Chapter 7
Ever since becoming the Inquisitor, Athena was sent out to deal with issues around Thedas more frequently then ever before. He knew he should have predicted as much, however he found that he had greatly underestimated the personal effect it would have on him. Every time she rode through the gates of Skyhold and out of sight, he found an emptiness set itself firmly in the pit of his stomach which refused to release him until she returned and he could see she was unharmed. Yet again, she was preparing to set off on a mission, this time to the Exalted plains since news had reached Skyhold that there were further rifts in the area. Cullen tried to concentrate on the multiple reports that had been placed on his desk that morning but his mind constantly found its way back to Athena. With a sigh, he stood up, ignoring the piercing scrape of his chair on the stone floor, and stormed out of his office. He needed to see her. Even if it was just for a second. Get a grip, man! Yet his feet guided him to her.
He slowly approached the stables, suddenly acutely aware that he had no excuse ready in case she asked why he had sort her out. She was stroking the bridge of her mounts nose, gently whispering sweet nothings into its ear to calm the steed before they departed together. That's enough, you can see she is well, walk away before its too late. He turned to retreat back up to his tower when her voice made him stop dead in his tracks.
"Commander. I was hoping I would see you before I departed". He turned to face her, internally wincing as he realised he could not escape her now.
"Inquisitor. What can I do for you?" he questioned, praying that his voice did not give away the awkwardness he felt.
"I was informed that traders were having some issues on the pass up to Skyhold. Apparently there has been some bandits causing trouble for the merchants. I was hoping you would be able to deploy some soldiers to deal with the matter?" she responded whilst walking to stand in front of him. For a second he did not reply, drawn in by her captivating green eyes. He could lose himself in them forever.
"Em – yes, yes of course. I will do it now" he gushed once he had pulled himself out of his trance. Cullen took a step backwards, ready to make a quick exit to avoid any further questioning.
"Thank you. Also, is there something you needed?".
Damn.
"I…just came to check on my horse". He looked down at her, trying to register whether she bought his lie. She just smiled sweetly back at him.
"Very well, I shall let you be" and with that she walked away and he was once again left to stare after her. What is wrong with you, Cullen. You utter fool.
Noon arrived and the Inquisitor left Skyhold; Iron Bull, Cassandra and Dorian in tow. Cullen found himself unable to concentrate on the paperwork in front of him once again and instead began pacing around his office.
"What is wrong with you, man! She will be fine. She is very capable of looking after herself" he spoke to himself, eventually settling in front of the window and leaning his head against the freezing stone. "What are you doing. You are the Commander of the Inquisition and she is the Inquisitor. She needs you to focus on your job, not worrying about her safety". His voice was barely a whisper. With a sigh, he settled himself at his desk once again, trying hard to focus on the task at hand.
That evening, he found himself sat at the tavern, an unusual sight for the Inquisition as he tended to favour the company of a good book in his office. He was sitting alone, nursing a pint of beer when Varric approached him.
"What's on your mind, Curly" the dwarf asked as he took a seat opposite the man in question.
"Just a tiring day". Brushing off the question he took a swig of beer.
"Uh-hu, of course that's it" Varric uttered under his breath, making sure it was just loud enough for the Commander to hear.
"What do you mean by that, Dwarf?" he retorted, annoyance clear in his voice.
"Well you know, people talk. Apparently, you suffer from an acute form of irritation every time our dear Inquisitor leaves. Just saying" he responded, trying and failing to hide his smirk behind his mug.
"I have no idea what you're trying to suggest!" Cullen countered.
"Isn't it obvious? The irritation, the longing in your eyes, the glances you try to steal in secret even though we all see it. You're smitten, Commander" Varric informed him in a matter of fact tone. Cullen all but chocked on his beer at that, coughing aggressively as he inhaled the liquid in his shocked state.
"You are mistaken, Varric" he managed to get out in between coughing. Varric laughed, standing from the table and making his was past the blushing Commander.
"Whatever you say, Curly" he teased as he pattered Cullen on the back and made his way to the bar. Cullen did not hang around after that encounter, making a swift exit to his quarters. Sitting on the edge of his bed, he dragged a hand through his hair. Could Varric be right? Maker help me.
A week passed before Athena returned from her mission. They had underestimated the amount of demons they would have to face in the Exalted Plains and they had all obtained nasty injuries. As the party rode back into Skyhold, healers were called to the scene to assist the four. Iron Bull had a deep slash across his back that was clearly painful, despite his claims that it was merely a scratch. Cassandra appeared to have suffered from a broken arm, making it impossible for her to wield a shield and causing her to gain even more cuts and bruises all over her body from the last few encounters they had faced. Dorian was the least injured but still had a bloody gash across his right arm that needed tending too. Athena had unfortunately received her own share of injuries. Dried blood stained her face from a deep cut she had obtained to her head, which matched the open wound that resided on her thigh. She was pretty sure the dried blood made them appear worse than they truly were but she could not deny the pain she felt every time her horse jolted underneath her.
Cullen peered out of his tower after hearing the bustle that was occurring by the main gate. He caught sight of the party strolling through the gate and panic manifested itself in his stomach as he saw the approaching healers. Without even placing his armour on, a ritual he would always adhere to when venturing out of his office, he all but ran down the battlements and to the Inquisitors side. He halted, pinned to the spot, the first time he saw her. So much blood, Maker's breath what happened!? He quickly recovered from his initial shock and ran up to Athena. She looked down at him from her seat on her horse, unable to ignore the worried look he held in his eyes.
"Cullen" she whispered to him, forcing him to lean up towards her so he did not miss what she was about to say.
"Cullen, I can't get down". The pain laced within her voice emphasised his worry as he offered her a small nod to make sure she knew he had head. He grabbed the reins of her horse and began leading them both towards the stables.
"All of you, back to work!" he yelled, easily falling back into his role as Commander. Once they were safely in the stables and away from prying eyes, Cullen dropped the act and focused his attention on the injured woman. He rushed to her side and placed his hands on her waist, surprised by how small she felt underneath his grasp. He helped lift her off the horse, supporting her weight as she set her feet on the ground.
"I've got you, its okay" he whispered to her, and she gratefully rested her body against him, making sure to keep all pressure off her injured leg. Cullen looked around and spotted a vacant seat in the barn where Blackwall usually resided, though he was nowhere to be seen. He began leading her over to the chair, but after a few steps, realised she was in immense pain trying to make the journey. In one fluid movement, he tucked his arm under her knees and lifted her up, making sure not to disturb the wound. Athena could not suppress the shock of suddenly being lifted and let out a little shriek, before settling in his arms. He sat her down in the chair and began examining the injuries. He gently brushed away some of her hair from the head wound to get a better view of it and make sure she had not fractured her skull. Without thinking, his hand came to rest on her cheek. Athena let out a gasp, not expecting the physical contact. Cullen was about to remove his hand but something about the soft skin under his fingertips and the warmth radiating from her kept his had glued in place. He looked into her eyes, finding only tenderness where he expected to see annoyance. That encouraged him to gently stroke his thumb along her cheekbone, watching as her eyelids fluttered shut and she leaned into his touch. His heart began beating faster as he watched the beautiful woman in front of him.
"Even when you're covered in blood, you're still beautiful". Maker's breath, did I say that out loud?
Athena's eyes darted open, widening in disbelief. I definitely said that out loud. He could feel heat rising to his cheeks as he realised his mistake but before either of them could say anything, Blackwall's voice thundered through the barn.
"Maker, what happened to the Inquisitor" and within seconds Cullen had pulled away from her and Blackwall was at their side.
"We need to take her to a healer immediately" came Blackwall's worried voice, as he began helping Athena up.
"I know" Cullen replied, looking down at the floor in defeat. You fool, she will never look at you the same now. You've ruined everything. He pushed himself onto his feet and assisted Blackwall in helping guide the Inquisitor to the healers, making sure the avoid as many people as possible so not to cause unnecessary panic. Once Athena was safely placed on an empty bed and the healers reassured him that she was going to be fine, he walked back to his office, unable to fend off the feeling of self-hatred.
Here is my next chapter. I hope you enjoy. Always happy to receive advice so feel free to leave a review! Until next time good people of the internet :)
Edit: I realised I had made a mistake with the companions I used, very sorry!
