Chapter 1: It is time to start another day.
Tabitha smacked the side table as she was startled awake from the dream. She clenched her palm as the sudden drop feeling in her heart slowly dissipated. It was only a moment, but the feeling felt like it lingered on forever. She took deep breathes as she felt the bed dip beside her and heard the rustling of the sheets. The large and calloused hand pulled at the strands matted and dangling in her face. Cullen kissed her shoulder before resting his forehead in the same spot. She felt his sigh against her skin.
She turned her head just enough to look at him, "What's wrong?"
He chuckled, "That should be my line." He lifted his head to meet her eyes, "What did the Templars do to you?"
She scrunched her face in confusion, "Templars? They did nothing to me. Why are you asking?"
"You cried out in your sleep."
"Ah," she said, looking away, "Yeah, I was being chased by Templars in my dream. It was a more elaborate dramatization of when I first left home." She leaned back onto her pillow, "Actually, I wonder what home looks like now. It has been a decade and a half since I left."
He nodded, "Ah, yes. I sometimes forget how young you are. You were a teenager during the blight."
She scrunched her nose, "Barely a teen. Adrastate, do I really sound that young? I feel like I have lived lifetimes after all these events."
He propped himself up on his elbow, "Will you tell me? If it is too hard, I understand. Telling another person, especially a former Templar, must be difficult."
She flicked his arm, "I do not know what impression you have of me, but not every mage has a sob story. You have an even darker and abusive past equally at the hands of Templars and mages. I was lucky. I ran into Templars as soon as I left home and they took me to the Fereldan circle. I changed hands there a few times. Templars handed me over, mages imprisoned me and took some blood and questioned me… Well, I finally convinced them to try magic to figure out if I was telling the truth and I was so they let me go. They let me work with the tranquil. I think it was so I could learn the punishment. It was weird, having my daily life be a daily threat, but it was fine. I ran into a new Templar who was there on a visit. He was so cute with his unruly golden hair offsetting the orderly Templar plate. He was so cute, even all the other mages agreed. It was rare for mages to like a Templar. Actually, now that I think about it, I heard of many romances between Templars and mages. It was totally not rare at all. Guess we fit into that too, huh?"
He leaned over her, "Not really, I'm not a Templar any more."
She smiled, "And I guess I'm not a mage, unless Cassandra allows the circles to be reformed."
He still did not smile, "I do not remember you at the circle."
She pressed her hand against his, intertwining their fingers, "No, I was young and you stood out to me. You were also in the boat when we left the circle. Another mage and I were being transported to a different circle. You stayed with us for a short bit, a day maybe, before splitting ways. I now wish we never split ways."
Cullen smiled now, his scar on the upper lip becoming much more noticeable, "We could have been together from the start."
She looked away to hide her stressed smile. He said something so romantic. She almost felt guilty that she did not mean what she said in such a way. She merely wanted to save him from the trauma that happened during the blight. The events in his life helped shape him into the man he was now, but she still felt pity. She was safe in the circle. Sure, there were countless Darkspawn escaping into the lower levels of the tower, but they were easy to handle. Nothing was hard and she had no anguish in her life.
She ran a hand through his hair and he swatted at it, "I'm just happy that we have each other now and that we accept one another."
Leliana walked up the steps grinning at us, "Good morning, Commander. Did you both sleep well? Well, I suppose it does not matter. We have a fresh supply of recruits from the Dalish. They wish to use Skyhold to teach them history in exchange for their arms. They showed up with a signed letter and a seal from both their keeper and the inquisitor. Do you happen to know anything about this?"
Tabitha smiled, "I stole one of your birds, as you know, and sent them the offer. If the keeper signed it, then I suppose they agree."
She crossed her arms, "Why the Dalish? We have no need to forces, even if you did not kill Corypheus."
She got out of bed, pulling her dirty blonde hair into a knot at the nape of her neck, "We need to create a better bond between all nations, including the Dalish. The Qun may attack at any moment and that is a problem I caused. I am rectifying that problem. The world was torn asunder before the breach. Rifts could still be hidden in forests or other terrain that we are not accustomed. The Dalish will do well to aid our forces. In the meantime, I will promote education about everything and to everyone."
"I would suggest seeking the Divine's aid in your lovely reforging, but I doubt the one you chose would be open enough to create drastic change."
She turned to leave, but Tabitha spoke firmly, keeping her ear, "The Divine is aware of my ideals and is aspiring to meet them. Change cannot happen in an instant. If it does, then it will cause great chaos and disaster. The breach was opened in a moment and the entire world felt it. The world should not be so easily manipulated by a single will. The world would push back. Instead, the world can be slowly shown the light. Even if it is a small change after many years, it can be a change for the better. In order to have these changes take effect, the Divine and the Inquisition need the help of their brilliant spymaster. I do not expect you to love me once again, but I want you to know that I did not betray you. The changes you want cannot happen just yet, the world is not ready. You are still young and you will live to see a better world. Who knows, you might even become Divine in the far future."
Cullen tugged on a leather boot, "I think she stopped listening." Tabitha shook her head, but did not turn to him. He finished putting on his day clothes and hopped to his feet with more energy than when he retires for the day. He was an obvious morning person. He leaned in and kissed her neck, "See you at work. You should greet the recruits. I will have them in the lower level, near the kitchen." She watched him leave and waved to his receding back. It is time to start another day.