AUTH NOTE: So I'm super excited to see I have followers! I did a happy dance. Just so you all know I will attempt to update at least once a week, but it will usually be in the middle of the week due to work schedules. It sucks being a grown-up. As I said this is smut, there is a lot of sex in this story so be prepared if you are reading it. Thanks to everyone who is reading it! I know there are a lot of other stories you could be reading so thanks for taking the time to read mine! All errors belong to me, the DA Universe belongs to BioWare and EAGames as do the Characters.
Chapter 9
Morning dawned cold, clear and icy. Snow had fallen through the long night to paint the tents and trees white. Bronwynn lie in her sleeping bag staring up at the ceiling of it. She had woken herself crying out from her dream.
"I missed you," he said, his voice reverberating across her bare skin, his breath scalding her where it caressed. "You were gone too long," the whisper slid along under her left breast seconds before the tip of his tongue traced the scar that ran up the side. Her breath caught in her throat when his moist mouth closed over her nipple, sucking gently as he circled the raspberry tip.
"Cullen!" she gasped, pulling him closer to her and arching her back to give him better access. His chuckle was wicked as he leaned back a bit, his teeth pulling her nipple gently as he did so.
"You're mine, witch," he growled against her sternum. Her breathy agreement earned a growl of approval before he licked up her breastbone to her neck. She whimpered with need as she pulled on his hips, spreading her legs wide before locking her feet behind his knees and lifting her own hips in an attempt to pull him inside her.
Her green eyes caught his blue ones and begged him to take her; her lips were parted and swollen from her biting them. He closed his lips over hers and swallowed her shriek of pleasure when he thrust himself fully into her; giving her his own groan of pleasure when he was fully sheathed. He felt her body go rigid as the walls of her pussy clamped on his penis
"Maker!" he growled against her lips, holding himself still by sheer force of will until her body relaxed under him. "Again," he ordered as he began moving in her with long, smooth deep strokes. She gasped with the first thrust. "Again," he repeated on the third stroke as he increased the force of his thrusts. Her breaths were coming faster, matching his thrusts. "Again," he growled into her ear, slipping a hand between their bodies to roll her clit between his thumb and forefinger which sent her screaming over the edge. Her fingernails scored his back, drawing blood and sending him over the edge with her. His weight on her as they dozed was a comfort she had missed while away.
"Again," he whispered into her ear as he rolled her onto her stomach and lifted her hips.
Bronwynn had awoken as her lover entered her from behind, crying out as she orgasmed. She could feel him inside her, hear his voice ringing in her ears. Bronwynn could hear the camp beginning to waken, knew she should get up and start her day; but she allowed herself to cry for want of him.
"Enchanter," Warden Ferres called out to her as she was heading for the healers tents. She arranged a wider smile on her face as she turned to greet the Warden Mage. He could see a sadness in her eyes, and he wondered what had happened to shadow them.
"Yes, Warden, how may I assist you?" she asked the older man.
"Duncan forced me to go over the research you have done with him; he feels perhaps there is validity in the theory," he admitted. She laughed softly.
"You felt there was validity in the theory, Ferres," Bronwynn reminded him.
"Well, yes, but you're asking me to trust you to actually change the Tradition!" he exclaimed as turned away from the healers and went back to her tent.
"Well, here," she said to him with exasperation. "You take this, see if it works and then tell me my theory is shite," she thrust a stack of parchments at him. He frowned.
"What is this?"
"I have taken the information you and I have gathered and applied it to my current research, this would be a chance to prove me wrong, Warden." her voice snapped with vehemence and he stepped back, holding his hands up in supplication.
"I never meant to claim you were wrong," Ferres said placatingly. "I simply wanted Duncan to understand I didn't agree with you." The explanation almost sounded like a whine and Bronwynn sighed in exasperation.
"Perhaps, but now you can see for yourself if I'm right or wrong," she replied, attempting to not sound as if she wanted to slap him. The older man sighed himself.
"I am sorry, Bronwynn. I handled it badly," he admitted. Bronwynn simply nodded. Before either could say more, a familiar baritone could be heard approaching, making one of his usual sarcastic jokes.
"Bronwynn, please come out here and tell this man you're staying here," Alistair quipped as he rapped on the wooden support at the front of her tent. She poked her red head out of the opening to be greeted by the blond man and a taller, broader black haired man. Her eyes widened in appreciation as she took him all in. Tall was an understatement, he easily topped Alistair by half a foot. His hair was raven's wing black, it gleamed blue in the sunlight in places. His eyes were the same blue as a clear winter's sky and his shoulders were built for sword and shield work. He carried a Warden's shield on his back and a bastard sword on his left hip. His hips were narrower than his shoulders and chest, although not by much and Bronwynn found herself admiring his thick legs as much as the rest of him. His look was rugged, craggy and fierce compared to the regal refinement of Alistair's features.
"I would gladly do so, Warden, if I knew what you were talking about," she quipped as she and Ferres stepped from her tent. She caught the slight narrowing of Alistair's brown eyes and wondered about the cause.
"Warden Blackwall," the dark haired man said, reaching out to envelop Bronwynn's small hand in his large one. Bronwynn caught herself thinking about where else she would like him to touch and had to force herself to keep her mind on the conversation. "Duncan has asked me to escort you to Weisshaupt," his voice was deeper than Cullen's and she could feel the rumble through her chest from even this distance. She realized what he had said and turned to Alistair in confusion.
"I don't recall agreeing to that, Wardens, what is the meaning of this?" she asked, specifically Alistair. Ferres cleared his throat and mentioned he and Blackwall should head back to talk to Duncan. Bronwynn frowned even more darkly as the two older men left her with the younger man.
Alistair turned away for a moment to see how secluded they were, and when he wasn't happy with their privacy he took her left hand and pulled her behind him to drag her to a more private area. Bronwynn followed after him as quickly as she could without tripping over her feet.
"Alistair," she started to say when suddenly they were in a very dense copse of trees and he pressed her against one of the fir trees and kissed her. Bronwynn groaned in pleasure and melted into the kiss for a long moment, and if Alistair hadn't made his own sounds of pleasure she may have kept on kissing him. He didn't sound like Cullen, however and she came to herself when she heard him. She tried to pull her mouth away only to be caught up in his kiss again.
She gasped for air when he broke the kiss and then she twisted out of his grasp; panting from desire and guilt.
"Alistair!" she exclaimed, holding out her hand to keep him from reaching for her again. His own breathing was heavy and his brown eyes were dark with desire.
"What is wrong with me?" he asked her, anger and frustration mixing with his desire.
"What?" Bronwynn asked in confusion.
"You are attracted to me, I'm not confused on that point, am I?" he asked her, he leaned forward but didn't move toward her. Bronwynn shook her head and then nodded her head.
"Oh!" she shouted. "Why do this to me today!" she demanded. Alistair narrowed his eyes at her again.
"Okay, yes! I do think you're attractive. You even smell right!" she said, her face in flames from her embarrassment.
"Then why?" he asked, taking a step forward; only to stop when she took a step back. "Why don't you want me?"
"Because I love another!" she answered, and Alistair seemed to sink in upon himself when she said it. Her breath caught in her throat and she wanted to reassure him, but she also didn't want him to think she was encouraging him. "I'm sorry, Alistair, I never meant," He turned his back to her and stepped back to the tree he had kissed her against and drove his fist into the trunk, sending bark flying. "Alistair!" she gasped, rushing to grab the hand he had just broken; even though he made no sound when it broke.
"Don't," he growled at her, jerking his hand away. "Pretend you care," he finished. She growled in exasperation.
"I love someone else, it doesn't mean I don't care about you!" she snarled as she grabbed his arm, and pulled his hand to her again. "Andraste's knickers, Alistair! I never meant to lead you on, I'm sorry!" she said as she gently opened his fist. She began straightening the fingers as she pulsed healing energy into the abused digits.
"But you'll sleep with a mage," he sneered when she was finished healing his hand. Her head snapped up and her green eyes flashed with hurt before she stepped back and pulled a mask of politeness over her expression.
"Is there anything else you wanted to discuss, Warden?" she asked him, and he groaned.
"I'm sorry, Bronwynn, that was unfair," he admitted. "I know you weren't trysting with Ferres." Bronwynn simply looked at him.
"I'm an ass," Alistair confessed. "A jealous ass, because I hoped," he stopped and looked up at the canopy of leaves. "I hoped you would care for me the way I care for you," he said softly. Bronwynn sighed in resignation.
"If I didn't love another, Alistair, I could easily love you. You are worthy, but I fell for him," she shrugged helplessly. He smiled self-deprecatingly at her, his charm still shining through.
"I-" he faltered, searching for what he wanted to say. "I guess I don't know what I really wanted," he said. Bronwynn shook her head.
"I am flattered you think I'm worthy of your attention, Alistair, just-" she smiled. "I won't be one of those women," she said softly and Alistair gave her his rogue's grin, and if she had been free she would have kissed him just for that grin alone.
"I don't want you to be one of those women, Bronwynn," he said before he sighed in defeat. "Duncan and Ferres and Blackwall spent most of the night discussing your theories," Alistair changed the subject to alleviate his embarrassment.
"What has that to do with me going to Weisshaupt?" Bronwynn asked him.
"Duncan and Blackwall think the theory is sound enough to take it to the Warden Commander there," he shrugged in response. "Blackwall is a Warden-Constable, serving under Duncan for the time being. He and Duncan were deep in discussion after the rest of us turned in," Alistair shook his head. "They think you may be on to a way to save the Wardens and keep us relevant to saving the world," there was a slight quip to the statement that made Bronwynn smile, but it was only a small smile.
"Why Weisshaupt?" she asked in confusion.
"That is the main fortress for the Wardens, it is where the First Warden is. He will take you there before he goes back to Val Chevin," Alistair said, he reached out with his hand, the one he had broken. Bronwynn took it and he gently squeezed her fingers before leading her out of the copse of trees.
"Am I getting a say?" she laughingly asked. Alistair shook his head.
"I think Blackwall is supposed to convince you," the blond ex-Templar said with feeling. "We all want you to stay with the Wardens, Bronwynn," he said in earnest. "You'll be free of the Circle, of the Chantry's laws," he said; and Bronwynn could tell he was confused by this truth.
"Alistair, I never feared the Chantry," she wrapped her arms around his bicep and squeezed it in a friendly manner. "I feared the Templars and mages," she sighed as her thoughts turned once more to Cullen. "I feared them because there were enough of them who wanted to hurt me that I couldn't feel safe," she stopped walking, and they were in the middle of the mage and Templar camp. "I'm safer with you by my side than with any of these, my so called brothers and sisters. The Templar's have gotten far too used to having power over we sinful mages. Too used to being able to punish us because they fear us," she looked at her handsome friend and smiled sadly as they began walking again.
"I have my freedom, all mages do. We simply have to prove we are capable of controlling our magic to the First Enchanters satisfaction. Irving was allowing me to come and go from the Tower once I had my bodyguard," she nodded at Wynn and Uldred. Uldred was glaring at her and Wynn was smiling indulgently. "Most of the Enchanters and all the Senior Enchanters have the ability to go whenever and wherever they like, so long as they get permission from First Enchanter first," she smiled wryly as the two of them meandered into the Kings camp.
"You could always ask your," he swallowed and hesitated slightly before he continued. "Lover to go with you." Bronwynn laughed sadly at the statement.
"Would you leave the Wardens to go with me?" she asked him. He took a breath to answer when she interrupted his thought. "Please be honest, Alistair," she said softly, causing him to close his mouth before he answered.
"No, in all honesty, I wouldn't" he admitted to the girl, who simply raised her brows and nodded at him. "He's not a Warden, though," Alistair said with a straight face.
"Alistair," she said, dragging his name out as a rebuke.
"Well, who is this man I can't compete with?" he asked with a touch of anger. She tsked at the Warden before laughingly answering him.
"You shouldn't ever want to compete for any woman's affections, you are worth wanting on your own merits," his face flamed into redness from the sincere compliment. "But if you must know he's a Templar," she said. He pulled them to a stop to gawp at the red head.
"He's my Templar, Alistair, and I would never ask him to forsake his chosen duty any more than I would ask you to give up yours," he looked into her emerald green eyes and conceded the point.
"I hope he cares as much for you, Bronwynn. You deserve it, as well." Bronwynn smiled her only true smile of the day, then; lightening Alistair's heart for the rest of what turned out to be an awful day.
