Part III

Cassandra steps into his darkened room, and is immensely thankful for it. Her cheeks and ears burn with a heated blush—one she intends to keep to herself, if it can be helped. For the hundredth time she wonders how she thought this was a good idea. Why did she think that getting Varric to read the rest of the chapter privately would be so casual? The fact it ends on an erotic note throws all causality out the window. This is not something associates did. Or even friends, for that matter. This was something people did if they were together. For people who are courting. Lovers.

Of course, the burgeoning feelings for him hadn't effected her decision at all, she thinks caustically to herself. Not in the slightest. Not when his deep, gravelly voice rushed over her, a river of words coaxing out feelings for him she'd kept buried deep as he read aloud in the great hall. A moment of weakness, and now she's here—in his room, no less—waiting for him to read the rest of a smutty chapter to her out of her favourite book. There is no way he will not suspect something is afoot. He's too astute not to and her blush deepens at the thought.

She's a fool for asking and should have known better, but she couldn't help herself, could she? Her duty was superseded by her personal afflictions during a rare moment of weakness, and now she is stuck between a rock and a hard place. Telling Varric that this wasn't what she wants isn't an option, because in truth, she wants it very much.

She isn't completely comfortable with allowing to have her heart on her sleeve like this. It isn't something she does. And having feelings for the dwarf? It's as ludicrous as it sounds. But she can't go on denying it either. Not when it's becoming so prevalent as of late.

The progression of feelings was slow, almost undetectable to her mind in such matters—Arbitrary thoughts of Varric popping up, the unusual need to look out for him on the battlefield, and the worry that came when he was hurt. All these things over time had compounded into what she could only consider now as a particular... fondness. And then there was that day when he had told that—frankly awful—joke. If only she had willed herself not to smile. That smile had been her downfall and created this mess.

She hears the door creak and click behind her, announcing Varric's entrance. Not wanting him to catch the embarrassment that is written all over her face, she remains turned away. And no doubt, he'd tease her about it to no end. But it wasn't so much as the teasing that bothered her. In fact, she secretly enjoyed it. It's because her vulnerability is on display. And that is what unnerves her the most.

The strike of a match and the hiss of fire coming to life sound out in the silence of the room. Daring a peak over her shoulder, she sees him walk around to every candelabra, cupping the match and touching it to each candle. Soon his room is bathed in a warm glow and shadows flicker upon the walls as the flames dance about on every wick.

Varric sighs and places his hands on his hips. "There. Now we can see."

"Yes. Much better," Cassandra mutters as she finally turns to him. She wishes that she could have a few more minutes of darkness to hide the red that streaks across her cheeks, but it's too late now. If he's noticed, he doesn't speak of it—much to her relief.

"Here," the book is held out at arms reach, an abrupt gesture that seems more awkward than she would like. He looks at her curiously, before taking Swords & Shields from her hand. "Drink?" Varric offers as he places the book on his desk and goes for his decanter. Cassandra nods her head. If she's going to get through this, she'll need something to tame her nerves, now the cold has been shut out by his door. He hands her a goblet, and she takes it gladly.

"thank you," she utters. The aroma hits her nose and she brings it to her lips—Antivan spiced wine. Its warmth blooms within her like a flower. The tension starts to melt from her shoulders, and they relax as she savours the taste. Once her eyes open, she finds Varric sitting in the chair by his desk, eyeglasses upon his nose, and in his lap rests Swords & Shields.He flips the vellum pages with a sturdy finger, trying to find the correct passage and she can't help but wonder what his fingers would feel like on her skin. She can feel the heat burn her cheeks and her eyes flick to the page he's scanning, in hopes he won't catch the near constant colour that rests on them. Then she spots something intriguing. Script written in the margins. She comes closer and sits upon his bed, leaning over the foot rail to see if she can make out what he's written.

"It helps the proofreading process... I always mark my personal copies before I send it to my editor for finalizing."

She looks up to find him staring at her with a half smile. "Oh. That makes sense."

"I promise you though, it's boring stuff. Mostly corrections in spelling and phrasing. No juicy details on the Knight Captain or the Guardsman I'm afraid," He chuckles.

Disappointment flits across her features. She had always wondered what Varric personally thought of his characters. But the night was still young, and he could very well entertain her speculation. It's a thought that sets her stomach flipping. To be able to talk to him about the characters would indeed be a dream come true.

She comes back to herself and finds him staring at her. His eyes are gently scrutinizing, and it forces her to look anywhere but at him. Her fingers play with the elaborately decorated blanket upon his bed, and her gaze finds its way there. It's safe scene to focus on, unlike his unhindered examination of her.

He clears his throat. "I, uh, found the passage where I left off. Want me to start?"

She swallows hard, before chancing a look upward. "Oh. Good. Please, continue," She encourages and then takes a long pull of the spiced wine to calm the thundering of her heart. Keeping the focus off of Varric and the reading material help greatly. Her heart begins to slow and she feels the warmth of the wine rise up and curl around her insides, helping to regain some control over her feelings.

As soon as his eyes flick down to the book, she allows herself to look up again, and the sight sets her stomach fluttering with butterflies. The warm glow of the candlelight sets his red-blonde hair ablaze, and his tunic hangs open lazily exposing more of his hair covered chest than usual. It almost causes her to gasp, but she catches herself in time. Another gulp of wine quickly lines her lips, but it doesn't seem to be having the same soothing effect it did before. It's very disconcerting. But, before she can resort to using her Seeker training in order to re-focus, he begins to read, and she looses herself in the tale and the gruff voice that reads it.

Night had fallen by the time Knight-Captain and the Guardsman reached the cavern. The dim light didn't offer them much in the way of sight. It was a small blessing that Analine spotted a boulder at the mouth of the cave.

"I will have to go forage for food and wood if we are to survive the night. Will you be alright to stay here?"

"I think so," Dominic said with a grunt as he was lowered onto the hard rock and out of her arms.

"Good, but be wary. There's no telling what could pass by. Make sure you are on high alert."

"I will... and Analine? Please be careful."

In response, she touched her lips to his in a chaste kiss, a voiceless promise she would return unharmed. Pulling away from him, she gave a nod and made her way deeper into the cave. Thankfully, it didn't take long for her to find some cave beetles scurrying about, and knowing that they were at least edible, she made quick work of killing and collecting enough to eat.

Returning with an armful of insects half the size of her palm, she was greeted with the sight of Dominic slowly bringing in wood for their fire and a pit with stones already laid out. Together, they prepared the wood and in no time the bugs were roasting upon the stones that encircled the golden flames. It didn't take long for the insects to cook, and even though they were an acquired taste, the bugs lined their bellies well enough. Finding herself reasonably full, Analine scooted closer to the fire as a chilly wind whipped around the mouth of the cavern.

"Come closer, my dearest. With nothing but the fire and the clothes on our back to keep us warm, we'll need all the heat we can get."

In her anticipation, Cassandra's tongue darts out to wet her lips. She's read this part too many times not to know that the smut lies just beyond and her stomach coils around her desire like a snake. This time it's different though. This time it's not her own inner voice she hears. Not only is it the deep, gruff voice of her favourite author, but the man who is currently the object of her affections. A thrill shoots through her body, and her breath quickens. She inches closer, gripping the hard wood of the foot board as she leans forward, eagerly waiting for what will come next.

Nodding, Analine scooted over and snuggled into Dominic as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders. This close, she could make out every detail of his handsome features; chocolate brown eyes, rimmed with long, dark lashes and soft chestnut brown hair that fell onto his face. She was captivated.

Her fingers found their way to a stray lock of hair which had fallen against his forehead and she tucked it back into place. Just as her hand was about to pull away, it was caught within Dominic's, their hands lacing together like it was always meant to be.

Then, his lips found hers. Unlike the sweet, chaste kiss they had shared earlier, this one promised a passionate sensuality, sending a spark zipping through her veins and settling low in her belly. Analine's blooming desire soon urged the kiss to deepen, their mouths and tongues exploring fervently. Dominic matched her pace, greedily moving his mouth from her lips to her jaw and the ivory column of her neck. She moaned at his touch, her hands roving hungrily, desperate to feel the heat of his skin.

Cassandra swears she hears Varric stutter the last few words of the sentence. She looks up and sees him shift uncomfortably in his chair, his hand coming up to adjust the heavy chain around his neck. She gawks. Suddenly, his eyes flick up to meet hers with an intense gaze, his pupils so blown out, only a small sliver of honeyed hazel can be seen. Her breath catches in her throat and her jaw drops, eyes growing wide. Cassandra's world stops dead.

A blush rises on his tanned cheeks as he gives her a lopsided smile and his hand reaches up to rub at the golden stubble on his chin. It's an enticing sight, one that sends her insides into a flurry of activity. Then his hand moves to his lips and he licks his finger, much slower than necessary, to turn the page. Andraste preserve her, if she wasn't sitting far enough on the bed, she would have slid off right there and then. The innuendo is clear as day. Varric is flirting. And flirting with her. She clamps her mouth shut, and swallows hard as heat rips across her cheekbones like wildfire.

Cassandra isn't quite sure what to do with this new information. Obviously, she is interested in him, but it had never occurred to her that he would be interested in return. It truly was extraordinary occurrence and one she never thought would ever come to fruition. Now that it has, she has no idea how to proceed. Thankfully, Varric takes the lead and continues on reading to her, giving her more time to deliberate her actions.

Desperate to feel his skin upon her own, Analine pulled away and began unfastening her cuirass with shaking hands. Dominic followed suit, his hands a flurry as he worked his own off. As soon as they were free from the heavy metal, their bodies came back together with the force of a crashing wave in a storm. Lips smeared greedily over bare skin as they worked themselves into a lustful frenzy. Analine felt Dominic's calloused hands drift over the plains of her stomach and up underneath her breast band to her bosoms, rubbing and pinching at her nipples unceremoniously. Analine's head fell back and a loud moan fell from her lips. It felt glorious having his hands and lips upon her skin, but she wanted more. Needed more. Desperate to get in on the action, she allowed her fingers to slide down to the wast band of his breeches and begin undoing the ties with enthusiasm. Her breath quickened in excitement as she pulled the fabric away and found his hardened manhood brushing up against her hand. Slipping her hand around the silky skin of his shaft pulled a husky groan from his mouth.

The book slams shut and Cassandra is yanked from her imagination abruptly, confused and more than a little aroused.

"Nope. I can't do this. I thought I might be able to keep it together but I can't. Not when you're sitting there all turned on like that." Varric stands up, throws the book behind him haphazardly upon his desk and crosses the few feet that separate them.

Cassandra sucks in a sharp breath. His heady scent fills her nose due to his proximity. It's intoxicating.

Before she can register what is happening, her head is between his palms. Then, he lowers his head and kisses her, hard.

It's as if a dam inside of Cassandra has burst open. Her hands slide up his chest and shoulders, threading themselves in his hair, in wild abandon. She melts into his touch and instinctively deepens the kiss, desperate to have his taste upon her tongue. The angle is awkward though; the foot board is sticking into her stomach. This will simply not do.

Taking action without breaking the passionate kiss, she grabs the lapels of his tunic and pulls him sideways, so that the protruding object is no longer in the way. She guides him to her, maneuvring herself into a more comfortable position as she does so. Her legs part and she guides Varric between them, pulling him closer to her in the process, arms encircling his neck.

A throaty chuckle trickles from him as he moves his lips along her jaw to her throat. It sends heat pooling low in Cassandra's belly as he nips and sucks at the skin there. Her eyes close and her head rolls back. Before she can even stop herself, a moan moves its way up her throat and out. The feeling of his stubble scratches at her skin, giving a sharp contrast to the inviting warmth of his mouth, and it's exquisite. She can't get enough.

His gruff voice tumbles out over her. "Trousers off. Now."

She fumbles with her laces, not being able to undo the tie fast enough. Finally, the tie is free and he tugs at the legs of her breeches forcibly. The leather snags on her knees before he is able to rid her of them and he throws them over his shoulder, carelessly. His large hands caress the bare skin of her legs, evoking a trail of goose flesh to rise in their wake as they glide further and further up her thighs. In the dim light, through half-lidded eyes, Cassandra watches as he discovers her secret. The lack of small clothes covering her sex makes him gasp, surprise flitting over his features for a moment until it's replaced by the lewdest grin she has ever seen. That grin sends a scorching fire burning in her belly and she pulls him down toward her, urgently needing his body pressing against hers in sweet friction.

She finds his manhood proudly pushing against her through the fabric of his breeches as she grinds against him. His head is bowed at her plated chest, great heaving pants are puffing out of him. There is still too much clothing and armour between them. Cassandra growls in frustration, pushing him up off her. Her hands claw at the belts and buckles of her cuirass frantically, yanking it over her head and into Varric's awaiting hands. The gaze they share between them is smouldering. He leans over and places the chest and back piece on the ground with a clunk, before returning to her.

Her hands find the sash that is always tied around his waist, and begins to tug at the green fabric, loosening the knot, eagerly. As soon as it's free, she flings it carelessly in the direction toward his desk and starts to pull at his red silk tunic. Unlike her own clothing, it comes off with ease and as soon as he is free, she rakes her eyes over his expansive chest, basking in all it's glory. Her tongue licks at her lips before they find his again in another blistering kiss, hands daring to touch his bare skin. A guttural moan tumbles out of him as she slips her hands up and over his muscled shoulders to the back of his neck, burying her hands in his hair. If she doesn't have him soon, she's certain she'll burst.

His hands are occupying themselves underneath her leather shirt now, sprawling across her back and up her torso until he finds her breast band and pulls it down, roughly. Cupping one of her breasts in his palm, Varric kneads it rolling her nipple between the crook of his fingers. She lets out another moan, blindsided at how he knows exactly what to do to make her almost fall apart in his hands. She can't stand it any longer. Pulling him with her, she moves farther onto the bed. He follows willingly, crawling toward her with a predatory gaze and licking his lips.

The next thing she knows, he's pulling at her leather shirt, tugging it over her head, her breast band following moments later. Once she's completely free, his hands go to the laces of his breeches. Her eyes drink him in, flicking down to where his hands hastily pull at the drawstrings to find his manhood straining against the cloth, pulling it taught. Cassandra gasps breathlessly as manhood is revealed to her. He is as endowed as she suspected him to be, and as her lust resurges at the sight, she reaches out to stroke him.

She watches in awe as he hisses and closes his eyes at her touch. Fingers encircling and pumping just right, thumb gently gliding over the dusky coloured crown of his shaft to slicken up her palm. He groans at her ministrations, and it sends a jolt of pleasure to Cassandra's groin. The fact he's enjoying her hand is wonderful, but it pushes her need to have him inside her to unmanageable heights.

"I need you inside me. Please," she purrs, not quite begging, but close.

He nods as a bead of sweat streaks down from his temple to his jaw. Strong arms hoist her behind up so her back end is resting upon his knees as he lines his manhood up with her centre. She feels the pressure of him as he poises himself between her legs, his mouth leaving wet kisses in the valley of her breasts. With one slow thrust, he enters her. A choked gasp crawls up her throat as she's stretched wide.

He doesn't move. Concern flitting over his features, Varric asks, "Are you alright? Did I go too fast?"

She shakes her head no, while trying to take steadying breaths through her nose as she adjusts to his girth. Cassandra feels impossibly full, but as the slight burn subsides and pleasure takes over, she knew it's going to be well worth the wait.

Her hips rock gently, testing her body's readiness. Varric closes his eyes at her movement and lets out a hum of satisfaction. His arms are shaking from holding back, body curled around her, waiting for her to take the lead. She arches her back against his thighs and they both moan at the feeling as he pushes deeper still into her.

She can't hold back any longer. Her voice, rough with desire, scrapes against the walls of his bedroom. "Fuck me, Varric."

~AJOY~

That's all he needs to hear. His hips snap into her and she lets out a wail-like moan, her eyes closing in pleasure. He relishes in the way her body is moving around his, her warmth enveloping him, her sheath fluttering against his length. It very nearly makes him want to spill his seed. He knows better though. Holding back the urge to let go, he slams into her again and again, building up momentum with every thrust until they've achieved a break-neck pace. Soft grunts find their way out of his mouth as he pounds into her. Their skin slaps together brutally; the only other sound that bounces against the stone walls of his quarters.

No matter how erotic everything seems, it has nothing on Cassandra nearing her release. Her eyes flutter shut as she becomes slack-jawed and moans out his name, like a prayer. It's the most gorgeous sight he's ever seen, and vows to make her look like that as much as he can in the future.

She's so close now, he can feel it. A well placed mouth and thumb should send her writhing under him in mere minutes if he times it right. Bowing his head once more to her breasts, he takes one of her nipples into his mouth and flicks at it with the flat of his tongue. It stands at attention in his mouth, and he sucks on it, grazing his teeth near the base. Cassandra moans loudly at his touch. Then he threads a hand between them, finding the sensitive nub between her legs, slick with their fucking, and rolls it around in a circular motion.

She falls apart instantly, shuddering and crying out his name as she comes around him. The rhythmic squeezing of her own orgasm pulls his own from him, fireworks flashing behind his eyes as he spills himself inside her.

His manhood twitches with the after shocks and he lets out a breathless laugh, still stunned at the events which have come about. He moves off of her, certain that if he doesn't she'll attempt to shove him off, and lays on his side, head propped up in one hand. Her eyes are closed and she's breathing hard, but the satisfied smile on her face says it all. Her eyes open, but instead of what he expects, she looks at him with uncertain eyes. Something in his gut clenches and for a minute he thinks she's regretting the whole encounter. Clearing his throat nervously, he goes to get up and put some space between them, but her hand finds his arm and he stops.

"Stay. Please?"

He looks at her from the corner of his eye. "Okay."

They stay silent as they lay together on top of his blankets, their bodies rapidly cooling in the brisk room. Her body shivers after a moment, and he realizes that they probably find some cover.

"You're starting to shake, Seeker. Why don't we scoot under the blankets."

"Yes. That's a good idea."

Varric gets up, and pulls back the covers for Cassandra as she maneuvers underneath the heavy fabric, and then gets back into bed himself. They continue to lay in silence. There's no escaping the Bronto in the room and Varric can't help but broach the subject for clarity's sake. He'd rather get it out of the way now, then find her gone in the morning without so much as an explanation. That doesn't mean he's not nervous as a baby Halla, though.

"So..." He can't seem to find the words, which is odd enough in itself. It's not that he doesn't want to talk about it, but his heart stops him in fear of her possible rejection.

She rolls onto her side and looks at him. "Varric, trouble yourself no further. If I didn't want this, you would know. I would have punched you and left.

He smirks at her honesty.

She continues. "What I would like to know is what this means for us now—how do we proceed?

"Well," he starts and lets out a heavy sigh, "I'd be up for seeing where this leads, if you are?" He turns and faces her to gauge her better. "And I don't mean just the sex, either."

His heart is hanging by a thread as he waits for her reply.

Cassandra gazes at him, her face unreadable for the moment. "So you would be interested in courting me? Properly?" Her features morph into an expression of gentle hope.

Varric's eyebrows raise at the formality of her words. "Seeker, did you just ask me to court you? I mean, yes, I'd like that, but does it have to sound so-" his hands gesture wildly, "formal?"

"What? So am I not allowed to be properly courted?"

He sees her hackles rise and his eyebrows lift in alarm. "No! I mean, of course you should be, but I just think the word is so... old fashioned." She relaxes in understanding and gives him a small but bold smile.

"You think that word is old fashioned? I'm very surprised to hear you say that. I never imagined you, a renowned author, would think that." She chuckles for a minute but then turns serious. "So, you will then?"

His hand reaches out and cups her cheek. "Yeah, I think I'd like that, Cassandra."

Her eyes grow wide at the mention of her proper given name, but before she's able to voice her surprise, his lips touch hers in a sensuous kiss.

~AJOY~

"Fasta vass, where is that dwarf?" Krem mutters under his breath. He'd checked all of Varric's other usual spots, but to no avail. Where was he?

Varric's room was the last place on the list. If he wasn't there, Krem wouldn't know what to tell the Chief. He half wondered if Bull hadn't sent him on a wild Nug chase just for shits and giggles. As Krem nears Varric's quarters he begins to hear unusual sounds coming from behind his door. Sounds that could only be described as sexual. And not just from Varric either. Krem caught the sound of a Nevarran lilt as Varric's name was called out in passion.

Oh. OH.

Heat rises on his cheeks. Best not to disturb him then.

Turning around without even bothering to knock, Krem makes his way back to Bull in the Herald's Rest.

"So?" Bull looks at his second in command expectantly.

Krem lets out a surprised laugh. "You'll never believe it, Chief."

Bull's smile widens mischievously. "Oh yeah, Krem puff? Try me."

"It sounds like Varric is getting his leg over Cassandra."

Bull's laugh booms out and slams his hand on the table, making the chargers groan as their swill is spilled over the wood. "I knew it! I knew he wouldn't make it to the game tonight, that lucky bastard!"

Krem laughs along with him. "I should have known you knew something was up when you sent me to fetch him like a Maker-forsaken Mabari! How long have you known?!"

Bull lets out a final chuckle and wipes the stray tear at his good eye. "Not long, but it doesn't matter. What really matters is that he's never, ever going to live this down!" The Chief stands up and yells toward Cabot. "This calls for a celebration! Free round of drinks for everyone, and Varric's buying!"