A/N Sorry I haven't been able to reply to my reviews. I appreciate them SO much, but I'm not getting reply notices. So I'll just say that yes, there is much more to come and I'm thrilled that you are enjoying the story as much as I am enjoying writing it!
.
.
Zevran once said that falling down a flight of stairs was an adventure.
He also said that falling into someone's bed was an adventure, but Kya tried to not think about that part too hard. She did think however that he could have added getting off a horse after eight hours following your first time ever riding a horse was a whole other kind of adventure.
If Loghain hadn't swung down first, Kya was sure she would have fallen flat on her face. As it was, he grabbed her as her legs buckled underneath her. Kya then discovered it was one thing to have him behind her on the horse, but it was another thing entirely to have him standing in front of her with his arms wrapped around her waist. She also discovered that she liked it, entirely more than she expected she should.
If she hadn't known better, she would have said Loghain was grinning.
"I may have forgotten to mention that it may take some time to get used to," he said. His face was close enough that his breath ruffled her hair.
"My legs feel like jelly," Kya laughed. "I had no idea."
He was definitely smiling now. "I can imagine," he said. "I remember the first time I rode for more than a short distance. I was only a boy, so at least when I collapsed, I didn't have far to fall."
Kya grinned and then grimaced. "I'm not sure I can walk."
Loghain turned her around, his hands still firmly on her shoulders. "Give it a try."
She attempted to take a single step and her legs were useless. She tumbled forward, only to find herself clutched back against Loghain again.
"That went well," she said. "Okay, so how pathetic will it look if I crawl over to the fire to die?"
Loghain chuckled. "Rather pathetic, I expect."
"Great." She shook her head, feeling far from the vaunted hero she was supposed to be at the moment. "The first Grey Warden to be defeated by riding a horse."
"Well," he said, sounding rather amused with himself. "We can't have that."
And before Kya could protest, he scooped her up into his arms like she was a doll. Not that she would have objected, as far as she could tell. He made a little sound, something like a laugh invaded by a groan.
"Thanks?" Kya managed as he started walking towards the bonfire that already blazed in the heart of the camp. She was shocked enough that she didn't even blush. And there was enough commotion going on that no one else seemed to notice. Well, no one until Kya heard a familiar lilting voice intone from the shadows.
"My dear Warden," the voice said. "Seducing your new companion already, I see."
At that, she did flush and she felt Loghain's arms tense. Kya felt like her face was on fire. She felt the sudden urge to bury her head against Loghain's chest, but that wasn't going to do anything except make things worse.
"Zev," she said after she'd found her voice again. "I wondered when you might show up."
Zevran sidled up alongside them just as Loghain got her close enough to the fire that he could set her down quickly without making it look like the elf's words had bothered him. Kya could tell by the amused look on Zev's face that Loghain wasn't fooling anyone.
"Bellisima," Zevran purred, sitting down next to her with his usual grace. "You did not think I would go back on my word, did you?"
Kya gave him an indulgent smile. "Not at all," she said. "You're the most honorable assassin I know."
"Do not be so lavish with your praise," Zevran replied sarcastically. "I am the only assassin you know. That you are aware of."
"Excuse me, Commander," Loghain interrupted before he turned and walked away. Kya stared after him, frowning. She didn't even realize she was doing it until Zevran spoke again.
"My, my," he murmured. "I had no idea."
Kya snapped her head to look at him. "What? No idea about what?"
Zevran pursed his lips. "I am not blind, Mia Cara."
"I have no clue what you are talking about Zev," Kya sighed.
"I don't recall you ever making such lascivo eyes at me, much to my dismay," he said, laughing. "I would not have expected that I would see you look at him in such a manner. He is the same man we spent a year trying to destroy, no?"
Kya sighed. "I don't want to have this conversation."
"Perhaps we should discuss instead how you have finally come to your senses and decided that you must have me?" Zevran asked.
"Don't make me kill you, Zev," Kya complained. "Because I will."
"Promises, promises," he said, laughing again.
At the edge of the light from the fire, Kya caught sight of Loghain. He was leaning with forced nonchalance against one of the wagons. He took a drink from a waterskin one of the workmen traveling with them had found for him. She watched with entirely more interest than she should at the way the muscles in his throat moved when he swallowed. He noticed her gaze and nodded perfunctorily before he turned away. She was probably mistaken, but he looked almost disappointed.
"Bontà mia!" Zevran exclaimed, his eyes flashing. "Sei in amore!"
Kya gave him a hard look. "So are you going to tell me what that means?"
"No need," he replied thoughtfully. "You know."
The camp had been enveloped in that comfortable hush that always arose after everyone had finally settled in to sleep. Little hushed voices now and again, the sound of those on watch shifting in their armor and the melodic crackling of a dying fire were the only sounds. It was peaceful and familiar.
Despite the comforting lull, Kya couldn't bring herself to retreat to her tent. She wondered if she was ever going to be like a normal person and actually sleep. Since they'd broken the Blight the nightmares weren't even all that bad anymore, yet she found herself sitting and staring at the fire long after she should have been tucked into her bed roll.
She could already tell that healing spells or no, her legs and more importantly, her behind, were going to be very sore tomorrow. The prospect of another eight hours on horseback was not all that appealing. Well, that wasn't entirely true. The idea of spending another day in Loghain's arms, talking like real people, was a rather nice thought, at that.
The little flip her stomach did when she thought about it made her blush. And it was dually ridiculous since she was alone. She was also having a hard time not just sitting there and smiling like an dimwit. If she kept this up, she was certain the other Grey Wardens would send her on her Calling, assuming she'd gone completely mad.
"Shouldn't you be sleeping?" Loghain said from out of nowhere. Kya looked up anxiously and saw that he was standing not three feet from her. She wondered how long he'd been there, watching. If he'd been there long . . . the mere idea mortified her. She hoped her furious blushing wasn't noticeable in the dim light.
"Probably," she replied, trying to sound casual. "But I think I've gotten out of the habit."
Loghain sat down and folded his legs but didn't say anything.
"I thought that once it was all over I'd want to sleep for a month," Kya said, trying to fill the silence. "But I just can't."
He didn't reply.
"Why aren't you sleeping?" she asked. He did look tired, exhausted even. He was very pale and his black hair was disheveled. "You look like hell."
"Thank you," he replied sarcastically.
"You look tired," she amended.
"I am," he said. He didn't elaborate.
"Well then . . . ," Kya said. She stopped and her brow furrowed. "Are you okay?"
Loghain seemed to be pondering something. Almost like she'd just asked him a complicated mathematical equation, not if he was well. He frowned but said nothing.
Kya cocked her head at him. "Alright, you are obviously are not okay," she said. "So are you going to talk to me or just sit there looking ill?"
"I think I've gotten out of the habit," he said finally. "Of talking, that is."
"You did fine all day," she said, a note of concern creeping into her voice.
He just stared into the fire intensely. Kya had no idea what was going through his head. But she suddenly had the profound urge to move closer. He looked so sad. He never looked sad. Irritated, annoyed and frustrated, yes. But sad? Never.
"Loghain," she said. "Please, tell me what's going on." She felt oddly close to tears.
"I . . . ," he started. He looked over at her for a moment, blinked once, very slowly and looked away again. "Its nothing," he added quickly.
Kya sighed and rubbed her eyes. She looked back over at him. He was so still he might have been a statue. The corners of his mouth were turned down. She almost expected he was going to get up and leave, considering the heavy tension that had leapt up around them. But still he didn't move. His eyes flickered in her direction for an instant, but beyond that, nothing.
Still not quite trusting her legs, and convinced her judgment had escaped her completely, Kya crawled over to him and sat down again. She sat close enough that her folded knee nearly touched him. She leaned forward and turned to him. He closed his eyes, but then slowly opened them again and looked at her.
She didn't speak, but gave him a questioning look. He sighed and his shoulders slumped, just a bit.
"Do you trust me?" he asked.
"What?" Kya replied, surprised. "Of course I do."
"I don't know how you could," he said.
"What do you mean?"
"I have tried to kill you," he said matter-of-fact. "And I still honestly cannot say that I made the wrong decisions, considering what I knew at the time. I have made no apologies for my actions, and I do not intend to."
"I never asked you to," she said. She swallowed. "And I don't have any right to judge you."
"Don't you?" he said. "You were my judge, and nearly executioner."
"Just as you were mine," Kya said. Utterly sincere, she added, "We did what we thought was right."
"Even so . . . ," he started, but then he stopped abruptly.
"Let me ask you then," she said, taking the initiative. "Do you trust me?"
He blinked at her. "I honestly don't know," he said, just barely more than a whisper.
"That wasn't really the answer I was expecting," she said, leaning back.
"Well," he said, his voice even quieter now. "Maybe that's not the complete truth."
Kya shook her head and leaned forward again, putting her elbows on her knees and hiding her face in her hands. "I have no idea what is going on here," she said, muffled by her palms. She turned her head, still cradled in her hands, giving him a look of complete confusion. "Are you going to tell me what this is about or are you just going sit there and make me lose my mind?"
"I am not sure that I can," Loghain said. "Maybe I should just go." He started to move away.
Kya grabbed his elbow. "That's not fair," she said. He stopped and sat back down.
"Alright, this is absurd," she continued, putting on her commander voice like a shield. "Now, tell me what is bothering you, or I swear by the Maker, I'll make it an order."
He just looked at her with a frown so earnest she thought he might just shatter right then and there.
"Loghain, you're scaring me," she said. Instead of a reply, he moved forward so quickly she hardly had time to realize what was happening.
He gathered her up in his arms, and kissed her.
Before her brain even fully registered that he -- Loghain Mac Tir, Hero of River Dane, former Teryn of Gwaren, and more importantly, the man she dreamt about as a girl and now had discovered was even more fascinating than she ever imagined back then -- was kissing her, he let her go and was gone. He disappeared into the shadows.
Kya was having a hard time catching her breath. She stared off into the darkness in the direction he'd gone. Of all things she ever thought might happen, this was the one she never even gave herself permission to think about.
"Holy Maker," she breathed.
Ignoring the quivering in her legs, trembling that was probably as much from the kiss as from the horse, she stumbled to her feet and scurried off into the night after him.
.
.
Since Zevran uses some Italian phrases in game, I just decided to stick with the trend.
Bellisima = Beautiful
Mia Cara = My Dear (Special thanks to Zerbinetta for correcting me!)
Lascivo = Lustful
Bontà mia! Sei in amore! = My goodness! You are in love!
