DAI Fic: Settling Down – Josephine/F!Inquisitor (Adult) Parts 1-5

[anxiousgeek.livejournal.com]

Title: Settling Down Parts 1 - 5
Fandom: Dragon Age Inquisition
Rating: Adult
Character/Pairing: Josephine/F!Inquisitor
Spoilers: End game spoilers
Warnings: Smut and excessive fluff.
Summary: Josephine and Evelyn have married and moved to Antiva, leaving Skyhold behind.
Notes: A Dragon Age Kink Meme prompt with a life of it’s own. In this fic, as is my headcannon – Antiva is Catalonia and Ostwick is Germany. Apologies to any attempts to use those languages and the odd smattering of French throughout. Originally posted in eleven parts. 9816 words total.

1.

Evelyn was standing on the their bedroom balcony again – looking out over the streets and paths that made up the noble quarters of Antiva City. It was still early, the streets quiet enough but Josephine knew what her wife was looking at.

Wife.

Josephine could hardly believe it sometimes – the chantry had never married two women together before but Leliana had made a lot of changes since becoming Divine and who was going to tell the Inquisitor she couldn’t marry her love after saving the world?

They’d left Skyhold a year ago, leaving it in the capable hands of Cassandra and Cullen, so they could settle down in Antiva and take over the Montilyet household. They were happy and settled and Evelyn loved Antiva.

And she wanted children.

Josephine did too, there was no question of it and she needed an heir or two for the Montilyet family if nothing else but they hadn’t spoken of it or how they would go about it. However Evelyn spent most mornings looking out over the city and it wasn’t the market setting up or the young nobles drifting home after a late night that caught her attention.

Early every morning, the children from the Chantry orphanage headed out for morning prayers. It was too much for her kind hearted wife to take some days and she saw tears in her eyes when she finally turned away.

“I spoke to Mother Elise yesterday” Josephine said, wrapping her arms around the tall blonde warrior and rising up on her tip toes to kiss her on the cheek.

“Oh?” she said, smiling at her and turning to hug her. “Good morning.”

“Good morning.”

“What did Mother Elise have to say? Do they need another donation?” she asked, pulling Josephine into a tight hug.

The Montilyets were slowly pulling back their fortune through Josephine’s clever and careful dealings in Antiva and Orlais but the Trevelyans were very well off and Evelyn was generous with her money. Especially when it came to helping victims of Corypheus.

“There is a boy at the orphanage called Benoit, and he has a little sister, Louisa,” she said, looking over the children as they skipped to services.

Evelyn raised an eyebrow at her.

“They lost their parents when Corypheus attacked Haven – they had come to trade with us.”

“Oh. What are they doing here in Antiva?”

“They came to live with their grandmother but she died unexpectedly.”

“Oh – that’s awful,” Evelyn said, and she looked so sad that Josephine wanted to kiss away any sorrow she felt. She smiled and held her close.

“I know we never talked about it but I would certainly like to have children with you however I can.”

“I love you Josephine.”

“Come meet Benoit and Louisa, talk to Mother Elise.”

“I’d love to,” she said.

2.

Benoit didn’t sleep, Louisa didn’t speak.

Josephine was beside herself with worry, but Evelyn took it all in her stride. She sat up with Benoit and told Louisa stories and sang to them until they were at least settled. Josephine was never more in love with her wife than at four in the morning when she was playing games with the two children on the verge of exhaustion.

Josephine hadn’t expected it to be easy, not at all, but she had at least hoped the children would be happy. She fretted Evelyn told her, it had only been a few weeks and they had already gone through so much. They needed time to settle and Josephine wasn’t sure she could be as confident as her love.

Both children were half Antivan – their skin a golden bronze like her own if a little lighter from their Ferelden mother. Benoit had dark curls on top of his head that reminded them both of Cullen and his own carefully maintained hair. Louisa and had a short crop of hair that stuck up in places no matter what she did to tame it. Evelyn liked it though, liked ruffling the dark strands so it stood up even more.

“Benoit?”

“Si,” the boy answered with a little bow, making Josephine frown. He was still so formal with them both it broke her heart. He was still calling Evelyn either Your Worship or Lady Herald as if he were a servant instead of their son.

“Would you like to come to the docks with me and see our fleet?”

The fleet the family owned had doubled in size over the last few days, Josephine had made a large investment in some new cargo ships and crews for each of them. It was a calculated risk, she knew, but it was going to be worth it. And Evelyn had told her that no matter what happened, she would love her, even if they ended up living in the dirt.

“Could I?” Benoit said, eyes lighting up and Josephine smiled.

“Of course, go fetch your coat.”

The boy ran fast through the house to the cloak room, coming back with the blue and purple coat Josephine had bought for him. He wrapped it around himself and then, tentatively, held out a hand to her. She hesitated, surprised, but then took his small hand in hers.

“What about meva germana?” he asked, thinking of the little girl still asleep in the nursery.

“Louisa is with Evie, she will be okay.”

The boy nodded, still keen and still smiling and with her clipboard under her arm and Benoit holding her hand she made her way to the docks to inspect the new ships.

After an afternoon in the bright sun and sea air, running around on different ships, Josephine noted that the small boy was already struggling a little as they walked home. She wasn’t sure she was strong enough to carry him all the way home, but once they reached the noble quarter she lifted him up into her arms. He smiled at her, settling easily into her embrace. Her heart lightened – maybe they were happy after all.

She reached the house and let Benoit slip to the floor.

“Josephine, I really liked the ships today, thank you,” he said.

“You’re welcome Benoit. Perhaps we can go again next week,” she told him, slipping off her cloak and handing it to him. “Now, go put our cloaks away and we’ll have dinner yes.”

He nodded and ran off on unsteady feet to the cloak room and Josephine laughed, heading towards the nursery. She headed up the stairs and Evelyn came running out, picking her up and twirling her around with a shout of joy.

“Evie whatever is wrong?” Josephine said, with a squeal.

“Nothing, absolutely nothing!”

She put her down and grabbed her hand, pulling her into the nursery. Louisa was sitting on the floor playing with a kitten.

“Where did that come from?” Josephine asked.

“The kitchen girl found a cat in an alley, it had two kittens with her. She asked if she could keep them to keep mice out of the pantry.”

“Oh?” She was confused still, her wife had never been this interested in cats before.

“No, no, that’s not what’s so exciting.”

Evelyn dropped down to the floor with Louisa, urging Josephine closer. She looked up at her grinning and then turned to the little girl – whose gold and red dress was covered in little white hairs Josephine noted.

“Louisa what’s this?” Evelyn said, picking up the little ball of fur.

“Cat!” the girl cried. “Cat!”

Josephine gasped, hands over her heart and when she looked at Evelyn she noted there were tears in the other woman’s eyes.

“She saw her and just started yelling cat, cat, cat!” Evelyn said smiling, “She hasn’t said anything else yet, but it’s a start.”

Josephine bent down and hugged the little girl tight, kissing her on the head, before letting Evelyn pull her into an embrace.

“I think we might be okay at this,” her wife whispered.

“Benoit might even sleep.” Evelyn raised an eyebrow. “He really enjoyed the docks. He’s hanging up our cloaks now.”

“Let’s have dinner and see what happens,” the warrior said. “There’s no rush.”

Benoit did sleep. For an hour. Evelyn hadn’t left his room however, unsure whether she should or not even as the little boy snored in the small bed. Josephine brought her some tea and sat down in a chair beside her, smiling as they watched him sleep.

She almost dropped her own tea when he cried out in fear. He started to thrash around and then woke up, eyes wide open and crying.

Evelyn put her tea down quickly, and gathered him up in her arms.

“Benoit, what’s wrong?”

“Nightmare,” he grumbled, still crying a little and shaking in Evelyn’s embrace.

“What about?”

“You.”

She pulled back, looking a little hurt. Josephine reached out and took her hand.

“Me?” she asked, quietly.

“You died. You were fighting demons and you died.”

“Oh.”

Evelyn didn’t know what to say to that, and Josephine could see a little bit of guilt and a lot of pain in her love’s eyes as she settled the boy back in his bed. Josephine moved to sit on the edge of the small bed, stroking the boy’s hair.

“Evelyn doesn’t fight demons anymore.”

“But she’s the Herald of Andraste. The Inquisitor!” he cried.

“Not anymore,” Evelyn said. “There isn’t an Inquisition now.”

“Mostly Evelyn helps me run the business.”

“I haven’t killed anything in almost a year,” she said. “Oh, except that chicken.”

Benoit listened to them carefully.

“Plus, no demon can best me!” Evelyn said with a grin. “I’ve killed ten high dragons, a corrupted arch demon dragon, hundreds of demons and bandits and the worst of all – Corephyus!”

“All without a broken bone!” Josephine put in.

“Plenty of scars though,” Evelyn said with a laugh.

“Can I see?” Benoit asked.

“Let’s make a deal,” she said. “You get some sleep and tomorrow I’ll show you some of my scars and tell you how I got them.”

The boy thought it over for a moment but he had the same look in his eyes as when Josephine had mentioned the ships earlier in the day.

“Deal?” Evelyn asked, holding out her hand.

The boy shook it.

“Deal,” he said.

Evelyn grinned and Benoit settled back into the bed, covering himself up with the blankets and closing his eyes. Josephine chuckled and kissed Evelyn on the cheek.

“You’re not the only one who can make deals Josie,” she murmured in her ear.

“Let’s leave him to sleep.”

The two women stood, taking their mugs of tea and heading out of the room when Benoit called out in a quiet nervous voice.

“Goodnight Josephine. Goodnight Evelyn.”

Evelyn gasped and grasped Josephine’s hand, tears spilling over.

“Good night Benoit,” she called back, voice unsteady. Josephine smiled, squeezing her hand.

“Good night Benoit,” she called out, pulling the crying warrior out of the nursery.

3.

“Are we sure about this?”

Josephine sighed, it was obvious Evelyn wasn’t sure but then somehow the warrior was still apprehensive around the elder Montilyets. Which was ridiculous in her opinion – her father approved of the match (Evelyn was a rich noble who had saved the world) and her mother adored her. Not that her parents opinion on the subject mattered , once she was free to marry whomever she wished and realised the depth of Evelyn’s feelings there was no question.

“We have little choice,” she said, straightening the collars on the woman’s blue shirt. “They are returning from Val Royeax today – this is the family estate. We can’t hide the children.”

“We could go on a trip.”

Josephine raised an eyebrow at her.

“Fine, I’m just…the children have just settled in. I would hate for your parents to upset them in anyway.”

“They will not upset them!” Josephine said, frowning.

“Your father can be pretty intimidating.”

Josephine chuckled, she couldn’t imagine the little Yves Montilyet being intimidating. She had always found her mother to be the more fearsome of the two.

“I am worried they will not approve of what we have done.”

“Their letters indicate they are excited to meet them. None of my siblings are even married, though Frederic seems to becoming very close to Lady Helena of Catal.”

“First grandchildren are adopted.”

“And Antivan, and beautiful, and ours.”

“Would it matter to you?” Evelyn asked, “If your parents didn’t like them.”

“Not at all!” Josephine said, “Evelyn how dare you even suggest such a thing!”

“Sorry, sorry Josie, I just know how important your family is to you.”

“Yes, and the children are my family. You are my family. I would chose them over anything my father said. I would leave and take them to Ostwick and we would be Trevelyans if I had to.”

Evelyn laughed, kissing her on the lips to silence her little rant.

“I won’t make you move to Ostwick my love. It’s damp and too far away from the sea,” she said with a grin. “Now come along, I can hear a carriage and a lot of commotion that only Montilyets create.”

“I would be insulted if it weren’t so true,” Josephine said, with a sigh.

They stood in the vestibule of the estate, side by side. Benoit stood in front, dressed in gold and purple and pulling at his collar. Josephine tapped him in the shoulder and he made a face at her.

“It’s only for today,” Evelyn said, wrestling with Louisa, who had managed to wrap the sash of her dress around her neck. “Josie?”

She sighed and took the toddler, pulling the sash away and handing it to the nanny who was standing by. Evelyn took the little girl back with a sheepish smile, and Josephine kissed her on the cheek.

“I thought it was cute,” she said, settling the girl on her hip. “Reminded me of that complicated gold and purple thing with all the sashes you wore when we first met.”

Josephine smiled, but her reply was forgotten as the doorman opened the large wooden doors to let in Lord and Lady Montilyet, the two older Antivans sweeping forward in a way that was borne of generations of nobility. Evelyn knew it well, recognised it in the way her own parents owned every room they entered. Saw it in the way Josephine held herself when she was doing business with nobles in Antiva and Orlais.

“Josephine estimada!” Lady Motilyet cried, rushing forward. Yves followed at a more sedate pace, looking over the four of them as they stood together. “Oh my, are these your children?!”

“Si, yes, mother, welcome home,” Josephine said, suddenly flustered and Evelyn smiled. “This is Benoit and Louisa.”

“Cat!” Louisa cried, and Evelyn laughed, noting the fur wrap the older woman was wearing. The toddler had a large vocabulary now, in both Ferelden and Antivan, but she still thought everything slightly furry was a cat.

“Benoit,” Josephine urged.

“Oh!” The bow bowed. “It’s nice to meet you Lady Montilyet,” he said. “And it’s nice to meet you Lord Montilyet,” he added as the older man reached them.

“No, no, no, you mustn’t call me Lady Montilyet!” the older woman cried, bending down to kiss him on the cheek surprising the little boy. “Please, call me, àvia.”

“Or nanna,” Evelyn said quickly. “I know you called your other grandmother àvia.”

“Oh, I didn’t think, you poor boy. Mémé,” Lady Montilyet said with a smile, “call me mémé, it’s Orlisian.”

“I don’t speak Orlisian.”

“We’re planning to teach them,” Josephine said quickly, looking at her father. He was smiling.

“And this is Louisa yes?” he said finally walking up to them.

“Si papa,” Josephine said.

The small man reached out for the child and Evelyn hesitated before handing the toddler over. Her hair was growing out slowly but still unruly and the older man held her to his chest and smoothed down a couple of hairs on her head. Louisa smiled at him and went for the spectacles on his face, pulling them off. Evelyn went to take them off the girl, ready to apologize but the man simply laughed.

“Your children are wonderful Josie,” he said. “I am very proud.”

Josephine took a breath and realised Evelyn had been holding hers as well. She reached out for the woman’s hand and squeezed it tightly.

“Thank you papa,” she said, “and welcome home. It’s wonderful to have you back.”

“It’s wonderful to be home. The summer Salons are so very tiring,” he said.

“Your father hasn’t had a moment to paint anything new, it’s been very trying,” Lady Montilyet said.

“Well, you are home and your studio is set up ready for you Lord Montilyet,” Evelyn said.

Yves laughed once more, clapping the tall warrior on her back with a force that always surprised Evelyn and made Josephine chuckle to see her face when he did so.

“I wish you would call me Yves,” he said. “Eventually yes?”

“Yes messere,” Evelyn said with a grin.

“Free Marchers!” Yves exclaimed, with a laugh. “A hundred words for ser, when-”

“Enough,” Lady Montilyet said, “let us have lunch, we have not eaten a thing all day. Food when travelling is just never right.”

“We have lunch already prepared for you mama,” Josephine said. “Will you lead the way Benoit?”

“Si Jose-” the boy said. “Mama,” he corrected himself.

The two women looked at each other and this time, Josephine was the one with tears in her eyes.

4

“Oh Maker, Josephine they are so cute!” Yvette cried, running into the estate straight past her sister and Evelyn and up to the children who were standing nervously in the vestibule. “Where did you get them from?”

“Yvette, we did not get them from anywhere!” Josephine snapped back, running to Benoit and lifting Louisa up. She settled the toddler on her hip. They were pretty cute she wasn’t going to deny it but she as sure well wasn’t going to let her sister treat them like the newest accessories in Val Royeaux.

“This is Benoit and Louisa, our children,” Evelyn said, “this is your aunt Yvette.”

“They are darling. I could paint them!”

“At least then you’d paint something,” Josephine grumbled.

Benoit smiled and bowed to Yvette, and Louisa giggled, reaching out to grab at some of the loose curls around her face.

“No, bad thing!” she cried, Louisa ignored her.

“She’s only two Yvette,” Evelyn said, “The first thing she did when she met your father was take his glasses.”

“And where are moma, and papa?” the young woman asked.

“Having lunch with the Calanas,” Josephine said.

“And we’re not?!” Yvette seemed horrified and Evelyn frowned.

“We decided Louisa is a little young for formal social functions,” she said.

“Even luncheons?”

“Yes Yvette,” Josephine said. “And Benoit isn’t used to the ways of the Antivan nobility just yet, but he is learning quickly.”

“Yes mama,” the boy said with a smile.

“Oh he is just divine. I will paint him. With a sword!”

The boys eyes lit up, he’d already shown a great interest in Evelyn’s collection of weapons and shields and other paraphernalia left over from their time at Skyhold but Josephine had hoped to keep the violence out of the boys life for a little longer.

“Father has already painted them,” she said, leading her sister through the estate and up the stairs. “It’s almost finished but he won’t let anyone into his studio again.”

“I’m sure he’ll let me. I am an artist after all. I understand these things.”

“I’m sure,” Evelyn muttered with a grin. “But until then, the children have lessons and we have work to do.”

“How very dull,” Yvette said, “Lessons? He’s too young for lessons.”

“I am seven my lady.”

“No, no, no, that will not do. You must call me tia, I will accept nothing less.”

“Yes la meva tia,” he said with a bow that almost sent him tumbling down the stairs. Evelyn caught him, sweeping him up in strong arms and making the boy laugh.

“Careful with the bowing mein Junge,” she said smiling. She hadn’t dared call him son in a language the boy understood yet – for fear of scaring him or upsetting him – but Josephine knew it was nice to say the words, even if only they knew what she was saying.

“Si mama,” he said, slipping back onto his feet when they reached the upper landing.

“Forget the classes!” Yvette said, following them into the nursery where a tutor and their nanny awaited. “We should go to our own luncheon, celebrate my return.”

She swept Louisa out of the Josephine’s arms and twirled her around, making the little girl laugh.

“No, not so soon after she’s eaten!” she cried, trying to wrestle her back. The girl burped and Yvette almost dropped her. Evelyn laughed taking her the girl from her. “We’re having a party tomorrow remember? You sent me the guest list yourself.”

“Tomorrow! Of course! I must buy a new hat. Perhaps some new paint.”

“Paint?” Evelyn asked.

“She means for her face,” Josephine explained.

“I will away at once.”

She swept out of the room again, leaving everyone bar Josephine looking a little stunned. Even little Louisa who looked a little queasy after her spin around the room. Would people never stop doing that? Josephine mused.

“Welcome home!” Evelyn called out.

5.

The children were not in the nursery.

Evelyn and Josephine had left them with the tutor an older Ferelden gentleman with a moustache called Arthur that Evelyn had met in the Antivan City Library, and the children’s nanny and woman called Mariona who was highly recommended by Josephine’s own childhood nanny. The nursery was empty however, and Josephine panicked for a moment. She always knew where the children were, always…

Luckily, in the large estate, sound carried easily through the halls. And, luckily, Yvette’s rooms were close to the nursery as she had been the youngest of the five of them and the last to move into their own rooms.

So she could hear her son’s polite ‘Si, tia‘, and the laughing cry of ‘cat‘ from her daughter and the frustrated ‘No, tia! Not cat!‘ of her sister as she walked down the hall.

In the younger woman’s room, clothes were strewn about the place. Some hastily pulled out of Yvette’s travelling bags and forgotten, some laid over the bed, some placed on the mannequins the young woman had for choosing her outfits. Benoit was wearing a complicated waistcoat and shirt in forest green, Louisa in just her underskirts and vest, several small dresses in green and gold and blue at her tiny bare feet.

“What is going on here?” Josephine asked.

“Mama!” Louisa said, running up to her arms out and grabbing her golden skirts. She lifted the girl up and kissed her on the cheek.

“We’re choosing outfits for the party.”

“The children have outfits.”

“I saw them. They clash terribly with my new cloak.”

“But they match each other, the scheme of the party and the outfits both Evelyn and I will be wearing.”

Yvette groused.

“Benoit. Aren’t you supposed to be with Mr. Fanco?”

“Yes mama, but tia Yvette insisted.”

“I had the tutor and nanny excused for the afternoon.”

“No! Yvette you do not do that. The children have a routine.”

Yvette rolled her eyes.

“I won’t do it again. I just wanted to spend some time with my niece and nephew. They are so adorable after all.”

“Can I wear a sword to the party?” Benoit asked. “Like mama?”

“No!” Josephine said, scandalised. “Evelyn will not have a sword at the party.”

“She won’t?” Yvette said. “She must. Everyone wears their swords to the parties.”

“Not when those parties involve small children they don’t.”

She and Evelyn had already…debated this. Evelyn wanted the ceremonial sword at her side. It made her feel safer in a crowd of people she barely knew. Especially with her family to protect but Josephine had managed to convince her it was unnecessary. Plus there would be guards and servants and she didn’t have to leave the children alone for a minute.

Their time in Inquisition still made it’s presence known, even a year and a half later.

“Are the boys coming?” Yvette asked, ignoring her sisters admonishment.

“Yes, Laurien and Antoine should be arrive tomorrow morning. Frederic will be here tonight. For dinner hopefully.”

“Oh wonderful.”

Frederic and Yvette were the youngest and the closest – the two of them missed each other dearly. Josephine understood the connection, but was jealous of it. Laurien and Antoine shared it with each other too. As the eldest Josephine had always been singled out a little, becoming her father’s favoured one despite Yvette’s insistence that she understood him being an artist herself.

She had Evelyn now though, and the children. Her own family and connections.

“I’ll be telling both Arthur and Mariona that they only take instructions from Evelyn or I,” Josephine said. “And you are only to listen to your aunt if they say it is okay Benoit.”

“Yes mama,” he said.

Yvette huffed.

“Please dress them back in their day clothes,” Josephine said turning to leave. “You may choose their outfits for dinner if you want,” she added.

Yvette squealed and Louisa laughed, crying out cat once more and Josephine left her sister trying to get the little girl to say tia.

Frederic arrived in time for dinner. The young man was studying in the university, and hardly ever at home. He had met the children a few times, having made an uneasy friendship with Benoit and avoiding holding Louisa for some reason.

He slid into place next to Yvette, having greeted the family Monliyets before they headed towards the large dining room. He smiled at his sisters, looking over at Benoit who was sitting next to Evelyn, and Louisa who sat in a high chair tapping out an uneven rhythm with her spoon.

“He has grown sister,” he said with a sense of approval in his voice.

“He is a strong young man,” Yves Montilyet said, looking over the family from his seat at the head of the table. His wife sat to his left, Josephine to the right and she could see the warm pleased look on his face that she adored. The man was happy.

“I have no doubt father,” Frederic said. “And Louisa, she has more to say?”

“I cannot get her to say tia.”

“Cat!” the little girl said and Evelyn couldn’t help but laugh loudly. Josephine smiled at the annoyed look on her sister’s face.

“She does, but she seems to have learnt some bad behaviours from her mother,” she said, and Evelyn stuck her tongue out.

“You can’t learn snark. You can only be born this funny.”

Evelyn didn’t fit in with Orlesian or Antivan noble society sometimes, she was a brash Ostwick warrior and Josephine loved her for it. And she fit into this family, made this family her own she noted as her father laughed along with her, and her mother chuckled and Yvette stuck her tongue back out at her, Louisa copying her immediately.

“Tia!” she cried, slamming her spoon down and the young woman gasped.

“Oh, she said it!”

“Cat.”

“And there is cat again,” Frederic said frowning.

“Louisa,” Evelyn said, turning to the little girl. “Who is that?” She asked pointing at Yves.

“Avi,” she said.

“Who what is this?” she said picking up a spoon.

“Spoon?”

“And what is that?” she asked, pointing at the scarf that Frederic had wrapped around his neck.

“Cat!” she cried and Evelyn managed to hold onto her burst of laughter for a whole second. Frederic was so surprised at the loud noise he spat out his drink, blushing bright red.

“Welcome home brother,” Josephine said.