It has come to my attention that people have expected some mischief. I am happy to oblige. I also am I happy to say that STHH has now reached over 2,000 views! Thank you so much for reading, and even more if you have followed or favorited this story. I keep writing this because of all of you.
The day Evelyn arrived back to the Inquisition's fortress from the Storm Coast, she giddily ran up the stone steps to Cullen's office, but right before she was about to enter one of his soldiers walked out, head down, reading a report. He bumped his shoulder against hers as he walked by.
"Oh, your worship!" The man was down on his knees below the woman, groveling to her like she were Andraste herself. "Please forgive me!"
"There is nothing to forgive," Evelyn reached down to the man grabbing his arm and pulling him up. She motioned with her head towards Cullen's office. "He in there?"
"No, my lady. I believe he went on break." He pointed to the upper courtyards. "Over there with Master Dorian,"
The Inquisitor's upper lip curled in disgust at his name, remembering what he had done. She turned on her heel and walked in that direction. Calling over her shoulder she said, "Thank you!"
"Gloat all you like. I have this one," Cullen said to the Tevinter man across from him. The game of chess they had been playing had been going on for over an hour now, and to Dorian it seemed down to the wire. The Commander however knew just how to best him in a manor that he wouldn't even see coming.
"Are you sassing me, Commander? I didn't know you had it in you," The mage said gleefully with an amused twinkle in his eye.
"Why do I even- Inquisitor!" Cullen saw her out of the corner of his eye walking up to the pavilion. He shot up, ready to report.
"Leaving are you? Does this mean I win?"
"Are you two playing nice?" Evelyn said with a single eyebrow raised and her arms crossed. She did her best to ignore the flutter her heart gave at the sight of the blond man.
The Tevinter twitched, a little anxious at the presence of the Inquisitor, but he managed to hide it well. He was afraid of what the reprimand would be for being the one who led the spying on the girls that night. Giving the Commander a sly wink he said, "I'm always nice. You need to come to terms with my inevitable victory. You'll feel much better."
"Really?" Cullen moved his rook to checkmate his kind. "Because I just won. And I feel fine."
Dorian through up his hands, and got up to leave. "Don't get smug. There will be no living with you,"
"Bull has requested you go to see him as soon as possible," Evelyn lied stepping in front of him so he couldn't leave just yet. She dropped her voice down to a whisper and lent in to his ear to sell it. "I was informed that is was, uh, urgent."
"Well, we can't keep him waiting." Dorian smiled. Her ruse seemed to work and he headed in the direction of the tavern where the Iron Bull spent most of his off duty time. Sera had told Evelyn to get Dorian away from his quarters so she could scheme her pranks, and when the Inquisitor had suggested that she send him to the qunari Sera was absolutely ecstatic at the thought. That led to her having to ask Cullen for a favor, but not just yet.
"I should attend to my duties as well," He said starting to stand, but seeing the look of disappointment on her beautiful face he quickly added, "Unless you would like a game?"
"Chess?" The look on Evelyn's face said that she was wary of the game. "I'm not very good."
"I will go easy on you then," He said. Although she was a fearless fighter, a woman who could take care of herself, he had still worried and awaited her return eagerly. "How were your travels?"
"Alright but I would rather we didn't speak of work." Evelyn said as she helped him reset the pieces on the board. The late autumn air sent a breeze through the pavilion area. She shivered but tried to hide it from the Commander's attention. He saw it anyway and shed off his top cloak.
"Here," Cullen said unabashed to hand it to her. One thing that he prided himself on was his courtesy.
"That's not necessary," She held up hand.
He rose from his chair, got up and laid the feathered cloak across her shoulders. Through her dark eye makeup she looked up at him unsure of what to make of this action. The cloak sated the chill that was wound up through her body. She sighed, pleased at the warmth that already started to spread in her limbs. "Thank you."
Still blushing, he nodded and returned to his seat. A moment of silence passed while the final pieces were back into place. They reached for the same piece at the same time and their fingers barely touched. It was enough to send a course of electricity up the man's spine. Evelyn smiled a little and then slid the piece to it's designated spot.
"White moves first," Cullen said suddenly changing from the cute, awkward schoolboy to a man of master strategy. He moved a pawn.
"How long have you been playing this game? You seem to be quite good at it."
"Some time now," He said with a smile watching the moves and countermoves the Inquisitor was making. "Back in Ferelden, when I was a child, I would play with my sister. She would get this stuck up grin whenever she won. My brother and I practiced for weeks and the look on her face when I finally beat her,."
"You have siblings?" Evelyn bit her lip anxiously after she moved her bishop.
"Two sisters and a brother,"
"Where are they now?" She tried to wrap her head around the game while talking, but it proved to be difficult beyond comparison and that was coming from someone who only weeks before had slayed a high dragon
"South Reach. They moved there after the Blight," The pause in the conversation made Evelyn look up from the board to his face. "I write to them less often than I should,"
"It's more than I have," The Inquisitor muttered returning her attention to the game.
"What do you mean?"
She shook her head. "I haven't talked or seen anyone in my family for over ten years,"
"That's horrible," Cullen said feeling sympathetic towards the woman. He knew the struggles which circle mages had to go through, but to actually go through it himself, no contact whatsoever, he didn't think it would be possible. "I can't imagine not talking to Mary for that long,"
"Your sister?"
"Yes, the one that played chess with me. She's my older sister. Her full name is Margaret. Then there's my younger brother Vincent and my younger sister Esther." He smiled remembering each of them, their good and bad qualities.
"They sound great," Evelyn said as a melancholy feeling filled her.
"What about you? Do you have any siblings?" Cullen took out a piece of hers and set on the side of the board. "I can't imagine a noble family having many children."
"It's uncommon, but I have a younger brother. We're so close in age that people used to think us to be twins." An old and distant memory of her telling off one of her mothers guests about how much more mature she was than her little brother filled her mind. "It drove me insane."
"What's his name?"
"Garrett," She said sadly. "I don't remember him that much, not enough to judge him on his character. He was eight years old the last time we were together. The possibilities are endless to imagine how acts now, or even what he looks like,"
"I think this is the longest we have gone without talking about the Inquisition or related matters. It's a pleasant distraction," He mused as he let Evelyn take out his queen.
"We should do this more often," Evelyn said smiling at her little feat.
"I'd like that,"
"Me too,"
He laughed slightly and moved another one of his pieces. "You said that,"
Her little mishap had her face turn a shade of bright pink. She quickly moved her bishop into checkmate.
"I believe this one is yours. We should do this more often," Cullen said getting up to leave the pavillion. He took two steps away from the area, happy at the progress in their relationship that was strengthening.
His cloak still on her shoulders, Evelyn stood up too and halted his steps, saying, "Cullen, I need to ask of you a favor."
Slowly, he turned around and stepped back up to meet the woman at eye level, the space between them being closed in a matter of seconds. "Anything,"
A wry smile spread across Evelyn's face.
There was still some laughter, and, Cullen shuddered, grunting coming from the room. I can't believe I'm doing this. I can't believe I'm doing this! Cullen paced outside of the Iron Bull's quarters. Evelyn had asked him that if he really wanted to atone for spying on her he had to wait until Bull and Dorian fell asleep after, ahem, interacting and steal their clothes no questions asked. She also told him to bring the clothes to Sera's room in the tavern afterward. According to one of the guards near by, the two had been in there for an hour now. He pressed his ear to the door listening to what they were doing even though he did not want to. At last he heard the sound of snoring.
Before he could get a chance to really think about what he was doing, he opened the door swiftly, grabbed the articles of clothing that littered the floor (while averting his eyes from the sleeping naked forms on the bed), and ran out of the room as if he were running from a demon.
The best feeling the world was that of getting back at someone Sera told Evelyn. They sat on the balcony chatting for a bit before the men, not just Bull and Dorian, realized that they were all missing something rather important. Dusk had taken over the sky leaving it a pink color. Soon darkness would shade the two while they finished Sera's prank. When the elf had explained to the Inquisitor the plan she immediately agreed.
"I had Leliana make Blackwall take a bath, so that's how I got his. And Harding 'accidently' spilled ale all over Varric and she grabbed them when he went to change. And I had some scouts go in and take their clothes out of all their quarters so they couldn't just grab another set," Sera counted them off on her fingers. "I decided to leave Cole alone, thought it best."
"Thank you," The Inquisitor tied the last shirt onto the rope. "Are we ready?"
Sera nodded standing. She started to giggle uncontrollably.
Evelyn shook her head. "Hit the ale a little early, don't you think?"
"Oh, shut up. Come on! Let's do this so I can see the looks on their faces!" They began to gather the rope up in their arms, and made their way out of the Inquisitor's quarters.
Dorian ran out of Bull's quarters as quick as possible to his own, but something caught his eye which halted his steps. Swinging in the breeze, barely visible due to the night, was a banner of clothes strung from across the North terrace all the way to the South terrace. He spotted his armor as well as his pajamas and regular clothing, groaning loudly. Cupping his manhood he ran all the way back to his room, cursing whatever had made him decide to spy on that slumber party.
And that's it. I struggled with coming up with this chapter because I really wanted to infuse the chess scene in with it. I hope you liked it! Thanks for reading.
