Disclaimer: I do not own anything Bioware.

A/N: So I read this writing prompt online tonite and I could have drooled with how much I loved the idea. Going to attempt and just see where it goes.

Prowess

Chapter 1

She had sat outside for countless hours on the walls surrounding Haven. She chewed the corner of her mouth while studying the Commander. She tucked her body further into the shadow of the mabari statue while she watched him yell at yet another recruit. She could see his fur clad shoulders creep up closer to his ears with frustration. He physically grabbed the recruit, repositioning the shield arm and sword the woman was trying to swing at her sparring partner. "If you keep making the same mistakes, it's going to get you killed recruit. If Jim over there were a real mage you'd be dead or scarred for life with these kind of petty antics on the battlefield."

The winter's sun beat down on the tents and the mud the soldiers were churning up with their practice as it slowly sank towards the mountains. She could hear the mixed yells and grunts coming from other people either sparring with each other or attacking the dummies as if they were real threats. It was such a different style of fighting, she found every aspect of it fascinating.

Her Dalish upbringing had brought battles of their own. However, her training had consisted of fighting in densely wooded areas. One could attack from and take cover with the trees that surrounded the battleground. Walking silently, yet swiftly, through the undergrowth to take down some massive beast that would feed the clan for yet another week was part of her responsibility as a hunter. Here in this human settlement, she still wasn't used to watching them get random deliveries from neighboring farms of somewhat fresh vegetables and meats. These people struck her as quite soft and unaware of their good fortune. Having food daily, not to mention being able to indulge in such feelings as boredom struck her as quite extravagant. These people lived such indulgent lives, yet were hardy for all of that. The tedium of having to find things to do, instead of being expected to perform daily was baffling.

Cassandra's war cries temporarily subsided as she leaned against the dummy she had been attacking. Dropping from the wall, she heard Krem give a startled gasp while The Bull just raised his eyebrow. "Finally working up some courage there, Boss?"

"I'm sure I don't know what you mean, Bull." She replied her electric blue eyes took in the scarred visage of the qunari before her. She tried not to stare at his massive horns jutting out from the sides of his skull. She was certain she could fit two halla in between their points. Maybe one nose to tail.

"Something you want to ask?"

"Does your horn shape mean anything? I mean, I've seen other Qunari but they all seem different."

Iron Bull's one good, dark eye regaurded her. "Number is the only thing that matters. All or nothing, Boss. Being born with no horns is such an anomily that those qunari recieve special treatment above your regular bastards, such as myself. Then you have four or six horns-"

"How do they walk upright with the weight of those? They seem so massive."

He shrugged. "Don't know. Something you don't really think about, like how it would feel different if you chopped off all your hair." Here he fingered a black curl dangling in her face. "Anything else?"

"Not particularly. Just thinking."

He sketched what could have been interpreted as a sarcastic bow, but she wasn't sure if he was mocking her or not. "All this talk is boring, boss. Why not go get that dragon?" Here he grunted appreciatively.

"Ri-ight. I've got things to do. Nice talking with you, Bull."

Evening was setting in. She could see the soldiers packing up and heading to their respective tents or to the fires to gossip during their time off. She walked towards where they had been practicing all day. The ground sucked at her boots as she inspected the pattern of foot prints in the mud. Weight on the toes of your feet, hardly the heels. Circle left, left, sudden lunge forward.. She closed her eyes as she moved her body in an approximation of what she had witnessed over the past few days. Using imaginary weapons, she struck blows against invisible targets. She could feel sweat starting to plaster her hair to her forehead. Her breathing was becoming labored as she danced around the sparring grounds. Here she lunged, then immediately dipped back as her foe brought his axe to swipe through the air at her midsection. She swiped out with her right leg to knock her enemy onto his ass only to connect with something solid. A shocked grunt, an expelled breath as the commander hit the dirt.

Embarrassment colored her words more harshly than she intended, "What do you think you're doing?"

"Oh don't mind me, I'll just help myself up here." Cullen replied while rolling onto his knees and slapping off the big hunks of sloppy mud that clung to his cloak.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you." She bent down and tried unsuccessfully to wipe off his armored legs once he gained his feet. "I was just caught by surprise."

He chuckled, "Me too, obviously." He ran a hand through his blonde hair. "I couldn't tell that your eyes were closed until I was right up on you. Thought maybe you were angling for some pointers."

"Well.." She pushed back her black curls from her face, "I am trying to aclimate myself to fighting out in the open as you humans seem wont to do."

"So you do want some advice?"

"If you have the time, Commander."

He went to the weapons rack and took out a sword and shield. Coming back to her, he fitted the shield to her left arm and handed her the sword. She could smell his aftershave with him being so close to her. It reminded her of the deepest parts of the woods. Very earthy. She was proud of her willpower that kept her from leaning in to identify what he was wearing more thoroughly.

He straightened up away from her and pulled his sword from it's sheathe. "Come at me, as you would be accustomed to." When she just stared at him, he laughed again. "You aren't going to learn anything standing still."

"Very well, I just figured you would want a shield of your own."

She circled right, slowly, cautiously. She watched Cullen as she moved for any sign he was going to attack first. When none was forthcoming, she leapt through the air bringing the borrowed sword over head in a cleaving blow. His sword shot up and blocked it, sending a jolt through her shoulder. Her feet skidded through the dirt and he came at her while she attempted to recover her balance. He swung at her right side, she rolled to the left and his blade hit the dirt. She launched upwards bringing her sword in underneath her body for a diving blow at his chest. He let his weapon go and turned just in time for her to miss.

Tossing up his hand, he signaled a halt to the fight. Pulling his shield out from under his cloak, he fitted it to his spare arm before pulling his sword from the ground. "I was thinking at first you were going to hold back."

"Why? You don't learn anything that way."

He smiled at her. "I suppose you're right." He beat his shield twice with the flat of his blade. "Ready?"

Instead of answering, she sprinted at him bringing her shield up to try to knock him off balance with surprise as she definitely didn't have weight on her side. Something she had seen Cassandra do at least a hundred times to lesser foes. Cullen grunted as he brought his shield up to deflect her blow. His toes skidded in the mud as he pushed her back off of him. Taking advantage of the opening, he tapped her on the top of her head with the flat of his blade. "Dead."

Refocusing, she rolled forward and attempted to swipe his legs out with her own as she came up. He brought his sword around catching her behind the knees, "Crippled."

They went at it for well over an hour. Her attempting every idea she had seen in action, him deflecting or outright besting her at every turn. Finally, he called quit. "I have to stop Herald. I obviously don't have your boundless energy."

She laughed as she bent bracing her hands on her knees. Her breath came roughly in and out of her lungs. "Thank you, Commander."

"If you find some benefit to all this Herald, I am at your disposal."

Applause and whistles sounded in the air. "Atta boy, Commander!" "Herald! Is that all you've got?" She blushed to her roots, thankful it was full dark so no one else knew.

As gracefully as she could manage, she put away the practice weapons and headed for her rooms. She could hear Cullen yelling at the recruits all the way to the doors of Haven.

Once the doors to her chambers were closed, she sank to the floor and just felt her body throb with the beating she had let happen to it. She pushed the heels of her hands into her eyes as she listened to the bustling of the serving elf in the corner. Bucket after bucket of, hopefully, warm water could be heard being dumped into her smallish wash basin.

"Herald, is there anything else I can do for you?"

Lavellan turned her head and opened her eyes. The smallish female was hunched over with her hands folded in front of her. The shorn auburn locks exposing her rather largely pointed ears. "You know I don't require any of this?"

"So you've said Lady Herald." She agreed quietly, almost as if she were afraid of being struck with divine thunder. Out of sheer curiosity, Lavellan pointed her cursed hand at the girl and let a little crackle flash across her palm. The servant fainted.

Sitting up, she pulled a hand through her hair. "Well. Serves you right, ass." Heaving to her feet, she picked up the small female and laid her out on her own bed. Stripping bare, she slid into the hot water all the way to her eyes.

The next morning she went right to the former chantry. She paused before she pushed open the war room door. She could hear Leliana's voice teasing Cullen. "So I heard that our dear commander engaged in a late night bout with the Herald?"

Josephine gasped, "Cullen! You ought to be ashamed of yourself."

"Leliana, you stop with those disgusting rumors. Nothing happened. She wanted training and I was happy to oblige."

"Has our handsome commander taken a personal interest in the Herald?" By Leliana's tone, it was obvious she was enjoying the discomfort she was causing Cullen.

Cassandra's disgusted snort brought the conversation to a close immediately, "We need to be focusing on strengthening our positions, not petty gossip."

Squaring her shoulders, she pushed the door open and saw the flush that was just starting to dissipate off of Cullen's fair skin. She made sure not to let her eyes linger, the spymaster was eyeing her too intently for her liking. Josephing was already distracted by yet another sheaf of papers brought to her by some recruit. As they laid out the plans for this week, she was determined she would improve before she asked Cullen to give her another hand with her fighting techniques.

A/N: Okay so this is a slow start. Don't freak. I promise I'm not going to write out the game. I just want to fiddle with the in-between times like what may be going on in the background that we aren't privy to. I feel it's a fairly good idea and I hope you will muscle through it with me.