Seren slept restlessly, struggling against the cold that chilled her bones. The freezing breeze seeped through the blanket, the snowy landscape infiltrating her dreams. She was lost and alone, desperately searching for shelter in the white wasteland.

Then the chill had vanished, her sleep became more peaceful and eventually she awoke. Something tickled her cheek. Fur. Cullen's cloak.

She could smell him, his musty scent flooding her senses. Semi-consciously, she rolled onto her side, wrapping herself more tightly in the material. She could almost feel his arm around her waist, his breath on her neck, in her hair…

Steady on Seren. She warned herself, her heart beating faster, her breathing erratic. He lent you his cloak, because you were cold. He hasn't exactly professed his undying love for you.

She propped herself up on her elbow, breathing slowly in an attempt to regain control of her overactive imagination.

"You're awake."

Seren's head whipped round, finding Cullen sat watching her from the bed to her left.

"Shit you scared me." Heat rushed to her cheeks, heart pounding. "Have you been there the whole time? While I've been asleep, I mean?"

Nice save. Inwardly, Seren cursed herself, hoping he'd miss her slip up.

"On and off. I had to make sure you were alright."

"Is the Herald…"

"She's fine. Sleeping but fine." He hesitated. "Did you carry her the whole way?"

"I… did what I had to." Neither spoke for a time, trying to find the words. Cullen appeared to suddenly find the ground remarkably interesting.

"When you didn't come back…I thought you'd… that something had happened." He looked up, his eyes burning, his face set and unreadable. "Why didn't you come back to…with the men?" His tone was steady, perhaps a hint of bitterness. Seren couldn't keep his gaze.

"I thought I could help."

"That wasn't your job."

"No. But I did help, so it all worked out for the best."

"You could have died!" He exclaimed, his words tumbling out louder than he had anticipated. Several heads turned, stunned by the sudden outburst. Rubbing the back of his neck, embarrassed by the attention he had drawn, Cullen took a deep breath, and lowered his voice. "You could have died Seren, and I don't know what I would have done if… you had."

She didn't know what to say. Her heart ached from the pain she had clearly caused him, but at the same time, she couldn't help being a little pleased. He cared. Really cared. He wanted her to be safe, to live.

But there's a difference between wanting me to live and wanting me to live by his side. And there's a giant difference between caring and loving…

"I know. But I'm still here." She smiled. "You can't get rid of me that easy Cullen Rutherford."

He laughed a little, for her benefit. "I'm glad of that." He replied honestly, a strange look in his eyes; one that sent Seren's heart fluttering, the blood rushing to her cheeks, knots forming in her stomach.

She looked around for an excuse to avoid eye-contact, realising just what the Inquisition had been reduced to; a community of hastily constructed tents in the middle of nowhere.

Not exactly inspiring…

"So what's the plan? Because I'm guessing that no-one will take us seriously if we're having to hide out in some snowy valley in this less than charming part of the world."

"That's one way of putting it." He sighed. "In honesty, I'm not sure." Seren noticed the strain in his features, saw how on edge he looked. For once, Cullen didn't have the answers Seren was looking for. "We don't know where we are right now for sure, so planning has become… a little heated."

"I can imagine." Then because his spirits seemed so low, she said "It'll be okay though. You'll work it out."

"I hope so." He held her gaze, his face blank but he seemed comforted by Seren's words.

And then Mother Giselle began to sing, the lyrics filling the forlorn silence, the melody enchanting its listeners. Both the Commander and his second turned to listen. Then he stood, offering her his hand. Leliana added her voice, her voice soft and beautiful as a bird might sing, bewitching the attention of everyone in proximity.

Seren placed her hand in his, picked herself up from the bed and they walked together, joining the crowd that was growing in the firelight.

The night is long and the path is dark.

Cullen joined in, his voice strong, assured, along with the many recruits that surrounded them. He didn't let go of her hand, nor she his. Taking a deep breath, she let the words escape her lips, a weight lifting from her soul.

Look to the sky, for one day soon.

The dawn will come.