Chapter 2: Closer to Reckoning

A piercing scream jolted the silence, jerking Lyana from her slumber. Still panting with fear, she suddenly found herself back in her bedroom. She glanced around as a storm outside caused shadows to race around the briefly illuminated darkness. Wind whipped the tree branches across her window like ethereal fingers, reminding her of the forest that had felt so real only a moment ago. Wiping the sweat from her brow, she wondered if the scream had been imagined…or if it had come from her.

A low growl by the door caught her attention, and for a moment she thought the forest beast had somehow followed her. Jerking a knife from under her pillow, Lyana whirled upright, catching the inquisitive glance of a very large dog. "Maker's breath, Odin," she muttered, trying in vain to calm her beating heart. "Don't scare me like that!"

Lyana slowly crawled out of bed, rubbing her eyes to try to adjust back to this new reality. Odin began to whimper and paw at the door, and Lyana knew better than to ignore him. Odin was a Mabari hound, and if her mother was to be listened to, the smartest one who ever lived at that. "What's wrong, boy?" she asked, moving to open the door.

Odin bounded down the hall ahead of her, towards her parents' room, and Lyana began to feel uneasy. As she neared the bedroom, she noticed a small crowd of worried-looking elves wringing their hands and whispering to each other. They hurried to straighten themselves as she approached.

"Princess Lyana, you shouldn't be out of bed at this hour," Nala, her former nanny, protested. The old woman's frail age did little to alter her intimidating appearance, but Lyana was getting too old to be coddled.

"If something is wrong with my parents, I believe I have the right to know," Lyana replied. "I heard screaming."

"It's just the wind, dear," Nala tried to console her, gently prodding her back towards her own room. "Didn't you hear the storm outside? Now run along, before…"

Odin's low growl matched Lyana's icy stare. "I hope you don't mind if I just take a peek."

"My dear, that's hardly appropriate…!" Nala stuttered as Lyana and Odin brushed past her. The other elves muttered to themselves and quickly began to disperse as Lyana turned the knob to her parents' bedroom.

Inside, it took her a moment to adjust her eyes to the dim lighting, but it didn't take long to make out the dim figures of her parents sitting in bed. Her father, Alistair, held his wife close. He looked up as the door opened.

"Who's there?" Alistair called. Before she could respond, the king sighed as he recognized his daughter. "By the Maker, Lyana, what are you doing here?"

"I heard a scream and I just wanted to see…"

Her mother sat up straight, pulling herself out of Alistair's arms and holding the covers close to her chest. "It was just a bad dream, my dear," Elissa said calmly. "Grey Wardens get nightmares sometimes, remember?"

Lyana frowned. Nightmares perhaps, but screaming? "Yes, I remember, but…"

"Come here." Lyana approached the bed, and Elissa pulled her down to kiss her on the forehead. "You are sweet to check on me. Now run along back to bed, you don't want to be tired in the morning. Did you forget about the Victor's Celebration tomorrow?"

"No, mother," Lyana mumbled.

Alistair smiled wryly. "You women are nothing but trouble, keeping me up all hours of the night. It's Warden Appreciation Day and I'm going to have droopy eyes. What kind of example does that set?"

Lyana rolled her eyes at her father, but moved to leave. "We'll talk in the morning?"

"Of course," Alistair replied. "Now take that mangy mutt with you. He snores too much."

Odin barked at Alistair, who did little but raise an eyebrow. Lyana patted Odin's head with a smile and led him out of the room. "Don't worry, boy. I don't mind you snoring."

Elissa watched as Lyana shut the door before sinking back into her husband's arms. Alistair rubbed her arm affectionately, but could not hide the worried look on his face. "The nightmares are getting worse, aren't they?" he inquired.

"Is it strange to say I wish there was an archdemon around to add some sentience to the chaos?" Elissa asked her husband as she lay her head against his chest. The warmth of his skin and the sound of his heart were comforting.

"No. I understand what you mean, love. These voices are…"

"Madness," they said in unison.

"Duncan was right when he said that eventually we would be able to understand the darkspawn. I just didn't expect it to be like this," Alistair remarked, resting his head on top of his wife's as he held her. "I thought we'd get to be privy to some super secret Archdemon plans or something, you know? The darkspawn that are left are filled with more raging crazy talk than Oghren."

"I was in the Deep Roads tonight," Elissa told him with a shudder. "The darkspawn were crawling everywhere, calling for me to join them in their feast. I watched as they ripped apart a legion of dwarves down there. They gnawed their way through muscle and flesh, blood spilling all around them. Some even ate each other. I watched as it…made them stronger. And the smell… The smell of blood was both nauseating and intoxicating. It was as if I was becoming one with them for a moment, as if all I wanted to do was crouch down beside them and feel the warmth and the power of blood as it gushed from a still beating heart."

Alistair was silent. "Is that why the Wardens go to the Deep Roads to die in battle?" she asked him. "Because eventually the darkspawn blood within us drives us to become one of them?"

"I…I don't know, Elissa."

She swallowed hard and closed her eyes, still trying to shake the dark images from her mind. She whispered, "Does this mean it's almost time?" She glanced up at her husband, but he would not meet her eyes. "Alistair, look at me."

Alistair shook his head and moved away from her, throwing his feet off the side of the bed. He bent over, massaging his temples. "I don't want to talk about this right now."

"I don't think we have much more time to talk," Elissa insisted. "It's been 27 years, you know. We were only supposed to get thirty at best. I wouldn't have traded these years with you for anything. But…I'm not quite ready to go yet. I had hoped to see Lyana get married one day. She's grown, but just barely. I don't know if she's ready to take the throne by herself yet."

Alistair slowly turned and put his hand on his wife's cheek. "Don't think of such things yet, my love. You have some time left with Lyana and who knows, maybe she'll stop being stubborn in time to find her a proper suitor." He smiled tenderly at Elissa. "You know, if there has been one bright spot in this great mess we found ourselves in, it has been our daughter. Being king and all that is fine, though usually more trouble than it's worth. But I count myself luckiest that I was able to marry my love and have a child with you." He chuckled. "Not that it was easy of course. For awhile I thought the arls were going to have both our heads for losing so many children before their births." Alistair leaned back in thought. "Hmm, I still remember that riot where they called you a witch."

"Well, I'm glad you were able to convince them otherwise."

"Oh, don't thank me," Alistair grinned. "I wanted to tell them that you were indeed a wicked temptress who seduced me against my solemn templar vows and would have probably killed me if I didn't give in to your demands to become king and marry you. It was Arl Teagan who convinced me that sometimes little white lies are more diplomatic."

"I seduced you, was it?" Elissa asked with mock incredulity. "I seem to remember a stammering, blushing young man awkwardly asking if I would take his virginity before we died."

"Really? Funny, I always seem much more suave and daring in my memories. Ah well, at least I have learned a few tricks since that first fateful night, eh?" Alistair leaned in and cupped her breast with his hand as he softly kissed her neck.

"That you have," Elissa agreed, though distracted. Frowning a bit, she took her husband's head in her hands and gently pulled his face close to hers. "Will…will you come with me when it's time? To the Deep Roads?"

Alistair sighed heavily. "My dreams have not become like yours yet. I am King of Ferelden, Elissa, and we have a daughter. Would you have me abandon my duties before it is necessary?" His heart ached at the sight of the sadness that filled her eyes. He tenderly drew her head to his chest and held her tight. "Come now, you know I can't bear to see you upset. I always cry before you do, remember?" Alistair bent down to whisper in her ear. "I will take you to the Deep Roads when it is time, and we shall see how far I am able to hold onto you." Alistair stroked Elissa's cheek and moved to kiss her forehead before brushing his lips down her cheeks and across her soft lips.

"Now come," he whispered. "Let me make love to you. The nightmares never find you after that."

The warmth of his mouth lulled Elissa's fears, and she kissed him back passionately as he moved back the covers and slowly pulled off her nightshirt. Alistair pulled her body tight against him and his heat flowed through her, burning away the last filthy vestiges of her dreams. "I love you," she whispered.

Alistair smiled. "I love you too."