Cullen dismounted from his horse quickly and looked at the man guarding the front gate. "I need to see Nadia Cousland. Please tell me she is here?"
The man nodded. "Little Nadia is inside. What's your business?"
"I am Cullen Rutherford, Commander of the Inquisition's forces. I was to escort her here, but she left in the middle of the night with only a letter as a goodbye."
The man sighed. "That's Nadia for you... She's never been good at saying goodbye to anyone. She is good with everything but that it would seem."
Cullen rubbed his neck. "Can I go in and see her?"
"I would think it would be OK, but please keep in mind that her parents are in terrible shape. The doctors say they have less than a day or two left. Whatever ails them is progressing far quicker than anything they've seen and nothing Nadia has done will work. She's been fairly depressed the last few days."
Cullen nodded. "Where can I find her?"
"I'm sure she'd be with her parents, but if you go to the great hall and ask for Georgie, he'll announce you to the Teyrn. Keep in mind the king and queen are here as well." the man said.
Cullen thanked him and hurried inside the gates. He took his horse to the stable, found Georgie, and followed the stout man into the great hall.
"May I present Commander Cullen Rutherford, my lords and lady?" Georgie said.
Cullen bowed to Alistair and Elissa, then bowed to Fergus as well. "Please, forgive the intrusion."
"It's nothing to worry about, Commander. What can we do for you?" Fergus said.
"I am here to see Nadia Cousland. I was to escort her here to Highever from Skyhold, but she disappeared during the night a few days ago and rode on ahead without me. I've been worried about her and I wanted to make sure that she was safe here."
"Nadia is safe and well, considering the state her parents are in," Fergus said. "Forgive me, Commander, but Nadia is rather depressed about her parents' condition, and nothing she does helps."
Cullen nodded. "I can understand that. If I may see her, could you tell me where she is?"
"I believe she went to the library, trying to find another way to cure this illness that threatens to take her parents," Elissa said. "Come with me, Commander, I will take you there."
Cullen bowed to Fergus and Alistair before following the queen to the library.
"Commander, it is good to see you in one piece after all these years," Elissa said. She had been at the Circle, in fact, had been the one to free him from his prison, when it fell.
"I never really thanked you for freeing me from Uldred's prison. I am in your debt." Cullen said, recalling the day.
"Well, you can repay me by making my dear cousin happy," Elissa said. "I know how much you mean to her, Cullen. She never smiles the way she does around you with anyone else. You brighten that girl's world and for the last few days, she's been in a very dark place. The doctors told her her parents have less than a day or two left and she's been frantic trying to find a way to save them. Maker bless her heart and Andraste guide her hands, but she won't be able to save them and I think she knows that."
Cullen stopped at the door to the library and looked at the queen. "Your majesty, if I may speak freely?"
"Of course."
"Nadia and I have spoken of our feelings for each other, and I love her with all my heart." Cullen started, glancing over at Nadia as she paced in front of the fireplace with her nose nearly in the spine of the open book in her hands. "She still harbors old wounds for what I did to her when we were younger and she said she won't be toyed with. What do I say to her to make her understand it won't happen again? How can I make her see that things will be different?"
"I know what happened between you two when she left for Starkhaven. She told our family everything in the letter she sent to let us know she was being transferred." Elissa said. "You two were young and let yourselves get lost in a moment and you did your duty as a Templar- reporting fraternization. However, you must understand that she took a great risk telling you how she felt about you and for you to betray the trust she put in you, it broke her heart. If she has told you how much she loves you, then she has finally healed the wounds left by your actions and she's willing to take a chance to build something with you."
Cullen looked at Nadia again as she threw the book aside and sat down in a chair with her head in her hands.
"I can see how much you love her, Cullen. You look at her the same way Alistair looks at me or Fergus looks at his wife. If you truly want to show her how much you love her, coming after her when she told you not to is a great start. Go to her and comfort her, try to bring a little light to her darkness." Elissa said, urging him into the library before turning and leaving.