I just love it when my muse returns. Finally after two years, this chapter of Cullen and Amell's love story will be coming to a close. I think there will be two more chapters, including an epilogue, and A Dangerous Thing will be finished. But no worried, to anyone who still reads this and enjoys the story, there will be a sequel that I am currently in the process of planning out. Just no title yet, and I have no clue what to call the next one :| Anyhow, this chapter is both important and a filler in my opinion. I promise the next chapter will be more interesting for various reasons. Enjoy, and please let me know what you think!


XXIX. CONSEQUENCES


In a month's time, the terror that had taken place in the Harrowing Chamber was but a whisper as both mages and templars prepared for the coming storm. The Blight. With war on everyone's mind, blood mages and demons slipped into the past, as the mages perfected their spells and the templars strengthened their swing. At last it would appear the Circle Tower had return to a semblance of normalcy, at least for most. Both Cullen and Mathias were subjected to various tests by the First Enchanter, under the careful observation of their Knight-Commander; and after a few days, both were deemed not to be possessed. However, the price for confessing to the slaughter he didn't commit did not fall on deaf ears, and after a fortnight, Greagoir had received word from the Grand Cleric.

Cullen was to be escorted from the tower, to a chantry in Greenfell. Only temporary according to Greagoir, until the Grand-Cleric and the Seekers had completed their investigation of the event. But the Templar did not believe him. "I'm sorry Cullen," he had said, the sympathy honest, "but you must understand the Chantry is suspicious of your relationship with the mage, it is better this way."

"I- I understand," he answered. The Templar could scarcely believe their romance remained a secret this long, if that was what one called lust driven liaisons. It had dawned on Cullen that he himself had whispered those three forbidden words to Astrid when she was on the brink of death, but the mage herself had all but try to drive him away. Perhaps their affair was even a pawn in the blood mage's game.

Deep within his thoughts, the stuttering Templar hadn't realized that the Knight-Commander was still speaking to him, "Cullen!" His head turned back to Greagoir from where he had been staring off into space, a deep frown on the older Templar's aging face. "Were you even listening to what I was saying?" Cullen shook his head, guilty, and his superior sighed in annoyance before sinking back into his chair. Greagoir massaged his forehead and pushed a letter in the Templar's direction, the seal already broken, but Cullen could still recognize the stamp pressed into ruby red wax. Kirkwall. "This arrived yesterday, since the Grand Cleric's letters take precedence over anything as of now, I hadn't opened it till this morning," the Knight-Commander was wording himself carefully.

"It inquires about me?" Cullen stated matter-of-factly, but it came out more of a question and Greagoir found himself nodding in answer.

"It would appear that your recent actions have impressed the Knight-Commander in Kirkwall."

The letter was an invitation, a promotion. As he read the handwriting in its entirety, the Templar could do little but just sit there, eyes re-reading the important details. Knight-Commander Meredith was praising him for suppressing the would be mage revolt, standing out amongst the others, his loyalty for both the Templars and the Chantry. She even mentioned sending a similar letter to the Grand Cleric, requesting that Cullen not be simply moved to Greenfell, but to be sent to Kirkwall to join her Templars. "Knight-Captain?" he recited, still in a state of shock from the Knight-Commander's proposal, "I-I've never considered becoming Knight-Captain before."

"I'll be honest, neither have I." Greagoir gave Cullen an encouraging smile, "I'm not entirely sure what Meredith may see in you, but she's quite impressed with what you had done." He stood again, pacing around the desk to stand by Cullen, "It won't be immediate, there are still training and trials you'll have to endure, and it won't be easy...but, I think it would be wise to consider the Knight-Commander's alternative to Greenfell. For both of you." A pang of anxiety swept through Cullen, hands tense as he wrinkled the letter with his stiffening grip; followed by another pang of reality. "Perhaps different paths, would be for the best."

Cullen left the Knight-Commander's office in a daze, he had two days to make a final decision, his fate hanging by a thread. He paused in the hallway, weighing the options. Leave behind the nightmares this damn tower has plagued him with, start anew in the Free Marches as Knight-Captain. No revengeful blood mages or demons named Envy. No mage to temp him into sin. The Templar felt his chest tighten. Could he abandon Astrid? Leaving her behind with no promise of returning after everything they had endured. He subconscious crumpled the letter in a tense fist. Could he sever that string of fate that led him to her?

Astrid... He had yet to catch a glimpse of her since they took her away from him in the Harrowing Chamber, the ghost of a smile through the blood on her face still haunting. Cullen had only been told she had recovered from her injuries, some minor bruising and scratches, but he still wished to see her.

"I heard she accepted the First Enchanter's offer-" Cullen leaned against the wall, remaining casual as a pair of mages made their way down the passage.

"So she's an enchanter now?"

"No, Irving asked her to replace Leorah as Senior Enchanter! And you know, she was originally to be recruited by that Grey Warden that was here?"

The Templar remained secrete as the mages neared the end. "I'm happy she's here though you know, we can learn a lot from her. It's surprising that she wasn't an enchanter earlier-"

As the girls were no longer in earshot, Cullen found himself a little surprised.

"You didn't know, did you?"

Cullen turned to the voice, surprised to see a young man just a few years shy of an adult. It was the healer that had taken Astrid away, Finn. The young mage gingerly grinned at the Templar, clearly nervous. "Miss Amell is an incredible mage," he went on to mutter, "It was said that she was ready for the Harrowing several years before they called her to the chamber. Irving said it was a precious but dangerous thing to be so gifted with magic at a young age, she's been here since she was a baby- can you imagine how much she has had the chance to learn." The Templar was met with a cocktail of emotions, head spinning as he recalled that night weeks before her Harrowing. That calm collective look on her face, a side of her that had long shattered since then. Suddenly the mage was giving Cullen a worrying look and shaking his hands, "Please don't tell her I said anything-"

The templar placed a friendly hand on Finn's shoulder and smiled, "No worries. I won't speak a word of it." The mage fell calm again and Cullen decided to be on his way, but before he could disappear he turned back t the mage. "Thank you for helping her that night, it- it means the world to me."

He left the hallway then. Eager to find Astrid more than ever.


Astrid sat in silence. Her wounds had been closed, but not without leaving some physical scars. Painful haunting scars, that only reminded the mage she was merely a shell of her former self. Wavering gaze, she eyed the palm in her lap, a large scar in the shape of a disfigured star covered both sides of her hands; they were white and shiny thanks to the lyrium. The mage turned away in disgust, reminded of how they occurred. Subconsciously she touched her throat, feeling the cold throbbing grip of someone's hands about her neck. That feeling had never left her, and Astrid soon realized it never would. They weren't just Zelda's demons, but the mage had come to realize she had a couple demons of her own.

She had been asked to stay in her room since leaving the infirmary, and had remained so since. She often thought of Cullen and how he faired out of the entire situation. Astrid knew the Templar had taken the blame for what she had done and could only hope he would understand the truth. The full extent of her abilities was no longer a secret. Years of pretending and praying to the Maker wasted. Astrid shook her head, red hair falling over her face, Not a waste. The mage had saved Cullen and Ser Mathias. She just had to tell herself she had done the right thing.

Fortunately the door to her chamber opened before the mage's thoughts could wander anymore than they had. Finn poked his head through the doorway, smiling, but nervously. "Enchanter Amell, how- how are you feeling?"

The magess scoffed and a coy grin came to her lips, "A mage without use of her magic barely meets the standards of an Enchanter." Astrid stood and crossed her room, leaning into the mirror of her vanity. Once the bruising had gone down, a brief pattern of spidery scars appeared on her left cheek, disappearing around the curve of her jaw. She quickly looked away from her reflection and back to Finn, "And you can call me Astrid."

Finn had ventured further into the chamber, eyes caught by a book left alone on a table in the room. The young mage flipped through the pages before holding the book in its entirety, oblivious as Astrid collected her cloak hanging from a chair and padded towards the door. "This book- its a Dalish tome!" She shifted to meet his gaze, and a flicker of fear fell across his face. "These are forbidden in the tower, how did you come across one?"

Astrid genuinely smiled, knowing she hadn't gotten it alone. "Tis a secret," she whispered and brought a finger to her lips, "Keep it if you like, I'm already finished with it." And with that said, she left the room to find another.