Magdalena's words had been on his mind as he followed the path Talise took out of Skyhold; he had not planned on a future, had expected to die when he stopped the lyrium, expected to die for the Inquisition. Talise represented a future, something to work for, to fight for, beyond the Inquisition, a reason to push back against the lyrium, to break the chains that bound him to it.
The Rivaini seer was right though, his reluctance to be open about his relationship and his feelings for Talise meant that many would consider her to be free. She was too important to him to be treated like a dirty secret. At the same time, the idea that everyone would know his feelings, would know everything, sent a hot flush to his cheeks. Talise might soon be noble, and anything permanent with her would mean a title, and the responsibilities that came with it, the idea made his brows draw together as he followed the path down the mountain.
His heart thudded painfully against his ribs at the thought of Talise with someone else. Beautiful as she was, with a title, a prosperous keep as well, she would be hotly pursued, as soon as she swore fealty to the king, the offers would come. The idea of Talise with anyone, giving to another man what she gave freely to him, of another man seeing the wild, passionate side of her, sent a hot spike of jealously through Cullen, and his fingers clenched so hard on the reins his mount snorted in irritation. Magdalena had backed him into a corner, he realized, either make his feelings for Talise plain, and in the open, or lose her. Perhaps even lose her to a king, Alistair had a penchant for pretty girls, and the nobility were clamoring for a wife and an heir; who better to pick than Talise, someone he already knew, someone who's family had already given so much to Ferelden.
A screech drew the Commander's amber gaze upwards, and his gaze tracked over the bird that was soaring in the sky. It dived into the trees just beyond where he stood, and Cullen heard a familiar voice shrieking. Torn between curiosity and concern, he walked through the trees, into a small clearing.
Talise stood in the middle of the clearing, a bow in one hand, a small quiver of arrows at her back, pale sunshine wove gleaming strands of gold and red through her hair, still wearing the oversized shirt and leather leggings from earlier. An eagle was circling her, diving towards her and then pulling away at the last moment. The bird rose higher into the trees, and circled over Talise a few times; the wide neckline of her shirt slid downwards over her back, and Cullen saw her muscles shift and bunch as she knocked an arrow, and took careful aim. Hanging in the sunshine, the eagle circled, once, twice, while Talise tracked it, fingers tight around the arrow, and as the eagle passed over her dark head, it dropped the small, furry creature it was holding in its talons. The arrow whined as it sailed through the air, spearing the dead animal and then dropping to the ground, followed closely by the eagle, large wings opened to slow its descent, and the bird of prey landed atop the animal, holding its wings over its prize protectively. Once on the ground, the bird of prey wasted no time tearing into the creature, lifting its now bloody beak and holding a small scrap of meat out to Talise as she walked towards it.
"No thank you Demon, I prefer my meat cooked. Just don't break the arrow please", Talise ran an affectionate hand over the back of the eagle, her gloved hands ruffling black feathers gently.
"You really named it Demon?" Cullen lifted a brow in question as he walked into the clearing. When he spoke, the eagle lifted its head, and regarded him through a pair of bright golden eyes, tilting its head one way and then the other. Cullen approached cautiously, with a wing-span longer than Talise was, the bird was enormous, with talons that could easily cut to the bone.
Talise nodded, running her fingers down the bird's back once more, finally lifting her summer bright gaze to Cullen, "I named her that after she bit me the first time."
"She's a she then?" Cullen came to a stop beside Talise, one gloved hand sifting through her dark hair, unable to resist the waterfall of dark chocolate strands. He was struck, always, the moment she first looked at him, her bright cerulean gaze drawing him in.
"Yes. I rescued her when she was a hatchling, and raised her. They're native to Rivain. But she's lived at Nightreach almost all of her life." Talise reached for the arrow that she had shot through Demon's meal, tugging it free and wiping it clean on the grass, "Sera let me borrow some of her arrows, but made me swear to bring them all back."
"So, you're not just good with daggers then?" Cullen raised a brow in question at Talise.
"I'm not as good as Sera with a bow Or Leliana, for that matter. I get the job done though." In response to his question, Talise lifted one slim shoulder in a shrug, "Demon helps me practice."
"I didn't know you had a pet." Cullen motioned back to Demon with a gloved hand. At his words, Demon lifted her head, blood dripping in crimson droplets from her beak, and studied him intently. The former templar suddenly had the feeling that the eagle understood every word he was saying, and he was being judged just as carefully as Magdalena had done.
Talise shook her head no at his words, "She's not a pet. She's more of a companion. But an animal like this isn't a pet. Demon can take care of herself perfectly fine, and would do well in the wild. She's with me because she chooses to be."
"How did you rescue her?" Cullen watched Demon as he spoke, feeling sorry for the small animal Demon had caught, and was now tearing happily into.
"The eagles lay two, sometimes three eggs. The last chick to hatch almost never does well, they are often picked on by the older chicks. Demon was the last one to hatch out of a clutch of 3, her parents had been nestling next to Maggie's home for years." Talise cast an affectionate look back at the eagle, a smile lifting her full lips.
"You saved her?" The idea of Talise saving an eagle sent a pang through Cullen's heart; she was always saving something, or someone, striving to maintain the balance she so admired.
"I did. I had been watching the nest for days, and she was getting weaker and weaker. I waited until the male was on the nest, he was smaller than the female, and then I climbed the tree they were in, and grabbed her out", she held up her hand, with the scar that ran across the back of it, "And Demon's father gave me this as a reward."
"That's how you got it? I always thought you got it doing some job." Cullen reached for her hand, tracing over the scar, it almost looked like it had been done with a dagger, or maybe the tip of a sword, rather than a bird.
"Their beaks are incredibly sharp. I let Demon sleep on my bed in a box, with one of my shirts, and hand-fed her. She was almost big enough to fly when I got back to Nightreach. And we've been together ever since", as Talise spoke, Demon, who had been ripping through the small animal with gusto, lifted her head and stretched it towards Talise, "No Demon. You eat."
Once more the bird of prey had lifted her head, holding another scrap of meat deftly stripped of fur and skin, and she had stretched her head towards Talise. At the assassin's refusal, Demon moved, hopping agilely away from her kill, and towards the two of them. Holding the strip of flesh in her bloody beak, Demon looked up at Cullen, tilting her head to one side.
"Talise… what is she doing?" standing before soldiers, issuing orders had been just slightly more intimidating than now, standing in front of the eagle. Cullen was sure now that the bird of prey was judging him, taking his measure as she watched him through those bright golden eyes.
"Offering you food of course. But… she's never done that for anyone but me before", Talise blinked as she looked up towards Cullen, her summer bright gaze wide with shock.
"What do I do?" the former templar did not take his amber gaze from Demon, he had seen the talons she had on her feet, they were several inches long, curved, and almost reminiscent of a dagger Talise carried.
"Take it or not. But this is high praise from her, she doesn't share." One small shoulder lifted in a shrug, her smooth skin bared as the shirt slid down again. Over the other shoulder she had flipped a large glove, so long it would fit up to her elbow, heavily padded, and covered in a thick layer of hide.
Cullen moved slowly, his knees aching as he knelt onto the ground in front of the bird. A hot flush rushed to his face, he felt incredibly foolish kneeling on the cold ground, snow still clung to it in places, talking to a bird, "I think I'll pass this time, thank you though."
For long moments, Demon studied him, pinning him with a look that seemed to arrow through him, before tilting her head back, and swallowed her offering in one gulp. The eagle regarded Cullen again, staring at him for a long moment, before flicking her head towards Talise, and clicking her beak several times.
"Why do I feel like she is deciding whether she likes me or not?" Slowly he pushed himself back to his feet, curling an arm around Talise and pulling to his side.
"You are." Talise smiled, burrowing her face in the fur of his surcoat, "As fun as this has been, I promised Maggie I would be there for dinner."
Cullen sighed, the crisp air outside was far too tempting for him, "There is a meeting scheduled for before dinner. I can't miss it."
"Come on then… to work." Heaving a sigh, Talise turned to walk towards the edge of the clearing, only to stop when Cullen curled his fingers around hers, and pulled her gently back to him.
"We should take advantage of this. No one around, no one asking for something", A flicker of arousal gleamed in Cullen's gaze as he slowly drew Talise to him.
"Just a demon bird," grinning, Talise leaned into Cullen, rising on tiptoe to curl her arms around his neck, her fingers sliding into his tawny hair. For long moments, they stood pressed together in the forest, Talise parted her lips as soon as Cullen pressed his against hers, and only when they were flushed, panting for breath, did Cullen lift his head. Talise looked up at him, her gaze hazy with desire, her cheeks flushed a delicate shade of rose, "I think… we need to get back to Skyhold."
They rode slowly, talking about Magdalena's visit, whether she would stay, while Demon circled over them in the sky. When Talise realized the eagle was stalking a raven flying back towards Skyhold, she whistled sharply, and Cullen was amazed when the bird of prey turned, and flew back to them. With a flutter of wings, it landed on Talise's outstretched, gloved arm, and then hopped onto the pommel of her saddle.
Cullen realized he was seeing more of Talise's life, she took the eagle with her when she worked, and he was not shocked when he learned Demon hunted ravens. Talise's seeming supernatural knowledge of events and plans came in large part from the bird, when Demon made a kill, Talise ended up with whatever the raven was carrying. When the assassin had explained it to him, he had fought to hide a smile, the plan was unusual, and a perfect move for Talise. Instead of relying on informants and contacts, who could spill their secrets, she relied on an eagle, who could not talk. The Ghost of Ferelden had survived, and was as good as she was, because she never did the expected.
Dinner at Skyhold was an unusually rambunctious affair, Magdalena attracted more than her fair share of attention, she spoke with nobles and common man alike, Solas and Dorian were drawn into deep conversations with her. Cullen stared openly at Talise, more so than he had in the past, his gaze heated each time it passed over her face. Cassandra and Leliana were fascinated by Talise's eagle, and they talked about the cantankerous bird through dinner, the Seeker resolving to try and take it dinner later, despite several warnings from Talise.
"Magdalena, I know that look" Valissia leaned over the older seer's shoulder as she spoke, "What did you do?"
Magdalena had a special bond with Valissia, few mages could talk and communicate openly with spirts, and the redheaded friend of her niece was one of them. She grinned in response to Valissia's question, "Merely made it so they would talk about what they want more, and what is going on less."
Valissia heaved a sigh of relief, nodding in agreement with the seer's words, "You should have come here months ago, it was agony watching them."
"I think I've changed my mind, I think I'll stay here for a while. Nightreach is doing fine under Patrick, and you girls need me." Smiling beatifically, Magdalena reached out and patted Valissia's smooth cheek with a wrinkled hand.
"Now I know you're up to something." An auburn brow quirked in suspicion as Valissia looked down at her mentor.
"We shall see, if what I have dreamed comes to pass or not." Still smiling, Maggie nodded towards Talise and Cullen, as they exchanged heated glances across the wide wooden table.
"So, you're tipping the scales in your favor?" Valissia followed Magdalena's gaze, and then looked back down at the Rivaini woman.
"No child. My dreams have revealed what Talise truly wants in her life. I would stop at nothing to ensure her happiness, and yours and Amelia's as well. I have pushed her towards Cullen, and him towards her." As she spoke, determination glittered in Magdalena's gaze, after having lived so long, and traveled so far, there were few lines she would not cross to protect her adopted family.
"I see."
"I will speak to your Christopher in the morning, to get the better judge of him."
Valissia's hot blush contrasted sharply with her hair, and she shook her head no, "No Maggie, that's not necessary."
"It is. I want to take his measure, same goes for this Michel. It is one thing to sleep with a man, it is an entirely different thing to give your heart to him. I was not here when Talise fell for Cullen, but you two are not quite where she is."
"I think she's been in love with him since they first met."
"I believe the same daughter of my heart." Magdalena answered as Valissia slipped away, and the Rivaini watched as she slipped to the
"Dagna", Cullen's baritone cut through the crowd, and the alchemist dwarf looked up from where she had been talking with Sera.
"Yes Commander?" The alchemist perked at Cullen's voice. She had been working on many projects of late, and was always eager to do more.
"I was thinking… it's high time that hole in my ceiling is patched. How long would it take?" Cullen kept his voice level and neutral, as if he was discussing the weather. When he took the rooms over the portcullis, he had received, and still did, a fair amount of ribbing over the state of the ceiling, with it's large hole in the tattered ceiling.
Dagna blinked, unable to keep her mouth from falling shut. She had offered repeatedly to help with repairs to Cullen's quarters, and he had always shut her down, "A few days."
"And stairs?" Golden, amber eyes swung from Dagna to Talise, tracing over her delicate features as he spoke.
"You want stairs to the upper balcony as well?" Dagna nearly squeaked in excitement. Although it was out of her normal range of work, the idea of getting to work on Cullen's quarters, was exciting, and she tugged a pencil from her hair, starting to trace out ideas on a nearby napkin.
Sera's ears perked at Cullen's conversation, and she aimed an elbow at Varric's ribs, lifting an eyebrow at Talise when she caught the dwarf's eye. The assassin, sitting across from Cullen, froze, holding remarkably still as she looked back at Cullen with wide summer bright eyes.
Cullen blinked, tawny lashes obscuring his gaze, before looking at Dagna, who was scribbling all over a linen napkin, "Yes. I know the room isn't big enough for a full set of stairs, but I do not wish to impose and take another room away from someone. The circle at Kirkwall used small, winding stairs to save space."
"That would… be perfect Commander. It wouldn't take us that long at all. I could build a lift as well, for heavier items, it would simple to design." Dagna ignored the scandalized looks from people around her as she wrote on a napkin, starting to sketch out some ideas.
"I think stairs and a solid ceiling are enough. To start".
"Tell me… will you miss the view at night Talise?" Varric could not resist ribbing Talise, and he grinned as he questioned the assassin.
"Seeing as how my room is above the garden, I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about. Varric", even as it felt like her cheeks were going to burst into flames, Talise managed to quip back at her fellow rogue.
The wide neck of the tunic shirt she wore slipped over one shoulder, revealing satiny smooth skin, Cullen lifted his honeyed gaze from the bared skin to the dignitaries, soldiers, scouts, all those who were seated around them. Many eyes were on Talise, and many were openly admiring her, more than one covetous glance was sent back to the Commander as he watched.
Talise seemed oblivious to the glances and whispers, Cole had slipped into the chair next to her, and she was gently whispering to him, talking the other rogue through some sort of problem, Cullen was sure of. He turned his attention back to Dagna, half-listening as the alchemist and several dwarves drew up their plans for his quarters. Already he was dreading the noise and uproar as his rooms were renovated, but he would not invite Talise to stay with him permanently in the half-open room he had now.
Magdalena's sharp-gaze flitted from Cullen to Talise. They sat across from each other, close enough to share longing gazes, but far enough apart to meet the weird sense of propriety both the Fereldens and Orlesians had. Sighing, she turned her attention to Amelia; the storm mage was sitting next to Michel, the Orlesian knight was whispering something in her ear, sending a blush of the most delicate shade of rose up Amelia's light golden cheeks. Finally, the seer cast her dark, almost black gaze to the Herald, she studied him far more critically than she had Cullen; the warrior sat at the end of one table, one arm slung over the back of the chair Valissia sat next to, toying with the end of a red tinted curl that had escaped the braid Valissia had worked her hair into.
She regarded the girls, all three orphans, as hers, and a sense of motherly pride rose up in her; Talise was easily one of the best assassins in the world, giving the houses of assassins in Orlais and Antiva pause, Valissia was well-respected as a researcher and spirit mage, she could heal some of the worst wounds, bring back someone from the seeming brink of death, and Amelia, the wild storms the mage summoned rivaled anything Magdalena had seen in many years.
She leaned back in her chair, heaving a sigh, the last decade and then some of her life had been devoted to the women sitting in various spots around the table, she had dedicated her life to seeing to it they were well educated and trained, capable of taking care of themselves. They would not stay in Rivain, and she could not blame them, they had a whole world to explore, but that world was a dangerous place for two apostate mages and an assassin, she had worried every day for them.
"It seems, Magdalena, that your will leave behind no great tome filled with your secrets, but three women who know them", with a smile, Dorian pushed a small goblet of wine to her.
Magdalena murmured a soft thank you as she picked up the goblet, and sipped at it, leaning back in her chair afterwards, "It would seem so. I had no idea what to do, after the Battle of Denerim, with three young girls, all orphaned. My nephew could not take care of them, they could not stand to be separated."
"I cannot imagine what it must have been like for them." Dorian cast a sympathetic look towards Talise, having seen her, pale-faced and nearly catatonic, the first night she had been in Skyhold.
"Awful. They lost their father's the year before, Valissia's mother had died in childbirth, and Amelia and Talise's mother were lost during the fighting in Denerim." The seer sighed at the memory, her dark gaze flicking over the three women.
"I'm sorry for the loss of your sister." Dorian pressed a tanned hand, topped with perfectly manicured nails, over one of Magdalena's in sympathy.
"Thank you, Dorian." Magdalena smiled at Dorian over the top of her goblet.
"Can I ask you what being a mage is like in Rivain?"
"Vastly different than it is here. And I'm sure far different than what it is like in Tevinter. Tomorrow, I'll meet you for tea and we will talk."
Cullen stood then, pushing his chair back slowly. One large, gloved hand rose to rub at the back of his neck, as conversations around him died down slowly. Before, he had bid his farewells at dinner, and left alone, Talise had followed a few moments later. Now however, he stood, his honeyed gaze meeting Talise's sky-touched eyes as she looked at him across the table, candlelight dancing across her delicate features. One shoulder was still bared by the careless tunic she wore, and as she looked up at him, Valissia leaned over to her, tugging the wide neck of her shirt back up in place.
"Are you leaving us Commander?" Cassandra broke the quiet with a smirk on her face as she looked up and across the table at Cullen.
"Yes. I was… thinking… the gardens are especially peaceful this time of night. I thought I might take a walk around them." A flush darkened the commanders face as he nodded, unable to meet Cassandra's sharp gaze.
Dorian and Iron Bull shared a meaningful glance, while Varric and Sera smirked at each other. Even Vivienne had stopped talking, her gaze bouncing between Cullen and Talise. The air in the hall grew heavy with anticipation, Amelia found herself crossing her fingers for luck.
The only seeming calm, disinterested face in the crowd was Magdalena. Talise's last remaining family member watched the interplay between Cullen and Talise with a suspiciously placid look on her face, sipping at the wine Dorian had given her.
His flush deepened as the hall grew quiet, and Cullen knew everyone was watching him. For a moment he did not speak, but looked pleadingly at Talise, as if willing her to ask before him. The assassin stayed where she was, watching him through her bright gaze. Finally, he spoke, stumbling over her words in his embarrassment, "I was wondering… Talise… would you… I mean, if you're finished, would you like to accompany me?"
"Absolutely. I would love to." Talise answered him before he was done speaking, sliding from her chair with her easy, fluid grace. In the long moment before Cullen asked her, she had nearly asked him to walk with her, unable to bear the tension as it spun out in the candlelit room.
All the chatter at the nearby tables died down, quiet murmurs passing amongst the people all gathered for dinner. Josephine looked up from the closest table, seated in between the Ferelden and Orlesian ambassadors, her dark eyes wide with shock for a moment, but she grinned before she could stop herself. Blackwall sat as close to the Antivan ambassador as he could, next to the Ferelden ambassador, and he could not fight off a smile, watching the commander bumble his way through a suddenly very public courtship.
Cullen and Talise met in the middle of the hallway, and she took his offered arm, turning to look at Magdalena. There was a flash of shyness there, but a mix of mischief, and triumph. The seer met Talise's grin with her own, and winked at her. A rush of whispers followed the commander and the assassin out of the great hall, the companions and Herald all grinning at each other, Leliana and Josephine sharing smiles, and Magdalena sat in her chair, wearing a look of placid contentment.
"Magdalena, you must a champion of the game." Vivienne tipped her goblet of wine in the seer's direction, a smile on her face.
For a moment, Magdalena considered the First Enchanter, her dark gaze missing nothing, before she set her goblet down gently, "Alas Vivienne, I am not. I am, however, determined to see my niece happy."
"Is that not the same thing?" The First Enchanter asked in return.
"Perhaps so. There is nothing I would not do to see her, and Valissia and Amelia, safe and happy", the Rivaini took a moment to pin both Michel and Christopher with a look, before her gaze returned to Vivienne.
"So, you'll be staying with us then?" Christopher spoke then, looking over at Magdalena, a dark brow arched over his deep green eyes.
"If you have need of me, then yes. I understand that a Rivaini seer may make some uncomfortable. I can easily stay at Nightreach, if need be." A wrinkled hand lifted to the templars that sat in the hallway, clustered together. Few of them mixed with the mages, and since Magdalena's arrival this morning they had given her a wide berth.
"Any mage makes the templars uncomfortable. It's taken some time, but I believe we have a good relationship built amongst everyone now." Christopher leaned back in his chair, relaxing comfortably, one powerful arm pulled tight around Valissia. The Herald had made his interested in the spirit healer plain from the beginning, and their relationship did not merit as much gossip now; the room was buzzing with speculation over Cullen and Talise. Already the Orlesians were speaking of a grand ball after a marriage, and the Fereldens whispered of yet another common born being introduced to the nobility, this time through marriage.