fear. Her mind kept returning to Leliana's eyes and the way she'd sensed the spymaster only wanted to put her and Solas at ease to play from the shadows until she was ready to strike for the kill.

As Solas closed the door to her chamber, Ellana spoke her thoughts in a choked voice, "They are going to turn against us. Our own friends. My advisors. All of them, Solas. We cannot continue like this…"

"I know, vhenan." He cast her a gloomy look before moving to the nightstand beside the enormous bed where a pitcher of water and a washbasin waited. He poured some into the basin and splashed it onto his lips and chin, washing away the dried blood.

Ellana watched him, still shivering. "What can we do?"

He sighed, his back to her and his shoulders hunched. His head drooped. "You will not like it."

"Tell me," she whispered, taking a step closer.

He raised his head sniffing once, but didn't pivot to face her. "Disband the Inquisition. Resign as Inquisitor."

"But then I could not stop them if they moved against you," Ellana cried, her heart pounding and her body flushing cold with panic. "And where would we go? How would you remove the Qunari from the eluvian network?"

"That is one of my greatest hesitations in advising you to do this," Solas admitted with a sigh. He turned now to face her, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning against the nightstand, his expression miserable. "Without the might of the Inquisition my people may never clear out the Qunari. They are too many, too focused. They learn quickly as well."

"If I am no longer Inquisitor and I disband the Inquisition, Cassandra could order you arrested and forced into a Circle," Ellana murmured, a cold lump in her throat as she continued toying with the idea from every angle she could.

Solas laughed and her gaze flew to him, baffled. He regained composure quickly, but the smile didn't fade from his lips. "A Circle is the least of my concerns, vhenan. I have grown powerful enough now that they could not contain me if they tried."

The confidence with which he spoke made her shudder, tempted with desire again at the mysterious depths of his power. One of the Evanuris…

Seeing her stare, Solas sobered, whispering, "I have fought far more skilled and dangerous opponents and in greater numbers than either Qunari or the Chantry would send for one mage in this modern world. Even with the Veil in place, I am powerful enough now that it would take a sizable contingent of either force to kill me. Far more than they will believe necessary or reasonable to send."

"Do you really think if I disband the Inquisition and resign, my advisors and Cassandra will just let us both walk away?" she asked, her voice laced with doubt.

"It is possible," Solas said, nodding. "But I would not be surprised if they did threaten to coerce me into a Circle, as you said. Such a result would be disastrous."

"Would you kill them?" Ellana asked, barely breathing the question.

"I doubt I would need to," he said, evasive as always. Ellana wondered just how powerful he was and what he could do, both wishing she could see it yet also dreading it.

"Dorian said you petrified the saarebas' head?" she asked, frowning.

"I did not want him to suffer needlessly, so I gave him a swift death." He confirmed her words with a nod. "Dorian is clever and observant—and I have grown careless as my strength increases." He chuckled, averting his eyes. "It was far easier to feign weakness when I truly was weaker…" He looked to her again, smiling sadly. "And when I was not constantly distracted with worrying over you, the Anchor, and our child."

The swill of emotions she'd felt in the study when she saw the elven servants carrying food, bowed in servitude to human masters, returned to hit her like a fist. Ellana covered her mouth with one hand and closed her eyes, breathing shakily.

"Vhenan?" he asked, leaving the nightstand and closing the distance between them. His warm hands brushed over her shoulders. "You must be freezing." He began unbuckling her belt and then tugging on the scarf and shoulder pads she wore, all of them sodden.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, her eyes burning though she fought back the tears. "I'm such a wreck at the smallest things. I saw the servants tonight and I wondered if our child would be a servant someday too and…" Looking up at him, eyes welling with tears that quickly spilled onto her cheeks when she blinked, she whimpered.

Solas embraced her, one hand cradling her head and the other snaking over her shoulders. The sound of his heartbeat and lungs, as well as the warmth of his hands, seemed to unhinge her. She let out a weak sob, pressing her face to his chest. "In that moment I was ready to sacrifice them all for our child, for the People." She shook, clinging to him. "And I hated myself for it."

Solas let out a long exhale, his warm breath fanning over the top of her head. "You mustn't worry yourself over this now, vhenan. The blame is mine. We will not be able to take any action for some time and I will do nothing without being certain of the consequences." He pulled away from her enough to look into her face, both hands rising to cup her cheeks. "We must concentrate for now on escaping the Exalted Council and defeating the Qunari." Pausing, he smiled. "And on getting you something to eat."

She let out a weak laugh. "You are worse than my own mother." Then, seeing the tenderness and determination in his eyes, Ellana felt the needy desire unfurl inside her again and pulled him into a kiss. He met her halfway, lips parted and eager, his tongue sweeping into her mouth to taste her. She pressed closer, returning his passion with her own, already breathing faster.

Her hands dug at his clothing, sliding beneath damp fabric and light chain mesh to find the luxurious warmth of his skin. Solas' fingers slid to her biceps, unlatching the clasps on her chainmail and her armored surcoat without breaking the long kiss. Ellana shrugged out of it with a little shimmying motion, letting it thump onto the loamy carpeting.

Solas' hands on her bare back felt scalding, making her moan and shiver, breaking the kiss. He nuzzled her ear. "You're freezing, vhenan. Let me warm you." The suggestive purr in the words left her skin tingling with excitement. He tugged on her hand, guiding her toward the bed.

Standing behind her in front of the bed, Solas caressed her shoulders, his lips and nose against the base of her neck where her shoulders met. The warmth of his breath and his hands sent shivers through her as he unlatched the lower half of her scout armor. Soon she was naked, leaning against him and sighing as his long-fingered hands traced around one breast and then the other.

As desire tightened the muscles in her lower body, Ellana turned in his embrace, grinning mischievously at him. "I think the best place to warm us both up is between the sheets. Don't you?"

"Yes," he agreed, returning her grin with a wolfish one of his own. He kissed her again, his breath whistling though his nose and beating against her skin like heat from a flame. Ellana's heart pounded, an ache starting up deep within her, longing for him. She pulled on his clothes, and Solas broke the kiss, chuckling as he withdrew a step. "Such impatience, vhenan."

As he shed his own clothing, Ellana watched with an appreciative eye, admiring his lean frame. The need for him coiled, hot and aching inside her. When he was naked she closed the small gap between them, running one hand over his smooth chest to feel the musculature beneath. The other hand dropped to his prominent erection, gripping and squeezing to tease him. He gasped, his breath puffing against the top of her head. When she gave a few quick strokes over his length he moaned, his hips arching closer to her.

"Now who's impatient?" she teased, grinning up at him.

Solas pulled her into a tight embrace, tilting her head to whisper into her ear. "Let me treat you, tonight."

Lightheaded with want and anticipation, she captured his lips in a heated kiss for a moment, then said, "How could I say no to a god?"

His mouth twisted downward for a fraction of a second, but then he laughed. "Indeed."

Solas moved with her to the bed and Ellana sat at the edge, legs splayed as he knelt in front of her. She shuddered, her body flushing with a rush of blood as he began trailing kisses along the inside of her thigh, his lips soft and gentle. One hand stroked along the outside of her leg, teasing her, while the other worked its way to the small of her back and hip, caressing the skin there. He lingered, drawing closer to her sex and then veering away again, leaving her craving more.

"You tease," she purred, voice already breathy and thick with arousal.

He paused a moment, smirking with catlike enjoyment, blue eyes dark with desire. Then his hand at the small of her back pulled her closer and he ducked low, finally kissing her where she wanted it most. His breath was already scorching on her skin, still chilled by her sodden armor, but his mouth was like fire that made her nerves scream with pleasure.

She gasped, her body rigid and shaking as he caressed her with his tongue, sending pulses of bliss through her. Hands clenching on the bedspread, Ellana moaned as the pleasure began to build, the ache intensifying. He continued the slow, firm strokes with his tongue, occasionally altering to a swirling motion that made her cry out at the waves of heat emanating from her core. Every flick of his tongue against her destroyed her thoughts, annihilating every worry and doubt until there was only the pleasure building within.

And then he went from the swirling motion with his tongue to gently sucking and she gasped, unable to breathe a moment as the climax hit her like a wall. She cried out at the top of her lungs, hips bucking as the waves of pleasure pounded through her. Shaking and sweating, she collapsed onto her back, the muscles in her abdomen clenching and unclenching as the last pangs of bliss rolled over her.

Solas rose from his crouched position and traced a hand up over her thigh, making her twitch as he tweaked a nerve around her hip. She cracked one eye, still breathing fast, and let out a half-moan, half-sigh of contentment. The sight of him, his self-satisfied smile and his own body still redolent with desire made her grin. "And how might I treat you?" she asked, her voice still husky.

He shook his head. "You owe me nothing, vhenan."

Sitting up, Ellana wrapped her arms around him and fell backward onto the bed again, dragging him with her. Perching on top of him, she ran her hands over his chest as she smiled down at him. "Nothing at all?" she crooned as she lowered herself onto him, taking him inside her.

He gasped, both hands immediately grabbing her hips. "Nothing owed," he said, eyes squeezing shut with enjoyment.

"But you'll take whatever I wish to give?" she asked, teasing as she varied the speed of her hips over him. "Is that it?"

He moaned, baring his teeth in a grimace. "Yes." His hands gripped her on either side, moving with her, arching his back to thrust up into her. Ellana ground over him, altering the angle and pace, her muscles taut over him. She could feel his body tense beneath and inside her, quivering as he neared the precipice. The deep moans and gasps from his lips a music that set her heart racing and her body burning from within.

He grunted, strangling his cry of passion, writhing as his own orgasm hit. Clinging to her and driving into her with each thrust as he rode out the climax. The sound of his pleasure and the sight of his gritted teeth with the intensity of it pushed her over the edge again. She cried out, almost with surprise as the wall of pleasure hit her again in waves. Gasping and shaking, she collapsed onto his chest, body heaving as she fought to catch her breath.

Solas stroked her back, making her shiver reflexively. Her body was slimy with sweat—as was his—but no longer chilled. She closed her eyes, sedated by the lingering pleasure and satisfaction of the aftermath, her mind drifting and peaceful. She might've fallen asleep had her stomach not growled then and Solas inhaled sharply, stirring beneath her.

"You're hungry," he said, sitting up and bringing her with him, still in his lap. "I will find a servant and procure us something to eat."

She leaned her forehead against his, kissing him quickly, refusing to remove her arms from around his shoulders just yet. "You really do sound just like my mother—or my Keeper."

Solas' eyes narrowed, his look somewhere between amusement at her teasing and disapproval. "I should hope I sound like a man trying to care for his beloved."

Seeing she'd wounded him, Ellana kissed him again and apologized. "Ir abelas, emma lath. Can you forgive me?"

"Of course," he said, smiling. "That is assuming, of course, that you agree to eat something."

She laughed. "You're incorrigible—yes, yes. I'll eat something."

His smile turned smug. "Good."

Elven Used:

Ma serannas, falon: My thanks, friend

Ir abelas, emma lath: I'm sorry, my love

Next Chapter:

Now Ellana's lips twisted with sorrow while her eyes narrowed, darkening with anger as she laid a hand over her abdomen, immediately drawing Solas' gaze to the little motion. "If you miss the birth I'm going to name him after Dorian."

Flabbergasted, Solas stared at her with his mouth partly agape a moment before his brow furrowed. "You cannot be serious, vhenan."