@arallyingcry || continued from here
The Inquisition’s success at Halamshiral opened doors for their cause, both from the expected connections and from much smaller areas suddenly and conveniently interested in their work. Information and missions had poured in from almost every source, ramping his workload up by several degrees. Then there was the additional challenge of preparing the troops for the Western Approach; the most important – but not the only – reason he summoned her here.
When the frontmost door groaned open, he looked up from a hastily written report aglow with the dimming embers of the sun’s setting rays. The candles surrounding the room were freshly lit in preparation for incoming twilight, their wicks crackling softly. “Hawke,” he said in greeting as she strode in. “I didn’t think you’d find it so engaging,” he replied with a quirked eyebrow, watching the parchment flap in her hand. “Perhaps I should’ve written less?”
Cullen straightened up from his hunched position to round the desk, hoping his apprehension would roll off his back like water. Instead, it clung onto the furs of his mantle and added weight to over-encumbered shoulders. He paused some paces away from where she stood as part of him considered starting with an apology, then swiftly decided against it. There was more pressing, dangerous business to broach first. “As you know, we’ll be departing for Adamant in a few days. I wanted to discuss your involvement. I’m aware you’ll be leaving ahead of time.”
