War and Tranquility

One

"Excuse me, ser," Solas turned to see a stocky man with pierced ears. "There's.. something.. you should see, ser." The man frowned deeply, and Solas was worried at once.

"What is it, Rethoen?" He asked.

"Ir abelas, hahren. You should see for yourself."

"Very well, let's go then."

Rethoen led him through the castle and up the stairs to the bridge overlooking the lake. It was not currently extended and thus, wasn't really a bridge.

There were two people near the edge, but he couldn't make out their forms. As they approached, he noticed one was a warrior he had seen many times, the other a woman.

A little closer and he realized it was not just any woman, but his Rihari.

"What is this?" Solas looked between the three. Her back was still turned to him, but she was turning at the sound of his voice.

This wasn't right. He bad expected to see her turn, smiling and happy to see him again. Had expected her to run to him and hug him. Instead, she turned slowly, her face emotionless and stoic.

It was cold. At first that's all he felt. Cold and empty and nothing like the life that had been his moments before. The warrior backed away slowly, his eyes wide in fear and sadness as he looked at Fen'harel and the girl that he had brought forward.

The void grew inside of him as he looked at the mark on her forehead. The Others.. they had done this to her, they had made her tranquil. His eyes filled with tears as she stood in front of him, emotionless and empty. She was gone, just gone. An empty vessel that no longer held that beautiful soul.

Never again would she smile so brightly that the sun would stand in awe. Never again would she prod at him with playful jokes. Never again would she kiss him and mean it. Never would she be able to laugh or giggle or smile and any of it be real.

A flame sparked to life deep in his chest. His world had spun off its axis and now barreled off somewhere unknown. The rage grew into a blazing fury. It would consume everything, taking away who he was in its firey blaze.

"Ir abelas, da'ean," his voice wavered as he spoke. The words came out of someone else's mouth, they didn't feel real. None of it felt real.

"All is well, master."

"Stop it." A tear trailed down his cheek. No.

"Specify what you wish for me to stop doing."

"Fenedhis, stop." He looked up at the night sky. A shooting star spiraled across the sky, but in the time it took to blink it was gone.

"Make a wish," she said.

"A wish?" He turned towards her and smiled. "Why?"

"It was a shooting star, yeah? That's what you do when you see one, you close your eyes and make a wish."

"Very well." He closed his eyes, a goofy smile crooked on his face.

"What'd you wish for?"

"You first," he said.

She laughed, pressing her body closer to his as she pressed a soft kiss to his lips. "I wished for us to be together forever. And you?"

"I already have everything I could want," he pressed his lips to her temple.

He squeezed his eyes shut so hard that he saw spots. Solas wished this wasn't real, he wished that it was some bad dream. He opened his eyes slowly, but she was still there, empty eyes and scorched mark.