"Good evening, my lady." Josephine Montilyet smiled warmly when she said the words, rising from her desk to greet Herah as she walked into the small office where the Antivan beauty did her work on behalf of the Inquisition.

"No need to get up," the qunari reassured her. "I'm not here on business. In fact, I brought wine if you have the time for a drink." She set down a bottle of a pretty good Orleasian red she'd scrounged up on the desk along with a pair of cups.

"Much of my business is conducted over wine," Josephine said, mischief shining in her light brown eyes. "But I would love to have a drink with you regardless. Is there something in particular we are celebrating, aside from your safe return to Haven?"

Herah opened the bottle and poured out two generous cups, offering one to the diplomat before taking the other for herself. "Tonight, being alive and in one piece is reason enough," she said with a small smile she only half felt. "It's been a rough couple of days."

Longer than most knew. Her trip through time, if that's what it had truly been, had shaken the qunari more than anything since the day she survived the creation of the Breach. Normally, she might have turned to Varric or Leliana for company, but both of them had been in the horrible future she'd just glimpsed, and neither needed the cold Haven night further chilled by hearing tale of their fates.

Josephine nodded sympathetically. "I am sure it has, my lady. We have all been praying for your return from Redcliff and to see you arrive, not only safe but at the head of the mages was truly a relief."

The qunari returned a smile, enjoying a long drink of her wine as she took in the moment. All her life, people like Josephine had looked right through her, if they thought to look at all. Her race, her social class, and her profession: all of them had marked her as less then them. Now, because of a very different sort of mark, that had all changed. Now, a beautiful, highborn woman like Josephine would gladly share a cup of wine with her, and banter, and tell her how happy she was that Herah was all right.

Indeed, the Antivan seemed to enjoy flirting with her, at times offering playful smiles and sly glances that made the putative Herald's pulse quicken. Whether those little gestures meant anything the qunari was less sure of. The dances of the nobility were a lot subtler than the ones she knew from camps and taverns, and she wasn't sure whether Josephine was humoring Herah or perhaps amusing herself. Right then, though, she didn't care. After what she'd been through, it was just nice to spend time in pleasant, witty company.

"Well, I would've hated to disappoint a beautiful woman", she teased.

The diplomat took a sip of her own wine. "You are too, kind my lady. I am hardly the only beauty here in Haven."

Herah raised an eyebrow suggestively. "We'll have to make a list some time."

"Doubtless." The Antivan laughed, before turning to a more serious topic. "If I may be so bold as to inquire, my lady, what precisely happened on your trip to Redcliff? The reports I heard were most confusing. Leliana said that you and the Tevinter mage, Dorian disappeared into a rift of some kind and reappeared moments later, but more than that, I do not know."

The rogue sighed, weighing how many details she should share of the nightmare she had only barely escaped from. "I saw a glimpse of what happens if we fail," she finally decided to tell Josephine. "Let's just say it's not pretty. Demons everyone, the rifts out of control, not to mention a decided shortage of beautiful women."

"I suppose we will just have to succeed then," Josephine told her with a smile that didn't waver. "But surely it will not come to that," she added hopefully. "We have the allegiance of the rebel mages, and soon you can try and seal the Breach for good."

"True, but that doesn't mean it'll work," Herah pointed out, pouring herself a second glass of the wine. It was quite good, the sort of rich vintage that she used to only be able to afford as a treat, but it had suddenly become a deal harder for her to enjoy it properly. "Besides, there's more to this than just the Breach. Whoever was behind its creation is still out there."

Josephine cocked her head. "The Venatori, you mean?"

"Probably them, yeah, but I don't think they're just the usual clique of rogue mages. They have some leader, the Elder One."

"Oh, such secret societies are often fond of portentous titles," Josephine pointed out. "I have heard of the Silent Master, the Supreme Guide, the Exalted Hierophant, and many others, none nearly so formidable as their affectations would lead you to believe."

"Maybe." Herah shook her head. "I think this guy may be different. Alexius is a powerful magister, and he seemed terrified of failing him."

"Speaking of Alexius," Josephine queried, "I am surprised you showed him mercy. Surely his crimes merited death."

"Probably." Herah finished off her second glass of wine while she weighed the inquiry. "I'll admit, I'm still not comfortable with deciding life and death like that. I mean, I've killed plenty of people but it's different on the battlefield. When both of us have a weapon in hand, that's fair. May the best man win, right? This business of sitting in the big chair, passing judgment on someone who can't fight back, it's harder to stomach."

"For what it's worth," Josephine replied, "I think your unease speaks well of you. For many a nobleman, the opposite is true. They find it is all too easy to take a life as long as they need not risk their own necks or bloody their own hands when they do it. I think such an attitude can make one callous."

"I appreciate that." Herah rose from her chair, suppressing a yawn as she did. "And the company as well, but do I think I'd better get to bed. Like I said, it's been a long few days."

"Of course, my lady," Josephine replied, adding, "There is no need for you to do that," as the qunari began picking up their empty cups. "I can get one of the servants to take care of those after you go."

"It's all right," Herah told the Antivan noblewoman, "I don't mind doing it myself."

As a quick side-note, when I did the play-through this story is based on, I ended up missing Sera until after In Your Heart, You Shall Burn, which is why she hasn't turned up yet. However, I actually think it worked out quite nicely, giving Herah time to flirt with Josephine first, and set up some dynamics you'll see in the chapters to come. Thanks for reading, and I'd love it if you left you thoughts on this Inquisitor, the conversations, and perhaps what other events you'd like to see covered here.