Disclaimer: Bioware owns all, except what I most humbly imagine. While, at times, I will take verbatim from the game, I attempt to use the events of the Dragon Age games, expansions and universe as a loose structure around which to construct my re-imagined tale. If you are looking for a strict canon piece, I have no desire to offend, and so I warn you upfront that I will divert from the traditional tale.

When reading these stories, I hope you can easily imagine it being told by the very best of storytellers in Varric Tethras (from DA:2). In my version of events, Varric meets "The Hero" (Elissa Cousland) in Kirkwall during the time period of DA:2. I mention this only so that readers can understand his connection along the way, and so I don't have to mention and rehash it again and again as I make my way through the tale.

A/N: Another little snippet of conversation between Varric and Nathaniel.

Muse Music: Count On Me by Martin Page.

Edit posted 10/3/2012.

Thanks to my readers, followers and reviewers and to my awesome beta artemiskat.

Happy Reading!

-Frayed One

Chapter Thirteen: Stand Within the Storm

"I remember these letters…" The Archer thumbed the worn parchment with a slight smile on his face; eyes scanning the words before he slid them back across the table and into my hands. "Hard to believe we were ever those people; so devoted, so sure of our… destiny."

"Aren't you sure now?" I tucked the letters back in with the rest and watched him mull over my question as he refilled his tankard of ale.

"Sometimes I am more certain than I ever was back then, and others…" He shook his head, taking a long drink and leaning back in his chair. "Others I'm not so certain that witch wasn't right when she said we'd doom each other."

Dearest Nathaniel,

I struggle to find the right words to write to you, though I have never struggled in the past. Before you begin to worry (I can already see your eyebrows knitting together in concern) this is not because of what happened between us this summer. At least not in a negative way. It's only that I now find when I think of you, my mind is drawn to rather inappropriate places and I cannot recover.

I spend much of my time flushed with fever at the very idea of being near you again. Fergus has inquired as to my thoughts on several such occasions, thus I have found it necessary to avoid him often, or to force myself not to think of you at all until I find myself alone.

I long for fall in Amaranthine.

Delilah has written to me and revealed your father's most… unpleasant… reaction to your accepting my request to serve as escort at the ball, and the punishments you have been subjected to as a result. I cannot express how sorry I am that you have suffered such things because of me. I would not fault you if you were to choose to end your association with me before it goes any further. It would certainly cause you less stress in your daily life.

I do, however, sincerely hope that you choose to stay with me. I would find myself heartbroken in your absence.

With great affection,

Elissa

To the Ever Beautiful Elissa Cousland,

Know that anything I have suffered as a result of my choice to attend this summer's festivities as your personal escort was worth every second I got to spend with you. Given the chance to do so, I would gladly make the same choice again, regardless of what my father might do in retaliation for what he views as rash disobedience on my part. I have served my sentence - as it were – and things seem to be back to normal once again.

I hope that what I am about to reveal to you does not come as too much of a surprise, and if it does manage to catch you off guard, it is at least a pleasant one.

I have written your father to request permission to begin officially courting you. I also made it clear to my father that I intended to do so, and I believe once he sees that the teyrn has given his approval, he will find it was not such a rash decision. I am very serious when it comes to having you at my side.

I expect a reply any day, and as your father was nothing but gracious the night of your announcement, I expect he will allow it.

Once we are in a proper and public relationship, I see no reason why Father's displeasure with me should continue. To my knowledge, he has always desired a union between our families. I think a great deal of his irritation lies in the knowledge that while his attempts to match you with Thomas failed; I succeeded in securing your affections on my own and without him knowing for certain that I have acted properly and in a manner that will not disgrace our family in the eyes of your mother and father.

You must understand, my parents did not marry for love as yours did, so the concept of what you and I share is difficult for Father to wrap his mind around.

You do not suffer your fever alone. I suffer with you. I sleep little and think too much, and always of you. I too long for fall.

Lost without you,

Nathaniel

"It's a shame your siblings weren't able to recover more of the letters from that summer." I poured myself another tankard and started to drink before he interrupted me.

"There aren't any others." He shrugged when I looked up, turning his eyes toward the flames in the hearth – a sure sign he didn't really want to talk about whatever he was about to reveal. "One of Elissa's letters came with the seal half broken. Delilah suspected our correspondence was being monitored. These were the only two real letters written, smuggled through Delilah and Fergus. The rest of the letters were fodder intended to keep whomever was watching us from suspecting anything as they most certainly would have if we'd simply stopped writing altogether."

"Your father was tracking your post?"

"It's possible." He cleared his throat, running a thumb against the patch of hair below his lip in contemplation. "It could have just as easily been Thomas. At this point it doesn't matter… either way we'll never know. Dead men tell no tales."