Making Fen'Harel

Chapter 5

Solas sat on the edge of his bed. The morning sun shone through the glass overhead, welcoming the day. He balled the silken fabric in his hand as he thought. How exactly had she came in contact with the orb? And how had it even reacted to her? Better yet, how was she in love with him? He couldn't deny a certain connection he felt when with her. She made him slip up, she made his heart beat a little faster. She made him consider himself. She made him want to take her home with him, slip her out of those leathers and take her.

He shook his head and dispelled the thought. He told himself to concentrate on finding a hole in her story, to find a way that she could be lying. He told himself he didn't have to justify it, that she was just crazy. But she knew his name, she knew about the orb..

He groaned in frustration. He couldn't believe her, it was a crazy notion, but she knew him. It was impossible. A trick. He decided it had to be. That was all there was to decide. He would avoid her, she was crazy.

Even though he considered her to be a madwoman logically, he had still searched the Fade for her "portal to the future." So far he had found nothing.
...

Rihari was shaken awake by Liara.

"Time to get up, sleepy head!" She said when Rihari opened her eyes. "There's work to be done."

Rihari groaned and rolled over on her lumpy mattress, shoving her face down into the pillow. She could almost fall back asleep, almost did too, but Liara ripped the blankets from her body, exposing her to the cold.

Rihari rolled out of bed quickly. "Hey!" She yelled playfully, before snatching the ratty blanket from Liara's hands.

They got dressed quickly and headed down the stairs. Rihari rubbed sleep from her eyes as they walked. She started the day by washing the previous evening's dishes. As she washed them, she had time to consider.

She had not had time to think about the things that had happened in her dreams much. Now that she had time, she hoped that perhaps he would help her get back. She thought through the things he had said, revealing nothing though. Her mind continued to drift back to his lips on her cheek as he spoke, to the rise and fall of his chest as he breathed. Time and again she shoved her thoughts back on the task at hand, to no avail. Eventually, she gave in and let her mind wander to his breath tickling her ear as he spoke against her cheek.

She sighed. This was not the time. Literally.

As the day wore on, her mind became more and more distant with heartache and homesickness. Everytime she closed her eyes she could see the sunset off the balcony of her quarters in Skyhold. She could feel the warmth of it on her skin as it stretched down to kiss the snowcapped mountains. She could smell the snow and the fresh air, the soft smell of burning wood coming from the fireplace.

Everytime she closed her eyes, she could feel Solas's arms around her, snuggling his face into her neck as they watched the sunset together. She could hear him singing softly, words in a tongue she couldn't understand, his lips brushing across the sensitive skin of her neck as he spoke. It all made sense now, his knowledge of the ancient elves, his attitude towards the current world, all of it.

She had to get back. She decided that she had to try anyways. She fabricated a plan. A plan to sneak away during the night, to try and find her way back, it was worth a shot. She just had to find which eluvian to walk through and where to go, that's what had to happen, that's how she got here, it must be how she got back as well.

Her mind made up, she tried to make the day go by as quickly as possible. She moved through chores far too quickly, pushing herself to stay busy so time would pass. Mariala attempted to talk with her, but Rihari found herself too distracted and the conversation was bleak.