Loghain did not see his bride-to-be until two days after his return. Truthfully it had partially been by design. He had no desire to see the elf. At least, not yet. He was still trying to adjust the image he had of her in his mind, from a woman who he respected as a rival, to a woman who he could see sharing his bed. It was not the easiest thing to do.

It wasn't because she was a terrible prospect. Far from it. The tiny elven mage he'd met nearly two years ago had quite a few particularly stunning traits. And he would not be the first to admit that she was beautiful; gorgeous even. But this was a woman who he had attempted to kill. A woman who had pondered and easily considered killing him. Even some time afterword when he had been spared and had begun traveling with her strange band of misfits there had been a lingering tension between them.

The warden was reserved in the way she spoke and fiercely practical in her practices. Though kind she could easily turn on a dime and give into necessary cruelty. She was as enigmatic to him now as she had been on the eve of that faithful battle so long ago. So when he met her in the hall of the palace he was not prepared to address their new, albeit strange, relationship.

Yet there she was. He had been headed toward the armory to see to the care of the weaponry for the troops when she appeared from a room down the hall. She was carrying two small books and a scroll of some sort and was clearly attempting to be careful not to drop her burden as she shut the door behind her. She paused in the action however and looked up with something of a mix of surprise and hesitant, embarrassed, horror. The expression was quickly vanished however and soon the aloof, practical smile he knew of her once more graced her lips. He stopped across the hall from her and pondered for a brief few, frantic moments, on how to address her.

As if sensing his distress she simply smiled a bit softer and titled her head down in a slight bow of respect. "Teyrn Loghain."

"Arl Tearanae." he replied, offering her the same respect she had shown him.

He shifted his weight and squared his shoulders, unsure of how to begin a conversation, let alone how to broach the subject of their upcoming nuptials. Thankfully she spared him discomfort once again as she addressed the matter first, tucking a stray strand of spun flame behind her ear. "I have…been informed that our wedding will be held two weeks from now…"

So soon? Loghain pondered the hasty date for only a moment. Most likely it had been his daughter's idea. He took a moment to clear his throat and he managed to take a step closer to the elf who looked about as comfortable in the moment as he did. "Ah …yes. I have heard that the ceremony shall take place in the throne room and the reception at Arl Eamon's estate."

She gave a single nod and reached up to nervously tug on a jeweled earring upon her right ear, her eyes not daring to meet his. "Is it? That's um…that is it sounds as if it shall be quite an event."

"Yes," he muttered studying the delicate tapering of the elf's chin. If nothing else it would not be hard to lay with her. She was as pretty as a sprite. "I am sure it will be."

The elf, perceptive thing that she was, shot a glance up at him and seemed surprised for a severe moment of silence as she studied his face for something. What that was he had very little clue. But after a tense moment she seemed to have not found what she was searching for. Her brow furrowed a bit in something close to confusion and Loghain found himself finding the expression almost…cute. There was rarely a time when the elf was not cooly aloof, a slip of a smile upon her lips. Now she frowned and looked very much like that fierce woman he'd faced in the ring…like some sort of elven warrior goddess.

The first time he'd seen her, he'd found her strength …irritating and nostalgic. She'd obscurely reminded him of another elven woman from his youth. A strong, beautiful woman whom he'd trusted…and who had betrayed him and those closest to him. Getting to know her on the road he'd learned he'd been wrong about her. Her strength was different from the elf he'd known in his youth. The warden's strength was enclosed passion simmering under the surface, a barely restrained storm burning on the horizon. Her strength was one that had been learned, a wall to cover the emotional woman within. The few times he'd seen that wall fall…well…there at least they had something in common.

Her curious glance fell away and she shifted her feet awkwardly until at last she sighed, bowed her head and smiled, "If you'll excuse me then my lord…I find I have some research to conduct."

Loghain rose a brow and studied the books in her hands once more. "Ah…the old Grey Warden archives I had sealed away. I see someone finally found them for you."

There was an odd tilt to the corner of her lips and he recognized the sort of arrogant pride in her eyes he'd never quite seen before. "No. I located them myself. Although the servants you used to move the Grey Warden's armaments, supplies, and records were most helpful in locating what I needed."

Loghain stared at the woman in surprise…and mild irritation. "Does loyalty mean nothing anymore?" he growled irritably.

Tearanae's expression became solitary and solemn, "Depends on who you expect them to be loyal to. While you reigned as regent you allowed a man who tortured and abused them to run free and wild. I…on the other hand…am one of them. I have experienced many of the pains they have…and I can even be friendly when I wish. That alone inspires loyalty of a kind." she told him.

He studied her for a moment and then forgot himself and smiled. "I suppose it does."