Epilogue

The Best Gift

It seemed like before Bridget got pregnant that the months went by rather quickly, but now that she was pregnant…they were going by at an agonizingly slow pace. All Alistair wanted was for the months to go by as quickly as possible so he could hold his baby in his arms…but the months seemed to tick by at the rate of a snail's pace. It was interesting seeing Bridget go through certain cravings though. At one point she wanted nothing but mashed potatoes, and another all she could eat was cheese. Then she eventually combined both of them together. She also had an inkling for quailed eggs and ate those quite a bit, which Eamon considered a good sign as an old wives tale mentioned that the craving for quailed eggs signified a boy, was on the way.

Around her fourth month, Alistair noticed that Bridget's stomach was rather…large. Now given he did not have much experience with pregnant women…but he figured that their stomachs were not quite as large as Bridget's…at least not in their fourth month. He opted to ask Zevran about it.

"I don't know…she's just rather…larger than I would expect."

Zevran quickly grabbed Alistair and pulled him into the nearby room and shut the door. He gaped at his friend and shook his head.

"Are you saying she's fat?" he asked.

Alistair quickly shook his head.

"No! It's just…are women in their fourth month that large? She looks like she's nearing the birth date!"

Zevran shook his head and sighed.

"Alistair…be very careful with how you word anything regarding Bridget's size. She's sensitive…and my guess is with her hormones all over the place anyway, she may actually do something to harm you in a fit of rage. Why are you even asking me this anyway? I have no experience with pregnant women!" he exclaimed.

Alistair sighed, guessing that it was probably a long shot that Zevran did know anything and decided if he could get Faye alone, he would ask her. He and Bridget sat in her room later that night as Faye moved her glowing hands over Bridget's stomach.

She grinned.

"Everything's on the up and up…but you have a very shy baby, it won't open it's legs!"

Bridget chuckled.

"I guess they got that from their father, the shyness I mean."

Faye nodded, but furrowed her brow slightly as she moved her hands over her stomach again. Bridget bit her lip.

"Is everything alright?" she asked worriedly.

Faye looked back to her and nodded.

"Oh yes, I just thought I felt something else…but I think it was just your baby moving around in there. Everything's good."

Bridget and Alistair both sighed in relief. Faye doused her magic and patted Bridget's stomach before she stood from the stool she occupied and walked over to her desk.

"You're good for another month now. Maybe next month we'll be able to determine the sex."

Bridget chuckled and, with Alistair's help, stood from the chair.

"Thank you, Faye. I need to go and make sure Leliana hasn't ordered any new baby clothes from Orlais…the child isn't even here yet and it's already got more clothes than I do!"

Alistair grinned as he watched Bridget half walk half wobble to the door.

"I'll catch up with you in just a minute, my love." He stated.

Bridget nodded and exited the room. Alistair turned to Faye and smiled.

"Thank you for everything, Faye. You've been a great help."

Faye nodded.

"It's been a pleasure, Alistair. Actually I'm glad you stayed, there's something I've been meaning to ask you."

Alistair looked at her.

"For all you have done for Bridget and I, anything you ask will be seen to, I promise."

Faye shook her head.

"You haven't heard what I'm about to ask though, so don't say that just yet. Here, you can sit there."

Alistair sat in the chair Faye motioned to and looked around her room briefly while she was putting away some of her things. One could definitely tell a mage had taken up shelter in here for there were magical tomes lying all about the place. Potions and ingredients were scattered across the nearby table, as were other assorted vials. Faye plopped down in the chair behind her desk and took a sip of the tea she had brewed earlier. Alistair could smell the herbs in it.

"I'm just going to get straight to the point…I'm sure you know Fergus and I have been seeing each other recently?"

Alistair smiled slightly.

"Yes, Bridget and I guessed you had been."

Faye nodded.

"Well…I'll be going back to the Tower soon, once the baby's here and all and you won't need me anymore…but I really don't know if I can leave Fergus…I mean…I knew it wasn't the best idea when we did start sneaking around but I've grown to…care for him…deeply and I…I can't bear the thought of being without him."

Alistair furrowed his brow.

"So…you want me to see if you can stay with him?" he asked.

Faye raised her eyebrows.

"Well…in a sense, yes. You see, noblemen take on mages as advisors all the time and…well I was thinking that maybe if you put your word in there, considering you are the king and all that…well…I could 'advise' Fergus and stay with him at Highever. No one would ever have to know that there are things going on behind locked doors." She explained.

Alistair nodded.

"Yes but…what about children? I know Fergus expressed some want in having more some time ago…but if you are a mage then won't the child likely inherit traces of magic?"

Faye held up her hands.

"Easy now, I'm not saying I'm going to marry him or anything, that'd be impossible, I think. I'm happy enough with just being his mistress if it comes to that. I know he'll have to get married eventually for appearances and having a child…but I'm fine with the idea of being his mistress. I will know the only reason he will marry is so he can have a child, he probably won't even love his 'wife'. That might sound cold to you, but I'm a practical person, I know how these things work. His wife could take a lover, too. In the end, everyone's happy."

Alistair was quiet for a moment, mulling things over in his head as he tried to process all he had just heard. Faye was indeed practical; one couldn't say she wasn't that. He would do anything to ensure Fergus's happiness, knowing that Bridget too would be happy for her brother. He smiled.

"I'll get on that right away, Faye. I can see how deeply Fergus cares for you and you for him. I wish there was a way you could marry."

Faye shrugged.

"As do I but…I don't need a ring on my finger to tell me that he loves me. Thank you, Alistair…I mean that."

Alistair nodded and smiled. He cleared his throat and then went on to ask his question.

"May I ask you something?"

Faye bowed her head to him.

"Sure."

Alistair blushed slightly.

"I admit I'm not very well rounded when it comes to pregnant women but I was wondering if…"

Faye shook her head.

"No, you still can't lay with Bridget. I swear you ask me that every time I see you."

Alistair's flush deepened slightly as he cleared his throat uncomfortably.

"Ah no…that's not what I was going to ask…do I really ask you that a lot?"

Faye nodded.

"Indeed, I've even started keeping track. For your sake I won't disclose the number." She replied as she sipped her tea again.

Alistair looked down into his lap.

"Err…thanks for that. Anyway I was just wondering…um…is it normal for Bridget's stomach to be quite so large for only four months?"

Faye took a deep breath and settled her elbows on her desk and her chin on her hands.

"Not normally, no…but it could be possible depending on her diet. I know she's craving cheese right now, and that'll definitely make her gain some weight as cheese isn't the healthiest thing around. Are you asking me if you think she's carrying more than one baby?"

Alistair nodded.

"Yes, is it possible she is?" he asked slowly, sitting on the edge of his seat.

Faye rested her back against her chair and pulled out a smoking stick. She lit it and put it to her lips, taking a deep breath and blowing it out slowly.

"May I be blunt?" she asked.

Alistair chuckled.

"Are you ever anything else?"

Faye grinned and laughed softly.

"I suppose not, no. Anyways if she is pregnant with more than one child then you, sir, will have sperm of pure gold."

Faye laughed again as Alistair's face darkened to a deep shade of crimson. She shook her head and calmed herself, taking another puff from her stick.

"In all seriousness though, I only detect a single heartbeat when I check her. If there is another baby in there…it may be that it is turned in a position where I can't detect the heartbeat or something…worse. Honestly though I think there's only one. Sorry to disappoint you."

Alistair shook his head.

"Not at all, I'm glad you answered my question, though. I'm scared to my wits end about fathering one child, but twins? I'm not sure how I would manage that." He chuckled.

Faye nodded, but tipped her head to the side.

"Now we should never rule out the possibility that there is another baby, after all those potions were pretty strong…but my professional opinion says that there's only one."

Alistair stood.

"Thank you, Faye. I'll see to it that your request is seen to as soon as possible."

Faye smiled and bowed her head towards him again.

"Thank you, Majesty. Now I think I'll record today's checkup and then take a nice nap. See you soon."

Alistair smiled and exited the room, closing the door behind him. Although Faye had reassured him several times that only one baby grew in Bridget's stomach…Alistair still had this feeling that that wasn't the case. He decided not to dwell on it, however and set out for his office, thinking over how to word his letter to the Circle of Magi as well as the Grand Cleric.

Later that night, Alistair laid in his bed reading over a scroll that Eamon encouraged him to read…something about names for a baby boy, noting that he should give his son a good, strong name. The man had utterly convinced himself that Bridget was pregnant with a boy all because of that one craving she had. Their bedroom door opened and Bridget waddled slightly into the room, carrying a small plate of cookies. Alistair smiled.

"A new craving?" he asked.

Bridget nodded her mouth full of the sweet treat. She swallowed and turned to him.

"Eamon's scared now since apparently mine eating cookies is a sign that we have a daughter along the way. I swear that man and his old wives tales are going to drive me insane!"

Alistair chuckled and laid the scroll on the end table.

"You're not the only one; he's got me reading a bunch of names and their meanings for a boy."

Bridget chuckled and reached behind her before sighing.

"Can you unbutton the back of my dress, darling? I need to get comfortable…my feet are quite sore."

Alistair nodded and stood, closing the space between them quickly and began sliding the buttons of her dress out of their fastenings. Once that was done he slowly slid the garment off of her shoulders, and tugged it over her belly so it pooled at her feet. Alistair then nuzzled the crook of her neck as he wrapped his arms around her waist, letting his hands roam her protruding stomach. Bridget sighed happily and rested her back against his chest.

"I've missed being in your arms." She whispered softly.

Alistair placed his lips against her neck, trailing them to her shoulder and back up again.

"I've missed having you there…ugh I can't wait till I can lay with you again…" he mumbled against her skin.

The corners of Bridget's mouth twitched up into a smile.

"It will be difficult…and I don't think it will be very pleasant as I'll have my belly still…having you atop me may hurt…"

Alistair slowly ran his hands upwards towards Bridget's breasts and gently cupped them in his hands. Bridget sucked in a breath and lulled her head back. Her breasts were extremely sensitive due to her pregnant state…and having Alistair rub them was enough to make her toes curl.

"Then we'll just have to have you atop me then, won't we?" he whispered against her ear.

Bridget flushed slightly and bit her lip.

"Alistair…we can't do this, not now…we might hurt the baby…"

After a long moment Alistair nodded and sighed. He released her breasts, but turned her around and tilted her face up to look at him. He claimed her mouth in a slow, romantic kiss before breaking it and whispered,

"Then I shall leave you be…for now, but the moment Faye allows us to lay together again, don't think you'll find yourself anywhere else in the castle but here." He stated.

Bridget chuckled and hugged him tightly.

"I wouldn't want to be anywhere else." She mumbled into his chest.

A second later Alistair felt something move across his stomach and jumped back slightly as Bridget gave a startled gasp. She grinned a moment later and placed her hands on her stomach.

"What was that?" Alistair asked frantically.

Bridget took his hands in hers and placed them on her stomach.

"The baby kicked!" she exclaimed.

Alistair's eyes widened as his gaze traveled to his hands. Sure enough just a few minutes later he felt either a foot or an elbow poke out from inside Bridget's womb. Bridget giggled as she felt the baby move a couple of more times.

"Feisty thing isn't it?" she mused.

Alistair chuckled and nodded.

"If this child is not a boy, it's going to be a fierce girl…much like her mother. Honestly though if we do have a daughter and she's anything like you, we're going to have our hands full."

Bridget looked up at him and smirked.

"I'm going to take that as a compliment."

Alistair grinned.

"As you should, my love."

He lowered his face to hers and kissed her once again, only to receive another kick beneath his hand.

"Oh come now little one, allow me and your mother to kiss at least." He laughed.

Bridget giggled and kissed Alistair sweetly one last time.

"I think it's time you and I were off to bed." She stated.

Alistair nodded.

"Agreed, provided this one will let you sleep."

They both walked over to their large, four poster bed and pulled back the sheets, crawling in and settling themselves against the pillows. Alistair rolled to his side and draped his arm across Bridget's stomach. She turned her head towards him and grinned.

"Just a little while longer, my love. I can't wait till the birth! Though Faye has assured me it won't be very pleasant on my part…'expect a lot of screaming' she said…but it will all be worth it in the end."

Alistair kissed her again once more.

"Indeed it certainly will." He mumbled against her lips.

xXx

The months continued to trickle by slowly and Bridget's stomach grew with each passing month. Now they were in Harvestmere once again, and the birth date was right around the corner. Faye had recently returned from her trip to Highever 'advising' Fergus on a few things. Luckily, Alistair was able to see to it that she could be placed in that position…the Grand Cleric profusely argued against it at first, but after a large donation to the Chantry, she was able to eventually agree to it, making Fergus the second happiest man in all of Fereldan (as Alistair was the first). One cool evening, Bridget sat at the dining table with Alistair next to her. Zevran and Leliana as well as Teagan and Eamon were in the room. Oghren shuffled in carrying a mug of ale as Zeus and Lola trotted next to him, their three puppies following behind them. Bridget took her goblet in her hands and took a sip of water before she dropped her goblet and winced as she felt a sharp pain in her stomach. Immeidately everyone's eyes turned to her and Alistair stood.

"Bridget, are you,"

She nodded.

"The baby….it's coming now!"

She looked up at Alistair to see all the color drain from his face. Zevran sprinted away to alert Faye as Alistair and Teagan helped Bridget to her feet. She winced again and doubled over as she felt a rush of water escape her and flood down her legs.

"Oh dear Maker is that normal?" Teagan asked worriedly.

Bridget nodded.

"Yes…ooh I need to lie down, Alistair!" she shouted.

Alistair (with a great help from Teagan) lifted Bridget into his arms and hurried down the hall and up the stairs. Upon reaching their room, Faye was already there laying down towels and placing pillows in the middle of the bed.

"Right, someone get her out of that dress, Alistair you may stay but I need everyone else to leave, except Leliana, I need you here to wash the baby once it's delivered."

Zevran apologized before taking his dagger and cutting the back of Bridget's dress as it was the quickest way to get her out of it. Alistair picked her up again and laid her gently to the bed.

"Prop her bottom up on those pillows, I need to see what's going on down there and for the sake of the Maker Teagan will you get out of here!"

Teagan quickly obliged and left the room to join Zevran and the others who were waiting worriedly outside. Faye placed a sheet over Bridget so she wasn't completely exposed to the room and went to work on checking her.

"Oh Bridget you've got a long way to go…this is just the beginning…you're not even five centimeters yet."

Bridget closed her eyes and sighed wincing again as she felt another spasm. Alistair held onto her hand and brushed some of her hair away from her face.

"Are you scared?" he asked softly.

Bridget shook her head.

"No, I killed an Arch Demon…how hard could this be?" she replied.

Faye shook her head.

"It's not pleasant in the least, Bridget. Getting injured in battle is not the same as having something the size of a watermelon squeeze out of you. They are two completely different types of pain."

Bridget frowned.

"What a lovely visual…thanks for that."

Faye shrugged.

"I'm just telling you to prepare yourself, that's all. I can't give you anything as it may interfere with the birth itself…here I've got a piece of bark you can bite down on if need be."

Faye handed the piece of bark to Alistair who set it on the nearby end table. Minutes eventually slipped into hours of Bridget feeling spasms, even vomiting once, as the baby continued to descend down her womb. Eventually Faye gave the okay for her to begin pushing. Bridget drew her brows together and bent her legs up, taking a deep breath to steady herself. She clasped Alistair's hand and squeezed it tightly as she clenched her eyes shut and pushed. Alistair, however failed to count to ten aloud causing Faye to round on him.

"Alistair you're supposed to be counting! If you're not going to make yourself useful get out!"

Alistair apologized profusely and the next time Bridget pushed he counted to ten like he was supposed to. Seeing her in so much pain was hard for him. Although she didn't scream, she groaned and grunted a lot and by the look on her face he could tell that nothing about this was comfortable at all. Her brow was slick with sweat and her face was red from the force of her pushes.

Faye shook her head.

"Nothing yet, Alistair hold her thigh back and see if that'll help."

Alistair did as he was told and as Bridget pushed again, he was able to see the top of their baby's head protrude out.

Faye grinned.

"Alright now we're getting somewhere, you're finally crowning! If you can pass the shoulders then the rest will be easy." She said.

Bridget swallowed and clenched Alistair's hand again; clenching her teeth and pushing with all the effort she had left. Alistair watched in awe as the baby exited Bridget and entered the world. He felt a tear roll down his cheek as the baby let out a loud wail. Faye grinned.

"Looks like you've got yourself a little prince!" she exclaimed.

Alistair turned to Bridget to find her grinning and crying, happy and relieved the birth was finally over at last. Leliana (after Alistair severed the umbilical cord) took the baby boy in her arms and headed for the wash basin to clean him up. Alistair chuckled, his son looked like a little squealing piglet! He couldn't be happier.

Faye moved her hands across Bridget's stomach and her eyes widened.

"Oh shit!"

"What? What!" Bridget exclaimed.

Faye looked up at her and Alistair.

"There's another baby in there!" she shouted.

Alistair's jaw dropped as Bridget's eyes widened.

"T-twins?" she asked in surprise.

Faye nodded and moved her hands around Bridget's stomach, checking for more surprise babies. She grinned.

"Just the one in there, alright let me see if I can get it to move down."

Faye worked her magic as Bridget readied herself to push again. Alistair, still stunned by the fact that he was now the father of twins didn't even here Leliana as she approached him. She cleared her throat again and he shook his head, bringing himself back to reality. Leliana grinned as she handed Alistair his son. He took his baby into his arms and had the biggest smile spread itself across his face. The baby eventually stopped crying and slowly opened his eyes. Alistair let out a shaky sob of happiness as he stared into his sons eyes that were a beautiful crystal blue color...just like his mother's.

"Baby number two incoming, get ready Bridget and push real hard."

Alistair gently handed Leliana his baby boy so he could hold Bridget's hand again as she pushed a final time. He watched again in awe as his second child entered the world…

"Ooh looks like we have a princess!" Faye exclaimed.

Bridget sat back against the pillows, completely and utterly exhausted, but smiling and crying none the less. Leliana washed her up as well as Faye took care of tiding Bridget up. Leliana carried their daughter to Bridget while Alistair took their son in his arms once more. Bridget placed a kiss to both of their foreheads as she managed to hold them both. Alistair had a finger resting next to his daughter's hand. She wrapped her tiny hand around the tip of his finger. Alistair looked at her to find himself staring into a mirror's image of his own eyes.

"Oh Alistair…they're so beautiful!" Bridget exclaimed, tears still falling from her eyes.

Alistair stared at their babies and knew from that moment on they both had him wrapped around their tiny fingers. He would do anything in the world for them and wouldn't think twice about it.

"What shall we name them?" he asked as he took his daughter in his arms.

Bridget smiled down at their son and giggled as he wrapped a hand around her finger as well.

"Duncan Bryce for our son…in their memory." She whispered softly.

Alistair swallowed the lump in his throat and nodded as new tears sprung to his eyes.

"Duncan Bryce Theirin…has a nice ring to it!" he exclaimed.

Bridget chuckled and looked at him.

"For our daughter…I'd like to name her Eleanor after my mother…but I believe we will call her by her middle name."

Alistair nodded.

"Which is?"

Bridget smiled.

"Rose…since that was the flower you gave me when you pretty much confessed how you felt for me."

Alistair grinned and stared down into the sweet face of his daughter.

"Rose…Princess Rose…she will be a heartbreaker for sure, not that I mind. She's not going to marry until she's at least twenty five."

Bridget snorted and shook her head.

"If she's anything like me she's going to be a real spitfire." She stated.

Alistair chuckled.

"Yes I'm sure she'll be the cause of my hair turning grey. No doubt our son will have his misadventures as well."

Bridget laughed and snuggled him close.

"No doubt at all…do you want to get the others?"

Alistair nodded and gently returned Rose to her mother's arms. He stood and looked over his shoulder to watch Bridget coo and snuggle with them and realized that in that moment, despite her hair looking frazzled and partially damp with sweat, despite the tired look to her red face…seeing her holding their babies in her arms…in that moment she was the most beautiful thing Alistair had ever seen. He walked over to the door and poked his head out to find his friends all eagerly waiting for him.

"You'll never believe it…we have twins!" he exclaimed.

Everyone jumped up into the air and cheered. Oghren snickered and slapped Alistair on the back of his leg.

"Twins eh? Didn't think you had it in you, Chantry boy. Way to go!"

Alistair blushed bashfully as he walked back in the room, their friends following him. Zevran proved to be really well with children as Duncan and Rose cried when anyone else held them except for him and their parents. Eventually the others left one by one as the babies got fussier, knowing it was probably because they were hungry. Once Zevran left, Bridget took to feeding Duncan first as he was crying the most. She brushed the little sprigs of honey hued hair he had as she fed him.

"I think he might grow up to be a breast man too." Alistair noted.

Bridget chuckled.

"It certainly seems that way." She replied as Duncan just didn't want to unlatch himself from his mother. Eventually he did and she and Alistair switched babies as Alistair patted Duncan's back and Bridget fed Rose.

Bridget sighed happily, her eyes drifting shut. After she fed Rose she went right to sleep. Duncan and Rose did as well as Alistair laid them each in their own cradle. He then joined Bridget on the bed and wrapped his arm securely around her as he, too drifted off into a deep sleep.

That didn't last very long, though.

Alistair's eyes slowly opened as a baby's cry tore through the air. He sat up as did Bridget, but gently pushed her back to the bed.

"I'll go." He whispered.

Bridget smiled at him as Alistair stood and walked over to the cradles. Duncan was out like a light, but Rose was crying, moving her arms and legs slightly. Alistair lifted her up into his arms and held her close, rocking her back and forth in his arms while whispering a lullaby. Rose calmed down and stared up at him as he continued to sing softly…off key but no one had to know that. Bridget stood and slowly walked over towards them as well. She took Duncan into her arms as he woke up as well and cradled him, joining Alistair in singing the lullaby. They both smiled as their children's eyes fluttered closed slowly and they both eventually drifted off to sleep. Alistair and Bridget returned them to their cradles and watched them sleep soundlessly. He wrapped his arm around Bridget's shoulders and pulled her close.

"I think we did right good, don't you my love?"

Bridget smiled and looked up at him. Her eyes sparkled in the faint candlelight.

"We did better than good, we did great." She whispered softly.

Alistair grinned and turned to her. He lowered his lips to hers and claimed them in a slow kiss. Bridget kissed him back completely and utterly content.

All her life Bridget never thought she would take up arms and defend her homeland. Even though she got to, the circumstances could have been better…but she now realized that if Howe had never betrayed her parents she would have never met Alistair, never met her friends, never fallen in love with the most wonderful man in all of Thedas…and she certainly would not be the mother to two glorious, beautiful, adorable babies.

Although she wished her parents were alive to see her now, she knew they were beaming down on her from above…and she was happy with that.

She and Alistair had managed to unite a land, had saved their home, and had slain an Arch Demon…they had been through the ups and downs of trying to conceive a child but had managed that, too.

Now however, an even greater task stood before them…

Parenthood…and that alone would be the greatest adventure she and Alistair would face yet.

A/N: Well you guys, with this chapter The Last of the Couslands is complete. Thank you all so, SO much for reading and reviewing and adding this story to your favs/alerts! I cannot tell you what a privilege it has been writing Bridget's story and hearing your thoughts! Thank you all so much and I do hope you enjoyed the final chapter! I'm not too sure when I'll upload another story as I am going to begin working on an original one of my own, but if that doesn't work out I'll be back with a new story for all of you! :) I so hope you've enjoyed the entire story and thank you all once again for your support! I love you all! :)

~MistressofMagic7

**Actually you know what guys, scratch that. I've been doing some thinking and I think I'm going to just stick to fanfiction for now! Expect either a Dragon Age II or a Mass Effect fanfic coming your way soon! :)