The sun begins to dip below the trees surrounding the old ruins as Ana hungrily tears into her third piece of rabbit in the past hour. Nate watches her from across the flames, grinning with amusement as the juice dribbles down her chin. Feeling his gaze on her, she looks up and feels a blush creep up from her neck. Gingerly setting the meat back down on her thin plate on her lap, she self-consciously wipes her mouth with the back of her sleeve with a bark of laughter. "Maker, forgive me." She says moving a piece of stray hair from her face.
"It's not a problem." He chuckles, rising to remove the second rabbit roasting over the fire. "I like a girl with an appetite." He says with a wink.
Ana smiles as she looks down at the remaining meaty morsels attached to the bone and tries to resist snatching it up and tearing into it once more. "Nan would have a heart attack if she saw how I was behaving." She chuckles. Risking a look up, she sees Hawke watching her curiously.
"Who's Nan? Your grandmother?" He asks, removing his knife from his belt and carefully cutting off sections as he did before.
Ana shakes her head. "No. She was my nanny for most of my life." She explains, feeling a sudden pang of grief well up at the thought of her old caretaker. "Once I was old enough to care for myself, she worked in the kitchens as head chef." Her eyes fall down to the meat on her plate once more. "My brother Fergus would always tease me because Nan would constantly reprimand me for my manners."
"Like?" He asks with an encouraging smile. Rising from his seat, he walks around and holds out the plate of meat. With a grateful grin, she quickly grabs two pieces and drops them on her plate before he walks back to his seat.
Picking up her half eaten one, she stares off thoughtfully in the distance. "I remember she used to always chide me for having my elbows on the table, running down the long corridors…" She rips off a piece of meat and pauses to chew. "Or talking with my mouth full." She smiles at this last one before swallowing. Pointing the bone at Nate, she wags it at him. "Ladies do not wipe their mouths on their sleeves!" She imitates in a croaky voice before they each chuckle.
"Sounds like you really liked to cause her trouble." Nate laughs.
"I did." Ana admits. "I'll miss her."
A sad silence permeates before Ana's face rises. Listening to the distance sounds, she puts down her meat and looks around them. Picking up on her sudden alertness, Nate lowers his plate. "What is it?" He asks, his eyes scanning the broken pillars and archways surrounding them.
For a moment she doesn't say anything before she turns to him. "Do you hear that?"
Nate listens for a moment before shrugging. "I hear a dog barking but that's about it."
"That's the thing." She says, setting her plate on the log beside her. "Just one."
Nate's brows draw together. "What about it? The king and ash warriors have pens full of dogs near the entrance to the Korcari Wilds"
Rising, Ana wipes her hands on her trousers and reaches for her dagger. "We're far away from the hound pens." She says quietly. "There's just one and it's getting closer."
His brows crease as he watches her walk around the fire, her gaze trained on the archway. Setting his own plate aside, he begins to reach for his sword before she sprints out through the ruins. "Ana!" He calls, jumping up. "Wait!"
She barely hears Nate's words as she sprints through the ruins, jumping over toppled columns and ducking beneath crumbling archways before stopping a few yards from the light brown mabari eagerly running toward her. Kneeling down, she grins as happy tears stream down her cheeks as she's knocked onto her back before having her face licked relentlessly.
"I missed you too, boy!" She giggles as she manages to wrap her arms around his neck and nuzzles him. As he begins to calm, she pushes herself onto her heels and scratches him behind his ears as she coos at him. It takes her a moment before she realizes what the appearance of Much could mean. Rising on her knees to look over Much's head, she feels her heart beat anxiously in her chest until it feels like it has stopped. Not far from them, she hears the familiar voice that she had grown so used to hearing in the past decade calling out for Much.
Rising to her feet, she waits anxiously, her fingers curling around the edge of her tunic as she bites her lip in anticipation. Before long, she sees him and feels relief and happiness wash over her as she immediately takes off at a sprint with her mabari eagerly running beside her. He barely has time to realize her presence before she smashes into him and they fall onto the cold ground with her astride him. She mutters his name breathlessly as her hand cradles his cheek. It takes only a moment for him to recognize the luminescent blue of his lover's eyes before his face brightens with a smile before he rises to meet her lips.
He rises into an upright position, his arms encircling her as he pulls her closer. Their lips move hungrily against each other as though it had been years instead of weeks that they had last seen each other. Had it not been for Hawke running up to check on his new friend, they might have begun stripping each other's clothing then and there in their moment of passion.
"Good to see you're unharmed." Nate chuckles as he runs up to see their lovers embrace. Stopping feet away, he sheathes his sword and waits as they pull apart. Seeing Nate, Ana looks away shyly. "Rory, this is Nate Hawke." She introduces, painfully aware of her lover's clothed cock pushing against the fabric between her legs. She motions to Rory and smiles. "Nate, this is Ser Roderick Gilmore. He's the knight I was telling you about."
Ser Gilmore returns her smile. "Not much of a knight anymore, I'm afraid." He says. Ana removes herself from his lap and he rises as well before dusting himself off and holding out a hand. "Nice to meet you, Nate."
"Likewise." He chuckles. "Ana here and I were just eating some supper and talking about where she grew up." He motions back toward his camp. "We still have an entire rabbit if you're hungry."
"That's very kind of you." He smiles as Ana comes to stand beside him, her hand entangling in his. "I couldn't impose. I'm sure you both need it far more than I."
Nate snorts. "Nonsense!" He says, turning and motioning for them to follow. "The more the merrier."
Returning to Nate's camp, they let Ser Gilmore eat as they continue to tell stories of their wild misadventures as children.
It's already dark by the time Carver returns, chomping away on what was left of his bread from supper when he halts at the sound of additional voices within his and his brother's camp. Due to Nate's concealed identity as a mage, visitors to their little hideaway weren't very often unless it be one of their fellow patrol comrades coming to share a nightcap before slinking back to their own tents in the main encampment.
He comes to a halt as he hears the soft, feminine voice as they laugh at something that was said. Maker he better not have brought another one of his bedmates back here. He thinks bitterly. That last chantry sister screeched like a bloody banshee every time she climaxed. I'm surprised the guards didn't come storming our camp for fear that the darkspawn decided to attack early.
He shakes his head and continues. Breaching the area of light coming from the campfire, he jumps back as a large light brown mabari raises its head with a low growl. All talking stops as Nate rises from his seat, his hand hovering over the pommel of his sword before making out his brother's form. His hand drops as he walks back to his seat. "No need to worry. It's just Carver."
"Yeah, just me." He says as he rolls his eyes. "Nate, didn't we discuss bringing women-"
As he turns to sit on the log beside his brother, he notices Ana and feels the color drain from his face.
"Ana, you remember Carver."
She looks him over with a disinterested glance. "Aside from running me over, vaguely." She shrugs.
He feels the heat rise to his cheeks and thanks the Maker that it's too dark for them to see. "It was an accident." He mutters as his brows furrow. "What are you doing here?"
He tries push the intruding thoughts of the possibility of Nate trying to sleep with the girl he likes again.
"Shouldn't you be back in the main camp?"
"I invited them." Nate casually states as he sucks the remaining meat from the bone he was nibbling around.
"Them?" Carver looks around before Ser Gilmore emerges from the shadows after briefly excusing himself to use a darkened corner nearby to relieve himself. As he returns, he notices the new arrival and greets him before taking a seat beside Ana once more.
Smirking, Nate rises from his seat and walks over to Much and tosses him the bone with some remnants of meat still attached before walking back. "Give it up, Carver." He whispers he sits. "You have no chance with her."
While neither Ana nor Roderick heard this comment, Carver's face reddens. He wants to ask his older brother why when he sees it from across the flames as Roderick cups Anna's face lovingly as their heads press together.
"Are they…?" He gapes as Nate nods
"That, " he says, motioning toward them. "Is Ana's lover. His name is Ser Gilmore."
Hearing this, he frowns. "He's a knight?"
Nate begins to answer him when they turn to look at the couple as they rise from their seats. Much raises his head from his paw, tilting it to the side curiously.
"Thank you again for the food, Nate." Ana smiles, clinging to her lover's side. "It was very kind of you to share."
"It was my pleasure." He returns with a smile of his own. "I imagine we'll see each other around in the coming months. Feel free to stop by anytime." His gaze switches toward Roderick. "You as well, Gilmore. Any friend of Ana's is a friend of ours."
"He's not exactly a friend." Carver mutters miserably which Nate ignores.
"Thanks Hawke. After the long journey we had from Highever, it was nice to have a hot meal again." Rodrick grins.
Once they finish their goodbyes, Ana and Rodrick start their way back to the main encampment as Much happily trots along beside them.
"I'm so happy you're alright, Rory." Ana says quietly, hugging her lover's arm as they lace their fingers together. "These past couple weeks have been horrible. I was so worried I'd have lost both you and Much."
"I know, my love." He says giving her hand a gentle squeeze. "But I'm here and we're together now." Turning, he smiles at her. "I'll never leave you again."
Ana stops walking and Rodrick turns to her. "What is it?"
Wrapping her arms around the back of his neck, she lifts slightly on her tiptoes, her lips pressing against his. It takes a moment for him to realize what's happening before his arms encircle her and he reciprocates the action before she pauses to look at him. "Take me, Rory." She breathes, brushing her lips against him.
Brows furrowing, he pulls away to look at her. "What?" He asks. "Here?"
She nods. "Yes. These past few weeks, I was devastated by the possibility that I would never feel your touch or hear your voice again." Her hand, which was only moments before pressed against the cool breastplate of his armor had now slipped down to his trousers. "Please, Rory. I need to feel you once more…" She begs, her lips pressing against his once more.
It takes all his willpower to stop her fingers as they just barely brush against the shaft of his growing arousal. "Maker..." He mutters, grasping her hand before it can wrap around his manhood. Her eyes widen with confusion as she looks up at him, her lips parting ever so slightly. Maker, she looks enticing. "My love…" He says breathlessly, offering a smile as she stares up at him with her luminescent blue eyes.
Removing her hand, she pulls away looking almost hurt. "Is there something wrong?" She asks. "Has something changed in our time apart to make you not desire me?"
"What?" His eyes widen. "No!" Stepping forward, he takes her hands in his and brings them up to his lips, placing a kiss before meeting her eyes that peer sadly up at him. "Of course not." Reaching up, he cups her jaw, his thumb running over her cheek and wiping away a stray tear. "I was just going to say that perhaps we should wait a little."
She looks taken back. "Why?"
He offers her a smile. "As much as I would love nothing more than to bend you over one of these broken pillars right now, there's no need." His smile falls slightly. "We're not at the castle anymore, Ana. We don't have to slip away into some dark corner for a quick tryst."
He leans his head forward and presses his forehead against hers. "I don't want a quick fling out here. I want you completely." His lips find hers once more and he smiles against her mouth as he hears the soft moan as he pulls her closer to him, his hand moving down her back to cup her rear and give it a gentle squeeze. "Let me come to your tent tonight." He offers, his voice husky with lust.
She pulls away from him, frowning. "I don't have my own tent. I sleep in the Warden-Commander's tent since I can't defend myself." She grimaces. "This place is full of lechers."
"Then come to my tent tonight." He offers. "I don't have a bed but you'll be safe and warm." He brushes his lips against hers. "I must have you, my love."
Pulling away from him, she bites her lip. "Then what are we waiting for? Lead the way."
Duncan leaves General Loghain's tent after spending most of his evening discussing shipments and inquiring his old rival about any sightings of Ser Gilmore or Fergus Cousland. He frowns as he imagines Ana's reaction to him telling her that there is still no sign of either man. He never was one to deliver bad news.
Feeling the need of a little bit of liquid courage, he makes a beeline through the Warden's camp to the usual fires reserved for their ranks, with the exception of the occasional royal army soldier or the King himself. Cailan always liked to hear the stories of their exploits like an eager child listening to a bedtime story. Surprisingly, not many Wardens are gathered around the fires like the previous night. Most must be too tired from our training today. He thinks, a smile creeping up to his lips as he wells with pride. Better tired and well trained than idle and incompetent.
As he approaches, he finds the usual senior wardens talking privately amongst themselves while the juniors talked excitedly about their past and recent sexual conquests. His eyes float over to Alistair sitting nearby, pretending not to listen as he sharpens his sword with a whetstone. He chuckles to himself. Poor lad. Every warrior should know the feeling of passionate love-making before going off to battle. He thinks to himself. It's obvious the lad is curious. Perhaps I should see if one of the more experienced young ladies in the royal army will help him out.
As Duncan approaches Edric – one of the senior wardens – he holds up his cup in greeting. "Brandy?" He offers, gruffly. Duncan nods and he bends down to retrieve his second cup from his pack, as was tradition in the past decade they've known each other. He fills the cup and hands it to his old friend. "Let me guess; Nowhere to sheath the old dagger?" He smirks. He lets out a rough chuckle as he runs a hand over his bushy, crimson colored beard which has since started to sport some grey.
"There's plenty of holsters, I assure you." Duncan shoots back with a grin. "However, my quarters are a bit too preoccupied at the moment for such… liaisons."
Edric snorts. "Yeah, I heard you have the young Cousland woman sleeping in your tent. She's quite a lovely young thing." He mutters, taking a sip. His eyes shift to his friend with a coy grin. "How old is she? Bit young for you, isn't she?"
Duncan glances at Alistair for a moment. "She's about Alistair's age, I believe." He says, returning his gaze to the old warrior. "She is indeed a lovely young woman but there's nothing happening. She's staying in my tent so that I may look after her given her inability to fight. Once she's taken her Joining, I'll have young Alistair look after her at night and I'll teach her to fight during the day."
Edric raises a brow as he lowers his voice. "You're going to have Alistair look after her? Is that wise? I've heard that they don't get along very well."
Taking a drink of his brandy, he sighs. "Yes...he does have a habit of not thinking before speaking." He shrugs. "As our youngest warden, hopefully by having him watch her, they'll be able to put aside their differences and get along. Maker knows we need our people on the same side."
"That's if she survives." Edric points out grimly. "Didn't your last batch of recruits all perish during their Joining?"
"They did…" He says carefully. He looks sadly down at the dark liquid in his cup as though he can see them there. A pair of twin brothers from Orlais who fled home to seek glory, a young dwarven lad who was banished from Orzammar for plotting to kill the King and a circle mage who was saved from execution after setting a templar on fire. As he lowers his cup, his eyes wash over those present and he frowns. "Speaking of Lady Ana, I haven't seen her today since I was out training with the newer recruits." His eyes shift to Edric. "You wouldn't have seen her wandering around, have you? My guards relayed that she said she would be near the entrance to await for her brother or friend to show but I didn't see her."
He shrugs. "I saw her only once and that was this morning in the mess tent. Anytime after that, who knows?"
Frowning, Duncan quickly drains his cup and hands it back to his friend before excusing himself. Maker, let's hope she didn't foolishly wander off alone after dark.