By the time they had returned to Skyhold, Parker had drunk herself halfway into a bottle of Dragon Piss and was trying to convince Vivienne to simply cut her leg off – Bull's constant support was not helping the matter either. She was laid out on a small medical cot, her trousers torn more to expose the full extent of the wound. The only reason it might have looked worse than the one in her stomach was the striking tone of white from her exposed thighbone. But the enchanter did not seem phased as she quickly set to work preparing the solutions to heal the bleeding hole. While I did not much like her as a person, I certainly admired her healing abilities. They far outmatched my own.
"What has happened?" Josephine gasped at the sight of Parker as Vivienne began pouring a concoction of solvents onto the wound.
"Josephine, go back to your office," Cassandra remarked, attempting to block her from the grotesque sight.
"Tell me what happened!" She demanded, pushing past Cassandra as Parker took another large swig. From the way her face no longer wrinkled at the harsh alcohol she was clearly far past her limit.
"She took on a bloody dragon and it was amazing!" Iron Bull cheered as Josephine snatched the bottle away from Parker, earning a pitiful whimper.
"A dragon?" She exclaimed, eyeing the bottle before handing it off to Cassandra.
"Yesh…aren't you impressed, my ladeh?" Parker's words were heavily slurred as Vivienne began the uncomfortable process of healing her wounds. "Ooo, that makes meh toes tingle," she giggled as Josephine scoffed, rolling her eyes and shifting to look back at Cassandra. "No!" Parker cried, reaching out and fumbling with Josephine's sleeve as Iron Bull attempted to keep her from falling. "Don't leave. I want to have something beautiful to look at while Madame de Fer puts me back together. Iron Bull does not butter my parshnips in the same way." Parker gave a fit of giggles as Josephine blushed, but her frown remained before she looked up at Iron Bull.
"Did you condone this?" She accused as Parker gave a groan at the magic beginning to glow from Vivienne's palms.
"Don't blame it on him, Josie-bear. I wanted…I wanted to ride it like a pony," Parker grinned wildly before another grimace struck her features. "Dammit, Vivi, you would think you'd have a gentler touch." The mage huffed, finally pulling her hands away to show nothing more than a round scar.
"Darling, might I suggest you get some rest?" She offered as Parker shifted her legs over the edge of the bed. Swiftly she stood, though the combination of alcohol and blood loss had her quickly slumping into the arms of the ambassador.
"My white knight," she cooed as Josephine continued to frown, remarking that she would bring Parker upstairs herself. "Yes, take me to my room. Unsex me!"
"Enough!" Josephine snapped as she led them around the side of the main building to hide the great Inquisitor from any of their more noble allies. "You must stop throwing yourself into danger for the misdirected belief in fun," Josephine scolded as they struggled up the last set of stairs.
"Ha, I don't do it for fun. I do it to impress the world, and you," she grinned, playfully tapping the tip of Josephine's nose. The ambassador tried to ignore it, turning her head away as she finally sat Parker down on the edge of the bed. "Why don't you like me anyhow?" Parker questioned as she struggled with one of her boots, flopping backwards and then shoving herself back up again.
"What…what are you talking about?" Josephine questioned, kneeling down to help speed up the process as she removed each shoe. "Of course I like you."
"Not that kind of like, cutie," Parker continued, her tongue poking out as she fiddle with her belt. Josephine took that time to tug the covers partially backwards while Parker finished kicking her pants off. "I mean, what else do I have to do for you, Josie-bear?" Parker rolled her heavy-feeling body into the warm place as the ambassador draped the covers back up to her shoulders. "I don't know if I can wait till I defeat Corypheus for you," at that her eyes started to droop and soon she was unconscious before the Antivan. Thank goodness. Josephine frowned, delicately reaching over and brushing some of the disheveled bangs out of Parker's face.
"How could I be worth such devotion from you?" Josephine breathed, leaning down and resting a tender kiss on Parker's temple before retreating back to her office. It was odd, seeing someone so constantly aware of her work that wish to ignore the world of romance. Then again, maybe I only found it odd considering my own experiences. I too had keep my mind focused in the world of my studies until love was practically dropped into my lap.
The following morning was not the Inquisitor at her best, but she agreed to take the punishment. Parker could not remember everything that she had said, but knew it to be foolish simply from the way Cassandra and Iron Bull snickered at her. If anything, she tried to ignore that it involved Josephine at all, wishing everyone could have simply forgotten about it and moved on with his and her lives. But when one fights for a cause bigger than them, gossip and rumors tend to be a foolish way to pass the time.
"So you and the ambassador, hmm?" Iron Bull questioned, giving her a playful nudge – which was more like a hard shove with his strength. They were walking through yet another raining landscape, playfully called the Storm Coast. I can'no say I was laughing much; rain and feathers do not mix well.
"Leave it, Bull. I'm not in the mood."
"I can imagine. That mark must have bolstered your tolerance. You drank enough to kill an entire unit of Qunari," Bull laughed as the woman rubbed at her temples. She reached down, grabbing several herbs and jamming them into her satchel. "So come on, be honest with me. Was she any good?"
"Was who?"
"Josephine. I mean she looks all innocent but I bet when you really get her going-"
"I'm gong to stop you there," Parker remarked, turning to face the Qunari. "Josephine and I did not have sex last night nor anything resembling it. She put me to bed like the drunkard fool that I was and then left. My apologies if that is not what you were hoping to hear." Her words were scornful as she wiped some of the rain from her face, a sudden tantrum startling the group. "Why the hell are we even out here in the pouring rain?"
They returned to Skyhold not long after, still trying to dry off in the warm sun as Parker attempted to make her way through Josephine's office as silently as possible. Damn the architects for forcing Parker to walk through here just to get to the war room.
"Inquisitor! Might I have a word?" Parker stopped, turning towards Josephine as she finished a conversation with one of their distributors. She wished to continue onward, but instead trudged down the few steps and slumped towards the desk like a scolded child. "I am in a somewhat…delicate situation," Josephine admitted as Parker plopped her still damp self into one of the chairs across from Josephine. "I spoke to you about my family and our trade routes to Orlais? Well, several generations ago my family was exiled from said trading routes." She stood up from her chair, fingers nervously fiddling as she paced around the room. "It has left us practically bankrupt and I have been attempting to retract the terms that had us originally exiled."
Josephine was the head of her household. She was the eldest of her four siblings and had taken the place of her father to control the Montilyet fortune and name. Due to the fact that she had made no effort to request help until now, Parker could only assume she had found herself in quite the bit of trouble.
"I sent out two couriers to Orlais containing the necessary documents but I have just become aware that they have both been murdered. I…I do not know who could have done this but a baron has contacted me claiming to have information. And h ha's agreed to meet me…but only if you come along. Please, Parker. I need your help." Parker would admit she had not been paying particular attention to what Josephine had said as she rubbed her pulsing temples. But the moment her request for help swirled into the space between them Parker was alert, sitting up to look at her.
"Of course, Josie. Whatever you need."