#inquisitor x cullen

Temptation

— (Cullen & Ellana)

.

“Let me be frank, Commander.” Ellana purred. “I grow tired of this little dance of ours. I desire you, you desire me. Should you accept, I intend to court you.” Her lips curled upwards. “What say you to this proposition, hm?”

Cullen released a strangled noise and blushed.

.

… I wish I was Cullen.

Herald’s Wrath

— (Cullen Rutherford, Ellana Lavellan)

.

The night that followed the Inquisition’s return to Skyhold was a relatively peaceful one, if rather unexpected in its quietude. The travel-worn soldiers had been greeted with open arms and a general air of excitement at the gates, as all those who had stayed behind trembled in curiosity. News of the legendary battle at Adamant Fortress had long preceded the militia’s return, reaching all corners of Thedas, and there wasn’t a soul alive that wasn’t eager to know which of the wild tales were true.

While her soldiers celebrated, the Inquisitor had retired to her quarters immediately upon returning, closely flanked by her advisors and Inner Circle. This did not bother the members of the Inquisition, who by now knew their leader to be the queenly, stand-offish type. Though, soon as she disappeared behind closed doors, all attention turned to the soldiers, and the home-bound members of the Inquisition descended upon them like ravenous wolves.

“Right then!” A new recruit scooted eagerly closer to a grumpy warrior, watching him with bright eyes. “Oh Ser, you have to tell us! You must!”

“Tell you what, exactly?” He grumbled into his mug of ale, acutely aware that all eyes around the bonfire were now on him.

The recruit whined. “Don’t play dumb! You were there, at Adamant! What was it like? What happened? Was there really an Archdemon?!”

The warrior sighed, reluctantly lowering his drink. He was pleased, despite himself, by the attention, and what good soldier could refuse to entertain a newbie? “Aye,” he said. “T’was an Archdemon, as far as we know, but it was nothing like we’ve ever seen. T’was monstrous, unholy at best, and I hope to never lay eyes on it again, lest it is slayed.”

The members around the fire shifted, eyeing one another nervously. This was grim news. Archdemons heralded Blights, after all, and Southern Thedas was still recovering from the last one a decade prior.

“And the battle?” The recruit prompted, his eagerness remaining undamped.

“I was getting to that.” The warrior gave him an irritated look, then sighed. “The energy in the air at Adamant was like nothing I’d ever felt before. Electric, angry, ferocious. As we marched up to those fortified walls, staring up at the Wardens lining the battlements like silver ants, we were certain we wouldn’t be coming home.” He swallowed. “That was… until the Herald came.”

Everyone held their breath. This was what they really had been dying to know.

“She marched to the frontlines without a hint of hesitation,” he went on, voice trembling in awe. “With the Commander at her side, sword drawn, she seemed unbeatable. There was no fear on her face, no doubt, just… pure, unbridled rage. Like the Wardens had sinned heavily by incurring her wrath.” He shook his head disbelievingly. “I had never seen so much emotion on her face before.”

“What did she do?” The recruit whispered, the awe the warrior felt reflected in his voice.

The warrior met his gaze, bright-eyed and breathless. “She drew a dagger from its sheathe, raised her Marked hand, and roared that if the Wardens did not surrender, she would raze Adamant to the ground with all of the Inquisition’s fury.”

A ripple of shock and horrified admiration spread among the group of listeners, which had only tripled in size since his story began.

“Maker have mercy,” a soldier whispered.

“T’was certainly the kick in the ass we needed.” The warrior smiled down into his ale, his face vacant with memory. “I can still feel the adrenaline rushing through my veins, setting them alight like wildfire. We were thirsty for blood. We were ready to win. In that moment, standing there with rage on her face and power in her voice, she wasn’t just an elf, or the Herald, or the Inquisitor. Being in her presence, it was like…”

“What?” The recruit eagerly prompted when he trailed off, leaning forward. “What was it like?”

The warrior looked at him, shuddering, horrified and amazed all at once. His trembling hands clenched around his mug.

“It was like being in the presence of a god.”

tagging:@cerisiacos​@charlatron​@ghilanilavellan​@stella-minerva​@pookyhuntress​@kittimau