"So, Cassandra…" Josephine inquired, organising the scattered documents on the war table. "Do you have anything special planned for tomorrow?"
The Seeker looked up curiously from the reports Cullen sent from one of their fringe outposts. "…no? Is there anything going on tomorrow?"
Josephine raised her brows in quiet surprise. She leant on the table, her hands steepled in front of her. The diplomat regarded Cassandra for a moment before replying.
"You…don't know?" Josephine hummed, her head imitating Cassandra's tilt. "Or are you pretending to not know?" She leant closer towards the warrior, smiling as though she smelled a secret. "Don't worry, you can tell us. We won't give the surprise away."
A soft laugh came from the Nightingale beside Josephine. "I don't think Cassandra is the sort for subterfuge, Jo."
"What are you talking about?" Cassandra asked impatiently as the two women exchanged amused looks.
"Kathryn never told you?" came Josephine's unsatisfying reply. "I mean, you two have been spending quite a lot of time together recently…"
"She never told me what? And stop answering my questions with more questions!"
"Well, since you asked so nicely," the Antivan conceded. "It's Kathryn's birthday tomorrow."
"…oh."
"'Oh', indeed. If you had no idea, then you have no plans in mind as well?"
Cassandra shook her head, frowning. "No, of course not…but I will think of something tomorrow," she added at the affronted looks from the two women.
"Dear, dear Cassandra," Josephine said exasperatedly. "'Tomorrow' is much too late. You must not be so callous in the field of romance! You should take the time to think of how to sweep Kathryn off her feet."
"Besides," Leliana added. "It doesn't have to be an overtly grand gesture, if you prefer. Just a gift would be nice as well."
"But-"
"Maybe an accessory?" Josephine suggested, looking to Leliana for input. "A necklace, or a brooch?"
"Or shoes?" Leliana perked up, drawing out of her usual distant demeanour. "Kathryn's boots have seen so much wear and tear. Maker, have you seen the state of those? It's a wonder she's still able to walk in them."
"Ladies-" Cassandra tried to draw their attention. For a moment, it seemed to work as both women turned to her. Unfortunately, it was not to listen to what she had to say.
"Maybe even a new staff?" Josephine continued. "That one she's picked up from her travels– it doesn't look very…elegant, does it? It seems worn out as well."
"But that's a difficult one. We don't know what kind of staff Kathryn prefers. Mages need to have a 'feel' for their staffs, too." Leliana rested her chin on her fingers, thinking. "How about a scarf, or a glove? Winter is approaching soon, after all–"
"Ladies!" Cassandra raised her voice, finally drawing her companions' attentions. She drew a deep breath as the women stared at her in silence. "I…appreciate what you are trying to do, and I will think of something. But this is not something to have a big fuss over."
"Of course not," Josephine replied pacifyingly. "Still, it would be nice to do something for her. I've already ordered a small feast for tomorrow evening. It would help take everyone's mind off things for a while too."
"You know what?" the Antivan continued. "Why don't you take the day off tomorrow?"
"What? I cannot shirk my duties just because-"
"I've already convinced Kathryn to have her day off, so you might as well do the same. I'm sure she would appreciate some company…and you could take time to do a little wooing." Josephine winked.
"I-, this seems so frivolous-"
"Oh Cassandra," Leliana sighed. "The world won't end just because you took a break. The darkspawn didn't overrun Ferelden when the Warden took a few days off, did they?"
Biting back a groan, Cassandra stood. "I'll consider. But I make no guarantees."
"Then I'll make sure there's a guarantee," the diplomat muttered under her breath.
"I'm sorry?"
"Hm, pardon?" Josephine feigned ignorance.
Cassandra frowned, but decided to let it rest and left the room. They had something up their sleeves…she could feel it in her gut.
To say that she was frustrated would be an understatement. The night before, Cassandra paid a visit to the travelling merchants' camp near Skyhold's gate to look for a gift, but had left empty-handed. They did not have much stock left, their leader explained apologetically, and all their popular goods had been snapped up a long time ago. He suggested that she try Skyhold's own market when it was open the next day. It had more stalls, and definitely more variety than the travellers. And that was what she had planned to do, after she took care of the day's tasks.
Her gut feeling about Josephine the day before was on-point. When Cassandra tried to open the door to her office in the morning, she found it mysteriously locked. Her keys did not work. After a few minutes of struggling pointlessly with the lock, the warrior resorted to brute force. Her powerful kick, however, had no effect on the magical barrier that merely shimmered prettily at the forceful impact. She then stormed into Josephine's office, demanding that she be let into her own workspace, but the Antivan insisted on feigning innocence. She even had the gall to ask, "I don't know, have you tried kicking the door in?"
At her wits' end, Cassandra went to the barracks but found herself stonewalled by very nervous Captain Harlan. A none-too-pleasant questioning later, the good Captain finally admitted that Josephine had…persuaded him to not let her get any work done.
"Um, I-I'm really sorry, ser. But I'd rather not take a sip of my evening drink only to find out it's been tainted with a slow-acting poison."
So here she was, making her way to Kathryn, after a few long hours of gift-hunting. She had browsed through almost every shop in the market, and realised along the way how little she knew about Kathryn personally. She could not buy clothes because she did not know Kathryn's size. She did not know which accessories to choose, what types she preferred, and in what colours? Kathryn had talked mostly about her life in the Circle and magic, but not personal preferences such as these. She was unaware of so many things about the Inquisitor, and the two of them were supposed to be an item? What a joke.
Eventually Cassandra found what she was looking for in a mage shop. It had a reputation for being a little…adventurous with its magical trinkets, and the Seeker figured it was right up the Inquisitor's alley. Instead of shying away from her magical ability, Kathryn sought to understand and experiment with it. She could get a little carried away at times, though. Once, she managed to create a sword purely of flames, and enthusiastically charged at their incoming attackers while swinging her weapon around. She ended up getting knocked out cold by an enemy warrior as a painful reminder she was not trained in close-quarters combat.
Cassandra felt for the small box in her pocket, making sure it was still there. It was not overly-expensive, but it did not come cheap either. Hopefully Kathryn would like it. Now, she'd better be here… The Seeker arrived at the orphanage where the Inquisitor supposedly was. The building used to be a school, but they had renovated it to be part orphanage as well. A number of children could be seen running around the courtyard with dirt-stained knees, playing catch. There was a smaller group of kids sitting quietly under a tree together, with their eyes trained on Cassandra as she made her way to the building's entrance. Some of the curious gazes had hopeful glints in them, no doubt thinking she was here to adopt.
"Ah! May I help you?" A young woman came bustling over to the Seeker the moment she stepped in. She stopped short in front of Cassandra when she took a good look at the stranger. "Oh, you are Lady Cassandra, are you not?"
Lady Cassandra nodded. It was not uncommon for her, or the others from the Inquisition, to get recognised in Skyhold. They were the ones who helped build the place after all, and the people would have seen them going about their work in various parts of the fortress.
"Is the Inquisitor here?"
"Oh yes, she's in the playroom back here. Come," the caretaker gestured down the hallway and led her guest on. "Kathryn's rather popular among the kids. They love it whenever she's around."
"Has she been here often?" Cassandra asked, noting the lack of "Lady" before Kathryn's name.
"She has," the younger woman answered. "It's really nice of her. I mean, she can't have too much time on her hands, and yet she still manages to visit. And here we are," she pointed at the door they have reached. "She's in there. Now I'll have to get back to my work. If you've any trouble, I'll be in my office, yeah?"
"Thank you." Cassandra nodded, and the woman hurried away. A burst of raucous laughter came from within the room just as she placed her hand on the door knob. The Seeker drew her hand away and inched over to the nearby window curiously. She peeped from around the edge and found the red-haired mage sitting in front of a group of kids. She had a huge grin on her face, not unlike those worn by her captive audience.
"Bring Billy out again!" cried a blond boy, and the others parroted him in assent.
"Okay, okay, here he…comes!" Kathryn gently placed her hand on the boy's head. When she lifted her hand, a small bluish-white orb of light emerged, bobbing around like it was surprised at the attention it was receiving. The children clapped and laughed in approval.
"Now Billy says he wants to play hide-and-seek," the mage continued, closing her hand around the orb and opening it again. This time the orb disappeared, much to the surprise of the young ones. "Guess where he is?"
Kathryn let them muse out loud for a time before placing her hand behind the ear of a dark-skinned girl. "I think I've found him!" she enthused and drew her hand away from the girl's ear, the orb having reappeared on her hand. The girl stared at the orb in naïve wonder, clapping yet again with the rest of the children.
The mage playfully tossed the orb around for a while before noticing their peeping tom. She raised a brow at Cassandra and waved her in. The Seeker almost regretted stepping into the room, however, when Kathryn announced, "Now, kids! Go say hi to Cassandra!" She pointed at the warrior, who promptly found herself swarmed by a throng of eager children echoing "Hello Cassandra!". Cassandra found herself feeling quite naked without her armour. The feel of many pairs of small hands pawing and hugging at her unarmoured legs was definitely foreign. She froze, unsure of what to do. Her mouth opened and closed wordlessly a few times, staring down at the happy and eager faces all staring back up at her. How did one interact with children? Cassandra looked back up at Kathryn, who wore that damnably mischievous smirk, in a silent plea for help.
Kathryn laughed and clapped her hands, drawing the children's attention. "All right, my darlings! It's time to go back out to play!"
In an almost-routine manner, the children immediately surrounded Kathryn to squash her in a big group hug. Then they streamed out of the room, all echoing "bye-bye!" as they did so. To Cassandra's surprise, many of those goodbyes were directed to her as well.
"Adorable, aren't they?" Kathryn chuckled. She remained seated cross-legged on the floor, hands absentmindedly patting her knees. "So, what brings you here? Don't you have some earth-shatteringly important task to attend to?"
"Even if I did have any, I wouldn't be able to get them done. Just…just take it for what it is," she added, hoping Kathryn would not push the issue. Thankfully, she did not.
The redhead shrugged. "If you say so. Hm," she regarded the woman for a moment. "And I'll assume you came looking for me? You don't seem much like a children-person."
"That would be a safe assumption," Cassandra replied, ignoring the jibe. She extended her hand towards Kathryn who made to stand up. The mage grabbed on and hauled herself onto her feet.
"Thank you," Kathryn sang, patting dust away from her bottom. She strolled out of the room and for the exit with Cassandra in tow. "So, are you free for the entire day?"
"Yes."
"Curious. I don't often see you taking time off. Do you even know how to spend it?" She grinned at the withering look cast at her.
"Apparently not, since I decided to spend it with you," Cassandra deadpanned. Instead of the witty rejoinder she expected, she felt an arm being slipped around hers, followed by a peck on her cheek.
"Ah. That's very sweet of you," the mage smiled indulgently at her companion as they left the orphanage. "To tell you the truth, I wasn't quite sure how I wanted to spend my day. It's nice that you came along."
Cassandra silently cursed Josephine for being so damned accurate. Then she cursed herself for being so thick.
"I don't have a very spectacular plan of activities, if that's what you were expecting," the warrior informed her companion.
"Eh," Kathryn waved her hand dismissively. "We don't need to have an agenda. Just doing nothing with you is great for me. Oh, hey!" The Inquisitor perked up, pulling on Cassandra's arm.
The Seeker found herself being steered toward a garment shop's display of gloves. A shop that she had been to just earlier that day. The shop owner's eyes brightened in recognition.
"Lady Cassandra! You've come back." She flashed a vibrant smile to her potential customers. Her gaze then fell on Kathryn, who tilted her head curiously. "And is this… the Inquisitor! Greetings, my lady. Ah! I see now. So Lady Kathryn is the one you were shoppin-"
Cassandra cleared her throat loudly in mild panic, hoping it distracted the mage. She wanted her present to be a surprise, damn it. She swallowed nervously as two gazes were turned toward her.
"You were shopping for gloves?" asked Kathryn.
"Yes," Cassandra answered before the shop owner could give anything else away. "I-I'm preparing for the winter, and my gloves are quite worn."
"Oh, then we can buy them together!" the mage enthused, scanning through the large assortment laid out before her. "My favourite pair just got torn, so I wanted to get new ones. How about this?" She held up a pair of sleek leather gloves for Cassandra's approval.
It did not take too long for them to pick out two pairs to buy. They got the same sturdy black gloves, due to Kathryn's insistence on getting a matching pair. "It was cute", to put it in the mage's words. Cassandra intervened during payment, though, refusing to let Kathryn pay for their acquisition. She received a suspicious look from the redhead, and a patronizingly understanding smile from the shop owner. She swore never to shop here again.
The market had its own noisy charm, with merchants eagerly hawking their wares to anyone who passed by. And as they strolled past store after store, Cassandra found that she was more than willing to empty her coinpurse for anything Kathryn showed remote interest in. She would have bought off half the market's goods if the Inquisitor had not held onto her hand to stop her from reaching into her pocket so often. Eventually they agreed they were tired of the bustling crowds of the market, and left Skyhold - Cassandra on her trusty steed, and Kathryn on her magnificent halla. They followed the halla's guidance until they reached a cliff some distance away from the fortress. Exclaiming that the spot was perfect, the Inquisitor hopped off her halla and cooed an elvish word of thanks taught to her by Solas. The intelligent animal tilted its head as if saying "you're welcome". After Cassandra attached her horse's harness to Kathryn's mount, the halla wandered off with its partner in tow. They did not bother to fix them in one spot; the halla had proven that it would not stray far from Kathryn's position.
An agreement to watch the sunset was quickly reached. So here they were, lying on the soft grass, eyes gazing up at the clear sky, and passing time with idle conversation.
"You're still a little tense," Kathryn commented, shifting her head on Cassandra's shoulder.
"Hm?"
"Feels like you're getting ready for an ambush or something."
"Well, we are alone and weaponless…relatively," the Seeker corrected when Kathryn's foot tapped at the side of her boot, where she kept a dagger hidden as usual.
Kathryn raised herself up on her elbow, leaning over Cassandra. "You forget, Seeker." The mage's hand crackled an electric blue. "A mage is never out of her element."
"You've been spending too much time with Vivienne," Cassandra informed her.
With a low chuckle, Kathryn leant down and captured Cassandra's lips with her own. The brunette reached up, entangling her fingers in those soft red strands, and returned the slow kiss. Cassandra relished it; it was not often that they had this much private time for themselves. Quick, stolen kisses and urgent embraces had been all they could afford so far.
"Jealous?" Kathryn whispered against her lips when they parted.
"Of Vivienne? No. I wouldn't wish your company on my worst enemy." Cassandra laughed when she received an offended slap on her chest. She grasped the hand in her own, bringing it up to her lips.
"I hate you," Kathryn declared, pouting.
"Of course you do," Cassandra concurred. She received a tap on her nose.
Kathryn laid back down on the grass, keeping her head on the brunette's shoulder. She gave a contented sigh. "If only I could spend the rest of my days like this. With you."
"You're not afraid of getting tired of me?"
"Nope. But I'm afraid your sense of humour will be the death of me."
The warrior chuckled, placing a kiss on top of the mage's head. It was then she remembered the small box still sitting in her pocket.
"Oh, I almost forgot," Cassandra started. She sat up carefully so Kathryn wouldn't fall off to the side. The mage looked on curiously as she fished out the nondescript black box. "This is for you. Happy birthday."
A look of pleasant surprise crossed Kathryn's face as she took the gift. "I…thank you." She smiled at Cassandra. "How did you know, though? I don't think I ever told you…or did I?"
"Ah…no. You never told me."
"Then how…? Oh!" Her light-blue eyes lit up. "Leliana told you, didn't she? I caught her going through my family's records the other day…"
"Well…" Cassandra stammered. "Actually it was Josephine who raised the subject. I was not aware."
"I see. And let me guess: Jo was the one who made you take your day off, wasn't she?"
The Seeker nodded, and Kathryn snickered in some personal victory.
"Bless that woman. She manages relationships well, doesn't she? Her own and as well as others'." Kathryn let out a deep breath. She held up the little gift box for closer scrutiny, turning it over in her slim fingers.
"Why don't you open it?"
"Can I?"
"I asked, didn't I?"
Kathryn lifted the lid expectantly, and a hint of surprise crept into her face. The longer she stared at it, the more Cassandra felt uncomfortable. Did she not like it? Was she trying to conjure up an appropriate response to assure her that she liked it? Or did she not like the colour? Or material? Or did it just look unappealing to her?
"…are we getting married?" asked the mage finally. She tore her eyes away from the ring sitting within the box to look up at Cassandra.
"What? No!" Cassandra replied. Perhaps a little too vehemently, from the look on Kathryn's face. "No! I'm not asking you to-I'm not proposing," she explained hurriedly.
"You seem very offended at the idea of being married to me."
"I'm not! I wouldn't mind-, I mean, if we actually… No, I'm not offended at the idea," Cassandra finished quickly, pursing her lips so she would not embarrass herself further.
Kathryn looked thoroughly amused at her moment of insecurity. "It was a joke, my dear. And this is a very lovely gift," the mage changed the subject, for which Cassandra was immensely thankful.
"Do you like it?"
"Yes, very much so," Kathryn assured her, taking a closer look at the ring.
It was indeed a very beautiful thing. The ring consisted of three bands: one made of clear crystal sat between two bands of silver. The bands intertwined in the middle, forming an elegant crest, within which was embedded another crystal. The clear material glowed a faint blue.
"Why don't you try it on?" the Seeker suggested.
"Ah, right," Kathryn made to take the ring, but stopped halfway. She raised an eyebrow at Cassandra, raising her hand towards the warrior.
Taking the none-too-subtle cue when Kathryn wiggled her fingers, Cassandra picked the accessory up. She held Kathryn's hand as she slid the ring onto her finger. A perfect fit. It seemed her guess was spot-on after all.
"It looks beautiful on you."
"It does," Kathryn agreed, her lips quirked upwards. "It is enchanted, isn't it? I can feel the lyrium humming inside it."
Cassandra nodded. "It is. The ring is supposed to act as a reserve of mana for its wearer. And, there's something else." She cautiously guided the mage's hand so that it pointed away from her. "Channel mana into it," she instructed.
Kathryn raised a brow at her, but did as she was told. Almost immediately, a wave of azure surrounded her hand and wrist, forming a translucent protective glove. That was not all; a blade protruded from the knuckles. The mage's face lit up in child-like wonder. Her mouth fell open as she turned her hand over, examining the glove. She ran her hand along the glove and blade, testing its consistency. The excitement seemed to have stolen her words; she kept glancing up at Cassandra in a silent plea for explanation.
"The shopkeeper called it a 'dagger-glove'," the Seeker explained. "It will remain corporeal so long as you keep channeling mana into it."
"This. Is. Amazing!" exclaimed Kathryn. She waved her hand around, miming punches. Then she let out a laugh. "Oh Andraste, this is amazing!" she repeated. She leapt onto Cassandra, arms wrapped around the warrior in a tight hug. "Thank you so much..."
Cassandra smiled into the red tresses, holding the mage close. It was not until a moment later when she realised Kathryn's breath was hitched. The redhead's hands were gripping onto the back of her shirt. Her head was nestled tightly into the crook of her neck.
The Seeker ran a gentle hand through her hair. "Kat," she whispered. She started to feel the wetness soak through her high collar. Then, to her surprise, Kathryn let out a thick laugh.
"I'm sorry," the mage mumbled, hand reaching up to wipe at her eyes. "I'm sorry, I'm just…being silly. So bloody silly."
"What's wrong?" Cassandra asked softly. Her hand reached up to cup Kathryn's face, thumb caressing her cheek.
"Nothing's wrong," came the reply. Kathryn leant into her hand, an embarrassed smile growing on her lips. "Everything feels so…right. Well, apart from the rifts and demons and everything, but…" She rested her forehead against Cassandra's. "I feel like I have all that I need. Right here, right now."
"Cass…"
"Yes?"
"I love you."
Her heart clenched at those words, at the insecure turquoise gaze, the hand clutching onto her shoulder. It was not as if they had not exchanged those words before. But it had always been in passing or light-hearted banter; words that were appreciated, but eventually left in the back of their minds. It was never like this…a profession, an affirmation, a promise of a future together.
"And I love you," she whispered, slipping her fingers between Kathryn's. "I always will."
The Inquisitor smiled. She leaned in, stealing a chaste kiss from her lover. Then another. And another.
Cassandra felt her heart race as the kiss deepened. Her cheeks were warm, her lips desperately sought the other's each time they parted. Her hands roamed Kathryn's body, worshipping her soft flesh through the fabric, committing to memory each spot that made her lover gasp and breathe her name. Then Kathryn tugged at her collar, pulling her forward until the mage was on her back, the Seeker above her.
"Mm…Kathr-," she tried to speak, but Kathryn pulled her down into another, rougher kiss. The mage's hands slipped under her shirt, gliding tentalisingly up her back. It was with great effort and will that Cassandra pulled away. "Kathryn-wait," she panted.
"Cass? Do you not…"
"I do. Very much so. But I've always…imagined our first would be…" The warrior blushed, breaking off eye contact. She felt her cheeks become warmer when Kathryn chuckled huskily.
"Oh? I see," Kathryn drawled, locking her hands behind Cassandra's neck, pulling her lower. "And how have you imagined our first to be?" she whispered in the brunette's ear. "In the comfort of your room?"
Cassandra's breathing hitched when she felt teeth on her ear.
"Did you imagine me being taken on your bed?" Kathryn continued. She slid her fingers down the warrior's biceps, tracing the hard contours. "Did you touch and kiss every single inch of me?" Her thigh settled between Cassandra's legs. "Did you make me scream your name in ecstacy?" Her fingers sneaked beneath the Seeker's shirt again. "Did you-"
Cassandra did not give her the chance to finish her sentence. She took the Inquisitor in a hard, desperate kiss. Fevered hands unbuttoned Kathryn's top, exposing her bare skin to the cool evening air. The warrior cupped her breasts, earning a moan into her mouth. She pressed her thigh hard against Kathryn's centre, and fingernails bit into her back in return. She finally released Kathryn's lips, leaning close to her ear.
"I want you. Right. Now."