I was really dumbfounded (and a little angry) at Bioware when they found Maddox in the Shrine of Dumat, and Cullen walked around, without a care in the world, looking for clues just like the rest of them. Here was a man, suffering from lyrium withdrawals that was walking around in a place full of red lyrium and completely unaffected by it! What were they thinking? I decided to write my own version and here it is. I hope you all like it!

Thanks to all who have put this fic on their lists of favorites! A million thanks to my beta, the ever lovely Lady Darksbane who is never too busy for me and my insane fic! Thank you so much, my dear!

Please leave a comment if you can. I love reading what you think! :D

…

Beatrix found herself standing in front of the door that led to Cullen's office, feeling a bit apprehensive. In truth, she feared for him when he was out on the field and this would be no exception. On the contrary, this would be a hell of a trip – much more dangerous, and she was certain they would face the enemy in more ways than one.

She cleared her throat and knocked on his door. She heard his 'come in' and pushed the door open, closing it behind her.

"There you are," he said from his desk as he scowled at a report he was scanning.

"What did you find?" Beatrix asked, knowing full well the response she was going to get.

"I found Samson's lair at last," Cullen replied, his eyes fixing themselves on hers, a smug expression on his face. "I'd like to accompany you there, my love."

There it was: What she had been dreading was suddenly standing between Cullen and herself. Beatrix cleared her throat again, breaking his gaze and looking at the desk instead.

"Cullen, I don't want you to come with us. We can do this without you, you know…" her voice trailed up when she looked up and found him staring at her with fierce determination.

"No, Beatrix," Cullen replied, his brow furrowing. "I need to go myself and not only because I want to protect you. Besides, if something happens, I would prefer to be with you."

"Don't talk like that!" Beatrix's eyes opened wide, the fear clutching at her heart, making it uncomfortable to breathe for a while. "I can't lose you. I won't!"

He stepped around the desk to pull her into an embrace. "I won't let you go there on your own, love. It's no use trying to convince me. I hardly have any withdrawal symptoms these days. I don't think –"

Cullen was interrupted by her laughter and he immediately held her at arms' length to take a good look at her. Beatrix continued to laugh, then her laughter died down and she shook her head.

"Red templars, red lyrium, Samson himself," she said in one breath. "I can't think of anything else that is more deadly, especially for you. You have a death wish, don't you?"

"No," he sighed as he embraced her again. "I just want to protect you."

"Protect me by being here. I'll be too concerned trying to keep you alive and might risk myself unnecessarily," she almost whispered. "You stubborn man."

"I'll make you a deal," he said, his amber eyes twinkling. "I'll stay outside, but ride with you, and a small army of soldiers."

"There may be red lyrium outside, surrounding the fortress as well," Beatrix said with a sigh. "How will you protect me if you are infected? I would die before I see that happen."

"My love," Cullen's arms tightened around her, warm and secure. "If I should sense anything happening to me, I'll leave the area at once with a few soldiers. Does that sound better to you?"

She sighed deeply, disentangling herself from his arms.

"You are too stubborn for your own good," she commented, knowing that she had already lost the argument. "Very well. But if you should feel anything even remotely strange you – "

"I'll leave like a good, obedient little boy, I promise."

…

The Shrine to Dumat, where Samson was said to be, was located in northern Orlais – almost at the border with Nevarra. It was a hot desert they had to cross in order to reach it, and the sun was so uncomfortable for them they had to stop and wait for night to fall to continue their march.

They set up their tents, Cullen keen on debriefing the soldiers, while the rest stepped inside their cool tents to get temporary relief from the heat. They had packed enough water for the journey, as they had known that they would be walking across the desert in order to reach the fortress.

Beatrix wet a piece of cloth and used it to refresh her whole body before putting a long, sleeveless tunic on and slipping into her bedroll to sleep. The double canvas on top of the tents kept them cool from the heat and Beatrix was fast asleep soon enough. She didn't hear Cullen enter the tent a few hours later.

He smiled when he saw her, then took his armor off. He also used a damp cloth and refreshed himself with cool water and a bit of soap before slipping into his bedroll which was right beside hers, falling asleep immediately, exhausted from the heat.

When they woke up, it was dark and cool. Cullen stretched and turned to look at Beatrix, only to find that she was looking at him already, a lovely smile on her face.

"Good morning, my Commander," she said in a soft voice. "I hear the rest outside already. They must be waiting for us."

He hummed and crept closer to her, embracing her and claiming her lips. "Shame we can't stay a little longer?"

Beatrix laughed softly. "If you want everyone to hear, by all means go ahead!"

"No," Cullen grinned. "I'd rather they didn't hear anything."

"Then it's time to get up and get dressed," she replied, crawling out first. He helped her with her armor, and she with his. Finally, he stood in front of the mirror, working on applying something to his hair to keep the curls down.

"I can't believe you take longer than I do," Beatrix giggled as she tied her hair back and away from her face.

"No curls makes Cullen happy," he quipped, his hands smoothing his hair into place.

Beatrix only laughed and gave him a peck on a cheek turning to leave the tent and get something to eat outside. Her companions were all seated around a fire and they were all eating heartily before the trek through the desert. Cullen's soldiers were already putting the tents away and helping with her companions' tents as well.

Cassandra, Dorian and Bull all smiled and waved her over, handing her a plate of cooked nug and roasted potatoes. It smelled really delicious, and she hurried to sit in front of the fire to eat. Cullen appeared moments later and did the same.

"We'll reach the fortress sooner if we hurry. My scouts report that it's less than a day's ride from here," Cullen said, then got up and went for a second helping.

Beatrix smiled. It was good to see him eating, and eating well. Perhaps it had been a good idea to bring him after all.

"Maybe we should make this our main camp?" she asked as soon as he had sat down. Cullen shook his head.

"We'd be too far in case the rest of the soldiers are needed," he replied. "I did bring them to assist, in case there is fighting. We're looking for Samson, but the priority here is Maddox, his tranquil assistant."

"I hope you're not thinking of going inside with us, Commander," Cassandra said, wiping her hands on a piece of cloth that served as her napkin. "The place must be full of red lyrium."

"I've already been convinced not to, Cassandra," Cullen smiled. "I'll be in our main camp, briefing the soldiers who'll follow you inside the fortress. One of them is instructed to stay behind at the gates and inform the rest if there is fighting."

"A good plan," Bull said as he finished his meal. "But plans have a way of backfiring. Why don't you tell all your soldiers the same thing you told your 'message guy'? That way if he's killed, another can take his place."

"I thought of that, Bull, thank you," Cullen smirked. "I didn't say anything because the Inquisitor might have thought I was paranoid."

"Hey! I think it's a perfectly sound idea," Beatrix protested.

"Yes, dear," Cullen said demurely in a meek voice. The rest laughed and they all got up, readying themselves for the march.

…

Beatrix had been right. There was red lyrium outside the fortress as well, seemingly growing out through the walls as the huge lumps rose up to meet the scorching sun that was now absent. Moonlight glittered on the crystals, which looked dark and foreboding in the shadows. Even so, the light still glinted off some of their polished surfaces, painting a pretty picture when the reality was something else entirely.

Beatrix strode up to the gates themselves, intent on working the lock in order for them to gain entrance. Not far behind, Cassandra, Bull and Dorian stood at the ready, along with half a dozen of Cullen's soldiers. He watched from a safe enough distance, surveying his lover's figure in the moonlight, wishing this was over so that he could take her in his arms and make love to her – with not a care in the world.

She managed to find the right combination and the gates opened, creaking ominously in the overpowering silence surrounding them. Looking back at Cullen she smiled before she crossed the entrance, while Cullen said a prayer to the Maker, asking Him to keep her safe.

Inside the whole fortress was quiet. But Beatrix was not to be fooled. Her eyes skimmed the inner walls where she spotted several red templar monsters, ready to charge at them as soon as they took a few steps further into the courtyard. Whispering to Cullen's soldiers, she nodded to one of them who quickly ran back out, then nodded to her team.

In a very short time, they all made for the center of the courtyard and were attacked almost instantaneously, just as she had known they would be.

They quickly put a stop to the attack with the help of Cullen's soldiers. Two went down in the fight, which was certainly intense, made worse by the glittering red crystals that littered the courtyard as well. When they were done, Beatrix was dismayed to see templars guarding the entrance to the fortress itself. It wasn't that she hoped she had killed them all, though that would have been helpful, it was the fact that a behemoth stood among the templars guarding the way inside. This made her believe that not only Maddox was inside, but Samson as well.

Slipping into stealth she got close to one of the archers, dispatching him quickly when she stabbed him in the back, coming face to face with the gigantic behemoth who roared at her. Beatrix coated herself in ice and proceeded to attack, her companions reaching her quickly and attacking the surrounding templars immediately, while a few of Cullen's soldiers hacked into the crystals on the monster, with little to no results. The monster's attack stopped when he was coated in ice with a winter's grasp spell from Dorian, and Beatrix's icy figure managed to leap onto its shoulders, bringing the monster down by cutting off its head. Bull charged into the double doors, tearing them open and Beatrix stood just inside, surveying the whole scene before her.

The whole interior was burning, and several templars stood at the ready further in. Beatrix clenched her jaw and nodded to her companions, giving them some healing potions which more soldiers had brought in, and loading up on more herself.

The fight was brutal to say the least. The templars kept coming and they lost two more soldiers on their way to a huge pair of double doors. Beatrix was certain that they would find Maddox or Samson in there. Her team finally was able to beat the rest of the templars and they finally opened the double doors that led into a huge room, where two figures could be seen resting on the floor against one of the crystals in the room.

As Beatrix approached, she was able to identify one of the figures. It was Samson and in his arms he held on to another figure, dressed in the long identifying robes of a mage. The mage was quiet and still in his arms. When Samson looked up and gazed at her with pure hatred, she noticed the tears that were streaming down his cheeks.

"Samson," she nearly growled as she stood right in front of him. "What have you done?"

"No concern to you, this man is one of the few who always supported me, Inquisitor. He never betrayed me. That should be enough," his words cracked as he spoke, his voice dry and toneless, likely due to the hot environment they were in.

"So that is Maddox?" Beatrix asked him, a nod from the templar at once confirming her suspicion. "Why is he dead?"

"He drank all of his blightcap essence – a poison that is very effective, Inquisitor," Samson gave her a lopsided grin that made her stomach turn.

"Why did he do this?" Beatrix asked, knowing the answer to the question long before Samson confirmed that as well.

"Why?" Samson chuckled. "Because I ordered him to, Inquisitor!" He burst out laughing then, tears streaming down his cheeks. Laughed even when Beatrix ordered Cullen's soldiers to place him under arrest. They moved him back to the entrance of the fortress, while Beatrix looked around for something that would help them destroy Corypheus and the red templars. She caught sight of a parchment lying on one of the tables as well as some kind of tools that lay nearby. Dorian informed her that the tools were used to make armor, and judging by the look of those, they were probably custom-made. She thought of Dagna, her arcane archivist back at the forge in Skyhold. Dagna would love to take a look at these tools. Smiling, she put them in her backpack.

When Beatrix had closed the red lyrium mine in Emprise Du Lion, the letters that Samson had sent to his commanding officers had all mentioned a special kind of armor he wore, made and maintained by his tranquil, Maddox. Beatrix realized that even though she had expected Samson to be wearing this armor, he hadn't been in any kind of armor at all when they arrested him. This puzzled her. She continued to search for more objects that would help them, but realized that there was nothing else to find not a moment too soon because the whole structure looked ready to crumble to the ground.

As soon as she stepped outside the gates, she saw Cullen who was pacing back and forth in front of Samson. The ex-templar was sitting on a rock, his hands tied behind him, while two of Cullen's soldiers stood at the ready, their swords drawn. Beatrix stood next to Cullen and frowned. Samson was quietly chuckling to himself, occasionally looking up at Cullen and Beatrix, chuckling even more when he did so.

"I'm going to ask again and I expect an answer from you this time," Cullen growled as they both stared down at their prisoner. "Where is your armor?"

"Corypheus took it away," Samson grinned.

"Why would he take away armor that was designed for you alone?" Cullen snarled.

"I told ya before, Commander," Samson chuckled. "I don't know what the Master plans. I only know he betrayed us."

"Us?" Beatrix asked, flinching when Samson set his malevolent eyes on her instead.

"Us. Maddox and me, Inquisitor," he laughed. "You are a pretty one. Is she fire under the sheets, Rutherford?" He looked at Cullen. "Does this bitch get on her knees to pray to your-"

A resounding crack was heard throughout the camp as Cullen bashed Samson with a gauntleted fist. The templar immediately started bleeding from the wound, and slipped into unconsciousness.

Beatrix chanced a look at Cullen's face. He was looking down at Samson angrily, his eyes thundering as he lifted his head, turning to gaze into her own.

"No one insults you," he said breathing heavily. "Not while I draw breath."

…

Their return to Skyhold was uneventful, save from the broken man flinging insults at them both. Beatrix kept Cullen by her side, holding his hand whenever he looked especially murderous, and truth be told, he only continued their march by her side because she asked him to do so.

Once they arrived, Cullen ordered his soldiers to put the prisoner in one of the prison cells below and they both dismounted, handing their horses over to the stable hands that came to greet them.

"I can arrange for the trial to be held at once," Beatrix said to Cullen in an even voice, looking deeply into his eyes. "But I won't. You need to rest and get a grip on yourself, Cullen."

"I know," he sighed, shaking his head wearily. "I'll stay away, I promise. I only have to check with Barris to see how the recruits are doing, and how the training is going before our march to the Arbor Wilds. I'll be up for dinner with you as soon as I'm done."

"I'll be waiting," Beatrix smiled as she gave him a kiss on his cheek. Cullen smiled down at her warmly and turned, heading towards the barracks.

Beatrix turned and walked towards the dungeons instead, her lips pursed. She wanted to know a couple of things, and felt Samson would just taunt them both if Cullen went with her.

The guards saluted as she approached his cell. He had been given some food already, but had not eaten and was staring directly into the wall opposite his cell.

"Inquisitor," he smiled ruefully as she stopped in front of his cell. "Come to join me for dinner? I'm afraid I can't share."

"Talk to me, Samson," she said as she placed a bottle of lyrium on the floor next to her, watching the ex-templar carefully. "I can give you a dose now, although it isn't the red you are accustomed to. Even so, it would be welcome, wouldn't it?"

Samson wet his lips nervously, his gaze on the little blue bottle.

"Or, I could move and crash it to pieces," Beatrix made a movement with her boot, scraping the stone next to the bottle, while Samson whined out a 'no!".

"What do you want to know?" Samson asked, his eyes still on the blue bottle next to the Inquisitor's right boot.

"I think you know, but I'll ask the questions here. Tell me about your armor, you know who Corypheus gave it to, don't you?"

Samson nodded, the sweat on his forehead now dripping slowly down the rest of his face. He licked his lips over and over, imagining the blue liquid on his tongue, in his mouth, inside him.

"Well? Who did Corypheus give it to?" Beatrix asked in a harsh, demanding voice. "Tell me or I swear I will crush this bottle right now!"

"He gave it to his general," Samson said in a monotone. "To his vessel."

"Vessel? What in the name of Andraste is a vessel?" Beatrix asked, annoyed at his reply.

"Well, what is a vessel to you, Inquisitor?" Samson smiled, looking up at her momentarily. "Something that holds a liquid, yeah?"

Beatrix brought her foot down on the bottle crushing it. Samson started to wail, but she paid no heed.

"Wrong answer," she said and turned to walk away, going up the staircase.

She walked to one of the guards stationed at the door and ordered his lyrium dose to be given to him two hours later. Then she left, closing the door behind her.

…

As it was, the guards had been ordered to report to Cullen if Samson had any visitors. As he was inspecting the trebuchets they would be using in the Arbor Wilds, one of his soldiers approached, handing Cullen a missive. Cullen smiled at the young soldier and looked down at the message, which had been written by one of his guards stationed at the dungeons. He frowned as he read, then crushed the missive as the anger coursed through his body for a brief moment. Then, breathing in deeply, he strode up the mountain, arriving at Skyhold shortly and walking straight to the stairs that led to his tower.

Busying himself with a couple of reports, he wrote back two replies and took the rest with him. An hour later, he made his way down to the courtyard, the bright moonlight casting shadows along the way. Reaching Beatrix's quarters he stopped for a few minutes, then knocked on her door, letting himself in as soon as she bade him to.

Her hair was still wet, and he embraced her and kissed her passionately as he entered the warm room. She lingered in his arms for a few moments, then helped him out of his armor, setting it on the armor rack next to the fireplace that she had brought up for him exclusively. He sighed with relief as they chatted on about non-important things, smiling at her as he ate a delicious meal the cook had prepared. At the end of the meal he stood up to wash his mouth and his face, coming back into the room a short while later.

"Anything you'd like to discuss, my love?" he asked as nonchalantly as he could, while taking her into his arms once again, hoping and wishing she did.

But Beatrix said nothing as she smiled at him, disentangling herself from his arms and holding on to his hand as she pulled him gently towards her huge bed. He frowned, unable to keep it in for a moment longer and sighed as he sat.

"Are you sure you have nothing to tell me, my love?" he insisted, holding her at arms' length for a few moments.

"What's gotten into you?" Beatrix finally asked, her eyes clouding over with guilt and sorrow.

"I'd hoped you would tell me about this," he said, throwing the parchment on the bed next to her. "It hurts me that you won't."

"What?" Beatrix began as she took the parchment and started to read. Her eyes grew open in surprise and she looked at Cullen, who now looked a little angry as he gazed at her.

"Care to explain why you didn't tell me?" Cullen practically snarled.

Beatrix jumped to her feet, looking down at him, her sapphire eyes flashing angrily.

"I was going to tell you, but I wanted us to make love to each other! This is hardly something to discuss before a bonding moment now, is it?" Beatrix shouted as Cullen himself got to his feet.

"I see," he said as he huffed a bit, struggling to keep his anger in check. "This is the kind of thing you discuss BEFORE sex, Beatrix! It's important! What were you thinking going down there alone? Are you insane?"

"He is locked in a cell, Cullen! Last I checked, that's to keep him from harming others!" Beatrix yelled, her eyes shooting daggers at him.

"No!" Cullen's voice rose as well, his anger now manifesting itself in all its glory. "You don't understand how dangerous this man is, Beatrix! You cannot do these things and expect me to accept them lightly because I won't! I've known him for years now! I know what he is capable of!"

"Yes, because I'm clearly the ignorant one here!" Beatrix spat out, her hands now on her hips. "Let's just call it a night. I'm sure you're DYING to get back to your work, Commander! That will be all!"

Cullen flinched at this, taking a step back, his anger evaporating almost instantly.

"Beatrix, I-" he faltered, but she interrupted him before he could continue.

"I said leave! NOW!" she yelled shrilly, her eyes murderous.

Cullen shut his mouth, his anger quickly resurfacing. Whatever he was about to say was lost as he turned abruptly, putting on his armor angrily and not bothering to clasp the buckles together as he hurried out. He strode through the barely lit main hall, his pace fast and his eyes rapidly filling with angry tears.

Back in her quarters, Beatrix released a sob and slid to the floor, crying bitterly to herself. She vowed she wouldn't talk to Cullen unless he apologized. Did he really think she wasn't going to tell him?

Stupid man!

And back in the dungeons, a broken man now laughed to himself joyously, right after he was handed his first draught of blue lyrium in Skyhold.

…