"Your majesty," an Elven servant spoke softly at a double door entrance at a quaintly populated bedroom. "You have a guest from Antiva requesting an audience with you."

The queen looked up from her writing desk with a smile added to her face. She quickly rose from her seat, and rushed to the door to greet her guest. Waiting behind the door was one of her traveling companions that accompanied her during her travels to stop the Blight. His blonde hair was meticulously in perfect condition considering what his job was. Not only was his hair good, his overall appearance didn't seem to change over the years. She opened the door revealing her guests. "Zev!" she rushed to hug her dear friend. "I was beginning to wonder when you'd return."

"Oh, your majesty," Zevran sunk into her hug, mentally and physically remembering her touch and scent. "You're too kind to me," he reciprocated her hug.

"I take it your job is complete?" she released him from her grip, and returned to her writing desk.

"Of course, mi bella," He smiled charismatically. "You gave very good leads."

"And Kirkwall?" she picked up a piece of parchment with text scribbled on one side.

"She has a lot of your qualities and a possessive bodyguard," Zevran spoke as vividly as he could from memory. "The bodyguard might be more than a bodyguard."

"Hm," she studied the note. "Would you say she's more capable than you thought?"

"Compared to you? A close second."

"Zev," she placed the note back on the desk, and glanced back to his direction, staring directly into his brown eyes. "Make sure she finds her way to Denerim," Her tone shifted from joy to a cold, stern authoritative voice. Zev's demeanor changed drastically when he caught the hint of seriousness in her voice. It was bad enough that glare she was giving sent chills down his spine.

"If I may speak informally."

"Yes, Zev?" Her normal demeanor started to return.

"Seriousness doesn't suit your beauty," He spoke truthfully.

Caitlyn smiled at his direct attempt of taking her down a notch without being too pushy. "I take it you've seen my husband as well?"

Zev nodded in confirmation. "He spoke briefly to the Champion, also."

"Thank you, Zevran," She walked to his side. "Is there anything I can do for you?" She slipped a note into one of his many pouches.

"A kiss, yes?" Zev slyly smiled as she grabbed her hand as it attempted to exit his pouch.

"A kiss," She leaned to the left side of his face, giving him a peck on his cheek.

"You tease," he happily laughed. "I'll be returning to Antiva soon to tie up from loose ends," he thumbed the note she to planted in his satchel. "Or, do you need me elsewhere?" he smiled to his host hoping that she'd say yes.

Caitlyn looked over her desk trying to find any task that would interest Zev, or at least keep him within Denerim. She continuously sifted through unkempt piles of paper with various amounts of confidential information that was only useful to Alistair and her knowledge. With one more final inspection, she found the perfect task for him to do. "Would you be interested in…" she paused briefly thinking on if she should offer him the duty of staying within the castle walls as a personal bodyguard. Knowing that he was single handedly destroying the Crows with the information she provided; it might not be a great idea.

"The hesitation in your voice; could it be—," before Zevran could finish his sentence three playful knocks resounded through the thick wood. "The king returns," Zev noticed by the way he knocked. "We'll continue at a later date, no?" He reassured her making exit to a nearby window. "Thank you, for all that you've done," he leaped out the window, landing in a cart of cabbage. "A wonderful exit if I do say so," he chuckled under his breath climbing out of the cart. He dusted his body off removing any remaining leaves of cabbage. He looked up to his exit reminiscing on the things that could have been, before setting off for the port of Amaranthine.

Caitlyn excitedly opened the bedroom's door allowing Alistair to enter. He looked tired from his travel to Kirkwall, but easily relieved to see the love of his life upon his return.

"Caity, dear," he playfully called to her. "How have things been while I was away? Did the mouse play while the cat was away?" He smirked in her direction.

Caitlyn gently ran her pointer and index finger under his lightly scruffy chin. "That depends, "she flirtatiously teased back.

"You little minx," he blissfully pulled her close to his body.

"Are you complaining?" she continued to taunt.

"Of course not!" he lightly chuckled at her smart remark. "…But before we go anywhere…"

"Oh, just kill the mood, will you," she giggled. "All these years and you're still a blushing chantry boy."

"You words wound me," he planted a sweet kiss on her lips catching her slightly off-guard.

Her knees buckled momentarily from his surprise attack that left speechless and eating her previous remark. "A blushing chantry boy you are not," she wryly retracted her statement. "Was there something you wanted to discuss?"

"Look who's killing the mood now," he mockingly grinned. "But, yes, it's about the Champion of Kirkwall."

She quixotically looked into his eyes. "This Champion must be important," she softly released herself from his arms. "How was the situation while you were there?" Caitlyn's curiosity was getting the best of her. Given that Zevran gave her some light on the Champion's overall personality and potential romantic interest there wasn't really much she knew about the Champion.

"Other than being chewed out by the Knight-Commander, I can safely say that Kirkwall has a storm brewing overhead," he rubbed the back of his neck. "The Champion… she's being thrown in the middle of that storm. I don't see the outcome being good for either side."

Caitlyn arched an eyebrow at what Alistair was telling her. "Just what is going on in the Free Marches?" she walked over to the window Zevran exited from. "It's been several years since the Blight, and it seems that the world is getting worse than what it was," she watched the city go on with their life as she left contemplating on what her next move should be.

"Caity," Alistair departed from his childish character. "Remember, you're a warden before you are a queen. You can't interfere with Kirkwall's politics, and I'm sure you've heard about other Wardens making an appearance in Kirkwall from a certain someone."

"I can't let you have all the fun," she cheerfully replied. "As Warden-Commander, if I even still have that title, I haven't heard any news of Wardens in Kirkwall," her voice dropped into grief. "Nathaniel, Anders, Oghren… I haven't heard from them since I returned from Amaranthine."

Alistair placed his hands on her shoulders to ease her building tension. He knew those six years ago that making those decisions would break her constitution at some point. Sparing his life, putting him on the throne, and choosing to rule beside him to continue to stay by his side putting her personal feelings aside just to keep him happy; it truly was only a matter of time before the highlights of all those events began to settle in, and he knew it very well. He also knew that without her, he would also be worse for wear ruling the kingdom alone. They were both trapped into their own prison without giving little thought to the after effects.