The Wolf and the Halla

Invited to the Party

To most, being invited to the Empress's Palace for a Grand Ball would have been an honor. To Adani, however, it was ignorant. A formality, an acceptance of her power in Thedas, that was long overdue. Empress Celene was the highest power in Orlais, and Josephine said that impressing her would be a good idea.

Josephine and Leliana had told her all about "The Game". It didn't make any sense to her, reputation wasn't something she was worried about, not while the world was virtually ending. Nonetheless, they demanded she learn some dances that may be done at the ball, and that she learn to do them in heels.

"Absolutely not." Adani had said with a scowl plastered onto her face. "The Dalish do not wear heels. And besides what if there's a fight? I can't fight in heels."

"If there is a fight, it will not happen in the ballroom." Josephine had reassured. "We will have your armor and weapons ready for you, upon request."

Sure, sure. Upon request, she had thought to herself.

.....
They had been learning dances for weeks, Adani had learned to walk in the heels, and to twirl in a gown, and to hold herself correctly. Josephine had asked her questions that some people may ask, had informed her of how she should behave.

"You should be polite, and interesting, but do not give anything away." Josephine had said. She was something of a professional on matters of The Game, since her family had always taken part.

Adani hadn't had alot of time to spend with Solas in this time. She saw him when she could and complained about the heels, the dancing, Josie's persistence. He would smile and listen. Usually, these sessions ended in them chatting about The Fade and things he had seen in it. She learned about different demons, and places she had never even heard of. She liked listening to him speak, and often times found herself looking at him rather than hearing him. Watching his lips move, or smiling as his eyes moved about in thought.

Sometimes it ended with them kissing. Her in his lap, or him pushing her against the wall. Their lips pressing together, their tongues dancing together. His hands rubbing up her sides, or her hands pulling on his body, trying to get them closer together even though they were pressed together against the wall or in the chair.

One night, Solas asked how she felt about going to Halamshiral.

"How do you feel about going to the ball?"

"It's fine. A necessary evil I suppose." She chuckled and he did too for a moment.

"Yes, but the land was promised to the Dalish was it not?" He canted his head slightly, "Now it belongs to the royalty of Orlais."

"Yeah." She said quietly. "It belonged to the elves a long time ago. It was promised to the Dalish again, but the humans ran them out." She paused to look at him. "I don't suppose it matters much, it's just part of life."

He nodded. "Well, no matter. It will be an experience if nothing else." He smiled at her "Have you seen your gown yet?"

"I haven't. Why?" She asked.

"I saw them transporting it to Josephine this evening."

"Well, how'd it look?" She hated to admit that she may be a little excited to play dress up, but she was.

"It.." He smiled a little. "You will be beautiful, vhenan."

She beamed a smile to him that he thought would have cracked open his heart had she not turned away. "I'm going to go see it!" She exclaimed as she ran out of the rotunda. He smiled and shook his head softly.

The gown was beautiful. It was long and white, a little poofy but she liked it. There were intricate designs of silver woven into the fabric, they glinted when the light hit them. Reaching up to the left shoulder from the breast the sleeve there looked like branches. Like the branches of Mythal, she thought to herself.

The mask that she would wear along with this gown was stunning as well. It covered only half of her face, the eyes and nose. It was silver with light gold flecks that seemed to come and go depending on how the light hit it. There were small antlers that would weave into her hair that came off each side, halla antlers. They were sliver as well, and had small blue jewels every curve or two. They would come only to about her ears.

"Do you like it, Inquisitor?" Josephine asked.

"Oh, it's beautiful." Adani replied as she smiled at her. Josephine smiled back. "Did you design it?"

"Most of it. Well, I had all the ideas for it." She replied. "I am pleased that you like it."

Despite the reason for going to the Grand Ball, and the fact that she would be new to the Game, she was excited to go. Only later when she was alone, lying in bed, did she think of how she should be worried about the assassination that might take place. That's the whole reason for going, she reminded herself.

It put a damper on her mood. She was tired of everything being her responsibility. Even to these people who would say horrible things about her, who would laugh behind her back or call her little rabbit. Yet she had to save them, it was her duty.

A Dalish elf, in the Grand ballroom of Empress Celene's castle, in the middle of Halamshiral, the land of the elves. What a disaster, they will laugh and call me names, yet I am the one who will save them. Isn't that funny.

She rolled around in her bed some time before she finally found sleep. She didn't enter the Fade this night, instead she dreamed of Halamshiral, what the Ball would be like. She saw the people hiding behind masks of gold and bronze, snickering as she passed by. Some didn't even acknowledge her, turning their faces away as she walked by. She dreamed of being called names, being made the butt of jokes.

She dreamed of failing in her attempts to prevent the assassination, and the world falling into chaos.

She awoke around dawn. The dreams still bouncing around in her mind. She shoved them out.

No. It doesn't matter.

Corypheus would not win. She would destroy him and the hole in the sky.
She would win.

For those that may have already read the rest of this story so far, I added a new chapter titled Wisdom and Pride, it's short and addresses the issue missed where Lavellan accompanies Solas into the Dales to help his friend, a spirit of Wisdom.