AN: Hey, everyone, sorry about the long Christmas break. Got super busy with a project from school, but now I am back to writing again.

This chapter contains some smuttiness. So be prepared.

Please leave a review if you're stopping by to let me know what you think of both the story and the cover I added for it. It would really make my day. :)

Hope you like the new chapter!

~Elmjuniper

DON'T FEAR THE DARKNESS

SINNIRALIN PULLED THE COLLAR OF of her thick fur coat closer as her eyes swept across the rolling hills below the jagged peaks of Frostback Mountains. The mountains rose like kings towards the sky, towering proudly above the crimson horizon. Snow covered the plains that stretched in front of them and the wind whipped small grains of snow at their frozen cheeks where they pushed through the coldness of the setting sun.

The small company had travelled for a week, leaving the protection and warmth of the thick forest behind them as they ventured out on the Frosted Flatlands. Few people travelled this way. The plains stretched for miles, not a single tree or stone to guide one's path. Any man or woman travelling this way had to be a good tracker to find their way across this snowy expanse or chances of making it through were slim.

They would have been better off to circle around it, but that meant losing valuable time they did not have. Deanna had reluctantly decided that they cross the plains in order to get to the village mentioned in Brother Genitivi's notes. The group hadn't seemed overly excited about her decision to lead them all out on a plain that could swallow them whole and no one would be any wiser, but had agreed nonetheless. Sinniralin still found it interesting how all of these people had taken to look at Deanna as their leader. How had that happened anyway? How come Alistair wasn't in charge? Wasn't he the one who'd been a warden the longest? The young teryness pulled to a stop next to her, surveying their surroundings.

"What do you think?" She asked. The furry hood made it hard to see her face, but Sin knew the younger woman was trying to find somewhere safe for them to make camp for the night.

"I think it looks just the same as it did when we first stepped onto the Flatlands," she muttered, "If we make camp we should at least have three of us circling the perimeter. It doesn't have to be big, but it needs to be guarded from all sides."

"Then I'll put four on guard," the warden said grimly rubbing her cold hands together in an effort to rub some warmth into them.

"No. Three will be enough, keep the fourth on watch inside the camp," Sin paused as she scraped the ground with the sole of her boot, "something about these flatlands creep's me out."

"Yes, I can feel it too. Something is definitely odd about this place," The warden said thoughtfully scanning the barren landscape until she found a spot she liked, "Over there, let's get the fire going before night fall."

Sin slung her backpack on to her shoulders watching Little Thug circle in the sky above them. He would let her know if something was amiss. For now she would concentrate on getting the camp up before the cold night would freeze them all to death out here. And food, she needed food. She stopped, turning to Deanna who looked at her quizzically.

"What is it?"

"Could you, maybe ask Leliana to make that soup for us tonight?" She thought she saw annoyance in the warden's eyes, but it disappeared too quickly for her to decide if it was or not.

"Why do you need me to ask?"

"Because they're all like your little minions and will do what you say. They like you. Me –they just fear– they'll probably think I'll eat them in their sleep now," Sin mused as the witch passed them giving her a suspicious look, "You needn't worry, Morrigan, I usually eat something more meaty." She winked. The witch huffed angrily stomping off to set up her tent.

"Maybe you should just ask her yourself," Deanna said nodding to somewhere behind her. Sin turned and saw the red headed bard walk up toward her.

"Ask me what?" Sapphire eyes twinkled.

"If you need help getting the fire started in your tent."

Leliana quirked an eyebrow, a coy smile spreading across her lips, "You want to help me heat my tent up? I think I'd like that."

"I'm sure you would, how about we-" Sin started but was interrupted by a stern voice behind her back.

"Sin, I need you to scout out the perimeter while the rest of us get this camp set." She turned giving Deanna an annoyed glare. She had the worst timing that woman. "What? You share a tent with me, which means you already have someone setting up a tent for you."

"Fine. Perimeter it is," She gave Leliana an apologetic nod, pulling the warm hood up as she set out to scout. This was going to be a long night.

~•~

"Can we talk?" It wasn't really a question. Sinniralin knew this where she stood by the edge of the camp.

"What do you want to talk about?" She inquired as she tried to look very busy with staring into the pitch black night.

"What happened in Denerim?" The question was asked with a disguise of curiousness, but Sin could hear it for what it was –the short end of Deanna's temper.

"Well, quite a lot of things happened in Denerim; I'd say the same old," Sin tried to evade the question. This wasn't a conversation she wanted to have here. Not with everyone in camp so close to them.

"Yes, well, in particular why did Leliana say you tried to kiss her?"

Sin gave an exasperated sigh, "I nearly get myself lacerated to death and you want to know why someone said I tried to kiss them."

"See, that's what I don't understand, Sin. You used to be so thorough and professional about things. Something like this couldn't have happened a year ago. What's gotten into you?"

"Really? Really, Dee? You question me, teryness 'oh, yes, I'll drink this darkspawn blood'," Sin snarled.

"No! No! Don't turn this around on me, why are you so distracted? How could you get yourself nearly killed? And for that matter exposed! To everyone in camp. Have you lost your mind?!"The warden raised her voice angrily. Sin cringed where she stood well aware that on empty plains sound travelled faster than rumours in a pub full of thieves.

"Have you completely lost yours?" Sin hissed angrily, trying to keep her voice down, "I've done nothing wrong here, Dee. I told you I'd help you figure this out. Things have changed, I have changed. If you'd been around you would have known this."

"I tried to find you," Deanna's voice softened, "but you were gone."

Sin shook her head ruefully. "We've been over this, Deanna. We can't change things, it is what it is, but you can't pick a fight with me every time you… you want to discuss the past. It's just that -the past- leave it there."

"What about… before, when you first found me again?"

"I was shocked to see you. Last time I saw you were on the day you stood on that balcony next to that nitwit and your father announced your engagement," Sin's voice grew thick at the memory, "I couldn't stay, Dee. I couldn't bear to stay in Highever knowing that every night you shared your bed with someone else. How could I?"

The warden's soft hands came up to clasp her face, turning it toward her own. Silent tears rolled down the teryness rosy cheeks.

"I'm sorry Sin, I'm so sorry. I should have stood up to my father, but I was weak, I was scared, but I never stopped loving you," her voice broke then and she had to collect herself before continuing, "You are the only one I ever loved, Sin."

Sin smiled sadly, "You know I will always love you, but we had our chance and we blew it. Maybe I should have fought for you, maybe you should have been braver either way we can't change it. You have Alistair now and trust me, Dee, he isn't half bad. I mean, he is a royal pain, but he's a nice guy. You don't need me; I'm some guilder with a demon festering inside of me. You deserve someone one who loves you completely and by the way that boy looks at you, I have no doubt he'll treat you better than I could."

The teryness sniffled, caressing Sin's face before standing on her toes pressing her lips against Sin's. Sin let the teryness kiss her remembering how they used to be, the life they had both left behind them for better or worse. They broke apart slowly as if to savour the memories, sealing them in some secret compartment hidden deep inside their chests.

"He'll never be you, Sin and I will always love you, even if it is from afar," Deanna said quietly her forehead resting against Sin's warm lips. It hurt, more than Sin could explain. It hurt knowing they'd had it all, but it had slipped through their fingers like the hot sand below the Wandering Hills. And it hurt having been given a second chance only to realize it was too late. Something sounded behind them and they both spun on their feet staring at the deer eyed bard.

"I-I'm," was all she said, mouth agape before she quickly turned around disappearing into camp.

~•~

Sinniralin stared into the dancing flames letting them enchant her as they swayed in the dark night. She sniffled from the biting cold, her breathe fogging up the evening air every time she exhaled. This cold was miserable! She scowled, listening to the night surrounding her. It was silent as the old graveyards back in Highever, curious. In the forest at night one usually heard small critters dart from their hiding places to go scavenging when the larger animals had gone to sleep for the night. If you were lucky you could hear the wolves howl at the moon, the occasional owl hooting in the background. Sin had always found the sound of the forest reassuring. Out on the plains the silence that had settled with it brought the nudging feeling that they were missing something. Darkspawn lurking? Giants to the west? Wraiths from the mountains? She shook her head in frustration. It was something. She watched Little Thug pick at the ground relentlessly and she tossed him some of the dried fruits. He hopped up next to her warming her with his body.

"It's okay, go back to the tent. I don't need a frozen bird in the morning," she cooed, scratching him underneath his beak. The large bird gave her a nudge before flying over to Deanna's tent, disappearing into it. She picked at the ground with her fingers. The top layer of snow had frozen and it felt coarse against her fingertips. She let them slide across the surface melting it slowly every time she let her hand sweep from one side to the other. She heard a sound of tent flaps opening and closing behind her and she smiled as she felt the needles starting to prick her skin; Leliana.

They hadn't talked since that night in Denerim. The group had been around ever since they returned from their nightly escapade and there hadn't been much time to take the bard to the side for a private chat. As much as she had enjoyed the kiss, it had been unlike anything she had experienced before, it also frightened her. It seemed as if the kiss had sent sparks flying around them changing something that wasn't supposed to change. Yet another thing Sin found she couldn't figure out, but something had changed that night. She wasn't sure the bard could feel it, but it felt as if something was set off course. She tried not to sigh as she recalled the incident earlier with Deanna and the bard. Sin was sure things looked a lot worse to the bard than what they actually were. 'Way to go, Sin,' she reprimanded herself.

"Isn't this a little late for a midnight stroll?" She teased as the bard came into view. Leliana looked at her for a while before she sat down next to Sin. She gritted her teeth. The bard caught the motion and she fished into her pocket tossing her charm so that it landed by the entrance of her tent.

"I'm sorry," she said bashfully.

Sin smiled, thankful that the pain had subsided. She could withstand it for longer each time, but coupled with the cutting cold she wasn't like the feeling too much –even if it was the bard causing it.

"So," Sin cleared her throat trying to steer the conversation into something non-what-happened-earlier.

"So," Leliana repeated, fumbling with her belt, "So, we haven't talked since Denerim and I wanted to say that I don't regret it."

Sin didn't reply, but stared into the fire silently.

"I like you..."

Sin sighed, "But you don't know anything about me."

"That's not true," Leliana said sounding a little hurt, "I know you have a knack for killing things –people in particular. I know that you're probably some evil demon and that the only one who has really held your heart is a certain blonde warden..." The last few words were spoken slightly quieter than the rest.

Sin tilted her head studying the bard's face. Her delicate features were highlighted from the warm light of the fire and Sin could see the unmistakable expression of disappointment.

"That's not entirely true," she spoke softly, "What you saw earlier was just the past being solved, it is the past, but besides that there was someone else once before, Dee."

Leliana looked up at her. Sin could see the curiosity cross her face fleetingly.

"I once fell in love with someone who was my mentor and my friend," She paused, thinking for a bit, "He was the first man I ever loved and the last."

"What happened?"

"He died," Sin said simply. Once upon a time just thinking about it had hurt, but it seemed like a different life now.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to pry."

Sin ignored Leliana's excuse, pulling out her locket from underneath her woolen shirt, "Do you know why this one was sealed until not long ago?" She raised her eyebrow as she watched the bard's cheeks turn a crimson red. She opened it and held it out for the bard.

"Is that..?"

"My daughter and her father."

"By the Maker she looks so much like you," the bard exclaimed in amazement.

"I never tell people about Nimue because I'm a guilder and I have many enemies who wouldn't hesitate to hurt my daughter. If anyone would be able to simply open the locket I'd be endangering her life."

"You have a daughter..." The bard suddenly realized, "That's why you're doing this, that's what Loghain had to bribe you with!"

Sin looked down at her hands, "Loghain doesn't know about her, but if I'm exonerated it means I can go back home to my daughter. Without leading every single mercenary and solider who's looking to collect the bounty on my head back to my home."

"Does Deanna know?"

Sin shook her head, "Never let anyone know your greatest weakness."

"Then why are you telling me?"

"Because I want you to know me." She could see a smile grow on the bard's lips before she leaned in close, her small hand grabbing Sin's, shoving their intertwined fingers into the warm pocket of her coat then she let her head rest on Sin's shoulder. Sin smiled to herself giving the bard a gentle kiss on her fiery red hair before returning to gaze at the fire.

It seemed like only seconds before she heard the rustling of the templar's armour as he stepped outside. By the expression on his face he'd forgotten just how cold it was outside and gave an involuntary shudder. Taking a deep breath he soon regretted himself as the icy air made his teeth hurt. He shook his head to himself before he looked up. Their eyes locked and Sin knew the bard hadn't been the only one who'd overheard their conversation. He barely gave her a curt nod letting her know she was off the night watch. She shook her head to herself then she softly nudged the bard who'd fallen asleep next to her.

"Hey," she said softly, "Sleepyhead." The bard's eyes fluttered awake and she looked around as if to determine where she was.

"Come on," Sin said pulling her up on her feet, "Let's get you to bed."

"By the Maker its cold," Leliana complained as Sin steered her back to her tent.

"Wait," the bard stopped her in her tracks walking ahead of her to pick up her amulet. She stuffed it in a small leather pouch then walked over to the enchantress' tent and hung it on the side of it. She returned yawning widely. Sin chuckled and shoved her gently forward towards the tent's opening.

"There you go, I walked you home and you arrived safe and sound," Sin bowed then turned to leave for Deanna's tent when she felt a hand grasp her arm.

"Don't go."

"What?" Sin turned in surprise.

"Don't go," the bard repeated looking at her with a new sense of confidence, "I mean, you can if you want to, but I would like you to stay."

"Okay."

"Okay," Leliana smiled as she turned around ducking into the tent.

The warmth from the logs burning in a small container wrapped them instantly as they entered and Sin felt her frozen cheeks almost melt in the heat. Thank the Creators for Wynne's knowledge of fire spells. She quickly closed the flaps to avoid more cold air than necessary sweeping into the tent. She could hear Leliana wrestle with the coat behind her back as she worked to button the layer of flaps together. One layer was the outer layer, then the second layer button up at the far right and kept the cold from the slit getting through and the third layer which button to the far left end made sure the tent were sealed off from the first flaps slit in the middle.

Turning around she was rewarded for her hard work by the gentle kisses from the bard. Sin cleared her throat awkwardly as Leliana let her go. Leliana wore a thin linen tunic covering, well, hardly anything.

"Here, let me help you," the bard whispered as she pushed the thick fur coat off of Sin's shoulders. Then nimble hands helped her out of her boots and leathers all the while Sin studied her face, the side of her nose, the curve of her lips. Letting her hands fall onto Leliana's hips she licked her lips hungrily. She closed her eyes. Parts of her wanted to kill the woman in front of her, the urge was so strong, but the other parts of her burned with desire to ravage the bard in a whole different way.

Sin swallowed thickly and exhaled. Then the bard's lips once again found hers, nipping and sucking, teasing and exploring, urging Sin to uncover every unknown piece of her. Sin could feel passion coursing through her veins, setting her blood on fire, the bard's body pressed tightly against hers, fingers burying them in her long hair. It took all her willpower to break free and she could hear her own, heavy breathing as she remained to keep in control. What if she lost control of the demonic essence inside her? What if it took over? What if the desire empowered it?

"I can't..."

"Yes, you can," Leliana said looking serious, "I trust you," she continued, "I know you won't hurt me," Leliana whispered, pulling her close, her lips brushing against Sin's.

"I can't," Sin started.

"Can't what?"

"I can't stay away from you anymore," she mumbled letting the faint grasp of control she had slip from her fingers as she walked Leliana backwards before lowering her onto the bedrolls.

They crashed down on it, struggling against the thin tunics, eager to be close to each other. Anticipating the others touch. She kissed Leliana with fervour, pulling her closer. The bard gasped, arching into her, their hearts beating in unison, every heartbeat painfully powerful. Arms and legs intertwined themselves, fingers exploring the soft skin as if neither of them had ever done so before. Sin let her tongue taste her lover for the first time eliciting hoarse and lecherous, but soft moans from the bard.

Leliana grabbed Sin's head with her hands, her every fibre aware of Sin's intoxicating kisses and touches. She stopped what she was doing and Leliana whimpered in protest. Sin let her mouth leave a trail of kisses from Leliana's inner thighs, across her taut stomach, following the curve of a voluptuous breast, nipping at the pink rise before gently kissing the skin underneath Leliana's collarbone. She continued up to where jaw met neck before once again claiming the bard's lips with her own as she settled between her silky thighs. She pushed into the bard with one, long thrust. She was rewarded by a moan as Leliana's arm wrapped itself around her neck for support, her other hand stroking Sin. She hissed with pleasure as she felt the bard mimic her thrusts. Using her whole body she pushed in deeper until she felt her lover's soft, velvety walls tightening around her. She slowed her pace to an excruciatingly slow speed pushing Leliana over the edge. Sin could feel Leliana's warmth spasm around her as she let the bard ride the wave of pure bliss. The sound of Leliana's voice and the sensation of the nails that gently raked through her hair drove Sin mad with passion the oncoming storm growing in her abdomen like a wildfire. Finally she succumbed to it and let herself go, losing herself in Leliana. Closing her eyes time slowed to a stop and the world ceased to exist. Only her lover's ragged breath and quiet confirmations of love seemed to exist. In fear of losing herself to the demonic essence she opened her eyes, looking into the bard's blue mesmerised orbs. Could she feel this total loss of reality as well? Holding on to Leliana's eyes she let herself be guided through the intense ecstasy coursing through their bodies until the fire in them subsided.

She slumped to the side, dizzy and out of breath. The bard pulled the thick and warm fur over them, wrapping her arms around her waist, kissing her chest gently. Sin caressed the bard's cheek lazily. Feeling Leliana wrap her arms around her waist she let herself drift off to sleep.

~•~

Something called to her in the night. She could hear the faint whispers and hissing as darkness swirled around her. She tried to fight it off, but the more she tried the darker it grew and the louder the whispers became.

Kill her. Kill her. Kill her. Kill her; over and over again. The voice kept urging her. She tried to look through the impenetrable darkness. Maybe she could find a way out of here. Her sister appeared to her left. She stared at her, her face and body twitching the same way a dead man twitches shortly after death.

Kill her, sister. Kill her for me, for mother, for father. Kill her for, Belkin.

She shook her head in confusion. Lesdra drew closer her head tilting. Get away from me! She wanted to scream, but found she had no voice. She clawed at her throat. What was going?! Her magic, she couldn't use her magic without her voice.

Her sister cackled. 'Silly little Sinniralin, Thinking you can change your fate.'

She fell backwards, backpedaling on her elbows, scrambling to her feet. She could feel Lesdra and the demonic grow stronger. Together they would be unstoppable. She turned to run, but black smoke blocked her way. She spun around, eyes darting from side to side trying to find a way out through the darkness, but it kept closing in. Wake up! Wake up! She tried to shout.

'You can't little sister. How do you think I always know where you are. I'm watching.' Her sister appeared from nowhere her dead eyes only inches away from her. She screamed a soundless scream. Her sister smiled, hands reaching up to grab her when a flash of bright light shot through the dark. She stumbled backwards shielding her eyes from light burning her eyes. She heard her sister shriek. Was it in pain or wrath? She couldn't tell. Lowering her arm she saw a figure stand between her and Lesdra. She blinked trying to clear her vision.

'I do not fear the dark.' The voice came strong and vigilante.

'Leliana?!'

Sinniralin opened her eyes staring into the bard's. Leliana smiled conspiratorially and gave her a kiss.

"Don't fear the dark, Sinniralin. It cannot hurt you."

TO BE CONTINUED...