I Dreamed a Dream (of banana pancakes) - A Dragon Age Inquistion Fan Fiction by Foxfire79 (Cullen/Inquisitor)
Disclaimer: I don't work for Bioware, nor have I ever been involved with the creation of any of the characters within the Dragon Age universe. I'm just playing with them (as we were meant to). The only original characters are the ones I created in-game, and have brought over to the fanfic universe: Ceridwen Cousland, my human female rogue Grey Warden from DA:O, Rhiannon Hawke, my female rogue from DAII, and most importantly Lilah Trevelyan, my human female rogue Inquisitor who is currently breaking heads and taking names while tearing around Thedas. Apparently I like being a rogue, human and female. Who knew?
Previously...
"Cullen... Is this actually happening?"
His eyes sprang open, and he pulled back, surveying her face. She looked confused, but not upset, like she was desperately trying to figure out if she was dreaming the entire situation or not. She was giving him an easy way out. He could tell her right now that everything that had happened between them had actually happened, that his feelings were real, that he wanted to pursue a relationship with her. He could tell her right now that he wanted to spend the rest of his life bringing her to the height of her pleasure, just so he could see that fulfilled look on her face. He suddenly remembered the look on her face when she'd first seen his bare torso, and wondered what look she'd have for him if she saw the rest of his body. He hoped she'd be just as pleased. He took a deep breath, then stopped. The damnable sleeping potions. His hands turned to fists in the bedclothes, and he sighed, pulling back.
"You know this is just a dream, Lilah. Do you think I'd actually act without restraint like this in reality? As much as I'd like to..."
Lilah pulled him close again, pushing her lips hard against his, meshing her fingers into his hair, eventually pulling him down on top of her onto the mattress.
"I don't think I want this dream to end, then."
Now...
Lilah blinked awake slowly, and stretched languorously as she sat up in bed. What an amazing dream! An entire evening in the company of the handsome Commander, culminating in seeing him shirtless (finally), kissing for what had seemed like hours, and having him pressed against her in the most intimate of embraces... She sighed happily and fell back against the pillows, grinning like a fool. The light pouring into the room fell across the pillows where her head was now situated. She squinted at the windows, realising that it was a lot brighter than it usually was when she woke up...
"Oh, Balls! Balls!"
She'd slept in. She hadn't been expecting to sleep at all, yet here she was, still a-bed when it was clearly getting close to lunch time. She tried to leap out of bed, without much success, as a dull aching pain started through her arms and legs as soon as her feet touched the floor.
"I must have been sleep-fighting, or something?"
Her arms and legs weren't the only parts of her that felt a little tender though. There were a few small reddish marks on her upper chest, and a slight throbbing in her nether regions. She'd had vivid dreams about being with Ser Cullen before, but had never been left aching like this before. Then again, maybe she'd tried to bring herself pleasure while asleep, and had been slightly rougher than usual? As her feet hit the floor, and before she could start pulling her sleep shirt off, she heard the soft sound of a throat being cleared from the vicinity of her desk. She stopped, hem of the shirt in hand, and noticed Solas sitting in the large chair behind her desk, smiling at her softly.
"How did you sleep, Trevelyan?"
Lilah's brows knitted together slightly, confused, but she nodded a greeting.
"Quite well, I think... Why are you in my room Solas?"
Solas stood up, and moved to sit beside her on the bed.
"May I?"
Trevelyan nodded and shuffled sideways, allowing him more space.
"Thank you. I'm glad you are in a better mood than last night. I thought you'd never acknowledge my presence again."
Trevelyan chuckled and reached down, taking his hand in hers. There was nothing romantic about the gesture, but with that easy touch they both knew that there were absolutely no lasting problems with their friendship.
"I should be begging your forgiveness, Solas. All you did was try to help me, and I abused your trust. I promise I'll never do it again. Never, ever give me another sleeping draught, even if I beg you for it. Don't even offer me a strong tea."
Solas barked out a laugh, and looked out at the bright light coming in through the windows. Lilah looked at his profile, a smile tugging at her lips.
"What's so funny?"
Solas sighed and patted her hand, releasing his grip and standing up.
"Somebody said almost that exact same thing to me last night. I promise I'll be more careful when dealing with your various medical needs. And I hope that you'll never slap me again."
Lilah drew a small cross over her heart, grinning.
"I promise I'll never slap you again. Unless it's really, really called for."
Solas smiled and turned away, gesturing for her to get dressed while he was looking away. Lilah took the hint and quickly whipped the shirt over her head and changed into her civilian outfit. It was too late to head out adventuring at this time of day. Not when it was almost time for lunch. She tapped Solas on the shoulder when she was done changing and started down towards the door that led to the main hall. She stopped, however, when he caught her arm with a slightly odd look on his face.
"Trevelyan... Errr... You'll be needed in the Main Hall as soon as you leave your chambers. Apparently a few strange things have occurred overnight throughout Skyhold."
Lilah sighed, and rubbed her hand over her forehead.
"Oh dear. Has Cole been moving things about again?"
Solas shook his head, and looked more earnestly into her eyes.
"It definitely wasn't Cole, he was chatting to me for most of the evening. It wasn't Sera either, because I left her fairly deep in her cups in her room at the Tavern. Varric isn't the type of Rogue who does this sort of random thing either, and I know for certain that he's working on another chapter of 'The Eye in Inquisition' and refuses to leave his writing corner."
Lilah's lips tightened into a grimace.
"So it's not any of the usual suspects. Damn, looks like I'll have to live up to my title and get Inquisitorial."
She moved towards the door again, and was surprised when it refused to budge to her touch. Solas reached out a hand, there was a pale yellow flash of light, and the door swung open. Lilah looked back at him, bewildered.
"Why was my door magically sealed, Solas?"
He smiled and moved through the door before her, beckoning her forward.
"I didn't want anyone to interrupt your rest, Trevelyan. Maker knows you needed it..."
He was cut off as Josephine burst through the door leading to the Main Hall, her eyes wild and her usually neat bun slightly askew.
"Oh, thank the Maker, you're finally awake! I've had to deal with everyone and they just won't leave me alone until they get answers! Answers that I don't have, mind you! It's been exhausting!"
Solas smiled and raised his eyebrows.
"See what I mean? Have a good afternoon, Trevelyan."
He sauntered out through the open doors of the Main Hall and into the courtyard, disappearing into the light. Trevelyan thought about chasing after him for a few short moments, but the distraught look on Josephine's face brought her back to reality. She grabbed Josephine's hands and looked into her eyes.
"Breathe, Josie, breathe. Now tell me what's going on."
Josephine took three deep breaths, then smoothed her hair back behind her ears.
"Ahem. There have been reports of strange... happenings, from all around Skyhold. They must have occurred last night, or very early this morning when everybody was sleeping. Or by someone very stealthy."
Lilah sighed, ready for the usual criticism of her trade.
"So you think it was one of our Roguish friends."
Josephine raised both of her hands in a warding-off gesture.
"I don't want to point any fingers, Herald, but it does seem most likely to be one of them. Probably Sera or Cole. I'd put my money on Cole. As the saying goes, 'Never bet against an Antivan'."
Lilah shook her head and sighed.
"Fine. How should I approach this? How many people have complaints?"
Josephine grabbed her ever present writing board and checked the list.
"I believe the easiest way would be for you to wait on the Throne and I'll let them come to you one at a time."
Lilah sighed and started walking toward the Inquisitor's Throne, fashioned from the skull of a dragon. It was quite possibly the least comfortable chair she'd ever sat in. She hoped the list wasn't particularly long.
"Inquisitor, these are a few of the kitchen staff. Apparently someone was cooking food when they were all asleep and left a terrible mess. Dirty utensils, fires left burning, ingredients strewn all over the preparation tables. They are not very happy."
The three cooks did indeed look rather surly, standing in the throne room instead of their comfortable kitchen where they belonged. Lilah was barely paying attention however. She'd startled as soon as the complaint had been voiced. She'd dreamed she'd been in the kitchen last night, with Ser Cullen. Dreams don't leave actual messes in kitchens though.
"Ummm... What sort of food had the, uh, perpetrator been cooking?"
The male cook stepped forward, wringing his chef's hat between his hands.
"It looked like a simple pancake mixture, M'lady. Possibly banana pancakes as there were a few bananas left on the prep table. Why?"
Lilah sheepishly raised her hand.
"I'm so very sorry, good cooking staff, but I think I may have been the person who committed this crime. I missed dinner last night, and I was so very tired. I meant to clean up after myself, but I must have taken myself to bed before I had the chance... Sorry."
Trevelyan trailed off, hoping the kitchen staff would accept that ridiculous excuse as an apology. The cooks all exchanged smiles amongst themselves, and the male cook stepped forward again.
"Just try and remember to extinguish the fire next time you make yourself a midnight snack, M'lady. We can't have Skyhold burning down for the sake of a few banana pancakes now, can we?"
Lilah nodded emphatically.
"No sir, we cannot. I'll promise to wash up my utensils next time too. You have my word. Was there anything else?"
The cooks had all started backing out of the hall, edging back towards their familiar surroundings.
"No, M'lady. Thank you for seeing us, M'lady."
Lilah gave them a slight smile and waved goodbye.
"Not a problem. Please speak to me again if you have any other issues."
The kitchen staff all but fled. Josephine clicked her tongue and ticked off one of the names from her list.
"Who's next, Josie?"
Josephine scanned the list, and picked the next most important name.
"Forgemaster Harritt."
Lilah gripped the arms of the throne a little tighter. Harritt... She'd also dreamed about going down to the Undercroft with Ser Cullen and crafting a pile of weapons as gifts for her Inner Circle. And sharpening Cassandra's dagger. Maker, had this actually happened as well. Her fingers remained white knuckled as Harritt approached the throne.
"Inquisitor, look, I'm not angry or anything, but somebody crafted a stack of weapons and just left them in a heap on the floor. Good quality stuff too, some of it turned out to be Masterwork when I looked through it all. It just means that somebody was into the stores when nobody was around and some of the rare bits and bobs might need to be replaced..."
Lilah's face was on fire. That's what it felt like at least. Crafting a pile of weapons would definitely explain her sore muscles, but she'd only dreamed that she'd gone down to the Undercroft. It hadn't actually happened, had it? If it HAD actually happened, then every thing else she could remember from last night might have happened to. Sharing those deep glances with Ser Cullen, the shameless flirting, the constant touching, the eventual kisses and her final memory of pulling him down into her bed... Maker.
"Inquisitor?"
Lilah sighed wearily and raised her hand again.
"It was me, again. I felt like some crafting after I ate last night. My apologies Forgemaster Harritt, it won't happen again, I promise."
Harritt chuckled, shaking his head.
"No need to apologise, Herald. In fact, I think you show great potential as a 'smith. Maybe when this whole mess is over I can train you up, give you a proper respectable career to fall back on."
Lilah laughed out loud, relaxing a little in her seat.
"I might just need that! Thank you, Harritt. You've cheered me up a little."
Harritt bowed, smiling.
"All in a day's work, Inquisitor. I'll move those new weapons to a safer location and make a list of any supplies we're running short on."
Lilah smiled back and nodded.
"Good day, Forgemaster."
Harritt turned and walked back to the door that led to the Undercroft, waving over his shoulder.
"Good day, Inquisitor."
Josephine sighed and ticked off another name on her list.
"Herald, is there anything you wish to tell me?"
Lilah had stopped smiling, after Harritt had closed the door to the Undercroft behind him, and had returned to staring into space and blushing. If it had all actually happened... Maker's Breath! She'd had Ser Cullen half naked in her chambers, pushing her up against the wall, kissing her, touching her, pleasuring her... But he'd tried to convince her that it had only been a dream. Why hadn't he told the truth? She'd had her eye on him since the first day she'd seen him, never expecting him to return her feelings. She remembered every word they'd exchanged during the evening, and he's been nothing but a gentleman. If anything, SHE had been entirely too forward. Maybe it had something to do with all the sleeping draughts she'd taken, on top of being over-tired and over-stressed by the Redcliffe situation. Something SHE'D said, though, had tipped him over the edge and he'd been the one to finally grab her and...
"What?!"
Josephine glanced up from her writing board at the Inquisitor's rather loud response, and noticed her red cheeks.
"Herald? Trevelyan, are you alright?"
Lilah covered her eyes with both hands and sighed loudly.
"I'm fine, Josie. Apparently I had a few adventures last night. I... wasn't feeling the best. Redcliffe really messed about with my sleeping patterns. I believe I took an over-abundance of sleeping potions and I was suffering the after-effects last night."
Josephine covered her mouth with one hand, her eyes widening.
"Oh my... Are you... well, today?"
Trevelyan, still with her eyes covered, chuckled softly into her hands.
"Yes, Josie, I'm much better today. Thank you for your concern. Who's next then?"
Josephine checked her list, then glanced up.
"Would you care to take a guess, Trevelyan?"
Lilah dropped her hands into her lap and threw a long-suffering look at the ambassador. Josephine shrugged and looked nonchalantly back down at the list.
"Scout Harding."
Lilah noticed that Josephine was shooting her a questioning sideways glance. She gave an almost imperceptible shrug in return. As far as she could remember there hadn't been any run-ins with Scout Harding the previous evening. The dwarven scout walked confidently up to the throne and gave Lilah a cheery salute.
"Inquisitor."
Lilah nodded back in greeting.
"Scout Harding, always a pleasure. What can I help you with today?"
Scout Harding clasped her hands behind her back, her usual stance when giving Lilah a scouting report.
"We returned to Skyhold fairly early this morning, just as the sun was coming up actually, and noticed some odd loose rocks lying on the ground beneath Commander Cullen's tower. On closer inspection, we recognised them as some of the masonry that makes up the wall leading up to the battlements. There are spaces in the wall matching the fallen stones if you look hard enough. It would appear someone was trying to scale the wall, possibly to steal something from the Commander's office. We advise someone looks into the matter as soon as... possible...?"
Lilah sighed and slumped down further into the uncomfortable throne. Josephine sighed and ticked Harding's name off in her log.
"That was actually me. I was testing the structural integrity of our internal stonework, and I took a little tumble. It would appear it needs rather a lot of work. Sorry for troubling you, Scout Harding."
Harding's look of confusion only deepened.
"But Inquisitor, those rocks fell from quite a great height. Looking at the mess and the depth the stones sunk into the earth, there was no way anyone who fell from that height would have walked away from it uninjured..."
Lilah narrowed her eyes.
"I landed on something soft."
Harding's eyes narrowed back as she thought this over.
"What could you possibly have landed on? There's nothing soft in the area..."
Lilah thought quickly.
"There... was a cart. Full of hay. Very strategically placed, I might add. And so I am left with a few bruises and my slightly mangled pride. I put the cart back near the traders, where I assume it should have been in the first place."
Harding nodded, seemingly placated.
"That makes sense, I guess... I'm glad you're alright, Inquisitor."
Lilah smiled back, relieved that her hurried explanation seemed to have worked.
"I'm glad too. Was there anything else, Harding?"
The scout shook her head, and stifled a yawn.
"No, that's everything. Now I'm off to sleep for the rest of the day. Good day, Inquisitor."
Lilah smiled warmly at her favourite scout, as she turned and walked back out of the main hall, heading out towards the tavern.
"Have a good rest, Scout Harding. You deserve it."
Josephine sidled up to the throne, eyebrows raised.
"In the middle of the night, for absolutely no reason, you decided to scale Commander Cullen's tower."
Lilah gazed back at her advisor, her expression blank.
"Yes. What of it?"
Josephine's mouth twisted into a smirk.
"To test the stonework's 'structural integrity', was it?"
Lilah raised an eyebrow, and smirked in return.
"One can never be too careful. If the stonework isn't dwarven, it's just not good enough."
Josephine sighed and looked back down at her list, shaking her head.
"That's your story, and you're sticking to it, I assume?"
Lilah straightened up in the throne, looking directly ahead.
"Yes indeed."
Josephine perused the list, and moved forward to call out the next name on the list. Lilah hoped the small crowd gathered in the hall were just gawkers and not actually there to complain.
"Former Grand Enchanter Fiona."
The diminutive elven mage stepped forward, walking toward the throne with the grace Lilah was used to seeing from her. A few of the remaining people in the room dropped curtsies and gave her nods in greeting. She returned their nods with a smile, but had eyes only for Lilah. Josephine watched a look of confused bewilderment come across the younger woman's face.
"Do you have any idea why Fiona's here?"
Lilah fought back the urge to scratch her head and moved closer to whisper back.
"Not a clue, Josie."
Lilah sat up straighter in the throne, hands resting on the arm rests. Mages still gave her the willies. At least SOME mages did. Dorian, Solas and Vivienne she was slowly becoming used to. The former Grand Enchanter however... To have someone of that power in the room... Thank the Maker she was on their side. Fiona was now standing before her, a soft smile resting on her lips.
"Inquisitor. I trust today finds you well?"
Lilah shifted in the chair, crossing one leg over the other.
"Best I've felt in days, actually. What can I do for you, Fi... Uh... Grand Enchanter?"
Fiona chuckled and waved a hand at her.
"Don't get flustered, my dear. 'Fiona' is just fine. I am no longer the Grand Enchanter, as you well know."
Lilah's cheeks grew pink, and she looked down.
"Very well. What can I do for you, Fiona?"
Fiona sighed, clasping her hands in front of her.
"It's only a small thing, really. Last night, after we had all retired to the Mage Tower to sleep, somebody must have come into the library. This morning we discovered a few burned pages of books in the dying embers of the fireplace. It would appear someone was burning literature in the late, or early, hours."
Lilah sat forward, fingers tented under her chin. How could anyone burn a book? Books were sacred!
"Was anything important lost? Could you tell? Was there much left?"
Fiona sighed, and rubbed her forehead.
"Here's the reason why it's only a small concern, My Lady. They were all copies of 'The Eye in Inquisition'. We sorted through the ashes, and all we could find were multiple copies of Varric's books. Someone around here must not be a fan."
Lilah looked back at the elven mage, completely confused.
"That doesn't make sense."
Fiona sighed, unclasping her hands.
"I know. Everybody loves Varric's books. Even the mages."
Lilah looked, disbelievingly, into Fiona's eyes.
"Even you?"
Fiona chuckled, moving back from the throne, taking her leave.
"We are all allowed our little indulgences, my dear. I follow Wynter Frost's adventures as avidly as the next person. It's just a little sad that someone felt they had to destroy something that helps people escape this dark time, even if only for a few brief hours."
Lilah nodded.
"I'll let Varric know. Someone has to tell him. It might as well be a friend."
Fiona stepped forward again, and leaned in, conspiratorially.
"One more thing, my dear, completely unrelated to the book burning. A message: Find him. Find him and tell him. He'll understand."
Lilah's eyebrows knitted together in confusion.
"I'm sorry?"
Fiona smiled, then turned and walked out of the hall. Josephine walked up beside the throne and crouched beside it, leaning one elbow on an armrest.
"So, I take it you weren't the one burning books in the library last night?"
Lilah turned and looked at her, frowning slightly.
"No. That's why it didn't make sense. I wasn't anywhere near the library last night. From memory I went from the map room to the kitchen, back to the map room, down to the Undercroft, back up to the map room, outside to look for dragons..."
Josephine sat back on her heels.
"Ah ha! So that's why you were climbing the battlements, to look for dragons."
Lilah clutched Josephine's arm in relief.
"Yes! See? Nothing untoward was meant by my climbing that particular tower..."
Josephine grinned.
"You mean Cullen's Tower."
Lilah's cheeks started to turn red again.
"Yes, Cullen's tower. Stop calling it that."
Josephine's grin widened.
"But that is what it is. Cullen's Tower. You were climbing Cullen's Tower. I bet you've been wanting to climb Cullen's Tower for some time now..."
Lilah's cheeks were burning, as Josephine's dirty double meaning sunk in.
"Maker, stop!"
Josephine started giggling, as she stood up and moved away from the throne.
"I also bet it was sweaty work, climbing... that particular Tower."
Lilah had also started giggling by this point.
"Josephine! You're awful!"
Josephine checked her list one last time, then looked back up at Lilah, raising a single eyebrow.
"It will happen one day, I bet on it. You know the saying..."
Lilah sighed, still smiling.
"Never bet against an Antivan?"
Josephine clicked her tongue, and nodded.
"That's the one!"
Lilah slumped back down into the throne, trying to get some feeling back into her rear end.
"Maker help me..."
Josephine sat on the edge of one of the wooden benches facing the throne, finally resting her feet.
"So after you went looking for dragons, where did you go?"
Lilah knew exactly where she'd gone after she'd been looking for dragons, and with whom, but there was no way in the world she was going to tell Josephine that. She still wasn't one hundred per cent sure it had all happened. She had to find Ser Cullen, and grill him for the details. That was even if she could make eye contact with him.
"I went to bed, actually. I think I'd finally tired myself out."
Josephine was still looking up at her, curiously.
"At about what time would that have been?"
Lilah cocked her head to the side, thinking.
"I guess around three-thirty, four o'clock maybe. Why?"
Josephine smiled to herself, and stood up. At about four-thirty in the morning she had been awoken by a soft scrabbling at her door and a note being pushed under it, written in the neat hand of their elven mage, Solas. It had explained that Lilah was not to be disturbed until at least mid morning due to medical reasons. An addendum also said that Commander Cullen was feeling under the weather and he was not to be disturbed until he emerged from his rooms under his own volition. Josephine couldn't help but wonder if the two maladies were linked somehow. The odd timing of the note seemed to suggest this. She hadn't opened her door to pursue the mage and ask him, but she assumed if he'd taken the trouble to write her a note, it must be abided by. She'd passed on the message to Leliana at breakfast, and then had met with the barrage of complainers as soon as she'd entered her office. This was the first peace and quiet she'd had all day.
"No reason, Trevelyan. No reason at all, other than my own curiosity. I believe we've reached the end of your list of troubled hold-folk. You'd best grab yourself some lunch at the tavern, and might I suggest... having a relaxing afternoon?"
Lilah blinked, happy with her reprieve.
"I... thank you, Josie. I know there is more to be done, but I think I do need to let my mind settle a little. I'd also like you to call the War Council together later this afternoon. I think I'd like to see which operations need attending to."
Josephine nodded, once again all business.
"As you wish, Inquisitor. Shall we make it for the same time as yesterday?"
Lilah stood up from the throne, the bones in her back cracking as she stretched out her aching muscles.
"Sounds good, Josie. Thank you. I'll let everyone else know to meet us in there, too. I think I need to allay some fears amongst my Inner Circle."
Josephine nodded and started to head back to her office, writing down a few notes on her board as she walked. The woman could multi-task like nobody else. Lilah jumped down off the platform and almost scurried out into the sunlit courtyard. She'd go out, and chat with all of her companions. That should waste a couple of hours, at least. Then maybe catch up on some of her paperwork, or go to the garden and check on the herbs. Maybe pop into the Chantry and pray for the strength she'd need to face Ser Cullen across the map table during the War Council meeting. Oh, Maker... This was not going to be an easy meeting.
END OF PART 05
So that's Part 05. Part 06 is on its way, as are a few new fics, some of which are Inquisition related, a couple more Fables related ones, and a fairly epic Skyrim thing that's been kicking around in my head for a while and I finally started writing it up. Thinking up stories is easy, it's the whole 'typing them up' thing that takes time and effort. Thank goodness I was given so many bags of sweets for Christmas. I also baked a heck of a lot of cookies just to keep me going. And then there's the booze... So anyway! Merry Christmas Everybody! As always, read, review and enjoy!
Foxfire Out!