Love Letters
The letters started out simple. A correspondence to the playful message left behind for her within Vigil's Keep, that quickly grew into a continuous back-and-forth.
Ma Vhenan,
I truly believe the darkspawn have made it their life goal to follow and harass me wherever I go. They do, however, make wonderful stress relief.
I think of you often, and am ever thankful that of all the Orlesian nobles I have met (Amaranthine has proven to be a beacon for noblemen and women, it seems), you are nothing like them.
Well, except for being very pretty in a dress.
Love, Katalia
Dearest,
I hope you realize I am no noblewoman, though I was raised by one. Should I be jealous? I hope that you are not taken from me in my absence.
The Grand Cleric brings foreboding news, and I am unsure if it would be wise to write it down. It is not that I do not trust you, but it has become very easy for a message to be intercepted.
We must be very careful for now. I love you very much.
L.
The letters took on a more somber tone then.
My Love,
I assume she refers to the unrest within Kirkwall? I am not afraid to put this on paper because word has travelled throughout the land. I have even heard news of Alistair (king or not, I knew that shemlen when he was still annoying mages) visiting there himself.
The countries are growing restless. Very soon, the Grey Wardens may be forced to fight things other than darkspawn. I shudder at the thought. There has been enough blood in this world and in the name thanks to that bastard Mac Tir.
It kills me to be away from you for so long.
K.
Dearest,
I pray to the Maker each day that I will return to you soon.
Ferelden cannot survive another war, civil or otherwise. The Divine has recruited me-amongst others-to assist in information gathering. If we have to move her troops into Kirkwall, I fear what will come as a result.
If we can protect nothing but each other, I must insist on continuing to remove our names.
L.
Carrier of my Heart,
I do not need the words of the letters to know of your worry. Though why you feel such for me while I am guarded and within the company of others, and you are alone, I have no idea.
Please be safe. I will disappear from this place for good if it means I can protect you.
K.
And just like that, the tones switched once more.
My love,
What do you think of the names Tellin, for a boy, and Castille, for a girl?
L.
I was so confused at that letter, and was certain it showed in my response.
Love,
They are well-chosen. But why do you ask me such things all of a sudden?
K.
Mon cher,
I was walking amongst the common folk and saw a young couple with a beautiful child. It made me think of what we would name our own children.
L.
That letter had to be dried out before being placed with the others, considering I spewed the wine I was drinking all over it.
Heart Stopper,
If I were a man, I would be much more worried about you already choosing names for our offspring.
K.
Silly,
I will refer to you as such because that is what you are. Why should you be worried? Do you not like children?
L.
Ma Lath,
I would love el'len regardless, but I am unsure. The only children around in my clan were those I grew up with. I have very little experience with them.
K.
K,
I have noticed how you interact with the children of Ferelden. You would be a wonderful mother.
P.S. What does 'ma lath' and 'el'len' mean? I think you have called me the first one before.
L.
L,
Ma'lath means 'my love'.
El'len means 'our children'.
I am sorry. It is strange to be writing Elvish after thinking it impossible for so long.
K.
Two months passed before the next letter came. My hands trembled as I tore it open.
Dearest,
I am so sorry to just be writing now. I have been…recruited as an Agent of the Divine, and must now be constantly moving, and secret. Even now I am rushing this letter by moonlight.
We may have to burn these after reading them, for safety.
L.
The news hit me harder than the ogre at Ostagar ever did. I collapsed in my chair, suddenly dizzy, staring at the letter in my hand.
As soon as I gathered my thoughts, I scolded myself. Leliana was a bard, and a fantastic one at that. Such dangers were child's play to her, and I was only shaming myself to allow such overwhelming concern.
But still…I grabbed a quill.
Ma Lath,
I will do as you wish.
This is not a request, but a command. One with the authority of not just your lover, but also the Grey Wardens because
I had to stop and rub the blurry tears from my eyes, a few falling and staining the paper. I didn't care.
because if you think I will not tear every soldier, every Grey Warden at my disposal, from Amaranthine to Ferelden, from their posts to protect you, you are dead wrong. Be safe. Do not risk yourself unnecessarily.
K, na'lath.
The wait was agony, and I felt partial guilt at having sounded so short before. Just as I started writing an apology, however, another letter arrived.
My worrisome lover,
Okay, she was definitely teasing me. Or I was missing the insult. Regardless, I read on.
I would ask you to take in this letter's fragrance before you burn it, if you please.
L.
Eyebrows furrowing in confusion, I lifted the parchment to my face and sniffed. My eyes widened.
"Warden, are you all right? You're very flushed."
"Y-Yes, Anders… I'm fine. Burn this for me, will you?"
"Huh? Well, okay."
L,
You minx. More dangerous than the Dread Wolf himself.
K.
K,
Why do you call me such things? Do you not recognize it?
L.
L,
Of course I do. From our first night together…and the ones following.
K.
K,
I can sense you're blushing, even from this distance.
It was not easy finding something as expensive as perfume in Ferelden, but I am happy my efforts were not in vain.
L.
L,
To be honest, it wasn't just inexperience that made me hesitate that night. I have had never had experience in romance, but I'm not that daft.
I was not certain that you were serious.
K.
K,
I thought my intentions were clear. Did you think because I am a bard, I was leading you into a trap?
L.
L,
It appears this time my own words were poorly chosen.
I trust you as I did then, and it makes my cheeks burn to admit it now, but I thought what we had (our relationship) could not be. I, a Dalish elf, and you, a human woman.
It all seemed so…forbidden.
K.
My sweet,
You are so adorable. I can imagine the stuttering, inexperienced girl part of you coming out, even now.
The forbidden fruit is always sweeter, remember?
L.
L,
You can't say that anymore. Your fruit has long since been devoured.
K.
K,
Oh, look who has become the seductress now! The other agents will question why I blush so.
L.
I laughed aloud reading that letter, enjoying that I'd gotten a reaction. Anders had caught me reading my last letter and was all-too happy to assist in a comeback, in exchange for his silence.
A sudden uprising in Amaranthine put the letters on hold for a while. Darkspawn had been spotted nearby, and the farmers were furious that their crop had possibly been infected, leaving me to try and persuade them that there was no taint in any of the fields, but rather closer to the grazing grounds, and the animals could easily be moved. Velanna and Anders had come along to assist me, and one of the disgruntled workers made a passing insult about she and I being "knife-ears" which set her off – the end result was me having to forcibly stun and carry-off Velanna (and getting into a shouting match with her about it later), persuading the farmers that she was not someone I could kill right then, and leaving Anders to treat the ones attacked by Velanna, or beaten up by me (they attacked first, and I did not need to be labeled a tyrant on top of everything else). Oghren and Nathaniel, bless them both, had kept things running somewhat smoothly in my absence, and I had just enough time to wearily send a messenger off with a letter of explanation before going to face Velanna.
Things seemed to keep piling up after that. Commander, sign these documents. Warden, there's darkspawn attacking. Commander, the nobles and villagers are fighting again! Madness.
One day I scoured the library, searching for a book on Dalish lore I was certain I'd seen before. Sigrun had shown an interest in the Dalish recently, and had come to me for answers, stating Velanna had shut her down. I thought the book would help.
"Letter for you, Warden." I automatically turned to accept the letter, and stopped. Leliana's eyes twinkled even as I knocked us to the floor, laughing and kissing and just absolutely, deliriously happy and relieved all at once.
AN: For the sake of having a bit of fun (as well as maintaining character, given that my version of Mahariel isn't the type to use pet names like "Sweetie" or "Darling") I'm going to say that written Elvish has been deciphered to a point, and Mahariel and Leliana have taught one another a bit of their language. Also, I apologize for the various "lines" but my previous (and cleaner) means of separation doesn't work on