Chapter 11
Two days went by until the party faced their next challenge in Emprise du Lion. They had stumbled upon another rift which appeared bigger than most. Athena knew it was going to be a difficult battle, however she underestimated the rift's power. Almost immediately they were faced with three rage demons who charged at the group. Cullen, Blackwall and Iron Bull attempted to keep the demons at bay, allowing Athena and Varric to attack from a far. Bianca fired arrow after arrow, as Athena made ice crawl up a rage demons flaming torso. At first this technique worked well and before long Blackwall's sword delivered a fatal blow into one of the demon's chest. It let out a painful scream as its body was absorbed back into the fade. Athena and Varric began focusing on the final two demons, unaware of the terror demon that had tunneled its way behind them. Cullen turned in time to spot the demon emerge from the ground and prepare to swipe at Athena's side.
"Watch out!" he yelled as he started running towards her, sword lifted and ready to strike. But his warning came too late and Athena felt the terror demon's claws slice through her skin before she saw the beast. She let out a pained cry as she was knocked into the tree that stood next to her, crushing her spine into the bark. The demon turned to attack her again and she desperately tried to reach for her staff that had been knocked from her hand. She closed her eyes, preparing for the blow as the demon's hand began making its decent, aiming at her head. However, not a second too soon, Cullen's sword sliced through the demon's arm, sending it whirling back in pain, screeching as it turned to protect its injured side. Cullen did not allow the demon any time to recover, piercing it with one final blow, banishing it back to the fade. He turned to Athena, kneeling beside her injured form and examining the wound to her side.
"Are you okay?" he asked, worry evident in his voice. She nodded as he helped her to her feet, unable to trust her own voice as pain coursed through her body. She picked up her staff, hand pressing against her bloodied side in an attempt to slow the bleeding. Before long they had managed to defeat the rest of the demons and Athena closed the rift without too much difficulty. Cullen reached her side, a health potion ready for her to take. With an appreciative smile she gulped it down and closed her eyes as she felt the potion ease away some of the pain and stop the flow of blood.
"Thank you, Cullen" she whispered once she was able to talk through the pain.
"We should return to camp so we can heal you properly. Ruffles will kill us if she hears we let the Inquisitor die from a few scratches!" Varric said light-heartedly as he began the trek back to camp. For once, Cullen was grateful for the words that came out of the dwarf's mouth.
Back at camp Athena disappeared into her tent, refusing the help of the mage healer situated there. She knew she needed to remain strong. She was the face of the Inquisition. Their beacon of hope. That is why she avoided seeing a healer unless it was vital. She knew if they saw her body, covered in scars and tell-tale signs of the struggle Thedas faced, people would begin to panic and lose hope. She couldn't allow that to happen. She sat down on her bed, wincing as the movement opened up one of her wounds and caused blood to trickle out onto her clothing. She began stripping away the layers, trying her best to muffle her cries of pain as she kept disturbing the cuts on her side. She managed to strip down to her final layer, a loose top, and lifted the material to assess the damage. There were three long gashes that ran from under her left breast, along her rib cage and stopped at the side of her back. They were deeper then she thought they would be. Another scar, she thought as she dipped a rag into some water to begin the process of washing her wound.
"Inquisitor" came his voice from outside. She quickly dropped her shirt, determined to hide the wounds from the world before beckoning him inside. He looked almost intimidating as the small confines of the tent emphasised his large frame. He had taken his armour off but still wore his usual clothing, finished off with the cap Athena had came to love. He looked down at her, trying not to panic as he saw the amount of blood that had soaked through her top.
"It looks worse than it is, I promise. Is there anything I can do for you, Commander?" she said, trying to sound like her usual self even as the pain was intensifying without treatment.
"Let me help" he begged, dropping to his knees so he was at her height.
"I can do it by myself, you do not need to worry yourself".
"Please". She looked into his eyes, golden orbs filled with worry and affection, pleading with her. She nodded. He removed his gloves, slowly approaching her. He placed his hands on the hem of her top and looked at her, making sure she was comfortable with him revealing her torso and exposing the injury. He gently lifted it up, uncovering the gashes and could not hide his anger as he saw the damage the terror demon had done. He exhaled through his nose and tried to banish the feeling, knowing he needed to focus all his attention on the woman before him. He picked up the sodden rag and began washing the three claw marks, trying to make the process as painless as possible. He winced every time she let out a pained whimper. I'm so sorry, he thought to himself over and over again but he knew he had to continue. After he had finished cleaning the wounds, he placed an elfroot mixture over the damaged areas, breathing a sigh of relief as Athena visibly relaxed, the formula helping ease the pain. Finally, he wrapped a bandage around her torso. He couldn't help but notice the amount of scars and bruises that covered her tiny frame. His stomach twisted in pain as he suddenly realised the amount suffering she had endured. Once he was finished, she quickly pulled down her top, clearly embarrassed by her battle wounds. Her eyes were glued to her feet as Cullen observed the woman in front of him. Is she worried I think she is weak because of the injuries she has received? Oh, you poor, beautiful woman. He placed his hand under her chin, lifting her head so she was looking at him.
"You are the strongest person I know. You have endured so much, suffered so much pain and yet you never give up. You never slow down. I don't know how you do it, but I can only hope that I can be as brave and strong as you are when the time comes". She searched his eyes, unsure whether he was telling her the truth but could only find honesty and admiration swimming in their depths. He offered her a gentle smile and allowed his thumb to trace her cheek. She found herself unable to move, captivated by the man in front of her. Slowly, he shifted, moving closer to Athena until their breath merged together and he was surrounded by her earthy sent. He could no longer think straight as he lost himself in her bright, green eyes. Neither knew who moved first but Athena felt Cullen's lips brush ever so softly against her own as her eyelids fluttered shut and her heart raced.
"How are you doing, Boss?" came Iron Bull's booming voice from outside the tent. Cullen jumped backwards, immediately placing a respectable distance between them. He let out an awkward cough as his cheeks burned red and his hand found its usual place on the back of his neck. Athena stared at the man, mouth slightly agape as realisation sunk in.
"Y-yes, I'm…fine" she forced herself to say as she continued to look at her Commander.
"Well…as long as you're sure, Boss" Iron Bull replied, slightly confused by her flustered tone but walking back to the fire anyhow.
"I-I'm so sorry, my lady. I don't know what came over me. It will never happen again" he gushed, refusing to look her in the eye and pulling himself off the floor. Athena leapt up, placing a hand on his arm and stopping him in his tracks.
"Wait!". She had no idea what she was going to say to him. She just knew she didn't want him to leave. Not yet. "Don't go" she whispered. He looked surprised at first, eyes wide as he stared down at her. But then he reached out a hand and cupped her face, tracing her cheekbone with his thumb and savouring the warmth of her skin. You're too beautiful to resist. He leaned down and captured her lips with his own. Gently, ever so gently. He relished the soft feel of her plump lips and the gentle gasp she released as he kissed her, making him smile. He let his other hand rest on her hip, settling comfortably around her curves. He felt her hands wind there way around his neck, making their way through the fur collar to find the warmth of his skin. Neither knew how much time had passed before they broke the kiss. Athena couldn't help but gaze into his eyes as he held her close, unwilling to let her go just yet.
"You're so beautiful" is all he could say. He always found it difficult to think around the Inquisitor, to captivated in her presence to form any thoughts. She did not reply. Instead she stood on her tip toes and captured his lips all over again. This time the kiss was full of unspoken passion and desperate need. She clung to his frame, pulling herself as close as she could to his body. She felt his tongue graze against her lips and immediately let him in, desperate to allow him to explore her mouth. His hand made its was into her lose curls, holding tightly as if she was about to slip away. She let out a moan as his tongue danced with hers. Emotions neither were willing to admit to coming to life. No longer could the pair deny the affection they felt for each other. Eventually, they pulled apart. A need for air making it impossible to stay in that moment forever, as much as they both wished they could. Athena could not stop the grin that spread across her face, a grin which Cullen mirrored, not caring how stupid he may have looked.
"Inquisitor, I have a report for you" a soldier bellowed into the tent. Athena looked towards the sound before stealing one last glance at Cullen. He nodded at her, letting her know he knew she had to return to her duties and watched her slip out of the tent. Makers breath, he thought to himself as he slipped out after her and joined the others by the fire.
So it happened! I stole some ideas from the base game (aka the interruption and suitable amounts of awkwardness) but wanted to put my own spin on it. I hope you enjoy and feel free to leave a review to let me know what you think. Enjoy, you lovely people!
