A/N: So, I changed Cullen's siblings' names to what they are 'supposed' to be. Mostly because I wasn't that attached to any particular names. Thanks for reading!


Chapter 7

They walked to the Rutherford's family farm with Mia and her boys under a bright and sunlit sky. Evelyn managed her nerves with a grace and propriety her overly proper father would have been proud of. Cullen, however, betrayed his own unexpected anxiety by gripping Evelyn's hand tighter and tighter as they went along, even while his face remained a blank slate of stoicism. Evelyn just smiled to herself and squeezed him back.

They meandered down paths, past a few other farms, over a small hill and alongside a placid lake eventually coming upon the most idyllic pastoral landscape Evelyn had ever seen. The smell of wildflowers wafted in the air, tall grasses swayed in the wind and somewhere in the distance she could hear children laughing. Mia's strides started to lengthen and grow faster, leaving Evelyn and Cullen to catch up to her, but before they did she leaned into him and asked with awe in her voice, "I know this isn't where you grew up, but is this how you grew up?"

He looked at her, clearly not understanding. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, this...this." She waved her hand around with emphasis at the green pastures and then at the picturesque little farmhouse that had just come into view, a welcoming trail of smoke puffing out of a chimney. Even Varric couldn't have possibly conjured a more storybook vista than the one surrounding her right now.

Cullen rubbed the stubble at his jaw and looked around with a critical eye. "Uh...I suppose, yes. It's quite similar to the farm in Honnleath. Why?" He asked, suddenly sounding insecure laced with a trace of defensiveness, "Is there something wrong with it?"

Evelyn could hardly believe it. She clutched at his arm, trying to keep her voice down in her aghast enthusiasm to let him know what he had and had clearly taken for granted his whole life. "Wrong with it? Are you daft? This is...this..." She waved her arms around again, searching for the words. This was not where she grew up or how she grew up. She grew up behind tapestried walls and high hedges. She grew up in sitting rooms with governesses. She grew up in order and structure and stifling boredom. She grew up with whispers and propriety.

This was wide open spaces and wild meadows. This was a warm hearth and a whole family talking over a shared meal. This was running around outside until dark and coming home dirty and tired and happy. This was laughing children and a robust future.

This was...this... "Cullen," She finally said, breathless, "This is freedom."

His eyes softened as he looked at her and then he quickly looked down at the ground, hiding a smile.

They caught up to Mia just outside the house. She picked up a lovely towheaded girl of six or seven summers who had been playing in the grass weaving a wreath of flowers. The two came up to Cullen.

"Evie, this is your Uncle Cullen. Give him what you made for him." Mia set the girl down and she extended the flower wreath to Cullen. He looked at it, clearly not knowing what to do.

Mia gave him a sharp look and Evelyn kicked his boot, motioning for him to take the flowers with her eyes. He took the flowers.

Mia gave him a satisfied smile. "And this is going to be your new aunt, please greet her as well, Evie." To which the little girl smiled politely and gave a short curtsy. It was adorable.

Evelyn knelt down to her level and extended her hand to shake. "I'm very pleased to meet you. My name is Evie too." They smiled at each other then shook hands.

Mia asked the girl where her father was. This was one of Branson's little ones then. If Evelyn remembered correctly there would be two more girls, and two boys. The girl whispered in her aunt's ear and then Mia motioned them forward.

"Come on." She said. "Branson's on the archery field with mum and the others."

Cullen started following, but Evelyn stopped him to rescue the flowers from being crushed in his now sweaty fist. She replaced them with her hand and then allowed him to proceed.

They were still a ways off when Evelyn saw the targets and a tall man who was nearly the spitting image of Cullen. He was leaning on a longbow and was surrounded by children of varying ages. They were watching an older woman, dressed in hunting leathers. She was slender with pale grey hair. She was taking aim with her own bow and they were just in time to see her release the arrow to strike dead center on the farthest target.

Evelyn let go of Cullen's hand to start applauding the shot, but her clapping was drowned out by Mia yelling.

"He's here! He's finally here!" It wasn't surprising she got everyone's attention. Evelyn hoped she hadn't roused any corpses. Killing undead wasn't the best way to endear oneself to new family.

If she thought the shouting was over, however she was sorely mistaken. Cullen's brother let out a yell before he came barreling towards them and tackling him the same way Mia had. The effect was somewhat different, both men stumbling backwards and nearly falling down. Evelyn could see Cullen smiling inside the hug.

The two eventually separated and Branson introduced his children. No small feat when the little ones were running circles around each other and screaming, the excitement of the day now having taken hold of them. While introductions were being made, Mia's husband came across the fields and joined them. Apologies were made for Branson's wife and Cullen's youngest sister. Rosalie lived with her husband in the next village and was due to give birth to their first any day now. Branson's wife was staying with her until then.

Throughout all this, Cullen's mother, at least that was who Evelyn guessed she was, stood with her bow, silently observing. She was a striking woman, tall like the rest of them. Or rather, they were tall like her, she supposed. Finally, everyone else stepped aside and Cullen made his way over to his mother. She quirked her lip up in small smile, just like Cullen's, when her son picked her up in a large and unashamed embrace. They exchanged a few words that Evelyn didn't hear then Cullen pulled her close again, closing his eyes and looking more at peace than Evelyn had seen him look anywhere outside of her own arms.

When the reunions were complete, Mrs. Rutherford walked over to the group of them and took charge of the situation.

Her voice was clear and commanding. "Branson, take your brother and get him drunk. He's earned it and he looks like he needs it. Mia, mind the children for a while so the Inquisitor and I can get acquainted." People scattered immediately, leaving her and Evelyn alone with Cullen sparing her one last smirk over his shoulder as he was led away by his brother.

"Come along now, Evelyn dear." Evelyn followed Cullen's mother into the house. She was brought into the kitchen. It was every bit as warm and inviting as she imagined it would be. There was a snapping fire and it smelled of herbs and freshly baked bread. She was instructed to sit down at the large kitchen table that had a dusting of flour atop it. Mrs. Rutherford propped her bow against the mantle and then sat across from her.

The two women sat staring at each other, hands folded in front of them. Evelyn made sure to keep her breaths deep and even, she made sure to meet the woman's eyes and she made sure to keep smiling. All the things Leliana had taught her about enduring an interrogation. She vaguely wondered if she should state her name and her rank to start things off, but Mrs. Rutherford started instead.

"My children don't know this, and you're not going to tell them, but I wasn't raised a farmer. Farming was their father's trade. He loved it and I loved him. Before I met him, however, I worked as a runner for one of the militia groups established by Teyrn Loghain during the occupation."

Evelyn raised an eyebrow. "You were a spy." She said directly. This was no woman to be trifled with, she could tell. When faced with someone of equal or greater cunning, directness and honesty were actually better weapons than subterfuge and bluffing. Maker bless Leliana for being such a good advisor.

Mrs. Rutherford raised her own eyebrow, intrigued, if not pleased by Evelyn's strategy. "I was a patriot."

"Then I should be grateful to you as the source of Cullen's loyalty and dedication." Evelyn said sincerely. Now it was the older woman's move.

"Cullen was lost to us for a very long time." Evelyn just nodded her head in agreement, waiting for the inevitable question. Of course it came. "Do you know what happened to him?"

"I do." She would offer the man's mother nothing but honesty, but it wasn't her place to elaborate on Cullen's personal history.

"Will you tell me?"

"It's for him to tell you or not tell you." Evelyn couldn't help but bite her lower lip, possibly betraying her nerves.

After a long pause, Mrs. Rutherford smiled slowly and then abruptly changed the subject. "So, is there something wrong with you?"

Evelyn swallowed. "Pardon me, ma'am?"

"That dowry was excessive, even for someone as important as you. Even if that was eventually the price your father was prepared to pay, it's odd that it was his opening offer. We have no titles here. You're not 'marrying up' as they say. Why should your father even care about presenting Cullen with a dowry? So, I can only assume there must be something wrong with you."

Honesty, Evelyn. Honesty. You're not going to manipulate this woman.

"My father isn't aware that I know this and he would prefer that no one knows, so you're not going to tell anyone," Evelyn echoed Mrs. Rutherford's threat at the start of their conversation. "I'm a bastard."

A slight twitch at the corner of one eye was the only response Evelyn got, so she continued with the truth of her birth.

"My 'father's' brother was a Templar who became involved with a mage. Those were my real parents. They died and I was adopted by my uncle, who I now call 'father'." She wasn't expecting it, but with those few simple sentences out in the open a weight lifted off of Evelyn's shoulders that she hadn't even known was there. She heard herself audibly exhale and she felt herself slump a little in her chair with the relief of it.

Another long and silent moment went by. Evelyn waited. Then, Mrs. Rutherford's eyes crinkled and she started laughing. It was unexpected and the way the woman smiled reminded her so much of Cullen. "Well, that's worlds more interesting than I expected." She said through chuckles. "Here I was thinking you'd just be another boring noble. I should have known Cullen wouldn't have settled for someone dull."

Mrs. Rutherford rose and pulled out a bottle of spirits from a cabinet along with two glasses. She poured them each a shot. Evelyn wasn't usually one for spirits, but she downed it in one go, earning her another smile from her future mother-in-law.

The tone of the conversation was suddenly more relaxed. "So, my son looks well fed. You're cooking for him, aren't you?"

"I...am." The damn woman knew everything.

"Good. He'd forget to eat if someone didn't force him. He's always been like that." She sipped at her own drink, seeming to consider her next statement. "Has it been hard for him?"

Evelyn wasn't sure if she was referring to something specific or just everything she assumed her son had been through in the years of his absence from their lives. "It has. But I'd like to think it's getting better. And I hope to make it better still in the future."

Mrs. Rutherford finished her drink and sighed. "I'm happy he has you then. And thank you for bringing him home."

They each had another drink and sat quietly for a while before his mother brought up the dowry again. "So, he tried to return it, right?"

"Oh, he tried." Evelyn laughed a little.

"And you're father was having none of it, I assume?"

"Actually, Cullen left Ostwick with more than he originally got."

"He never had a head for negotiations, that boy. He's too honest by half. Mia's the shrewd one." She said proudly. "Takes after me. And for the love of the Maker, don't ever let him bet on cards."

Evelyn's eyes went wide. "I...um...I think maybe I'll let Messere Varric tell you all that story."

At that Mrs. Rutherford rose. "Come along dear, let's get Mia and we'll start dinner for when the men get back."

Evelyn rose with her and the two women linked arms as they walked back outside into the sunlight. To Evelyn, it seemed a little brighter even than before.