Warning this Chapter contains some explicit material. It's intended for mature readers.

Chapter IX

Cullen left the estate in disguise keeping to the shadows as he did before. This would have been much easier for a rogue not a warrior as he was. He managed though.

He managed to get to The Keep. He evaded any questioning by any of the guard's passing them with ease. He had snuck into The Guard Captains office undetected. Donnic was not there. So all Cullen could do was wait. He remained hidden for what seemed like hours.

Finally he heard someone entering. It was Donnic he closed the door behind him. Cullen stepped out of the shadows. He was so well disguised that Donnic didn't recognize him. Donnic drew his blade. Cullen quickly removed his hood.

"Donnic no I'm here for your help," Cullen said.
"Knight Captain what?", Donnic said in confusion. "What are you doing here and where have you been?", He asked.

"Its a long story," He said.

"I'm listening,' Donnic said I have time .

"Well I don't know where to start. Okay Starting from the battle then., After the battle there was a very close friend of mine that was severely injured this friend is a mage I couldn't leave her to die from her wounds or worse. So I took her and hid her and nursed her back to health I need to get her out of Kirkwall and I need your help," He said.

"I see, how am I supposed to assist you in this?", He asked.

"Well I need to get Gabriella's phylactery so they can't track her down in the future. Now you see my dilemma," Cullen said.
"All in the name of love I'd say," Donnic replied.

"Well she is innocent of any wrong doing, some would condemn her for simply being a mage, and am I that obvious?", He said.
"Obvious yes, and if I help you in turn I may need your help Sir Knight," Donnic stated.
"Anything!", She means the world to me," He said in a sigh.

"When you let the Champion leave my wife left with him, I'm not sure why exactly, she means the world to me I need to find her if she doesn't return soon," Donnic said.

"I see I'm sorry I can't imagine how you feel I would be lost if anything happened to Gabriella," He said.

"So I imagine you have a plan on how your going to get her phylactery," Donnic said.

"Well pretty much I plan on returning to The Gallows when questioned on my whereabouts I plan on telling them I was chasing a corrupt mage but the mage eluded capture. In order for me to catch this mage I need the mages phylactery. If they don't arrest me for challenging Merredith, I will then get Gabriella's phylactery." Cullen said. Before Donnic could say a word Cullen had a even better idea.

"I could tell them I'm after Bethany in hopes of finding Anders, Aveline is with Bethany as well, If they allow me to take Bethany phylactery I'll just take Gabriella's too. If we have to look for Aveline what better way," Cullen stated.
"Sir Knight that's almost genius," Donnic said. "I'll help you but what do I need to do?", He asked.

"Go with me to the Gallows, say you found me on patrol that I was injured and you aided me," Cullen said.

"Well it sounds like we have a plan," Donnic said.

"I need to take care of a few things, I will meet you just outside of Hightown Market tomorrow morning," Cullen said. Donnic gave him a nod agreeing to the plan.
Cullen the put his hood back on and slipped out of the Keep. It was beginning to get late. He hoped to make it to the Market in time to find some lyrium or agents to make a potion he would definitely need it now.

Gabriella was searching the house from top to bottom. She found some more money not what she was looking for but would be useful. She found a door that went to the basement. Neither of them had been down there yet. She went and got her staff as a precaution before going down there. She had a strange feeling come over her.

She entered the basement she realized what she was feeling, the veil was thin here. She knew she shouldn't be there by herself, but she had to find something to help Cullen.

She stumbled upon a room she hit pay dirt. A huge alchemy lab stocked full of ingredients. She quickly grabbed what she needed to make a few potions for him. She was feeling so uneasy she hurried up as fast as she could.
As she turned to leave there was a desire demon. The demon spoke.

"Why are you in such a hurry my dear?", She said

"Move away Demon!", Gabriella exclaimed.

"Oh I am here to help you my dear, I can help you, Help you to be free, you and your love," The Demon said.

"We don't want your help," Gabriella said. She knew not to even try to reason with a demon. No better time than now to try out her new staff.

Gabriella began blasting the demon with the staff, and other spells, this demon was strong. She took a couple of hits from the demon but Gabriella was strong enough to finally take down the demon. She grabbed the potions and ran upstairs before another demon could manifest. She closed and looked the door tightly. She then placed a barrier in front of the door to block the veil.

She went to the bedroom and waited on Cullen to return it was getting late the sun had already gone down. She was very nervous because of what happened down in the basement. She heard a door shut and she jumped up, her staff in hand. She hid to the side of the doorway. Cullen walked in the room shocked when he saw Gabriella ready to attack.

"Whoa!", He said.

She dropped her staff, and rushed to him throwing her arms around him hugging him.
"I'm happy to see you too," He laughed but then realized she was trembling.

"What's the matter Love?", He asked her. She proceeded to tell him what had happened with the demon and the veil there. He knew she was strong to have held a demon off on her own.

"Everything will be okay Love," He said tenderly trying to comfort her. He told her what happened with Donnic and their plan to save her and Aveline.

He told her that he had no luck finding any lyrium.

I almost forgot,' She said she walked over to the night stand and grabbed her potions. She walked back over to him and held out her hands full of potions.

"Will this do?", she asked him.
"Indeed it will!", He said and smiled at her. He took one of the potions right away.
"Are you hungry Love?", He asked her. She shrugged her shoulders in response.

"Well I am, and you should eat something," He said. He grabbed her hand and led her down to the kitchen. As they got downstairs he saw down the hall and looked strangely.

"You did that?", He asked her referring to the barrier she put on the door. She nodded yes. He chuckled he couldn't believe she did that it amazed him. He realized then that she was a very skilled mage more so than anyone in the Gallows knew.

He made some food for the both of them and apologized for it being bad. She just laughed at him. After they ate she wanted to go out to the garden it was a beautiful night, The moon was full and it was warm outside. Before they went outside she grabbed a bottle of wine two glasses and a blanket to sit on.

The garden smelled of all the flowers that at this time of year were in full bloom, He picked a beautiful rose and smelled it then he turned to Gabriella and took the rose and placed it in her hair. He couldn't take his eyes off her. Her eyes sparkled in the moon light like the stars in the night sky. He thought if anything ever happened to her he would surely die from heart break, thinking of Donnic's situation hoping they would find Aveline safe.

Gabriella stretched out the blanket on the ground and sat down. She patted the blanket next to her motioning for Cullen to sit down with her. He sat down. She handed him the bottle of wine to open. He opened the bottle and poured them both a glass. Gabriella never drinking when she was in the Circle was actually now really enjoying wine. It helped her relax.

"Cullen when are you planning on going to The Gallows with Donnic?", She asked.
"Tomorrow," He answered.

She sat there quiet she was worried and it showed.

"Why, what's the matter Love?", He asked her.

"I don't like being here alone after what happened earlier," She said.
"I'm sorry Love, I have to do this in order to make sure you'll be free and they won't be able to track you. So maybe someday we can really have some sort of normal life together, I'm doing this for you and me, ", He said.

"What if you can't get it or something else happens?", She asked.

"This will work, and if it doesn't or something happens to me, I'll send Donnic to you with a message. If I can't for some reason get your phylactery we will have to leave here and fast, get as far away from Kirkwall as we can. You shouldn't be here for long by yourself if all goes as planned," He told her.

"I can't help but worry, I so wish I could be there to help or do something other than just sit here," She said.

"I know you want to help but you being anywhere near The Gallows would be reckless I wouldn't be protecting you very well if I allowed you to go there," He said.
"Hey, did you really mean it when you said you wanted us to have a life together?", She asked.

"Indeed, I can't imagine a life without you, I love you. You believe me when I say this don't you?", He asked. She looked at him and smiled and nodded yes. He leaned over and kissed her.
"No more talk of gloom and doom then," He Whispered as he kissed her again.

She pushed him onto his back and giggled. She slightly pulled her dress up out of the way and straddled his lap and leaned over him as he laughed.

"Caught you off guard Sir Knight," She said.
"So what do you plan on doing now you have me pinned?", He asked her. She moved her hips in a very provocative motion.

"Hey Hey!", He laughed."

"You see Sir Knight in this position I could ravage you," She said so seductively as she moved her hips some more.

"Ravage me?", "How are you planning this?," He asked .

A few glasses of wine got rid of any shyness she had at least with him, she got kind of bold.

"Like this," She said as she ripped his shirt opened every button on it went flying. She then took her hands and placed them on his chest and slowly moved then down his stomach stopping at the top of his trousers.

"What in the world did that demon do to my Gabriella?", He said and laughed.

"She did nothing to me ,but if you'd like me to stop I will," She said jokingly as she started to get up.
" Come back here," He said as he pulled her down on top of him. He then kissed her.
"Ravage me huh?", He whispered. She could only smirk at that. As she kissed him passionately as she moved her hips on him, she could feel him beneath her as she aroused him.

This was exciting her as well. She began kissing his neck passion consumed her as she then moved her kisses down his chest then his stomach she caused him to squirm and laugh. She wasn't the only one that was ticklish . She couldn't help herself to tease him by kissing his ticklish spot just lightly enough to drive him crazy as her hand and began to untie the laces on the front of his trousers then slid her hand down the front of them as her hand found him. Her lips followed. He squirmed and moaned. He took her arms and pulled her back up and kissed her.

"Where in the world did you learn that?", He asked.

"Just say I heard things," She said laughed.
"Note to self number 3. Very observant you were, what else did you hear? ", He asked as he laughed.

"You really want to know?", She asked. He replied with a very deep laugh
He sat up with her on his lap still. He held her and passionately kissed her. He then began moved his hands from her waist up the front of her bodice and began kissing her breasts that were exposed as he unfastened the pearl buttons on the front of her dress. Her breast exposed to him. He then fondled both as he traded kisses between them both.

Unnoticed by him she had leaned up on knees. She managed to maneuver herself out of her small bottoms. She then slid one hand down his slid under the waist of his trousers moving slowly around the front, easily finding him peering out of the top of his untied trousers. She loosened them even more and gently moved the trousers out of her way. As her hand moved around him he moaned deeply as his fondling of her breasts became more intense. Causing her to moan from the pleasure of his touch. Passion had consumed her she leaned up just enough to place him where she wanted him as slowly took him. As she did he stopped to look at her face, He kissed her passionately again as she then took all of him she let out a moan and continued her up and down movements on him. This had his head spinning from the sheer pleasure. They were as one for the moment every moment they made was in unison. Even as they heavily breathed and as they both began to climax they were as one. As they held each other tight. She couldn't move for a moment every bit of energy she had was spent. He just held her as he looked into her eyes. He kissed her.
"I love you so much," He whispered.

"And I love you as much," She replied.
"Is there anything else you learned in the Circle that I should know about," He said jokingly with a laugh.

"You'll see in time my love," She replied with her seductive voice and a wink. They both laughed.

"Hmm patients isn't one of virtues," He stated with a grin.

They laid on the blanket for a little while looking at the stars in the sky. As they drank a little more wine. They laughed and joked a little. They talked about their dreams. Being with her made him feel whole for the first time in his life. Loving her filled the emptiness that he seemed to have always had before now. Funny she felt the same way. They completed each other.

They decided to go to bed and retire for the night. He knew what he had to do the next day as much as he hated leaving her. He had to. Then undressed and snuggled under the covers and held each other. She loved using him for her pillow and he didn't mind one bit.