My lovely Warden,

It has been far too long since I have seen you, my dear. Some say that absence makes the heart grow fonder, and perhaps that is true. However, I would like to think that it is more likely that absence makes for a more enthusiastic reunion. Perhaps we shall see whether this is the case when I return home, no? Although I suppose I am not ready to have my life ended by a jealous paramour.

Elissa heard the snort behind her and smiled. "I'm sure he wrote that knowing that you would read the letter too." She grinned as Nathaniel grumbled in response.

I must confess, my dear, that none of my friends have had anything interesting to say until recently. This would be the cause of my lapse in communication. I simply have had nothing to share. However, now there is talk of a change in weather. It seems that instead of the long stretch of calm days we have seen, the upcoming season promises to be rainy. Clouds gather over Highever, although the Teyrn has not noticed them yet, and in Denerim the weather looks to be particularly stormy. When you travel, you will want to pack accordingly to avoid getting caught in a storm. I would hate to see you catch cold.

Ah, but enough talk of the weather, yes? I would much rather share tales of wine and women! Speaking of women, there is a lovely maiden in Amaranthine whom we both know, an elven lass with raven hair and the most delicately pointed ears. She is currently employed as a live-in maid, and tells me many a story of her charges and their daily lives. The babe grows larger every day, it seems, and he and his parents are leading happy, peaceful lives at present. She reports that life has been quiet, although she is always ready should she be invited to any parties. I doubt that she will lack for escorts when the time comes.

"So Erlina is the one who is staying with Delilah? I'm glad." Elissa nodded absently in response to Nathaniel and continued on.

Last, but not least, we must talk about wine! Have you heard that the Arl of Denerim has the most interesting wine cellar in all of Ferelden, save for the King himself? The number of vintages represented is small, but varied, I am told. The Arl seems to prefer labels from some of the smaller bannorns, particularly those that have seen upheaval since the blight. While none of those bannorns has particular wealth or reputation, I am certain that attention from one such as the Arl of Denerim would convince most of them that their influence would only increase. Once I am able to complete a written list of these labels, and am able to learn the Arl's tendencies and preferences for wines, I will be certain to share this information with you. That way, you will be able to keep up with current trends and fortify your cellars accordingly.

I hope to see you soon, my friend.

-Z.

"Well, that was interesting. Do you think Zevran will be able to get us any information we can use as proof against Vaughan?" Nathaniel's hands wrapped around Elissa's waist and he rested his chin on her shoulder as she folded the letter.

"If anyone can, Zev can," Elissa murmured and leaned back against Nathaniel. "I just hope we can stop Vaughan before more people get hurt." She felt, more than heard, Nathaniel sigh in response. She rested her arms on top of his as she pondered. "I'll be interested to see exactly which banns are plotting with him. I wouldn't be surprised if they're the same ones who caused Alistair trouble in the Bannorn just after the blight."

"Me either," Nathaniel agreed before leaning forward and letting go of Elissa's waist. He helped her get up and then stood himself, straightening his tunic and breeches. "It's my turn to train the men on running an arling, isn't it?"

Elissa smiled. "Yes, but I don't think you'll have much trouble. They got a good start yesterday and have fairly good instincts for the decision-making side of things. At least we save a lot of time by not having to try to act as matchmakers for them, like our parents tried to do to us."

Nathaniel laughed at that. "That did take a large portion of our time growing up, didn't it? My father had only just started to try to marry me off advantageously before I went to the Free Marches, and even then he talked about it constantly." He shook his head. "I can only imagine how bad it was for you, being the only eligible teyrn's daughter in the country."

Elissa shuddered with the memory. "It was just awful. It was a constant stream of parents telling me how wonderful their sons were and how much they adored me, while the boys in question would ask me who I was." Nathaniel laughed out loud again just as a question formed in her mind. "So," she asked slyly, "who did your father try to set you up with?"

Nathaniel looked at Elissa, affection evident in his eyes. "You don't remember, do you?"

"Remember what?" Elissa was confused.

"I met you once just before I was set up to squire. Well, Father brought me to the castle to meet you. I don't believe I said two words the entire visit." Nathaniel's eyes were twinkling.

"You did? I don't remember that at all." Elissa tilted her head, trying to remember. "I mean, I had known that you existed, of course, but I don't remember ever meeting you, even in passing."

Nathaniel chuckled. "That would be because you terrified me at the time. I was incredibly shy and there you were – beautiful, confident and talented – and I had no idea what to do about you." Elissa felt her face heat up in embarrassment. "You didn't notice me because I think I spent more time hiding than I did trying to approach you." He stepped closer to Elissa, forcing her to lean her head back to continue looking in his eyes. "I got over it eventually." He smiled as he traced her jaw with his finger.

Elissa laughed, her voice surprisingly husky. "I'm glad you did."

"I am too." His finger lingered on her chin for a moment longer, and Elissa leaned forward slowly to kiss him. Just as she came close enough to feel his breath mingle with hers and started to close her eyes, he started walking toward the door. "I had better get started," he said, his voice teasing. He laughed softly as she muttered a curse under her breath. "Have a good morning, love." She narrowed her eyes at him as he retreated out of the room. I'll get even with you, Ser. But still, she had to smile.

-0-0-0-

I could really use Erlina right now. Or Leliana, although she might try to put me in some pink monstrosity. Elissa groaned to herself as she searched her nearly-empty wardrobe, yet again, for a dress that simply did not exist. I can't believe I have only three dresses. Three! And none of them are appropriate for a wedding. If Mother was here, she would have my hide. Frustrated, she sat down heavily on the edge of her bed.

"Well, there's nothing to be done except send for a dressmaker," she muttered. "I wonder if any of the merchants in the courtyard sell fabrics?" She dreaded having clothes made. It was one of the reasons she chose to wear men's clothing most of the time – dresses were incredibly unwieldy and she usually felt like she could barely move in them, let alone stretch out on her sofa the way she liked to when she was resting. She also could care less about current fashion, which was a continual source of dismay for her mother as she was growing up. And then there were the endless fittings, with strangers fussing over her and sticking pins in her side and trying to kill her with those damned corsets and all the layers...

"There's no point in postponing it," she grumbled. "I just have to face it. This has to be done." She reluctantly got up and took a deep breath, releasing it with a slow hiss, before turning to the door and going to face the trial before her. I'd rather face a broodmother than do this.

She made her way down to the courtyard. The walk seemed entirely too short for her tastes. She went to the merchant stands in the courtyard and, lo and behold, there was a textile merchant there, wares presented for all to see. She sighed to herself. So much for me being lucky. Guess I should pick something out.

A few minutes later, as she was staring blindly at the fabrics laid out before her, she heard someone approach. "You know, you look like you're about to be tossed into the Deep Roads with that look on your face." Elissa turned her head. Erna smiled at her and then looked down at the array of goods presented, rubbing a deep green, shiny cloth between her thumb and fingers. "These are really nice," she sighed. "I've never seen most of these fabrics."

Elissa sighed. "I need to get a dress made. A few of them, actually. And what I know about fashion is mostly limited to how long it takes to clean dried blood off my armor." At this, Erna laughed and looked at her.

"What do you need the dresses for?" she asked, smiling at Elissa.

"The Wardens have been invited to King Alistair's wedding," Elissa groaned. "And then there will be meetings, and there will be at least one party to attend ..." She closed her eyes and counted to ten. "Which means I have to sit through enough fittings to have at least four or five dresses made."

She heard Erna's laugh and opened her eyes again. "Now you sound like you're marching off to your death," Erna teased. Then she noted a smooth, purple cloth and started to ask the merchant about it – how it was made, what it was usually used for, and a host of other questions that Elissa found hard to follow, based on their very nature. Along with a lack of fashion sense, Elissa had never been one to learn embroidery or sewing like many of the other noblewomen did. She found it incredibly boring.

But still, it was interesting to watch Erna ask the merchant questions about the fabrics. She started placing fabrics together, and even Elissa had to admit the smooth purple one looked really nice next to the equally smooth cream-colored fabric. Erna circled around the merchant's stand, and the merchant had taken out a piece of vellum and started drawing something. Elissa watched, bemused, for a moment. Erna is very good at putting people at ease. Then she became aware that every now and then, Erna and the merchant took turns looking up at her, speculation in their gazes, before their heads turned back to their drawing. This made her highly suspicious. "What are you two doing?" she asked, her eyes narrowing as she spoke.

Erna looked up at her with flushed cheeks and an excited expression. "I think I know what I want to do on the surface!" she exclaimed. "My father taught me how to sew before he died. I know I can make you some dresses, especially with these nice things!"

"Really?" Elissa asked, surprised. "I thought that dressmaking would be an artisan caste occupation – you were allowed to do that in Orzammar?"

Erna's face grew sad for a moment. "My father was artisan caste," she said. "But because I was born a girl ..." she shrugged, not needing to explain the rest. Then her expression warmed and she smiled in remembrance. "But he was really good to us when he was alive. He gave us money when he could, and he spent a lot of his free time in Dust Town. He taught me how to sew and brought us scraps of fabric when he could spare them. He even helped take care of Ragnar, and Ragnar wasn't his son. He taught us that even though we were casteless, we meant something to him. That meant a lot to us." Her eyes focused and she looked at Elissa, her eyes shining with confidence. "I started making all of our clothing when I was eight. I just know I can make you something nice. Let me try!"

Elissa couldn't help but smile at Erna's enthusiasm. "All right, we'll give it a try," she agreed, and Erna actually jumped up and down and clapped. "How long do you think you'll take to get a dress finished enough for us to see if it will work? If you do well on your first dress, I'd be happy to pay you the usual dressmaker's fee to have the rest made." At this, Erna's eyes grew as wide as saucers.

"I … wow! Really?" Elissa nodded, amused. "I can have the main seams done on the dress in just a couple of days. Is that going to be all right?"

Elissa did the time calculations in her head before answering. "That would be fine, actually. The wedding isn't for a few weeks yet. Do you really think you can get that much done so soon?"

Erna nodded enthusiastically. "I think so. The main seams will have to be longer than what I'm used to doing," and here she grinned, looking up at Elissa," but I can have enough done in a couple of days to know what I need to adjust." Then she looked at the table, specifically at the thread, scissors, needles, and all sorts of implements that Elissa wasn't even sure had a function, although they looked important. It was then that she hesitated. "I … uh, well …." she blushed as she looked at the sewing supplies.

Of course. She probably doesn't have anything. Elissa smiled at Erna and then addressed the merchant. "Let her have whatever she wants," she said to the merchant, "and you can bill me directly." She looked at Erna again before turning back. "I'm sure she'll want fabrics and supplies to make herself and her brother some outfits as well." The merchant looked like he had just received a large and expensive present and nodded enthusiastically. When she turned back again to talk to Erna, she noticed that the dwarf's eyes had grown huge again. "Erna, Ragnar will need something to wear to the wedding as well. I assume you can make him something too?" Erna nodded, speechless for but a moment, and then the flow of questions started again.

"Do you have another dress that fits that I can borrow for measurements? What colors do you like? Can I measure you now? I need to – What should I do first? What do I need? How much can I spend? How much fabric should I use for the skirt? I want to use this purple silk – is that all right? Do you like having some of those fancy buttons and decorations on your clothing?"

Elissa laughed. "All right! All right! One question at a time!" She helped Erna collect all the things that she would need, which the now-smiling merchant helped gather, and then they took them up to Erna's room before going to Elissa's room for Erna to take measurements and borrow a dress. The entire time, Erna chatted on about sewing and Orzammar and how she would find scraps and remnants of old clothing and reuse anything salvageable, and how nice it was to have entire bolts of cloth and spools of thread to work with, and how the purple silk would look just beautiful against Elissa's skin and hair, and wouldn't Nathaniel love it? By lunchtime, Elissa's ears were ringing, but she realized that it was the first time that she had done an initial measuring session for a dress and the time hadn't stood still.

-0-0-0-

Three days later, Elissa was standing with her arms out while Erna was lacing up the back of her first creation for Elissa. "All done," Erna announced. "Let me look at it."

Elissa looked down at the dress. Even unfinished, she found it impressive. The chemise was done except for the sleeve ends, and Erna had chosen to construct it in the cream silk that they both had admired. The bodice and skirt of the dress were the purple silk, and Erna promised that the embellishments would match perfectly. The dress was surprisingly lightweight and while it fit snugly, Elissa didn't feel like she was uncomfortably restricted.

"This is really comfortable!" Elissa exclaimed. "And I think you're right about the colors."

Erna surveyed her work with a critical eye. "It's not bad," she decided. "But I need to take it in a little at the waist, I think. Let me mark the sleeve and hem length while I'm here. The next one will be even better!"

Elissa laughed. "You have plans for what you want to do next?"

Erna nodded enthusiastically. "There was this really pretty blue that I wanted to use, and the textile merchant helped me draw some other styles..." She suddenly looked at Elissa. "I can do more dresses, right?"

Elissa found herself nodding at Erna without even thinking about it. "Of course. This dress is turning out very well, and I know the next one will be easier for you since you're not used to making dresses for humans." At this, Erna clapped and started talking about colors and fabrics and "this dress should really use frogs for closures" and "I can make a corset that goes with everything" and … Elissa didn't have the heart to ask what a frog was, but she trusted that Erna didn't mean the animal kind.

Erna pinned up the sleeves for Elissa and then had her stand on a chair so she could pin up the hem. Elissa stood dutifully and listened to Erna chatter away while she worked, happy as a lark, when a knock sounded at the door. Before she could invite the person to enter, the door opened. Nathaniel walked in and was followed by Ragnar.

When Nathaniel saw Elissa in the dress, his eyes widened slightly and he took a good long minute to look her over, head to toe. When his eyes returned to Elissa's, the look in them was one of pure male appreciation. "It suits you," was all he said, but the look in his eyes said all she needed to know and caused a warm feeling to pass through her. "I suppose I'm going to have to get something made to match."

At that, Erna turned around and clapped her hands again. "I know just what to do!" she exclaimed and started talking at Nathaniel about ideas she had for a matching men's ensemble. Nathaniel dragged his eyes away from Elissa after a moment and started discussing design ideas with Erna. It figures that he's comfortable talking about clothing. Elissa smiled before looking at Ragnar.

Ragnar stood there, staring at Elissa, and a blush stole over his cheeks. He stammered something unintelligible when he noticed Elissa paying attention to him before turning and making a hasty retreat. Bemused, Elissa said to herself, "Yes, I think this will work nicely."