So it's short, yeah... pretty short. And it's been awhile, quite awhile. I lost my inspiration and I really dont have it again yet, but I'm working on it. Im sorry for such the long wait, but hopefully you enjoy what I can give you now. *Crosses fingers*
Josephine wasn't one that was easily thrown off-task. But the news she got from her parents that morning, really set the tone for the whole day. It was a very bad day.
"Tell the Lady that I will deal with it when I have the time," Josie said glaring daggers at the courier. She knew she shouldn't shoot the messenger, but with everything going on, her head was spinning.
She was engaged, to some man she hadn't seen in ages. Josephine had just started her relationship with Max, they were doing so well, and now this bump in the road. She sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose after setting her quill to the side. This was not a good situation to be in. If she was seen with the Inquisitor in any compromising position, her reputation would be tarnished, but if she wasn't with the Inquisitor it would just feel wrong.
Josie was running through all the options she could do. She even pondered the thought of not even telling Max. Which she quickly dismissed because this was something he should know, it wouldn't be right not to tell him. Now the question was, how did she tell him!
She didn't have that much time to decide because Max had walked into the room, his eyes searched for Josie and when they found her, a smile lit his face up. It made Josephine's heart thump wildly in her chest, that smile did.
She stood and met him at the doorway.
"My lord," Josephine said quietly. Max just smiled at her warmly, and it calmed her nerves. "I have terrible news," Josie said, trailing off.
Max's face fell and he reached out before Josie could even react and took her hands in his gently.
"Are you okay? Is everything alright?" he asked hurridely.
"I... I am fine, but not everything is alright," Josephine could see his face ease with relief at her well-being being secure, but there was still those creases in between his eyebrows. The worry lines furrowed deep, and he sighed.
"What's wrong?" he asked softly/
Josephine looked at their hands, so warmly embraced in a hand hold. She reluctantly unwound their fingers and pulled her hands back to her side. A look of hurt flashed over Max's face, but it was quickly concealed as he took up a much more professional manner.
"I.. I'm engaged!" Josephine exclaimed loudly, her hands wrapping together and she licked her bottom lip.
"This sounds like a story that should be started from the beginning," Max said, frowning deeply. On Max's end, his heart dropped into his stomach, engaged, to who?!
Josephine sighed in frustration, walking into the center of the room with her arms crossed and hugging her body tightly.
"For the past year my mother and father have searched Antiva for a perfect match for me." her eyes closed for a second as she took a composing breath. "They had no idea that you and I had gotten so... close,"
Max nodded, so it wasn't a marriage she necessarily wanted. That was good right? It wasn't as if she was ending things with him,
"Today, I received a letter from my parents declaring they betrothed me to Lord Adorno Ciel Otranto of Antiva," she said disdainfully. Josephine pinched the bridge of her nose with her hand and finally met Max's gaze.
"I'm working on taking care of it, but it's going to take time," Josephine said softly. She wished there was a better way to say what had to be said next, but there wasn't. "Until then, we cannot risk being seen in a... compromising position," Josie stared at the wall just behind Max's head, her eyes watering, but the tears stayed in place, she was able to blink them away.
Max gave her a look that she couldn't quite place.
"Are you saying that we should forget what happened between us?" Max asked, genuinely curious, but his eyes held back all the hurt he was feeling.
"No!" Josie said quickly, "no, not at all!" she sighed softly, "it isn't right to carry on as we were when i'm... betrothed. I must break off the match first,"
"I understand," Max said with a warm smile. "Please, if I can do anything to.. move this along, please tell me."
"No, I can't ask you to do that. You've already done so much, I cannot risk your reputation,"
Josephine ran a hand down the side of her face and glared at the ceiling. "Why did this have to happen to us now, of all times!"
"You will find a way to make it all work out, Josephine, I believe in you," Max said, he nodded with a smile. "Do not worry about my reputation, if there is someway I can make this-"
"I will try to find the most efficient and quickest way to solving this issue." Josie chuckled, "you could always challenge him to a duel."
"If it's the fastest way to putting this behind us, consider it done." Max said seriously.
"W-what! N-no, I said that in jest! I was not serious,"
"Josie," Max said, his voice lowering and his eyebrows pulling together, "I'll do what I must," Max straightened his back, cleared his throat, and smiled carefully. "I'll be in my quarters if I'm needed,"
Max slowed his breath, the man that threatened his happiness with Josephine stood a mere step or four in front of him. Max could not fathom why his stomach had knotted or why he clenched the rapier so tightly. All he knew was that he had to do this, for Josephine.
"Rapiers will do," Max said. He was trained in swords and daggers before his magic reared its head. He knew how to duel, although he was slightly out of practice.
The fight started with a clash, both men shuffling around, lightly prodding the other with light attacks. A crowd started to join, people of ruffled skirts and stone cold masks gathered to watch. Suddenly Lord Otranto unleashed a quick succession of attacks that caught Max off his guard. They shouldered up to each other, rapiers crossing and hissing with each movement. The crowd gasped.
"I'm glad Lady Montilyet is not here, despite how exquisite i've heard her appearance to be."
Max growled something deep and pushed hard against the swords, suddenly his height becoming very intimidating. Lord Otranto was not intimidated however.
"Cutting you down in front of Josephine would've been a bad first impression of House Otranto for my bride!" the Lord pushed against Max, fighting for positioning.
"Funny, I thought House Otranto had enough blood on their hands after cheating Terrazas!" Max yelled angrily, his arms shaking, his mouth cast in a frown.
"Who told you-" Otranto trailed off, pushing Max back and brandishing his sword, he attacked wildly, giving Max the best timing to attack. Max lunged quickly, slicing into the flesh of Otranto's arm. "Inquisitor I will personally-"
"STOP!" came Josephine's voice from the crowd, Max looked for her, but was unable to find her in the sea of bodies. She managed to push her way between two shocked men, and her eyes widened.
"Josie," Max said breathlessly, he threw the rapier to the ground and smiled. However, Josephine did not look as happy to see Max and he was to see her.
"What are you doing?" Josephine asked angrily, her hands clenching tightly.
"Josephine, you can't marry this man," Max replied. "You can-"
"That's not for you to decide!" Josephine turned away. Otranto bowed, holding his arm with a wince on his face. "The Inquisition needs you, I need you. Yet you throw yourself into needless danger. Silly danger like this! Why risk everything we've built, why risk your life?" She asked, her face contorted into a mix of pain and worry, and suddenly Max couldn't hold it in anymore.
"Because I love you!" he said.
"It's so dangerous, how ca-" Josephine cut hersef off, her hands clasping together and her eyes shining brightly. She looked so innocent to Max and he just had to say it. He loved her, he really, really love Josie, and now there wasn't a body in Val Royeaux that didn't know his feelings.
"You.. You do?" Josie asked,
"He does?" Otranto asked, shock and awe in his voice.
"I do, I truly do," Max's chest heaved, his sudden confession suddenly making his legs turn to lead and his stomach felt like it would explode butterflies.
"I.. I love you too," Josephine said softly.
Suddenly Josephine is running and they're both twirling, and lips connect with lips, kissing lips upturn into happy smiles. And for that moment, it feels like some tale from a book that Max read, but he was happy, he was happy that Josephine was happy with him.
Josephine pulled back slightly, red leaked into her cheeks as she nervously smiled and bit her lip.
"Well now that the whole square knows of our relationship, shall we be going?"
"Of course," Max said softly. He kissed her carefully one last time before taking her hand and letting her lead him away.
He could not be any happier.
Maxwell groaned as he stretched, his muscles giving way and soon relief flooded his veins. He stretched one last time before standing. He was so tired but sleep was not kind to him these past few nights. He pinched the bridge of his nose and his eyes drifted shut, for just a moment he rested like this. Until the door to his quarters squeaked open and he glanced towards the noise.
"Oh, uh, I am sorry to interrupt, but-" Josephine said softly.
"No, it's fine, Josie." Max replied, he turned to face away from Josie as he picked up his shirt that he discarded before stretching.
"Oh my.." Josie gasped quietly. "W-where did that come from?"
"Where did wha-" he started to turn.
"No!" he heard soft footsteps waddle over to him, "stay how you are," the voice was soft but loud, Josephine was so close, right beside his ear.
A soft finger delicately touched his skin. It followed a short path from one side of his shoulder blade to another.
"Where on earth did these come from? All these wounds, these scars!"
"You do know that I fight demons, and Templars and dragons, right?" Max deadpanned.
"The only time i've seen you hurt was that night... How do you still stand?"
"I can't stop, if I stop, we lose. I don't have time to be hurt, Josephine," Max said with a certain edge to his voice that caused Josie to shake her head.
"You do, you have to have time to hurt, otherwise..." her finger traced a scar that started at the nape of Max's neck, all the way to his spine in a jagged pattern, "Where did this come from?"
"I don't remember. Maybe it was something I had before the explosion." Max guessed.
Max sighed and relaxed into Josie's touch. He couldn't relax often, there was so much he had to do, and he felt like everything, everyone
weighed down on him. Lives were dependent on ever.
"You're my light," Max said softly, then he chuckled to himself.
"Your what, my lord?"
"You're my light. It's a dark time, and you are my light." Max smiled and turned to ace Josephine. He leaned down slightly and kissed her slowly. Josephine stood on her tiptoes to meet the Inquisitor's height. She was pleasantly surprised when Max pulled her down onto the large couch. Shifting their positions so Josephine was underneath him, he smiled. Josephine blushed and smiled up at him.
"Hello, lady ambassador," he said smugly
"H-hello Inquisitor."
"Hello, Inquisitor," a drawl came from behind him, a very Orlesian drawl.
Max stood quickly, reaching for his shirt and throwing it on.
"Am I interrupting something?" she jested.
"No!" Josephine said, sitting up, "interrupting nothing, I was just going,"
"Sure you were, Josie," Leliana chuckled, shooting a wink at the ambassador.
"You needed something?" Max asked tersely.
"We have word from some scouts, you told me to come find you when they returned,"
Max sighed, he had said that, but he really hadn't anticipated Josephine coming to see him and suddenly he felt bad for being so short with Leliana.
"You're right, I'll be down in a minute," he said, then he ran a hand through his hair and looked down at Josie.
"Well,"
"I hate interruptions," Max pouted.
"Shush, same time tomorrow, and we will... continue this escapade." Josephine stood, kissed Max's cheek, and walked from the room.
Max finally pulled on his shirt, and mumbled about his hatred of waiting more than surprises, but eventually followed suit and went to find Leliana.