A Different Perspective

Fourteen

"Why am I surprised?" I asked as I watched Bull drool over Herah in the tavern.

"I'm not." Hawke said and I looked at my friend, who was drinking his ale.

"I practically live here, Varric. I've seen the Inquisitor here in the tavern daily when she is not out on her escapades. On the rare occasion the Iron Bull is here without her, he looks so lost. It doesn't surprise me that they have begun sleeping together." He said and I snorted, drinking my ale. As the door to the tavern opened, I looked over then frowned when I saw Adaline standing there in her night shirt, soaked from the rain.

"Adaline?" Giantess asked as I stood, setting my ale down. I went towards Adaline, but noticed her eyes were glassy and she looked... dazed wasn't the right word. Maybe possessed, like she was here but she wasn't.

"Firefly, can you hear me?" I asked as I grabbed her hand, making her glassy green eyes look down at me.

"I can feel it. Beneath Skyhold, slumbering as it breathes. The beating of it's heart as it lives, waiting for the queen to wake it." She said, her head tilting slightly in an almost haunting manner.

"Adaline, are you-"

"She's sleep walking." Hawke said, but I shook my head.

"No, she's not. Firefly, keep going." I said and she dropped to her knees, looking slightly up at me.

"The Queen of Fire and King of Courage must find me. I must wake before the Winter Solstice." She said and her eyes lost their glassy look, her eyelids sliding shut as she fell forward. I quickly caught her then set my hand on her wet waves, looking at Herah as she frowned, staring at my wife.

"Get her back to bed, Varric." I nodded then lifted Adaline, holding her close and carrying her out into the rain. My clothes be damned, she needed to get back to bed.

####

"She was dream walking, not quite sleep walking. It happens when one of magic gets a vision, which in itself is a rare trait." Solas explained as he sat on the bed next to Adaline.

"What's it mean? What she said?" I asked and Chuckles sighed.

"We had no idea there even were caves beneath Skyhold until that assassin put two of the Bull's Chargers there. We have no idea what is beneath this fortress. There is also the matter of how she navigated the caves with an incorrect map and still managed to find what she desired." He said and looked at Firefly.

"We must delve deeper into the caves, but for now... She needs rest." Chuckles said and I nodded, moving closer to her.

"Varric, putting this aside, that nobleman Oberlin-"

"Let the nobles believe what they want, she's legally my wife and she's my friend. I'm not about to treat her differently." I said and Giantess sighed.

"Fine." She said then corralled everyone out as I waited, sitting on the edge of the bed. I sighed and reached out, pushing Adaline's hair back, then I looked at her as she turned her head towards me and slowly opened her eyes.

"Hi." I whispered and she softly smiled.

"Hi." She breathed, looking around the room.

"What happened? Why is my hair wet?" She asked and I sighed, giving her a brief rundown.

"Queen of Fire and King of Courage?" She asked and I nodded, running my fingers through her hair.

"Any idea what the dream walking you meant?" I asked, but she shook her head.

"No, none." She whispered and I nodded.

"I spoke with a noble, closest thing I'd consider a friend among nobles. The reason they think our marriage is a sham is because we don't act like a couple." I said and she frowned.

"It's part of the reason Celine is still after your head." I explained and she sighed.

"What do we need to do to make them believe then?" She asked and I sighed.

"I don't know. I haven't really been in a solid relationship like this in a long time." I said and she smiled softly.

"Well, maybe we can figure it out?" She whispered and I nodded, setting my hand on her cheek.

"How do you feel?" I asked and she sighed.

"My head hurts, like I got kicked by a druffalo, but I'm okay." She said and I nodded.

"Chuckles said the dream walking is part of some magic you have inside you." I said and she sighed, slowly sitting up on her elbows.

"I don't have magic, no one in my family has ever had-"

"It's not uncommon for someone to suddenly sprout magic hands, Firefly." I explained and she huffed.

"I'm hungry." She complained, her stomach voicing it's complaint a moment later.

"Let's get you breakfast then. Giantess will want to talk to you at the meeting." I said and she nodded.

"Can I change?" She asked and I laughed.

"Sure, darling." I smiled and got off the bed, letting her get up. As she changed, I noticed the birthmark on her hip that Chuckles had noticed before and frowned when I realized it looked a lot like Bianca.

"Ready?" She asked and I looked at Adaline's face then nodded.

"Let's go, wife." I said and took her hand, leading her out. As we got into the main hall, Giantess sat up in her throne from where she was judging someone, but Josephine made a subtle nod and looked at the guards.

"We will continue this later." Ruffles said and everyone was taken out as I sat Firefly down, getting her food.

"Varric-"

"Let her eat, Inquisitor. She's starving." I said and Herah nodded, waiting as my wife ate. When she was done, I stood next to her and Solas slowly approached.

"What do you remember, Adaline?" He asked and she sighed.

"Laying down to sleep, then waking up a few moments ago with Varric." She said and Chuckles frowned.

"Do you not remember the tavern?" Adaline shook her head then I looked at Chuckles as he stood, frowning down at her.

"What?" I asked, but he seemed almost... afraid. That was never a good sign.