"Andraste's flaming sword, I said NO!"

Vivienne and Dorian rolled their eyes as Alex stood in the middle of her room in her underclothes, barely breathing as Josephine stood behind her, tightening the corset that was wrapped around the Inquisitor's body.

After she had left Cullen, she headed straight to Josephine, only to find that the Ambassador had called all of her inner circle for their fittings for the party at Halamshiral. The men had already finished their tailoring session just a few moments ago, with Bull getting his horns stuck in his shirt, causing Alex to bubble out in laughter. Technically, it was the women's turn, with Sera, Vivienne, Josephine and herself (as Cassandra and Leliana had already finished), but Dorian had stayed behind, after saying that he wanted to make sure that the Alex had the proper clothes for the party.

In which case, 'proper clothes' meant that while her circle were given black pants, red coats with blue sashes, Alex was designed to wear a dress. Hence, the corset.

"Josephine, I can't breathe anymore!" Alex cried out again as the Ambassador pulled harder at the contraption on her waist, and she grew even paler.

"Josephine darling, enough of that. Just look at the poor girl." Vivienne said, standing from Alex's bed, where she and Dorian sat as they watched her. "She already has the proper figure for the dress and does not need that thing."

"And besides, we can't have our Inquisitor fainting on the dance floor when there is an assassin in Halamshiral, yes?" Dorian said in agreement.

"Yes! Exactly! Thank you!" Alex said again as Josephine frowned, "Honestly, Josephine, I can't fight an assassin with this corset, or these puffy Orlesian skirts. How am I supposed to save Empress Celene if I can hardly move?"

Finally Josephine huffed and started undoing the laces, and Alex sighed in relief as air was finally able to enter her lungs again, "Fine, I accept. But Inquisitor, you really need to look different from the rest of us. How else can the nobles of Orlais know that you are our leader?"

Vivienne huffed, "A leader can wear a potato sack, but you'd still know she's the leader." She said as she stood in front of Alex with her arms crossed and a hand under her chin, "I'm not saying we should do that, though. Maybe we should make you wear a slimmer dress, darling. They are rather fashionable these days, but still comfortable enough for you to fight in. How about… a Highever Weave dress, accented with rubies or emeralds…"

Dorian drank a glass of wine by Alex's bedside, where a servant had placed while they had their measurements taken, "Don't put too much red on her, Vivienne. Although, that might be a good color to hide the blood stains she'll acquire by the night's end." He laughed at his own joke.

At this, Vivienne glared at Alex, "If you spill any wine or get blood on your clothes, darling, dare I say I will burn you alive. I won't allow our Inquisitor to look like a blood-thristy Avvar warrior at the end of the night."

Alex rolled her eyes and pointed to herself, "Vivienne, mage here, remember?"

The First Enchanter rolled her eyes, before gathering a bunch of fabrics just as Sera walked out from behind a dressing curtain, wearing pants and boots but not much else, causing Alex to blush red and Dorian to laugh. "Josie, these clothes are shite! They can't even fit my titties into it!"

"Oh, for Maker's sake, Sera!" Josephine cried out in alarm, covering her eyes demurely at the sight of Sera's bare chest, "There is a man in the room!"

Sera huffed, "Dorian's got the pieces, yeah, but he isn't a man. Man like him prefers balls and sausages rather than peaches anyway."

Alex and Dorian laughed at the elf's analogy while Josephine rubbed her forehead and Vivienne shook her head, holding up the fabrics she had gathered to Alex's chest in an effort to find the right shade for her eyes. "Yes, I do, Sera. And you do sport a rather gorgeous pair of peaches yourself. But perhaps you should put on a shirt. It's too early for our dear ambassador to faint."

Sera smiled proudly, "Yeah, I got nice titties." She said, grinning as she jumped up and down at where she stood, causing her breasts to bounce and making the man laugh again, "But the shirt won't fit them!"

Josephine waved a hand, taking the shirt even as she kept her eyes covered, "Fine! I'll get them repaired! Just put a shirt on!"

"Pfft. Prude." Sera said, looking at Alex, and she grinned as she headed back to the dressing curtain, shimmying her shoulders and causing her tits to jiggle side to side, making the Inquisitor laugh again.

"Ah! Perfect!" Vivienne cried out as she held a fabric to Alex's chest, "This makes your eyes greener."

She sighed as Vivienne threw the fabric to Josephine, who caught it and made a note at her ledger, as the mage took a tape and started measuring Alex' body. "I just don't understand why I have to wear something different from what you all are wearing."

"Because you are the Inquisitor, and as such you must look presentable." Dorian said nonchalantly, drinking his wine.

"I maybe the leader, but we are the Inquisition." Alex said as she looked at them from the gigantic looking glass in front of her, which showed her companion's reflections, "How can I show that I am one with my people if I dress different from my people?"

Vivienne and Dorian exchanged a meaningful glance, even Josephine looked nervous for a moment, and Alex caught it. "Sweet Maker… you are all planning something, aren't you?"

All three of her companions looked a little guilty and she gasped, "Why you conniving little… what are you up to?!"

Josephine coughed, "Inquisitor, we… just want you to look splendid for the party… for the… Commander."

Alex spun around to look at them, her hands on her hips, causing Vivienne to cross her arms to look at her, "Are you telling me, you want me to look nice just for Cul… the Commander?"

"Not nice. Ravishing. Beautiful. Lust-inducing even." Dorian supplied as he grinned at her, "I'm quite sorry to admit it, but Josephine painted such a romantic picture of the two of you that I couldn't resist not helping. The Commander might be head over heels in love with you, but the man needs a little… push."

"Push? Push for what?" Alex asked, and Vivienne rolled her eyes, "Don't be daft, Alex darling. Are you telling me you don't want that man in your bed?"

Alex's face turned positively red as Josephine and Dorian looked at her expectantly, "Are you trying to say you want me to… what a… this is ridiculous!"

Dorian rolled his eyes, "Alex, honestly, if there's anyone in Skyhold that needs some sort of stress release, it's him."

"Then give him a sword and fight it out with Bull! Tell him to play cards! Anything!" Alex cried out, "But… dressing up just to make him… want me? I am not that desperate!"

Vivienne resumed taking Alex's measurements, "We don't have to make you look nice just to make him want you, darling, he already does. We just want to make sure that the people in Halamshiral know that you are a woman worth respecting and admiring." She smirked a little, "Besides, you'll be so ravishing in this suit I'll make you, that even the Commander wouldn't want to leave your side the whole evening."

She sighed as she stared at the mirror, but soon enough she shook her head and waved her hands, "Enough of this! Everyone, get out!"

Dorian rolled his eyes, but he stood up anyway, and seeing that Alex looked thoroughly annoyed, even Josephine bowed and headed to the door. Sera grinned at her, wearing her usual clothes now, but she headed out, saying, "See ya later, Inky!", leaving just her and Vivienne.

Alex glared down at the First Enchanter, "I said leave."

"I will not." Vivienne said haughtily, "I'm still measuring you, and until I get this done, I will not leave even if I have to take your measurements alone."

Alex huffed out, but she stood still as the woman continued to measure her, until finally she sighed, "Vivienne… is it true? Does the Commander… want me?"

Vivienne laughed a little as she stood back, "My dear, Cullen looks at you the same way Duke Bastien looks at me. He wants you, darling. I know it. And when I am done with you, he's never going to want anyone else."

She bit her lip, staring at her reflection, before looking down at Vivienne, "Do you think I could…"

The First Enchanter looked up at Alex, only to see the girl touching her hips, as if she was imagining some sort of skirt. It was rather amusing to see their leader looking like a teenage girl who is about to head out into her first date, and it reminded Vivienne of herself in her youth, of the giddy feeling of making sure that she looked perfect for her first meeting with Duke Bastien. She smiled gently as she put her hands on the girl's shoulders, "Do you trust me, Inquisitor?"

Alex blinked, looking at their reflection on the looking glass, "Of course, I do, Vivienne."

"Thank you, my dear." Vivienne said, patting her, "Now do try to hold still. We have to make sure that this dress fits you perfectly."

She nodded as she raised her arms to her sides, "Work your magic, Vivienne."