They say its what you make, I say its up to fate

dragonagedmage:

@kaaras-adaar

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Kaaras chuckled softly. No, he actually agreed with Yue. Solas held himself higher than a lot of people it seemed, but he was not willing to help them make themselves better. His excuse was “would they listen”. Solas should know that one voice could change many, Kaaras was living proof of that. In fact, Solas was there to help him at the beginning of all of this…

A strange thing, really, why he would not help the Dalish.

“It’s quite alright, Yue. After all, I’m pretty sure it’s part of my job to take everyone’s opinions on board,” he smiled. If people had complaints about certain members of the Inquisition, it was up to Kaaras to try and sort it out. 

His expression fell when Yue spoke of whatever this thing that happened was. So it had happened before? All Kaaras could assume was he meant bandits had attacked before. But it felt like there was something different going on here. 

“You can’t predict bandits, Yue.” 

“I might not be able to predict them, but I can stop them.” He seemed adamant about that, unswaying in wanting to help the Dalish as much as he could. He hoped it was enough and that nothing terrible would come of this meeting. 

“I appreciate your talking to me and trying to get the situation under control, truly I do.” He made like was going to add to his statement, but thought better of it.

He chuckled, the sound light and warm.

“Of course. I a beautiful endearment for a beautiful lady,” he spoke, nuzzling his nose against the side of her head.

“And yes, very unfortunate that we will have to leave eventually. Its nice being able to spend time with you, even if its only for a few hours in the day.” 

“Of course, I could always come and pay you a visit whenever I am not helping the other mages with something or reading reports from them.”

Lasair closed her eyes and smiled, leaning in and nuzzling him back. “Maker, I adore you…” she sighed happily.

He allowed her to lean against him, curling an arm around her middle.

“I’m sure with the proper research and resources she should be able to create something. Perhaps engrave or even stitch a few runes into the furniture to allow them such resistances. Training the little one will also be something to consider once it grows a little older and starts showing signs of discovering its opwer.

Lasair’s heart did a little flip when Yue’s arm went around her. She couldn’t deny wanting something like this–with him–for a while. And it was a relief when he seemed to accept it. Perhaps he felt the same? For now, Lasair just leaned lightly against him and watched the egg.

“Those are good ideas…we’ll come up with something, I’m sure. But nothing that can’t be started tomorrow.” She was rather comfortable, as it were.

It was a few weeks later when–while in her quarters–Lasair heard a strange sound coming from the egg. Hurrying over to where it rested, she noticed it shifting slightly, and a few small cracks in the shell. It’s time!!

Luckily, Yue was due to check in very soon, and when she heard the door to her quarters open, she rushed to the top of the stairs.

Still, he wanted to check on Lasair, check on the egg. Perhapps pass out on the stairs for the next 24 hours if he was all--

He paused halfway up the stairs, confusion painting his features. 

Hatching? What was--

His tired mind kickstarted into proper working order once he’d had time to process what she’s said, his eyes widening before he quickly bounded up the stairs. He’d practically slid over to where Lasair was, eyes wide as saucers as more cracks appeared along the egg’s shell.

Yue’s ears pined back against his head, focusing his attention to the ground  and away from Kaaras’ scrutinizing gaze. He worried his lip between his teeth, considering how he might even start with what he needed to say. He couldn’t very well take back his words or promise of an explanation now. He’d just have to come out with it. 

“I agreed to come and act as an ambassador several reasons, the most important one being that I would like to prevent another tragedy from happening.” 

Anxious fingers reached up to card through the hair that fell over his shoulder, an effort to keep himself somewhat calm.

“Years ago, far before I’d even considered traveling Thedas, before any of this happened, I used to belong to a Dalish clan. I was supposed to be their protector, was supposed to keep them safe from harm. It was a promised I’d made to them and to my mother who’d been the previous protector. It was a great mantle to bear, especially for someone as young as I was then, but I thought I could handle it.”

His jaw clenched, thinking back to that night.

“I’d gotten distracted one night, gone to investigate something. I’d wandered off to far and by the time I’d heard the commotion and came back, it was already too late.” He paused to breath, 

“I lost my entire clan in one night to a group of bandits looking for an easy target. “

He frowned.

“I don’t want a repeat of what happened to my clan to happen to this one. I…I don’t want to see another clan slaughtered as a result of a disagreement. If I can prevent a fight from breaking out, if I can help stop this clan from taking on a force much stronger than them with more resources, if I can offer some sort of protection, that’s all I want to do.”

Kaaras’ lips formed a thin line when the elf looked like a guilty child. Well it was obvious now that Yue was hiding something, and perhaps it was a good thing that Solas had had words with him, even if it seemed he was bribing him with something to do it. Maker’s sake… 

As Yue spoke, Kaaras felt himself frown, but this time it wasn’t from disappointment. He felt bad for Yue, and what had happened. It wasn’t really his fault, and yet… His clan had put their faith in him and he’d gone to investigate something. But he didn’t blame Yue for investigating whatever it was. Accidents happened.

“Yue… I’m sorry to hear that,” he murmured, his ears lowering just a little. This was what Solas was interrogating Yue over? That was unfair. 

“Accidents happen, and I am sure there was no way of knowing bandits would attack your clan that night,” he stated, placing a comforting hand on the elf’s shoulder. 

As comforting as the words should have been, they did little to quell his guilt. But he appreciated the thought and the comforting hand on his shoulder. The smile that graced his features was small, but bitter.

“Solas seems to think himself that much higher than the Dalish elves. He doesn’t think of them as his people, yet he goes on about elvhen glory all day long. WE could learn so much from him if he’d--” He stopped himself before he truly insulted the elf in front of the Inquisitor. Before it turned into a rant.

“Apologies. His blatant dislike may displease me, but that’s no reason to hurl insults about him.” He sighed.

“And I know accidents happen, plenty happen every day. But this was more than just an accident. And I damn well could have prevented if...if I had been more careful.” He took a deep breath to calm himself before looking at his companion, his expression determined.

“Yes. Apparently the odds were in our favor.” He studied the egg a bit more now that he had appropriate lightning, studied the specked patterns on the shell that, while fascinating, didn’t tell him much anything about what it protected.

“No, it won’t be easy, but that’s what makes it fun, yes?” Or at least, that’s how he thought of it.

“We will simply have to be nurturing parents to it and hope it doesn’t burn something down in the process.” OR at least nothing too important.

Lasair laughed quietly, and nodded. “Fun will be one word for it, I’m certain!” She joked, curling her legs up beneath her on the couch and subtly shifting closer to Yue. 

He laughed.

“Ah, if only. Perhaps it may be like this once the Breach is sealed for good and that awful Corypheus is defeated. Then perhaps we may have more time together like this.” He seemed to pause at her question, smiling.

“It is and of course I don’t mind.” He pressed a kiss to her cheek.

“It means heart. My heart.”

“That would be fantastic,” Lasair agreed, smiling widely. “Though I suppose that means I will have to leave this bath at some point, hm? Unfortunate.” She laughed.

Her eyes closed and she pressed her face into the soft kiss to her cheek. Her own heart fluttered a little at Yue’s translation, and subsequent admission, and she could feel her cheeks warming. She opened her eyes, looking up at Yue with pure adoration on her face.

“Of course. I a beautiful endearment for a beautiful lady,” he spoke, nuzzling his nose against the side of her head.

“And yes, very unfortunate that we will have to leave eventually. Its nice being able to spend time with you, even if its only for a few hours in the day.” 

dragonagedmage:

PREVIOUS

Kaaras got the gist of that. It was obvious that Solas had problems with Yue, but what? It wasn’t fair if it was just because Yue was from a Dalish clan. That was just like being upset that he was a qunari. It shouldn’t matter what anyone was, what mattered was how they were as people and individuals. 

He looked down at Yue, about to question if Solas was right. Was he hiding something? That was until the elf continued to talk. 

So… Yue was hiding something, then? Kaaras felt himself frown, relaxing his shoulders a little so he’d not come off as upset, angry or too intimidating. Yue was a friend, he could trust him with whatever was going on here. 

“Yue, if this is something important to this mission that could turn bad quickly… I’d really rather know about it before I send my men in there.” He didn’t need any bloodshed. He’d rather avoid that as much as possible if he could. 

Yue’s ears pined back against his head, focusing his attention to the ground  and away from Kaaras’ scrutinizing gaze. He worried his lip between his teeth, considering how he might even start with what he needed to say. He couldn’t very well take back his words or promise of an explanation now. He’d just have to come out with it. 

“I agreed to come and act as an ambassador several reasons, the most important one being that I would like to prevent another tragedy from happening.” 

Anxious fingers reached up to card through the hair that fell over his shoulder, an effort to keep himself somewhat calm.

“Years ago, far before I’d even considered traveling Thedas, before any of this happened, I used to belong to a Dalish clan. I was supposed to be their protector, was supposed to keep them safe from harm. It was a promised I’d made to them and to my mother who’d been the previous protector. It was a great mantle to bear, especially for someone as young as I was then, but I thought I could handle it.”

His jaw clenched, thinking back to that night.

“I’d gotten distracted one night, gone to investigate something. I’d wandered off to far and by the time I’d heard the commotion and came back, it was already too late.” He paused to breath, 

“I lost my entire clan in one night to a group of bandits looking for an easy target. “

He frowned.

Fenhedis…

The mage straightened his posture, clearing his throat and trying to push down his anger. 

“Nothing more than usual,” he spoke, calming himself, though his gaze flicked to Solas for a brief moment before returning to Kaaras. He held his hands behind him, posture perhaps a bit too stiff for the usually calm and relaxed shapeshifter.

“Simply another…argument. Nothing too terrible and certainly nothing to trouble you with, Inquisitor.” His words weren’t exactly a lie, but they weren’t the entire truth either. Kaaras did not need to knw everything about their conversation.

He especially didn’t need to know about him. What difference did it make if he were helping the Inquisition, after all. Though he does think back to the scars Kaaras had shown him some time again. The ones from the dragon attack.

Suddenly he’s not so sure that things will go well for him despite his contributions to the organization.

It was evident that Solas and Yue did not get along well. Solas had a tenancy of being rather judgemental in Kaaras’ experience, and not a lot of people enjoyed that. Though the man did perform it with a finesse that was very condescending, it didn’t mean Solas was right all of the time. In saying that, Kaaras and he didn’t have a lot of arguments in general, and the Inquisitor did respect the elf highly for his knowledge on the Fade and experience–as well as his choice to help. 

Solas’ expression didn’t change, but he did look up to the Inquisitor now. “I’m afraid your company is a little tasteless, Inquisitor.”

“Solas, that’s not fair,” Kaaras stated, frowning. “Whatever differences you two have, there’s an important mission at hand. Can you please brush them aside, even if for now?” 

Solas straightened himself up, looking back at Yue. “For now, then. But not forever. There is something you need to know of your so called companion. I will not let that rest forever.” That was a threat, as well, before Solas walked away.

Though he could normally brush off the questioning look from Kaaras, this little argument he’d had with Solas seemed to make things a bit more difficult. He looked away from the qunari’s gaze, looking a bit uncertain.

“Solas...seems to feel as if I am hiding something.” He certainly wasn’t wrong, he was hiding several things, but he had little intention of revealing the biggest secret he was hiding.

Perhaps a slightly smaller, if not just as important secret might throw the Inquisitor from suspicion. 

dragonagedmage:

PREVIOUS

Solas didn’t need to say more, as the true nature of Yue was shown clear as day with that growl. He couldn’t hide his nature forever, could he? He would destroy and kill, as magnificent as such a beast might be. Anyone who could not control their temper was a danger and posed a threat. 

“And yet, you snarl like a wild animal who is trapped within that mortal body of yours. I suggest the Inquisitor know he is harbouring such things under his command. If you will not inform him, then I will.” Ah, and perfect timing, as the Inquisitor just made it out of his tent.

Kaaras rolled his shoulders, ignorant to the argument that was happening between Solas and Yue. However, he was not ignorant to the attention on him as both Solas and Yue’s eyes went to him. Was something wrong? 

He quickly checked himself just to make sure he wasn’t inappropriate or something, but he was fine. Kaaras took a few steps towards the both of them, an ear flicking upwards in curiosity.

“Is something the matter?” he asked. 

Fenhedis...

The mage straightened his posture, clearing his throat and trying to push down his anger. 

“Nothing more than usual,” he spoke, calming himself, though his gaze flicked to Solas for a brief moment before returning to Kaaras. He held his hands behind him, posture perhaps a bit too stiff for the usually calm and relaxed shapeshifter.

“Simply another...argument. Nothing too terrible and certainly nothing to trouble you with, Inquisitor.” His words weren’t exactly a lie, but they weren’t the entire truth either. Kaaras did not need to knw everything about their conversation.

He especially didn’t need to know about him. What difference did it make if he were helping the Inquisition, after all. Though he does think back to the scars Kaaras had shown him some time again. The ones from the dragon attack.

He didn’t like that smile. For some reason it reminded him of another predator. Though he wasn’t baring teeth, that smile resembled something a wolf would wear. Yue’s not sure why he’d thought that, Solas would make for a very unusual wolf with his lack of fur…

‘Does the Inquisitor know what?’ Is what he would have asked if the elf hadn’t continued speaking. He swore the man just loved to hear himself talk half the time. If it wasn’t something about the Fade it was, rarely, something else. Though if Yue hadn’t liked hearing him talk before, he certainly wasn’t appreciating where this conversation seemed to be heading.

Ice blue eyes narrowed in suspicion and he could feel the hairs at the back of his neck prickling.

What was he onto?

He rolled his eyes, scoffing at the man.

“Creators, what are you on about?” he asked, though he still didn’t face the other elf.

“Your dreams must not allow you to see everything if you cannot understand that I am but a shapeshifter. I’ve tried to introduce myself to you in a prior conversation, but you didn’t seem all too interested once I’d mentioned I was from a Dalish clan. Not one of your people.”

So, he was going to play coy, then? Solas gave an amused hum of a laugh, shifting his weight as he tucked his arms behind his back. “I will take that as a no, then.” So, the Inquisitor had no idea what Yue was. Fascinating. He was giving Yue the chance to be upfront here, but apparently the shapeshifter wanted to keep his secrets.

“You are, indeed, a shapeshifter. But not like I’ve seen before. Usually, they are mages who pull illusions from the Fade, take forms of other beings. But you’re the other way around. You must be powerful, but you’re not elven, despite what you think you are.” 

He paces carefully, keen eyes on the elf. Yue may be powerful, but he was not as strong as Solas was. He lacked his experience in the Fade as well, he was sure. 

Did more than that really in that it stopped him in his tracks, froze him to the spot.

There was no mistaking it: He’d said it, clear as day.

Dragon.

He knew. 

The angry sound that came from him couldn’t have been described as anything short of a snarl, low an animalistic. Shapeshifter or not, it wasn’t a noise that any normal elf should have been capable of making.

He backed away from Solas, body tense and sparks of lightning arcing over his body. His lips pulled and he bared sharper than normal teeth at the other elf.

He couldn’t deny it now, at least from Solas, but he’d be damned if he let the other elf expose him or lie about his character.

“I am dangerous? The only ones I am dangerous to are the enemies of the Inquisition.” The sparks stopped, though his anger was still apparent.

He froze at the familiar voice, bristling in response to the almost accusatory tone in the older man’s words. Of all the people to come bother him about something now, it just had to be…

“Solas,” he greeted the other mage, holding his hands in front of him and calmly (as he could around the other elf) regarding his surroundings. 

“As close to familiar as one can get so far from home, I suppose. Admittedly, I’m not from Orlais, I actually come from the Nevarran pains, but I suppose it might be too much to ask for you to remember that.” He asked.

He refused to turn to face the man. Solas rarely, if every, actively sought him out. Their past arguments and the older elf’s views on the Dalish made sure of that.

Yue could already feel the budding headache between his eyes as he considered what sort of conversation he was likely going to have with him.

“I see you’ve settled in nicely into camp,” he started, shooting the dreamer a side eyed glance. 

“To what do I owe this…pleasant visit.”

Solas had remembered, he rarely forgot anything he had heard. But that wasn’t what he was speaking of. The forest here spoke, and the memories of the Fade lingered heavily. All he needed to do was take a quiet nap and it all came to him. The blood and agony, and the beast that Yue was beneath that elven skin. He must have been ancient, but that was not his concern right now. Yue was dangerous, especially to the Inquisition (and perhaps to his own plans). 

Despite the man’s accusative tone, Solas still offered the man a smile out of politeness, or perhaps his own pride. “Does the Inquisitor know?” he asked, jutting his jaw at the man. “I suppose he would not if you are still here.” He knew that their Inquisitor was… surprising. Not the man he thought he would be, but certainly the man Thedas needed right now.

Kaaras had been… confusing. Polite for a qunari, even well mannered. They were little but savages that needed the Qun to guide them, and yet the man had never been brought up by their harsh civilisation and philosophy. 

‘Does the Inquisitor know what?’ Is what he would have asked if the elf hadn’t continued speaking. He swore the man just loved to hear himself talk half the time. If it wasn’t something about the Fade it was, rarely, something else. Though if Yue hadn’t liked hearing him talk before, he certainly wasn’t appreciating where this conversation seemed to be heading.

Ice blue eyes narrowed in suspicion and he could feel the hairs at the back of his neck prickling.

What was he onto?

He rolled his eyes, scoffing at the man.

“Creators, what are you on about?” he asked, though he still didn’t face the other elf.

RAINY SEASON - ⛪ : Our muse taking shelter from the rain

Aylen gasped at the sound of thunder nearby, grabbing Yue’s arm instinctively. The loud roaring of the thunder and the way it shook the ground was too close for comfort, so she pointed to what looked like a set of caves on the mountain side- probably a labyrinth inside, but they could stay at the mouth of one of the tunnels.

“There, before we’re roasted by lightning!” She had to raise her voice to be heard above the noise of the heavy rain. She grasped at Yue’s coat and tugged, urging him to follow to take shelter. They were already on high ground and exposed to the storm, so it was best to wait for it to relent somewhere safe- and anything was safer than out in the open where lightning could hit them.

“I’m glad. I supposed there is some use in being able to shift into such a large form,” He smiled. He didn’t comment on the flush, if anything to spare her from further embarrassment. Though he did find the coloring of he cheeks rather cute. 

“No need for the apology, lethallin. I understand that we must get back to camp lest we worry the others more than we probably have.” The smile never left his expression, even as she expressed concern over him.

“No need to worry about my, I’ll be fine. And if all else fails, there’s always a nice fire at camp that I can sit next to to warm up.” He gathered his belongings, standing up and using his staff as a support before he started walking, keeping pace with his companion.

Still, he’d looked so peaceful in his sleep she felt bad waking him up! How surprising that even dragons could be so serene when they were asleep… And even though he said he was fine, she’d make sure to do something for him after he’d done this for her: protecting and keeping her warm all through the stormy night. She’d think of something to do, or give him in return.

“Not as often as you may think, my friend,” he responded.

“Its not often I take that form unless I need to. Keeping someone warm is certainly a high priority, but aside from this I haven’t really had to much reason to keep someone warm like that.” He looked sheepish.

The silence that followed after their conversation was almost deafening and it nibble at his thoughts. He truly hoped that it didn’t end in some sort of fight, but for some reason the feeling in the back of his skull, the worry would not leave him.

—

He didn’t like being in Orlais. Period. Between the lavish palaces they’d often have to visit and the nobles they had to face often while there, Yue wasn’t exactly fond of the country. The stolen lands were another things, but he wasn’t going to think of that.

Once he’d settled his own mount down, he’d started pitching his own camp just off the outskirts of where everyone else was. Suspicious, perhaps, but it made him feel better. Safer even. He did need his privacy after all and there hadn’t been any issue with the placement of his camp so far.

Kaaras had taken notice to Yue’s location at the camp–it was his duty, after all, to know where his men were. He figured it wasn’t anything unusual. Yue was a Dalish elf, of course he enjoyed being away from the closeness of the camp. It might even be enjoyable to be back out in such open lands again. Maker knew even Kaaras needed to get away from the castle walls at times. 

He’d set up his tent and settled in for the evening. Tomorrow, they would set a path to the Dalish camp that they were getting in contact with–assuming Harding’s scouts could find a bearing on the land they were in. Kaaras had been many places, but before becoming Inquisitor, or Herald, the furthest west he’d ever been had been the Hinterlands. Now, he had travelled around placed he’d never even dreamed of. Orlais certainly wasn’t familiar territory, though.

Outside of the tents, Solas made his way over to Yue with a calm and yet sceptical look (as if the two could be done at the same time with such finesse). 

“Solas,” he greeted the other mage, holding his hands in front of him and calmly (as he could around the other elf) regarding his surroundings. 

“As close to familiar as one can get so far from home, I suppose. Admittedly, I’m not from Orlais, I actually come from the Nevarran pains, but I suppose it might be too much to ask for you to remember that.” He asked.

He refused to turn to face the man. Solas rarely, if every, actively sought him out. Their past arguments and the older elf’s views on the Dalish made sure of that.

Yue could already feel the budding headache between his eyes as he considered what sort of conversation he was likely going to have with him.

“I see you’ve settled in nicely into camp,” he started, shooting the dreamer a side eyed glance. 

He seemed amused by her enthusiasm, smiling as he accepted her invitation to sit with her. 

“Of course. Never in even my wildest dreams would I have considered we’d find something so rare as a dragon’s egg.” 

“I wonder what sort of little dragon it will hatch into. Or even the gender.” He watched the egg, his gaze tender.

“I can hardly wait for it to hatch.”

“And that whole way down, we were joking about it! What are the odds, right?” Lasair laughed again and turned to watch the egg as well, smiling fondly.

“No, it won’t be easy, but that’s what makes it fun, yes?” Or at least, that’s how he thought of it.

“I wouldn’t have it another other way either, vhenan,” he spoke gently against the back of her neck, drifting to her spine. He always treasured moments like this; the rare times where he could be with her without having to think of the Inquisition. 

Just enjoy each other’s company, relax for the day until the next morning brought them back full force into their duties to the Inquisition.

He loved this time together just as much as he loved her.

“Mm…neither would I. If only we could stay here, like this. Just…hidden away from the rest of the world.” Lasair sighed softly, eyes closed and smiling at the feeling of Yue’s lips brushing the back of her neck.

This…this was bliss. She needed nothing else in all of Thedas. Just him.

“Ah, if only. Perhaps it may be like this once the Breach is sealed for good and that awful Corypheus is defeated. Then perhaps we may have more time together like this.” He seemed to pause at her question, smiling.

“It is and of course I don’t mind.” He pressed a kiss to her cheek.