The Dread Wolf

Hey guys, I have been having a pretty hard time writing, but comments - especially long comments - are really motivating. Please help us find the energy to write by commenting if you like our work!

The Heralds of Andraste - he snorted at the title, how peculiar they gave these titles to two elves - were still unconscious after two days, for him this was a good thing because he could study their marks without them making a fuss.

When he came to a conclusion he was sent to the War Room to explain about his findings.

Commander Cullen Rutherford glared at the elf when he entered the room, he had already made it clear he didn't trust the mage and that he wanted him assigned to a templar.

Leliana and Josephine were the ones to turn down his 'kind offer' to lend them a templar to hold Solas' leash. It did help that Gunnar was present when it was offered and having a towering Avvar glaring daggers towards the Commander had the man stop trying to get them both under the Templars' gaze.

Right now Gunnar was busy healing the people of Haven refugees arriving every single day. Varric wouldn't leave the Avvar's side when Solas wasn't around, he appreciated that, the dwarf would always pointedly play with his crossbow Bianca whenever someone wanted to call Gunnar a slur.

Solas tilted his head greeting the Seeker and the other two women in the room.

"I heard you found something?"

"Indeed I did, I have managed to stabilize their marks for now, if you wish to close the breach the Heralds will need to close more small rifts, it gets stronger when it closes a rift, when they gather enough power they may be able to close it for good, but they will still need help, they will need more power for it"

"Which means we must approach the rebel mages for help" Leliana said.

Cullen looked scandalized at the proposition. "Mages?! The Templars could serve just as well!" 

Cassandra shook her head. "We need power Commander, enough magic poured into the mark-" 

"Might destroy us all, Templars could suppress the Breach, weaken it so-"  

"Pure speculation" Leliana cut him off coldly.

"I was a Templar, I know what they're capable of" he holds the red-haired gaze.

Josephine looks between the Commander and the Spymaster nervously before coughing awkwardly. "I don't think either group will speak to us yet"

One of Leliana's spies chose this moment to enter the room. "The Heralds are awake, Lady Nightingale" The elven spy said quietly.

"Good, bring them here, we need to make a plan, have my scouts report to me about the Hinterlands as soon as possible" The Spymaster commanded easily.

"Thank you for the help with the matter, Master Solas" Josephine said kindly, it was clearly a dismissal, he nodded and left the room, passing by the two Heralds on his way, the female one giving him strange looks before following her brother.

The elf left the Chantry, following the path to the healers' tents to find his friend, people still whispered about the Avvar man being a savage which had Solas' blood boiling, though he kept his temper under control to not upset his friend who had made it clear before that he didn't want to see Solas in trouble because of it.

He stood outside a tent watching Gunnar heal a soldier by setting his bone back in place before casting healing spells. The warrior cussed in pain, glaring at the healer even though he just healed the man, were Solas in Gunnar's place he would fracture the bones again out of pettiness.

Varric was outside pacing around keeping an eye on them in case they needed something.

Gunnar patted the angry man on his head casting a spell for the man to sleep before leaving the tent and stretching, the tent was way too small for someone of his stature, he looked around and was surprised to see Solas eyeing him fondly.

"Ah! Pretty one! You’re done talking business, aye?"

Solas couldn't help but chuckle at the man's excitement at seeing him, the man was a huge Mabari at heart.

"Indeed, the Heralds are in the War Room discussing the next move" 

Varric ignores what he said focusing solely on how the man just chuckled! From what he got these two days watching the elf, he never smiled or laughed, but something as simple as the Avvar showing his excitement at seeing him had the elf chuckling?

Ohhhh, this is good, he needs to write down the details, he knew that whatever the fuck was going on with these two would be good.

“So, Chuckles-” The dwarf began.

Solas was unimpressed by the nickname but gave the dwarf his attention.

“-you never said how you ended up in Avvar territory” 

"I'm a dreamer, child of the stone, while I walked the Fade in my dreams a spirit must have dislocated my body to Avvar territory, the why I do not know, but I admit it was very inconvenient as I did not have anything in my person but my clothes and my staff"

“Spirits have their own reasons, pretty one, see the good side! Whatever reason they had, it ended with us meeting, aye?” The Avvar laughs, smiling brightly at the elf.

Solas looks at the man with fondness in his eyes, that smile always has his heart racing, he was truly fortunate to have met Gunnar, he couldn't imagine a life without knowing this man. The elf does a double take, surprised by his thoughts, shaking his head he lets his thoughts wander to something else.

Varric says nothing as he had watched the elf ignore whatever thoughts he was having, it was fascinating watching these two interact.

"Well, it's good you two met, because you are the most interesting people around here" the dwarf said smugly.

Solas had a feeling the child of the stone was insinuating something but let it pass, he had to clean their cabin, both mages haven't been there for the last day, too busy with healing the people and studying the marks.

"I shall leave you to your duties" He hesitantly bid his friends goodbye.

Gunnar nodded still smiling as he went to another tent to tend to one more angry man, who had gotten into a fight with the rams around Haven.

Solas was next to the cabin Leliana's people had provided for him to stay in, for some reason she put Gunnar in the same one as him, probably because there wasn't any to spare, no matter, he was used to sharing a cabin with the man anyways. 

He had just finished clearing when the two Heralds approached him, talking about the breach, Ellana doing most of the questioning.

"I'm interested in hearing your opinions on elven culture"  Ellana inquires.

"I thought you would be interested in sharing your opinions of elven culture, you are Dalish, are you not?

"What's your problem with the Dalish?" Mahanon asks, clearly offended. "Allergic to Halla?"

"They're children acting out stories misheard and reptead wrongly a thousand times" 

Ellana had to hold her brother from getting in the other elf's face. "Oh but you know the truth?! Flat-ear!" He spit the words.

Solas ignored the slur, not really affected by it, he had heard that word from the Dalish enough times that it lost the effect. "While they are passing stories mangling details, I walked the Fade, I've seen things they have not"

The female elf seems more interested in what he has to say than angry, Mahanon stomps off enraged not wanting to deal with a flat-ear questioning his beliefs.

"Ir abelas hahren, if the Dalish have done you a disservice, I would make that right"

Solas eyed Ellana closely, she seemed honest. "You're right of course, the fault is mine, for expecting what the Dalish could never truly accomplish, ir abelas da'len, if I can offer any understanding, you have but to ask"

They talk for a while, the Dalish woman asking more about other clans he had met and about city elves, they eventually talk about spirits and the Fade, she did give similar responses as Gunnar did previously, but it did not have the same effect on Solas, he wondered why.

“I will stay then, at least until the Breach has been closed" 

"Was that in doubt?" Ellana wondered sadly.

It was, he had come to help, to fix a mistake, yet they have treated him and Gunnar like savages. "I am an apostate surrounded by Chantry forces in the middle of a mage rebellion. Cassandra has been... accommodating , but you understand my caution” he said instead.

Ellana nods, giving him a tender smile. “You came here to help, Solas, I won't let them use that against you"

"How would you stop them?" He inquired, arching a brow. 

"However I have to" She said firmly.

These words directed at him felt wrong, he didn’t know why. "...thank you, for now let us hope either the mages or the Templars have the power to seal the breach. Closing the breach is our primary goal, but I hope we might also discover what was used to create it, any artifact of such power is dangerous, the destruction of the Conclave proves that much”

“You don't think that whatever created the explosion was destroyed in the blast?"

 "You survived, did you not? The artifact that created the breach is unlike anything seen in this age, I will not believe it destroyed until I see the shattered fragments with my own eyes''

“We would do well to try to recover whatever created the breach" She agreed.

 "Leliana's people have scoured the area near the blast and found nothing, whatever the artifact was, it is no longer there” Which was a problem for him, the sooner he recovered the orb the better.

Ellana batted her eyelashes at him. "I would like you to accompany us, we're leaving to meet with mother Giselle in the Hinterlands, she has asked to speak to my brother and I, we are looking to expand the Inquisition's influence while there"

"Of course, I will tell Gunnar to pack the essentials and we will meet you at the gates soon" 

Ellana pouts when the elf mentions the Avvar, she was expecting him to come alone with her.

Solas was completely oblivious to her intentions as he went after his friend.

Gunnar was in awe of his surroundings, he had only left Avvar territory to hunt a gray wolf for Solas armor once, after that he didn't really have a reason to venture outside Frostback Basin. And while traveling to Haven he really didn't pay much attention since he was too focused on the breach in the lady of the sky.

So he was excited when his friend asked him to pack the essentials saying they were going with the Heralds to the Hinterlands.

It was hot in the Hinterlands so he has changed to a less fur made armor. His friend didn't seem to mind the wolf fur on his neck wearing the armor proudly, it made the Avvar happy to see the elf displaying how much he liked it. 

When he asked the blacksmith and the seamstress oh the hold to make the armor he wasn't sure if he was crossing a line by doing it, he just wanted to give something to make the elf happy. He was more than glad to see that his friend adored it.

In their travel to the Hinterlands, Gunnar relished the landscapes, the fauna and flora were very different from the Frostback Basin, he wished he could paint the beautiful places they came across.

He was snapped out of his trance by shouting.

"Since you know so much better than us, if you actually gave a shit you would teach the Dalish, your people, what you know is right then!" Mahanon spitted out.

Solas made a face at the words 'your people' but quickly let his calm facade take over. "The Dalish are not my people, and I have tried to teach them what I know numerous times, but they did not care for what I had to say, neither did you, so why should I waste my time with a quick tempered child?"

The Herald looked like he was about to punch Solas if his sister didn't intervene. "You stupid flat-ear, what do you even know about the Dalish?!"

"I have wandered many roads in my time, and crossed paths with your people on more than one occasion,  I offered to share knowledge, only to be attacked for no greater reason than their superstition, therefore I do not feel inclined to deal with your... kind"

Gunnar frowned at the conversation, it was not like his friend to act like this, he had tried to change his people's views of their Gods once but respected them when they refused to change their minds, so why was he being like this to Heralds?

"Pretty one..." He whispered with a tone of disappointment.

Solas almost tripped when he heard his friend's tone of disapproval, he looked up to find the man looking at him with disappointment, something that made something inside his chest ache.

Why did it matter to him if this human disapproved of his actions? Why does it make him feel ashamed? Solas felt his heart clench at those pained eyes. Maybe it was because he was no simple human, it was Gunnar, his friend.

"I...I apologize Herald, you're not at fault for my previous encounters being rather distasteful, I shall not let it color my judgment of you"

That actually just made Mahanon even angrier, because he had been trying to make the elf apologize all this damn time and nothing! But when the Avvar expressed disappointment at his words he apologized!?!?!

He looked at the others in the party with a look that pretty much said 'Are you seeing this shit?!'.

Varric just snorted while Cassandras seemed just glad they stopped bickering, Ellana was too busy glaring at the Avvar.

When they arrived at their destination it was a mess, Scout Harding came running towards them to give her report, Varric tried making a joke with her name but everyone pointedly ignored him.

"Hold! We are not apostates!" Exclaimed Cassandra as they got in the middle of the fight.

The templars however ignored her and continued attacking.

"I do not think they care Seeker" Pointed out Solas as he cast a freezing spell on the ground making some of the Templars slip.

"We are not Templars, we mean you no harm!" He tried when rebel mages approached.

"Doesn't look like they are listening!" Varric said after shooting an arrow through one of the mages' heads.

Unfortunately neither side listened to the mage or the Seeker who tried to minimize the losses. In the end they had to kill all of them, a pity, if only they had listened...

After they secured the crossroads, they found Mother Giselle tending to some of the fallen soldiers.

"There are mages here who can heal your wounds, lie still" Mother Giselle tried to rationalize with the injured warrior.

"Do not let them touch me...their magic-"

"Turned to a noble purpose, their magic no more evil than your blade" The Mother explained to the man who eyed the mages in fear.

"But-"

"Shush, dear boy, allow them to ease your suffering" She said in a final tone.

She realized them watching and stood up, approaching them she eyed the green marks on both Mahanon's and Ellana's hands. 

"You must be the one they are calling of Heralds of Andraste" 

"What you said to that Soldier..." Ellana started hesitantly. 

"You are not against mages?" Finished Mahanon, suspicious of the woman.

"We do not teach that magic is evil, we teach that pride is evil and does not corrupt only mages"

Solas was almost impressed by this woman.

"But I did not ask you to come simply to debate with me"

 "Then why are we here?" The male elfs asked, annoyed.

Mother Gisele didn't seem affected by his hostility. "I know of the Chantry's denouncement, and I'm familiar with those behind it. I won't lie to you, some of them agree grandstanding, hoping to increase their chances of becoming the new Divine. 

Some are simply terrified, so many good people, senselessly taken from us...go to them, convince the remaining clerics you are no demon to be feared, they have heard only frightful tales of you, give them something else to believe" 

"That won't just make it worse?" Spit Mahanon.

"Will they even listen?" Asked Ellana.

"Because you are mages?"

"That too, we do have pointy ears" Replied Ellana before her brother could say something insulting.

"Let me put it this way, you needn't convince them all, you just need some of them to doubt. Their power is their unified voice, take that from them and you receive the time you need" 

Mahanon shook his head annoyed. "So what? We show up, say hello and show them the marks on our hands?" 

"I honestly don't know if you've been touched by fate or sent to help us...but I hope. Hope is what we need now, the people will listen to your rallying call, as they will listen to no other, you could build the Inquisition into a force that will deliver us...or destroy us"

"No pressure then" Muttered the two elves.

That earned them a small coy smile from the Mother.

"I will gather my things and go to Haven and provide Sister Leliana the names of those in the Chantry who would be amenable to a gathering" Giselle then walks past them, eyeing the Avvar at Solas' side with determination before leaving to her tent.

Cassandra seemed satisfied with the outcome even though she disapproved of Mahanon's lack of patience, she couldn't chastise him too much when she was the same in other situations.

"We need to go back to Haven soon" She said.

"We need to earn the Inquisition more reputation in the Hinterlands first" Solas pointed out.

"He is right" Ellana agreed, quickly earning a knowing look from her brother. "We should ask around if people need help, Solas and...Gunnar stay to heal the people, we will see what else they need"

"Of course Herald" 

"Yes ma'am"

As the others go after rams and search for supply caches, Solas and Gunnar stay to heal the people injured in the middle of the early fight. 

"Someone! Anyone! Please help my wife!" An elven man tried to get the attention of the people who ignored him, too busy with their own thing.

Gunnar felt his heart clench for the man, he approached him, the elf taking a step back in fear at seeing an Avvar this big.

"No need to be afraid, friend, I hear you need help with your wife, aye?" The giant of a man smiled kindly

The elf's shoulders drop in relief. "Yes, please! She gets sick when the weather's foul, can't catch her breath, like cobwebs in her lungs, our son Hyndel makes a potion that lets her breathe, he's the only one who can make it, but he's joined that cult in the hills....oh, pease! Get to him and tell him what's wrong, without that potion she will die!" The man sobbed.

"I'm afraid she will not be able to wait for so long Da'len" Solas said sympathetically.

"No! S-She can't die, there must be something that can be done" The elf looks between them with moisty eyes.

"I"m a spirit healer, maybe whatever she has I can heal" Gunnar offered gently.

"Please! Do whatever you need to do! Come!" The man ran, leading them to his small home.

There they found an elven woman on her bed struggling to breath, Gunnar quickly got to her side, he put a hand on top of her chest, focusing on her lungs as he called for his magic and his spirit friend for aid.

When his eyes opened they were blue just like the aura surrounding him, ah he knew what she had, it was an illness he found in some of his mates back in Stone-Bear Hold, she always had trouble breathing but it got worse whenever she went outside the Frostback Basin to trade, it was easily mendable by him who still was bonded to Valor.

He healed her lungs with the help of his spirit friend who saw the damage in her lungs, healing it completely, it was certain she would not have this problem again.

The effect was immediate, the woman was breathing evenly now, she didn't feel like she had to force herself to breathe, it came naturally now, as it should.

She sat on her bed, a hand on her now non aching chest and looked at Gunnar with gratefulness. "T-Thank you, oh thank you so much!"

Her husband looked to be in awe, eyes watering at seeing his wife breathing so easily. "Is she going to be fine? For how long is she going to stay like this?"

"If I did my job well? Forever, aye?"

The elf's eyes widened. "Just like that? It can't be!" 

His wife took his hand in hers. "Darling, I feel better than ever, it's like I was never ill! It's really gone" She smiled at Gunnar.

"Truly?" He let out a sigh of relief he didn't know he was holding. "This is great!" He turned to Gunnar with tears in his eyes, this time of joy. "Oh thank you!" He goes to his cabinet to get some coins. "We don't have much, but here!"

Gunnar pushed back the pouch towards the elf's hand, shaking his head. "I do not need payment, aye? I'm just glad I could help"

The elf's eyes shone with gratefulness."Thank you, I will never forget what you have done for us, you're with the Inquisition right? I'll spread the word of your doing, thank you again!" He turns to Solas "Ma serannas" 

"I did nothing, the credit is all of my friend" Solas said proudly.

Gunnar had to assure the poor elf that he didn't need anything in return when he continued to thank him for the next ten minutes.

"You did a good thing, ma falon, not many would do such service without reward" Solas complimented him.

"Bah! I need no money to help the poor lad and his wife, helping with the intention to gain something is such vile thing to do"

Before the elf could reply, they both went quiet as Mother Giselle approached them, they saw she hadn't left yet for some reason.

She looked particularly interested in Gunnar as she eyed him from head to toe. 

"I saw what you did, it would serve you well if you were to join the Chantry, we need more people like you"

Gunnar snorted.

"I'm sorry lass, but I am happy with where I found my place in the world. And as you could see I can help others well enough outside your Chantry."

He smiled apologetically.

"But-!", started Giselle before Solas interrupted her.

"You already have your answer Mother,  now leave my friend be."

"Can't you see his talent would be wasted here? He could do so much good if he were to join the chantry!"

Solas… was not dealing well with the situation.

Maybe he was overreacting but-

"I don't believe Gunnar needs to join a racist, exploitative system of religion simply to unravel his full potential!"

"I wouldn't expect you to understand. The chantry hasn't been the kindest to your… people. But your friend could find a place there. Become civilized. Don't you agree that that would be favorable?"

The elf couldn't contain his anger anymore and started getting louder: "Become civilized ?! Why I'd say the Avvar are the most civilized people I've met so far! How dare you-"

Gunnar chose that moment to push between his friend and the Mother: "Pretty one, I don't need you to fight my battles for me."

After a beat he added on more quietly: "But thank you. My heart swells knowing you care so much."

He turned to face Mother Giselle: "As both I and my friend made clear, I am not planning on converting, lass. Please leave us be now."

Gunnar moved as if to leave before Giselle's voice rang out again: "You have no problem worshiping demons but can't find a place in your beliefs for the maker? For Andraste?"

Solas was basically vibrating from barely contained rage at this point.

Before he could speak however Mother Giselle continued, trying to sound reasonable: "Andraste was rumored to be of the Alamarri people, you know. If she could change her ways and fit in with civilization, so can you."

Ready to defend his friend again, Solas prepared himself for a shouting match but Gunnar actually stood up for himself now, his voice taking on a note of anger: "I already gave you my answer lowlander!"

In a darker tone he added: "And don't bring the gods into this", his eyes flashed briefly, "they won't appreciate you talking about them like this."

Solas blinked up at the Avvar, surprised by this change in him.

(If he were honest he'd admit that the low voice and flashing eyes were doing something to him. Doing what he didn't know, but it awoke a feeling deep within himself.)

Gunnar turned to Solas and put an arm around his back, making his skin tingle under his armor.

"Come on, let's go, pretty one."

"Wait-", Giselle began and touched the Avvar's arm before Solas, lightning-fast, grabbed her wrist and murmured lowly: "I'd heavily suggest you overthink laying even a finger on him because I swear to the Maker you seem so keen to believe in; it won't end well for you."

With those words he took Gunnar's arm and led them both away, his eyes still alight in fury.

He didn't stop until they were a good bit away from where they'd met Giselle.

Looking at the floor he let go of the Avvar, clenching his hand into a tight fist instead.

Gunnar looked like he was about to say something, perhaps berate him, but before he could do that the Heralds arrived with multiple horses in tow.

Ellana called out to them, smiling brightly: "Look what we've acquired on our way!"

She stopped short as she noticed the mood they both were in.

Varric also looked between the two of them before raising an eyebrow.

"There we leave you two alone for a while only to find out you had a lover's spat."

Gunnar and Solas simultaneously started spluttering, looked at each other and promptly laughed at the predicament the other seemed to be in.

A tension Solas hadn't even noticed left his shoulders and he leaned slightly against his friend.

"Thank you, Master Tethras,  I think this might have exactly been what we needed."

Despite having relaxed a bit his mind couldn't help but turn back to their conversation with the Chantry Mother. His eyes darkened again, ever so slightly.

The Mother could become a problem.

She obviously had influence and from what he'd seen, she's good at manipulating people as well.

If she so decided that a mob should corner his friend because he was 'dangerous' he was sure she could make that happen.

He wouldn't let that stand.

He'd find a way to-

Solas was abruptly torn from his thoughts as he registered that Varric had started questioning the Avvar.

(The Avvar he was still leaning on, feeling the contact with even through all the layers of cloth and metal.)

"So, if it wasn't a lover's quarrel, then what has happened while we were gone?"

"The Chantry Mother tried to make me join her religion."

Varric whistled: "Well, that sure would bring the mood down."

Solas couldn't help but chip in himself.

"Almost worse was that she tried to convert Gunnar while calling him and his people savages."

He barked out a dark laugh.

"She even called the Avvar demon worshippers."

Mahanon chimed in quietly: "Kind of hypocritical that you get so angry over your… friend and his beliefs getting insulted when you didn't do anything different with us, isn't it?" 

Solas' ears twitched and he turned around, pretending not to have heard.

He didn't have to be lectured by a child.

This situation was different and he would take care of it.

Gunnar wouldn't come to harm, neither from the Chantry Mother, nor from anyone else.

He'd make sure of it.

"Let's head back to the camp."

He didn't bother waiting for an answer.

Later that night when they were sitting around the campfire, Solas let the events of the day run through his head.

It only made him more confident that his decision was the right one.

The elf startled from his thoughts when Gunnar bumped his shoulder against his.

"Come on, pretty one", he laughed, "if you don't eat something your beautiful body will quickly become frail."

Solas thought he could perhaps detect a hint of concern behind the joke but it's possible he only imagined that.

He smiled tiredly at his friend, even knowing they'd gotten close enough that he'd still be worried.

(It's been so long since someone cared this much for him. Or maybe no one ever had cared this much about him, only getting close to him for his influence and power or because of necessity. Solas had never known what he had missed until this point. His heart ached with some unknown feeling and his shoulder was still tingling from the contact with Gunnar. What was happening to him?)

Gunnar held a meat skewer to his face.

"Eat up friend."

The elf stared at him deadpan while the Avvar simply grinned back and waved the skewer.

"I'm not going to leave you alone until you eat something, pretty one."

Solas tried to grab the meat stick but before he could do so Gunnar pulled it away again.

He felt his ears twitch in annoyance.

"Gotta make sure you actually take a bite, my friend."

The Avvar's grin widened.

Solas flushed in embarrassment.

(And it was embarrassment, nothing else. He didn't think about how much like a lover Gunnar seemed in that moment, trying to feed him.)

He moved his head forward and slowly took a bite while staring into the other man's eyes.

He chewed and swallowed and then rolled his eyes in good-natured irritation before looking back at his friend again.

Gunnar seemed to be frozen for a moment before visibly shaking himself and turning his head away from the elf.

Solas smirked and batted his lashes.

"Are you happy now?"

The Avvar's fingers drummed on his leg and he let out an affirmative hum, still not looking at Solas.

A cough broke the elf out of his concentration and made him realize that the whole camp was staring at the two of them.

"Chuckles, not that I don't appreciate you supplying me with writing material but perhaps you should move your flirting… elsewhere?"

Solas blinked once, blinked twice and promptly felt his face slightly heating up.

He wasn't… flirting .

Shaking his head, he made a quick assessment of his surroundings.

The first thing he noticed was Ellana sitting rather stiffly on her tree stump, gripping it tightly.

She looked rather miffed about something, seemingly deep in thoughts, but Solas couldn't begin to guess what about.

Her brother beside her stared pointedly and angrily at nothing, pretending to ignore everything around him

The Seeker, on the other hand, had stars in her eyes and if Solas didn't know it better he'd say she seemed to be almost vibrating in her seat, even if she looked somewhat scandalized.

The dwarf gave her an amused look.

Solas would think more about this later. Or never preferably.

He stood up and brushed dirt from his pants, he was glad he already changed out of his armor.

"I believe I will retire for the night."

He inclined his head: "Seeker, Heralds, Master Tethras", and walked to the tent he shared with Gunnar, the Inquisition apparently also not having enough tents to spare so they could sleep in separate ones.

Not that he truly minded, of course.

Gunnar shouted after him: "No good night for me, pretty one?"

Solas chuckled and moved to prepare their bedrolls.

After several minutes he heard steps and then the tent opening.

In came Gunnar, a pout on his face.

"You could wish the others good night but couldn't do the same with me?", he jokingly complained, mirth dancing in his eyes.

Solas rolled his own eyes playfully in turn.

"You are aware we sleep in the same tent, yes? I can simply wish you a good night now."

The Avvar dramatically threw himself onto his bedroll.

"But it isn't the same , pretty one", he whined, the elf only pushing him slightly as a response.

After, he lied down and covered himself with his blanket, trying to reach the fade.

(It was still as hard as the first time he shared a sleeping space with Gunnar, his heart beating too loudly, too fast, he could hear his friend breathing, feel it on his cheeks-)

He grumbled and changed his position, now facing the Avvar.

Of course he already fell asleep a while ago.

Solas sighed and impulsively brushed a strand of hair away from Gunnar's face, before quickly snatching his hand away, as if he had been burned.

What was he doing ?

He turned his back to the other man and after another while finally managed to slip into the Fade.

Solas had a plan. A plan he thought about extensively. 

A plan that required him to prowl around the Fade in his wolf form.

He  was searching for some of his agents who were working for him in the waking world.

They were scheduled for a check-in anyways but now they would also receive a… special mission.

The six-eyed wolf came to a halt when he reached a part of the Fade that seemed akin to a clearing, even if there were no trees surrounding it.

It was their designated meeting point.

Solas sat back on his haunches and waited.

He didn't have to wait long, most of his agents having prepared to turn up the moment he appeared.

He did fall asleep rather late, not that all of them truly knew that he was active outside the Fade.

And the ones who did, didn't know what he was doing.

Or how he looked like in his most basic elvhen form.

(Of course they'd seen him in an elvhen body but something was deeply wrong with it in some indescribable way. Too many eyes adorned his face and you could not help but feel watched, your every move seen and judged. His mouth maw maw maw this couldn't be a mouth full with sharp teeth ready to bite and rip and tear. Power crackled around him, its taste lingering on your tongue, his aura oppressive and dark and heavy with emotions, it was crushing you, making you gasp for air-

How does it feel, knowing you're the prey ? )

Gunnar would surely laugh at him if he were aware of the fact that Solas was reported to himself as a potential new recruit.

Even with this, quite frankly ridiculous, side-effect it still was the safest option to keep his identity as Solas hidden.

Luckily the people who knew about all his different forms were clever enough to keep quiet about it.

His generals in Arlathan knew, of course, and Solas was sure that his top agent, Felassan, also was aware of his forms even if he never formally revealed himself to him.

He would have liked to call Felassan a friend, their relationship was close enough to it, but due to the chain of command it wasn't something that was possible.

No matter how much it pained him, Felassan was terrified of Solas' wrath. 

The fact that his fear wasn't unreasonable was probably the worst of it.

Solas, especially acting as Fen'Harel, did the things he thought necessary and if he were to find someone betraying him in any way or form he would deal with them.

And maybe he also acted on his emotions more than he should.

So yes, maybe Felassan should fear him.

(He didn't want him to fear him, didn't want him to leave but in the end it was what would inevitably happen, wasn't it? His rebellion is built on his power and his followers revere and fear him in equal measures. He was seen as a supposed 'god' first and a person after. But when he didn't have use anymore, who was to stop them from leaving it all behind? What would stop them from finding a better cause to believe in while they were still under his employ? His thoughts weren't necessarily rational, even if he made them out to be. And he couldn't help but wonder what would stop even his most trusted from simply abandoning him?)

Solas would just hope that Felassan's extended stay in Orlais didn't mean anything.

It made sense he'd need time, he was the one to incite the elven rebellion there, after all.

It would be a pain to get rid of his best agent.

Unknowingly to him his aura in the fade changed with his dark thoughts and several of his people had to suppress a shudder.

They daren't ask what got the Dread Wolf into such a dire mood while they were giving their reports.

Focusing again, Solas listened to the last few of the news that the others had gathered for him.

It could be funny to hear them talk about the Heralds' movements as well, considering he was with them, but he felt a deep sense of satisfaction instead.

Them reporting about the Inquisition meant they were doing as they were told.

Good.

One of his ears perked up as he heard an agent from Orlais talk about the situation there.

Felassan was doing good work, and the reason for his infrequent check-ups was apparently that he had to navigate around a sensitive political situation while still staying innocuous enough, so no one would actually expect outside influence.

The other elf was too exhausted to slip into the Fade most of the time, apparently.

He shouldn't have doubted him.

(But he would always doubt him and everyone else. It would be better to be safe than sorry. He couldn't afford not noticing shifting loyalties early enough.)

The burning of the alienages, which was reported to him during his stay at the Avvar hold, still was a more than unfortunate happenstance.

Those elves may have been shadows but they still didn't deserve to die like that.

At least their situation would improve now, they could probably even win a few over to his cause.

His agents waited for his opinions and thoughts on what they'd said, and for new orders to be given to them.

Good that he had one planned out already, wasn't it?

After quickly giving them his thoughts, he stood up and prowled around the clearing, his fur more shadow than actual hair and his eyes like gleaming coals.

He had to be careful to not attract an anger demon.

He looked at each of his agents individually before speaking.

"In the Hinterlands there have been reports of a Chantry Mother."

He stopped, walking agitatedly in a circle again.

"Apparently she has been… troublesome ", he growled deeply in the back of his throat, "from what I've heard she had been trying to forcefully convert the ones in need there."

The other elves looked at each other before a brave one spoke up: "Of course this isn't a good situation but people like this are all over Thedas, ma'tarlin, what makes this one different?"

The Dread Wolf knew this question would come. Luckily he had a while to prepare a satisfactory answer.

"She'd been pushing her opinions on the unwilling and views others as tools. With as much power as she has this could be very dangerous. If she were to hold a grudge it wouldn't be good for the person on the other side of it. And considering her apparent racism and favoritism of andrastian humans you all should agree that she'd have a problem with most of our agents, and they with her. If she joins the Inquisition it will be significantly harder to infiltrate it, especially since I'm sure she'd be able to get the ones in power to look more deeply into everyone she found suspicious."

At the end of his tirade, Solas was snarling and would have been breathless, hadn't he been in the fade.

The more he thought about it again, the more furious it made him.

He started pacing around again, not wanting to let his anger out on his agents.

They seemed to carefully consider the situation, and reached the conclusion that his reasoning was more or less sound.

One of them spoke carefully: "What do you want us to do, ma m'tarlin?"

Solas snarled again.

"Make her disappear ."

Giselle wouldn't be harassing his friend, any longer.

He promised he would take care of it, didn't he?

When they arrived back at Haven, the Heralds went immediately looking for the advisors, the others left to their own devices, Seeker Pentaghast insisted on just the Heralds participating in the meeting.

Leliana looked worried when they entered the war room.

"What has you in such a mood, spymaster?" Asked Mahanon carefully.

"Mother Giselle never reached Haven, she just simply...disappeared" She looked more annoyed than concerned now. "It's like she vanished into thin air!"

Ah yes, of course, as a spymaster not being able to tell when and where someone disappeared, must be pretty annoying, he assumed.

"None of your spies could find any traces of her?" Inquired Josephine, troubled by the news.

"Not a single strand of hair, it was like she ceased existing"

"Maybe mages attacked her?" Cullen offered.

Both Mahanon and Ellana rolled their eyes, the Commander couldn't let the chance of blaming the mages pass.

"If they had I would have known" Leliana shook her head feeling uneasy. "For now, let's discuss our next steps, my spies at least recovered the names Mother Giselle would have given to us"

Mahanon admitted he was curious to what had happened to the woman, Leliana was known to be the best spymaster out there, if not even she could find her...it was so strange, he wondered who would be able to disappear with someone without leaving a single trace behind.

Solas and Gunnar went to their hut as soon as they were free to go.

When the elf felt his friend's gaze on him, he turned to see the Avvar give him a long hard look.

"What is it?" He was puzzled as to what he had done to deserve such a look from his friend.

"You were rather harsh to Mahanon back there in the Hinterlands," the man observes.

Oh, the sensation of shame filled him once again; knowing his friend was still disappointed in him made him feel uneasy.

"I simply want to know why you're acting this way with him, especially the Dalish; that worries me, aye? My friend, you are not like this."

Solas mulls over what he could say to his friend; would he understand? Could he reveal himself to the man? Maybe he can-no, he can not, not because he does not trust him, but because he doesn't want to put his friend in the center of his problems - or so he tells himself - he knows what he can tell him.

"It's simply that I know something they do not, and I have tried to tell the other Dalish about it...but they would not listen."

"And what is this thing you know, my friend?"

The elf hesitates for a second, fearful that the man would not comprehend, that he, too, will not listen.

"The Vallaslin, or facial tattoos, as the Dalish name them, do not have the meaning they believe they have... I observed it on the Fade that during Arlathan's reign, tattoos were not symbols of devotion to the many elf gods, but rather slave markings worn when noble elves oppressed the lesser classes." He doesn't glance at his friend, afraid of what he may find.

"I have tried to tell them countless times about its true significance, but they do not believe me; if only they could try to comprehend..."

Gunnar hums, which draws a curious glance from Solas, who relaxes since he doesn't see any judgment on his friend's face.

"I know why you're furious, but have you ever considered putting yourself in their shoes? To imagine that these folks have grown up believing in its other meaning for generations? Imagine you've been embracing something for a long time only to have someone you don't know come up to you and tell you it has a completely different meaning. Wouldn't you be angry? In their shoes, I most certainly would "Gunnar tried to explain.

"I realize you're trying to communicate the truth with them, but they don't know you well enough to believe you, my friend, and they have no reason to trust an outsider," Gunnar says.

Solas is silent for a long time, lost in thought over his friend's remarks. Gunnar had a point; if the scenario had been reversed, he would not have believed it, even if he knew it was a lie.

"What do you propose?" He finds himself asking.

"You said you could control your dreams, aye?"

The Avvar hums in response to his nod. "Do the Dalish usually have a mage as their leader?"

"Yes, their Keeper," he said, unsure of where this was leading.

"What if you attempted to get to know this leader, win their trust? It would take a lot more time, but if you got them to trust you, you could show them what you've seen in the Fade through their dreams."

"I...hadn't considered that." He had always attempted to impart his wisdom shortly after meeting a Dalish clan...it was such a simple strategy, yet it might have succeeded.

Perhaps if he won Ellana's or Mahanon's trust, they would allow him to show them the truth...

"You have given me a lot to think about, my friend...thank you."

"Aye! I'm just glad I could assist you, friend" Gunnar's brilliant smile made the elf's heart race.

They both get ready to sleep after their discussion, Solas still thinking about their conversation.

Yes, it could work...

When they arrived at Val Royeaux the next day people who saw them immediately ran away in horror and this time it wasn't because they had an Avvar with them.

"Just a guess, Seeker, but I think they all know who we are," Varric said, looking at a woman who screeched when he made eye contact.

"Your skills of observation never fail to impress me, Varric" Cassandra replied, rolling her eyes.

They stop when a scout approaches then, she gets on her knees bowing towards them. "My lord and lady Herald"

"You're one of Leliana's people, what have you found?" Pentaghast asked, still wary of how everyone just ran away when they saw them.

The scout nodded. "The Chantry Mothers await you, but...so do a great many Templars"

That shocked everyone, Mahanon and Lavellan trying to push away their fear, Solas seemed calm while Gunnar looked curious.

"There are Templars here?" Asked Cassandra.

"People seem to think the Templars will protect them from...from the Inquisition. They're gathering on the other side of the market, I think that's where the Templars intend to meet you"

"Only one thing to do then..."

When they arrived at the center there was a cleric woman preaching to the crowd.

"Good people of Val Royeaux, hear me! Together we mourn our Divine, her naive and beautiful heart silenced by treachery! You wonder what will become of her murderer, well, wonder no more! Behold the so-called Herald of Andraste! Claiming to rise where our beloved fell"  She eyes the two Heralds with distaste. "We say these are false prophets! No servants of anything beyond their selfish greed!

The crowd turned to the Lavellans shouting in anger.

"We came here in peace, simply to talk and this is what you do? I implore you, let us sit down together, to deal with the real threat!" Ellana tries to reason, her brother keeping quiet knowing he would lash out if he opened his mouth.

Cassandra nodded. "It's true! The Inquisition seeks only to end this madness before it is too late!"

The cleric shook her head pointing to the Templars arriving. "It's already too late!"

Gunnar gasps behind them, Solas immediately at his side looking concerned.

Every strand of hair in his body raising at the sense of danger, Valor was restless in his mind.

Wrong, wrong, wrong, run, run, run!

The man who came into view provoked such a strong feeling of wrongfulness inside of him that it made Gunnar want to throw up, Valor went still as if not wanting to alert the man of its presence, which worried the Avvar even more.

"What happened, ma falon?" Asked the elf with worry in his voice. 

The man shudders. "That man" he says, eyeing the one with gray hair. "Something is off with that lad, I can feel it" It feels like someone was squeezing his heart with their hands as slowly and painful possible.

"Lord Seeker Lucius?" Cassandra muttered warily at the Avvar's warning.

"The Templars have returned to the Chantry! they will face this 'Inquisition' and the people will be safe once more!" The cleric continues.

Said Lord Seeker Lucius walks past her and another Templar punches the cleric, the crowd gasping in horror at the scene. Cassandra looked horrified.

"You're not here to deal with the Inquisition then?" Mahanons questioned the man suspiciously.

"As if there is any reason" 

"Lord Seeker Lucius is imperative that we speak with-"  Cassandra tries as she approaches the man.

"You will not address me" He cuts her off.

Cassandra does a double take. "Lord Seeker...?"

"Creating a heretical movement, raising up a puppet as Andraste's prophet, you should be ashamed. You should all be ashamed! The Templars failed no one when they left the Chantry to purge the mages! You are the ones who have failed! You who'd leash our righteous with doubt and fear!" He turned to the Heralds. "If you came to appeal to the Chantry, you are too late, the only destiny here that demands respect is mine!"

"What we truly want is an alliance that will seal the Breach" Ellana said holding his scrutinizing gaze

"Oh, the Breach is indeed a threat, but you certainly have no power to do anything about it"

One of the Templars, the one who seemed uncomfortable this whole time spoke out. "But Lord Seeker...what if he really was sent by the Maker? What if-"

"You are called to a higher purpose! Do not question!" Another Templar cut him off. 

"I will make the Templars Order a power that stands alone against the Void, we deserve recognition, independence!"  He eyes the Heralds "You have shown me nothing and the Inquisition...less than nothing, Templars! Val Royeaux is unworthy of our protection! We march!"

"Charming fellow, isn't he?" Varric mutters as the Templars leave.

"Has Lord Seeker gone mad?" Cassandra wonders, then her eyes widen as she directs her gazer at Gunnar. "You said something felt wrong with him?"

The Avvar shivers. "His presence was so cold, it feels strange, I haven't felt like this before, it's like he was something else, something not human"

"A demon, perhaps?" Solas offers knowing it would set the Seeker off. "Demons can impersonate others when they are powerful enough" 

The Seeker looks taken aback. "Impossible! The Order would have noticed!" 

"You did say he was acting weird" Varic said warily now.

"It's worth investigating," Said Solas. "Leliana's people will be able to find out the truth"

In the end she relents, if it's true or not, Leliana's spies will find out, for now though they leave to Haven...that was until someone shot an arrow near the Herald and a man gave them an invitation to meet with Grand Enchanter Vivienne.

Mahanon left to meet with the Enchanter since it was asked to come alone, while Ellana and the others went for this Red Jenny person who sent them a location to investigate.

As they were leaving, someone approached them, it shocked Cassandra to see who it was.

"If I might have a moment of your time?" The elven woman asks.

"Grand Enchanted Fiona?" The Seeker said, taken aback.

"Leader of the mage rebellion, is it not dangerous for you to be here?" Solas pointed out.

"I heard of this gathering, and I wanted to see the fabled Herald of Andraste with my own eyes. If it's help you with the breach you seek, perhaps my people are the wiser option"

Ellana seems wary of her offer. "The mages weren't willing to talk to the Inquisition before, why now?"

"Because now I've seen what you are, and I've seen the Chantry for what it is. Consider this an invitation to Redcliffe: come meet with the mages, an alliance could help us both, after all. I hope to see you there, au revoir, my lady Herald"

As Fiona leaves they exchange a look among them.

"She seemed....strange, did she not?" Ellana asks the party.

"It's rather suspicious that she was not at the Conclave, but again, neither was Lord Seeker Lucius, we shall discuss our options when we are back at Haven" Said Solas agreeing with her, he could tell something was off with the woman, but not exactly what, no demon he suspects.

"Come, we should see this Red Jenny before meeting with my brother and leave" Ellana commanded.

They arrive at night, the guards immediately attack them.

"It’s the Herald!"

"Why is she here?"

"Well at least they know who I work for" Muttered Ellana as she froze one of the guards to the floor.

When they were done they went further into the alley, Ellana opening the door had to dodge a fireball that set the end of her hair ablaze. She turned to glare at whoever attacked her.

"Herald of Andraste! How much did you expend to discover me? It must have weakened the Inquisition immeasurably!"

Her anger was replaced with confusion. "I don't even know who you are?"

"You don't fool me! I'm too important for this to be an accident! My efforts will survive in victories against you elsewhere!" He speaks as if he was a villain from a book to be honest.  

They all turn to look as one of his guards takes an arrow to the face. A blond elven woman aims her bow at the man. 

"Just say 'what'!" 

"What is the-" He was cut off by an arrow to his throat.

"Eww, squishy one, but you heard me, right? 'Just say 'what'' Rich tits always try for more than they deserve, Blah blah, blah! Obey me! Arrow in my face!" She turns to the perplexed party - minus Gunnar who was enjoying himself so far-  with an excited smile. 

"So you followed the note well enough, glad to see you're-" Her smile drops. "Aaaand you're an elf, great..." She mutters. "Well, hope you are not...too elfy"

Solas almost snorted, Gunnar gave him a look saying that he knew what he almost did.

Ellana makes a face at her, clearly disapproving of her words. 

"I mean, it's all good innit? The important thing is, you glow, right? You are the Herald thingy?"

The Heralds crossed her arms. "Right, I 'glow', who are you and what's this about?" 

"No idea I don't know this idiot from manners, my people just said the Inquisition should look at him" 

"Your people? Elves?" Ellana asked, a bit hopeful.

The blond one snorts. "No! People, people. Name's Sera" She points at two huge supply crashes. "This is cover, get around it! For the reinforcement, don't worry, someone tipped me their equipment shed, they've got no breeches!"

Just as she said reinforcements came kicking the doors open. 

"Why didn't you take their weapons?!" Ellana exclaims angrily.

"Because, no breeches!" Sera laughed maniacally.

Gunnar let out a boisterous laugh. "Oh, I like her!"

Sera and the Avvar trade shit-eating grins as they proceed to kill the breechless guards.

Solas was unimpressed, of course of all things his friend could find funny, this was it.

The fight was over in minutes, the guards were too busy trying to hide their goodies to put up a good fight.

"Friends really came through with that tip, no breeches!" Sera laughed. "So, Herald of Andraste, you're a strange one, I'd like to join" 

Ellana doesn't know if she should be annoyed or laugh at the entirety of the situation. "Could we take a few moments for sense to reassert itself? Who are you people?"

"I'm not people, but I get what you want, it's like this: I sent you a note to look for hidden stuff by my friends, the Friends of Red Jenny, that's me...well I'm one, so is fence in Montfort, some woman in Kirkwall, there were three in Starkhaven, brothers or something, it just the name yeah? It lets little people, 'friends' be part of something while they stick it to nobles they hate"

"So here in your face, I'm Sera 'The Friends of Red Jenny' are sort of out there, I used them to help you, plus arrows"

Ellena sighed. "The Inquisition has spies already, can you add to these professionals?" 

"Here how it is, you 'important' people up here, shoving cods around, 'blah, blah, I'll crush, I'll crush you" She makes kissing noises earning a chuckle from Gunnar who had to look away when the others looked at him. "Oh crush you! Ahem" 

"Then you've got cloaks and spy-kings, like this tit, or was he one of the little knives, all serious with this little knife..."

The Herald looks at her party with a 'what the fuck' face that has Gunnar wheezing, Solas patting the man on the back.

"All those secrets, and what gave him up? Some houseboy who don't know shite, but knows a bad person when he sees one, so no, I'm not Knifey Shivdark, all hidden, but if you don't listen down here too, you risk your breeches!"

Gunnar nods as if he could understand any of this gibberish and agreed with her.

"Like those guards, I stole their...look, do you need people or not? I want to get everything back to normal, like you?

"Alright...Sera, I can use you and your 'friends'" Ellana said the words as if it pained her to say it.

"Yes! Get in good before you are too big to like! That'll keep your breeches where they should be! Plus extra breeches, because I have all these...you have merchants who buy that pish, yeah? Got to be worth something, anyway Haven, right? Let's go!"! She strides off in front of them like a little kid who was just given candy.

Everyone just shrugs when Ellana looks at them, sighing in defeat they follow the crazy elven woman out of the alley.

Solas feels the absence of his friend at his side and turns around to find the Avvar getting the huge sack full of breeches on his back, he stops, looks at him and gives the elf a sheepish smile as he sees the judgmental look Solas gives him.

"What? We can always sell these, aye?"

Massaging the bridge of his nose Solas sighed, give him patience.

EXTRA, art done by me of Gunnar and Solas dsadsada Solas inspired by the concept art from Dragon Age Inquisition.