Well, so here it is my ongoing story. It's currently 3K total, might go up to 5K to finish. Either I make it a 3 or 4 chapter, or a oneshot...
It's about Cullen and Samson's time sharing quarters in Kirkwall & how Samson got kicked out of the Order.
If you happen to read this, please don't hesitate to tell me what do you think.
EDIT: Title changed to A Templar's Tale (published on AO3)
A Templar's Tale Part 1: Changes are Coming
Knight-Commander Meredith was not known for her patience, especially not to her subordinates who questioned her orders.
“I had just told you a few minutes before, Ser Samson. Let me repeat this once again if your ears had failed you: starting today, you are going to share your quarter with another Templar coming from Ferelden. He will arrive later this evening. I expect you to clean your mess on his side of the room by the time he arrives.”
Samson was not thrilled. As one of the more senior Templars at the Gallows, he had managed to keep his normally two-person room for himself up to today. In fact, there were even numerous empty rooms at the Templar’s Quarter. Giving the story of how thin the Veil is in Kirkwall and all the swarming apostates running freely at the gutters, it was a wonder how Kirkwall’s Templar Order had been having difficulties on recruitment to bolster their ranks. The Gallows’ Templar Quarter had once been home to nearly five hundreds Templars. Now more than half had been empty. Yet, the number of mages in Kirkwall was getting larger each day.
“But why? I mean, Knight-Commander, with all due respect, there are still plenty of empty rooms in the Templar Quarter.” Gulping hard, Samson tried to argue. He had not anticipated this when the Knight-Commander had summoned him.
Knight-Commander Meredith’s icy blue eyes scanned him coldly for a few second from behind her desk. “I want you to keep an eye on this young man and help him to level out. He is one of the survivors of Kinloch Hold’s incident a few months back. His Knight-Commander wrote to me, asking me to take him in for a few years at least. Apparently the boy had been tortured quite badly by mages and even after three months rest at Greenfell Chantry, Greagoir felt that it is not a wise decision to have him watch over the Ferelden mages. Apparently this young man had taken a very arduous zeal on his duty and hard on punishing every mages who break the slightest rules as a kind of revenge toward people who had wronged him. I respect Greagoir very much and I will do as he asked me to, he is a man who knows his duty. However if I was in his place, I would annul Kinloch Hold at the first sight of abomination running freely in the corridor.” She added the last sentence under her breath, but loud enough for Samson to hear.
Samson stood nervously. He had heard about the incident that happened in Ferelden six month earlier. The Circle Tower there was run over by abominations and blood mages, killing everyone who tried to resist their ways, mages and Templars alike. Nearly a hundred Templars and as many mages were killed. Few survived the incident, and tales of their ordeals had reached the ears of every Templars in southern Thedas. If this newcomer was as close as Meredith’s description, this will make his life harder. Much harder.
“You are one of the more senior Templars around here, Ser Samson. And I take it that your view of mages is quite… moderate to say the least. I expect you to help him adjusting to his new life here.” Meredith’s assessment turned Samson’s blood to ice. Damn, she knew it! Samson did his best not to look guilty in front of Meredith.
She must not know his secret… Or it will be the end of him. But all Knight-Commander Meredith say was “Dismissed!” in her stern demeanor.
***
Entering his own quarter, Samson sighed heavily. Slowly, he started to clean up the room for the newcomer. He had not much possession, like all Templars, and his room was relatively clean. But this work allowed his mind to wander and try to find solutions to his immediate problems, like…
“Maddox! What are you doing here?” Samson hissed loudly at the sight of the mage appearing from the corner. Maddox grinned at his friend. He always loved to appear at the most uncanny times everywhere in the Gallows. If ever Samson did not know about Maddox’s enormous knowledge of the Gallow’s secret passages, he would swear that this man was a ghost, able to appear from what seemed to be thick walls and thin airs.
“Just like the usual, my friend. There’s something I wish to discuss with you.” Maddox kept grinning. He was always a gleeful one.
Before Samson could reply, someone was knocking at his door.
“You must not be here now! Meredith’s giving me a roommate starting today. You must not come to see me here again! Never!” Samson whispered frantically, pushing Maddox back to the secret tunnel from where he emerged. “Meet me tonight, usual place, usual time. Be one minute late and I’ll be gone.”
Straightening himself, Samson opened his door calmly, hoping that no one heard the soft noises Maddox made while entering and exiting his room from the concealed passage under the bed. The walls were thick, but here in the Gallows walls had ears.
“Ser Samson, I bring you Ser Cullen of Ferelden. Knight-Commander Meredith told me that he is to be your new roommate.” It was Ser Emeric, one of the other senior Templars at Kirkwall. Following closely behind him was a tall young man in Ferelden’s Templar Armor. He could see the the Ferelden’s Templar Insignia, the Flaming Sword, pointing up, in contrast to Kirkwall’s Templar Insignia which pointed down on Emeric’s armor. Ferelden’s Kinloch Hold was known as one of the more liberally run Circle, and they had paid the price of their “liberal” actions.
Samson nodded, then moved from the door to let the young Templar into their quarter now. Ser Emeric left them after a quick nod to Samson.
“There is your bed, the one against the wall. The chest beside it and the self above are yours, the desk too. That side of the room is yours. Make yourself home.” He pointed Cullen’s half of the room. It was quite a spacious room, even for two people, yet the windows are situated high above them and not much sun could enter the room. Samson had kept the windows open as much as he could and put several candles on each desk in an attempt to make the room a bit more merrier, however he could not chase the sinister feeling of living in a prison.
The young Templar started to open the bag he had brought with him, putting his things very neatly and orderly in the appointed chest. Now that he had time to observe the newcomer closer, Samson noticed that while his armor had been slightly travel stained, it had surely been polished every day or two. Ser Cullen himself had short curly hair of reddish blond and neatly trimmed stubbles. His amber eyes were cold and guarded. He was the very image of order and neatness.
Samson watched Cullen unpacking for a few moments. The boy was young, early twenty probably. He would not give him older than twenty two or twenty three, less than half his own age. Yet if he had survived Kinloch Hold, he must have seen a lot of the Templar Order’s messier sides than most. That hardened look on his face usually stood for someone much older.
“We need to get you a new armor,” noticed Samson after a while. “I will take you to the Armory first thing tomorrow morning. It won’t do for you to wear the Sword of Mercy with the wrong side up.”
Cullen’s eyes scanned him. He nodded, his expression hardened. “Knight-Commander Meredith said that the sword pointing up means that we watch mages much more closely here than in Kinloch Hold,” he said quietly. “It is good to know. Too much freedom will let mages unchecked.”
Samson sighed again. This guy had been here not longer than a day, and now he had already taking in all Meredith’s stances. In a few decades, he would sound like Ser Alrik, one of Kirkwall’s well known mage-haters.
Now, he already missed having his room to himself.
A Templar's Tale Part 2: A Dangerous Game
That night, Samson waited for his new roommate to fall asleep before slipping away to see Maddox. The mage was already waiting him at the small balcony at the top floor, their usual rendezvous point. That place was always deserted, and no one can see them. Plus, the view of Kirkwall at night was quite beautiful. He preferred it much compared to the day view, where you could see the Darktown pillars under the city.
“I didn’t think you would be coming tonight,” said the mage. “You were so late. Having problem with the new guy?”
Samson nodded slowly. “He’s a poor sleeper apparently, took him hours to finally fell asleep. Whatever you want to talk, Maddox, it’d better be quick. I want to be back in my bed before he noticed that I’m gone.”
Maddox fell silence for a while, then made a grin. “I had a good quantity of lyrium dust kept aside from my last experience with the Fade,” he said.
“How much?” Sometimes, Samson just wanted to hit Maddox on the head for his continuous grin. But he couldn’t. He needed Maddox. And moreover, this mage was quite a company and someone he had come to trust.
“Just enough to last you a few years, even with your huge appetite. Let’s say, this might worth a few hundred golds”. Maddox pulled out a medium-sized linen pouch and show its content to Samson. This stopped Samson in his track. His eyes went wide. What Maddox had shown him had indeed been an incredible amount of Lyrium dust, thousand times more than what he had ever seen in all his years serving as Templars.
“How could you steal as much? You are taking too many risks!” Samson hissed loudly. This was madness. It was impossible that nobody would not notice that much amount of lyrium were missing. “And what do you want me to do with that much lyrium as payment?”
Maddox’ eyes glinted defiantly. He leaned and whispered, “I had been saving this little by little for years now. Up to now you have been a good friend to me. You brought me Nella’s letters and mine to hers. You let us see each other from time to time. As long as I go back unnoticed, you let me out once in every few while to meet her. And in return, I had given you more Lyrium from what the Chantry will ever give you. Every time I did my experiments, I set aside some for you.” His eyes were glinting wildly in the candle lights. His voice dropped even lower. “Nella is pregnant now, by me. My girl, my baby. I won’t fail her. I want to escape from the Circle for good this time, Samson. I want to raise my child, my family. And I want my phylactery destroyed by my hands.”
For a long moment, none of them spoke. This was a serious crime if ever any of them were captured. This would mean death for both of them, and even Maddox’s girl. Samson cursed silently for putting himself in such situation. “How are you going to avoid detection? The Knight Commander would want a proper investigation if one of her mages went missing. Even if we succeed, she might just capture me later and hang me.”
The mage looked at Samson carefully. “I will not ask you to agree or not tonight, Samson. Think, and give me your response when you are ready. I will wait for a month and then I’ll take action myself if necessary. I will find a way. In any case I cannot afford any recklessness and this will mean that if you agree, you must commit fully to this too since it’ll cost both our skin if ever the Knight-Commander catch us red-handed.”
A Templar's Tale Part 3: What This Life Costs
It took Samson a full month before he could decide anything about Maddox’ plan or meet him again. For once, he did not dare to slip away at night as much as he wanted. His roommate was a very poor sleeper and he would be awakened at the slightest sound. The first night they shared room together, Samson had come back to their room after meeting Maddox only to find Cullen fully awaken, sitting at his bed, reciting quietly the Chant of Light. He only glanced for a second while Samson entered before continuing his recital of Canticles of Benediction.
He must be careful, very careful, for his neck. Knight Commander Meredith would have him skinned alive if she caught her. She had been eyeing both him and Maddox suspiciously. Samson did not know how much he could trust Cullen either. Up to now the boy had been prim and extremely guarded. Up before dawn, getting his new shiny armor even shinier before the Morning Chant, working tirelessly the whole day without complain and clean his armor or their room obsessively each night. He never questioned Meredith’s order, even the hardest ones, and always did everything to the letter. He was the kind of person who unnerved Samson very much, especially that he never talked to anyone except if necessary.
However, behind all the prim Model Templar that he showed everyone, Samson could somehow sense a kind of vulnerability on this boy. He had trouble falling sleeping every night. Yet, once asleep, he would have what seemed to be nightmares, every single night. Cullen mostly only talks in his sleep, begging whoever that is, whatever that demon is, to leave him alone and let him his peace. Not a single night that he ever got his wish granted. Sometime Samson would swear that he could hear the boy sobbed in his sleep, his body shaking.
But tonight Cullen was not only talking in his sleep, he was literally screaming and trashing around his bed. Samson had initially planned to slip away to meet Maddox since his month’s thinking time was nearly up, but he could not let this boy stay in his distressed state. He crossed the room to Cullen’s bed and tapped his shoulder lightly, but the boy did not awaken.
He could feel Cullen’s body burning and yet both his hands were as cold as ice. He knew what caused this, the boy must have missed one or two dose of lyrium earlier today. He put both his hands around his shoulders this time and shook him harder. “Wake up, son, wake up!”
Cullen’s eyes suddenly opened wide. He seemed to be confused at first, his body still shaking and sheen of sweats glistened on his brow. He quickly pulled himself into a sitting position, back leaning against the wall, hands covering his tears-streaked face.
“It’s alright son. You’re awakened now.” Cullen did not respond, he was still shaking and covering his face from whatever it was that haunted him. Samson tried to put a hand on his shoulder to calm him, but Cullen pulled away.
Pulling his lyrium-kit from his own chest, Samson started to prepare a small dose of lyrium potion for the boy. If he had been missing a dose, it would be better for him to get one now. He doubled the dose and pushing the small bottle to Cullen’s hand. “Drink this. Lyrium. It will make you feel better.” Cullen accepted the bottle without word and drunk the content in a single gulp. It made him feel better at once.
For a moment, none of them speak. Samson let the boy to calm down a little bit more. Whatever nightmare that haunted him, it must have been very vivid.
“Tha…thank you,” said Cullen after a while, his voice rough. Samson nodded, sitting beside him. “I… I must have skipped my lyrium earlier today, I think.”
“What you were having, was a small bout of Lyrium Withdrawal. You must have taken less than your body is used to. That will make your dreams worse. You would see the more terrifying parts of your memories that Lyrium usually soften. How often do you take the potion?”
Cullen’s head slumped. “Once a day now. It used to be once a week, but they gave me more after… after what… what… happened…” Samson put his hand on Cullen’s shoulder. This time he did not winced nor pulled himself away. “I… I just… I just want to…to forget.”
“Listen, son. When you are a young, your body does not need so much Lyrium to function as a Templar. However, when you get older, the dependence makes us need more and more by each year passing. The dose that they gave you, it was really huge. That was normally given for older Templars, even older than me, not a person of your age. Do you know what Lyrium can do to your mind? Why they gave you so much after what happened back then?”
Cullen did not say anything for a while. When he did not respond, Samson continued. “Lyrium grants us Templars our ability. It also helps us to numb the emotional pains, to forget the bad memories of failed Harrowings, of everything that haunted us. They gave you so much because what you had experienced are among the worst of thing one can imagine. But you must not rely on it too long. Do you know what Lyrium can do to your mind? It will make you lost your mind one day. And also all your memories, good or bad. You will get disoriented, then started to forget everything slowly. When you arrive there, the only thing you know is that you need that substance. You would not even remember who you are.” He had let out more bitterness than he had intended to. He could feel the boy’s looking at him intently.
“I make you feel worse, don’t I? Well, my point is, you should know what’s waiting at the end of the road, Son. That’s one thing that the Chantry won’t tell you. Just remember that it’ll happen sooner if you keep taking it at that rate.”
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? That goes for all of your characters and for the rooms as well. What does Samson's and Cullen's room look like?
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