I do hope everyone who celebrates Christmas had an amazing one, and if you don't celebrate Christmas then I hope you enjoyed celebraing any and all holidays! It was my birthday yesterday so I've had a pretty busy few days! But I wanted to write more so here it is! An extra long chapter compared to the last one. I hope you enjoy.
QUICK WARNING. There is a brief mention of dubious consent, in this chapter, if you don't want to read it anymore I understand. It is very brief with no details, just Cole dredging up horrible memories and old pains. I hope it hasn't gone to far.
Anyway I hope you enjoy this chapter and let's all cry together knowing Solas is the new painful romance, I thought after Thane in Mass Effect I wouldn't pick the sad romance again.
Solas' arms surrounded Clover as she fell to the ground, bringing her close to his chest as Cole yelled words he couldn't deceiver, a whirlwind of pain engulfed his mind as she lay motionless in his arms.
"Clover?" He whispered, for the first time in an age he couldn't think of what to say, instead his gaze hardened as it shifted to the unknown male elf who was shouting at him.
"You shouldn't be here!" The male elf screamed, pointing at Solas.
"You have threatened the inquisition da'len, more than that you have threatened the Inquisitor. Explain yourself!" Solas seethed.
"He loves her. He knew she didn't love him back. She was wild. Untamable. He wanted her. But then she left." Cole murmured.
"Who are..." The elf began.
"You asked for help. Your heart screamed for help. To get her back. And something responded." Cole continued, his eyes trained on Clover.
"A spirit?" Solas asked Cole.
"Yes. He thought it love. But it was Envy." Cole looked at the ground, his fists clenched.
Solas growled at the elf "Name yourself!" He demanded.
"Z...Zelphar." The elf stuttered.
"Zelphar, tell me, how did you steal her memories?" Solas growled, his fingers traced the Vallaslin etched on to Clover's face.
"I didn't mean to I... She was mine!" Zelphar raged.
"Yours?" Solas scoffed "You Dalish continue to surprise me, you think you can have her? Do you not know her? She belongs to no man."
"She was promised to me!" Zelphar yelled, his face grew red with anger.
"Cole, take her." Solas ordered, gently handing Clover's still body in to Cole's waiting arms, he marched toward Zelphar, searching his eyes before laughing smugly. "Not only are you ignorant in he ways of spirits and demons, you think you can claim someone merely because someone tells you so? You petulant child." Solas wraps his hands around Zelphars neck tight enough to panic him. "You cling to your pathetic imitation of the old ways, desperately seeking what cannot be known."
"What would you know? You aren't even Dalish! You don't know her like I do." Zelphar scratched at Solas' hands, trying to get him to release his neck.
"I know more than you could ever dream to know." Solas hissed.
"The curve of her waist, her laughter claws at you, she's running and you can't keep up. Wait! But she doesn't, only more laughing. She dances in the river. Breaking the rules. She is... amazing. And she is yours. She holds your hand. Whispering love in the darkness. But never more than that. You want more but she won't give it. So you take it. She cries." Cole's whispers get louder as his fists turn white they are clenched so hard.
"How are you..." Zelphar mutters, his eyes grow wide with fear.
"The air is cold. Her eyes are cold. Once warm now bitter. She hates you. You took it without permission and it hurt her. So much pain. That hurt you too. You were young. Stupid. But it's no excuse. You know that. But the feel of her... it haunts you. You want it again. Even though you know you shouldn't."
Solas growl is feral as his grip tightens around Zelphar's neck even more.
Zelphar cries as his hands fall to his side limply. "I didn't mean to... I just love her so much."
"Ar tu na'din!" Solas hisses, baring his teeth.
"Dreadwolf take me! I didn't mean to!" Zelphar screams.
Solas grins, he leans in and whispers in to Zelphar's ear. "Gladly."
"Wha..." Zelphar begins but he is silenced by Solas swiftly snapping his neck and letting his limp body fall to the ground.
"She will be sad that we know." Cole whispers, walking towards Solas.
"Then, let us pretend that we don't." Solas turns to Cole and gathers Clover in his arms, carrying her away from Zelphar's body.
Warmth surrounded her, her body felt weightless as she fell in the dark. Images burst in front of her, the Inquisition, leaving her clan, the rifts, Solas. Her memories, beating in to her with every breath. She struggled against it, trying to hold the threads of her memory together. Zelphar... his sad eyes looking at her, almost afraid of her.
It felt wrong, instead Solas' warm, wise eyes filled her with comfort as she drifted through the engulfing blackness.
Reliving her memories exhausted her, so she slept, feeling full and heavy she slept with no dreams, just memories returning.
It was days before she awoke, in the comfort of her large comfy bed, a fire burning in the hearth of her quarters in Skyhold.
She slowly sat up, her head ached as she glanced around the room finding it empty, but she was comforted by the high, stone walls for the first time. She no longer ached for the openess of the forest. Instead, the security of the stone and glass was exactly what she needed.
She shuffled towards the edge of the bed and let her bare feet lightly caress the wooden floor before pushing herself to stand. She tiptoed out to the balcony and gazed up at the stars covering the ink black sky.
"You woke up." Cole whispered, reaching out to her before letting his hand fall to his side. "I feel... guilt."
"Why Cole?" Clover asked, stepping towards him.
"I couldn't help you. Or him. Or them. I ran." He turned away from her, not wanting her to see his shame.
Clover smiled at the innocent spirit.
"You didn't run away. You went for help. If it wasn't for you..." Clover squeezed his arm gently and he turned back to face her, his eyes hopeful.
"I was right to get Solas. I knew he would help." A sad smile pulled at his lips. "He has been here all this time. He wanted to be here when you woke."
"Then where is he now?" Clover wondered.
"He feels guilt too." Cole muttered before disappearing.
Clover walked back in to her room and pulled on a light robe to stave off the biting cold before opening the door to leave her quarters and finding Solas stood on the other side. His shock was plastered all over his face, quickly replaced by relief then guilt.
"Inquisitor." His voice was strained.
Clover reached up and cupped his cheek with her hand.
"Solas." She smiled.
He leant in to her gentle touch and let his eyes slide closed.
"You didn't return... I was... I couldn't..." He mumbled.
"Hush now. I remember now, you came for me." She whispered, leaning her forehead against his.
He sighed as her hand left his cheek, leaving the heat of her touch behind.
"Abelas" His voice was quiet, neither of them wanting to break the calm in her room.
"Don't be. I can agree that sometimes the Dalish are stubborn and maybe, slightly, backwards but they are my kin and I will never stop wanting to help them. I know you find it difficult to understand." She soothed, caressing his back slowly.
"I should've gone with you, you asked me to." His voice cracked slightly.
"I did ask, and you refused. It is in the past."
"Why does it feel like I am the childish one between us?" He chuckled.
"Because you are, you're stubborn and set in your ways and completely infuriating." She scolded softly, before giggling herself.
"Quite so." Solas agreed.
"What happened then? How did you return to me my memories?" Clover asked, finally leaning back and gazing in to his eyes as they reflected the flickering of the fire.
"I merely asked kindly." Solas smirked.
"Don't lie to me. Zelphar would not let me go so easily." Clover whispered.
The time for being playful clearly over, Solas sighed and laced his fingers with hers before guiding her to sit on the floor infront of the fire.
"Zelphar had made a deal, with a demon, he helped the demon cross through the veil in return for making you his once more." He explained.
Clover visibly tensed at the mention of belonging to Zelphar which, in turn, made Solas feel his rage bubbling up at what had happened between them.
"He claimed he loved you, having been betrothed, but I persuaded him to return your memories and let you come back with us."
Clover's squinted at Solas before shaking her head.
"Please, Solas, the truth." She begged.
"As you wish. He refused to give you back, the idea of you not being here... of course if you chose to leave... but you didn't, he forced you to stay with him..." Solas couldn't figure out how to word it without sounding like a lovesick fool.
"He is... no longer with us?" Clover finished for him.
"Yes." Solas bowed his head with shame, having lost control and killed so easily was not something he would quickly forget.
Clover nodded.
"And Dorian and Iron Bull?" She enquired.
"Safe, recovering... but safe." Solas admitted.
"Good." She stated.
Clover gazed in to the fire, letting the warmth fill her body, she was safe now and that was good.
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