SKYHOLD
Zanrye stepped in the Ambassador's office. He had just been talking to the stable master and needed to check in. Things were coming along slowly but surely. He entered to Leliana and Josephine, together as usual. He stepped forward and Josephine instantly gave him the details.
"We are in the midst of cementing an alliance with Lady Forsythia of Nevarra, your worship." She said to him. "It's become a somewhat delicate task."
"Meaning you may need more guards outside your room?" Zanrye asked.
"That won't be necessary." Josephine laughed. "We managed to convince her not to send soldiers once she learned we struck an accord with the brother she's feuding with." Zanrye did not budge. "Lady Forsythia simply employs a colorful manner of speech."
"I heard more than colorful." Zanrye shook his head then looked at her. "You're rather good natured about threats of death and dismemberment."
"They are chiefly bluster, inquisitor." She said. "Most…." She stood now, looking around. Zanrye couldn't help but almost smile at her disregarding such threats. She was too firm and tactical to give any basis to them unless they proved to be of merit he supposed. She continued on, now looking forlorn. "I do confess…I miss my staff from the embassy in Antiva. It was always useful to discuss the daily visitors with them. To get a sound analysis."
Zanrye eyed her. He hesitated but a moment and then blurted, "I…have time, if you'd like to… review things with me."
"I wouldn't wish to impose." Josephine waved him off. The response was like a challenge to Zanrye. She was still ever independent, ever keeping the proper distance. He fought not to roll his eyes at her.
"If it were imposing, I wouldn't have offered." He said instead, taking a step toward her.
"Well, I admit…there are a few potential alliances it would be good to discuss." Josephine said, yielding. Zanrye gestured his arm out for her to lead the way. And so she did.
After deliberation, they traveled up to his room and onto his balcony. She talked the whole way there—about who had come from where, why, how it went, and when some had rescheduled. The information came in currents, with Josephine resembling a scroll more so than a person.
But with a few jabs from Zanrye, Josephine's content changed from business to gossip. It started with Zanrye talking about the chantry members and took off from there. It was only after Zanrye had laughed hard at one thing she said that he came to realize their predicament. He was enthralled with her, even invited her up to his room. Zanrye fought not to stare at her as she spoke to him—his arm on the balcony, his head cocked to the side. His fucking body seemed to be hell-bent on latching to her. He shouldn't like to hear a shem woman gibber and gossip as much as he was enjoying it now. But to see her unraveled, vibrant and admiring and complaining and chattering away… Seeing her comfortable and open.
"Inquisitor." A scout was nearly right behind them. Zanrye turned to him as though coming from a trance. He looked to him, disgruntled that he was in his room. The man stammered. "I knocked …for a long time at your door. We have more visitors…."
"Goodness…have we been here an hour already?" Josephine asked, surprised.
"I hadn't noticed." Zanrye said to her, ignoring the scout. Josephine seemed abashed by the scout's presence and the setting.
"You are far too polite." She said, hands clasped. Demure again. "You must think me quite the gossip. I didn't mean to go on and on…."
"I don't. It's not a chore to spend time with you…." Zanrye said to her instantly, eyes fixed on her face, her eyes would not meet his.
"Um…ser?" The scout asked. Zanrye zoned back on him. He sighed. "Right." But when Josephine moved, the scout looked back at Zanrye.
"This guest is for you ser…asked for ye' directly."
Zanrye frowned and went down the stairs, Josephine behind him. He asked her if she knew what this was about and she shook her head, saying she had not contacted anyone from Celene's Court to send ambassadors—nor were there any people from the Free Marches that would come to anyone other than her, the Inquisition Ambassador.
Zanrye got his answer when he stepped into the long foyer that was still half-cleaned up. The person was walking to him in long strides, sure and unabashed. And the moment Zanrye's eyes fixed, his heart skipped and he took off in fast power-walking strides in return. He left the scout and Josephine behind, slowly trailing, watching with interest and confusion as he gripped Nishia into the biggest hug he could, lifting her off her feet and pressing his lips to the edge of hers, crushing her hard to him. Everyone else just stared, stunned.
8 YEARS EARLIER
They were swimming. Just the two of them. It was rare with all their moving around that Zanrye and Nishia got to actually enjoy the area, let alone have some time alone.
They were still in the Green Dales—Antiva territory. But he knew he would leave it soon. But he loved Antiva. It smelled so good. It felt so good. The colors just seemed to fit.
"I think I'll say yes." Nishia was saying to him. Zanrye felt his stomach do a flip and he looked up from his back where he floated, sun in his eyes. She looked majestic. She really did. She had always reminded him of his mom in that way. Though they looked so different, they both had this regality, this almost holy appearance. Her locked hair floated out behind her, reaching several inches. She had locked the curls almost three years ago and now Zanrye couldn't think of another style for her angular face.
"Is that really what you want?" He asked her. She had not turned onto her front. She just floated. Her face seemed torn, different from the steely, somewhat serious face everyone else saw.
"I don't know…." She replied uncertainly. "But I know what he wants…. And it's not what I want. No matter how good he works for me."
Zanrye swam over to her, treading close. Her large green eyes met his and he could see the deliberation within them. And he wanted to help.
"Cal is…he's the perfect hearth man." Zanrye reasoned. "Besides me of course." Nishia chuckled at that. "That's what you need for sure…. But he also…."
"He wants children." Nishia finished for him. "He wants me to move from my house to his. And he'll keep badgering me about moving from hunter to guard."
"And are those things you can compromise on Nishia?" Zanrye asked her, knowing her answer of silence would follow. He sighed, looking out at the lake. "I think you know what you don't want…but you haven't really been in a situation like this before. Neither of us have. If anything, you'd have to maybe go to Po or Lana…though…you now Po…."
"Yeah…" Nishia said quietly, chuckling. "He doesn't give a damn about anything more than his own whims—besides us. We saw that when he refused to compromise for Denosa." She sighed now, turning her gaze towards him once more. "Are you going to give me a straight answer?"
"No." Zanrye shook his head. "This is for you to decide Nishia. It's too big for me."
"But I'm not asking if it's for me to decide." Nishia challenged him. "I know that my instinct is to say no. But is that because I'm unwilling to compromise…or because…I'm scared. He will ask me to change; not in greatly drastic ways but it'll…."
"Change your life." Zanrye finished. Nishia sighed and then dunked underwater to resurface, smoothing the wet from her face and hair so she could see. Zanrye frowned and then suddenly he was resolute. He reached over to his friend and wrapped a hand around one of her forearms.
"Do you want a straight answer?" He asked her finally. He was almost nervous but not afraid. "I want to tell you that you're not and won't ever be like one of the women in Po's stories, whether you marry Cal or not. Po's just teasing." He looked dead into her eyes. "And you shouldn't be afraid of becoming that because you won't and I'd never let you. But you're also too afraid of a divine plan…too afraid that something will slip you up and set you off course…or tear you down. And I don't think Cal would ever do that to you. He wants you as you are. And that means being vulnerable. You shouldn't be afraid of letting people besides me see you cry over a dead bird or gush about costumes for Winterfest—"
"No one needs to know those things besides you, Rye, and if you try to tell anyone—" Nishia's half-joking threat began but Zanrye wouldn't let her deter from the subject at hand.
"Shia." He routed her back in the moment. "You're closer to me than my own blood and I know …that you know what you want better than anybody else. I could never tell you that. But I do know you and I want to see you happy…and I know…you'd be happy with Cal." Nishia's eyes bore into his as he paused and continued, "but…you wouldn't be true to yourself…or happy…if you went and got married to Cal. Not now…maybe not ever."
He had said it. He released her from his grip and floated near her, waiting for her to say something. She stared at him and then the water. And then the sky. Her eyes stayed there for a long while and she spoke with them still directed there.
"Thank you Rye." She said softly. "You really do know me better than anyone else…."
"I've had my whole life to learn." He laughed softly, still at her side. "And I wouldn't want you to…betray yourself…who you are…by either stifling what you feel or pretending to feel something you don't. I think that your feelings are telling you not to say yes. And you should remain the person you are. Because if you say yes…I feel like…you might…not be the same person that you are. You might reject who you were born to be…for this relationship."
"High stakes." She replied, without humor. She looked down to him and a serene smile came across her face. "I know that you're right…. I guess I just didn't want to be wrong…and lose Cal…but if I do…it means he wasn't right after all…." She inhales, her face becoming calmer again. "Now that you're done having to tell me what I feel—"
"Now, let's swim back to shore and practice some sparring before it gets too dark." He finished for her. The smile on her face warmed him to his core, an accomplished feeling in his chest. Too many times, he was on the receiving end of these talks and receiving her help. But he had helped her too and seen her at her highest and lowest. And each time he helped her felt better than the last, especially about something so important.
"You're reading my mind still," she joked.
"Trying," He replied and thought before continuing, "And then let me make you dinner. Just you and me okay? Po will probably already be trying to find a spring to dip his root in anyway."
"Never can keep his cock dry." Nishia shook her head and righted herself, agreeing to go to shore. She swam ahead and Zanrye looked at her retreating figure for a second and followed.
PRESENT
SKYHOLD
"But it doesn't give me any pain." Zanrye explained the mark to Nishia for the twelfth time as they ate their luncheon on the upper tower overlooking all of Skyhold nearly. Lana was with them and even Solas had joined the mix for lunch. He had come traipsing by on their tour (the three of them), become infatuated with the talk of the ceremonial practices for the deceased as explained by Nishia, and so the four of them continued on until they ended up here.
"It's some of the most advanced magic I've seen ever." Solas chimed in. He licked honey from his fingers as they ate ram sandwiches topped with honey; crackers and cheese on the side. They all drunk cider or milk alongside it, with a human servant running at their beck and call.
Up above the life but yet attached to it, Zanrye felt good. He hadn't felt this much at peace in such a long time—since he left his clan months ago and the conclave was destroyed. But sitting up here with Nishia at his side and Lana felt like old times—even if they were bittersweet with Ponawen's absence. He lived on through Nishia in a lot of ways—as the two had always been two sides of the same coin. Ponawen had touched both his and Nishia's lives and was not easily forgotten.
And Solas being here completed the scene to mirror when they used to encounter other Dalish clans and all exchange stories and even take on some of their mages back in the day. Solas was even a mage! The scene reminded him of home and he couldn't keep the smile off of his face as they all sat.
"You must be well versed then in studies of the fade." Nishia commented. "More than I know."
"Perhaps." Solas agreed. "But in regards to what we were speaking of: if the information Zanrye has said is true, your clan in particular is somewhat…behind and ahead of its time, if you'll pardon the paradox." Nishia gave a half laugh.
"It's fine." She replied. "There are many things taken from the old ways and others left out. Clan Lavellan won't bend to the changing times and existence of Templars and turn out mages like others do. We embraced them. Sure, there were dangers but magic isn't feared like it is with humans." She thought. "Magic is blameless. Users aren't."
Solas's smile never wavered the whole meal and Zanrye almost had to laugh at how obviously enthralled he seemed to be with his friend Nishia—that and he was a bit defensive. Perhaps it was his male dominance wanting to assert itself. This is my friend, fade-boy. Remember that. But seeing Solas so happy and talking to him more and more was too refreshing to let his ego dominate him.
Soon, they were even teaching Solas songs they sung back at their clan—the ones relating to the ancient times of course. But this bliss was interrupted by Josephine. Zanrye eyed her as she approached them. She seemed to be straight-backed and authoritative—as if approaching another Lord or Lady that they needed to convince to be an ally.
"Inquisitor." She bowed her head and looked only at Zanrye. "Forgive the intrusion but you all have been up here for the better part of three hours and the soldiers and servants seem afraid to interrupt the meeting. But Commander Cullen has been asking for you as it pertains to the movement of weaponry into armories and you still need to look over the room assignments for everyone here."
Zanrye blinked and just looked at her for a moment. He was not angry but the atmosphere did shift with her appearance. She was…a shem…intruding into their elvhen comradery. The silence that lasted no more than five seconds but felt like five years stopped when Solas stood.
"And I also must continue my training of the mages. I hadn't realized I'd gotten so close to the hour." He looked down at Nishia. "I trust I'll see you later on?"
"She'll be staying with us a while." Zanrye answered for her before Nishia could even turn to ask him if it was alright. He wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "You'll get your fill of her Solas. No need to be worried." The group laughed, all except for Josephine and Solas himself. Zanrye continued, "She'll stay as long as she wants of course." At this, Nishia nodded at him in approval of his making sure to say it was her choice.
"I want to join him." Lana said to the two of them. "But we should see one another for dinner."
"I can have two more beds brought to my room." Zanrye said to Lana, standing as well and helping her up. "Unless you two would like to share."
"You know I don't like to share." Lana shook her head. "And neither does Shia." She smiled at Solas and the two departed as Zanrye helped Nishia to her feet, leaving Josephine to stand there, still waiting to have her requests acknowledged—something that had not been done.
"Yes…" Zanrye began. "Forgive me Ambassador." He thought, looking to Nishia. "Would it be alright if I steal away for less than an hour? Just to make sure everything is alright. Then, the rest of the day, I'm yours."
"Of course. There are duties. Duty is first." Nishia said to him simply. "I'll go about setting up the room and inspect your horses for our ride."
"Ride?" Zanrye laughed.
"You've always been moderate at riding, I haven't forgotten." Nishia said bluntly. "Let's examine your stock and put it to the Lavellan test."
"I've gotten better." Zanrye warned her.
"We'll determine that today." Nishia replied. Zanrye turned to Josephine.
"I will meet you in your office." He said to her hesitantly. "I want to assign someone to make sure Nishia's orders are followed…." He seemed a bit awkward. "What with…the state of things." She would know what he meant—the Inquisition was still getting used to a knife ear leading or barking orders.
"Of course Inquisitor." Josephine said politely. Zanrye felt himself smile at her involuntarily. He knew he would have forgotten about everything today had it not been for her. Again, here she was coming to remind him that there was a world outside of the little one he had escaped to, or the ones inside his head. When Josephine did not return his smile but merely gave a small sort of smile with a bow of her head before heading back down the steps, he felt himself get a bit cold. Something's wrong, his body told him. See what's wrong with her.
"I'll follow you." Nishia interrupted his thoughts and Zanrye realized he had been looking after Josephine's retreating figure. Nishia did not acknowledge it, instead was seemingly engrossed in the scenery but Zanrye could feel his neck getting hot and this strange fear form in his stomach.
It was shame.
PRESENT
FOREST AROUND SKYHOLD
The two elves galloped through the barren paths, with seldom few trees but enough to create twists and turns. They were headed toward the cliffside where the ground sloped. And Nishia was in the lead. The tail of her horse switched back and forth as the trees became blurs on either side of them. The air rushing through his hair, his armor removed and allowing the air to breeze through his tunic and trousers was how Zanrye rode as well. He jostled and bounced trying to get to her. She always kept ahead and soon she had jumped over the cliff onto the grassy meadow below. Zanrye followed her, the familiar whooshing in his stomach clouding his mind with joy and fear until the hooves of the horse connected to the grass again and their race was finished.
"They're slow." Nishia commented, dismounting in seconds.
"Well they aren't in use for races and sprints." He said. "They're used as messengers. For deliveries and the like. And sometimes helping with pulling the carriages."
"That's no matter." Nishia said, still surveying the area. She sat on a nearby log and Zanrye came to sit beside her. Their alone time was here at last, apart from visitors and prying ears. "And you're sure this is what you want?" She had changed the subject to the real deliberation at hand.
"I know that Corypheus needs to be stopped." Zanrye replied. "And I know that the Inquisition is the only thing that can do that." He hesitated. "And the Inquisition can do more than just stop him. It can…maybe even…change…things…."
It was hard to get the last part out of his mouth because he knew her reaction before she gave him the stoic look.
"This isn't a fantasy." She reminded him.
"I know that." Zanrye said to her. "I'm not saying this can change everything…."
"But you think it can change the world enough to stick with it." She finished for him, her tone full of condescension. And Zanrye could not blame her. He knew how he sounded.
"I have to for the time being anyhow." Zanrye said. "Until we stop Corypheus and fix this." He paused. "And he is the reason for Po's death…and all those other people's deaths…."
"He has to be stopped." Nishia agreed. She puts a hand on his shoulder. "I'm not judging your choice to lead. If anyone knows how to survive superior forces, it's an elf, especially one like you." She paused, her hand sliding away. "You're settling into the Inquisition. The only question I have as it concerns that is your idealism."
Zanrye sighed, not answering her. He knew that he had softened on these shems, trusted them, and had slowly but surely come to think of the Inquisition as a way to facilitate his dreams of elves being elevated. But elevated to where, to equality with shems? Or superiority, turning them to heel? How could he achieve that within a shem organization? Did he even want that anymore?
Solas's words reverberated around his mind: they would blame them eventually…. Even fade-headed Solas had said it. The "otherness" was imbedded within shem and elven thought alike….
"I don't want you to forget the difference between allies and friends." Nishia said to him finally after the silence stretched. "Allies are to be respected but their condition is not stone." She looked back up at the trees. "Even the city elves." Zanrye knew this fact—knew how many were like Sera and had little to no racial pride at all.
"I'll keep that in mind." He assured her quietly. Nishia's gaze came back to him. Her green eyes were piercing and flat. She was going to keep on.
"And I do not believe in exceptions." She said, her face not hiding what she was talking about. Zanrye kept her stare but felt his ears getting hot. He clenched his jaw and looked to his hands. "Don't insult me either." She was stern. "I can feel how her eyes fall on me—the jealousy there. And I can see your own eyes following her."
Zanrye felt like a child caught stealing a sweet. He did not meet her eyes and felt the strongest urge to cry out that she was wrong—to deny what she was implying. He kept his eyes on his hands. A sick, dirty feeling came to him.
"I've never understood when elves had attractions to shems," Nishia continued when he did not answer. "It's usually the city elves, who can almost be excused for it. They've eaten the gruel shems give them their whole lives." She seemed to struggle now to remain even in her tone. "I never expected it from you, though…."
"It's not…" Zanrye tried to start but couldn't speak, his embarrassment too much for his vocal chords, and he inhaled sharply. And he knew that if he finished his lie, he would feel worse for having tried to lie to the only other woman who knew him like his mother knew him.
"I guess it's…understandable…I mean, where are your options?" She surmised, but her voice was sharp still. She was looking at the sky again. "Certainly not Sera the queer or any of the servants who see you through shem eyes." She sighed. "And even for a shem, she fits your tastes I guess…in a…shemmy way." She sighed now and her voice spoke the last words not quite fast but curt. "All of these things…just make me fearful that you may be getting too… attached to the shems in your company. There are no exceptions, Rye. Not for something like this. I can understand wanting to wet your branch but…even though lusting for shems is bad enough, this doesn't look like lust to me. This looks like romance—that's where jealousy comes in…."
Zanrye heard her, the words being tossed around his head. He would be shaking if not for the log beneath him and his hands being clenched together to stabilize him. He felt fear and shame and even with that, he felt a slight stirring, buried under all the negative feelings, and his perverted mind managed to make sense of all the information: Josephine is jealous for your attention….
And that made Zanrye finally find his voice. He knew he could not lie to Nishia and so he didn't.
"I'm hearing you." He assured her, her eyes still to the sky. His eyes were forward. He steadied himself and continued, "And I…do know…that I have softened to the shems here. Not them as being shems but a few…especially…especially Josephine." He swallowed, fighting the urge to just sigh and change the subject. Nishia would not allow it. "And with her…she's a shem. And I don't see past that. Not really. But something about her…feels different…than other shems I've met. Her concern feels…so…without reservation—I don't know what it is really. I just know that she sees things a…different way. Not elven. But…." He did sigh now and found his voice come stronger. "I don't care any more for shems than I did before, Shia…. And if it came to them or the elven people, there isn't a question over which I would pick."
"I'm not entirely sure of that right now, Rye." Nishia said to the trees.
"You don't have to doubt that." Zanrye said. "And I'm dreaming with the Inquisition a little…I can see that. But I'm not doing it to the detriment of our people. And when the time comes to determine what the Inquisition is used for, I'll want to have you…as I would have Ponawen… guiding me to the answer."
"And that would serve as you leaving your clan." Nishia said simply. Her eyes still refused to come down from the skies.
"Plenty of elves leave to go out to sea, to live as nomads, to join another clan." Zanrye said urgently, pleadingly. "I'm not joining the Inquisition as a shem organization…I want to…I want to make it mine—I only just got to be Inquisitor…next…well, we'll see what I can put into motion. But I haven't forgotten anything. And I'll try to get all the things I want—like ensuring our clan won't have to move because of shem attacks and can go wherever we want."
"You're sounding fantastical again." Nishia said but Zanrye's eyes met hers as he realized her tone of voice was less strained, less stern.
"I'm only speaking of possibilities." Zanrye said, feeling his tenseness slowly ease to something less severe. "And I…I only want to have a chance to do something…. The world might end anyway if I fail…at least let me try to change the world I save."
There was no mistaking the pride that Nishia tried to hide. She was proud of him, despite how idealistic or questionable he and his practices were. Many of her fears were being quelled by his admittances and declarations…he hadn't changed too much…into something too different to stomach. But her eyes were on the ground when she spoke after a time.
"But that still doesn't convince me about the shem woman." She said, her expression withdrawn and tone flat. Zanrye felt himself get itchy around the ears again. It was harder to justify this than it was staying with the Inquisition. Because Zanrye did not have any justification for it.
"She's…I don't even know what's going on with her." Zanrye started. Nishia interrupted him.
"You are attracted to her, Rye. You want to be romantic with her." She said sharply but not without some ounce of kindness. Just blunt.
"I…" Zanrye almost felt this was harder to admit than his previous statement—as if he were confessing he wanted to mate with a hound or a child. He was grudging. "I don't know why…I find her…interesting. And…kind of…alluring…in a way." Boy was he struggling to get this out. He was fighting admitting that he actually wanted a shem.
"She will never be an exception." Nishia looked dead into his eyes when she said this. "She will never be not a shem, Rye. Whether you want to have your cock in her or spend your days with her; no matter how different she feels or how much she cares about elves, she is still a shem and will always be so. She has the capacity to be just like all those who've hurt us in the past." Nishia paused, gathering her thoughts. "And love…is also…not a justification for compromising your duty to your race above all things. Elves don't have that luxury." She over-talked him as he tried to open his mouth to deny any talk of love. "And I'm not saying this is love but this isn't just base. It's friendship, it's the tenderness, it's the romance of it." She did not blink before she finished. "She's a shem. And I can't ever be alright with you being with one of them. But you will always be my lethallin, my family, my flesh; my Rye. And as long as you remain that person, as long as you do not become a shem's male bed-wench, I will always support you… even in your fanciful dreams for the Inquisition."
She was laying down the law and Zanrye understood perfectly the situation, even more so than he had before she'd come. And for some reason, it was as if a great burden had been lifted even though nothing had changed. His shame over his body's reaction to Josephine seemed less now. Though he still did not want it…he knew that he did want it. And wanting it did not change who he was, or who he was growing in to. Even with his appreciation for the shems in his group, he had never lost his apprehension, his self-preserving instinct to be watchful. He separated Cass and Cullen and even Leliana from the overall shem mindset, true, but he knew that he felt for them in spite of their shem nature and background. He knew things could easily go wrong. He understood they were not quite friends (well, except maybe Cassandra but he was trying).
But Josephine…was a different case entirely. Because unlike the others, he could not help the vulnerability he knew he was exposing to her. Slowly but surely. Like the girl from his youth. It was a progression that he could not quite reign in. He was giving her power he knew a shem should not have over him in any capacity—the ability to influence his purpose.
"I still love you Rye." Nishia said suddenly and Zanrye realized he'd been looking into the distance in silence. Her voice was joking but also assuring. And Zanrye laughed and hugged her tight when he heard this.
"I'm glad." He said, crushing her to him. "Because I'd be fucking devastated if you didn't. And I love you too." He held her to him still and felt everything start to turn back to normal. But not quite normal of course.
"We're all we have left." Nishia spoke into his chest, arms wrapped back around him. "Po gone …and Kaynala married off and…Lana becoming a mage disciple." She held him tighter and Zanrye kept his grip locked on her. "I have to lead the hunters at the clan…so I can't stay here for more than a week…but I'll be here when you need me…when you're going to go after that filthy shemlen." Her words were riddled with bloodlust and hurt and vulnerability. "And then…I'll be here…when you need me, to help you help us all." She sighed into him and they sat there for a long moment in each other's embrace before she added, "even if you have a shem thing on your arm when I visit."
Zanrye couldn't help but laugh at what she said to him but even the thought of Josephine suddenly linked to his arm in bonding embarrassed and shamed him.
And it also filled his body with enough heat to warm the entire castle.
PRESENT
SKYHOLD
Zanrye ended his day earlier than he would have. The night was dark but still relatively middle-aged. He was going to have dinner with the three other elves and then it was off to bed for an early morning sparring with Nishia—as he should have expected.
Before changing however, he stopped by Josephine's new office, still in need of some work. He entered to find her scribbling away and when she looked up at him, there was the usual recognition in her eyes but also a politely stoic edge. She smiled briefly and her eyes went back to her notes while she spoke.
"Inquisitor." She said. "Good day to you."
"Evening I suppose." Zanrye commented, stepping up to the desk. Josephine gave a small laugh that sounded only a tad bit forced and kept on writing, asking, "was there something you needed of me?"
Zanrye didn't answer immediately. He looked out the window of the office at the night sky with the light from the tent fires below flickering orange and yellow. He did not want his nervousness to show.
"I was wondering…if you could make sure to keep everyone aware of the times I will be definitely preoccupied tomorrow." Zanrye said slowly.
"Of course, my lord." Josephine nodded. "And I do apologize for the interruption earlier. If I had any other choice, I would not have interrupted a gathering with someone…with so many of importance to you."
She had slipped up and her darting her eyes away from his showed it. She's jealous. Zanrye found it a bit hard to swallow as he tried to keep his breathing calm and temperature down. But the thought of her feeling defensive about his affections…made his stomach (and the region below it) get the slightest bit tighter…stiffer.
"We were negligent of the time." Zanrye apologized. "And it's good you came to get me. I wouldn't want my friend's appearance to waste any of the time needed for our duties."
Josephine nodded, making no indication that she heard or took into consideration Zanrye calling Nishia his friend and not anything more romantic. Zanrye knew he would have to be a man and just come out with it but he had only just a few hours ago admitted to himself that he had the possibility of even liking this woman, let alone the possibility to act on this attraction. It was something tainted, dirty, unforgivable…and yet felt so clean….
"W-when…Skyhold seems to be in functioning condition," Zanrye began to say, forcing himself to look at her even as she looked down to her notes, "…I was wondering…if you might want to …" his mouth was drying and he spoke the last part quickly, "maybe tour the new territories offered to the Inquisition."
The request was met with a confused but intrigued look from Josephine. She looked up at him then and Zanrye literally felt his spine prickle.
"Would…someone else not be better suited for the task, my lord?" She asked evenly. And Zanrye realized that she was playing hard ball. If Nishia was right about Josephine's suspicions and perhaps jealousy, then she was indeed guarding herself and punishing him for his earlier lack of tact and thoughtfulness. And to think of her firmly fencing with him and not rolling over got him hard right there in her office, the area in between his legs in serious need of adjustment. And it also made him respond just as firmly.
"Maybe someone else is," he answered her, never letting her eyes stray from his, "But I want you."
He saw her steely resolve quiver and her flustering began. Poised flustering, showing her exasperation but acceptance of his forwardness while not becoming too submissive. He realized then that he enjoyed that a lot—too much. Make her soft and flexible and flustered…with a little pressure…then give her the pleasure she knows she wants.
That thought was a bit more perverted than usual. It must be the erection talking.
"Well if…you insist…and you'd not prefer another…I will accompany you." Josephine said nicely, slightly stuttering. Her small smile, more like normal, warmed him and Zanrye gave her a smile in return that he hoped didn't look as sexually charged as he was feeling.
"I'll schedule it soon." He promised. "Just you and I." Alone, able to do any manner of things we wish—in any positions we wish. His mind was getting away from him now. He paused, knowing he should leave and that this should be all but wanting to hear what would prove Nishia right and …satisfy his curiosity. "Of course, that isn't an order…as your Inquisitor. It's a request."
"One by which I'm much obliged." Josephine answered instantly. "And one that I accept." That was it. Zanrye nodded to her, not being able to not smile as he left the room. It was a nervous one when he made it out but a smile nonetheless. Nishia had set it off now. As had Josephine.
He also made sure to detour to a washroom before he joined his friends upstairs. It wouldn't due to be encountered in such a state. If anything, he'd never hear the end of it. And that was more embarrassment than he could handle for today.
