All my unhinged dragon age stuff Had to make a new blog just for this because the brain rot was real and driving me to new feral heights Icons by jollysaw
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
✓ Live Streaming✓ Interactive Chat✓ Private Shows✓ HD Quality✓ Free Actions
Free to watch • No registration required • HD streaming
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
✓ Live Streaming✓ Interactive Chat✓ Private Shows✓ HD Quality✓ Free Actions
Free to watch • No registration required • HD streaming
Some days are longer than the calendar would suggest, and others are shorter. Which is why right now is Day Five of @datvcompanionweeks’ Harding Week on this blog, and this morning was Day Four.
Rating: Mature (sexual content, language)
Words: 3K
Summary: Five times Harding and Taash have to cut things short, and one time they return the favor.
Read the whole thing on AO3, or start with the snippet below. Many thanks to @sharpest-tongue for beta-reading, and thank you to @datvcompanionweeks for hosting this event.
⪼—⪻●⪼—⪻●⪼—⪻●⪼—⪻●⪼—⪻●⪼—⪻
1 — there's such a thing as too quiet
Harding squirmed as warm breath stirred the fine hairs that trailed downward from her navel. The strong hands cupped behind her knees tightened their grip, pressing her open. Her hips strained upward as a half-desperate craving uncoiled inside her.
"Taaaaaasshh…" she groaned. The answering growl from between her thighs all but made the room spin. "Taash, pleaaase…"
"Please what?"
She felt them nibble on a patch of soft skin much too far from where she desperately wanted that mouth. "Please, just… I need—"
A strangled intake of breath from the direction of doorway interrupted what little train of thought was left to her. Before she had time to do more than twitch, she heard footsteps receding toward the library.
"Shit," Taash muttered, their weight shifting on the mattress.
Harding grabbed for a corner of the sheet to throw over herself. "Didn't you lock the door?" she hissed.
"Nope."
"Why not?" She squirmed backward, propping herself up on her elbows so she could see the doorway over Taash's horns. "Who was it? Please tell me it wasn't Lucanis."
"It was Lucanis."
"Fuck." Harding flopped back on the bed, throwing one of her arms over her face. "Why does he have to be so sneaky? Why can't he just clomp around like the rest of us?"
She wouldn't have minded Bellara or Neve. Davrin would have been embarrassing, but being both Dalish and a Warden he had relaxed ideas about nudity that would have made the intrusion relatively painless. Even Emmrich would have been preferable. He was always so clinical about everything that it was hard to get too wound up about it.
But Lucanis? She shuddered, wondering if they'd have to spend the next six months avoiding one another.
"S'okay. He left right away," Taash said. "He smelled pretty embarrassed."
"Taash!" she groaned. "That doesn't make it better."
"Sure it does. He's gone."
Harding felt them tugging at the sheet she was clutching but she gripped it all the tighter. "I'm not in the mood any more," she grumbled. "Just the thought of him seeing us… no. Just, no."
With a heavy sigh, Taash crawled up to lie down beside her. "Fine. But we're supposed to head to Arlathan day after tomorrow to help Bellara with elf stuff."
"'Elf stuff'?" Harding raised an eyebrow. "What 'elf stuff'?"
"Ask Bellara," Taash shrugged. "Some kinda artifact. Some kinda ruin."
"Well that explains everything." Harding rolled her eyes but snuggled closer to Taash and was rewarded when their long arm wrapped around her. Taash was always so warm.
"Tucking me under your wing like a mama dragon?" she asked with a little giggle.
Lace goes with Taash to celebrate their new appointment as an honorary Crow in House Egrativi. Lace doesn't exactly want to be surrounded by so many Crows, but she tries to keep a smile on her lips as she speaks to her friends. Isa tries to assuage her friend's worries, but she's not sure she's actually helping in the long run.
AO3
The ceremony wasn’t exactly what Lace expected to attend. She wanted to support their partner regardless of their choices. She trusted Taash, and she knew that they would make the best decisions for themself.
Lace just didn’t expect them to become an honorary Crow of House Egrativi. They had been taking lessons from Isabella and Lucanis in exchange for killing certain dragons that were terrorizing the Antivan countryside. It was during Lace’s recovery, so she guessed it was an effort to distract them from what was going on in Kal Sharok.
So, now their work had paid off, and they were invited to join House Egrativi. There had been some discussion over which House they were going to be invited to, and Viago nearly popped a vein in his forehead at the mention of them joining de Riva. He liked the qunari dragon hunter as much as he liked the rest of the Veilguard, but he knew that they would drive him up a wall even more than Isa already did.
Lucanis had made a case for Taash to join the Dellamorte ranks, but Jacobus had made the best argument that his House was made for the Crows who had nowhere else to go. Taash could have chosen any House, of course, but there was something about House Egrativi that spoke to them as well. It also happened to have the most people their age anyway.
So, Lucanis helped Jacobus put together a lovely ceremony and celebration in honor of Taash joining the ranks of the Crows. It was in name only, but it meant a lot to both Jacobus and Taash. Lace wondered how much was completely legit and how much was humoring her partner.
Still, Taash was happy, and they were the official dragon hunter for the Crows. That was not a small thing, either. It still allowed them to continue to be in the Lords of Fortune as well while getting the dragon hunting contracts from the Crows. It truly was the best of both worlds for them.
She had put on her finest dress and accompanied Taash to the event at the Dellamorte’s opera house. All the Veilguard had been invited, too, and it felt more official in that regard. Lace trusted Isa and Lucanis as well, knowing that they wouldn’t mislead Taash to break their heart in the end.
In truth, Lace just didn’t really want to be there in Treviso surrounded by so many Crows. She enjoyed the company of the Crows she had met during the war against the gods, but she wasn’t sure that she wanted to be involved with any other Crows around.
So, Lace wandered the hall as Taash spoke with the other Crows that they would be working with. She kept an eye out for Isa or any of her other friends, but the hall was pretty crowded with tall people. Exhausted, she walked to the refreshment table and grabbed a glass of wine she hoped wasn’t poisoned. She hated Crow culture.
“Checked it myself,” a familiar voice mentioned behind her.
Lace turned as she took a sip, seeing Isa in a formal gown. She still had her arms and hands covered as the dress went down to the floor. The dwarf wondered if the Crow really needed to worry about the gloves anymore, but Isa said that it was a safety measure.
“So, it’s not poisoned?” Lace asked.
“Definitely not,” Isa reassured.
“How can you tell?”
“I put in an odorless and colorless powder that doesn’t influence the flavor that makes the wine turn a bright purple when something dangerous is added to it,” Isa answered with a smile. “I didn’t want anyone to worry about potential poisonings from the food and drink while we’re here.”
“You came up with that?” Lace wondered, a little surprised.
“Viago helped with some of the chemical experimentations, but yes, this was mostly my thing,” the Crow explained. “We have a number of Veilguard and Lords of Fortune, so I wanted to make sure that no one was harmed while they were here.”
“Will you do the same thing when it’s just the Crows?” the scout asked.
“I might give the powder to House de Riva and House Dellamorte. What they do with it from there is up to them.”
“You could save a lot of lives if you just used it all the time.”
“Hmm, I suppose, but-”
“Why is there a but? It would save lives,” Lace pointed out before taking a deep breath.
“The wine isn’t always in danger of being poisoned, and there are some lives I wouldn’t care to save,” Isa answered with a shrug. “People will also get wise and use a counter poison against my detector, sorellina. It’s not a perfect solution.”
“Of course.”
“I’m sorry you were dragged here,” Isa offered.
Lace sighed, covering her face before taking a deep breath. This wasn’t a conversation she wanted to have with her friend.
“It’s not- I’m glad to be here. I want to support Taash, and I’m glad you gave them the opportunity to become a Crow.”
“No, you’re not.”
“Isa, come on. You know I support them.”
“Of course. I know you do. I also know that you don’t like the Crows as a whole, so this is likely very difficult for you. Two things can be true at the same time,” the Crow reminded her with a smirk. “And I won’t say anything to Taash or anyone else. You know me better than than as well.”
“How do you do it?”
“Do what?”
“Be an assassin. You have a kind heart, but I’ve seen you kill so mercilessly, Isa. I can’t wrap my head around it,” Lace answered, drawing the Crow to a more secluded area. “You create a powder so you can protect your loved ones, but you aren’t willing to give it to the masses so others can be saved.”
“I understand why you would be confused,” Isa admitted with a nod. “And I don’t know if I have a satisfactory answer for you, sorellina. I pick my contracts carefully. When I kill, I try to do so for reason. I don’t like to kill innocents.”
“Wouldn’t it be considered killing innocents if someone dies from a poisoning that could have used the powder to prevent it?”
“You could say the same about everything. The breakfast you ate could have gone to a starving man. The water you drank to a dehydrated person.”
“It’s not the same. Not everyone has the same access to this powder.”
“The powder isn’t why you are upset,” Isa pointed out as Lace took a deep breath.
“You have helped so many people while I’ve known you. I have seen you take care of so many, and you saved Thedas,” she explained before the Crow grimaced.
“And you didn’t think that I would return back to the Crows.”
“I hoped you wouldn’t, at least. I don’t know.”
“Lace, amica mia, you knew that I wanted to go home after we defeated the gods. I was pretty clear about that. Even when we were battling them, you knew that my methods weren’t exactly kind. Davrin and I got into arguments all the time over it,” the Crow reminded, hugging her arms to herself.
“I know. You always talked about going home. I know that was the reason you wanted to find Solas so quickly before we botched the ritual,” Lace replied, shaking her head. “I don’t know. I just wanted you to not be an assassin anymore.”
“That is part of who I am, Lace.”
“It doesn’t have to be.”
Isa grimaced, not sure how to have this conversation with her at this point. Lace shook her head, feeling bad about it already.
“Just make sure that Taash doesn’t take any contracts where they have to take a life, alright?” Lace sighed, rubbing her face.
“Amica, Taash is only going to take dragon hunting contracts. That’s what’s stated in their Crow contract. It’s documented for House Egrativi, and Lucanis will keep a copy for the First Talon’s office as well. Taash will only take the contracts that concern them, I promise. They aren’t cleared for any other contracts,” Isa reassured.
Lace took a deep breath in relief, glad to know that they wouldn’t be involved in that at least. Isa gave a trying smile with a nod.
“I can smuggle you out if you are uncomfortable, Lace. I can tell Taash that you weren’t feeling very well,” Isa offered before the scout shook her head.
“I’m not going anywhere. I’m going to stay put and support them just like they would with me,” Lace answered with a nod.
“Then why aren’t you standing with them?”
Lace froze then, and she avoided Isa’s gaze. Lace knew that she should be walking around with Taash, but she didn’t want to get in the way of any of the conversations. She was also afraid that she would hear something about a contract or something that she would rather not hear.
Isa frowned, realizing that Lace was extremely uncomfortable where she had essentially grown up. She could understand why, but it still made her wish that she could show Lace the gentler side of the Crows that Isa knew. She supposed that Lace was familiar with the same people that she was at least.
“You should at least go meet the people that Taash is going to be working with, right? It’s not like they will be living in Antiva, either. They just have the option to use the name to gain recognition within Antiva and the Crows now,” Isa reminded her. “It’s nothing that’s going to completely transform their life. We spoke to them in length about what they wanted before we moved forward with the ceremony, you know.”
“That’s... that’s good,” Lace replied with a nod. “I know that you have Taash’s best interests in mind, but the Crows have always unnerved me. I don’t know.”
“It’s good to be wary of assassins, sorellina,” Isa chuckled before she gently hooked her arm with Lace’s. “Come, I’ll introduce you to Jacobus. I think you’ll feel a little better about the Crow situation.”
“If you think so,” Lace said with a sigh.
Isa brought Lace around the room, looking for the young Crow. Nearly two years had passed since Jacobus had joined the ranks as a Crow, and Lace barely recognized him when she saw him. He was still a child, but he was on the cusp of adulthood.
When they approached, he was speaking to Lucanis about Taash’s addition to his House. He was excited, and Lucanis was giving him pointers about how to lead a House. Jacobus could on the path to become a Talon, but it wasn’t the same as being a House Head.
“Jacobus,” Isa smiled, catching both of their attention.
“Ah, Crow de Riva,” Jacobus grinned before bowing his head toward her. “It’s good to see you.”
“Isa, please. I think if we save Treviso together, we’re passed the formalities, aren’t we?”
“If you say so.”
“Amor,” Lucanis hummed with a raised brow.
“Lace wanted to meet the Head of Egrativi since her partner is your newest member,” Isa informed, ignoring Lucanis’s warning.
“Ah, of course,” Jacobus replied before formally bowing towards Lace with his hand over his heart. “It’s good to meet you, Señorita Harding. Taash has told us a lot about you in the last few months.”
“They have?” Lace asked, a little confused.
“Of course. They told us about your battle against the gods as well as your speedy recovery after the battle. We are glad to see you alive and well here in Treviso,” Jacobus continued with a smile. “Taash does think very high of you, and I understand why. You are a hero.”
“A hero is a stretch, I think. I was just trying to help,” Lace replied with a light blush.
“I hope to see you and Taash in Treviso from time to time. I know that Taash and you live in Rivain most of the time, but I would love if you would come to visit when you had the time.”
“Oh?”
“We are trying to build a place of community in Egrativi. It’s derived from the word for grateful in Antivan, and I want it to fit the House and its people,” Jacobus explained as Lace forced a smile.
She was feeling conflicted again, realizing that Jacobus also had a good heart. He also was involved with a contract that was designed to kill someone. He and Isa spared the governor, but that didn’t mean that he would spare his next target. She had no guarantee that he would ever spare another target.
“It’s good of you to do that,” Lace replied as Isa nodded.
“I’m glad to see your House flourishing, Jacobus. I think I would have preferred to have grown up there if I were to become a Crow again,” Isa remarked before they heard a scoff behind them.
“Oh, come now, Isa,” Viago commented with a scowl. “Could you possibly be any louder? Maybe you’ll say that you would prefer to be Rivaini instead of Antivan.”
“Vi, you know that you would have ended up in Egrativi as well instead of de Riva if things were different when we were children,” Isa argued, stepping away from Lace to argue with her brother.
Lucanis sighed while Jacobus excused himself, seeing that he might make matters worse between the de Riva siblings. The Talon took a deep breath before smiling at Lace.
“I hope that you are having a nice time,” Lucanis offered as Lace grimaced. “Taash is out in the gardens if you want to go see them.”
“What? Why are they out in the gardens? Should they be out here?”
“Well, yes, but not everyone is accustomed to Antivan parties. I don’t think I really am, but I’m getting there,” he chuckled. “Go and find them. I’ll make sure that there’s still wine for you here.”
“Thanks, Lucanis,” Lace smirked with a nod.
Lace walked out of the opera house and walked towards the gardens. She still couldn’t understand the vastness of the property that the Dellamortes possessed, and she wondered if it was too much. Although, Lace could see Isa climbing all over the buildings to find the best vantage points.
She walked through the hedges and the flower bushes, and she was relieved when she found Taash sitting on a bench. They looked like they were relaxing in the silence. Lace walked up quietly before stopping a few feet away.
“Not really in the party mood?” Lace teased.
Taash opened their eyes and smiled. They lifted their shoulders before motioning for her to join her.
“I think I just needed a break. There are a lot of people in there, and they are too much,” Taash admitted while Lace sat down next to them. “What about you?”
“I’m not one for these kinds of parties. You know me. I like a pub party rather than a ball,” Lace chuckled as Taash smirked.
“It was still nice for Lucanis to throw this party, though. I’m not sure he would for any Crow joining the ranks.”
“Most Crows joining already have a House to celebrate with. House Egrativi seems to still be getting on their feet, being so new and all. I think Lucanis is just showing Jacobus the ropes.”
“While he flirts with his fiancée,” Taash laughed under their breath.
Lace’s eyebrows nearly went up to her hairline at Taash’s words. They shrugged while Lace did notice that Lucanis was warning Isa about it subtly.
“You haven’t noticed? Even I noticed that Jacobus had a little crush on our leader while we were fighting the gods. I thought that he would grow out of it,” Taash explained. “After tonight, I think Lucanis is going to keep an eye on the situation.”
“You don’t think-”
“Isa isn’t going to act on it. She’s not interested in younger men, so to speak. I think it’s more Lucanis’s deal about making sure that Jacobus understands that he doesn’t have a chance, and he should move on.”
“That makes sense,” Lace replied with a nod. “Do you think that’s a House Head you can get behind?”
“As long as he does his job, that’s all that matters to me. I’m just here to help train and hunt Antivan dragons when they pop up,” Taash explained as Lace hummed.
“You are going to help train?”
“When they need me to. I’m not exactly assassin-material, but I’m good with axes and I know how to hunt. Jacobus asked to see if I would be interested in sharing my skills if someone needed to learn something,” they answered. “I said yes.”
“We’re not moving to Antiva, are we?”
“Nah, I like Rivain too much, and we already have the house set up like we like it. Plus, we have the eluvian where we like it there. We would have to fight with Isa and Lucanis with the one here. That wouldn’t work very well with your new status in Kal Sharok.”
“That’s a fair point,” Lace whispered with a nod.
“I know that you were nervous about me joining the Crows, even slightly and mostly informally.”
“I wasn’t nervous, really.”
“Lace, you can lie to a lot of people, but you can’t lie to me. I know that you aren’t a fan of assassins. I’m not becoming an assassin, by the way,” they reminded her gently.
“Isa already gave me the run down. I know you aren’t going to go off and start taking out contracts and that kind of stuff,” Lace sighed, rubbing her temple. “I just didn’t expect to get this involved with the Crows before I met Isa, you know? Now almost everyone I know is tied to the Crows in some way.”
“Is that a bad thing?”
“I don’t know. I guess not. It’s something I just need to get used to.”
“Well, I’ll be honest, I don’t think much will change. I might start signing my name Taash Egrativi for a while, but that’s the only major change that you’ll notice I think,” Taash replied with a smile.
“Just for a while?” Lace wondered.
“Well, I’m hoping that eventually it will be Taash Egrativi-Harding, but we can discuss that later,” Taash explained as Lace beamed at them.
“That sounded awfully close to a proposal,” she teased.
“I’m just testing the waters, love. It’s something we should talk about before we just jump in,” they pointed out with a laugh under their breath.
“You do have a point,” Lace mentioned before leaning against their arm for a moment. “But I think both names sound wonderful, and I do think I would prefer the later name. One day.”
“Good to know,” Taash hummed before wrapping an arm around her shoulders.
Lace looked up at her love, and they leaned down and kissed her tenderly. She had been worried things would change, but it seemed that she might have been worried over nothing.
The first fic I worked on for the Dragon Age Big Bang (@dragonagebigbang) is up now, and that means I can show off this art!
For "Show Me Who I Am and Who I Could Be" by hartbreaker on AO3, aka @roguespeedster here on Tumblr. I couldn't pass up an opportunity to draw Lucanis, and her Rook was a delight to draw and color too.
My favorite parts of this piece? Their hands nearly touching, and the way the ripples in the eluvian right around Rook's arm and leg turned out. I keep staring at those. Watch me not remember how to do that again next time I need that effect. 😅
And speaking of their hands, the banner I made to go with the work, as seen on the DABB blog:
Now. Go check out the fic, and then the rest in the collection so far!
Part of In Shadow, We're All Grey: my Aydenne de Riva series
start from the beginning here
Speaking of Illario, he was at his most charming and devastating among Xiqaa’s guests. He moved through the crowd with the ease of someone born to courtly gatherings, offering compliments in Rivaini, teasing jokes in Antivan, and polite bows in Fereldan. Every time Aydenne glanced his way, Illario seemed to be laughing with someone new—a Rivaini sailor, a Nevarran mage, a pair of Lords who looked like they’d never been flirted with so aggressively in their lives. His midnight blue outfit was scaled with obsidian metal feathers in patterns that caught the light when he moved.
But every so often, Illario’s gaze flicked back to Aydenne: a quick, besotted glance that warmed Aydé through to the core and left him sweating. Aydenne pretended he was fine.
The musicians shifted into a brighter rhythm, drums and flutes weaving together. Xiqaa, flushed with joy, grabbed Emmrich’s hands and pulled him toward the open space near the center of the courtyard.
“Come on!” they called, ribbons streaming from their hair. “Bellara taught me this one—a Dalish circle dance! Davrin said it kept the clan’s hearts in rhythm.”
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
✓ Live Streaming✓ Interactive Chat✓ Private Shows✓ HD Quality✓ Free Actions
Free to watch • No registration required • HD streaming
After they gave me the most amazing and terrible idea for the second day of AU-gust, I had far too much fun imagining @woundedsoul12's Riley Mercar and my own Gladius Mercar as dragons and swords of a different kind. Protecting Minrathous from the shadows in a different way.
Many thanks to @thepromptfoundry for hosting the event! (Prompt list is here.)
• ───────────────── •
Tags are always no pressure, check this fun thing out, with no expectation of response ❤️
My efforts to finalize the drafts I have left continue, and I’ve thrown anyway all clocks and calendars. Free yourself of schedules! (That’s how that works, right?)
My Day Four offering for @datvcompanionweeks’ Harding Week below, and I apologize in advance to everyone for the high likelihood of me spamming you all with the remainder today.
Thank you @datvcompanionweeks for hosting such a fun event.
Day 7 Freeday: Bean Day!
Special thanks to @blackwall-my-tiny-husband for the banner and dividers, and for letting me borrow tiny Harding before she goes onto her forever home. Also some cameos from tiny Lucanis and Zalan too! All bean Rooks were made by her!
I started out just doing a regular little photo shoot and shin suggested a Nug E Cheese shoot as well, so enjoy a little of both under the cut.
Make sure to go to this post if you’d like to win your very own tiny Harding!
Ma and Harding, enjoying a day out on the town, as seen in day 5.
Harding takes her Ma to Nug E Cheese, to see where she works and to meet her friends and coworkers.
Lucanis doing his best customer service
Ma and Harding getting a pizza to share at Nug E Cheese.
Turvi joins them too
Harding eating her stinky pizza from day 3
Some close ups
That is Lucanis’ beard, but he is managing to look really miserable lol
Now just some fun, non workplace shots lol. Harding goes to the plant shop.
And shares milkshakes with her bestie Turvi
Zalan taking Harding to the plant store.
I don’t know why she’s carting around a jar of “pickles” either lol. It was just a really cute jar okay.
Zalan hosts a dnd game night.
Turvi being dramatic because he can’t stop rolling nat 1’s
Trying to take a peak at Zalan’s notes
A few more Nug E Cheese shots that aren’t specially Harding week.
Guys in the mug!
These last two are the only photos with any post production items added in. All the others were real tiny items or things I made for the scene.
The infamous rainbow churros!!
I couldn’t decide which background I liked better so here’s another version near the animatronics stage.
Thanks again to @datvcompanionweeks for hosting the event all week. And thanks to all who read my pieces.
Want to read more, welcome to nug e cheese is on AO3.
Sending out gentle taggies, as always no pressure and have a consensual forehead kiss either way
I made it! Sure I fell off my chair earlier this week (i'm real clumsy guys) and lost my stylus and still haven't found it but that didn't stop Sock Harding. I don't know how to make them look crystally. But they are socks. Angry socks.
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
✓ Live Streaming✓ Interactive Chat✓ Private Shows✓ HD Quality✓ Free Actions
Free to watch • No registration required • HD streaming
Thanks to @datvcompanionweeks for hosting this week and all the companion weeks!
Tell Me Stories About Lace
Morning came too early, even if the fine Dwarven clock that sat on Lace’s small desk struggled to announce it.
Gemma crawled out of the bedroll and stretched out her back. It was an adjustment now to sleep on a hard floor after so long of luxurious beds, but it never felt right to bring a bed into Lace’s space.
Bellara remained blissfully asleep, her bun mostly collapsed against the pillow. There was still a flower stuck in her hair where Gemma had placed it the night before while talking.
It had been more cathartic than she realized to bring Bellara here; to let out all the thoughts about Lace she usually held tightly inside. It hadn’t been her intention to talk all night. She had wanted to give Bellara a chance to feel what she and Taash felt: a slight odor of sweet dirt, the movement out of the corner of the eye that one couldn’t quite catch, the touch of something in the air betraying a presence heavier than just thoughts. Bellara thought the stories might help her find that connection. She had heard most of them before, but insisted Gemma tell them again.
Just in case Lace was listening.
The weight of the shared laughter and tears hung heavy on her. Leaving Bellara to sleep, she left Lace’s room and headed to the kitchen to brew coffee. The courtyard was empty and quiet, but Gemma smiled at the swirling excitement of the spirits, their chatter bringing a lightness to her soul.
When she entered the kitchen, the scent of coffee and three smiles greeted her: Lucanis, Spite, and Neve. Accepting a kiss and coffee from her husbands and a hug from Neve, she settled into her typical chair at the head of the table.
There were so many memories held in this space, and she wasn’t the only one drawn back here time after time. Each of the Veilguard who returned to the Lighthouse spent time in Lace’s room. It was one of the reasons she thought the flowers continued to flourish; they felt everyone’s love for Lace.
“Did she. Feel anything?” Spite asked.
Only he, Gemma, and Taash sensed Lace. Everyone else supported them without needing to understand. She shook her head sadly and received a warm spirit embrace from Spite and a plate of freshly made eggs from Lucanis.
Lace was out there, somewhere, and she knew it. Stalgard continued to assist. Evka provided advice. Gemma knew she had her own issues to solve first, but she couldn't be idle about Lace.
She had finished her eggs and was on her second cup of coffee when Bellara slid into the dining hall. With an excited squeal, she hugged Neve tightly and then Lucanis before taking a seat at the table.
When Lucanis set a plate of eggs before her, Bellara looked up at him in surprise. “This is what you were cooking?”
“Yes. Why?”
“I thought I smelled ham and jam slams. That’s what woke me up.”
Lucanis and Neve exchanged a surprised glance.
Gemma and Spite looked at each other with excitement.
Every person who sensed Lace brought them one step closer to finding her.
No expectation Tag List Management Post (on or off? Post here).
Summary: In a rare moment of reprieve, Harding gathers the girls to discuss their latest reading.
Thanks to @datvcompanionweeks for hosting Harding Week! As always, the fic will be on AO3 as well.
Lace nudged the door to the library open with her hip, a tray full of cheese and fruit in her hands as she made her way to the table. Bellara snatched a few blocks off it as she waved her hands around, desperately explaining her thoughts on their most recent literary forays.
“How could he just do that?!” Bellara said with a mouth full of cheese. “Just telling her that!’ Lace pulled out a chair next to Bellara, ducking and weaving around Bellara’s passionate arms.
“Maybe he found someone new while she was sleeping?” Lace said. “Not everyone is comfortable waiting thousands of years for their partner.” Lace was glad that she didn’t have to deal with that crisis. Though the thought of moving on without her partner was ever present at the back of her mind as time moved along. It wasn’t exactly the same as what the characters in the book were dealing with, but there would come a time where Lace would have to come to terms with the Calling claiming her partner and she would have to decide if she was going to move on, or let it claim her.
“Still!” Bellara said. “That’s no reason to be so mean about it!”
“I have to agree with Bells,” Neve added. Maybe they were right. Lace figured they were probably right. Before Lace was dragged too deep into her own head, the door to the library crashed open again.
“Sorry, sorry!” Rook bumbled her way in, dragging up a chair next to Lace. “Got caught up in a meeting. Back now though! What’d I miss?”
“Not much,” Neve began. “We were just talking about the part when Selassan told Elonna that, and I quote, ‘This was a moment of weakness. An unexpected union, nothing more.’” Bellara growled under her breath, flipping the book back to the page again.
“Ugh, don’t remind me,” Rook said. “Honestly, he outta just kick rocks. Why’s he even still there?”
For the same reason I’m still here, Lace caught herself thinking. It surprised her that it came out so bluntly. Rook wouldn’t need to deal with what would come after the Calling took her and what she left behind, much like how Elonna didn’t have to deal with what she left behind. Lace played with the hem of her shirt, trying to get her mind back on track.
“See? Rook agrees with me!” Bellara said. It was easy for them. Maybe that was the way it should be.
“I mean, I guess she’s justified in being mad about it,” Lace mumbled. “He didn’t exactly communicate it in the best way.”
“I think we can agree on that,” Neve said.
Elonna didn’t leave of her own accord. And plus, they were reunited as far as the book was concerned. The griffon emblem on Rook’s belt caught the light in the library as she leaned over to peck Lace’s lips as they finished up this week’s meeting of the book club. The characters in the book still had time to work out their happy ending.
