Turning her head, Ana's lips graze Roderick's as she inhales his scent. After allowing for her lover to lather her up, the muslin washing mitt he used to wash the soap off had an effect on her that made her press against him teasingly. In response, he removes the mitt and dips his hands into the water, his hand slipping down the smooth plane of her stomach before slipping between her legs. He drinks in her breathy moans as his fingers slips in and out in lazy rhythm. "Feels good, doesn't it?" He huskily breathes in her ear as he feels her back arch against him when he uses his thumb to stimulate her clit. Nibbling on her earlobe he grins. "I've missed those sounds you make, my love."

She smiles dreamily at him. "And I have missed your touch." She purrs. His other hand reaches around her bare breasts to pull her close as he nuzzles her neck. His stubbled cheeks tickles and she shies away with a giggle which makes him grin.

"I think we should…." She stops mid-sentence with a gasp as he massages the sensitive nub between her folds with increased vigor.

"Hm?"

Reaching down, she grabs his hand so she can form a coherent thought once more. She looks up at him as he smirks. "Let's get married tomorrow." She says with complete seriousness. "After Duncan's task, let's find somebody from the chantry and do it." She rubs her nose against his. "I don't want to wait."

He frowns. "Are you sure? We can always just wait until after our Joining?" He asks, his fingers idly brushing along her arm resting on the lip of the tub. "If Fergus shows up a bit late, I'm sure he'll want to be present. I know having at least your brother there would make you happy."

"I would love for Fergus to be there but… what if he never shows up?" Just saying such things felt like ashes in her mouth. She didn't want to count him out but if Howe was determined to assassinate the entire Cousland line, root and stem, who knows if and when he'll show up? With her luck, if her brother was still alive, he could get to Ostagar after the big battle and then what?

Pushing her wet hair from her neck, Rory presses a couple kisses along her jaw. "How about this? We'll begin setting up after Duncan's task tomorrow but wait to get married after the Joining. That way it gives your brother a bit more time to get here. If he doesn't show up by that time, we'll marry regardless and start our life together." He nips at her neck and her eyes flutter closed. "Then we can retire each night to my tent. Just you and I…"

"That sounds heavenly." Ana mutters. Opening her eyes, she turns to look up at him. "In all the darkness that has consumed my life, you truly are my single light, Rory."

Hearing her say this, he smiles and takes her hand in his and kisses the back of it. "And you are mine, my love." He mutters. Slipping his hand down, he places it on her stomach. "I hope you're pregnant."

Ana's eyes widen. "Rory!"

"What?" He chuckles, hugging her close. "I know we're at war but if you're with child, we'd be planting the seed for our future life together. Think about it. We can buy a house in the country and live simply with a couple little ones running around." He kisses her behind her ear. "A little girl with dark brown hair and a stubborn attitude like her mother…"

"Hey!" Ana exclaims, looking back and smiling as she's met with a smirk from her lover. "I'm not that bad."

"Oh no?" He chuckles. "What about how you were toward Alistair?"

She rolls her eyes. "That's different. He's annoying and he insulted me the first time we met!"

Rory shifts slightly as he runs his fingers up and down along her arms. "And what did he say? I'm sure he didn't mean it. He seems like a nice enough lad."

She turns to glare at him. "He called me an idiot!" She pouts, pulling away from him. "Of course, you would take his side." She mutters. "Everybody always takes the man's side."

Reaching out, he tries to grab her waist to pull her back to him. "Ana, I'm not taking anybody's side."

She resists his tugs for a bit before he finally manages to pull her back to him. Instantly his hand comes up to gently caress her breast, his thumb finding her nipple. Once more, his presses a series of kisses behind her ear and along her jawline.

"I'm only giving the lad the benefit of the doubt." He mutters. "You probably made him nervous. You tend to have that effect on people."

"You think I intimidated him into insulting me?" She snorts. "I doubt he needs help to act like a fool."

"Is that so? Tell me what happened."

Ana bites her lip as she debates it before shaking her head. "No."

Stopping his affections, he sighs and rests his forehead on her shoulder. "Ana…"

She turns her head. "What would be the point? Every time I tell somebody about what happened, they just excuse his behavior and say he didn't mean it." She sulks. "To everybody I'm just this horrible person who apparently can't be trusted to tell the truth." She scowls. "Although if I'm as much of a monster as people think, I can't see why you would risk being with me after all this time."

He rests his chin on her shoulder. "Because I've been lucky enough to see the good underneath the wall you put up around people." He mutters as he nuzzles her neck.

"Or because we're sleeping together." Ana frowns. "Perhaps that's at least worth having to put up with me." As she says this, his hold tightens as he holds her close.

"Ana, that isn't it and you know it." He whispers. She turns to look out at the curtain as silence falls between them before Rory breaks it. "Remember that time when I was throwing balls of mud at the fence in the courtyard? Your old guard Robert had sent me out to tell the stable hand to prepare the horses for Fergus and your father. I was waiting around for the man to return and decided to amuse myself."

"I remember." She frowns. "I had just evaded my tutor and ran outside. As I was running across the courtyard, you missed and hit me. My dress was a mess and Nan was furious."

"Yes, she was." He chuckles. "I felt terrible about it and tried to apologize but you hated me for about a week and refused to talk to me."

"Because Nan yelled at me!" She exclaims. "Had I not threatened to tell my father, she would have hit me with her wooden spoon. I still say that my anger was justified."

"Yet you never told Nan that I was at fault." He says, gently. "Even in your anger, you took the blame and told her you tripped and landed in a mud puddle."

Ana turns away and stares at the hairs on his forearm lying across her chest. "If I had, you would have been punished and possibly sent away. I didn't want to ruin your chances at becoming a knight. I remember you telling me that it was a dream of yours."

Rory smiles even though he knows she can't see. "See? Beneath the mask of nobility and elitist attitude you project, I know that you have a kind heart and will do anything to protect those that you care about. It'll take time for them to see the other side of you but when they do, I have no doubt that they will love you as much as I do."

Leaning back against his chest, she thinks about all this. "As wonderful as a little boy or girl with your red hair and diplomatic personality would be, what kind of life could we possibly have?" She frowns. "As much as I love dreaming of our perfect life together, this is reality. I've lost everything and you've lost your position. We have no money…"

"Shhh, my love." He mutters, kissing her temple. "I know that there is a lot going on in our real lives right now but don't worry yourself about that right now. Let's just focus on helping the Wardens and King fight the darkspawn for now. After the war, we will figure out what our next move is." His hand slips down once more to her stomach. "For now, let's just be happy to be alive and together once more."

Frowning, Ana nods. She knows he's right about focusing on the current situation but how could she when her future was so unsure?

Once finished and dressed, Ana watches Rory as he empties the tub with another wave of his hand. Normally she would be fascinated by water slowly disappearing but her thoughts of spending the night away from him once more occupied her thoughts.

"There." He says, turning from the tub. Catching her saddened expression, he frowns. "I suppose I should walk you back to Duncan's tent now." Reaching up, he trails a finger over her cheek. "I believe I have kept you up long enough, my love. You should get some rest."

Grabbing his hand, she nuzzles her cheek against it. "I wish I could sleep in your tent with you." She frowns, looking up at him. "It's not fair."

"I know." He sighs. "Luckily, after the Joining when we're wed, I will tell Duncan that I want my wife to sleep in my tent where I may protect her. He seems like a reasonable man. I'm sure I can sway him."

"I pray to the Maker that you can."

With one final kiss, the couple exit the wash tent and start back toward the Warden-Commander's tent.