peopleofthedas | Prompt Fill: An Interesting Woman

Title: An Interesting Woman
Words: 1200 or so
Characters: Anders, Morrigan, Oghren
Summary: Twenty or so years later Anders meets Morrigan for the first time.

Short background for this fic for those who haven't read Consequences, and for those who have as well, because Consequences is in the process of being re-worked. Morrigan's son, Fion has shown up. Miranda and Alistair are dead and Flemeth is hunting for Fion. Duncan is King and Anders, Oghren, Zevran, Leliana and Yuri (childhood friend of Alistair's, now a Templar) are off saving the world together.

He hated the fade. More particularly, he hated the fade when she wasn't with him. Well, to be honest, he hated most things when she wasn't with him. He was going to have harsh words with Sigrun - and with Duncan for that matter - how dare there be a national crisis at a time when Neria was busy in Kirkwall? A short separation, he'd been certain - lord knows they didn't have enough time to be wasting on long ones, not now.

And he was absolutely exhausted. Two days, he and Rowan had spent on watch over Fion's sleeping form. Bizarre, that boy - well, grown man really. He looked so much like Alistair it made him sad - a reminder of who they'd lost - especially with those strange yellow eyes closed. Another day had been spent running from the giant dragon his grandmother had become - not that Anders hadn't faced many things in this life that were almost as frightening, but he wouldn't be able to close his eyes for a good long while without seeing the rows of teeth ready to crunch him...

Anders shuddered and tried to bring his attention back to the present. He ran his hand through his greying hair and then along his jaw - he needed a shave and a wash and a bed and about six days solid sleep.

The flap of wings brought him out of his reverie as a large hawk landed near their fire. Ah - this would be Morrigan. Anders own hawk form was not nearly as imposing as the forest witch's and he felt briefly jealous before remembering that one of the witch's other forms was a spider and feeling another pang of separation.

Poor old Bess, he thought, before the bird's form shimmered and wavered, turning into one of the most beautiful women he'd ever seen.

Huh, he thought. Then shook his head in wonderment. It really bemused him, sometimes, the luck Alistair had with women. That's where Fion got the eyes then.

~~~

Later that evening, when he'd finally managed some sleep and Leliana and Yuri woke him for his watch Morrigan came to him. He frowned as she approached. What was it with apostates other than him and their ability to stay young?

"You are Anders, are you not?" she said.

He raised an eyebrow. "Most of the time," he said, guardedly.

"Fion mentioned you have shapeshifting magic," she said. "Where did you learn it?"

"Why do you ask?"

She pursed her lips. "I was told my mother was the only mage still capable of those spells."

"Well, you were obviously misinformed," he said, suddenly wanting the conversation over. He missed Neria with fierceness that almost hurt. "We recruited an apostate... oh, it would be seventeen years ago now. She learned shapeshifting from the Dalish."

"What forms can you take?"

"I only take the hawk form," he said. "And only in an emergency. My.... the senior mage warden takes six forms."

She raised a delicate eyebrow. "Six?"

He allowed himself a small grin of pride. "Yes. Six." And I'd pay to see your spider face off against Bess. Odds are yours isn't a queen.

"I am impressed. Would you consider showing me your hawk form? I would like to see if the spells differ from my mother's..."

He shifted uncomfortably. "I'd prefer not," he said.

"Why?"

She was certainly direct. "I'm not the best at it, to be honest. Hence the only-in-an-emergency thing. Neria..." his breath hitched a little at the name, "I'm certain our mage lieutenant would be willing to show you should you care to visit the Vigil once we're finished here."

"I doubt I will have the time," she said. "'Twould be much better if you showed me now."

"No."

"Why not?"

Anders rolled his eyes. "Because I can't transform cloth," he snapped. "I never mastered it. I'd have to be naked, and although it wouldn't be the first time I was naked in front of a beautiful woman I'd prefer if it were under different circumstances, thank you very much."

The witch looked at him blankly for a few moments, before exploding into laughter. He glared at her. Not embarrassed - no, he was old enough these days for embarrassment to be a luxury rather than a permanent state of being - but certainly... annoyed.

"Fine," he said, and started undoing his belts. The witch's laughter stilled suddenly, and he felt the appraising rake of her strange eyes as he let his robes fall to the ground. He was about to start on his smallclothes when a familiar voice floated across the fire.

"Hey, hey! What's this? And why haven't I been invited?"

Morrigan's eyes, which had burned with a sudden interest as Anders disrobed, flashed with anger. "I fail to understand how that odious creature continues to endear himself to others." Anders grinned.

"Oghren?" he said. "He grows on you." Morrigan pursed her lips and Anders laughed. "Shall we postpone this, dear lady?"

"Sparklefingers, if Neria finds out you're hanging around naked with apostates she'll tan your hide," the dwarf said as he approached.

"I'm hardly naked, Oghren," Anders said mildly, eyeing Morrigan, whose cheeks looked suspiciously red even in the dim firelight and making no move to retrieve his robes. "And I believe Morrigan was just leaving."

The witch spun on her heel and walked back towards her tent.

"I'm serious, Anders. What the sod are you doing out here with that bitch?"

"She wanted to see me shapeshift, Oghren."

"Oh, so that's what they're calling it these days."

Anders laughed and clapped his friend on his back. "Come on, skunkface," he said. "Let's get some rest."

"Get your hands off me, you manskirt wearing freak. At least until you've got your clothes back on, any way."

"If you say so," Anders said. He watched Morrigan walk for a moment before grabbing his robes from the ground and pulling them over his head. There was no doubt she was an interesting woman, but he'd spent his life surrounded by interesting women.

One day he'd like to meet a dull one. Just for variety.