Dawn. My eyes open to absolute darkness. I haven't gotten a full night's sleep but my internal clock wakes me regardless. After going at it last night on the furs like the old days fairly hard we moved to the bed for two more and I was worried at the time that the loft was going to collapse on us. I was tender in places I'd forgotten could get that way but the night had been worth every ache, physical and otherwise. The witch had taken the brunt of years of pent up ardor and she'd been the one to call for the steamy tryst to be over.

Prodding her I whisper, "Are you awake?"

"Hrrrrrrrrrrmmrmrrrrrrrr..." she responds.

I smile and lean over to kiss her unseen forehead. Going to sit up she makes a grumbling noise and gets her arm around my waist to stop me. "Nuuhhh...not yet..."

"The land calls to me, dear one."

"Mmm...I will go too...just sleep now...so sore..."

"Ach, fine, but I am desperate need of breakfast."

Stealing down to the cave floor I traipse nude through the dark towards the pantry. The slight draft of the room brushes against my well heated flesh and doesn't bother me in the slightest. I'm craving the fattiest things I can find and along with generous portions of meat I get myself a handful of hard biscuits topped with butter. It's a little cold to be sitting on the floor with only furs in between my dangly parts and the stone but Morrigan hates crumbs in the bed. Stuffing myself I should have stopped two biscuits ago but jam everything down anyway. Feeling for the water supply I gulp a few ladle fulls and wash the feast down. Briskly returning to the warm of the bed the witch barely moves as I settle back into my spot.

We finally rise together just before noon and I am unashamed to eat a second breakfast. Joining me as I prepare to venture out into the snow the witch brings along her staff. It would have looked like an ordinary branch had it not been for the otherworldly chill it radiated. An eldritch, gnarled piece of wood it was capable of channeling murderous power that I had seen firsthand many times. I wondered what kind of game she had in mind as we went out into the white.

Morrigan leapt from the cliff face and turned into a large crow mid air. Grumbling to myself I work my way down the mountain slope as she circled overhead. Going out where the trees were thickest the witch-bird flew out of sight but likely very close while I waded through the evergreens. I stop several times to collect a few pounds of mushrooms growing on the bases of the many trees. Examining tracks that criss-crossed in the snow I determine that a raccoon sized quadruped and a hare had passed through less than a day ago. It is a good sign that the forest is so lively even at this season.

Hours pass blissfully in the quiet landscape among the earthy bark and pine scent that surrounds me. I am mindful of the time as I keep track of the sun's hidden progress through the sky and there is plenty of it. I hear a "Caw!" overhead and scan above to see that a crow is looking down at me. She has jarring, solid gold orbs instead of the normal beady black crow eyes and flies ahead to another tree before cawing again. Leading me in this fashion for a few hundred feet I come to a small clearing that I approach with caution.

There are a couple of white goats munching on scant vegetation atop a rocky, broken boulder ten feet high. Jutting and uneven like a tiny mountain the goats blend in almost perfectly against the background of whites, greens and browns. Stealthily I draw two arrows and hold one in my teeth as I get my bow into place. Nocking the the second arrow I aim at the animal presently showing me his broadside for a perfect shot. Creaking the longbow back to almost full draw I release. The arrow buries itself in the creature's chest and the other is spooked as I quickly snatch the first arrow from my mouth. Firing a moment later unharmed goat was still in panic mode when the shot took it just above the leg. The animal buckled and rolled off the small ridge with its legs in the air, dead.

Standing up fully I enter the clearing and stab my bow down into the white powder. Retrieving the arrows from the kills I drag them both in front of the crag. Kneeling into the snow I pray for them in Elvish out loud for Morrigan's benefit and offer my thanks to the gods. Pulling out my carving knife I start to dress them and hear the flutter of a bird landing nearby. Looking up I see a crow standing on top of the snow with its head twisting back and forth as it inspects me. "Looking for a hand out?" I ask.

Another crow swooped down on the first and loudly screeched at it. The bird hopped indignantly away but the second chases it off and I see now that this one has the yellow eyes. "Huh. Sorry. Thought that was you." I comment. "Many pardons. All you shem look alike to me."

She flapped and cawed angrily at me and I laugh as I continue my work. Taking off only to land on my shoulder the witch-bird watches what I do with rapt attention. "Wonder where that guy came from." I say aloud. "Haven't seen many fliers in these parts."

She made a tiny chirping sound and I glance over. Flicking her head upwards I scan the tree line to find four, no, five more crows watching from the branches. Dismayed I have to wonder what they're doing here. "You don't think they've been following me?" I muse. "I suppose I have left a feast for them in the past."

Cheerfully finishing my work I leave the entrails steaming on the snow as I washed my hands with the frozen ice around us. Jumping from my shoulder the witch changes form behind me as I ready the goats for transportation. "Tired of soaring about?" I ask. "I always wondered, if you spend all day flying as a bird, are your arms tired when you change back?"

The witch doesn't answer and comes to stand behind me as I affixed the dragging net to my chest. Waving up at the trees I yell, "Good eating, brothers!"

It is still early in the day but we've bagged enough for the moment. It felt like cheating with her to spot prey but I wasn't about to complain. We walk in silence for a good thirty minutes before I have to speak. "Morrigan."

"Hmm."

"I have to be leaving soon."

The statement doesn't seem to register and I repeat, "Morrigan."

"I heard you." she confirmed.

"You have nothing to say?"

"What can I say?" she looked up at the canopy. "Your true love Ferelden calls. How can I compete?"

I sigh as I tug the goats along. "You say this as if I have a choice in the matter."

"Don't you?"

"No, never." I shake my head. "You have seen the destruction the darkspawn have wrought when massed. Even after a year there we are still cleaning up after them in Ostegar. That was but a taste of the carnage they are capable of."

The sounds of the net scraping against the snow are the only ones that disturb us as I gather my thoughts. "I joined the Wardens to save my own life. I fought the darkspawn to save the forest. I have accomplished both if only for a while."

The witch was inscrutable and I press on. "No one ever asked me what I wanted in all of this. Had I my own way I would oversee the building of New Arlathan myself with you at my side. But I have no such luxury. Ferelden has to be stable to give me Warden recruits. It has to be civil to keep it from warring with my people. And when the darkspawn return, which they will, it must be ready to throw them back. Everything I do is to see what I hold dear safe, the Brecilian, the Dalish...and you."

The witch reads my face but I don't falter. "Come with me, ma vhenan." I plead. "Stay here in the mountains no longer. This is no place for you."

"And where, pray tell, would you rather have me be?" she finally spoke.

"In my keep."

"That broken down tower full of ghosts?" she snorted.

"No, Vigil's Keep, where I command from. It has...people and servants and what not. Hot water. Antivan cheese."

"And you, the most important Warden for hundreds of miles, with an apostate mage on your arm? How would that go over with the boorish masses?"

"No one seemed to mind while we were busy saving their land." I counter.

"That was during a Blight. People will be looking more closely at you and your companions now." she pointed out.

"Let them look. The Commander of the Grey bows to no king or queen."

"What about the Chantry?"

"The Chantry!" I spit the word out. "The ones whose 'Exalted March' crushed my ancestors and scattered my people to the wind? What do I care for their fanaticism? I would relish the chance to dip my blades in their sacrosanct blood."

She smiled wickedly at this and I add, "Let them send as many templars as dare. How many enemies have we felled together? With Alistair's shield to protect us we were invincible."

"He was uncommonly good at being hit." she admitted. "But often we would have been overwhelmed had you not an uncanny knack for finding hearts with sharp bits of metal."

We trudged along a few more minutes until I spoke up again. "One week, then I must return to assure people I am still alive. If you won't come right away, at least consider it when I must depart."

We did not speak again while walking back to camp. I leisurely skinned and set the goats to roast in the butchery with plenty of daylight left and only typical soreness in my limbs from all the pulling. Carving off a thick steak for myself I ate in the warm alcove alone. When everything was properly cared for I take a well deserved break to go out into the flat expanse in front of the mountain. It was a little ironic that at this moment the old me, the one who'd never left the Dalish, would have considered what I have here the pinnacle of happiness. Warm fires, plenty to eat, not a single shem in sight other than the one in my bed. Well, that last one I probably wouldn't have expected...but the gods had a cruel sense of humor. I could not now or ever return to such a peacefully simple life again, not with war and darkspawn blood running through my veins. It was no longer what I am for.

That night we tried to make love again but it hurt her too much to be enjoyable. It was my own fault for not pacing myself earlier but it was all right. On the second day we encountered and killed a black bear that wandered too close to the cave. Morrigan shifted to her giant spider form to drag it back and it took the better part of the day to skin, butcher and collect crafting materials from it. I started the process of making a pliable fur from the skin by setting it to soak in a salt bath. The sinew, claws, bones, fat and select organs would also be used for various purposes as well. Andruil hated those who would waste.

The following week was a blur of nearly carefree happiness and I went out less and less to spend more time with the witch. We talked, shared stories, played games. When she would study her thick tomes I would set to work carving the bones of the animals we caught into useful tools and ornaments. The bear skin was coming along nicely and with a little bit of tailoring back in the city it would make a fine, body length cloak for me with the creature's head forming a hood.

At this point the witch likely had enough meat to last three months or so as I'd helped haul in enough for a small village. It was as good as a vacation as I could think of spending the days near or in her arms but every day that passed reminded me that it was not to last. The realities of my life came creeping back unbidden and I was already thinking of what I would be doing when I returned. There was a meeting with Orlesian Wardens to look forward to, a trade agreement with the viciously stingy dwarves to oversee and my clan down in Ostegar requested my presence at a Dalish summit. All of these things had been put on hold for Morrigan and they would not wait forever.

The last night of my stay comes and I expect some kind of argument or conversation but there was none. She merely began to unbutton my shirt as we prepared to put out the torches for the night.

The seventh day comes and I wake past dawn. I know better than to attempt to get up though. Outside it is a rare day with sun breaking through the clouds. I am somewhat glad of it; if the sorceress changed her mind I would be easier to find when flying overhead. She always slept with an arm, leg, something on me while sometime during the night I always rolled away. I'd become very well reacquainted with her physical form and knew that it would be difficult indeed going without it the next time I turned in for the night. Hugging her nude body I did not let go until she stirred an hour before noon which I had come to understand was normal for her.

With intentional lethargy I got up to light the torches by hand. The witch glides to her vanity and starts her daily ritual as and I had to wonder how many times she did this on her own when no one else was around. It doesn't take me long to prepare for my journey even when done halfheartedly. Resupplying from her larder for the road I leave almost everything else behind except for the luxurious bear fur which would double as a blanket for the moment. Dressing and primping herself fully for the occasion after a light meal I am ready to be on my way.

Setting my things down by the entrance I move to where she is sitting in her study. "It's time." I nod and she gets up to embrace me. We kiss for a few minutes and I savor the warmth that I will be without. I have to smile at her or otherwise it would hard to disguise my disappointment at the way the things had gone. Returning to my packs I retrieve some of the objects I had been working on in secret. On a string of leather I'd made a necklace of polished claws, bear teeth and shards of antler. She had seen me working on parts of it but I had kept the final assembly hidden. The sorceress blushes appreciably and fawns over the craftsmanship as I swell with pride. I would have to do something nice for Master Ilen teaching me to make such things.

"Oh my, this is..."

"No fancy gold and silver one I know but one makes use of the tools available." I explain. "And these are for your protection."

Bringing out two carvings, one of wood and one of bone, I hand her the first, a small, seated wolf made from the local evergreens. "Fen'harel, the Dread Wolf. Put this outside facing away from your home."

She looked over the small statuette that had taken me days to complete. I had taken painstaking care to make marks to imitate fur and paid considerable attention to the face of the god. The last piece was a bone carving of a hawk's head with the most detail surrounding the complex eye patterns of the magnificent bird. "Hawks are sacred to Andruil." I go on. "It is a reminder to care for the land. Vir Adahlen, the Way of the Wood: 'Respect the sacrifice of my children and know that your passing shall nourish them in turn.'"

Accepting these gifts she placed them reverently before herself on the desk "If you were coming with me you would have told me by now." I say sadly. "So I will not ask again. Just know that I am never too far away to come help you. There isn't a place you can go that I wouldn't follow."

"Careful Warden, you may promise more than you can imagine." she said with just a hint of satisfaction.

"So be it." I decree. "I go with great sorrow. Dareth shiral, ma vhenan."

"One moment. I have a gift for you." she said. Reaching for my hand she turned it upside down and placed a small piece of wood at the center of my palm. Looking down I chuckle at the shifting ring I had not seen since I left it on her table. The twisting loop of rosewood never seemed to have the same shape when I looked at it.

"You often reach for it when you think or when you're nervous, even though it has not been there." she informed me and I was not aware of this unconscious habit.

"Do I..."

"Maybe I will seek you out. This will greatly aid that effort." she said. "Just don't read too much into it."

Smiling I slide the ring back on. It was nice to have again but when I returned it to the slightly lighter band of skin around my finger I was hit with a jolt of pure affection. My mind was rattled by this new sensation and she put a hand on my shoulder to steady me. The ground felt like it was moving under my feet and the wave of vertigo passed a few seconds later. "What...what is this..."

"I may have adjusted some of the effects." she audaciously beamed. "Now if I am in danger or in need of assistance it will be very clear to you."

The feeling was a small bit of pressure in the realm of my outermost senses that felt like a grudging, almost unwilling fondness that was coming from her. I had to work to focus my eyes and the witch was as bemused as ever. Her face belied what she was really feeling and she gripped my long hair to kiss me again. The feeling spikes and it is almost too much to handle but wonderful at the same time. Breaking off she bit her lip slightly as she regarded me.

"Goodbye, my love. I would like to point out that 'tis you who are leaving me this time."

My face breaks into a woozy, stupefied grin as I say, "I will be back, whether you call me or not." Leaning in to her face I add, "And you will be waiting."

After I gather my things she walks me out to the cliff. Pulling down my white hood I bow and place my hand over my chest. "Ma vhenan." she said and I smile. Climbing down from her cave I walk down the mountain into the snow while she looks on from the ledge. There are many miles ahead to reach the familiar roads of Ferelden but it is all right.

The sun breaks through the clouds and when I walk into the beams I remove my hood to let the light fall on my face. The land is beautiful and shining as I work my way north. Practically skipping in the snow I hold on that tiny bit of affection to my soul and in this moment I am hopeful.

The wind blows as it often does but if it was cold I fail to notice.

The End