From All Walks of Life

“I’m not sure I like the look of this inquisitor.” Cullen looked around the dungeon. It was dark and it was damp. The only light coming from the torch in his hand. “Surely this isn’t the only place where the item can be found?” 

“No chance. You are the inquisitor. I have sworn to keep you safe.” He bowed his head respectfully to her. He walked through the door, waiting for her to follow him. Or hope that she would follow him. “I suggested Cassandra accompany you in all honesty, Inquisitor; however, she thought it would be better for me accompany you.” She said it would be good for him to get to know Margaux a bit more and keep his mind off of everything for a few days.

“Shall we inquisitor?” He kept his gaze low, to not show disrespect to her. He knew very well who he was before here and what he was fighting against. He would do everything in his power to change his reputation. Afterall there was a reason he left that life behind.

She chuckles, somewhat darkly though she does not want it to be taken that way. 

“Cassandra travels with me all the time. Maybe, she thinks, it is your turn to do the same.” she muses, a small smile finding her features as she closes and locks the door behind her. “You still call me by my title, after all.” Maybe that isnt the best way to bring that up. At some point, she had even gotten tired of being called lady. Margaux was fine. Made her feel less like an exalted one.

Opening the door to the stables, she quickly brought the saddle to her horse. Surprisingly, it was the same one from The Hinterlands. Some how it had survived, all of it so of course now she was immeasurably fond of it. Tribute, she called him, was irreplaceable. Margaux had taught the horse reign-less commands so she can shoot from his back. another trait that showed the dark beast of burdens worth.

Her pack tied to the saddle, the saddle strapped on, she lead the mare out of the stables and with a small run-up, seated herself atop it. 

Once at the stables, Cullen removed his red cloak and hung it on the stall of his horse. He led the horse out. This horse had been at his side for many years and there was a trust between them. He adjusted the saddle and attached his secondary broadsword onto the saddle before swinging his leg over. The stallion snorted, hoof pawing the ground, he was ready to go. 

“Lets go then, Inquisitor.” 

Cullen was still weary of the Inquisitor. Grateful to all her help over the past. Cassandra had pushed him practically away from his troupes to talk to her. Hesitantly he knocked on the door, smiling a bit as she opened it for him.

“No that’s alright, Inquisitor.” He looked around at the mess of her room, rubbing the back of his neck with curiosity. He figured it was bad but this was chaotic which did stress him more than he cared to admit.  “Yes, Inquisitor.” He continued after a moment of looking around at the arrows and her luggage. “I just came to tell you that I will be accompanying you. And before you argue firstly it was my choice and secondly I won’t let you go on your own. Far too dangerous in those woods.” His eyes wandered to her finally.

“I will not be wearing any Inquisition symbols or colors. I will be in civilian clothes. Just to blend in. If that’s comforting  to you.”

Her hands still as the commander tells her what he came to. Margaux is a woman of self control, if anything, so she did not show a big display of her anger, apprehension, intense worry, and other minor mixes. though, some did show. Her hands still and her marked hand moves to her knee, thumb rubbing the muscle on its side anxiously. Her face was overtly controlled, but her eyebrow twitched in irritation.

How would the ex Templar have to say when he figured out her brother, Her twin brother, is a mage. She had no gauge on his thoughts on the matter, let alone what he actually thought about magic. Sebastian wasn’t particularly open with why he was being expelled from the circle either.

“Well.” she states. “If there is no chance in changing your mind we should head to the stables then and get ready.” staying and fighting the Templar on his involvement would only waste precious time. She would rather find a way to lose him or talk him into giving her the privacy for her to help her brother then return to him.

“No chance. You are the inquisitor. I have sworn to keep you safe.” He bowed his head respectfully to her. He walked through the door, waiting for her to follow him. Or hope that she would follow him. “I suggested Cassandra accompany you in all honesty, Inquisitor; however, she thought it would be better for me accompany you.” She said it would be good for him to get to know Margaux a bit more and keep his mind off of everything for a few days. 

“Shall we inquisitor?” He kept his gaze low, to not show disrespect to her. He knew very well who he was before here and what he was fighting against. He would do everything in his power to change his reputation. Afterall there was a reason he left that life behind. 

There’s a knock at her chamber door, pulling the archer out of her somewhat frenzied packing. She lets out a quiet sigh. She was tripping, becoming anxious and letting that anxiety control her. Of course, she had to do what she had to, that did not change, but how she acted about it could be controlled.

Crossing the too-large room, she opened the door slightly, peering at the dimly lit figure before opening it fully. The commander. It was definitely rare to see him away from his work, or his soldiers. Had she worried her advisers so? She frowns at that thought. Margaux would admit that receiving the news from her twin made her stomach turn, and maybe, in her continuous worry, she hadn’t acted in her usual manner.

“Commander Cullen.” She addressed. “Hopefully my conduct hasn’t pulled you away from your work. Either way….. I am glad you are here.”

Cullen was not a man she trusted with her life, but one could say that for most people. Or the entire population of this world except for one. What counted was he had not played with her preliminary, temporary trust. He, in the small time they knew each other, didn’t particularly press her on her Herald-ness, didn’t ask her if she spoke for the gods she didn’t know were real. if she was chosen. Maybe that’s why she favored him somewhat, as she did with ambassador Montilyet.

“No that’s alright, Inquisitor.” He looked around at the mess of her room, rubbing the back of his neck with curiosity. He figured it was bad but this was chaotic which did stress him more than he cared to admit.  “Yes, Inquisitor.” He continued after a moment of looking around at the arrows and her luggage. “I just came to tell you that I will be accompanying you. And before you argue firstly it was my choice and secondly I won’t let you go on your own. Far too dangerous in those woods.” His eyes wandered to her finally. 

“I will not be wearing any Inquisition symbols or colors. I will be in civilian clothes. Just to blend it. If that’s comforting  to you.” 

Cullen woke from his sleep surprised to see her. “Inquisitor? Everything alright?” Still feeling a bit groggy from his usual lack of sleep.