CHAPTER 21

The next several days passed by incredibly quickly. Elissa wasn't kidding when she said that she hardly got a moment's rest at the keep. Even with Nathaniel helping her to organize the flow of construction workers, money, merchants and servants, neither of them was able to grab more than a couple of hours of sleep a night. Both of them would get up at daybreak and work until the wee hours of the morning, when they were both too exhausted to do more than pass out holding each other after a brief kiss goodnight.

After the third day back from Amaranthine, Elissa threw her hands up in the air and declared that they needed a new seneschal and fast. "I'm going to write to Denerim," she said. "I hope the person I have in mind is available."

The person she had in mind was indeed available. A week later, they had a new arrival. Elissa and Nathaniel met him at the gates.

"My lady," he said. "When I got your letter I was surprised and honored that you would consider me for the job. I hope I can live up to your expectations."

Elissa laughed. "It's all right, Kylon. The thing I want most from a seneschal is to keep things organized around here. And if there is the need for you to take over the right of high justice, I wanted a man with your common sense. And," her voice took on a teasing note, "I figured you had dealt enough with bastard second sons and their courtiers' bosoms."

Nathaniel blinked as Kylon shook his head. "You're never going to let me live that down, are you," he muttered. "And now I have to explain myself." He looked at Nathaniel. "When I met the fair Lady Cousland, I was captain of the guard in Denerim's market district. I didn't know who she was other than she was a Grey Warden. I went on a rant about some of my subordinates, saying disparaging things about second bastard sons of nobles and their courtiers, when our future king was standing right behind her." He continued as Nathaniel laughed. "It's a good thing the King has a sense of humor about these things."

Elissa grinned. "And that frankness made me like you immediately, good Ser. Welcome to Vigil's Keep." She introduced the new seneschal to the other Wardens and to Garevel, and instructed Garevel to explain the duties of the job as best he could to Kylon, seeing as Garevel had worked with Varel on a day-to-day basis.

Once Kylon was shown his room and had gotten settled, Nathaniel took note of Elissa's exhaustion. "You need to go rest," he said. "I can handle things for today and you look like you're about to fall over." It didn't take much convincing for him to send her to her room for a long-overdue nap, and he took over her duties for the rest of the afternoon.

It was getting close to dinnertime, and Elissa hadn't shown herself yet, so Nathaniel decided to go and wake her for dinner. He entered her room to find her curled up under her covers, fast asleep. She looks so peaceful when she sleeps. He slid into bed behind her and curled around her sleeping form. She smiled in her sleep and mumbled his name as he put his arms around her. Just for a moment, then I'll wake her for dinner.

The next thing he knew, the room was very nearly dark except for the hall light shining in through the open doorway. Anders was quietly putting something on the table in Elissa's sitting area. "What time is it?" Nathaniel mumbled. "I fell asleep."

"So I see," the mage said quietly, the smile evident in his voice. "You both missed dinner so I thought I would bring you something. The food will keep, so you can eat whenever you feel like getting out of bed. The new seneschal already started work and he's pretty good, so you two can rest as long as you want. We've got it covered."

"Thanks," Nathaniel said as he buried his nose in Elissa's hair. He was loathe to leave the warmth and rosy scent that surrounded him.

"Oh, one more thing," Anders added. "Elissa's friend Zevran showed up. Oghren is catching up with him now," and here Anders chuckled softly. "I told him that you two needed rest, and he said that was fine, but to tell her that he's back and he's done with his travels for now. He said he would talk to you tomorrow."

Nathaniel nodded as he drifted back to sleep.

When his eyes opened again, sunlight filled the room. He was still curled around Elissa, but her hand stroking his arm let him know she was awake. "Good morning," he whispered as he leaned over to nuzzle her neck.

"Mmm," she replied as she turned to face him. "Sleep well?" She smiled at him, her eyes still a little sleepy but the dark circles underneath nearly gone.

Nathaniel smiled at her. "Yes."

"You know, your whole face lights up when you smile," she said. "I find it incredibly attractive." She put her arm around his waist and leaned forward to kiss him.

Nathaniel grunted an answer as he met her halfway. Soon, their breathing quickened and gentleness fled in the wake of pent-up need. The need to touch, the need to taste, the need to feel overwhelmed Nathaniel even as he tried to hold back, to make the moments last. But she was there and responsive and her smell surrounded him while she moaned for him, just for him, and before he knew it they were completely naked and he was covering her, trembling, poised to join with her and make her his.

He paused then and looked into her eyes. "I love you," he panted.

She smiled at him, equally breathless, as she scratched her nails down his back, causing him to groan. "I love you." And then she wrapped her legs around him and drew him into her.

Madness consumed him; his vision went hazy and his mind and body were screaming for more and all he could see was her face and she was watching him as she moved with him, then she threw her head back and cried out as she went still, her legs tightening around him as the roaring in his ears got louder and drowned out all else -

Then, he was back in his own body, spent, and she was looking up at him with a distinctly satisfied smile on her face as he lowered his head to take her mouth the way he had just taken her body. "Wow," she said after a searing kiss.

He laughed then, resting his head on her shoulder, feeling weak and strong all at the same time. "Yes."

They lingered some more, touching and experiencing each other more thoroughly now that the madness had receded. Then he remembered, "I was supposed to tell you something." He propped up on his elbows, still connected to her, and looked down at her. "I don't remember what it was right now though."

A slow, lazy smile crept onto her face and she laughed. "Let's do it again, I hope."

Nathaniel grinned. "As my lady commands." And he kissed her again.

FIN