Eruri watched beside the flickering campfire as he approached her. The bright embers danced brilliantly on his shining armor, casting glimmers of red and yellow on the steel shell. She tried to think back - had she ever seen him in anything else? Civilian clothes? No. Never. She briefly wondered what he looked like and her ever-wandering thoughts caused a light blush to stain her cheeks.

They were only two humans in the entire party, the rest being dwarves and elves. The pale mage didn't consider Morrigan as 'human'. She despised the witch of the fens and wished that she'd never been forced to come with them. Even now the other woman camped so far away from the rest of them that it was as if she really didn't belong to their group. Perhaps it was because of their racial similarities they had been drawn together. She only knew the blond, handsome man had attracted her from when she had first met him. His sardonic wit and prowess in battle only added to the pure magnetism between them both, as he said her beauty and goodness did for him.

The flirting had reached a palpable level between them. They brushed shoulders when they walked together and nearly kissed in front of their companions once or twice. But they couldn't seem to help themselves. The threat to the land was so immediate and their lives so short because of the taint in their blood. They had to live for the moment and that wasn't really such a bad thing, was it?

"I wondered if we could have a little talk," he asked her quietly.

"Of course," she murmured, sitting down beside the fire. He hunched close, holding his hands out to warm them. After some time though she wondered at his silence. "Um, Alistair?"

"Yikes. Well, I'm sorry. Just thinking how to err, phrase this." He paused. "Have I told you that I loved you? I know I did. I just don't want to seem over eager or anything ..."

"Over eager?"

He sighed. "I must sound like a fool," he mourned. "You know that I love you. And I've never done anything like what I want to do with you. I was quite sheltered, after all."

"Alistair," Eruri murmured, her cheeks burning now. "You want to make love?" He grew more flustered and she smiled. How adorable he was when he grew embarrassed. And how amazing that he wanted share this with her.

"I care for you so much. Whenever I think of this I feel like a bumbling idiot - all hands. I wish I could be better at this. I want it to be right." His eyes were cast down, the blush spreading across his nose and cheeks. There was no trace of the jocular young man he normally was, only a frightened one desperately shy and struggling to get past that barrier.

She placed a pale hand over his. "Would you rather we wait?"

"I don't know. I'm ...willing to give it a shot! If you are."

"Yes," she laughed softly. "I think I am."

"Right," he stammered a little. I'm going to... stop talking. Now." He closed his hand over hers a little tighter and walked her to her tent. Once inside he slipped his arms around her waist and puller her close for a gentle kiss. It was longer and more intense than anything they had shared before and Alistair's knees started to buckle slightly towards the end. He finally backed away, hands nervously unfastening the straps on his armor. Eruri calmly laid aside her mage's staff and untied the sash around her waist, casting glances back over her shoulder at the nervous man beside her.

"Let me help," she said softly, laying her hands on his cold shaking ones. He nodded gratefully and was soon standing before her in his loin cloth, the rust-padded undergarments cast aside with the same amount of relief he'd shed his armor and as much trepidation. The young man's body was rippling with muscle - obviously, he'd have to be strong to bear the weapons he carried and the weight of the armor -- but she was more than impressed. Her fingers grazed his prominent abdomen, up his chest to the firm pectorals and around, kneading his shoulders. Alistair swallowed hard and ran his hands over her body in return as they kissed again, this time slipping his tongue inside her mouth and gasping at the sensation when her own entered his. Her robe was slipped off and she placed a hand on the back of his neck as she lay down on the fur mats that served as her bed. He joined her, hesitant no longer with his face flushed with intent, not embarrassment. The rest of their clothing joined the piles and lumps on the sides of the tent in moments.

His embrace was soft and warm, his body trembling all over with eagerness. She stared into his eyes, meeting his gaze of adoration with one of her own and parting her lips in awe when he rocked forward. The half-Templar knight sighed as he sank deeply into the body of a mage, one he would have sworn to hunt down and kill under different circumstances. But now they shared the same purpose and love.

Eruri's hands clutched at his back. Her eyes were dark, filled with pleasure and tearing at the corners. Alistair bent and kissed the tears away, thrusting as lightly as he could. His body, however, soon betrayed him as he wasn't used to this act and there was nothing he could do to stave off his orgasm. But he was pleased to note that she began weeping his name softly right before he peaked, her body arching against his. He had done it - given her pleasure. Then he lost all reasoning in the burst of release, moaning with the feeling, the rightness of it all! Everything was a haze of pleasure and ecstasy so high  it was almost physical pain. And then he was holding her in his arms, a virgin no longer.

It was a little messy disengaging but they didn't mind. She let out a deep breath and closed her eyes, overcome and wanting to rest for awhile. Alistair propped himself up on one elbow and watched her tenderly, a little smile on his face.

"Maker," he breathed. "I love you, woman."