34723 réponses à ce sujet

[Hunter111]

Nothing really happens. Short one-shots should be one of 3 things, IMHO: Pwp, fluff, or it should provide us with new, insightful revelations about the character(s).

This story tries to do number 3, but it falls short, since the Inquisitor comes off as a clueless dude-bro, and the revelations aren't particularly compelling (Cass and Josie are upset about Blackwall).

That being said, the story isn't bad. It's definitely far, far, from terrible. It has the kernel of a good idea, but it needs to be expanded upon by making the revelations well...more relevatory.

(And I'm sorry, Merela, if you think I'm horning in here. I thought you threw this out for a general response. Feel free to completely ignore me.)

[Cerulione]

Hello, I'm just wondering whether any of you can give me a bit of advice? I'm planning on making a male warrior to romance Cass on the next playthrough (up to now I only play female characters as rogues & mages). Do you have any advice on which specialization/weapon type (2H or SnB) to compliment Cass' SnB Templar? I was thinking at first of doing a SnB Champion (Trevelyan) but probably two SnB in a team isn't the best combination?

 

Also, any advice on particular specialization/race dynamique with Cass? I mean for example Cullen x Templar!quizzy or Cullen x Mage!Quizzy get special dynamics that are very interesting. Is there any particular dynamic with Cass?

 

Thanks in advance

[MisterJB]

 

I think Sword and Shield Champion works well with Cassandra. Sure, it takes an inordinate amount of time to kill some creatures like High Dragons but good luck even scratching their health, especially if your also place some points into Battlemaster.

[Cerulione]

Thanks

 

So does SnB works as well as 2H warrior with Cass' dynamic? Because well, if I romance Cass I'll want to have her all the time XD

(she's already in my regular party by now even if I don't romance her, best tank, best banters)

[AWTEW]

Nothing really happens. Short one-shots should be one of 3 things, IMHO: Pwp, fluff, or it should provide us with new, insightful revelations about the character(s).

This story tries to do number 3, but it falls short, since the Inquisitor comes off as a clueless dude-bro, and the revelations aren't particularly compelling (Cass and Josie are upset about Blackwall).

That being said, the story isn't bad. It's definitely far, far, from terrible. It has the kernel of a good idea, but it needs to be expanded upon by making the revelations well...more relevatory.

(And I'm sorry, Merela, if you think I'm horning in here. I thought you threw this out for a general response. Feel free to completely ignore me.)

 

 

This^

 

Although I wouldn't use the term dude-bro.

[MisterJB]

Does anyone think Cassandra's resentment of her uncle is somewhat displaced?

Clearly, she didn't want to be pampered or fussed over, much less be involved in a political marriage and she found the Mortalitasi practices distateful and pointless but, with the information we now have from WoT 2, we know he saved her life, took care of her and actually pullsed some strings to get her accepted into the Seekers.

He seems like a decent man despite being a necromancer. I wouldn't mind meeting him.

[The Elder King]

Does anyone think Cassandra's resentment of her uncle is somewhat displaced?
Clearly, she didn't want to be pampered or fussed over, much less be involved in a political marriage and she found the Mortalitasi practices distateful and pointless but, with the information we now have from WoT 2, we know he saved her life, took care of her and actually pullsed some strings to get her accepted into the Seekers.
He seems like a decent man despite being a necromancer. I wouldn't mind meeting him.

People often carry their grudges with their parents/parental figures, even if what they did was for their sake.

[Merela]

Nothing really happens. Short one-shots should be one of 3 things, IMHO: Pwp, fluff, or it should provide us with new, insightful revelations about the character(s).

This story tries to do number 3, but it falls short, since the Inquisitor comes off as a clueless dude-bro, and the revelations aren't particularly compelling (Cass and Josie are upset about Blackwall).

That being said, the story isn't bad. It's definitely far, far, from terrible. It has the kernel of a good idea, but it needs to be expanded upon by making the revelations well...more relevatory.

(And I'm sorry, Merela, if you think I'm horning in here. I thought you threw this out for a general response. Feel free to completely ignore me.)

 

I was aiming for some fluff at the beginning but it took a different direction during the redaction, though the end is the one I was aiming for so I was fine with that. I rarely make plan of what I'm going to write: I just have a global idea of where I want to go. Which is why the revelations likely fall short, since they were not supposed to be revelations at all. I'll keep that in mind for my future stories. I like that kind of critics - better than false praise.

 

I'm not exactly happy about Fjalar being called a dude-bro, but I guess it's better than boring Gary Stu.

[Siha]

So does SnB works as well as 2H warrior with Cass' dynamic? Because well, if I romance Cass I'll want to have her all the time XD
(she's already in my regular party by now even if I don't romance her, best tank, best banters)

Cass goes well with anything.
I never play SnB myself because I got her already and enjoy 2H more. But to Cass it doesn't matter either way.

[Hunter111]

Yeah, dude bro was probably a bad turn of phrase. I didn't mean excessive macho or bro-ish, more just like very clueless about emotions and such.

And I dunno. This is just what I thought. I'm not exactly a good writer myself or anything. Just my first reaction as a reader. Maybe someone else will be able to help further?

But like I said, I did think it was a good idea. Cass, and Josie's feelings of betrayal by Blackwall would be interesting to explore in more depth. Josie, for example-why is she so upset? Does she think she was just being played for a fool by a ruthless killer? Did her feelings actually grow beyond the chaste, courtly love she says they had? (I vote for yes.).

And Cassandra--why is she so upset, specifically? Is it because Cass's morality tends to be black/white and the new revelations about Blackwall shake that and make her want to see in more shades of grey, which she is resisting? Is she having a personal crisis as a Seeker--first she bought Varric's lies, now she bought Blackwall's...maybe she's questioning if she's a good judge of character, and can she do her job, etc. etc.

Those are some of the things I would've liked to have seen you get into.

But if you started the story out as fluff, I can definitely see how it took the final form it did. Sometimes the characters refuse to obey what you want them to do, and it ends up as a completely different story than what you intended.

[Merela]

Yeah, dude bro was probably a bad turn of phrase. I didn't mean excessive macho or bro-ish, more just like very clueless about emotions and such.

And I dunno. This is just what I thought. I'm not exactly a good writer myself or anything. Just my first reaction as a reader. Maybe someone else will be able to help further?

But like I said, I did think it was a good idea. Cass, and Josie's feelings of betrayal by Blackwall would be interesting to explore in more depth. Josie, for example-why is she so upset? Does she think she was just being played for a fool by a ruthless killer? Did her feelings actually grow beyond the chaste, courtly love she says they had? (I vote for yes.).

And Cassandra--why is she so upset, specifically? Is it because Cass's morality tends to be black/white and the new revelations about Blackwall shake that and make her want to see in more shades of grey, which she is resisting? Is she having a personal crisis as a Seeker--first she bought Varric's lies, now she bought Blackwall's...maybe she's questioning if she's a good judge of character, and can she do her job, etc. etc.

Those are some of the things I would've liked to have seen you get into.

But if you started the story out as fluff, I can definitely see how it took the final form it did. Sometimes the characters refuse to obey what you want them to do, and it ends up as a completely different story than what you intended.

 

I see what you mean and it's really interresting. Well, maybe I can try to write an enhanced version? The same but with more things inside (and no bugs).

[Master Warder Z_]

The thematic element of man betraying man.

Classic.

Timeless.

[AWTEW]

I see what you mean and it's really interresting. Well, maybe I can try to write an enhanced version? The same but with more things inside (and no bugs).

 

 I suggest ,writing wise, starting your inquisitor from scratch.

[Br3admax]

I see what you mean and it's really interresting. Well, maybe I can try to write an enhanced version? The same but with more things inside (and no bugs).

Enhanced and no bugs? You shooting for the moon, Merela? I can't think of a single thing that's ever been "enhanced" without enhancing bugs. 

[Merela]

Enhanced and no bugs? You shooting for the moon, Merela? I can't think of a single thing that's ever been "enhanced" without enhancing bugs. 

 

Just look, I'm gonna do it!

 

 I suggest ,writing wise, starting your inquisitor from scratch.

 

I'm not exactly sure about what you means.

[Hunter111]

Also, mad props for opening yourself up for criticism like this. I can take very, very gentle criticism, but if people gave me the unvarnished truth about my fics, you'd find me in the corner, curled up in the fetal position, rocking back and forth.

That's probably why you'll improve as an author and I never will.

So good for you. Seriously.

[Master Warder Z_]

o.o I'm fairly restrictive with who reads my smut, beyond that I don't care.

[AWTEW]

Just look, I'm gonna do it!

 

 

I'm not exactly sure about what you means.

 

Err well. Hmnn try keeping the 'base' of your Inquisitor, but instead of applying 'blue paint' first, try 'red paint' instead.

[Master Warder Z_]

Tommen in GOT is so weird to see on screen.

I mean he's like...8 in the books

[Siha]

I read it too now. I will comment under the spoiler tag (for easy skipping if desired) but as a fair warning: I have a hard time sugar coating. Maybe it reads harsh, so you can skip if you wish. If it does that's not actually intended though. Overall I agree with the others, it is by no means bad. I liked the writing style itself, and I've read far worse.

Spoiler

It is annoyingly "in character", Cass is reading Swords & Shields. She is reduced, you know? She is a set of attributes, not much of a person beyond that. That's not only your story, many do this. In fanfic she doesn't have any other interests than sex and romance trash novels. This might not even classify as critique, it's just that I personally don't like it.

 

Unlike Hunter I don't care to hear Josie's feelings about Blackwall here. For me it's okay not to explore this but leave it at a "It hurts... but let's not talk of this". This story is not about Josie anyway. I did however wonder what the episode with Josie was about. Would have made sense to me if he had helped Fjalar understand Cassandra's feelings. But all the rest about the wedding etc.? Only reads like name dropping (or in this case rather "event dropping") to tie the fic closer to the original setting. In short, you touch too much, I think.

 

The notion of the Inquisitor being shipped with anybody didn't tie in either. It's there but... why? Or as Hunter said: it goes nowhere.

 

In the end the question is probably "what did the author try to tell us?"

I think I liked the part best where Fjalar explains his thought process regarding the judgment. Making this a more elaborated dialogue (or even inner monologue) would have interested me more. (If this should be about Fjalar, else explore Cass's feelings.)

 

Oh, and I totally don't like Fjalar because he didn't really care so much about Cass. "Oh, she's angry? Hm. Because she's hurt by her good friend being a liar? Ah, I see. That's a bummer, dude. I'll just get her some flowers tomorrow. But for now, back to my soap opera." Pfft.

[Andres Hendrix]

Hello, I'm just wondering whether any of you can give me a bit of advice? I'm planning on making a male warrior to romance Cass on the next playthrough (up to now I only play female characters as rogues & mages). Do you have any advice on which specialization/weapon type (2H or SnB) to compliment Cass' SnB Templar? I was thinking at first of doing a SnB Champion (Trevelyan) but probably two SnB in a team isn't the best combination?

 

Also, any advice on particular specialization/race dynamique with Cass? I mean for example Cullen x Templar!quizzy or Cullen x Mage!Quizzy get special dynamics that are very interesting. Is there any particular dynamic with Cass?

 

Thanks in advance

Be a reaver and make her worry. lol XD

[Merela]

I read it too now. I will comment under the spoiler tag (for easy skipping if desired) but as a fair warning: I have a hard time sugar coating. Maybe it reads harsh, so you can skip if you wish. If it does that's not actually intended though. Overall I agree with the others, it is by no means bad. I liked the writing style itself, and I've read far worse.

Spoiler

It is annoyingly "in character", Cass is reading Swords & Shields. She is reduced, you know? She is a set of attributes, not much of a person beyond that. That's not only your story, many do this. In fanfic she doesn't have any other interests than sex and romance trash novels. This might not even classify as critique, it's just that I personally don't like it.

 

Unlike Hunter I don't care to hear Josie's feelings about Blackwall here. For me it's okay not to explore this but leave it at a "It hurts... but let's not talk of this". This story is not about Josie anyway. I did however wonder what the episode with Josie was about. Would have made sense to me if he had helped Fjalar understand Cassandra's feelings. But all the rest about the wedding etc.? Only reads like name dropping (or in this case rather "event dropping") to tie the fic closer to the original setting. In short, you touch too much, I think.

 

The notion of the Inquisitor being shipped with anybody didn't tie in either. It's there but... why? Or as Hunter said: it goes nowhere.

 

In the end the question is probably "what did the author try to tell us?"

I think I liked the part best where Fjalar explains his thought process regarding the judgment. Making this a more elaborated dialogue (or even inner monologue) would have interested me more. (If this should be about Fjalar, else explore Cass's feelings.)

 

Oh, and I totally don't like Fjalar because he didn't really care so much about Cass. "Oh, she's angry? Hm. Because she's hurt by her good friend being a liar? Ah, I see. That's a bummer, dude. I'll just get her some flowers tomorrow. But for now, back to my soap opera." Pfft.

 

Eh, thanks for the comment! It was an interesting read and my feelings are fine!  I think I see what the problems are and I'm planning to try and fix them (without adding any bugs, mark my words Br3ad!). By the time I'm done, I hope I'll have as many stings tied up as possible, I'll have a few things cut and Fjalar will be cute and lovable like a baby llama!

[Siha]

I'll have a few things cut and Fjalar will be cute and lovable like a baby llama!

 

When I said I didn't like him that didn't mean he needed to change. I'd prefer a strong character, doesn't necessarily need to be a likeable one.

That he had considered his options and possible implications when judging Blackwall actually made up for other shortcomings.

[Merela]

So I tried to fix and enhance my fic. Hopefully, it's better. (And bugs-free!)

 

Spoiler

Fjalar Cadash burried his face against Cassandra’s throat and inhaled deeply. It had been such a long, horrendous day with the judgment of Tom Rainier but here, now, as he was lying with his lady on her bedroll in the room she had made for herself in Skyhold’s armory, he finally felt like as if he could relax. For the coming hours, the only thing that mattered was the two of them.

 

Nuzzling the spot below his lady’s ear, Fjalar pressed a soft kiss against her skin. He stroke it with his tongue tip; he knew it was a sensitive spot for her. But the low moan of encouragement he expected never came, and instead Cassandra pushed him until he rolled off her with a puzzled expression.

 

 “I’m not in the mood tonight,” she explained stiffly. To further her point, she picked up a book – the Inquisitor recognized the cover of the last Swords and Shields – and began to read.

 

Fjalar frowned but nodded. “Alright. I’ll just lie by your side then.”

 

“Actually, it has been some time now since the workers started to work on the stained-glass windows you got from Serault. They must be done by now, so maybe you should give your room a new try,” she answered without looking up.

 

The Inquisitor blinked, his confusion reaching a new height. Cass and he had used the replacement of the windows in his room as their favorite pretext for spending their nights together. No one had been taken by that, Josephine and Leliana less than anyone, but it had become something of a running joke in Skyhold.

 

“W-wait, you’re kicking me out?” He swallowed, his throat dry and parched. “What did I do wrong, Cass? My lady?”

 

“I think you know the answer already,” Cassandra snapped. “If not, you’ll have the full night to figure it out. Good night, Fjalar.”

 

He wanted to protest, to argue, but Cass now had that hard look on her face, the one she got when she was seething with anger in the inside and on the edge from hitting something. Maybe it was better to beat a retreat after all; Fjalar awkwardly got up, grabbed his boots and put them on. He gave his lady a last sad, longing look, wished her a good sleep in a whisper and walked down the stairs, out of the armory.

 

Nights in Skyhold were cold. Even the place’s micro-climate could nothing against the biting winds which came from the mountains, though they weren’t as bad as the ones howling in the valley. Fjalar blew on his hand and suppressed a shiver. Music and laughs came from the tavern, and for a moment he was tempted to go there; to drown his disappointment in a mug of ale, and maybe share sad love stories with Bull and his Chargers. But the dwarf shook his head and headed to the main building instead. Maybe he could do some paperwork, or read a book before catching a good night of sleep? He hadn’t begun the fourth chapter of Swords and Shield yet.

 

He had settled his minds on reading that book and was on his way to his room when sobs caught his attention. They seemed to come from Josephine’s desk and for a moment Fjalar’s blood froze – was Josie hurt? It wasn’t another assassin from the House of Repose, was it? Had they not gotten the note that their bloody contract was now void? – before he almost kicked the door open.

Inside Josephine jumped on her chair. “Inquisitor?” she stammered, before diverting her face. Fjalar caught the sight of a silk handkerchief disappearing in the sleeve of her dress.

 

“I heard crying,” he explained sheepishly, his ears turning scarlet and hot, “and for a moment I feared someone had hurt you, so…”

 

“So you decided to come in and save me?” Josephine finally looked at him; her eyes were red and swollen from too many tears shed and the smile she gave him was thin and frail. “You’re too kind, Inquisitor.”

 

“I doubt the door is sharing your opinion,” he muttered. When she laughed, if only weakly, he walked to her desk. “What are you still doing here? The sun is long gone, shouldn’t be you off to your room?”

 

“I could ask you the same thing,” Josephine answered. “Shouldn’t you be with Cassandra right now?”

For a moment Fjalar didn’t answer. “It was decided we would sleep in our respective rooms for tonight,” he eventually said. His throat was dry and parched once more.

 

“She’s not taking the reveal of Ser Blackwall’s true identity well, I take it?”

 

“No, no she’s not,” the Inquisitor grimaced, while slapping himself hard in the inside. Now every piece of the puzzle fell in place. How could he be so bloody blind? Cass and Blackwall were actually closer friends than he and the (false) Warden had ever been. If judging the man Thom Rainier had been an ordeal for him, the Maker only knew how his lady had felt about the whole mess. And Josephine! He had caught a few times Blackwall, Varric and Bull discussing the former’s feelings for the head diplomat of the Inquisition. On his daily trips to the war room, he had also often heard Josie’s discussions with her assistant about gifts she got from a ‘mysterious’ admirer… Stupid, stupid boy! What kind of friend are you? “You’re not either, are you?” he asked nervously.

 

The smile did not falter but Fjalar couldn’t miss the look of pain and sadness in her eyes. “It wasn’t a pleasant surprise,” Josephine admitted, always a professional, “and some of the alliances we built with the Orlesian nobility are now…”

 

“I couldn’t give less a **** about those alliances,” he interrupted her. In other circumstances, the look she gave him would have been funny. Not tonight. “I’m asking you as Josephine Cherette Montilyet, not as my chief of diplomacy.” He took a sharp breath. “Are you holding up alright, Josie?”

 

The thin, frail smile fell down. “It hurts,” Josephine whispered and for a moment, her eyes watered again. “I’m so angry and disappointed. With Rainier, with myself. We were…” She let out a brief, broken chuckle. “It was not like between you and Cassandra. Between us, it was ‘la splendeur des cœurs perdus’. Love acknowledged, but never consummated, even if we yearned for it.” She lowered her eyes. “And I yearned for it so much. I knew nothing could ever come out from our story – I was a lady of noble birth and he was a Warden – but I wanted more. No matter how devoted I was to our exchange of courteous gifts, I wished that someday he would hold me.” A spasm of grief twisted her features. “But it doesn’t matter anymore. The man I fell for was nothing but a lie, a killer wearing someone else’s name, and…and I do not want to bother you further, Inquisitor. I’m grateful you took the time to listen to my senseless rambling. I will head to my room and try to catch some sleep.”

 

It was physically painful to watch Josephine repress her feelings like that. Gently, Fjalar put a hand on her shoulder and squeezed. “Or we could go to my room, and we could continue this conversation around a drink,” he offered. “It seems to me you could use a little more rambling, and I don’t mind listening. I have a bottle of Vint-9 Rowan’s Rose waiting to be shared. What do you think?”

 

But Josephine was already back in her role as an ambassador, her red eyes narrowed at him. “Shouldn’t you keep this bottle as an offering of peace for Cassandra, Inquisitor? No mention it would be considered improper for me to join your quarters at nights. Just imagine the rumors, if it was known.”

 

“She would actually prefer flowers.” He thought of the armory, of Cass reading her book by the candlelight and his throat clenched painfully. “I have to apologize to her,” he whispered.

 

“You go do that,” Josephine nodded, “and I’m going to bed”.  She forced herself to smile, pushed her shoulders back and tilted her chin up. “It really helped to talk, Cadash, so thank you. You’re a sweetheart.”

 

“I’m an idiot,” he countered with a pale smile, “but if you feel better even by a little, then I’m glad. I’ll see you tomorrow, lady Montilyet.”

 

“And I’ll see you tomorrow, lord Inquisitor Cadash.

 

They exchanged a nod and Fjalar left the room. Rather than taking the directions of his quarters, he headed to the door leading to the garden. The place was empty except for the fireflies, flying rapidly in the night. “I’ll have to bring Cass here,” the dwarf smiled, “maybe for a nocturnal picnic?” But it was a thought for later. He walked to the flowerpots and let out a relieved breath when he spotted what he was looking for: crystal graces flowers, swinging softly in the wind. Fjalar carefully picked up three of them, looked at the fireflies one last time and hurried back to the armory. But the candlelight was gone and when he pushed carefully the door open, he heard nothing but silence.

“My lady?” he called softly, but no answer came from upstairs. No boots either, which was kind of a relief.

 

The moonlight shone through the window, casting a dim glow around but it was enough for him to climb the stairs up with the grace of a cat. Cassandra was curled up in her bedroll, eyes closed, breathing evenly, her face softened and untroubled in dreams. It was tempting, so tempting to lay by her side and to wake her up with kisses and caresses, but instead Fjalar left the flowers on the endtable, just by the pile of her favorite books.  “I love you, lady Cassandra,” he whispered before he made his way out of the armory once again.

 

By the time he finally reached his quarters, Fjalar was too tired to actually make sense of the words written in Swords and Shields. He managed to go through a few pages before he dropped the book and closed his eyes to sleep, but as he did so the discussion with Josephine returned to his mind and he laid there for a while, trying to think of the best way to fix most things for as many people as possible. He hadn’t come with anything satisfying when sleep finally caught up with him.

 

He awoke the day after with the feeling of kisses and hot breath on his neck. The Inquisitor groaned softly and opened his eyes, and he saw Cassandra’s eyes gazing into his. “My lady?” he asked sleepily.

 

She offered him a hesitant smile, one that spoke of hope and forgiveness. “My bedroll was cold when I woke up today,” she whispered, “and then I found the flowers.”

 

“So was my bed yesterday when I went to sleep,” he whispered back and pressed his nose against her. “I’m sorry, for upsetting you. I should have realized sooner.”

 

“It’s fine.” Cassandra closed her eyes and sighed softly. She pressed a kiss on his forehead. “My anger wasn’t against you, Fjalar; I shouldn’t have taken it on you.”

 

“It’s not like you didn’t have reasons,” he protested before stifling a yawn. “I am the one who passed the judgment. I allowed Rainier to stay within the Inquisition. It hurt you, and Josephine, and apparently the Orlesian nobility as well.” Fjalar closed his eyes and groaned. “Not that I care about the latter, mind you.”

 

“You don’t?”  

 

“I’m more worried about the amount of additional work it’ll mean for Josephine, actually.” The dwarf tilted his head for looking at Cassandra.

 

“How does she feel?” she asked, before joining him under the blankets and hugging him tightly. She curled against his side and rested her head on his shoulder. Fjalar ran a hand up and down her arm, enjoying her proximity and her warmth at last, very grateful his lady had decided to set aside her armor this morning.

 

“She’s sad and angry. She told me she had fallen in love with a lie.” The dwarf let out a heavy breath.

“Maybe I’ve done a mistake by keeping the man with us. Actually, back when I was sitting on the throne… for a moment I toyed with the idea to make him join the Grey Wardens. I was thinking ‘If he wants so hard to be one, fine! Let him be!’” A grimace twisted his mouth. “Yet I changed my mind.”

 

“Why? It would have been the perfect solution. A liar and murderer joining other liars and murderers.” The edge in his lady’s voice was sharper than a dragonbone blade. Fjalar pressed a kiss against her temple. She let out a disgusted sound.

 

“It would have been, yes. Expect I had the Wardens exiled from South Thedas after Adamant.”

 

“Do not tell me you’re having regrets about your decision?” Cassandra sounded incredulous, but Fjalar shook his head.

 

“Oh, I don’t. The Blight isn’t an excuse to justify their atrocities and they deserved their fate – though I feel bad for Loghain; the man is a decent fellow, sound of judgment. No, the exile of the Wardens would have meant leaving Rainier to wander on his own for months until his arrival to Weisshaupt, and it’s a long and dangerous trip. And what if he had been captured for interrogation by the Venatori or the Red Templars on his way there? He’s part of my inner circle, and while I want to believe he would have never divulged anything that would put the Inquisition at risk on his own, there is nothing he would be able to do against blood magic.”

 

“I suppose it makes sense,” Cassandra admitted reluctantly, her brow furrowed. “Keeping the Inquisition’s secrets safe at any costs, even if it means keeping Rainier with us….”

 

“I could have executed him, too, but after all the favors we had to spend to save him from the noose, it just…it just felt like a waste of resources.” The Inquisitor half-closed his eyes. “Besides, for all his lies and crimes the man shed his blood fighting by our side, for the Inquisition, and never complained once. That only would earn him some leniency, I suppose?”

 

Cassandra let out another disgusted noise. “From me he’ll get none. I will not object on him travelling with us if it is your choice, but I will not address him and I expect him not to speak to me at all. If he ever does, I won’t answer for the consequences.”

 

Fjalar buried his nose in her hair. “You hate him now, I take it?”

 

“He’s not worth my hate,” Cassandra corrected him, “my hate I keep for Corypheus. I’m just…” She frowned, apparently trying to put her feelings in words. “…furious. Utterly furious. The man lied to us for months without batting an eyelid. And I trusted him. I sparred with him every morning, I told him about Anthony, I was thankful for his kind words after the death of Daniel.” Her face fell and her voice lowered. “I saw nothing, Fjalar. When he refused to tell me about how he had joined the Wardens, I should have realized something was off, but I didn’t. Instead I swallowed his lies like I had swallowed Varric’s. What a Seeker of Truth I am…”

 

The dwarf put his two arms around her. He didn’t like where this discussion was going. “It’s okay, Cass. Leliana didn’t see through his lies either. None of us did.”

 

“Leliana always had a blind spot for the Wardens. What was my excuse?”

 

“Now that we know the truth, it is easy to lay the blame on ourselves. But my lady, you didn’t do anything wrong.”

 

Cassandra looked up at him. Her lips trembled a little. “When you told me I could recreate the Seekers of Truth into something of worth, I believed you. But now…”

 

“Now, believe me again. I meant what I told you that day, and I’m meaning what I’m saying right now. You are not to blame, Cassandra.”

 

They gazed at each other for a long moment then she hugged him tightly and they remained like this, simply enjoying each other’s company in a tender, comfortable silence. Eventually it was Cassandra who broke the quietness, rising on an elbow as she looked around. She seemed to feel better, a slight flush coloring her cheeks. “The work on your windows is really done,” she noticed. “The skills of the glassworkers of Serrault are unmatched. The colors are beautiful.”

 

And they were. The sun was shining through the colored glass panes, projecting bright pictures on the stone around them. But Fjalar shook his head.

 

“I still prefer sleeping in the armory, I admit. And we now need to find a new excuse to why I’ll spend my nights there with you.”

 

His lady frowned thoughtfully, and then a smile went to her lips, so soft, so tender, so innocent yet he could see the grin behind - it made his blood simmer with anticipation. “Would a broken bed do?” she whispered.

 

“I don’t know, Cass, it’s a dwarven bed – designed to last for centuries, at the very least.”

 

“But we can still give it our best try, can we not?”

 

“That we can, my lady,” he whispered before kissing her, “that we can.”

[Master Warder Z_]

I might reread it.