#cullen x Dorian x Bull

[milkcioccolato]

Mmmmmmore silly little videos cause why not

Listen, I am an Adoribull truther, but I love me a good crackship, and Cullen and Dorian have an amazingly interesting premise for a relationship, both romantic or just platonic!

[nevarran-hahren]

the Inquisition gang takes Halamshiral || DA:I

spent many, many hours drawing each and every one of the DA:I companions and advisors and ~reimagining~ their formal wear during Wicked Eyes and Wicked Hearts. everyone is having a good time and being silly (yes, Sera is trying to put a lizard in Solas's pocket)

my favorite part of this piece is the big improvement I've made on facial anatomy and posing! I used the Magic Poser app to create 3D models for reference.

I love tipsy Solas and my Lavellan of course, but I think Josie, Cass, and Dorian are some of my favorites in this. and I was pretty proud of how Bull turned out—he was tough to draw!

[imdoingaokay]

Romanced!DAI Companions and Advisors (+ Platonic!Vivienne) when The Inquisitor returns to Skyhold late

(A/N: Heyyyy guys... I've missed you :) This past few months have been awful for me... but I'm back... teeheehee

I think this is gonna be really niche so I feel a need to explain what I was thinking??? Basically, The Inquisitor has been on a mission for a while now and they're returning extremely late at night.

Apologies for the inaccurate lore stuff, I don't think hours exist in Dragon Age because they don't have clocks? Or they do??? I dunno man I got a final tomorrow and I don't know if I'm gonna pass

Just know that the whole reason I got inspired for this was because it was late and I was imagining Vivienne watching The Inquisitor come back and her wrapping her robe around her waist like a mom watching their grown child come home from a rave or something

Once again, no beta we die like men

And happy late dragon age day, love y'all)

TW: Mentions of death

Blackwall/Thom Rainer: Unable to sleep. He’s waiting, whittling at the griffon he keeps. He doesn’t want to sleep anways, who will greet his lover? The wind? No. He’ll stay up, just for a few minutes longer, he tells himself… But soon he finds himself whittling into the early hours of the morning. That’s when there’s a stir of the guards, the whispers, and alerts are quiet, as to not wake up the many souls sleeping, but the message is clear.

His love has returned. And he will wait by the gate, a grin on his face and sleepiness in his eyes. He greedily hopes his lover may wish to sleep a few hours before the rest of Skyhold truly awakens.

Cassandra: She’s in bed, but not sleeping, reading a book. She’s trying to sleep, but her anxieties are getting to her. Somehow, ever since she got the letter saying that her love was returning, she fears even more. Her mind is plagued with images of an assassinated Inquisitor on the way back to her. Maker! Why didn’t that fool just bring her? 

Just as she scoffs, she hears something of a commotion outside. She prays for a moment, the news is good, and she throws on her armor, knowing better than to leave her room without it, and rushes to the gate. This is where her fears are put to rest as she greets her lover, a relieved smile on her face. And it is with this her sleepiness finally settles in. after a quick word, she urges her lover to rest, with or without her. All that matters that they returned.

Cullen Rutherford: He hasn’t slept since his lover left. A few moments where he stares off into space, drifting off before yanking himself back into consciousness. So it feels normal for him as he scribbles away the missives on his desk, being sure to double check each one so he didn’t accidentally write something foolish in his sleep deprived state. Somehow, in this half-dead state of his, he can hear the murmuring of guards outside of his door, and one enters. 

The guard has been ordered to inform Cullen of when they see The Inquisitor, so when they enter, Cullen knows what it’s for. And somehow, the sleepiness Cullen once had disappears, replaced with a drive he always feels when his lover returns. He rushes down the battlement steps, sure to not seem too desperate to his men. And in his excitement, he quickly meets his lover halfway on the bridge. They may be on their horse, but Cullen will happily walk back with them, looking up at them like they hold his whole world in their hands. When his lover gets off their horse, however, that is when he embraces them, a chaste kiss pressed to their cheek. This is when he finally asks them to rest with him, as his exhaustion is coming to bite him in the ass.

Dorian Pavus: Dorian has lied to himself multiple times throughout the night. He lied to himself claiming he didn’t care if he was asleep when his amatus returned from their very dangerous mission. So he lays in his bed for hours, trying to sleep. And when he can’t? He lies to himself, coming up with some excuse as to why his mind will not rest. So he waits in the library, sipping a glass of wine while attempting to read nonchalantly. Of course, he seemingly can’t. So he decides to wait on the battlements, claiming he must need some fresh air. Even though he despises how cold it is that night. 

But, somehow, without meaning to, he notices the small group of people making their way across the bridge. And, without a reason at all, a huge weight is lifted off of Dorian’s shoulders. 

He lets out a sigh and returns to the warmth of the library, happy to wait for his lover to come to him. And when he does, only then does Dorian finally agree to go to sleep. 

Iron Bull: Doesn’t sleep, but this is because he knew his lover was coming back tonight. So he waits patiently in the tavern, a ear out and ready, waiting for murmurs of The Inquisitor’s return. And when he does hear, he happily shoots up from his chair and makes his way to the gate, happy to greet his lover.

Bull was only slightly worried to be away from his lover, he knew they could handle their mission without him, but still, who knows what could happen? But the news that The Inquisitor was coming back? That was enough to settle his nerves. But seeing… and feeling his lover in his arms? That is what truly relaxes him.

Josephine Montilyet: Josephine is the only one who is asleep, she was corralled to his bedroom by Leliana, who told Josephine that she would wake her up when The Inquisitor returned. True to her word, Leliana gently shook awake a sleepy Josephine who, wrapped in a robe, quickly made her way to the empty Great Hall. She situated herself onto Vivienne’s balcony. She happily watched her lover pass the gates a promptly made their way to her, greeting her with a gentle kiss, which Leliana thankfully turned away from. Afterwards she’s happy to lead her lover to bed, as the second the pair’s heads hit the pillow, the pass effortlessly into a dreamless sleep.

Sera: Sera’s mindlessly making arrows, her door is locked, as she grew tired of Cole trying to make his way into the room to encourage Sera to talk about her anxieties surrounding her Inky leaving without her. She doesn’t even know her lover has returned until she hears the door jiggle a bit before her lover’s voice calls, “Sera, I saw the light was on, are you awake?”

This is when Sera happily throws the door open and grabs her Inky and drags them inside her room, into her arms. The two were eventually found the next morning by a messenger, who reported The Inquisitor and Sera were fast asleep in a pile of various blankets and pillows.

Solas: Solas isn’t sleeping much either, somehow he can’t take his mind off of his vhenan. He completely understand why his lover would take another person on their adventure, potentially a different mage than him. But he worries when they’re away! And there’s not much to do in Skyhold when The Inquisitor is gone. Most servants and nobles steer clear from him. He busies himself painting the various frescos in the atrium. He’s just taken a break and decided to walk along the battlements, and that’s of course, when he sees his beloved. He’s happy to walk down the stairs of the battlements and meet his lover at the gate, awaiting them with open arms. He happily leads them away, whether to their bed in their room, where Solas will leave them to rest. Or if they prefer, they can spend a bit of time in the atrium alone, Solas would be happy to hear the stories of his vhenan’s journey. 

Varric Tethras: Varric is rotating between the tavern and The Great Hall. Ever since he first got the letter from his lover, happily informing him of their return, he’s only been more nervous. Like Cassandra, he fears the image of a truly tragic hero, beaten down on the way back to the arms of their lover. 

He thinks he’s been writing too much tragedy when he firsts gets that mental image

Nevertheless, he pushes through the night.

Eventually, he’s sitting at his usual spot near the fire, unhappily grumbling to himself, sounding like a real dwarf. His mind is racing, and he can’t seem to get the thoughts to stop. So, for one last time that evening, he walks out of the hall, preparing to return to the tavern for a drink and a song from Maryden. That’s when he sees his beloved standing by the gate, quietly talking with a solider who leads their horse away. They’ve returned and they’re safe, that’s all he needed to know.

When The Inquisitor finally catches a glimpse of their lover, all they see is a bright grin spread across his face.

Varric is happy to go along with whatever The Inquisitor wants, bed, a drink, a tale by the fire, he’s just relieved they’ve returned.

Vivienne: Vivienne lies to herself. The day that she hears The Inquisitor will be returning that evening, she nods and nonchalantly walks away. Yet she finds herself constantly checking the gate everytime there is movement in that direction. She has no idea why, however. Her friend, whom she doesn’t really call friend, is taking an awful long amount of time to just get back to Skyhold. 

She justifies her musings on The Inquisitor’s safety as rationally as she can. If The Inquisitor dies, Thedas will be lost. If The Inquisitor dies, her position in court may affected. If The Inquisitor dies, she will be sad-

That is what gives her pause. She straightens her back, hands quickly going to her face as if to smooth out her frown that was previously there, and then she turns on her heel and returns to her sofa. She attempts to swallow down her fear the entire day, but as the night swiftly covers Skyhold, she finds herself unable to sleep. The moons is high in the sky when she emerges from her room, robe tightly wrapped around her. She is sure not a single soul will see her in such a… vulnerable state. She quickly makes her way to the balcony again, and stays there for what feels like an entire age. But just as she gets ready to sigh and return to a sleepless night in her bed, she hears a disturbance coming from the gate. That is where she sees The Inquisitor, alive and perhaps wrapped in the arms of lover. And with a sigh of… relief? She quietly returns to her chambers. Never speaking of this again.

[saltyowlets]

She's gonna marry him in a few years.

[aldruiel-scribbles]

Reblog for a bigger sample size

[callahanisms]

inquisition companions react to the inquisitor missing half their arm

because bioware didn’t wanna give it to us, i decided i’d just do it myself. (insert thanos meme) even though i am like years late to the hype.

the game is like 9 years old at this point, but spoilers ahead.

do keep in mind this is my own personal interpretation of each character. it may not be accurate to your own interpretations. (also i know leliana is technically not a companion in inquisition but i included her anyways)

cassandra pentaghast

if cassandra could plunge a knife into the heart of solas, she would. she would not let him get away with betraying you and taking the anchor along with your arm. you had basically fallen into her arms when you emerged from the portal and she had to carry you back to halamshiral. for the days you were unconscious, cassandra was anxious and extra prickly. there were many times where cullen would have to talk her down from her anger. even varric did too.

dorian pavus

the first thing he did was crack a joke. the atmosphere was tense and it just slipped out. “i asked you to come back in one piece, not missing one.” safe to say, the other companions did not approve of his joke. dorian was set to return to tevinter after being notified of his new position as a magister, but he delayed the return to his homeland for you. he sat in your room as you lied unconscious, barely breathing, leg anxious bouncing up and down. when you awoke, you were immediately met with a large and tight hug from him. he knocked the air out of your lungs from that.

blackwall

blackwall admires you. in fact, everyone would go so far as to say he adores you. he thinks of you as strong, capable, almost infallible. you closed rifts, you closed the big green tear in the sky, and you defeated corypheus! what couldn’t you do? all your feats proved to him that you were the strongest leader he could ever know. and yet, you were still mortal. you left the eluvians mortally wounded and exhausted beyond belief, your eyelids so heavy and ready to close so you may drift off into the black void of sleep. blackwall would not let you, not until you were taken away to be cared for. you found him sitting besides you, awake and on guard. your mortality was his reminder that you and him were the same, even if your lives appeared to be completely different. and he understood that the world would need a leader like you and that is dangerous.

iron bull

the bull could feel a stronger kinship with you that day. it appears that the both of you lost something. he betrayed the qun for the inquisition, thus losing a part of himself, his people. you lost a literal part of yourself, something you had to come to terms with after having the anchor for two years. to say iron bull was shaken up would be an understatement. he was getting cassandra to hit him with sticks for days on end while you lied unconscious. he wondered what would’ve happened if he was with you, if maybe...he could’ve stopped solas. but reminiscing never did anyone any good.

cole

as much as he wanted to help you, cole couldn’t. he also understood that you wouldn’t accept his help, no matter how much he insisted. so instead, he did the best thing he could do: help tend to your injuries. what was curious was that he could feel very little of your pain. when he felt your pain two years ago after forming the inquisition, it was concentrated in your hand and forearm. with it gone, you felt at peace. the primary source of pain for you had been washed away. perhaps it was a blessing in disguise, he thought.

sera

sera’s immediate reaction is, like dorian, to crack a joke. everyone is used to her eccentricity. but it felt different this time around. while you laid unconscious, recovering from the long battle, she occupied herself. she had to busy her hands and her legs, keep moving, keep her mind busy. because if she sat too still for even a second, then her mind would think about the worst outcome. she would get images of you, dead, because solas had betrayed you, betrayed her, betrayed the inquisition. hell, he betrayed the world! that knob! thinking he knew what was best! sera’s all the more relieved when it’s revealed you survived. she bursts through the door to see you and hug you tightly, complaining about how much you scared her.

varric tethras

in all honesty, varric should’ve been more prepared to expect...well, the unexpected. he had expectations of you coming out unharmed, untouched. obviously, that was not what happened. and he wondered if he was responsible for this. he had been one of the many people to support you as the inquisitor two years ago, suggesting it. he wondered if he made the wrong decision. but also, part of varric was relieved. he lost someone close to him two years ago. he didn’t know if he could handle losing you too.

vivienne de fer

the court would devour tales of the eluvians and how you managed to survive. that was vivienne’s first thought. people would be talking about you for centuries to come, certainly. and yet, she knew in her soul that was not what you would want. she does her best to minimize what rumors spread when you first emerge from the eluvians and help give you privacy. behind closed doors, vivienne checks on your injuries. part of her is amazed that the anchor was removed so cleanly.

josephine montilyet

josephine has seen many things ranging from serious to just plain absurd. when she was alerted that you had returned with many serious injuries, including the loss of half your arm, she sent messages to get the best possible doctors in all of orlais to help attend to you. the woman was definitely stressed beyond belief. but when she wasn’t trying to get everyone from backing off from you or getting people to look at you, josephine was attending to you herself. you awoke to find her wiping some sweat off your face and when she noticed, she muttered about how great andraste was and embraced you tightly.

cullen rutherford

your knight-commander appeared to take the news very well, much to the disapproval of cassandra. but the moment cullen was alone, in private, he flipped a table, causing everything to crash. all he could feel running throughout his body was regret, guilt, and anger. regret and guilt for not having gone with you. he should’ve. because if he did, maybe you would have came back alright. anger directed towards solas because the apostate had betrayed you, the inquisition. and everything you and him had worked towards was going to crumble. all of his hard work, leliana’s, cassandra’s, josephine’s, it’d all be for naught. cullen ends up spending a lot of time alone while you’re unconscious. he prays to andraste and the maker to distract himself from any wandering thoughts going towards lyrium. certainly the new mabari hound he decided to adopt on a whim helps with distractions at least.

leliana

the woman has seen many things in her lifetime, having experienced the fifth blight itself and been part of that fight against the archdemon. still, things aren’t easy when you come back from the eluvians missing half of your arm. even if it goes against all her duties, leliana stays with you until you wake up to make sure you’re alright. you’re the inquisitor after all and it’s vital that you’re still alive.

solas

he’s the one who took it. you think he cares?

in all seriousness, it gave him no pleasure to remove your arm for the anchor. even if his plan was...well, shoddy we should say, the anchor was going to kill you. he had no choice. carrying your hand and forearm around felt heavy. he could carry it just fine but what made it heavy was the burden that came with his plan to tear down the veil and bring doom upon the world in a desperate attempt to bring it back to what it once was. and also, the burden of having harmed you.

[cadaveerie]

Romance options for the Inquisitor in DATV CC (descriptions)

for THE IRON BULL, DORIAN PAVUS, CULLEN RUTHERFORD (preview), SOLAS, NONE. with transcriptions!

THE IRON BULL Soldier, spy, survivor—the Iron Bull was many things even before a romance inside the Inquisition changed his life forever. The hulking Qunari called the Iron Bull, a shameless flirt, was pleased when the Inquisitor returned his overtures. But what began as a way for them to unwind grew into something deeper and more profound. When The Iron Bull's superiors demanded he turn on the Inquisitor, he refused—and never regretted it.

DORIAN When the northern mage came to the Inquisition looking for help, he discovered a love enduring and rare. Born and raised in the Tevinter Imperium, Dorian hadn't though he'd find much to impress him when he travelled south. But as he and the Inquisitor became drawn to each other, their attraction bloomed into a deep and caring relationship that endured even after Dorian reluctantly returned home.

SOLAS He possessed knowledge beyond any mortal, yet even the Dread Wolf could not foresee what it would mean to fall in love. Though Solas hid his past from the Inquisitor, the more time they spent together, the more precious that time became. Their connection was passionate and undeniable. Solas mourned that his duty to the past forced him to leave her in the end, but the Inquisitor knew what they had might not be so quick to fade.

CULLEN A man haunted by duty's demands, Cullen Rutherford never expected to find love during his time in the Inquisition.

NONE The Inquisitor was always busy handing her/his/their growing forces, potential allies, and dealing with ever more dangerous threats. The Inquisitor led by example, plunging into the wilds to recruit followers, end rivalries and keep the common folk safe from monsters. She/he/they even made forays into the grand politics that decided the fate of an empire. She/He/They gained lifelong friends, enemies, and rivals along the way.

Note: I've made direct transcriptions, typos included.

sources: bull, dorian, none (not the original sources though because i can't find them. i'll edit this post if i do) ; cullen ; solas

Edit:

Added Solas!

Because there seems to be some confusion: No, this is not all of the romances. All of the romances available in Inquisition are available for the Inquisitor in this game as well. We just haven't seen the text for them (the reason some of the romances are blocked is because their romances were blocked in Inquisition. In this case, the inquisitor was probably a female non-elf, since they can't romance Solas (only elf female), Dorian (only male) or Cassandra (only male.))

As you can see in the source and the title of this post, the Cullen romance bit is just a preview, that's not the whole text. I clarified it in the beginning of the post but I guess some people didn't understand.

Sorry for the confusion.

[baphometsss]

genuinely curious

reblog for bigger sample size / explain why in tags

[fenharelsfang]

"I don't think I'm ready for this."

The Winter Palace loomed over the Inquisition agents as they stepped through the wrought-iron gate into the front gardens, a colossal silhouette against the twilit sky, crowned in gold and glittering with the setting sun. The soft yellow light of ornate lamp posts dotted the landscape like stars in the night. Violets and lilies adorned bushes in marble planters, their sweet fragrance permeating the air. A large fountain sat in an alcove at the back of the gardens, two sets of stairs curving up to the entrance of the palace proper. Cool, crystal clear water flowed gently over a circle of golden winged lions.

"It's too late to back out now, Inquisitor,” said Josephine, ambassador of the Inquisition. She wore an off-shoulder golden bouffant dress accentuated with embroidered flowers and vines. Her raven-colored hair, usually kept in a low-hanging bun, was now free and draped over one shoulder. She wore a delicate golden amulet adorned with a ruby in its center. Gold eyeliner complimented her hazel eyes.

“Do stop slouching, please,” she continued as she scrutinized the Inquisitor’s appearance. “How you present yourself is a matter of life and death when it comes to the Game. It is no simple matter of etiquette and protocol. Every word, every gesture is measured and evaluated for weakness. Even more so when we approach the court. The Inquisition must not show weakness or they will eat us alive."

Ellana Lavellan, the Inquisitor currently being berated by her diplomatic advisor for her posture, straightened her shoulders and lifted her chin. None of what Josephine said made her feel any better about the situation, though.

"Correction: I know I am not ready for this."

Ellana was Dalish! They didn't go to fancy balls or dress in the latest human fashion. She didn't even own a dress! What she wore now was entirely too thin and fragile to survive a day in the forest. However, Josephine insisted she look the part of a proper Lady. Elves had an ethereal beauty to them and it needed to be flaunted if they were to impress Empress Celene. Ellana felt that would be easy, considering Celene used to have an elven lover, but Josephine's fretting over the downfall of the Inquisition's reputation would not abate.

Now, Ellana stood before her fellow agents in a white silk gown, cinched at the waist by a golden brooch with the Inquisition symbol etched into it. The gown had a plunging neckline, framed by a high collar that was tied with golden string at the collarbone. It was simple, but the added golden embellishments gave it an air of elegance that was hard to deny. With her light blonde hair woven into an intricate updo and accentuated by a golden winged circlet, she was the epitome of what the Herald of Andraste should look like.

... Aside from the pointed ears and the face tattoos honoring a goddess who was not the Maker.

As they were actually here in the Winter Palace to prevent an assassination, Ellana had alterations made to the dress. The skirt could be peeled off, revealing leggings underneath that would allow her to move without exhibiting her undergarments for all to see. The skirt was also long enough that it hid her feet. They sported bottomless sandals rather than the jeweled slippers that Josephine wanted her to wear. Ellana needed to feel the ground underneath her feet. Elemental magic was her specialty and shoes got in the way of channeling the energy of the earth.

"Smile, Inquisitor. Eyes are upon us," Leliana encouraged. Her smile, relaxed and confident, was entirely uncharacteristic of the usually cold and deadly demeanor of the spymaster. She almost looked at home among the elite of Orlais and Ellana had to remind herself that this was all a façade.

The Inquisitor flashed a smile at passing nobles that didn’t quite reach her emerald eyes due to her growing anxiety. Leliana’s own smile faltered and she silently shook her head to get Ellana to stop.

"Honestly, you aren't doing yourself any favors with the company you've decided to bring with you," Josephine muttered under her breath, not paying the slightest bit of attention to the Inquisitor’s struggle. The Antivan glanced behind them to take in their entourage. Everyone was dressed in fine red velvet suits trimmed in gold with blue sashes extending across their chests and wrapping around their waists. At least they were uniform in that regard.

Ellana tilted her head at the ambassador. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, an apostate elf? A Qunari spy? A spirit boy? Dorian at least has some exposure to the nobility, but he's from Tevinter!"

"I am technically an apostate elf, too, mind you," Ellana shot back defensively, perhaps a bit too quickly. "Solas has given me good counsel since the beginning of this whole ordeal." The slight curving of Leliana's lips did not go unnoticed by her and she quickly continued. "They won't even remember seeing Cole and Iron Bull knows how to behave in court. He wouldn't be a Ben-Hassrath if he couldn't blend into his surroundings."

Josephine sighed. "I suppose, but Madame Vivienne, Varric, Blackwall, or even Cassandra would have been a better choice."

It was an unspoken agreement that bringing Sera would be a catastrophe.

"As you said yourself: it's too late to back out now. Let's just get this over with."

She took one step before spotting Duke Gaspard weaving his way through the crowd of nobles in the garden. He wore a suit of teal silk brocade, adorned with silverite pauldrons. A red sash was draped over his broad chest. His face, as was Orlesian custom, was hidden behind a golden half-mask. Ellana could barely see his eyes through the slits and it unnerved her greatly. You could gauge an individual's intentions through their eyes, creature or human. Did he have something to hide?

"It is a great pleasure to meet you, Inquisitor Lavellan," he greeted in a thick Orlesian accent. He took her hand and kissed the back of it, the stubble of his beard leaving red scratch marks on her skin. She resisted the urge to wince.

"Bringing the rebel mages into the ranks of your army was a brilliant move," he continued and leaned in with a conspiratorial smile. "Imagine what the Inquisition could accomplish with the full support of the rightful Emperor of Orlais!"

Ah, so he was fishing for support. He figured he had an edge on the competition since she accepted his invitation to the masquerade. Arrogant man.

"Oh?" she asked and put a finger to her chin thoughtfully. "Which one was the rightful one, again? I keep getting them confused."

Gaspard let out a genuine laugh, the sound emanating from deep within his chest. "Why, the handsome, charming one of course, my lady!"

She could feel his eyes graze over her body appraisingly, lingering for no small amount of time on her chest, and it made the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. The dress was definitely a mistake. Behind her, the air cooled considerably and Solas cleared his throat. The agonizingly long moment ended and Gaspard extended an arm for her to take.

"My lady, are you prepared to shock the court by walking into the Grand Ball with a hateful usurper?" He grinned devilishly down at her.

She, playing the part of charming guest, smiled up at him, all teeth and dimpled cheeks. "I can't imagine that crowd has seen anything better than us in their entire lives," she joked. Gaspard laughed and placed a hand over the one holding his arm. He pierced her with his gaze through those slitted eyes.

"You are a woman after my own heart," he replied, voice husky. Oh no, she was making this worse. The hand resting over her own was pressed up against her breast, a rather sly way to grope her. The Game was not something she was adept at. Was this even part of the Game? All she knew was that she couldn't part from him soon enough.

They ascended the stairs towards the entrance of the Winter Palace and, along the way, the whispers of the nobles did not go unnoticed.

"Is that the Inquisitor?"

"An elven savage? Maker forbid!"

"Andraste would never choose a knife-ear as her herald."

"Is this Gaspard's idea of a joke?"

"Perhaps she's his whore. She certainly dresses like one."

"Those marks on her face are hideous."

Each comment was a dagger to her pride. Her cheeks burned with shame. They had a point: why would Andraste choose an elf to save Thedas? Ellana didn't even believe in the Maker. Their opinions shouldn't have mattered, but they did. It wasn't just because they were directed at her. She was the face of the Inquisition and a negative opinion of her would reflect poorly on her people. They deserved better than that.

The walk to the front entrance stretched on for an eternity. Ellana did her best to keep her composure and block out the horrible remarks, with little success. She was vaguely aware of Gaspard speaking to her about his concerns for the night, namely that Briala, the elven ambassador, was up to something with her legion of servants. Ellana’s jaw tightened.

"Tell me there's more to your suspicion than 'the elves were acting dodgy'," she interrupted, her tone taking on a sharp edge. Gaspard was taken aback by her sudden change in mood. Of course he didn't notice what was being said about her. Or he did, but didn't care. Elves meant less than nothing to humans.

"Briala used to be a servant of Celene's," Gaspard argued. "That is, until my cousin had her arrested for crimes against the empire to cover up a political mistake. If anyone in this room wishes Celene harm, Inquisitor, it's that elf. She certainly has reason."

Right, the assassination attempt. That's what really mattered. Why should she care what those idiot nobles thought of her when the fate of the world was at stake? And yet it gnawed away at her from the inside all the same. Perhaps she was afraid those remarks were mere echoes of her own thoughts.

"I'll look into it," she said, deflated.

Gaspard sighed. "Be as discreet as possible," he warned. "I detest the Game, but if we do not play it well, our enemies will make us look like villains."

He relinquished her arm when they entered the vestibule and left to mingle with a few of the guests. Ellana breathed a sigh of relief and turned to face her entourage.

"When you meet the empress, the eyes of the entire court will be upon you," Josephine reminded her. She smoothed out a crinkle in Ellana's dress and adjusted her collar. "You were safer staring down Corypheus, I'm afraid. The Game is like Wicked Grace played to the death. You must never reveal your cards."

A wave of nausea swept over Ellana. Her heart pounded against her ribcage like a war drum. Outside, she had fresh air, but in the palace the walls seemed to press in, threatening to crush her. Through it all, the disparaging remarks of the nobles were building to a crescendo in her mind, drowning out all other noise.

"You're just full of joy and light this evening," she managed to croak out when Josephine continued to stare at her. It was supposed to be a light-hearted jest but lacked the substance.

"Everything will be fine," Josephine said, to herself more than anyone else. "Andraste watch over us all."

The group broke apart then, Josephine, Cullen, and Leliana ascending another set of stairs to scope out the perimeter before the festivities started.

"I’m headed to the buffet,” said Bull as he patted his growling stomach. "I'm starving."

"Vishante kaffas, don't just shovel it in your mouth like a savage, you oaf," Dorian grumbled. He followed after the Qunari to try to prevent a disaster.

Cole had already vanished.

The anticipation of the night's events threatened to overwhelm Ellana and she tried to quickly and gracefully descend another set of stairs that led into a storage room. She just needed a moment to collect herself, a place to catch her breath. There was a mirror in the storage room with a great golden frame, a lion head jutting out on either side of the arch. She caught her reflection in it as she paced the small space and stopped. Her hands went to her knife-shaped ears, traced the hideous marks on her forehead and cheeks, the Dalish version of a mask. The sudden hatred that consumed her spilled over and she tossed the feathered circlet off of her head, yanking her hair out of the updo that took Josephine hours to do. She tried to style her hair so it would hide her ears. On a table next to the mirror sat a few discarded masks. She picked one up and placed it over her face to hide her vallaslin.

There, now she looked more human. Acceptable ... right? So why did her stomach continue to churn? Why were hot, angry tears threatening to spill over?

"What are you doing?"

Ellana gasped and spun around. She was so caught up in her emotional turmoil that she didn't hear the door open or even see the elf behind her in the mirror.

"Solas! I was just--"

His brows knitted in concern as he took in her wild hair and covered face. 'I'm fine,' was her instinctual response, but it never reached her lips. It was impossible to lie to him. He was wise beyond his years and though they had only known each other a short amount of time, she felt he knew, intimately, the depths of her heart.

"I don't know what I'm doing," she admitted in a whisper, her bottom lip trembling as the tears finally slipped down her cheeks. "This isn't --- Did you hear the things they said? I don't belong here."

He slowly approached her until they were mere inches apart. There was fire in his eyes, a righteous fury. For her? Or maybe he thought her foolish. His fingertips slipped under the edge of the mask, grazing her wet cheeks before gently removing the mask from her face. He tossed it aside, never taking his eyes off of her. Mesmerized, she couldn't look away.

"They are not worth your tears."

His hands cupped her face, wiping her cheeks with the pads of his thumbs. Her breath hitched in her throat. His hands were rough, calloused, but the gesture was tender. He cradled her face like he was holding the world in his hands, his gaze so intense it was as if nothing else existed in that moment but them. The echoes of the nobles' words faded away as she hung onto every one of his.

"I'm the Inquisitor," she protested. "I'm supposed to represent the Inquisition. This meeting hinges on what the court makes of me and they just see me as an elven savage--! If I were human--"

"You are Elvhen," Solas declared, cutting off her downward spiral. "Our people built an empire that spanned all of Thedas. We created wonders the likes of which no other race has ever accomplished and never will."

This was the first time he had ever referred to her as one of his people. When they first met, he showed such scorn for the Dalish and didn't associate himself with city elves. He stood apart and above everyone else. His name meant 'pride' in the elven language, but she only ever saw him as ... lonely. Now he was including her in his world, the world of the true elves. Who knew whether he was right, but the meaning itself meant everything to her.

"Beyond that," he continued as he circled around behind her, "you are the Inquisitor." His fingers brushed against the nape of her neck as he started to gather her hair into his hands, handling it like it was made of the finest silk. "You command an army that makes nations tremble.” Her scalp tingled as he continued to brush his fingers through her hair. “Ferelden, Orlais, the Free Marches, they hang on to your every word and beg for the salvation that only you can deliver. You stand defiant against a would-be god and his archdemon. Be proud of who and what you are."

He leaned in close to her, lips a hair's breadth from her ear. "And you are the most beautiful woman in this entire palace," he murmured. Goosebumps erupted down her arms and the back of her neck, making her shiver, but unlike with Gaspard it was thrilling, not revolting. Desire sparked in her core and she fought back the urge to spin around and crush her lips against his. He was tying her hair up into a bun, not the complicated braided crown that Josephine had created, but loose and elegant, leaving her ears visible for all to see.

"These nobles fear the power you wield. Your beauty is a height they can never hope to reach. Envious, they must try to tear you down instead. Do not let them."

The bun was finished and he stepped back around to her front, his hands planting firmly on her hips. His words stole the breath from her lungs and set her heart fluttering. No one had ever spoken of her that way before. Not her clan, not her friends, not even her former lover. The words rolled off of his tongue so easily like they were waiting to be said.

"Sweet talker," she managed in a breathless whisper.

There was a spark of amusement in his eyes, though it was quickly covered by a solid determination. "I speak the truth," he said and she believed him. Even if it wasn't objectively true, it was to him and needed to be said.

Fear creeped into her voice as the weight of the words made her falter. He held her in such high regard. Maybe too high. "What if I fail?" she asked.

"You won't."

A nervous laugh bubbled out of her. "You have such confidence in me."

"It is well-deserved."

Ellana swallowed, all too aware of the warmth of his hands through the fabric of her dress. She tilted her head back to get a better look at him and tried to take a step closer, but he held her in place. There was a storm churning in his steel blue eyes, a flurry of emotions warring inside of him. Excitement. Adoration. Desire. Then regret, resignation. Behind it all, a sorrow so deep and endless she felt she might drown in it. He was always restraining himself. In the Fade, on the balcony of her room, his heart and mind were at odds with each other. There was an obvious attraction between them. He had already kissed her twice before, but still something kept holding him back. The chains of a past she knew nothing about. He spoke of his journeys through the Fade, but never of himself. All of those pretty words and no follow-up.

"You're always so detached and self-controlled, Solas,” she observed. Her hands rested atop his and felt them tremble as she gently pried them away. "But you don't need to be ... not with me."

Fingers danced along the velvet fabric of his suit before resting against his chest. She could feel his erratic heartbeat through his jacket and knew then that her words were true. So she did have the same effect on him that he had on her. A hesitant step forward closed the distance between them further.

"This is dangerous," he breathed, eyelids drooping. His resolve was faltering.

"I like danger." She gripped the lapels of his jacket and pulled him closer. They were mere inches away from each other now.

"Ellana," he warned and a thrill pulsed through her at the sound of her name on his lips.

"What are you so afraid of?"

He struggled to find the words, eyes glossed over as if trapped in a memory. She watched him for a moment, noting the light dusk of freckles across his cheeks and nose, the scar above his brow, the curve of his jaw, the fullness of his lips. It was as if the gods themselves sculpted him. He was beautiful.

She rested a hand against his cheek to pull him back to the present. "Solas?"

"... I don't want to lose you," he finally admitted, leaning into her touch. His fingers curled around hers and her heart ached. There were such thick walls around his heart and though she chipped away at it, she still hadn't completely broken through. Solas was always looking miles ahead of everyone else or behind in his past, but never in the moment.

Her smile was kind, patient. "You still have me," she assured him and traced the line of his jaw down to his chin. "I don't know what the future holds for us. I don't know if we'll defeat Corypheus or what will happen to the Inquisition. I don't know if you and I will stay together or drift apart, but fear of the future shouldn't stop us from enjoying the present. What I do know is that you make me feel ... important. Like I matter beyond my titles. Me, Ellana. Not the Inquisitor, not the Herald of Andraste, not the Keeper's First. Just ... me. You look at me like I'm the only thing that matters .. like the world could crumble all around us and you wouldn't even notice." She glanced down, her cheeks tinged red. "Perhaps it's selfish of me, but I want to be the only one you look at that way."

She felt him take her chin and tip it up, his gaze a smoldering flame that slowly drifted down to settle on her mouth.

"You are."

Their lips met and everything he had held back from her flooded into that kiss. His adoration and desire burned against her like a wildfire. She grew lightheaded from the force of it, but craved the taste of him as a Templar coveted lyrium. They parted for a brief moment to catch their breath and his hands found her waist again, though this time it was to pull her against him. Her dress, so flimsy before, was now far too thick. She wound her arms around his neck, her tongue flicking against his lips. That elicited a groan deep in his chest that rumbled against her own. He was unraveling before her and it exhilarated her. The kiss broke again only for her to pepper more across his jaw and down his throat.

"Ellana," he groaned. It spurred her to start hastily undoing the buttons of his jacket, but he brought her face back up to capture her lips again. The kiss deepened and she felt his tongue in her mouth, gliding along her own. He gripped the backs of her thighs and lifted her up onto his waist, her back hitting the wall. She braced herself against it and wrapped her legs around him for support. His hands slid up underneath her dress and caressed her thighs and she moaned. Her leggings were still in the way, but his fingertips teased along the waistline. That flame he sparked inside of her became an all-consuming fire.

"Solas," she whimpered as kisses traced her collarbone. Her fingers tried to find the buttons of his jacket again, but now his lips were at her breasts. She had awakened a wolf in him that lay dormant for far too long and it was ravenous for the taste of her flesh. He was struggling to bring himself back under control, but she didn't want him to. He brought his lips back to her jawline, his cheek brushing against hers.

"Ar lath, ma vhenan," he breathed and time stopped. She went rigid in his grip and he stared up at her as if surprised the words had spilled from his mouth. They stared at each other, fighting for breath and trying to make sense of the words through their delirium. He slowly lowered her back to the ground, though his arms stayed wrapped around her. She, too, refused to let go of him.

"...You do?" she asked. Her arousal, though definitely still there, was melting into something else.

His eyes searched hers, trying to discern how she felt about the words, but then he set his jaw, resolute. "I do."

The confession hung between them for an agonizing moment and he swallowed, his throat bobbing in anticipation of her reaction. A wide grin spread across her flushed face. There was attraction between them, yes, but she never expected that it went deeper than that for him ... that he loved her, that he would admit it first. She had been in love with him from the moment they met, when he first grabbed her hand and showed her the power that she wielded. He always seemed so lonely and sad, but he would positively light up when speaking about the Fade. She lived for those stories. His smile, as rare and fleeting as it was, could brighten her whole day. When he laughed? Indescribable. She only heard it once and it became her personal mission to hear it again. But her fears mirrored his: she didn't want to lose him either, so she never built up the courage to tell him how she felt. Now he admitted it himself. Her hands cupped his face and she kissed him tenderly.

"Ar lath, ma vhenan," she declared in return.

He flashed her a crooked grin before pulling her back against him, intending to finish what they started.

Until the door to the storage room creaked open.

"There you are, Inquisitor," Josephine announced with no small degree of relief. "We've been looking ev- Oh." The scene before her finally registered and she blushed, averting her eyes respectfully. "Oh, do forgive me." she apologized, "I seem to have opened the wrong door."

"Josephine!” Ellana called out in surprise. Her face turned the shade of spindleweed and she let go of Solas, smoothing out her dress. “It’s fine, we were just–”

Solas glanced over his shoulder at the ambassador before calmly picking Ellana’s circlet off of the floor and placing it back on her head. How could he be so poised?! She was mortified, but he had an air of smugness about him, as if being caught making out with the Inquisitor in a closet was the most natural thing in the world.

“Yes, well, the court is ready to receive us,” Josephine said, her gaze still averted. “I will meet you upstairs.” With that, she slipped back out of the door.

Ellana released a breath she didn’t know she was holding and adjusted the brooch and her hair. “Right, well, I guess it’s time to meet the empress.”

“Remember my words,” Solas told her as he straightened his own jacket.

“How could I forget them?” She buttoned up his jacket and fixed the sash, aware that he was gazing at her fondly. “Save me a dance?”

He chuckled and kissed the top of her head. “Perhaps, as soon as our present business is concluded.”

“I'll hold you to that.” She grinned and headed out of the storage room to meet up with Josephine.

Thankfully, it seemed the nobles were so caught up in their own affairs that they didn't seem to pay her much mind. A few cursive glances her way and more whispering, but she found herself less bothered by them than before.

“Be proud of who you are.”

She lifted her head to stare down her nose at them and confidently strode upstairs and into the ballroom.

[sxrensxngwrites]

The Inner Circle Crushing on Someone from a Different Background -- Part Two

this request comes from anon, who asks: 'Head canons for the main dragon age squard (if you feel up to it of course!!!!) About them crushing on someone from a different background (example: cullen and someone rich)'

I ended up splitting this up because I got carried away... my bad. If you want any of these to be revisited or you want me to go into more detail, feel free to shoot me another ask! The same can be said if you want DA characters from different games.

Part One (Blackwall, Cassandra, Cole) Part Two (Cullen, Dorian, The Iron Bull) Part Three (Josephine, Leliana, Sera)

CULLEN:

Cullen’s family had many mouths to feed, but they never tried to make their kids feel like they were missing out on anything. However, as Cullen got older he began to realize how difficult it was for his parents. This led him to joining the Templars; working in the order was a very consistently paying job that gave him places to sleep, so he could very easily send money back to his family. Even after he leaves the Templars and joins the Inquisition, he finds himself double checking his finances out of habit. The Inquisition is tighter on money and resources in the beginning, so suddenly he’s back to watching every coin that comes into his possession.

Enter the object of his affection: a person who never had to worry about money ever before. They’re likely related to some nobility, whether it be from Ferelden or otherwise. Money had been a given, so they’re very quick to buy drinks for the whole Inner Circle or give out money to the villagers of Haven. Cullen admires their generosity, but it hurts him greatly to watch them treat their money with such irreverence. He wishes it didn’t bother him as much as it does. As Cullen begins to catch feelings, the formalities aren’t what trips up their relationship. In fact, they have little to no meaning after a month or so of knowing each other. 

However, now that they’re a full member of the Inquisition and the strains of the job are becoming more apparent, money is becoming an issue. Their family isn’t exactly pleased that they’ve spent family money on the ragtag Inquisition–it being seen as sacrilege at that point. So, their family cuts them off, forcing them to learn how to spend their resources wisely. As sad as it is for them (and disappointing for the Inquisition to be losing such an important donor), Cullen is somewhat relieved. Now he doesn’t have to watch them throw away their money as if it has no value.

They come together over it actually, Cullen giving sound advice on rationing their money and picking up jobs to help around Haven. Although it frustrated him initially, he finds their eagerness to learn rather endearing. They spend regular time together, Cullen teaching what he’s picked up about finances and them telling stories of their upbringing. They begin to understand one another better, and Cullen is sure that he’s smitten. Eventually–when money and war isn’t the primary focus of either of their lives–they decide to stay together after the Breach has been dealt with and pool their remaining savings together. 

DORIAN:

Growing up as a son of a Tevinter Magister, Dorian had quite a lot of resources at his beck and call. However, he never let that deter his outlook on other people. There might be some disagreements here and there, but Dorian never let it dictate who he kept in his company–especially after he left Tevinter for Ferelden and Orlais.

Most everyone in Dorian’s early life was a mage, so it wasn’t unsurprising to him that he would be attracted to a mage when he ran away further south. However, his new romantic interest was unlike any Tevinter Mage. After the fall of many of the Ferelden circles, it was only natural that they’d be deemed an apostate. They had to travel light, but it wasn’t like they ever had much to their name to begin with. That had been taken away before they even made it to the Circle. 

Dorian, while he doesn’t hide his standing, also doesn’t wave it in his peers’ faces to make them feel less than. His companion, on the other hand, is still afraid of announcing their mage status in the post-circle world of Ferelden. Upon their meeting, however, the two connect over their different relationships with magic. They share anecdotes, stories, and theories, ultimately bonding over a shared academic interest. Dorian sees them as an equal from the beginning.

Everything goes swimmingly until it becomes apparent how much sway Dorian’s family has in Tevinter. Still afraid of being found by any remaining Templars, his crush is cautious of any sort of fame. Even if it includes being involved with the son of a Tevinter Magister. It likely separates the two for a while, but then they each remember what brought them together in the first place: the possibilities of what could be in the future. Abandoning fear, the two rejoin together, seeking new avenues for each of them to progress their spheres of influences.

THE IRON BULL:

The Iron Bull was raised inside the Qun, following it up until it came in the way of him and The Chargers. Even then, it greatly influences how he interacts with others. For Bull, romantic and intimate relationships are a need to be fulfilled rather than a connection between people. 

Most cultures outside of the Qun think the opposite of intimacy: that it’s a special connection between people rather than a need to be fulfilled. Bull has met many people who think this way, but even then most of them are willing for their relationship to be short-lived. However, Bull meets a special someone that he has no intent of romancing: they’re a diplomatic bard in the court of Orlais with a soft spot for the romantic. 

They initially meet when the Bull’s Chargers are stationed in Orlais. Bull’s interest in them is initially surface level–a few interactions that will eventually fizzle out as he moves on to someone else. Little does he know, they’re very incapable of something as mild as a fling. So a friendship begins, Bull being filled in on all the Orlesian gossip by his new friend. A physical relationship might even begin, but Bull’s new “friend” is ever the romantic, and is severely disappointed when it doesn’t turn into a love to last all ages. When the Chargers are called away on business, they part ways. 

They’re reunited once again when Leliana and Josephine call an old friend to the Inquisition–and Bull is met with a broken heart he left back in Orlais. Of course, they’re very aware that the misunderstanding is their fault, but that doesn’t make it hurt any less. Over time, they learn to forgive Bull and see him as a friend. After everything is said and done, I believe Bull reframes the way he’s the world–now having chosen his friends over the Ben-Hassrath. Once he’s had some time to reassess who he really is and who he wants, he might let the romantic have another try.

PART ONE | PART TWO | PART THREE

[adoribullpavus]

guys tag this with your forbidden dragon age ships. i'll go first.

[thechildofmythal]

The Lakeside

Another new part of the slowburn Cullen x Lavellan series!

“Ellana,” he sighed against her lips, still with his eyes closed. “You are one of a kind.” She leaned back enough to look at his face, and cradled his chiselled jaw in her hands. “Ella,” she said softly. “My family calls me Ella. You can call me Ella, too.” Cullen’s heart filled with warmth as he looked at her beautiful blue eyes. She made him feel included, like he suddenly belonged to something. Something else than work and duty. Now he was part of a small club, mostly consisting of her family, with the exclusive privilege of her nickname. Cullen pulled her back closer to him and pressed his stubbled face against her cheek.  “Ella,” he repeated, trying out the shorter name. It felt good.

In this chapter of the series:

Ellana doesn't get Cullen's feeble attempts at getting private time with her, and her friends are there to make fun of her.

Cullen tries again, and manages to whisk her away for a day to a lakeside in Ferelden.

Includes the lakeside scene with Cullen's lucky coin. Canon-compliant but extended.

Lots of sexual tension, fluff, making out, also sex talk, and non-sexual intimacy.

Read here in AO3 (only for registered users)

or you know, enjoy the sexual tension under the cut.

The Lakeside

Words: 7 986. Rating: Teen

Cullen Rutherford leaned forward, grabbed a black pawn piece with his gloved fingers, and moved it three squares forward on the chess board.

“Hmmh,” Ellana Lavellan reacted on the other side of the table. “You’re going to win this one, aren’t you?”

“Yes,” Cullen said, looking insufferably smug.

“If I didn’t like your confident smile so much I would find a way to wipe it off your face.”

“I’m glad my win works for both of us.”

Ellana sighed and moved a white tower piece in a feeble attempt to protect the King.

“Go on then,” she leaned back in her chair, and watched Cullen move a piece.

“Checkmate,” he said, and leaned back with a self-satisfied smile. 

“Remind me again, why do I keep playing with you?”

“You just said you like me,” Cullen pointed out, the scar on his lip moving with his lopsided smirk.

“I said I like your smile,” Ellana pointed out, matching his smirk.

“Oh, you keep me around only for my looks then?”

“Like we haven’t been spending hours and hours just talking within the last couple of weeks? Are you going to get cocky because of the attention you got in Empress Celene’s ball?” 

“You were the shining star of the evening, my dear, not I,” Cullen retorted, his amber eyes betraying his affection. 

Ellana felt her insides melt into a warm goo when he called her my dear . It wasn’t long since he had insisted on only calling her Inquisitor , after all. 

“But you have still received more letters from Orlesian admirers!” she couldn’t help but giggle. 

“They would make excellent kindling if it wasn’t for the scented paper. The smell makes my headaches worse. Nothing good comes from that country,” Cullen mumbled, making Ellana laugh harder.

Cullen’s grumbling was playful, however, and Ellana saw the smile around his eyes. They sat in their chairs facing each other, looking at each other for a while in silence.

Finally Cullen cleared his throat. “Thank you for the game, Ellana. Now I wonder how you are with the second book in the Empire series?”

“I’m almost done! I’ll need the final book of the trilogy very soon,” Ellana replied excitedly. 

Cullen swallowed and leaned forward again, placing his elbows on his knees. He seemed to place his words very carefully, speaking in a lower voice. “Do you have some time tonight? I could come and visit you and bring the book to you.”

Ellana waved her hand dismissively. “Oh there’s no hurry, it will take me a couple of days to finish the second part. Besides, I promised to join Bull and some of the others at the Herald’s Rest tonight for a few drinks. Apparently they need an honest tavern night after Halamshiral.”

Cullen’s face fell almost unperceivably. “Ah, I see.”

“But you can bring the book tomorrow to the War Room meeting.”

“Certainly,” Cullen said and they both stood. “Have fun tonight, Inquisitor.”

*

Later in the evening the tavern door opened, and Cremisius Aclassi walked in. It was easy to spot the group he was looking for - his employer Iron Bull kind of stood out from the crowd. The Inquisitor and Dorian Pavus sat at the table too - the two of them had goblets of wine, Iron Bull a big tankard of ale.

“There you are, Krem! What took you so long?” Iron Bull said loudly as Krem joined them. 

“Somebody needed to face Ser Morris and explain our requisitions to him so he won’t think we’re joking next time,” Krem said gruffly. He got the attention of the maid and ordered a tankard of ale.

“Ser Morris is a stuck up, but requisition officers need to be stiff as flag poles,” Iron Bull said. “Otherwise the Inquisition would be bankrupt already.”

“Speaking of stuck ups, the Commander sure seems like a driven guy,” Krem changed the subject.

The Inquisitor cocked her eyebrow at him. “What do you mean?”

“I saw him at the training grounds alone when I was coming this way. Giving a good beat down to a training dummy,” he explained, and took a good gulp of his ale.

Iron Bull nodded appreciatively. “Sounds like a good way to let off some steam. Maybe he has a night off, for once.”

Ellana suddenly froze and blood escaped from her face. “Oh.”

“Lavellan?” Dorian asked, noticing something was wrong.

“Nothing. I just realised something,” she said, staring at her wine goblet.

“Something to do with your dear Commander?” Dorian asked, and all three men around her leaned in with curiosity.

“Well, uh. Maybe.”

“Weeeell?” Dorian prodded her with his elbow. 

Lavellan looked up at the three of them with desperation on her face. “I just realised he maybe offered to spend some time with me today, but I blew him off.”

Iron Bull, Krem and Dorian looked at each other, and then back at the woman.

“How did you only realise this now? What kind of circles do you talk around each other?” Iron Bull wondered.

“You haven’t heard those two? It would be painful if it wasn’t so endearing,” Dorian quipped.

“What did the Commander say?” Krem asked.

“We were playing chess after lunch and he offered to come to my room tonight to bring me a book we had been talking about,” Ellana explained.

“And what did you say?” Iron Bull asked next.

“What does it look like I said? I told him I was going drinking with you guys and he could bring me the book tomorrow to the War room meeting,” Ellana said, exasperated with herself.

The three men sat in tense silence around her, until they all suddenly exploded into laughter. 

“Oh come on!” she groaned, holding her face in her hands in the middle of her laughing friends.

“Oh sweet Maker,” Dorian wiped the corners of his eyes, still laughing. “You… did you really think he actually wanted to come to your private room because of a book ?”

“Well not anymore I don’t,” they heard her mumbled reply through her hands.

Dorian almost fell from his chair from another fit of laughter.

Iron Bull tried to steady his breathing and gestured at the door. “He’s right there in the training grounds. You could go and ask him about the book!”

The Inquisitor lifted her wine goblet “No I can’t! I’ve had way too many drinks for that!”

“My dear, just think about it,” Dorian painted a picture, “you could have the Commander reading a book out loud to you right about now.”

“In your bed,” Iron Bull snickered like a teenager, “naked.”

“I’m so stupid,” Ellana wailed, burying her face in her hands again. “Believe me, I would have skipped this so easily if I had known what he really meant.”

“What I don’t understand is why you have to make it so difficult? You want him, he clearly wants you. Why couldn’t he just ask if you’re free tonight because he’d like to come to your room and make sweet love to you?” Iron Bull wondered out loud.

“I think it’s so precious that you were playing chess and he used lending you a book as an excuse to see you,” Dorian sighed.

“If you don’t mind me saying, Inquisitor,” Krem said, “but you two are made for each other.”

The Inquisitor blinked at Krem. “Why, uh, thank you Krem, I guess.”

Krem huffed into his ale. “You’re both complete nerds .”

**

In the morning the Inquisitor felt surprisingly good. She hadn’t stayed for long after her embarrassing realisation, and went to her room nursing a feeble hope of still receiving a handsome visitor. The Commander had not appeared, but at least Ellana had a decent night’s sleep and avoided a hangover.

After breakfast Ellana topped up her tea and carried the mug with her to the War Room. She was a bit early, but she spent the time alone going through her notes for the meeting.

Soon enough the door opened again, and in came Commander Cullen with his long strides and a straight back.

“Good morning,” he said and placed the papers from his hands on the War Table. “Did you have a nice evening?”

“Hmmh. I don’t think it was worth it,” Ellana mumbled.

Cullen smirked at her. “A headache?”

“Thankfully no,” Ellana shook her head and then lowered the teacup from her hands to the table. “About the book…”

“What book?” He seemed oblivious.

“The book you wanted to lend me last night? That I asked you to bring today instead?”

“Oh that book,” Cullen said nonchalantly. “I’m afraid I don’t have it with me now, my apologies.”

“Mmh,” Ellana squinted her eyes at him. “You didn’t actually want to come to see me over a book, did you?”

Cullen paused and looked at her. His amber eyes practically sparkled, and his lips stretched to a lopsided smirk. The look he gave her both infuriated her and made her stomach flutter.

“No,” he admitted.

Ellana groaned and covered her face with her hand.

His mellow laughter only made her regret spending the evening at the tavern rather than with him even more. “When did you figure it out?”

“After a few too many drinks,” she said and let both of her arms hang by her sides, looking at him with a pout. “You could have been a little more clear, you know. I would have happily told the guys to enjoy the evening without me.”

“That is encouraging to hear, but you know very well I’m out of my depth,” Cullen said defensively, but still smiling gently. “I need my excuses.”

“I don’t know about that,” Ellana mumbled just as the door opened again, and Leliana and Josephine came in to start the morning’s meeting.

*

Later in the afternoon, Ellana did her usual rounds around Skyhold, and winded up at the door of Cullen’s office, as she did every day.  The doors were open, and the man was sitting at his desk, writing something. 

“Ma vhenan,” Ellana said in a low, soft tone from the door, and stepped in. 

“There you are!” Cullen looked up at her and stood up immediately.

Ellana stopped in the middle of his office, horrified that she had forgotten something. “Were you waiting for me?”

“Yes - I mean no,” Cullen stammered.

Ellana took the few steps remaining to the side of his desk, and looked at him in confusion. “Which is it?”

“There’s something I wanted to ask you,” he finally said, and looked around to see if someone else was entering the revolving door that was his office. 

Ellana also looked around, and seeing as no one else was around, she sat on the corner of his desk. 

“We have some dealings in Ferelden. I was hoping you might accompany me,” Cullen explained.

“Is something wrong? You didn’t mention this in the meeting today,” Ellana said worriedly, thinking that it must be something big if both the Commander and the Inquisitor were needed. 

“What? No! It’s nothing to concern Leliana or Josephine with. I would rather explain there, if you wish to go,” Cullen said. He seemed a bit antsy, and Ellana wondered if it was his endearing bumbling around her and their relationship, or if she should be worried. 

“When should we go?”

“Is tomorrow alright? I can arrange it on any day that suits you. We would need to leave in the morning, but we’d be back in Skyhold in the evening,” Cullen said.

Ellana squinted at him with suspicion. “Tomorrow is fine, but what is this about? Come on, tell me.” She reached for his cloak and tugged on the fabric needily. 

Cullen took her wrist and shook his head, chucking at her. “No. You’ll have to wait. I’ll make the necessary arrangements so we can leave tomorrow morning.” He placed a kiss on her knuckles, looking at her from under his brow before letting her hand go. It made Ellana melt and give up. He was learning to handle her too well, she thought. 

“Fine. Tomorrow morning then. What about tonight?” 

“What about tonight?” Cullen asked as he returned to his seat at the desk. 

“What are you doing tonight?” Ellana spelled it out for him. 

“Ah, I’m afraid I have to work late tonight so we can ride out for the entire day tomorrow,” he said apologetically.

“Oh alright then. Be like that,” Ellana said, stood up and stepped to his side to lean over and press a kiss on his temple. “Remember to eat.”

“I will,” Cullen said obediently. 

Ellana’s fingers ran through his hair at his neck as she walked past him to leave, and she looked over her shoulder at him with a cheeky smile as she walked out of the door. Cullen picked up the pen to resume work, but a warm smile played on his lips for a long time after she was gone. Nothing felt quite as good as receiving Ellana’s small shows of affection.

*

“Where are you going and why am I not coming with you?” Dorian asked sharply as he approached Inquisitor Lavellan who was pulling on her coat outside the Stables of Skyhold.

“Well good morning to you too, grumpy face,” Ellana told him in an amused voice. 

A young stable hand brought out her horse and made sure the saddle and the bags were fastened properly. 

“I am grumpy because you’re leaving me behind,” Dorian said and pouted. “Where are you going?”

“I have no idea, to be honest,” Ellana said, pulling on her gloves. “Apparently a day trip to somewhere in Ferelden. We’ll be back in the evening.”

“We? Who’s we?” Dorian asked.

Right on cue, Commander Cullen appeared from the stairs from the battlements while discussing with Captain Clark, a young but very promising officer the Inquisitor recognised. 

“I’ll take point, Commander, and Lieutenant Kern will secure the rear. You and the Inquisitor will ride in the middle until our destination, where we’ll scout and secure the area before splitting up,” the young Captain was saying.

“Very good, Captain. Let’s get going so as not to waste daylight,” Cullen said.

“Inquisitor, Master Pavus,” the Captain greeted stiffly before walking off to get his men in order.

“Good morning,” Cullen greeted Dorian and Ellana, and asked the latter, “Are you ready to go?”

Ellana felt like giving him a kiss as a greeting, but stopped herself just in time. She had come to feel quite at home with him, but realised they weren’t yet at that kind of public relationship status. “Ready for anything, Commander.”

Dorian, however, looked from one to the other. “What’s going on?”

“I’m riding out with the Inquisitor for a change,” Cullen said, sounding rather pleased with himself. A stable hand brought out his horse as well. He took the reins and patted the horse on its neck.

“I see. Are you going to take her to meet your mother?” Dorian asked, his irritable voice turning a bit amused now as he crossed his arms on his chest.

“Not quite,” Cullen said, and added to Ellana, “don’t worry.”

“Fine. Go then, you crazy kids. But treat her well! And bring her back home before dark,” Dorian adopted a fatherly voice.

Laughing, Ellana kissed Dorian on the cheek as a goodbye. 

Cullen and Ellana both got up in their saddles, and the Inquisition soldiers who were accompanying them also mounted their rides and they all rode out.

*

They spent the entire morning on horseback making good pace riding east. Ellana still had no idea where they were going and for what, but she had noticed a couple of things on the way. 

First of all Cullen seemed to be in a good mood and quite talkative. While riding side by side, they talked about the obvious: Halamshiral, since they had returned from there only a couple of days ago. But their comfortable discussions ranged all kinds of subjects, and made Ellana feel warm and happy in Cullen’s company. 

Secondly Cullen did not seem to be in charge, despite outranking all the other Inquisition soldiers quite obviously. It looked like Captain Clark was in charge. For something as standard as riding somewhere for an apparently routine operation the Commander of the Inquisition was not needed at all, so it certainly made Ellana wonder, but it was nice to see him relax and enjoy the outdoors. 

Eventually Captain Clark motioned for them to halt, and for his team to ride forward. Cullen and Ellana halted and dismounted their horses.

“Let’s wait for a moment. This is good training for the new recruits that we have with us today,” Cullen said, standing by his horse and holding its reins in his gloved hand.

“Where are we?” Ellana asked, looking around for clues.

“We’ve arrived, but the men will make sure there are no nasty surprises. Our scout reports from the area have stated that there should be no rifts here.”

Ellana’s keen eyes followed the Inquisition soldiers closely. Everyone else seemed to know exactly what was going on and what to do, but she had no clue. 

“Clear!” came the shout from somewhere they did not see. It was followed by a few others of the same kind, and soon Captain Clark rode back to meet them.

“Commander, the area is secure as expected. With your permission, ser, we’ll ride on and rendezvous later in this same spot.”

“Very good, Captain. Good luck. The Mayor of the village will be pleased to see you. Rendezvous in four hours,” Cullen told the Captain.

“Yes ser. Enjoy your afternoon, ser,” the Captain said with the first smile Ellana had seen from the young man all day, and he rode off.

The Inquisition soldiers mounted their horses and left, continuing along the same road they had arrived. Ellana turned to look at Cullen with raised eyebrows, and the man gestured to her to follow. 

They walked their horses along a path under the hanging branches of old willow trees. The trees soon gave way to a clearing that opened to a lake. There was a small shack and in front of it a fire pit. There was a shelter that held a few logs that could be made into firewood, and the lake had an old pier but no boat. 

“It’s beautiful here,” Ellana said out loud after she had taken it in. 

“I’m glad you like it,” Cullen said as he led his horse to drink from the lake. Ellana followed his example. 

They left the horses and Cullen took Ellana to the pier on the lake. 

“Where are we?” she asked again hoping to actually get an answer this time.

Cullen walked a few steps in front of her and finally stopped at the end of the pier. The lake was calm save for a few birds flying off. Water lilies floated on the surface of the lake that reflected the cumulus clouds in the sky. It was overcast, but it didn’t look like it would rain.

“I saw how heavily the Winter Palace weighed on you, and how exhausted you were when we could finally leave,” Cullen said. “You walk into danger every day. I wanted to take you away from that, if only for an afternoon.”

“Oh Cullen,” Ellana said softly, touched by his sentiment. “Up until a moment ago I thought there was some work for us to do. But you really arranged some actual time off for us.”

“I did. I hope it’s alright,” Cullen said quietly. 

“More than alright. Thank you. It really does feel good to be out in nature.”

Cullen looked pleased and his shoulders visibly relaxed. He leaned against the tall post at the end of the pier and crossed his ankles. When he spoke, he too sounded like he truly enjoyed the peaceful lake. 

“I grew up not far from here. This place was always quiet.”

“Did you come here often?”

“I loved my siblings but they were very loud,” he said, his eyes glazing over for a moment as he was taken by childhood memories. “I would come here to clear my head. Of course they always found me eventually.”

Ellana watched Cullen’s face. He looked peaceful, with a smile not on his lips but around his eyes. “You were happy here.”

“I was,” he admitted and turned to look at her. “I still am.”

Encouraged by his affectionate look, Ellana took a step closer, close enough to brush her arm against his. “While we’re here, you have me all to yourself.”

This time the smile reached his lips, too, and he cocked an eyebrow at her. “The thought may have crossed my mind.” 

He pushed himself off the post enough to wrap one arm around her lower back and give her a gentle kiss. She melted into his touch and into the kiss. When it broke they pulled away slowly, looking into each other's eyes with soft smiles. 

After a moment of enjoying the peace and quiet, and each other’s company, Cullen continued reminiscing. 

“The last time I was here was the day I left for Templar training. My brother gave me this,” he said and took out a small silver coin with Andraste’s symbol minted on it. “It just happened to be in his pocket but he said it was for luck. Templars are not supposed to carry such things, our faith should see us through.”

Ellana looked at the coin on his palm, and imagined Cullen treasuring it as his only secret possession, all through his teenage years to a young man to the seasoned veteran and General of an army standing next to her now. She knew that despite leaving the Templar Order, Cullen still owned very little of his own.

“A little luck can’t hurt every now and then,” she said.

“I suppose not. I should have died during the Blight, or at Kirkwall, or Haven, take your pick. And yet I made it back here.” Cullen picked up the coin between his index finger and thumb.

“Humor me,” he said, took her hand and placed the coin into her palm. “We don’t know what you’ll face before the end. This can’t hurt.”

Ellana looked down at the coin. She felt her heart palpitate. He was giving his most treasured keepsake to her? This means a lot to him , she realised, and closed her hand around the coin. I mean a lot to him.

“I’ll keep it safe,” she said and looked up into his eyes. 

“Good,” he said in a low voice and moved to embrace her. He pulled her close to him and placed a kiss on her hairline. “I know it’s foolish but I’m glad,” he mumbled into her hair.

Ellana made sure to carefully put the coin into a pocket and then reached her hands up over the fur mantle up to his neck. She nuzzled her nose against his hard jawline, then his stubbled cheek. Their lips met for a slow kiss before they continued nuzzling their noses together, and finally Ellana buried her face against the side of his neck in a close embrace.

They had gotten to know each other slowly, and they had been through a lot already, but they had not been more intimate together than this. But she knew that this was her man. Her partner. Her loved one. For the rest of her days - be it ten days or a hundred years. With unspoken love aching her heart, she inhaled his scent and enjoyed his proximity.

Once Cullen and Ellana returned to shore from the pier, Cullen proceeded to remove his fur mantle and the coat that covered his steel cuirass.

“Now? Are we going to go for it now?” Ellana said with a grin and mimed urgently opening the clasps of her coat.

“No, Andraste’s mercy, no,” Cullen said with a reddening face, throwing his hands up. “I mean, not that I wouldn’t want to, it’s just that I was only going to…”

“It’s fine, I’m just teasing you! You’re an easy target, sometimes, I’m sorry,” Ellana said laughing, leaving her coat on.

“I’m sorry, I really… I would, but… not what I had in mind right now,” he said and pinched the bridge of his nose between his fingers. 

Ellana came to him and touched his arms gently. “What did you have in mind?”

“I was going to take my armour off, yes, because I’d like to chop some firewood,” he explained. “I happen to enjoy chopping firewood, but it’s not very comfortable with full armour on.”

“I understand. Can I help you?” Ellana offered, and turned his hand around in hers, searching for the clasps for his gauntlets and pauldrons. 

Cullen smiled at her softly with relief washing over him as she was once again so patient with him. “You can, if you like. You don’t wear heavy armour yourself and I suppose your people don't use anything as clunky as this?”

“No. It’s noisy and it slows us down. I can’t understand how you can move so naturally wearing this, it must weigh dozens of pounds,” she said and managed to get both of his gauntlets off.

“I’ve been wearing heavier armour than this for almost fifteen years. The pauldrons are attached here,” Cullen pointed to the correct place, and let the curious woman find out for herself. He enjoyed having her so close, watching her beautiful features bunch up in concentration. 

Cullen felt a sting of conscience. They had been in a relationship for a long time now, but they still hadn’t slept together, despite the obvious attraction. Ellana hadn’t shown signs of being frustrated, but that’s the way she was. Understanding, patient, kind. And now she had been joking about it… This would be an opportune time for them to enjoy each other. They had the afternoon to themselves and it was very unlikely they would be interrupted. 

He wanted her. He yearned for her. He had for weeks -  for months, if he was honest. But somehow he couldn’t make himself go to her room in the evenings in Skyhold. Somehow he couldn’t ask her to come to his. He was afraid. He had never been in a relationship before, and now that he finally could have one, he was too afraid to make it happen. He came to realise, with Ellana only inches away from him, her fingers working on his body taking off the pauldrons one at a time, that he was afraid to love her because he was afraid to lose her. He had been hurting for so long. Now he had something beautiful in his life - something that eased the pain, and made him look forward to the future. The pain he would feel if he lost her would finally kill him, one way or another. He was certain. 

“Joking aside,” Ellana said as she placed the pauldrons down to the ground and straightened up to continue with his cuirass. “If you don’t mind me asking… Let me, shoo,” she swatted Cullen’s hands away and found the next buckles by his sides and underneath his armpits. 

“About why I am so slow with you?” Cullen voiced the thoughts in both of their minds with a weary sigh, and spread his arms to his sides to give her room to work. Better to face the question together, he decided.

“Well, um, yes. I don’t mind, but I thought if there was something I should know…” Ellana looked up at him after she had undone his left side. 

“No, not really. Nothing to worry about,” Cullen soothed her fears away, and gently stroked the tops of her arms with his hands. “I’m just a slow, broken man. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t apologise, Cullen,” she said and moved to work on the right side of the cuirass. “It just occurred to me that there might be a religious reason, but you did say you haven’t taken any vows like that. Or if you haven’t, you know… before…”

“Maker’s breath, I’m not inexperienced,” Cullen said quickly, desperate not to have her think him a virgin of all things. “But I can see why you would think that. I am inexperienced in relationships, I’ll admit that much. I’ve never been in a relationship with anyone.”

“Not until now,” Ellana grinned up at him, and Cullen felt a wave of warmth wash over him. It left him smiling at her, and was happy to receive a quick kiss on the lips when she got the buckles of his cuirass open. “Is that it? Does this go over your head?”

“Yes, watch out,” Cullen said, grabbed the front of the cuirass, and lifted it over his head. Underneath he wore a black jerkin, which he also took off, leaving him wearing his boots, black trousers and a white loose undershirt. He set everything aside in a neat pile.

“So how does that work? Being a Templar you can’t really have a relationship but sharing bunks still happens?” Ellana asked with honest curiosity. 

She looked him over - she still hadn’t seen him without his uniform and armour very often. He was a handsome sight - broad shouldered, trim waisted, his arms thick with muscle. His shirt was tucked into his trousers, so it gave her a great view of his powerful legs, his delightful behind and also his… front. Which was also a delightful thought to Ellana, especially given the subject they were discussing.

“Something like that,” Cullen said. “Relations between mages and Templars are prohibited. A Templar's actions can’t be clouded by personal feelings if the worst happens. Fraternising within the Order is frowned upon, so whatever happens, happens in secret. In, um, training camps in the woods. Or relieving watch duties in more ways than one,” he listed, and Ellana saw his neck turn a dark shade of pink. “Or there might be, um, opportunities with outsiders. Brothels or simply personal encounters. Some people seem to really like a uniform,” he added. By the way he was flustering and avoiding her eyes, Ellana realised he was likely listing his own experiences.

“It didn’t happen a lot, but it did happen,” Cullen shrugged. 

“I think I understand,” Ellana said softly, and thought it might be fair to hint at her own experience. “It all sounds a lot more complicated than frolicking out in the woods. I never, um, sampled among my own clan, so to speak. The boys in my clan felt like brothers to me. But I’ve had my opportunities outside my clan.” 

Cullen nodded slowly, but did not dare to ask for more details. It was enough for him to know that she, too, had experience but he couldn’t bring himself to think of her with anyone else.

Ellana thought Cullen had been uncomfortable long enough. “I’m sorry. Perhaps not the best subject of discussion for today.”

“No, I’m glad you brought this up,” Cullen said quickly. “I can’t imagine what strange signals I’ve been giving you.”

“At least the signals have all been confirming that this is a thing. Us. We’re a thing,” Ellana said, pointing at the two of them.

“Very much a thing,” he agreed, but then he took a breath and changed the subject. “It’s time for me to confess something.”

Ellana froze in place - what had she missed? “Oh? Is something wrong?”

“No, not exactly. I thought I’d chop firewood and build a fire so we can have lunch together. But I have to confess - I can’t cook to save my life.”

Ellana stared at the man for a heart beat before she suddenly burst into laughter. She placed a hand on Cullen’s chest as she leaned forward laughing. “Cullen! I thought you were continuing with the same subject!”

Cullen chuckled, took her hand and placed his other hand on her hip, almost like a dancing position. “What did you think I was going to confess? That I’m a eunuch now?”

“No! I don’t know!” Ellana laughed, feeling comfortable and happy being held by him. The discussion had cleared the air and eased her mind. 

“I assure you, my lady, I’m very much not a eunuch,” he said in a low, rumbling voice and kissed the ear of the giggling woman in her arms.

Ellana, trying to squirm away from the tickling kisses, suddenly realised this was the first time she felt him without his armour on - and the man was pressing against her purposefully to make his point. Creators , his body felt incredible - warm like a steel cuirass could never be, hard with muscle, his shape unfamiliar to her after all those times spent sharing kisses with him always wearing the blasted armour. Ellana’s giggles quickly turned into a muffled low moan against the side of his neck as she ran her hands up his sides and then down his back, feeling his broad shape that narrowed from his shoulders to his waist. He pressed against her, his arms surrounding her like they never had before. Now only warm flesh and muscle and cloth, no steel or leather or fur between them. She felt his body flush against hers, and she felt his groin against her hip. No eunuch indeed. If Ellana had wanted him before, now her insides burned with desire for him.

Cullen breathed in her scent, feeling her silky hair against his cheek as he held her as close as he could. Closer than he ever had. He had been dreaming of feeling the feminine shape of her body against his for a long time now. He knew the curve of her waist from earlier embraces, but the sudden intimacy of only being separated by a couple of layers of cloth was overwhelming. His breath hitched in his throat and his heart pounded in his chest desperately, and he wrapped his arms around her tighter, like he never wanted to let her go. She was so warm, and so soft. Her hands exploring his body felt incredible. 

Cullen couldn’t help but search for her lips and cover her mouth in a ravenous kiss that had her let out yet another muffled moan. He felt her melt in his arms, he felt her push herself against himself. She wanted him. And Maker, he wanted her. It would be so easy to just take his shirt off, lay her on the grass beyond the firepit, kiss every inch of her skin as he stripped her one piece of clothing at a time, and make love to her right here.

He certainly made the point of his joke of not being a eunuch. When he finally caught himself, he was already fully erect in his trousers, and she had certainly felt it against her hip.

“What I was going to say was…” Cullen broke the kiss and panted against her lips. 

“Are you going to talk about cooking now?” Ellana groaned. Quickly she lifted her arms to wrap around his neck and made him duck down for more heated kissing. Her tongue swiped at his lips and slid against his tongue as she kept her body pressed against his.

Cullen was inches from losing control. His hands came down to grab her ass, and Maker, what a fine ass it was, he thought. He lifted her up in the air to carry her without breaking the kiss. He immediately regretted the move, because Ellana promptly, and very naturally, wrapped her legs around his thighs. He almost growled into the kiss, trying to resist her temptation. Blindly he walked forward slowly carrying her, their bodies wrapped around each other, until he reached the side of the firepit. Cullen carefully leaned forward and set the woman sitting on the fallen log next to the firepit. 

“There,” Cullen said as the hungry kiss finally broke. Both of them were breathing hard and their lips were pink and swollen from the suckling kisses. He took a step back before he could change his mind, leaving Ellana sitting there with a stupefied look on her face. 

“I’m going to make firewood,” he said, catching his breath. “And you, beautiful, are going to find out what the Skyhold kitchens have packed us for lunch. Because as I said, I can’t cook to save my life.”

“Creators, you have the discipline of an entire army of Templars,” Ellana sighed as he turned to walk away to pick up an axe. She saw - and had felt - the bulge in his trousers as he turned away. 

Ellana sat where Cullen had left her, following the man with her eyes. He was so handsome. No, Ellana thought, not only handsome. He was hot as embers. The black leather boots and the black trousers were a snug fit, and watching him go did nothing ease the desire in Ellana’s stomach. 

“So, food,” Ellana’s brain fogged with lust finally caught up.

With the axe Cullen walked back across the lakeside, smiling and shaking his head at Ellana.

“I believe the saddlebags on your horse should be packed with our lunch,” Cullen said helpfully. He struck the axe into a piece of wood and began carrying sawed off pieces of tree trunks to be chopped into kindling and firewood.

Ellana watched him work for a short while. Cullen was impressive and very strong, and his thick biceps hard at work showed through the loose sleeves of the shirt. Finally Ellana felt like her legs could carry her, and she stood to search the saddlebags. 

*

Cullen judged the time and decided to add one more log to the fire. They still had some time left before they needed to head back. Ellana sat next to him near the fire on the picnic rug she had found in one of the saddlebags. She was packing away the leftovers from their lunch - and it was no wonder. The Skyhold kitchens had packed enough food for at least four people, and the two of them were stuffed. 

Cullen watched her work, much the same way he had watched her take off his armour. With loving eyes, drinking in the sight of her when she was concentrating on something else. Ellana was humming some tune he was unfamiliar with. The Inquisitor had developed a crease between her eyebrows, but now it was gone. The woman next to him looked relaxed and content, humming away as she wrapped the rest of the cheese and the Orlesian levain bread into brown paper. The domestic normality of what they were doing warmed Cullen’s heart, and made him very happy that he had managed to pull this off.

“You’re staring at me,” Ellana said, and only then lifted her eyes to look at him.

“I can’t help it,” Cullen said unapologetically, and leaned back against the tree trunk that served as seating around the firepit. “You look lovely.”

“I thought I had cheese on my face. The Orlesian one was runny, and too strong,” Ellana said, scrunching her nose. Cullen thought it made her look even cuter.

“I agree. The Fereldan smoked ham, however,” he said and closed his eyes, touching his thumb and fingers together in a gesture of appreciation. 

“I knew this wasn’t just for me,” Ellana laughed, “this was also about my grumpy Fereldan Commander escaping the Orlesian court.”

“I’m not grumpy,” Cullen complained, grumpily.

“Uhhuh. Not grumpy at all, vhenan,” Ellana smirked at him. “Now excuse me a moment.”

Cullen watched her get up, then swatted her hand away as she ruffled his hair - but his hair had come undone anyway when he had been chopping firewood - and watched her walk away to the woods. 

While she was relieving herself, Cullen lounged by the fire with his fingers crossed on his stomach, his back against the log and his legs long towards the fire. He was warm, and content, and happy. His thoughts were racing forward, thinking of how they would arrive back to Skyhold late in the evening. Perhaps he would help Ellana dismount from her horse. Perhaps he would keep holding her hand and walk her to his office, lock the doors and embrace her like he had embraced her earlier today. Only this time he wouldn’t break it off. This time he would ask her to stay the night.

He was startled from his thoughts by shapely thighs suddenly surrounding his head as Ellana sat on the log behind him.

“Where did you come from?!” he demanded, leaning forward and looking at her over his shoulder.

“I’m… sorry? Did I scare you?” Ellana asked, stifling a laughter.

“You did. I shouldn’t be surprised that you don’t make a sound moving in nature,” Cullen breathed with his hand on his chest. 

“It’s second nature. I don’t want to startle the wildlife or attract the attention of shemlen. Except you,” Ellana said, and touched his shoulders with her hands. “You I do want to attract.”

Ellana pulled him back to lean against the log, to sit between her legs. 

“Like a moth to a fire,” Cullen sighed and settled back to a comfortable seat. 

“Or a bee to a flower. A much less sinister metaphor,” Ellana suggested, and began to knead his shoulders with her palms.

“No, you don’t need to, hmmmm,” Cullen tried to tell her she didn’t need to feel like she needed to do him a favour, but his words melted away. 

“How come I’m not surprised your shoulders are tight as bow strings,” Ellana said in a low voice.

Cullen couldn’t reply, his eyes had already drooped shut as Ellana used her palms to warm the tense muscles of his shoulders and neck. She pulled a little on the neckline of his shirt to reveal more skin. She noticed that there was a nasty looking but healed slash scar on his right collarbone and magical burn scarring on his left shoulder. She had a feeling he had many other scars hidden underneath his clothes. Someday soon she would kiss his scars, she decided. Every one of them.

Cullen didn’t remember that anyone would have ever rubbed his shoulders before, at least not like this. Ellana first warmed his muscles and skin enough to loosen his tendons a little, and now seemed to change tactics. She began using a bit more force. He squeezed his eyes shut and hissed between his teeth.

“Tell me if I hurt you,” he heard Ellana’s voice, but he shook his head wordlessly and let her continue.

Cullen felt like he melted under her hands, and his head lolled forward, drooping down. Her hands were surprisingly powerful and firm and warm, and she seemed to know exactly what she was doing. Cullen realised he must have lost sense of time, and he caught himself groaning as her hands felt particularly good on the sides of his neck. 

“Maker,” he breathed. “Where have you learned this?”

He felt Ellana lean closer to him, and press a kiss into his hair. “My mother. She’s been helping the clan’s midwife and healer, and is pretty good with things like this. Does it feel good?”

“It feels incredible,” Cullen mumbled, quite unable to open his eyes yet. 

But he didn’t need to. Ellana’s fingers moved from his shoulders to his neck and then to his scalp. She ran her fingers through his hair, stroking the unruly waves gently. She then placed her fingertips more firmly against his scalp and began to massage his head, slowly and deliberately.

Cullen’s body had relaxed with the neck rub, and his heart had melted with her stroking his hair. How stupidly good something as simple as that felt. He had been alone for a long, long time. 

But this, her rubbing his scalp? This was almost orgasmic. He let himself lean against her, his head against her chest, his arm slung around her leg. He had never experienced intimacy like this. It was an overwhelming feeling to be able to let his guard down and relax. He felt safe, and he felt cared for. He felt… loved? He wasn’t sure if that was the right word, but his own heart certainly was full of affection and, Maker help him, love for the woman taking such good care of him. This kind of closeness and intimacy was better than sex. Then again, he had never made love to her. Not yet. Perhaps that would be better than this. It remained to be seen.

After a while, Ellana’s fingers slowed and eased to stroking his hair again. Cullen kept his eyes closed and head leaned back against her chest. He felt her soft kisses all over his face, and he murmured something unintelligible. 

“Hmm?” Ellana’s question was a soft sound he felt against his brow from her lips. 

“Come here,” he mumbled, and reached back to pull her down. 

Laughing a little, Ellana let him pull her off the log she was sitting on, and into his lap so that she sat sideways between his thighs, her legs to one side. Cullen didn’t wait at all, but covered her mouth with a languid kiss as soft as his whole body felt like. 

“Ellana,” he sighed against her lips, still with his eyes closed. “You are one of a kind.”

She leaned back enough to look at his face, and cradled his chiselled jaw in her hands. “Ella,” she said softly. “My family calls me Ella. You can call me Ella, too.”

Cullen’s heart filled with warmth as he looked at her beautiful blue eyes. She made him feel included, like he suddenly belonged to something. Something else than work and duty. Now he was part of a small club, mostly consisting of her family, with the exclusive privilege of her nickname. Cullen pulled her back closer to him and pressed his stubbled face against her cheek. 

“Ella,” he repeated, trying out the shorter name. It felt good.

*

All too soon the lovers had to untangle from each other, put out the fire, put on Cullen’s heavy armour again and pack away their things to the saddlebags. They met with the Inquisition soldiers and Captain Clark, who told them that their routine mission had gone well and the Inquisition had another foothold in Ferelden. 

They arrived back to Skyhold at dusk, and Cullen, with his heart full, did exactly as he had planned. He dismounted from his horse first, strode to the Inquisitor’s horse and helped her down. 

As the stablehands took their horses and the Inquisition soldiers went through their routines around them, Cullen held Ellana’s gaze and her hand. “Walk with me?”

Ellana, who was molten wax in his hands, smiled and nodded. 

Cullen tucked her hand around his arm and walked with her towards the stairs that lead up to the battlements. They talked together in low voices about sweet nothings as they strolled towards his office, just as he had planned. 

As they neared his tower, a messenger and an Inquisition Lieutenant ran up to him from his office - and Cullen knew immediately his chance was gone. He let go of Ellana’s hand as they halted to a stand in the battlements.

“Commander! You’re back!” the Lieutenant blurted.

“There has been an incident in the Western Approach!” the messenger said urgently and handed him a missive. 

“And there has been a confrontation between some mages and a Templar in the barracks,” the Lieutenant added. 

Cullen turned to Ellana. “I’m so sorry, I-”

“I know. Go,” Ellana said softly, and touched his arm affectionately. “Thank you for the day, Cullen.”

The man stood there looking at her for a few heartbeats, until he clenched his jaw and bowed his head to her. “Inquisitor.”

Then he walked away to his duty, opening the missive in his hands as he did, with the soldier and messenger at his heel.

Ellana remained standing at the battlements for a while, until she turned and walked back to her own tower alone.

[warpedlegacywrites]

Fic authors self rec! When you get this, reply with your favorite five fics that you've written, then pass on to at least five other writers. Spread the self-love ❤️

Thank you for this ask @blarrghe!

Swept Away: Josephine Montilyet/Isabela. M. 75,162 words. This project was a real labor of love from start to finish. It was also the first work I ever made a concentrated effort to finishing before I published it. And the result, I think, is all the stronger for it. I adore this pairing as well, and I'm not usually given to rare pairs, but these two just sing to me. They fit so perfectly together, and I had so much fun imagining how that might happen. Major thanks to @rakshadow for being my ever-patient and ever-wise beta. And to @theluckywizard for the lovely artwork she contributed. You both helped this story take shape!

Lead Her Through the Darkness: Genfic. T. 3,121 words. One-shot. This was my first gift fic for an OC swap exchange, and I swear from start to finish I was possessed with this character. Ixchel is such an amazing protagonist and the symbolism around her, especially her name, felt such a vital piece of that, I wanted to explore that a bit. I am humbled and honored that @dreadfutures has taken this idea and run with it in her own canon. <3

Seeker, It's Cold Outside: Varric Tethras/Cassandra Pentaghast. T. 5,242 words. One-shot. Writing vitriolic banter is like 95% of the reason why I adore this pairing so much. Their dynamic is so messy, doomed from the start, but no less worthy of a story to be told just because the ending I foresee for them isn't an unambiguously happy one. It's moments like this one where I see them able to unpack themselves a little bit around each other, and that's so important for them both.

Fiercely Perish: Dorian Pavus/The Iron Bull. M. 23,033 words. Die Hard, but in Thedas. This was an April Fool's Day fic some years ago, and it remains a fic I look on fondly for how much unbridled fun it was to write. I especially love people recognizing the source material as they read and leave comments. It brings me such joy. This is also probably one of the sillier fics I've written, and I don't give myself the opportunity to lean into humor as often as angst. This is just. Fun. It's fun. I love it. ^_^

While Time Remains: Series. Cullen Rutherford/OC!mage!Trevelyan. M. 189,699 words, 2/4 planned arcs published. WIP. I'm cheating a little bit on this one since it's a series rather than one isolated fic. But the series is one continuous story, so I think I can count that. This was the series I turned to when I stalled on my main DAI-timeline longfic. Writing this gave me a chance to finally sink my teeth into the Cullen/Theresa pairing that I was longing for so badly with my main fic's slow burn. It also helped me really start to shape my voice as a writer, learning how to pace a story so that one arc felt complete while still being part of a greater whole. And it helped me discover my strengths as a writer, and grow in my confidence. But more than that, I was able to develop Theresa and Cullen's relationship beyond my wildest dreams. They've grown just as much as I have throughout the course of writing and planning this story for them, that was only originally conceived as a sweet and lighthearted domestic fluff series of vignettes. An epic, vast-sweeping story has grown out of those humble origins, and I can't wait until it's all finished and published so people can enjoy it in its entirety! ^_^

[pupkinpumpkin]

Headcanon time!

Thinking of my Lavellan learning when Cullen's birthday (or name-day I think) is during their little chess game before they enter a relationship

She keeps the info tucked away for later until a bit before In What Pride Had Wrought, where she realizes Cullen's birthday is coming up and wants to do something for him

So, the plan-

- Ask Cassandra if it's possible for her to take over Cullen's duties for a day (she's reluctant, but Lavellan begs, and she can't say no to being part of a romantic gesture, so she agrees, but she makes Lavellan promise to tell her all the details the day after)

- Ask Josephine and Leliana if they don't need Cullen for the day and if they're okay with Cassandra running the show instead (They give the okay and Leliana has her scouts inform Cullen's men)

- Ask the main cook if they can whip up some classic Ferelden meals, desserts, any other foods she knows Cullen likes, etc, for which they will be compensated for working outside their hours (she's very grateful, pays them way more sovereigns than she probably should've)

- Stands at Josephine's door for 5 minutes afraid to knock on the door, finally does, Josephine invites her in, and it takes Lavellan a few moments of blushing and hyping herself up to ask if Josie knows any places that may sell good wine or...lingerie. Josephine tells Leliana and Vivienne (mostly for advice on good stores, but also because of that sweet sweet gossip), Vivienne tells Dorian, Dorian tells Iron Bull, and guess what, they're all going with her on her secret shopping trip and giving Cullen funny looks when he asks why they're all going with Lavellan just to buy cheese

- I think she would have already been using her magic to help dull pain when he has headaches, but she'd be researching a lot more possible ways her magic could help with any negative effects just in case

- Buys a transportable chess set (those nifty ones that fold and hold the pieces), commissions a very nice Ferelden looking sword (with a mabari face as a hilt) from Harritt, and, after badgering Cullen about how, yes, don't deny it, you absolutely do use hair products, which ones specifically do you use, she buys a bunch of hair care stuff, because as much as she adores his curls, she knows how particular he is about it

The day comes and she doesn't sleep with how nervous she is over getting everything just right

She's learned Cullen's schedule by heart at this point, so about an hour before he usually wakes up, she gets ready (wearing a quite well-fitting dress) knocks on his door and he invites her in

She gives him the hair care as his first gift and sits on the bed as she watches him do his hair and generally just get ready for the day. When he makes the small remark at how even on his birthday, he's working, she oh so subtly tells him "Well, actually..."

She smiles at his disbelief, and when he starts stressing over all the reports he needs to finish writing or instructions he needs to give Cassandra on what to do, Lavellan calms him down and tells him that Skyhold will still be here when he gets back and she made sure that he doesn't have to worry about anything today, giving him the sword as his next gift

They travel to the same lake where he gave her the lucky coin and have a picnic full of food freshly prepared by the cook. They walk, talk, maybe even swim, she gives him the chess set, and they leave again for Skyhold, arriving just when it gets dark

She takes him to her room, gives him one last present, and then she immediately falls asleep because Creators is she tired. That lack of sleep got to her eventually.

Cullen just holds her in his arms, running his fingers through her hair, and thanks her, whispering that an entire day spent with her was the best gift he could've asked for

[merrybandofmurderers]

tagged by @midnightbluejay to make some dragon age ships with this picrew

Yuo Lavellan x Dorian Pavus

Anavi Lavellan x Vivienne / Anavi Lavellan x Cullen Rutherford

Mahanon Lavellan x Iron Bull

Ephraim Lavellan & Cole

Danae Lavellan x Sera x Layeirth Istimaethoriel

@mrs-theirin, @calicostorms, @ringneckedpheasant, @fade-and-loathing-in-thedas, @spainkitty, @cactusnymph