Fenris wasn't quite sure there was something wrong at first. There were times that Anders would stop during a conversation as if another person had interrupted-and Justice had indeed interrupted-but the mage was still always present.

The first time he stopped mid-sentence while talking with Fenris and looked through him, well, it had been years since Anders' behavior unsettled him like that.

When Anders finally pulled his attention back to Fenris, the entire conversation was lost.

"Anders, the mages…"

Fenris watched Anders blink and look over the charges in their camp. They were escorting several young mages from the fallen Jainen Circle, and had stopped just outside the port town of Jader.

"They're sleeping?"

Fenris kept his voice, his countenance even as he asked,"Are you well? Justice does not usually make you forget a conversation."

Anders glanced over Fenris' shoulder; a look of panic briefly crossed his face before his eyes closed.

"I'm sorry Fen, just tired." The mage opened his eyes once more to meet Fenris' gaze.

Fenris pulled Anders down with him in the bedroll they shared. He pulled the mage's leg over his hip before using the same hand to gently hold his chin steady. Nose to nose. Anders' breath a warm caress on his lips.

"We will not travel into Orlais, not with Templars running about." He watched Anders' eyes carefully, he'd never seen the circles beneath them so dark before. "We should see what Varric knows about the rebels leaving Redcliffe. If this Inquisition has taken them in, these children will be safest there as well."

Anders didn't reply right away. Upon hearing the word Inquisition, his eyes became glass. Fenris felt the body against his own tense as if ready to flee at any moment.

"Hush, mage," he soothed, running his thumb along the scruffy jaw held in his hand, "They will not have you. We can arrange to meet a party well outside their walls-"

Anders flinched away when Fenris' thumb brushed just behind his jaw.

The markings on his hand flared and the mage kept his eyes to the bedroll. Fenris was unsure if it was to protect his eyes from the glow or the concern on Fenris' face. After he leaned in closer to inspect the jaw closer, Fenris suddenly scrambled to pull both of them up to a seated position. There-right behind Anders' jaw and down his neck-a trail of deep purple bruises that marched down his collar. Fenris' hand hovered over the area, lighting up their faces. The mage still wouldn't look at him.

A growl of panic and frustration escaped as he went to pull the collar down further when Anders finally spoke.

"I.. I hear it." His voice was so soft and small.

No. My mage is not weak, this is not…

"It's been getting louder since we passed Lake Calenhad. The…the song. My bruises…I can't heal them. I can't even feel Justice..." Anders grabbed Fenris' wrist as he choked out the words. "We're not far. Not far from Orzammar, but…"

Anders grip turned into a vice as his amber eyes locked onto Fenris, tears running down his face. " I don't want to die in the dark ."

Fenris quickly threaded his fingers into blonde hair that had become far too long on the run. Without a word, he softly kissed the streaks of tears on Anders' cheeks. Each touch of Fenris' lips upon his salty wet skin caused the mage to shake until he finally let go.

Anders crawled onto Fenris' lap and wept, arms around his neck and the elf's tunic balled up in his fists. Fenris wrapped his arms tightly around Anders' trembling body. Afraid that if he didn't, the mage would fall apart and he would never find all the pieces.

In between the gasping sobs, Anders forced his breathing to even out, and whispered into Fenris' ear. "We'll take the children to Skyhold."

It was Fenris' turn to tense up.

"I need to face them. They're helping mages and maybe that means...," he paused for a few labored breaths, "Maybe that means I'll be safe."

Anders leaned back into the arms that held him, released his hold on Fenris' shirt, rested his forehead against the elf's own.

"I'll take whatever punishment they give me. If I die, at least I'll die under the sky."

Fenris dropped his arms in search of his lover's hands. He held them just shy of too tight as he brought them to his lips.

"Promise me, Fenris. Promise me… if of all things they decide to…," he squeezed Fenris' hands in return, " Promise me ."

Fenris took both of Anders' hands in one hand and cupped the mage's jaw with the other as he kissed him with a passion that rivaled their first night together. He pulled away just enough that his words literally touched the mage's lips when he answered. "Anders, you will leave this world knowing that I love you," he whispered, voice trembling, "And when you tell me for the last time, you will mean it."

He felt, rather than saw, the watery smile that broke out on Anders' face.

The silence hung between them as Anders gently pushed Fenris back down onto the bedroll.

The next morning they set out with their charges for Skyhold.