An unintended sigh escaped Nelka’s lips as the foliage above fully concealed the sky.
“Are you alright over there?” Zevran asked, glancing at Nelka.
They’d been on the road for weeks, searching for a cure to the Taint. Nelka had wanted to go alone, to let Zevran remain in Antiva to finish up any lingering Crows, but – naturally – he insisted on coming along. Though she would be lying if she said she wasn’t grateful for the company.
“Yeah,” she replied. She stared at the tree-cover above for a moment, and then continued, “I’ve been on the surface for years, but I still feel better when I can’t see the sky. When there’s some kind of ceiling above me.”
Zevran took her hand and gave it a quick squeeze. “Don’t worry, I still won’t let the sky gobble you up.” His tone was joking, but he never dismissed Nelka’s fear.
“Is it strange that I miss Dust Town sometimes? It was a horrible, horrible place, but…”
“It was home.”
“Yeah.”
“It’s not strange at all,” Zevran said. Their hands remained clasped between them, and neither gave any indication of letting go. “I still miss Antiva. It is full of many good memories and many bad memories, but it’s always going to be a home for me. I do hope I get the chance to show it to you someday, without assassins stalking us the whole time,” he added, a smile on his lips.
“I hope so too.”
“If you do want to go back to Orzammar, I’m sure we can make some sort of arrangement. It’s not as if they can turn away the dwarf who defeated the Blight, no?”
“I’m sure some of them would find a way.” Nelka rolled her eyes, and the brand on her cheek seemed to burn a little bit as she thought on it. “Thanks, but I don’t think I really want to go back. I hear from my sister often enough, and she’s all that’s left for me in Orzammar. Thinking about Dust Town, about tons of stone above my head… It’s as if I feel nostalgia for good times I never had there.”
Zevran nodded. “I understand. But once we fix the Taint, if you change your mind…”
She held onto his hand a little tighter. “I think I’d rather you show me Antiva.”
“We’ll have plenty of time.”
Nelka glanced up at him and smiled. “For what it’s worth, Zevran, as much as I miss living underground sometimes, my home is wherever you are.”
He stopped dead in his tracks, tugging Nelka toward him with their clasped hands until he could hold her tight and press a long, slow kiss to her lips. He kissed her forehead and caressed her cheek, showing no sign of continuing on their trek any time soon.
“I feel the same,” he breathed. “Nellie, you aremy home. You gave me a chance so long ago to choose what I truly want, without answering to anyone else, and every choice has led me to you, over and over again.”
A few tears started to form in Nelka’s eyes at his confession. Damn, she was going soft; she never used to cry, but Zevran had a way of tearing down her walls with a few words or a gentle touch.
“I love you,” was all she could manage to say.
“I love you too, mi amor. And no matter how far apart our travels may take us, I will always come home to you.”
