Aiden awoke on the hard ground, aching down to the bone and notably alone. Rubbing his brow where a headache was starting to form, he pushed himself onto his feet. The motion took a lot more energy than normal. He groaned- sure signs for a rough day.

He found Cassandra under one of the many alcoves of Skyhold, dressed in her leather jerkins and a sleeveless tunic. Her skin glimmered with faint traces of moisture. The warrior was working her damp hair into a braid, her eyes closed and fingers moving in great confidence. Her skill to braid the tail of her hair without the aid of a mirror baffled him, and he admired it. Or and was admirable. .

Sensing the Herald, she tossed him a smile over her shoulder. "'Morning." Cassandra felt his fingers nudge hers aside and savored the warmth spreading through her as Aiden finished the braid before helping secure it around her crown. "Thank you."

He brushed his lips over the nape of her neck, breathing in her freshly cleaned skin. The scent of lavender relaxed his aching body. "What does it symbolize?"

Cassandra touched the twisted hair, "My service as the Hand of the Divine."

Aiden tugged at his own hair, loose it fell past his shoulders. "They always kept my hair short." The memory left a sour taste in his mouth. Sharing snippets of his dark past with Cassandra, knowing she wouldn't judge, helped ease the weight of it ever so slightly.

"Sit."

Aiden complied by perching himself on a nearby ledge.

"Shirt." She saw him tense and his gaze sweep the surrounding area. "It will get soaked while I wash your hair."

His throat tightened, "Cassandra."

"They don't bother me." Cassandra touched the scar just beneath the line of his beard, sweeping the tip of her fingers down his throat to the raised skin exposed at the opening of his tunic. She heard him suck in a sharp breath."They show the beauty in your strength."

Her words and touch coaxed the bravery to let her draw the tunic over his head. Aiden shivered once the cold mountain air hit his skin. "Don't suppose the water is warm?"

Cassandra guided the rogue to lean his head forward before filling the cup from the bucket she fetched from the well. "Next time I'll get Dorian to heat it up."

The splash of cold water momentarily stole the air from Aiden's lungs. In that small frame of time, memories of being held underwater by faceless strangers took control of him. Growling, Aiden shoved the Seeker away. "Don't touch me!"

She tried not to wince when her head shit stone. Damn. Cassandra didn't really think that one through. "I should have asked."

The cup hitting the cobblestone snapped Aiden back to the present. He shoved his wet hair from his eyes, "Fuck. Cassandra, I'm sorry." He hated having to say those words to her. Loathed that her touch caused such reactions.

"It's okay."

"No, it's not." Aiden tugged at his long strands until pain shot through him. "You shouldn't have to ask to touch me. I shouldn't touch you like that, ever. You deserve better. Better than me. Better than someone so broken. So tainted. You deserve gentleness."

"Stop it!" Cassandra barked and Aiden lapsed into silence. "I'm far too old to be told what I should want and deserve. I didn't expect your past to disappear overnight, Aiden. Or be suddenly cured of your addiction now that the drugs our out of your system. I know that every day will be a struggle for you to keep yourself from slipping into the darkness.

"And that burden shouldn't be anyone's but mine."

Slowly, Cassandra approached him, her hands held out so he could track her movements. He sighed the moment she cupped his face, "And I'm asking you to let me help you carry it, because that's what you do when you care about someone. I care about you, Trevelyan. So please, let me help you wash your hair."

He bit back another apology, since it would earn him nothing but another scowl. As sexy as he found the look, he couldn't work anything past the emotions clogging his throat. She cared for him. Aiden knew she did long before those nights she spent at his bedside in Haven. To actually hear her say it overwhelmed him.

He slowly relaxed, concentrating on her touch as Cassandra soaped and rinsed his hair. It even pleased him that she took the time to braid his bangs before pulling them back to tie his long strands together.

"Up." Cassandra softly commanded, soaking the washcloth before soaping it up. "I know you long for a proper bath, but this will have to do."

Though he tried not to, Aiden flinched the moment the cloth hit his shoulder. "Cold." He reassured with a smile.

The Seeker began to lather his skin, a blush working up her cheeks as she passed over the fading love mark long his right collarbone. Heat coiled in her belly. The last four days, they'd been keeping themselves busy until they fell asleep,far too exhausted to do anything more than exchange a few words and kisses. She moved across his chest, soaping up the crisp dark hairs before following the line down his torso, where it disappeared under the waist of his breeches. She felt him shudder nothing to do with his past, and everything having to do with her touch. Grinning, Cassandra dunked the cloth before starting to rinse off the soap.

Cassandra followed the same path, torturing Aiden with her slow strokes. When she inched closer to his waistband again, he clamped his hand around her wrist. "You'll have to stop, Lass." He slid his marked hand over her cheek to cup the back of her head, holding her in place with a firm grip.

"If I don't?"

Growling, Aiden pinned her to the stone wall. "I will tear your clothes off and fuck you where we stand."

The heat of the words left her breathless, "Maybe I should stop, before I let you."

"Temptress."

"Here." Cassandra offered him the cloth, "I'll remove temptation."

"I rather remove something else."

"As would I, but another long day awaits us." Carefully, she untangled herself from his grasp and picked up her tunic. "I'll see you at afternoon meal."

Aiden met Cullen in the courtyard. The Commander watched Merthin clamor about with a small horde of children, happily barking amongst their laughter.

Cullen greeted him with a nod, "'Morning, Trevelyan."

"You can call me Aiden, Commander." Aiden saw the man's scarred mouth twitch, "I don't think the world will end if you do."

"Merthin seems to be loving all the attention."

"I can tell."

"He's been a great comfort and distraction to not only the children, but to the wounded." Cullen shifted his gaze down to the toes of his boots. "Two more succumbed to their wounds overnight."

The weight of their deaths added strain to Aiden's shoulders. "How many is that?"

"Since arriving to Skyhold, ten. More people are arriving by the hour, bringing not only supplies, but their own sick and wounded. Josephine dispatched riders in hope to open trading convoys, and we have all able hands working around to clock to get Skyhold up and running. I also sent out men to scout the area."

"You're working yourself into the ground, Cullen."

"We set up the best we could at Haven, but we were never prepared for an archdemon attacking. Maybe if we had more time..." He rubbed the growth of hair on his chin. "With our position, if Corypheus is to attack, we cannot retreat. Our first task is to get make the room for the people, and then our defenses."

Aiden frowned, listening to the guilt dripping from the Commander's voice. Cullen acted quickly, and it was his actions that saved so many in Skyhold. Not Aiden's. He had failed, and those they lost were on him. "I'm sorry."

Cullen sputtered at the apology not knowing exactly what it was for. He tracked the Herald's movements, surprised when the man grabbed a spade and took off towards the front gate.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Sweaty, dirty, and hands throbbing, Aiden drove the spade into the earth to shovel out another large lump of dirt. Grave number seven. Aiden tossed the dirt into the pile at the foot of the hole. And he wouldn't stop at ten, knowing that the fallout from Haven wasn't over. There were more wounded, writhing in pain and fighting for life in the courtyards. The healers didn't have the supplies to do more than comfort those who were too far gone to save.

"You missed afternoon meal."

Frowning, Aiden pushed the spade back into the dirt, "Not hungry."

Leliana placed a water skin and wrapped rations on the grass, "Cassandra wanted to make sure you ate."

Grunting, Aiden tossed the soil aside.

"You don't have to do this, Trevelyan."

Aiden continued to dig.

"What happened at Haven wasn't your fault."

"I beg to differ." All the turmoil and destruction was on his head. He failed them all. He wasn't good enough, and still wasn't. The breach was closed and a new threat took its place, a threat Aiden already lost against. The force of the next shovel broke the skin of his palm, the burning pain spurring him to dig harder and faster.

Leliana spotted the droplets of blood, "Aiden, stop."

The command had no effect on him.

The Spymaster dropped down into the grave to grapple with Aiden for the spade. "None of this is your fault." Leliana watched his glowing orbs darken, his anger taking him over. Thanks to her extensive combat training, she saw his attack coming and easily side stepped the Herald. The momentum carried Aiden forward and tipped him off balance, giving Leliana the leverage needed to rip the spade from his bloody grasp. "This isn't your fault, Aiden."

Slamming into the side of the grave had the Herald cursing up a storm. "You can say it a thousand different ways and in any language, but it doesn't change the fact I'm held accountable for what happened." He whirled around before Leliana could counter. "The mages were there for over two weeks! We could have closed the breach sooner and been done with it. Instead, the people's Herald was fighting the urge to find a fix. He was trying to slit his wrists. He was locked away!"

"We needed to figure out a plan."

"And that's what Cassandra should have been doing instead of sitting at my bedside because I am a damn screw up." Aiden pulled at his hair, tugging loose the braids Cassandra did earlier. "If it was someone else, someone better that fell out of the fucking sky, Haven would have been safe. Ormo would have never hurt Cassandra."

Guilt filled his voice, wrenching Leliana's heart apart. He put so much blame on himself, when it wasn't all his to claim. Aiden had done everything they asked of him and more ever since emerging from the fade. In her own grief from losing the Divine, her thirst to find those responsible, she never stopped once to think about all that Aiden been put through or how he was coping. "I am equally to blame. I pulled my scouts back to focus on the breach. If I have left them in place, then we would've seen Corypheus coming."

"I could have done more. I could have been able to save more people."

"We got out as many as we could."

"Yet so many were caught in the avalanche. If I just kept taking those potions, I would have been able to stop it." Aiden dropped his hands in defeat, "I'm no Herald. No Hero. I'm a former slave used for other people's pleasure. I'm not special. I'm nothing."

"Yes you are," Leliana insisted. "And it's not because of the mark on your hand, or that you fell out of the Fade. It's because what you've done. The people you helped. The people you saved while risking your life."

He looked out at the freshly dug graves. The first of many. "Do we have the names of those we lost since settling in Skyhold."

"Know them won't ease your guilt, nor mine."

"Write them down so I can mark their graves." He held out his bloody hand for the shovel, "I need to finish this, Leliana. Nothing will ease my guilt, but I can find at least a small comfort in knowing these people were given a proper burial."

"Very well." Reluctantly, Leliana gave up her hold on the spade, "Make sure you see Solas or Dorian to fix your hand. Cassandra won't be pleased knowing you've worked yourself till you bled."

Grunting in agreement, Aiden went back to his task.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Once it became too dark to dig, Aiden went back to the garden to draw up fresh water from the well, and hunted for a bar of soap to clean himself before meeting Cassandra. If the Seeker saw his current condition it would only cause her to worry, and the woman had far more important things on her plate to worry about. He unwrapped the cloth around his hand, hissing as the oozing blisters were exposed to the cold air. The pain felt good. Felt normal. Felt right. Agony and misery were all he deserved in life.

"Leliana said you were in need of healing." Dorian spoke stepping next to the well. "Let me see."

"I'm fine." Aiden muttered.

Dorian stopped the Herald from wrapping it again with the soiled cloth, "Let me look at it."

"I said I'm fine, Dorian."

"And I'm the Empresses of Orlais."

Not in the mood, Aiden's hand shot out, catching the mage by the front of his robes, "I've had enough lectures for one day. I said I'm fine, and I don't need your help."

Simply smiling, Dorian clutched Aiden's injured hand and sent the man to his knees. The Herald didn't cry out or show any other sign of discomfort. Dorian knew that Aiden had conditioned himself not to let the pain show after so many years of torture. "When are you going to stop being so damn selfish-centered and finally realize that you don't have to do this alone anymore? You have friends. You have a family."

With the words seeping past his anger, Aiden hung his head.

Dorian healed Aiden's injured hand and let it go. "We're in this together, Aiden. We've seen the real threat, and will do anything to stop it. Right now emotions are running high and we've had no chance to decompress. Now, get cleaned up and I'll find you a fresh shirt. Then you're going to join all of us and your lovely Seeker." He held up a finger before the rogue could argue, "You don't show, I'll tell her about your injury and how you got it. We'll see how you feel after a thrashing from her."

"And why would he need a thrashing from me?" Cassandra asked slipping out of the shadows to join the two men. Her gaze flickered to Dorian, and when she realized he wasn't going to answer she shifted to Aiden. His current appearance brought up just more questions.

Dorian gave the Herald a small salute. "I'll leave you both to talk."

On a heavy sigh, Aiden sat on the edge of the well. "I haven't seen you all day."

She took a seat next to him. "I was hoping to see you at afternoon meal. Are you okay?"

Aiden pinched the bridge of his nose. How he hated hearing that question, especially from her. Everyone was so concerned about his well-being, and never their own. "I don't want to talk about me." He whispered, "How are you?"

"I'm fine."

He raised a brow. "You don't have to pretend with me, Lass. I know you're not fine. You haven't stopped since Haven. You haven't spoken about it either. So, how are you?"

Her shoulders sagged. He was right of course. There were very few people in Thedas that she would ever allow to pull her mask off. "I'm tired." Cassandra confessed on a long sigh. She sighed again when his rough palms slid over the back of her hands before their fingers linked. "I'm so tired, but I'm afraid if I slow down, if I think about it, then I'll shatter and won't be able to pull myself together. There is so much that needs to be done, and-."

"The world won't end because you took a moment to yourself," He squeezed her fingers, "You've been through a lot in a short period of time."

"You can say the same about you."

"Well, we aren't talking about me."

"After all those we lost and what all those people went through, it seems what I feel and experienced is insignificant."

Aiden frowned. "Not to me. Talk to me, Cassandra."

She went silent for a moment before speaking. "I wished you killed him."

Aiden's throat tightened. "Ormo?"

"I told myself that if I got away, I would kill him in the slowest way possible."

"What- I mean I would like to know… If you're ready that is, for you to talk about it."

Cassandra glanced down at their joint hands, "I'd never been so terrified. When he came in the first time I knew what he had planned. Maker, I never felt so helpless in my life. I hated that he could make me feel that way."

Swallowing hard, Aiden curled a finger under her chin and lifted until her gaze met his. "You said that he didn't touch you."

"He came close." Cassandra watched Aiden's glowing eyes darken with fury. "I couldn't move, but I fought any way I could. He tried to…"

"Cassandra if it's too much, you don't have to." He wasn't even sure he was strong enough to hear it.

She took a shuddered breath, trying to gather the courage to speak and not let the memory of that moment completely overwhelm her. Ormo was dead, or at least that's what she hoped. No one released him from the cell below the chantry, and most likely he was buried beneath the snow and rocks of the avalanche. Maybe if she had seen the body herself moving on would be a bit easier. Cassandra felt Aiden squeeze her hand and it gave her the courage to tell him all about her time in the darkness. Her fears. Her helplessness. Her unfathomable belief that he would find her. And, Maker, she told him about everything Ormo did-or at least tried to do.

"Maker, Cassandra." He snatched his hand away, missing the way Cassandra's entire demeanor deflated. "How can you stand to be with me? This is my fault, and the way I touched you this morning. I should never touch you like that, ever."

"No, you shouldn't, and I'm in no way saying it is okay, but I understand. If I felt like I was in danger, if I felt like you were truly going to hurt me, I would first kick your ass, but I would walk away."

"I don't want to ever remind you of him." Aiden softly confessed, "Ever."

"And you never will. What happened, it affected me, but I won't let Ormo have any hold over me. I will have bad moments, just like you. Together, we will get through it."

"Together." Aiden framed her face in his hands, stroking his thumb over her scarred cheek. "It doesn't change anything, Cassandra."

She let out a breath of relief and gave him a gentle kiss. "Let's get you cleaned up."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Cassandra didn't drink much, and never anything stronger than wine. However, tonight seemed a night of celebration of a sort, in remembrance for those lost and in gratitude of their newly found safe haven. They newly christened tavern was full to the brim and bustling with activity. How the various types of liquor appeared, no one knew or cared. Not even Cassandra. She sat on the Herald's lap, nestled tightly against him, surrounded by their companions, who had somehow talked her into participating in a drinking game.

They went around the circle, proclaiming something they'd never done: if the others had, they would take a shot or big swig from their drink of choice. Everyone; except Bull, Dorian, and Sera; stayed away from more intimate subjects.

While they refilled their cups for the next round, Aiden took that moment to trail his lips up the Seeker's neck. He watched her teeth sink into her bottom lip, fighting to keep the sound of pleasure from escaping. That only made Aiden try all that harder, and she knew it. He slipped his hand beneath her tunic to run his fingers over her spine, teasing her by dipping below the waistband of her trousers.

Thankfully, Cassandra was already flushed from the drinking and warm temperature in the tavern, so no one could see her blush. Well, two could play. She shifted against his hardened arousal, causing his nails to bite into her skin. Maybe it was the drink that made her so bold, but she felt thrilled to be touched so openly, and allowed to do the same. It was nice to feel cherished, wanted. "I believe it's your turn, Warden." Cassandra kindly reminded, leaning down, purposely grinding against the Herald to refill her cup with more brandy.

The male warrior tried to keep his drunken self from falling off his chair. "I've never..." He trailed off for a moment, his words slurring together. "Had the pleasure of feeling a lover's mouth on my umm…" Blackwall stuttered and started to blush as he realized what he had actually said.

A few of the companions started to chuckle, and all but Cassandra and Cullen drank.

"Come on, Herald." Bull waved his oversized mug in the human's direction. "Do you lack the skill to pleasure your woman in such a way?"

Aiden sputtered on his wine, "My skills are very much up to par, thank you very much."

"If you need tips, I'll be happy to show you!" Bull continued, giving the pair a lopsided grin. "Personally."

"As tempting as that sounds, Bull, I'll pass." Cassandra retorted much to everyone's amusement.

"Well," Bull took a long pull from his mug, "if you change your mind, you know where to find me. Offer goes to you too, Commander."

Blushing, Cullen shifted in his chair and cast his gaze to the cup in his hand.

After a few more rounds and numerous teasing touches from Aiden, Cassandra shot to her feet, causing the small group to go silent. Her gaze snapped to Aiden and the Herald was about to apologize, when the Seeker grasped him by the front of his shirt and pulled him into a mind-numbing kiss. Aiden's hands clutched at her hips as she nipped and sucked his bottom lip while nearly the entire tavern cheered them on.

Cassandra drew away, her gaze burning, " We need to leave." Her growl could barely be heard over the roar of the people. "Now."

"Lead the way, Seeker."

"Sweet Maker." Heart hammering in her throat, Cassandra whirled around the moment they hit the second floor and literally threw herself at the rogue. His soft whispers and none too subtle touches left her wet, aching, and thirsting for more. In tune with her hunger, Aiden's mouth and hands were on her, touching and taking, leaving her breathless. She curled her arms around his shoulders, her fingers sliding into the long strands of hishair as she pressed against him, finding him hard and straining. "Aiden."

He growled at the way his name fell from her swollen lips, rolling in her Nevarran accent and sending shivers down his spine. Everything on the floor below disappeared. The sound, the people, everything but the woman in his arms. Aiden cupped her face between his rough hands and twisted until he had her against one of the large wooden beams. All he saw, heard, and felt was this maddening, amazing, frustrating, and extraordinary woman, who, for some unknown reason, wanted him. Cared for him. "Say it again." He whispered, "Say my name."

The emotions, so gut wrenching, leaking into his voice, brought tears to her eyes. "Aiden." Stroking her thumb over his bearded jaw, Cassandra tipped her head towards his. Her heart ached, knowing where the request came from. For so long he had no name. No control over his life. Used for other people's' pleasure and never his own, and called different things, making him feel like nothing. Less than nothing.

"Again."

"Aiden." She watched him close his eyes and jaw slacken, heard his breath hitched as she savored the sound of his name. Cassandra brushed her lips over his eyes, "Aiden." His brow. "Aiden." His nose, "My Aiden." His lips, "My Trevelyan."

"Cassandra." He trailed his hands up the sharp curve of her cheek and up to sink them into her hair. His heart felt so full, it felt like it was bursting at the seams with emotions. It's only been days since their night in the garden. To Aiden, it felt like months, years even, since he last touched her. There was such hunger between them. Aiden never wanted it to go away.

"Aiden, Maker preserve me, I need you."

"Cassandra- Shit! Fuck!" She hitched herself up, wrapping her long legs around his waist and settled perfectly over his harden arousal. Supporting her, Aiden stumbled towards the next set of stairs, completely desperate to get her alone and naked. He didn't get more than halfway up the stairs before the Seeker grinded against him, throwing him off balance. Aiden threw an arm out to soften their landing as they crashed down in the middle of the stairwell.

That seemed far enough for Cassandra who dragged his mouth back to hers. She withered against him, rubbing against his cock. Maker! He could feel the heat radiating from her through the layers separating them. Her hands dipped under his tunic to drag her nails along his abdomen, leaving a trail of fire in their wake.

"Sweetheart You-…" Her wandering hands began tormenting him through his leathers and Aiden lost the ability to speak.

Grinning, Cassandra gave him a firm squeeze, "What did I tell you," She nipped hard at his bottom lip, "about calling me that?"

Aiden gritted his teeth struggling to hold back the release he was so close to. "Cassandra. Cass. Cassie. Seeker. My lady." He gripped the wooden stairs, "My love. My Warrior, you have to stop or we won't make it outside."

"I think we've gone far enough."

"People-."

"Are down stairs preoccupied with drinks and the company of others. If I don't have you now, I'll go mad."

He wasted no time attacking the line of her throat, his hands pushing up her tunic and shoving away the bindings from her breast. Cupping them in his calloused palms, Aiden lowered his head and began to ravish them. He torment, rolling the nipples between his fingers, his mouth and teeth leaving loves bites on every exposed inch of skin. Every mark he left filled him with animalistic pride. Mine! Mine! This amazing woman was his and his alone. Aiden gave each mound equal attention until he hit that sweet spot that had Cassandra arching her back and pleading for more. The breathless sound set fire to his veins.

Eager, Aiden explored the rest of her body, memorizing the texture, scent, and taste. Every dip and scar burned into his brain. He wondered, in Haven when sleep wouldn't come, about what she looked like. What she felt like against him. Nothing, no dream or fantasy, could compare to the real thing. Nothing could prepare him for the raging fire that tore through him, making desire curl tight in his stomach and his cock ache.

Aiden untangled the laces of Cassandra's trousers and looked up as he eased them down her wide hips. Cassandra, face flushed and sweat beating on her brow, had her bottom lip clenched between her teeth and her eyes screwed shut. "Look at me, Lass." He rubbed his bearded chin along her hip bone, "Open your eyes, Cassandra. Look at me."

Through the roaring in her ears, his order made it though and Cassandra forced them open. Aiden's glowing blue orbs seared into her, filled with so many emotions. Holding his gaze, Cassandra watched him lower his head and nuzzled his nose against the dark curls between her legs. "Holy Andraste." She felt his warm breath fan across her dripping and aching core. A part of her felt embarrassed at being so wet and ready for him. Then she refocused on his face and became lost in the admiration and, dare she say, love, shining in his eyes. "Aiden you don't… Just because.. I mean…"

Aiden bit at the juncture of her thigh, turning her words into a moan, "There is nothing I would love more than to pleasure you, my dear Seeker."

He kissed her slick folds and Cassandra's hands shot out, latching onto the rungs of the stair railing so tight her knuckles turned white. "Shit. Shit. Aiden."

The man in question chuckled as he sucked at the pulsing bundle of nerves. He felt more powerful than any god that Cassandra's hip shot up after one single touch. "Hush, Lass. Or the entire tavern will hear you."

Cassandra thought about it for a moment, and then the Herald dragged the flat of his tongue down her wet slit and her mind went blank.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Rubbing the kinks out of his neck and his head swimming from the wine, Cullen drudged up the stairs of the tavern. The sounds of celebration faded with each step and were replaced with breathless moans. Curious, Cullen looked up and froze.

Half way the final set of stairs, Cassandra was laid out on her back with Aiden's head between her legs. The Seeker's was flushed and her eyes closed, completely lost in the pleasure. Cullen should have started back down, but found himself transfixed on the couple. Ever since she walked into the tavern in Kirkwall, Cullen wondered what Cassandra looked like naked. Reality was so much better than fantasy. His eyes tracked every inch of her exposed skin, following every curve and noting every scar, and became mesmerized by the way her breast, covered in fresh love bites, bounced with each breathless sob.

"Aiden." Cassandra uncurled her clenched fingers from the railing to grasp onto Aiden's loose hair.

Cullen winced as the Seeker pulled, what looked painfully, at Aiden's locks while she begged him not to stop. Cullen could see that the Herald had no intention of doing such. The rogue seemed to be enjoying giving Cassandra pleasure just as much as she did receiving it.

Maker! He should be watching this. Yet, Cullen couldn't make himself turn away. And by Andraste, his own arousal pulsated to the point of pain. The breath left his body the moment Cassandra seized up as Aiden took her over the edge. Cullen never heard such foul language come from Cassandra before.

Cassandra going limp, Aiden crawled up to press fully clothed body against hers. "Kiss me, Cassandra." His voice was thick with desire. "I want you to taste yourself."

The Seeker eagerly complied.

Cullen found himself surprised anything remained of the rogue's tunic. Cassandra clawed at his shoulders, desperate to have him close as possible. Their touches were brutal, leaving marks in their wake. Such passion passing between them. Cullen never had seen anything like it. And it wasn't about sexual satisfaction. No, it went far deeper. Cullen realized that he was watching two people make love.

Embarrassed, aroused, and feeling a dozen different things, Cullen slipped back down the stairs.

"Commander Cullen."

He snapped out of his haze, "Yes." Cullen looked around to see one of the Inquisition agents watching him very curiously. "Did you need something?"

"Just making sure you're alright." Ritts assured giving him a sly smile, "You seem a bit flushed."

"Yes." Cullen cleared the thickness from his voice, "A bit overheated, that's all."

"Perhaps some air will do you good, Commander."

"I think that's a good idea." His mind flashed back to the couple upstairs and his cock strained against his leathers. Cullen returned the elf's smile, "And please call me Cullen. Would you like to join me, Ritts?"

The woman beamed, "I would enjoy that very much, Cullen."