A/N from moosearegreat: Hey guys! Special thank you to melgonzo, koguma, Golden Naginata, KnightOfHolyLight, and MB18932 for the reviews, and to everyone who has followed and favorited (yeah, we see you :D)!

So, since our heroes did a LOT of hard work in the last chapter, we thought that in addition to bringing some important things to light here, they needed to have some fun! Having said that, well…if you aren't into smut that is a bit more (a LOT more) -explicit- then you'll have to scroll past some of this chapter. They'll get back to work next chapter! :D

Also, to all of our American readers: Happy Thanksgiving!

Chapter 10

As they neared the city gates of Riften, Alessia suddenly pulled on the reins and hopped off her horse. Anders didn't think much of it, as she was forever stopping to get herbs for her potions, so he remained on the horse, waiting for her to get the leaves or flowers or whatever it was that she had seen, and looked around. They weren't far from the city gates, and from where he was he could see the first of three wooden guard towers that guarded the path up to the city gates.

"Anders, I have something to show you," she called, and Anders slid off his horse and walked the few steps to where she was standing next to the road that led up to Riften. He smiled at her, and she nodded, gesturing at him to take a look at the ground where she was pointing.

"What am I looking for?" he asked, suddenly very confused.

"This is where you fell, silly," Alessia smiled. "Didn't you want to come here?"

Anders did not reply, but fell on his knees to look through the leaves and ground.

"If you tell me what it is you're looking for, then maybe I can help? Dusk is coming and I want to be in Honeyside before it gets dark. It gets pitch black around here, what with the trees and bushes covering most of the ground."

"I don't know what I'm looking for," Anders replied as he stood up. "But there seems to be nothing there anyway. Come on, let's head to Honeyside."

No sooner he had finished uttering those words, when the red-orange of the setting sun fell on the forest ground he was standing on, and something caught the light and shone a bright orange.

He gave a strangled cry of excitement and fell on his knees again, but this time his hands went directly to the spot and he yelled, "Ow!" before he could pick up what he had found and show it to Alessia.

"That looks like a piece of a mirror," Alessia voiced his thoughts exactly. Anders nodded.

"A mirror was broken by the Templars who were after me in Thedas. The shards enveloped me and I only remember that suddenly I was literally off the ground and staring down at my would-be captors, who were looking up at the entire scene with their mouths hanging open."

"You mean you were suspended in the air?" Alessia asked. "Like flying?"

Anders smiled. "I was. But I was being taken higher and higher and then the pieces, or rather mirror shards, started to revolve around me and they surrounded me completely. I looked down and started to fall, so I braced myself, waiting to hit the stone ground, but that gave away and I was looking down at utter darkness. Then I fainted."

"That must be one heck of a mirror to do that when it's broken! Are all mirrors magical in Thedas?" Alessia wondered aloud, looking at the shard curiously.

"Well, if I'm right, this is a shard from a very special mirror. Nobody knows much about them, but it seems that they can transport people from one place to another. Or allow for some kind of communication. The Dalish elves seemed to believe that anyway..."

"So, you were transported here through the magic of that mirror? Is it some kind of transportation device, then?" Alessia inquired.

"I can't say. Not even Merrill could understand how to use it, although she knew more than anyone else."

"Merrill?"

"Do I detect a note of jealousy?" Anders flirted. Alessia just rolled her eyes and he smirked. "She's a Dalish elf, who was part of our team of misfits back in the city of Kirkwall, where I was before I came here. Don't worry, she really isn't my type, but I'll tell you about her and the rest of my companions in Kirkwall if you want me to."

"Later, maybe. Right now I was...er... am curious about the mirror," Alessia said, her voice low as she stared at the fragment in Anders's hand. "You know what it is, or if it can get you out of here, then?" The words were spoken in a monotone, but there was no mistake about what she was feeling at that moment. Alessia was sad, and Anders knew it.

"It's an Eluvian. And I don't know, but without a Dalish elf, I have no idea if it will even work. Besides, it's only a sliver." Anders stashed the piece he was holding in his pack, then stepped closer to her, taking her in his arms. She gave a sigh and Anders's heart felt suddenly heavy. The last thing he wanted was to cause her any pain.

"Looks like you're stuck with me, sweetheart," Anders grinned.

The hope in her eyes when she looked up made his heart summersault. Anders knew then that he was totally and completely smitten.

"Maker!" he murmured, as his lips descended on hers in a hungry, passionate kiss.

And then a dragon swooped down to attack them.

…

The battle was short and easily won. The guards in the watchtowers joined the fray, helping to subdue the dragon after Alessia's Unrelenting Force shout had stunned it while Anders had cast a powerful lightning spell on the beast .The guards were all astonished to hear the shout, and the stunned dragon was soon dead at their feet.

"What was that you did, Guildmaster? Was that shout-" a guard began to ask before his eyes grew wide as the dragon disintegrated before them, a golden light rising around the dragon's remains and surrounding Alessia as she absorbed its soul. "You...you're the Dragonborn!"

Alessia groaned and shook her head, leading her horse up the hill towards the stable, leaving the guardsmen behind. "Everyone in town will know in an hour," she grumbled.

"Maybe even less," Anders grinned and Alessia gave him a pointed look. "It's a joke, I swear!" he chuckled, raising his hands defensively.

Alessia grinned back. "I know. It's bad enough as Guildmaster, with everyone jumping to help me do things, give me things, needing me to fix things," she sighed, then handed off her reins to the stable boy. Anders turned toward the gates, but Alessia motioned him to follow her. She walked around the back of the stable and along the city's wall. At the point where the wall ended and the lake met the town was a small dock, with steps leading up to the back side of a house. "No need to actually go through the gates. I have a back door," she smiled as she walked up the steps.

"Charming," Anders mumbled as he followed her up the stairs and into the house.

…

Once inside, they dropped their packs beside the door. Turning to Anders, Alessia said, "I have a ton of ingredients that I need to use before they go bad. Want an alchemy lesson?"

"Would love that, sweetheart. But I'm sweating and so are you. Soon we'll both smell so much it will be hard to tell us apart from your smelly guild-mate, what was his name?"

"Dirge," Alessia snickered. "He might be smelly and kind of a jerk sometimes, but he's a good man."

"Ah, smelly good men. Now that's a novelty!" Anders remarked, causing Alessia to burst out laughing. "I can prepare a bath for you and myself. And...I'd like to cook for you if you don't mind..."

Alessia smiled and turned to pick up her satchel with her alchemy supplies. "My cooking is that bad, huh?"

"Noooo. I wouldn't say that. You do know how to use your herbs," Anders replied looking around innocently.

Alessia's smile grew wider and she gave him a quick kiss. "I'm going to go get started. Some of these take a while."

"Well, then, so am I. I'll take a bath and then prepare one for you. And I won't take 'no' for an answer when it is ready for you. You need to relax. A lot has happened lately, and I don't want you to wear yourself down."

Alessia chuckled. "Yes, Mother," she said, then headed to the basement.

Anders watched her go and got busy lugging the tub next to the huge bed in the room they had just entered. He took his bath, then used magic to get rid of the water and focused on an ice spell that filled the now empty tub with huge chunks of ice. A quick fire spell soon had the ice melted and steam rising above the hot water. He turned and went down the stairs to let Alessia know her bath was ready.

He found her in front of the alchemy table, busily crunching things with her mortar and pestle. She picked up a blue butterfly wing and tossed it in, unaware of Anders watching her. Humming to herself, she set the mortar down and dumped what was in the retort into the calcinator and quit humming long enough to grumble to herself. "Stupid nirnroot."

A pair of strong arms went around her and she leaned against Anders's chest, a happy sigh escaping her lips.

"Your bath is ready," Anders murmured softly into her ear, trailing kisses down the side of her neck.

"Thank you," Alessia whispered, then chuckled to herself and showed Anders her hands. Her fingertips now seemed to be dyed green. "I hate nirnroot."

"Nirnroot...what does it do?" Anders asked curiously, his arms tight around her small waist, his chin resting on top of her head as he peered over to get a better glimpse of her hands and what was on the alchemy table. .

"Poison, mostly. But, if I had more vampire dust, I could make an Invisibility potion. I used it all up for the Cure Disease potions we needed, though."

"Ah, the potion that tasted like rotten crabs, yes. I remember that," Anders chuckled. "So, vampire dust is an ingredient to cure diseases then?"

Alessia nodded, and dumped what was in the mortar into the retort and set it back over the flames. "It's strange that way. Kind of like how a snake's venom can be used as a cure if bitten by that certain snake."

Anders nodded, causing her head to bob up and down slightly. Alessia grumbled at the movement, as it made it harder to continue her work.

"Sorry!" Anders murmured contritely, then suddenly lifted her in his arms. "Sorry again," he chuckled. "But I told you I wouldn't take 'no' for an answer. Up to the bathtub now!"

Alessia giggled as she yelled, "NOOOOO! THE POTIONS!" and playfully struggled against him, laughing harder as Anders carried her up the stairs and set her down, his hands deftly unbuckling her chest piece.

"You've gotten better at that than I am!" Alessia grinned.

"I have a gifted memory, my dear. Once I learn something I never forget it." He gave her a crooked smile, and soon Alessia was standing in front of him in her breast band and smalls.

Seeing the look in Anders's eyes that she knew so well, she laughed and shook her finger at him. "I have to take a bath, sir! A big, scary mage threatened me that I had to!" she admonished, then turned to the tub, removing the rest of her clothing and climbing in.

Anders was wearing only a towel around his waist, but Alessia focused on the water and washing herself, so he smiled and walked towards the roaring fire in the fireplace, determined to cook a nice meal for her. He busied himself filling a pot with water and put in some vegetables - after having peeled them - and a piece of meat, then looked for some spices. He added some salt and found a bowl full of some herbs that smelled like rosemary, so he added some of that too. He started to stir the thick soup, and the tantalizing smell of what was inside the pot reached his nose.

His towel began to slip but when he went to grab it, it was gone. He started and turned around to see Alessia using it to dry her hair. "You make a handsome towel rack, Anders."

Anders smiled. "That's not all I make," he said as he stepped close to her and took her in his arms. Sparks flew from his fingertips as he trailed his hand up and down her arms. He steered her carefully towards the bedroom, laying her gently on top of the furs on the bed.

Anders started to kiss her lips, then moved down to her jawline and trailed kisses to her breasts. The sparks now teased her nipples and Alessia soon found herself arching her back again and again as he caressed her. His mouth found and kissed each nipple as she moaned and writhed beneath him, his hands roaming restlessly over her naked, warm flesh.

He reached the dark red curls below her navel what seemed to her like a hundred years later, and she impatiently spread her legs for him, one hand stroking his erection and the other gripped tightly in his hair, urging his face closer to hers. Her eyes were dark with desire and longing as he gazed into his, silently pleading for him to enter her.

Anders shook his head. "Not yet," he murmured, and she let go of his hair reluctantly as he parted her folds and his tongue began to tease her nub, flicking back and forth. She gripped the furs of the bed in both hands, the soft hair bunching between her fingers as she made fists, raising her hips to meet his mouth.

He felt her convulse and cry out. Alessia had never experienced a release as sweet as the one she was experiencing now but she hardly had time to recover, for Anders was kissing her again, his tongue playfully battling hers.

His name formed on her lips like a chant when he sent the sparks up and down her body again, and she raked her fingernails down his chest, silently begging him to finish what he had started. He positioned himself at her entrance and she cried his name loudly as he buried himself inside her, all the way to the hilt.

"Alessia," he breathed, kissing her cheek, her neck and lips. "Alessia, my Alessia..."

Her vocabulary had been reduced to two words as well: "Please" and "Anders." He slowly pushed in and out of her, until both of them adopted a rhythm, and he quickened his pace.

"Anders! Please," she breathed, her hips moving up to meet his.

"Tell. Me. What. You. Need," he breathed out.

"Please!" Alessia cried, unable to articulate what she wanted, her nails digging into his shoulders as she met him thrust for thrust.

He gave a half-growl and pounded faster into her. Alessia cried out as her walls tightened around him and he followed her over the edge, unable to control himself any longer.

"My sweet Alessia, I - " Anders said breathlessly, then smiled down at her, his warm brown eyes looking deeply into her blue ones.

"Yes?" she whispered, a content smile upon her face as she gazed up at him.

Anders shook his head. "You are really something!" he murmured. "I think you're trying to kill me..."

Alessia chuckled and buried her hands into his long blond hair, kissing him sweetly. "No, I like you too much for that!"

"Are you sure? It looks like you really are set on killing me," Anders laughed, then got up out of bed, walking over to the pot to stir the contents.

She got up as well, taking a white shirt from the cupboard and putting it on, then finding one for Anders as well. He smiled when she gave it to him and trailed her finger down his back, not seeing the look of concern on her face as he pulled the shirt over his head.

"Anders…These scars," she murmured, her hand running lightly over his back over the white shirt.

Anders's smile vanished and a dark look came into his eyes.

"I'm sorry," Alessia began, but he shook his head.

"It's fine. You should know," he said quietly, as he sat on the chair at the small dining table in front of the fireplace. Alessia sat to the chair next to him and waited, taking his hand in hers.

"The sixth time I escaped, when I was captured and returned to the tower, I was sent into solitary confinement. They - they whipped me there."

"Whipped you? Who?" Alessia asked, her eyes flashing angrily. "Who did this to you?"

"The templars!" Anders exclaimed, his own eyes flashing with the telltale blue. He struggled to control himself, and he was breathing heavily by the time his shoulders slumped and he looked sadly at her, a pout forming on his lips.

"Oh, Anders," Alessia said softly, rising to embrace him. She held his head to her chest, stroking his hair. "Sweetheart, I'm so sorry."

Anders held on to her, feeling her warmth invade his whole mind and soul. He gripped her tightly, and it seemed to Alessia that he was holding on for his dear life. She whispered comforting words to him; the understanding of what he went through and the need to console him filling her.

"It's all right," Anders said softly after a while of them holding each other. "I'll be all right. I just - holding you is very comforting," he added in a whisper. "Thank you."

"Don't thank me," Alessia said, pulling away slightly to cup his cheek in her palm. "I'm glad you landed here, and I can help you feel better."

"You have no idea how much you've helped already," he smiled up at her, then disentangled himself from her arms. "I suppose I have to go check on the soup? I have a feeling it's done by now."

Alessia smiled back at him and stepped out of the way so he could get up. "Probably. If it's any good, I'm keeping you for sure."

Anders burst out laughing. "I'm afraid that's not possible!" he teased, his eyes twinkling. "I already told you you're stuck with me."

They sat down as Anders set two bowls of hot soup on the table. Alessia took hers with a smile.

"Let me know if you like it?" Anders said, as he tried it himself. "Wow! I never knew soup tasted this good."

Alessia raised an eyebrow, looking at the soup dubiously before tasting it herself. It was very good. She took another bite, then dropped her spoon, making overly-exaggerated strangled sounds, grabbing her throat. She slumped over in the chair motionless for a moment, then slightly opened one eye, peering at Anders.

Anders burst out laughing. "You won't fool me that easily," he chuckled. "I tasted it first, so I know it's good. Also, I'm alive!"

"Spoilsport!" Alessia said, and went back to eating. "It is very good, though." She sighed comically. "I guess now I do have to keep you."

"I guess you do," Anders agreed, then focused on his bowl. He practically gobbled it up in a short time, then got back up to get a second bowl.

Alessia did the same, and Anders soon got up and got a third bowl, smiling sheepishly.

"Do you have a hollow leg that you're putting all that into?" Alessia joked.

"Um, no. Not really. Did I ever tell you about the infamous Grey Warden appetite?"

Alessia shook her head, taking her last bite of soup.

"Well, one of the things that happens to the Grey Wardens is that they develop an almost insatiable appetite. Not only for food, may I add..." Anders grinned. "Then, of course, there's the notorious Grey Warden stamina..."

Alessia laughed. "So what was that about how I'mgoing to kill you in the bedroom?"

"Ha!" Anders chuckled. "Well, that was just to throw you off!"

"Uh huh," Alessia said, rising to put her bowl in the wash basin in the corner. "Since we're here, I should head over to the Guild and see how everything is going. Want to come with me?"

"Is that a trick question? Of course I do!" Anders exclaimed.

They quickly dressed and left the house, and as they were walking towards the Temple of Mara, Anders took her hand in his, a smile playing on the corners of his lips.

…

As they neared the Temple, Alessia pulled Anders in a different direction. "There's more than one entrance. The one behind the Temple is technically the back way," she said quietly, leading him past the empty market stalls and down a flight of steps. "Just thought I'd show you the way, in case you ever need to come down here without me." They crossed the canal and entered a door that led into a dark tunnel. Torches ensconced on the walls sporadically lit the way. "This is called The Ratway and leads to The Ragged Flagon, which is kind of a bar just outside the Cistern, where we went the first time. This also leads to The Warrens as well. There are some very poor people who live there, some of them are pretty sick. Not just physically, their minds are gone."

The healer in Anders immediately surfaced. "Really? Would they mind if...say...a stranger were to heal their wounds?"

Alessia thought for a moment as she led them further into The Ratway, past the large stone pillars serving as the foundation of the town above them. "I'm not sure. As I said, some are mentally ill, and attack anyone on sight."

"I know spells that would calm them," Anders murmured. "I'd like a list of ingredients and their properties for potions, as well as the amounts you use to make them if you can. I would very much like to heal these people. I think I'd manage very well down here."

"Of course," Alessia said as they neared a door. "Although, I should make you learn the ingredients the way I did: 'Here, taste this! Does it hurt? Damage health!'"

Anders chuckled. "Practical lessons, you mean? I've done that before. A Grey Warden is also very resistant to disease - I don't know if I told you that already - so I think the ingredients wouldn't affect me as they do you."

"Feeling like you're on fire or being electrocuted for a moment isn't fun," she said, opening the door. "Behold! The Ragged Flagon!" she exclaimed, then turned to eye him suspiciously. "Wait…you said you were resistant to disease?"

"Uh, oh!" Anders exclaimed. "Am I in trouble?"

"No, but...why did you drink the Cure Disease potion I gave you? Why did you wait to tell me?"

"I wanted to taste it. That's also the 'healer' in me. I usually taste the potions I make and find ways to make them taste better for my patients." Anders turned to inspect The Ragged Flagon, and his gaze took in the scene before him. The place was so dark, that even the people sitting around on chairs and stools in the distance, across a large pool of water, looked 'shadowy'. One of his eyebrows raised and he turned to glance at Alessia. "How colorful," he murmured.

"Perfect for us sneaky sorts, huh?" she joked and began to lead him to the bar. "Along here are some merchants, mostly weapons and armor-" she began, then saw a hooded mage hunched over an alchemy table in the alcove next to them. "Oh! You have to meet Herluin!" she exclaimed, dragging Anders over to the man who was grumbling as he crushed ingredients.

Alessia tapped him on the shoulder, and he jumped, dropping the mortar on the table, scattering its contents. "Bloody thieves always sneaking up on me!" he exclaimed, turning. "What do you-Oh! It's you, child. Thought you ran away, never to return! Heh, heh."

"Not yet, I haven't," Alessia smiled at him, placing her hand on his arm warmly and gesturing towards Anders. "I thought you might want to meet the man whose life you saved."

Anders heard her words and gave the man a charming smile, a genuinely grateful look in his eyes. "Hello!" He extended his hand. "And thank you so much. I owe you my life!"

The old man looked Anders up and down, studying him before shaking his hand. "You're much taller when you're not on the ground. Hehheh," he chuckled, slowly walking around Anders. He poked Anders in the ribs. "No pain? Not a hitch when you breathe deeply?"

"No, I can breathe just fine," Anders smiled. "You did an extremely good job."

"Hmmmm..." Herluin continued to prod at Anders, and Alessia hid a smile behind her hand. Herluin came back around to face Anders. "Any problems remembering things?" he asked, then poked Anders on the forehead. "You were a bit concussed. Ha, HA!"

Anders was making an effort not to burst out laughing, but he managed to mumble his reply to Herluin. "No problems at all!"

The hooded old man nodded, satisfied with his exam and Anders's answers, then turned back to Alessia. "And you, child? I heard some news about you not even an hour ago. Eating dragon souls, eh? Ha!"

Alessia groaned and turned to Anders. "What did I tell you?" she grumbled, and turned back to Herluin. "Kind of...I guess. I'm the Dragonborn."

The old mage just nodded. "Always knew there was something special in there. Now, I must get back to my potions. Starting all over now since you startled my ingredients all over the table. Off with you!" He made 'shooing' motions at them, then turned away, going back to work.

"Rather eccentric, isn't he?" Anders laughed as he followed Alessia to the bar.

Alessia chuckled. "Yes, he is a bit nutty. I like him, though. I've learned much from him about alchemy," she said, passing another alcove, which housed the archery merchant. As Alessia made a mental note to see what he had for sale before they left Riften, she walked straight into a warm, smelly wall.

"Dragonborn, huh?" Dirge said in his usual growl.

"Shor's balls! Does everybody know?" Alessia exclaimed.

Dirge just nodded and looked down at her. After a moment, he clapped her on the shoulder and stepped out of the way. "You can do it," he grumbled, an uncomfortable look on his face.

Alessia gave him an astonished grin. "Thank you, Dirge," she said, then turned and continued to The Flagon. "That was odd," she told Anders as they crossed the bridge to the bar. "He's never that nice."

Anders chuckled. "Well, you did throw a dagger at his head."

Alessia laughed. "He's...I don't know how to explain it. He's that way because it's his job to protect the Guild, and that day, he was protecting me. It's like he's a wolf, always challenging the leadership of the pack; not because he wants to lead, but because by doing so it makes us stronger and more able to look after ourselves. And just like a wolf, he won't back down unless you show dominance. Kind of a weird analogy, I know."

Despite it being what most people would deem as a late hour, it was still early for members of the Guild and many people were sitting at the tables scattered in front of the bar. A shapely blond woman spotted them as they entered the light from the shadows, and waved her tankard at them. "Oh no! She's come to shout us to pieces!" she called, causing the rest of the patrons to turn and look at Alessia, shouting good-natured jests at her and whistling.

"Please don't shout in here, it echoes!" "I thought the Dragonborn would be taller!" "You can't pickpocket a dragon to death!"

Alessia blushed and smiled at her makeshift family. "I'm coming for you first, Vex!" she called back to the blond woman, earning laughs from the Guild members.

Brynjolf rose from his stool at the bar and approached them, nodding at Anders and giving Alessia a quick hug. "I knew you spoke true, lass. I didn't tell a soul, but Sapphire came running in a short time ago from The Bee and Barb. According to some guardsmen, you either shouted at a dragon and stunned it, then absorbed its soul while bathed in golden light...or you breathed fire right back at it and ate its corpse to absorb its soul," he said, grinning.

The last part made Alessia burst out laughing. "The second story is the true one," she said, still chuckling. "It tastes like chicken. Really!" she smiled, her face turning solemn. "I thought since I was close, I'd stop in and make sure things are running smoothly."

"They are. Plenty of work to be had, thanks to you," Brynjolf replied, looking over her head at a strange woman sitting up on the upraised portion of the bar that jutted out over the pool of water in the middle of the room. "Though...Delvin wanted to speak to you about something."

Alessia followed his gaze and raised an eyebrow at the sight of the woman in robes sitting alone, then turned back to Brynjolf. "I'll go do that."

She walked over to the table Delvin was sitting at, and Anders made to follow her but was stopped by a strong hand on his shoulder. He turned and found Brynjolf looking at him with an odd expression on his face. "Not you, lad. You and I need to talk."

...

Alessia sat across from Delvin and grabbed his tankard of ale, taking a drink. "Well, I 'spose that counts for me buying the Dragonborn a drink then, eh?" Delvin said, smiling.

She nodded and eyed the stranger on the platform. "Brynjolf said you needed to talk to me?"

"Aye," he said, turning in his seat to look at the hooded figure for a moment before continuing. "She just showed up one day. Says her name is Galathil, and that she used to work for the upper class. I can believe the last part, the way she looks down her nose at everyone. Keeps to herself mostly, just sits there and reads."

"So what's the problem?" she asked, taking another drink.

"Says that for a thousand septims, she can change your appearance permanently," the bald man replied, and Alessia choked on her ale.

She sputtered and coughed for a moment, then regained her composure. "Seriously?" she asked. He nodded. "Can she, or is she just crazy?"

Delvin shrugged. "Don't know. None of us want to try just to have her run off with our gold. What do you want us to do?"

Alessia thought for a moment, watching the woman. "If she's not causing any trouble, then leave her be. But, if rumors of her spread topside and bring people down here poking around, kick her out."

"You're the boss," he replied and rose from his seat. He pointed at the tankard in her hand. "Want another one?"

Alessia looked around the bar, but didn't see Anders. Maybe he's off talking about 'magey' things with Herluin. "Sure, why not?"

As Delvin left to get more ale, her brow furrowed as she realized that she hadn't seen Brynjolf, either.

...

Anders sat on the chair when Brynjolf asked him to and waited patiently for him to start talking. He was staring at Anders with the same odd expression on his face, which made him a bit uncomfortable. From where they were sitting, Anders could not see Alessia, and this bothered him.

"I saw the way you were looking at Alessia, lad. Before you say anything, I was young once, too. She is a good lass and I love her like my own flesh and blood," Brynjolf said, his voice so low, it was a rumble, his arms crossed over his chest as he stood in front of Anders. "I have to ask you what your intentions are. If you hurt her in any way, I will hunt you down."

Anders eyebrows flew to his hairline and he felt Justice stir inside him. He started to panic. If Justice made an appearance now, it would be bad. Not only was this man an important figure in the place where he hoped to start healing again in the near future, but he was also a father figure to Alessia. He knew that he had to be on his best behavior. But when he opened his mouth, the words that came tumbling out caused him to groan inwardly. Stupid emotions getting in the way once again!

"I don't appreciate being put in a dark corner and confronted in this matter."

Brynjolf gave him a slow smile. It had nothing to do with what a smile was associated with, however. Anders found himself wondering that if a snake would smile, it would look like the smile Brynjolf was giving him at that moment. Then he suddenly realized that the feral smile crossing Brynjolf's face was meant to intimidate him, trying to scare him away from hurting someone that he held dear.

"I've asked you a question. I'll repeat it once again, and you will answer it: What are your intentions?"

"I don't want to hurt her in any way," Anders shot back, his panic turning to anger, which he fought to keep under control.

Brynjolf said nothing to this, but continued to stare at him with one of the coldest expressions Anders had seen so far. He understood, but Brynjolf's stare was doing nothing to help him control his emotions.

He is dangerous. We must strike him down.

Anders shook his head, his eyes silently pleading. Brynjolf mistook the silent plea as one directed at him and began talking.

"There is no need to be afraid if your intentions are honorable, lad. And I won't hurt you now. I can tell that she thinks too highly of you for me to make that mistake. But I swear to you, I will kill you if you hurt her…and, you'll never see me coming."

At that moment, Alessia made an appearance.

"There you are!" she exclaimed, hurrying over to Anders. She noticed the tense atmosphere and the way they were glaring at each other, and she turned to Brynjolf immediately, her eyes narrowing suspiciously.

"What in Oblivion is going on here?" she demanded, her eyes flashing angrily at Brynjolf.

"Nothing to worry your pretty head about, lass. We were simply getting to know each other," Brynjolf hurried to say, giving her a wink and a charming smile.

Alessia quickly turned to Anders and he gave her a quick smile, then turned his attention on Brynjolf again.

"Oh, by the Nine! Don't tell me you two are fighting! Brynjolf, I have told you hundreds of times, I know how to take care of myself!" she said, stomping her foot, albeit childishly, to emphasize her words.

"Aye. You are the Dragonborn, lass. I know that you can take care of yourself very well."

"We'd better go," Alessia said to Anders. "We have things to do."

"Of course, lass," Brynjolf said, embracing her. "Walk with the shadows, love," he murmured and calmly walked away, a smile blooming on his face as he turned back to look at Anders. He disappeared into the shadows and Anders stood up. He smiled at her automatically and she led him towards the Flagon again. It was clear to her that Anders was visibly upset and she worried that Justice might make an appearance.

As they reached the door to The Ratway, Alessia opened the door and before Anders could follow her, Brynjolf stepped out of the shadows behind Anders. He whispered something to Anders and quickly disappeared into the shadows again.

"What was that? I heard something behind us!" Alessia turned.

"Nothing," Anders lied.

But Brynjolf's words still burned in Anders's brain.

"You'll never see me coming, lad. Treat her well…"

…