Cullen

He watched Ashe walk away, her legs a bit wobbly, her stride not as straight as usual. He smiled to himself, knowing the effect he'd had on her. She could talk and play all she wanted, at the end of the day all it took for him to almost bring her to her knees were a few touches and whispered words in her ear.

When she disappeared into a doorway, Cullen's gaze swept over the room. Alistair was no longer speaking to Mahariel. He frowned as he watched as the King was chatting to some noble while Mahariel stood some distance away, plucking at the food of the table in front of her. This wasn't good. He needed Alistair to focus on Mahariel, not Ashe.

He walked up the woman in question and put his hand on her shoulder.

"That was a short reunion, huh?" he said. Mahariel looked up and put another grape in her mouth and chewed it while watching Cullen's face. He had to admit, it unnerved him a little when she did that. Her expression was difficult to read.

"I told you already, Cullen, I only came here as a favor to you. I have no interest in speaking with Alistair in matters other than the Grey Wardens."

"Don't you see the way he looks at you?"

"No." Her expression turned unexpectedly amused. "But I do see how he looks at the Inquisitor, and don't think I don't see the same in you. You're both love-struck little pups. Or maybe just horny, old men who desires someone so young just because she is beautiful and powerful. Which one is it, Cullen?"

He didn't really know how he'd imagined that he could conceal anything from Mahariel. He knew how good she was at reading people and situations, she wouldn't be who she was otherwise.

"Come now, my dear," he said. "If that was all, I would desire you just the same. Your beauty and your power are forces to be reckoned with."

"Are you saying I'm not as desirable as her?" She looked hard at him.

Fuck.

"Don't be silly, I..." He trailed off when she took a sip of wine from her cup and a drop escaped from the corner of her mouth. Her tongue darted out and licked it up and he could swear her eyes shifted color, darkened. He shook his head, clearly imagining things. But there was no denying that she looked absolutely stunning. A little too stunning, maybe.

She cocked her head to the side as he stared at her mouth. "Oh, dear, Commander... You're not thinking of me in any..." she leaned forward and lowered her voice, "sexual way just now, are you? Why, only moments ago you were dead set on your little Inquisitor!"

Cullen snickered at her and she smiled a warm, disarming smile. He'd forgotten how utterly charming she could be when she chose to be.

"You can hardly blame me, Mahri. You're fucking drop dead gorgeous." He wiggled his eyebrows at her and she burst out laughing. He could see from the corner of his vision how Alistair's head snapped their way. Not that he'd even had him in mind just now, but it was a bonus.

"Such a smooth-talker, Commander."

Cullen extended his hand to her.

"Give me this dance, love?"

Mahariel rolled her eyes but took his hand and laughed as he swept her out on the dance floor in a dramatic manner.

He twirled her around and they had a fun few minutes, until they bumped into someone in one of their turns.

"Whoa, hey now..." said the man they'd bumped into. He turned around, away from the throng of ladies who stood before him, and Cullen groaned when he saw who it was.

"Greyer Hawke. Fancy meeting you here," Cullen said, not sounding the least bit pleased to see him. He'd never liked the way Hawke looked at Ashe. Of-fucking-course he was here, too.

"Commander Cullen." Hawke on the other hand looked amused. "I was surprised to see when you arrived. Ashe didn't tell me anything about your invitation to this party."

Cullen narrowed his eyes at the man. How much time had Hawke spent with Ashe during his absence?

"Yes, it was all a last minute thing, escorting Lady Mahariel here. Mahri, you've met Hawke before, I believe?"

She nodded, looking equally as amused as Hawke. "Sure, nice to see you again, Greyer." She smiled and bowed her head slightly in greeting.

Another voice joined them from behind. "'Mahri'? Really, Mahariel, you let him call you that? I remember you tried to bite my head off when I tried to give you a nickname during the Blight," Alistair said.

They all turned around and faced the King.

Mahariel cocked her head to the side again, regarding Alistair with the most neutral of expressions, while her coming words dripped of venom. Cullen couldn't help being impressed.

"Maybe I would have let you call me something cute if you weren't busy fucking half your coming court."

Alistair snarled. "And you would let this one," he indicated his head towards Cullen, his face full of contempt, "do whatever he wants to you, use you however he wants?"

Hawke clearly had trouble keeping himself from grinning. "Well, this is is awkward if anything, hmm?" he mumbled.

Cullen gritted his teeth. He leaned closer to Alistair. "You don't deserve either of them."

Alistair balled his hands into tight fists while he leaned in just as close, his face only inches away from Cullen's own. "I'll fucking kill you for touching either of them."