The giddiness of his victory in the latest round of verbal repartee lasted a whole two blocks from the Hanged Man before subsiding into the nervousness he had felt earlier in the day. He absently reached into the pouch at his side to feel for the small box that he had hidden there earlier, the velvet soft underneath his fingers as his hand curled around it protectively. Thankfully it wouldn't grow dark for several more hours and he felt relatively safe from cutpurses while it was still daylight, but he did not waste any time as he walked swiftly towards Hightown not wanting to invite any disaster to befall the ring before he was able to give it to Hawke.

He still had no idea what he was going to say to her or even how he would give her the ring. He knew he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her, but with the eyes of Kirkwall upon them, they could not have a traditional betrothal. There would be far too many repercussions if they made their relationship official. In view of all the other factors though, that problem was probably one of the smaller ones they would eventually face. There was still Justice to contend with. He could sense that Justice liked Hawke in general, but that the spirit strongly disapproved of how frequently thoughts of her occupied Anders' mind. She was a distraction, a deterrent to their cause, Justice had warned him many times. That was one of the few arguments between him and the spirit that Anders would not concede to.

It would have to be enough for now to be able to give her the ring and the love that goes with it, he ruminated to himself. He quickened his pace as he climbed up the last series of steps into Hightown. Maker, he hated all those stairs. They were one of the few examples in which he could safely say it had been more convenient when he had been living in Darktown. At least there one didn't have to climb forever in the afternoon sun to reach home.

His steps faltered a bit at that thought.

Home, the word still had a strange ring to it,he couldn't remember the last time he felt as if he had really belonged somewhere. The feelings that the sudden thought engendered in him were both welcome and unfamiliar to him at the same time, as he picked up speed again and rounded the final corner, the estate quickly coming into view. Home, he tried the thought of it out again as his feet left the street for the path that led to the house. This time the welcoming feeling won out over the strangeness of it.

He let himself in through the ornate front door and stepped into the entryway. Bodahn instantly strode into view, all efficiency.

"Good afternoon Master Anders" the dwarf greeted him.

The amused expression that lit the mage's eyes stated that this was not the first time his arrival had been announced in such a manner.

"Bodahn, I've told you before you don't have to call me Master. It makes me feel like I should be lording over a small arling somewhere!" He said with a laugh.

"As you wish, Ser" the dwarf replied, slightly put out that the formality of the announcement had been taken from him.

"You will find Mistress Hawke down in the basement. She has taken it upon herself to write up an inventory of the wine stored down there, although I tried my best to get her to leave the task to the boy and me, as it is far beneath what the lady of the house should be doing."

Anders laughed again, under his breath this time. He had witnessed Hawke in battle on many occasions as she delivered the blow needed to decapitate enemies, the violent act always making the arterial blood spray in a high arc and rain down on her as a result. By the end of almost every one of those fights her features would be hidden beneath a slick coating of blood, sweat and dirt. He could not imagine her being deterred by some dust and the few small spiders that lived down in the murky depths of the estate's basement.

He descended the stairs into the quiet darkness of the cellar, still trying to figure out how he would present her with the ring. As he lightly stepped off the last stair onto the dirt floor he caught sight of her in the far corner. Her back was towards him as she counted the bottles on the rack in front of her, the small lantern that sat on a barrel by her side illuminating the immediate area. Playfully, he started to sneak up behind her. He knew he would not catch her completely unawares, the warrior in her would hear him long before he reached her.

As he drew nearer, he could tell the moment in which she detected him approaching by the almost imperceptible motion of her head as she slightly turned it to one side. She had evidently decided to play along though, as she gave no other indication of having heard his stealthy movements. He quickened his pace then, surrendering stealth for speed, as he ghosted up behind her molding his body into the back of hers as he wrapped his arms around her. He sighed in contentment as she leaned back into his embrace. "Good afternoon, my love" he whispered near her ear as his lips slightly grazed her neck, his whole world quickly comprised into the small space that now included them both.