Alistair

"And here for the last of the great tour of the great city, Kirkwall, is the home of the infamous Champion." Eliana said in a dramatic voice as we stopped outside a house not too far from the Keep.

"Really? I've heard that she is a very tough and dangerous woman." I said smiling at her as she leaned back against the wall. I got the impression Eliana was a slight bit tipsy as she smiled up at me.

"Oh, very." She answered with a nod. "But no tour would be complete without a walk past her hallowed grounds." She said with a laugh.

"Hmm. Think that a king from her former country might get an audience with her?" I asked and leaned one arm against the wall and faced her.

"Hmm. Well, she is rumored to be partial to Ferelden."

"Well, then lucky for me, I'm Ferelden."

She smiled at me as I leaned closer to her. She then sighed dramatically. "But…she is also rumored to be a bit of a recluse. She isn't a proper Kirkwall noble. She doesn't like to host parties or have others over. So, she probably wouldn't invite the king in either."

"What if he asked really nicely?" I asked leaning closer to her. She looked up like she was thinking about it.

"Sorry. Probably wouldn't work on her." She laughed as I narrowed my eyes at her.

"What if I turned on the puppy dog eyes?" I asked and made a pleading face.

"Hmm. That might do it. She is a sucker for a dog, being from Ferelden after all."

"I've heard rumors her mabari plays cards." I reached out and ran a finger down her cheek. She looked at me startled and all the laughter died down. Her eyes searched mine for a moment.

She took a deep breath and I wondered what she was going to say to my obvious flirt. She surprised me though and pushed off the wall, moving closer to me. She laid her hands on either side of my neck and watched me, gauging my reaction. I held my breath waiting for her to decide. She rose up on her toes and lifted her head up. I took the invitation and quickly wrapped my arms around her waist and brought my lips down to hers. Her eyes fluttered closed as we touched.

I meant to keep it a light and gentle kiss, but one taste of her and I was like a thirsty man who had found the sweetest well. I turned us and shoved her up against the wall, pressing my body tightly to hers. I slid a hand up to tangle in her lush hair, forcing her head to the angle I wanted it. She gasped and I invaded her mouth. Searching and seeking all the sweetness she had to offer. Her hands tightened on my shoulders, but she didn't shove me away. She returned my kiss with an almost tentative one. It was like she had never done this before. That thought filled me with a possessive need. I wanted to claim her.

I pulled back gasping for air and looked down at the woman in my arms. She looked at me wide eyed. Her cheeks were flushed, her hair a mess of tangles, and her lips red and swollen. She was the most beautiful creature I had ever seen. I could feel her strength as I held her body tightly, but she also had a softness to her.

"Alistair…" She said looking at me questioningly.

All my dreams died in that look. She didn't want me. She had been entertaining a king. And now she wasn't sure what to do. "Forgive me, Champion. I shouldn't have done that." I said looking away from her. I released her and stepped back. "You don't have to show me back to the keep. I can make it there." I said quickly. I refused to look like more of a fool in front of her.

She reached out and tugged my arm. I didn't look at her, but I did stop. "I…I've never done anything like that before. I…Alistair, I should see you back to the keep, but…" I turned and looked at her then. She looked lost as she looked back up at me.

"But?" I pressed. I already looked like a fool. How much worse could it be?

"I want to ask you to come in." She bit her lip and looked away from me.

She needed me to lighten the mood. I could see it now. She was being shy. The great and brave woman who was the Champion was also the insecure and sweet girl Varric had spoke of. "So does this mean the king gets a tour of the Champion's home?" I asked smiling at her. She gave me a hesitant smile back.

"If he so desires, perhaps a tour none others get as well." She said as she started for her door.

"And that is?" Please dear Maker, if she was just tormenting me keep me from doing something foolish.

"The Champion's room. None other than her companions have ever been there." She turned and looked at me questioningly. I could see her nerves as she offered herself to me. I had always been the shy one in these things. I had always been so clumsy and unsure of it. But she was needing me to take control. It was a heady rush. This powerful and dangerous woman was yielding to me.

I moved towards her and gently pulled her to me. "He so very much desires that." I whispered and watched her eyes go dark. She slid her arms around my neck and kissed me this time.

"Then we should get started. It is late after all. I'm sure the king has a curfew." She said giving me a teasing look. It was one I had seen Isabela use on the men in the bar. Eliana was trying to play a part. I wanted none of that. I stopped her as she opened the door.

"I want you, Eliana. Not because you're the Champion. Not because of what your support could mean for Ferelden, but because you are the most beautiful and interesting woman I've ever meet. When you walked into the keep, I lost all sense of everything but you. I don't want to be the king with you. I want to be a man who has found a woman he wants to get to know. Can you do this? Is this really what you want? If you don't want me, bumbling, foolish Alistair, then I need to leave."

She watched me for a moment and then took my hand. "I have never wanted to do this before. No man has ever made me feel like you have. I never take the time for what I want. I don't want a king, Alistair. I don't want titles or wealth or power. I want the man who I saw at the tavern with my friends. The man who is a bit clumsy at times, but so beautiful and kind that it takes my breath away. I know that we will only have these few hours, but I want you to know that I'm fine with that. When you leave, I will treasure these moments. The first in a long time I was able to just be Eliana. You make me feel whole again. So yes, I want you, Alistair."

I thought about a thousand different lines I could use in that moment, but I didn't want to. None would work. All pretenses would ruin this pure moment and emotion. We didn't need words or games or lines. We just needed each other. For a few hours all the world could wait. We were going to take what we needed.

She thought that it would be all this was, but I was determined that I wasn't going to lose her. Not when I had just found her. But again, talk wasn't what was needed right now. So I closed the distance between us and crushed her to me. We kissed as we fumbled to get the door open. I kicked it closed behind us and pressed her to it while she fumbled to get it locked again.

We fumbled up the stairs, armor falling off and left where it fell as I backed her up the stairs and towards the room she had pointed at. We didn't break apart, something of us was always touching. A hand here, a kiss there as we moved into the bedroom. I managed to kick that door shut as well as I pulled her up into my arms and carried her to the bed.

I leaned over her as I laid her back in the bed. She was in nothing but the red shirt she wore under her armor and I in nothing but my pants. I stroked her cheek as she watched me. She reached out for me and pulled me into bed with her.

"Are you sure?" I asked as I leaned over her. My hand stroking the bare skin of her leg. I wanted to continue up and remove the last bits of clothing, but I waited. She said she had never done this. I wanted her to be sure. Once I had claimed her, she was going to be mine forever.

"I am yours." She whispered before capturing my mouth.