"But Inquisitor, your presence is desperately needed!"

Belathen sighed loudly, not even attempting to hide her discontent. "Josie. I appreciate the issue, really I do. However I have been speaking with the Orlesian delegation for the past four days, and if you make me do it again then I am likely to say something scandalous. Such as insinuating that Andraste has whispered to me that as thanks for sending her Herald, Orlais should return the Dirth to the Dalish."

Josephine leaned back in her chair with a gasp. "You wouldn't!"

"I have turned enough heads with simply refusing to call it the Exalted Plains," Bel reminded with a smile. "I truly hope you won't force me to do something even more rash."

"I can't..."

"Lady Montilliyet." Lavellan let her lips turn down in a frown, pinching her nose just at the base of the ornate valleslin on her forehead. "Please. I have to head out in two days' time to deal with the Emerald Graves, and I need to spend time with those I care about."

Josephine blinked at the honest words. "I can make excuses. Go see your Commander."

Slight amusement made the elf's ears burn, but she stayed silent. "Thank you, Josie. I appreciate this."

With that, Belathen exited the war room. Josephine did not follow, having paperwork to gather beforehand. Instead the Inquisitor was completely alone as she exited to find Dorian leaning against the wall, waiting for her.

"Sorry for the delay, da'vhenan."

Dorian simply chuckled as he pulled her close and gave a quick kiss to the top of her head. "Don't worry about it. After the evening with Cullen... well, I only just got here myself."

Bel chuckled at the thought. "I hope it was fun, then. I'm afraid I really must ask to borrow him for a while."

"It isn't borrowing. I fully recognize you had him first." Dorian heard the nearby door crack and dashed with Belathen to door. Instead of exiting to the main hall he dragged her lightly to the staircase leading to the kitchens and set a hand on each shoulder. "Unfortunately I'm afraid he has work today. Something to do with Samson. Sao he would meet up with us at dinner." On catching Bel's frown the Tevinter added, "I however happen to have a free schedule today, sweet one."

The past week had been full of gentle, sweet nothings and quiet promises of what could happen. Cullen had given the duo ample time to explore those possibilities, though the Commander had taken to ending his evenings with one or the other of his lovers. Lately the nightmares had gotten worse- Bel felt horrid about it, but was pleased he had the support he so desperately needed.

Right now Cullen needed to concentrate on finding and demolishing Samson. Bel was willing to give him the room for that...

Dorian helping her pass the time was a pleasant surprise. Or at least it would have been a week ago. Now his touches, his light kisses, were something she couldn't imagine being without. He was always deliberate in his advances, and Bel quite believed that it was some fear of impropriety that kept Dorian so tentative. All their kisses had been in private, and while they alluded to further possibilities he seemed somewhat reluctant to act on any such urges.

Maybe, Bel thought, Cullen got that part of him. Then she would see the little lust when she turned to fast, or her corseting slid from under a too-low blouse while she hurried to meet the diplomats, and she knew that wasn't quite the case. Somehow her dear friend was scared.

Dorian WAS, however, playful. Bel smiled at his insinuation, the invitation to spend the day with him. "I like the sound of that. And I know just the place." Quickly, ignoring the sound of Josephine heading towards the door, Bel grabbed Dorian by the wrist and pulled him down the staircase and down the halls.

"Amatus, where are you..." The mage's words stalled as they arrived and Bel quickly ducked into the small room. His eyes widened immensely, and he went to the shelves of the small library. "This is extraordinary! The volumes here are positively ancient."

"Unfortunately many of them are in elvish," the Dalish lamented. "Solas is the only one who could even begin to study them. There are a few volumes in the King's of course. One or two in dwarven, or so I'm told. However..."

With that, Bel gave a huge grin and turned to one of the shelves to grab a particular book. She was very gentle with it, like it could disintegrate any instant- and maybe it could. She held it out to Dorian, a huge grin on her face.

For his part, Dorian's jaw just dropped. A hand raised, but turned to a single finger as he traced the snake digit on the leather cover. "Vishante kaffas amatus, where did this come from?"

"Solas and I found it with the other books in this room. It seems this was somebody's private study once upon a time."

Dorian went to the desk, finding a clear spot and setting the volume in place. "You and Solas found this place together?"

Belathen just nodded. "Since I left my clan behind me, he's been kind enough to act as my hahren... teacher I suppose you would say. We were having a lesson in elvhen tales when we happened upon this place. It's a wealth of knowledge, Dorian, if only someone could reach out and grasp that wisdom!"

Dorian chuckled as he gingerly opened the cover of his own find. As anticipated, it was in Tevene. The dialect was archaic and clunky, but he would be able to muddle through. "I'm sure you'll find the strength, Bela."

It took an hour before Dorian shut the book. Bel stopped her reading as well, seated in a couch that had been brought in once she and Cullen had claimed this place, and looked over where he had just closed the cover. He was looking at her, completely focused on the sight and leaning forward with a slight smile.

"Is there a problem, da'vhenan?"

"I... Not really. It's just that you're curling your hair around your finger..."

Bel glared back in disbelief. "Is that a problem?"

"It's distracting."

"Yes, well, love can do that." Belathen made a show of opening her book again and remarking, "It's distracting."

The silence that followed marked her mistake. Bel almost didn't want to look back up, fear gripping as she realized what she'd said. Neither had used the word 'love' before now, and it was so delicate a phrase...

Yet when she did manage to lift her eyes, Dorian was just smiling while keeping focus on her. "Sticky word, love," he admitted. "Why does it seem so apt?"

"Not to mention natural." Bel swallowed hard, letting the fear dissipate. "I... Dorian, you've been one of my closest friends since we met. I know we'd said we should go slowly, but this last week I have realized how much deeper that can go. And that... well, Dorian, it turns out that 'love' is the right word. I love you."

As soon as she said it, Dorian was over in a flash. He sat beside her, practically pining her down as he captured the elf in a kiss. It ended with the sound of a throat being cleared from the doorway. Bel forced herself to open her eyes and turn to see the intruder.

It was not Cullen.

It was Solas.

"Pardon me, Dorian. Lethallan. I need the blue leather-bound... Yes, that's it." With that, the elder elf grabbed the book offered by Dorian from behind them and rushed out, blushing lightly.

When he had left, Bel and Dorian sat in shocked silence a full minute before bursting into laughter.

"So. Love. Let me try this." Dorian took a deep breath, grabbing Belathen's hands. "I love you as well, Bela."

"You didn't have to..."

"No, I didn't. But I find I DO love you, so I did."

They never quite made it to lunch. When Cullen found them, they were still downstairs with the ancient volumes, Bel curled up on Dorian's lap while the mage read happily on. The elf was definitely awake, her fingers twirling to catch his. It was adorable to watch.

"So things are going well?" Cullen asked.

"I'm afraid so."

"And I think they will for quite a while."