She barely heard the soft padding of bare feet crossing her bedroom floor, but Kierrai Theirin-Vael shifted slightly to see who the invader was. She chuckled softly when she saw her three year old daughter's striking blue eyes peeking over the edge of the bed. She reached out and ruffled the girl's unruly auburn hair before lifting her onto the bed beside her.
"What are you doing out of bed, missy?" she asked. Talyssa smiled innocently and snuggled up to her mother's side.
"When is Da comin' home?" she evaded. Kierrai sighed. Sebastian had been in Orlais for about two months now and she missed him terribly. She kissed the top of Talyssa's head.
"I don't know, little one. Hopefully soon." She admitted. The child mimicked her mother's sigh, and Kierrai had to fight the urge to laugh at the adorable sound.
"I miss him." She whispered. Kierrai fully embraced her.
"I miss him too, Lyss." She agreed. Her baby reached up to place a small hand against her cheek, forcing her to look into her eyes.
"We'll get through it, Mama." Talyssa said seriously. Kierrai smiled fondly at the girl. The child was incredibly intelligent, and it never ceased to amaze her.
"I know we will." She murmured. Talyssa smiled and shut her eyes, easily drifting off to sleep in her mother's arms, her hand never leaving Kierrai's cheek. Kierrai wished she could fall asleep so easily. She arched an eyebrow as Fenris poked his shaggy head through the doorway. His expression went from frightened to relieved as he lay his eyes on the little girl beside her. "How does she continually manage to sneak by all of you, Fen? She's a three year old." She asked quietly. Her friend's expression turned sheepish.
"Perhaps if you wouldn't teach her your roguish ways, she wouldn't be able to use the shadows as a blanket like you do." He pointed out. She grinned proudly and shooed him away.
"Don't let it happen again!" she hissed after him as he closed the door. She heard his throaty chuckle from the other side and she settled back into bed, gently stroking her daughter's hair and singing softly under her breath. She was starting to drift off herself when she heard another person enter the room. She had her daggers in her hands more quickly than ever before, and she was on her feet without rustling her sleeping baby in the slightest. Her eyes widened when she saw whose throat her blade was pressed to.
"This wasn't exactly the welcome I was expecting, love." Sebastian said in his low, thick brogue. She dropped her weapons and leapt into his arms, wrapping her long legs around his waist and kissing him enthusiastically. He held her tightly, spinning her around before lightly setting her back on her feet. He chuckled as he studied her face in the moonlight. "That's more like it." He decided. She ran her hands over his face and chest, having a hard time believing he was real.
"Maker, I've missed you. Life is dreadfully boring without you." She murmured. His eyes darkened in a very familiar way before he noticed the child sleeping in their bed.
"I've missed you too, love. Both of you." He said as he peeled his shirt over his head. She nearly whimpered at the sight of his beautifully sculpted torso, wishing that her daughter had chosen to sleep in her own bed for once. She immediately crawled back into bed, curling around the toddler. Sebastian joined her, staring down at the angelic face with a loving smile.
"She's missed you, you know." Kierrai whispered. Sebastian reached out a hand to stroke his daughter's long, dark hair.
"She's gotten so big. I really want ta wake her, bu' she looks so peaceful." He answered softly. His choice was taken away as Talyssa's blue eyes, the exact shade of Sebastian's, flew open.
"Da!" she cried, throwing her arms around his neck. He chuckled and returned the girl's embrace. Kierrai smiled at her little family reunion.
"Hello, little cub." He said fondly. Kierrai smiled at the name. When they had gotten married in front of the Starkhaven nobles, her Theirin blood had been officially publicized. After that, it had been widely spread that Prince Vael had caught himself a Lioness of Ferelden, and the nickname had stuck. Although, it had since been changed to the Lioness of Starkhaven, of course. It was a nickname she hadn't had since she was a teenager, and it never ceased to amuse her. Talyssa's personality, which was already proving to be as mischievous as Kierrai's, earning her the name 'Little Cub', or sometimes 'Little Lioness'. Talyssa turned to her mother, excitement in her wide blue eyes.
"Look, Mama! It's Da! He's home! Jus' like I said! I told ye we'd get through it!" she rambled joyously. Kierrai grinned at her daughter's high, melodic accent. It was always thicker when she was excited about something. Kierrai was glad that she had picked up the Starkhaven accent rather than her own Fereldan one.
"You're practically a fortune teller." She replied, amusement clear in her voice. Sebastian grinned at her and reached out to hold her hand. She had missed his rough, calloused hands, and she continually ran her own over them, rubbing and massaging them as Talyssa went over everything that had happened since he left. It wasn't long before the babbling ceased and she fell asleep against her father's chest. Kierrai cuddled up against her husband's side and rested her chin on his chest.
"How was everything here?" he asked quietly. She shrugged.
"No major issues, although that woman from what's left of the Chantry hasn't left me alone about my affiliation with multiple mages. It's irritating, but if I refuse to see her she'll bring the Seekers right to our doorstep, and I don't have the patience to deal with them. If they come asking me about Hawke or Traven one more time, I can't guarantee that I will handle them with patience." She grumbled. "How was Orlais?" she asked, trying to change the subject. Sebastian smiled knowingly, but wrinkled his nose at the mention of his trip.
"Orlesians are so…froofy. An' evasive. They all play such games, an' they canno' be straightforward ta save their lives. It's ridiculous. I'm not made for such things. I wanted you with me every day I was gone." He assured her. She kissed his shoulder softly.
"I am quite good at those Orlesian political games." She responded wryly. He chuckled again.
"Tha' is no' the only reason I wanted you there." He pointed out. She arched an eyebrow at him.
"Did you have to beat the women off with a stick?" she asked flatly. He blushed slightly, and she fought to keep a serious expression on her face.
"Many of them were quite…forward. Bu' they dinnae stand a chance when I knew I had you waitin' for me." He responded smoothly. She did laugh then, but quietly so as not to wake their daughter.
"Flatterer." She teased. He grinned and kissed her forehead.
"It's no' flattery if it's true." He replied. She snuggled against his warmth with a happy sigh, content to just lay there with him and their child. As she felt herself drifting off, she remembered that she had some news for him.
"We will need to move Talyssa out of the nursery soon." She murmured against his chest. He snorted.
"She isn't quite tha' big, love." He mumbled. She smiled softly.
"Perhaps not, but she's definitely too big to share the room." She answered nonchalantly.
"You're probably right-What?" he exclaimed. She moved her eyes up to meet his.
"What?" she asked innocently. He shifted carefully so as to not wake Talyssa.
"You're pregnant!" he whispered in shock. She beamed at him.
"I am." She admitted. He smiled mischievously.
"Who's the father? I've been gone quite a while." He asked in a serious tone. She jabbed him hard in the ribs with her finger, causing him to grunt as he laughed at her.
"Have you forgotten my…send off for you so quickly?" she asked wryly. She could see the heat in his eyes as he remembered their last night together, and she knew that he had definitely not forgotten.
"I was only teasing, Kierrai. I have no' forgotten." He said huskily. She chuckled.
"Later, darling. There's a child in the room, if you didn't notice." She replied, though she wanted some alone time just as much as he did. Suddenly he yanked her up so that he could kiss her passionately. As soon as they separated, breathless, Sebastian beamed at her.
"Another bairn. I canno' believe it." He said. His smile was infectious and she felt her own lips turning upward.
"You're happy?" she asked. He kissed the tip of her nose.
"I'm ecstatic." He promised. She cuddled up to him once more, draping an arm over their sleeping child, and also the babe that was growing in her belly.
"I love you." She murmured.
"And I love you. Always." He replied simply. She smiled. It was moments like this, curled up with her family, that she knew she was the luckiest woman in the world.