Chapter 28: Leliana

She led him through the tree the way she’d come, to another, smaller clearing just out of line of sight. She had laid everything out already – two tarps for standing on, one already wet and one dry except for a few small, damp footprints; a clean towel; soap and shampoo, the scents he favoured; a blade to use as a straight razor; and a pile of new, clean clothes that had been harder to obtain than she’d admit.

She turned to face him from the edge of the tarp and held out her free hand, dropping the little stone showerhead she’d borrowed into his palm. She thought he’d be touched – privacy and cleanliness were both hard to find in the middle of an army encampment in the woods – but he wasn’t even looking at the preparations. Instead he watched her, his eyes dark.

She flushed and broke the silence. “Go ahead and get cleaned up. That quick wash last night didn’t do you justice.” He growled as she pretended to sniff the air. “I’ll be over there when you’re finished. I thought we could maybe ... talk.”

He nodded, but didn’t let go of her hand, instead tugging her closer gently. She went willingly into his arms, skin still pink. He closed his eyes and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “I’ve half a mind to invite you to wash my back.”

She giggled. “Naughty man! And here I was trying to help you get clean, my Lord.”

“My name is Nathaniel.” He chuckled. “We could do that too. Together.”

She stepped back with a mischievous smile. “And waste the supper I packed us? Not a chance. Get changed, Nathaniel.”

She waited for him on the blanket in the larger clearing, trying to avoid thinking about him just down the hill, naked and damp ... and hoping she’d wash his back. She shook her head and rolled her eyes, choosing instead to lay out the picnic that she’d organised. It was nothing remarkable – some fresh game, caught by one of the Dalish hunters who’d been helping supply the army, some bread and cheese, and a rather expensive bottle of wine. Getting fancy food in the middle of an army camp was impossible, but at least it wasn’t salted meat from one of the barrels and hard biscuit.

She didn’t have to wait for long until he joined her, hair damp and braided back, clean-shaven except for his signature patch, and dressed impeccably. She’d been quite sure the clothes would fit, but he looked almost unbearably handsome in the high-collared doublet and dark, laced trousers. He looked self-conscious, until he noticed her gaping; his shy smile was reward enough for the hard work it had taken to arrange everything on such short notice.

He sank to his knees beside her, nodding at the feast spread out in front of them. “And again, I’m unprepared,” he groused. “One of these days I’ll be the one making surprising romantic gestures, I swear it.”

She just giggled and handed him a plate. “I wouldn’t count on it. I’m a little bit hard to surprise, yes?”

He arched an eyebrow at her, putting the plate down on the blanket in front of him. “Oh?” His tone was mild, and she never saw it coming. Before she could lift her own plate or take a single bite, he pounced, cradling her head even as he lowered her to the ground, his lips meeting hers, his arms caging her. He knelt awkwardly beside her to avoid crushing her with his weight, but even as his tongue took advantage of her surprised gasp, she knew she needed more. She reached her arms up and wrapped them around his torso, pulling him to her until he settled over her.

They kissed for what felt like hours, and Leliana lost herself to the bliss of his lips on hers, his hand in her hair, his hips pinning her to the blanket underneath her. He felt divine, firm and lean, and his little groans as he plundered her mouth made her roll her hips up against him desperately. He switched his attention to her long, slender neck, making her writhe as he nipped her sharply and then kissed away the sting. She reached for him, tangling her hands in his hair, trying to return the favour, but he persisted, taking nothing from her but the gasps and moans he could wrest from her, from how she shuddered when he found a particularly sensitive spot.

She never wanted the evening to end.