Chapter Thirteen: Departure

After the two incredibly eventful days following their arrival, Evelyn found it strange that the rest of her time at home held no surprises or troubles. The few weeks spent at the Trevelyan estate allowed her plenty of time to catch up with each individual family member, including the young nieces and nephews.

Evelyn was able to spend time with her parents, and they invited her and Cullen to dine with them privately a few times. Those dinners were always pleasant but Evelyn knew her parents were using them as an opportunity to get to know Cullen and his motives better. Cullen, as Evelyn expected, never made a wrong step as far as her parents were concerned and her mother even pulled her aside one day to congratulate her on securing such an amazing man.

She spent a lot of her time with her siblings too. Marston she only got to enjoy only a few days with before he had to go back to the circle, unable to stay at home for too long. Edmund and Shirlyn both had to return to their respective duties at the Ostwick Chantry but they visited home often enough that Evelyn was able to spend plenty of time with them. With Edmund's help Evelyn and Dorian were also able to, as promised, work on the connection between their families and expand the family tree Dorian was constructing with much more detail.

Garrik, Rosette, and their respective families all lived at the Trevelyan estate so there were many opportunities for Evelyn to catch up with them. Garrik and Evelyn eventually got to go on their hunt, and then many more after that one. Rosette and Dana would often team up on her too, dragging her to morning and afternoon teas to talk about anything and everything, though the upcoming wedding was always a favorite topic.

Cullen also had his fair share of time spent with the family. Everyone wanted the chance to get to know their baby sister's fiancé and they weren't shy about it either. Thankfully they all approved of him, not that it would have changed Evelyn's mind if any of them didn't.

Dorian found companionship in Edmund and Rosette during their stay. Edmund and Dorian were both interested in similar topics of research and it wasn't unusual to find the pair huddled away in the library working on one project or another. His fast friendship with Rosette was something else entirely however, both of them bonding over a shared quick wit and sense of humour. When he wasn't researching with Edmund Dorian could often be found with Rosette, the pair sharing a glass of wine while discussing a good book or the others under the Trevelyan roof.

Iron Bull was an instant hit with her family and he seemed to enjoy his time with them also. Evelyn was glad to see him and Garrik become friends over their stay, both of them fond of the odd drinking contest and sharing outrageous tales with each other. Iron Bull's biggest fans however were the children. While hesitant at first, Dana and Rosette soon enjoyed the freedom that came with handing the children over to Bull for the afternoon, and Bull himself enjoyed spending time with the children who thought there could be no one better. Even auntie Evelyn was no longer that exciting compared to The Iron Bull.

But eventually they found their visit coming to an end and Skyhold couldn't be left without its Inquisitor for too much longer. So it was with some sadness that Evelyn and her companions said goodbye on their final day.

"You'll have to come and visit Skyhold," Evelyn told her parents as she hugged them goodbye. "I know it would be a long trip but you would be amazed, you really would. And you'll get the opportunity to meet the rest of the Inquisition."

"We'd love to, of course," Hewitt said. "It may take us a while to organize but your mother and I would be delighted. I'm sure some of your brothers and sisters would be happy to make the trip too."

"Goodbye dear," Anissa said, pulling her daughter into a hug. "Please make sure to write more often. And don't leave out the good parts this time." She nodded discreetly to where Cullen waited, already on his horse after saying his share of goodbyes. "We'll see you when we see you, Evie."

"Goodbye Mum, Dad," she said, her final goodbye to them. "Bull, we're going!" she called.

"All right kids, time to go," Bull said to the children that had gathered around him as everyone said their goodbyes. There were many disappointed noises but eventually the nieces and nephews returned to their parents to wave enthusiastically at the party of four as they set off back to Skyhold.

"Bye!" Evelyn called as their horses began trekking back along the road to Ostwick. She couldn't help turning back every now and again to look back at her family still standing outside her home, waving back at the children. Eventually they crested the small hill in the road and the Trevelyan home disappeared from sight behind them. It was bitter sweet, but with the promise of more visits on the horizon it was hard for Evelyn to feel anything but happy and content as they left.

"I know you warned me about your family but I don't think anything you could have told me would have adequately prepared me for living with them," Cullen said as the rode side by side along the country road that would take them back to Ostwick. "The first two days alone were something to marvel at, honestly."

Evelyn grimaced slightly. "I don't think I ever actually apologized properly for all that."

"I wouldn't accept it," he said with a small smile.

Evelyn was a little surprised, struggling to find his meaning. "Oh?"

Cullen laughed quietly. "See, if none of that had happened, I doubt you would have proposed in the middle of a family dinner on our second night there."

Evelyn couldn't help her own small smile at that. "I should probably apologize for that too. Not proposing, I'm very glad I did that, but for just surprising you with it like that. To be honest I surprised myself with it a little as well."

Cullen reached out to take her hand and give it a small squeeze. "Well I'm glad either way."

Evelyn squeezed his hand back.

"There is something I forgot to mention to you," Cullen continued.

"What?" Evelyn asked, curiosity getting the better of her.

"I received a letter from my own family," he said, "forwarded from Skyhold."

"Nothing bad I hope?"

"Quite the opposite. It seems our families are of a same mind. They want me to visit, sooner rather than later." He gave her hand another squeeze but looked away as if he was slightly embarrassed. "I had the thought that perhaps we could stop by on our way back to Skyhold?" He finally met her eyes, his own warm and loving, "I would dearly love to introduce them to my fiancée in person."

Evelyn's reply was enthusiastic. "Yes, of course! I hope you didn't think I would say no."

"Hardly," Cullen replied, "but the life of the Inquisitor is a busy one, I could understand if you needed to head back."

"Don't be silly," she said, nudging her horse into a faster pace to catch up with Dorian and Bull who were a little way ahead. "If I can't give myself more time away to visit my fiancé's-" she sung the word "-family what use is being Inquisitor?"

Cullen leaned out of his saddle and pulled her in for a tender, if slightly awkward on the back of two horses, kiss.

"Hey lovebirds," Bull called from up ahead, "you're slowing us down!"

Cullen settled back into his saddle and nodded his head slightly towards Dorian and Bull. "I assume those two will be accompanying us on this new course?"

Evelyn chuckled. "Unfortunately I doubt Leliana thinks Ferelden is any safer than the Free Marches, so a contingent of four it will have to be." She turned to Cullen with a sly grin, one not often seen on her face. "Remind me when we get back to Skyhold to use my Inquisitor powers to secure some more time away- just for the two of us this time."

Cullen laughed, a hint of red appearing on his ears. "That sounds like a blatant misuse of power."

"And what are you going to do about it, Commander?"

"Let it slide, this time." He smiled.

"Love you," she said.

"I love you too."

Author Note:

And that brings us to the end of A Change of Pace (Between Rocks and Hard Places)! This was written for the 2015 Dragon Age Big Bang and I hope you all enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it! Any reviews and favourites are super appreciated and they make my day :)