I'm talking to some men about the Warden. News of his arrival has already spread through the Castle and of his purpose here. They're congratulating me on having been recommended. I know they're happy for me, but I can sense jealousy behind their words and smiles. I can't blame them. It's a great honor to be considered by the Wardens. I'm sure I'd feel the same in their position.

As the men leave to go back to their posts I catch a flash of blue out of the corner of my eye. I look over and feel my eyes widen.

The flash of blue is Giselle. Apparently Nan was successful in her attempts. I feel my mouth go dry and my heart speed up. She's walking towards me. The dress is tight in all the right places. The front of it is low enough to show the tops of her breasts. Her stomach taut after all her practice with her blades. With a small waist and ample hips. Her hips swishing as she walks. The dress is a rich blue with a pattern sewn onto it with gray thread. It's loose about her legs and slightly drags along the ground behind her. The rich blue of her dress makes her bright blue eyes all the more striking. She has an adorable sloped nose. Her honeyed brown hair is up in a bun with tendrils framing her face on either side. She's slightly tanned from spending most of her time outdoors in her armor. Her full lips are twitching in amusement.

What is she looking? I look around but I'm the only one here. Oh…she's looking at me. She must be amused by my reaction. I'm sure my desire is plainly written across my face. She stops in front of me. Why is she standing so close? I take a small step back and hit the wall. She steps closer. She clasps her hands behind her back which only serves to make her breasts more prominent. I swallow and look at her face…her beautiful face so close. Wait…

"Maker are you wearing makeup?" It slips out before I realize it, but she never wears makeup. She has grey eye shadow on and it makes her eyes sparkle like sapphires. Light pink lipstick that makes her lips look moist and even more kissable than normal.

"Yes Nan wasn't satisfied with just the dress. She had to slap this stuff on my face too. What do you think?"

"I..well." I clear my throat. "You're always beautiful my lady." Why did I say that…

She blushes. How is it possible that I keep making her blush. This is the second time today. She must hear compliments all the time.

"Thank you Ser Gilmore," she says her lips lingering on my name.

I watch her lips. Fighting the urge to lean over and kiss her. She's so close.

"Have you seen my Mother. Nan said she wanted to see me after I was properly dressed."

"It takes me a minute to respond. "Yes she's in the library study with Lady Landra, Dairren, and Iona."

"Ah yes…Mother's friend." She sighs a small frown forming on her lips. "Last time I saw Lady Landra she got drunk and spent the evening trying to convince me to marry Dairren. And let's see Iona is…Lady Landra's lady in waiting."

I nod.

"I just can't see why noblewomen think they're any less capable of dressing than anyone else. I feel so awkward when Nan helps me. Mother usually doesn't insist, but I suppose she was afraid I'd jump out a window or something and make for the woods. Though that does sound more pleasant…" She laughs at my expression of amusement. "I'm not very well behaved for a lady am I? You're one of the few people I can act normally around. Well…I suppose I should go speak with them before Mother sends Nan after me again. Thank you."

As she enters the library I hear Scribe Aldous greet her and complain about his students. I hear her laugh as she pulls the door shut behind her.

"Enjoying my handiwork I see. Not that she needs much help." Nan laughs.

I jump. I hadn't heard her approach. Great so Nan saw me staring after Giselle like a love sick puppy. "Of course she doesn't need any help. How did you convince her to wear a dress and makeup?"

"You."

My head snaps around. "What?"

Nan laughs again. "Oh she tried to wheedle her way out of it at first sure. But as soon as I said I thought a dress would get your attention she stopped fighting it. She became quite helpful in fact. Besides do you really think I'd have gotten her to put on the dress if she didn't want to? She's much too independent and stubborn."

"Why would she care if I'd be interested if she wore a dress?"

We hear the library door open and look over. We nod as the Teyrna and Lady Landra walk out of the library. They don't see us though. It seems Giselle was right and Lady Landra is trying to arrange a marriage between her and Dairren.

After they pass Nan says, "Are you daft and blind boy? Don't you see the way she looks at you. And you look right back. The two of you are always together and always seem to be having a grand time of it."

I duck my head to hide my blush. Am I that obvious. "Well she's nice to many people. She's around you a lot and the two of you always seem to be carrying on about something."

"Well yes…but she's not itching to get into my bed."

My mouth drops open.

Nan cackles as she walks away.

My mind is whirring. Giselle. Maybe she does like me. Giselle smiling. Her hand brushing mine. Giselle's hands on me. My hands on her. Her soft skin and hips. Giselle in my bed… I groan. I try to think of something, anything else.

I look up at the sound of the door opening again. Dairren and Iona walk out. Dairren looks rather sheepish and his face is beet red. He looks quite uncomfortable.

Iona shakes her head. "You really shouldn't have done that."

Dairren only nods.

What could have happened in the library. Wait Giselle was still in there. I quickly enter the library. I don't see her in the main room so I head over to the study. She's there her back is to the door.

"Giselle is everything all right?" I ask my voice concerned.

She turns to look at me. She's bighting her lip. "Yes I just seem to have made poor Dairren uncomfortable. I wasn't trying to. Maker I can be rather dense sometimes."

"What happened?" She almost seems embarrassed, but she always seemed to be making me uncomfortable.

"I…shut the door first." I do and she starts talking rapidly. "Well we were just talking about the books. It is a rather impressive collection my Grandfather started. So he asked my favorite book and I said it was Dragons of Tevinter."

"What's wrong with that?"

"Well we kept talking and he mentioned that we seemed to have several rare books. I said yes and we had a few that had been banned. He asked which ones and the first one I said was the Art of Passionate Love."

"I see." Yes well that will do it…

"I didn't really think anything of it. But well he thought I was flirting. Well making advances really because he asked if I wanted to go somewhere more private…"

"He what?" I seethe. They barely know each other. I can't believe he'd suggest that. I try to convince myself that's why I'm upset and not because I'm jealous.

"I told him no, that there was someone else."

"Oh." Of course there is. I was just deluding myself, thinking that maybe there was a chance. Nan was wrong or she was just teasing me. But I have to know. Once I know maybe I can get these ideas out of my mind.

"It doesn't matter. I don't think he returns my feelings." She stares at her hands.

The idea is absurd. Who wouldn't like her? "They'd have to be daft not to. Who is it?"

She whispers something, but I can't hear her.

"What was that?" I ask.

She looks at me her face red. She looks unsure but then she nods her head. "Oh sod it," she says. She quickly walks over to me and leans up and kisses me.