Breaking the Divide - Cullen X Reader

2

"Bear pelts?"

"Yes, ser," the scout said. "A whole stack of them."

Cullen glanced over the report passed on from Leliana. Elfroot, iron, logging sites, near a dozen recruits for the Inquisition including several mage healers, Mother Giselle, a promise of horses, and dozens of bear pelts.

"Are there any of the poor creatures left in the Hinterlands?" Cullen asked.

The man chuckled as he took the report back. "The Herald is using the meat and skins to help the refugees. Mother Giselle feared that they wouldn't make it through the winter without help, but the Lady Herald is bringing in supplies by the crate. Even got the cult up in the mountains to lend food and aid."

Cullen smiled to himself. When Y/N and the others had departed, he'd expected her to return a few days later with the task accomplished, eager to press on and be free of the Inquisition she'd been coerced into. But this. Tending the sick, gathering food, arranging for safe passage, clearing out the rogue elements—"How are the people responding to her?"

"Better now. They were nervous at first, thought she was part of the rebellion and that she'd come to attack. Now, I don't think they'll ever stop talking about her."

"Yes," Leliana said, coming up behind the scout before dismissing him. "It's all very heartwarming."

"You disapprove?" Cullen asked.

"We have Mother Giselle en route from the camp. Things have been calmed; we should be focusing on the next task, not wasting time hunting down every bear wandering the mountains."

"You could ask Cassandra to prod her along."

Leliana pursed her lips as she glared down at the war table. "Cassandra is... encouraging the behavior. She says it's helping the Herald get used to fighting in a group of non-mages." The spymaster waved her hand as though she thought such things ridiculous. Staring at the map, she picked up three of Cullen's markers and placed them in varying locations.

"For Master Dennet," she explained. Cullen frowned as Josephine joined them, leaning over the board in her arms until her nose hovered mere inches from the surface.

"And the Herald chose my suggestion?" Cullen asked.

"Yes," Josephine said, voice somewhat clipped. "Though I still think it would've been easier merely to give the neighboring nobles a favor in exchange."

Leliana caught Cullen's eye and smirked. "No need to look so smug, Commander."

"What?" He blinked, the grin falling from his face.

She moved several other markers around on the map and Cullen could nearly hear her eyes rolling as she did so. "How much did you wager Varric that Y/N would choose you for the mission?"

"I would never—"

"How much?"

Cullen cleared his throat. "Just a few silvers."

"Try not to hold it over him for too long," Leliana said, the corner of her mouth turning up with a faint smile.

"I make no promises." He leaned over, watching as Josephine and Leliana checked off their lists, moving the markers around to show their progress. Two weeks had brought about more change than he'd expected: interest from nobles, a lyrium supplier, patrons with deep pockets. It almost outweighed the bickering and sneering that poured in daily from the Chantry and the living embodiment of stubborn pride: Chancellor Roderick.

"What about Trevelyan's family?" He came around to Josephine's marker that rested on the edge of the Free Marches. "I thought you'd heard back from them already."