Borrowed Time, Ch 25 – Forbidden Fruit
AN: This chapter is rated M, no intimacy though. It's 'revealing', but you'll see.
They had set up camp over an hour before. The girls already bathed in Lake Calenhad and it was the men's turn to wash. They strolled through the thick patch of forest that lay between their camp and the lake. Shiva passed Oghren's offer of dwarven ale for the moment, promising to join him later. She walked toward the trees that she had seen Morrigan slink through.
She was nearly to the other side, walking quietly so the men would not try to shield their nakedness from her eyes, which she could not see from where she was. A suspicious looking cat was sitting in on a thick branch in the tree beside Shiva. The feline with silky black fur and yellow eyes quietly stared at the men. It made no move as Shiva climbed the tree and sat next to it. A soft, pointed ear turned toward her to listen to her.
"Wow, what a great view." It was indeed. The spot was shaded enough so they weren't seen, but could see the bathing area. They were close, so Shiva had to whisper. Morrigan wondered if the pirate knew it was she. "If you had to pick one, which would you choose? And I know you know what for. Would it be Sten? I've seen the way you flirt with him." Morrigan changed back into human form, the strong branch not even shifting under the extra weight.
"He would be my choice under normal circumstances, but now that I am able to get a better look at the selection, let me see." Oghren hadn't joined them yet, so Loghain, Sten, and Zevran were bathing below them. Both girls hungrily scanned the specimens in the water. Zevran was moving constantly, turning every way as he gestured and talked to the men with him. They were in a shallow part of the lake, staying near their equipment and Zev was standing in thigh deep water. They could easily see… well, everything.
He was lean, his muscles more cut than either of the women had seen on any elf, which was the first choice for neither of them as far as typical racial features went. But he was tempting. He was tan and rivulets of water were running down his body. Shiva would gladly lick them off, even if she decided long ago she would never be intimate with him. She just didn't like that he was… too experienced, to put it mildly. She shared as much with Morrigan as they analyzed the men aloud. As for the most important part of the elf, he couldn't keep up with the other two.
Sten was scratching his stomach. He stood in a deeper spot than Zevran, but with his height, the water reached his thighs as well. His shoulders were broad and he looked like a copper statue – muscles so taut under his skin he looked in no way soft – not anywhere. Apparently something down there was to his liking. Morrigan stared at his length… at length. Her mind seemed made up, but she also gave Loghain a chance.
The warden was washing his hair, standing where the water just met the bottom of his arse. Faint scars decorated his pale skin along his arms and back. When he turned to glare at Zevran for something particularly obnoxious he said, the girls could see his chest, stomach, manhood. Loghain had course black hair sprawling on his chest, trailing down to his navel and below to his treasure. Shiva bit her lip as she gazed at him, half erect. His length was hard to determine. She cursed the water level where he stood, but was grateful for the taste.
"My choice remains Sten. He is superior in strength, length and girth." Morrigan's full lips were drawn into a wide smile.
"There's something about Loghain. I've always liked stoic men with light skin and black hair. It's like he walked out of one of my wet dreams." Shiva couldn't believe she was blushing.
"He is tempting for someone his age. I find that his face dampens his appeal. That being said, I would not turn him down."
"Son of a bitch," Shiva slapped her forehead with her palm. "We're wardens! He might be able to feel me here!" Morrigan nearly laughed loud enough for them to hear.
"I hope they do catch you up here. If so, I shall simply turn into a bird to make my escape and they will be none the wiser."
Shiva was chuckling too. "I don't suppose you could find a way to teach me real quick?"
"Unfortunately, you must remain disappointed." They worked to stifle their giggles, focusing once again on the men.
Zevran was rinsing his hair, enjoying the moonlit bath, and realizing it was romantic, even though it was being spent with two men that had minimal sex appeal. That made it just creepy, so why not make it uncomfortable for them? "Sten, do qunari have violent mating rituals?"
"What?" Sten stopped unbraiding his hair to glare at the elf.
"Well, do you? It would not surprise me if you stomped around your females like brontos. Snorting and huffing, bending over to rest your chin on her backside until she let you mount her. Is that how it is done?" Zevran was chuckling at his own scenario.
"What do you think?" Sten was not amused. The girls were - their mouths were clamped shut in an attempt to keep silent.
Zevran sighed, turning to Loghain. "I imagine the conception of a future queen must have been magical."
"She was conceived like any other," he replied evenly, scrubbing suds in his hair. He talked through his teeth as he bit the rope that was secured around his bar of soap.
Zevran was relentless. "Ah, but the experiences vary. I know that well and you cannot convince me otherwise."
"There is no damn way I'm revealing that experience to you, elf. Or anyone." He unwound his wind braids, glaring at the assassin who finally retreated.
Everyone stopped when they heard heavy shuffling and panting. Someone was running their direction. As they neared, their excited grunts became audible. A pasty white and very nude dwarf burst from the throng of trees, bounded up a large boulder and leapt off of it.
"Nug di-ive!" His short, furry arms and legs were drawn close to his body to mimic a nug's squat. The splash he caused was big enough to drench the other men. Zevran laughed heartily, while Loghain grumbled, wiping soap out of his burning eyes. As traumatized as they were from the sight of Oghren naked, they girls were hardly able to contain themselves. Their hands covered their noses to their chins as they tried not to give away their position.
Shiva nearly fell out of the tree when she shifted, lowering her head too fast and upsetting her balance. Had she not fallen so she straddled the branch, and had Morrigan not gripped her arm to keep her from falling, she surely would have. It made the situation that much funnier. Her forced chuckle sounded like a sneeze, causing the men to look around before shrugging at the sound. Shiva wheezed 'thanks' to the witch.
Sten was standing near Oghren as the dwarf waded around, water reaching midway up his belly. The qunari swiped with his oversized paw, knocking Oghren underwater and held his head for several seconds. Bubbles burst at the surface next to a floating red beard.
"The sight of your flying, unclothed body was disturbing," the qunari harrumphed. He stomped away as well as he could underwater until he stood on the bank. He remained still as he waited to dry, with his arse toward the others.
Zevran turned from the offended qunari back to the dwarf. "I would have to agree. I never wanted to see your bollocks sway and flop about that much. Ever."
The girls left for camp as Zevran tried to teach the dwarf how to float. They had seen more than enough for one night.
When they were out of earshot, Morrigan casually brought up a request she had been considering for some time. "I wonder if we could search for something when we get to the tower," she began cryptically. "A grimoire – one that once belonged to my mother. It was taken by a templar long ago, before I was born, so I assume it ended up with the mages. To this day she speaks of the loss with great irritation and I do not want to pass up the chance to learn secrets she never intended for me to know."
"Of course. I remember the First Enchanter's office had a great deal of books. If they have it, it would most likely be locked down somewhere he could keep an eye on it." Too bad this hadn't been brought to her attention before, when the tower was in disarray. It would have been much easier to search.
"Excellent. I would be most grateful if we are able to retrieve it. If not, I shall think of it no longer. The journal is leather bound with the symbol of a leafless tree. I dare not venture to the tower, as before, lest one of the fool templars try to keep me there."
"That's wise. I'll be sure to look for it when we get there."
Morrigan and Shiva parted, each going toward their tents. Leliana was near Shiva's, bent over the cooking pot while Dagna stood near. Wynne had her tent tucked into the corner where two bushes met and the mage sat near it, slumped and weary.
Leliana was hardly a better cook than Alistair. Shiva and Oghren drowned the taste of her burnt porridge with dwarven ale and both of them were having fun picking on her until she retreated into her tent for the night. Shiva started stumbling toward her tent until she saw Wynne still by her tent, having not eaten anything. With her last traces of sobriety, Shiva walked to the old mage to see if something was wrong.
"You arright?" Shiva worked hard not to sway over her as the woman picked up her head and stood to talk to her.
"Yes dear, just tired. It's been a long day." Shiva's nod was jerky, but it was good enough to show her agreement. She stood there silently as Wynne examined her.
"Cailan was not a fool." Her lips pursed. Shiva simply 'hmphed' at her. "If there was anything he did wrong, it was trust that man you recruited."
Shiva scoffed. "You act azzif Loghain's the firsht pershin to killa king - but ish been done before Wynne, in brillianter and more outright ways. If, and I say IF he even intended to kill the king, ish Cailans own damn fault for walking on over to his death by trying to be a hero when he should have listened to Duncan AND Loghain when they said he was being overzealish and recklish." She nodded at her own words. A loud THWACK of wood hitting bone was heard, and Shiva felt the trickle of blood running down her neck. She wiped at the back of her head and pulled away a hand coated in blood. Too drunk to even feel the pain.
"Wy-yne! I need heali-ing," she whined. Wynne still had her staff in her hand from striking her with it.
"If you bleed to death it will be your own foolishness that caused it."
"No? No, I think the cause would be blood loss." She laid down where she was and Wynne stormed off to the other side of camp. Morrigan approached and knelt beside Shiva with a rag and a poultice.
"Twas possibly the most entertaining thing I have seen since traveling with the preachy hag," she mused. She bandaged up a now unconscious Grey Warden and cast her very limited healing spell. Loki trotted up and licked blood off the grass.
She awoke the next morning in a tent that was not her own. She squinted as the covering did not fully shield her from the sun's brightness and Maker's breath, did her head hurt.
Is this what a hangover feels like?
A body behind her shifted. Zevran peeked over her shoulder to see if she was awake, wrapped his arm around her waist when he saw it was so. "My dear, you must choose your words carefully with the old mage. She still has a lot of bite. She would have left you out in the rain but I, being a gentleman, brought you to my tent so you could be warm and dry."
"Mmmm… we're in your tent?" She groaned.
"Si, Bella. I kept you warm, as I just said." Her tent was right next to his, he could have easily dragged her a few feet further. That's not suspicious at all. Shiva stretched her legs as much as she could, wiggled her hips and rubbed her thighs together.
Zev laughed. "What is with this little dance? Are you trying to seduce me? Cuz it's working!" He trailed his hand across her hip, his tone getting sultrier with the idea of early morning lovemaking.
"I'm checking for soreness, cuz if I know you, I've been violated. It's what I would have done, anyway." Even though she wasn't sore, she still didn't believe he hadn't done anything. Worst of all, she didn't remember – for if he had lain with her, permission or no, she would have liked to experience it. Leliana was going to be pissed.
"Since I am not eager to lose my cannoli, I did not. I did, however, take a quick peek." Shiva felt under the blanket and sure enough, her armor wasn't on. It was piled beside her. Luckily she still had her clothes on.
"Oh," was all she said at first. "Liked what you saw?"
"I certainly did! You have a marvelous bosom and backside. I was finally able to see your tattoo. A piece of art!"
"Thank you, Zev. The next time you are incapacitated in my presence I will do the same to you." Any attempt to hide her smirk would have been futile.
Audacious little bastard.
Zevran leaned close to her. His breath caused her hair to tickle her face as he spoke. "Why haven't we made love yet?"
"I'm off limits for you, handsome."
He whined his most pitiful 'aww.' "Sometimes forbidden fruit tastes the sweetest."
"And sometimes you realize why it's forbidden when you eat it and get sick as a dog... Or die."
He took rejection well, lightly kissing her temple. "All right, bella. But I'm kicking you out of my tent since I don't get anything from you." He tried tempting her into staying, pressing his body against her back. She could feel that his chest was bare and his erection dug into her backside. She playfully swatted him away and got up, snatching her armor and exiting the tent. Leliana, Loghain, and Loki were already up. Shale was continuing her constant vigil since she never slept.
The bard refused to look at Shiva until her back was turned, gazing sadly at the pirate's back. She abruptly turned around and started taking her own tent down.
Loghain approached Shiva's tent, patiently waiting until he was noticed. "You said you valued any advice I had – that I should speak if I saw a misstep. Last night was one. Such a glaring one I shouldn't even have to say it."
"Right." What Shiva really meant was 'you're right,' but she already felt like a complete fool.
"Is that all you have to say for yourself?" His arms were crossed over his chest. She tried to keep her mind from all that she had saw of him the night before, he still wasn't wearing his armor. The tunic he wore for sleep was loose, but the way he folded his arms had the fabric against his skin, following the contours of his chest and stomach. He didn't seem to notice when she licked her lips.
"What do you want from me? An apology? That should mean little to someone like you. Better if I simply express it by not doing so again."
"See that you don't." He walked back to his own area, not willing to hear any of her false promises.
Leliana was the next to approach her. "So, how was he?" Her attitude said she definitely didn't want to know. It was clear she was hurt from her bitter lisping.
Shiva hated using the 'it's not what it looks like' line, but such was the case. "Did you see what happened? I was drunk," that definitely wasn't a good start. A darker shadow crossed her face. "I passed out beside Wynne's tent and he brought me to his. Anything that may have passed between us – and he says nothing did – was when I was out cold. I wouldn't betray you like that, I swear it."
"Am I supposed to believe that? You flirt with him, and you disrespect me every chance you get!" Her arms were locked by her side, fists clenched.
"Ask Morrigan, my head wound was healed to some extent and I doubt it was Wynne that did so considering it was she that inflicted it. My flirting with Zevran is nothing but empty words. I know I don't treat you as you deserve and I'm sorry, but for the time being I am yours and you are the only person that has my attention." Shiva was earnest, the guilt she felt about being foolish was twice as heavy as she tried to get Leliana to believe her.
"For the time being," Leliana mimicked sadly. Well, that probably wasn't the best thing to say, true as it was. There was no way they would be a permanent match. Shiva didn't regard her as highly as half of those she traveled with – Morrigan, Oghren, Loghain, even the damn dog was preferable during their time outside of the bedroll. She was a friend, but Shiva knew even that would not last once their time traveling was over.
The bard turned away, wondering whether she should end it herself or enjoy the time they had left, before the woman she grew to love coldly discarded her.
Dagna's eyes shined like stars when she walked into the tower for the first time. It was as if the dull stone walls were made of gold. Knight-Commander Gregoir paid no heed to the dwarf since they were not magic users. He instead scowled at Wynne's return. She greeted him warmly, as much as they didn't get along the other occupants of the tower were like a distant family who was forced to remain under one roof. After all, Wynne had found the company at camp insufferable since Alistair left. She would take the templars over the rest any day.
She remained to get the latest gossip from him while Shiva and Zevran escorted Dagna to the First Enchanter's office. The mage that was older than Wynne – and time itself – greeted them with his snail paced, croaking voice. "Welcome, Warden. It is good to see the savior of the tower again. What has brought you here?"
She draped her arm around Dagna, the young dwarf was on the verge of fainting. "Allow me to introduce Dagna. She is interested in studying the theory of magic. I understand an immediate acceptance is highly irregular, but if an exception could be made I'm sure the Circle would benefit."
"Highly irregular indeed, but with the losses we have taken, we certainly have room for her, and someone so eager to learn – yes child, I see the fire in your eyes – will not be turned away."
Dagna filled her lungs to the point of bursting with her gasp. "Oh, First Enchanter, you will not regret this. I am so honored you have no idea."
Irving chuckled, beckoning for her to follow him. "I will have someone escort you to the apprentice quarters so you will know where you'll be sleeping." He stepped into the hall. "Godwin, see that this young…" His voice trailed off as he walked them further.
Shiva elbowed Zevran while he walked out. They had their eye on a large, ornate golden chest in the far corner. Shiva nonchalantly stood at the door, ready to cough in case Irving came back before Zev could pick the lock. The mage Godwin, Rogek's associate in the smuggled lyrium dealings, was the only one of them facing Shiva. When he was staring at the far wall, wishing Irving would speed things up, his eye got caught when a blue nugget flashed into his view. He gawked at it, wondering if his mind played tricks on him, when Shiva tucked it back into her pouch and gave him a wink.
She heard the lock click open before Irving finished explaining the general routine to Dagna. Zevran tucked the grimoire he found that matched Morrigan's description into his pack, closing the chest and jogging back to where Shiva stood.
Irving patted Dagna on the shoulder. "Enjoy your first day at the tower, Dagna, and welcome to your new home. You may sit in with the apprentice's lessons starting tomorrow until we get you a special arrangement."
Godwin kept glancing to Shiva. "Right then! I'll just escort her to the apprentice quarters… on the first floor… and that's where I'll be."
"Yes, very good Godwin. You are excused." Irving returned to his office. "Warden, are you going to be staying long? I can have the guest quarters prepared."
"Unnecessary, but I thank you. I need to return to the rest of my group so we can return to our base. Expect word to arrive from Soldier's Peak when we are ready to call upon your force for the Blight."
"Of course, the mages will be ready." They bowed to one another and Shiva headed back to the first floor.
"Make sure that goofy templar will be ready to go. There's one more thing I need to take care of." Zev nodded and trotted to the exit.
Shiva approached Dagna and Godwin, addressing her dwarven friend first. "Well, here you are. Excited?"
"Yes! A thousand times yes! The surface is great. It's cold but I can totally live with that. The lake and the tower – its just heavenly. Thank you, I would never be here if it weren't for you." Dagna collided with Shiva, giving her a tight hug. They said their goodbyes and she resumed unpacking while Shiva stepped closer to Godwin.
The mage shifted uncomfortably. "Um, perhaps we should, ahem, step over here?" He walked stiffly to the dividers where the apprentices washed and got dressed. None were there now since they were engaged in their studies elsewhere. "Now, what is it you were trying to show me?" He kept looking at the corner as if he expected a rage demon to come around any second.
"Rogek seemed to have 'misplaced' his merchandise. You're dealing with me now, spitfire. I have four nuggets, twenty sovereigns each." Her arms folded as she assumed her haggling position.
"That is outrageous," he spat.
"Is it? Let's ask Gregoir."
"No! I'll pay 60, not a copper more." He tried to match her stance, looking quite silly when he cocked his hip like she did.
"75, little spitfire, or I scream for the templars." She normally hated this game, but this time it was fun.
"70 sovereigns it is." He reached for his coinpurse to end the discussion.
"Who said 70 was enough? 74!" She smiled at his shakiness.
"Maker's breath, no! I don't even get to keep all of it!. Tell you what, 72. That is my final offer. And if you say 73 I'm setting the whole tower on fire."
She laughed at his threat, though not mockingly. "I'd kind of like to see that! But we have come to an agreement. 72 sovereigns for the lot." She dug the lyrium out of her satchel and made the exchange. "Business as usual from now on."
Her coinpurse was heavy enough to give her a satisfied smile. Zevran nudged her constantly as they crossed Lake Calenhad, trying to find out how much she had gotten for the deal. She shut him up by handing him a sovereign for his help. The other sovereign was for her to keep, leaving an even 70 to put into the treasury at the Peak. She was ready to go back to their new home. Riordan was there by then, he would know what to do next.