Kirkwall was... complicated, in Cullen's eyes. After Hawke had become Champion, the "order" to leave his companions alone had been given pretty discreetly to members of the Order there. He's never had any problem with Hawke's companions, save for Anders which is a completely different story. And while Meredith was the one everyone had been warned about, Cullen wasn't exactly the nicest back then either. Thankfully that's changed, but some stigma last even when you move on from them.

Cullen takes a moment to break away from the sparring to catch his breath. The cheering is something he's not too accustomed to. "Thank you for your support."