I said I was getting it drawn and I finally have the finished product!
I want to thank @drawinglinestoconstellations for this beautiful, beautiful rendition of that little scene in my head. Everything about this is perfect, from the ambiance to the characters, to the magic and the ghostly spirit form of Solas behind Ellana. I love it so much!!! Please, if you're looking for art, you NEED to commission @drawinglinestoconstellations !!
Here's her carrd to see all the platforms she posts on:
Now, here's a draft of the scene I envisioned:
“When did you realize you were in love with me?”
The question broke apart the companionable silence as spring breaks the ice. Ellana and Solas lounged in her room on her plush, Orlesian bed, his head in her lap as she ran her fingers along every groove and curve of the wolf jaw bone necklace that was a staple of his outfit. He had his eyes closed, enjoying the cool breeze wafting in from the open balcony window, bringing with it the earthy scent of the herbs in the garden below. Every now and then, he felt her fingers brushing over his face when her interest moved from the necklace to counting the freckles across his cheeks.
Ellana stopped fidgeting and gazed down at him, wondering if he had fallen asleep. Then a divet formed between his brows and his cheeks warmed against her fingertips. Red bloomed in his cheeks as he opened his eyes.
“What’s that look for?” Ellana asked with a laugh, tilting her head to the side. “Are you blushing?”
“I am not,” he replied defensively, even though the evidence was plain as day.
“Then tell me,” she encouraged, an easy smile on her face and a glint of amusement in her eyes.
He hesitated once more and wished he could hide beneath Ellana's golden hair draping around his head.
“Very well,” he finally conceded. “First, a confession: I had been noticing you leaving Skyhold in the pre-dawn hours. Curiosity got the better of me, so one morning I followed to see where you would go.”
“What were you doing awake so early?”
“... Vhenan, is that what concerns you? Not the obvious breach of your privacy?”
“Oh, right. How far did you follow me?”
“All the way to the clearing in the forest down the mountain.”
The realization brought Ellana's face to the same shade as his. Embarrassment flooded her veins. “All the way there? Then you saw–”
“Indeed,” Solas admitted. He found the glow of her face endearing. “You needn't be embarrassed, vhenan. After all, when I saw you dancing is when I truly fell in love with you.”
Her eyes widened in shock. “Really?”
“Yes,” he said, his expression now full of earnest conviction. “You danced with a grace and beauty I have not seen for a very long time. Weaving your magic, you shone like the very Fade itself. I was enchanted. It reminded me of the purest spirits I encountered in the deepest reaches of the Fade. It felt like home.”
Ellana was breathless, his words rolling against her as waves on the shore. He truly had a gift with words. “...Home?” she questioned. He only mentioned once that he grew up in a small village to the north. A village that respected spirits? Was he from Rivain maybe? Nevarra?
She watched as his eyes glazed over, his attention dragged to a painful past. His sorrow was a black abyss with no bottom and she felt it in the very marrow of her bones. It killed her when those memories, whatever they were, possessed him. They held him fleetingly, only a hairs breadth of a moment and then the cloud passed from his eyes and they brightened with love and warmth.
“Yes,” he said. “I spend so much time in the Fade that it feels more real to me than my own home. Only you rival that feeling.”
Shyness took hold and she turned her face from him. “Sweet talker,” she murmured as a contemplative silence fell over them. Then she met his gaze once more and cupped his cheeks in her hands. “Come with me next time,” she offered.
Solas stared up at her in wonder. He sat up and turned towards her. She moved with him, but was distracted by the plans she was making.
“We could have a picnic and dance. Sometimes wisps visit and join me. Maybe together we could attract other spirits to dance with, or, you know, we could just swim or enjoy th– mmf!”
Before she knew it, his lips were on hers, his fingers in her hair. She melted into the kiss and desire settled into her core as he tilted her chin up to deepen it, his tongue gliding along hers. Light-headed, she gripped his shirt for support and found that it ended way too soon. Lids heavy with contentment, she slowly opened her eyes and found him smiling at her. The love for her shining in his eyes had her glad she was sitting on the bed because it made her knees weak.
“What was that for?” she whispered, licking her swollen lips.
He chuckled, amused by her winded response. “You continue to surprise me, vhenan, that's all,” he said. “I've been wanting to ask to join you, but I felt it wasn't right. Admittedly, I followed you more than once. Sometimes I feel you know me better than anyone ever has and I greatly appreciate that. I appreciate you.”
Her face softened into a smile as she rested a hand against his cheek, caressing it with the pad of her thumb. He closed his eyes and she leaned in to press a gentle kiss against his lips.
“I'd like that,” he replied as he lowered her down onto the bed.
If they could untangle themselves and get out of bed in the morning.
