A Candle in the Darkness (A Dragon Age: Inquisition fanfiction)

Everything

18 Justinian, 9:42

The gates of Skyhold were wide open, and the road leading there was lined with people as Antonia and her team rode up. They were all cheering and calling out "Inquisitor! Inquisitor!" Krem and the Chargers were near the entrance, and they added "Chief!" to that call. The Iron Bull grinned at them and raised his greatsword above his head.

Antonia looked around and smiled at everyone, but in truth, there was only one voice she wanted to hear, one smile she wanted to see.

Some of the stableboys were standing near the gates, ready to take the horses, and Antonia swung down from hers, patting the stableboy on the back as she did so.

"Thank you, Your Worship," he said.

"Thank you," she said. "You're Inquisition, and don't you ever forget it."

"Yes, Your—Inquisitor." He grinned from ear to ear.

She walked through the crowds of people—her people—waving, as they parted to let her through, and behind her, her companions, the stalwart fighters who had kept her alive through it all. She would have to find some way to reward each of them.

Up ahead, on the landing of the stone stairs, stood her advisors, all three of them smiling as broadly as anyone in the crowd. Antonia's eyes met Cullen's across the distance, and it was all she could do not to run to him. But she held herself to a regular pace, wanting to preserve the pageantry that seemed so important to those lining her path.

Mounting the steps, she stood in front of them, the three of them who had guided her and the Inquisition this far, who had brought them all here. "Thank you," she said softly.

As one, they bowed to her, and she wanted to tell them, as she had wanted to tell so many people since this began, to stand up, she was just a person ... but today she wasn't, either. She had defeated Corypheus, torn him to pieces with a Fade rift placed inside him, and closed once and for all the Breach that had threatened to swallow the world. She had, in fact, saved the world. Antonia wished Thomas Amell were here—she would have liked to have talked to him about what this felt like.

And then the advisors straightened, and, unable to retain the formality any longer, Cullen stepped forward with his arms outstretched. Antonia rushed into them, feeling his arms fold around her, the heat of his body warming her all through. She clung to him, and he to her, while their people cheered.

At last, reluctantly, he let go, holding onto her hand as they stepped to the edge of the landing with Josephine and Leliana. Antonia looked out over her people, gesturing for silence. Far down below, a shrill whistle split the air, and she looked down to see the Iron Bull grinning at her as the cheering slowed and stopped.

"Inquisition! Get a good night's rest, because the celebration starts tomorrow ... may it never stop!"

The cheering started again, the people beginning to disperse, as Cullen tugged her toward the steps up to the main hall of the keep. "Am I imagining it," he whispered to her, "or do we have a moment to breathe?"

"I have one thing to do, then we have more than a moment. We have a whole night."

"I love the sound of that."

"So do I." She disentangled her hand from his reluctantly and caught up with Leliana a few steps ahead. "Most business can wait until tomorrow, but you should know that Solas is gone. No one's been able to find him since partway through the battle."

"Did he fall?"

"Not that anyone saw, and there was no body. He's just ... gone." Antonia frowned. "I always thought there was something odd there. Can you look into it?"

"I'll do what I can." Leliana put an affectionate hand on her shoulder. "Put the sword down for tonight; you've earned it." Her eyes took on a wistful light. "I remember the night after we killed the Archdemon ..." They filled with tears. "Make it memorable," she advised. "Because you never know where tomorrow may take you."

Antonia shivered at the other woman's words, but put her trepidation aside. Tonight was for happiness and thoughts of a blissful and trouble-free future.

She went back to Cullen, smiling to see the happiness in his face. No trepidation there. "Do I get to claim more of your attention after all?"

"It's all yours. Is there something on your mind?"

He looked her up and down, nodding slowly. "Everything."

"Well, that sounds like it could take a long time. Maybe we should take the discussion upstairs."

His eyes were warm and full of promise and he chuckled low in his throat. "I thought you'd never ask."