COLE
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This place is...strange. Everyone wears a mask, and talk about things I don't understand.
They all want something, but they talk in circles. Why can't they just say what they want?

Nalia comes back from talking to Duke Gaspard, approaching us before exhaling. "Well, this will be an eventful night. I have to go introduce myself to Empress Celene. Bull? Why don't you go find somewhere to stand?"

Iron Bull chuckles, rubbing his hands together. "Perfect," and just like that, he walks off. "He's going to go find red headed servants," I think in my head. His thoughts, not mine.

Dorian walks away as well, and Nalia looks at me. "Okay. After I talk a little bit with Celene, I'll have to look around Winter Palace for any clues or traces about the assassination."

"Yes," I say, eyes looking everywhere but at her. It all feels too much, the assassination the searching, the dress she wears that hugs her waist tightly.
She steps closer. "I'm sorry if this may be a little confusing for you. But you don't have to worry, if you have any questions, or need something familiar, I'll be here."
I nod, and quickly she kisses my cheek, smiling before she turns and walks inside the ballroom.

I follow her, until I drift off towards a shadowy corner where no one stands. I won't be bothered here...I think.

I can see Nalia and Duke Gaspard walk down the steps onto the empty dancefloor, making there way towards a blond haired woman in a royal blue dress.
Empress Celene.

Standing beside Celene, is another blond haired woman, but her face holds a dark, secretive look as she watches Nalia and Gaspard.
Nalia, most of all.

"Cousin," Gaspard says as he bows before them, "my dear sister."

Sister?
I glance between the two of them. Between Gaspard and the one with the secretive eyes.

Empress Celene nods. "Grand Duke, we are always honored when your presence graces our court," she says, hands clasped in front of her royal like. It must be hard to pretend so much...

Gaspard grows impatient. "Don't waste my time with pleasantries, Celene. We have business to conclude."

"We will meet for the negotiations after we have seen to our other guests," Celene nods towards Nalia. "Lady Inquisitor, we welcome you to the Winter Palace. Allow us to present our cousin, the Grand Duchess of Lydes. Without whom this gathering would never have been possible."

The Grand Duchess looks at Nalia. "What an unexpected pleasure. I was not aware that the Inquisition would be part of our festivities," she begins to walk away. "We will certainly speak later, Inquisitor."

Soon, she's gone, just like Duke Gaspard, leaving behind only Celene and Nalia.
"Your arrival at court is like a cool wind on a summers day," she says.
Nalia bows. "I am delighted to be here, Your Majesty."

I smile softly.

"We have heard much of your exploits, Inquisitor. They have made grand tales for long evenings."

Why does the Empress talk like that? Why can't she just say, 'we're happy your here, please enjoy yourself?'

"How do you find Halamshiral?" She asks, pulling me from my thoughts.
"I have no words to suffice," Nalia responds, "Halamshiral has many beauties, and I couldn't do them justice."
Celene smiles. "Your modesty does you credit, and speaks well for the Inquisition. Feel free to enjoy the pleasures of the ballroom, Inquisitor. We look forward to watching you dance," Celene says.

Nalia bows one last time, turning and walking off the dancefloor and towards me.
"How are you feeling?" She asks, placing a loving hand on my shoulder.
I look around at everything, all the people talking, dancing, hiding there feelings behind false words and masks.
"Cole?" She asks, "did you hear me?"
I look at her. "I'm sorry," I respond, "I... I'm fine."

She smiles softly. "Good. Listen, there was something I wanted to ask," she pinches the tips of her fingers, a habit she does when she's nervous. "Perhaps when we're not so busy, and before the ball ends, would you..." She trails off, swallows, "would you save me a dance?"

"A dance?" I think. Varric did warn me that there would be a lot of dancing. Of course, I wouldn't mind it, if only I knew how to dance.
"No! I- I don't dance. I- I mean I can't...dance," I say, a little ashamed of myself when I see Nalia's face sadden.

I almost try to correct my mistake, but she exhales, fixing her dress. "I understand," she says, "I should probably go. I'll talk to you later. Be here if I need you."
Her dress makes a swooshing sound as she walks across the floor, and I stare at her bare back as she disappears out of the ballroom towards Leliana.

I feel bad for what I said to her. I would love to dance, but at the same time, I don't want to accidentally hurt her by stepping on her toes.
I sigh, and lean my back against the wall.
I'll just watch, maybe I'll learn something.

Three ladies walk past me, one of which slightly gasps at my presence.
"How startling!" She exclaims, "young man, I insist you don't stand where people can't see you."
"I'm sorry," I step out, going towards a little table.
She huffs, smacking her feather fan against her dress before walking away.

⚔️⚔️⚔️

NALIA
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I sigh, taking a seat after going an hour wandering around the castle. My feet are killing me in these high heels, how can anyone dance in these things?
I take my shoes off, hiding my feet under my long dress.

I can't wait to slip into something comfortable. This dress is beautiful, but it's too tight in all the places that men fantasize about in there minds.
I push a strand of lose hair back in my bun, before I hear the click of shoes step down the staircase, and a female voice cut through the air.

"Well, well, what have we here?" She says, "the leader of the new Inquisition, fabled Herald of the Faith."
She comes towards me. "What could bring such an exalted creature here to the imperial court, I wonder? Do you even know?"

I stare at her. "Who are you?"

She bows. "I am Morrigan. Some call me advisor to Empress Celene on matters of the arcane." She walks off towards the railing that overlooks the whispering servants.
I quickly slip my shoes back on, twisting my ankle as I approach her.

Morrigan glances at me. "You...have been very busy this evening, hunting in every dark corner of the palace. Perhaps you and I hunt the same prey?"

I smirk. "I don't know, do we?" I ask, a little touch of smartass in my tone as I cross my arms.
She laughs. "You are being coy."
"I'm being careful," I say in a low voice. In the Winter Palace, everyone is alone.
Don't trust a single person...

She shrugs. "Not unwise, here in all places. Allow me to speak first then. Recently I found, and killed, an unwelcomed guest within this very hall. An agent of Tevinter."
She walks towards the closed ballroom doors before turning towards me. "So I offer you this, Nalia. A key found on the Tevinter's body."

She gives it me, and I stare at the heart shaped golden key in wonder.
"Where it leads, I cannot say," she says, as if she could read my mind, "yet if Celene is in danger. I cannot leave her side long enough to search. You can."

The bell tolls again, and she walks away. "Don't waste time, Inquisitor. Every second, they get closer to there goal."

She disappears into the crowd, and I clench the key in my hand.
Time to go gather the others and investigate.

⚔️⚔️⚔️

I rush inside the ballroom, eyes scanning the area for my party.
I don't see Cole, nor do I see anyone else.
Did they leave?
Hopefully there nearby, I don't have much time to waste. I need to find where this key leads me.

I walk towards the other side, but a woman stops me.
"Inquisitor Lavellan? We met briefly. I am Grand Duchess Florianne De Chalons. Welcome to my party."

Damn it...

I force a bow. "A pleasure," I say. Though it's a complete lie.

She smiles softly, but it leaves an unsettling feeling in my stomach. "I believe tonight you and I are both concerned by the actions of...a certain person."

I furrow my brow. Who does she mean?
Duke Gaspard? Briala?

Florianne walks towards the dancefloor. "Come, dance with me. Spies will not hear us on the dancefloor."

My eyes widen. "Um...I'm kind of seeing someone, Your Grace."
It's true, but the other main reason is I do not want to dance with anyone beside Cole. The only one I'll let dance with me.

She chuckles, as if amused. "Your lover has no need to worry. This is business, not pleasure."
She walks onto the dancefloor, and I follow behind.
After this...I'll definitely need a drink. Something to get me nice and relaxed. This whole evening has been uncomfortable.

⚔️⚔️⚔️

Well...the dance with Florianne was not a complete waste of time. She told me to go to the Royal Wing Garden, and I'll find one of Gaspard's men there.
So, that's where me, Iron Bull, Cole, and Sera are going.

I feel that Gaspard is a little suspicious, but at the same time I get this gnawing in my chest that tells me he's not the one.
"Boss? Do you know where we're going?" Bull asks after a few moments of wandering around this never ending labyrinth of a castle.
"Florianne said the Royal Wing Garden, though I doubt we will find what we she thinks we're after," I mumble under my breath, following a little trail of blood that I just found on the tile.

That's odd...why would blood be here?
Something isn't right.

We approach the doors that lead out to the garden, and with one push they open.
Only to see that there is a rift, and many of Corypheus's agents surrounding us with weapons drawn.
It's a trap.
Of course it is...

"Inquisitor! What a pleasure," Florianne steps out into view. "I wasn't certain you'd attend."

My mark begins to glow green. "You're such a challenge to read. I had no idea if you'd taken my bait," she says lightly, hands resting on the railing.

I growl.
"I knew it was you!" I shout, unsheathing my dagger. "Why are you doing this?"
She smirks at us. "Corypheus insisted that the Empress die tonight. And I would hate to disappoint him."

I scoff. "At this point, I'd think disappointment was an old friend."
Florianne laughs. "You poor, deluded thing. You don't know half of what we have planned! And now, I suppose you never will. In there darkest dreams, no one imagines I would assassinate Celene myself. All I need is to keep you out of the ballroom long enough to strike."

I can hear demons screeching.
Shit we don't have much time before a fight happens.
"A pity you'll miss the rest of the ball, Inquisitor. They'll be talking of it for years," she says, which makes me boil in rage.

"Fucking snake!" I snarl, looking around at the ones who point arrows at our heads, waiting for Florianne to say the word 'kill.'

She giggles, walking away. "Kill her, bring me the marked hand as proof. It will make a fine gift for the master."

Arrows are fired, but I doge everyone one of them before I attack.
We need to get out of here, and fast! Before she can kill Celene!
Everyone fights, and with every chance I get I try to close the rift.

Finally, after two attempts, the rift closes. All the demons are dead beneath our feet, just like Florianne's followers.

I wipe the blood off my brow, taking off at a dead sprint inside the castle.
I hope we're not too late...

⚔️⚔️⚔️

COLE
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We killed Florianne, before she could kill Empress Celene.
It was a hard fight against her, but we did it.
Now, we're all inside the ballroom, and Nalia stands beside Celene.
"Lords and Ladies of the court, we are pleased to announce that the accord has been reached! We cannot be at war with each other, while the Fade itself challenges our borders. We must stand united or surely we will fall alone."

Celene nod towards Nalia, who steps up. "We will save Thedas from calamity, but only together may we accomplish this!"

Her speech makes me smile. She's so confident, so strong in times when the world feels like it's shaking. I admire that quality of hers.

"We will heal our wounded country. A long road of reconstruction lies before us. But tonight, we celebrate the arrival of peace. Let the festivities begin!" Celene extends her arms out into the air.
The people clap, the music plays, and everyone begins to dance again.

I stand off in the corner, watching all Inquisition members gather together to drink, eat, or make fools of themselves. Sera, mostly. She grabs all the wine glasses and drinks them, becoming drunk and stumbling around.

Iron Bull asks for more cheese dip, but they glare at him, which leads to Bull walking off, giving them the middle finger when there backs are turned.
Blackwall asks Josephine to dance, and she accepts, her cheeks blushing brightly.
Dorian talks on and on about fashion with a man, and Vivienne sips off a glass of wine, sitting in the corner.

Cullen approaches Nalia, bowing down before her, hand outstretched to ask for a dance.
My stomach sinks.
She declines, glancing over at me before she smiles and disappears outside. Cullen walks away in a sulking manner, but I'm glad she didn't accept his dance.

I stare at the open doors that she just walked out of.
I can't help myself, I follow.

She leans against the railing, staring out at the scenery.
I approach her. "Are you stressed?"
She glances at me. "Tired mostly. It was...a full day."
"Yes," I reply, "but not a bad one."

The moment goes quiet, and I look behind me, at everyone whose dancing.
I step out and bow awkwardly, holding my hand out for Nalia to take.
"Cole?" She asks. "What are you doing?"
"Nalia, m- may I have this dance?" I ask, just like Cullen did.

She smiles brightly, her cheeks turning pink.
"I'd love to," she takes my hand, stepping closer towards me.
I try to position my hands in the proper manner and dance, but I trip over my own feet and lose my balance.

She laughs, a sound that makes my heart sing, before she lets her head rest against my chest. "We don't need to be like them," she whispers, swaying side to side slowly. "Let's just enjoy this our own way."

I smile softly, holding her for the rest of the dance.
I never want to leave this. The feeling of her in my arms, her words making me blush and my heart pound, her smile that makes everything easier.

The ball ends too soon, and we all get on our horses and head home for Skyhold.
I glance at her as she rides beside me. "I liked dancing. Can we do that again?"
She laughs. "For you, I'll dance until I drop dead on the floor."
My eyes widen. "I don't want that," I say, and she giggles again.
"I was only kidding, vhenan. But yes, we can dance as many times as we like."

I blush, looking away to hide the pink in my cheeks.