I've finished the story and will be putting the final chapters up today. I've read the story through several times now and I hope that the sort of naughty and nice, angst and humor, push and pull, works for many of you.

I want to thank everyone for their kind reviews. I'm hoping that you'll want to hear more stories from me, because I've got some burning in my head. Without further ado, the final chapters of Aerowena and Cullen.

Aerowena and Cullen Chapter 11- Lessons Learned

'Oh, Maker' he thought to himself when she entered. What was she wearing now? There wasn't enough material there to cover a pair of shoes, let alone a dress. Mentally, he closed his eyes and dressed her in the leather tunic she wore earlier. He completely forgot about it as soon as he opened his eyes again. He swallowed hard and stared diligently at his plate while she settled in the seat across from him.

"I…" she started to speak and he looked up. She looked completely perplexed and almost a little angry.

"Damn and blast, Cullen, couldn't you just talk to me?" she pleaded. He'd only seen her cry the once, but her eyes filled with tears and he was finding it hard to chew the potato he had put in his mouth. "All I want to do is climb in that armor with you, but it seems you'll have none of that. And…much as I'd like to promise not to climb into the aforementioned armor, I won't lie to you, I have every intention of it. In fact, it's all I ever think about."

Climb into his…? He looked down at his armor, trying to get the mental image of a little elf girl climbing into it out of his head. The potato had turned to mush in his mouth and he swallowed hard. He couldn't think and there she was tearing up in front of him. He'd like to tell himself she was using those tears for just that purpose, but he'd only seen her cry once. It wasn't her way, to use tears. Thrusting her chest and talking about climbing in his armor, yes, that was her way. And those damnable dresses, which brought his eyes down to her chest. Two bands of velvet held together by a strand of pearls. Correction, two tiny strings of velvet held together by a very thin band of pearls. The room was getting as hot as his food was getting cold. He stood up to make his escape, thanking the Maker for heavy, concealing, armor.

Well that's progress, thought Aerowena as she caught him looking at her breasts. One thing about Templars was all those years without sex or relief made most of them very frustrated. She had no doubt the Lyrium played a large part in suppressing their…appetites. But Cullen wasn't addicted to Lyrium and he wasn't a Templar any longer.

She looked up to see half the room staring at her and him. She looked at him and his face was turning a unique shade of crimson. Oddly her first thought was, 'what a lovely shade for a gown'.

And then he got up and left.

She found him at the highest point of the fortress. She felt a little silly following him around when he so obviously wanted to be alone. Desperate was the only word that described her state now.

"It seems we're always following one another out of doors or to their bed chambers." Aerowena joked to his back.

He stood at the top of the ramparts staring out at the horizon.

"Oh Cullen" She sighed "I'm terribly good at seduction, but I'm a mess when it comes to you. I suppose I could just tell you I love you, but I suspect you wouldn't believe it. And I suspect you're still in love with a ghost that hadn't taken the Harrowing. I've no idea how to get you to love this girl."

His body grew stiff at her last sentence. She knew he was listening, but did he really hear her?

"All the good things about Aerowena were left at that tower. All the things you loved, anyway."

"What did you think I loved about you, Ro?" Her head whipped up as he spoke. Her stomach did a number of flying leaps at his nickname for her.

"I…quite honestly I don't know. Perhaps it was just lust then. But if it was lust, then, that girl is still here" She smiled painfully, wondering how she'd manage if all he cared for was that.

"Lust? Did you think I would throw my vows into the wind for just lust?" He stepped in closer to her, "I watched you every day for years, Ro. Of course you're beautiful and I can't really deny how you made me feel physically, but that isn't what I loved. You were fierce and loyal; defending anyone that you felt wasn't treated fairly. You spend time with the servants and I'll bet you knew the name of every cook, apprentice, mage, enchanter and serving girl in the tower."

"You were scandalous in your flirtation with me, but you didn't limit it to me. I sometimes laughed with you as you made me, or some other poor sap, blush. You flirted for the reaction and you were glorious to watch."

"I loved you because you made me want to kiss you and throttle you at the same time. You were so dangerous and perfect. And so damnably smart, you knew just what to say or do to get your way." He stepped even closer to her and she shivered. The wind was whipping around them and her cloak flew up. Her hair flicked into her eyes, but she didn't feel the cold bite of the wind or the sting of her hair against her cheek. She was backing up against the wall afraid of what she saw in his eyes. Which was insane because wasn't this what she wanted?

"I loved all those things about you, but mostly I loved the moments that no one else saw; the moments when you'd stare out at the world and I could see in your eyes all the things you longed to do."

She looked at him and saw him for the first time; Cullen, the man, not Cullen the innocent, Cullen the Warden or even Cullen the conquest. She laid her hand against his cheek and looked at him with regret. "She's dead, that girl. She had her adventures and died a little bit with each one, until there wasn't anything left of her. The last part of her died in the Deep Roads to a story so horrendous that it died with her."

"You can't have that girl, Cullen. You don't want that girl. She seemed fun and careless, but she was reckless and unkind. She was selfish and merciless. But this girl standing in front of you, she has some of that girl's determination and, I hope, little of her selfishness. Perhaps, if you got to know her, you could love this girl?"

He turned and left her there, standing alone in the wind, alone in the world.