Into the Woods (a Dragon Age fanfiction)

If We Hold On Together

The groups arrived back in camp in bits and pieces, where Varric awaited them. While he didn't mind having volunteered to stay behind, he was sorry to have missed the many stories that appeared to have played out in the midst of the vast forest while he waited in the peace and quiet. The only movement in camp had been a large, snowy white owl that swooped across the camp. No doubt it had been chasing some kind of small prey, Varric assumed, although he hadn't seen anything resembling a mouse. But what did he know about the eating habits of owls? He was a city boy. It was impressive enough that he was able to recognize an owl when he saw one.

Hawke and Cousland came first, with Rowdy and the elf following them. Hawke's hand was firmly clasped in Cousland's big gauntlet. It warmed Varric's heart to see it. Hawke had been through a lot since she came to Kirkwall, and she deserved to be loved and taken care of by a good man. Whether she would be able to unbend enough to pursue a successful relationship was another question altogether.

The elf pretended not to be looking for anyone when he arrived, and Varric played along by not mentioning that he hadn't seen Rivaini in a while. Rowdy grabbed a flask and sat down to guzzle its contents, but he kept a sharp eye over the rim for Blondie. Varric felt for the other dwarf, who clearly was hunting for the Blondie he used to know in the mage, and wasn't finding him. Justice was a stronger and stronger presence inside that shared body, and glimpsing the man Varric had first met in that squalid Darktown clinic was ever more rare. The mage and the dwarf had obviously been good friends once upon a time, but those days were long gone, and from the sadness in those bloodshot eyes, Rowdy knew it.

As it happened, Blondie was the next to arrive in camp, riding that speedy beast. Varric was, frankly, jealous. Especially since Blondie didn't seem to be enjoying himself at all, his arms wrapped around the long, thin, scaly neck for dear life. Rowdy cackled at the mage as the creature pulled up and Blondie fell gracelessly off onto the ground.

Two more fleet creatures came afterward. The Warden rode one, with his witch in his arms. The child rode the other, with Rivaini holding lightly to his waist. She, at least, was fully in the spirit of the ride, her head thrown back with her black hair streaming out behind her, and laughing with delight at the speed of the creature. The little boy was laughing with her, and they made a wild pair together. A swift glance said to Varric that he wasn't the only one who had noticed the charming picture. The elf was watching her, as well, and with an expression of open, heartfelt longing in his green eyes such as Varric had never seen there. It made him glance away, not wanting to intrude on the elf's private thoughts.

His own thoughts wandered to a different elf entirely, but resolutely he herded them away from that dangerous territory. He would not consider the fact that Zevran had yet to return.

Instead, he looked back to Rivaini, whose eyes scanned the camp with a studied casualness that might have fooled others, but didn't fool Varric in the slightest. She couldn't quite hide the relief she felt when she caught sight of the elf. A mischievousness danced across her face, and she leaped from the back of the still-moving creature and dashed across the camp to plant a kiss on the elf's lips. She was gone again before his arms could quite decide whether to close around her or push her away, leaving the elf looking startled, and pleased, and bereft, and sorrowful. But not angry, which surprised Varric. Rivaini must be as good as she always said she was.

The witch was being helped to a pallet of furs by her devoted Warden. What a story those two were!

But Varric's speculations were broken by the biggest surprise he'd had all day—Flash's safe arrival in camp, the big green Driazi in tow, and with them, Sunshine. A softer-looking Sunshine than she had been when he'd seen her last, and not a prisoner. She was clearly there of her own volition.