Chapter 26

Riona stood in the doorway of the tavern, she looked around for her friends spotting them at a table towards the back. She was running late having been held up by Josephine. Apparently there was a ball that was to take place at the Winter Palace that she was told that she had to attend, and not just attend she was supposed to dance at it as well. One problem, she didn't know how to dance. Riona groaned at the thought, Josephine would kill her if she embarrassed the Inquisition with her lack of societal skills. But she wasn't going to think anymore on the subject, she was going to enjoy her evening with her friends.

"Inquisitor!," Bull called out when he saw her waving her over to the seat next to him, directly across from Cullen who smiled widely at her arrival.

"So glad you could join us, Curly here was getting worried." Varric laugh when Cullen blushed.

"Sorry I'm late, Josephine detained me." Riona explained.

"And what did Ruffles want from our dear leader." Varric asked grinning.

"Something about a ball and dancing and society … nothing at all things I know anything about." Riona groaned, she didn't want to think about how embarrassing she was going to be to the inquisition.

"Ugh … I hate those things. People always staring at you, waiting for you to make a mistake. How are you supposed to know the rules of a game that changes with every season." Cullen complained, clear frustration in his voice.

Riona couldn't help but smile, glad that she wasn't the only one who was not looking forward to it. "Now my dear lady, you have nothing to fear, for you have myself to show you the way," Dorian stated as he threw down his cards folding the round they were on. "I shall gladly teach you and you Commander."

"You can teach me to dance? Really? You might regret that, I'm quite clumsy." Riona said laying down what she thought was a winning hand.

"Now we all know that's a load of horse shit. I've personally seen you slip up on a dragon unnoticed until you stabbed your daggers into its eyes. Somebody who was clumsy could not do that." Varric stated as he won the hand.

"Dammit," Cullen muttered already having lost all his money. "Wait … what?" His head shot up as his mind processed what Varric had just said.

"Oh … um … yeah, see there was this dragon and it was sleeping. So I ...um … kinda snuck up and ...um stabbed it in the eye." Riona told him biting her lip.

"You should have seen it boss, it was an epic fight. The dragon couldn't see us to fight but man did it put up a hella of fight. Breathing fire everywhere. Shit, most fun I had in awhile." Bull told Cullen as he folded.

"Well you in Curly?" Varric asked, looking at his own hand with smile.

"I've nothing left to bet, you've already cleaned me out dwarf," he said to Varric, "And you, my lady, we need to discuss your constant need to fight dragons."

"Nonsense Curly… you've got clothes still." Varric laughed as Cullen started gaping like a fish.

"Yeah, Boss, you can't give up now." Bull agreed.

"I would quit, while you still have your dignity Commander." Cassandra said, having been pretty quiet up to that point.

Cullen looked over at Riona, she just grinned, well he wasn't going to cut his night with his love short. "I'm in."

Several hours and rounds of drinks later, Cullen sat in just his small clothes. Sera had long since past out under the table. Dorian was snoring softly against Bull's shoulder. Cassandra was grumbling over her terrible hand again. Varric was grinning, a large pile of coins in front of him… the only one that had any money really. "Well are you in or not?" he asked the remaining players.

"I'm out." Cassandra said folding.

"Might as well go for it." Riona said, throwing in her last coins.

They both looked over at Cullen. "Don't do it Commander." Cassandra cautioned.

"You can't win the all Varric, I'm calling." Cullen said.

They laid their cards down at the same time, Cullen's heart sank and Riona's skipped a beat. "Not a word Dwarf." Cullen muttered as he removed his small clothes, covering himself with his hands.

He sat butt naked in the middle of the tavern, "Well I for one do not want to see our Commander's walk of shame. I will see you in the morning." Cassandra said excusing herself.

"Well I do!" Dorian called, having miraculously woken up just in time for this.

Cullen could feel his ears burning. Varric laughed as he got up from the table and followed after Cassandra, "Might not want to sit there for too long Curly, Sera is bound to wake up under the table sooner or later." He called back as he left.

Riona was giggling uncontrollably, "Well Cullen?"

Cullen's eyes begged her to please give him some semblance of dignity. Riona smirked as she stood and walked around the table to his side. She kissed him on the cheek, "Good night Ma Vheran."

As Riona was walking towards the door, Cullen got up and dashed up the stairs and out the upper door that lead to the battlements towards his office, Riona glancing back just in time to see Cullen's bare arse. "Oh I'm defiantly going have to think Varric for such a wonderfully evening," she said with a giggle.

She had needed this. Just her and her friends having fun. Nothing being demanded of her. Nobody or nothing to fight. Just having fun. Plus seeing Cullen out of that armor was a big plus. She couldn't stop picturing his bare chest or ass. She hoped she'd get to see more of it soon. Riona returned to her room, content and relaxed. She flopped back onto her bed with a big happy sigh, falling quickly to sleep.

On the other side of Skyhold, Cullen paced in his office, having put on some clothes. He was never going to live this down. Too many of his men had seen his mad dash from the tavern to his office. He could still hear them howling with laughter on the battlements outside. "Maker's Breath, I'm going to kill that dwarf." He muttered. But then he chuckled, even as embarrassing as the evening had ended, he had had fun. He felt relaxed for the first time in years, he had not laughed that much since he was a boy. This, this is what they were fighting for. He decided he wouldn't think about his walk of shame but just the fun that had been had as he retired to his bed. He flopped down onto his bed with a big happy sigh, a smile on his face as he fell asleep.