-10-

"You should be resting."

Ellana picked her head up from the book she had been trying to read, spotting Thom on the stair landing.

"I am resting," she said, though it came out as a rasp. Her voice was never that high pitched to begin with, but it had been reduced to practically nothing more than a gravelly wisp of what it was.

As Thom approached the bed, she more clearly noticed the mountain flowers he had in his hand. "You didn't have to."

"I needed the walk. And your desk looked a bit empty." He crossed around to her side of the bed, setting himself down on the edge, gloved fingertips reaching out to lightly trace the curve of her cheek. "How're you feeling, love?"

"About the same." As if her body wanted to further prove the point, she drew her head into the crook of her arm and gave into a coughing fit. Thom rubbed her back through it until it finally passed, though even just that soft touch hurt her skin, still a bit sensitive.

"Is there anything you need me to get you?"

She eyed the pot and cup sitting on her desk. "Tea?" She could have made herself get out of bed, but she had no desire to move and in a rare instance she was giving in to that desire.

Thom followed her gaze. "Of course." He gently kissed her on the head before getting up and walking over to her desk, setting the mountain flowers on the desk beside the tray.

He made to pour fresh tea into the cup, but she stopped him just as he was about to tip it forward. "Let me heat it. Been sitting awhile."

He did as she requested, keeping a steady hand on the pot as he placed it in her palm and she summoned what heat she could to her hand. After a few moments, she pulled her hand away, and Thom rose to go pour the tea.

"Pour a bit of the potion Solas made too." Her last dose had been more than six hour ago, more than time for another.

Once he was done, he handed the cup to her. She thanked him, taking it in both hands and tentatively sipping the warmed licorice infused tea, also tasting the hint of cinnamon present in the potion, so soothing on her throat.

She continued taking sips, watching as he went and retrieved the empty blue vase sitting on her desk. "How'd it go? The game?"

"Not terribly." He didn't elaborate further until he came out from the closet next to the bed, presumably now with water in the vase. "No one said anything and Cassandra didn't seem too disgusted at the sight of me."

She sent him a soft smile of encouragement, glad to hear his relationship with Cassandra was slowly but surely on the mend.

She watched him arrange the flowers into the vase. "I also see you have all your clothes this time."

"Between Solas and what happened with Cullen, I've more than learned my lesson."

Ellana couldn't help laugh at that, which threatened to quickly morph into a cough. Thom took the cup from her hands to prevent the rest of its contents from spilling on her and the bed as she gave into the harsh cough, her lungs aching and throat sore from the effort.

"Elgar'nan, this won't let up."

She fell back against the headboard, the cough having taken what energy had remained from her. The corners of her mouth then lifted back in a small smile when she caught sight of the white-petaled flowers on her desk. "They're beautiful, vhenan."

Thom held the cup out of her. "Do you want...?"

She thought about it, but the thought of lying down enticed her more, so she shook her head.

Thom took the cup back to her desk. "Were you able to sleep at all since I left you?"

She sunk down onto the bed. "No. Too much on my mind." Especially after Josephine, Leliana, and Cullen had visited her with briefings.

Thom sat on the edge of the bed, removing his boots. "Sleep would help."

"I know. But I can't not worry." The thought had already crossed her mind more than once what she would do if Corypheus finally made his next move and she was still laid up like this. She barely had enough energy to walk around the room, let alone do combat maneuvers and cast spells one after another.

Done with his boots, he stood up, removing his gloves and standing above her. "I know. But we need you well, Ana." He brushed the backs of his fingers in a gentle caress across her cheek. "I need you well."

The amount of concern laced in his voice had her threading her fingers through his and squeezing his hand. Thom then lifted their joined hands and kissed the back of hers, a familiar affectionate gesture that filled her with warmth and had her softly smiling.

He let go of her hand, which fell like a heavy weight beside her. His gaze fell on the book in her lap for the first time. "What were you reading when I came up?"

"Brother Genitivi's book In Pursuit of Knowledge." She paused to give into another cough, albeit a brief one this time. "But I haven't managed to get too far in it today."

He gently took the book from where it lay. She thought he might intend to place it on her desk so it wouldn't fall onto the floor from rolling over during sleep (whenever that was), but instead he asked, "Would you like me to read to you, my lady?"

The idea hadn't crossed her mind, but now that he had asked, she couldn't think of a better way to spend the evening, at least until she could finally fall asleep. "Please."

He only stripped out of his gambeson, settling himself on top of the duvet and propping himself up against the headboard, his pillow resting behind his back. He then opened his arm out for her to curl into. She waffled, having wanted to just lay down, but ultimately propped herself up and positioned herself so her head rested against his chest, his arm holding her close to him, deciding that being in his arms trumped lying beside him. Once she told him where she left off, she closed her sore eyes, letting his soothing voice wash over her.

"…The whole country is filled with artistry, from the statues of heroes that litter the streets in even the meanest villages to the glittering golden College of Magi in Cumberland…"

As she continued listening to him, she realized it was moments like this that reminded her how good it felt to be taken care of, after spending so much time taking care of others. And it was moments like this that reminded her how lucky she was that she still had him, that they had worked through the most difficult of their issues (and ones caused by others, Keeper Deshanna included) since his return from Val Royeaux and came out of it still together.

And she wouldn't trade him for anything in the world.