To the Void and Back Ch7

Title: To the Void and Back
Author: ElCapitan18
Game: Dragon Age
Characters/Pairing: F!Lavellan and Cullen
Disclaimer: All recognizable content belongs to Bioware

(Spoilers All)


“Oh, my shoulders,” Dorian whined as they strode back into Skyhold. The mage was rolling his shoulders, rubbing his neck, his face pinched by discomfort. Giving Delani a sidelong glance, he wondered, “You don’t happen to know if the Inquisition has a masseuse under our employ, do you?”

Before Delani could answer Iron Bull stepped up behind him, his massive digits seeking out the knots in Dorian’s back. “If you’re looking for a back rub, look no further, Vint.”

Dorian winced at the pain before melting under the qunari’s hands. After a millisecond he recognized what was going on and leapt out from Iron Bull’s grasp. “Unhand me you foul beast!” he said, crazily waving his hands in front of him as though he were about to cast a spell.

Keeping pace beside Delani, Varric nudged her with his elbow before wagering, “Five sovereigns says that they end up in bed together before the end of the month.”

She glanced back at the other two men and shook her head. Dorian was glaring at Bull from the corner of his eye, and Iron Bull had a boyish smirk on his lips. Looking back down at Varric, Delani replied, “I’m not in the habit of taking losing bets, Tethras.”

“Ah, shucks,” he snapped his fingers in mock disappointment. “And here I was looking to make easy money.”

Playfully pushing his shoulder, she shoved him back a step, a laugh in her voice when she assured him, “Well you’re not going to get it from me, dwarf.”

“I almost had you there though, Scarlett.”

Her eyes widened and her jaw dropped. Gaping at Varric she demanded, “Is that my nickname?”

The thought made her grin. Finally she had a nickname! She felt like she’d been waiting for ages to receive a name other than ‘elf’ from the dwarf. How could he ever consider her to be a friend if he didn’t have a nickname to call her by? Varric nicknamed everyone, going without had felt like he didn’t think her deserving of one.

Noticing the excitement in Delani’s eyes, Varric shrugged and informed her, “It’s a working name. I still haven’t decided if I like it or not.”

She grinned at him and said, “It’s perfect.”

Waving off her words with faux-abashment, Varric replied, “We’ll see if it sticks.”

Her three companions were visibly more relaxed now that they were back in Skyhold. She’d dragged them to the Fallow Mire in order to rescue some of the Inquisition’s soldiers, and not a single moment had gone by without her hearing a complaint from Dorian. It was partially the reason why she’d brought him. Dorian complained about everything she hated about the Fallow Mire, which just also happened to be everything about the Fallow Mire.

It was a dreary place that not even the sun dared to touch. The rain never ceased and the undead, Delani groaned at the very thought of them. She couldn’t walk five steps without stumbling over a possessed corpse out for blood. It was wet, cold, and dark, and Delani hated it. The only thing that made it better was the eloquence of Dorian’s complaints. His words were always chosen so bitingly, so beautifully, and hearing him whine and pout about how much he hated the Fallow Mire made being there bearable.

Now they were back home, and they could all relax for a little while before Delani dragged them by their ears out onto the field again. Iron Bull voiced a boisterous goodbye before disbanding from their group and heading toward the tavern. She, Dorian, and Varric headed toward Skyhold’s main hall before going their separate ways.

As much as she wanted to check in with all of her companions and see how all of them were doing, there was something vastly more important that she needed to do. Bathe. She smelled like sweat and musty swamp water. Her cloak was heavy and dirty, and desperately needed to be washed. Every inch of her from head to toe needed to be scrubbed clean, and it wasn’t something that could be put off until later.

Returning to her bedchamber, Delani summoned a bath and set aside fresh clothes to wear afterwards. Upon first arriving at Skyhold Josephine had tried to convince Delani to wear a ridiculous monotoned ensemble, with golden buckles and creme colored boots. Naturally, she’d refused. She had casual clothing, yes they were of Dalish make, but they were comfortable and vastly superior to the colorless drab she’d been asked to wear. Delani had never particularly cared for appearances, and that hadn’t changed by becoming Inquisitor.

The bath was hot, bubbly, and well deserved. She’d soaked in the tub until the water was cold and her fingertips were wrinkled like dried grapes. Stepping out of the now cold water, having suds slip down her limbs, it was like stress melting off of her body. Delani wrapped herself in a warm towel and stepped back into her room. Quickly she dried herself off, ran a comb through her hair, got dressed in her comfortable clothing, and threw herself down on her enormous bed.

All that she wanted to do was lie down and nap like a cat bathing in the sun. But she knew that, now that she’d returned, her responsibilities wouldn’t wait for her to settle back into the swing of things. Any minute now someone was bound to come, knocking on her door, reminding her of all the paperwork that had accumulated during her absence. She had a million things to do and they couldn’t wait until—

There was a rap on her door. Delani buried her face in her hands and sobbed to herself. Through the cracks of her fingers she shouted, “Coming!” and peeled herself off of the mattress. It was times like these that she couldn’t remember why she’d taken the title of Inquisitor. Being a hunter had never been so demanding.

Dragging her feet toward the stairs, she slowly descended the steps and pulled the door open. There was one of Cullen’s soldiers standing on the other side. The young man handed a folded piece of parchment to her with the explanation, “You were to receive this message upon your arrival, Lady Inquisitor.”

“Thank you,” Delani replied, carefully taking the message from the young man’s outstretched hand. He crossed his arm over his chest in salute and turned on his heel to leave. She closed the door behind him before leaning her back against it.

Her heart started to beat against her ears. Nerves started to ripple through her veins. All that Delani could do for a moment was stare down at the folded letter. She knew that she needed to open it, she knew that whatever laid inside pertained to her clan, but she couldn’t bring herself to unfold the paper and read the words inside.

What if the news was bad? What if her whole family was gone and she was alone? Delani couldn’t even bear the thought. A life without her clan was hardly one worth living. It was her responsibility to keep them safe, and if she opened that letter and learned that they were all dead, it was she who would have failed them all.

Her hand was shaking and she was nervously gnawing on the inside of her cheek. The news was right there in her hand, the words scribed on the parchment just waiting to be read. She’d been pestering Cullen for information every time she’d seen him. He had promised news and there it was, right in her grasp, and she was too big of a coward to unfold the paper and read what was inside.

Free hand reaching for the carving knife hanging from her belt, she worried on the worn leather hilt and summoned the strength to unfold the message. Eyelids falling shut, she breathed in deeply through her nose and exhaled through her mouth. Avoiding the news wouldn’t change it one way or another. She had to read the message. She had to know.

She reopened her eyes and released the carving knife. Taking one more deep breath to steel her resolve, she unfolded the letter and read the message inside. Her heart started to race, a grin expanding over her lips. It was good news. The news was more than good, it was great. Her clan was alive, and they’d suffered minimal casualties. Cullen’s forces had descend from the hills and joined clan Lavellan’s hunters and they’d put down the bandits together.

Relief flowed through her like a calming stream. Thank the Creators. She buried her fingers in her hair and laughed to herself. They’d done it. Cullen’s men had done it. Cullen had done it. Her people were safe, they were no longer in danger, they were alive, and it was because of him.

Her feet were moving before purpose could take shape in her mind. Delani knew that she had to thank him, but her body was one step ahead of her. The door to her bedchambers slammed shut and she ran through the corridor and down more flights of stairs. She needed to find Cullen and she needed to thank him for her people’s safety.

She burst into the main hall, quickly drawing startled glances and rousing suspicious conversation. Clearing her throat, Delani made more of an effort to appear casual, but her pace was still hurried as she walked down the hall’s length.

Towards the end of the main hall, Varric was seated at his writing desk, quill in hand, fresh parchment stacked before him. He watched her approach with a quirked eyebrow, and once she was close enough his gravely voice wondered, “Where’s the fire, Scarlett?”

Her only reply was an impartial shrug, before pulling open the door to Solas’s workspace that connected to the walkway that would take her to Cullen’s office. She offered the other elf a quick, “Hi, Solas; bye Solas,” as she ran through the cylindrical room and made her way outside.

Once she was greeted by the cool mountain air and the sun’s warm light she was jogging toward the Commander’s office, trying to appear as casual as possible while also rushing to get to her destination. She was aware that she looked like a madwoman, she just didn’t have it in her to care.

She considered knocking before entering but, given the time of day, decided against it. He was probably at his desk, up to his eyeballs in paperwork. She would be a distraction, and a surprise one at that. What better way to thank him than to distract him from his work with a surprise? Unfortunately when she pushed open his door, announcing her arrival with the door bursting inward, it was only to find that his office was empty.

A lone soldier stood post, informing Delani that the Commander wasn’t in his office, an observation that she’d come to on her own. When Delani investigated, the soldier had no explanation for where Cullen had run off to. He just meekly replied, “The Tevinter mage came for the Commander, said he needed a break.”

Brows furrowing, Delani thanked the soldier and left Cullen’s office. Where had Dorian taken the Commander? Didn’t he know that she needed to thank him? Returning to Skyhold’s main building, she strode past Solas with only a nod in acknowledgement. When she stepped out into the main hall she walked over to Varric’s writing desk, hoping that the dwarf had seen the Commander or Dorian.

“Did you put out that fire, Inquisitor?” Varric asked, a laugh in his voice as he dipped his quill in ink and pressed the tip to the parchment before him.

Shaking her head in answer, Delani muttered a quiet, “Not yet,” before asking him, “Have you seen Cullen or Dorian?” She was hoping for the former, but if Dorian had stolen the Commander then finding him would lead her to her desired target.

“Both actually,” Varric informed her, without looking up from his parchment. Vaguely gesturing toward the door across the way, he stated, “Sparkler dragged Curly to the garden, said something about a gentleman’s game. Knowing Dorian, I was too afraid to ask.”

Now that she knew where to look, Delani thanked Varric for the information and crossed the hall to the door on the opposite side of the hall. Stepping into the garden, she breathed in deeply, taking in the smell of flowers and greenery basking in the day light. It was a gorgeous day, the sun was out, the temperature was comfortable, and the garden’s flowers were in full bloom. The garden was lovely, Delani didn’t know why she didn't visit it more often.

She found Dorian and Cullen at the far end of the garden, seated under the verandah, a chessboard dividing them. A smile curled the corners of her mouth at the sight of them. Delani supposed she couldn’t be mad at Dorian for stealing the Commander when he was actually helping Cullen to relax for once. First she would thank Cullen for saving her people, then she would thank Dorian for being a good friend to Cullen; both men were deserving of praise.

Delani’s gaze moved to, then focused on Cullen. His blond hair shone like threads of gold in the daylight, his pale skin had healthy warm undertones. Amber colored eyes were glittering with mirth, careless laughter at a friendly game of chess. The smile on his lips was effortless, and Cullen had to be the most relaxed she had ever seen him. Also the most handsome.

She’d always known that Cullen was handsome, a blind man could have seen that, but she was seeing more than that now. Cullen was kind, caring, compassionate, he was thoughtful, dutiful, and noble. He cared deeply for the soldiers under his command. Every order he gave was given only after heavy thought and consequences considered. He regarded his peers with respect and demanded to be treated with the same. He never forgot what was important and did whatever was necessary to achieve his goals.

Cullen saw what had to be done and he did not waver. That was what had saved her clansmen, that was what had protected her family. He’d seen how important protecting her clan was to Delani and, instead of giving her reasons as to why it couldn’t be done, he gave the order and did it. He was a man of action, a man of conscious, a man of honor, and Delani had feelings for him.

She was done shoving her feelings aside out of fear that they were unrequited. She was the Herald of Andraste, even if she didn’t believe it, he did. She was the Inquisitor. Delani was more than an elf now. She could reach in any which direction and it would never be considered reaching higher than her station again. She could reach for him and no longer feel undeserving of his attention.

For too long already she’d played the flirt without conviction. Teasing the man was easy, making him blush was fun, making him hers would take more effort. And Delani would make him hers. If he truly had no feelings for her then she would back off. It would be awkward for a while, but it would pass. But if there was even the slightest chance that he felt for her the way she felt for him, then she was going to pursue him like a leopard stalking her prey. She would be relentless, she would not back down, and she was not going to stop until he either told her to or she got what she wanted.

Delani casually approached the verandah, hesitant to interrupt their game, but wanting to watch all the same. Cullen saw her coming out of the corner of his eye and attempted to stand to greet her properly.

“Inquisitor—“ Cullen started only to be cut off by the mage.

Chuckling at the Commander, Dorian steepled his fingers plottingly and wondered, “Leaving are you?” A grin spread under his mustache, his eyes sparkling like gems. “Does this mean I win?”

Cullen gave the other man a sharp look, and Delani smiled at the two of them. Crossing her arms in front of her chest, she assured the both of them, “Don’t stop on my account, I’m fine watching for a bit.”

“Alright.” Moving his gaze from Delani to Dorian, Cullen quirked a daring eyebrow, the sideways smirk on his lips was confident. Gesturing toward the board, he said, “Your move.”

The grin that stretched over Dorian’s handsome features was haughty. His tone was teasing when he stated, “You need to come to terms with my inevitable victory.” He moved a piece on the board and finished, “You’ll feel much better.”

“Really,” Cullen challenged, setting his chess piece down with some emphasis. Softly chuckling in lighthearted amusement, he observed, “Because I just won, and I feel fine.”

Dorian had to double, then triple check the board, as if he didn’t quite believe that he’d lost so completely. Shaking his head at being so terribly beaten, Dorian grumbled, “Don’t get smug,” while pushing himself out of his seat. “There’ll be no living with you.”

The mage left them with that, fleeing from his defeat before rumor could spread that Dorian Pavus only talked a big game. Delani smiled at Dorian as he left them, giving his shoulder a gentle sympathetic pat. When she returned her attention to Cullen it was to find his gaze already on her. She took a step forward and he cleared his throat.

“I should return to my duties as well,” he paused, a hopeful glint in his golden eyes as he regarded her. “Unless you’d care for a game.”

Delani immediately grinned in agreement, “Prepare the board, Commander,” and stepped up to sit in the chair previously occupied by Dorian.

She’d only played chess twice before in her entire life. One of her clansmen had traded a human a quality pelt for it. When she’d heard the news she’d demanded to know why and her clansman challenged her to a game. After losing she’d demanded a rematch only to lose again. It had been years since her last defeat, but if losing again meant spending time with Cullen then she would happily suffer the embarrassment.

As he set up the board, Delani remembered why she’d been seeking him out in the first place. Admiring his carefree expression, she stated, “I need to thank you, vhenan’ara.”

Surprised, he looked up from his task with curiosity in his eyes. “Thank me for what, Inquisitor?” he asked, returning his gaze to the board until all of the players were back in their places.

Delani smiled, happy to see him like this. It was always work with him, there was never a time that he was just relaxing for the sake of it. It had taken Dorian dragging him out here for it to happen, but she was glad that she was able to witness him without a report in hand or an entourage of soldiers awaiting instruction.

“For the lives of my clansmen,” she explained, her smile wide with gratitude and sincerity. “You were true to your word, you kept them safe.”


That smile. How did she expect him to concentrate when she was giving him that smile? Shaking his head, he replied, “There’s no need to thank me, Lady Lavellan. It was my men who did all of the work.”

“At your order,” she corrected, insisting on thanking him even if he hadn’t done anything worthy of her thanks. Her sea green eyes were persistent, she was not going to let this go until he accepted her gratitude. “You promised me that you would keep them safe and you did. Thank you. I will never be able to repay you.”

Cullen knew that arguing with her further would only make her more earnest about thanking him. His only choice was to accept her gratitude. Offering Delani a warm smile, he stated, “You’re repaying me now,” and gestured toward the board.

His heart jumped at the sight of her full lips pulling into a larger smile. Andraste preserve me, she was beautiful beyond compare. Her auburn hair shone like silk in the daylight and Cullen ached to thread his fingers through those crimson strands. Her clay colored skin looked soft, warm, and he had mused how she would feel pressed against him more times than he would ever admit. The way Delani’s sea green eyes regarded him made him feel superhuman, as though there weren’t a single thing that he couldn’t do. She was beautiful, and the biggest crime of all was that she had no idea just how beautiful she was.

Clearing his throat and returning his focus to the game, Cullen wondered, “Have you played before?”

She shrugged, her smile turning playful. “Once or twice,” Delani answered before, moving a pawn two spaces. It was a weak first move, and a poor way to start the game. To say that she was a novice at chess was being kind. He couldn’t help the smile that curled his lips. So there was at least one thing that the Herald of Andraste couldn’t do.

Leaning forward, Delani rested her elbows on the table dividing them. “How about you?” she asked, curiosity in her eyes.

Cullen smiled and nodded that he was very familiar with the game. “As a child I played this with my sister.” He chuckled at the memory. Growing up, his sister had always been better than him at everything, and she’d always loved to remind him of it. They used to fight like cats and dogs but he had always loved his sister, and he missed her dearly.

Shaking his head, he shooed the memory. He moved a knight in an equally poor move, and returned to their conversation. “She’d get this stuck up grin when she won, which was all the time. My brother and I practiced together for weeks. The look on her face when I finally won.”

His smile fell a bit as he considered his family and his home. With so much to do, so many responsibilities to attend to, and so many people that depended on him it was easy for Cullen to get lost in his work. It was times like these, when he had a second to catch his breath, that he remembered how terribly he missed his family. Most days the knowledge that they were safe was enough to satisfy him. Other days he would give a limb if it meant playing another board game with his sister.

“Between the templars and the Inquisition I haven’t seen them in years. I wonder if she still plays.”

Delani moved another pawn and Cullen wondered if she even knew what she was doing. Her gaze was on him, her eyes alight with surprise. She smiled warmly when she investigated, “You have siblings?”

“Two sisters and a brother,” he answered with a nod before moving his knight again and taking one of her pawns, leaving the piece vulnerable for her to take during her next move.

She took the bait and picked up his knight, a self-satisfied smile on her face as she set it aside. Cullen watched her grin to herself and had to wonder how a woman so beautiful came into existence. She was adorable. Delani had taken exactly one of his pieces and she was grinning like she’d just won. It had to be the cutest thing he’d ever seen.

He was fighting back a smile when she inquired more about his family. “Where are they now?” she asked, keeping the conversation going as she faked her way through the chess game.

“They moved to South Reach after the blight.” He answered before sighing through his nose and admitting, “I do not write to them as often as I should.” before taking his turn.

Cullen was enjoying their easy communication. They hardly ever got the chance to talk so casually without something more important hanging over their heads or looming in the background of their thoughts. Delani was visibly more relaxed now that she knew her clan was safe. She was smiling again, the laugh was back in her eyes, and Cullen was elated to see it again.

Not wanting their conversation to fizzle out, he asked, “How about you?” She looked up to meet his gaze with a question in her eyes. Smiling he clarified, “Do you have any siblings?”

Shaking her head she answered, “I am an only child,” only to amend, “Not that that means anything when you live in a clan.”

“What do you mean?” he asked, intrigued.

Cullen wanted to learn more about Delani and her people. His knowledge on the Dalish was laughable. But he could recognize power when he saw it. Their clans’ hunters were well trained and protective of their people. Their Keepers were said to be powerful mages with access to magic that was foreign to even the Circle. And they’d given the Inquisition Delani, who was a force of nature unto herself. The Dalish were deserving of respect, and he knew of no better way to show this than by learning more about them.

Delani’s smile widened and she shrugged in answer. “The clan’s children are born and raised together. We may not be siblings by blood, but we are kin.” Moving another chess piece, she stated, “In my generation alone there were fifteen of us.”

He made a surprised noise, unable to imagine growing up with fifteen other children. His three siblings had been more than enough, another twelve would have been insane. “That is a lot of children.”

“That is a single generation,” she rebuked with a half smile. “It is not easy living constantly on the move, as we Dalish do. The world is a dangerous place, especially when your ears are sharp like ours.”

Though her tone was casual, Cullen could tell that she was missing her home and her people. She spoke of her clan with such fondness that he wished that he could meet them for himself. Would he even be welcomed among them, or would he be considered another human? He moved another chess piece and listened to the sound of Delani’s melodic voice as she explained to him what it was like living the way her people did.

“Despite having medicine and healing magic, people die. My parents were actually discouraged from having only one child. If one out of every two children died of illness, injury, or because of bandits then having one child is not only selfish but harmful to the entire clan.” Shrugging as though the logic was sound, Delani stated, “The more children we have the better the odds are of our survival.”

Brows reaching for his hairline in shock, Cullen wondered, “Is that common?” One out of every two children was far too many children dying to things that should have been avoidable.

She shook her head, the gesture only slightly comforting. “I was just giving an example.” A second later she added, “But out of my generation’s fifteen children only ten lived to see adulthood.”

“That’s terrible,” Cullen said, not sure what else to say. The thought of so many children losing their lives, it was sickening. No wonder the Dalish hated humans so much. The wilderness already threatened their people as only nature could, but then to also be attacked by ignorant and violent humans. It was a battle on all fronts.

“That’s life,” she corrected him with an understanding smile.

Cullen stared at Delani for a moment, amazed by her. She was perseverant, stubborn, too strong willed to even have time for weakness. She’d been shaped from the beginning to be something great, and she hadn’t the slightest idea how amazing she was.

Not knowing what else to say, but also not wanting their conversation to turn awkward, Cullen asked, “Do you miss them?” only to be rewarded by Delani’s heart shattering grin.

“Terribly,” she admitted with a laugh.

She moved another chess piece, and Cullen considered how best to retaliate. There were five ways that he could move that would immediately end the game, but ending the game would also mean ending his time with Delani. If he moved his bishop three spaces he could take her knight but also leave his queen open. It would still appear like he was putting up a fight, while also allowing her the satisfaction of winning, and spending more time with her. Sure he lost the game, but he won in the long run.

Taking his queen, Delani elaborated, “They’re actually the leading reason why I agreed to become Inquisitor.”

“Oh?” he asked, intrigued. He moved a pawn just for the sake of using his turn, if Delani played the way he thought she would, the game would be hers in two more moves.

“As Inquisitor I can do more for the Dalish people,” she explained, pressing her tower forward, just like he knew she would. One more move.

Smiling up at Cullen, she continued, “There is a lot of misunderstanding when it comes to my people and everyone else. We harbor old resentments and hatred, but we need to move on; just as people need to understand our traditions and our ways.” Taking a moment to consider what she’d just said, she corrected herself. “Well, understanding might be asking for too much. If I can help people to at least respect us it would already be so much more than what we have.”

“So you’re staying for your people,” Cullen summarized, moving his king into position so that she could end the game. Once his king was in place he looked up to meet Delani’s sea green eyes. She was staring at him with a foxy smirk on her lips, plots unfolding in her eyes.

Arching a goading eyebrow, she corrected him, “I joined the Inquisition for my people. I’m staying for you.” Without breaking eye contact with him, she took his king and ended the game.

Shocked, Cullen felt his cheeks flush. Delani was always flirting with him, teasing him, trying to make him blush. But something about her was different this time. Her lips were still twisted devilishly, her eyes were still glittering with mischief, but Delani’s features were sincere.

She was teasing him, but she wasn’t joking. Her interest in him was more than a passing flirtation, more than making him blush for sport. Her interest in him was genuine, real, and Cullen needed to remind himself to breathe.

Was it even possible that someone like her could be interested in him? He didn’t see how. But her eyes told him otherwise. Cullen swallowed hard and rubbed the back of his neck.

“That’s uh… a bold statement,” he carefully replied, his cheeks still aflame with his boyish reaction.

She pursed her lips and shrugged. “And an honest one.” Delani held his gaze, her expression open, her eyes bright and honest. There suddenly wasn’t a wall of propriety up for her, she didn’t care that he was the Commander and she was the Inquisitor. Delani was making it clear that she was interested in him and that she didn’t intend to play anymore games.

Confidently, she stated, “We should spend more time together.”

And, trying to hold his own against her intimidating conviction and self-awareness, he replied, “I’d like that.”

“Me too.”

His heart was beating rapidly in his chest, thumping against his ribcage. She’d just said that. She wanted to spend more time with him, she was staying with the Inquisition to be closer to him. Delani’s interest in him was not a passing flirtation, and there was a legitimate chance that she felt the same way about him as he did for her. Cullen was afraid to blink, afraid that she’d either disappear, or that this was only a dream.

After a second he did blink only to find the gorgeous elf still seated across from him. Their conversation had just happened. She wanted to spend more time with him. Cullen felt like a giddy school boy.

Fighting a grin from his face, he forced her attention back to the chessboard between them and observed, “I believe this one is yours. Well played.” He didn’t want to leave the garden just yet, to leave her company or the warmth radiating from his chest. But the pile of papers he had abandoned on his desk still needed to be read. As fun as this was, it had to come to an end eventually.

“We will have to try again some time.” he stated, hoping beyond hope itself that she would still feel the same way about him even without being in his company.

Delani’s eyebrows furrowed with discontentment. She looked down at the board before glaring back at him, her green eyes narrowed with dissatisfaction. “Cullen,” she started, her tone serious and unamused. “Vhenan’ara, you threw the game.”

A smile itched to unfurl on his lips, needing to be freed. He fought the urge, refusing to give away his tell. Clearing his throat, Cullen feigned ignorance as he said, “What ever do you mean, my lady?”

“There were at least five different times that you could have defeated me,” she clarified, her eyes sharp, the small smile at the corner of her mouth was scolding. When she finished speaking her tone was insulted. “But you didn’t.”

Cullen shrugged, trying to play innocent for as long as he could, even if he could tell that Delani wasn’t buying it for one second. “I don’t know what you’re implying.”

“I’m implying that you let me win.” she spelled it out for him. When Cullen tried to shake his head like he didn’t know what she was talking about, her eyes sharpened some more. “You’re telling me that the same man who trained for weeks in order to beat his sister lost to me, someone who has played this game a total of two times in my entire life?”

A laugh spilled out of him unbidden. She just couldn’t accept her victory. Raising an eyebrow, Cullen wondered, “Not fond of winning, are you?”

“Not like this,” Delani answered. She started to put the pieces back on the board, her tone full of conviction as she spoke. “My victories are earned, not handed to me. We’re playing again, and you’re going to let me lose like I deserve.”

“If you insist, my lady,” he said, trying to disguise his amusement but failing completely. Also setting up his pieces, Cullen informed her, “But it’s going to be a rather short game,” before gesturing to the board and inviting her to make a move.

She moved a pawn, the same starting move she’d made before. It was going to be an extremely short game. She laughed at his frankness, the sound was not only surprised but admiring as well. “Oh, just listen to that sass. So now your true colors show.” Her eyes sought his, warmth in those green depths as she regarded him. “I can’t say that I’m surprised.”

“No?” He asked, curious as to what she meant. He moved his knight. Four more moves and the game would be his. Wanting an explanation for her observation, he asked, “And why’s that?”

“Because you know you’re going to win,” she answered with a shrug, as though it was obvious. She moved another piece and Cullen corrected his earlier assessment. He could win the game in two moves.

Unaware that she was so close to defeat, Delani stated, “Sass comes easy to those who aren’t afraid of losing.”

He couldn’t help his grin. “That actually explains a lot about you,” he admitted before playing his piece.

Delani caught on that her king was vulnerable and quickly moved to defend him. It would only buy her a little more time. This game was his and she knew it as well as he did. She shrugged in reply to his observation before she said, “It explains that I’m a good liar.”

“Not as good as you think.”

Her eyes sharpened but her lips twisted with delight. Her eyes were glittering with mirth and Cullen could tell that she was enjoying this careless repartee just as much as he was. Scrunching her features up in false distaste, she grumbled, “Yes, yes, you’ve got some sharp wit to you after all. We’re all very impressed.”

“I never took you for a sore loser,” Cullen playfully scolded her before moving his piece and getting himself that much closer to the end of the game.

Sighing, Delani glared at the chessboard and contemplated her next move. Without looking up at him, her delicate fingers hovered over her bishop before moving to the knight and then returning to the bishop. “Someone alert the criers,” she said, still undecided on her next move. “The Herald of Andraste has a flaw.”

Cullen sniggered at her comment, his grin expanding when she decided on moving the knight. “Yes,” he replied, countering her move. “Your lack of strategy certainly does count as flawed.”

“Roguish good looks and boyish charm,” she leaned her elbow on the table and rested her chin in her palm. Delani stared at him as though she were trying to figure him out, as though he were some enigma that would haunt her forever. “Tell me, Commander, why must you resort to petty verbal abuse? I assure you, there are easier ways to make me swoon.”

He could feel a familiar burn on his face and in his ears. How did she always manage to do that? It was infuriating. He would return the gesture in kind. Sooner or later it would be him causing her to blush, making her flustered. Cullen was determined to see her cheeks flush because of him for a change.

“I—erm— I mean…” Blinking himself back into focus, Cullen mumbled a hurried, “It’s my move,” before taking her king.

“And look at that,” she replied with a sigh, but her expression was happy despite her defeat. “I lose.”

Surprised that she was taking her defeat so well, Cullen commented, “You got what you wanted, Lady Lavellan.”

A wicked smile curled her lips. Delani pushed herself up from her seat and stood in front of the table. Holding Cullen’s gaze, she assured him, “I always do, vhenan’ara.” before leaving him there to stare after her.

Just like that he was blushing all over again.