Fen'Harel walked swiftly through the Crossroads until he came to the Eluvian that would lead to Mythal's Temple. He took a deep breath before stepping through the magical glass. The chain of events that had happened could not be taken back, and there was no where to go but forwards. The conversation with Rihari the night before confirmed that.
Abelas confronted him on the other side of the glass. "Fen'Harel." He nodded to him and Fen'Harel returned his greeting.
The beautiful pool of water that was the vir'abelasan, shimmered in the mid day light. The birds chirped happily in the trees surrounding the area. Many brightly colored flowers bloomed around the pool and some lazy butterflies floated on the breeze, being pulled to whichever bush the wind chose.
"Mythal?" Solas asked.
"The Great Protector will be here soon. She said she had a feeling you would come." Abelas stated.
"Why?"
"June." The word sent a jolt of fear and anger through Fen'Harel's body. His face turned red at the mention of the man's name, luckily Abelas, was in no place to question.
Mythal arrived promptly and dismissed her servant. As soon as he was out of earshot she turned grave. "What did you do?" She asked.
"I am uncertain what they speak of." Solas replied. A lie, a cautious lie, and she knew it, he could tell.
She shook her head. "Oh, Dread Wolf.. don't be coy."
He swallowed hard. "June came to my home last night." He looked at her to catch her full attention. "He called me a harellan, a traitor, a rebel. Mythal, there is no going back."
"I know." Mythal answered. "June came here to ask for the information you refused to give."
"Yes, but that is not why I came." He replied cautiously.
"No?" She smiled. "Then why have you come?"
"I wish to overthrow the self acclaimed Gods. To free the people from fear."
She smiled again, a knowing smile. "My, my. But you have attributed to that fear yourself, yes?"
He nodded. "Regrettably so."
She laughed dryly, then arched an eyebrow. "Where do I play into this?"
"I can not free them single handedly. I need help." His heart pounded. What if she denied him the help that he so desperately counted on.
She nodded slowly. "I can support you, old friend. I doubt many others will, however."
"We do not need more support. The people will support our cause." He stated. His fluttering heart calmed.
"You may be surprised how many will cling to their Gods for protection against the Dread Wolf." She said tentatively. He nodded in understanding.
"I must leave the temple." He said it softly, almost as a whisper.
"There is a place I know well." She whispered too, like children sharing a secret on the playground. "I will take you there, none will be able to reach you."
"Ma serannas, hahren." He replied softly, his mind was muddled in deep thought. There really was no going back.
"I must ask, is this about the girl?" Mythal asked.
He nodded. "Yes." It was always about the girl, he thought to himself.
....
"Gather everyone in the throne room." He told a servant as he passed. "I will be there shortly." He walked up the steps quickly and padded over to where he hoped Rihari would be, his chambers. He swung open the door and the sound roused her from sleep.
She peeked open her eyes carefully, then sunlight burned her eyes so she pulled the blanket up over her head to shield her from the sun, yet left it open so she could see. "What is it?"
Solas smiled softly. "It is past noon, and you still sleep?"
"Yeah, yeah." She rolled her eyes.
He turned serious. "We must go. It has began." She slid out from under the blanket and onto the floor.
"What has?" She asked softly, followed by a yawn.
"The rebellion." He stated. "It starts now. Today. We must leave this place."
She stood there a moment, actually dumbfounded that she would be present during the rebellion, truly a dangerous honor.
They made it to the throne room in no time and Solas walked up to stand in front of the throne, yet did not sit. Everyone turned to him quietly, fear in their eyes.
"I called you hear to invite you to join in my rebellion." He let the words sink in a moment before he spoke again. "I will stand against the Gods, to free the people. If you join me you will be free from service, and will be safe from those that oppress you."
The room was silent, none knew what to say, so they said nothing.
Fen'Harel looked over the crowd, a soft smile danced on his lips. "Do not be afraid of me. Speak freely." He said it softly, soothingly.
An Elven man with the bright red marks of Elgar'nan stepped forward. "I will join in your quest to free the elves." Others stepped up as well, their faces caught in serious lines.
"Come here, lethallin." Fen'Harel motioned the man, and he stepped forward proudly, head held high.
Fen'Harel raised his hand to the man's face and pulled the vallaslin off of his skin with a motion. "Ar lasa mala revas." The man reached up and touched his face, somehow knowing what had occurred. After the shock of what had been seen passed others stepped forward. Some cried tears of joy when he wiped the marks from their faces crying out "I am free now! I am free!". Others merely let out a sigh of freedom when the marks slipped off of their skin. After each time he whispered to them the same saying, "Ar lasa mala revas", meaning you are free.
Rihari heard murmurs around the room. Some whispered of Fen'Harel saving the people as he says, others whispered that it served the others right. Mostly, the murmurings were positive, but she heard some full of doubt. Some said that they alone could not stand against the Gods, that Fen'Harel may be caught in a grand scheme.
Finally, Fen'Harel turned to her. "And you, ma'arlath?" She shook her head no. She heard some sharp intakes of breath around the room as she declined to part with her vallaslin. He smiled softly, a silent acceptance.
"We must leave the temple now." He said to the crowd. "Follow me." He turned and everyone followed. Rihari could hear some of the people whispering about her as they walked. The whispering and spreading of rumors only intensified when Fen'Harel reached over and took her hand in his.
....
The hidden fortress was amazing. It sat in the middle of a lake, absolutely inaccessible without the keystones to raise the bridges. Upon arriving, Fen'Harel had directed the elves to the sanctuary. Once alone, he sat on the hard stone and closed his eyes. He focused on spirits surrounding the area, and brought them to him. He whispered words to them, coaxing them into alliance. The sentinals that he recruited would protect this place from intruders now and forever.
She walked out and sat beside him on the ground. The sun was setting now, casting brilliant hues of purple and orange across the lake, which reflected them right back at the heavens. A soft breeze carried the smell of fresh water and jasmine through the air, it was breathtaking. She slipped her arm under his and scooted closer as his hand clasped around her own.
He sighed, at first she thought it was because of the scene, but the intense look on his face gave him away. "What is it?" She asked softly. She was afraid to speak too loud lest the marvelous scene in front of them might scurry away like a scared rabbit.
"It is irreversible." He stated in a sad tone. "I do not regret it for the cause, only for the life it will take." His face looked grave, suddenly he looked like the Solas of her time. His face seemed to age in the mere seconds that it held the deep lines of sorrow.
"Yes, war always requires the price of life," she laid her head against his shoulder. "but the cause is often times important enough to die for. Would you not die for your people?" She knew her own answer, of course she would, she lead the Inquisition despite her constant fear of dying, the mark alone had tried to kill her many times.
He looked over to her and planted a kiss on top of her head, but his lips lingered there as he spoke. "I like to believe so, but more than that I believe I would die for you."
His words pulled her back to Redcliffe. The memory of his sick and lifeless body being trampled under the feet of an army. Words reached out to her from the Fade, memories of the moment. That didn't make sense though, did it? She supposed it could if one knew of a different time.
"Ar lath ma." He whispered, his cheek rested against the top of her head. The sun was quickly slipping away. The dying light made her feel comfortable and warm. She wanted to live in this moment forever. The moment, like everything else, would end however. So for the moment she took advantage of it and pulled his lips to hers. She returned his profession of love only when they parted.
When she thought about the war she thought about how she wasn't strong enough to fight. She wasn't gifted with immortality and wasn't a mage. She was honestly afraid. "I'm scared."
He looked at her with mock surprise, his mouth hung open, but a smile danced in his eyes. "I don't believe it!" She rolled her eyes and pushed him on the shoulder playfully. The smile dropped before he spoke again. "Do not fear, nothing will happen to you, vhenan."
"You can't know that, Solas."
He smiled knowingly. "Ah, but I do." She opened her mouth to ask how, but he already knew that's what she would ask so he continued to speak. "I know it to be so, because you exist now. If you exist now, you must exist in your own time, or you would cease to exist." He smiled again, fascination lit up his features in the now very dim light. "Absolutely fascinating, is it not? How your very being here will alter time, will alter reality as we know it."
She was fascinated, but not knowledgeable enough to speak on the subject so she didn't, she merely nodded and gave a quick "yeah" to acknowledge that it happened. She made a mental note to think about this later, when she wasn't distracted by the beauty of his jaw, and the twinkle in his eyes.
"Solas.." she wasn't sure what she wanted to say, and the more she though about it, the more it seemed that she only said his name because she liked how it felt on her tongue. He must have understood that because he didn't prod her to speak further. They say in relative silence a few more minutes before he stood and offered his hand.
They went inside, hand in hand and he led her to where all the people had began setting up places to sleep. He dropped her hand and stepped forward. "You will not sleep here, on the ground. There is a barracks on the lower floor, I will take you there." He turned and the people scrambled up their things and followed him like a pack of hounds follow their hunter. She followed as well, from behind the group.
On the descent to the barracks, he showed them where the armory was, stocked with weapons and armors. She saw many nice bows inside, but decided to wait until after this tour to check them out. He guided the crowd into a large room. Down the sides of the room were other small rooms, full of bunk beds. The elves all stood around, waiting for him to release them.
He looked very much like the much older Solas of her own time when he spoke. "I am no God, as the others are no Gods." The elves seemed to shuffle nervously at his blasphemous words. "They have convinced you all that they can not be killed, but it is a lie. The Evanuris, myself included, are as mortal as you are." His eyes scanned the room carefully, catching the gaze of a few, who quickly diverted their eyes. "Do not fear, lethallin." He used the word for kin here as a group label rather than for an individual.
"Now please, get some rest." He turned away and the elves started to nervously chatter among themselves as they scurried away into the rooms along either side of the big room. Rihari followed him out. She told him that she wanted to stop by the armory, send they did. She didn't like any of the bows, they were too big for her. She decided to make her own.
Solas told her he would teach her more on how to control magic and learn more spells. She thought it was useless, but agreed because she thought it might help ease his mind. Eventually, he led her to the bed chamber they would stay in and left her alone to prepare for bed, while he went on some unknown errand.
He had things to do, preparations to make, and that was what drove him that night. He had to make sure everything and everyone here was perfectly safe. The promises he made were fruitless if the people died overnight from intruders. Or if the others found them.. they wouldn't last the night.
He walked around the fortress, ensuring it was properly fortified. As he walked he felt a crackle in the Fade, a searching mind. He quickly swatted the searching fingers aside. They could not find them here, whoever "they" were. He imagined June or perhaps Dirthamen searching through the Fade, trying to find him, frustrated that he kept throwing them off track.
After some time, they gave up their search and he felt them withdrawing. Now that he was alone, truly alone, his mind began to wonder. He suddenly felt ashamed, he had blatantly lied to Rihari. He had told her he didn't know where to find the way back, that he had found nothing, when in truth the rift was well hidden in the Fade. He grunted at himself when he thought of how she trusted him without question and he had deceived her.
He was aware of his selfishness, of the fact that he had hidden away the one thing that could save her from this war. He couldn't let go yet though, he wasn't ready to give her up. Without her there, he was afraid he would lose his cause for fighting, more than that he was afraid he would lose himself. Again. She truly did change everything.
...
"You." Fen'Harel pointed to a man that stood in the middle of the group, and the man stepped forward. "You will gather information, set up spies within the ranks of the servants of all the Evanuris. We must know their every move." The dark skinned elf nodded proudly and promptly headed through the doors, ready to begin his mission.
Fen'Harel looked over the crowd again and motioned for one woman to come forward, then five men. They all came forward and he looked them over carefully. "I need you to go to every village, every city, every small camp in the woods. Scatter with the wind, find the elves and tell them that Fen'Harel wishes to stop the Gods. Tell them if they come, they will be safe here." The elves nodded as well and headed off to begin their quest.
Next he sent some of the elves to gaurd the fortress. Then he called some up to train others to better use magic, enchant weapons, and the like. All the people seemed to have a job after he was done, and they all milled about, getting to work.
He pulled Rihari aside and told her that they would be training today, as he led her outside. She groaned, but he persisted that she be prepared. Finally, she relented and dragged her feet to where he led her.
They joined up with a few other elves, and he started showing them simple spells. The other elves watched Rihari curiously when she casted sloppy spells. The sparks she called to her fingers flew away from her and almost hit a bright haired woman.
"No, Rihari. You must concentrate." He said patiently. "Think about what you want to happen, draw energy from the Fade and will your thoughts to be." She raised her hands, closed her eyes, and concentrated hard. She imagined fire blooming from her palm calmly. She imagined that the fire would not move, that it would appear like flames in a campfire. She felt heat springing up through her fingers and she peeked open her eyes. There were small spoofs of flame dancing in her raised hands. She gasped, she had done it and no one had almost been injured.
"Good." He nodded when he spoke, a small smile pulling at the corners of his mouth. "Next we will try something a little harder," He walked over and pulled a ram to the center of the group. "You will cast a spell of terror on this ram."
The people seemed excited at this, but Rihari didn't think she could do that. She was thinking about how she would even attempt to cast a spell of terror. She watched as one frail looking man cast his spell and the ram immediately began bucking around, it's eyes wide with fear. Once it calmed, another would do the same. Fen'Harel offered small critiques to their stance, to their techniques, among other things.
When it was her turn she just shook her head no. "I don't think I can." She said softly, embarrassed.
"You can," He said soothingly. For a moment she believed him, and tugged at her idea of fear. She tried to shove the thoughts to the ram, but nothing happened. She sighed and shook her head. "No, you are thinking about your fears. Think about the feeling of terror, pull that fear from the Fade and reflect it onto the ram." She tried again, and this time the ram jumped a little, but otherwise had no reaction. She groaned at herself.
"No." Solas smiled. "That is good, you scared him, even if only a little. That is still progress." The others looked at her skeptically. They wondered what was wrong with her. Why did she know nothing of magic? She felt her face growing hot. When she raised her eyes to Fen'Harel, it was clear why they seen him as a God. He was tall and lean, muscles could be seen even through the armor he wore now. Aside from the physical properties that made him appear Godlike, there seemed to be an energy around him. He seemed to glow, magic tingled around his body, like dust particles in the morning sunlight, begging to be used by him.
This new notice of power that floated around her lover made her feel even more frail and she turned her face away. She felt him drawing closer, his hand landed on her shoulder softly. "You are doing good, vhenan." She shook her head no, and quickly glanced around before she diverted her eyes back to her feet. There were more eyes on her now, wondering what the connection was between the two.
"Forget they are here, they do not understand, nor will they." He tipped her chin up so he could look at her face. "You have done well, do not give up."
"Okay." She said softly. He nodded and stepped out of her path. This time she held her head high and concentrated hard. When she released the power that she had gathered, the ram became panicked. The others clapped their hands, glad to see she had mastered the skill. She smiled so brightly that it squeezed Solas's heart.
The celebration was cut short, as one man walked forward with another at his arm. "My Lord," He greeted him, and Fen'Harel nodded curtly. "this man wishes to join our rebellion, along with many others. He has come to speak in their stead."
"Speak, lethallin." Fen'Harel smiled. The man was scrawny with dirty dark skin, his eyes were bloodshot around the edges of his brown irises. His face was framed by the white marks of June, and his hair was pulled back in an assortment of brown dreadlocks.
"I believe we could be of service to your rebellion. We want to be a part of it." The man was loud, his voice boomed despite his frail body. "We have your griffons, I hope you do not mind. They cried when you left and after a long while we went to check on the beasts, they were lonely so we took them, hoping to find you."
"Ma serannas!" He exclaimed. "I am glad they were saved. You need not explain yourself to me, lethallin. All are welcome." He smiled and the man seemed to exhale a breath of relief. "Tell me, where do you come from?"
"I was once a servant of June, but have since been exiled to the forest. There are many others as well." The man said this as if it were nothing.
Rihari stood by as Fen'Harel stepped forward and pulled the dirty frail man into a hug. She was shocked, she had not even hugged the people that entered her rebellion, let alone those that had appeared like this man. This seemed more personal to Fen'Harel.
"I am so sorry this happened to you, friend." Fen'Harel said once he pulled himself away from the man. The man held tears in his eyes, joy from being appreciated and cared for by someone such as he. "We will right this wrong. Please, bring your people."
"Ma serannas, Fen'Harel! Ma serranas!" The man was almost in tears as he left. His gait was changed, more proud. In that moment Rihari realized why she loved him so much. It was this compassion and understanding that stood him apart from the others. She understood why the stories she had heard were wrong. The Gods were portrayed as icons of one or two traits, and not as people, but they had been people. They had many traits and characteristics, and they had not done many of the things the Dalish said because the stories were based off of those iconic traits.
Her people would never know the truth, but she decided that she would always carry it with her. She decided she would spread the truth to those that she could. She would do a little service for the man that had done it all for her, she had to.
....
Ma'arlath- my love
Vir'abelasan- the Well of Sorrows.
Vhenan- heart (endearment)
Ma serannas- my thanks, thank you.
Lethallin- kin (male singular or group of elves plural)