The next few minutes passed in a blur as Maxwell carried his sleeping daughter into the keep, up the recently built watchtower. Why the Inquisitor had decided to have it furnished in the style of the Circle of Magi was beyond Cullen, but it was not his place to question Trevelyan's taste. However, it appeared the tower was to serve as temporary quarters for the young Lady. The Commander followed the pair upstairs, silently opening and closing doors for his friend and his unexpected visitor. Maxwell laid the sleeping child upon a bed and sighed. He hesitated a moment before lovingly brushing a stray lock of hair out of her face. Cullen turned away, suddenly feeling like an intruder to a very private scene. A few seconds later, the Inquisitor left the room and went downstairs. Cullen followed and sat down in an armchair beside a small desk. It was time for some answers.
"This was certainly... unexpected" he began. Maxwell rubbed his face and sighed. "For us both" he replied. The Commander watched his friend. Never before had the Herald of Andraste looked so worn, tired and almost... old in spite of his youth. Even though Cullen knew he himself had a few years on his friend he could not help noticing the toll this kind of life had taken on the other warrior.
Finally Maxwell sat down opposite of Cullen and looked at the other man. "You deserve some answers I suppose. No more running away... especially since I need your help." The Commander frowned. "Why would you need my help? We have more than enough people capable of providing anything the young Lady might need." A sad smile graced Maxwell's lips. "If only that were true, my friend."
Cullen leaned back, immediately regretting the action for the loud creaking of the wood. Both men held their breath for a second, listening if the noise was enough to wake the little girl. They both sighed in relief when no sounds came from upstairs.
Maxwell absent-mindedly rubbed his chin. "Do you know how old I am?" he asked the other man. Cullen frowned. "Much younger than me for certain. But no, I do not know how old exactly you are." "I am 26," the Inquisitor replied, "and Elena is seven years old. I was 18 when I... met her mother. I'm not married by the way." The pieces began the fall into place in Cullen's head. "Very young for a father. I take it the child was not planned?" Maxwell gave a joyless chuckle in response. "Oh she was very much planned. Only not by me. You see, my brother was competing in the Grand Tourney, and he made it surprisingly far. Of course we celebrated, and I might have had a bit more to drink that strictly necessary." Cullen crossed his arms over his chest. "So you bedded a woman and fathered a child." Maxwell shrugged. "So I am told at least. I don't remember any of it." "Then how did you know she was truly yours? ...Apart from the obvious physical resemblance of course." The other man smiled. "We didn't get to see any resemblance for a very long time after that initial encounter with the mother. You see, I came to my senses the next morning to my brother shouting at me, calling me all the names he could think of. Apparently a servant had come to wake me before. Due to my drunken state she was unable to rouse me from sleep, but a young woman who had spent the night in my room ran off in a fright, barely glad. Everyone saw he leave my chambers. It was quite the scandal." His eyes glinted with mirth as if he fondly remembered the incident. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought such occurrences were common between nobles" Cullen interceded. "They are, as you correctly stated, common between nobles. She however wasn't noble by any means. An orphan, raised by an old seamstress. To have such an inappropriate dalliance is one thing, but to display it so openly, especially at an event as significant as the Grand Toruney – a place where gossip cuts sharper than any blade – was simply unacceptable, as my family still likes to remind me. My brother dragged me back to Ostwick and we hoped that would be the end of it. Even the juiciest scandal only lasts that long after all... but a few months later we received a letter. I am sure you can imagine the rest." They were silent for a few minutes. Cullen had a dozen questions, but was not sure how to ask them without prying. It was apparent that Maxwell was uncomfortable and would rather not speak of the circumstances of Elena's birth, but Cullen needed to understand.
"What happened to the mother?" "My parents bought her silence. Since Elena is so far their only grand-child, she is by all means Lady Trevelyan. A bastard technically, but I acknowledged her as my own, so she received my name and is heir to all I possess." A sad smile graced the Commander's lips. "A noble gesture, but I presume your parents were not pleased?" Maxwell laughed. "And why would they be? Elena's mother – calculating bitch that she is – even admitted to having taken advantage of me in my intoxicated state in order to gain financial security. My parents took care of that for her, but how is that the child's fault? She is still my daughter!"He jumped out of his chair and began pacing. Cullen had a hard time imagining his friend being taken advantage of. Did something like that not only happen to naïve young girls? "If the girl is the blade this woman holds over your family's social head, then why is she at Skyhold?" Cullen finally asked. Maxwell stood still and hung his head. "Apparently she has shown first signs of magic..." his voice was barely more than a whisper. The Commander's eyes widened in understanding. "And with no circles around, no one is more fit to guard and teach her than our people." The Inquisitor nodded. "She is safe here. Her mother does not like the idea of leaving Elena here with me, where I might be able to influence her in any way the bitch doesn't approve of, but she is terrified of anything having to do with magic. Josephine kindly convinced her to abandon all claim to Elena. I heard it was quite profitable for her to accept."
They were silent for a few moments. Maxwell took a few deep breaths, trying to calm his rapidly beating heart. He obviously hated speaking of this part of his past. Cullen could see how much the other man adored his little daughter and finally understood the secrecy behind her arrival. "If any of our opponents were to find out about her existence and consequentially her whereabouts..." "I would be an easy target. We can't allow anyone to harm my baby, Cullen!" The Commander smiled. "I will do whatever I can to protect her. Will you allow me to appoint a few of my most trusted people to guard her?" Maxwell crossed his arms over his chest. "I understand the necessity of templars in the presence of an unstable young mage and understand you are a busy man, but I'd feel much more at ease if you yourself kept an eye on her from time to time." Cullen frowned. He was no babysitter. "I have an army to lead, Inquisitor." "I know... at least while I'm not at Skyhold?" The Commander had never seen the other man look so vulnerable. He sighed in defeat. "Very well, if it means so much to you..." The other man beamed in delight. "Thank you my friend. If she's still the sweet little thing I remember she won't be any trouble at all!" Cullen doubted it. "If she is anything like her father I am sure she will be lots of trouble." His friend laughed in response. He looked much more relaxed now that Cullen had promised his help. But there was little they could do alone. "Have you thought about her education? I am sure Lady Vivienne would be happy to..." "Absolutely not!" Maxwell interrupted the Commander. "You realize she needs to learn to control her magic?" Maxwell's brow furrowed. "Of course I do, but I'd rather ask for help some place I don't have to be afraid to find my only child indoctrinated with the strangest kinds of political ideas." Cullen frowned. "Like Tevinter?" The other man laughed again. "It really does sound bad when you say it like that. But yes, I was thinking of asking Dorian first." The Commander smiled in response. His friend was right, Dorian was a good man and might even make for a decent teacher. "Well, she is your daughter. It is up to you to decide what's best for her." Maxwell nodded. "I am really grateful you know." The other man just frowned in confusion. "To all of you, I mean. Without Leliana and Josephine I don't know if Elena had even made it here. And knowing that you, too, will keep an eye on her... I appreciate your help, and your friendship. There are very few people I'd entrust my daughter with."
"And we thank you for your trust, Inquisitor" the Commander replied. "However, I hope you know that should any of us find ourselves with illegitimate offspring one day, you will be the person we will ask for help first." At this Maxwell laughed out loud. "The Chantry will have a male Divine before you every do anything illegitimate, my friend." Cullen blushed at these words, ready to defend his ways, when they both fell silent at the sound of silent sobs coming from upstairs. Within the blink of an eye the Inquisitor had climbed the stairs. Muffled sounds of sobs and calm voices echoed downstairs. Something twisted in Cullen's stomach as he heard his friend calm down his beloved daughter who had awoken in the middle of the night in an unfamiliar bed. She must be terrified, he thought. And yet, he knew for certain that she would soon call this place home. After all someone who loved her more than his own life was here with her. Cullen silently left the tower to grant the pair some well-deserved privacy. A small part of him that he tried to suppress all his life twisted his guts, reminding him of the things he had chosen to never have. When he joined the Templars he was certain that he would never know love, never have a family of his own. And he was fine with it. Cullen dedicated his life to the Maker, always protecting those in need. Even now he had promised to protect her, and yet... a part of him was envious of the love Maxwell felt for his child. What does it feel like, he wondered, to proudly look upon one's own flesh and blood. He would never know.
These thoughts accompanied him into his tower and his dreams as he lay down for another night of restless sleep.