Chapter 28

Sometime later Cullen woke with a start, he looked around to discover he was completely only. "Riona?" He called out to the empty room. He hadn't really expected a response. Stretching his arms above his head he stood from the bed. His eyes casting around the room landing on his armor stacked neatly in the chair by the fire, that was not where he had left them. Cullen moved across the room and began putting it back on, a piece of paper falling to the floor.

Cullen bent down to pick it up a smile turning up the corners of his lips as he read it.

Ma Vehran you looked so peaceful I didn't want to wake you. Please come find me when you wake, I need your kisses.

After quickly dressing Cullen went up to the crow's nest. He needed to discuss something with the spymaster before going to find Riona. An hour later, Cullen was walking into the garden spying Riona talking to someone he didn't know, he could not see the person's face but the ears told him it was an elf. Riona's eyes flashed as she hissed something lowly to the elf, who turned to look over his shoulder spying Cullen. He immediately recognized the markings on his face, a Dalish.

"Commander." The unknown Dalish elf said with a slight bow, Cullen recognized the Inquisition pin on his clothes, the elf was a scout.

Cullen crossed his hand over his chest in the standard greeting. "Inquisitor … might I have a word?"

"Cullen … this is Elam… he's from my clan." Riona said ignoring Cullen's question.

Cullen's brows shot up in surprise, they had thought all her clan had been killed, he thought Riona would be happy, but she was angry, "Elam is it? Is there a problem?"

"No ...Commander," Elam ground out clear dislike in his voice.

"Did I interrupt something?" Cullen asked looking back and forth between the two.

"I was just leaving," Elam said bowing again and rushing away without permission.

Cullen turned back to Riona who had hot tears in her eyes, "Riona? Is everything alright?"

"I … will you walk with me?" Riona asked looking around at all the people, she couldn't have this conversation with so many people to witness it, at Cullen's nod she began leading them towards the battlements. Once they were out of sight Riona stopped, turning away from Cullen to look out over the horizon, her hands on the wall, her head bowed, tears slipping down her cheeks.

"My love, what is wrong?" Cullen asked, his hand on her back, the other cupping her cheek forcing her to look at him. "Who is Elam?"

"He … he was my friend… but he always wanted more than I could give him. We're the only ones left. After … after they were killed … he went after the bandits … but you got there first … he followed you back and joined us. He … he's angry...at me." Riona told him her voice breaking with her tears.

"Angry why?" Cullen asked, he didn't like that this man had upset her.

"Because of you." Riona whispered, "It's against what we were taught … we don't mate with shems."

"Shems? You mean he's made because we're together?" Cullen asked.

"Yes, he thinks I should be with him… that we have a duty to our clan." She said, anger lacing her words.

"Is that what you think?" Cullen asked, he was pretty sure it wasn't but he had to be sure.

"NO!" Riona said a bit to harshly, "No… my duty is to all of Thedas… to you… My keeper, she knew, she sent me away. She knew, she had to have known. She would have blessed this I know she would."

Cullen was surprised when Riona burst into sobs, clinging to him, this had really upset her. Her people had meant everything to her, the thought of doing anything that the keeper would not have approved of is destroying her. Cullen remember the woman, she had made him nervous when he had met her, she had looked at him in such a way that it felt like she could see his very soul. He had spoken with her briefly before he left, in private.

"Riona … there's something I should tell you." Cullen started, he wasn't sure how she would take this, "When I rescued you from the slavers and escorted you back to your clan… your keeper, she wanted a word with me alone before I left."

"What?" Riona asked looking up in surprise, she had not known that.

"I didn't understand at the time what she was saying to me but I do now. She told me that fate had sent me to that spot, that our lives were intertwined. It was destiny. I thought she just meant my being there at the right time to save you … but perhaps she meant this, our love." Cullen told her.

Riona looked up at him, a smile forming on her lips, the tears drying. "Yes … I think you are right." She whispered before reaching up to kiss him.

Cullen held her for a long time before remembering what he had wanted to talk to her about, "Oh … this may not be the best time, but I have a mission I must take care of personally… I should like for you to come with me."

"Of course Cullen, I will get my companions to ready for the journey." Riona said about to pull away.

"No … no just you." Cullen stopped her.

Riona looked surprised, her eyes questioning, "Alright. When do we leave?"

"In the morning." Cullen told her, kissing her hands before backing away. "I wish I could stay here with you all day but I must tend to my duties."

Riona let him go she had her own duties to attend to, the first being to have Leliana send Elam as far from Skyhold as possible.