Evelyn Trevelyan lowered her head, averting her own look from Josephine's hard glare as the ambassador fumed silently. The Inquisitor knew without a doubt that she had messed up, of course, but she hadn't quite expected her consular and lover to have quite this stark a reaction. Yelling she could deal with, but the stern gaze and obvious disappointment in her eyes was almost too much.

"We did kill it," Evid tried to rationalize, voice just above a whisper.

"Yes, you did," Josephine acquiesced in a dangerously low tone. "Without any proper clothing..."

"I was dressed!"

"I said proper clothing," Josephine snapped. "You were in the same thing you wore at Halamshiral! That isn't even armor!"

Evelyn blushed. "At least I was armed. Cassandra didn't once draw her sword or shield."

Josie sighed. Heavily. "So I heard. What did she do? Punch the dragon into submission?"

Evelyn shrugged. "I couldn't say. I was a bit preoccupied myself."

Josephine felt completely lost. On one side she was quite upset by the affair, but on the other it was an impressive feat and the Inquisitor HAD come out whole. "Where was Varric during all this?" the ambassador had to ask, cocking her head as she remembered the dwarf had been in Evelyn's so-called 'hunting party.' "Don't tell me he is already spouting takes of this calamity."

Evelyn's smile turned cheeky. "He actually kept passing out, as I recall. Though with him the threat still exists."

Just, Josephine groaned, what she needed. "Please no," she whispered. "It would be ruinous to your image as Andraste's Herald. I wonder that Solas didn't even stop you! Of all people, I would think he could speak reason."

"He was with us," Evid whispered, trying not to laugh. "Throwing flame magic at it."

Josephine paused. "He cast fire. At a dragon."

"That isn't always a bad idea," Trevelyan explained, "but in this case it very much was. I think he was making it angrier rather than helping."

"Most likely." Josephine rolled her shoulders, rubbing lightly at the bridge of her nose. "You fought a dragon. You were triumphant. Please ensure it does not become common knowledge that it was part of a drunken bender with your best friends."

"I'm sure Cassandra would be pleased to hear the fact she engaged in fisticuffs with a giant, fire-breathing lizard is not an official statement," she quipped. "It would kill her appointment as the Divine."

"Or aide it." As the two were speaking, Leliana entered with a chuckle. "It is good to see you well, Inquisitor, after your adventures."

Evelyn glared at the spymistress, nipping at her bottom lip a bit as Josephine scoffed. "Surely you're not implying that we should make the... manner of this victory public information? The scandal alone would..."

"Entertain and give pause. Drunken escapade aside, if the Inquisitor destroys dragons for fun, what might they imagine her capable of when she puts her mind to it?" Leliana noted. "I'm not suggesting we make this our official stance by any means, but allowing certain elements to hear of it would not be catastrophic. The rumor of it will serve as much as if we confirmed it- which we will not." The certainty in Leliana's voice, and the danger, made Evelyn nod as if her life depended on it.

Josephine sighed loudly. "I suppose then we shall have Master Tethras begin writing of the event. Do ensure he is flattering, since he will doubtless be unsure of the details."

"SOLAS is unsure of the details," Evelyn chuckled. "Varric was asleep. Well, mostly. He'll be clueless."

Josephine grumbled loudly, which Leliana took as her cue to leave. As she did, the Antivan threw herself into the Inquisitor's arms and flung her face into the other woman's chest. Evelyn stalled a moment before her hands lifted into her lover's hair, soothing gently as the woman trembled.

"Please don't ever scare me like that again," Josephine cried. "I don't think I can ever..."

Before the Antivan could continue, her chin was lifted and the Inquisitor's lips were crashing into her own. Shuddering, the shorter woman melted into the embrace and wrapped her arms around her lover's neck. They fell together to the couch, the cushions catching them as they slid to the seat. Moments later, Josephine pulled back and took a deep breath.

"Don't think this means you're forgiven."

Evelyn chuckled. "I wouldn't dream of it," she admitted. Then she leaned in again for another kiss, and when Josephine returned it with fervor she knew any argument was over.

At least until she went after the next dragon