Arn woke as the first rays of the sun appeared above the horizon to bring light to the world. He found that that he was cocooned around her, her back pressed to his chest, his nose buried into her hair at the base of her neck. His arm was wrapped around her, his hand cupping her breast. There was no eroticism in his touch, simply warmth and ownership.

Even after two weeks he still found it startling to wake to find her there. He raised himself on one elbow and gazed down on her face. It was serene, her lips in the slightest of smiles as she relived some dream. She looked so peaceful and content there in sleep. He watched her for a few minutes, examining every single line and curve of her face. He had chased her across half the known world and now into this unknown one for moments like this. It was worth it, the price had been far less than he had been willing to pay to be with her.

The hand that cupped her breast began to play, to tease it to life, and her smile began to become deeper, and he wondered how her dream changed to accommodate this. But soon he came to the decision that he was being unfair, and slipped from their bed, kissing her hair before he finally left the furs that covered them.

In time he returned to the bedside armed with bread, butter, hard cheese and honey. The comb still encrusted the honey and the crunch it gave the texture of the honey was a luxury to be savoured. He also carried a pitcher of goat's milk and two leather cups.

Since he had left she had rolled around to her back, and her dark dishevelled hair covered her eyes, so that he was not sure if she pretended sleep or not. His hand slipped under the covers to caress her intimately, and immediately she smiled and bit her lip. She was awake then he thought. She made a sound between a purr and a sigh as he continued to caress her slowly, deliberately. Her back started to arch and her breathing become more laboured to his continued touch, until through gasps she demanded what she wanted and needed. His hands complied and she cried out in her euphoria. Her body wracked her with spasms of excitement as she came down from her high. He embraced her and held her until her breathing was calm and steady again. His mouth found hers in a kiss and it lasted long moments.

Amusement sparkled in his eyes.

"And the Anderfels say hello in return"

She laughed a short bark of a laugh. He still teased her about that stupid argument she had had with Leliana, but she had come to laugh at it, to realise how childish they must have appeared, two little girls bickering over who the boy liked best. She could laugh at it now, but how the jealousy had burned at the time. She never thought that she would have resorted to such cat-fighting to mark her territory. She never thought herself possessive, she had been wrong. He was hers and she would fight tooth and claw for what was hers.

"T'was your fault, you started it"

Arn made a face, pretending that he was thinking on what she said, and then nodded his head.

"Agreed, so I have brought food as a peace offering"

She grinned wolfishly and sat up, wrapping the furs around her form to keep out the dewy chill of early morning. Her strong white teeth ripped into the bread as she ate with a ravenous hunger. He too focused on his food. The taint in his blood caused him to have the appetite of two or even three normal men. The foulness inside him required all the fuel it could gain and even though he ate like a trencherman he appeared as slim and svelte as always. In time as their hunger abated they ate more slowly and conversation sprang up between mouthfuls.

"Tis time I discovered more about where we are. I have a theory on its location, yet I cannot be certain. Tell me what do you know of the Black City?"

Arn frowned.

"The Chantry say that the Golden City was the heaven the Maker made to reward his followers after they died. But mages of Tevinter entered the place while alive and their evil converted it to the Black City, corrupting it and turning them into the first dark spawn. I have seen the Black City, while I ventured the Fade; I saw it there in the distance. I am not sure I believe what the Chantry says about the city, but I can say it exists."

"Tis indeed a place that can be seen from the Fade, but did you also notice, no matter where you went there it never got any closer? That is because it isn't within the Fade. Tis in another place, this place in fact"

"The Black City, here? Aren't we in danger from darkspawn?"

"Only if you believe the Chantry lies made to cow the sheep into not searching for it." Her face portrayed the distaste she found talking about the religious institution

"Flemeth once told me a different story of the Black City. She told me it has always been black, it is not a heaven or a hell; it's simply a city that the old gods once inhabited. The Tevinter mages found a way to pass from the Fade to this place. Sadly that knowledge has gone, but I shall not digress. The Black City is simply a capital of this world, where all the knowledge and power is contained. The Tevinter mages in their arrogance came with demands, instead of humbled heads to this place and the taint they were given was a punishment and warning for their lack of respect. Sadly the taint spread in them so virulently that they were mindless beasts when they returned to their own realm. They could never pass on the truth. The powers here are beyond our imaginings, the magic here is so powerful that upon Ferelden one would appear a god. Flemeth was first born here; this is what I have learned. She was never human and her soul resides here. Every time she dies she ventures forth from here and claims a new host who then becomes almost god-like. But our son now has the spirit of the ancients, the greatest practitioners of their magic. Here he will remember."

"Does this mean that we could kill Flemeth here once and for all?"

"Potentially... But there is something that must be dealt with before that, if we attempt that at all"

"What is it?"

"The taint you have, it was created here, and the taint is escalating, it is speeding through your system, I can see it like an aura. I fear for you."

"I feel no different, in fact I feel stronger."

"And maybe the candle that burns brightest burns shorter. I wasted time we could have shared; I will not risk you again"

She looked at him, and he saw the love in her wolf-like eyes but he could see the fear there too, the fear of them being separated forever.

"We need to find inhabitants of this place, and to find the geography of this land. I wish to get you to the Black City"

"I am never going to leave you Morrigan; I have fought too long and hard for this to give in. If I am sick, then we will find a way to make me better. No matter how many years we have, it is not enough but I want as many as is possible.

I saw the taint as a way to even out our life lengths, for the Elves live longer than men, those that are allowed to see out their lives anyhow.

And if I am cured of this taint and live my full life, then I do not wish to live it alone, and so I have come to accept that even if it's Blood Magic or if you must take the life of another to do it. If Flemeth's magic would give you an Elven life then I'd accept it. No matter how stained my soul becomes. Without you, good and bad, they are just dust."

"The end justifies the means," she said.

He nodded and they embraced her head on his shoulder.

There love wasn't pure and sugary-sweet she knew, it was fire and blood, chaos and death, lust and respect, but most of all it was reliance on the companionship on the other to make each other whole and it was that last trait that made it sweet and beautiful.

"I had never thought of using Flemeth's spells to replenish my own youth. Being the target of such plans made me over-look it. T'is something to think on for I too feel that a life time is not long enough, I already feel anger inside when I think of time lost"

"Then it is settled, but it something that should not concern us now. It would seem that we must take to the road again. Just like old times."

She climbed out from under her furs and began to dress, which left him silent as she watched her every move.

"T'would be fine, if you did something practical, instead of staring like a half-wit"

"Fine for whom?"

She threw up her hands in exasperation, which only made him watch the more intently.

"Then have it your own way".

He grinned, but was certain she now dressed in such a way to please him more.

Three hours later two horses trotted out of their makeshift camp. Their son's followers had started to build huts and a fence around their clearing in the forest; this would be their home for the foreseeable future. Whatever scouts that had been sent out before said the forest ran for at least 3 days in all directions. The mirror had left them in the middle of nowhere.

But of course the scouts couldn't fly and soon Arn watched a raven take to the air. Morrigan would search in the air while he travelled the forest.

And so the search had started in earnest for the Black City.