"Cullen!" Dawn squeaked, backing against the door, mortified. He was standing with Tanya by Falion, having waited for her. His face was pale, and his eyes were baggy and tired. The man's eyebrows were furrowed, and he took in the Inquisitor, mouth opening slightly. His eyes widened as he found himself shocked by her appearance. She shrank back, wishing she could turn invisible as he took her in with a strange expression. "I- I'm sorry, please-" She silenced as Cullen approached her. When he was but a few inches away, a silence fell between them. The Inquisitor couldn't speak; any words she had planned for this moment were dashed away.
Gingerly, he took her hands. His expression softened. "Are you...are you okay?" He shook his head. "Of course you're not okay, what am I saying, I..." He stopped himself as he took in the fact that she was shaking like a leaf, for once looking terrified. The former templar pulled her in for a tight hug, and while Dawn was stunned for a second, she returned the hug, burying her face in his coat.
"I love you more than I could put in words, Dawn," Cullen murmured, "no matter what. We'll get through this together, I promise."
She began to stiffen less, and relax. "You mean it?" she whispered, fighting back tears. No, she wouldn't cry. Not in front of them. Cullen squeezed her tighter, rubbing her back with a hand. He closed his eyes, sighing, trying to warm her up with his body heat; she was still ice cold.
"Of course I do," he reassured, opening his eyes again to take in the vampire hugging him. "You could have died, I...I don't know what I would do if Serana didn't...turn you." When he pulled away, he turned his attention to Falion, keeping an arm around his beloved. "About the cure..."
The mage shook his head. "I can perform it, but not today. The dawn has passed, and the ritual will not work unless it's dawn. You're going to have to wait another day, but I promise that in the morning that I can fix this."
"Tomorrow?" Sera snapped, flustered, "Why won't your ritual-thingy work now?"
The mage gave her a disdainful look. "It has to do with the position of the sun and the movements of the Oblivion planes for..." He cut himself off at Sera's unaltered expression. "...it just doesn't. Now..." He turned to the Dragonborn, who had gone mostly silent. "I assume you remember where we cured you of your vampirism? Meet me there at five in the morning. No later than six. Then we'll see about curing your friend."
"Understood." Tanya replied with a curt bow. Dawn groaned and looked down, while Cullen squeezed her hand.
"I know this isn't ideal, but at least there is a cure. As I said, we'll make it through this. One more day." he reassured. Dorian crossed his arms, scowling.
"What is she supposed to do until then? Burn to death in the sun?"
"Don't be absurd," Falion dismissed, waving a hand, "try taking her to the cave the Dragonborn cleared out north of town: Movarth's former lair. It's dark and should be a safe hiding spot for her, at least until dawn."
No one looked pleased with his response, but they knew there was nothing they could do about it. It was simply a waiting game by this point. Tanya and Vidar took up leading the group out of the hut, meeting up with the others waiting outside, and began the way to the cave.
As soon as Dawn stepped out from under the porch's shade, she recoiled, feeling the sensation of pulling herself out of a fire, and retreated back into the shade, biting back a cry of pain. The sun felt as though it was trying to burn through her skin, and her blood boiled in the sun. All of the others stopped and turned back to the Inquisitor, who steadied herself, trying to decide how to go about getting off of Falion's porch. A guilty look came across Dorian, Vivienne, and Sera again, while the others just winced and gave her a pitiful look. The Herald hated their despair, grumbling under her breath as she looked down. Serana merely sighed; the sun still hurt her, too, but it was worse on fledglings.
Cullen took off his coat and pulled it over the Inquisitor's head, shielding her from the sun. Slowly, he walked with her off of the porch, into the sun. She still felt the sun beating upon her, but its effects were lessened by the coat. Gratefully, she smiled at the commander, who only smiled briefly to see her look at all relieved. Quickly his smile dashed away as she obviously tried to hide any discomfort she still felt.
Bull moved until his shadow fell upon her, and the others quickly followed suit. They ignored the odd looks the villagers were giving them as they passed, while Dawn was grateful but also still incredibly embarrassed by their fussing. It didn't take long to reach the old cave. Dawn scurried inside quickly, finding relief from the oppressive sun.
The others shared a look and followed in after her as she stopped and looked over the railing into the cave below. It felt creepy, remnants from horrors warning them against staying. She looked back outside and, for the first time in her life, found herself afraid of the sunlight.
"Sharp, it's so dark, glowing golden eyes in the dark, knives dripping red, screams in the night, don't struggle, it will be easier for you and me if you don't struggle. Toss them into the pit when you're done, useless now. They're beneath us, nothing more than sheep to a slaughter." Cole murmured. "Bad things happened here."
"Creepy, shut it, now." Sera growled as the Inquisitor steadied herself against the rail, shaking. Cullen approached her, as she obviously fought back tears.
"Dawn?" he murmured. "Let's get you further in; you'll be safe. None of us will let harm fall upon you."
"I fear we already have..." Vivienne muttered. She put a hand on the Inquisitor's shoulder and pulled her along down the ramp into the cave. "Let's get you inside and then have a look at your skin. You may have gotten a sunburn, and I'll give you a poultice for it."
The Inquisitor looked down at her feet as she walked. Cole frowned. "You're not like them. You're still you."
"Thank you, Cole." the Inquisitor murmured. She still sounded unconvinced.
Vivienne tended to sunburns incurred on the Inquisitor's behalf when they reached the inside, which still smelled faintly of death. To the others, anyways. To Serana and Dawn, it was still reeking of the horrors that occurred beforehand. Both silently thanked the fact that vampires didn't have to breath, and held their breaths.
A few people tried to speak with the Inquisitor, but she politely brushed them away and scurried deeper into the cave, hiding herself. Cullen wanted to follow, but Cassandra urged him to let her take time to herself. Reluctantly, the man agreed, but he kept sending glances down the tunnel she went through.
A long, aged table which had splotches stained with blood, the color never leaving, was by the little cave within the cave the Inquisitor retreated into. The other settled around the table, looking for spots the least stained with blood. A silence fell as no one spoke. Eventually, Sera couldn't take it anymore. She groaned.
"This is the friggin' pits," she complained, rocking back and forth in the chair haphazardly, "I wish Dawnly would come out," the elf said loudly, looking towards the cave, "she always makes me drink too much. She's fun." No response came, and she growled. "Come on, Inky, we're all okay with you, you're not like-"
"Leave her be," Solas interrupted, giving the younger elf a stern look, "she needs to think this over; she needs time to cope with her emotions by herself."
Sera pouted. "But...but she..."
"She knows we still love her," Dorian reassured, "she just...she just needs time."
"To what? Mope?" Sera growled, frustrated. Cole looked up to the rogue and began speaking again.
"It's not like her to mope. Dawnly always tries to pretend like she's sunny, like an actual dawn. She cares and she cares and she cares, why won't she let me care?" Cole read. Before Sera could open her mouth to protest, he continued. "She's scared. She knows you all care but worries you'll stop caring if she asks for too much attention or care. Her birth parents left her with that worry, a remnant, a warning that the ones who love you can turn on you the moment something is wrong."
He looked down. "Drowning, screaming, I can't breathe, make it stop, make it stop. The leeches hurt, I'm not sick, why are there leeches? They realize that the magic can't be drowned and they call the templars. They don't look at her, try not to hear her screams as the templars take her away. Useless as a heir, useless for anything, she's a monster, an abomination waiting to happen. If we pretend her screaming and tears aren't real, she isn't real. She can't be our daughter, why did the Maker punish us?"
"Drowning?" Dorian asked. His eyes widened as he remembered the book of superstitions to 'cure' magic in children from the abandoned chateau in the Emerald Graves. "...Oh. Oh no..." He ran a hand over his head, looking down at the table. "I had no idea..."
"What? What are you talking about?" Sera blurted. Cassandra picked up the codex- Dawn had left it with her- and turned it to the relevant entry. The woman was fuming, glaring down at the table. Cullen leaned over the elf's shoulder as he read the entry. The former templar didn't gasp or appear shocked; he merely turned a shade of red with anger, glaring at the book.
"Those monsters..." he snapped. "...they just...I understand sending for a templar to escort her to a Circle, but they way they acted in some foolish attempt to get 'rid' of the magic was inexcusable!" He didn't ask himself why she didn't tell him. After all, he never spoke of what happened to him in Ferelden's Circle, save for once to Dawn with few details about the torture, who had listened so patiently, so sympathetically.
Sera sputtered and growled. "Oh, when we go back to Thedas, her parents are getting arrows! Arrows everywhere!"
"Why did she never say anything?" Blackwall asked aloud. "I would have been happy to hear her out."
"She's scared," Cole repeated, "if I tell them, give them too much of my burden, they'll think I'm weird, they won't care anymore. The only way they'll care is if I care and care and care. They're more important than me. Pang of hurt when they hurt, not the same but similar, have to care about them. I can't lose them."
"Leliana pulled together a file on the Inquisitor when she joined," Cassandra muttered, "the servants we interviewed from the Trevelyan household gave us reason to suspect she had been emotionally abused as a little girl before going to the Circle. We didn't know they practically tortured her to try to get rid of the magic." The seeker sighed. "We also understood that Senior Enchanter Lydia became akin to her surrogate mother, and raised her exceptionally well, but..."
"Emotional abuse can last forever, my dear," Vivienne pointed out, "Lydia was the best possible woman to raise her. It could have been far worse, but the psychological impact may never go away." Her eyes narrowed. "I'll have to go something about Bann Trevelyan's reputation. The right words to the right people..."
Bull grunted. "She did her best, but I could tell from her mannerisms. She hid it badly; I knew someone had been abusive to her at some point." He crossed his arms. "That explains it."
Cole frowned. "Cold, cold, cold, the blood drops from the bottle, tastes it in her mouth, sweet, too good, no. Serana's face tells her all she needs to know, that they know, they know she's a vampire. Gut dropping, heart already stopped but freezing, they won't want me now, won't care about me, I should have known that it'd end like this again, I can't breathe, can't hear anything but my fear. Run. Run, run, run..."
Everyone looked guilty when the spirit was done talking. "Maker, no, of course not..." Dorian whispered gently.
"What sort of people would we be if we did such a thing?" Vivienne snapped. "After she saved us? My feelings on the vast majority of vampires is still unchanged, but I can't blame her for this." She exhaled sharply. "This is my fault. I will see this through with her." Her eyes hardened. "And if any of you tell anyone outside of this room, it will be your worst mistake."
"She saved my life." Sera breathed. "She did the whole acceptance thing I wasn't used. Well," she declared, looking serious, "I'll show her that it goes both ways, yeah?"
"So, let's keep showing her that we do care about her, as a friend," Varric added, "if she doesn't want long speeches and talks about it, let's go about it by just being a friend. I think maybe another game of Wicked Grace would be in order, soon."
Serana peered over at Tanya, who had been silent, looking down at the table. "Tanya?" Her voice made the Dragonborn jump in surprise to attention. "You've been-"
"...I had no idea," Tanya confessed, "I was so jealous of her for so long, so silently, because she seemed so self-assured. She made running the Inquisition, and being a chosen one, seem so easy!" She scoffed. "I thought... I thought I was doing something wrong by thinking this all to be so difficult, but I'm not alone. She knows. She's in the same boat I am, in a way." She looked down at the table. "I'll...I'll help her like she's helped me. I'll try. If she can get through this, I can get through my own problems."
There was shuffling by the mouth of the cave where Dawn was hiding. They looked up to see the Inquisitor's eyes and her mark glowing in the darkness, barely at all illuminated by candles. A moment's silence passed, and Cullen cleared his throat and stood up. "Dawn..."
"I heard." She walked down to them. She was smiling for the first time since last night, and powerfully. The mage almost looked like she wanted to cry. Her eyes shifted to Varric. "So, about Wicked Grace..."
The dwarf held the cards up with a grin. "Ready to lose all your coin again?"
The Inquisitor giggled. "We'll see, Varric. We'll see." She headed down and sat down by Cullen, who scooted over to make space for her. As Varric began dealing the cards, Vivienne turned her attention to Tanya, giving her a suspicious look.
"Tanya, darling, you said that you were...infected not long ago. What exactly were the circumstances behind that?" she questioned. Tanya blushed and tried to make herself look small, while Vidar glared at her.
"None of your business," he snapped, "what's important is that my sister knew just the man for the cure, and-"
"-it's okay, Vidar," Tanya interrupted, nonetheless sounding uncertain, "I'll tell her." She avoided eye contact, but started speaking nonetheless. "Serana and I went looking for her mum in Castle Volkihar secretly and we found a portal leading to the Soul Cairn a plane of Oblivion she was in except only only undead can be in there and-"
"Woah, woah, woah, slow down there, little ataashi," Bull interrupted, patting her back, "maybe let Serana explain? You talk fast when you're nervous."
The two women shared a look, and Serana told them the truth.
Night had fallen, and Dawn and Cullen had settled in the room she hid in beforehand. She had tried to warn him against staying with her, but he stalwartly remained at her side, now that she was letting others come and be around her again. After Wicked Grace, she had gone to take a long nap, and he had followed.
They laid there for awhile in silence, staring up at the ceiling vacantly. Neither were sure of what to say for what felt like hours until Dawn cleared her throat.
"So, um...how did Leliana and Josephine take the news?" she asked hesitantly. Cullen rolled his head to her, meeting her eyes. He kept himself from reacting in surprise to her yellow and red vampiric eyes and sighed.
"Leliana praised Serana for doing what she did and was mostly unaffected by the news, once she heard there was a cure. To her, this is just a thing born out of necessity. Though, I would expect a proper scolding from her when we get back about being more careful. She said she would do so." He shrugged. "Josephine was less calm about it. She was terrified that you wouldn't get the cure, and was fretting about how we were going to hide your...condition from Thedas after the initial shock. When she heard about the cure, she was still panicky, and she fretted greatly about your well-being. I believe I saw her still trying to figure out how to keep this under the table, just in the event things don't go as we planned." At his beloved's worried expression, he cleared his throat. "Not that they won't. We'll get you the cure, I promise."
Dawn nodded, and looked away, trying to decide whether or not to ask the question that was at the back of her head. Cullen frowned. "Is there something else you wanted to say? I'm here for you. You can tell me."
She groaned and turned her eyes back to him. "How did you react? I mean, finding out your girlfriend's been turned into a blood-sucking leech of the night was probably not the greatest thing to hear."
"You're not a leech." he growled. "Don't talk about yourself like that; you're no monster." he reassured. Cullen didn't respond any further for a moment. When he gathered himself, his voice rasped out as he began speaking. "I was terrified."
"Oh." Dawn's voice barely held back her disappointment. The commander's eyes widened.
"No! No, not of you, never of you." he reassured. "For you. Maker, the pain you must have gone through...you almost died. For a minute, I thought Tanya was about to tell me you died. My heart practically stopped right before she clarified that you were a...well, she told me the whole situation, and I demanded to come. I needed to be here for you."
The Inquisitor cracked a smile. "I...thank you. When I woke up after being turned, I was so worried about how you'd react..."
"I would never abandon you. Through good or ill, I'm here for you. Even if there wasn't a cure..." He sucked in a breath. "I'd do anything it takes to stay with you. Anything."
The Herald's eyes widened. "Even...?"
"Even that," Cullen reassured, "if...if it came to that. For now, let us get some rest. You certainly need it."
They slept for several hours, and eventually Dawn blinked her eyes open and yawned. She smiled briefly as she felt Cullen's arm around her, holding her tight, keeping her safe. He was still asleep, snoring gently. Everything was peaceful only for a moment longer. She bit back a gasp as her vision reddened briefly, and her senses heightened. Cullen's blood was suddenly much more acutely present to her, as was the smells of everyone else in the vicinity.
Her throat began to burn again. "No...fuck." she cursed. No, she couldn't be hungry. Not again. She didn't want to feed again.
She looked back at Cullen and she grimaced with guilt. The Inquisitor tried to wriggle out from under his arm, and was left cursing the fact he was a light sleeper when he moaned and the sheets rustled. His eyes blinked open slowly, though she kept the back of her head turned to him, lest he see her face. She remembered that vampires' features were more accentuated as they got hungrier, and she wouldn't let him see her like that.
"Where are you going?" he murmured drowsily. "Everything alright?"
"Yes," she lied, "I think it's dark outside, now, and if it is, I want to go for a small walk, maybe. Get some air or..."
"I'll come with you," he interrupted, yawning, "just...just give me a minute to..."
"No!" she snapped, more harshly than she would have wanted. She still refused to look back at him. "I, er...I'd like a little time alone, I..."
"I know, but it's dangerous out there, and..." He paled. "...oh. Are...are you...?"
She didn't say anything, and she exhaled sharply. "Please go. I can hold off long enough to get turned back to normal by Falion, and I really don't want to..." They heard footsteps, and saw Cole peek in around the corner. He looked towards the Inquisitor, whose eyes widened. "Cole..."
He disappeared before she could protest. She let out a loud groan, knowing he was going to tell the others she was thirsty. Cullen stood up and got his armor back on, and when he looked back to his lover, she was avoiding his gaze still. He sighed. "I'm going to have a word with the others and get you something. Just stay here for now."
"Okay." The response was half-hearted, and Cullen knew she didn't want to speak on the matter any further. She knew it was too late to hide it. The commander headed out to the hall, where several of the others were talking lowly, having been told by Cole the situation.
"It's not a matter for debate, my dear," Vivienne said sternly, facing a frustrated Sera, "the Inquisitor presents a danger to herself and to us if she doesn't."
"But she doesn't friggin' want to," the rogue protested, "it's only a few more hours until Falion can fix this."
Dorian frowned, arms crossed. "Cole made it sound like she really doesn't want to...how dangerous is it if she waits just a few hours? It will be dawn for Dawn in just a few hours."
Serana had her hands on her hips, lips pursed briefly. "I know she doesn't want to, but it's not good to stave off feeding, especially in fledglings. I need to take her out into the woods to find something." She looked up as Cullen approached. "How is she?"
"She's not letting me look at her directly. I woke up when she tried to leave; she asked me to leave the room, and I told her I'd discuss the situation with you all." he answered. Cassandra shrugged.
"There's not much to discuss. It..." She made a disgusted noise. "It's not something that any of us are pleased about, but it's for her own good. Serana will be taking her momentarily to go hunting." The seeker paused. "Wait. Where did Cole go?"
The spirit-turned-somewhat-human had disappeared after giving them the news. The next several moments were spent looking for him, but when they finally returned to the meeting spot to wait for him, he appeared. He seemed to just appear by the entrance, carrying two bottles full of red. A few of the others tried not to gag at the sight.
"Cole, where did you get that?" Cassandra asked, blanching. "That's not...human blood, is it?"
"No. The deer was already dying, old and too slow to keep up with the others. He didn't mind helping." Cole said calmly. He passed one of the bottles to Serana and then moved back to the Inquisitor's room, bottle in hand.
Dawn looked up from a corner of the room she was hunched in as the boy entered, brandishing the bottle. He walked up to her and knelt down by her side, popping open the bottle. The smell from it wafted immediately to her nose, and against her will, her mouth watered. Dismayed, she covered her nose and looked away.
"You're thirsty." Cole said plaintively. "You need to drink. It will help."
She looked back up to him tiredly. He was holding the bottle out and staring at her quietly. Reaching for it, she took the flask, and stared into it nervously. Her hands shook. Cole steadied it by putting his palm on the bottom and pushing it towards her. Her mouth opened and he held the bottle up as it drained into her mouth.
When she was done, he put the cork back in and smiled at her. "You're not a monster." he reassured, and he sat down beside her in silence as the pain began to subside. "You're my friend."
The mage laughed weakly. "You're my friend, too, Cole."
An hour passed. Dawn had requested alone time, and the others allowed it. Again, an uncomfortable lull fell over the cave, and Dawn sulked by herself, head hanging down. The blood was good. Too good...silently she prayed to the Maker to forgive her, paranoid that it was sin.
She heard footsteps and peered over at the mouth of the tunnel into her room to see Dorian stroll in. His eyes were like sad puppy eyes, full of sympathy, and he cleared his throat. "I know you said you wanted to be alone, but it's been an hour, and..." He sighed. "Room for two over there?"
The Inquisitor said nothing, but did get up and move onto the mattress someone had left behind in the cave. Likely, it belonged to the vampire who once lived there. Dorian bowed his head and sat on the bed next to her, and it squeaked under his weight. He hunched over, trying to see her face that she hid with loose hair hanging. The altus brushed some of it aside and saw her.
Her face was red, tears having fallen recently. Quietly, he pulled her in for a hug, and she allowed it, burying her head in his shoulder.
"You're a stubborn woman, you know?" he murmured. She weakly chuckled.
"Yeah. I am."
"You don't look out for yourself at all. It was foolhardy to do what you did. You would have died if Serana wasn't there." he scolded. Dawn snorted.
"I'd do it again in a heartbeat. Well, if I had one, anyways." she replied coolly. Dorian groaned.
"Festis bei umo canavarum!" he cursed, groaning. He rolled his eyes as Dawn began to giggle madly. "You're impossible!" Still, he smiled as she laughed. "Listen," he continued soberly, looking her in the eyes; admittedly, he had to stop himself from looking surprised, still, from the eyes of a vampire that bore into his. She seemed to be able to tell, and he felt a pang of guilt as she tried to look away. "Dawn, please, look at me."
After a second of hesitation, she obeyed, and her eyes returned to his. "Dawn, you're my best friend. The best one I have. When enough time passes, we can claim to rival Hawke and Varric's friendship. I'd never abandon you over a little thing like you becoming a vampire."
"I know..." she muttered.
"I know that you know, but I also know that you're doubting, constantly, in some part of your mind. I know you can't help it, but..." He shrugged. "I suppose I'm just trying to say that we're friends. We're here for each other. You were there for me when my father came, and I only wish I could have been there for you even before I knew you."
"Ah. With my parents." She forced a smile. "It's...it's okay. It worked out in the end, didn't it?"
Dorian scowled. "Vishante kaffas, woman, you don't have to smile. Stop pretending; it doesn't change the fact that they hurt you. They made you this paranoid." His eyes softened. "Well, if something like this happens again...say, you ingest werewolf blood supposedly by accident like Vidar, do keep in mind that I and the others will be here to help. I know for a fact that Cullen will, too." He sighed. "You're here for me, and I'm here for you. I presume that works for you?"
The Inquisitor laughed, truly smiling. "Yes. That works for me. Sappy arse..."
"That's what I'm here for. And to look dashing." Dorian laughed. "Now, try to get some rest. We'll wake you soon to head out."
"You'll be rising at dawn, Dawn!" Sera's familiar voice came, and the elf was giggling from around the door. Dawn giggled immaturely, while Dorian just rolled his eyes again.
"You two..."
"Yeah, well, I heard all that emotional pish." Sera blurted. "Same for me, Dawnly. Same for all of us. Even Vivvy, oh-so-prim. She's listening in behind me and everything!"
Vivienne's exasperated sigh was audible. "Thank you, darling. I was trying to wait for the polite moment to step in and say my piece."
"Ah, well, it's the same sentiment. We all love you, and you've risked your neck for us lots of times!" Sera said cheerfully. "Friends, Inky. Forever and ever. Even if you're a touch batty. And since your mum and dad were such shit, I've decided that I'm your mum now."
The Inquisitor's nose wrinkled. "Sera, I'm five years older than you-"
"I. Am. Your. Mum. Now."
"Yes, don't talk back to your mother." Dorian agreed, laughing. Dawn rolled her eyes and giggled.
"Nerds."
While the ritual distressed several of the Inner Circle when the details were revealed, they nevertheless found themselves shivering in the cold, the stench of the marsh around them permeating the air. Cullen was hugging the Inquisitor tightly, and eventually Falion ordered him out of the ritual circle. Reluctantly, he pulled away with a nervous backwards glance, while she tried to reassure him with a tired smile.
Tanya squeezed her hand silently before pulling away, having warned her of the pain. They nodded to each other silently. Finally, all save for the Inquisitor were surrounding the circle, staring, waiting. Falion lifted the soul gem in the air and the ritual began. She found herself grateful for it; the sun was beginning to burn her skin ever so slightly as it rose.
"I call upon Oblivion realms. The home of those who are not our ancestors. Answer my plea!"
"As in death there is new life, in Oblivion there is a beginning for that which has ended."
"I call forth that power! Accept the soul that we offer!"
"As the sun ends the night, end the darkness of this soul, return life to the creature you see before you!"
She suddenly realized that everything Tanya warned her about did nothing to prepare her for the pain as the intense heat burned throughout her. She forced herself not to scream in pain as she fell, just as intense pain hit her chest, thumping hard, forced to restart. She gasped audibly, sucking in as much air as she could, though all the magic around her made it difficult.
Finally, the magic faded, and she slumped, panting tiredly, feeling too hot. She was still dazed as the others scrambled to her side. Cullen held her up in his arms, kneeling down, checking her vital signs. When her eyes blinked open to reveal green, cheers erupted from the group. She was felt several people hug her, though she was too dazed to figure out who aside from Cullen.
Cullen kissed her on the head and turned to Falion, exhaling. "Thank you. We'll take her home from here."
"Travel safely," Falion replied calmly, "I understand your vampire friend only has one of those black soul gems left. Get yourselves home, and be more careful."
"Oh, we will," Vivienne promised, looking relieved, "the Void will freeze over before we let her come back here again." Dawn let out a groan, and the enchantress gave her a stern look. "Don't argue, darling. It's because we care."