The Enchanter and The Lion

Chapter 45 - Family and Samson

They had been two days back in Skyhold after having saved the Empress and she walked into the council room as the sun was setting. The others trickled into the room. Cullen squeezed her hand as he walked past to stand across the table from her.

"How goes the hunt for Samson?" she asked.

"We're close," he answered. "We traced some of the rare enchantment items from Val Royeaux to Monfort. Leliana's people are trying to pick up the trail there. Dagna is still trying to work on ways to disenchant the armor, but only has theories at this point."

Josephine took over and went through the alliances they had garnered at the Winter Palace. She and Leliana dovetailed into how to leverage things. Maeve tried to follow their conversation, but rapidly lost the thread.

She very quickly picked it back up when Josephine said, "And if Maeve would entertain any of the half dozen proposals we got, imagine what support we could garner with those alliances!" Her eyes jerked to Josie's face in time to see her wink. "Comte Aubert was quite poetic in his."

"Ugh, he was the one with the sweaty hands. Definitely a no to that one, Josie," she laughed.

"We're not seriously discussing these, are we?" Cullen asked, as he shot a worried glance between her and Josephine.

"Of course not, Cullen," she said. "I know full well Maeve wouldn't accept any of these men, just as I know you won't accept any of the offers we got for you."

"Wait, what?!" he said in shock.

"She's teasing, Cullen," Leliana laughed, and Maeve barely bit her tongue in time to stifle hers.

"It is a pity," Josie said, "I had such a lovely ride back from Halamshiral planning your wedding, Maeve."

"Really?" she asked, somewhat interested in what Josie came up with.

"It would be in the summer in the mountains, wildflowers in the bouquet, and there has to be wine colored accents in the dress with how well that color complements your skin and hair," she sighed wistfully. "But I guess we'll have to wait for someone to propose who you'll actually accept." She kicked Cullen's shin under the table.

"What? I... that is..." he floundered and turned beet red before quickly mumbling, "It should be in the fall by the ocean."

Maeve's eyes widened as she thought, has he actually given thought to marrying me?

"Yes, it should," she quietly agreed. "Now come on, Josie," she pulled the other woman toward the door, "If you don't leave him alone, he'll turn as red as Varric's shirt."

"Did she just.....?" he looked between Leliana and Cassandra, thinking, I heard a yes...had she said yes?

"That was most definitely not a proposal from you, so that was not an acceptance from her," Cassandra said, with a disapproving shake of her head as she turned to leave.

"We could consider it a pre-proposal, though," Leliana said with a sly smile, following her, "since they both hinted at wanting the proposal to happen."

He was left standing alone in the council room completely dumbfounded, but unable to keep from smiling at the thought that Maeve might be willing to spend the rest of her life with him.

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Maeve stirred as the first rays of light started to peek over the mountains outside, the now familiar weight of Cullen's arm wrapped around her. She started to roll over and tried to disentangle herself from him without waking him, but failed.

His arm tightened around her, pulling her back to his chest. "It can't be morning yet. Not possible," he grumbled sleepily.

She smiled and nuzzled her face into his neck, kissing lightly over his collar bone above the neckline of his shirt. "The dawn coming in the windows says otherwise," she replied, but made no attempt to move again.