Chapter 4

Cullen spent the better part of the afternoon discussing the war with Evelyn's family. Her father and brothers were insightful and he welcomed the opportunity to discuss the things he was at liberty to discuss with prudent and military-minded men. Even the younger twins, though less vocal in deference to their 'Elders', seemed to have a good grasp of strategy.

At Skyhold, he often felt surrounded by women in the war room. Well, always, actually. Not that he minded usually, but he had to admit something about strong women like Evelyn, Josephine and Leliana in that setting, especially Leliana, made him feel like he was a teenager back in Templar training with the Knight-Lieutenant scrutinizing his every move.

In stark contrast, the Trevelyans were considerate and respectful and treated him every bit like an honored guest. He had yet to even face any awkward questions or protective threats in regards to his relationship with Evelyn. The only thing that made him the least bit uncomfortable was Evelyn's absence. He wondered more than once what in the world she was doing and why she hadn't shown up to tell her family herself about their work. But nor had they asked after her. He fully intended on having her explain later.

He was led to a guest room shortly before dinner by the twins. As soon as they left their father's study, they both clapped him on the back.

"Good job, Rutherford." One of them said.

"Father likes you." The other added.

"You should ask for more in Evie's dowry." They both said together.

Cullen couldn't help but let out a small burst of laughter. "That's exactly what she said."

"Told you to get the Orlesian villa, didn't she?"

"She's been fighting Gavin over that."

Cullen just smiled.

When they arrived at his room, they gave him two instructions. "Wait here and Evie will collect you for dinner," and then, with a wink, "You should leave your window unlocked...for later." They didn't give him a chance to question as they quickly left.

He went through his things that had been brought up to his room for him, intending to change out of his armor. He noticed someone had re-packed the bag with his civilian clothes, since nothing in it was what he had originally placed there. The redistribution of his wardrobe stunk of Josephine, but he couldn't entirely rule out her typical partners in crime. One of which was now in his room.

Ever prompt, Evelyn appeared at the appointed time. She didn't knock. She just slipped in silently, as was her way, and snuck up behind him to wrap her arms around his waist. He still startled a little, despite now being accustomed to her coming upon him undetected, but he was getting better at avoiding jumping out of his skin and drawing his weapon.

"Ready for dinner, Love?" She murmured against the back of his neck, her lips brushing just beneath his hairline. He shivered inside with want. He turned around in her embrace and looked down at her. He hadn't seen her look this beautiful since the Winter Palace. Her hair was braided with flowers and she wore a dress of emerald green, the same shade as her eyes.

He leaned down to kiss her and she pushed herself up on her toes to meet him. It was a long and lingering kiss that threatened to turn into more, despite the completely inappropriate time and place, so he pulled away first, not wanting to lose any capital he had earned with her family thus far.

She smiled wistfully at his reserve, but didn't comment. "I'm glad you approve." She said coyly and brought her hand up to touch at the flowers in her hair. It was then that he noticed the delicate glove she wore on the hand that held the mark. She saw his questioning look and responded. "I'd rather my family see me the way they always have. They don't need to see this." She said it almost sadly.

If Cullen understood anything, he understood that. There were some things that family didn't need to know.

He changed the subject. "Where were you all afternoon? I'm sure your father would have appreciated hearing about the Inquisition's business from its leader."

"I'm very sure you're wrong, love. As I said, my family sees me the way they see me. And that is not as the leader of the Inquisition or the Herald of Andraste."

Cullen couldn't help but feel as if she was being deliberately abstruse. He supposed he could appreciate that a youngest daughter might be doted upon and sheltered by a widower father and four older brothers, but daughters grew to be young women and Evelyn in particular was as accomplished as they came. She had made a name for herself apart from the one she was born with. Any family should be proud of that.

Before he could question her further, she took his arm and led him from the room. On their way to join the rest of her family she commented idly, "After dinner, my father will likely want to speak with you privately." She looked up at him with obvious condescension. "Feel free to try and return the dowry."

He replied brusquely to her challenge. "Thank you. I will."

"Good luck with that, Commander." She said out of the corner of her mouth as they entered the dining chamber.

Dinner was a sedate affair. Cullen met Evelyn's sisters-in-law and her description of them turned out to be quite accurate. Warren's wife was every bit the proper lady of the manor and heavily pregnant as well. Gavin's wife was possibly the most beautiful creature he'd ever seen. And also the most dull-witted. Every time she said something inane, Evelyn would snort and roll her eyes, leaving Cullen and the twins trying to hold in laughter and Gavin and her father shooting her stern looks across the table.

When the meal was finished they retired to a sitting room. Cullen was ushered to a chair by the fire next to the Bann. Evelyn handed them each a drink when they were settled and he smiled at her little gesture of domesticity. She sat with the ladies and engaged them in light conversation, while her father and brothers talked to Cullen about the current affairs in Ostwick.

Evelyn eventually tired of speaking with the women so she started strumming at a lute that had been sitting in a corner of the room and singing softly. Cullen took a moment to appreciate his surroundings. It was peaceful. Reserved in a way his loud and animated family wasn't. He quite liked it, actually. He could get used to having quiet evenings with easy conversation and Evelyn's soothing singing in the background.

But when he looked to Evelyn and saw her wearing a generally disinterested expression, he couldn't help but think that she found the whole thing boring. Especially, he imagined, since this was how she had grown up, this held no novelty for her. He wondered with amusement if she would feel the opposite and think his family preferable to hers. He supposed they would find out soon enough.

Cullen thought of another word for her, and for himself, when he realized that her 'intrepid' spirit and his 'vigilant' nature balanced each other well.

True to Evelyn's prediction, at the end of the evening her older brothers excused themselves leading their wives away and, the Bann requested to speak with Cullen alone. Evelyn gave him a chaste kiss on the cheek before she departed along with the twins. The young men each shook his hand before they left, leaning in to whisper in two parts,

"Don't forget..."

"...the villa..."

Cullen stifled a smirk and noticed the Bann rising from his chair. He started to stand as well, but was gestured back down as Evelyn's father moved to get them each another drink. After the older man settled into his chair again, he stared into the fire for a long time with a pained but resolute expression on his face. He then threw back the entire contents of his glass and turned to Cullen.

"Commander, there is something I must tell you. And I would ask that you please let me finish before interjecting."

"Of course, sir." Cullen responded stiffly. He steeled himself, wondering if this was the time objections would be raised about him marrying Evelyn. Even as he went through the list of counter-arguments in his head that he had prepared for just this situation, he couldn't help but respect that her father had treated him with polite dignity to this point even if he was now going to disapprove of their union.

"Evelyn is not my natural-born daughter."

It was Cullen's turn to down his drink in one go. "Sir?" was the only word he could manage at such a strange and sudden statement.

With a deep sigh, the Bann sat back in his chair and started to relate the story of Evelyn's circumstances.

He spoke facing the fire with an even and measured tone that concealed any emotion connected to the things he was saying. "My younger brother was a Templar. Our family has been devout patrons of the Chantry for generations. As such, it is typical for the youngest to enter into service. He wasn't forced. He considered it an honor to serve, as did we all...as do we still..."

The last words sounded strained. Cullen sympathized. It mirrored some of the sentiments he held regarding his own desire to serve. The heraldry of the Order was more representative than people knew. Service was a double-edged sword. But he would never have guessed at how deeply it had cut into this family until the Bann continued his soliloquy.

"Upon taking his vows he took up an appointment at the Ostwick circle. He became...involved with one of his charges. He and this mage were young and, in retrospect, unprepared for the realities of their world. He got her with child."

He paused then, observing Cullen, and watching the pieces fall into place in the Commander's head.

"They were in love. As much as youthful ignorance will allow." The Bann shook his head sadly then looked Cullen in the eyes. "Evelyn was born in the circle. In what can only be described as a fit of ill-advised lunacy, my brother stole his child away and helped her mother to escape. They were caught, of course, but the mage resisted and..." The man's voice caught in his throat and he seemed unable to continue.

Despite his promise to remain silent, Cullen quietly finished the sentence for him. "She turned." He said, with a cold lack of inflection.

"Yes. The Templars had to kill her. In deference to our family, my brother's only punishment was to be expelled from the Order. Little did I know at the time, it was as good as a death sentence. He showed up on my doorstep, half-delirious with lyrium withdrawal, begging me to take his child as my own. The Chantry allowed the adoption with the provision that we dedicate her into service when she came of age and she be watched closely until then to assure she wasn't going to inherit her mother's magic. Thank the Maker, she did not. There has never been a mage in the Trevelyan line, and if she had manifested magic there might have been...questions."

Apparently Evelyn had not shared the knowledge of the Trevelyan's distant relationship with House Pavus of Tevinter. Cullen wasn't about to disavow the Bann of his assumptions now, however, so he let the man continue.

"The twins were a year old at the time and had only just been weaned. It was a simple thing for my late wife and me to claim her as ours and conceal the truth of her birth. It was what my brother wanted. Once he saw his child safe, however, he was not long for this world. Before that, I had no idea the cost of service..."

Cullen knew all too well where this story was headed. He continued to listen passively and with a desolate feeling of inevitability.

"I begged him to let us acquire a source of lyrium for him, but he refused. I shouldn't have listened to him. One morning we found he had hung himself in his room. By rights I should have sent the twins to the Order. But after my brother...I wouldn't...I couldn't. As it was, I had to give Evelyn up to the Chantry that had seen both her parents dead." Cullen could tell the emotions the man had been trying to contain were threatening to break free. Another long bit of time passed. Eventually, the Bann rose to pour himself another drink. When he sat back down again, he seemed to have gathered back some degree of stoicism.

"I've tried to protect her as much as I could from the past. She's lived a sheltered life, Commander. She has no knowledge of any of this, partly out of respect for my brother's wishes and partly because I would not see her tainted or judged by the mistakes of others. That being said, however, you being a man of honor, and a Templar, I felt you needed to know the truth...even if it does turn you away from her."

Cullen couldn't believe what he was hearing. It was obvious that this man loved Evelyn like a daughter, but it was also obvious that somehow part of him still only thought of her as some mage's unfortunate bastard and an object of pity. Did her father think he would turn tail and abandon her because of her parentage, or because he thought Cullen still bound to the Order?

The Bann was silent, so Cullen asked, determined to make himself known in terms of both his intentions and his perceptions. "May I respond now, My Lord?"

"Please, Commander." Her father replied, sounding resigned.

"My Lord, I am uncertain how much Evelyn has told you, but I am no longer a Templar. I have no lasting ties to the Order." And then he added with not a small amount of pride, "Not even lyrium."

If he hadn't before, Cullen certainly now had the Bann's attention.

"I resigned my commission when I joined the Inquisition and it was also then that I stopped taking lyrium."

"But how...?

Cullen let the Bann's question hang in the air for a moment, so he was sure the impact of what he was about to say would be felt. "It wasn't easy." He started, then swallowing hard and closing his eyes against the continued reality of his struggle he added, "It still isn't. But if not for Evelyn, I might have chosen the same end as your brother." He exhaled deeply and stated resolutely, "She is my salvation, My Lord, and so much more, not the least of which is my every hope for the future. And I pray you understand that she is the embodiment of hope for many in this war. So, I have no intention of 'turning away from her'."

A complicated expression slowly spread across Bann Trevelyan's face. Relief, respect, pride, Cullen wasn't sure exactly what he was feeling, but he knew he had made himself clear when the man stood and shook his hand.

They shared another drink before they both retired. They toasted to Evelyn and to the future.

Unpleasantness now put aside, Cullen felt it might be a good time to bring up the return of the dowry. He started, "Sir, regarding the dowry you had sent to my family, I wish to discuss its retu..." But he was unable to finish. The Bann held up his hand to silence him and turned away to walk over to a small desk in the corner. He pulled a piece of sealed parchment from it, handed it to Cullen and then walked out of the room.

"Goodnight, Commander. And may the Maker keep you." He said with a smile as he left.

Cullen watched him go then opened the parchment. It was the deed to a Villa in Orlais.