"Are you sure?"

I slowly nodded my head, as I swirled the potion around in my hand. I really didn't want to think about it, the taste I mean. But I had to drink it anyways. Taking a huge breath of air, I took a swig from the potion bottle. As the liquid inside the bottle slide down my throat, I closed my eyes and tried to imagine that it was Oghren's own ale. But it didn't work, as I could feel my gag reflexes start up, as the bitter, horrible taste started to become too much to handle. She couldn't believe, and hardly could I, but what else could it be? I slammed the bottle down on my cherry table, gasping for breath. I felt like being a child again, being forced to take the awful medicine.

"So...you think that that is actually working?"

I nodded my head again, as I took another swig from the bottle, draining what was left. Thank the Maker that I was done for the day. I placed the empty bottle down on the table, and I couldn't help but make faces, as the horrible rotten taste was still in my mouth. I felt sick to my stomach, but I didn't know if it was because of the horrible draught of a potion, or...

"I pray to the Maker everyday that it is Wynne," I finally said, wanting to puke out what I had just swallowed. "The Kingdom needs it to work." I looked across the table to my dear friend who stood by my side for as long as I could remember. She gave me the same look that she had for the last couple of days ever since I told her of what was happening, or my suspicions. I shook my head, trying to keep down the vomit that was slowly creeping up my throat. I hated this, hated this whole predicament. I love Alistair, don't get me wrong, its just that I wished, secretly, wished that Anora was Queen, and Alistair and I were just Grey Wardens. . But of course, fate would have it another way.

"Did you hear about Anora?" I asked Wynne, as I poured myself a huge glass of water.

"Can't say I have child," She shook her head, as she sat back in her chair, never taking her eyes off of me. "All I have heard was that the new Warden-Commander of Ferelden is traveling to Amaranthine." She tilted her head at me, as I started to chug the water.

"Don't look at me like that!" I said defensively, as I poured another glass of water. I knew where this was going, and I knew of what might happen. "It's not like I actually want to go Wynne, but I have to as the Warden-Commander, and Arling and all. I have those duties of which I have to do."

"Yes, but what of you're other duties Elissa? What if something happens? We don't even know if these potions are actually working for you or not! These are made for the Mabari war hounds that have contracted the darkspawn taint!"

"I know that Wynne, but what other choice do we have?" I hissed, signaling to keep her voice down. Alistair wasn't here, and we were sitting in one of my private rooms, but still. Anora had spies everywhere, and with the recent rebellions that were slowly gaining power, with the sudden marriage to some lesser noble that nobody seems to know of, I couldn't take any sort of risks.

"Morrigan is the-"

"Morrigan left Wynne!" I looked across the table at her. Wynne, along with everyone else knew how close Morrigan and I had gotten, and they all knew how hurt I felt when Morrigan left after well, the ritual. I felt used, and so betrayed by the one that I had called my sister, that they still could not say her name around me without tears springing to my eyes. "And while she is the only one that may know how to make a baby with one Grey Warden, I doubt she will know with two Wardens." Sighing I sat back in my seat, and placed my hand on my forehead. Another outburst, great. "I'm sorry Wynne..." I whispered, feeling horrible for almost shouting at her. How could I? If Morrigan was like a sister to me, Wynne was my new adoptive mother. And as such she had every right to be worried over me, and what I was doing. "I haven't been..."

"Feeling yourself?" chuckled Wynne, as she folded her hands on her lap, still looking at me with motherly concern, but with a hint of joy in her eyes. "I guess maybe you are right. That maybe this is working. But I ask you dear, is going to Amaranthine such a good idea? If you are, which from you're recent sickness in the last days, and the short temper which you usually have under control I say yo are, but is it such a good idea?"

"Anora is breathing down my necks with citing rebellions in her name. There are still plenty of people that will side with her because of who her father was before this whole mess. Going to Amaranthine will not only further the position of Grey Wardens, but will also give me a chance to gain allies with the nobles there. It will keep me away from any prying eyes for a few weeks, just in case." I smiled at Wynne, resting my hands on my stomach, believing in something that shouldn't be. Could something good, come from so much evil and death over the past few months. I couldn't contain my smile any more, and for the rest of the night Wynne, and I dared to laugh, dare to hope that maybe all this evil was finally behind us, and for just a little bit more, Ferelden, Alistair, Wynne, and I, could finally heal and move on. Little did we know that my days were counted, along with everything else. It seemed the Maker wasn't done with us yet.

I awoke the next day early to begin my long journey to Amaranthine, something I sort of looked forward to.

"You are going to miss me right?" joked Alistair as we sat down on the floor, eating our breakfast. It was a bad habit that we had gotten into on the road. But it was a slight comfort at the same time for us. Here, for breakfast, we could say whatever we wanted to say, we could do, and wear whatever we wanted to do and wear without the bothersome rituals, and traditions that came with being King and Queen. For a few hours every morning it was just Alistair, the former templar turned Grey Warden, and his Grey Warden wife Elissa. I sat across from him like I always did, in a pair of loose trousers, and a loose linen shirt. I was trying to braid my dark brown almost black hair in the new Antivan fashion, as Alistair was took another bite of sharp cheddar cheese. He grinned at me, and while the conversation this morning was little more then what was going on in court, I couldn't help but notice that in a way he was jealous.

"You know I will miss you. Who else could stand there and look pretty when I do all the hard work," I grinned as he threw a piece of bread at me. "Will you miss me?"

"Of course I will miss you! But now that you say it, I think that Arl Eammon, and the rest of Court are going to miss you more. There has been rumors that they all think that I am going to single-handily destroy all of Ferelden in just a few days without you." Joked Alistair as he took another bite of cheese. "I mean...what do they think I could do? Set all the Mage's free, and burn down...the Chantry?"

"I can't see the Mages being set free from the tower...the Chantry and Denerim in flames are a high concern..." I joked as he laughed sarcastically back at me. "Wasn't it you that said to me that if you were left in charge, some very bad things would happen, and that you would find yourself lost without any pants on?"

"That is not the point!" He smiled at me, then looked down at his feet. "Before you go Elissa...there is something I would like to talk to you about..."

Up, over, under, up, over, under... I thought to myself as I said, "What is it?" To tell the truth I wasn't really listening, as I finished that side of my head, and was about to start the other side.

"Well...it's about my demon child...my Heir..."

That grabbed my attention. He hadn't spoken of that night to anyone, not even me. "What have you heard?" I asked, trying to stay calm. He had known that I had sent letters out to all the guards, to every Chantry, trading post, tavern, inn, everywhere in Ferelden to be on the look out for Morrigan, and to alert me of anything.

"There was a report that came in yesterday that a woman matching Morrigan's description was seen in the Frostback mountains. Who looked heavy with child."

So it did work, the ritual and all. I didn't look at him, I was afraid my emotions that I had in check would give way. He had an heir that had the soul of an old God. The taint of the Grey Warden, along with the soul of an old God, and the King's blood. I closed my eyes, as I tried to think of what our baby would be. Would it be a ghoul? Would it even resemble a human at all, and be sane enough to rule? I turned my attention away from those thoughts as I could feel my stomach starting to reach my throat.

"At least she is on the other side of Ferelden, away from us..." he continued. I could feel him watching me, like he always did when I was deep in thought. "...you alright? You haven't been eating breakfast lately...and you look sort of pale...maybe you shouldn't go to Amaranthine today."

"I'm fine..." I smiled, and sat straight up again. "You're just jealous that I'm traveling!" I threw the piece of bread back at him, as I started the braid on the other side of my head.

"Well...kinda...sorta...yes." He said, standing up. "I mean, you my dear wife get to escape Court for a bit, and travel around Denerim in armor, and killing any stray darkspawn in you're way. Which you have been itching to do, don't deny it!" He laughed, walking over to his closet and looking at the different rich silks, and cloths, trying to figure out what to wear today. I couldn't help smile as I heard him sigh. The one thing about being King that he enjoyed very much was the clothes. All the silks, cotton, fine wool, fur, he loved them all.

"I swear..." I started, finishing up the last of the braid. "I could have married a woman!"

"And I could have married a man!" He protested, throwing a shirt at me. "Goes either way my good wife! Now hurry up and get dressed! I don't think the nobles, or the Grey Wardens from Orlais want to see you in my shirt and trousers when you arrive in Amaranthine."

I didn't say anything. All I did was laugh, and throw back the shirt that he had tossed at me. All I could think about was the time. It would take me four days to get to Amaranthine. A week or two to sort everything out, and deal with all the rituals and so forth. Then another four or five day journey back. And while I was thinking about time I realized it had been about six months since defeat of the blight, five months since Alistair became King, three months since I had became the Queen of Ferelden, and almost two months since my last day of the bloods. I, Elissa the Hero of Ferelden, Wife and Queen to King Alistair, maybe with child.