Leaping

On the return from Wicked Eyes/Wicked Hearts.

A story for lovers of dwarves and irascible older men.

Disclaimer: As usual, Adan and most characters are property of Bioware from their DA: Inquisition game. Zheevá is mine (pronounced zhee VA'). Some spoilers. Conversational spoilers. Some profanity. Romance.


Part 18


The long procession of horses and other mounts approached, standards of the Inquisition flying at front and back, and slowly began to trickle through the gates. Stablemen and women and soldiers who had been alerted well in advance ran forward in an organized chaos, and personal servants and guards helped nobles from their horses and organized their bags to carry them to their quarters. After most of the nobles and soldiers had passed through the gates, the three advisors, Cadash, Cassandra, Blackwall and Dorian rode in just ahead of the rear standards.

When the dwarf reined in her mount, a dark-bearded man stepped out from the shadows by the gate to pet the neck of the small, beautifully barded black horse. "Welcome home, your worship."

Zheevá glared down at the alchemist. "'Your worship?' You'd better take that back, nug lover." She tossed her reins to a soldier who was trying to hide a grin, kicked her feet from the stirrups and threw her leg over the saddle to slide down within inches of Adan. As soon as her feet were on the ground, she had his beard and pulled him down until his face was no more than an inch or two from hers. "That better not be the way you plan to welcome me home, you crotchety arse!"

He just scowled at her. "That depends, arse, I'm not in a mood to play nursemaid. Have you been playing tag with a dragon or getting poisoned?"

"No, though those would probably have been safer than dancing with the grand duchess."

Blackwall and Dorian leaned against the pommels of their saddles, grinning and openly watching the exchange while Josephine and Leliana handed their reins more sedately to grooms. Josephine visibly glanced around the courtyard anxiously to make certain none of the nobles and priests were still in eye or ear shot of the pair. Leliana suppressed a chuckle as she led Josephine toward the stairs, patting her reassuringly on the arm. Cullen and Cassandra rode their mounts toward the stables, so deep in conversation that they apparently missed the two facing off.

"Did you now?" He raised an eyebrow at her, still scowling. "Right. And should I be expecting this grand duchess to visit?"

"Two dances were enough for her, I think. She asked me to dance for the court, then to an assassin's dance, so you won't meet her unless it's in a box." Zheevá smirked at him. "Now, are you going to welcome me home or not? Because if not, I'll ask Dorian to take me to the tavern to get drunk, you rock-licker."

Dorian cheerfully piped up, "My dear Inquisitor, I would be delighted to help you sample the delights of the tavern if this oaf doesn't have the good sense to kiss you. It's not as if a score of people haven't watched you kiss in the tavern…at a safe distance."

Adan shot a scorching glare at the mage who simply raised an eyebrow that clearly meant what are you waiting for, idiot, before very gently covering Zheevá's lips with his own in a kiss that was as soft as it was obviously thorough. The dwarf's hand slipped from his beard to the back of his neck as their kiss extended, to cheers and laughter from several guards leaning on the battlements above to watch, cut off just as suddenly when Cullen and Cassandra came back in sight from the stables. Adan brushed her lips once last time with a softly murmured "Any more doubts that I missed you, minx?"

"Maker's breath! Dorian, you're drinking on your own tonight." She ran her fingers through his beard, gently combing it. "I missed you too, old bear." They finally straightened, realizing just how much of an audience they'd gained. Adan scowled at both Dorian and Blackwall as Zheevá discovered Cassandra was trying to hide a grin. Cullen had an expression which was much harder to read, though he smiled and gave her a polite half-bow before heading up the stairs toward his tower. Or possibly to find out which guards had been cheering the exhibition.

Adan reached for her saddlebags, stroking the neck of the mare briefly again before the soldier led her away, finally followed by Blackwall and Dorian, the mage winking at Zheevá as they passed. "She's a beauty. What did you name her?"

"Astyth." Adan raised an eyebrow curiously at her. "She's named after a dwarven paragon, so probably not a good idea to repeat her name in earshot of any proper dwarves. I thought it fit her, though." They started up the stairs from the courtyard which now showed few signs of the chaos of the arrivals. "I didn't expect to see you before I had a bath, I seem to recall that you prefer I not smell like horse. And eat first so you don't think I'm hinting for you to mother hen me."

His grin turned smug. "Ha! Sister Leliana sent word by one of her birds last night, so we had a good idea when you'd arrive. I suggested to Lady Josephine's aide that having hot baths ready at least for you and the ladies would be a good way to prove her competence, so there's one waiting in your room. Get your bath, and I'll bring you some food; you've been kissing noble arse all the way to Halam'shiral and back for a week and a half, they can manage without you tonight."

She grinned at him impishly. "Mmm, going to feed me in the bathtub and scrub my back?"

"Minx, more likely dump a bucket of snowmelt over your head if you take too long." He turned toward the door down to the kitchens as they entered the main hall and Zheevá.


Part 19


In the stables, Blackwall and Dorian both unsaddled and began grooming their own horses rather than wait for the overwhelmed grooms. "So, I know why I got a glare from our good alchemist, but why did you?"

Blackwall shook his head, grinning at the mage. "I suspect that was a reminder that our dear Inquisitor is spoken for, especially since I spend a great deal more time with her than he can. Not that I needed the reminder, even if she is an amazing woman; I could see which way the wind was blowing the first time I saw them together."

"Have a thing for dwarves, or just for dangerous women?" Dorian gently teased, but Blackwall rolled his eyes in answer.

"Everyone's the same height lying down, and that's a woman with the kind of curves that you have to work at not thinking about touching…for those of us who like women, at least."

Dorian began checking the hooves of his stallion, chuckling back at Blackwall and completely at ease with the Warden now, despite their initial hostility. "I like women fine, just not in my bed. And the dangerous part?"

"Doesn't matter, like I said, I saw the way the wind was blowing. Of course, he might also have been reminding both of us that if we come back safely and she doesn't, we'd better taste our food and drink carefully for a while. It doesn't pay to anger a good alchemist known for mixing poisons, you know."

They both finished wiping down their mounts about the same time, and put them in their stalls as a groom came past with buckets of grain and water and another followed with fresh hay. "Now there's a charming thought. Why don't we get out of the way of these good people and have a couple of drinks in the tavern. Maybe Maryden will have a new song or two."

"Sounds good. Wasn't there one of the new recruits who was flirting with you last time we were here, an Orlesian from Montsimmard?"

"You mean the fair-haired young man who heard 'Tevinter' and saw the mage staff and didn't run screaming 'blood mage!' I suppose that does count as flirting for you southerners."


Part 20


Zheevá came into the main room, drying her short blonde hair and wrapping it in a linen towel as she grinned at the dark-bearded figure seated on the couch in front of the fire who silently watched her cross the room in her dark green robe in the fading afternoon light. He offered her one of her carved wooded steins as she approached and nodded to the platter of warm savory pastries wrapped around fillings of meat, cheese, or vegetables without a word, just a warmly affectionate grin. Just as silently, she toasted him and took a cautious drink from the stein, almost sputtering in surprise.

"Perry? Andraste's ass, Adan, the only thing called perry I could find in Orlais tasted like horsepiss, and Josephine told me we couldn't get decent perry closer than Denerim. Where did you get good perry?"

His smile turned smug at her reaction. "Asked for it."

"Just like that?" She took another, deeper drink before biting into a cheese-filled pastry. "When I asked, Josephine pointed out that it would be difficult to bring here and wasn't something the nobles drank. Well, alright, so almost no one else on either side of this benighted border drinks perry, but she made it sound so…common." Her green eyes sparkled challengingly at him with her dig at Ferelden.

"When an alchemist puts something on a requisition, the clerks don't usually ask why, salroka." He surprised a burst of laughter from her as she popped the last bite of pastry into her mouth, slowly licking a bit of cheese from her thumb while holding his eyes with hers, gleaming with mischief at the way he watched her.

"A man after my own heart, who knows how to bend the rules just a little." She picked up another pastry, resting her weight against his legs and watching him intently. "And you asked Varric what salroka meant, hah! The real question, though, is how did you know perry was my favorite drink?"

"You might have mentioned it once or twice." His expression was just as smug, but he was watching her just as intently. "And I might have asked Flissa while we were in Haven if there was anything you'd asked after but she couldn't get for you."

She wolfed the last bite of the meat pastry and chased it with more perry, cackling and wagging a finger at him as she set the stein down. "Sod it Adan, you're a snoop!"

He chuckled, capturing her finger to plant a brief kiss on the very end of it before letting it go. "Maybe. At least I didn't go snooping in your cabinets. Want some more?"

Zheevá suddenly shifted her weight, vaulting herself onto his lap and straddling his legs with hers before grabbing his beard gently in both hands as she leaned into him. "So, you meet me at the gate." She kissed the right side of his mouth lightly. "You sneak my favorite drink onto a requisition." She kissed the left side just as lightly, her eyes locked with his. "Bathwater that mysteriously smells of oranges and cloves." She kissed his nose. "Can I assume you had plans for this evening?"

He chuckled, hands comfortably around her waist. "Other than not wanting to share you for one evening with the nobles and every drunk in the tavern who has to tell you how wonderful you are? Not really."

She started to lean closer to kiss him full on the lips, then stopped, drawing back to stare at him in confusion.

"Why are you staring at me like that, minx?"

Several expressions flashed across her face, faster than he could identify them, then she sat back on his knees, laughing softly. "Sod it, Adan, just when I think I have you figured out…" Very softly she combed her fingers through his beard, eyes fixed on his. "In the Carta, when someone offers you a gift, particularly something personal, there are always…strings attached and you think carefully about accepting. I thought…"

Adan looked faintly offended. "You thought I did those things for you to get you in bed? Sod it, Zheevá, I did them because I thought you'd like them!"

She shook her head and sighed, leaning forward again to nestle her face into his neck, one arm around his shoulder. "Adan, it's the only way I've ever known someone to ask before. You know, if I'd been uninterested, I'd be wearing more than a robe."

Adan kissed top of her head, stroking the damp towel, his voice taking on a husky note. "I'm quite well aware of how little you're wearing considering where you're sitting, minx…especially since that robe doesn't cover a sodding thing below your waist when you sit like that." She chuckled into his neck and bit him gently. "And it's not as if the idea doesn't make this room feel like someone built the fire up way too high, but as long as I get you to myself for the evening for once, I'll be a happy man."

"You had me to yourself last time I was in Skyhold, even stayed the night." She continued nibbling his neck, and he found her earlobe, barely uncovered by the linen towel and began to kiss it.

"You're lovely when you're sleeping, but not much company, Zheevá."

"Should have thought of that before you slipped me a sleeping draught." She sat up straighter, fingers combing his beard again. "That's twice you've called me by name, you know."

He pointedly kept his eyes on hers, smirking. "Considering what you're wearing and where you're sitting, Cadash seems a bit stuffy."

"Enjoying the view? So, how do other people ask?"

"Just ask. Unless you've suddenly gone all shy and maidenly on me."

She snorted softly at the idea. "Did you lock the door when you got here?" One slender finger followed the long scar on the left side of his head, her eyes intent on his.

"Of course." He caught her finger, licking the tip of it before kissing it, eyes still holding hers. "Otherwise some sodding noble or other would come barging in for a chat."

Zheevá bit her lip at the feel of his tongue and lips on her finger, then ran her other hand over his short hair, almost giggling. "It's so short, it almost feels like velvet, you know."

"Does it now? And what does your hair feel like, minx?"

She leaned back forward to bite his earlobe gently as his arms slipped back around her waist, whispering in his ear. "Unwrap it and find out, old bear."

Carefully, he unwound the linen towel and tossed it aside to run his fingers through the damp curls and tease them out. Adan's smile was tender, but he tilted her mouth up to capture it in a kiss that was a great deal more heated than their kiss in the courtyard, and when they finished, she leaned closer to his ear again, her voice soft and husky.

"If you want to stay the night, there's other hair to play with, old bear."

He laughed at her unabashed suggestion, then suddenly one hand was pulling the tie of her robe undone and the other hand slid around her waist inside the robe, pulling her close so she was lying on top of him, kissing her with a heat that left no doubt of his answer.


Afterword


I couldn't resist the conversation between Blackwall and Dorian as I always felt they'd developed into friends when they have both been in my party. And there's a pretty strong hint even when you don't romance Blackwall that he would have been interested.

Dear friends of mine are the inspiration for the flavor of Zheevá and Adan's relationship, a couple whose relationship took me years to begin to understand and appreciate.