"A friend," is her neutral answer to a Tevinter; Dorian is many things, but first and foremost he is the most important person to Benevenuta in this Inquisition. The Inquisition and its cause are the most important thing - she is lucky in her friendship that upon that, they are always in agreement.

When he settles on his concession, she rewards him by laughing warmly when he makes his jest. "And I have regretted not a moment of it, and won't have a bit of your brooding."

They'd have made a terrible couple, ultimately, but she thinks they might have made the best of things if it had turned out that way - he was not poor company. They would have found a balance, in time.

But Aleron, she suspected, wasn't built for that sort of practicality. No; this was better.