Ma vhatever

The Inquisitor sat in her throne, face propped on her right hand, and listened to the current, world changing matters that required Her Worship's attention when she wasn't outside fighting remaining Red Templars or the troops of the Venatori.

"And that, your worship, is why it is of utmost importance that you send troops to guard our caravans." the Orlesian merchant said, bowing flourishingly as if it would help his bid, his garish outfit offending her senses every time she looked at it. That alone made her want to just say yes and send him on his way.

His caravans consisted of fine Orlesian cheese, tasting of hope and prosperity if his words were to be believed, which must be one of these things that she would probably never understand. Sighing she pinched the bridge of her nose, looked at Josephine standing by her side. She had brought this matter to her attention because the man was well connected. Connections that the Inquisition could use in their endeavour to get closer to Empress Celine and stop Corypheus' plan.

"Give this man what he needs." she said to her ambassador.

"Yes, Inquisitor." Josephine said and turned to the merchant. "I will make all the arrangements with the commander. It's also starting to get late and I'm sure the Inquisitor wants some rest, so please let me show you to the guest rooms."

"Yes, please do," the man said and bowed a second time. "And thank you, your worship."

The Inquisitor watched them leave and slumped back into her throne, paying the soldiers by her side no mind and closed her eyes. Not six months ago she would have never imagined that she would one day command an entire organization and try to save the world from destruction. Back then she was simply Arlynn Lavellan, not Your Worship, Inquisitor or Herald of Andraste.

Opening her eyes she got to her feet and contemplated if she should go to the tavern, maybe have a little contest with Bull or listen to one of Varric's stories, but ultimately decided against it and headed towards her chambers, wishing the soldiers a good night as she left.

As she climbed the stairs she ran a hand through her short, red hair and had to think back on how she had worn it long in the past but when Keeper Istimaethoriel had send her to spy on the conclave she had cut it short to better wear the helmet coming with those mercenary clothes to better blend in and hide her Vallaslin. Not that it had done anything in the end.

Still she got used to it being short and had since then kept it that way. She had got used to a lot of things over the months she was with the Inquisition. Like a certain elven girl that was currently busy cutting something into the wooden door that lead to her room and didn't seem to have realized that she was standing right behind her.

"Ahem!" Arlynn coughed into her fist and made Sera jump, dropping the knife she was using on the floor as. Turning around the rogue quickly kicked the knife to the side where it tumbled down past the stairs and it clattered to the ground.

"Hey, Shiny!" she greeted her brightly using her (second) nickname, ignoring the whole knife business and leaning against the spot on her door where she had been cutting.

"Hey...What are you doing?" Arlynn asked.

"I'm waiting for you?"

"Right, I can see that." the Dalish elf said and looked down to where the knife fell. "And what did you do to my door while eagerly waiting for me?"

"Uh.."

"'Uh'? I see." the Inquisitor said and pushed Sera to the side, who was luckily to busy to think of what to say to fight back, and blinked when she saw just what the rogue had done. "Oh Sera..." she said and didn't know if she should smile or be annoyed. On the door she saw the form of a heart cut out and inside it the name Sera as well as her own name, albeit not fully finished. "That's...sweet I guess? Very...you."

"You weren't supposed to see it 'til it's finished." Sera said and laughed a little.

That too was something she wouldn't have thought six months ago. In fact she would have laughed in anyone's face told her that she would fall into bed with another elven girl who was as non-elven as she could get with pointy ears. It just showed how much had changed.

When she first joined the Inquisition she had mostly kept to herself apart from sometimes talking with Solas since they were both apostates, but after a small argument on the nature of the dalish she had stomped off and avoided him for a time. She was also rather harsh to the people who had called her the Herald of Andraste, Cassandra especially, for which she was sorry now. And when she had met Sera for the first time she all but got into her face when she mouthed her off about being too elfy.

It was only after the Iron Bull had joined them with his Chargers that she began opening up, if only because he forced her to get into the tavern at night to drink and have fun with them. It had taken a few drinks and one particular funny story from Varric to have her laugh for the first time in weeks. After that she apologized to anyone she offended. She also had talked to Minaeve and it was honestly eye opening when she learned that the mage apprentice had been born dalish but had been cast out from her clan.

She started to understand what Solas had meant when he talked about the dalish as a whole.

"You alright?" Sera's voice brought her back to the present. "You kinda spaced out there."

"I think I'm just tired."

"Oh." a look of disappointment crossed the other elf's face.

Arlynn smiled and brushed a hand across the rogue's shoulder. "I'm never too tired for that though." She didn't let the other girl answer as she pulled her into a deep kiss.

The dalish elf lied on her back, eyes closed, her legs intertwined with her lover's. She didn't flinch when she felt fingertips brush across her face, tracing the pattern of her Vallaslin.

"Did it hurt?"

"I thought you weren't interest in elfy things." she said in an amused tone.

"I'm not, I'm just asking if it hurt. It looks like it must've hurt."

Opening her eyes she looked deeply into Sera's. "Hurt like a bitch."

This made Sera laugh that annoyingly sweet laugh of hers. Arlynn waited until she was finished before she continued. "I was gritting my teeth the whole time, I think I almost cried too, but I kept it in because this," she pointed to her face "Was what would mark me as an adult of the clan. Also if it was not finished that day it would be postponed until later, and having only part of my face done would have looked incredibly dumb."

"Wait wait!" Sera said and sat up, giving Arlynn a nice view from where she was lying. "A tattoo makes you an adult?"

"Yes."

"That's weird. Elfy elves are weird."

"So you have told me a few times." Arlynn pushed herself up and started to plant light kisses onto the other elf's shoulder. "Actually you called me weird too a few times."

"Well it's because it's true. But you're a good weird. Also you got better on being too elfy." Sera said and circled her arms around her.

Did I now? Arlynn wondered and stopped what she was doing. She sighed again. She did that way too much these days.

"What's wrong?"

"You know you told me things about you, but I never got to tell you about me. Would you like to know? I'm warning you, it might be a bit too elfy for you."

Sera didn't say anything for a moment. "Sure, go ahead." she said like it was nothing, but it meant a lot to her that she wanted to listen.

"My early childhood was nothing special. Learning the history of ancient Arlathan or the fall of the Dales, being taught how to ride Halla's and how to be a hunter until, well, this happened." she snapped her fingers, lighting the candles on her desk with magic. She chuckled. "I was playing with a friend. She had gotten a mirror from one of the human traders that sometimes passed through our territory and we were making faces. I must have moved my hands in exactly the right manner because before I knew it I was casting a spell that hit me right in the face. You see my eyes were brown once."

Sera looked Arlynn in the eyes, shining a bright green, brighter than naturally possible.

"After that our Keeper took me under her wings, taught me the magic of our people and groomed me to take over her duties when the time came. But being the First to a Keeper is a solitary life. I had no time to be with my friends any more. I couldn't even go on the hunt with them. Years passed and I watched my friends grow up, become hunters, start families of their own. Then came the day I was send to spy on the conclave and I became the Herald, and everything changed. I don't think I can ever be the same as I used to be, so many things have made me question what I once knew. My culture, my faith. And I don't even mind it all, because here I'm more free than I could have ever been back home."

"That's good, innit?"

Arlynn chuckled and kissed her. "Yeah it is. Thank you for listening ma vhenan."

"Ma-what?"

"Ma vhenan. That's elven. That's what I'm calling you from now on. It's only fair with that nickname you gave me."

"Sure fine. Call me ma vhatever all you like."

"Ma vhenan." she corrected her with a smile. My heart.

"Yeah, what I said."

"Mhm." Arlynn hummed and started to again plant kissed along her shoulder to her collarbone. With a mischievous grin she placed a hand on Sera's behind and send a little bit of magic across her palm, making the other girl jump a little and gasp out.

"What the hell was that!?" Sera asked.

"Oh didn't you know? There's a lot of things you can use magic for. Want me to show you?"

They looked at one another until a grin formed on the city elf's lips. "Bring it." she said, pressed the Inquisitor against the mattress and captured her lips with her own.

Just a little something I wanted to write after having played Dragon Age: Inquisition for the past few days and I just gained an immense fondness for Sera, who is also really weird. It's also not beta'd so it's probably full of errors.

Regardless I hope you enjoy this little something. :)