Solona's arm was draped lazily across Cullen's chest, her fingers tracing invisible patterns along his skin. The soft movement caused him to stir, pulling her closer to him as he kissed the top of her head. "Good morning," he whispered, giving her shoulder a light squeeze.

"A very good morning," Solona replied, lifting her head to settle above his breast, listening to his heartbeat. Curling her leg over his, she continued to nuzzle him wherever their skin came in contact. "What's on the agenda for today?"

Cullen laughed as he ran a hand through her hair, gently brushing random strays away from his lips. "I don't believe we have one."

"Good," she said, closing her eyes, and her lashes tickled his skin. "Let's stay here for the next decade or so."

"As enticing as that sounds," Cullen said, "I'm not so sure my back can take another night on the cold, hard ground."

Solona rolled onto her stomach and looked up at him, resting her head on her crossed arms. "You're going to need to learn to rough it a bit," she said with a joyful squint of her eyes. "No straw beds and stone ceilings for you anytime soon."

Cullen caressed her cheek, tracing her scar with his thumb. "You are so beautiful," he whispered. He'd completely forgot what they were discussing when her gray eyes met his.

Her cheeks flushed, warming to his compliment. "You're not so bad yourself," she said, turning her face into his palm and planting soft kisses along his hand. "But in all seriousness, I guess we should come up with some kind of plan."

Cullen sat up and reached for his waterskin, taking a swig before handing it to her. "You're the adventurer," he said. "You tell me. Off to Denerim? See the sites in Antiva? Or storm Orlais and demand an audience with the Divine?"

"I was thinking much simpler," Solona told him. "Like what's for breakfast? Or if there are any good lakes around for a bath?"

"There's the most delicious little pond through the brush," Isabela's voice sang as she peeked her head into their tent. Cullen immediately reached for the blanket to cover his chest, but Isabela gave him a sly grin. "Have you forgotten our time together already?" she asked him. "I've already seen all you have to offer, don't be shy now."

Solona's gaze drifted between the two of them. "Something you two want to tell me?"

Isabela blew them both a kiss. "Hawke made the most delicious breakfast, whenever you two are ready to join the rest of us," she said before retreating, ignoring Solona's question.

"You never did tell me what happened?" Solona now asked. "What took you two so long to find us?"

"As I recall you weren't in the mood for much talk yesterday," Cullen reminded her.

Solona sat up and reached for her shirt and then slipped into it. No, she hadn't been in the mood to talk yesterday. Finally seeing him after not knowing if she ever would again, all she could think of was being with him. She'd been overwhelmed by the need to prove to herself that he was really with her and this was really happening. After spending most of their lives apart, now they could truly be together.

A weight in the pit of her stomach formed when she realized there was so much more they needed to discuss. Upcoming travel and her stance on the war would be easiest, that didn't concern her. But there was a secret Solona had kept from Cullen, one he deserved to know, and the fear of his reaction threatened to consume her.

Cullen noticed her change in mood immediately. He wasn't sure if it was Isabela's comment, or his, but something had caused her to suddenly leap from his side and begin dressing. "Solona," he called to her as she hastily pulled up her trousers.

"You should hurry," she said running her fingers through her disheveled hair. "Anders eats enough for three; if we wait too long there'll be nothing left."

He stood and reached out for her in an attempt to grab her hand and stop her hurried movements. Solona slipped through his grasp, but halted her actions. She had run from him too many times in the past; she had made a promise to herself, to him, that their future would be one they would create together.

However long that future was.

The weight of the pending discussion nearly crushed her heart, and she broke down before she even began. Warm, strong arms were around her in an instant, and Solona held on to Cullen with fierce strength.

Whatever it was that had her shaking in his embrace, Cullen was not going to let it ruin the fact that they were finally reunited, and free. "Solona," he whispered her name, hoping to calm her. "What is it?"

In a hurried rush of nearly incoherent words, Solona told him the dreaded secrets that no one outside the Wardens were ever meant to hear. She began with the Joining, explaining to him exactly how it was a Grey Warden came to be. How she had ingested a mixture of darkspawn blood, lyrium and the blood of an archdemon to be forever connected to darkspawn... and forever tainted. Cullen listened intently, as she told him about the deaths that had occurred at her Joining, and inwardly thanked the Maker that she had been the one to survive.

She poured her heart out to him, telling him her limited knowledge on a Warden's ability to bear children. Never having discussed family in the short time they'd been back together, Solona wasn't sure how that news would sit with him. She had her own fears, even without the taint in her blood; that bringing a child into this world, possibly born of magic, could be devastating for the both of them. Cullen assured her that whatever the future held for them in that regard, they'd face it together. When she looked into his eyes, she could not doubt his sincerity.

She broke down again then, and through sniffles and tears Solona told him about the Calling. That one day she would ultimately succumb to the darkspawn taint. Wardens were not immune to the blight sickness, and eventually she would turn into one of the foul creatures if she didn't end her life first. She explained the tradition of the Calling, how aging Wardens descend into the underground to slay as many of the bastards as possible until the darkspawn would finally kill them. Though the number of years she had left were unknown, Solona told him the dreaded truth - that those who became Wardens during a blight had less years than others, simply because of the vast amounts of spawn she had been forced to kill during her time in Ferelden.

"Yesterday I didn't know we'd have tomorrow," Cullen told her. "In the Tower I didn't know we'd have today. Solona, I am with you here, now, and that matters more to me than anything. I left the Order to give my life to you, to us, and I will cherish however many nows we are blessed with."

._.~`~._.*~*~*._.~`~._.

Given the length of their morning discussion, it was clear that Cullen and Solona had long missed breakfast by the time they emerged from their tent. The two were near starving at this point, having expended much energy in the emotion of the morning's conversation, so they were very thankful that Hawke had remained, patiently, to prepare a sendoff feast midday.

"Never imagined I'd be sitting down to lunch with the Knight-Commander," Anders said with a light tone, shaking his head after stating the odd fact. "Maybe if this happened more often, there'd be no need for war."

"I agree," Cullen stated. "Though I am no longer the Knight-Commander."

His statement surprised the group, but seeing how Cullen refused to release Solona's hand as they ate, it was clear where his motivation for such an act lay. Solona squeezed his hand gently within hers, still overwhelmed by his gesture, and his assurances that he would remain by her side for the rest of her life.

"Well in that case," Anders said with a grin, "more meat my friend?"

The group laughed and continued their meal, bantering about upcoming travels and what the future might hold for them all. Isabela informed them she'd be returning to Kirkwall, and would deliver a message to Carver for Hawke, before most likely hitting the open seas again. She made Solona and Hawke both promise to keep in touch, using Varric as their point of contact, but deep down she doubted either one would. And as a woman who'd been on the run most of her life, she understood this.

Hawke and Anders remained quiet about their plans. No doubt they already had some place scouted out, stocked, and waiting for them, given the way Hawke had prepared their escape route to begin with. It saddened Solona to think she may never see her cousin again; having just met her, she would've liked to spend more time with the Champion, and with Anders. But both couples knew remaining together would only increase their chances of being recognized or caught, so separation was inevitable.

As breakfast came to a close, Cullen asked Anders if they could have a private word. The three women were curious, and a bit concerned, about what the former Templar had to say to the mage. It wasn't long, however, before realization hit Isabela, and she simply offered a knowing grin as the two men moved away from the camp.

"Is this the part where you yell 'surprise!' and kill me for my actions in Kirkwall?" Anders joked, a hint of nervousness in his tone.

Cullen shook his head. "Just the opposite," he said, retrieving the phylactery from his pocket. Cullen activated the vial and then held it out for Anders, showing him that it was, in fact, his.

With a shaking hand, Anders reached for the glass vial containing his blood. For years he had hoped, nearly prayed, that he'd find this very object and destroy it, thus granting him permanent freedom from the Templars. It brought the mage to tears to finally have it in his grasp, seconds from shattering the leash, the noose, wrapped figuratively around his neck.

He turned his back to Cullen, mesmerized by the pulsing liquid, small diamonds of light dancing within his contained blood. The energy tickled his palms, like a soft static charge soothing his soul. Anders wrapped his fingers around the small cylindrical object, hovering on the moment of extinguishing a part of his past he thought he'd never come to own.

Brushing away a fallen tear from his cheek with the back of his hand, Anders faced Cullen again. "No," he said, struggling internally with Justice when the spirit realized what its host was about to do. "Keep it," Anders told Cullen, holding out his hand. "When it's her time, come find me."

Cullen hesitated, knowing full well what Anders was sacrificing on behalf of Solona. The knowledge was still too new, the wound too raw for him to speak aloud - that her Calling would take her from him... He swallowed hard against his own grief.

Yet, here was Anders, risking his freedom for Solona, handing Cullen his very life's blood so that he might help her in her final hour of need. The last of Cullen's bitter resentment, the last dregs of hatred that Uldred had planted so deeply in his heart, could not stand against such an unselfish gesture. What Solona had healed within him - what her love had made possible - was that he could now look on this mage, this man, as a friend.

He reached out his hand and accepted the offered phial, and for a moment, their gazes locked and held. So much was said in that one look. The Templar and the mage, fated to be enemies, had learned to respect and trust each other beyond what Cullen would have ever believed. Beyond what anyone would have thought possible, no matter which side they called their own.

In Anders' eyes, Cullen saw no fear or doubt, only his own compassion reflected back to him.

He laid a firm but gentle hand on his friend's shoulder and nodded once. No words were necessary, their understanding was complete. And as Cullen turned and walked away, his fractured heart was also filled with hope, despite the unbearable loss he knew it was his destiny to endure.

._.~`~._.*~*~*._.~`~._.

Several hours passed as they walked in silence after they'd said their final goodbyes to the others. Only the faint whisper of the wind blowing through the trees could be heard above their soft footfalls. Cullen had opened his mouth to begin speaking several times, but each time he'd stopped himself after looking at Solona. Her eyes were distant, clearly lost in thought, and he wasn't at all sure he wanted to interrupt her daydreams. For the first time in so very long, things seemed to be looking up, after all. Why risk commenting on it, and chase the fragile peace away?

The sky was just beginning to darken when Solona finally spoke. "We're not going to hit Nevarra before dusk," she said, her voice regretful. "Looks like you're going to have to camp another night."

"Nevarra," Cullen echoed, thoughtfully. "Is that where we're going?" Solona came to a sudden stop beside him and Cullen turned to face her, startled. "What?"

"Nothing," she said, shaking her head with a small smile. "Just... we should probably talk about this. What we're going to do now, I mean. I've gone over it in my head so many times, in the past few days, I'm afraid I forgot we never actually discussed it."

Cullen shrugged. "If you have a plan, I'm content to follow. All that matters to me is we're together. The details can take care of themselves."

Solona stared at him in silence for a long moment. "Since when are you so laid back?"

"I've spent the better part of my life following the rules of a corrupt order," he reminded her, surprised at the bitterness he heard in his own voice. "I'd rather not trust our safety to my judgment."

Solona frowned, reaching a hand up to gently cup his cheek. "The Templars aren't the ones who are corrupt," she said firmly. "It's the Chantry that's behind all this. And you certainly weren't in any position to know, either way."

Cullen caught her hand in his when she released him, squeezing it gently. "I was the Knight-Commander," he reminded her. "It was my responsibility, my duty, to know. All those men who followed me, all those men I recruited..." he trailed off, shrugging helplessly. "I should have seen it somehow. And no," he continued, before she could interrupt, "I don't know how. I know it's not rational, but it doesn't change how I feel."

"We're going to stop it," she vowed, blinking several times to stop the sudden moisture behind her eyes.

"What?" Cullen demanded, studying her face intently. "What's wrong?"

Solona shook her head and tried to smile, but she couldn't quite manage it. "Nothing," she insisted.

"Solona."

She leaned against him and he wrapped his arms around her, leaning his head on top of hers. "Hawke and Anders," she began, speaking against his chest, "they had a suggestion. But it doesn't matter. You need to do this, I get that."

"Solona," Cullen repeated, and she didn't have to be able to see his face to know that his lips were pursed in exasperation. "I can't give you an opinion when you talk in riddles. Please. Tell me what you're talking about."

"They thought we should pass the evidence on," she confessed. "Give it to someone we trust, let them use it, and instead of fighting ourselves we just... disappear. So I thought we could give it to Alistair, and maybe get a house in Redcliffe. Granted, there's nowhere I'm more recognizable, but they'd do anything for me. They'd certainly let us hide there." She pulled away from him, looking up and meeting his eyes straight on. "It was a nice fantasy. But you need to do more. I understand that, Cullen, I really do. We'll do it together. Maybe go to..." The frantic flow of words stopped abruptly when she saw his lips twitch, clearly fighting not to laugh. "Sorry," she said, trying to hide the hurt she was feeling. "I know, it could never be that simple."

He lost the battle against his own amusement, then. "Oh, Solona," he gasped, between uncontrollable laughter. "Maker, but I love you." He wrapped his arms around her again, this time lifting her straight up into the air before pulling her back against him and pressing his lips to hers. She didn't return his kiss, and held herself stiffly, battling between confusion and offense. He released her a moment later, still smiling.

"Well, I'm glad I could make you feel better, at least," she said, at a complete loss to understand his reaction.

"Do you think you and I, alone, could turn the tide of this war?" Cullen asked, shaking his head. "Alistair sounds like the perfect person to put this information to good use. He's well placed, and, more importantly, well protected. You and I? We could be eliminated all too easily, if we tried to do this ourselves. And there's nothing I'd like more than to settle down with you. If Redcliffe is where we can do that, then Redcliffe it is."

"But..." Solona frowned. "But what about feeling responsible? You said..."

"And I do," Cullen acknowledged, sobering abruptly. "That doesn't mean I'm going to dedicate the rest of my life to them. I left the Templars, remember. I'm certainly not going to let you dedicate the rest of your life to this stupid war. We have to do something, yes. That doesn't mean single-handedly defeating all the evils of the world." He reached out, brushing a stray piece of hair away from her eyes and tucking it behind her ear. "I'm far too selfish for that, Solona."

"No, you're not," she protested immediately. "You're the least selfish person I think I've ever known."

Cullen shook his head. "That's certainly not true," he said. "You are the Hero of Ferelden. You stopped the blight. If you put your mind to it, you probably could stop this war. But it's far too big a risk. You just told me you're already on borrowed time." Solona closed her eyes, a single tear escaping to slide down her right cheek. It was wiped away by gentle fingers a moment later, as once again Cullen's arms wrapped around her. "I'm not going to risk losing you a second before I have to." Solona turned her face up to his and this time she returned the gentle pressure of his lips with her own.

It was several minutes before Solona was able to work up the will to break the kiss and step away from the sheltering embrace of his arms. She cleared her throat, then asked, "Nevarra?"

Cullen flashed a quick grin at her. "Right. Nevarra. And then?"

"Well, it's a bit of a hike, but if we can't find a better way, I thought we'd take the mountains through to Antiva. I have a friend there who can help get us a boat to Ferelden. Unfortunately I'm far too recognizable for us to take any other route."

"Sounds like a plan," Cullen confirmed. "And you know how much I love camping."

Solona gave a small laugh at that. "Well, if we're lucky there will be other options. I'm hoping we come across a caravan in Nevarra that will take us to Antiva." She shrugged helplessly. "No matter what, it's going to take us awhile to get there."

Cullen smiled back at her. "I'm sure we'll find some way to pass the time."

They stood facing each other and smiling helplessly for a long moment, then Solona forced the grin from her face and reached out, wrapping her hand firmly around his and squeezing gently. "It's not your fault."

"Solona..."

"No," she quickly interrupted, before he could argue. "It is not your fault. If you never believe another word I say, believe this. There was no way you could have known. And..." she hesitated a moment, then sighed and forced the words out, "and if you need to be more involved, if you change your mind... I'll be with you."

"I won't change my mind," Cullen said. "And it's not your responsibility to save the world. Especially since you already have."

Solona shook her head ruefully. "We're a pair, aren't we?"

"Clearly made for each other," he agreed. He ran a hand through his hair before glancing around at the field where they stood. "We should get settled for the night. You can tell me about this house we're going to have in Redcliffe. You know, they'd probably build one just for you, if you asked."

"For us," she corrected.

He nodded, leaning down to capture her lips with his own once more before agreeing. "Yes. For us."