DA:I | Simply Solavellan: A Timeline ✔️

Waking After the Battle

[Soundtrack: Forgotten Love by BrunuhVille]

I awoke in my bed at Skyhold as sore and battered as one could imagine after such a gruesome battle. My head was pounding, my feet felt as if a thousand needles were stabbing into them, my fingers felt swollen - all was to be expected. I faintly remembered getting hit in the head with a blunt Kunari bludgeon. I thanked the Creators it was blunt. My hand trailed up to the throbbing knot on my head. It stung just barely touching it.

I sat up and pushed the thick blankets off of me. That's when I noticed someone in my room. Varric was sitting at my desk, writing away on some manuscript.

"A tale for the ages," he said almost cheerfully. "Couldn't pass up the opportunity to write it all down." He placed the feather pen in the inkwell and stacked the manuscript pages neatly in front of him. He placed his elbows on the desk and gazed at me with admiration. "You always seem to surprise me. Hell, surprise everyone, really."

"What did I do this time that was so surprising?"

"Are you kidding? This is a love story that will last lifetimes." He stood up from the desk, placed his hands loosely behind his back and paced. "Brave heroine of Thedas leads a battle against a foreign power and her true love at the same time, all to save Thedas again and to make her lover see reason. Not to mention the fact that her true love is as ancient as Corypheus."

I sighed heavily. Solas. I didn't know where he was. All I knew was that he wasn't in my room. I had fallen asleep on the way to Skyhold. Bull was kind enough to carry me to his mount and rode with me to Skyhold, all the while making sure my sleeping body didn't fall to the ground. The last thing I remembered was looking around the battlefield at all the bodies.

"Where is he?" I asked.

Varric frowned. "He's in one of the Skyhold cells at Cassandra and Cullen's behest. It's not like he's winning any friendship awards right now. They've got a magic barrier surrounding the cell in case he woke up and tried to break out. Maker knows how strong he really is, though."

"He's strong," I muttered. "Stronger than he let on. Not at first - he was weak when he first joined us, but now..."

"He killed many of our people," he pointed out.

"He killed just as many Kunari. He saved my life, too."

"That doesn't make him a good person."

"Varric, are you here just to give me a lecture on my taste in men?"

"As much as I would love to do that, no, I'm not. You had us all worried, you know. You had taken quite a beating out there on that battlefield."

"And you all didn't?"

"We did, but you practically threw yourself in the middle of the Avvar. You know, that bionic arm doesn't make you indestructible."

I looked down at the nub. My bionic arm had been removed when I was put to bed. I caught sight of it in the corner of my eye on the nightstand.

"Where's everyone else?"

Varric sighed and sat on the edge of the bed. "Iron Lady is upset, of course, that you saved the god-leader of the elves instead of killed him like we were supposed to. She wrote an angry letter before she left and pinned it to the Skyhold door. Something about her returning to Val Royoux, and that she would not continue to openly support the Inquisition because she had her own reputation to uphold. As for everyone else, they're still here. I've been doing shifts with Sparkler, taking turns on sitting in here with you."

"You're too good to me. All of you."

"You're too good for Thedas, Inquisitor."

I gave him a weak smirk. If only that were true. Since I lost the Anchor, I had felt more useless. With the rifts and demons taken care of, it shouldn't have been a big deal. However, that mark had given me a power that I had never known. I felt almost mage-like. Now, without it, I felt incomplete. I knew I shouldn't have felt that way; it was never mine to begin with. Just a mistake from a plan gone wrong. But still... it became such a huge part of me. I tried to shake away the empty feeling it left behind. I felt almost ashamed to miss it so much. Dagna did a wonderful job on the bionic arm after all, and it came with its own special powers. I would just have to make do with that.

"In any case," he said, getting up from the bed, "I'll bet you're eager to go down to the dungeon. I'll take my leave and let you get dressed." He picked up his stack of papers from the desk, gave me a little nod, and made his way down the stairs and out the door of my chambers.

I got up from the bed and stretched my sore muscles. I had half a mind to just go back to sleep, but he was right. I was eager to see Solas. I had to talk to him.

I searched through my dresser and found a pair of soft cotton pants, my foot wraps, and a flowing top. I was not in the mood for something too snug, not while I felt this sore. Even the footwraps were starting to hurt my feet after I put them on, so I decided to not wear them after all. I left the wraps on my bed and made my way barefoot down the stairs.

Once I reached the main hall, it was almost completely abandoned. Some workers still remained - the ones we had the funding to pay. A maid was sweeping the floor while another stacked the chairs upside down on top of the long tables.

It was almost sad to see the dust accumulated on my throne. I hadn't had to judge anybody in what felt like ages. That was a good thing, but at the same time, it felt almost like the Inquisition was now obsolete. That's why we disbanded and became a support group slash diplomatic party. We were labeled heretics now more than ever, however, by the Chantry and half the people of Ferelden.

I made my way across the yard of Skyhold. The door to the dungeon was just across from Skyhold's main building. I opened it and walked inside, not bothering to shut it behind me. It was always cold in the dungeon. I walked slowly down the steps to the cells. Inside were a few guards.

"Ser," they greeted me. I gave them a nod of acknowledgment. The one at the far end of the room approached me. "Seeker Cassandra said you would be by. If you're looking for the elf, he's in the cell at the end."

The cell at the end was through a door and in another section of the dungeon. It was the part of the dungeon that was broken off, from the ceiling to the floor, leaving a gaping hole in the back. One had to be careful when walking along the pathways near the walls, for the floor gave way, leaving a cliff-like overhang what seemed like a mile above the snowy mountain's surface. The cold draft would cut you in half and chill your very bones.

I opened the door to the broken side of the dungeon and peered in. There were only two cells on the left side. The one at the end closest to the cliffside had a torch lit beside it.

I saw two pale hands held up to the torch, palms out, rubbing together every now and then. My heart stopped at the sight of even his hands. I crept down the walkway to the cell. My hands started to shake, my knees felt like they were going to give. I stopped in front of the cell, meeting the gaze of the Dread Wolf.

He lowered his hands to his side and stared into my eyes. He looked instantly saddened like he was in pain. His face contorted with apology and regret.

"Vhenan," he choked. "I am... so very sorry." He reached a hand out from the bars.

I reached mine out to him. Our fingers and palms touched flat against each other. His icy hand welcomed the warmth of my palm. Solas looked paler than usual. He looked miserable, and his body shook with cold. I saw a small plate of bread on the floor of his cell. He was provided a white tunic and brown leather pants to wear, and he wasn't given the luxury of his footwraps. There was no blanket on his cot. I was livid. Were they trying to let him die? Who's idea was this?

"I thought I could save all our people. And if I had to go against you to save them, I was willing to do so. I'm so sorry."

I cupped his cheek. "Solas. Thedas is our people."