And then he just left me there! Naked! In the woods!" Cullen vented the rest of his frustrations to Alistair back at the Chantry. The entire time, Alistair had been listening and nodding as he pieced together the unfortunately predicament of his friend.

"Yeah. He was right. I'd leave you too," was what he finally said at the end of it.

"Wait, what?" Wide-eyed, Cullen sat on the edge of his bed in disbelief. "Who's side are you on?!"

"At this point, his. You're a terrible human being." Cullen's jaw dropped as Alistair rolled over to work on his poorly-carved figurine of some sort of winged creature with a sword. "No, I'm not... Why would you say that?"

"Think about it, Cullen. He specifically said 'not with a Templar', right? He lives here and has seen countless recruits before you come spend a season in training then leave for one of the mage towers. Why would he want to get involved with the likes of you only for you to leave him all alone in a few months? Have you even considered that? Stop thinking with just your naughty bits for once. What if he got involved with a Templar before and made promises to be together forever, then they still up and left anyway? How heartbreaking! True love isn't about giving yourself away on a whim. It's...it's for an eternity and you don't even care about that. Shame on you."

"Is…Is that how you really feel, Alistair? It's surprisingly deep…"

"Look," Alistair sighed as he sat up again, crossing his legs underneath him. "Giving yourself to someone you barely know isn't right. All that ends with is a bunch of kids just like me being born and passed around to anyone willing to take 'em because they're inconvenient. I'll tell you what though; I'll never do it like that. I don't want a bunch of fancy words and half-truths. When I fall in love, it'll be the forever kind. The only type of love worthwhile. You should too, Cullen. Granted, you and that local dragon boy aren't exactly going to be making babies rubbing against each other, but still. You're being selfish and are only concerned with that knob between your legs. Go to the brothel if you just want quick snog before taking your vows, but don't hurt someone who cares about you in the process." Grumbling, Alistair looked away as he touched on a sensitive subject for him. "Whatever, I'm going to bed." Cullen seemed shocked and a bit pained by the lecture, but was at least seriously considering what he had just been scolded over. Maybe he was being selfish? He hadn't even thought about how his time in Lothering would come to an end sooner rather than later.

"…I should go apologize to him," he muttered as he stood from his cot.

"It's the middle of the night, Cullen. Go to sleep before you do something even dumber than you already have."

"I'm not going to be able to sleep if I just leave it like this! You're right. I didn't even think about how he must already know the end result for our…thing. Whatever we are or were going to be."

"Do you even know where he lives? Other than the forest? Don't dragons live in mountains or caves?"

"He's not a real dragon! And…no, but it can't be far. His sister was also there in the woods and she is but a child."

"And you want to be the stalking, dangerous-looking stranger that comes to their door in the dead of night? Because that's a sane choice, obviously. Good luck with that." Cullen moved to the dresser and began to pull on a pair of pants, tucking in his night shirt as Alistair decided to go back to bed again. Sneaking out of the chantry wasn't difficult, to be honest. Guards took little interest in young Templars and the Sisters were in their rooms along with the Mothers. The older Templars, the ones training the recruits, were already out and about in town enjoying the tavern and various companions they could afford that evening. A torch had been borrowed from the Chantry's walls and he had been to this very spot in the woods so many times, he practically had every low-hanging branch and tripping tree root memorized. He wandered from a bit from his usual perimeter though, hoping to find a back trail or to spot a farmhouse in the distance. Two small flames flickered just south of his position, too red and steady glowing to be fireflies. Following them, he hid behind a tree as a small hooded figure sat on bent knees whispering a prayer he recognized from his study.

"Though all before me is shadow,
Yet shall the Maker be my guide.
I shall not be left to wander the drifting roads of the Beyond.
For there is no darkness in the Maker's Light
And nothing that He has wrought shall be lost."

The voice was that of a child; a young girl whom Cullen had met before.

"I am not alone," Cullen said softly as he stepped forward. Bethany turned quickly, surprised and scared at first."

"You!" she began to yell, but stopped when Cullen smiled at him and took a knee at her side to continue the prayer.

"Even as I stumble on the path.
With my eyes closed, yet I see
The Light is here."

He closed his eyes and reached for the headstone he had bowed before. "Malcolm Hawke? This is your father's grave? The one you thought I was going to steal from?" With a huff, she turned to finished arranging the roses she had brought between the two glowing candles on each side.

"Yes," she nodded as she worked. "My father passed away a little while 'go, so Brother came back to raise us. Me 'an my other brother."

"…Then is your mother buried close by as well? I wish to pay my respects if that's alright with you." The mention of it though brought Bethany to near tears.

"Ah, no. Mother is alive…she just… Brother says she's lost. Alive, but she's tryin' to find father in the dark. She don't want to see us, so my brother does all the work. Cookin' and cleanin'. I help though! Carver just complains a lot, but I help!" Cullen smiled at her, patting her head.

"I'm sure you do, little one. Your brother works very hard to keep you safe. I never really considered it until now, so I wish to apologize. Do you know where he might be?"

"Ah!" she smiled. "You two havin' a fight? That's why he came home so fast! Pfft. What ya do to 'em?" Cullen blushed at the question and Bethany flew into a fit of giggles. "Oh! Yous were kissin'! He likes ya, ya know? He told me so."

"I…like him too. Very much," the humbled young man admitted after clearing his throat.

"Come on then! We'll go to my house!" Standing, she offered her small hand out which was gratefully taken. "My house is o'er there!" she pointed in the same direction as the lake he had to walk back to his barracks from earlier that evening.

"That's fairly distinct from the town. You must have a fairly large clearing and claim."

"Yeah, we keep horses and stuff, ya know?"

"Cattle and a stable? In the woods? But the wild animals…"

"They don't be botherin' us! Ya ready or no?" Cullen nodded, giving the little fingers a squeeze, noticing how they were also partially warm much like Seren's, while his other gripped the stolen torch.

"Yes…and thank you. I shall never forget your kindness."