janethepegasus

[janethepegasus]

Bellara: So you and the Professor?

Rook: Yep!

Bellara: That’s great. I’m happy for you. Both of you.

Rook: Thanks Bellara.

Bellara: How did it happen? Was it romantic? I bet it was romantic.

Rook: The most romantic first kiss I’ve ever had.

Bellara: Really?

Rook: Emmrich puts romance serials to shame.

—

Bellara: Professor Emmrich, I have a question but it’s kind of, um, personal?

Emmrich: Oh?

Bellara: Rook told me about the flower petal thing you did and I was wondering how it works. Did you draw them from the Fade?

Emmrich: Nothing so complicated. It’s a simple invocation. An illusion, if you will.

Bellara: So you wouldn’t necessarily have to be in a garden to do it?

Emmrich: Oh, not at all. You could do it anywhere, although the effect would be less impactful.

Bellara: Did you develop the spell yourself?

Emmrich: This version, although it’s hardly a novel idea. I find it charms quite nicely when the occasion calls for it.

Bellara: Oh! So you’ve done it before?

Emmrich: Well, I- (clears throat) That is to say-

Rook: Sounds like a yes to me.

—

Emmrich: Rook, dearest, I don’t want you to think that I’m using some sort of script on you.

Rook: What are we talking about?

Emmrich: The flower petals. While it is a spell I’ve used before in a similar context-

Rook: Emmrich, you’re allowed to have a past. I don’t care if you’ve used that spell on a hundred other people. It was still romantic.

Emmrich: Thank you darling, but you’re important to me and I-

Rook: Maybe we should have this conversation at home?

Taash: Yep.

Neve: Probably a good idea.

Bellara: I feel like this is my fault.

Harding: You should listen to Rook.

Davrin: Please.

Lucanis: Rook’s right.

Emmrich: Ah. Yes. Later, then.

—

Bellara: I’m sorry, Rook.

Rook: For what?

Bellara: Causing you and Emmrich to fight.

Rook: We didn’t fight. Emmrich was overthinking things.

Bellara: Still, it’s my fault for asking in the first place.

Rook: Now you’re overthinking things. It’s fine.

—

Emmrich: Bellara, did you make Rook and I a chocolate and wine basket?

Bellara: Yes! It’s an apology. For causing your fight.

Rook: It wasn’t a fight.

Emmrich: Rook’s right. The apology is unnecessary.

Bellara: If you’re sure…

Emmrich: Absolutely.

Rook: We’re keeping the basket though.

—

We were robbed of romance-related banter between Emmrich and Bellara, especially given her love of serials, so I made some up.

Previous

[janethepegasus]

That one time Emmrich shaved his mustache and literally everyone was convinced he'd been replaced by a demon in disguise, including Lucanis and Spite, and he had to talk them all down from conducting a violent exorcism. Good times.

Also, happy

🎉 WIP WEDNESDAY 🍿

I'm currently working on the next pages of No Time To Apologize! I've gotten an extension on my deadline for my thesis chapter so I can actually have something resembling a work/life balance. Huzzah!

[janethepegasus]

Rook: Maker, that's a fire hazard.

Taash: What? Is there a fire? I don't smell it.

Rook, fanning themselves: Ugh, there's about to be. I could burst into flames any second.

Taash: I swear, Rook, if I turn around and it's Emmrich, I'm going to kill you.

Rook, feigning innocence: I'm just warning you about the hazard!

Taash, turning to see Emmrich bent down to show Manfred something: You better start fucking running.

[janethepegasus]

oops I comm'ed them again 🙈 commissioned art by the amazingly talented @yelenhol !

realized I updated the end-of-series fic with this a while back but didn't share here so... feast your eyes 😭💙🥹

[janethepegasus]

Just losing my mind at the implications that the companions have all been trying to help Rook grieve Varric, and Rook doesn’t know

Emmrich, wise and long-familiar with grief, being told by Neve and Harding what happened; understanding why sometimes he overhears Rook’s muffled voice in the Infirmary, talking to no one. He takes Rook to the Memorial Gardens and mentions he talks to his parents, thinking Rook might be comfortable with the same. Rook lights candles and rings bells but Emmrich watches, sorrowed, to see Rook still seems in deep denial.

Neve takes Rook to the Wall of Light; a Shadow Dragon Rook knows just what this means but any Rook can understand the solemnity, the power of remembrance. Neve reenergizes Brom’s light and looks to Rook, hoping Rook will mention wanting to make one for Varric. Rook is kind and comforting to Neve, but Neve is lost in wondering why Rook doesn’t take the chance to open up. She can’t figure it. Maybe Rook just can’t face it, not yet. Maybe Rook does something privately. She isn’t sure but it nags at her.

Davrin’s not big on talking about feelings. He’d rather just move on. But he sees the way Rook seems a little hollow sometimes, a little distant; he sees how Rook takes so quickly to Assan. “Hey Rook,” he says, and invites them to come with him and Assan to safe places in Arlathan, where the woods are clean and green and growing, where real sunlight dapples through the trees. Rook always seems to love these outings, seems lighter afterwards. But Davrin feels a little confused in that Rook never seems to realize the outings are mostly for them.

Taash is another person not big on feelings. But they know how much feelings can twist you up and mess with your head. When Lace tells them about Varric they feel badly for Rook, and think to how they feel when they’re struggling. Epic fights, dragon fights, drinks with the Lords. Taash is perfectly capable of doing all that on their own. But maybe bringing Rook along will help get them out of their head a little bit. Does it help? Taash isn’t sure.

Bellara’s double-versed in grief after what happens to Cyrian. Rook helped her through trying to reach him, and Bellara wonders, in her own pain, if she can help Rook a little bit too. Especially if Rook is elven, teaching Rook about the braziers and the challenges is another tool she can share about her or their people, another way that might help Rook with their grief. Neve’s told her that the Wall of Light didn’t seem to help Rook much, but maybe a different funeral tradition could help them instead. Rook helps her light the braziers and Bellara feels her heart lightening, though she wonders at Rook, who seems more moved by Bellara’s reactions than anything else.

Lucanis is nearly as allergic to dealing with feelings as Davrin is, but he immediately clocks how Neve and Harding are acting, and asks what happened before he joined them. They tell him about Varric and that they’re worried about Rook, that Rook seems to just be shoving those feelings down without dealing with them. Lucanis is no stranger to that, but while it’s fine for him, he doesn’t want to see someone who risked their life to save him share that struggle. He brings Rook to Caterina’s funeral planning to show Rook it’s okay to admit the loss and honor it. When that doesn’t seem to make a dent, he falls back to his standard - lavish meals, small gifts, coffee. He knows it would help him. He just wishes it helped Rook too.

Lace hurts the worst after losing Varric and Lace is where Solas’ magic comes the closest to faltering. Rook can see Lace is down, she’s quiet, she’s afraid after what happens with the gods escaping; but Solas’ magic holds and Rook can still never see quite why. Lace would love to sit over drinks one night and share stories about Varric, but she sees that Rook doesn’t seem ready, and she doesn’t want to push. Instead she writes letters to Ma, to the Inquisitor, to Cassandra, to Aveline, maybe even to Hawke. She writes out her stories with Varric’s old quill and she carries a bolt of Bianca with her. A dozen times she goes to talk to Rook about him, and when she tries Rook turns away or changes the subject. It hurts, but Lace knows she can’t make Rook talk about him, and she hopes in time it will get better.

This just absolutely crushes me the more I think about it 😭

Edit: Varric’s death is Rook’s personal companion quest every other single companion tries to help them with, and can’t 😭😭😭

[janethepegasus]

Lucanis: Rook, relax. All you have to do is distract the front desk for a few minutes. I'll be in and out of the back entrance before anyone notices.

Rook: How can I keep everyone's attention?

Lucanis: Maybe act like a brash noble.

Rook: I don't know what they would say.

Lucanis: Just talk like Emmrich.

Rook: I don't think Emm-

Lucanis: No no drunk Emmrich.

Rook: Sassy. Got it.

[janethepegasus]

Emmrich, handing Rook a full glass: Darling, you must drink more water.

Rook, eyeing the cup: I don't know. Water and I have kind of a bad relationship.

Emmrich, laughing: I promise I shan't let you drown.

Rook, grinning, already reaching for him: Was that a tease, professor?

Emmrich, pulling them into his arms: Well, I suppose it was.

Rook, wriggling against him: Hmm, dont tease me too much. I'll have to scream.

Emmrich, tilting their chin up for a kiss: I think I might enjoy that, indeed.

Lucanis, just trying to make dinner: Say one more word, and I kill you both.

[janethepegasus]

Emmrich talking about a past fling

A Romanced!Rook’s “Did yooou?” is so funny to me gjdkfkd

[janethepegasus]

Tumblr's crazy cause an old post you made back in 2014 could still be found by somebody

[janethepegasus]

Rook sitting on the dining room sofa, staring deep into Emmrich's eyes, brushing a single tousled lock of hair from his forehead tenderly - "You're are the single sexiest man alive."

Emmrich, glowing with adoration, one hand tight around Rook’s waist, the other stroking beneath their chin - "You believe that because eyes as lovely as yours must color everything they see in shades of beauty, my darling."

The rest of the Veilguard at the dining table - "I'm going to fucking hurl."

[janethepegasus]

Emmrich’s Death Stare

[janethepegasus]

..............

So I was going to make more of No Time To Apologize

But then

I saw this post by @vonspe

And I thought

"okay yes definitely

But what if my Rook is ALSO a mage*

And then this happened.

I make no apologies.

[janethepegasus]

*SPOILERS FOR VEILGUARD WATCH AT YOUR OWN RISK*

Ok. Here's a minute and a half of Emmrich calling you pet names 🥰😍😍🥰😍🥰

[janethepegasus]

I wanted to challenge myself and I did well. So proud of the final result. I watched a lot of different artists to understand how to do this. Vfx are harder then I expected. Still need to learn a lot of things but this is a great achievement! 💪💪

This could also be a scene on my fan comic, where Emmrich cast a protective barrier. 😉

[janethepegasus]

@falesiastuff Couldn't resist writing a little angsty snippet for your art here. As always, thank you for feeding the fandom!

Smoke swelled in the air like a living curse, curling through the blackened trees and licking at the edges of the battlefield. Craters smouldered, corpses lay still—and at the centre of it all, Emmrich knelt in the ash, cradling her.

Kate.

Her blood had soaked into the fabric of his shirt. Her lashes fluttered faintly, but her eyes wouldn't open. Her breath—Maker, it was there, but it was shallow. Far too shallow.

"Darling?" Emmrich whispered, his voice cracking. "Kate, my heart... please. Say something. Anything."

She didn't move.

His vision blurred. Becoming a lich or remaining mortal. Destroying the gods. Saving the world. All of it was meaningless if she left him now. His fingers trembled as he pressed a glowing hand to her side, the emerald threads of his magic weaving through skin, bone, and blood. Her breath caught—he felt it—and steadied.

That was all he needed. That—and time. But time had never been kind to Emmrich.

In the distance, the Venatori charged, shouting in a cruel, wordless chorus—a small army, staff-bearing, blade-wielding, driven by malice. Drunk on power and vengeance, their eyes gleamed with madness.

And Emmrich stilled. He had already killed so many. What were a few dozen more?

Gently, he laid Kate down and brushed her raven hair from her forehead. "I won't let them hurt you again," he vowed, pressing a firm kiss to her cheek. "You'll be safe, no matter the cost."

Then he stood—and something inside him snapped. No incantation. No scholarly restraint.

His grief bloomed into fury.

Magic surged through him like wildfire, a sphere of energy hissing in his hand like a lit cannon. His collar fluttered in the wind. His eyes glowed—beryl and endless—as if the Fade itself stared through him. His arm swept outward, and the ground heaved, an explosion of pure energy ripping across the battlefield. The corpses of the dead Venatori twitched—then burst into clouds of phosphorescent ash.

The first wave of attackers was obliterated before they could scream. The second wave faltered—some fleeing, some too slow. They were lifted, flung backwards like ragdolls caught in a hurricane. Bodies slammed against trees, weapons shattered mid-air. Ghostly hands clawed from the ground to drag the rest into writhing earth.

This magic was forbidden, heretical, against every Necromantic Oath. Emmrich could feel his soul weeping, the strain coursing through his limbs.

And yet—

"You will not touch her again!" he roared, his voice reverberating like thunder across the scorched land.

The last of the Venatori stumbled, dropped his blade, and tried to run.

Emmrich didn't let him.

There would be no survivors today—only a message to the gods and all who served them.

"Please, don't—!"

No mercy—for they had shown none to Kate.

-----

The fire died as quickly as it had come. The world fell quiet once more—except for the laboured breath of the necromancer, smoke curling from his fingertips, ash drifting around him like snow.

He turned back, then dropped to his knees beside her once more.

"Kate? Darling? It's over. It's all over."

Her eyes flickered open—just barely, just enough.

"E-Emm..." she rasped.

Then, just as before, she was gone.

Emmrich's breath hitched. Tears fell freely as he gathered her to his chest, his arms shaking.

"I'm here," he sobbed. "I'm right here."

What had he done?

There would be consequences—of that he was certain—but first, he had to get her home. Carefully, tenderly, he picked her up, flinching at the sound of her pained groans, and began the slow walk back to the eluvian.

[janethepegasus]

Yes, let's burn everything down Emmrich, especially in these days. 😤💥🔥

[janethepegasus]

Quick sketch of a little scene from @porgthespacepenguin EmmRook fic "these hallowed bones"

https://archiveofourown.org/works/64398946

(GO READ IT AND LEAVE SOME LOVE, IT'S AMAZING!)

I couldn't get the hug between these two out of my head and had to do a little thing for it!