Nathaniel caught Elissa in his arms her back against his chest, he spun her in a circle.
"Nathaniel, let me go." Elissa squealed as Nathaniel sat at the water's edge pulling her down into his lap.
Nathaniel pulled her auburn hair behind her ear and dropped a kiss to her collar bone.
"You," Nathaniel whispered up her neck between kisses. "Are," Another kiss with a little nip to her ear, "Beautiful."
Elissa giggled and wiggled to turn around in his arms. "And you are roguishly handsome." Elissa's dark blue eyes searched his grey ones and they turned up in a smile. "Kiss me Nate."
Nathaniel lowered his head, brushing his lips over hers softly, "As you wish." The kiss intensified as he lowered her slowly to the sand beneath them. Nate's tongue darted in her mouth, as the kiss became hungry and needy.
Nathaniel's hands were roaming up her hips, as his lips traced a blaze of fire down her neck to the swell of her breasts.
Elissa sucked in her breath, as Nathaniel's hands pushed up her linen shirt and breast band; his hands rough from constant training with his bow circled her breasts. Elissa arched her back and released a small moan, Nathaniel chuckled and moved his head down and ran a tongue around her nipple causing it to pebble before he sucked it into his mouth nibbling on it softly.
Elissa stifled a yell by biting the back of her hand.
Nathaniel lifted his head, "You like that my sweet?" Elissa writhed beneath him as his hands slid back down her stomach to the waist of her leather breaches his hand slipped under the waist band as his lips went back to hers. His tongue was hot against her lips, Elissa opened her mouth inviting him, as his tongue met with hers his fingers found her and he slid a finger against her wetness bringing it up against her center of nerves, she shivered under him and moaned into his mouth.
Elissa could feel Nate's hardness against her leg and she moved against it, as she felt his fingers leave her and he made to pull her breaches down and that snapped her back to reality.
"Nate, no we can't, I can't."
Nathaniel groaned deep in his chest and rolled off Elissa laying next to her on the beach his breaths coming in short rasps.
"Andraste's flaming ass Elissa, I can't do this; I'm just a man I don't have eternal control. You should be mine; I should have been able to marry you a year ago. But no the bastard son of the dead King gets your hand. Blasted son of a bitch I hate politics. The fact that King Maric claimed him so he could have the heir and the spare just pisses me off to no end; You and I we're betrothed from the time we were babes. It was all broken for him, because you're the second best thing to a Royal Princess and he's a better match as he's of Theirin blood."
"We knew this would happen, don't be angry, I want us to part happy. You and Fergus are going to fight darkspawn, not afternoon tea with King Cailan." She sat up and held his hand.
Nathaniel sat up slowly and stared into the blue eyes in front of him.
"Was it not for the Blight and Fergus and I riding off to battle tonight, we would be headed to your wedding."
"I love you though, Nate remember that. But it does not change what must be." She searched his eyes pleading.
"My love, I know it does not, love does not matter in this the game of Nobles. King Cailan married Anora to please everyone, because her father is a damn war hero. Then he matched you with Alistair, to solidify his position because he's a bastard. A match with you, would make him more secure as the spare to the throne. It has nothing to do with love." Nate's eyes were sad as he mumbled the last word.
Elissa scooted closer to him "I do love you, I should have let you go, and you should be married by now, Nate not holding on to something that can never be."
"Love, I shall be married at some point, that doesn't change my plans for us though, you'll give the King what he wants by marrying his brother, and you shall give the prince what he wants by providing him a son. But I shall have your love. You'll see, when he has his heir, you'll be able to be in my arms again, if we're careful."
"I don't know Nate; Alistair and I are friends, we've decided to yield to our fate, I'm sure he doesn't want to be married any more than I do, but I will be his wife."
Nate shook his head, staring into her eyes, "If all the King and he want is to secure his place, and for him to have an heir from you, don't you think he'll have a mistress, like Cailan does? Cailan, didn't even wait for the Heir."
Elissa shook her head, her face screwed up in thought.
Glancing up at the sky Nate sighed. "I have to go meet your brother." Nate leaned forward and brushed a kiss over her lips. "I wish I could dance with you one more time, kiss your lips as we fall asleep out on the hunt, your brother pretending he doesn't know. I'll miss you so much my darling, I'll see you when we get back. Go talk to your father I'm sure he needs to see you as you'll be watching the keep while we're all gone, then come find me at the stable so I can say good-bye properly." His lips brushed over hers again and then he was gone.
Elissa huffed as she fixed her clothing, smoothed her long auburn hair and tied it back with a string of leather, and made her way back to the castle.
The courtyard was in upheaval as Elissa walked into the castle, her lifelong friend Ser Gilmore waved and made is way to her. Elissa's Mabari Maximus bouncing behind him, "Hello Ser Gilmore, have you seen my father?" Elissa dropped her hand to Maximus's head and gave it a scratch.
"Yes, he's in the great hall with the Grey Warden and Arl Howe. I found Max here in the Larder by the way. I was looking for you to help me get him, yet I couldn't find you, so I risked life and limb to get him myself and settle Nan down, you owe me." He crossed his arms and gave her a good natured grin.
"Grey Warden, what's he doing here?" she quirked an eyebrow at him.
"He's here to test the knights; word is he's looking for more Grey Wardens."
Elissa grabbed his arm. "Do you think he's going to ask you, Oh Maker I wish I could go with you if he asked you. To be a Grey Warden, how fantastic is that?"
"That's not going to happen, you're betrothed to the Prince you know that. They would never let you join."
"Does everyone have to remind me, Maker it's like they think I could forget? I've got to go find my father, watch Max for me would you?" Elissa turned and stalked away but called back over her shoulder.
"Max would never have hurt you by the way, but thank you for what you did." Max whined and licked Ser Gilmore on the hand; Ser Gilmore chuckled and turned towards the barracks.
Elissa pushed open the door to the great hall and walked to where her father stood with Arl Howe and another man she assumed to be the Grey Warden, Ser Gilmore had mentioned.
"Ah, pup there you are, I've been waiting for you. I need you to go find Fergus and tell him that he and Nathaniel are to leave tonight without us. Arl Howe's men have been delayed and we must wait for them before heading south."
Elissa glanced from her father, to the man next to him, as she nodded. "Of course Father, I shall do as you ask as always."
Teyrn Bryce Cousland watched his daughter closely and motioned to the man next to him.
"Pup, this is Duncan the Grey Warden, he's here to test some of the Knights for promising recruits for the Grey Wardens."
"It's a pleasure to meet you Lady Cousland, if I might say Teyrn your daughter would make an excellent recruit as well."
Elissa opened her mouth to respond but her father stepped in front of her, cutting her off.
"I'm sorry Duncan that isn't possible, she is betrothed to Prince Alistair and I'm sure he wouldn't appreciate me sending his bride off to become a Grey Warden and fight the Darkspawn, when he and his brother are already south preparing to face the horde; unless you're asking to use the right of conscription?"
Duncan shook his head. "No Teyrn I wouldn't ask that of you."
Bryce turned to his Daughter, "Off you go now Pup, go find your brother and Nathaniel and tell them to carry on without us. There's my darling girl off you go."
Elissa left the great hall and headed towards the family quarters looking for her brother.
She found him standing in his room, with his wife Oriana and his son Oren.
"Ho' there Sister, I was just thinking about you." He bent forward and whispered into her ear, "Nate is looking for you; you should find him before we go."
"I will Fergus but first father wanted me to tell you that Arl Howe's men have been delayed, you and Nate are to continue south without them now."
"They really have been delayed. Great a trip to the cold south with Nate alone, I pray to the maker it's a swift trip. I'm really not looking forward to the cold and mud. May we be back before you know we're gone; now go find Nate and tell him the news. I'll tell father you headed off to bed early. Good-bye sister, I'll see you soon." Embracing quickly, Elissa left her brother to find Nate at the stables.
Nathaniel was standing with his back to the door when Elissa walked into the stables, he was brushing his charger, and she stopped leaning against the wall near him, just to watch this moment. She wanted to remember this, what he looked like; his black hair pulled back, lean muscle rippling on his arm as he brushed in fluid even strokes.
"Like what you see darling?" He turned to her, a smile lighting his eyes.
"You know I do, you're amazing."
Nate's long stride brought him to her in four steps and he scooped her up in his arms kissing her soundly. "I'll miss you my sweet. You have no idea how much." He dropped another kiss to her lips and held her close to him.
"Nate, I came to tell you something, your father's men have been delayed and you and Fergus are to go on south as planned. They will meet you when the rest of the men arrive."
"Oh, of course my father gets to stay in a warm bed another night while Fergus and I get to freeze in the rain and mud. I'd much rather be with you wrapped up before your fire." He kissed her ear and his fingertips tickled her neck as he brushed her hair back.
"I don't want to think, that this may be the last time I get to hold you like this before, well, before you're married."
"Please don't say that Nate. Kiss me and leave knowing I love you and I'll see you again. Before I get weepy or perhaps that temper I'm famous for kicks in."
Nate chuckled and traced the tip of his tongue over her bottom lip, she opened to him and he claimed her mouth as his own.