Dragon Age Inquisition: Faith

The Tower

The attacks were happening more frequently now, coming so close together that the end of one and the beginning of another sometimes felt only minutes apart. Cullen could have coped with that.

What he couldn’t cope with were the memories that the attacks had started to bring to the surface. That prison in Kinloch Hold, the demons piercing his skin and eyes and mind, killing his friends in front of him again and again and again and laughing, always laughing, the laughter mixing with his screams and those of his friends.

Cassandra claimed that the intensity of the attacks was due to overwork. “You push yourself too hard, and expect too much,” she said when he approached her. “It is normal for the pain to grow worse for a time, but you are doing well with it. Do not give up so easily. You give yourself too little credit.”

But Cullen knew the truth. He could not continue like this.

The Inquisition needed a new Commander.

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“Of course, Donnic thinks he’s been given a soft patrol as a punishment. So Aveline turns to Hawke and says, ‘I can fix this. I’ll need three goats and a sheaf of wheat. You’ll take them to his mother. It’s a dowry tradition.’”

The Iron Bull roared with laughter. “You’ve got to be shitting me. You’re making this up!”

“I swear by the ancestors this is exactly how it happened,” Varric chortled. “So then, Hawke invites Donnic out for drinks, with the idea that Aveline will come too and they’ll get to talk, but Aveline never shows. At the end of the night Donnic tells Hawke that he’s flattered but he’s not interested in her—she’s just too coy for him.”

Cecily was giggling so hard her eyes were watering. “Oh no. Poor Hawke! Why didn’t Aveline come?”

“She panicked,” Varric said with a shrug. “Put the woman up against ten armed Coterie thugs and she won’t bat an eyelash, but drinks with a man she likes—go figure.”

“Well, he wasn’t being much help either. I’m not certain this man deserves your Guard-Captain,” Blackwall said skeptically.

“That can’t be the end of it. Please tell me that’s not the end of it,” Cecily begged. “You said they’re married now!”

“Spoilers, Inquisitor!” Varric scolded. “All right. Hawke, with some assistance, comes up with a new plan. Aveline and Donnic will go on patrol, but Hawke will walk the route ahead of them and clear out any criminals who might interrupt their private time. But three hours later, the patrol is over and they haven’t discussed anything besides the weather and the best method for smithing swords. So Hawke jumps out and insists that Aveline tell Donnic the truth. When she can’t, Isabela loses her patience and tells Donnic to ‘take a hint and bend her over a basin.’”

The Iron Bull raised his eyebrow. “Did that work? Because if it worked, I might have some words for our Commander when we get back to Skyhold.”

Cecily glared at him. The mercenary pretended not to notice.

“Well, not right away. They both get flustered and go back to Kirkwall separately. Aveline spends the next few hours fretting that Donnic is going to file a complaint, that she’s going to lose the Guard’s trust. But when she gets back to the barracks, the Guardsman comes in for a meeting with her, and, well, let’s just say no complaints were filed. They both walked out of her office looking very happy. And they still are.” Varric’s voice was full of affection. “So technically, I suppose Isabela’s advice didn’t hurt.”