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Things just seem so quiet now, oh sure, everyone comes to the Inquisition with every little problem but they’re of little importance.
She was staring out her window when she heard her door slam against the wall. Cullen was at the top of the stairs, panting and sweating as much as a mabari drools. Ellie ran around her desk as Cullen met her in the middle as he swept her into a hug.
“Cullen! What is it? Is something wrong?”
“You haven’t heard? Leliana has freed the mages, she's given them most of the rights that everyone else has and is working on the rest.”
“Yes, Leli told me of her plans.” But hearing it come true made her smile.
“You can get married.”
And with those four words they both crumpled to the floor, sobbing.
It was a quiet place, well not with the inquisition and his family.
An old forgotten arch outside a neglected villa, it may once have been a rose garden but now vines have over taken it, weaving between the intricate patterns the metal formed and wild flowers blooming all over. The ground wasn’t much different, short messy grass, recovering from years of use, with a wildflower here and there. The trees towered high above them, old trees with too many branches to count.
How long had she been keeping this place secret?
Neither had really been fussed of the appearance, but Josephine and Cassandra had insisted that she wear a wedding dress and him a tux. Leliana had sent shoes as soon as she heard of the engagement. Josephine had acquired many dresses and things from Antiva or Val Royeaux but in the end they had gone out and found one themselves, a simple dress, traditional white with thin material over it that made her sparkle. Dorian fixed her hair under Josephine’s supervision and… adjustments. Cassandra and Josephine had a fun time discussing make-up with her, that eventually turned into teaching Cassandra how to use the stuff.
Nobles from everywhere sent gifts once they announced it, well, once Josephine announced it. Varric gave them a signed copy of his new book, which if you opened it, hid a bottle of expensive wine from Kirkwall and flowers from Cole. Bull and the Chargers brought different types of alcohol and jackets made from something soft and warm. Vivianne got her a fancy Orlesian hat. Even Sera and her friends gave her a box of jewelry. Cassandra gave her a tiara, mainly for the wedding day. Josephine had new dresses made. Dorian found cloud-like bathrobes.
The inner circle, gathered around the arch, talking and making jokes, Bull even let Sera sit on his horns, the group’s excitement almost matched his own.
The first sign that she had stepped into view was how quiet everyone became, it was almost instant and when Cullen turned around he fell to his knees.
There she was, walking towards him, followed by the bride’s maids; Cassandra, Josephine and Leliana. She was only a few feet away when Bull picked him up, he didn’t even notice. She was there, in a wedding dress, for him, to get married to him. And that smile, her eyes were sparkling, and oh, he couldn’t resist, his arms wrapped around her.
“Cullen, if you don’t let go I might start crying.”
“Every night that we spent and will spend together, I will hold dear, but the one I will cherish most is when you covered me with kisses from head to toe. We have both done terrible things but here… here is where we can start again.”
That kiss, that wonderful, beautiful kiss, the simple act that ended the ceremony, there could be no words that gave it justice. It was soft and gentle, but in it was love, compassion, and so many promises unsaid.