[A/N: This is my first attempt at fanfiction. Since English is not even my mother tongue, I would really appreciate it if you would point out any mistake as well as suggest style corrections and the like. Feedback is very welcome. Enjoy!]
It fell short from outrageous.
Cassandra had caught no less than three furtive glances between the Inquisitor and the Knight Captain, and it had only been 15 minutes since the beginning of the strategic meeting that Lavellan had appointed. She looked across the war table for support, maybe a sign that someone else was seeing what she was seeing. Could her eyes be deceiving her? Had she been reading too many romance novels and now it was taking its toll?
Nobody else in the room seemed to notice anything out of the ordinary; Josephine was explaining her proposal on how to manage their newly reinforced relations with Orlais, while a frowning Leliana took notes every time she didn't look convinced with the ambassador's methods. Cassandra was betting that, as soon as the meeting was over, the spymaster would hasten back to the rookery and send some crows, Maker knows to whom. It was impossible to keep up to date with Leliana's machinations these days.
At the same time, Cullen seemed to be fascinated with something depicted on the world map that covered the table, coincidentally beside the Inquisitor's stretched hand. What he could possibly be seeing in the middle of the Hissing Wastes, the Seeker could not fathom. If this was effectively not the result of an overdose of cheap romantic fiction and what -she felt- seemed like obvious courting was real, she would need to have a long conversation regarding Cullen's position and duties, as well as the negative impact such a scandal could have on both the morale and the public image of the Inquisition.
The Inquisitor made a remark about one of the trading routes that Josephine had just suggested for future commerce (Cassandra quietly scolded herself for having been paying so little attention that she hadn't realized the change of subject), and this gave Lavellan a nice excuse to lightly brush the Knight Captain's hand. Cassandra had to make an effort not to roll her eyes. For the love of Andraste, did no one think about the consequences of their actions, if only because they were to represent one of the most important forces of the world? This she could expect from Varric, what with all the shameless flirting with either scout Harding or Bianca (that she knew of, and she had no wish to find out if there had been others). After all, the dwarf had to get all that cheap novel material from somewhere, and in any event, he wasn't one of the most prominent faces of the Inquisition, not to say one of the most morally dubious ones. But for someone of their importance to be involved in such questionable affairs, when the fate of all Thedas was hanging by a thread and people had no one else to turn to… Not that she was implying the two of them were already involved, but the signs had started to show, and there were so many reasons why it would be unconceivable, it just made her cringe with anxiety. We're at war, Maker's breath. Behave yourselves.
Right when she was sure she couldn't hold her exasperation any longer, Leliana asked a very distracted Cullen about his insight into the decisions that concerned the military forces under his care, to which he barely managed a rather vague response. The admonitory glance that the bard shot Cullen didn't escape the Seeker's eyes. Mildly pleased, she turned to look at her with complicity, to let her know she was also aware of the suspicious atmosphere, but again, she found nothing.
When the meeting finally concluded and they were dispatched (she saw Cullen leave the room reticently), she tried to catch Leliana and ask her opinion on the matter: if someone was guaranteed to have full knowledge about anything going on inside Skyhold, it was her. However, she was gone before she could even call her name —she certainly had the swiftness of a nightingale. Instead, she felt the Inquisitor's hand on her left shoulder, making it ultimately impossible for her to follow the spymaster. She let out an inaudible sigh and turned around to meet Lavellan's worried face.
"You look troubled, Cassandra. I trust everything is well?"
It only took her a second to fabricate an adequate response.
"Pay me no mind, Inquisitor. It's just that my efforts to chronicle everything that's happened since Adamant Fortress and the Winter Palace have been… all but fruitless lately, and it's costing me some of my resting time." This was a far better pretext than 'I've been giggling like an adolescent maid while staying up late to read Varric's latest smutty book', and she had unquestionably rather jump from the guard tower than have anyone find out. "Like I've told you before, I'm not as skilled as Varric may be when it comes to wordsmithing, but he cannot be trusted to truthfully pass down any historical events. That is, unless we all wish to be remembered as a colorful bunch of almighty radiant beings that fight giants and wyverns without breaking a sweat and hold bacchanals in their free time."
"Now that would be a dreamy setting", laughed Lavellan. "And let us not forget about being close friends with the Maker's bride! Anyway, I think it wouldn't hurt to ask for Varric's help, even if he needs to be under close surveillance."
Cassandra snorted, thinking about the conceited smile she'd have to bear if she were to admit that he was superior to her, even if only in the writing field.
"Has he, at least, stopped blatantly using every notorious Inquisition member as characters for his stories?" Lavellan asked, although she did not seem hopeful at all.
"I highly doubt that", answered the Seeker, annoyed at the thought of an alter ego of her doing certain… things that weren't so unusual in his novels, but yet absolutely uncalled for. "The Deep Roads will run out of darkspawn before he learns to respect people's privacy. Now, if that would be all…"
"I believe so. There is yet to discuss the matter of your and Leliana's presence being required by the Chantry, but we'll leave that task for another day. I would like you to reflect on that until then, however. But don't forget to get proper sleep. A tired warrior is no good for the Inquisition" She finished, her tone slightly tinted with concern. After that, the Inquisitor stepped aside and let her pass.
"If you need me, I'll be at the training grounds." Cassandra tallied with half a smile.
Then she headed… not to the training grounds.