Author's Note: I'm upgrading this story to "M", because I'm a firm believer in better safe than sorry. Plus, I will be writing more later on down the line, and it will be much more descriptive, so I don't feel too bad about it. I hope the skipping about in time in the flashbacks isn't throwing things off, but I find that certain stops along Leliana's journey are going to evoke certain memories, and they won't always be in chronological order. I'm looking forward to getting Leliana and Alistair together, though. I think they're going to have a lot to say to one another. I like Alistair well enough as a character, although he's too goofy for me to take him seriously as a love interest. I was giggling the entire time I had my character romancing him, and I pretty much howled when the cut scene came. So, long story short, expect to see him soon - if not the next chapter, the one after that. To mille libri and Abydos Jackson, many thanks for your kind words. I always get this little grin whenever I see that you've read my latest update. Also, thanks to anyone who added my story to their favorites and alerts.

Find Morrigan
by wayfaringpanda

Chapter 7 - Silent Vigil

In Ser Hampton's mind, it was going to be a very dull day on watch. He knew he shouldn't have given Cook such a hard time, but gruel day in and day out was hardly a way to keep soldier's fit and strong. It certainly wasn't his fault that he had grown up near the Orlesian border, it just meant he preferred his food to not be slop.

Spotting movement on the road, he straightened up, sucking in his stomach and gripping his staff tighter. When the cloaked figure came close enough, he moved slightly into the path. "Halt," he said in his most important voice. "State your business at Vigil's Keep."

"I come to pick up supplies and find a bed for the night," the soft sounds of a faint Orlesian accent reached his ears, and he was astonished to see that it belonged to a woman. She looked up at him with a half smile on her face, one that spoke of exhaustion and a heartfelt wish that he not make it any harder on her than necessary.

Feeling his heart go out to her, he nodded and stepped aside. "Merchants straight ahead, inns to the right," he said gruffly, and watched as she moved in the direction he pointed. While not unheard of, it was rare for a woman to be traveling alone, especially an Orlesian in Ferelden. After a moment, though, he shrugged to himself and settled down to the side, letting his mind wander to the last home-cooked meal that he had eaten.

Leliana was grateful that the guard had not tried to pick a fight with her. She had never quite gotten used to the distrust Fereldens had for Orlesians even to this day, although she certainly understood it. Having been on the road since Highever, though, she was more than ready to spend one night in a warm bed, after a hot bath and an even hotter meal.

After obtaining a room at the inn, she quickly made her way to the market, wasting no time in picking up what she needed. She thought it unlikely that anyone here would recognize her, but kept her hood up regardless. She was not sure how many red haired Orlesian bards there were traveling in Ferelden, and some would surely raise their eyebrows if they could put two and two together to make four.

She didn't completely relax, though, until she returned to the inn and the maid told her the bath was ready. With a moan of relief, Leliana quickly dropped off her supplies and headed to the washroom, divesting herself of her leathers as fast as possible. A quick word with the maid, and the leathers were whisked away to be cleaned as best as possible, to be brought to her before first light. After the maid left, Leliana finished stripping down and gingerly stepped into the tub. Sinking into the hot waters was a moment of pure bliss.

"Maker preserve me," she said softly, leaning her head back.

Leliana finally dragged herself out of the bath when her fingers and toes were thoroughly wrinkled, and proceeded to use the piece of linen provided to rub herself dry. She was grateful that Arl Eamon was a good host, as she was much more inclined to slip into the robe all the companions had been offered than her travel-stained leathers.

A strong pair of arms suddenly wrapped around her waist, causing her to squeak and jump a bit. "Aedan!" she exclaimed, a mixture of amusement and exasperation. "How did you get in here? Finish your discussion with Riordan already?" She started to turn in his arms, to look him in the eyes.

Aedan stopped her, holding her tighter and burying his face in her neck. Sensing something was wrong, she bit her lip to keep from talking, instead placing one hand on top of his while using the other to reach up and cup his cheek. They stood there like that, her cradled naked in his arms, silent but for the beating of their hearts and the soft whispers of their breath.

"Do you love me, Leli?"

He had sounded so wistful, so lost that she had immediately forced him to let her turn around. Her glib response died on her lips when she saw the naked fear on his face, his eyes catching hers unashamed of his emotion. "Of course I do," she said softly. She searched his face for something, anything that would give her a hint as to what was going on. When he didn't give it to her, she gently shrugged herself free. Pulling on the robe, she secured it quickly before extending a hand to the man standing so forlornly in front of her. "Let us go to my room."

They walked, hand in hand, down the corridors to the room she had managed to get to herself. Closing the door firmly behind them, she steered her strangely compliant lover to the bed and made him sit. After a moment, she knelt, and started to remove his boots. When he reached down to do it himself, Leliana swatted his hands away. After a moment, Aedan leaned back again.

"Morrigan left," he finally said, just as she started on the second boot.

Her fingers fumbled then, suddenly losing the dexterity that let her finesse the toughest locks and the craftiest traps. "Oh?" she managed to get out, struggling to return to her set task. Aedan simply watched her, and his numbness was starting to make her panic. She struggled not to give in to it. "When will she be coming back?"

He leaned his head back, looking up at the ceiling. "She's not coming back," he said, calmly. "She left, and she's never coming back."

Leliana finally removed the second boot. Setting it down next to the first, she then went to go sit on the bed with the warrior. After a moment, she pulled at his tunic, and without so much as a bit of fuss he practically collapsed into her lap. She stroked his fine hair, running it between her fingers. "But what about the Blight?" she finally asked, voice neutral. After all, the archdemon and its hordes of darkspawn were certainly their first priority.

Aedan simply shook his head, a soft sigh escaping his lips.

"What happened?" the bard asked, unable to keep quiet. She had to, there was so much at stake here. She felt her cheeks burn at the selfishness of her question, but since Marjolaine she had come to accept that while the Maker had saved her soul, he had not changed who she was, either. The man suffering in her lap was a large part of that, and she was terrified of losing him now.

The silence stretched on, until Leliana thought she might start screaming, or crying, or tearing her hair out with frustration.

Finally, Aedan shrugged. "She lied."

Leliana blinked. "She lied?"

"She lied," Aedan said again.

Suddenly, so fast he was almost a blur, he was up and on her, pushing her back against the bed. He was insistent, and needy, and after only a moment's resistance, a moment of wondering if this was really the best idea, her body screamed acceptance. It was hard, and fast, and in the end they both knew they would have bruises. But when Leliana forced his head up to look in his eyes, the haunting look had disappeared, leaving a tired acceptance mixed with endearing love in its wake.

Aedan pulled her close, kissing her softly. "Thank you," he said with a small grin. "I needed that."

Struggling with herself, knowing that to ask may lead to answers she did not want, Leliana finally spoke. "Aedan, what happened?"

Aedan shook his head, and kissed her again. "She lied," he repeated. "And I forced her to deal with the consequences."

An icy hand gripped the bard's heart. "You didn't… I mean, she did… leave, right?"

It took him a moment to realize what she meant. "No, I didn't kill her," he finally said, with far less shock in his voice at her intimation than she would have preferred.

"Maybe I should have, but I didn't."

Much later, after they had left Redcliffe and all of their companions had exhausted themselves with their queries into Morrigan's whereabouts, she asked him again what had happened.

He had been kind, but he refused to tell even her.

It hurt to know that when she got out of the tub, Aedan would not be there to surprise her.

Leliana finished cleaning her hair, rinsing out the soapsuds before standing up to exit. Carefully stepping out onto the stone, she quickly grabbed the thin linen the inn provided, drying off as best she could before slipping into her tunic.

As she reached for the door to head back to her room, a thought she had had many times before flitted through her mind. Even now, it still brought a smile to her lips.

How did Aedan always manage to sneak up on her right after a bath?