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They had been clearing out a bank in Haven when the ground slipped beneath them.
Granted, the town wasn’t built on very solid ground - sitting on the slope of mountain, but certainly she and Commander Cullen hadn’t expected to be spending the day sitting in an abandoned mine shaft about seven feet below the lake.
Arian hadn’t fared well with the event at all, automatically panicking when she realized what kind of situation they were in. Thankfully, neither of them had been hurt upon falling through the bank - the snow cushioning their impact.
“It will be alright, Herald,” Cullen had reassured her. “Leliana’s agents know about the old mining tunnels, they’ll have the soldiers clear a path for us.”
Well, that was reassuring - but when was the question.
The shaft was blocked on both sides, one tunnel leading further into the cavern and the other heading out to the surface. She hoped that wherever she and the commander were located, they weren’t too far from the latter.
At the very least she had company with her, even if Cullen’s stoicism was a little off-putting at times.
“Are you faring well?” Cullen eventually asked, his voice genuinely concerned. He must’ve sensed her inner debacle, the way he was looking at her intently.
Arian nodded slowly. “Forgive me, I suppose I’m just a little shaken. I’m not used to being in places like this.”
Cullen snorted at that. “Nor I. But I can understand where you’re coming from, believe me.”
Certainly this was the most she had spoken to the commander in the time she had been in the Inquisition - the man was usually busy with training soldiers or overseeing operations. It felt… nice, to be able to have a proper moment with him, even if it meant being trapped in a tunnel.
It was no secret, at least among her companions, that the elf had a budding interest in the seasoned warrior. Though he was a templar in his past life and everything her clan would disapprove of, she couldn’t help but be drawn to his courage and dedication, his determination to see the efforts of the Inquisition be put to better things.
And sometimes, she even felt that the man might reciprocate that interest.
“Are you doing alright, Commander?” Arian asked, if only to fill the silence and occasional drip of water somewhere further down the shaft.
The man sighed. “Personally, this wouldn’t be my choice of venue for a sunny afternoon, but I can manage.” Cullen replied, and Arian perked a brow at his statement.
“Oh, you’re joking,” she caught on, offering him a shy smile. Cullen softly chuckled in response.
“Yes, us advisors do that sometimes,” he affirmed with a smirk. Arian felt her cheeks heat at the action, shuffling her knees closer to her chest from where she sat on the ground.
“Are you cold?” Cullen then asked, taking note of her movement. Arian was about to deny the question, but found the commander moving to pull his cloak off his body, and then he came forward to gently lay it over her shoulders. “I’d hate to see you catch something because of this,” he murmured, ensuring the furry pauldrons were settled properly against her frame.
It took every ounce of Arian’s being to not turn her head and inhale the smell of the man that seemed to be infused into the article of clothing. Instead, she simply sat, snuggling into the cloak while her face turned an even darker shade of red.
“Thank you,” she peeped out, and Cullen offered her a bashful smile that nearly punctured her lungs.
Just as she was about to utter something further, the sound of shouting could be heard from the upper part of the shaft, and then the distinct *BOOM* of an explosion and the crackling of stone.
“The soldiers, they’re clearing out the tunnel,” Cullen stated aloud as he stood to his feet. Arian remained where she was for a moment before another *BOOM* caused her to jump to attention. Cullen urged her to stand behind him as they moved further into the back of the tunnel, awaiting the explosion that would set them free.
Soon enough, another *BOOM* sounded, and the blockade on the upper part of the shaft began to crumble, which was followed by soldiers pushing through and clearing out the remainder of the way.
“Commander, Herald, you’re alive!” came one of the scouts, who moved forward to ensure both weren’t wounded from the explosion.
“Let me through!” the panicked voice of Cassandra then shouted, and a moment later she had barreled her way through the mass of soldiers to approach both Cullen and Arian. “Thank the Maker,” she breathed, looking them over. “We thought we wouldn’t be able to get to you in time. Are you both alright?”
“We’re fine, Lady Cassandra,” Cullen spoke for them. “Just a little shaken - and the Herald here will likely need to be warmed up once we get to the surface.” Cassandra nodded at the information and turned on her heel to begin leading them back to ground level - muttering something about getting out of there as soon as possible.
As they walked up the shaft, Arian attempted to hand Cullen back his cloak, but he refused - instead re-tucking it around her shoulders, even more snug than it had been previously.
“Keep it for now. You need it moreso than I.”
Again, Arian felt her cheeks flush, but just attempted to hide it by burrowing her face in the soft furs adorning the material.
And as she breathed in the musk of leather, cologne, and something so distinctly male, the elf knew she was very much in trouble.