Sorry it took us a little longer than usual to get this update done. We had a section written that we then decided to move to the next chapter, necessitating some re-writes. Hopefully you'll think it was worth the wait.
"I still can't believe you talked me into this."
Sera was unmoved by her grumbling. "Come on, Inky. Don't you want to see if our fix-up worked?"
"I'm not sure we can actually claim the credit for this date," Herah argued. "And keep your voice down. Sound travels a lot further in these mountains than in the alleys of Val Royeaux."
Sera shook her head. "Oh, fine. But I'm still gonna get my look."
Herah decided not to argue any further, instead settling into a sullen silence as the two of them climbed towards the meeting place. In the distance, she could see the light of Cassandra's campfire and she held up a hand. "Not too close, Sera…. Sera?"
Unfortunately, the elf had already slunk ahead of her, hopping down to get a better view of the action. Cassandra and Morrigan were already there, sitting in front of the fire, and Herah had no choice but to follow Sera to the crevice she was now perched in.
It wasn't a simple task. A woman her size wasn't easy to miss, and her years of training hadn't focused on sneaking about in the dark. Fortunately, the couple they were there to observe seemed far too caught up with each other to notice anything else, and she was able to get to Sera's side without being spotted. "Do you ever listen to me?" she whispered as she knelt behind a rocky outcropping.
"Only when you're sayin' good stuff, Inky. Most times, you're lots of fun, but once in awhile, you can be a real stick in the mud."
A roll of her eyes and a shake of her head were Herah's only response as she settled into a somewhat uncomfortable crouch. From what she could see, the date did seem to be going smoothly. The two curmudgeons were sitting close to each other, and even though Herah couldn't make out everything they were saying, the general tenor of their conversation was clearly friendly. Sera, though, seemed to have fixated on something else.
"Hey, you notice something weird, Inky?"
Herah raised an eyebrow, unsure of what her girlfriend meant. "Besides the fact that Cassandra and Morrigan are being nice to each other, and I'm hiding behind a rock in the middle of the night? No."
"It's the food. They haven't eaten any of it and here I am, bloody starving."
"Well, you could've had something before we left."
"Wasn't time. Woulda missed all the good parts."
Herah snorted, but before she could actually say anything, Cassandra suddenly jerked away from Morrigan, whipping around to stare in their general direction. Herah grabbed Sera's shoulder, holding her still and praying they wouldn't be spotted. Fortunately, the Seeker's attention was soon diverted again. Even at that distance, it was clear what was going on as the two women fell into a passionate embrace. Herah had to use her hand to muffle a whoop of approval from Sera. She shared the sentiment, but for everyone's sake, it would be better if Cassandra and Morrigan didn't discover them right then.
The kiss wasn't ending quickly, and when Morrigan began untucking Cassandra's shirt, Herah whispered, "Okay, I think it's time for us to go."
"Aw, c'mon, Inky," Sera replied, thankfully keeping her voice low for once. "They're just getting started."
"And we're not going to be the pervs in the bushes watching them. I think it's fair to say their date is going well. Let's leave it at that."
Sera grumbled in annoyance, but she did follow along, and the two of them crept away from the campfire and back into the hills. The new lovers were thankfully too enamored of each other to notice their departure, but they hadn't made it very far along the road back to Skyhold before movement drew Herah's eye.
"A pleasant evening for a stroll, isn't it, Inquisitor?" Leliana remarked as she vaulted down from the upper ridgeline and joined them on the path.
"Uh, yeah, definitely," Herah said, perhaps too quickly. "Just enjoying a nice, romantic walk together."
"Don't be daft, Inky," Sera laughed. "Red was doing what we were, getting a good peep in."
Herah rolled her eyes again, something she'd found herself doing a lot these days. "Really? You too?"
"Perhaps," Leliana replied with a sly smile. "But if I had been doing what you suggest, I would have made certain no one else noticed me there."
"Hey," Sera protested, "We didn't get spotted neither."
"Not by the happy couple anyway," Leliana replied. "And that, I suspect, is only because they were rather preoccupied. Even then, it was a narrow thing. Cassandra did turn in your direction."
Herah could feel her cheeks reddening. "All right, all right, you got us. But we were just concerned about them. They aren't exactly adept when it comes to romance."
Leliana laughed. "I don't know. They seemed to be doing just fine when we left them."
"Right?" Sera snickered. Her grin stretched from ear to ear, and she looked incredibly pleased with herself as she skipped happily along the path. "Grumpy and witchy didn't even need magic to work out what goes where this time. Maybe they've finally figured out knocking boots is better than knocking heads, yeah?"
"Let's hope it lasts," Herah opined, unable to muster quite the same enthusiasm. "We're the ones who have to live with them if they get into any lover's quarrels."
Sera slung an arm about her waist, giving her a lopsided hug. "Wrong again, Inky," she crowed, far too loud for comfort. "'Coz we've got blackmail material! This is better than pudding."
Leliana gave Sera a sidelong glance. "Pudding?"
"Watching them not eat made her hungry," Herah said by way of explanation. Sera lifted her hand and opened her mouth, probably to make a rude gesture and equally rude sounds, but Herah didn't give her the chance. "And would you pleasestop that? If Morrigan hears us, just remember that you have the shortest legs."
"You'd carry me," Sera retorted, although she did lower her voice.
Herah decided that was as close to acceptable behavior as she was going to get. "I love you, but not that much. It's everyone for themselves when Morrigan's angry."
I have no idea what I am doing.
That terrifying realization almost made Cassandra yank her mouth away from Morrigan's, but she couldn't will herself to move. Kissing Morrigan was proving to be just as addictive without magic. Her head wouldn't stop spinning and the warmth of the other woman's lips sent heat rushing through every inch of her body. It was familiar, and yet so very different from all the kisses she had experienced before. Its intensity frightened her even as her heart leapt for joy.
Kiss her back, you idiot, she thought, but panic gripped her when she realized she didn't have a clue how Morrigan preferred to be kissed. Softly? Firmly? With tongue? Without? What had seemed intuitive between them back in the ruins suddenly wasn't, and the fear of doing something wrong sent her reeling.
Fortunately, Morrigan didn't let her flounder for long. A soft hand cupped the back of her neck, applying light pressure until she tilted her head the right way. Cassandra couldn't help groaning as Morrigan's tongue swept across her bottom lip, a tease instead of a demand. It was so distracting that she barely noticed Morrigan's other hand un-tucking the hem of her shirt until it grazed her abdomen. The touch sent a heavy throb straight between her legs, and she broke away to gasp in surprise.
Morrigan looked at her in confusion, brow furrowed, and Cassandra was struck with the sudden impulse to smooth the worry line away. "Please, keep your hand where it is," she said before Morrigan could withdraw it. "I just... it has been a very long time since I have done this."
"Only a few weeks," Morrigan pointed out with a soft smile. "Hardly enough time to forget."
She was right, but that didn't make Cassandra feel any better. Without magical assistance to strip away her inhibitions, she felt more clueless than ever.
"Breathe, Cassandra," Morrigan said, stroking her side. Although it was meant to be comforting—an unexpected but welcome gesture—it had an entirely different effect. The throbbing grew worse, and Cassandra had to swallow down a moan. She hadn't known a single touch could threaten to undo her so. "Perhaps you need to hear that I have no expectations beyond this. We are here to enjoy each other's company, however we decide to do so."
"Surely it can't be that simple," Cassandra said, but she did feel a little better. She sensed that Morrigan wasn't usually much for reassurances, and the fact that she had made a sincere effort to give one was strangely sweet.
Morrigan arched a brow in her direction. "And why not? While I find sex enjoyable, 'tis hardly a requirement for a pleasant evening. I would like to continue kissing you, however, if you have no objections."
Cassandra sighed with relief. Hearing that Morrigan didn't expect sex made the prospect itself far less frightening. "More kissing. Good. I can do that." She gathered her courage and leaned in.
Morrigan proved to be a very good teacher. She was a natural at giving wordless suggestions, and Cassandra picked up on the ground rules quickly. When Morrigan pressed on the back of her neck, she deepened the kiss. When Morrigan fisted the back of her shirt, she drew back and parted her lips for the heat of the witch's tongue. All the while, Morrigan's hand clasped her hip, burning as it pressed against her bare skin. It was incredibly distracting, but in a very pleasant way. The colorful spinning in her head actually left her feeling giddy.
She broke the string of kisses first, but only so she could peel her shirt up and off. She knew Morrigan wouldn't attempt to remove it until she gave some sign that she wanted it gone, but their closeness had left her uncomfortably warm. "You don't mind—?" she started to ask, but Morrigan cut her off with another hard kiss, an obvious sign of approval. Cassandra dropped her shirt on the ground without a second thought. Her hands moved up, hesitating for a moment before coming to rest on Morrigan's waist.
The feel of naked flesh beneath her palms made her gasp into Morrigan's lips. She had forgotten just how little the witch's shirt covered. However, she let her fingers remain there, especially when the heat of Morrigan's mouth broke away to begin trailing down her throat. That brought back memories of the ruins, and a groan rumbled in her chest. Thinking on that encounter was usually embarrassing, confusing, and sometimes painful, but all of a sudden, recalling the desperate hunger with which Morrigan had consumed her made her feel proud.
Perhaps it wasn't only magic, she thought as Morrigan latched onto her pulse-point. The barest edge of the witch's teeth made her shudder and tilt her chin to offer more access. She is behaving the same way, as though she desires me just as much without it.
"Your skin tastes the same," Morrigan murmured, sending a rush of hot breath over the light mark she had left. "No..." She placed another open-mouthed kiss there, and Cassandra felt it straight between her legs. "Better."
Cassandra had no idea how Morrigan could pick up on her private thoughts so easily, but she didn't care. The lips exploring her shoulder and the hands running along her lower back felt so genuine, and it was their eagerness that left her feeling safe enough to continue. She wanted to return the favor. She wanted to show Morrigan that her feelings of desire were real, too. Carefully, she cupped the witch's face, urging her to look up. "Your shirt," she whispered, more than a little breathless. "How do I take it off?"
Morrigan's eyes flashed, though her smile was surprisingly soft. She left their embrace, but only to turn around and offer her back. "The ties are simple enough, but had you chosen to snap them instead, I would have forgiven you."
The low purr of desire in Morrigan's voice and the smooth, pale expanse of her back almost made Cassandra forget her purpose. However, she managed to untie the strings that kept Morrigan's flowing shirt together with only a little fumbling. As the fabric washed apart to either side, she couldn't resist placing a kiss at the top of Morrigan's spine. A few stray wisps of dark hair tickled her cheek, and on impulse, she began undoing Morrigan's bun as well. She didn't know why, but the thought of seeing Morrigan's hair loose and flowing down her back made her ache.
Thankfully, Morrigan did not object. Her shirt fell off as her hair tumbled down, and when she turned again, Cassandra could only stare in awe. Morrigan was breathtaking. She had noticed this before, of course, but it had never threatened to stop her heart quite like this. Morrigan seemed somehow softer without her jewelry and her ever-present scowl, with her skin bared and her hair spilling over her shoulders. Her soft, full breasts were even more beautiful when they weren't being framed by her scooping shirt, and the tips had already hardened to stiff pebbles.
"You have my permission to touch, you know," Morrigan said, but for once, her teasing wasn't sharp.
Cassandra snapped out of her stupor, embarrassed that she had been caught staring for so long. "I forget what I am doing when I look at you," she confessed, certain her face with turning red. "You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen."
Now it was Morrigan's turn to blush, something Cassandra was surprised she was capable of. "Thank you for that. You are... most appealing to look at as well."
Cassandra wasn't sure how to respond to that, and so she decided to simply kiss Morrigan again. This time, was more sure of herself, not hesitating as she pulled the witch close. But as appealing as the heat of Morrigan's mouth was, it didn't seem enough. The feel of their bodies pressing together, her nipples brushing against Cassandra's chest, was making the throb between her legs steadily worse. She hadn't realized how badly she had been craving this. Ever since that day in the ruins, she'd done her best to push aside the memories of what they'd done there, but now the urge to recapture that pleasure was becoming unbearable.
Tentatively, she brushed her fingers over the swell of Morrigan's breast. The creamy skin was soft under her fingers, and she lingered on each curve. She was yearning for more, and yet she couldn't make herself rush. Their first time together had been so frantic that she wanted to savor every moment of this one.
Morrigan's body arched, and when Cassandra pressed her thumb against the stiffness of a nipple, a small moan came from the witch's lips. The sound made Cassandra's shiver. It was low and thick with desire, a reminder of a hundred more she had drawn out, and a thousand more that she wanted to.
The sharpness of her building desire left her helpless when Morrigan reciprocated, cupping Cassandra's breasts in her palms and using them to guide her onto her back. Morrigan's hands slid along her body, even while her mouth found the soft skin of Cassandra's neck, nipping at it one second before planting a gentler kiss in the same spot the next. The contrast was enough to make her cry out, a mixture of pleasure and aching need filling her voice. This felt so good, and yet she needed more, needed everything…
Suddenly, Morrigan stopped. She sat back on her knees and firelight danced in her yellow eyes. "Shall I pleasure you first? It seems as though you require it."
Cassandra wanted to insist that she could see to Morrigan first, but her reply caught it her throat, choked off by her desire. Morrigan took her response as an answer, moving to unlace her boots, and once they were off, she began to run her hands along length of Cassandra's trousers.
Perhaps this will help me to learn what to do for her.
It might have been a rationalization, but Cassandra couldn't do any better. Not when Morrigan was looking at her with such hunger. Not when Cassandra was sure she was already soaking through her smalls. All she managed was a nod, and a quiet, "Yes," but it was enough. Morrigan's hand cupped between her legs, and even while Cassandra moaned, her pants were being undone and pulled off of her, her smalls being taken at the same time.
"Most appealing indeed," Morrigan repeated as she stared at her, but in spite of the way she was exposed, Cassandra felt safe, only aroused by the eyes now drinking in her nakedness. As strange as it was, she trusted Morrigan, not only to bring her pleasure but not to hurt her.
Morrigan knelt between her legs, placing kisses up and down their length. The muscles tensed, and Cassandra's throat went dry with anticipation. Her fingers tangled in Morrigan's hair, silently urging her to move upwards. She did so, but with torturous slowness, her tongue making Cassandra's skin hum as seemingly every inch of it was licked and kissed.
"Please," she whispered huskily, "I need more."
"It will be my pleasure." That teasing edge was back in Morrigan's voice, but under the circumstances, it was far more arousing than infuriating. The witch's mouth ran along the sensitive edge of her inner thigh, and Cassandra bit her lip in an attempt to stifle further embarrassing pleas.
"My, what a delicious sight," Morrigan purred, but before Cassandra could say anything, the witch's tongue finally reached its destination. A single flick over her opening was enough to send shockwaves through her body and Morrigan made more of them, lapping up the wetness that was flowing out even while her fingers slid through Cassandra's folds.
Taken together, it was almost too intense. Cassandra's eyes rolled back, and her hands grasped helplessly at Morrigan's shoulders. She didn't feel confident enough to offer direction by pushing on Morrigan's head, but she needed something to hold onto. Her hips jerked, and she fought to keep them still, unwilling to do anything to disturb the wonderful tongue working against her. The smooth, hot velvet of Morrigan's mouth was swiftly becoming her new favorite thing.
As Morrigan's explorations wandered up to the stiff bud of her clit, Cassandra wasn't sure what to think about the slow pace. It was both torturous and a relief at the same time. She appreciated the chance to get used to the gliding warmth, the growing pressure, and the gentle sucking, but whenever she began to relax, Morrigan changed her approach. The constant shifts made her fingers and toes clench, and soon, gasps were spilling from between her parted lips. Her face burned with embarrassment. She hadn't realized she was capable of making such needy sounds.
Her desperate noises only seemed to encourage Morrigan further. The soft, wet strokes over her clit became a seal, and the tightness made stars explode behind her eyes. She hissed and dug her nails in, unsure whether to arch toward the touch or pull away from it. The last thing she wanted was for Morrigan to stop, but she was rising more rapidly than she ever had before. The loss of control was frightening, and her next cry contained both pleasure and uncertainty.
Once again, Morrigan seemed to understand. She slowed down, and Cassandra shuddered as firm fingertips crept up along her thigh instead. She was aware of them long before they moved beneath Morrigan's chin, and when they brushed over her entrance, asking for permission to go further, she was mostly prepared. She tilted her hips up, and Morrigan slid inside of her with a single finger. Her wetness made it easy to accept, and if her voice hadn't completely deserted her, she would have asked for more.
To her surprise, Morrigan did not start thrusting. Instead, the witch started curling inside her, as if searching for something. Cassandra's brow knitted in confusion, but her eyes snapped open when Morrigan found what she was looking for. She inhaled sharply, rising up on her elbows to look down at what was happening between her legs. Morrigan's eyes were hooded, but the pleased look in them was undeniable. She knew what she had done, and she had every intention of doing it over and over.
For this first time, Morrigan adopted a steady approach. She hooked her fingers against that sensitive spot again, and Cassandra had to dig her heels into the grass to stay still. It wasn't fair how good it felt, how easily Morrigan had discovered her body's secrets. She didn't even bother trying to stifle the groans that slipped from her throat. They were inevitable, just like the climax Morrigan was building within her.
When the ache swelled to something near unbearable, she forced herself to give a warning. "Morrigan," she blurted out, too close to care when the name tripped over her tongue. "Morrigan, I need..." Cassandra had no idea what she needed, but apparently, Morrigan did. One finger became two, and Morrigan's mouth folded her clit in again, somehow managing to suck and lick at the same time.
Cassandra's muscles pulled taut, and she suddenly realized how powerless she was, even without the effects of the magic. She both craved and feared what would happen when she reached the edge, but there was no stopping it now. All she could do was let herself fall and pray to the Maker that Morrigan would catch her.
When her orgasm hit, she couldn't even breathe. Her hips hovered several inches off the ground, and she finally fisted Morrigan's dark hair, unable to help herself. She clutched at the witch's fingers, pulsing each time they pressed into her, and a scream broke in her chest as waves of heat overwhelmed her. They carried her higher and higher, and her vision began to blur.
It didn't blur enough, however, to wash away Morrigan's face. Cassandra's heart fluttered when she realized that there was no one else she would rather see at the height of her pleasure. It was a surprising revelation, and one that shook her even harder than her release. She had known that she was attracted to Morrigan, and even that she liked and admired her. But this... she refused to put words to it. She had only felt this way once before, and she feared a label would ruin everything.
Morrigan didn't give her the chance to dwell. The witch seemed determined to milk every bit of pleasure out of her. By the time her tongue stopped lashing and her fingers stopped stroking, Cassandra was covered in sweat, and her trembling body was sprawled out across the ground in a very undignified pose. She blinked to clear her head, and gradually, the night sky above her came into focus. "I... I have no words," she muttered, knowing she should thank Morrigan, but unsure how to describe what they had just done.
"You do not need them," Morrigan drawled. The witch prowled up along her body like a cat stalking its prey, yellow eyes narrowed and full lips glistening. "I have better uses in mind for your mouth. That is, if you wish to return the favor..."