When Neva had heard the knock on her door, she had been expecting Morrigan, hopefully come back to apologize for being hasty, to tell her she would at least stand with her at the last battle. It was not Morrigan. Instead, it was Alistair who stood at her door. He shifted uncomfortably, and Neva realized she'd been standing there, just gaping at him.

"May I... come in?" He sounded very formal in his request.

She took a step to the side and gestured to him to enter. She closed the door behind him as he walked over to stand before the hearth. She leaned back against the door, and when he turned around to say something, she could barely hear him over the pounding of her heart.

"I'm sorry, what?"

"I asked if I might have a little of what you're having," he said, gesturing to the flask by her bed.

"Oh. Of course. But be careful. It was Oghren's, so it's a little strong."

He smirked at her. "Yes, I could tell that by the smell of you when you opened the door."

Neva flushed as Alistair took a nip from the flask. She watched as he made a face before re-corking it and setting it aside. He glanced around the room, his eyes lingering on the bed before apparently thinking better of it and seating himself on the edge of the hearth. "I think we should talk. You shouldn't have rushed off like that."

Neva gave a shrug of her shoulder. "Shouldn't I have? It was a move I learned from you."

With a grunt Alistair stood up. "If we're just going to be nasty to each other, I'll go."

She had a feeling he was bluffing, but she wasn't willing to take the chance. Neva held her hands up. "No, please. I'm sorry. Stay. This may be our last chance to... talk."

Alistair slowly sat back down, and Neva moved to sit beside him. Not too close, though. She leaned forward and put her head in her hands. Being this close to him was hard enough. Looking at him just then would have been unbearable.

For Alistair it was no easier. Ever since finding out he would be king, he'd been trying to do the right thing. He could no longer be the reckless, carefree boy he'd been. He felt a little reckless then, though. Sitting next to the woman he adored, her dressed in only a nightgown, one he could quite clearly see through with the light from the fire at her back. His head was swimming a little, not only from the drink but from the offer she'd brought to him. "About what Morrigan wants..." he began, but Neva cut him off.

"Wanted. She's gone."

"What do you mean, she's gone?" Alistair demanded.

"I mean... she's gone. When I told her we refused her offer, she left. She said she wouldn't stand by and watch us die."

"That traitorous bitch," Alistair growled. "I should have known she'd betray us in our final hour."

"Yes," said Neva miserably. "The final hour seems to be a good time for betrayals."

Alistair turned his head with a snap to glare at the woman beside him and was about to threaten to leave again when he saw the miserable look on her face. He moved to kneel in front of her, gently taking her hands in his. "Neva, please. You know why I did what I did. It was for the best..."

Neva tore her hands out of his, stood up, and walked to the far edge of the hearth. Her voice was cold as she spoke. "I cannot take this conversation again, Alistair. Yes, I know. You are very noble. I am wrong to want anything from you. If you came to me tonight simply to break me down even further, I warn you – there aren't many pieces left to break. So be careful, as I assume you still have need of me in the coming battle."

Alistair pressed the heels of his hands against his eyes. He tried to calm himself because all he wanted to do right then was yell at Neva, make her see reason. But then, he'd watched her in camp, as they'd traveled to Redcliffe. He'd thought that acting like nothing was wrong would have helped things, but everything he said to her on the journey had only seemed to elicit a desire from her to avoid him further.

"I didn't come to fight, Neva. I came because... well... because this may be the last night we have together. I didn't want to leave things like they were."

"Oh, you needn't worry about me," Neva scoffed. "Like you said, this will all be over soon, one way or another. Either Riordan takes the final blow and we both live, in which case I will be leaving to fulfill my duties to the Grey Wardens to rebuild their numbers, or I take the final blow. Either way, you won't have to worry about seeing me again after that."

"Hello, there are three Grey Wardens here. It's just as likely I'll be the one not walking away..." Alistair began, but Neva cut him off.

"No. You are to be king. Your duty is there, as you've made abundantly clear. The only way you'll be finishing the archdemon is if Riordan and I are both already dead. In which case, maybe I'll see you again if there's anything on the other side of death," Neva said grimly.

Alistair turned his head to look at her. Neva's back was to him, and he stared at her, trying to think of what to say. Maker, but she was pleasing to look at, from any angle. Her chemise was short, ending just below her knees. She was petite, like all elves, but there was a hardness to her, too. He'd never met a woman like her before, and he doubted he ever would again. Alistair had noticed he was getting more attention lately, from men and women alike. People trying to get into the good graces of the soon-to-be king, no doubt, but there had been a lot of attempted flirting with him as well. Even had his heart been in a place where he would have welcomed such a thing, he realized he had no interest in any of the women around. They all seemed so... soft, so fragile. How would he ever find a queen who could compare to the woman standing before him.

Alistair suddenly realized that Neva was watching him over her shoulder. Watching him stare at her legs. He flushed, cleared his throat, and stood up. "Whatever happens in the coming battle, and whatever comes afterwards, I want you to know that..." Alistair gulped before continuing. "I need you to know that I'll always love you."

At those words Neva crumpled to the ground, no longer able to hold back the tears she'd been fighting. Alistair rushed to her side, but she held up a hand to keep him from getting to close.

"For whose benefit do you say these things?" Neva asked, trying to keep her voice calm. "Do you think it makes things better, easier? Because it doesn't. I've been trying to ignore the hole you've left in my heart. Telling me in one breath that we can no longer be together, and then saying you love me in another actually makes things worse, Alistair." She took a deep breath, willing herself to continue. "I think you should go back to your room now," she said as she rose unsteadily to her feet.

He took a step closer, reaching out to touch her lightly on the arm. "Wait, please," he said. "You know I have this wonderful knack of fouling things up when I'm trying to say something serious. Please let me start again."

Neva just looked at him, her face blank, but Alistair took it as a good sign that she didn't pull away from him.

"You've made me feel things I never thought I would feel for anyone. You've shown me things I'd thought beyond my comprehension, and I'll always be grateful for everything you've done for me. I know I've hurt you, and I need you to know that was never my intention. I guess I just wanted to say goodbye, before it's too late. You know, in case we don't get the chance later."

"Fine," said Neva, her voice dull and lifeless. "Goodbye, then."

Another step brought him even closer to her, and he cautiously slid his arms around her waist. "No, I wanted to say a proper goodbye. One that hopefully we can look back on fondly, when this is all over. That day after I... after the Landsmeet, you asked for a proper goodbye. Do you remember? I wasn't able to give you that then, but I think I can now."

Neva tilted her head up to look at him. "What exactly are you saying?"

Alistair answered her question by pressing his lips ever so softly to hers. When she made no move or response, he pulled his head back. "Is this all right? Do you still want me to leave?"

Neva sighed softly and leaned her head against his chest. "I don't know. I don't know what to think or feel lately. I'm turning into a bumbling idiot."

"Welcome to the club," Alistair whispered into her hair.

He felt her shudder against him, and he thought she was crying again, but when he looked down at her he realized she was laughing. Emboldened by this, he scooped her up into his arms and walked slowly over to the bed. It hadn't been that long, but he'd almost forgotten what it felt like to hold her in his arms. She just felt like she fit there, like she'd been made just for him. He set her down gently on the bed and sat down next to her. She rolled over onto her side to face him, pulling her knees up, which exposed most of her legs. Alistair couldn't help himself, and he reached out to stroke her thigh.

In a quiet voice Neva asked, "Why are you doing this? Not that I mind, I don't think anyway, and not that I want you to stop, but you were so adamant before that this would only make things harder."

"Oh yes, this is definitely making things harder," said Alistair softly, then he flushed and cleared his throat. "And you're right, this is probably not the wisest course for us, but I'm very suddenly faced with my own mortality. Yours, too. There's a very real possibility that in a week's time, one of us will not..." He shook his head, unwilling to finish that thought. "If tonight is to be my last real memory of you, I want it to be a good one. If one of us should fall, I don't want the other of us to have a fight as the last thing we remember about each other."

Neva reached out and trailed her fingers up his arm before pulling him to her. Alistair leaned down to kiss her as he kicked off his boots, then he settled himself on the bed next to her. He suddenly felt like he did the first time they were together. He'd been so nervous, so unsure of himself. He felt just as nervous now as he wondered whether or not he was making a mistake. But as Neva pulled her chemise off and tossed it aside, all doubts fled from his mind. He quickly followed her lead, pulling his tunic and breeches off as quickly as he could. Alistair pulled Neva to him, pressing his body as fully to hers as possible.

They lay there like that for a long while, just kissing and touching, until Neva finally rolled onto her back and pulled him atop her. Her lips never leaving his, she reached down and guided him inside her. They moved together, as if they were two parts of one being. Their lovemaking had always been exciting – sometimes playful, sometimes urgent, often loving, but this was different. There was an urgency there, but they both held back a little, could both feel the other doing the same, as if they could hold back enough to make the night last forever. When they weren't kissing they were staring into each others' eyes, as if trying to record every moment into their memories. When Alistair finally reached his climax, he collapsed upon her, completely spent. They remained like that for a while, panting, their bodies slick with sweat. Finally, Alistair rolled off of Neva to lie next to her. She rolled to her side to put her head on his chest, and he put his arms around her to hold her close.

"I wish..." he began, but Neva quickly reached up and placed her fingers over his lips. He kissed her fingers and smiled. "I was just going to say that I wish I could stay with you all night."

"Then stay," Neva said softly. "We only have a few hours left for sleeping. The servants who are up and about now would surely notice the future king leaving the bedroom of his fellow Grey Warden in the middle of the night, but in a few hours the place will be so busy with everyone readying themselves to leave that no one will notice where you spent the night. Besides, we are both going to need our rest for the hard traveling we have in front of us, and I know I sleep better with you at my side."

"As my lady wishes," said Alistair as he leaned in for one last kiss before they both drifted off into a peaceful sleep.

~***~

There will be one more chapter, which I should have ready to post in the morning. Thank you everyone for reading and for the reviews!