Of Arguments

"You've only just survived Haven, and have hardly rested. You're not leading a scouting party!" Cullen sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose as he heard Cassandra's voice echo through their little camp. It was far too early for another argument to break out among them, considering they only just stopped arguing about where to go a few hours before.

This argument, though, was one that could easily end up with the Herald dogpiled by not just Cassandra, but Leliana, Josephine, and, he would admit it, himself as well. Perhaps even a few of her companions, like Blackwall or Bull. He was actually surprised it was Solas who gave her the idea for such a thing after only one night of fitful rest and healing. While Cullen did not doubt Solas' skill involving healing and magic, even he knew a person needed more than one night of rest after being found in the condition she was in.

"I'm fine, Cassandra. But if we continue to stay here, then everyone else won't be!"

He ran his hand down the rest of his face as said woman's voice rose. He had rarely heard her raise her voice, as she always made sure to stay level even in the face of adversity. And usually, she only lost that when someone else was in danger. But they were all still testy and too shaken by what had happened to have civil disagreements about anything.

Solas came to stand beside him. "I would intervene myself, but I have a feeling that will only end poorly for me."

Despite his tiredness, his agitation, his lingering anger at himself and the elf for even suggesting a scouting trip to the north, Cullen chuckled once. "I think we all share your opinion on that." He nodded to the area around their campsite, as all of those in her inner circle stayed just on the fringes, watching, but not daring to interfere. Both women were stubborn and prideful, and clung to their ideals with fervor. To step between them when both were on edge just as much as, if not more so than, the rest was not a smart move.

"I only hope they do not kill each other, and the rest of the camp settling it."

Cullen sighed again. "Tell me about it."

But someone needed to do it. They had been having her make the hard decisions from the beginning, having her go out into the world with little rest and hope she fixed the problems plaguing people everywhere. The consequences for doing so were something he hoped he could bear.

He stepped up to them just as Cassandra got in Trevelyan's face. "Your life is not something the rest of us take lightly! Stop throwing it away!"

"You've all been content to let me do it before!"

Quickly inserting himself between the two, he pushed Cassandra back. "Enough! Both of you. We've already agreed to this venture, and fought enough last night."

Cassandra narrowed her eyes, a frown setting heavily enough on her face that he worried she might pull her sword on him. "I never agreed to this."

He felt Trevelyan lean around him. "Because it's my decision!"

"I said enough!" He rubbed his forehead, feeling another headache ready to emerge. It was too early and too soon for such a fight. "Arguing about this venture will do nothing but prolong it. The sooner it's done, the sooner we can move past it." He crossed his arms when he could tell that neither woman was ready to back down and let this go. They were just like the rest of them were the other night, looking for an excuse to lash out at the pain they were all feeling.

"Go take it out on the recruits," he said, not flinching away from Cassandra's harsh stare. "Now."

Cassandra made a noise of disgust before throwing up her hands and stomping away. He didn't take his eyes off her even as he said, "Show's over. Back to work!" And the rest of the camp jumped and hurriedly returned to their tasks, not wanting to give another leader another reason to be pissed.

Then, he finally turned around to face down the source of the morning's problems as she sighed in what he could only call relief. He had saved her for last, because he wasn't sure how long his own anger could last in the face of the one person he was so glad to still have among them. The one person he cared for more than their titles allowed. "Don't be so relieved. Do you even have an idea of what she—of what anyone of us are feeling at the moment?"

She sighed, blowing an errant piece of hair that didn't make it into her normal bun. He wasn't surprised. "Of course I—"

"No, I don't think you do," he cut her off. "We watched you stay behind to save us. We found you near death. And now after only a night of scant rest and healing, you want to traipse about the Frostbacks looking for Maker knows what, Maker knows where!" He sighed yet again, a new record for being awake only an hour. Then, quieter, he continued, for her ears only. "Your ribs are still bandaged so as not to undo Solas' work. And yet, that's exactly what you're going to do. And with his blessing."

"It's fine," she said. He noticed the way her jaw tensed as she looked at him. "You all will be following right behind me, and he is coming with me. If anything happens, he'll be right there to fix it. And you will be there too, to fight it if it's too much." Then she looked away with a heavy sigh, and she finally relaxed her jaw, her voice dropping to match his. "This needs to happen. If there's a chance of a new base, then we have to seize it. The people need it."

"That doesn't mean any of us have to like it." He gestured around them, to her companions that still kept one eye on her. "You don't realize what you mean to…to everyone. Think before you act so foolishly."

She looked back at him, her face resolute and just as grim as the moment she made her decision to meet the Elder One face-to-face. "I am. I have."

And he knew the truth of that, just as well as he knew his hands. "I know that. I'm asking you to see it from their perspective."

She sighed, averting her eyes to the horizon and losing that grim determination he both admired and detested. "I know. And sorry."

He half-heartedly smirked. "Don't apologize to me. That's what you and Cassandra should be doing." He turned to head back to his own tent, to prepare for the march behind her and Solas.

But she grabbed his forearm, stopping him from taking more than two steps away from her. When he glanced over his shoulder at her, he could only just see the slightest blush on her cheeks as she stared at the ground away from him. "Solas told me about last night, Commander. So… Well, I just wanted to say thank you. For…for everything you did."

With his free hand, he rubbed the back of his neck and cleared his throat. "I simply beat Cassandra there, Your Worship. No need for thanks." And he walked away from her as fast as he could, thanking the Maker again for all the work that needed to be done so he couldn't make more of a fool of himself in front of her.

Was I the only one utterly surprised by how everyone just let the PC go off wandering the Frostbacks alone for a castle right after surviving everything that happened at Haven? I can't imagine there not being at least one argument about that...

As always, thank you all for the lovely reviews, faves and follows! They always make my day.