The sound of someone clearing their throat made Asaaranda look up from her book, eyes opening wide in surprise. She had completely missed the knocks at her door, the footsteps on the stairs, and the soft, questioning words.

"Josephine!" she said, jumping to her feet hard enough to tip her chair. She grabbed it before it crashed to the floor and then quickly straightened, feeling heat rising in her cheeks. "I'm sorry, I didn't hear you."

"I noticed," the Antivan said with a hint of a smile. "May I?"

"Of course!" Asaaranda stepped out from behind her desk, motioning for Josephine to step further into the room. "I was reading about Orlesian food, trying to learn a little before I have to face the actual thing, right?" She smiled weakly, tucking her hands behind her back. Josephine stepped closer but kept a careful distance between them.

"I assure you, Inquisitor, the food is not the most terrifying thing in the empress' court," she said, her thoughts clearly elsewhere as she looked around the room. It was almost odd to see her without her usual board, papers, and pen. She didn't seem to know quite what to do with her hands.

"Right."

Josephine's eyes came to rest on Asaaranda's face. She took a deep breath and said, "I thought, perhaps, you might be feeling a bit… uneasy about your role at the Winter Palace. I wanted to see if there was anything I could do to help… put your mind at ease."

Asaara smiled. "Honestly, Josephine, I've mostly accepted the truth of the matter. I'm going to be awkward and foolish. How can I not?" She gestured vaguely at her height and her horns.

Of course, Josephine had no patience for self-deprecating humor. "Nonsense," she said, reaching out and resting a hand on Asaara's arm. Asaaranda felt her heart leap into her throat and swallowed hard to try and push it back where it belonged. "You are perfectly capable of making a good impression," Josephine continued. "You are kind, intelligent, gentle, lovely… Well." She looked down and let her hand fall back to her side.

"Thank you," Asaara said. "I… I do try and be as… um, diplomatic… as possible." She reached up and scratched at the base of one horn. "Unfortunately, I don't think many of the Orlesian nobles are going to be able to get past their first impression."

"They should!" Josephine said, eyes flashing. "They would be foolish not to!"

Again, Asaara smiled and said, "Thank you."

Josephine sighed, rubbing her hand across her forehead. "I'm sorry. It just… you are right. And knowing that they will think less of you, without even knowing you, it…" She sighed and threw her hands up, exasperation in every line of her body.

"It's okay, Josephine," Asaara said, holding her hands up. "I'm used to that. It's alright if they think I'm a menacing oxman. I can put up a strong front and be the intimidator, since I've got you to soothe ruffled feathers."

Josephine clucked her tongue against her teeth. "You are not menacing in the least."

Asaara tilted her head slightly. "But you don't argue that I'm intimidating?"

Josephine took a half step back, eyes widening slightly. "Oh, no, I didn't mean… Well, to be truthful, you are a bit… that is…"

Asaara laughed and patted Josephine's shoulder, thrilling at the chance to touch her casually. "It's okay, Josephine, I was just teasing you."

Josephine slouched slightly, as if deflating. "This is not why I came here," she said.

"Then why did you?"

Josephine looked up again and for a moment Asaaranda was entranced by her large brown eyes. There were glints of gold and amber in them and her lashes were so thick and curly. Her gaze drifted down to the other woman's lips, soft pink, full, slightly parted. Asaara took a breath and forced herself to look away, settling her eyes on Josephine's forehead so as not to be distracted.

"I was hoping I might… help you prepare. For the ball," Josephine said, shifting her weight slightly. "I thought… perhaps there were ways to add a touch of… femininity? Or softness. So you feel less like a hammer and more like a… woman."

Asaara raised her eyebrows. "You want to dress me up?"

"Perhaps not in so many words," Josephine drawled, her lips curving up. "But there are surely ways we can add some refined touches to your appearance…"

Asaara rocked back on her heels. "I don't wear makeup much, if that's what you mean. I'm afraid I'd rub it off. Or sweat it off, if I have to fight."

"But you wear that… that paint," Josephine said, motioning toward her face.

"The vitaar?" Asaara had to laugh. "That's not really makeup. It stays on a lot longer. And also, poisonous."

"Yes, but it is part of your armor, is it not?" Josephine raised an eyebrow. "It helps you?"

"Yyyyessss," Asaaranda frowned, not sure where this was going.

"And if you do have to fight, will you not miss having it?"

"Well, maybe but…"

"I am sure we can find a way to apply it that will look the same as more… traditional makeup would." Josephine's smile was slightly crooked, a hint of scheming in her eyes. Asaara hummed thoughtfully.

"That would be interesting," she said. "I suppose I could try something like that."

"Red lips," Josephine said. She took Asaara's arm and lead her to the couch, sitting down. "Your lips are so lovely, you should bring attention to them."

"Oh?" Asaara grinned and Josephine flushed, but stood her ground.

"Yes," she said firmly. "Perhaps a delicate pattern with a lighter color, across your forehead or cheekbones? Like wearing a mask, but with vitaar?"

Asaara considered that. "Vitaar isn't really something you put on delicately," she said, but the idea was suddenly appealing. Lace-like white lines across her face, a touch of femininity or even grace. She was smiling hard enough for her cheeks to hurt. "Can't hurt to try, anyway."

"And your horns," Josephine said, her confidence building. "I have seen others with little caps or chains. Like jewelry."

"Jewelry?" Asaara sat back. "I… I do like jewelry, but I thought it wasn't… that I wasn't really the sort of person who looks good with it."

"Nonsense!" Josephine cried, nudging Asaara's knee with her own. "If you want to wear jewelry, then do so! Gold? No, silver. Are your ears pierced?"

Asaara wrinkled her nose. "No. I watched my sister get hers pierced and she fainted."

Josephine flapped a dismissive hand. "Onyx earbobs, perhaps. Ooh…" Her gaze grew distant, mouth moving around silent words as she envisioned the possibilities. Asaara chuckled, shaking her head. Josephine was an all-or-nothing sort of person.

Asaara leaned forward and abruptly kissed Josephine, lips skimming lips so fast it was almost not a kiss at all. She sat back, stunned at herself, eyes opening wide. Josephine turned her head very slowly to look at Asaara, one hand reaching up to touch her lips. They goggled at one another for several seconds.

"Was that… okay?" Asaara breathed. Her palms were sweaty.

"That… yes. Yes!" Josephine blinked rapidly and lowered her hand, reaching out to grab both of Asaara's. "Yes, that was okay. It was lovely. I-"

Asaara leaned in to catch another kiss, longer this time but just as soft. It was Josephine who deepened it, one hand going up to curl at the base of Asaara's skull and pull her in. Lips moved and hands tightened, eyelashes fluttering as they kissed until they were both breathless. They sat back, too flustered to look at the other.

"Well." Josephine cleared her throat and raised a hand to pat her hair. "That was… that was very nice."

"Yes!" Asaara nodded quickly and squeezed Josephine's hand. "It was. I'm sorry, Josie, you were in the middle of planning."

Josephine glanced at her sidelong and smiled. "'Josie?'"

Asaara widened her eyes. "That's… that's what Leliana calls you and I… well, is it alright if I… do too?"

"Of course," Josephine's smile spread to a wide beam. "I would like you to."

"Then you have to call me Asaaranda, not Inquisitor," Asaara said, grinning right back. "Or Asaara, if that's too much of a mouthful."

"Asaaranda," Josephine said. In her mouth, the word seemed like something heavy and sweet, to be tasted and savored slowly. Asaara felt her skin prickle with goosebumps. "Asaaranda." The little flip of the "r" softened what Asaara considered to be a clumsy name. "What does it mean?"

"Asaaranda? It means thunderstorm," Asaara said, her voice soft and a little dazed.

Josephine smiled, her eyes bright as she met Asaara's gaze. "Asaaranda. Thunderstorm. It is beautiful."

Asaara felt her cheeks burning bright red. "Thank you, Josie."

Josephine bit her bottom lip and looked down, her cheeks flushed as well. Then she suddenly got to her feet. "Well! I… I should go make preparations and let you return to your book! How rude of me, taking up your free time!"

"Not at all!" Asaara cried, clamoring to her feet. "You can interrupt me anytime you want, Josephine."

"Josie," the shorter woman said, lowering her lashes. "Remember, Asaaranda?"

Asaara couldn't NOT smile when Josephine said her name like that. "Right. Josie." Josephine smothered a giggle behind a hand and turned before Asaara could claim her lips in another kiss. Asaara leaned against the stair railing, watching as Josephine fled the room, hand still pressed to lips. She sighed as the door swung shut and closed her eyes, remembering the feel of soft lips on hers. Then she went to find her vitaar. If she was going to wear it like they'd talked about, she better start practicing.