Chapter 26:

Two days later they were headed into the Deep Roads. Sylina was taking everyone with her though she was worried about it since only she and Alistair were immune to the taint. But she had decided to risk it since she couldn't possibly make it down to Aeducan thaig and back with just Alistair and her. She had given them all orders not to touch anything once they left Orzammar. Alistair had also been able to find some armor in the Warden armory that fit so he no longer had to worry about the large hole in his breastplate. The guards at the entrance wished them luck and opened the steel doors to the Deep Roads.

The first thing that hit Sylina was the smell. It smelled rotten, like something damp with mold and decaying flesh. She covered her nose and her eyes watered. She saw Alistair's face with a look of disgust on it and knew she wasn't alone at least. They headed deeper down. When it started to get dark because the lava flows slowed down to mere slits, she and Morrigan lit their staves so that the company could see.

They spent a week in the Deep Roads. Fighting darkspawn and giant spiders and when they finally found Lord Dace he was more than happy to return to Orzammar with them. When they got back, the first thing Sylina did was take a long bath. All her companions had been covered with black ichor by the time they reached Orzammar. She hated the Deep Roads: the entire time they were down there they had spoken little. They had two people on watch duty every night and still Sylina had barely been able to sleep. She could feel the darkspawn everywhere. It had felt like they were crawling in her mind. She and Alistair stayed close to each other the entire time they were down there. It was a mutual agreement because when Sylina was near him, the incessant drone of darkspawn lightened and she could feel him, her fellow Grey Warden.

And now the nightmare was behind her. She shook her head and scrubbed her body again. After she got out of the bath it was time to go see the bloody Prince responsible for sending her down there. She hated him already, hated him for telling her to deliver notes like a lackey, for being sent down into the Deep Roads. And she hated the arrogant man even more after she met him. Sylina was furious that he was asking her to hunt down a thug by the name of Jarvia. And so Sylina found herself at Tapsters with Alistair and Leliana. She was fuming.

"How dare he!?" she growled. "Who does he think he is? We are Grey Wardens, not some city guards for hire." Sylina looked up as Alistair chuckled. "What's so funny?"

He chuckled a little harder and she poked him in the ribs, but couldn't help the tug at the corner of her mouth. "Oh ow...hey. I was just thinking that he thinks he's a prince...and we all know how princes act." He smiled and Sylina scowled.

"I don't care if he was Andraste herself. I just want to get out of here and on with making an army to stop the Blight," Sylina frowned as she looked around Tapsters. "And why did you drag me here?" In fact, Leliana had. After the meeting with the prince, Sylina had been cursing while walking down the street and Leliana had grabbed her and Alistair and pulled them into Tapsters.

"Well...I thought perhaps a drink was in order. I mean we survived the Deep Roads." Leliana smiled shyly. "And I like it in here, even the funny dwarf singing, I miss singing." She giggled as his slurred chorus started.

Sylina sighed. "You're probably right. We should celebrate something, and tomorrow we will go down into Dust Town and kick that little..."

"How about a drink?" Alistair said, calling over the barmaid. The woman returned with three pints of dwarven ale and a plate of roasted nug.

"Oh no! Not nug!" Leliana exclaimed. Alistair looked over at her as he reached for some of the warm food. Leliana was frowning as she looked at the plate.

"What's wrong with nug?" Alistair asked. "It's rather tasty actually. You have to hand it to the dwarves – they know how to cook a hearty meal!" He chuckled.

Leliana looked out towards the main tavern. "I think they are adorable...I just couldn't eat them. I wonder if anyone keeps them as pets, but then you would have to catch them, wouldn't you?"

"Pets! Leliana, they are food," Alistair said, helping himself to more. Sylina had been sitting quietly, looking down at her ale. She had never had ale before, only a glass of wine occasionally at dinner at the tower. She swirled the drink and saw Leliana make an excuse about dancing and leave the table. She saw Alistair stuffing his face with nug and she giggled. "What? Why is everyone always laughing at me?" He gulped and wiped his face and looked at her.

"Perhaps because you look like a starving man when you eat? Perhaps we should buy you a shovel to use instead of a fork?" Sylina laughed for a long time as she watched Alistair blush and push the food away.

"Well, I've seen you eat too, and I hate to say I have wondered the same thing." He was grinning at her and she looked shocked.

"I don't eat like that!" she said indignantly, shaking her head. "You are mistaken, clearly." Then she grinned at him.

"So...you going to drink that ale or stare at it all night?" Alistair asked, trying to change the conversation.

Sylina stared down into the brown liquid. "I have never...had ale before."

Alistair laughed. "Well, try it. Go on."

Sylina put the mug up to her lips and took a gulp. It burned when it went down and had a bitter taste. She also saw the room move. She blinked and looked up at Alistair. He was grinning like an idiot at her and she felt a blush creep up to her cheeks.

"Perhaps you have had enough?" Alistair asked trying to take the mug away from his fellow Warden. She had only finished half the drink and was clearly drunk. She giggled and tried to bat away his arms. "Okay, remind me never to give you alcohol again." He finally managed to get the pint away from her.

"Y-you're -hic- no f-fuuunn!" she slurred and he couldn't stop from chuckling at her. In fact he hadn't been able to stop smiling at her the whole time they were in there. He shook his head. Everything she did made him smile, even her well-placed anger at the Prince. He sighed – what was he doing? He watched as she ate some of the nug and not-so-sneakily tried to take his ale away from him. He grabbed it and she tried to scowl at him, but instead just giggled more.

"Come on, we should get you back," he said, standing. He looked around, but did not see Leliana and decided the laysister could find her own way back since she had abandoned him with a now very drunk Sylina. Sylina groaned, tried to stand, and almost fell. Alistair grabbed her and she swayed in his arms. Her hand came up to her head and she blinked.

"I...uh don't feel r-right," she said, blinking and looking up at him.

"Come on, the quicker we get to the Warden complex, the quicker you can sleep it off." Alistair put his arm under hers and helped her stand. She leaned on him as they made their way out of the tavern. When they got to the street, Sylina tripped and Alistair just barely managed to save her before she face-planted into the stone. "Okay. That's it." He reached down and put his arm under her legs and lifted. She gasped as he steadied her in his arms.

She giggled. "A-Alistair, hehe, what arrre...y-you doooing?"

He shook his head and started walking. "Getting you back, remember...away from the tavern."

They had been walking a little ways, Sylina giggling and him telling her to stop moving when she sighed dramatically and leaned her head against his shoulder. He almost stopped breathing. He looked down at the top of her head where he could see her eyes fluttering. He wondered what would happen if he kissed the top of her head. Oh Maker, stop it Alistair. She is your fellow Grey Warden, he thought to himself.

Sylina yawned and glanced up at him. She smiled. "Alistair?" Her hand came up to rest on his breastplate. He felt his heart start beating rapidly.

"Mhmm?" he finally managed, trying not to look down into her beautiful green eyes.

"Haas anyone e-ever told youu..." Alistair glanced down as she trailed off and saw her eyes flutter and then open again. Her hand moved an inch closer to his neck and she blinked. "Um...has anyone...ever told you that you're handsome?" she finally asked, and he nearly missed a step. His heart was hammering and he looked down to see her smiling sweetly at him, her green eyes large.

"Uh..." Alistair cleared his throat. "Well, um...not unless they were asking me for a favor. Well...except for those women in Denerim..." Alistair shut up! he internally shouted at himself, "But...uh they weren't...well they weren't like you." He could feel the blush going all the way up to his face and he distracted himself by re-steadying Sylina in his arms. He glanced down at her – she was still smiling up at him from his arms. He gave her a hesitant smile. "So...are you telling me you think I'm handsome?"

She giggled. "Maybe..." She buried her face in his shoulder and his breathing became difficult. "But I'll never tell," she whispered next to his ear and he shivered. He was sure she could feel his heart trying to beat out of his chest and all he could do was feel her hair as her head rested against his shoulder, and smell the faint fragrance of the bathing soap she had used earlier. He felt his body ache and felt his armor get hot.

He turned his head slightly and saw her smile, she was so close to him and the warmth of her body was driving him insane. The corner of his mouth quirked at her smile and he whispered, "I'll find a way to get it out of you." She giggled and moved her head so he couldn't see her face, only her hair, though he was sure she was still smiling.

It was a few minutes before he realized she had fallen asleep and then he smiled to himself and shook his head as he carried her the rest of the way to the complex. He carried her inside and saw Morrigan sitting in the common area. She looked up at him and her brows furrowed. "Did you get her injured again, you fool?" Morrigan asked and Alistair blinked at her and stopped.

"Uh...just drunk." He chuckled as he saw Morrigan shake her head, glare at him, and go back to reading. He walked his sleeping fellow Warden to her bed. When he had laid her on her bed he glanced around. Hesper jumped up on the bed and went to Sylina's side giving him a look. "Don't tell anyone," Alistair whispered then bent down quickly and gave Sylina a kiss on the forehead.