It took Amell a moment to recognize Leliana, but when she did, her face softened. "Leliana? Where are we?"
"Skyhold. Welcome to the Inquisition, Warden," she said, and Amell blinked.
"The Inquisition? You're not with the Chantry?" she asked, "Granted, I haven't exactly been keeping up-to-date on the news surface-side, but I thought the Inquisition was separate from the Chantry."
"It is," Leliana replied, "After the conclave, Cassandra Pentaghast recruited me as head spy for the Inquisition."
"Wait," Amell said, looking as though she were putting together the pieces of a puzzle, "The spymaster of the Inquisition was the Left Hand of the Divine. You're the Left Hand of the Divine? Leliana? Who almost didn't tell me she was a bard?"
"I cannot believe you hadn't figured it out before," Leliana said with a smile. "But I suppose it is to be expected, considering how long you've been gone."
"I'm sorry about that," said Amell, and it seemed like she really was. "I had some important… Warden-type business. Isn't the Inquisition based in Ferelden?"
"The Frostback Mountains. We're on the border of Ferelden and Orlais," Leliana gently corrected, and Amell shut her eyes and leaned back on her pillow. "I assume from your reaction you were not planning on joining us?"
"I thought I was headed to Weisshaupt. Maker-forsaken Deep Roads," she said, rubbing her eyes. "I decided to come up and take refuge in an inn for a few days and I wound up right in the middle of some sort of…" She shuddered. "Maker, what were they?"
"Red Templars," Cullen said, almost wishing he hadn't spoken as her curious gaze turned to him. "They're templars who've been corrupted by red lyrium. Corypheus has been using them as part of his army."
Her expression softened. "So they were people? Was there a way to save them?" She asked quietly.
"No," replied Cullen, glad he could tell her that honestly. "The only thing that can be done for them is to end their suffering." Amell breathed a sigh of relief. It was clear she took seriously the lives of those lost. He hadn't known what to expect from a war hero Amell, but this certainly surpassed any expectations he could have had.
Amell's half-smile pulled him out of his reverie as she said, "You're my knight in feathery armor, right? I'm sorry I fainted before we could be properly introduced. I'm Solona."
"Cullen Rutherford," he replied, unsure if she was teasing him or genuinely didn't recognize him. He certainly would recognize her anywhere, but that was perhaps different.
It had been ten years, but she looked very much the same. The only difference was how she held herself – gone was her innocence and shyness. She instead had the air of a general about her, and an ever-present guilt he knew well. He, on the other hand, supposed he did look different enough that, without knowing his name, it'd be hard to place him.
Still, even after he told her his name, he saw no recognition in her eyes. Amell smiled fondly. "I knew a Cullen once. If you're half the man he is, the Inquisition is lucky to have you."
Cullen could feel himself blushing, incredulous. "It's the hair, isn't it?" he asked, watching Amell turn in confusion to a laughing Leliana.
"I didn't recognize him either," she said, still giggling, "But I only saw him briefly when we first met all those years ago. I'm glad to know he really does look that different."
Amell's face turned a fierce red as she looked back at him, staring at him open-mouthed. "You're Kinloch Hold Cullen? I… Maker, you look – Your hair– You have a last name?"
Cullen laughed, feeling slightly better at Amell's embarrassment. It helped that she confirmed that she knew him and didn't immediately tell him to leave. He half expected that was how things would turn out, considering how they parted ways all those years ago. "Yes. I have a middle name, too."
Her shocked look turned to a wry smile, which turned to one of appraisal, and he felt himself start to flush as her gaze lingered over his form a little longer than was strictly necessary. Her gaze flicked to his scar and she frowned.
"Right," Amell said, sounding as though she were trying to get herself to focus. "Do you know how long until I can set off?"
"We were worried about how long it would be until you woke up," Leliana said with a tone of disapproval. "You can't leave, especially not into the Deep Roads."
Amell frowned. "I have to –"
"We know about the Calling," Leliana gently interrupted. "It isn't real."
Amell's nose wrinkled in distaste. "Firstly, do you really believe I'd go off to my Calling without Alistair?" That gave Leliana pause. "Secondly, I have genuine Warden business. I'm looking for something. And most importantly, how in the Maker's name do you know about the Calling?"
"Corypheus has been using it to trick the Wardens in Orlais," Leliana explained, and Amell's face hardened. "We were able to stop him, but not before many Wardens perished."
"Who is Corypheus? If he can control the calling, he must be a darkspawn or an archdemon. Or an old god." Amell said, tone of voice so commanding he almost stood at attention, as though she were a Knight-Commander. Even after she became a Warden, he always thought of her as Solona - sweet and shy. Once he managed to reconcile with himself about the demons in the tower, that was still the image he had of her in his memory. This woman still had that kindness, but there was another side to her now. She'd taken to leadership well, he realized, feeling a warm burst of pride.
"He claims to be one of the first darkspawn. One who entered the black city. He was killed once before, but it didn't take. He seems to be immortal," Leliana said.
Amell looked like she was about to be sick. "Has he ever referred to himself as The Architect?" she asked.
"No," Leliana responded.
"Does he wear a mask? And with it off, is his left eye sort of melted?" asked Amell, and at Leliana's shake of the head she breathed a sigh of relief. "Well, I promise they can be killed, then. In Amaranthine I fought what may have been the same type of creature. He went down… well, not easily, but easier than the broodmother or the archdemon."
"Perhaps once you regain your strength you can share some information with us?" asked Leliana. "My agents have been unable to gather any, much less that there have been others."
Amell looked hesitant. "I… suppose I could. You already know about the Calling. What's one more Warden secret, if it will save the world?"
Leliana relaxed. "Thank you."
"But then I'm leaving," Amell insisted. "I can't sit around and be useless, Leliana."
Leliana looked as though she were going to argue the point when Cullen realized he could offer a much better solution.
"We need someone to train the mages," Cullen said, and Amell looked to him. "The Inquisitor recruited them to our cause. Not all of them wish to fight, but those that do could benefit from an actual mage to train them. They haven't taken well to being taught magic by an ex-templar."
From the way Amell bit her lip, he could tell he had her. Leliana's satisfied look seemed to agree. "That might be acceptable," she said, "Is it really something you need?"
"If you could train five of them to proficiency, you'd save countless lives, both in the Inquisition and of civilians," Cullen said with conviction.
Amell sighed and smiled at him. "Alright, I'll stay until a healer clears me."
Leliana smiled. "Excellent. I'll inform Josephine immediately. Cullen, will you send for a healer?"
"Right away," Cullen said, rising. "I should go and inform the mages so those who wish to train can ready themselves." He nodded to Leliana, then hesitated. He didn't know what to say, or where he stood with the Warden. It had been too long, and they hadn't parted well, but she still seemed to at least like him. "It is... good to see you safe, Amell."
A brief look of hurt flashed on Amell's face, but she quickly recovered with a smile. "Amell?"
"Solona," he corrected, and her smile became genuine.
"Thank you, Cullen," she said, and he nodded and quickly took his leave.
Though he had tried to convince himself his infatuation with her had been a product of his youth, he could tell now that was untrue. The intervening years had dulled his crush on Solona the Apprentice, but Solona the Warden seemed to be another matter altogether. Maker help him.