Sleeping Arrangements

AN: I noticed there were only a few tents in camp and started to wonder how they figured out the sleeping arrangements. Then the Alistair lover inside me took over and this is what we got. Enjoy and review!

Chapter 1

"This is a blight"

I really need to stop taking in every stray I meet.

Elissa bit her lip as she stood at the edge of camp and watched the group she had created mill about the fire while eating dinner.

Especially since we simply don't have the resources to travel in such large numbers.

Her gaze shifted to the tents surrounding the party. One, two, three. Three tents, each with enough space for two, and seven people needing a place to sleep. Of course Morrigan wouldn't accept anyone bunking with her, and thankfully Shale didn't sleep. But that still left one person without a spot. She inhaled, knowing what that meant, and approached the campfire.

"Since Oghren and Zevran will be travelling with us now," she announced, "we're going to have to make some adjustments to the sleeping arrangements."

The elf laughed. "I'd be happy to share my bed with the beautiful Warden if need be."

"Thank you," Alistair smirked, "but I'd rather not."

Elissa smiled but managed to regain control of the conversation. "Zevran will share a tent with Oghren. Wynne will be with Leliana. And then Sten and Alistair. I'll sleep by the fire until we can get another tent."

"No," Sten's stern voice broke through the crackling of the campfire. "It will be winter soon and you are a woman. You will sleep in a tent."

"But there's not enough-"

"I will sleep outside. The Qunari have a higher resistance to the elements than humans."

Elissa was willing to be the group's martyr, but she wasn't looking forward to it. And Sten was right; he would do better in the cold than she. "All right then. So I guess I'll be with Alistair." This realization sent a surge of emotion throughout her body but she couldn't place just what emotion it was. Excitement? Fear? Joy? Over the course of their journey Elissa and Alistair's initial bond of surviving Ostagar and being the only Wardens in Fereldan evolved into a great friendship. They often walked together and ate together. Now they would sleep together. Well, not in that way…

Alistair also appeared to have an internal monologue upon hearing this news, but he didn't object. Whynne, however, spoke up. "Are we sure about this? It's not exactly… proper." She seemed to struggle with the last word.

"This is a blight," Elissa responded. "We don't have the luxury of propriety."

Wynne couldn't argue with that. Knowing she had at least voiced her concern, she resumed her meal as everyone else did.

Elissa entered her tent and the immediate difference in temperature from the outside made her thankful Sten had spoken up. The space was small; only a dwarf would be able to stand. There were two bedrolls and in between them sat a metal lantern with a glowing candle inside, emanating a sense of comfort. Alistair wasn't there yet so Elissa chose the right bedroll as her own and set down her bag next to it before proceeding to take off her armor until she was only wearing a light linen shirt and pants. She reached into her bag and pulled out a larger shirt which she immediately put on to ward off the winter chill before sitting in bed. She pulled a map out of her bag and examined in when Alistair walked in.

He gave her a wordless smile and moved to the left bedroll that was clearly his. Just as Elissa had, he set down his pack and took off his armor. Elissa made a point of staring down at the map. Though she knew he was wearing clothes underneath, watching him seemed wrong. She stared at Lake Calenhad but her thoughts were elsewhere. She didn't even hear Alistair approach her until he was sitting by her side.

"So where are we headed next?" he asked, peering at the map with her.

Elissa realized she hadn't been paying attention and examined the piece of paper again with fresh eyes. "The Brecilian Forest. The elves are the only treaty we haven't had fulfilled yet."

"That's a long way from Orzammar. But maybe we'll get out of the forest quickly. Everywhere we go there seems to be some horrible problem that needs solving. We're due for some good luck."

Elissa laughed and Alistair joined in. Their eyes met and the laughter immediately stopped. Suddenly, Elissa felt very aware of herself and the silence that filled the tent. For some reason she felt the only way to ease the tension was to address it. "So… we're roommates now."

"For the time being," Alistair responded and Elissa felt a pang of hurt, though she wasn't sure why. Alistair seemed to note this and added quickly, "I'm glad it's the two of us. I mean, we're both Wardens so… we understand things."

"Things?"

"Yeah, you know, Grey Warden things. Nightmares, hunger pangs, sensing each other…"

"We can do that?" Elissa was constantly surprised by what a difference Alistair's six months of being in the order made.

"Of course! It's like sensing Darkspawn except… different. At least that's what the others said. In the beginning you normally can't tell the difference, but experienced Wardens can actually identify each other just by the sensation they give off. You never noticed you could sense me?"

In truth, she had but she'd never connected it to the taint. She had grown to enjoy the feeling that Alistair was close. Now knowing that he could sense her as well the times when he had appeared seemingly from nowhere to shield her or aid her in battle suddenly made sense. "Yes. I just didn't know you could too."

"Thought you were special, did you?" Alistair teased. "Maybe after your joining you decided to drink another magical and deadly liquid to get more special powers?"

Elissa laughed and pushed Alistair gently, which he quickly gave in to and crawled over to his own bed. Elissa put her map away and got under the blanket. She looked over at Alistair who seemed as comfortable on a thin mat on the ground as in a normal bed, something she could never understand. "Good night," she called out to him and blew out the candle between them.

"Don't let the Darkspawn bite," he replied and closed his eyes.