[open] winter's light feels different on my skin

[unlikelyherald]

Who| Adella and hopefully no one who wants to kill her
What| Arrival in the Arena
Where| the pine forest, heading east.
When| late week 1, midday.
Warnings/Notes|


Adella would have liked a minute to gather her bearings, before she was shoved though the tube into the Arena. She, of course, wasn't afforded that. What information she was given and expected to run with she'd have to sort through, later. Instinct told her to run, as soon as she was given the chance to, and she did, heading for the forest.

The cold in the Arena felt familiar, at least. Skyhold was in a good location, it could get almost warm during the day, but it was a drafty old castle in the middle of a mountain range. The cold in the Arena was nothing she wasn't used to, although she would have liked her own clothes instead of what they'd provided her with.

She slowed to a walk after her sprint into the woods, looking around for any kind of advantage she could grab a hold of. Being unarmed and acutely aware that she's cut off from her magic worries her. It's been a long time since she felt like she was a caged animal, but that feeling creeps into the back of her mind as she looks around, her head jerking at every sound. One thing struck home, at least. There's people here, and supposedly they want to kill her.

Comments

[unlikelyherald]

She notices the look Cullen is giving her and without remarking on it or even paying it much thought she reaches out to take his hand. Sure she's cold, but she's not going to admit that.

"I wonder if there's a pattern, a reason to how they're pulling people." It's more a curiosity than anything. One of her favorite things about the Circle was the limitless educational opportunities. This is a mystery to be solved, in more ways than one.

[tevintage]

It was impossible to miss, even though his attention apparently entirely on the fire. It was an innocent enough motion, of course. Something that he wouldn't have even thought about twice, had it been his Inquisitor.

Had it been his hand that was being reached for.

But it wasn't.

A very hot, very ugly feeling welled in his chest and he coughed to clear his throat, tossing the stick into the fire.

"Abject cruelty?" He suggested with a dark and pointed tone. "You should probably meet the rest," He said, pulling away from the fire and walking over to pick up the empty tin that Jason had so helpfully told him to use to collect water with. "I'll take supply run duty."

[revocation]

The hand in his takes him a little by surprise - frankly, the situation is so awkward all around that he isn't sure what to do with himself. But he can't deny her anything, and the familiarity of it helps warm him as much as the fire.

Dorian is gone before he can even give the man his parka back.

"Well, that was pleasant," he mutters. He can't blame him. Cullen sighs and rubs at the back of his neck with his free hand. "Hopefully he won't catch cold out there..."

[unlikelyherald]

Adella frowns after Dorian, concern evident on her face. She hadn't been trying to upset him, but clearly she had. Normally if she pissed Dorian off he'd tell her why.

This new reality is going to take some getting used to. She shakes her head, looking over at Cullen.

"I think the novelty of this place is starting to wear off." She sighs, looking up in the direction Dorian had retreated, again. "If he's gone too long someone needs to go after him."

[revocation]

"I know how you feel," Cullen mutters darkly. "No doubt this has been engineered by the ones bringing us here. This is all entertainment to them."

[unlikelyherald]

"I told you we should've gone back into the forest," she replies, her hand absently touching the back of her neck again. "It would've been much less awkward." She glances away from Cullen, shaking her head.

"And maybe at least half as entertaining as this mess."

[revocation]

"He'll be fine," Cullen says quietly, giving the fire another poke. "He's in love with the Inquisitor he knows, I think. Why he's so determined for the man to be dead is beyond me, but -" An eloquent shrug of his shoulders.

[unlikelyherald]

She raises her eyebrows at that, looking back at Cullen again. "Oh. I... suppose that would do it, then." Suddenly she's very aware of her hand in his and she pulls it away, rubbing both her hands over her face.

"Maker's breath, and here we are. He's miserable and I'm groping you in public." She's aware that's an overly dramatic way of putting it, but she also knows-knew Dorian. He's nothing if not theatrical. "He's probably trying to bury it. It's easier to pretend someone's dead, than think they're... somewhere you can't reach, I suppose?"

[revocation]

"You're not groping me," he points out with a snort.

But she has a point - about Dorian, anyway. At this point, Cullen doesn't think there's anything he could say to make things better, so he just shrugs again. "You know him better than I do," he points out. "I assume he just needs time and space to work through it."

[unlikelyherald]

She's about to object that no she doesn't know him, not really. This Dorian and her Dorian could be very different people, motivationally speaking. But Cullen's been here longer, she imagines if he noticed a difference, he would have said something. She stares into the fire, shifting again and pulling her knees up to her chest, wrapping her arms around them and sighing.

"Most likely. Even if he needs something else, I'm clearly not the one who should be talking to him."

[revocation]

"Nor I," Cullen says with a sigh. "I can't really imagine what he's going through."

If Dorian's Inquisitor had shown up, if their positions were reversed? Cullen isn't above admitting that he would feel a twinge of jealousy, at the very least.

He's no stranger to guilt, even over things he has no control over.

[unlikelyherald]

"Nothing good, I'm sure." She sighs again, turning her head and resting her cheek against her knees, looking over at Cullen. After a moment she reaches out to rest her hand on his arm.

"You should get some rest. You look like you haven't been sleeping."

[revocation]

She can always tell. The others, if they notice, mostly don't point it out. Well, Cassandra would, if she thought he was putting himself in danger, but mostly they don't talk about it.

She does, though. And his mouth twists a little, not at her, but at the truth of it.

"I don't care to disturb the others," he mutters after a moment. Bad enough they're all stuck in this terrible place, huddling in a cave - he doesn't need to be waking them all with his nightmares, too.

[unlikelyherald]

"I don't think they'll mind as much as you think. Everyone has nightmares." Still, she understands what he's saying, and gives his arm a gentle squeeze. "Sleep nearby and I'll wake you up if you start dreaming. You usually mumble before you start making any real noise."

She'd volunteer to curl up with him, in different circumstances. As it is, despite her run through the forest she's feeling very awake, and she likely wouldn't be able to sleep even if she tried. Too much running through her mind to allow it.

[revocation]

He's not sure he'd be comfortable sleeping with her, given the circumstances. He is, however, exhausted - he was tired already when he began his late-night jaunt and everything that's happened has only worn him out further.

As usual, she has a point.

He sets aside Dorian's parka carefully - the other man will need it back, and he's fine without it - and moves to the spot he claimed as his sleeping area, not far from the fire.

"And wake me if you need something," he adds with a frown. "Or if there's a disturbance -"

[unlikelyherald]

"I promise if anything happens you'll be the first to know," Adella replies, trying not to sound admonishing and failing. She understands he's worried, but she is also a grown woman. One with none of her usual defenses, perhaps, but she's gotten out of scrapes before. At least here in the camp she feels relatively safe.

"Don't worry."

[revocation]

He hears that reproach in her voice and sighs a little.

"It's not - you," he says - he knows she can handle herself, even without her magic. "It's this place. Just - stay alert. Things can change very quickly."

[unlikelyherald]

"I've noticed. Believe me, I'm alert." She gives him a gentle smile, waving her arm at him. "Now go to sleep."

[revocation]

Part of him still wants to protest, but -

Well, she's right. He'll be better off - better equipped to handle things - if he gets some sleep.

"Alright," he acquiesces, settling in for it. He hopes she'll still be there when he wakes up. Hopes it hasn't all just been a dream.