The tears streamed angrily from Brhris' face, her fist still bruised from punching Solas. He had told her the truth about the vallaslin and that hurt; hurt that her history was stained with such darkness. Hurt that her legacy was built on a mountain of lies.

The truth was like a dagger in the back, but she'd pull that dagger out and wield it. She fought hard to be blessed with June's vallaslin. Brhris wasn't the strongest with a blade, but her hands had always been crafty, and her fingers were calloused from fixing bows, carving toys for children, and weaving clothes for the winter. She toiled countless hours perfecting her art, trying to keep what little remained of the patterns they knew alive.

Was it all a lie? Was every story a facade? Did she really care when those stories gave her strength? Was her strength a lie? Brhris found herself questioning all she knew, and usually, she would have wanted to confide in Solas, but he broke her heart in half. When she refused to have her tattoos removed, he pulled away from her, and while he said that her decision wasn't the reason for his, she could not imagine how it could not.

So she punched him, made him bleed for breaking her. And he just took it. He didn't even bother to get up from the puddle he had fallen in, and for some reason that made her angrier.

She didn't know how long she'd spent crying in her room, refusing to come out. Was it one day? Two? But eventually, she knew that Corypheus could only benefit from her moroseness so she found herself strolling the Skyhold gardens. Her face was a mask of composure for anyone who saw her, her golden eyes unreadable.

Brhris found herself watching a bee pollinate an embrium flower, uncaring that her heart was just shattered and her world turned upside down. It just worked with purpose as it gathered up its pollen. Brhris resolved herself to follow its example.

"They're quite pretty."

Brhris turned her head to find Cullen sitting next to her on a bench, a book in one hand and a sandwich in another.

Brhris found herself staring only at the flowers for if she stared at the Templar too long she would feel dizzy and that would only confuse her already broken heart. "Yes," she said noncommittally, not offering more conversation.

Cullen shuffled uncomfortably, flipping his book open, and began to read, but she could feel his eyes wander back to her. She wasn't sure she liked his eyes on her. It did thrill her, she couldn't deny that, but he was a shem. He couldn't possibly help her carry her Dalish legacy and that wasn't something she could compromise on. But still, there were these little moments like this…silent, quiet, where his presence was just comfort.

"Have you eaten, yet?" Cullen was a man of war, but she was surprised at how gentle he always was. He had a softness in his eyes that shouldn't soothe her, but it did.

Her stomach growled, answering his question and she found a flush on her cheeks. He laughed good-naturedly and broke his sandwich in half. "It's just ham and cheese, but you really shouldn't run on empty."

She took it even though the combination didn't sound that appetizing, but she still felt comforted by the gesture. She shoved a piece in her mouth, wrinkling her nose at the mayonnaise, and said, "this tastes like halla shit."

Cullen choked out some of his food laughing, and then covered his mouth politely. "I'm sorry, Inquisitor. I'll ask the chefs to prepare one of your usuals."

He started getting up to do just that when Brhris grabbed his hand. "Wait, don't." She saw that he was looking at their intertwined fingers and she let go, not realizing what she had just done. "Sit. I've eaten worse. Plus it's bad manners to waste food when offered." And to prove a point she stuffed a huge bite in her mouth and started chewing.

Cullen slowly sat down, watching Brhris turn a shade of green. "Are you sure?" he raised a thick blond eyebrow.

Brhris swallowed and then gagged. She looked at the sandwich frowning. "This white stuff's like semen. How do you eat it with a straight face?"

Cullen coughed again, choking on his sandwich. She found a welcome laugh reaching her belly as she watched Cullen bump his own chest and swallow. "Maker's Mercy, the things you say, Inquisitor..." his cheeks were flushing as he set his sandwich aside. "I don't think I can finish."

Brhris laughed a second time, only stopping when she noticed a pair of wolfish eyes staring at her. When she turned, she saw Solas watching her and Cullen, a tenseness set in his jaw. He was still sporting a black eye as if it was some sort of trophy. And that infuriated her. He should have healed it and moved on like he moved on so easily from her.

But when their eyes met something changed. Suddenly Brhris remembered all the pain she had been hiding from but swallowed the tears down her throat. He would not see her cry.

He looked away and turned back into a corridor into the castle and Brhris was left feeling empty and lonely again.

The scar on Cullen's lip stretched to a thin line as he watched Brhris watch Solas. "Are you alright?"

Brhris glared at him with hard eyes because if she didn't tears would start leaking out. "I don't need you to take care of me!" she snapped.

She immediately regretted it when the guilt bloomed on Cullen's face, and he hunched into himself. "I'm sorry, Inquisitor, I overstepped. It won't happen again." He snapped up his book and closed it, taking the rest of the sandwich, and bowed deeply to her like the professional he was. The professional she wasn't.

Brhris watched his footsteps retreat back into the castle. She didn't know why she was feeling so guilty. It wasn't like she hadn't done everything to keep Cullen at arm's length before. This was just more of the same.

And yet he was always so patient with her. So gentle with her. He let her breathe when Solas took her breath away. And she was so confused that in her lowest moment that Cullen somehow made her forget and make her laugh.

She put the sandwich in her mouth and took another bite.