#playwithdinos

[broodwolf221]

fic rec list!

been seeing a lot of these today and it got me thinking about making my own :o tumblr urls added whenever possible if you happen to know an author's tumblr url that didn't get listed, pls rb this and @ them! i'm not trying to keep my recs or praise any kind of secret from them :')

keep your hands on me by LathboraViran (cullen/solas; rated E; no archive warnings apply)

author summary: Cullen is bad at card games, and Varric doesn't always play for coin. The cost of a lost game of Diamondback? Cullen has to kiss Solas. It goes both better and worse than he had expected.

my notes: i really loved this - both cullen and solas are written incredibly well. it's hot, nuanced, and feels so true to both of them and how they could come together meaningfully

With the Tide by desiredemon (jazzmckay) ( @jazzmckay ) (fenris/m!hawke; rated T; no archive warnings apply)

author summary: In the wake of their final fight for Kirkwall, Hawke and his friends escape the city together. They've been through an ordeal, the future is uncertain, and emotions are still running high--in the aftermath, the dust settles.

my notes: jazz is an extraordinary writer and they managed to get everyone's voices down so, so well. this is a compelling look at what happens after the events of da2, with all the inherent complexity intact

Power, Intrigue, Danger, and Sex by Hezjena (andruil/fen'harel/ghilan'nain; rated E; no archive warnings apply)

author summary: When Solas later recalled the evening, he liked to imagine it was the result of careful manipulation, a triumph of his skilled diplomacy and a delicious trickery where he allowed himself to be underestimated… rather than the result of too much ice wine and morbid curiosity. *** That time Solas accidentally-on-purpose has a threesome with Andruil and Ghilan’nain in Ancient Elvhenan.

my notes: okay, i am head over heels with how everyone is written here. solas' characterization is perfect, and both andruil and ghilan'nain are utterly fascinating - as individuals, in their dynamic with each other, and in the way they interact with solas in this. it's hot and messy, mind the tags, and a wonderful examination of arlathan's culture

let me wrap my teeth around the world by wizardlover ( @wizardfvcker ) (solas/varric; rated E; no archive warnings apply)

author summary: “Aren’t we friends, Solas?”

This seems to startle him enough that he turns to look at Varric. In the dimness of the tent his eyes reflect the light from the fire outside, like a wild animal.

“I would call us that, yes."

“Then won’t you share whatever burden is pressing you down with me? That’s what friends are for, you know.”

“Not this one." Varric sighs.

“Come on, Chuckles. I’ll get back out there and get the Inquisitor to spill it, but it seems like a waste when I’m already here.”

Solas is quiet for a long moment—he has shifted around again, so Varric can only see the rise and fall of his back as he breathes, carefully controlled.

“I am… compromised,” he says. Varric waits. “That damned plant, combined with an errant spell—I have… urges. And I can’t—it is—” He cuts himself off, frustrated, and isn’t that a wonder, Solas out of words? And then,

“Urges?” Varric stifles a laugh. “Do you mean—”

“You know what I mean, dwarf,” Solas hisses, and Varric realizes that his neck is red and the tips of his ears have gone pink, and that the air in the tent is warm and stuffy and a little heady, all of a sudden. He clears his throat.

my notes: i am, of course, always so thirsty for solas/varric content - the world needs more of it - but also this particular fic is delightful. i love the writing, particularly the way varric describes solas' behavior and staring - i've come back to read this multiple times because it's just... really, really good. also hot!

The Switch by playwithdinos ( @playwithdinos / @dinoswrites ) (f!lavellan/solas; rated E; creator chose not to use archive warnings)

author summary: Lavellan usually lets Solas take charge when they're alone, but she's back from slaying the Fereldan Frostback and she's not in the mood to bow to anyone.

Fill for this kink meme prompt: http://dragonage-kink.livejournal.com/13696.html?thread=53207680

my notes: love this one soooo much - lavellan is fascinating here and the way she takes charge is delightful, i particularly enjoyed how it began so much earlier than in the bedroom - and solas is written so well, love his characterization here. it's very hot and another i've definitely come back to

That Time of the Month by bluebeholder ( @wanderingnork ) (f!adaar/solas; rated E; no archive warnings apply)

author summary: Kubide gets her period. Solas offers a suggestion for how they might have some fun.

They're going to have to burn the sheets when they're done.

my notes: love this one so much - every line is just rife with characterization and depth, absolutely love the way kubide conducts herself and her reactions throughout, the physical descriptions are wonderfully done, and overall it's super hot and makes their feelings for each other incredibly clear.

In the Blue Morning by rosieofcorona ( @rosieofcorona ) (f!lavellan/solas; rated G; author chose not to use archive warnings)

author summary: He wants to stay like this forever, wants the sun to forget to rise, wants the castle to sleep and sleep in an endless dream.

But the light keeps coming, every moment. The castle will wake, and they will see.

And this will cost them, in the end.

my notes: this was such a delight when i first read it, and still such a delight when i just reread it now ;o; the way everything is described is really beautiful, and the balance between them, the juicy foreshadowing, everything, it's so good. a soft moment that acknowledges what is to come

Master and Apprentice by ar_lath_vhenan ( @arlathvhenan ) (f!lavellan/solas; rated T; no archive warnings apply)

author summary: He was playing with her then, just as she had played with him only moments ago. He’d seen through her thinly veiled flirtations—her shameless assault on his composure—and finally settled on a counter offensive now that he possessed the upper hand. The tricky bastard. — In which Solas teaches Lavellan to paint

my notes: i really, really enjoy this fic - the intimacy alongside the uncertainty is wonderfully complex, and the descriptive language for how they manuever around/with each other has never failed to impress me. love this lavellan too <3

[errata98]

Fanfiction I Read in 2020 

I didn’t realize how long this post was going to be until I was about halfway through. And it still is not even close to exhaustive. 

Soo, while 2020 has been such a tumultuous year one great thing about this time in my life is that I’ve had more time than ever to read. I am always so blown away by how much talent there is in fanfiction, so big, big thank you to all the writers that share their work and for whisking me away from real life into something far more pleasurable. It definitely makes my whole day when a fic I love has been updated, and I enjoy catching glimpses of rough drafts and the writing process via tumblr (I’m still trying to understand how their galaxy brains even work lolol). 

It’s long, but I am not putting it under a cut! They’re too good!

Long Fics (>= 50k words)

Roses From Where Thorns Grow by @bdafic​ [incomplete]- I started this a while ago, must have lost track of it, and then found it again this summer. Feels weird to type because this is not really me irl lol but accidental pregnancy fics are one of my favorites kinds of fics. Papa Solas is amazing. Somewhere, I once tagged something with ‘solas dad best dad’ and I think that probably sums up my feelings on the matter. The last chapter I read has left me anxious for more, so I’m eagerly awaiting what will likely be the first chapter posted in 2021. 

Ruins by @luzial [incomplete] - A real story of a couple who broke up, fought each other for twenty years, got sent back in time, and are now trying to make things work again ;) Lavellan here is older and wiser in all the ways that matter, and Solas is... well Solas in many ways is everything we wish he would (and could) be now. Had the most wonderful realization that I somehow missed the last chapter that apparently came out on my birthday, so I know what I’ll be doing later.

Fen’Harel’s Teeth by @5lazarus​  [incomplete] - the conversations in this fic are one of my favorite parts. They’re in character, but they’re also just interesting to read. The words just fly across the page -- it’s smooth, seamless, pithy. I love politics and I love a main character who has her wits about her -- both are in this fic. Also features fatherly!Solas, which I just adore.

By the Still Waters by [orphan account]. This is older, but I knew it was popular so I gave it a shot and... yes, I understand now. I loved reading something from Fenris’ perspective. I loved how he’s a foil for Solas. I love seeing Lavellan as this near mythical person because we see everything through Fenris’ eyes. I love Hawke and Fenris together. Merrill also featured more heavily than I anticipated and she had some of the best lines I’ve ever read.

Pressure Point by 17734 [incomplete] - this fic leaves me constantly unsettled (in the best, most addictive, under-your-skin kind of way). I’ve read the first 18 or so chapters twice, and it’s one of those stories that’s slightly different the second time you read it. I really like the author’s take on immortal beings, some of it is very reminiscent of some of the Greek mythology I read in school - characters are at turns both magnificent and terrifying. The language is also very beautiful, and I’m a sucker for anything close to prosaic. 

Out of Time by destinies - so, I don’t know how I found this beyond just “Twitter.” This isn’t Dragon Age related -- it’s from The Greisha Trilogy, which I had never heard of before -- something just told me I would really like this story. Forced/political marriages’, memory loss, enemies to lovers, the dichotomy between light and dark embodied by a single couple... yes, thank you. I had to kind of piece the world together as I read, which was admittedly a lot of fun, and um... wow, I really loved this! Another one of my ‘binged in a single night’ fics.  

Message Sent by @aicosu [incomplete]- this is coincidentally how I got my former partner into Dragon Age lol. I had originally read it the first time as it was coming out. The second time I read it aloud to them over the course of a few days, feeling very much like Cassandra trying to do certain character’s voices. It reminded me of how much I loved it, and so I feel like it deserves a mention here. Definitely an unorthodox but memorable way of cursing someone with being emotionally invested in the Solavellan romance 

Short Fics (< 50k words)

nothing on my tongue by @ellstersmash - the chapters here are short, and I loved seeing the fic updated put of order. This was my first time experiencing that, and I loved guessing where we were in the in-game timeline, and also, as more chapters were posted, which chapter numbers were still missing and therefore what the missing chapters might be about. I associate this fic with feeling kind of melancholy a lot. I think the word constraints really lent itself well to the Solavallen romance -- beautiful and poignant, but always leaving me wanting more.

In and Out of Time Again by @luzial - hoo boy did I have a fun time reading this one. I actually rarely go for AU’s this “AU”, but I trusted this author, and it paid off. In fact, I think I subconsciously had more doubts than I thought because what started a curious perusal ended in one of those “up until 3 am reading” kind of nights. It was such a fast-paced, interesting read, I couldn’t wait to see what happened next. Ink is one of my favorite Lavellans; she’s just too cool.

The Fourth Day by sass_bot (@knightava) [incomplete] - this was just such a perfect example of how to build tension and dread for the reader, that I still think about it frequently. Also, who wouldn’t love a Skyhold murder mystery?

Beyond the Veil by Pyreite [incomplete] - A 200 years post-Veil fic. Abelas is in it, which is how I knew it was gonna be good hehe. I really like the world-building, and I like explorations of the romance with a more hardened Lavellan. 

I Come to You With Nothing by CommonEvilMasterMind. I’ll preface this by writing that this made me cry with a mixture of sorrow and happiness. The premise is an undercover mission in an alienage which involves Solas and Ellana masquerading as a married couple. It’s beautifully written, and just honestly kind of bittersweet. The writing is itself very touching but I also think it’s almost difficult to read because the Solavellan romance has an arc that looks like it’s just exponentially deviating from anything remotely happy lolol 

That Girl Is Like A Sunburn by @yourstrulycommandershepard - I just discovered this person’s writing this year and I’m kind of obsessed? I went on a whole binge this past summer and *fans self*. I picked this one for my list because I haven’t read that many Solas/Trevelyan fics, and hers are by far some of my favorites. I also love that the titles of some of her fics are Taylor Swift lyrics. I get Solavellan vibes from so many of Taylor’s songs - glad it’s not just me!

Aravel by @playwithdinos - More Papa Solas. I can’t say anything more than it hit me right in the vhenan. 

Wake Up by queenofkadara (@pikapeppa) - One of those fics I thought about for days afterward. The characterization was incredible, and it hurt me to read about Varric brining up Lavellan and seeing Solas’ reaction, and it hurt even more to be left wanting for more, just like Solas. 

[first-flower-of-my-house]

D&D asks, 15 for both.

Thanks for the ask!

15. What is the best gift they could receive?

For Dairine, it’s 100% the locket Dhaveira ( @pistol-packin-mama’s oc) gave her

For Lina, I’m honestly not sure. I think maybe finding her friend Gourry alive will be enough of a gift for her (he’s been missing for months and she is very worried and so am I)

[cedarmoons]

😍🤷‍♀️😭😎🌎

😍: what is your favorite fic trope? — answered!

🤷‍♀️What thing that your fandom loves do you just not “get”?

This applies to both Dragon Age and the Arcana: turning any and every male and male-presenting LI into a Daddy Dom, 50 Shades of Grey-style. There was that whole phase of 2015-2016 Solavellan where every modern au had Daddy Solas, and now we have people saying Asra, Julian, and even Muriel are Daddy Doms. (This shit is why I don’t follow any arcana blogs). I have to laugh. They get pegged. Every single one of them. That’s the that on that. ☕

😭 Has a fic ever left you inconsolable?

It’s very difficult to make me cry when I read. But a few that have reduced me to a sobbing wreck:

No Featherbed For Me, an Arya-centric A Song of Ice and Fire fic. The very first fic I remember that’s ever made me cry.

I Come To You With Nothing, a Solavellan “fake married” AU, which does not do the fic justice. 

Not technically a fic, but the angst AUs I brainstorm with @katharaya have me crying on the reg. Last week I was inconsolable between 1 and 3 am over an AU of Ziah as the Devil reuniting / reconciling with Kat’s apprentice, Rei, and Asra. It was uh... something.

😎 Who is your BroTP?

Dragon Age: Varric & Hawke. I think that’s just a given. I also love Solas & Cassandra, Solas & Cole, and Solas & Bull.

The Arcana: The Satrinavas! I also enjoy Portia and Julian’s dynamic.

🌎What is your dream AU?

Dragon Age: I once read a fic where Lavellan knew that Solas was Fen’Harel from the beginning, so an AU where she does DA:I doing everything she can to counter Solas, without Solas realizing what she’s doing, would be pretty sweet. Bonus if she still romances Solas!

The Arcana: Oh... Nadia/MC, where Nadia is the Devil and MC is the reincarnated Nadia-mancer MC. It would have Beauty & The Beast elements, reincarnated soulmates, monster romance and reintroducing reversed!Nadia to her humanity AKA... redemption narrative. Brb, putting this on my to-do list.

[supacutiepie]

For 10 Fic Writer Questions Meme, #1

1. Of the fics you’ve written, which is your favorite and why

Hmmmmmm 

Providence, Idiots, and Boys Who Become Men My only finished FAHC fic, my only true blooded 20k (It is in the edited version I haven’t released) and it was just a blast to write. Its my only really OG story with characters I developed myself, and it’s supposed to be a character study that got involved. 

Of all my fics (which I do love equally) This one is like, the One Kid that Got a Life and did good things and I’m very proud. 

[hawkeabelas]

playwithdinos

  SO @dammithawke and I are getting married on...

Congrats to you both!!

Thank you! <3

[thevikingwoman]

Inquisitor ask meme, for Ilwyn: 4, 8, 14, 33, 36

Thank you!

4. how did they feel about being called “the herald of andraste”? 

Iwyn think it is strange. She never claimed to be the Herald of Andraste, she is, at best, Dalish Agnostic when it comes to religion. In the beginning, she is curious about the Inquisition people, as it allows her to interact with types of people she has never met before, but she doesn’t enjoy being some sort of religious icon. 

8. who is their rival?

I am not really sure she has a rival? Other than everyone who wants her step back at the Exalted Council ;). She doesn’t really cultivate rivalry - she tries to find a way around it. She does do things, especially after the Inquisition that both Orlesian and Ferelden nobility as well as some Dalish are not happy with, but as for a straight up rival I don’t think I can name one. 

14. which demon is most frightening to them?

I think Despair Demons are the most frighting. From a pure physical perspective, any ranged fighter is more worrying for her, being an archer. She also is a natural optimist, and feelings of despair are not something she knows how to deal with. The most likely demons to corrupt or tempt her would probably be desire or pride.  

33. are they afraid of anything specifically? 

Iwyn worried about failing, and most of all about not being able to protect those who love, or those she likes, or anyone she feels tasked with protecting (aka - ALL of Thedas, she needs to slow down. See pride, above)

36. are they especially protective of certain inquisition members, even those capable of defending themselves? 

She is generally very protective, but she is especially protective of Solas, because she loves him and worries about him. She sometimes get the feeling he doesn’t care much about his own safety. She worries about Sera, because she is young. She worries about Josephine, because Josie is not a fighter, even if she plays the game. She would worry about attacks on the Inquisition when they travel etc with Josie. She worries about Cullen, because of his struggle with lyrium addiction and she worries he puts too much stress on himself. 

Inqusitior asks! 

[izzym-art]

@playwithdinos replied to your post: @playwithdinos replied to your post: ...

okay for real the first result was a highly questionable “science” article about cat/raccoon hybrids which i am saving to read later because it looks like a riot

the website itself is extremely questionable tbh

[selenelavellan]

Would you ever write... hm, an AU where Selene, Dirthamen, Fear, Deceit, and Des are just.. actually all ravens. Like run of the mill, sittin in trees and making cawing noises ravens. Possibly rolling around in the snow for fun. Mostly just being birds and doing bird stuff.

No.

Because Des would be a cat.

[destinyapostasy]

"Twice" for Solavellan

He grabs her by the arm. Her hand is forcibly pulled in front of the rift; locking on like a magnet being draw to a piece of metal. She nearly falls to her knees, but his hand on her wrist yanks her back upwards before she can break the connection. Her body is a conduit between the mark on her hand and the rift, and for a moment she feels as though she will be split in two between them. She grits her teeth, feeling them rattle in her skull until the rift finally dissipates and the power running through her recedes; strong enough to send her sprawling. He catches her, and pulls her back up to survey the mended sky.

“What did you do?” She asks, wringing her hand.

He holds her by the arm. Her hand is outstretched and almost impossible to be seen through the blinding light of the anchor leaking through every pore on her skin, from palm to forearm. What can be seen is mangled and in raw agony, forcing her to her knees. He follows her down, his hand clutching her so gently she can barely feel it through the rush of magic ripping through her arm. When his mouth touches hers, everything goes numb.  

“Solas, what have you done?” she gasps as the remains of her hand disintegrate into the air.

[dragonageficrecs]

Trope: Whoopsie Baby fic recs

Hey we're pregnant and gonna have all the feels! Fics. Attempted to distinguish between fics that actually involve a pregnancy to some degree and those that involve adopting a baby or kid (though some fics in this list have both).

~*~*~ DAO ~*~*~

Alistair/Warden

The Long Way Home by zinjadu. Separate fic rec post here. Also a kid!fic.

...And Even the Wind Will Not Blow Me Down by Eadgyth. WC >50k. Technically a deadfic but whatever is there is worth reading.

-

Zevran/Warden

a gentle, beating heart by rynleaf. WC 5-10k. soooo much pining in this fic.

A Child Unexpected by skybound2. WC >50k. Takes place in Seheron and has a Sten appearance which is swell!

-

~*~*~ DA2 ~*~*~

Fenris/Hawke

The Hawke Child by CaptainStormChaser. WC <10k. Per author, "self-indulgent pregnancy AU".

No Labor Like Love by loquaciousquark. WC 10-25k. Fluffy, Romance, a feel-good fic. Kirkwall gang bends over backwards for the Hawke baby.

Tread Softly by hauntedjaeger (saellys), saellys. WC 10-25k. The Fade has changed Hawke, including her desires.

Fate's Burden by RiversEnd. WC 10-25k. Author summary: "Fenris leaves Hawke with more than a broken heart after their initial night together."

I Remain At Your Side by Lourdes23. WC 50-100k. Past Anders/Hawke. Accidental Pregnancy comes later in the fic. This fic is one of my personal faves.

-

Bethany/Varric

Neither Chick Nor Child by lucyrne. WC 10-25k. I blame lucyrne for roping me into this rarepair. Varric is a gentleman.

-

~*~*~ DAI ~*~*~

Solas/Inquisitor

Roses Where Thorns Grow by bdafic. WC >300k. Feels!

Twist Some More by CrackingLamb, a sequel to Twist, an MGiT fic. WC 50-100k.

Aravel by playwithdinos. WC <10k. Worth reading the entire series; the third fic was especially endearing and hopeful.

Surprise Developments (Recalculating) by 0Rocky41_7. WC 10-25k. Solas pines a lot.

-

Cullen/Inquisitor

This Pregnancy Keeps Dragon On by HarbingerofWhimsy (WhimsicalCivet). WC 25-50k. Sort of established relationship?

You're Say You're Sorry When You're Not by astuarian. WC >100k. Past Lavellan/Solas. Lavellan realizes that one of her dear friends has held a candle for her for a long time.

[first-flower-of-my-house]

💬

Thanks for the ask! One piece of my writing I’m definitely still proud of is this villanelle about Manon Blackbeak from the Throne of Glass series:

Not born a monster, yet one she became,As beautiful and deadly as a well-crafted blade.Manon Blackbeak is no longer a pawn in anyone’s game.

The cloak she always wore was the color of flame,Not knowing that her true heritage it betrayed.Not born a monster, yet one she became.

Her grandmother’s cruel teachings she overcame,And no matter to whom, her debts she always repaid.Manon Blackbeak is no longer a pawn in anyone’s game.

For months she pretended that she was tame,Yet when faced with her Second’s execution, no longer could she keep up her charade.Not born a monster, yet one she became.

Her grandmother she attempted to maim,And with her own life she nearly payed.Manon Blackbeak is no longer a pawn in anyone’s game.

Her Crochan heritage she now openly stakes her claim,Using a scrap of that red cloak to tie off her braid.Not born a monster, yet one she became,Manon Blackbeak is no longer a pawn in anyone’s game.

[cedarmoons]

Written for my fic swap with @dinoswrites featuring her Kai from her awesome role reversal au, where Asra is a fugitive magician wanted for Nadia’s murder. thank you!! 💖

wick

Portia has a garden next to the Rowdy Raven. It’s a community garden, but it’s also Portia’s, and it used to be a dirt alley between the Raven and another building before Portia became the Raven’s proprietor. Now it’s a little better. The apple tree is half-dead, but Portia’s tomatoes and carrots and other vegetables usually don’t have too hard a time coming in, for all that an alley is usually a terrible place to have a community garden.

The bar is also in one of the most crowded parts of the city, architecturally-speaking, and Kai has every intention of using it to lose the guard Lucio had assigned to escort (spy on) her everywhere she goes.

Make sure she’s doing her job, he’d told Trevor. Don’t want the witch getting any ideas, trying to flee the city like that murderous traitor.

When Kai enters with Trevor, the Raven is as busy as it usually is on a Wednesday night. Trevor sticks out like a sore thumb, all gangly and awkward in his ill-fitting guard’s armor, and the quiet conversations all come to a complete halt. Portia, who’d been wiping down the counter, looks up — and her face drains of all color.

“Kai!” she calls out loudly, rounding the bar to approach them, wiping her hands on a cloth tied to her apron. “And... Trevor? When did you join the guard?”

“Few months ago, m’am,” Trevor murmurs, keeping his gaze on the floorboards. Portia’s brow knits in confusion. Her blue eyes glance to Kai, then back to Kai’s crimson-and-gold shadow.

“Does your mom know you’ve joined the guard?” she asks, very quietly, voice pitched so low only Kai and Trevor hear.

“Your mom — how old are you?” Kai asks.

Trevor looks resentful of the question. “Seventeen.”

Seventeen. Kai resists covering her face with her palm. It’s common knowledge that there are very few opportunities for money – the plague had leaked out into the sea, corrupting the fish, and they have to import all their food – and that those who can’t make a trade living often join the guard out of desperation.

But still. Seventeen. He doesn’t even has a beard yet, though, bless him, he’s trying.

“Portia,” Kai interrupts. “I need to talk to you, um, in private. Can we go out into the garden?” She doesn’t look at Trevor. “Alone?”

“No,” Trevor says at once. “The Lord Count says I’m to accompany you wherever you go.”

Out of nowhere, Kai sees Pepi streak across the Raven, disappearing into the back where the garden is. Cinis squirms out of her bag and follows her, ignoring Kai’s cry after him. Trevor jumps at the sudden appearance of her yowling black cat, hand moving immediately to his sword, but Portia smacks him with her dish rag and he lowers his hand, looking sheepish.

“Sorry, m’am.”

“I’ll make sure she doesn’t run,” Portia quips.

“Please don’t run,” Trevor says, gaze lowering to the floor again. She doesn’t see his throat move, hidden as it is under the helmet’s chainmail, but she hears his swallow. “I think Lucio might kill me if you do.”

Oh, great. Kai winces, thinking of the guard Lucio had shot between the eyes just yesterday night. Well, now she definitely can’t ditch him.

Maybe...

“I just want to have a talk with Portia,” Kai says. “I promise I won’t leave. You can stay by the back end, if you want, even. If I’m not back in an hour, uh...”

“I’m not letting you leave,” Trevor hisses, more insistently. His eyes are wide. “If His Lordship finds out —”

“He won’t find out,” Portia says, assuring him. “Everyone hates the Count here, trust me. No one will say a word.”

Trevor stares at the both of them. Pepi returns from the garden, mrring as she rubs herself around Portia’s ankles. Portia glances down at her, and the relief that slackens her expression is... interesting. But Kai holds her tongue, unwilling to question her in front of Trevor.

Finally, Trevor sighs, rubbing his palm into his eye. “One hour,” he says. “Or else I get the whole guard to... to...”

“Don’t finish that sentence,” Portia says, smiling. “I’d hate to tell your mom you threatened my establishment.”

“Sorry, ma’m,” Trevor says. “Could I... have a drink? Or three?”

“Sure. On the house. Go find yourself a seat, I’ll be with you after I talk to Kai.”

Portia takes Kai outside, and Kai sighs when she sees Cinis in a tree, golden eyes pinned on the entrance to the Rowdy Raven. He mrowls a greeting, tail swinging idly behind him, and Portia shuts the door after looking around. Once they’re alone and in the alley, Kai glances down both sides — clear — and opens her bag, pulling out the scarf full of food she’d taken from the garden behind Asra’s house.

She presses it into Portia’s hands. “Take this,” she says. “I don’t know how much it’ll help, but there’s more, I can get some of it tomorrow if you give me something to hold all the food with —”

Portia unties the scarf and her eyes widen at the sight of the berries and pomegranates and other fruit Kai had stolen. “Where did you get this?” she hisses.

“Doesn’t matter. Can you get this to people who need it? Maybe Sara’s family?”

Portia nods, dumbly, then smiles at Kai, eyes crinkling in the corner. “Come here, you,” she says, pulling Kai into a one-armed hug. Kai pats her back and pulls away a few moments later. “Was that all you wanted to talk about?”

Kai nods. “There’s so much food,” she says. “I couldn’t believe it.”

Portia’s smile widens. “I’ll get this out to people right away,” she says. “And please don’t try to ditch Trevor — you know Ilya saved his sister, right? Or... well, she’s still alive because of him, at least.”

Kai hadn’t known that. But she nods, watches Portia disappear back into the Raven with absconded food in hand, and turns around to Cinis in the tree. She can barely make him out in the darkness, but she opens her bag and goes under the tree. “All right,” she says, “come on, you, it’s time to go —”

Kai! a familiar voice says, and a purple snake drops out of the branches.

Kai starts and backtracks so quickly she loses her footing, tripping over her own feet. She crashes into someone behind her, someone warm and soft, someone who steadies her with a gentle, familiar laugh and a quiet “Easy, there.”

Kai whips around and sees Asra smiling at her, his scarf looped around his neck, exposing his face. Her heart races despite herself, and she tells herself it’s because she’s in an abandoned alley-garden with a murderer and a magician.

Though that’s... less concerning than it had been, before. She looks at him and thinks less he destroyed the Countess’s life force with magic and more he collected fossilized honey from an extinct bee species for... who knows, honestly.

“We have to stop meeting like this,” she says before he can speak, and Asra laughs, cheeks dimpling.

“Like how?”

She flushes, despite herself. “Like — me. Running into you. Literally.”

“I don’t mind,” Asra says, smirking. He reaches out, and she inhales, tensing, but his arm only hovers above her shoulder. Out of the corner of her eye, she sees Faust slide from her hiding place onto Asra’s arm. He guides her to hide in the folds of his dark clothing. “Were you making friends, Faust?” Asra murmurs, not moving his gaze away from her.

In the apple tree, Cinis hisses. Kai looks up at him — and realizes, with a jolt, that the apple tree is thriving. It isn’t half dead anymore. It’s fully alive, leaves green and full, branches heavy with ripe green apples. Entranced, Kai reaches up and picks one. She looks from the apple in her hand to Asra, who hasn’t moved, who hasn’t looked away from her once.

Why does he look at her like that? All... fond, and soft?

“Did... did you do this?” she asks. She can’t keep the awe out of her voice. For months, she’d watched Portia struggle to keep this garden growing and vibrant — she’d watched others do the same, with the little squares they’d managed to reclaim from the ruin that was Vesuvia — and here Asra was, making this garden... grow.

“Mhm.” Asra’s small smile widens. It is, she has to admit, a very... pretty smile. It suits his face. Nice, Kai, she thinks, wrinkling her nose. “Magic’s meant to help people, Kai. At least, that’s what I’ve always believed. This garden was already wick.”

“Wick?” she asks, raising an eyebrow at him.

He laughs, sounding self-conscious, and glances aside. She can’t quite tell in this light, but she thinks he’s blushing. “It’s, um, something a friend taught me, a while ago. Wick means... well, it means it has the potential for growth. For life. If something’s wick, it may look dead, but there’s still a spark of light inside. There’s still hope.”

Asra smiles at her. After a moment, he steps closer, and for all she half wants to step back, to put more distance between them (she’s heard the rumors of the Countess’s death, her very essence and soul rent to ribbons, destroyed in the most painful way possible) she doesn’t. He gestures to the garden. As she looks around, she sees that his magic hasn’t just affected the apple tree — it’s affected all of Portia’s plants. 

“You could do this, too, you know,” he tells her, lowly. “If you wanted.”

“With magic,” Kai says, flatly.

“Mhm. Look, I know what you told me yesterday. But there’s no need to be scared of magic. You read the tarot book, right?” Asra asks. He hums, still smiling. “I bet you finished it in an hour.”

He doesn’t even bother to lower his voice. She sputters, looking back down either side of the alley, but the garden is empty and dark. They’re alone. She looks back at Asra. “That doesn’t,” she starts, keeping her voice low, “that doesn’t mean I want to, to learn — to learn magic. I’m already in enough trouble, thanks.”

Asra’s smile disappears. “I heard,” he says, looking worried. His brows crease. “Lucio’s making you look for me. Did he... did he threaten you? Are you in danger?”

Kai stares at him. “I mean, no more than I am now, since I’ve been officially charged with witchcraft. Which. Is a capital crime.” She glances away. “Honestly, once, well, if, Lucio finds you, I’ll probably be executed because... well. Because.”

“I won’t let him touch you.”

The fury in his low voice, the fervency of that unexpected promise, takes her aback. She looks back to him to see his scowl, a dark expression that she’s never seen before. She doesn’t know what her face looks like, but Asra sees it and exhales, expression smoothing over into a slight smile. “I won’t let anything happen to you because of me,” Asra promises. “I know how to be careful.”

He steps back, toward the door to the Rowdy Raven. “D’you think Portia has tea? I have some more books in my bag, if you’re interested in more reading. We can go inside, grab a table, continue this conversation.” He catches himself. “I mean, if you want.”

“Uh,” Kai says. “I thought you just said you knew how to be careful. You know there’s a guard watching my every step, right?”

Asra smiles, and distantly, she thinks it is a very nice smile. “They wouldn’t see me, Kai.”

“You — who would they see, then?”

Asra goes to one of the darkened windows, which is clear enough to show his reflection. Kai can just see an amber-haired figure with thick braided hair full of silver toggles, mossy eyes, and dark skin wrinkled with smile lines. She stands beside Asra, unable to help herself. Her reflection is just as it always has been.

And, despite everything — despite her fear, and her wariness, and the fact that Asra is (supposedly) a vicious murderer — she finds herself wondering if Asra could teach her how to do this, too. If she could change her appearance, she could escape Lucio’s iron grip much more easily.

“What do you think?” Asra asks, smiling at her. “I was aiming for jovial traveler.”

Pretty! comes a faint voice. Asra laughs and thanks Faust, rubbing at his clothing in a way that makes Kai think he’s stroking her head.

Kai looks at him. “You didn’t kill the Countess, did you?”

Asra’s smile fades. He looks away, looking grieved. “No. I didn’t. But I don’t know who did, and I... I’m going to find out. I owe her that much.”

“I’ll help,” Kai volunteers, softly. She catches herself, looking away, but it’s too late. The words have already been spoken.

Damn. Julian’s usually the one who speaks before he thinks, always promising cures or help even if their stock is low or they’re stretched thin. She’s the pragmatic one, and there is nothing pragmatic about this — helping the magician she’s supposed to be hunting.

But Asra grins at her, cheeks dimpling, and her heart flips. He half-bows to her, his hand pressing against his heart. It’s a gesture that reminds her of Julian’s dramatics, and she smiles, huffing a laugh through her nose. 

“I would appreciate that,” Asra says, softly. “Two is always better than one.”

“Will your... spell, or whatever it is, will it hold?” Kai asks. “In the Rowdy Raven, I mean.”

Asra nods, opening the door for her. Behind her, Cinis jumps out of the tree with a yowl, landing on his feet. Kai half-turns and sees him streak past her, back into the Rowdy Raven. A patron inside swears.

“After you,” Asra says. “We have a lot to talk about, I imagine.”

[fiadhaisteach]

Things I’ve Read This Week* - 2021.09.11

New Stories

😈 A Beneficial Arrangement by woodwind - Solas/Iron Bull - 2,747 words - complete

😈 Filling the Void by Destiny_Apocalypse (@destinyapocalypse) - Solas/F!Lavellan - 2,083 words - complete

😈 Dirty by Destiny_Apocalypse (@destinyapocalypse) - Solas/F!Lavellan - 1,832 words - complete

😈 Heads and Tails by woodwind - Solas/Iron Bull - 1,971 words - complete

😈 Solas Just Needs to Duck, Okay?, King's Gambit by RosellaWrites (@rosella-writes) - Solas/Iron Bull - 6,877 words, complete

Rereads

Thick as Thieves by blarfkey (@blarfkey) - Solas/F!Cadash - 88,148 words - WIP

Abelas and Lavellan at Skyhold, ⚜️The Grump's Way to Smile, ⚜️A Kiss With A Fist, ⚜️You, Me, and Paperwork Makes Three, ⚜️Fragile Heart, ⚜️Len’alas Lath’din by ObsidianMichi (@obsidianmichi) - Abelas/F!Lavellan - 11,635 words - each work complete, HSE WIP

😈 Enamoured by playwithdinos (@playwithdinos) - Solas/F!Lavellan - 1,377 words - complete

Tumblr (re)Reads

Anathema by @roguelioness - Solas/(if you squint)!Lavellan

The Farthest Fuelling Station by @dycefic - Original Work

Subscription Updates

The Breakers and the Broken by Eluvianness - Solas/F!Lavellan (Ch. 69)

Wicked Things, What a Wicked Game to Play by Cracking Lamb (@crackinglamb) - Solas/MGiT (Ch. 41-43)

Unwritten by UnrealRomance - Solas/MGiT (Ch. 216-217)

beware the forest at night, when there are miles left to go, the forest is dark and deep and i've seen you here before by victoriousscarf (@victoriousscarf) - Solas/M!Lavellan (Ch. 163-165)

Inevitable by HIMluv (@himluv) - Solas/F!Lavellan (Ch. 38-44)

The Well by SerialChillr (@serial-chillr) - Abelas/F!Lavellan (Ch. 3)

There Is Only Forward, There Is Only Forward by Nerdanel (@nerdanel01) - Solas/F!Lavellan (Ch. 45)

Scars of Light by Kallypso (@kallypsowrites) - The Darkling|Kirigan/Alina (Ch. 45-46)

Never Again by angelslaugh (@skyerie) - Solas/F!Lavellan, minor Iron Bull/F!Lavellan (Ch. 137-142)

Ariwyn and Solas, The Hunt by bubble_bones (@bubble-bones) - Fen'harel|Solas/F!Lavellan (Ch. 65)

Love's Worth Running To, Love Run by JessTalksAlot (@jessitasquirrel) - Solas/F!Lavellan (Ch. 11-12)

Running With The Halla by InArlathan (@in-arlathan) - Solas/F!Lavellan (Ch. 1 & 12-13)

Love Comes Home, Wolf's Pride by jasna - Solas/F!Lavellan (Ch. 13)

She's Lived a Good Life by Kinako - MCiT (Ch. 14)

Soladaar Drabbles by Shaykai (@shaykai) - Solas/M!Adaar (Ch. 2)

The Rise & Fall of Fen'Harel, The Rebel's Ascension by InArlathan (@in-arlathan) - Solas/OFC (Ch. 22)

Dreams, In Waking Dreams by AParisianShakespearean (@a-shakespearean-in-paris) - Cullen/F!Trevelyan (Ch. 84)

Bloodied & Broken World State, Bloodied and Broken, Rogasha'ghi'lan (The Brave Guide) by youworeblue (@dreadfutures) - Solas/F!Lavellan (Ch. 10)

Into the Cosmos, Into the Chaos by Pakhet (@shiver-the-tiefling) - {MBiT~MGiT, Solas/MGiT} (Ch. 77)

Til It Squeaks: A Modern Girl's Take on Thedas, Twist Some More by CrackingLamb (@crackinglamb) - Solas/MGiT (Ch. 28)

Ma Ghilana Mir Bellanaris, Dir'vhen'an (The Promise) by oxygenforthewicked (@oxygenforthewicked) - Solas/M!Lavellan (Ch. 18)

Yours & Mine by Yours_Truly_Commander_Shepard - Solas/F!Lavellan (Ch. 15)

Do Not Abandon Me by MermaidWhispers - Solas/M!Lavellan, Dorian/M!Lavellan (Ch. 11)

Dovetail by ByJoveWhatASpend (@inquisitorbasil) - {MBiT/everyone} (Ch. 12)

Smoke and Mirrors, The Lost Temple by oxygenforthewicked (@oxygenforthewicked) - Fen'harel|Solas/F!Lavellan (Ch. 23)

When the World Fell by Psalacanthea (@psalacanthea) - Fen'harel|Solas/F!Lavellan (Ch. 32)

» side note - multiple chapters may mean multiple updates; or might just be me refreshing my memory, reorienting myself in the story, or rereading some for fun.

*TIRTW & can recommend (previous weeks)

[empresstress13]

Picrew Tag Game

I was tagged by @peculiarvelociraptor to do a little self picrew on Djarn’s Character Maker (here).

I’m tagging: @solverne-02 @coldshrugs @roguelioness​ @anti-paladin-arinath​ @playwithdinos​ @wardsarefunctioning​ No pressure, only if you have the time and inclination of course! If you prefer, you could also do a picrew of an OC! I always love seeing OCs! 

If anyone else wants to do this: please consider yourself tagged! :) 

[thevikingwoman]

8, 10, 11

Thank you! These asks are really good to make me think about these guys :)

Siona Lavellan is Iwyn’s and Branwens’ mother, a herbalist and craftswoman of Clan Lavellan. Tawen Lavellan is their father, and the Master Hunter of Clan Lavellan. There are both in their 50s around the time Iwyn and Solas reunites after Trespasser. 

8. How does your character feel about religion? 

Both Siona and Tawen believes in the Creators and follow usual Dalish beliefs. They are not overly religious, but not un-religious either. Siona is probably the most religious of the two, the one putting more importance on religious traditions.

Iwyn does tell her clan about Fen’Harel after Trespasser, and she does tell her close family more details of what Solas tells her, the gods being fake and so forth. I think there are some denial from her parents here about this information, and then later some interesting mental gymnastic around ‘my son in-law, Fen’Harel’ while still keeping the religion.  

10. Is your character street-smart, book-smart, intelligent, intellectual, slow-witted?

 Siona has a good memory, but is not really book learned. She knows what there is to know about herbs, for instance, but she doesn’t have theoretical knowledge. She is of fairly average intelligence. 

Tawen is not quite an intellectual, but almost. He does like learning new stuff, and he tends to approach things with a certain open-mindedness. He has a quick wit, and is of above average intelligence. 

11. How do they see themselves: as smart, as intelligent, uneducated?

Siona does see herself as smart, maybe a little smarter than she is. It does not bother her that there are things she doesn’t know.

Tawen sees himself as clever or well-learned in his profession rather than seeing himself as smart or intelligent. 

Ask me about Iwyn’s and Branwen’s parents