"All right, let's assume for a moment we go to Denerim, because I sure as hell can't afford a train ticket to Minrathous." Megan sounded irritable, and Zevran couldn't blame her. "What then?"
They had spent the past two hours discussing what to do next, now that the weather in Ferelden was getting too cold for camping. Morrigan had suggested moving on to Tevinter, or maybe Seheron, where it was much warmer. But really, where would they find the money for that kind of journey? Trying their luck in the big city seemed a far more reasonable course of action.
"We might be able to find jobs in Denerim," Morrigan conceded. "But we'd still have to find a place to live, and the city is expensive."
"Well, we could all share an apartment to save money." Megan's eyes were a little too round and innocent, Zevran thought. She must have known that particular suggestion wouldn't go over well with Morrigan.
Predictably, Morrigan huffed and threw her an icy glare. "You're not suggesting we share with them." She made a contemptuous gesture that included all three guys. "I'd rather move in with a mabari."
Sten had said nothing so far, just shaken his head and muttered ominously. And Alistair had made several half-hearted attempts to get in a word edgewise, but so far, with little success.
"Well, now, my dear Morrigan." Zevran couldn't keep still any longer. "I can assure you that I'm considerably less smelly than the average mabari. I can't speak for the other two, of course."
Alistair just sighed. "Look, if I may say something-"
"What could you possibly have to say that's worth listening to?" Yes, Morrigan was definitely in a bad mood. Zevran flinched.
"Morrigan!" Megan shook her head. "Let him talk."
Alistair threw her a grateful look. "Well, Daveth, he was one of the scout volunteers, you know, he said… He said he would try for a job on one of the cruise ships sailing north. They're always looking for staff, and you get free board and lodging."
"A cruise ship." Morrigan's voice was dripping with distrust. "What would we be doing there? I'm not going anywhere near kids," she added with a moue of distaste.
"I don't think you'd have to." Alistair lifted his hands in a soothing gesture. "They have all kinds of openings, in the kitchens or with the cabin staff. And even if you join the entertainers, you could always offer dancing or crafting classes, or whatever it is you enjoy."
"Hmmph." Morrigan sounded a little mollified. "You know, maybe you're not quite as stupid as you look."
"Thanks, I guess." Alistair made a face.
Megan was chewing thoughtfully on her lower lip. "It is a good idea. Though it would mean we'd be far away from home for Satinalia, wouldn't it?"
Alistair nodded, and Zevran didn't miss the brief shadow crossing his face. "I don't really have any family to go to anyway, just my uncle. I wouldn't mind."
"Same here." Morrigan's eyes narrowed a little.
Sten just nodded, as did Zevran himself. He certainly didn't fancy returning home for the holiday. But Megan-
"Ah, well. I'm sure my parents will survive." She raised her chin determinedly. "All right. Let's see if this works out."
In the end, it was surprisingly easy. Once they reached Denerim, Alistair quickly managed to locate Daveth, his fellow scout volunteer, who agreed to put them in touch with the right people. The Griffon's Wing, sailing from Denerim to Dairsmuid by way of Estwatch, Llomerryn, Rialto, and Treviso, was desperately looking for young people eager to see the world and ready to put up with minimal payment and cramped quarters. Sten opted for a job in the ship's kitchen, while Megan along with Zevran, Alistair, Morrigan, and Daveth joined the entertainment staff.
The two girls shared a cabin, as did Alistair and Daveth, while Sten bunked with a friendly but timid fellow galley steward called Jory. Somehow Zevran managed to end up with a single cabin. The entertainment staff was made up of young people from all over Thedas, kept in line by a formidable former schoolteacher from Kinloch called Mrs Wynne. She definitely suspected that Megan was spending most of her nights with Zevran, and she didn't approve, but since they were all of age, there was not a lot she could do.
Which was a blessing, because Megan was pretty sure they wouldn't have been able to keep their hands off each other for the six weeks they would spend on board. They would take their time on the outward journey and reach Dairsmuid just in time for Satinalia, when they would get a few days off to celebrate on the beach before returning south at a much faster pace. Not all guests would stay for the full round trip, of course – only the very rich could afford to take off so much time. Then again, the Griffon's Wing was a proper luxury liner.
Megan had never been on a cruise ship and she had no idea what to expect, but one thing was certain: There would be no time to get bored.
"Finally got rid of your dance partner? Me, too." Joining him at the bar, Daveth greeted Zevran with a wide grin and a hearty slap on the shoulder.
They'd spent the past two hours entertaining a pair of vapid young girls from Ostwick, the twin daughters of a fabulously rich industrialist. Zevran had done his best to be charming and polite while he had whisked his partner across the dance floor. Too charming, maybe. The girl had kept glancing at him with moist, hopeful puppy eyes, but in the end she'd given up and gone to bed. He was sincerely glad he was free to enjoy what was left of the evening.
"About time." He smiled back at Daveth. "Let's have a drink."
He had gotten to know Daveth a little during their journey north and appreciated his dry sense of humour. More often than not, they would end up at the bar together at the end of a long day, exchanging observations and anecdotes. Daveth was a few years older than the others, and he'd been around the block once or twice. He was easy on the eyes, too, with his dark hair and light brown eyes, at least if you liked the scruffy, unshaved look.
"Three more days till Dairsmuid." Daveth took a deep draught from his glass. "I'll be glad to have a few days away from it all."
"Me, too." Zevran nodded enthusiastically. "Say, have you ever-"
"Zev. Daveth. You won't believe what happened to me." To his surprise, Megan appeared at his side, looking flushed and excited.
Zevran signalled for the bartender to bring her a drink and patted the bar stool next to his invitingly. They tended to see little of each other during the day when they were all busy keeping the tourists happy. Megan looked worn out, and no wonder. Their shifts started at ten in the morning and rarely ended before midnight, and their days off were restricted to the times when the guests went on shore excursions.
"What is it, cara?" He smiled at her, wondering if he dared sneak a kiss. Wynne would have a fit if she saw them, of course.
"See that guy over there?" Megan made a small motion with her head toward a group of businessmen seated at a corner table. "The short, stocky one with the red hair and beard and the big nose?"
Daveth nodded. "That's Bhelen Aeducan. From Orzammar. Filthy rich and, if it's true what people say, involved with one of the crime syndicates there. You'd better not get on his wrong side."
Megan snorted. "Oh, he likes me well enough. He just offered me 500 crowns for a blow job."
"He did what?" Zevran couldn't believe his ears.
"Ah. There's always one of them on each journey." Daveth didn't seem too perturbed. "You'd better talk to old Wynne, so she can warn the other girls."
"What did you do?" Zevran did his best not too glare too obviously at the man.
"Told him politely that I'd love to, but I couldn't risk it, if I wanted to keep my job." Megan grinned. "Though, honestly, I was almost tempted. I mean, 500 crowns! That's not too shabby, you know."
Daveth shook his head. "No offense, Meg, but… You may be talented, but I doubt you're worth that much."
Zevran felt his eyebrows fly up. You might be surprised. He barely managed to stop himself from saying the words aloud. The faint crinkles of amusement around Megan's eyes suggested she had read his mind perfectly, though.
His suspicion was confirmed a little later when she joined him in his cabin, wearing nothing but a thin nightie. "Well, Zev?" She smiled cheekily at him. "You wouldn't happen to have 500 crowns on you, would you?"
"Ah, I'm sorry, my dear." Lying back on his narrow cot, he stretched voluptuously, enjoying the way her eyes lingered on his bare chest. "I don't think I can afford your services at those rates."
"Well, aren't you lucky you're getting them for free, then." Kneeling between his outstretched legs, she winked up at him and ran her hand lightly up his thigh. "Don't you think?"
"Exceedingly lucky," he affirmed, closing his eyes in anticipation.
And then his pants came off and her soft lips were on him, and it was every bit as good as he'd expected, if not better. Megan might not have been very experienced when it came to actual PIV sex back when they'd first met, but she'd always been adept at pleasuring him with her mouth. Clearly, she'd had a lot of practice in that particular area, and Zevran wasn't about to complain.
Her mouth felt incredibly good around him as she took him in deep, so deep he nearly lost it. She knew exactly when to pull back, though, keeping her hand wrapped around his shaft while she focussed on the crown, nibbling, sucking, teasing him with soft little kisses until he was close, so close he was seeing stars. And then, right before he came, she pulled back again, giving him a moment to recover before she sucked him back deep into her mouth and began the whole process anew, only to leave him right on the edge a second time, then a third, and a fourth.
By the time she finally allowed him his release, he was wound up like a coiled spring, and his orgasm tore through him with such force that he couldn't do more than sob her name, over and over, his body curled in a tight ball around her, his hands clenched in her hair, his toes curled in sheer, naked pleasure.
It was heaven.
Megan loved it all. She loved that she could do this to him, that she could make him lose control and reduce him to a shuddering mess. She loved his taste, and the silky skin of his cock under her lips, and the scent of his arousal. And she loved the way he looked at her afterwards, as if she'd just given him the best present ever.
"Well?" She smiled affectionately up at Zevran. "Worth 500 crowns?"
"You're joking, yes?" He pulled her up into a long, hungry kiss, moaning when he tasted himself in her mouth. "Right now, I would willingly shower you with gold and diamonds. Thank you, Megan."
"My pleasure." Another kiss made her shiver all over. "I don't mind, you know. It's fun."
"Mmmhmmm." Zevran's lips were hot on her throat now. "I'm glad to hear that. You're also amazingly good at it."
Yeah, well. All thanks to Carver, I guess. He'd been the one who'd talked her through her first attempts at going down on Nate, and he'd been full of useful advice. Thinking of him, of them, still made her sad, though, and she didn't want to be sad, not now.
Zevran's grip on her breast tightened almost imperceptibly, his thumb brushing over her nipple. "You know, cara…" His voice was a deep, sonorous purr. "I may not be as rich as certain other people, but I can pay you back in kind."
"Feel free." Megan bit back a yawn, pushing his head down where she wanted it. "Just… I'm really tired. You won't be mad at me if I fall asleep at some point, will you?"
He laughed, but the look in his eyes as he arranged her legs over his shoulders was fierce enough to make her gasp. "You won't. Trust me on this."
And of course she didn't. Zevran was far too experienced to allow that to happen. Oh sure, she was tired, tired enough to drift off into confused dreams of Carver's mouth on her breasts, Nate's lips on her thighs, both their hands everywhere on her body. But every time she started to doze off, lulled into a pleasant haze by Zevran's gentle caresses, he managed to surprise her with yet another creative manoeuvre, a sudden flick of his tongue against her core, a shift of his fingers inside her, a careful bite. And every time that happened, she snapped back into the present, feeling slightly guilty because of her fantasies, yet at the same time incredibly aroused by them.
Zevran didn't seem to mind that she was only half awake. He just kept going, patient and insistent, until he finally put his mouth right on her clit and sucked hard enough to send her straight over the edge. And she came so hard, harder than she had in weeks, so hard that it almost hurt.
Megan was too exhausted to talk afterwards, though she vaguely felt she ought to confess to Zevran what had been going on in her head. Then again, he probably wouldn't mind. For all she knew, he was thinking of Maker-knew-who while he was sleeping with her.
Still, it was weird. She hadn't fantasized about Nate or Carver in months, not since their break-up, in fact, so why now? And why had it been so incredibly exciting to think of them, while Zevran was here with her? As her eyes fell shut, the thoughts of them kept bouncing around in her brain. It could have been so good, the three of them together. If only they hadn't messed things up so badly. If only they'd been a bit more rational, less impulsive…
But in the end, she managed to shake those thoughts off. It was no use. Whatever had been, it was over. Life would go on, Zevran would be here to take good care of her, and she would have to face another long day tomorrow.
And Maker, she was so tired.
As always, I'm ever so grateful for the help of my lovely beta, suilven.