Cullen awoke in the early evening to find Eostre gone. He laid on his back, staring at the stars through the still broken roof of his chamber.

Sighing disappointedly at the knowledge that she would be gone for a few weeks, he got up and moved to the dresser for fresh clothes but leaving his armour on its stand along with his sword.

Now dressed, Cullen returned to his desk to be greeted by the letter from Eostre's father. He picked it up, now smirking at the words. He would need to work on his reply when flashes of his early afternoon activities with the great Lord Trevelyan's adored daughter weren't so fresh in his mind.

Instead, he decided to go to the tavern. Arriving at the tavern, he was greeted by the sound of laughter and music. He had rarely spent time outside of his office and the war room.

"Cullen!" Iron Bull's voice boomed, causing the tavern to fall silent for a few minutes before gradually returning to the regular volume. "Come over!"

Cullen reluctantly moved over and took his place at Iron Bull's table. A mug of beer appeared in front of him, and he was motivated, largely at the semi-aggressive request of Bull, to cheers.

"Nice to see you out of that armour, you look more human!" A hearty laugh emitted from Bull, making Cullen slightly uncomfortable. Cullen had come to the realisation that he hadn't spoken with many of the ones Eostre had personally recruited to the Inquisition; more commonly known as her friends.

"I concur," Varric piped up, having seemingly appeared from nowhere. "His temperament has certainly improved since he and Eostre finally kissed."

"Finally?" Cullen shot Varric a questioning look. "Oh, you're really as oblivious as Dorian said." Varric took his seat across from Cullen, a twinkle in his eye. "This is turning into a love story for the ages. Maybe I should write this all down, I would probably sell thousands of copies."

Varric and Bull both burst into grating laughter, greatly irritating Cullen. "What do you mean I'm oblivious?"

"You didn't notice the way she looked at you? How she constantly had a smile on her face when she was near you? Even the way she talked to you?"

"No?"

Another round of boisterous laughter aimed at Cullen erupted from the pair. Disgruntled, Cullen stood to leave only to be forced back down into his seat by Bull's 'friendly' hand on his shoulder.

"Come on Curly," Varric raised his mug in an amicable manner, "it's only a little banter. You spend all your time in that office or in the war room, and before that, out training the troops."

"I am the Commander of the Inquisition. You saw what happened at Haven, I can't allow that to happen again!"

"You can't allow our divine Inquisitor, the wonderful Lady Eostre Trevelyan to put her life in jeopardy for the likes of us you mean." Cullen let out a groan of annoyance at the sound of Dorian's voice appearing in the conversation.

Dorian wrapped his arm around Cullen as he took his seat next to him. There was animosity between the two that Dorian chalked down to a friendly rivalry. "I saw what happened in the Chantry in Haven."

"What happened in Haven?" Varric and Bull had both leaned in, eager to hear these previously unheard details. Cullen was understandably annoyed, but he was happy that this was the only gossip that they had. The more intimate details he was planning to keep to himself.

"Well, just before our brave Inquisitor stormed out into the snow, she had a little moment with our callous Commander. A sweet little kiss on the cheek."

Varric and Bull omitted a grunt of disappointment, the juicy morsel of gossip was not as juicy as they had hoped. Dorian, sensing the anti-climax, smirked. "If our darling Commander wasn't so clueless, it might have been a kiss for the ages."

"Look," Cullen hissed, "I didn't notice the signs okay. It has been a long time since I ever wanted anyone in my life, and I didn't expect to find anyone here. Let alone … Eostre." He completely relaxed as her name barely escaped his lips, which curled into a smile.

"Now, that's true love." Cullen snapped out of the daze he had fallen into as Varric spoke, causing the entire table to mellow.

Unrestrained, Cullen stood, determination in his heart. "There is something I must do, excuse me." Cullen swiftly left, returning to his desk where the letter from her father still sat. Grabbing a nearby piece of parchment, he scribbled down a letter then sealed it in an envelope with a wax seal.

Calling out the window for his nearest scout, he handed him the letter. "Get this sent straight away, it is imperative that it arrives at its destination forthwith."

"Yes Ser," the scout saluted before running off to fulfil the request. It was just a simple response, but it was the truth and from Cullen's heart.

'Lord Bann Tollemache Leofdæg Trevelyan,

I love Eostre

Cullen Stanton Rutherford,

Commander of the Inquisition Forces'