A/N: Hey there! First, I would like to thank for the follows and reviews for the last chapter. It was the reassurance I needed to keep writing this :)

There will be two more chapters left until Kallian's get back to its weekly publication. The summer break is over, which means that I will have to deal with the University issues and with my job, so my free time will be limited. I will also change the publish day to sathurday.

That's all. Thanks for reading!

EDIT: Thanks for pointing me that error, failusnot! Hugs! :D

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Credits:

Portuguese Beta: Rohh Lael

English Beta: wintryone

Disclaimer: Dragon Age Universe belongs to Bioware.

Chapter 18

Tension

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Kallian

Tension.

The books translate the word tension as:

a) State of nervousness and anxiety.

b) Expansive Force.

c) Situation of conflict.

By the Void, how they were wrong...

Mahariel didn't trust Morrigan. Morrigan couldn't stand to be around Alistair. Alistair didn't dare look at Noah. Noah hated everybody, but he was especially inspired to focus his peeve against me. And I, well, I didn't hate anyone, but I had to not only endure all of this, but also solve all these conflicts of which I was not involved like it was my problem and keep the group from murdering each other.

Definitely the books were very wrong.

===Two days ago ===

Mahariel was already asleep when I closed the door. It was such a relief to know that she was on our side. I must confess that I was tense when I entered the room. I didn't know exactly what to say or how to say it without making things worse. After all, our relationship was not one of the best, and it could be summarized as a thin silk thread, that would break at the slightest sign of friction. And I knew that once the link was broken, the connection would be lost and we would lose her forever.

In the end, everything turned out pretty well and I got more than I expected.

It was a pleasant surprise. I mean, she was scared, which was completely understandable. It was a very intense turnaround for her to bear alone in so little time– I knew what it was like. Even so, I could feel that she was a good person.

I was right in fight for her.

As much as I was happy with this new, important step, part of me was becoming increasingly concerned as I descended the stairs.

Noah.

He acted like an arrogant jerk, grabbing my arm like a savage beast and turning his back on us. But the point is that blighted bastard was always there when we needed him. To be fair, I was not so angry with him. But I really wanted to be. Very much so.

Part of me said that I should keep him away - remove him from the group permanently. He was aggressive, unstable and always seemed to live in an internal struggle with himself. He was dangerous, not just to me and to the group, but to himself as well.

There was the other part, the irrational part of my mind, which was trying to convince me to give him a second chance. He was a good warrior, Duncan believed in him and...

Why?

It was a good question, really. What reason could be good enough to make a sane person want, with her own free will, to keep the source of her problems around?

I must be some kind of masochist.

But one thing I was certain about: regardless of my personal opinion, the situation couldn't stay that way. I had to speak with him. We needed to have a serious talk, one that would put all the cards on the table. There was too much being left unsaid, too much that could blow up in our faces at the exact wrong moment. I needed to have the air cleared, one way or another. If we couldn't agree that what was at the stake was greater than our little personal war, then this would be our last conversation.

I had all the ammunition I needed to use against him from weeks of putting up with Noah, and was ready to do whatever had to be done to establish our new limits when I came across a scene somewhat ... Unusual ... Upon entering the kitchen.

"I think it's about time for us to have a serious conversation and ... Noah! By the Void, put some clothes on!" I exclaimed, turning my back to him when I realized that he was wearing nothing but black underwear.

"My clothes are drying by the fire," Noah replied, not sounding bothered at all.

"Just because your clothes are wet doesn't mean you have to be naked!" I mumbled, rubbing my forehead. That was so embarrassing ...

"I'm not naked. Moreover, I doubt that this is the first time you've seen a man in his underwear, so stop being dramatic." I could feel him rolling his eyes. I knew that tone good enough to know it.

Of course I had seen a man in his underwear before. My cousin Soris but he was only nine. Noah didn't need to know that, however.

"It's hard to create any atmosphere of seriousness with you that way. Wear your pants, at least!" I heard him muttering loudly, before starting to move.

"Okay, ready, happy now?" Noah said. When I turned back to him, he was standing, arms folded, with a white sheet tied around his waist.

By the Void, why the hell did he have to be so sexy?

Noah had this rude and obstinate way about him, but it didn't mean that he was ugly. It was quite the opposite, actually. He was tall, with broad shoulders and strong arms. His body was so perfect that it seemed to be thoroughly hand-carved by some kind of exotic deity. His muscles, slowly rising and falling with his breathing, were in harmony with the rest of his body, in a silent and tender symphony. He wasn't just brute force; Noah was a beautiful guy, especially with that sloppy beard and his wayward, hair blowing in the wind. This wild, barbaric look was pretty appealing, somehow.

"I'm not going to have to make you put your shirt back on, am I?" I asked, trying to not stare. It was not like I was not enjoying what I was seeing, but I had to focus on this task. The situation would only become more complicated with all these distractions.

"I thought you were enjoying the view, since you were practically eating me with your eyes," Noah raised his eyebrows, smiling victoriously as I felt my ears burn. He caught me staring and it was embarrassing as hell. I didn't need a mirror to know that my face was redder than my hair.

"I wasn't, human, and if you don't shut your mouth I will shut it for you," I growled, hoping that he couldn't listen to my heart pounding violently inside my chest. Eating him with my eyes ... Who did he think he was?

"Respect her, Noah!" Alistair grumbled loudly. "Wear your shirt already!" I didn't notice, but he was sitting on a chair near the long table, the same way he was before. Well, except for his clenched teeth and all that tension in his shoulders.

I'd never seen him this upset.

"What? Are you trying to become a man, Chantry boy?" Noah said in that mocking tone that was reserved only for Alistair. Really, I was starting to hate the way Noah ridiculed him. It was not like I was taking sides, but it was a great lack of respect of his part. Alistair didn't deserve to be treated like this. And, before I realized what I was doing, I was talking again, completely ignoring my initial plan.

"He was -" My angry protest wasn't more than a stuffy whisper from my lips, which luckily none of them seemed to notice. I bit my tongue to keep myself from speaking my mind. What? That Alistair acted more like a man these past two days than Noah had in the last two weeks? That's it?

And since when had I started defending the human? This made no sense. I barely knew him. Just because he had given me a reason or two to tolerate his presence, there was no reason good enough for me to buy a fight that wasn't mine. I mean, just because he was friendly and treated me as an equal, It didn't mean...

Argh, Kallian, shut up! Friendly ? Equal? What nonsense! Since when did appearances begin to have a weight on the scales?

After that, I had to use all my strength to keep myself from hitting my head against the wall. Maybe it would give me back my sanity, but it wasn't worth the headache I've have explaining it later.

I nodded, trying to empty my mind. Reestablish my priorities. Focus, Kallian focus.

"I'm hurting your principles, boy?" Noah pinned, putting his hands on his hips. It was good to hear his voice, because it helped me to remember everything I had to talk to him about. "Who do you think you are to talk to me like that?"

"You walked away, turned your back on us and acted like an idiot while we were working hard to do something good here," Alistair growled frowning. I was so used to his silly smiling face, you see, it was really weird. "So yes, I have the right to talk to you however I want!"

"You better stay out of this - It's a talk for grownups!" Noah growled, clenching his fists.

"I'm not going anywhere!" Alistair took a step forward, challenging him. Suddenly, the kitchen had become absurdly hot and small. "It's past time for someone to kick your ass so you will stop being such an arrogant jerk and wake up to reality!"

"And who will kick me? You?" Noah growled and flew at the collar of his shirt, pushing him against the wall. Alistair, meanwhile, broke away from his grasp, trying to grab him by his neck. Noah did the same, and in the space of a heartbeat, they were face to face, clutching at each other's throats. And I, little elf, put myself in the midst of giants, trying to prevent them from breaking each other's teeth.

"ENOUGH ALREADY!" I growled in my best imperative tone, placing a hand on their shoulders, trying to part them. "Stop, you two!" I looked at Noah, who was so possessed by anger that he probably didn't even hear me, and then at Alistair, whom, on the other hand, not only heard me, but was questioning me with his eyes. I nodded slowly, taking a step backwards.

At the same time that Alistair loosened his grip, Noah used the loophole to intensify his. Irritated, I pinched the skin beneath his ribs tightly.

"I said stop!" I repeated, twisting my hand tightly. He squirmed with my movement, dropping Alistair, and focusing all his hatred against my gracious person.

"Elf, I swear by Maker, I'll..." He said through clenched teeth.

"You'll put your blasted shirt on and we'll talk. Then we can go out and you can try to kill me, but only after you listen to me." I said slowly, watching him become more and more angry. Visibly upset, he unrolled the sheet of his waist and placed it around his shoulders, locking himself inside a flat and shapeless tunic.

"Happy now?" He grunted.

"Yeah, thanks," I replied, realizing something almost magical. He was very good at arguing and yelling, but words would apparently have a greater effect on him, much more than fighting. And here I was, thinking that I would have to speak louder than him to make him understand me... Anyway, it would be worth trying. If everything else failed, my daggers were strategically positioned and ready for any action that I may have to take.

Then, I turned to Alistair, who was quietly breathing while holding his throat.

"Alistair, please, can leave us alone?" I asked gently, looking directly into his confused eyes.

"Are you sure?" He asked, frowning, looking worried.

"Yes, this is something that we have to solve alone."

"You know best." He rested his hand on my shoulder, and his touch didn't bother me at all. It was…gentle, I guess. Sometimes I think that Alistair exists only to contradict my beliefs. He always does exactly the opposite of what I expect, and, to be honest, what surprised me the most wasn't his willingness to prove me wrong, but how good he was at sneaking through my defenses and making me feel that it wasn't wrong to be this way. That it was normal to have him around, to be close, pretending that our little universes weren't so different and distant from each other. I didn't know what to think, really. "I'll be on the stairs, if you need me." He glared at Noah one last time before leaving the kitchen.

Noah walked in circles a few times, wiping the sweat from his brow with the tip of the sheet. He breathed ten or twenty times before opening his eyes. When he did, he appeared to be calmer than he probably was. I don't know what was going on inside his head, but I could see that he was struggling to stay that way.

"You're playing leader and subordinate, elf? Because the role of loyal dog suits him very well," he said sarcastically as soon as Alistair left. I sighed deeply, biting my tongue to not reply.

If my intention was to talk, then I should keep myself in line. I had to make him understand the whole thing, and from my experience, I realized that when he was overcome with rage, he didn't even hear what we were saying. I had to make him listen. Or better yet, I had to make him want to listen to me, and this was a fairly difficult task.

I think the first step would be making him see that this was a one-sided fight. I'd have to show him that I didn't intend to raise my voice. So, I grabbed a chair and dragged it to the fire.

I stay silent for a long time, just watching his features. I would have to force him to think, even if it meant I'd have to touch his pain. However, this measure was a double-edged knife, and eventually it would touch my pain as well.

But if this sacrifice was enough for me to solve this damn stalemate, so be it.

And I knew exactly what I should do.

I looked at him seriously, willing to overlook the fact that he was a rude and establish a conversation, not from human to elf or from commoner to noble, but from person to person.

I took a deep breath one last time before asking, "Why have you returned, Noah?"

Thanks, Wintry. You're a life saver :D