"Connor."

Ruio allowed for Arl Eamon and his wife to go in and try to talk to Connor. She knew he was devastated by Irvings death. Her heart squeezed at the sorrow of her and Alistair knowing he choose to die. She walked away from the room closing the door before walking to the courts where Alistair was in meetings with the Revered Mothers and the circle. One of their messengers had rushed to find Fiona and deliver the message to her of the news. She looked at the large double doors sighing before turning away and heading to their room. She would see him there later.

Being Wardens may have been better. That was always the thought running through her mind. Alistair and her still bare the blood of the blight in them, but they had other responsibilities to follow. One of them was trying to have a child. The blight had taken that away from them as well. Wynne was gone for good now, Morrigan had disappeared in the Eluvian, Oghren returned to Orzammar and was helping the dwarves stave off the darkspawn. Zevran had wrote her, he was on the run from the Crows. Leliana was serving with a Cassandra for the Divine. Sten had returned to the Qun and was an Arishok now. Shayle was no longer in contact with them but she would hear of a fiery dwarf causing trouble around the country. And her trusted Mabari was still with her.

He was asleep at the foot of their bed huffing as he dreamed. She gently patted his head as she knelt by him on the floor. Her mind felt riddled with confusion and she felt unsurety in all that was happening.

"Well, my dear, it has been a while."

"Hello Flemeth," she replied without looking at the older woman, "What do you want?"

"It isn't what I want, but what you need, dear child." Ruio looked over her shoulder at the woman. But gasped when she noticed Flemeth no longer looked like the witch she had met all those years ago.

"Fle-Flemeth? Is that you?"

"Who else would it be, child," she said laughing. Her hair was not a gnarl grey but pure white with four like horns forming from it. Her dress was also no longer the same peasant clothes but that of a strong enchantress, "Oh stop gawking, I had to change my appearance. Sadly I've also had to split myself. Such a shame one body is difficult enough to maintain, hah."

"Why are you here? What is happening?"

"Oh dear child, what isn't happening," Flemeth strode past her sitting on her bed, "A war is about to begin. And then there will be more destruction and chaos in the years to come. I wonder how long it will take the Divine to respond, I'll give her six years."

"We already know of the war," Ruio said standing, "But that isn't the real reason you're here is it."

"Sometimes I forget how wise you are, or is it foolish? I can't remember," she chuckled, "No that isn't why I'm here. There is going to be trouble for the Wardens soon. A call that none of you will be able to escape unless you're free from the blight. Yet if we free you from the blight then the darkspawn will destroy us for sure. So I ask you, Grey Warden, how do we solve this dilemma."

"You're asking me? When you have lived far longer than I?"

"Oh come now, you're as wise as I am, or at least foolish."

"I don't know," Ruio said sitting on the edge of her bed, "I just want to, I want to….Oh I don't know!"

"I think you do know child. Or you at least know I have a way of protecting your husband while you go and fix this problem. I also could make you fertile to bear a son as soon as you return."

She looked over at the old witch her mind wondering if she should accept what Flemeth was offering. She stood and walked over to the dresser opening her jewelry box and lifting the pendant of darkspawn blood that had changed her life. She grasped it before turning and facing the old witch.

"Tell me all that you know."

….

"Connor won't want to ever return to Denerim you know?"

Alistair looked over at Teagan before he sighed and set the quill down. He stood up and looked out the large studies window. Connor was still with his parents deciding what they would do for the time being. He thought back to Hawke and what she had said. She was a mage and she told Alistair about her fears on a rebellion but there was more tugging at him. He ran into a Warden named Stroud. He mentioned concern of a darkspawn that was aware of itself. He remembered the story of Architect that his wife had said at the Warden's keep. If Connor was his only concern he would feel sorrow over him not coming to visit again. But he knew there was going to be bigger threats to come. A knock on the studies door, he called for them to enter without turning around. Her heels clicked on the stone and a smile tugged at his lips.

"Teagan, I would like for you to leave until I call for you again," he turned to see his wife standing by the door, a guard waiting for Teagan to leave. Once they both left and he and his wife were alone he shoved the papers from his desk before he sat her on the desk and began to kiss her. She muffled against his mouth trying to say something. He pulled back sighing.

"Alistair," she gently lifted his face to hers before she hiked her dress up past her hips and then wrapped her legs around him. He smiled before leaning his face into her neck. She smelled of lavender and woman.

"I know you came to talk all though that is the very last thing I want to do-" He was interrupted with her nibbling on his ear gently. He could feel her core hot between them. He moved his mouth to hers and felt excitement as her tongue greeted his in earnest. He pulled her hard to his body. Her breasts flattening a bit, he could feel her nipples were hard. He shivered as her hand brushed his neck and she sighed into the kiss pulling away.

"We have so much that needs to be done," she said brushing his jaw gently enjoying the stubble he was growing from being away, "And I will have to leave soon."

"What?" He pulled back looking at her. But in her eyes he could tell she was thinking of things as a warden, the biggest reason he fell in love with her to begin with. He rested his forehead to hers sighing, "So what trip must you go on now?"

"Architect wasn't the only Darkspawn who could talk," she let her legs loose around his waist but Alistair stayed close to her, "Flemmeth came to let me know that I need to go and find out more. And that you know more as well."

"I do," he had to move away from her if he was going to think clearly, "I've learned of another darkspawn similar to the one you meet in Amaranthine. It calls itself Corypheus, and the Grey Wardens there had to bind him in a magical act. Hawke told me her father was used in the ritual to seal Corypheus away."

"How did she find him?"

"Varric, a merchant dwarf, found out about some Carta who were trying to get her blood," Alistair pulled out a roll of paper laying the report out on the table, "They had to unlock the seal and set him free. Once they had done that Hawke then took to killing the darkspawn. Which she and Varric confirmed was dead. No pulse, no nothing."

"I hope that is the last we see of him," Ruio said getting off Alistairs desk and looking out his window, "I still don't know what Architect was but I feel very uneasy about it all. I also have this weird feeling that killing all the darkspawn like him means the end of the blight."

"I agree," she turned to see Alistair leaning against his desk his teeth grit tight, "I ran across some old records about Tevintor. They may help you to find what you are looking for."

He reached into his pouch laying by the desk pulling out the box. He opened it revealing a large stack of papers magically protected. One glance at the top paper told her it was Tevintor. She placed a hand on top of Alistairs drawing his gaze to hers. They both had tears in their eyes. She swallowed the small sob in her throat before she kissed him. He reacted pushing her hard against the bookcase. His hands slithered down to her thighs before hitching her legs up and around his waist.

He carried her to the desk not breaking their kiss stumbling a little as he settled her down on the desk with him on top. His weight was warm and safe she didn't want to let go of him, she had already done it so much before that to do it again would most likely destroy her. But if what Flemmeth said was true then she had to leave for his sake.

His hand trailed under her skirt, he pulled at the strings tying her bodice, after her bodice was released he slipped a hand under and took her breast in it. She moaned before letting go of the kiss and holding his face in her hands.

"I love you, please don't ever forget that."

"How could I, when you presented yourself in such a warm way," Alistair answered before he began the methodical work of worshipping her body. She knew that he was trying to ignore the thought of one of them possibly dying. She groaned and laid her head back as he climbed above her kissing her neck.

…..

The bear rug was comfortable to sleep on, the blankets in the study to keep people warm were layered on top of the two of them. She sighed into his bare chest, his light blonde chest hairs tickling her cheek and lips. She watched as her head went up and down with his breath. His softly beating heart a sweet song of the two of them being close in this moment but closer in heart. She shifted her head over to the floor staring at him and his drool. She softly giggled before wiping it away. His scruff itched her fingers and she smiled before she kissed his lips.

She sat up and stretched before she felt his arms slip around her waist. His scruff cheek rubbing her lower back as he sighed and kept her planted there. She turned a little before he looked up at her grumpy.

"You know we have a lot to do," she squealed as he pushed her down and he loomed over her.

"Once more, then we can do what we need to do," he rested on his elbows licking her neck before there was a knock at the door. Alistair groaned in her ear before he yelled what.

"Alistair you have to come, Orlais is in a civil war."

Ruio looked at him before he sighed and yelled he'd be down soon. They gathered their clothes getting dressed. Alistair finished last tucking himself away from being noticed. She embraced him and kissed him before they both walked out of the room. He turned and headed down the hall to Eamon as she walked to their bedroom to get into her armor and pack what she would need on her adventure. She opened the door stopping when she noticed Connor sitting on the edge of their bed petting Rover, her Mabari.

"Connor, why are you here?"

"Why was I born a mage?" He looked up at Ruio with a tear stained face and her heart broke. She walked over to him before hugging him tightly. He allowed the tears to flow and she suddenly realized how much pain Connor had suffered.

….

"I'll be the sacrifice," said Isolde after they heard what Jowan had proposed to them. He could use blood magic to kill the demon who Connor had let in, but it would require the sacrifice of another in order to successfully enter the fade.

"There has to be another way," Ruio said looking at Alistair and Wynne, Rover whimpered not liking the feel of the demon's presence, "What about the mages at the circle?"

"Yes, they could help and without the need for blood magic," Wynne said looking at her.

"But the circle is two days travel," Alistair said his face wracked with conflict over the options they had to choose from.

"Connor won't be calm for long. While you're away he could end up attacking again," Isolde said wringing her hands. She knew she was just as guilty for what happened to her son as was Jowan. Ruio looked at the Knight Commander.

"Have I prepared the village enough?"

"Yes, with the armor being repaired and with the added bodies of Dwynn and his friends we should be better able to hold our own," he said saluting her, "But mind you, we may yet lose people. It was only because of you that we lost no one."

"Sten, Morrigan, Zevran, Oghren and Leliana will stay and help you fight," she said before she pulled out her flask and drank down some of the potion for adrenaline, "Alistair and Wynne you'll help me to bring the circle back here. We have two days but we will return. Bann Teagan work to keep Connor satisfied. Isolde you better start preparing to say goodbye to your son as well since after this I want him to go to the circle."

Wynne and Alistair drank the same potion as well, Ruio gave some to Rover. They walked out of the court and into the foyer. They pushed the doors open before they looked at each other and began to run.

The way to the circle was clear and she was thanking the Maker through breathes, they reached the circle at night and quickly found Gregoir. He took them to Irving who gathered all the lyrium they would need before he joined them on the trek back. They had to go a bit slower but they reached the castle the second day at night. Coming back into the town they learned that they had survived. Alistair and Rover stayed in the town to help protect it as Wynne, Irving, and Ruio rushed to the castle. They fought through enemies before they got into the castle.

….

"Thanks Ruio for listening," Connor closed the bedroom door after complaining about how he should've died rather than be saved. She told him over and over that she made the choice to save him because he was worth saving. He agreed to continue studying at the circle but he admitted he may never feel the same again. She grabbed a sack to start stuffing essentials into. She opened her closet and pulled out some clothes to wear. After filling the bag up with that she then took and tied her hair back in a ribbon. She petted Rover before she headed for the armory.

The guard opened the door and allowed her entry. King Caillins armor was on display with Duncans armor and swords beside his. She looked to her left at her family's sword and shield. She lifted them off their mounts and nestled them down before she put on her Juggernaut armor. After clamping the legs on she then placed the sword and shield onto their harness on her back. She moved around to get back into the feel of the armor before she walked out. The soldier knelt at her exit, the same armor she had worn when she slayed the archdemon. She had forgotten about that but she placed a hand out in front of him helping him to stand before she smiled and saluted him. He returned it bowing his head.

She headed down the garden to the courtroom. The guards opened the door bowing, she smiled seeing Alistair sitting on his throne with a crown on his head. He smiled at her, a sorrow filled and lonely smile. Arl Eamon bowed his head at her as she stepped up to her king. Alistair embraced her, the clinking of her armor from being moved. She sighed before stepping back and looking at him.

"You'll need to prepare the land as soon as you can," she felt the tears stinging her eyes. Despite Flemmeths reassurance that he would be kept safe she was still terrified. He grabbed her hand and walked her to the entrance. The doors were opened by the guards leading out to the main entry gate to the castle. The Redcliffe horse master Dennet held the reins to one of his Ferelden horses. It was a large brown horse built to handle battle. It was armor free meaning it would be able to move quickly. She approached the horse who nudged his snout against her shoulder sniffing her.

"Dennet please be sure to help any who need your horses," she looked at him before petting the horses neck, "It may sound weird but we of Ferelden have to prepare for war. And I won't be here to help, so please do all you can to help in the war efforts."

"Of course, your majesty."

"Ruio," she looked back at Alistair and Rover before sighing and kissing him. She was use to people seeing them being intimate, it started that one fateful night in camp. Even after they stopped kissing he pressed his forehead to hers, "Please return safely. Ferelden needs you, I need you."

"Of course," she tucked a strand of hair behind her ears before they heard a whimper and looked at Rover who looked at the two mournfully. She knelt down and ruffled his neck before he kissed her face making her chuckle, "I'll be home soon, I swear it. Keep Alistair safe."

Rover barked before standing up straight. She smiled before standing and kissing Alsitair once more. He helped her up on the horse before he gripped her hand with his ring on it. They shared a final look before she looked around seeing all those there. The people of Ferelden had felt fear for so long with the Blight and now a new threat was coming. She had made a promise as their queen to protect them and serve her king. She would find a way to fix things, she raised her hand high and shouted. The guards and people around raised their fists high and shouted too. She looked once more at Alistair before she kicked the horse into running. It reared back before it charged out of the gates.