The rain had come down suddenly, though they all saw the dark clouds edging closer to them in the distance a short while ago. It was only a storm but it had still been a rush to get all of the Templar's armour and weapons back inside the chantry.

Cullen walked outside and began looking around for anything that may have been left out in the rain. His fellow Templars, the mongrels that they were, had done it before and he certainly wasn't going to let them forget again.

After a few minutes he had looked around all of the training dummies and benches that had been laid out for them. Just as he was about to enter the chantry, ready to escape the relentless rain and the thunder which seemed to have been growling at him a small object, propped up against a one of the pillars holding up the roof of the chantry caught his eye. As he walked closer, he saw that it was a small toy in the shape of a... rather disfigured person. He knew that it must belong to one of the orphans being raised in the chantry. Running over to it and holding it close to him to prevent it from getting even more wet, he rushed back inside with the thought of a warm fire and hot stew waiting for him.

Cullen walked to the room that the chantry Sisters had been kind enough to grant them for their stay and quickly changed from his soaked clothes, not wanting to catch an illness merely weeks before he was to depart for the Free Marches. He walked over to the fire that was burning fiercely at the far end of the chantry, separated by two dividers. Just as he was about to turn into the segregated space a chantry sister grasping the arm of a young girl tightly stepped out from the area. From the stern words coming out of her mouth and the tears falling down the girl's face he could guess she was berating the poor child for something.

"You are always taking that thing outside, I told you that you'd lose it eventually." the chantry sister snapped, pulling the girl along with her as she strode out from the dancing light of the fire.

"Please Sister, if I could just go outside-" the girl squeaked before being cut off.

"No! You know you should take care of your things. You'll just have to get that thing in the morning."

When the chantry Sister made to go past Cullen, the girl looked up and, seeing the small, soggy figure in his hand pulled her arm their vice and stood shyly in front of Cullen.

"Did you g-get that doll from outside Ser? I think it's mine"

Cullen looked down at the little girl, at a loss for what to do. He hadn't had any experience with children aside from those he grew up with. Before he could answer the Sister grasped onto the child's arm once more. Swinging her around to face her and bending down so that her face was directly in front of the girl's, she hissed through clenched teeth.

"Don't waste his time girl. He has much more important things to do than to look for your toy!" Cullen didn't know where to look. He didn't think the girl was being too much trouble.

"It's of no consequence Sister, I found the doll outside whilst I was checking all the weapons and armour had been brought in." he said, hoping to break the atmosphere that had quickly thickened around him. Kneeling down on one knee so that he was level with the girl's face, he took her hand from the Sister's and placed the doll in it. A small smile slipped onto his face when he saw her hold it close to her.

"Eurgh, you're all wet Selly." she muttered to the doll, holding it away from her shirt which now had a small wet patch on it.

"Here," Cullen began, holding out his hand once more "I'll sit her in front of the fire with me so she can dry out for a few hours."

"I can't sleep without her though!" the girl whimpered, looking down at the doll. Cullen sighed. He had to keep his patience. She was only a girl, most likely brought to the chantry after being born in the Circle, she didn't know anything about the horrors of the world besides the occasional clip of the ear from the Sisters here. She looked rather upset as well.

"What if I keep an eye on, erm, Selly here by the fire for a few hours and slip her in with you when I head to bed?" The girl's eyes shot between the doll and his face. He could feel her eyes gouging into him, trying to figure out whether he could be trusted with what was probably her most prized possession.

"Do you p-promise to keep her safe?" she asked him, her dark brown eyes looking sweetly up into his.

"I swear I shall keep Selly safe, on my honour as a Templar." Cullen said, bowing his head and giving her a small smile. She gave him a smile before kissing her doll and handing it to him with a slight bow.

"Thank you Ser. G'night!" she skipped off, leaving the chantry Sister to angrily scuttle after her. Before entering the room where the rest of the orphans were sleeping, she stopped and waved at him. He raised a hand awkwardly, giving her a final smile before the Sister dragged her into the room.

Cullen held the doll gingerly in his hand. It seemed so small in his hands compared to those of the girl. He walked into the room, cherishing the sudden warmth that rushed over him as he sat by the fire. He ran a finger over the damp strings on the dolls head, which seemed to be the hair of 'Selly'. He gave a low chuckle at the innocence of the girl. It was refreshing now. When he first arrived at Greenfell the mere sight of children simply smiling and laughing made him feel physically sick. How could they not know the horrors of the world? He felt as though he needed to tell them the horrors that they could face in life, the fact that the people they cherish the most in this life could be taken from them in the most brutal of ways.

He shuddered as he remembered those diseased thoughts. Though the past weeks had soothed his need to save everyone from their own naivety, he would be lying to himself if he denied the fact that his dreams were still pervaded with images of those beasts.

When Cullen finally regained his thoughts he sat down in front of the fire, placing the doll down in front of the fire and taking care to keep it out of the reach of the flames. A long sigh escaped his lips. Would he ever be free from these nightmares? Thunder growled at him from outside, as if warning him away from such thoughts. He couldn't afford to think like that. He just had to take things one day at a time. Training helped keep his thoughts focused on the present, as did the ache in his muscles which seemed to be a constant companion now. He rested his head on his arm as he laid down on his side, looking into the flames of the fire. They looked like they were dancing, beckoning him to come closer, to get as close to the heat as he could and disregard the fact the heat was scorching his skin. He could almost feel the fingers of the flames dancing across his skin now. They soothed the ache in his muscles that had refused to leave him. He could almost feel fingers working away at his skin, pushing away all of the terrors he had seen in his dreams the past weeks. His eyes began to close as the dancing flames lulled him into a deep sleep.

A/N: Hey guys, long time no speak. I deleted the old chapter before I thought to include the authors note from the last one so I'm just making a new one. I just wanted to update this chapter with some little changes. I have been so busy with university so I put this story on hold for a really long time. I am going to try and keep updating this story once a month at least (should student life permit me to). I'm currently writing the next chapter right now, and I have just realised I deleted the plan for it so it should be up today or tomorrow. If not it will definitely be at some point this week. Anyways, have a great day/night. Keep smiling lovelies!