So here is another one :D
"Figured I'd see you here. In fact, the hope is the only reason to come to this cold and dismal place."
The familiar voice, one hadn't heard in years, stopped Cassandra in her tracks just outside the main gates of Haven. Turning around, Cassandra felt her heart flip beneath her armor. Sure enough, Galyan was there in the flesh leaning on his staff with that same crooked smile that enamored her all those years ago. The years had aged him, with deep lines on his face and a patches of gray in his hair. No doubt due to the heavy strain of the mage rebellion along with the current state of chaos all across Ferelden. The state of his safety had been a constant concern for Cassandra since the Chantry exploded in Kirkwall. They communicated only a handful of times in the months prior to the catalyst and even the thought that Galyan might have not been there didn't stop her from fearing the worst about his fate.
"Oh come on, Cassandra," Galyan pushed his weight off his staff on a soft laugh, "I don't look that bad to be looked at so strangely."
"No. No that's not it." She approached, stopping with barely an arm's length between them. She could feel his warm breathing fluttering across her cheek and could smell the his very familiar scent of elf root, all reassuring her the man before her was in fact real and not a dream. Still wasn't enough, so she brushed the tips of her fingers over his bearded chin. "I feared you were dead."
Catching her hand in his, Galyan ignored the fact they were in the open and pressed a kiss to the pulse at her wrist. "I wasn't sure if it was safe to contact you.I didn't want to drag you into any trouble."
The corner of her mouth twitched, "That never stopped you before."
"I didn't cause the trouble this time," Galyan promised.
"That's a change."
"Maker you haven't changed a bit, Cassandra."
His eyes bore into hers and suddenly the hardened warrior felt a fluttering in her stomach, a weakness in her knees. How he could still do this after so many years apart was a wonder to the Seeker. Maker she missed him: his smile, his smell, the slight gruff in his voice when he spoke her name, those beautiful eyes that were always soft and loving when they looked at her. After all this time there was still a part of her that loved the mage. Maybe there always would be. "Why should I change? I like who I am even if most don't."
"Plenty of people like you, Cass." He softly assured playing with the tips of her gloved fingers. "Once they get past your lovable, no bullshit attitude."
Hearing movement, Cassandra pulled her hand free, even if she missed his touch the moment he let her go. "I think people are moving to the temple."
"Hopefully the Divine can be the one to talk some sense into people to end this forsaken conflict."
"I believe if anyone can, it's Divine Justinia."
"I pray you're right."
"Come on Galyan!" A voice came from behind jerking Cassandra apart to a more reasonable distance expected from a Seeker and a Mage.
"Give me a moment, Roman." Galyan looked back to Cassandra like he was about to burst with something he wanted to say to her. "Cassandra."
She smiled, "Meet me at the tavern for a drink after this is all said and done. We could catch up."
A huge grin flashed across his face, "I'd like that."
"Me too." It was so easy to slide back into the familiarity with him. She yearned to feel his hands on her body and his lips on hers, kissing her senseless. She yearned to be lovers with him once again despite the fact they hadn't been for many years. "Go. I'll see you at the temple."
Grinning like a fool, Galyan risked Cassandra's wrath and dipped his head to brush a kiss across her cheek. "Don't keep me waiting too long."
00o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o
Gideon was lying in the big Orlesian bed, one arm tucked beneath his head and the other dripped across his chest while staring up at the ceiling. Just like most nights, sleep never claimed him. Not much of a problem. He rather spend the entire night staring at nothing and listening to Cassandra's even breathing than witness the nightmares that awaited him in the fade. Horrid images of losing those he cared about most. Images showing him a reminder of what would happen if he failed. He lifted up his hand, the green glow of the mark cutting through the thick darkness of the room. There was such a deep ache in his chest to just go back to a normal life. Well as normal as he could get while being a former Inquisitor. All Gideon wanted was to marry the sleeping woman beside him, show her just how much he loved her, and cherished her until their last moments in this world.
"Galyan."
Hearing another man's name from his lover, Gideon's head snapped to the right. The Seeker was sleeping on her side face him with one of her arms curled beneath the pillow and the other one gripping the sheets so desperately her knuckle were turning white. Her face wasn't peaceful like the last time he checked. No in fact, there was a tear running down her scarred cheek.
"Galyan." This time the name came out in the form of a sob.
Nothing sliced at his heart so deeply than hearing such a sound from the fierce battle maiden. He brushed a hand over her shoulder trying to coax her out of the fade. "Cassandra. Wake up, my love. You're dreaming."
Cassandra jolted awake, completely dazed. Just a dream. Not it was more than just a simple dream. She squeezed her eyes shut on a long breath. The way she could feel the heat of Galyan's body and the smell of his skin was more like a memory not a dream. One that hadn't seen the light of day in months. She opened her eyes. It wasn't Galyan lying beside her. That ache kicked up in her memory was long forgotten. It was Gideon looking at her, his eyes a piercing gray that melted her was looking at Gideon's face now, not the mage's. The inquisitor's face was a stark contrast in comparison. Marred with battle scars and deep line as a result of the responsibility thrust upon him. It was Gideon's hand, so warm and calloused, yet so soft and loving, moving across her cheek. It was Gideon, the man she loved beyond measure, lying beside her.
"What's, Cassandra."
"I-I…" She released her iron grip on the sheets to swipe at the tear on her cheek. There was no hope that Gideon didn't know what her dream had been about. "I need air."
Gideon watched the Seeker slip out of the bed to wrap the sheets around her like a set of armor before moving towards the open trance door. He knew better than to press. Cassandra turned into a viper when she felt herself back into a corner she didn't want to be in. There wasn't anything more than he could than swing his leg over the side of the bed to stand. A man should find himself jaded if his lover woke crying another man's name. Gideon wasn't. He found himself curious about this Galyan since finding Cassandra crying that late night in Haven. The Seeker only mentioned him once more in the grove the night they became lovers. It seemed in sleep, Cassandra had less control over which memories she wanted to keep to herself.
Stepping out onto the balcony, Cassandra was grateful for the extra barrier the sheets provided. Sweet Andraste, she missed the warmth. She was so tired of the cold seeping into her bones making her ache everywhere in her aging body. Sadly, the cold was in limitless supply here, rolling down daily from the snow cap mountain that surrounded Skyhold. At least it was a magnificent site to look at. Sighing, Cassandra ran a hand over her face trying and failing to find a reason for Galyan slipping into her dreams. The last time the Mage was brought up was in the tavern with Blackwall – Rainier- whatever name he was going by these days. Then Gideon returned back to the keep hurt and fighting for her life and that snowballed right into fighting Wardens at Adamant leading straight into countless days on the road closing rifts and tracking signs of Corypheus. Months, it had literally been months.
Chewing on her bottom lip, Cassandra twirled the pendant hanging between her breasts trying to rationalize the way her brain seemed to want to be working at the moment. She loved him, or had, and in no way ashamed of it or the man the Galyan was. After all, he was her first. The last thing she wanted to do was hurt the Inquisitor or make him question her love for him. The Inquisitor accepted the person she was from the very beginning and never once trying to change that. The man fought to be with her even when she tried to push him away. The last thing she did was make it easy for Gideon, but that didn't deterrent the man at all. Maybe that's why she protested in the beginning. Almost like a test, to see if he would fight or flee.
The sound of steel hitting rock had Cassandra turn away from the snow covered mountains to inside the room. The Inquisitor ignored the few candles that still had life to them. She smiled at his determination. The spark caught on the second try and soon the room was lit with a soft orange glow. She became enamored by the way the flames played over the curves of his body. The beautiful slope of his back, once near perfection, now marred for the end of time with several lines of harden skin. The scars varied in size since they had been made by different types of blades over the last year and a half. Some were long healed so they almost blended in while the others stood out with the deep pigmentation.
Cassandra saw the strength in them. Saw just how much Gideon had sacrificed for a cause he had fallen into, literally. They showed his bravery, his true character, his want to do what was right and help all those he could. The Inquisitor made tough choices, dividing lines between factions, but he tried to accept everyone, a rare find these days. To Cassandra, the Inquisitor was a shining star in the great vast of darkness Thedas, attracting the attention of others and making the better under his light. It caught Cassandra. She realized her full potential as a warrior and member of the Inquisition. He helped her realize that she could be the leader that the Seekers needed to rebuild. Of course, she was still brash, blunt and hard head. That would never change as that was who she was at the core. Gideon just opened her eyes to look at things differently, to see there was still beauty in the world. That there was still good and that as long as there was just a glimmer of it that it was worth fighting for. And Gideon Trevelyan managed to be oblivious to all of it. People told him, but the Inquisitor brushed it off, believing he was just a man of circumstances. He felt no guidance from the Maker or Andraste. He simply did what anyone else would do in his position.
Gideon couldn't deny that he loved the feel of the Seeker's gaze on him. He could feel it tracking over him coating him in a nice blanket of warmth that had nothing to do with the fire. Satisfied the flame would last he sat down on the rug in front of the hearth and waited until Cassandra was ready to join him.
Curious about the sudden appearance of his smile, Cassandra moved her way across the room and knelt down beside him. "What are you smiling on about?"
Gideon pulled his legs up and hooked his arms around them, "You."
"Me?"
"Yes, you."
The Seeker arched a brow, "What is about me that amuses you so much, Trevelyan."
"Just the facts that you don't let people push you into anything before you're ready."
"Most men would be put off by such a trait."
His eyes sparkled from the flicker of flames, "Not me."
"No," A smile bloomed across her face, "no not you."
Reaching for her hand, Gideon returned to watch the fire dance.
As per usual, Cassandra found herself baffled by the Inquisitor. Men like him, so loving and understanding, were in short supply. Only found in books really. Yet here was, real flesh and blood, and for some amazing reason loved her. "I say another man's name in our bed," Cassandra waited until gray eyes settled on her, "yet you don't ask."
"I would if it sounded like you were in the throes of passion. I am a man after all." Gideon softly assured, "But you sounded so wounded. So sad. This man, this Galyan, must have been a great man to be important to you. For you to love him."
"He was a good man." Cassandra's throat tightened at the mention of the Mage's name.
"Is this the mage you spoke of in the grove?"
"Yes. But-…" The Seeker fumbled. By now she should be better at speaking about matters of the heart. "Galyan and I weren't like that and hadn't been for quite some time. I just-well don't want you to think that I compare you to him. Or that you're still-."
"My dear Lady Seeker." He enjoyed watching the blush work across her face. He loved the fact that he could cause it with just his words. "A person's heart is big enough to love more than one person in their lifetime. He was your first so therefore will always have a special place in your heart."
Cassandra brought their joint hands to her cheek. With a simple touch it felt electrified her skin as if zapped by a lightning bolt. "It was nothing like this. Nothing like when you look at me or touch me. I mean maybe if we tried, really tried, it could have been more but neither of us fought hard enough for one another. We hadn't seen or spoken to each other for over a year before the conclave and hadn't been physical with each other for much longer. Maybe-."
"Cassandra you don't have to explain or justify anything to me. You're here with me. He might have been your first. I just want to be your last."
Startled by the impact of his words, Cassandra's head snapped up. Brown meeting Gray, "Are you asking what I think you are?"
His soft laughter filled the room as he lowered his brow to hers, "Well this wasn't how I planned it when I did ask, but yes I am. Not the most romantic way."
"No." She framed his face in her hands, stroking her thumbs along his stubbly jaw. "It's perfect. Yes."
"You didn't even let me ask."
"I'm sorry." Cassandra barely could contain herself, "Please continue."
"Thank you," Chuckling, Gideon drew away. "Cassandra Pentaghast of Nevara, Hero of Orlais , Right hand of the Divine will you stand before the Maker-."
"Yes!" Cassandra didn't let him finish, cutting him off by slamming her mouth to his. Gideon didn't seem to mind that much since he melted into her. No book. No story. Nothing in this life Cassandra could ever read compared to this moment in time. To the perfection of it. This was the last place she thought she'd ever be when she first set out to form the Inquisition. Never the less, all the pain, anguish, fears, and everything else had been worth it to get her here. To get her to this wonderful man who she loved more than she thought she could love anyone.
Fighting tears, Cassandra drew away with a smile lighting up her whole face, "It appears I did not let you finish, Trevelyan. I apologize."
This woman. This maddening, frustrating, extraordinary woman. Gideon pushed to his feet and drew her up and flushed against him. "Maker, I love you."
The Seeker found herself lost in his arms and swaying to the invisible music of the night. "I would certainly hope so if you just asked for my hand."
Gideon twirled them across the room towards the balcony drowning in his lover's laughter. They sky behind the mountains was just beginning to change colors with the rising sun. In a few precious hours, when it was up over the snowy peeks, their duties would sweep them up and pull them away from each other. So for now, Gideon made sure they enjoyed the moment. Maker knew when another one would come along. "I don't have a ring."
"Well then," Cassandra sighed draping her arm around his neck. "I just might have to take my answer back."
"I got you something more practical."
"I'll reserve my judgment then."
"Good." He settled his cheek against her hair once she rested her head on his chest. "Tell me about this Galyan the mage."
So that's how they spent the early hours of the morning. Talking and dancing.
So I know there were some part that were a bit wordy. I struggled a bit in getting down what I had in my head. I hope you enjoyed. Please let me know what you thought.
For those that asked I posted a picture of my inquisitor on my tumblr which you can find my searching Tonks32. The screen shot is how he start out in the beginning of the game and changes through out the period of the game and beyond. I hope you guys enjoyed.
