A soft, shy knock on an open door.

"Ah, Lady Inquisitor, I see you found a moment to discuss the upcoming scouting missions?" he asked softly, keeping a dominant yet relaxed pose. He gave Rhea a brief smile to greet her, his eyes soft and calm. Cullen stood in front of his sturdy desk covered by important documents, candles, letters and other paperwork.

"Of course, Commander," Rhea started in a serious tone, leaning against the wooden door in a nonchalant way. "We need to know if the Emerald Graves is safe for our troops. This should be priority before establishing a real permanent foothold for the Inquisition there." she began.

Rhea Trevelyan tried to act as if she was a natural born leader, strict and calculated. She behaved as if she's been helping to make these decisions for years. But the fact she transformed from a self-assured woman into an easily distracted mess every time she stood anywhere near Cullen, didn't help. This hasn't always been the case.

Before they arrived at Skyhold she thought of him as admirable above everything; a strong, respected warrior, capable of leading the Inquisition's forces and making hard decisions when needed. And admittedly, very attractive. But her feelings towards him didn't change until they discussed what transpired at Haven, the day everyone arrived at Skyhold. She could still hear him say the words that made her rethink her feelings towards him. But most of all... question his.

"You stayed behind... you could've... I will not allow the events at Haven to happen again." he spoke, softly but firmly. The silence they both experienced said more than a thousand words.

What Cullen said made her feel nervous but excited. Rhea reminded herself often how deeply affected and sincere his voice sounded. It seemed he cared a lot more about her then she thought. But somewhere Rhea doubted this grow into something real. After all, she was the Inquisitor and he... the Commander. Rhea was sure it wouldn't work out, not amidst this chaos. She had to focus on more pressing matters.

Since that particular day they didn't talk about what was said anymore, at least not with words.

The eye contact in the war room often lasted longer than usual. Their hands would accidentally touch on the war table. Cullen always lingered a few minutes longer to talk to her about topics unrelated to the Inquisition. Of course he waited until Leliana and Josephine left for other business. It made Rhea nervous, being alone with him.

The tension she felt between them grew tighter every passing day.

She didn't wore her usual attire today. It was steaming hot and she couldn't bare wearing a tight top, so Rhea opted for a loose white blouse instead, one that draped loosely around her body.

A soft breeze found it's way into the office. It ruffled the fabric of Cullen's shoulder piece and played with his golden curls. Rhea took a few steps forward in his office, towards his desk. She leaned on it, arms spread out and palms flat, ready to listen. He squinted his eyes a little, a beam of sun blinding his amber eyes briefly. He kept his hand on the hilt of his sword, clenching it softly.

"Yes, Inquisitor" he agreed. "For the Inquisition's forces to arrive safely and without delay or surprises, I believe our best course of action is to send our scouts to scour the surrounding areas..." he continued, pointing out locations on a map of the Emerald Graves laying on his desk. Cullen started to relay the current situation to her and explained what he considered was the best course of action.

Rhea was trying to listen to him, noticing him pointing out places on the map, explaining what teams to use and where to send them. But after a while she felt herself gradually slip away as she grew deaf of the sound of his voice. Rhea became fixated on his eyes moving from the map to hers and the gentle breeze playing with his hair. His armour was shining bright in the ray of light from the open door. He continued talking while Rhea kept observing the movement of his soft lips, fantasizing how Cullen would kiss her passionately. She imagined how he would embrace her so she could feel the cool touch of his armour against her body while he placed wet kisses on her neck.

"I-Inquisitor, are you... alright?" he spoke, pulling her back to reality abruptly.

He had a puzzled look on his face at first, but it transformed into a curious one as he saw the expression on her face she was failing to hide.

Her lips formed a polite smile, and she replied hastily: "Yes, please continue Commander." waving the thoughts away with her right hand. "It's the heat I believe, it tires me out more than I anticipated." she said. Rhea hoped Cullen was satisfied with the cheap answer she gave him. The fact that she was blushing because she felt caught didn't help.

He lowered his head a little, looked up at her and asked gently "Are you sure it's the heat? Is there something on your mind?" he asked, staring into her bright eyes, raising an eyebrow. According to the look he gave her it appeared as if he knew what she had been thinking of all this time.

Rhea felt exposed, his eyes prying for an answer to the pink blush that graced her face. She paused briefly, giving him a reassuring look. "I'm fine, please proceed." she replied, eyes briefly averted to cover up her lie. She gave him a faint smile. Cullen nodded, a hint of disappointment visible in his eyes. It seemed to her he was hoping for a different answer. He returned his attention back to the plans, resuming to talk about them.

Rhea focused now, afraid of being caught unaware again, although it was easier said then done. She couldn't afford to be honest, not until she knew how he felt about her. It would only complicate matters, she kept telling herself.

After a few more minutes of discussing strategy, Rhea prepared to leave his office, back into the blistering, hot sun.

"Alright, this strategy sounds solid. Proceed as planned, Commander." she told him. Rhea stood on the verge of parting, as she still needed to finalize the plans with Leliana. She still didn't had enough reason or courage to express her feelings towards him.

But Cullen wasn't done talking just yet.

"There is something else I wish to discuss... ah... I mean, wanted to... talk to you about..." he started, his voice suddenly nervous and insecure, the complete opposite of how stoic and focused it sounded when they were talking seconds before.

A giant ball of fire razed through Rhea's stomach. She didn't expect him to be the one that would bring up the subject she has been avoiding for the last weeks.

"Now that we're having a moment... together... I mean... " he continued, his words heavy with hesitation and doubt. Eyes dancing across the office. Rhea watched him patiently in silence.

"We've been spending more time together lately... And... I.. I mean... " he continued.

Rhea saw he began blushing. "Something on your mind, Commander?" she replied, trying to sound confident and innocent, with a shy expression on her face and averting her gaze from his amber eyes. She now stood up in front of his desk, fumbling with her hands, something she did when she got nervous. She didn't plan for this.

For a moment she turned her head back, looking through the doorway, where she saw messengers make their rounds, holding documents. Rhea enjoyed the warmth of the sun piercing her feminine back.

Cullen shuffled around the desk, to where she was standing and Rhea could smell the thick scent of sweetness surrounding him. It overwhelmed her. He looked outside the door, now standing next to her and counted the heads on the battlements. Nobody needs him now. This was his chance. He turned to her, looked into her grey eyes and spoke: "I can't... I wanted to say..." he whispered with a concerned look on his face. Cullen was trying to find the right words. "We need to talk about what I've been experiencing the last weeks..." he said.

"Cullen," Rhea pronounced his name with a husky tone, gently touching his right upper arm. "You can trust me."

He took a few steps away from her, heading towards the door, escaping the gentle touch of her hand. "I need to confess something" he whispered in a serious tone, after closing the door, shutting his eyes for a moment and letting out a agitated sigh.

Rhea took a step closer to him, facing him.

"Cullen, I... "

She was silenced by Cullen caressing her cheek with his right hand briefly, not letting go of her gaze, staring with a wondering look into her eyes. "I... I can't hide it anymore." he whispered while he shook his head and lowered his hand, breaking from her touch.

"It's been... such a long time since I experienced this. This... I mean, I know what I feel." he continued.

He rubbed the back of his neck while he stood in front of her. His eyes were desperately searching for a reaction to his confession while his thoughts ran wild.

The fire raging in Rhea's stomach exploded, bursting into flames, searing hot like the sun. Since the arrival at Skyhold she had been daydreaming about them every moment the opportunity presented itself. Rhea often lied awake at night aching for his body pressed hard against hers, secretly pleasuring herself at the thought of his rough hands doing unspeakable things to her. She couldn't hold back anymore. She wanted nothing more but fully surrender to the feelings she had, but never dared to give in to.

Rhea took his hand back into hers and brought it up to her cheek. She caressed it gently, giving him a coy smile. "Cullen, you don't have to explain." she whispered, her eyes narrowed while she shook her head, smiling. She embraced him, wrists relaxing on his shoulders, hands tangled behind his neck, answering the questions on his mind with a meaningful look.

"I never thought you..." he continued sweetly, giving her a tender smile. A wave of relief washed over him.

He placed his arms around her hips, caressing her lower back gently with his thumbs while he pulled Rhea closer to him, slowly. He lowered his face and came closer to hers. The tension was unbearable for him. For days and days he waited, planned for this moment. The right moment. He never figured it would be so intense and liberating.

Cullen paused for a moment, holding her firmly in his wanting grasp. He didn't have to hold back anymore. He pulled her even closer, bodies now touching for the first time. Rhea felt her heart beating faster, louder, against his chest, as if everyone in Skyhold could hear it. His right hand started to find it's way upwards from her hips, caressing her side until it cupped the right side of her neck tenderly. Cullen enjoyed the soft touch of the fabric she was wearing. He planted a careful yet passionate kiss on the left side of her neck, causing Rhea to let out a quiet moan, muscles becoming more tensed. Encouraged by her sound, he traced her neckline with kisses, his breathing becoming more intense as the moment lingered. She squirmed when Cullen nibbled on her earlobe, feeling his warm breath against her sensitive neck. A chill went through her body as she noticed how wet she had become.

"What are you doing to me Commander?" she whispered, breathing intensifying by the second. "Don't play innocent with me anymore Rhea, I know what I saw..." he whispered, hinting at the way she was fantasizing a few moments ago. Rhea turned her face towards his and Cullen kissed her, lips warm, needy and filled with lust. She could feel the scar. Tongues found each other, gradually intertwining, tasting each other. Rhea's legs shuddered as she let out a hushed moan, afraid people could hear her.

Suddenly Cullen started moving forward, gently leading Rhea to his desk. With one swift, determined swipe he cleared the table of all documents, paper flying across the room, candles landing on the floor, rolling away. He sat her down gently and placed himself between her legs, admiring her body for a moment and started sliding his hands across her thighs, squeezing them firmly. While he looked into her eyes he placed his hands on her lower back to caress it, lifting her loose blouse a bit. He shivered when she wrapped her legs around his waist and pulled him closer to her.

"Mmm... Cullen..." Rhea moaned while she tilted her head back, surprised by the feel of his leather gloves trailing across her back, tickling her tenderly. Cullen took advantage of her exposed neck and kissed it, gently sucking on her skin. Rhea felt his stubble tickle her skin before he gave her neck a small bite, witch made her moan. His hands were now trailing from her back to her belly, squeezing her soft flesh. His hands moved up her body, caressing her breasts under her blouse. She squirmed and put her hand onto his, following his movements. She noticed his throbbing erection pressing against his trousers. The sensation was unbearable.

Suddenly, a harsh knock on the door interrupted everything. They both froze.

Rhea's eyes widened, broken from her trance. Cullen released her from his grasp and took a step back, giving her a busted look. She still sat on his desk panting, patches of skin uncovered by the way he pushed it aside. Her face was flustered.

Clearly the person standing outside didn't had much patience today, for the woman barged right in after knocking once, swinging the heavy wooden door wide open.

Rhea never saw someone react so fast before. Cullen immediately lowered himself on the ground, pretending to be picking up documents while Cassandra stood in the doorway. Arms crossed.

"Commander, you are needed to supervise the training of the new recruits. They're awaiting your presence" she announced. The look on her face was stern. Rhea stared at her. She tried to think of an explanation why she would be sitting on Cullen's desk, papers strewn everywhere. Rhea's lips were still red from the hot kisses. She straightened her blouse, hoping it wasn't too late.

"Inquisitor, Sister Leliana is waiting for you. What's the delay? Are there complications with the scouting missions?" she asked, a serious look on her face.

"Lady Cassandra..." Cullen started, now crouched on the ground, papers in hand. He glanced over to Rhea, who now sat neatly on his desk, trying to force her breathing to slow down, swallowing hard. Cullen made the impression he would handle the situation.

"No, there aren't any complications, the Inquisitor and I worked out a solid strategy" he continued, unable to hide his grin for a few seconds. He quickly regained his guard. Cassandra nodded and looked at Rhea. She noticed a little patch of exposed skin she failed to cover up.

Cassandra raised an eyebrow. "Why are there papers all over your office floor, Commander?" she asked wondering, a mischievous smile on her lips. Cullen's expression became agitated and replied in a serious tone : "The damn wind earlier, it blew everything away... I …eh, was in the progress of tidying up when you entered." In his mind he was hoping she would buy the improvised excuse.

Cassandra gave him a questioning look. After a brief pause she replied reluctantly "I see.", a tiny spark in her eyes. Cullen stood up, placing most the papers back where they belong.

"Inquisitor, care to join me? We should go see sister Leliana, she is awaiting us after all." she announced, turning her attention to Rhea. She smiled at Cassandra. "Of course, why don't you go ahead, I'll join you shortly" she tried. Cassandra gave her one last meaningful look, nodded at Rhea and stately left Cullen's office.

A few seconds of complete silence passed. Rhea stood up from his desk and made sure every door was closed. Then she approached him.

"Rhea..." Cullen sighed, placing his hand on her hip. He turned silent and watched her patiently. Rhea caressed his face briefly. "Why don't we continue this later today? Maybe... Somewhere where we can't be disturbed?" she asked him, a devilish grin on her face. Cullen's expression softened and replied: "I would... love to."

"Join me in my private quarters this evening?" she asked, voice soft and inviting. "Until tonight, then." he answered, squinting his eyes as if he had trouble believing what happened. He gave her one last hasty kiss on the lips. His eyes remained closed from pure enjoyment while Rhea tenderly ran her fingers through his hair.

Rhea left his office, giving Cullen one last look, her legs still tingling and weak from his touch. She closed the door behind her back. She let out a relieved sigh, still unable to grasp what had just happened. Nobody has ever affected her this way. Not this... this intense. Waiting for sundown felt like an impossible task now.

She waved at Cassandra, who was waiting on the battlements close to the atrium, cooling of in the shadows.

Cassandra looked up at her while she leant on the cool stone of the battlements. "So I take it the briefing was a success?" she grinned. Rhea's cheeks turned red, her brain unable to think of a witty reply. The Seeker isn't a naive woman, Rhea had seen her judging looks from time to time, especially when Cassandra started seeing how Rhea and Cullen always stayed in the war room together after everyone had left.

Cassandra noticed Rhea's expression and continued: "It's quite alright. You don't need to explain yourself, Inquisitor." Cassandra stood up and began making her way to enter the atrium, motioning to Rhea to follow by her side.

"How did you...?" Rhea asked while looking around her rapidly to check if anyone was near to overhear their conversation.

"Oh please," Cassandra replied smirking, "I doubt anyone is blind to what we've been witnessing the last weeks. Honestly? It is... good to see you happy. I also noticed how Cullen lets his guard down more often than we usually can expect from him." Cassandra gave Rhea a satisfied smile.

Rhea knew there was no reason to deny it. She confirmed Cassandra's allegations with a smile, eyes faced to the ground. Rhea felt like she floated in her steps, her heart beating full of excitement. "I guess I'm not doing a good job of keeping my affairs private" she said. Cassandra stood still and turned to Rhea, placing her hand on her shoulder. "I am not one for idle gossip, don't worry, friend." she explained, a friendly expression on her face. Rhea gave her a faint smile. She joined Cassandra in the atrium, finally feeling her skin cool off.

They began climbing the steps leading to the rookery. Passing Solas and Dorian, she wondered who else among her companions noticed there's more going on. She cared little about what people would think, but faltered when she thought of the advice she would receive. Rhea carried the heavy burden of Inquisitor for starters. She wasn't ignorant, she knew that love born amidst chaos and war could have a dark outcome. She knew the risk, yet her whole body screamed for more.