Elven Feast Day of Love: of Oranges and Moonlight
Cullen does not know what to do with this second Lavellan. While her elder sister, the Inquisitor Revas Lavellan herself, always behaves proffessionally, calm and composed around everyone, from dwarf to Qunari, this younger Lavellan cannot keep her big wide eyes off the Iron Bull while asking questions on how can one be so tall. Or the time when she basically brought a basket of kittens around the castle with Cole, meowing softly but audibly to calm the kitten while Cole asks if anyone wants to adopt the kitties. Or when she went out of Solas’ study in the rotunda, basically covered in bright-coloured paint from head to toe after “Solas taught Minaeve and me how to paint”, leaving paint marks everywhere in Skyhold. Or when Sera and her played pranks on each one of the member of the Inner Circle of the Inquisition, yet managed to win pardon by offering the best honeycake they ever taste. The Inquisitor presented her younger sister as “Luthiel, the First of Clan Lavellan”, however Varric nicknamed her Giant. Which is everything she is not, considering she is barely taller than the dwarf.
There she is now, in front of him, bringing a giant bowl of oranges, asking him if he wants it. Cullen look at the oranges apprehensively.
“May I ask what all these oranges are for...?”
“Oh, it’s for the Dalish’ Feast Day of Love! Traditionally, this day always falls a few days after the Dalish’ Lunar New Year, which takes a full fortnight of rituals and celebrations. When at the first day we eat sweet treats and told the story of the Legend of Elven’s Lunar New Year, and dance the Dragon’s Dance, today we will celebrate the Day of Love by throwing oranges to the river. Or glacier, since we do not have any river here. But they won’t float so we might need to break the ice first. That’s what I’m asking, let’s break the ice, Commander. My sister Revas is coming too, so does Solas even though he does not celebrate it. Revas just talked him to it and he agrees to observe it with her.”
Cullen is rather baffled at this request, but he accepts the bowl, considering every move. While at first he tried to get to know her better, it was to learn more about her, especially that he can sense a good deal of unusual magic within her. He approached her at first with a wariness of an experienced Templar shortly after her spectacular arrival on the back of a Golden Halla. Yet he was surprised at how different her reaction was compared to most circle mages he ever knows. Instead of shunning him, Luthiel came to him voluntarily in response. At first, she came to ask a single question, then flee before he could ask her any. Then slowly she asks more and more questions, and stays longer. In the end, she is a torrent of questions. Some are about the Templar and the Circle, but mostly about places and people she does not know. Where does he come from? What is Ferelden looks like? How tall is the Mage’s tower in Kinloch Hold? How cold Ferelden is? How can one stay in one place without wanting to go somewhere else? It feels like talking to a Spirit of Curiosity or something similarly inquisitive and flighty.
It is not entirely unpleasant. With time, he comes to appreciate the young elf’s company, and always welcome her to his office every time for a conversation. Then every time she pauses to take a breath, he asks her questions in return. About her magic, about how she does not actually need any staff to focus her power, but still carries it anyway and uses it as a tool to fight without magic and to reach to things she is not tall enough to reach otherwise. About her life as a Dalish Mage, about the Deep Ancient Forest older than the Chantry itself where her Clan used to roam before moving around the Free Marches.
Sometime, he can see the quiet longing there, of her people, of the road and her old life, the love she has for her kin. When her clan was destroyed, Luthiel became quiet for a while. He often found her hiding in small nooks and crannies around the roof, saying nothing, just being quiet. It is a terrible thing, to realize the old life you cherish so much is now lost forever. There is no word of consolation good enough for that. So everytime he had times off, he would just sit beside her and told her stories of places he had visited, of how people live, of another Dalish Mage he used to came accross in the company of the Champion of Kirkwall. Of another Dalish Warrior he once met who became the Hero of Ferelden.
In return, when things are not going as good as he hopes on his side, Luthiel came to him in response. She takes a look on the wooden box filled with blue potions, close it, put it in his drawer, and put the key of his drawer on the top of his shelves. She looked at him in his eyes, and he knew that whatever his decision, she stands by his choice. For once she did not ask any question, just patting him at the arm, telling him where she is and how to find her, checking on him from time to time. Just a head poking on his office, a small smile, a few sweet things to eat, saying nothing and then go when he waves her off.
He has come to appreciate greatly her company by then, and finds that the tip of his lips curl up unvoluntarily when his office door is opened and a head with blond hair and golden green eyes pokes in. There is a soft, gentle feeling that grows with time. He starts to put an extra chair at his office. He shows her books that he think she might like, sharing old Ferelden tales from his childhood bed time stories. Sometime she just keeps him company, carving a small block of wood into a wooden halla or other animal. One of the Hallas is currently put on the top of his shelf. He starts to feel a small pang of longing everytime she goes away to the field with the Inquisitor.
He does not want to acknowledge it at first, she is the Inquisitor’s sister. I am here for work. This is inappropriate. What will the Inquisitor say? I would not compromise the Inner Circle’s cohesion. But then, he realized that the Inquisitor Revas always leaves with a warm smile to him everytime he found the two sisters together, as if letting them some privacy.
So now, after staring at her for a while, while she stares back in expectancy, he decides that it is well past time. Well heck, why not. It is probably time, after all. He had heard the rumours about their relationship for a while now in the barrack. As well act on it, make it official if needed.
So he smiles at her, accepts the bowl of oranges and tells her he is interested to observe this Dalish celebration with her, all of it if she wishes him to.
Luthiel beams with the brightest smile. “Oh good! I have not told you about the second part when we will all frolicking naked in the moonlight! But since you had agreed to all of it, I’ll go tell Revas!”, before fleeing from his tower in excitement.
This is when Cullen feels his blood freezes.
Retour en haut
:hugs:
^^;; All thanks goes to modders... that complexion mod gives him such a fresh and handsome face. Though yes I did spend about an hour in CC 
I guess she and Sera are great friends xD And I really appreciate the way you were able to move their relationship forward so subtly in such a short amount of time - major kudos. I don't think I could've done that. Definitely takes a lot of skill with storytelling o.o
