Catching Up
Finding herself with some time to spare, Eve wandered around Haven trying to get her bearings and getting to know everyone. She had a chat with Solas, who was a little strange, but also fascinating. In anyone else, she might have thought the stories he told were lies or exaggerated facts. But that just didn't seem to fit this mage. He didn't brag, he just calmly stated the facts as he knew them.
She also had a talk with Varric while standing around the fire, and learnt more about Hawke, and a little about the dwarf himself.
After covering all the areas within the walls of Haven, Eve decided to explore outside the main gate. In the distance, she could see Cassandra practising with her sword against some very abused training dummies. Wanting to know more about the Seeker, she decided to head over and have a chat. However, while crossing the grounds she heard Cullen's voice and stopped to watch him training new recruits. The talk with Cassandra was momentarily forgotten as she debated with herself about going over and saying hello.
She was still undecided when he moved over to one of the recruits and adjusted the man's stance. As he strode back to his original spot, his eyes lifted and he looked straight at Eve, a smile lifting the corner of his usually stern mouth. Drawn by that warm smile, she found herself walking over to him, while desperately trying to think of things they could talk about, and hoping she wouldn't stumble or do something equally idiotic.
However, her steps slowed as she drew closer; Cullen didn't look very well. There were dark shadows that betrayed a lack of sleep, but perhaps these were more defined due to the pale colour of his skin. He'd also acquired a vicious looking scar cut into the right side of his upper lip; in short, he looked like he'd been through the wars. Eve was conscious of a desire to wrap her arms around him and tell him everything would be all right. But, the training area hardly seemed the place to do that, and it didn't seem like the best idea when they hadn't seen each other for over ten years.
She stopped in front of him. "Hello, Cullen." She mentally rolled her eyes at the trite greeting; that had sounded much better in her head.
"I never expected to see you again," he said quietly. His hand reached out in what seemed to be an involuntary reaction because as soon as he realised what he was doing, he let it drop back to his side. They stood there awkwardly for a moment, both with so much to say, but neither of them knowing where to start.
Unable to stand the uncomfortable silence any longer, Eve blurted out the first thing that came to mind. "I never thought I'd see you out of your Templar armour." Her eyes widened at the unintended double entendre as soon as the words left her mouth.
"Oh Maker, that came out completely wrong," she said, wishing her cheeks would stop burning.
His brow lifted and there was a gleam of amusement in his honey-brown eyes, and then he laughed. It was music to her ears, and she joined in. When they'd calmed down, Cullen moved them away from the noisy training area so that they could talk more easily.
"Did you decide to move to another Circle?" He set the ball rolling for which Eve was grateful as she still hadn't decided on what to say.
"Oh yes, I moved to Ostwick. It wouldn't have been my first choice, but it turned out well. I made some good friends..."
Their faces swam before her eyes and she stopped to swallow past a lump in her throat. With everything that had happened since sealing the breach, there hadn't been time to think of those she'd lost, but it all came back now. Like a wave crashing on the shore, memories flooded her mind, and the first tears slipped from her eyes. Hastily, she wiped them away, not wanting to grieve in public.
His hand wrapped around her wrist. "Lieutenant, take over the training. I'll be back shortly." Then they were walking swiftly away from the camp. Eve kept her head down, but even so, she noticed how he shielded her from prying eyes with his body until they were out of sight.
She cleared her throat. "I'm... I'm all right." But even to her own ears, her voice sounded thick with emotion.
"No, you're not, Eve." His voice was gentle as his thumb slid over her wrist tracing the rapid pulse. "Were your friends with you at the Conclave?"
She nodded wordlessly, unable to speak past the lump in her throat. Nails digging into the palms of her hands, she struggled to get herself under control.
"It's okay. There's no one to see or hear you." The compassion in his voice was her undoing.
There was no way to stop the memories that surfaced, each one hurting her heart until at last, the first sob broke free. Tears spilt down her face and another heartbroken sob quickly followed. The force of Eve's grief stole the breath from her lungs and the strength from her legs so that her knees started to buckle. However, before she hit the ground, Cullen's arms slipped around her waist and drew her close. She buried her face in the fur that bordered his coat and her hands gripped at it, needing an anchor amidst the emotional storm.
Eve wasn't sure how much time passed, she only knew that he'd held her through it all, letting her grieve in private, but not alone. When there were no tears left, she patted her pockets trying to find a hanky. A soft cotton one was pressed into Eve's hand, and she thanked him as she wiped away the evidence of her sorrow. By the time she'd finished, the handkerchief was a soggy mess. "I think I'd better wash this first before returning it to you."
That crooked smile was back, "It's all right, you keep it."
She chuckled and went to take a step back, but his arms tightened, pulling her against him. Lifting her face to his, there was a questioning and hopeful look in her grey eyes. He stared at Eve for the space of a heartbeat and his thumb slowly moved across her cheek leaving a tingling sensation in its wake. Her lips parted in anticipation...
"Commander Cullen?" A messenger weaved between the trees, and Cullen quickly let her go and stepped back. She gritted her teeth and tried not to think of horrible ways to kill the man who'd interrupted them.
The man looked from Eve to Cullen and put on his poker face. "I'm sorry to interrupt, Commander, but Sister Leliana wanted a word."
"Thank you."
The messenger stood there as if expecting a show of some kind. "That will be all!" Cullen said sternly. The man jumped a little, turned and ran back to Haven.
Cullen carded a hand through his hair. "I shouldn't have... I need to go."
"Of course."
She forced a smile in place to hide the hurt. Not because he needed to leave - as the Commander of the Inquisition's army she understood he was busy - no, it was because of the regret in his voice. It was because he hadn't been able to meet her eyes after that moment. It was because, regardless of the fact that they no longer wore armour or robes, to him she would always be a Circle mage, and perhaps there was still too much Templar left in Cullen to see past that.
It had just been a comforting embrace, she told herself, and he'd gotten a bit lost in the moment. They both had. Eve watched him walk back to camp until he was out of sight, then decided to go exploring, needing some time alone.
An hour or so later, she returned feeling rather pleased with herself. During her exploration, she'd located a logging stand, the notes that Adan the apothecary wanted, and had picked quite a lot of elfroot. She thought of the massive bunch of herbs in her pack and decided she might have gone over the top with the elfroot.
At the foundry, she stopped and thanked Harritt for the armour he'd made, before finally making her way over to Cassandra. The Seeker was still beating the shit out of the dummies. Eve ducked as a wooden head flew in her direction, and wondered if the woman was pissed off or whether she normally practised this vigorously?
Picking up the head, she debated about whether this would be a good time to talk to her. Then decided that this talk couldn't go any worse than the last one she'd had.
It turned out that Cassandra was feeling a bit miffed, but more at herself than Eve. This statement was received with a sigh of relief because she definitely didn't want to get on the wrong side of the Seeker. However, after they'd cleared the air, she found that Cassandra had a good sense of humour and was actually quite friendly. Another messenger ran over, and Eve rolled her eyes, wondering if they just waited until she got into a conversation before interrupting?
It was a request for both of them to attend a meeting in the council room. Upon entering, Eve found herself facing Leliana, Cullen, and a pretty, well-dressed woman, who introduced herself as Ambassador Josephine Montilyet. That started a string of introductions; Leliana was in the middle of explaining her role within the Inquisition when Cassandra cut her off and bluntly stated that she was the Spymaster.
Eve chuckled at the disgruntled look on Leliana's face, but stopped when Cassandra said, "And, of course, you already know our Commander."
"Yes, that's right," Eve said while battling down the blush that spread across her face. She thought she'd succeeded but then saw a smirk on the Spymaster's face. Damn it!
"So, how is it you two know each other?" Leliana asked, looking innocent but with a glint of devilry in her eyes.
"Eve was a mage at the Circle of Ferelden during the time I was stationed there as a Templar," Cullen replied in a matter-of-fact tone.
There was an infinitesimal pause, and then Leliana smiled. "You're Solona's friend?"
Eve raised an eyebrow. "I am. How do you know that?"
The spymaster chuckled. "She talked of you a lot when we were travelling together during the blight."
"Oh Maker. You're that Leliana? Andraste's flaming ass, why didn't I make that connection earlier?" Cassandra smiled. "Well, you've had a lot on your mind."
After introductions had been made, Eve's attention was drawn to a large map spread out over the table, and she was given her first assignment. Meet someone called Mother Giselle at the Crossroads in the Hinterlands and collect any suitable agents along the way.
So, off she went with Cassandra, Solas, and Varric. Initially, it seemed quite a nice place, pretty and countrified, with the occasional ram or fennec running past. Peaceful. That's the word she would have attributed to it. However, as they drew closer to the Crossroads, the sound of fighting reached their ears.
Mages on one side, Templars on the other, and the poor bloody villagers stuck in the middle. Cassandra tried to reason with the Templars, Solas tried to reason with the mages. Eve didn't bother trying to reason with any of them, she just grabbed her staff and started taking down the idiots who thought it would be a good idea to fight in the middle of a populated village.
Afterwards, Eve managed to find Mother Giselle and listened to her proposal. The woman seemed to think it would be a good idea to go and talk to the Chantry in Val Royeaux. Eve was a little dubious as they hadn't exactly been the greatest supporters of the Inquisition. However, she reasoned that if the Inquisition didn't show up then it might seem like they had something to hide. So after wandering around closing a few rifts, helping out some villagers, and collecting a shit load of elfroot, it was back to Haven to discuss Mother Giselle's proposal.