This is Rue, my Dryad Tav,She was the lover of Halsin before she inevitably dies in Act 2.
She initially was supposed to be a Druid that ended up ultimately double crossing him, but I decided to scrap the evil Druid concept for another character I'll eventually design. She's instead a Dryad that is acting as a physical living conduit to Shars shadow curse. She doesn't really know this till Act 2 after traveling with Halsin and reconnecting Thanel that he explains that he's been traveling with a cursed Dryad and that ultimately she can't stay because she's the reason that the curse was allowed to persist in its manner. Of course Halsin won't take this particularly well as he'd have been traveling with this companion for some time they'd have bonded and actually began to fall in love but he understands that Thaniel wouldn't lie about this. She never really knew that she was a conduit in this sense cause she was existing outside of the cursed lands perfectly fine. She understood after speaking with Thaniel that she was a manifestation of the curse and is connected to the large growths of vines and twisted plant life within the cursed lands. She understood what Thaniel said but ultimately his last words to Halsin are that if she is to live the curse will persist because she taints the land. ( this is also loosely based off of one of Silvanus Tenants that Kagha will mention if you play as Druid saying that you have to cut out a poision from the base or else it be allowed to flourish and continue to sap the life and ultimately cause the tree to wither.) Once Halsin understood this she realized he would have to kill her and that's why I was curious about his emotional vulnerability, if he had the strength to kill someone he loved. She tries to fight back against him but eventually gives in weeping remembering a talk they had one night about how guilt racked he felt allowing the curse to happen and remembering all the people who died as a result. Rue realizes she's the cause and cares too much about Halsin to continue that regardless of how much she wants to live just to stay with him. She ask Thaniel if anybody will remember her and which of course he explains that of course Halsin will always remember her she accepts that her time is over and ask if she can spend her last moment with Halsin. She eventually begins to wither and die telling Halsin that she loved him and every moment that shared from the moment she saw him were precious to her, her final parting words were telling him not to regret anything that happened before her life completely fades. Halsin lays her body down knowing she'd eventually become one with the land again before leaving. Far far later when the party finally prepares to leave the now cured shadow cursed lands Thaniel meets with Halsin a final time giving him a gift. An magically enchanted staff named Rue. ( its the staff she carries around to defend herself.) Rue is also a herb that used to be used to as a cure but was not used anymore as a result of being toxic compared to other herbs, but her name serves as a double meaning to also mean regret.
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“Let’s get this out of the way,” Thanelle said as the two began pushing their way through the forest. “Why are you naked?”
Ysgifu sighed, letting pain come through on her face. “That’s a sad story. You see... a while back, when I was travelling through Morrowind, I worked with this mage woman, you know the type? Well, turned out she was a witch, and I set her off somehow. She cursed me, made sure I couldn’t truly wear clothes ever again, and left me at the side of the road with nothing.”
A moment’s pause.
“Really?” Thanelle asked flatly.
“No, of course not.”
Ysgifu followed that up with a short glare, and no further elaboration. All Thanelle could do in response was shrug and move on.
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Rooney/Thane - listening to the other’s heartbeat
Thank you for the ask! I had some fun with this prompt, but I did take some liberties with it.
[Prompt List]
Summary: Commander Rooney Shepard lays in a coma after the Reapers are destroyed. By their side, Thane Krios dwells on memories.
Words: 1,003 words.
Warnings: None that I think I need to warn of. Does the ending of ME3 need a warning? Also, this is a ThaneLives! AU.
Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.
The vital signs monitor beeps steadily on, the only indication that Commander Rooney Shepard’s heart still beats. Thane takes their hand in his, thumb rubbing the back of their hand. Rooney looks so fragile in the hospital bed, surrounded by the pale, sterile white of the sheets. Dark red hair is spread on their pillow, giving them a dark, fiery halo. Even at their lowest moments, Rooney never looked fragile, a current of strength running underneath any weakness they may have felt. Whatever happened on the catalyst took its toll on Rooney, knocking them into the coma.
Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.
It just continues on, a soft droning noise in the background. There is nothing the doctors can do for Rooney. It’s not a matter of when they will wake up; it’s a matter of if they will wake up. He squeezes their hand, thinking of the first time he heard their heartbeat.
Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.
--
It was a typical mission, one found by the Commander when they were scanning for Iridium. Thane accompanies the Commander, along with Garrus, to the planet’s surface, only to find a deserted base and rogue mechs. The team journey into the depths of the base, destroying mechs and surveying the trail of death left in the mechs’ wake. Eventually, the trio reaches the heart of the base, the place where the signal is coming from. The Commander approaches the console, a look of focus and determination on their face. “Guard my back!” They command sharply, holstering their Widow sniper rifle and starting to disable the signal.
More mechs approach, desperate to stop the shutdown. Thane and Garrus work in harmony, a mixture of biotics and gunfire. Behind him, Thane hears the Commander yell, “I’ve almost-“
A blast cuts them off as the Commander flies backward from the impact. Thane reacts on instinct, rushing toward them as they slam into the wall with a pained gasp. Garrus snipes the last mech, following closely on Thane’s heels. “Shepard!” Thane yells, concerned as he kneels down by their side. Immediately, his hand reaches out toward their neck, his head lowering to their chest. He breathes in relief as his fingers find their pulse steady. Beneath their armor, he hears their heartbeat muffled, soldiering on. His own heartbeat slows in relief as he suspects they are fine.
The Commander’s dark blue eyes flutter open, reminding Thane of the ocean at night. “What did I miss?” They ask, clearly unconcerned by what just happened.
“You nearly got yourself killed, Shepard.” Garrus replies, shaking his head.
They shoot a smirk at Garrus. “Thought I could outhack the self-destruct.”
Garrus sighs as Thane helps Rooney to their feet. “Thanks.” They say to Thane with a nod.
“Always, Shepard.” He replies, releasing their hand. Thane instantly misses the touch of their hand, a dawning realization of how much the Commander already means to him.
--
Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.
--
The pair are relaxing in bed as Rooney works, his head on their chest. Rooney frowns clearly displeased by whatever they’re reading. Their heartbeats steadily in his ear, a reminder that they’re alive and content with him. It’s a grounding sound, reminding him to live in the moment. To be here with them. “Siha, I think the Illusive Man will understand if you have to send your report in tomorrow.”
Rooney snorts. “If you mean understanding, by the fact that he’ll sick Miranda on me to find out why I didn’t finish this report, then yes, he will be understanding.” They reply with fond sarcasm. He hears their heartbeat pick up the pace, a sign of stress. “Give me another half hour. I’ll get it done.”
“You did say that a half hour ago.” He looks up at them with a teasing smirk.
Looking over at their alarm clock, Rooney scowls, unaware of how much time has passed. “I did. Give me a few minutes and I’ll be ready for lights out.” As they get up, Thane already misses the sound of their heartbeat. Rooney’s quarters already sound so silent without their heartbeat in his ears. He watches them prepare for bed, yawning as they set the datapad on their desk.
A few minutes later, they crawl back into bed, the only light coming from the fish tank. “I’m back.” They whisper, trying to fight the urge to yawn.
“Good.” He says, pressing a kiss to the edge of Rooney’s jaw. They hum pleasantly as his head returns to laying on their chest, Rooney’s heartbeat already making the room feel more alive. “I missed your heartbeat.”
Rooney stills beneath him, their heart skipping a beat. They take a deep breath, their heart returning to their normal pace. “Why do you think I like to lay my head on your chest? Your heart sounds like home to me.”
“Siha….” His voice trails off, chock full of love and warmth. Thane knows how difficult it can be for Rooney to be vulnerable, to not pretend to be more than human.
“I know. I love you too.” They reply, wrapping an arm around him and rubbing his back. Thane never wants this moment to end. He wants them to stay like this forever.
--
Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.
Thane swallows tears prickling at the edge of his eyes. “Your heart sounds like home to me too, Siha.” He speaks aloud, breaking the silence of the cold, impersonal room. He scoots his chair closer to them, resting his head on their chest gently. Rooney’s heartbeat beats steadily on, signaling they’re still alive. That Rooney is still fighting.
Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.
Tears run down his cheeks as he squeezes their hand. “Siha, please come back to me. Please wake up,” He begs, desperate to have them back. He prays to Kalahira, to Arashu, to all the gods in his pantheon. Thane prays that Rooney will hear him. He knows that if they hear him, Rooney will find their way back no matter what.
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I hope this letter finds you well | a fanmix for thane and shepard.
I made this with my own (stubbornly canon-ignoring) version of Shrios in mind: they go through their share of hardships caused by war and illness, but in the end... they both get to live.
[playlist on youtube]
aventine | agnes obel
There is a grove, there is a plot,
Deep in the snow, breaking your heart.
warrior | laura marling
One morning I awoke to someone calling me,
A priestess I'd seen once in some arcana dream,
And she pulled an orange from the ground,
Is this my warrior, I am found.
foreigner's god | hozier
Her eyes look sharp and steady,
Into the empty parts of me,
Still my heart is heavy,
With the hate of some other man's beliefs.
how do you feel today | gabrielle aplin
The sound of your laugh has a ring of weariness,
The night has a thousand eyes and your smile of heaviness,
I’ve always asked for nothing but you’ve found it hard to see,
So I gathered all I had and laid it down before you feet.
louisa | lord huron
Good for nothing is the name they'll remember me by,
Done nothing with my life for no one, I'm just waiting to die,
I turned my back on the world,
You know I'd given up on living til I met you, girl.
ghost town | first aid kit
And I found myself attached to this railroad track,
But I'll come back to you someday.
good grief | bastille
What's gonna be left of the world if you're not in it?
love won't be leaving | anna calvi
I draw my name in the sand,
In the hope it'll find you.
the universe | gregory alan isakov
The universe, she's wounded,
But she's still got infinity ahead of her,
She's still got you and me.
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