Hyacinth

“Is there something wrong?” The inquisitor asked, head tilting to the side at the sight of Alva’s tense form. The former huntress says nothing, gently clutching at her braided hair for comfort.

“Nothing’s wrong, inquisitor.” She replies softly, eyes looking sad at one of the working tranquil mages. The herald took note of her tone and tried inquiring further, hoping they could help out their new friend.

“Do you feel... uncomfortable around Tranquils?” The way Alva tenses and pauses makes them think that they hit the right mark. Before they formed whatever excuse or reason they could say to convince Alva, the brunette turned to face the inquisitor.

“I don’t.” She replies briefly, hand once again coming up to hold her braided hair. Sighing softly, Alva looks down on the floor, shame and guilt present in her usually confident tone.

“But I have many regrets towards her—them.” She corrects herself at the last second making the inquisitor form questions in their head.

“Oh.” They commented before inquiring further, “Are you still in contact with them?”

"A Chantry boy and a Templar, Alva? Really?”

“She’s... at peace. At least I hope so..." She pauses, her voice weary and hesitant, before elaborating. "I have many regrets, inquisitor. Sometimes I think, what if I had done more? I would try and justify that I did enough... That it wasn't on me. But I cannot help but just think-" Alva chokes back a sob, failing to hold herself back after letting loose the damn holding back her emotions. Intense blue eyes locked onto the Herald's own eyes, as if they could answer whatever plagues Alva's mind.

"If I... didn’t just leave her on her own and encouraged her more... would she still choose that life? ”

’Could she have accepted that part of herself?’

“Perhaps. But we can’t change the past. And I’m sure your friend would have wanted the best for you.” Without missing a beat, the herald encouraged her on firmly. Alva responded with a tired smile.

“I feel like if Sev were here right now, she would have said the same. She'd try and cheer me up, and I'd help her out and go steal some books and dye from some stuck up noble with too much money and time. And then we'd hang around Garrett's house, braid each other's hairs and then I’d tell her--”

’I’m sorry.’

“It doesn’t matter. We just got to focus on the now and stop Corypheus once and for all.” Alva could still see the worried look of the inquisitor at her response, earning a rather fond laughter from the Sky-Knight.

"Tell you what, why don't we head off and find Varric and have him teach you the oh-so many ways you can cheat in Wicked Grace." Deciding to drop the subject, the Herald nodded their head. Feeling Alva's tone lighter, they could have sworn that the rogue approved of their talk just now.