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Max and a few others had left to scout ahead in the morning, and in the meantime Cole kept Evelyn company.
Evelyn groaned and opened her eyes, her whole body was stiff and sore, and her throat was very dry. It was lucky for her that Cole was already standing beside her bed with a glass of water.
She drank a bit and then said, "Thank you."
"I'm Cole, I help the hurting, I helped bring you back from Haven."
"Thank you, Cole." She said and smiled at the strange young man. "Can you help me get up and walk around?" She asked him.
"But the healer said you need to rest." Cole said.
"I've been asleep for almost a day now, I'm sure that's enough, and I'll rest after."
Cole looked at her with deliberation, but eventually said, "Alright, but just for a little while."
She sat up and winced slightly, but it wasn't a sharp pain, just soreness, but soreness was good, soreness meant healing.
Cole stood beside her, and she held onto his shoulder and grabbed a crutch that was leaning against the wall. Cole guided her out of the tent where there were a million eyes on her, as they started walking, even more people began to stare.
"Why is everyone staring at me?" Evelyn asked Cole quietly, but it seemed someone heard it.
"Your brother told the tale of your heroics. It has gone around quickly, your brother was given to us by Andraste, and the Maker sent you." It was Leliana that spoke before Cole could, she walked towards them.
"You've got to be kidding me?"
"I am not. It's giving the people hope, hope that the Maker is hearing their prayers." Leliana said.
"Yeah well, I didn't do it for them." Evelyn spoke honestly.
Leliana nodded and then noticed something interesting, "Pray tell, where did you get that necklace?" Leliana asked Evelyn.
Evelyn narrowed her eyebrows until she looked down and realized that the necklace she had given to Dorian to give to Cullen was back around her neck, Evelyn looked up to Leliana, "Apologies, I was confused, I didn't realize I was wearing it. A... friend of mine gave it to me many many years ago."
"Ah, well, enjoy your walk then." Leliana spoke before leaving the two of them.
Evelyn looked to Cole, "Can we walk somewhere with less eyes?"
They walked for a while until there was no one else around, then Cole spoke, "Why did Leliana ask about your necklace?"
"She must have seen Cullen with it." Evelyn told him.
"Dorian gave it to him, I remember hearing the hurt, it was louder than anyone who had been injured." Cole told her.
Evelyn looked at him strangely, "Can you read minds?"
"Maybe, I don't really know how it works, I hear what people want or need, I hear the hurt and I help, I think." Cole said.
"Are you a spirit?" Evelyn asked.
"I think so, I made myself real so that I could help, but I made myself forget the fade." Cole explained.
"Hmm. I guess that makes sense." Evelyn said after thinking on it for a moment, "What-what was Commander Cullen thinking when Dorian gave him the necklace?"
"He understood right away, but he didn't want to. He felt like Corypheus had ripped out his heart and put it back in not quite right. Every breath was pain, every heartbeat agony because she wasn't breathing, because her heart had stopped. Why should he be alive when she isn't?"
"He really thought that?" Evelyn asked.
"You were dreaming about him, how can you love someone who's hurt you?" Cole asked, not answering her question.
"I don't know that I love Cullen anymore."
"But when you were dying, he was the only one you wanted to be with. He loves you and you love him, why can't you be together?" Cole asked with confusion.
"Because it's not as simple as that Cole, I can't just forget what he did, he killed my friend, he almost killed me."
"He hates himself for that, last night he dreamed that it was him that stabbed you, he's been thinking about it all day."
Evelyn looked down and after thinking for a moment she said, "I think I should go lay down."
"Okay." Cole simply replied, sensing that he had gone a bit too far, his words hurt her.
They walked quietly back to the healers tent where they were confronted by Solas.
"You aren't supposed to be up." He said sternly.
"Sorry, I just couldn't stay down." Evelyn said with a fake grin.
Solas shook his head and lead her back into the tent.
Cullen was sitting against a tree doing some paperwork when someone's shadow loomed over him.
"What in your right mind were you thinking Cullen?" Cassandra asked, well, more demanded. "You are the commander of the army of the Inquisition, does that title mean nothing to you?"
Cullen looked at her incredulously, "Of course it means something to me, you know that. But..." Cullen trailed off and shook his head.
"No Cullen! Don't shut me out, we are friends are we not? Tell me why you were so bent on going after Lady Trevelyan."
Cullen sighed, "Because I knew her, or I know her. The most powerful mage I've ever met can survive an avalanche, and she was... so gentle when I knew her. I was a part of tearing her world down, I killed her friends, and I just, I feel like I have to make it up to her." Cullen explained, without revealing anything overly personal.
Cassandra nodded slowly in understanding, "Alright, but please don't do something like that again, you are, despite what you think, a vital member of the Inquisition." Cassandra nodded at him again and said, "Alright, well, I'll leave you to it." Gesturing to his paperwork.
As she walked off, Cullen put down the paper work and yawned, he had a bit of headache, not as bad as they usually get, but maybe if he just closed his eyes for a moment...
Cullen was walking up the stairs while eating an apple, the clinks of his armor echoing slightly, as he reached the top he could hear an angry voice.
"What have we told you about cheating Evelyn?" First Enchanter Mika asked sternly.
"How could I possibly cheat?" Evelyn replied back, Cullen recognized her, he stopped a few of the other Templars from attacking her a few days back.
Mika glared daggers at her "Maybe you need to learn some humility, you will face the Enchanters one by one until you have learned." He spoke cruely.
Evelyn clenched her jaw, but nodded. The first one of the enchanters walked into the practice circle, before they started a few of the other templars came over to him.
"I bet 10 copper that she'll be done after this." Dale, Cullen thought it was, spoke.
"Nah, she'll get past this one, the next one." Dale's friend spoke, Cullen couldn't quite remember his name, he had only been here for a couple weeks at this point. "What do you think Captain?" he asked.
"I think she'll go all the way I suppose." Cullen said, he had seen her practice before.
Dale and the other one raised their eyebrows, and Dale spoke "You're on sir."
"First one to land a hit on the other wins." Mika said.
"Ready?" The Enchanter asked.
Evelyn nodded, a small smirk coming onto her face.
The Enchanter threw a lightening bolt at Evelyn, who quickly threw up a shield that deflected the bolt and sent it back towards the enchanter, who ducked out of the way just in time, her distraction allowed Evelyn to run at her without noticing until they were quite close. Evelyn threw up an ice wall and when the enchanter couldn't see her, she ran around behind her, kicked her knees out from under her, and ripped her staff from her grasp. Evelyn walked in front of her and pointed the enchanters own staff towards their heart.
Evelyn looked over to First Enchanter Mika, who had his arms crossed. Evelyn looked back to the enchanter, who was still on her knees in front of Evelyn, who tossed her staff aside and said, "Who's next?"
The rest of the six Enchanters present all fell to Evelyn the same way, all of them were glaring at her. It was extremely embarrassing to them to have been beaten by a young woman who held the meager rank of Mage, especially since they were the collection of junior enchanters, soon to become senior enchanters via a ceremony by the Divine herself.
Cullen felt some coins being pushed into his hand, he turned to Dale and shook his head, "Keep it." He then turned his attention back to the proceedings in front of him.
"If they cannot teach you a lesson, then I will." Mika said.
"I'm honored." Evelyn said sarcastically and even curtsied, which gave Cullen, Dale and that other guy a nice view of her butt.
"I'd do that." Dale's friend said.
"Obviously." Dale said.
Cullen tried to ignore the fools next to him and just watch Eve kick that pretentious bastards ass.
And she did just that, she got him even faster than the other Enchanters, probably because she didn't care if she hurt him. When she was holding his staff, she didn't throw it away like the others, she slowly walked towards him, and his face distorted in fear.
Luckily for him, that was the moment when Knight-Commander Meredith marched into the room
Everyone froze and she looked back at them then she spoke coolly, "Come with me." She pointed at Evelyn, "And you as well Captain."
Evelyn threw Mika's staff at him before following Knight-Commander Meredith, with Cullen following behind her. Meredith lead them to her office and told Evelyn to sit. She then asked Cullen to explain what happened, and to Evelyn's surprise he did so truthfully, and when he was done, Meredith was laughing.
"Lighten up mage, that old bastard had it coming, you aren't in trouble." Meredith said, "And besides, you're the one who told me about the suspicious activity a few months ago that lead to that enchanters death weren't you?"
"Yes I was Commander." Evelyn spoke.
"I would be correct in assuming you are not well loved by your fellow mages? They've even attacked you once or twice correct?"
"Yes Commander."
"And why do you not fight back, from what my Captain tells me you are the strongest mage here."
"Because it is forbidden to use magic outside the practice circle."
"Ah, one who follows the rules! Finally!" Meredith exclaimed, a slightly crazed expression on her face, "In reward for your co-operation, my capable Captain will guard you from harm from the other mages, as long as you keep me informed of the goings on of this circle."
"Of course, thank you Commander."
"Commander Cullen?" A young man's voice asked from nowhere.
"Commander Cullen?" One of his soldiers was standing in front of him.
Cullen stood suddenly and slightly scared the soldier, "Sorry Jim," Cullen said and yawned, "What's going on?" Cullen asked, the camp seemed to be busier than usual.
"We're moving, Maxwell and the scouting party found someplace for us."
"Where is it?" He asks.
"North of here, only a days march." Jim told him.
And so the marching began, Dorian was helping Evelyn, who was chatting with Leliana, they were starting to become friends. Solas and Maxwell were ahead, scouting the way.
When they finally arrived at Skyhold it was a magnificent sight, although it needed some work, it was work that was gladly done. Cullen became busier as ever since many of his troops were helping to build and repair, he often found himself working through the night, although it provided a welcome distraction from the pain of lyrium withdrawal.
Tonight seemed like one of those nights so far, but his head was throbbing in pain, making reading things absolute hell. It was just as Cullen was going to call it a night and rest that there was a timid knock on his door.
Cullen furrowed his brows, no one knocked on his door. He stood and walked over to it, and when he opened it, it was one of the last people he thought he'd see here.
"Eve?" Cullen asked, she walked past him and looked at his desk and then back to him.
"That's a lot of paperwork." She commented, she then turned to face him, "I was hoping to talk with you, but if you're busy I can-"
"No, no. You can- we can, I'mnotbusy." Cullen said awkwardly and Evelyn smiled slightly.
"I just wanted to thank you," She paused and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, Cullen knew her well enough to know that it meant she was nervous, "Dorian told me what happened and um... well, thank you."
"Oh, well, uh... you're welcome." Cullen said and rubbed the back of his neck, Evelyn knew him well enough to know that it meant he was nervous.
"And, there was one more thing..." She paused, "I uh, I don't hate you."
Cullen's face clearly conveyed the shock he felt, and Evelyn looked down before opening the door to leave, but before she did Cullen spoke, "Eve, if it makes any difference to you, I am sorry, truly sorry."
"I know." Evelyn said before leaving once more.
Cullen sighed and climbed up the ladder to his 'bedroom', he took off his armor and laid on his bed, sleep did not easily take him, but when it did he dreamed of her.
Evelyn headed back to her quarters, but on her way she was intercepted by Leliana.
"I hope Solas has given you the clear to be walking around on your own." Leliana said.
"Yes, while I'm still sore, I'm mostly healed, nothing time won't fix." Evelyn responded.
"Your brother told me that the marks on your face were caused by Corypheus' torture method, if you need someone to speak to about it, I know that Commander Cullen has had some... similar experience."
"Yes, I know, it's not exactly his favorite subject though." Evelyn said, both surprised that Leliana knew about that, and also confused, because if she knew, she must also know that he hates talking about it.
Leliana smiled slightly before saying, "That is true, I'd known him for years before he told me." Leliana paused, "Well, sorry for distracting you, sleep well."
As Leliana left Evelyn watched her oddly, most times they spoke, the reason for the conversation was not always spoken out loud, but it was easy enough to see, but Evelyn really didn't know what to make of that.
She shook the thought from her head and trudged up the many stairs to her quarters.
