With knowledge comes wisdom and...oh shut it, you!
by
Silver-Eyed Rukia
Rated: T
Summary: There is always room to expand your knowledge of things, but you have to be willing to do so. And everyone knows that Sera hates learning. But maybe she just needs the right encouragement...
Pairing: Adaar x Sera; Adaar x Josephine friendship
Note: This isn't beta-ed, so please ignore any mistakes. Or point them out and correct me, whatever you prefer.
Understanding is the first step to acceptance, and only with acceptance can there be recovery.
J. K. Rowling
If there was one thing the young Antivan woman was used to, then it was working diligently despite all interruptions or disturbances. But even she had a limit, and that limit had been reached as the 5th person in less than thirty minutes passed through her study without any form of greeting or even purpose, it seemed. Josephine stood from her chair abruptly, sending it screeching over the floor at the sudden motion and successfully captured the intruder's attention.
"Lady Montilyet, is something the matter?", the strong voice of the seeker asked as she eyed the ambassador with mild confusion, not having seen her this upset in a while.
"Indeed there is, Cassandra. Negotiating peace and support among the nobility of Thedas is not an easy task and constant interruptions are certainly not helping the matter. I would be willing to overlook the intrusion if the people at least had the very decency to knock or maybe just exchange a simple greeting but no, apparently even that is too much to ask."
Josephine now stood in front of the rather delicate-looking, for a soldier at least, yet still impressive woman of the Pentaghast bloodline, eyes narrowed in barely restrained anger at the rudeness of her action. Cassandra was impressed at the authority the Antivan woman possesed and bowed her head slightly, motioning for her to join her in front of the fireplace inside the study.
"You have my apologies, Josephine. It has been a rough time ever since the incidents in Halamshiral and everyone is still on edge about Corypheus's next move. We all have important matters to attend to that the Inquisitor has to approve of before we can finish them, and this is where our problem starts."
The seeker turned around to fully face the ravenhead, face unreadable but eyes filled with worry.
"No one has seen her since last night and we have been unable to locate her whereabouts. I would not worry if not for the fact that the Game took a toll on her, seeing that she does sometimes disappear to either train or do Maker knows what with that elf, Sera."
The last part sounded harsher than intended and Cassandra sighed at the somewhat scolding look she received at her words.
"In any case, this is the reason why more people than usual have been passing through the halls. The ones with urgent matters that need attention anyways. We are looking for her."
Josephine frowned and stared at the crackling flames inside the fireplace, thoughts tumbling over each other at the newly received information. The last time they had been unable to find the Inquisitor, or Herald at the time, was after the battle at Haven. And when they did find her she had nearly frozen to death, her unbreakable will being the only thing giving her enough strength to fight through the snowstorm after narrowly escaping getting crushed by a landslide.
"Judging from your obvious dislike of the Inquistor's personal preferences", the ambassador started, gaze returning to the seeker, "I assume that you have both checked her usual training spots as well as having spoken to Sera?"
"The former yes, the later...", Cassandra trailed off and drew yet another sigh from the woman in front of her. "I would prefer it if you could attend to the matter yourself. You are certainly better at talking than I will ever be, especially concerning such special cases." And with that she excused herself, leaving Josephine to wonder if Cassandra would ever to be able to change her straightforward view on things, as much as it was useful in battle it was less successful in conversations.
She fixed her chair and organized some of her papers before heading out towards the tavern, silently wondering when she had visited it the last time. A sudden smile sprung to her face as she remembered the gang's night of drinks and Wicked Grace where she had seen everyone letting go of their ranks and titles to have some simple fun with their friends. Not to mention her yet unbroken streak of wins that had earned her more sovereigns than she could spend in a week.
Josephine politely greeted the ever present Scout Harding in front of the tavern as she approached the entrance, enjoying the carefree mood that was almost tangible in the air. The Iron Bull was sitting at the bar with his men, Krem to his right, pints in hand and eager to prove yet again who was better at downing the swill that the bartender sold as ale. It always felt like a pissing match between the Bull and his second-in-command and the young man had won the last time they decided to be at each other's throats again.
Maryden's lovely voice rang through the room as she started playing "Emprise du Lion", a piece that the Antivan woman herself greatly enjoyed due to her rather close ties towards Orlais. The music alone sounded very serene but the lyrics were what really enchanted her and made her wonder if she could bring her work into the tavern if only to listen to the minstrel sing.
Ascending the stairs while listening to the song play Josephine's thoughts returned to the matter at hand and she found herself standing in front of a closed door to Sera's room, somewhat confused because usually the door was rarely ever closed. If it was the elf wasn't able to pick up as much gossip that she could use to further spread her mischief around Skyhold and that was something she loved doing.
Shrugging off the feeling of puzzlement she merely knocked at the door and waited. And waited.
"Sera? If you are there I would wish to talk to you."
"No, go away."
The ruffling of paper nearly escaped her ears due to the commotion from below them but she picked it up and blinked, ignoring the negative response and opening the door anyways.
"It will only be for a min-", Josephine cut herself off at the sight that greeted her upon entering. Books upon books, riddled with random pieces of paper were stacked dwarf-high on the table and windowsills, most of them with unlabeled spines but the ones that were labeled read titles like "Tal-Vashoth and Vashoth – The real differences", "Ways of the Qun, from an outsider's perspective" and "The revealing way of sexuality – the Qunari ".
"Hey, who taught you manners? You don't enter a person's bloody room if they tell you not to. Not that I don't that but this is not about me! So Miss Fancy-pants, what's your deal?", Sera somewhat angrily asked as she tried to shield her research from Josephines prying eyes. The toned woman snapped out of her from surprise born daze and quickly cleared her throat, returning her gaze towards the blonde elf in front of her.
"Excuse my rather rude entrance, but I am looking for the Inquisitor and thought that maybe you knew were she was or maybe where to look for her?"
"So you lot finally annoyed her so much that she left, hm? You know, she may be mine but I don't own her so no, I do not know where she is. Not too far though. I'd notice." Sera plopped down in her chair and stared at the book that lay open on the table in front of her, seemingly frustrated at the information it held. "It may escape your awareness at times but she's a person, like everyone else. Even Herald's need a break from being divine and all that."
"I see. Well then, I shall take my leave, and thank you for your help nonetheless." Eyeing the same book that the archer was looking at Josephine bent down and whispered something into Sera's ear that made her eyes widen and her frown turn into a grin.
"Really? Didn't know that. Huh. Thanks. For the offer too. Not so much for bursting into my room. And people say I don't have manners. Stupid bunch of arse-lickers."
The ambassador left without another word and silently closed the door behind her, smiling at the eagerness from the elf to please her love. How could she not offer assistance at reading and interpreting the research material if she had such honest intentions? Even though she would probably regret it later on, because it meant actually sitting down and trying to teach Sera new things. 'Maker give me strength.'
Most of the rooms in Skyhold were used for various things, from training, cooking and sleeping to secretive meetings between soldiers for a bit alone-time, but some were still as abandoned as before the Inquisitor and her forces arrived at the fortress. Josephine had already made an effort to have most of those unused rooms cleaned and repaired, but with the current war going on they rarely ever had time to spend on such trivial matters. And thus you could find empty rooms here and there to hide in if you just wanted to be alone for a while, to escape the everyday trials.
One such room nearly escaped her sight as the door was somewhat hidden behind a wall, but something caught her attention and she closed the distance between herself and her destination, noticing the door being slightly ajar, as if to tell passer-bys that someone was indeed in there. Or maybe to hear what was going on outside? Whatever it was, when the ambassador peeked inside she let out a silent sigh of relief upon seeing the Qunari sitting in the somewhat small chair for someone her size, book in one hand and head resting against the fist of the other. Of course no one had thought about checking in the old, spiderweb-ridden library. Granted, it was rather small and hidden from straight view, a perfect place to reside in if someone did not wish to be found.
"You can come in if you have something to ask me", the ever strong voice called out and Josephine entered, noticing that despite somehow detecting her presence, the Inquisitor had yet to look up from her book as if its contents were so captivating that she could simply not tear her eyes away from them.
An empty plate and a half-full bottle were standing atop a nearby table, proof that the Inquisitor had been in the library ever since she had been "missing".
"Excuse me your Worship, but Skyhold has been in turmoil because of your absence and I would have gone mad if one more person had stridden through my study in search of you." The Antivan woman slowly made her way over to the warrior, careful not to get caught in any spiderwebs still decorating the shelves but she noticed that there were less of them since she last had been here. Maybe the Herald disliked small spiders as much as she did large ones, despite what she had told them after being in the Fade.
"You can tell them that I will be taking up my duties soon enough", Adaar replied, eyes yet again not adressing the ambassador, "but don't tell them where you found me. The library has become a much cherished refuge and I'd hate to be constantly bothered just because Cullen and Leliana can't decide, yet again, on the course of action we should take. Which is always the case."
Silence settled between them, not uncomfortable but still with a hint of strain, probably due to the unspoked question lingering in the air and before the opportunity passed the Qunari finally looked up, one long finger resting on the last phrase she had read.
"I can practically feel you staring, so what's on your mind?"
Cheeks turning pink in embarassment at being caught the Antivan woman missed her clipboard as it gave her something to do with her hands. As things were now she could only cross them behind her back, to at least regain some of her posture.
"I have always been curious about your intellect, my lady, as it is rare to find educated mercenaries, let alone Qunari- excuse me, Vashoths," she corrected herself at the raised eyebrow given to her by the tall woman, "and I simply couldn't tell where you gained your wisdom. A teacher perhaps? Self-study? And with what motivation?"
Adaar could feel her lips turn into a somewhat nostalgic smile at the memory of her mother teaching her the common tongue and how to not only speak but also read and write it. It had been books that had eventually sparked her interest in learning: stories about dragonslayers, about giants and knights, the woods and mountains outside of the Free Marches, all those things that were so mystical and foreign to herself that she wished to know more about them.
"Before my mother died she taught me your language and a very valuable lesson: "Understanding is the first step to acceptance, and only with acceptance can there be recovery." About a week later the Ben-Hassrath found us. My father, who had served in the Qunari military, died buying us time to flee. My mother, heartbroken at the loss of the love of her life, eventually succumbed to her grief and joined my father in whatever afterlife they believed in. Maybe they didn't believe at all. Dead Qunari are no longer thought of as beings, rather than things. Their swords are collected and that's about it."
She stopped for a moment to observe her friend's reaction and nearly had to bite down a laugh at the sad expression on her face.
"Don't worry, I do not feel pain upon remembering my parents, even if they were taken from me when I was still young. I remember who they were and how they lived rather then what they used to be under the Qun and how they died. It comforts me. I...doubt that I would be who I am otherwise. Rage tore me up inside after my mother's death. I wanted revenge for having my life taken from me for reasons I couldn't even understand. But then I remembered what my mother told me and eventually, throughout the years, I was able to let go and move on. Mind you, the hatred was good fuel for fighting. Made it easier to shut off my head and just act. Probably saved my life more than once."
The Vashoth looked at the candle on the table next to her, focusing on how the flame danced as her breath swayed it to and fro.
"Time between contracts was rough. Fighting was the only thing that kept me from thinking too much and so I had to look for something else to keep me busy. On one of our trips through a city to stock up on supplies I found a book I had loved as a kid. I purchased it and upon reading I remembered just how much I used to love it. It captivated me and distracted me enough from my thoughts where I wanted to march into Par Vollen and strike down whoever was responsible for the murder of my parents."
Josephine sat down on the table next to the horned woman and smiled at her, a humourous glint in her eyes.
"I think this is the most you have spoken in one go, are you sure you have enough words left to break off an argument between Cullen and Leliana?"
"I might just have to rely on your neverending supply of helpful advice, ambassador."
Merry laughter filled the small library and the diplomat bowed her head slightly, smile never wavering.
"Thank you, Inquisitor. It was a very insightful story and it did satisfy my curiosity concerning your rather tolerant knowledge about pretty much everything."
"It's Adaar, Josephine. Because no matter how many people I tell it to they refuse to call me by my actual name. Well, as much as a Vashoth can have an actual name." A short pause before she added another thought to her musings. "Even Sera only refers to me in nicknames now that I think about it."
"Yes, Lady Adaar. It may be because adressing you with your name would mean that you are an ordinary person, like everyone else. And the troops and the people have to believe that you are not, that you are indeed the Herald Andraste's, someone they can look up to. I agree with your parents choice of name though, "Weapon" does suit you."
"Heard me and Bull talking or where did you pick that up? And a sharp mind can be a weapon, too. I guess both meanings fit me then?"
A playful jab against her shoulder only made the taller woman grin wider as she stood from her chair, book all but forgotten as she placed it back onto the shelf. She blew out the candle and led her friend out of the dusty room, ready to return to her neverending duty of solving conflicts. The pair made their way through the kitchen, absorbed in conversation, when a sudden shout made the cook drop her knife and curse in her native elven language.
"You promised Sera to teach her something? I was gone for maybe half a day, not half year, how did that happen?"
"Well, if you want to make up for it, seeing that it should be your responsibility to teach her, why don't you teach me in return? I'd be rather eager to expand my knowledge of various languages and being able to speak Qunlat would be very beneficial if I ever have to negotiate with a Qunari. Most of them are not very good at speaking our language."
The sun shone down on them as they exited the kitchen and Adaar shook her head, laughing.
"Be ready to have your tongue in knots then, Lady Montilyet. It's certainly not easy to learn."
Silence fell upon Skyhold as the last hour of the day started ticking down. The guards were switching shifts and a few, last stragglers finished up their work before getting much deserved and needed rest.
Adaar left the War Room after everyone else had already departed and ran a hand over mohawk absently, taking a mental note to shave the sides of her head again as the hair already started growing back. She was exhausted and nearly regretted ever leaving for such a long period of time, not that half a day was particularly long, but apparently still long enough for matters to be piling up that she, of course, had to attend to. The great hall was nearly empty as she entered it, Varric being the only one still up, writing letters to his various contacts, or friends as he'd like to call them in Cassandra's presence if only to annoy her.
The Qunari turned left and started climbing the stairs up to her chambers, already unbuttoning her vest as she finally reached her destination. Her goal of having a quiet night was all but shattered as she laid eyes upon a certain blonde elf lying on her bed, stomach pressed against the mattress and legs kicking the air as she studied something that Adaar couldn't make out from her current position.
"I am currently debating if you are a blessing or a curse", she jokingly announced out loud to alert Sera to her presence and the archer responded by jumping to her feet in surprise, glaring at the horned woman in a very pouty way.
"Stop doing that, you! How can someone your size even sneak up like that? Seen Varric try, might as well throw a bucket down every step he takes though. And he's like, what, half your size?"
The rogue jumped off the bed and her glare turned into a smirk when she wrapped one arm around the taller woman's waist, using her other hand to trace the well-defined muscles adorning her lover's stomach.
"Spared me the work of having to unbutton it for you. Expected me or somethin'?"
The elf didn't wait for a reply as she stood on her toes to kiss Adaar, hand roaming further up her torso, fingers teasing the skin wherever they went. As the respone wasn't as intense as she expected she pulled back slightly, frown returning to her features.
"Is something wrong? Usually you're carrying me to bed right now and here you are, all tall and sexy and just...standing there."
The Vashoth shook her head before resting her forehead against Sera's for a few seconds, easing her worries at having done something incorrectly.
"No, love. I'm just exhausted and I don't want to tempt you only to not be able to give you what you want. Or need."
The elf hummed in thought before taking Adaar's hand, leading her towards the bed.
"Sera, I'm really not-".
"Shut it, yeah? Just, let me do this for you. Took me long enough to even find out what you people like."
The taller woman did as told and sat down, obeying as the archer motioned for her to take off her clothes and lie down. A very intoxicating scent entered her nose upon lying down and she was about to ask where it came from when the question was answered by Sera taking a bunch of scented candles out of a leather bag and placing them on the tables in the room, mainly the nightstand and the work desk, lighting them before returning to the bed.
"I'm not good at learning stuff so you better be grateful I'm doing this. Took me hours to find something easy to prepare that also didn't call for freakin' magic or something to get it done in time."
Adaar felt herself relax at the atmosphere her love had created, wondering about what was in those candles, but her musings were interrupted when the smaller woman starting carresing her skin with gentle kisses, an action so unlike her usual perky self.
"It's probably stupid but I thought that you just need to relax for once, right? Being the big hat and all that can't be easy with all these bloody problems piling up around you. So, you know, I did this. For you. Obviously. Damn this sounded better in my head, I-" Sera was interrupted by a long finger pressing against her lips, successfully silencing her.
"It's wonderful and much appreciated, Sera. Thank you."
Her cheeks flushed a light pink and Adaar was reminded of just how young the elf must be. It was easy to forget sometimes, with her being...well, they way she was. A loud prankster, skilled archer and important member of the Inquisition.
"Well, better don't get used to it. Tomorrow it's back to rolling around in the sheets until I make you purr. Or you making me purr. Or both. Yeah, I like both."
And with that the rest of the night was spent in silence, only broken by noises of kissing and loving, the pair all but lost to the world around them.
I swear, my mind is just coming up with all these ideas that I barely have time to write them all down. So here you have it, another story. And this time it's Adaar x Sera again. Some sweet fluffy things going on because I miss my love and need something cute to make up for it (She lives halfway across the world so yeah, not that you are interested in reading this x). It may be lacking in detail here and there but goddamn this is already twice as long I had planned it. There actually wasn't any Sera x Adaar going on in my original idea of the story but I just can't help it, they are too adorable to not include.
PS: Am I the only one wondering just how old Sera actually is? I mean, she tells you that when the Fifth Blight was going on in Ferelden she was so young that she still played with painted boxed and burried stuff she found. How old do you have to be for that? 6? 8? So she's now what, 16? 18? I mean, Cassandra's like 30 something. Probably damn near 40 if anyone has watched "Dawn of the Seeker". Any thoughts or suggestions? I'd gladly like to know what you guys think on the matter.
Phrase of the Day
Just one more moment, that's all that's needed. Like wounded soldiers, in need of feeling.
"I'd come for you" by Nickelback
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