The Seeker places one bare foot gently down in front of the other, trying not to make too much noise as she walks silently through the downstairs hallway of the Trevelyan house. Cassandra was unsure where the Inquisitor had fled to after their less than comfortable discussion, but she didn't want to draw any further attention to herself while she was looking for him. She comes to a stop outside of the wooden door that leads to the glass summer room; the room that she knows the Trevelyan family like to spend time together, wondering if her lover might have chosen to seek the advice of his family rather than lock himself away. Cassandra shrugs her shawl higher up her arms trying to keep warm having dressed quickly after her bath. She'd decided to wait in the bedroom that they had been sharing while visiting his childhood home, hoping to give him some time to calm down and hopefully want to speak to her after she had caused him to flee with her news.
Lady Pentaghast presses her palm against the wood; she remains quiet as she leans forward trying to hear if there is any sign of the family inside the room hoping she would at least find her Lord Trevelyan. She lets a smile tug at the corner of her mouth when she hears the sound of children's laughter coming from the other side of the closed door, sure that the joyous sound is coming from her soon-to-be Nephews Jack and Elliot and that whatever they are doing has them very entertained. Cassandra sighs, soon-to-be if her marriage to The Inquisitor was still going to be taking place after she confessed to him that she had kissed Commander Cullen. It had been while trying to anger Lord Trevelyan enough to free him from the Blood Magic of the vial that had possessed him, but it had gone too far and she had been unable to cope with the guilt of not telling him the truth. The Seeker feels herself falter, unable to bring herself to push the door open and enter the room.
"I don't think you need knock." Cassandra hears his voice at her ear before she is even aware of him standing behind her, he lets out a small laugh when he sees her jump when he speaks. "I'm sorry, forgive me. I forget that I need to make noise to not be so alarming." Daniel Trevelyan smiles at her as she feels his piercing blue eyes meet hers when she turns to face him. "I haven't spent this much time with actual people since.." Daniel begins before closing his mouth tight, not wanting to recall when he had last lived with others.
"I didn't hear you." Lady Pentaghast returns his smile, feeling genuinely glad to see that he is still in his family home and that he has been as far as she can see welcomed.
She had felt nothing but dread when she had first seen the Trevelyan's reaction to her inviting the Black Sheep of the family to help his younger brother, The Inquisitor, but she was happy to hear that he had been given the chance to explain what had happened and get his side of the story to the surface. Their eldest brother Henry had hurt a lot of people, the Mage in front of her included.
"I don't believe I'm the only one creeping around." Daniel gives her a small smile when he drops his eyes to her bare feet and then back to her face making Cassandra blush. "Unless this is a Nevarran tradition I am unaware of." Daniel adds diverting his own eyes towards the door when he hears more laughter from the youngest Trevelyan Lords.
"They are lovely boys." Lady Pentaghast nods gaining his attention back on her but away from her bare feet and her sneaking. "Jack reminds me so much of Ashton." She adds watching Daniel nod in agreement and give her what she can only interoperate as a sympathetic look. "I was actually looking for him, have you seen him?"
"Jack?" Daniel asks laughing lightly when Cassandra shakes her head. "You are right, he is very much like his Father.." Daniel trails off. "Last time I saw Ashton he was with Annabelle." Cassandra feels her heart sink at his words, even now that she knew the truth about Annabelle it made her feel uneasy even hearing her name.
Lady Pentaghast knew that Jack was her lover's son but she also knew that Lord Henry Trevelyan had manipulated and forced Lady Annabelle to leave the Inquisitor on their wedding day and spend her life with him. A large part of her felt terrible for Annabelle, she'd been forced to live a lie and hurt the man she loved.
"With Annabelle?" The Seeker feels her voice waver slightly at her words but she swallows hard to try and stop the Mage from noticing. "I see.." Cassandra sighs trying to give him a reassuring smile that she was fine.
"They have a lot to discuss I imagine." Daniel Trevelyan returns her smile and places his hand on her arm giving it a reassuring squeeze, much like she had done previously. Of course, they had a lot to discuss; they had a child together. "I forgot to say how good it is to see you up and about. We were worried about you for a while there. I'm glad to see that you are recovering after everything that happened." Daniel adds as Cassandra feels his eyes taking in her face, wondering why she always felt so vulnerable under his gaze.
"And I forgot to say thank you for everything you did to save me and to save Ashton." The Seeker sees him smile at her words, clearly happy that he had helped them in some way and been able to help his family. "Although binding me to The Commander.." Cassandra sighs making Daniel laugh.
"Cullen is a good man.." Daniel squeezes her arm again before dropping it back to his waist. "He's just very attached to you." Daniel laughs. "But he didn't know what was going to happen to him when he placed his blood into that vial, he risked himself for both of you. I believe the three of you are very lucky to have each other and all care so deeply about each other." Daniel nods as Cassandra feels herself mull over his words, she wasn't sure the three of them would ever be able to be true friends while such complicated emotions were involved. "You have three people that would die for each other, that's a special bond." He adds.
"I guess we are lucky" Cassandra nods feeling the guilt creeping into her again, she knew that her Inquisitor and Commander found it difficult to be friends because of her.
The Seeker drops her eyes to her feet trying to get rid of the feeling. She would see them work on their friendship for her sake only for her to cause rifts between them, maybe this would be one rift too many and neither would be able to forgive and forget. The Seeker tries to stop the wave of sadness washing over her; if she and Lord Trevelyan were unable to continue their relationship because of her betrayal, it was going to make life at Skyhold very difficult, especially when their child arrived. A future without The Inquisitor was not something she wanted to even think about.
"Do not look so concerned Lady Pentaghast. It isn't healthy for you or your baby to fret so much." Daniel grins making Cassandra fix her eyes on him again, The Inquisitor had clearly already spoken to his brother about Cullen and the kiss. "I can assure you that everything is going to be fine." He adds as The Seeker feels the edge of her mouth twitch into a smile, she hoped so. "He loves you and I know you will have a very long and happy future together."
"I hope you are right." Lady Pentaghast sighs bringing her hand up to rest instinctively on her stomach; their baby was protruding enough now that if you were aware of its presence it was noticeable. She also hoped that Daniel was talking about his brother and her future, rather than Cullen.
"I will let you continue your search for my Little Brother." Cassandra notices the small flash of sadness on his face when Daniel sees her action of covering the growing baby with her palm, knowing how hard it must be for him to think of his loss of his wife and child at the hands of Henry.
"What will you do now? Will you still need to be in hiding?" The Seeker watches him ponder her question for a moment before his face lights up when he thinks about his future.
"I don't believe I will need to live in hiding anymore. The crimes are still linked to my name but a lot of time has passed and most people won't remember what I look like, let alone my name." Daniel smiles wide when he voices his thoughts. "I'm still a Blood Mage and people might still think I'm dangerous, but my family know the truth and we have started to make up for the time we've lost." He adds moving his hand to her shoulder. "Maybe I will never truly be free but for now I will stay here with my family and help them heal. Maybe soon I will be able to settle in a new home of my own in Ostwick, or maybe I will continue to travel and find my way to Skyhold." Daniel laughs making Cassandra smile.
"We would love to have you." Lady Pentaghast gives him a positive nod, she was certain the Inquisitor would want his brother to visit them in their own home and see the life they were building. "You are always welcome to stay with us, for as long as you would like." Cassandra adds hearing him sigh happily.
"I will hold you to that, Lady Pentaghast." Daniel smirks as he places his hand on the wooden door to the summer room, he pushes the door open for her not giving her the chance to back out any longer. "I look forward to meeting my new Niece or Nephew." The Seeker nods at his words, she was lucky to have the Trevelyan's as her new family and she hoped she would still have them.
Cassandra ducks under his arm and into the room, giving him a smile of thanks over her shoulder when she watches him walk away from her, his long coat trailing after him as he strides with purpose. Lady Pentaghast feels herself sigh, she hoped he was right that everything was going to work out. She prayed that this little bump in her and Lord Trevelyan's relationship was nothing more than that; a small bump and a moment of madness that she had never intended to happen and had never meant to hurt him. Her and Ser Rutherford's friendship was complicated and fuelled by strong feelings from both sides, but Lord Trevelyan was the one that she was truly bound to with heart, body and soul. The Seeker steps further into the room following the sound of the children chatting happily at the dining table, she fixes her eyes on the current youngest members of the Trevelyan family and sees that they are sat with their Grandmother, Lady Louisa Trevelyan.
"Be careful not to spill the icing." Lady Trevelyan laughs leaning across the table to her Grandson's, not noticing Cassandra stepping quietly towards them. "Here Jack.." She adds as Lady Pentaghast watches her hand the eldest boy a small spoon with a blob of bright red icing on it.
Cassandra notices that Elliot is stood on a chair at the table so that he can reach the plate of biscuits that have been set in front of him but that the majority of his icing is all over his hands and face. The Seeker feels herself smile again when she hears laughter coming from Jack when he notices that his brother is busily coating his hands rather than the biscuits he has been given to decorate.
"It's supposed to go on the biscuits." Jack laughs reaching his hand out to remove the spoon from his younger sibling that is now being shaken violently by the toddler. "Tell him, Grandmother." Jack adds placing the spoon down on the table and his own hands onto the wooden surface, Cassandra sees that he is kneeling on a chair of his own and has gone back to focusing intently on his task.
"Don't you worry about Elliot." Lady Louisa beams at her dark-haired boy, reaching her hand out to tuck a strand of his unruly hair behind his ear. Cassandra wondered if her Lord Trevelyan's hair would be just as unruly if he let it grow any longer than his usual close-cut and maybe this was the reason he almost always kept it short. "You finish yours." Louisa adds suddenly noticing that The Seeker is close, she looks up at her a large smile appearing on her face when she sees Cassandra.
"I hope I'm not interrupting?" Cassandra asks seeing The Inquisitor's Mother shake her head that she wasn't, she watches her jump to her feet as quickly as she is able and moves away from the table and to where The Seeker stands. Lady Pentaghast laughs when Lady Trevelyan throws her arms around her drawing her into a warm hug.
"We were so worried about you." Lady Trevelyan whispers hugging her even tighter, a hug that Cassandra gladly accepts and returns from the closest person she had to a mother. She had never heard so many people voice their concern and that they had been worried about her. Lady Pentaghast looks past Lady Trevelyan at the two boys still sat patiently at the table that have noticed her and look excited to see her. "I can't begin to understand what happened to Ashton for something like that to happen to you, but I'm so happy that you are both safe." She adds releasing Cassandra from the confines of her arms, she places her hands on her face setting her light eyes on her face.
"I'm sorry you had to see me.." Cassandra begins before glancing to Jack who has his complete attention on her and is smiling at her, she stops herself from voicing anything further not wanting to upset the young boy. "I'm sorry for everything." Lady Pentaghast sighs avoiding her eyes.
"You are both alive. That is what is important." Lady Louisa sighs but Cassandra doesn't hear any disappoint or upset in her voice. "All three of you are safe." Louisa smiles when Lady Pentaghast looks back at her. "I mean if it is true and you are really with child?" She asks as Cassandra feels the older woman searching her face for the answer, a smile appearing that she can't seem to keep away.
"Yes, it's true." The Seeker laughs when Lady Trevelyan throws her arms around her again almost knocking her off of her feet with the force of her body and arms. Cassandra feels a lump forming in her throat when she hears Louisa manage to sob 'Oh Cassandra' and all her worries that his parents would be disappointed with their news removed. "You aren't unhappy?" Lady Pentaghast whispers when she is finally let go of and has hands-on her face again.
"How could we ever be unhappy about such magnificent news?" Lady Trevelyan laughs bringing the back of her hand to wipe her tear brimmed eyes. "Another Grandchild for us and a beautiful gift for you both." She adds with a large smile and a sniff that makes Cassandra laugh at her perfect reaction. "We couldn't be happier for you and Ashton. You will be such a wonderful Mother and he will be everything you could want in the Father of your child." Louisa smiles making Cassandra drop her eyes at her compliment, she wasn't so sure she was the maternal type but she was certainly coming around to the idea.
Seeing how excited the Inquisitor was about their growing child increased her confidence that they were going to be good parents. She hoped they would be able to get over the problems she had caused them and raise their child together.
"We wanted to tell you. We wanted you both to know before we left but I didn't feel like the time was right.." Cassandra begins seeing Louisa nod, a look of complete adoration and excitement on her face. "Not when you had such sad news to contend with." Lady Pentaghast adds. "And Annabelle also had the same news." Cassandra sighs.
"But this is your news, yours and Ashton's. You should never worry about sharing your excitement with your family. You both being here has given us so much happiness and now we have another addition to our growing family. No amount of sadness could ever remove from how happy we are you and Ashton found each other." Louisa smiles and places her hands on Cassandra's shoulders.
"He should be here telling you our news.." Lady Pentaghast whispers dropping her eyes to the ground again, she sniffs trying to keep her sadness from hitting her again. "We wanted to tell you together," Cassandra adds moving her eyes back to her future Mother-In-Law who just gives her a sympathetic nod. "Did he tell you what I've done to hurt him?" She asks. If she was going, to be honest, and remove all lies from their relationship, she was going to come clean completely to her new family.
"Yes.." Louisa sighs as Cassandra feels her stroking her palms against her shoulders trying to offer her some comfort. "I've never seen my son so distraught. Even the day I saw his heartbroken by.." The Seeker sees her stop not wanting to say Annabelle's name with her children close by. "He was not as hurt as I saw him today." Louisa begins making The Seeker close her eyes at her words. "But he knows that you love him, he knows that he loves you. Those are the two things that your Inquisitor believes in more than anything and knows it to be true. He knows that you found each other for a reason. He has had his pride hurt more than a few times over the last few days and when Daniel bound you to your friend it hurt him more than he thought it would. Then when you told him.." Lady Trevelyan continues placing her hand on Cassandra's cheek trying to brush the tears away that she knows might fall. "But he loves you above all else." Louisa gives her a reassuring smile.
"I love him above all else," Cassandra whispers unable to return the smile when she sniffs trying to keep her voice even. "I didn't mean to hurt him and I hate knowing that I have. I can't be without him and don't want there to ever be a time I'm not at his side. My feelings for him are real and are only for him, not the Commander. I know I am difficult.." Lady Pentaghast trails off with a sigh.
"What if you are? I know my son is difficult at times too. You made a mistake and I know he has too. That is what we do, but it is how we move forward from those mistakes that make us who we are. Yes, you have hurt him but I am certain he has done the same to you." Lady Trevelyan whispers as Cassandra watches her turn to look at her Grandsons making sure that they are still behaving themselves and decorating their cookies. "He should never have kept the truth from any of us, but unlike my eldest, he has only kept things from us because he thinks he is protecting us." Louisa moves back to the table and reaches for Jack again brushing her fingers through his hair, watching her grandchildren chat happily between themselves.
The Seeker realised that the whole Trevelyan family were having to deal with the truth, the truth of the lives they were forced to live because of Henry and the truth about Jack and Ashton being his real Father.
"You don't need to worry about Jack." Cassandra smiles watching the dark-haired, mini Inquisitor look up at her when he hears his name.
The Seeker sees Lady Trevelyan turn to look at her again nodding; she understood what she was trying to say without voicing the truth. Jack would be fine and he would still have the stable home life that the Trevelyan's provided him with in Ostwick, with his brother, his mother and his Grandparents.
"Ashton and I would love for him to visit us at Skyhold, both of them." Lady Pentaghast adds seeing Jack's face light up at the idea of travelling to a far off place he had never really heard of with his Uncle.
"He would have been a wonderful Father." Louisa Trevelyan sighs removing her hand from Jack's hair before smiling at Cassandra when she realises how silly her words sound. Cassandra understood her hint of sadness, she hadn't known the truth about the small boy's parents and she hadn't known the hurt and distress it had brought her youngest son. "He will be a wonderful Father." She adds.
"I know he will." Lady Pentaghast smiles, she hoped Lord Trevelyan's mother was right that he would be able to forgive her because above all else, they loved each other. He had lied to her and she had forgiven him so she hoped he could do the same for her momentary lack of judgement. "You should be very proud of him, I'm sure he is the way he is because of you and William." Cassandra sees Louisa smile at her words. "He is a better man than he gives himself credit for." She adds a much better man than he would ever admit.
"And you are a better woman." Lady Trevelyan laughs. "But just speak to him Cassandra, he isn't angry with you. He just needs to know you will always choose him." Louisa adds making Cassandra nod. Lord Trevelyan did need to know that blood bond or not she would always pick him over anyone else. "Now, I believe you have a young Lord that would like your attention." Cassandra glances at Jack when she hears her words and sees that he has given up on his icing and is staring intently at her waiting for her to notice him. "Ashton and Annabelle were going to the gardens if you want to find him.." Lady Pentaghast tries to keep the frown from her face, she knew she couldn't still feel jealous and insecure about Annabelle but she couldn't help it.
"What have you been doing Jack?" The Seeker asks turning to him, she watches Elliot take advantage of his distracted brother to pick up his spoon and pop it into his waiting mouth. "Are those biscuits?" She asks him looking down at the small heart-shaped biscuits that the boys have been carefully decorating with their bright icing.
"Yes," Jack whispers suddenly going shy. "Where have you been?" Jack huffs making Cassandra smile, she looks into his face and sees a frown that she knows too well appear in his eyes. She watches him try not to smile when she looks at him.
"Where have I been?" Lady Pentaghast replies seeing a cheeky smile tug at his mouth. "Where have you been? I've been looking for you, for days.." Cassandra huffs hearing him laugh at her response. "Did you miss me?" She smiles when she sees Jack nod enthusiastically, the children had had a difficult number of weeks but were still able to keep the innocent happiness that their age rewarded them with.
"I did." Jack laughs jumping off of his chair towards Cassandra who quickly catches him so he doesn't fall to the floor, she feels her heart nearly burst when she just manages to get her arms around him, wondering if Lord Trevelyan would be angry at her if she broke his son. "Uncle Ashton said you weren't feeling well?" Jack whispers when Cassandra feels him wrap his arms tightly around his middle as if he needs to hold onto her so she can't go missing again. "He said you have to leave soon." He sighs pressing his cheek into her.
"I'm much better now." Lady Pentaghast smiles when she looks at Lady Trevelyan who is watching the exchange. "But we will have to leave soon, your Uncle and I have very important jobs and things we need to do back at our home," Cassandra adds hearing him sigh again, she places her hand on the back of his head hugging him tighter to her. "But we still have today and tomorrow." She glances down at him when she feels him nod, Cassandra watches Lady Trevelyan take a seat next to her youngest Grandson beginning to clean his hands and face of the sticky icing.
"Why can't you stay here with me?" Jack asks removing his head from her and looking up into her face making Cassandra laugh lightly again, she untangles herself from the little boy's arms and crouches down in front of him so she can get a better look at him.
"We have to get Skyhold ready so you can come and stay with us, would you like that?" The Seeker sees him thinking this over for a moment trying to keep the excited smile from his face and not appear too eager. "I'm sure all of our friends would love to meet you." Cassandra sees the smile creeping onto the boy's face.
"Would I have my own room?" Jack smiles wider when Cassandra nods, he laughs happily throwing his arms around her neck again in another tight hug.
The Seeker wasn't sure if promising him his own room in their large and rolling fortress was such a good idea, there were far too many places a young boy could get himself into trouble in Skyhold, but if it would make him happy she was sure they could make a bedroom just for him when he visited.
"You can have a room that looks over the whole of Skyhold and the mountains." Lady Pentaghast laughs holding him in her arms. "But you must promise until you come and visit us that you will be on your best behaviour and make sure that you look after your Mother and your Grandparents. They are going to need your help to look after Elliot, too." Cassandra adds receiving a confident nod from Jack, she had already been told many times what a good boy Jack was so she was sure he would behave on the promise of a trip across the sea.
"I promise." Jack nods again as Lady Pentaghast watches him let go of her, she places her hands on his shoulders looking into his face. "I promise I'll be good and look after Elliot so I can visit." He adds when Cassandra watches him glance up and over the top of her head. "Can I really have my own room in Skyhold, Uncle Ashton?" Jack asks giving the Inquisitor a small smile.
Cassandra looks up from her spot crouched on the floor and over her shoulder to see that Lord Trevelyan and Lady Annabelle have returned from their walk in the grounds and have found them in the family's glass room, she immediately turns her attention back to Jack wondering if the Inquisitor was still upset with her and trying to force down any jealousy that she was feeling that he had arrived with Anna. She watches Jack step from foot to foot waiting for the answer to his question and hears Lord Trevelyan laugh at his sons questioning, the warm sound that makes her smile to herself when she hears it.
"Of course you can." Lord Trevelyan replies with a smile in his voice. "You can pick whichever room you would like.." The Inquisitor adds as Cassandra watches Jack beam happily at the news. "But if it's okay with you, Cassandra and I would like to keep our room. It's our favourite room, isn't it Lady Pentaghast?" Cassandra feels herself smile slightly at his words.
"We do have the best room." The Seeker nods looking over her shoulder at him again, finally letting her eyes settle on her lover and seeing that he doesn't look angry.
He smiles at her that she returns wondering if it would be completely inappropriate for her to throw herself at him and make him forget every reason they had ever hurt each other and remember every reason that they were together. Cassandra watches the scar on his mouth twitch when he smiles at her catching her staring at him.
"Ashton was just telling me about your plan to have your wedding at Skyhold." Lady Annabelle announces making Cassandra direct her attention from the Inquisitors deep brown eyes to Annabelle's face. The Seeker waits for a cutting comment and frowns slightly when there isn't one. "It sounds like it will be a lovely day," Anna adds with a smile. "Maybe we could make the trip earlier and spend some time with you both. The boys would love that." Annabelle nods glancing at Lord Trevelyan and then back at Lady Pentaghast.
"You are always welcome." Cassandra returns her smile, genuinely meaning it too. If Lord Trevelyan was still talking about their wedding, she wanted all of the family to be there to share the day with them.
Annabelle was Jack's mother and nothing was going to change that, if she was willing to try and get along and keep things civil between them, so was Cassandra. Lady Pentaghast drops her eyes to Lord Trevelyan's hand when he holds it out to her; she slips her hand into his palm feeling him curl his hand around hers letting him guide her to her feet.
"We hope it will be perfect." Cassandra nods watching The Inquisitor bite his bottom lip. They hadn't discussed much about their big day, they knew they both wanted it to take place in their home but they hadn't settled on the finer details.
"Why don't you come and help me get this cleaned up Jack?" Lady Trevelyan calls from the table, beckoning her Grandson to her. "You can help me save these for tomorrow." She adds motioning to the cookies that they have finished covering with the red blobs. Cassandra watches Jack hurry back to the table ready to complete the task that he has been set by his Grandmother, he carefully begins placing them on a plate that she holds out to him while she gathers up the rest of the spoons and bowls.
"Maybe we should leave you to talk.." Lady Annabelle whispers when The Seeker watches Lord Trevelyan glance at Anna. "You have both been through too much.." Anna adds with a slow nod of her head as she drops her eyes from them. "You deserve to be happy and that should be together." Cassandra watches her look up at them again, she fixes her eyes on Lord Trevelyan for a moment before looking to her children. "Come on boys" Annabelle directs to her sons, in a much warmer tone than The Seeker had ever heard come from her before.
Lady Pentaghast lowers her own eyes to her feet, unsure how she feels hearing Annabelle's words and wondering if she had been overreacting to her presence previously. She was certain that Annabelle had been short with her and had been judging her when they first met, she was certain she had seen her place her hands and mouth on her Inquisitor, but she was also certain that she hadn't known the whole truth about the life that Annabelle had been forced to live. Cassandra looks up when she hears Lady Trevelyan getting up from the table and shooing her Grandsons in the direction of the door, the two boys looking back wondering why they are being escorted from the room by their Grandmother. The Seeker smiles to herself when she feels Lord Trevelyan place his hand on her lower back.
"Anna.." The Inquisitor begins making Cassandra look to him when she hears his voice. "Thank you for listening." Lord Trevelyan adds making The Seeker look to Lady Annabelle who just nods and gives him a small smile, she didn't think she liked the idea of his former betrothed being a shoulder for him to cry on but she had to remember she had been the cause of his upset and maybe Annabelle was the reason he was stood with his arm around her right now. "I meant it when I said that I want to support you, both of us do." Cassandra feels his eyes on her waiting for her to agree with him.
"Any time." Lady Annabelle gives him a large smile trying to keep any hint of sadness from her eyes when she watches Lord Trevelyan gaze at the Seeker. "I appreciate it." She adds bending slightly as she moves to follow her children from the room.
Lady Pentaghast feels Lord Trevelyan drop his hand from her back as she watches him making sure that his family have left the room and closed the door behind them, following his line of sight to see that they are giving them some privacy and letting them talk alone. Cassandra feels the questions sitting on the tip of her tongue, she desperately wanted to ask him why he had been thanking Annabelle and why he had such a change of heart after she had hurt him so much, but when he sighs she forgets them for a moment. The Seeker watches The Inquisitor move away from her, he turns to perch on the edge of the dining table bringing his hands up to run over his face.
"Ashton.." Cassandra begins watching him drop his hands in front of him, he pokes at the bandage on his hand with one finger testing for pain. She sees him move to place his palms flat against the wooden surface that he leans against, she feels her stomach knot wondering if he had been pretending that everything was fine between them to stop more questions being placed upon him by his family. "You have to know how sorry I am." The Seeker sighs watching Lord Trevelyan drop his eyes to his boots.
"Why are you apologising to me?" The Inquisitor replies glancing up at her, his eyes watching the way she begins wringing her hands in front of her. "I should be apologising to you." He adds making Cassandra lift her eyebrows in surprise, she almost instinctively looks to his throat for a vile that she knows is no longer there and wouldn't be causing him to say things out of character anymore.
"But I betrayed your trust.." Lady Pentaghast croaks feeling the words catch in her throat, she sees him shake his head and let his eyes meet hers. "I lied to you." She whispers seeing the corner of his mouth lift.
"And I lied to you. I betrayed your trust." Lord Trevelyan huffs. "I've been selfish and have been thinking about my feelings and not considering yours. I got caught up in my jealousy and didn't think about how scared and alone you must have been feeling.." The Inquisitor continues making Cassandra shake her head, he was trying to make excuses for her actions and blame himself for everything that had happened.
"I didn't consider the things that you had to cope with when I left Skyhold that night. The pain my actions caused you when you feared for my life. I didn't know about the hurt you suffered because of me when I was taken by the rage and was so unkind to you. I don't remember any of it and you do. You had to face all of this on your own because I wasn't with you, we are supposed to be there for each other through everything but the vial meant I wasn't. I'm not surprised you wanted to seek comfort and support from someone else, because I was of no help to you. It is selfish of me to think you should only be with me. It was selfish of me to not realise that you have suffered more than I could ever know because you sacrificed yourself for me.." Lord Trevelyan shakes his head suddenly finding it difficult to continue.
"I would do anything for you." Lady Pentaghast closes her eyes for a moment having to think about everything that had taken place, she would do it all again if it kept her Inquisitor safe. Part of him was right though, he didn't remember what had taken place and he would never have to know what it was like to die at the hands of the one you love most.
"I would do anything for you. That is why I am sorry for everything that has happened. Forgive me for being jealous, forgive me for hurting you and forgive me for my actions that I couldn't control but should never have let happen. Do you know what my family made me realise?" Lord Trevelyan asks her making her shake her head. "That our life is too short and the time we have is too brief to let things come between us. You are too good, too loving and too kind to ever have to suffer as you have done because of me.." Cassandra feels herself flush at his words, she didn't feel like she was any of those things.
"None of this was your fault. It's my fault you are in these dangerous situations in the first place." Lady Pentaghast huffs. "Even though I don't believe you need to ask for forgiveness. I forgive you." She adds watching him nod his head.
"I forgive you, too." The Inquisitor smiles at her as his teeth find his bottom lip when he thinks something over. "I can't always protect you and keep you safe but we can a least stay together and do what we can. I need to worry less about my pride and remember what is important. We promised no more lies, so why don't we also add in no more jealousy from my part? How about no more being too overprotective?" He asks as Cassandra just shrugs, she didn't think he would be able to keep the one about being overprotective and knew she worried about him just as much as he did her.
"You have nothing to be jealous about." Lady Pentaghast sighs when she sees him laugh. "I am yours, Inquisitor." She adds watching his eyes drop to her mouth and then back to hers. "All of those things are things you think hurt me, what about the things that I do that you don't like? Don't you want me to change? Stop being so moody? Stop arguing with you? Try to be less sharp with you?" Cassandra sees his mouth twitch into a smile.
"I wouldn't change anything about you." Lord Trevelyan replies making her huff again, there was plenty about her that she knew displeased him and that he should want to change but she guessed he had fallen in love with her even with her faults and she, him. "I wouldn't change anything that has happened either. As you said, it is just another part of our story." The Inquisitor adds holding his hands out to her, offering her to take hold of them. "I love you, just as you are Seeker." He smiles as she lets him wrap his hands around hers trying to be careful knowing his injured hand had still been troubling him.
"I'm sorry about Cullen." Lady Pentaghast whispers watching him nod and drop his eyes to her hands that she places in his. "I never meant for that to happen and I never meant to hurt you." Cassandra adds watching him raise her hands in front of his face, he places a gentle kiss against each knuckle looking into her face. "I do wish I could change that.." She watches him smile lightly and shake his head, she couldn't change what had happened but she could make sure that they didn't hurt each other again. He was right, their time was too short and they couldn't let anything come between them and take away the precious moments they did have together.
"We can't change anything that has happened, so let us not worry about it anymore. We can have a new start and put all of this behind us so we can continue our life, when he head home it will be with nothing but positivity for our future." Lord Trevelyan ducks his head to fix his eyes on to her when she huffs, he was so wonderful and she didn't know why she deserved his love most of the time.
Even when she could feel the walls about to go up around her heart and she could see the worry in his face whenever she was cool with him, he quickly pulled them down and covered her with the warmth of his love so that she had no choice but to feel adored by him. Whether she thought she deserved it or not, he wasn't going to stop loving her.
"No one matters, but us" The Inquisitor whispers.
"Just us" Cassandra sighs before she decides to take advantage of his inviting arms and the need to be close to him, she drops his hands before she steps into the space in front of him placing her feet between his and leaning her body into his chest.
She wraps her arms around his body, burying her head into his chest feeling the warmth of comfort of him engulf her. Cassandra hears his happy sigh when he closes his arms around her, his hand resting against the top of her head as the Seeker holds him tightly.
"It didn't break us apart did it?" The Inquisitor asks with a smirk, as Cassandra shakes her head against his chest. No, it hadn't broken them. "It hasn't stopped us loving each other has it?" He adds with a laugh making her shake her head again. No, she definitely loved the Inquisitor with every fibre of her being. She feels him squeeze her tighter before sliding his palms up to her shoulders guiding her back from his body, Cassandra watches the warm brown pools search her face as if he is thinking again.
"What is it?" The Seeker whispers, her words not reaching her lips as easily when she watches his eyes drop to her mouth. "Stop.." She adds watching a large smile spread onto his face when he looks into her eyes again, she always felt exposed when he was being so adorable and she thought he would be able to hear her heart trying to beat its way from her chest.
"You know he doesn't kiss you as I do?" The Inquisitor whispers making her sigh in response. Cassandra feels his hands come to rest on her face, the tips of his thumbs carefully tracing the lines of her cheeks.
No one had ever kissed her as Lord Trevelyan did, she knew she had felt something behind the Commander's kiss but it was nothing compared to what she felt from the man watching her so closely. The Seeker didn't make a habit of kissing a lot of men and she had always laughed at the passages in her romance novels that talked about a woman's reaction to a man's kiss, she didn't do swooning.
"No, he doesn't." Cassandra smiles biting her bottom lip when she watches his eyes lower to her mouth again. "No one kisses me, the way you do." She adds hearing him laugh, she was happy to stroke his ego if it drew such wonderful sounds as that laugh from his chest.
The truth was he did make her knees week, he did make her heart feel like it was going to burst, he did make her breath catch in her throat and he did make her desperate for his touch every time he kissed her. The Seeker knew she wasn't in one of her favourite romance novels but her Inquisitor was much more enticing than any Knight in Shining Armour from its pages, this was much better than any book.
"Then maybe spending the rest of your days kissing me wouldn't be so bad?" Lord Trevelyan smirks when Cassandra feels him draw her closer to him again; he lowers his head so he can brush his lips against hers softly. "Because no matter what, I love you and nothing would make me happier." The Seeker lets out a laugh at his words, she was sure there were lots of things that made him happier than her kissing him but she had to admit it made her pretty happy too.
"Why must you be so sweet to me?" Lady Pentaghast laughs when her Inquisitor wraps her tightly into his embrace again; she places her arms loosely around his neck letting her head lay against the side of his. "I love you, my sweet Inquisitor." Cassandra whispers pulling back from him enough to press her mouth to his drawing him into her kiss.