Author's Note: While my chapters tend to be on the shorter side, I feel like they go along with the natural breaks in the story. But since they are shorter, hopefully that means I will update quicker.

I don't own Dragon Age, Bioware does.

Chapter 3

They had been in the Hinterlands for almost three weeks. As nervous as she was to head out to a land that was completely unknown, the area was beautiful. They camped near an old spire, which was half crumbled near the base of a rocky hill. After they cleared up the last rift in the area tomorrow, they would head back to Haven. She was looking forward to her warm bed and not always feeling like she had to sleep with her armor on. She was able to get to know Varric, Solas, and Cassandra better with the time she spent with them. Varric was hilarious and full of great stories. He promised to give her autograph copies of Hard in Hightown the moment they got back to Haven.

While Cassandra always seemed annoyed with Varric and for a while Nadia thought she truly didn't like him, her demeanor was never sinister or hurtful. She caught Cassandra more than once with a small smile on her face when Varric was telling one of his epic tales. Solas was a different subject. While she tried to understand more about him and his knowledge of the Fade, it confused her. As much as she tried to understand him and as much as she wanted to connect to another elf, they seemed miles a part. When she tried to talk about the Dalish and how to better other elves they met on the road, Solas seemed annoyed and almost patronizing with his comments. She decided to leave the topic alone and just try to get to know more about him with out touching topics that left both frustrated.

The Commander floated through her mind more than she would like to admit to herself. She kept replaying the last time she saw him and the feeling of his hand with hers.

She knew little about men. She had never had a physical relationship with another elf, let alone a human. Not that there weren't opportunities back home. There was more than one other male in her clan who was interested, but she never reciprocated. No one called out to her, to her body or her mind like the Commander did in the few short moments she spent in his presence. Her father had had enough of her dithering. She knew he was close to arranging a marriage. Her spying on the Conclave was her last moment of freedom before she was to be given away. She had written to her family the following day after she woke up after the closing of the rift. While she knew the mail was going to be slow to reach her on the road, she thought by now she would have heard a word from them. It worried her.

"Ready to be back in Haven, Tiny? I know I sure will be. While the Hinterlands isn't necessarily a bad place to camp at, my ass is killing from sleeping on this ground so long." Varric had started to call her "Tiny" on account of her small stature, almost forgetting that she had at least a foot on him height-wise. Varric stretched his arms above his head as he walked out of his tent. It was early, the sun barely poking its' head out from the horizon. She had been unable to stay asleep, with dreams of demons and screams haunting her thoughts, she ended up eating some bread and watching the embers of the fire burn as dawn arrived.

"Yes I am Varric. I like it here. It's peaceful, even with the bandits, Templars, and apostates all running about. But yes, I'm ready to go back to Haven. Even only being there a couple of days, it already started to feel like home."

"Yah, I know what you mean kid. I'm planning an epic party when we get back."

"O, really? So I'm invited?"

"Of course! There would be no party without the Herald of Andraste. Plus, there isn't like there are a whole lot of people in Haven. I need to at least fill up the tavern. I know I can probably get Josie and Leliana there. I'll drag Cassandra out myself if I have to. Solas claims he's above it but I know he'll be there. And Curly, well he'll go anywhere you will be at."

"And what exactly does that mean?"

"O come on Tiny. I know I've only known you for a short while, but I had my eyes open before we left."

She felt her face starting to get red. Had I been that obvious of my infatuation? She wanted to bury her head in the ground.

"I don't know what you are talking about," she mumbled.

"Yah, yah okay kid. Whatever you say." He paused. "But on a more serious note, there is a cave next to that rift we are hitting today, I think there is a red lyrium deposit in there. If we have a chance, I would like to go in there and destroy it if we could."

"Of course Varric."

"Thanks kid."

She hesitated before she spoke. She had asked Varric a little about red lyrium, but he seemed extremely hesitant to really discuss it fully.

"Varric, I am curious. What does red lyrium actually do? Is it like normal lyrium? Like the Templars take but more powerful?"

He looked at her over the fire. He shook his head. Looking at him now, he seemed so much older. Like time had punched him in the gut.

"It's…powerful. I wouldn't say more powerful than regular lyrium but it definitely produces something that normal lyrium doesn't."

"So, you really don't know where it came from, or at least how it came about?"

He shook his head. "I wish I did kid. But I brought it out, so as long as it's around and I'm around, I'll do everything in my power to destroy every last bit of it."

"You're a good man Varric."

He threw is head back and laughed. "O kid, I can't wait for my party. I'm gonna get you so drunk, you're gonna hate me for weeks."

"I don't think that's possible, but you can try."

"Whatever you say Tiny. Just wait, I'm gonna get you and Curly drunk so you can just get all that pent up energy out."

She felt like her face was on fire from blushing.

"O don't be ashamed kid. Curly's a handsome man. I get it. Tall, blonde, jaw that could cut glass, etc."

"Are you sure you don't want to end up in his bed Varric?"

"O feisty. I like feisty Tiny. I'm just messing with you kid. But hey, not gonna lie, you spent three days in Haven, three days conscious I should say. Even in those three days, I could see the sparks. Just saying kid, if you ever need some advice or girl talk, you can talk to me."

She laughed. "Girl-talk, Varric?"

He grinned at me. "Hey, I know people. You just seem a little out of your element. I can give you some insight into the mind of a guy if you need me to."

She rested her head on her bent legs and cocked it to the side while she watched Varric build up the fire.

"I'm glad you're here Varric," she whispered loud enough for him to hear.

"Me too kid, me too."

They didn't come back to Haven until another three weeks. Leliana and Josephine bombarded them with messages almost immediately after they closed the last rift, suggesting points of interest about potential allies.

When they arrived back in Haven atop horses from Master Dennet, they must have looked like the most odd company. Blackwall, Vivienne, Sera, and Iron Bull were all atop horses with their things accompanying them. The soldiers that were practicing outside the gates all stopped to look, mostly at Iron Bull.

She saw him standing outside the gate, directing the horses and shouting orders to soldiers. He turned to look at them, at her. His eyes didn't float to any of her companions, old or new. She felt like her stomach was floating out of her chest when their eyes locked. She pulled her horse toward him.

"Nada-," he said while he opened up his hand to help her down from her horse.

"Cullen!" she said excitedly. Her hand grabbed his and she jumped down. His other hand was place lightly on her hip, automatically finding its place when she hurriedly jumped down. Before she even could think about what she was doing, she threw her arms around his neck. She stood on her tiptoes and his arms automatically circled her waist.

"It's so good to see you," she whispered in his ear. He tightened his hold on her.

"It's so good to see you too," he said turning his head near her. She could feel his breath on her ear.

Cullen then abruptly dropped his arms and took a step back. He rubbed his the back of his neck and averted his gaze from her.

"Um…I'm just going to uh…" He then grabbed the reins from her horse. "I'll put your horse up for you." He turned on his heels and walked her horse towards the corral.

You're a fool Nadia. You jumped on him. You barely know the man.

She felt someone hook arms with hers.

"O my dear," said Vivienne in her Orlesian accent. "Let's go put our things away and talk."

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