What is it? ZevWarden week is a prompted week event to celebrate Zevran Arainai and his beloved Warden. We will be sharing newly created fan works during the event! Please keep in mind this event is 18+!
When is it? In 2025 ZevWarden week will be in August, 17th-23rd!
How to participate: You can follow the daily prompts for inspiration or post new ZevWarden content! We will be reblogging all kinds of fan works: fics, art, edits, gifs, meta - anything goes! Please remember to properly tag your post, including nsfw, content warnings, and trigger warnings.
Tag your content with #zevwarden week 2025 or tag @zevraholics on your post and we will reblog it!
If you're not sure what to tag, here's a link to what we tag for!
*Note: Any art, edits, etc. found to be whitewashing Zevran will not be shared.
Here are this year's prompts (full descriptions under the read more):
Sunday, August 17: Wealth, gold, relationship with money
Monday, August 18: Family, legacy, etc
Tuesday, August 19: Bondage, bdsm
Wednesday, August 20: Loyalty
Thursday, August 21: Purpose
Friday, August 22: Growth, reform
Saturday, August 23: Favorite features
Day 1 - Sunday, August 17 - Wealth, gold, relationship with money
"Ahh, an untouched treasure! What wonders await us here?"
How well-off are Zev and the warden after the Blight? Do they come across any trove of wealth or do they live modestly? What is their relationship to money? Do they pamper each other? What is your HC for the Warden giving Zev the bars of gold we see in canon?
Day 2 - Monday, August 18 - Family, legacy
"And what of family? Of children? Life does not begin and end with yourself."
What are their thoughts on children? Do Zev and the warden ever have or adopt any of their own? If so, what kind of parents are they? If not, are they ever around other people's children?
Day 3 - Tuesday, August 19 - Bondage, BDSM
"Are you sure you do not wish to tie me up? Not even a little?"
Do you HC Zev as saying such things as flippant jokes or as real interest and desire? Do Zev and the warden get up to any kinds of kink? What are their preferences in that department? How do they develop that kind of intimate relationship?
Day 4 - Wednesday, August 20 - Loyalty
"I am a very loyal person. Up until the point where someone expects me to die for failing."
Was Zev loyal to the warden from the very moment he promised to help them, or does that loyalty develop with time? Is that loyalty ever tested? What about the other way around? Is the warden loyal to Zev from the start, or are they suspicious of him at first? If so, when does that change?
Day 5 - Thursday, August 21 - Purpose
"What we are doing here...stopping the Blight. I cannot think of anything i have ever done which is so worthy."
At what point does Zev start thinking that what they're doing is truly worthwhile? In what ways aside from fighting does he support the warden through such an insurmountable task? How does he feel, when it's all over? Does he recognise the part he played or does he see himself as a sidekick?
Day 6 - Friday, August 22 - Growth, reform
"My name is Zevran Arainai, adventurer and occasional assassin."
When does Zev go from calling himself an Antivan Crow to seeing himself as an adventurer? What does ‘occasional assassin’ look like in your HCs? What contracts does he still take? Do Zev and the warden adventure together or do they keep a long distance relationship while the warden runs Vigil’s Keep and he travels?
Day 7 - Saturday August 23 - Favorite features
"He didn't say how handsome" "Oh, so you've noticed! I credit my high cheekbones and pouty lips."
What are the features and traits, physical or not, that they each love the most about the other? How do they express that admiration? What do they like the most about themselves? Are they both confident, or are there hidden or obvious insecurities?
|AN: This is my first real attempt at smut. (ever really) Obviously this is NSFW but I really wanted to explore this with this pairing. So if it's not your thing, that's totally fine, feel free to check out my other stories featuring Alara and Zevran either on here or on Ao3! This was written for Zevwarden week @zevraholics
Trust and Surrender
The campfire had burned low to embers when Alara finally retreated to their shared tent, every muscle in her body coiled tight with the day's tensions. Another village in need of saving. Another impossible choice made. Another night carrying the weight of everyone's survival on her shoulders.
She was still sitting on their bedroll, staring at nothing, when Zevran slipped inside and secured the tent flap behind him.
"The others are asleep," he said softly, those amber eyes taking in the rigid line of her spine, the way her hands clenched and unclenched in her lap. "You look ready to shatter, mi bella."
He moved behind her with fluid grace, settling close enough that she could feel his warmth. His hands came to rest gently on her shoulders, and despite herself, she leaned into the touch with a soft exhale. He pressed a tender kiss to the crown of her head, breathing in the scent of her hair.
"I'm fine." The automatic response fell from her lips, but her voice cracked on the words.
"You do not appear fine, my dear Warden," he murmured against her temple, thumbs beginning to work at the knots of tension in her neck. "And that is perfectly acceptable. But I would ask you to tell me what I can do for you, yes?"
"I'm just..." she started, then stopped, her shoulders tensing further under his touch.
His hands stilled. "Alara."
The gentle way he said her name, not mi amor, just her, broke something loose in her chest. "I'm just... I'm so tired, Zevran. I'm tired of carrying everything, of making decisions that get people killed, of never being able to just... stop. I wish I could have some peace, even for a moment."
She felt him nod against her hair, understanding flowing between them without need for more words.
"You know," he said softly, voice dropping to that velvet purr that made her stomach clench, "I have been thinking about something all day."
His hands came to rest on her shoulders, thumbs finding the knots of tension there. She couldn't suppress the soft sound that escaped her at the contact.
"What if," he continued, voice dropping to that velvet purr that made her stomach clench, "instead of carrying all this control, all this responsibility... you let me take it from you? Completely."
Her breathing hitched. "Zevran..."
"I know we have spoken of this before, yes? We can go as slowly as you need, but..." His hands stilled on her shoulders. "Would you like that, mi amor? Would you like me to tie you up? To bind those lovely wrists so you cannot reach for control, cannot make a single decision except to feel what I give you?"
The question sent liquid heat straight between her thighs. The thought of being helpless, of having no choice but to surrender to sensation, it was exactly what her overwrought mind craved. But then reality intruded.
"What if... what if the others hear?" she whispered, heat flooding her cheeks.
His low chuckle vibrated against her back. "Ah yes, but mi amor, that is part of the fun, no? I can take control of everything... but do you think you can be quiet for me?" His voice turned teasing, wicked. "We would not want to wake poor Alistair or make Wynne blush, after all."
The challenge in his words, the implication that he would make it difficult for her to stay silent, sent another wave of arousal through her.
"Yes," she whispered, the word barely audible. "I want this."
His hands stilled on her shoulders. "Look at me."
She turned, meeting those golden eyes that had grown dark with desire and something deeper.
"If we do this, my dear, you are mine completely. I decide when you feel pleasure, when you find release, how much you can take. But..." His fingers traced her jawline with reverent care. "At any moment, you say stop, and everything stops. Your comfort, your safety, your pleasure, these are all that matter to me. Do you understand?"
"I understand." Her voice was steady despite the way her pulse hammered in her throat. "I trust you. I want this."
Something fierce and possessive flashed in his eyes. "Then undress for me, slowly. Everything, amor. I want you bare for me."
Her hands trembled slightly as she obeyed, standing to pull her tunic over her head, unlacing her breeches with deliberate care while he watched with hungry eyes. When she hesitated at her smallclothes, he made a soft sound of disapproval.
"Everything," he repeated gently, and she complied, letting the last barrier fall away.
He moved to their belongings then, retrieving something from his pack with deliberate care. When he turned back to her, deep blue silk cascaded from his hands - scarves so fine they seemed to shimmer in the candlelight.
"These," he said, stepping closer, "are what I will use to bind you." He held one up, letting her see the quality of the fabric. "Feel how soft they are."
He brushed the silk across her wrist, and she gasped at the sensation, impossibly smooth and cool against her heated skin.
"They will not hurt you," he promised, meeting her eyes. "But they will hold you. Are you still certain this is what you want?"
At her breathless nod, something fierce and tender flickered in his gaze. The silk scarves whispered against her skin as he bound her wrists to the tent's center post, testing the knots with professional efficiency. Not tight enough to cut circulation, but secure enough that she truly couldn't escape. The helplessness sent another wave of arousal through her.
"Perfect," he breathed, circling her slowly like a predator studying prey. "So beautiful, and completely at my mercy."
He moved behind her first, hands skimming down her sides to her hips, lips finding the sensitive spot where her neck met her shoulder. When his teeth scraped against her pulse point, she gasped and pulled instinctively against the restraints.
"Ah-ah," he murmured against her skin. "No reaching for me. No controlling what happens next. You simply... receive."
His mouth worked down her spine with maddening slowness, each kiss and nip of teeth making her arch against the restraints. When he reached the small of her back, his hands slipped around to cup her breasts, thumbs circling her nipples until they peaked under his attention.
Then, without warning, he shifted, his mouth trailing lower as his hands gripped her hips and urged her forward slightly.
The sharp, pleasurable bite to the curve of her ass made her gasp and arch against the bonds, the unexpected sensation sending lightning through her nerves.
"Zevran!" she whispered harshly, torn between shock and arousal.
"Shh," he murmured against her skin, soothing the spot with his tongue. "Remember, mi amor - you must be quiet."
"Please," she gasped.
"Please what? You must be specific, mi amor. I am in charge now, but I am not a mind reader, no?"
"Touch me more."
He laughed, sending a shiver down her spine. "But of cours, I will touch you, my dear. I am only getting started, yes? ." His voice was silk and steel. "Nothing more, not
One hand slid down her belly, fingers dancing just shy of where she most wanted them. She tried to press forward, seeking more contact, but his other hand on her hip held her still.
"Such impatience," he tsked. "We have all night, and I intend to use every moment."
When his fingers finally, finally slipped between her thighs, she cried out at the contact. She was already soaking wet, and he hummed in approval as he explored her slickness.
"So responsive for me," he praised, circling her clit with maddeningly light pressure. "So ready. But not yet, I think."
He withdrew his hand completely, ignoring her sound of protest, and moved to kneel in front of her. His eyes were dark as sin as he spread her thighs wider, settling between them with clear intent.
"Watch me," he commanded, and she couldn't have looked away if she'd wanted to.
The first touch of his tongue made her entire body jolt against the restraints. He worked her with the skill of someone who had made pleasure an art form, alternating between broad strokes and focused attention on her clit until she was trembling and breathless.
"Zevran, I'm going to—"
He pulled back immediately, leaving her gasping and desperate. "Not yet. You come when I decide, yes?"
The denial made her whimper, but the sound seemed to please him. He returned to his ministrations, building her higher and higher only to stop each time she neared the edge. By the fourth time, tears of frustration were leaking down her cheeks.
"Please," she sobbed. "Please, I need—"
"You need to let go completely," he said, rising to capture her mouth in a fierce kiss. "Stop thinking. Stop trying to control even your own pleasure. Trust me to give you what you need."
His fingers slid inside her again as he spoke, curling to find that spot that made her see stars. When his thumb found her clit and began that perfect rhythm, her mind finally, blissfully, went blank.
"That's it," he murmured against her ear. "Let me have all of you. Come for me now, mi amor."
The orgasm hit her like lightning, tearing through her body with an intensity that left her biting her lip to keep from screaming his name. Her vision went white, every muscle seizing as wave after wave of pleasure crashed over her. He worked her through it mercilessly, extending the climax until she was trembling and gasping, struggling to stay silent.
As the last tremor faded, she sagged against her bonds, breathing heavily, lost in the aftermath. Dimly, she was aware of movement, but her mind was too scattered to focus.
Then she realized she could no longer feel his presence directly in front of her.
Still bound and breathless, she tried to twist around, to see where he had gone, but the restraints limited her movement.
"Tsk, tsk," came his voice from somewhere behind her, rich with amusement. "I did not say you could turn around, mi bella."
Her heart began to race again, anticipation building as she heard the soft rustle of fabric, had he been undressing while she was lost in her climax? How had she not noticed?
Then suddenly he was there, his bare chest warm against her back, his presence overwhelming and intoxicating. She could feel him, hard and ready against her, and she shivered as his lips found her ear.
"Are you ready for me, mi amor?" he whispered, his voice rough with desire. "Do you want me to fill you? To take you completely?"
She could feel his warmth, feel him positioning himself at her entrance, the promise of him making her tremble with need.
"You must tell me what you want," he continued, pressing the softest kiss to her neck. "I need to hear you say it."
Her breath caught as she felt him press forward slightly, not entering her yet, but letting her feel his hard length against her most sensitive flesh.
"I want... I want you inside me," she gasped out, unable to keep the desperation from her voice. "Please Zevran... please fill me. Make me yours."
She felt him smile against her skin, heard his low rumble of satisfaction. "Ah mi amour, but I am already yours," he purred.
Slowly, achingly slowly, he pushed forward, entering her in one long, deep stroke that left them both gasping. He stretched her deliciously as he sank into her welcoming heat, making sure she felt every inch of him claiming her.
"You feel so good around me," he breathed once he was fully seated inside her. "So hot and wet and perfect. I cannot wait to feel you come apart"
He began to move then, withdrawing almost completely before sliding back in with a deep thrust that made them both moan. His hips set a steady rhythm as he thrust into her over and over again, each stroke hitting deep inside and sending jolts of pleasure through her core.
Alara bit down on her lip, her head falling forward to rest on her arms, as she moaned, her legs shaking.
His thrusts grew harder, faster as he took her with deep, powerful strokes that made her entire body quake with sensation. One hand slid down to rub tight circles on her clit while the other gripped her hip hard, pulling her tighter against him.
It went on like this for what felt like forever, Zevran pushing her right to the brink of climax until she was sobbing and shaking with desperation. Just when she thought she might actually die from the overwhelming need pulsing through every nerve...
"Now," he finally rasped out. "Come for me now."
With those words, he buried himself deep inside her one last time and set his thumb to circling her clit fast and hard as he emptied himself into her.
The orgasm that crashed over them both was unlike anything Alara had ever experienced, a blinding white-hot wave of pure sensation that ripped through every cell of her being. She shook and convulsed beneath him as wave after wave of pleasure consumed her whole body until she could feel nothing else.
As they finally slowed to a stop, Zevran carefully untied the scarves binding Alara's wrists before gathering her trembling body into his arms.
"There," he whispered as he held her close against his chest, voice rough with satisfaction and tenderness. "No thoughts, no burdens. Just this. Just us.". "You are safe. You are loved. And you are utterly magnificent, mi amour"
She could only cling to him weakly as exhaustion pulled at the edges of consciousness, utterly content in a way she hadn't felt in far too long.
Alara buried her face against his neck, breathing in his familiar scent of leather and something uniquely him. For the first time in months, her mind was perfectly, blissfully quiet.
"Thank you," she managed when she could finally speak.
"No, mi bella. Thank you for trusting me with your surrender. You are magnificent."
As he held her in the flickering candlelight, she felt something she hadn't experienced in far too long: peace.
Chose to do snippets for each day...since I marked the wrong week on my calendar lol
The crows feet at the corner of his eyes as he smiled made her blush. The way his battle-worn hands caught on the soft skin of her neck sent her pulse into a frenzy. Streaks of silver starlight amidst the golden rays of his hair reminded her that they had made it.
The husky voice he greeted her with each morning was always so warm and full of heat, and the quirk of his lips when he hid his smiles from their targets always earned a breathy laugh. Yet the softening of his stomach made her realize they had been so very far on this journey together.
The scars had increased during these long years, on both of them, and the stories they told were often grim, but the one on his thumb from his own blade always earned a giggle- he had been trying to show off to her.
The way she caught him staring sometimes, his eyes soft, face relaxed, made her feel at home.
Chose to do snippets for each day...since I marked the wrong week on my calendar lol
When Lani finally made the acquaintance of her Hero's lover, she was shocked.
Before her, in crow finery that rivaled Lucanis', was the so called Traitor. The one and only Zevran Arainai, soul member of the House of Arainai, and de facto Talon. She was in awe. then she was terrified.
Isabeaux came up from behind him, wrapping her arms about his waist and watched her wayward apprentice's reactions. From wide eyed awe to panic, it was all quite adorable.
Zevran tilted his head, a roguish smile and arched brow tugged at his tattoo.
"It is a pleasure to meet the one whom my darling wife has taken under her wing."
Lani blinked slowly, looking between the two legends. "isn't the phrase wings?" her confusion breaking her of her fear.
His smile widened, and in a fluid motion, his gloved hand grabbed the empty sleeve that his wife had grasped at his waist, and waved it at the stunned Rook. Isabeaux was biting her lower lip trying desperately to not laugh as Lanis' eyes grew wide and her jaw dropped.
"No, I think in this case wing is correct." he let out a soft 'oof' as the Warden gave him a playful poke in the side before shrugging out of his grasp.
"We all have each had a lifetime of trials, La’nal’nis," she grasped her empty sleeve and gave the woman before her a soft smile. "This particular one was caused by our mutual friend," She looked over her shoulder to Zevran , who was pantomiming sexual acts, " And lover." she ground out with a raised brow.
"Your taste in men has always been questionable, my moonlight." Zevran rested his chin on top of her head, any liger pretense of being a scary assassin gone. He watched the woman before them relax at their antics and gave her a quick wink.
"Yes , quite. You wanted to kill me if I recall." A gloved hand patted his face while she rolled her eyes.
"That is true, I am quite please that I refrained."
"If you even could have. And you enjoyed our trysts with the Dreamer too."
Lani stared between them as they began to bicker. Their eyes full of love and adoration for each other. Like an eclipse, or a weird night at the tavern gone right.
Chose to do snippets for each day...since I marked the wrong week on my calendar lol
He watched as the moon strained against her bounds, knowing full well she could have freed herself at any moment. And yet, despite their circumstances and their pasts, she waited. Trussed up like a delicious morsel waiting to be devoured.
The bindings were silk they had chosen from a stall in Antiva, the blindfold a gift from a nosy Nightingale, while the negligee, that was something his wife ordered herself. Not that she left him out, oh no. The lace and ribbon adorning him was just as fine. Spiderweb thin threads woven into midnight feathers
ZevWarden Week 2025 is done✔
And I'm glad that many of my headcanons have been reflected in this week's topics.
A huge thank you to @zevraholics for your work and love for Zevran
A huge support to the authors who participated in this event
And a mental hug for those who have been following our work
The Mage-Warden is a perplexing thing. He seems to long for Zevran's affection, and yet he runs from it as soon as Zevran offers it. After an unexpectedly ill-fated kiss, Zevran resolves to take matters, and himself, into his own hands.
Day Seven: Favorite Features
Rating: Explicit
My submission for Zevwarden Week, hosted by @zevraholics!
“Oh. Hello.” The voice was soft when it reached her ears. She trembled, hands outstretched, static crackling at her fingertips.
“Oh, no, it’s alright.” The feminine voice dipped lower, soothing. Blood streaked her skin but her eyes held warmth. The small elf hesitated, then slowly lowered her hands as the older elf extended her hand with a smile. They watched eachother closely, the kindness in the woman’s eyes unwavering as she gently pulled the girl into her arms, cradling her as if she were a fragile flower she had stumbled upon and couldn’t do without.
“It’s alright now, little one,” the woman whispered, brushing a stray curl from the girl’s brow. “I’m Naenia.” She turned them away from the corpses that had once surrounded the child. Naenia glanced at Zevran, who waited by the door, his gaze steady, his presence a calm amidst the storm.
“I see you’ve picked up a stray?” His voice was light as he basked in the bloodlust.
“What’s your name?” Naenia asked gently, looking down at the child who now rested against her.
“I don’t have one,” the girl replied, her voice surprisingly strong for someone small and bones. The words struck Naenia’s chest, leaving an ache she couldn’t ignore and she met Zevran’s eyes, worry written over her face.
“Then we shall choose one,” Zevran said softly, his tone inviting. “How does that sound, little mage?” The girl looked up at him, curiosity shining in her dark eyes. His long, blonde hair was braided with flowers, a gentle contrast to the blood that still clung to him. “I am Zevran.”
Zevran… This is the Zevran the crows had spoken so much about?
But here he was, with flowers in his hair and a smile. She studied him, wondering where these two bloodstained elves had come from and why their presence felt so different from the darkness she had known.
Zevran glanced at the lifeless forms she left behind, then back at the child. Her eyes like topaz met his, hair long and matted, tinged with a red that made him wonder if it was blood or simply the color. He looked at Naenia who wore a content smile on her face, the look of a mother.
It’s as if she gave birth to her.
“Daianira,” Zevran declared, as if uncovering a hidden truth. He bowed, a smile breaking across his face as he offered the name like a gift. Naenia looked back down at the child, a soft smile curving her lips as she rocked her gently.
“Well?” she asked. Daianira nodded shyly, hiding her face in her hair, a bashful smile playing on her lips. Naenia carried her out, Zevran guiding them with a hand at the small of her back, placing a kiss to Naenia cheek as Daianira’s eyes fluttered closed, exhaustion overcoming her, comforted by the new name and the warmth of their embrace.Naenia held her close, resting her head against the child’s as they stepped carefully over the bodies that littered the ground. The massacre behind them faded, as Daianira found comfort in two assassins.
A Warden and a Crow - WoundedSoul - Dragon Age: The Veilguard (Video Game) [Archive of Our Own]
https://archiveofourown.org/works/69673206
Zevran carries out his final promise to his love. Watching over the young Warden Thorne during her quest to stop the gods. And helping her in more ways than one as he advises her on matters of the heart. Especially when it comes to Wardens snaring Crows. A topic he is an expert at
Chose to do snippets for each day...since I marked the wrong week on my calendar lol
Beaming with pride, Isabeaux jumped and hugged her Sunshine, nearly knocking the poor elf over in her excitement. Lucky for them both, he had cat like reflexes, he deftly corrected their stumbling course and swung her up and around, grasping her about the waist with practiced ease.
"Indeed, we seem to be god-parents!" Zevran agreed with his wife's' exited squealing.
The soft cries of a new babe echoed down the stone halls. For Isabeaux and Zevran, those same cries meant their prickly friend had survived the most harrowing of natural ordeals, and that as a result, Izzy was truly free from her Warden fate.
Zevran watched her, her excitement dampened as she realized her saviors were just down the way, and all that meant for her legacy. He nuzzled his face into her neck, earning a giggle form her as she wiggled away and stood tall, meeting his knowing gaze.
"I'm sorry I can't have children, too. That we have to settle for the god baby as a god-child." She fought her emotions, her pinions creasing as she let her smiling mask slip into place.
Zevran brought his hands to either side of her face, fingers tracing along her cheeks and jaw. He smiled slowly, his eyes meeting hers.
"Mi amor," he leaned forward, placing a kiss on her forehead. "We will have plenty of time to figure out how we leave our mark on this world." He pulled away, gaining her gaze once again, arching his brow. 'And we no doubt have more than enough time to try and try again," he caught her fighting a smile, a real one with fangs, "If you're still willing, of course."
