Cullen fidgeted uncomfortably, looking around the ballroom, with Alex's brothers Maxwell and Daylen near him, looking just as worried as he was. Alex had been gone quite a while, and Josephine had run out of excuses to stop the Empress from making her speech. He could see Celene lingering, getting ready, and he heard Maxwell speak, "Festis bei umo canavarum, Alex… where are you?"

"Maybe she got delayed?" Daylen said.

"Don't give us any ideas, Dale." His twin countered.

"I'm not giving any ideas!"

"Shut it."

Cullen sighed heavily, but luckily, the twins stopped talking, instead opting to look around for Alex amidst the sea of people. But finally he head Daylen gasp out, "There she is!"

He turned around to see Alex coming in from one of side doors, looking tired but determined, her eyes on the Grand Duchess. He made his way to her, with the twins right behind him, "Thank the Maker, you're back!" He said, and he meant it. He was happy to see her safe, but he could tell something was bothering her. He was about to speak when Maxwell beat him to it.

"The Empress is about to make her speech soon, sister." Max said.

"What should we do?" Daylen added.

Alex's eyes flared in anger, and she raised a hand them, "Wait here. I'm going to have a word with the Grand Duchess."

The three men blinked in shock and looked at each other.

"What?!" Cullen exclaimed.

"There's no time!" Maxwell added.

"The Empress is going to begin her speech any moment!" Daylen said.

But Alex didn't pay them any attention as she made her way towards the ballroom, where Florianne was talking to Gaspard and Briala, with Celene above them at a balcony.

"What is that woman up to?" Cullen said as he made his way off to the sides, but he blinked in surprise when he saw Alex approaching Florianne… with a triumphant smile on her face.

The hall erupted in gasps of shock as Alex neared the Duchess, "We owe the court one more show, Your Grace."

Florianne turned around and saw her, and Cullen saw the shock on her face underneath the mask. "Inquisitor."

Alex smiled widely as she walked towards her, her voice clear and loud that it rang through the ball room, "The eyes of every noble in the empire is upon us, Your Grace. Remember to smile. This is your party. You wouldn't want them to think you had lost control."

Florianne smiled, but Cullen could see that it was strained, "Who would not be delighted to speak with you, Inquisitor."

Alex smiled again as she put her hands behind her back and walked around the duchess, "I seem to recall you saying, 'All I needed was to keep you out of the ballroom long enough to strike'." Florianne's smile faded and was replaced with a look of panic, and Alex continued, "When your archers failed to kill me in the garden, I feared you wouldn't save me this last dance."

Cullen and the twins looked around, seeing every eye in the palace turned to Alex and Florianne, even Celene seemed intrigued by the events occurring in front of her. "It's so easy to lose your good graces. You even framed your brother for the murder of a Council emissary."

The hall buzzed with exclamations of shocks and whispers, and even Duke Gaspard looked in shock at Florianne, and Alex continued, "It was an ambitious plan… Celene, Gaspard, the entire Council of Heralds… all your enemies under one roof."

Florianne smirked, but Cullen could see she was getting desperate, "This is all very entertaining, but you do not imagine anyone believes your wild stories."

Celene scowled down at her cousin, "That would be a matter for a judge to decide, cousin."

Cullen saw the whole court look accusingly at Florianne, her favor with the court gone, and Alex smiled in triumph at Celene's words. By the Maker, she's manipulated them all. They believe her!

Florianne turned to her brother in desperation, "Gaspard! You cannot believe this! You know I would never…" But she stopped when Gaspard's eyes hardened under his mask, and he and Briala turned their back from her, and Cullen signed at the two guards near them to capture the Duchess. "Gaspard?!" Florianne cried out in supplication again, as she began backing away from the soldiers.

Alex's face hardened with spite, and she scowled down at Florianne, "You lost this fight ages ago, Your Grace. You're just the last to find out."

Florianne let out a cry of despair as their soldiers closed upon her, taking her arms, her sobs wracking her whole body as she was dragged away from the ballroom. Alex then turned her attention to Celene, "Your Imperial Magesty, I think we should speak in private… elsewhere."

Celene nodded and headed towards the balcony where she had stayed, with Briala, Gaspard and Alex following, and Cullen headed to his guards, with Josephine and Leliana following him towards the Vestibule and out of the palace. He looked down at Florianne as she continued to sob, "Chain her and take her to Skyhold. The Inquisitor will be the one to judge her. Make sure that she is guarded heavily."

"Yes sir!" The soldiers saluted at him, before dragging Florianne towards one of the caged carts that was parked near the exit of the Palace. He turned around to see Josephine sigh in relief, "She did it. She stopped them."

"She did very well." Leliana agreed, "The Empress and Orlais is safe. And Corypheus has lost another ally." She smiled brightly, "And from what I've heard, Celene and Briala will be ruling the Empire together. The Inquisitor played the Game very well."

"If all of this has worked out in the Inquisition's favor, then I'm glad for it." Cullen said as they headed back inside the Vestibule, and he heard the court clap in reply to Celene and Briala's speech, "Hopefully, this ends the Civil War as well."

"It does, and I'm sure the Empress would be more than happy to give us soldiers for our cause." Leliana said, "You'll be having your hands full for a while, Commander. But for now, let us enjoy the evening. Come on, Josie! There's a bottle of wine with our names on it."

The Ambassador and the Spymaster headed off, giggling under their hands, and Cullen looked around for Alex, spotting her brother's instead. The twins waved him over and he walked towards them, "Gentlemen, have you seen your sister?"

Maxwell smiled at him, "Lady Morrigan is speaking to her at the balcony. She has been assigned by Empress Celene as liaison to the Inquisition… and we will be accompanying her, for the moment."

Cullen blinked in surprise as Daylen nodded, "We'll be assisting Lady Morrigan with her research on how to defeat Corypheus, and from what I've heard, the Inquisition has a rather impressive library."

"It would be an honor to work with the Inquisition, Commander." They said in unison, bowing at him at the same time. He smiled and held out his hand, and the twins shook with him… Maxwell first, and then Daylen.

"It would be a pleasure to have you in Skyhold, dear sers. And I'm sure the Inquisitor would be happy to have you as well."

"No, not really." Maxwell said, laughing out loud.

"When she found out, she smacked her head and said 'Oh, Maker. I'm dead.'"

"She won't be able to sleep properly for a while, I'm sure."

"I still have that list of pranks in my belongings, you know."

Cullen laughed, "Ease up, gentlemen. We need the Inquisitor functional."

"Of course, Commander!" The twins said, saluting at him, and they winked as they left to prepare their things for the trip to Skyhold. He headed towards the balcony, where he could see Alex leaning against the railing, and Lady Morrigan glided inside again back into the ballroom, giving him a small nod of acknowledgement. He headed out to her, to see her deep in thought.

"There you are." He said as his way of announcing his presence, and Alex turned to look at him, before turning back at the view before her. He made his way towards her and leaned on the railing beside her, "Everyone's been looking for you. Things have calmed down for a moment. Are you alright?"

Alex smiled up at him, looking a little tired, "I'm just worn out. Tonight has been… very long."

He nodded in assent, "For all of us. I'm glad it's over."

She silenced for a bit, looking a little sad, and he laid a hand on her shoulder to comfort her, "I know it's foolish, but I was worried for you tonight." And he smiled at her, "I may never have another chance like this so… I must ask."

Alex blinked when Cullen moved away, standing behind her and bowing, holding out his hand as he smirked at her, "May I have this dance, my lady?"

Alex's face turned red, but she smiled warmly at him as she slid her hand into his, and Cullen marveled at the warmth of her hand, "Of course! I thought you didn't dance."

He laughed a little he wrapped his arm around her waist, and she laid a hand on his shoulder, "For you, I'll try."

They waltzed around a little, with Alex looking down at their feet, before she smiled up at him, "I say you're doing well, from what I'm seeing right now." But soon enough she sighed and pulled at him so that her head was buried on his chest as he danced with her slowly, causing Cullen to blush a little as the scent of lavenders emanating from her swirled around him again. "Have you heard? Lady Morrigan will be accompanying us to Skyhold as liaison for Empress Celene."

"So I've gathered." He said, and he laid his cheek on the top of her head and kissed her wrist, where he had bandaged her from her cut from the assassin, "Your brothers will be accompanying her as well."

"Ye Gods, I'll never be able to relax now." Alex said, chuckling, "If you see me with pie on my head, don't you dare laugh."

"Are they that horrible?"

"Let's just say it'll be like having two more Seras in Skyhold."

He chuckled, "Don't worry, Alexandra. I already know that you're beautiful in Ring Velvet. I'm sure you'll look just as perfect with pie on you."

Alex laughed out loud, before she wrapped her arms around his neck, with his arms folding around her waist as they continued to sway with the music, and she lifted herself up and kissed him, "Flatterer."