It was close to midnight. Knight-Commander Greagoir could tell by the position of the stars, by the moon's light in the sky, and by all other keepings of time that he knew. However accurate these methods were, the man still turned from his vigil at the docks to peer upon the scant windows of the Tower. Among those facing the water only one was aglow, high above, kept such by First Enchanter Irving and his penchant for late reading. And without fail, as it was every evening that Greagoir kept the night's watch, the First Enchanter retired at midnight. All lanterns were extinguished and every room of the Circle was dark save for the magical crystals that lit the corridors. The inhabitants were surely in their beds by now, as demanded by the curfew.

The Knight-Commander took the First Enchanter's retiring as a sign to make his rounds for the night.
"Andraste guide you," Greagoir repeated to his men at the dock, as was the custom.
The Knight-Commander made his way through the Circle's front portcullis, depositing the fur cloak he wore to keep the chill of the lake winds out of his bones at the entry hall. Ferelden's Circle was a tall structure made here and there of thick stone and rich wood. It housed dozens of mages and Tranquil, young and old alike, and twice as many Templars to guard them. Greagoir was not overly fond of mages but in his years stationed in Ferelden, he had grown a kind of respect for them and the burden they carried. The First Enchanter and the senior mages had grown on the old Knight-Commander but he still did not forget his duties to the Chantry.

Dwelling on the Amell girl's Harrowing that would take place tomorrow, pondering the Fade, Greagoir ascended the stairs. One of his men was posted outside each of the dormitories at all times, ready to signal his brothers should anything go awry. As he neared one of the lone Templars, the Knight-Commander was pleased to see Cullen standing ready at attention.
"Good evening to you, son," Greagoir smiled, nodding thoughtfully at the young man's salute when he passed.
The Knight-Commander continued his rounds and moved on to the rest of the tower, per his usual routine. It was only when he was well out of sight that the young Amell believed it was safe to sneak out into the hall.

The Templar guard jumped at the sight of her, for more than just the reasons he cared to admit.
"You startled me, Katelyn!" He whispered fiercely, "You are not to be allowed out of your bed this late."
The mage smiled at him sweetly, as she had done when he first laid eyes on her and every night she snuck out of her bed to speak to him. That smile made him question himself.
"I apologize, Cullen. But I just can't sleep with my mind racing the way it is." Katelyn twirled a bit of her dark hair around her finger, staring up at the Templar with eyes as shining and grey as the metal of his armor. "My Harrowing is tomorrow! I have been training for this half my life and yet it has me terrified and eager and…"

The mage trailed off, noticing some discomfort in the Templar. Cullen was always a bit shy around her, as were the other Templars who did not profess friendship with mages, but this was altogether different.
"Is something wrong?"
The man shifted nervously in his heavy plate before he answered. "I forgot to say. The Harrowing? I, uh, I am the one they chose. That is, to strike the killing blow should you become an Abomination. I just, well, I truly hope I will not have to."
While he thought she would pull away from him at this news, to view him with contempt, Katelyn just smiled that smile of hers again and lightly touched his arm.
"I have faith that it will not come to that. But if it does, I also have faith in you. Your duty will be your greatest mercy to me. "

The words washed over him like a wave of sickly sweet wine. Every fiber of his being was telling him to act a Templar and send this unruly mage back to bed. And yet a more foolish part of him persisted. The two shared whispered conversations in the hallway well into the night until the Knight-Commander began his descent of the Tower. Katelyn found her way quickly to bed at the sound of Greagoir's armored footsteps approaching. But not after racing back to give Cullen an embrace and a small kiss on the cheek as thanks for listening. The shadow of it never left him until he was relieved of his post and lay in his own bed to rest.