Do not own Dragon Age
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11 Harvestmere, 9:41 Dragon, Frostback Mountains
Ellana can not sleep, what with the shouting that Cassandra, Cullen, Josephine and Leliana are doing. Mother Giselle and Solona are close by. The Warden-Commander is tending to a small injury, The mages that came with her and Dorian have been a big help in tending to the wounded and sick.
"You should be resting." Mother Giselle admonishes gently.
"Resting would be easier if they were quieter. My headache would be better at least." Ellana retorts.
"I could send an ice spell, freeze them for a bit. Cool their tempers." Solona quips with a crooked smirk.
"If they keep this up for much longer, I might be tempted." Ellana smiles.
"Now that the threat has past, they turn to blame. An argument that they are privileged to have because of you. After all, it is not everyday that the favored of Andraste comes back from the dead." Mother Giselle informs. Solona snorts, trying to hide her amusement.
"I do not believe in the Maker, and I am not the 'chosen one'. I was just in the wrong place, at the wrong time. Please, stop with that." Ellana retorts, her upset clear.
"It is not a matter of what you believe. It is a matter of what they believe. They have seen you step out of the Fade. They have seen you face an ancient evil magister and a dragon, yet you still live. To them you are Andraste's Herald, touched by Divine providence." Mother Giselle explains.
"If I were you, I'd ask Andraste to stop touching me. That's bad touch." Solona interjects grinning.
Ellana chuckles, the Warden-Commander is defiantly turning into a source of relief. Connor is trying and failing to hide his laughter.
"You, dear Solona, are growing on me more and more each moment." Dorian adds, amused.
Solona nods, a crooked smile on her face.
"If you children are done. I mean to say that the people need you to be the Herald of Andraste, not because you believe, or are, but because of if you are not. Then that would mean that none of it matters, that evil is in the world and the Maker will do nothing to stop it." Mother Giselle states.
Solona sigh, "I'm afraid she is correct." she agrees, Ellana looks to the fellow mage. "You know I've been in your steps. I still am in some regards. Did you see the villagers of Haven, when they learned the Hero of Ferelden was there. The belief that they would be saved, not only by the Herald of Andraste, but by the Hero of Ferelden. I learned long ago that it was better to let them believe. I know who I am. I know that I can't save everyone. But sometimes, we heroes, can inspire someone to take a stand, to face it head on, and live.
"Damn it. That makes a lot of sense. Stop using logic on us mortals." Dorian concedes, grinning.
"I will endeavor to do so." Solona agrees, smirking.
"I...see your point. I will try." Ellana says, resigned.
Solona helps Ellana to stand, the latter surprised again, by the strength of the Warden-Commanders grip. Solona returns to tending to the wounded, most of the injuries are minor, it's mostly busy work. Ellana watches as the arguments die out, each one going to sit in separate corners, so to speak.
Mother Giselle walks past Ellana, she begins to sing. The soldiers and civilians join in, one by one. Solona smiles, humming along as she applies a salve to a burn wound. The song is inspiring to the survivors. Solas steps behind Ellana, he asks her to walk with him.
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Walking through the mountains, the weather is clear during the journey. Cullen walks ahead, but close to Solona, the two have not really had a chance to talk of anything significant. Just reports of injuries and training of healers. Cullen's attention is caught, hearing a squeal from a little girl, no more than five, as she goes whizzing past him down a slope. Solona holding onto her, both sitting on a shield. Three more groups come sailing past him, the children having a blast. The antics are cheering up the others around them.
Solona is a natural at keeping the children engaged, their spirits lifted. A little ice butterfly, flutters in front of him, landing on his nose. Touching the wings, the magic bursts, tiny little ice flakes fall to the ground. Cullen is sad, watching them float away. A moment later, the ice flakes swirl around, transforming into a tiny little lion, just a few inches tall. It jumps around, before trotting next to the Inquisition Commander, it's head held up high. Cullen watches it, smiling at the little ice creature, when he looks up towards Solona, she is smiling playfully, before nodding her head at him.
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The fortress is impressive that Ellana leads them too. Skyhold she calls it. Once they get everyone settled, the Inquisition advisors appoint Ellana as Inquisitor, their leader. She dedicates the role to the elven people, causing Solona to smile fondly. The irony is not lost on her, that should give Mother Giselle something to think about.
Solona gathers the healers together, getting them assigned and on a rotation. Connor is reluctant to be separated from the Warden-Commander, but he integrates into the Inquisitions training routines. Cullen assigns him to train alongside some of the Templars, who at first are hesitant, but his ease around them shows that he was an unwilling victim of the mage rebellion too. Not all mages wanted to disband from the circles, it is a constant reminder that not all mages are the same. Connor does especially well with a Templar recruit by name of Lysette. The two cause Solona to smile warmly, their blushes are adorable.
It takes a good two weeks to get everything moving within the compound. Cullen and Solona have been able to talk a little, but not as much as Cullen would like. They have both been too busy to really have a moment to catch up.
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Cole becomes a hot topic between Cassandra, Cullen and Solas. Solona waits, watching as Ellana intervenes in the controversy. Solona follows Cole, talking with him, watching him as he flints about the entry courtyard, helping people, who immediately forget about him. That part makes Solona sad, but she will not forget him.
"You're not afraid of me." Cole states.
"No." Solona says gently, "I have been surrounded by spirits of the Fade my whole life. And you can feel my nature, just as I can see yours." she finishes softly.
"Great-Grandfather of auburn hair. Who came and kept a little girl from being lonely. She grew up and left, and then he did the same. He wandered around, until he met a woman, who was clever and kind. And as he learned of the world he saw heart-ache and pain, but also compassion and joy." Cole tells her, smiling gently.
"Keep going." Solona requests happily.
"He began to right wrongs for those who couldn't do it themselves. A fox in the night, who stole shiny things. And would give them to those who had nothing. The lady wrote the stories down and told them to their children. Little foxes scampered around the house. One was drawing pictures by the desk, a fox surrounded by stars. The Fox of Orlais smiled down at the scene." Cole finishes.
"His name was Renard. He was like you." Solona explains, "You're not alone Cole." she assures him.
"You are not alone either. He's still struggling, but he still cares too." Cole says, looking towards Cullen.
"I know. But it's up to him to make the first step. He...I...I don't want to hurt him." Solona tries to articulate.
"I want to help." Cole returns.
"Sometimes, just listening is the perfect way to help." Solona tells him.
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Ellana comes over to talk to Cole, Solona nods to the Inquisitor before departing. She passes Cullen, smiling softly as she catches his eye. Solona has a lot of work to do in the library.
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Varric grabs Solona on his way to the battlements, he wants the Warden-Commander to meet the person who knows about Corypheus. Solona follows along just out of the dwarfs enthusiasm.
"Inquisitor, Warden-Commander, I would like to introduce you to Marian Hawke, Champion of Kirkwall." Varric proclaims of the slender woman walking down a short set of stairs. "Marian, this is Ellana Lavellan, Inquisitor of the Inquisition, and the other lady is Solona Amell, Warden-Commander and Hero of Ferelden, and your cousin, I guess." Varric introduces everyone.
"Are you shitting me?" Hawke questions seriously, her blue eyes jump between Solona and Varric
"From what your mother told us, no?." Varric returns, not totally sure.
"Cousins?" Solona queries, trying to wrap her head around it.
"My mother was cousins with your mother. We are distantly related." Hawke clarifies.
"I don't know what to say to that. I don't have a lot of framework for relatives. Could we start out as friends first?" Solona stumbles, not sure how to navigate this turn of events.
"Defiantly. Now, Inquisitor, you have questions. Lets see if we can't figure this Corypheus out." Marian turns to Ellana, giving the elven woman her full attention.
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Cullen watches from his new office, Solona is showing a couple of mages how to counter swords and daggers using their staves. How to turn and twist their weapon, using it in defense. The former Templar is startled out of his observations by Cole.
"She's not sure how to talk to you." Cole states, appearing out of nowhere.
Cullen draws his sword in a flash, pointing it at the male, "Maker! How did you?" he starts, then pauses for a moment, "What did you say?" he finishes.
"She wants to talk to you. She likes looking at you. 'Handsome' she thinks. But it's more than that. She doesn't want to hurt you. Up here" Cole tells him, pointing to his head, "It would hurt her here," Cole points to his heart, "If she did." he explains.
"I...I want to talk to her as well. I think...we don't know where to start. It's...complicated." Cullen says, putting his blade away.
"She is waiting for you. She doesn't want to push you. Love shouldn't be sad." Cole tells him.
"Wait, Love? Do you mean Solona? She's sad?" Cullen inquires, perking up.
"She is the mountain in the storm. She will endure. If you are happy, then she will be happy for you. She will endure." Cole returns, looking at Solona.
Cullen stares out at the Warden-Commander, the sun is shining brightly down upon her.
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Later that night, Cullen approaches Solona in the library. She is helping a few of the mages get the books sorted, cataloged, and put away. The Warden-Commander is sitting on the floor, three piles in front of her.
"Solona?" Cullen starts, his heart beating a mile a minute.
Solona looks up at him, a soft smile on her face, "Yes, Cullen?" she queries, hopeful.
"I...I wanted...to know...Would you...like to join me...for dinner?" Cullen gets out, nervous.
"I...I would...like that...very much." Solona returns, just as stricken.
Cullen reaches out his hand, offering to help her up. Solona is hesitant at first, but she places her hand in his a few moments later. Cullen pulls a tad too hard, the mage stumbles into him. Cullen instinctively puts his arm around Solona's waist to steady her. The Warden-Commander breathes hard, Cullen can feel her heart, pounding in her chest, just as strongly as his own. When she bites her lower lip, a sign he remembers from a time long ago, he relaxes a bit. Solona is just as unsure as he is. Cullen releases her waist, instead taking her arm, leading her towards the stairs.
They sit apart from the crowd, still trying to find a place to begin.
"I...I thought you were still in Kirkwall." Solona tells him, her tone regretful.
"I...I came back a couple months ago. When Cassandra offered me the job as Commander of the Inquisition Soldiers. I...was ready." Cullen informs her.
"That's good to hear." Solona remarks with a kind smile, "I heard what happened in Kirkwall, with the Knight-Commander. I'm sorry." she offers sincerely.
"Thank you. I..." Cullen begins, then sighs, "I had a moment of clarity. I saw mages, innocent men and women, huddling in a room with the children. The adults were standing in the front, protecting the little ones. Meredith ordered me to kill them," he pauses, "all of them. I remembered the words of a wise woman, who showed me what compassion was. I turned on Meredith, stood against her. I..." Cullen is stopped by a hand over his, giving it a tender squeeze.
Solona offers a tender smile, a knowing look shining in her eyes.
"I really looked at myself. At the Order. At the path we were all following. I didn't recognize me anymore. I can never thank that woman enough. She tried to tell me, so very long ago, I was just to angry at the time to listen." Cullen finishes, turning his hand up, holding and returning the gentle embrace.
"I am certain, that if she knew, she would be very happy to hear that you found yourself again." Solona tells him.
The two smile softly at each other, a shift happening in their demeanor. The nervousness being carried away, replaced by acceptance and understanding. The rest of dinner is filled with happy tales, the two talking of friendly subjects. Cullen asking about Amaranthine, having heard wonderful rumors. Solona asking about Cullen's life before joining the Templars. The hall is empty, before they realize the time. Both chuckle lightly, before separating for the night. Neither miss the looks of longing for more time together.
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