~Neria, Naenia, Wynnie, Daianira, Zevran, Morian (Rian), Alec and Leon~
(Art by @faeturtle and I’m still crying)
The lighthouse was meant to hold hearts like this, that’s what came to mind when Daianira stared over the open wounds left by the dragons. A place for grief to have space. Treviso had burned, and what little they could do, wasn’t enough to save their home. Their island home was ash, their garden devoured, their house they built and Shianni…
Now, in the aftermath, with Alec in recovery from his Joining, his face pale but breath steady, the family had gathered in the lighthouse like survivors clinging to driftwood. The air reeked of poultices, salt, and sorrow. And Daianira once the torch, the bold one, the one with the plan, sat against the wall, her arms around her knees, unable to look at Zevran. She had failed, she didn’t find a cure, instead she brought the Blight home.
And still, her mother smiled, she braided Wynnie’s curls, tended Rian’s scuffed knees, kissed Alec’s forehead, whispered to Neria when she held in her cries. Naenia had always borne the weight of a world she never asked for.
Zevran watched and didn’t say much. Not to Daia, not since the last argument, the one where she said too much and he said too little. He kept to corners now, afraid she would tell him to leave.They were all like glass, cracked in too many places, only the shape of themselves.
Then, Leon, sweet, strange, curious Leon, opened a tube with a triumphant grin. “I managed to save it,” he said.
It was that portrait, now open on the library’s table. The one Zevran had insisted on, swearing it would “immortalize our madness.”
They all stared.
“That’s the one where I moved too much,” Wynnie whispered.
“You all did,” Zevran said, the smile leaking out of his voice. Zevran stepped closer to Daia, slowly as to not scare her away.“You remember what I said, Daianira? When the artist complained?” His hand brushed the edge of the parchment.
She nodded, voice rough. “You said if he wanted stillness, he should’ve painted corpses.”
“And I meant it.” His voice, gentle and soothing. “We lived. We live. That is the victory.”
As a way to thank darling @lykris for all the support during Inktober, I took some time to refine this piece a bit. Neria and Alistair are so precious together <3
Day 11 of Dragon Age Inktober: Hero of Ferelden. I had the great honor of drawing Neria Tabris, together with her love, Alistair. Thank you to the lovely @lykris, creator of the gorgeus Warden!
i can't promise you riches, and i won't promise you gold
but if you sit and listen, do as you are told
i'll take you to far away places, further than you can dream
where the tide washes high and you'll not forget what you have seen
danger is on the horizon and your decisions you might regret
but you're all here for a reason and you'll all repay my debt
