A/N: I started this the same time as my other dragon age story, so I'll apologize for any errors in lore. I'm new to this fandom inquisition is the first DA game I played but I've fallen in love with it. This story will follow the game to an extent but there will be some changes as you will see in this chapter.
Cullen Stanton Rutherford, Knight-Captain of the Templar Order stationed out of Kirkwall, swore under his breath as his boot got stuck in the mud. He could feel the mud oozing down to his toes. "Andraste preserve me", he muttered as he pulled his boot free. Cullen and a small group of templars had been on the trail of some rebel mages for the past three weeks. He was ready to call the hunt quits as there had been no signs of the mages in four days, the trail had definitely gone cold. The mages could be anywhere by now and Cullen felt that helping the citizens of Kirkwall rebuild was a better use of their time. He was just about to give the order to head back to town when he heard a commotion coming from just around the bend. Signaling his men, Cullen drew his sword and slowly edge his way thru the brush. Stopping just behind an outcropping he raised his hand telling his men to hold their positions. Cullen slowly raised up enough so he could see over the boulder he was currently hiding behind, scanning the area quickly he counted three armed bandits fighting with two Dalish elves judging by the markings on their faces, a third elf was bound on the ground not far from Cullen. Dropping back behind the rock he growled out the word, "slavers".
And with that Cullen and his men quickly rushed the slavers. The templars making quick work of them, the Dalish elves had ran the moment the templars burst onto the scene distracting the slavers so they could escape. Wiping the blood from his sword Cullen surveyed the scene, bandits dead, elves gone, men uninjured, beautiful female elf bound and unconscious… "Maker's breath!" Cullen swore as he rushed to the woman's side. Drawing a dagger from his boot, he quickly cut the ropes binding her hands and feet, then he pulled the gag from her mouth. He quickly checked her over for injuries, the only apparent injury was a large gash on the side of her head. Cullen used the gag and water from his own waterskin to clean the wound. He tore a small piece of cloth from her shirt to use as a bandage.
"Ser, we should be moving on, there maybe more slavers nearby. Plus we need to get back on the trial of the rebel mages", said one of Cullen's men.
"And what do you suggest we do with the woman?" Cullen growled out.
"We should leave her ser, the Dalish aren't our problem, the mages are. "
"you suggest we just leave her defenseless? Do you truly believe that is what the Maker would want us to do? I for one think it is our duty as templars to help those who can't help themselves… but if you disagree feel free to go, I'm staying. " Cullen said with a strength he didn't know he still had.
He watched with great sadness as every one of his men left. So this is what the order has come to. So busy with fighting mages that we've lost sight of what truly matters. Perhaps it was time he took Seeker Pentaghast up on her offer. Yes, it was time to move since he could no longer feel like he could do good in the order, Cullen thought bitterly as made a small fire to keep the elf warm.
Once he had the fire going and had dragged the bodies of the slavers away, he sat down across from the unconscious woman and truly looked at her. She was built like most elves he had seen, tall and willowly. But unlike the city elves she seemed stonger somehow. Her hands were sightly callused, Cullen guessed from the rough grain of a bow. She was probably a hunter for her clan. Her skin, though pale at the moment, looked to be slightly tan, as if she spent a large amount of time outside. The markings on her face barely concealed a smattering of freckles. Cullen decided that the purple markings that ran just across her cheek bones looked like tree branches. He noticed a small scar on her forehead running into intricately braided red hair. He imagined if she let it down it would fall down her back in thick waves, he had the surprising desire to run his fingers thru it. Looking at her eyes he was shocked by the intense blue and then he was even more shocked when he realized she was starring at him. He could feel his cheeks burning and nervously began rubbing the back of his neck. "Oh… you're uh… you're awake."
"yes.", she said eyeing him warily. She was well aware that the man in front of her had been ogling her. She was also aware of the fact she was no longer bound and she could feel the bandage on her head. She was fairly certain he was to thank for it but she wasn't going to let her guard down just yet.
"I'm Cullen, I'm glad to see you're awake. That was a pretty nasty looking gash on your head. Do you know how long the slavers had you?" he asked trying to look and sound as less threatening as possible.
Eyeing him carefully to see if she could trust him, she decided that he had a very sincere and kind face. "I'm … not really sure. A week maybe. I'm not sure how long I was knocked out...I had tried to get away, one of them struck me with the hilt of his sword. I'm not even sure where I am."
"well you're about three weeks out of Kirkwall...Where was your clan last at?" Cullen asked.
"It doesn't matter, they won't be there any longer. But I know where they are headed, if I'm lucky I can catch up with them in a few days…. I'm Riona by the way, of the Levellan clan, and it appears as though I'm in your debt." she said with a half grin.
"It was my honor. If you'll allow me, I would be happy to assist you home to your people. This area is not safe to be traveling alone. " Cullen replied giving her a slight bow.
"Thank you but I'm sure you have better things to do than escort a lowly Dalish elf… I'm sure your order is expecting you back." Riona said nodding her head towards the emblem on his shield.
"Ah… yes… well I ...I was actually … I'm not going to be with the order for much longer." he said rubbing the back of his neck.
"You sure about that?", she laughed.
"Yes, quite sure. I just haven't informed them off my decision… not that it really matters anymore. The order is too busy fighting with the mages. They've lost sight of what truly matters. My own men abandoned me when I wouldn't leave you defenseless." Cullen said with a sad shake of his head.
"I'm sorry Cullen… and thank you. I would be very grateful if you'd escort me to my clan." she said placing a small hand onto his arm giving him a soft smile.
Cullen felt like he had burned. That smile on her lips doing strange things to his insides, "it would be my honor, my lady." he said giving her a half smile. "sleep, we will leave at first light."
Cullen and Riona made surprisingly good time. It only took them two days to find her clan. He couldn't help but feel disappointed by that, he had discovered that she was very easy to talk to about anything, and she had a quick wit and a quicker laugh. She reminded him of another young elf he had known in a different life. And while he had cared for her it was inappropriate, whereas even thinking about Riona in a romantic sense was just plain foolish because he would never see her again. And while her clan had been thankful to him for bringing her home, he knew he was not welcomed there. So after resting one day, Cullen, with a sack full of fresh supplies given to him by the clan as thanks, bid goodbye to Riona knowing he'd never see her again.
