The sun had nearly reached its zenith by the time Nathaniel arrived back at camp. It had been his intention to set forth early, but complications in Amaranthine had arisen to delay him. He needed urgently to speak with the commander yet, upon entering the clearing, the camp appeared to be oddly deserted. No fire burned in the pit and only embering ashes remained as evidence that one had been there previously. The flap of Gwenna's tent hung open and both she and Anders' horses were still tethered nearby. Perhaps the commander had gone hunting for their morning meal, realizing that Nathaniel would not be making a hasty return. But then, if that were the case, why were her daggers cast haphazardly on the ground near the campfire, unsheathed? The commander was ordinarily extremely fastidious about the care of her blades, which made the scene even more unsettling. It looked as though something had taken the senior warden by surprise. What in the bowels of Thedas was going on here? Nathaniel took a step toward the Anders' tent.

Gwenna and Anders had slept late. Very late. Gwenna was spectacularly comfortable, cozied under the luxe layers of Anders' furs with the mage curled at her back, their bare limbs twining together like the shoots of some thirsty, heat-drinking vine. Nestled between them, was the warm weight of a softly purring Ser-Pounce-A-Lot. It appeared that Anders' small familiar wielded his own special power; that of keeping the two warden lovers over late in the sanctuary of their bed.

Anders' course scruff tickled the back of her neck, but she didn't bother moving. Even sleeping, it would cause him only to nuzzle closer if she tried to pull away. On second thought, she decided, maybe that was a perfect reason for her to do that very thing. She gently tried to untangle herself from his grasp, anticipating the usual dreamy murmuring that accompanied the feel of his arms groping blindly to reclaim her.

"And just where do you think you're going," came his entirely coherent demand.

Gwenna giggled mischievously. "Making you chase me," she told him.

Before she could get free, Anders snared her in a quick embrace. "Gotcha," he said, running his hands eagerly along the curves of her body. He nibbled at the back of her neck and she felt him rise to attention against her backside. Despite herself, Gwenna gave him a purr of encouragement.

In the next moment, as if out of nowhere, they became simultaneously aware of the sound of clinking armor and leathery footsteps as someone approached the tent.

'Nathaniel!' realized Gwenna, with wave of trepidation.

Before either of them had time to move, the flap of the tent was flung wide, leaving Gwenna and Anders exposed. Anders leapt into action, one hand flinging covers at Gwenna in an attempt to conceal her nudity, the other reaching frantically to close the tent. Sir-Pounce-A-Lot whined indignantly, displeased at the disruption of his slumber.

Nathaniel stood, dumbfounded, for a moment, unable to process what he was seeing. Then, realization landed and he slammed his eyes shut, backing away swiftly, in the direction of the fire pit.

Gwenna and Anders exchanged a horrified glance.

"Andraste's flaming sword!" Cursed Anders, " How did we not hear his horse approaching?"

"I don't know," replied Gwenna with an incredulous shake of her head. "That's not good, though. What if that had been a Darkspawn attack? Or- well, anything?"

Anders nodded slowly. "We let ourselves get far too distracted, an armature blunder. I believe we learned a lesson here today, Gwen. Thanks be to the Maker it wasn't anything more grim."

Gwenna's response was dismal. "Sometimes I really wish I could give all this up and just have a normal life."

"No you don't," he said. "And remember what I said to you last night. For as long as you'll have me. I mean it, Gwen, no matter what. Anders brushed his lips against hers. "Now- flip you for who gets to go out there and handle Nathaniel?"

Nathaniel had set work to rebuilding the campfire, if for no other reason than to busy himself, and to focus his thoughts. Everyone had suspected that something was developing between Anders and the commander, but Nathaniel had not been aware that the relationship had become a physical one. Not that he disapproved. Nathaniel had come, in recent weeks, to be quite fond of his Grey Warden companions, and he felt that Gwenna and the mage were a good personality match. It was his blue-blooded sense of propriety that was tormenting him presently.

First of all, there was the simple embarrassment of catching his friends in the midst of carnal pleasure; made even more awkward by the fact that one of them was his superior officer. Then, there was the unavoidable reality that Gwenna was an incredibly attractive woman. It wasn't that Nathaniel had any romantic inkling toward the commander, he didn't. If anything he thought of her as a feisty sister, one that he felt obligated to protect whenever she managed to get herself into some nasty scrape which, in her case, was often. Still, he was no less a man for all that. It had been a long time since he'd enjoyed the touch of a woman and he was having a hard time pushing the thought of Gwenna's naked flesh, not to mention her exalted expression, out of his mind.

'How in bloody Thedas am I supposed to look her in they eyes now?' He thought, disgusted with himself, 'Bollocks!'

Gwenna had decided that it was best if she was the one who handled things with Nathaniel. She approached him carefully, still having no idea what she planned to say, or how she might muster the gumption to look him in the face

"Good morning, Nathaniel," she said, "or afternoon, as I suspect."

Nathaniel turned slowly around, feeling relived when he saw that she was clad in full armor with her hair tightly bound, all commander again. He prayed that his unchivalrous thoughts were not plastered across his face.

"My lady," he began. " Commander, You have my sincerest apologies. I did not realize..."

"No, it's my fault. I was being careless. We both were, which is unacceptable." She told him. "I just want you to know, that this is not what it looks like. I really care about Anders. Well, I care about all of my wardens, obviously, but this is different."

"Lady, you don't owe me an explanation," said Nathaniel.

"I feel like I do," Gwenna told him. "I don't want you thinking that I make a habit out of casually cavorting with my wardens, with no regard for consequence. Anders is… special to me. However, I understand that we could've potentially compromised the mission, letting our guards down as we did today. I assure that will not happen again."

"Lady Gwenna," said Nathaniel, "may I speak to you as a friend?"

"Of course," she told him.

"The mage is a good man, if a little unorthodox. It seems to me that two of you bring out the best in each other, which, in my personal experience, is a rarity. Also, I believe he genuinely cares about you, so what right have I to disapprove?" He admitted, "That said, if he hurts you, I will kill him.

Gwenna gave him an affectionate hug. "Thanks, Nate," she said.

"Any time, lady," Grinned Nathaniel. "You know you really do remind me of my sister. She was always very much her own woman, precocious, and entirely impossible."

Gwenna smiled at him.

"Talking about me again?" This from Anders.

Nathaniel turned to the mage. "Not this time, actually. I was just telling the commander how much she reminded me of my sister; wayward and difficult."

"That she is," said Anders," but we wouldn't have her any other way."

"No, I suppose we wouldn't," agreed Nathaniel.

"So sorry that you had to lug all those camping supplies out here for nothing," said Anders.

"Better to carry a load of supplies back and forth to Amaranthine than a body bag," he said. "It is good to see you well friend."

Then out of the commander's earshot, "And I see that you were being well tended to in my absence."

Anders colored. He gazed intently at his boots.

"You didn't think I was going to let it slide completely, now did you?" Nathaniel's grin was uncharacteristically sly. "Particularly not with you."

Anders was intensely red. He couldn't even look at his comrade in arms, much less speak. His expression was tortured.

Nathaniel laughed. "Forgive me, friend," he said, "I admit I may be capitalizing on this rare opportunity to see you squirm. It's nice to know that even the Untouchable Anders is capable of getting flustered every now and again."

Anders quailed. "I imagine I deserved that."

"You understand she's no plaything, I hope?"

At this, Anders looked up. Fixing his gaze on the older man he said, "I assure you, Ser Howe, my intentions are honorable. I love her, as it turns out."

"I see, " said Nathaniel, wavering between surprise and amusement. 'Anders- in love, of all things!'

"Have you told her this?" He then asked the mage.

Anders shook his head. "Not in so many words," he said. "I want to, of course, but given her history, I'm afraid it's too much too soon."

"You mean her history with the king, I take it?"

"So you know about that?"

"It doesn't require an expert sleuth to figure it out," said Nathaniel, "Alistair has not yet mastered the art of discretion."

Anders raised his eyebrows at Nathaniel's cavalier omission of the king's title.

"I knew the boy before he was a king," explained Nathaniel. "Kingship has not changed him overmuch."

Anders was surprised at Nathaniel's overt derision, though he supposed he shouldn't have been. The Howes had been in league with Teryn Loghain, after all. Though, Nathaniel hadn't been directly involved with that, had he? Anders remembered him saying he'd been away in the Free Marches at the time. Perhaps it was simply a matter of loyalty to Gwenna. Gwenna had inspired a fierce protectiveness in her companions, though the commander was probably the one among them that required the least amount of protecting. Regardless, Anders was glad for her that she was the recipient of such devotion. He was also pleased to discover that he, himself, had an ally. Apparently there was a first for everything.

"Do you think I should tell her?" He asked.

Nathaniel ruminated on this for a moment. Then he said, "I think you are wise to consider the circumstances. In this situation, I believe that showing her how you feel will be more effective than telling her. Our commander is a woman of action. I presume this has much to do with the fact that, in her experience to date, words have often proven false."

"Yes," agreed Anders. "For one so genuine-hearted that must be devastating."

"I suspect that is precisely what it has been for her," said Nathaniel.

The two men stood considering each other for a long moment, a newfound respect germinating between them.

"Thank you, Nathaniel," said Anders after a time. "Truly."

"Just take care of her mage, that is all I ask," he said, "She deserves it."

Anders nodded solemnly. Then he said, "One last thing, Nathaniel. Can we keep this quiet for the time being? I don't want it to somehow undermine her authority as Commander of the Grey Wardens."

Nathaniel gave him an approving look. "You are astute in your thinking, as always, Ser Mage. You have my word."