Work Text:
Rook knew that life was going to change again once the gods were dead, but she never expected it would do so for the better.
Before Solas had locked her in his Fade prison, she’d been torn between two worlds. Between two men. The dashing and dangerous Crow and the studious and powerful Necromancer. She knew she cared deeply for them both, and thought they felt the same for her, but she was afraid to choose. Losing either would sunder her heart like Solas would the veil; and the result would be just as devastating. Of course, if she didn’t choose, she’d likely lose both of them in the end.
She’d been forced to come to terms with this, with all of her regrets, in the Fade. She’d accepted that she would just have to tell them both how she felt and let them decide. She’d accept whatever decision they made, even knowing she may lose them both.
When a pair of hands reached for her through the Fade tear, pulling her back into the world, she found herself in the arms of both the men she loved. Lucanis holding her right hand, Emmrich her left. The two embraced her and each other exclaiming over her return. Their words went too fast for her to comprehend, but she caught that she’d been gone for weeks. They’d attempted to cut open the Fade to reach her. How much she had been missed and how happy everyone was to have her home and alive.
It was Taash who pointed out, in their ever-blunt way, that Rook looked exhausted and a mess. She’d been transported straight from the battle with Ghilan’nain, still covered in darkspawn ichor, sweat and blood. She’d suffered an unknown amount of time trapped in her own regrets. She’d had nothing to eat or drink, or any sleep, in all that time.
Emmrich and Lucanis shared a look and then moved together, helping Rook to her feet. Carefully holding her between them, they got her through the Eluvian and back to the Lighthouse. Once there, Lucanis shifted her weight to Emmrich.
“Let me get you something to eat, then we will talk.” He leaned forward, gently kissing her forehead.
“Should we let her rest first?” Emmrich sounded a bit worried.
“Either way. Help her get cleaned up. I’ll meet you both in her room.” And with that Lucanis was off.
Rook gave Emmrich a quizzical look, but he simply moved along, helping her to the bathing room. The large pool, heated by some mechanism of the Fade that Bellara has once tried to explain, steamed slightly. Instead of leaving her to herself, Emmrich began helping her out of her armor, laying the pieces to one side.
“I will have Manfred collect these and Davrin will make sure everything is cleaned and repaired.” He looked at the shirt she’d been wearing under her padding and grimaced. “This I’m afraid this will likely need to be disposed of. That Ichor never comes out once it’s set in.”
As he gently tugged the shirt from her trousers her brain finally caught up with the situation.
“Emmrich! I... we shouldn’t-” She stammered.
“Hush darling. I will stop if you want, but please, let me take care of you.”
In a haze, she let him finish stripping her of the remaining clothes and lead her to the edge of the bathing pool. She slid into the warm water, slowly sinking down until the gentle waves of water lapped at her collar bones.
She heard noises behind her but didn’t have the strength to look up until Emmrich, dressed only in breeches, entered the water beside her, holding a bar of soap and the sweetened oils for cleaning hair. Gently, he turned her back towards himself and began to run the soap across her shoulders.
“Emmrich...”
“It’s alright my dearest, I promise, we will talk. Once Lucanis joins us and you’ve eaten something.”
After that, she simply floated. Letting the water and the feeling of his hands soothe her, body and mind. An indeterminate time later, he helped her to rise, stepping out of the pool and to where Manfred held a large fluffy towel.
“Thank you. Manfred. Please inform Lucanis that we shall be there posthaste.”
“YES!” He hissed before turning and heading back towards the main hall.
He treated her as something fragile and precious, drying her skin and hair with care, before handing her the clothes she hadn’t seen piled to one side. She dressed as best she could but ran into a problem when her shoulder seized.
“Ah, I worried that bruise might be problematic. Here, allow me...” and he helped her pull the shirt down and put on the soft cotton shorts.
Moments later, she was entering her room. A small side table had been pulled up to the couch and on top of it rested more food than she thought it would have fit. Bread, cheese and slices of the rare roasted meat she loved sat next to a variety of vegetables, some cooked, some raw. Nearly everything presented was one of her favorites. Sitting on the sideboard behind the couch, where her Warden’s combat manual usually lay next to her chess board, were a bottle of wine, a carafe each of water and coffee and a pot of what smelled like her favorite tea. Glasses for each drink accompanied them, enough for three.
“I will need to make a poultice for that bruise and some of your other wounds. Lucanis, I shall be back momentarily.” Emmrich passed her hand, which he had been using to keep Rook steady, to Lucanis. Rook nearly missed the smile that passed between the two before Lucanis was leading her forward to sit on the couch.
“What did I miss while I was away?” She accepted the plate Lucanis handed her and began picking items at random to fill it. Behind her, he filled a teacup. She turned and watched him add sugar in just the amount she liked.
“Eat, cuore mio, then we shall speak.”[1]
She started to say something else, but he put the prepared tea in her hand “Eat!”
A bit petulant, she began to eat the food she’d put on her plate, taking occasional sips from the peppermint black tea. She ate neatly, but quickly, a habit she had developed with the Wardens, where one never knew when a meal might be interrupted. She hadn’t realized how hungry she was until she had emptied the plate and was reaching for more.
Next to her, Lucanis sipped his coffee, watching her eat. When her cup got low, he made her another cup of tea and poured magically cooled water into a glass.
“Here, tesora[2], you need this as well. You must have been through so much. Meirda, when I thought we had lost you for good, I...”
“It’s alright Dear one, she’s safe here now. With us.”
Emmrich had entered the room silently, bandages and a mortar and pestle in hand. He set them down amongst the bottle and cups, freeing his hand to squeeze Lucanis’ shoulder.
Rook’s eye widened as things she hadn’t been aware of crashed down on her. Dearest. Darling. Had Lucanis called her his heart? And now...
“What did I miss while I was trapped in the Fade. How long has it been?”
“Allow Emmrich to see to that shoulder. We can talk while he works.”
Lucanis helped her remove the loose shirt. revealing the leather bandeau covering her chest. Cool hands began to apply a slightly numbing paste over the bruise on her shoulder.
“You were gone for nearly a month” Emmrich began.
“After the battle, we had no idea where you had gone. Then, Solas appeared in Minrathous.” Lucanis continued. “This gave Emmrich a brilliant idea.”
“I don’t know about brilliant, but certainly effective. I used my contacts within the spirits to help track you down.”
“We were sure you were somewhere in the Fade. While they searched, we worked.” Lucanis chimed in.
“I, with help from Bellara, attempted to make a lyrium blade, similar to Solas’ to help sunder the Fade once we found you.” Emmrich continued.
“It didn’t work.”
“Yes, but the attempt was worthwhile, and you must admit it kept everyone occupied while we waited for news.”
“Too occupied. You hardly slept. I didn’t need to be worried about both of you.” Lucanis grumbled.
“There! That... what’s going on with you two?” Rook interjected.
“Ah, yes, well...” Emmrich turned to grab the bandages.
“He and I talked. We came to an... understanding” Lucanis curled his fingers under Rook’s chin, nudging her face upwards so she met his eyes. “Simply that we both love you. And that the loss of you was unbearable alone.”
Emmrich smoothed the bandage he had just wrapped over her shoulder. “I would never have made it through if not for our Dearest Lucanis. He kept me going when I was certain we’d lost you.”
“And he gave me hope. He helped to control Spite when the grief of your absence became too much. And we agreed that if, when we got you back, we wouldn’t let you go.”
“The choice is yours, Rook, but whatever you decide, we shall heed.”
Overwhelmed by everything that had happened, Rook began to cry. Startled, both men attempted to console her, becoming jumbled in word and limb in the attempt. Rook laughed through her tears, taking a hand in each of hers.
“My wonderful, brilliant men, you’ve made me so happy. I spent so much time in the Fade lost in my regrets and fear. Thinking I’d have to lose one of you, because I love you both so much. Or worse, that I’d lose you both to my indecision. And now, you give me the one thing my heart could wish for.” Tears fell down her cheeks as she watched them join their free hands together. “I want nothing more than to be with you, both of you, for as long as I live.”
“Oh, wonderful!”
“Ringraziare il Hacedor.”[3]
Rook attempted to stand but swayed on her feet and was forced to sit back down.
“My love let’s get you to a proper bed. You need rest. It’s been a very busy day.” Emmrich’s hand guided her to her feet, where Lucanis promptly swept her off them and into his arms. “Manfred will clean this up whilst we get you settled.”
She was surprised to find herself carried to Emmrich’s room and up the stairs. Behind one of the bookcases, was Emmrich’s bedroom containing a large four poster bed. Emmrich moved the covers and Lucanis laid her down on the silk sheets. As the blanket was smoothed back over her, she looked up at the men she loved.
“Will you stay? Both of you.”
“Always Amore Mio.”[4]
“And later, we can talk? Discuss... “a yawn interrupted her words.
“We can speak of anything you want. Tomorrow. First, you must sleep. We shall join you momentarily,”
Rook was already asleep before Emmrich had finished.