Nate inhaled the clear spring air deeply, relishing it after the musty dampness of the caves. It was so good to be above ground again, to feel the warmth of the sun on his skin and to know that, once again, they had all returned alive, if not unscathed.

"Well." Manon was sidling up to him with a bright smile. Her arm was still bandaged, but there was a bounce in her step and she looked well rested. "That was interesting."

"That's one way of putting it." Nate glanced back over her shoulder to where the others were emerging from the depths, one by one. "I'm just glad we didn't lose anyone. You could have died down there."

Manon nodded, trying to look suitably chastened and failing miserably. "You are right. And I am very grateful to you and Anders. Did he mention what I suggested to him, by the way?"

Nate couldn't believe his ears. Like Anders, he'd put the whole hare-brained suggestion down to Manon's injury and the attendant fever. "About us going to Orlais with you? Yes, he did."

"And… What do you think?" Manon licked her lips. "I really would appreciate your company, you know. You are both amazing fighters. And when the fighting's done-"

Before she could make another suggestive remark, Nate cut her off. "Manon, I don't mean to be rude, but I really don't get this. Anders and I are perfectly fine where we are. What makes you think we'd be interested in leaving?"

Manon shrugged. "Well, look at it another way. What's keeping you here?" She made a wide, expansive gesture with her right arm. "This is hardly a fitting place for a man of your talents. Orlais, on the other hand… Just imagine: A fresh start, in a place far from here, a new and exciting place, where no one knows about your family's disgrace."

Nate stopped in his tracks. "You think that's what I want?"

But before Manon could answer, they were interrupted by Sigrun, who had gone scouting ahead and was now bouncing toward them as fast as her short legs allowed. "Nate, Anders, quick. I need your help."

She took them to an old, gnarled tree by the roadside, about half a mile ahead. An old man was huddled up in its shade, clutching his leg, his wizened face a mask of pain. He was cursing under his breath, but when he saw them approach, his face lit up.

"Master Nate! My, but you're a sight for sore eyes." He tried to get up to greet them, but the leg immediately folded under him and he collapsed with a cry of pain.

"Wilmot! No, don't move." Nate was at his side in a flash, crouching down next to the old man. "What happened?"

Wilmot harrumphed. "Just an old man being stupid, Master Nate, no more than that. I thought I could take a walk out to the lower pasture and check on the lambs, but the slope here is treacherous and I didn't watch my step. It doesn't seem right to bother you with it, but-"

"Nonsense." Nate felt a fierce surge of affection for the old man. He'd spent countless summer days as a kid playing with Wilmot's sons at the old farmstead, not far from here. There had always been a hearty meal waiting for them in the old farmhouse kitchen after a day in the sun. "Anders here will help you." He motioned for Anders to come closer.

But at the sight of his mage robes, the old man grew pale as a sheet and raised his hand in a sign Nate immediately recognized. Warding off the evil eye. "No! Not one of them! You're not going to let him use his magic on me, will you, ser? Who knows what he'll do to me?"

Nate flinched at the hurt look that crossed Anders' face. He'd forgotten how superstitious those old farmers could be. "Anders is a healer, Wilmot. He won't harm you."

Anders nodded, kneeling down at Wilmot's side and placing a careful hand on the hurt leg. It was twisted at an odd angle that suggested broken bones if not worse. The old man had to be in considerable pain. It was impressive he was still so coherent.

"I can fix it without magic, if you want me to." Anders voice was gentle, unthreatening. "But it's going to hurt a lot less if you trust me to use my powers."

The old man made a stifled noise, clearly unsure what to do about this. "Master Nate?" He gazed up at Nate with such sheer undiluted trust that it made his throat go tight.

"It is fine, Wilmot." He met the old man's eyes without flinching. "I'd trust Anders with my life. He's a good man."

Wilmot hesitated, but then the pain won over. "All right. Do it."

"Thank you." Anders was smiling a little as he placed both hands on Wilmot's thigh. "Close your eyes," he advised. "It's better if you don't look."

But Wilmot shook his head. "I want to see."

"Fine." Anders shrugged, and at the same time his hands took on the familiar glow of magic. He muttered a few words under his breath and then, when Nate least expected it, he twisted the leg sharply to the right. Wilmot cried out, but it was a sound of surprise, rather than pain. Clearly, Anders had made sure the procedure hurt as little as humanly possible. Still, Nate was impressed. He'd seen many seasoned soldiers faint at the sight of their own injuries. But old Wilmot was as tough as they got, and he didn't even bat an eyelid while Anders applied an elfroot poultice and wrapped the leg tightly in a bandage.

"There you go." Anders lifted his hands and got to his feet. "It's not a miracle cure," he warned. "The bone will mend, but it's going to be brittle for a while. You can't put any weight on it, and you need to rest and eat well. You have someone who will look after you?"

Wilmot nodded. "My eldest boy's wife. She's a good woman and a fine cook." He cleared his throat, and then looked up at Anders. "Thank you, messere."

"No need." Anders smiled at Nate. "I'm glad I could help."

"We need to take you back to the farm." Brushing aside the old man's protest, Nate bent down and lifted him bodily up in his arms. He was light as a feather, almost wasted away with age. No wonder. He must be at least eighty. And if we hadn't happened to come by, he probably wouldn't have made it.

Shaking off the maudlin thought, Nate focussed on setting his feet carefully on the ground. It wasn't far to go, but he was going to take good care of Wilmot. He knew his duty.

They left Wilmot at the farmstead in the care of his daughter-in-law who alternated between fussing over him and scolding him for being so careless. Nate smiled to himself as they hit the road again. He'll be fine.

"You knew the man?" And there Manon was again. Doesn't she ever give up?

"Yes. He and his forefathers have farmed my family's lands for generations." Nate allowed the teensiest bit of pride to creep into his voice.

"They're no longer your family's lands, though," Manon pointed out, raising an eyebrow. "The Arldom now belongs to the Wardens. As do you."

Nate ground his teeth. He had mostly come to terms with his fate, but it was never pleasant to have his face rubbed in it. "You may find that the simple folk out here don't care very much about these things," he answered. "To them, this is still Howe land. And they haven't forgotten what my family has done for them."

"Despite your father's deeds?" Manon's eyebrow rose even higher.

"My father…" Nate broke off. "There's more to the Howe name than just my father's treachery." He shook his head. "Come on. I want to be back before lunch. I'm hungry."

There was no one there to welcome them in the courtyard, but Anders still felt a happy warmth spread in his belly as he looked up at the Keep's towers. Home. Finally. Up in one of the windows, he could make out the slim silhouette of a woman. Alix must have been waiting for them, or maybe she had just happened to look out to see them return. Either way, his heart beat faster at the sight of her. Yes. It was good to be home.

"And here we are. Thank you so much, both of you." Beaming brightly, Manon bodily threw herself into Nate's arms, placing a sound kiss on his cheek. "Such a pleasure to have you with me."

Anders saw Nate flinch, even as he took a quick step to the side to avoid a similar treatment. When he looked up to the window again, Alix had disappeared.

It was Velanna who greeted them in the Great Hall. "You're back. Good." Her smile was frosty. "The Commander expects you in her office in an hour. Which means you have time to grab some food. And hopefully to bathe and change as well." She wrinkled her pretty nose.

When they finally got to see Alix, Anders' heart sank immediately. She looked tense and unhappy, and she listened to their report with detached professional distance. Sure, she asked all the right questions, and she made the appropriate concerned noises, but all the time it seemed as if she wasn't really there. And when they were done, she dismissed them all with a quick gesture.

Manon was undaunted, though. On her way out, she blew a kiss at Nate and Anders, beaming all over, as if she didn't have a care in the world. "Ah, what an adventure! Thank you for keeping me warm out there, mes amis!"

Alix blanched. "What-" But Manon had already disappeared. "Nate. Anders. You two, stay." Alix snapped out the command without any attempt at politeness.

Anders had been about to step through the door. On seeing her face, however, he decided that it was better to obey swiftly. Closing the door behind him, he leaned against the heavy oaken boards, doing his best to melt into the background.

Fortunately, Alix was wholly focussed on Nate. "What was that about, Nate?" Anders had never seen her so agitated. "Would you explain?"

"And what exactly would you like me to explain?" Nate had crossed both arms in front of his body, and his forehead was set in a grim frown. Oh dear. Anders sighed softly. He's going to be difficult.

Alix inhaled sharply, but she still managed to keep her composure. "Well, something clearly happened out there, when Manon was injured-"

Nate interrupted her with a fierce snarl. "Nothing happened out there. Nothing at all. She tried, mind you. But I'm not interested in Manon, no matter what she might hope for, and neither is Anders." He took a step forward, right into Alix' personal space. "But if I were… Why would you even care?" He sounded so bitter it made Anders wince.

Alix just stared at Nate for a moment, but then she lowered her gaze. "True. I have no right to make any demands upon either of you."

"That's not what I meant and you know it!" Maker, but Nate had to be really furious to take that tone with her. "Damn it, Alix, be real! You need to stop hiding behind the mantle of commander."

"Me? Hiding?" Alix' head flew up again and her eyes narrowed. "Oh, that's rich. You have the nerve to say that when you were the one who refused to let me come closer? Who sent me off because your problems are 'none of my business'?"

"I…" Nate swallowed. "You're right. That was stupid, and I apologize. But you haven't answered my question. Why do you care if Manon wants to take us with her?"

"You know why." Alix' voice was barely audible.

"Do I? Do I really?" Nate's tone was still far too aggressive. Damn it, Nate. Don't push her so hard. Don't you see you're driving her away again? Anders desperately wished he could make Nate read his thoughts.

But clearly, telepathy was not his strong suit, because Nate kept pressing Alix. "I think you need to tell us. Or are you scared?"

"Scared?" Alix' lips were set in a tight line and she had gone pale with anger. "I don't believe I'm under any obligation to justify my actions to you. You-"

"Oh, blight it!" Anders had tried to stay out of it, he really had, but he'd be damned if he'd let those two idiots ruin things again. "Would the two of you please stop this and admit it already!"

"Admit what?" They answered in such perfect unison, with such identical glares at him that he had to suppress a grin.

"That you're in love, of course." Taking a step closer, he put his arm around Nate's waist, favouring Alix with his best puppy eyes. "For Andraste's sake, don't listen to this idiot, Alix. Look at him!"

"And what would I see if I did?" Alix' voice was still trembling, but she no longer looked quite so angry.

"He's been missing you like crazy, Alix. We both have." Anders saw her lip tremble, and he decided to throw all caution to the wind. "I love you. I want to be with you. And Nate-"

"Me, too." Nate's voice was so hoarse it was hard to make out the words, but now he was taking Alix' hand and breathing a kiss on it. "Alix? I love you. We both do. Please don't send us away again."

Alix didn't reply at once, and the silence that filled the room felt so heavy and ominous that Anders felt suffocated by it, almost as if he was drowning in it. He was about to open his mouth, to try and plead their cause again, when she spoke.

"I won't." Her voice was low, and she was shivering all over. But when she raised her head and looked at them, her eyes were clear and determined. "I won't," she repeated in a louder voice. "I'm not a coward, and I won't send you away. I love you, too."

"Thank the Maker." Anders really, really wasn't the religious type as a rule, but in this moment, he'd have happily dedicated the rest of his life to the Chantry to express his gratitude. Except that would rather defeat the purpose. Celibacy had never appealed to him. "So… are we really good?"

"We are," Alix confirmed with a decisive nod. "I'm sorry I didn't trust you."

"I'm sorry, too. I shouldn't have… Please forgive me, Alix." Nate sounded sober. Too sober, maybe, and that wouldn't do.

"Well, I'm glad you two saw the light," Anders quipped. "Oh, and Alix, can we have a little less dramatic tension in the future, please? I think I nearly fainted while I was waiting for you to respond." He clutched his heart in an exaggerated fashion, pretending to sway on his feet.

"Poor you." Alix' lips were twitching. "Maybe you ought to lie down? You know, there's a nice big bed next door."

"Is there?" And now Nate was grinning, too, and that was better. "I think we should take him there, Alix. Just to be on the safe side."

"Absolutely. But kiss me first." Alix extended a hand toward both of them. "Please."

Nate got there first, but Anders didn't mind at all, because that meant that he got to watch, watch the two of them as they kissed, hear the small sounds Alix was making, see the way Nate's hand tightened on her back as he pulled her close.

And then it was his turn and he caught her lips eagerly with his, drinking in her taste, her scent, her sighs. And just when he thought it couldn't get better, Alix shifted a little, and he felt her open up for him, felt her power connect with his, and … Oh Maker!

It was so much more intense than last time, when he'd touched her through her clothes, and the magical energy tore through his body like wildfire, irresistible and untameable, setting every nerve ending alight. Dimly he heard Nate cry out in surprise and he wondered if the whole thing had been visible from outside, but at the same time he didn't care, because it felt so amazingly, wonderfully good. And he was rock hard, just like that, and he wanted Alix so badly he could barely see straight.

"Bed," he gasped, as he let go of her lips. He was literally seeing stars.

Nate seemed to agree, because suddenly, they were in Alix' bedroom, and their clothes were coming off, and it all felt so right, so perfect, as if it couldn't possibly be any other way. Alix was there with him, on the bed, pale and naked and beautiful, and Nate was on his other side, warm and solid and hairy, and it was the best place in the whole world, as far as Anders was concerned.

"How do you want us, Alix?" Nate's voice was raspy with want and it hit Anders straight in the groin.

"I don't know." Oh, and Alix was practically purring. This is going to be so good. But her next words took his breath away. "Perhaps Anders ought to decide. After all…" She smiled at him, looking so happy and mischievous it made his heart miss a beat. "We owe it to him that we've managed to sort this out. Without him, we'd probably still be at each other's throats."

"True enough." Nate chuckled, but then his eyes turned dark. "All right, Anders. What do you want?"

For a moment, he couldn't answer. He'd dreamed of this for weeks, of being together with both of them again, and the possibilities seemed endless. But at the same time, he wanted to stay right where he was, warm and safe between them. And then he knew. "I want you both," he croaked, his voice suddenly refusing to obey him.

Nate's eyebrows arched up, but at the same time his tongue darted out to lick his lips. "You mean…"

"Yeah." Anders nodded vigorously, glad to find he could speak again. "I want to make love to you, Alix." He turned to face her. "I want to be inside you, please."

Alix was blushing, but she nodded quickly, and her eyes were eager. "Yes. Of course."

"And I want Nate inside me. At the same time. Yes. That's what I want. Right now." Anders realized that he was beginning to babble.

Behind him, Nate laughed softly. "Then that's what you shall have." He breathed a soft kiss on Anders' spine.

And it all progressed as if in a dream: Alix' long legs wrapped around his waist; her perfect breasts just inches from his face; Nate's hand on his lower back, warm and firm; Nate's fingers gently opening him up, teasing him, making him beg for more.

Alix was wet, wet and open for him, and when he shifted his hips, he slid deep inside her, just like that. He felt a tear run down his cheek, because it felt so wonderful, to be surrounded by her heat, so snug, so perfect. And before he had time to gather his wits, Nate was already there, pushing inside him with single-minded focus, deep and hard, stripping away the last of his defences.

Anders lost it completely at this point, utterly overwhelmed by it all. They were all so close, their bodies firmly intertwined, their heartbeats mingling, melting into each other with nothing held back, no limits, no reservations. He had never felt anything like this, never felt so safe and warm and loved in all his life, and he didn't care a bit that it was hard to move, because he really just wanted to stay like this forever.

Nate had other ideas, though, and when he pulled back and thrust hard, it sent shockwaves all the way through their linked bodies. At the same time Alix wiggled under Anders, placing a hand on his chest to send a single delicious pulse of magic through his body. He wanted to cry out, to tell them that it was too much, too fast, but all he could manage was a whimper.

"Shhh." Nate's voice was warm in his ear. "Let go. I have this."

And Anders did. Somehow, he managed to let go completely, to let them take whatever they wanted from him, to let their touch and their closeness wash all over him, again and again and again, until it got too much, and he could take it no more. Crying out, he poured all of himself into Alix' body in a moment of perfect ecstasy, every cell in his body vibrating with magic and pleasure and love.

Nate followed him only a heartbeat later, and together, they quickly took Alix to her peak, licking and suckling and caressing every inch of her body that they could reach, until she came with a high-pitched scream, clenching hard around his softening cock.

It took them a while to disentangle afterwards, and Anders was too exhausted to raise his head from the pillow, too blissed out to even lift a finger. Next to him, Nate was lying stretched out on his back, looking utterly relaxed. But when Anders reached for Alix, she shook her head and wiggled out of his grasp. With quick, economic movements, she got up and reached for her clothes.

"What are you doing?" Anders still wasn't thinking clearly, but he missed her warmth already. "Come back to bed."

"I will." Alix' face was grim as she tied the belt of her robes. "But there's something I need to take care of first."

Taking deep, regular breaths, Alix forced herself to remain calm as she headed down the corridor towards Manon's room.

The hour she'd spent waiting in her room, waiting for the patrol to come up and make their report, had been one of the longest in her whole life. She'd spent it pacing the room, tormented by visions of Nate in Manon's arms, Anders kissing her eagerly, both of them wrapped around her slim body… Alix had never thought of herself as prone to jealousy, but for one long hour, the green-eyed monster had been eating at her, burrowing deep inside her, and she had hated every moment of it.

And now Manon was going to pay.

Alix found her sitting in a chair by the fire, a book in hand, a glass of wine next to her on the table. When Manon saw her, she put the book aside and got to her feet with a bright, innocuous smile. "Alix! How sweet of you to come by for a little chat."

It was the feigned innocence that did it. Had Manon shown any sign of remorse, Alix would have been able to keep it together. But that smile set off a surge of rage that she simply couldn't control. Before she had a chance to stop it, magic burst from her fingertips, powerful, violent magic. Manon was slammed hard against the wall, held upright only by the deathly grip of an invisible hand around her throat.

"How dare you!" Alix had trouble forcing out the words between her clenched teeth. "How could you do this to me? What were you even thinking?"

Manon was breathing hard, doing her best to wiggle out of the magical hold, but in vain. "But, chère Alix, I don't even know what-"

"Stop playing the innocent!" Alix was too far gone to mince words any longer. "I trusted you, Manon. I sent them with you to keep you safe. And as soon as I turn my back, you've got nothing better to do than trying to seduce them? Both of them? How could you?" She was too busy raging to watch Manon's face, but when she paused for breath, she was surprised to hear a soft laugh.

And sure enough, Manon was grinning, like a cat that had happened to come across a particularly large pot of cream. "Well, you have to admit it worked."

"It… what?" Alix shook her head in confusion. "What do you even mean?"

"I'll tell you if you let me breathe again." Manon gasped dramatically, and Alix mentally rolled her eyes. She really hadn't held her that tightly.

But she did loosen the magical grip. Manon took a deep, relieved breath and rolled her shoulders, making a show of checking for injuries. When Alix pointedly cleared her throat, she started to laugh again. "No, but… would you just look at yourself?" She pointed at Alix. "Bed hair, lips red from kissing, hickeys all over your neck… honestly, I haven't seen you look so well-fucked and happy in years."

Alix felt a rush of heat to her cheeks. Damn! She should have checked in the mirror before rushing over, but that was neither here nor there, really. "I still don't see how-"

"Oh, Alix. Really?" Manon was wiping her eyes, and the look she gave Alix was almost pitiful. "Two men? You know me. You know I can barely handle one on a good day. I mean, granted, they are hot, but did you honestly think I wanted them for myself? Now, if it were that hot elven lady we were talking about…"

"Trust me, you don't want to go there," Alix replied absent-mindedly. Her head was spinning like crazy as the realisation hit her. What a fool she'd been! Of course she knew Manon vastly preferred women. In all the years they'd known each other, she'd never had more than a brief fling with a guy. "But I thought…"

"Non, ma chère." Manon categorically shook her head. "You didn't think at all. If you had, you'd have seen right through my little scheme. But you were so insanely jealous that you didn't even consider using that clever brain of yours." An unexpected warm smile lit up her face. "Because you love them, Alix. Don't you?"

Alix hesitated, but really, it was pointless to deny it. "I do. Very much."

"I knew it!" Manon's grin was way too smug. "I knew you just needed a little nudge. Aren't you glad I provided it?"

"You could have just talked to me," Alix grumbled, but in her heart of hearts, she knew that it wouldn't have been enough.

And so did Manon, clearly, because she didn't even bother to contradict her. "I knew it," she repeated, reaching for the wine carafe and quickly filling two glasses. "Here's to a happy future for the three of you."

Alix shook her head in exasperation, but she accepted the proffered glass with good grace. And later, when she headed back to her room, to her bed and the two men waiting for her there, she smiled to herself.

A happy future indeed.

And that's it, guys - happy ending all around. Thanks a lot for sticking with me. As usual, I couldn't have done it without my amazing and wonderful beta suilven. You're the best!