Summer was at its height and the waters of Lake Calenhad were sparkling under the glare of a blazing sun. Against the heat of the day the cobalt waters were cool and inviting, providing a perfect escape to the citizens of Redcliffe.

At the moment, that "escape" was being utilized by two young boys who were laughing and splashing in the shallows under the watchful gaze of a mabari with a muzzle that was beginning to turn grey. The younger of the two boys leapt from the dog's back and tackled his brother sending them both tumbling into deeper water with a huge splash.

The eldest came up spluttering and glared at his brother, "That's not funny!" he shouted. It had no effect on his sibling who simply laughed as the mabari nudged him closer to shore.

"Bryce." His mother called from the shore. "Play nicely."

He sobered for all of a moment—just long enough to sketch a salute that was reminiscent of his father. "Yes mama!" he called cheerfully.

Cadhla had to bite her lip to keep from smiling. He was so much like his father. She cast a glance up towards the castle. They had come to Redcliffe Castle so Alistair could meet with many of the minor lords to make sure the peace in the Bannorn lasted. She often offered her council but she was careful to keep a distance from the strategic meetings that often kept Alistair busy until the early hours of the morning. That's what it took to be king.

"DADDY!" Bryce screamed with excitement, splashing his way to shore.

She looked over her shoulder to see Alistair walking towards them with the same grin on his face that had just been on their youngest son's. His hand gripped her shoulder softly in welcome as he bent to press his mouth to hers. He looked up just in time to catch Bryce and swing him around with a chuckle. "There you are, Bryce. Have you been minding your mother?"

The four year old threw his arms around his father's neck and laughed, "Uh huh."

Duncan had followed his brother at a more sedate pace and Cadhla held out her arms to him as he trotted up from the water. He sat down in his mother's lap and she kissed the top of his head. "Water's nice, yes?" she asked.

He nodded. "Will you come in with us?" he asked, his amber eyes hopeful.

Cadhla didn't swim. She would get her toes wet from time to time, but she had never learned nor had the desire to do more than that. "I can't, but maybe your father will go in with you and your brother," she replied, hating the disappointment she saw in his upturned face.

"Why?" he asked.

Alistair stooped and with the ease of long practice swung Duncan onto his back with his free arm. "Because when your mother gets wet she turns into a monster. A terribl…ly beautiful monster that makes men swoon whenever they see her," he amended quickly when he caught his wife's glare.

"What about when she takes a bath?" Bryce quipped. His young mind was always at work.

"Well when she takes a bath she has a special soap that keeps her from changing," he explained gravely as he quickened his stride to the water where his wife wouldn't venture after him.

The boys squealed with laughter as he plunged the three of them into the lake and Cadhla leaned her chin on her knees with a smile. She had her duties, but nothing captured her attention and heart like her boys—all three of them.

"Tell us more about mama," Duncan requested as he doggy paddled around his father and brother.

"Did she ever tell you about the time she defeated a whole army of darkspawn from the back of a griffin?" Alistair asked his sons.

Bryce's gray eyes grew impossibly wide as looked between his mother and father with wonder. She couldn't help but laugh when he realized he needed to ask a very important question. "What's a griffin?"

Duncan groaned, "It's a griffin. Duuhhh."

Bryce splashed his brother and crossed his arms as he buried his face in his father's shoulder. "I know that!"

"Now, now, boys." Alistair soothed them and bounced Bryce to gain his attention again. "A griffin is a creature of noble character. It is half lion and half eagle and can fly as high as a bird but be as fierce as its lion half."

Both boys were enraptured with the image of griffins soaring through azure skies.

"Did she ride the griffin?"

Their father nodded. "Oh yes, you see there was a darkspawn army, and no one believed they could be defeated unless the very hero of Ferelden took them on. But your mother knew she would need an advantage in order to win. So she traveled up to the very top of a mountain where the griffins kept their eyrie. And the wildest griffin of them all soared down with a savage cry to challenge her arrival, but he was astounded by her beauty and landed in front of her in awe."

Both boys were silent as they drank in the tale like oxygen.

"So she bowed to the griffin and he bowed back to her and she told him her plan and asked for his help," he continued.

"Did he agree to help her?" they asked in unison.

Alistair nodded. "Yes, you see this griffin was very old and very wise and he saw the honor she had. He knelt down and allowed her to climb onto his back and together they swooped down the mountain and defeated the darkspawn."

"Wowwwww," Duncan exhaled in wonder.

"Does mama still ride the griffin?" Bryce asked.

"No, Bryce. When the darkspawn were all dead she climbed down from her comrade's back and they bowed to each other again. Then the griffin took to the sky and retreated deep into the mountains and neither he nor his kind have been seen by anyone since."

Duncan splashed out of the water and raced to his mother who received him with laugh and open embrace. "Mother, can we go find the griffins? Please!"

Bryce struggled down from Alistair's arms when he heard his brother's query, "Yes, mama! Let's go find griffins!"

He flapped his arms as he danced around. "I want to ride on a griffin!" he said in a sing-song voice with the Mabari bouncing at his side.

"Are you going to take your sons to find these griffins, my love?" She looked at her husband as he sat down beside her. The look on her face said he'd be the one coming up with bed time stories about griffins for the next few months until their attention turned to something else.

He held up his hands, "I don't know where the griffins are. I think you'll have to take them," he replied gravely. The sparkle of humor in his eyes made her want to hit him and kiss him all at the same time. The devilish grin that spread across his handsome face was all the proof she needed to tell her that he knew exactly what she was thinking.

"Yes, you'll have to take us, mama!" Bryce affirmed collapsing with an "oomph!" beside them.

She tousled his damp, golden hair and bent over to kiss his forehead, "I will?"

He nodded gravely, his grey eyes serious as he peered up at her, "Oh yes, you were friends with the griffin so you'll have to come."

"I'm afraid the trip is a long one, my loves. We'll have to wait until you're older." It was an excuse her parents had often used when she was their age.

And much like her they had the same reaction. Both boys pouted. "We can make it!" Bryce exclaimed. "I'm really strong!"

Laughing, Cadhla gathered her youngest in her lap, "I know you are, Bryce, but even this journey would be too long. One day when you're both older we can see about going then."

Duncan leapt to his feet and tugged his brother up, "Come on Bryce, let's practice how strong we are!" he suggested. "Then maybe we can go see the griffins sooner!"

The two dashed away with a boundless energy that both amused and exhausted their parents. Laughing at their antics she turned to her husband who quickly kissed her when she went to speak.

When they finally broke apart she glared at him with mock severity. "You had to tell them a story about griffins, didn't you?" she asked before kissing him again.

"What?" he protested with a laugh. "I thought it was a pretty good story, myself."

"Oh it was a wonderful story, one I'm sure the boys will be asking to hear for years to come," she replied as he leaned in to tease her lips with his. "But it isn't as good as my story," she whispered right before he kissed her.

He pulled back, startled. "Your story?"

She grinned mischievously and pressed her lips to his cheek before answering loud enough for her voice to carry down the beach. "Don't tell me you don't remember the time you killed the high dragon with your bare hands?"

The boys stilled almost instantly and turned around with mouths agape.

"Father killed a dragon… with his bare hands?"