Okay, I lied! My characters had more to say than I thought! And those confessions can be a bugger...
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"I have something for you," Zeva said, sitting down next to Zevran by the firelight at the base of the mountain. The elf gazed up at her, and she had to smile at the devious glow in his eyes.
"You have no idea how long I have waited to hear that," he purred, turning toward her. "Now, shall I break the news to the Warden Commander, or will you be doing that yourself?"
Reaching behind her back, Zeva pulled out a pair of boots and held them out for him to see. "Boots?" he asked, an odd expression on his face. He took the proffered gift, and Zeva saw his eyes light up as he recognized the scent. "These are Antivan leather!" he exclaimed, bringing them close to his face and inhaling deeply. "Wherever did you find them?"
Zeva smiled brightly as she saw the happiness he found in her gift. "Well, Haven was good for one thing," she said. "Now don't just sit there – try them on!" she demanded, motioning with her hands for him to hurry up.
Zevran unlaced his current boots, pushing them aside and slipping his feet into the soft, warm leather. "They are a perfect fit!" he cried, lacing them up. He stood and walked around the campfire, testing their feel. Zeva rose as well, watching him as he practiced his footing, drawing his daggers from behind his back and battling an invisible foe. Several minutes later, he returned to her side, grasping her hand and bringing it to his lips, kissing her knuckles gently.
"I don't know what to say," he said, gazing deep into her eyes. "I have never been given a present before. 'Thank you' seems so inadequate."
"Actually, 'thank you' is absolutely perfect," she replied, gently pulling her hand away. She hoped he hadn't noticed the slight tremor in her fingers at his touch. "Now, I need to get back to Leliana, or she will be quite cross with me for not helping her with dinner." She turned to leave, but Zevran reached out; placing a hand on her arm to stop her.
"I would like to speak to you, if I may," he said softly. Glancing around the camp, his gaze met Duncan's and he saw the fury in the Commander's eyes. "Alone, if that would be alright."
"Is there a problem?" Zeva asked, concerned by the seriousness in his tone. This was not the Zevran she was used to, and she wondered what had happened to bring about such a quick change.
The elf shook his head, smiling at her. "No, my darling Zeva, there is nothing wrong," he said quietly. "I think it is time I told you about my final mission for the Crows. It involved the young woman you saw with me in the Fade."
Her eyes widening slightly, Zeva nodded immediately. "Of course I will listen," she said. "If you would give me a moment, I will let Leliana know that I am leaving. I don't think we want anyone interrupting this particular conversation with a search party." Zevran nodded in agreement and Zeva crossed the camp, stopping in front of the stewpot.
"Leli, I'll be back in a little while," she said, smiling down at the bard.
Leliana glanced up, her eyebrow raised. "Is everything alright, Zeva?" she asked cautiously.
"Everything is fine," Zeva replied. "Zevran would like to speak to me away from camp regarding the events in the Tower. We will be back soon."
"Alright. Be careful," Leliana said, staring pointedly at the Warden. It was obvious that there was more than one meaning to her words. Zeva smiled and nodded, returning to Zevran's side. The pair vanished into the nearby woods.
Leliana shook her head, returning her attention to the meal before her. She jumped when she heard Duncan's voice, his tone filled with malice.
"Enough!" he exclaimed, heading in the direction of Zeva and Zevran's departure. "I have had it with that elf and I will finish this!"
Jumping up, Leliana ran after him, grabbing his arm just as he entered the woods. "Duncan, no!" she cried, holding tightly to him as he tried to pull away. "Do not do this!" By now, the duo had attracted the attention of the rest of the camp. All eyes turned their way as Duncan spun on Leliana, his face contorted in fury.
"Let go, Leli!" he said, yanking his arm free of her grasp. "You cannot seriously expect me to stand idly by while that damned Antivan strolls into the woods with my Zeva! You know as well as I do that he is desperate to take her from me, and she is obviously blind to it. Or maybe she sees his intentions and doesn't care. After all, this wouldn't be the first time they had an intimate moment alone, now would it?"
The sound of the slap rang loudly in the camp and Leliana quickly brought her hand to her mouth, shocked at her own behavior. Duncan stood perfectly still, the fury from mere seconds before replaced by utter surprise.
Taking a deep breath to calm herself, Leliana spoke; her voice shaking. "I am sorry, Duncan," she said quietly. "I should not have done that. I simply could not allow you to insinuate such things about Zeva, no matter your reasons."
"No, Leli, I should be the one to apologize," he said, walking back into the camp and sitting before the fire. "I should not have said that. It's only that my blood boils at the thought of the two of them together. You didn't see them at the lake in Redcliffe, and you were not there to witness her defense of him in the Haven temple. I know she cares deeply for Zevran, even if she has chosen me. To make matters worse, he is well aware of her feelings for him. I can see it every time he looks at her. The bastard knows that she can't deny him, and he uses it to his advantage at every turn."
"I do not disagree with your evaluation of the situation, Duncan," the bard responded. "Zevran and Zeva have developed an extremely close relationship, and I am afraid that nothing will be able to keep them apart. However, we are not speaking of love; at least not the sort she has with you. Theirs is a bond forged in battle; specifically the battle at the Circle. Whatever happened in that Tower changed them both and they fought those demons together. In fact, that is what they are discussing right now."
Duncan glanced at her, a look of confusion on his face. "Really?" he asked. "She told you that?"
"Yes," Leli said, nodding slowly. "As you know, Zeva entered the dreams of all of those who fought alongside her in the Circle. Zevran's disturbed her more than any of the others; her own, included. From what she has told me, it involves the girl the Guardian began speaking of at the ancient temple. That is why she defended him as passionately as she did."
"He will try to use this to worm his way deeper into her heart," Duncan declared, anger once again flaring in his eyes. "And she will let him! I can't stand it any longer, Leliana. Zeva is mine, and I will be damned if I let anyone take her from me!" Rising from the campfire, Duncan stormed across the camp; throwing open the flap to his tent and stepping inside.
"Well, it appears that the moment we feared has arrived, has it not?" Wynne asked, sitting down next to the shaking bard. "Duncan will confront Zevran and Zeva will be trapped between them."
Gazing into the woods, Leliana drew in a deep breath, releasing it slowly. "I am afraid so, Wynne," she replied. "I only hope this discussion doesn't destroy us all."
o~~~~~~~~o
"Come and sit down, Zevran," Zeva said, patting the soft grass next to her. The elf had been nervously pacing since they stopped walking.
Smiling tenderly at the Warden, Zevran moved toward her; sitting down next to her and taking her hand in his. She could feel a slight tremble in his fingers and squeezed his hand gently.
"I know I have told you of my many conquests as a Crow," Zevran began with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "There was a time when I was quite insufferable in bragging about my talents; both as an assassin and lover."
"I can hardly imagine," Zeva said softly; pleased to see her friend's eyes glitter once again.
"Yes, I know, it is so hard to believe," he continued. "There were several masters in the Crows who did not appreciate my self-adulation, and they made no secret of their distaste. I placed a bid on a very dangerous mark and it was accepted, much to my surprise. The team I selected for the mission included my closest friend, Taliesan, and a beautiful elven assassin named Rinna."
Zeva nodded knowingly. So this was the woman in the Fade, she thought as she saw the wistful look on Zevran's face.
"Rinna was beautiful, dangerous and wild. She was an excellent assassin, and we were…. quite close," Zevran said. "Taliesan approached me on our journey and told me that Rinna had betrayed us to the target. He said we needed to kill her and without a second thought, I agreed. We confronted her and she swore on her knees that she loved me and would never betray me. I told her I didn't care and that she deserved no less than death. Before my eyes, Taliesan slit her throat and I watched as the blood drained from her body onto the ground at my feet."
"Oh, Zevran…" Zeva began, but stopped when he held a hand up. His head was bowed and he would not look at her.
"It is not done," he said, his voice shaking slightly. "I spat on her corpse for betraying the Crows. When we reached the mark, we discovered that it was not Rinna who had betrayed us. She had been telling the truth and I let Taliesan kill her."
Taking a deep breath to steady himself, Zevran raised his head, once again meeting Zeva's eyes. "Taliesan and I agreed to tell the Crows that she had died during the mission in order to protect ourselves. We needn't have bothered; the Crows knew the truth and they didn't care. The master who despised me most laughed at her death, telling me that someday it would be my turn. In his mind, Rinna was nothing, just as I was nothing."
"I am so very sorry, Zev," she said softly, her heart breaking as she saw the tears he was trying to hide. He had turned his face from her once again, as though ashamed of showing any feelings.
Slowly she moved closer, taking his chin in her hand and gently raising his head toward her. "Please don't hide from me, Zevran," she whispered, wiping the tears from his cheeks with her fingers. "You can wear your mask for everyone else, but never me."
"Why?" he asked, the tears flowing freely now. "How can you even stand to look at me, knowing that I murdered the woman I claimed to love? Should you not spit on me or send me away? I am sure your Warden Commander would."
"I'm not sure if you have noticed, but I am not Duncan," she replied, smiling tenderly at him. "No one has a perfect past, Zevran; especially not in this particular group. Should you ever doubt it, simply take a look at Morrigan and Sten. The Crows may have trained you as a killer, but you have a good heart. I have seen it and I will not turn my back on you, even if you choose to give up on yourself."
"Thank you, Zeva," Zevran said. "I never imagined sharing this with anyone before. I am sorry that I waited so long." He rose from the ground, walked over to the nearby stream and bent down, splashing water on his face.
"There is no reason to be sorry, Zev," she said, following behind him. "I am glad I could be here for you. I should get back to camp now, but I had one more thing to say before I go."
He stood and turned toward her, a curious expression on his face. "And what would that be, my darling Warden?" he asked softly.
"Never, ever think that you are nothing, Zevran Arainai," she said, reaching forward and pushing the wet braids back from his face. "You are a person of worth, and anyone who thinks otherwise will answer to me."
Zevran grabbed her wrist as she withdrew her hand, pulling her into his arms and kissing her passionately. Though her mind screamed for her to stop, her body refused to obey. Using his skillful tongue, Zevran explored the inside of her mouth, drawing moans of pleasure from the Warden.
"Zevran…. no…" Zeva gasped as the elf began kissing her neck, his hands sliding under her blouse to caress her naked back. Using the last of her self-control, she pushed him away, stepping back to catch her breath.
"I can't do this, Zev," she said, holding her hands in front of her in a vain effort to keep him at bay. "I love Duncan and I won't betray him."
"Betray him?" Zevran cried, slowly stepping toward her. "He has done nothing to deserve this devotion you give him! He tries to control you at every turn. Don't tell me you have forgotten his behavior at the temple earlier today! The 'High and Mighty' Warden Commander Duncan shouldn't have allowed you to fight the dragon? ALLOWED! How dare he treat you that way!"
Closing the distance between them, Zevran pulled Zeva to him, tilting her face to meet his gaze. "I would never try to tame you, Zeva," he said softly, running his fingertips over her cheek. "You are a woman of great passion and determination. Together, no one can stop us." He gently kissed her once more, his body shaking slightly as he wrapped his arms around her.
Zeva ended the kiss, smiling softly at the assassin. "I care so much for you, Zevran," she whispered. "More than I ever thought I would. I could not have come this far without you, and I cannot imagine defeating the Archdemon without you beside me. However, Duncan is the man I love. He is the one I have chosen, and despite my feelings for you, I will not leave his side."
Pulling away, she gazed sadly at him; tears filling her eyes. "I have to ask that you respect my decision," she continued. "Thought it hurts me to say it, I will understand if you feel you cannot stay. You are a free man and you must do what is best for you. I need to get back to the camp, as I am sure Leliana and Duncan are quite beside themselves at this point. I hope to see you there soon." Turning, she moved into the forest, leaving Zevran alone to contemplate his decision.
o~~~~~~~~o
By the time she reached the campsite, Zeva's tears had dried. It had been more painful than she would ever care to admit to turn from Zevran and walk away; but she knew she had made the right decision. Duncan was her life, and no matter how much she cared for the handsome Antivan assassin, she could never leave him.
Leliana glanced up from the stewpot, a small frown on her face. Though Zeva wore a bright smile, her eyes held great pain. The bard quickly rose from the fire, approaching the Warden carefully.
"Is everything alright, Zeva?" she asked quietly.
"Yes, Leli, I am fine," Zeva replied. "Thank you so much for your concern. Zevran and I had a very pleasant and long-overdue conversation regarding the events at the Circle Tower and I think it was beneficial for us both."
"Well, I see you have returned," Duncan said snidely as he approached the two women. Leliana froze, her heart in her throat. She knew the situation was precarious, and if the Warden Commander made the wrong move, he may well lose the woman he had fought so hard to win. "And where is your elven assassin? I am surprised to see the two of you more than five paces apart."
"Pardon me?" Zeva asked, her face flushing in anger. She was in no mood for a jealous fit from Duncan; not after the emotional turmoil she had just experienced. "Zevran is still in the woods. He needed time alone to think. I know that is a completely foreign idea to you, as you never have doubts about anything. The rest of us 'mere mortals' do have insecurities, and we need time to work through them. Now, if you will excuse me, I am retiring to my tent for a while. I suddenly feel like being alone." Zeva stormed past Duncan, stepping into the tent and flinging the flap closed behind her.
Leli opened her mouth to speak, and closed it again as Duncan headed after Zeva. "Not this time," he declared as he entered the tent behind her.
"Maker," Alistair said, stepping up to the shaken bard. "This will be bad, won't it, Leli?"
Turning back to the fire, Leliana shook her head sadly. "I certainly hope not, Alistair," she replied quietly, sending a prayer to the Maker to help her companions see reason.
o~~~~~~~~o
Zeva sat up on the bedroll as Duncan entered the tent, a furious glare on her face. "Did you miss the part where I said I wished to be alone?" she asked angrily.
"No, I heard you quite clearly," he replied. "I just chose to ignore it. You and I need to talk, Zeva, and I will not let you shut me out again."
"I still don't know what we have to talk about," she said, turning away from him. "Zevran wished to speak to me about a rather personal matter, and I agreed to listen. What has any of this to do with you?"
"If it involves you, it is my business!" he exclaimed, grabbing her arms and pulling her to him. "You are mine and I won't sit by any longer and let that damnable elf try to take you from me!"
As their eyes met, the feeling in the tent changed; what had been fury only moments before became unbridled lust. Duncan crushed his lips against Zeva's, pushing her back onto the bedroll and tearing at her clothes; desperate to feel her naked body beneath him.
Zeva's passion quickly met his own as she ripped open his shirt, using her feet to shove his breeches down his legs. Wrapping her legs around his waist, Zeva cried out as Duncan sheathed himself within her in one thrust, his teeth sinking into the soft flesh at the connection of her neck and shoulder.
Outside the tent, Alistair glanced at Leliana, worry etched on his handsome features as he heard Zeva's scream. "Leli, should we do something?" he asked.
Moving a bit closer to the tent, the bard listened carefully; chuckling as she recognized the sounds coming from within. "No, Alistair," she said, smiling brightly at the inexperienced young man. "I think we should let them work this one out on their own." Her smile widened as realization dawned in Alistair's eyes, his face flushing a deep red. "Come," she said, grasping his hand and pulling him toward the stew. "Let's finish eating and get some rest. I have a feeling we will not be seeing your fellow Wardens till morning."
Duncan was insatiable; his hips pounding against Zeva's relentlessly. Each moan he pulled from her only enflamed his desire further. He was overcome with his need to possess her; to once and for all claim what was rightfully his. "Tell me you are mine," he demanded, gazing deep into her eyes.
"I… am… yours," she replied, her breath ragged from the strenuous lovemaking. "Always."
"Louder! I want there to be no doubt," he commanded, bending down to encircle her breast with his mouth, biting down on her nipple.
Zeva squealed in delight as she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him tighter against her. "Yours!" she cried loudly; her voice carrying outside the tent. "I am yours, Duncan!"
Grasping her chin in his hand, Duncan forced her gaze to meet his own as he drove himself into her. "Tell me you love me and only me," he begged, his voice shaking as he felt the familiar warmth begin to spread through his loins.
"I love you, Duncan, and only you," she replied tenderly, running her fingers through his hair. Duncan smiled, clutching her tightly to his chest as he climaxed, crying out his release. As she felt him spill within her, Zeva's orgasm rushed over her and she dug her nails into her lover's back; leaving red welts in his shoulders.
Duncan rolled onto his back, pulling Zeva with him. They were both panting heavily, covered in sweat. "Well," Zeva began as she rested her head on Duncan's chest, "I must say, I never expected our fight to end this way."
Laughing softly, Duncan placed a kiss on the top of her head, her declaration playing again and again in his mind. "I must apologize for the comments I made when you returned to camp, my love," he said, rubbing her back gently. "It was wrong of me."
"No, Duncan," Zeva replied, sighing heavily. "I am the one who should be apologizing. I know I have not been forthcoming about the events that transpired in the Circle Tower. As such, you could not be expected to understand my defense of Zevran."
"It's not your defense of him that bothers me," Duncan explained. "I know how protective you can be and it is one of the things that I love about you. It is the fact that I know he is using your connection to try and take you from me. That is something that I will not allow."
"Ooooo…. aren't you the possessive one today?" Zeva teased, running her fingers over his chest. "I love this side of you."
"Do you now?" Duncan replied, pulling her on top of him. "Why don't you show me just how much you love it?"
"With pleasure," Zeva purred, leaning down to capture Duncan's bottom lip between her teeth…..
o~~~~~~~~o
"Now here is a sight I thought never to see," Morrigan said as she stepped from the trees, coming to stand next to Zevran. He had yet to leave the clearing where he and Zeva had spoken; his heart and mind in turmoil as to what the best course of action would be with regards to his beautiful Warden.
"I am in no mood for your jibes, Morrigan," he said quietly. "I would like to be alone, if you don't mind."
Shaking her head, the witch snorted derisively at him. "So, you intend to spend the rest of the night here, licking the wounds you received from our lovely Zeva?" she asked. "I must say, I took you as a man who would not give up so easily. I see now 'twas all bravado."
Zevran turned to her, fury blazing in his eyes. "What happened between Zeva and I is none of your concern," he spat.
"Ahh, that is where you are wrong, assassin," Morrigan replied. "In the morning, I will be leaving Zeva's care in the hands of a fool of a man and an old woman. You are the only one I trust to handle the situation in Orzammar; if you vanish into the night, she will be left without proper protection. I will not allow that."
"I think it is time you tell me exactly what your interest in Zeva is," Zevran replied, crossing his hands over his chest. "You have set too many schemes in motion where she is concerned. You claim to have her best interest in mind; yet I cannot help but have my doubts."
Morrigan gazed at the elf appraisingly, as if determining whether he was worthy of the knowledge she possessed. Slowly she nodded, giving him a smile that set his nerves on end. "I will not bother you with the details, as you would fail to understand them," she began. "What I will tell you is that there is no one more important than Zeva Cousland in shaping the future of Fereldan. I am not referring to the Blight; that is but one step in her destiny. The events I speak of will not happen for some time yet, but she is vital to their success."
"And how exactly do you know this?" Zevran asked. "Your mother, I presume?"
"Among others," the witch replied. "However, this conversation is entirely beside the point. We have more pressing problems that need to be addressed."
"I assume you are referring to the Warden Commander," Zevran said. "If I may ask, why do you wish to separate them so desperately? Zeva has made her love for him abundantly clear." As he spoke the words, he felt an unfamiliar twisting in his heart. Brushing aside his feelings, he continued. "Surely she would be better prepared for this 'future' you have assigned to her if she has love in her life?"
"If it is lasting, perhaps," Morrigan replied, sighing softly. "Sadly, this one is not. I would wish to spare her the pain that will come all too soon, if I am able."
Zevran raised his eyebrow questioningly at the witch. "Does this have anything to do with something called the Calling?" he asked, chuckling softly at the look of surprise that crossed Morrigan's face. "I see I am correct. What is this Calling and what affect will it have on Zeva?"
"It affects every Warden, unfortunately," Morrigan replied. "However, I do not need to tell you the details. You will see them for yourself, should you accompany her to Orzammar."
"I grow tired of your puzzles and half-truths, Morrigan," Zevran said, stepping closer to her. "If this is a danger to Zeva, I must know of it now!"
"She is in no immediate danger from this, I assure you," she replied, shaking her head slowly. "However, she will learn the truth in Orzammar; of that I have no doubt. And when she does, she will need someone to turn to. I suggest, should you wish to recover from your earlier setback, that you make it a point to be that support."
"Won't that interfere with your arrangement with Bann Teagan?" Zevran asked, a sly smile on his face.
Morrigan laughed, rolling her eyes at the assassin. "Not in the least," she replied. "He has proven to be rather inept at removing Duncan from Zeva's side. As long as the final goal is achieved, I care not who accomplishes it.
So," she continued, "I trust I will see you at camp in the morning?"
Sighing heavily, Zevran nodded. "I gave my oath to Zeva and I will honor it," he said. "If there is the slightest chance that what you say is true, I will be at her side to protect her."
"Know this, elf," Morrigan said as she turned to walk away. "I may not always divulge the reasons for what I do, but I will never lie when it comes to Zeva's safety. She is far too important."
o~~~~~~~~o
Zeva exited her tent shortly after sunrise, stretching languidly before entering the forest to wash. She was returning when she was stopped, a strong pair of arms encircling her waist.
"I see you are still with us," she whispered, leaning back against Zevran's chest. "Thank you for staying."
"My beautiful Zeva," he replied, kissing her gently on the neck, "I will never leave your side unless you send me away. Someone must be here to make sure you are safe, no?"
Laughing, Zeva pulled away, grasping his hand and leading him toward the camp. "Is there a luckier woman anywhere in Fereldan?" she teased. "I think not."
After a quick breakfast, the companions dismantled the camp and made final preparations for their respective journeys.
"Have a safe trip," Duncan told Alistair as the last of the provisions were being packed into Bodahn's cart. "Hopefully our journey to Orzammar will be swift and we will be able to join you in Redcliffe soon."
"Maker go with you both," Alistair replied, stepping forward to embrace Zeva. "Surely Orzammar will be less perilous than Haven."
"From your lips to His ears," Zeva laughed, hugging her fellow Warden one final time before she and Duncan walked away, leading their group toward the dwarven kingdom.