Doom Upon All The World

Chapter 32: Inability To Be Truthful

      "What do you mean, 'it was part of your plan'?" Cassandra stood in front of Kieran with her arms folded across her chest and her murderous eyes trained firmly on him. She scowled at him, her stare icy and yet searing with white hot rage. Kieran had spent the last twenty minutes explaining to them what had happened. What they should have been doing was going out there to help Maeve and Solas and find their children. Not only that but Anthony had not followed him back to Skyhold and Cassandra and Cullen grew more worried by the second. He was not afraid of them but he shuddered to think what might be done to that poor boy, to Mythalus or Nicolynn, to Solas or Maeve all because his plans had gone awry. If he'd just stuck to them it would've been fine. 

     He remembered how sleep had tugged at him that night. The sweet playing of his own pan-flute drawing the tiredness from his bones and forcing it into his brain. He looked around to each of them. They were all standing shivering and looking on with suspicion as he explained. All except Cassandra. She didn't look cold at all. She was still and stern. The woman looked as if she might ring his neck if she could. He knew his mother wouldn't allow it but she would stand by and watch him struggle for a few moments before stopping the Seeker from ending him.  "I knew there was no way the enemy was just going to suddenly reveal himself, so I came up with a plan to use the children to draw them out." He told them again. "They made more noise than I had expected and eventually tired themselves out. I couldn't have anticipated that I as well would be influenced by the threat of exhaustion. Had I stayed awake, we would not have been taken by surprise. This would not have happened." He admitted as he gazed around the area. 

     Morrigan had the bridge of her nose pinched between her thumb and forefinger, looking down and away from him as she chuckled at his delinquency. Cullen had his hand on Cassandra's shoulder, trying to keep her from doing anything rash but Kieran could see the anger in his eyes as well. Leliana stood in the background, pacing with her arms crossed against her chest and mumbling softly about something he couldn't make out. "How dare you put our children in danger!" The Seeker shouted at him accusingly. Even Tom had left Josephine's side to find out what had happen. Branson was also present, observing Kieran with disdain and indifference. He didn't know Kieran well and he'd been hesitant to let Bellamy and Chandler go with him but having trusted Cullen, he allowed them to join the others. 

     This only made matters worse for Cullen. His brother was already heart broken and hurting now he didn't have as much faith in Cullen as he should. This aggravated Cullen to no end. As he observed Kieran and Cassandra as they argued he started to agree with her points. "How dare you use them in your twisted ploy to reveal the enemy! And with out our knowledge! We came up with a perfectly good plan and all because of you Maeve and Solas and their children could be tied up somewhere for all we know!" Cassandra continued rightfully berating him. Hawke appeared then and reluctantly stepped toward Cullen and his very upset wife. 

     "Cassandra," She said, trying to be as soft toned as possible. She swallowed the heavy lump in her throat as the woman turned around and Cullen met her gaze as well. They looked on her with expectant glances. She had interrupted their conversation and she looked more angry than before. "you should know that Anthony did not return with the other children. We've looked all around Skyhold. He's no where to be found." Hawke reported gently. Cullen gripped Cassandra tight as her hand went over her mouth, the other holding her stomach. She felt her heart sink into her gut and the trill of nausea wash over her. Kieran sighed, closing his eyes, and shaking his head in disbelief at how careless he'd been. 

     Cullen's gut wrenched. He'd lost too much of late. First his home, then his sisters, if they lost Anthony, he would be destroyed. It would be a tragedy he would not return from. He knew better than that  Cassandra would never be the same if Anthony was... he couldn't even think it. The images of his son, their little boy, lifeless, swam in his brain and his heart tried to collapse in on itself. He held Cassandra tightly in his hug but she had not turned in his arms to embrace him. She was staring down Kieran once again.