```Skyhold woke up with the noise made of fifty soldiers and their horses, several scouts and their ravens and a horde of merchants loading carts for the expedition. Some faces were bored; some others full of anticipation and money were changing hands faster than one could say Andraste. The fresh recruits with just the training on their records carefully listened to the older ones trying to explain the basics of making a fire or setting up a tent. The Fereldan veterans were assaulted with questions about the Korkari Wilds, the Witches or the Chasind tribes, Ostagar and darkspawn.
A Lieutenant assured them that the Warden- Commander will brief everyone once arrived at their destination and the noise ceased for the most part.
The sun let its first rays to shine over the mountain and now the whole Keep bustled with life. The Inquisitor strode out from the Hall keeping a hand to his mouth, covering a yawn. Maxwell had spent the previous night reading and playing Wicked Grace at the tavern, now he paid the price. Cassandra looked at him mournfully.
"I tried to warn you, but you never listen to me. Herald, we have to leave for Exalted Plains soon; you have to be well rested not looking like someone who just fell from the bed."
"I fell from the bed! Cullen insisted having me at his meeting with his officers. I know he is a perfectionist but the man needs to calm down. I hope this trip helps him." – Then with a grin he wiggled his lashes at the Seeker. "You come with me in the Plains? To keep me in shape? I will need lots of training."
Cassandra's mouth opened then closed without a word then her cheeks burned fire. The Inquisitor left her in the open and went to check his troops.
"Is he serious? Did he just proposed me more than what he said? Nah, I must be reading too much into this." – Shaking her head, she went to attack a training dummy.
Varric and Dorian showed up early in the morning to Azzura's door. The Warden, dressed in full dark blue armor, this time with the Grey Warden insignia on her chest, smiled at them.
"Sooo, we go adventuring together? Varric, I hope you will have time to tell me about my cousin and her time in Kirkwall and you Altus Pavus, you better have some nice stories about the Magisterium. It will be a long walk to Ferelden, I need entertaining."
Dorian scoffed at the mention of Tevinter's high society. "I think you know more than me in that field. The Right Hand job takes you places. Oh, and I don't congratulate with you for saying my title correctly; these southerners don't know the difference between an Altus and a Magister."
Varric patted Dorian on his arm. "Don't worry Sparkler, as long you can throw fire balls you will be always a Magister to them." – Then he rounded on Azzura, with a flashy grin – "Is Curly joining us then? He can keep you company better than us … in certain ways."
"Yes, if I can drag him out from his tower. He decided to check for the tenth time with his officers. Now that we speak of it, maybe I should go and get him by force. We are kind of late; by Cullen's standards."
Dorian looked over the wall and beamed. "The Inquisitor is up already. Come Varric, let's say our goodbyes."
The Warden- Commander blew the door open and looked at the Commander of the Inquisition.
"Are you finished torturing your poor officers? It's late."
Knight-Captain Lawrence laughed at her impatience and the way she imposed on his superior officer. Cullen's eyes lit when he saw her and his lips formed that half smile of his which gave her shivers every time.
"I think they are grateful with your intrusion. Is everyone ready?"
"They were ready one hour ago but no one dared to come here to disturb you. I wonder how the Herald managed to escape your debrief?"
"He invented the excuse of checking his troops by himself. It's good for morale."
In the courtyard they joined the other Inner Circle members. Azzura could see Cassandra in distance throwing draggers at one of the training dummies and moving lips and frowning. She dragged Maxwell behind a tent and whispered in his ear.
"Why Cassandra wouldn't join us?"
"Because I am here. I might have been a little … forward, earlier. Now she's brooding over it." From the wide grin he displayed, Azzura deduced that the Inquisitor was very happy with the result. He brought a hand to his neck and looked away; she laughed at him.
"I think Cullen's habits are wearing on you. What's in your mind? Spit it out."
"You told me that you gather books from Tevinter's libraries. You like to read only those pertaining Grey Warden stuff?"
"Well, I am after those because I need them and some Magisters are just avoiding handing them to me willingly. And, no! I never killed Magisters only to have their books. Sometimes I bargain … secrets I know."
Maxwell gave her a worried look. "You took lessons from Leliana? Because you are scary, you know?"
"I replace the Left Hand too, what do you think? And travelling with Leli for more than a year, an Antivan Crow and a pirate Captain … well, I picked up some useful skills. And I lived in Antiva and Rivain for a while. Why do you ask?"
"I was wondering if you know some … easy literature from Tevinter."
"Easy literature? You mean love novels and smutty romances? I do. I used to read a lot of them. To my shame I have to say that my library has almost every forbidden romance I couldn't read when I was in the Circle. The Chantry here can be very picky. Some of them would make even Varric blush."
To her surprise Maxwell gave her a bear hug. "I am happy to hear that! Can I make a request? Would you give them away? Willingly, I mean."
"Ha-ha nice pun. Why do you need them? Don't tell me that all of a sudden you decided to indulge in forbidden knowledge. You library is stuffed with ancient history and books about horses! Maker!"
"I keep the poetry hidden." – She laughed at his discomfort admitting that he was reading poetry. "I need them for a ... friend."
"The one over there? The Seeker is breaking her neck watching this way; she saw you hugging me. Now the training dummy is beheaded."
"All right! I admit it; I need them for Cassandra. Maybe I gain some approval from her."
Picking up her bags, Azzura started to walk towards the stables. "I will ask Arenys to send me the entire collection. Be warned, most likely there will be several crates of books. The Seeker will love you. Don't forget the flowers."
The next to show up was Leliana carrying a cage with one raven inside.
"Here, take Baron Plucky with you. He's the fastest of my ravens and the Commander will need to be in contact with the Keep."
Azzura took the cage and gave the fat raven a suspicious look. "He's fast, you said? Leli, what are you feeding him? He's so fat that I wonder if he can take off the ground!"
To everyone's amazement, Leliana pinched the Warden's earlobe, hard; the Nightingale narrowed her eyes at her old friend. "You will take the bird and feed him well, if not I will have your head."
"Ahi! All right, I promise that I won't let your crow starving."
"Raven! Now get off!"
Cullen, Varric and Maxwell assisted at the exchange between the two women with interest.
"Good Maker! Do they always act like this? It's a miracle that they defeated the Blight!"
"You know Curly? I wish I was their companion back then; at least I would have what to write and not waiting for small scraps of stories to drop in my lap."
Azzura joined them after she secured Baron Plucky's cage in one of the provision wagons.
"Not only that Commander, but when you travel with a group like I had, shit happens. Between Zevran who wanted to get in every woman's bed in the camp, he even tried with Alistair; Oghren who will have us getting drunk tasting his concoctions, Sten getting us fat with his delicious roasted rams, Leliana pranking everyone and I playing with my dog all the time instead of helping? Every time we would get to a town, Alistair would buy cheese that smelled all the way to Antiva; I used to give him statuettes I would find; he refused to give up on the bag filled with them even when we went to the Deep Roads, and got attacked by a broodmother. Poor Wynne would try to keep us focused without so much success and Morrigan just gave up on being the haughty bitch she was at the beginning. By the time we united all our allies, she would sing with Leliana in front of the camp fire. We had dire times too, and many days I had to bite my nails waiting for this or that companion to recover from a mortal wound but now when I look back, I say that I lived a good life."
"You mean that you miss those days?" – Cullen was curious; Azzura never spoke about her life during the Blight. He chastised himself because he knew that by some extent it was his refusal to listen to her reason for leaving the Circle that she never mentioned her adventures before.
"I don't miss the war, the Deep Roads or the freezing nights in a tent, I do miss the companions and their friendship. Meeting Leliana again? It is one of the wonderful gifts the life could give me. Meeting you again? I wouldn't change anything of what happened, if that meant to bring me back to you."
Maxwell smiled knowingly at the blushing Commander and Varric scribbled in frenzy on his notebook.
"Snowy? Would you tell us more stories? Please?" – Varric gave her his best grin, and he stopped suddenly. "Shit! Tell me that we won't go in the Deep Roads! I hate that place. I told Hawke once, she promised me that we won't go; what was the next thing she did? She took me in that expedition; it was me who made it happen."
"I promise you that we won't go there; I hate that place even more than you do. The Korkari Wilds don't have entrances to underground … as far as I know."
Varric sighed, unhappy. "You are Adeline's cousin; I don't take your promise seriously. When someone joins one of Amells or Hawkes … "
Maxwell and Cullen said together. "Shit happens!"
Just when they were trying to calm down, Maxwell eyed a group of young people coming towards them.
The perpetual quadruplet of friends – three Templars and a Mage – full dressed in their battle armor, stopped in front of the Inquisitor. Cullen, Azzura and Maxwell said the same word in tandem. "No!"
"But why? We trained so hard in the last months; if we can't have a real fight how we suppose to know that we are fit for war?" – Evelyn was upset now, throwing angered glances at her brother. "You want me to stay here only because I am your sister, no?"
Maxwell sighed and took her hands in his. "Evie, it's not that. I just don't want you to go right now."
"Ser Chantelle! Where are your recruits? I don't think I gave you permission to leave them. A Commander never abandons his troops and just goes around by himself."
"Oh, really? It's not that what are you doing right now … Ser?" – Cullen narrowed his eyes at her, Ryan like usual plucked his hair and Michael almost whimpered in shame.
The Herald had to laugh again watching his Commander's face. Cullen just couldn't understand how Chantelle was such a big mouth; at her age he was always the respectful Templar, maybe that's why. And the Commander retaliated.
"Chantelle Valmont! Saddle all our horses or you will face a greater punishment … say, latrine duty for one week. And don't think you can get rid of it because even if I am away, I will have people watching for you. "– Chantelle blinked at her Commander and tried to protest, Cullen barked. "Now!"
Ryan sighed in defeat. "I'm so sorry, Ser. I try to keep her in check but she escapes all the time. Don't get me wrong, she has respect for the authority, but since she was a bit sheltered by our Knight- Captain, well, sometimes she just forgets that other officers are not like Lawrence."
Maxwell tried to diffuse the bad mood settled over the young ones' faces. "I know you want to prove yourself in battle and I will give you a chance. You and your men will come with me to the Plains."
They all looked after the happy warriors with a certain amount of anguish. "They are so young. I am afraid for them."
"I know Herald. At least they go to fight knowing what to expect; I had no such chance. And still, I wish I could keep them here, safe." – Azzura was sad for a moment, thinking that she had to learn how to fight when no one taught her how to keep a sword, in the Circle.
They left behind Skyhold, the ruins of what once was the village of Heaven, the charred remains of the Temple of the Sacred Ashes looming the horizon and the melting snows of the Frostback Mountains to enter Ferelden. Every time when they stopped to some Inquisition camp Azzura would be amazed at how well organized they were and how the soldiers would receive their Commander. She was happy with the anonymous armor she decided to wear; people would think that she was another Grey Warden and nothing more; that peace lasted until she approached the lands of the Arl of Redcliffe.
The Warden- Commander spent her entire journey to the Hinterlands talking with everyone and sharing her stories, much to Varric's delight. Cullen was more than often at her side, riding Tempest. After he found out that he will go with her, the Commander couldn't give the horse to her as promised but he made it up in greatness. Trough Josie's contacts and due to Maxwell's courtesy, now Azzura had an all-white stallion named Storm. It was the best it could offer one of Trevelyan's friends.
Cullen brought his horse near Azzura's one and they both rode in silence; once in a while he would take her hand and give it a small squeeze with a cocky smile; Azzura would try to make him stay behind and convince him to dismount to show him this place or that ruin, but Cullen would just laugh wickedly and run ahead pretending to check his soldiers.
After one of those failed attempts to drag him out of sight, Azzura huffed in rage.
"When I will get a hold on you, Templar…"
"He's not a Templar anymore; and what was that? Did he just leave you on dry land?"
Dorian smirked and summoned a small fire ball at his fingertips. "You want me to convince him that he should come back?"
She had to laugh at the Tevinter mage. "Maybe I should bind him in his sleep and steal him away. He decided to play hard-to-catch with me. Maybe I deserved it."
"That doesn't sound much like the Commander I know. You changed him."
"What do you mean?"
"Before your arrival he would stay locked in his tower, running drills with the recruits until they fell on the ground exhausted, and he was always in bad mood. I never saw this part of him before; I like it actually. Or, I liked it until he got smug over defeating me at chess."
"He still plays then? We used to play a lot; only Lucas would beat him almost all the time." – A shadow descended upon Azzura's happy mood. Dorian noticed it and touched her arm in comfort.
"What's wrong?"
"Lucas was one of our friends in Kinloch Hold. Whatever you talk to Cullen, please don't ever mention Lucas or the Circle for that matter. It's a sensitive spot for him; as it is for me too. I can talk about what happened then, but Cullen is still keeping inside all the pain. Lucas and some of our friends, they died in the uprising with Uldred's blood mages."
"Yes, I have heard about that. It was something my mentor mentioned often; he said that the Southern mages were fools thinking to use blood magic. Ferelden was no Tevinter, they were not prepared."
"Do you approve blood magic?" – Azzura's eyes became cold; Dorian felt a pang of fear at the sudden change he witnessed.
"No, I don't. My father … tried to change me, with blood magic. I can't forgive him for that" – He took a deep breath looking in distance – "I can't forgive him for trying to change me, but he is my father still. I still love him and remember the man he was before. What can I do?"
"My mother loved me until I showed signs of magic. Since that day, she changed. I was the curse in her family. So I stopped caring for her. I miss my father even now; he wanted to ship me to Tevinter or raise me as an apostate; he never wanted me to end up in the Gallows. Who knows? I might be dead now."- A sad smile showed up on her lips – "It was a Templar with a good heart who saved me for the Gallows. He took me to Ferelden without saying anything to the Kirkwall's Chantry."
Dorian hesitated a few seconds before asking the next question. "Do you believe that Tevinter can change? For the better I mean. Could they decide that blood magic doesn't worth and stop practicing?"
"I don't think it will be a sudden change, Dorian. It takes time to convince the Magisterium that people, like slaves and those born without the magical gift, are valuable all the same. The Divine is trying to slowly move the boat in that direction, but he can't do that openly, at least not now."
The Tevinter mage was skeptic. "No Divine of my knowing would accept less power than it needs. The late Urian is the proof. Even one of the Lord Seekers was fooled by his so called good doer attitude. They all fall to temptation; sooner or later, Demetrius III will follow the same path. Blood magic is bad, and yet, people will choose this way over others. Mark my words; when this will happen, I hope you will be able to cope with the disappointment. You seem to appreciate the man very much. I don't know you very well, except that the Commander is quite taken with you, but I know you well enough to understand that your soul is unaltered by greed and power. You tend to give others the same qualities you have; please don't trust people too much or you might get hurt in the process."
"Demetrius is different. I can't talk about his past with you, but I assure you that the Shadowhunters checked it. They didn't let anything slip. Demetrius is reliable; he won't resort to blood magic."
"I have to admit that I don't know that man so well. I've heard Alexius saying that the new Divine was incorruptible due to some indiscretions happened in his own family. Demetrius' rise to power was a surprise to anyone in Tevinter. What was even more surprising? The Magisterium's unanimity in his election. Do you know how could that be? The election is behind closed doors and we the lower class, don't get a saying at all, less knowing all the details."
Azzura fought against the urge to run away. Dorian asked too many questions for his own good. She had answers, but those answers were only for those who would die after hearing them. Five years spent inside the secretive Order allowed her to know everything about the internal politics; the Magisterium's machinations rivaled with the Great Game in Orlais. Who was a poor player, died. The survivors took the pot and much more. But above all of this there were shadowy figures that watched and took advantage of those secrets and favors they were able to discover or gain. The Shadowhunters lived in the shadow, like their Order's name. Slowly, they started to shape and change the course of the history in Tevinter. Outside they were just the Divine's personal guardians and blood mage hunters on occasions. What people ignored was the fact that the Shadowhunters ruled over the Magisterium since the Schism between the Chantries. They were a reminiscence of the old Seekers of the Truth, sworn to protect the people from North against foul magic. While the South Seekers based their power on direct approach, the Shadowhunters liked to use subtlety and subterfuge. Azzura smiled at the thought; Leliana would love being part of the Shadowhunters. She looked at the mage, evaluating him and trying to understand where he fit in the whole picture.
After a long pause, Azzura took a decision to reveal one of the most well kept secrets. Only four people knew, Valeria being dead; she was the master mind behind that plan. If something slipped away, Dorian Pavus will be taken care of, discretely.
"Urian Nihalius was killed. Same death he used for his predecessor; call it the Divine vengeance."
Dorian gasped. "You know more, isn't it? The Shadowhunters killed him?"
"You are a quick thinker; I don't know if it is for your own benefit in this case. Yes, we took care of the problem. And we helped convincing the Magisterium that they need to agree to Demetrius' election."
"And you thought that extortion and blackmail work well? What if they plot to overthrow him? And your Order too?"
"Don't take us for fools, Altus Pavus. We know that that could be a possibility; that's why we stay always vigilant."
Dorian scoffed. "Vigilance. It is not the Warden's oath? And this goes to another question; you are a Warden, they don't involve in politics, and yet, you are deep in it. We don't count that you are also a noble from Ferelden and have ties with King Alistair. Imagine if someone puts all the treads together? They won't think of you as one of the Shadowhunters or even a Warden, they will jump straight to the King's throat saying that he sent you to meddle in Tevinter's politics."
"That's why only a few know my real name. In Tevinter I am known as Azzura Caius."
If a demon showed up in that moment, Dorian would have let it approach without even noticing it. "You must be joking!"
"I'm not, believe me."
"It is impossible. Magister Hadrian Caius disappeared forty years ago. He was discredited by the Magisterium because he killed all his slaves!"
"That was the official accusation, yes. Magister Caius was a Shadowhunter too. He was sent undercover to Kirkwall, to spy. That's simple as it gets."
"All right, I will buy it; you choose a good cover."
"It's not a cover. He was my father."
"Maferat's balls! You can't be serious!"
"Yes, I am. He married Revka Amell and I was born from their union. I thought you would ask why I have a Tevene name by now."
"Azzura is common in Tevinter and I thought it was an endearment, chosen by your eccentric parents."
"My real name is Azzura Solona Amell. When my mother refused to love me for being a mage, I kept only my first name, given by my father."
Dorian passed a hand through his hair, bewildered beyond measure. "That's quite the revelation. So, if you have a seat in the Magisterium, why don't take it?"
"I agreed that that is not my calling. The Caius seat will be given to a new family, worthy of it."
"So you can be their puppeteer?"
"No. When I say a worthy family, I say someone we can trust to work with; someone who wants the changes we do, as equals."
Saying this she gave him a meaningful look which Dorian failed to comprehend. When he realized, Azzura was riding towards Cullen. The mage shouted after her.
"You can't do this to me! I have … plans!"
Laughing she waved at him over her shoulder. "Think about it! It will be grand!"
Cullen was busy talking to the scouts ahead; Azzura left her eyes wonder over his body. The ex-Templar was well aware of being observed but pretended to be clueless. From her furrowed brow and the slight pout, he could deduce that Azzura was quite at the end of her patience with him. Being desired felt so good.
They were camped outside Redcliffe and soon the people passing by started to whisper, looking in awe to the Warden Mage.
"It's her! I tell you! It's the Hero, she's back!"
"I can't ask her! You want me to go there and ask?"
"I remember! I was at the battle of Denerim. She came back with that hair; no one has her hair in Ferelden."
All the doubts were put to rest when a messenger entered in the camp asking about the Arlessa of Amaranthine. A reluctant Warden- Commander went out of her tent, lips pursed in disagreement.
"And so goes down the hill my anonymous passing by."
People's eyes lit in delighted surprise but no one dared to come closer; everyone keeping their distance from the messenger but still in the ear's shot to be able to hear anything.
"Yes? How can I help you?"
"My Lady, Arl Teagan heard about your return and he wanted to invite you to the Castle. He said that I should wait for an answer."
Smiling she took the letter and sent the messenger to find something to eat and have a rest before going back to Redcliffe Castle.
Cullen approached her but didn't dare to pry; Azzura smiled and broke the sigil, keeping the letter so he could read it too.
"Your Ladyship,
The King informed me that the Inquisition is going to Ostagar and you will be with them. I would like to invite you and the Commander of the Inquisition's Forces to join me for lunch tomorrow. We have plenty to discuss and I would like to express my thanks for the way the Herald provided with restoring my Castle."
Teagan Guerrin,
Arl of Redcliffe"
PS. Forgive the formality, Alfstanna insisted and I had no other choice. See you tomorrow."
"I have to admit; it's a shame that Leliana couldn't find you when she needed you. Your relationship with a lot of people would have been invaluable when the Inquisition started. You could have been our leader now." – Cullen was surprised to read Teagan's letter and see how he addressed her.
She fumbled with the letter; it was not easy to open up to him. She still had a lot of things that she couldn't tell him without being afraid of his reaction. She knew that she had to be honest with him, but the fear of losing him again made her weak, unable to let the words come out.
Leliana's words came to mind; "If you want to have a chance with Cullen, you have to tell him the truth; all of it. He won't take it lightly if you lie to him again. So, don't do it, I beg you."
Azzura cupped his cheek, a finger touching his scar tenderly. "I don't think so. For a long time I wasn't myself. I had difficulties and the only salvation it was Valeria, the Tevinter Magister. Hiding me in Minrathous it was the best she could do for me."
"Why? What happened to you? When?"
"It's a long story, Cullen. And if you will hear it, you will hate me. I know it will hurt you, a lot."
He tried to deny it but she stopped his words on his lips with a light kiss.
"Don't say it. I know you will. You will feel betrayed once again; even if it is in the past right now. I will tell you everything after we return from Redcliffe."
He nodded and embraced her, his arms tight around her waist. Azzura inhaled his scent and closed her eyes; content that after all the time spent apart she had the chance to be in his arms again. A small part of her hoped that he will understand her ordeal but that didn't quell the insecurity that everything might go wrong.
Denerim, Royal Palace
Alistair sat at his desk and rolled the quill between his fingers. She came back to Ferelden; she will be so close and yet so far from him. He raised his eyes and let them wander around the shelves lined in his personal office. All the small statuettes and coins she gave him while running around Ferelden to save the world, all of them were lined around. He could remember every small moment when she gave him each piece and what she told him.
"Alistair! For the love of the Gods! You have to give up on that bag; the emissary is at our heels!"
"No! I won't! You gave them to me; I can't let your gifts rot in the Deep Roads!"
"The stones don't rot Alistair! Fuck! Moooove!"
The darkspawn catches up with them, he puts down the bag and jumps straight at the emissary and smites it. Azzura tries to put a barrier on him and Morrigan changes into that horrible spider she's fond of. Leliana rains arrows on the horde and the other companions just try to not get overwhelmed. And all that because he refused to leave his bag with statuettes behind.
When everything was done he just kissed her and smirked, hugging his precious bag.
"See? The darkspawn won't have any gifts today; because they were bad kids."
He loved her so much those days; and she loved him back, he knew it, but the past years and the long distances between them, also the way how he treated her, made them two strangers. Or so he believed until he got her first letter from Highever.
Her letters were filled with joy and happiness and that humorous talk he loved; she told him that she still loved him, but like a best friend, someone she would care too much to consider only an acquaintance. She said that they had a history together, a history that can't be so easily forgotten, and he was happy with that. His heart had a new road to pursue, a road that ten years ago he loathed even thinking of it.
Walking towards the shelves, Alistair opened a secret compartment created especially for the item contained in it. A staff made of silverite, Azzura loved it. It had vines carved along the shaft and on top, a blue gem surrounded by smaller ones. He remembered that when she had it with her it glowed with a frosty aura, now it was spent, but the memory of her using it never faded. It was the Final Reason, she enchanted it many times to raise its power, and with it she defeated the Archdemon. She forgot it when they last met, on top of the Palace; she ran away from him leaving it behind. He kept it all these years, a reminder of his own stupidity and lack of will; and maybe because it was the only thing that belonged to her and having it made him feel her closer.
Anora showed up in the doorframe but didn't dare to enter and disturb him. Her King was in sorrowful mood again; it was some time since she found him like that; the last time she remembered it was before their first real conversation, many years ago. Then, Alistair had his eyes filled with tears and he clutched that mage staff to his chest like it was the last thing in this world keeping him grounded, now he smiled and looked at it with pride and love.
The Queen sighed, no matter what he believed or did; the Warden had always a special place in her King's heart. She tried to go away unnoticed but her gown betrayed her making a noise. Alistair turned and smiled, still keeping the staff. That was something new too, because when he got caught before, he tried to hide it away.
"You're here. Come in, why did you stopped in the door?"
"I thought that you need your privacy; or maybe you were trying to discover that you have the magic gift."
He looked at the staff and smiled again. "Oh, this is Azzura's. I was … remembering … things. You know she will be at Ostagar for a while?"
Anora knew of course, and she was afraid of what will come next.
"Will … you go to meet her?"
He took the last letter from the Warden and gave it to Anora. "Read. She has no respect for her King."
"Alistair,
I know you can't wait to escape from your palace, but I hereby forbid you to come here. I can't afford to have the King of Ferelden strolling in the Korkari Wilds with the darkspawn roaming around. I know you would like to see me, and the feeling is mutual; but you have to understand that the closer you are to Orlais; the false Calling could reach to you. I will come to Denerim once we finished our job here, I promise. Don't roll your eyes to the letter – I know you do it – it's in our best interests to have you away right now.
Send my regards to the Queen.
Yours. Azzura."
PS. As a Warden- Commander of Ferelden I can make it official and order you to stay put."
Alistair laughed when Anora looked at him with a questioning look.
"Don't worry, I replied the way she likes it, and much more. The Arlessa of Amaranthine will have to declare a stand-off."
The King took Anora's hand and dragged her to his chest. "I missed …" – They were interrupted by a cough and a snicker.
"My-my! You don't blush anymore. And you feel comfortable around beautiful women. Wynne would be proud of you. "
Startled, the couple parted in haste. Alistair kept Anora behind his back, protecting her. When he saw the intruder he relaxed. "Zevran. What took you so long to come? Andraste's Flaming sword, man!"
"I was busy with a job given to me by our own Princess of Murder"
"I hope you don't say that loud when you talk to Leliana."
Smirking, Zevran took a vase with a plant in it; the red flowers gave a heavenly perfume.
"My beautiful Queen! I brought this all the way from Antiva; just for you. It's a rare orchid."
Anora smiled delighted and gave an appraising look to the strange elf. Zevran winked at her.
"Hey! Stop your seduction tricks, right now! She is my Queen!"
"But that doesn't mean that she is not a woman, no?"
Anora invited the Antivan to have dinner with both she and the King and left them to their manly business. Later they will start to put in motion their plan to trap an Arl. Also she was giddy with joy because Alistair said that she was his Queen and marked his territory. Maybe there was hope yet.