Can't resist having a little fun changing things a bit.
**
They sat across each other at the table they shifted to the balcony. Cullen stared expressionlessly at the chess pieces on the board while Alaryn slouched in her own chair, chin cupped in her hand as she gazed at the sky. Neither of them had their minds on the game. There was a more important impending event arising. The problem was they didn't know what Corypheus was going to do, they just knew he was going to do something after four setbacks. When? They had no idea either.
It was the calm before the storm. Alaryn had no idea if she would survive it when it hit. She had already prepared letters to be sent to her family should she not make it. It had been the hardest task she had to handle; she didn't know what to write. She had stared at the blank parchment for the longest time before she scribbled, what she was certain, complete babble and sealed it before she could think of revising it. Her parents and brothers would probably wonder. Of all the Trevelyans in the family, she was considered the most dispassionate.
She had even prepared a document to deal with her death; her body. Rather pointless if Corypheus burned it to ashes or strung up to be displayed. A grisly thought. In the event that somehow none of that happened, she'd rather not have her remains become a religious symbol. She had a horrid feeling that might happen if the Andrastian faithful had their way despite her constant denial that she was the Herald of Andraste.
Then there was one other concern. Her eyes dropped to Cullen. She sighed. It turned into a sharp yelp when the Mark flared. Cullen looked up startled when Alaryn shot up from her chair and stared at the sky. He came to his feet when he realised the sky had turned a familiar sickly green, a whirlpool of lightning clouds swirling towards a dark hungry looking hole. Beneath their feet, there was a swelling murmur as people around Skyhold noticed what was happening. The Breach. It had returned. It had to be him. Corypheus. He had opened the sky again.
Cullen's gaze dropped back to Alaryn, a cold stone in his stomach. The Mark on her hand blazed brightly as she stared at it. She met his gaze. The moment had come.
"He's at Haven," she said.
"Most of our troops are still at the Arbor Wilds..," he began to say.
She knew what he was going to suggest. "No, I can't wait. We cannot wait. I must leave immediately." She turned and was brought up short when arms snaked around her to bring her up against a warm hard body. A body that trembled.
"Maker, I know I have to let you go. I know you have to face him. Promise me, promise me you'll come back."
A promise she could not make. She turned. "I'll try," she said softly as she cupped Cullen's face with her hands, his pain etched in his eyes and in every line of his body. They stood in silence, cherishing the moment. "Will you tell the others to get ready and make the preparations?" she said reluctantly.
Drawing a almost sobbing breath, Cullen nodded and stepped away. He made as if to go and then turned back. "From herein to the end of my life and beyond, there is none but you. Only you." His eyes gilmmered with his passion as he held out his hand.
She blinked with unshed tears as she grasped it. "There is none other but you, in this life and beyond."
He smiled. "I will wait for you. If you do not return-" he looked down at their hands before imploring huskily, "wait for me."
"I will."
Retour en haut
Honestly, I'm just pulling my theory out of my ears. But when I think about it I wouldn't be surprised if the elves were messing with some dangerous materials and the mirrors eventually broke since no one could do proper maintenance. 
