A/N: this is my first dragon age story, and the first thing I've written in a few years, so I'm gonna go ahead and apologize for anything that is oc or goes Against Lore.

It had been two years since Riona Lavellan had beaten Corypheus and had sealed the breach for good. She along with her companions and the Inquisition forces continued to fight closing the remaining rifts, killing any red templars that hadn't already been dealt with, and routing out remaining Venatori agents. Some of her companions would come and go as they pleased, taking care of their personal matters but for the large part they stayed in Skyhold. In fact the only one who hadn't returned was Solas, there had been no sign of him for the past two years. It still hurt her to think about it, they had been close once, she had considered him a friend and if she hadn't fallen head over heels for the commander the very first time she had seen him, they might have been more than friends. She sometimes wonders if that was the reason he left because she had fallen for Cullen.

Riona looked to the handsome man lying beside her, his unruly curls sticking in every direction, she understood Varric's nickname for Cullen now. Her eyes drunk in the sight of him, it didn't matter that Cullen had moved into her rooms after the final battle, she never failed to feel butterflies in her stomach when she looked at him, especially when he didn't have clothes on. Riona drew her eyes away from his muscular body to his face where a contented smile lay on his lips. The scar running through them giving him a devilishly sexiness even in his sleep. The nightmares that once plagued Cullen every night had all but stop, now he may only get one once a month. Riona liked to think she was the reason behind it but she thought it had more to do with the fact that he was away from the templars and they were at a relative peace throughout Thedas, plus he was completely over his lyrium addiction. If anyone had asked Cullen though he would have straight up told them it was because of his beautiful lady Inquisitor, his Riona.

Riona sighed softly, she had never thought it possible but skyhold had become her home, her friends had become family. The smile on her face was replaced by a slight frown as she realized all of that might change depending on the outcome of the soon to be held Exalted Council.

"What's wrong?"asked Cullen, his voice husky with sleep.

"I'm just thinking about what happens if the Inquisition is disbanded… I guess everybody will go their separate ways, return home to their families." Riona said as the frown got deeper.

Cullen sat up and placed a hand on her shoulder, "and you… you will return to your… your clan". His voice breaking as he asked her.

Riona placed her own hand over his and laid her head against it, a soft smile played on her lips. "As much as I would like to, I could never leave you."

"I could go with you… if that's what you want," Cullen offered, a hand rubbing the back of his neck as he so often did when he was nervous.

"No" , Riona replied a little to harshly and quickly judging by Cullen's crestfallen look.

"Oh...I uh...I see", he said his hand dropping from her shoulder.

Riona turned to him, placing her hands on his face, "It's not that I wouldn't want you to come with me, it's that my clan would never accept you… and… and I… well I would be exiled for loving you. So it's just best that I don't return home, so I can at least pretend that I could return home if I wanted."

"I'm sorry that…" Cullen started to say but was interrupted by Riona's lips against his.

"Dont you dare apologize, I will never regret loving you." she said after pulling back from him.

"Nor I you", Cullen said pressing his forehead to hers, "No matter what the council decides to do, know that I'll be by your side always, home is wherever you are. I love you, Riona."

Riona smiled as their lips met as Cullen pushed her back down against the pillows. He was going to take her mind off the Exalted Council while he could because once they left their room they would no longer just be two lovers, they would be the Lady Inquisitor and the commander of her armies.