"I'm… I'm sorry, but could you repeat that?" Marian heard blood rushing in her ears as she stared at the Rivaini healer sitting across from her, a knowing smile on her weathered face.
"Congratulations, I said. You're going to have a little one in about six and a half months." The woman, Ishta, poured a cup of steaming tea and held it out. Ginger, cinnamon, and cloves wafted from the cup. "Drink, this will help heal what needs it and ease the nausea."
Taking the cup, Marian asked in a daze, "How?"
The healer raised an amused brow, "Do I have to explain to you?"
"NO! No, that's… I'm well aware. My partner and I have been using witherstalk religiously, though." Marian weakly waved the hand that wasn't clutching the teacup like it was the only thing anchoring her to sanity.
"It helps, certainly, but nothing is guaranteed," Ishta cackled. "Your witherstalk could have been too old, the plant wasn't harvested at the right time, or it could have just been a bad patch it was harvested from."
Marian nodded weakly, still in a daze. She sipped the tea, letting the warm flavors wash over her tongue. It did ease the nausea that had prompted her to visit a healer, thank the Maker. Taking a deep breath, Marian clutched the cup to hide trembling fingers, "Is the… baby alright? I know I'm not the most feminine woman, is that going to affect the child?"
"Pfhaugh, the child is in perfect health thus far, and you're perfectly feminine, Champion."
Marian choked on the mouthful of tea. "How-?"
"This is Rivain, I'm a seeress as well as a Spirit Healer. A most persistent little spirit came to tell me you'd be visiting. Compassionate, too. Told me some interesting things. You've spent your life being compared to those frail little Orlesian and Marcher noblewomen. I can see old Rivaini blood from the Amells and your Fereldan father in your frame. Be proud of it, and it's just as feminine as any other woman's." Ishta measured more tea into a large pouch. "You should settle somewhere soon. Roaming around the Marches and Rivain won't be good for the little bit for much longer. If you feel nauseated, steep a teaspoon of this in a full teapot. Not as convenient as having a Spirit Healer at your beck and call, but it does well enough."
'Thank you." Digging into her coin pouch, Marian dug out several sovereigns and pressed them into Ishta's hand as she took the tea. She stood, and blinked several times, thinking she didn't quite know what to do. The older woman stood, black braid streaked with silver falling from her shoulder down her back, and walked around the low table between them before folding Marian into her arms.
"Go tell your man he's to be a father." Holding Marian by the shoulders, she drew back, giving her a look that was maternal in nature. "Stay safe, Marian Hawke, and hold onto your happiness with both hands."
The market of Dairsmuid greeted her as she exited Ishta's little shop. Fenris wouldn't be far, he never was. How he managed to blend in while wearing his black armor and the white fabric head-covering that was popular in the Anderfels amid the riot of colors, Marian would never know. She felt more than heard him fall into step behind her off her left shoulder. Raising a hand, she signaled 'later' and proceeded to the little inn near the docks where Varric had arranged a room for them. Zevran would be coming in a week or two for his routine check-in.
Marian barely restrained the panicked giggle that bubbled in her chest. Varric was going to go insane trying to find a holding secure enough for her to have a babe in. Springtime eyes darted a quick glance to her left, shooting a nervous smile over her shoulder at her glowering, broody shadow. Fenris would insist Varric choke down his dislike of Sebastian and work with him to find something in or around Starkhaven, most likely.
They drifted into the inn, acting more like working partners than a couple married in all but name. Theirs were the only footsteps in the stairwell, and as was their routine, Fenris opened the door with Marian at his back, pike at the ready and a Crushing Prison just a breath away in the Fade. The room secured, Fenris had barely finished removing his headcover before he was holding her, eyes searching her face for answers, "Well? What is this illness?"
"Well, it's not so much an illness as… erm… oh Maker, I don't even know how to say this."
"Say what, Marian?" His face paled under the darker tan he had acquired during the months they had been in Rivain, "You're dying?"
"No, nothing like that! It's… good news?"
"Well then?"
"I'm trying, Fenris! It's kind of blindsided me." Marian took a deep breath, and dropped into one of the chairs furnishing the little room. "Sit down, please."
Fenris sat, balancing on the edge of the other chair like it was going to bite him. Marian took a deep breath, and let it out with a pointed huff, fluttering the hair hanging across her forehead.
"Ishta has found the cause of the nausea and related unpleasantness." He waved a lyrium-lined hand in a 'get on with it' gesture. "I'm pregnant, Fenris. We're going to have a baby."
She could see the news hitting him slowly in the expressions that crossed his face. Shock, first, then disbelief, terror, wonder, terror, amazement, confusion, terror, and back to disbelief. His voice cracked, "How?"
"That's what I asked! It seems we're one of the lucky pairs that the herbalists are talking about when they warn witherstalk isn't a guarantee." Marian kicked back in her chair. "I don't even know what to do. Any ideas?"
She looked over at Fenris, and sat up when she realized that he had his head in his hands and his shoulders were shaking. Raising his gaze to her, tears were in his eyes but refused to fall as he choked out, "I will be a father? Truly?"
"Yes. Yes, Fenris." Her elf stood and pulled her up from her chair, and wrapped his arms around her, fairly crushing her in his embrace as he buried his face in her neck.
"I do not deserve this," he rumbled into the curve of her shoulder. "A slave… a slave expects nothing. I never thought to find love, or peace. Now, to be a father…"
"I didn't go looking for you, but I found you anyway. Just kind of stumbled onto you, like I did everything else good in my life. I love you so much, Fenris. We're going to have a baby." Marian felt tears roll down her cheeks, and she let out a giddy laugh. "We are going to have a baby! Maker, what are we thinking?"