Morwen noticed a group of Redcliffe children trailing after her as she left the camp. She wouldn't mind them normally, but today she didn't want to be distracted, so she stopped and motioned them to come closer. She told them the Inquisition had a task for them, and that was to collect nuts and berries. The only condition was not to wander too far from the roads, which were patrolled, and therefore safe. Her followers seemed to like the new game, and obeyed, disappearing in the tall grass. She continued her walk, thinking about her children. That's how she used to call her class back in the Circle. She was hoping they were all right, safe and cared for, wherever they were now.
Children always liked her. It was like her personal secret magical power. She didn't know why, but no matter where she went, the children always followed her. Josephine, her political advisor, said it was adorable, and good for the public image. Morwen simply marvelled at how unbiased and acceptive the little ones were. After all, she was a mage, and it was a known fact, even though she never demonstrated her power among the common folk, and never wore the robes.
She pulled a book out of her sack. "Botanical Compendium" by Ines Arancia. She studied the book for years, but had little opportunity to actually see the plants described there. The illustrations were poor, and didn't do the plants justice. Flowers suffered the most – the colourless pictures and succinct descriptions were making it extremely hard to identify them. Morwen intended to fill that gap in her education while she was in Ferelden.
The first flower she found was Andraste's Grace. However she recognised it from Leliana's brooch, not the book. The smell was sweet, simple, and remarkably suitable for Ferelden. Morwen couldn't imagine that flower anywhere else. Daisies grew around Redcliffe in vast numbers, and so did the wild pinks. They were no good for the potions, but she thought they were pretty, so she bowed to pick a few.
When she stood up, she noticed a figure on the cliff, overlooking the lake. She narrowed her eyes, trying to make out who could that be, but the sun was shining into her eyes, turning the stranger into a silhouette. The area was supposed to be secure, Cullen, the military advisor, assured her of it. Could it be a spy who sneaked past the patrols? Should she return to the camp for her staff and to alert their men? Or maybe it would be better to investigate first? Even without her staff she still had enough power to deal with just one intruder. The second plan seemed more sensible, and Morwen headed towards the stranger.
The was a pathway in the tall grass, that lead above, where the mysterious figure stood, and the inquisitor followed it, getting her spells ready. However when she reached the cliff, she realised how silly she was. She could see now that it was just Cullen, in his very distinctive scarlet cloak, adorned with brightly coloured fur. The former templar was consumed with the view of Lake Calenhad, studying something on the horizon through a spyglass, and was oblivious to her presence. That worried her. Another breach? She had to ask.
Morwen headed towards her advisor, making sure she stepped on a couple of twigs, and that the rustle of her skirt against the grass was audible, to warn the man that she was approaching. For some reason Cullen had always been a bit jumpy around her, and she didn't want him to fall from the cliff and break his neck.
As she had expected, he heard her, and turned around to face her.
"Your... Reverence?"
He looked surprised, and even confused. She suddenly became painfully aware of how silly she must have looked to him in her lilac gown, with a bouquet of flowers in her hands, like she just walked right of those books Cassandra was "secretly" reading. The ones where everyone gets happily married in the end, and nobody dies.
"It's Trevelyan. Or Morwen. Please stop addressing me like I'm a revered mother or something!" she corrected him.
Cullen nodded, trying not to look at her flowers, "I apologise, ma'am. Is there something you need?"
Morwen pointed at the lake, "Tell me, what did you see there? Another breach?"
"Oh, that..." Cullen rubbed the back of his neck, looking embarrassed. "No, ma'am, nothing like that. I was just looking at something."
"What? Can I see it too?" she asked.
Cullen handed her the spyglass.
"Yes, of course. Look at that tall silhouette straight ahead, on the horizon," he held the tube for her, helping to find the right direction. His stubbled cheek brushed against her temple when he did that, and for a moment it became harder to breathe. The man was quite handsome, but she didn't think she was the type of a woman to swoon over a pretty face, so she made an effort to stay focused on the spyglass.
"That... looks like a tower? Is it a tower?"
"Yes, ma'am. That used to be the Circle of Magi," he said, and Morwen lowered the spyglass to look at him. He caught her inquiring gaze, and added, "It was my home. A long time ago. Before I was assigned to Kirkwall."
Of course, Morwen remembered, Cassandra mentioned that Cullen once served in Ferelden.
"I wonder what it's like now?" Cullen murmured, looking at the distance.
"Do you want to go there?" Morwen asked.
"No," the former templar shook his head, his expression suddenly growing solemn. "No, that wouldn't be wise. And... I guess some things are better be left in the past."
The way he said that made her try to recall what else did Cassandra say about him. Something was obviously not right.
"Were you there during the Blight?" she asked, remembering the rumours of demons and blood mages in Fereldan Circle.
"Yes," he nodded gloomily.
By the way Cullen's expression changed, Morwen realized that she probably shouldn't ask more, and she was just going to change the subject, when he continued, staring at the lake:
"You probably heard that Libertarians rebelled in Ferelden during the Blight. That's what they called it. In truth, they summoned demons, and became abominations. Knight-Commander sealed the door, and sent word for the Right of Annulment. We were trapped inside with the demons and blood mages…" he looked back at her. "I was the only templar who survived… what they did."
Morwen suddenly felt cold under Cullen's gaze. Yes, that explained a lot about him.
"I'm sorry," she said. "Sorry I brought it up."
He looked back at the lake, "It's nothing. As I said, it happened a long time ago." Morwen knew he wasn't entirely sincere; it was obvious the memories still troubled him.
Cullen went on: "It's just odd to see the tower from here. Surreal… I took my templar vows there," he glanced back at her. "May I ask you something, ma'am?"
"Only if you stop being so formal, Cullen," Morwen replied, happy at the chance to change the subject at last. "Andraste's blood, I have a name!"
That made him smile a little, "I'll try, miss Trevelyan..." she made a face at that, and he corrected himself, "Morwen?"
"That's better!" she nodded, returning the smile. "What did you want to know?"
"I was wondering what did you do in the Circle?"
"What… everyone does? Magic?" she said, feeling puzzled. She expected he was well aware of what mages did in the Circles, since he used to run one himself.
"No, I mean…" he rubbed his brow, probably looking for a better word. "Other than magic? Did you join any fraternity? Or had apprentices, or… anything?"
It was a strangely personal thing to ask. Why would he want to know?
"I had pupils, yes," she said. "I was teaching the children until they were ready for the apprentice hood. It was mostly the Chant, and the letters, you can't teach any real magic at that age. As for my fraternity… Well, I can assure you I was never in a Libertarian camp. I was quite happy with the opportunities the Circle provided."
"You sound like an Aequitarian," Cullen said, and she noticed how his shoulders relaxed a little "I thought you would be one."
"I wasn't," Morwen laughed. "I was a Lucrosian."
"Really?" Cullen looked surprised. She knew he would be. People forgot about her fraternity all the time.
"Yes. And I even led the faction within out Circle," she smiled. It was something she was proud of. "When I became the enchanter, I came to our Lucrosians, full of ideas. The best one was to start printing the books. The printing press was really difficult to get, but it was worth it! Every coin! When it paid off, I was made our leader. Enchanters in our Circle slept on the silken bedding ever since."
"That was quite… ingenious," Cullen said. "But seems like a lot of trouble to get a better bedding."
Morwen shrugged. She didn't think he would understand. She suspected he wasn't stripped off his privileges, and disowned by his father because he had a misfortune to be born with magic. If she could get fine clothes, or luxurious shoes, she was happy. If she could get something nice for her friends, or her pupils, she was even happier.
"You would take those words back after just one night on the silk, trust me," she said instead. And instantly regretted that. It sounded awfully ambiguous, and by the way Cullen's ears started to turn red, she figured out he thought the same. "I'm thinking about getting silk bedding for everyone," she attempted to save her face. "It's great in summers!"
"No need to burden yourself with such expenses, Morwen," Cullen replied with a strange little smile at the corners of his lips. "Maybe I wouldn't like it? You need to try such things first."
Now Morwen felt her ears growing hot. She must have misheard! She looked at her hands, which still were clutching the bouquet. Stupid flowers! It was their fault!
"It's getting late, don't you think?" he finally broke the awkward silence. "Maybe we should return to the village?"
"Yes, we should," she agreed with a nod, happy that the former templar would finally focus on the road instead of her face.
Cullen took the lead, and she followed, trying not to look at the fine long legs ahead of her, and hoping that she would not dream of her general between her silken sheets tonight.