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Harding was glad she’d gotten Taash away for their picnic on the beach. She could tell Taash had been missing Rivain something fierce. They’d been restless, working Davrin so hard in their sparring that morning he’d had to ask for a break. The sun, the sand, and some lovely cheese and bread and strawberries in the shade seemed just the ticket. They chased off a few deepstalkers and then looked at each other. This thing between them was still so new. Harding was afraid it would be snatched away just as easily as it had come, carried away on the salty sea breeze with the next storm. But Taash smiled down at her, then scooped her up and hugged her as if they’d never let go. Harding squawked, a bubble of joy filling her chest as Taash’s lips captured hers.
But then Taash froze, body going stiff as a board as they scented something on the wind. Harding was already reaching for her bow before she even asked.
“What is it?”
Taash let out a soft growl. “Dragon blood. A Lot of dragon blood.”
Harding’s stomach dropped and they ran up the sand. Years of conditioning meant she was able to keep pace with Taash’s long legs, scrambling over the crumbling sandstone to get to the next rose, panting and sweating by the time they got to the next. By then they could hear her, the lowing of a great animal in pain and too weak to fight. Sure enough, the dragon had been subdued, injured and in chains. Oddly enough, there was no one else in sight. It made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. Taash was already scrambling down the ledge and Harding shouted after them.
“Taash wait!”
But they were already closing in on the dragon, its eyes dull with pain, its wings flapping weakly against its new bonds. Harding felt the Antaam behind her before she saw them, driving her bow into a firm wall of muscle as she whirled with a shout to warn Taash, who was burning through the dragon’s chains. But even as Harding turned there were five more Antaam barreling at her, the man she’d hit grunting and then reaching for her, not even bothering to draw in his confidence he could overpower her.
She’d make him regret it. She pulled the dagger from her hip and drove it into his hand before vaulting back, sliding down to Taash, who was watching with wide eyes. No time to dwell on it as the battle was on.
“Get her free! I’ll keep them off!” Taash nodded and continued burning off the chains.
The truth was combat made Harding feel alive. There was a rhythm to it, a dance. She’d never felt good at much as a kid. Too short, to dwarven, more interested in her bow and their goats, especially when her only potential playmates only saw that she was tiny and different compared to them. But this? Saving a dragon? This she could do.
The dragon growled as soon as it was free, thrashing and snapping, before launching itself in the hair haphazardly and flying off, nearly knocking them all down. Then Taash was in the fight, full of fire and fury, and back-to-back they drove the rest of the Antaam off. Harding watched them retreat, bending over to catch her breath, while Taash stared at the dragon’s blood where it had pooled on the beach. They shook their head.
“It’s vashedan Lace! She was just minding her own business!”
Harding strode forward, putting a hand on their arm. “We can go after her, check on her. We have time.”
“Our picnic-” Taash’s head dropped. “I’m sorry. I-”
“Don’t apologize for having a heart Taash. It’s what I like about you.”
Taash smiled, pulling Harding in for another kiss, all teeth and tongue and heat. They were covered in soot and blood and sand, and Harding wasn’t sure she’d ever have it any other way. Then she pulled away, grinning up at Taash.
“Come on. Let’s find her, make sure she’s safe.”
Taash’s eyes locked with hers, and Harding felt the promise lingering behind them. But it had to wait. They had a dragon to save first.
~~
The dragon had retreated to a cave high above the waterfall. It was a beautiful climb. The orchids and jasmine were in full bloom, fragrant in the heat of the day. Harding hummed to herself as they moved over the cliff face, and maybe it wasn’t what she’d planned but it was good all the same. Taash kept glancing down at her, pensive, and Harding smiled up to reassure them.
By the time they got to the top, the dragon had fallen asleep. She snored softly in great huffs of air, and Taash frowned, whispering.
“You’re sure?”
Harding nodded, unpacking the picnic for her and laying it out so she’d have food when she woke up. As good a use for Andraste’s Knickers as any. She hung onto the liquor Isabla had given her though. On impulse she pulled a few coins from her pocket, and Taash seemed surprised, then smiled as Harding added them to their offerings. Taash walked to the side, pressing their back to the stone to examine the wound. How the dragon had even fit herself inside was hard to say. Her wings seemed to fill the small cavern, and her wafting breath stunk of carrion as it puffed over them, causing Harding’s hair to fly up with each puff.
It was tense, waiting to see if she’d wake. It wouldn’t take much. Taash worked quickly, and when they were satisfied shuffled back quickly. Their crystal horn caught the stone wall, the scratch the loudest noise Harding thought she’d ever heard. The dragon’s great head turned. One amber eye opened in a slit. For a moment, Harding couldn’t look away. So much intelligence and power and-
“Lace!”
“Right!”
They ran as best they could, climbing out on the cliff face, dangling in the air. Harding expected the thunder of a dragon’s roar and the rush of great wings. What they got was silence as they started climbing down. When their feet touched the sand, and the dragon still hadn’t made her appearance, Taash laughed. Harding did to out of sheer relief, until tears were streaming from her eyes.
“Not the date I was picturing.”
Taash reached for her, running their hands over her arms, then kissing the top of her head.
“I was impulsive. You could have gotten hurt.”
Harding shook her head emphatically. “Ah Taash I can take care of myself. I don’t need you to protect me. We did a good thing today.”
Taash glanced at the cave above them. “Guess she liked your gifts.”
“Who can resist the Knickers? Maybe she’s a Ferelden at heart.”
Taash kissed her for that one, long and slow, and that restlessness that Harding had been cured seemed to have shifted. Heat flushed over Harding’s skin and she moaned into Taash’s mouth, the lyrium in her singing for the qunari. Taash pulled away, pressing a finger to their lips, their eyes hungry.
“Want to get back? You can stay with me t-”
Harding grabbed their hand. “Let’s go!”