A/N: Bioware owns everything, I'm just borrowing!

Have to send HUGE thanks to of course, as always, my wonderful Betas Ladyamesindy, Erynnar, and Piceron without their help I never would have made it through parts of this. I also really need to thank some "lurkers" of mine for sampling parts of this story to give me their reactions. This story is WAY outside the box of what I am used to writing and I needed to get as much feedback as I could...their input and ideas helped me greatly. I am SO excited to see what you all think, this is shaping up to be one of my favorite stories.

Speaking of the story...this is almost all post game, aside from this chapter and touches on feelings of love, trust, hate, betrayal, confusion...you name it, and I believe it aptly demonstrates that in the game of love, there can never be a clear cut winner. As of right now the story is rated "T" but it WILL be changing to "M" in the near future. I already have a lot of this pre-written so you will not have to wait too long between chapters.

My story shout out for today goes to none other than our own Ladyamesindy and her Fergus/Leliana story "The Sands Of Time". It is an excellent excellent story and well worth taking the time to read (and review) :)

Okay...time for me to shut up with my rambling...without further delay here is "The Tangled Web We Weave" I hope you enjoy and please, let me know what you think!

~Love One Another~

Redcliffe Castle-Eve of Battle

"I trust that a decision has been made?" Morrigan sat upon the bed, anxiously awaiting an answer from her companions who had spent the last hour pacing the floor. "I must remind you that the ritual must be performed tonight."

"Yes Morrigan, I realize this." Alistair snapped. "We are not simply deciding on what to eat for supper…what you are asking…"

"…Will save your life. " Morrigan interrupted harshly, glaring at Alistair as she stood from the bed. "Tis late, if we are going to do this, it must be now. What have you decided?"

Alistair looked to Sheyna, his fellow Grey Warden and soon to be wife. "It is up to you my darling, are you sure this is what you want?"

Sheyna reluctantly agreed, after all what choice did they have? If the ritual was not performed there was a very good chance that one of them could be killed upon the death of the archdemon. True, there was a chance that Riordan would be the one to strike the killing blow, he did say that he would make the sacrifice; but what if he failed? Then it would be Sheyna…or Alistair. She took a deep breath and looked into her love's brown eyes and she gave him an affirmative nod. Sheyna then turned to look at Morrigan. "We agree, perform the ritual."

Morrigan gave her a light smile. "Tis for the best." The witch then turned to Alistair who had turned pale upon Sheyna's nod. "T'will not be as bad as you think, I assure you." And with that the witch took Alistair by the arm and led him from Sheyna's quarters to his own across the hall.

Sheyna slumped into a chair near the fireplace and buried her face in her hands. "Maker, what have I just done?"

Alistair could feel his pulse quickening with every step he took toward his room. By the time he and Morrigan actually reached the door he feared he may pass out. "What am I doing…have I gone mad?"

Alistair snapped out of his subconscious argument as the loud clap of the door closing behind him pulled him back into reality.

"I am going to go in the next room to prepare; and barring any further questions from you we shall begin."

Alistair began pulling off his heavy armor as Morrigan stepped into the small change room that branched off of his room. His mind was racing and he felt as though he would be sick for not only did he have the potential consequences of what he was about to do running through his head but he also was agonizing over something that Eamon had discussed with him earlier in the evening.

An heir; Alistair knew that it would come up eventually. Though Sheyna Cousland was of noble blood she was also a warden. Eamon took no time in reminding Alistair of how rare it was for a warden to become impregnated; even with a non warden and two wardens having a child together was nearly unheard of. King Alistair would need an heir and as Eamon so bluntly put it if his wife could not give him this child then other avenues must be taken.

Once Alistair was undressed down to his trousers and tunic he sat upon the bed and waited for Morrigan. After a few minutes she entered the room wearing a long black robe, her hair allowed to lay loose upon her shoulders. "I trust you are ready?"

Alistair stood from the bed and met Morrigan in the center of the room. "If I am going to do this, I have one final stipulation."

Morrigan looked at him suspiciously, certain that he was trying to find some way to back out of their deal at last minute. "'Tis a little late for this, we left the bargaining table back in Shey's quarters."

"Either you listen and agree or we don't do this." Alistair crossed his arms defiantly. "This is not something that I could mention in front of Shey."

Morrigan raised an eyebrow and seated herself at the foot of the bed. "Interesting; I'm listening…"

Alistair cleared his throat as he began pacing back and forth. "As you know, I am to become King."

"Yes, it has been mentioned…"

"As king there are going to be certain things that are expected of me; things that I may not be able to accomplish without assistance." He continued to pace, afraid that if he stopped he would either pass out or become ill.

"I assure you Alistair you will have plenty of servants to make sure that you are dressed properly and should the unfortunate happen and you walk into the Landsmeet with shoes on the wrong feet; who cares, you're king!"

Alistair growled loudly. "Aaargh…is it a complete impossibility for you to take anything that I say seriously?"

"Generally…"

"Well if you want me to go through with this thing I would suggest you at least pretend to want to listen to me or you can just forget it!" Alistair's face had turned crimson as his frustration reached its breaking point.

Morrigan sighed loudly as she rolled her eyes. "Fine Alistair, what is this great burden that has been placed on your kingly shoulders and what can I, your humble servant, do to relieve you of it?"

Alistair knew that that was as close to being serious as he was going to get from the witch so he continued. "As king, I am going to be expected to produce an heir."

"And you fear that your bride will not be able to give you said child…correct?"

Alistair nodded. "And I just thought that maybe…you may know a potion, or a spell, or something that would help."

Morrigan thought for a moment before making her way back into the changing room. After only a second she returned with her pack. She opened it and dumped out the contents. She then turned the bag inside out and after untying a few small strings she rolled out a secret compartment from within; filled with herbs, vials, and flasks.

Alistair looked at the items curiously. "I don't remember you having any of these things before, what is all of this." Alistair picked up a vial of black liquid from the bag and examined it closely.

"That is because most of these items have been banned by your Chantry. I was not about to display them publicly to anyone who passed by, especially nosy, annoying templars." Morrigan snatched the vial from Alistair's hand and placed it back in the compartment he had pulled it from.

As Morrigan began mixing together some of the items in a large flask Alistair took a few steps back. "Whoa…if this is illegal…"

"Do you want an heir or not? 'Tis the only way." Morrigan snapped.

Alistair let out a loud exasperated sigh. "Fine…do it…"

Once Morrigan finished mixing, she quickly put the various ingredients and supplies away and placed the pack in the corner on the floor. She handed a large vial of a hazy clear liquid to Alistair.

"So what do I do? Do I drink this, or does Shey need to…how does this work?" Alistair studied the vial within his hand.

"The vial that you are holding contains enough potion for two doses. One dose needs to be taken by Sheyna no more than twenty four hours before attempting conception. The other dose needs to be taken by the potential father, again no more than twenty four hours before the attempt."

Alistair looked away from the vial into Morrigan's eyes. "Wait, potential father? You do mean me right?"

"No. The potion will help in subduing the taint, allowing for the pregnancy to occur…however it will only work if the potential father is not a warden. The potion is not powerful enough to subdue the taint that would be flowing through two wardens... it must be another man.

The decision of whether to use it or not is up to you and Sheyna, but I have held up my end of the bargain and I am ready to commence and get this over with."

Alistair slipped the vial into his pack that was lying on the floor beside the bed. "Fine, let's get this over with, just please don't mention any of this to Shey, I should be the one to tell her."

"Of that there is no doubt; do not worry…I will not say a word."

Alistair took one last deep breath as he pulled off his trousers and tunic and lay down upon the bed.

Morrigan slid off the long robe and crawled across the bed; positioning herself atop the soon-to-be king. She looked into his terror stricken brown eyes and grinned. "Fear not, t'will be over soon."

Alistair closed his eyes and pictured Sheyna "I'm doing this for us…I'm doing this for us".

Morrigan leaned far over his shoulder and blew out the candle that sat upon the bedside table; plunging the room into total darkness.

"For us…"