Surprise

The moment Yllwenn saw Zevran running at her from the Keep, she knew everything was going to be all right. Nothing could scare her now that her beloved was with her. She missed him dearly. She showed him just as much at the very same night. And few next. But with Zevran, that goes without saying.

They planned to set on traveling as soon as the Keep was in relatively good shape. Though that seemed to take a while since most of the walls were damaged and courtyard was littered with mostly darkspawn corpses. Velanna's body was never found and Yllwenn had a feeling that the surly Dalish had run away. Justice... Well, Kristoff was cleanly beheaded. At least Aura had finally became at peace. Oghren was alright, as always. He had a load of cuts and bruises, but besides that he was mostly well. Tough sod.

Zevran quickly became friends with her new Wardens. She once even eavesdropped on his conversation with Anders about jewelry, of all things. He had a lot of sparing sessions with Sigrun and some sort of fondness to reminding Nathaniel about late Arl Howe.

As the time went, Zevran was getting more and more restless. On top that he seemed to became awfully protective. He never let Yllwenn anywhere without him. They fought about it before she set off to Orzammar to answer a plea for help from Jerrik Dace and again after she went after Morrigan before meeting him in Denerim. He barely let her off his eyes anymore. He was nervous, sort of like he expected to be ambushed at the next opportunity.

He was successfully distracting her from asking questions whenever they were alone, but Ylwenn knew better.

Something was going on.

She finally cornered him a month after their last reunion.

"Ok, Zevran. Spill it!"

"I don't know what you mean, mi amore. You seem tense. Perhaps I could offer you a massage?" Zevran reached with his hand to stroke her chin and the side of her neck. He smiled seductively when he felt her shiver, though Yllwenn was determined to get her answers this time. She swatted the hand away.

"Don't change the subject. I know something is going on. You are as jumpy as nug in deepstalker's nest!"

He laughed nervously.

"Nothing escapes you, my love. As always."

Yllwenn crossed her arms across her chest. He sighed, becoming serious.

"I missed you dearly, mi amore, back in Antiva. Every another day was becoming harder to bear and then... I heard about the attack on the Keep. They said no one survived."

He stopped taking a deep, shaky breath.

"Just thinking about that you might have been... that I would never see you again... It hurt more than anything. I had to return to see for myself."

"But I am here. I'm ok."

"I don't ever want to leave you. Never again. Yet you still insist on journeying alone!"

Yllwenn reached for him, closing him in a comforting embrace. She didn't know he still worried so much!

After a moment, he fingered her earring, the same he presented her before she became the Hero.

"Do you remember when I gave you this?"

"Of course I do! You almost proposed to me then." Yllwenn giggled at the memory.

"Well, yes... I have something more suitable now..."

She stepped away, confused.

"After all, rings are more suitable for such an occasion, yes?"

Zevran searched his pockets and then he presented her simple golden ring. He looked seriously scared.

"There's no better way to stay together forever, yes, mi amore? 'Until the death parts us"? What would you say?"

For few long minutes, Yllwenn couldn't even find her voice. And then...

"YES!"