A/N: I debated most of the night about whether to end this chapter the way I did or change it. I finally decided, after much tinkering, and a few coin flips, to just leave it as originally written.
Also, thank you to all who are reviewing, lurking and alerting. You make my day that much brighter.

Dizzy

The ride back was a blur for Leonie. The comfort of Loghain's arms around her lulled her into sleep but the moment he discovered she had dozed off, he would dig his fingers into her side and her eyes would fly open.

It was the sound of his heart, she thought sleepily, the rhythm of it pulsing through her as she turned her head and leaned into him. Strong and alive just beneath her ear. She wondered what it would feel like, with her head resting gently against the warmth of his skin, his heartbeat steady against her ear. Would it speed up if she touched him? She let one hand rest against his toned thigh. She could feel the ripple of the muscles working as he guided the horse and she knew her heart sped up at the touch. As she nestled against him, she found that his heart had sped up as well and that made a smile curve along her lips. Perhaps he was not just a figure carved in stone and ice after all.

Her eyes drifted shut again and she felt the warmth of his breath against her ear as he ordered, "Stay awake, Commander."

She would have to do something about that commander nonsense, she thought dizzily, as her eyes drifted shut again. Her hand slid down his thigh as she dozed off again and he jerked under her touch, which in turn made her jerk and then hiss sharply as the pain ripped through her head again.

"Sorry," she mumbled and then closed her eyes again. Maker, she was so tired.

"Damn it, Commander, stay awake," Loghain growled into her ear and she fought off a giggle at the tickling sensation of his breath against the sensitive skin.

"You need not shout, Loghain. I am right here," she whispered and tried to keep her eyes from closing.

"I am not shouting and must you move around so much?" he argued and his voice was a reverberation of sound from his chest through her back and she smiled again.

"If I do not move I will not stay awake," she disagreed and leaned back against him once more. It was all she remembered until she felt arms around her and her eyes opened to stare into Varel's eyes.

"Commander," he said matter-of-factly, as if carrying her up the winding staircase was an everyday occurrence.

"Varel. It is good to see you," she replied softly with a ghost of a smile.

"And you as well, Commander," he answered solemnly.

"Do not be angry with me, Varel. I have invited several families to come and live here. They will work for room and board," she continued and then drifted back asleep.

The next thing she was aware of was Anders lecturing her, bent over her with a face set in such serious lines she barely recognized him as he swam in and out of her vision. The room seemed to be slowly revolving and the motion made her faintly queasy.

"Three days, Lion," Anders instructed with surprising firmness.

"Absolutely not. We leave tomorrow as planned," Leonie returned with equal firmness although she felt herself nodding in agreement.

"Two days," Anders compromised, folding his arms across his chest. Did he have a twin? There seemed to be two of him giving her grim looks.

"One day," Leonie countered and smiled, unsure which one she was smiling at. She blinked several times until only one Anders remained.

The remaining Anders frowned. "One day, but you stay in bed the entire day."

"A fine compromise, my dear Anders," Leonie replied with another drowsy smile.

"I mean it, Lion. In bed the entire day. If I have to put wards around the bed, I will."

Leonie nodded and then groaned as the movement caused her headache to intensify. "Except for a bath, which you can certainly agree I need," she added.

"I'll be happy to help you with that, just to make sure you don't pass out again or anything," he commented with a suggestive waggle of his golden brows.

"I think perhaps not. Although your concern is touching."

Anders grinned with a shrug of his shoulders. "Can't blame me for trying."

His whispered spell invaded her pain, whisking it away momentarily. "I will never admit this to Loghain, and if you tell him I will deny it vehemently, but he was right. I had no business riding the lands alone. I am lucky it was my own clumsiness that caused my accident. Luckier still that he found me."

"I'll be sure to pass that along to Loghain," the selfsame man said, entering the room with a smug expression.

"Have I mentioned eavesdropping is a most despicable habit?"

"Hardly eavesdropping. You do realize you're shouting, don't you?" Loghain remarked and his smirk stretched into a very small smile.

"I am?" Leonie blinked again, several times. And then sighed. The room continued to revolve.

"Not uncommon with a concussion. You probably have a ringing in your ears," Anders explained and Leonie closed her eyes against her sudden blush.

"A symptom you might have mentioned, along with telling me to lower my voice," she hissed at the healer.

Without a sign of remorse, Anders nodded and then stood up again. "No sleeping for the next few hours, Lion. If you feel yourself nodding off, shake yourself. Or better yet, I'll stay and read to you."

"That is not at all necessary. While I promise to stay in bed, I do not promise to just lie here doing nothing. If you would send Varel up here, I would be most grateful."

"No." Loghain's voice, implacable and unyielding.

Leonie turned and looked at the man, who was standing with his arms crossed, his scowl once again in place. There was only one of him. That was all that was necessary, his powerful presence filled the room.

"No? Need I remind you who the commander is?" she asked, faintly indignant.

"Need I remind you that a concussion can cause confusion and it is therefore customary for the second in command to take charge when a commander suffers from one?" he asked, his ire painting his words with sarcasm.

"Need I remind you that –"

"Now children, no fighting," Anders said with a grin and then he waved as he beat a hasty retreat.

"There are times when I cannot fathom why I conscripted him," she said plaintively.

Loghain's chuckle was deep and rich. "Your order has a habit of conscripting odd people."

She cast him a glare that hurt her head far more than it hurt his feelings. "Such scurrilous remarks against an order you now belong to is beneath you, Loghain Mac Tir," she chided.

"Now, care to tell me what happened?" he asked, ignoring her remark. He dragged a chair over and sat beside the bed, waiting.

"I have already said that it was my own clumsiness that caused me to be thrown."

"Yes, but what caused the clumsiness?"

Leonie sighed, closing her eyes as she explained her reaction to Stram's words and behavior, her unreasoning panic and flight, her inattentiveness to the reins and her sailing through the air. "I think I must have pulled back too hard on the reins. There was no reason for her to balk as she did," she finished and when she finally opened her eyes and looked at him, he was glaring at her and she felt her own anger notching up.

"You do not need to try and flay me with a look, Loghain. I had no idea that seeing that man would cause such a reaction."

"You bloody fool," he growled, his fists clenched. "You could have been killed. You are supposed to be the commander, act like it."

Leonie felt his words pierce her and tears rose, unbidden and unwanted. She turned away from him as they began a slow descent down her cheeks. "That is a cheap shot, even for you," she said thickly. "And I would appreciate it if you left now."

She listened as Loghain pushed out of the chair and she closed her eyes, letting the tears fall at will. She sniffed at her tears, dashing them away disdainfully. "You arrogant ass," she hissed and then opened her eyes as she felt a weight on the bed.

"It's because he cares, Lion. Surely you know that," Anders chided, gently wiping at her tears.

"And is that how Fereldans show their affection? Snarling and snapping like mad dogs?" she bit out and the tears began to flow again. Anders pulled her carefully into his arms.

"Some do. I prefer nibbling necks, but some snarl and snap."

She wasn't sure what to think of that revelation and was content just to be held and comforted. "You're a good friend, Anders," she mumbled against his chest.

"Well, don't spread that around. I like being thought of as more than a friend with the fairer sex," he replied with another grin. "And you need to stop crying before you ruin my robe," he added.

She sniffled and leaned back, swiping at her tears. "Absolutely. We cannot have your robe ruined by a mere friend's tears," she agreed and her mood lifted.

Nathaniel brought a tea tray in an hour later and Leonie, sitting up in bed dry eyed and awake, thanked him. "You are not going to rip into me about my idiocy too, are you?" she asked wryly as she sipped the hot tea.

"No, I think you learned your lesson," Nathaniel replied quietly. "Loghain's gone to look at Vixen though. He found it odd that you were lying face up."

Leonie frowned, closing her eyes to concentrate on the last thing she remembered before losing consciousness. It was impacting the ground with her arms covering her face, an instinctive habit formed from practicing it years earlier. She had landed face down. Of that she was positive.

"I did not land face up, Nathaniel. I am sure of that, even if I am sure of nothing else," she whispered, her mouth going dry.

"Maybe you rolled over and don't remember?" he asked and they looked at each other uneasily.

"I suppose that is possible," she said with no conviction in her voice.

She drank her tea quietly, deep in thought. She had told Loghain she had pulled on the reins too hard. Had she? She closed her eyes again, visualizing her ride. She couldn't be sure, but she didn't remember pulling back on the reins. She just remembered Vixen's balking and herself flying forward. But there was something there, in her mind's eye. A hulking figure? A rock? Something shadowy and shimmering just beyond her sight.

"Get Loghain, Nathaniel," Leonie whispered urgently and flung the bedclothes back as soon as he left. She stumbled, feeling ill for a minute, rocking unsteadily on her feet. She struggled into her clothes and then sat down abruptly on her bed as a wave of nausea assaulted her, closing her eyes and leaning against the headboard, dizzy and feeling disoriented.

"What are you doing?" Loghain growled, entering the room.

Her eyes flew open. And that was a mistake as he began to swim in and out of focus. "I landed face first, Loghain. I had my hands up to protect myself. How did I come to be lying face up with a knot the size of a goose's egg on my forehead?" she asked quietly.

Anders pushed past Loghain and came to sit beside Leonie. "You promised to stay in bed," Anders accused and she nodded slowly.

"I will come back to bed, Anders, but I want to see Vixen first."

Loghain looked ready to argue and she didn't blame him but she held up her hand. "I do not have the energy to fight with you and figure out what happened, Loghain," she began and then sighed, closing her eyes.

"I – I remember a rock. I remember looking up and seeing a rock in someone's hand."

The room fell eerily silent at her words. Finally Loghain spoke. "Are you certain?" he asked quietly.

Leonie rubbed the back of her neck, her muscles aching now that she was moving. "I am certain that I landed face first, my arms were covering my head and face to protect myself. Riordan – Riordan taught me that when I insisted on trying to learn to jump. He taught me to loosen my body and cover my head when my horse balked. I was ten then. He – he made me practice over and over until it became second nature," she explained in a voice trembling with emotion.

Nathaniel came in too and stood beside Loghain. "So someone tried to kill you?" he asked, his face paling.

"I do not suspect that is the case. Had someone wanted me dead, he would have done more than frighten my horse and hit me with a rock, yes?"

Loghain nodded thoughtfully. "Someone is trying to scare you," he said with quiet assurance.

"Well whoever it is does not know me if they think such a thing will make me run screaming from Ferelden," she answered angrily.

She rose unsteadily and Anders slipped an arm around her waist, holding her steady. "I really don't recommend this, Lion. You need to just stay still and let yourself recover," he said quietly, his voice low and anxious.

"I do not wish to be obstinate, Anders, truly, but I cannot rest until I see to Vixen," she explained in an equally low voice.

"I have just come from Vixen. She is fine, Commander. However, I think if Nathaniel is up to it, we should ride back out and examine the site," Loghain broke in and his voice was surprisingly gentle as well. Or maybe, she thought sourly, my hearing is still defective. "Will Vixen allow other riders?"

Leonie sighed. She knew they were right. She would not do herself, or them, any favors if she worsened her condition. But she hated admitting it, hated admitting to weakness of any kind in front of Loghain. And that she had to stuck in her craw.

"Yes, perhaps you are correct," she finally said and sank back onto the bed. "She has a soft mouth, Nathaniel," she added.

Anders sighed in relief and he and Nathaniel made their way out of her room. She could hear them talking as they walked down the hallway.

"You will let me know what you find?" she asked as she swung her legs back onto the bed and eased her head down on her pillow.

"Of course, Commander."

"I hate this," she mumbled, closing her eyes only to have a hand shake her shoulder gently.

"No sleeping," Loghain remonstrated sternly.

"I hate you as well," she sighed, struggling to keep her eyes open.

"Yes, I gathered that," he remarked dryly and she couldn't help the smile that flitted across her face.

She looked up at him and saw that he was frowning thoughtfully. "What is it, Loghain?"

He was looking intently at her and, after a moment's hesitation, he reached down and tapped her cheek. "Stay awake," he said only and then turned and left the room.

"Impossible man," she muttered, rubbing her forehead.

They returned three hours later and Leonie, feeling marginally better, was propped up in bed listening to Ander's wild stories of life in the tower. It was amazing to her that he had ever wanted to escape, based on his exploits there.

"I am surprised there was even room under his desk to do such a thing. And how you managed to stay quiet is another matter altogether," she said with a chuckle.

"Well, it wasn't my best performance, that's for sure," Anders agreed and she slapped at his arm.

"You are having a tease at me, are you not?" she asked wryly and he laughed.

"Having a tease? That sounds naughty and delightful. But yes, I'm teasing you. The Knight Commander wasn't actually in the room so noise wasn't really an issue," he agreed and slid off the bed as they heard Loghain and Nathaniel in the hallway.

"Best not get the big guy jealous," he added with another grin.

"I do not think he cares enough to be jealous," she returned but nothing more was said as the men entered her room.

"Well, you look better," Nathaniel said with relief.

"I am better, thank you for your concern, Nathaniel."

She waited impatiently for Loghain to talk but he seemed intent on holding back the information. Finally she said in a dry voice, "I believe I am even hearing better so perhaps you would kindly tell me what you discovered?"

"Someone was there. It looks like they followed you for some time. I'm surprised you didn't notice them."

Leonie frowned. She couldn't very well tell him she had been day dreaming the entire ride. "I am just as surprised as you are," she finally said when it was apparent that he wasn't going to continue until she said something.

"A large man. Or at least a man with large boots. We found the rock as well."

Shivering, Leonie pulled a blanket around her. Her hands were shaking. "Why did he not just kill me? How could he think this attack would make me leave? Is that even his intent?"

Dizzy and tired, she closed her eyes and waited for any other information, feeling angry and frightened and foolish. And ill. Her stomach was roiling and her eyes flew open.

"Out," she mumbled as she stumbled out of bed. "Now," she urged as she lurched for her wash basin.

"Lion?" Anders asked in concern and she waved him away. She did not want to be sick in front of all of them. She had been humiliated enough for one day. For one lifetime.

She held her hand over her mouth, willing her stomach to settle until she heard the door close and then she let her stomach empty itself. Weakly, she leaned against the washstand. Why did everything have to be so blasted complicated? She had one thing she wanted to accomplish. Find and kill the Architect. Why was everything, including her own heart, interfering with that? Where was her discipline and common sense?

Anders was there a few minutes later with a cup of mint tea and instructions for her to take a bath and go to bed.

"They're fetching water now and because I like you so well, I'm going to heat it for you."

"I feel honored," she replied with a sigh. The tea was settling her stomach and calming her nerves.

"It is a funny thing, is it not, to know someone is hunting you."

"Funny is not the word I would choose. At least I never considered templars funny. Maybe that was my mistake?"

"Odd. It is an odd thing," Leonie corrected, moving over to her armoire and removing her nightdress and wrapper.

"No, Commander. It isn't odd or funny. It's frightening and you should be scared. You, of all people, should know that," Loghain said grimly as he entered her room.

"Does no one knock in this place?" she complained, exasperated. She tossed her nightdress and wrapper on her bed. "Is there a sign I am unaware of that bids all who approach to enter at will?" she continued, sinking down on the edge of her bed.

"And unless you wish to see me undress and bathe, I suggest you turn around and leave," she finished, shooting Loghain an angry scowl.

His eyes widened and those twin spots of color appeared, riding along his cheekbones. "I'll be back," he said over his shoulder.

"Of that I have no doubt," Leonie replied wryly.

The bath helped restore her calm, if not her equilibrium. She slipped into her nightdress and brushed her hair, avoiding the tender knot on her temple. It had been a very confusing day and she still had not told Loghain about her visits and he had not told her what had occurred with Eddlebrek. Sighing, she tied her wrapper around her and opened her bedroom door, intent on finding him. But the dizziness assailed her and she gripped the door tightly until it had passed.

"Where do you think you're going?" Loghain asked. He was standing outside her door, leaning against the wall with that easy grace he had.

"To find you," she explained and tried to loosen her grip on the door. "And as soon as things stop spinning like a top, I shall do so," she added.

"Stubborn chit," he complained, coming to help her.

"Arrogant man," she replied, leaning into him.

And with a suddenness that left her breathless, he pulled her close, his lips supple and graceful as they danced against hers, warm and intense. His hands spanned her waist, edging her closer and she could feel the taut muscles of his chest through the thin material of her wrapper, could feel the length and hardness of his thighs brush against hers and she let out a ragged moan. Her fingers snaked into his hair and he pulled her still closer and the heat of his lips caressing hers, the feel of his hands on her waist elicited another moan from Leonie and the kiss deepened, changed as tongues clashed and his hands began to move from her waist, one hand moving up her back to the nape of her neck and the other urgently pressing her closer as it found purchase on the small of her back. He groaned, low in his throat and Leonie felt it deep inside where her blood was pooling and spinning outward in hot currents.

And, as suddenly as it started it was over, and he was moving away.

"Now get some sleep," he said as he walked out of her room and shut the door.

As if I can now, Leonie thought, touching her bruised lips. It would be difficult for her to ever see him as a cold man again, the warmth of his kiss still tingling along her nerve endings.

She sank onto her bed, realizing that her earlier dizziness was finally gone but a whole new kind of dizziness had taken its place.

She wasn't sure what to make of that.