#felthubris

⧼ ☾✦ ⸻ ❝ do you fear it ? ❞ she questioned the male before her, as she leaned against his desk, her eyes never leaving his purple-blue-hued gaze. ❝ would you not prefer to be destined for something instead of walking the unknown ? ❞ her voice echoed through the walls of his room, as her questions kept escaping her throat before a small chuckle left her lips.

❝ no that isn't it. ❞ she confessed to the mage her arms crossing around her clothed bosom as she leaned towards him her lips curling into a sly smirk. ❝ my guess is that you fear the future.❞

[Continued from here because Tumblr Editors suck] // @daughterofhighever-blog //

.     With the clear night outside degenerating into a rhythmic trickle, his muscles melting and his nerves laid bare beneath those talented hands, the atmosphere was such that Solas began to drift. A dusting of pink colors his sharp cheekbones and stretches to the tapering points of his ears, punctuating the woeful droop to his head as he relaxes against his companion. Her skilled fingers brush and toy inadvertently with his ears, causing them to twitch.

.     Solas presses the back of his hand to his cheek, as though in an attempt to hide his stark coloration.

.     His consciousness seems to have its place in his skin, and it follows the individual movements of her hands, resting just beneath the surface to note when she adds or retracts her touch. A dull throbbing at the base of his skull accompanies the press of her fingers upon a particularly tight muscle, and its subsequent release gives him a wave of relief so strong it near bowls him over. He sighs, deeply.

.     "It has been a long time since anyone paid me such attentions. I had almost forgotten how I enjoy it." He again brushes his hand against hers, as though in acknowledgement. This time his touch lingers, and the point of his index finger rests upon Elissa's nail.

"Though I am uncertain of how to... repay your kindness..."

--------------------   As Solas melted beneath her hands and leaned his head back against her chest, Elissa felt a flush begin to swell in her middle that made her feel uneasy. His skin was warm, and it felt good to touch him.

 Though as she began to think just how much she enjoyed seeing the pleasure he experienced from her touch - the way his head would tilt and droop, the way that blush plumed across his face, and the way his ears twitched as if ticklish or shivering as she brushed them with her fingertips - that was when regret and guilt began to choke her with a bitter taste.

 But the truth was, even against her conscious will, she could feel how his presence eased the painful edges of her grieving heart. She missed the warmth of another’s skin against her own; missed the sound of a beating heart beneath her head as she slept. She wanted. She needed. And she knew she shouldn’t. It was selfish of her, and it would be unfair to him.

 Still sometimes she wondered if one day she might be able to start feeling whole again if this continued - whatever this even was...

 Things would be said in that soothing voice of his that gave her reason to begin to laugh, before she’d cover her mouth in shame at forgetting her sadness even for the most passing and perfunctory of moments. Other times it was a little touch, a smile, the company of simply sitting in the same space. Moments would become minutes, and minutes would become hours. What would hours become if she let them?

How could you think to replace him? How could you take advantage of someone so dear in trying to?

 Solas wasn’t looking at her face, he wouldn’t see. Elissa allowed her eyes to drift shut, and exhaled softly with a shudder at the sound of his deep, near moaning sigh. It was weakness, but her will to resist the impulse and desire for this closeness waned with every passing moment, with every additional heartbeat spent in his company.

She didn’t even realize she’d begun pressing forward to feel more of his back against her until the hard wood of the chair started to dig against her ribs. Elissa’s bright blue eyes snapped open when she felt the tender, lingering brush of his fingers over her own.

---

"Though I am uncertain of how to... repay your kindness..."

---

A wave of shame tightened her throat at the intrusive images the low timbre in his words thrust to the forefront of her mind - those of tangled limbs, whispered endearments, and sweet caresses. Her hands stilled at once, and her posture straightened even more abruptly. As she began to pull away from him, there was still hesitation as that traitorous voice whispered naggingly into her ear.

It is not a sin to soothe one’s pain... And you will not betray the dead in trying...

❝ it's a pity what happened here. ❞ green eyes scanned the coast, the mud sinking beneath his bare feet. while the white-haired elf had his own taste of the outcomes of war, this was different. all of this was different. it was a mixture of the blight with the battle of nobility-- power, as it were.

perhaps pity would be an understatement.

The last person the Inquisitor would have considered accidentally imposing on within the Skyhold underground baths in the late of night was Solas. He supposed that seemed silly, considering anyone could have been here, although Kaaras was hoping he could sneak down here and scrub the day’s filth from himself without disrupting anyone (or anyone disrupting him). He was a finicky man, a man that usually would have a tub delivered to his personal chambers so he could clean himself as much as possible.

Alas, Kaaras was also an understanding and kind man. The hour was far too late to have the servants within the castle hauling a tub and buckets of warm water up all of those tedious stairs. It was unfair to make them do something when he could save everyone the hassle and just take a bath within those that were already running. 

The springs of the castle were a pleasant and welcomed surprise, and an easy way for others to wash away the grime of the day, or simply spend some time relaxing within the warm water. Unfortunately for Kaaras, they were public, and anyone residing within the fortress was allowed to access them. There would be no discrimination. At least, not under Kaaras’ watch. 

When he’d entered the area, it was quiet, save for the natural sounds of water trickling and moving down the rocks. That, and when the naked elf had emerged from the water, showing his pale, smooth skin.

She examined his face in sleep, wondering if he was just humoring her. If he was really awake beneath the even breath, peaceful countenance. It seemed like a play he was putting on. So, when she reached to stroke his cheek with her fingertips and kissed his temple sweetly, when she whispered to him in the dim light of morning, she did not feel bad.

Adir did as he was told, slowing down and taking a long breath in and out before looking back to him. "I keep forgetting to use my shield, and it's hard to predict where my sword needs to go to parry." He explains, trying not to show off just how embarrassed he felt.

He'd never learned close combat in his clan, having always thought that he'd have his staff on hand. But the loss of Haven proved to him that was foolish. And he'd have to learn how to use any weapon at his disposal, even if that ended up being his fists.

for once she followed the rules, she knew not to mess with her father by the tone he had commanded her with. although the banquet had begun hours ago, hedona was still in her room, placing her hair in a style worthy of the gods. hair nearly as dark as the night, curled with many plaits, with a tiara that seemed to be made of starlight. her dress was a light grey, it was nearly sheer easily able to see her silhouette, every curve was on sight, but also hid away the ugly truth of her body. ⸻ diseased and scarred.

she was ready to make her entrance, as she bit down upon a rose petal hard enough for the red tint to label across her lips. she left her room.

the elegant music of harps and flutes was heard through the corridors as she made her way to the courtroom of the castle. two guards were by the giant oak doors, their stances weighted as hedona made her presence. as soon as she entered the room, she felt the eyes and whispers on her, a smirk of joy appeared on her pale features, knowing those who gossip about was all truly bad fortune.

the elven servant already offering her the flute of ruby red wine that she grabbed of the tray without even looking at the other, it wasn't long before she felt a familiar hand on her shoulder. her eyes looked up to the taller figure of the one-handed - male ❝ father. ❞ was all she could say before she felt his hand guiding her down the marble flooring, as he kept talking on and on about the @felthubris and how she had to meet him straight away. she would have made quick wit if her father hadn't already gotten to the point of no return.

a beat, and another one ... and another.

her heart felt tight, her hues focused on the fiery red hair, long nearly to his waist in simple plaits. he must of be rather envious by the others to have hair of fire. her eyes searched his face with such intent as if she was examining, deeming his worth. he was plastered with freckles, that were rare for their kin, and eyes that were like lavender under the night sky. the beating wouldn't stop, she was no fool. her father had told her many times about the rituals of elves and if ignored long enough, she will not hear anything but the beating heart of the other pounding louder and louder until she must succumb to the bond. her mouth grew dried as her father spoke nonsense to his friend, she took a swing of her drink just to bring wetness to her mouth once more. she forced herself to smile, as her body lowered to show respect to the royal family.

⧼ ☾✦ ⸻ she had left the grand hall, leaving leilana, cullen and josephine to their own devices. her gut was telling her to flee, to get out of the situation she had found herself in. every whisper she heard, every masked stare hit her skin like needles. she knew she wasn't welcomed here, well not as a guest at least. she began to look for the man who called himself ' who introduced himself as the elven serving man on the inquisitor. ' ⸻ the fucking bastard.

so she went to search for him in the chaos of finding what she needed to get the help of orlais. she kept her head down as she walked around in the hope no noble would call out to her, then again each time the word rabbit ran through her ears she kept walking, she wouldn't answer to that, ⸻ no elf should answer to that name, even if the humans believe it's a cutesy name for the pointed eared elves, it seemed degrading. once she would have tolerated, after all her job was once dancing for these people. however, now she had importance, she didn't have to play pretend.

hedona walked into a room filled with laughs, last time she did see solas it seem he was enjoying himself and walking into a room to see him in his dark clothing, dressed as if he was a prince himself from the finest of riches and glory. it was odd to see him dressed in such fine fabric. compared to her who was also dressed for the occasion he took it that step further. black clothing, with a cloak made of the fur of a wolf. her eyebrows knitted together as the laughter was coming from solas and the circle that formed around him. he was entertaining the nobles as if he was one of them.

he had to make it difficult for her, she forced herself to smile as she walked up to the group of nobles and the mage she had brought with her, she grabbed onto his bicep to get his attention, drawing the whole conversation into silence. the eyes of the humans were on her. ❝ pardon me ⸻ may i borrow my serving man for a small moment ? there is something we need to discuss. ❞ she spoke in a friendly voice, but it had hidden irritation under her tone that only some could pick upon. she didn't even get the chance for them to answer as she was pulling solas away from the crew, she could feel the nobles staring her down in disappointment and disgust at her 'rudeness' of not even allowing the to respond to her. the brunette, who had her braids out of her hair, the saying 'let your hair down, have fun.' was something hedona too literally, but she wasn't having fun. she dragged the mage onto the balcony, closing the doors behind her so no other could disturb them for a moment.

❝ i was hoping for some advice, but it seems you are rather fond of tonight's activities. ❞ a sigh escaped her throat. ❝ maybe i should have gone to dorian, he's behaving oddly well compared to you. ❞