Anders may seem a foolish man to most, certainly not a serious one by any means, but when he grabbed me that morning there was nothing on his face but grim determination. And two days later, when she still had not awakened, Anders collected me, took the keep's entire store of lyrium potions, and went into the Fade after her, telling me that I had to watch them, that I might have to play templar and end it for both of them.

In the end, it did not come to that, though we may have come closer than I realized at the time. Hours had passed with both silent as the grave, and the suddenly Anders was shouting in the waking world even as he battled in the Fade that I had to snap her out of it, that she had to wake up NOW. And so, for the second time in our association, I raised my hand against that woman and I struck her, twice, sharply, across the face.

She came to with a tearing gasp, her hand already going to her cheek, her eyes muddy and confused. Whatever she had seen in the Fade – to fool her, when I knew her expertise in navigating it – it must have been powerful and compelling. She'd looked up at Anders and I saw the confusion morph to gratitude and that look she gives only him, that look that tells me she has bound herself to him, that tells me that all the flirtation I send her way will only be flirtation… and then that look became shame. I knew – my true self had been laid bare in the fade – and so her inner self must have been laid bare when Anders went after her.

The thought that we might have lost our dear leader permanently to the Fade terrifies me. I had been there, once before, when our quest to save the Circle of Magi so they could help us against the Archdemon brought us into conflict with a sloth demon.

On that occasion, she battled her way through the fade like a legendary shield maiden of the Anderfels, slaughtering every demon that stood in her way. More than that – she came for me. And not in the way one might assume I would use that word. She is the first person who ever, EVER thought enough of me to place her well-being, body and soul, between me and such mortal danger. And my soul was laid bare before her and she did not flinch, she did not judge, and she yet made me feel worthy of her friendship and affection.

She had found me bound on a rack in my own private hell, being tormented by what I thought were Crows trying to shape me into the weapon that I already had become. There was no pity in her eyes as she told me quietly that I already was a Crow, that we were in the Fade, that I must resist as they were demons, not my comrades. And when she cut me loose, we turned and slaughtered the demons. Together.

The most amazing thing about her is her ability to see beneath the surface. Our first meeting, it was not conducive to building trust, truly. Who in their right mind not only spares the assassin who fails to kill them, but invites them to join their band, cook their food, stand watch over the camp as they sleep? Solona did. Her true magic is in seeing and knowing people, really knowing them. She knew from the first she could trust me – and to be honest, I thought she was mad. I didn't know she could trust me.

And yet she did, and she came for me in the Fade, and she took on the Crows in the waking world to free me from them. And simply because I was her companion and her friend. What did she want of me? Nothing. She valued my friendship, nothing more. A rare thing, to find beauty and compassion in one as abused in her way, damaged in her way, as she is. Perhaps it is why we understand each other so well. That beauty and compassion, as well as the strength and determination – ah, truly… it made her a deadly sex goddess, as I was happy to point out before she accepted my vow.

I could see she didn't trust her voice quite yet when she took my hand and squeezed it, hard. And then the tiniest nod, a pained smile, an acknowledgment that this was not the first time she had found me protecting her back, offering support… and how naturally her hand fit into mine, whether she was leading me from the darkness, or I was leading her.

"Dearest heart," I grinned, my words lighter and more teasing than the painful tightness I felt in my chest, "there is no need for you to linger so long in the Fade." I kissed the back of her hand, forcing a smirk. "If you wish to taste of the pleasures I could undoubtedly evoke in you, you need only call upon your humble companion. Any time, day or night, it will be my…. Pleasure."

"Ass," Anders snorted, though when I quickly raised my eyes to his, I realized there was no real heat behind the declaration.

She blushed, quite prettily, actually, and Anders grabbed her other hand as we both gently tugged her to a sitting position. "All right, you, enough lollygagging. Out of bed…" he started.

"Unless of course you are willing that we both should join you," I laughed.

The ghost of a smile played around her eyes. "Join me?" The way she said it, deliberately misunderstanding, I could hear the difference in the word as she teased me about my firm 'no thank you' to her previous offer to make me a Warden. "Am I to understand that there remain no bodily fluids you wish to avoid now? We could get the big cup… Oghren could give you pointers on how to gargle and spit."

"Do not trouble yourself. I am not much of a Joiner, you know. Sexy tragic hero, always alone." I smirked. "I shall have to try that line at the Crown and Lion soon."

"It will make the ladies swoon," she chuckled.

"Just so, my heart…. Just so."