Warning: This story is rated mature for later chapters.

Note: All characters are owned by BioWare.

Chapter Three

Evelyn stopped for a moment while she waited for her companions to catch up. They had been walking for hours, but she knew that they didn't have far to go until they reached Skyhold. If it hadn't been for the bandit attack which took them by surprise, she was sure they would have been back in the warm comfort of their keep long ago.

She watched as Varric rounded the corner and slowly wandered over to where she was stood. The dwarf had been the luckiest out of the group, only suffering a minor cut to the face which had all but stopped bleeding now. She herself wasn't too badly hurt, a couple of cuts and bruises here and there. She was pretty sure her ankle was sprained but the longer she walked, the duller the pain became in her legs. She didn't know whether that was a good sign or not.

Iron Bull was bringing up the rear, the mage Dorian in his arms. The Tevinter had suffered a broken leg while attempting to keep a warrior at bay. While she knew the man was in a lot of pain, he wasn't allowing it to show on his face. His usual smile was plastered on his lips as he looked over to Evelyn. Iron Bull had taken the brunt of the damage, having charged through the attack to protect his friends. While she wasn't pleased that they had allowed themselves to be taken by surprise, it had warmed her heart to see the men selflessly throwing themselves in front of her. She couldn't have asked for a better group to have at her side.

"How far Boss?" Bull asked, stopping for a moment to shift Dorian's position in his arms. The mage had not been happy with the idea of being carried back to Skyhold by the Qunari, but they had been lacking in options once their horses has failed to return and Dorian hadn't been able to fix his injury with magic. He gave a slight groan of pain as his comrade did his best to move the male without causing him too much discomfort, teeth digging into his bottom lip as he attempted to restrain his pain filled cry.

"Not far. How are you both holding up?" The Inquisitor asked as she walked over, taking hold of Dorian's hand as she neared. Both of the men smiled at her action, neither wanting to appear weak in front of her. They were all as stubborn as each other, all wanting to look strong in the face of injury, all secretly cursing the pains they felt.

"This is but a scratch my dear. Do not worry yourself." While Dorian put on a brave face, the pain he was feeling came through in his voice. They needed to reach Skyhold and the healers soon. Night had fallen now, and while the moonlight was enough to light their path, she suspected that anything could be lurking in the shadows, waiting to pounce on their wounded party. Being on edge meant that she would be ready for any attack, but with a wounded party to back her up, she feared they wouldn't be able to get through another fight without serious consequences.

"It will take a lot more than a simple bandit attack to take me down Boss." Iron Bull said, flashing his normal smirk. Before their encounter on the road, the group had been travelling back from recently slaying an Abyssal High Dragon. While it had been a difficult fight, Bull had proved that he was more than capable of standing up against anything, including the towering mass of territorial dragon.

Nodding her head, she released Dorian's hand before returning to lead the group along the road which wound through the mountains towards the keep. An awkward silence fell over them, tiredness beginning to set in. She hadn't been sleeping well while out on the road and she knew her group had struggled as well. The Western Approach had been a difficult mission but they had been well rewarded with the taking of the Griffon Wing Keep. It gave them a strong foothold in the area from which they could direct forces.

After another five minutes or so of walking in silence, Evelyn began to hear whispers coming from behind her. Whenever she looked over her shoulder to work out what was being said, her companions would stop talking, giving her sheepish smiles before turning their eyes away from her. What were the boys plotting?

After hearing her name a couple of times, and the sound of an argument breaking out between the three about who would ask her something, she decided to intervene. "Something on your minds, boys?" There was silence for a moment longer before Varric spoke up.

"We were wondering if the rumours were true Ginger." The dwarf increased his pace so he was able to walk alongside Evelyn as they talked. She did not like the sound of where their conversation was going. Varric was well known for the stories he could and would weave about people based on rumours he had overheard. While not always completely true, they made for interesting reading all the same.

"And what rumours would you be referring to?" She asked, raising an eyebrow as she looked over to the dwarf. She could see that he was smirking slightly, looking dead ahead to avoid her gaze. Evelyn had a suspicion about which rumours he was talking about, having heard some of the things which travelled around Skyhold herself.

"The ones which refer to you doing the dirty with Commander Cullen." Varric's blunt words caused her to choke on her intake of breath, sending her into a coughing fit that hurt her ribs. Stopping for a moment, she sucked in a deep lungful of fresh air before turning her sights on the dwarf. He was smiling to himself, a mischievous look in his eyes.

"And where would such a rumour have stemmed from I wonder." Her tone implied that she believed Varric to be the one to have started such a rumour and if she was honest, she wouldn't have put it past him to spread such gossip.

"Well don't look at me Inquisitor." The dwarf raised his hands in defence before turning his eyes onto their companions. Dorian pulled a face of innocence while Iron Bull merely gave the same smirk he always had. "None of us have anything to do with this particular piece of chatter."

Evelyn had heard talk of such a rumour in Skyhold. People had clearly spotted her leaving the Commander's office and jumped to the conclusion that the pair of them had been getting up to something. Sadly it seemed no one was willing to think of the logical possibility that the two were merely working, but then again that wasn't how rumours worked.

"No Varric. That rumour is not true." The Inquisitor said, forcing her feet forwards to stop herself from thinking about his comment too much. She had not done anything with Cullen apart from fall asleep in his jacket and brush her arm with his. That didn't mean that she hadn't thought of all the things they could get up to. Once the man was on her mind, it was difficult to get rid of him.

She knew that as the leader of the Inquisition she should have been focusing her attention on more important matters. But somehow, in all of the craziness which surrounded fighting Corypheus, she had found herself indulging in some harmless flirting which was now seeming to be less then harmless.

"Evelyn. You are amongst friends. You do not have to be coy with us." Dorian spoke up from his place in Bull's arm, his teasing tone bringing a smile to her face. A blush began to creep onto her cheeks, her imagination taking over and presenting her with pictures of the Commander which she shouldn't have been thinking about at that time.

"I suspect you like watching me squirm under your interrogation." Evelyn said as she turned a corner in the path. The road ahead was clear and she was starting to recognise some of the vegetation around her. They were not far from the keep now.

"I suspect someone else wants to see you squirm." Varric said in a mutter, pretending to have not said a word when Evelyn shot him a look. Dorian made a comment about how he wouldn't mind seeing her squirm while Iron Bull muttered something about doing more then making her squirm. This is what she got for travelling with men all the time.

"And what of the rumours which could appear due to me taking three strapping men out into the field? Surely people will talk about such an arrangement." She knew she was clutching at straws, hoping she would be able to move the conversation away from her and Cullen. She was losing control and needed to regain it at any cost.

"Please Evelyn. No one cares about who you take out into the field for your missions. You could take all the girls and it still wouldn't make it into the breakfast conversation. It's a given that you're going to take a group of us with you whenever you head out." Varric made a good point. People had become so accustomed to seeing her surrounded by her companions that no one batted an eyelid when they went out. "What's more interesting is seeing the strange dance you and the Commander are doing."

"We've all seen the way you two look at each other." Dorian threw into the argument, giving her a wink when she looked back at him. "And heard the flirting." It caused the blush which had worked its way onto her face to intensify. She had to look like a fool, attempting to tease one of the Inquisition's advisors while working.

"Boss, would you just do the old dog a favour and let him bone you already." Bull said suddenly, no shame or reservation to his words. She knew the Qunari were not ones to worry about the social etiquette of humans but it still shocked her to hear Bull talk in such a brusque manner.

"Bull...I..." She was completely lost for words as she stared up at him, stopping in her tracks. How was she meant to reply to that? Did Cullen have feelings for her? Or was Bull just saying things to make her blush? Her mind was spinning in confusion.

Taking a deep breath, she looked between her companions before turning her back on them all and striding on ahead. Now was not the think to be worrying over whether her Commander had the hots for her. Before long Skyhold came into view and a sense of relief washed over her. Not only would her friends be able to rest and recover from their injuries, but she would also be able to get away from their questions.

As they drew up towards the gates, she saw movement on the battlements and knew their return had been noted. She hoped that someone had noticed Iron Bull carrying Dorian, if only to speed along the process of a healer being found. Just before she was able to walk across the wooden drawbridge, a hand grabbed her arm and stopped her.

Varric stood with a smile on his face as he studied her, releasing her arm now that he had her attention. The dwarf had become one of her close friends and while she knew she could trust him, that didn't mean she was up for sharing every piece of information about herself with him. Especially information relating to her feelings and thoughts towards Cullen.

"Just so you know, none of us care what you get up to in private. As long as you continue to be the Inquisitor we all know and respect, you can do whatever you like. Stop worrying so much." His words were spoken in a hushed voice, the teasing tone he normally used having been replaced with seriousness. He gave her a look which implied he knew exactly what was going through her mind. Maybe she did need to stop worrying so much.

"Commander!" One of Leliana's scouts burst through the doors to Cullen's office and came to a halt in front of his desk. He had been quietly working away on some reports, yet the look of concern on the man's face had him striding around the table and towards him without a second thought. Something was clearly wrong.

"What is it?" He asked, his hand automatically going to his sword. His years of serving as a templar and now as leader of the Inquisition's forces meant that certain reactions came automatically to him. One of those was to go for his weapon when danger was present. While he was sure that Skyhold wasn't under attack, the normal sounds associated with battle not reaching his ears, the worry in the scout's features had him concerned all the same.

"The Inquisitor has arrived. She requests your presence down by the main gate." The scout replied, bowing their head before making a retreat out of the room. It had been days since they had last heard anything from Evelyn and her companions, yet normally her return did not cause worry in Skyhold. Something had to be wrong.

Knowing his reports could wait, he half jogged out of his office and down the stairs towards the gate. A large group had gathered around the arrivals, blocking them from the Commander's view as he drew close. It was the middle of the night and yet so many had assembled. This couldn't have been a good sign. Pushing his way through the crowd, he came to a sudden stop when he caught sight of the Inquisitor and her companions.

Each was sporting some sort of injury, some mild while others looked more serious. Iron Bull, who was covered in dirt and blood, was holding Dorian in his arms as a mage fussed over the Tevinter's leg. The Qunari looked to be a little battered up but nothing which wouldn't heal given time. Varric had a cut on his face which looked as if it had been bleeding at some point but wasn't any longer, while Evelyn had been left with some small cuts and bruises. Dark marks had formed under her eyes and she looked ready to fall to sleep at any moment.

"What happened?" Cullen stepped out of the crowd and towards the Inquisitor as he spoke. He watched as her eyes shot up to his face and some of the tension in her features faded, her relief unmistakable as she took a step in his direction before stopping herself. The area just at the corner of her eyes winkled up slightly, pain flashing across her face for just a second before vanishing once more. If he hadn't been concentrating on her as much as he currently was, he would have missed it. Something was off.

"Bandits. They took us by surprise on our way to Skyhold. I want the roads leading in to the keep checked. I fear they were not the only group lurking on the roads. Can you arrange that Cullen?" She asked, her attention moving away from the Commander before he was able to reply. Leliana and Josephine were making their way towards them, the crowd parting a little to allow the two women through.

"Inquisitor." Josephine almost dropped her notes at the sight of Evelyn, mouth hanging open as she assessed the damage. "Please tell me you're going to let a healer fix you up." The Ambassador was always thinking about appearances. Cullen recalled that they had some invitations to meetings and parties waiting for them, and while he wasn't a fan of playing the game, he knew how crucial presentation was.

"Later Josephine. I need you to contact the houses who have offered us aid. I want to know that help is standing by if we need it." The Inquisitor stopped her advisor from arguing with her request by turning to the Spymaster.

"What do you need?" Sister Leliana bowed her head slightly, ready to carry out whatever actions Evelyn asked of her. If you needed something doing, Leliana was the one to turn to. The woman rarely asked questions and was always ready to do what had to be done to get results. It was slightly frightening yet impressive all at the same time. The Inquisitor closed the gap between them before speaking in a hushed tone that only just reached the ears of the Commander.

"Someone knows." Evelyn pressed what appeared to be a piece of paper into the woman's hand as she spoke. Nothing more was said between the two as Leliana simply nodded her head slightly before turning on her heels and leaving. Clearly this wasn't something as simple as a plain old bandit attack.

A small part of Cullen wanted nothing more than to look after the injured Trevelyan. She might have been putting on a brave face in front of the people who had gathered around her, however a seasoned veteran such as the Commander knew when someone was attempting to hide the pain they felt. If it hadn't of been for her request for men to be sent out, he would have stayed where he was.

Taking one final look at Evelyn, he rallied together some of his men who had come to see what was happening at the main gate before returning to his office with them. Two groups would be dispatched to patrol the roads leading into Skyhold, while extra guards would be assigned at key points around the keep. If someone was organizing groups of bandits to mount attacks on people travelling to and from the Inquisition's stronghold, he would make sure they were stopped.

Cullen spent some time dealing with the reports he had been working on before he had been interrupted. He had hoped that keeping himself busy would stop his mind was wandering, but he was having no such luck. Every time he paused to consider something, he would be reminded of the state Evelyn had been in when arriving back. He wouldn't deny that he had been worrying about her since she had left for the Western Approach. And he knew he wasn't the only one.

Josephine, Leliana and himself had spent many days together in the war room, planning and arguing over what the Inquisition would do next. On one of their long evenings discussing ideas, each had admitted to being concerned about the Inquisitor. They had placed a lot of responsibility on her shoulders and at times each had felt guilty about doing so. They knew she was capable of leading them, had seen her determination in Haven. But that didn't mean they were happy with their actions. It was a lot for the shoulders of a single person.

Shaking his head, the Commander let out a deep sigh as he placed the reports he had been working on down on the desk. It was late, he hadn't been getting much sleep and it was starting to impact on his ability to focus. Wanting some fresh air before he called it a night, he left the mountain of work he still had to do and headed outside. The moon was high in the sky now, illuminating the keep and the few who were still awake.

Cullen smiled as he descended the stairs, enjoying the silence which reached his ears. There was something about indulging in a complete lack of noise which helped to sooth the Commander. Having spent most of his life working in rowdy environments and growing up with a set of noisy siblings, Cullen knew to enjoy every moment of peace he could get. There was never a guarantee that he would be able to find it again.

Rounding a corner, he stopped in his tracks as he looked towards the main gates. While the group of people that had formed when the Inquisitor had arrived were now gone, a single person was still stood in the darkness, attention fixed on the gate. Evelyn didn't react as Cullen drew close, seemingly lost in her own world.

Standing silently at her side, the Commander rested his arm onto the handle of his sword as he waited for the Inquisitor to come out of her thoughts and notice him. Over time he had worked out that Evelyn was very much like himself, she enjoyed peace and quiet nearly as much as he did. On a number of occasions since arriving at Skyhold she had come to his office and simply sat in his presence, sometimes falling to sleep without him realizing.

From what he had overheard from her companions, Evelyn struggled to sleep when out in the field, her cries in the middle of the night having been noted by many. No one had said anything to the woman yet, most likely unsure about her reaction. But the strange thing was, their reports did not match with what he had witnessed first-hand. Whenever the Inquisitor fell to sleep in his office she had seemed relaxed, only stirring when she was cold and quickly settling back again once he had placed his jacket around her.

"Cullen." Evelyn's voice sounded shocked, pulling the Commander from his own trail of thought as he turned to lock eyes with her. In the moonlight he was able to see the smudges of dirt, blood and what appeared to be soot on her face. She no longer seemed to be bleeding, but she hadn't allowed a healer to help her as Josephine has requested. The Ambassador was not going to be happy when she saw her next.

"My lady. Are you alright?" He asked, having to stop himself from reaching for her. They were out in the middle of Skyhold and gossip was enjoyed by many who called the keep their home. He watched as a smile formed at the corner of her mouth.

"Can I tell you a secret Cullen?" The Inquisitor spoke in a whisper, motioning for the male to move closer to her so she was able to share with him without speaking loudly. Coming a step closer, Cullen had to use every ouch of control he had to stop himself from completely closing the distance and pressing Evelyn flush against him. Leaning forward so her head was almost resting on his shoulder, Evelyn whispered. "I can't walk right now and that's why I've not gone inside."

Drawing back for a moment, the Commander looked the Trevelyan up and down. She was clearly putting more weight on one foot then the other, and one of her hands had come up to grip Cullen's arm. How long as she been standing outside like this, too stubborn to ask for help from the healers or guards?

"Evelyn." He growled out her name before putting his arm around her and forcing her to shift most of her weight onto him. Cullen had helped injured men and women before, unwilling to leave anyone behind. He recalled how on the day he had first meet the Inquisitor he had helped carry one of his men away from the Conclave once Evelyn, Cassandra, Varric and Solas had arrived.

In comparison to the soldiers he had supported before, the Inquisitor was barely a wisp against him. While she might have been a fierce fighter who could hold her own, she didn't carry the bulk that many who had seen action did. Bearing as much weight as he could without picking the woman up, Cullen helped her make her way up to the throne room and through it, pushing open the door to her quarters with his foot. They made it into the safety of the stairwell leading up to her room without coming across anyone, the door closing behind them and shielding them from view.

The Commander stopped them for a moment at the foot of the stairs, shifting Evelyn slightly so he was able to get an arm under her before lifting her up into his arms. She gave a small squeak of surprise but didn't struggle against him as he carried her up the stairs. The Trevelyan wrapped her arms around his neck and rested her head against his shoulder, the tension in her body melting away. What he wouldn't give to be able to stay with Evelyn in his arms.

Once they reached the top of the stairs, Cullen carried the Inquisitor over to her bed and carefully placed her down onto the covers. She reluctantly released her arms from around his neck, smiling slightly as she shifted her weight to keep her foot elevated.

The fireplace in her room had been lit at some point to keep her warm, but by now it had almost burnt down to embers. After a couple of minutes he had stoked the fire back into a roar, spreading warmth through the room. The light of the flames was enough to illuminate the bedroom, bathing everything in an golden glow. Standing up straight, Cullen moved back over to the bed where Evelyn sat, the woman having not moved the entire time.

Kneeling down in front of her, the Commander gently pushed her chin up so he was able to study her face. In the light he was able to better see the injuries on her face, the little cuts which were dotted about her skin. The dirt and soot made her look worse then she really was, which relieved the concern which had been building within him. Stripping the gloves from his hands and being as careful as he could, Cullen removed the Trevelyan's boot from her good foot, struggling a little with the complex lacing she had done.

"This one might hurt." He said, looking back up at Evelyn for a moment. She was watching him intently, a smile pulling at her lips. Even when she looked at her worse she was beautiful. Her red hair had fallen out of its ponytail and fell in waves around her shoulders. Bright green eyes seemed to shimmer slightly as Cullen found himself becoming lost in them. His mind was playing a very dangerous game with him, telling him he shouldn't worry so much, to go after the things he wanted but denied himself.

"Just do it." Evelyn's words brought him out of the inner argument he was having with himself, reminding him of what he was attempting to do in the present. Giving a sharp nod, Cullen started by slowly unlacing the boot, being as careful as possible not to knock the Inquisitor's foot as he worked. He could hear her attempts at hiding the pain, tiny whimpers leaking out of her mouth. When the lacing was completely removed, he did his best to gently pull the offending item off and put it to one side. Evelyn was taking short breaths as she sat there, foot hovering in mid air.

"It's not broken my lady, but you have badly sprained it." Cullen said after studying her foot for a while, wincing himself at the purple and black bruise which had formed around her ankle. No wonder she had been unwilling to move once she had made it back to Skyhold.

"Thank you Cullen." Her voice was barely a whisper. The Commander drew himself up from the floor and helped the Inquisitor to move into a propped up position on the bed, placing a set of pillows under her bad leg to support her ankle. He couldn't help fussing over her a little longer and therefore proceeded to collect a bowl full of warm water and a cloth.

Settling himself on the edge of the bed, he wiped away the dirt and soot which covered Evelyn's face, enjoying watching the way she closed her eyes and titled her face towards his hand. Without thinking about what he was doing, Cullen was inching closer to the Inquisitor, his mind using the excuse of cleaning her up as the reason why. When her eyes fluttered back open, they were barely inches apart, the Commander having stopped rubbing the dirt from her face a while ago.

In the silence he could hear the steady intake of breath from Evelyn, noted the way it became shallow the longer they sat almost touching. His eyes were fixed on her plump lips, watching as her tongue poked out to lick at them before disappearing once more. He wondered what it would feel like to have those lips pressed against his own, her tongue in his mouth. It was a thought which brought him tantalizing close to the Inquisitor. If it hadn't of been for the small voice in the back of his mind which told him this wasn't the best time, he was confident he would have attempted to claim her mouth in that moment.

Releasing a deep sigh, Cullen drew back from the Inquisitor before lifting himself off of the bed. "I'm sorry...I..." He was lost for words at that moment, hand rubbing at the back of his neck as he tried to think of something to say.

"Do not worry Cullen. Thank you for your help today." He wasn't sure what he had been expecting, but Evelyn's words had not been it. Looking over at her, he saw the way she looked at him with warmth in her eyes and his will nearly buckled. She gave him a half smile before running her hands up and down her arms. He couldn't have her going cold in her bed.

"Here." Without thinking he was taking off his overcoat, carefully laying it over Evelyn. He made sure that the soft plumage was wrapped around her shoulders and under her chin, shielding her from the cold. In her current situation she wasn't able to protest his actions, and she didn't seem to want to if her reaction was anything to go by. Nuzzling her face into the fur lining, she gave a content sigh, shoulder dropping slightly as she took in a deep breath. She seemed to like his jacket and the sight of her in it stirred feelings in Cullen which were currently not appropriate.

"Sleep well." He gave a low bow as he spoke, picking up the bowl of water and his gloves as he left. He thought he heard Evelyn say something in return, but didn't stop to ask what it was. If he didn't keep walking, he knew he wouldn't be able to leave her room that night and that was not the sort of gossip the Inquisitor needed at the moment. He needed to go and get a grip of himself, in more ways than one.