"Ow ow ow ow ow." Laila pulled her hand back from the flowers, her wounded finger pressing against her lips to wash the blood away with her tongue.

Sebastian raised his eyebrow at her, standing up straight from where he had been bending over the offending, thorn covered, bush. "I told you to be careful."

"Yeah, well, I obviously did not take you serious. I didn't think they would be so sharp." Her eyes narrowed at the small slice in her pointer finger. The blood dripped from her skin when she gave the wound a squeeze. The finger was immediately brought back to her mouth. "That's awful! What are you giving these things?" She groaned after pulling her hand away from her face again.

"They are roses, roses have thorns, Laila." He laughed, shaking his head. "I think you are just being dramatic." He moved towards her, taking her hand and turning it until he could see the tip of her finger. "I have seen you with much worse wounds than this."

"Well, that does not mean it does not hurt." She glared at him, pulling her hand back and pushing him with her now free hand. "It burns." She frowned, looking down to the bush. "Who needs so many guards when you can simply line your walls with these monsters."

"Don't insult the flowers." He laughed, shaking his head and taking hold of her hand again. "Let me see and stop fussing."

Laila pouted, a deep frown painting her face while she watched him closely.

"I think you will survive." He smirked glancing up at her.

"You're not funny." She groaned in response, rolling her eyes.

"Now you are just being mean." He teased, cupping her chin gently in his hand and kissing her softly.

"You've never had a sense of humor, Sebastian."

"I did, just not for what you and the others usually wished to discuss." He turned back to the bushes.

Laila sat down on the bench, choosing to watch him pull the flowers from the bush before making sure to pull the thorns away. He smiled at her as the flower fell in to the basket she held on her lap.

"You are done then?"

"Yes." She sighed, looking at the deep red of the flowers. "I'll try again another day, perhaps I will have enough then."

"Oh, you will have enough. You're just stuck here keeping me company while I finish what little we had left to do." He kissed her again after dropping another flower in to her basket, lingering longer than before.

The basket in her lap began to fill quickly as did the pile of thorns on the bench that Sebastian had been collecting, the tips of his fingers covered in small pricks and scratches. When the basket was filled, he sat down next to her, letting Laila take his hand and use her magic to heal the tiny wounds. He had objected at first, thinking it a waste for her to use her magic on such small things. Laila had been instant until he had agreed.

"Oh, I did not mean to interrupt." Flora walked towards them, her eyes focusing on the light blue shimmer coming around the man's hands.

"Flora." Sebastian forced a smile, looking over at her. His eyes moved to his men who had been assigned to watch the noble closely. "I thought I should collect some of the flowers for Laila, before you had them all picked for your room."

"The gardens are so lovely, I cannot help to want to see them everyday when I wake." Flora glared at Hawke before glancing down at the basket in her lap.

"Perhaps we can move you to a room that has a better view of the garden, lest you clean them out and no one else gets to enjoy them." He stood from the bench before holding his hand out to the mage and helping her to her feet. He took the basket from her arms before offering to escort her back inside.

"Sebastian? I thought perhaps you would walk the gardens with me." Flora looked between the two before stopping on the prince.

"Another time, Flora." He bowed his head to the woman before leading Hawke back through the large arch.

The two walked to her room, passing servants who were hurrying through the halls to light the fires now that the sun was beginning to dip from the sky. Laila led him through the door and to the large vase he had brought from the shopping square. The glass etched with hallas and vines, he'd been a bit surprised that a Dwarf had constructed such a thing, but thought the mage would enjoy it with how much time she had spent in the gardens as of late. He watched her while she gently placed the brightly colored flowers in to the vase, dipping the ends of their stems deep in to the water. She stood back once she had finished, a wide smile on her face while she studied her work.

"They are very beautiful flowers." She looked over to him.

A nod of his head was the only answer he gave her, setting the basket aside and moving towards the chilled wine a servant had brought up while they were gone.

Laila moved to the balcony, pulling open the double doors, the cooled breeze blowing black the silk curtains that framed the glass. The room was a large step up from where she had been staying, the golden trimming on the walls, doors and windows was something she enjoyed among many other details. The bed was much larger, thin, white silk hung to cover the beds surface. She had more pillows than she knew what to do with and the blankets felt like smooth water against her skin. It made the evenings even more enjoyable, slipping in to the large bed that seemed to hug her tightly. Laila turned to take the glass the man offered to her before sitting down on a cushioned, marble carved, bench. She tucked her legs to the side before sipping from the glass.

"I am glad that you have taken a liking to my home, Laila."

"More than a liking, but what could you have expected with where I've been staying before arriving here." She placed the glass gently on the table in front of them. "Besides, if I am to be held prisoner some where, this seems to be better than what I imagine could be the alternative."

"You're not my prisoner, Laila."

"You'd allow me to leave?"

"I... no." He sighed, placing his glass next to hers. "We have been through this before, it is not safe for you to be out there alone."

"Everything I have always done has been dangerous. That has been my life for the last ten years."

"Yes." He shrugged his shoulders and shook his head. "This is different, Laila. I do not know how else to explain the situation to you. You are not my prisoner, but I will not allow you to leave without protection."

"Allow me?" She tilted her head, raising her eyebrow.

"Must you always be so frustrating, Hawke?" He groaned, leaning back against the bench and looking towards the fading sun.

She gave a deep, long sigh. Pushing back a piece of hair that had fallen from the braided bun atop her head. "Sebastian?"

"Hmm?" He slowly turned his eyes towards her, a small smile pulling at the corner of his mouth when the strand of hair fell on to her cheek again. He reached out slowly for it, twisting the hair around his finger. "Laila, take you hair down."

She thought of his request before deciding the night was cool enough that having her dark hair over her shoulders was not going to be very bothersome. Her hands quickly pulled the bun apart before untwisting the braid. Sebastian quickly reached out and brushed his fingers through the freed locks. Her question was left behind her lips, choosing to ask another time then to cause a heated conversation that would more than likely end with them parting each other on bad terms.


The thuds of arrows hitting their intended targets seemed to fill the air or the yard, it was not hard to locate where they were exactly coming from. Laila rounded the corner slowly, looking over at the dark haired man who had lost his usual noble clothing in favor of a loose tunic, tight, brown leather pants and knee high boots. The woman who sat on a bench, holding a rather fancy umbrella that looked as though it would never hold up against any type of storm was watching him closely while fanning herself. Her face twisted when she caught sight of the mage walking across the packed dirt, Hawke shook her head at the woman.

"Still practice I see." Laila remarked, moving next to the man.

He smiled at her before lowering the bow and giving her a quick kiss the cheek. "I must always practice."

They both turned their attention to Flora, the woman had quickly risen from the bench and was now moving towards them.

"Still accompanying to the market, Sebastian?" She spoke, glancing between the two.

"Laila, would you like to join us?" He held his bow out to one of the servants.

Laila shook her head. "I'd prefer not to, but thank you for the offer."

"Do you have plans for the afternoon?" Sebastian ran a towel over his forehead.

"I promised Elle I would join her in the gardens for lunch."

"Perhaps I should start making plans with you as soon as you wake, lest Elle steal you away from me." He smiled.

"It is quite rude to deny the request for a servant." Flora remarked, her face twisting with disgust. "What can we expect from someone who was not raised in a high standing family."

"Completely uncalled for, Flora." He turned to look at the woman. "Your manners need to be retaught it would seem."

"It is quite alright, Sebastian." Laila held her hand up. "Flora is just simply showing you why I would much rather be around the servants. The nobility seem to not understand that the people who serve them more than someone who caters to there wants."

"Do not insult me, lady Hawke."

"I was merely stating the truth." Laila bowed her head to the two. "If you'll excuse me, I must not leave the rabble waiting."

Sebastian's hands balled in to fists, waiting until the mage rounded the corner to turn towards Flora. "I would suggest you understand who you are speak to before you open that mouth of yours."

"She is a nobody!" Flora cried, pointing to where the woman had disappeared. "She has no ranking, at all! They do not even view her as the Champion anymore, she is nothing more than a common street rat! On top of all that, she is a mage!"

"You are testing my patience, Flora!" He growled, pacing in front of her.

"You have been nothing, but kind to her, more than most would have done. She needs to respect you and your guests."

"As do you."

"She is not your guest and if she chooses to run with the help then she will be treated as such." Flora turned her nose up with a huff.

His knuckles were turning white, nails digging sharply in to his palms. "Take Flora to her quarters, I have changed my mind about visiting the market."

"Sebastian!" She gasped, grabbing his arm when he tried to walk away.

"Perhaps being confined will teach you some respect." He spoke under his breath, pulling his arm roughly from her grip. "Be thankful I do not see you placed in chains."

"Do not touch me!" She shrieked, pulling her arm from the guards grip.

Sebastian jogged slowly after Laila, calling out to her when he spotted her. He took hold of her wrist and pulled her to a stop. He leaned forward to catch her lips with his, only to be interrupted.

The guard put his fist against his chest, bowing at the waist. "Excuse my interruption, my prince."

"What is it?" He sighed.

"A guest is awaiting you in the hall."