I waited for Leliana for another hour or so. She came in and sat down, she seemed exhausted. "Rough day?" I asked. She smiles at me.
"Every day is a rough day when making deals with Nobles. But, I have lodgings for the advisors, Malika and a party of three." She says and moves to take off her uncomfortable looking shoes.
I pull a stool in front of her and grab a basin and a jug of water. "I cannot remember the last time you washed and massaged my feet." She says with a blissful sigh.
"The night after we got home with Dagna. We tucked the kids in and I took care of your feet. Then, we made love for a bit and fell asleep." I said.
"The last time we made love was the night before Malika came back from the Western Approach. Then there was planning for Adamant, endless messages and trying to find a way to the Empress." She says. I kissed her newly cleaned and massaged foot and started on the other.
"It has been a very long time." I reply.
"I was so close to taking you on my desk the other night, but I was not sure my advances would be wanted. They hadn't been for some time." She says.
"They would have been wanted. Regarding before, I honestly did not know. I just knew I felt no desire for that kind of intimacy either. I was myself to worried about everything else." I said.
She runs her fingers through my hair. "I know my love, but as I said, hopefully things will calm down after this." She says.
"Hey Leli, will you let me in, I wonder if it has become more manageable." I said.
"Have you been doing something to help it?" She asks. I nod. "I just want to see, if I have." I reply. She nods, and I gently push into her mind.
"Are you with me?" I ask.
"I am here. Where are we in the Fade? It looks familiar." She asks.
"It should. Look around." I reply.
"Lady Cecile's villa over looking the Waking sea." I nod. "But I have not been back here since I was sixteen." She says.
"I came here with the children when we still lived in Val Royeux. You were away." I said.
"How did you find it? I couldn't even remember how to get here." She asks.
"When my wife is away, what else can I do but read. I have been searching for this place, any chance I had, since you told me about it." I said.
I hugged her close. "The thought of you dancing on the stone terrace always spurred me on when I felt like giving up." I said.
We began dancing to our joint humming. "It feels so much quieter here. Like all that noise is gone. What did you do?" She asks.
"I will show you. Follow me through my memories." I said. She nodded, and the journey began with me explaining what I had learned. I was even greeted by some of the Spirits, Leli only seemed slightly unnerved by this.
We came back to the physical plain, my head in her lap. We spoke a little more, snuggled more, but then it was time to leave. I told her I was going to pick up Zarola and bring her to Skyhold with me if she was going to go.
"Fly safely, and give the kids kisses from me. But, maybe do not tell Bryce they're from me." She says.
"I will. I love you and will make sure this letter gets to Josephine." I said.
"I love you too." She kisses me farewell. I shift and fly out the window.
"So, how big of a bird can you become?" Zarola asks me once I fly into her house.
"How big do you need?" I ask.
"Big enough for us three?" She asks.
"Aye, I can do that. Where did that Mirror go?" I asked.
"I made a show of "Selling it" to someone. Morrigan has it ready to go to Skyhold. She said she dare not leave it here unguarded." I shrugged.
"That is probably wise. Now, we just need to get away from town, so I can shift." I said.
"Are we going to sneak out?" She asks her eyes alight with mischief.
"No, we are going out the gates. Just cover our ears up and we should have no problems." I said. She looks bummed.
"Flying will cheer you up, and there is a woman at Skyhold, named Sera who shares your love of mischief." She seems to perk up at this statement. We leave the Alienage as elves and walk through the town as humans. A raven follows us, and I am sure I could sense a certain light-footed bard as well. "They are escorting us out of the city." I commented.
The raven follows us to the place where I would shape shift. Morrigan lands and becomes her again. "You make sure they are safe Phaedra. Zarola, please do try and stay of trouble." She says to us.
"I make no promises." Zarola says.
"You have my word, I will make sure they are safe." I reply. She kisses Zarola and her twins good bye.
"Wait, did you say goodbye to Kieran?" I ask.
"I did. Morrigan brought him by for supper. He was sad he could not go, but he is a lot wiser then most boys his age." She says.
"You know it only takes five hours to get back to Halamshiral, if I fly you there." I replied.
"Thank you. I may take you up on that." She says. The twins secured on her frame, I change into the giant bird. "That is so cool." Zarola says grinning and securing our luggage on me. She takes the ropes my beak throws to her, we take off. "Whoa! So awesome! We are good. Take us to Skyhold please." She says.
Three hours pass, and I am on top of my tower. Once she lowers herself and the children and unties our luggage I change back, stretching my back and feeling the air cooling it. It takes us some time to get down the ladders we must make several trips for the luggage. Finally, we enter the dining room.
"Where are your kids?" She asks.
"With their Uncle. I will see them in the morning, I do not wish to wake them." I replied. She shrugs.
"Where do we sleep?" She asks.
"In my room for tonight." I said showing her to the room.
She unpacks a ruck sack that has portable cradles. She feeds them while I put them together. "I will purchase a more permanent bed for them tomorrow as well as find you, your own suite." I said.
"These cradles will do, they like them better anyways, I think it is because it sways when they are in it." She says.
Once the twins are asleep I lay down with Zarola in my bed. She falls asleep as soon as her head hits my pillow. I wanted Leliana's perfume in my nose as I slept. I searched for her in the Fade and was glad I could find her. "We made it safely to Skyhold. Zarola is asleep, her excitement has worn off. I will get the letter to Josephine tomorrow morning." I said walking up to her sitting next to a Fade fireplace, I assume it is her room.
"I am glad to hear this. I had almost forgotten how much I loved being here with you." She says.
"Then it is a good thing we got it sorted out. You will be gone for two weeks, right?" I asked.
"Yes. If Malika leaves by dawn in two days, she will get her the night before. Then we can rest and get ready just before it begins." She replies.
"May I visit you here, while you are gone?" I asked.
"Please do." She says. I smiled and kissed her good night before returning to my reality. First thing in the morning I go to Josephine's office.
"You are back so soon." She comments while getting out of her chair to embrace me.
"I have and Leliana sent me with this for you." I handed her the letter. She sits back down to read it.
"This is far better than I had hoped. I thought they may only allow us and the Inquisitor to come. But, she can take three others. Perhaps I should advise her to leave Sera here." She says. I laugh. "You know if you tell her she can't bring Sera, you pretty much ensure Sera comes." I said. "What would you advise?" she asks.
"Just let her decide. She will probably ask Sera if she wants to come anyways. That doesn't mean Sera will agree." I said.
"I will prepare for Sera to come then. I had a plan, about how to help you and Leliana get back to what you had." She says.
"Tell me later. I would like to see my children, also I need you to find a room for Zarola and her children." I said.
"Wait, she came with you?" Josephine asks.
"Yes, Zarola's wife insisted." I said.
"How many children?" She asks.
"There are two. They are both infants. Zarola will meet you here before supper." I said.
"Okay, I will get right on that. Bryce and Oisine are in the Library." She says I nod at her and head out the door and up to the Library.
Bryce was taking in everything Dorian was saying, like a sponge takes water. He was learning Tevene. I knew they mostly spoke the common tongue. I listened in for a bit, most of the Tevene words I knew were swear words. Which I learned from listening to Fenris and Dorian. He looked up and saw me. "Well, I believe todays lessons are over." He said.
"Mamae, you are home!" He says excitedly and hugs me tightly.
"Hello Da' assan. Da' mi." I respond hugging him just as tight.
"Where is the Spymaster?" Dorian asks.
"Still in Halamshiral. She needs to stay there, put her ear to the ground and make sure no one steals the rooms reserved for the Inquisition." I said.
"I wonder what an Orlesian ball is like?" He asks.
"I don't know. I have always avoided them. Living with Orlesians was frustrating enough. You could ask Malika if you can go. Other than the advisors, Malika can have three guests with her." I said.
"Maybe I will. I could use a different sort of adventure, that has less blood and more dancing." He says and walks away.
I told Bryce about my short trip and bringing Zarola back with me. "I have not seen her since the wedding." He seems giddy with excitement. I take them back to our suites.
"Hello little one." Zarola greets him with a hug. "I promise to catch up more shortly, it is time for the twins to eat." She says.
An hour passes, they have been fed and are in a good mood, but not sleepy. "Bryce this is my son Nelaros and my daughter Adaia." The twins are as fascinated with Bryce and Oisine as they are with them. Bryce even makes them smile. "You are very good with babies Bryce." Zarola says as he is holding Nelaros.
"Thank you, I had practice with Oisine. She was the fussiest baby I had ever seen." He says.
I feel the need to connect with Leliana and show her this. It does not take long until she sees through my eyes like you would a window. "Seeing this, it makes me long for the days when they were babies." She says to my Fade form.
"We could always try to have another one, once Corypheus is defeated." I suggest.
"Maybe, I am open to the idea, but we just need to see what it is like afterwards." She replies.
She takes in the sight more, but soon enough we must part ways again. "See me tonight please?" She asks.
"I will. I hope your day continues to go well." I said, she kisses me sweetly and disappears. I do not mention to the others I was just with Leliana, but we enjoy the rest of the day.
Zarola had become familiar with Skyhold and has met Sera. They got a long like two peas in a pod once Zarola established her lack of elfyness, and their shared their love of pranks. They got Blackwall as an introductory prank test. Apparently, they both passed without an issue.
"I thought you said she could cause all sorts of chaos." Malika states at supper.
"She can, give her time. I am sure Sera and her will make life even more interesting here." I said.
"Do we really need more interesting?" Malika asks.
"Their kind of interesting, absolutely." I reply with a smile. Her imp comes up to her and drags her away.
By the time night had fallen completely, it had been decided that Dorian, Iron Bull and Sera would be going with Malika, I could see Josephine cringing from Zarola's quarters. "Alright, all set up?" I asked her.
"Yes, we are good. I like that Josephine found us a room overlooking the garden." She says. She grins. "I hope she knows that being closer to the castle does not mean I will get in any less trouble. Cuz it won't." I smile back at her and know that is precisely what Josephine I had hoped.
Bryce and Oisine were now deeply asleep and I lay in bed and reached out for Leliana, she had been waiting for me. I strolled up and put my arms around her. "Malika, Dorian, Iron Bull, and Sera." I saw her cringe too.
"Why must she pick the troublemakers?" She asks.
"Dorian isn't a troublemaker." I state.
"Not on his own." She replies.
"Originally, I had thought to be intimate with you here. For some reason I have been thinking of making love a lot today." She says.
"You want a baby. Making a baby involves the sex. Hence, sex is on your mind." I said. Making the desire burn more with soft touches of fingers and lips on collarbone and arms.
"True. But, if I am to have the sex with you, I would rather it be with you physically." She says.
"Then, we will wait until I can be there. Five hours?" I asked. She chuckles.
"Or you could just hold me for now." She says. "I can do that." I reply.
I can feel her fading into dreams, not in the Fade. I kiss her cheek and let her go. I too was drifting off in my own, non-Fade dream world. Leliana and I were back at the villa and dancing together, making love together, watching the sun set and rise together. When I awoke, I wanted that villa for us more than anything. I was going to buy it, it just so happened to have been on the market before. I wondered if it still was.
My own mission at first took me to Josephine's office. Where she had brought up her plan again. "Bethany said she would not mind having them again." She says.
"Josie, I was asking about that Villa. Do you know if it is for sale still?" I asked.
"It isn't." She says, I feel my heart sink. "But, I know who owns it. I might be able to convince her to sell it to you." She says.
By her tone, I knew the price would be more than just gold. "What do I have to do?" I asked.
"Follow through on my plan, and I will sell it to you for half of what my family paid for it." She says.
"Your family owns it?" I asked.
"Yes, when I bought it I did not realize the significance, I was going to gift it to my sister on her 21st name day. I had hoped it would inspire her artwork." She replies.
"How much did you pay for it?" I asked. When she told me how much, I about fainted. It had not been as expensive as I thought it would, but it was still no small sum.
"Fine, I agree to your terms." I said.
"Excellent, I even had a special outfit made for you. Leliana won't even recognize you when she sees you. First, you need a haircut. I made an appointment for you anyways. You had said you wanted one for weeks now." She says. She went over her plan again and sent me off to get my haircut. She met me for my fitting.
My eyes widened, and I felt a head to toe blush at the outfit Josie had chosen. I had never worn such a revealing dress. "Josie are you sure about this dress?" I asked hoping she would say it was far too brazen for an Orlesian ball.
"Yes, it is perfect. Leliana had said it would be something she would love to see you in, but when she described it, it was far more revealing." She says.
"I will pay double, no triple for the Villa, not to wear this." I pleaded. She shook her head steadfastly ignoring my plea. "You know Leliana would kill anyone who's eyes wandered and lingered to much on me." I said trying another tactic to escape.
"That is why you will have this." She hands me a mask. "She can't kill anyone if she does not know it is you until the end of the ball."
I sighed. "Do you really think she won't figure it out. She knows my body inside and out." I said.
"Then I suggest you keep her from killing anyone for looking." Josie says.
"You know she will make her displeasure known to you for this." I said. She shrugs.
"We shall see." is all she says.
Over the next few hours, I keep trying to convince her otherwise. She remains steadfast, and I have no choice but to pack for the trip. My kids were no help, even Bryce was behind the idea, it surprised me to learn that me it started out his plan. "I thought you did not like Leliana anymore." I said.
"I never stopped liking or loving her. I want you both to be happy again, like before. You told me about how much she loved dancing, and you loved dancing with her. Also, I really want that Villa too." He says.
"Your dastardly idea has paid off then. After tonight, regardless of what happens, it is ours. Josie will sign it over to us; when we come back." I replied.
I at least had the helpful presence of Calvin with me, she had convinced him to attend as her personal guest. He looked every bit as uncomfortable as me. "The things we do for love." He commented. Out trip to Halamshiral was a crash course in etiquette, dancing and manners. Even, how we are to speak.
"Never directly say anything." Josie repeated for the umpteenth time.
"I am going on a prank-athon, when we get back." Sera pouted.
"I will join you, Zarola too." I reply she smiles wide.
"Please, Sera we need to have them on our side. I will do whatever you want when we get home. I promise." Malika says.
"Fine, for you, I will behave." She says.
"Thank you. I love you, so very much." Malika replies.
We all seem to grow more tense and nervous the closer we get to Halamshiral, and the Winter Palace. "Now, to keep this a surprise, Leliana cannot see you until the big reveal. So, unfortunately, you will be staying with Calvin and I." Josie says.
"You know if you want Leliana and I to make love again, I can just go to her room and seduce her." I said.
"You could, but I worked hard to plan this. And Leliana had always had a fantasy about you showing up at a boring ball." She says. I hang my head.
"Fine. I concede, again." I said she smiles brightly.
I rest the day and four hours before the ball, she wakes me up, we dress and again tells me what is expected. She did not do much different to her hair. She just made sure the bun was secure and would not move for the rest of the night. She dashes away and asks me to help Calvin with his outfit and hair.
"Why didn't she get your haircut too?" I asked as I am braiding his hair.
"We both like it long. She takes enjoyment in brushing out, braiding and unbraiding my hair. I take enjoyment of her doing these things." He answers.
"So, once you two get married, I imagine these fancy balls will happen more often." I said.
"More than likely." He says cringing.
"Yet, you still plan on marrying her?" I asked.
"What kind of question is that? I love her, this is part of her life. Would you not do the same for Leliana?" He asks.
"It is my hope that fancy parties will not be in our future." I think about it. "Yes. I would." I said.
I had no idea what to expect tonight, or for how long it would take for Leli to find me. What did surprise me was how much Bull seemed to be into this.
"Wait, you like fancy balls?" I asked.
"I do just ask Dorian." He grins.
"I walked right into that one, didn't I?" I reply before we start chuckling. My chuckles died in my throat when I saw the gates of the Winter Palace.