Into the Chaos

Chapter Seventy-One

A few hours later, Decius appeared at the door to my rooms. "Where are my presents?"

"I thought you didn't want any gifts?"

"C'mon. I said you don't have to give me things but since you already have it..."

"Yeah, alright. Get in here. It's on the desk."

He walks over to said desk and pulls the cloth covering the bow off. He runs a finger up a piece of bone, "you didn't. You... made me a bow of bone? That's insane Lu. What did you kill for this?"

"A dragon. The other thing is around the string that's on the table."

"I can't look at it yet. I haven't gotten over the bow. Is it enchanted?"

"Ja."

Decius snaps twice. "That's really cool. What's it do?"

"Lots. There's a damage enchantment, your necrotic spells have a higher chance of hitting, arrows infused with a necrotic spell hurt more, and once per dawn, when dealing damage you heal for half of the amount."

"Oh my lords. Lu... schatz, you're gonna make me cry."

Uh. Oops. "The good kind, I hope."

"Yeah, the good kind. This makes me so happy. I can't wait to use it on the damn duchess."

"Floriane? I don't want to judge a box of rotting meat, Decius."

"Lucky for you, I'll gladly do it. Make her into fertilizer."

"Decius. That's disgusting. Look at the string."

He picks up the length of waxed string and slides the ring off. "A signet? I suppose that is important. Do you have one?"

"Yeah, it's in the drawer. It's different enough to say that we're different people but the Inquisition design is in both."

"They look nice. Harritt's work?"

"Maybe. I asked Josephine to have it done while we were away. The bow is His work, though."

"I figured. Necromancy is somewhat a sore subject here."

"I don't think it's a subject at all."

"That's fair."

~~

A day later, the three of us are in the cavern below the castle. Decius is in the tree, above there I am sitting against it. Solas it not far.

"Do you remember the rules, Solas?"

"Yes, they are not unfamiliar to me."

"Good." He's curious.

"It might take a while to get anywhere but, I have all night. Come here?"

He leans against my chest. "Couldn't you do this similarly to how you did it the other day?"

"That wasn't an emotion. This is nice, though." I press my forehead to his temple. "How do you do spells you've never done before?"

"Feeling, mostly."

"We might be here for a while then." I loosely wrap my arms around him and peer up at Decius, raising an eyebrow. Are you coming down here?

"Yeah, okay. That does look nice." When Decius lays his head on Solas's lap he wiggles around a little before sighing and bringing one of Solas's hands to his hair. "This okay?"

"Yes. Are you going to begin 'ma'fenor?"

"In a moment."

~~

It took a long time. The first time, I had projected to Decius and he wiggled his shoulders ' wrong person, schatz.' I got it right the fifth time. We were all very happy.