Before she could process what was happening and react, Shae found herself tugged to the floor with Alistair protectively hovering above her.

"Stay down!" he hissed when she tried to raise her head to peer out the window. "We're under attack."

The unmistakable sounds of battle could be heard from outside the carriage. The clanking of the soldier's armour protecting them from blows, weapons hitting each other and the soft swoosh of arrows.

"Who's attacking us?" Shae asked, unnerved by the tremble in her voice.

"I don't know," Alistair said through clenched teeth as he ducked from another arrow flying through the carriage. "Could be highwaymen, could be something worse."

"They're pretty bold to be attacking a carriage with an armed guard," Shae remarked.

"That's what worries me. I never should have removed my armour," he cursed himself. "It's just so damned uncomfortable when sitting down."

The door to the carriage flew open and Terryn, the captain of Alistair's guard waved for them to come outside. His armour was stained by blood, and his left arm was hanging at an odd angle.

"Get out!" he yelled. "We can't hold them back, there's too many. You need to flee! We have two horses ready for you, and will try to hold them off as long as we can. But you must leave now!"

"No," Alistair protested. "I won't leave my men!"

"Your Majesty," Terryn urged. "You have no armour, and a son to return to. Leave, now – and make it back to Denerim in one piece. We will fight them for as long as we can, maybe we can eventually win. But we can't risk you and your wife."

It looked as if Alistair wanted to argue further, but was forced to pull Shae out of harm's way when a man came charging at them with his sword raised. Terryn blocked him with his shield, knocking the man to the ground.

Looking back at them, he yelled, louder now. "Leave! Before it's too late!"

Alistair nodded grimly, and made his way towards the two horses that had been readied for them. They had to step over bodies of fallen men, and there was so much blood. Shae couldn't help but stare. The quiet country road had turned into a battlefield, with men fighting all around her. Her breath was coming quicker, and her heart was beating wildly in her chest. It was almost as if she was back in Highever on that fatal night. If Alistair hadn't dragged her by the arm, she may have stood still and done nothing.

Bending down and grabbing a shield and sword from one of the men on the ground, Alistair used it to bash another attacker coming for them. Without his hand on her, Shae found herself standing still, unable to move. The sounds of the battle echoing through her head, the tangy smell of blood stinging her nostrils. She closed her eyes, trying to shut it out, but only managed to evoke a vision of her sister-in-law and young nephew lying dead on the floor of their room. So much death…

"Shae!"

Alistair's voice brought her back, and she opened her eyes to see him under attack again, a second man closing in on him from behind. Without thinking, she grabbed a bow and quiver from one of the dead and put an arrow in the approaching man's head. Having managed to knock out the other attacker, Alistair turned his head to stare at her.

"I used to be pretty good with a bow and arrow," she explained with a shrug.

"I'd say that 'pretty good' is something of an understatement," Alistair remarked dryly, then promptly ducked from an arrow. "Anyway, I think that discussion will have to wait. Let's go!"

Finally able to move, Shae ran with him to the horses and he hoisted her up on one of them, then got on the other one himself. With a final, sad glance back at his soldiers he then smacked the back of Shae's horse to set it in motion, spurring his to follow.

"The forest," he called after her. "We need the cover."

It was nightfall by the time they stopped to make camp by a small stream. They'd travelled in the water, allowing the current to wash away their tracks, and Alistair finally seemed content to believe that anyone following them would be far behind. Shae was exhausted, she'd not been on a horse for such a long period of time since before her marriage. When Alistair came to help her down, she literally fell into his arms. He steadied her by wrapping his arms around her.

For a moment she allowed herself to close her eyes and feel safe in his arms. He was warm and firm, smelling lightly of the sandalwood soap she knew he favoured, but now it was mixed with the smell of horses and blood. Steeling herself, she pulled away from his embrace and turned to unsaddle her horse. Alistair's hand on hers stilled her movements.

"Let me do that," he said softly. "You can barely stand upright."

Shae shook her head. "I want to help."

"Then find us some firewood," Alistair suggested as he started undoing the straps of the saddle. "I think we're far enough away that we can risk a small fire to warm us through the night."

Grateful to have something to occupy herself with, Shae walked around the closest bit of the forest and collected twigs, small branches and some moss. When she returned to Alistair he had unsaddled both horses and was busy rubbing them down. The saddles were lying on the ground together with a couple of saddlebags and rolled up blankets. Rummaging through the saddlebags, Shae was happy to find flint and tinder to start a fire.

By the time Alistair was done tending to the horses she had a small fire going, and had found some bread in one of the other bags. She silently offered him a piece of bread as he came to sit next to her. They ate in companionable silence, Shae spending most of it staring into the crackling flames.

"So…" Alistair finally ventured. "I didn't know that you're an archer."

"Was," Shae quietly corrected him. "I haven't fired one since the Blight."

"And here I thought I'd married a demure lady of leisure," Alistair joked, smiling now.

"It's what I am."

"Maybe," Alistair allowed. "But you're a lot more than that."

Shae gathered her mass of auburn hair and brought it over her shoulder, braiding it slowly. It was something she did often to occupy her hands. "When I was young I wanted to be a knight," she admitted, too tired to keep up the wall she usually maintained whenever Alistair was around. "I wanted to fight during the Blight. You'd rarely see me without my bow and quiver. When my brother went to war I was so disappointed. I had wanted to go with him."

"Why didn't you?" Alistair asked, popping another piece of bread into his mouth.

"My father needed me to stay behind to take care of Highever. With him and Fergus gone, there was no one else he said. Personally I think my mother would have been more than capable. I think they just wanted me safe, and to act like more of a proper lady."

"For what it's worth, you seem to be a very proper lady these days," Alistair offered. "Maybe too proper."

Shae glanced up at him. "I don't think there is such a thing as too proper."

"Oh," Alistair retorted, his amber eyes mirthful. "But there is."

Deciding to ignore him, Shae bit off another piece of bread.

"So, when did you stop using your bow?"

"There wasn't much need for it in Denerim. My brother brought me there to be a lady, to be a Queen. I left my bow and arrow behind."

"You're very proficient," Alistair complimented her.

"I was," she agreed. "It's been ten years, so I doubt I'm nearly as good as I used to be."

"You saved my life, so good enough, I'd say."

Their gazes met, and Shae felt like she wanted to lean into him. Allow herself to be held, comforted. Quickly breaking eye contact, she busied herself with putting the remaining bread back into a saddlebag.

"I'm going to get some sleep," she murmured. "Wake me up in a few hours, and I will keep watch while you sleep."

"As you wish, my Queen," Alistair quipped.