"So now you can add dragon slayer to your many titles, eh? I have to admit, I'm impressed." Cullen sounded serious, but as he moved his chess piece across the board, his expression turned a tad mischievous. "It's a good thing I can still beat you at chess or I might get jealous of your achievements."

Alec raised an eyebrow, while in his head, he was quickly running through several different moves he could make in response. None of them would do more than delay the inevitable. I don't believe it. He's got me again. He would have loved to blame his defeat on a hangover, but thanks to one of Dorian's miraculous elfroot potions the headache he'd awoken with was all but gone. No, this was all Cullen's doing.

"Blight it, how do you do it? I used to think I was good at chess, but you put me to shame every time we play." With a deep sigh, he pushed the board toward Cullen. "I yield. And really, my achievements aren't all that impressive. I spent most of the fight hiding behind a rock nursing my wounds. It was Cassandra who took down the dragon, in true Pentaghast fashion. Without her, we'd all be dead."

"You're so lucky to have her." When Alec gave him a long, searching look, Cullen blushed to the roots of his hair. "Well. She is amazing. An amazing warrior, I mean."

"She is. And an amazing woman, too." Some part of Alec was thrilled to have found a way to fluster the man. Cullen had become much more relaxed in his presence lately, but he was still taking himself far too seriously. "Does she know how you feel about her?"

"She-" Cullen's face had almost turned scarlet. "Yes. We… We've talked."

"And?" Alec was leaning back in his chair, arms crossed in front of his chest, not bothering to hide his grin. "Come on, Cullen. We all know there's something going on here. Don't make me drag it out of you one word at a time."

Cullen sighed wearily. "You're just as bad as my sister Mia."

"How so?" Alec recognized the diversionary tactic for what it was, but at the same time, he was really curious. Cullen had mentioned his sister once, when he'd told Alec how she'd taught him to play chess, but he'd never talked about his family again.

"I write to her regularly." Cullen cleared his throat. "Well, not as regularly as I should, probably. Anyway, it seems that in my last letter I referred to Cassandra by her first name instead of calling her Seeker Pentaghast."

Alec chuckled. "And your sister picked up on it straight away. Of course she did. Mine would have done the same."

"You have several sisters, don't you?" Cullen sounded sincerely sympathetic. "All older than you?"

"Three. And yes, they are older than me, by quite a bit." Alec felt a sudden flush of nostalgia, when he thought of them.

His sisters were all married and gone from home now, but when he'd been a boy, he'd always been around them. His brothers had never had time for him. They had been too busy hunting and following his father around, but the girls had been different: Kenna, the eldest, whom he'd called a mother hen more than once, because she would worry so much about him when he was out late. Ailsa, the family beauty, with her mane of golden hair that he alone was allowed to brush for her. And sweet Mairi who would sneak him treats when he'd been sent to bed without dinner again.

"You miss them." Cullen had watched his face, and there was genuine warmth in his tone.

"I do. Occasionally." Alec flashed him a quick smile. "Then again, most of the time I'm quite happy to have flown the coop. Having a big family can be… stifling. What about you, Cullen?"

"Ah, it's been so long since I've seen any of them." Cullen rubbed his neck. "I was thirteen when I left for Templar training, so my younger siblings don't really remember me all that well. Mia is the only one who still keeps in touch."

"Needs to make sure her little brother is taking good care of himself, right?" Alec smiled at Cullen's embarrassed little cough. "Aw, come on, Cullen. It's rather endearing, don't you think?"

Cullen shot him a dark look. "Not really. I can look after myself just fine."

"Well, I don't know…" Alec found he was enjoying himself tremendously. "Seems to me you could do with a little sisterly guidance, at least where your love life is concerned." He winked suggestively. "You might need a little push there, or you'll never take the leap."

"Stop it." Cullen actually groaned. "Look, I… I really care about Cassandra. And I'm terribly afraid to get this wrong, so-"

"Ah, don't worry." Alec did his best to sound reassuring. "Cassandra is not the type to run around in circles. I'm sure she'll let you know exactly what she wants."

It was late at night when she finally made it to Cullen's eyrie, up in the old tower. He'd been there to welcome them all back, of course, and to admire the dragon skull, but there had been no time to talk in private. And now the sun had already gone down and most of Skyhold had settled down for the night. Not Cullen, though. He was still up, and doubtlessly still working.

Cassandra frowned as she knocked sharply on the heavy oak door. It wasn't good for him to drive himself so hard. Besides, she'd missed him, and she was eager to pick up where they'd left off before her departure. They had wasted more than enough time already, and she didn't intend to go back to the slow dance of courtship they'd engaged in for so long.

She wanted more. This time, when he kissed her again, there would be no Jim to interrupt them, no awkward explanations. And she rather hoped he would kiss her again, because what a kiss it had been! The mere memory was enough to make her shiver in anticipation.

"Come in." He sounded weary, and vaguely impatient.

Just as she had guessed, he was bent over a stack of paperwork on his desk. His hair was a little tousled, as if he'd run his hand repeatedly through it, and his face looked different in the candlelight, younger and softer. For a moment, her heart felt as if it was gripped by a tight fist, a feeling both sweet and painful. Maker, but she had missed him.

When he saw her, Cullen straightened up with a smile and came toward her to grasp both her hands in greeting, throwing a guilty little glance at the dark sky outside the window. "Cassandra. I've been meaning to come and see you, but there was so much to do. I've been going through all of Leliana's old spy reports on the Red Templars, and I don't-"

"Don't you think you've done enough today?" Letting go of his hands, she gently stroked his cheek. There were deep shadows under his eyes, and his jaw was tense, but under her touch, he relaxed a little. "The Red Templars will keep until tomorrow."

He laughed, a little self-consciously. "You think? There always seems to be more I should do. If I can't join you out there in the field, the least I can do-"

Before he could finish his sentence, she had slipped past him and placed herself between him and his desk, leaning against the heavy monstrosity. "No more papers and maps today. I won't let you."

She had expected protests or excuses, but instead, he was suddenly right before her, both hands on the desk, looming over her, tall and broad-shouldered. His beautiful hazel eyes had grown pitch dark. "You won't?" Maker, and his voice had dropped, too, at least an octave.

Cassandra felt such a rush of heat to her core that it made her dizzy. Instinctively, she held on to his bare forearm for balance. At the same time, a small noise escaped her lips, a needy little whine that would have been embarrassing if not for the effect it had on him.

"Maker, Cassandra, you-" A violent shudder went all through his powerful body, and suddenly his right arm was around her waist, lifting her up bodily and setting her down on the desk, while his left swept off the papers in one broad swathe. Before she knew what was happening, she was flat on her back, and he was on top of her, and she could feel the heat of his body even through their clothes.

He was heavy and she gasped for air, but he was already pushing himself up on those marvellous arms, and it did things to her, to have him there, above her, all that strength and power, just barely reined in. Bending down, he kissed her, no hesitation this time, just sheer, naked passion, and she was helpless, defenceless against the fire he lit under her skin, arching up below him without shame or restraint, begging for his touch.

His hands were on her hips, lovingly tracing their curve through the leather of her breeches, and then he was tugging at the hem of her shirt, shaking with impatience. Cassandra was moaning openly now, and she knew she wouldn't deny him, couldn't possibly-

"Ow!" She'd forgotten about the bandage, forgotten to tell him about the wound on her thigh. It was nearly healed by now, but in his impetuousness, he'd ground against her, and it hurt!

Cullen pulled back immediately, with a concerned frown on his face, and she could have slapped herself. "You're in pain."

"It's nothing." Cassandra tried to pull him back, but he wouldn't have it, even though he was still breathing hard.

"Please forgive me. I'm such a brute sometimes." The distress in his voice pained her more than the wound ever could.

"Cullen!" She almost had to scream to get his attention. "It is fine. Did you hear me complain? I want this, just as much as you do."

He looked at her as if he couldn't believe it. "It's been a long time since I've wanted anyone in my life, but… Maker help me, yes, I want this. I want you." Cassandra held her breath, but his face had already set into an all too familiar stubborn expression. "We will do it properly, though." Stepping back, he inhaled deeply. "We will wait for your wound to heal, at least a few days, and then… Will you let me make it up to you?"

She almost protested, almost told him there was no need to wait, but there was so much raw vulnerability in his gaze that she relented. "Of course."

"Well, then…" He took her hand, raising it to his lips, and she shivered involuntarily when he breathed a kiss on her knuckles. "Meet me out on the battlements, near the old guard tower, three nights from now. Yes?"

"Yes." Cassandra held her breath. Though I've no idea how I'm going to bear waiting for so long.

"Commander Cullen?" When Dorian looked up from the hefty volume on early Tevinter history he'd been immersed in for the past three hours, he couldn't believe his eyes. "Is there anything I can help you with?"

The Commander was definitely the last person he'd expected to show up in the library. Not that Cullen was stupid or illiterate, but he tended to be far too busy to have time for such frivolous things as books. He had to be here on a different errand altogether. Yes. That was the only explanation that made sense.

"Dorian." Cullen sounded grimly determined. "I've come to ask your advice. I'm looking for a book, and I don't think I can find it on my own."

Another surprise. Dorian raised a perfectly groomed eyebrow. The Commander did look a little lost among the shelves, as if he was overwhelmed by the amount of titles on the spines.

"Of course. What kind of book?" Carefully putting aside his own reading material on a little table next to his cosy armchair, Dorian got to his feet.

"I'm looking for…" Cullen hesitated, but then clearly decided that it was no use beating about the bush. "Poetry. Love poems, to be precise."

Dorian nearly choked on the violet pastille he'd been chewing. "I beg your pardon? Did you really say-"

"Yes. Stop pretending you haven't understood me perfectly well." Cullen looked grim. "Look, I've already been subjected to several hours of needling from Alec. No need to torment me further."

"I wasn't going to." Dorian grinned happily. "And of course I'll gladly help you with your little problem. But, just in case you should happen to be looking for a way to win the Lady Seeker's favour…" He coughed discreetly.

"Go on." Cullen's brow was still creased in a forbidding frown, but was that the hint of a smile tugging at his lips?

"Well, you may or may not know that she enjoys reading stories of a… let's say, adventurous nature? Such as the ones composed by our dear friend Varric?" Dorian did his best to look innocent.

"I… Yes, I know that." Cullen threw him a sharp look. "But how do you know?"

Dorian shrugged. "Oh, she lent me a few of her favourites. Some were quite amusing. Others, I couldn't bring myself to finish. Though I grant you, the scenes between the two protagonists were… fascinating." And that was nothing but the truth. Anatomically impossible, but really intriguing. "Anyway, if you really want to make Cassandra happy, I suggest you have a talk with Varric. She's been waiting forever for him to write a sequel to Swords and Shields. If you can persuade him, I bet she'd be very grateful." He let just a little bit of double entendre creep into his last words.

"You think I should talk to Varric?" Cullen blushed all the way down to the collar of his shirt. "I don't think I can do that. I'd never hear the end of it. Besides, I'm not sure that's the approach I'm looking for. I was thinking of something more… romantic."

Keeping it chaste for now. I see. Dorian rather doubted Cassandra would appreciate so much restraint, but he knew better than to get any further involved in the details of their courtship. "Keep it in mind for later then, when the two of you are a little more comfortable with each other. Besides, I'm afraid not even Varric could churn out a sequel in just a few days. Actually, maybe he could. Now, there's a scary thought…"

Cullen coughed pointedly. "So, about those poems…"

"Ah, yes." Dorian allowed himself another smile. Maybe I can find you something not quite as harmless. "Follow me, Commander. I've got just the thing you're looking for."

Huggles and thanks to my wonderful beta suilven.