Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Age

PART 5

Varric studied the blank slate of his newest masterpiece. He grinned and pulled out an inkpot from inside his coat. "What do you think Bull?"

Bull glanced at Sera's face and furrowed his brows.

The poor elf had been too hungover to escape the wrath of the men she had scorned. Even with Varric's generous head start, Sera had gotten no further than the keep when they caught up with her. Now she laid pinned down beneath a qunari trice her size.

"I think a full beard would be enough to satisfy my lust for revenge," Iron Bull answered after a few seconds of contemplation.

Sera tried to wrestle her way out of Bull's grip when Varric drew the first line on her jaw, but the strength in the qunari's massive tree trunk arms were too much for her to handle. The only thing her attempt at freedom gained her; was ink in her hair. Not wanting to ruin the golden locks on the top of her head, she stopped wiggling and laid silent as Varric did his painting.

When Varric finished Bull's request, he thought of what he wanted as a revenge. It had been a pain to explain to everyone that he was, in fact, not worried… nor anxious. The dwarf deemed it only fair that she'd experience the same "pleasure" for a couple of hours.

He drew a couple of worried eyebrows, reminiscent of the ones covering his forehead. He nodded for Bull to let her go. "Now Sera, please leave your face like that for a couple of hours before you wash it off. Stay somewhere people can see you." He flashed her a wicked grin, "if you don't do as I say, Bull and I will be more than happy to repeat this process."

Sera gave the two males a sullen look and nodded before she stalked off to the tavern.

Varric put out his paw to shake Bull's hand. The qunari accepted and said "a pleasure doing business with you sir." They broke the shake and went their respective ways, eager to wash away all evidence from the previous night.

On his way up to the keep, Varric passed the Inquisitor on the stairs.

She stopped on the step right next to him when she noticed his new facial feature. "Why so worried?" she asked him jokingly.

The dwarf sighed and tossed his hands in the air. "Well, Sera made me a little anxious."

She winked, "clearly". Evelyn was about to walk on when Varric broke the news of his previous discovery.

"So you and curly huh?"

She stopped on the step below Varric, unable to hide the rapid change of color in her cheeks. "I don't know what you mean."

The dwarf crossed his arms, "don't be coy with me. I saw you on the battlements just now."

"Oh well… I guess the cat's out of the bag." She gave him a pleading look. "Would you please keep it to yourself for now? We want some time on our own before everyone knows."

He waved her off, "no problem. It's a nice change to see Curly care about something other than work."

"Now that you mention it. I've been wondering why you call Cullen that."

"Curly?"

"Yes, why is that?

"I think it's more effective if I show you." At her exciting nod, he hurriedly added, "Please just let me wash my face first. I sick of peoples concern."

Evelyn gave him a sly wink, "You shouldn't complain when people show they care for you."

"Heh, maybe not." He rubbed the back of his neck. Varric popped his eyes open when he remembered something crucial. "Oh by the way, Sera and Harding were there when I noticed you two lovebirds. You should tell them you want their discretion before everyone knows."

"Oh, thanks Varric! Do you know where I can find them?" she politely inquired.

The dwarf grinned, "I saw Sera recently, heading over to the tavern." He pointed in the direction of Herald's Rest.

The Inquisitor shook her head in a disappointed manner. "She shouldn't drink so much; it's bad for her complexion."

"You have no idea."

Sorry for late update and a slightly short Chapter, the next one will be longer. And in the Inquisitor's pov