“In spite of all the absurdities I’ve been through, it was moments such as these which stood out the clearest in my memory.”

- From the Journal of Eratus Riverwood

With all this said, I was struggling with temptation, and her being willing and eager made the battle even more difficult. After all, with all the effort she put into dressing up, applying fragrances, and light knows what else for my benefit, why shouldn't I?

There was a reason why most tales involving knights and damsels implied intimacy shortly between the two. Or in the bawdier tales, explicitly.

Fortunately, one of the many things I learned as an initiate in the Cathedral, it was resisting temptation. Unfortunately, I was taught to purge such desires by calling upon the light, which was not an option now.

And so, I figured the best way to win that battle was to kill the mood by saying something completely absurd, even if it was true.

"Wait…" said Shianni. "What?"

"What if I told you that I was from another world?" I shifted around, my heart racing faster than I’d like to admit.

Disbelief wrote itself on her face.

"Like…" She pointed up. "From the moons?"

Now I just felt silly and my baser instincts were still kicking and screaming within. I needed to take more drastic measures.

"No," I said. "But I did recall falling from a very great height before land-OW!"

I accidentally on purpose slammed my leg into the side of the table.

"Are you okay!?" said Shianni, standing up and reaching towards me.

"I'm fine!" I put up a hand, keeping her at bay before she got too close and stirred up my now muted desires. "My fault, I hope I didn't damage your table."

The table, owing to true elven craftsmanship, did look fine. My leg turned out fine too, but more importantly the pain silenced the urges, clearing my head.

"The table is less my concern," she said but got back in her seat.

"Just a knee-jerk reaction." I gave a pained smile. "Slipped my foot on accident."

She just stared at me.

"Okay," I sighed. "But to your original question, I am not from the moons. But it is a place far from here."

She pursed her lips. "Just how far?"

"Far away that is likely beyond the maps of any seafarer you know, and probably further still."

She looked away.

"And you don't plan on staying. Is that it?"

"Not as long as I need to," I said. "That… among many other things is why I cannot."

She said nothing, but her silence was enough to tell me how she felt about this.

"I understand," she said, her voice trembling, just a bit. "I can see where you are coming from, and why. I am um- sorry if I've made you uncomfortable."

Even as my heart sunk to my stomach, it felt like a weight fell off my shoulders. A quiet understanding but now I had to mend the damage.

"I uh…" I stuttered as she jolted as if my words were like lightning. "You haven't made me uncomfortable at all. In fact, the food alone has been the highlight of my week."

She looked at me, her weak smile barely masked the tears welling up in her eyes.

"I think this is the most peace I've had in some time," I continued. "There was hardly any of it at the tavern I stayed at let alone anywhere else. I slept half-awake these past few nights watching my back."

"Well." She wiped her eyes. "I'm glad for that. You looked like you needed a break."

"Tell me about it," I said. "Still… maybe that tavern wasn't so bad after all. At least not for a straw bed and some decent porridge at a silver a night."

"A whole silver?" Shianni did a double-take. "You could afford a whole family room with that much money."

I blinked.

"Just how many nights did you stay there Eratus?"

"I uh… I didn't really keep track of the number of nights I was here."

"Was that the only tavern you've been in?"

"Yes?"

"Then it has to be about twenty-five days?" She counted her fingers. "At the very least. We've known each other for that long. You could have bought your own place in the city for that much!"

I didn't think she kept count, had it really only been that long?

"Well," I sheepishly shrugged my shoulder, while inwardly irritated at being ripped off. That damn innkeeper, no wonder he looked so smug as I left. "At least I'm not there anymore."

"Out of curiosity," she said, looking at me with worry. "Where are you staying now?"

"Um, the Chantry." I scratched the back of my head. "They have free lodging there now. And I figure they would accept me anyways after the sizable donation I made to access the library."

"I thought the library was open to all."

"Wait… what? I thought they only let you in with a donation?"

"Oh." Shianni raised a brow. "One of the elf-born, Slim mentioned that. He said they told him the same but let him through after he proved he could read. Apparently, they only say that if they think you are only going to loiter about.”

I said nothing in the wake of feeling very stupid.

"Just how much did you give away?"

"Let's not go there," I said. "I guess… I should be more cautious with what I spend on."

She giggled and shook her head.

"Don't feel bad. Not everyone can be perfect, I suppose."

"I’m hardly perfect, and money is just one example," I said. "One time, my aunt had me go to the market to sell herbs. Listened to one too many sob stories and practically sold the herbs at half price. She never let me go out selling alone again."

"Well maybe they actually needed help?" said Shianni.

"Looking back, I doubt those swindlers were just helping themselves to naïve young boy. Knowing what I know now at least."

"It does sound like something you would do though," said Shianni. "In a good way! You know, going out of your way to aid others free of charge."

I laughed. "A woman telling me of my own shortcomings then assuaging them at the same time. It reminds me of Katrina-"

My mouth stopped at her name as I realized my mistake as Shianni froze, and the air of the conversation froze with it. We said nothing for a moment as I tried to work out a way to unfreeze the situation.

"Is that her name?" she said. "The woman you were thinking of buying that trinket for?"

"Yes," I said. "We've known each other for quite some time."

Shianni looked away, her lips pouting for a moment before forcing themselves back into a calm state. I stopped talking, and after a few tense moments, she broke the silence.

"Well in any case," she said. "The other offer still stands."

"Other offer?"

"If you still need a job."

"As a guard?" I pointed at the floor. "Out here?"

"And a trainer," she said, speaking quickly and avoiding eye contact like she was trying to hide her pain. "I think the Hahren would appreciate having someone who has proven a friend to us provide their services in defense of our community. And, um… there would be both payment and lodging."

Now it was my turn to purse my lips. Enticing, except for one complication…

"And what are your feelings on this matter?" I said.

"That is for me to handle," she said, and took a deep breath. "My own feelings come second to this."

My respect for her deepened. With everything else I saw today, it was impossible to not admire her resolve and her commitment to her people.

"If that is the case, then…

Someone banged on the door.

"Shianni! Shianni! Are you there?" said a muffled voice.

"That voice." Shianni stood up. "Oh no. Quick! I need you to- "

The door flung open, revealing two women in festival attire.

"Shianni I heard- Oh!" The blonde-haired one in front stumbled to a halt, the shock on her eyes giving way to mischief as a grin worked up her lips. "My… my… what have we here?"

"Hello again!" A raven-haired woman winked and waved at me over the shoulder of her friend.

A closer look and I realized I had met them before, from the manor the past evening.

"Look," Shianni waved away at them. "Don't misunderstand."

"Oh, don't be so shy Shianni," said the blonde one. "Our understanding is quite clear."

"Shianni alone with a man," the raven-haired one feigned a faint. "How the elderly prunes would gasp upon seeing how their virtuous sugar plum has fallen."

"D-Don't you dare!" Shianni’s blushed deepened until she was as red as a tomato, as her two "friends" cackled away. For a moment, she looked at me- a look that I took as a call for help or fear that I would join in on the mockery.

I opted for neutrality.

"Er… hello," I said, my eyes darting between Shianni and her friends. "Friends of yours I take it?"

"Friends might mean a bit too much," said Shianni, who stared at the floor, trying to hide behind her hair.

"Oh, don't be so mean!" The blonde one whisked over to us, plucking the strands off Shianni's face. "I don't believe I introduced myself. My name is Vlara."

"And I am Clara," said the other.

"I am um… pleased to see you two… again," I said, as the two of them moved forward swerving around me, eyeing me like some prized animal.

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"Oh no," Vlara kept looking at my arm. "The pleasure is all ours. You even have the outfit on from before!"

"Quite fashionable," said Clara, grabbing a piece of my sleeve. "I wonder how he got it or who gave the recommendation? Did you the symbols on your shirt mean-"

"Enough!" said Shianni, shooing them away like flies. "Why are you here?"

"We wanted to let you know that the closing dance is starting soon," said Clara. "And you are signed up for it!"

"We didn't see you register so we decided to do it for you!" said Vlara, purring over to my side. "With Eratus nonetheless. Everyone is looking forward to seeing the darling of the festival on the stage. Especially with the mysterious human she invited over."

"You… what!" said Shianni.

"Uh… what?" I said.

"What's with the long face?" said Vlara. "If you aren't interested, then I most certainly would…"

Shianni slapped Vlara away before she could snake her hands around my arms.

"My… My…." Vlara just smirked at her, then at me. "You have been a good influence on our prudish plum."

"To think she'd die another shriveled old maiden," said Clara.

Shianni blushed again and she looked at me with remorse and apology written all over her face. I shrugged, nodding that it wasn't a big deal.

"So," said Vlara. "Will you be there?"

Shianni looked at me, part in remorse but for a moment I saw a flicker of hope before she clamped down upon it.

That flicker was enough to tell me she wanted this. And that left with a choice. The rational option was to decline and crush that hope by rejecting her forthrightly in front of her friends. I was not even good at dancing so it saves me from embarrassment as well.

Or I could give her this much. An olive branch of peace to mend at least some of the hurt I caused. It wasn’t much, I mean, what was a mere dance among friends after all?

"We'll be there," I said. "It sounds like a fun. Right?"

Shianni went white with shock but her expression shifted to a bewildered excitement.

"O-Of course!" she said.

"Splendid!" said Vlara. "Let's get going then, shall we?"

"Wait," said Shianni. "Before we go, I would like to speak with Eratus. In private."

"Ooh! Secrets already?" said Clara.

"Let's leave the two of them at it," said Vlara. "And don't dawdle too long! Else we might start wondering what the two of you may be up to."

They left, cackling like desert hyenas, leaving us alone in silence once more.

"Oh no…" Shianni sat down on her chair, rubbing her temple. "I am sorry about those two. They cannot help themselves sometimes."

"Shianni," I said, taking a seat beside her. With the tension in the air gone, it felt safe to approach her. "It is fine."

"Really?" she said. "After everything that happened? This must be so awkward…"

"There is truly nothing to apologize for. I think we will be fine."

"I guess," she said. "And you do know just what you signed yourself up for right? Do you know how an elven dance goes?"

"Well, I've danced before." I shrugged, giving her a sheepish smile. "Mostly drunk. Can't be too different right?"

She looked at me dumbfounded, then chuckled while shaking her head. Not in mockery but with glee.

"Oh dear. I guess you'll just have to be a quick learner." She smiled, pressing a finger against her lip as she watched me with coy. "And I think that will only make things a lot more fun. Let's get going, I don't want those two gossip mongers to spin something else up about us."

We left together and as we walked past the door, I was struck with the sound of music and clapping and cheering and the rapid taps of shoes along a wood. A growing audience surrounded the central raised platform filled with dancing partners, young and old, all moving with grace, in complicated spins and twists to the jubilance of the crowd.

I felt a lot less confident in my dancing skills.

"It'll be more mellow than this when we start," she said. "Trust me, it'll be fun."

I grimaced. "I am looking forward to it."

As we got closer, the drumbeats pounded in my chest, with the scent of spice, ale, and wine mingling until it was more nauseating than appetizing. The laughter around me reminded me of just how out of place I was with each step I took.

It evoked memories of my first Midsummer's festival on a similarly sized dancing stage where I and everyone in Northshire found out I had two left feet. A memory I had blocked for good reason, and the mocking laughter afterward left their marks on my memory.

Vlara and Clara, with their own partners whom I did not recognize, waved us over to a line of couples waiting to make their way onto the stage.

Then the music ended.

"Good friends and fellows!" said someone by the musicians. An elf I didn't recognize and who clearly had a few too many drinks. "I hope you all had a fine festive day! *hic* Unfortunately, all things no matter how joyful must come to an end. So, *hic* without further ado, I'd like to announce the start of the last dance of Summer's Eve!"

The crowd cheered as the dancers on the stage made their way down, and the waiting couples made their way up onto the now-empty stage. I forced my legs to move with Shianni as we stepped onto the platform. I could see several members of the crowd point toward her, some even yelling out her name in excitement.

Which put even more pressure on me to perform. Some of those eyes from the audience seemed to glance at me. Curiosity? Jealousy? Irritation at a foreigner? I didn't know, but negative thoughts wouldn't do me any good so I pushed them to the side.

Each couple clasped their hands, and I followed suit, holding Shianni's palm to mine. I felt my callouses rub against hers, which was a surprise but I shouldn't have been given her own line of work. It did set me at ease in that it made me feel like we were a bit more in this together.

Then the song began.

I delayed moving at first, eyes looking around in preparation to mimic the others. However, Shianni nudged me.

"Eyes on me," she said. "Just go with the flow."

She stepped left and right, and I followed, realizing she was exaggerating a few movements to give me hints as to where to move. Now another thing I learned at the Cathedral was to be a good student, and so I followed her instructions, keeping my eyes on her and following her motions.

The tension faded as we moved across the stage, easing into a rhythmic movement. I could even say that I was enjoying the moment, especially the music. Something in the notes felt like it was a hearkening to a heartfelt remembrance of a better time, evoking images of my adolescence, running through vineyards without a care in the world.

Shianni leaned into my ear. "Not so bad now is it?"

"Not at all." I nodded.

"Glad to hear it," said Shianni as we spun around again. "But the fun is about to begin. Let's step outwards."

That last sentence jolted me with anxiety. The music slowed to a crawl, and all the other dancers including us moved to the edge of the stage, all save one. Looking across my shoulder, I spotted Vlara and her partner.

Vlara pulled her partner into a scandalously close embrace, hands on hips and shoulders, before she twirled and the music exploded in tune.

Cheers followed from the audience and each couple around us pivoted like a wave, erupting into a wild dance. Upbeat and wilder compared to the calm tune from before.

"Ready?" said Shianni, drawing closer to me and whispering in my ear. "Just follow my lead."

She moved so quickly after saying that, that I almost lost her. She swerved holding onto my hand, moving into a spin and I realized she needed me to keep her balanced.

I held her aloft as she twirled, then returned to our starting position, facing me with a beaming expression.

"Not bad?" I said.

"Not at all." She nodded. "Let's keep up the pace though."

And on that we did. After a few more iterations, the motions didn't seem as complex as when I was watching from the stage. It was honestly not that dissimilar from the battle drills I'd practice on the Cathedral grounds. Rapid movements and motions, use of leverage, but without the focused decapitation or mauling of the opponent.

It was simpler than that though. All I had to do was be a strong foundation for her, and she moved with such grace that I hardly had to do anything. As time passed, the stares from the crowd seemed less like glares and more like applause.

Everything went smoothly, until someone bumped into her back, breaking our flow.

I held her up, stopping her fall. Upon locking eyes with the offender, I recognized him as one of the guards who had tried to deny me entry to the festival earlier.

"Heh," he said, before clambering away with his dancing partner, who seemed none the wiser to what just happened.

"Are you okay?" I said to Shianni, keeping us in motion to avoid sticking out.

"I'm fine," she said, tossing a glare in the guard's direction. "Don't mind him. He's always been a brat."

"I don't think I will," I said, channeling the spark of resentment into something more productive. Bold even. "I'm feeling like we should show off a bit. Ready?"

"What exactly do you mea- Oh!" said Shianni, as I lifted her up in a spin.

I twirled her around, holding her close by the waist, moving her through the air. Screams and yelps of applause erupted from the crowd, and Shianni's expression went from surprise to delight as she glided through the air, gently twirling back onto the stage.

"That was what I meant," I said.

"You could have warned me," she pouted but then smiled. "But not unwelcome. Pretty good for someone who didn't know how to dance."

"I had a good teacher," I said. "Maybe a few more lessons?"

Shianni laughed.

The rest of the dance went on like a blur, where the burdens of past regrets and future worries fell off my shoulders. I wasn’t that awkward boy from Northshire anymore. Times and hardships had changed and shaped me. The rhythm carried us along, our steps and movements falling in sync with nothing else mattering except the present moment.

The songs themselves played like the passing of seasons. From the turbulence of spring to the joy of summer. From the last harvest celebration of fall and back to the slow simmer of winter, from which we had started.

"I've said this many times before but." Shianni held me close as we moved to the slow tune of the instruments. "Thank you. For everything."

"Well," I said. "I figured I owed you something after today. What sort of friend would I be otherwise?"

She looked away for a second but then she looked back up towards my eyes.

"Friend. Is that truly all I am to you?"

She said nothing, her eyes searching mine.

"You know my answer," I said.

"I know," she said in acknowledgment. "But a girl can hope. Thank you for giving me at least this much."

The song moved to a close and with a final cheer from the crowd, Shianni and I, along with all the other couples, faced them and gave them a farewell bow. Then the drunken announcer from before came up on stage, announcing Vlara and her partner as the winner of the competition, gifting them a beautiful wooden figurine. The rest of us all received our own lesser wooden figurines, with ours being a quaint-looking representation of a woman, who I realized was Andraste based on her clothing.

As we departed the stage, Vlara and Clara gave us a wink before moving away with their partners. The elf who bumped into Shianni sneered at me but scampered away without saying anything else. I could also feel one glare piercing me from the open-air kitchen. Kallian, who was busy scrubbing a stack of plates.

I'd have to deal with her eventually, and I hoped she'd finished seething when I did. Knowing her though, that was not likely.

"It's getting late," I said, looking up to the setting sun.

"Oh," said Shianni. "Let me take you to where you left your things."

We said nothing to each other as she led me through the crowd back to her place where I realized in addition to my pack I had left my sword. Since the moment, I stepped into this world, I always felt the need to have it close by. A measure of safety against all the unknowns. I realized that in the past few hours, I didn't particularly feel the need to have it on or nearby.

As I put my pack on and hooked the weapon to my belt, Shianni came up behind me.

"You know," she said. "You never gave me an answer."

"Hm…" I said. "I guess you'll find out when I show up to work here later."

Shianni smiled.

"That's it?" she said. "No negotiating or haggling on price or quality of lodging or food for that matter?"

"True," I said, then shrugged. "I guess I just put stock in other things. How does tomorrow sound as a start though?"

"That works just fine." Shianni sighed. "You know, I don't think I've ever met someone like you."

"Enough that I may be someone out of this world?"

She laughed, but there was weight to it. "Then I'll see you tomorrow. Eratus."

Her words hung in the air between us, but the look in her eyes implied so much more that was left unsaid. I gave her one last look, knowing we could talk later, with cooler heads and healed wounds.

"See you tomorrow Shianni,” I said, turning to depart.

"Oh!" she said. "Before you go…"

"Yes?" I said turning, as her face was right in front of me, and I felt her lips slide against mine.

It was tender, brief, and sent sparks flooding down my neck. A mere peck that felt far too short.

She fell back, looking away, the same desire glimmering in her eyes.

"A memento," she said, scurrying away, her face blushing red. "At least let me have this much. Goodbye!"

She darted into the night, leaving me rooted to the ground- heart pounding and mind-racing with a churn of conflicting emotions. I barely realized that we never figured out who would keep the figurine of Andraste, who was still clutched around my hand.

"Knight-Lieutenant Riverwood. I must congratulate you on a successful project. It appears you have achieved all intended goals."

I didn't respond to the Lorekeeper, my head swimming with emotion far more potent than any brew.

***

I looked up at the stone walls and ceiling. The innkeeper was right about one thing, the Chantry was open to travelers now. Conveniently once all the vagrants disappeared.

I must have been the first to get the memo because I was the only occupant of the many open wards. It wasn't as comfortable as the tavern, as the air was cold and the bed was made of stone, but it was a familiar sort of discomfort, reminding me of days living in similar conditions in the many chapels back home.

The Chantry was absent of hymns this late at night. In the silence, my thoughts were louder, pressing in from all sides. Usually, I'd be reading and practicing inscriptions, meditating on the light, or writing in my journal but the events of the day prevented me from focusing on anything save for a certain red-haired elf.

Which conflicted with thoughts of betrayal of someone else back home. Yet… was it? Katrina and I were not exactly promised to each other, it was simply something I had in mind when my time had ended.

I felt like I made the right decision earlier, choosing not to let anything go further with Shianni. But what if there was no way home? What then? Was there any reason not to?

I decided to go on a short stroll to clear my thoughts.

I stepped outside my ward, into the open chamber that was populated by a couple of templar guards, who I could hear snoring in their armor, and the flicker of burning torches casting roiling shadows against the wall, mirroring the turmoil in my thoughts.

Home. That was the end goal. Something that felt so solid and yet… after all that happened, it felt more like a distant dream. And the only hint toward it was the utterings of some seemingly mad witch who had the only inkling of who I was.

As I stepped to the opposite wall, Andraste's stained glass portrait shone in the moonlight, a finger pointed up in a symbol of some prayer. I pulled out the figurine from earlier, which had her in the same position. For all the similarities, the Church of the Light never had such a single unifying figure as the Chantry had in Andraste. We had legends and paragons, but never one unifying figure such as her.

The academic aspects of the Church never really caught my interest, it had always been the good that I could do using the powers provided by the light. However, the singular devotion she commanded was astonishing. Who was she and what did she do to earn such reverence from so many?

I recalled that the sisters here believed that her spirit was housed in every Chantry. Oddly enough, she never made her presence quite known, at least in comparison to the ever-present Light. I looked at the glass portrait of Andraste, the Maker's bride.

As I followed the lines of glass, that was when it hit me.

"Find the Maker's Bride in her house, and she will lead the way."

The pinprick of Andraste’s finger was a circular pane, clear and separate from the rest of the colored glass. I stepped closer and peered through, seeing that a structure in the city too distinct from the other houses surrounding it to be a coincidence.

An owl suddenly drooped its head, blocking my sight. Then I noted the familiar amber eyes. Intelligent eyes far too much for some animal. It made a playful hoot before flying off into the sky.

Witches. I hated witches.

"Knight-Lieutenant Riverwood," said the Lorekeeper. "Is something amiss? I detect increased vital activity which is unusual during your usual resting phase."

"I believe we have our next destination," I whispered, rushing back to the ward and grabbing my belongings, preparing to head out into the city. "It seems like our day isn't over yet."