As Leliana paced around her small but sufficient work tent, she looked down to her hands at a report that one of her many agents had given in to her. She analysed it soundly, taking in every word of news that had been given to her. This had become a daily ritual since she and Cassandra had declared the Inquisition reborn, and even though she sometimes tired of it, she knew that no one else could do the job.

Each day, she awaited a single, delicately written letter; One that she knew she was foolish to think she would receive. Still, she held on hope that one of her messenger hawks would swoop down to her, carrying a letter from her lost lover.

Sighing, she put aside the report, no longer concentrating on its contents. She walked near the entrance of her tent, and looked toward a small scene; Varric teaching a young boy how to shoot an arrow. She smiled thinly, watching as the boy fired and missed his target. He had been having lessons from the patient Dwarf for a few days now, Varric claiming that the boy was big enough to wield a weapon. At first, Leliana was against the idea, but relented when she saw the boy pulling at her own bow, reminding her of how much he looked like his father.

Had anyone asked her if she saw herself as a mother before coming to Fereldan, she would have laughed immediately and brushed them off, claiming that she loved her life-style- The Game- too much to let it be disrupted by her child-bearing. Even Marjolaine had told her she wouldn't suit motherhood, that she was too ruthless to provide any safety or love for any off-spring. If someone would ask her now, however, she would say that she could imagine her life any other way.

Fingering her wedding ring as she watched, Leliana smiled proudly as her son pulled back the bow string to his cheek, his posture firm and steady, before he released the string, the arrow flying through the air and hitting his target. His reaction was ecstatic, a grin immediately growing on his face when the arrow hit the length of wood he was aiming for. He turned toward the tent, his green eyes catching hers as he smiled gleefully. She gave him a wide smile, and he looked back at Varric, who tapped the boy on the back.

"Nice shooting, Tamale!" Varric praised him, walking to the wood and yanking the arrow that was dislodged in the oak. "See? I told you you could do it! Just a little more practise and you'll end up just like our Spymaster." He walked back to the trainee, handing him the arrow. "Although, hopefully you won't take after her too much in temper. You know how she can be," he said, handing the boy the arrow. "Ahh... don't tell her I said that."

Tamale chuckled, knocking the arrow against his bow again. "Don't worry, I won't," he smiled across at the Dwarf before looking intently at his next target.

Leliana smiled at the little scene, her grin falling when she noticed the chain of her son's necklace when he pulled his arm back. She recalled with great sadness and a heavy heart when he received that pendant.

It had been three years ago, and it was a hot, sunny day in Val Royeaux. Both she and Tamale were sitting on a bench near the gates of the city, her arms around his small, six year old shoulders. As he looked down at the ground, he sniffled every moment or so, though tears were not falling from his eyes. She squeezed his shoulder comfortingly, holding him tighter to her as she kept her gaze on their home, waiting for her husband to appear from the doorway, dressed in his travel gear and a backpack slung over his shoulder.

This was a difficult day for the three of them, but they had all known for a while it was coming. Ever since Theron had gone after Morrigan, Leliana had known something had drastically changed in her Warden. He was... 'enveloped' in the book the witch had left for him, claiming that the secrets within could cure him and Alistair from the Taint. After years of studying the book, he had decided to go far toward the West, to find something Morrigan had listed in the old, worn book.

She lifted her head back toward the door at the sound of its opening, her heart leaping to her throat when she saw him. She didn't want him to go. She never wanted him to leave, but she knew it wasn't a selfish act, him leaving to find the cure. He was doing it for himself, his friend and ally, and his family. No matter how much she wished to plead with him to stay with her and their son, she knew he was doing this to be with them longer, to give him more time to spend with his loved ones.

Explaining this to their son, however, was not so easy.

Tamale had quickly drawn himself to tears at his father's words, hearing that he had no idea when he and his father would meet again. Leliana had never seen a bond so strong between father and child. Working for Divine Justinia had caused her to be away from home far too often, leaving Tamale in the care of his father. Through her absence, their bond had grown, and Tamale idolised him. Hearing that he had to leave was as difficult for the boy as much as it was for her.

The Warden carried himself over to them slowly, people greeting him as he passed. There was an awkward silence when he stopped in front of them, Theron waved his hand through his hair as he thought desperately for something to say to his family. But already, Tamale had resolved, letting the tears fall down his cheeks as he began to sob. Theron smiled gently before kneeling on his knees in front of the young boy, bringing his hand under his head to lift his face up. "Chin up, little hunter," he had said, using his thumb to wipe away any tears. "I'll write as often as I can, okay? I'll be back soon." Before standing, he lifted his hand and searched his pocket. His hand retreated from the furry tomb, revealing his Dalish Pendant; The Amulet his clan had given him as a child. He clasped the pendant around Tamale's neck, letting it rest on his fine, elaborate clothing. "Keep this safe for me? I don't trust myself not to lose it." He smiled, ruffling his son's hair as Tamale began to grin slightly, looking down at the wooden pendant.

He rose to look at his wife, who had risen to her feet as well. They said no words of exchange, only engulfing each other in a firm hug as Theron kissed her hair, with a quiet promise that he would return to her, free of the Taint. He bent down to embrace his son, telling him in a low whisper to 'look after his mother'.

He had left them then, walking through the gates of Val Royeaux, his next stop was to the stables, where he would pick himself a fine horse, and leave for the West.

That had been three years ago. For weeks after his father's departure, Tamale said little to anyone who talked to him, even to Leliana. For the first few days, the Left Hand of Justinia had thrown herself into her work in an attempt to dull the aching loneliness that settled into her heart. After seeing the result that had on Tamale, however, she quickly withdrew from her workings, explaining to Justinia her need to spend time with her son.

As promised, Theron wrote as often as he could. He sent back his findings, and little gems that Tamale had taken an interest in, but the farther he went into the West, the fewer his letters had been. In his last mesage home, Theron had explained he would no longer be able to write, at least for a time. This had left both her and Tamale saddened, knowing that they wouldn't be hearing from him, worry washing over Leliana as she would have no idea of his safety. The last letter they had received was a little over a year ago, but even then he left the exact location of where he was travelling to a secret, not wanting to be followed.

Tamale had never taken that Amulet off. He claimed that wearing the jewelled pendant made him feel closer to his father, and he cherished it every moment since Theron had departed.

Leliana remembered, that as she came into their room in Haven one late night, her heart tugged at the sight that greeted her; her son laid up in her bed, his little pendant clenched tightly in his fist as the boy held a frightfully pained expression as he slept. The more time went on, the more often Leliana was met with this sight when her work for the day was done. Tamale had often awoken during the night, his sudden heavy breathing and rustling of the covers awaking Leliana from her sleep. He would then often tell his mother of his dreams; Dreams of where his father was, who he was with and what he was doing. Leliana had tried to tell him it was his mind playing tricks on him, that 'the dreamland show us many things we wish to see'. Nevertheless, Tamale remained stubborn as an ox, refusing to believe that what he saw at night were figments of his imagination.

And his dreams, these supposed figments of his imagination, these phantoms which were meant to cause no harm, were not so meaningless after all.

Mere days after Varric had given the young boy an archery training session, Tamale had began acting strangely. He was... edgy around people, keeping to himself most of the time and spending most of the day in the corner of Josephine's Office with a book, staring at the pages endlessly for hours on end. Josephine was the first the notice the boy's strange behaviour, and reported the matter to Leliana.

The Spymaster confronted her son gently one night before he resigned to his bedroom, asking what had had him in such a daze. He gave her a worrying look, and looked down to the floor. Leliana knelt in front of him calmly and placed her hands on his shoulders. "You know you can tell me anything, oui?" she asked, giving him a smile. "What's bothering you?"

Tamale raised his eyes to his mother's then, biting his lower lip nervously before letting out a shaky breath. "Mamae..." he began, looking back down to the ground. "When the Inquisitor comes back from Redcliffe with the Mages, something very bad is going to happen."