Dragon Age Inquisition: Faith

Confessions, Part I

The withdrawal attack the morning after the Empress’s ball was not the worst so far—that honor still belonged to the nightmare at Adamant.

But it was, by far, the longest. Cullen’s first episode, back when he had first ceased the lyrium use, had barely lasted an hour. This time, he was in pain for well over a day. Fortunately there was little he needed to do except nod in agreement while the Inquisition packed for the return to Skyhold, but even so, this was not an encouraging sign.

They’re getting worse. I have to tell her.

But, Maker help him … he couldn’t.

It wasn’t just that his attraction to the Inquisitor had blossomed into full-blown mooning (as Dorian so politely called it). It was the idea of adding yet another burden to the very long list of burdens that Cecily Trevelyan was carrying.

Pardon me, Inquisitor. I need to tell you about my lyrium addiction, and how I’ve chosen this exact moment to try and break it. I know you’re trying to save the world, and there’s a Darkspawn magister out to kill you, and next week we’ll probably send you to an even worse corner of Thedas to fight even more demons, but I thought you might enjoy having something else to worry about. Aren’t you glad that everyone trusted me with the Inquisition’s forces?

The attack had finally subsided by the time they reached Skyhold, but Cullen still didn’t feel quite like himself. For distraction, he sought out Dorian and asked if he’d be interested in a game of chess.

He braced himself for more teasing—not that he hadn’t asked for it, with his ridiculous fumbling over the Inquisitor—but once again, the Tevinter mage showed himself to be more observant than most gave him credit for. Dorian’s eyes scanned Cullen’s face; he seemed to sense that Cullen was not entirely well.

So all he said was, “You think you can do better than a draw, Commander?”

“I would like the opportunity to try, at least,” Cullen replied.

* 

“… and so he flung her skyward, and she did this ridiculous flip and landed flat on her backside. And then fired her arrow anyway! She shot a hole right through my tent,” Dorian groaned. “In short, do not get Sera and The Iron Bull drunk at the same time. They come up with the worst ideas and then insist on trying them out right there in the camp.”

Cullen laughed and moved his archmage. “I don’t know. I think I might like to see that. It could be an impressive battle maneuver, if it worked.”

“Please believe me when I tell you that it doesn’t work,” Dorian said. He looked at the board and then met Cullen’s eyes with a smirk. “Ready to concede?”

Cullen arched his eyebrow. “Gloat all you like. I have this one.”

“Are you sassing me, Commander? I didn’t know you had it in you.” Dorian moved his knight to capture Cullen’s archmage—exactly the play Cullen had hoped he would make.

“Are you two playing nice?”

Cullen half leapt out of his chair at the sound of the Inquisitor’s voice. Cecily had snuck up on them so quietly he hadn’t heard her approach.

She smiled and waved him down. “Please, don’t let me interrupt.” Her eyes fell to the board; Cullen could see her puzzling out the next move. Her long hair was loose today and fell in a curtain across her cheek. He tried not to wonder what it would feel like to run his fingers through it.

“You’re not interrupting. The Commander is just trying to escape his fate,” Dorian said. “You need to come to terms with my inevitable victory, Cullen. You’ll feel much better.”