Authors Note: I am terribly sorry for the delay in updating! Writers block is an awful thing. But I have four chapters already written out and they just need some editing before I upload them! Thank for everyone that support/like this story. Your patience is appreciated! As far as this chapter goes, I have been obsessed with Solas lately and wanted my tiny Inquisitor to develop a bond with him like she had with Cullen! Updates soon!

Solas silently watched from a distance as the Commander and the Herald began their training. It had been hours now and she had made little progress. Nevertheless, it was still progress. The Seeker had been right on the account of Cullen not being easy or gentle with her. There were a few instances he found himself having to restrain from lashing out at the man for being too rough with his brutal methods. It was odd to feel this over protectiveness over the girl, odder because he felt a bond with her that grew with each passing day with their recent travels.

He winced. That had to hurt.

"Again!" Cullen shouted as he drew his shield upwards, waiting for Eva to get back up.

She was exhausted. Her body ached in places she didn't know existed, and her skin was becoming black and blue and purple. Cassandra wasn't kidding when she said this would stink, on top of that she felt like she made little progress with blocking this shield bash. She was smaller than the Commander and he clearly had the upper advantage. Thought that was no excuse, according to him. But how would she handle an enemy his size in a real situation? With a grunt, Eva rolled onto her side as she got up off the ground. Every muscle in her body screamed as she pulled her shield up in front of her figure, nodding in Cullen's direction.

At this point she memorized his technique of approaching her. He would take a slow step forward, then lunge out and thrust his shield outwards and into hers. And every time she could never keep her blasted shield from faltering under the strain. She watched him carefully as he approached her slowly, and sure enough within seconds he lunged forward and in another blink of an eye she went flying backwards, her body hitting the ground with a sickening thud. Thankfully she had her custom made helmet, otherwise her head would have taken the impact of the fall.

"Again!" He called out and Eva groaned.

"I can't do it again!" She protested angrily before throwing her shield aside. "I don't have any stamina left!"

"Herald I understand you are tired, but it is important you learn this technique before your departure." Cullen replied with a long sigh. He was just as tired as she was. This wasn't fun for him either. He winced every time he knocked into her, cringed every time she went flying back and his heart practically broke when she hit the ground. This was torture to endure for both parties.

A low growl formed in her throat as she rose from the ground, tearing off her helmet and practically throwing it to the ground. "I can't do this! We've been at it for five hours and I'm tired! I can barely lift the shield, let alone walk at this point!" She snapped back as she glared at the Commander.

"Herald, please understand —."

"No!" She snapped. "I didn't ask for this, this responsibility! I'm not a fighter! I- I…" It felt like she was on the brink of a nervous breakdown. It felt like her chest was on fire and that fire was creeping slowly up her throat, almost like she would be sick any moment. Turning quickly on her heels, she ran. Ran as fast as she could away from Cullen and the training grounds. There was no destination in mind, but she didn't want to be around him or anyone. Since they've been back she hadn't had a moment to breathe. Between all the meetings, her stupid training that didn't seem to be going well no matter how hard she tried, and now having another mission to have to go out on, she felt overwhelmed and nauseous.

After what seemed like an eternity her feet slowed to a familiar place. Stopping completely, Eva collapsed into the snow. This is where she needed to be. "Ar isala ne," the wind ghosted her voice as she curled onto her side, hugging her knees to her chest. "Ir souveri," she whispered to the grave she now rested upon as she tried to force back the sniffles that threatened to escape. "I miss you...," biting her lower lip, she felt her cheeks dampen as she rested her forehead against her knees, allowing the exhaustion to finally claim her.

-

It did not take him long to track her down. He knew exactly where she fled to. Safety, security, and comfort. All things she craved but was at a loss. Earlier he advised the others to leave her be and let her vent her frustrations out. She needed time to process the new change, and to process her grief. It wasn't long before he approached a figure curled in a ball and half buried in snow, and despite the fact she was shivering from the cold, she slept soundly. He stopped a few feet from the grave to simply observe her. He did not blame her for the outburst earlier, though unprofessional it may have been. She had been pushed to her limit and then some, and had no rest in between since their arrival to Haven. Though he had not been part of the meetings, he knew she was tied up in their war room trying to work out the best strategies to gain more favor of the people and allies for the Inquisition. Truly, she had no break and he almost pitied her.

He approached with slowly, carefully brushing away some of the snow from her sleeping form and earned a small mumble from the small elf. He bit back an amused smirk as he lifted her up off the ground and cradled her against his chest, giving a nod to the grave before turning and heading back to the town. Here he was again, tending to a person, an elven child after he, many years ago claimed to be void of emotions for others. Yet he found himself drawn to this girl mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. She was not like anyone he had encountered in his life time of wanderings, and she was only just a child, not having yet lived her life to the fullest and developed her way of thinking let alone her full personality. What would become of her when she was an adult? Would she be like the rest of the Dalish elves? Naïve in their precious ways of their understandings of elven history? Or would she differ from them since she had no clan to relate to? At least currently. It truly intrigued him. There was an advantage to this at least. Eva was curious by nature, and often sought his wisdom on matters that would often be viewed as incorrect in the eyes of the Dalish. Since she now lacked her clan, he had the upper hand of teaching her the correct versions of history and elven lore.

A murmur brought his attention back to the girl in his arms, and he found himself with the smallest of smiles lined on his lips. A smile that was reserved only for her that rarely others saw. What was it about her that brought this side out of him? Until recently he wasn't even aware this side even existed. Truly, these last few weeks were full of surprises. He felt the edges of her armor press into his tunic. Ah yes, that would pose an issue. He was certain both the Spymaster and Seeker were well asleep, and there was no way he would have the Commander dress her for bed. Alas, he would have to wake her after all.

"Lethallan," Solas said gently but gained no response. This time he lowered his head so his mouth lined with her ear. "Lethallan." He said once more, earning a small groan in protest and a string of incoherent mumbles. He chuckled. "I apologize for waking you, but you can't sleep in your armor." Solas added as he pushed opened the door to her cabin.

It took Eva a few moments to realize what was going on. Her head rose slowly from the warmth of his body, blinking a few times as she looked around the room. How did she…? Oh, that's right. She fell asleep at near her mother. Her anger had longed passed, thankfully. Though now it was replaced with sadness and loneliness. "Er… Thanks for coming to find me." She mumbled out with embarrassment as he set her down.

"Of course. Well, goodnight." Solas nodded and offered a small smile before turning to leave. Eva felt a surge of panic rush through her as she leaped forward and grabbed hold of his hand.

"Wait!" She practically shouted, causing Solas to pause instantly. He turned and stared at her with questioning concern. Her panic shifted to mortification. How could she possibly word this without feeling like a complete idiot? Biting her lower lip, she immediately dropped his hand and lowered her gaze to the ground. "I… I miss my Mamae and I feel lonely lately… I miss my clan too. Ca-Can you stay with me please? Just for tonight? I felt happy when you and the others were near me when we traveled to the Coast. Sleeping alone has been an adjustment…" Eva swore her cheeks were burning up all the way to the tips of her ears. The question sounded better in her head.

Solas stared at her, his reaction was that of surprise though his expression was neutral. He knew the Dalish clans slept close together, often bundled together for protection purposes so this is something she had been used to for nine years. But to sleep with her? Was that appropriate as one of her traveling companions? He directed his gaze elsewhere as he thought this over. Truly it wouldn't mean anything, more for comfort sake on her end. And there was a night that she had fallen asleep in his tent at their trip to the Coast. She had an issue with the Seeker's snoring, which was rather humorous to him and the Child of the Stone. After a moment of prolonged silence, Solas looked back to Eva who was staring holes into the ground. "I believe that is acceptable. I will depart so you can ready yourself for bed and be back in twenty minutes time."

Green hues shot up to meet greyish blue as a wide smile spread across her lips. She nodded as she scattered away to prepare for bed as he stepped out to gather his own things for the evening. Was this really a good idea? Probably not…But what harm could it bring if he stayed with her for one night? Besides, it was not like they would be sharing a bed. He would take the chair or the floor.

-

As true to his word Solas appeared exactly on time. Eva looked him once over, noticing he hadn't changed into anything different. Did he not sleep like the rest of them? Her eyes fell onto the various papers gathered in his grip as she rose a brow in curiosity. "What's all that?"

"I presumed you would like to continue our discussion before you retire for the evening. These are sketches I made of my journeys, each having a story behind them." He said simply, placing the papers on the stand next to her bed. "But first, I believe you acquire attention."

Eva blinked in confusion at his statement, then it dawned on her. She had struggled earlier in getting out of her armor and clothing earlier. The afternoon session with Cullen left her battered, and most of her skin was kissed with purple and blue blotches that reached from her torso to her limbs. It then dawned on her that she would have to do it all again tomorrow, and she felt her lips tug down into a frown. "Do you mind if I sit on the bed? I really need the support." Eva quipped as her attention went back to Solas, who watching the change of her expressions and mood. He nodded in approval as she climbed onto the large mattress, cringing slightly as her muscles protested with each movement.

"You will need to lean forward so I can access your back." Solas brought a chair beside the bed and took a seat. Eva nodded as she shifted slowly, pushing herself forward with a wince and a disgruntled expression.

"I think I pulled something. This is as far as I can go." She could feel the strain in her muscles as she fought to hold the position, and Solas sighed. She wasn't trying to be difficult, and it certainly wasn't her fault, but if she moved forward any further and she would scream.

"I have a solution but with your permission." Solas said. His voice sounded strained and tired. Had she upset him? Was he uncomfortable with all this and simply not telling her about it? That was obviously not what she wanted. Regardless, she nodded her head and watched him rise from his seat. She blinked when she felt the bed dip from his weight. Solas moved behind her as his legs parted so that she was centered between them. "Please hold your position." His hands gently grazed along her lower back before she felt a cooling effect seep into her muscles. Shuddering at first, her body then shifted into a relaxed state.

"That's helping, thank you." Eva sighed in relief. Whatever he was doing it was taking the stabbing pain she had felt earlier away. Solas said nothing as he continued his work, moving from her lower to her upper back, to her neck and shoulders, then finally her arms. As long as she was able to seek treatment, and perhaps obtain elfroot, she would be in good enough shape to continue her training with the Commander.

The warmth of his hands retracted from her as he began to shift away, moving back to the chair. Abruptly, Eva grasped his arm and shook her head. She wanted him near, like the night she sat in his lap when he shared his stories of the fade. This of course took the elf completely by surprise as he froze in place, looking down at her as she casted a side glance in his direction. "I'm really comfortable. Besides, I can see the drawings better if you stay here." Offering a small smile, she turned her attention to the nightstand and grasped the papers gingerly, making sure to be mindful in her movements.

Solas was still as a statue, assessing the situation he was currently in. He hadn't meant to stay in this position, only to aid in soothing her injuries. But she already had his sketches and was handing it over to him, how would he be able to get up now without completely disappointing her? With an internal sigh, he took the sketches and nodded. If anything, it brought back memories of the time at the Coast with her.

"These sketches are all from the fade?" She asked as his arms moved around her so that the pictures were placed in front of her.

"Indeed. I recalled the places I visited, wanting to give you a better understanding of what I came across during my wanderings. Battles of old, fallen kings, and forgotten temples and ruins."

The next two hours went by most peacefully for the two, as he shared his stories of each building, ruin, and fallen hero. She asked various questions and good ones at that, ones that he would not expect from someone her age. He was surprised she showed as much interest as he did in his tales, enough that he could go one forever about them. It was a pity that she could not visit the fade as he could, showing her personally would be much more rewarding rather than trying to paint a picture for her. Her interest revolved solely around spirits, having never encounter one before she was curious as to what their nature was like, and how one would avoid corruption if the spirit became a demon. A most difficult task for most, but for him it was no issue. Most of his companions were spirits, but she needn't know that. Truly, she was an intriguing person.

-

"Herald, it is time to wake -."

Josephine instantly fell silently when she walked into Eva's room. The sight was too adorable to pass up. Being as silent as she was able, she quickly left only to return with Leliana and Cullen. The three of them saw Eva curled against Solas's chest as he remained in an upright position, his mouth hanging slightly open as a soft snore emitted from him. It was the cutest thing Josephine and Leliana encountered since coming to Haven, though the Commander disagreed entirely and was truly annoyed for being bothered so early in the morning and torn away from his troops to see Eva still slumbering when she should be getting ready for her lessons.

It was about an hour later that she actually emerged from her cabin, Solas had left earlier in the morning, having being awoken from the advisors and completely embarrassed by them. Eva on the other hand seemed in better spirits than she had in all her time at Haven. She finally got a decent night's rest and didn't feel entirely alone in the process. Though she felt a hinge of guilt. Solas had fallen asleep long before she did as he spoke about an ancient ruin. She had been so comfortable against him and it felt like she was back with her clan members, all piled together for warmth while they slept. It was a selfish act, one she wouldn't repeat but nevertheless enjoyed it.