Apologies
Jannasilane walked nervously back and forth by the stream as she waited for Leliana. She needed to apologize for her actions in the Gauntlet but it was hardly something she wanted to discuss where others might hear, especially Morrigan. She smiled a little ruefully, "I might have had an opportunity that first night but my Ali was very demanding. He rushed me inside as soon as the tents were up, he was so intense. I suppose we both were still riding that edge of darkness but afterwards, when we were calmer, it didn't feel right. Somehow I do not think we will be making use of Zevran's advice. It is a good thing I did not tell Ali all Zevran said. It was quite fun making him turn redder and redder; perhaps if he gets angry with me I will tell him more so I can watch him blush. He is so cute when he blushes." She didn't hear Leliana's approach and whirled around when the redhead tapped her shoulder, "Leliana, you startled me. You know I hate it when you sneak up on me like that."
"Which is why I do it, of course," Leliana couldn't help laughing at her friend's scowling expression. "What did you wish to say that you couldn't say in camp?" She was glad they had this opportunity to talk away from everybody so she could apologize to her friend. She owed more than one person an apology and it was time to begin.
"I'm so sorry, Leliana, about what happened on the way to the Urn. I shouldn't have attacked you . . . f-forced myself on you," Jannasilane was actually wringing her hands in distress and wouldn't look at her.
"This has been bothering you this whole time? You apologized to me once. Zevran and Blake told me about the desire demon and Blake said in the Fade that he didn't like the effect lyrium had on you. I never blamed you," she scolded with affection. "You took me by surprise but I think I could have gotten away from you." She sighed at the look of surprise on her young friend's face, "I think that perhaps I owe you an apology." She sat on a boulder by the stream and stared into the rippling current until Jannasilane settled beside her. "I envy you, what you have with your Alistair. I had that once, or thought I did. For a few minutes I could pretend I was with Marjolaine and loved. It was nice even though I knew it was a lie, even about Marjolaine loving me. You are a beautiful woman and my friend. I know that you do not care for me as more than such," she added when Jannasilane moved restlessly beside her. "And even though I find you quite attractive I think of you as a friend and sister, nothing more."
Jannasilane rested her head on Leliana's shoulder, "I'm sorry you've been lonely, Leli. I was afraid I might have lost your friendship because of my actions and this would sadden me. When my parents," her breath hitched slightly, "when my parents died I lost my family. I like to think they would be happy I found a new one, including a sister."
The two women began gathering what herbs and edible plants they could find, content in the solidity of their friendship. Sometimes they spoke but mostly they were silent. When Blake and Alistair found them they were sitting arm in arm by the stream quietly chatting. "Give you any ideas, Alistair?" Blake teased his friend.
"Have I mentioned that I hate you?" Alistair growled but kept his gaze on the pretty picture in front of them. Not even the Archdemon would get him to admit he'd been thinking of the two women together while he watched before joining them. Nor would he admit that he was considering talking to Jannasilane about exploring some options at The Pearl. "Life now is very different from life in the Chantry," he mused. "Thank the Maker for that." He stepped forward and kissed Jannasilane on the cheek, "Hello, my love, we were told to get firewood and the mood Morrigan is in I'm not about to disobey. Now that my life includes a precious jewel I don't want to be turned into a toad." He smiled at Leliana, "The two of you seem happy enough, I gather all is well?" he looked between the two women. He knew Jannasilane had been feeling miserable about the rift between them and was pleased that they had made amends. His Jannasilane was a passionate woman and did not find it easy to hide her feelings, especially from him.
"Yes, Alistair, if you are referring to the Gauntlet then the answer is yes," Leliana smiled. If Alistair had been looking at her he might have noticed the twinkle of mischief appearing in her eyes. He didn't and nearly choked at her next words, "A little bird told me that you enjoyed what you saw. I am afraid to disappoint you my friend but fond of you and Jannasilane as I am I am still not willing to be a party to, well, let's just call it casual experimentation." She stood then and strolled over to Blake.
"Remind me to kill Zevran when I get the chance," Alistair knew he was blushing. His cheeks practically burned when Jannasilane stared at him, her beautiful eyes full of questions.
Jannasilane brought her face to his and whispered softly, "This is true, my Ali? Y-you liked watching us k-kiss and t-t-touch each other?" He didn't answer directly but the growing desire she saw was answer enough. "Hmmm, if you wish we can d-discuss this later, Ali."
He grinned then, "Well, that will certainly give me something pleasant to think about while I traipse through the woods gathering wood for the witch." He stood and offered his hand to help her to her feet. A brief caress of her hair and he was gone, whistling cheerfully if tunelessly.
Jannasilane watched him go with a smile and a slight frown. She wasn't sure how she felt about this new bit of information but, "Fair is fair. My Ali has had to make many sacrifices for me so perhaps I should be willing to try this for him. We will see." She came out of her reverie to hear Leliana talking to Blake.
". . . I lied to you, you know, about why I was in the Chantry." Jannasilane started to leave but Leliana stopped her, "No, please stay. You are my friend and deserve to know the truth; I wasn't there just because I wanted safe harbor from the storm."
"It was pretty obvious you weren't just some innocent Chantry sister but as long as your reasons don't affect our mission I had no reason to pry," Blake responded, his tone dry as dust.
"This is truth, Leli, I knew you did not tell us everything but I sensed no big deceit in your words," Jannasilane added.
Leliana blinked in surprise at their generosity, "Now I feel worse about not telling you the truth earlier. In Orlais I was a bard and my bard master was a woman named Marjolaine. Yes," she looked at Jannasilane directly, "the same woman I spoke of before. Here the terms bard and minstrel are used interchangeably but in Orlais not understanding the difference can cost you your life and worse, your reputation. Bards are minstrels and more. They are spies, thieves and can even be assassins on behalf one of the noble houses. In Orlais you are not permitted to openly display dislike or rivalry so the nobles wear false faces in public and scheme in private, it is all a great game to them and it is important to play the game well. I was on a mission to steal some papers from a man. I found them."
"They were important?" Jannasilane asked quietly.
"Very. Taking them would be an act of treason," the bard frowned at the memory.
"Isn't that what bards do?" Blake shrugged negligently.
Leliana looked at him, "Well, yes, some do. But we had always confined ourselves to activities between the nobles. Skilled bards can do quite well for themselves without the increased risk of spying against Orlais. I went to Marjolaine and begged her not to do this thing; that I feared for her safety. She told me they were old papers which could be used against her and she would destroy them. I loved her, and I believed her. I thought she loved me but I was wrong. She betrayed me. The guards showed me the documents and I saw they had been altered to implicate me and not her. They did . . . terrible things," her voice was rough in remembered distress.
"I am so sorry, Leliana," Jannasilane hugged her friend.
Leliana returned the embrace, accepting the comfort offered. "It was a traitor's death they planned for me." She smiled sadly, "my bard training came in useful and I was able to escape. Eventually I found my way to Lothering and took sanctuary in the Chantry. There I found peace and the Maker."
Blake frowned, "Is there anything else? Are your enemies likely to interfere in our efforts?"
"I have seen no signs of them. This was a few years ago and I am sure more important things have occurred to occupy their energies."
His face cleared, "Good. I better catch up to Alistair. I don't want Package snuggling up to a giant toad, though I doubt Morrigan will actually turn him into one. Although," he smiled devilishly, "I wouldn't put it past her to do something if he annoys her enough. She hasn't liked him from the beginning and he has a knack for annoying her without trying," He left them to catch up to Alistair.
"I'll feed her to the fishes if she hurts my Ali," Jannasilane scowled.
Leliana choked back a laugh, "You've been reading too many of Wynne's novels. She has a surprising taste for lurid and overblown fiction for one who looks so proper. Speaking of fish, why don't we try to catch some for dinner? You move quickly and have very good reflexes; I believe you would do well with a spear," Leliana said and began searching for the right size stick or sapling.
The fish they caught was a welcome addition to dinner that night. "This is a meal such as we have in Seheron. I had almost forgotten the taste of roasted fish. My thanks," Sten commented to the surprise of all. He did not acknowledge their surprise in any way and continued calmly eating the fish. By tacit agreement the others let him have as much as he liked. He restrained himself from eating it all, "An unexpected courtesy. Even more unexpected is they said nothing; not even the witch creature who appears to seek out ways to exercise her sarcasm and dubious wit against others. I am glad the Arishok only asked me to find out about the Blight and not to try and understand the reasoning of humans, particularly Fereldans. I fear my mission would be certain failure otherwise."
Alistair and Jannasilane tidied up camp and headed to their tent. Alistair frowned when they got closer, "Is that . . . why is Blake's shirt hanging outside the tent and why," he sniffed it, perplexed," why does it smell faintly of fish?"
She looked up at him, chewing her bottom lip worriedly, "It still smells of fish? We needed something to carry the cleaned fish we caught and Blake's shirt was the first thing I found. I rinsed it out afterward and hung it up to dry. Maybe the smell will go away if we leave it outside some more?" she asked hopefully.
"Maybe," Alistair answered doubtfully. "He'll probably spend time with Zevran. It might be dry and fresher smelling by then. No use worrying about it now. And I believe we have other things we can discuss or do to pass the time," he waggled his eyebrows in an exaggerated leer and ushered her inside while she snickered.
Inside Zevran's tent the two men were already naked. Zevran reclined against Blake while he ran his fingers through his hair or traced one of his many tattoos. Neither was in a particular hurry, unlike the first time they were together. Blake smiled ruefully, remembering. "I was so hard by the time we reached his tent the promised massage had to wait. It took all my patience just to make sure Zev was prepared. Fortunately he was as eager as I was." He kissed the top of the assassins head, sniffing in the potent mix of sandalwood, cinnamon and Zevran.
"What are you thinking, oh mighty leader of men?" Zevran asked. He was surprised to find himself enjoying this rather peaceful interlude. He felt Blake's grin.
"Just how passion overruled finesse our first time."
"That was not such a bad thing as I recall," Zevran purred in remembrance, his amber eyes glowed with warmth.
Blake nibbled his ear, causing shivers to course down his spine. "No," he replied, "not a bad thing at all." Delicately he traced the contours of Zevran's ear before shifting so he could move his lips over those exquisite cheekbones, the sinuous lines of his tattoos and finally that smiling mouth. Zevran opened up so their tongues could play and explore the moist caverns. Their breathing became heavier. Blake moved so he could nibble the elf's jaw, neck and shoulders. He placed bruising kisses on the lithe chest and rolled the small nipple around in his mouth before sucking. Zevran arched up against him and Blake sucked even harder while pinching the other one with his fingers. Zevran ran his hands up and down the larger rogue's back and sides in hard, slow strokes which caused Blake to redouble his efforts.
"The Warden has a very talented tongue; he could make a fortune if he were so inclined." He gasped a little when the Warden moved down to circle his navel. "Luckily for him I have more than a few moves of my own and very flexible toes." He felt Blake smile against his stomach muscles when he began to caress the other man's calf with his foot. When he began kneading the muscle with his toes Blake looked up and quirked an eyebrow at Zevran.
"Aren't you the clever one?" he grinned wolfishly.
Zevran grasped his hair, "Your hair is almost long enough for me to wrap around my fingers."
Blake bent down and slowly licked the tip of his erection before answering, "Why do think I've been letting it grow out?" He wrapped his mouth around the column of flesh begging for his attention. "I enjoy having my hair tugged while I taste another man," his words were a bit muffled.
"I shall endeavor to remember that," Zevran growled. He pinched the sensitive skin behind Blake's knees between his toes.
"Definitely a clever, clever man," Blake nuzzled Zevran's balls, inhaling the musky scent before gently sucking them into his mouth and holding them. He allowed his teeth to lightly graze the delicate skin as he removed the balls from his mouth so he could slowly lick the tattoo stretching from Zevran's base to his tip. Tonight he was determined to bring Zevran over before he took his own pleasure.
Zevran hissed in his breath when Blake lightly scritched the skin behind his sac. In his experience few bothered to explore that particular area between genitals and rear, the Pleasure Plain a delightful woman from Nevarra called it, and so failed to realize just how enjoyable he found it when caressed just so. He grew even harder and Blake began bobbing his head up and down, taking in a little more with each stroke. Zevran fought back the urge to thrust into that warm and skilled mouth. He knew if he did he would fall into the beckoning abyss and he wished to draw out the experience for both their enjoyment. He just had the presence of mind to reach for a particular vial of oil and put it next to the Warden.
Blake got a firm grip on Zevran's hips before beginning to suck hard. He swallowed the seed as it came, being careful not to let any dribble out. He shuddered to hear the Antivan cry out in ecstasy with the last drop spilled. He slowly fondled the softening member with his tongue as he eased away. He moved up to kiss those smiling lips and Zevran stretched against him, the friction causing Blake's straining manhood to jerk. "You have neglected yourself, my dear Warden," he bumped against the other man.
Blake grinned, "We can't have that, can we? Turn over," he commanded hoarsely. Willingly Zevran complied, touching as much of the other man in the process as he could. For just a minute Blake leaned on one arm and admired the elegant form lying beside him. He stroked Zevran like he would a cat and the elf reacted like one, purring and arching into his hand. "You remind me of these great golden cats I've read about: sleek, dangerous, elegant. Apparently somnolent one minute only to become a blur of deadly activity the next. Your blades are as lethal as their claws." He reached for the oil and poured some into his hand, making sure his fingers were well slicked. He paused and sniffed, "Minty," he commented and continued. He bent and kissed those shoulder blades, nibbling his way from one to the other while he began massaging the tight circle of muscle between those firm cheeks.
"I think you will find, Warden, that this particular oil will give both of us more enjoyment," he lifted his rear in invitation, bringing his knees under him so Blake would have better access.
They both moaned when Blake slid one finger inside and back out, hooking it ever so slightly to hit the pleasure spot as he thrust it in and out. Blake added a second finger then a third, carefully stretching and preparing Zevran to receive him. "It is," he growled, "surprisingly tingly." He gasped at the sensation when he began coating his straining manhood, "I think I understand." He carefully positioned it at the entrance and grabbed Zevran's hips. Slowly he guided himself inside, savoring the feel of tight heat encasing his member bit by slow bit, Zevran's oil creating little sparks which cascaded through his nerves. When he was fully buried he let out the breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. Zevran deliberately moved against him, sparking more tingles. Blake hissed and tangled his hands in that golden hair and eased him up until the elf was leaning against him. He wrapped his arm around him, one hand fondling Zev's nipples and the other his groin.
"Look over there," he directed. He nibbled Zevran's ears. "I want you to imagine a large mirror and we are both looking into it, watching as I take you. Watch our hands fondling you, stroking you, fueling your desire to the peak once more." Slowly he started thrusting, moving in and out. He moaned, his breath hitched and he changed his rhythm. "I'm moving faster, focus on our hands, the difference in skin tones around your magnificent erection. Isn't that a lovely sight?" He gave a hard push and stopped, briefly. Zevran moaned. "Reach back and wrap your hands behind my head, holding me close. Watch me watching the pleasure wash over you as you come into my hands." With a few well-timed strokes he took Zevran over the edge once more. "That's right, arch your back and let yourself go, watch your seed spurt into my hands and the air. Look at my face as I come close to my own completion. I'm grabbing your hips and am starting to pound into you. I'm close, can't you see my concentration?" Zevran shivered at the words in his ear and the effects of the other man's movements. "I want to taste your skin," Blake bit the flesh between neck and shoulder, then began lightly sucking. "Mmmm, salt and spice. You are so tight and hot around me, soon I'm going to empty myself inside you. You feel full now and will feel even fuller before I'm done." Blake groaned then. His breathing became harsh and uneven. He was trembling with the effort to stay in control for just a minute more and finally let himself go. He gripped Zevran's hips so tight his fingers left bruises. He pushed forward and Zevran braced his arms on the ground to give Blake more resistance. He enjoyed the moment when the Warden lost control. Blake moved hard and fast and deep. He cried out when he finally came, barely having the presence of mind to not completely collapse on the smaller man. Instead he rolled them so they were in spooning position and he could continue slowly moving in and out with the aftershocks.
"I'm happy that you are of such an adventurous disposition, Warden," Zevran purred. His arms were entwined with Blake's around his waist. He could feel Blake calming and smiled to himself. "Handsome and desirable were quite evident. You have a quick mind and skillful tongue. But that you have such imagination is quite a bonus. What is your opinion of ropes and knots?" he asked playfully.
Blake chuckled and tightened his arms around the elf. He rubbed his face against Zevran's hair and sighed contentedly, "So many possibilities, so little time." It had been a long time since he'd felt so relaxed. He knew he would have to leave soon so he could sleep but the other man felt so good in his arms he wanted to enjoy it a bit longer. "I'm glad you're willing to stay with me for awhile, that this isn't a one time, or maybe I should say a three time thing. He tried to stifle a yawn but knew he was unsuccessful when Zevran laughed softly.
"Let me make it simple for you, my dear Warden," Zevran struggled to put thoughts into words. That his desires and years of training put into practice conflicted with each other didn't make it easier for him to speak. He turned to face the other man, not resisting the urge to stroke the nicely muscled chest in front of him. "I meant what I said before. I ask no more than you are willing to give. I have enjoyed our time together but if it is your wish to end it now or next week, then so it shall be." He worked hard to keep his breathing even and his expression light. With a feigned air of nonchalance he traced the light sprinkling of hair on Blake's chest which trickled down to his groin.
"Liar," Blake thought. He decided not to challenge his lover however since he wasn't sure how he felt. Instead he pretended to be amused, "What? No flowers or long protestations of everlasting love? I'm crushed," he fluttered his eyelashes and was rewarded with quick grin. He ran his hand up and down the other's lean form, "I can live with continuing as we are. So be it, until one of us is tired of the other we will enjoy each other's company. I hope that day doesn't come soon since there are still so many things we have yet to do," he drawled, his voice husky with a tinge of wicked.
"That we do, my dear Warden, that we do," Zevran's accent was thicker than usual. He tangled his fingers in that thick dark hair and pulled Blake's head down for a kiss. A short time later Blake sighed and began to get dressed. Zevran watched him with hooded eyes. He knew he shouldn't feel irritated at the Warden's leaving, especially after their recent discussion, but he didn't like being left like this. Other lovers leaving when their activities were concluded never bothered him but this . . . "Blake, Warden, I know my tent is small but it is still large enough for both of us to sleep. You did just put a mirror in here, after all," he jested.
Blake eyed the golden body displayed so temptingly and sighed with regret, "We would probably get distracted and I need sleep. I tend to be, well restless is as good a word as any and I don't want to disturb you."
"Perhaps you would sleep better after 'exercise' to relieve your restlessness," Zevran spoke with all the honeyed seduction at his command. Blake hesitated but finally shook his head and left. Zevran looked around his small tent and felt bereft. In irritation both at himself and the Warden he finished cleaning up and setting things to rights. He crawled into his bedroll and couldn't help wishing it was the dark Warden staving off the night chill instead of a pair of blankets.
Blake trudged back to his tent. He would rather have stayed but he wasn't prepared to inflict his nightmares on anybody else. He smiled a little when he heard Alistair snoring. In the dim light he could see Package snuggled up against her warrior, his arms wrapped around her. He sighed and got under the covers. Maybe he would think of some way to explain to Zevran that wouldn't betray any of Package's secrets.
