meararutherford:

 A few first sparks! But it got a little longer than I thought it would, these things just develop a mind of their own!

“I just don’t understand why you would come to me with
this?” Cullen stood in the door way of Meara’s quarters.

“As a Templar you rode horses, and you must have helped
train a recruit or two,” trying to keep her voice down so no one would hear
her. “Who else would I go to? I doubt Solas has the time with his research on
how to close the rift, Varric doesn’t strike me as much of a teacher, and
Cassandra would be laughing too hard to be of any help.”

“But you are nobility surely your family had horses, how could
you have never ridden one?” The whole concept seemed foreign to him.

Meara pulled Cullen in through the door and closed it behind
him, “I would prefer to keep this between us if possible. Yes, my family has
horses, but we also have a carriage and I never had any interest in visiting
the stables. To be honest I have always found horses to be large and
intimidating.”

Cullen rubbed at his temple and furrowed his brow, “and you
want me to train you how to ride?”

“Please Commander, how would Master Dennet feel knowing he
leant his horses to the Inquisition and their so-called Herald can’t even ride
one?”

Cullen sighed and shook his head, “I can’t believe I am
agreeing to this, but…”

Before he could finish Meara jumped and hugged him, “Thank
you!” feeling his stiff reaction to her hug, she quickly let go and returned to
standing across from him. “Um… sorry I forget not everyone is as open to
physical contact.” She twisted her foot into the floor as if she hoped it would
disappear into the ground.

“It’s fine, it was just unexpected.” Cullen tried to smooth
the awkward moment with a small smile. “I will clear some time on my schedule
and see you in the morning.”

The next morning Meara met Cullen outside of the stables.

“Good morning Herald” Cullen was brushing a horse and was in
a better mood this morning he seemed to enjoy being around the horses, Meara
was still not so sure about them.

“Meara,” she smiled at Cullen. “We don’t need to be so
formal, just call me Meara.”

“Ok then,” he returned her smile with a small smile of his
own extending from the corner of his mouth. He opened the gate and motioned for
her to join him, “We will leave the titles behind, Meara it is.”

“Are you sure? I mean is it safe?” Meara shied away from the
open gate.

Cullen closed the gate and leaned on the fence, this was
going to more difficult than he thought. “The horse won’t hurt you, they are
gentle. They do pick up on your fear though, so maybe we should work on getting
to know the horse before riding him.”

Meara leaned on the fence next to Cullen, “I’m sorry Commander,
but do we have to do this here where everyone is watching? I feel foolish
enough, I don’t want to embarrass myself more.”

Cullen’s expression changed to one of deep thought, “No, we
can go somewhere more private. I’ll need a moment to saddle the horse stop by
the tavern and see if they have a couple of apples and meet me by the gate past
the training yard.”

Meara turned to head to the tavern and Cullen called after
her, “And Meara, please call me Cullen.” She gave him a soft smile over her shoulder
and swore she saw a hint of blush on his cheeks as he rubbed at the back of his
neck.

It had taken Cullen less time to saddle the horse and
explain to Master Dennet that he would have the horse back in a couple of hours
than it did for Meara to escape Sera at the tavern. He dismounted the horse and
waited by the gate, thinking about the smile Meara had given him over her
shoulder he felt his face blush. “What am
I getting myself into?” his mind barely had time to finish the thought when
he heard the approach of Meara’s boots crunching in the snow.

“Sorry I took so long,” she came to a stop next to Cullen on
the side opposite the horse, “I had to explain to Sera that I didn’t need her accompaniment
this morning. She doesn’t take no very well.”

“I’m not sure she understands the word” Cullen laughed.
Taking the reins of the horse he began to walk the path, “There is an abandoned
logging camp just outside of Haven, we can go there and have a little privacy.”

Meara stepped up matching his stride, “Thank you, I know it
sounds silly of me, but I really do not want everyone knowing I can’t ride a
horse.”

“I should be thanking you” he patted the horse as they
walked. “I needed a break, I have been training recruits and worrying about
supplies since I arrived in Haven.”

“I don’t know if I would call this a break, it’s probably
more of a distraction” Meara laughed.

“Well, it is a welcome distraction then.” Cullen quickly
looked at the path ahead of them avoiding eye contact.

Meara was grateful he had turned away feeling the pink tint
flush her cheeks, “Well, you are welcome then.”

Reaching the logging camp Cullen stopped and turned to Meara,
“May I have one of the apples?” He took the apple and broke it into two pieces,
“The first thing you have to do is recognize the horse doesn’t want to hurt you,
you will make him nervous if he feels you are afraid of him.” He gave one piece
to Meara and offered the other piece to the horse, “Keep your fingers flat and
offer him the apple. He won’t bite, I promise.”

Meara reached out with a shaky hand and offered the horse
the apple, at first he just sniffed at Meara’s hand and sleeve. Then he took
the apple from her outstretched palm.

“Now pet him on the nose, gently.” Cullen reached out to
steady the horse.

Meara reached up touching the horse just below the white splash
between his eyes, “He is so soft!” She ran her fingers up his cheek and into
his mane giving him a gentle scratch behind the ear before petting his neck.
The horse seemed to enjoy her touch, and Cullen looked pleased that she hadn’t
backed away.

“Do you think you want to try sitting on him?” he felt
encouraged by the way Meara was fascinated by the horse’s response to her touch.

“By myself? I don’t even know how!”

“Here, let’s take this in small steps.” Cullen mounted the horse
and offered Meara his hand. “Put your foot in the stir up here and slide your
other leg over the back of the horse.”

Meara was hesitant, “Can he hold two of us?”

Cullen laughed, “Yes, he will be fine!”

Meara took his hand and stepped into the stir up, sliding
her leg over the horse she settled herself onto his back in front of Cullen.
She reached out and ran her fingers through his mane not sure if she was trying
to reassure herself or the horse.

Cullen slid one arm around either side of her picking up the
reins, “Here, hold these gently. I will steer but I want you to get a feel for how
the horse responds and how to instruct him.”

“What? You didn’t say we were going to move you said we were
going to sit on the horse!” Meara
tensed up.

Cullen let out a deep sigh, “The horse has to move for you
to ride him.”

“I know that” Meara turned to look at him, “but what if I
fall off? It isn’t like there is a lot of room up here with your armor pushing me
forward!”

Cullen placed the reins across the horse’s neck and took off
his gloves placing them in the saddle bag. He removed his mantle and unbuckled
his armor lowering it the ground piece by piece. “Ok, now lean back.” he
reached around her again picking up the reins.

Meara sat back against his chest, his arms around her holding
out the reins to her. She slowly took them from his hands.

Cullen leaned forward over her shoulder, “I want you to just
hold the reins, let me steer I want you to feel the tension on the reins, not
too tight or too loose, and feel the way I tell him which way I want him to go.”
He placed his hands over hers, they were strong and calloused from his sword. Pin
pricks of electricity danced where his skin touched hers, he was warm against her
back and he smelled amazing. Meara found she was biting her lower lip as she tried
to find her place in his hold.

“Are you ok? You look terrified.”

Meara turned to look at him and caught her hair in the
stubble on his cheek, “I’m ok, but maybe I should tie my hair up to keep it out
of your face.” She pulled a ribbon from around her wrist and used it to tie her
hair into a ponytail. “That should do it, after all you need to see where we
are going right?” she hoped the moment would help her clear her head, but found
that tying her hair back just allowed her to feel his breath on the back of her
neck.

Cullen wrapped his arms around her again placing his hands
over hers. Leaning forward he realized just how close the two of them were. Her
hands were soft and small under his own and she had settled into his arms as he
lead the horse to take a few small steps.

“Cullen, you are sure this is safe?”

He liked the way his name rolled off her tongue, “I’ve got
you, I won’t let you fall.”

Meara bit her lip again as she felt his voice rumble through
her chest, “It may be too late” she said softly. She hoped she hadn’t said it
loud enough for him to hear but given the close quarters and the way she saw
him pull the corner of his mouth into a smirk, she knew he had.

“A few steps weren’t too bad, let’s see if we can let him
walk at more of a normal pace for a bit.”  Cullen lead the horse to walk a little faster.
“Try to relax, let yourself feel the way the horse moves when he walks. It will
help you keep your balance and makes it more comfortable for him and you.”

Cullen leaned forward and could feel Meara relax into him,
with her back against his chest he could feel the rise and fall of each breath
she took. The slow movements of her hips with the horse pressed her bottom
against him sending a current through his body. “Maker’s breath, keep it together Rutherford!” he heard his mind scream at him as he closed
his eyes for a brief moment and drew in the soft scent of lavender that lingered
on her, willing himself to hold it with him as long as he could.

Meara’s voice snapped him back to the task at hand, “This isn’t
so bad, is it?”

“No…” he tried not to sound like he had been daydreaming, “it
is rather nice.” He realized he sounded more than slightly distracted.

“Do you want to try to pick up the pace?” he asked her
leaning back just enough to regain his focus.

Meara stiffened a little at the idea, “Maybe we should just
take things slow, there is no rush, right?”

Cullen leaned forward again allowing Meara to retreat to the
safety of his support, “No, no rush at all. However, we have been out here for
a couple of hours and I do have recruits to train.” He felt Meara’s posture
slump as she let out a small sigh. Bringing the horse to a stop, he turned a
little face Meara, “I would be happy to continue this tomorrow morning, that is
if you would like?”

“I would like that.” Meara hoped she didn’t sound too eager.
“Can we ride him back to Haven?”

Cullen laughed, “Let me gather my armor and yes, we can.”

As they approached the gate at Haven Cullen slowed the horse
to a stop, lowering himself to the ground Meara passed him his armor one piece
at a time before accepting his hand to help her off the horse.

“I will meet you here in the morning.”

Meara reached out and pet the horse offering him the second
apple, “You bring the horse I’ll bring the apples!”

Turning to walk the horse back to the stables Meara called
after him, “Cullen!” He stopped in his tracks, he really did love the way she
said his name.

“Yes, my Lady?” he presented her a small laugh.

“Thank you,” Meara’s expression softened and he noticed the
warmth in her eyes. “I appreciate you keeping this between us for now. I enjoyed
this morning.” She smiled at him and started off down the path.

Her smile left him standing dumbstruck for the better part
of two minutes, “Oh Maker, what have I gotten myself into?”