Lady Cassandra Allegra Portia Calogera Filomena Pentaghast, Seeker and 78th in line to the Nevarran Throne clutches the letter tightly in her gloved fist as she walks across the courtyard of Skyhold, her feet stamping against the frost covered ground making a crunching sound beneath her leather boots. The Seeker lets out a puff of breath into the cool air watching it turn to a cloud in front of her face as she walks, the cold in the mountains was beginning to make itself known and they were surely soon to be due more snow. Cassandra uses her free hand to pull her coat tighter around herself trying to keep warm but also not wanting to let go of the precious piece of parchment that has come into her possession. Lady Pentaghast knew this weather would make it even more difficult to reach their fortress through the mountain pass and they would need to ensure they had enough supplies for the worst weeks. They would need to rely heavily on Ravens for communication and trade would almost completely stop. Cassandra sighs, she had loved the snow as a child but ever since the fall of Haven and having to search for the Inquisitor, then Herald, in such howling weather she now preferred the more forgiving sunnier seasons. The Seeker smiles to herself as she continues on her path, she did have to admit there were some advantages to the threats of snow, all of which involved being cuddled up to her Inquisitor under a blanket and in front of a large fire.
Cassandra stamps her feet harder trying to keep the chill from her toes, all she could think about right now was getting back into the main building and allowing herself to defrost in the warmth Skyhold provided. The Seeker climbs the stone steps, taking one at a time knowing them to get slippery when it's cold. Cassandra lets out another huff into the air feeling her teeth start to chatter, she reaches her gloved hand to the door and onto the large metal handle pushing the doors open. A wave of warmth engulfs her in a hug as she steps into the Great Hall, turning to close the doors behind her again keeping the weather out of their sanctuary. Cassandra tucks the letter into the lining of her coat for safe keeping.
"Seeker" Varric smiles his greeting to her when he looks up from the job of polishing Bianca, The Seeker notices he has almost completely taken apart his beloved cross bow and has her spread out in lots of pieces on the table in front of the fire. "You look cold, would you like to sit here?" He asks with what she thinks might be a genuine sound of concern in his voice.
"Its getting cold out there" Cassandra returns his smile not wanting to appear rude and desperate to find her Inquisitor. "Bianca is looking to be in a good way though, you will have to tell me how you get the grip so polished like that" Lady Pentaghast adds seeing a smile tug at the corner of his mouth, pleased that she has noticed the hard work he has put into his bow.
"Well the secret is.." Varric begins, looking like he is about to spin her a tale that starts somewhere in Orzammar and ends up with battling Dark Spawn in the deep roads.
"I'm sorry Varric, we will have to save this for another time" The Seeker smiles at him again apologizing for cutting him off. "I really need to find Lord Trevelyan and remove these boots before I loose my toes" Cassandra laughs making Varric just nod and smile.
"Another time, Seeker" He adds with another nod, she watches him pick up the cleaning cloth from the table again to go back to his delicate work. "The Inquisitor has his head stuck in a book" The Dwarf nods his head in the direction of the back of the Great Hall "as per usual" He mumbles giving her another smile to send her on her way.
Lady Pentaghast glances in the direction that he has indicated she might find her lover, when she doesn't immediately see him she wonders where he might be hiding. Cassandra knew that unlike her, who read all the time for pleasure, her Lord Trevelyan often had his head glued to a tome or book that he thought would aid him as the Inquisitor. He spent a lot of his free time trying to gain all the knowledge and information he could, anything he thought would make him a better leader and man. The Seeker begins walking down through the Great Hall, passing by groups of visiting Nobles that appear to be being given the grand tour of the fortress by Lady Montilyet and past a selection of traders that are huddled together discussing the shift in the weather. She focuses her eyes to the door on the left that leads to their Quarters and then to the door on the right that leads to the Undercroft, still not seeing him.
"There's no one down here but Thedas' most unwanted" Lady Pentaghast looks down to the floor when she hears his voice, noticing that the Inquisitor is sat on the floor with his back pressed against the back of the Inquisitor's throne and that he must have heard someone approaching. She spots that he is sat on a large fur that with his knees drawn up close to his body "I'm busy right now," Lord Trevelyan adds still not looking up to see that it is her. Cassandra notices that he has a large book balanced on his knees that he is staring at, trying to take in all the information that he is reading.
"I would say you are far from unwanted, My Lord" Lady Pentaghast laughs when he finally looks up at her a smile spreading across his face, obviously happy to see her. "But I have to ask why you are sat behind your throne rather than on it?" She asks receiving a shrug from her lover.
"I'm not a King" The Inquisitor replies chuckling to himself as he shuffles up in the space that he sits making room for her. "Kings sit upon a throne while people kneel before them kissing his feet" Cassandra lowers herself to the floor next to him, wrapping her arms around his bicep leaning her head against his shoulder. She was instantly comforted by his warm body next to her and the soft material beneath her cheek as he draws her closer to him, she wriggles her fingers out of her gloves dropping them to the floor next to her.
"You are the Inquisitor, that is better than a King" The Seeker smiles when he leans closer to her pressing a kiss against the top of her head, he rests his head on top of hers lowering his knees along with the book. "I have never found kneeling before you to be a problem," Cassandra giggles receiving a tutting noise from him.
"So bold with your teasing me, minx" The Inquisitor chuckles when he brings his hand up to stroke her dark locks between his fingers.
"I never tease you, but would rather kiss your lips than your feet.. I have seen your feet" Cassandra laughs drawing another chuckle from the Inquisitor.
"As you wish Lady Seeker" The Inquisitor gives her a lopsided grin as he lets her lift his head, he reaches out a finger to direct her face towards his so he can lean in and press a gently kiss to her mouth.
"So bold with your public affection today" Lady Pentaghast sighs mimicking him when he pulls back from her, she could spend all day kissing this man and never get bored of the way he tastes.
"See there are advantages to hiding behind my throne, I can kiss you without being spotted" The Inquisitor flashes her a small smile again leaning down to kiss her again as if to prove his point.
"I'm sure you could have found somewhere more comfortable" The Seeker sighs looking around her to see that they are indeed mostly hidden from the rest of the Great Hall by the tall expanse of his throne. She chuckles as he reaches to slam his book closed sliding it off of his lap. "The History Of The Chantry" Cassandra reads in large gold letters on the front of the tome.
"Volume One" The Inquisitor laughs kicking it away with the heel of his boot. "I have a long way to go yet.. From memory I believe there to be 8 volumes all as page turning as this one" He adds watching as Cassandra begins shrugging her coat off of her shoulders and down her arms, he places his hands on her shoulders helping her remove her coat discarding it with her gloves.
"Haven't you read them before?" The Seeker asks raising her eyebrow slightly, she knew the Inquisitor came from a family that dedicated their lives to the Chantry and those books would be standard reading for a young Lord, she also knew that her young Lord had been the youngest son and imagined he got away with not doing a lot of things he was supposed to as a child.
"Have you?" The Inquisitor huffs trying to change the subject when Cassandra begins nodding, of course she had. Cover to cover several times, being a Seeker had been about more than just swinging a sword and she could never have been the right hand to the Divine if she didn't know the history. "Your cold" He adds when his hands come into contact with her now bare arms.
"I think its going to snow soon" Cassandra sighs when the Inquisitor wraps his arm around her shoulders pulling her tighter against his body, he moves his other arm around her waist enveloping her in his warmth. The Seeker smiles to herself when he nuzzles his mouth against her hair, always willing to show his affection to her "Soon the paths will be blocked again and we will struggle to move around at any speed or in any great number," She adds tucking herself beneath his chin.
"I guess that is why I still haven't received word from Ostwick" The Inquisitor frowns slightly directing his eyes to the floor, The Seeker suddenly sits up making him drop his arms around her.
"I'm sorry, I almost forgot.." Cassandra says hurriedly, she reaches for her discarded coat reaching into it to retrieve the letter she had been holding onto so tightly. "This arrived for you" She adds giving him an apologetic smile noticing that he doesn't look upset at all that she'd forgotten but actually excited.
"Is it from Henry?" The Inquisitor asks sitting up straight, reaching for the letter that she holds out to him. The Seeker had of course seen the dark green ribbon tied securely around the parchment with the matching green wax seal stamped with the Trevelyan Crest. Lord Trevelyan gives her a smile when his eyes land on the seal, he'd been waiting for this for days.
"I didn't read it" Cassandra says feeling herself smile at his visible happiness. "You know I don't read anything that arrives for you" The Seeker adds watching her lover carefully untie the ribbon, slipping his nimble finger beneath the wax to break the bond.
"Leliana does" He chuckles "I wouldn't mind if you did" The Inquisitor mumbles his attention having moved from her to the parchment he holds in his palms. The Seeker sees his eyes move quickly over the words as if he is in a hurry to read the contents.
"Its private" Lady Pentaghast laughs wrapping her arm around his shoulders again, resting her chin on her arm watching him. Cassandra watches a smile tug at the corner of his mouth again when he reads something that pleases him. "It is between you and your brother, if you chose to tell me what he says that is your decision" The Seeker says again not being able to take her eyes off of him reading.
Lady Pentaghast had spent a lot of time trying to learn as much as she could about The Trevelyan's and Ostwick since she had met his family and they had made their intentions to marry known. The Seeker and Inquisitor had spent many an hour late into the night discussing their families and the lives that they had come from before they met. Cassandra's current family history didn't take as long to describe as the Inquisitor's but she was grateful that the whole Trevelyan family had been so welcoming to her.
"He asks after you," The Inquisitor smiles, turning his attention to her again. "He says he hopes to be able to join us for the wedding and plans to arrive with my parents" Lord Trevelyan adds with a grin, he looks back to the letter again. "He says that Elliot and Jack have grown.." Cassandra notices the smile fade slightly as he tries to shake the sadness she knows he feels of missing out on seeing his Nephews growing up. Her lover looked forward to the letters from home and would wait anxiously for their arrival; they would arrive always on time and always with love and well wishes from his family. The Seeker longed to have someone worrying about her from Nevarra, but there was no one.
"I know you miss them," The Seeker whispers quietly to him as he nods with a small sniff. "We should go and see them before the boys grow anymore than they already have. We will soon have our hands even more full with our wedding and the baby.." Cassandra adds when he directs his eyes to her again.
"We could do that?" The Inquisitor asks his eyes widening slightly, they both knew Ostwick was no easy journey and would take weeks to complete even before they had to cross the ocean. Cassandra remembered doing the journey well from Nevarra, which was to the West of his home the Free Marches, and was sure she hadn't imagined how far it had felt at the time.
"They are your family" Cassandra smiles catching the grin appear on his face again. "Why wait till they visit for the wedding? We could see if we could fit some Inquisition visits in along the way and then spend a few days with them. I know how much Henry means to you" The Seeker sees her lover nod again. "We could tell your parents our news together face to face.. And I want to meet him before its too late for him to warn you, not to marry me" Cassandra chuckles making her Inquisitor laugh again, he wraps his arm around her pulling her into a hug.
"My parents have told him nothing but good things" Lord Trevelyan replies placing a hand on her cheek, she feels herself flush under his thumb when he strokes her soft skin.
"Just wait until they find out I have corrupted their beautiful son and am carrying his child out of wedlock," Cassandra laughs seeing him chuckle and shake his head. "They will be horrified when we turn up asking for shared quarters so we can sleep together in sin under their roof" The Seeker whispers to him pulling a shocked face. "The scandal of it all" She giggles.
"Better the news soon, than when they arrive for our wedding and see you fit to burst" The Inquisitor laughs receiving a jab in the ribs. "I mean that in a good way Cassandra" He laughs again seeing her frown "Glowing my beautiful bride, is what I meant" He adds trying to avoid her wrath.
"I can't wait" The Seeker gives him another smile when he strokes his fingers through her hair again.
"You will love him.." The Inquisitor replies finding it hard to wipe the smile from his face. Cassandra moves her hand to his neck, rubbing her fingers against a small curl of his own hair behind his ear, that is getting too long compared to his usual short cut.
"Of course I will if he is anything like the rest of your family" The Seeker leans in to press a gentle kiss against his cheek enjoying sharing in his happiness. "If he is anything like you," Cassandra adds making him shake his head, she places her hands on his chest.
"I could only hope to be half the man he is" The Inquisitor says with a nod. "There is no one as great as my brother, Seeker" Lord Trevelyan doesn't catch the small downturn of her mouth when Cassandra thinks of her own brother Anthony.
"You can meet the boys, too" Lord Trevelyan wriggles excitedly next to her. "And his wife Annabelle" He adds rolling the parchment up again, tucking it back into her coat. He scoops her up in his arms again squeezing her tightly against him. Cassandra cant help but laugh seeing his pure joy at the idea of taking them to Ostwick to meet his brother and his brothers wife and children.
Lady Pentaghast always enjoyed hearing about his brother Henry Trevelyan, he was the eldest of the three Trevelyan boys and she knew her Inquisitor idolized him. He would recall tales of growing up in Ostwick with his brothers, him being the much younger of the three and the time that he spent with Henry being some his fondest memories.
"I wish you could have met Anthony" Lady Pentaghast sighs slightly when he notices family is always an upsetting subject for his Seeker. She smiles again when her Inquisitor glances around to check they aren't being watched so he can kiss her trying to chase away her sadness. Cassandra sighs against his mouth for a whole other reason when she slides her arms around his neck.
"I wish I could have too.." The Inquisitor whispers, pressing his forehead to hers. "I would thank him for everything he did to help you when your parents were gone, and to guide you to this life so that I had the chance to find you" Lord Trevelyan adds placing his hands on her back. "Or fall from the sky at the right moment and into your custody" He laughs making her smile again.
"You don't give yourself enough credit for the man that you are, the man that you are becoming" Lady Pentaghast moves her hand to his face gently rubbing the scar on his lip making him give her a bashful smile. "So that is even more reason for me to meet this Lord Trevelyan that my sweet Inquisitor adores so much" She adds as he moves his mouth to kiss her thumb.
In the Inquisitors eyes, Henry Trevelyan was a true hero and could do no wrong. He had been groomed and prepared his entire life to take over as the head of the family and continue to keep house Trevelyan a prosperous one. He had always been kept busy, as Ashton had told her, making sure that he grew up to become the perfect Lord. The Seeker had learnt very quickly that her Inquisitor had no want to talk about the middle brother, Daniel Trevelyan, so she was sure she didn't bring him up again.
"I adore you," The Inquisitor replies, nuzzling his mouth against the palm of her hand. "The idea of sleeping with you, in sin, in my old room does sound very appealing to me" Lord Trevelyan gives her his best cheeky grin.
"Do you really think they will have left your quarters the same?" Cassandra laughs giving him a gentle poke in the chest when he lets his hands wonder to her waist. "We are hardly alone enough for you to be doing that" The Seeker sighs when he leans forward to press his mouth to her neck. "Behave yourself" Cassandra hisses placing her hands on his shoulders pushing him away slightly trying to hide her giggle.
"Why would my room not be the same?" The Inquisitor asks leaning back to look at her, giving her a questioning look.
"They were probably relived to get rid of you" The Seeker replies giving her own cheeky smile to show she is trying to rile him. "I'm sure they have turned it into library or something useful" She adds with a laugh when he begins poking his fingers into her sides trying to tickle her. "Stop" Cassandra laughs grabbing at his hands, she looks around them to see if anyone has heard their noise.
"We already have three libraries," The Inquisitor whispers when he pauses his hands at her waist again. "My parents were heartbroken when I told them I wasn't returning to Ostwick" Lord Trevelyan chuckles.
"Hmm" Cassandra replies "I cannot understand why, you are so untidy and never help out around the house" Cassandra giggles making the Inquisitor snort and start tickling her again, making her scream. The Seeker brings her hand up to her mouth, slowly leaning around the side of the throne to see that everyone has stopped their conversations and are looking straight in their direction.
"Cass" The Inquisitor laughs quietly leaning around the other side of his throne, when he sees eyes staring at him he leans back to hide again. He wriggles down from his sitting position to hide himself further, glancing over at her. "You always get me in trouble.. I'll get my ear chewed off by Lady Montilyet for not acting appropriately for a Lord" He adds pouting slightly.
"I told you to stop" The Seeker bites her bottom lip trying to fight back another laugh watching as her lover begins contemplating his next move. "I guess we will have to find somewhere else to misbehave" Cassandra gives him a small smile.
"I'm sure we can find an alternative place to share our sinful love together," Lord Trevelyan laughs, his eyes travelling to her bottom lip. "Somewhere with a soft bed" He adds leaning over to kiss her again, letting her move to run her hand through his hair.
"Maybe the great Lord Inquisitor would like to take me to his quarters and I can show him how well I can kneel before him" Cassandra giggles again when the Inquisitor catches her eyes with his as if that is the best idea he has ever heard. He pulls away from her, climbing to his feet quickly holding his hand out to her.
"Leave the book," He hisses again as she reaches to pick it up. "Its dull and I have much better ways of occupying my time this evening" He laughs guiding her up to her feet too, he slips his fingers through hers moving quickly with her to their quarters, ignoring the questioning looks from the people gathered in the Great Hall.