So this is partially a response to the DAWC Holiday Challenge. And partially the next installment of the saga of Elirezara and Anders. It's not as holiday-centric as it started out, but I blame going to see that new movie Hugo in the middle of writing it that turned it so sickly sweet somewhere near the end. Not that the movie was sickly sweet but…okay, no…it was. So much underlying romance…and it just got to me. Check Hugo out if you have a chance. I feel like the kids playing Hugo and Isabel could have EASILY tackled the roles of Eli and Anders back in their time at the Circle.

Anyway…

[insert standard disclaimer here]

No Time Like the Present

The winds furiously whipped around the courtyard of Vigil's Keep, turning the previously gently falling snow into cyclonic mayhem as they gusted. Better than last week when the snows blew horizontal for the entire day, Elirezara thought to herself. At least the winds ebb and flow today.

She stood silently observing the outdoors through the corridor windows across from her office. She'd had enough paperwork for the day, and since Seneschal Varel wasn't breathing down her neck for anything at the moment, she felt it was time for a much-needed break. It was just a shame that there was virtually no one around to share it with her.

Most of her Wardens were off on some confounding mission to Amaranthine in search of gifts for some sort of secret exchange that they were all planning. It was a tradition for First Day that many in Ferelden – at least many of the human persuasion – took part in. They never held such an event at the Circle when she was growing up, which was probably the reason she was so surprised that Anders jumped at the opportunity to participate. This was truly only her second cold season living so closely to…normal human activity, if you could call the human Wardens normal. The first didn't count – she was always on the move during the Blight. Trivial things like gift exchanges weren't exactly at the top of the priority list those days. And the cold season prior, she was in Denerim, at the palace as Alistair's aide and confidante. Considering the state of their…relationship…at the time, she wasn't quite in the mood for merrymaking. Or gift giving. Or smiling, for that matter.

Still, being her first opportunity to embrace the spirit of the tradition, she didn't feel confident that it was proper for the Commander of the Grey to accept gifts from her Wardens – despite the vocal opposition from all of them.

Nathaniel and Anders led the charge – vigorously supported by one of their newest Warden-recruits Sigrun. Despite being a dwarf, the idea of exchanging gifts had positively tickled her silly. Oghren also had no problem with the goings on…so long as it meant someone would be purchasing him a new concoction to imbibe. Even the Dalish woman Velanna was intrigued that someone might purchase a gift for her – though she did bring up the fact that she would of course be bound to purchase a gift for someone else; she's always quick to remind everyone that nothing is free in Thedas. So the Wardens set off with several members of the Keep's workforce.

Elirezara sent extra sovereigns along with the group, meant to be used to purchase gifts for the children of those who worked tirelessly at the Keep…cleaning its endless rooms…cooking for its inhabitants' endless appetites. The kitchen staff was also instructed to purchase items to create a spectacular feast – one that everyone at the Keep would enjoy with their families. She was not completely grouchy about the holiday…she merely didn't understand. The first of the new year? Not a big deal when most of your life was spent in the Circle Tower where it didn't matter what day it was…you never expected the next would be much different from the one before.

Regret flashed through her mind as she gazed across the blustery scene. She wondered if the weather was holding in Amaranthine at least. If they'd be weathered in overnight perhaps…enjoying some ale at the local tavern. Oh well, she thought, no sense in pining for companionship now. And with that thought, she hurried off to the Keep's library for some new reading materials. Nothing wrong with keeping one's head buried in a good book to pass the time.

And the time passed. Albeit…slowly…

After several hours, Elirezara returned to her office from the library. She passed one of the guards in the corridor, asking if the group had yet returned from their adventure. There had been no sign of them yet. She continued to drag her heels down the hall.

She was bored.

As she entered her office, she flopped down hard on to the chair behind her desk. What am I going to do if they're stuck there until tomorrow? Or worse? She surveyed the room…looking for something…anything…to do. She noticed a stack of parchment piled up on some shelves. Perhaps I'll write some letters to the City to complain about their lack of assistance to the farmers that sell their goods in the market, she thought. She dipped her quill into the inkwell and began to write. All of seven words later, and her thoughts began to drift.

To Anders.

Where else? She often thought of him when he wasn't around. But in this case, she couldn't help but think of the excitement on his face when he and Nate brought the gift exchange idea to her. He had a look of innocence that she'd not seen on him…well, ever. There was no devious undertone to it…no intention to cause mischief. He was simply energized over the whole idea of it – and a little more than disappointed when she said she'd rather not participate. Nate had even grumbled something about her not being festive. Still, they seemed content that she would allow the whole thing in the first place. A smile settled on to her face as she thought about how child-like almost all of her Wardens became over the entire First Day discussion. A shame she never felt as though she could join in, but what was done was done. She looked down at the parchment, realized that her quill continued to move as she doodled absentmindedly. The sketch looked surprisingly like a snowflake.

Of course!

She knew exactly how she was going to spend the next few hours passing the time. She jumped up, grabbing the pile of parchment under one arm, and a small pocketknife in the other. I'll show them who's festive…

The winds calmed overnight, and the snow subsided. The Wardens, forced to stay in Amaranthine for the evening, left the city even before the winter's sun shone its token rays upon the ground. They arrived at the Keep several hours later, exhausted from the journey spent mostly trudging through deep snow drifts. Some of the kitchen staff had remained at the Keep, and immediately began to prepare warm drinks for the weary travelers, serving them hot oats with cinnamon in goat's milk. They were all happier for it.

Anders couldn't help but notice the absence of the Commander in the dining hall and wolfed down his meal in order to hurry off in search of her. When he entered the main hall on the way towards her office, his footsteps immediately slowed to a halt. Hung across the entirety of the hall, from beam to beam, were hundreds – no, thousands – of snowflakes cut from parchment. Perhaps he exaggerated a bit, but there were certainly a lot of them. The natural breezes through the grand space caused them to spin and dance as if they were really falling. He craned his neck towards the ceiling as he walked through the hall. He was dazzled by the effort that must have gone into this – who could have…?

As his eyes returned towards the ground, he saw a few scattered pieces of parchment on a crate near the wall. Next to the crate, in a large lounger that had conspicuously been brought into the hall from elsewhere, he could see the tips of two small feet stretched off its end. He tiptoed towards the chair, assuming its inhabitant was still sleeping – and he was right. He peered over the high back of the lounger to see Elirezara, evidently the source of the virtual winter wonderland he found himself in. She was flat on her back, one arm resting on her stomach, the other stretched out and suspended in midair – and she was emitting the smallest of snores, something she'd kill him over if he dared spread word of it to the others. He smiled, reaching for the errant arm to bring it on top of the other. A small blanket was balled up near her knees, obviously not doing a very good job of keeping her covered. He moved around the end of the lounger and kneeled on the ground beside her. He gently pulled the blanket from its position and began to spread it out to cover her up.

He froze as she stirred, rolling towards him. When she became motionless again, he continued to pull the covers up over her. His hand brushed her shoulder as he began to stand up.

"You're freezing," she mumbled.

"And you're awake," he said.

"Mm hmm," she replied. She still had not opened her eyes. "But I could really use more sleep. I've been up for so many hours…did you see the snowflakes?"

"I don't think I could have missed them," he replied. "They look beautiful. Why don't I help you up to your quarters and get you into a proper bed?"

"Okay," she agreed sleepily.

"Do you need me to carry you?"

Her eyes snapped open. "Anders, don't be silly. I can walk." The eyelids slowly closed again as she began to sit up.

He reached for her hands and helped pull her to her feet. In a dizzying motion, she nearly tripped and fell directly into his arms.

"Are you sure you don't need me to carry you?" he joked. She opened her eyes again and narrowed them to glare in his direction. "Tell you what Eli…you can just lean on me the whole way." She put on a sleepy smile and nestled her head into his shoulder. He put an arm around her for support and began to drag her – at least partially – through the hall towards her room.

When they arrived, he closed the door quietly. He walked her to her bed, sitting her gently down at the edge of it. "Do you need me to help you with your robes? They look awfully uncomfortable." He almost regretted the suggestion to help her undress, fearing she would slap him immediately. But to his surprise, she agreed in her exhaustion.

"Just…close your eyes when we get to the naked parts," she said.

"Surely you have…some sort of underclothes on…don't you?" he said in surprise.

"Hmm," she replied. "I don't think so. I took a long bath sometime in between making the snowflakes and hanging them up. I just put my robes on." She looked at him drowsily. "I mean, no one was around Anders. I didn't think it mattered."

He chuckled at her. "Where are your bedclothes?"

She pointed towards a wardrobe. "Top drawer."

He nodded and retrieved them. "I promise I won't look." He began to pull the robes up her body and over her head. "Much."

Her arms flopped down on to her lap when the robes were removed and she looked up at him in a haze. "Anders…you're looking…and you promised…" But she could barely remain awake and was in no position to enforce said promise.

"Right," he said. "Sorry about that. Can't help it." He smiled, realizing that this was really the first time he'd ever seen her naked. Despite his promise – even though he added the caveat at the end – he couldn't stop his eyes from lingering on her pale skin, especially where her long dark hair fell to perfectly conceal her small breasts, just as her hands managed to find the ideal spot on her lap. Some would say she was undersized, even for an elven mage, but he thought her unspoiled. He leaned across her to reach for the bedclothes he had placed beside her. As he grabbed for them, he leaned in towards her, gently brushing his lips across her shoulder. A sharp intake of breath – accompanied by a shudder – crossed her lips. She looked him in the eye as he pulled back from her, bedclothes in hand.

They gazed at each other for some moments, until Anders unfolded the nightshirt and helped her in pulling it over her head. He pulled the bed covers back and leaned her back on to the bed. He bent forward and softly kissed her on the forehead.

"I'm glad you're back safe," she whispered to him.

He smiled and turned to leave. He had almost reached the door when she spoke again.

"Anders?"

"Yes Eli?"

"You should stay."

He turned around and looked at her.

"I want you to stay with me. I know you're tired too. And cold," she suggested.

"I'll just go get changed," he replied.

"You don't have to," she said. "This bed is very warm. Besides, you can just wear your underclothes."

"I could…if I were wearing any," he said, smiling mischievously at her.

She shrugged. "I'm so tired, I don't even care."

She didn't have to invite him twice. He immediately disrobed and tossed his clothing on a nearby chair. Hurrying to the other side of the bed, he slipped under the covers and maneuvered his way next to her. She radiated warmth and he was more than happy to partake of it. With merely a thin piece of fabric between them, her nervousness over just how close he was to her was only slightly outweighed by how exhausted she was. But it was enough to let her fall asleep shortly after she felt his arm make his way around her as he nuzzled his face into her hair.

Bang, bang, bang.

Elirezara started awake in response to the pounding on the door of her quarters.

"Who's there?" she called out.

"Commander," replied the voice from the other side of the door. It was Varel. "The kitchens require some important decisions from you."

Groan.

"Can't you handle this Varel?" she asked.

"Sorry Commander," he replied. "They've requested you directly."

"Enter," she grumbled to his response. She stretched her arms above her head, while yawning, squeezing her eyes shut tight. As she opened her eyes, they fell directly on the resting form of Anders next to her – at the exact moment the Seneschal opened the door. She froze as her eyes darted towards the door.

"My apologies Commander, but the—"

He stopped midsentence the second he saw she was not alone.

"Seneschal, I…"

"Oh. I…I didn't…realize…" he stuttered. "I will…ahem. I will deal with the kitchen staff myself. I apologize for the interruption."

Before she could reply to him, he spun on his heel and hurried out of the door, closing it promptly behind him. The noise caused Anders to stir and his eyes opened slowly. By the time he was awake enough to recognize where he was, Elirezara had already buried her face into her hands, her ears burning from embarrassment. He scrambled up into a seated position and pulled her hands down from in front of her face.

"It would appear that the Seneschal seems to believe that…something happened here." She did not look at him when she spoke.

"The Seneschal?" he repeated. "What do you…wait! He was here?"

She nodded slowly. "He came in. He saw you. He left."

"Oh. Oh dear."

"Yes," she said, "oh dear."

He suddenly burst into laughter. Finally she turned to face him.

"Why are you laughing? This is…this is disastrous!" she exclaimed.

"Why is it disastrous?" he asked. "Nothing happened…yet."

She looked at him, ready to glare and bare her teeth. But his face…the grin on his face was too much for her to deny. She started to giggle. "Oh, Anders. You're…hopeless."

He lay back down, holding on to her waist and pouting up at her. "Don't say that. I like to think there's hope for me where you're concerned."

She smiled. "Persistence, dear Warden. Persistence will be the key."

He let go of her and propped himself up on an elbow, looking up at her. "Are you rested now? Do you feel better?"

She nodded. "I can't imagine what time of day it is. The sky is still bright enough. It cannot be too late."

"Do you have…things to attend to? Letters to be penned? Duties to be…dutied?"

She laughed. "I cannot think of a single item that I must attend to today…at least considering Varel has concluded that he will handle the decisions for the rest of the day in order to avoid eye contact with me."

"Don't be embarrassed, Eli," he advised. "He'll not say a word to anyone. You can count on it."

"Are you certain? After all, you do look quite naked under those covers," she replied.

"I am naked under these covers. Or do you not recall that minor detail?" he asked.

"Oh," she said, slightly surprised. "I must have been quite exhausted to let you into my bed in such a state."

He shrugged. "I wasn't about to turn you down. Not when there was a chance for…" – he paused to clear his throat – "some advancement of our relationship."

"Oh? Did you really think so?" Her eyebrow was raised so far up her forehead that it seemed to merge with her hairline.

"A man can hope, can't he? Plan for the worst…hope for the best?" he offered. "To be honest though, after the ordeal we went through in Amaranthine, I was just glad to get home to see you."

She smiled at the sound the word home made coming from his lips. It sounded right…natural…perfect.

"Do you truly feel that way Anders?" she asked. "That this is home?"

He shook his head. "Not this. You. You're home."

As their eyes met and locked for a moment, she felt her face flush. She broke from his gaze, allowing her long hair to fall into her face as she always did when she was nervous around him.

"There was a reason I sought you out this morning," he said.

"What reason?"

He jumped up once again, leaving the cover of the bed. He hurried over to the clothing he'd left strewn across her chair earlier that day, leaning forward to rifle through the pockets. And quite noticeably exposing his naked backside.

"Anders," she whispered hoarsely, averting her eyes and letting them drift towards the ceiling. "You are still without clothing."

He looked back over his shoulder at her. "Yes? So? I don't mind if you see me naked. I saw you…"

"You saw…me?" she asked, incredulously.

"Wow. You really were out of sorts this morning," he said, turning back to continue searching his clothing for…something. "You really don't remember? I helped you change into your bedclothes. And might I say…the view was…memorable."

Her face burned hotly and she squeezed her eyes shut, once again burying her face into her hands. She felt him return to the side of the bed, likely sitting on it judging by its movement. He again pulled her hands away from her face.

"Eli, relax," he said. "You have nothing to worry about. I respect you. And I would never take advantage of you."

She relaxed…slightly. "I know Anders. It's just…" she started.

"You're still nervous," he finished for her. "Because of what happened before. With Alistair, I mean."

She nodded. When she internally vowed to allow Anders back into her heart, she never realized how hard it was going to be to put into practice. She thought it had something to do with the fact that she was nervous about destroying their friendship…or that she was afraid he'd just run away again. But if she were honest with herself, she would realize that it had everything to do with Alistair. If their relationship could sour so quickly, then why wouldn't one with Anders do the same? But then…Anders was not going to be placed on the throne. He was never going to have to hide her away. At least, not in the same way that Alistair would have been forced to do so. With the Wardens, there were ways around that sort of thing. Why was she so afraid?

"I'm sorry, Anders," she explained. "I know that things aren't…progressing as quickly as you'd like them to between us."

He shook his head. "There is no need to apologize. Things are moving exactly the way they are supposed to be moving."

She felt her face flush…yet again. He always had a knack for saying the right thing at the right time. No wonder he had been so popular with the girls back in the Circle. She needed to change the subject.

"So…you were…looking for something?" she reminded him.

"Yes, I was," he said. "And I found it. I know that you said you didn't want to be a part of the gift exchange with the rest of us lowly Wardens."

"That's not what I meant, Anders," she said quietly.

He ruffled her hair playfully. "I know. In any case, you know that I never listen to you when you give me rules to play by. And even though First Day is only a couple of days away, I just can't wait any longer to give you this."

The tiniest of smiles crept up to her lips. "Anders…you don't need—"

He put a finger up to her lips to stop her from continuing. "Yes I do."

He pulled a small box out from behind where he sat and placed it into one of her hands. She looked down at it and then back up at him. He watched as her face developed a pinkish hue again. Looking back down at the box, she slowly brought her other hand up to open it. When she finally exposed the gift inside, her jaw dropped. She was stunned by the simple beauty of what he presented her with. She reached into the box, retrieving an unassuming silverite chain. Hanging from it was the most stunning green stone, covered in strange patterns that almost looked like a pattern of lightning on a stormy night. She unconsciously allowed her thumb to pass over the smooth surface of the stone, feeling a strange pulse that seemed to emanate from it.

"Lightning in the green dusk," he said, finally breaking the silence.

"You…you remembered," she said, looking at him.

"Of course I remembered," he replied. "The day you told me what your name meant…I just knew that there was something about you. I needed to find out more. About why this young elven mage would be so proud of her name, even without knowing a shred of her history. And I was right. I was right that there was something about you…something special. When I saw that in the Amaranthine market, I couldn't think of anything but the look on your face when you first told me about your name."

"Anders," she said breathlessly, "it's beautiful."

"Yet it pales in comparison to you," he said. "To your soul. To your compassion. Why you'd ever question me when I tell you I can't live without you in my life…I'll never know."

He reached out and took the necklace from her, undoing the clasp. He pulled it around her neck and refastened it.

"Perfect," he said quietly.

She quickly leaned towards him, throwing her arms around him and hugging him tightly. "Thank you Anders," she said. "You…this…this is amazing."

He returned her embrace. "I'm glad you like it."

She pulled back to kiss his lips. She could feel the hunger within him, yet he did not push. It was a gentle insistence he provided her with, but not one that rushed her…or forced her. He was happy to let things happen at a natural pace.

As he pulled her close to him and rested his head on her shoulder, she found the courage to take a step. A leap of faith…for both of them.

"Anders," she whispered into his ear, "I think I'd like for you to stay with me again tonight."

"Really?"

"Yeah," she said with a smile that he couldn't see. "And maybe the night after that. Oh, and the one after that too."

He pulled back from her to look into her eyes again. "Who says you aren't giving anyone gifts for First Day?"

She smiled.

Perhaps there was something about this First Day thing after all.