The fortress came into view like a stone crown atop an ancient kings head. Withered grey flags blew limply, like old, sodden strands of hair in the cold wind. The sun was coming up from behind it, bathing it in a cool steal light as the cloud settled around it. Birds flew in and out of its bony structure where they had taken up residence after it had so long been abandoned. We trudged down the mountain side towards the bridge leading to the entrance. It crumbled with our first steps and I swallowed down my nerves. Peering over, the drop below seemed an unending white abyss.
"Are we sure this is safe?" I mumbled, worried if I spoke any louder the stones would give out below us.
"It has stood solid for ages beyond count, why should it crumble now?" Solas answered smartly.
His arrogance got to me again, but this time it made my stomach flutter. I clenched my jaw shut and willed the foolish emotions I felt to go away. I hid them underneath something familiar, a mocking jibe, a teasing joke. Disliking Solas was so much easier than admitting I loved him. Which I most definitely did not!
"Well for starters, this bridge might not take the weight of your massive head." I giggled.
I heard him let out a long sigh, "Witty, as always Nevalla."
My chest constricted and I almost let my heart flutter but I swallowed it down and and shut my mouth. It was how he said my name, Nevalla, it sounded so lyrical, so wistful and the way it rolled off his tongue. He pronounced it like how I imagined the Elvhen pronounced it. Magical and sweet. Ne-val-la...
"Nev?" Bull hissed and I sparked back to the present.
"What?" I cried, my voice at least three pitches higher than normal.
Bull looked at me once again like I had done something endlessly stupid. What he must think of me after this trip.
"We'll look around and then find somewhere suitable to make camp... If you are quite done day dreaming." Solas said coolly. Always so cool and stern and impassable, if not for his eyes. Those blue windows were transparent enough for me to see passion and pride and anger and sympathy. Everything he thought was reflected in those eyes, I just had to learn how to read them.
"Yes, I- uh, I'm quite back in the real world, I think."
Bull and Solas filtered away, their weapons still on their backs, as they went to look around our new fortress.
I found myself alone in what seemed to be the courtyard. It was overgrown with wild grass and weeds that crawled up the stone walls surrounding me. Behind me, the bent and broken portcullis lay diagonally at the entrance as though it had been bashed through. The tower above it was crumbling, even now stones tittered down from the top.
"A strong gust of wind might take this place with it..." I mused, walking towards the tall stone steps that lead to what I assumed was a grand hall. It was a dilapidated old shell. Dust floated in the air through the cracks in the ceiling and through the stained glass windows at the far end. Faded and tattered emblems draped the skeletal walls, so old and worn that whatever symbol they bared had long gone to dust. It was quite sad, I looked around to the balcony above and saw more beautiful stained glass windows and I felt sorry for the old fortress. There was a life in it, ancient, cold and barely breathing but it was there. All it needed was a purpose and the Inquisition was going to give it that purpose. And perhaps a spring clean to boot.
"Not too shabby, Solas!" I called out to the room, the echo would carry enough for him to hear, wherever he was. I explored further, through a door on the far right to what looked like an ancient undercroft. It opened out like a mouth to the mountains that surrounded us and let in the freezing air. Then I ventured to the tall rotunda. I whistled at the size of the place and laughed as the noise carried on echoing moments after. I climbed the old circled steps that lead up to the second floor and leaned over the railing to look down at where I'd been. This part of the fortress seemed... Older. The walls were not made of the same stone as the rest of the castle and there was an atmosphere in the rotunda, something that whispered down my spine. The emptiness of it chilled me.
I climbed more steps and came back out onto the battlements. The cold wind hit my face in an icy gust. It made my eyes water and whipped my hair. I shot my arms out wide and cried out against it, an inane surge of adrenaline hitting me.
"Everything alright Nev?" Bull called to me from the other side of the battlements.
"Everything is brilliant!" I cried back and turned once again to face the wind. I closed my eyes and let the fresh breaths wash over me. They seemed to dull everything else around me so that it was only me, and if I closed my eyes tight, I could have been flying.
Behind the wind I heard a cawing sound. I opened my eyes and down from the tallest roof, Captain was flying towards me. I stretched out my arm again and he landed down on it with effortless grace.
"Hello there!" I cooed, scratching under his beak. He shook his feathers happily and pecked at his ankle. Around the little black twig, was wrapped a small scroll. I unravelled it and read the note. It was Leliana's loopy handwriting and I smiled.
"We are close behind. Hope you are doing well. See you soon."
Immediately I tore out a small piece of paper and sharpened coal from my pack and scribbled back to her.
"We are at the Fortress. Eastward down the mountain. You can't miss it." I rolled it up and fastened it to Captains leg once more.
"Be safe, silly bird." I whispered and kissed him on the head. I thrust my arm into the air and he took flight, pulling himself through the air, up towards the mountain where the Inquisition still marched. My eye caught sight of Solas as he walked in and around the courtyard so I called down to him.
"It should take about a day or two for the Inquisition to arrive!"
He nodded, "You've done well, Nevalla. Without you they would have been lost in that mountain."
I frowned and shook my head, "But it was you who showed me where to find it?" I hastily made my way down another flight of steps to meet with him. He waited on me, both hands lightly clutching his staff in a relaxed position. "I wouldn't have the faintest idea if it weren't for you."
He smiled, not a toothy smile but it was light and endearing and I felt my posture slacken.
"I was not the one accused of blood magic. I do not need to have them in my debt. They mistrusted you Nevalla, hopefully now you may have won them back."
Silence fell between us as I thought about what he had truly done for me. He had saved me, so many times and in so many more ways than won and here he was doing it once again. He set it all up, kept this place a secret from everyone until I could take the credit. I shook my head and tried to find words but they caught in my throat. Ar lath ma, Solas. Ma Serranas...
"Thank you..." was all I could muster, before nerves and sense smothered down the thought.
"Think nothing of it." He said curtly, looking away sharply before taking his leave. Had he seen right through me? Were my feelings for him so apparent that he felt the need to shut them down then and there? What was I thinking? I did not love him. I cared about him as a friend, was indebted to him, maybe fancied him from time to time but not love... And what on earth ever made me think he'd love me back? I was exhausted, that's what. Tired from all the journeys I had endured and my injuries. I needed a good long rest and a large meal and everything would go back to normal. This heavy weight in my chest would disappear and I would be able to look in his direction without feeling guilty.
I stormed off to have another look around, kicking a loose stone when I knew he was out of sight. He frustrated me beyond reason at times, it frustrated me that he frustrated me. He should not be allowed to have such an affect on me.
Throughout that day, we took up small tasks in order to get the place looking somewhat presentable for when the Inquisition arrived. I stuck with Bull mostly, not wanting to again put myself in a bad mood from being around Solas. Bull could probably see the annoyance on my face and kept the conversation trivial and lighthearted. For that I was thankful. Together we cleared away some of the smaller bits of debris in the grand hall and with the old flags we managed to give the place a bit of a dust. At the end of the hall, under the stained glass windows we cleared away the rubble and a fallen chandelier to reveal something that was covered by an old grey sheet.
"What do you think's under that?" Bull asked.
I shrugged and brazenly pulled back the cloth to reveal a bronze throne. Dust flew up from it and the two of us coughed and spluttered but the throne sat almost pristine. Almost as if it had been preserved.
Bull chuckled when the dust finally settled and with a smug grin he sauntered up and through himself languidly on the throne. I laughed loudly at his performance.
"I, The Iron Bull do proclaim that free ale be given to all the country!"
"A fine proclamation, my liege." I bowed. "Shall I ready the casks?"
"You shall." We both chuckled heartily as he stood up. "You're turn," he winked.
"Oh no, I couldn't possibly..."
"Might be your last chance, whoever's butt sits on that throne when they get here won't be too happy with any other butts sitting on it after."
I bit my lip and thought about it. Something in my gut told me this was treason, I would offend the Herald, because Mythal knows, nobody else was going to get to sit up there. But as Bull said, it would be my last chance, and besides it was only a bit of fun.
"Alright!" I laughed as I scampered up the steps and sat down. I wiggled around in the seat, frowning in disgust. "Don't envy whoever has to sit here."
"Crushing weight of responsibility?" Bull asked.
"No its bloody uncomfortable!" I said, flinging my legs over one of the arms. "Hmm, slightly better. Now servant, fetch me my wine and cheese and be sharpish about it. I do not like to wait."
Bull held his stomach and laughed, "You're very convincing at that." He chuckled.
"Oh I'm sure I was royalty in a past life." I joked. But something about what I said made me the slightest bit uneasy. "I have a regal air, don't you think?" I ignored flashes of gilded halls and ancient cities but my hands began to shake and I broke out in a cold sweat.
"This is something you'll have to get used to." A voice whispered in my head, "When all these wars are over the people will want a leader who is kind but firm, loving but strong. A leader who will love her people like her children and drown her enemies in blood."
I tried to stand from the throne but I felt frozen to the spot, like a paralysing dream. And then there she was in front of me. The silvered haired elf, yellow eyes blazing. Her figure was like a fog, ghostly and unreal but still she swaggered towards me.
"You must walk and talk like a leader, it is in you child. You're father is too vengeful and your mother is too kind, find a balance and you will be loved through the ages. We can no longer keep you in the shadows, become who you were born to be." she said, her fist clenching with emphasis.
"Who am I?" I muttered, unsure if I spoke or not. She smirked,
"You are my flesh and blood, Nevalla. So prove it."