#one lavellan

Fleshing her out has been easy, that's what i DO when it comes to character design, but giving her q physical form? Has been lots of avoiding it lmao!!!! I have her one son designed so in theory I can work backwards from that but like.... I sorta wanna redesign him. and his other parent. and she has a second child I should design.

xOne Lavellan, Arelle, Solas. 4310 words

×Motherhood, breast feeding, flash fic (when the inspiration strikes I can't say no), switching perspectives, Solavellan post break up, Elven gender ceremonies

The bundle fidgeted against her breast and she moved to shush it, adjusting herself so the small babe could feed, it's tiny hands batting against her shirts clasps and kneading into the tender flesh. One winced and leaned back onto her heels, looking up into the sky as she tucked her hand under the swaddled baby's head to give it some extra support.

Letters had flown back and fourth faster than time could pass, and last she had heard Keeper Deshanna had packed up the entire clan and was moving them north to Skyhold. Then had come the silence, which seemed to slow her world to a halt.

No more carrier birds, no more messengers with word from a different messenger who had heard from one of Leliana's spies where the Clan may have been last spotted, no more eager shining eyes as she waited up in the night- too excited for the far future to sleep. And oh how far it seemed now.

One winced and moved the babe to the opposite breast, covering herself again as she did so; the gardens offered some privacy, but never as much that made her feel safe from the gaze of what seemed to be- in her mind- every single human to ever live.

She took a deep breath, than another, and one more, letting them all out slowly to calm herself.

She was safe her; her unnamed babe was safe here. Just because she was hyper aware of every being around her does not mean they were paying her any more mind than needed. As the tension eased from her, the infant shuffled again- hands clutching and pinching at anything they would reach, soft noises turning to whines before One managed to bring the small thing up to her shoulder, rubbing deep slow circles over the smooth fabric of the swaddle.

Silence enveloped her again as she moved the babe back, tucking it's tiny hands against its chest and wrapping it back up, pressing soft kiss after soft kiss to its impossibly tiny forehead. She adjusted the strap and leaned forward again, picking up the dropped elfroot and restarting the tie over the bushel.

Moving it to the side a blur was the only warning One had before a tiny bullet of an elf child was burrowing and nestling into her arms, tucking itself under her armpit and jumping up and down. Laughter bubbled up impossibly fast and washed away the pain as the child screamed happily into her ribs.

"It's so small." One looked up through the haze of joyous tears at her son, who crouched over and and stuck a hand into the face of his wide eyed and confused sibling. "It still has no name?" One nodded and reached her on free arm to him, simply patting at his arms until he leaned down into her one armed hug.

When Arelle and Leon pulled away the new babe still did not cry, it simply watched in awe, mind taking in all it could; tiny fists clenching and unclenching in its swaddle as family reunited at last, work forgotten as mother stood, taking her childrens hands and leading them back to the Garden entrance where Keeper Deshanna waited, arm outstretched to take One's face in her palm.

Solas stood to the side, back rigid with his errand temporarily forgotten, papers loose in his hands as they dropped and clenched against the notes. He watched the Elven child who could not have been more than 2 years race around the Herald, beside her stood her son, their bodies looking all the world like they would meld at the elbows.

"She would be happy to introduce you to them." Cole said lowly from his side, his head dipped but eyes watching from under his hat. "They would love to meet you as well. Open hearts, minds reaching wishing, connection and love; desperate for a fireside whispered stories 'Arelle has chosen their calling' she'll smile face beaming; a woven necklace with 3 deep color wooden beads; 'look Mamae look'-"

"You shouldn't be telling me this, it's deeply private information Cole."

"You could be there." Cole emphasized, almost ignoring his words, pressing his cold hands against Solas' arm. "She would want you to be there."

Solas shook his head once. Then again to clear his voice. And again because it hadn't worked, it wouldn't work. He turned sharply on his heel, walking a brisk pace to compose himself- back to his tower; where he was safe, where she would leave him alone when he asked. Where he wouldn't have to see what he missed so badly.

Joy.

The child's reveal to it's family who it would be from now on.

The wooden beads, crafted clumsily and painted by it's own tiny hands, as an aunt guided through the steps, soft encouragement every motion of the way.

He pushed the memories down, locked the revel away, and slammed the door shut behind him- letting the aggressive echo scare away the fear within his soul. That he was wrong, that he knew he was wrong.

-

Arelle's tiny hands held out the necklace to their mother, face beaming as she counted the beads and announced the colours aloud, voice shaking with love. They tucked themselves into their mothers thigh, smiling a huge toothy smile at their brother, and towards the guest mother had invited- his nerves made Arelle want to laugh as much as his funny mustache did.

she gives her all in everything she does and is such a GENUINELY upbeat and kind person that Cole is legitimately drawn to her as a spirit of compassion for her compassion

like ofc she has dark days, she has mental health issues, but she also has great coping mechanisms (essentially DBT/CBT) and her clan is an amazingly uplifting force in her life and identity