They made a good team, the seeker and the rogue, at least on the battlefield. Cassandra would dart forward, bashing the closest enemy with her shield, which would then be immediately followed by a whirlwind of movement as daggers flashed and blood sprayed. She had never fought beside a duel wilding rogue before. Most of her battle partners had been other warriors, and on occasion, mages and sharp shooters who preferred to combat from a distance. The combination of bash and slash was deadly and efficient; it made the many battles easier to endure; easier to endure.
Away from battle however; it was a different story. The rogue infuriated her almost as bad as Varric, and that was saying something. It was hard to believe that Evelyn Trevelyan was of noble blood. She cared nothing for courtly etiquette, much to Josephine's eternal frustration. She also drank and cursed worse than a Ravinian pirate and was overly fond of playing harmless tricks; mostly stemming from the ludicrous suggestions made by Sera. All that, Cassandra could have ignored, but it was the shameless flirting that was over the top.
True, the tall redhead had never dared to flirt with her, but Cassandra had seen her fluster Dorian and Blackwall with her shameless banter. The conversations she got into with Iron Bull and Sera were unmentionable and disturbing. The Herald of Andraste was supposed to be chosen by the Maker; a holy symbol of righteousness not an unholy believer.
She had brought up her concerns once to Leliana, who just smiled faintly and jested, "It sounds as though you are jealous Cassandra." She had not found the statement funny and snorted in disgust.
"Never! It just distracts from our true purpose and the Inquisition does not need the type of rumors her actions are sure to spawn."
She watched as Leliana's lips twitched in reply, her voice as soft as a whisper, "Whatever you say Cassandra." She had watched the spymaster saunter away and sighed.; maybe she was being overly sensitive. Despite the Herald's boisterous ways, there had not been any incidents; at least she knew how to be discreet in some aspects.
Cassandra was startled from her training when she realized that she was not alone. She stilled her sword and turned to find the Herald standing just a few feet away from her. She bowed her head slightly and frowned, "What can I do for you Inquisitor?"
Evelyn eyed the tall brooding woman, her lips twitching into a crooked smile; if only the seeker knew what ideas that question provoked. On second thought it was probably for the best that she didn't since she was currently holding a sharp weapon. Evelyn nodded at the hacked away parts of the wooden target, "You're doing I suppose?"
Cassandra looked back at the target and shrugged, "I find it easier to focus my thoughts when I train." She watched the rogue slowly circle the wooden dummy, running her fingertips alone the scarred wood before looking back in her direction; "Your mind must never rest then Lady Pentaghast."
Cassandra stiffened at the formal title and frowned slightly, "I would prefer you not call me that Inquisitor."
Evelyn stared into sharp hazel eyes and raised an eyebrow, "Why not? You're Navarran royalty are you not? Shouldn't such a position garner a better title than "Seeker"?
Cassandra sighed and for, not the first time, wished she had left her distinctive last name back in Nevarra with the rest of her family. She glared at the woman who was invading her space, "I am 78th in line for a throne that I will never see; I would hardly call that royalty." She shook her sword arm as she squared back up to the training dummy. "Now, that you've had your fun, it's time I get back to work."
Trevelyan chuckled softly, "Not so fast, I had a reason for interrupting you this evening."
Cassandra lifted an eyebrow and glanced at the rogue, "Oh? And what reason might that be your worship?" She watched as the rogue's lips parted into an easy smile, her teeth glimmering in the moonlight.
"I came over to see if we could spar."
The raven-haired warrior looked the younger woman up and down. She was not dressed in any armor; in fact she did not even carry her weapons. Cassandra shook her head, "No. You are not dressed for the occasion and you do not have your weapon. Besides, I do not want to hurt you – you are too important for the cause and we can ill afford to have you injured."
The Herald of Andraste burst out laughing, "Who says I am the one that will be hurt? That's very presumptuous of you Seeker."
Cassandra scowled and looked into the dancing green eyes of the Inquisitor. "It is not a presumption, it is a fact."
Evelyn Trevelyan stared back, considering her last statement. She had secretly been harboring the most horrible of crushes on the stoic seeker, but several veiled inquiries into the Seeker's past had convinced her that it would not be wise to pursue it. So, in true childish fashion, she had made due with flirting with the rest of the team; knowing that it infuriated the warrior. Tonight, however, something had prodded her to seek the Navarran out. She was tired of pretending she wasn't attracted to the strength and faith of her most trusted battle companion.
Cassandra watched as the light green eyes darkened and a devilish smile twisted full lips. She watched, almost fascinated by the change in character, as dark lashes lowered slightly and the rich tone of her cultured voice almost purred, "Let us put this "fact" to a test then seeker."
Her guard went up at the flirtatious tone and she narrowed her eyes, her voice clipped as she inquired as to what sort of test the rogue had in mind. She immediately tightened her grip on her sword; although she would never dare strike the Herald, she knew the weapon would be a perfect tool of intimidation if the woman came any closer. She brandished the weapon threateningly as the rogue leapt back away from her; the teasing grin never once leaving her face.
"I propose a duel my dear Pentaghast."
The warrior stilled her hand, satisfied that the Herald was at a safe distance. A duel was still a spar, but a part of her itched to put the impetuous woman in her place. She huffed slightly, "Fine, have it your way Lady Trevelyan, but don't say I didn't warn you." Cassandra stepped back and brought her sword up to a ready position.
Evelyn admired the determination in the former right-hand of the Divine. She walked to the wall and picked up one of the bastard swords hanging on the wall. It wasn't as light as her daggers but she had no uncertainty she would be able to out maneuver the menacing warrior. She threw the sword in the air, letting it twirl quickly before reaching her hand out to catch the hilt; slashing from side to side. She squared off against the seeker, curious as to what the reaction would be to her next statement.
"Shouldn't there be terms if this is to be a proper dual Lady Pentaghast? I mean, if not then lets just call this a spar and be done with the formalities."
Cassandra bristled at the use of her name and narrowed her eyes, "When I win you will cease to call me by that name." She almost left it at that but then remembered her annoyance from earlier. "Oh, and you will stop this shameful flirting with the other members of our party. It is distracting them and could prove ruinous to the reputation of the Inquisition." She smirked, mentally patting herself on the back for killing two birds with one stone. She paused, waiting to see the Herald's reaction.
Evelyn raised an eyebrow at the terms laid out by the Seeker, and stifled a laugh as the confident way in which the terms had been delivered. She had baited her with the name-calling but she had not anticipated that her flirting would be called into question. The seeker could not have given her a better opening for her own terms.
She shrugged, "You demand much, but I can live with that if you can live with the terms I select." She watched as the seeker gave a curt nod. Evelyn cracked her neck and stretched her limbs slowly before facing the seeker again; she wanted to see the look on Cassandra's face when she dictated the terms of her victory.
" My terms are as such Lady Cassandra; if I land a single scratch before you even connect with my blade, then I win a kiss." She paused and thought to specify her terms before the seeker's sharp mind could find any loopholes. "A proper kiss my dear, not a peck on the cheek or a hard press of the lips; I want a real kiss from you."
She watched as outrage colored the beautiful woman's cheeks and smirked, "That is the only term I have for you. If you win I will stop the teasing and the flirting; and I will never again breathe the name Lady Pentaghast. These are fair no? For you it is a single kiss, one of the many I am sure a great beauty such as yourself, has given away in your lifetime. For me I am submitting myself to a lifetime of boredom and proper conversation. You drive a hard bargain, really."
Cassandra seethed at the rogue's trickery. How foolish she had been to think she had been spared the watchful gaze of so lustful a creature. Well, her plan would backfire. There was absolutely no way she was going to lose this dual. She growled as she re-took her fighting stance, "Fine Trevelyan, if this is the game you wish to play with me, then so be it."
She dashed forward with no warning, swinging her sword through the air, grunting in surprise as it cleaved into the ground. She barely stepped away to avoid the responding slash from the smirking woman. Cassandra turned on her heel and dashed again at the rogue, her frustration mounting as she narrowly missed again; her anger causing her to lose focus and yell, "Damn you fight!"
She felt the sting of the cut before she realized it was too late. She looked down at her hand and the thin line of blood that welled from the shallow cut. She stared in disbelief. There was no way she had lost, she couldn't have - although the proof of such was staring her in the face and dripping slowly to the ground. Rage flooded her system and she dove at the younger woman, driving her into the muddy ground.
Evelyn had not seen that coming and hit the ground hard, the tall Navarran pinning her arms above her head. She felt the hard muscled thigh between her legs and shuddered slightly as the aggression of battle melted into the hot pulse of desire. She looked up into the stormy face of the seeker and let out a light chuckle, "And here I though I was going to have to pester you for my kiss. My, my seeker, maybe you lost to me on purpose. If I had known you were so eager I wouldn't have waited."
Cassandra felt her cheeks burning when she realized the position they were in, but the rogue's words only incensed her further. She glared down at the cocky expression on the redhead's face, wanting nothing more than to knock her down a peg of two. Something in the light green eyes caught her eye. She had seen that look only a few times before; from Regalyan and recognized it as want.
So, this impish woman wanted her… well that was her first mistake. Cassandra had never felt any attraction to women before and was certain that would not change. Suddenly a new idea dawned on her; the perfect revenge for the game she had been tricked into playing. This Trevelyan wanted a kiss from her? Well, she would give her one that would make her burn for something she could never have.
Smirking now, Cassandra applied pressure from her thigh between the Inquisitors legs, watching as green eyes grew wide, before lowering her head and capturing the woman's pink lips. She was struck, momentarily, by how soft they felt, but banished the dangerous thought as she teased her tongue against the redhead's lips; not surprised when they opened for her. Cassandra slanted her mouth to the side as she slowly slid her tongue forward, enjoying the gasp of pleasure coming from the woman beneath her. She slowly stroked the Herald's tongue, teasing it into a slow, sensual battle for dominance. She abandoned her hold on the rogue's slim arms and gently cupped the woman's face. She felt slim hips rocking beneath her as long fingers fisted in her short hair. She felt her body rocked forward by the slim leg that lifted and wrapped around her thigh, pinning her in its embrace.
The world had stopped. There was no light, no sound, only the feel of the seeker's body against her own. Her body throbbed with every stroke of the woman's tongue and Evelyn knew she had lost the upper hand in this battle. She had never dreamed it would feel like this, or that the lips devouring hers would taste so sweet. She had not expected this; she had not been ready for such an assault. Maker help her; if she had known then she would never have goaded the beautiful warrior into this bet.
She gasped as the cool air of the night touched her bruised lips, her eyes shut tight as the seeker slowly kissed her way down Evelyn's jaw before teasing her earlobe into the suction of her mouth. She hissed the seeker's name as she arched up into the contact; a gasp of pleasure or a warning – even she was not sure which. All she knew was that she had lost control of the situation and she needed to get it back.
Cassandra nuzzled the soft flesh beneath her as she slid her lips down the smooth column of the Inquisitor's throat. She wasn't sure why she was continuing this farce but it felt strangely good to feel the touch of another person. She chalked it off to her being alone more often than not and the fact that Varric had just finished the latest chapter of his smutty serial was sure to be a mitigating factor. Revenge was indeed sweet. She was lost in thoughtful contemplation when suddenly the hand fisting in her hair yanked her face up. She had just enough time to mutter a silent curse as her lips were crushed against the redhead's.
Evelyn rolled the seeker. No small task considering the woman was about half a head taller and in partial armor. She reached behind the warrior; her fingers fumbling with the straps of the breastplate that had been digging into her chest as she sucked the Navarran's lower lip between her own. She felt exhilarated when the chunk of armor fell and immediately slid her hand over to cup one of the full breasts that were bound beneath.
Cassandra shuddered with a desire she was not prepared to deal with. She felt a shock go through her center as the rogue cupped her sensitive flesh and immediately she pulled back; horrified at how far she had allowed her "revenge" to progress in open view of whoever walked by the training yard. She sat up, almost caving in again as her lips were caught in a soft kiss. She shook her head as her face burned in shame. Quickly she stood, leaving both her sword and her breastplate (not to mention a flushed Inquisitor) behind. She almost raced to her room above the forge, desperate to put as much distance between herself and what had just happened.
Evelyn watched in a fog of lust as the seeker all but fled the scene. She almost laughed at the insanity that had just taken place but laughter was the furthest thing on her mind. She let go of a shaky sigh as she lay back in the cool grass and stared at the night sky. Never in a million years would she have dreamed up the events that had just played out. The passion in which the seeker had kissed her would be forever seared on her memory.
She closed her eyes and immediately was greeted with an image of sharp cheek-bones, olive skin and eyes dark that burned with a desire that she bet the seeker had not even known was there. Evelyn Trevelyan rolled to her side, her hand absently stroking the seeker's discarded breastplate. She knew she would not find sleep tonight and absently wondered if the seeker was feeling the same way.