Whispers of the Heart: A Dragon Age Tale

Chapter Five : Whispers and Shadows

The dawn broke over Skyhold, painting the sky in hues of pink and gold. Navier stood on her balcony, watching as the fortress slowly came to life. The events of the previous night still felt like a dream, but the warmth in her chest was very real.

A soft knock at her door pulled her from her reverie. "Come in," she called, turning to see Leliana enter, a stack of reports in her hand.

"Good morning, Inquisitor," Leliana said, her keen eyes taking in Navier's disheveled appearance and the smile she couldn't quite hide. "I trust you slept well?"

Navier felt a blush creep up her cheeks. "I... yes, thank you. What news do you have for me?"

Leliana's lips quirked in a knowing smile, but she mercifully didn't comment further. "Our agents have uncovered some disturbing information," she said, her tone turning serious. "It seems Corypheus is on the move again."

Navier's smile faded, reality crashing back in. "What's he up to now?"

"We're not entirely sure," Leliana admitted, spreading out a map on Navier's desk. "But we've detected increased activity in the Arbor Wilds. Our scouts report Red Templars amassing in large numbers."

Navier frowned, studying the map. "The Arbor Wilds? What could he want there?"

"That's what we need to find out," Leliana said. "I've already dispatched more agents to gather information. In the meantime, we should prepare for a possible expedition."

Navier nodded, her mind already racing with plans and strategies. "Agreed. Call a war council meeting for this afternoon. We need to coordinate our efforts."

As Leliana turned to leave, she paused at the door. "Oh, and Inquisitor? You might want to... freshen up before the meeting. You have a rather noticeable mark on your neck."

Navier's hand flew to her neck, her face burning as Leliana chuckled and slipped out of the room. Maker's breath, was there no privacy in this fortress?

Still blushing, Navier made her way to the small mirror in her quarters. Sure enough, there was a faint bruise just below her collarbone - a memento from her night with Dorian. Despite her embarrassment, she couldn't help but smile at the memory.

As she dressed for the day, Navier's thoughts drifted to Dorian. They hadn't discussed how public they wanted to be with their relationship, and now it seemed the decision might be taken out of their hands. Skyhold was a hotbed of gossip at the best of times, and this... well, this was bound to set tongues wagging.

She made her way down to the main hall, acutely aware of the eyes following her. Whispers seemed to trail in her wake, and she caught snippets of conversation as she passed.

"Did you hear...?"
"The Inquisitor and the Tevinter..."
"Never would have thought..."

Navier kept her head high, refusing to let the gossip affect her. She had faced down dragons and darkspawn magisters; she could handle a few wagging tongues.

She found Dorian in his usual spot in the library, poring over an ancient tome. He looked up as she approached, a warm smile spreading across his face.

"Ah, there you are," he said, his voice low and intimate. "I was beginning to think last night was a particularly vivid dream."

Navier felt her heart skip a beat. "If it was a dream, we both had the same one," she replied, matching his tone.

Dorian's eyes sparkled with mischief. "Well then, perhaps we should compare notes. Just to be sure, of course."

Before Navier could respond, a throat cleared behind them. They turned to see Solas standing there, his expression unreadable.

"Inquisitor," he said, nodding to Navier. "Dorian. I hope I'm not interrupting."