Alex huffed out a breath, bending over as she propped her hands on her knees to ease her breathing. She had the letters from Samson that they've gathered from Emprise Du Lion, but after riding hard and going up all the stairs that led to Cullen's tower, she was visibly tired and winded.

"Maker's breath, why does this place have so many stairs?" She told herself as she straightened, and put her hands on her hips, "Even the Circle tower in Oswick wasn't this high."

She took a deep breath and exhaled again, before walking forward towards Cullen's door. "Cullen, I'm back. I have the letters that we got from Emprise Du Lion. And… Cullen?"

She looked up at the Commander's desk to see the man hunched over, looking at a small box on his table. As he looked up, she noticed visible signs of fatigue on his face, and his eyes looked drawn. She approached the table, "Cullen, what's wrong?"

"As leader of the Inquisition, you…" Cullen started, before he sighed, looking at the box on the table again before straightening, "There's something that I must tell you."

"Whatever it is, I'm willing to listen, Cullen." She answered, but she couldn't help but fear for the man, as he sounded so exhausted.

"Right… thank you." Cullen said, smiling a little at her, before looking down at the box again, "Lyrium grants templars our abilities, but it controls us as well. Those cut off suffer… some go mad, others die. We have secured a reliable source of lyrium for the templars here, but I… no longer take it."

Alex's eyes widened at the man's confession, "You stopped?"

"When I joined the Inquisition." Cullen admitted, "It's been months now."

Her breath got caught in her throat in fear, "Cullen, if this can kill you…"

"It hasn't yet." He said, looking back at her, "After what happened at Kirkwall, I couldn't. I will not be bound to the order… or to that life any longer. Whatever the suffering I would accept it, but I will not put the Inquisition at risk. I've asked Cassandra to… watch me. If my ability to lead is compromised, I will be relieved from duty."

She bit her lip, looking over at the templar. As a mage, she could handle lyrium, but she knew from her studies in the Circle that normal people could find the substance addicting, and from what Cullen had told her before, Samson was once a templar exiled from the order who did crimes just to fulfill his lyrium addiction. She couldn't help but fear and be worried for him. "Are you… in pain?"

"I can endure it." Cullen said fiercely, and she couldn't help but admire the man for his determination. She smiled at him, "Thank you for telling me. I respect… and admire what you're doing."

Cullen blinked, and smiled shyly, "Thank you, Inquisitor. The Inquisition's army must always take priority. Should anything happen, I will defer to Cassandra's judgement."

Alex nodded, before putting the letters she found on his table, "We found this in Emprise Du Lion. You were right, Samson is behind the red lyrium smuggling."

Cullen nodded as he looked at them, "I see. I will ask Leliana to find out more with her people. I will send a raven to your destination when I find out anything."

"We'll be heading to Crestwood." She said, "I've heard troubling reports from Scout Harding about the area, and we'll be meeting with Hawke's Warden contact there."

"Understood, Inquisitor. I wish you luck in your endeavor." The Commander said, being all business again as he rifled through the papers. She nodded as she headed towards the door, intent on gathering supplies for their trip again, but she turned back to look at him, "Cullen?"

"Yes, Inquisitor?" Cullen said, looking at her.

She smiled warmly at him, but as his honey amber eyes met hers, she felt the warmth creep up her cheeks again, "Take care of yourself."

Cullen blinked, but soon he smiled, the fatigue in his features disappearing, "And you as well, Inquisitor. Come back to m… us unharmed."

She nodded, before turning away, to head down to the War Room again, the cold mountain wind cooling her blushing cheeks, drawn up in a happy smile.