Chapter 2

"Look! Look at these pretty pair of shoes!" Leliana's voice called out from across the shop. She cradled a pair of what looked like dancing shoes in her hands as she practically drooled over the item.

I rolled my eyes good-humouredly at Leliana's combination of childish and womanly awe whenever she came upon a nice pair of footwear. I walked over to her with a small smile on my lips to appease her ushering command. "Yes, Leliana?" I said.

"These shoes!" Leliana said again and dangled the pair of very expensive-looking boots only a few inches away from my nose - I could smell how expensive they were. They appeared to be stitched with very fine velvet and embellished with gold lacing around the entire body. "Are they not the prettiest shoes you've ever laid eyes upon!"

I opened my mouth to say something before Leliana could suggest to me why she needed another piece of clothing with another one of her asinine excuses, but Morrigan stepped in with her sass before I could contribute any of my own.

"Those shoes are utterly ridiculous to gaze upon," Morrigan said. "Like watching Alistair perform during a battle," she added, under her breath.

Alistair glared at Morrigan from the corner of the store - it seemed he had clearly heard her, something Morrigan had intended all along, of course. He unfolded his arms from where he stood and went instead to prevent Oghren from his continuing harassment of the female store owner with his creepy stares and odd-ball comments.

"But Morrigan, these shoes are the very epitome of femininity," Leliana declared, unfazed by Morrigan's earlier comment. "In fact," she continued, "These shoes would look absolutely lovely if you wore them with a dress with the same pattern of velvet and gold embellishments on these shoes. Oh, I can just picture how glamorous you would look!" Leliana gushed, and Morrigan became somewhat flustered, though she tried to hide it.

Leliana was gazing intensely at Morrigan's chest, lost in her own daydreams of dressing Morrigan in her fantasy attire.

"Cease your staring at me! 'Tis very disturbing!" Morrigan said, and looked at me as if wanting my help from Leliana's unwavering stare.

I picked up on her hint. "O-okay Leliana," I said, to avert her attention towards me. It took her a moment, but Leliana eventually peeled her eyes away from Morrigan's deeply plunging neckline. "If you really like these shoes, I'll be more than happy to buy them for you."

Leliana gasped and then squealed with joy. She leapt at me with a hug which nearly toppled me on top of Morrigan as I backpedaled into her.

"Watch it, you two twits!" Morrigan cried out after our near collision.

"That's no way to speak to the Warden," Leliana pouted at Morrigan, releasing her hold on me.

Morrigan glared back at her with her sharp golden eyes. "I can speak to whomever in whichever way I please."

Leliana's attention was fixated on Morrigan now. "But, Rose, is our leader and a leader must be respected, Morrigan."

Morrigan looked ready to engulf Leliana in flames so I stepped in between the two women with a peaceful smile on my face, ready to placate the situation, but Morrigan easily knocked me aside. She was stronger than she looked.

"Unlike you, I possess no romantic feelings for the Grey Warden, therefore, my platonic feelings for our leader 'tis not excessive such as yours," Morrigan retorted.

Leliana blushed madly at Morrigan's comment and she then looked at me embarrassedly.

"Tis this fact not true?" Morrigan egged on. "I've observed the way in which you stare at our leader."

"You're… awful, Morrigan!" Leliana finally cried out, and ran out the store with her blush still as red and vivid as when it had first formed.

Morrigan simply shrugged her shoulders with the same victorious smirk on her lips after every argument she triumphed over. She looked at me with her self-satisfied smirk and said, "Well, are you not going to run after her, o' wonderful leader."

I didn't say anything. I quickly purchased the shoes and walked past a concerned-looking Alistair and out the store. I caught up with Leliana who wasn't sitting far from the shop on a bench besides the Chantry's entrance. She had her arms around her knees and her face was buried in them.

She hadn't noticed my approach, so I lightly tapped on her quivering shoulder. She lifted up her face towards me and I could see she was trying not to cry. My heart panged with a sadness from seeing the hurt on Leliana's face - I hated seeing any one of my companions upset.

I didn't say anything, there was no need. I only smiled and handed her the shoes she was just gushing over.

Her mouth hung open in surprise. "Rose… you didn't have to…" she trailed off.

I placed the coveted shoes in her hands and she smiled sadly at me. "You know, what Morrigan said-" but I cut her off before she could finish.

"Let's not talk about it now," I suggested to her. "Back at camp, we can talk as long as you want," I said, and squeezed her shoulder.

Leliana nodded in agreement, but continued to gaze down sadly at the present.

"Come on, we still have to find Alistair new armor - it's all scathed from the time he stumbled off the cliff Morrigan claimed she "accidentally" tripped him off of," I said, trying my hardest not to chuckle at the memory.

Leliana smiled and I helped her off the bench and back to the shop. Everyone was now standing outside waiting for us. Morrigan stood a couple of feet away from the rest of the group and looked impatient while Alistair looked worried. Zevran was whispering something to Sten which he seemed to disapprove of and be disgusted by.

Leliana looked uncomfortable as she approached the group. As soon as she made her way back amongst the party, they had clamored around her and asked if she was okay. Zevran, especially, overdid it on his end.

"Leliana, my darling! Are you alright?" He took hold of one of Leliana's hands and gazed at her with eager and overly compassionate eyes. I sighed at his antics as Leliana assured him she was fine. Everyone had expressed their concern for Leliana save for Morrigan.

Morrigan had her arms crossed and was standing even farther away from the group. She muttered under her breath, "Ridiculous."

I decided to approach her in an attempt talk to her about what had happened between her and Leliana, but Zevran suddenly blocked me off.

"Rose, it appears your incomparable comforting skills has brought Leliana back from the precipice of a great sadness." Before I could answer, Zevran hugged me and too long for my comfort as he whispered in my ear, "You two make a beautiful couple." His hand drifted lower down my back as I made desperate eye contact with the first person within my sight which was Alistair.

Alistair stepped in and tried to pull off Zevran's tight grip on my body, but he was clinging on to me like a leech. "Th-that's enough, Zevran!" Alistair cried out, and continued to tug at Zevran's hardened arms to no avail. For a small guy, he was as sturdy as a rock.

Zevran eventually let go on his own accord and said, "Come now, Alistair, there is no need to be jealous. Unfortunately, it appears our lovely Grey Warden does not take any interest in us men."

Alistair's face flushed at Zevran's statement. "What?" was all Alistair could manage to say through befuddled sputters.

"Although," Zevran continued, "I myself play in both fields, if you know what I mean," he said, suggestively all while wiggling his eyebrows. He shimmied closer towards Alistair, but Alistair had quickly moved away from his attempt with both hands up in childish defense.

Morrigan rolled her eyes and sighed impatiently. "Are we not going to move along any time soon or shall we continue listening to the elf babble on about inane topics such as love."

Everyone looked at Morrigan and then Zevran professed, "If not for love, then where would we all be?"

"Better off," Morrigan smartly said, and walked off without another word. I stared at her exposed back as she walked away. I wanted nothing more than to follow her and I couldn't figure out why.

"Spicy, that one is," Zevran mused, and went back to consoling Leliana despite her repeatedly tell him she was okay.

We all went to the next shop on the other side of the city to search for a proper armor store for Alistair to shop for a new suit of armor in. The group was mostly silent, save for Zevran's frequent comments on random citizens he deemed, "succulent". Sten's frown deepened with every word which came out of Zevran's mouth and Wynn would simply shake her head and mutter, "Such children."

Alistair walked along silently. He was afraid to even look at me after what Zevran had said. I was wondering what had got into everyone. All the claims of my party members having an interest in me must not be true, I contemplated. Since when was I so desirable? Certainly not in the days of my teenage years when I was awkward and gangly. Before, I couldn't even get a dinner date with a single soul. What made me so special other than the fact I had become a Grey Warden? Even such a title didn't seem so glamorous to me now.

Morrigan had set off on her own once more Maker knows where. I had this desire to venture off on my own to search for her, but feared the group would question my abandonment of the entire group just for one non-team player. They'd probably think me partial to her, but maybe I was. Perhaps, I was too afraid to even admit this truth to myself. No, there was no time for such thoughts and feelings. Simply, no time.

We finally reached what looked like a respectable armor shop and went inside. Alistair proceeded to peruse the sets of armor displayed in neat rows. Some he picked up, but quickly put back after seeing the astronomical prices. "Maker's breath," he mumbled, after seeing one piece worth a couple hundred sovereigns.

"This one would look mighty fine on you, Alistair," Zevran suggested, holding an armor suit which barely covered the legs and back end.

Alistair looked appalled at the barely there suit. "What warrior wears such exposed armor into battle?" He grabbed the piece from Zevran and shoved it quickly back on the display set.

"An irresistibly skilled one," Zevran pointed out, eliciting another look of horror on Alistair's face.

"Oh, Zevran," I sighed hopelessly at his continuous flirtations with Alistair.

"What? Everybody has something which makes them tick - a switch to turn them on so to speak, whether it be from a man or woman. Gender is just another nuance which prevents many from opening so many new and thrilling doors." Zevran smiled, lost in his own fantasies which gave Alistair his chance to escape.

I sighed in defeat and Zevran turned his attention on me instead - the only one who hadn't run away from Zevran's lewd comments. Everyone else had dispersed to the other end of the store far away from Zevran's range of slinging suggestive comments at them. "And what about you, my dear Rose?"

"What about me?" I played along in a flat tone of voice. As if I had nothing better to do than discuss sexual orientation with an endlessly horny elf.

"Anyone you have your lovely eyes on? Surely, you must have your sights set on someone? We're all young and virile here. Well, maybe except for Wynn, but even she has potential."

"I heard that, Zevran," Wynn said, across the room.

"Just jesting, my wise goddess," Zevran chuckled. "I know there's someone you at least have become partial to - interested in. I can smell desire on anybody you place in front of me and I can certainly whiff it on you." He then looked at me with a knowing glint in his eyes.

I pretended to think about his question at least for a moment. "Mm, no. No one," I simply stated.

Zevran wriggled his way closer to where I stood and said, "Come on, no one?" He looked up at me with pleading eyes.

"No one," I flat out said.

Zevran's whimsical expression turned into a disappointed frown. He huffed, "Aw, you're no fun! Please, tell me. I swear I will not tell another soul."

"Why is it so hard to believe I have no feelings for anybody at the moment especially after all the horrors I've just freshly withstood. My whole family and bloodline was just recently nearly wiped out and now this whole Blight ordeal is dealing a crushing weight on my shoulders. Gee, maybe those are some of the reasons why I can't even think about silly romantic escapades!" I unleashed a barrage of pent-up frustration I had kept instilled in me from the moment I had found out my family had been betrayed by Arle Howe. I hadn't meant to unload it on Zevran, but that was unfortunately what happened.

Zevran looked serious for a second, but then his usual playful expression reappeared on his face. "Rose, now is the perfect time to think of such things. Love is a gateway to a world of escape - away from all the terrible reality of our world," he continued in his usual grandiose manner of speaking. " If all we thought about was the serious side of life, we'd be just as shrewd as our favorite bitter-as-poison witch."

"You mean, Morrigan?" I said.

"Who else? Just look at the result of what years of pent-up sexual frustration can do to a woman! If only she'd give me a chance to relieve some of that tension…" Zevran zoned off thinking of something most likely obscene.

"You're such a dog, Zevran," I playfully said.

"Not a dog, an elf," Zevran chuckled, and I lightly punched him.

"Hey, watch the precious merchandise," Zevran said, and touched the spot where my fist had made contact. "But seriously, Rose, we all need a little light during such grim and dark times." Zevran looked sincere and was no longer mincing his words with lewdness. It was the first genuinely sincere sentence I heard him say to me.

"Yes, I know, Zevran," was all I said, and walked back with him to where the party was waiting for us. Zevran spoke of love as if it was as easy as he perceived it to be with his childish outlook. No, it would take nearly a miracle for me to even consider entering a relationship with another. After the awful treachery committed against my family, I was surprised I still had the ability to make friends at all. It would certainly take someone very special to make me trust the world again, but I was too afraid to follow where my thoughts were leading me. As I looked upon each individual face of my team members, I wondered if one of them would be capable of breaking through the protective shell I hadn't realized formed long ago.