#doriael

 On one lazy afternoon, Maia and Fael sat in their quarters while Dorian and Felix were speaking to the captain of the ship. With the key Tevinter male out of earshot, Maia asked about the lack of action between him and her friend. “Since when were you so invested in the romantic aspects of my life?” Fael asked with a sigh looking up from the map on the table to fix her with a stare that she returned in force.

“Since there was nothing else to do and since you were taking your sweet time about doing anything.” She answered unapologetically. “Plus I have to live somewhat vicariously through you, since my own romantic well is so completely dry not even the Dread Wolf would take me at this point” Fael sat back and laughed but stopped when he caught sight of Qarinus coming into view.

 Stepping off the boat and onto stable land again coupled with the heavy smell of expensive perfumes instead of sharp sea spray were welcome changes. The last time Fael and Maia had been in this city, they were in chains and shackles, being bundled off after being caught outside the ruins. Hopefully this time around at the old elven site would be more lucrative and wouldn’t result in their capture again.

“Do we spend tonight in the city or do we set off for the Forest now?” Felix asked as they walked further from the docks and deeper into the bustling city streets. Dorian knew which he’d prefer, a night in a proper room with a real bed, thick comfortable mattress, silk and satin sheets…or sleeping on the cold, hard, uneven ground of the forest. Yes, he knew exactly what he wanted to do. As they walked his gaze drifted down to Fael’s rear and he quickly lifted it again when both Fael and Felix turned to look at him, looking for an answer.

 “City for tonight and leave early tomorrow.” Dorian suggested as he looked up at the sky. “There won’t be enough light left to take us all the way there today. And after that incident on our first boat, sleeping out in the open isn’t the best of ideas.” Not that it was easy to forget, the others all thought back to the attack and nodded in agreement. They would stay in the city tonight.  After finding a tavern and leaving their things in their separate rooms, they settled themselves downstairs where other patrons sat, drinking and talking as music played.

 It wasn’t at all surprising to find they got a few stares every so often. Both Fael and Maia displayed their vallaslin proudly and sat so comfortably around the table with Felix and Dorian that not even a fool would mistake them for slaves or servants. Because of this, it made some boldly curious about what two Dalish elves were doing in the Imperium.

 When their meals were finished, Maia drained her glass and stood swiftly. Dorian glanced up, used to the woman’s restless nature by now.

“Try not to cause too much trouble on your wanderings, remember we leave early in the morning.” He reminded her with a cheery smile as he refilled his own cup.

“I’ll try to behave my very best.” Maia grinned before offering the three sitting men a flourishing bow. “I’ll be back once I’ve found a certain wolf…” She winked at Fael and disappeared from sight with a laugh.

“Wolf?” Felix repeated with a confused expression, looking to see Dorian appear just as perplexed. “Is she going hunting?” Fael choked on his drink at the choice of words. Clearing his throat and wiping the droplets of wine from his lips he laughed softly.

“In a way… best not to think about it.” Felix accepted Fael’s advice and yawned, quickly covering his mouth to supress the action. With his drink finished, he bade both Dorian and Fael a good night before heading to his own room to sleep.

 With their friends gone, both Fael and Dorian became quickly and sharply aware of how close they sat together. Now truly alone together for the first time in days, they both found themselves thinking of the same thing, the same images that had persisted in vividness and desire as they had travelled across Tevinter. Yet despite the urge and hunger to act on those imaginings, neither had done so, until now. Dorian turned his head to look at Fael, caught in surprise to find the elf was already one step ahead of him, his breath hot against his darker skin. Mouth dry, Dorian glanced down when he felt Fael’s strong hand settle on his knee. Despite his desire for Dorian, Fael made no more advances further than the ones he had taken. The last thing he wanted to do was to force him.

 Dorian’s gaze slid briefly to take in the other patrons in the tavern. None seemed to be giving them any notice, but this was the Imperium after all. Everyone had perfect masks, and he knew just because they appeared to be invested in their own conversations it didn’t matter a damn thing. Let them talk. Over his surprise, he leant in towards Fael and met his lips with his own, sharing a brief but heated kiss. Breaking apart, Dorian smiled smoothly.

“Why don’t we take this somewhere more private?”

  Waking with another naked body against him was a feeling he was admittedly unused to. In his previous dalliances, his partner for the evening left soon after or it was he that hastily left when it was over to avoid ‘sordid rumours’ from starting. Looking down at Fael, Dorian was perfectly still so he didn’t wake him but soon realised Fael was awake and making a sound he had never heard come from another being before.  

“Are you aware you purr?” Dorian mused languidly; one hand tucked behind his head while the other lightly ran through Fael’s hair but stilled when Fael lifted his head to arch a brow at him. “I don’t mean any offence, it’s mostly curiosity. Can you control it?”    

“Not especially…it’s just all part of being an elf.” Fael explained before stretching out. Rolling onto his back so it rested against Dorian’s chest he peered towards the window at the far wall, seeing the light creep in through the parting of the curtains. “We should make it to the ruins today.” He noted as he forced himself to sit up. If he lay any longer with Dorian, it would be harder to get up. “Ready to get this relic of yours?” he asked, looking over his shoulder to smile at the Tevinter male.

  The Arlathan Forest was unlike anything Dorian had imagined. He was never one for nature or forests in general, but this was unexpected. As soon as he stepped through the first line of ancient trees, the air changed instantly. The shudder that ran through him was a subtle mix of two feelings. The first being the chilling sensation one would feel when purposely stepping on someone’s grave and the second was thrilling tingle of the possibility of discovering something new, some untouched knowledge. It was waiting here; he could feel it in his bones. The relic he sought was so agonisingly close, he wanted to quicken his pace and he would have done so had he known the way to the ruins.

 Maia scowled; her gaze scanned the trees as they manoeuvred over thick, snaring roots and moss covered ditches. Her hands lightly danced over the hilts of her blades. Something felt different this time. The forest still held its eerie calm atmosphere as it had the first time she and Fael came here. Still something gnawed at her that there was some sort of disturbance but couldn’t quite place it. Perhaps it was because she knew others were seeking the ruins that she was being extra vigilante and tensed in anticipation of an attack? While she would have been happy to convince herself that that was the reason, she knew she couldn’t. Dropping her guard was a sure-fire way of getting herself and the others hurt. The closer they neared the ruins, the stronger the feeling got.

 Stepping into the clearing, Fael and Maia were reunited with the site of the ruins being reclaimed by nature. This time would be different. Maia looked around once more, waiting for some of the strangely dressed group from the boat to come leaping out from behind the trees and fallen pillars for a fresh assault.

 “You feel it too?” Fael muttered in a low voice to her as they stepped inside to the entrance hall that was untouched since their last visit. Maia nodded once. “Here’s hoping we get in and out without any trouble or manage to avoid them altogether.”

“It’s a large building.” Maia agreed. “Creators willing, the giant spiders found them already.” She looked around the hall and eyed the different pathways they could take. Suddenly the echoing of voices sounded from one of the corridors and was getting louder. Felix, Fael, and Dorian readied their staffs while Maia drew her blades.

“Really friends, put your weapons away.” A cheerful voice sounded above them and both Felix and Dorian tensed. Figures appeared from the far corridor and begun to line the wall, beginning to block off all routes except for the way they came from. “We can all be reasonable, surely.” The voice added with a little too much sweetness. Slowly they all looked up to the balcony but both Fael and Maia frowned to see the older man above them pale and stare at Felix and Dorian in shock.