The Wolf and the Halla

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She awoke slowly, groggy from the blood loss. She tried to raise her head and look around, but a headache reared up behind her eyes. She laid back and groaned. Stupid. Should have been watching your back, silly rabbit, she insulted herself. She heard a sound. The tent flap opening? She peeked open her eyes.

Solas was crouched there beside her, looking through a bag, he pulled out a book before turning to sit on the ground beside her bedroll when he saw she was awake. "Ah, you are awake." He dropped the book on top of the bag and turned his attention to her.

"What happened?" She asked. She tried to open her eyes a little more, then winced at the pain it brought her. He noticed and reached for his bag. He pulled out a small vial and offered it to her. "What is this?"

"For the pain." He said. She seemed content with that reply and tipped the bottle. The relief was almost immediate. It warmed her stomach and spread out to her limbs. She sighed.

"Thank you." She opened her eyes, and it didn't hurt. She smiled, but it hurt her lips. They were chapped and cracked, probably dehydration and blood loss had caused it. Solas nodded before reaching for the edge of her shirt.

"May I?" He asked her permission. She nodded. He pulled up the edge of the shirt carefully and looked at what used to be a wound, now only a faint red line. She marveled how there was no wound. She had been stabbed right?

"How...?" She wasn't sure of the words she wanted to say.

He smiled, but it faded quickly. "I was afraid I would lose you." He furrowed his brow. "I did everything I could to keep you here."

She gave him another smile, and licked her lips to wet the cracked skin. "You did this?" She motioned to the red line. He nodded. "Thank you.."

Noting her lips and hoarse voice he got up to fetch some water. "I'll be right back." He told her, before exiting the tent.

The camp was bustling with Dalish children and soldiers. They had stayed here through the night, awaiting the Inquisitor. He tried to hide his smile as a young soldier was playing tag with some of the children. Another older man sat on a log talking to some of the older children, telling stories, he presumed.

He walked past a few who were talking to a hard looking man with a coarse beard. He was asking them about their Gods, their culture. Not strange at all, except that he was actually invested in what the elves told him of their lifestyle.

Cassandra spotted Solas and walked over. "The Inquisitor?"

"Just awoke." He stated, "She is weak." He glanced to Cassandra as they walked.

"At least she is alive." She said. "We have you to thank for that."

Solas nodded to her, and she smiled before walking away to join a group that were training with their swords. He found a small pond just outside of camp and filled his canteen.

He rushed back to find her sitting up against the wall. He offered his canteen to her and she drank greedily. She finished it off around small gasps for air. She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand before handing the empty canteen back to him.

"What of those that fought against us?" She asked.

"They are being held. Awaiting trial, I suppose." He replied while screwing the top back onto the canteen.

"We should get going. I want to get back to Skyhold soon."

"Yes. It is a three day journey from here. And you are injured." He said seriously.

"I'm not injured." She stated. "Just weak from blood loss." He gave her a hard look. "Fine, we'll leave at sunrise tomorrow."

"That is a better idea." He said smiling. "What do you plan for the prisoners?"

She scoffed. What did she plan? She wanted them executed. How dare they stand against her and her army. They even had a warning, yet attacked anyways. They were worthless to her. She straightened and cleared her throat. "I don't know." She said. "Maybe we can find use for them." She considered. "Or maybe exile." She said these things but execution was what her pride yelled.

"Mmh." He nodded. "Exile is probably best. They cannot be trusted." She nodded.

Revansa entered the tent and they turned their eyes to him. His eyes met with Adani's a moment and then landed on Solas. "Excuse me. May I speak to you a moment, Lethallin." Solas nodded and followed him out of the tent.

"What is it?" Solas asked him once they were out of earshot of the Inquisitor.

"I just wanted to thank you." Revansa said. "You saved her, and I am very grateful." He gave Solas a serious look. "I would have been with her. Had she not left." He confessed "I was angry at first, when I saw you two together. But now I see that you are good, you can protect her. Most of all I see that you love her. I am glad she has chosen you." He gave him a smile.

"Thank you." Solas said to him. He felt guilty. Stealing love away from this young elf, when he would eventually have to leave.

"No. I mean it. I am glad." Revansa stated. "The connection she has with you can be felt in a room." He thought back to the first time he had seen Solas. He had been so angry and upset that she had chose a city elf. Now he had nothing but respect for him. "I will leave you to it, then. Do tell Adani that she did well. We are all proud."

Solas reached out and shook his hand. "Dareth shiral, lethallin." Revansa bowed his head respectfully before turning to go. Solas returned to the tent, but Adani was already asleep. He turned and left just as quietly. He wanted to be alone anyways.

On the outskirts of camp he sat under a big tree facing the woods and closed his eyes. He imagined himself running through the forests of the Emerald Graves, the wind ruffling through his hair as he ran. Running to a temple or to a city in the trees. He opened his eyes and saw nothing but trees, a nug scratched at the dirt near a bush across from him.

This was a different time. He thought of his memories of past times. Times he had seen in the Fade most recently, and he wished that he were there. He had fell for the young Dalish Elf with the mark of old. He had became invested like he never thought he would be. Now he wondered what he was going to do. Continue with his mission? Or stay here with her?

She's real. It whispered through his mind like the wind through the leaves of a tall tree. He closed his eyes and sighed. "She's real." He said it out loud. They could all be real. He opened his eyes. No. They do not know what they have missed. They do not know what has been lost. They barely have existence. He told his inner thoughts these things, but two words kept whispering back to him. She's real. She's real. She's real. Then if she's real.. They could all be real.