Dragon Age Inquisition: Farms and Estates

The Rutherfords

"Hush, little badger. Hush-hush-hush! Look, your Uncle Cullen has come to visit—ow! Don't bite Mummy, that's not nice!"

With some anxiety, Mia tried to determine whether Cullen's horse had been close enough for him to hear her. She rather hoped not. She hadn't planned for "Don't bite Mummy, that's not nice!" to be the first words her brother heard from her in over twenty years.

"Here, love, let me," Devon said, taking Thomas from her. "You go greet your brother. I'll handle the little monster."

He let their son down and followed as the toddler waddled away. Mia watched them go, then returned her attention to her brother as he dismounted his horse and turned to face her.

She hoped her shock didn't show on her face. She would have recognized Cullen anywhere—still the same golden eyes and coarse blond curls—but he looked older than she thought he should, more careworn. And so tall, and so large! They had been of a height the last time she'd seen him, but now she barely came up to his collarbone, and his shoulders seemed almost twice the width of hers.

She wondered how she'd changed in his eyes.

Then he smiled at her, and he was thirteen and she was fifteen again, and everything was just as it should be. "Mia!"

She ran to him and pulled him into a fierce hug. "Welcome—well, not home, exactly. But we are so glad you're here, little brother."

"Rosalie and Branson?" he asked anxiously.

"Inside. Rosalie is fussing over some refreshments for you and ..." she trailed off as a second horse pulled to a halt in front of them.

The newcomer dismounted with ease, clearly an experienced rider, and moved to join them. The woman was a few years younger than Cullen, about Mia's height, with dark blonde hair pinned back from her face in a neat knot and wide gray eyes. Her smile was pleasant but seemed a bit fixed.

Cullen extended his hand and drew her forward. "Mia, this is Cecily."

The Inquisitor—the bloody Inquisitor, Andraste preserve me—raised her right hand in a tentative little wave. "Hello, Mia. Cullen has told me a lot about you. I'm very glad to meet you."

If you are at ease with her, she will be at ease with you. Well, it was worth a try.

"How strange!" Mia said warmly, taking Cecily's hands in hers. "Because he has told me nothing about you, other than that you've killed six dragons and he loves you. Both of which make you very welcome here. Mostly the latter."

Cecily's expression relaxed; she squeezed Mia's fingers. "Thank you so much for inviting me into your home."

"I wouldn't have had you stay anywhere else," Mia said warmly. "That's my husband Devon over there with our youngest, Thomas. I'm afraid Thomas was more interested in the birds than he was in his Uncle Cullen."

Cullen chuckled. "Understandable, I suppose."

"And your other children?" Cecily asked.

"I think they are feeding our rabbits. Emma is ten, and William is eight. Thomas was something of a surprise," Mia said candidly, before wondering if she shouldn't. She had no idea what was and was not appropriate to discuss with a Bann's daughter. But Cecily did not seem overly scandalized.

"Well, come inside, quickly. Rosalie and Branson will have my head on a spit if I keep you all to myself for more than a minute."

*

Cecily knew it was silly to be afraid of her lover's siblings when she had faced down an ancient Tevinter magister, and yet, she had been consumed with nerves during the entire ride from Skyhold. Mia's warm welcome undid the worst of the knots in Cecily's stomach; Cullen's closest sister, at least, seemed happy that she had come to South Reach.