After the death of Count de Roussac, his obsequies were held at Skyhold with the blessing of the Herald according to his final wishes.
Clovis reiterated his desire to join the Inquisition and in spite of Layel's instincts telling her to refuse, she found herself putting a gentle hand on the young man's shoulder and saying "the Inquisition would be lucky to have you."
"I will do my best to serve under your command, your Worship," he said solemnly bowing his head. Layel looked at his silky dark locks falling at the sides of his handsome face.
"But, Lord de Roussac, don't you prefer to go back to your lands and take care of them?" she ignored why a part of her wanted him out of Skyhold.
"My lady, I am my father's youngest son, my brothers are doing a good job at taking the succession…I shall pledge my sword to serve the Herald as he had wished," the young man looked Layel at the eyes, a strong gaze and a sincerity that reassured the Inquisitor.
"Is it your wish too, or are you just being an obedient son?" her soft voice seemed concerned…she couldn't tell if it came from the deep sympathy she had for the man or was it an umpteenth tentative to push him away.
"After seeing you, it became also my wish to join your forces," he said with a low tone gazing directly at the Inquisitor's face, her face who suddenly became redder as she cleared her throat and rearranged her hair in a nervous gesture.
"I shall inform the commander of this…have a nice day," she muttered and rushed toward the commander's office as if running away from the other man's intense stare.
Layel stood before the closed door of the commander's office, she knocked two times but nobody answered…why was the door closed in the first place? It was usually opened and the commander standing behind his desk…
After a while, a female guard opened the door and went out hurriedly, her head lowered and her face flushed, she had muttered "your worship," and left without looking behind. Layel stood there looking at the woman rushing far from the office, almost staggering…was she doing something with the commander? Nah, Layel shed away this thought, the man was so nervous around her this one time she had smiled to him, and around any other woman who was trying to hit on him…he would never…
"Are you coming in or what?" Cullen's voice woke her up from her thoughts and she finally looked at him standing in the middle of the office, smirking, like he was making fun of her shocked expression.
"Commander, I came to inform you that we have a new member who joined the Inquisition," she said stepping inside the room.
"Oh, you need not to come personally to tell me this," he was half annoyed half mocking.
"This one is important, a member of an Orlesian powerful family," his attitude started to irritate her.
"I see," he shrugged and took some steps closer to her. Was he trying to intimidate her by standing so close? Layel lifted one brow looking at the commander smirk.
"I must confess Inquisitor," his voice was low and seductive, "I have always wanted to know you,"
Know her? She wasn't sure what meaning of this expression he was referring to.
"Ask me any question about my life, and I will answer you," she kept her calm and a neutral expression.
"Is that so?" he softly chuckled, looking shamelessly at her breasts then lifting his gaze to say "I have always wondered what kind of men you were interested in, but now after what the servants are telling about you and Loghain, I can see it,"
"I beg your pardon?" she felt the anger rising inside her…he was treating her like this because he thought that she was Loghain's lover…and what if she was truly sleeping with Loghain, did it give him the right to eye her body like she was a soldier's whore?
"I…I prefer to leave now, commander, but if you address me like this one more time…" she threatened raising a finger in the man's face and it made him more amused as he caught her hand and said "what will you do? You are not the one who decides when it comes to me, Leliana or Josephine, we are the ones who made you little dalish," he laughed at her face pulling her closer to him.
"What are…?" Layel was in shock as she tried to push him away but his strength was almost superhuman.
"Let go of my hand now and I will forget that we ever had this conversation," she said with a more calm tone, negotiating when she knew her strength wouldn't be of any help. And he released her.
"Easy Inquisitor, it was only a joke, you are too serious," the man's smile widened as he stepped away from her.
Layel calmed her ragged breath and said "you are right commander, one cannot be serious all the time,"
The blond man winked at her and said "come back anytime you want, Layel or invite me to your chambers, I will be more useful than an old man,"
Layel rushed out of the man's office yelling inside her head 'what the fuck!'
The man she knew would never act this way…why was he…and then it came to her mind…Cullen was fighting the Lyrium, he probably took another drug to make the withdrawal easier. She stopped and exhaled leaning against a wall, yes it was the only logical explanation, another drug that obviously took away his inhibitions and good manners and gave him this strength and lust…but what kind of drug was that?