"You there! There's a shield on your hand, block with it! If this man were your enemy, you'd be dead!"

The recruit nodded in affirmation at Cullen as he hefted his shield up to block the blow of his sparring partner, as he and the other new recruits trained under Cullen's watchful eye. He looked around, watching his men carefully, seeing that even though they were new, some of them already had sword training, and he was grateful.

His observation of the men was cut short when he heard someone approach, and he turned to see Alex approaching him. They had recently concluded their meeting in the War Room, where Leliana's people had reported that the Templars have abandoned the Chantry at Val Royeaux, with Seeker Lucius taking them to Therinfall Redoubt, while Grand Enchanter Fiona approached them before they left the city, offering the support of the rebel mages in Redcliffe. They deliberated for a while, before they decided that Alex should approach the mages for aid… a decision he didn't agree with, but he had allowed.

He looked at his soldier beside him and nodded, "Lieutenant, don't hold back. The men should be ready for a real fight, not a practice one."

"Yes, Commander." said the soldier, before heading off to inspect the men at a closer range, just as Alex stood beside him to look around.

"We received some new recruits… locals from Haven and some pilgrims." He said as she crossed her arms on her chest, "None made quite the entrance you did."

She smirked as she looked at him, "At least, I got everyone's attention."

He returned her smirk with one of his own as they walked around the training ground, "That you did. I was recruited into the Inquisition in Kirkwall myself… I was there during the Mage Uprising. I saw first-hand the devastation it caused." Alex nodded as one of Leliana's spies approached and gave him a report, "Cassandra sought a solution. When she offered me a position, I left the Templars to join her cause. But now it seems that we face something far worse."

She looked down at her hand, the mark flaring a little, "I must have this mark for a reason. It would work, I'm sure of it."

He gave the report back to the recruit after he read it and nodded to her, "Provided we can secure aid, but I'm confident that we can. The Chantry as lost control over both templars and mages, and now they argue over who will be the next Divine while the Breach remains. The Inquisition can act when the Chantry cannot. Our followers will be part of that. There's so much we can…"

He blinked when he realized he was babbling, as he often did when he was passionate about something. He had done the same with Alex's sister, regretfully, and he shook his head, both as an apology to her and to clear the lingering memories of Kinoch Hold from his head. "Forgive me. I doubt you came here for a lecture."

Alex smirked again as she looked at him, "No, but if you have one prepared, I'd love to hear it."

He couldn't help but laugh, "Another time perhaps."

And then she did something he never expected. She smiled, so sincerely and so beautifully that for a moment, his breath got caught in his lungs. There was something different about her smile, as he had hardly seen her like that, even though she smirked at him a handful of times. Although she possessed the same vividly red-hair and emerald eyes of her sister, Alex's smile was more… wider than that of Solona's, and a bit warmer. He felt the blood rise up his cheeks as he coughed.

"I… uh… there's still a lot of work to do…"

"Commander!"

He was saved by another soldier approaching, bringing another report for him to look at. He smiled at her as he mentioned at the solider, "As I was saying."

Alex shook her head, winking at him again before heading off back into Haven's grounds to speak with Varric. Cullen turned around, watching her walk away, seeing the way the leather of her cloak moved with the sway of her enticingly curvaceous hips.

He choked a little in his breath, causing the soldier who gave the report look strangely at him, before he shook his head and went back to the task at hand.