What did you do today in DA? [Spoilers]

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They left Denerim the next morning. Eliana paid their way on a wagon bound for the Circle Tower for all of them. Well, Sten merely growled and maintained his pace afoot...but the rest of them enjoyed the break from the endless walking in full armor, even if it didn't go much faster. Genetivi's false assistant had said Genetivi had gone to Lake Calenhad but then the research papers they'd found in the house indicated he was headed for the Village of Haven in search of Andraste's Ashes. The thing was, the assistant was dead at this point so Eliana hadn't been able to ask him about whether the papers had been forged. She needed more lyrium anyhow, so not a total waste of time.  The absurdity of traveling the length of Fereldan twice just to track down a scholar who might know where mythological ashes were did not escape her notice. Sten didn't seem too pleased about their efforts either. Eliana was sitting at the end of the wagon, legs trailing over, as she set into him a bit, determined to put the Qunari on the right foot. Then, rather out of the blue, he actually shared why he had been in that cage. Perhaps it was because they had been traveling awhile together. PErhaps it was because they were already on their way to the place where that tragic battle had occurred. Either way, "information on whereabouts of Sten's sword" was added to her list of errands upon arrival at the Lake.

Returning her eyes down to the ground, the dirt and pebbles of the road passing seen but unseen, her thoughts were interrupted by Zevran. He had hopped off from the front of the wagon, ever watchful for traps, to talk to her she supposed. She felt a bit awkward. She wasn't avoiding him, per se, they had been doing some serious adventuring and rather a lot of work in Denerim. He had had a look in his eyes, whenever she dared look his way in any significant capacity, ever since her discussion with Ignacio, Master Crow. It was not natural within her personality to kill people in cold blood,not even close, and that she'd agreed just to make sure he'd be left alone...well, what man wouldn't wonder what that meant?

Well, it was obvious what it meant to her. When she wasn't focused on the next task at hand, or wondering, completely lost, about her future, her mind turned to the quiet misery of being in unrequited love with him. She had not returned to ask him to her tent. He had not approached her for a repeat either. Not directly, anyhow. He smiled invitingly towards her every night at the fire. She busied herself with small tasks and conversations with the others. One time, feeling particularly hurt, she'd allowed electricity to crackle across her hands while looking at Zevran, intensely. Whether intentionally or not, he took it as a flirtatious challenge; his expression seemed intrigued, delighted, and suggestive. Eliana had immediately blushed crimson at the look and the electricity died. 

The fact that he unabashedly flirted with both Morrigan and Wynne had been a pain she did not let herself think long on. Morrigan had merely raised one brow at her when it happened, not interupting the banter between them while she quietly assessed the silence between the two one time lovers. Wynne, who had felt strongly enough about them to warn Eliana off threw glances of confusion and perhaps, assumption. That perhaps Eliana had listened to Wynne after all. Eliana scoffed aloud at the thought, then realized, as Zevran cocked his head at her, that she'd just been silently gazing at him as she'd thought all that. She rolled her shoulders and sat more upright, giving him a regally cool expression. She had done nothing to be embarrassed of.

"What is it, Zevran?" Eliana finally asked him.

"It occurs to me, my dear Warden, that you have not taken advantage of my specialty, as of late."

Eliana refused to blush. "Assassination? I suppose I could send you after Loghain. Would serve him right to have paid the person who would kill him."

Zevran smiled at the idea,"Interesting idea, my dear Warden. I do wonder if the luck of my last two assignments wouldn't continue, and you wouldn't just end up short one elf for our troubles."

He'd meant it as a joke, but she flinched nonetheless at the reminder of Rinna. Zevran realized from his expression that his joking had gone off poorly. He followed behind the wagon nimbly enough as she became quiet once more.

Ever patient, it was again Eliana who broke the silence. "So when this is over, you said you'd go into business for yourself. You can't go back to Antiva, I assume. Even if doing these...tasks for Ignacio," her eyes darted away from Zevran's face as she continued,"would stop them from crossing the border after you, I can't imagine returning home would have the same results." She feigned heavy interest in the trees at the roadside while she waited for his response.

"What I do depends in large part upon you, my dead Grey Warden. I have mentioned before, I am not a free man, as it were."
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Geez. So much for an afternoon of writing. Till later.