A/N: I hope you guys are enjoying to story so far :)

Disclaimer: I dont own Dragon Age or the characters from it

It was already dark and there was no sign of Aspen or Tamlen yet, Merrill kept anxiously watching the forest. The hunters were always supposed to return before dark, they had left in the early morning where could they be?

The Keeper came and stood beside her, "peace Da'len they will soon return."

"It is already dark Keeper, they should be back already."

"Yes well I am sure they will be-" before Marathari could finish her sentence a Shemlen came dashing into the camp, Merrill instinctively grabbed her staff and point it at the Shem. Marathari looked at her and said, "put down your staff it is only Duncan."

As Merrill lowered her staff she saw that Duncan was carrying a small figure, a woman, she hung limply from his arms. Merrill's stomach gave a lurch when she realized who the small figure was. "Aspen," she breathed.

The Keeper ran to Duncan's side, "what has happened?"

"I found her in the ruin a few miles off lying on the floor, she is deeply injured."

"Bring her over here," Marathari said guiding Duncan to her aravel. They went inside and shut the door. Merrill's head was spinning and she ran to the aravel and pounded on the door. Duncan opened the door, from behind him she could she Marathari working the healing magic on Aspen. "Please let me in, I need to be with her."

"No Merrill," said Marathari from where she stood, "you must calm the others."

"Please Keeper!"

"No Merrill, remember what I said about putting the clan first."

Merrill felt a tear run down her face and she nodded her head, "yes Keeper."

When she turned she found the clan grouped behind her, all at once they were shouting questions at her, "Who is that Shemlan?" "Where is Tamlen?" "What happened to Aspen?" "Is Aspen ok?" "Did that Shem kill Tamlen?" "Did that Shem hurt Aspen?" "What are they doing?" "Why did the Keeper allow the Shem into her aravel?" There were so many questions that Merrill couldn't even begin to answer, she felt her head swimming, like she was drowning in despair and questions.

To her surprise Feneral stepped in and hushed the crowd, "quiet! You are overwhelming Merrill with questions! How can she begin to answer any of them with all of you shouting them at once? Everyone calm down. The shem is a Grey Warden. A friend of the Keeper. Being that he is a Grey Warden it is unlikely he harmed either Tamlen or Aspen. We do not know where Tamlen is, we must wait for Aspen to wake, perhaps she knows, perhaps not. Aspen is with the Keeper now and there is nothing else that can be done for her. The Keeper will do all she can. Now everyone to bed. There will be no more questions tonight."

The crowd quickly dispersed and disappeared into their own personal sanctuaries. Feneral helped Merrill off the ground, who had just realized that she dropped to her knees. Feneral helped her to her own aravel and looked at her, "tell me what is between you and Aspen, Merrill."

"W-what?"

"You are acting in despair, a despair of one who's love has fallen."

"Then you already know what is between us."

"I see, this is a dangerous path Merrill."

"I love her Feneral, there is no going back."

"I understand," he said sadly, "get some sleep Merrill, she will be well soon."

Merrill stumbled into her aravel and fell onto the bed. That night she sobbed until she was too weak to continue and then drifted off into a restless sleep.

In the early morning when she woke, feeling miserable, she left her home quickly and went to the Keeper.

"Keeper please let me see her."

"She is resting Da'len."

"Please let me see her Keeper. I need to see her."

The Keeper nodded and let her into the small aravel. Laying on the bed was Aspen she looked feverish and weak. Merrill fell at her side and ran her hand through her hair, "please do not die," she whispered.

The Keeper left her there with Aspen. Merrill stayed for a couple days unwilling to leave. Finally the Keeper and Feneral came and dragged her away from Aspen for some sunshine and fresh air, against her protests of course.

"You do her no good by moping around Da'len," said the Keeper.

"Some fresh air and sun will do you some good, go on," Feneral said pushing her away from the aravel.

Merrill sighed and went to go sit alone by fire. What had inflicted this on her? What was this sickness that left her so weak, so tired? Merrill sat thinking for a few hours before a hand on her shoulder pulled her from her thoughts. She looked up to see who it was only to find Aspen standing above her. She rubbed her eyes to be sure they weren't playing tricks on her, "Aspen?"

"Yes, had you forgotten already?" A smile played on her lips, though she still looked so pale and weak.

Merrill sprung from the place she was sitting and pulled Aspen into her arms not caring who saw, "I was so worried."

"The Keeper healed me of course," she said with a smile.

Merrill kissed her roughly on the lips and smiled, "of course she did."

"Merrill we have to go find Tamlen, the Keeper told me to take you with me."

Merrill shook her head, "it is too soon, you still do not look good."

"We can wait no longer. We must find him now, it has been too long as it is."

"What happened out there Aspen."

"I can't remember much, a ruin, a mirror, Tamlen touching the mirror, then nothing."

Merrill nodded, "so we leave now?"

"Yes."

Merrill nodded and followed closely behind her love in the forest. A mile or two in they were attacked by creatures that Merrill had only heard of in stories. Horrifying creatures with black biting teeth and parchment flesh. She watched in horror as Aspen cut them down and then stumbled sideways.

Merrill ran up beside her and caught her and set her down on a nearby stump, "are you ok?"

"I am fine," she managed to get out before heaving out a thick stream of black bile.

"Perhaps we should turn back, you are not well."

"No we must find Tamlen. Come on the ruin is not far."

A few more miles and they reached the ruin, "creators this looks like an old elven temple."

"Indeed," was all Aspen said before charging inside.

Aspen lead Merrill to the back of the ruin to a room where an old mirror stood.

Merrill's eyes widened, "its and eluvian," she muttered softly.

"It's a wicked piece of garbage is what it is. Tamlen is gone because of it. We should destroy it!"

Merrill caught Aspen's arm before she could put her sword in it, "don't!"

Before Aspen could respond another sword went through the mirror, shattering it to pieces. On the otherside stood Duncan, "why did you do that?"

"You should have listened to your friend. This mirror is dangerous."

"We could use it to find Tamlen and restore our people!"

"No you could not have, now come we must leave."

"What about Tamlen," asked Aspen.

"It is too late for him, the only reason you have made it this long is due to your Keepers magic. The taint, if left unchecked, will kill you. Now come you do not have much time."

"I can't leave Tamlen!"

"He is already dead now come on before you are too."

Merrill pushed Aspen, "listen to him! You cannot die."

Aspen pursed her lips and followed without another word.

Merrill waited until they were a good distance away and picked up a piece of the broken mirror and wrapped it in a piece of cloth and hid it within her clothing.

After they returned to camp it seemed like only moments before Marathari was telling Aspen that she must leave to join the Grey Wardens for the sake of her own life. She was only given a short time to say her goodbyes. When finally she came to Merrill her eyes were misting and sad, "Merrill I-"

"I know, you have to go," she said sadly.

"I will miss you Merrill," she said touching her hand to Merrill's face.

"And I you," she responded allowing Aspen to pull her into an embrace.

"My heart is forever yours," she whispered into Merrill's ear.

"And mine is yours," she whispered back.

Aspen brought her face to Merrill's and kissed her passionately. It was a goodbye kiss and Merrill knew. Her heart both broke and sped up all at once. She didn't want that kiss to ever end, because when it did Aspen would be gone. When she finally pulled away, tears in both of their eyes, Merrill asked, "will you return?"

"I don't know. I don't know if I ever can."

Merrill nodded, "of course."

Aspen put a necklace in Merrill's hand, it was a silver chain with a decorated heart shaped emblem on the end. It was the necklace that Aspen always wore, "keep this safe for me, and know that I will always love you Merrill. No matter how far we are from one another. I will always love you."

"And I will always love you Aspen," she replied as she watched her love walk out of the camp with the Warden.