Alright folks, it's been a while so I'll refresh your memory a bit. Last time we saw Ana, she was making a secretive, backroom agreement with a mysterious stranger from Antiva, Zander. He is an assassin who has been hired to abduct her, and they have arranged a public rendezvous to fool her would-be killer.

-0-

Eriana gave the Beatrice a small smile of appreciation as the tavern girl placed a new tankard of mead on the table in front of her. She was a rather spent, having spent most of the morning at the docks, discussing new trading agreements with a few traveling merchants who were in town. After lunch, she spent the afternoon visiting the new training facility for the city guards and going over new drills for both new recruits and seasoned veterans. Since the Guard began employing elves to serve as archers and lookouts, crime in the market and alienage, the two areas where the elven guards patrolled, had dropped significantly. The Captain of the Guard was so pleased that he was beginning to employ more elves and spread them throughout the city. She also had a very long lunch with the Revered Mother and the head templar of the Amaranthine Chantry concerning a possible deal between the Chantry and apostates who called her city home. After seeing Anders and Petra heal the sick during the harsh months of winter, several apostates approached her, asking for sanctuary in return for their services as city healers. To Eriana, the situation seemed like a win-win. The mages would live permanently in the city and tend to the needs of the people, leaving the Warden mages to focus on their duties. Since they would have a permanent residence, the Templars could keep tabs on them, occasionally checking for demonic possession. One of the apostates also had amazing skill with a blade and training as an arcane mage. Much to Eriana's surprise, he was willing to join the city guard, lending his unique skills set to the defense of the city and Arling.

Having met the Reverend Mother before, Eriana was concerned that she would be the most resistant to the idea, but apparently, a long struggle with a particularly nasty strain of the flu and the miraculous intervention of a certain blonde healer had completely changed her view of mages. She was quite excited about the possibility of having a few healers in the city full time, a privilege that was usually only reserved for the royal family and perhaps the Couslands. It was Ser Lucan who required the most convincing. It had taken several months of ferrying requests back and forth between the two groups, but Eriana was sure she had finally brokered a deal between the two. The four mages would live in a home next to the Chantry. The home was going to built and maintained by the arling, and the down stairs would serve as a clinic. They were allowed to travel outside the city with the guard, provided a templar or a Warden with training in basic templar abilities accompanied them. Occasionally, the templars would check on them to make sure that everything was going well. The mages also signed an agreement promising to avoid the practice of several of the more dangerous branches of magic. If they violated the agreement, the templars had permission to take them into custody, but as long as they followed the agreement, they were allowed to live outside the Chantry or the Circle. Eriana reminded the templars that should they break the agreement then she would simply conscript them into the Grey Wardens and station them back in the city, free from any templar influence.

Giving a self-satisfied sigh, Eriana glanced over the final draft of the letter she was sending to the apostates confirming the final details of the agreement. Ideally, she would need a circle mage to join them in order to train them in the nuances of spirit healing, but that would be a hard sell. Even though he had lightened up on the mages since the rebellion and for the vital role they played in the final battle, Gregor was still wary about allowing mages to live outside the circle, so Anders and Petra may have to train the mages for a little while. She was mulling over how exactly she would present her plan to the First Enchanter and Knight Captain when someone approached her table.

"Ah, such a beautiful flower, too lovely to be hidden away in a back corner amongst such thorns," a suave, Antivan accent cooed in her ear. The familiarity in that smug tone to the voice and cool accent sent an involuntary shudder down Eriana's back. She knew Zander would be approaching her in the tavern tonight, but she had been so focused on the letter that it that had honestly slipped her mind, catching her off guard when he approached to her. His voice was so like Zevran's that it completely caught her off guard for a moment. Steeling her nerves, the young elf turned and looked at the assassin, her breath catching momentarily in her throat when she saw him. Surely some part of her brain had realized when he first came to meet her just how handsome this man was, but seeing him, standing beside her in a loose-fitting silk tunic and tight leather pants was a bit disorienting. He was gorgeous, his bright blue eyes sparkling beneath his long dark hair and lashes. Ana's heart skipped a beat just looking at him.

Shaking her head and glancing around, Eriana smiled. "I'm not sure what you're talking about. I'm sitting by myself, so how can I be amongst anything."

"It's not who you're with, bella donna; it's how you are sitting. Sequestered in the corner, papers around you; you may as well be waving a flag that says, 'all men, stay away; I am not interested.'"

"You know, that flag this is not a bad idea," Eriana mused, glancing up at him for a moment before looking away. Maker, was it getting warm in here? "But the question is, would it have worked?"

"Probably not. Most men in here are either unable to read or too foolish to heed the warning signs."

"So which are you, then; too ignorant or too foolish."

Zander grinned, "Neither, I'm just too brave to let a few prickly thorns deter me from speaking to the loveliest woman in the tavern this evening."

Eriana glanced around her, slightly confused by his words. "I'm sitting by myself; what thorns do you see?"

"Oh, there are thorns all round," the assassin said, smiling slyly down at her. "Especially that table of rather stern looking warriors sitting over there staring daggers at me."

Glancing quickly over the assassin's shoulder, Eriana noticed that her Wardens were glaring at them. Oghren especially looked like he was only seconds away from crossing the room and dragging the male elf out into the street for merely talking to her. It always warmed her heart to see how protective Oghren was over her. Cocking her head, she turned her attention back to Zander, smiling up at the assassin. "So, my brave suitor, are you sure that you are willing to incur the wrath of such a hostile looking group?"

"For a beauty such as you, I would risk an entire squadron of such adversaries. Now, might I be permitted to sit, or shall we continue this discussion with me hovering at your tableside. I wouldn't mind, of course, there are certain privileges that come from looking at you from this angel," he pointed out with a mischievous grin on his face. "I would like to remind you, though that you are supposed to be receptive to my advances, yes? Otherwise we would have to arrange a second rendezvous, no."

Eriana sighed dramatically. "I suppose you will need to join me, but you'll have to sit over there," she said, nodding toward the booth on the other side of the table.

"And why, pray tell, is that?" Zander asked, sliding into the seat across from her.

"It would seem far too suspicious if I simply allowed you to slide in beside me, now wouldn't it. Remember, I don't know you. For all I know, you may be an assassin sent to kill me."

"I am," he pointed out, a huge grin on his face.

"Actually, you've been sent to abduct me, not the same thing," she replied. "But to all of them, I don't know you, so I have to keep a safe distance away from you until you've earned my trust. You know how it goes."

"A wise and beautiful woman, it is a good thing that all my targets are not as shrewd as you, or I would have to work twice as hard to get anything done, no?"

Eriana cocked her head and looked at the dark-haired assassin, her heart leaping into her throat at the compliment. "You know, I've always wondered what kind of tricks you guys have that make women trust you so quickly. I mean, surely all marks aren't quite so dim-witted and easily fooled. I mean, surely it's more complicated than dropping a few obvious lines."

"Ah, but in the hands of a master, intelligence and cunning are no help to most women. It isn't about how smart the woman is; even the shrewdest of women can be fooled by one who knows what he is doing. It's about subtle manipulations and knowing what will work on what woman, not her inherit intelligence."

"Really? Are women that much easier to manipulate?"

Zander threw his head back and laughed. "No, no, my dear young Warden. Believe me, men are equally easy to control, different tactics, same result."

"So, imagining that you were approaching me as one of your normal targets, what would be your plan of attack?" she asked, taking a long drink from her tankard.

Zander smiled, "Well, first I would observe for a while. Though you were clearly sending out the typical stay away signals, it's clear that you are not accustomed to being alone in a situation like this."

"Okay, wait, what do you mean by signals. What signals was I sending out?"

"Your choice of seating was the first one. Tucked away in a corner with a table between you and the rest of the bar, buried in those papers, glaring at anyone who comes near you; these are all signs that you would rather be alone. Add to that the fact that you are sitting with your back to the wall, showing that you are keenly aware of what goes on around you despite the fact that I was able to startle you," he added with a smile.

Eriana rolled her eyes, "Okay, fair enough, but why would you assume the second part, that I wasn't used to being alone?"

"Those signs are just as clear if you know what to look for," Zander explained. "You frequently glance over at the group of your companions; occasionally, you will stop and stare into space; and most telling of all, you watch all the couples in the bar."

The blonde elf blanched slightly. "Do I really?"

Zander nodded. "The sad look on your face when you do is quite telling, dear one. Seeing that, I can infer a number of things: One, that you have been hurt recently in a relationship. Two, you have yet to truly recover from said relationship. And three...well, we'll get to three later," he added with a grin.

Eriana rolled her eyes at the assassin. "You knew that about me already, so I can hardly trust that you inferred all that just by watching me."

"True, but I'm just telling you what I saw and what I would assume if I were really scouting you out as a target." Zander waved his hand, "The fact that I knew this about you is consequential. Besides, an assassin is often told things such as this as part of the contract. You did have a very public relationship, no? Many people know of the recent end to your relationship. It would be natural for your assassin to know it as well."

"I guess that makes sense," Eriana admitted. "So you've scoped me out, now what do you do?"

"What I've already done with you. I approach her, give her a small compliment, gauging her reaction to the compliment, and then I strike up a casual conversation."

"What do you mean gauge her reaction?"

"All women react differently to complements. Some women preen under them, almost expecting them from every man that they meet; women like that are easy to manipulate. You just keep feeding them compliments until they're feeding out of your hand. Other women are automatically put on guard when a man praises them, so you must be restricted and sincere with your praise," Zander explained carefully.

"So which one am I?"

Zander gave her a sad smile. "Neither, I'm afraid. Compliments will often put you on guard, but that is not your main reaction. You, my dear, are a bit of an enigma because you do not believe the praise that is given to you. It is painted all over your face. You doubt whether or not I am sincere and assume my words of praise were weak attempts at flattery, and I would be confident in saying that such is your normal response. You do not see yourself as others see you, so you do not believe them. However, I will get to that later. We are about to be interrupted," he pointed out, nodding across the room to where the Wardens had been boisterously enjoying their drinks. Now the entire company sat in stony silence and watched as Oghren crossed the room, an angry scowl on his face.

"Oghren has always been a bit protective of me," Eriana whispered. "That's part of the reason I brought him today. He needs to see us together several times before he will even begin to put any trust in you if he ever does."

"I'll take my chances with the dwarf," he muttered, glancing at the approaching warrior. "Besides, if worse comes to worse, you can always jump in and defend my honor."

Eriana chuckled, "Hum, I could use this as a test to see if you are capable of holding your own, but I don't want to risk an asset...not yet anyway." She paused, taking a long sip from her tankard as Oghren walked up.

"Commander," he said tersely, glancing at her briefly before giving Zander his most intimidating glare. Eriana was impressed by the devilish grin the assassin shot back at the Orzammar warrior; not many can pull off such a nonplussed attitude under the full weight of Oghren's stare. "Is everything alright over here, or do I need to remove this man from the premises?"

"It's fine, Oghren; we were just talking. Nothing underhanded or threatening thus far."

Oghren glanced back over at the man, unconvinced. "He better not be too friendly." He glanced back up at Ana. "I'll be right over there if you need me, and as for you," he said, turning back to Zander, "you better not lay a hand or anything else on her that you aren't willing to lose. Am I clear?"

"Crystal my diminutive friend," Zander said with a sly grin.

Oghren grunted a the assassin, giving him one more parting look before heading back across the room.

"So," Zander said, leaning across the table. "Where were we? Ah, yes, we were discussing my moves, were we not?"

"That's right; you were just explaining to me the importance of the initial compliment. What comes after that?"

"Well, for the women who crave the adulation, they are the easy ones. Like I said, all you have to do is continue to praise them and you'll have them in no time. Then you just make an excuse to get them alone, and the rest, as they say, is history. Those who are suspicious are a bit more difficult; as such, some times it will take a few encounters to gain their trust. However, once you find that one thing they are proud of or good at, they are just as easy to manipulate as the prideful ones."

"And the last group?"

Zander was quiet for a moment. "The last group is infinitely more difficult because there is no way to build confidence in a single meeting. Usually I try to identify the source of the insecurity and exploit that."

Eriana's eyes narrowed. "And that works?"

"Usually. Think about your situation; really consider why it is that you doubt me or anyone else when you are given a compliment. It likely boils down to someone who has hurt you in the past, so you no longer feel that you are worthy of such a complement. As such, you have lost confidence in yourself, not only in your appearance but in your abilities as well. That's why you try so hard to over compensate sometimes." Zander shook his head, his assassin mask suddenly dropping and a sincere look of anger crossing his face. "He was an idiot, you know."

"Excuse me?"

"Zevran, he is a complete idiot." Eriana felt a stab of pain at the mention of her former lover's name. An immediate need to defend him rose up in her chest as Zander continued to talk. "A woman as beautiful, intelligent, and talented as you are should never for a moment doubt a compliment that you are given." Zander shook his head bitterly. "And all that aside...you're you!"

"What do you mean by that?" she stammered.

"You are the Hero of Ferelden; the woman who single handedly saved all of Thedas from the Blight by Andraste's sake. For you to doubt yourself, he must have really waylaid you."

Eriana laughed bitterly. "You clearly haven't been in Ferelden long enough if you think my achievements against the darkspawn have done anything to change the way most people in this country look at me. Yeah, I had a hand in killing the archdemon, but in a few years, that will all be attributed to Loghain. He was the one who dealt the killing blow after all. Besides, he's the clearer hero. In time, his misdeeds will be forgotten, overshadowed by his sacrifice, and I will just be a footnote on his epitaph." The young elf leaned across the table to look at the assassin. "For almost everyone in this country, I'm still an elf, and that's all I will ever be. You think Zevran's leaving caused me to doubt myself? Please, I grew up in an alienage; I know where my worth lies in the eyes of most men in this country. I know where compliments like that can lead; the truth that usually lies beneath them."

"It is a shame you were not born in Antiva," Zander said after observing her for a moment. "We do not have alienages as you do here. You would have been appreciated for the beauty that you are."

"Right," she drawled with a roll of her eyes. "So instead of being raised among a loving family, I'd be primed as a high-priced whore. Alienage walls or not, we will always be marginalized because of our race. Why do you think the Crows made chose to train you? Your race makes you the perfect assassin; that's why they use you. Whether here or in in Antiva, I'd still be stuck behind walls; some are just easier to see. I prefer to be here, thank you very much. At least here, there are no delusions as to what I am or what value I have."

Zander leaned back, steepling his fingers together in front of him. "See, that is where you are wrong. You have lived so long under this kind of repression that you can't imagine it being different anywhere else, but believe me when I tell you, you would be treasured in Antiva. That is what you deserve," he said, as he reached across the table to take her hand. Eriana's heart quickened at the contact. "You are a woman who deserves to be treasured, not cast so carelessly aside regardless of his reasons for it."

"Oh, and I suppose you believe that you are the man to do it."

"Perhaps," he answered with a small smile. "I certainly wouldn't say no to such a challenge."

Eriana leveled her gaze at the assassin. "So what would you do? How would you be different from every other man?" she asked, part of her hoping that they were having a genuine conversation; part of her hoping that this was all for show.

Before she realized he had moved, Zander had slid into the seat beside her, taking her hand into his while gazing at her with such an intense stare that it took a great deal of effort for her not to look away. "Eriana," he whispered her name like it was a prayer. "If I was given the chance to be with a woman like you, it would take all the forces of heaven and earth to pull me away, and I were ever fortunate enough to gain your affection, then even those would be hard pressed to separate us."

He reached up to tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "Yet, if I was given only one night, one chance to be with you, I would make it one that you would never forget. I would treat you as you deserve, worshiping your body, taking you to the very heights of pleasure, and not just because I wanted to be with you. No, I would do this because it is no less than you deserve. You deserve to be with a man who values and treasures you and knows how to treat you. A woman as you should be treated like a queen, and the man lucky enough to be with you should treat you as such." The assassin cocked his head and looked down at her. "It has been far too long since you've known the touch of a man, Eriana, of a real man. You have forgotten what it feels like to be valued, to be adored, and that is why you doubt, why don't trust when someone praises you. You need someone to wipe those doubts from you. I would give anything to be the man to do that, the man to show you just how special you are. You deserve to be kissed, caressed, adored...and frequently, too, by someone who knows how." He grinned at her, "And believe me, I know how."

Eriana's breath caught in her throat. "That is a good line," she said, breathlessly, breaking eye contact with him. His words had struck a nerve deep within her. How often had Zevran said such things; how many times had she heard those very words fall from his lips? Hearing them from the Zander stirred feelings deep inside, yet it hurt knowing that it was all a lie. Her wounded psyche was beginning to regret asking to see his moves; it ended up hurting too much, hitting far too close to home.

She was surprised, then, when Zander caught her chin and tilted her head up and looked her in the eyes. "That was no line. I have meant every word that I have said to you here tonight. You are an amazing, passionate woman who deserves much better that what life has doled out to you, and I wish I could be the one to show you that." He gently traced her cheek with back of his finger.

"You really mean that, all of it?" the young elf asked, ashamed at the quiver in her voice.

"Every word," he answered with such sincerity that, despite herself, Eriana believed him.

Without thinking, she glanced up at him, relishing the warmth of his hand on her cheek. "Kiss me," she said breathlessly.

To his credit, Zander didn't question her; instead, he simply cupped her cheek, drawing her in as his lips met hers. A fire ignited in her belly as she opened her mouth, drawing him in as her arms snaked around his neck. His lips broke from hers for a moment as he began to pepper her jawline with light, sensual kisses. The fire in her belly began to spread until her entire body felt like it was consumed in flames. Zander's lips returned to hers, capturing her in a searing kiss that left her completely breathless. She wasn't sure if it was the booze or the fact that it had been so long since she had been kissed like this, but something was making her feel light-headed. It was as if a long-standing fog had finally been lifted from her mind, as if the void that had dwelt so long in her chest was slowly beginning to close. Pulling away from him, she looked into his dark, lust-filled eyes. "We should take this up stairs," she said quietly.

This time he did pause to look at her. "Are you sure?" At her tentative nod, he kissed her again, grabbing her things off the table before taking her hand and leading her upstairs. Eriana followed, trying not to cast a glance at her Wardens sitting across the room who were, no doubt, staring at her. This was completely out of character for her, even for those who had known her for a long time, but maybe this was just what she needed. She'd find out soon enough.

Before she knew it, she was pushed against the door, his lean body pressed against her as he devoured her mouth again. This time, all restraints were gone as his hands eagerly searched her body. "You know that I have no expectations from you," he whispered in her ear. "After all, the plan was merely to disappear into your room for a time. We need only do this if it is what you truly want."

Eriana didn't say a word, not quite trusting herself to talk; instead, she stepped back, taking his hand as she led him across the room to the bed. Zander needed no further words of affirmation.

The next few hours passed in a blur of sensual pleasure as Zander played her body with the skill of a master musician. He was true to his word, worshiping every inch of her, caressing her warm, smooth skin, and bringing her to the heights of pleasure over and over. He was completely selfless, brushing her hand away every time she would each for him, focusing on her pleasure rather than his own. It would have been easy for her to simply close her eyes and imagine that the smooth voice whispering Antivan into her ear was Zevran's, to image that those strong, toned arms belonged to a different assassin, to give into the dream that her assassin had returned to her, but she didn't let herself give in to the illusion. Instead, she stayed focused on Zander, her eyes locked onto his when he finally settled between her legs, waiting for her quick nod of acquiescence before sliding into her, giving her a sense of completion she hadn't felt in over a year. It was intoxicating, addicting, and, she knew on some level, healing. She knew that she may come to regret it, submitting so easily to his advances, but for the moment, she was too satisfied, to sated to care.

Bringing her to completion one more time, Zander groaned, allowing himself to fall over the edge before collapsing next to her on the bed. Against her better judgment, she rolled over, snuggling against him, resting her head on his chest as the two elves tried to catch their breath. Zander pressed a kiss to the top of her head before propping himself up to look at her. "Maker's breath, you are beautiful," he said as he traced intricate patterns on her stomach. "No regrets, I hope."

Eriana smiled, pushing herself up to plant a kiss on his lips. "None. You were absolutely right; this was exactly what I needed. In fact, I'm thinking that we definitely need to do this several more times; you know, to make sure who ever is watching us is completely convinced that you've successfully wooed me."

Zander grinned, "I believe that can be arranged. We can't take any chances, can we?"

Eriana shook her head and flopped back onto the pillow behind her, struggling to stay awake. Zander chuckled slightly and gave her a quick kiss before crawling out of bed to collect his belongings. "As much as I'd like to stay, I'm afraid we must cut our evening short. You would never fall asleep with a stranger in the room, and I am sure your friends are eager to see if you are still alive."

"You're probably right," she said, stretching out as she watched him get dressed, thoroughly enjoying the view. Once he was dressed, he returned to her, perching on the side of the bed to give her one last kiss. The scene was very familiar; it reminded her of the times Zevran would slink from her tent when they first began their affair. A giddy, euphoric feeling surged through her when he looked down at her, lust and hunger still clearly visible in his eyes.

"I will see you in a few days, yes? Good. Sleep well Bella Donna," he whispered before giving her a quick peck and darting out of her room.

Fully satisfied, the blonde elf sank back into her pillows. Closing her eyes, she began to count. She hadn't even reached 10 when, without ceremony, her door flew open and Oghren stormed in, his cautious eyes searching the room. "So you're alive," he said gruffly. "I'll go let Groem know that he can let the Antivan go. I'll be back, though; we need to talk."

"I can't wait," she said with a faux groan.

While he was gone, Eriana took a second to get cleaned up and pull on a pair of pants and a linen shirt. When Oghren returned, she motioned toward one of the chairs in the room while she took the one opposite him. "As you can see, I'm in one piece; there was nothing for you to be worried about."

"No, not at all; you just took off with a complete stranger when you've been dealing with assassination attempts for the past two years. Of course, nothing at all to worry about. Ana, what were you thinking?"

"Um, I was thinking that I was attracted to a man who I wanted to spend some time with, and I'm a grown woman who can take care of myself," Eriana said with a huff.

"Kiddo, I'm not saying you can't take care of yourself; I'm just asking you to be careful. You have people who care about you, who care what happens to you, and I'm not comfortable letting you put yourself in a senselessly dangerous situation." The dwarf shook his head angrily. "I'm starting to understand why Alistair had such a hard time with Zevran."

Eriana laughed. "Oghren, this is not the same as what happened with Zevran. Zev tried to kill me; that's how we met. Zander came up to me in a bar and started to talk to me. It's completely different."

Oghren sighed and looked up at her. "Look, Kid, I'm not just worried about your physical safety. Ancestors know you can take care of yourself in that respect. I'm just worried that you are trying to avoid dealing with the situation."

"I'm not sure what you mean."

"Look, when Branka left me, I tried to drink my pain away. It was my crutch; my way of dealing with something I didn't want to deal with and something that I still have to deal with. I know you've been trying to cope by keeping yourself busy with all your business stuff; I just don't want this to be something that you do trying to distract yourself only to come to regret it."

Eriana reached over and took the dwarf's hand. "Oghren, I appreciate your concern, really I do, but this isn't a desperate attempt to escape." Eriana sighed softly, "But it is something I need right now; I don't think I realized how much I needed it, but I do."

"You don't think that this is just a desperate substitution, one suave Antivan for another?"

"I really thought that it might have been, but honestly it's not. This isn't some frantic attempt to replace Zev, really it isn't. I don't know what it is; maybe it's moving on, maybe it's healing. All I know is that it felt right; either way, I just need you to trust me on this; Zander is what I need right now."

"Alright Kid, I'll trust you," he said, leaning over to pat he on the knee. "I just wanted to make sure you thought about what you are doing here. You know I only want what's best for you; you know that, right?"

"I know," she said, pulling the dwarf into a hug, "and I appreciate it."

"Alright, then, I'll leave you to get some sleep. Night Kiddo."

Eriana bid the dwarf goodnight, locking the door before slipping back into the bed, snuggling into the warm sheets that still bore Zander's warm scent, feeling better than she had in months, not bothering to wonder what the implications of that might be.

-0-

Please, please, please forgive me. This has been a very difficult semester for me. I've been teaching two new curriculums this semester, and it has kept me very busy. I've also been struggling with writing in general, so I've had a rough time motivating myself to sit down and write. Hopefully, getting this chapter out there will help motivate me again.