It was late in the afternoon when Alex finally left the tavern after talking to Sera, Bull and the Chargers. Max and Dale left before she did, taking Alona with them, as she told them to hand her daughter over to her father.

She found them in the garden by the baths, and she blinked as she saw a great beast of a dog, grey furred with patches of white. Alona was giggling happily as she threw a ball, making it bounce towards the bushes, and the dog enthusiastically went after it, destroying a few twigs from the hapless bushes. The dog came back a minute later with the ball in its mouth, and let the ball go by Alona's feet, making her laugh.

"You there!" Cullen said at the dog as he clung on his daughter's dress in an effort to save the girl from tumbling in excitement, "You're supposed to dodge, not catch! If that ball were a fireball, you'd be dead."

The dog barked out in reply and she had to smile at the sight of it. The creature was a massive canine, but she could see in its yellow eyes that it possessed some form of intelligence, as she approached it and it didn't bark at her.

"You found… a dog?" Alex asked Cullen as he bent over at the canine, and Alona looked up at her with a smile, "Mommy! Big doggie! Big doggie!"

"They don't breed mabari in Orlais." Cullen explained to her with a smile, "The merchant said he was abandoned. Perhaps his owners tired of the novelty?"

Alex blinked and looked down at the creature, and it gave her a wide eyed look. She always had a soft heart when it came to animals, helping Master Dennet with the horses back in Skyhold and even helping Cole find homes for a litter of kittens he had found abandoned. Even though the mabari looked menacing, she found its square and massive head adorable. She bent over and touched the dog's head, and it gave a small growl of pleasure as she ran a hand at its wiry coat, "Tire of you? With that positive attitude and fetching ability?"

The dog gave her a loud bark, before panting, its tongue lolling at the side of his mouth, and Cullen scowled a little at it. "He's not supposed to fetch it…"

Alex laughed as she straightened and cross her arms, looking down at her husband, "I don't think you understand how this works."

"Another Fereldan trapped at the Winter Palace… I couldn't leave him to that fate. Besides…" He smirked as he looked up at her, "I think he likes me."

She smiled at the way he smiled, as if he was thoroughly enjoying of owning the dog, "You could take him to Ferelden sometime. He should know where he came from."

"I did promise Mia a visit." He said before he looked down at the dog and patted its head, "She might try to spoil you. Remember who you report to."

Alona giggled happily, moving forward to hug the dog. The creature was smart enough to know that the small human touching him was defenseless and young, so it resolved to licking her face as she giggled. Cullen and Alex looked down and watched in delight at their daughter, but she looked up when he heard him sigh.

"The Inquisition will change after this. I'm not yet sure what that will mean" He said, bending over a bit and touching the dog and Alona, "Still, I've found certainty in my life now… the Council won't change that."

He straightened to stand to look at her, his face filled with a strange emotion, before he whispered out, "Marry me."

Alex blinked in shock as the dog barked, "What?"

At Alex's question, Cullen flushed in embarrassment and ran a hand at the back of his neck, "I mean… will you…" He sighed, "I know that we're already married and… it is our third year of marriage and… I had a plan and… there wasn't a dog.. but you were…" He sighed again as he looked at her, "It doesn't matter." He looked at her with a smile, "I've thought of little else, and I don't need a plan. Only if you would. The past three years have been a joy with you… every single day is a marvel. I want to renew my vows with you again. Marry me again, Alex."

Heat flushed up her cheeks, but she smiled brightly at him as she came forward and hugged him, her arms around his waist, and she felt him encompass her with own embrace, his face burying into her red hair, "I would! Cullen, I will!"

"You will." He said, inhaling deeply and kissing her neck, as his arms around her tightened.

Alex giggled as she kissed the corner of his lips, "People will notice the Inquisitor re-marrying her Commander in the middle of the Exalted Council."

He laughed as he separated from her a little to kiss her temple, "It won't go over well. But we know a few people who can keep things… secret."

A few moments later, Alex was wearing a white Orlesian dress, her hair piled up in her head, with Alona beside her, looking happily at them, holding a small bouquet of flowers. She was holding hands with Cullen again, feeling as giddy as the first time she said her vows three years ago in Skyhold, and she marveled as she looked at him, his face still full of love and adoration. She felt slightly ashamed that she had not remembered that it was the anniversary of their third year of marriage, but she also felt her heart expand with love towards Cullen when she realized that the man held the date in his heart, so much that he remembered it.

Cullen sighed as he looked down at her, "Just now… everything feels like it was worth fighting for."

She bit her lip and nodded, and she felt the tears of joy sting her eyes, "It was…

"This is…" He started but from beside them, Mother Giselle coughed, before she smiled at them, "This is the part where you renew your promise."

"Oh, right." Cullen said, and he cleared his throat, "I swear unto the Maker and the Holy Andraste to love this woman…" He grinned as he bent over and picked up Alona in his arms, making the girl squeal in delight, "And this little lady the rest of my days."

Mother Giselle nodded in approval as she turned to Alex, and she smiled brightly, "And I swear unto the Maker and the Holy Andraste to love this man… and this family… including the dog…" Cullen laughed a little, as the dog barked beside him, "For the rest of my days."

The Chantry Mother chuckled at their strange vows but she raised her hands over the two of them, "Then by the power vested upon me as Mother Giselle of the Andrastian Chantry, and by the grace and approval of Her Perfection, Divine Victoria, I now pronounce you…still husband and wife." She smiled as she indicated Cullen, "You may now kiss your wife, Commander."

"Don't mind if I do." Cullen said, grinning at her, and he lowered his head to kiss Alex briefly on the lips, before separating from her. They then turned to Alona and kissed the girl on her cheek, the two of them on either side, earning a delighted giggle from their daughter, as well an amused laugh from the Chantry Mother.

"Do you remember the first time we came to the Winter Palace?" Alex asked Cullen as they sat on a bench by the gardens again after their small wedding, watching Alona and the dog, whom they have named Barkspawn II, after Solona's own mabari companion during the Fifth Blight. They had their arm around each other, watching the little girl play fetch with their newly acquired pet, and Cullen sighed at her question.

"All too well." He answered as he looped an arm around her shoulders, and she grasped at his hand, "I've already answered a half-dozen questions about my personal life. The reason we're here is because we made a difference. That's worth enduring the political small talk."

Alex laughed a little as she nudged him lightly on the ribs, "But you're still glad I'm here to rescue you."

Cullen chuckled as he kissed her temple, "Very much so."

"By the way, is there any news from Ferelden?" Alex asked him, "How is your family?"

"Mia keeps me informed." Cullen told her, reaching into the pocket of his coat to show her a letter, "As I understand, she's training my nephew to best me at chess."

Alex looked up at him in mock shock, "I sense a threat to my Commander's chess superiority. I'm sure the defeat will be distressing."

Cullen's eyes widened in hurt, making her laugh out loud, "I… he's four! You could at least pretend I'd throw the game."

She laughed a little harder, before wiping the tears of mirth from her eyes and leaning her head against his shoulder, "Well, maybe you should start training Alona then. They can continue the long-standing chess rivalry between you and Mia."

His hurt look changed into that of mirth, "Maybe I should, but as I remember, it was you who beat me before back in Skyhold. Maybe you should be the one teaching her."

"Well, that's easy enough to remedy." She told him as she nodded towards their daughter, "We teach her together. She'll be Thedas' premiere chess champion once we're done with her."

Cullen silenced as he looked thoughtfully at their little girl, "Lady Alona Trevelyan-Rutherford… Chess Champion. Oh, I do rather like the sound of that."

Alex chuckled again, "Me, too. Although, I still can't understand why you still suck at Wicked Grace."

At this, the Commander reddened, "Hey! I beat you last time we played that back in Skyhold."

"Yes, you did." Alex said, her eyebrow rising as she kissed his cheek and brought her lips to his ear to whisper, "You beat me hard."

The effect of Alex's seductive low whisper was immediate. Cullen turned red, but he smirked mischievously, and the hand that was around her shoulders lowered down to her back, almost reaching her bottom as his eyes blazed with lust. "Shall I try again then? Or maybe you should learn to ante up."

Alex chuckled but she gave a low moan as her tongue snaked out, licking his earlobe, and he drew in a deep breath, "Take Alona to Dorian and Maxwell so they can babysit for tonight. The Council won't happen until tomorrow morning anyway. Don't worry, husband. Before this night is over, I'll beat you in Wicked Grace, and you'll know what it's like when I'm… on top."

"Alona, darling!" Cullen said suddenly, standing up and walking towards his daughter, his face red and with Alex laughing at the bench, "Come along! Let's get you to your Uncle Maxwell!"