#cumell

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It’s been almost a full day, and Cullen was going crazy. The rest of his soldiers seemed to sense it too, and kept a wide berth around him. All the search parties have come back empty handed, and the hollow feeling inside that threatened to overwhelm him grew larger with each passing hour.

The snow storm had abated at least, and Cassandra was already organizing two more groups to go out and scour the mountainside for the Herald and the Warden-Commander. It would not do to lose two of the most important people in Thedas in one day. It was this thought that lead him to request to come along with Cassanda. The seeker merely raised an eyebrow at him, but agreed that they could use and extra pair of eyes. Cullen knew he needed to get out, to do something. Otherwise he was definitely going to go crazy.

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“Look, over there!”

Cullen whipped his head around and stared in the direction the scout was pointing in. He sees them through the haze of snow, two figures struggling in the distance, and relief crashed over him like a tidal wave. Thank you, Andraste, thank you, he chanted repeatedly in his head as he stumbled towards them, Cassandra close behind. Lavellan gave him a crooked smile as he reached them, her thin arms trying desperately to keep Amell out of the bulk of the snow.

“She fainted a few minutes ago,” Lavellan said through chattering teeth, letting Cullen scoop the red head into his arms. “Dumb shem used up all her magic to keep us from turning into icicles.”

Though the words were harsh, Cullen could hear the grudging respect in the elf’s voice. He struggled slightly with his cloak, but managed to drag it off himself and cover the slender figure in his arms. He took a moment to look down at Amell’s pale face. There were dark circles under her eyes that stood out more prominently now against her cold skin, and Cullen traced them with a trembling finger. He remembered the last time he saw her like this - younger, less sure of herself, drained after the harrowing and a solid weight in his arms. He thought she was beautiful then (more beautiful now).

He looked up to see the scouts all pointedly looking elsewhere, and Cassandra pointedly looking straight at him with one eyebrow raised, Lavellan’s arm slung over her shoulder.

"We should hurry back, they need healers."

He refused to acknowledge the Seeker's gaze and began the trek down the mountain. The rest of the group followed behind, and Cullen pretended that he couldn't hear the whispers that followed

-

Her head was threatening to split open, her body was aching down to her bones and she hadn't felt so tired since the Battle of Denerim.  She should open her eyes, but she could bring herself to. It was so comfortable, and the blanket was warm and soft and smelt like...

She frowned. She knew that smell. Her eyes snapped open and looked down to see a mass of fur obscuring her vision. Slowly, wincing with every movement, Amell pushed herself up from the cot. The fur fell away to reveal a rich red cloak with golden embroidery, and she knew immediately whose cloak it was. She looked up out of her makeshift tent that she had been placed in and she spied him in the distance, arguing with the Seeker and Leliana.  He looked odd without the fur lining his shoulders, and the fact that the templar insignia was nowhere to be found on his armour. Amell cocked her head as she gazed at the man she used to know a lifetime ago, and after a moment smiled slightly.