Chapter Text
Hands clasped behind her back, Elona kept to a slow pace down the main hall of Skyhold, Josephine on one side of her, and Ambassador from the Mage’s College on her other. They had been at it for almost two hours now, negotiations, discussions on rulings for the new institution, the mage and Josephine keeping the talks going smoothly together as Elona silently listened, interjecting when necessary. Less than a year since the breach had been sealed, and still, there was work to do.
The doors were ajar at the end of the hall, letting Elona see the faint sunset outside, the day was almost over. She took a deep breath, how long had they been at this? Surely it couldn’t be this hard to decide where to place a second college?
“Inquisitor?”
“Hm?” Elona blinked, focusing back on to what was happening around her. Both women were looking at her, waiting for an answer.
“Where do you believe it should go, now that we have considered all options?”
Elona hesitated, to be truthful she hadn’t thought too much about it, in her mind anywhere would be acceptable, but that wasn’t how politics worked. Every option had to be carefully looked at and examined before a decision was made. Normally, she would enjoy the process, but her thoughts were elsewhere.
“We will try for Ferelden, I will write to the King and Queen with our proposition.”
Josephine smiled, nodding happily with the decision, though the mage looked less thrilled. To their left, the rotunda door creaked open, giggling and squealing coming from inside. Elona bid the two woman farewell, saying she had to attend to something and leaving Josephine to deal with the rest.
Not five steps into the painted room, Elona heard another fit of giggles.
“Mama!”
Getting down onto her knees as her daughter ran towards her curls bouncing before she threw herself into Elona’s arms.
“Still full of energy aren’t we Nehn?” She said, picking the little girl up and carrying her back into the room. “What's so exciting in here?”
“Uncle Dorian was makin’ sparkles,” Nehn said, her small fingers wrapping around Elona’s braid and slip into the strands, the girl was fascinated with everything Elona noted.
“Was he now?” Elona asked, looking at Dorian, who was sitting on the old couch that was still in the room, his legs crossed and arms spread out along the back.
“Just a bit of fun,” He said with a chuckle. “Had to get her away from Bull and Varric, the stories were getting a little too rowdy, to say the least.”
Elona shook her head slightly, leaning back after to get a better look at Nehn. “Was Varric telling you stories all day?”
“He calls me Sprout- But I’m almost taller than ‘im,” She said in a matter of fact way, causing Elona to laugh. Pulling Nehn’s fingers out of her hair, Elona put her back down on the ground.
“Maybe it’s time for Mum to tell you a story?”
The little girl's eyes widened and a toothy grin spread on her face. Glancing from Elona to Dorian, she shook her head.
“Let’s go back to our room and I’ll think of one” Elona continued, flattening down her curls, and then the girl was gone, running to the door laughing and yelling about a race. She yelled after her, telling her to slow down but Nehn didn’t hear. Once she had left the room, Elona let out a breath, getting Dorian to chuckle again.
“She’s a handful.”
“Thank you so much for watching her, I know this wasn’t what you envisioned when you said you were coming to visit,” Elona said.
“It wasn’t a problem, anything for my good friend- Anyways; I do enjoy being called ‘Uncle Dorian’”
That got Elona to laugh.
“Now!” He exclaimed, clapping his hands together and standing up. “I’d better go see what has become of my things; Andraste knows something has been moved.”
“Goodnight to you too, Dorian.” She replied with a smile and leaving the Rotunda. Passing through the main hall was strange now; it wasn’t as busy as it uses to be when Chantry Mothers and refugees filled the room's wall to wall. A part of her missed the chatter, the constant presence of other people, but another, larger part was thankful for the peace and quiet.
When she got up to her room, Nehn was already sitting under the blankets of Elona’s bed, an old red scarf Elona had (Now claimed as Nehn’s blankie) pulled over her head. From the way she had it on; Elona could only see her big brown eyes and the tips of her pointed ears.
Taking off her boots and gloves, Elona scooted in next to her, smiling and crossing her legs. “So- story. What do you wish to hear? A ball? A fight with an evil man? The dream world?”
Nehn hesitated, squirming a little bit, pouting her lips. Elona furrowed her brow with concern, watching her daughter. “Da’fen, what’s wrong?”
She looked down at her hands, still wrapped at the edges of the red scarf and scrunched her nose. “Um…” She stopped again, before shaking her head and taking a deep breath.
“Bull was tellin’ me stories of you an’ your friends back when Cory...ephy?” She stopped, looking at Elona as if to ask how to pronounce it.
“Corypheus.” Elona corrected.
“Yeah ‘i'm. Back when he was still bein’ bad. He was telling me that you all did fun and crazy things, and how there were nine of you- Not with Lady Josie or Miss Leliana or Ser Cullen-” She added quickly “Just the ones who went and did the fightin’- but I was confused cause I didn’t think there were nine.” ’
Elona nodded, listening though she could feel a tight lump in her throat. She ignored it.
“So I asked him if he meant eight. I didn’t my countin’- I’m gettin’ good at it! I counted Sera, and Bull, Varric and Uncle Dorian, and Cole, Mr. Rainier and Lady Cassie and even Miss. Vivienne even though she ain’t here no more- and I knew it was eight.”
Elona swept a strand of hair out of her face as she told the story. “What did Bull say?”
“He didn't say nothing- Varric stopped ‘im, he said ‘It’s a story better fit for your mother to tell you.” She said, doing a very poor Varric expression and getting Elona to smile.
“Was there nine? Did I do my countin’ wrong?”
Elona shook her head, leaning back on the headboard. “No Nehn, you counted correctly” The girl smiled “Though at one point we did have nine, he was another mage, but he left after we defeated Corypheus.”
“Was he the one who painted all the pretty pictures? Cole mentioned him I think, what was his name?”
Of course, Cole had mentioned him Elona thought for a moment, holding back a sigh.
“His name was Solas, and yes did paint them; he spent lots of time on those.” Elona paused for a moment, letting her mind slip back to when she used to sneak down after dealing with the War Council, reading her book on his couch as he worked. She had spent so much time watching him use a paintbrush like a staff, it always amazing her how he created so much life with only colours.
“Was he your friend too?” Nehn asked, lying down on her stomach.
“Yes, he was.”
“If he was your friend, why did he leave?”
The question took Elona of guard. Glancing out the balcony, her expression softened. How long had it been since she had taken the time to try and answer that question? Part of her had forgotten and buried it away in the back of her head. With everything flooding back, she could only answer truthfully.
“I don’t know” She caught a glance at Nehn’s concerned expression “But grown-ups do silly things.”
Nehn watched her for a moment, those observant eyes studying her face. Elona knew the child wasn’t a naive as she made seem.
“Did you love him?
Elona glanced and Nehn, a sad smile slipping onto her lips. “You could say that.”
Nehn huffed, sitting back up. “Then number nine was a silly man.”
Elona laughed, the tightness in her chest drifting away. “But with him gone, that means you get all my love.”
Leaning forward, Elona wrapped her arms around the girl’s shoulders, kissing the top of her head as Nehn squirmed and giggled, trying to escape her mother's grasp.
“Mum! Stop!” She squealed, leaping off the bed and running to the couch to get away from her mother. Elona laughed as the girl wrapped the scarf around her shoulders and neck, wearing it almost as the previous owner had, and Elona couldn’t help but see her old friend in her daughter for just a moment. The spell was broken when Nehn yelled “I bet you can’t catch me!” and started racing for the stairs.
Elona eyes widened, as well as her smile. Leaping off the bed, she forgot about her shoes and ran after Nehn, cursing in elven quietly and calling her name.