This is a scene based on a different Inquisitor – Rona Trevelyan – a female mage Inquisitor with a dirty mind and fighting style that isn't always on the up-and-up, even if she gets the job done! I imagine her as a spunky, sarcastic woman with a heart of gold that she guards carefully away. Now, the question is, who will win it from her? :P
Sera was tip-toeing about, looking for trouble. Usually, people let it come to them, but she liked to be proactive. She was just coming upon what she thought a rather good scheme – one of Vivienne's swanky nobletits was walking through the great hall within throwing distance of a pitch grenade - when Rona got back and beelined for where Sera was hiding.
"Her Gracious Ladybits," Sera murmured, stepping out of the shadows. Rona stopped walking and glared at her, unsurprised.
"No grenades, Sera, I mean it. I'm in a mood."
Sera crumpled her face with irritation, "Shit! Fine – suck all the fun out of the day, why don't you? Crap."
Then Sera remembered something; "Did you find them? The Wools Farters or whatever they are?"
"Bull's Chargers," Rona corrected automatically; she seemed unusually flush, and her right hand twitched with irritation. The Inquisitor did this whenever she wanted to get rid of something, but felt unable to; she often did it at cards when she had a bad hand. It was like she was reaching for her stave on an impulse, then kept realizing she couldn't use it in that situation. Sera wondered what was bothering her.
"Good then, innit?" Sera prompted, trying to understand her friend's reaction. "More bodies to throw at Coryphy-fish, right?"
"Yes, that's true," Rona responded, but she muttered it, like her mind was someplace else and she was letting her mouth do the talking.
"Is something the matter?" Sera asked, deciding to be direct. Rona finally looked at her, but even then her eyes saw something else. Eyes like violets, Sera thought. So deeply blue they were almost purple.
"No, no," Rona said. It was unlike her to mutter; normally, she went storming about, upsetting people with words of truth that stung like knives. Sera was impressed; whoever it was that did this to the Herald of Andraste was someone worth meeting.
"Ah! The Chantry! You suppose it's all it's cracked up to be, Krem?"
The doors of Haven's chantry had crashed open with a bang, and now some men were striding into it, looking about them with smiles on their faces.
"I dunno, chief – the one back home certainly didn't do me any favors!"
The one in front was huge – like, as big as this elephant Sera had once seen in a storybook. He had something strapped to his head – was it armor? No; he stepped out of the shadows and the light helped her see they were horns. He was a Qunari! He didn't wear a shirt like the others, and one of his eyes was missing, covered by a black patch that clung on around one horn. He was all muscle-y and hard-looking, like a crag of rock.
"Woof!" Sera whispered, fascinated. Rona gave her a look, one that distinctly communicated her discomfort. Sera grinned.
"Boss, nice digs!" the Qunari called in his deep whiskey-bass. "Even without the Chantry crawling up your ass, you've managed to do some good work!"
"Thanks, Bull," Rona said, going scarlet. Sera understood immediately.
"Hey, you, I'm Sera, Rona's friend." Sera shoved out front and held out her hand to Bull, who stopped in front of them and regarded it with amusement.
"Elf, eh? Let me guess: you're the mad archer I've heard so much about?"
Sera was touched; "I shoot arrows into things, yes." They shook hands.
Bull indicated his men behind him with a jerk of his head; "These are the Chargers; Krem, my second, and that's Skinner; Rocky; Stitches; Dalish; and Grim."
"Alright?" Sera asked cordially; the Chargers answered with various levels of enthusiasm, with Grim finishing at a short, approving grunt.
"Well, Boss, your Commander showed us where we can park our wagons during our stay. I was headed for the tavern and wanted to make sure you had nothing else for me? Your ambassador seemed kinda anxious about that situation in the Western Approach; some Venatori fuckers have started an operation out there."
"It can wait until morning, at least," Rona replied, gaining confidence under the flag of duty. "Go drink and rest awhile."
"Sure you won't join us?" Bull asked, his good eye twinkling. Sera beamed eagerly, turning to Rona to nod in encouragement.
"I'm sure," Rona answered, flushing again. "I've got to speak with Josephine and, as anyone could tell you, that might be a while."
"Fair enough," Bull said, stepping back at an angle so that the candlelight shone over every rippling muscle. Rona swallowed visibly.
"The invitation stands, if you get time." Bull nodded to Sera and threw one hand up in the air.
"Chargers – charge!" Bull pointed, and the men laughed, already beginning to sing a good tavern song for the walk through Haven's snow.
As soon as they were out of ear shot, Sera turned to Rona, mouth open. Rona put one hand over it, expression fierce.
"No." She said, already knowing. Sera pushed her away.
"But he's so big and… phwoar!"
"I don't care," Rona retorted. "I'm not going there."
"He was!" Sera insisted. "He was flirty!" Sera sang, dancing from toe to toe. "The Herald and the Bull, sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S –"
"Sera," Rona said in a voice that was much too patient, "I will kill you if you don't stop."
"Aw, come on, sparkly bits! He likes yooouu!"
"Alright," Rona said calmly, "That's it," and proceeded to chase Sera around the nave, while the latter flitted about, cackling.
"Ladies!"
The shocked exclamation stopped them in their tracks, Sera having just escaped Rona's hand by mere inches.
Josephine had come out with Cassandra to investigate the kerfuffle. Both of them looked appalled; Josephine, Sera was pleased to see, had to quickly hide a smile behind a cough. Cassandra turned around to regard the ambassador reproachfully before focusing once more on the Herald.
"Dare I ask what instigated this… behavior, if one can be so generous?"
"No need," Rona replied, composing herself. Sera snorted with mirth, and Rona glared at her from one side.
"Please, do not tell me I must explain why it would be foolish to look like quarreling children in front of our allies, Herald."
"Of course not!" Rona replied hotly; pointing at Sera, she snapped, "She started it!"
"Your mother!" Sera shot back, playing into the theme. Rona just barely stopped herself from sticking out her tongue.
"This is not helping," Cassandra told them wearily. "Herald, surely you can see that if she started it, you could end it? I suggest you do so, as soon as possible."
Cassandra withdrew back to Josephine's office, followed by the ambassador herself. Once the door shut with a muted click, Sera resumed laughing.
"Oh, shut up!" Rona snapped, walking off to find her tent. Sera hurled out one last thought for her to consider.
"D'you think he'd be bottomsies, then? If he was on top, he'd probably crush you, hahaha!"