Sometimes Inquisitor Trevelyan has clever food ideas of her own, too. One fine day she appears in the kitchen, slightly out of breath, and holds out her hand, where some ice materializes.

"I've the most wonderful dream, Chef," she says excitedly. "Get me a cup, a bowl, your biggest one, quick! And prepare that divine chocolate you make in the afternoons. And some heavy cream, the ones I ordered from Val Royeaux yesterday."

It's just slightly after lunchtime, and when she's here in Skyhold she would be training with Commander Helaine or the other mages at this time. I wouldn't expect her until late afternoon, when she enjoys either some iced pineapple juice (after training with Commander Helaine) or hot chocolate (after mage-y stuff with Enchanter Fiona or the other mages). So it somewhat wounds me that I did not predict her accurately today.

I take the stuff she asks for from the cupboards, and she busies herself. "Milady—" I'm her servant, I should be doing that—

"No, Ellie, lemme do it this time," she says excitedly. She conjures ice flakes in the bowl, melts the chocolate, adds it to the ice, and then pours the cream on her mixture. She blends the mixture with her magic, and then pours it on two glasses she takes from the cupboards.

"For you, Ellie." She hands me one glass and takes the other one. "To magic and good food! To friendship!"

I take a sip when she does, and oh boy, was this concoction divine.

Whoever said that magic is evil must definitely try this—what's it called?

"I think I'll call this one 'Chocolate Milk Shake,' considering we just mixed milk and chocolate to ice." She sounds so proud. Rightly so, too.

"Very wonderful, milady," I say. Mmm, if she gets tired of Inquisitorialing, I might find competition in the culinary world.

"We've been friends since Haven, Ellie," she says. "You can call me Evie. Maker knows how tongue twisting the entire title is."

"I can't presume, milady," I say, humbled, "seeing you're the Inquisitor and all."

"And you're my favorite cook, and really consider you to be my friend" she answers. "Very well, if it makes you happy, make it 'Lady Evie" or something."

"Okay, Evie, Lady Evie."

We continue enjoying her chocolate milk shake. And then it's time for her to go.

"Can you prepare a big stack of butter cookies and other goods that can last for weeks?" she asks. I know she must be going to some field work tomorrow. " And pack some tea leaves too, the spicy ones and the black ones. And maybe, some Tevinter velvet cake too, can you make those bloody things again?"

"Certainly, Lady Evie," I answer.

I begin baking her sweets as soon as she leaves the kitchen. So nice to be appreciated!

Days pass, and Lady Evie does not return. That's normal. Times like this, I help around in the main kitchen and the tavern. It takes a lot of work to keep Skyhold functional, let me tell you. From the humblest of servants and cooks, to the agents and soldiers and researchers, to the upper muckety mucks, we all work our asses off.

So I was quite surprised when one day, the Commander himself enters the tavern kitchen, looking for me.

"Chef… Ellie, right?" he asks. "If you have a moment. Please report to my office."

I finish washing some plates, wipe my hands on my apron, and hang that apron on a peg. Rina, another cook, tells me that she will manage the kitchen work for a couple of hours alone.

I never thought I would be summoned by the Commander. Sure, I used to fantasize getting a promotion, like being an agent for the Ambassador or the Spymaster, but that was before I became the Lady Evie's personal chef. I begin to panic inwardly, what if she wants to replace me, and the only other opening for a cook is in the field, or worse, none at all?

"Have a seat," he says. "Tea, Chef?" I nod, and he pours tea for the two of us.

"So, you're the Inquisitor's personal chef, right? It's alright, you can relax."

Whew. Perhaps I'm not getting the sack after all.

"Yes, ser." I answer. He may be jovial, but I'm still confused as to what this is.

And then it dawns on me.

He likes Her Inquisitorial Sweet Toothiness. Oh goodness, is this delicious!

I must have a big goofy smile on my face right now, because he suddenly loses composure for a moment.

And then he straightens up. My, my. I can see what Lady Evie likes about him. Nice build, hair perfectly done—not too well done, but not downright messy—that scar on his face accentuating his strong jaw, and adds a touch of danger to his entire mien. A nice, strong templar to contrast her sweet magey-ness. Not bad, Lady Evie, not bad at all.

"She likes cookies, and tea, and cake, ser," I say. I must be getting good at this reading-people thing. "But not always. There are days when she likes cookies, and days she detests them. And tea. And cakes. And sometimes, steaks and pudding. But there are days when all she can eat are those. I've learned to keep track of it."

"Am I that predictable," the Commander chuckles. "Very well." He clears his throat, and uses his Commander voice again. "What does the Inquisitor prefer after returning to Skyhold? Cheese rolls, perhaps?"

"Depends on what time she arrives, ser, and if she's smiling or frowning," I answer. "If she's smiling and it's midmorning to early afternoon, those cheese rolls and sweetened coffee. If it's midafternoon to evening, she takes hot cocoa with her pastries. If she's frowning, then the red cake with the cheese frosting, and maybe some tea or fruit juice. But if she's all so very exhausted, no matter the time, then, simply, two butter cookies, very little sugar, and jasmine tea. Helps her relax, you see."

"Maker, that's a lot," he says. "Can you prepare all those day after tomorrow in midmorning? She's scheduled to arrive then, but she might meet some delays, or something might come up, so she might be a little late. Or maybe she would be sad, or happy, I don't know." He begins to stammer again.

Funny how he doesn't mention cheese rolls again. Maybe he doesn't want me to know that Lady Evie sent him those rolls—rolls that I made. Oh goodness, this secretly-in-love business is so amusing!

And then I have an idea.

"By your leave, Commander," I say, and he gestures me to continue. "She made her own dessert once, ser, and it was delicious. She used magic, but I've thought about making it without magic, ser."

"Magic?"

"Mainly in the conjuring of ice, ser. Creamy chocolate blended smoothly with ice. I think she will enjoy that, but we change the cream and chocolate with fruit and some sugar. She blended her ingredients with magic, but I think I can do that without magic. I've been practicing, so that I can add that to her menu. We can use strawberries and oranges, she likes those. I believe Lady Montilyet has had a new shipment of fresh fruit from Orlais, we can take advantage of that. Ser."

"Very well," he says. "I'll have one of the mages conjure how much of that ice, and have someone bring you those fruits tomorrow. Please prepare them, and cake or cookies, whatever you think is proper, so that upon her return she can eat to her heart's content. We owe her that much. That is all." Back to his Commander voice.

I turn to leave, and it's uncanny how his parting words are like Lady Evie's—

"Not a word to anyone, Chef Ellie, understood?"

At least he doesn't threaten to throw me out to a cold, wintry death without food.


A/N: Lady Evie and Chef Ellie are giving Tevinter velvet cupcakes to AgapeErosPhilia, and Orlesian butter cookies for KC Pendragon and Dekicobee!