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Emmrich stared out from the Lighthouse balcony, pondering how much his life had changed in merely a few weeks. After years of studying the Fade, he found himself standing physically in it– something he had once thought impossible. The mage had only been with the team a short while, but he already admired their experience and skills. However, he found he could not keep one team member out of his mind.
Rook. When Rook cleared her throat and introduced herself in the Necropolis, the mage was so enchanted he only managed to smile and utter one polite “charmed.” However, Rook wasn’t the first beautiful woman he had encountered, and Emmrich figured the attraction would pass, as it had so many times.
It didn’t pass.
Instead, the feeling grew. Not only was Rook beautiful, but she was also brave, strong, and kind. Unlike the others, Rook wasn’t the least bit unnerved by his necromancy. Manfred already adored her, asking her to play “Rock, Paper, Scissors” whenever she could. There were times when Emmrich thought she might be flirting with him. Perhaps there was something there, after all.
Emmrich gripped the railing. His jaw tightened. There was no time for foolish thoughts. Rook was doing her job, making everyone on the team feel welcome. Furthermore, Emmrich had plans, eternal plans, after they defeated the gods. His time for romance was long past. The mage let out a heavy sigh, deciding to turn back to his quarters.
A heavy sound, followed by cursing, caught his attention. A nearby statue appeared to be moving.
“Hello?” Emmrich called out.
Rook popped out from behind the statue with a grin. “Oh, good, you’re here!” she exclaimed.
The elf’s outfit stunned Emmrich momentarily. He had never seen her wear a dress. The green complemented her hair and eyes while the cut of the blouse and corset flattered her figure.
“You’re looking well today,” he stammered.
Rook’s cheeks turned slightly pink as she shrugged. “This? Neve bought it for me. She was oddly insistent about wearing it around the Lighthouse. I wasn’t sure about wearing a dress, but it’s really comfortable.”
The elf stretched her arms above her head, and Emmrich nearly forgot to breathe.
“But I’m so glad you’re here! There’s this sign about statues in the library, and everyone is doing their own thing today, so I thought, what the hell. I think they’re supposed to turn until they face each other, but the Solas status won’t budge. Even his statues don’t follow directions. But you’re our Fade Expert! Would you like to help me?”
Emmrich shifted, “Wouldn’t Bellara be better at this?”
But Rook laughed, “She’s got her own elven artifacts to get mad at.” She looked down at the ground, “And I like hearing you talk about the Fade.”
The mage’s eyes widened. He swallowed before saying, “Well, if you insist.”
With both of them pushing, the Solas statue finally budged until it now faced the Mythal one. Two wisps fluttered out of each statue and darted away.
“Wisps! How Nevarran of him. Good thing you’re here.” Rook mused. “Want to help me find them?”
The first statue behind Bellara’s quarters was easy for them to discover. Unlike the earlier one, it turned with little effort.
As he watched Rook, Emmrich said. “I imagine you did this sort of thing all the time with the Veil Jumpers.”
Rook’s shoulders sagged, surprising Emmrich. “It wasn’t all that interesting. All I learned about the ancient elves was that they were really into triangles, stuff that explodes at random, and maps. Maps are very important.”
Emmrich chuckled, “I’m sure they were sorry to see you leave.”
Rook made a curious expression. “My exit was certainly noticed by many.”
Before Emmrich could inquire further, Rook pointed to another statue beneath the detective’s quarters.
“Sneaky Neve. No way she hasn’t noticed that.”
Rook dashed up the stairs and paused for a moment in front of Neve’s quarters to look down at the broken pathway below. Emmrich studied it for a moment, noticing long gaps in the path. Before he could say anything, Rook took a running leap towards the next set of cobblestones. To Emmrich’s horror, she landed short, falling into the abyss of the fade.
“Rook!” Emmrich cried, falling to his knees. Where had she gone? Was she now sentenced to a lifetime of falling? How would he explain to the others that he lost the leader of their team? Taash barely trusted him. The Qunari would surely murder him now.
A thud behind him interrupted his thoughts. There stood Rook, brushing off her skirt and shaking her head.
“Dammit!” huffed the elf. “That’s like the third time. Stupid short legs.”
Emmrich’s mouth dropped open. Rook noticed his horror, rushed to him, and placed a hand on his shoulder.
“Oh no! I forget you haven’t been here very long. When you fall off this thing, the Fade dumps you right back. See, I’m fine? I didn’t mean to make you worry.”
The mage blinked a few times, making sure not to lean into her hand on his shoulder. He smiled weakly, “Of course, the Fade can do all sorts of things. That is why it is so rewarding to study.”
Rook helped him to his feet. This time, she jumped more carefully onto the cobblestones. She turned the statue to face the other, and the wisps skittered away again.
“One set left!” she cried.
Emmrich anxiously watched Rook jump until she was back at his side. She gave him a reassuring look. They continued to look for the third set.
“Rook is a unique name. How did your family choose?” Emmrich asked as he walked beside her.
Rook pursed her lips for a moment before answering. “They didn’t. They named me Enrie.”
“But you prefer Rook? Both are lovely.” Emmrich mused.
The elf sighed, “Varric called me Rook, because I move in straight lines like the game piece. He was the first person who ever believed in me. He should have been in charge of this whole thing.”
Now it was Emmrich's turn to put his hand on her shoulder. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have pressed.”
But Rook smiled, “Don’t be. It feels nice to talk to someone about it. You’re easy to talk to.”
They soon found the hidden statue behind the kitchen. This one was trickier than the others because it needed to face another statue all the way across the area. Once both statues faced each other, the wisps escaped again, and everything went quiet.
“I don’t know what I expected,” Rook sighed.
“The task did seem to warrant more fanfare,” said Emmrich.
“Yes, I feel I deserve a parade.”
“We could go inside. At the very least, I could prepare you a cup of tea.” Emmrich offered.
The mage chastised himself. Rook wasn’t a tea drinker. He watched her down concerning levels of coffee each day with Lucanis and Neve. She never fixed herself tea. The only time he ever saw her drink it was during the walk in the Memorial Gardens, and obviously, she was being polite.
But Rook grinned, “Tea sounds lovely.”
They walked back inside the Lighthouse in comfortable silence. Upon stepping into the main room, Rook’s head cocked sideways.
“That room is lit up.” She pointed to the doorway on the right, which was usually sealed. Now three orbs shone around it.
Rook dashed towards it with Emmrich close behind. The doorway opened once the elf was close to it.
“It’s a Music Room! We did all that work just to find Solas’s sad songs about his ex?”
“Surely, there’s more to it than that,” Emmrich said as he guided the wisp in the center of the room to a pedestal near a second door. It still needed another wisp.
The Caretaker appeared, startling both of them. “Another waits – between the risen gods.
Rook patted him on the shoulder, “Wonder if it’s at the first set of statues. I’ll be right back!”
The elf was gone in an instant. Emmrich sat on the piano bench. Old sheet music lay on a stand. The duet was written in a delicate script. The parchment looked like it might crumble under his touch. Solas must have sat at the piano with someone, long ago. Later, it must have been the place Solas came to mourn lost friends, possibly lovers. Taash and Rook were certain Solas and Mythal were “doing it.” Whatever their relationship was, the statues, murals, and this room proved they meant a great deal to each other.
How much time had Emmrich wasted over the years pining over lost loves and missed chances? Is this what his future would be? No, Emmrich would become something greater. Something helpful - A being not bogged down by regrets.
The pounding of boots made Emmrich turn towards the door just in time to see Rook sprinting through the room with a blinking wisp close behind.
“Coming through! This wisp has a very short attention span!”
The elf made it to the pedestal just before the wisp wandered away. Rook took a moment to catch her breath. Another door opened before them, revealing a swirling portal. Rook put her hands on her hips in satisfaction and trotted closer to it. Emmrich looked at it with hesitation.
Rook must have noticed his hesitation. “I saw these all the time in the Veil Jumpers.”
“Are they safe?”
Her expression faltered before smiling, “Mostly.”
Rook extended a hand and smiled, “We can go through together.”
Emmrich’s heart raced as he put his hand in hers. Don’t read too much into this, he kept repeating to himself.
A closed door with an empty pedestal stood in front of them, while a corridor continued to the right. Emmrich let go of Rook’s hand, and they proceeded further inside until reaching a balcony high above the library.
“Don’t let Spite see this. This is a perfect place to jump on the astrolabe.” Rook snickered. She looked at a nearby shining orb. “Hmm, wonder what this does.”
Before Emmrich could say anything, she put her hand on it. Blinding white light filled the room. But before he could panic, his vision returned to normal. To Emmrich’s amazement, the astrolabe had reassembled. Bookcases now floated around it. The Caretaker appeared for a moment to thank them.
“I guess we will have to get Spite to leap out there and get you a book,” Rook mused.
“Please don’t. Lucanis has enough on his mind right now,” Emmrich chuckled.
“There’s another wisp. Looks like there’s still stuff to find.”
Emmrich beckoned the wisp to follow, and they headed back to the closed door. Now, it opened to a winding staircase. He followed Rook upwards until they reached a high point that looked out over the entire grounds of the Lighthouse and beyond.
“Remarkable!” Emmrich breathed.
A broken beacon with an empty pedestal stood at the end of the path. A pyramidal elven artifact floated nearby.
“Now I’m very familiar with these,” Rook muttered.
Before placing the artifact, Emmrich and Rook gazed out over the incredible view. Rook threaded her arm through his. They stood in contented silence, and Emmrich wished they could stand like this forever.
Suddenly, Rook’s body went tense. She inhaled sharply, pulling her arm back.
“I got kicked out of the Veil Jumpers,” Rook whispered.
“What?”
That didn’t make sense to Emmrich at all. He had only been a member of their team for a short time, but Rook had proven herself a formidable opponent on the battlefield and a competent leader.
Rook shifted her weight between her feet. She looked at the ground as she spoke. “My team found a map in an ancient temple. It would have shown us how to get to an unknown part of Arlathan. But part of the Temple caved in and trapped half of my people. I dropped the map and went back inside after them. I got them out just before the whole thing fell.”
The memory of his childhood apartment building collapsing flooded back to Emmrich. Rook must have been courageous to travel back inside. To save people from that situation took incredible leadership.
“But that is outstanding! You saved your team from certain death!”
Rook smiled ever so slightly for a moment before frowning again. “Wasn’t how Strife and the others saw it. Veil Jumpers are supposed to risk everything to save our history. I didn’t choose to leave with Varric; he offered me the job after I got kicked out.”
Emmrich stepped closer to her. Rook looked up at him, sadness in her eyes.
“Harding and Neve were the first people here, and they already knew. I just assumed they told everyone else. But you seem to have this idea that I’m this fearless explorer and leader. I didn’t want to mislead you.”
She looked back down, gripping the fabric of her skirt. “Everyone thinks so highly of you – and with good reason. It’s incredible to watch you out there. But I’m just somebody making it up as I go along. I wouldn’t even be in charge if I hadn’t messed it up at the ritual site. So, yeah. Something to keep in mind.”
Emmrich’s heart ached for Rook. If only she could see herself the way he saw her. Despite the difficulties she experienced, she had an indomitable spirit that was contagious. He and the others felt like their task could succeed because Rook made them believe.
He stepped very close to Rook. Now their toes touched. She still looked down but didn’t step away. Emmrich’s pulse raced as he gently tilted her head up to look at him.
“What happened to you with the Veil Jumpers was ridiculous. It only makes me admire you more.”
Rook let out a small gasp.
“We are all doing the best we can, but you inspire us. I may seem put together, but this whole thing has been terrifying. I knew gatlok was powerful, but seeing it up close is an altogether different matter.”
“You did look pretty horrified,” Rook chuckled.
Emmrich let go of her chin and placed his hands on her upper arms. “And I know you’ve been taking up for my necromancy to the others.”
“That’s because they’re being big babies about the whole thing.”
“Nevertheless, I appreciate it. I do not need to know what happened in your past to follow you now.”
Rook closed the gap between them and hugged Emmrich. She smelled of cheap perfume, and the mage decided it was a new favorite fragrance. He could feel her heart pounding in her chest and wondered if she could feel his. Rook may have spent time with the others, but Emmrich never saw her hug anyone. He felt humbled by her trust.
“Thanks, Emmrich. There’s a lot to admire about you, too.”
They embraced each other until Emmrich reluctantly let go. Rook stepped back, face red.
“Hey, let’s see what the beam does?”
Emmrich watched as Rook aimed the beam at the floating elven artifacts as wisps escaped from each one. Nothing happened when she finished.
“He’s going to make us search again. The elves should have called Solas the God of Wild Goose Chases instead of Trickery.”
Rook offered him her hand again, and he gladly took it. They raced back through the portals, the music room, and once again into the library. Orbs around the room on the left lit up.
“Oooh, another room!” Rook exclaimed.
Once Rook had thoroughly looted every chest in the second room, they returned to the library.
“Hey,” Rook said. “I’m really glad you came along today. It’s much more fun to gaze at Solas’s Sadness Rooms with a…friend.”
“It was my pleasure, Rook.”
“You can call me Enrie. When it’s just us. Wouldn’t want to confuse Assan.”
Emmrich chuckled.
Rook started up the stairs to her quarters before turning back around, “You said you had another ritual in the Memorial Gardens?”
Hope filled Emmrich. “Yes, it is not quite time yet. But soon.”
“Make sure you take me, okay? If you want. I totally get it if you want to go alone.”
“I will give you plenty of notice before setting out.”
Rook smiled at him warmly before heading up the stairs.
Emmrich stood alone in the library, looking at the hand she held so tightly. Perhaps a different future lay ahead for him - one he had given up on - after all.