Cassandra climbed the stairs, pausing at each step to summon up her courage. How could it be so elusive now? Finally, she reached the top of the tower, where Leliana was reading a dispatch. She stood, shifting her weight from one foot to another, and finally spoke. "Ah… Leliana, can I ask you a question?"
"Certainly," Leliana answered absently, still absorbed in the document.
"It's... I'm... I was wondering what one might do in bed with, um, other women."
Leliana dropped the dispatch and raised her gaze to Cassandra, nostrils flaring. "What have you heard?"
"What? Nothing! I just thought... in your past... and I was thinking about... possibly..."
Leliana smiled knowingly. "Are you wondering about women in general, or one tall, horned Inquisitor in particular?"
Cassandra thanked the Maker that her complexion doesn't show a blush. "The, uh, latter." Why am I stammering? I don't stammer!
Leliana grinned. "I had the impression that you had let her down gently. In fact..." Her expression grew more serious. "I believe that she's with Sera now. She was running around recently, asking everyone for gift ideas. She didn't have the sense to ask me, though. I'm truly sorry, Cassandra, but you may have missed your chance."
Cassandra opened her mouth to explain, but managed only a sort of strangled noise.
Leliana looked at her face for a moment and then laughed. "Oho! I should have paid attention to your wording. You asked about 'other women,' not about 'another woman.' Cassandra, I didn't know you had it in you!"
"Please," Cassandra said, "I am quite embarrassed enough about this ridiculous notion. If you laugh any more, I may leap through that window."
"Yes, of course, I'm sorry," said Leliana, just a little too brightly. She did not quite succeed in hiding her gleeful smile behind her hand. Cassandra thought it was good to see the delight in Leliana's eyes. It had been a rare sight since the Conclave.
"I thought that you were… well read in these matters," Leliana added. "Nothing in your books is helpful to you?"
Cassandra started worrying that her face might actually burst into flame. "They don't tend to deal with this kind of, um, grouping."
"I'm sorry, Cassandra, but I'm really not sure that my experience is relevant enough to your situation," Leliana said, more merriment than sorrow in her tone. "I know! We should go talk to Josephine. I think that she'll be more help to you."
Cassandra gave an appalled sigh, but followed Leliana down the stairs.
Fortunately, Josephine was at her desk and not meeting with any nobles or, Maker forbid, Revered Mothers. "Josephine!" Leliana declared gleefully, as Cassandra hurriedly shut the door behind them. "Cassandra has questions about what three women might do in bed together!"
Josephine's eyes widened as she looked over Leliana and Cassandra. Cassandra fixed her gaze firmly on the floor in front of her. "I'm certainly flattered," Josephine said slowly. "But I think that our working relationship..."
Lelaina waved a hand. "Oh, no, Josephine. Not you and me! Cassandra wants to crash the Inquisitor's party!"
This was the worst idea I have ever had, Cassandra thought
Josephine's jaw dropped. If Cassandra had been less mortified, she would have enjoyed watching the polished diplomat's moment of complete discomfiture. "I... thought you weren't interested in women, Cassandra. I had heard that you told Alya so, in fact."
"I thought so too," Cassandra gritted out. "And clearly I need to find a more private place to have my private conversations."
"I don't want this situation to cause you pain," Josephine said, her tone radiating concern but her eyes looking suspiciously like Leliana's. "Have the parties involved given you any indications that your attentions would be, ah, welcome?"
"Yes. They have. And if you ask me for details, I'm going to run away from here and become a shepherd."
"Well," Josephine said, clearly relishing each word, "I can certainly tell you about some things that were rather popular in Val Royeaux..."
The door flew open and Cullen burst into the room. "I saw you talking through the windows," he declared, slightly out of breath. "Did I forget a meeting? Does the Inquisitor require some service from us? My soldiers stand ready to assist."
Leliana and Josephine spoke at once. Leliana said, "Only from one of us, I think," while Josephine said, "They'd stand even readier if they knew the details." The two women dissolved into giggles, and Cassandra was appalled to hear a treacherous laugh escape her own lips.
"Did... did I miss something?" Cullen asked.
Cassandra prayed fervently. Maker, don't let him ever find out what.