Camp settled and work nearly finished, Cullen headed out to find Lavellan. Having her accompany him on excursion training was new for everyone, and if his Soldiers noticed the couples heavy glances and secret smiles during the day, they at least kept their gossiping out of earshot.

He - almost surprisingly - did not feel guilty about taking her away from the Inquisition for a day or two. She was constantly busy, always needed. They pushed her into danger every day, and though he knew he couldn't protect her entirely from it, he could at least provide a moment's reprieve – even if he did take his work with him along the way.

Unfortunately, like most of his romantic endeavours, the trip was not panning out how he'd hoped. The first blunder had occurred not three hours into the journey, while they led his men in a slow trail down the mountains. As the path evened onto flatter land, and the snow made way for common mud, one of the wagons just had to get caught in a ditch. Try as they might, his men had failed to push the damn thing back onto the road, and though Gwen had been nothing but pleasant and patient - sat on her horse and watching with a sympathetic smile - Cullen had become increasingly embarrassed. Not only was she the only woman he wished to impressed, but she was also the Inquisitor. The one in charge. He was meant to be proving himself as the commander of her military operation, not struggling to organise his men to push a damn wagon out of the mud.

In the end he'd had to dismount and help them himself, joining the pushing effort as someone else encouraged the horses to pull. The wagon and been forced out of the ditch with a squelch, and rolled away without much of a warning. Cullen and the others had fallen into the mud as a result, and then his mood really had gone from bad to worse, ignoring Gwen's trill laughter as he mounted his horse again, absolutely filthy from head to toe.

His men had been cautious not to push him after that, and the wagon drivers had gone exceptionally slow and careful over any turns and bump. Gwen however, had not been phased in the slightest, and kept their horses close as she continued to tease. Giggling at the mud in his uniform, licking her thumb to spit wash his cheek. She would at least wait for moments when the soilder's weren't looking, but it still flamed his mortification from earlier, and Cullen's face remained red underneath all the grime.

Worst still, they never managed to catch up with their lost time. The sun was already setting by the time they made camp, and he'd hope to be done with work and showing her the lake by then. Instead he'd been rushed around, trying to set drills and finish inspections in half the time it usually took, while Lavellan had no choice but to wait in their tent – bored and restless and probably wishing she'd never come in the first place. And all to give her a silly token.

He groaned under his breath. Never mind. So what if it was dark now? He had the entire night to make it up to her – and get revenge for the teasing.

"Gwen?" He peered into their tent, smiling when he found her there, lounging on the bedroll and looking thoroughly grumpy. If any other woman had pouted at him like that, he might have rolled his eyes and labelled them childish. Coming from her it only seemed endearing, and his grin turned hungry. "I'm sorry it took so long." He murmured, closing the flap and entering the threshold. The tent was a large canvas more than anything, as it also served as a meeting room for him and his officers; and not only obtained some dusty travel furniture, but was high enough for Cullen to stand upright.

He prowled forward and she stretched out like a cat, arms above her head, foot resting on his knees once he was close enough, stopping him.

"Why did you invite me along, again?" She purred, teasing. But he could tell the question was a real one. He'd let work get the better of him, and they hadn't even seen each other since stopping for the day.

"I have something to show you," he said. Watching her eyebrows shoot up.

"Is it work related?"

"No," Cullen laughed, but it was cut to a strangled sort of cough as her foot ventured further, nudging playfully at his thighs. "W-Would you join me for an evening stroll, my lady?" He asked, offering her his hand.

She paused before taking it, surprised. She hadn't actually thought he had something for her to see. Gwen had figured this was an excuse, and Cullen had really just wanted her company. After all, they got to spend very little time together. And usually that was time spent daydreaming in war meetings, mulling over dry politics while she tried to keep her eyes open.

Sometimes she wondered if that was a problem. Their relationship felt like it was on standby. Second to the threat of Corphyeous. She would spend months away from Skyhold, only to return and find her Commander was away with work as well. Of course, there were the nice moments. The times when they actually managed to share a meal together, or she pulled Cullen away from his desk long enough for a kiss. He'd even spent the night in her quarters a view times, though her innocence had refrained the man from doing anything other than kiss her senseless. Which really, she shouldn't complain about, because his lips were awfully clever at that whole kissing malark. But it would be nice if Cullen didn't treat her like a lady all the time. She wasn't even sure if he wanted it any more. Maybe they didn't see each other enough for it to be worth it.

No. She frowned and tried to escape her thoughts, concentrating on the feel of Cullen's fingers wrapped around her own. He – at least – didn't seem to care about the rumours their public affection brought, and held her hand tightly as they crossed the camp and disappeared into the thicket of the trees.

"Where are we going?" She asked, growing more excited. There was something wondrously alluring about following Cullen into the dark of the woods.

"Wait. You'll see in a minute." He helped her over a fallen log, and she felt those tingling nerves that appeared whenever they were doing something remotely romantic. Part of her had hoped that feeling would have subsided by now. It only strove to make her nervous and trip over her tongue. But then maybe not feeling the nerves was a worse fate. She wouldn't know. This was all still new to her, and – she'd begun to realise – new to Cullen as well.

His thumb had started to twirl circles over her knuckles, and the tingling travelled further between her thighs. She rubbed her thumb over his hand in response, and Cullen tugged her closer, flashing a lopsided smirk before he watched his footing once more.

The trees parted and they left the thick canopy of leaves to stand by a lake, hidden in the clearing with the moon illuminating its surface. Fireflies bobbed along the water, and every now and then there was the faint plop of a fish breaking through the surface. Gwen gasped, and he grinned. This was more like it. Finally things were going smoothly, and his chest welled with pride that she might like his childhood hideaway.

"What is this place?" She murmured, trailing behind as he walked up the wooden decking, nearing the edge of the water. Cullen gazed across the clearing, it was odd how familiar a place could be, even when he hadn't seen it in twenty odd years. He prepared himself for the lengthy explanation, deepening his voice into that growl that turned her knees to jelly.

"I use to - ." He was interrupted as a blur ran past him, and before he even realised what was happening, Gwen was leaping into the air and down into the water with a splash, drenching him from head to feet.

Nothing ever went to plan.

Cullen lingered by the edge, gapping like a fish as Gwen surfaced. She flicked her wet hair back, laughing, but that died down as she noted his shocked face, and her own smile turned wobbly.

"Didn't we come to bathe?" She asked in a quiet voice. Bordering between confusion and humiliation.

"I er -" his hand fell into his pocket, clutching the coin he'd wanted to give her. Going over the plan. The words he'd practised. The continuing failings of the entire day.

Hang the plan.

"That. And other things." He said finally. Her smile returned, and Gwen swam backwards, watching with a wicked grin as Cullen pawed at his breastplate. He watched her glide through the water, and realised she was only wearing her slip, now see-through and clinging to every luscious curve. He glanced back to her forgotten clothes with a groan. She'd been stripping behind him and he hadn't even noticed.

His own clothing demanded a little more attention, and after two minutes of fumbling he had only managed to drop one gauntlet from the floor. Gwen dived and disappeared from view while Cullen was lifting his breast plate from his torso. She emerged again as it clattered to the ground, chuckling.

"Why would you wear your armour to go swimming?" She asked, a teasing nymph bobbing back under the water, splashing at his boots.

Why indeed? Cullen huffed and pulled his boots off rather than answer. He'd give her the coin later; they could talk later. It would all wait. He nearly ripped his shirt pulling it away, growing more excited as he got one step closer to being in the lake with a nearly naked Gwen. It was when he was digesting himself of his belt that she finally lost her patience; and as he leaned over the walkway – with nothing but his trousers to go - she shot up and dragged him down by his arm.

The water was cold, and hit like a punch. They both went under with a crash. Water went up his nose, blocked his ears, and Cullen struggled to focus his sight as she swam away in a flurry of bubbles. He shot out to grab her but missed, and so kicked with his legs to reach the surface, spluttering for air in the cool night shade.

Gwen was laughing, watching from the middle of the lake as he started to stalk closer.

"That was unfair," he murmured, not sounding terribly offended.

"So was making me wait so long." She grinned, splashing him. Cullen retorted with a larger splash of his own, then slipped one arm around Gwen's waist and pulled her wiggling body closer. He shuddered as her slick chest pressed against him, breasts squashed over the hard planes of his body.

It took a lot of effort to meet her eyes. "Are you referring to just now? Or when we settled camp?" He paused, remembering. "Or when the carriage got stuck?"

They shared a laugh, able to joke over the failings of the day now that they were over with. "I meant just now." She trailed her fingers over his jaw and to the back of his neck, playing with his wet hair. "I didn't mind the other times."

"Really?" He said. She shifted, and he felt himself heating up despite the cold temperature of the water.

"Hmm mm. I was just happy to be with you." Gwen murmured the confession as if it meant very little, as if it didn't make his chest swell with pride, shock, and devotion twice over. Cullen's heart raced, and he crushed his mouth to hers in a passionate kiss. She squeaked – he'd never get tired of that sound – before sinking against him, legs swaying in time with each other to keep afloat.

She groaned and their mouths opened, deepening the kiss and turning it into something more. Teasing conversation was abandoned, and he drove his tongue into her mouth, luring her own out to play. Hands travelled down her waist, over her hips, and across the curve of her ass. He squeezed and held her tight against him. Their legs mingled and the two nearly bobbed under the water before regaining a steady rhythm, chuckling before they kissed again.

Her nipples were already erect from the cold, and Gwen gasped as they rasped across Cullen's bare chest. Her hand gave into temptation and stroked across the muscles of his stomach, grinning when he sucked in a breath and began to squirm.

"My, my. Are you ticklish, Commander?" She breathed into the air, grinning up at the stars as his lips trailed a line across her jaw, before reigning light little pecks down her neck.

"Don't be ridiculous." Cullen grumbled. He squeezed her backside, so Gwen's fingers danced across his ribs. His teeth sank down in response, surely leaving a mark on her neck, and her breath hitched before he let go, running his tongue over the spot he'd made sore.

Gwen knew she'd be punished further if she continued to tickle, and she weighed the cons and pros in her head whilst his lips dragged across her collar bone. "You are." She exclaimed, fingers beginning to wiggle across his stomach once more. She was rewarded with his squirming, and Cullen let out a very entertaining yelp that she'd save for later, swimming away as she followed with a manic laugh, hands looming closer.

"I am not ticklish." He grumbled, watching her warily as she began to stalk him through the water.

"Then come back," she teased.

"I would like nothing more than to be pressing up against you," he said. Her cheeks immediately turned red at his confession, and he smirked wickedly before continuing. "But only if your hands start behaving."

His eyes turned lidded and his stare hungry. Her breath caught in her throat and she dipped her cheeks under the water in the hopes it would cool her down. Gwen didn't even notice Cullen swimming closer, too busy squeezing her thighs together as the tingling built, when suddenly one strong arm was wrapping around her waist and tugging her back against his chest. She gasped, and this time it was his turn to do the tickling. She could only squeal while he sought his revenge, tickling her sides until she thought she might burst.

Until he stopped it all with a kiss, and she turned languid against him. This time Gwen made no move to stay afloat, and left the job to Cullen as he held her in his arm. Their heads tilted, and he sucked gently on her bottom lip, nipping with his teeth until he finally let go and kissed her again. She clutched onto his shoulders, slithered her hands down to his arms. Loving the feel of every muscle jumping and clenching beneath her touch. She became braver, and her finger tips started to trail down his stomach, playing with the hem of his trousers, toying with the idea of pulling them off.

"Gwen," he murmured against her mouth, struggling to gain control, struggling to think. How did they even get here? Swimming hadn't been on the agenda at all. He'd wanted to give her the coin. His coin. Yet now he was half naked, and Gwen was coinless, and the cold water no longer seemed to be that much of a problem. His erection pressed against her thigh, and she rubbed gently against it, wanton movement hidden completely under the water.

Her lips tasted like spice and stung his own. From the gloss she wore? Or maybe remnants of her last meal? He wasn't sure, but the thought was slipping away before he could get a grip on it, and then Lavellan was getting a grip of her own, and Cullen was thoroughly distracted by her wandering hands. She trailed her fingers tips across his abdomen, followed the bulge of his erection above his trousers, then started to stroke him gently, almost hesitantly, watching him with a faint smile as she gauged his reaction, heavy lidded with lust.

"Ah – wait…" he stammered, it took all his willpower to pull her hand away and settle it safely over his heart, which raced beneath her palm.

"Why?" She asked – far too innocently – and began to peck little kisses down his neck.

"I wanted to – there was something – " He stifled a groan, giving up momentarily as his own hands gave into temptation. Cullen ran his hands across her waist, purposefully pushing the see-through material of her slip tighter, revealing the dusky shading of her nipples. Immediately his hands covered them, and she gasped as he squeezed, gently but firmly, testing her own reaction. She arched into his hands, and he rolled one nipple between his fingers, relishing in the shudder that earnt him.

But the coin was still in the back of his mind. That, and the fact that his troops were merely a five minute walk away. Free to find the lake if they wished, and the two of them naked in the middle of it. This wasn't right. Not for their first time. Gwen deserved a bed. Complete privacy. Or at least a blanket.

His hands stilled their teasing, falling back to her hips. The guilt must have shown on his face, as she looked up at him with a worried kink in her brow, cupping one stubbly cheek in her hand.

"I want you." She whispered, and it was his undoing.

Cullen hooked an arm under Gwen's knees and scooped her up. She squealed, clutching to his shoulders as he carried her to the edge of the lake, lips never leaving each other as they continued to kiss and groan and get lost in the moment.

He settled her onto the deck, and Gwen sat on the edge with her feet still dangling in the water. Hands were unable to leave him, and she sank her fingertips into his hair, watching wide eyed as Cullen settled between her thighs, a knowing smirk playing his lips. His hands settled over her smalls. "May I?" He asked, ever the gentlemen. She nodded, and lifted her hips as so he could pull them off, the wet material clinging as he dragged the smalls over her legs then tossed them forgotten to the side. "Now this," he said. Fingers pushed her slip to her waist, and – heart racing – she pulled it over her shoulders and off completely.

She felt shy being suddenly bare before him, though it wasn't like her wet underclothes had covered up much before. Cullen drank in the sight of her, dark eyes unable to stop their slow stare down her body. Then he settled his attention between her legs, and began to litter sweet kisses on her inner thighs. "What are you – oh!" Her question was cut short with a strangled gasp, feeling his hot breath against her slit. Gwen gulped, then licked her lips, whimpering already and he'd barely touched her. She wanted to squeeze her knees together to relieve some of the building tension, but Cullen's broad shoulders forced her to spread her legs wantonly, almost embarrassingly, and she could do nothing but watch as he started to lay sweet kisses on her most intimate spot. She wanted to feel him properly, wanted him to delve in, not tease. But instead his tongue trailed down her thigh, then flicked her clit before retreating once more to kiss around her cunt.

"Cullen!" She whined, frustrated now. She was already so very wet, and laid back on the decking with a groan, pushing her hips up to meet his face.

With one hand he gripped her backside, squeezing her ass cheek before lifting her higher. She draped her legs over his shoulders, gasping as the man positioned her how he wanted. His other hand reached up and cupped her breast, squeezing and stroking while his lips began to suck on her clit. Gwen's chest heaved as Cullen raked his tongue across her, wet and slick and unbearably hot. He stoked the fire inside her without mercy, and she found her head pressing back against the fur of his forgotten mantle, eyes staring up to the stars before she squeezed them shut and whimpered.

She reached for his free hand blindly, and Cullen entwined their fingers and squeezed, all the while looking up at her with a wicked narrow of his eyes. A deep chuckle began from his chest, rumbling against her slit and almost becoming her undoing. This time Gwen really did try to squeeze her thighs closed, but he didn't seem to mind as she clenched around his head, tongue delving deeper in response, ever eager to please.

Yes, yes, yes, yes! The pleasure built, and she arched her back with a throaty groan, every muscle tensing as a spasm of pleasure burned from her clit and spread like a flame. The stars were in her eyes as wave after wave continued, and her feet splashed at the water before digging her ankles into her back, desperate to hold onto something, anything. Cullen gasped a breath against her, watching her peak with a dark hunger in his eyes.

He wasn't done with her yet.

Gwen heard rather than saw Cullen climb out of the lake, and fluttered her eyes open just in time for his lips to crash against her own. His tongue delved into her mouth, just as it had down with her slit. She shuddered, tasting herself on his lips, oddly enjoying it. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer. He was soaking wet and dripping water; cold droplets fell onto her skin as he held himself above her. She shuddered, yet tugged the man down further until their bodies were pressed against each other once more. "You're freezing." She muttered, smiling as they kissed again. Unlike their first few awkward pecks on the ramparts, this felt different. There was a new sense of belonging, as if their lips slotted perfectly; and they took their time, puckering gently as they shared each other's body heat.

It wasn't long before his cock was hard again, and Cullen grinded against her, building up that heat once more. She was already hungry for another release, and pushed his damp trousers down his legs, releasing his erection.

"Gwen," he whispered. No idea what he was saying. Only that her name was the most important thing in the world right then. She was his entire world. For a moment there was nothing, no war, no work, just them.

"Gwen," he said again. This wasn't exactly what he'd had planned for their first time. But he'd finally caught on that nothing ever went to plan, and things were falling into place perfectly without his help. He positioned his arousal against her entrance, bracing himself on one arm. He wanted to watch her face as he entered her, and they locked eye contact before he slid slowly in. Her insides stretched to accommodate him; she soon felt impossibly full, and Cullen wasn't even at the hilt yet.

"Are you alright?" He asked, noting the crease between her brows.

"Don't you dare stop." Was her rather bossy reply.

Cullen needed no further encouragement, and in one swift thrust he embedded himself within her. He gritted his teeth to keep from coming undone right then and there, muscles straining as he felt Gwen clench and tighten around him. "You're so beautiful," he whispered, pressing his lips to her neck. "Perfect."

He began that practised rocking, slowly at first, then turning rougher as the tension built and her slickness allowed it. Her hips rose to match his pace, turning frantic as she sought her second release, so much slower to reach than the first, but more intense because of it.

Soon he was pounding into her with wanton abandonment, urged on by Gwen's delectable noises. His free hand returned to her breast, his touch hard, her ragged breathing urging him on. He found her nipple and flicked, tweaked, until Lavellan was pressing a palm to her whimpering mouth in a poor attempt to keep quiet. All the while his hips grounded her against the wooden walkway, buried within her hot folds, stroking rather than thrusting now, so close. About to burst.

He made a sound, guttural, primitive, and entirely inarticulate. Struggling to keep himself together. But then she was tightening around him, lips open in a silent moan as she reached her peak once more, and he was quickly following her over the edge. Burying his head between her breasts as he spilled himself within her. Hips jerking twice more before coming to a firm still.

They stayed like that for a few moments, catching their breath. When he felt Gwen's muscles turned languid once more, Cullen rolled off and settled down next by her side, staring at the stars that dotted the night sky.

"I forgot," he murmured finally, reaching above their head and fishing through his pockets. "Why I brought you here."

"It wasn't for that?" She said. Ever teasing, smiling gently up at him.

"Not quite," he chuckled. "Here." Cullen pressed the coin into her hand, and Gwen looked at him dubiously until he explained where he'd gotten it, how it was lucky. Why he wanted her to have it. "Please keep it, we don't know what you'll face in the end. This can't hurt."

She leaned up on her elbow and grinned at him, pressing the coin to her naked chest. "You don't have to worry. I can keep myself out of trouble." She promised, feet playfully nudging his own.

He pulled her to him, laying a trail of kisses across her brow. "You're rather good at getting yourself into trouble as well. I've read the reports on your adventures."

Gwen laughed, but didn't disagree, and instead kissed him once more.