A/N: This chapter is rated "M" for adult content. This is the first time I've ever written anything so intimate, so please be gentle. You have been warned. C:

Inspiration taken from a deviantart picture called "The Captain's Private Quarters" by Lyno3ghe as well as making characters using Doll Divine's Tudor Scene.

Special thanks to FremenCredo and Musicalrain for their help with this scene. You guys are so inspirational to me! If you haven't checked them out already, please do so as their stuff rocks! :D

Also, I am going to be meshing "On Fire" with Musicalrain's "Truly Existing," so if you'd like an awesome read about a character who will make appearances here, go read it! :3

Kicking off her ornately beaded slippers, Loretta gave one last look at the utterly shocked elves her mother had sent before leaping out of the window with a yip of glee. If it would have been someone else- - -anyone else- - -Loretta would not have dared something as dangerous and foolhardy as jumping out of a bedroom window. But as the summer wind hummed through her ears, Loretta did not feel like she was falling- - -she felt like she was a bird finally beginning to fly.

Anders was ready for her, and he caught her easily in his arms, still surprised by how light the rogue woman felt as he held her.

"Go, go!" Loretta yelled amidst burst of excited giggles.

Anders lifted her up and swung her around to carry her on his back so she would not have to traverse the filthy streets in bare feet. She wrapped her legs around his waist and laughed maniacally as the mage took off into the darkness.

So Anders ran, thankful for the fact that most people had already retired for the night and were not roaming the streets. His heart raced as his feet pounded the pavement. "Feels like I'm bloody seventeen again!" said the mage as Loretta's laughter in his ears caused him to laugh as well.

They could faintly hear commotion coming from the Hawke estate. "Hurry, they went this way!" yelled a womanly voice Loretta recognized as one of her "tutors."

Anders skidded and turned sharply down a side alley that had plenty of cargo boxes and debris to deter their pursuers. Loretta's eyes soon adjusted to the black shadows that flew by her in a blur as the pair blazed through the snaking, cobblestone path to come out near edge of the city limits. Fast footsteps could still be heard following them.

Loretta squeaked as an echo of a voice reached them. "If we don't find them, we don't get paid!"

"Faster," she whispered, her lips brushing up against the mage's ear.

Although Hawke couldn't see his face, she had no doubt that Anders was flustered by the way he stumbled on his feet- - -and she loved it.

Soon, the smell of brine and sand reached her nose, and Loretta knew they were heading for the Wounded Coast.

True to its name, enormous jagged boulders and rocks jutted out of the Wounded Coast's shoreline like an unsightly scar. Loretta hopped down onto solid ground once Anders' feet touched the soft, beige sand. He jogged ahead of her, his long strides carrying him over the loose terrain easily. Smoothing out her white underdress (while becoming suddenly and overwhelmingly self conscious about what she was wearing, or lack thereof), Loretta ran to catch up with Anders, her bare feet making the sand squeak with every step she took.

"Where are we going?" she finally called to him as he headed directly to a cluster of rocks ahead of them.

The mage's cheerful voice rang in the night. "Just trust me!"

Loretta glanced behind her, and saw three shadowy figures heading in their direction. They would have to be faster than this if they were to lose Leandra's hired help.

Upon reaching the rocks, Hawke realized that there was a gap large enough for one person to squeeze through at a time. Anders went first, turning his body sideways so his wide shoulders would fit through the slim opening.

Loretta looked down at her feet and then at the stony path that lay before her. As soon as she looked up, however, she saw that Anders had his hand extended out for her to grab. "Hop aboard," he said with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes. He hoisted her up once again, piggy-back style, and the pair ventured up a rocky path that seemed hidden from the normal trails used by trackers, hunters, and raiders.

Careful not to slip, Anders put his arms out to balance himself as he and Loretta began their descent after some time had passed. Loretta responded by tightening her grip with her legs while keeping her arms loose around his neck so that he could move freely.

Finally the path opened, and Loretta could see that they now stood on the edge of a rise of land overlooking a sandy cove. A ring of large rocks encompassed the small strip of beach, making it nearly impossible for boats of any substantial size to pass through in order to reach the shore- - -or so Loretta thought.

"What's a ship doing here? I didn't even know it was possible to sail into the Wounded Coast with all the sandbars and other crap here."

Anders slid down the slope they were on to the beach down below. He set Loretta on her feet and gestured for her to follow him.

"I'll explain once we're aboard, now hurry before they figure out where we've gone."

...｡. o.｡. o.｡. o.｡. o...

The ship looked abandoned from where they stood, anchored alongside a makeshift dock as it swayed with the ebb and flow of the night tide. As soon as Loretta and Anders climbed onto the vessel, bright light spilled out of the mage's hands, and Loretta realized he was warding the ship with a cloaking spell.

"It won't last forever, but at least it will give us a few minutes so those blighters will most likely give up."

Taking her by the hand once he was done, Anders quickly led the way to a door on the far left of the ship. Creating a glowing light with his hand, the mage brought a finger to Loretta's lips to signal to her to remain quiet. Maker, but I haven't had this much fun since I was a kid, Anders thought with a mental shake of his head. He shut the door behind him, and the pair waited with held breath in the dark silence. Voices could be heard around them, and Hawke's heart pounded in her throat as she prayed to the Maker to remain concealed.

"I don't see anything here, do you?" someone said in a hiss of frustration.

"I could have sworn they came this way," another answered.

"Looks like someone'll have to tell Lady Amell the lovely news about her wayward daughter."

Hawke exhaled loudly as a grin spread out across her face from ear to ear- - -her mother's help had given up, and the only sound they heard now was the gentle sea waves as they pushed up against the ship.

She heard Anders rummaging near her before a series of candles were lit. She could see they were in what looked like sleeping quarters: a comfy, feather-stuffed bed sat underneath a ledge with windows lining the cabin walls, while several round, wooden tables and a writer's desk were situated around the room.

"What's the deal with this boat, Anders?" Hawke inquired as she looked above the entrance door to see the words "The Watchman" carved deeply into the wood.

His voice was edged with excitement when he addressed her. "Do you remember the first time we met, Love?"

Hawke looked upward at the ceiling in thought. "The day you saved me from Meeran's men, of course," she answered, her back still turned towards the mage.

She heard him chuckling softly. "I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I'm afraid we met much, much earlier than that."

Loretta whipped around to face him with a raised eyebrow.

"As I recall it, it was a dark and gloomy night," Anders began, his voice deepening playfully, "And I just so happened to be smuggling a mage out from the Gallows, my first attempt at doing so, as a matter of fact..."

He paused when Loretta's eyes widened slightly as she walked toward him. The mage pretended to be preoccupied with removing the white gloves he had donned for that evening's ball. Tossing them aside, his eyes softened as he looked down at Hawke. "And that's when I saw this...this lovely creature staring right at me. I didn't know how long you had been watching, or how it was even possible that you could detect me in the middle of the night. I thought I would be done for and arrested on the spot should you have wanted to turn me in for witnessing an apostate in action."

Loretta's mouth fell open in surprise but did not interrupt him. "Well, that mage had a cousin,Finnegan, who is the very capable owner of this vessel. So, once I got his cousin freed, ol' Finn let me use one of the sleeping quarters here should I need to escape Templar notice for a day or two as a show of gratitude."

Hawke stared at Anders with a befuddled look on her face as her mind reeled from the new information. "But that was when I had just arrived in Kirkwall, and nearly a year before I had the shit beaten out of me by Meeran," she exclaimed."Why didn't you introduce yourself earlier if you knew me?"

"Because I wasn't sure it was you, Beloved," he said, tweaking her nose, "until I paid Meeran's men a little visit after your run-in with them left you in my care."

Loretta gawked at the man smiling impishly at her. That mysterious mage she had met all that time ago, the one that had set the guard's cloak on fire to unknowingly win Athenril's favor to get into the city for a year of servitude, was none other that the man that stood before her right now.

She owed Anders more than she could ever express to him.

"Ah, I can't believe we actually pulled it off," Loretta said with a contented sigh as she looked out of a window and onto the sea that surrounded them.

The adrenaline that had been pumping through their veins had now faded, and a serene stillness encompassed the pair. They stood in silence for a time, just listening to the sounds of the night. They were too far away to hear the Chantry's bell ringing, but Loretta guessed it was just past the midnight hour.

"The sea's quite breathtaking when we're not fighting for our lives, isn't it?" She commented, breaking her reverie as she continued to watch the silver caps of the wave tops rise and fall.

Anders did not answer her at first, for his mind was completely distracted. The way the moonlight hit Loretta's high cheekbones and reflected off of her short hair had Anders swallowing thickly as he gazed at her. His eyes traced the delicate silk that hugged her curves softly as it fell to her feet, and a familiar feeling stirred in the pit of his stomach.

Loretta felt the warmth of Anders' body as he hugged her from behind. "You're absolutely breathtaking, Love."

She turned her body to face Anders. The way his hair hung loosely around his face made Loretta want to run her fingers through it. They breathed slowly, and Loretta felt her face blushing. She bit the inside of her cheek and saw Anders smirk at her expression. Suddenly lips collided together as they hungrily explored each other in a flurry of hands belonging to two bodies.

Loretta brought her hand to cup Anders' face as his soft lips moved over hers expertly, alternating between long, hard kisses and short, quick ones so they could catch their breaths. Anders could feel his body aching, sending pulses of heat from his abdomen to his toes. He felt her moan slightly as he pulled her closer to him.

Her body is so warm...

Loretta gripped his chamise collar and stepped backward until she laid down on the inviting bed with Anders straddling her small frame.

A growl bubbled forth from deep within Anders' chest as the tenseness in his body became nearly unbearable. Dear, sweet Maker...

Hawke could feel the weight of his strong body against hers, the silk and cotton fabric of his clothes rubbing against her bare skin where her underdress met her legs. Reaching down, she made a tug at the boots Anders was still wearing.

They made a thud as they hit the wooden floor.

Their lips met again, and Hawke's fingers took a hold of Anders' knee-length cannions. But she hesitated suddenly, her body trembling slightly as she broke apart from the kiss.

Anders' fingers interlaced with Loretta's to slowly bring her hands back to their original position at his side. "Whatever it is you wish to do," he said, his voice slightly hoarse and low, "whatever is your desire, I want you to fulfill it."

He closed his hands over Loretta's and pulled at the cloth around his hips until he was free of them. The only thing that was left now was his leggings and undergarments.

What he said next sent shiver down Hawke's spine. "For tonight, my love, you are truly and wholly free- - -we are free."

She captured her mouth with his again, and Anders' hands raked through hair as their lips melded into each other's with nearly bruising force.

Her fingers grabbed at the leather jerkin in an attempt to undo the knots that held it secure to Anders' body. His kisses deepened as his hands traveled to run down the curve of her back.

The black doublet with a simple gold pattern was next. When that was successfully unbuttoned, Hawke let out a small cry of impatience.

"So- - -much- - -clothes- - -why?!" She gasped between feverish kisses.

Anders chuckled darkly, a smile pressing against her mouth as she untucked his puffy, black, chamise from his leggings. In a swift motion, Anders lifted the offending article of clothing up over his head and tossed it onto the ground. He embraced her again, and Loretta's pulse skyrocketed as she felt the ripples of his toned body beneath her fingertips.

Hawke's breath was staggered and heated as she buried her face into Anders' bright, amber hair. She traced the outline of his collarbone with her hand, and moved slowly downwards over his bare chest, not failing to notice his skin beading at her feather light touch. Loretta inhaled deeply, smelling soap, sandalwood, and something distinctly male. She found herself intoxicated by it, and she hummed softly in excitement.

She pulled him closer, feeling his damp, warm skin now pushing up against her in a slow, rhythmic motion. His lips found her neck, and Loretta arched her back in his arms as she gasped suddenly and brushed back up against him in response. Every bone in her body, every muscle, and every nerve ending, felt like it had been set ablaze. Her reaction spurred Anders to hold her tightly as their pace quickened, his lips paying a painstakingly large amount of attention to the curves of the woman's neck. Loretta tried to speak, but it came out in breathless bursts of words as they moved.

"I...love...you..."

Anders stopped, and Loretta felt her heart drop as she froze. She broke away to look at him cautiously. Shit...I...I can't believe I screwed this up...

But when she focused her gaze, Loretta could see golden eyes shining at her. "Oh my darling," Anders whispered softly, his thumb stroking her cheek. For a moment, he did not speak as his eyes wavered back and forth. His head tilted and a sweet smile lit up his expression. "I've never allowed myself to fall in love before...never..."

His voice seemed to catch in his throat as he continued to study her. When he spoke again, his voice sounded warm and heavy against her skin."This is a rule I will most cherish breaking."

He kissed her once more, but this time it felt soft, gentle, and almost reverent. Loretta looped her fingers around the rim of Anders' leggings and ran her fingers around it until she found the ties that secured it to his hips.

Their bodies intertwined, and the sea muffled out moans of pleasure as it rocked their sanctuary with each lap of sparkling black waves.

...｡. o.｡. o.｡. o.｡. o...

Panting heavily, Anders wiped a lock of sweaty hair from his eyes as he caught his breath. Looking over at the woman next to him, his heart swelled with warmth at the glow of satisfaction coloring her face.

He curved his body around hers. "I love you too, Loretta," he said softly just as sleep overtook him.

A large wave crashed against the ship, and Anders snapped awake with fear clutching his heart for the faintest of moments. Relaxing his muscles, he unhitched his breath, remembering where he was.

Slowly so as not to wake her, he applied healing magic over Loretta's body so that she would not feel any pain or soreness when she would wake up.

She murmured contently before turning on her stomach with a sigh. Soon her dark brown eyes blinked open and focused on him.

Anders smiled and kissed the woman on the cheek. "Waking up with you by my side will take some getting used to..."

Loretta snuggled up to his side and Anders draped an arm around her. Kissing her forehead, he spoke into her hair. "I've been holding back for so long about how I feel about you- - -about how I've always felt about you- - -but I can no longer deny my feelings any more than I can deny being a mage. I- - -"

He brought his head down to kiss her gently. "I don't ever want to leave you."

Loretta's head cleared from the grogginess of sleep at the man's words. She clasped her hand with his, a coy smile toying at her lips. She couldn't remember a time when she felt happier. He deserved to be happy too, this man who was always more than willing to put other's needs over his own. And if she could have any part in that happiness, Hawke knew she would go to the ends of eternity to make that a reality for him.

She tucked a strand of hair behind Anders' ear with a smile. "Then we will face the world- - -together and always."

She rested her head on Anders' bare chest and listened to his beating heart. "Can we stay here a little while longer?" she said, her fingers swirling around the mage's short chest hair with a flirtatious touch. "I don't want to go back to civilization just yet."

Anders moved over so he could lie on his side, their faces nearly touching. "Your wish is my command," Anders replied, tugging at her earlobe softly with his teeth to elicit an intense shiver from her. "...Lady Hawke."

Loretta laughed at the comment. "I'm not so sure you can call me a lady after what we just did last night."