The Enchanter and The Lion

Chapter 13 - Sparring

Maeve had spent a glorious evening with a bath, hot meal, and warm bed. She exited her cabin early in the morning the following day, and went to the training grounds outside Haven's gates. She had been hoping to practice her staff work without many observers, but Cullen was running maneuvers and the space was full with Captain Rylen's squad.

"Recruit, that's a shield in your hand! Block with it!" Cullen yelled to one of the men. He turned to give orders to one of his Lieutenants as she approached. 

"How goes the training?" she asked. 

He smiled, "Most of them know which end of the sword to hold, so that's something." 

She grimaced, "Even I know which end to hold, Commander, so I don't know that's saying much." 

He laughed, "They're mostly locals from the area, some pilgrims to Haven. None made quite the entrance you did." 

"Well, had to get everyone's attention, naturally," she joked with a casual shrug. 

"That you did," he said softly. 

She felt the heat rise to her cheeks as she blushed. Was he flirting with her? 

"You said you joined in Kirkwall?" she asked, changing the topic. 

Cullen nodded and started moving along the ranks keeping half an eye on the soldiers and half on her. "I was there during the mage uprising. Cassandra was seeking a solution. She seemed to be the only one that was. When she offered me a position, I left the Templars to join her cause." He paused as a messenger delivered a missive, which he briefly scanned and handed back to the young man with a nod. "Now it seems we face something far worse."

"The Conclave destroyed, a massive hole in the sky, shit-tons of demons...definitely looking worse."

"Which is why we're needed. The Chantry lost control of Templars and mages. Now they ignore the Breach. The Inquisition can act where they cannot. Our followers would be part of that. There's so much we can..." he stopped suddenly at the bemused look on her face. 

She had been enjoying watching how engaged and animated his expressions had become as he spoke.

"Forgive me," he said, shaking his head, "I doubt you came out here this morning for a lecture."

"No," she smiled, "but I've been told I'm a good listener, so if you have something prepared I'd love to hear it." 

He chuckled warmly and her stomach did flips. 

"Another time perhaps," he said. "There's still a lot of work to be done." 

As if on cue, another messenger brought a report about supply chains and Cullen excused himself. Maeve saw Cassandra hitting the practice dummies and headed in her direction.

"It looks like you could use something sturdier than practice dummies to hit," she said holding her staff and gesturing to the left where there was open field for sparring. 

Cassandra's eyes widened a fraction as she asked, "You want to spar? With me?" 

Maeve nodded. 

"No magic?" 

She shook her head, "Nope."

They moved to the field and Maeve took her cloak off and stood in leather training armor over her shirt, a metal bracer on her right arm and vambrace on her left. The latter had just been finished by their blacksmith, Herritt, yesterday and she was eager to practice with it. The unfamiliar weight was likely going to slow her movements with the staff.