The wind whispers through the trees, singing soothing songs to me as I glare down at the mountainside that shows me the city of chains. I have yet to go inside its walls, content to just rest on the outskirts of my clan, watching and waiting until I can slip away unnoticed and bid farewell to Marethari. I do not wish my clan to see me…for I cannot look upon them in this state, it is far too heartbreaking.

Merrill…my thoughts flow out to her as I look down upon her new home. What has she become? Blood magic…the Eluvian, she thinks it a relic of the past and my heart shatters at her innocence. She does not know…was not there the day I discovered that doorway into the darkest of worlds. Tamlen saw the depth of evil that swirled behind the glass, clutched me to him as he stared into it with horror so clear on his handsome face.

The mirror…it took everything from me, my life…my love…my family. Tamlen did not survive its corruption, but I did. I always survive; if you do not believe me ask the rotting husk that is the Archdemon.

The wind has grown cold and I shiver. I do not like it here; I miss the woods of Ferelden for they are well known to me. I like to think if I were blindfolded I could find my way to Lothering, or even Denerim through the wilderness.

Warmth envelopes me and I melt against a strong chest, "Ma Vhenan…" I whisper. I smile as he nuzzles my neck, whispering endearments in Antivan against my ear. I have missed him beyond words, my body aching for his every day we are apart but I do not tell him this…those words would scare him away I think. He does not know just how far I have fallen, how much of my heart he holds in his hands.

"Are we to leave my warden?" He purrs in my ear, nipping the lobe before kissing along my jaw.

"Soon…though I fear what is to come." His lips have moved down my neck, coaxing a moan out of my throat as he pulls me back into the cover of the woods. I turn in his arms, a smile I show only for him stretching my lips.

"Chase me" I whisper before breaking from his hold and sprinting deeper into the trees.

"Braska!" He shouts, before laughing and giving chase. He is no Dalish…his boots disturb the underbrush, alerting everything within a mile radius to his presence whereas I am silent as the trees, making not even a whisper of sound as I move.

I lose him in the labyrinth of this forest; my heart is racing my blood is singing. I feel free and it is wondrous. Not many can feel this kinship with nature, and it saddens me for there is much to absorb from wildlife such as this. I was raised among green leaves and wildflowers; I learned from the birds and the deer and took comfort in the arms of willows and mighty oaks. I am at home here…nowhere else is safe.

For a moment my mind travels back to the moments of the Blight, particularly the stifling misery that was the deep roads and Orzammar. I went mad for days down there…Zevran forced to shove a leather strap in my mouth to muffle my screams of agony for the sunlight. I push those thoughts away and allow peace to once again fill my veins with happiness as I run.

I round a tree and spot a clearing, crying out in equal amounts of joy and surprise as Zevran drops from a nearby tree.

We are inches from each other, our eyes lock and we don't move…just drinking the other in for we have not seen ourselves in almost two years. He is older…tanned skin slightly wrinkled around his eyes, blonde hair holding more than a few streaks of grey. I know my dark strands now hold silver ones too…I wonder how much I have changed in his eyes…

I move to speak, but my voice is muffled against his lips as he devours my mouth. His fingers snake into my hair and my heart begins to pound inside my chest. I moan against his lips as my hands reach for clasps and buckles, aching to feel warm flesh instead of leather. His hands are just as needy, slipping chainmail and cloth from my body with almost desperate desire.

Soon I am bare before him and he before me and we fall to the ground in a tangle of limbs. It is a dance we have enjoyed far more times than I can count but each time feels new. Echoes of a distant pain, a time of tears and sorrow prickle at the edges of my mind but his lips banish them away, whispering of his love and devotion…of his adoration as he worships me and I worship him. Our cries pierce the stillness of the forest around us as I come undone in his arms. We cease to be elves…allowing our more animalistic sides to take over and soon there is only him…I drink my Zevran in and allow myself to drown in sensation.

I collapse against him and he holds me close, pulling my hair away from my face as he stares into my eyes. His are warm and appear as if they are liquid gold, the exact opposite of my icy silver orbs that glow even in the dark…a reminder of the duty I am sworn to fulfill. We do not speak of my fast approaching fate…of how I will leave him.

He laughs as his hands sift through my auburn tresses, removing leaves and twigs while I do the same for him. I lean down and trace his tattoo with my lips, smiling as I pull back and his fingers begin tracing the spirals and twists on my skin that mark me of the People. These moments…these little miracles are why I no longer curse the Eluvian's existence…I do not curse Tamlen's curiosity and desire for adventure. For those events brought me to him, and I cannot live without him…he is a part of me, one I could not separate from myself even if I wanted to.

"Ma Vhenan" It is uttered as a prayer as we stand and he dresses me, kissing along my limbs as he fastens the chainmail. He handles me as if I might break, but he knows all too well that I am no fragile flower. I dress him in kind, allowing my lips to caress his skin before it is hidden behind layers of leather.

He pulls me against him, our foreheads touching and he hums appreciatively as I rub my nose against his.

My mirth slowly fades and he tilts my face up to his, the question in his eyes.

"It is time…we must find the Champion…I need to stop Merrill." He nods, kissing me once more before fitting his daggers into their sheaths and fastening my bow and quiver across my back. I allow him to care for me like this…no other man has the privilege. I do not know if Zevran understands how much love is in this gesture of mine…of how hard it was for me to learn to be weak around him, almost as difficult as it was for him to accept that he loved me and allow himself to remain close to me.

He smiles as his fingers reach up to play with the golden stud in my ear, his earring…I have many earrings along my knife ears, but this one…is the most precious. It is his favor, the sign that I am his.

We gather our things and prepare to leave. I still do not know what to do about Merrill, but I have to try…try to make her see…

"I miss this" Zevran murmurs to me as we walk. I smile, leaning against him and resting my head on his shoulder. Our minds going back to when we walked with many, a merry band of misfits wandering across Ferelden to build an army…

"As do I Ma Vhenan…as do I."