The Mage That He Would Forever Hold Dear (CullenxInquisitor Fanfic)

-19- A Worrisome Other

It had been a week since Faith had left to the Hinterlands, not a word coming from the scouting parties or supply convoys. Cullen was getting worried something had happened to her, everyone giving him sad looks when he waited at the gates for Faiths arrival, only to be left with a worried heart. Had something gone wrong? Was she okay or had someone captured them? So many questions and worried shrouded his mind as he stood leaned up against a ruined pillar, his eyes watching as the supply convoy entered the Hold.

Every other time she had gone out she wrote letters to him to assure him she was alright and to tell him what happened that day, none of which he had received since she left. The leader of the convoy simply bowed his head softly in Cullens direction before helping his team lead the horses to the stables.

"Any word from the Inquisitor?" He started, pacing after one of the older women that held a satchel tightly in her old hands. She stoped, her grey eyes looking up to him with a small glint of pity.

"No, sorry. I know your worried about the Fair Maiden." She opened the top, letting her hand sink inside and pull out a few scrolls of paper. "I do have these for you though, some requisitions for her when she returns. I took a peek at some of them and the new garden sounds nice." She smiled gently at him, silently trying to rest a sure him that Faith was okay.

"Thank you." He gave a curt smile then put the scrolls of paper under his arm before pacing back towards the gate, as of Faith was going to walk through any moment.

"She's hurting." Came a small voice from behind him, Cullen jumping slightly before turning around quickly. Cole stood behind him, his hat covering his eyes as he played with his fingers.

"Excuse me?" Cullen muttered still slightly in shock.

"The Inquisitor, Faith." Cole replied, lifting his head so his eyes were visible. The boy looked at him with pained eyes, his thin lips slightly parted.

"What do you mean she's in pain? Did something happen?!" Cullen felt his heart beat speed up as both anger and worry filled him, his mind racing at all the scenarios

"Heart racing, eyes red from tears. A being from within, energy drained and body weak." Cole started, Cullen furrowing his brow as he tried to make sense of all the words being mashed together. But a few stuck out at him. 'A being from within?' Was she with child? Oh maker what had he done.

"Where is she Cole?" He grabbed the boy by the shoulders, his fingers digging into the cloth unintentionally. Cole tried to pull away as he let out a small uncomfortable noise. "Is she still in the Hinterlands?!" Cullens voice was deeper and more pronounced as more worry and fear filled him. His eyes caught a few passerby's that were watching him with scared expressions, their eyes wide and their paces halting. Realizing what he was doing he quickly let go of Cole, scratching at the back of his neck. "Sorry, I didn't mean to do that."

"It's okay, you love her don't you?" Cole replied in a small voice, his soft eyes gleaming up to The Lion of Fereldan.

"With every ounce of my being." Cullen closed his eyes and sighed, trying to calm himself down before he rushed out of the Hold in search of her blindly. "If anything ever happened, I don't know what I'd do." Cole nodded to him in understanding.

"She will be alright." He assured him before heading on his way. Cullen stood for a moment in thought before he headed toward the upper part of the library where they held their ravens.

To Cullens surprise Liliana wasn't tending to them, they all sat seated in their cages, red eyes gleaming as he entered. He walked quietly around the cages until he found his raven, the large bird tilting its head as he reached for the latch on the entrance. The bird waddled towards him as he put his hand into the cage, allowing the creature to jump onto his hand before he placed it on a table near a window. The large bird let out a low rumble of a chirp before it was laid on its back, Cullen attaching a piece of paper with his personal seal on it to the birds leg. The creature laid still, it's eyes watching him calmly.

"I need you to find her for me." He spoke softly to the bird, his large hand scooping the bird up and holding it gently so he could open the window. "Make sure she's safe." He whispered before he gently tossed the bird out the window, it's wings opening quickly as it scooped up air within them. Within a few moments the bird was soaring away from him, it's body barely visible against the sky.

"She's the Inquisitor. I'm sure she's fine." Came a feminine voice behind him, his body freezing before he turned around. Liliana stood against one of the pillars that supported the banisters along the roof, her arms crossed against her full chest as she eyed him. Her hood was down exposing her orange locks that fell delicately against her face, her blue icy eyes taking him in.

"I know who she is. But I also know a lot of people want her dead." He replied solemnly. He rested a hand on the hilt of his sword before he paced towards another pillar parallel to the one she was rested against.

"But we wouldn't let that happen Cullen, there are also a lot of people who would risk their lives for her." Liliana replied, moving a brain behind her ear as she pushed away from the pillar and headed towards him. Her small hand grasped his bicep as she stood beside him, her eyes peering up to him from under her bangs. "I don't think anyone would come between Bull or Dorian  or even Varric to try and hurt her. She's in good hands." He stood stiffly, his mind swirling with what Cole had told him. He had known Liliana for a big portion of his life but still couldn't get the words out to tell her that she might be pregnant out in the wild with minimal protection from the demons that rained down from the sky.

"Maker, I hope not." He replied briskly, shifting away from her hand before he paced out.