Ch. 3

I was startled as the tavern girl replaced the glass (and the wine) without missing a step in her intricate dance around the tables. The glass was swept away without notice, so skilled was she in managing her tasks. I was, to be sure, frankly impressed. I sipped my wine and remained content within the circle of Fenris' embrace. He was warm and hard, his powerful body as comfortable to me as the most luxurious chair.

My tall elf rested his chin upon my shoulder and exhaled, a soft sound of contentment in my ear. I loved his scent, the unusual combination of wood-smoke, sweet spice and the slightly bitter oil he used on his sword and armor along with something else I found pleasant but unfamiliar. His scent combined with his physical presence was highly arousing in sight and touch and it took all my skill to maintain my composure as I reclined against his chest.

Perhaps I was lonely after all... I needed this more than I'd realized.

Unexpectedly, I felt his lips on my neck, their flower-petal softness stirring my senses. I gasped and closed my eyes, my body waking up with every new sensation his touch conjured from within me. "Fenris...!" I gasped as his arms tightened around me.

"Being with a former slave has its benefits," he once told me. "Denarious would... 'Lend' me to his guests for their sexual gratification. I got very good at it..." I was beginning to realize that he was not exaggerating!

I felt myself wanting him, needing him in the way a hummingbird needs nectar. With shaking fingers, I carefully put down my glass, turned around in his arms and kissed him hard, my thighs astride his lap, our groins touching. It was going to happen, I was going to have him! Elation soared within me as I prepared myself to accept him, body and soul, whether I was ready or not.

"Ell..." he murmured breathlessly against my lips. "Ell... The innkeeper... Behind you..."

I looked over my shoulder at the amused expression on her face, her eyes bright as she stood before our table with her arms crossed. The other patrons paid us no mind as they continued to enjoy their food and drink along with their pleasant conversations, for which I was thankful. "Your room is ready… Here's the key and your friend is safely beneath the sheets, sleeping soundly, I suspect… Soundly enough if you want to continue your entertainment there… Or continue it down here. My guests never mind an open display of passions."

I stared at her with eyes wide, my mouth agape as I disentangled my limbs from Fenris' body and stood up, feeling very awkward under the laughing gaze of our host. He was flush-faced, his shaggy, white hair in his eyes as he cleared his throat, one corner of his full mouth turned up slightly in a wry half-grin. "You have our thanks. Unfortunately, we will decline the invitation of providing further entertainment for your patrons this evening," he said as he rose from the chair.

I accepted the key from Varenne and we took both the wine and our glasses up to the room after making a request for meals for all three of us to be brought up later. I climbed the stairs slowly and waited for my friend to draw near before I murmured, "What happened back there? I don't think I've ever... Felt that-that kind of lust for anyone before!"

He drew up against me, his breath soft against my neck. That simple act of passive intimacy sent tremors throughout my body. "Mmm... are you complaining? I... Don't know if this thing growing between us is such a good idea but it feels too good to deny ourselves the chance. I wonder how much further we might have taken it had we been alone?"

I laughed and looked back at him as we topped the last step. "I don't know... I wasn't exactly thinking."

Unanticipated, his hands gripped my face and the force of his body and open mouth slammed me around the corner, pinning me against the wall. I thought I hit my head but I hardly felt it as our lips collided in a fiery dance. His hands were everywhere, groping and squeezing their way up and down my body, exploring me thoroughly. I don't know what possessed me but I had to know, had to feel him so I reached for his groin and grasped his cock through his hide breeches for just the barest of moments. I exhaled dreamily as I confirmed what my body had already told me; the elf was every bit the large, powerful man his strength hinted at.

Moaning, I reached around his body, cupped his tight, muscular ass and then used it to force him tight against me. He pulled his face away to grin down at me with dancing eyes. "Hmm... You're still not thinking."

Just then, as things were about to heat up, a pair of young warriors slipped past us, fingers entwined. One winked at us, reminding me that we were not as isolated as we felt. Blushing, we forced ourselves apart and I stroked my temple with my fingers with a sigh. "I suppose I am now... I need to check on Anders, anyway."

Bristling, Fenris reached for my hand as we headed to the room, stopping me just as I reached for the iron handle. "I thought you ended things...!" he demanded, forcing me to spin around and face him. For the first time in ages, I saw his lyrium etched-skin flare brightly with anger. He had a temper and he hated Anders with every fiber of his being.

It was my turn to take offense. I shook off his grasp and stared him straight in the eyes. "I did! But I do still care about him because he is my friend. We were lovers once, too! Does this offend you? Because if it does, while it causes a rift between us, we don't have any reason to move forward with this-this... This! Between us!"

Startled, he looked down at me with eyes wide and his mouth open. "Ell, I... I'm sorry." He then dropped his gaze to the wood floors and wrung his hands in front of him. "It's just... For years, I watched the two of you with longing. My flirtations with Isabela were merely a distraction from the pain I felt when I saw you together. I... struggled with longing every day and when you showed up here, with him, I felt my heart breaking despite your interest in me. I am... Profoundly sorry. Forgive me."

I bridged the space between us with a step and a kiss, our lips feather-light against each other as my hands pushed through his short, silvery hair. "I overreacted. I am sorry, too," I whispered against his pale skin.

He kissed me back and reached behind me for the door- which was left unlocked for us. There was a smile teasing his full mouth as we entered the dimly room.

It was well-appointed for an inn, furnished by a plush couch, table and two chairs, multiple wall hangings and a large bed that dominated the center of the room. Within thick folds of sumptuous bedding lay Anders, looking weak but alive and comfortable. My eyes drifted to the thick rug laying before the fire and unbidden, my mind went back into the past to the many times Anders and I made love in front of the fire in the Hawke estate. The memories were happy but they brought sadness to me because they reminded me of a time when I trusted him.

"...sleep?" Fenris was asking me. I turned to blink my eyes at him and blurted, "What?"

"Anders has the bed. Will you sleep with him or on the couch? I will take the floor." He chuckled at my sudden expression of dismay and held out his hand. "Don't worry about it. I'm used to sleeping on the floor."

"No, I won't ask you to do that," I said.

The elf grinned and cast a green-eyed look at the bed. "Well, I'm not sleeping with him!"

"Then you will just have to sleep with me," I laughed.

Long, muscular elven arms encircled my lithe body and he parted his lips for another soft kiss as he murmured, "Don't tempt me. My control is great but it is… Beginning to slip…"

All of a sudden, our sense of isolation was ruined by a hesitant voice from the blankets on the bed, a voice that caused Fenris to roll his eyes and groan in frustration and me to glance sharply in the direction of our companion as he stirred. "Ellesandre? Ella! You came back for me! I knew it wasn't… Uh… Fenris? Of all the bloody, rotten fates… Wha-what is he doing here? Ella? And why are you…?"

The elf jerked his arms away from my body and crossed them against his chest, which was broad, powerful even, for an elf. I wanted to run my hands across its smooth, lyrium-etched surface and feel his power, his strength and his passion course through my veins. Unfortunately, Anders was staring at us with a mixture of hurt and wonder and my heart lurched to him- and my body followed suit.

To Be Continued

Note: This story is written in 4 primary arcs with each character's perspective being used for each arc, starting with, and ending with Hawk. I'll warn you when arcs end and begin. This is an arc-end. Next up: Anders' perspective!