Edited 7/17/20
Chapter Five
He really shouldn't have been surprised to see her sitting upon the throne; it had been destined for her. Sinfi's white silks caught every color from the stained glass windows behind her, making her look like a kaleidoscope of colors and patterns. Delicate, golden chains and intricate, sapphire beading glowed against her skin where the silks did not cover. Her hair was loose and flowed down her back in waves, shimmering in the sunlight. She looked to be the epitome of regal as Alexius was led into the chamber and pushed to his knees before her. Sinfi's eyes were cold as she studied the prisoner on the floor while Josephine listed off the crimes of the former Tevinter magister.
"The king of Fereldan would like to extend this gift of sentencing to the Inquisition and the Inquisitor. King Alistair hopes this will be a sign of good will and faith between the two powers," Josephine said calmly before glancing at the Inquisitor, a slight worry line on her forehead. A slight micro expression of a grimace crossed Sinfi's face before she turned back to the cool visage. Both Sinfi and Bull knew this had actually been a gift for her silence, regarding what she knew.
"Remind me," the Inquisitor began slowly once Josephine had finished her speech. Sinfi looked around the room with a slight smirk on her face, "What is the president of nearly ripping the fabric of time and space in this county?"
There was some awkward laughter in the chambers, but no one answered the outrageous question. The former magister was stone faced and didn't try to answer for his crimes; he had given up on life without his son in the world. Any mirth that normally radiated from the Inquisitor was snuffed out as she studied the prisoner. Slowly, Sinfi rose from the throne and made her way down the dais, jewels and gold glimmering in the light, making her look as if she was, in fact, the rumored ethereal being sent by Andrastate. Her eyes stayed trained on Alexius as her voice rang out with every step towards him.
"Freedom is the ultimate gift we are blessed with. Alexius, you have been charged with attempting to steal this from the mages of Orlais and Ferelden." Bull watched as she cupped the man's chin and forced him to look her in the eyes, "Death would be too easy on you for what you have done. Your sentence will be two fold; first you will serve Grand Enchanter Fiona until your dying day. Normally, I don't condone enslavement, but I feel as if this is an exception I will be pardoned for."
Bull swore he could see the color drain from her golden orbs, leaving her eyes milky white. Her face twisting to something more sinister as she spoke. Her pointed teeth elongated and the angles to her features turned razor sharp. The longer Bull looked upon the visage, the less sure he became of what he saw. Quickly looking around the room, there were no reactions. Everyone looked on without complaint, as if this were normal. The only other person who saw what was happening was Alexius himself, who was forced to watch her with horror filled eyes.
"Your second punishment will be more personal. I curse you to forever be haunted. In every mirror, you will see those you have sacrificed standing behind you. Every sunny day you will see the shadows of those you have slain surrounding you. You will forever be plagued by your misdeeds, both in the physical world and in the Mists. May this curse forever mark your soul."
With that, she let go of Alexius's face and turned back to her throne, leaving the man on the floor, face drained of all color. Sinfi sat back down on the throne and took a steadying breath. Her eyes locked with Bull's for a few heartbeats. Worry crossed her eyes, as if she could sense what he had seen. The woman on the throne looked like the Inquisitor he knew, but Bull couldn't shake what he saw.
"Bring in the next one," Sinfi's face turned back into stone as she looked forward, breaking eye contact.
Bull found himself leaving the chambers and making his way to the tavern. He sat in his usual seat, back against the wall, able to see every entrance, no possibility of a surprise. The red headed tavern girl brought him an ale with a sultry smile, but he ignored her. The image of milky white eyes and sharpened features haunted him. It had been the Boss, but...wrong.
That had been magic unlike anything in Thedas. Magic that was uncontrolled and unknown. It terrified Bull. Had Sinfi been an apostate right under his nose this entire time? Yet, one of their first conversations, she had promised to not charm him by any magical means. At the time, he thought it was just a little joke because she looked like a desire demon and she knew it. She had been truthful and he had blatantly ignored it. In the end, she hadn't lied to him, yet he still felt off because he had missed something.
Bull didn't know exactly how long he had been there, but as the sun started to set, he finished off another mug of the shitty ale just to have it refilled once again; the red head still desperately looking for his attention. He wasn't surprised when Sinfi walked in, lavish silks and jewels replaced by her training gear. She looked around the tavern quickly before her eyes landed on him. Bull took a swig of his ale as she started to walk over.
"What can I do for you, Boss?" Bull greeted in his light hearted cadence as he watched the Inquisitor closely. She was upset. Her arms were crossed over her chest as she stood in front of him. Her normally still tail was flicking back and forth like an agitated cat.
"Can we go somewhere to talk?" she asked quietly, her eyes not meeting his. Because of shame or something else, he didn't know. Bull nodded as he got up and led her towards the battlements. The pinks and oranges of sunset faded to the twilight purples. The white snow covered peaks were blinding against the darkening sky. They leaned against the cold stone, looking out to the world around them in silence.
"You saw it, didn't you?" Sinfi asked quietly. The question was more of a formality than anything. They both knew what had actually happened. The Iron Bull had seen a part of the spy that he wasn't intended to. She used magic not of this world and Bull had caught her.
"Yup," Bull answered. There was no sugar coating what had happened. "I didn't think you were actually a mage when we met."
"It's more complicated than that, Bull," Sinfi said, glancing over at him cautiously, as if she was still trying to find the best way to even approach the subject. Bull looked down at her with a raised eyebrow.
"Magic in Thedas is... stagnant; either you are gifted with it or not," Sinfi started as she pressed her back against the battlements, arms crossed against the chill. "In Ejasia, it's more… freeform. Some people are born with it because of their race, where others have it because they're naturally gifted. Some people spend years studying it and become proficient without any innate ability. Then others choose to worship their god and are gifted through their faith. There are many ways magic appears."
"If that's the case," Bull paused. "Where do you fall?" Sinfi sighed and looked up towards the darkening sky.
"Tieflings are naturally gifted with a few tricks. On top of that, the Vistani are also gifted with their own unique magic. I know a mixture of spells for charms, a curse or two, and a little bit of fire. I'm not that proficient, but I know how to handle myself if need be," Sinfi looked over to Bull, their eyes meeting for the first time since she came to him. The cool mountain wind blew loose strands of hair across her face. "I never lied to you," she quietly stated.
"You didn't," Bull shrugged. She was right, she hadn't lied to him. Sinfi Moon had been upfront and even promised not to use any on him. The Iron Bull had just assumed the rules for her world were the same as here, which was obviously not the case.
"Anyway, he deserved a curse to be put on him," Sinfi argued slightly. "I can't do those often, so it felt worth it.."
"I never said he didn't deserve it," Bull smirked and looked at her from the corner of his eye before turning towards her completely. "So that thing you did with your face…"
Sinfi laughed slightly, a smirk on her lips, "Some smoke and mirrors to scare the shit out of him."
Bull nodded his head slightly with a chuckle, "Good touch, Boss."
"Should we… help her?" Varric asked slowly without taking his eyes off Sinfi.
"Sure Varric, let's go ask the woman, who plays with daggers for fun, if she needs help when she's already frustrated and cursing in the devil language," Dorian rolled his eyes. "Because that is a magnificent plan."
The party stood there watching Sinfi jump up and down as she tried to reach the shard she had been so intent on collecting. Bull wasn't even sure if he could consider her attempts as jumping, but more of a bouncing. In the battlefield, Sinfi could do multiple acrobatic stunts to kill enemies with her daggers, yet when it came to collecting these small little trinkets, if they were above her head, she may as well have been useless at collecting them. If they hadn't been ambushed by bandits and run into a few different rifts earlier, she could have easily used one of the charges of the weird teleportation magic she had control of. But currently, they were now used up until they camped down for the night.
"I'll go help her," Bull sighed as he walked towards her. After all, if she did stab him in anger for offering help, he could at least take it without screaming.
"Filius canis...Es mundus excrementi… Te futueo et caballum tuum.." As Bull got closer, he could hear the frustrated mutterings of the crazed Inquisitor.
"Okay there, hot head," Bull said with a chuckle. "Come here and I'll give you a lift."
Sinfi glared at him, her nostrils flared slightly before she looked up at the gleaming shard. It was either accept defeat and his help, or continue on this path going nowhere fast.
"Fine," she spat out, quickly. Bull bent down slightly so she could put her hands on his shoulders. With a quick motion, The Iron Bull wrapped his arms around her thighs and lifted her the distance to reach the shard. Sinfi kept one hand on his shoulder to steady herself as she reached for the glowing piece and pocketed it. She placed her hand back on his shoulder and looked down at him.
Their eyes met and the world disappeared; there was no Inquisition, no Corypheus, no spycraft or intrigue. It was just them in that moment, rain coming down from above in the backwater town of Crestwood, eyes locked, and her in his arms. Bull heard Varric clear his throat in the background.
"There you go, Boss," Bull said quietly as he put her back onto the ground.
"Thanks Bull," she thanked him softly and averted her gaze before starting back into the direction of Caer Bronach, where the mercenaries had decided to camp out. Bull watched her start to walk away before glancing at their two companions, both smirking at the interaction.
"Good job, Tiny," Varric said sarcastically.
"Very smooth," Dorian smirked and gave him a wink.
"Say anything else and I will happily use either you for a training dummy," Bull said intimidatingly as he started after the Inquisitor.
"I'll shut up now," Dorian said, quickly trying to catch up to the Inquisitor.
Varric shrugged slightly before starting after the party, "I guess you'll just have to read my thoughts later in the book."
"Bull!" Sinfi's voice yelled out as the maw of the dragon lashed out towards him. Bull rolled to dodge the incoming attack. On the uneven ground he felt something twist as pain radiated from his ankle. The Iron Bull refused to stop for an injury as he eyed a weak point on the beast. Quickly, he pushed himself off the ground and charged towards the exposed neck of the dragon. Swinging the greataxe over his head he let it crash between the dragon's head and vertebrae, where the protective scales were weakest. He watched the life drain from the creature's eyes as it tried one final attempt to set fire to the world around it.
"Taarsidath-An Haslaam!" Bull roared out as he ripped the axe out of the beast's neck and wiped the blood away. "Now that was good and exactly what I needed," Bull said with a smile. His bad ankle and knee would be killing him later when he took the brace off, but that didn't matter to him right now. Bull could feel the blood coursing through his body, he wanted another fight, he needed another fight to put this energy to use.
"Glad to hear that us almost dying is what you needed to feel better, Tiny," Varric deadpanned as he slung his crossbow onto his back.
"How much did we agree high dragons were again?" Sinfi asked as she walked out from the other side of the dragon, the tally sheet already in her hand along with a small piece of charcoal. Large blood splatters from the creature stained her gauzy top and her skin, yet she didn't seem to mind or care. Something primal in Bull stirred. He wanted to run his calloused thumb across her cheekbone, clearing away the blood that marred her skin. He wanted to pick Sinfi up and press her against the now lifeless dragon. He needed to feel her heat and lips against his. He wanted to hear her whisper his name with want and desire that matched his. Instinctively, he took a step towards her, eye trained on what he wanted. Then, as if a bucket of cold water had been thrown on him, Bull's imagination shifted to the image of pink carnations and warm brown eyes of the Commander. The Iron Bull may have wanted her, but no matter what, she had chosen another and he had to respect that.
"Ten points. Then dragonlings are three each," Dorian paused as he looked over her shoulder at the sheet. "Am I really that far behind?"
"Mhmm," she smirked as she looked up at the mage. "Maybe next time try not to fight dragons who breathe fire with, you know, fire." Dorian glared at the Tiefling who was giving him a shit eating grin.
"Oh, I'm sorry that not all of us can dress scantily and play with knives all day," Dorian crossed his arms and looked away, nose in the air. "Some of us have to perfect an art form."
"Pinky's got a point though," Varric muttered under his breath. A laugh escaped Sinfi's lips which she tried to mask as a cough. She averted her eyes to the tally sheet, adding up the new totals as Dorian continued to glare at her.
"All of you are absolutely horrible people. I don't know why I'm friends with any of you," Dorian stated loudly before sauntering towards the dragon's body to inspect it for loot. Sinfi sighed and folded the sheet back up.
"Bull's in the lead again," she announced. "Varric is in second, with me close behind, and Dorian taking the rear… not that he minds,"
Dorian glared at her before sighing "I … you're not wrong,"
Sinfi put the folded paper into her back pocket with a smirk and looked up towards the darkening sky that was filled with storm clouds.
"How did Varric get ahead of you?" Bull asked, confused, as he strapped the greataxe onto his back.
"One crossbow bolt through four templars," Sinfi shrugged. "We all agreed on extra points for style,"
"Right…" Bull grumbled. Above them, rumbling came from the dark storm clouds that had started encroaching onto the valley. Sinfi looked up towards the sky as if trying to puzzle together how much time they had left.
"Let's collect as much as we can carry, then get back to camp before this hits," Sinfi pulled out one of her daggers and hurried towards the beast to skin what she could.
They worked quickly and efficiently. Sinfi and Bull harvesting as many scales and webbing as they could for potential armor, while Dorian and Varric tried to find the horde. With their packs full of goods to inspect later and winds picking up in the valley, they started the march back towards the camp. Bull could feel the pain radiating up his left leg. Each step felt like fire bursting through his veins. He looked up from the uneven ground to meet Sinfi's eyes studying him. As always, she knew something was off with him. Bull gave her a shrug to downplay the injury and pain. She looked away, but he knew she wasn't satisfied with his response to her silent question. The Iron Bull would be fine for tomorrow. He only needed a night of rest and to elevate his leg.
Rain started to pour as lightning cracked through the sky, quickly illuminating the now darkened valley. Once the outpost was in sight, the group started to rush for cover as lightning hit the ground around them. They were soaked to the bone from the cold rain by the time they had made it to the cavern that they had claimed for their camp site. Any indication of the fight had been washed away with the rain. Sinfi looked over her companions before speaking.
"It may be best to call it a day. I don't think this storm will pass until morning," she gave everyone a nod for dismissal. "When the storm peters out, we'll pack up and head towards Skyhold as planned." With that, the group of misfits dispersed. Sinfi went towards her tent while Varric and Dorian made their way towards the fire, discussing some plot point in Varric's latest chapters. With cautious steps, trying to mask the pain, Bull made his way to his own tent.
Sitting on his cot, Bull slowly started to undo the laces to the brace on his left leg. It fell to the ground as Bull let out a sigh, pain pulsing up and down his leg. Carefully, he removed his boots in a way to not jostle the injury any more so. The ankle was already swollen with purple and blue bruising starting to form on the skin. With careful fingers, he poked and prodded at the joint to discern how bad it truly was. There were no broken bones, luckily, but it was obviously sprained, if not fractured. It would be tender the next few days, but he would heal. Fortunately, they were going back to Skyhold on horseback for the next few days, so no more marching was really needed. They would be staying in the keep for a while, as well. Harding and the scouts had yet to leave for the Western Approach, meaning the Inquisition wouldn't be able to meet back up with Hawke and Stroud for at least three or more weeks. Bull would be back to fighting and bodyguard shape by then.
Bull sighed softly to himself. He was getting too old for this shit, but Sinfi needed a body guard out in the field. He thought to all of the times she had appeared in the middle of a group of enemies for surprise attacks, but the moment she was seen, the surprise was over and the danger truly began, which meant it was Bull's time to run in for the rescue.
"Why didn't you say anything?" he was pulled out of his thoughts and looked up towards the Inquisitor, who was leaning against the tent's support beam with her arms hidden behind her back. Golden eyes burned bright in the shadows. Water still dripped from her now loose hair, the adventuring clothes had been replaced by the long sheets of silk that wrapped and twisted around her body. They covered just enough of her body to claim she was clothed for Thedas' standards, but there was still enough skin showing to make Josephine's eye twitch if there was a dignitary around Skyhold.
"You don't have to worry about me, Boss. I'm good," Bull smiled and watched the golden eyes roll in disbelief before pulling a jar from behind her back. The potent scent of healing herbs wafted towards him. It both burned his nostrils and soothed him.
"Stitches gave me this before we left," she explained. "Said your leg's been acting up and you were too stubborn to admit it."
"I shouldn't have introduced you two," Bull said with a smirk as he watched her walk towards him, hips swaying in their hypnotic fashion. She was in front of him as she unmasked the second hidden object from behind her; a dark bottle of liquor.
"And I also have this to celebrate killing a dragon," her eyes were alight with joy. Bull's smile was wide as he took the bottle from her.
"Oh Boss, you spoil me," Bull teased. "A dragon, Stitches' miracle ointment, and booze! You are a dream come true." Without much thought Bull quickly uncorked the bottle and took a swig of the dark liquid before handing the bottle back to Sinfi, allowing her a drink. It was sweet at first, but the moment he swallowed the liquor he felt the warmth of the baking spices, causing a slight burn as it went down.
Originally, Bull thought it was odd that she decided to make the detour to the Hinterlands from Crestwood after the meeting with Hawke and Stroud, but now it clicked. Sinfi had known he wanted to fight the dragon that had created a nest here ever since they saw it the first time. She knew this would delight him and she had planned for slaying it, and celebrations Iron Bull couldn't help but think, that if things were different, then maybe this would have been a good night of celebration in more carnal ways.
Silently, Sinfi lowered herself to her knees in front of him as she started to rub the poultice into the bruising skin. The medicinal herbs both cooled the injury and heated the tired muscles in his calf. Her fingers rubbed the knots out of the scarred tissue around his knee. Bull's eye closed and his head lulled back as a groan of pleasure crossed his lips. He heard Sinfi laugh softly, the bell like sound rang in his ears. Her hands alternated between the lightest touch to intense pressure where needed.
"Boss…" Bull's voice caught in his throat as she hit a tight spot. "Where in the world did you learn this trick?" Bull groaned out in an almost joking manner as he looked down at her. Golden eyes alight with mischief. Bull kept telling himself that this was what people did for their friends when they were hurt or celebrating the defeat of a dragon. This was normal. This wasn't anything odd. They were friends.
Their eyes were locked. The smell of the embrium in her perfume cut through the medicinal poultice. Yet, the need to touch her skin overwhelmed him. Everything in Bull told him to pull her into his lap and see if her lips tasted like the spiced liquor or the embrium.
They were friends.
They were friends
They were...
"One of the perks of learning different persuasion techniques," she started to explain softly. "It allows you to get close to your target, learn everything about them without being too suspicious." If Bull had been her intended target in Thedas, he was okay with that.
"Cullen's a lucky man," the words came out without any thought. He felt a quick pause in her work on his leg before it resumed.
"Is he now?" her voice was soft and calm. Bull knew that tone. She was trying to see what he knew or was trying to understand his point.
"Cole blew your cover before going to the Storm Coast," Bull shrugged as he explained. He opened his eye and watched the tiefling carefully, "Started talking about pink carnations and hope filled eyes. Varric and I told him to let you have some privacy." Pain flashed before her eyes quickly before she was able to put her mask back on.
"Bull, I'm not with Cullen," Sinfi said slowly. "He deserves a lot more than what I want or can offer."
The Iron Bull eyed the Inquisitor before speaking, "And what would that offer be?"
"Tonight," slowly, her hands ran up his thighs as she pulled herself up off the ground. Their lips were inches apart, eyes interlocked as their shallow breaths danced in the space in between them. The Iron Bull knew the hunger in her eyes all too well because it mirrored his own. He knew exactly what she wanted in this moment, and he knew that he could be the one to give her what she truly needed.
"You're not being that subtle about wanting to ride the bull," he said, his voice rough with desire. She chuckled slightly at the joke.
"To be fair, you have been ignoring my more subtle hints," her voice was teasing. She was right, he had been ignoring them. At every step in their journey, the reasoning had been valid: they were two spies on a mission. Carnal relations could destroy what trust they had built. She had been hurt and healing, then a potential relationship budding between her and a man who could be the knight in shining armor written about in every romance. Now, in this tent, Bull realized none of those reasons made actual sense when their touch felt like fire. Fire that consumed them but did not burn.
With ease, The Iron Bull pulled Sinfi onto his lap so she was straddling him. Chests pressed against each others'. Her fingers running along the scars on his chest and shoulders. His hands gripping roughly onto her hips. Their lips almost touching and hooded eyes locked.
"I'm not sure if you know exactly what you're asking for," Bull said seriously, the fog of lust slowly clearing from his mind. He needed to give her an out. He had to give her a chance to pull away and leave, because he knew the moment they crossed this line, it would be impossible for him to go back.
"Then show me," Sinfi whispered. With practiced ease and quick movements, Bull rolled her under him, pinning her wrists above her head using one of his hands while the other gripped onto her exposed thigh. Their eyes never broke contact, need and desire mirroring each other. There was pressure in the right places to show his intent, but not too restrictive to allow Sinfi to break away if she didn't feel comfortable.
"I will never hurt you. If you don't want something just say katoh and that will be it, no judgment and no hard feelings," Bull said softly. The warning was clear and Sinfi stayed silent. "Last chance, Sinfi," he whispered.
"A little slower, and a lot harder," Sinfi purred as she pushed her hips against Bull's.
They were like magnets crashing together. Lips interlocked hungrily, moving together like partners in a dance. She tasted like liquor and Antivan spices. Burning hands touched any exposed flesh, desperate to memorize every centimeter of skin available to them. Desire and primal need took control over the pair as clothing was ripped away, leaving skin against skin. Both bodies battlescarred from years of fighting and one too many close calls. Sinfi Moon was not some weak flower; she was a fighter and her body reflected such with muscles under the soft flesh.
Outside, the storm raged on, rain and thunder filling the night. Winds howled through the cavern, causing the tents to shake every now and again. Inside the tent, the outside world did not exist, all that mattered was here and now. Whispered words no longer had real meaning, instead it just added to the cacophony of overloading senses. A mixture of Common, Qunlat, and Infernal all meant one thing: More.
His crescendo came quickly after hers. They were frozen in that moment, eyes interlocked, the lustful haze still swirling about them. Their chests rose and fell in time as their hearts raced. Her body was like putty in his hands as she leaned against his chest. Bull shifted slightly, laying Sinfi on the right side of the cot as he cleaned them of any trace of their encounter. As Bull laid back down, he felt the tiefling curl against his side, already asleep. He wrapped his arm around her, pulling her against his body and allowed himself to drift off as well.
In the back of his mind, The Iron Bull knew only two things: This was not a one time situation and he would never be able to go back to the way things had been.
"He likes it when you sing to him," Cole said as he rode next to Sinfi, his eyes trained onto Casimir. "It reminds him of home. He misses home."
Bull watched as Sinfi leaned down and rubbed the stallion's neck. Her movement slightly strained as they rode back to Skyhold. Bull couldn't help but smirk slightly, she had been enthusiastic the night before. But the afterglow had now faded and stiffness settled in its place. She had left his tent early in the morning. No one had noticed the pink tiefling slipping out of The Iron Bull's tent, and if someone had, they chose the smart decision to keep it to themselves.
"He's never been this far from the Vistani before," Sinfi said softly. "Normally, by this point, we run into at least one group we can join for a night. With them, there's music, dancing, and laughter every night. Once you're away, silence feels more like an empty void."
"So, what you're saying is the Vistani, as a whole party, constantly," Varric said slowly with a raised eyebrow.
"Sign me up to become Vistani," Dorian said with a smile and laugh. "I will happily stink of horses if that's the case."
"It's not like-" Sinfi started but Cole interrupted her.
"Embers crackle against the night sky. Music and laughter grow louder and louder. We dance hand in hand. Faster and faster the world goes round. We're spinning, my head is spinning, it won't stop spinning. Colors swirl, I'm sick. I shouldn't have stolen Baba's wine…"
They were all silent. Varric and Bull looked between one another trying not to laugh. Bull could see the tips of Sinfi's ears turning from the dawnstone, to hot pink, then to red with embarrassment. Bull couldn't help himself.
"Sounds like someone snuck too much of Baba's wine during a party," Bull said with a smirk, causing Dorian and Varric to snort as they tried to keep their laughter at bay.
"I hate you all, so much," Sinfi whispered. With that, the group erupted into laughter as they continued to Skyhold.
Bull wasn't exactly sure what surprised him more: seeing the chargers sitting in a circle in the middle of the training ring or the Vistani woman trying to teach his second in command how to dance. Bull had watched from the shadow of the tavern for long enough to realize it wasn't going that well.
"Krem, hold onto my hip tightly, like a lover, not like some awkward teenager's first time," the Inquisitor said sharply as she pushed his hand down from high on her waist to her hip. Quietly, Bull made his way to the circle of Chargers. Krem caught Bull's eye and turned slightly red, as if he was a child who had been caught with his hand in the cookie jar.
"C-Chief," Krem stuttered out, breaking away from Sinfi who looked over to the new spectator with little emotion. "I wasn't...She was… we were…"
"I was trying to teach him how to dance," Sinfi explained with ease. "It should help him become faster on his feet."
"So, this normal training where you're from?" Bull asked, slightly skeptical. Sinfi looked at him like he had said one of the most stupid things in the world.
"A fight is like a dance," she tried to explain. "Offensive tactics are like leading, whereas the defensive follows in the dance of death. Both are necessary, but to properly move around the battlefield, you need to be light on your feet to change leading and following at any moment."
"Show me then," Bull said quickly. Sinfi raised an eyebrow.
"You know how to dance?" she asked suspiciously, causing Bull to shrug.
"Won't know until you find out," Bull held out his hand for the tiefling. With a secretive smile, she put her hand in his and Bull quickly spun her into him and led her into the face paced Antivan dance that he did, in fact, know.
Surprise was written on Sinfi's face, but quickly, that surprise turned to a smile and laughter as they danced around the ring. They moved in time, nothing needed to be said as she followed his lead without question. Bull spun and lifted her into the air with ease. Where Sinfi could, she added flourishes, making their dance look skilled and practiced. She was glowing in the sunlight as they danced, her silk skirts flowed in the air as the pair danced. With every spin, the fabric spun out and shimmered in the sunlight before being pulled back close to her body as she came back to his arms. For the first time since Haven, Sinfi Moon looked unconcerned about what the future may hold. All that mattered was this dance.
The chargers started to clap rhythmically as they cheered the pair on. The demonstration got the attention of others around the ring, causing a crowd to form. People watched them in amazement and applauded as The Iron Bull and Sinfi moved as one around the dusty arena.
Bull pulled Sinfi against his chest as they came to the center of the ring, The crowd was hollering and applauding the impromptu performance, but in that moment it was just them, standing in the center of the ring, breathing in time. Their eyes trained on one another as the world crashed around them. Bull could only think one thing at that moment.
They were not friends.
Filius canis- son of a bitch
Es mundus excrementi- piece of shit (or world of poop but it's the closest translation I can do)
Te futueo et caballum tuum- Fuck/ screw you and the horse you rode in on.