Hello.

I haven't written anything substantial in ages and am a little nervous posting this, but I've had this idea nagging me for a while and I couldn't help myself. Hopefully everyone enjoys it! Constructive feedback is invaluable!

Disclaimer: I own nothing. I don't own Bioware, Dragon Age or any of its characters.

The day had begun much like any other since he had accepted Cassandra's request and joined the Inquisition. The sun was just beginning its ascent into the sky but it still shone brightly through the singular, narrow window in his room, beckoning him to wake up the way it did every morning. Old habits die hard. When he was younger, he cherished any morning he got to sleep in but the day he was recruited as a Templar at the tender age of 13, his sleeping habits would forever be changed. Now, a decade and a half later, he still couldn't shake his routine of waking up at the crack of dawn.

Much to his chagrin, that did not mean he woke up well-rested. In fact, quite the opposite. The nightmares that plagued him were enough to make any person squirm, yet he endured them night after night, fragments of his past haunting him and twisting into unspeakable horrors. He hardly remembered what a good nights sleep was or if it even existed.

Yet he carried on, pledging himself to a cause he had become passionate about, convinced that it would actually truly help all of Thedas if they were successful. It was a weighty decision leaving the Order he had dedicated most of his life to, but not a decision he regretted. The memories of Knight-Commander Meredith were still vivid enough that in his mind, they could have happened yesterday. After that fateful day, the world needed the Inquisition. It would be their only hope at stopping the madness of the war.

He sleepily, yet dutifully put on his armor, the way he always did. He had to admit he was pleasantly surprised with how much he preferred his new, custom armor compared to the Templar metal he used to wear. While it took some getting used to not donning the telltale sword symbol on his chest, the lion-like outfit he now possessed made him feel more like an individual; a true commander.

Reaching for the door handle to exit his modest accommodations in the Chantry, he couldn't help but let out a strangled sigh, picturing all of the reports stacked on his desk eagerly awaiting his signature. Being appointed the Commander of the Inquisition's forces had proven to be more of a challenge than he had initially anticipated. The few recruits that had signed onto the cause were anything but seasoned soldiers, but he insisted on remaining somewhat optimistic. Everyone had to start somewhere. Though his patience was constantly tested, always silently reprimanding himself to be constructive not destructive when training. And, Maker's breath the paperwork was never ending! While the recruits would eventually start adapting and growing, the mountains of reports would only increase as the movement gained more traction.

As he walked out of the Chantry and made his way to the training grounds, everyone seemed on edge. More so than usual. Today was a bigger day than most for the small settlement of Haven. With the Conclave taking place today, everyone was in a frenzy. High ranking mages and Templars along with many Grand Clerics were gathered by the Divine in an attempt to establish peace between them.

The Commander stretched his neck out slightly, rubbing his hand across the back of it in hope of some tension relief as he approached the sound of clashing metal and would-be soldiers trying to prepare for the inevitable battles ahead. He could already feel the dull throb start to ache in his head, a daily trend that's only been increasing since he joined the movement. He knew it would only get worse.

It felt like he had barely blinked when a deafening rupture sounded and the Veil itself seemed to explode in a bright green aura, tainting everything the light touched in an eerie glow. He looked on awe-struck as he realized the source of the phenomenon was directly above the Temple of Sacred Ashes, the screams and cries being heard even from where he was standing. He swore under his breath and prayed they were ready for this.

It had been three days since the explosion at the Conclave. Three stressful, exhausting days. They still had no concrete idea as to what caused the Fade to open and all but obliterate the Temple of Sacred Ashes and everyone inside. The Most Holy included. But there was now a giant, viridian opening in the the Veil that was spewing demons left, right and centre.

While the enigma surrounding this ghastly catastrophe was in the forefront, what information they did have about the event was equally bizarre. When the hole had opened in the sky, a woman fell to the ground, baring a mark on her left hand identical in shape and colour to the rift that dropped her. No one knew who this woman was or why she was there at first. But she had the ability to seal the rifts that were now appearing all over Thedas. While at first Cassandra wanted her head on spike, the Seeker had to admit the mystery woman's ability to heal the wounded sky was remarkably helpful. And when Cassandra and others helped her stop the growth of the Breach that held itself above where the Temple was, they saw and heard the Divine herself implore the woman for help. Following that, they couldn't deny her innocence and released her from all blame. But since the stabilizing of that original breach, the woman had been unconscious. There was a question if she would even survive.

The Herald of Andraste.

While she was fighting for her life, her heroism earned her one hell of a title. One that was constantly on the lips of the residents of Haven, spreading like wildfire throughout Orlais and Fereldan, no doubt.

While Cassandra, Leliana and Josephine fully intended to utilize this woman in consulting for the Inquisition, the Commander wasn't so sure. He didn't even know what her name was. Didn't bother to ask yet, not when there was so much on his plate and they were still unsure if she would even wake up. Everyone seemed to be fussing over her when he was swamped making absolutely sure that their troops were as prepared as possible for more trouble than they had originally anticipated. Though they had lost many soldiers the day the chaos began, they received more and more troops each day since the incident at the Conclave and the word of the Herald had become more prevalent.

He let out a shaky exhale, his head in pain yet again, causing him to squint slightly as he observed the soldiers progress. Another day in a row and the sun was bright, though it was muddled by the green glow of the breach. The Frostback Mountains may be bitterly cold, but Cullen couldn't complain about the amount of sun. He stood at the training grounds, attempting to teach his recruits how to perform a proper Shield Bash. It was proving to be a more difficult task than it should have been. The Commander had hope that they would eventually be adept warriors, but it would take a lot of work on his part. He opened his mouth to bark critiques to the failing recruits when he overheard some voices behind him.

"Did you hear?"

There was a gasp, "Did the Herald finally awaken?"

Cullen heard a sound of affirmation. He turned his attention away from the training and glanced over at the Chantry. Fully aware of Cassandra's strict orders to have the Herald see her in the Chantry in the event she did come to, Cullen sighed as he figured he should probably be there for it as well.

Turning to his lieutenant, he rambled off a number of orders to carry out with the troops in his absence and began towards the Chantry. The small township was bustling more so than usual he noticed, as he walked through the heavy gates that led into the core of Haven. Everyone was all worked up about their Herald being alive and well after all. He wanted to have hope that this person may indeed be able to help them, but he was skeptical. After everything he's seen, everything he's endured… Despite his faith, it was difficult to believe in miracles. Although, Cassandra did speak of her proficiency in combat, wielding daggers the way a trained professional would. If nothing else, if that were the case, this woman could at least prove useful on the battlefield.

Cullen's mind waged a silent war as he speculated on the pros and cons of who this woman really was, what she could mean and what she could do. By the time he made it to the War Room in the back of the Chantry, there was no trace of this Herald. Or Cassandra for that matter. He did, however, find the spymaster and ambassador near the back of the room.

"I'm sure you've been informed the Herald has awoken, Commander?" The cloaked red-head asked him as he entered the room and joined them at the North end of the table.

He nodded, "I have." He spotted the giant tome on the table. He recognized it immediately. Cassandra had showed it to him when he arrived here from Kirkwall. "Does this mean the Inquisition has finally become official? What of the Chantry?"

The Antivan sighed, "As suspected, with the death of the Most Holy, the Chantry has denounced the Inquisition and, thanks to the debut of the Herald of Andraste and our acceptance of her, they have dubbed us all blasphemous heretics. The good news is that the Herald has agreed to join the cause, however. She still looks a little worse for wear, but her and Cassandra should be joining us shortly."

Leliana spoke, "The mark on her hand needs more power to seal that breach properly. I've suggested to Cassandra that we should approach the rebel mages to help."

Cullen looked at her incredulously, "And what of the Templars? They would be just as useful, if not more so. Going to the mages when the Veil is in the broken state it's in is asking for trouble. Do you realize the abominations that could come of that?"

"Of course we know, but what we don't know for sure is that the Templars would actually be able to use their abilities towards this cause."

The Commander exhaled in frustration, pinching the bridge of his nose. How could they not see the danger that would put them in? He had done so much to change his way of viewing mages since leaving the Order. He fully admitted he had a hard time trusting mages after his years serving as a Templar. Cullen had witnessed the absolute worst of what could happen to them, the power they held that was so often abused. He refused to write them off as a whole anymore. But putting them right in corruption's path was not worth the risk, not by a long shot. He rubbed the back of his neck, irritated, though opted for silence in place of fuelling the argument when he heard two pairs of footsteps approaching.

His honey coloured eyes flashed up, widening and it took every fibre in his body to keep his jaw from dropping. He was accustomed to working with women, skilled and strong women whom he respected. But as Cullen gazed upon the Herald for the first time, he was blatantly aware that he had never worked alongside someone like her before.

Maker's breath, she is beautiful.

He swallowed hard and darted his eyes away so that it wasn't obvious he was gawking. He tried to fix them on Cassandra as she opened her mouth to speak.

"May I present Commander Cullen, leader of the Inquisition's forces."

It was only then that he allowed himself to make eye contact with whom he was being introduced to. He knew he needed to act professional, which meant not fumbling awkwardly for words. As breathtaking as she was, he couldn't possibly permit that to take precedence over the issue at hand. He cleared his throat, "Such as they are. We lost many soldiers in the valley, and I fear many more before this is through," he admitted honestly.

The Seeker gave introductions for his two other colleagues as he inconspicuously attempted to study her features. Her eyes seemed solemn and distant. He supposed he couldn't really blame her with what the last few days have given her. Her blonde hair, lighter and more ashen than his, hung in soft waves down to her small waist. Although the clothes she was wearing were borrowed and not meant for her, they still managed to accentuate her curves. Realizing he was staring at her body, he brought his eyes back up and to his horror, her eyes were on his. Immediately looking away he gulped, already feeling the blush start to creep up his neck. He was too engulfed by embarrassment to notice her cheeks develop a soft, rosy tinge as well.

It was her voice that brought his eyes back to her. "Impressive titles you have," her tone seemed sincere but held a hint of another emotion the Commander couldn't quite recognize. Mirth, perhaps? "It truly is a pleasure to meet you all, though. I'm Elizabeth Trevelyan, but please just call me Ellie. Only my mother actually calls me Elizabeth." She scrunched up her nose when she mentioned her mother, the expression making Cullen flash a lopsided smile.

"I mentioned the mark you have needs more power to close the breach for good," Cassandra explained.

"Which means we have to approach the rebel mages for help."

"And I still disagree," Cullen interjected, not hiding the bitterness in his voice, "The Templars could serve just as well."

A sigh emitted from the other warrior in the room, "We need power, Commander. Enough magic poured into that mark…"

"Might destroy us all. The Templars could suppress the Breach, weaken it so…" Cullen countered, firmly convinced the Templars would be a safer idea. Only to be interrupted by Leliana whose theory was just as speculative as his. He wasn't shaken though, "I was a Templar, I know what they're capable of."

The small admission of his past had earned him a look from the newest member of their ranks. He cautiously returned it, noting the curiosity written across her delicate features. Just as quickly as their eyes met, she looked away, regarding Josephine as the ambassador spoke to her directly regarding the Chantry's stance.

"The Chantry has denounced me? Took them longer than I thought," she mused with one of her eyebrows quirks up.

Meanwhile, the Commander's eyebrows furrowed, "Shouldn't they be busy arguing over who's going to become Divine?"

As Josephine continued citing the Chantry's reason for turning their back on the Herald, Cassandra made mention of Chancellor Roderick's involvement. Cullen could barely suppress his urge to roll his eyes at the mention of the name. He could only imagine the distasteful picture the Chancellor painted to his fellow brothers and sisters, influencing their opinion based on a title that she didn't choose for herself, instead of the real problem at hand.

When the ambassador made it undeniably clear that approaching the mages or Templars was not an option at the moment, the attention turned back to the Herald as she spoke, almost sheepishly, "Just how exactly am I the Herald of Andraste?"

"People saw what you did at the temple, how you stopped the Breach from growing," Cassandra answered, "They have also heard about the woman seen in the rift when we first found you. They believe that was Andraste."

Elizabeth's eyes widened at the clarification. And as Leliana and Cassandra carried on, the reality of what the people now believe Elizabeth to be seemed to sink in.

Cullen eyed the woman thoughtfully, "It's quite the title isn't it? How do you feel about that?"

Her gaze locked on his when he addressed her. He felt his breath hitch in his throat as her eyes bore into his but was determined not to let it show. "Well, between falling out of a hole in the sky, my hand glowing, fighting who knows how many demons, and taking a three day nap, it's not the craziest thing that's happened to me this week," she offered him a lighthearted smile, "It is still a touch unsettling though."

A short, satirical laugh escaped the Commander, "I'm sure the Chantry would agree."

The spymaster and ambassador brought the conversation back to seriousness, and despite trying to keep her humor, it didn't take a genius to see that the Herald was ill at ease with her new found fame. "Why are they so worked up about me? Aren't they more concerned about the breach? The real threat?"

"They do know it's a threat," the Commander assured, "They just don't think we can stop it."

When Cullen addressed the young woman, she again made eye contact, an unreadable expression on her face. Even after the other counsel members began talking, she held his gaze. He was almost certain by this point his blush was visible. He shifted uneasily, and looked at his feet. By the time he looked back up, her light-coloured eyes were no longer looking at his. He made a mental note to figure out exactly what colour her eyes were one day.

The Herald had hesitantly agreed to travel to the Hinterlands to meet with Mother Giselle, despite just being told of the Chantry's opposition to her and they all urged her to try to expand their movement's influence in her travels. Cullen knew all too well that with the Chantry's denunciation, they would need all the help they could get.

The Herald's first War Room meeting had come to a conclusion, and Cullen was secretly wishing it hadn't. He refused to let an exceedingly attractive woman distract him from his duty, but he couldn't help but admit that he looked forward to having her as a colleague. Though he tried to convince himself it was purely for the Inquisition's benefit.

As they were about to dismiss from the room, she glanced around at all of them, offering an appreciative smile. Cullen returned it, silently reassuring her, even if he knew they had a long battle ahead of them, a fight no one was certain they could win. One by one they trickled out of the room, the Commander being the last one out, securely shutting the door behind him. He turned to make his way out of the Chantry, heading back to the training grounds when he caught sight of the Herald walking ahead. To his shame, he was all to quick to notice the sway of her hips as she walked before snapping his eyes away. He groaned.

Maker, help me.

So? Thoughts? Concerns? Please let me know. This chapter was obviously in Cullen's POV but most of them will not be.

A couple notes: I am Canadian. Meaning I spell things the British way (colour, centre, etc.)

The title of the story is a term used playing chess. Feel free to look it up if you're curious.

Thank you for reading!