Darkspawn- everywhere!

Throngs of them, surging forward towards us!

I see the fires from the depths of Hell surrounding the Darkspawn as they screech and ready their weapons to dismember and kill each and every one of us.

I back up and suddenly the sky is afire with purple and grey and I see it... I see the Archdemon.

It glides above the Darkspawn, calling them to arms and leading them forward towards me and towards the surface...towards the defeat and decimation of all who walk the surface.

It sees me and swoops in towards me and I open my mouth, a shriek escaping my throat.

The ground shakes and trembles below me and I am thrown to my back as the Archdemon descends upon me, its pearl white eyes set upon me...

"Detra? Detra!"

Everything is still shaking and the Archdemon is...

Gone.

Where am I?

My eyes opened and scanned the inside of my tent, my chest heaving.

"Detra... you are safe. You were dreaming."

I find Leliana above me, her hand upon my face, attempting to wake me.

I still see the images fresh in my mind and I squeezed my eyes shut, still breathing deeply.

"What did you see, Detra?"

"I saw... Darkspawn... thousands upon thousands! And the Archdemon... it's coming! This is a true Blight!"

My breathing sped up again as the images continued to burn into my brain and Leliana's hand pressed against my cheek.

"Do not worry, we shall beat them. All the forces we are gathering..."

I interrupted Leliana with a burst of words filled with emotion.

"It is not enough! I am not ready! We are not ready! We must..."

"Shhhh, be still, Detra. Relax."

I covered my eyes with my hand and I felt myself tear up. The dream had opened up a part of me that I kept hidden away.

By the gods, I cannot be seen as weak.

The visions or dreams or whatever they were... had been so real.

I must pull myself together lest I be seen as a coward.

Leliana pulled my hand away from my eyes and may have seen my tears but I closed my eyes, turning away from her.

"Do not look at me. I..."

I was grateful for the low light within the tent as I hid from Leliana, feeling like a fool.

"Do not be ashamed. I would be terrified if I were in your position, Detra."

I sighed, heavily.

"I cannot afford to be terrified."

"You are human, are you not? A superior leader cannot succeed without fear."

I looked at Leliana, skeptical.

"How can I possibly lead if I am afraid? No troops I have ever encountered would respect a leader who shows weakness and I cannot blame them."

"It is fear that prompts you to make the wiser decisions because you know exactly what it is that we stand against and what is at stake so you will not take any unnecessary risks. Fear makes you an exceptional leader, whether you think it is true or not."

I watched her and pondered what she had said.

Was there any truth to that?

I had always been taught never to show fear in any form, least of all when troops were present. Anything that could make you vulnerable was best left behind.

But I could do nothing about this situation now but collect myself and I did what I could.

"Please do not mention this to anyone else, Leliana. I just..."

I shook my head, hoping she understood what secrecy would mean to me.

"I will not. This is only between you and me."

Taking some deep breaths, I trusted Leliana to keep this between just the two of us and I was able to regain some composure. Leliana remained where she was, her hand now near my shoulder. She was still watching me and I felt her thumb stroking my neck.

It was soothing me and my eyes closed for a moment and then I remembered exactly what was going on.

Especially my present lack of clothing.

Thankfully the blanket was still on me but... Now so was Leliana.

She was still clothed of course, but it was enough to make me blush.

My skin warmed as I not only thought about but felt Leliana's body against mine and I looked back into her eyes where I saw what I can only describe as a hunger.

The honesty of her look frightened me a bit and I wanted to get away.

"I am better now thank you, Leliana. We should..."

Leliana did not move away as I had expected her to.

"We should what? Ignore this moment that we are having?"

A chill found its way through my body and I was not sure how to feel about it.

I looked up at Leliana and... those eyes again... and her hand on me. It was as if she was looking inside me and it scared the sodding hell out of me.

I am a Grey Warden, damn it.

Pull it together.

"I am not sure what you mean, Le..."

Leliana spoke over me with an angry tone to her voice.

"Oh, do not bother to tell me that you do not know what I speak of, Detra. If it would please you that I leave, all you've to do is simply ask me to do so."

I shook my head immediately, not wanting her to be angry with me.

"Oh no, no! I don't want you to leave, I just..."

My words trailed off as I saw a victorious smile spread across Leliana's lips as she watched me stumble upon my words.

Oh my, what a lovely trap the bard had fixed for me.

And how quickly I had set it off.

I had to laugh as Leliana's smile grew wider by the second.

"You must have been an amazing bard. Your skills are paramount."

Leliana giggled as she knew I was caught in her web and now a devilish smile crossed her lips.

"You have no idea..."

I felt my eyebrows rise and Leliana smiled as she moved in on me, pressing her lips into mine for a few seconds before I pulled away slightly, surprised and fearful of what I had just felt.

"...No, I cannot. Leliana, the Darkspawn..."

"Will all be there in the morning, I assure you of that."

I shook my head, still in disagreement.

"... I am..."

Leliana placed her finger across my lips, halting my protests.

"Just kiss me, Detra, would you?"

It was I who moved in to kiss Leliana after just seconds and we continued to do so, for a time that I did not measure. My hands slid up Leliana's arms and I felt her shudder at my touch and I smiled.

"Just lie back, Detra. Let me take care of you. I won't have you getting hurt."

Leliana moved away and quickly pulled her top off over her head, giving me quite the view and then she pulled the blanket back to move on top of me I would assume. She stopped for a moment and her eyebrows rose as she peered under the blanket.

"Well...I had thought you naked under there but... to see it is actually so...mmm..."

Leliana smiled and slid on top of me, assaulting my lips again with renewed vigor. Her warm, naked skin pressing against me made me gasp into her mouth and Leliana returned the sentiment with a groan. My arms curved around her back and I could feel my heart pounding in my ears.

Leliana's hands and body covered me and I gave myself to her, willingly, my head swimming.

We did not sleep for the remainder of the night, wrapped up in each other and all of our warmth under our blanket.