Summary: Kaaras has a problem. Lucky for him, he’s been training all his life to deal with it. He’s going to need a room with only one exit, a plate of cookies, and a whole lot of patience to settle things, but it’s for the good of Skyhold. Now, if he could only do it before his migraine melted his brain...
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“Thank you for stopping to see me on such short notice, Kaaras.”
Why did getting called to Josephine’s office feel like he was getting lectured?
Kaaras at least got to sit for this as he settled into the chair across the desk from his head ambassador. Like always, it was piled high with papers and letters from various dignitaries and countries that needed their help. If it was up to him, he probably would’ve read through all of them and never got anything done, but the Antivan was far better at this sort of thing than he was. Her summaries helped move things along and allowed him to make proper decisions… but he got the feeling as she looked at him that it wasn’t about that.
Oh boy… what had he done this time?
“I’m always happy to help, Josephine.” Even his smile felt awkward as he tried to keep calm. Naturally, that was impossible for him – he always ran a bit nervous. His aunt had told him he needed a proper outlet for it, and at one point he had taken up jewelry making as a way to quiet both his hands and mind. Now he was great at it but bringing his tools to meetings tended to be frowned upon… so there went his coping strategy.
Maybe he needed a quiet one, so he didn’t wind up picking the skin off his hands.
The human in front of him smiled back, but her eyes said it was straight to business time as she sat as well. “I do hope I am not being too presumptuous with my request.”
“Hard to say, I don’t even know what it is yet. I doubt it, mind you. You’re the soul of propriety.”
At least he wasn’t babbling. Score one for the Dalish-qunari federation of two.
She smiled at him, but that soon faded as she shook her head. “Normally, I would just let them settle things amongst themselves, but things are beginning to get out of hand.”
Her words set up a number of possibilities in his mind as he sat there. Orlais and Ferelden were naturally near the top, but of course there were still plenty of mage and templar flare ups to be dealt with. For all he knew this could be about two noble families doing stupid noble shit to each other.
But… her words also made him doubt that. What would be presumptuous about that?
Josephine took his silence on the matter and continued. “Forgive me, but I would request you oversee the dispute between Jackel and Akri.”
Ah.
Kaaras could already feel the headache blooming as he resisted the urge to pinch the bridge of his nose. “What did I miss when I was out fighting that dragon?”
It had been one of the rare times that he hadn’t taken either both of them or at least one member of his family. Both had been preoccupied with other tasks and begged off, citing they had something important to handle. He had gone off without them, taking a few members of his inner circle to literally cross swords with an honest-to-the-Creators dragon that was causing havoc in one of the areas they were stabilizing. It had been a nasty fight, and he was just starting to settle back into being in Skyhold again.
Now this.
His ambassador nudged a piece of chocolate towards him – probably her version of a bribe. He took it anyway, mostly because chocolate was proving to be quite a boon in dealing with his headaches. If only he would have had it when his horns were growing in, maybe he wouldn’t have had to drink all that nasty tea…
But he was avoiding the problem. He did that a lot. It was kind of bad form when you led an organization.
“I am unsure. Everything was fine until a few days ago, then they started arguing with each other nearly every time they met. I fear it may come to blows at this rate, and I honestly cannot tell who would come off the worse. Josephine sighed again. “Does this sort of thing happen often with your family?”
Well, let’s see…was it normal for two people with strong personalities and stubborn natures to butt heads?
Was the sky fucking blue?
It must have been written all over his face, because Josephine pushed another piece of chocolate his way, maybe out of sympathy. “I don’t want to overstep any boundaries, but their last blow up was in the library and it put quite a few people off. Could you please talk to them and see if you could sort things out?”
Kaaras responded by popping the chocolate in his mouth and sighing as it began to melt. Once he had swallowed, he nodded. “I’m probably the only one who can get to them right now anyway. At least Akri can control his magic now, it was even worse when they were younger.”
He still had scars from those days. Lucky for him, he was must better at dodging now.
“Thank you, Kaaras.” She smiled at him. “And… would it be too much to see if you could resolve things quickly?”
“Quickly is the only way you can do these things. You need to catch them off guard.” He stood. “I’m going to need an empty room with no windows and one door. Also, if I could get some cookies or something else sweet.”
A plan was already starting to bloom as the chocolate worked its way through his sore brain. Lucky for him, he had years of experience of dealing with the pair when they were at their worst. It was time to get to work.
---
A few hours later, Kaaras found himself in the mentioned room. Josephine had made sure to find a decently sized one with thick walls, away from people. The only furniture inside was a table and three chairs – everything else had been moved out for safety’s sake.
And of course, he had the cookies. Today’s batch was chocolate chip, which in itself felt like a good luck charm.
Like clockwork, he heard his first target coming before he saw her. Jackel was quiet, but he had grown up with her. More than that, he knew she couldn’t say no to sweets. That was all he needed as he opened the door after waiting for a few seconds.
“Thanks for coming, Jacks. I could really use your help.”
His cousin, far smaller and thinner than he was even as a child, looked suspicious as she stepped through. He did his best to keep his face neutral as he gestured to the table where the cookies were waiting. Naturally, she went right for them, one going immediately into her mouth as she settled into perching on the chair.
“So, you wanted to go over shit you found fighting that dragon? Not sure why you need me, that’s more a magic nerd thing.”
The mere mention of magic nerds made Jackel scowl, and she shoved another cookie into her mouth. Kaaras felt the sweat bead on the back of his neck, but he didn’t let it show as he sat down as well. She had to think he was genuine for this to work – otherwise, she’d leave.
That was why there were no windows. She was prone to jumping out, especially if there was a nearby tree.
“I’m pretty sure this isn’t magical. Dorian gave it a once over when we found it, but he said he didn’t feel anything.” He placed the dagger on the table. Honestly, he had wanted to talk to her about it – tools like this was really her area of expertise. “I’m thinking it’s from Orlais based on the handle, but there was nothing Orlesian around it. Maybe it’s from a scouting party?”
Jackel picked it up, holding it between her hands. “Yeah, but it looks like the dragon shit it out. Where the hell did you find this?”
Not up a dragon’s ass…
Kaaras didn’t get the chance to answer – he heard the sound of footsteps approaching. Lucky for him, the dagger had caught Jackel’s interest for the moment. He used that moment to stand and walk to the door. When she got like that, nothing could pull her out.
Was it wrong to use that against her? Maybe, but if it was as bad as Josephine had said, he needed all the help he could get.
Without a word, he opened the door. Just like he thought, his brother was standing on the other side. Like always, Akri looked prickly. However, thanks to how he had arranged the room, he couldn’t see the other member at the table.
This was why Kaaras had been so insistent about the room. Optics were everything in this operation.
“You wanted me to look at some magic stuff you found while killing that dragon?”
Before Jackel could react, Kaaras grabbed his brother’s arm and pulled him in. The sudden throw got him off his feet, enough that he stumbled away from the door. As soon as he had, he threw the key into the lock and clicked it shut. Then the key went into his pocket, and he sat down, chair against the door.
Sadly, that was the easy part.
“What the- “Akri’s face soon hardened as he saw the room’s other occupant. “Oh, come the fuck on.”
Jackel shot him a dirty look as she glanced around the room. Betrayal crossed her face as she glared over at Kaaras. She always was good at figuring this kind of thing out, but sometimes he could trick her.
They were both going to be pissed at him after, but he would take a united front against a destruction derby.
“You’re so dead when this is over.” She shot Akri another glare. “I have nothing to say to you, asshole.”
Akri snorted as he spun his chair around and sat down, crossing his arms over the top. “That makes two of us, you dick.”
Ah, lovely. It wasn’t as bad as he had thought. At the very least they were still insulting each other. The worst was when they didn’t talk at all. There was hope yet for a peaceful conclusion to the matter…
He just had to nudge them.
Kaaras looked from cousin to brother as he gauged their reactions. “I only did this because Josephine told me you two were causing a ruckus in the library. Poor Trevy wound up reshelving half the entropy section because of your fight.”
His cousin snorted at that. “Blame your brother, he’s the one with the magic.”
“Blame your cousin, she’s the one who fucking started it.”
How the hell were they adults again?
The headache was starting to return. All Kaaras could do was pinch the bridge of his nose in a hope to ward off the worst of it. His hand sparked as he did, filling his veins with fire. In a weird way, it was a reminder that this wasn’t just a regular argument. After all, all three were involved with the Inquisition now. They needed to resolve this peacefully.
Also? It hurt like shit. He wanted to go to bed, but instead he was stuck dealing with his stupid family.
“I don’t care who started it.” Creators, he sounded like his father right then. Talk about a nightmare. “It’s fine if you’re mad at each other, but it’s dragging other people into it and I’m not going to watch what happened last time go down again.”
The scar on his wrist throbbed in memory, but he kept it off his face as he looked from person to person. Akri and Jackel were annoyed, but at least they weren’t throwing anything. Though, that was probably because there was nothing to throw.
He was an old hand at this.
Sighing, Kaaras did allow for a pinch to the bridge of his nose to stop the headache. “So, mind telling me what the problem is?”
“Don’t see how that’s any of your fucking business, Kaas.” Akri wasn’t quite at a snarl, but he was pissed. “I don’t feel like talking anyway.”
Jackel was picking at another cookie. “I’m with the asshole on this one.”
Yep, his headache was even worse.
“Fine, then we’re just going to sit here until you do feel like it. Josephine cleared my schedule for this.” He crossed one leg over the other. “So, I’m sure you have better things to do than glare at me. Might as well get it over with so you can go off and do them.”
Before either could try it, he added, “My chair is enchanted, by the way. You’re not going to be able to get me out of it until I decide to get up on my own. So, don’t even think about trying that, Akri.”
It wasn’t often he got to outsmart his family – but he had experience in the matter. And bruises, a lot of healed bruises from moments like this. Sometimes, he just had to shut off all other routes of escape to get these assholes to deal with whatever was bothering them.
He was starting to get an idea though. Only one thing could probably annoy them this much…
“Why don’t you ask your horn dog of a brother?”
Ah, right on the money.
Akri glared over at Jackel, who continued to innocently pick at her cookie. “It was my fucking night- “
“And you did it in my spot!”
His brother rolled his eyes as he scowled. “How the fuck was I supposed to know that random ass spot was your area with him? We don’t exactly share our fucking spots! If it was so important, Bull should’ve said something! Besides, that doesn’t exactly let you fuck with my experiment!”
“How was I supposed to know that random ass spot was so important?”
Their voices were starting to get to shouting level. Lucky for him, the walls were thick enough to muffle it. They could scream until they were hoarse (hopefully not, mind you) and no one would ever hear it. It would give him the world’s worst headache, but at least he would manage to keep the peace.
At least he had the picture now.
Kaaras once again pinched the bridge of his nose. “So… if I have this right… Jackel, you’re mad at Akri because he was intimate with Bull in a space you keep special for just the two of you.”
When she nodded, he turned to his brother. “And Akri, you’re upset because you think she messed with your experiment in revenge for this.”
Another nod. Good. They were getting somewhere.
He let the matter hang in the air as the two fumed over their issues. Sometimes, it took someone else saying it for the full emphasis to drop on how ridiculous they were both being. But they were making good time… maybe he could catch a nap after all. He really needed it – the headache was only getting worse. Plus, he needed to change clothes… it was getting kind of hot in there.
Who knew being around two hotheads could raise the room temperature?
A few moments later, he let out a sigh as he ran his non-glowing death hand over his hair. “There’s no right side to this, you know.”
Before both could start to shout at him, he added, “You both crossed each other’s boundaries. This could have been solved with better communication. How was Akri supposed to know that was your special space, Jackel?”
His cousin sucked in her cheek – she could see the logic. “He could have asked Bull…”
“It was dark. You know his night vision’s shit.” At least Akri wasn’t shouting. That was a good sign. “I didn’t fucking do it on purpose, it was an accident. You can’t fucking claim the same, you cost me two weeks of work!”
And he was starting to raise his voice. Shit. Things had been going so well too…
Jackel scowled at him. “I don’t know what magic looks like, I can’t even read! How the hell was I supposed to know I was walking through mage shit?”
Akri’s scowl turned into more of a frown – that was his tell. “I had the damn area blocked off…”
“Half of Skyhold is blocked off, the damn place is a fucking ruin.” Jackel picked at another cookie – she had left two. “It’s not like I did it on purpose, I just needed to be by myself after all this.”
The tension was starting to evaporate from the room. Akri and Jackel weren’t looking at each other, probably because they were feeling a little stupid and didn’t want to admit it. By now, they should’ve been used to this feeling – it wasn’t exactly their first fight. Damn the fact they had similar personalities when it came to getting pissed.
But still... a win was a win.
“So, it sounds like you both didn’t mean it. It still happened, but it wasn’t done on purpose.” He sighed in relief as he felt his forehead throb and stomach start to churn. Neither were exactly promising signs, but he just had a bit further to go to make sure Skyhold wouldn’t fall apart due to these two and their argument. “Sound good?”
Jackel nudged the plate close to Akri. “You still need a better way to mark your spots off.”
He accepted the cookie. “Right back at you. Maybe we should bend branches or something so the shems can’t figure it out.”
“There’s plenty of walls to carve a symbol or something in too.”
Wonderful, they were thinking about solutions. This had gone better than he had hoped. Kaaras’ shoulders sagged in relief as he allowed his eyes to close briefly. His head had gone straight into fucking killing him mode in the last few minutes, so they had wrapped things up with plenty of time for him to wish he was in a coma.
Whatever was causing these headaches needed to fucking stop… but at least the quiet helped him not want to throw up.
“Kaas, you ok over there? You’re looking green as hell.”
Akri’s voice was calm, but it still hurt. The palm on his forehead was cool, though. He was almost sad for it to be pulled away with a hiss.
“Shit, he’s burning up.”
Jackel’s chair scraped as she went somewhere, he didn’t know where. “He’s probably fucking overdoing it again. Come on, let’s get his dumb ass to bed before he passes out.”
The enchantment tingled as Kaaras tapped the chair and took a shaky step to stand. Almost at once, he stumbled. Lucky for him, his brother was way bigger and stronger than he was. No floor naps for him.
“I got you, Kaas.” Then his feet were off the ground. “Damn it, did you eat anything while you were killing that dragon? You’ve lost like ten pounds at least.”
They were moving now – the motion made his stomach churn, but at least he didn’t have anything in it to void. All he could hope for was that they were going through a quiet route. People tended to get upset when they saw their leader out of commission.
“I was fine… until a few minutes ago.”
Jackel snorted somewhere near his side. “Bullshit, you’ve worked with the flu before. I can’t believe Josie didn’t notice the shitty condition you’re in.”
Neither did he apparently… maybe that wasn’t a good sign.
After a few flights of stairs, Kaaras felt his back land on something soft. Akri slipped off his jacket and helped him work his way out of his upper shirt. Then it was straight to pillow town, operation him.
“Thanks…”
From the sound of things, Jackel was sitting nearby – so was Akri. “Just get some fucking rest, moron. If you’re up later, we’ll get you some dinner.”
“We’ll make sure nobody comes to fuck with you.”
Well, at least they were working as a unit again. Kaaras could be glad for that as he buried his burning face in the pillow to sleep off his headache. Nothing like a family medical emergency to bring people together…
You think it would teach them to talk things out, but it never did. At least they had him to sort things out… though he would’ve preferred to do it without his body crapping out on him like that.
Oh well… he could worry about that later, after his nap. With any luck, Josephine would come up to look for him and get the good news. That would save him giving a follow up report of how his family’s sex and work life had become hopelessly intertwined.
Creators, he would give his left hand to avoid that…
Summary: Kaaras is gone and so is 85% of Jackel’s impulse control. When she gets sauced to the gills, Bull is there to take her home. Drunk words are sober truth, though, and he gets an earful. Honestly, it’s one of his better times babysitting a drunk. Maybe even his best.Word count: 1058
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“I'm perfectly... I'm ok!”
Oh no, she definitely wasn't.
Bull shook his head as he continuedto guide Jackel along. For being such a small woman, she had quite alot of fight in her. He really had to apply his strength – gentlyof course – to keep her on target towards a safe place to lay herhead.
There were few of those. He ran themdown. Kaaras and Akri were both gone off on something, so there wastwo of three right there. Trevy was busy filing away new books thathad been brought by breathless scouts, so there went the last one.Based on that, he was out of options.
“Why aren't we going to your room?”
Jackel hiccuped quietly next to him.Even from way down there, he could smell the mead on her. She had hitthe bar hard that night without anyone to stop her. Now, to say shewas sauced to the gills was putting it lightly. She was plain oldgone.
Up above her, Bull kept moving.“Because you're drunk.”
“No I'm not.” And then he had topull her back just before she walked straight into a wall. “...Ok.”
One of the great things when she wasthis far gone was that suggestions were great. Tonight's suggestionwas bedtime. Of course, that meant taking her to her own room sinceall other options were unavailable.
It was rare for Bull to go there;actually, it was pretty unusual for even Jackel to be there. Mostnights she stayed either with him, her family, or the mage. Ifsomehow none of those options were available or palatable, she had aroom off the grand hall. Honestly, he had never even seen it before.
Guess there was a first time foreverything.
It was Josephine who had told himwhere her room was after she had seen for herself the state the elfwas in. Now they were standing in front of it as he tried to slidethe key into the lock. A lack of depth perception and just howfucking dark it was made things difficult, but eventually it clickedopen. Still, it was a blow to the pride to realize just how long ithad been.
Somebody could've snuck up on him andknifed him in the back; what an embarrassing way to go.
“In we go, Jack.”
Instead of stumbling in, she held ontight to his one hand. Her fingers rubbed clumsily against his,settling into the groove of his missing fingers. Something about thesensation always calmed her down, but she never admitted it. It wasall in her shoulders.
“Can you stay?”
There was such a lonely, pleadingtone to Jackel's voice that it nearly broke his heart. How could hesay no? Bull could only hope he would be able to fit the fuck insideas he ducked his head to enter. Luckily, on the other side he couldstand.
Surprisingly though, he wasn't theonly prick in her life.
Every single surface of Jackel's roombesides the bed was occupied by a potted cactus. He didn't know awhole lot about plants, but Bull was pretty certain most of thesewere in fine health. In fact, they looked perfect. Some, much to hissurprise, even seemed to be from Par Vollen.
“Didn't know you liked cacti.”
“Auntie Herah started...” andthen she mumbled as she headed towards her bed, falling face firstinto it with a slight groan. Maybe the alcohol was starting to wearoff. If there was any truth in the world, she'd have one hell of aheadache in the morning.
Some Templar was going to fucking getit, he knew that much.
Now at this point, Bull could'veleft. Instead, he closed the door behind them and moved a spinelesscactus off a chair that looked like it could support his weight. Itheld as he sat back, facing Jackel's bed where she was half hangingoff, feet dangling close to the ground.
Yep... this was the one he was crazyabout. Love was fucking weird that way.
Bull let out a low chuckle as heleaned across to place a brief kiss on the top of her head. “Sleepwell, Jack.”
She muttered something under herbreath, muffled by the pillow. Only one word came out that he couldactually here. “vhenan.”
Oh...
Oh he knew that one. Oh he definitelyknew that one.
In response, he shook his head andlet out a low chuckle.“Now I know you're way too drunk, Jackel.”
The elf might have been drunk, butthe look she gave him when she rose up on one elbow shot straight tohis very soul. Jackel slurred something in elvhen before droppingback down, groaning as her stomach turned. This one, this one he knewtoo. He had heard Akri mutter it, seen Kaaras turn bright red as hespat it out to Dorian when he thought no one was watching. It didn'tsound as nice when drunk, but it was just as good.
Ar lath ma, vhenan.
Bull allowed the smile to spreadacross his face as he reached across to tuck her into bed so shedidn't roll onto the floor. “Love you too.”
Jackel snorted and curled deeper intothe pillow. In the morning, she would either have no memory of it orwould deny she had said it at all. He would let her; he knew betterthan anyone in Skyhold how hard emotions like that were. Still, heheld it close to his chest and treasured it. It was likely the onlyone he was ever going to get from her.
And so, Bull felt himself starting todrift off among the cacti as he watched the elf sleep off her drunkenbinge. His back and knee were going to kill him in the morning, butthat was ok. He was pretty good at working through the pain.
Besides, she might throw up orsomething. Somebody ought to be there. Might as well be him. That waskind of his job. Though, as he started to nod off, Bull had to admithe liked the sound of vhenan when it came from her lips.
Topic: Smut
Characters: Akri, Jackel, and Kaaras/Dorian
Summary: Where the fuck is Kaaras? Ah, don’t worry, I’m sure he’ll come soon.
Warning: Slight NSFW at one point.
Word count: 1244
---
You think it would be easy to spot a redheaded qunari in Skyhold, but you'd be wrong.
“Mythal's tits, where the hell did he get to?”
“We've checked everywhere – quarters, library, training field. He's not out on a mission either.”
To put it bluntly, Jackel and Akri were beside themselves as they scanned the courtyard for the third time since they had started their search over an hour ago. No matter where they looked, there wasn't hide nor hair to indicate that Kaaras had been there. It was as if he had vanished.
Normally, they wouldn't have minded much. He was an adult and free to go wherever he wanted when nobody was bothering him. However, a letter from their clan had come in, and it would have been wrong to leave him out of his parents' well wishes.
Problem was, finding him had proven to be quite a feat.
“Are you sure we didn't miss him going out?” Akri frowned as he sat down on the stairs, taking his cousin down with him. In some aspects, it reminded him of when they were kids and his older brother had run off into the woods to be on his own. Only problem was, they were kind of on a mountain, and it was a long way down.
Jackel shook her head as she looked towards the gates. “No, definitely not. We would've heard something. Besides, he normally takes at least one of us with him or tells us where he's going.”
Kaaras hadn't mentioned a mission, and even the last minute emergencies had at least a flurry of activity or shouting for the Inquisitor that told them he would be leaving soon with some frantic scout pouting at a rift or a dragon. Those two were in short supply at the moment, and the panic level on most of their scouts was pretty decent thanks to a change in rotation. So, anything that would have pulled him away wasn't present.
Where the hell was he?
“Maybe we should check the library one more time. We could've missed him moving around.” Akri groaned as he stood, holding onto his lower back. “Going to need to ice that later.”
Up above, his cousin snickered. “That's what you get for having Bull against the wall when it isn't your turn.”
“We can discuss the bad energy that comes from fucking our mutual lover out of schedule when we find Kaaras. Creators knows he'll be game for kink shaming.” Akri kept his head high in the air as they continued their journey, just barely missing the top of the door as they entered Skyhold's main building once more. Most of the nobles gave them a wide pass, which neither of them minded. Most of them smelled too strongly of perfume anyway.
The library, when they got to it, was as quiet as ever though. Even worse, there was no sign of the qunari as they looked around, trying to spot the familiar bun of red hair or curved horns. However, there was someone else there, standing a half head above the regular crowd, that was a sight for sore eyes.
Jackel waved as they approached Trevy, the mage currently sorting through books. “Trev, have you seen Kaas?”
It took her a few seconds to process people were talking to her, but she booted back up. “Is he missing?”
She had the grace – or perhaps the understanding by now – not to sound too surprised that they couldn't find him. Most people would've led into a height joke, even though he wasn't all that tall compared to others. Maybe it was because she had stood next to Akri and Iron Bull to get a proper gauge of qunari heights, or just her own sense of propriety. Either way, it was appreciated at the moment.
“Well, probably not, but we can't seem to find him.” Jackel looked around some more, frowning. “Has he been here?”
Much to her relief, the mage nodded. “Yeah, about a half hour or so ago he came in looking for Dorian. I think he sent Kaaras a note about wanting to show him something. Last I heard, I think they were going to his quarters?”
So, it really had been a double reach around. At least they had a real lead on him now. Akri and Jackel were happy to leave the library after a quick thank you to the mage for her tip. Crossing back into the Great Hall was easier now, especially since the entrance to the Inquisitor's private part of Skyhold was right nearby.
It was the one with the horn gauges in the door beam. Sometimes, missteps happened.
“I wonder what ol' staff nerd wanted to show Kaas, though.” Akri kept one of his hands in his jacket as he rounded the stairs up. “Not like he does time magic.”
“Eh, sounds like he pulled him away for a nap or s-” the words died in Jackel's throat as her head cleared the landing. “Oh my gods.”
The sentiment was shared between them when they both were on equal footing. Somehow, they had missed the noises, moans really, but not the clothes scattered about on the floor as if they had been torn away.
Actually, torn away might have been an apt description, given what was going on.
“Fen'hendis, don't stop...”
Kaaras wasn't one for swearing, but given that Dorian's head was between his legs it might have been appropriate. One of his hands was wrapped around the bedpost, the other buried in the mage's normally perfect hair. His apparently now lover didn't answer – probably couldn't answer given what his tongue was up to – but he did manage to make the qunari squeak with whatever he was doing.
One thing was clear – neither was aware they had an audience. Maybe if they had been, they would've made a grab for clothes, or Dorian would've taken his hands away from their cousin's privates. Instead, they were still going at it.
Akri had the decency to clear his throat. “Well... good to see you're branching out in technique, Dorian.”
Without another word, he descended the stairs as up above, the couple scrambled to find their clothes to put on. Neither he nor Jackel said a word until they had reached the Grand Hall and sunk into a nearby bench, and even then a long moment passed between them.
It was the elf who eventually spoke first as she climbed down to make a grab for some sweet on the table in front of them that a noble had left behind. “Our little Kaas is growing up.”
“Growing up and getting eaten out, apparently.” A pained expression passed over Akri's face as he closed his eyes. “Gods, I never want to see my brother's tits again as long as I live.”
Next to him, Jackel snickered as she peeled apart the wrapping of the treat. “Put me down for that in regards to Dorian's cock and we have a deal.”
Oh, they were going to have material for days when Dorian and Kaaras eventually joined them down in the Grand Hall. But until then, they were content to stew in the fact that at least they knew the men of Tevinter were circumcised.
Neither really needed to know that, but it was a fun fact to pull out nonetheless.
I wanted to talk a little about Kaaras’ family, but first I had to explain the dynamic that the dynamic trio has.
Kaaras and Akri are brothers. Jackel is their first cousin (Her mother, Revas Lavellan, is Emerion Lavellan’s sister.) However, because they were born close in age, they pretty much grew up together. Not only that, Revas was Akri’s magic teacher, while Herah took Jackel under her wing for quite some time. Thus, scousins: sibling-cousins. Oftentimes the boys will call Jackel their sister, and she repeats the comment in kind. People learn to roll with that.
Also if you’ll notice Ena Adaar is much younger than the trio. Like her eldest brother... she was a whoops baby. Herah Adaar thought she was done but lol no have another surprise baby. Emerion almost fainted when she told him. Ena was born by the time Akri and Jackel reached Haven, though none of them meet her until they run into their clan some time in Skyhold.
Anyway, details under the cut.
Oldest child, Kaaras Adaar. Age 24 and a half at the time of the Conclave. Elf-blooded qunari, Dalish. Trans man, gay as hell, and likes to set himself on fire for funsies. Oftentimes the voice of reason... but also often the sound of anxiety. Probably shouldn’t be Inquisitor, but he is. Fuck his life.
Middle child, Akri Adaar. Age 20 (nearly 21) at the time of the Conclave. Elf-blooded qunari, Dalish. Cis, but also gay as hell, and he likes to set other people on fire for funsies. Rebel with a cause and a chip on his shoulders. Was gonna be first, but that didn’t happen (see chip on shoulder). Dalish adviser, also talks magic.
Middle child, Jackel Lavellan. Age 18 at the time of the Conclave. Elf, Dalish. Cis, bisexual, and would rather stab or poison you, then set your dead body on fire for work. She’s a spitfire, and she will talk your ears off if you piss her off. Handles high priority assassinations that Leliana’s spies can’t. Also chief lookout, mainly by hanging on the nearest tall person’s shoulders.
Youngest child, Ena Adaar. 2 by Trespasser. Elf-blooded qunari, Dalish. She’s just working out the walking and talking thing so gender and sexuality haven’t come up, nor has her opinion on setting people on fire. She’s a baby around the destruction of Haven, so her personality hasn’t formed beyond likes milk and loves mama and ada. Voted best baby at Skyhold. Probably already knows how to handle an army better than Cullen.
Summary: Trevy's job brings her into contact with Josephine's secret stash. Luckily, she's got the number one stash raider on her shoulders, prompting her to minor crime. Hey, technically it's research...
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The best part about meetings in the War Room was that she didn’t have to be in them. The worst part was that she didn’t know when they were about to end.
Trevy sighed as she waited outside, arms wrapped around a stack of books. Josephine had requested them about an hour before the meeting had begun, and since she had finished work early, she had decided to take them over. Unfortunately, she had underestimated just how long it would take for things to wrap up, so she was stuck waiting there.
No way she was going to let the books just sit outside the door – someone could trip over them or spill something. These books were old, in an unused dialect of Antivan favored in the north of the country, so they were precious to the library. It was her job to protect them, which meant she had to guard her treasure until then.
“Maybe next time I’ll just send one of the mages.” She sighed, shoulders dropping. “I keep thinking I have to do everything…”
After all, she was the Inquisition’s head librarian. If anyone had a right to send someone else to do library-related things, it was her. Unfortunately, that had never sat right with her sense of fairness. Besides, it was for Josephine. Josephine was family now that Hissra’s adoption had gone through. And maybe she wanted to leave a good impression…
Her thoughts were interrupted by the creak of a door. She backed up, watching as it swung open. Cassandra was out first, looking annoyed. Well, more annoyed than usual anyway… but she blew past, no doubt heading to the training yard to work out some frustration.
Better a training dummy than her…
Leliana was next, scrolls in her arms. She at least nodded to Trevy as she passed, returning to her spot in the rotunda where her spies and birds were waiting. The Fifth Blight veteran had always been a puzzle, one she couldn’t figure out no matter how much she thought about it. That was bad – she was an up-and-coming for the Divine if the rumors were to be believed.
So was Cassandra for that matter… and Vivienne. That wasn’t going to be a fun choice.
“Aeronwen, is everything alright?”
Her head picked up. Josephine and Hissra were walking out, the former having her notes in hand. The latter’s eyes were steely – no doubt they had been discussing war plans. The table was covered in pieces when she peered past them into the war room. It made no sense from where she was standing, but no doubt it was important.
“Oh, Josephine!” She straightened up. “I have the books you requested earlier from the library.”
The Antivan smiled at her, nodding her head. “Thank you for the delivery. Unfortunately, I have urgent business to address and cannot take them with me. Could you leave them on my desk? My apologies for making you wait.”
Trevy shook her head in response. “It’s no problem, I was finished with my work! You just head off and do what you need to do, they’ll be waiting here for you with the return slip you’ll need when you’re done with them.”
She didn’t need to tell Josephine the usual reminders about old books – the ambassador was aware of them. In fact, besides the mages who frequented the tower, she was one of the library’s most frequent visitors. Add on being part of the inner circle, and she had certain library privileges others didn’t get.
Plus, she had never returned one broken or missing pages. That was good too.
The pair moved off, Trevy stepping to the side to give them a little extra room. Eventually, Kaaras stumbled out of the room, looking as if he needed a nap. He yawned as he gave her a brief nod, heading off to do whatever he needed to do. Then she was alone in the ambassador’s office.
“Looks like it was a long meeting.”
She shook her head and moved over towards the desk to drop off the books. Josephine’s desk was tidy but packed with letters and books she was working on at the moment. Being the Inquisition’s ambassador was challenging work, and it showed. No doubt she was burning the candle at both ends.
“I thought they were never going to leave. Thank the Creators…”
A voice called out from the rafters as a weight dropped onto Trevy’s shoulders. Jackel was famous for her entrances from high above and today was no different. Compared to where she normally dropped from, this was easy.
Her outside appearances were spectacular – how she didn’t break bones was a mystery.
“Oh, hello, Jackel.” She placed the books on the table, straightening the one on top as she backed up. “Were you waiting for them to finish too?”
The weight on her shoulders lightened as Jackel hopped off and landed on the floor. She motioned, and Trevy followed her over to a shelf against the wall filled with books. Then the elf was nudging things aside before pulling out a box.
“Yeah, for this.” She put the box on the table. It smelled sweet – Trevy knew what it was immediately. It was rumored that Josephine kept candy at her desk when she needed a break. Well, it wasn’t a rumor – Jackel had showed her a handful of times before she raided it. “I can’t believe it…”
She flipped the lid open, showing the collection of wrapped chocolates waiting for someone to eat them. “She didn’t even touch it!”
Indeed – the box was full. Maybe Josephine had gotten it in a package from home, or when she had been in Orlais? Trevy wasn’t knowledgeable about different types of chocolate, even though she was from a noble family. Thank the Circle for that one…
“Maybe she was busy?” She gestured to the desk. “Looks like she has a lot to do.”
Jackel rolled her eyes as she pried one from the packaging. “Who’s too busy to eat candy?”
Then she ripped off the wrapping and popped the chocolate in her mouth with the finality of a judge sentencing someone to death. Candy was one of the things Jackel was profoundly serious about – that, and assassinations. It was a weird combo, vaguely Antivan, but it was her thing.
In another life, she would have been a wonderful Crow. But trying to picture her with an Antivan accent was downright chilling. Besides, the Crows wore shoes.
“Fair enough.” Trevy glanced around before she picked a wrapped chocolate from the box. “Maybe she only eats them when she’s stressed?”
That she could understand. Lately, after starting the potions the healer had told her about, she was constantly hungry for something sweet when she was stressed. Was it a hormonal aspect of being a woman, one she had missed? Probably not, but… it was weird that it was picking up as soon as she had started the regime.
“Can’t relate.” Jackel popped another chocolate in her mouth, chewing before adding. “You going to eat that? It’s going to melt if you just hold it.”
Trevy soon peeled off the paper with careful fingers, but instead of eating it, she handed the candy over to her friend. The elf accepted it and soon was munching away Her frame didn’t relax though – she was still stressed out.
Jackel covered it well, but she was a ball of stress. It came from dealing with her family and everything with the Inquisition. Trevy had noticed it ages ago but had said nothing. Direct conflict would do nothing except scare the elf off for good.
“Akri giving you problems again?”
The assassin snorted in response. “When isn’t he? Between him losing his shit on the regular and Kaas bottling everything up, it’s a wonder I don’t lose my shit on people. Nearly did on Cullen once before we kicked his ass out.”
“It would have served him right.” Trevy’s nose wrinkled in memory of the ex-Templar. If he was dead or missing, she didn’t care – he was replaced by Hissra and the Inquisition had never been better. “I’m glad we have Hissra now, she’s a much better commander.”
As she spoke, she unwrapped another chocolate and motioned it towards Jackel’s mouth. The elf opened it, and soon she was chewing on the chocolate. She had even made the little ‘aah’ sound, the one that sounded cute. It made Trevy smile as she pulled her hand back.
“Damn straight.” Jackel gave her a look. “You going to eat one or what?”
Oh, right – she hadn’t eaten one yet. Trevy blinked as she stared into the box. In the end, she selected one near the corner and carefully pried the foil off. Then she popped it into her mouth, chewing slowly.
It was good – milk chocolate instead of the darker kind that most Antivans preferred. She was sure they made a drink out of it, or so she had heard once. Maybe if she ever got to Antiva she could try it out…
“Mm… I like milk over dark chocolate.” She licked her finger. “But I should use something darker when I’m brewing, or the flavor’s going to get washed out by everything else.”
Jackel’s ears picked up as she took two more chocolates for the road, shoving them into her pocket before stowing the box away. Trevy hid the foil in her pockets, tidying up the desk as her friend climbed back onto her shoulders.
“You’re brewing something with chocolate?” A note of interest entered the elf’s voice as they left Josephine’s office. “How’s it going?”
Trevy smiled as she closed the door behind her. “Well, it’s only in the planning stage right now. I don’t think using chocolate for eating will work, but research has led me to think I might be able to use cocoa instead.”
“How long do you think this one’s going to take?”
She let out a thoughtful note. “It might take a year or more, honestly. The cocoa’s really bitter, and I think it needs to sit for a while before that goes away.”
At least, that tended to happen with bitter ingredients in mead. It might’ve taken less time if she had switched to something like a beer… but she liked mead better. And if she was the one making it, she got to choose what she wanted to drink. It would be worth the wait if it came out good…
And if it wasn’t good? Well, give it to the guards on duty that night. They would drink absolutely anything if it were free.
“I better have first dibs on that when it’s done.” Jackel sounded like she was pouting a little as she leaned on the back of her head. “Especially if I have to wait a year for it.”
That made Trevy chuckle and nod. “Of course, you know you’re my favorite tester when it comes to anything sweet.”
She paused. “Actually, do you want to come down and see what I’ve got on hand? I’m pretty sure I have some of that recipe I got from your family that just finished if you don’t mind waiting a couple minutes.”
“The recipe you got from Uncle Bori or- “
Jackel bumped into the back of her head as Trevy came to an immediate stop. Color flooded her cheeks as she realized they had bumped into Josephine and Hissra, fresh from whatever they had been doing earlier. They were even holding hands – had they interrupted something private?
Harvester forbid…
“Oh, sorry!” Trevy could feel the foil burning a hole in her pocket, and she was terrible keeping things off her face. She had never been good at it, but now she was downright awful thanks to having to relearn her emotions. “We were just heading to where I- “
Jackel finished for her. “She’s got a booze lab.”
Well, it wasn’t a lab, per se… more like an experimentation and aging room. Nobody really needed those two rooms in the lower left tower; they had been covered in cobwebs and broken furniture. She had cleaned it out and brought everything in, so it was only fair she got to use it when she was done for the day…
“You are interested in brewing, Aeronwen?” Josephine sounded interested.
Trevy picked up her head. “Oh, uh… well it was part of my job when I was in the Circle, you know? Couldn’t do magic, so they had us assigned to enchanting and brewing…”
She could feel the brand on her forehead throb as she thought back. Shaking her head got her back to the present. “But I’ve taken it on as a hobby. People really liked what I made, so I started experimenting when I had free time.”
“She’s thinking about making a chocolate mead. Imagine that, mead and chocolate in one drink.” Jackel clearly was all in for that. “I can’t wait.”
And Trevy couldn’t wait to run away and hide in her la- experimentation room. Something about mentioning her hobby outside of reading books brought the head into her cheeks and made her want to hide. It was a little hard – she was over six feet tall – so all she could do was stand there and wait for it to pass over.
“I think I’d like to try some when it’s ready.” Hissra nodded her head, nearly causing Trevy’s heart to stop. “How about you?”
Josephine smiled and nodded as well. “I would be delighted. What are you using for the chocolate?”
“Oh, uh… I figured cocoa would be a good start since it’s a powder, or the nibs left over from making chocolate. I have to factor in the fat, though. Most of the stuff I use is fruit or…” her blush deepened. “Sorry, I’m babbling.”
She nodded her head. “Please excuse me, I need to go check on my work. Let me know if you need any help with more books.”
Then she was gone in not quite a sprint, but definitely faster than a walk. Jackel held on the entire time, never complaining. She didn’t stop until they were at the entrance to the lower reaches of the left tower, a door practically hidden in the debris and marked with a glyph should anyone try to pick the lock.
Let them try to get into her lab.
“You know, they seemed interested. Next time someone picks your brain, go for it.” Jackel leaned on her head as she watched. “Oh, you beefed up security? Did somebody try to get in?”
Trevy shook her head as she fished the key from her pocket, waving her hand over the glyph to calm it before she unlocked the door. “No, just being extra careful. You should’ve seen the set up we had at the Circle, took a non-Tranquil a minute to unlock…”
She breathed a sigh of relief as the door unlocked. “Alright, so I’m pretty sure I put that bottle over here…”
And the embarrassment of the day melted away as she began to sort through her finished work, relying on her memory in the low light. All the while, her mind reeled about chocolate, mead, and her dear friend on her shoulders.
Maybe she could try to get a little chocolate in… towards the end might work… but that was for a later date. Basics first, then she could worry about the rest. Besides, she needed her bottle opener for this darn cork…
Summary: Owain Trevelyan's your man if you need someone to babysit. Apparently, his services include drunks too. He's a man of many talents.
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“Bye, Ser Owain!”
It was nice hearing that now.
Owain waved goodbye as the last child departed, hand in hand with a tired looking parent. There were none left to watch over, no tears to wipe, no small disputes to settle. A quiet had settled over the room at last, and he breathed a sigh of relief as he straightened up.
Another day, another pack of children to keep an eye on.
“Well, I suppose I should clean this place up before I eat dinner.”
The ex-Templar busied himself about the room, placing aside a forgotten toy for its owner to reclaim tomorrow. He was pretty sure he knew who’d dropped it – the little sister of a scout currently stationed in the Hinterlands. She was currently under the care of another family in Skyhold, waiting for her brother. He’d give it back to her in the morning.
He knew all the stories of the children at Skyhold since becoming their caretaker. Some were the children of soldiers, others younger siblings saved from war and brought to safety within the walls. A few, the ones he saw shake the most and look with wide eyes, had been very young children placed in the Circles before the war had begun. Those were the ones he treated the most gently – he was probably the only one in the entire keep that had experience with caring for child mages.
But regardless of who they were or where they came from, they were all children to him, and they needed protection and guidance in these troubling times.
“Goodness, they go off like a hurricane.” He righted small chairs and tables, built for him by Blackwall for his little room. The residents of Skyhold had begun to call it the day care area, and something about it cheered him. Now that he had proper seating for them, it certainly felt a little brighter.
Once everything was straightened for the next day, Owain straightened up and evaluated the room with a critical eye. Finding it to his satisfaction, he nodded and closed the door behind him, locking it for the night. The key went into his pocket, and off he went to grab something to eat.
It was better than tending the horses by far. He would forever be grateful that Jackel had found him a suitable task once things had settled down. Part of him was still amazed that she had thought of him at all for the position. After all, even he had to admit he didn’t appear the child-minding type.
He was, of course, if by trade. Owain had never been good at the guarding or fighting parts of being a Templar, so they had always stationed him to watch over the youngest mages of the Circle. No doubt they had considered him a failed cause as a warrior and figured he couldn’t mess that up.
Look at him now – finally free of the lyrium and the uncomfortable armor thrust upon him by his father, and still looking after children. At least this time, he chose it for himself.
His back ached dully from scooping up children throughout the day, but Owain found himself in a good mood as he walked towards the Great Hall. He was having more of those lately, either because withdrawal had long passed him or his situation had improved. Not being around horses and their excrement was a wonderful thing at the end of the day, and it made him count his blessings when dark moods hit.
It wasn’t as if he didn’t like horses… ok, that was a lie. They scared him. It was why he had never learned to properly ride one, even when he had been a Templar.
That ache got a little worse as a sudden weight dropped onto his shoulders. Owain didn’t look up – he didn’t need to in order to figure out his new guest. After all, she wasn’t wearing shoes, favoring the long leggings worn by the Dalish. Only a few people at Skyhold wore those, and neither fit on his shoulders.
He would’ve died if the Inquisitor or his younger brother dropped on him like that.
“Nice to see you, Jackel.” He nodded his head and continued to walk. “May I ask the reason for your visit?”
Jackel nudged the back of his head towards the left, instead of the path he normally took. “Need you for something.”
His stomach growled protest, but Owain nodded and followed the direction she was prodding him in. The elf was steering him away from the Great Hall and dinner, and instead towards an entrance to the rooms built into the battlements. He knew the entrance well – the room he slept in was in the same direction.
“Why are we going towards my room?”
Jackel kept poking him – he knew those stairs, including the one that caused him to slip on cold morning. He was also familiar with the door that opened up to the main hallway he had to walk down to get to his room. His footsteps echoed down the corridor, just like it always did.
“We’re not.” She made him stop in front of a door two down from his own. “We’re going to mine.”
Owain cocked an eyebrow as he stared at the door. “Forgive me, but I have never seen you in the mornings or at night. I had no idea we were neighbors.”
The elf snorted at that. “I don’t come here often.”
True – he often saw her in the company of her family or with the Iron Bull. Between the three options, she probably didn’t spend much time in her room. It was only natural they had never seen each other.
But still… it was a touch bit odd.
“Why are we-“
But then his ears picked up to a familiar sound of glass rolling across the floor. It brought him back to the Circle and his time in the Barracks. One of the men he shared a room with had been heavy into the drink, often showing up to duties inebriated.
He was pretty sure the man had died during the rebellion, and part of him always worried if he’d fallen and broken his neck due to inebriation.
“I don’t know why they came here, but they did.” Jackel reached over his shoulder to nudge the door open. “They better not be fucking with my cacti.”
Owain’s eyebrow zoomed almost off his face as he finally got a look inside the room. Unsurprisingly, it was fairly plain. There was a bed much like his own, a bedside table, and a small desk in the corner. How it differed from the room he occupied was that every free surface was covered in pots containing spiny looking plants with a labeled tag wrapped around the base. He couldn’t even begin to count them all as he glanced around – every blink revealed another pot.
How did they survive in conditions like this?
“Fuck…”
That was a voice he knew. Somehow, surprised by all the odd plants, he had missed that there was someone sitting on the bed, bottle in hand. Aeronwen sat there, somehow still standing despite the number of empty bottles on the floor, taking a sip every so often. She hadn’t seemed to notice he was there – maybe she couldn’t.
“Aeronwen, why-“
Owain blinked again. Thanks to the low light, he had missed the void of black curled up on the bed next to her. The room contained a second occupant, also with a bottle. Somehow, he wasn’t surprised that Ian had joined his cousin in drinking. They were always seen together whether in the library or in the Great Hall. It was odder to see them alone, honestly.
But still. Two inebriated people were more difficult to deal with than one.
“Get them out of here for me.” Jackel rose to stand on his shoulders, then she was gone. “I’ve got shit to do. Lock up behind them before you go.”
Owain was then left alone with his drunk cousins and sore shoulders. He sighed and shook his head as he entered the room, triggering the mage light built into the wall so he could see. It was absolutely crucial – both bottles and pots of those strange plants littered the ground. How Aeronwen and Ian had managed without knocking any over was a miracle.
Quietly, he tidied up the empty bottles, tossing them outside the room in a communal trash area. Once that was done, he reentered the room and made his way to the bed. Aeronwen was still nursing her bottle, but from the sound of the liquid splashing against the glass she was nearly finished.
“Aeronwen, are you alright?”
Her bleary eyes focused on him, but it was difficult. She wasn’t at the passing out drunk phase yet, but she was definitely inebriated. At least she didn’t curse him out as she finished off the last of her bottle and set it down on the table.
It wasn’t from the Herald’s Rest – the label was different. This one had come from the stock she made in her free time. No doubt it was far more potent than whatever the local tavern could brew up; Aeronwen was famous for it. They’d been trying to get her to share her recipe for a few months now, and she hadn’t budged.
“Testing out a new batch, I see.” He shook his head. “Can you walk?”
She shot him a blank look as she tried to rise to her feet – her legs shook, but she managed it. “ ‘m fine. I don’t get drunk that easy.”
Briefly, Aeronwen gesture to the lump of robes curled up on the bed. “He does.”
Owain sighed and nodded at this. “Very well, leave Ian to me. Then we can go out together, this place is covered in thorns.”
Carefully, he changed position in order to gain access to the mage. It took a bit of struggle, but he managed to scoop Ian into his arms. The man grumbled, but at least he didn’t try to swat him away. Unlike Aeronwen, he was down for the count. If Owain was sure of anything, it was that he was going to have a nasty hangover in the morning.
“Spines.” Aeronwen added as he returned to her side. “Jacks says they’re called spines.”
He nodded at her words. “Forgive me for my mistake. I will remember that for the next time I pass by.”
Now the only question was how was he going to guide his sister through the room without knocking over any of the plants? No doubt Jackel would be furious if any harm came to them, even if he so much as brushed against one in passing. So, this was a delicate operation, made all the more difficult by his charge’s inebriated state.
In the end, he grew closer to her. “Wrap your arm around my upper arm. I think I can lead us both out that way.”
A sober Aeronwen would have balked at this, and with good reason. Even as children, they had never been particularly close. He had already been a child of ten by the time she was born and had departed for training before she had even begun to learn to read. Not much of a bond existed between them, so he wouldn’t have blamed her in the slightest if she shrugged him off.
But, thankfully, she was drunk. Instead of arguing, she nodded dully and weaved her around his own. Her grip was surprisingly tight too – no doubt she was used to gripping a staff. At least that was a sign he wouldn’t lose her as he began to pick his way through the room.
It took a few perilous minutes, but eventually Owain guided her to the exit. He at least remembered to reach back and lock the door before he closed it behind them, so Jackel couldn’t argue with him on that.
Even better, they hadn’t knocked over any of her plants.
“Now, you and Ian both sleep in the Tower, correct?”
His sister nodded dully again as she clung to his arm. “Fourth floor, next to each other.”
Ian stirred briefly in his arms, but at least he didn’t try to roll out. Owain sighed in relief as he started to walk, guiding Aeronwen along. The mages stayed in another part of Skyhold, but at least it wasn’t too far away. He just had to walk along the battlements, and the door on the other side led to a floor of the Tower.
At least they didn’t have to risk the death stair on the outside.
“Very well, thank you.” He steadied the mage in his arms as they walked along the battlement, going extra slow so Aeronwen didn’t trip. If not for the fact he was charged with the care of two drunks, it would have been a nice evening. The sun was beginning to sink low, and the moon was starting to peek out to take its place. He couldn’t see the stars yet, but soon they would be shining too as night settled onto Skyhold.
Once again, it would have been nice… but he was charged with drunk babysitting.
“May I ask why you two decided to make merry in Jackel’s room? It would have been easier to do this in the Tower.”
Owain honestly wasn’t expecting an answer out of that. And luckily for him, Aeronwen didn’t deign to give him one. Instead, she hiccupped softly and clung to his side, much like the children he guarded during the day. If not for her size and the fact she was drunk, she would have gotten along well with them in this state.
But he didn’t allow anyone to drink near the children, so that was a no.
“My head hurts…”
Her voice came out softly. One of her hands freed itself from his arm and reached past her bangs to massage her forehead. Briefly, he could see past the curtain of her hair to the skin that lay beneath. It was red and angry looking, even after all this time.
Unfortunately for the Tranquil, their burns never really settled from what they had gone through. They had always looked red and inflamed, even years later. No doubt had they been able to complain, they would have.
But Aeronwen was a special case – she was the only mage he had ever heard of who had cast off Tranquility.
“Hopefully, sober you has something to deal with that.” He frowned as they approached the Tower. “Let me get the door for you.”
Owain had to rearrange Ian in his arms, but he was able to get the door open. Then, he shuffled inside, Aeronwen still on his arm. Inside, it was quiet, and the mage lights built into the walls gave him the knowledge of where he was going. He sighed in relief as he closed the door and began to make his way up the stairs, lagging slightly so his sister could catch up.
Unsurprisingly, it took the pair a while to reach the fourth floor. Aeronwen kept mumbling about her head pain and tugging on his arm to make him stop mid step. Twice, he nearly stumbled and fell. He never dropped Ian, thankfully, but his knee did hit the stair quite painfully.
If ever he had wished for his Templar armor, it would have been in that moment.
Luckily, that thought evaporated as they entered the hallway where the two mages’ rooms were. Unlike the stairwell, there were people here. One of the mages was leaving their room, arms heavy with books. At the sight of him, they nearly dropped them.
“What are you doing here?”
Owain winced in sympathy. Had he been a mage, he probably wouldn’t have liked to see himself there either.
“Forgive me, my sister and cousin are quite inebriated and could not make it back on their own. Once I have them settled in, I will take my leave.”
The mage nodded stiffly, then ran off towards the stairs without another word. Owain listened as they left, then turned his attention to finding the right doors. Unlike the battlements, here there were names to guide him.
Ian and Aeronwen did indeed have rooms next to each other, thankfully. The problem was their doors were locked as he approached them. A vein twitched in his forehead as he turned to his sister, doing his best to keep his composure.
“Would you happen to have a key?”
Aeronwen fished through her pockets for a moment – it felt like an eternity. Owain briefly cursed that he had never learned how to pick locks in his youth – it would have served him well there. Part of him hoped Jackel was indeed watching so she could swoop in and do the picking for him, but she never appeared.
Instead, a drunken mage handed him a key.
“Ian’s… in his left pocket.” She hiccupped again.
Owain nodded and leaned over to unlock her door. Aeronwen finally let go of his arm and shuffled in. He sighed in relief as he closed the door behind her, before turning his attention to finding the other key. Just like she had said, it was in the left pocket of his robe. Getting it out proved to be a mild challenge, but soon he was unlocking that door as well.
Ian’s room was messy, with books covering multiple surfaces. However, his bed was clear. Carefully, he deposited the mage onto it, making sure he wasn’t curled up too tightly. His head might ache in the morning, but his back wouldn’t.
“Now… should I do anything about the paint?”
He glanced around the room. Ian had a wash basin under the mirror tacked to the wall, and it was half full of water. Even better, there was a rag soaking in the corner. Owain took the liberty of making his way over and squeezing it out before returning to the mage’s side.
Luckily, he was face up.
“I hope this will not be unpleasant.”
Carefully, Owain began to rub at his cousin’s cheek with the cloth. A few seconds later, and he frowned as he drew it back. Ian’s cheek was indeed wet, but there was no dark smear on the rag. Nor had the condition of his paint changed in the slightest. It looked as perfect as it always did.
He cocked an eyebrow at that. “Unbelievable. He really did tattoo it on. How did he manage that in the Circle?”
Ian was in no place to answer him on that. Instead, he grumbled in his sleep as Owain shook his head and put the rag back in the basin. Once that was done, he drew the blanket over the body of his sleeping cousin, tucking him in gently. With any luck, he wouldn’t roll onto the floor during the night.
“Sleep well, cousin.”
He deposited the key on the desk before locking the door and closing it behind him. Once that was done, Owain made his way over to Aeronwen’s room. He wasn’t sure why, but he knocked before he entered, carefully opening the door so as not to slam into her if she was close.
He found her at the desk, head in her hands and shoulders shaking as she sobbed.
His heart jumped to his throat as he made his way over. “Aeronwen? What happened? Is everything alright?”
“No, it’s not alright!” She practically shouted at him as tears dripped down her cheeks. “My head is killing me!”
Her brand was visible now, her bangs brushed aside from repeated application of her hand. Part of him was amazed it wasn’t pulsing from how red and inflamed it looked. Perhaps it was on the inside, but there was no way to see that.
“Do you have any medicine you take?”
Aeronwen shook her head, choking back a sob. “N-nothing works for it. I-I’ve tried everything!”
Then she was clinging to his shirt as her sobs continued. “It consumes me…”
Owain hesitated for a second, before finally deciding to wrap his arms around his sister. Her entire body was shaking like a leaf in the storm as she cried. All he could do was stand there and be a steady place for her to rest her head as he did his best to rub comforting circles into her back. The children usually calmed down with this – maybe it would work for her.
She stood there sobbing for what seemed like an eternity, but slowly her cries began to soften. Then she sniffled and nudged away, trying to dry her tears with the sleeve of her robe. It was sopping wet from repeated application, so it didn’t do much.
“Here, use this instead.” He fished a handkerchief from his pocket, handing it over. It was a clean one, thankfully, so he didn’t have to worry about her catching anything from one of his charges. Aeronwen nodded dully while she dried her eyes, body still shaking. “Is… all of this why you were drinking?”
His sister patted her eyes, now as red as her forehead. “Today’s the day they brought me back after I ran away.”
Ice dropped into Owain’s stomach. He hadn’t been on duty that day, but he had heard the stories from another Templar. His sister had been dragged in, given up once again by their parents, after she had been away for nearly a week. They had taken her directly to the Rite of Tranquility without even pausing to check her wounds. The next time he had seen her, she had nodded at him dully before going on her way.
No wonder she had been drinking.
“Forgive me, Aeronwen. I had no idea.”
She sniffed. “Why’d they do it to me? I didn’t do anything wrong… I just wanted to go home.”
Had he been a Templar, Owain could’ve easily told her why. The old doctrine thumped against his brain where it had be hammered in by years of training: mages weren’t supposed to be out of the Circle unless they were on assignment. A free mage, not yet ready for the Harrowing, was a recipe for disaster. Truly, it had been a miracle a demon hadn’t possessed her throughout her trip back to Ostwick.
But he wasn’t a Templar. Not anymore.
“You didn’t do anything wrong. They were the ones that hurt you instead. What they did was abhorrent.”
Aeronwen dabbed at her eyes to block off new tears. “I hope they’re all dead.”
“Most likely, yes. Ian’s fight with the First Enchanter was quite the explosion. I was lucky I was stationed with the children at the time and avoided the worst of it.” Owain didn’t feel bad about admitting he didn’t feel bad about other Templars dying at all. The higher ups had all been bastards, and the men and women he served with had been of a similar state. It was probably why they had never gotten along “Nothing of value would have been lost if they had perished.”
That got her laughing slightly as she handed his sodden handkerchief back. “They’re gonna be mad if they hear you talking shit.”
“Then let them haunt me. I stand by what I said.”
Aeronwen allowed for a small, drunken smile as she nodded. At least after that, she allowed herself to be led to her bed. Once she got comfortable, he pulled the blanket over her, tucking her in as he did Ian.
However, as he turned to leave, her hand grasped for his.
“Aeronwen?”
She tugged lightly. “Can you stay… until I fall asleep? It’s dark… the Fade scares me when I first go in.”
Owain nodded as he reached for the nearby desk chair and settled it next to the bed. He sat down, feeling his bruised knee ache and his back pound dully. But it didn’t matter as he watched Aeronwen in the bed, slowly drifting off.
“Of course I will.”
“Thanks…” another hiccup as her eyes closed. “Watch over for demons for me.”
Would demons even go for her at that point? Owain wasn’t sure, but he kept that to himself as he watched his sister drift off to sleep. If she wanted him to fight demons for her, he would do it gladly. She deserved that much and more.
So, he sat there at her side, still holding the hand she had grabbed him with. Soon, sleep was threatening his own eyes, and he yawned as they started to close. No doubt his back would ache in the morning if he slept sitting up, but it didn’t matter.
She was his charge for the moment, and as long as she needed him he’d be there.
At some point, Owain drifted off too, hand in hand with his sister. Unlike her, he slept lightly – should she need him, he would be ready. But until that point, they were just two siblings asleep. The morning would reveal the truth of the matter, but it was far away.
Right then, there was just sleep and Aeronwen’s hand. That was more than enough for him.
Summary: Jackel kidnapped a kid. Or did she rescue them? Tara Trevelyan is about to find herself in a whole new world.
---
Well, there she was… sitting in a wagon watching everything go crazy around her.
“Seriously, Jackel, what we’re you thinking?”
“I was thinking ‘Well, that worked out great,” Kaaras. You can’t deny it worked out pretty great for Trevy.”
From where Tara sat, she could catch glimpses of the world outside. The small woman who had started this entire thing was talking to someone big and grey with horns – a Qunari! She had never seen one before, only having read about them in books during her lessons – who didn’t sound too pleased with her.
They sighed – it was a very human sound. “Jackel, you kidnapped a child.”
“I rescued her from a future in the Chantry. You won’t believe the shit I heard.” Jackel – that was her name – had her arms crossed across her chest in a stance of defiance. “I couldn’t just leave her there like that, you would’ve done the same thing.”
All Tara could do was frown and sit back in her spot in the wagon. Even with the blanket she had wrapped around her, the fortress in the mountains was cold. She hoped they would find a place for her soon out of the chill.
But where was that going to be? And, really, how had she gotten there in the first place? Had it really all started after the last time she spoke with her parents?
“Lady Tara, your parents wish to speak with you in their quarters.”
The messenger had come as she was finishing up her history lesson for the day. It had been a boring one – they all were honestly, but she had promised her tutor she would do her best – filled with military strategy for some war where everyone was long dead. She had written it all down dutifully, but it hadn’t been much fun.
But… seeing her parents was even less fun.
“Oh… yes, I’ll go now.” She gathered up her books and notes and tucked them away neatly for the day. Then she straightened up in order to leave her sitting room behind. Her footsteps echoed dully across the stone floor as she made her way through the estate, heart pounding dully in her chest.
Tara Trevelyan was the youngest of Lord Angus Trevelyan and Lady Myna Trevelyan. She knew her family history well thanks to hours of study and tutelage – modest in temper, bold in deed had been impressed upon her since her early years. More importantly, she knew her family’s history with the Chantry.
Her oldest brother, now a man with his own family, had been allowed to avoid it since he was the heir, as had her oldest sister. She had an older sister who was no doubt going to become the head of a Chantry soon, and the brother closest in age to her was serving as a brother. For the younger siblings of the Trevelyan family, there wasn’t much choice in the matter. If the family didn’t need them, off to the Chantry they went.
Now it was coming for her.
She paused, frowning as she stared out a window onto the grounds of the Trevelyan estate. Everything seemed so normal and not like her life was about to change completely over the span of one conversation. Part of her wished it hadn’t seemed like any other day to mark just how strange it was. Even if it had been raining, that would’ve made it more notable than just sunshine and blue skies.
Maybe Mother was right and she was reading too many novels…
Still, they were waiting for her. She sighed and kept going, trying to remember her lessons on posture so she didn’t slump. Father would be disappointed with her if he caught her slumping, and that would prompt a lecture. She didn’t want one of those.
It didn’t take her long until she arrived at the door that let into the part of the estate where her parents lived. She stepped away from the door and knocked, waiting for a servant to let her into the sitting room. Her hands were already sweating and wiping them on her clothes did nothing to help things. All she could do was keep her face neutral.
A servant did indeed open the door. Briefly, they flashed her a sympathetic glance as she walked past, the door closing behind her. Unsurprisingly, her parents were waiting for her in the sitting room, table set for tea and a chair waiting for her.
“You took your time getting here, Tara.” Her father gave her a blank look as she sat down. “Were you daydreaming again?”
It was hard to keep from frowning. “No, Father. I was tidying my things after my history lesson and came right over.”
“Oh, and what did you learn today?” Mother was a stickler for education, always had been. She was the one who picked the tutors and went over what they were going to teach her. So, if anyone would want to know it was her.
Tara straightened up, sweat trickling down the back of her neck. “Oh, it was…”
She paused glad she could think back to a doodle she had done of a griffin on the page. “It was about the political climate leading into the Fourth Blight. We spent considerable time going over Antiva.”
“Antiva’s political climate was always quite a challenge to remember when I was young. It is good they spent time on it.” Her mother nodded, briefly smiling. She was pleased – phew. That could’ve gone badly.
Still, they weren’t there to go over her schooling. She could taste the tension in the air, and in the looks her parents shared. No doubt it was coming to the conversation she had been waiting for since turning 13.
After all, they were people of habit.
Father cleared his throat, breaking the silence in the room. “Tara, your 14th birthday is months away. It is time for you to take your place in the family tradition.”
Yep. They were sending her away. She did her best to keep her face blank, but her hands tightened under the table. The only question remained was where they were going to send her. It wasn’t like she was particularly favored, so she could wind up anywhere in the Free Marches.
For all she knew, they were sending her even further…
“I understand, Father.” There was no point in arguing with him. No doubt they had already made the arrangements. “What will I be doing?”
Praying, studying Chantry doctrine, training to take over one day… it all sounded so boring. But it was to be her future.
“We have discussed your abilities with your tutors.” Mother’s voice was to the point. “Your schooling is going well, but you work better on your feet. The captain of the guard has seen you with your blades and says you possess great skill for your age.”
He had seen her when she was practicing? And here she thought nobody noticed her.
Father nodded at her words. “It would be a waste to send you off to be a Chantry sister when your skills are leading you elsewhere. Therefore, we will be sending you to the monastery in Starkhaven to begin your Templar training.”
Templar training?
Tara blinked back surprise as she raised her head. “You wish that I become a Templar, Father?”
“They need an arm like yours in the Order.” He nodded. “It will be difficult training, but I have no doubt you will succeed and become the first Templar on our side of the family in over two ages.”
Right – there was a recent Templar on the other side of the family. He had gone off to training long before Tara had been born, so she had never known him. Besides, the two halves of the Trevelyan clan didn’t exactly talk much apart from letters. Even if they had been close, it wasn’t like she could ask him about it.
But… well, it was what her parents wished. Who was she to say no?
“I understand.” She nodded. “When will I leave for Starkhaven?”
They would’ve sent her even if she hadn’t agreed to going; it was better just to accept her fate and begin her training. At least she wouldn’t be stuck reading books in a Chantry – Templars got to go about the country, saving people and guarding the mages in their towers.
She hoped she would not be posed at a Circle. If she was going to be a Templar, she wanted a more interesting job.
“In a week’s time.” Mother smiled. “We look forward to the fruits of your training in service to the Maker.”
Tara just nodded as the chatter went over her head – she was staring at the table. In a week’s time, she would begin her training for the rest of her life in Starkhaven. There would be no marriage or children for her, just service to the Chantry and its Maker as a martial arm. Taking it all in was a bit much then.
But she had to – there was no getting out of it. She just had to accept it.
---
That night, Tara couldn’t sleep.
She sighed as she got out of bed, making her way over to her window seat. Outside it was a quiet night, with a full mood and a clear sky full of stars. It should have been a beautiful sight, but her stomach kept turning.
Her parents were sending her off to be a Templar.
“I guess it’s better than being a Chantry sister.”
Empty words, considering she didn’t really want to do either. Unfortunately, she wasn’t getting a choice in the matter. She was a Trevelyan, and Trevelyans and the Chantry went together like Andraste and her mabari if you asked the Fereldens. It was better to just accept things and go along with it instead of fighting her parents.
Then she would be off to training and considered a difficult child. Talk about a terrible conversation.
Sighing, Tara closed her eyes and leaned against the window, pressing her forehead to the cool glass surface. She tried to imagine what Templar training would be like, but her mind was drawing a blank. Sure, she saw Templars at Chantry services, but they weren’t exactly someone she had even spoken to on those days. They just stood there, watching, armor glinting in the light.
She definitely didn’t want their job.
“I guess I should sleep. I have lessons in the morning.”
Sleep didn’t sound like a great idea, but she owed it to her tutors to try. After all, this was going to be their last week together and then they would be looking for new positions. She could only hope her mother would help them with that – they were good at what they did. They deserved to find a new position with a good family with children who wanted to learn.
As she rose from her seat to return to bed, Tara stopped moving. Her ears picked up the distant sounds of… yelling? No, it was definitely yelling, and then it went quiet. That was worse than the sound as sweat dripped down her neck.
Had someone broken into the estate? Thieves weren’t that dumb… but an assassin wouldn’t have been. Was someone coming for her father? Or was it something for the entire family… maybe the other half of the Trevelyan clan had figured out how to solve the problem after all.
She glanced to the side of the room. There rested her daggers, hung up in their belt for when they would be used again. It might just be enough to keep her safe until help arrived. Quietly, she made her way over and buckled the belt on. It sat strangely over her nightclothes, but it didn’t matter as she slipped a blade from its sheathe.
Then she crept behind the bed to wait.
Nothing happened for a long time as she crouched there, waiting for whatever was going to happen to occur. Sweat trickled down her neck and her palms grew sweaty with every passing moment. If it came down to it, would she be able to strike at the person? She was fine in the training yard, but actually attacking someone was something different.
Ironically, she would probably be better for this had she had some Templar training. Oh well, she could consider that later if she lived through it.
Her heart lept to her throat as her door creaked open. Someone stepped through, keeping the door open. They walked quietly, and she caught sight of their feet when she peered beneath her bed. Strangely, they weren’t wearing shoes; instead, they preferred a sort of foot covering that kept their toes and heels out.
What kind of assassin didn’t wear shoes?
“I can see you. Better put that knife back where it came from and come on out.”
The voice was surprisingly high – it came from a woman. A female assassin was a rare point – all the ones in her books were male. Still, Tara wasn’t about to argue when she wasn’t even wearing armor, so she wordlessly slipped her dagger back into its sheath and crawled out to meet what could be her end.
It was then she met the end of her life.
Tara blinked as she took the details in. The woman was smaller than her, practically child sized. She was dressed oddly in leather armor the likes of which she had never seen. Strangest of all was her face – she was tattooed there.
It made her almost miss the pointed ears for a second.
“They didn’t say they had a kid.” The assassin’s accent was strange, but it made sense. She was no mere elf of the alienage – she was Dalish. Tara had read about the Dalish in her books plenty of times. Most of them described them as elves in wagons wandering the land with their strange mounts, clinging to old gods instead of embracing the Maker and coming to civilization.
The books didn’t really mention the Dalish had assassins. That was a mistake.
Tara managed to raise herself to her full height, heart pounding. “A-are you here to kill my Father? Who sent you?”
The assassin shot her a blank look. “No, I’m here to fuck him over. Heard about him from a sister of yours at Halamshiral.”
Hal- Tara had never heard of such a thing. Her head spun as she tried to put things into place. Her two sisters were in very different places in the world – one had her own family, and the other worked in the Chantry She couldn’t see either of them coming across an assassin in their daily tasks…
Unless they had been a target too.
“Did… Did my uncle send you?”
Another blank look from the assassin as she grabbed a cloak hanging from a peg by the wall. “No, kid, I’m a free agent on this one.”
She tossed the cloak over. “Here, put this on and get your shoes and anything else you want to take along. You’re coming with me. I’m not leaving you here with these assholes.”
Tara’s heart pounded as she picked her boots out from under her bed and slid into them after pinning her cloak in place. Briefly, she glanced around the room she had spent her childhood in, wondering what was worth taking. In the end, she settled on her daggers and nothing else. There were no happy memories here, not really, and she wouldn’t miss it if…
Well, she wasn’t sure.
The assassin gave her a once over. “You sure about that, kid?”
“My name is Tara.” It came out without thinking. “I mean… yes. Where are you taking me?”
Was this part of some plot to get money from her parents? She had heard of young children being taken by people for such a thing, but she was far older than them. She wasn’t even sure her parents would pay for her – it wasn’t like she was the favorite. If the woman was expecting money, she was in for a disappointment.
No doubt she’d be killed then… damn. Maybe she should keep the lie up until she could escape.
“I’ll tell you in the wagon.” The assassin motioned for her to follow. “Stick close to me. You’re getting out of here.”
The way she spoke, it sounded more like a rescue than a kidnapping. That left Tara confused as she followed behind the assassin, hand on her cloak. The estate was in disarray as they picked their way through it – things had been taken, the servants looked frightened, and her parents were nowhere to be seen.
Were they dead in their beds?
Her guide led her to a waiting wagon in the courtyard, piled high with things she had seen her entire life. Tara settled into a seat in the back, unsure as to what was going to become of her. Up front, the assassin settled into a seat, and soon they were off to parts unknown. From where she sat, all she could do was watch as the estate grew smaller until it disappeared out of sight in a bend of the road.
And just like that, she had left home.
“Don’t worry about them, kid, they’re alive.” Apparently, she was a mind reader. “We’re heading to Skyhold, so get comfortable. It’s a long ride.”
All Tara could do was pull her cloak around her and wait until they got to… Skyhold, was it? It sounded like something out a story book she would’ve read as a small child. Maybe it was all some metaphor for her death, but right then she didn’t care as her eyes grew heavy with the bumps in the road.
At least she wasn’t going to the Templars…
---
“You fall asleep back there, kid?”
Jackel’s voice brought her back to reality. Tara’s head rose as she blinked her memories away. The elf was standing next to her, still in her odd leather armor and her lack of shoes. She was used to that now – mostly. It was still odd.
“Oh, no, I’m awake.” She sat up. “Is it time for me to come out?”
When her guide nodded, she made her way out of the wagon and onto the ground. Skyhold, as it turned out, was indeed up in the mountains just like she had expected. The cold air bit at her skin, but all she could do was stare with wide eyes. It was just like something out of a story book, except it was real.
The Qunari approached. Unlike their kind in the books, they were wearing something more than ropes and face paint. Actually, they were dressed similarly to Jackel, right down to the lack of shoes.
Did the Dalish… interact with the Qunari? The Chantry wouldn’t like that.
“I apologize for my cousin, Miss Trevelyan. She can get ahead of herself.” They had the same accent. “My name is Kaaras. Welcome to Skyhold.”
Jackel nudged him in the side with an elbow. “He’s the one running the joint. You heard of the Inquisitor, kid?”
His face turned a strange sort of muddled color as he blushed. “Did we really need to bring that up now?”
The Inquisitor? Tara’s eyes widened as she realized she had definitely caught mention of them in the past, through the servants and listening at the eaves of her parents’ room. They led the Inquisition, a Chantry-backed force dedicated to closing something called the Breech. Not only that, but the Inquisitor had also freed the mages in a move no one saw coming – she had heard her father complaining about that.
So… this was him? She had expected a human, but the Maker worked in strange ways.
“Anyway, you’re safe here kid. Nobody’s going to be sending you to the Templars anytime soon.” Jackel’s face grew dark as she turned to her cousin. “Can you believe it? Her damn parents were going to make her a Templar.”
Kaaras’ face grew similarly dark. “I’m beginning to see why you rescued her.”
He at least smiled when he turned to her. “Miss Trevelyan, we’ll find a safe place for you until we’ve figured out a more permanent placement. I assume you’ll want to speak with your family now that you’re here?”
Family?
Tara blinked back surprise again. “I have family here?”
When had Trevelyans decided to throw in their lot with a holy army? She certainly couldn’t see her siblings joining up – they were busy with their families or their Chantry duties. That of course left the other branch of the clan, but… she wouldn’t really call them family either.
Then again, she wasn’t all that close to her siblings.
“Couple of cousins in the library and by the horse stall.” Jackel was soon at her side. “We’ll run the intros as soon as we find you something to wear. Follow me, kid.”
All Tara could do was nod as she fell into step behind the elf. This was a strange new world she found herself in, one she had never expected to find. Yet, she wasn’t scared. Rather, a vague sense of excitement filled her as she glanced around.
This was better than being a Templar. Maybe she’d like it here after all.
What are your thoughts on an The Iron Bull romance?
I've done it with Akri Lavellan-Adaar and I think it was pretty nice. I of course save the Chargers so he didn't betray me, but he was a great guy in general.
Funny enough, Kaaras was supposed to romance him at first but then I got introduced to Dorian and went *wolf whistle*. Instead, Kaas' bro gets him. And his cousin. They both date him but not at the same time.
