The embarrassment from her outburst never appeared. When she and Alistair found the camp no one said a word. Even more surprising, Zevran's attitude towards her changed completely. That evening when Alistair went off to the bushes after dinner Zev came over to speak with her.

"You have scared us all, I think."

"Did I scare you?"

"Perhaps, I certainly will not make any more unwanted advances. I wish to tell you that it was not my plan to make you angry."

"Yet, you did."

"I can see I will have to work for your forgiveness."

Elissa did not respond as the elven man walked away.

The next to speak with her, besides Alistair, was Leliana the following morning. She too waited until Alistair left her side and headed into the bushes to relieve his bladder.

"So, do you love him?"

Elissa smiled. "Yes, I love Alistair." Her heart beat wildly as she said it aloud to someone else for the first time.

"Then I am happy for you both."

"Thank you." She looked into the other woman's face and her eyes were so sad.

"He is a good man. I am sure he will make you very happy."

"Yes, he is and I think he will but Leliana we aren't getting married we're just...courting."

"Ah, but I can see the connection you share. It would not be the same with me."

Elissa stood and hugged her friend. "Oh Leliana, I didn't know you felt that way. I'm sorry."

"Alistair was sure you didn't understand but I knew you did. You and I, we have a connection too, my friend."

Now Elissa was lost. "You mean when Alistair said he had to talk to you it was to tell you about him and me."

"Yes."

"Thank you, Leliana, for telling me."

"Can we still be friends?"

"Oh yes, absolutely."

"Good." She looked up and Elissa followed her gaze, Alistair was returning.

Leliana left as Alistair strolled up whistling.

"I'm beginning to feel spurned, everybody but you runs away when I show up."

"Well, given what you've been doing I'm hardly surprised."

He gulped. "You know."

"I do now, Leliana told me."

"How would she know?"

"Well she was there wasn't she."

"I really think I would have noticed that. Wait a minute, what are you talking about?"

"Did you use your good boy lines on her too, or do you have other strategies for more worldly women?"

"Woah, woah, woah. Leliana told you I was ... was ... trying to woo her."

"Oh yes, she came over to congratulate me. To tell me she was happy for both of us."

"Elissa, this is definitely a misunderstanding. Come on, let's talk to her together."

"So you can intimidate her."

"Me, intimidate her! You can't be serious?"

"I know this story. I've seen it happen over and over again. You can't fool me."

"So, you won't talk, you won't listen. You're just going to leave me," he said plaintively.

She looked at him, revealing the tears in her eyes and seeing the tears in his.

"Fine, I'll go get Leliana and we'll see what she says."

Elissa stomped over to Leliana. "Could you come and talk to Alistair with me?"

"Yes, what is wrong, you look upset."

"I just need you to come talk with me."

She grabbed Leliana by the arm and pulled her over to the other side of the cold fire pit.

"Now," said Elissa a bit shrilly, "did you or did you not say that you and Alistair had been getting close?"

Elissa looked at Alistair, Alistair looked at Leliana and Leliana's mouth dropped open as she stared at Elissa.

"What, no. No, no, no. Oh, Maker I did not believe you Alistair."

Leliana grabbed Elissa's arm. "No, my friend I did not mean that you and I had been competing for Alistair's affection. I meant that he and I had both been seeking your affection."

Elissa stumbled back and fell over onto her rear. "But why, I mean what could."

The bard chuckled. "I would have been delighted to show you the answers to all your questions were you not in love with another."

A hot blush bloomed on Elissa's face and she felt it spread to encompass her neck as well. "I don't know what to say."

The red headed woman shook her head. "You need not say anything my friend. It was a wistful notion and I will not pine away. Now, I will leave you two to yourselves." Alistair had turned his back on them at some point.

Elissa hauled herself up off the ground and stared at his back sadly. "Alistair? I'm sorry. I should have trusted you. I hope you can forgive my paranoia. It's just, everything was going so well I just assumed something bad would happen. So when it seems it had I just grabbed on with both hands and held fast to it."

His shoulders were shaking but he made no noise. Had he heard her at all? She walked around him to find that he was not angry or upset, he was trying not to laugh.

"Why you!" She swatted his shoulder. "I was feeling miserable and you're laughing at me."

"Firstly, it did hurt that you didn't trust me but when I realized that it was because you were jealous, well, it just seemed so, so unbelievably ridiculous."

"Why?" she said with a frown.

"I can hardly believe you want me around, never mind there being another woman crazy enough to keep company with me."

Elissa rolled her eyes. "I'll have you know that I have impeccable taste."

"Well, you must understand you are the only woman I've ever wanted to be with and the only woman I love."

"That would be more reassuring if you hadn't spent the last however many years in a monastery."

"Thirteen, I spent thirteen years in the monastery. In fact, if Duncan hadn't pulled me out of there I think they'd have started billing me by the night until I took my vows."

"Well there we go. There wouldn't have been many women around, other than the sisters and a revered mother."

"True, but I spent six months in the company of a bunch of Grey Wardens that felt nothing could complete my education as effectively as taking a woman to my bed. So, I have been pursued, by proxy if nothing else. "

"So that was the first reason you were laughing, what was the other."

"I told Leliana you didn't know she was flirting with you but she didn't believe me."

"Well, I didn't know two women could be that way. I mean Fergus once explained two men to me and I know how a woman and man … uh … fit together but I'm confused about two women."

Alistair was blushing. "Maybe, someday it will make sense or we can discuss this but right now...well maybe we could just get going right now."

"I feel so stupid and naive. Even a templar knows more about sex than I do."

"Ex-templar and a well-read ex-templar. Remember, I have no practical experience."

She suddenly stopped. "I wish I didn't."

Alistair pulled her into a fierce hug. "Neither of us has ever made love, in that, we are equal." He pulled back to look at her. "In every way that matters, we are equal."

Elissa smiled and they continued along the road. After several more days of travel they arrive at the outskirts of Redcliffe, Elissa enjoyed her morning cuddles and evening walks with Alistair. Slowly, they were both becoming more daring and though Elissa had been feeling a burning urge for something else or something more she didn't really know what to do about it. Besides everything she'd said to Zevran was true. If a man wasn't willing to commit to her why should she risk anything? While she probably didn't have to worry about pregnancy, the principle still held.

As they passed out of the wilderness onto the pasture land, Alistair ran ahead with a twinkle in his eye. Wynne took the opportunity to talk to Elissa alone.

"You two have become very close."

"Alistair and I, yes, we have."

"Are you sure that's wise?"

Elissa shrugged. "Wise in what sense?"

"Duty calls both of you to be strong."

"So I should have nothing but duty in my life?"

"I once resented my duties, but in time I realized that great satisfaction could be found living a life devoted to others."

"Did you?" she replied dryly.

"Ultimately, love is a selfish emotion one that draws you away from the things a person like you must do."

Elissa stopped walking and turned to face the mage. "I have a chance at companionship, at passion and at love in my life. I will not take the coward's path. We may well have to make some difficult choices in the future but that is not certain. I'm glad you have found satisfaction in the choices you've made. Now, have enough respect to realize that your way is not the only way and for someone else it may not be the best way."

"Very well," Wynne said as she backed away. Elissa could tell the older woman wasn't happy but she didn't care. Her mother had told her she deserved to be loved and Alistair was making her believe it.

Alistair waved from beyond the next rise. As they walked toward him they discovered that he was standing atop a ruined Tevinter tower. When they arrived at the base it was clear that the place was often used.

"This place seems strangely close to Redcliffe and not on a main road, so why is there a way stop here?" asked Morrigan.

"Shepherds," replied Alistair. He gestured at the surrounding land. "This is a summer pasture. They watch their flocks from the roof and sleep in here where there are all the comforts of home."

Leliana looked around the interior of the empty stone tower. "Most homes have some furniture."

"Well, some of the comforts of home. There's a fireplace, a roof overhead and walls on all sides of us."

"I don't understand," said Leliana, "if they spend part of each year here why not repair and furnish this place."

Elissa hid a small grin. "Ferelden shepherds are rarely wealthy enough to furnish two homes. Besides anything left here would have to survive the rest of the year unattended."

Alistair disappeared outside for a while and found some apples, they were a bit soft but they baked them on the hearth with a little honey to make a delicious desert. After supper Alistair asked Elissa to join him on the tower's roof. He'd covered the cold stone with soft grasses, the perfect place to lay star watching whilst holding each other close. At least, Elissa star gazed. When she looked over at Alistair he was staring at her with an intensity that took her breath away.

"I love you."

Elissa blushed happily. "I love you, too."

Alistair swallowed. "Will you, will you wait here a moment?"

"Are you alright, you seem nervous?"

"I'm not fine. I mean I'm not nervous, I'm fine. Wait for me?"

"I'll be here when you get back, my love."

"Good, yes."

He ran down the stairs so quickly that Elissa was afraid he'd fall. Half an hour passed before she heard him return. As he dashed up the stairs she heard Leliana's muffled screech. She rose to her knees to see what was wrong but before she could get any further Alistair appeared at the top of the stairs with a crown of wildflowers in his hands.

He knelt down in front of her. "I don't know how to say this because I'm not very good with... that is when I'm nervous things just fall out of my mouth as if I've no control over my own tongue. I always know when that happens because I start to babble and I talk very quickly. It used to really bother Duncan when I babbled. Duncan was like a father to me and I only knew him for six months and though we've only really known each other for a couple of months I've come to love you, deeply. I really I want this to be perfect, well as perfect as it could be with the darkspawn and blight and everything because that's not perfect but you knew that..."

Elissa kissed him. It was a deep and satisfying kiss that left both of them panting. They stood on their knees with their foreheads touching and their arms loosely around each other.

"Thank you," he said, "I needed that."

"You're welcome," she said with a smile, "Now, do you have something to ask me because if you do I have an answer."

"You do!" he said with a smirk, "Will I like the answer?"

Elissa tried to control her smile. "You'll have to ask to find out."

Alistair stood and pulled her up to standing, too. Then holding the wreath of flowers asked, "Elissa, my darling, will you marry me?"

Elissa felt that if she smiled any wider her face would crack. "Yes, Alistair, yes." She waited while he placed the crown on her head then she threw herself into his arms. Over Alistair's shoulder she saw Leliana standing on the stairs with tears of happiness in her eyes.

"Come on you two," Leliana said, "If you're going to say your vows before the hearth you should do it before the rest of us go to sleep."

They broke apart and followed the red haired woman down the stairs where they found she'd already cleared a spot.

Alistair retrieved a second wreath and handed it to her. Elissa placed Alistair's crown on his head and smiled at him through the tears of happiness.

"I, Grey Warden Alistair, take you Grey Warden Elissa to be my wife. I will cleave to you and no other for all time."

"I, Grey Warden Elissa, take you Grey Warden Alistair to be my husband. I will cleave to you and no other for all time."

"Witnessed," said all the others with varying degrees of enthusiasm. Red barked happily and loudly but he allowed himself to be settled by Wynne.

Before anyone could congratulate or scold them Leliana began to sing the part of the Chant usually sung at highborn weddings held in the Chantry. After she finished singing she ushered them outside to where she had bullied Sten into setting up their tent and they were alone again, but now they were married.