A/N: Thank you so much for the encouraging comments ^^ I truly appreciate each one!

Doors to Unlock

"Elissa, please open the door."

"No!" Elissa childishly sat against the heavy door. She had done the only thing that made sense to her at the time. She ran for her room and locked the door behind her.

She despised cowardice…she believed that no matter how hopeless or dire a situation would get, she had the courage and the guts to face it. But then again, she thought while sitting on the floor, this was not a situation that she thought she would have to face.

Nathaniel rapped lightly on the door again. "Elissa, I apologize. I just want to talk."

"Leave me alone, Nathaniel…I…I just need to think!" She dug her fingers into her hair, trying to make herself concentrate and think logically about what was going on.

Nathaniel had confessed to her…proposed to her…and outright kissed her! If it had been anyone else, she would've punched them square in the jaw and then decline their offer. Nathaniel was a friend…a precious friend…she had no idea that he had felt this way.

"I must be stupid." She muttered aloud, continuing to rub at her temples.

"That, you are." Nathaniel answered through the door.

"Shut up, you idiot! I was talking to myself!" She hissed. "Will you please go away! I need time to think! The guards and the servants will think something fishy is going on!"

"You're a little too late to be thinking of their thoughts now, considering you ran up into your room as if you were possessed and locked yourself in like a child." Nathaniel replied calmly.

Elissa didn't answer and slumped against her door. She leaned her head against her knees and tried to see the reason in the tangled mess that had become her circumstances. "Nathaniel…don't you think I'm too young for you to propose to?"

"Yes, you are quite young. Just yesterday you were wetting your nappies and sucking on your thumbs."

"I'm serious, Nathaniel! I am not yet sixteen!" She pounded her fist against the door.

Nathaniel was silent for a moment and answered. "I have been in love with you before I turned sixteen myself, Elissa. You are no longer a child, but the lovely woman I have fallen for."

What an utterly suave thing to say, Elissa thought, trying to scan his reply for sarcasm.

"Besides…" He continued, still talking through the door. "It may be a couple years until I get back from the Free Marches. By then, you will be older…and hopefully more mature as well." He tried to tease.

Elissa didn't bite at his bait. She brooded and began thinking about Fergus and his new wife. He and the Antivan woman were constantly in each other's arms, kissing and caressing as if there were nobody watching. The juvenile half of her mind always thought it was revolting and disgusting but the female half sighed wistfully and wondered if she would ever find somebody to cherish like her brother has.

She had never seen Nathaniel in that way. He was always just Nathaniel. When she was a child, she had a bit of a crush on Ser Gilmore, but even that quickly dissipated when she realized that she would be nothing more than 'Lady Cousland' to him. Wasn't it the same with Nathaniel?

"I am the Teyrn's daughter." She said, as if it were her last shield.

"And I am the son of Arl Howe." Nathaniel simply replied. "I think your parents will be satisfied if you wed me. Think about your other options for a moment and I believe you'll find me quite suitable."

"Suitable?" She scoffed. "Who is suitable in your opinion? A noble like yourself?"

"Suitable because I am a man who already knows all your flaws and I am still in love with you." He murmured loud enough for her to hear through the door.

"Flaws?! What flaws!" She demanded.

"Well, for example…how childish you are when you have experienced one of the most romantic moments of your life and you react by running into your room and locking the door as if you are trying to keep the darkspawn out."

Elissa sighed. He had her there. She slowly got up and unlocked the bolt. As she opened the door, she saw Nathaniel giving a sheepish smile.

"I have not decided yet. You will have to give me some time" Elissa stated honestly. "But please, do not force yourself on me, it will not help your case."

"Noted." Nathaniel inclined his head slightly. He then crossed his arms and lifted his brow. "But don't take too long deciding on an answer. A great catch like myself can be quickly snatched away by some other woman."

Elissa snorted. "Then get snatched away then. If you were more of a gentleman you wouldn't have suddenly kissed me like that."

"Ah…so you are angry because I stole your first kiss?" Nathaniel grinned.

"That wasn't my first kiss, so you stole nothing." Elissa shrugged.

Nathaniel narrowed his eyes at her. "Your family doesn't count."

"I know that, you fool." Elissa crossed her arms as well. "Like I said, that was not my first kiss."

"What? Who gave you your first kiss then?!" Nathaniel asked, looking perturbed.

"That is none of your concern." Elissa answered, enjoying that Nathaniel was getting riled up.

"Was it Ser Gilmore?"

"No."

"Who was it?" Nathaniel asked again, getting more angrier by the moment.

Elissa smiled to herself as she remembered the memory. Of the lonely boy at Redcliffe that had become her knight and playmate. The boy she had followed around and pestered until he had given her a rare smile. The boy who gave her some of the most fond memories she would ever look back upon.

The boy that she had never heard from again afterwards.

She looked up at Nathaniel who looked like he was trying to hold back a temper tantrum. She couldn't help laughing at his expression.

"It was a boy. Why do you need a name?"

"So I can hunt him down and flog him!" Nathaniel angrily answered.

Elissa's eyes widened. "Why on earth would you do something like that?!"

"What boy would be gifted with your first kiss…and not groveling at your feet and begging for your love as I am?!"

"Aw…" Elissa chucked Nathaniel under the chin. "You know you are quite cute when you are jealous. And to be quite frank, your kiss wouldn't have counted anyway. I was not expecting it nor did I want it."

Nathaniel immediately strode to her and grabbed her arms. "You didn't want it, did you?" And kissed her firmly and passionately. Elissa was disorientated again. She could not think straight with Nathaniel's hands that were now fisted in her hair and his body pressed so close against hers.

They were both out of breath when he finally broke away from her. He couldn't help feeling a bit smug when he saw her mouth was rosy red from his kisses.

When she got a hold of herself, she glared at him and shoved him away. "I did not say yes!"

Nathaniel bent down to whisper in her ear as he did earlier that morning. "But you did not say no."

Her dinner with the Howes that night was nothing short of awkward. If her parents or the Arl had any knowledge of Nathaniel's sudden confession, they were doing a marvelous job of hiding it. Elissa kept her eyes to her plate and mumbled one word answers to anyone who asked her a question.

It was also infuriating that Nathaniel acted as if there was nothing going on. As if he did not just force his kisses upon her just a few moments ago. He sat in his chair across from her, laughing at the Teyrn's jokes, poking fun at his siblings.

Of all the nerve! She thought angrily. Why should I be the only one feeling uncomfortable?

"So Nathaniel, your father tells me you will be headed to Free Marches in a few days." Bryce took a bottle of wine and refilled Arl Rendon's cup.

"Yes, I am." Nathaniel nodded, sitting up straight in his chair.

"You may be away for more than a couple years. Doesn't that worry you?" Eleanor asked with motherly concern.

Nathaniel paused and glanced at Elissa who immediately looked back down and continued picking at her food. "I will miss many people…but this is something that I must do to help Ferelden. It is an honor that my father has asked me to go."

"Good boy." The Arl gave Nathaniel a rare smile of approval. "I'm sure he will be back shortly, Teyrna Cousland. How can he not? He will easily take care of any uprising those Orlesians are planning and be back with several honors from the king before you know it."

"Oh, Howe. It's a mother's nature to worry. Fergus is with his wife in Denerim on business with the bannorn and it still worries me so!" Eleanor turned to Nathaniel and smiled. "My dear boy, when are you going to stop messing around with these war games and get married to my daughter?"

Elissa began to choke on the goblet of water she was drinking. Her father reached over and rubbed her back. "Are you okay, pup?"

"I'm fine, father." She coughed, trying not to look at Nathaniel or her mother.

Nathaniel couldn't hide his amused smile. "Well, first I would like to help defend our Ferelden lands so I may prove myself worthy of Lady Elissa. However, please let me be the first to know if you finally decide to leave the Teyrn to run off with me, Lady Cousland."

The men bellowed with laughter and Eleanor pinched Nathaniel's cheek with a slight blush.

Nathaniel turned back to Elissa and gave her a small charming smile.

Elissa felt her ears turn red and she went back to paying attention to her dinner.