Azalea returns home to Skyhold, eager to see her commander again.

As it was, Azalea had to wait another week before she could speak to Cullen about her family's visit. Instead she had to leave to raid a quarry. Not exactly what Azalea would call a good time, but it had served its purpose, they had found letters that let them find out what Samson was up to so she supposed it was important to be done. Nonetheless the entire time all she had wanted to do was return to Skyhold and spend some time with Cullen. Kiss him yes, but even just to be in his company, to talk or play chess (Dorian's cheats hadn't worked, she was most disappointed), or even just to watch him work though she couldn't imagine he would be particularly impressed with that.

Finally though, she rode her horse through the gates of Skyhold. She was sure that she was expected in the war room to debrief and receive messages that she had missed in being away but in that moment such a thing couldn't be further from her mind. It was funny in a way. Ever since she had made her feelings known to the commander and they had shared that kiss on the battlements it was as though a trigger had been released inside her and she could no longer get him out of her mind. She handed the reins of her horse to a groom and immediately started climbing the battlements, ignoring the chuckle she heard from Blackwall. She didn't like to say she was running, that wasn't it surely, but even she couldn't deny that she was hurrying.

Reaching the door to Cullen's room, Azalea barely managed to pause to knock on the door but she was already opening it when she heard the call to enter being given. She paused only briefly to allow her eyes to take in the sight of him, straightening from where he had been leaning over his desk, a smile spreading over his face seeing her there. His mussed up curly blonde hair, those gorgeous warm eyes, broad shoulders... That was as far as she got before Culled crossed the room in three long steps and wrapped his arms around her, an impassioned embrace that Azalea was eager to return.

"Ah!"

At least until then. Cullen immediately let go at the cry of pain and held her at arms length, a look of concern on his face while the corner of Azalea's mouth lifted in a guilty grimace. "It's nothing," she said, moving in to hug him again, albeit more gently this time.

"It's not nothing if you're crying out in pain," Cullen countered but he allowed her to move in even if he did hold her as though he would break her at any moment. "I'm glad you're back, and safe," he said, his voice quiet.

"Me too," Azalea said. She pulled back only long enough to tilt her head up and bring her lips to his. With her eyes closed she was able to focus entirely on the feelings, the sensations of his lips on hers, his warmth, her warmth in the pit of her stomach, his smell. He smelled different to before, different from when he had lent her his cloak in the Haven chantry, different from when he had carried her through the snow when she was freezing. She couldn't pinpoint what was different but something was.

All too soon Cullen pulled away, though he left his large hands resting on her waist. "What happened, why are you in pain?"

Azalea grimaced. "There were red templars in the quarry," she said. "One of their swordsmen got a bit too close and I didn't get a barrier up quite in time."

"You weren't able to heal yourself?"

"Not with magic. I've dressed it as best I could in the field though. To use magic I need to numb the area, it's too painful otherwise, but if I numb it I can't tell what I'm doing," Azalea explained with a smile. It was something she had tried as an apprentice and failed dismally at, actually causing more damage than she healed. "I'll get Dorian to heal it for me later."

"That's brave," Cullen said wryly.

Azalea laughed. "He's not that bad. He knows the basics. Normally I would ask Vivienne but she's looking into something for me. It's either that or mundane healing."

"If it weren't for the fact it would prolong your pain I would rather that," Cullen said.

Stepping back, moving her hands to cover his and bring them from her waist, just holding them both before her, she said, "Tell you what then. If you go fetch Dorian for me, I'll go to my quarters and you can be in the room with me to make sure that Vint doesn't do anything."

"Agreed," Cullen said.

"Then afterwards... I need to talk to you about something," Azalea added. Seeing the look of concern on his face, she hastened to add, "It's nothing serious, well nothing... It's just something we need to organize for when my family arrives to visit, that's all." She was fumbling her words, she knew, but she didn't want Cullen to think that there was something wrong with their relationship.

"That's not reassuring," Cullen said dryly.

Azalea smiled and, standing on her tip toes, planted a quick kiss on his lips. "We're good, I promise. Go find Dorian and I'll meet you in my quarters," she said and she pulled away from him and left his rooms. Her face felt flushed and the cold mountain air was refreshing. Crossing the inner curtain wall battlements, she entered Solas's gallery, gave him a smile and a nod before continuing to the great hall. It was harder to get through here without being held up, many guests insisting on greeting her and speaking to her. Anyone who actually had something important to speak to her about she was able to redirect to Josephine, and those who just wanted to greet she was becoming skilled at responding and dismissing in the same breath.

Soon enough she was able to slip through the door to her own quarters. The windows had been opened to freshen the room but Azalea moved around the room closing them and lit the fire with a wave of her hand. She then picked up her desk chair and moved it before the fire and considered how she would do this. The templar's sword had sliced into the skin over her shoulder blade and the fleshy part of her shoulder above that. It was in an awkward position and, really, there was no way Dorian would be able to get to it while she kept herself modest. She had been forced to stop wearing her breastband as it was. "Well, at least Dorian will have a laugh," she muttered to herself as she stripped off her outer robes and sat in the chair in her under garments to wait.