Dalish

CONTENT:
Rating: Mature
Flavor: Adventure/Drama
Language: yes
Violence: no
Nudity: no
Sex: discussed
Other: none

Author's Notes:

you must think long and deeply about my profound title. (shut up, Zevran!)

and welcome to 'chapterlets'! they worked okay for DA:TW. a little. still not padding. miiiiight be going real slow, cuz my pre-written chapters are dwindling...

Dalish

==#==

At the wild elves' winter camp, Shianni was taken in by the Dalish maids. They spent all hours of the day sewing and crafting and gossiping. Shianni began to learn proper Dalish at an alarming rate.

In the meantime, Bannon and Zevran fell behind on that count, as they spent their days out with the Hunters, being quiet and stalking game through the snow. The Dalish found the city elves' archery wanting. Finally tired of Dakorien's smug attitude, Bannon told him, "I've killed plenty of wolves on my own, most of them Tainted."

"Ah, but sword strokes ruin a good pelt."

Bannon just gritted his teeth. He volunteered himself and Zevran to go check the snare lines, a chore usually given to the untattooed youths.

Fine. At least they'd be alone a few hours. Bannon didn't know if they could manage a tryst in the frozen forest, but at least they could talk and flirt openly. Well, he could. Zevran had never been shy about it.

"So I have been thinking about Dakorien," Zevran said as they plodded along through the snow. "Would you mind if I went to his tent tonight?"

Bannon couldn't suppress a flinch. "Dakorien!?"

"Si. Surely you have noticed the quite warm adoring glances he has been casting in my direction.

Bannon's face flushed.

"And him, so lean, so strong, so tall...," Zevran waxed poetic. "With that luscious, long raven hair... Mmm..."

"Zev," Bannon blurted. "Don't."

"Hm?" The Antivan turned his hooded head to face Bannon.

"I would... totally mind that."

"Oh." Zevran seemed totally taken aback. His partner had never before denied him anyone - even helped secure trysts with a few of them. "Is it because he is a man?"

Bannon chewed on that thought. Was it all right for Zevran to have sex with any number of women, because Bannon was his only man? Could another man usurp Bannon's place? Especially the handsome and talented wild elf. "No," he decided. "It's not that. But... Just... It's Dakorien." His tone showed his distaste. What if Zevran wanted to bed one of the other Hunters? That wouldn't be so bad. "He's such a smug bastard."

"He is not so bad. I think you just don't like him."

"Well, I imagine he'd be ten times as insufferable afterwards." Oh Maker! Dakorien would be giving him smug superior smirks, only he wouldn't be glancing at Bannon's quiver!

Zevran frowned.

Bannon shook his head. "Listen, I'd never tell you who you can or can't have sex with. That's up to you. But yeah, that would bother me." He bit his lip, unwilling to stoop to begging Zevran not to go through with it.

The assassin mulled it over a while. Then, with a shrug he said, "Ah well! His loss, si?"

Bannon exhaled. "Heh, si, indeed!"

==X==