A Warden's Heart

Always My Knight

Months passed and summer gave way to fall. The rag tag group of misfits grew by three, the outlandish pirate Isabela, the broody runaway elf slave Fenris, and the sweet Dalish blood mage Merrell.

Johanna took to both Merrell and Isabela at once. The three quickly became fast friends and could be found together roaming the market place most days. Johanna loved having other females to be around. Fenris was another story however.

The mage hating elf didn't like Johanna at first. But after a few rather close call missions, his feels towards her changed.

"I wish to apologize for my...less than friendly opinion towards you. It was wrong of me to judge you harshly just because you're a mage." He said, pulling her to the side after a battle. "Does that mean you'll be nicer to Anders and Merrell too?" She asked hopeful. "No." He replied at once. "But why? If you trust me and Hawke-"

"You and Hawke have proven to be well in contorl of your powers. Those two are most definitely not." He said, cutting her off. Johanna just nodded not wanting to ruin her new approval status with the overly moody elf.

But the best part of the last few months had been Carver. Johanna found that when she was not with him she would be dreaming of him. She had never been happier. Missions with him envoled dropping back from the others so they could walk hand in hand, or slipping into dark corners to still heated kisses.

But every time Carver tried to move on to the next level Johanna would find some reason for why they need to wait. And she was starting to run out of excuses. Soon she would have to tell him. Tell him why she became scared and paniced each time their passion came to that part.

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"Hawke! We've been walking up and down the coast for the last two hours!" Isabela whined at their leader. They had came to the Wounded Coast in sreach of the Vicecount's son and had been walking with no sign of him for awhile. Though Johanna was sure it had been closer to an hour than two.

"It is getting dark." She said from her spot beside Carver. "Maybe we should make camp?" Anders turned to her and his eyes automaticly dropped to her hand that was entwined with Carver's. His eyes narrowed at the warrior and he mouthed "Drop it".

Carver shot the healer a dirty look but released her hand. Jo just rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest. This is getting old! She thought. A wicked smile spread across her face. She looked at Carver, who just stared back at with a blank look.

Rubbing her hands together, Johanna summoned her mana to her. Soon small purple beams of lightning danced around her fingers. Before Carver could stop her she released the bolts at Anders back.

"Andrasta's nipples!" Anders screamed when her spell hit, racing up his back to his head and causing his blonde hair to stand on end. The whole group stop, all looking at him. Hawke and Isabela erupted into uncontorlable laughter, Fenris shook his head suppressing a grin, while Carver hidded his face in his hands.

Johanna and Anders glared at each other, but before she knew it, he was laughing too. "So that's you're game is it?" He asked as he smoothed down his hair. An equally evil grin settled on his lips. Johanna watched as he unclenched his fists, blue light pooling at his finger tips.

"Now Anders..." She started pulling more mana to her. "Oh no little sister." He said calmly. "You started this." An icy blast of wind shot from his hands. The ice crystals hit a wall of flame and evaporated, just as Jo sent another wave of static energy at him. The charge hit Anders' legs causing him to faceplant in the sand.

"OK you two." Hawke called. "Let's set up camp here, before Anders ends up with a pulled muscle."

"Yes. We wouldn't want him to pull the wrong muscle. Now would we Hawke?" Isabela teased with a wink. Jo walked over to her brother and dropped to her knees in front him. He was red in the face when he looked at her.