The jerky movements of Imperial's dancing rocked Ari'elle from side to side, and she held tight to the body in her arms. They could not travel at too fast of a pace, the forest was thick and the path not clear enough for the horse to move at his preferred pace. Imperial seemed eager to go faster, but Commander kept a firm check on the leather bands in his hand, speaking low words to the horse. Imperial would flick his ears back to listen and he would settle back down with the words.
Pressed as she was to his back, Ari'elle couldn't really watch the human she had wrapped in her arms. A heated flush rose in her cheeks when she thought of the way her arms encircled him, the way he had placed her hands against the cloth of his over jacket. His actions had been professional, but it was easy for her to imagine him doing the same thing, only with a more seductive intent. She leaned away slightly, the fur of his collar tickling her face.
She twisted, looking behind her. Arrayed in single file through the narrow path, his men fell into position, their horses keeping time with Imperial. Dorian rode directly behind them, giving her a sardonic smile as she looked. She returned it with a shaky one, feeling herself starting to slip to one side.
"Careful," Commander cautioned her, reaching around behind him to her waist, hauling her upright again. Ari'elle gasped, the strength of his arm leaving an imprint through the thin leather of her garment.
"So-sorry!" She blurted out, copying his position as best she could. Her blush spread up to her ears, making them twitch slightly in embarrassment. She wasn't making a very good first impression, was she? Determined to be as focused and serious as he was, Ari'elle concentrated on the horse's movements, studying its gait as they rocked side to side.
After some time, though, she felt confident with her ability to move with the horse, to let her attention wander a bit. And it locked onto the man whose shoulders were all she could see. Her rode with those broad shoulders back, chin up, body moving with Imperial in perfect harmony. "You are good at this, aren't you? At riding."
He didn't speak for a moment, and Ari'elle thought that maybe he wouldn't answer at all. "I suppose I am now," his rich voice held a thread of surprise, as if he had never thought about it. "When I was young, I rode some. But it has only been since I joined the Inquisition that I have spent any great time riding." His words shut down, and Ari'elle wished that she could see his face, read his expression.
When he offered no more, she let the one main question that had been bothering her since she had pulled him from the water burst from her. "What is the name of the metal that goes over your head? It looks like some sort of crazed beast."
He again paused for a few heartbeats, his body moving in reaction. "It is called a helmet, or a helm." He informed her, amusement obvious in his voice. Ari'elle scrunched her nose, a little annoyed he was laughing at her. "It is the visage of a Red Lion, one of the large predators that haunt the Frostback Mountains."
"Oh," she sniffed, then couldn't help herself from asking, "Is that the animal all your fur comes from too?"
He nodded his golden head, but said nothing else. They sat in silence for a few moments, before Ari'elle uncrossed one arm from his waist and tapped a nail against the flat metal piece he had been fighting with, now strapped over his knee. "And is this some sort of weapon?"
"When used properly, it can be, although it is meant to be used with a sword. It is called a shield, and its main purpose is for protection. With training you can effectively use to block attacks and to cause your opponents harm." He stopped for a moment, and she thought he would cease talking again, so his next words caught her by surprise. "Do the Dalish not use either shield or helm?"
Ari'elle shrugged; unaware that he felt the movement. "No one in my clan does. Maybe the other clans do; the ones who have greater contact with humans. We never travel outside of the forest, sticking to deep within. The only reason we are so close to the border is due to the meeting of clans that is taking place this year." Ari'elle felt no hesitation explaining their customs. Maybe she could become a bridge between the two cultures, unifying them in greater understanding. "We do little waring, mostly hunting. Animals are more likely to be afraid of your smell then they are of a helmet. Plus, we mostly fight with bows; a good hunter does not let a target get close enough to need such contraptions."
They sat in silence for a while, Ari'elle holding back all the questions she wanted to ask. She knew that she could be annoying with them; Keeper had warned her a few times in the past. The further they traveled away from the heart of the forest, however, anxiety started to build. She would be leaving her home for the first time, already travelling beyond the boundaries of all she knew.
She wet her lips, letting a question impulsively burst out. "You said your titles were Inquisitor and Commander, right? Does that mean your name is Cullen Rutherford?" Ari'elle shifted, wondering if her question was too bold to ask someone like him.
However, he seemed to take no offense, "Yes. My full name is Cullen Stanton Rutherford."
"Inquisitor Commander Cullen Stanton Rutherford," Ari'elle beat through the words. Exasperation filtered into her voice, "Why are there so many names to remember?"
Cullen Rutherford's body shook in her arms as he let out a rolling laugh. Ari'elle's lips parted in wonder, a tingling rush of pleasure lightening her mood, bringing happiness. She had made him laugh. "Yes, it is a bit tedious, isn't it? But humans seem to like their titles. Orlesians especially. I could add a few more in there, but they are really unnecessary."
Ari'elle frowned at the unfamiliar term, Orlesians, but she kept quiet… at least for a while. They talked sporadically; mostly her asking questions. She learned of the equipment associated with the horses, bridal and saddle. Who the Orlesians were, than of other nations beyond what she knew. She asked after their destination, and received a vague reply. She knew that Commander Cullen would most likely be wary of her, but she was still sad that he didn't seem to trust her yet. It will come with time, she told herself, trying to be patient.
He asked her a few questions between her own; mostly what life was like in a Dalish clan. She had described a typical day for a hunter, for a Keeper, for a craftsman. She never went into details of her day; she didn't want to tell him that she spent most of her time in idle pursuit of her treasures or search for flowers. She didn't think that that would be the sort of thing he would appreciate hearing from her. So she detailed others' lives, keeping scant on hers.
As the sky darkened, the sun setting, they slowed the horses pace, unable to see far enough ahead to keep their speed. Ari'elle yawned, taking one hand from around Commander Cullen's waist to bring to her mouth. Imperial had settled through the day, not tiring but using his excess energy, so she was not worried about falling off at the walk they were doing.
"Are we not stopping?" Ari'elle asked the large man, almost lulled into sleep by the now smooth and easy motions of the horse.
"Not for some time yet," his voice drifted back to her. He didn't sound tired, Ari'elle thought blurrily. "We need to make up some more time if we are to reach Seeker Cassandra before tomorrow's nightfall."
With drooping eyes, Ari'elle succumbed to the inevitable, and she looped her arms back around his waist, loosely linking her fingers. She had slept in just as many strange places before; although she admitted a moving animal was new to her. With a soft contented sigh, she leaned her cheek against the broad back before her, soft fur cushioning her from the metal armor hidden beneath his cloak.
"Hmm," she made a non-committal reply, then let herself drift. She hadn't really realized how tired she was. The past few days had been very intense for her, both physically and mentally. Though the Fade-dream had healed her, she hadn't had much sleep to replenish her energy.
At some point in the night, the string of riders stopped, slipping from horseback to make a temporary camp. She had woken groggily; barely aware of Commander Cullen helping her slid off Imperials back before dismounting himself. She had watched the commotion for a moment, then walked to the base of one of the trees, curling up beneath it on the soft padding of fallen leaves, and promptly fell back asleep.
Ari'elle woke the next morning to words being exchanged. With a large yawn, she sat up, rubbing her face and stretching. A gentle weight fell from her shoulders, and she looked down in confusion. A blanket had been laid over her sometime in the night. Pushing her hair from her face, she looked around, brows drawn down.
There were no tents this morning, and only one small fire heating food for those who were awake. Her stomach growled in response, and she eagerly stood, gathering the blanket in her arms. Tentatively crossing to the fireside, she looked for one of the few people she knew. Varric stood, spooning something into his mouth.
"Well, if it isn't miss sleepy-head. Impressive skill you have there," he acknowledged as she came up to him. "Wish I could sleep just anywhere. Would make my life damned easier." He chuckled, then gestured to the pot over the fire with his spoon. "Grab some grub. You are going to want it."
"Where should I put the blanket?" She cleared her throat, aware she probably still sounded half asleep.
Varric waved to one of the men. "He will take it. Pack it back up. We will be leaving within a half hour," he warned, "better make sure you get as much food as you can handle. We still have a long push, but it doesn't look like we are going to make it to the Seeker's side today."
Ari'elle frowned, confused by the statement. Were they moving slower than expected? Was it somehow her fault? She glanced nervously around the humans as she crossed to the man Varric had indicated, handing him the blanket. Although none were looking at her with open welcome, there was no anger or condemnation directed her way. She allowed herself a tiny sigh of relief. It didn't look like her fault.
She was finishing up a second bowl of the essentially tasteless, but filling, soupy grain when Commander Cullen strode into the clearing. She sat up straight, watching him intently as he gestured for attention. "We did not make it as far as I would have liked, all of us needing the slower pace to not reinjure ourselves." Ari'elle glanced around the humans, taking stock. There were several who sported obvious bandages. "As such, we will not be arriving at our destination till tomorrow morning. Once clear of the forest, the journey will be hard and fast. We will make full camp tonight, then reach Seeker Cassandra's location in the early morning."
He broke away, long legs eating up the distance as he went to tend to Imperial. Ari'elle watched him, realization breaking through. He was like their Keeper. His people listened to what he said, gave him respect. And in turn he provided wise counsel. Absentmindedly finishing her food, she realized she should have put the pieces together before. He was obviously in charge of the group, and had even said it to her before. She just hadn't quite realized what it meant to these people. Nibbling on her lip, she left the bowl at the fireplace, and went to gather her things.
"Mistress Lavellan!" His strong voice rang out through the clearing, making her jump. It was a strange greeting, one she was not used to. Imperial was already saddled, Commander Cullen standing at his side. The few concessions the humans had made for sleep were rapidly put away, horses being mounted and made ready. Ari'elle swallowed, hurried to his side. As she crossed, she watched him effortlessly swing up onto Imperial's tall back.
Commander Cullen leaned down, once more extending his hand. A lock of his golden hair fell over his forehead, sleep still clinging to his eyes. That darker hair dusting his cheeks and throat was longer, growing as the days progressed. Her palms tingled in remembrance of moving her palms along his jaw, of feeling the smooth planes of his face. She allowed herself to be pulled closer by his golden brown eyes, slipping her hand into his and jumping up behind him. She carefully wrapped her arms around his waist, setting herself back from him. Oh, he was dangerous to her wellbeing. It would be far too easy to…
The jolt of Imperial starting to walk shook her from the thought, and she grabbed onto the distraction gratefully. They started slowly, then gained speed as everyone worked the stiffness from their muscles. Soon they were continuing with the pace they had set the day before.
The forest grew lighter and lighter as they continued, the trees thinning out, the composition changing. More sunlight filtered through, the trees not as old or as broad. Vegetation rose up, taking advantage of the light, competing for resources and space. And Ari'elle felt herself grow tenser and tenser with the change. She hadn't expected to feel this conflicted, this upset. But with each passing minute, the momentousness of her actions was driven home deeper and deeper.
"Are you alright?" Commander Cullen's voice jolted her from her trance. She blinked up to him, startled to see he had turned his head to look at her. He hadn't done that before. She licked her lips, and nodded, forcing a smile to her face. "Yes." She winced at how weak she sounded. "Yes," she tried again.
His eyes narrowed, obviously not buying the lie she was giving him. She let the smile disappear, no longer concealing her fears. She lowered her eyes, focusing on the fur ahead of her, her voice dropping even more. "I have never left the forest before. Never left my clan. I am… I am nervous."
She could feel his eyes searching her face, but she didn't meet his gaze. She felt too exposed, too vulnerable. He finally turned ahead, saying nothing. But he covered her hands around his waist with one of his own, gently giving them a squeeze. Ari'elle took a deep breath, letting some of the tension in her shoulders and back ebb out of her. He left his large hand over hers for a long moment, his warmth transferring through the leather of his glove into her chilled fingers, the simple gesture of compassion calming her and giving her strength.
The last bit of forest fell away behind them, and Commander Cullen pulled up to a halt, turning Imperial so that Ari'elle could see. She gasped, gaping at the scenery before her. Gently undulating hills spread out for so far, angling downwards, a short brown grass the only vegetation covering most of it. Here and there were a few clusters of trees, but all in all, it was wide open. Open with nothing to block the view, with nothing to block the sun. Keeper had said there were places like this in the world, but Ari'elle had never been able to imagine it before. Even now that it was before her, she could scarcely believe her eyes. Far off in the distance there were dark smudges against the bright blue horizon, outlines of mountains, she thought. She tilted her head back, looking at the scattered clouds, letting the warm sunlight heat her face, marveling at how bright everything was.
Commander Cullen was watching his men emerge from the tree line. When the last one broke through, he turned Imperial down towards a path, one that was worn and obviously used regularly. "Are you ready?" He asked her, turning to watch her face once more.
Her eyes wide, bouncing here and there, Ari'elle nodded, sitting up eagerly and twisting around to see everything.
He chuckled, a warm and low rumble that heated her, made her focus on him. "You are going to want to hold on tight, and lean into me." He turned back around, waiting for her to follow his orders. "I have a feeling you are going to like this," he murmured, a smile still in his voice.
Curiosity assailed her at his words, her ears twitching. She reached further around his waist, scooting closer into his back. She grabbed handfuls of his cloak and held tight.
He clicked to Imperial, squeezing with his legs. Imperial whickered in excitement, powerful body bunching and then bursting forward. Ari'elle felt a gasp leave her body as they bolted forward, plastered to Commander Cullen as he leaned over the horse's neck.
Exhilaration filled her, an unimagined joy rising as they gained speed. Ari'elle laughed, feeling the wind catch in her curls and whip them out into a stream behind her. "Faster! Faster!" She cried, loving the feeling, loving the speed, the powerful push of the horse, the smooth gait, the wind. Imperial took to the freedom with long strides, leaving the others behind as they gained speed. Ari'elle tilted her head up, barely able to watch the scenery flash by, laughing as she felt Commander Cullen masterfully direct the horse, urging him to greater speeds. As they galloped down the road, her delighted laughter hung in the air, beckoning the soldiers behind her to catch them if they can.