"You need to sleep, my Warden," Leliana sighed, reaching up in the small space between herself and her lover, brushing her fingers against the stubborn elf's cheek. After the group set camp for the evening, she had hoped the warrior would finally sleep after going more than two days without it, but her worries only increased as Shira volunteered to join the bard on watch that night. And here they were hours later, pressed close together in front of the dying embers of the campfire, Leliana's persistent pleas falling on deaf ears as the elf did everything in her power to avoid rest.
"I'll be fine, ma vhenan." Her speech was sloppy at best, slurred slightly from the exhaustion that was evident in the smaller woman's posture and face. Bright brown eyes were surrounded in dark shadows, proving it had indeed been some time since Shira had last slept, and by her tone and attitude, it would be another sleepless night for the Warden if Leliana didn't manage to do something.
The bard only frowned at the words, displeasure clouding her expression until her face became an unreadable mask as she delved into thought. She couldn't force the warrior to sleep; there would be no doubt that the elf would throw a punch or two if Leliana tried to drag her off to bed and shove a sleeping draft down her throat, and while the thought itself was amusing, she could never bring herself to do anything such as that.
"What are you thinking about?" Shira questioned, leaning over slightly so as to rest her head against Leliana's shoulder. Sleep, thick and heavy, settled behind her eyes as she quickly relaxed against the human's frame, and it was with a slight jolt that the warrior sat up straight once more, shaking her head to get rid of the warm, sluggish feeling that pulled at her.
"I'm trying to think of a way that will get you to sleep," Leliana replied, a laugh completely devoid of humor quickly following suit. It was obvious that she was starting to become exasperated by the elf's childish behavior, but she was still trying to be civil, offering Shira a chance to go to sleep on her own. "Ma bichette, you're wearing yourself out. I am starting to worry."
The usual quiet nature of the Warden only amplified afterwards, the silence that hung in the air actually had Leliana wondering if exhaustion finally took it's toll on the group's Dalish leader. Just as she went to brush aside the curtain of Shira's dark hair, a light exhale was heard, and she was faced by those beautiful brown eyes once more.
"I'm scared." A soft whisper of breath, barely audible if you weren't trained to listen for such delicate responses.
The sudden declaration caused the bard to freeze, heart thrumming in her chest at Shira's statement. She had come to learn after months of travel that the elf was reckless, always the first to charge into battle, sword and head held high as she sighted her enemies. Most battles ended with the warrior coated in blood and gore, a satisfied grin on her face after the last foe fell into a puddle of their own draining life. Fear and Shira didn't fit in the same sentence, and to hear her proud lover admit it didn't sit right with her.
"Scared? You?" Leliana questioned voice teetering between astonishment and confusion. Quickly reigning in her own fluctuating emotions, she shifted to better face the elf and continue their conversation. "I've never known you to be afraid of anything, Shira. You've fought dozens of darkspawn, slayed a high dragon in a matter of minutes, and defeated the famed Witch of the Wilds." Her lips curved slightly at the corners, doing a faint impersonation of a smirk as she continued. "You also took a bard to bed. That really takes courage."
It was clear as day that the redhead was trying her best to bring Shira out of her shell, but instead of laughter it only caused the elf let out a low growl of irritation at the other's queries and glorification of her achievements. While she cared deeply for this human, she couldn't help but raise her defenses once Leliana questioned her words or actions. "I am only mortal, Leliana."
"Ma lapin, tell me, what troubles you so much that you refuse to rest?" Concern was interwoven with each syllable, she hated seeing this proud Dalish warrior fight against a basic need with everything she had. As stubborn as the elf was, it was clear to herself, and the group, that this childish battle wouldn't last much longer without some sort of consequence.
Shira let out a note of displeasure, drawing her knees up to her chest as she lapsed into silence once more. The leather armor she wore for her watch gave her enough movement, allowing the Warden to rest her chin against her knees without any discomfort. She could feel Leliana's eyes on her, no doubt waiting patiently for some sort of reply or explanation for her irrational behavior. She was thankful for the silence the bard responded with, letting Shira have control of the conversation; letting her decide on sharing her fears or not.
"You know I have nightmares about the upcoming battle," The Warden's voice shook slightly as she spoke, fingers anxiously scraping over the light greaves she wore. The rough leather beneath her nails calming her somewhat before she further launched into explanation. "We've even seen the archdemon firsthand while in the Deep Roads." A panicked, fearful laugh caused the elf's entire body to tremble at the mention of the archdemon. "I don't think we can do this. That monstrosity is enormous, what good will two Grey Warden's do against it?"
Leliana's heart broke as Shira looked up at her, eyes wide and full of uncertainty, so she pulled her small lover close, letting the elf press her face against her neck and let out shaky, uneven breaths as she tried to calm down. Dexterous fingers stroked the messy chestnut tresses that framed her lover's face, soft words accompanying the gentle touches.
"You are not alone in this, my Warden. Everyone is determined to stand by you and Alistair when it comes time to finish our journey," The bard whispered softly, fingers going beneath the elf's chin and lifting her face up. Chaste kisses were placed against the delicate tattoos that curved across Shira's cheeks and forehead. A sigh was exhaled against her face and Leliana couldn't suppress the giggle that bubbled forth as she continued to lavish the smaller woman with tiny bits of affection.
"Thank you, ma vhenan." Pulling back, Shira offered the redhead a small smile while linking their hands together. However, it seemed Leliana wasn't content with just that small tie, and pressed herself close against her lover, resting her head against the elf's shoulder. However,the tension still hadn't left Shira's body, making it rather uncomfortable for cuddling.
"It's getting late." Leliana whispered, fingers dancing against the calloused surface of the warrior's palm. With one more kiss to the elf's cheek, Leliana rose from her spot, tugging lightly on Shira's hand, a silent plea for her to stand, which was quickly obeyed. "I'll let Zevran and Alistair know it's their turn for watch. Go ahead and get ready for bed."
Canting her head slightly, the elf decided it was best to listen to Leliana and with a soft shrug, she dropped the human's hand and headed for their shared tent. A light smile fluttered across her visage for a moment as she heard Alistair's groan of disapproval at being roused for the mid-shift watch.
Once the heavy fabric was securely shut behind her, she slowly took off her armor, methodically examining each piece as it was removed as a way to avoid sleep once more. Shira was exhausted, but the fear of sleeping and seeing the unholy figure of the archdemon once more chilled her to the bone.
A deliberate sigh was heard at the opening of the tent, and soon Shira found herself embraced by Leliana's arms once more, warm hands gripping her hips as the bard nuzzled against her neck. Still, she was busy running her fingers over the leather cuirass, humming lightly at each nick in the surface. She was obviously too busy to sleep.
"Is your armor really that interesting?" Leliana questioned, laughing softly against the smaller woman's ear. She reveled in the shiver that coursed through her smaller lover and gave a low chuckle, fingers tightening on the elf's hips. "Come on, let's go to bed."
Silence lapsed between them, and for a moment the bard feared she may have upset the Warden with her strong implications. Shira was new to everything related to love and sex, they had only coupled two or three times during the past few weeks of their growing relationship, and even the smallest intimate touch could reduce the elf to a blushing mess. As she was about to voice her apologies, Shira cut in, asking something that set her to smiling in a heartbeat.
"Will you sing me to sleep?" Her voice was small, with a hint of shyness that immediately eased the stress that had been growing between Leliana's shoulders.
"Of course, ma bichette," Leliana cooed, hugging the elf tightly in her arms before leading her down to the bedroll. The two fumbled around for several minutes, removing clothes and settling close against each other. After a few soft curses and gasps because of cold limbs, Leliana found herself on her back, the Warden's face resting against her stomach with her arms tucked between the both of them.
"Is there a certain song you wish to hear?" The bard questioned, fingers delving into the elf's thick hair to better soothe her, knowing full well that the action made Shira sleepy. A low hum was transferred from her lover's lips to the skin of her stomach, causing the redhead to tremble from the innocent action.
"Anything." A loud yawn broke the word in two before the warrior could finish. Nuzzling further into the soft skin of Leliana's stomach, Shira let her eyes flutter shut and allowed her other senses to take over. "I just want to hear you sing."
"Then I'll sing you one of my favorites." Raking her nails across the elf's scalp, Leliana was rewarded with a low groan of pleasure, causing her smile to widen before she began singing a soft melody.
It was a song she was intimately familiar with, as her own mother used to sing it to her when she was younger, and while it caused her chest to constrict somewhat with sadness, it also made her own tension melt away. Loosing herself in the song, Leliana drifted between the present and the past, memories of her mother flooding her mind, her gentle scent and words floating along with the lyrics.
When the song finally ended, Leliana blinked away a few tears that had managed to gather in her eyes. She just rested for a moment afterwards, not wanting to break the peace that surrounded her in that time. When she finally pulled herself out of her own mind, Leliana was greeted to the sight of Shira sleeping peacefully.
"Sleep well, my love."