Epilogue

.

Right here in this moment

Is right where I'm meant to be

Here with you here with me…

~ "I Could Not Ask For More" Edwin McCain

.

.

The alleyways of Denerim were dark and twisting beneath the full of the moon, the aftermath of the rain making the streets shine in the night, the sound of dripping water punctuating the stillness of the paths avoided by most of the populace, save for the occasional contingent of guards, holding the illusion that law and order still ruled Denerim, but he knew better, here in her most intimate places. He was careful to keep to the shadows, ducking the few figures he passed. With each one, he fingered the handles of his razor sharp daggers almost lovingly, the knowledge he could overpower any one of them before they had a chance to defend themselves swelling in his brain like a drug. Here in the shadows, he chose to let them live, blissfully unaware of the danger that watched as they moved on, oblivious.

He was darkness. He was death.

He ducked through the nondescript door in an obscure corner that led to the King's Men, a tavern of some repute that catered to the most dangerous patrons Denerim had to offer. It was rumored that a new gang had moved in recently and held strong influence over the place, as was evidenced by the interior, which was decidedly cleaner and even boasted some luxuries previously not seen there. Eva still worked behind the counter, however – a wise decision, as the woman was a draw in her own right. Olive skinned and breathtakingly gorgeous, Eva's image of soft sensuality belied a woman who was reputedly deadly with the light, rune-inscribed daggers she openly wore.

Bailey was already seated at the counter, waiting for him. He paused and took note of the room, empty save for a couple of shadowed ruffians in the corner, and a cloaked and hooded figure seated at the bar.

Bailey nodded in greeting and tossed back another drink. Though young, the boy had proven useful in the three weeks he had been with the gang.

"You learned what we needed to know?"

Bailey nodded and motioned for Eva to fill the cup again. "She's staying in a separate room as we heard, but he's with her almost all the time. You were right about the grumblers. There are quite a few who aren't pleased that two Grey Wardens will sit on the throne of Ferelden." He paused and took another drink, long enough for the assassin to note that Eva's eyes glanced up at the mention of the royal couple and moved over him curiously. "I don't know about this," Bailey continued nervously, unaware of the attention. "The nobility doesn't seem angry enough to do anything about it. Muttering into their cups doesn't mean they'll be willing to risk an actual contract against her."

He chuckled darkly. "Then you know nothing of the nobility. It often takes nothing more than a nudge to bring them around. This hit could make our fortune, boy. Our names would be known throughout Ferelden."

The figure in the corner moved, pulling the hood from his head, revealing a length of blond hair and a face marked with strange designs. "It is a dangerous job you are considering, I should warn you." The stranger's accent was thick and rolling, identifying him as a native of Antiva. "She is royally hard to kill, the Grey Warden." The Antivan carefully set his drink down, his eyes flicking over the buxom barkeep.

It happened in a second. The Antivan moved at the same time the Eva produced a dagger and stabbed it down through Bailey's hand. The boy howled in pain, pinned to the table. There was a sing of metal, then stabbing, ripping pain, and the Antivan's pale green eyes seemed to glow as the world around him darkened, melting away at the edges into a sea of black.

"You, I have gathered, are not."

.

Zevran shook his head and wiped the blood off of his hands in distaste. "Elissa would have worn your man parts around her neck as a trophy, my disillusioned friend," he muttered, then glared at the boy, who whimpered and writhed as he tried to free his hand. "And you would do well to tell any of your gang that Elissa Cousland has many more friends than the crowd of royal flunkies that swarm her." He yanked the dagger out of the boy's hand, the sob that accompanied the action confirming his suspicions that this child was completely inexperienced in the world he had wandered into and would likely go running home to his mother. "Whatever gold they may offer, I tell you now it's not worth it."

He sobbed again, clutching his bleeding hand, and fled into the night.

Amos got up from his place in the corner, taking the seat beside Zevran with a cool glance at the body. "Do you think we should follow him?"

Zevran considered, but shook his head. "Clumsy thugs only with delusions of grandeur. I trust the boy king to keep her safe from that sort, at the very least. There are far more powerful men with reason to hate Elissa that concern me."

He settled back into his chair, cursing at his spilled drink. Eva was quick to replace it, wiping off her bar counter as if nothing untoward had happened while Zevran's companions hauled the body out the back. He smiled, genuinely impressed with a woman who carried herself so well. "So, bella, you were saying, before we were so rudely interrupted, that you wanted to see Redcliffe. How very convenient. As it happens, I am quite familiar with the Lady there…"

-oOo-

The mountains were bitingly cold still, the winter wind lingering even as the first hints of green stubbornly pushed up through the muddy landscape, transforming the meadow around the small hut from a grey, barren piece of land into a soft oasis of filtered sunlight and awakening life. Aeryc huddled deeper into his cloak as he gathered the firewood needed for the day, careful to collect only scattered, dry branches that the trees had given up willingly, as the witch had taught him.

Morrigan knew the natural world like no one Aeryc had ever met, living in the ebb and flow of the seasons without a hint of her passing left behind, the sacred balance of nature flowing through her veins and evidenced in all she did. She could survive out here for years with no one being the wiser, and he eagerly accepted her curt instruction, aware of his own infantilism in this new life.

"Aeryc!" Kern was racing up the slope towards him, a pair of trout dangling from his hands as he scrambled over the rocks and roots towards the clearing, dragging the fish the entire way. They would likely be inedible by the time he reached him, but Aeryc smiled at his excitement. "The ice is breaking! Look!"

"I see," he laughed, tousling the ebony locks when the boy reached his side, holding up the fish proudly. "And a nice change it'll be, too, to have something to eat rather than venison."

"You are free to hunt yourself, if my fare is so wearying to you," Morrigan said mildly as she emerged from the hut, carrying a bushel of herbs to add to the stew. Aeryc said nothing, simply raising an eyebrow at her, and though she didn't look at him he saw the telltale lifting at the corners of her mouth as she peered into the pot. "As you wish. I think we've enabled the old stag to keep his domain for another spring."

He sat down beside her, noting that she didn't immediately pull away. By midwinter something had changed between them, though he still wasn't entirely certain what it was. "The snows are almost gone. We should consider returning to the northern lands."

"Hmm." She didn't answer right away, pondering the suggestion. Her eyes were on her son, curled up in his cloak and snuggling into Aeryc's side to shield himself from the wind. The Warden obliged him, dropping an arm around the slender shoulders and drawing him closer. "I suppose you have an inkling to check in with your commander."

"I have an inkling to let my friend know we're still alive." He gave her his quiet smile. "My service is given to new command, if it escaped your notice."

She laughed lightly. "And did I ask for such? 'Tis more work than it is worth, after all I have seen Elissa put up with in the time I have known her. You stay because you have proven useful and do not annoy me nearly as much as I had anticipated." Her smile grew into something almost playful. "For now."

"Harridan."

"Idiot."

He chuckled and pulled her closer when she rested her head on his shoulder, sighing contentedly.

-oOo-

It was spring again.

He couldn't shake the thought that it wasn't real, threatening to be snatched away while he was left standing as the punchline to a particularly cruel joke. He had gone through his own wedding in a daze, wondering if he was about to wake up and find that he was still alone, Wynne just outside and about to tell him it was time to depart to Redcliffe for Leliana's wedding.

Elissa's sparkling green eyes, changed from her years as Commander of the Grey in a way that his subconscious could never have invented but overflowing with happiness, had sent the fear spinning into nothing.

Over the winter Elissa had slid into her place as wife and queen as easily as if she had always been meant to be there, and he thought as he saw her hurrying down the steps towards him with Abbie on her hip, she probably had.

She stopped and smiled at the sight of Alistair, lifting Daniel up so he could look over the fence into the pens of the new litter of mabari pups. Sam trotted along at his ankles, sniffing warily at the pups with a few huffs of disapproval while Elissa handed Daniel a heavy cloak. "Put this on, since your father seems to have overlooked that it's not summer just yet."

Alistair sighed and set the boy down. "It's been my experience that women are naturally cold-blooded," he said in a carrying whisper with the air of someone departing a vital secret as he helped the boy fasten the cloak around his shoulders. A fresh gust blew at them and he found himself shivering, much to Elissa's amusement. "Though, I suppose that wind is a bit on the chilly side."

Abbie lifted her arms immediately when he rose, leaning precariously in her mother's hold. Elissa shook her head as she passed the baby over. "You're turning her into the most nauseating daddy's girl in all of Ferelden."

"Listen to her talk as if that wasn't the plan all along, precious one. Poor mama."

"Da said I can have my own dog!" Daniel announced excitedly, nearly dancing in place in his excitement.

"Da said you could see if one of them decided to pick you," Alistair corrected, passing Abigail off to the waiting Alina. "Maybe we'll get lucky with this bunch, but you may have to wait a bit longer."

Sam whined, looking up at him plaintively.

"And what am I supposed to do, when you're turning into a grumpy old man who spends his days in front of a fire?" Alistair demanded of the jealous mabari. "Your job is to be with Elissa, anyway."

Same snorted loudly but pressed nearer his mistress, deliberately wedging himself between them and nearly knocking Alistair over. He caught himself and glared at the dog.

"Rotten mutt."

Elissa laughed, waiting until Alina was out of earshot before handing over a scrap of parchment with no seal. "This came for you today." He opened it to find small, pressed purple flowers and handwriting he didn't recognize.

Spring is his favorite time of year. He spends the days collecting these, even if it means I am forced to continually drag him in from the rains.

He has also since become obsessed with collecting seashells, for which I blame you.

He smiled, feeling the brightness as he hungrily read over the sparse words again.

"I think it's her way of telling you that they'll be in Highever later this summer," Elissa said quietly.

Alistair glanced up. "You gleaned that from a poorly disguised insult?"

She shrugged. "Well, you really have to understand Morrigan to appreciate her. Read between the lines." She grinned. "And… that's what Aeryc said in his letter," she added casually, holding up her own, considerably lengthier correspondence.

"Minx."

She chuckled. "Aeryc thinks it should be safe to sneak a visit soon. We'll have to be careful still, but a couple of weeks in Highever shouldn't set anyone's tongues to excessive wagging."

She laughed brightly when he yanked her forward into a crushing hug, his happiness nearly bursting within him. A thought occurred just a moment later than he would have liked, and he glanced at her sheepishly. "Uh, this doesn't bother you, does it?"

She smirked at him. "Did you really just ask me if I'm afraid you're going to run off with Morrigan?"

"Hey, I'm just playing the sensitive, concerned husband here. It…" he floundered, then sighed and smiled. "Okay. It sounded less stupid in my head."

"Well, you don't have to worry about me looking for additional drama to color our lives. I don't know if it's fate or not, but in the two years I've spent with you, I've had to end a Blight, name the majority of Ferelden's royalty, and redeem my soul in the eyes of an immortal. You have a way of keeping a girl from getting too bored," she chuckled.

Alistair laughed and bent his head to kiss her, long and lingering. "So, Elissa Theirin," he murmured a moment later, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "What do you want to do now?"

She laughed. "I think I'd like to try a quiet life spent with you for a while. If that's okay."

He reached for her hand while they made their way back up to the castle. Alistair pulled his wife closer and wrapped his arm around her to shield her from the wind, and with a contented sigh she draped an arm around him, her head rested on his shoulder while she watched Daniel and Sam race ahead of them.

All was right with the world.

.

.

.

~ The End