She comes to him at last, and he gathers her close. It is shockingly intimate, bare in the warm water, and he feels his entire back like an exposed nerve. But there is no-one else here, at this hour— and if he can bring her any comfort, or shelter from this...

Lavellan bows her head and he cards damp fingers through her hair while she mourns. Regret is a beast with teeth, sunk deep into his heart.

"I am sorry, Vhenan," He murmurs against her hair, "I never wished to hurt you, with this truth. I wish I could have shown you our empire's glories instead, the beauty and strength of it; there was so much of both. But I fear the cruelty is all I could see, by the end. If a lie could bring you comfort, I would give it to you. But I cannot."