Áine is a mage from Kinloch Tower. She was there during the blight and had Cullen as one of her acquaintances.
She fell in love with him but was too shy to say something about it. Nevertheless, he was in love with her friend Amell and didn't know sh...
Corypheus comes to the Valley of Sacred Ashes to face the Inquisitor in one final battle. Cullen struggles with the thought that Áine wants to go and they argue about it. Sera as close to Áine and Cullen as she is, asks him about their future plans, and everyone present at the after-party witness a moment that they have kept to themselves.
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A few days later, after arriving at Skyhold from the Arbor Wilds, Corypheus decided to face the Inquisitor in the Valley of Sacred Ashes. Without their forces, the Inquisitor was forced to go with the inner circle and some soldiers. The rest would remain within the fortress's walls to prepare for any incoming attacks.
After the rushed plans were done, Cullen immediately searched for Áine and found her gearing herself to go with them.
"What are you doing?" He asked. His office door wide open.
"Corypheus is here. We are finally killing him." She stuffed two health potions in her satchel. "Everything led to this moment." She threw it over her shoulder and reached for her staff. "Please, don't do anything crazy until I get back, okay? We still have to decide about the wedding details." She winked at him.
Cullen watched her get ready and approach him. She leaned on her toes to kiss him, but he shut the door close. The sound of his action echoing in the silent place. Something was building up inside him. The strange but familiar feeling made his head start to throb.
"Cullen? Is everything alright?" She studied his features.
"You're not going." His voice, firm and loud, reverberated in the office.
"What?" She asked, taking a step back. "Of course, I'm going. Cullen, love..." She ran her finger through her hair. "This is the moment we've all been waiting for-"
"Stop!" He cut short her words. "You arenot going."
They looked at each other for long seconds.
"Alessa needs help to fight him, and there aren't many soldiers..." She tried to leave the place, but he blocked her way. "Cullen, you can't keep me here." Her grip on the staff tightened.
"You are not going." He tried to take the satchel from her, but she didn't allow him. "Áine, give me..." She walked to the other door.
Cullen followed her and blocked her way out again.
"Don't do this, Cullen. Not right now." She tilted her head.
That feeling made his hands tremble, and he couldn't think straight. He just knew she wasn't going there. He wasn't going to allow it... whatever it took. And with the thought, he finally recognized it. It was the same feeling he had when she died.
Cullen had chosen the worst moment to test her, and Áine was not going to let him do that. She could feel the fade on her fingertips, making their way up her hands. A shiver ran its way down her spine when the place suddenly got colder.
