SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES

A/N: Hi again! I'm so happy to be posting again so soon, really didn't think I had it in me. Small warning though, this chapter did kind of get away from me going from my normal 3 or 4K to a little over double that at 8.7K, so please forgive me. It just kind of flowed right out of me, the words just there at the ready; my fingers hardly able to keep up. :)

As always PLEASE comment/Review to tell me what you think. Your feedback is an addiction I hope never to tire from. Helpful Criticism is welcome.

Nearly all character and places are property of Bioware. If you're a fan you'll know which ones are not.

Chapter THREE

~The Truth about Anders: Part I~

Clarity had gone out the window and didn't look like it was returning anytime soon. How could this happen, h-how is this even possible? Searia stared down at Anders limp body nearly paralyzed with anger, and fear.

Nothing could have prepared her, them, for what happened. Never had there been an inkling that something was wrong, after all the time, it didn't make sense. He would have been the last person she thought would be capable of falling for a demon's seduction. That's why he'd make the perfect target; she shook her head trying to dispel the assumptions the Warden in her was trying to make.

Zev cleared his throat in the background but she didn't turn to face him, her mind replaying over and over what she saw, what she had seen him become. When Anders opened the door Zev didn't waste any time hitting him with a paralysis dart while she used Mana Clash to disable his ability to cast. As soon as it hit his hand had flown to his neck, before he lashed out attempting a spell realizing the block that had been put on his access to the Fade. Slowly his face contorted in anger, and then something else. Anders in a flash had his dagger drawn looking in the shadows of the room, turning over the measly furniture that littered the room as he went. He was getting to close for comfort as Seari literally backed into a corner casting a Glyph of Repulsion in hopes of keeping him back as long as possible. Instead something else had happened, and as Anders fell to his knees in pain his already contorted face seeming to crack open and emit an astonishing blue light.

Suddenly his eyes flashed open making her flinch; they were no longer the soft, kind hazel she remembered but the same startling blue that glowed from his cracking skin. That's when she felt it, the block breaking under superior power, and Maker the power she felt… it wasn't natural, it was dangerous. She had fought him off then until the poison took effect wrecking the rest of the room in the process, both her and Zev tired from the effort.

It's just, how could they not know, had they missed the signs, was it possible she had trusted him too much? She cursed; so many questions filtered through her mind her legs shaky with anger glued to the floor. There as she looked, Anders was back to normal, his face covered with the familiar stubble, his robes and pauldrons exactly as she remembered.

Zev's hand grabbed her shoulder pulling her out of her reverie. "Do the spell il mio pey and we'll get going. We dare not terry longer; there'll be time for questions later."

Unclenching her hands and drinking a lyrium Potion she cast a Feather spell to lighten Anders weight enough so Zev could carry him with remote ease. The walk back to the deck was silent, her fury growing with every step. She felt betrayed; he had been one of her longest and closest friends; she thought she'd lost him once when he escaped the Tower never to return, and then again when she returned as a Warden with it in shambles thinking him among the dead; in Amaranthine though, seeing him again, alive—it changed everything, and nothing. This however only further hit home the fact that nothing, nothing could have prepared her for this.

Once they reached upper deck they hurried on barely giving a nod to the Captain before they departed. The spell was wearing off by the time they got to the horses and Zev heaved Anders weight gratefully on the horse before climbing up himself. They left quickly for the brothel a few blocks away. Zev arranged for a room there earlier in the week, no one would bother them there— strange noises from rooms were far from unusual in The Blushing Princess.

The trip was made in silence, both contemplating possible outcomes and dangers they were heading into. Searia had the reins on her horse in an iron grip; she was a Warden, and as such deemed that she could do with Anders as she thought fit, 'by any means necessary.' There were no laws against Blood Magic, no direct laws against possession, but deserters… that was another story though she suspected some leniencies were made in desperate times. Though she was Ferelden's Grey Warden Commander, the truth of it was she didn't know much about the order other than what she herself had lived through or read in Amaranthine. Ferelden had always kind of been on there own, separate from the other Wardens out there, that definitely needed to change, but as for rules and regulations they made it up as they went along. Being a Mage, in that respect she had been trained to recoil from anything to do with the more evil of the arts, not that she wasn't guilty of a little dabbling herself with Avernus' help of course. She just hoped he was okay, hoped she wouldn't have to make that decision.

-X-

Searia didn't think she would ever get used to the smell of a brothel; a mix between sex and too much perfume assaulted her senses. She sat on a small stool across from the bed and lit a candle; Anders was still passed out on the bed his arms and legs bound to the bedpost to prevent further catastrophe. The clock on the wall slowly ticked by the time, seeming exceedingly loud under the circumstances; it was still early and the brothel was relatively empty aside from a few patrons at the bar.

A minute later Zev returned to the room carrying not two, not three, but four bottles of Antivan wine decidedly look like the cat that ate the canary. "I bring tidings from Madam Lolita's private reserve."

Searia sighed in relief; Maker knows she could use a drink. She took a bottle from him and uncorking it taking a hefty gulp. "Zev have I ever told you how much I love you?"

Ah il mio dolce," he said seating himself on the floor, back against the wall, "that you have, although I've noticed it's usually when I have some type of delicacy for you to imbibe. Careful, you'll give a man a complex."

She took another sip and smiled. "Well it's not like any of us have manage to take you down a peg yet, so a little complex might be good for you." She looked over at the bed again not able to quite forget why they were there. She cared for Anders deeply, as a fellow Mage and long time friend he was often there and could understand when and in ways no one else could, she needed to know what happened, and more then that why he didn't tell her.

Zev brought the wine bottle down from his lips and followed her glance. A small smirk crossed his face before he shook his head as if dismissing a private thought. "He'll most likely be out for a while yet. A mage's tie to the Fade tends to fight the poison faster so the batch I used was double strength. If you want to rest, I can keep watch for you, you've been though a lot today."

Searia smile lightly before looking at him. He always seemed to know what to say without saying it directly yet still getting the point across. He was worried about her, but she knew sleep would evade her, without Al—him beside her the dreams would undoubtedly grow worse making sleep nearly impossible. "No, I've been though worse. This is nothing compared to what's coming, and what we've already gone through."

"Too right you are. I have to admit to feeling a little melancholy myself as of late, it's been a trying couple of years."

She chuckled under her breath, "That's the understatement of the Age."

The ticking of the clock once again made itself known as they both finished off the bottles of wine. Slowly falling into a slightly subdued banter of familiar camaraderie as they tried to keep their own demons at bay.

After another fit of giggles by Searia, Zev got a clouded look in his eyes before nodding his head towards the man in the bed, "seeing him like that, it chilled the bone. It—" he sighed, "it's not a feeling I'm used to experiencing towards any but you."

Heart swelling with the depth of his loyalty Searia crawled off her chair making her way to Zevran. She was sure she could walk, she just didn't know for how long or how well. Putting her head on his shoulder she wrapped an arm around his back for comfort. "I'm sorry; I'm being so utterly selfish and I let my anger get the best of me, I forgot how this would affect you. Was-was it serious?"

He laughed deep in his chest reverberating her head on his shoulder. "Maker no! Not to say there's something wrong with it, for others, but you know what the idea of such seriousness does to me. But how long have you known, we were exceedingly discreet?"

"You forget how long I've known Anders… and you. You're like peas in a pod, well at least when it comes to your libido. If it's attractive, has two legs, and there's pleasure to be had, you don't have to be a betting man to know what's gonna happen if the targets willing enough." She laughed, "Trust me, I didn't have to catch you two sneaking about to know you were sleeping together, I probably knew it would happen before you did, you two are probably the most willing targets in all of Ferelden, it was only a matter of time until one of you made a pass at the other."

Ha-ha, "Touché Commander. You know for a mage that can't even manage the simplest of clandestine maneuvers you certainly have a knack for finding information. You have this seductive manipulation with the way you talk when you want something that has men, and even women eating from palm of your hands. Somehow you compel them, make them want to divulge their darkest secrets. Hmm, maybe you're not such a complete failure as a rogue after all."

Searia narrowed her eyes at him, "Wow Zev, you had me all the way till the end on that one, you sure know how to pay a girl a compliment. Besides you forget living in the Tower was all about manipulation. The more you knew and people you could manipulate the safer you were; blackmail is a beautiful thing."

Safer. The word hung in the air for a moment, Searia hiccupping shyly if such a thing were possible, Zev decidedly not commenting on the small disclosure. "That it is il mio malizioso. Though I do wonder…"

"Hmm?"

He flashed a wicked grin, eyebrows raised. "You and Anders?"

She raised an eyebrow in feigned confusion, "Me and Anders what?"

Oh she did not want to get into this, with him of all people. Her sex life was an open book for too long during the Blight and Amaranthine was hardly better, she still couldn't live some of the more risqué and embarrassing stories down; she was not about to allow him to weasel out information from her more promiscuous years. She made a mental note to threaten Anders if he ever told anyone anything about that aspect of her life in the Tower, not that it was bad per say, but there are just some things that a person should take to the grave, some things that no one else would understand.

He rolled his eyes, "Oh please, don't play coy with me Seari, it's not like I'm not aware of what goes on in that place, and it's not like Anders has kept it incredibly secret. No, I was just curious if you and Anders had ever..." with this another wicked grin made an appearance, "consorted, as it were."

She felt heat rise to her face and hoped it wasn't noticeable over the flush from the wine. Oh she couldn't remember all of her 'distractions' in the Tower, but there were a key few. She lifted herself from his shoulder and sat cross-legged in front of him, "Well aren't you just the curious little elf? My lips are sealed."

"Oh now I am most interested. I can't help but wonder what you would gain from hiding the truth. If you two do indeed have a past in consorting, I can't imagine why you'd want to deny it save Alistair, and he doesn't exactly have a chance in hearing at the moment. However, if you didn't I wonder why you wouldn't just say it out right."

He sat there a moment hand on his chin looking as if he was contemplating his next move, solving the most intricate of puzzles while Searia resembled something akin to a brick wall.

Zev adjusted his position hiking one knee up resting an arm on top of it. "Now that I think about it as far as I can tell you've never spoken much about anything you did while you lived there. No, I imagine something else has your guard up, maybe something in between the two, or it could be that Anders knows something you do not wish to divulge, perhaps a bit of all three."

He was much closes to the truth than she liked, but there wasn't much she could do about that. She was glad however that he thought even Alistair wasn't in the know, not that he would have been if it wasn't for him overhearing what she thought had been a private conversation with Anders one night.

-X-

**She remembered it as if it happened yesterday. She had walked into their bedroom at Vigils Keep and instantly felt the anger radiating off of him, the Taint in his blood gnawing at hers in barely restrained fury.

She hadn't seen him at first, but as her eyes scanned the room she noticed his hand gripping the arm of a high backed chair facing the roaring fireplace. Looking back on it she wished she would have left him alone, but unknowingly she had practically ran to him asking what was wrong, needing to know what had him in such a foul mood, what had him so unnaturally agitated.

Alistair was silent for what felt like a lifetime, before finally looking up at her. The hairs on the back of her arm had shot up as the sudden feeling of danger overwhelmed her. Never had he looked at her like that; only one other time had she seen that intense murderous glare and it was nearly a year before when he had confronted Loghain, and she couldn't help but remember that that had ended in his beheading.

Searia had backed up against the mantle nearly tripping on the rug under her feet. Her voice shaky, "Alistair wh-what's wrong?"

"What's wrong?" he'd demanded his words biting and vicious but nearly coming out as a hysterical laugh. "What's wrong she asks," he closed his eyes shaking his head before running a hand through his hair making it stand on all ends. His eyes darted to her own, "Oh, I'll tell you what's wrong my dear. I go down to grab a bit of a snack from the kitchen when I hear your voice coming from the library, on the way back I stop thinking I might grab you so we can enjoy the rest of our evening alone. Then low and behold to my surprise to find you with that infernal fucking mage you're so bloody fond of, only to hear what could only be my whole sodding world falling down around me."

She remembered not being able to breathe, the feeling of the wind being knocked from her, she saw everything she had built with him quickly going up in smoke. She hadn't known what to do; he wasn't supposed to have found out this way, she was trapped. So naturally she had done the stupidest thing possible… turned the tables on him. Anger fueling her courage she'd straightened her back and accused him of being a bastard for eavesdropping.

Alistair stood up out of the chair so fast it fell backwards, before walking straight up to her. He didn't yell or scream, he didn't have to, his tone was enough; the words seething through clenched teeth, "Don't you dare try and make this about me. I find out the woman I was planning on spending the rest of my life with not only slept with half the Circle Tower mages but played whore to a Templar too and you try and make this about me? Who in the bloody Void do you think you are?" He turned his back on her stalking to the other end of the room resting a fist forcefully on a bookshelf.

Searia remembered feeling thoroughly ashamed at his words; she had never felt so filthy in her life. Sex had been a reprieve from all the hate and imprisonment of their daily lives, an escape, never had she thought anything reprehensible about her sexual frivolousness. Alistair had in seconds taken that from her and made her feel worthless, it's not like she ever thought there was a permanent way out, never a life for her beyond those stone walls. She didn't let him see how much his words wounded her and she'd narrowed her eyes at him refusing to let him intimidate her into a corner.

"Sod off you addle-headed prick! I'm so sorry during my captive years in that prison they call a Tower I didn't think to save myself and protect my virtue for a future I didn't even know was possible."

He'd whirled around to glare at her only a few feet apart. "Just because you grew up in a cold, hard place doesn't mean you have to spread your legs for anything with a cock, it's called having bloody self-control. Could you really not keep your sodding legs together, couldn't you have just said no? Or was the idea of a cock between your legs too much of a temptation for you? I thought you were different, I thought you had a sense of morality, but no. For Makers sake when you said you were experienced I thought you meant you had had sex before, not that you bedded the whole of bloody Ferelden."

She'd clenched her hands together as ice started to harden over her fingertips. "I'm sure the Templar's that made it their joy to rape any of us they desired would have listened to my pleading shrieks."

"Oh rape is it now? Well from the conversation I overheard yours were shrieks of a different kind."

She remembered the feeling of time stopping as she watched her hand covered in ice strike Alistair's jaw. He'd staggered and fell back into the bookshelf pulling shelves down as he went, she hadn't stayed long enough to see what happened next.

It might have been wrong and counterproductive at the least, but in her fear and anger she'd run straight to Anders. He would know what to do; he would understand why what Alistair had said affected her so much, had made her so deadly close to losing control of her magic. She found him in his room reading slouched sideways across the plush armchair legs dangling over the side. Nothing was said as he slowly got up from his chair seeing her face and walked over to her pulling her into his arms.

As soon as her head made contact with his shoulder she's started to sob, when she'd finally calmed enough to talk she'd told him everything, every word they had said and all the reasons she didn't know if she could forgive him. They talked long into the night him trying to give her advice while drinking wine with her head laid in his lap, his fingers lightly playing with her distressed white hair and soon enough they both fell asleep.

A knock at the door the next morning jolted them both awake having Anders stumble to his feet as he had lifted Searia off of him before he went to the door. As fate would have it, it was Alistair trying to find Searia, she was able to see him through the crack in the door—he looked like hell, and she imagined she didn't look much better. She rubbed the bridge of her nose trying to ease out the tension she felt in her face. Crying obviously did not agree with her.

Lost in her thoughts she hadn't realized how heatedly they were arguing. Anders was defending Searia, Alistair shouting that it was none of his business. Anders had then turned in his anger and said it became his problem when said women is also his best friend and runs in the night to him in tears because the bastard she's in love is too insecure to accept her for who she is now and not her past, before slamming the door in his face.

Anders hadn't been able to make it past two steps when the sound of a fist slamming forcefully into it resounded into the room. Anders dropped his shoulders and let out a tired sigh as Alistair's voice screamed for him to open the door.

Searia had had enough, was it not enough for him that half the castle had probably heard them last night that he now had to a make a scene when they were all sober enough to remember it. She'd quickly wiped the tears and crust from her face and walked to the door swinging it open crossing her arms over her chest. "WHAT?"

Alistair staggered back a step; she could tell he had not expected her to come out. She could shock herself for being so stupid, of course he wouldn't have known she'd spent the night there. Oh well, too late now. Searia had thought, had hoped he was there to apologize but no. She saw his hands clench and a pained look come over him as he just stared at her disbelievingly. She saw his hand clench his chest, and her heart bent a little again for him. He couldn't think… could he? Seemingly forgetting whatever he had wanted Anders for he barked at her demanding to know if she took a page out of her past and had spent the night with Anders.

She was appalled. Did he really think so little of her? She tried telling him that nothing had happened but he wasn't listening, just continued spewing accusations at her. At first she had felt a little bad at the dark bruise that covered the left side of his face, but at his words she was beginning to wish she'd drawn blood. She felt the power just beneath the surface her anger bubbling recklessly close to her breaking point. Luckily Anders intervened putting a comforting arm around her and told him to back off, that he didn't know what he was talking about and was going to lose Searia forever if he didn't get his shit straight.

Alistair forcefully reached out grabbed Searia's arm prying her from Anders grasp attempting to pull her resisting form down the corridor saying that they needed to talk, alone. She saw heads poke out of doors at this point, a concerned looking Nathaniel and angry Oghren followed by the realization of Zev's hands wrapping around Alistair's throat. She pushed at his chest not wanting to go anywhere with him nor wanting him harmed though not quite sure why when acting like such a pretentious ass. Alistair struggling with Zevran behind his back wasn't getting the hint and when her pounding wasn't having any effect on his grip shocked him with a rather powerful bolt of lightning.

Alistair collapsed to the floor nearly taking Zev with him, his body shaking with spasms. Standing over him Searia wondered how things had gone so wrong so fast. She knew she would have to talk to him eventually, but she had never seen him so angry, so just downright mean. She rubbed her arms where his hands had bruised the skin, until he calmed—they calmed down enough to talk civilly she couldn't be around him and when he was finally able to stand back up on his feet she told him as much.

He hadn't liked the idea especially since he knew that she would spend more time with Anders but eventually he acquiesced once Searia promised she would seek him out when she was ready to talk.

Back in Anders room Searia was alone, Anders had gone with Zevran, Nathaniel, and Oghren down for something to eat leaving her to get a bath and try to relax, not that they had liked the idea of leaving her alone when in Oghren's words, "her nug-humping, Templar, pansy of a boyfriend was wandering free about the Keep to try and assault her again." She had kissed his cheek and thanked them all telling them it was unlikely with all of them on watch looking out for her. Though it took awhile she was finally able to convince them she would be okay long enough to take a bath on her own, and Anders promising to keep her company, after that they had acquiesced and left.

Unfortunately the hot water seemed if anything to make her feel more tired, both physically and mentally and as soon as the bath started to cool and fingers pruned she escaped wrapping herself in towel just before she heard a noise from the other room signaling Ander return. He appeared in his privy doorway a moment later smiling reassuringly carrying something under his arm.

Not missing a beat, as if her almost nudity didn't even phase him—he handed her a set of robes he had pilfered from her room before he had engulfed her in an encompassing hug. In the comfort of his familiar arms tears once again pooled in her eyes. Pulling back he tucked a stray strand of her ethereal white hair behind her ear, "You going to be okay?"

She had smiled halfheartedly and gave a shrug, not quite knowing what to say. Anders sighed skewing his mouth at her response and rubbed her arms in comfort, "Do you love him?"

Searia had pulled out of his grasp and walked behind the screen next to the tub so she could get dressed. "I—yes, I do, but it's not that simple. Seeing him like this, the things he said, it just… it makes me wonder if the fact that I love him is enough. If he can't get over—"

"Don't. Andraste's tits Seari, don't let him make you feel like your past was wrong or iniquitous. You've went through enough then and now. What is it that you see in that bloody Templar anyway? You never would have even thought twice about someone who talked to you that way, and you sure as hell would have done more than bruise his cheek and give him a little shock."

She had laughed, after all that had happened Anders was still the one that could make her laugh in any situation; she knew he was right as her mind circled around past confrontations. "You're right; if it was anyone else I would have too, and enjoyed it a helluva lot more." She sat down in front of the vanity trying to tame her wild hair when Anders came up from behind to assist her, comb in hand. She looked up at him kindly, a big smile reaching across her face, "You haven't done this in ages, since before your what, sixth escape?"

"Mhmm," he answered consumed in his task of putting some semblance of order to her hair, pushing strands of her bangs out of if his way.

She knew he was listening just too focused to answer properly and continued, "I had wondered if I'd ever see you again you know. I had heard of your recapture once I reached Ostagar and when I'd returned as a Warden… I thought you—," he put a hand on her shoulder and she met his eyes in the vanity mirror, "I thought you were dead. I cried myself to sleep for weeks."

Anders face had softened seeing how much his death would have affected her, it was a sobering thought. "They didn't tell you did they— those bastards, though it's hardly surprising." He sighed, "When you left I had already been recaptured—one year solitary confinement."

Searia remembered how bad that news had shocked her. A year… how long had he been right under her nose, without her even… those Templar bastards. How could HE have not told her? She was seething. "I never would have left if I had known, not without you, or at the very least saying goodbye."

Anders finished up her hair and smiled, at the result or her words she couldn't quite tell. "I know, but don't worry about it. I'm glad you got out of that place; and it wasn't so bad for me, well most of the time, you know how those bastards are." He shrugged, "As soon as my confinement was over I asked for you, but when I found out... I just escaped again," he paused thoughtfully as if deciding to reveal something before continuing, "it was with his help you know, your other Templar."

Searia had narrowed her eyes in warning, "Don't call him that. He—it—that whole thing, all of it, was a mistake, a means to an end, and for the record no, it is not up for discussion, ever. Not with you, not with Alistair, not anyone."

He nodded, "Duly noted."

She had nodded in return and stood up hands still gripping the vanity as she looked at Anders work in the mirror. He truly was gifted, not that she would tell anyone— an unspoken secret between the two of them. "I don't know how you do it, but it looks amazing. I could never get it to look like this on my own, a fact that became blatantly obvious during the Blight. You sir are a miracle worker, much better than even Leliana managed."

He gave an exaggerated bow that left them both in giggles. Once they settled he looked at her sideways before grinning like a madman and pulling her into the other room. She followed him until they were in the center when he stood her before him. She was more than a little confused, that was until the music had started to play and was whisked away in his arms.

Searia smiled now remembering the dance. It was one of her great guilty pleasures and Anders was a phenomenal partner. She had started to laugh as he spun her, not being able to help enjoying the small reprieve from current events. Another song started, a slower one, and they moved well together seamlessly following to the rhythm and beat of the music.

The side of his head was touching hers, his lips just above her ear. "Would my death really have meant so much to you?"

She had pulled back from him then as she imagined she had looked somewhere between astonished confusion and slight anger on her face. "How can you even ask me that?" She shook her head in disbelief, allowing her hands to play miscellaneously with the rings on his robe, "I-Anders the simple truth is I wouldn't have survived that place without you. You made it bearable, you taught me how to not let them win, not let them take everything away when they had more than they deserved already. When they took anything they wanted without repercussions, everything that happened to me, to us… you-you were always there for me, as my best friend," she smiled, "my wingman, or anything between."

Apparently she had started crying again because she the next thing she knew she felt his hands on her face wiping them away. She looked up at him then and her breath had caught in her throat. He had only looked at her like that once before and it was just as unsettling as she remember it, if not more so. She remembered thinking he was too handsome for his own good when his thumb lightly brushed her bottom lip causing her mouth to pop open as she inhaled from the intimate gesture. A deep pulling in her abdomen suddenly made itself known as he leaned his face towards hers, and only too slowly did she realize what it was… desire.

Things escalated quickly from there as with the first taste of his mouth upon hers she found she was ravenous for him. In seconds his hands had pulled her flush against him the feeling of his rather impressive erection pressing against her robes into her thigh. She pulled his hair back nipping at his neck loving the groan of pleasure that had escaped his lips.

Their movements had been wild and untamed moving from place to place around the room, her robes ending on the floor, his in pieces after she had slowly burned them off his body one singe at a time. Anders still had his trousers on resting deliciously low on his hips allowing her a glimpse of the seductive V-shaped muscles located there. She was left only in her smalls when he roughly pinned her against the wall near his bed his mouth toying with her sensitive nipples. She cried out in pleasure, nails digging into his sides as her legs wrapped about his waist as he roughly took the sensitive peak between his teeth rolling it back and forth.

He grinned enthusiastically lifting her higher against the wall, "So you still like it rough… good to know things haven't changed that much.

She smiled and gave a sort of pleasure filled laugh and snapped her jaw playfully in example, "What can I say; you bring the animal out in me." It wasn't a lie either, what her and Alistair had was intense and wild, but nothing like the primal savagery she was experiencing now. It had never been like that between them; love brought a different element to the bedroom, one that was softer but just as arousing and fierce.

Anders toyed with her a bit more allowing her hands a chance to roam over his well defined chest before slipping a hand between their bodies deftly pushing aside her smalls before plunging two fingers into her hot and ready sheath. Searia cried out at the feel of him inside her gripping his muscled biceps as her core clamped around him. In and out he went building and raising her closer to the precipice, his mouth ravishing hers swallowing her cries of pleasure.

Releasing her mouth his breathing labored and thick with desire he had said, "bite me."

She hadn't needed to be told twice and leaned forward her mouth conforming to the shape of his slightly tanned shoulder grazing her teeth erotically over the skin. In an instant she was coming; the familiar jolt of pleasure between her thighs sending her fantastically over the edge. She had almost forgotten the feel of pleasure only a could offer in the bedroom, almost. She bit down hard, Anders groaning in a mixture of pleasure and pain as her teeth drew blood.

She tasted his blood in her mouth and pulled away, it had the familiar coppery metallic taste but something else underlying that. Curious and in a haze of euphoria she had reached out tasting him again as the sensation hit her, that soft familiar tingle running over her tongue, lyrium. If she focused she could feel its tingle in his blood all the way down her throat, and yet it was different then her own it had a hint of, well, him.

When she had finally looked at him Anders was wide-eyed and staring at her. It didn't hit her at first but after a moment she got it, realizing what she had done. Blood-sharing wasn't something to be taken lightly as a mage, it wasn't Blood-Magic per say, but it was considered sacred at the very least and was banned by the Chantry ages ago when the Tvinter's found a way to use it against its practitioners.

She had been away from the Circle so long that she had forgotten. Surrounded by blood and death for years and now lost in—in whatever it is this was, she just forgot to be careful, forgot the rules that came with being with a mage.

She hadn't wanted it to get awkward, well more awkward then it was and with his blood in her veins acting like an aphrodisiac she had just pretended it hadn't happened. Pushing her back against the wall she used her hips to force him back so she could slip out of his grasp and go down on her knees before him.

She'd trailed her nails down his torso before making quick work of the ties on his trousers pulling them and the shorts he wore beneath down in one fail swoop. Her eyes widened appreciatively at the size of his member, he was rigid with desire, bucking in anticipation of the pleasures to come. She'd licked him from base to tip before wrapping her hand around his thick shaft pumping a few times experimentally to get a feel of what he liked.

Above her she could tell Anders was enjoying every second of her attentions, and as he felt the hot cave of her mouth on him he was in ecstasy, gasping in pleasure as she engulfed him again and again. His hands were braced on the wall behind her digging into the stone wall. Her hands on his thighs, she sent a soft jolt though him causing his knees to quiver slightly as his hands gripped the sides of her head forcing her mouth to meet his pace. She made a small sound of protest at first, the quick movement startling her but soon gave into his demands as he fucked her mouth.

When he came it was cataclysmic and had caught both of them by surprise with its intensity. His hands once again bracing the stone wall only this time it was to keep his balance. He had pulled her up against him and savagely kissed her tasting himself on her sweet mouth. He pulled away to kiss her neck, her hands traveling over his well muscled torso enjoying the feeling of him in her hands.

Then he had done something that would change everything. Resting his forehead against hers he had whispered, "He doesn't deserve you Seari, not if he can treat a goddess like you like that."

She had stood stock still for a moment. It wasn't that the sentiment was at all unexpected or even offending; so much as it made her realize what the hell she was doing. She could feel his hands still roaming against her body his member once again rock hard, but it was no longer the same, she no longer desired it, not when all she could think of was him.

"Stop." She pushed him away lightly and he'd responded immediately noting her tone was off, wrong. She looked up at him woefully shaking her head, "I can't… I-I love him."

He nodded knowing she meant she couldn't continue, not with him on her mind, not when the love she had spoke of was clearly stronger than even she had realized. He leaned forward kissing her forehead before they both had dressed in silence each consumed with their own thoughts. She was dressed before him as he had needed to find a new outfit; while she waited she picked up the half chard bits of his robes that littered the floor, tossing them on his bed as she went.

She sat on the edge of his bed when she was done; she didn't want to run away from him or what they did. She wanted to let him know that she didn't regret it; which she didn't, so much as she wished she hadn't ever felt like it had been okay to begin with. Oh how the mighty have fallen.

When he had emerged he kneeled before her, making them the same height even though she was sitting. He took her hands in his and sighed in what almost appeared as defeat, "If you want to fix things you know you're going to have to tell him… everything. Not this, but everything else, about me, the other mages, Irving, Greagoir, Jowan, the Templar's, Cullen, all of it."

He squeezed her hand giving her all the support her could knowing how hard it would be for her to do what she had to. "But before you leave I must ask you for two things in return."

She nodded, knowing if she were to talk it would come out as a sob. Why did this feel like he was saying goodbye?

He smiled though it hadn't quite reached his eyes. One, don't let him allow his knowledge of what happened make you feel worse about yourself or drive a wedge in the friendships of the ones you love and—"

"Anders," she choked, "you know I would never do that. Wh-what you did-what happened between us, it was necessary, I mean I had to b-beg you for Makers sake. If not…"

"Shhh, Seari I know. He just might not see it that way at first, maybe not ever. He doesn't know what we had to go through, what some still go through. He probably won't take it out on you, but he may try to take it out on me. Not because he even wants to, but because I was there, because someone else has such a close connection to the one he loves. Simply put, because he's a man."

She wanted to say more but he'd put a finger to her lips silencing her. "The second thing is harder to ask for, and I don't want you to get the wrong idea. I don't ask for this lightly and must ask that you not ask why in return. If it helps you can think of it as my way of evening the score."

By now she had raised an eyebrow in confusion but hearing him out was the least she could do, she owned him 1000 times over for everything he had done for her, she just hoped Alistair would understand, could understand that much.

Anders sighed and in explanation pulled off his pauldrons and shifted his robe aside to reveal her bite mark. He had healed it and even though it was so small no scarring should have happened she could clearly see where each of her teeth had bitten into his skin hard enough to draw blood. Consumed by what she was seeing she had unwittingly reached out and touched the little scars she had made in his skin.

When she had looked back at his face she could see in his eyes how badly he was willing her to understand what he was asking. She didn't know why he'd wanted this, and to this day she still didn't know, but she had known that for some reason he'd needed that.

She had consented and after a brief discussion about placement decided the skin just below the pinky on her right hand would be best—this way if Alistair asked where the scar came from she could tell him in her anger she had hit and cut it on something. It was all done fairly quickly freezing the skin over the area to make the skin numb and sensitive enough that the skin would break easily. Before she knew it it was over, Anders healing her hand and they never mentioned it again.

With that over she knew it was time to go, the hardest part not even yet begun. She got up and headed for the door but Anders hand had grabbed hers softly stopping her. She faced him as his hands roamed over her arms when she felt the familiar warmth of his healing magic, healing the marks Alistair had left there. With a jerk she was wrapped in his arms as he hugged her tightly to his chest. She hugged him back glad that the comfort she took from him hadn't been ruined by what transpired earlier. He spoke, it was barely audible but she felt his voice muffled against her neck but she had heard him.

He pulled back and kissed her gently on the lips for the last time, both of them ignoring the slight jolt of electricity they felt there before he had let her go.

Once she had left his room she had gone to her own, thankfully Alistair wasn't there. She wanted to have another bath before confronting him, and her past. She didn't know what would happen but she had to try, she loved him, and if that wasn't enough, well, it would just have to be, it's all she had to give.

As she left her room she thought about what she had to do and everything that had happened. She didn't know how to tell Alistair everything that she had to, she was beyond scared and didn't know if it was because she'd have to relive everything that happened or not knowing how he would react.

She didn't know how to tell Alistair the truth about Anders and everything else, about how she had begged Anders, the best and only trusted friend in the Tower, to take her virginity so the Templar's wouldn't. She didn't know how to tell him how all of them had experienced the fear of rape and that others still were. How did she tell him that when Cullen had shown an interest in her and was kind that she had used him as protection against the others? Would he forgive her for her part in Jowan's misguided attempt at love and freedom? Would he even believe her, could he still love her after he knew the truth?

"I still don't think he deserves you," Anders had whispered. In actuality though, it was her that didn't think she deserved him.**

-X-

Zev was squatting in front of her waving a hand in front of her face, "Hello in there, anybody home?"

Searia sighed and pushed him away landing him on his ass, "Oh course I'm here, don't be ridiculous."

He stood up exaggeratedly brushing off nonexistent dirt from his leathers. "Hmm, I doubt that very much mia cara. You have been gone a fairly long time, I wonder what had you so lost in thought?"

She waved him off, "Nothing, nothing of importance anyways." She shrugged and cocked her head towards the bed, "How's he doing?"

Zev didn't press for more though the quizzical look from his face didn't fade. "Fine, that's why I got you. The poisons wearing off, he'll wake soon."

With renewed energy she got up and was at Anders side moving the stool beside the bed so she could sit. His face was covered in a sheet of sweat and his head twitching every couple of minutes.

Taking out a rag from her pack she wet it with water from a pitcher on the nightstand and wiped his face. The stubble on his chin made an odd scraping noise against the material causing his face to scrunch up in irritation. She smiled to herself; he looked so peaceful, like he always did, like nothing in the world was wrong. How looks could lie, she knew something not so peaceful lurked inside the man before her, she just hoped it wasn't too late.

A few minutes later his twitching grew more frequent, Zev automatically came closer positioning himself on the other side of the bed hand on his dagger, ready for anything.

Searia moved the stool away and climbed on the bed straddling their captive, she wanted this to go smoothly and the closer she was the better chance she had at stopping it before something got out of hand.

She looked to Zev and at his nod she began. Slowly she brought her hand to Anders cheek and gave it a light slap, when nothing happened besides a crease in the brow she repeated it on the other side. "Come on now, wakey wakey."

Watching closely they saw his eyes start to crack open before shutting quickly closed as the rooms bright light assaulted his retinas. His hands pulled against the restraints binding him followed by his feet, his eyes finally flying open as the panic of being held against his will set in.

Searia smiled as she saw his hazel eyes meet hers. "Now now, we can't have you leaving us that easily again can we? No, you sir have got some serious explaining to do."

Anders allowed a slight smile cross his face as he looked at his two kidnappers. " Now I can't say I'm completely surprised, but usually in this dream," he nodded towards Searia with a wicked grin, "you're naked and might I add up slightly higher," he said licking his lips insinuatingly. Then nodding to Zev the grin getting slightly more lecherous," and you're, well let's just say you're busy lower shall we?"

Searia and Zev shot knowing looks at one another before falling into hysterics. Zev sobering enough stood back up properly. "Well at least we know he's not completely crazy," he said making a looping gesture with his finger beside his head, "but it does seem as if he's a bit… intoxicated. Coherent, but perhaps on a high that does not necessarily have to do with adrenalin; I would bet he's not entirely in control of his verbal filter.

"Great… though if I hadn't known about you before, I certainly do now." Zev responded by sticking his tongue out before returning his attention to the man beneath her.

She sobered immediately remembering why the restraints had been necessary. She reached out a signal getting a feel for the shape of his Taint within the fade. Most Wardens like sensing the Darkspawn could eventually sense one another as well. It had taken some serious getting used to at first but Searia had also discovered being a mage she could sense other Warden Mages better than even Alistair. Having the common connection they did to the Fade she could seek out the Taint there and know without much hesitation, who they were, where they were, what condition they were in, as well as, if she was close enough, the wellbeing of their soul within the Fade. All Anders seemed normal though it was different, warped somehow yet not contaminated, by demons at least. Looking to Zev she nodded, "All remains to be seen, though I can say for a fact whatever it is, it's attached to him, though not malicious, definitely dangerous."

Anders looked sheepish under her critical scrutiny and sighed regretfully. "Ah so am I to take it that you've been reacquainted with Justice?"

Zev and Searia's expression turned equally quizzical at this, "If that's your way of asking if you glowed blue light and tried to kill us, then yes, I guess we have."

Anders eyes grew wide at this before shaking his head sadly. "Yes, then it appears I do have a lot of explaining to do. I'll tell you everything, though if neither one of you are getting naked, could you be a dear and cut me down?"

A/N: Thanks again for reading. Love you all bunches!

Zev Translations (Italian): il mio pey: my pet; il mio dolce: my sweet; il mio malizioso:my mischievous one; mia cara: my dear.