A cold inquisitor

Intervention

Nightmares. Lack of sleep. And problems. Her days were becoming a blur she could scarcely recall her days anymore and what she could seemed greatly mishandled.  She could barely be bothered to pull her hair up anymore, and here she was, half asleep and trying to act as if she wasn't feeling as though she'd pass out in the middle of whatever affairs her advisors were trying to have her help them with. She could barely hear them, focusing more on the headache she could feel blooming in the back of her head. When it was over, she had already turned on her heel and was headed towards the door. She could swear she heard Cullen try to grab her attention, but the words fell on deaf ears. Quickened steps came up behind her, feeling a hand grab her shoulder. She expected Cullen, but instead was her soft spoken advisor Josephine. A look of concern on her face and even in the words she spoke. 

" Inquisitor, are you feeling well?" 

" Fine Josephine, why do you ask?" 

" You don't seem well. You look like your about to faint, and while I hate to point out the obvious you're beginning to look like a coon with how dark its getting under your eyes, your grace." 

" Your point Josephine?" 

" My point? Your grace, you're making Cullen look healthy in comparison to you, right now. I'm honestly appalled and shocked not one other has said something." 

The more she spoke, she more her irritation and shock seemed to bleed into her words. A stark comparison to the inquisitor, who feigned indifference and merely shrugged her shoulders. 

" Just haven't had time to sleep. Been helping Sera with her pranks, Cole with his desire for some special amulet, Cassandra need-"  

" I will make the arrangements.  I am more than aware you are trying to help your inner circle, and I applaud you for your efforts. However, I will not have you making a fool of yourself and risk have you passing out in front of your subjects." 

Joesphine cut in, before Evelynn could continue. True she was putting in the extra work and effort, but less so for their sake as more for her own. An excuse to keep herself distracted, and awake for as long as possible. Selfish, truly.  

" Josephine, please I have very important matters to-" 

Josephine opened her mouth to again intercept Evelynn, interrupt her with their protests but they didn't get the chance. 

" Don't worry, I'll take it from here. Let me handle our dear inquisitor, while you deal with the rest." 

Both Evelynn and Josephine turned their heads, seeing Varric come in as if this was just some trivial errand the two were arguing over. Part of her wondered if she'd gotten to the point of hallucinating, but him taking her by the hand and pulling her to his side proved this was very much actually happening. 

" Ah Varric, perfect timing. Our inquisitor was just headed off to bed, I'm certain she would be more than happy to have her favorite company alongside her." Josephine smiled, looking at the inquisitor while she could only stare back in pure disbelief. " This is ridiculous!" 

" Come on, Iv got plenty of bedtime stories to sooth that mind of yours to sleep." He had that look on his face, as if he and Josephine had planned this and were in some secret cahoots with each other. " Much appreciated Varric, sleep tight your grace!" The dear advisor called out, Evelynn could only internally complain as he lead her away.  

" I can't believe you, that, what was all that about?"  She asked, exhausted almost as she was almost baffled. Varric's grin fell, and all of a sudden he looked alot less nonchalant as he had been minutes prior. " I was actually going to say the same thing. While you were busy, I was waiting outside the door, I heard Josephine beat me to it." As he pulled her into their quarters, he went about closing curtains to try and block out the natural lighting from filling the room. Making it more comfortable to sleep. " I'm really fine. Just, busy. Running around, trying to keep everyone happy."  

" Now that is something I find a little hard to believe. Not that I think you're lying to me, just not that you're telling me everything. " 

" Varric I don't know what you want me to say. Tell you Iv had a hard time sleeping?" 

" A hard time sleeping doesn't give you a haunted look on your face every morning. I know enough people who look like that, they usually have something or another that's bothering them. If that's not enough to call you out on your bullshit, I'll tell you something else you really won't like."  He turned to look at her, crossing his arms over his chest as he came over towards her. 

" And what would that be, do tell?"  She asked, already tired, and the energy being used to have this conversation felt like it was dwindling whatever she had left. 

" You talk in your sleep. Alot. Sometimes I wake up and hear the things you say, never in full clear sentences. More like hushed mumbles. The clearest words Iv heard from you is 'lyrium' and 'lies.'  And without context, they already sound pretty bad on they're own." 

She almost felt her heart drop into the pit of her stomach hearing that. She'd been having the worse sleep of her life for a few weeks now, to know she'd even spoken about matters she couldn't reveal, two words felt like enough to give her away. 

" I don't remember them that well, just bits and pieces. Its just, alot of recent events and, I think parts of my childhood coming up. Some suppressed stuff mixing with alot of what Iv seen lately-"  She paused for a moment, trying to come up with what to say. " Look, I'll try to see what I can do to fix this. I just would rather move on from the past and focus on ahead to the future." 

That was.. partly true. She didn't want to think about before. She wanted to move on ahead. She gently placed her hands on his shoulders, giving them a gentle squeeze. Trying to muster up the best look of reassurance that she could. 

" For now, maybe you and Josephine have a point.. Why don't you tell me one of those 'soothing stories' you mentioned earlier, who knows, it just might help." She gave him a smile and a kiss to his temple was enough to convince him, at least for now. 

She changed from her usual attire to something more comfortable. Varric was already in his spot, sat with a book in one hand while the other patted her usual spot on the mattress. She climbed in, snuggled against him as he wrapped one arm over her shoulders and the other held the book and flipped the pages. For as long as she was awake for, he kept his tone soft and quiet. Didn't take long at all for the words to blend together and for her to slip into a state of rest. But even then, he read the entire thing, hoping it would give her some sense of peace in her sleep. 

She slept soundly for the first time in a while. But doubtful it would last.