The news shocks Elissa, though it's not the reason he may think. Nathaniel's always been older than her, always in a prime position for marriage before he became a Warden. She had been surprised that he hadn't taken a wife before she saw him again. Perhaps she had expected him to continue to be alone even in the Wardens. She's pleased to hear he hasn't and that Anders has found a potential partner in all of this mess. Truly, she is.

But there's some stinging, bitter part of her that still says, "Even Nathaniel, hm?" she murmurs. She glances into her tea and swallows more of the drink to drown out the equally dark thoughts that swirl around in her heart. Nathaniel has a partner and here she is, still hung up over a bloody ex-Templar turned king. Foolish.

She clears her throat and sets her mug down, that smile returning, no less sincere. "I'm glad to hear it. You two deserve something after all the grief I've dragged you both through." Ah, that came out a little too self-deprecating. She changes subjects. "I thought that someone might have been able to discover all that it can do, how far its influence extends to, and if it has other ways of hurting an individual. If so, then Nathaniel could be in more danger than we realize."