Dragon Knight-Commander (A Cullen Rutherford Shapeshifter Romance)

Chapter 11

We never "broke our fast" together. Cullen was always up at the crack of dawn wirth his troops and if I had the chance to sleep in my comfy bed, I invariably had a lie in and skipped the doughy bread.

Not for the first time I awoke fantasising about coffee.

The nine o'clock bell rang in the tower. I rolled over and smiled. Cullen had wanted me for so long and he needed me to be his. And he was an excellent kisser, which boded well for all that tasting and needing stuff. But then he wanted to wed me today and of course I made a big mess of that and hurt his feelings. I groaned. And I worried that actually, all of that was only guff that came out when he forgot to bind his dragon. Which, let's face it, the whole being half dragon thing was something that needed to be thought about. And now I had to tell him I was going away for a month. This morning, my desire to leave had completely disappeared.

With no clear idea of what I would say to him, I entered the council chamber feeling tense and was relieved when his pert, punctual behind actually wasn't there. I felt my shoulders sag when I heard his voice ordering his soldiers around outside the door and he swept in, back in his golden armour and prince charming boots and hunky bearman furs.

'Forgive me,' he said curtly.

I looked up at him as he took his place but he avoided my gaze completely. My heart sank. I surreptitiously looked into his eyes. Were they darker? Yes they were. Had he bound the ruddy dragon? My top felt tight at the neck. I loosened the collar.

'Cat, did you inform the Commander that you wanted to take some leave?' asked Maxwell.

Cullen's head whipped round and his brown eyes glared at me. 'What?'

I coughed. 'Just a month or so.'

'Absolutely not,' he rapped out.

Maxwell said, 'Cullen, she needs a break. Of course she can go, but we need to discuss when. She has agreed to fit in with our plans for Samson. Did you see the brief?'

'I saw it. We will need to recruit more men to the cause to attack his stronghold. That will take time.' He rubbed the back of his neck and clutched his chest. He looked at me. 'My lady, it would take you three months to travel to Eden.'

'I'm not going to Eden,' I said.

He narrowed his eyes and growled. 'No. You are not.' He looked over at Leliana. 'Perhaps if she had some answers. He's near Bracken village.'

She nodded.

He turned to me, 'My lady, there is a mission that requires your presence. I would request that you help us with it. We will be back in a few days. After that you can take some leave.'

My lady?  Was this how he was going to be now that he had stripped his emotions with moonlight and whatnot? He continued to talk about the mission but I didn't hear a word.

'Cat?' I heard Leliana softly calling. 'Cat!'

I flicked my head towards her. 'I'm sorry, you'll have to repeat all that.'

'Are you well?' she asked.

'I'm just...tell me again what you need?'

'Bracken Enchanter Village. The Templars took control a few months ago, but my intelligence officer says that if we free the mages from Chantry rule and rid them of the fallen they would join the Inquisition. And Bracken is gateway to Eastern Feralden as it sits by the mountain pass.' I listened to her voice with her fairytale words and pictured a beautiful village filled with magicians and sorcerers.

'Okay,' I said. 'Who's coming?'

'You travel with the army this time, my lady,' said Cullen. 'We will free the village. You will take care of the darkspawn. Only four or five have been reported, but they've gathered at the apex of the mountain. I have one or two people to see this morning and will ready the troops. We march after lunch and make camp at Rainbow Falls.'

I was about to say, 'Cullen, a word please,' when I felt suddenly a bit stupid. He'd warned me. He was embarrassed. None of that was real. Real Cullen found me irritating and didn't want to talk to me, never mind flirt with me. It would be one more thing to explain to stupid Kitten about Thedas. If a dragon doesn't bind its powers, it talks rubbish and proposes. I closed my mouth firmly. It was irresponsible of Cullen to behave like that. People have feelings. He should have drunk the potion.

I turned on my heel and returned to my rooms.