Chapter 21

Elena tugged at the last knot on her saddle bags. This trip to Ferelden had been sprung upon her at the last minute by Cullen. He had said that he had meant to invite her two weeks ago, but she had been unfit to travel then and he didn't want to get her hopes up. Since Healer Varmont had given her the official go-ahead for light riding the previous week, she had been out doing patrols around the settlements every day. The beleaguered healer had found that riding had been a boon to Elena's recuperation and thoroughly encouraged the practice. When Cullen had noticed this new addition to her routine, he had quietly informed her that he was planning on attending to some work in Ferelden and wondered if she would like to leave Skyhold with him. Elena had responded in the affirmative so quickly that Cullen laughed out-right.

Fabien leaned against the post her horse was tied to casually watching her prepare for her journey, "I don't know why you're leaving. Won't that be awfully hard on you? Ya know, health wise?"

Elena sighed and rolled her head over to look at him, "What in the world are you talking about? Healer Varmont said it was fine. I said it was fine. Cullen said it was fine. Erik said it was fine. The only person who is even remotely worried is you. So what are you actually talking about?"

Fabien straightened himself up to his full, massive height and sauntered over, propping one arm on the saddle's seat. He bent forward slightly at the waist, bringing his face a little closer to Elena's. She was glad of this because sometimes it caused her neck to ache always peering up into his dark-bearded, grinning face. "All right, I'll tell you. But only because you're about to leave and I'd hate for us to fight before your departure." Elena folded her arms across her chest and waited patiently, "I don't want you to go."

"Oh? Why not?"

"If you go to Ferelden with the Commander then what am I supposed to do?"

"Your job? Erik's already assigned you the patrol details for the settlements. You and the squadron are to patrol the area and help train the new recruits when time allows." Elena stated simply, reaching up to tap his forehead with a finger, "Or has that already slipped out of your thick skull?"

Fabien batted her hand away, "Ah, no. But how boring. Who is going to do fun stuff with me?" He followed her around to the other side of her horse.

"Porteur would be up for some fun. I bet you could even convince Reeves to join in."

He groaned, slumping his body forward melodramatically, "It's not the same!"

"Why must you do this every time I have a trip and you're not invited?"

"I do not 'do this' every time you have a trip to go on that I can't!"

Elena paused in her work and counted off the incidents on her fingers, "The trip to Kirkwall, the trip to Nevarra, the trip to Highever, and every other trip my family ever made me take ever. It always starts out as something that could possibly be considered a legitimate excuse and devolves into you will simply miss me and don't want me to go." She wagged her finger at him, "I know your game, Lieutenant Shaw. You're not going to convince me to stay. So stop."

Fabien paused, "You've found me out." Elena nodded, "Will you miss me, too?" He poked out his lower lip in an exaggerated pout, twirling a finger along the saddle seat and giving Elena his saddest look.

Elena had to admit that he did look absolutely pathetic, "I suppose," She told him and quickly added, "but I'm going to be busy helping Cullen so I should manage to survive."

Fabien opened his mouth to respond but was interrupted, "Ah, Elena, there you are." Cullen's warm, refined voice stated calmly as he arrived with his horse readied to go. "It's time to leave now. Have you said your good byes?" His eyes slid over to Fabien meaningfully. Fabien stepped closer to Elena, looping an arm around her shoulders familiarly.

Elena ducked from beneath Fabien's arm, "I have. Fabien, do you mind giving me a boost?" She turned to mount her horse. Fabien wordlessly lifted her onto her mount.

He remained close by her horse's side as she settled herself fully in the saddle. His head came up to Elena's ribs so he didn't have to look very far up to meet her gaze, "Be safe. Come back swiftly. I will miss you terribly." He told her, his forest green eyes full of desperate sincerity. If he could have gotten away with it, Elena was sure he would have kissed her, but instead he patted her thigh and backed away, blowing a kiss at her. He shoved his hands in his pockets, and turned to march himself up the stairs to the main keep. Elena watched his back retreat for a minute, feeling her heart ache with an old sensation. Cullen, meanwhile, had mounted his horse and was waiting a few paces away for her to join him. When she turned to look at him, the ache disappeared and was replaced with a lightness that made her heart feel full-to-bursting. She smiled warmly as she urged her mount forward and joined him for their journey. He returned the smile and they started off together, chatting amiably as they went.

Cullen's business in Ferelden didn't take him long to finish once they arrived. Something about having the Commander personally present caused proceedings to progress remarkably fast. It seemed to her that when Cullen entered a space, the troops there looked a little more like soldiers than they had before. They stood at stricter attention; their expressions were more serious, even their manner of speaking was more militaristic. Frankly, she liked it when he would stop walking and shout at the training groups to tighten up that line! Or use your shield dammit! It's for blocking not for looking pretty on your arm!

She felt like she was part of the action again going around the camps with him. She could have very-well been idle while he took care of his business and still felt that way, but he insisted she come to every meeting. Occasionally he would ask her to verify some information from a report from Skyhold and she would speak knowledgably to the gathered officers. The older men would nod their heads and resume their conversation with Cullen. Elena was never quite sure what the dealings he had mentioned were, but nonetheless, she was impressed at the speed and efficiency with which he completed them. Now they stood side-by-side watching troops finish their training for the day. Around them the bustle of camp was winding down and the smell of ram-stew wafted over to them from the mess tent.

"Would you care to go on a short ride with me?" Cullen asked quietly. Elena turned to face him and nodded, "Good. Follow me." He moved off and brought her to a place where their horses stood, ready and waiting for them. He helped her into her saddle and then swung up into his. They trotted off, following a winding road to a large pond. A short pier jutted out into the water at the end of which sat a crate with a burning lantern propped on it. Probably left there by whoever had most recently used the pier. They dismounted and Cullen took the reins from her, "Go on, take a look around, I'll just be a moment."

Elena watched him go a short ways off and begin to picket the horses, "Are you sure you don't want me to help you?" Cullen waved her off, sinking a stake into the ground. She shrugged and went over to the short pier, leaning against a piling at the end of it. She surveyed the pond, appreciating its natural beauty. The sun glinted off the water creating small pools of golden light as it reflected its dying light back to her from between the water lilies spread around the pond in clumps of varying sizes. Cullen joined her shortly afterwards and leaned himself against the piling opposite her. They stood in companionable silence for a moment, watching the sun sink lower in the sky.

"What is this place?" Elena asked at length.

Cullen straightened himself, "I grew up not far from here. This place was always quiet."

"Did you come here often?" She inquired, trying to figure out why he had brought her there.

"I loved my siblings. They were very loud. I would come here to clear my head. Of course, they always found me… eventually." He told her with a gentle smile as he remembered his simpler childhood with apparent fondness.

"I can understand that." Elena replied, thinking of how Adrian and Erik used to play out mock battles in the halls of their father's house. How she had longed for a quiet place to go to when they inevitably broke something and brought both of their parents bearing down on them. "It's beautiful."

Cullen was silent for a minute, looking out at the water as the pools of golden light faded and the sky turned a soft dusky purple, bathing them in its subtle glow. "The last time I was here was the day I left for Templar training." He began, still looking out at the water. Elena turned to face him more fully, stepping a little closer to him to hear his hushed words better, "My brother gave me this. It just happened to be in his pocket, but he said it was for luck." He held out his hand, resting in his gloved palm was a golden coin, "Templars are not supposed to carry such things. Our faith should see us through." He added closing his fist over it and looking at her directly, his eyes were liquid honey in the dying light. Elena felt something deep inside of her heart begin to stir as he stepped closer to her.

"You broke the rules? I'm shocked and abhorred." She teased.

Cullen bristled slightly at the remark, "Until a year ago I was very good at following them… most of the time. This was the only thing I took from Ferelden that the Templars didn't give me." He took her hand and pressed the coin into her palm, folding her fingers around it. "Humor me. Maybe this way you can keep some luck about you."

Elena could feel the cool coin grow warm in her hand, "I'm honored to accept this. I'll keep it close always." Cullen smiled and leaned in for a kiss. Elena closed the distance between them and lost herself in his warm embrace. It was nice to be alone without worrying about other people interrupting them. She realized this was their first time being truly alone since they had met almost a year ago now. It was a brief kiss and as Cullen pulled away from her, Elena felt her heart sink just a little bit. She had wanted the kiss to continue.

"I have a confession." Cullen began, looking embarrassed, "I didn't bring you to Ferelden just for company and to give you a good luck charm." He admitted quickly as if the words were burning his lips and tongue as they fled from his mouth.

"Oh? Why else did you bring me with you, then?"

"A number of smaller reasons and one larger reason."

"Now you're being coy."

"I am not. I—I just don't know how to ask you this. I've never done this sort of thing with a woman before. It's all very new and I don't want to ruin anything."

"Try it plainly, then."

Cullen took a breath and let it out slowly, "I was going to visit my family while I was here. I was hoping you would want to come along with me. Mia would be ecstatic to see us both."

"Does Mia know we'll be dropping by?"

He let out a short burst of air through his nose, "Actually, no. I forgot to write to her."

Elena could feel her mother's disapproving eyes, hear the etiquette lessons about visiting another person's home, and she almost told Cullen what her mother would have told her. A noble lady does not go calling unannounced. Instead of saying that, she smiled broadly and flung herself into his arms for a strong hug, "Then, let's go and surprise her!"

Cullen stumbled backwards, teetering dangerously on the edge of the pier for a moment before catching his balance, "All right, we will… first thing in the morning."

"After breakfast." Elena reminded him, tapping his nose with her forefinger playfully.

"After breakfast." He chuckled, guiding them down the pier and back to their horses.

Author's Note: This one is rather short. I think if I tinkered with it anymore, I would have just ended up scrapping the whole thing, and I rather like it how it is now. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it!

I've got some shout-outs! Thanks to Belbelanne for the review! Thanks to my new followers TrimusicaDrag00n90, Edward Cullen's Girl, and 007. I appreciate the love!

And to all my continued followers and readers, thank you for your continued support and for sticking with me through this! I love all of you and I appreciate all of you! I hope that you guys have a terrific holiday season and your vacations/breaks/trips are long, restful, fun, and full of good things!

Peace and Blessings!

Danbamina