The Inquisitor's Choice

by Demented Insane Spirit

InquisitorxDorian; Spoilers; It would have been too much for Dorian to expect anything out of the herald of Andraste, much less a lover. Yet when flirting becomes more, love during war seems possible...although there is a worry in his heart that it may not last past the war or that either of them will survive.

5. Chapter Five

A/N: Thanks to everyone who's reviewed! :) I'm so glad you're all enjoying my first Dragon Age story!

The Inquisitor's Choice, Chapter Five

The Winter Palace was, by all accounts, a magnificent piece of architecture. The nobles, the drinks, and the general splendor of the place were enough to make anyone breathless with awe. Thankfully, Dorian was not an easy man to impress and as he followed Ashik into the vestibule, he cast a critical eye around. He could hear nobles murmuring around them and saw more than a few of those nobles sending shocked glances towards Dorian. Anyone else looking towards Dorian were sizing him up interestedly and then inspecting the Inquisitor with a curious eye. Recalling the letters that Ashik had mentioned Josephine receiving about their ambiguous relationship, Dorian could not help but smirk in amusement.

"Ugh," Cassandra muttered behind Dorian, "could they be any more obvious in their stares?"

"Nothing quite like the Orlesian court to put you in the spirit of war," Solas said to her in a surprisingly cheerful tone.

"Or make you loathe it even more. The way they act as if murderer and treasonous plots are some kind of Game is revolting. I've never had the patience for these people. I still can't believe that Josephine likes this kind of garbage."

"Better her than you, Seeker. I think there would be a lot more noble blood spilled if it were up to you."

"Try all noble blood and then I would agree with you."

"You're certainly lively early in the evening, Cassandra," Ashik said as they paused at the top of the steps where they would be meeting his three advisors. He leaned his elbow on the balustrade, clasping his wrist loosely. "You must be eager to get in the thick of it."

"I'm eager to get out of this place," she corrected him swiftly, an annoyed frown upon her lips. "Orlesian court and politics makes me sick to my stomach. We would be better off if the entire thing collapsed." A noble passing by them gave a startled look and she glared at him. "Was I talking to you? Move along!" The noble hastily picked up speed with a scandalized look towards Cassandra.

"I can see the court is going to love us already."

"Your success tonight will depend upon it," an accented voice informed him. The group turned to see Josephine arriving at the top of the steps with Leliana and Cullen in tow. "There is nothing more frightening than the possibility of insulting an important noble, Lord Trevelyan, as I'm sure you know."

"I think you'll find the nobility in the Free Marches to be a lot less..." He looked around, searching for a word to describe the Orlesian nobility.

"Stupid?" Dorian suggested helpfully.

"Yes, let's go with that," Ashik decided before turning back to Josephine. "If the nobility in the Free Marches get offended, it's usually over something with some kind of ground. Familial feuds, land disagreements, that sort of thing. Not whether I wore the wrong shoes or dropped a spoon."

"Even so, you know the type of things that can cause the court to lash out at you and that is comforting, at least. They will not hesitate to cause harm or speak against you if you step even the slightest bit out of line. You must be cautious tonight, Inquisitor." Josephine had such an earnest expression upon her face that it made Dorian wonder just what she expected to happen that night.

"I'm used to people trying to kill me, ambassador," Ashik flippantly answered. "I'm sure I can handle myself well enough. If the entire court decides to go after my life, I'll feel right at home. It'll be like I'm out in the middle of a red Templar encampment."

"Just try not to yell, 'Die, you filthy lyrium scum' while at court," Cullen spoke up with a chuckle. "They might not take kindly to that."

"Oh, very well, I'll be a gentleman." The Inquisitor straightened from his lounging position on the balustrade just as Gaspard came into sight, strolling towards the ballroom doors. Ashik spotted him at the same time the man saw him and he raised his hand in acknowledgement. "I had best go entertain our friend, then, shall I?" He slipped through them, stepping towards Gaspard, who bowed to him in greeting.

Josephine sighed, clasping her hands anxiously. "Andraste watch over us all," she whispered.

"I think the Inquisitor's charm will work in his favor here, Josie," Leliana reassured her. "Gaspard seems to have taken a liking to his sarcasm, at least, otherwise he would not have been so eager."

"Lord Trevelyan has never been at Orlesian court before, though. He has never played the Game and does not know what to expect. And there are other...things...that might bring him trouble during tonight. Things that he might not feel comfortable speaking about yet." Dorian did not miss the subtle way her eyes slid to him, but chose not to speak up against it for the time being. He had known before arriving at the Winter Palace that his presence alone would have caused some whispers, even without his relationship with Ashik. The idea of a Tevinter altus being so involved in the Inquisition was shocking enough; knowing that the same man was warming the Inquisitor's bed would be enough to cause a panic.

"The Inquisitor has had to deal with more cutthroat people than the Orlesians before," Cassandra intercepted before Josephine or Leliana could pursue that particular topic further. "If he can handle the Chantry, Templars, Grey Wardens, and demons, he can handle these idiots that think they are so clever in their murder schemes."

"Someone might hear you!" Josephine hissed, although Leliana simply looked amused.

"I hope they do! They think they're so dangerous and you talking about the Game like this only gives them power when they're nothing more than a bunch of blithering idiots pretending to be powerful. They have no armor, no real weapons, no protection except for the thin line of what is appropriate in court. If there are enough people willing to step over it, they would all be killed and they would deserve it."

Josephine's nutty complexion had turned a shade paler than usual. It was clear she had never had anyone be so blunt to her in regards to Orlesian politics. Neither Leliana nor Cullen attempted to intervene to quell the conversation and Dorian suspected it was because the spymaster and commander felt similarly to Cassandra. Solas appeared indifferent to the conversation, watching Ashik and Gaspard instead. Dorian glanced over at them and frowned when he saw the military commander lean in close to the Inquisitor, their heads nearly touching, a conspiratorial air around them. Whatever Ashik had said seemed to entertain Gaspard and he laughed, looking far too pleased for Dorian's liking.

"Regardless of those facts," Josephine at last said, bringing Dorian's attention back to their group, "we are still obliged to play the Game while we are here, Lady Cassandra, and so does the Inquisitor."

"'The Game!'" Cassandra muttered disgustedly to herself as Josephine turned and started towards Ashik and Gaspard, having given them enough time alone to talk. Leliana smiled at Cassandra and inclined her head, following the Antivan.

"I like it as little as you do," Cullen told her, "but Leliana and Josephine both think that using the court politics will work for our advantage, to keep Orlais stable and willing to support the Inquisition. The Inquisitor is willing to follow their instructions...it may be best if we do the same."

"I never said I wasn't going to, I just find calling this 'politics' ridiculous!"

They were not given a chance to continue the conversation, however, as Ashik gestured for them to follow. Gaspard had already entered the grand ballroom, with Josephine and Leliana following closely behind. The remainder of the group joined him inside the ballroom and after introductions, they stepped across the dance floor to greet Empress Celine. Dorian's first impression of her was that she rather enjoyed becoming embroiled in the politics of the court. While Gaspard had no patience for the civilities that the other nobles had exchanged, she spoke with a light, distinguished air and her words said more than was initially apparent. Josephine had no reason to worry, however, as Ashik slipped gracefully into the role of a diplomatic Inquisitor as easily as if he always spoke so eloquently. Dorian admired his ability to smoothly maneuver the conversation to subtly warn her without saying hardly anything.

"We are looking forward to seeing you dance tonight, Inquisitor Trevelyan," the empress concluded, smiling at him. "We are most interested to see how skilled a military man may be in the ballroom."

"I am sure I will pale in comparison to Lord Pavus," Ashik returned with a smile. Dorian blinked, surprised, and Celine raised her eyebrows ever so slightly, turning her eyes to the Tevinter interestedly. "He is far better a dancer than I."

"It is sometimes necessary to have a more experienced dancer in order to learn certain techniques," she loftily said. "Such elegance and light steps create an appeal that is undeniable, yet deceitful in nature."

"Thankfully, technique makes up only a small portion of dancing abilities, and can easily be overlooked when in the ballroom."

"I could not agree more, Inquisitor." She extended a hand out towards the steps. "Please, do enjoy the rest of the ball. I look forward to speaking with you after the negotiations with my cousin are completed." Ashik bowed and stepped away, moving from the dance floor. The others followed him, Dorian a bit more slowly. He could feel even more eyes on him than before and wondered whether Ashik had done it to avert their attention from him to Dorian or if it had been to quell any questions on the rumors. That entire conversation, while seeming just about dance partners, made Dorian rather certain that the rumor of Celine and Briala was not as false as it could have been. She had been warning Ashik against involvement in Dorian from her own experience, yet was strangely willing to acquiesce in the end.

"That was most foolish of you, Inquisitor!" Josephine muttered once they had stepped outside to one of the balconies. "The court will not look upon this favorably."

"I'm sure a great deal of them will eat it up and you know that, too," he answered with an unbothered air. "I'm not too concerned about their opinion right now. You told me before we came here that I would have an advantage for being a Trevelyan and they seem to be enjoying the Inquisition's presence well enough. We're unknown to the Orlesian court except for what they've heard through our work in Orlais and Fereldan. Besides, if we eavesdrop and search around enough, we can pick up some dirt that Leliana can spread to give us some credibility in the court."

"And what about when you do dance?" she demanded. "Empress Celine will expect you to dance with Dorian!"

"And?"

"You are not really – "

"I fully intended to dance with him and no one else while we were here," he interrupted mildly, as if he were doing nothing more than stating a purely obvious fact. When she opened her mouth to protest, Gaspard stepped outside towards them, forcing her into quiet.

"I must say, I did wonder whether that rumor about your preferences was true, Inquisitor," Gaspard commented. He eyed Dorian and then seemed to dismiss him, looking back to Ashik. The snub caused a beginning bubble of jealous irritation to form within the Tevinter. "It is a most pleasant surprise. The court will be talking about your confirmation all evening. It will certainly give you enough sway in the court to where your companions may have their hands full of the nobility wanting to pry into your personal affairs. It will also give you enough cover to do some...searching, if you understand."

"Into Briala, you mean?" Ashik queried with an arch of a brow.

"Yes, exactly. She is well liked by the elven servants here. If I were to guess where she would put her power, it would be with them. I would start with them, see if you can find anything out. If you need anything, I'll be here in the ballroom after the negotiations."

"I'll see what I can find out, but I'd better not be wasting my time."

"I should hope not," Gaspard said, shaking his head. "If Briala isn't trying to sabotage the negotiations, I would be quite at a loss to know why she even bothered to come. She is far too skilled at the Game to simply let this be. If I were here, I would not be so eager to do so." He made to turn, to join the empress and Briala and then paused. "I would not say no to a dance with you, either, Inquisitor, if you have a mind. I may be more...experienced." He left then, leaving Ashik staring after him blankly.

"What just happened?" he asked the group at last, an uncertain look crossing his features.

"I think the duke is trying to usurp Dorian's position, as well the empress's," Solas said with a tiny little smirk.

X

Dorian rotated the goblet in his hand idly, a scowl set upon his face. For the most part, the nobles had avoided him. A Tevinter altus in the Orlesian court was as sacrilege as a naked Andraste painted in the Chantry, if not more so. He had set himself up comfortably in the courtyard, far away from the ballroom and Gaspard, perfectly situated where he could listen to the bard without interruption. Since they had all separated, Dorian had not seen Ashik and he had been imagining horrible thoughts that Gaspard had caught him in a corner and was trying to seduce him somewhere. More experienced..., he recalled to himself. I'll bet you think that's all you need to get him interested in you, don't you? Cocky bastard.

The thought made him shudder with rage. He took a deep drink of the spicy alcohol, glaring at nothing in particular. He heard a high-pitched giggle and looked to the doors to see the subject of his thoughts being surrounded by the three handmaids of Celine's. The three similarly-dressed women sauntered back inside, giggling and looking at the Inquisitor coquettishly over their shoulders. Dorian was happy to find that he seemed oblivious, searching the courtyard with a puckered brow. The expression cleared as soon as his eyes landed on Dorian and he approached him, moving to stand next to him.

"Doing alright?" Ashik asked him, clasping his hands behind his back and looking at Dorian with a small smile.

"Well, the thought of death and murder hasn't stopped me from trying to drink myself into a stupor," Dorian replied, looking down into the goblet. "Although I'm really starting to question whether this even has alcohol in it. At least the stuff at the tavern in Skyhold has a bit of a kick. This? I feel like I'm drinking fruit juice."

"I've heard it hits you hard later, if you're not careful."

"Ah. Then I should probably slow down." Dorian lowered his goblet just as he was about to take a drink. "How are things with you? Did you find anything interesting?"

"I've been through the library and the court apostate's chambers, and there seems to be something happening in the servant's quarters. It seems the apostate was watching me, though. She gave me a key to the servant's quarters, said she got rid of someone that tried to kill her and it was on them. I found the body upstairs, but didn't think she had been the one to do it. I figured it had something to do with Briala. It seems she has the entire elven servants working for her. I'm not sure what they're supposed to be doing yet, though."

"Might be time to take a look around the servant's quarters, then."

"I think so. I told Cassandra to get Solas and meet us down there with our armor." Ashik hesitated. "You're not...upset with me, are you?" Dorian stirred from his surly mood, taking note of the tone in the Inquisitor's voice. He finally looked away from the bard to face Ashik, who was eyeing in him in concern. "I wasn't trying to make this hard on you, by announcing that tonight. I would just rather have it be out there for everyone to know, rather than have them question me."

"I'm quite accustomed to having people treat me like a walking bomb, but thank you for your concern," Dorian answered a bit more tritely than he intended. Ashik nodded slowly.

"I see...well, let's get going, then. We don't have all night."

"Wait, no." Dorian held up a hand, sighing. He set his goblet aside, reaching out to take Ashik's hands. He was sure the nobles were watching their exchange with bated breaths, but could care less at that moment. "Forgive me. I'm an ass, I know. I just...I hate to see you get judged for choosing me, just because of my homeland. I've been on edge all evening. It's felt exactly like Tevinter. I keep expecting to see my father walk in or some blood rituals being performed at any moment. Then again, the night is young, they still have time. Maybe they'll even ask me to perform it for a little entertainment. They seem like that type."

"I wouldn't be surprised if they did." Ashik smiled and then stepped closer, squeezing Dorian's hands. "I am going to get that dance tonight, whether you like it or not."

"Oh, the tales they will tell! The Inquisitor dancing with the dreaded Tevinter, just as he promised to do."

"I did promise a more romantic adventure this time, didn't I?"

"Yes...yes, I suppose you did. You shouldn't take those kinds of risks, you know. Josephine had a point."

"And so did Gaspard," Ashik told him, raising his eyebrows slightly. "I've been able to do as I please because I've tantalized their senses enough for one evening. And I've even managed to act a perfect gentleman." He took a step back and Dorian saw his eyes skim the crowd in the courtyard, a good deal of whom were watching them. Smiling, Ashik swept a bow and held out a hand. "Shall we go, then?"

"I'd be delighted." He took Ashik's hand and then tucked it in his elbow as they exited the courtyard. Even as the doors shut behind them, they could hear the beginning whispers of gossip trailing behind them. "They'll be talking about us for months, you know."

"By the time we leave this ball tonight, they're going to be talking about us for years."

Even though they were walking through the palace to the servant's quarters for an investigation, Dorian's bad mood melted away and he was grateful to enjoy the company of his lover; and, for once, he was able to flaunt their contented relationship in the face of thousands who would disapprove of it. Even the nobles' dirty looks and thinly veiled comments could not get to Dorian while he was at Ashik's side. He was able to fully enjoy him, without a second thought or hesitation, at least for that moment.

In Minrathous, if he had been at such a ball, he would often be forced to deal with schoolgirls with little to no original thoughts in their heads. He would be forced to pretend that he enjoyed their company, that he was flattered to be near them, and that their interaction would lead to something more. It was that life which led him to become so charming and flirtatious and while it certainly had its benefits, false flattery had never been something he enjoyed. Leading women on during the day while sneaking into men's beds at night and finding himself kicked out the next morning had been tiresome and by the time he had left Tevinter, he was nearly at mental capacity for such situations. He had simply expected Ashik to pretend at this ball, to pick one of the women in their party as a cover, and to play the Game the way Josephine had wished him. Not for the first time, Dorian reminded himself that Ashik rarely met his expectations and was a constant surprise. It was one of the many reasons he found himself falling deeper and deeper in love with the man. And, for the night, he was on the arm of that man and all of Orlais would know of it by tomorrow.

"Ah, here we are," Ashik murmured as they came to the bottom of the staircase. Dorian released his arm somewhat grudgingly and the Inquisitor opened the door, stepping inside. Cassandra and Solas were standing within, donned in their armor.

"About time," Cassandra said sharply as they stepped in, Dorian shutting the door quietly behind them. "All of the servants here have been slaughtered." She shook her head. "Something's going on. It's best we be quick, though. They'll notice all four of us have disappeared soon enough."

"Hopefully they'll be too busy gossiping," Ashik said as he hastily got into his armor, having pulled off the formal clothing he had been wearing over another layer of clothing.

"We can only hope. Wait...did you cause another scene? Josephine is going to have your head by the end of tonight."

"I thought you didn't care about that?"

"I don't, but she has worked very hard to secure us an invitation and to spread our cause through the nobles. The very least we can do is not destroy the foundation she built for us through that."

"Trust me, my dear," Dorian said, adjusting his armor slightly, "I doubt the foundation will be destroyed from people suspecting the Inquisitor's gone somewhere private to have sex with me."

"Is that what they're saying?" she asked, shocked.

"With luck, they won't be creating too graphic of details," Ashik told her with a slight grimace. "You know that Leliana will collect that kind of story."

"She's a bit twisted," Dorian said. "The things she does with some of her information..."

With the four of them properly armored, they left the servant's quarters, moving out into the gardens. Elven bodies were littered all over the gardens, blood splattered upon the stones. It was a gruesome sight to behold. Dorian was sure that Briala would take revenge for her elves. More importantly, however, was the question of who had done this. They had been under the assumption that Briala was the one planning some sort of attack on the empress, but it was become clear that someone else besides her and the Inquisition had their forces in the palace.

"Gaspard didn't mention having any chevaliers here," Ashik murmured as they came to the center of the gardens. "But that dagger has his symbol engraved upon it." He knelt next to the dead ambassador, frowning. A sound caused him to stiffen and he ducked out of the way just as an arrow went flying. "An ambush?"

Soldiers came crashing through the gardens, clearly having been waiting for their arrival. Dorian swung his staff and a wall of fire erupted, burning those that were too slow to stop. Those that had gotten through already were engaged with Ashik and Cassandra. The shrieks of the soldiers that had been lit on fire died down as they collapsed and the wall sunk back into the ground, the scent of singed flesh rising on the air. The clink of steel upon steel faded behind him and Dorian could hear a gurgle from one of the men as he choked on his flood. Straightening, he turned to see Ashik reading a missive that had been in the man's armor.

"This mentions the Grand Duchess Florianne," Ashik said, waving it. "It seems she's trying to frame Gaspard for this."

"She danced with you earlier," Solas observed.

"You saw that?"

"Of course. Everyone was watching. What did she say to you?"

"I thought it was nothing of importance. She was claiming that Gaspard would act tonight and would take care of both Celine and Briala. I haven't bothered listening to any of these nobles talking about the political struggle, it's too easy to see that they're all after their own ends. I figured she was lying. I thought she might be up to something, but I thought it was so that she could protect Celine from Gaspard by turning me against him."

"A wise conclusion," Solas told him thoughtfully, "but if the Grand Duchess intends to kill Celine, we will need to unveil her to protect her."

"Let's clear this out, first. I have a feeling she won't come so quietly and I don't plan to have hundreds of soldiers on me when I return to the ballroom."

As they headed through the gardens, they found a handful of other soldiers loitering about. After a time, they were able to get into the royal apartments and found that not only were there mercenary soldiers engaged in combat, but Dalish assassins, as well. Once all of the mercenaries were taken care of, the elves turned to the group threatening. A soft voice called to them from the doorway, "Halt." The assassins hesitated and then lowered their weapons, glaring at the Inquisitor. "You have been busy, have you not, Inquisitor?" The slight elven figure stepped into the moonlight in the darkened corridor, a smile playing at the edges of her lips. "I had thought you were nothing more than a tool of Gaspard's, but I guess I was mistaken. Perhaps you are using him to your own ends, instead."

"And what is your explanation for this?" Ashik asked, gesturing towards the assassins. "Just another day for Ambassador Briala, I suppose?"

"You would be surprised what an average day for me is, Inquisitor. But very well. I suppose I owe you an explanation. First, though..." She stepped towards the window, crooking a finger to indicate he follow. Ashik glanced at the others before sheathing his daggers and cautiously moving towards her. "Did you kill him?" She pointed out the window.

"The ambassador was dead when I arrived, with Gaspard's dagger in his back."

"I did not expect him to go so far."

"Nor should you." Ashik removed the missive he had found and handed it to her. "It seems you two were not the only ones out for vengeance."

The ambassador read through the paper and then shook her head slowly, handing it back to him. "I never expected she would be involved...but the Game is always unpredictable and changing." Beside Dorian, Cassandra released an exasperated snort. Briala heard it and turned her eyes to her. Even through her mask, they could see how cold her expression became. "It is not something to scoff at, Seeker Pentaghast. The Game is more deadly than you can imagine."

"Try telling that to someone who didn't witness the Conclave being blown up," Cassandra growled. Briala bristled, evidently insulted at having their politics reduced to something so insignificant.

"I will meet you back at the ballroom, Inquisitor," Briala said, deciding to ignore Cassandra. "Do consider, though, what it could mean to have an army of assassin elves at your disposal. It could be helpful for the Inquisition." She inclined her head and then left him, signaling for the elves to follow her. Ashik rubbed the back of his head, a dry smile lifting his mouth.

"Certainly is confident, isn't she?"

"She believes, given our reputation, that we may take her up on her offer. We have a tendency to support the unappreciated and oppressed," Solas said to Cassandra, lifting his shoulders in a shrug. "She has reason to be confident."

"You are usually quite perceptive, Solas," Ashik told him, leaning against the window, "but in this, you are mistaken for once."

"Oh?"

"There is already three people after Celine's life...I'm not sure what Florianne's motives are, but Gaspard and Briala clearly want her out of the way for their own reasons. Even if we save her, there will be chaos and that's what Corypheus wants. Killing Celine may be able to effectively end that chaos instead." He smiled faintly. "And Briala has only the elves in mind. She could never be empress, nor could she ever be too close to anyone with that power. She would cause too many problems."

"So Celine and Briala must die, then."

"Which leaves Gaspard," Dorian concluded, frowning. "He's nothing more than a mercenary thug! You don't really want him on the throne, do you?"

"He's shown himself willing to support the Inquisition and knows that we can take him off the throne as easily as we put him on there. We will have his support and he will handle any future assassins credibly," Ashik elaborated, crossing his arms over his chest. "I think it might be best for our purposes. It's not the perfect choice, but out of the three..."

"And Florianne?"

"I wouldn't trust her with an inkling of power. Somebody else is pulling strings and I'm willing to bet it's her. Somebody that well hidden behind the civil war and the rest of the power struggles here isn't someone that I would want as an ally, let alone an enemy."

"Then we should gather information to implicate Briala and Florianne," Cassandra told him. "The council of heralds will want evidence, if we are to judge or even execute them. They might see us as being nothing more than bloodthirsty if we just carelessly kill them in the palace."

"I have found a bit on Briala, but we'll need more. Tonight, we'll let Florianne take care of the empress and then deal with her. That will be more than enough evidence for the council members, I should think."

"We should get to work, then," Solas suggested, "otherwise we may miss the opportunity to deal with her."

X

Dorian made his way through the crowds, searching them intently. He could hear the excited activity of conversation around him after the culminating display that had just occurred. He had not been all too pleased to leave Ashik with Gaspard, knowing the newly crowned emperor's lascivious intentions towards the Inquisitor and since they had stepped away after Gaspard's speech, he had not seen either of them. As he made to move past one of the balconies, spotting Leliana, he glanced outside and then halted in his steps, spotting Morrigan, the court apostate, talking with Ashik. Frowning, Dorian took a few steps back to observe them without being seen. He did not want to draw anyone else's attention outside to the Inquisitor. Dorian eyed Ashik and could tell that even though he was smiling and responding to whatever Morrigan was saying, he was exhausted from the ball's events. After a time, she turned away from the balcony and made to move back inside. Dorian felt this would be the best time to get a moment alone with Ashik before someone else needed his attention.

"Ah, Lord Pavus," Morrigan greeted as he approached. "On your way to comfort your lover?"

"If it suits him," Dorian answered, raising an eyebrow at her.

" 'Tis lucky one is able to find love in a time of war," she said reflectively. " 'Tis certainly rare to find it when so few trust you." She smiled, inclining her head. "Cherish him or else another would be obliged to steal him – if war does not." She continued past him, leaving him baffled at her enigmatic remarks. Dorian dismissed her comments out of hand temporarily, moving forward to join Ashik on the balcony. The Inquisitor was leaning heavily upon his forearms on the banister, his hands clasped. He smiled as Dorian stepped beside him, leaning his hip upon the banister, facing Ashik.

"I think every woman's panties are wet for you this evening," Dorian informed him with a smirk. "It's too bad that does nothing for you otherwise I'd bet you could have a nice, Orlesian orgie to relax you before we left."

"That would make for an interesting inclusion in my heroic tale," Ashik admitted. "I can see it now... 'And after the dread events of the Winter Palace, the Inquisitor was welcomed into a steamy orgie session until his next adventure.'"

"They should put that in there anyway – just for fun." Ashik laughed, turning away and gazing at his clasped hands meditatively. Dorian watched him for a few moments before asking, "Did it not turn out quite as you hoped? You don't seem satisfied."

"Josephine was kind enough to say that she and I were going to exchange words when we got back to Skyhold," Ashik responded, slanting a look to Dorian. "As expected, she's furious that I let Celine die. She would have ranted at me if Gaspard hadn't been there when she approached me. I don't regret my decision, but all this death on my hands...I'm nearly at capacity, Dorian. I'm not going to be able to wash the blood off me by the end of this."

"Celine's death would have happened with or without you," Dorian told him. "That's the risk of being the empress and especially in Orlais. I wouldn't think of it as you being responsible for her death, no matter what Josephine says. I don't like Gaspard on the throne myself, but he was the lesser of evils. And anyway, after all of this, I doubt we'll ever want to come to Orlais again. Fereldan always felt a lot more welcoming, don't you think?"

"I would have to agree. At least their civil wars are straightforward."

Dorian straightened, pushing off from the banister. "Now...not to change the subject, but I think I was promised a dance, was I not?"

"Ah, I knew there had to be a happy ending for this night somewhere." Ashik straightened, taking Dorian's hand in his. "Shall we go show Gaspard just how experienced you are at dancing?" Dorian shot him a quick, surprised glance as they stepped inside the ballroom. Ashik chortled at his expression and then drew him close, kissing him. There was a startled cough from a noble nearby, likely choking on their wine. The Inquisitor kept his face close to his after he withdrew, murmuring, "You are so transparent in your hatred for others, you know."

"And here I thought I was being subtle." Dorian drew him in for another kiss, oblivious to the stares of the nobility around them.

TBC