A/N: So um uh... Enjoy! xD

Chapter 12:

Moving on

Sten

It was still impossible to put the kadan out of my mind, although she had so directly told me not to worry about her. Her armor was sent for repairs, which meant that she would very likely be ready to leave. To leave—Seheron? Or just the compounds? These thoughts continually whispered, and only frustrated me all the more. We were now down to the final month, before she would move on again—this time, to Antiva.

A voice drew my attention, and a flustering of arms waved in my line of vision. The same voice had been calling for the last few moments, and its owner had made herself known to me. I must admit that using specific names would be immensely beneficial at points like this.

"Sten! You're that Sten who's always with the Warden?" The mara— healer panted as she came to a halt, gasping as she held her sides in pain. She could certainly use some more physical activity in her daily life if she was breathless after such a short sprint.

"We are not 'together'." It was imperative that no one else would mistake this. I was told that the tammassrans did not look favorably upon such assumptions.

But it appeared that I had mistaken her words. I was being overly… sensitive. "I didn't say that… But you do see the Warden rather—often?"

"Not much more often than most."

"Oh… Then I suppose I'll pass the message to her myself then. Panahedan." The mara turned to walk away, her slight shoulders still moving with her uneven breathing.

"I will be seeing her later. Would you rather that I give her the message instead—mara?"

The mara seemed nervous, and her heavy breathing did not fully account for her hesitance. "You will? But you just said… Um. Do let her know that the supplies that she has requested can be collected from the precepts when she is ready. Her platemail however… will only be finished on the morrow. Its metalwork will have to be refitted entirely."

"I will let her know. Panahedan."

The busy swash of the market very soon put some distance and bodies between us, when the mara called again. This time, I heard her loud and clear, unfortunately.

"The teachings do not preach against that of familiar feeling, Sten. One must not be afraid to love." Several people raised their eyebrows as they turned in my direction. Pashaara.

xOxOx

Kiera

Even my dreams brooded on what had occurred. It seemed that nothing would ever rid me of the memory of his words—such as they were. The arishok seemed very much disturbed, by the loss of a Qunari relic and he had determined that I could provide some input, given my previous dealings with the Orlesians; but how he knew this I did not know. He was to leave again soon, as soon as the Orlesians would confirm its loss.

"Do you know who took it?"

"A pirate, a Vashedan woman."

The description seemed vaguely familiar. But it wasn't very much to go on. "And you will chase this person?"

"The Qun demands it."

"I imagine so. The tome of Koslun? That will be worth quite a bit. Do you want me to send word to Ferelden—if she ever docks there—"

"This is a matter for the Qun. And those of the Qun will solve it. It will be my duty to seek the answer."

"Yes, arishok." I suppose that it was somewhat demeaning to have to rely on others. Damned Orlesians. They were terrible at securing anything other than child mages. And I was a living example of such a miscalculation.

"But I understand your intentions, even if many do not." The arishok seemed to be talking about something else altogether.

"I…"

"Your decisions and… methods with the karashok. They seemed to have worked."

"Ah. That. Well… Many would beg to differ. Their new skills have made them targets of the Tevinter slavers."

"And if they allow themselves to be caught, that should not be your fault, but due to their own incompetence."

"That's a little harsh."

"It is… as your people call it—fair. Should the teacher be blamed if the student does not use what he has been taught effectively?"

"I am flattered, arishok." My colour rose, and I hoped that it wasn't too noticeable in the torchlight.

"Warden, the Qun is not blind to those who are gifted."

"Gifted?" I wondered if he knew the word in the same context I did. Most would call my life accursed.

"You will be assigned to the role that suits you best. You will be assigned to those whose temperaments fit yours best."

"So all this… is another way to get me to convert to the Qun?" I didn't bother to hide my smile. We were being candid here.

"That is the only way you and the Sten will be allowed to continue."

I really did not know what to say, except that the qunari were too perceptive.

xOxOx

Sten

The kadan did not answer the door, and I wondered if she had left her quarters again. It seemed that the only sure way to guarantee a meeting with her was to wait in the room itself, where her things were. I truly did not expect to see her sound asleep, on her side, almost basking in the midday sun's rays where they fell on her bed.

Her golden hair had been bleached by the sun in the region, and it was now even fairer than before, close to the white that most qunari have. The soft waves fell over her face, past her shoulders—and I noticed that she was wearing a large shirt, something from our travels during the Blight. It had that emblem, the silver of the griffins glittering, she seemed to be glowing, all over.

Abruptly, she sat up, turning automatically to where I was, squinting in the glare of the sun.

"Sten?" Her voice was indeed sleep-heavy, although she appeared alert enough. Her right hand was clutching a dagger, which I had not even noticed until she ran the left hand through her hair, and laid the blade down on the sheets.

She raised an arm, turning herself away from the sun's direct rays, but only succeeded in making the rays halo around her figure. The shirt's material appeared to be rather thin—one could see through that quite clearly. I averted my gaze. This would be embarrassing, otherwise.

xOxOx

Kiera

Sten muttered something at me, about my armor and supplies before leaving again, almost as suddenly as he had appeared. So this meant that I could get some rest—I desperately needed sleep; uninterrupted, blissful sleep.

I woke again when night fell, and I wandered through the emptying road, to the tamassrans compound; if only to slip in quickly and grab the things I had requested for the mission. I met Sten coming out of a nearby building, his brows furrowed as he left the structure, his heavy steps taking him further from the barracks. He did not appear to have noticed me, and I watched him walk away; we really needed some time apart.

I turned, and I found the healer from the day before, watching me. Her eyes seemed different today, almost hostile, but that strange look disappeared when she realized that I was staring directly at her. Curious.

"Warden. The things that you requested are indoors." Her smile was sincere enough.

"Shanedan. Ah, where are my manners—do you have a name, or title I can use?"

"Mara will be fine." The qunari term for healer. Something was off about her though.

I walked into the precepts, and taking the satchel that had been laid out, I noticed that the woman was still staring intently at me.

"Is something the matter?" I asked as the human kept pace with me, following me as we left the room.

"The Sten…" She appeared to, or at least, did her very best to seem sympathetic.

"Hmm?"

"Your Sten—"

"Oh no, he's not mine. He's the Qun's." I smiled to show that it was a joke on my part, only to catch the flash of anger that fled quickly in her deep brown eyes. Something was definitely up.

The mara gestured, eyeing my expressions. "He came out of those quarters."

"And…?" I was never given a tour of the place, especially since the tammassrans knew that I would not be staying for long. If it wasn't for Sten and the arishok, I wouldn't even be here now.

"He has been called upon to… well; perform his duty to the Qun."

I admit, that interested me. But I was merely amused. One always wondered about the things that Sten had said to Morrigan then, and whether those rumors about the qunari act had any truth to them. The mara seemed to expect more of a reaction from me though.

I merely laughed gently and left her gaping in my wake. Sure, the fact that Sten would do something like that nagged a little at me, but it reminded one that the Qun stood before all else, and I shouldn't expect myself to be treated any different (other than as a bas).

It was one of the benefits that the arishok had hinted at. I was intrigued, but my own duty came first.