Chapter 28
~Nobel men's cure~

Morriana

I was glad I was finally able to convince Wynn to let me walk on my own for a bit. And when I say "on my own" I mean walking with the help of Alistair constantly at my side, or someone else. But when it was with Alistair, I didn't complain. It was funny to watch him fuss over me. Zevran kept trying to flirt with me, but he knows I'm not taken in by him. So now it has just become a game. He'd flirt and tell stories to me; I would do so back, even though neither of us meant it. I explained it to Alistair, but he doesn't like it very much, even though he and Zevran have actually started getting along.

This was another thing I was glad for. The team was actually getting along with each other. Well, except for Morrigan and Alistair, but I think they've learned to tolerate each other now. Even Sten gets along well with everyone. Even me. He told me I was different from the others and had a greater respect for me. He eventually told me about why he had come to Ferelden and about losing his sword, that eventually lead to him slaying the family. I promised him I'd find it, but he didn't completely look convinced.

It seems that all of them have come out with something to tell me about them and I've made them promises. And when I make a promise I always keep it. I promised Leliana that I would help her get revenge on her old master, Marjoline, after we were ambushed. But she'd have to wait until we went back to Denerim. Morrigan discovered that her mother was using her to eventually take over her body, as she had seemed to have done before, which explained to stories of the "Many Daughters".

Anyway, as we walked I enjoyed the sounds of the nature around me until Alistair spoke.

"Maybe you should rest now," he suggested. I shook my head.

"Too confining," I argued. He sighed.

"Well, maybe you need to stop getting hurt." I looked at him with a lifted eyebrow. "I'm serious! I need to find you some sort of lucky amulet or something* so you'll stop getting hurt." I laughed.

"Come on, people get hurt every day."

"I know." He stopped and pulled me to him, placing a kiss on my cheek. "I just don't like it when your hurt." I smiled.

"I know. But I like the way you fuss over me." I kissed his nose. "You're so sweet." He smirked and stole a kiss on my lips before we moved forward. I saw Alistair look at the ashes, since he was carrying them at the moment, and he sighed.

"Do you think this'll work?" he asked quietly, as if he wasn't sure what to say.

"Yes. I have faith in the ashes. If not… I'm going to turn insane on someone." He laughed. "You think I won't do it? I have breaking points Alistair."

"So do I. And that will be when the world runs out of cheese." I broke out laughing. Only he would say that.

###

Eamon had not changed since we left, which we all were relieved at. Connor was in his room, and Tegan and Isolde stood in Eamon's room. I was also in there with Alistair and Wynne. Everyone else was in the rooms they had been given. I stood next to Alistair, clutching his hand in mine as we watched to mages pour the ashes onto their hands and chant. It seemed like forever when, suddenly, their hands began to glow a beautiful purple color.

The ashes suddenly flew off their hands like an unseen wind and carried them to Eamon. We all held our breath as they flew to him and floated down onto his skin. Suddenly he began to glow too and the ashes socked into his skin. A second later he jumped away, sitting up and breathing heavily. Isolde was instantly at his side, as was Tegan. Wynne and the other mage fell back exhausted and I couldn't blame them.

I looked up at Alistair as he watched Eamon being helped by his brother and wife. He then looked down at me with a bright smile. He leaned down and kissed my cheek but then didn't move up.

"Thank you," he whispered to me.

"Alistair!" Tegan called, causing him to jump back up. Tegan motioned him to come and Alistair shot me a nervous glance. I gave him a reassuring smile and cocked my head.

"I'll be outside." I slid my hand out of his and strolled out of the room

Alistair

After she left I walked to Eamon as he sat up, drinking a glass of water Isolde had gotten for him. When he stopped he was still panting. With a shake of his head he looked up at me.

"Alistair? Isolde? Tegan? What has happened?" He switched glances between us, a worried look over him. "Where's Connor?!" Isolde put a hand to his shoulder with a small sad smile.

"He lives, but many others are dead." She explains.

"Dead? But… how?" Tegan and I looked to each other, trying to see what we could do. In the end, however, we decided to tell him everything. When we finished it was an hour later and I doubted Morriana was still outside the room. Eamon looked up at me, after hearing all we've accomplished.

"So… you are to thank for my life?" He didn't sound surprised. He sounded… grateful. Honored, even. I nodded but then stopped.

"Well, it was me and Morriana, though mostly Morriana. She has been the one who has been leading us." I know it was my usual excuse when I didn't like taking all of the credit. But he nodded.

"I would like to see this Morriana person. Though not now. I must rest." I nodded and help Tegan lay him back now. Not a second after his head hit the pillow was he back to sleep. Only this time, he'd wake again. I hope. We all walked out of the room quietly where I found Morriana was still waiting for me. She had been sharpening one of her daggers when we came out, hopeful for new.

Although, in my opinion, I think she was just hopeful to hear something interesting so she didn't feel like she just wasted an hour waiting in a hall rather than doing something…. But that's just me.

Anyway, we told her what had done and said. But now we needed to find out what we have to do for later on.

"It's late now and we're all tired. What we need to do is get rest, same as Eamon, and let ourselves heal."

"She is right," Tegan agreed. "You both know where your rooms are. I will see you in the morning." Tegan bowed his head and walked off. Isolde walked away without a word, which I found odd. I mean what? No "oh hey thanks for saving my husband's life. I don't know what would have happened without you guys" or at least something like that.

Morriana wrapped her hand around my neck and pulled me down to her, pressing her lips to mine.

"Come, I need a good night's rest, as does my leg." I smirked and knocked her knees with my hand to hold her up. I knew she wanted me to put her down but one, this was just too fun; and two, I knew her ankle was still bothering her so I guess she'd just have to do.

I carried her to my room and set her gently on the bed. Everyone would be expecting us to be in separate rooms, but since the Urn, I just don't like leaving her alone. I helped her out of her armor and then undid mine. Since we had bathed this morning ( not together, of course!) and fixed our armor to look appropriate, not to mention the weather was still cold, we didn't really smell too bad. Or we just got used to our own sent.

As I set my things in order I looked to her sitting on the bed. She was in one of her tunics that was actually baggy, but she said she preferred them, and trousers. Woman clothing is too "tightening" on her, as she explained. I walked to her. She moved up the bed so she laid with her head on the pillows. I jumped up and laid next to her. And, for a moment, we were both content to just lay there, enjoying the others company and silence.

After a while I felt a tug on my tunic and smirked as she pulled my side so I would roll over her. And when I realized that was what she intended, like the night I had laid on her while we became passionate, I stopped. She gave me a confused look but I smiled sadly and moved hair away from her beautiful face.

"I don't want to hurt you again." I whispered to her.

"But… I want to do this. I don't want to be afraid anymore." She looked into my eyes and I felt my entire being melt. "I want to be able to feel you one me and not him. I want to be able to know it's your touch; your kiss; your body against mine. I want to feel you and know it's really just you and not have those awful memories." Tears brimmed her eyes but she blinked them away. "I want this. This is how I am going to get better. You promised me you'd help me. Well… this is the way to do it." I looked deep into those shinning lights she calls eyes. This is what she wanted… so be it.

I moved so I hovered over her. She gasped as she saw me above her, most likely a memory reoccurring. So I began to kiss her cheek and she moaned. Now I knew that she knew it was me. When I moved back up she refused and pulled me back down to her to kiss her. And the longer we kissed, the more passionate it became. Without even think I moved downward until my body touched her. She gasped again, only this wasn't the time of gasp she had when she had the memory.

This was the gasp that told me she was enjoying this.

That lifted my spirit enough to go back to kissing her cheek, then down to her neck. She moaned as I did this. But then that moan turned into a yawn. So that was my cue to stop. She looked disappointed, but the tiredness in her eyes told me it had to be done. So I lifted the covers over us and let her snuggle into my chest. My arms wrapped around her and, as always, I enjoyed the feel of her with me. And then a thought popped into my head.

We had just taken a step further.

Please don't kill me! I know some fans will be wanting them to be more intimate, but not too soon. But I will let the hint that it just may BE soon indeed! I honestly don't know I haven't gotten that far yet….

(*) a suggestion made by HikariYagami22. Hope you don't mine me using it!