He was squashing her, but she didn't mind. Lifting her legs a little she hooked them around his and sighed happily.

"I liked that."

"I should hope so." He knew was probably crushing her but couldn't find the energy to move. "Push me a bit."

"Pardon?"

"Push my shoulders, I'm too exhausted to move under my own power." He enjoyed the sound of her soft giggle. "You laugh but its true."

"You're silly Anders."

"Just what a man wants to hear after sex. Not 'you're amazing Anders' or 'you're a stud Anders', but 'you're silly Anders'. I'm crushed." Gathering his energy he managed to roll them over, so she was lying on his chest. "There. Much better."

"Hmm." Stretching she wiggled a little then settled down to sleep. "Night."

"Night pet."

. . .

Anders was jolted awake when someone very rudely pounded on the door. Opening one eye he glared at it. When the pounding started again he relaxed. Next door. Turning he sighed and tried to go back to sleep.

Cursed pounding started up again. His door this time. Sighing he rolled out of bed and stumbled over to the door. Opening it just enough he peered out.

"What?" Lovely, Templars. Just what he was hoping to find. Not.

"We're hunting for a dangerous maleficar. We've had a report she's at this inn."

"I've been in my room all night."

"Alone ser?"

Anders laughed. "No. I hired company for the night." He loved making Templars blush. "If that's all, since you've woken me, I might have another taste."

"Ah, yes, sorry to disturb you." Enjoying the sound of that apology Anders firmly shut and door and locked it. Stumbling slightly he walked back to the bed and fell in. His 'companion' snuggled up behind him making him wish he actually had the energy for more sex. He didn't and wouldn't for a while. "I think you've managed to kill me pet."

"No." Running her hand down his arm she linked their fingers. "You're just tired."

"I'm just tired."

"If you sleep now you'll feel better in the morning."

"If I sleep now I'll feel better in the morning."

"Sleep." He responded instantly and was asleep. Sitting up she unclasped their hands then wiped the blood off hers onto his chest. "Anders." Dipping her finger in the blood she scribed a symbol on his forehead. "My Anders."

Even asleep he tried to fight the spell. Frowning he struggled against the invisible bonds she was casting around him. "Shh. Don't."

Throwing one leg over his body she sat perched across his stomach. "Anders." Leaning over she lifted the small dagger off the table there and holding her hand up, sliced a cut across her palm. The blood dripped slowly out of her clenched fist as she scribed the symbol again. This time larger and over his chest. "My Anders."

He seemed to give up the struggle suddenly, letting out a long soft breath. "That's right. My Anders."

. . .

"Maker I feel terrible. The ale in this place must be worse than I thought." Anders tried sitting up and when that didn't cause his head to fall off, stood. "Argh." Trying one step at a time seemed prudent.

"New vow Anders. No ale in strange taverns." Finally reaching the wash bowl he poured a pitcher full into it and dropped his head down into the chilly water. Ahh. Much better.

Feeling markedly more human after that, he managed to wash and dress before moving around the room to gather his belongings. "I'm sure I brought something else with me." Standing still he scanned the room but couldn't see what he might have missed. "Curse it what was it?" Oh well, whatever it was can't be too important or he'd remember it.

Throwing the pack over his shoulder Anders walked down to the innkeeper.

"You're looking better ser, if you don't mind me saying."

"Pardon?"

"We thought you might die on us. Looks like Cook's soup did the trick just like she said."

"I was sick? I don't remember that."

"The healer said you might not. She fixed you up and gave us the coin to look after you. You were bedridden for nigh on a week."

"A. Week! Andraste's knickers, no wonder I feel like a crushed nug."

"Heh, I bet you do ser. We thought at first you was bewitched or something, but that healer, she said it was a disease of some sort. Probably from bad food." He hastened to add. "Oh not bad food from here. Only the freshest food here."

"Well, my thanks for looking after me. And fetching a healer. She can't have been easy to find."

"Er, no ser." Eyes averted the Innkeeper pretended to wipe down the bar. After giving Anders a quick glance he leaned closer and lowered his voice. "Truth be told she's a hedge witch, not what you'd call a regular proper healer. But she's good and she came when we asked. Don't know where she got the coin to pay us, but coin is coin."

"Whatever her skills she cured me, so I'm grateful."

"That's good ser, some people are funny about elves touching them. Not us around here, she looks after us and we, um, we forget where she is when the Templars come looking."

"Does this hedge witch have a name?"

"Don't rightly know. We just call her 'the healer'. Doesn't seem, safe, to pry."

"I suppose it wouldn't." He would like to repay her before he left. "Can you tell me where I can find her? I'd like to thank her myself."

"I'm not sure I should ser. Not that we don't trust you but you are a stranger to us after all."

"I'm a mage and a former apostate at that. I'm not going to call the Chantry after her." He could see the innkeeper still looking unconvinced. "I'm also a Grey Warden. I might be able to offer her some protection or help."

"Oh! Ser. Why didn't you say so! A Warden, here? Maker, the wife will be sorry she missed you."

Feeling slightly like a carnival attraction, Anders smiled. "And this hedge witch is where?"

. . .

Anders started to wonder if the innkeeper had sent him the wrong way. 'Its not far' he'd said, 'just follow the path for a bit until you see a large boulder. Turn off there and walk towards the big tree in the distance'. Country directions and here was he a city mage.

"Curse it I'm lost."

"What are you searching for?"

Letting out a gasp he spun. Another bloody sneaky elf. "Where did you come from?" She walked closer and he blinked. Holy maker above if this was the hedge witch he was in love.

"What are you searching for?"

Oh one of those hedge witches. If that was the case he'd have to revise his 'in love' thoughts. Cryptic questions and prophesies annoyed him.

"I might be searching for you, if you're who I'm searching for." Hah! Two could play at that. She looked down, adjusting the shawl she had drawn across her shoulders, but he saw her smile. "Ah we're playing a game are we?"

"Perhaps." Smiling at him directly now, she came even closer. "Anders is it? You appear to have recovered from your." Hesitating she finally shrugged. "Illness."

"I have. I wanted to thank you."

"You were in need of my skills. I won't refuse anyone in need." He was as handsome as she remembered. Handsome and very powerful. Even in this casual conversation she could sense the magic in him.

"If its not a rude question, may I ask your name? You know mine after all, it seems only fair."

Those eyes of hers were hypnotic, large and expressive, he didn't think he'd ever seen that colour before, some mix of green and blue. And that face. That sweet innocent little face.

Ceri smiled to herself, hearing his thoughts as clearly as if he'd spoken them aloud. "Ceridwen. You may call me Ceri if you wish."

"What?" Had he asked a question?

"My name Anders, its Ceridwen." He still looked confused. "You don't remember asking?"

"I. No, I don't. When did I ask?"

Ceri held her hand out. "Give me your hand." She wasn't surprised when he held it out without question. Laying it palm up over hers she touched the lines of his life gently. "You are bewitched Anders. Did you know?"

"What!"

"Its what made you sick. Your struggle against the spell cast on you. I had thought you the victor but now I'm not so sure."

"Do you know what kind of spell?" Her hand flattened over his, feeling small and warm.

"It was a maleficar spell. Blood magic. When the humans called me to help you there was blood on the sheets. Your tainted blood and the blood of another."

Feeling the emotion surge through him she looked up from their clasped hands. "That angers you?"

"You might say that."

"You enjoy your freedom, yes? This blood mage tries to cage you with a control spell. Would you kill her for it?"

"I might."

"Be angry Anders, very angry. It will help you resist her call."

"A woman? How do you know?"

"The blood told me." Using her hold on his hand she tugged him closer. "And the innkeeper said you bedded a wench before your illness. Someone he'd not seen before."

Feeling the heat in his face, Anders tried to ignore it. Another female who could make him blush. Lovely.

"I don't remember her."

"No." Pursing her lips Ceri wondered about the best course of action. "I will go with you to your home. It is doubtful this maleficar has finished with you and I'd like to be close by if you need my protection."

"Your protection? Not to be rude Ceri but what protection can you offer that I don't have myself?"

"I have the litany of Adralla."

"That might be useful, I suppose, if she hadn't already cast the mind control spell."

"I am a woman. During the time it will take to reach your home I suggest sex between us. Much sex. This will anger the blood mage and might draw her to us."

He couldn't possibly have heard that correctly, could he? "Sex?"

"You object to that?"

"Not object, I like the idea of 'much sex', but its an odd thing to suggest to a stranger."

"Its for purely medicinal purposes." Ceri smiled when he looked disgruntled by that. "No?"

"That's incredibly off putting. Sex as medicine. Should we do it quickly so we don't notice the revolting taste?"

"I'd prefer slowly, very slowly, with the need for screaming towards the end." Lifting his hand she pressed a kiss to the palm. "Much screaming."

"Well." It came out strangled so Anders tried clearing his throat. "Well, that might work for me."

Ceri kissed his palm again, letting him feel the tip of her tongue when she licked. "I'm pleased my treatment meets with your approval."