A/N: Wow, what a hit count! Thank you all for reading and for your awesome reviews! I'm so glad to see you're enjoying this. Now back to the song fics. You might want to tune your radios to Regina Spektor's "Fidelity" for this one. Enjoy!

The one those arms belonged to front-flipped in the air and landed deftly on the ground in the Denerim alley Alistair and Zevran had been standing in just seconds ago.

Now, they both lay slumped on the dirty ground, snoring peacefully.

"That will teach you naughty boys to conspire behind a lady's back," Leliana teased their unconscious forms, dusting her hands off.

Even from inside the barrel, Oghren knew that voice.

"Oh, sod it all," he cursed.

Leliana giggled, planting a boot on the side of the barrel.

"That's right, Oghren. Time to fess up," Leliana said, smiling. "Tell me what you boys are planning with our dear leader, and how it involves little old me."

Oghren was torn. On the one hand, he really wanted out of this barrel. Maybe if he fessed up to the redhead, he could do just that. On the other hand, he had respect for The Warden and knew how much this surprise meant to him.

"Um...no clue." came his answer.

Leliana arched an eyebrow. Whatever The Warden was planning, it must be good.

"Are you suuuuure you can't tell me, Oghren?" she asked sweetly, lacing her voice like honey.

Oghren's little legs squirmed again inside the barrel. He did the best he could to fight it.

"I...I can't." he admitted.

Though Leliana was disappointed the dawrf wouldn't tell her anything, his resistance intrigued her all the more. She wanted to know what this surprise was all about.

"Very well, then," she said. "Maybe a little roll down the alley will jumpstart your memory?"

Leliana giggled again and shoved her boot forward, rolling the barrel away.

"Whoah! Hey wait! What the-ohhhhhhhhhhh!" Oghren cried out. The barrel rolled out from the alley into the next street. Passers-by were forced to do a quick dance in order to avoid the rolling barrel.

Leliana smiled, shaking her head. The boys of their group really should learn not to trifle with a bard. Now that she was completely unhindered in her quest to discover The Warden's secret, she pressed her back against the wall at the mouth of the alley, peering forward, watching for what The Warden would do.

I never loved nobody fully.
Always one foot on the ground.

Leliana watched with rising excitement at she saw The Warden head straight for Liselle's stand. She knew the shop well. Liselle was a fellow Orlesian. What could The Warden possibly need from her?

"Good afternoon, Liselle," The Warden cheerily greeted the shopkeeper.

"Ah, my dear Grey Warden, lovely to see you again," the woman replied, smiling and nodding her head politely.

The Warden looked from left to right nervously. Though he spotted no sign of Leliana, he still began speaking in more hushed tones.

"Do you...have the...items...I asked you about?" He tentatively asked.

Liselle's dark eyes sparkled. Nodding enthusiastically, she bent down behind her shop front and emerged with a small wooden crate.

"Indeed, everything requested per your note," Liselle said. "The wine, pie, spices and sauces. I also placed a special order for the meat. It should be waiting for you at the Gnawed Noble Tavern."

The Warden breathed a sigh of relief and gratefully paid Liselle for her service.

A wooden crate? What could possibly be in there?

Ooooooohhhhh the anticipation was making Leliana itch!

And by protecting my heart, truly,
I got lost in the sound.

The Warden was just about to pick up the small crate when a suspicious voice rang out to his left.

"Shopping Orlesian, are we?"

The Warden froze and turned. There stood Morrigan, leaning up against the shop with an arched eyebrow and smug look on her face.

"Morrigan? What in the Maker are you doing here? Who's guarding camp now?" The Warden asked.

"Your dwarf pets," she snidely replied. "I'm sure they can handle themselves."

Her eyes swiveled down to the crate. The Warden grabbed it and picked it up.

"You wouldn't happen to be shopping for our lovely bard, are you?"

The Warden inclined his head and kept a straight face.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he stated evenly.

"Why else would you be buying from an Orlesian shop?"

The Warden looked from left to right again, thinking furiously for a good excuse.

"I needed some...new...perfumes...for Halleth...help with the smell," he said off the top of his head.

Morrigan snorted, crossing her arms. "You honestly expect to me to believe that?"

"Have you honestly smelled him? He needs them," The Warden offered, seemingly innocently.

Seeing that she was clearly getting nowehere, Morrigan stood up straight, her pale, slender arm draped around her staff.

"Are you truly keen on continuing your little infatuation with her?" She asked him plainly.

Now The Warden was starting to get angry. Who was she to tell him what to do?

"Not that it's any of your business...but yes, I do." He said. "Now, if you'll excuse me."

He began to walk past her when she grabbed his arm, anchoring him to the spot.

"She'll never truly understand you, you know," Morrigan said, her voice lower and softer, meaning to address only The Warden.

He shrugged off her arm. "I don't think that's for you to judge, Morrigan."

"Her allegiance is with the Chantry," Morrigan continued, her eyes never leaving his. "What makes you so assured she won't jump at the chance to turn in two apostates like you and I to the Grand Cleric?"

"She's not like that," The Warden defiantly argued.

"For all that you know now," Morrigan countered.

Leliana watched as Morrigan suddenly appeared, grabbing The Warden by his arm. She couldn't help her cuiosity prickling. What did Morrigan want with him?

She had never considered the witch a romantic rival for The Warden's affections...until she heard around camp what had had happened the other night.

I hear in my mind all these voices. I hear in my mind all these words.
I hear in mind all this music.
And it breaks my heart, and it breaks my heart.

The Warden sighed. "Is this about the other night?"

He was referring to two nights ago when, out of nowhere, Morrigan had suddenly propositioned herself to him. Try as he might, he just could not figure her out. One day she's acting like he's the biggest idiot in Thedas and the next she's asking him to come to her tent.

Morrigan seized the opportunity, drawing closer to him and staring into his eyes intensely.

"So what if it is?" she asked, almost teasingly. "Am I so repulsive to you?"

Don't answer that, The Warden thought to himself. It's a trap.

"Well...no," he started to say.

Morrigan smiled and placed a hand on the top of the crate, pushing it down.

"Then why not buy gifts for a fellow mage, someone who understands your life, instead of an Orlesian airhead?" She silkily asked.

That was the straw the broke the Hurlock's back. The Warden would not tolerate someone calling the woman he loved an "airhead."

"Because I don't feel for the mage what I do for the Orlesian," The Warden finally said, pulling the crate from her hand.

Leliana had to admit, a flame of jealousy spread through her chest as she watched Morrigan touch him, but her heart soared to watch The Warden reject her advances.

Now it was time to give her love some help.

"Halleth! Come here, boy!" Leliana called down the alley, giving a sharp whistle.

The Mabari came bounding up to her from the shadows, wagging his tail and jumping up and down. Ever since she and The Warden had been spending a great deal of time together, she and the hound developed a special bond. He would now come to her like he would his master.

"Look, boy, see who has the stick?" Leliana told the excited dog, pointing in Morrigan's direction. "Morrigan has the stick, you handsome boy! Fetch!"

Halleth nodded once and bounded into the market, eliciting another giggle from the bard.

Suppose I never, ever met you.
Suppose we never fell in love.
Suppose I never, ever let you kiss me so sweet and so soft.

Thankfully, The Warden wouldn't have to endure an awkward silence after shooting down Morrigan. Before the witch could retort, Halleth bounded out of nowhere, jumped, latched his mouth onto her staff and wrenched it from her hand, running off into the district with it.

"Ow! What in the...hey! You mutt!" Morrigan cried out, furiously turning to The Warden.

The Warden could only chuckle and shrug.

"Looks like Halleth has the stick," he said.

Morrigan cursed under her breath and took off after the Mabari. The Warden watched them both disappear around the corner. He shook his head and smiled, knowing she would most likely never catch up. He looked around, wondering where Halleth had come from. He didn't recall bringing his hound with him into Denerim.

For that matter, where were Alistair and Zevran?

Leliana stuck to the shadows, clinging to her concealment and watching as her love looked around, shrugged again and began walking deeper into the district. If she was going to find out what this was all about, she would have to tail him without him knowing.

She scrambled up the nearest shop until she stood on its canvass roof. She jumped once, letting the fabric bounce her up to the ledge of the roof of the nearest building. She swung her legs up and began running across rooftops in hot pursuit.

Supppose I never, ever saw you.
Suppose you never, ever called.
Suppose we kept on singing love songs,
Just to break my own fall.
Just to break my fall.

Leliana had the front entrance to the Gnawed Noble Tavern staked out for several minutes now. The Warden had gone in. He had yet to come out. The immpatience was starting to get to the bard. She knew this plan of his involved her and a crate he received from a known Orlesian shop in Denerim.

She sighed, resting her fair cheek on her hand as she sat on the roof, smiling. She loved the man, but he could be so infuriatingly mysterious.

Then, just as her spirits began to sink, she saw him emerge from the tavern below her, this time with another blag slung over his shoulder along with the wooden crate he was carrying.

She craned her neck for a look into the bag, but to no avail. Suddenly, The Warden stopped where he was and turned around, making Leliana gulp and dive down on the roof, pressing her body against it, trying to stay out of his sight.

The Warden couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched. He felt it earlier and still felt it now as he exited the tavern. Yet, as he looked around, he saw no one staring at him. Strange, where was that feeling coming from?

Leliana peeked over the roof again to watch him walking away again. Thank the Maker. She blew out a breath of relief and hung her legs over the edge of the roof, swaying them gently back and forth. Perhaps she would just have to settle for finding this surprise out for herself later.

All of my friends say that, of course, it's gonna get better.
Gonna get better.

"It's just a little bit more," The Warden coaxed, taking Leliana by the hand and leading her to her surprise back at camp. Night had fallen and it was time to give her the dinner he'd been waiting to treat her with.

Though she was blindfolded, Leliana smiled, comfortable to let him guide her wherever.

"Are we almost there?" she playfully asked.

"We're here now," The Warden said before slipping her blindfold off.

Leliana gasped, covering her mouth with her hand. Before her sat a small rectangular table covered by a white silk sheet, laden with plates of the most amazing -smelling meats and slices of pie! Soft, glowing light emanated from several candles at the center of the table, with the plates and utensils all arranged in their proper order.

The Warden soaked in her expression and smiled widely.

"Surprise," he said.

Leliana turned to him, her eyes still wide.

"Did...did you make this?" She asked, almost in awe.

The Warden sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, I did have some help with the planning and ingredients but...yes."

At that, he went over to the barrel that would serve as her seat, waving his hand toward it.

"May I seat you?" He asked, smiling.

Leliana's cheeks flushed. She smiled and nodded, walking over and letting The Warden take her hand and seat her.

She looked at the glistening meat slathered with aromatic gravy and licked her lips absent-mindedly. She hadn't seen a meal like this since...

"Wine?" The Warden asked.

She looked up and her eyes lit up again.

"You found wine?!" She excitedly asked.

"Sure did," he answered, smiling again.

She graciously offered her goblet for him to fill, which he did. He filled his own and sat across from her.

Leliana couldn't help but stare at the table for a moment, its shape looking familiar.

"Is this...the army supplies crate?" She asked him, her eyebrow arching.

"No," The Warden simply replied. "It's our dinner table."

She smiled again, looking lovingly across the table at the man who surprised her even when she thought she had seen everything.

"Tuck in," he said.

That she did, picking up her fork and knife and cutting into the meat. Hardly able to contain her excitement, she stuck the bite into her mouth. Immediately her taste buds lit up and she closed her eyes, letting out a pleasurable moan.

"Is this...filet mignon?" She asked, after swallowing.

"It's at least my imitation of filet mignon," The Warden chuckled, taking a sip of his wine.

"Nicolae...this is...this is delicious," she said, so blown away by the display that words were beginning to become hard.

"I haven't had food this delicious since I left Orlais," she exclaimed, hungrily devouring another bite without losing her ladylike poise and manners.

The Warden smiled, blowing out a small sigh of relief through his nose.

"I'm so glad you like it," he said. "It would be counterproductive to poison my date,"

She giggled, holding his gaze. She would gladly hold his eyes with hers until the end of time.

"Thank you so much, my Grey Warden," she said. "You honor me."

"The honor's all mine, m'lady," he replied, holding up his goblet.

"To you," he said, beaming.

She beamed back, holding up her own.

"To us," she corrected.

After the meal and dessert had been finished, they were holding each other close by the fire. Leliana rested her cheek on his shoulder, her eyes closed, in a complete state of bliss. The bliss was shared by The Warden, who was content to hold her as long as she permitted him.

"You are so very special to me," she whispered to him.

"As are you to me," he whispered back, kissing the top of her head.

Leliana looked over to the table where they had just dined together.

"But...there's so much leftover," she observed. "I would hate to see it go to waste."

A loud cough interrupted their moment. They gently parted and looked to the noise, seeing Alistair and Zevran cautiously approaching. They both held ice packs to their foreheads.

"Erm...so...how's the...uh...evening going?" Alistair lead off with.

Zevran rolled his eyes at the Templar.

"You're about as subtle as an ogre," he chided.

Leliana smiled, pulling her Warden into her again.

"It was beautiful," she answered, looking back up to The Warden.

"All thanks to you," she said, smiling and bringing his face down to hers for a passionate kiss.

Alistair whistled innocently while Zevran admired from afar.

"So...it smells good," Alistair awkwardly stated.

The two lovers parted and The Warden smiled at his friend.

"We have plenty left over. If you'd like-"

"Thanks, mate!" Alistair exclaimed, wasting no time in getting his hands on some of the delicious-smelling dinner.

Zevran cleared his throat. "Well, as long as Alistair's helping..."

The elf quickly joined in on the fray to get leftovers, followed by Bodahn, Sandal, Wynne and even Sten in quick succession.

The Warden was stunned to see everyone had apparently been waiting in the wings. Leliana just smiled up at him.

"It appears you have a future aside from that of the Grey Wardens," she joked.

"I'll invest in my big, poofy white hat now," The Warden said.

Contented moans quickly echoed around the campfire as The Warden's dish was tried by all.

"Pay close attention, Alistair, this is what food tastes like," Zevran mocked.

"I would punch you in the face if it didn't mean I had to stop eating," Alistair threatened before quickly devouring another bite.

Meanwhile, on the edge of camp, Oghren's little legs continued to kick in the air.

"Isn't ANYONE GOING TO LET ME OUT OF THIS SODDING BARREL YET?!"

The Warden chuckled.

"Only when you've learned your lesson," he shouted back.