Even before the salutation comes Mia's chess move; Cullen rises and goes straight to the shelf where the miniature chess board lives. The pieces have pegs in the bottom, so it's hard to knock them over. Cullen isn't anybody's fool.
He makes Mia's move, considers the board, blows out a breath. He'll have to think about it. In the meantime, he retreats to his desk to finish reading.
Would Alistair even want to go to South Reach? He'd certainly encourage Cullen to do it -- but would he want to?
Does Cullen want to?
There's a significant part of him that believes he wouldn't find a welcome there. Or worse -- that he would, but once they realize he's not what they expect, they turn their backs on him.
Meaning that when the time arrives, and Alistair's gone, Cullen will be completely alone, with no kind of anchor.
He can't breathe. He folds the letter, tucks it under the chess board, and storms out onto the battlements toward the lower courtyard. He'll stay there until the world stops spinning.
no subject
He makes Mia's move, considers the board, blows out a breath. He'll have to think about it. In the meantime, he retreats to his desk to finish reading.
Would Alistair even want to go to South Reach? He'd certainly encourage Cullen to do it -- but would he want to?
Does Cullen want to?
There's a significant part of him that believes he wouldn't find a welcome there. Or worse -- that he would, but once they realize he's not what they expect, they turn their backs on him.
Meaning that when the time arrives, and Alistair's gone, Cullen will be completely alone, with no kind of anchor.
He can't breathe. He folds the letter, tucks it under the chess board, and storms out onto the battlements toward the lower courtyard. He'll stay there until the world stops spinning.