Fic has been edited to reflect the events of Trespasser. Some spoilers ahead, beware.
"I'm fine."
Dawn had said this for the tenth time as Cullen grasped her hand, nervously watching her. She had reported being light-headed since the morning, and nauseous. Earlier on she had thrown up and called it nothing more than food poisoning.
Cullen frowned as she continued on her way through the keep; it had remained busy as an important trade center between Ferelden and Orlais, and it remained their home, no matter how often they travelled. "Dear," he said, strained, "I can see you're not feeling well. Why are you walking about Skyhold?"
"I have work to do." she snapped. "I'll be fine. The air will be good for me."
"There's windows in your room. You can get air in there. Lying down. With a healer taking care of you." Cullen retorted. She rolled her eyes.
"Cullen, I love you, but..." She stopped and rubbed her forehead ruefully, wincing as her hand rubbed against dry skin. Her head pounded with a headache, her mouth dry. She felt the world spinning, and Cullen took notice.
"Come on," he said, brow furrowed with worry, "I'm taking you to the tavern to get you some water and then you're going to your room to rest. You're not well."
"You're not the boss of me." she protested.
"No, but I am an adviser, and your husband, and I strongly advise you listen to me." he chided. "If anything, humor me."
She rolled her eyes. "Ugh. Fine." she said, exasperated. Cullen held her tighter than he realized as he escorted her to the tavern nearby with an arm around her. Iron Bull looked over from his chair as they entered, pausing to examine the Inquisitor's pale face. He frowned.
"You okay, Boss? You're looking a little pale there."
"Fine." she replied hastily.
Footsteps followed as Sera came to peek over the balcony. She stared down at the Inquisitor. "What? What's wrong with her?" Sera squinted at her and grimaced. "Oh, Bull's right, you're looking sick, there. What are you doing up, weirdy?"
The Inquisitor did not reply, and an awkward silence fell over them. Cullen paled. "Honey?"
She still didn't reply. Her eyes rolled into the back of her head and she slumped in Cullen's arms. Iron Bull stood up and rushed over to the unconscious woman, who was weighing down the commander.
"Dawn!" Cullen screamed, "Dawn, wake up! Wake up, oh, Maker, please be okay!" He shook her, panicking.
"I'm getting the healer!" Sera yelled, dashing down the stairs. "Shit. Shit, fuck, shit! Oh, Maker, shit, fuck, tits! Ass, shit...crap!"
Iron Bull looked up to Cole, who had scurried down the stairs at the sound of screams. "Cole, get some water. Now." the qunari ordered.
"Okay." Cole responded, running down the stairs to the barkeep, who was already pouring out a large glass of water. Iron Bull and Cullen picked her up, laying her down over a table. Cullen nervously brushed her hair back, pausing as Dawn's eyes slowly blinked open, dazedly staring at her husband and Bull as they stood over her.
"What happened?" she asked slowly, slurring her speech. Bull frowned.
"Do you remember anything? You fainted, Boss."
"I remember walking into the tavern..." Her eyes rolled back again and she fell unconscious. Cullen shook her firmly, desperately.
"No! No, wake up, Dear, wake up!" He groaned. "We need to rouse her if we're going to be giving her that water."
"Why?" Cole asked. "Can't I just give it to her now?"
"No, Cole," Iron Bull stated, staring down at the Inquisitor, "you never put anything in the mouth of an unconscious person." He grunted. "Come on, Boss, wake up. Cole, splash a little of that water on her face. Maybe it'll rouse her."
Cole obeyed and spilled some of the contents of the glass on the Inquisitor's forehead. Dawn gasped and awoke again, dizzily rolling her head back and forth.
"Stay awake for a minute." Bull said, hoisting her upper body up, "Now, Cole."
Cole poured the contents of the rest of the glass in her mouth, and Dawn did not protest or push it away. She coughed a few times in response, which Iron Bull smiled at.
"Yeah, good job." he said, patting her back. Cullen sighed.
"I knew you shouldn't have been up. I should have-"
"No time for that!" Sera's voice came, several medics following. She pointed to Dawn, and they ran by as Sera anxiously stared at her friend, pacing back and forth. Dawn squinted, confused as the medics pushed her off the table onto a stretcher. She reached for her husband's hand, and he held her hand with both of his, following the medics as they dashed off with her. The others were left watching helplessly as they took her away.
There was a moment of silence before Cole spoke up. "World spinning, head light, stomach churning...there's no sweat on my forehead. Why is there no sweat on my forehead? Can't let Cullen know, can't let him worry-"
"Stop, Creepy, we get the picture. She's sick, feels like shite." Sera approached the window and watched as the medics carried off the woman to the medical office. She let out a small whine. "She better be okay..."
There was a crowd growing outside of the healer's office, murmuring, buzzing as a crowd. Blackwall and Dorian was among them, both with crossed arms. Bull watched out the tavern window, and Sera had opened one of her windows, as she paced and strained her ears, listening. Cassandra was making her way to the office, pushing past the crowd. She approached Dorian and Blackwall, eyes wide. "What's going on here?" she demanded.
"Dawn fainted in the tavern. Twice." Dorian clarified, arms crossed, glancing between the Lady Seeker and the office. Cassandra's eyes widened briefly and then narrowed, and she let out a disgusted noise.
"You mean she got up and went to work after throwing up this morning?!" The woman growled in frustration. "I told her to stay in bed! Cullen did! Josephine did! What in the world was she thinking?!"
"She's too work-minded, even after the Inquisition was disbanded," Blackwall said with a sigh, "Cullen kept trying to convince her to go back to bed, but she wouldn't have it."
"And now we wait for her status. It's been awhile." Dorian said anxiously. "I think it sounds like dehydration or food poisoning. I told her those Orlesian cakes were too old to eat..."
Cassandra was about to open her mouth to speak when the door creaked open, and the healer appeared in the doorway, looking pleased. Silence fell over the crowd, and she waved her hand at them. "Shoo, all of you! You'll hear how she's doing soon enough!"
There was some grumbling as the others went away, save for Dorian, Cassandra, and Blackwall. Sera climbed off the roof, trying to take a short way down. Iron Bull caught her and set her down, and the two ran to the healer with the others. Cole scurried behind Bull. The healer rolled her eyes.
"I suppose you all are going to demand to know how she's doing?"
"You're damned right we are." Blackwall snapped. She sighed and waved them in, and they followed into the building. There were several other patients on beds as soon as they came in, but they bypassed them to the back, where a curtain was set up around who was no doubt the Inquisitor. Her silhouette, sitting up on a bed, along with Cullen leaning over her was clear through through the curtain, a candle burning nearby. They came around the corner.
They found her awake, looking tired and drained, but with enormous wide eyes. There were lines under Cullen's eyes, but he was smiling. The healer turned to the group. "She's going to be fine. She was just very dehydrated, though she has something she'd like to tell you."
"Well, what is it? It's not something dire, I hope." Dorian inquired. The healer shook her head.
"No. Perhaps they should tell you." She replied, turning to them. Dawn smiled weakly.
"I'm pregnant."
There was a moment of shocked silence before everyone cheered, save for Cassandra. She stared, stunned.
"Are...are you certain?"
"As certain as can be," the healer explained, "I think she's some weeks in, at most. Maybe two months. She wasn't taking care of herself properly in between all her work, and being pregnant made it worse. She and the unborn will be fine, though, with proper care."
"She will be fine? Then...good." Cassandra finally smiled. "Congratulations."
"Thank you, Cassandra," Cullen sighed tiredly. "I could have done without the fainting for her to find out, but at least we know. I'm going to be a father. I can scarcely believe it."
"So, is this the part where you tell her to take better care of herself or something?" Blackwall asked. The healer laughed.
"Yes, indeed. I'm going to have weekly appointments with her now, and as for you..." She turned to the patient, who was smiling, albeit tiredly, "I expect you to eat more, drink more, and rest. No alcohol. You have to take care of yourself, and most importantly, for the next several months, I strictly prohibit you from going out in the field to fight. Not anymore."
"I don't think Cullen would allow me. He's going to hover over me for the rest of the pregnancy, I know it." Dawn replied with an eyeroll.
"You're right. I will." Cullen agreed. "Can I take her back to her room, now?"
"Yes. Be gentle with her."
"Oh, please," Dawn scoffed, "I'm not that fragile...Cullen!" She squealed as her husband picked her up, cradling her bridal-style. She blushed. "I can walk..."
"Don't start up, Dawn," Dorian said wryly, "we don't want another incident like this morning."
She huffed and leaned against Cullen as he walked out with her. They opened the door to find the crowd back. Cullen glared at the group and they all moved, and both husband and wife were silent on the way up to the castle. He carried her up the stairs as she blushed as every visitor in sight watched him carry her.
He took her through the hall, ignoring visiting dignitaries' stares. They were almost past Josephine's former office when the ambassador's voice carried to their ears.
"Inquisitor! Cullen!"
They turned to the voice of Josephine as she ran forth, carrying her clipboard. Vivienne was behind her, eying the Inquisitor with an inscrutable expression. Dawn waved from Cullen's arms. "Josephine and Vivienne! I know I was supposed to come up here earlier to talk to both of you, but-"
"I understand if it slipped your mind, Darling," Vivienne said calmly, "as I understand it, you had quite the incident today. How are you feeling now?"
She shrugged. "A little light-headed, but I'll be fine. Cullen's trying to make sure of that."
"We can see that," Josephine giggled briefly and cleared her throat, "are you going to be alright? What did the healer say?"
Dawn and Cullen shared a look briefly. Cullen tiredly smiled. "My wife was dehydrated. Also...would you like to tell them, Dawn?"
His wife bobbed her head up and down. She looked the two women square in the eyes as best she could while being carried. "I'm pregnant."
Josephine gasped, and Vivienne blinked briefly before beaming.
"That's wonderful news, Darling!" Vivienne praised. "I hope you take better care of yourself during this time. And-"
"-a baby shower. You need to arrange a baby shower right away." Josephine said, furiously scribbling down notes.
"Calm down," Cullen snapped, "we just found out. Parties can wait." Josephine scoffed in response.
"I may not be your ambassador anymore, but for all you've done for the Montilyets, I insist on this. It's a miracle our annual visit coincided with this. Let me do this."
"A baby shower for her is a delightful idea," Vivenne agreed, "and must start being worked on immediately. I intend to help. I also know an excellent doctor who delivered several ladies at court's children. I'll introduce you to him."
"They've already assigned a doctor to me, Vivienne, it's fine." Dawn explained. Vivienne rolled her eyes.
"I'm sure you have a fine doctor, but you deserve the best. I'll send word to him immediately."
"But-"
"I won't take no for an answer, darling," the court mage interrupted, "now, you should go rest. You need it."
"I agree. Madame Vivienne, Josephine." Cullen bowed his head and turned away with his wife. He opened the door to their room and slammed it shut. Dawn shook her head.
"I'm going to have people hovering over me for the next several months, aren't I?"
"I'm afraid you are, myself included among those people." Cullen replied, grinning. "I can't believe it. I'm going to be a father. You're going to be a mother."
"We're going to have a baby." Dawn whispered. Cullen approached the bed. He set her down gently, and she sat up, only to be pushed down by him.
"Don't strain yourself. I'm going to fetch you lunch. And water. And...is there anything else you need?"
Dawn frowned. "No, Cullen, I'm fine. You can stop worrying."
Cullen laughed. "On the contrary, I can't stop worrying. I suppose I never have stopped." They kissed, and his wife relaxed back.
"I suppose being spoiled for the next few months won't be so terrible."
"See? I agree." Cullen turned away reluctantly. "So, are you certain-"
"There is nothing else I need, Cullen, please. I will be fine. I have good luck." She pulled a coin out of her pocket, holding it up as it glinted in the light. "I had this when I fought Corypheus, and I have it now."
"Still less comforting that I thought." He relaxed only a little. "Let me fetch you a few books, first-"
"-you can do that when you come back. I can rest without a book for a bit until then. Relax, Cullen."
"I..." The commander turned around and kissed her forehead. "I love you."
"I love you, too. Now, go get me lunch. I'm starving."
"Right away!" He ran off, rushing down the stairs. He opened and closed the door to the hall behind him, and didn't notice for a second, but there were dozens of people- mostly nobles- staring at him as he came out. When he did notice, he awkwardly stared before waving at them. Cheers and applause followed, and the man blushed as he set off to get his wife lunch. He waved again, pushing past the crowd to the kitchens.
He was interrupted several times, handed gifts of flowers, cookies from Sera, several other treats intended for the Inquisitor, and promises of a crib and rocking horse from Blackwall. By the time he got to the kitchen, his hands were full, and the servants offered to bring food to them. He turned to his wife's side, arms full of even more presents.
"All this fuss over...my baby." Cullen thought to himself, smiling behind a mountain of goods.
"Commander?"
Cullen looked up from his desk to see a dwarf messenger holding a square cake box. She was smiling at him. "This came as a gift from Hawke and Varric. I believe it's a cake. Varric also sends word that he'll be visiting in a few months."
"No doubt in time for the baby. Thank you, I'll take it." Cullen got up and took the cake from her. She bowed and walked out. When the door was closed behind her, he opened the box and froze.
The cake smelled delicious, and on the top, each letter in a different color of the rainbow, it read:
Congrats on the Sex! Love Varric and Hawke.