' : L!ONHEART

She smiled"its ok don’t apologise. Your tired. And yeah you could say that I don’t sleep very well" she shrugs. “when are you off?”

“Supposedly someone is coming to relieve me of my post momentarily.” Cullen replied, looking around cautiously.

“But you know how these shift changes go. ‘more important matters’ always seem to make themselves known right before a shift begins.”

The rogue gave a snort of what could only be called derision paired with amusement as she peered over his shoulder at the map, glancing at the cartography with a slight grimace, knowing she would eventually have to return to the place after so many years away from it.

“I don’t know, if he really sets his mind to it Cullen, I think he could. I mean he was powerful enough to put the veil in place, though the artifact he needed to pull it down again was destroyed back when the inquisitor defeated Corypheus two years ago.”

Pushing her hair back from her face, she stood back, leaning against the wall with a sigh.

“Twelve years now Cullen and things haven’t gotten any better really, not since the blight. I doubt the Imperium could stand against a full onslaught from the Qun, and the wardens have gone quiet again, something is brewing, I feel it in my bones. We’ll be fighting again before long when I just wish we could rest and live a peaceful life.”

“How could we not have seen this?” The former commander asked to no one in particular. He never quite broke the habit of talking to himself out loud, despite now having a companion to actually discuss things with besides the other members of the former war council.

“Not once had we ever turned our eyes to Solas... He was right under our feet the entire time!” His brow furrowed, and his hand found the back of his neck.

The young mage sighed and rubbed her face god no more nightmares please she whispered in her head she looked up noticing who the templar was she smiled softly and realising that their wasn’t anyone else up yet she went over to him “hhello”

“Oh, H-hello... Early morning?” He brought his hand to his mouth, concealing a yawn. “Excuse me,” The Templar apologized and shook his head slightly in an attempt to rid himself of the exhaustion that threatened to overwhelm him.

*the next day* the dreams had been unbearable the fade was a volatile place and had left a mark on the young mage she couldn’t sleep properly. She sighed walking down to the stock room.

Cullen was not a morning person. He detested the early morning shifts. He’d been up since before dawn. Supposedly, another Templar recruit would be coming to relieve him of his current post, and although the shifts were supposed to run smoothly trouble always seemed to come around  the time to change posts. Nobody was up. Not even the mages.

He heard the door open, and disappointment flooded his face when he saw the familiar robes. Though this quickly faded once he realized just who it was.

She looked back at him and smiled “I’m not going anywhere” she waved a bit and turned walking away going back into her new room she lay on the bed and closed her eyes her mind drifting back to a certain Templar she wondered how he felt about her…she was a dalish elf and a mage…she knew that the order forbade it. That’s what appealed to her the danger she contemplated on the idea of being in a relationship with him she sighed softly.

Neither am I. The Templar thought to himself. He knew the circumstances were different. He’d joined by choice. To protect the people. It’s what he’d always dreamed of... And yet here she was. Close enough to touch, and unattainable still.

She wiped her eyes and took a breath “No um its nothing to do with you I promise …I was just thinking of my clan” she sighed she probably won’t recognize them now do they still remember her? She liked this Shem he was not like the rest

“Oh.. Oh I see.” Relief flooded over the young Templars face. He hadn’t offended her after all. He looked around, making sure the two of them had some relative privacy. 

“You can always talk to me you know.- I mean you can talk to me whenever--” He pinched his brow. This was forbidden. He shouldn’t even be having this conversation. 

She smiled “I understand..I wouldn’t want to become an abomination…. Thank you I am…i suppose ” she wasn’t sure herself she was still getting over the effect. She missed her clan…being young when they took her she could barely remember her mother. She looked at him her smile had faded she could feel the tears at the back of her eyes threatening to flow she was so ashamed she couldn’t show weakness.

Were those tears in her eyes? Had he said something so offensive it’d reduced her to tears?

“I... i’m sorry!” He sputtered, searching for something comforting to say.

“I hadn’t meant....” What had he meant then? Surely, she too was relieved that she had made it back alive. Some mages weren’t so lucky.

“I would have felt terrible about it. But i serve the chantry and the maker... I will do as i am commanded.” As if the words were any comfort whatsoever! Why did he never think before opening his mouth?

She smiled softly seeing the young templar he was different a kindness flowed from him, her blue eyes shone as she looked up at him being small did have its disadvantages…her cream coloured hair complimented her skin…“hello Ser…. Thank you I’m relieved as well” she looked down she knew how awkward she sounded she wasn’t good at talking to shemlen. Especially males.

“They picked me to be the Templar to strike the killing blow if you became... an abomination. It’s nothing personal! I swear!” What a way to have a conversation. Still... It was probably far better than most she was used to hearing.

“I uh... I’m just glad you’re alright, you know...”

@mackleford The tower was quiet as usual the only mage till awake was a young Elf mage she had just completed the harrowing and was restless she took a journey through the halls she liked this time of night when It was quiet and dark. She could be truly alone with her thoughts

Cullen didnt mind the quiet. Most found it unsettling as they wandered the halls, but the young Templar was... different from the rest. He kept to himself, mostly Though he did  have friends in the tower.

He’d been anxious during this particular harrowing. He quite liked this particular mage. As if his thoughts had willed her to him. There she was, plain as day.

“Oh. H-hello. I’m uh... Glad to see your harrowing went smoothly.”

Her cheeks and the tips of her ears turned a soft shade of pink when he smiled. She could feel butterflies forming in her stomach, fluttering about and it made her hands feel shaky, so she folded them in her lap. “I did make it, yes,” she laughed quietly. “I see you working in there all the time, I figured I could lure you out with food so you could catch a break. Perhaps even socialize a little bit, though I’m afraid you’d be socializing with a bit of an outcast.” She was mostly joking, but it’d be a lie if she said she hadn’t felt the stares of more than a few people every time she passed by. It was rare enough to see a Dalish elf out and about, but even /more/ rare to see one with only a half-finished facial tattoo. That was part of why she spent most of her time walking the battlements. 

“Oh nonsense,” He replied with a shrug. “You might say I’m a bit of an outcast myself.” He hoped the words would be comforting. For once, he didn’t want to come across as dismissive. He liked her. She was fun, and always full of surprises. Normally, the commander didn’t really care for surprises. Though in this case perhaps he could manage an exception.