A Heavy Heart to Carry - PSL with apostasy

[pinprick]

I was a heavy heart to carry
my beloved was weighed down
my arms around his neck
my fingers laced to crown
I was a heavy heart to carry
but he never let me down
when he held me in his arms
my feet never touched the ground

Comments

[apostasy]

Anders brow narrows a bit. "I understand you might be trying to help, but I'm afraid that I don't know you. I assume if he's here, you'll take me to him, but I'm not about to volunteer any information about my lover to a stranger."

[pinprick]

"You don't remember me." Well, it was more than a decade ago. "It's all right. I remember."

He stops in front of a small house and nods toward the door.

"He's in there."

A shutter opens. A black-haired boy of about ten years peers out, then seems to be hastily pulled away and the shutters closed.

[apostasy]

Anders pauses for a moment and considers the man. He nods a bit. He'll have to remember to thank this man properly if this isn't a trap but he's still a little too wary to relax fully. "Thank you," he does manage to say, though, before pulling away to see about getting into the house.

[pinprick]

The door opens at his touch. Delilah Howe ushers him inside quickly and closes the door.

"Sorry we had to meet this way," she says quietly. "I'm Delilah. I'm Nathaniel's sister."

[apostasy]

"I remember. You asked Hawke to help find Nathaniel when he was in the Deep Roads," Anders replied. He's looking around for Nathaniel. He also assumes that if Delilah doesn't remember him it's because of Hawke. Not that Hawke meant to overshadow him, but because Hawke's presence was so overpowering it tended to be all you could remember. "It is good to see you, though we should have been welcoming you to our new home. Not like this. Where is Nate?"

[pinprick]

Delilah nods toward the next room and leads him inside. Nathaniel is lying on a bed, drawn and pale, his left arm bandaged tightly, his eyes closed.

"Nate?" Delilah sits at the edge of the bed and pats his ankle. "Anders is here."

Nathaniel stirs, eyes opening and searching for Anders.

[apostasy]

Anders goes to his side and kneels by the bed. He reaches out and puts a hand on the side of Nathaniel's face. "Hello love," he says. All of the tension he had been holding his body is released and tears come to his eyes.

[pinprick]

Nathaniel reaches up with his right hand to cup the back of Anders' neck and pull him down for a kiss, trembling noticeably.

Delilah smiles and steps out of the room, closing the door behind her.

"Aidan found you," he whispers between kisses. "I feared the worst."

[apostasy]

Anders strokes the side of Nathaniel's face and pulls up from the kisses to examine him. "Yes. I'm afraid I was rather rude to him. I'll have to make it up to him somehow."

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"Later." Nathaniel settles back, writhing a little against the bed. "Had to coach Delilah on removing the arrow. I'm in pain, but I can travel. I have passage for us aboard a ship. We'll leave at nightfall."

[apostasy]

Anders nods. "Once my magic has recovered, I'll heal you," he promises. For now, he strokes his hand through Nathaniel's hair. "I'm so pleased you're alive. I was worried I had lost you."

[pinprick]

"Magebane?" Nathaniel blinks slowly, frowning in thought.

[apostasy]

"Sebastian hired an ex-templar," Anders explains. "Just when I thought he couldn't get any less charming."

[pinprick]

Nathaniel releases a long breath. "Maker. We'll think of what to do. But they can't track us over water. Lie down with me and rest for a moment."

[apostasy]

Anders slowly moves into the bed, careful not to harm his shoulder. He presses up against him after a bit. "I love you."

[pinprick]

"I love you too." Nathaniel tucks Anders' head under his chin, a favorite position because he can smell his hair. "I'll never lose sight of you again. Today I was afraid my life was ending, when I lost you."

[apostasy]

Anders settles into that position easily. He puts an arm around Nathaniel. "I've lost everything so many times in my life. The thought that I lost you the same time I gave up Justice... I wasn't prepared for it." He strokes Nathaniel's side a bit. "But we're both here, and well enough."

[pinprick]

"Did they hurt you?"

[apostasy]

"They took pleasure in kicking me." And he probably had a bruised rib from that. "But it would have hurt me much more if you were gone."

[pinprick]

Nathaniel's good arm tightens around Anders. "Never again. We'll find a new life somewhere they'll never find you."

A sigh. "We should sleep while we can."

[apostasy]

Anders nods. "Sleeping is a good idea. I'll be rested enough that I can heal you when we woke."

[pinprick]

They sleep for several hours, until Nathaniel wakes in too much pain to go back to sleep until Anders casts a round of healing. Then they sleep again, until Delilah comes to wake them. The sun is going down.

"I packed everything for you. You'd better get going. They'll weigh anchor soon."

Nathaniel sits up and rubs his eyes before shuffling to his feet. He gives Delilah a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

"I'll send word when it's safe. Thank you for everything."

"Just don't join Thomas," she whispers back fearfully. Then she breaks away and looks at Anders. "Please keep him safe. All right?"

[apostasy]

He nods. "I will," he promises. "I love him more than anything." Then, after a moment. "It was wonderful to see you again, despite everything. Hopefully next time will be happier."

[pinprick]

"We have so little family," Delilah says, reaching up to hug Anders as well. "It's good to see it growing."

[apostasy]

He returns he hug and is pleased for it. Then he chuckles a bit. "I'm pleased to be a part of it."