When they had arrived back at Skyhold from Orlais, Bull waited in the main hall of the castle keep, just to the side of the left hallways entrance. For days the Coralia had teased him, flirting with him covertly as they traveled. A look hear, a nip there, a purposefully timed item drop that would leave her ass up and extended for him to stare at, all at just the right moments when the others were distracted, all while never allowing any time to themselves. He loved the teasing even though it drove him crazy not to be able to have what he wanted. He waited there for her to be done with her debriefing thinking of the perfect punishment for her teasing.
Bull did find her behavior peculiar though, the entire trip had been odd really. They were suppose to have been waiting at Skyhold while word came back on a location to meet up with Varric's friend Hawke in the Western Approach when the Inquisitor rounded he, Dorian, and Solas up one morning for a supply run. Bull found it a waste, anyone could have made this run, and the roads had been cleared months ago. Then her teasing, they had taken to teasing in this matter often, that didn't bother him. He found it fun and made all their traveling much less run of the mill. It was her keeping her distance from him at night or when they stopped for rest. Yeah, things between them had stayed casual, and though they never talked about it she seemed to prefer not making mention of it in front of anyone so he went with it. Yet over the last month, even before they had started fooling around, she had been prone to seeking him out. He had thought she had favored his company, always sitting close by at camp, passing time with ideal chatter, or running strategies by him for his opinion. These last few days however she had been silent unless it was necessary to speak or she was asked direct questions from any of them. If not for her teasing he would have thought that she was changing her mind on their arrangement, maybe she still was. Bull mulled it over, if she didn't say katoh then he wouldn't bring it up.
The Inquisitor had come out of the hallway well after the other advisors and Bull was able to pull her up stairs without any prying eyes. Bull had locked them in her room chambers, quickly stripping her down and tying her to the bed. He dragged out her climax teasing her till she withered uncontrollably only to stop cold. Each time he would tell her what injustice she was being punished for, the nipping at his lip in the alleyways, or the extra wiggle in her steps. Each time she would writhe under his touch until she finally begged him to take her, begged him to give her release. He gave in only when he thought she could not control herself anymore. Her first orgasm was almost instantaneous as he penetrated her, seizing her sex around him. She was a sight lying under him, face slack of its normal worries, only ridding the pleasure. Her skin took on a deep red blush, deep enough to match her garnet hair. Her breasts rose and fell quickly with her breathing, eyes heavy with exhaustion. He took to fucking her; bring her two more times before finally coming himself.
Pleased with himself, Bull untied her wrists from the posts then lay beside her catching his own breath. He was still amazed how much she could take. Not once had she protested to his speed or size, it was a nice change from the other women he had been with while being away from Seheron. Bull ran his palms roughly over his face trying to scrub away the thought. He tried not to think of Seheron or the Qun lately. He still was not adjusted to being Tal-Vashoth. Coralia curled up to his side, draping an arm over his stomach. Bull looked down to find her already snoozing, breathing in deep steady rhythm. A draft from the balcony doors moved across them and Coralia stirred snuggling closer to his side while sliding a slender leg over his. Bull looked around the bed and found where the blanket had been pushed to the side. He pulled them up across them; wrapping an arm around Coralia. Laying there he idly traced his fingers over her back feeling her soft skin then brought his hand up, stroking his hand through her hair thinking to himself that he should go. He tried not to make a habit of actually sleeping with anyone, sex was one thing, a fun release but sleeping seemed more intimate. It made it harder when the fun was over and the thrill of being with the exotic Qunari wore off. As he lay there though next to Coralia's soft form curled against him he drifted off.
Bull didn't know how long he had been asleep but he awoke alert. Something had triggered his senses. He laid there still scanning the room for an intruder, a door ajar, or things being out of place but nothing seemed changed. It was still dark through the glass doors with the hearths fire burning low giving the faintest illumination to the room. Bull was about to get up and dress when Coralia stirred at his side, whimpering. Unlike earlier she now faced away from him curled up in a ball. Bull sat up in bed leaning over her. She cried out again in her sleep, this time uttering only the word "No," over and over, slurred with sleep. He never heard her make such helpless sounds before, so vulnerable and afraid. Her body twitched and shook in spasms. Bull placed his hand gently over her should to soother her but she woke up, frozen under his touch, only her eyes scanning her surroundings similar to his own reaction of being unknowingly woken up.
"Sorry, you seemed distressed." Bull said. Coralia slid out from under his hand to sit up in bed, with her legs bent up she rested her elbows to her knees, bring her hands back behind her neck squeezing at tension.
"I'm sorry I must have woken you" she replied. Bull stayed still waiting for her to say more but she sat in silence.
"Want to talk about it?" She asked.
"No." His answer came quick and sharp. Bull sat for a moment longer pounding pushing the subject but decided it wasn't his place. She was the Boss if he tried to push it, it could disrupt the working relationship. Long ago he learned that it could be dangerous fighting along side someone who was mad at you. He slid out of bed without a word and started to gather his things thinking to himself how he knew better than to have fallen asleep.
A soft sob came from behind him. Bull turned, Coralia hadn't moved, her head hung down spilling her hair around her face covering it from a side view. She stayed still as a statue the light of the embers giving her skin and hair highlights of orange. Bull walked around to the side of the bed she was on, the buckle of his pants lay loose at his waist making a loud chime as he walked through the room. He sat down at her feet tilting his head down enough to see her face through the strands of hair. Several wet streaks slithered down the top of her cheeks before falling into the blanket that still covered the front of her. A moment of disbelief caught him giving him pause. First her strange behavior to and from Orlais now this, he had never seen her shed a single tear even through some of the worst atrocities happening in Thedas.
He reached his hand behind her, placing it on top of hers and pulled if off her neck, then lifted her chin in the other. She resisted only slightly, more of a hesitation before showing her face. Coralia didn't look at him as he brushed at the tears with his knuckles. He didn't like tears, they were weak and useless yet this bothered him not for being weak. He knew this woman, watched her for months now proving herself time and again as anything but weak.
"You know you go around interrogating everyone you see about their lives like your collecting secrets. Yet you have never told anyone any of yours. It hardly seems fair. "He tried for a joke but she didn't budge, not even her normal upturned curl to her lips showed.
She whispered when she spoke, voice broken with the strain of holding back tears. "I'm afraid you would think less of me. I don't want this to end."
Bull was confused; everything had been casual so he didn't know what could have happened that would disrupt their arrangement. "No one has said Kato, so this does not have to end, but I cannot have you crying after wards either."
Coralia rolled her eyes and shook her head. "It's not like that. This doesn't have anything to do with you really."
"Well, I still cannot help you if you do not tell me what is wrong." Bull waited for her to say something and thought over his own words. Did he really want to know and be involved? This seemed like something a bit more personal than going out and bashing something with his hammer for her. But he felt it, somewhere along the line he started caring for her more then what he meant to. He had grown close to her and her pain hurt a part of him. He thought and couldn't have said when he started caring in this way, yet in this moment he cared for this woman a little deeper then what he was comfortable with and her stress was uncomfortable.
I have never talked to anyone about this, it's my shame." Coralias eyes finally rose to look at him. Her tears aggravated her eyes making them puffy. The dim light took away from their striking color of having a copper red outline that blended into an almost white center, he had never seen anything like them.
Well I don't have to make reports anymore so your secrets are safe." He made sure to wiggle his eye brows as he said it and finally earned himself a snicker from her.
Coralia sat up a little straighter and wiped at her face. "I don't know quite were to start, it's a long story."
Bull pulled his hands back form her to give her space. It was not always best to touch someone pressing difficult thoughts. "Well when did the dream take place?"
Coralia eyes strayed back down at her hands. "Child hood." A moment of pause came. "You asked me once how I seemed so comfortable with human culture being Dalish. It's because I didn't always live with the Dalish. I was born into a large clan that traveled mostly through Fereldon but Fereldon was unsafe. We were constantly attacked by humans, wild animals, and darkspawn. I was young but I can remember times when I would be hidden in a wagon hearing shouts and fighting all around. With every skirmish we lost people and the clan was scared. Our clan's keeper felt he needed to turn to drastic measures to keep us safe."
Coralia paused taking a deep breath, hands squeezing into fists again and again, like she was tensing up as she did sometimes before battle. "He turned to blood magic, I am not sure on the how but with one's life he was protecting the many. So he started taking willing sacrifices from the elderly and sick. People who were willing to do anything to protect the clan and it worked. The attacks did slow but magic always fades and eventually the attacks would increase and another sacrifice would need to be made. Eventually the seeker realized the spell wasn't working to its full extent. The blood of the old and sick were not strong enough to endure for long. The keeper needed a vibrant death, one youth could prolong the spell and would mean less sacrifices over all. It was my parents who accepted the honor of their child being chosen for such a vital role to the clan."
Bull watched in silence as she spoke everything in her posture showed hurt, he couldn't imagine being sacrificed to a mage as a child by those who were suppose to protect you. He never had parents but even the Qun children were protected, they were the future.
"I should have been proud of being chosen, I should have found comfort in the fact that the gods would look upon me with favor. Yet I couldn't, I was terrified."
"Well yeah, you were a kid. How long ago was this?" Bull asked finding it hard to keep disgust from his voice, not to her, but towards the mage.
"I was seven." She paused; eyes staring off crossed the room to the pit of embers. "The night before the ceremony I had been prepared. Normally your tattoos are not presented till your tenth year when you take a role with the clan but to honor my sacrifice they bestowed them early so that the gods would welcome me. That was painful in its self adding to my fear. That night I was presented to the keeper in ceremonial gown and told goodbye from my parents. I was supposed to rest in peace to steady myself for the next day. I couldn't sleep, only lay staring at the sky afraid of what was coming. I guess I had seemed calm enough on the outside that no one really watched over me in the night but the nerves had been continuously building till finally I ran. It was no real conscious decision. I was moving before I realized what I was doing and in no particular direction; through the woods scraping myself against the brush, falling over roots, sinking in mud. It was no matter I just kept moving forward afraid that I would stop and the keeper would be behind me.
It was morning when I found myself in a human village wondering the streets. It was earlier enough that not many people were out in the streets. I ended up in the lord of the village house. I had to have been a sight. A filth covered Dalish child strolling into a dining hall where the lord and lady were eating their morning meal. I thought for sure I would be screamed at when they saw me, chased off, but the village lord stood and offered me a seat.
Bull nodded "Good man," but as the words slipped out he regretted it. Coralia had to stop, shaking with silent sobs. Unsure but concerned Bull placed a hand over her knee running his thumb back and forth over the blanket.
"I told them everything that happened and they killed them. Slaughtered them as blood mages as far as I know no one was left from my clan. I was too young to understand what my actions in telling them would cause. I thought that they never found me but in time I realized what my actions had done." She spoke defensively trying to defend her actions.
Bull stroked the hair back from her face running his hand repeatedly through the strands. It was some time before she found her voice again, a little huskier but more void of feeling, like she had been drained of it.
"I spent the next nine years in the lord's care. He raised me as his own, he had two boys only a few years older than I, so I was able to be taught along side of them. It's where I learned my skill as a warrior. I thought I was happy there, most people never treated me differently." Another pause came as if she was deciding what to say next. "A few years after I was taken as the lady of the house died, claimed one winter by flu. The lord was never the same after that. He took solace in my presence and started passing the nights in my chambers."
Out of everything she was telling him this filled him with rage he could feel it feeding down his arms wanting to strike out at something. The images of her once being a child helpless and abused flashed through his mind and was too much. He steadied his voice before he spoke to not spill the anger out on her. "Coralia, what exactly were a few years?" He didn't want to know but felt like he needed to.
"I was ten, young and didn't know that it was wrong. It became normal. I thought he cared for me. For seven more years I lived in his home. It was never talked of or brought up during the day. I was his ward, an excellent student to the tutors, and to his sons disgust. At night I was his, I thought we were in love, and thought that I was above being just a knife ear.
One night after a particularly embarrassing display in the courtyard where I bested the lord's sons, two on one with sword and shield, they decided that I needed to be reminded of my place. It was late when they came into my room and tried to force themselves on me. I guess they didn't know how often their father came to my chambers. I'm sure they knew that he did though. As the lord pulled them off of me he asked them what they thought they were doing. The little one actually had the balls to ask his father why he was so upset, said that they weren't doing anything that he wasn't. I could see then that the lord was struck off guard by this. I really don't think he thought anyone knew.
For the next few weeks I was avoided by all of them. Till one night I was summoned out to the court yard. The lord waited there for me with a bag of my belongings and saddled horse with provisions. He told me that a Dalish clan had been sighted a day's ride south and I needed to go be with my people. I begged not to be sent away, even told him of my love for him. Only to be turned away in disgust. He said that I was a foolish child who he had catered to for too long and who's presence jeopardized his authority. He said either I left now or I would be sent off to an alienage.
Heart broken I left and found my way to the Dalish camp. Luckily they accepted me in. Though I never told them the truth of how I came to them. The story they got was that my clan had been small and was taken by sickness. To their knowledge I only stayed with the humans a few months. After that I was hateful and bitter for many years. I didn't know my place. Both the Dalish and humans betrayed me in my innocence. I taught myself to not get close to anyone, and to mask my feelings with a smile and quips, most people seem to respond better to those, while improving my skill as a fighter.
It's how I actually came to be at the Conclave. My last clan turned out to be rather peaceful and quiet but they never interacted with humans, staying as far away from settlements as possible. Being one of the few that had ever spent time with humans and could keep from being hostile plus ample with a blade the Keeper called on me to represent the Keeper and find out what was going on. I didn't want to be there I had no interest in a damn human mage war it's the last place I wanted to be. "
She paused taking a deep breath, calming herself. "I am sorry, I thought I was over all this, but two weeks ago that lord from my youth showed up amongst an outrage representing Fereldon to strengthen our alliance."
"That's why we went to Orlais for a supply run?" Bull asked
"Yes, I was not comfortable with him being here to start with but then he over stepped his bounds and I had to leave or else I would have jeopardized Josephine's progress."
Bull interrupted he couldn't help it. "Did he touch you?"
Coralia let out a dry laugh. "No, he's not that stupid but it was even more insulting to me. He offered an alliance of marriage. Said that with a Fereldon lord as a husband Queen Anora's favor would greatly approve of the Inquisition. It seems I wasn't good enough as a simple Dalish elf but as the Inquisitor, well I'm worthy of him." The last was said with bitter words. Bull understood a lot more about her now. It never made sense how a simple Dalish elf could integrate into the human culture let alone earning control of the Inquisition. He had always known the Dalish to be too hot tempered and defensive to work well at a diplomatic level.
"I must seem a disappointment; the Inquisitor should be above having break downs over issues decades old." Coralia kept her eyes anywhere but on him. Bull stood up from the bed and slid his pants back off, leaving his under cloth on this time. Turning back to Coralia, she was finally looking at him again. Bull leaned down and picked her up in his arms cradling her to his chest. She weighed nothing to him without her armor on. Balancing her in one arm Bull crawled into bed propping his back up against the pillows and headboard then covered them with the blanket once more. He held her tight to his chest running his hands innocently over her back and side.
"I don't think any less of you." Bull rested his chin against the top of her head speaking low. "We all came into this Inquisition with histories of our own. What you have been through has helped you make some pretty tough choices so far. It's probably best though that I didn't know this earlier. I would have ran this lord through had I known. I won't have anyone mistreat what is mine."
Coralia gave a chuckle and then Bull felt her relax against him. "He probably deserves it."
"Yes, he does." Bull hugged her to him. "Sleep, we have a few more hours till someone will likely call on you for your opinions."
Coralia gave a thank you then fell silent. Bull held her to him feeling as if there was someone different in his arms. Before she was just the Boss but now she felt more whole as a person, not just a figure. He liked this new person even knowing that a small part of him dreaded the day she may say kato. And yes he would kill this "lord" if he ever came to Skyhold again.