"Ari!"
Ari'elle bolted upright in bed, arms flailing, hair flying. Her eyes flew open to catch Cullen's form for a second. "Wha-" Bright sunlight streamed through the open window, the broken roof. Too bright; her eyelids slammed shut again. Her head pounded at her sudden movement, and she groaned, sinking into her hands and clutched her temples. Her stomach rolled, protesting everything.
Ari'elle could have sworn she heard Cullen chuckle, but when she peaked her narrowed eyes up at him, his face was in a stern expression. She closed her eyes again, and flopped back onto the cushion of the feather bed and pillows.
"You are late for training, Ari." His voice rumbled through the room, far louder than it needed to be. Just to spite her, she was sure.
In reply, Ari'elle grabbed one of the pillows and pulled it over her face, grumbling into the fabric. This was the first she had heard about training. And he expected her to be active right now? She knew from her brief glimpses that her vision was blurry. Her mouth was dry and she felt a little dizzy.
And to top it all off, she had gotten very little sleep. Cullen had left her… aroused. So much so that when she had crawled into bed, she hadn't been able to shake it off and fall asleep. She had lain in bed, aching. Frustrated, she had attempted to touch herself, just as Cullen had touched her the night before. Her inexperienced fumbling had just kept her on edge though, doing nothing to relieve her tension. She had given up at some point, instead focusing on cursing the handsome shemlan, imagining the evil things she could do to him to pay him back.
She pulled the pillow away from her face, and gave him a squinting glare. "It's all your fault."
A hint of a smile touched his lips, before he adopted a mock offended look. "My fault?" He touched his chest, "I didn't tell you to drink anything last night. That was all your idea."
He was being far too logical this morning. "You know why it is your fault," she grumbled petulantly.
He shook his head, blond hair gleaming in the sunlight, amber eyes gleaming with mirth. "You can't blame me for all your bad decisions, you know."
Ari'elle turned up her nose at him. As best she could while lying in a pile on a bed. "Yes I can." She closed her eyes wearily, bringing a hand up to rub at the ache behind them, and sighed mightily.
"Here," his voice dropped, gentled. She opened her eyes to watch him come across the room and pull something from his hip. He placed the flask on the edge of the bed. "Drink this. All of it. It will help with your hangover."
Ari'elle just looked up at him. She could feel the grumpy pull on her face, but she couldn't help herself. He looked so rested and amused. Far too amused. It made her want to shake him up a little bit.
Her lips pulled into a sensual grin; Ari'elle yawned delicately, then put her arms above her head and arched her back, stretching into it. Last night she had ditched a few of her outer clothes, keeping on her undershirt. It was thin enough that her movements pulled the fabric tight over her breasts. Cullen's eyes dropped down, staring at the now sheer fabric. She pushed herself up to her knees, letting the blankets fall away from her body. She had taken her trousers off, leaving only her smalls in place.
Leaning over the bed to grab the flask, she smiled up at Cullen wickedly. He was looking up and down her body, eyes darkened, expression no longer mirthful. "Yes Inquisitor." Ari'elle replied in a whisper. "Whatever you command."
His eyes shot up to her face, and remembering her discovery, Ari'elle slowly licked along her bottom lip. She smirked when she saw him swallow, a heady thrill shoot through her at her ability to make him desire her.
Ari'elle opened the flask and took a sip. It was bitter and warm and unpleasant. Her face wrinkled and she felt her head throb, her hangover showing itself with a vengeance. She clasped a hand to her eyes, groaning.
Cullen chuckled, obviously broken from her attempts to get back at him. He turned and strode for the ladder, climbing down the first few rungs. He stopped and taunted her, "I told you that you were going to have a hangover this morning. As your Inquisitor, I command you to be in the training yard in ten minutes."
He just laughed at her and ducked as a pillow flew over his disappearing head.
Ten minutes was not much time for her to get ready in, but Ari'elle tried. Although the drink was foul, she resolved herself to the torment and chugged the rest of the liquid in the flask. It went down with the same sludgy feeling her first taste had. She changed out of her clothing, and completed her mourning routine, albeit much faster than she normally would. She threw on some clothes, close fitting but still flexible, perfect for training in. Snagging her gear, she slid down the ladder, a trick she had discovered quite early on. You just had to be careful of splinters.
Dashing along the ramparts, she combed her hair and twisted it back and knotted it out of her face. Cullen's visit this morning had been the first she had heard of this training. Normally she would impulsively decide to shoot some arrows and snag Sera or Varric for some competition. But she didn't know what was in store for her
Perhaps she was on time, perhaps she was a little late, but by the time she got to the training yard, two people were sparing in a makeshift ring. Cullen stood to the side, armor gleaming in the summer sun, looking far too handsome and put together. Ari'elle felt her eyes narrow at him, her lips compressed. She probably looked like she had gotten no sleep, most likely because it was the truth. The man didn't have any right to look so wonderful after how he left her last night. He had probably taken himself in hand and come that way. He said he had done it before.
Cullen turned to her and nodded, then resumed watching the two spar. Now that she was here, apparently it was not imperative that she was needed. Feeling disgruntled and irritated Ari'elle slunked over to the shade of the tavern and slid down the wall.
Closing her eyes and breathing deeply, she catalogued her aches. She still felt weary, but the gross drink seemed to have taken some of that edge off. Her head didn't feel so fuzzy, and her stomach was settled. Her eyesight had been almost back to normal, and she definitely felt much steadier. Ari'elle begrudgingly admitted that whatever the disgusting stuff had been, it had helped her. And in a remarkably short amount of time.
"Hey, Red!" Iron Bull's voice broke her from her reverie. Opening her eyes, she saw Iron Bull standing next to Cullen, and was motioning her to join them. With a groan, she pushed herself to her feet, and crossed the bright practice yard.
"How you feeling this morning?" The qunari chuckled, shaking his head. "Don't think you knew what you were getting yourself into."
Ari'elle rubbed at her temple, grimacing. "No. I didn't. I shouldn't have insisted." It had been her idea to try the mead, after all. No use placing the blame elsewhere. Except for on Cullen, but that was for a different reason entirely.
Cullen ignored her discomfort and went straight to the business of explaining. "Bull and I were talking this morning, and we both realized that you may not be prepared for some situations you may encounter when you leave tomorrow."
Tomorrow? She was leaving tomorrow? Her heart dropped, dismay filling her. She blinked up at Cullen, confused and hurt. But…
Iron Bull interrupted her thoughts, made her realize she was staring at Cullen. She blinked and tore her eyes away. "You all encountered a party of Red Templars when you were on your way here. And did pretty well for yourself. But we are going to be traveling in a small group, just four of us most of the time. Chances are, someone is going to get close to you, and we need to know that you at least have the basics for defending yourself when you are in that situation."
Ari'elle swallowed, trying to push through the tumultuous feelings. Right. This was the whole reason she was even part of the Inquisition; to help by closing Rifts. She firmed her resolve, felt her focus sharpen back into the forefront. "Okay. What do I do?"
Cullen grabbed a practice sword and shield, brought forward when he motioned. "First, let's see your ability to fight off attacks when you have no arrows left. Just you and your bow."
Ari'elle licked her lips, and nodded, removing the arrows from her quiver. Her stomach fluttered anxiously as she followed Cullen into the now empty practice ring. She quickly put the string on her useless bow, and waited.
"Your armor is not much protected against a heavy blow," Cullen fell into a fighting position, circling around her. "Try to keep out of distance of any swords." He suddenly darted forward, and Ari'elle jumped to the side, spinning to keep her front to Cullen.
"Always be aware of your surroundings," Iron Bull boomed from behind her, and Ari'elle jumped in shock, felt the thwack of a wooden blade on her shoulder.
She gritted her teeth, the point made. In keeping her eyes on Cullen, she had not noticed Bull stepping into the ring, brandishing a practice sword. With a mischievous twinkle in his eye, Bull stepped out once more. "Sorry, Red. Won't do it again. We just needed to make the point."
Ari'elle and Cullen started up their circle, Cullen calling out pointers explaining body language that might give away how an enemy may attack. Or how to minimize energy expenditure, how to use the enemies thrusts against them.
"Your bow is your weapon, but it is slight. Too easily broken or cut. Don't use it to deflect a blow unless absolutely necessary. You never know when you might be presented with another arrow you can use." Cullen stepped around her, bringing his sword down in a mock cut. At the same time, Bull stabbed an arrow tip into the ground to her back. Ari'elle dodged out of the way, and rushed to get the arrow, snagging it and notching it just in time to mimic catching Cullen in the chest as he came after her.
"Good," he smiled. "But remember, some armor is thicker than others. At this short of distance, you may not have enough force to actually pierce the metal. When you have little doubt of missing, aim for the exposed areas: head, neck, shins. An arrow through the shin can be just as deadly as through the neck."
Ari'elle beamed at him, pleased he thought she was doing well. She relaxed a little, tossed the useless arrow back outside the ring. And that's when Cullen started the attack for real.
He charged at her, swinging is blade in a wide swipe. Ari'elle reacted as fast as she could, jumping back, dodging to the side. Cullen continued smoothly, his years of practice evident in his quick pivot and sure movements. Ari'elle gulped as she darted away, practically running from him. But he was bigger than her, much stronger, and she knew she wouldn't be able to run forever.
Ari'elle dove and rolled as he swung the practice sword. On an impulse, she lashed out with her foot and caught the blade, the tip bouncing to the ground. Cullen, instead of taking the time to right the blade, let it drop from his hands, and then grabbed her, wrapping one arm around her waist and one around her neck, hauling her into his body. She dropped her bow, unable to maintain her grip.
Ari'elle struggled, but couldn't escape his strong arms. After a moment she stopped, panting in defeat. Cullen's amber eyes gleamed as he looked down at her stooped shoulders, her frown. "Just because someone has a sword, doesn't mean that they are harmless without one." He tightened the arm around her neck. "In this position you are helpless, and you have nothing to aid your escape. You are either dead or captured."
Ari'elle let the smirk she had hidden break free, her eyes gleaming. "Not quite." Ari'elle lifted her elbow, and put more pressure on her secret. A crack of laughter shot from Iron Bull on the sidelines as she exposed her obsidian dagger, pressed into the seam of Cullen's armor, positioned perfectly to thrust between his ribs and pierce his heart. Her lips curled in a smug smile. "I think I have a fair chance."
Cullen's eyes darkened instantly, intense heat racing over his features before he carefully controlled them. Ari'elle's heart thumped and she sucked in a breath. He stared down at her for a long second before he lowered his head fractionally before rumbled out, "Don't you dare get drunk tonight."
His words vibrated through her, more felt than heard. She shivered, growing damp between her legs in a rush. Dazed with the sudden flood of desire racing through her, she could only gape up at him, her lips parted.
He dropped his arms and stepped away, pasting a rueful smile on his face. "Good job, Ari'elle." He went and picked up his sword. "But still rough. Again?"
They continued with their drills as if nothing had happened. Or, at least, Cullen had. He had been calm and collected, giving perfectly reasonable insight and suggestions, as well as teaching her any number of ways to get out of or avoid close counter fights.
Ari'elle, on the other hand, had felt like a mess. She hadn't been able to focus very well, and she felt like she had stumbled through, barely learning anything. She must have, however, because her reaction times to Cullen's attacks had gotten quicker. More muscle memory than any cognitive thinking.
After a few hours of that, though, they had broken apart. Cullen needed to return to his duties, and Ari'elle, she was informed, needed to pack. For the rest of the day she had been attached to one person after the other. She was given lists of things she would need from Varric, and she had been outfitted with camping equipment and fighting gear with help from him and the quartermaster. Then Dorian had helped her choose clothing and personal items. Blackwall had helped her pack her saddlebags and went through the tack for her horse.
The mad dash through Skyhold seemed to take her everywhere, but Cullen was nowhere. She didn't see him once since he had left the practice yard without a backwards glance. She still felt a bit baffled by the suddenness of everything. Ari'elle had known she would be leaving soon, but only a day's notice? For a short time, she had worried that Cullen was sending her away because he didn't want her around anymore. But then she had seen that he still desired her. So what was the reason?
For the brief time between her dinner and sunset, she had taken refuge in the gardens, kneeling side by side with Cole. She had hummed a tune as she tended the herbs, delighting in the little sprouts that had pushed their way through the rich soil, and talked softly with the quiet young spirit. She reminded him about the care of the little herbs. How, when they started to grow, to teach tendrils to twine, stake stalks which were fragile. He gently asked questions or just spoke in that odd way of his. When she returned, would some of her flowers be blooming?
Now, though, it was fully dark and she sat on her rooftop looking over the courtyards. Noise range from the tavern, but Ari'elle felt no desire to head there. Instead she worried her lip and watched for Cullen. He would come to her, right? Or was she supposed to go find him? Prickles of heated anticipation raced down her spine, and her stomach flip-flopped. An unbidden smile spread over her lips. Her mouth, huh?
Way up high, Ari'elle saw movement in the tower windows. The Inquisitor's rooms. A door to the balcony opened, and Cullen stepped out onto it, and leaned against the railing, propping his chin in his hand. Ari'elle jumped to her feet, her blood racing through her. Without thought, Ari'elle waved up to him.
For a moment, it seemed like he didn't see her. Then he turned his head and his gaze landed on her. She knew it had, she could feel it even at this distance. He straightened instantly and then gave her a little wave, an almost self-conscious one. With those brief moments, he turned and disappeared into the room.
Her heart sank and she slumped, pursing her lips. Maybe he did want her to leave. She had been right earlier in thinking that.
The lights in Cullen's room turned off. Ari'elle blinked, then hope filled her. Maybe he was coming to see her now? Ari'elle leaned over the crenelated stone, watching for him.
A few minutes later, her heart jumped excitedly and she smiled. There he was, exiting the solar door. She grinned, leaning on the stones to watch him cross the distance to her door. He strode quickly, his face a mask of determination. Giddy excitement raced through her, and Ari'elle spun, dashing across the roof. She heard the door close just as she was starting down through the hole in the roof.
Shimmying and then dropping the rest of the way down into the darkened room, Ari'elle's heart pounded as she waited for Cullen. Before seconds passed, he was there, climbing the last few rungs of the ladder, and then standing before her, tall and broad-shouldered. Imposing and arresting.
For a few heartbeats they just stared at each other, the air thick with tension. Cullen finally looked away and rubbed the back of his neck, clearing his throat. "You did good today. At practice, I mean." His eyes darted to her before looking away again. "And today was… a nice day…" his words trailed off.
He looked awkward and adorable with his nervousness and Ari'elle couldn't help but smile. "Cullen." She took a step towards him. He looked at her, honey eyes roving over her face, warming to rich amber by what he saw there. Slowly, Ari'elle put her hands on his shoulders, her gaze dropping down to his lips, licking her own in anticipation. Unable to contain the heat rolling through her, she pressed against him, and lifted on her toes. Echoing her words from yesterday, she breathed, "Now yes? Please?"