Everyone had been eager to return to Skyhold so the trip back from Halamshiral had been swift as they had elected to travel both day and night, only stopping to make camp once. Once they arrived everyone went their separate ways to decompress in their individual quarters for the remainder of that day.
Orianni had two days to rest before she was needed in the Exalted Plains once more. She normally spent time in the library on rest days like these but her routine had been halted when she received a message that Cullen had asked that she come to his office. It was abrupt but not entirely unexpected, she had anticipated that he wanted to discuss their evening on the balcony. However, upon entering she could feel the air was heavy and he was standing over his desk, fixed on an object but she couldn't quite see what it was. She stepped into the room, closing the door with her body leaning against it. Orianni remained silent, choosing only to take a single step forward, waiting for him to speak first.
She watched him sigh heavily before standing up straight to look at her. "There is something that I think you should know," He began, "Are you familiar with the connection between templars and lyrium?"
"I am," She answered. The Keeper had warned her about templars before she left for the Conclave. She was nervous about being unprepared if she were to encounter a hostile one so she did research on the Order.
"So you know what happens when they are cut off?" He asked, his face was inscrutable. It made her uneasy that she couldn't read him, this was the most serious she had ever seen him.
Orianni glanced down at the floor, feeling almost guilty that she knew about the suffering that lyrium withdrawal could cause. "I do," She whispered.
"We've secured enough lyrium for the templars that are here," He continued, not wanting to prolong this conversation, "But I no longer take it. Since you are our Inquisitor I thought it important that you were aware."
He spoke to her the way he did when they were in the War Room, formal and meticulous. In return, she changed her tone to match his as she wanted to show him that she would take this seriously as well. "Are you in pain?" She couldn't help but ask.
"I can endure it," He responded quickly.
"I respect your decision," She affirmed as she began to approach his desk, "And if there is anything that I can do to help, you need only ask."
Cullen's demeanor softened. "Thank you," He said, allowing a small smile to form. It had been cathartic for him to share this with her. "But it's mostly headaches now," He tried to assure her.
"Is this why you have nightmares?" She blurted without thinking.
His brow furrowed and he cocked his head to the side, she could see him beginning to get defensive and she momentarily froze. "How would you know I have nightmares?" He asked, not only suspicious but confused as to how she gained this very personal knowledge about him.
"I don't…" She spoke hesitantly, "I mean… I assumed, that's all. You often look very tired and when I normally can't sleep it's because of bad dreams."
He leaned back, apprehensive of her explanation. She glanced down to avoid eye contact and her eyes glazed over a peculiar, dark green book sitting on the Commander's desk. "Cullen," She asked, changing the subject, "Why do you have a book about the Dalish on your desk?"
Cullen's eyes widened and he seemingly forgot what he was previously thinking about. Then, it became his turn to stumble over his words. "Well, I-um…" He glanced to the side while scratching the back of his head. "Solas gave it to me to read," He concluded.
"That doesn't make much sense," She doubted, "Why?"
Cullen went quiet, feeling too embarrassed to admit why he had the book in his possession. Thankfully, a knock at the door had drawn their attention, effectively breaking the tension. The door creaked open and Dorian's face popped out from behind it. "Ah," He beamed, "I thought that you would be here." He proudly stepped inside, leaving the door wide open. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything."
"No worries, we were just talking," Orianni spoke up, "I'm sorry, I know you were expecting me."
"Please, we spend too much time in the library," Dorian chuckled lightly. "I just came by to steal you away, a few of the others and I are planning on drinking and it would be more fun for you to come out too."
"Drinking?" Cullen interjected. "It's only just past noon."
Dorian crossed his arms and smirked. "There's no rule stating that you can only drink when the sun goes down."
Orianni looked off thoughtfully, she wasn't much of a tippler but it had been a long while since her last drink. In fact it had been shortly after receiving her Vallaslin, she had been nineteen at the time. Additionally, being that she didn't engage in the festivities at the Winter Palace she found Dorian's plan appealing. She wouldn't have traded her time with Cullen for anything, but part of her did want to participate even though she had been so tired. "That sounds fun," She concluded, "I'll go with you now, though I probably won't start until much later."
Orianni glanced back to Cullen, who seemed to be taken aback. "I'll let you get back to work Commander," She said with a soft smile.
The Herald's Rest was nearly empty when Orianni had arrived, Dorian following close behind. Only a few soldiers were inside, even then they had been just finishing their lunches rather than enjoy a pint. Even though they had the pick of any table in the tavern, Orianni decided that she wanted to sit on the second floor at a table in the corner. She wanted to be out of the way so that later, when business began to pick up, they wouldn't be overcrowded. "When will the others be coming?" She asked Dorian as she sat down.
Dorian took a seat across from her, opening the bottle of wine that he had carried up with him. "Not for a little while," He told her, "I wanted to check up on you before they arrived. How've you been feeling?"
"Much better," Orianni stated calmly. She appreciated his concern, but she wouldn't have been able to go to the Winter Palace if her bones were still broken. Frankly, she was grateful that both the physician and one of the healers had worked together to grant her the speedy recovery that she had. "Only a little bruising left."
"Good," Varric asserted from behind the Tevinter mage, causing him to jump. "Now that you're better, I have to ask. You're a mage, aren't you? Why didn't you, I don't know, heal yourself?"
"You're here a little early," Dorian muttered off-handedly.
Orianni greeted Varric with a smile and waited as he sat down before answering his question. "Truthfully, I was never really good at healing magic, I picked up herbalism instead because I enjoyed it and I still wanted to be able to help my people."
"Speaking of enjoying things," Dorian chimed in, redirecting the conversation. "It seems as though you and Cullen have been spending an alarming amount of time together." He took a moment to fill the glass in front of him with the bottle in his hand. "I'm dying to know, are you two an item yet?"
Varric put his hands together, resting his elbows on the table. "I am also curious."
Orianni looked off to the side, although this subject no longer embarrassed her, she was still slightly uncomfortable discussing it. "I… I don't know," She admitted, "Honestly, I've never been in this situation before, I'm unsure of where things go from here." Growing up, Orianni had been very awkward. She would spend most of her time with the Keeper, learning or studying, rather than with others her own age. She would often miss social cues or struggle to maintain a casual conversation. This made romantic interactions particularly difficult. In fact, it wasn't until she was twenty that she'd had her first and only relationship which had been short lived at that. However, that affair seemed to have happened a lot faster than how things were going with her dear Commander. She had no desire to rush him, but she couldn't help but be confused about where he currently stood.
"Curly is a little shy," Varric spoke casually, "It may be more auspicious for you to approach him on the matter." He gave her this advice hoping that she might consider it, he knew Cullen would move at a snail's pace otherwise. Moving off of the subject, Varric turned to Dorian and they were shortly enveloped in conversation. Orianni chose to listen rather than join in the dialogue, she found comfort in listening to her friends' voices.
"Maybe I can help," Cole said in almost a whisper. The sound of his voice drew Orianni's attention but the others seemed to be unfazed by it. He had apparated at the end of the table but no one could truly know exactly how long he'd been there. "He wants to tell you, but he doesn't know how."
"Tell me what?" She asked him softly.
Cole had stepped closer to her so that he was just arms length away. "The fog lifts, but the air is still thick. A guilty pleasure amidst the agitation. To feel your skin on mine would be divine."
Orianni had barely enough time to process his words before Dorian and Varric finally noticed the boy's presence. They, of course, greeted Cole and invited him to stay and join the group but she had been distracted by her thoughts. She had the answer to her question but she was abashed that she now had this inside knowledge about him. She knew that these were his thoughts and she knew that they were about her. The words sent a shiver up her spine being that she felt very similarly. She also felt it unfair that she would get to know this but he was left in the dark by her. Whether or not Cole had told her as a form of encouragement it had helped solidify a decision. She would waste no more time. Tonight she would confess that she had feelings for him.
"Are you alright?" She heard Dorian ask. "You seem to have gone somewhere else."
"Actually," Orianni mused, "I don't think I've ever been more present."
Varric glanced over his shoulder momentarily and smirked. "Well that's good to hear Lucky," He said, turning back to face her. "'Cause Tiny and a few of his Chargers are finally here. Time to play a few hands of Wicked Grace."
Cullen sat at his desk, resting his chin on his folded hands, staring down at the dark green book. He had finally finished his work for the day, though when he looked out the nearby window he saw that the Sun had almost completely set. He immediately noticed that it took him much longer than usual to complete his tasks, being that he had been distracted. He couldn't help but think about what Orianni was doing at the moment or how drunk she would be by now. The idea of her being intoxicated made him anxious, although he knew it shouldn't've. She was a grown woman and could take care of herself, even so, he would've been more comfortable if he could watch over her.
He tried to divert his attention to anything else but he couldn't shake the uneasiness. He began to think about who would be with her in an attempt to calm himself. Cullen knew that Dorian was with her and he certainly wouldn't let harm come to her. Additionally he figured Varric would've joined them and he was good at crowd control if things got too rowdy. He began to relax a little bit, knowing that she was with good people. However, an intrusive thought caused him to briefly freeze. The Iron Bull also frequented the tavern, it was very likely that he would've joined them. He remembered what the Qunari had said about their Inquisitor the night he'd gone to the tavern and given his reputation with women, Cullen didn't doubt he would try his luck again given the opportunity. It was irrelevant whether or not this concern was irrational, it was enough to get him up and out the door.
Fortunately, he didn't have to travel very far. Once he rounded the corner coming from Solas' quarters into the great hall he came to an abrupt halt, coming face to face with those ocean eyes.
"Cullen!" She bleated, startled by his sudden appearance. Frankly, Orianni had hoped that she would have more time to think about what she was going to say to him.
"I-I thought you were at the Herald's Rest," Cullen stammered, having been thrown just as much. He also hadn't expected her to look as sober as she did.
"I was…" Orianni said hesitantly, "We played a few card games and ate supper together, it was fun." She glanced off to the side in a downward direction. "But I left early to look for you actually…"
Cullen faltered where he stood, "You were looking… for me?"
"I thought that we could talk," She requested in a hushed tone, "Alone." Orianni's heart began to pound but she kept her composure, trying not to give herself away.
"Al-" He floundered, his nerves getting the better of him. "Ah, um… O-of course."
Orianni offered him a small smile before glancing around, seeing that there were still a few lingering residents talking amongst themselves in the Great Hall. This would not be private enough and she decided that her quarters were closer than Cullen's office. "Come with me," She invited him to accompany her as she walked past him. He was hesitant at first but in no time he found himself following close behind her. However, he couldn't help but feel unprepared for whatever was to come. Before he realized it, Orianni was out of his sight since she had slipped into the room and darted up the stairs. He in turn closed the door behind him, bracing himself as he walked up. Once Cullen reached the top he didn't see her right away, realizing that she was on the balcony. When he walked closer he saw that she was leaning on the railing, looking out at the stars. She was obviously waiting for him to join her.
When Orianni heard his footsteps come past the doors she turned to face him, taking a step toward him. "I'm not sure what I'm doing," She admitted seemingly shamelessly, rushing to get the words out before she could stumble over herself, "But I do know that I've come to care for you… a great deal. Cullen, I think of you often but…" She began to trail off, her anxiety had caught up with her.
"What is it?" He asked, hanging on every one of her words. Cullen closed the gap between them quickly, his heart raced as he waited in anticipation for her to finish her confession. As he listened to her pour her heart out to him, he began to see that same vulnerability that he'd seen before.
"I'm not one for casual encounters," She said, finding her place again, "So I wanted to know if you were… Serious, about me?"
"Serous?" Cullen asked at first, not sure of what she meant. He studied her briefly, seeing that she had begun to stare downward. He quickly realized that she may have come to an incorrect conclusion regarding his intentions toward her. "I-I am!" He confided, "I just… I suppose I'm not sure what I'm doing either." He turned his head to the side, looking off toward the mountains, feeling a little defeated.
Orianni looked up at him, reaching her hand out and placing it on his cheek tentatively, his stubble tickled as she grazed his skin. She then used her hand to gently turn his head back to face her, his eyes widened with disbelief as if he didn't expect her to behave this way toward him. "We can figure it out together…" She whispered softly, leaning into him, praying that he would do the same.
Cullen struggled to believe the reality of the situation at first, at this point in his life he thought that a relationship was just a far off fantasy. Especially with a woman as rare as she was. It felt like a dream, like he would wake up and this would only be a distant reverie. He shyly rested his hands on her hips, lightly pulling her close to him. He stared deep into her eyes, willingly letting them pull him in. He wanted to be lost in her gaze for as long as possible. The feeling of her other hand gliding up his chest sent a chill down his back. His body felt warm even though the air was frigid and what had been nerves seemed to have morphed into a different feeling, one that was difficult to describe. The urge to finally kiss her took him with a passion. The second his lips connected with hers time had seemingly frozen. Every problem or challenge they had in front of them seemed distant, it was blissful. He felt her hand slide up his neck and into his hair, clutching his blonde locks as her lips parted, melting into him. A rush of adrenaline washed over him, his grip on her hips tightening as he drew her into him. A small gasp escaped her lips which only excited him further. Cullen came to the alarming realization that Iron Bull had been correct in his assumption, she did indeed feel light enough to lift, though he wouldn't dare disturb the harmony they'd created. Both of them had seemingly lost their sense of time but that mattered very little. After the adrenaline began to subside, Cullen reluctantly pulled back only because of how winded he was. He gazed at her once more, her face had turned beet red from their passionate embrace. "I would like that," He breathed, warmly smiling at her.
"I'm glad," Orianni sighed, grinning breathlessly. She paused, glancing away briefly, a small smirk came to her face. "I spoke to Solas today," She said, taking note of the way Cullen shifted when she spoke, "He told me that you asked for the book. He also told me that you had asked him a lot of questions about the Dalish. You know I am Dalish, you could've asked me your questions." Personally, she felt that she would've been better at answering them anyway and it would've been nice to put her extensive knowledge to good use.
Cullen was only bothered for a second that Solas told her about their discussions, but he figured that given the circumstances there had been no harm in it. "Well I… I didn't ask you because I didn't want you to know that I had no idea how to court you. I thought if I knew more about your culture it would help."
Orianni's smile only widened, she felt honored that he was prepared to put such an effort in. It also helped her realize why he had been taking his time as well. "What's something interesting you've learned so far?" She asked playfully.
"Well," Cullen said, humoring her, "I know that your blood writing represents one of your deities, Mythal, if I'm remembering correctly."
She touched her cheek at the mention of her Vallaslin. "Does it make me look 'exotic'?" She asked insecurely, quoting the nobles she overheard at the Winter Palace. "Or like a 'savage'?"
"No," He answered candidly, "It's part of who you are... and it certainly doesn't take away from your beauty."
Orianni blushed uncontrollably as she turned from him and began walking back inside. "Do you have plans this evening?" She glanced behind her back, seeing that he'd followed. "No, I can't say that I do," He responded; his original plan had been to find her at the tavern.
"Good," She said with a smile. Now that she had absolutely nothing bothering her, she realized that she still wanted a drink. The main reason she had wanted to stay sober was so that when she spoke about her feelings she could be clear headed, but there had been another reason. "Ir ablelas, but the taste of Ferelden ale is… unsavory." She'd only tried a single sip but that had been enough for her to decide that she didn't like it.
Cullen chuckled at her comment, "I'll admit, it can be an acquired taste."
She walked over to her desk, rummaging through a bag that lay on top of it. "I feel I've been spoiled," She concluded. After she found what she was looking for she turned, revealing a dark violet, glass bottle. "Would you like a glass?" She asked as she prepared to pour her own.
"Um, sure," He responded. Cullen very much liked the idea of sharing a drink with her, but he was certain he wanted to limit himself to just the one glass…