Chapter Text
The sun sparkled on Lake Skyhold, and the wind came off the water as a pleasant breeze. A breeze which did nothing to help the sweat running down Ellana Lavellan’s face. She lugged her wheeled suitcase over yet another root in the path, taking the time to wipe her eyes. How much further could it be? A wheeled suitcase was really the wrong choice here. She wished someone had told her that the hike from the parking lot was just that, a hike.
At least the scenery was very nice. She could almost forget that she wasn’t in the woods in the Marches, surrounded by her clan. Ellana shook her head, trying to clear the memory. Thinking of home sent the familiar pang of homesickness through her, and she blinked back tears.
She sighed and dragged her suitcase along, sneaking a glance behind her at Dorian, who had been her ride up into the mountains. Josephine had arranged for Ellana to meet him at the bus station in Haven and she had liked the man on sight.
Even though he had made her squeeze into the car next to his piles of Louis Vuitton luggage, which, upon their arrival at the Camp parking lot, Dorian had immediately pawned off onto the first attractive male he saw, a big man named Bull. Ellana had to admit the Qunari was carrying the trunks along with ease. Bull, huh? Maybe this was one of those “camp names” kinda places. If anyone tried to come up with a cute elf name for her there would be problems.
“It’s a long walk from the parking lot, but you only have to drag your bags down and back the once.” Cassandra, Ellana’s new boss, spoke up from the front of the small group. “Welcome to Camp Inquisition. Men’s staff quarters are to the right, and Women’s to the left. Bathrooms are down by the water, some of the guest cabins share that restroom so professional behavior at all times, please. Dinner is at 6, and then staff meeting. Guest families begin arriving tomorrow, as you know.”
“Don’t worry Cassandra, we know, and I will keep the vast amount of my exceptional personality under wraps during official work activities.” Dorian waved Bull ahead to the Men’s cabin and stopped to squeeze Ellana on the shoulder. “My dear, if you need anything you know where to find me. Welcome to Camp.”
Ellana watched him go, huffing to herself. She was covered head to toe in dust and sweat from the hike in, and somehow Dorian still looked pristine. Unfair.
Cassandra motioned left down the path and Ellana took her first look at her home for the season. It was a rustic cabin, with a small porch and dusty windows framing the door. The porch was crowded with mis-matched chairs facing the water. It looked like people spent a good amount of time relaxing there during some part of the day.
“The staff cabins are basically just bunks, any food should be kept in the office refrigerator. You really wont like it if your bunk is overrun with nugs.” Cassandra offered her hand, helping Ellana lift her suitcase up the porch steps.
The cabin was your standard one-room structure. Cassandra pulled open the screen door for them to pass through, letting it slap closed behind them and gestured to the 4 sets of bunk beds along the walls. Next to the door hung a full-length mirror and a set of shelves, two of which had already been claimed.
“I believe two of your coworkers have chosen already, but you can take any unclaimed bed. Welcome, Ellana. We’re glad to have you with us.” Cassandra opened the screen as if to go, but turned back to the small Elf one more time, her brown eyes kind. “Camp Administrator Josephine and myself live in the main building with the staff room and the offices. Let us know if you need anything, we’re here for you.”
Ellana smiled at the camp director and then turned back to the empty room. The slamming of the screen door behind her marked Cassandra’s exit and Ellana couldn’t help the rush of emotion that overcame her. She sank onto the nearest lower bunk and pulled out her sleeping bag, spreading it out over the thin mattress.
A whole summer, out in the wilderness, with a bunch of people she didn’t know. Ellana knew that Deshanna had suggested it for a reason, they wouldn’t send her away, but she wanted more than anything to not have to deal with it right now.
Give it time Deshanna had said, take the job, it will all blow over while you are gone.
Ellana hoped like hell she was right.
***
“Okay, okay! Quiet down you assholes!” Ellana looked up from her dinner to see a dwarf hopping up on a long table in the front of the mess hall. The cook, Cabot or so someone had told her, leaned out of the window from the kitchens warily as the dwarf banged two plastic plates together above his head. “This is the best night of camp, obviously it all goes down from here. So, lets enjoy it while we can. Drinks will be on me in my cabin…”
“Varric! If you have alcohol on this premises I will have to be…” A red-headed woman near Ellana stood up from her chair.
“Relax, Nightingale, still your sensibilities. This may be a Chantry run camp but we can have a little fun now and then!” Varric called back.
“Hear hear!” Bull yelled from his table, across the room.
“Alright! That’s enough!” Cassandra got up from her table, putting a hand on Varric’s shoulder. The Dwarf looked nonplussed as he sank back into his chair. “Welcome to another year with Camp Inquisition. We are very excited to have everyone back. As usual we will begin staff meeting by introducing ourselves. We have some new faces, and a few won’t be here until tomorrow. Varric, since you are so anxious to get started why don’t you begin?”
“Relax Seeker. I would be happy to go.” The Dwarf nodded at Cassandra and then leaned onto the table in front of him, propping his head on his hand. People in the hall were gathering around, pulling chairs into an informal circle. Ellana scrambled to pull her chair into the circle, between Dorian and a small, blonde elf girl she had seen when she came into the hall. The blonde elf smiled at Ellana, raising her hand in a small wave. Before Ellana could return the gesture, Varric cleared his throat.
“Most of you know me, but for the newcomers I am Varric Tethras.” Ellana stifled a gasp, and the elf girl sitting to her right sniggered.
“Yeah, that Varric Tethras. Your ears aren’t wrong!” Ellana looked at the girl with wide eyes, but Varric was continuing.
“Our illustrious leaders allow me to come work on my manuscripts in relative peace. In exchange all they ask is that I write and direct the camp play.”
“Oh we all know they tried to get rid of you, and you wouldn’t go!” A dark haired young man yelled out.
“You got it Krem. You are stuck with me now.” Varric smirked at the new speaker. “That’s about it for me, who is next?”
The introductions continued from there, most people just saying their name and the aspect of the camp that they were affiliated with. Bull and the young man next to him, Krem, were running sports. A muscular blonde man named Cullen was the lifeguard and a bearded man who introduced himself as Blackwall taught woodworking. She was surprised when she realized she had ridden all the way up to camp with Dorian and hadn’t asked what he was there to do. It turned out the Tevinter was a gifted musician, and would be teaching music and working with Varric on the play.
Then it was her turn.
“Uh…” Ellana stammered “Hi. I’m Ellana. This is my first year, and I believe I was hired as kids counselor?” She wasn’t actually sure. The job offer had come and she had taken it without much thought. It wasn’t until she was squeezed into Dorian’s sedan with eight high-end trunks that she had realized this was really happening.
“Yes.” Cassandra spoke up from across the circle. “Ellana is here to replace Hawke as our kids counselor. Unfortunately Hawke had other obligations in Kirkwall and couldn’t join us. As you know Ellana, Camp Inquisition is a family camp and people of all ages are welcome as guests. While most of the time parents want to do group activities with their kids, sometimes they want to take time for themselves. You are available to them for play and activities as well as chaperoning between classes.”
“Basically a baby-sitter, yeah?” The blonde elf giggled again, “That’s why Hawke didn’t come back, got a lot of better things to do with that championing and all.”
“Sera, if you have so much to say why don’t you go next.” Cassandra’s piercing eyes leveled at the elf.
“Name’s Sera. I’m archery. Next!”
Many people in the circle rolled their eyes.
“I am Leliana.” The redhead that had scolded Varric started to speak. She had a nice smile and a soft voice with an Orlesian accent. “I represent the chantry and also lead a bird watching hike every now and again.”
Two dwarves were next, Harding led hikes and taught survival skills, and Dagna assisted in arts and crafts.
“We are very lucky this year,” Cassandra broke in, “as head of arts and crafts we have a new artist-in-residence.”
“What, one isn’t enough for you, seeker?” Varric’s eyebrows rose at the brunette.
“It’s alright, my friend, less time signing autographs and more time focusing on our masterpiece.” Dorian called out.
“I’m sure no one could rival Varric’s renown, but our new addition’s flight does not get in to Haven until tonight. We will have to wait to put it to the test.“ There was a twinkle in Cassandra’s eye as she stood up and looked around at all of them. “Get some rest tonight, it’s the one night of freedom until the season is over. Our first guests begin check in at 11am tomorrow!” She waved them off, but people were already pulling their chairs back and clearing their plates. Ellana scrambled to do the same and then caught up with Sera as she headed back for the cabin.
“Oi. I hope you aren’t too elfy, then.” Sara threw back at Ellana over her shoulder. “If we’re to be bunk-mates I don’t want any of that dalish stuff.”
“Oh don’t worry. I only have a small altar to Mythal for the cabin. I don’t even need to do any sacrifices!”
Sera looked back at her with a surprised expression, and then burst into a peal of laughter.
“Oh! Don’t let chantry-pants hear that!”
Ellana couldn’t help but smile.
***
At least he was in a cabin by himself. Solas’ eyes swept the room, surveying his accommodations. Rustic and quaint were polite words for the living quarters and a doorway, not even a door in the thing, opened to a room with a bed. Cassandra had called it their “single” cabin. Apparently not many lone adults wanted to attend family camp.
He stowed his bag in the bedroom and pulled the sketchbook from his case of art supplies. If he was going to be relegated to the wilderness at least he would get some good drawing opportunities. Sleeping on his flight had left him feeling very awake, so he pushed past the creaking front door and found the most comfortable chair on the so-called porch.
The moonlight streamed down onto the lake, trees framing his view from either side. The moonlight created a trail right from his door.
It wasn’t long before Solas found himself falling into the meditative state that so frequently accompanied sketching. Crickets chirped, lulling him and the soft breeze played with the corners of the paper he was drawing on. Solas had just begun to consider heading inside to sleep when a shadow caught his eye. Sitting up, he peered down at the water, hoping to catch a deer or another animal come to take a drink.
The figure of a slight woman stepped from behind a tree, facing away from him, silhouetted by the moonlight. Solas sat back, disappointed, but continued to watch as the woman slipped off her shoes and stepped into the lake. She was small, but he knew no one under-age was on site yet, so she must be a fellow camp employee.
If you could count him as an employee at all…
Solas’s eyes were drawn back to the silhouetted figure as she returned to the shore. Probably too cold in the lake for wading, he thought.
He was surprised when she began to shuck her clothes.
Solas quickly looked away. He should go inside. He should definitely go inside his cabin right now and lay down to sleep. He would have to deal with campers tomorrow. All kinds of nobles from Orlais and their children, just the kind of thing that Solas loved so much.
A splash sounded from the water and Solas could not help himself.
She had jumped back in, and was floating face up under the moonlight, hair wet and dark floating around her head, body glistening in the light.
She looked utterly at ease.
Solas closed his eyes. Whoever this woman was, he could not continue to invade upon her privacy without her knowledge. Quietly he stood, and slowly closed the door of his cabin behind him, cursing its incessant creaking. He crossed his living space to the bedroom, but before he could duck through the doorway he glanced back.
Through his window he could just see her standing in the lake up to her waist, face tilted up to the moon, both hands slowly trailing water through her fingers.
He had to drag his eyes away.