Sorry, this chapter took a while because A) My attention span is getting worse, and B) I was very happily writing away at Aurora/Alistair's story and then reminded myself I need to keep up with this story (As much as there are aspects of Aurora/Alistair's story I want to write before they're spoiled in here)

Soooo here's chapter ten :D Much more romance oriented than the rest...I'm hoping to get back to the action in the next chapter or so.

PLEASE REVIEW!

Enjoy!

The next morning, Amariel didn't immediately get up. She lay in bed, eyes closed to reject reality for a while longer so she had time to think. She knew she wasn't alone, as Alistair was her constant bodyguard, and she needed time to think about what had happened last night.

She had always imagined that Cullen would react badly if he ever found out about what had happened at Redcliffe, though after last night, she wondered how she could ever think that of him. He'd held her without a single word of complaint as she'd cried over what she'd seen happen to him in that dark future. He'd been so gentle and understanding, had made sure she'd been taken care of…

He'd called her by her name.

Fingers brushing her face oh so lightly, treating her like a precious glass work of art. It wasn't skin on skin because of the leather that covered the hands she knew were cold, but she didn't care. Cold or not, they were his hands, and that was what mattered. And as he so tenderly touched her face, he called her beautiful, entranced by the moment, his guard lowered…

She needed to see him again. After last night…how she felt about him had to be obvious, and with what she'd seen in his eyes as he'd gazed at her, even when she was so vulnerable and wounded…perhaps he felt the same.

She needed to know. She needed to see him. Today—right now, even. Last night had changed everything, and she had to know what that change meant for them.

Amariel stirred, letting her eyes flutter open as she stretched her legs and yawned, ankles popping softly as she rolled them experimentally. The shuffle of leather boots against the ground and the familiar chink of the Grey Warden armor reached Amariel's ears and she glanced over to see Alistair approaching her, looking as if he'd already been awake for several hours.

"And so she awakens—I was beginning to worry you might have been captured by a sloth demon and we'd have to do some Fade-walking to wrestle you free," Alistair stated with a smile.

Amariel chuckled, glancing around the room. There was a pot hanging over the fire to keep something warm—most likely her meal—and there was enough light streaming into the room she knew she hadn't awakened as day was waxing and the light was still pale like she usually did. "What time is it?" she murmured, stretching her arms. Alistair chuckled at her sleepy motions, answering her as she sat up in bed.

"About midday—I was beginning to think you'd sleep through the entire day," Alistair commented.

"And no one thought to wake me?" she asked, eyebrows arched in questions. Alistair shrugged.

"You haven't slept so long and so well in a while—we decided to let you have your rest."

"We? Who's come by to see me?" Amariel asked curiously, holding her breath expectantly.

"The usual. Dorian left not too long before you woke up, and Cullen's been by a few times to check on you. He wanted to know when you woke," Alistair said casually, though Amariel saw him watching for her reaction. She did her best to remain composed, swinging around to sit on the edge of the bed and frowning when she realized she was still dressed in the soft long sleeve shirt and white trousers she'd worn last night

"Oh…I should probably go see him then, once I'm decent," she stated, rising to her feet. "How's everyone else?"

Alistair chuckled. "Mostly fighting hangovers—I believe the Bull had the Chargers beating the alcohol out of each other," Alistair laughed. "You missed that."

Amariel snickered. "I'm sorry I did," she stated, fishing out a change of clothes—the red silk shirt with the white leather booths and gloves, grey leather pants, light brown bodice, and white silk scarf. She loved that outfit, she'd wear it all the time if she could. She slipped into the room that also housed the ladder that went up to her indoor balcony where her bathtub was stashed, closing the door and starting to change. She heard Alistair pacing slowly around the room before he spoke again.

"Do you want me to accompany you…or do you wish to speak to the Commander alone? I'm sure I could bother Dorian for a while until you're finished if that's the case," Alistair called casually, though Amariel narrowed her eyes in the direction of his voice from the other side of the door. At least said door was protecting her from him seeing the blush creeping into her cheeks.

"I, ah…think I'll go alone for this conversation. I'll be going to see about setting up sparring grounds in some of that unused space in the Skyhold courtyards afterwards. I could meet you where the requisition officer usually stays hidden," she replied just as casually.

"Sounds like a plan," Alistair returned, and Amariel walked out of the room fixing her silk scarf around her neck and fidgeting with her leather gloves. Alistair gave her a knowing smile as they made their way down the stairs together, though when they came to where he needed to go up a stairwell and she needed to continue through a door to the outside, he waved in parting. "Good luck, Amariel," he stated slyly before he disappeared, and Amariel was left to wonder if he really could see through her and knew exactly what it was she was planning to do. Amariel shook her head free of the thought, pushing forward and saying hello to Solas in passing before she pushed her way through his study and out to the bridge that led right to the tower Cullen had set up his office. She found her heart hammering and her palms sweating as she approached the door, the tower looking truly imposing to her for the first time and doing nothing to ease her nerves.

Amariel closed her eyes, taking a deep breath and remembering the feel of Cullen's arms wrapped comfortingly around her as she'd cried, his voice soothing as his breath whispered against her sensitive ear, and his hands steady and gentle as they brushed the hair from her face. Straightening, she put her hand on the door handle and pushed it open.

"Bull used every shield in the armory for this?" she heard Cullen say in incredulity as she stepped inside, her curiosity immediately piqued as she shut the door behind her as softly as she could.

"He said it was a training exercise," the female messenger replied haltingly. Amariel gave her a sympathetic smile once she recognized her. Why was it everyone in the Inquisition always gave her the interesting reports and messages to deliver? The poor girl never got a normal one, always the odd or controversial. "Should I tell him not to do it again?"

Cullen chuckled, shaking his head. "No…have him tell me next time. I want to see if that would work. I don't know why I'm bothering…" he added to himself, trailing off as his gaze wandered to see Amariel standing patiently by the door.

As the color rose within Cullen's cheeks, Amariel blushed as well, though she did her best to get it back under control. "Inquisitor," he said, his voice containing a mix of surprise, concern, nervous curiosity, and undertones of a…warmer emotion. The messenger left to leave the two alone, and Cullen came around to stand beside his desk instead of behind it. "How…how are you feeling?" he asked. He seemed to be having as much trouble looking at her without blushing as Amariel was having.

"Much better now…thank you," Amariel managed to say, her fingers idly picking at each other as she clasped her hands together in front of her.

"Good…I'm glad," he said awkwardly before he pushed forward. "Was there something you needed?"

Amariel chewed on her bottom lip, trying to ignore how sweaty her palms were under the leather gloves and how tight her throat suddenly felt. By the lost Dales, why was this so hard? "I thought we could talk…alone," she managed to get out, glancing up to see the surprised expression on Cullen's face, as well as the anticipation.

"Alone?" he echoed skittishly before he cleared his throat. "I-I mean, of course," he amended, regaining some of his dignity. He straightened and gestured for her to walk with him, heading out the east door and along the battlements. The soldiers were thick along the front wall, so Cullen led her through one, two of the towers until they came to the angled corner wall right before the tall flight of stairs that led to the platform Alistair and Hawke had hid themselves on frequently before they'd gone to the ritual tower in the Western Approach. Here, there was no one, the breeze softly blew across her face, the sun high in the sky as a few birds flew by overhead. They made it to the third merlon, the large one where two converged into one because it was right at the angled corner, when Cullen spoke.

"It's a nice day," Cullen attempted with a nervous laugh at the end, rubbing his neck like he always did when he was nervous.

"What?" Amariel asked, caught off guard as she came to a stop and turned to face him. Sweet Mythal and Maker, she needed to pull herself together if she wanted to make it through this.

"It's…" Cullen attempted before he gave up, dropping his hand from his neck and looking at her curiously, head tilted to the side and eyes guarded. "There was something you wished to discuss?"

Amariel bit her lip again, trying to figure out how to broach the topic.

You've never said my name before…it sounds beautiful when you say it.

Amariel took a breath, deciding just to skip the beating around the bush and go right to the part they'd never get to if she didn't make the leap now. "Cullen…you know how I feel," she said softly, her voice coming out as guarded as his eyes, careful, but also with the timbers of the emotions she'd been trying to keep veiled for some time by now.

How could he not know? Especially after last night…

Cullen looked as if she'd confirmed his suspicions, his guarded expression falling slightly as he cast his gaze away towards the mountains. He looked out towards those mountains as he took a few more steps forward, towards the edge of the battlements as what seemed a thousand thoughts both calculated and instinctive flashed through those intense eyes of his.

"I…can't say I haven't wondered what it would be like," he said quietly. Carefully, Amariel came to stand directly across from him, leaning against the half-broken merlon they'd reached past the corner as she faced him. So…she hadn't read those looks, those lingering touches, those double meanings wrong—he felt it too, had thought about it, just as she had. She knew why she'd held back…why had he?

"What's stopping you?" she asked curiously. Cullen sighed, that world-weary sigh of his that hinted at all he'd seen and the caution with which he approached most things in the world.

"You're the Inquisitor, we're at war, and you…" Cullen paused, looking up to catch her gaze. Amariel sucked in a breath, caught off guard to see those amber eyes burning with the same worries she'd felt, his head dipping just slightly as he listed off the same reasons she'd told herself, one by one. His defenses were lowered more than she'd ever seen, and she could see his fear of rejection just as strongly as she felt her fear of rejection as he put himself out there. "I didn't think it was possible," he finished, voice pitched slightly lower as he took a step closer.

"And yet I'm still here," she told him, managing to hold his gaze.

You won't lose me, Amariel.

I'm not going anywhere, Amariel thought. She heard Cullen's breath catch slightly at her words, and he took another step closer. There wasn't much distance between them now, and…was that elderflower she smelled? And…oakmoss…something that instantly made her think of the forest, one of her favorite places. Both scents were wrapped together in a musk that was just his as he came closer, those intense eyes of amber softened as they held her gaze.

"So you are…" he murmured, hands reaching out to slowly settle on either side of Amariel as he closed just a little more distance between them. His breath blew softly on her lips as he spoke, and she felt her heartbeat pick up as she listened to his every word. "It seems too much to ask…but I want to…"

She didn't know if he'd trailed off or if she just couldn't hear him over the excited pounding of her heart, but he was right there, and as he leaned in she could almost count each small hair of stubble gracing his jaw and chin before her eyes slowly started to close with his. He came so close she could feel his lips hovering just over her own, not quite making contact yet…

"Commander."

Their eyes both flew open as the moment shattered, and Cullen pulled back, but mostly froze in place, tense and holding his breath as he stared intently down at the stone battlement, brow furrowed as he hoped maybe, maybe the owner of the voice would have some tact and realize he needed to go far away. Amariel let out a shaky breath as footsteps only came closer, her head doing an exasperated of course circle once before coming to a stop so she was looking down at the ground. Her eyes were closed, and Cullen was still tense before her, still waiting in the hopes their intruder would go away—

"You wanted a copy of Sister Leliana's report," the approaching, oblivious, marked for death scout said as he continued to approach, staring down at a clipboard he held in hand. Cullen hung his head slightly and let out a long breath as he very reluctantly pulled away, turning to the scout with teeth grinding together and shoulders tense.

"What!" he growled, eyes hardening from what had been a warm liquid amber to what seemed as solid and sharp as the stone.

The scout continued, still oblivious as he approached, looking up at the Commander at last. "Sister Leliana's report. You said you wanted it delivered…without delay," he said pointedly.

Cullen said nothing, only approached the scout with a narrowed glare that silenced the rowdiest of underlings out of raw fear in a heartbeat, making himself as imposing as possible to strike extra fear into the heart of the scout that had dared to interrupt their moment when they had been so close and it had been so perfect…

The scout finally realized, at the death his Commander was trying to swiftly bring upon him with his eyes, that he had miss-stepped somehow, his gaze sliding from the angry gaze of the Commander, to the Inquisitor shuffling from one foot to the other while staring intently at the ground, and putting a hand to her face to try and hide the embarrassed blush, back to the Commander, to something upon the stairs…

"Or…to your office…" the scout said slowly, carefully backing away and crouched like a frightened nug preparing to flee for his life as he cowered under Cullen's glare. "Right…"

Cullen kept his glare fixated on the scout until the poor man had disappeared back into the tower, giving a sharp nod of approval, his back still to Amariel. She bit her lip, wondering if their moment could possibly be salvaged now as she turned back to him.

"If you need to—" she started to say, but was cut off with a small, muffled sound of surprise as Cullen's hands slipped behind her neck and tilted her head up in the same instant his lips crashed against hers to salvage a moment he would not let pass, a chance he could not let slip by. Amariel's mind blanked from shock as his lips pressed against hers, capturing and holding her prisoner with all the confidence of a seasoned commander. He held the moment, breathing her in with his lips still pressed firmly against her currently unresponsive ones. Finally, her mind caught up with what was going on and she relaxed, her hands coming to rest gently on his sides as she kissed him back, returning the pressure before he drew away to make it last longer, leaning into him as she realized this was really happening. The kiss slowed, lips lingering against each other before Cullen slowly let his hands trail from the back of the top of her neck down to her forearms. They pulled away, and as soon as Cullen had taken a breath he was apologizing sheepishly.

"I'm sorry! That was…um…really nice," he finished with a small smile, gazing at her with those eyes, so open but hesitant as he awaited her reaction, still standing close enough all she could smell was his special musk and it would only take a little bit of a lean and a tip upwards of her head to kiss him once more. Amariel managed to catch her breath, meeting his gaze as she managed to find words, a small smile tugging the corners of her lips upwards.

"I believe that was a kiss," she said breathlessly. "But I can't be sure, it's…all a blur."

Cullen laughed softly at the teasing but inviting smirk she gave him, relaxing fully as her reaction assured him that yes, this was happening, she wanted this as much as he did, and she was not running in the opposite direction. "Yes, well…" he chuckled before leaning in again, much slower and softer this time.

This one was sweeter, savored, and probably what the kiss would have been had the scout not interrupted. But Amariel didn't mind—what mattered to her was that it had happened, was happening, and that it wasn't some dream she'd wake from at any given moment. Cullen held her close to him with such tenderness, and she gently let her hand raise to rest on his arm to return the partial embrace he held her in. His stubble scratched lightly against her skin, and a soft, happy sigh slipped past her lips before Cullen pulled away again.

"I should…probably go get that report," he admitted quietly, gaze still fixated on her. Amariel gave him a gentle smile.

"If you wanted it without delay, you probably should," Amariel teased lightly, getting a chuckle from him before she sobered. "I…wanted to thank you, for last night…I've been carrying that around for far too long."

Cullen made sure he held her gaze, hands resting on her forearms as he commanded her attention before he even spoke. "We will win this war, Amariel…and I'm not going anywhere." Amariel ducked her head, giving a slight nod as she swallowed down months of nightmares. Cullen tipped her chin back up with gentle fingers, pulling her attention back to him. "If you ever need to talk about anything, I'm always willing to listen."

Amariel nodded, giving him another smile. "I'll remember that," she promised, then nodded in the direction of his office. "Go on, I'm sure you have plenty to do—Alistair's probably waiting for me with the requisition officer."

"Then I'll see you again later?" Cullen asked, starting to tear himself away. Amariel nodded.

"Later," she confirmed. Cullen smiled, then made his way back along the battlements while Amariel turned in the other direction to head for the nearest set of stairs down to Skyhold's courtyard.

Alistair reached out and grabbed the mage by the back of the shirt before he could continue down the stairs, pulling him back. "Wait!"

Dorian cursed as he stumbled on the stairs, looking back at Alistair with a glare. "What?" Alistair tugged him back again, nodding just ahead of them to draw Dorian's attention to the pair that was steadily getting closer in answer. Dorian broke out into a grin when his eyes fell upon the Commander and the Inquisitor.

"It's about time!"

"Shh!" Alistair reprimanded him, tugging him back up the stairs again. "Come on, let them have their privacy."

"Uh-oh…looks like Jim's about to walk into a bear trap," Dorian suddenly commented, drawing Alistair's eye to the scout that was interrupting the couple a hair's breath away from a kiss. Maker, the scout wasn't even paying attention—even Alistair had enough tact to turn heel and run instead of continue to interrupt such a moment. As Cullen rounded on the scout and Amariel tried to hide a growing blush, Alistair could feel how awkward and tense the moment was nearly at the top of the staircase they were at.

"Run, Jim, Run! Before you end up lion lunch!" Dorian hissed in amusement, making a wide run for it gesture with his arm. The scout seemed to catch the movement, and when he glanced up towards them Dorian jabbed a finger pointedly in the other direction. Behind him, Alistair mimed Cullen strangling the life out of the scout if he didn't leave immediately.

The scout seemed to get the message, slowly backing away before he hurried into the tower. Alistair grabbed Dorian's arm and forcibly tugged him the other way as Cullen turned back to Amariel. "Come on, Dorian, I'm sure they'd like some privacy!"

"And he still kissed her," Dorian crowed happily before he finally willingly joined Alistair in heading in the opposite direction. "It's about time," he repeated.

Alistair straightened where he was leaning against the wall outside of the requisition officer's office, turning his attention to the mage who was practicing some sort of fire spell he'd read about somewhere. "By the way, Dorian, I believe you owe me a little silver," he stated with a smirk.

"Vishante kaffas," the mage cursed under his breath, pausing in what he was doing to fish the wagered coin out of his pocket and shove it into Alistair's waiting hand. "Fine, but you won't win every bet, my Warden friend," Dorian chided.

"What bet did Alistair win?"

Both men looked up at the new voice as Amariel approached with eyebrows raised pointedly. Dorian grinned unrepentantly. "Have a thing for strapping young Templars, I see," Dorian said with a sly grin.

"What's this about?" Amariel asked, taken aback and confused by the sudden switch even as her cheeks turned pink. Alistair elbowed Dorian in the side, but the mage only laughed.

"Oh, nothing. Just something I find rather adorable about you," he mused. Amariel rolled her eyes and made it to the door, about to open it when Dorian spoke again. "So…was there tongue?"

"Maker's breath!" Alistair exclaimed while Amariel whipped around.

"Were you spying on me?" she asked in shock. Dorian tsked.

"Not spying, my dear, we can't help it if we just happen to stroll right into your moment in a not-so-private place. Really, anyone could just walk in on you at any given moment on the battlements." Dorian pursed his lips. "Speaking of, I wonder if Jim's still going to have his head when the Commander returns…"

Amariel was blushing a deeper red than Leliana's hair had been during the Blight, so Alistair did his best to rescue her from the embarrassment. "For Andraste's sake, Dorian, let the poor woman have some privacy."

Dorian rolled his eyes. "Fine, fine, I'll leave it alone…but just so I'm not implicated as the only intruder, Alistair was there to. And you really should pick your private spots better."

Alistair blushed slightly and scowled at the mage, but Amariel was quite eager to move on by then, quickly pushing into the requisition officer's office to end the conversation before it could go much farther.

They spent a decent amount of the day helping to set up the sparring ring. Amariel had insisted because it helped her feel like she was getting something done. Now, to help with the sense of productivity, Amariel called a war meeting to make sure the Inquisition didn't fall behind because of her recovery.

Adamant had waited too long because of her. Alistair had been gracious enough not to bring it up, but she could see it on his face sometimes, and Hawke's too the few times she's passed the woman while out and about. Hopefully she would have her strength back completely soon, and by then she wanted their plan to already be in place so they could leave as soon as she was capable.

Considering she was going to be talking about Adamant, as Amariel entered the War Room it was with Alistair at her side, and a messenger had run off to find Hawke and tell her in case she wanted to be here when they planned the attack.

Cullen straightened and flashed her a smile as she entered, one she bashfully returned as she stepped up to the table littered with markers. Mythal have mercy, it had been a while since she was in here. She would have missed it if there hadn't been so many markers reminding her just how much she had to do.

"All right…It's been a while. Reports?" Amariel asked, warily eyeing the mass of markers before her. Leliana smiled just slightly, though Josephine was the first to report.

"Our emissaries have returned from Orzammar. They have pledged to our cause some of the most formidable warriors from the legion of the dead. According to the King, they are veteran darkspawn hunters. Absolutely fearless. The King also graciously offered to share Orzammar's wealth: he recognizes the threat Corypheus poses," Josephine said, scribbling a few notes on her ever-present clipboard.

"I'm glad to hear it, Josephine," Amariel said with a slight nod before her attention was caught by Cullen.

"Knight-Captain Rylen sends gratitude for the new cook in the Western Approach, and says that morale has improved greatly, Inquisitor," Cullen reported.

Leliana sniffed. "I still think they could have used some new shoes…"

Cullen and Amariel shared a smile, though Amariel bit the smile down as fast as she could and turned to Leliana. Beside her, she saw Alistair straighten slightly in anticipation. "Leliana?"

Leliana smiled slightly. "The Hero answered are messages and sent two letters to be delivered, as well as some goods from her travels that might be of use. The goods are in the blacksmith, and I have the letters here," Leliana stated, handing one scroll to Amariel and the other to Alistair, who took it like it was made of glass.

"Thank you, Leliana," Alistair said quietly before attempting to fade into the background again.

"Dorian brought up an interesting matter with me the other day. Most of the Tevinter magisters are not Venatori supporters, but they also will not raise a finger to prevent the Venatori from wreaking havoc here in the South. There are some, however, who see the cult for what it is, and are trying to expose it. A Magister contact in Qarinus by the name of Maevaris Tilani is attempting to introduce a law in the Imperial Senate which would see Venatori activity sharply curtailed in Tevinter. Dorian suggests that Quiet Inquisition support of Maevaris would be beneficial, and ultimately could drum up support from other magisters fearful of what Corypheus represents," Leliana said, already bringing up matters that were literally still on the table. "Tevinter is a land where secrets are weapons. Let us arm this magister against those who would oppose her vote."

"I have contacts in Tevinter, although, not many," Josephine cut in. "Still, trading a few favors could help this magister a great deal."

Amariel chewed slightly on her lip. She didn't like the thought of this possible ally being caught in a web of favors…and this magister knew her country more than they did. Perhaps it was best to give her the means and let her use it in her own arena as she saw fit. "Leliana," Amariel said simply, glancing up at the red-head.

"Of course, Inquisitor," Leliana said with a smile and a slight incline of her head. Before anyone could propose anything else, Amariel spoke up.

"Cassandra brought it to my attention the other day that the Seekers have practically vanished, and she believes something may have been done to them," Amariel said seriously.

"Someone must have seen the Seekers, or given them safe harbor," Josephine said simply. "Entice them with a reward, and leads will follow."

"Then I leave that in your hands, Josephine," Amariel said with a slight nod. Cullen chose that moment to speak up.

"We've received numerous requests for aid in dealing with the demons that sometimes remain from the closed rifts after wandering from the original area. There's quite a healthy stack on my desk right now. With your permission, our soldiers can do sweeps of areas formerly containing Fade rifts and eliminate any demons."

"Of course—a little more stability and a little less chaos is always welcome," Amariel returned. She sighed. "Now that we've handled that…Adamant."

Leliana and Josephine shared a look.

Amariel sighed, closing her eyes. "I don't like that look…why the look?"

"Well, Inquisitor," Josephine started diplomatically. Not a good sign. "Celene's Ball is fast approaching, and by now it is too soon—if we march on Adamant first, we will not make it back and reorganize in time to attend the ball."

"Fenharel's teeth," Amariel cursed under her breath.

"A ball? We're delaying dealing with a demon army threat for a ball?" Hawke spoke up in agitation from where she'd been leaning against the wall. Amariel shook her head, straightening.

"Not the ball so much as what Corypheus plans to do at the ball. There's going to be peace talks between Celene, Duke Gaspard, and Ambassador Briala…add in a few assassins and, well…how did Dorian put it? Orlais falls, the Imperium rises: chaos for everyone. All we know is that there's going to be an assassination attempt, and the best time would be during this ball. So, our presence is required so we can prevent Orlais from falling into chaos." Amariel sighed, looking out the window and mulling it over. "All right…we'll get ready to go to the ball, but I want to be preparing for the march on Adamat so we can get there as soon as possible—it's waited long enough while I've been recovering."

Cullen nodded. "I will work with Warden Alistair and Hawke in preparing the strategy to assault the keep," he said somberly. "As for the ball, might I ask how we plan to get in?"

"We have our way in," Josephine responded. "The real question is where is our enemy hiding?"

Josephine turned her attention to Amariel. "This ball is being held at Duchess Florianne's insistence, and absolutely everyone will be attending."

"But the assassin's will most likely be hiding in among one of the three factions involved in the peace talks," Leliana added. Hawke spoke up once more.

"Couln't you just warn the Empress that she's in danger?" Hawke asked with raised eyebrows.

"We tried," Amariel cut in. "Our messages never reached her. Someone—I'm betting the assassin—intercepted them."

"It's better that we don't leave this to chance. If Orlais falls to Corypheus, no land is safe," Cullen said shortly.

"Like I said—we'll go to the ball to keep Orlais from falling into chaos while we make preparations for Adamant. I'd also like a rundown on our three peace talkers so I know who I'm dealing with," Amariel said carefully, looking down at the war table before her. Cullen sighed.

"With Gaspard and Celene's armies entrenched, we cannot openly march troops to the palace," he said with a slight frown. Leliana came in with a solution rather quickly.

"My agents will ensure your soldiers get inside, but it must be a few at a time to avoid attention," Leliana assured him.

"Understood," Cullen said with a brisk nod.

"Then let's get started," Amariel stated once she was sure there was nothing else they were going to add.

Each of them broke apart into their own little groups at her words, Hawke immediately darting forward to catch Cullen and start talking about Adamant, Alistair discreetly slipping out with his wife's letter clutched tight in hand, Leliana not far behind him, and Josephine pulling Amariel aside before she too could leave.

"You know, Inquisitor, if you're to attend the Empress' ball, you must look the part," she said slyly. Amariel chuckled.

"Is this the part where you introduce me to dresses for the first time?"

"For the first time?" Josephine echoed in shock. "Oh, you poor thing! I'll have dresses made up right away, and we'll have a fitting to pick the best one."

"Nothing puffy like I've seen some of the Orlesians wearing, please? And it has to be something I can fight in if pressed."

Josephine pursed her lips, tapping her quill against her lips as she thought. "So it will be an elegant gown, sleek…perhaps a slit on one side or both halfway up the thigh? Hmm…it will take some thought, but I can make something work," Josephine said with excitement glittering in her eyes. Amariel laughed softly.

"I look forward to it," she told her graciously, feeling a twinge of disappointment when Hawke led Cullen elsewhere to talk about the siege. She could still see him later.

Turning to the letter in hand, Amariel left Josephine to her work and wandered off for a quiet place to read what Aurora Tabris had sent her.

Afterwards, Amariel returned to her room to try and get some time to think, knowing that the others currently had everything well in hand. Right now her job was to make a full recovery so that she could carry out the plans they came up with. She wasn't alone, however, as she saw that Alistair was perched carelessly on one of the outside balcony railings, head resting back against the stone with Aurora's letter still in one hand and a black feather being twirled absentmindedly in the other. She had to say, he seemed the most relaxed she'd seen him in all this time.

Please take care of him…I trust his compassion and his strength above any other's…

While Aurora's words regarding Alistair flitted through her mind, Alistair spoke up, probably hearing her approach. "She might be onto something. There's danger, of course…but there's always danger," he said softly with a wistful, reminiscent smile as Aurora leaned against one of the stone pillars that framed the doorway. He looked over at her, his smile turning to that of gratitude. "Thank you for getting word. It's easier to put it out of your mind, to focus on the task at hand…but…hearing from her again…"

Alistair's eyes closed again, his grip tightening slightly on the letter as a small shudder went through him. "Maker's breath…but I do miss that woman."

…and I would not go through such effort to overcome our Callings only to lose him to you Inquisition.

Amariel smiled at him. "She's pretty amazing. Apparently, she sent me some really good Warden Scout armor she didn't want, something about liking the armor she has…"

Alistair chuckled. "Her and that damn dragon scale armor Wade made her…she won't part with it. Though the fact it's still in amazing shape after all these years is a testament to how good it is. It better be good armor anyway…she paid twenty sovereigns for it."

Amariel chuckled. "Well, I can't wait to give it a test run. It's over there," she stated, gesturing to the bed. Alistair came back inside with her, putting away the letter and feather before inspecting the armor with an impressed gaze.

"Bloodstone, phoenix scales, dark samite…Maker, she passed on this? It's better than mine!" Alistair stated as he examined the black and red armor.

"She really loves that dragon armor," Amariel replied in amusement.

"Obviously," Alistair chuckled, setting the armor down as his expression sobered and a frown slipped into place on his lips. "There's been something I've been meaning to ask you…back at the ritual tower, you weren't surprised to hear that Corypheus was amassing a demon army—you had a bet with Dorian about it already. Then just now, in that war meeting, you know of this assassination plot but didn't mention how you knew. You knew there would be a demon army, you knew there would be an assassination attempt, nothing more and with no source, but you knew it without any doubt. How?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," Amariel said with a sad smile, sitting down on the couch.

"Amariel, I've seen my wife turn into several different creatures while we were trapped in the Fade by a sloth demon. I've seen the Ashes of Andraste, though she doesn't know it I've seen Morrigan laugh and cry, and there's a bloody talking darkspawn magister who created a hole in the sky and is influencing the minds of Wardens to use blood magic and raise a demon army, to name a few—there's not really anything you can say at this point that will surprise me," Alistair said pointedly, folding his arms over his chest.

Amariel chuckled softly. "I suppose you have a point," she said with a sigh, shaking her head. "You know we had to go to Redcliffe to recruit the mages, right?"

Alistair nodded. "I've heard it mentioned a few times."

"While we were there, we found out the magister that was in charge, Alexius, had been trying to mess with time itself, and was making a little headway with it. He warped time to pull the mages out from under us, actually. When we went to confront him, he accidentally sent Dorian and myself a year into the future, roughly. It was 9:42 Dragon, and according to the future versions of my companions, Corypheus had assassinated Empress Celene and raised a demon army. Those were the two events they stressed, so we've been keeping our eyes peeled for a demon army and the chance to assassinate Celene. That's how we know."

Alistair took a moment to consider her words, slowly nodding. "It's…not what I would have expected…but with everything else going on, I'm not about to challenge it." Amariel relaxed and let out a sigh of relief. "So…you saw the future?"

Amariel's eyes darkened as she suppressed the swirl of negative emotions. "I saw a dark future of what could be if we fail. It's not exactly an experience I like to share."

"I can imagine," Alistair said quietly. The silence lingered for a few moments before Amariel stood and gathered up the armor lying on the bed to put it on the armor stand she had beside her dresser.

"So, I've been thinking of who I'm dragging with me to Celene's ball, and I was wondering if I could drag you with me."

Alistair snorted. "I don't think you want the secret bastard of Meric there. Might cause a few ruffled feathers."

"Oh, don't worry about that, it's sort of a theme with our group. Me, the Dalish elf Herald, the Tevinter mage, the Qunari mercenary, and the spirit of compassion manifested as human. You'll fit in just fine," she said with a wink. Alistair chuckled.

"You're just trying to indirectly step on their toes, aren't you?"

"I don't like politics."

"I've gathered. You and Aurora would get along splendidly."

"So, will you come?" Amariel asked, her expression pleading.

Alistair sighed, studying her for a moment before he relented. "All right, fine, but if Anora's there you better be stepping up to the plate to spare me that awkwardness."

"If I'm around to stop it, deal," Amariel said with a bright smile. "Now…I'm going to go pester Solas for a while, probably get him talking about the Fade."

Alistair grimaced. "I'll just stay back here if you don't mind."

Amariel snickered, already moving to the staircase. "I thought you'd say that. I'll find you whenever I'm done visiting."

Once Amariel had left, Alistair retrieved the feather and letter once more, his eyes scanning the words on the scroll for the thousandth time. He glanced at the feather, her sign that everything was still all right and in control. If it had been dipped in blood Alistair would have left without a second thought to be at his wife's side, as she would need him to be if that was ever the case.

…mage friend doing well…better control…grateful that you've both finally gotten to a place where you can trust each other as you once did…still a good man…

Alistair skimmed over the paragraph about the mage that was currently accompanying his wife in her search for the cure. It put his mind at ease to know the mage's…situation was improving, though if he was being honest with himself his wife wouldn't tell him if there was an incident of some smaller degree, knowing Alistair would rush to her side if she mentioned such an occurrence.

…damn cat keeps waking me up in the middle of the night, pawing my face for attention…

Alistair snorted. He knew what that was like, having been woken similarly a few times mage's cat, though with claws in some instances. It was a beautiful creature, a blotched tabby of a dark, rusty orange and black with a few white splotches and pale blue eyes, but sometimes Alistair swore it was a demon.

…closer, and our lead might just bring us back east…

Alistair wasn't sure if he was happy or worried about that part. If she came back east, he'd be able to see her again, maybe they could help the Inquisition of they still needed help at that point. But at the same time, if Corypheus was still a threat, he worried for her. He'd rather she was off alone with the mage than here with all the chaos regarding Corypheus and the Wardens.

…miss you. Terribly. It's colder without you, and our friend is still depressed, so the mood is often somber. The time we're together again can't come soon enough. I pray for your safety, and to see you again soon—but not until your job there is done. Please, Alistair…be careful, and come home.

Alistair closed his eyes at her plea. He could feel the weight of more she wanted to say, the insecurities that she would only share in person and not on paper, and the fear that she would lose him too with everything going on. There'd been an argument over who their mage companion would go with, who would have the assistance to help keep safe, and Alistair had managed to win that one, the thought of Aurora with the mage giving him more peace of mind than unease.

He really had come far from when the mage had first joined the two of them.

Alistair sighed, leaning his head back and thinking of what would happen if Aurora's search really did lead her back to Thedas. Hopefully, they'd be reunited sooner rather than later.

Cullen made his way up the stairs to Amariel's room, his excuse—a rundown of the ideas he and Hawke had discussed for the assault on Adamant—clutched tight in hand.

That had been an…awkward meeting to say the least, though neither of them had discussed the obvious elephant in the room. The last time they'd seen each other had been in Kirkwall during all of the chaos her late friend Anders had caused by blowing up the Chantry.

Not exactly a topic one wanted to bring up, especially considering the rumors that despite Hawke being with Prince Sebastian, her and Anders had been…more. And Cullen had no kind things to say about the deceased mage, so they just ignored that awkwardness and kept focused on their work.

Cullen crested the stairway to her room, looking up from the scroll in hand to take in the scene before him.

Amariel and Alistair stood in the middle of the room, their right hands clasped together, one of Alistair's hands on her waist, and Amariel's hand on his shoulder. Vivienne stood off to the side, sharp eyes watching their every move as she guided the pair through a dance. Amariel was blushing profusely as she focused on her footwork, and Alistair looked like he was focusing on not stepping on the smaller woman in case she stepped wrong.

Realizing what was going on, Cullen cursed internally and tried to make a break for it before Vivienne noticed him, but it was too late.

"Cullen, darling, what a fortunate surprise," Vivienne said, voice pleased as she stepped forward. Cullen mouthed a few curses before he turned to face the enchanter with great reluctance, Amariel and Alistair pulling apart from their dance to turn and face him as well. Amariel met his gaze and blushed lightly, Alistair having the grace to pretend he didn't notice.

"Lady Vivienne," Cullen said as graciously as he could while he faced her, turning the scroll in his hand over a few times. "I don't mean to interrupt, I was going to go over a few things with the Inquisitor, but I can see that she is otherwise occupied so I'll just…"

"Nonsense," Vivienne stated, waving off his excuse like it was a cobweb. He was sad to see it go so easily. "I was just helping our darling Inquisitor prepare for the ball—she's never been to a formal dance such as this and needs to be ready for the Great Game. Now that you're here we can save time, as well—Josephine and I discussed brushing up on your dance skills."

Cullen scowled. "I think I can manage, Lady Vivienne."

"By standing on the sidelines and refusing every dance? I've been told of your strategy, my dear Commander, and I want you prepared for when that fails because of a determined noble who knows just how to get stubborn men like you on the dance floor," Vivienne said decisively, grabbing his arm before he could protest and dragging him over to where Amariel stood.

"Don't worry, she did the same thing to me," Alistair murmured once Cullen was close enough, before pitching his voice higher to imitate Vivienne. "I don't care if you were taught how ten years ago, darling, that's far too long, times have changed, and we need to brush up on any skill you had then for now."

Amariel chuckled, and thankfully Vivienne gave no sign that she'd heard, though Cullen was rather sure she had. Before Vivienne could force him into the awkward situation, however, Amariel spoke up. "Actually, Vivienne, I think now would be a good time for us to stop—if the Commander has a report on Adamant than it's something that we need to discuss now—I want our planning and preparations to be finished before we go to the ball. We'll need Alistair to weigh in as well."

She spoke so calmly, holding Vivienne's gaze with cool confidence and a look in her eyes that said she was not going to be swayed. Vivienne sighed. "All right, my dear, we can resume the lesson later. But Commander—we are going to spend time on your dance skills no matter what you say," Vivienne told Cullen pointedly before she swept gracefully out of the room. Cullen let out a sigh of relief as she disappeared, as did Amariel.

"You dodged a fire blast there, Commander," Alistair mused, stepping up to the pair. "So…what's this about plans for Adamant?"

Cullen blinked, momentarily forgetting about the report he held in his hand. "Oh…right…" he muttered reluctantly, turning back to the scroll in his hands as he made himself fall into a business mindset.

Alistair sat down with him and listened to what Hawke and Cullen were thinking of before he added his own comments, mentioning weaknesses and the layout of Adamant. With the information Alistair gave him, Cullen was able to adjust their plans accordingly and start thinking of some newer ideas. Amariel pitched in here and there to ask where her party would fit in, what they wanted her to do, and to remind them to account for several outcomes. Even though the need to plan for Adamant had been an excuse to come see Amariel, Cullen was pleased with the progress they were able to make. Once he smoothed out the finer details of the plans they'd come up with, they could start making preparations. He'd make sure that they were ready to march on Adamant as soon as possible after the ball, just like Amariel wanted.

As they finally wrapped up their planning, Alistair made some excuse about heading down to the tavern for a drink, giving them a subtle wink before he left. Cullen blushed lightly and looked over at Amariel.

"Does he…?" he asked, hoping that she understood what she was asking. To his surprise, Amariel blushed as well.

"He does…Dorian too. They, ah…were walking the battlements, but had more tact than Jim."

Cullen's blush deepened. "Maker's breath," he muttered, and Amariel laughed, moving over to lightly place a hand on his forearm. Cullen's heart fluttered at the comment, his previous embarrassment forgotten as she came close.

"At least this time…we really are alone," she said shyly, looking up at him from under her thick eyelashes. Cullen smiled, stepping closer himself.

"At least…" Cullen agreed. "So long as Vivienne doesn't come looking."

Amariel chuckled. "She can be rather persistent, can't she?" They were silent for a few moments, simply enjoying being close to one another before Amariel spoke up. "So…would this be the part where there's some awkwardness between us for a while as we figure out what exactly is going on with us?"

Cullen laughed softly under his breath, leaning forward, feeling the nerves as he searched for what he wanted to say dwindle. "Is that what we're doing, now? I'm glad one of us said something."

Amariel closed the distance to rest her forehead against his, giving him a gentle smile. "Well…now that it's out there…hopefully the awkward stage will go by a little faster."

Cullen took the opportunity to close the distance, pressing his lips to hers for the third time today. He felt a small shudder go through her as he kissed her slowly to savor the moment, and a small sigh escaped his lips. His hands slipped to her arms as he pulled her a little closer, and Amariel's hands slid up to his shoulders. Cullen felt Amariel's thumbs gently brushing against his neck a few times as she leaned against him, head tilted up to meet him with her shorter stature. The kiss continued like that for several moments before they finally pulled apart, and Amariel smiled up at him.

"That part…will never be awkward," she stated quietly.

"I should hope not," Cullen murmured in response.

"I'm assuming you have some time now, and this isn't just a brief visit," Amariel stated hopefully, her intense blue eyes studying him as she spoke. Cullen inclined his head.

"I could stay for a little while before anyone suspects anything."

Amariel's eyes sparkled at his answer, and she gently pulled him towards the balcony overlooking the mountains. "Good. It's been a while since we simply talked about something other than this war. I'd like nothing more."

Cullen smiled at her enthusiasm. "As would I."