Tamsin
A prelude to Maker Be My Guide

by R2s Muse

A/N: A short prelude to the also short Maker Be My Guide, which was a submission to Bioware's Dragon Age: Asunder creative writing contest. Since the contest had a word limit, this non-essential drabble was cut. But it features the lovely Knight-Captain Cullen, so I thought I would share. :)

Disclaimer: Dragon Age and its characters belong to Bioware.

"I'm not getting any younger you know!"

Tamsin flushed and quickly looked around the Gallows Courtyard, hoping none of the other Templar recruits had overheard her mother's continuing guilt trip about grandchildren.

"Mother! I can't believe you're bringing this up again!" she hissed. "Templars don't marry and have children. Like, Chantry sisters, we are married to Andraste . . . erm, I mean, you know, the Chantry."

The last thing on nineteen-year old Tamsin's mind was settling down and having children. Rosalind Leland had always given her eldest daughter quite a bit of leeway in her pursuits, which had grown increasingly daring in recent years. But, apparently, this had all been with the unspoken understanding that Tamsin's adventures would properly end in time for her to settle down with some nice young, politically-advantageous nobleman.

Unfortunately for Rosalind, Tamsin hadn't been aware of these plans for her future until after she had rashly pledged herself to the Templar Order six months ago.

"Married to the Chantry? Please, Tamsin, don't be melodramatic. I know that Templars can, and do, marry. All they need is permission!"

Tamsin rolled her eyes.

"Don't you worry," Rosalind clucked. "Once I find the right man, one who's comfortably situated, I'm sure we can prevail upon Grand Cleric Elthina to give her blessing. Then, she may even let you quit this whole Templar business!"

"I don't want to quit. I happen to like being a Templar."

"What is there possibly to like?" her mother sniffed, looking askance at her bulky armor.

"Well . . . there's . . ." she started, but then immediately flushed as Knight-Captain Cullen walked over to them with a kind smile.

He nodded at her. "Recruit . . ."

"T— Tamsin, Ser," she immediately supplied, as usual feeling the blush spread across her face whenever the Knight-Captain was present.

"Recruit Tamsin." He turned toward her mother. "And who is this lovely lady?" he said with a smile, decorously flirting with her mother in a way he would never do with her.

"M— my mother, Ser."

"Ah, Serah Leland, it is a pleasure," he said. Tamsin thrilled that he seemed to remember her name after all. "I hope your daughter is reporting that we're treating her well."

"Oh, very well, messere. Thank you for your concern." Her mother's color heightened as she smiled in response, suggesting that Serah Leland was not immune the Knight-Captain's charms either.

"Our recruits' well-being is of utmost concern to the Order, Serah. Every one is precious to us." He looked at Tamsin with a smile.

Tamsin glowed hearing these words, imagining yet again the care behind them as she looked up at his handsome face. Then, his head suddenly snapped away as he heard someone call his name.

"Cullen!" A dark-haired woman called out from where she was standing with a motley group of companions.

He smiled, but Tamsin noticed that this time the smile transformed his face with his apparent pleasure at seeing the woman. Whoever she was. Curiously studying the newcomer, Tamsin saw that she wasn't particularly beautiful, but her bright blue eyes shone with an easy confidence as she waited for the Knight-Captain of Kirkwall to immediately drop what he was doing and talk to her.

"If you'll both excuse me." Cullen nodded at her mother cordially, then strode away toward the woman, calling out warmly, "Hawke!"

Tamsin's eyes tracked him as he walked away, until she realized her mother was watching her with a pitying look in her eye.

Rosalind sighed, saying gently, "Tamsin, arguments about Andraste aside, I do happen to know that fraternization within the Templar ranks is forbidden. Oh my dear . . . I hope you aren't expecting—"

"No! I'm not expecting anything, mother! It's nothing! I . . . I am perfectly content as I am." But her eyes gave her away when they darted back to the Knight-Captain when she heard him laugh delightedly at something with that Hawke woman.

"Tamsin, please have a care for yourself. You know, I've never quite understood your sudden fervor for joining the Order . . . I hope it was for the right reasons."

"Mother! Of course it was. I w— want to serve Kirkwall. And, the Maker." Tamsin flushed at her mother's implication. She could admit to herself that joining the Templar Order in her continuing search for some kind of meaningful endeavor had been a bit . . . abrupt. But, whatever her reason, it certainly hadn't been because of some girlish crush. The crush had come afterward . . .

Rosalind sighed again, then gave her a motherly kiss on her forehead. "Maker watch over you, daughter. I guess I'll have to start bothering your brother about grandchildren instead."

"He's thirteen!"

"Apparently I have to start earlier this time," she said with a twisted smile.