For most of the trip no one came up and talked to her. Except for Oghren a few hours later telling her that he had a particularly strong brew in his pack that was unopened and he would be more then happy to share it. She had thanked the dwarf and told him to save it because she might need it later tonight. He was more than happy to oblige and walked along with her in silence until the sun started to set.
"We need to find a place to camp Warden." he said.
"I know. If I remember right there is a little clearing just up a little ways that we camped at before." she said. He nodded and they both kept walking.
Sure enough just a few minutes later they had spotted the path that lead them to the clearing. Everyone spread out and sent their tents up and before long Morrigan had a roaring flame going for them. Keira wasn't interested in sitting around the fire with others. So she grabbed her pack and Max and started heading into the forest.
She wasn't sure if anyone hadn't noticed or was still to scared from her outburst earlier to ask where she was headed. Either way it would be nice to be alone with Max and just draw again. If she remembered correctly there was a large stream about 20 minutes to the north of the camp. She looked around got her bearings and started north to the stream.
When she reached the stream she found a soft spot to sit, had Max lay down and took of her boots. Her feet were achy from walking all day, though she would never admit that to her companions. She slowly slipped her feet into the rushing water, allowing a little time to acclimate to the cool temperate. She looked around and found nothing of particular interest to draw. That left it up to her. She rubbed her temples. She didn't know. Nothing was jumping out of her memory either. Maybe she wouldn't draw tonight. Maybe she was just lay here and relax with her Mabari.
Before she could be truly relaxed she heard the clank of metal on wood. She looked to her right and there was Zev again leaning up against a tree.
"I was serious about shooting you Zevran." she said looking back at the stream.
"I wouldn't doubt it if you actually had your bow and quiver with you." he said chuckling. She sighed. She had forgotten her favorite weapon in her tent in her rush to leave.
"Fine but I do have my daggers so I might just run you through instead." she said very matter of fact. He chuckled. Obviously entertained by the fact that they might fight again.
"I do want to finish my statement from this morning if that would please you." he said holding up his hands.
"Make it quick." she said crossing her arms.
"I was going to say that I was touched that you would defend me to Alistair."
"I'm not going to distrust you every time he brings up the fact that your an assassin." she said shaking her head.
"Good. I was also going to say that I agree with Alistair being jealous and if you want then I could step aside and let him take my place if that is what you would prefer." he said looking down at her. She shook her head.
"That is not what I want at all Zev." she said with a sigh. He reached his out to her and she when she grabbed it pulled her up close to him. She looked into his eyes trying to find even a hint on what to say next.
"Then tell me what you do want." he purred in her ear.
"I think you should be smart enough to figure it out." she said trying to resist the game he was playing. He kissed her neck and she knew that she was going to lose her composure. She had to stay in control.
"Zevran I think I love you!"she blurted out before she could even think of what she was saying. He stopped and looked up her with a strange look in his eyes.
"No you don't." he said shaking his head backing up.
"Actually I do." she said staring at the ground.
"No you don't" he growled at her. For a moment she was actually scared of him. He huffed and turned away from her.
For what seemed like an eternity it felt like he was going to walk away from her. Forget what she just said and walk away like it never happened. She could feel her emptiness creeping back up, telling her that she would never love again. Her one shot had been Tamlen and she had screwed that up.
"I don't know what you want me to say, but I stand by what I said and if you can't handle it then please do step aside so at least I'm not waisting my time." She said raising her voice, crossing her arms over her chest. She wasn't sure where the nerve had come from to say but it was good enough. She leaned down grabbed her pack and boots and started walking away.
Before she knew what was happening he had grabbed her hand and spun her towards him and his lips were on hers. She dropped her pack and boots and put her hands on his cheeks. She could feel the tears in her eyes. Creators she needed this to be real. Needed him to be real. His kiss was turning from soft to hungry and suddenly her armor was too tight. He kissed down her neck and kissed her exposed collar bone. She felt his hands running up the outside of her thighs and onto her bottom. He lifted her up and she wrapped her legs around his waist. He walked over and placed her down on a boulder.
"Zev." she said trying to get a grip. They couldn't do this here. She wanted to be in her tent with him.
"Yes?" he said in between kisses at the base of her neck. She ran her fingers through his hair.
"Not here." she whispered guiding his head back up to her eye level. He smirked.
"You have a better idea then I take it?" he said
"Yes." she said trying to keep her thoughts on track. "My tent later tonight." she said in an exhale. He cocked an eyebrow at her.
"My pet if you can wait that long then I will do as you ask." he teased. She swallowed hard. Determined to keep her composer.
"I know I can." She said sitting up straight.
"Then I shall see you later tonight my pet." he said as he turned and walked away. She was crazy, she had to be. She had just moved them from a perfectly private spot to the middle of a camp with their companions. One of whom was probably still angry with her. She rubbed her forehead trying to get a grip. She hopped off the boulder and walked to where her boots and packed laid on the ground. Max stood next to the stream and barked at her.
"I know your probably hungry. Lets get headed back." she said as she slipped her boots back on. She stood up and threw her pack over her shoulder and whistled to Max who came running up next to her. The forest was pretty quiet on her walk back. No birds singing or rodents running about. It made her walk back feel like and eternity.
When she got to the edge of the clearing she looked at her companions sitting around the campfire. All of them seemed to be in good spirits. She looked down and prayed that she wouldn't mess that up by joining them. She continued toward the camp and found a seat right next to Leliana who hugged her as soon as she sat down.
She looked up and found Zev sitting across from her with an evil grin on his face. She shook her head and looked around at her companions, except for Sten everyone was pretty happy. Thats good. She thought as a weight was lifted from her shoulders.
"Can we talk?" Alistair said standing next to her. "Uh, away from everyone."
"Sure." She said standing up and following him. They started walking down the path that lead back to the main road.
"I want to apologize for my behavior last night. Leliana was right. I was still furious with Morrigan and you somehow got the brunt of it." he said looking down at his feet.
"Then I will apologize too for blowing up in your face earlier." she said watching him
"Actually you don't have to apologize for that. I did sort of deserve it." he said with a smile.
"Fine, but don't say I didn't try." she said with an evil grin. He laughed and shook his head and looked her in the eyes.
"I just have one more question before we start walking back."
"Ok." he was making her nervous now. She could only imagine what he was thinking.
"Do you really, honestly, trust Zevran with your life?"
"If I didn't you think I would go trekking through the forest by myself all the time?" she paused "Besides I think Zev is the least of our worries when it comes to people wanting to kill us." she said
"Yea I guess your right. Like the one who hired him."
"Or the entire darkspawn horde and lets not forget the archdemon either." she pointed out
"Zev does seem like small potatoes when you look at it that way." he said looking up into the night sky.
"Alright mushy bit over lets just get back to being friends again" he said sticking his hand out. She laughed and shook his hand and they turned back up the path. Now that he wasn't mad at her and the rest of her companions seemed happy, everything in her world seemed to be going ok. She wasn't going to think about what was going to happen in her tent later on.
When they arrived at the campfire she noticed that Wynn and Sten had already gone to their tents and Oghren was stumbling his way over to his. She sat next to Leliana and Alistair sat at the opposite end of the log that Zev was sitting on.
"I think I will turn in for the night as well." Zevran said stretching. Yea right she thought and rolled her eyes. "Ladies, Alistair. I will see you in the morning." he tilting his head a little to each of them.
"I never thought of Zevran as someone who would turn in early." Leliana said looking Keira.
"Its been a long day. I don't blame him." she said with a shrug of her shoulders. She noticed that Leliana was humming the same little tune she had been this morning.
"I will go to bed too." Alistair said standing up. "Goodnight ladies."
"Are you going to bed too, Keira? I am."
"Since your going, I will go too."
"Ok then I don't have to feel bad about leaving you out here all alone." Leliana said with a giggle.
"Goodnight Lel" she said making her way to her tent.
"Sweet dreams." Leliana replied. Keira stopped in front of her tent. She didn't know how long it was going to be before Zev would find his way in. She turned back towards his tent to see if there was any movement but there was none. She turned back to her tent and opened the flap to crawl it. She sat down and removed her armor.
She looked down at herself. Somehow just laying under her blanket in just her undergarments didn't feel right. So she removed her bra but put on her night shirt and put on her breeches. She looked around and felt nervous. She took a deep breath and laid on her bedroll and to her surprise her eye lids became heavy and before she knew it she was falling asleep.