A cold inquisitor

His Embrium

They had been out and about, weeks spent not just on rebuilding Skyhold but recruiting agents, taking care of tasks, even saving a group of soldiers who had been held captive in the Fallow mire. It felt like slow progress, she felt irritated at the pace they were going.  She knew they could have been going faster, striking harder, expanding to a greater influence to their cause. In their missions, it must have been easier to see, even in the face of conflict the others picked up on it. Her staff was constantly burning, her hands were either wielding fire or filled with bright green light of the mark. 

Her companions would look weary at the idea of saying something, they would hesitate before turning away their heads. They knew trying to say anything about her state would simply be stonewalled, she would have no conversation with them about it. Even to Varric, less they had the luxury of being by themselves for longer than a few mere minutes. But that was rare in their travels.

After a month away, she felt thoroughly fried.  Her nerves felt like they had a constant, warm pulsing sensation, her left arm sore and tired. She had a slouch in her shoulders, every step forward felt like a challenge. She was dirty, covered in dirt, sweat and even blood. She had long since sent her traveling companions back home, all but Varric, who was given the choice to go but he insisted he stayed for one reason or another. Even if that meant Bull or Cassandra would give him some shit for it. 

When she walked back through the gates, he was right there by her side, looking just as worse for wear as she did. 

" Think Josephine will have had that marble bath built and ready yet?" She asked, glancing down at him, she was already planning on letting him have the first bath. He deserved it after trucking through all the fighting, demons and her less than happy attitude. " Its been a while, there's probably already velvet drapes and mopped floors too. " He looked back up at her, giving her a look of hope and encouragement. She chuckled, finding her mood slightly better. Thankfully it had been indeed built while they were away, and the first thing she did was send him in, " Go clean up, you smell like rot and demon." She told him playfully, to which he looked back at the door frame with a smirk on his face. 

" Oh yes, and you smell like Embrium flowers, totally not at all like sweat and decay." She could hear him laugh even as the bathroom door shut quickly after, a book hitting it shortly , her little retaliation. While he cleaned up, she put away everything that needed to be. Stripped off the ruined clothing, she would burn or throw it away later. Laying out clean clothes, both for herself as well as him. She had him move in what he had to her chambers by that point, so finding him something clean and comfy wasn't an issue.  

Finally after a while he came out, clean, and with a towel wrapped around his hips and one over his shoulders, using to finish drying off his face. He'd shaven and combed his hair, opting to leave it down. His hair framing the sides of his handsome face. " All yours, even went ahead and refilled the tub for you." She practically dashed across the room, practically a blur as she made her way eagerly to the washroom. She could swear she heard the hot water and various soaps calling her name. 

'Fucking finally.' 

She thought to herself, gingerly stepping into the steaming water and letting it swallow her whole, fully dunking herself  under before raising to let her neck rest against the back of it, sighing in relief and taking a moment to appreciate the warmth before reaching for the bar of soap and getting started on the actual wash.  

When she finally came out, she was completely refreshed. She dried off with one of the clean, thick and soft towels, wrapping them around her before she stepped out. Varric had already dressed himself, laid in his spot on the bed. He looked completely relaxed, a clipboard with some papers in his lap, and a quill in one of his hands. 

" Now you really smell like an Embrium. Even when you dirty, looked pretty like one too." He chuckled, looking over at her, "  Thank Josephine, she picked the soap." Evelynn said with a clear and playful roll of her bright green eyes, with a soft smile on her face as she combed her damp and messy hair back, slid on a comfy cotton night gown, and fell right back into the bed. Jostling both him and her both, to which he held on a little tighter to his papers, " Careful, the ink isn't dry yet!" 

" Oh shush you, your beloved work will be just fine." she retorted, scooching over so that she leaned against him, pressing a kiss to the top of his head before she rested her own on his, looking down at his work. 

" Working on your next novel?" 

" Not quiet, just drabble. 

" Drabble, since when does the amazing storyteller write drabble?" 

" Since he's been out of Kirkwall, working for the inquisition and protecting the beloved inquisitor." He chuckled, scribbling down a few more lines. She watched as his hand moved, watched as wet ink dragged and traced carefully placed lines, written almost sloppily yet with some form of care. 

" Read it to me, won't you?" 

" Heh, Since you asked so nicely." 

He checked over his work, finding the start. 

" Breathing in the thick smoke, he let the dark clouds dance their waltz inside his lungs, he let it fill him and held it before the dark plumes rolled and continued to swirl as they passed his lips. He could taste the noxious fumes, bitter and hot, he felt as though he'd found a hot coal and crushed it onto his tongue, letting it poison him. Pity to the poor man who had not have a pretty Embrium flower near his bed, to open up his wind pipe and let him reap the air of joy around him. Fortunate be he who could afford to surround himself in their sharp green leaves, and breath in deeply of their glowing hearts. Fortune smile upon me, for I have one, and while she threatens to burn my heart with the lick of her flames, her warm core breathes new life into my lungs. "  

It was short and sweet, more like poetry than mindless drabble. and while she had already long since closed her eyes and focused more on listening, she could still feel and sense the smile on his face after his tone softened near the end. She gave a small hum, moving her arms to wrap around what she could reach over him, feeling one of his hands rest over an arm of hers that crossed his chest.  

" Is this going to be in your next novel, it would surely pull at the heart strings of your readers. Already pulls at mine.. " 

He sighed, setting it all to the side, " Its not for my readers, they're not that special.. Let's get some sleep, busy day ahead of us." She groaned in protest to the idea of such, but it wasn't long till the bedside candles were out, and the curtains that hung around were sealed almost completely, giving them a far more private and intimate space. Varric laid on his back, one hand folded under his head, the other to hold onto his precious Embrium flower, who rested her head on his shoulder and curled up to wrap a leg around his waist.