Disclaimer: Bioware owns all, except what I most humbly imagine. While, at times, I will take verbatim from the game, I mostly use the events of the Dragon Age games, expansions and universe as a loose structure around which to construct my re-imagined tale. If you are looking for a strict canon piece, I have no desire to offend, and so I warn you upfront!

When reading this tale, I hope you can easily imagine it being told by the very best of storytellers in Varric Tethras (from DA:2). In my version of events, Varric meets "The Hero" (Elissa Cousland) in Kirkwall during the time period of DA:2. I mention this only so that readers can understand his connection along the way, and so I don't have to mention and rehash it again and again as I make my way through the tale.

A/N: Another interlude chapter here. I know a lot of you are probably going "where is The Mother, let's get this show on the road", but it's coming. I promise :D

Muse Music: Collapse by Assemblage 23.

Thanks to my readers, followers and reviewers and to my beta ladies artemiskat and Snarkoleptic who got to argue dialogue with me this time around.

Happy Reading!

-Frayed One

Chapter Thirty-Nine: Strange Bedfellows

Elissa pressed on well past sunset before accepting that even with The Messenger's excellent guidance, it was simply too dark for them to make any further progress in safety. Zevran scouted out what seemed an easily defensible area. Backed by a cave wall, this isolated section of the rocky landscape would keep a good portion of the light from any fire they lit from being seen by any forces The Mother might have patrolling the area.

The Messenger slid down from Elissa's horse where he had ridden from just outside of Amaranthine, offering his hands to aid her in getting down. The interaction, though simple and nothing more than any of the others would have offered, was still unsettling to the remainder of her company. However, Nathaniel kept his concerns hidden behind well-schooled features as he took her reins and headed off to the edge of camp to secure the horses.

She set The Messenger on watch with Zevran, knowing his knowledge of the area and any threats that might be hidden nearby went far beyond what the others could offer, and hoping that his willingness to provide such a service would help to prove to the rest of her company that he could be trusted. She handed over any food supplies she could gather to Anders and had him get to work preparing a quick stew as no one had eaten in well over a day and their strength was beginning to wane.

Nathaniel watched Elissa disappear into the tree line after all of her instructions had been given, likely off to scour the edges of the camp for any sign of The Mother's advancing forces. Across the fire Oghren settled himself down against the cave wall and freed his hip flask, drinking heavily from it before pressing his head back against the stone behind him.

"My brother used to drink like you do, dwarf." Nathaniel thought back on the last bits of information he had ever gotten about his brother before Elissa had told him Thomas was killed during the assault on Denerim. Delilah had been concerned in her final letters to him that Thomas would spend the family fortune on hard liquor and loose women, though all that seemed meaningless now.

"Must've been a fun fella to have around then, yer brother." Oghren didn't even open his eyes, just took another pull from his flask and continued his meditation.

"According to Delilah, Thomas could find his fun almost anywhere. And then he would vomit on your shoes." Nathaniel listened to the laughter rumble up out of the dwarf, and the answering chuckle from Anders who tossed a pinch of something into the pot on the fire with a slight smile.

"Good times." Oghren opened his eyes with a smile, offering his flask to Nathaniel who took it and drank some of the harsh liquid before passing it over to Anders.

"Have you ever thought of returning to Orzammar?" Anders asked, handing the flask back to Oghren who drank again before settling it down at his side.

"Not sure I can. Technically, I'm a surface dwarf, now," Oghren snorted, tugging at his beard as he thought seriously on the question.

"Why technically? How can you not know for certain?" Nathaniel was confused how anyone could be in the dark over whether they were allowed to return home, even Oghren who spent most of his life in an inebriated state.

"It's not like they send ya a letter," Oghren grumbled, understanding that they thought he was stupid for not knowing and a bit annoyed that they would jump straight to that conclusion. "Congratulations! Ya've been ejected from the warrior caste!"

"Do you miss it?" Anders watched as the dwarf turned to look at him, reading more in that watery gaze than Oghren likely wanted him to see.

"Sometimes. Then I drink more and it goes away," Oghren replied, pulling heavily from the flask once again and leaving the trio in silence for a moment before he continued. "When the Commander found me I was two steps from Dust Town. Spendin' all my time drunk or brawlin', lookin' for anyone who would listen… The Commander, she didn't just listen, she followed through with it – and when all was said and done she cleaned me up and gave me a reason to fight again. Gave me Felsi too, though I've botched that one right up."

Anders and Nathaniel sat silent, eyes pinned to the dwarf who never offered anything personal, and rarely said anything beyond the occasional snide comment or battle cry. It was obvious that this meant something to him, otherwise he would never have bothered to say it, and so they patiently waited for him to continue.

"I miss the Stone. I'm a dwarf. The Commander had to spend the first week promisin' me I wouldn't fall off into the sky. But my place is here, with her. She gave me this life; s'only right I use it to help her make things better for people like my Felsi and lil' Nugget."

"You've named your child Nugget?"

There was a long pause after Anders asked the question before all of them burst into laughter, including Oghren, though he furrowed his brow to mimic irritation.

"Ya named that furball Ser Stinks A Lot," Oghren grumbled, nodding to Nathaniel as he took the flask to drink again. "They talked about ya in the army, ya know?"

"Me?" Nathaniel coughed, wiping his mouth before handing the flask over to Anders once again.

"Nah, glitter hands over there," Oghren snorted with a gesture in Anders' direction and a smile when he flexed his fingers before tossing the flask back over. "Of course, ya ninny. Never heard much about ya durin' the Blight, the Commander not being one to talk about personal business an all, but then I up an' joined Fergus Cousland's army to take back Highever and Fergus wouldn't shut up about ya. How ye'd spoiled his sister then slunk off to the Free Marches never to be seen again."

Nathaniel grimaced slightly as he took the flask back from Oghren, not really anxious to discuss the topic any further but knowing it had gone on too long to avoid it now. "I never spoiled Elissa, and my father sent me to the Free Marches, so neither of those accusations are really fair nor accurate."

"The first part is debatable…" Anders muttered, silencing when the irritated glare Nathaniel leveled in his direction made it clear his tolerance only went so far.

"Don't get yer knickers in a twist, ladies." Oghren chuckled, shaking his head at the constant posturing between the two men on Elissa's behalf. "I know that Fergus was… less than forgivin' in his tell of what happened, but that wasn't my point. Thing is, Fergus said ya'd never have the stones to show yer face here again after what ya did – what yer father did. But ya proved him wrong, an' I respect that."

"I suppose there are worse things than earning respect simply by not being a ponce." Nathaniel laughed, tossing the flask over to Anders. "Though, I'm fairly certain nothing in my actions will ever redeem me in Fergus Cousland's eyes."

"Bah! Can't go through life worrin' 'bout that nonsense. Throw caution to the wind, run headlong into danger, sod the consequences! That's the only way to live!" Oghren caught the flask Anders tossed in his direction after echoing the sentiment, the trio dissolving into low laughter once again.

"You know, Elissa called us a family once. Thought she was a loon at the time, but turns out – she was right. I can see that now." Anders stirred the pot a few more times, sending what had now become an incredibly appetizing aroma out into the chilly cave air.

"She's still a bit of a loon…" Oghren muttered under his breath, watching the looks of acknowledgement on the other men's faces dissolve into neutrality as Elissa strode out of the forest and into the cave.

She tossed a trio of large rabbits down on a rock near Oghren's elbow, drawing the attention of everyone in the group. "Think you can clean those up for Anders in time to add them to the stew?"

"Aye." Oghren grinned, getting to his feet and pulling a knife free from his boot with which to break them down.

"Good." Elissa turned to exit the cave, intending to head back off into the shadows until she was summoned for the meal.

"You gave me plenty for the stew, Elissa. What made you go out to hunt rabbits?" It was a thoughtful gesture, but Anders had seen the shift in Elissa as the heat of battle raged on – and knew there was a part of her that simply did it for the pleasure of the kill.

"I thought if this was to be your last meal, you deserved something more than root vegetables and herbs cooked down into a paste." As she looked at him, Elissa made it clear that she knew exactly what it was that Anders' was insinuating – the hard glint in her eyes communicating that she did not appreciate the commentary, whether or not she chose to address it. She turned a moment later, pausing by Oghren for the briefest second on her way to the woods. "It is also worth noting that the loon has excellent hearing. It might be good to remember that in the future before you discuss my lack of sanity while I am within earshot."

They watched her disappear into the shadows again, the silence of the shelter interrupted only by the sound of Oghren and Anders' meal preparations. After a lengthy pause, Nathaniel stood to go.

"Don't go far. It won't take long to cook this up," Anders noted, watching the acknowledgement of what he was really being told pass across The Archer's neutral features before he too was swallowed by the darkness of the forest.

It didn't take Nathaniel long to track Elissa down, pressing at the bounds of the link that forever tied them together until it led him like a beacon to the rock where she sat. He could read the usual mix of emotions coursing through her blood, and as he'd made no effort to close the conduit from his end, he knew that she could detect much the same as he approached – meaning she'd known he was coming and done nothing to prevent herself from being found. This piqued both his interest and his concern as much of their ability to relate to one another depended entirely on how much of Elissa was given over to the beast at the moment.

"I was wondering how long it would take one of you to seek me out, though my coin would have been on Anders," Elissa muttered, not turning her eyes away from her search of the shadows out ahead of their moonlit clearing.

"Would you rather I send him and cook your dinner in his place?" Nathaniel couldn't help but allow a small amount of bitterness to creep into his words with the thought that she had been expecting The Mage, though he knew that was unlikely to help with her mood.

"My dinner?" Elissa snorted, finally turning her eyes up in his direction and sending a small shiver down Nathaniel's spine with the hint of rising temper that glittered there. She turned away before continuing. "And no. I don't particularly wish to speak with any of you, but you're here, so clearly there is something on your mind. I suppose we might as well talk."

Nathaniel stood silent, wondering how much he should press her. She was on edge - he could feel it bubbling away in her blood, that driving desire he had felt in her before, that need to tear something apart for nothing more than the pure release found in destruction.

"Sit down. Having you standing there staring at my back is making my skin all twitchy, and trust me when I say you don't want my nerves any more on edge than they are at the moment."

He did as she instructed, not wishing to test her patience any further before saying what he had come there to say to her. "I love you, Elissa."

"I know." Again she did not turn in his direction, merely continued her vigil of the forest, though what it was she was seeing Nathaniel could not discern.

"You know? We could walk into The Mother's lair tomorrow and never come out again and that's all you have to say to me? That you know?" Nathaniel's temper was rising, and this time he did nothing to rein it in. If she chose to end him now rather than draw it out any longer then so be it, but he'd be damned if he went to his grave without forcing her once and for all to admit he was not alone.

"What would you have me say, Nathaniel?" Her voice was incredibly calm as she turned her face in his direction, but the dangerous edge still flashed there in her eyes and he knew if he pressed her further he was taking it on faith that she would restrain from doing him harm.

"That you love me, Elissa. That you feel it too. We both know it's the truth, and if we're to die tomorrow, what difference will it make for you to admit it now?"

"If we're to die tomorrow, why would it matter what I said?" Elissa held his eyes, waiting for him to say something that would register against the logic of her thought process.

"Love makes all the difference, Elissa. It's a reason to keep going when the whole world is against us. It makes it mean something when we walk into this battle knowing neither of us is likely to walk out again. It's something beyond faith, and duty, and doing what must be done. Love makes all the difference." He waited for her to blow him off once more, to pull away inside her shell and deny that they had ever been anything beyond the fractured souls they were now – but she didn't.

Instead she leaned in toward him and brushed her lips against his. It was just the lightest touch at first, making him fight to pull her closer, to get her to give him more. She put her hands against his jaw, keeping him at the distance she wanted but anchoring him in place so that she could fully explore his mouth – enjoying the full curve of his lips against hers and tasting the bitter remnants Oghren's flask had left on his tongue with her own. When she pulled away, Nathaniel knew though she would not say it to him in words, Elissa had given him exactly what he needed.

"Go back to camp. Dinner should be ready soon. I will be right behind you."

She turned back to the forest, and he knew she would give him nothing more.