And the last part.

Thanks to Seika, Song, Dawn, and everyone else who supported me, and all readers, especially those who reviewed. I love you all!

Day 3

Sunday morning was peaceful and uneventful. After a quick breakfast (just Greek yoghurt with strawberry jam and oat flakes), we went for a walk to the lake. Airam still had an expression of an offended, grumpy cat, while Zevran... well, was like a person trying to pat an offended, grumpy cat. But I know my crazy kid.

We fed the swans, and watched puppies chasing gulls and kids laughing on the swings. Soon it became obvious that Airam was trying hard not to smile. Good. Now for the second part of the plan.

"All right, kids. Why don't you stay here for a while? Here are the keys - this round flat thing is for the entrance gate, you saw how I opened it, right? And this red one is from my flat. Fifth floor, okay? I'll make you lunch, and then I need to finish writing something, so don't hurry."

"And what are we supposed to do here?" Airam asked. "No, I'm coming with you. I won't bother you, I'll be reading in our room-"

"Nonsense," I cut in. "You can... walk around, and talk or... try the swing? Whatever. But I don't want to see you at home for at least one hour. Understood?"

Zevran gave me an approving nod and smiled. Airam looked at us and frowned again.

"Bye, then," I said, before he could start complaining again. "See you in an hour. And remember, Air: no magic."

oOo

They returned in two and half hours. Zevran was soaked, and shivering from the cold, but happy. "I didn't freeze him," Airam said haughtily. "He just fell into the lake."

"He fell."

"Yes. Isn't that right, Zev?"

"S-s-sí. Wha-wha-wha-tever you s-say," came the unconvincing reply.

"All right, all right. I think I don't want to know anyway," I muttered. "Just stop dripping water on my carpet. Bring him dry clothes, Air, and you should preventively cast some healing magic on him. Unless you want him to die of pneumonia. I'll make him a hot tea."

Airam's guilty blush without peeping a word of protest, as he sprinted to their room was all I needed to know.

oOo

The afternoon was less adventurous. We stayed at home. Zevran was watching some documentaries on TV, Airam was fully absorbed in reading Harry Potter, occasionally asking questions like what is a zoo. He found it weird, that people would capture wild animals, just so they could stare at them from behind a glass.

It was nice. I was aware that it would be very problematic if they were here also during the work week... they would soon get bored and frustrated, and do something stupid. But still, I wished I could keep them with me bit longer. I would miss them so much...

"You should go pack yourself, boys," I said, after some time. "I... I sent a few hints to Erwin, and if he understood, he'd do the ritual to get you back tonight. Better be ready."

"We're already going back?" Airam asked.

It was nice to hear disappointment in his voice.

oOo

When I found them, they had only their clothes plus two stolen coats–which were now in Danube, on their cruise to the Red Sea. Two days with a writer and a shop-a-holic, and they had so many things it couldn't fit into their new big backpacks. Partially it was because a good third of Air's backpacks were books–the brat didn't forget my promise that he could get whichever of my books he liked.

After all was packed and stuffed in the car, it was time to get ready for the opera. Airam was ready in half an hour - and I have to say, he was quite stunning in that suit. He was aware of it, too, though of course he tried to hide it. But Zevran had his golden moment of the whole stay, that I think even the opera didn't surpass, when I showed him the curling tongs. The way he looked at it and held it, you'd think it was the Most Sacred Relic. Urn of Andraste? A nice vase. But this! This was something crucial for every assassin that cared for his look. It broke his heart when he realised he couldn't take it with him.

Finally, we were ready to go. They went down to the car, while I checked that they didn't forget anything and locked the door. It felt odd. Incomplete. Abandoned. I pushed away the thoughts how lonely it would be to sleep there without them in the next room and hurried after them, forcing myself to smile. I would not ruin their last evening here with my depression.

oOo

Have you seen Rigoletto? It takes place in the 16th century Italy, and it features a lecherous Duke who thinks he's irresistible, an innocent lady who loves him despite knowing what kind of bastard he is and is willing to sacrifice her life, and an assassin who wants to help but in the end kills the lady.

Airam loved it. You could write a 'How to Enjoy Opera' manual from his reactions. At the end, he was the first one to stand up–nobody told him he should, you know, it was a spontaneous reaction–and applauded so hard that the other people were shooting curious glances at him, smiling. Zevran, on the other hand had tears in his eyes and for a long time after it ended, he was lost in thoughts.

We still had some time till their departure; if everything went as I planned, the whole thing wouldn't start before midnight. So we went to the bar, where Lucy's fiancee, Filip, soon joined us. The yesterday fight had to be even worse than I thought, as he was eager to agree and smile at everything she said. Good thing he came. I didn't feel like having fun at all, and was quite happy to just listen to their plans without having to say anything. My two elves weren't saying anything either, sipping hot chocolate–they decided they didn't care about coffee, really.

"If you can contact Erwin, and arrange this departure, then you can come visit us sometimes, right?" Airam suddenly asked, cutting in Filip's joke right before the point.

"I don't know,' I said.

"I don't think it's a good idea. Not during the Blight," Zevran pointed out. "But after that, provided we're still alive, you should come. It would be fun."

That surprised me. Airam, I could understand. There was something between us, a bond, an understanding, but Zevran? "You'd want me to come?"

"Why wouldn't I?"

"I thought you didn't trust me."

He looked at me, with amused smile. "If I didn't trust you, you wouldn't be here now, no?"

It made me proud.

oOo

And finally, the time had come. We paid, got into the cars, Filip insisting on coming with us, and went to my favourite spot in the town – a lake with a little park where I usually go to take photos of swans. There we took out all the luggage, and brought it near the bank. My cell phone showed twenty minutes to midnight.

We walked around and talked, silly little talk that didn't matter at all. After a while, the two of them walked a bit apart and sat on the bank. In those expensive suits, brats! And in November! They would catch cold! But I heroically resisted temptation to go over and scold them. When did I become so Winne-ish? I sighed. Lucy put her arm around me.

"They were right, you know. You can always write yourself in."

"That wouldn't be the same," I said. "It wouldn't be real."

"How can you tell? This was."

Filip stared at us, totally nonplussed, but before he could ask, the wind started blowing. It wouldn't be that strange, on cold November night, if the lake didn't start glimmering. It was beginning. I checked the time: 23:58. Erwin was a reliable man.

Then the air unfolded. Like when you pull away the curtain just a bit, to peek out of the window. Behind it was only darkness... probably because it was midnight over there, as well. I never realised it until that moment, but it never even occurred to me it could be otherwise and that Erwin's midnight could be few our later or sooner than mine. That would cause a lot of problems. Thank the Lord and the Maker that my Ferelden had the same time zone as me.

"I guess this is it," Airam said with a smile. "Thank you for everything you did for us. I hope we will meet again, but if not, we will never forget you."

I just nodded, because if I tried to talk, I'd start crying. I hugged him, and then Zevran, and then they turned and walked over to the rift. They turned back and Airam waved, and they stepped in–and then they were gone.

It was over.

Lucy offered that I could stay at their apartment tonight, but I refused. I wanted to be alone with my self-pity, though I'd rather die than to admit it.

I was locking the door behind me, when I heard a voice in my mind–same like when I'm writing.

"... it, will you! I'm telling you, we're all right! There was this old lady-"

"She wasn't old, Air."

"Well, not as old as Gran, sure, but I think older than Erwin... maybe like lady Isolde..."

So they arrived safely. I sighed with relief, but then I realised just what I heard. That brat. Compared me. Me! To Isolde?!

I had a feeling there will be a heavy hailstorm in Ferelden tomorrow.

But then I noticed something on the bed. A little flower, made of ice. And a piece of paper with Thank you, with their names.

Or perhaps I could make it a bit AU and give them a week of summer weather...