#thelrion lavellan

[jessicapendragon]

For OC Kiss Week, @destinyapostasy‘s Ashanna and @vir-ghilani‘s Thelrion sharing a hot shotgun kiss. Thanks @trashwarden for continuing to be amazing.

[ladyartanis]

Bel’Serannas

At long last, I give you my Secret Santa gift to…*drum roll* @codexharlot! Hope you like it, lovely! I tried my best with characterisation and I fought this piece tooth and nail. Big thanks to @foefelix for listening to me whine and whine and whine(‘do you think this is too cute? Do you think this is okay? WHAT IF-’ “Bryn shut up” Only she was nicer about it :P ) Ellorian and Thelrion at Dalish Christmas :D

"Winter is on my head, but eternal spring is in my heart."

— Victor Hugo

Ellorian awoke on the morning of Bel’serannas with a deep feeling of dread. Silly thing to feel, honestly. It was a sacred holiday, especially important this year in it would mark both the traditional observances of Elgar’nan and Mythal’s reunion, the return of the sun to the sky and the alliance between Clan Lavellan and Clan Vaharel. The latter was probably why even lying in her cot and looking up at the ceiling of her yurt, she felt like she was on the verge of a mild panic.

Gift giving was traditional, she reminded herself. It wasn’t mandatory but it was important. Truly, unequivocally important. Even if she didn’t have much to give, especially then, even. She rolled over in bed and reached around under her cot for the gift she was the most nervous about presenting. For a terrifying moment, she worried it wasn’t there but no, her questing fingertips touched the smooth wood and she withdrew it from its hiding place and brought it to rest in her lap.

The box for Thelrion was beautifully carved out of rosewood, the elegant designs of the All Mother and All Father that adorned its lid and sides crafted by clever hands. She gently unlatched it and picked up the first tiny slip of paper from where it was nestled amongst its fellows, unfolding it carefully and reading the small inscription. A small poem, a description of the day, what she was thinking of at the time. A wish to see him. Though that she’d left unwritten, but she remembered the yearning at the time. In fact, she’d probably written it on another slip of paper and then burned it out of embarrassment. Ellorian let out a soft cry of despair and folded the letter back up before tucking it back into the box and shutting the lid with a soft click. It would have to be enough. Enough without being too much, hopefully.

She took a deep breath, the beginnings of a breathing exercise that Deshanna had drilled into her to help her focus both mind and magic. Get ready for the day and worry about gifts later, stupid. Gifts would be the least of her worries if she didn’t get ready and make her way to Deshanna’s pavilion before her mother had to send for her.

The snow crunched softly beneath her feet as she walked beside Deshanna through the early morning light, shafts of brilliant sunshine dazzling against the snow where it’s light shone from between the trunks of a stand of birch. Ellorian tried to mimic her mother’s graceful poise, every step measured, her composure queenly and unassailable.

Deshanna was, as always, the picture of perfection: She was clad in all the colours befitting of the Scales during a holiday honouring their Goddess, her snow white robes clinging to her every curve, the neckline trimmed with grey pearls and it’s bodice graced with a leafless tree in emerald thread; the sweeping skirt embroidered with silver in the shape of waves. The cloak around her shoulders was trimmed with silver fur, heavy alabaster wool draping to drag across the snow behind her and covering her tracks. The snow in which she stepped appeared untouched by her passage, still as pristine as though it were fresh fallen.  Ellorian felt plain in shades of subtle dove grey as she walked beside her, determined to keep pace and not falter.

The bulk of Clan Vaharel awaited them at the crest of the hill, their harts shifting their weight from foot to foot, the bells on their harnesses jingling in the cold crystal air. Plumes of breath white in the cold issued from velveteen muzzles and parted lips alike. Andras and Thelrion dismounted as they approached, the latter giving his beast a gentle pat. Father and son, High Keeper and First, struck stark figures against the hillside as they met Deshanna and Ellorian.

“High Keeper Deshanna, nehn glandival Bel’serannas.” Andras spoke first, flashing a brilliant smile that warmed the fierce green of his gaze as he inclined his head slightly.

“Andaran atish’an, High Keeper Andras; nehn glandival Bel’serannas.” Deshanna did the same and as Ellorian smiled at Thelrion he caught her eye and gave her a playful wink. The Scales of Judgement and the Eye of Vengeance gave their respectful formal salutations and welcome speeches, and in so saying, fell in step beside each other to lead the procession back down the hill.

“Ellorian.” Thelrion grinned conspiratorially at her as they walked together. Ellorian tried to hide her smile but couldn’t fully hide the amused quirk to her lips.

“Thelrion. Bells on the harts? Really?” She muttered out of the corner of her mouth.

“To scare off the Dread Wolf, of course! You cant even blame me for that, it was all Andras’ idea. ‘If the shems take issue with the bells...well, they’re welcome to fight us on it.’ There you have it, straight from the halla’s mouth-” Andras shot a glare back over his shoulder and Thelrion winced slightly and his steps faltered a little. “Ahem, anyway. Blame the season.”

They walked and waited in silence for a few moments before Ellorian was sure that Deshanna and Andras were too involved in their own conversation to notice and spoke, her voice barely above a whisper: “You want to meet up after the ceremony?”

“You mean after the first few rounds of drinking? Sure. Just don’t drink too much this time, I don’t want to have to pour you back into your yurt at the end of the evening again. And by not too much I mean, you know, hardly anything. Just don’t drink. Just wait-” Ellorian gave him a stern look and he quieted for a moment before starting up again. “You know, like maybe a thimble-”

“Thelrion.”

“Alright, alright. But,” He stepped ahead of her as they entered Lavellan’s camp and smirked. “Just so you know? I think you’ll like your gifts.”

Ellorian’s heart caught in her throat as she watched him saunter off after Andras. Gifts? Multiple gifts? It’s fine watch them be sexual favours...That thought in the face of her anxiety about her own meager gift was not as comforting as it should have been...

Bel’serranas was not celebrated the same way in every Clan, but certain traditions remained ubiquitous to the holiday. Feasting, the exchange of gifts, dance, a thousand traditions for keeping the Dread Wolf away and of course, drinking. The fires of Bel’serannas were what really impressed, though. Not because they were as large as those around the midsummer feastdays, but their gleam in the darkness of the year shone all the more brightly for it’s significance. They were the sun, caged beneath the earth by the might of Elgar’nan and the licks of flame clawed at the sky, the glare obscuring the faces of the revelers. It cast it’s warm orange light and burgeoning heat in defiance of the cool light of the silver moon, a bastion against the frigid bite of winter.

Ellorian wrapped her arms around herself and slowly wove through the crowd, trying to attract as little attention as possible as she made excuses to leave the festivities early. She was tired, she’d had too much wine already...the lies were as easy as they were believed by elves too high on the energy of the evening to look twice. It was only Deshanna who, glimpsing her daughter’s hasty escape, was able to shoot her a look that could have sent the sun itself fleeing back to the belly of the earth in terror. Ellorian felt that for terrible moment that her mother might seize hold of her and drag her back to her duties but instead, The Scales of Judgement merely returned her attention to the fire. Mythal’s mercy…

When Ellorian finally made it past the hunters guarding the main camp and to where Thelrion was waiting, she was tense and trembling and giddy with relief all at the same time. She held the box tightly in her fingers, teeth chattering more from nervousness than from cold as she reached the small, makeshift camp Thelrion had made in the lee of an out-cropping of rock.

“Took you ages. Come here.” Eagerly, she let him wrap a blanket around her shoulders and draw her down to sit with him by the small fire. Shivering, she passed him the box to free her fingers so she could start rubbing life back intot hem.

“Ah, I got you this. It’s not much it really just-” Her voice shook and she clasped her hands in her lap to still their trembling as Thelrion took the box and looked it over, turning it this way and that to examine the craftsmanship. He looked up at her with an extremely serious expression on his face.

“Ellorian, this is by far the nicest box I have ever-” Teasing, always teasing. Can’t he take anything seriously?

“THELRION. Open it!” She reached out to do so for him, unable to contain herself and he whisked the box away and out of her reach, his grin playful. His laughter and his smile was devilish as he held it up, leaning away from her and popping open the clasp. She felt his posture change suddenly as he saw it’s contents, bringing the box back to his lap. Ellorian held her breath and straightened, heart pounding as he gently fished out one of the slips of paper and unfolded it to read.

“I...I didn’t know what to get you. I mean I thought-”

“What are they?” He asked in wonderment, still holding the tiny scroll of paper with a tentativeness most reserved for touching butterfly wings and spun glass.

“I...they’re nothing. Just letters. For ah, every day we were away from each other. As friends and I just thought...it was stupid.” She watched him carefully fold the letter and place it back in the box, lips quirked into a smile as he caught her eye and closed the lid.

“No, it’s not. Ma serannas, lethallan.” There was a moment where she searched his gaze for mocking, waited for him to snicker and give away what he really thought of her lame gift. Instead, he cleared his throat and turned to pick up a small box wrapped in cloth, handing it to her. “This is yours.”

Eagerly, she unwound the wrapping to uncover a crude looking square box which when she slid the top aside revealed…

“What are these?” She asked as he reached over and picked up one of the small objects, holding it out to her.

“Food. Here, try it.” Ellorian tentatively took a bite out of the small confection, letting the mouthful melt on her tongue. It was rich, thin shell of chocolate encasing a thick, sweet center that tasted like almonds and honey. She heard Thelrion chuckle and opened her eyes to glare at him. “That good?”

“Don’t ruin it.” She warned through her mouthful. “Mythal’enaste, that’s amazing. Where did you find this?”

“Ah. Raiding, actually. Do you like them?”

“Yes.” Ellorian muttered through another bite. “How did you come up with this?”

“Everyone likes food, you can’t go wrong with a gift like that.” You can if you don’t even think of it in the first place because you were busy coming up with something personal. Food would have been better...ugh. Ellorian nervously brushed her silver blonde hair back behind her ear and picked up another chocolate, taking a dainty bite and trying to let the sweetness chase away her anxiety.

“Thank you for thinking of me while you were out pillaging.”

“Of course.” He nodded enthusiastically and leaned back, sprawling across the blanket and patting the place next to him. “Come on.”

Ellorian sighed and snuggled up next to him, letting him wrap an arm around her shoulders and tuck her in against his side and shoulder. The sky above them was mostly cloudless, blue black velvet scattered with a liberal dusting of glittering stars. It was nice to relax, the cool mist of their breaths mingling in the night air. She raised her arm up to trace the constellations with one elegant motion, connecting the brightest points together like a puzzle in her mind.

“There’s Solium for Elgar’nan-” She outlined the next with a graceful sweep of her hand. “-then the Scales for Mythal-”

“That’s funny because that one looks nothing like you naked-ow!” He laughed as she shoved at his shoulder and rolled her eyes and uttered a short scoffing huff of breath. Thelrion glanced at her out of the corner of his eye and took her hand, guiding it to form a shape she couldn’t yet see. 

“You know this one, if you squint, kind of looks like the Dread Wolf running around in circles with his tail on fire-”

“You’re ridiculous.” He smirked at her and sat up, scrunching his brows slightly and cocking his head to the side inquisitively.

“Close your eyes.”

“Why?”

“Oh so suspicious! Ye of little faith. Just trust me.” Ellorian obeyed reluctantly, half expecting a faceful of snow as she listened to the soft sounds as Thelrion shifted to sit just behind her. “Here, put your head in my lap...if you peek Elgar’nan will smite you with lightning.”

She obliged, settling back against him as his fingers went to her hair, gently tucking something small in between the interwoven locks. Knowing Thelrion, he was probably keeping her still so he could stick twigs in her hair. She reached up to check and he caught her hands, bringing her wrist up to his lips for a gentle kiss.

“Ellorian,” He breathed, tone playful as her breath caught. “Don’t cheat.”

“But-” She tried again, quieting only when she felt something soft fabric press to her lips briefly before it, too, was tucked into the braids at her crown.

“Trust me.” Thelrion gently stroked his thumb across her cheek. “Alright, open them.”

Ellorian opened her eyes and sat up, reaching to pull one of the flowers he’d so carefully placed out of her braid. For a moment, she held it and marveled at the minute detail preserved in the tiny blossom, rolling the stem between thumb and forefinger.

“I...these are beautiful.”

“Oh? I mean, not as good as these-” He nudged the chocolate and smiled sheepishly. “But I figured they were pretty and maybe you could sew them into something. They’re silk so...sewable.”

She leaned forward and kissed him; a small kiss, but one that seemed to catch him by surprise nonetheless. His hand found it’s way to the back of her neck as he relaxed into the gesture, mouth moving softly against her’s. When she finally pulled away she found his gaze fixed on her, lips parted in a breathless yet ever present grin. He leaned in and stole another kiss, quick and fierce before breaking away to look back up at the starry sky. He pulled her close, warm and solid in the darkness, laughter in his voice as he spoke:

“Happy Bel’serannas, Ellorian.”