#dragon age fanfiction WIP

[plisuu]

8. Dissonance

The Hinterlands bear the weight of the Mage-Templar War, and Cassandra’s duty to the Chantry is caught in the crossfire.

Rating: M | Category: M/M | Words: 2,700 [21,400] | Chapters: 8/30

Read on Ao3 | Start from the beginning

Snippet:

Traveling from Haven to the Crossroads was far more unpleasant than expected. The creak of brittle wood and clatter of uneven wheels was not what Cassandra would have considered ideal transportation, but there was little else in Haven that could ensure their passage to the Crossroads would be as swift as possible. A lack of mounts was high on the list of shortcomings the Inquisition faced, topped only by ‘leaderless’ and ‘labeled heretics by the Chantry.’ Unfortunately, while they could avoid the Chantry’s ire for the time being, travel was unavoidable, and she had begrudgingly forgone her own horse in favor of a spot on the floor in a rickety cart full of supplies. The  scout that had been sent ahead to survey their path needed it far more than she did.

Their progress was slow-going, but there was little she could do to speed their journey through the mountains and she had grown tired of fretting over it, so she propped herself on a crate to keep lookout over their small caravan. Solas and Varric had taken up a separate cart, and she could faintly hear their voices over the clamor of travel and scouts’ chatter.

Part of her wished she could hear their conversation—Varric had no end of captivating, if not questionable, stories to tell, and Solas was strange and interesting in his own right, but she was also grateful for the slight distance. Her restlessness was quickly becoming irritation, and the sound of the others’ voices grew grating as they continued into hours. She let out a huff as she shifted, wondering if she should have brought a book to pass the time. It wasn’t as if her present company would mind, as she let her gaze drift from their surroundings to the man across from her.

[greypetrel]

Distance.

Ages ago, @salsedine sent me not one but 2 prompts from this Florence prompt list. You can find the first one here for some mutual F!Mahariel/Morrigan pining, but the second one...

Big God is one of those songs I really like and always need to listen to… twice or thrice in a row. I wanted to do it good and catch the feeling and I felt like I always was going out of theme. I wrote this prompt. And re-wrote it. And re-wrote it again. Settled on an idea. Wrote it twice. Re-read it and be angry at it.

I was considering changing the character (in my mind it's an Aisling song, but MH), or making it crack, but then I read Florence talking about it, describing this song as a “obviously, an unfillable hole in the soul, but mainly about someone not replying to my text"...

… And I realize I already wrote it in one of my ten thousand iteration.

So here you go it’s angsty. Post Trespasser. AND it’s epistolary, because I wanted to try it. Maybe I’ll post the bigger version on AO3, it’s Aisling’s pov and it got discarded because it was getting LONG even for my standards. That needs an ending and some more editing, tho, so here you go in the meanwhile.

37. The best of the best and the worst of the worst CW: Mental illness, PTSD, Depression

Sometimes I think it's getting better And then it gets much worse Is it just part of the process? Jesus Christ, it hurts Big God – Florence + The Machine

Skyhold, August 27, 9:44 Dragon

Aisling,

Just writing to check in that you got there all right. Stupid of me, since you left but… What, few hours ago?

I hope you can forgive me for organizing all this. I swear it’s not to send you away, it’s not because I don’t want you, but I don’t think staying here was doing you any good. Three days in a bed are too many, my love, I hope you can forgive me for worrying.

I am already missing you, before you can think of anything else. If you need, please know that I’m but a letter away. Ask, and I’ll come running.

All my love, Cullen

---

Skyhold August 29, 9:44 Dragon

Hello, love.

I’m told you arrived all right and you settled in Stone-Bear Hold, and I wanted to give you a welcome myself.

Don’t take these as any pressure to reply. Take your time, I am here waiting until you’re ready.

Pet Storvacker for me as well, would you?

All my love, Cullen

---

Skyhold, August 31, 9:44 Dragon

My love,

Nothing much happened, don’t worry. It’s all bureaucracy and I’m quite bored.

I must say that you were right, your room is indeed dauntingly big - I’m rolling my eyes at your smug grin, right now. I left all the pieces of my armour on the floor, one beside the other, to fill it a little and to recreate some mess. You can laugh. Since you’re gone it’s all too tidy, and I miss you.

All my love, Cullen

---

Skyhold, Kingsway 3, 9:44 Dragon

My love,

I missed yesterday, sorry about that.

I’m fine, it was just a busy day. Before you ask: yes, I’m eating regularly and I’m fine.

I think Dennet is a little bored, without you and Little Brother around. I caught him snorting grumpily at a horse that obeyed to him right away, the other day. I hope Little Brother is well, I am sure I don’t have to tell you to give him an apple from me.

Or should I? I got told you didn’t go to the stables onc  Nevermind that, you surely know better.

Love, Cullen

---

Skyhold, Kingsway 5, 9:44 Dragon

Is it already a week since I last saw your face? It seems a lot more.

I slept in my old loft tonight, it’s less big and daunty and I had a lot of work. It feels void anyway, without you, and whatever company there is at lunch can’t hold a candle to you, even if I appreciate it. See? I’m also eating with other people, like you’d want. It’s not really the same without you, but I’m holding on. And struggling to make these letters longer, as you’d want too.

Without you making shenanigans with Dorian and Sera, it’s all too quiet, and there’s really little to report.

Beside that I miss you.

All my love, Cullen

---

Skyhold, Kingsway 7, 9:44 Dragon

Aisling,

I hate to speak about work, particularly right now. But this bears importance to mention:

If you’re approached by Sapphira, please turn her away. She came up with a plan and… We turned her down already, Cassandra is dealing with it. Do not worry at all, but if she comes to you, please be wary, I doubt she is your friend. I doubt she was ever our friend.

I hate to write this letter with such things. My plan was for you to forget about work for a while and figure things out, and look at me. You really married the wrong person not to talk about work, I fear.

I am sorry, love. I hope you’re doing better and are more rested. I hope you can get out of bed in the morning with no problems.

If you are and you do, then missing you so much is fine.

I love you, Cullen

---

Skyhold, Kingsway 8, 9:44 Dragon

Love,

I’m making up for yesterday’s letter with a better one.

I managed to convince Cabot to give me the recipe of his scones, and to let me try it with his supervision.

I did some turns in the kitchen back when I was training, and well. I’m no baker in any way, but they didn’t turn out so bad for a first trial. I think you’d like them. And it was pleasant to do. By the time I’ll see you again I hope I’ll be better.

Maybe after I’ll learn these I’ll ask the cook to teach me to make custard, what about it?

I hope you are eating enough.

I do miss you, a lot. Cullen

---

Skyhold, Kingsway 11, 9:44 Dragon

Aisling.

I understand you aren’t well. I understand you need time and space, all too well.

This is in no way meant as a criticism or to withdraw anything I ever professed for you. I still love you, I still want you, I have no intention of leaving you, ever if you’ll let me stay.

It’s just been a difficult night and I fear that-

I don’t know what to think of your lack of answer and it’s terror-

I’d need for you to write back, just to

Please-

Never mind that.

I wish you answered to me. Just once. Tell me you’re fine, tell me anything, really.

Please.

I shouldn’t send this.

I do love you, I do, and I wished you were fine and you were here.

C

---

Skyhold, Kingsway 12, 9:44 Dragon

Aisling,

Never mind the letter from yesterday.

I’m sorry I sent it, I shouldn’t dump that on you right now.

The love still stands. I’m better now. Could use a full night sleep, but this bed is just so damn big. I complained to Josephine and she laughed because apparently you told her the same thing.

She told me to say hi, maybe you’ll read this before her letters? Well. We all miss you.

Love, C.

---

Stone-Bear Hold, Kingsway 13, 9:44 Dragon

Cullen,

I am so sorry-   Please, if you-   If you can bear to forgive-

I’m sorry, I really am that you’re not well and facing it alone. Before you can tell me so: no, I don’t mind listening. Please, tell me more. I hope you are really better, and it’s not something you wrote to make me feel better. Don’t lie just to spare my feelings, please, I’m better knowing.

I know you’re strong and you’ll make it through, you did so many times before and you’ll do it one more time, I trust you. Just, take it easy, please. You made the right choice and it’s good to pursue this path, even if it’s difficult and it hurts and thirsty.

You can do it. You already did it. More than once. I have not many things to believe into, right now, but I do believe in you.

I am fine.

Since when you started seeing that as a lie? I do wonder if it was exactly when you started complaining about it, or if you realised sooner. Comes to mind I never asked you.

I am surviving, I can’t say anything more than this, I am afraid.

It’s… I am so sorry. I have forced myself to read your letters just today, in truth.

Physically I am fine. I am not in pain, the wound closed well and the Healer is happy with it, says that beside the scars I have nothing to fear anymore. My balance is still off, but I trip and bump less and less. Nonetheless…

I am given things to do. I help the Augur and Sigrid Gulsdotten in their activities, and it’s good and honest work. The morning is for people, helping them out, preparing rites, picking herbs when we finish them. The afternoons the children come for lessons, and I’m more another student than a help, but the Augur doesn’t seem to mind much, and I quite like listening to the lore. I can’t but wonder if the Lady of the Sky was also a not going there.

After that is when time stops. I don’t know what to do, honestly. I lived so much out of roles and paths pre-traced for me that now that I’m out of them all I find myself in the void. Do I like the things I do because I had to, because of habit, or because I sincerely do? When I am left with nothing left to do, I don’t know anymore. I don’t know what I like and I don’t know who I am.

That’s why I haven’t replied before. It’s like… I think back of the person I was, and it doesn’t feel like I’m her anymore. I am terrorized at the idea that I’ll open those letters and they’ll all be addressed to a person that’s not me anymore. I can’t take it, right now. Thank you for having written, and thank you for not having written to her.

I miss you so much.

I miss you most at lunches: no one here can hold a candle against you, too. I miss our conversations and your friendship.

I miss you in the afternoons, because all that comes to mind is that I could curl in the corner of the couch in your office. Complain because it’s always full of boxes of reports and there’s no space. And just watch you work.

I miss you at nights the most. Sigrid is a good hugger, but she’s not you, she hasn’t your smell and she cuts the hugs always short.

Tonight I missed you so much that… Ida Sigridsdotten and Annike Majasdotten married, today. I put up a dress and smiled and helped the rites as I was asked to. But when it was over, and people started walking to the Hall for the banquet I missed you so much, I couldn’t ignore the memories. It was so unbearable that I fell back and decided to open one of your letters. Just one, I thought, I need to know who you were talking to.

It was so brief -not that I expected anything else, I know you. So I opened another. And another.

I couldn’t avoid answering your last letter, I hope you don’t mind if this is so long. It compensates for all those days of silence, I hope.

I really hope it does.

Is it ok for me to conclude this with expressing love? I am not sure who I am anymore, I don’t know what I like, but I do know that I love you. Reading your letters was a breath of fresh air. Ironical no? I get so much of it, these days.

Write to me again, if you wish.

With all the love I can muster, from exactly where I don’t know but it’s there, Aisling.

---

Skyhold, Kingsway 14, 9:44 Dragon

Love.

Another calm day, full of bureaucracy.

I do hate dealing with money and calculating. You’d laugh at me and tell me it’s simple maths and do everything in five minutes.

Sometimes I still look up from my desk and expect you napping on the couch. I don’t think it did you so well, and I’m glad you’re out there doing better things, and I won’t lie: it made me feel observed. But now that you’re away, I do miss that too.

Maker, I miss your mess. Frida went through all your drawers, now they’re unbearably organized.

I do wonder: are you reading?

C.

---

Skyhold, Kingsway 15, 9:44 Dragon

My love,

You would be happy in knowing I just made a fool of myself.

Your letter came, and I just took it and ran away without realizing, leaving apparently Josephine and a trio of Comtes who lent us money and were discussing of reparations standing in the Great Hall, mid speech.

If I don’t answer anymore, Josie came for my head.

Now, with order.

I am afraid you never were much of a liar, my love. I realised you weren’t fine as you told it the first time in Haven, you have always worn your heart on your sleeve. Honestly? I liked that in you from the start. I only hope this new you still has it, it was endearing and soothing. But if you don’t feel like that anymore, it’s fine anyway. But please, don’t lie to me. No need for it.

I wish you were here too, but I don’t think you’d like being here. For the rest, I’m fine. Really. It was just a bad night. I’m better now that I heard from you.

As for the rest, I can think of a couple of things you like: magic and animals. You love horses. Maker knows you worried me so and busied Josie enough to make you presentable again after the stables to like horses out of duty. What about it?

Answer, if you’d like. I understand if you don’t. I’ll keep the love with gladness.

All my love, Cullen

---

Stone-Bear Hold, Kingsway 17, 9:44 Dragon

Cullen,

Please don’t let Josie reach you. Or if she did, hello Josie, can I have his cape back to remember him by?

Thank you, love   Cull   my love. It all brought a smile, and it was something I needed. That was a lovely long letter, please keep it up, I appreciated it so much.

I don’t want to see horses. My balance is still off when I’m walking and I would hurt myself on a horse, for real. And I don’t think I could   And I would hate to see you smug with a “I told you so”.

But yeah, I guess so. I pet Storvacker whenever she comes around, and it’s nice, she’s very beautiful and such a good creature. I think she remembers I saved her, but maybe it’s just wishful thinking. How’s Bran? Is he keeping you good company, did he learn to duck and not fetch?

The children hijacked the lesson, today, when the topic fell on Hakkon Wintersbreath. We went overtime because the kept asking me about the dragons I slayed, if it was true. Someone out there had spread the rumour I dealt with the three in the Emprise all at once? I had to struggle to convince them it didn’t happen like that, and they were even more disappointed than when I told them that slaying dragons is just a sad thing to do and I hated doing it.

Oh, there’s one thing I hate. Does it count?

I do love you, and I miss you a little less now that I’m writing back. Thank you for being so patient with me. I do love you, a lot. You’re one thing I really like.

Are you feeling better? For real.

Say that I’m sorry   hello to the others from me.

A.

---

Skyhold, Kingsway 19, 9:44 Dragon

My love,

It does count, and I think it goes into the liking animals box. Anything else? I remember you were quite fond of swimming, if I recall correctly our first visit to Honnleath and our last one in Wycome. What about it? If you can catch a sunny day, the water should still be warm enough to bathe.

And sweets. Do they have something sweet to eat? Should I ship down there your candy stash?

Bran is fine, and is keeping me good company, thanks. He misses you too, but I’ve been fairly successful in teaching him not to sleep where you should be on the bed. Now he sleeps at my feet and I have to curl up. He still fetches, but we’re working on that too.

I am feeling better, I swear. For real, I took it easier in the last days and delegated some.

I firmly believe you wouldn’t fall if you tried to ride. I saw you. Maybe don’t start with a gallop, ease yourself in? I am sorry if I insist, but please, don’t let fear stop you. You love riding and you love that horse. And I’m sure he misses you too. And I’m not saying that to pressure you, but because you always light up when you talk about horses and about Little Brother, and I’m sure he misses you too. But it’s ok, ignore this paragraph if it bothers you, you surely know best what’s good for you.

Everyone says hello. There are various recommendations of hugs, and get well soon and missing you and a choir of “Horns up” from the Chargers and Dorian.

I second the missing, and the horns up too.

C.

---

Skyhold, Kingsway 25, 9:44 Dragon

Aisling,

I am sorry if I told you something wrong.

Please, ignore the last letter.

Little Brother is well taken care of, safe as can be, and I recommend to give him extra apples and extra cuddles. Do not worry about him, love, and please forgive me if I insisted.

If I see another Comte pretending we borrowed money from him without papers to demonstrate it I swear I’m throwing them down the battlements. Bran growling at him had been a nice addition to the group. Josie too gave him a biscuit for his good job.

I happily announce you that I have a recipe for custard and a successful attempt to my record. It was good, I’m waiting for the first lemons to try it properly and try to make it as you like it.

I do miss you, love, and I worry. Forgive me if I said the wrong thing.

I do love you even if you’ll never ride again. Cullen

---

Skyhold, Kingsway 28, 9:44 Dragon

Aisling.

You know what?

Fuck the Comtes.

Josie and Cassandra can hold their own for a while.

Wait for me.

C.

---

Stone-Bear Hold, Kingsway 28, 9:44 Dragon

Cullen.

I’m sorry. Again. I really am.

I was angry at first. And hurt. The thought of not riding again… I have been scraped clean of so much, that the idea of realizing that I had given away that too was unbearable, even in theory. You were right in insisting, because yes. I do love horses not out of duty.

Spirits, or whatever power there is in this world, how many weeks of waking up before the dawn I did back in Haven, because I didn’t want a mount out of duty and out of a choice made for me, but I wanted that horse? With you, it’s the one thing I don’t want to give up on, and you reminded me I had to.

But you were right. – I miss your smug smile, now, I would so much love to be able to kiss it away.

After two days of being angry, I decided to go to camp out of spite.

I hate how people there can’t talk to me and the pity there. I should thank you for organizing my stay with the Avvar, it was… It was what I needed.

Anyway.

Little Brother was, indeed, angry. I can’t hardly blame him. I know how he’s feeling.

I stood there in the paddock, as in the first days. He ignored me for hours. And then he approached me. Bumped me to the ground with his head.

I deserved it, poor thing. I left him on his own for a month. And I know he must have felt abandoned and… And nobody should feel like that.

I cried for the first time in a month, and we cuddled.

You were right, my love. It did me well.

I think I’ll get back in the afternoons.

I never answered to you about magic and… I’m not using much magic. I’ve been seeing Desperation again in my dreams. Nothing much, I’m still here and I’m fine, both the Augur and Sigrid are aware. The Augur has been very helpful. I’m telling you because it may help you too.

He says that for all negative spirits we attract, there’s a good one too. The good one is lingering around, we just need to see it, even if it’s a little more difficult to tune down the noise of the other.

I feel mine: there’s Cole around, lingering at the edge of my vision. He hasn’t approached me yet, but I feel him, always there. At the ready should I… Well, I do need him. But I need him from afar.

I’m not yet ready to face head-on what happened, and facing him would mean that.

But I’m writing you from the stable, forgive the wobbly calligraphy. I hope you can still read it, but my desk is furry and breathing. I couldn’t take his head away from my legs, and I don’t want to. He needed this, and so do I.

I stopped crying, but I think I’ll get back at it in some minutes. It’s good for me, and I missed it too.

I feel hopeful today.

Thank you for pushing me to come here.

Thank you for knowing me better than I do. I needed that. I still do.

I will be ready to see Cole and talk with him. Eventually.

I think I’ll try to hop on Little Brother, tomorrow.

I should probably stop writing. I do miss you keenly, right now, and I wish you were here. Do not fret here, tho: you have work to do and I don’t want to distract you any more than I’m already doing, love.

I am fine. I’m not lying.

Please do not worry, and remember that I love you. Even if you make me angry at times.

I love you and I miss you, and I hope I’ll dream of you tonight, and that it’ll be a nice memory. It’s not that hot to swim, unfortunately, but I’ll be able to dream of when we did in Wycome.

Love, quite a lot of it even if it smells like horse, Aisling

---

Stone-Bear Hold, Kingsway 29, 9:44 Dragon

Cullen,

Nothing much to add since yesterday, honestly.

I just wanted you to be the first to know: I am waiting for Little Brother to be saddled. I need to find a way to do it myself, but-

*the rest is written in a calligraphy even less readable and clear than the rest, clearly scribbled very quickly.*

You must be kidding- Who am I writing to, I’m telling you directly.

Spirits, you’re so sappy it’s lucky I love you.

Or not, the lucky one is definitely me.

Here? Really? With all those reports?

Ok I’m done, I’m asking you.

---

---

Stone-Bear Hold, Kingsway 30, 9:44 Dragon

Hiding this in your boot as you sleep, if you won’t notice when you’ll put it up tomorrow, know that it’s the reason I smiled at you. Well, one of the reasons, not the only one and not the most important. But still.

Nothing much, I just wanted to say thank you, and reiterate that you’re impossible and stubborn and totally the fun police. And that I love you because you are.

Thank you, really.

A.

[littlelostmabari]

A couple little blurbs to tease your Wednesday!

"One of the Good Ones"

(DA2/DAI : Cullen/OC : in progress) Check out the story on AO3! (Rating: M)

“So why are you so interested in the Gallows, mistress witch?”  “I…” Saoirse paused and looked back at Varric, who nodded fiercely. “I need someone with far more power than I can wield to send me back home.”  “Beyond the Fade.”  “Anders has a big mouth,” Saoirse had to keep herself from snarling.  “Oh, yes,” Hawke winked. “But he knows when to use it.” Saoirse narrowed her eyes, tearing them away from Varric (who was groaning) and back to the woman kneeling aside her. She was powerful, with strength in her arms and legs that Saoirse could only match in wildshape. Her eyes were clever too, watching everything while taking in more. She smelled a little of whiskey, and Saoirse briefly wondered if it was her own drink or Anders that was perfuming the air at this midday hour.

Working Title: "A Touch of Darkness"

(BG3/Soulmates AU : Gale/OC) AKA "the place where I dump all my Gale angst"

“Hello, I'm Gale, of — oof!!” She launched herself into his arms, the feeling of his warmth suffusing her face and chest as she buried her face into the fabric of his robes. It was a desperate thing, full of need and grief. Gale’s eyes widened at the familiar harmonization, his hands up in the air for only a moment… before his arms found their place around her shoulders and pulled her in near-too-tightly with a great sigh. “Irra.” It was a momentary relief. Irradessa felt a surge of necrotic energy leap from him suddenly reaching for the very essence of her, clawing out into her mind with dark arcane tendrils in Gale's momentary lapse of concentration. An instant later he had shoved her back bodily and released himself from her grasp. His hands held tightly to the robes — one at his heart and another at his side — and his gaze buried itself in the ground at her feet. She felt something stabilize, and the feeling of Gale’s magic slammed shut. Where normally an arcane symphony played soft and steady music, there was only unnerving quiet. He looked up and past her, collected as if nothing had happened. “Gale of Waterdeep,” he grabbed Shadowheart's stunned hand and shook it jovially. He wouldn't touch Irradessa again for weeks.

[delicatefade]

(WIP Wed/Whenever) kissy kissy Dalish elves

What if I actually posted on tumblr instead of just reblogging art? I've been writing a Dragon Age fanfic with no canon characters because I am a clown. It's a love story told in three four stories between my OC Eilan Lavellan and @bluewren's OC Lex Lavellan. They are twenty years old. Here is a fluffy little love snippet. (for any familiar with my main Eilan/Solas story, this is an AU for Eilan.)

Context: Lex and Eilan have been dating in secret for 8 months. Eilan insisted on keeping it secret because she didn't want to be the center of gossip. Lex didn't care if everyone knew but went along with Eilan's secretive nature. Their cover was just blown and everyone at Clan Lavellan now knows. CW: sex implied, nudity word count: 653

Eilan was surprised by how much she enjoyed having her secret exposed. That everyone knew she and Lex belonged to each other made her feel proud, even smug. Surely she had the envy of every other young woman — who better a catch than Lex? And who would have expected him to fall for Eilan, who was pretty enough but a bit odd, a loner who lived too far in her own head and practiced strange hobbies like elven calligraphy and writing. Being recognized as a couple had its practical benefits as well. They no longer had to invent ruses to explain their absences. They could disappear together, hand in hand, in plain view of their clan. Though Lex and Eilan had never named what had grown between them, in the eyes of the others they were clearly now a committed couple. Eilan was inclined to adopt their view.

To disappear together was as far as she dared express herself in public. When they were at camp Eilan preferred not to kiss or touch unnecessarily. Lex, she suspected, would have preferred to flaunt their relationship. He had sat close to her by the fire and rested his hand on her knee. The following day he swam out to where she bathed in the shallow sea just to hold her, the two of them weightless in the water. She reciprocated with a quick kiss, a small touch or a shy embrace, enough to make sure he never felt rejected, but invariably she would cut short his sweet affections, whispering to him that someone could see. He did not seem to mind. Or if he did, he never said. It helped that they often found time to be alone together. They each had daily duties, everyone in the clan did, but Eilan had found a way to pawn off some her chores onto a much younger cousin by baiting the girl with unfair bets. “I bet that when I drop this quill it will fall upwind,” Eilan said, knowing full well she could tip the quill with a sleight of hand. “Bet you can’t blow out all these candles in a single breath,” she said after having coated two wicks in essence of wyvern’s breath so that they would burn more stubbornly. The girl was only twelve, an apprentice healer of an agreeable and shy nature. By the fourth bet Eilan suspected that the girl had caught on, but was so thoroughly enjoying Eilan’s attention that she was willing to spend the day de-stemming spindleweed in Eilan’s stead. On those days Eilan would meet Lex in the forest where it was his duty to tend to wild gardens, thought admittedly when Eilan was there he tended to little but her. “Hold on. One second. I should check on the peppers,” Lex said as he disentangled himself from Eilan and stood up from the ground. They had just made love on a patch of summer squash. Fat bright leaves clung to Eilan’s bare back as she sat up to watch Lex move, his nude body gorgeous in the dappled sunlight. He pulled free a pepper from a nearby plant and screwed up his nose at it. It was a runty thing, curled in on itself like an angry cashew, bright red and gnarled. Lex raised a bewildered brow. “…the fuck?” Eilan repressed a laugh, her whole body shaking, tears in her eyes, lips twitching as she covered her mouth. “Oh yea?” Lex grinned, trying not to laugh. “You think it’s funny?” He tossed the sad pepper behind him and dove towards her, nipping at her neck as he guided her back into the cushy leaves. She shrieked with delight. “It’s all your fault,” he teased. “You’re the… what’s that word again? The title of your play? The Saboteur.” Eilan gasped. “You remembered the title of my play!” Lex wagged his brows cockily as if to say ‘duh.’

Tagging: @monocytogenes, @crackinglamb, @about2dance, @nirikeehan, @theluckywizard, @oxygenforthewicked @melisusthewee @rosella-writes and anyone else who might want to share their WIPs!

[wildbasil]

🐱 boop!!! (with lots of love)

📝 if u don’t mind sharing :))

booping back with lots of love!!! 🐱💖💖💕💕

at the moment i'm mainly just working on commissions!! in my spare time though i'm also plugging away at the many, MANY unfinished fanfic one shots i have.

everything i create starts life as a messy primordial goop, very trust the process, which makes it hard to share WIPs hahaha. but here's a little snippet of a banner saga fic 🥰

and a snippet from an anders thing

[theluckywizard]

WIP WHENEVER

Thanks for the tags @greypetrel and @bluewren !

I’ve been working on an illustration for the next chapter of my fic (which I am also working on)

Here’s Hawke and Rose Trevelyan walking back to Caer Bronach from the celebration in Crestwood Village after resolving the rift under the lake. I’m experimenting with some new watercolor brushes I got!

Hawke and I swing along beside each other, the sunlight invigorating our weary bodies. He pushes a strand of hair back behind his ear and looks over the landscape as we crest the hill above the village, squinting against the shimmer of the lake.

Tagging: @monocytogenes, @crackinglamb, @about2dance, @nirikeehan, @rowanisawriter and @delicatefade and anyone else who might want to share their WIPs!

[heniareth]

WIP Wednesday

Tagged by @greypetrel and @shivunin several weeks in a row thank you so much for keeping the tags going and reminding me of this and I finally have something to show!!! I'm excited!!! XD XD XD XD XD

Have some Astala philosophizing:

Astala knew hunger. She knew what it did to you. Hunger paralyzes you; persistent, aching hunger turns you into an utter fool, makes you cry in random corners; it makes you snap at people who don't deserve it, makes you weak, makes you lie down when you should stand up and run. Hunger is cruel.

Starving someone was crueler still.

She pulled out a piece of bread that she had saved up for dinner, broke it in two and offered one half to Sten.

"I don't want your pity," Sten spat with disdain.

"Hey, I'm hungry," Astala said and shrugged. "It's rude if I don't share."

Sten frowned, but evidently decided arguing wasn't worth the effort. He took the bread and sat back to eat. Astala did likewise.

Did you know that canonically, Sten has been sitting in thay cage for 20 days without food? If we're super exact, also without water, but that doesn't fit into my brain and I'm glossing over it. Bc I did not until I rewatched that dialogue to get a feel for the scene! It is heavily implied that other races wouldn't have survived that, while Sten expects to live a little bit longer, but only a week more at most. Anyways, I found this very cool (and it certainly gives Astala grounds for recruiting him)

I am tagging you both back! I enjoyed looking at the stuff you posted in the last weeks and I am 👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀 nosey. Also tagging @bumblerhizal @siriskulksnerding @scribbledquillz @wild-houseplant @oxygenforthewicked and @icy-warden in case you have somebody you'd like to share, now or however long you want from now on. Have a lovely day you all!!

[freesidexjunkie]

WIP Wednesday but it's Friday

A small snippet of chapter 7 for Din'an All Elgara 💕 rough draft, WIP, etc etc (the chapter is almost entirely typed up now, just need to edit it into a version i can live with). For context, this takes place in Haven in the very early game.

“Is something wrong?” I asked.

“No,” he said with a little smirk. “No, I fear I am boring you with my prattle.”

Shit. “No! No, I was…” I was what? Lost in your eyes? Distracted by the warm timbre of your voice, by the shifting glow of the magic as you worked it with ease? “I was just… distracted by the Mark. The way it moves, and all.”

“Ah, of course,” he said, though his tone suggested that my wandering gaze had betrayed me.

I felt my cheeks grow warm as a nervous laugh escaped me. “Oh, shut up,” I said, pulling my hand away as I scooted back. “I was listening, for your information. I don’t get many chances to talk about magic like this back home. It’s just me and the Keeper, and sometimes giving lessons to the Second. Dalish magic is just…”

“Lacking in imagination?” He said.

I swatted him on the arm as I tried to suppress my own grin. He wasn’t far off, but I couldn’t just up and agree with him. “Watch it, you. Dalish magic can get plenty imaginative if you get on our bad side.”

Solas put his hands up in mock surrender. “Of course,” he said, “my apologies. I certainly would not want to be on the wrong end of one of your spells, at least.”

I rolled my eyes again, trying to give the impression that his approval of my spellwork only gave me the normal amount of butterflies. “I was going to say it’s very practical. Healing and day-to-day stuff. A few rituals. There’s less time to explore magical theory when you’re always on the move, trying to keep a clan healthy and safe.”

“Naturally,” he replied, folding his hands behind his back. Even in a war camp, he always managed to look so… regal. Like there was an elegant ease about him. “Well, it is gratifying to know that you aren’t just humoring me, then, by letting me drone on.”

I flashed a coy smirk, the feeling bubbling up in my chest lending me a bit of boldness. “Or maybe I just enjoy listening to you talk,” I said.

“I… ahem.” He looked away to clear his throat, and I almost swore I saw a bit of color rise in his cheeks. “Thank you, lethallan. Though I suspect you may be the first.”

“Besides yourself, you mean?”

That earned a real, honest-to-gods laugh from him as he threw his head back. “I see. You flatter me in one breath and humble me with the next. Like a rose, luring people in with beauty before pricking them with your thorns.”

Beautiful? I tried to calm the flipping in my stomach. He might have just meant beautiful words, after all; but…

“Please,” I responded, “I’m not that prickly.”

His teasing smile softened into something a bit more like fondness. “No, you are not,” he said. “You have a way about you of putting people at ease, I think.”

“Of course,” I replied, affecting a haughty air. “I’m a born diplomat, Solas.”

“Hm. I wonder if Lady Josephine would agree with that?”

Now it was my turn to be affronted as I clutched a hand to my chest. “Ha! Now who’s thorny?”

Before Solas could made any kind of reply, a young human boy ran up to us; one of the Inquisition’s scouts, if I remembered correctly. He bowed a bit awkwardly before addressing us. “Your Worship. Sister Leliana sent me to bring you to the Chantry. There’s been a… situation of sorts with the Chancellor."

Roderick. Of course. According to Cassandra, he was little more than a glorified clerk, but that hadn’t stopped him from calling for my righteous execution near hourly since I woke up. I groaned loudly as I got down from my spot. “Dread Wolf take me… Doesn’t he have anything better to do?”

I heard Solas snicker at my misfortunes from behind. “Would that I could assist, but I am not the ‘natural born diplomat,’ unfortunately.”

“Don’t be so quick to joke,” I warned. “He’s got a stick up his ass about heathen elven mages. I might tell him you’re here just to keep him out of my hair.”

The young scout spoke up again. “Apologies, my Lady, but I do believe it was somewhat urgent.”

“Right, yes. I’m coming,” I said with a sigh. I turned to speak to Solas as I walked back towards the Chantry. “Wish me luck. I’m sure he’s going to argue for wasting all your hard work again.”

“Dareth shiral, lethallan,” he replied with one last smile, picking up his book. “If you need anything further, I’ll be here.”

Feeling a bit emboldened, I threw a little smirk at him over my shoulder as I left. “Oh, I’m sure I’ll think of something.”

Anyways, thank you if you read this far!! Let me know what you think of it, if you have any thoughts? I hope to have the full chapter up by this weekend; if not, fingers crossed for early next week!!

[thejabberwokk]

I have not seen anything about a 2024 14 Days of Dragon Age Lovers, but I never finish the full lists so I still have some of the previous two years to do.

14 Days of Dragon Age Lovers

Prompt: Approval (2022)

For @14daysdalovers writing prompts :D

Pairing:  (Bards Drabbles au) Cassandra Pentaghast x Solas

Rating: G

This one is kinda a sequel to "Encourage". Like what happens the next day.

She watched him with baited breath. Turmoil and anguish and beaming pride at war in her chest.

He stood above the battlefield, gold armor shining in the moonlight and her breast was full to burst.

"Allow me to go with you, Solas,” she shouted up at him, the din of clashing weapons surrounded her, but years of hard fought victories tempered her voice to a bellow.

“You would abandon your god, Seeker?” He arched a brow, his voice surrounding her like a divine breath.

“No, but I would join you to fight yours!” Under her helmet her eyes shone with conviction, determination set her jaw.

If he was surprised by her declaration, he did not show it, but the subtle incline of his head was the approval she sought.

Mustering her courage she barked orders to the troops around her, and like ripples upon the surface of an ancient pound, the battle around her came clattering to a halt. 

“Inquisition!”

“The Dread Wolf and the Divine have come to an understanding. An Enemy of our Enemy is an Ally, and as such, we shall join forces against the Venatori and the Qun!”

[effelants]

I HAVE BEEN WRITING. I GET TO PARTICIPATE IN WIP WEDNESDAY. HELL YEAH. UPSETTINGLY, THE BABIES ARE UPSET, SO IT’S NOT A HAPPY EXCERPT. BUT OH WELL, CAN’T HAVE EVERYTHING.

I shall tag this randomly selected group of people I found in my notes and mentions or who otherwise came to mind that I adore and who are not obligated to participate, but may, should they wish! 

@briarfox13 @cullenvhenan @crackinglamb @agentkatie @laurelsofhighever @blarrghe @allenvooreef @theluckywizard @breninarthur @dreadfutures @inquisimer @exalted-dawn-drabbles @nirikeehan @bluewren @ar-lath-ma-cully

And, in addition to them, also you, if you want to do a WIP Wednesday! Yes, you, literally you, regardless of whether or not we’ve ever interacted in any way. I still mean you! Consider yourself tagged, and please tag me in return so I can read and like and reblog your stuff, if you’re so inclined! ♥

[anderstrevelyan]

Thanks to everyone who’s tagged me for some snippet sharing recently! Jumping in with a bit of dialogue between Justice and Garrett Amell (from my draft of Ch. 15 of Force of Nature)—

“I’d rather hear about you, Justice. How are you settling in? To the world, I mean, not the job.” He seems to consider. “I have been watching in the kitchens,” he says finally. “And by the blacksmith’s, observing the process of creation in this realm. It’s strange, in all its effort. Admirable.” Garrett tries not to laugh at that image, of Justice staring stone-faced in the corner as the cooks try to ignore him. “I can’t even imagine,” he admits, “what it would be like in reverse. If I suddenly found myself having to live in the Fade.”   “Yet as a mage, you understand the Fade. Am I correct?” “I’m aware of it, when I’m there in my sleep.” He turns and leans his hip against the battlement so he can look into Justice’s face.  “Apparently most mortals feel it more distantly, like a foggy memory they can scarcely interpret. I can control my surroundings when I’m there, a little. I can find my way around, if I don’t get lost in it. It’s nothing like what it was for you, I expect. It must be astounding, crafting whatever you will.” “A demon would find you to be the one worthy of envy—a vibrancy worth any restrictions.” “But you miss the Fade.” He pauses for a long while, to the point where Garrett thinks he’ll leave that to linger as truth.  But then Justice speaks, with a quiet reluctance. “I do not know. I must go back, if I can find a way, but there is beauty in it. Making your mark in such an unchanging realm.”  There is, isn’t there? Garrett thinks as he looks out at the young patches of green scattered across Ferelden’s northeast, more than there’d been just a year ago as the Blight marched its malignant path.  They stand in silence for moment, the wind on their faces, Justice’s gaze straying to the same rustling grasses stretching and growing and clambering for new life.

Tagging back/forward to @pinkfadespirit @my-dumb-obsessions @potatowitch @effelants @dismalzelenka @flashhwing and anyone else who'd like to jump in (no pressure as always).

[spainkitty]

WIP WEDNESDAY

AO3 link to Part 1

Part 2 Chapter ??

The damp pebbles were a bit easier to walk over barefoot, and she went out further into the surf without the slightest hesitation, excitement bubbling under her skin. Foam burst and tickled around her bare calves, and the water lapped at her knees, swelling and splashing high enough to dot the linen tunic that hung just past her hips. Spindleweed and black lotus grew everywhere, twining around her ankles and bouncing against her thighs as she waded through the water. It was mesmerizing and wonderful. She wanted to throw herself into the depths of it and feel the tide pounding against the coast, hear it echoing like thunder all around her.

She heard him coming, but she didn’t bother to turn. She was too busy staring at the strange many-legged creature scuttling over the muddy pebbles near her toes. Was that a lobster? A crab? She couldn’t remember. Orlais loved seafood, considered it a delicacy, but the smell had always turned Lanil’s stomach. What was wrong with good, hearty ram? Or, better yet, beef?

“You look like you’re about to turn into a dolphin and take off to sea,” the Iron Bull said when he came up beside her.

Lanil gaped at him. “You’ve seen dolphins? It’s too cold for dolphins this far south!”

“You forget, I’m from the north, Bruiser,” the Iron Bull said, grinning. “Seheron’s surrounded by pods and pods of ‘em. No good for eating, though. The natives consider them too much like people and too smart for eating.”

“Huh. I wanted to know what they tasted like,” Lanil said with a disappointed frown. “There aren’t that many aquatic mammals. I wanted to know if they taste more like fish or cows.”

The Iron Bull laughed, hands braced on his hips and head shaking slightly. Looking at him now, she almost did a double-take; she hadn’t realized how little he wore. He was always maybe half-dressed anyway. But now he wore smallclothes barely large enough to cover the important bits, and he’d taken his eyepatch off. The scar was deep across his eye, ragged and misshapen from mundane stitching and healing. There was the faintest trace where his skin was lighter than the rest in the shape of the eyepatch and its strap, which made her lips twitch. Maybe he needed some bare-skinned sunbathing, too.

“Didn’t want to overwhelm you with too much full-blooded qunari all at once,” the Iron Bull said when he noticed her noticing him.

“I’m sure I could handle it just fine.”

His head tipped back as he guffawed from deep in his belly. “Are you finally flirting back?”

Lanil’s lips twitched again. “Only by chance. I’m not good at intentional double entendre.”

“So you don’t mind if I whip it all off and go swimming the way the tamassrans taught us?” he asked with a wicked gleam in his eye.

“As long as you don’t expect me to join you,” Lanil replied. “I only get undressed in public when I’m drunk.”

Laughing yet again, the Iron Bull kept his smallclothes on, but went wading deeper until the water reached his waist (nearly her chest height). He beckoned her forward.

“C’mon, Bruiser, I won’t let the undertow get you!”

“What’s the undertow?!” Lanil shouted back.

“It doesn’t matter. Get out here!”

“I can’t swim!”

The qunari stood there, arm raised mid-air for a long second. Then, his arm dropped and he waded back. He propped his hands on his hips and stared down at her. “You can’t swim.”

[spicywarl0ck]

Wip-Wednesday

Finally, I have a small wip to share again, probably the last for this year until I take a break to recharge my creative spirit again. But the first stone for an transInquisitor/Solas fanfiction is set!

He tried to fight against the hands digging into the worn down tunic they must have given him and that was nothing like his Dalish armour. His feet dragged over the cold stone floor and his teeth grit when he tried to wiggle his way out.

But their grip was too firm, bruising almost as they threw him onto the ground, pulling their blades at the same moment to place them around his neck and forcing him to keep his head up at the same prospect.

By the creators, how much he wanted to put an arrow into their foreheads if only he’d have his weapons.

“Don’t even try.” The woman with the dark hair and the metal armour warned him. Her face was a mask of tiredness and desperation, but she tried to hide it with a curtain of harshness. This woman was used to handle interrogation’s, that much was clear. 

“We have guards positioned at the outside as well, you’d do best to corporate if you don’t want to be ended by one of their blades. They will be as quick as I.” she added, her tired yet scornful eyes piercing him as he remained silent.

He wore a stoic mask on his own, as forest green eyes reflected the torches around him. His shoulders were straight, and his chin lifted as he met her gaze, waiting for her to continue on with pursed lips.

Revassan surely wouldn’t give her the satisfaction of speaking on his own, no matter if the damp coldness of the stone floor underneath him dug through the pants they’d given him.

“What were you doing at the conclave?” she continued on, as if he didn’t insult her with his silence. “And what happened? How did you survive?”

Confusion flashed over his face. 

Survive? That didn’t sound right with him, but then again… he could tell that he was injured. His arm still hurt, yet not as badly as it had before, the very palm of his hand feeling as if it throbbed and something was stuck inside.

So, it wasn’t as he knew anymore about what was going on but the Shem’s did obviously.

He regarded her for a moment, seemingly not bothered at all by the cold steel pressed against his neck and ready to end his life at any moment. Yet, he knew, as threatening as they might have been, they were desperate too. He could see it in their eyes after all.

“I was sent to the conclave by request of the Keeper of my Clan.” he answered, carefully. “As for your other question… I can’t answer that I’m afraid for I am just as much in the dark as you are.”

[delicatefade]

New experiment. What if I actually started treating this like a writing blog?

No context tiny snippet from a scene I worked on in my WIP. Sharing because "weenie"

As tempted as Eilan was to suggest they forgo the festival, she could not bring herself to be a weenie. As a child she had been a weenie and ostracized for it — and rightly so, in retrospect. She liked being a loner just fine except in those moments when she did not. As an adolescent that solitary streak morphed into an appealing mystique, perhaps with some sex appeal, and she had an easier time finding her place among their peers and even attracting the secret affections of two of the shyer boys. Meanwhile, Lex went from an agreeable and well-liked child to a teenage hunk that was popular with the girls. Even now, over a year into their romance, Eilan felt lucky that he had chosen her, did not quite know why he had, and was reluctant to do anything that may break the spell.

A WEENIE

[theluckywizard]

WIP Wednesday!

Thanks for the tags @rowanisawriter and @melisusthewee

Since I've been successful at preventing my Inquisitor and Cullen from making out in my long fic for like 15 chapters now, I figured I'd throw them a bone and let them make out in a "plot offshoot smut AU". In the longfic they dance the night of her ascension as Inquisitor and then he flees to his tower. She works up the courage to chase after him only to find an empty office. Meanwhile he's worked up the courage to come back to claim another dance with her after all. In this version she actually finds him.

The moment he opens it, Rose tumbles through into him, having been leaning heavily into the thick tower door to open it. He catches her awkwardly around her middle, and joy trips in as clumsily as Rose. The door groans shut behind them and she smiles up at him with the slightest shake of her head, nothing smart to say for a change, but he can see it in her eyes. He snorts softly through his nose, thinking that the Maker must get a rise out of arranging these sorts of things. They kiss. Or he kisses. But it might have been her too. It must have been, because her arms slide up through the pile of his mantle and draw him deeper, deeper than he thought kisses could go. And he wants to get lost in the sensation of it, the rapture of it, but he can’t help wonder about the appropriateness of kissing his newly minted superior. But she’d been his equal until this morning and his equal the entire time he’d helplessly fallen for her, staggering witlessly into the clutches of love. The kiss gets so wildly out of hand that they both break apart, glancing up at each other as they wipe away the sloppiness on the backs of their hands. “I’m sorry,” he says, nearly automatically, as if it was all a terrible accident and could she forgive him for running into her so thoroughly. Her lips twist in a shy smile and he notices the way her cheeks burn as brightly as his own. “You’re sorry?” she asks, her amusement apparent in the tilt of her brow and the timidity falls away as she shakes her head at him in amazement. “I— you—“ “Well, I’m sorry too,” she says, her gaze half insolence, half desire, grasping bunches of his mantle and vest and pulling him to her again for more of the offense.

Tagging @about2dance, @warpedlegacywrites, @crackinglamb, @monocytogenes, @agentkatie, @ir0n-angel and @nirikeehan and anyone else who wishes to share!

[gil-galadhwen]

WIP Title Poll Game

The rules: run a 24-hr poll of your WIP's, then write as many sentences for the winner as it gets votes.

Thanks for the tag my lovely, epic fic writing friend @myfavouritelunatic ❤️😘

Some of these fanfic wips are old, but I'm up to the challenge of finishing (starting) them! 😆

No pressure tags: @caitlinlidae @immortallaughter @stardustspell @ambrosia-salads @bananaphanta @bunnyyanny @elvngrl @jurassiclexie @karmabansheenz @starlady66 @queenmeriadoc @lady-of-imladris @labhandar

If I didn't tag you and you want to do it, PLEASE DO and tag me so I can see 🩷 (same goes if I tagged you and you don't want to be!)