Doom Upon All The World

Chapter 20: The Power Of Mythal

She had been like a sister to him, an older, wiser sister. She was beautiful and powerful beyond belief. She could do anything and her courage, her soul churning justness fueled his desire to shape the world. The God of Deceit. They all labeled him as that and distrusted him for it but she, this brave, mystifying woman, she believed in him, relied on him. Mythal was one of the first among them. The Goddess of Justice, the Great Protector was she. And a just name it was. She protected them, the Elves, the people, the rest of the Gods even. But she could not protect herself. She was mother to many but a respected Elder to all. When they struck her down, he was destroyed. That was the last straw that led to his betrayal. He led them all to their prisons when she was killed and set himself away from the rest of the world.

But she had not entirely perished. She was by some miracle, one not given by the Gods, saved. She possessed a young woman many centuries before Solas awoke from his millennia of slumber. Over time the woman had many bodies, always female, always an apostate. Only a Mage could sustain Mythal's entirety. She rose to power, becoming Asha'bellanar to the Dalish and the famed Witch of The Wilds to the Chasind. But after he came back, launched into a world in chaos, she hardly lasted two years. He hated what he had to do but she understood. He went to her a few days after Maeve's revelation about their baby. He hadn't been able to leave her side until then. But he'd worked up the courage and went to her fully knowing what had to be done. He reached into her soul, taking her power and leaving the being, Flemmeth they'd called her, to die.

He needed it in order to bring down the Veil. She of all people would understand. This fact did not make him feel any less guilty though. He often wondered if he had perhaps asked for her help if they would have been able to bring it down together. But he thought better of it. Mythal was a protector, not just of the Elves but of the world. If what he wanted to do could have destroyed said world, she would have slain him to stop it from happening. Maeve to this day did not know what he'd done but honored his fondness of Mythal through their son. Mythalus was named after the Great Protector. It was not his idea but when he heard her say it, he fell in love with the notion.

It was a cold day in Halamshiral. Fall was beginning to pass, with it the snow was covering the ground again. Maeve stood by the door to the house, her hair hanging in a long braid, her belly round and protruding with the growth of their child. Her dress hung over it and flowed to the ground, making her legs shiver with cold. Nicolynn was six at the time, her birthday having just passed. She ran around the yard, dancing and throwing the snow. Solas frolicked about with her, getting hit several times as the girl pranced about flinging rounded balls of semi frozen ice at him. He laughed as she did it, finding it adorable how her nose crinkled just before she threw and then after how she squealed with joy. Her legs were so skinny and not yet quite as long so her jacket hung almost to her knees, enveloping her but still keeping her warm. The scarf Josephine had gotten her was around her neck. This was one of the few gifts that they actual got use out of.

Nicolynn collapsed in the snow with a happy cheer as Solas ran from her snowball bombardment and went to Maeve. He stood in front of her, taking her hips in his hands. Even with her large pregnant belly between them, she fit in his embrace perfectly. His hand snaked upward, cradling her neck and brought her in for a kiss. It was slow and deep. She could feel the lovely joy that leaked from his kiss. He had so much passion inside of him and didn't hold back, even with her in the state she was. He held her the same as he always would, kissed her the same if not with more affection, spoke to her with the same love and adoration, pampered her on occasion. He knew carrying a child was not easy on her or kind to her body so he was sure to be more than accommodating and considerate everyday. Of course they were careful as to not be overly intimate, knowing it could endanger their child.