She put her head on his chest and noticed that he was breathing normally. He mumbled something.
"He'll be all right... he'll be all right..." she whispered quietly, reassuring herself.
Nathaniel came to see her again. When he saw her all tearful, he ran to her.
"What happened?" he frowned. "Is he..?"
"No... no. He's all right."
"Circe," he frowned and sighed. "Go and get some rest. I'll stay here. "
She opened her mouth to protest, but then closed it and just nodded. He took her by the hand and led her to the door.
"If he-" she turned around before leaving.
"I'll let you know that he has woken up as soon as it happens."
She smiled and left.
It was almost evening when Circe got up. She jumped out of her bed. How long had she been sleeping? She washed her face and looked at herself in a mirror. She barely recognized herself. Dark circles under the eyes, which were still a bit red... Maker's breath, she had never looked this bad, not even during the Blight. She sighed and combed her hair into a casual updo.
Circe got out of her room and found herself in the hallway. She ran into one of the younger Wardens and sent him to fetch Nathaniel.
She went to her office. Nathaniel soon got in there after her.
"Good news," he said smiling. "Cullen woke up and we've already given him a Grey Warden armor and a weapon of choice."
"How is he?"
"Good. He's feeling good."
Circe crooked one eyebrow. "Nathaniel... we both know you're not a good liar."
He lowered his head. "Fine... you can imagine how he feels. He's not happy at all. He yelled, refused to obey rules, he is grumpy... he even... uh..."
"Even what?" Circe asked calmly while taking a seat.
"It's going to be all right," Nathaniel reassured her.
"Fine. I want to see him then."
"He's right outside, but I don't think tha-"
"Nathaniel."
He opened the door and let Cullen in. "Remember what we talked about." Nathaniel hissed under his breath to Cullen and then left.
Cullen focused his attention to Circe. "Commander?"
"Cullen." She shifted in her seat, casting a glance at him. He looked dashing in a plate of the Warden-Ensign armour. Some of his golden locks fell on his forehead. The dark circles under his eyes were even more intense. He was clearly tired. Circe cleared her throat. "Glad you've fully recovered. Feeling well?"
"Y-Yes, I...had some strange dreams, but I am well now." He scuffed a bit.
"Good. Your training starts tomorrow morning. Try to get some more rest. You're free to go now."
He headed to the door, but then stopped. "Uh... Commander. I wanted to say something. I know that I wasn't acting very gentlemanly towards you... and for that, I apologize."
A small smile formed on Circe's face. "Apology accepted."
He nodded and opened the door. "Oh... and Circe... your hair looks good that way." he said and closed the door behind him.
Good thing he hadn't seen Circe blushing at his comment.
It was early morning. Nathaniel and Velanna had already lined up the younger Wardens and paired them for training. Cullen was a bit late. He apologized when he finally showed up. Nathaniel introduced Velanna to Cullen. She was not so thrilled.
"So... ready for some training?" Nathaniel asked. They saw Samuel approaching them.
Another mage. Maker, they are everywhere. And now... She ... his superior.
"Am I suppose to obey her? Her? A mage?" he'd asked Nathaniel.
"Yes. You must obey without question. She is not just a mage. She is the Warden-Commander of Ferelden. "
"That's preposterous," he'd scoffed.
"Cullen! I'm warning you. You've been acting like a bastard to her since we encountered you in Kirkwall. Now, maybe she still tolerates that, but I won't. If she asks to see you - you will apologize. Is that clear?" Nathaniel had scolded him.
"Agreed," he'd said with sigh.
But it was hard to forget what he'd been told all his life; 'Mages cannot be treated like people. They are weapons. They have the power to light a city on fire in a fit of pique.'
"Cullen?" Nathaniel asked again.
"With a mage? Always." Cullen said boldly.
Nathaniel shook his head and grumbled showing him to enter the arena. Samuel greeted them all.
Cullen laughed when he got in. "So... this little boy is going to be my opponent?" He said, pointing to Samuel.
Nathaniel smirked and looked at Velanna. "My lady?"
"With pleasure," she hissed and entered the arena.
Cullen frowned. "Is this a trick?"
"I'll try not to hurt you... much," she said while taking her staff. "Ready?" He pulled out his sword and nodded.
She activated Nature's Vengeance and cast Stonefist at once. Cullen tottered a bit. He ran at her with his sword. She then threw Flameburst, but he purged the area with Cleanse. She smiled. She cast Hand of Winter, but he resisted and surrounded her with Silence. She struggled with it but manage to activate Rock Armor and cast Draining Aura on him.
This was too much for him. He was still bit weak, so he stumbled and fell on his knees.
"That's enough, my lady." Nathaniel said quietly. But she wouldn't stop. "Velanna!" he said bit louder. She stopped.
"You..." Cullen said while getting up "Damned... cursed... m-"
"Say it! Say 'mage', I dare you!"
He just frowned and lowered his head.
Velanna smirked wickedly and turned around to leave the arena.
Cullen was angry. He started breathing hard and he got up completely. He struck Velanna with Holy Smite. She fell down on the ground with a whimper.
Nathaniel was shocked and mad by this mindless, reckless act, so he stormed towards Cullen and punched him in the face with his right fist, cursing. "You son of a bitch!" The punch was so hard that Cullen fell on his back.
Circe got in the Keep's yard just in time to see this horrifying scene. She ran to them. Nathaniel was next to Velanna, helping her to get up, comforting her, and Cullen was trying to get up, mumbling, "Sweet blood of Andraste..."
"What is going on here?!" Circe yelled. They all looked at her. "Have you all lost your mind?!" she turned to Nathaniel, then to Cullen, then Velanna. They lowered their heads and no one said a word.
"Velanna...are you hurt?"
"No, I'm fine. A bit dizzy, that's all."
"Go and have someone check up on you." She nodded and left.
"Nathaniel, you may go with her. You and I will talk later." He frowned and left. "Cullen – in my office! Right now!" Standing stiff and angry, she turned on her heel and headed back to the Keep with him following her.
When they got there, she opened the door of her office, let him in and slammed the door behind her.
"Now listen to me, Cullen," she hissed and approached him. "I know it's not easy for you to accept all this. I understand how hard it must be. But, some rules must be respected. You are not a Templar here. We are all the same. These people are your brothers and sisters. You cannot act like-"
He watched her lips moving and lost himself into that image.
He roughly pulled her to him and captured her lips with his. He kissed her fiercely, so intensely she could barely breathe. Within seconds she was kissing him as ardently as he was kissing her.
These were the kisses he'd been dreaming of. He wanted this for so long.
He grabbed her by the waist and lifted her up onto the table, never breaking their kiss. He put his hands on her knees and parted her legs…
"Cullen Moffatt! Did you hear a word I said?" she yelled.
"U-Uh...yes, Commander."
"Good. Now get out!"
He left without a word.
Circe approached her desk slowly and sat. She unrolled the new scroll that had arrived earlier that morning. She read it and gasped. It was an invitation to Alistair's wedding.
A/N:
As you might have noticed- I changed Cullen's name. I made my mind that his name will be Cullen and his last name will be Moffatt.
Cullen means-handsome lad, and Moffatt means - from the long plain.
Soon I'll write that he grew up on the Drakon river plains, so it fits perfectly.
~SPECIAL THANKS to my betas- Graymalkyn and Eynla~