May I have this Dance? (Part II)

by

Silver-Eyed Rukia

Rated: T

Summary: Before the Inquisitor can attend the ball at the Winter Palace she has to make some preparations: that includes dance lessons.

Pairing: Adaar (female Qunari Inquisitor) x Sera

Note: This isn't beta-ed, so please ignore any mistakes. Or point them out and correct me, whatever you prefer.

The tall redhead awkwardly made her way down towards the small hall, picking at her silky soft and very expensive wardrobe. Compared to the chainmail and rough clothing she usually wore her outfit for the Winter Palace felt like a thousand feathers covering her skin. She sighed and opted for a slightly longer route through the lower yard, trying to get some fresh air before throwing herself at the mercy of the ambassador.

The sparring ring was empty and only a few swords lying about were proof of the daily trainings held inside its boundaries. The orange glow from the tavern illuminated the upper yard and the music and laughter from inside filled the chilly evening air. Adaar stopped for a moment to look at the small room visible from her position, watching the blonde elf as she tried to put her foot behind her head in a very painful looking position. 'I couldn't do that even if I tried, having horns and all that.' The Qunari paused before shaking her head and taking off towards the kitchen, smiling along the way. 'I think a certain elf is rubbing off on me. I didn't even wonder what the hell she's doing up there.'

The smell of hay entered her nose as she passed the stables and the Inquisitor stopped once again, walking over towards her trusty steed and brushing through his mane. Strong footsteps carried the smaller man to her side and he silently stood there for a moment, before smiling at the look the Qunari was giving him.

"I must say, it is rather odd to see you in such fancy clothing. I wouldn't have taken you for the kind of person who values looks over character."

"And I think a certain someone has been spending too much time with Sera and Bull and is slowly picking up on their antics", Adaar remarked while turning around to face the Orlesian warrior, crossing her arms over her chest while trying not to ruffle up the fabric too much, "Rainier."

Blackwall huffed under his beard and shook his head. "You have to admit though, "taking their breeches" was genious indeed." He turned around and went back inside the barn, giving a short wave before returning to his hobby of shaping wood. The tall woman laughed quietly at the exchange and patted the horse a last time before finally moving on towards where Josephine was most likely already waiting.

She entered the kitchen and inwardly rolled her eyes as she caught one of the apprentices talking about how pies kept disappearing after mealtimes. Taking a mental note to talk to Sera or Cole about the issue she entered the small hall, taking a moment to turn around and admire what the ambassador had managed to make out of the place in such a short time.

The formerly lose pictures now properly decorated the walls alongside banners of the different races and groups like the warden symbol or the emblem of the Free Marches. Several torches had been lit to light the room up and fill it with warmth. Tables and chairs had been moved to look like a perfect recreation of a banquet room, turning the small hall into a much tinier version of the Winter Palace, minus the over the top decorations. And amidst the banners and the tables stood the diplomat, a smile on her lips and a dangerous glint in her eyes.

"Impressive, Lady Montilyet. I wouldn't have expected this dusty room to turn into such a sight", the Qunari said as she walked over towards the smaller woman only to get silenced by a sole finger raised into the air, right in front of her face.

"Now, Inquisitor, this is no way to walk while in the presence of nobility. Smaller steps, less swinging of the arms, back straight." Josephine formed the redheaded woman into a posture fit to be seen and nodded. "Now, walk. Like that."

"You expect me to- has the fact that I am a Vashoth escaped your mind? Taking steps like this is like asking a dwarf to take a step the size twice his own. It looks awkward."

"And that is exactly why we are here tonight, practicing. When it comes to slaying dragons and demons or kicking assassins off Skyhold's walls you are second to none of us, but you are greatly lacking in how you have to act around the people of Orlais, especially the people from Val Royeaux. No offense, but we will participate in the Game, and believe me when I tell you that it can be just as dangerous as a Rage Demon, if maybe a bit more subtle."

Before Adaar had time to react another voice rose from her left and her blue eyes met those of the spymaster, who was also dressed in an attire much like hers.

"Josie is right, Inquisitor. The Game is as deadly as it is a charade between noblemen. It would be foolish to underestimate it."

A sigh escaped her lips and the ambassador cleared her throat, lightly smacking the taller woman's shoulder. "Back straight!"

Time seemed to drag on forever as both the spymaster and the diplomat taught the Inquisitor all that she needed to know for the ball at the Winter Palace. The lessons included how to adress people correctly with their names and titles, how to bow in respect or greeting varying on the different ranks among the nobility and a thousand more things that Adaar couldn't possibly all remember in one night. She silently cursed as Josephine scolded her again for picking up the wrong fork when she should have taken the slightly smaller one.

"This is ridiculous, how do you even manage to keep up with all this?"

Leliana, who had been a mostly silent observer ever since her initial greeting, chuckled and rose from her seat a few feet away, eyeing the frustrated warrior with a certain amusement evident on her face.

"You make it up as you go. As long as you know the basics of the Game you only need to adapt to it in given situations. That's the thrill of it, is it not? Not knowing when a polite nod will be seen as an offering of respect or a national offense." The spymaster calmly walked over to the Qunari, posture perfect and face all but unreadable. "It will be even harder for you to get their approval, Inquisitor. The nobility doesn't regard people of your kind very highly."

Josephine nodded and scribbled something down on her clipboard, probably updating the checklist she had prepared for this evening. "True enough, and because of that it is all the more important that you learn to master the basics. I am sure that you will be able to make the most of it once actually entangled in the Game. You are, after all, a quick learner, Inquisitor."

The former bard had a hard time masking her mirth when she spotted the usually calm and collected warrior running a hand over her face in annoyance, cursing as she received another scolding from Josephine upon doing so.

"Now I know why you didn't make Cassandra the Inquisitor. She would probably storm the Winter Palace and knock every enemy in her path out instead of politely asking them about their valued opinions", Adaar sighed and rose from her chair, walking over to Josephine as delicate as possible for someone her size.

"That may be one of the reasons, yes", the Antivan woman chuckled and put her clipboard down on a nearby table, nodding at Leliana who in turn picked up her lute and positioned herself on one end of the hall, awaiting the next command. "Well now, Inquisitor, I personally think we have tortured you long enough but sadly there is still one thing we have to go over."

She extended her hand for the Qunari to take, bowing slightly and retaining her stance perfectly.

"May I have this dance, your Worship?"

The horned woman bowed too, gently placing her own, much taller hand in Josephine's offered one and pulling her closer, resting her remaining hand on her partner's back. It was quickly rearranged and moved much lower, now resting just above the diplomat's behind. Adaar took a deep, calming breath, hoping that no one, especially not Sera, would see them like this. 'If she does I will never hear the end of it.' Her musings were suddenly interrupted as music filled the space around them and Josephine started moving along to its rythm.

If anyone would have asked her if she had done it on her own accord the spymaster would have denied such a thing, but seeing the Herald of Andraste, the survivor of the Fade helplessly stumble around the dancefloor was worth the time she had spent on polishing her somewhat rusty lute-playing skills.

"No no no, not like this", the toned woman sighed and stopped moving, giving her opposite a short breather between tries. "You are too attentive, and it's causing you this trouble. While you watch mine and your movements, trying not to mess up you are doing exactly the one thing you are trying to avoid."

"It's what kept my head attached to my shoulders in battle", Adaar dryly replied and took a sip of her beverage, enjoying the cold water rushing down her throath. "It's not neccessarily something I can just turn off."

Leliana continued playing, eyes ever watchful and trained on the pair, but in her head she stood in front of a campfire, her own voice filling her ears as she sung for her love, who in turn did nothing but watch, enjoying the bard's display of emotion through song. Back then she had started to feel drawn towards the Warden and she had laid herself bare in front of the woman she still called her lover. Never had she regretted it and the Inquisition's spymaster allowed herself a nostalgic smile before returning her attention on the here and now.

Both the diplomat and the Vashoth had resumed their positions, making one final attempt at trying to turn the warrior into a somewhat decent dancer before the ball. Josephine lifted her head to look the Qunari in the eyes, captivated by the intense azure surrounded by blazing red that greeted her as Adaar returned the expression.

"Do you trust me, Lady Adaar?"

The question was nothing she had expected but she knew the answer nevertheless.

"That I do, Lady Montilyet."

"Then close your eyes and simply follow my lead. Don't think about what you are doing, just trust me."

The warrior closed her eyes, muscles relaxing as she freed her mind from troubling thoughts and did as she was told. It felt as if her body was following a gentle river's stream as she blindly tracked the diplomat's movements, remembering each twirl, each sidestep, each motion as if she had performed them on her own. Before she knew it they had stopped and Adaar opened her eyes again only to see a bightly smiling Josephine meeting her gaze.

"You did it, Inquisitor!", she excitedly proclaimed and wrapped her arms around the horned woman's neck, involuntarily making said woman bend down to a more human-sized level to return the gesture, if to a less enthusiastic degree.

"Now Josie, you might want to release her before she can't attend the ball due to lack of oxygen", the spy jokingly remarked, eyes gleaming in amusement as the toned woman blushed a light pink, excusing herself and stepping away from the Qunari all the while apologizing profusely.

"Where are my manners", the Antivan noble said with a smile, bowing to properly signalize the end of the dance. "Very well done, your Worship. Truth be told, you are quite good when you really put your mind to it."

An eyebrow rose at the statement and Adaar crossed her arms over her chest.

"This is not going to turn into a habit, Lady Montilyet."

"What a waste of potential."

Laughter followed and filled the small hall as the pair celebrated their success with a well deserved bottle of Antivan wine and some friendly conversation. Leliana left them alone and headed towards her chambers, thoughts returning to a time where she and her Warden would share more than just drinks on cold and dark nights.

For as tough as the Antivan diplomat could be when it came to nobles she was certainly not a heavy drinker. After her third glass of wine she had started sharing quite interesting tales about the things she and Leliana had done during their time spent together in Orlais, not missing out on any details in the process.

"And she would just look at them and say "What, have you never seen two women loving each other before?" The shocked expressions on their faces, dear Maker! I was so embarrassed but she just acted like it was the most normal thing in the world. Even though it was all but a joke."

Adaar smiled at the ridiculousness of the tale and stood from her seat, offering a hand to the Antivan noble.

"As much as I enjoy your company and a good drink I think you should retire for the evening, Lady Ambassador."

"I know quite well when I had enough to drink, Inquisitor, and I can still continue", she protested and moved to pour herself another glass only to knock over the bottle in the process, spilling its contents over the table.

"Or maybe you are right and I should go to sleep before I make a fool out of myself."

"Good night, Josephine", Adaar chuckled and watched the diplomat disappear into the hallway, enjoying the brief moment of tranquillity after an evening such as this one. She blew out the nearly burned down candles on the tables and left, enjoying the fresh night air upon stepping foot outside. Skyhold was quiet and shadows shrouded the fortress in darkness, safe for a few torches that lit up the main paths and the guards carrying their very own sources of light with them on their nightly patrols.

The warrior unbuttoned the collar of her formal attire, already looking forward to ridding herself of the somewhat restricting clothing. Her route brought her close to the tavern again and the lack of lights told her that it was too late even for the men and women of Skyhold to be up and drinking. She had already set foot on the stairs leading up to the great hall when a thought made her pause and she turned around, making her way back towards the tavern.

It was unusually quiet as she entered, but given the time it was probably only natural. Most of the candles had been extinguished and only a few lone torches supplied the interior with light and warmth. Adaar ascended the stairs leading to the first floor, trying not to make too much noise while doing so. Her tall frame cast even larger shadows on the planks as she made her way towards her lover's room, quietly opening the door and entering the small chamber.

Sera was sleeping on her usual spot on the windowsill, covered in pillows and blankets that she stored inside her cabinet during the day. Her usual attire had been replaced by more comfortable clothing better suited for sleeping. The Vashoth sat down next to the still sleeping form of the elf and smiled, gently brushing through her unevenly cut hair. A small gust of wind blew into the room through the seemingly always open window to her left and ruffled through the archer's blonde locks, knocking over an empty bottle that had been standing on the table in the motion.

"Whozat?", Sera mumbled upon waking up, mind still foggy with sleep as she rose from her makeshift bed, rubbing her eyes.

"Take a guess."

"That voice can only be my luv", she sleepily replied and started fumbling around in the dark, trying to locate her lover amidst the darkness. "Come here you, I'm cold and tired and you're like a pan full of hot coals on legs. Plus you woke me up so you owe me."

Adaar laughed quietly and closed the window, removing her vest, gloves and boots before sitting down on the windowsill again, pulling Sera onto her lap and wrapping her arms around her tightly.

"I would rather hold you for a bit if you don't mind."

"As long as you keep me from freezing my tits off I really don't care if it's hugs or sex providing the heat", the elf mumbled and yawned, grabbing one of the many blankets and wrapping it around herself and the Qunari.

"It was so boring without you around. Blackwall's aim is shit so he really sucks at throwing pies so I didn't have anything to do today. Guess you had a busy day though, huh? Got that big event coming up in Halamiral..."

"Halamshiral."

"Cheeeeeeesecake."

Silence engulfed the pair as they sat in the shadows, arms wrapped around each other and simply enjoying the presence of their loved one. The Inquisitor closed her eyes and rested her head against that of the elf, breathing in the sweet scent Sera usually carried due to her love of pies and tarts.

"I don't know if I'm ready to decide the fate of a nation, not with everything that's riding on who ends up ruling Orlais. How can a decision much like this one be made by a single person? Is it fate trying to remind us that we're its slaves, that we have to bow to its whims?"

Slow, steady breathing was the only response to her mumbled musings and the tall woman wondered how long Sera had already been asleep again. Probably too long to have heard anything she had just voiced out loud in a moment of weakness. Adaar laid down and pulled the elf down with her, careful not to wake her again, and closed her eyes as she allowed herself to finally rest, to stop thinking about tomorrow when right now, she was with her love. And that was all that mattered.

Don't really have anything to say except that I hope this is to your liking. I think I have written too much here lately so the quality may have suffered because of it, even though I hope that is not the case. Anyways, seeing that I will be very busy soon I don't know when I will get a chance to write again.

Phrase of the Day

As I hold her tight she tries to fight it, as she rolls her eyes, a slow submission cause she knows I'm right

"Can't say no" by Rea Garvey

If you liked it, please REVIEW.

No flaming please.