Zevran took in the quaint little cottage, sitting on one of the two chairs that were in front of the hearth. It was a surprisingly inviting little place, much more than he had ever owned in his entire life. Aurora was bent over the hanging tea pot that had flames tickling its bottom, adding bits of lavender. Even after they finished fighting in the Blight, the woman still wore leggings rather than dresses. "How long were you planning on staying here?"

"I'm not sure", she moved towards a cupboard, pulling a wooden plate that held a loaf of bread from lunch on it. "I didn't want to face Highever without Fergus, but I wanted a place to call my own."

"And...when did you find out about the pregnancy?"

"About a month ago, I had been throwing up for weeks and there was other signs. I had just been so lost within myself I didn't even realize, not to mention it isn't even supposed to be possible."

"It is because of the taint?"

She nodded, placing a hand on her stomach. "Warden's aren't supposed to be able to conceive, especially not together." Sadness found her features, turning her lips into a frown. "I gave up on the thought of children long ago, but yet it seems with the lost of Alistair I have gained one. Is it selfish to want both?"

"No, of course not Rora." He stood, going to her and tilting her chin up to look at him. "You know that I have believed you about that night since the first time you told me."

Leaning into his chest she felt a part of herself calm, the anxiety she had become so accustomed to leaving her mind for a bit. "I can't even blame him for thinking I was lying, every single thing pointed against me. My only memory of that night before being awoken was of laying next to him, as I had done every night for a year."

"You had never lied to him before though, he should have taken your words before anyone else. Especially after the proposal..." He stopped, afraid he had said too much, dug up too many memories for her to handle.

That night had been something of amazement, the warm feeling of love that flowed so steadily between the both of them. Aurora smiled sadly, "It's okay, Zev. It's a good memory, even if it didn't turn out the way I thought."

"The way we all thought. Come on, let's have tea, you should sit. Aren't women who are with child supposed to sit in comfortable chairs and eat sugary cakes all day?"

"Don't make me poison your tea, I'm barely showing. Once I can't get out of bed on my own, I will look into the sugary cakes." Besides her words she still sat in her rocking chair, warming her feet by the fire. Zevran took the kettle from its place over the hearth, filling the two mugs Aurora had taken out already and filling both. Once handed her own cup, she drank steadily, closing her eyes and inhaling the sweet scent.

"You wouldn't happen to have any brandy, would you?" Zev looked down at the tea, raising a questioning eyebrow. "I'm a bit afraid of your poisoning threats."

"Wouldn't poison be better disguised in alcohol?" She raised a black brow, sipping more of her tea.

Zevran thought about this for a moment before nodding steadily, "And I call myself a crow." He took a swig of the liquid before he continued to speak, "I think you should write to Wynne. If this pregnancy is so unnatural, you should have someone who knows what they're doing make sure everything is continuing normally."

"Once we reach Highever, I'll have a letter sent immediately. Are the plans still to leave in the morning?"

He nodded, "Hopefully the wagon won't be too bumpy, it was the best I could find in that village. They don't even have a brewery up, no wonder everything is going so slowly."

"Was Antivia built in a day?"

"Well of course, they made sure alcohol was readily available. Why do you think our royal families have so many issues? They're as drunk as the peasants and just as dumb, they just have the gold for more expensive liquor."

"Oghren would be in heaven."

"Ah, our red headed soap allergic friend. How I miss our constant arguments. Brings a tear to my eye."

"I was sure he was going to make you dual him a few times, especially when you implied he wanted to bed you."

The two continued talking well after the sun disappeared, cloaked in only the light of the slowly dwindling fire. Dream had fallen asleep between the two, snoring slightly and occasionally kicking his paws in his sleep. By her fourth yawn Aurora was ready to retire to her room, but she found herself clinging to the new found socialization she hadn't experienced in months. "Zev?" She spoke shyly, feeling heat rise to her cheeks.

"Mmmm?" He himself looked spent, eyelids closing for moments at a time before they would open.

"Will you sleep with me tonight?" She spoke softly, folding her hands in her lap and biting her lower lip in hopefulness.

At she spoke he seemed to come out of his sleep ridden daze, looking into her eyes until finally they met his own. "Of course." He stood slowly, then put his hand out to her and brought her to her feet. She lead him to the archway that opened up into her bedroom. The bed was in the corner, decorated in a quilt of mismatched fabrics with one pillow at the center. She had a small desk to which clothes and other fabrics were folded upon, the starting of an infants nightgown taking up an open area.

"Do you mind if I change?" She was holding a cotton shirt over her arm and nothing more, awaiting his answer. Internally, he swallowed and said a silent prayer to the Maker.

"Of course not." He turned away from her, allowing her the privacy to change. The sound of clothing hitting the floor brought his mind wandering, his head threatening to turn. He had dreamt of seeing her naked a hundred times since that first day she bested him and he was awoken with the site of her standing over his aching form, hands on her curvy hips and eyes narrowed. Even then her heart had already belonged to Alistair, he could tell by the way the two had exchanged words with such closeness and in such a comfortable way.

"It's safe now." He would always enjoy the melodious tone of her voice, how smooth and silky an invisible force was. Turning to her he took his shirt off, folding it and laying it where the rest of her own clothing lay and leaving his shoes on the floor, right next to the bed. He put off looking at her for as long as possible, before finally catching a glimpse of her toned thighs and allowing his eyes to further investigate the scene before him. The shirt fell loosely except for when it met her hips, clinging in accommodation to cover her hour glass figure. It was going to be a long and stiff, very stiff, night.

She was the first to get into bed, scooting over to the wall and sending the cotton shirt further up her form. When he got in next to her she immediately came forward, curled up on her side and looking up into his eyes. He couldn't help himself but to bring his thumb of her cheek, his skin being met with the silkiness of her own. How was she always so soft? Bringing his hand away he wrapped an arm around her waist, her head tucked under his chin. He had only loved one other woman before and that had ended in death, it had nearly destroyed him. This relationship would not end like this, no matter if he had to bite down his words and love her as only a friend.