Well, THE chapter is here! I hope you all enjoy it!
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Zevran awoke before the sun came up and looked down at the sleeping woman lying next to him. Even in sleep, she exuded a vibrancy that stole his breath away. He had been so sure that he would regain the upper hand with her once he had shared her bed; yet now, as the sun peeked through the tent flaps, he knew how very wrong that assumption had been.
Brushing the hair from her forehead, Zevran leaned down and softly kissed Zeva, pulling her closer to him. She mumbled in her sleep, and he wondered what she was dreaming of. That bastard, Duncan, no doubt, he thought angrily. The very thought of the Warden Commander brought a deep rage to Zevran's mind. He simply couldn't imagine what such an extraordinary woman saw in that man; he had thus far proven to be more of a danger to her than a protector.
Zevran had never been a jealous lover; there had never been a need to be. His relationships were always casual, often involving more than one partner at a time. Such was the life of an Antivan Crow, and it had always served him well. Zeva was an entirely different matter, however. With her he felt a possessiveness that he hadn't known before, even though he knew that her heart belonged to another. Well, he would just have to make sure that should the great Duncan make the slightest mistake, he would be there to step in and take his place.
"Good morning, Zev," Zeva said, smiling up at him. "You seem awfully deep in thought. Care to share?"
Quirking his eyebrow, the elf chuckled wickedly. "Why, yes, my beautiful Warden, there is something I was wishing to share with you," he said and pulled her beneath him, covering her with kisses. If this was to be his last time with Zeva, he would make sure it was a moment neither of them would ever forget.
When the duo finally left their tent, they found the camp mostly dismantled, and Morrigan and Wynne were preparing breakfast in silence.
"Good morning," Zeva said happily, taking a seat next to Morrigan, rubbing her arms to warm the chill that had settled over them.
Smiling mischievously, the witch handed Zeva and Zevran each a bowl of porridge. "So, I take it you are feeling better this morning, Zeva?" she asked.
"Oh, she felt marvelous," Zevran quipped, receiving an elbow to the ribs for his trouble. "Ooof…. you know, for such a lovely creature, you are quite violent, my dear," he replied, rubbing his side. Wynne watched the trio curiously, her eyebrows raised.
As they finished their meal, Zeva recounted their travels thus far to Wynne, explaining about the situation in Redcliffe, both with Connor and Arl Eamon's illness.
"So, Duncan escaped Ostagar, as well?" Wynne asked happily. "That is wonderful news! He is truly an honorable man. I feel our chances of defeating this Blight have been increased greatly with his survival."
"Honorable? Hmpfh!" Morrigan scoffed. "I have yet to see evidence of such an attribute from that man! Thus far, he has only managed to break the heart of the woman he supposedly cared deeply for, and then gave her location away to the very maniac he should be protecting her from!"
Zeva shook her head sadly. "Morrigan, please!" she began, "I am sure Duncan and Leliana are not at fault over what happened in Denerim. I have come to realize that Howe will stop at nothing to get what he wants and I will only be safe when I put him in his grave, where he belongs."
"Well, we can agree on that," the witch replied. "There are several things I am longing to do to that monster, myself."
"As are we all," Zevran added, taking Zeva's hand in his and squeezing gently. "Now, shall we get moving? I know you are anxious to reach Redcliffe and check on the condition of your companions there."
Nodding, Zeva rose from her spot by the fire, and they finished dismantling the camp. As they headed down the road to Redcliffe, Zeva prayed that Duncan would be there waiting for her, unharmed.
o~~~~~~~~o
"Duncan! How wonderful to see you alive and well, my friend," Irving said, clasping the Warden's arm in greeting. Their two parties had met shortly after the mages and Templars had embarked on the road to Redcliffe. "Were you and your companion the ones who went to Denerim in search of information on Andraste's ashes?"
At the look of surprise on Duncan's face, Irving continued. "Your fellow Warden, Zeva, and her party explained that part of their group had headed to Denerim on that particular quest, and I can only assume it was you she was referring to."
"Zeva? How is she, Irving?" Duncan asked, his expression anxious. "When did you last see her?"
"Why, she left the Tower several days ago," Irving explained. "I must say, Duncan, I have never met a young woman quite so strong and determined. Had it not been for Zeva and her companions, we would not be here to travel with you." As the group continued walking, Irving explained the circumstances at the Circle and how instrumental Zeva had been in ensuring that everyone possible had survived the event.
"She even managed to impress Knight-Commander Greagoir, and you know how difficult that is," Irving said. "I think I may have actually seen him smile at her as she was leaving."
"That would be our Zeva," Leliana replied, winking at Duncan. "I daresay there isn't a man alive she couldn't charm."
Irving nodded. "Well, her elven companion appeared quite taken with her," he noted, missing the dark look that passed over Duncan's features. "And she may well have saved the sanity of a Templar in the Tower who had been violently tortured by Uldred. He appeared quite inconsolable until she spoke with him."
"So, Duncan, please tell me more of this possessed child; Connor, I believe Zeva said his name was," Irving asked. "I understand the ritual we are to perform, but I would like to have as much background information as possible before allowing a mage to enter the Fade."
"Of course, Irving," Duncan replied, and proceeded to tell Irving and the mages everything they knew about the happenings in Redcliffe.
o~~~~~~~~o
Sten entered the Great Hall, striding toward Alistair, who was seated on the dais, eating cheese he had snatched from the larder the night before. "They are coming," he said simply, and turned to leave.
Alistair turned to an elven servant dusting the table near him and spoke quickly. "Please find Bann Teagan and let him know that the Wardens have returned," he said. "We are heading to the main gate to greet them."
"Yes, Ser," the elf said, dashing toward the family's quarters to give Teagan the message. Connor had been blissfully placid during the time that Zeva and Duncan had been gone. Despite his hatred of the man, Alistair had to admit that Jowan had kept his promise to watch over the possessed boy and there had been no more incidents.
Teagan split most of his time between sitting at Eamon's side and pacing the floors, awaiting the return of Zeva and her companions. Alistair had started to think that there might be more to Teagan's feelings for Zeva than that of a friend; and that thought made him uncommonly irritable.
Teagan reached Sten and Alistair just as the group was entering the courtyard. "Where are the Commander and the Bard?" Sten asked as he looked at the party. "And who is that elf next to the Warden?"
Teagan's heart leapt at the sight of the smiling young woman leading the group. Before he had a chance to speak, Alistair called out, "Zeva! Thank the Maker you are alright!" and rushed toward his fellow Warden, picking her up and hugging her tightly.
Zeva laughed heartily, leaning forward to place a kiss on Alistair's cheek and returning his embrace. Teagan caught the look of anger that flashed over the elf's face, and took an immediate dislike to him.
Placing her back on the ground, Alistair looked at the group with her and asked nervously, "Zeva, where is Duncan?"
"You mean he hasn't returned here yet?" Zeva asked anxiously as Sten and Teagan approached. She quickly looked to the elf beside her and he reached out, placing a calming hand on her arm. Teagan's face flushed slightly in anger as he saw the immediate effect it had on her. Her shoulders loosened and her face softened. There is definitely something amiss with this intruder, Teagan thought furiously.
"No, he hasn't come here," Alistair replied. "Why aren't you together?"
"No doubt he is still travelling from Denerim, Zeva. Do not fret yet," Morrigan said from behind her. "I have an idea, if I may. What say we go inside where we can all sit down and go over the events of the last week together? It has been a long day and Zeva is still recovering from the injuries she received last night; all thanks to your idiot Commander, I might add," she said pointedly, looking at Alistair.
"Injuries?" Teagan said and moved quickly to Zeva's side, taking her hands in his. "Zeva, what happened?"
Smiling warmly, Zeva reached up, placing her hand on his cheek. "I am fine, Teagan, really," she said softly. "We just had another encounter with Howe's men last night. Apparently he is intent on bringing me to Denerim to be reunited with him."
"Never!" Teagan said angrily and pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly. "Not as long as I draw breath."
Zeva returned his hug and then drew back, gazing at him happily. "Well, thank you, kind Ser, but I think it is inevitable that he and I meet again; and when we do, it will be on my terms," she said, her eyes flashing dangerously.
"I daresay he will never know what hit him, my beautiful Warden," the elf accompanying Zeva said, drawing the attention of all three men before her.
"Zeva, who is this, and why is he with you?" Alistair asked, his voice filled with suspicion.
Turning to the elf, Zeva smiled, and Teagan felt his stomach flip. Before she could respond, the elf answered for her, bowing slightly. "My name is Zevran Arainai, Zev to my friends. I am pledged to the service of the lovely Zeva, who defeated me fairly in battle, for as long as she should need me," he said, smiling mischievously.
"Defeated fairly in battle?" Teagan asked, his curiosity piqued.
"Well, yes, he did try to kill me," Zeva said jovially. "But we are all past that now, aren't we, Zev?" she asked, grinning at the handsome elf, who nodded in agreement. Turning toward Alistair, whose mouth was hanging open in shock, she shrugged. "Now, let's go inside, as Morrigan suggested. We have much to discuss."
Taking Teagan and Alistair's arms in her own, she pulled them toward the castle, the rest of the group following behind. "You will not believe the trip to the Tower…."
o~~~~~~~~o
Zevran stood in the shadows outside Arl Eamon's office, listening to the raised voices coming from within. Teagan and Alistair had requested a moment alone with Zeva, and he had followed, knowing what the conversation would be about. He smiled, imagining the look on the Warden's face as the two men tried to impose their will on her.
"An assassin, Zeva? What in the world were you thinking?" Teagan asked angrily, pacing the room. Zeva sat in the chair behind Eamon's desk, shaking her head slowly as she listened to the two men raving about her newest companion. She had known this conversation was inevitable, but hadn't imagined that Alistair and Teagan would choose to gang up on her.
"I must admit, I have been wondering the same thing myself," her fellow Warden commented, seating himself across from her and gazing at her sternly. "He was sent by Howe to kill your companions and kidnap you, Zeva! How could you possible allow him the freedom to travel with you? What is keeping him from simply finishing the job he started?"
Taking a deep breath to calm herself, Zeva spoke, her voice terse. "Alistair, listen to me. You were not there when we fought the Antivan Crows," she explained. "They are extremely good and very organized. It was simply good fortune that we were able to defeat them. Zevran explained that there would no doubt be others who would follow them in order to finish the job, and he agreed to help me defeat them. It seemed a perfectly reasonable decision, given the circumstances I found myself in."
"Reasonable?" Alistair asked, his voice rising angrily. "You deemed it reasonable to hand a weapon to a killer, giving him access to you while you sleep, knowing that he had already tried to harm you once?" He glared at her, his face flushing. "I am sorry, Zeva, but I simply don't agree. There is something very sneaky about him, and I don't trust him with you!"
"Well, I do trust him, Alistair!" Zeva spat, slamming her hands on the desk. "You were not with me in the Circle Tower. You did not see what we went through, what Zevran went through, in order to save the mages who were trapped there by Uldred! He stood by me during one of the most horrific trials I have ever faced, and he never once left my side."
Breathing deeply, Zeva attempted to calm herself. "Had he been working with Howe, he would have simply given me to his soldiers when we met them on the way back here. Instead, he fought to save me when I was unable to help myself! In my opinion, he is one of the most trustworthy people I have ever known!" Zevran's heart leapt at her words, though he could not shake the guilt he felt knowing that he had been the cause of so much of Zeva's heartbreak, even if she did not know it.
Rising from her chair, Zeva moved around the desk, standing next to Alistair and placing a hand on his shoulder. "Thank you so much for worrying about me, Ali," she said softly. "I understand your concern, but even Duncan eventually agreed that Zevran should stay with us."
Teagan snorted from across the room, and the two Wardens turned to face him as he stepped closer to them. "That is supposed to put me at ease, Zeva? That your Warden Commander allowed a murderer to travel alone with you, knowing that Howe's men were after you?" he asked, his eyes blazing with anger. "I fail to see the comfort in that. Furthermore, given Duncan's rather loose tongue in Denerim, it appears to me as though your wellbeing may be the very last thing on his mind."
Zevran heard the slap, followed by Alistair's gasp of surprise. "Don't you dare blame Duncan for what Howe's men have done to me, Teagan," Zeva said, her voice dangerously calm. "I have listened to what Morrigan has to say on the subject ever since the attack and I will not have you laying the blame at his feet; especially since he is not here to defend himself from your accusations. He could be hurt or worse right now, and we have no way of knowing! Now, if you will both excuse me, I grow very tired of having to explain myself to everyone. I have had an horrific few days and I think I would like to be alone." Turning on her heel, Zeva stormed from the room, leaving the two men inside to stare helplessly after her.
Zevran followed her at a distance, marveling at the grace with which she moved. She entered her quarters, slamming the door behind her. As he moved toward his own, he felt a strong hand grasp his shoulder, turning him around.
"I will be watching you, assassin," Sten said calmly. "I know that the Warden trusts you, but I do not. I have sworn to help her end this Blight, and I will not allow you to harm her in any way." With that, the Qunari walked away, leaving the elf to stare longingly at Zeva's door.
o~~~~~~~~o
The next couple of days passed quickly at the castle. Preparations were made, based on the requests given to Zeva by Irving, for the ritual that would take place when the mages arrived. Zeva, Alistair and Zevran studied maps of Ferelden, plotting the quickest path to Orzammar, where they would be heading as soon as the situation with Connor had been resolved. Though the former Templar cared little for the elf, he no longer argued with Zeva over his admittance into their group. He recognized the camaraderie between Zeva and Zevran, and knew that he would only alienate her should he push his opinion onto her.
Teagan watched the group helplessly. Since the confrontation in Eamon's study, Zeva had kept herself distanced from him; a situation made even more painful every time he saw her interacting with the elven assassin. The two were almost never apart; whether it be in strategy sessions with their fellow travellers, or in combat sparring, which the two seemed to enjoy immensely. Their fighting styles were nearly identical, and it made for long and grueling matches which left both participants exhausted.
On the second night since Zeva's return to the castle, Teagan finally found her alone. She was seated on the balcony railing outside the library, her legs stretched across it, staring out over the village below.
"Everything is peaceful in Redcliffe again," Teagan said quietly, not wishing to startle her. "Ser Perth and his fellow Knights have worked tirelessly to help rebuild the damage done during the attacks, and the fear that held the village captive seems to have finally dissipated. You did a wonderful service for those people, Zeva." He moved closer to her, placing his hands on the railing next to her feet.
Sighing softly, Zeva glanced over at him. "I told you before, Teagan, that the village saved itself," she said quietly, smiling gently at him. "And they were so very fortunate to have you with them."
No longer able to restrain himself, Teagan pulled Zeva into his arms, holding her tightly to his chest. "I was so very worried about you, Zeva," he whispered, his voice shaky. "I nearly went mad wondering where you were and what dangers you were facing."
Sliding her arms around his waist, Zeva rested her head on his shoulder. "I am sorry for what happened in Eamon's study the other night, Teagan," she said quietly. "No matter how tired or angry I was, I should never have struck you. That is unacceptable in any situation. I ask your pardon for my rash behavior."
"No, my darling," Teagan said, pulling back to gaze lovingly into her eyes. "I was the one who was at fault. I knew you were concerned about Duncan and I should never have been so inconsiderate of your feelings. I was just so angry that he may have put you in danger, both by leaving you with the Antivan and by possibly allowing Howe's men to find you." He pulled her mouth to his, kissing her deeply, his tongue sliding between her lips.
Zeva broke the kiss, laying her head on Teagan's chest. "There will be much more danger to come, Teagan, before we are at peace," she murmured. "I will be involved in much of it. You must not allow yourself to be concerned with my welfare. I promised that I would look out for myself, and I have a strong group travelling with me. We will be alright."
Lifting her chin so her gaze met his own, Teagan smiled at the woman in his arms. "How can I not worry about you? I love you, Zeva," he said softly, placing a light kiss on her lips. "That is a fact I cannot change, any more than I could change the time the sun rises and sets each day. I know that you will be in danger, and I have complete faith in your ability to succeed. However, that will not make me worry less; not until this is all over and you have returned to me safely."
"You are a very stubborn man, Bann Teagan," Zeva said, laughing softly at him. "Fine, you can worry, if you must; but you need to concentrate on Eamon and Redcliffe. Someone needs to make sure that everything here runs smoothly until we can return with the Ashes. Maker knows, Isolde is quite incapable of being responsible for anything other than the dress she chooses to wear each day."
Releasing her, Teagan turned back to the balcony, looking over the water. "Do you really think that the mages will be able to help Connor?"
"I cannot imagine why not," Zeva replied. "First Enchanter Irving seemed quite confident in the plan, even considering the person the idea came from." Zeva had told Teagan to expect Templars to arrive with Irving to collect Jowan, and his response had been unsurprising. He would not allow Jowan to be removed from his dungeon until the situation with Eamon had been resolved.
"Well," Teagan began nervously, "I suppose I should let you get to bed. The mages should be arriving soon and there is still much to be done." Secretly he hoped that she would want to return to his room with him, but he realized the chances of that were slim, especially with all she had on her mind.
Zeva approached him, grasping his hand in her own. "You are right, of course," she agreed. "Goodnight, Teagan. I will see you at breakfast, I hope?"
His warm smile covered the disappointment in his heart. "Yes, of course I will be there," he said quickly, bringing her hand to his lips, kissing her palm. "I would never miss an opportunity to spend time with you."
"Excellent!" she replied happily. "'Til morning, then."
"'Til morning," Teagan said, watching her walk away, his heart heavy with doubts.
Zeva bypassed her room, heading silently out of the castle toward the lake. There was no way that she would be able to sleep yet. Her mind was filled with worry over Duncan. What if Howe's men had overtaken him and Leliana? Logic told her that his trip would naturally have taken longer than her own; yet logic was not what was controlling her at the moment.
Ever since her return to Redcliffe, she had known that her mind was set. There was only one man who would ever truly hold her heart now, and that man was Duncan. She hated to think of hurting either Teagan or Zevran, but she couldn't help how she felt. Not that she thought Zevran would be badly hurt, anyway; his was a life filled with sexual encounters, and she hadn't believed that their night together had been anything more than a pleasant diversion for him, regardless of what he may have inferred.
Teagan was another matter, however; she would have to tell him soon, but she just couldn't bear to face him yet. So, instead, she had run from him to the comfort of the night. Unbeknownst to her, her departure had been noted by two of her companions. Morrigan watched Zeva enter the woods, from the window of her room, where she was seated reading through Flemeth's Grimoire. She also spied a second shadow trailing Zeva and chuckled wickedly. So the assassin is not about to give up, she thought with amusement. This should be interesting…
Zevran had witnessed Zeva's departure and followed behind her, curious as to where she would be off to at such a late hour. He had seen the sadness in her face over the last couple of days, and knew that she was worried about Duncan. Though it hurt him to see the depth of her care for the Warden Commander, he knew that the best chance he had for winning her away would be to stay close to her and remain her constant support. His goal now took him into the forest, where he planned on cheering up the lovely Grey Warden, whether she wanted his help or not.
o~~~~~~~~o
Duncan felt his heart racing the closer the party came to Redcliffe. It had been a unanimous decision to forego camping for the night and continue on to the village. As the castle came into sight, Duncan heard a low chuckle and turned to see Leliana walking quickly beside him.
"And what are you laughing at, Leliana?" Duncan asked, smiling back at her.
"At your current rate of speed progression, you will have broken into a full run by the time we enter the castle courtyard," she replied, winking at him. "You know, at this time of night, we will no doubt wake the entire building with our arrival. Though I completely understand your desire to check on Zeva's condition."
The group had come upon the area in which Zeva and her companions had fought Howe's men. Duncan's mood had immediately darkened as he saw the dried blood on the camp ground, his imagination conjuring up images of Zeva as she was taken by Howe's men back to him in Denerim. Leliana had set his mind as ease when she found the bodies of the fallen soldiers, but Duncan's pace had quickened greatly since that time; his need to be with her possessing him.
Now, with his goal so close, Duncan could only pray he would find her safe.
o~~~~~~~~o
A loud knock sounded at Alistair's door, and he roused himself from bed, throwing a tunic over his breeches and heading for the door, opening it slowly. "What?" he asked irritably.
The young elf standing outside the door bowed slightly. "Ser, I was sent from Tomas, who is on gate duty tonight. Apparently there is a contingent on its way over the bridge and he thinks your Warden Commander is among them," he said quietly.
Suddenly, Alistair was wide awake. "Have you gone to Zeva's room yet?" he asked, rushing across his room and tossing on a pair of proper breeches and some boots.
"I tried, Ser, but she wasn't in her room," the elf replied nervously.
"Not in her room?" Alistair asked. Where could she possibly be at this time of night? No matter, Alistair thought. I am sure she will turn up once Duncan gets here. Following the elf from the room, Alistair rushed down the stairs, anxious to be reunited with his mentor.
Word spread quickly of the new arrivals and by the time Duncan and his party reached the courtyard gates, the entire group was there to greet them, with the notable exception of Zeva and Zevran.
"Duncan!" Alistair cried, coming forward and clasping his Commander's arm, shaking it heartily. "It is so good to have you back."
"It is good to be back," Duncan replied, looking around the courtyard before turning back to his fellow Warden. "Where is Zeva, Alistair? Is she alright?" he asked, his face filled with concern.
"I think I can answer that, Commander," Morrigan said, moving to stand before the pair of men. "I happened to see Zeva leave the castle not long ago, headed into the estate's forest. She looked quite forlorn, and I assumed she wanted to be alone. I am sure if you head in that direction," she said and pointed toward a copse of trees beyond the wall, "you should come across her in no time."
Turning toward Alistair, Duncan motioned toward the mages behind him. "Alistair, this is First Enchanter Irving," he said, and the former Templar bowed toward the elder mage, who smiled warmly in return. "He and his fellows are here in the hope of helping Arl Eamon's son, Connor, though they will need rest before they can begin the ritual. Could you please make sure they have everything they need? I need to find Zeva as soon as possible."
Teagan approached them and stared angrily at Duncan. "Now you are concerned about Zeva's welfare, Commander?" he asked contemptuously. "Interesting, since you so casually allowed her to travel in the company of an assassin and made it possible for the lunatic hunting her to attempt yet another kidnapping not a day's travel from the Circle? I highly doubt that you are the person she needs to see at this particular time, as you will certainly cause her yet more anguish. I shall seek her out myself and bring her back to the castle."
"I think not," Duncan said and drew closer to Teagan, his eyes glittering dangerously. "Zeva is a Warden under my command and I will be the one looking for her. Moreover, you have a full contingent of mages and Templars to care for, do you not? I would think the comfort of the men here to save your nephew should be your first priority, would you not agree?"
Teagan clenched his fists tightly at his side, but he backed away from Duncan, turning to address the First Enchanter. "Forgive my horrible manners, First Enchanter," he said, inclining his head graciously to the entourage from the Circle. "This situation has been most trying for us all, and I am afraid my nerves are at their end. Please come in. I will have the cook prepare food for you all while your rooms are being readied. I cannot tell you how grateful we are for your offer of aid." Casting a final murderous glance at Duncan, Teagan ushered the mages into the castle.
"Alistair," Duncan said and pulled his fellow Warden aside, "please keep an eye on everything for me until I return with Zeva. We need to make sure that the mages are kept safe. Has there been any trouble from the boy?"
Shaking his head, Alistair replied, "There have been no changes since you have been gone. Jowan has kept him in an almost catatonic state, and all has been peaceful, considering."
"Good," the Commander replied and smiled warmly at the young man. "We have much to tell you once the situation with Connor is resolved. I shall return shortly."
"Of course, Duncan," Alistair said, staring curiously at the older man next to him. What was so important that he needed to rush after Zeva now? he wondered. Leliana moved next to him, taking his arm and pulling him toward the castle. "Come, Alistair," she said, winking at Duncan, "you simply must hear about my adventures in Denerim."
Duncan turned and headed toward the forest, intent on locating Zeva. Morrigan turned toward Sten, smiling malevolently. "I suppose I should have mentioned that Zeva didn't travel into the forest alone, shouldn't I?" she said, laughing softly. "Oh, well, 'tis too late now. I suppose he will just find out for himself, won't he?" Sten glared at the witch, wishing once again that Fereldan mages could have their tongues removed.
o~~~~~~~~o
"You do seem to have a fascination with water, do you not, my dear?" Zevran said, sitting down next to Zeva on the lake shore. He had stayed in the shadows, watching her for quite some time before deciding he should approach. Now, seeing the gloomy expression on her lovely features, he wished he hadn't waited so long.
"I always loved this place," she replied, her knees pulled up to her chest, her chin resting upon them. "Fergus, Teagan and I spent many a day here, hiding from the outside world, simply enjoying ourselves. Though it wasn't so long ago, it seems like forever, now."
"Zeva, I am sure your brother is fine," Zevran said softly. "If he is half the warrior you are, and I have a feeling he is, he can take care of himself. I am sure you will be reunited with him soon."
Her brow furrowed as she responded, "Yes, I am sure you are right. However, how will I ever tell him that his home has been destroyed, and his wife and child murdered, all at the hands of a man my father called friend?"
Not his hands, alone, Zevran thought guiltily. "When the time comes, my Zeva, you will find a way, I am sure," he said, running a hand through her hair, and pulling her into his arms. "I sense you are also disquieted about your Warden Commander, no?"
"Where would I be without you, Zev?" Zeva said, a small smile playing across her lips. "You see right through me, and you are the only one I feel comfortable enough to talk to about this. I feel I need to protect Alistair, as he adores Duncan so, and Morrigan? Hmpfh! If I ever said a word to her about my concerns, she would simply suggest I would be better off with him dead! Leliana would understand, but if something has happened to Duncan, then…"
"Enough!" Zevran exclaimed, standing up and staring down at Zeva. "No more depression for you, my lovely Warden! If you do not cheer up, and I do mean immediately, I fully intend to pick you up and fling you into that lake! In fact," he added, smiling wickedly at her, "I think I may just do that anyway!"
Jumping to her feet, Zeva backed away, positioning herself behind a large rock, using it as a barrier between herself and the grinning elf. "You wouldn't, Zev!"
"Oh, wouldn't I?" he said and leapt onto the rock, his eyes alight with mischief. He grabbed at her, but found the space empty as Zeva had turned and run off, heading further around the lake. Zevran laughed heartily and the pursuit was on, both parties completely unaware of the figure that stood behind a nearby oak tree, watching their game, jealous anger coursing through his body…
o~~~~~~~~o
Duncan moved quickly through the forest, following the sound of the nearby waterfall, hoping that Zeva had headed in the same direction. He came upon a small clearing and saw her sitting on the shore, looking out upon the water. Just as he opened his mouth to call to her, he saw a second figure approach and sit down next to her. Zevran! he thought furiously. Though he knew he was being childish, he stayed in his hiding place, wishing to see the interaction between them.
He watched as they spoke quietly, though he couldn't tell what was being said. His eyes widened as the assassin ran his hand through Zeva's hair and pulled her to him, holding her close. NO! his mind screamed. This can't be happening, not now!
A few seconds later, Zevran rose and spoke loudly, Duncan now able to make out the conversation between the couple. He had threatened to throw Zeva into the lake, and she had jumped up, moving away to avoid him. Laughing jovially, the elf had pursued Zeva and the two were now involved in a fast chase around the lake.
Duncan watched as Zeva lithely avoided Zevran's attempts to catch her, using the nearby foliage as protection from his onslaught. What amazed Duncan the most was the freedom and joy he saw on her face. She had never been that way with him, not since the first moment of their meeting. His heart slowly broke as he realized that he had never given her such happiness. Obviously there was far more to her relationship with the handsome assassin than he had imagined, though they had only known each other for a short while.
A loud cry caught his attention and he watched as Zeva was finally cornered by Zevran, grabbed around the waist and tossed into the water, landing with a splash. The elf quickly discarded his shirt and dove in after her, coming up just behind the beautiful Warden. Moonlight shone brightly on the lake as Zevran slowly approached Zeva, taking her face in his hands, speaking softly to her. They stayed that way for several minutes, sharing a quiet conversation between them, punctuated by soft smiles from both parties.
His blood pounding through his veins, Duncan watched in horror as the assassin brought Zeva's face to his own, kissing her passionately. The kiss was long and deep, and Duncan's heart broke with each passing second. Finally, unwilling to see what might come next, he turned and headed back to the castle, sure that he had lost the woman he loved forever.
Thanks to everyone who has read and favorited this story!
A special welcome to my new readers, Eriana10 and Draygon-Icewing: Thank you for joining the adventure!
To the awesome "We Hate Howe Club" and my repeat reviewers: lisakodysam, voltagelisa, Shakespira, Lavinia Luscious, zevgirl
Miltonia, CCBug, sandradee27, Nithu, Nanicane, WitchWeaver, FallingDarkAngel, tgail73 and KayraCousland: Much love to you all!
The greatest thanks, as always, to my friend and Beta Reader, Lisa: Someday the 'which' and 'that' will make sense to me, I promise!