There is a shoemaker in Starkhaven who specialises in a very specific kind of Orlesian style shoe. The process of having one of these shoes made is long and expensive, requiring several fittings as the artisan moulds the materials to perfectly fit the shape of the foot. The final product is unique and beautiful, subtly different shades of leather sewed together in a pattern both pleasing to the eye and strong, the deceptively delicate lacing held tight with neat rivets and decorated at the ends with metal aglets with a distinctive star shape.

Bethany could feel every corner of these stars through the thin fabric of her trousers quite distinctly, not to mention the sharp edges of the heel. She looked up from the book she was reading and saw Leliana watching her with half lidded eyes as she slowly ran her foot up Bethany's calf under the table.

"Are you bored?" asked Bethany.

"Bored?" asked Leliana, innocently, as she moved her foot to gently stroke up the inside of Bethany's thigh. "Here I am, it is a beautiful day, I am spending time with my beloved..." She leaned forward, and increased the pressure of her foot. "How could I be bored?"

Bethany pushed back her chair so that she was out of Leliana's reach. Leliana raised her eyebrows in mock surprise. "I'm sorry I've been ignoring you," said Bethany, with more chagrin than remorse. "I know I did promise to spend time with you today. But I forgot that I'd promised to go out with Mother to visit Uncle Gamlen, and I really want to finish reading this book before Marian has to sneak it back into the Gallows library."

There was a soft sound of a foot being dropped back onto the floor, and Leliana looked away with an expression of melodramatic sorrow. "Ah, of course, I understand," she said. "You would rather spend time with your mother than me."

"Leliana."

Leliana stood up and tilted her head with a small smile to show that she was not really hurt. She walked around and stood next to Bethany, giving her a kiss on the forehead. "Ah, I am only teasing you, my dear," she said. "I know you cannot always be entertaining me, and that your magic is important to you. But I am a little bored, and it is too tempting to have you near me. I shall go sit in the garden and throw sticks for Dane until you are done."

Bethany felt genuinely guilty now. She and Leliana had been together long enough that they did not expect to always be the centre of each other's attention, but it had been rude to invite Leliana here and then mostly ignore her.

"Don't go," she said. Leliana gave her a doubting expression that warned of further acquaintanceship with her boots if the morning continued on as it had before. Bethany stood up and took her hand. "Learning magic is important to me, but so are you. And besides," said Bethany, feeling a faint flush rising into her cheeks. "I'm not sure I could concentrate on my book now. Your new shoes are quite effectively distracting."

"Is that so?" said Leliana. "I will have to think my noble patron for giving them to me."

Bethany laughed. "Noble patron?" she said.

"Mmm," said Leliana, wrapping her arms around Bethany. "A beautiful, dangerous young woman who keeps me as her plaything, showering with me with gifts only to abandon me for more scholarly pursuits."

"You poor thing!"

"I survive somehow," said Leliana, with a long suffering sigh.

Bethany laughed again. She thought about trying to think of something witty to say but instead simply pulled Leliana closer and gave her a kiss. The skin of her leg still tingled from where Leliana had touched it. She stepped forward so that their legs were intertwined, the tingle in her skin replaced by the comfortable pressure of Leliana's skirt and boots and the bewitching expanse of smooth skin between them. "I am sorry I abandoned you," she said. "How can I make it up to you?"

Leliana tilted her head and gave a wicked smile. "Oh, I'm sure I can think of something."