If there is one thing that hadn't changed, it's the fact that Zevran always seemed to be so intent on getting under Filauria's skin.
While she admits that maybe sometimes she needed to let all her pent-up emotions out, she hates the way he does it.
Zevran is especially fond of making her say aloud the things that she does not want to admit.
"Do you doubt other people so much that you constantly have to give them gifts to assure that you are in their good graces?"
She blinks up at him, surprised. Zevran weighs the gold bar she had given him in his palms. "What?" she asks incredulously.
"Not that I do not appreciate your little trinkets, my warden," Zevran looks at her with a curious glint in his eyes. "But has it not crossed your mind that maybe that is the reason why it is so hard for you to gain another's loyalty?"
She clenches her fists at her sides. They are at the far end of the camp, a little further from their companions – far enough to go unheard.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Filauria says through gritted teeth.
"Oh?" the assassin raises an eyebrow and takes a step closer to her. "You ask somebody to accompany you, and in exchange you give them a new breastplate or new gloves or a new blade. We fight and you give me this," his eyes glance at the block of gold in his hands. "You are so bent on getting on somebody's good graces, my warden."
Filauria reaches to snap the gold bar from his arms, and Zevran sidesteps and raises the bar out of her reach. His movement is to quick, however, and she stumbles forward, unable to anticipate his movement.
Zevran'sfree arm wraps around her waist and catches her easily, looking down at her with a smirk.
She immediately pushes out of his hold. "If you don't want it, then give it back!" Filauria says, flushed and furious.
"I never said I didn't," Zevran replies. Filauria grits her teeth and thinks of the many ways she can wipe that sodding smirk out of his face.
"Why do you keep on antagonizing me!" She reaches for the gold bar again, but he swiftly moves back. She stomps her feet childishly in frustration. Not too far away, James moves to his feet and tilts his head curiously at the two.
"I apologize if I give that kind of impression, my warden," Zevran says. "Truly, I am just trying to figure you out."
"Figure me out?" Filauria echoes. She crosses her arms at her chest and adds sarcastically, "Yeah, 'cause constantly trying to piss me off is easier than actually trying to talk to me."
The light-haired elf raises one perfect eyebrow. "Actually, you are quite right."
Filauria growls and tackles him, but he is too strong. He shifts her as they fall, with him on top and with her at the bottom – quite the opposite of what she'd intended, actually.
"So did you do this with Jowan, too?" the elf asks, sounding innocent. "Shower him with presents so he could follow you?"
Her eyes flash with anger as she tries to push him off her, but to no avail. How dare he!
Zevran grabs both her arms and pins them on the ground, just above her head.
"Maybe that's why he chose another woman over you," he says, leaning down to look her straight in the eye. She feels his breath on her face, and for a moment she remembers a memory of that night in Orzammar. It is gone as soon as it arrives. "Because he never felt like he really did something for you out of the goodness of his heart."
"You have to help Lily and I get out of here. Please, I beg of you 'Lauria."
She remembers his face, his voice; she remembers the hurt, the betrayal.
"I know… but – I can't explain it, 'Lauria. I'd do anything for her. Anything – I don't care if I never get anything in return. I don't care if I get hurt. Seeing her smile would be enough."
"SHUT UP!" Filauria screams at the top of her lungs. The world around her blurs, and she isn't quite sure what had happened next, but the next thing she remembers is Alistair's arms around her waist and seeing a very disoriented-looking Zevran being helped up by Leliana. She thinks she sees Wynne hurrying to the scene with a very concerned expression.
"You had no right to say that!" Filauria continued, thrashing out of Alistair's strong hold.
"Hey, hey, break it up, Filauria. That's enough," Alistair whispers in her ear. She feels the familiar limiting feeling of being under a Templar's nullification circle around her and her whole body slackens. Her breaths come out ragged and uneven and she feels tears fall down her face.
"It isn't like when I'm with you, 'Lauria."
He had smiled at her.
Jowan had smiled at her when he said it – eternally oblivious to how she feels about him. She had forced a smile to her face as well, hiding the hurt and pushing back the tears.
I would have done everything for you.
"I think I really do love her."
"You had no right to say that," she repeats, but this time she sounded broken.
This time she allows herself to break.