Lover's Alcove
Comtesse Helene was a kind woman, in her sixties and had never married. She had a great love for science and history, with a clear passion for Elven history. Her estate was large and could house the Inquisition guests without much trouble, though most had to share rooms.
In the hallway of the mansion, two grand stairways curved upwards to the second story. All along the walls hung items of historical importance and after their formal greeting, the Comtesse couldn't help herself to show them off. Her most prized possessions were a dagger, a necklace, and a case, clearly Elven. The woman must have thought it a grand gesture to show Ennaly these items of her people's history.
It left a bitter aftertaste in Ennaly's mouth. Sure, the items were beautiful to behold, but to see them as prized possessions on a Human noble's wall... Her eyes crossed Solas, and it was clear he had similar thoughts about it. The Comtesse seemed genuinely oblivious to how this might be viewed by an actual Elf, but Ennaly deemed this an unfit moment to school their host. So, she kept a smile on her face and was nothing but grateful and gracious in her conversation.
She and the others were guided to guest rooms where they could freshen up for dinner. A servant took care to hang out Ennaly's clothing, and after thanking the young Elf, she declined further help.
The room offered to her exuded opulence from all corners. Gold accents adorned every surface, reflecting the light from a large chandelier. The bed was huge with a blue velvet canopy embroidered with golden stars. A large dark blue sofa stood in front of a marble fireplace, that looked inhospitable cold despite the roaring fire. At the far end of the room stood a screen painted with a flock of flying birds and when Ennaly went to look, she found an empty copper bathtub behind it. She should have felt honoured to be given the use of this magnificent room, but she had rarely felt more out of place.
She remembered the first time she visited Val Royeaux. It was when Varric still called her Doe, because she spent so much time just looking around with large, open eyes and moving in a way that felt jarring, out of tune with her natural state. After all, everything felt unnatural. It had just been her, Varric, Cassandra, and Solas. Varric had been her rock during those times, and she didn't think she would have gotten far without him. Cassandra had been distant and stoic, too focused on her Maker and too dismissive of Ennaly's own beliefs. Solas was a bit intimidating, so different to the Elves from her clan, still frowning at her Vallaslin with a dislike for anything Dalish.
It was quite warm for a late fall day and the skies were clear as they approached Val Royeaux. The city was already large from a distance, but the closer they got, the more the towers loomed overhead like sentinels watching the city below, taller than Ennaly had imagined. It was a vision of white plastered walls, blue accents, and gilded statues, scattered with the dark green of cypress trees.
Cassandra was the only one of them that had been to this place before, and pointed to the towers. The turrets of the Imperial Palace and the twin steeples of the Grand Cathedral were highly decorated and topped in sun-reflecting gold. They made a strange contrast to the angular, undecorated White Spire, where Templars once guarded the locked-up mages. In a city that mostly exuded richness, it stood jarring, unwelcome. Even in the daytime, they could see the magical light emanating from the cold white stone.
Ennaly shot a look at Solas. Both were wearing hoods to cover their Elven ears, thinking it best to keep a low profile. Before the rebellion, one wrong encounter with a Templar away, and they might have been locked up in here, too.
The gates to the city were extravagant. The Sun Gates, as they were called, were an appropriate name for the gilded metalwork in the shape of sunrays. It was said to blind attacking armies with the reflection of the midday sun. To Ennaly, it seemed a distasteful display of wealth, especially after they passed some modest farmhouses.
They were forced to wait their turn to pass a set of smaller gates inset in the large ones. It was a market day, and crowded with people from the nearby farms and small villages, all visiting the capital for trade.
Ennaly kept close to Varric, who for her benefit made up stories of the people that passed in their opposite direction, theorising what goods they carried in their basket, or what the relationship was to the people they travelled with.
"See that woman? The man next to her is clearly her husband, but see the smile she gives that other man? She is cheating on her husband with his own brother, and he doesn't even know it. And that man, acting all natural? He is definitely carrying illicit goods. What is illicit here? Ferelden cheese, maybe?"
She smiled at the absurdity of the tales, more out of politeness. She was completely overwhelmed by everything around her, but she didn't want to admit it to the others. She didn't want to show weakness, and besides, if she did give in, she wasn't sure if she could pull out again.
It was their turn to pass the gates and they followed Cassandra. At the end of a short street, they found themselves at the edge of a market square. To their left was another large gate, but it made a strange contrast to the rest of the city. Between the tall green cypress trees, they could see wooden structures extending the buildings whose white paint was cracked and discoloured.
From the people who passed through the gates, it was clear what the place was. It was the alienage, home to ten thousand Elves. Ennaly didn't even know if there were ten thousand Dalish in the entirety of Thedas. She didn't even know so many people could live together. Her eyes met Solas' again, and she could see from the straight line of lips that he wasn't quite happy with the sight, either. In another world, both of them would be living there too.
"Let us focus on our goal," he said to her.
She didn't reply. He might have meant it well, but she considered it insensitive. How could she focus on her goal when injustice was staring her in the face? Injustice to their people? And she had to focus on their goal?
The Breach. It wasn't even visible from here. If they couldn't stop it, it might grow and perhaps then the stubborn Chantry folk would help, if it wasn't too late. And if it was too late, the Elves here would suffer just as much as the Humans. Solas was right. They had to focus on their goal, but he might have brought it with more tact.
It was a lot easier said than done, however, with more people around than Ennaly thought possible. They crossed the market square, stopping here and there to peruse at Varric's insistence. He bought them all small hand pies filled with apple and cinnamon in a buttery, flaky pastry, topped with slivered almonds. She'd never tasted anything this good before.
Around them, salesmen were promoting their wares. Good deals in fresh produce, the last harvest of apples, pottery, the latest fashion in hats, and spices imported from Antiva. It was all too loud, too crowded, too many colours, too many strange scents, too many moving factors for Ennaly to keep track of.
And then she realised she couldn't see the others anymore. Panicked, she looked around. They weren't behind her, and neither were they at the nearby stalls. She tried to push forward, but a wandering bard started to play a song and a throng of people stopped to listen, blocking her way.
What could she do? The sounds were closing in on her, the music, the laughter, deafening her senses. She looked around, desperate, but couldn't find a place to go, didn't know where the others were.
She did know she had to leave this place, and fast. She could already feel her throat contract at her rising panic, and if she remained, it would end badly. She'd forgotten all her Keeper's lessons in taking control of your senses. She was powerless, alone, and lost.
As she turned, she bumped right into a Human.
"Get out of my way," the woman called as she nearly dropped her basket of produce. With her free hand, the woman pushed Ennaly away, hard.
She only barely managed to keep standing, but as the woman moved past her, she found that her feet wouldn't move, her throat had closed off. She was too out of place here, and her body was rendered incapable of processing her surroundings.
She stood frozen right in a busy pathway.
Someone cursed as they bumped into her. "Filthy knife-ears belong in the alienage," they said. She hadn't realized that during her shove, her hood had fallen down.
"You lost, poppet? I can help you get somewhere safe," A man appeared in front of her vision, laughing at her with a missing front tooth, causing a lisp. As the man stared down at her, his face contorted to shock. He must have seen her Vallaslin, and must have known what it meant. "You're one of those savages, aren't you?" And he spat on the ground in front of her feet before he left.
"I don't mind a savage," another nearby man said. "You a savage in the sheets, too, darling?"
The man grabbed her wrist and as her panic was still raging, she realised there was nothing she could do. If she used magic, she'd get in trouble. It would be bad, not just for her personally, but also for the budding Inquisition, if It came to light that their Herald was using magic in a crowded market square. And she didn't quite know if she could expect the guard to help out an Elf, so calling out might just draw more attention to her.
A second presence appeared next to her. "Back off," a familiar voice said in a demanding tone, and to her great surprise, the expression of the Human turned distant and strange before he let go of her wrist and turned around without another word.
It was Solas that had appeared next to her, and he pulled the hood back over her face, the material pressing uncomfortably on her ears. "Are you alright? You know they are not kind to likes of us here, in more ways than one." His words were a little harsh, but she wasn't sure if it had been in dislike for the Human or disapproval of her straggling behind. "Please be careful."
But Ennaly's breath was still too shallow, her mind still couldn't process more than her immediate vicinity, and Solas realised she was in a clear panic. He took a deep breath and wrapped an arm around her, whispering soft words of comfort. They fell on deaf ears. They might have even been a soft Elven song, she thought, not from the words he spoke but the melody he said them in.
He guided her between the people to a quiet alcove away from the market square, past a small garden. Gently, he placed her on one of the benches and sat down next to her. Her breath was still heavy and shallow, her vision still blurred.
"Take your time," he said quietly. "Focus on your breathing, like casting a spell. I have seen you do that many a time. I have a waterskin here, if you would like a sip."
They sat there, together, for however long she needed to find the focus in her breath. He didn't pressure her, he was just patiently waiting, allowing her to find her inner calm again. After some time, she took the offered waterskin and drank.
"I am sorry," she muttered, ashamed.
Solas' expression turned compassionate. "There is no need to apologise. All is well now."
Ennaly sighed and looked up. A pergola covered this part of the garden, the leaves turned orange with fall. "I have never been to a city like this. I didn't even know it existed. Didn't know there could be this many people in one place." She pointed in two directions, first at the tall white spire in the centre of their view, and then to the gate to the alienage. "And if it's up to these Humans, they'd lock us up in either of those places. It isn't fair."
"It is not."
"But even if I hadn't been panicked, I couldn't have used my powers. I hate feeling helpless." Sighing, she averted her eyes. "You have the benefit of your height and some physical strength. I don't look one bit intimidating."
She looked up to see a faint smile curling around his lips. "Do not sell yourself short. They haven't seen you fight. But I apologise. We should have kept a closer look on you. It reasons you feel overwhelmed in such an unfamiliar place."
A few more moments passed. Two Humans entered the alcove and sat down on a bench at the other end. Solas wasn't pushing Ennaly to continue. And for one of the first times, she could fully appreciate that he was an Elf like her, for it meant that there was someone else who could at least relate to her struggles. "You are doing well here. You're not panicking like me, at least."
He looked at her with compassion. "I have been in cities before, a long time ago."
She leaned back. "Before this, Redcliffe was the largest place I had been in. I've only visited small villages. I've never even seen an alienage before."
"They should not exist," Solas replied, anger bleeding through the calmness in his voice.
For some strange reason, his anger bolstered her confidence, and she smiled at him. "You know, we don't always see eye to eye, but I am happy that I'm not the only Elven mage here."
He smiled back at her, but it was a mournful smile.
"Thank you," she said. "For your patience."
"You are welcome. I remember how it is to feel out of place somewhere. Only fools forget their humble beginnings. It will get better. It did for me." His eyes followed the lines of her Vallaslin, and his mournful expression turned to melancholy. Ennaly considered it an improvement to his normal frown.
"I appreciate it," she replied, and slowly realised the reason they had come to this place. "Where are Varric and Cassandra?"
"They are waiting up ahead. When we realised you were no longer following us, we thought it best that I come and find you, since I... can." He looked at her left hand.
Careful not to flash it to the Humans, she raised it. The mark flickered dully. "Well, that's another use for this, I suppose."
She quickly tucked her hand away as two others entered the alcove, a middle-aged man and woman. They stared at them in annoyance before they started to make out, standing centre stage in the alcove, just a few feet away from them. It was then that Ennaly noticed the other couple at the far end was kissing as well, though much more tenderly and obstructed from view.
Solas and she shared a look of bewilderment.
"Humans are weird," she stated quietly. This alcove might provide some privacy with the pergola, but it was still very much in view of the market square. She wouldn't want to be making out with anyone in view of this many people.
Solas chuckled. "I think this is mostly Orlesians."
"I don't want to stay here, let's get back." She jumped to her feet and looked out over the busy marketplace, taking a deep breath.
In front of the pergola stood a statue of two naked Humans, their private parts cleverly covered with draped fabric, beautifully carved, posed in a dance. Lover's Alcove, the plaque read. Well, that explained the kissing couples.
"Ah," Solas commented when his eye fell on it. "My apologies, I did not see this, or I would have gone elsewhere."
He realised she wasn't listening, but instead looked at the many people still roaming the marketplace with a look of dread. "I can help, if you would like," he offered, stepping next to her. "A spell to make it less... overwhelming."
"That might be nice."
He stood facing her and placed his hands on either side of her head, over the hood, cupping her face like the lovers behind them. The sun shone in his eyes and made them look incredibly light. Like moonlight, Ennaly thought as magic flowed from his fingers through the cloth into her skin, warm and soothing. The noise from the marketplace ahead slowly dulled away, and only nearby sounds could still enter her ears. All other sounds faded away to a soft hum, like the comforting drizzle of rain.
His hands on her shoulders, Solas stared into her eyes. "This will help cross the busy streets. It will fade when we are in the less crowded areas. Take my arm and do not let go, alright? And leave your hood on."
She nodded and Solas placed her hand in the crook of his arm. Then, as if he did not trust her not to let go, he placed his other hand on top of hers and started to guide her through the crowd of people.
Back at the others, Ennaly flung herself at Varric, as if it had been him who helped her out of this panic attack, instead of Solas.
Ennaly had nearly forgotten the memory. Lover's Alcove. That had a different ring to it now. She had never fully appreciated how kind he had been that day, how patient he had been while he could as easily have been annoyed and straight up brought her back to the others. He had actually taken the time to make sure she was comfortable, and when they had crossed the common area to continue to the upper district, in the middle of the lake, it was less crowded and Ennaly started to see the beauty in the city.
After their encounters in the capital, she had slowly grown in confidence in her Herald persona, and soon after Varric began to shift her nickname from Doe to Herald. It was strange to think that it started with Solas' kindness, for how different would it have been if she had to face the clerics with panic still raging within her?
And now she was Inquisitor. In the large guestroom in Halamshiral, she cleaned herself from the dirt of the road, brushed out her hair and dressed in a simple gown, a dusty lavender colour, tied at the waist with a fine embroidered sash in midnight blue. Before she fastened her hair again, she rolled the hairpin around in her hands. It was more precious to her than any old relic could be.
A servant collected her for dinner. The Inquisition's servants and soldiers presumably ate their dinner together with the Comtesse's servants, since only the Comtesse and the Inquisition shared the large dining table. Ennaly was very glad for all the etiquette lessons Josephine had forced upon her, for she would have been a fool of herself without.
There were still some foods she couldn't quite appreciate, but at least she knew what silverware to use, and entertained the Comtesse in polite conversation. After a dessert of some kind of baked cream with a caramel layer on top – very tasty, she decided – they had a cup of tea before retreating back to their rooms.
There, she dressed in a simple shift and covered up with a way too frilly wrapping gown that was made available to her. It trailed over the floor and the sleeves were slightly too long, but it provided just enough warmth.
It was a lovely spring evening and she went to her balcony. It looked out over the mansion's courtyard, a beautiful garden with marble statues, a large fountain, and trees and flowers all around. The scent of jasmine spread in the air, sweet and flowery. Ennaly didn't know how long she stood there, musing and lost in melancholy, when a sudden movement to her left alarmed her.
Warm fingers pressed against her lips just as she instinctively wanted to yell out.
"Don't scream," a hushed voice whispered in her ear, sending shivers down her spine.
She turned her head, heart beating in her throat. "Solas, you startled me." She tugged on his arm to pull him inside before anyone could see them.
"What? Were you not expecting me, vhenan?" Solas said with a pleased smile as he let Ennaly pull him along. "You asked me here. The balconies are surprisingly convenient for sneakery."
She regarded him. He looked dashing in his simple breeches and loose shirt, finished with a somewhat pleased smirk. "If you can do magic, yes," she stated. "Who did you leave behind?"
"Dorian. I think he was glad to see me go, honestly. Now he has the room for himself." After a kiss, he leaned against one of the pillars of the canopy bed and observed her sharply. "How do you feel?"
She sighed. "Tired. Emotionally and physically."
"Take that silly thing off and come here, then."
"It is quite silly, isn't it?" she grinned and took off the frilly wrap before she joined him on the large bed. They lounged on top of the covers, Solas sitting against the padded headboard with Ennaly's head on his lap. The metallic thread of the embroidered stars of the canopy shimmered in the flickering candlelight, creating a quite nice and cosy space.
"I had been thinking of the day that we first entered Val Royeaux," Ennaly said. "You comforted me and brought me to Lover's Alcove, remember that?"
He chuckled. "I was unaware of that particular Orlesian custom."
"Sure," she grinned. "I wouldn't mind visiting the city again, if we get the chance. Do you remember those long, thin boats in the lake? I'd really like to try those, once."
"I remember those, yes," Solas replied. "I am sure our Inquisition business will lead us back there one day."
"I hope so," she replied with a smile, when another thought entered her mind. "Do they even let Elves on those boats?"
"You are the Inquisitor. I think if any Elf can, you can."
Unsure what she thought of that, Ennaly turned around. "But that is selfish, isn't it? I am not... I don't think I'm selfish."
"No, you are not." He said it with such sincerity she couldn't help a smile.
She raised and repositioned herself to sit astride on Solas' lap, facing him. He hadn't bothered to tie the laces of his shirt, leaving the top part of his chest exposed. Smiling, Ennaly let her fingers walk over his bare skin. They had never really been together when awake like this, undisturbed, apart from that initial night in the ruined garden.
Having his trapped between herself and the headboard, she leaned closer for a kiss. He wrapped his arms around her, the thin material of her shift hardly a barrier under his fingers as he gently caressed her back.
It had something thrilling, this passionate kiss, when nobody besides Dorian knew they were here. It felt as If they were doing something they shouldn't be doing, something forbidden, and Ennaly cursed the fact that that enticed her. Her breath turned shallow, and she wanted more of him. Sure, the fabric of her shift and his shirt were thin, but not thin enough. She wanted skin.
She leaned back and smiled suggestively, sliding one of the straps of her shift down her shoulders. Seeing his eyes on her, she arched her head in a way she knew her neck would look good. She wanted him to land his lips, his teeth, anything, on the offered skin.
Solas leaned closer to kiss her bare shoulder, but instead of removing her shift, he slid the strap slowly in place again. "I am not sure if this is quite the right moment."
"You're not sure?" Ennaly whispered in his ear as she leaned in closer again and pressed her chest against his. Her hand caressed his jawline, intent on enticing him if he needed encouragement.
"Vhenan..." he replied, but it was said with an intake of breath and closed eyes. With what seemed like great effort, he withheld himself from leaning into her touch and instead gently pushed her backwards. "I am certain," he said after a short kiss.
She stared back at him with a disappointing pout. He took her left hand and kissed that, too, first the back and then her fingers, making her laugh. "Come, turn around, lean your back against me. I can ensure the Anchor will not act up tomorrow at inconvenient times."
Ennaly turned around and nestled herself against Solas' chest, so he could inspect her hand. It was comfortably warm with him behind her and the covers pulled to her chest. With a wave of his hand, the curtains around the bed closed. The embroidered stars above and around, illuminated by magic, made it look like they were under a real night sky.
"I think this bed is a much nicer lover's alcove than whatever the city had," she said contently. "It's almost as if we are outside under the stars."
"You could convince Josephine to order a set of these curtains for your Skyhold quarters," Solas suggested as he started to pour energy into her mark.
"No, I don't like to spend this much money on extravagance, when it could also be used for better resources." The magic that flowed in her body from the Anchor soothed her mind and she started to get drowsy.
"And you were wondering if you were selfish," Solas said. "I could paint stars on your ceiling, that will hardly take any effort. I have gold paint."
"I'd like that," she muttered and let herself relax fully against him. She could feel herself drift off as Solas was concentrating on his magic. "If the Anchor originates from a Godly orb, you must be divine too, for having so much power over it."
"Must I, now?" came the answer, before he kissed her shoulder.
"The God of sneakery. How you managed to sneak into my room and into my bed without being seen." It was so comforting to lean against his warm chest, slowly rising and falling with his breath, the rhythm a silent lullaby.
"I prefer the word rebellion," he whispered in her ear, but she had already fallen asleep. Solas remained there for a long time after he was done casting his spells, with Ennaly sleeping against his chest, his arms around her, as he stared up at the embroidered stars on the bed's canopy.