A Rose by any Other

Disclaimer: I don't own it. T-T

Scroll Ten: A Dream and the New Path

Anders was shocked at the scene around him, this was not the fade, and the sight of Elissa made him realize he had entered her dreams. Anders watched from a far as her dream had little in it. She stood motionless in blackness, the only color was a golden path, and it led to, what he thought was him with and odd hair cut and armor. He realized this was Alistair, and they really did look similar. The King had a boyish grin on his face and he held out his hand expectantly. There was a crown in the other hand as well as a rose.

Elissa made to step towards him but a meow caught her attention. She and Anders both looked over to his 'dream self'. He noted with satisfaction that 'he' was cradling Ser-Pounce-A-Lot and had a necklace in his hands. He recognized that necklace and wondered how in Andraste's name she knew about it. Unless, she saw me wearing it that first night. It was a treasure he had come across on his travels, the stone was not worth much but it was the only item from the outside world he had when in the Circle. Dream Anders did not hold a hand out to her and merely stood there talking with his cat.

The real Anders glared at his dream self, obviously he was going to make it easier for her to run back to Alistair. He heard the man's voice and groaned, it was annoying to his ears, "Come along my queen, we have a life to live together, you are mine for eternity."

He hoped his dream self would say something but it merely looked at Elissa and gave her a roguish smile. She paused in her step and Alistair spoke again. "Have I ever told you that I love you, well it won't hurt you to hear it over and over again."

Anders watched helpless as his Dream Self merely smirked and continued to pet the sodding kitty. Is this how she really saw him? She began to take another step and growled. Apparently dream Anders did as well. Hmm maybe I control him now I am here.

Alistair's eyes grew with anger as he pressed forward. "I will give you riches and love like you've never seen."

Anders was not to be outdone by a dead man. When he spoke Dream Anders spoke. "I would give you life, and do whatever it was that made you happy. I would not leave you alone like he has, and I would spend the rest of our lives proving to you how much I will love you."

The Alistair figment glared at Anders and the breaking of his gaze seemed to end her trance. She moved onto the silver pathway and moved towards "Dream Anders. "Could you make the pain go away?" She asked him brokenly.

Anders replied without hesitation as the Dream Alistair glared at his 'real' self. He smirked at the dead templar. "I would make any pain he gave you disappear and I would show you love and passion you could never dream of my precious Commander."

Elissa could no longer hear Alistair as he began to fade. His face was red and his lips flapping wildly but no sounds could be heard. Anders moved to take the place of Dream Anders and wondered how evil he could be in the place. He took a moment to think of the passionate things he could do to her, but thought better of it. He opened his arms to her and gave her that roguish smile again. When she threw herself into his arms he wrapped them tightly around her. She looked up at him afraid.

"What is it my Commander?" He asked her as he held her in a tight embrace.

"You still call me Commander even in my dreams?" Elissa sighed and nuzzled her forehead into his shoulder.

"I would call you my Elissa if that would please you." Anders awkwardly stated, attemptin to keep up the ruse of dreams.

Elissa smiled up at him and paused. "Is this moving too fast?" She asked concerned.

Anders did not even think about it before he answered. "We die in Thirty years right, we get a third of a lifetime so things should move fast compared to normal." He paused and leered at her. "Passion and lust should not scare you, I have not been with a woman in almost a year, and I assume it has been quite a time since you were last pleasured."

Elissa blushed and nodded her head. "I even shaved my feminine parts, it seems I even in reality crave intimacy."

Anders wondered if Dream Elissa was more in tune to her heart that the real one. "How should I make my way into your heart my Elissa?"

Elissa thought for a few moments and kissed his lips softly. "I hope that you will help me forget my past by showing me what the future could hold. The affection is nice, and the teasing is fun, but when you are serious and passionate, it makes me fall for you harder. You hide behind your jokes because you are afraid of rejection, I know this. I will not reject you Anders, you are to be the one to save me from this darkness."

Anders was shocked but hid it well, a slip might cause her to wake up and remember the fact that he may have strayed into her dream. "Do you already care for me?"

Elissa thought for a moment, "You are the first person to touch my heart since I tried to forget it. It responds to you well. Why do you push so hard for my heart?"

Anders nodded his head and kissed her forehead. "You have done more for me than you can ever know, have tried harder to save me, and succeeded, and above all else treated me like I was a person who deserved to live. I want to save you from this darkness as you have saved me from so much I could not escape on my own."

Elissa nodded her head. "You claim you love me, or are falling in love with me, why?"

Anders blushed and shook his head. "You are a beautiful woman, and in more than just your appearance. You're heart is large and your mind is so in tune with mine. We think alike and have similar goals. Your playful wit keeps me on my toes and I want to spend the rest of my life trying to beat you at our little game, and to keep that smile on your lips. The way you smile, even when tears fall down your face. No matter how small it is, that smile is one of a woman who was made for a man who would cherish her presence, and know that he may not deserve her, but he would spend every moment to try."

Elissa gasped and she opened her eyes wide. "Anders? Are you in my dreams?"

Anders flushed and began to stutter. "You are dreaming Elissa, dreaming. Anders is, is, he's asleep beside you, I am, um, ah, I am merely the manifestation of all you wants, or something."

Elissa glared at the man and stomped her foot. "You mage's and your special powers."

Anders smirked. "Well if this is a dream, I don't suppose making passionate love to one another would go entirely against our deal."

Elissa growled at him and smacked him across the face. Anders looked hurt before he noticed she was crying. "Is there no place that is my own to hide my secrets and my fears?"

Anders felt guilty he had messed with her dreams and in the end he hurt her once more. "I only wished to ease your pain my Elissa. I should have not been so selfish. I shall go. I apologize."

Elissa watched as he began to fade and grabbed a hold of his arm. He solidified and she placed herself in his arms. "You said you would not judge me before, is that still true?"

"You take me for a liar my dear commander?" Anders asked in mock hurt. He felt Elissa stiffen in his hold and continued. "I would never dream of judging your past, as it is our future I care about."

Elissa smiled softly to him and nodded. "Anders, the next time you come into my dreams, try wearing less clothes, it may fool me easier."

Anders was suddenly in his small-clothes and looked to his Commander impressed. She was aware and was using the power of her dreams to her advantage. She moved towards him with feline grace. When she was upon him she pushed him back and suddenly he was on a very comfortable bed. He looked up at her mouth agape as her clothes vanished before his eyes. Her lips descended on his quickly.

Anders moaned in pleasure and when he made a move to touch her he found he was bound with chains to the bed. He looked up at her shocked and blushed a bright red. She sat atop his hips and pressed her heated warmth into his hardening length. Anders let out a low moan as her nails ran a path up his body and she pinched his nipples. His eyes closed as his head arched backwards.

Elissa purred at the way his body responded to her touch, dream or not, it almost felt real. She leaned forward and her tongue traced along his Adam's Apple. She noted with pride as he shivered with every touch. His length was hardening against her heated flesh and she pressed harder against it. Anders struggled against the chains fruitlessly at the assault she was giving his wanting body.

Anders began to pant and cry out her name as her lips took one of the hard buds into his mouth. She sucked on it harshly and without hesitation. He bucked his hips against hers and her name and touch became the only thing he knew. When she moved lower his body thrashed wanting to pleasure her as well. He did not want to be the only one to feel such passion.

When her tongue swirled around his navel he growled at her passionately. "Elissa you wicked thing, let me touch you!"

Elissa smirked up at him, and when their eyes locked, his heart skipped a few beats. This woman was a demon, a Desire Demon he swore up and down no human could make him feel such pleasures. When she moved lower still and gripped her nails into his thighs he nearly came undone. His eyes watched her intently as she inspected his hard length, despite it being hidden within his small clothes. He blushed as he knew he was being compared with two kings. The smile that came to her lips assuaged his fears. When the wicked minx drug her tongue along the cloth covering his length he blushed and looked into her eyes.

"Elissa, please, Makers Breath, woman you set me on fire." He pleaded not sure what he wanted. Whether it was to stop her torture or to continue in her act, he was not sure. So long as the torture ended.

"You should know better than to enter a woman's dreams uninvited Anders." She gave him a wicked smirk and everything went black.

Anders blushed as he was forced out of her mind. He opened his eyes and caught her glaring at him. "Um, heh, I can explain."

Elissa glowered at him. "I hope so."

Anders kissed her lips and rolled over onto her. He placed both his hands on either side of her head and nibbled on her bottom lip. His lips moved from hers up to her nose and back down again as he let he tongue sweep across her pouting bottom lip. He allowed one hand to support him as he trailed the other down her side and moved it to her stomach where he began to tickle the exposed skin. Gods the woman had driven him practically insane.

He kept up the tickling as he moved his lips to her ear and nibbled on the lobe. He smirked as his commander was unsure of whether to laugh or moan. Tears began to prickle at the edge of her eyes and his hand crept back up her side and caressed her cheek. He rolled them over so she was on top of him and wrapped his arms tightly around her.

After a few moments of catching her breath she looked down at Anders face and smiled to him, her aura was pure with light for a few moments. "Nice try but you still owe me an explanation."

Anders shrugged his shoulders. He tapped her lips. "To make you smile again."

Elissa thought about it and sighed. "You went into my dreams and could have done anything, anything, you wanted to me, and you chose to chase away my inner demons?"

Anders nodded his head a mask of seriousness spreading over his handsome features. "I'm a mage, demon killing is out specialty."

Elissa let out a long laugh as she watched his lips twitch. He soon joined her, the pure contented laugh was something he had not imagined she would have. It was light and gently like bells, and it was terribly contagious.

"It seems you can't keep a straight face Anders." She laughed as she snuggled into his arms, the light beginning to shine into the tent.

"I can not help it Commander. You're laughter is like a disease I fear whatever you gave me will cause me to laugh uncontrollably from now on."

Elissa let out another peel of laughter and Anders joined her. After a few moments he became serious. "Is this what you were like before, when you traveled with your other group?"

Elissa shook her head in denial. "No, Zevran and Fergus were the only ones who ever saw me like this. Alistair and I were never alone enough. I usually had my duties hanging over my head. I had forgotten what it felt like to be free for just a moment."

Anders sighed, and here he went and reminded her. "I guess now it will be back to the 'Warden-Commander Elissa' from now on?" Anders asked as his face fell.

Elissa smiled brightly at him and kissed his nose. "Well since we are alone I guess being, 'your Elissa' all the time could be arranged. If you make it worth my while."

Anders nodded eagerly and threw the blankets off of them. He stood tall and carried her outside as she laughed at his antics. "I shall bring you the sun and the moon and all the stars if you wish, or maybe you would prefer an offering of a different appeal. I shall run around the world proclaiming my undying love for you and should a man look upon you I shall light a fire in his pants so you may laugh."

Elissa just continued giggling as she shook her head. "Please, no more, my sides hurt."

Anders set her down and lifted her shirt and began inspecting her sides for wounds. "You do not appear to have any wounds. Could you be bleeding inside. I must heal this pain immediately." He began to place kisses along her left side as the other side was caressed by his warm hand.

Elissa sighed as she smiled up to him brightly. "Using healing magic from your lips Anders? You certainly are an odd one."

"I find that with this trick I could make healing any of your wounds so much more, pleasurable." He replied as he moved up her body and wrapped her in his arms once more. "I do so like being able to hold you, so with my hands occupied my lips need a job to do."

"You speak far to much of these things Anders, I fear you will drive me mad." Elissa complained with a smile on her lips.

Anders gave her a roguish smile, "just you wait until we make love my dear, you will swear you're undying loyalty to me."

Elissa smiled, "I would imagine so, and I can imagine a life with you would be full of laughter."

Anders smiled softly to her and nodded his head. "A life with me would be filled with whatever you wished, anything to keep that smile upon your lips. Even putting on a dress and doing the 'Anders Spicy Shimmy' for you."

Elissa continued to laugh and kissed his lips softly. She had never had this kind of lazy ease when she dealt with Alistair, she had to talk him into any affection. Here Anders gave it to her willingly, and sometimes he just knew she wanted it. "I would rather you take off your clothes and touch me as you begged to earlier. Then again seeing you in a dress doing your 'special' dance for me has its appeal as well."

Anders blushed bright red and looked anywhere but at her. "You were doing sinful, bad, naughty, amazing things to me my Commander, it was all I could do. I wanted to return the favor. What kind of man would I be if I let my woman pleasure me without first seeing to her own needs being met?"

Elissa gave a brilliant smile and kissed his cheek. She groaned. "The usual kind I would assume. I am glad you would think so chivalrously. You may just be a knight in a mage's disguise."

Anders scoffed, "A knight? Perish the cursed thought my lady. I am a robe wearing, magic weaving, large hard staff wielding man." His eyes leered at her.

"Oh and what a big staff you have Anders." She teased back easily.

"You have no idea, and do not forget my magical fingers. No knight can do what I can." Anders boasted proudly.

"We shall see sparkle fingers. I think we have spent enough time enjoying ourselves, as much as I'd like to forget my duties I can't. Lets pack up camp for the day and make our way to that path." Elissa sighed knowing that she could not spend all day lazing about with the mage who was lightening her heart.

Anders nodded, and as they began putting away their small camp he looked at her and asked. "Just where were you hiding all of this. The space between your breasts, while great, and full of places to nibble," he added with a leer to which she blushed and laughed nervously, "could not hold all this."

Elissa pulled out the small Bag of Holding and began explaining where she acquired it and how it was made. Anders was shocked to say the least and his eyes practically begged to inspect the magical item. "Oh go on and look at it. You look like a little kid on the morning of Feast Day."

Anders took it from her hands carefully after everything had been packed away. He inspected the bag as they walked side by side. He noted it did not weigh more than a simple leather bag but held at least a hundred pounds in items. He opened it and it looked like a normal bag. He turned it over and expected everything to fall out comically. When it did nothing he shook it. It still did nothing, but when he stuck his hand inside thinking of a piece of jerky his hands grasped it and he pulled it out. He put the jerky back in and was amazed at the genius of the item. It could be worth a fortune, bandits would no longer be able to make off with travelers magical items, and there gold could be safely hidden.

He handed the bag back to her delicately and his eyes widened as she stuffed it in between her bosom and smirked back at him. "Hah! I knew you hid all those items between those beautiful mounds of yours."

Elissa smirked. "I do hope since I showed you one of my secrets I'll get to see what you are hiding between somethings of yours."

Anders literally froze in place before moving quickly to catch up to her. They were already making their way down the path in the direction Elissa had gathered most carts traveled. Anders wrapped his arm around the woman he was falling in love with more and more every minute. "You amaze me Elissa Cousland, you truly amaze me. Very few woman are as brazen enough to verbally spar with me on such an intimate level. I am hoping that the actual act-"

A voice interrupted them. "Elissa Cousland? Teyrin of Highever?"

Elissa drew her daggers so fast it surprised him. He readied a few fireballs as he kept his eyes peeled. A man stepped out of the tree line. Elissa recognized him after a moment. She hissed at him. "You!"

The man held up his hands and shook his head. "You misunderstand your ladyship. I am an honest man now. After fleeing Lothering I came to Highever, I am a hunter now."

Elissa remembered the leader of the bandits she let go free. She read his body language and his eyes. No lie lay within them. He had either become an expert at lying or he was telling the truth. "Tell me where we are."

The man paused and suddenly started laughing. He wiped a tear from his eyes and when she glared at him he paused. "You, you don't know your ladyship?"

Elissa rolled her eyes and and glared at him. "Obviously or I would not be asking. I had gotten separated from my group in a battle with some unruly bandits, and I was swept into the rapids with my companion. We were in the Wending Path."

The man finally noticed the mage and looked terrified. "He-he's not going to turn me into something unnatural like a is he?"

Elissa snorted. "No, Morrigan would have been more likely to try, he will not harm you if you give him no reason to. Anders is a," She paused unsure of what to say, "he is dear to me and would not do something I might not like."

Anders tilted his head to the side wondering why she chose those words, but the way the man's eyes lit up at those words he figured they meant much more than she was letting on. "She is very dear to me as well so if you try anything funny I'll turn you into a toad and fry you over a spit."

Elissa groaned as the man before them nodded his head fearfully. "Do not mind him, he is, overprotective." She looked to the man and took out about eighty silver coins, she handed them to him. "We were on the shore for a day. I was hoping to send work back to Vigil's Keep and return there as soon as possible. Please tell me how long it will take for us to reach the nearest city and were we are."

Elissa smiled up at the man who was speechless for a moment. "I, what I mean to say is. My lady you are but a few days from Highever, and a week from the Castle. Your brother, the Teyrn, he would be thrilled to know that you are safe."

Elissa gasped and looked to the man as if he were lying. "You mean to tell me I am in the Worshin Woods?" Elissa blinked, her eyes wide. She used to play in these woods as a child.

"Yes, and it is good you arrived so soon, we are almost to the fifth day in the middle summer month. The annual Highever Independence Day celebration will be held in the Village. I was sent to catch much game before returning. I was going to return to the city tomorrow."

Elissa blanched white. "Fifth day?" She counted in her head, that had to mean she and Anders had been passed out in the clearing for almost a week and a half. What the Maker had happened to us? She saw no lies in the man and pinched the bridge of her nose.

"You were unaware. Word has spread that you have disappeared my lady. Your brother has become desperate. He has gotten word from the Keep not five days ago. He already promised your hand to the man who found you."

The once bandit snuck a glance at the mage. He was unsure of their relationship, but it was obvious the two cared for one another. "Zacherai Ceorlic has already taken a place within the castle. His troops roam lands of Highever scouring it for you."

Elissa paled even more and let out a soft growl she shook her head and groaned. "How can things always seem to go right for just a second and then fall to pieces another?"

Anders smirked at the woman. "Everything comes with a catch Commander, surely you remember this."

Elissa glared at the mage. "Well this time I might just be married off because my brother worries far to much and is a utter fool."

Anders shut his mouth immediately. "This is not good then, I take it."

"Not at all." She looked to the man and sighed. "I never learned your name. I owe you a debt."

The man shook his head in denial. "I am Guster, your ladyship and I think my debt to you for sparing my life has been paid."

Elissa looked at him and nodded her head. She pulled the pack out from inside her armor and shifted her hand around. She pulled out her brooch. It held the Cousland Wreath upon it. She handed it to Guster and wrapped his fingers around it. "I will need you to get us into the city, and if possible to the Sleeping Sword. Is Madam Gilmore still it's keeper?"

Guster nodded his head, cradling the precious item in his hands. "I can do that easily. I shall see it done."

Elissa nodded her head in thanks and thought of something else. "I will need witnesses as I assume showing up at the palace with Anders is unreasonable. Will you confirm that you ran into us together making our way to the city?"

Guster nodded his head and when Elissa moved to offer him some coin he denied. "I am making honest work now, and if not for you I would be dead and my wife without a husband. I shall take you to my cabin for tonight, you may stay there while I hunt. I have a few messenger birds if you would like to use them. They are crafty and would know better than to be seen by Zacherai's guards."

Elissa nodded her head. "He has seemed to want my hand for years now. His family's grasp at their own lands is failing and they hoped a marriage with the only unwed Teyrin would give them the boost in the social ladder they needed."

Guster nodded his head and guided them to his cabin, far off the path. He ushered the two inside and looked at her earnestly. "If they do come around, there is a small cellar under the bear pelt. I do have a few items left from my days as a bandit. I am saving them for a rainy day as it were."

Elissa nodded her head. "Of course, I shall forget about it entirely as we are now helping one another. I am glad I set you free that day."

Guster nodded. "As am I your ladyship. I have some game to hunt I will return at night, lock the door behind yourselves I have a key."

Guster left the two alone and prayed to the Maker that all would be made right. It would seem that the brae and kind woman who let him go free was constantly faced with hurdles in her path. No matter what she chose, it would seem her path through life was always twisting and turning. The Maker had a purpose for everyone and he hoped that in the end the Cousland daughter would be rewarded for all her troubles. He kept off the roads and hunted game for the feast in areas the guards would not travel. He had learned these woods well and would not be easily caught. The woman in his cabin had spared his life and changed it forever, and he would repay the debt in full.

AN: Yes the plot thickens. XD So I also put up the first chapter of Facing Destiny , the F!Hawke/Fenris story. So check it out if your interested. It will be a long ride and it will definitely be my longest fic yet, probably at least double TGM. ^_^ Happy reading, and remember that I love to get reviews.