#drunk garden

Hey girl, I heard you like pain, so how about some quality pain?

@dadrunkwriting

Cullen X Red Lyrium GraceRed Lyrium AU

He watched the woman pace the cell in the depths of Skyhold. Back and forth, back and forth, the soft red light glimmering from the crystals that grew out of her breastplate and the shoulders of her cloak. She was muttering to herself, eyes darting wildly around the cell. Cullen shifted back onto his heels, sighing. She twisted quickly, hands still clasped together in front of her in large glowing manacles that flashed as her fingers twitched in rage.

“Would you like a chair?” he asked wryly. The woman spat on the floor, a little hiss sounding from where it hit.

“There are easier ways to keep a mage unarmed, knight-commander,” she growled. “It wouldn’t be the first time someone had tried.”

She shrugged her coat off of her arm, displaying a weathered, angry scar in the shape of a Chantry sun. Cullen looked at the ground.

“You’re enough of a danger without your magic, Lady Hunter.”

Cullen internally cringed as she lowered her head towards the floor, twisting it in the fashion of a viper as she stretched her neck. Her head snapped towards hand on the bars faster than he thought humanly possible.

“Dangerous? Little me?” She smiled at him, an eerie death like grin stretching her face. It crumpled into a pout as he backed away. “Still. It is nice to know that someone still knows about me. Such a shame.”

“Why would you join Corypheus?” Cullen asked, his tone harsher than he intended. The pout folded its way into a sneer.

“You’re assuming it was my choice at all.”

“But… this? It is a fate worse than death.”

She seemed to deflate, bringing her bound hands up to her mouth. “I died a long time ago.”

For a moment, she seemed far more human than the animalistic weapon they had imprisoned. It was as though she was letting herself crack open like a geode filled with red.

“Can I get you anything?” Cullen asked quietly. She looked up at him, brows crinkling.

“You can stay here for the night,” she answered simply, plopping down on the stone floor. “Though I wouldn’t say no to a pillow.”

“Why would I want to stay with you for the night?” Cullen laughed, the slight disgust he had for her warped form leaking into his words.

She looked back up to him from her place on the floor. “I could use the company. And who knows, you may learn something of use.” The implication was strong. Stay down near her for the night, learn about the enemy. Or learn nothing, and waste a night. She sensed his hesitance. “Think of this as my final confession, knight-commander. We both know what’s going to happen to me.”

“You think I would allow this–“

“Final act of grace?” the woman laughed. “Yes. I think you will. Because you are a good man, Knight-Commander.”

“I will see what I can do,” Cullen muttered, walking towards the exit. She tugged her way to press against the bars, shouting after him.

“Remember the Templar’s Grace, Commander! Remember me like I was in Kirkwall!”

Cullen froze, hand gripping the doorknob tight.

“What did you say?” he growled, not daring to look back at the woman who was gripping what little of the bars she could reach around the manacles.

I’ve decided to put this in my and @silent-of-spirit‘s modern AU because to me, Damien has always been the odd one out of my Quizzie’s and Cullen’s kids.

So, without further ado:

Grace/Cullen, Damien • Skyhold University Hospitals, Mother And Baby Ward • 6 years later

Cullen listened to Grace sleeping fitfully in the hospital bed, holding the little bundle in his arms gently, looking at his newborn son. He was so incredibly small, born almost three weeks early. The little boy fussed slightly, and Cullen set up a bottle for him, rocking him as they paced the room, moving from light to light. The little boy seemed to stop fussing as he ate more and more of the bottle, finally spitting it out and hiccuping before Cullen could burp him. 

Cullen walked back over to the little wooden cart that the bassinet was on as a nurse walked back in to check on Grace, and take the new little boy for some routine testing.

“He’ll be back in about fifteen minutes,” the woman said, smiling as she wheeled the little cart out of the door. Cullen nodded and relaxed in the uncomfortable chair. He was a father again. Another little bundle of joy to add to his live in addition to his daughter. 

Fifteen minutes passed. And the thirty. Finally after an hour the nurse walked in, accompianied by two doctors and his son. Grace had woken up and was sitting quietly in the bed, reaching out for her newest child.

“Mr and Mrs Rutherford, we’re not sure how to tell you this,” one of the doctors started. The other one, an older gentleman, grey and kind, stopped his younger counterpart.

“After running our routine tests to check your son’s hearing and eyesight, we’ve concluded that your son may be totally blind,” he said slowly. Grace’s eyebrows furrowed as she looked at her son, playing absently with his little fingers.

“Blind?” Cullen asked, trying to make sure he had heard them correctly.

“I’m sorry, I know this must be quite a shock-”

“Is there anything else wrong with him?” Cullen asked, walking over to Grace, and resting his hand on the bundled infant. The doctor paused.

“No... aside from his apparent blindness, he is completely healthy,” he answered, watching Cullen. Cullen picked up the child from Grace’s arms and held him close, taking his tiny hand. The doctor nodded. “We will give you time to figure out what to do.

Grace leaned back and watched Cullen carefully as he cooed at the little boy, taking his hand and placing it on his face. Slowly, Cullen moved the hand over his own face, making sure the child could feel every line, every bump and scar.

The Arbor Wilds had been hard won, the losses substantial.All Cullen could think about was the last moment he had watched Fohen run intothe crumbling temple, his companions behind him as the roar of the lyriumdragon echoed overhead.

He had lost all hope then. He had lost even more when theycleared the temple and the Inquisitor was nowhere to be seen. It was the laststraw, the last heartbreaking truth that broke him.

The ride back to Skyhold had been somber, and long. Theusual cheerful joking that would tease him and taunt him was as absent as hislover was, and his men gave him a wide berth, speaking to him only whennecessary. The silence became more deafening as they approached the castle.

“Cullen!”

He looked up, confused and alarmed. It couldn’t be-

Fohen’s head popped over the battlements, grinning at hisCommander before it disappeared, the clamor of feet on stairs echoing throughthe mountainside as the gates were thrown open. Cullen jumped from his horse,sprinting the last few yards into the courtyard, catching the slender elven manin his arms and kissing him.

He kissed him over and over, not caring of who was watchingor who cared.