The next day dawned with a glorious hangover for Tali. She moaned and rolled over to where she kept her water jug on the night stand. When she looked, she saw a small bottle and a note next to the jug and cup. When she peered at the note she almost laughed.
Here is some relief for the pain you must be feeling. Don't expect this treatment every time. You have important business to attend to and Josephine was fretting about what condition you would be in after she saw you with Varic and Iron bull last night. -Leliana
"Maker bless our spy master" Tali muttered to herself with relief as she downed the whole bottle in a single gulp. The effect was nearly instantaneous. Her head ache receded and the nausea faded. She felt almost ready to face the day. Two glasses of water and a change of clothes and she felt well enough to venture out of her quarters.
She was instantly besieged by all the noise and people running around. There were plenty of people looking slightly worse for the wear from last night but far too many, at least in Tali's opinion, looking entirely too cheerful. One of them was even walking toward Tali right now. She groaned at the sight of the ambassador.
"Oh good, you're awake!" Josephine began. "I have a list of things that we must get done today. First off, we need to write up a general letter to be sent out to the kingdoms declaring our intentions. Then we need to meet with Cullen to establish-"
"Josephine! Slow down!" Tali moaned. "I haven't even had breakfast and you're going way to fast. Can't we start off a little slower, I'm still getting used to this whole 'Herald' thing" she pleaded with the ambassador.
"We do not have time if we are to stay ahead of our enemies" the voice came from the shadows as Leliana emerged into the hall off to the side. Then she studied Tali's slightly disheveled stated and pleading eyes and took pity on the poor woman. "Well maybe we should get some food in you first. I'm sure the ambassador can get started on those letters while you eat then you can approve them after." The relief in the other woman made Leliana laugh. "I'm glad the potion I sent you helped but nothing can replace a good meal and a long drink of water." With that, Leliana turned back around and disappeared.
"She does that a lot doesn't she? Swoop in to meddle in a situation then swoop back out again?" Tali inquired of Josephine.
Josephine chuckled at the image Tali's words had called to her mind. "She is good at doing that. If you are lucky, she is 'swooping' in to help. Maker help you if you are not lucky, well….." Josephine trailed off, leaving Tali to imagine what Leliana was capable of. "You get used to it after a while" Josephine finally said as she hustled Tali towards the kitchen. "Now let's grab you a few rolls and some sausage before we tackled the mountain of paperwork that we have." She laughed again at Tali's groan at the word paperwork.
Six hours later and Tali was swearing the air blue at the fourth papercut of the day. If she had to sign one more document or read one more report, she was going to resign from her position and disappear so far into the woods that even Leliana could not find her.
"Not a good idea Inquisitor, Leliana would find you before you even made it out of the grounds and she would not take kindly to the desertion. Though good work on the swearing, very impressive". The drawl came from the doorway where Varic leaned. Tali had not even realized she was muttering her thoughts outload.
"Then you can come and do this paperwork yourself. It's ridiculous! How many freaking papers do I need to sign just to send out one patrol to look for more elfroot for the healers? This is silly!" Her frustration poured out in her words as she threw her hands in the air in a signal that she gave up.
"Not me, I have my own pile of paper work to attend to" Varic said with a chuckle.
Tali squinted suspiciously at the dwarf. "Then why are you not doing that instead of poking fun at me?" she asked slowly.
"I figured you could use a break. Maker knows I could use one. Let's go for a walk and see what trouble we can into" he replied.
Tali heard Josephine's voice coming back down the hall where she had gone to retrieve another form for Tali to sign. She quickly rose from the desk and headed for the doorway Varic was at. "Let's go before our illustrious ambassador gets back and chains me to that desk" she said hurriedly.
They ran for it. They heard Josephine's cry of dismay as they ducked around a corner in the courtyard. They jumped a fence and headed for the stables. Blackwall was there but paid them little heed beyond raising an eyebrow at their obvious attempt at stealth. It did not work out so well. Varic was surprised at how many people recognized the Herald. It also did not help that those who did not recognize her could not help but take note of her obvious beauty. Tali's elven heritage gave her appearance a graceful angled look that was perfectly balanced out with her more rounded human side. Tali was eventually forced to raise her hood to avoid being stopped by every other person.
"Say what you want about your abilities but the people of Haven have taken to you" Varic said with a dry edge to his voice.
"Shut it dwarf" Tali punched him lightly on the arm. "What do you say we take out a couple of the horses and 'scout out' the country side? That way we can always just say we were trying to help out Leliana."
"I doubt Leliana will let us get away with it but its not a half bad idea" he admitted and followed the Herald to the stables.
Twenty minutes later and Tali was galloping across the rolling mountain side. Her hood fell back and her hair tugged out of its braid. Her hangover had vanished and Tali relished the feeling of the wind through her hair while guiding the power of the beast beneath her around boulders and trees. At times like this, it felt like if she pushed the horse just hard enough, she could outrun this mess and disappear into the wild like she had always dreamed. She shouted her joy and dared Varic to a race that she easily won.
She pulled up an hour later. Tali caught the flash of purple in the woods but when she turned to look, there was nothing to see. She shrugged and turned back to Varic. He was just as windblown as she and panting with the effort to keep up with Tali on horseback. "You….done…..getting the fidgets out yet…..Herald?" he gasped between breaths.
"I suppose for now. But you need more practice on horseback if you are winded after that little ride." She glanced around and noticed a river with a small pool nearby. "Lets go wash off."
When they got to the pool Tali stripped down to her small cloths without a second thought and jumped in. The water was cold but refreshing. Varic hesitated for only a moment, raising an eye at the taunting look Tali shot his way, before stripping down all the way and jumping in himself. Tali laughed at his daring and dunked him back under for his impertinence when he came back up for air. Deciding that she had nothing to lose she lost the last of her cloths as well and tossed them on the river bank near the rest of the others.
Now it was Varic turn to laugh and whistle in appreciation. The woman had no shame, definitely like a certain Rivaini he knew back in Kirkwall. "Have I told you how I met Isabella back in Kirkwall?" he asked Tali. When she shook her head he told her the story. He had been staying at an inn called the Hanged Man while Hawke and he gathered money for the expedition to the deep roads. He was going home one night when he walked straight into brawl. It had been started when a couple of sailors had tried to force Isabela to go home with them. Isabela had said no, with a pair of daggers. Her shirt had gotten ripped almost down the middle during the fight but that had not seemed to stop the beautiful, voluptuous, pirate. "And when the fight was over, she just walked back over to the bar and ordered another drink. Bold as brass, wearing nothing but a ripped shirt and her small cloths."
Varic's tale had Tali convulsing with laughter and trying to stay afloat at the same time. "I wish I had known her, she sounds like she would be a lot of fun to go carousing with" Tali said when she finally got control of herself.
Leliana studied the pair. When cloths started coming off she nearly started out of the bushes she was hiding in. Her scouts had come to get her when the two left the keep. She had thought about stopping them but decided the Herald did need a break. She did want to keep an eye on them however. The area around Haven was fairly secure but it was still risky letting them leave without an escort. When she found the pair, they were stripping to go swimming. Leliana had been slightly shocked when the woman showed no inhibitions in stripping. Varic's tale made even her laugh and the banter afterward about the exposed skin made even Leliana blush a little. When Varic pulled out a flask, Leliana sighed. She was not sure if she should leave now before things got as awkward as they were looking like heading or if she should stick around to keep an eye on the rouges. The thought off all the work that needed to be done made that decision for her. With a regretful sigh (it would have been nice to stay and collect some gossip she could use against Varic or the Herald later) she retreated to the castle.
The contrast between the heat of the sun and the coolness of the water was heavenly. With Varic's flask to loosen their lips (more so on Tali's part she suspected) the banter between took a decidedly sexual route till Varic was boasting of the "well known stamina" the dwarfs were supposed to have while Tali bragged of the different positions she was known to put her lovers in. She had not decided yet if this was going to lead to anything, Maker knew that would not be a good idea yet it was tempting. The last time she had lain with a lover had been far too long ago but getting involved with a comrade was rarely a good thing. Still it was fun to tease him and flaunt her nakedness. She had never understood people's compulsion to hide their flesh or expose it. She went clothed as much or little as was needed to keep her comfortable. Her body was her own and no one had a right to say what she did with it. Or at least that was true before she became the Herald of Andraste. Now there were all these rules and no convenient hand book. She sighed.
Varic heard her sigh and decided to have a little fun with her. He guessed what was on her mind and knew just the thing to distract her. He snuck up from behind and grabbed her back side. Tali squealed and in a moment had him pinned against a rock. "Well, woman, what are you going to do with me know?" he asked with a drawl. "I have a few suggestions if you are not sure."
She laughed at his audacity and took advantage of their position to rub her body against him temptingly, all seduction and sensuality. Then just as his eyes started to glaze over with lust (even the great Varic Tetheras was not immune when Tali made an effort to be charming) she backed off, brushing a kiss across him nose before rolling off. She scampered to where their cloths lay, laughing at his curses. "No fair, tease" he growled. This just made her giggle even more as she finished dressing and flung herself on her horse.
"See you back at the keep!" she called out over her shoulder as he scrambled to put on his cloths and follow her.
I decided to publish a couple of chapters at once to get readers interested. After this, update will come every few days or so. Please read and review! Thanks!
