Ana confidently blows through the flaps of Duncan's tent, ignoring his startled guards as they try to tell her that Duncan is in a meeting. Striding past the men, she gives them a dismissive wave and ducks inside.

"Duncan!" She calls out. She looks around her before seeing the silhouettes of the men gathered around the table in the adjacent room. With quick determined strides, she calls out for Duncan once more as she pulls the dividing flap aside. As she enters, all eyes turn toward her. For a brief moment, she falters before raising her chin. "I demand that Alistair be whipped."

The senior wardens turn toward their commander expectantly, awaiting his response. Despite the annoyance of once again being interrupted, Duncan turns to face her. His eyes flash but he keeps his expression neutral. His eyes move toward her cheek and he sees the long red gash. A look of concern crosses over his face before returning to neutral as he feels the expectant gazes on him. He motions toward the flap behind Ana with his chin. "Leave us. We will continue later." He says. A few of the wardens exchange amused glances before exiting the room. Some, Duncan notes, eye Ana on their way out. He waits a moment before finally turning his attention back to his recruit. He steps forward, his expression softening as he reaches up to touch her chin and sees her flinch. He inclines her head to look at her cheek. "Who did this?"

"That bumbling idiot, Alistair." She hisses. "He deliberately swung his sword at me and cut me. I want him whipped."

"Alistair did this?" Duncan asks, raising a brow. "What happened before he cut you? Perhaps it was an accident."

Ana recoils as though struck, her brows knitting together. "What does it matter? He cut me."

"What happened before?"

Ana lets out an impatient sigh. "After spying on and laughing at me on the training field, he offered to help me by teaching me how to use a sword." She looks away as she feels Duncan's watching her as he leans against the table behind him and crosses his arms.

"Go on."

"He was showing me how to block and strike. We were practicing blocking and striking together, there was a bang nearby and he swung at me. Luckily I turned otherwise I imagine he would have maimed me." Her intense blue eyes bore into Duncan's dark brown ones. "He made an attempt on my life."

"What you're saying sounds like he was trying to be a good brother-warden to you by teaching you how to defend yourself. You made the mistake of looking away at the wrong moment and he accidentally cut you." A slight smile forms. "Seems to me, Alistair taught you a valuable lesson; When in combat, you mustn't look away."

"After everything I have experienced since I've arrived, you laugh at me?" She hisses. In her rage, she knocks the pitcher of wine from a nearby table onto the ground. Duncan straightens, his muscles in his neck tensing as he stares intently at her. He opens his mouth to reprimand her but before he has a chance, Ana's willful expression falls and tears well up in her eyes. She mutters something under her breath before turning away. She calls to her hound from the next room as she rushes out.

"Ana!" Duncan calls after her but as he pulls aside the dividing wall, she's gone.

Tears blur her vision as she runs blindly through the encampment toward the chantry tent with Much at her heels. She hears somebody call out before slamming into somebody, or something. She bounces off them, stumbling back, tumbling over her hound at her heels. "Watch it, Sister." One of the men standing over her growls. She looks up at the heavily armored man and opens her mouth to speak when she hears the king's familiar voice. Cailan pushes his guards out of the way, his brows rising as he recognizes her.

"Lady Ana." He greets, motioning toward his guards. "Help the Lady to her feet." He orders before he smiles at her. The guards heave her back onto her feet and she looks away as heat rises to her cheeks. Dusting herself off, she dips into a low curtsy.

"Forgive me, Your Majesty." She mutters. He motions for her to rise.

"No need to apologize, my Dear." He smiles. His eyes scan her form. "Would you care to join me for some tea? Perhaps a bit of wine?"

Ana glances up to meet his gaze. "I'd be honored, Your Majesty."

Grabbing her hand, he places it on his arm and leads her back into his tent.

Muttering to himself what he's going to say to Duncan, Alistair turns the corner. Hearing a deep voice growl from nearby, his attention snaps to the present as he watches Cailan lead Ana into his tent. He frowns as a flicker of envy bites at him like a flame..

"So much for being different." He mutters. He forces the feeling down and continues onward.

Approaching the guards, he gives them his usual nod before heading through only to be stopped. His brows furrow.

"The Warden Commander isn't in right now." One of them says. "Come back later."

"Where did he go?"

They shrug. "We were just told to not allow anybody inside."

Alistair turns away, partially relieved. At least the lecture I will get will be delayed.

Ana's heart pounds in her chest as the tent flap falls behind them, leaving her alone with the king. While Cailan was kind, the thought of being alone with a man, especially somebody as powerful as the king, was still unnerving. She glances around in search of Much while the king crosses the large room to pour them both a glass of wine. Seeing her hound sniffing around curiously, she feels herself relax slightly.

Cailan returns with two elegant glasses and hands one to her. She takes it with a muttered thanks, looking down at the dark burgundy liquid.

"I hope you don't think me forward for inviting you in here, Lady Ana." He begins, offering her a charming smile. "I had hoped to speak with you since you arrived but, as I'm sure you're aware, many other pressing matters have come up." He motions toward one of the beautifully carved chairs around the polished table for her to take a seat. "General Loghain has it in mind that this is a real blight."

Ana turns to look at him. "You don't believe it is?"

"Not in the slightest." He smiles as he takes a seat across from her. "Between you and I, while the darkspawn might have summoned a fairly large horde and have been found raiding the surface, their numbers seem hardly like the numbers that have been fought in the past."

Ana nods. "What has Duncan said? As Warden Commander, I imagine he's one who could confirm your suspicions."

He waves her comment away dismissively before taking a long drink of his wine. Setting it down, he reclines in his chair. His eyes move over her form, taking in the ill-concealed curves of her body and moving to the small opening at the top of her robes before jumping back up to meet her eyes. "How do you find the wine, my Dear?" He smiles. "I imagine this is something new to you. What you're drinking is some of the finest wine from Orlais. It was a gift from Empress Celene as a promise of lasting peace between our countries."

Ana takes a small sip before setting it down on the table beside her. "It's very nice, Your Majesty. It's been quite a while since I've tasted something so fine."

"I can imagine." Uncorking the bottle of wine once more, Cailan pours himself some more and sets it aside. "I noticed you have a shallow cut on your cheek. I hope that was not from my guard. While he is good at his job, he tends to be a little overzealous at times."

Ana touches her cheek self consciously. "No ...Your Majesty. I received it before I ran into him."

Placing his drink aside, he scooches forward in his seat, motioning toward her. "May I?"

While the idea of being touched made her heart pound, she tensed but nodded.

Cailan's hand is warm as he touches her cheek. She flinches as his thumb grazes the small gash. He mutters an apology.

"Forgive me, Ana." He says, his voice just above a whisper. His eyes move down to her lips as his thumb traces her bottom lip. "If you don't mind me saying... you are quite beautiful."

Ana's cheek pinken as she looks down at her lap. "Thank you, Your Majesty."

"I'm serious, Ana." His eyes travel downward to the small opening of her robes once more. "Had I not promised myself to another…."He glances up at her once more. "If I'm not mistaken, you and I were betrothed at one point, were we not?"

Ana nods. "Yes, Your Majesty. It was only for a few years after I was born. Since my family was second in the kingdom and our fathers were friends, King Maric figured that we would be a good match."

"Ah, that's right." He smiles. "You may call me Cailan, by the way. It's just you and I here."

"Yes ...Cailan."

"I remember visiting Castle Cousland I was just a boy. We went to your nursery. You couldn't have been more than two years old when my father introduced you to me as my future bride." He chuckles. "At the time I wasn't very thrilled since you drooled and fussed whenever I was near. Then again, I just wanted the battles and glory and little else."

"Yet after King Maric disappeared, you became king and married Anora Mac Tir, daughter of your father's general."

Cailan looks away for a moment and for a split second. "Yes… it was an abrupt change. One that many of us, myself included, had not expected."

He rises from his seat, rounding the table with his back to her. Ana watches him as he pauses before a large tapestry depicting his parents' battle against Orlesian forces during the battle of West Hill. A long moment of silence passes between them before Cailan speaks once more.

"Lady Anora and I grew up together… did you know that?" He asks. He turns to look at her. "Our fathers were close, especially after my mother died. Loghain practically raised me." He turns back toward the tapestry without waiting for a response. "Anora and I often played together. She was always so…. bossy." He chuckles. "I guess after my father was presumed dead at sea, Loghain figured that having somebody who was known to the court and me were a better match."

"It seems to have worked out for you." Ana offers.

"I guess." Cailan mutters. "Yet... " He trails off, turning back to pour himself more wine. He motions her for a refill but she politely declines. He sets the bottle down and flops back in his seat. "Between you and I, my marriage is one of convenience, not love. There's no passion ..."

As he says this, Ana thinks of Ser Gilmore. Feeling the tears forming, she tries to hold them at bay.

Noticing, Cailan's eyes widen as he sets his glass aside and leans forward. "Are you alright, my dear?"

Forcing a smile, Ana nods. "Yes. I just was thinking of somebody."

Reaching forward, he grabs her hand. He ignores the small flinch she makes as he touches her and looks into her eyes. "Your family?"

She shakes her head. "No. It doesn't matter." She looks down at his hand as he moves his thumb in comforting circles on the back of her hand.

"Ana… you can tell me."

Her gaze meets his, the sorrow and grief showing in her bright blue eyes. What would be the harm? I'm already ruined.

"The man I loved… a man I also grew up with died recently. He loved me and… and…" she cuts off as sobs wrack her body. Tears fill her eyes as she covers her mouth and averts her gaze. Cailan pulls her into an embrace. She stiffens at the sudden touch yet slowly begins melts into his arms as she sobs. Cailan moves his arms down to her waist to hold her closer and she quickly pulls away, avoiding his gaze.

"I…I'm sorry, Your Majesty." She stammers as conflicting emotions battle for dominance in the forefront of her mind. She wipes her eyes with her sleeve. "You must excuse me—"

"No need to apologize…" He mutters, his eyes trained on her lips . "I can only imagine how difficult these past few weeks have been."

Ana's lower lip quivers as she nods. "It's been tough. To know that I will never hear his voice or feel his touch ever again…"

"It must be lonely." He nods. "For what it's worth, I'm here from you." He reaches out to and places a hand on her knee. She swallows.

Ana opens her mouth to thank the king for his offer and politely decline but Cailan cuts her off as he leans in, his breath warm as he presses his lips against hers. As his lips move against hers, his tongue slips in and she tastes the wine on his tongue. She feels his hand on her knee, slowly inching lower toward the bottom of her robes. The warmth from his hand as he finds bare skin makes her pull away. Her heart pounds so hard in her chest that it feels as though it'll break through at any moment. She rises so quickly that she almost knocks the chair over in her haste. "I…" She starts, creating distance between them as she tries to form a coherent thought as shame and embarrassment burn through her. "I should go… forgive me…" She curtly curtsies and starts toward the front flap as Cailan rises.

"Ana wait."

Before she can make it through, she stops as she comes face to face with the Warden Commander himself. She immediately backs up into the room, wrapping her arms around herself.

A puzzled looking Duncan enters, his gaze moving from Ana to the King.

"Ah, Duncan!" Cailan smiles. "What do I owe the honor?"

Duncan glances over at Ana. "Forgive me for intruding, Your Majesty. I was coming in hopes of finding my recruit. Now that I have found her…"

"Nonsense! Come have some wine with us!" Cailan offers, motioning for Ana to join them. He motions to Ana's old seat but Duncan declines.

"Perhaps another time." He strides over to Ana, keeping his voice low. "Are you alright?"

Still avoiding his gaze, she nods. He reaches out to touch her shoulder but stops as he sees her flinch. He motions toward the door. "Come along. We need to speak."

Swiveling, he looks around to find Much dozing in the far corner of the tent. He calls to him and beckons him over. Bidding the king goodbye, the three of them leave.