#althima lavellan

Eyes locked on hers, he half smiled, the other half like her own expression was something else, something still fearful and unsure.  “As soon as I begin to feel certain, you change everything again,” he whispered.  “Sorry.” She smiled again, this one less tainted than the last.

This is it! The illustration I promised! We finally made it to Part 17 and maybe my favorite line I've ever written for these two along with this wonderful illustration I commissioned by @ruxandralache ! I absolutely adore it and I can't wait for you all to read the new chapter on Monday (6/15)! I will say that some of you are going to be very pleased 😏

👀 Who gets jealous more easily & how obvious are they about it?

☕ Who’s the morning person & how do they lure the night owl out of bed?

☺️💚

Yayy!! Thank you for these!

From these Ship Headcanon Questions

💌 More often than not, it’s Solas who’s leaving little notes and gifts for her. Tucked in a book she was looking for or hidden in place sight among her correspondence at her desk or sometimes slipped into her pack while they were out traveling. As torturous as the waiting for her to find it is, he rather enjoys it, knowing that she’ll enjoy the little signs that he’s thinking of her and she doesn’t even know she has another to look forward to. Sometimes they’re just observations about their day that he wouldn’t normally speak of aloud among their companions and sometimes they’re encouragement that she is indeed as capable as everyone believes she is. Sometimes they’d be lines of poetry that he either read or remembered from ages ago that came to mind after something they witnessed or something she said. She’s tried to leave her own little notes for him but she never felt like her own were quite as meaningful or thoughtful as his, but he enjoyed them all the same. 

👀 Hard to say, neither are the jealous type really. If I had to choose, it would probably be Althima. Solas can be protective but he knows her well enough to know that she’s not the type to ever stray, even momentarily. He also knows that he is the most significant relationship in her life, at least as far as friends and lovers go. There’s been no one else, at least no one else anywhere near what they are to each other. For Althima though, there’s so much of Solas’s life that she just knows nothing about and thinking about relationships he might have had in the past, especially those that deeply affected him makes her uneasy. She has a moment of jealousy in Ch13 of IDHC when he tells her about his relationship with Mythal, even though it wasn’t a romantic connection. She tries to suppress the feeling and wave it away but she’s not always a good liar, especially not good enough to fool him, so I’d say it’s pretty obvious and it’s also pretty obvious that she doesn’t want to think about it or feel that way either. 

Aahh! Thank you for the tag @galacticsparkles and @rhoxxia! This was so much fun to put together! I'll be giving out very gentle, no pressure tags to @youhowltome @lanafofana and @exia-1

And of course, I had to do this for my favorite lady inquisitor, Althima Lavellan 💚 (Apologies from the get-go because I am nothing if not an overwriter lol)

• A Clothing Item They Would Wear

A woven belt she made herself or perhaps her mother made her. Her mother is a weaver and taught her some of the trade when she was young, before she spent the majority of her time training under Keeper Deshanna. For their last project together, she and her mother wove a crimson sash with silver halla for Deshanna before Althima officially became First. It would have passed to her after Deshanna’s death if she hadn't become the Inquisitor. The belt she wears is one of the few items she keeps on her that isn't necessarily practical but primarily aesthetic and sentimental.

• A Texture in Their Signature Color

A selection of woolen weaves in deep greens. Beautiful in their variety but durable and practical.

• An Animal That Suits Their Personality

The lioness carries a more quiet power than her male counterparts. She is strategic in her hunting and devoted to nurturing her cubs and her community. She balances herself between ferocity and compassion, always acting in the interests of the pride.

• An Environment That Captures Their Story

Where she grew up: somewhere between the forests of the Vimmark Mountains and the grasslands and rocky coastline that borders the sea. The foothills that stretched through the Free Marches were where her people roamed with the seasons and where she learned how to be Dalish, to be a mage, what it meant to be both and to carry on the legacy of her people.

• An Object in Their Bag

A small leather folio that functioned partly like a journal, grimoire, sketchbook, and repository for observations of the flora and fauna she took interest in while out traveling. It includes mission notes but mostly contains pressed flowers and herbs along with illustrations and notes on their properties and uses. She is competent at sketching plants, but animals are harder. She tried sketching her companions at times but was never satisfied with the results and would frequently just glue another pressed leaf or flower over the offending sketch to hide it. Several attempted sketches of Solas are now hidden behind flowers. Solas is aware of this and secretly very amused by it.

• An Interest of Theirs

After they were in Skyhold a while, she made her own small frame loom to keep her hands busy late in the evenings when she couldn’t sleep or needed to think through so problem but couldn't stay still. She wove small tokens for each member of her inner circle with symbols and patterns that reminded her of them. Some of the small woven patches were made into new items that the companion kept with them, and some remained simple, small tokens that they kept in their pocket. Varric kept his in the pocket of his coat, and he would fidget with it late in the evening while sitting around the campfire. Dorian’s got singed during a battle once, and he had the remaining piece encased in a pendant that he now keeps close to his chest. Vivienne had a whole new coat designed with the patch in mind. Cassandra's was affixed to the inner side of her breastplate for safekeeping, also the sentimental reason of it being the first gift she'd received from a such a dear female friend. Cullen kept his token at his desk in Skyhold and would pull it out on occasion when he prayed for her continued safety. Cole’s is still proudly stitched to his jacket. Otherwise, he's afraid he would lose it.

• An Abstraction That Captures Their Vibe

The rush of a cold mountain stream around your feet. It can be a welcome retreat on a hot summer's day or a treacherous crossing if your footing isn't sure.

• A Food or Beverage They Enjoy

She never ate much in the way of sweets when she was growing up, but her time with the Inquisition spoiled her taste buds. She developed a taste for these little Orlesian petit fours while visiting the Ghislain estate to meet Vivienne and later during their time in Halamshiral. Whenever she circled round to Solas again that night, she picked a few up from the dessert table nearby and shared one with him. She knew he liked them too but wouldn't ask for them, so she would make a point to get a few anytime she had the opportunity, just so she could share them with him. Years later, she still craves them from time to time and indulges whenever she has the opportunity. She really likes ones with citrus flavors like orange or bergamot.

As the others do: A photo of your oc, six(or more) photos that fit how they are when in love, and 3-4 songs

I Will Always Return by Bryan Adams

I hear the wind call your name It calls me back home again The sparks of the fire, a flame that still burns Oh it's to you I'll always return

peace by Taylor Swift

And you know that I'd swing with you for the fences Sit with you in the trenches Give you my wild, give you a child Give you the silence that only comes when two people understand each other Family that I chose, now that I see your brother as my brother Is it enough? But there's robbers to the east, clowns to the west I'd give you my sunshine, give you my best But the rain is always gonna come if you're standing with me

If I Never Knew You from Pocahontas

I thought our love would be so beautiful Somehow we made the whole world bright I never knew that fear and hate could be so strong All they'd leave us were these whispers in the night But still my heart is singing, we were right

Is using gifs cheating? Maybe, but I had fun with this so who cares lol Thank you so much for the tag @rhoxxia ! This was really fun to put together!

An excerpt from second half of Part 15 of In Dreams, He Came because I am writing again! I have been for a little bit. I just can't leave these characters alone, at least not for long. New chapters are coming, slowly but surely.

“Wouldn’t it be remarkable to see again though? Do you think we could take a detour before we return to the Lighthouse?” Merrill smiled hopefully at the thought as she gazed out at the dimming forest.

Althima stared at her blankly for a moment before, calmly responding, “no.” When Merrill’s face fell, she amended her statement. “You may if you wish. The sentinels are gone now and the place is empty. There is no one left to guard it.”

“What were they guarding? Just the temple itself?” A young female elf by the name of Tishavis asked from her spot on the rocks close by. Everyone looked to her at the sudden question. “I just mean— I heard Corypheus wanted the temple and the Inquisitor got to it first, but what was it that he wanted? I never heard what he was looking for. It seemed like no one really knew.” Now everyone looked to Althima who sighed and stared out in the direction of the temple again, gathering her words.

“The Well of Sorrows,” Dorhalin answered before she could. “Wasn’t it?”

“Yes.” Solas answered for her. “The Inquisitor sacrificed much to keep it from Corypheus and for that, we all owe her a debt.” He watched her closely from his place by the crate as she stood.

“It’s ancient history now anyway,” Althima mumbled, walking over to join Solas. Merrill let out a rather loud giggle.

“Ancient history,” she chuckled. “You are funny.” A few amused and a few confused looks were thrown her way. “Because it’s literally ancient history? The temple of Mythal and all this.” She gestured widely to the forest around them. She was met with silence. “I thought it was funny at least.”

“Never change, Merrill,” Althima added with a gentle smile as she plopped herself down beside Solas.