Then and Now
Rating: Mature
Characters/Pairings: [Cullen Rutherford x Female Mage Trevelyan]
Word Count: 12,566
Fic Summary:
Living her entire life in the Circle has left Trevelyan with very little understanding of relationships beyond what she’s read in her books. While she loves Cullen, she can’t help but feel some doubt as to his feelings for her when he never calls her by her real name, or seeks her out or even sleeps in her quarters. So when Sera makes an off-handed comment about Cullen having to do everything that the Inquisitor says, Trevelyan is horrified. After all, she knows all too well what life is like when a person with too much power fancies themselves in love. Based on a K-Meme prompt.
Trigger Warnings: One-sided forced relationships, creepy elements and brief physical abuse.
Sera took another sip off of the ale and wiped the foam off of her upper lip with the back of her hand. “Yeah, I mean, you’re his boss right? The Inquisitor. I mean, you’re the one at the top of all of us, yeah? But him especially,” she said, Trevelyan’s title accompanied with wiggling, dramatic fingers. “So, he’s gotta do everything you say, right? So you tell ‘im-”
Trevelyan stopped listening to Sera as the words that had rattled around in her brain suddenly began to stick. Memories, long dead and buried burst forth from their graves, settling themselves in front of her mind’s eye. The ghosts of sensations, of silver in the light of the moon and the cold sting of a metal encased hand striking her face twisted and turned throughout her mind, like a giant chaotic firestorm. It was as if someone had suddenly deafened her. All sound in the room went out from her ears, as if the world had gone hollow. Black ebbed around her vision as her mind reeled suddenly and sharply. She could see Sera’s eyes narrow; her mouth moving but there was nothing. Trevelyan was weightless, drifting in the vast unknown open blackness of her mind. And suddenly, all the chaotic thoughts crystallize into one singular, tenacious voice echoing in her mind: ‘leave, leave, leave, leave.’
“I need to go,” Trevelyan muttered as she rose to her feet and ran from the tavern.
AO3
And here’s the story (and a snippet) that I made the illustration for! Dramatic, in the best way, and the end... *dreamy sigh* well, no spoilers, but it’s very similar to one of my all-time favorite movies. So, you should definitely follow Trevelyan out of the tavern via that AO3 link. ;)
