“Can you promise that I will come back?"

-If Wynne or I can't see you it means we can't target you! If you keep running in there we won't be able to heal you in battle! How many times do I have to tell you that?

Zevran could only moan in response. Lefei healed his wounds, he had to drink a couple of lyrium potions to recover mana enough to continue.

The other two of the party got over the hill to these two. The shouting made them easier to find. Wynne hurried to get closer seeing them on the ground.

Lefei was sitting by Zevran, casting spell after spell, the darkspawn corpses around them were all encased in ice.

Wynne gently pressed on Lefei's shoulder.

-Lefei, let me... - she tried to interfere and take over the healing so that Lefei could rest, but he didn't budge.

-No! - he shook her hand away, - Just don't bother me! I've got this!

His shouts were filled with desperation. Wynne silently cast a recovery spell over him, if she couldn't help Lefei by taking over his work, she can atleast make it easier on him. The empty bottles around made her really worried.

Alistair stood still, not knowing what to do, how he can help, if he can help. Seeing Lefei on the brink of his own life just to save another one, the warden's heart beat faster and faster.

Zevran was able to say words and short sentences but that didn't stop Lefei, the mage continued to cast spells, howering and gesturing his hands above the rogue. He got better and better.

-Oh, my dear grey warden, you do care for me! - Zevran said with a big grin on his face in that too familliar of a tone, - I'm feeling better already!

The mage furrowed his brows, in an instant he took his gloves off and grabbed the rogue's leg. Giant force of energy went through his hands, the scars on his hands were glowing bright white. Lefei inhaled through his teeth. With a loud crack Zevran's leg returned to its natural position, the pain caught up to him and he winced, breathing in sharp.

Lefei stopped. He glanced over Zevran trying to see if there's anything else he must do. Although tired, the rogue seemed to be fully healed. The mage sighed.

Before Zevran could thank his saviour, Lefei stood up and walked away without a word. As he passed Alistair, the warden knew what he could do to help now.

-I will go get him, you two get back to camp, we will meet there.

Wynne nodded and turned to face Zevran.

Alistair saw a small figure sitting on a snowy patch of grass, the nature around it was slowly being frozen. He hurried to get closer.

As Lefei heard his companion come behind him, he rubbed his tears away.

-What? - he asked already defensive.

Alistair sat down beside the mage, not caring for the cold.

-Next time Zevran makes you cry, I'll leave him worse than the darkspawn did.

-I'm not crying! And! Argh! - he tried his hardest to make the tears stop, everytime he get them away, they turned into ice and shattered on the ground, making more of them come, - That idiot!

Lefei put his hands over his face.

-First you got surrounded and I had to control that bunch of darkspawn and then he ran behind the hill and I couldn't see him anymore! But when I was able to get to him he was overwhelmed and I froze everything and! And!

-And?

-And he fell and broke his leg! Because of me! I'll make him sleep by the campfire today, apart from his leg I probably froze something inside him! I was so mad both at him and the darkspawn and I froze it all!

-Lefei! Lefei, listen to me, whatever harm you did, you undone it and healed him back up. When I left them he was as good as new! Besides, Wynne is with him and will fix him if something is wrong.

-No she won't! She couldn't before! If I did something severe, she wouldn't be able to undo it, and i doubt I could... Remember how I told you the high enchanters tried to heal my wounds? All the scars? Wynne was the first one to make any progress with me, and yet she couldn't undo it all the way. None of them could. See?

He showed his hands to the grey warden, and then he realised something.

-My gloves! I forgot my gloves!

The mage tried to push his sleeves down to hide his hands.

-I'm not going back there, I can't, I can't, - he jittered and buzzed with anxiety, - in this state I'll make everything worse!

He grabbed his own head, pulling on his hair.

-Lefei! - Alistair took his hands in his own, trying to calm him down, - Either Wynne or Zevran are gonna pick them up, it's fine. They'll take your staff too. We will meet up in camp anyways, they have gone ahead already. Do you want my gloves for the time being?

Lefei looked up at him, he wanted to call Zevran a bunch of different names but couldn't speak of him anymore. He shook his head.

-No. Let's go, - he answered slightly cold, he slipped his hands away, Alistair could still hear his voice tremble.

The mage stood up and began walking towards the main road, Alistair followed.

-You should really listen to him, Zevran.

-I know, I know! I got reckless, it is my fault really.

Wynne looked around, glancing over all the bodies and ice. She sighed.

-Yes, but there's more to his worry. Has he told you about his...

-Scars? Oh, yes, he did. It'd be funny if I didn't see them when we... Ahem, well. He told me not in big detail but I got the gist, magical scars all over his arms. I didn't press him on it, it sounded way too personal than he wanted to get.

-Yes, it is a very sensitive topic for him... I will leave it to him to open up about it more, but you have to understand, Lefei is scared it can happen again.

-Didn't he say his magic doesn't harm him anymore? You did whatever you mages do and it's fine now. Why would it happen again?

-You are right, the magic doesn't harm him anymore. But that doesn't mean he couldn't do it to someone else... Someone he cared about. Please, remember this.

The mage picked up the cold staff, as she tried to get the gloves, the crow was faster.

-I'll give these back to him... - he stopped for a moment, - And apologise.

-Good. Now let's go.

As the two wardens entered camp, Morrigan stood up from her place and began walking towards them. Without looking up, Lefei walked past her.

-Now what is that about? - she asked Alistair, - What happened there? The other two are already here and did not speak a word as well. Don't tell me it's Zevran troubles.

-Yes and no. I doubt I can tell you more.

-Ofcourse you can't! Ugh, this rogue is more trouble than he is worth. First, he distracts Lefei, then he upsets him. He only interferes in our mission.

-What do you want from me right now? Public execution? If you touch him now it will only worsen Lefei. What did you want from him anyway?

She rolled her eyes.

-I figured out Flemeth's grimoir. I suppose this can wait for a night. I thought men went crazy lusting after women but this is even worse.

-Morrigan, one more word and I don't know what I'm gonna do!

-I'm not holding you hostage, Alistair.

Even though the two finished their words to each other, they watched Lefei without moving away. He sat down by a far away tree, looking away from the camp. Zevran who sat by the fire saw him too and stood up to go get to him.

Morrigan glanced back at the grey warden.

-You know, sometimes it looks like if it weren't Zevran you wish it were you, - she said in a mocking tone.

Alistair tensed his hands and stormed off without saying a word back.

Lefei sat on the ground, leaning on a tree.

-Go away, - he mumbled as he heard footsteps, quickly he hid his hands.

Zevran stopped just behind the tree.

-Come on. It was only a matter of time till you returned the favour! - the rogue replied without any plans to go away.

-What?

The surprise allowed him to step closer.

-My dear grey warden, don't tell me you forgot already. I tried to kill you, you almost finished me - it's only a fair exchange! Here are your gloves. Your staff is waiting for you by Wynne.

As he heard that, Lefei snatched the gloves from Zevran's hands and put them on.

-Now you can go.

-Haha! Not yet... I wanted to apologise.

The mage kept silent.

-I was so reckless and got my ass kicked, and that is not even my worst offence. You have my eternal thanks for gifting me life. Again...

Words came out with a struggle, the rogue wasn't sure what to say and if if would make this better or worse. He sat down by the mage.

-So I must apologise for taking so much out of you. For the way you worry... About me. I'm totally fine now! No limbs missing, no pain tearing my insides. Good as new! I promise.

Lefei didn't know what he wanted to hear, he didn't know if he wanted him to apologise at all, the mage thought he himself was the one who was supposed to apologise. After all it was him who hurt Zevran with his magic. But at the same time he couldn't say anything.

-And in the future I will stay close to you like a dog on a leash, or atleast will cower behind Alistair's wide back which is usually right in front of you. That way I'll always be by your side.

The mage lowered his head between his arms resting on his knees, hiding his face.

Not seeing that his words did anything, Zevran continued talking.

-Do you maybe wanna check if I'm okay? In... My tent? See that I'm totally fine and not frozen all over?

Lefei put his hands over his head, bending down, becoming even smaller.

Zevran didn't know what else he can offer to make it up to him.

-Do you want me to leave? I can leave if you...

Before the rogue could move away, the mage touched his hand.

-No, - he whispered, still head down, - don't go.

-Aha! Then, we shall sit here for a bit. As you say, my dear Lefei.

Hearing his own name and not "my dear grey warden" made Lefei get his head up and finally look at Zevran. Just for a moment he saw that he didn't have his usual grin on, but as the rogue saw him looking back at him he smiled. Without words he only strengthened his hand over Lefei's shoulders, pulling him closer.