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Herah Adaar was NOT your average person. Yes she was a Herald to some people of Thadas, while to others she was just a heretic who was trying to usurp the Chantry’s authority. Meanwhile to the people of the Inquisition she was the woman who had defeated Corypheus and saved the world from the Breach. But as she stood in her dressing room in Skyhold staring at her mirror, she saw none of these things. All she saw was an ugly battle-scared woman with horns not to dissimilar from a rams. A woman who was more than a head taller than everyone else, except The Iron Bull, and who still destroyed Skyhold’s doorframes when she forgot to duck. But none of that mattered now as she waited for her lover to arrive. She consciously put her hand over her right pocket and prayed it would be good enough for Josephine.
Shewalked out of the dressing area and paced around her now spacious room as she had shoved all the furniture over into a single corner for Josephine’s arrival. She replayed all the Antivan customs in her head, smiling as she remembered the letter she had received from Josie’s parents and the smirk she had got when she’d cautiously asked for Leliana for permission. Footsteps nearing the top of the stairs alerted her to Josephine’s coming and for once she wished her room was even higher. A knock at the door and Herah froze mid-pace. “Inquisitor? You sent for me? May I come in?” “Yes.” Herah’s voice squeaked in an unsightly tone for a Vashoth. Josie walked in and stopped suddenly when she saw Herah mid-step and all her furniture, besides the bed, shoved in a single corner and carelessly stacked on top of one another. “…Inquisitor… What happened in here?” Herah’s mind was reeling. Josephine was here and she was finally going to do this. “Herah?” Josephine had taken a few steps forward and that was enough for her to snap out of it. She shook her head and cleared her throat. “Josie I…” She had had a whole speech prepared but decided to just jump straight into the fire. She took a deep breath and begun, slowly and gently whistling the Antivan tune. Josephine, for her part, when she heard the song gasped and covered her mouth with her hand in surprise. Then came the next part as Herah stepped slowly towards her. “I’ll swim and sail on savage seas. With ne’er a fear of drowning. And gladly ride the waves of life, if you would marry me.” Herah stopped in front of Josie who still hadn’t moved or said anything. “No scorching sun nor freezing cold, will stop me on my journey. If you will promise me your heart…” Herah lowered her head and sighed. “And love…” Josephine put her hand under Herah’s chin and raised it up to look at her, tears in her eyes. “And love me for eternity.” A huge smile spread across Herah’s face as Josie continued and they crossed their arms in-front of each other, slowly going in a circle. “My dearest one, my darling dear. Your mighty words astound me. But I’ve no need for mighty deeds when I feel your arms around me.” They switched arms and circled the opposite way as Herah took over. “But I would bring you rings of gold. I’d even sing you poetry. And I would keep you from all harm, if you would stay beside me.” Herah took Josephine’s hand and went down on one knee so Josie could skip over her lowered leg, all the while Josie was singing her part. “I have no use for rings of gold, I care not for your poetry. I only want your hand to hold.” Herah stood up singing, “I only want you near me.” They locked arms and skipped around in a circle, both singing. “To love and kiss to sweetly hold. For the dancing and the dreaming. Through all life’s sorrows and delights, I’ll keep your laugh inside me.” They changed arms and increased the tempo. “I’ll swim and sail on savage seas, with ne’er a fear of drowning. I’d gladly ride the wave so white. And you will marry me!” Herah picked Josephine up by the waist and swung her around, reminiscent of when she had fought Ortranto.
When she was placed on the ground again Josie pulled Herah into a kiss. “I can’t believe you learnt that song just to propose.” Herah straightened up, rubbing her arm in a nervous gesture. “That is custom, is it not?” Josephine nodded. “Not a very common one anymore, but yes. Oh I do hope Leliana won’t try to kill you for this.” Herah let out a nervous laugh. “Umm, I don’t think she will.” Josephine raised an eyebrow and asked suspiciously, “What did you do?” “I may have uhh… asked her permission?” Josephine looked flabbergasted, all evidence of diplomacy gone from her features. “And she said yes?!” Herah nodded and coughed. “And she might have helped me toooo… ask your parents as well?” Josephine took a step backwards, shock written all over her face. Herah stumbled forwards, fearing she had upset Josephine. “Josie I’m sorry if I did something wrong. I was trying to follow tradition and not get killed by Leliana or ruin it for you. But your parents said yes and were wondering if I was going to ask and follow tradition because they had heard everything I did and Yvette had told them…” Josie let out an exasperated sigh and Herah cut her ramblings off. “Yvette. She never could keep anything a secret.” Josie walked up to her and took her hands. “You have done nothing wrong, my love. I was just… surprised that you did all this for me.” Herah shook her head, “Josie, you have done more for me than I could do for you in ten lifetimes. You helped me defeat Corypheus and more. If it wasn’t for you, I don’t think I would have had a reason to come back alive from that fight.” Josephine hugged Herah tight and she rested her head on Josie’s. “Oh mi amor, you just say these things.” Herah laughed. “I know. I’m a terrible fiance. I mean, I haven’t even given you the ring yet.” Herah didn’t let go as she pulled the velvet box out of her pocket and handed it to Josephine, loosening her grip enough so that Josie could turn in her arms to open it. She gasped when she saw the contents. The ring was a silver band with a medium sized yellow sapphire in it. The Montilyet crest wove around the band in gold lines. Josephine’s eyes re-sparkled with tears on the verge of spilling. “How did you…” Herah let go of her and held up her hands in submission, “I shall not lie. It took me forever to find a yellow sapphire. Not to mention a LOT of convincing on my part to get Dagna to make it without some kind of enchantment on it. So we eventually settled on making it so that the wearer can always find and know, where it’s counterpart is. So you see Josie, even if I’m on the other side of Thedas, you will still know where I am.” Josephine turned around and hugged her again. “Oh mi amor.” Herah kissed her passionately. When they came apart for air, Herah leaned down and placed their foreheads together. “Did you know that a yellow sapphire signifies wealth, fortune, luck and happiness?” Josie asked when she had caught her breath. Herah nodded, “That is why I was determined to get one for you. Your family need wealth and fortune to get back on their feet, which I plan on helping with later. I am the luckiest woman in the world for meeting you.” At Josephine’s blush she tilted her head sideways but didn’t break their connection. “And I HOPE that we can live in happiness for the rest of our lives.” Josephine sighed, blissfully happy. “Now that Corypheus is defeated, that is the only thing that I could ever want. “Herah pulled away and put on a face of mock-horror. “WHAT!? all you could ever want is a ring!?” Josie stepped back a little as Herah crossed her arms, pouting and mumbling under her breath. “Now I know what is really important.” Josie giggled, “Now, now my love. There’s no need to pout.” She took a step forwards and placed her hands on Herah’s waist, standing on her tip-toes to whisper in her ear. “I can show you how much I love you if you doubt me.” Herah’s eyebrow’s shot up. “Now there’s an idea… Why didn’t I think of it?” Josie giggled again and led Herah by the hand to the bed, sitting down on the mattress and pulling Herah down next to her. As they lay down together Herah thought that there was nowhere else in the world she would rather be than in Josephine’s arms.