{a/n- hey all! next chapter up! and to the few of you who read my first one thank you! I added another half to the first chapter to make it a little..longer? I guess? I dunno, but enjoy! hopefully if you guys still really like it, I'll have the next chapter up soon! reviews and msgs welcome! ^_^}

It was well into the afternoon before Avery got out of bed again. The sun had found the hole in her blinds, and was trying to fit as many of it's golden rays as it could into the dark dismal room, and more so right into her eyes. Avery quietly cursed and pulled her blankets over her head, rattling what sounded like a platter of some sort, and, as she stretched her legs out from her fetal position, what felt like one as well. The brunette smiled and came out of her blanket cave. She looked at the plate full of fruits, breads, and cheeses, thoughtfully placed at the foot of her bed. Even though it was an important week for everyone, they let her sleep in.

"Today will be especially hard on everyone." She shook his words from her head. Everyone but her maybe, it's just another damn day after all. She crawled over to the platter, grabbed a roll, and an envelope she hadn't noticed from her spot prior. She opened it and took a bite of the sweet bread:

'You awake Pup? Come meet me in the main hall as soon as you're able, preferably before sunset? -Your Dearest Father.'

The rogue smiled warmly, she wouldn't let thoughts of "her" ruin her day. She ran a comb through her hair, did her makeup, put on her favorite dress, winked and blew herself a kiss in the mirror, and headed to see her father.

It was a gorgeous day. The sun was shining, the little patches of grass and flowers lining the walkways around the castle were bushy and beautiful with colors. Far off, she could hear a dog's barking and someone complaining. She couldn't help but laugh, surely Joker had gotten into something again, and no doubt she'd hear about it soon enough. As she neared the door to the main hall, she could hear the Teryn, and someone else talking, so she put on her best smile, and opened the door.

"-as beautiful as ever. Such a shame the favorite turned out to be-..." the man stopped abruptly, pressed his lips shut, and nodded to the door.

"Oh? Sorry Pup, I didn't see you there, come join us." The teyrn quickly turned and smiled at his daughter.

"Hello father, Arl Howe." Avery said, eyebrow arched, curious about what their conversation topic had been.

"Avery, my dear girl, how are you?" The gray-haired man patted her on the shoulder. She politely smiled back, but inside she was cringing. She always swore Howe was a lap cat and curly mustache away from being a super villian, like it the stories that she used to listen to from...well in the stories. But seeing as he was her father's faithful friend for years, she settled for him just being creepy. Although his sons...

"I am well Ser," she bowed her head, then stared up at him with a wide smile, bright blue eyes sparkling, "May I ask how Nathaniel is? and Thomas?" she added weakly, more interested in the former, as she tinkered with the hemming on the lower part of her dress.

"Oh! So forthright and bold this one!" was the Arl's initial response.

"She's a spitfire, for sure." The teryn winked at his youngest child.

"Suffice it to say, dear girl, Nathaniel is currently in the Free Marches, and last I'd heard from him he still fancies the opportunity to win over your sister if..." the Arl bit his lip and quickly stumbled out and apology, "Although Thomas can't stop asking about you, maybe I shall bring him with next visit." the Arl tried to come up with more to appease her but too little too late.

"Mmm." Avery was seeing red, and successfully tearing herself a nice high new slit in her favorite dress. She didn't notice, much less care. No matter what, she was destined to barge her ridiculous unwanted self aura into everyone today and ruin Avery's day. As always inadvertent, but never the less effective.

"Ahem," Teyrn Bryce cleared his throat. The pair shifted their eyes toward him, "Now Howe, no apology is needed. We're all heart heavy and thinking of Addison today." He grabbed his younger daughter's right hand, "And of course will ALL wish to see her again soon, right Pup?"

Avery coldly snatched her hand away. "Of course, Teryn."

Her father sighed.

"At any rate, I summoned you here for a different discussion, Howe? if you'd give us a moment?"

"Of course." The Arl exited the room.

"The Arl's men are delayed, Pup, so tonight I shall be sending Fergus with our troops to aid the Kind, and the Arl and I will ride with his troops in the morning. While I'm gone, you'll be in charge of the castle."

Avery beamed at her father, "Really?!" She quickly returned to her previously cold demeanor, but couldn't fully mask her excitement. The Teryn chuckled, he knew that would make her feel better.

"Ser Gilmore and a token force will remain here with you and-"

"I'm sorry Sire." The Arl interrupted, entering the room once again, with a guest in tow, "But...eh..there is a Grey Warden here to see you." The Arl was noticeably nervous and twitchy and quickly stepped aside, eyeing the man with great concern as he let him walk by.

The large man extended his hand in greeting, "Hello Teryn Cousland, it is good to see you again."

"Why, Duncan! What a surprise and an honor indeed!"

"Do you think we should wake her? It's already half past noon." a first voice inquired.

"Nah, she's probably dreaming about how Templar Prince Valiant carried her to bed last night, let her enjoy it," came a response.

"Oh. Oka- Wait, WHAT?!"

"Yup."

"Where was she? Wait, where were YOU! Why weren't YOU there?! You said you were with her!" the first voice grew anxious and concerned.

"Hush stupid! I was! But you know how she gets when she wants to read, so I went to bed. Well, I ended up in Kathryn's bed, so I saw it myself. How was I supposed to know she'd fall asleep in the library!?" Anders replied a lot louder than he meant to.

"Ugh, how can one sleep," began a voice from underneath the covers, "When you two won't stop gossiping like little school girls?" A wide grin and a wave of wild onyx hair sprang out from the beneath the blanket, "Please by all means, Anders, Jowan, continue." Addison laughed at the two and got out of bed.

xXxxooXxXxX

Jowan laughed at the sight of his dark-haired friend almost choking on her juice in the most unladylike of fashions. He grabbed a napkin from table the trio were at and handed it to her. She nodded in thanks, grabbed it, and finally coughed out, "He WHAT?!, That's preposterous Anders! Simply mad! You're making this up..."

Anders merely shrugged, "I wouldn't make up something so sweet and...adorable." The blond mage shuttered, "Not my style."
"Yes, smart mouthed, pretty boy seems more appropriate, eh Addy?" Jowan piped in, but the remark was completely mute to her. Addison's eyes bugged and her cheeks burned radiantly red. No way. She thought it had been a dream. A cute little gesture plucked right off a story page. Well...she didn't remember everything Anders was speaking of, only his soft stubbly cheek, and...Dear Maker! It WAS a dream...right?

xXxxXooXxXxX

He paused in her doorway. She was lying nestled up to his chest so comfortingly close, and carelessly slung her arm over his neck and nuzzled even more into him. Without thought, he rested his cheek on her temple and slowly inhaled. Peaches and vanilla. She even smelled amazing. And Maker, did he LOVE peaches. He made his way effortlessly in the dark around all the bunks and trunks to the only single bed in the back of the room, 'one of the many perks she received for being the "favorite", even though she never outright asked for such things,' he chuckled softly to himself. How he didn't seem to wake a soul moving around in all his armor was beyond him, but tonight, right now, he was extra grateful for his "stealthy" entrance. He sat with her cradled in his arms, holding her with eyes closed, for a moment longer than he meant to and she sleepily yawned and opened her eyes, just enough to see the outline of his face. His eyes shot open in panic, but before he could mutter a word, an apology, an excuse really for whatever she would perceive this to be, she simply grabbed his neck and kissed his cheek. She softly grazed her lips up to his ear, 'Thank you for saving me, Ser Knight...' she whispered still half asleep, before laying her back down in full submission to the slightest moan left his lips as he quickly but gently tucked her into bed. he turned to leave, but only took three steps before sitting at her side once more. He brushed a wandering piece of ebony hair back into place, then quickly scanned the room. Reassuring himself thrice over, he nervously placed the softest kiss on her forehead, "Anything for you Addison."
The young Templar blushed feverishly and quickly made toward the door of the room, although not before catching a pair of dark amber eyes watching him. He gulped as he made his way closer to the exit and those eyes watching him from a bunk he knew didn't belong to those eyes. Those eyes had a room on the floor above, not even this one, but he knew. Shifting his gaze down, he nodded to the owner, refusing to make eye contact, completely embarrassed that of all the people who could have seen his taboo stunt it was those eyes. Dammit. He stopped in the doorway.
"Have a good evening, Anders." he left.
The blonde mage narrowed his eyes at the doorway, then rolled back and wrapped an arm around the blonde he was bunking with.
"You too, Cullen."

xxXXxXooXxXxXx

Addison paced back and forth behind the bookshelves in the fourth section of the library. This was her favorite place, her sanctuary. No other mages, nor Templars, or anyone really, bothered to figure out how she got back there, if they even noticed at all, so it was empty, quiet, and untouched. She had dusted out a little spot that now was occupied three short stack of tomes, and a large rug that she was currently pacing around, and four cushions stacked in a corner. When she couldn't be found at her study desk (or sleeping), she was always here, nose deep in some different tome, though few people knew that, few people really cared about her whereabout anyways, which was fine by her, she'd always choose books over people any day, people are always changing, always unpredictable, but books, fiction, always had a pattern, there was always a formula followed and you always knew what to expect. Constants.

While normally preoccupied with said stories and literature running through her head, right now, all thoughts were focused on him, not that this was the first time he's ever distracted her from tomes before. Although this time was more than a harmless smile, a casual wave, or a two sentence conversations. This had her analyzing and making her imagination run wild. What he did had the makings of any good romance built up in any good romance novel, she'd know, she's damn near read them all. But Cullen? Addison shook her head but she couldn't shake the grin plastered on her face. Sure, he was handsome, those bright hazel eyes she swore lit up when their eyes met and she smiled at him in the library. The awkward conversations that she swore the awkwardness was her fault because of her shy booknerd-ness, and inability to engage in 'small talk'. The way he stuttered and fidgeted whenever they had time to talk for more that a minute. The way he ran he hand through his curls during their awkward silence in said conversations. She sighed. What was she doing? Getting herself all excited and caught up in such emotions never did her any good, in fact, it only made things worse, for everyone. The young mage sat down with a huff. Damn Anders, why'd he have to tell her?! What was he even doing in her room anyway?! He PROMISED to be upstairs! Although, she chuckled to herself, she was thankful to have such a good friend. He technically was still there for her, in his own heedful, albeit sex crazed way. 'Poor Kathryn' she chuckled again and sighed.

"Everyone has their weaknesses." The words came up suddenly, clear in her mind, just as if he was right there...

Addison stood and took to pacing once more. His fiery red hair, and those dark jade eyes. Maker, today was not going to be easy on her. She grabbed a book from the highest stack and started to read while walking. She was going to need more than just tomes to distract her today.