Summary:

Rylen's new abilities.
Cullen's meeting with Morrigan.
Finding out a little more about Kieran.
Are you ready?

Notes:

There has been copious amounts of new information regarding Rylen's awakening and there's even more in this chapter. I've put a lot of thought into the lore I've woven, so if something doesn't make sense, if you have any questions, or just want some clarification-please don't hesitate to ask. That goes for some of the new information on magic and Kieran as well. Also, when we get to Kieran, keep in mind Cullen's special Templar abilities (refer to chapter 12 if you need a refresher). I promise this sweet little boy will be well taken care of-do not fear for him even though his current plight seems grim.

All recognizable content belongs to Bioware/EA Games
All twisted perversions therein, are all on me ~ You're welcome!

Cocktails & Cheese

Cullen and Alistair - A Modern Day AU

Chapter 36

Secrets and Salvation Part 10

Rylen re-entered the office forty-five minutes later, looking much calmer. He'd taken the time to freshen up and put on the spare suit that he kept in his locker. His eyes were still wide and rested a fraction of a second longer than necessary on items around the room. But overall, he seemed better .

"How are you feeling?" Cullen asked, pocketing the amulet he'd been inspecting.

"I'm ok, I guess. It's-I don't know how to describe it." He handed Cullen a cup of coffee and took a long pull from his own. "It's like every one of my senses has woken up. Everything looks crisper and sharper . The coffee tastes more robust; the cup feels smoother, the sweetness of the apple fritter was just… more … I don't know, everything! Even touching things-" he caressed his fingers across the leather on the back of the chair. "Maker, I-"

"Can't wait to get home to your fiancé?" Cullen chuckled.

Blushing, Rylen laughed, relaxing into the comfortable camaraderie they were used to. "I hadn't actually thought of that, but if everything is more intense, I can't imagine what being intimate is going to feel like." Closing his eyes, he inhaled the aroma wafting from his cup and savored the more vivid scent-letting it encompass him before taking another sip, rolling it around on his tongue.

"You need to be careful with this, Rylen."

Rylen looked up quizzically.

"With these new powers, you run the risk of sensory overload, overstimulation, and debilitating headaches. To stay in control, you need to make sure you get the basics: nutrition, hydration, rest."

"I think I understand. So, drink lots of water, make sure I get plenty of sleep, and eat my veggies? Thanks, mom!" Rylen teased.

Cullen chuckled. "You may jest, just be mindful so it doesn't get away from you."

"Understood, Sir. Thank you for the warning." Rylen paused a moment in contemplation. "Do you think things like… meditation could help me control all of this new information my body is processing? Maybe yoga?"

"It's possible. We should talk to Lana. She may have some suggestions for mental exercises to help you mitigate the input and help navigate the transition."

Nodding again, Rylen checked the clock. "Mr. Theirin's ex will be here soon. Is there anything special I should know about her?"

"First off, don't let either of them hear you call her that." He chuckled. "As for what to expect? She's fairly self-assured and cocky, but her child is missing, so she's hurting. Plus, she believes her mother is the culprit-it's all very complicated. She was guarded when I talked with her last night, which is why I asked her to come back today-without Alistair."

A light knock sounded on the door, interrupting their conversation.

"Yes?" they both said at once.

Thom poked his head in. "Sirs, your ten o'clock is here."

Cullen nodded. "Thank you, send her in."

"Them, Sir." he said, beginning to open the door wider.

"Them?"

Lana's tiny form snuck in under Thom's arm, without ducking. Grinning wide, she walked up to Cullen for a quick hug. "Yes… them . Didn't think I'd let you do this without me, did you?"

"Lana! What a pleasant surprise." Cullen returned her embrace, looking bemused.

Thom stepped aside to let Morrigan enter the room. "Right then, Sirs, do you need anything else?"

"Thank you, Thom. That will be all for now." Cullen dismissed him before turning to Lana. "Alistair will feel much better knowing that you're here for this."

She grinned while patting his cheek before nodding towards Morrigan. "Of course, but I am not here entirely for him; I am vested in this as well. We may not have kept in touch over the years, but when you go through as much as we all did together, you form certain bonds that can't be ignored."

Morrigan chimed in, "We are… kindred spirits, as it were. Even Alistair wouldn't deny being a part of this dysfunctional little family ."

Cullen nodded. "I'd like to introduce you to my Lieutenant. Rylen, I'd like you to meet… Rylen?" He paused, looking at his second, who was staring back and forth between the two women, eyes large and unblinking, his cup held in a white knuckled grip.

"Rylen!" Cullen barked, stepping in front of him, blocking his view to the rest of the room.

Rylen's gaze snapped quickly to Cullen's. "Sir! Sorry, I just…" his eyes began to drift back toward the mages in the room.

"Rylen!" Cullen pulled his attention back to him. "You ok here?"

As Rylen stood with his eyes as wide as saucers, Lana edged around Cullen, to fully take in the situation.

Blinking repeatedly, he tracked Lana's movement and forced a small smile to his lips. "I'm sorry, ma'am, it is… it's nice to see you again."

She looked long and hard at the Lieutenant; circling him completely to come stand on Cullen's other side. She lowered her voice to console, "Oh, Rylen. There is so much…" she turned to Cullen, her own eyes wet with barely contained emotion. "Do you realize just how open his sight is? It's not just his awareness, it seems to be…everything. That's incredible ! I've never seen anything like it." She took a steadying breath to protect herself from the huge amounts of input being unintentionally thrown at her.

Rylen looked at Cullen then back to Lana, his mouth hanging open in surprise.

"Rylen, Lana can-"

She slowly and gently placed her hand on Rylen's arm. "I can see what's in your mind, hun. If you see it-if you feel it-I perceive it. Normally, I can tune it out, protecting people's privacy as much as I can, but when you experience things more intensely… I have more trouble blocking it. And you-"

"It's a lot. I know."

"Do you?" She paused, then offered, "I may be able to help. I know a thing or two about protecting yourself from the onslaught of input from others. If you'll let me, I can teach you how to control it and shield yourself from the overload."

"I would like that. Thank you, ma'am."

"It's Lana, Rylen. I won't accept anything else anymore."

He nodded in understanding, looking at Cullen. "I'm sorry for getting distracted, Sir. I wasn't prepared for-"

"What do you see?"

"Their energy, it's so much different from yours. Your aura is steady and seems to only increase and decrease with your emotions, but it is almost too bright to look at, so I can't tell much more. Their energies are always moving, shifting, changing." He looked at Lana. "She is almost totally engulfed in a swirling mass of light blue and white." He tilted his head to the side. "With flecks of silver and streaks of pink dotted throughout."

"My aura is blue because I am a healer, Rylen, and it moves because as a mage, I can manipulate the energies that surround me. The world around me is never stagnant, it's always flowing, allowing me to dip my fingers in at anytime to scoop out what I need; not unlike a river." She looked at Cullen, who seemed to be staring at her with unfocused concentration. "I'm unsure about the pink and silver that you see… I'm not sure it's of import now, but we can revisit it again later."

Cullen cleared his sight. "I only see your blue and Morrigan's deep red. But auras aren't my specialty." He paused, taking note of a few items around the room. "Rylen also mentioned being able to see auras in objects as well as people..."

Rylen was looking at Morrigan who was leaning with her hip against the file cabinet waiting for them to finish. Without acknowledging the other's conversation, he began to walk toward Morrigan, his head tilted again in curiosity. "Blood red, with spots of black, pink and…" he gasped suddenly before focusing clearly on her eyes. "A hole: empty, longing, lost, alone-afraid," He finished on a whisper to her narrowed gaze.

"'twould seem that you can see the part of me that is missing-my son." She spoke bluntly, but not unkindly. "That is why we are here, 'tis it not? So you can help me find Kieran?"

Rylen nodded while Cullen responded, "It is, Morrigan, however, I have a request before we continue."

She looked at him curiously then at Lana who gasped suddenly, covering her mouth and staring in surprise at Cullen.

Morrigan narrowed her eyes. "Well, that doesn't bode well. Whatever you're thinking surprised Lana, so I'm probably not going to like it. Speak your piece-if you must-so we can get on with this and find my son."

Clearing his throat, Cullen squared his shoulders expecting her resistance to his request. "Once we get Kieran back, I want you to consider , allowing Alistair into his life."

She began to shake her head, but he persisted, "He is Kieran's father and deserves to know his son. You do not have to schedule regular visitations or anything, just… introduce them. Let Kieran know who he is, then it can go from there."

"And if I choose not to, you will withhold your help I take it?"

Sighing, Cullen shook his head. "It would not be within me to let a child or a parent suffer. My help is yours and I will find Kieran, but please... consider it. It would mean a lot to me. It would mean even more to Alistair."

She looked hard at Cullen for several long moments. Finally reaching a decision, she closed her eyes and responded reluctantly, "Very well, 'twill be done. An introduction will be made, but I make no promises beyond that."

Lana had tears in her eyes as Cullen nodded his understanding. "Thank you, Morrigan."

He indicated the interactive chart in the room, so they could begin their meeting in earnest. Walking around his desk, he sat down at the keyboard to add notes to the project while they talked.

Unblinking, Rylen watched Morrigan in fascination as he tried to process all of the new sources of input. First auras, then all of his senses lit up all at once and now… emotions? How was he picking up emotions? He wasn't exactly hearing her thoughts, but her loss was unmistakable, like a lead blanket weighing down the whole room making it difficult to breathe. Closing his eyes, he took a breath to try to refocus. Hearing the clicking of the keyboard, he turned his body toward the board. His own data input could wait, he needed to focus on the case at hand.

One thing at a time.

Seeing his lieutenant turn toward the projection of the link-chart, Cullen began the meeting by recounting what they knew so far:

**One month ago, Morrigan learned that her mother wanted her son for an unknown-and probably malevolent-purpose.

**Morrigan's mother-also known as Flemeth-also known as the Witch of the Wilds-disappeared around the same time. She is a witch known for seeking to increase her own power by any means necessary. Age unknown; possibly immortal.

**Two and a half weeks ago, Morrigan relocated to Denerim with Kieran to see if Alistair, Lana, and Leliana knew anything that could help her.

**Kieran was last seen yesterday, around ten in the morning, on the second floor of the Denerim Library. Morrigan stepped away, for roughly thirty minutes, to look for a tome in the restricted section of the library.

Finished with the overview, Cullen began to ask more questions, trying to ferret out any new information. He looked at Lana periodically to fill in information that was pertinent, but Morrigan hadn't deemed important enough to share. Her unique ability to see into both parties' minds allowed her to find the true questions behind some of Cullen's words and the answers for them from Morrigan as well. Rylen occasionally asked his own questions, trying to piece together things the others missed, but for the most part, he sat silently and observed.

Once they exhausted the basics, Cullen pulled the amulet out of his pocket, to a gasp from Morrigan.

"Where did you get that?"

"I take it you recognize it?"

She seemed hesitant to continue, but taking a deep breath, volunteered a rather large piece to the puzzle, "'tis Kieran's. I gave it to him when he came into his magic. It's supposed to help him… contain it."

"Contain it? How so?" Cullen asked, but seeing the look of horror cross Lana's face, he dreaded the answer.

"Kieran is unlike other children. His magic came in early and strong."

"How old was he?" Cullen barely whispered, knowing he wasn't going to like the answer.

"He was only three."

"Maker's breath! Three? How in Thedas do you teach a three-year-old to protect himself-and everything else-from their own magic?" Cullen's eyes were wide with astonishment.

"'twasn't easy, I assure you, but… Kieran isn't exactly alone either." Morrigan looked at Lana for permission, then settled into the story of Kieran's conception.

She began with how her mother initially planted the idea that when pitted against an archdemon, there was a ritual that would allow the Warden's to survive. She ended with recently finding out that her mother's intent was to eventually harvest the extra soul trapped within her son… though she didn't know how or why.

"So you're saying that the other entity residing within Kieran is a sentient being that can be communicated with?" Cullen asked incredulously.

She nodded solemnly. "When Kieran's magic first manifested, I was so scared. That was the first time Urthemiel talked with me through Kieran. It assured me that Kieran would be protected as long as they remained together. It… helped him to contain his magic. I'm not exactly sure how it was able to do it, but it worked. They worked out a system that I was able to help with. Kieran's had two teachers since then, teaching him how to utilize the powers at his disposal. They are still too much for him, so we've kept him on a very short leash; magically speaking."

She took a deep shaky breath while Lana rubbed circles on her shoulder.

"Urthemiel didn't know what Flemeth wanted with it?"

Morrigan shook her head, "No, for seven years, we've been working together to teach Kieran and help him with his overabundance of magical abilities. Once he is grown, he will be able to contain it on his own, but for now, it is too much for his little vessel to handle. Without proper manipulation and drainage, it can be quite painful for him."

"I see, and the amulet?"

"This has been both his protection and salvation." she said, glancing down at the metal in her hands, letting a lone tear fall into her lap. "If I am unable to drain him of his excessive magical energy, he's been taught to filter it into this necklace. Emergency storage, if you will, until we can get somewhere safe to expel it."

Cullen nodded in understanding, but Rylen only looked more confused. "You speak of magic like it's not something he conjures to work for him as you've explained it works for you and Lana. Is… his different? Is it more dangerous?"

"It can be. When you look at Lana and I, you see our magical energies swirling around us. We have a finite amount that tops off, and when we spend it, we have to wait for it to come back, usually by eating and resting, or with elixirs that help it to replenish faster. Kieran's magic keeps filling, it never stops. We've yet to be able to find his limit to capacity. We do know that when he gets too much, he hurts: headaches, nose bleeds; once he even bled from his ears until we could help him. He's still young, his small body isn't designed to carry so much power yet."

"Can't you just have him cast a bunch of spells to diminish the amount of magic within him?" Rylen asked, trying to understand.

"You would think, wouldn't you? But Kieran can cast spells that would normally exhaust me, with it barely touching the amount of energy within him. To put it plainly, it costs less to him, so he would have to spend more for it to deplete significantly. His also regenerates more swiftly as well. The combination makes it difficult to maintain for him."

Rylen nodded, "You said the amulet was a container, but you also mentioned that it has another use?"

"Aye, it is the device I use to help siphon off the excess energy within him. Without it, I don't have enough energy myself to be able to help him; it allows me to focus. The old god taught me how to make it to harness the energy and release it, making the process safer for both Kieran and myself." She sighed heavily. "Without this amulet, he won't be able to regulate. Without this amulet, he could already be in excruciating pain." She looked at Lana with something near to panic in her eyes.

"We'll find him, Morrigan." Lana soothed.

"Yes, but he's so small and alone."

"He's never alone; you said so yourself. And he is far from defenseless." Lana looked at Cullen but still spoke to Morrigan, "We have the best on this and are bringing in more, none of us will rest until Kieran is safe again."

Morrigan took a deep breath, pushed her shoulders back and steeled her expression. "You're right, or course."

Looking at the clock, Cullen noticed that there was only another twenty minutes before Alistair and Dorian would be arriving. Stating as much, he ended the meeting with promises to keep everyone in the loop on the investigation.

As Morrigan turned to leave, she looked back over her shoulder. "Thank you, Commander. You cannot understand what it means to me for you to be helping find my son. I… I never thought I would say this about Alistair, but I'm… happy he's found you. He has a good heart and-deserves to be happy." She paused a moment before adding, "you will not tell him I said that, though."

Cullen smiled warmly. "Thank you, Morrigan. I will endeavor to keep your little secret. We'll find Kieran; I promise you. The information you've shared this morning has given me several ideas on where to look next and Dorian is an incredible tracker. If anyone can locate where Kieran is, Dorian can."

She nodded once, then stepped through the door with Rylen intent on showing her out.

"Lana?" Cullen added with a small smirk as she made for the door.

She looked up with a curious glance.

"Were you ever going to tell me about the protection spell on the vase?"

She shrugged her shoulders sheepishly. "I figured you'd ask at some point."

"Does Alistair know?"

She nodded. "It was his idea. After that first raid, he was beside himself with worry. He said since he couldn't be there to protect you himself, he wanted me to come up with some way to help protect you from afar."

"Do the roses fuel the spell?"

She grinned proudly. "Pretty ingenious, huh? Alistair's a hopeless romantic and came up with the idea of sending you weekly roses… so I just had to figure out how to make them refill the spell each week." Looking at the vase, she walked over and touched the dried rose which suddenly softened and filled out; once again full of life. The hum from the vase grew louder, now that Cullen knew what to listen for, he could feel it at full strength.

"Thank you, Lana-for everything." He wrapped her in his arms and kissed the top of her head.

"Always, Cullen. You and Alistair are family. I will keep Morrigan distracted for the afternoon, but please let us know if there's anything that we can do. Give Ali my love and good luck; we need their son back safe, sound, and soon."

He nodded in understanding, turning back to his notes as the door to his office clicked behind her.

End Notes:

Ok, my lovelies. I have a big week coming up. It's DA Satinalia Week on Tumblr, and I have a piece planned for every day. Granted, I only have five of them completed so far, but keep your fingers crossed, cause I'm hoping to finish the last two in time to post-here's hoping!

I have two time stamps for my recent pieces: Chantry Days & Hot for Teacher. There's a continuation to a gift story that was recently written for me by Ponticle, called Ten More Minutes. And finally, there are two new one-shots here in the Cocktails and Cheese Universe. These ones are all complete and edited, so don't worry, you will be getting your C&C fix this week. The two pieces that are still in limbo are a little holiday piece for my Gift OT3 Universe and one for Beyond Chantry Days.

With all the new stories this week (as well as my husband's birthday, Yule, and Christmas on the horizon), it will be New Year's Eve before I get chapter 37 posted for you. 'tis the season to be overloaded with 'stuff', y'know?

I'd like to wish all of you a very safe and wonderful holiday season! Whatever you celebrate, know that your presence is loved and appreciated! Thank you for taking an interest in my happy little universe and for supporting me. 2017 has been an amazing year for my growth in writing and I owe a lot of that to my incredible support system-including my lovely readers. :)

I am beyond grateful to have so much wonderful support behind my writing. I am especially thankful to Ponticle for being my ever faithful beta-but for the record, I do go back over my work once she's had her way with it (and occasionally change shit anyway), so any and all mistakes within are all my own! Please don't blame her, I don't pay her nearly what she's worth to me!

This story is cross posted on both fanfiction as well as AO3. I am Aurlyn on Tumblr; come find me!
Thank you all so much for your support!