Chapter 7

Dorian led him all the way up to the highest tower of the battlements. Cullen only partially cared about the strange looks the two of them received as they walked arm in arm. Dorian was alight with his usual sparkle. Cullen looked like someone had just kicked his favorite Mabari puppy.

The mage leaned casually against the outer wall as Cullen slumped forward onto it contemplating how long it would take one to reach the snow banks below if one decided to jump.

"It's far too early in the day to be looking so tired and defeated, Commander. And while I do find you more attractive when you're agitated, I would be remiss as a friend if I simply ogled and didn't ask after your well-being. So, since I am such an excellent friend, care to share?"

Cullen straightened and glared. "Let's not pretend you don't know what's going on here and why I would object to such base frivolity."

Dorian had the good sense not to play games. But his good sense didn't extend so far as to spare Cullen more talking.

"'Base', Commander?" He replied with mock indignation. Or perhaps it was real indignation. Dorian was nothing if not totally serious about his own magnificently inflated self-image. "Nothing about me has ever been or could ever be construed as 'base'. Everything pertaining to me is tasteful and special. I'll have you remember that before this conversation goes any further."

"A lame nug could be considered 'special'. Do you want to be compared to a lame nug?" Cullen challenged somewhat immaturely. He was still feeling confrontational, clearly.

"I'm going to ignore your goading because our Evelyn loves you." Dorian waved away Cullen's comment. "I don't know what possessed you to enter into a verbal sparring match with Josephine. I could have told you that would end badly for you as it always does. I, however, am much more magnanimous than our fiery Antivan Ambassador, so I'm going to explain to you why you're fighting against the tide here in ways your honor driven Knight-of-Andraste sensibilities can comprehend. And then I'll make you feel all better about just letting said tide wash over every beautiful inch of you, yes?"

"Do I have a choice?" The Commander grumbled.

"You don't. Good boy for seeing that. Now, think back to when we were at the Winter Palace."

"I'd rather not." Cullen really didn't need this kind of friendship today.

Dorian ignored his complaint. "Do you recall those delicious nuts with the Tevinter spice that Evelyn and I made you try?"

"I recall Evelyn putting one in my mouth and then I recall begging Madame Vivenne to cast an ice spell on my throat to make the pain go away." Sadly, the vomiting that little morsel induced hadn't even been the low point of the evening for Cullen. He couldn't say where Dorian was going with this unpleasant reminiscing but, obviously not having a choice in the matter, he let his 'friend' continue.

"I used to love those nuts back home. They're a delicacy, you know. The burn is the best part. It's a subtle thing that starts as a low smolder and then erupts quite unexpectedly into a raging inferno in your mouth."

Cullen looked back at Dorian dubiously. "Every time the two of you came by you were looking for water in what I assumed to be an effort to reverse that raging inferno."

"Yes, but do you also remember that after we found water we went right back to the bowl of nuts?

"Is there a point to this Dorian?" Cullen looked down at the snow banks again, wondering if they didn't start to look more inviting.

"You see, it's rare to encounter something that deliciously spicy. Each time you experience it you worry perhaps the intensity is too much to bear, but then once you've allowed it to consume you and the intensity runs its course, you can't help but want to experience it all over again."

Cullen stared at him blankly, clearly not following.

Dorian huffed and rolled his eyes. "The point, my dear Commander, is that you are so much spicier than those nuts."

"I very much do not want to be a raging inferno inside your mouth, Dorian."

"Not just you, you daft man!" Dorian appeared upset by Cullen's glib response. "I'm speaking of all the lovely boys the lovely ladies, and me, of Skyhold are enamored with. What I'm trying to say is that appreciation of a fine male form is something to be celebrated and devoured at every opportunity." Then he added with a dangerous edge, "So stop ruining the fun."

Despite the fact that his arguments had fallen on deaf ears with Josephine, Cullen felt the need to continue defending his position. "But..."

"Stop." Dorian held up his hand.

He tried again. "You..."

"No."

"I..."

"Listen to me, Cullen." The mage said, interrupting him for the third time. "You have a beautiful woman you love who fantasizes about you. So what if she wants to help her little friends, and a few others, fantasize about who they might love, or simply admire? As I said. Spicy nuts, old boy, spicy nuts."

Cullen paused. Spicy nuts aside, he did love Evelyn. And it was endearing, and arousing, that she required his presence in both her reality and her fantasy. The thought made him happy. And so it logically followed. Who was he to prevent others from being happy?

Dorian must have seen the tentative acceptance on Cullen's face. "Now there's a good Commander." He remarked condescendingly, his lips spreading into a wide and lascivious grin. "I'll just let all parties know we're fine here then. And perhaps inform Varric he should double the number he's considering for release." Dorian patted him on the shoulder as he walked away leaving him alone on the battlements.

Cullen stood there for quite some time, looking out at the snowcapped mountains and breathing in the crisp air. This was not the first time the lovely ladies, and Dorian, of Skyhold had bested him, nor did he think it would be the last. Despite his stubborn streak he considered surrender was the better part of valor. And then a curious little idea crossed his mind. A devious idea. A self-serving one.

If he couldn't beat them, he would join them.

He strode down to his office with renewed purpose. He cancelled the rest of his meetings for the day, settled down at his desk and set to work. It had been years since he'd done anything like this. It had been a fleeting hobby in his youth pushed aside by the more exciting endeavors of his training. But if nothing else the Chantry had been thorough in its education, teaching the devout many different ways to glorify the Maker.

He wasn't exactly crafting a likeness of Andraste, however. He was surprised how easily the movements of pencil and paper in hand came back to him. Before he knew it, on the blank page in front of him, he had sketched out his own fantasy image. He couldn't help a smile at the finished product. But there was still work to be done. This wouldn't necessarily have been the first thing on his mind about how to pass his time today, but if his beloved Evelyn wanted spicy nuts that's what she would get.

Cullen folded the parchment neatly and found an envelope to seal it in. Conveniently, a soldier knocked at his door at just that moment. The man set some reports on his desk and with a nod and a salute he turned to leave but Cullen stopped him.

"Jim, take this to the Inquisitor, please. It's very important, and for her eyes only. Understood?"

"Yes, sir. Right away Commander."

Cullen watched Jim leave with the envelope, then climbed up to his loft to gather everything he would need.

xxxx

Evelyn remained in their bedchamber for a little while that morning trying to do as she had been instructed but she simply couldn't decide how she wanted to depict Cullen in a drawing. Everything she tried seemed inadequate when compared to the real thing. She felt like she wasn't getting his smirk quite right, or the exact angle of the scar on his lip. The spark of passion behind his eyes eluded her and the way she drew the firm set of his jaw didn't do him justice.

She eventually wandered from their quarters in search of inspiration. Pencils and parchment in hand, she passed through the main hall to find Josephine and Varric having an animated argument. When they saw her they both shouted out.

"This dwarf is fired, Inquisitor!" Josephine said with a snarl.

"You gave me inferior chest hair!" Varric accused.

Evelyn ran past, ignoring them.

She retreated to the garden to find Dorian lounging on a bench. She sat down next to him.

"I've just had a chat with Cullen." He said casually.

"About?" Evelyn asked with the best pretended innocence she could muster.

Dorian just scoffed at her attempt and continued. "I've brought our man around to our way of thinking as only I could have done. I'll add it to the list of favors I'm owed by the two of you."

Evelyn smiled, a little relieved. "Thank you, Dorian. I was a bit worried Leliana was going to threaten him into submission."

"Actually Josephine softened him up nicely for me before I got to him. Quite helpful actually. He was more pliant than I expected."

"That sounds dirty."

"I know."

"How did you convince him?"

"Spicy nuts."

"Mm." Evelyn nodded her head. "Clever of you. Hard to deny the logic of that analogy."

"Well, I am very clever. And handsome."

"And modest."

"I know." Dorian glanced down at Evelyn's stack of blank parchment. "You should draw him in his formal uniform. The gods know he's the only one who looked good in that dreadful thing. Perhaps open in the front, trousers undone just enough to suggest..." The mage licked his lips.

"I'll consider it." Evelyn said.

"Or perhaps those Avvarian leathers you picked up for him. Has he worn those yet?"

"Not yet." Evelyn blushed. She had already thought of that herself.

"Anything but that ghastly cloak he favors." Dorian's lip curled in disgust.

Evelyn looked affronted. "I love him in that!"

"He's fortunate his pretty face distracts from the tragedy of it. It's awful. I would have thought you'd have better taste."

"To each, her own."

"Indeed." Dorian stretched, as graceful as a cat, and then rose. "I'll leave you to it, my dear. I believe I've provided you with enough inspiration. Remember though, you're supposed to be drawing Cullen, not me." Dorian winked at her then walked away.

Evelyn wiled away several hours on the bench in the garden, diligent in her task. First she took Dorian's suggestion and drew Cullen in his dress uniform. Well, not so much in it as coming out of it. The jacket that he had complained was too tight was fully unbuttoned and hanging from his shoulders, baring his chest and the ripples of his abdomen. Also as Dorian suggested, she made the trousers undone, revealing just the tops of his slender hips and only the very beginnings of the dark blond curls above his manhood. She thought maybe this might be a good entry for the month of Firstfall.

When she was moderately satisfied with that depiction, she started on another, this one to spite Dorian. She drew Cullen on her throne in the great hall wearing nothing but his red cloak. The fur framed his proud face and his broadsword lay across his lap hiding his other pride. Looking at this would be the perfect way to spend every day of the month of Guardian, she thought. She smiled widely at this rendition and admired it for a few long moments before she set that too aside and began yet another. She was nothing if not thorough in her appreciation of her man.

Since he hadn't yet worn the Avvarian garb she acquired for him on a whim and at Dorian's urging, she had to guess at how he would look in it. Not that there was much of it. Skin tight supple leather hugging all the right places, she positioned him with his back to the viewer looking over his shoulder. She gave herself a bit of artistic license as well, giving him long hair done up in braids. This image was a perfect Cloudreach if ever there was one but she would still ask the ladies their opinion on it later.

She was about to start on another when she was interrupted by a messenger calling out to her.

"Yes." She acknowledged with just a little irritation at being interrupted. She hid the drawings behind her to be safe as she looked up at the man bearing an envelope.

It was Jim. Fucking Jim!

Heat rose up in her cheeks as she hastily swiped the letter away from him.

"From the Commander, Your Worship. For your eyes only he said." With a nod of his head, Jim left her.

Evelyn tore open the envelope and pulled out the letter. But it wasn't a letter. It was a drawing. It was so well done she was envious. The likenesses were captured exactly. She stared down at the picture in her lap. When she realized exactly what she was looking at she gasped. Her hand went to her mouth in shock. Had Cullen drawn this for her? Was this his fantasy?

She had to find out. Now. She snatched up all the drawings, Cullen's included, and ran in search of him.