Note: Surprise character revealed in this chapter!

As we board the aravels and we set off to return to the forests our clan takes as our home, I contemplate all that we've gained from Arlathvhen. Nehnia, first and foremost, is probably the most valuable addition. The girl is cheerful and has a bright smile. She has shortly cropped chestnut hair with a few longer tendrils that she keeps tucked behind her ears. She's sitting next to me in the aravel, and I smile at her and she smiles back with glittering peridot-colored eyes. She already knows basic ice, fire, and nature spells. Gisharel believes her greatest strength may be elemental magic, but her specialized skills won't manifest until she's older. We were also given four more halla, a stock of ironbark, and various goods we traded for.

Dynarin has yet to enter our shared aravel for our journey. He has to make last-minute adjustments due to the extra halla and the space they take up. I lean my head out the door just in time to hear a higher-voiced woman exclaim, "Please! I have been to every clan! You must help me!"

That catches my attention, and I stand to see what the commotion is. I motion to Nehnia to stay seated, and I step onto the ground just as Dynarin sighs and rubs at his forehead, "Abelas. I am sorry. But the Gern cannot take you in. You have been cast out by all that remains of the Sabrae, as well as by the Hero. We cannot risk offering you sanctuary and angering the Sabrae. Keeper Marethari was well respected. I cannot do this."

The woman is small, raven-haired, pale, and has a steel staff of two intertwining serpents strapped to her back. She's a mage? I step closer, and am struck by that same sense of familiarity I had when we first entered Ostagar. She breaks out in tears and covers her face with both her hands. I am certain that I must know her. "Dynarin," I step close to my mate and lay a hand on his shoulder, "I think I know her. But I am not sure how."

He blinks down at me, "Are you sure?"

I nod and address the crying woman. "I am Sadie, lethallan. Who are you?"

She looks over towards me, her hands falling from her face. "Lethallan," she whispers. "I had almost forgotten what it is like to be called that." She sniffles, "I am Merrill."

Merrill? My mouth falls open in a little 'o' shape, as I start to see fleeting images of the woman before my mind's eye, just like those I had of the battle at Ostagar. "Have," my voice falters and I swallow, "Have we met before?"

She tilts her head and looks over my form briefly, "I don't think so. Do we? Know each other, I mean."

I shrug helplessly, "I lost my memory about a year ago," I explain. "You look familiar, and I can picture you doing things. Walking, talking, sitting, casting spells..." Dynarin wraps an arm around my waist in support, both physically and emotionally. "Your name even sounds quite familiar."

The woman twirls her fingers together in front of herself nervously, "It has been many years since I've lived as an elvhen. Nearly a decade. If we did meet, it must have been before I left the Sabrae. If that's the case, I may... have forgotten you myself." She drops her head to look at the ground as she swirls her foot around in the dirt, "I am sorry if I have. You... seem like a nice person."

"You can stay with the Gern, Merrill," Dynarin says and surprises us both. I had heard Dynarin's reasons for her not staying with us just moments ago. They were very compelling. Seeing the look on both of our faces, Dynarin continues and speaks to Merrill. "My mate remembers very little of her life before her injury, and you have helped her remember more. For that, you may stay with our people."

"I-I..." Merrill stutters and starts crying anew, but now in joyous relief. "Ma serannas Keeper! You will not regret this! I promise! I will do whatever you say, and I won't be a danger to anyone. I know now that blood magic is too dangerous to use, and I have not used it since the Eluvian. Hawke made me promise."

The name Hawke sounds familiar too, but no solid picture comes to mind. Dynarin, obviously a bit confused by her babbling and concerned about the mention of blood magic says, "With the Gern, Merrill, I do not want you to use magic unless it proves absolutely necessary. We will find you a task you can do without."

Merrill nods enthusiastically and breathes, "Anything."

Once our clan settles in the forest, Dynarin assigns Merrill the task of medicinal herb collecting and making potions and salves. She readily agrees, and thanks us both profusely for the dozenth time that very day. Within the days and months that follow, our lives return to as normal of a state as they can be. Dynarin has altered his schedule to include a handful of hours teaching Nehnia every afternoon. Despite her initial home-sickness, the girl is eager to learn and quite bright. Nona takes to her easily, as does Merrill. Merrill seems to have found a kind of kinship with the young mage, although Dynarin tries to discourage their growing friendship subtly. He is not very comfortable around the self-admitted blood mage. Merrill and I chat in between my shifts with Master Wren, as she was at first curious about what I knew of her. I know very little, just bits and pieces that make very little sense together, but it is progress all the same. She seems familiar, and I'm comfortable around her despite her past.

The summer was hot, sticky, and rainy at times. When the leaves start to loose their vibrancy, I am revealed that the heat waves are finally at their end. My stomach is taught, and my skin strains against its extended length. I'm so heavy with da'len, that Dynarin says I should have given birth at least two weeks ago. I had told him jokingly that Juno loves her mamae so much she doesn't want to leave. I'm now a bit worried that she hasn't left yet.

As I'm unable to walk for long distances easily Nona, Nehnia, Merrill and I sit at the river's edge with our feet dangling in the water. The four of us, despite the age differences – Merrill the oldest, Nehnia the youngest – have become close friends in a way.

Merrill giggles like someone closer to Nona's age as she reaches over Nehnia's lap to rub at my stomach. "Will the Keeper feel out numbered, I wonder? When Juno is born, I mean. There will be more women in his life than men. Actually, I think there's more women than men in the Gern anyway. Over half of the da'len are asha, and many of the elders are women too. The only men seem to be younger adults, or just out of their childhood, really. I wonder why that is?"

Nona shakes her head and says exasperatedly, "Merrill, you're rambling. And besides, they do not know for certain if the da'len is an asha." She scrunches up her nose, "It's just what they think."

I laugh outright at the disagreement that has been going on for months now, "Nona! You don't know either!"

In retaliation for my comment, Nona reaches forward and splashes a hand-full of water at my face. I gasp and start laughing so violently that my entire body shakes. I laugh until I'm out of breath, and then laugh some more. The others can't help but laugh at my laughter, and soon we're all helpless to our fits of giggles. A sharp pain in my abdomen rips through my laughter, and I gasp now at the shock of it.

"Hey," I say to the other women as I try to get their attention. "Hey!" I say a little louder, and they quiet and look towards me with concern. "I think Juno's coming."

Merrill, surprisingly, took charge right away. She told Nehnia to run and tell the Keeper what was happening, as she and Nona moved to carry me. My water broke, and I started to hurt so badly that I didn't dare try to move to stand, let alone walk. Merrill wrapped her arms under mine, and lifted me to lean my chest against her own. Nona took up my legs, careful to avoid the mess on my skirts, and the two women began to slowly carry me towards the nearby line of aravels.

Halfway there, three hunters rushed towards us. They took my weight from the struggling women, and as they started to carry me, Dynarin rushed up with his hands aglow and Nehnia right on his heels. They took me to the aravel that Dynarin and I share, and laid me onto the bed. Merrill insisted on assisting Dynarin, as she explained that she had assisted her former Keeper with deliveries before. Dynarin agreed, and sent the hunters and Nehnia out of the aravel. I remember little else clearly after that point, other than sweating, swearing, and breathing heavily for what seemed like an age. There were a few clearer periods, were I drank water or spoke in a strained voice. The pain only increased as time passed, and came to the point where I thought I would pass out.

With his hands glowing with his magic, and his brow creased in concentration, Dynarin announced then that it was time for me to push. And push I did. It felt like nothing I had ever felt before, but I wanted it over. I wanted it to be over with as soon as I began.

Finally relief cascaded through me, and I sobbed with the feeling. It is over. I blinked blearily with tear-stained eyes, and saw Dynarin hand a small, somewhat bloody bundle to Merrill. Dynarin told me to push again, and I did as he explained it was for the afterbirth. He cleaned me up, kissed my knee gently, and stood to go to the side of the aravel where Merrill was sitting and adjusting the fabric around the bundle. He took the bundle and ran a glowing hand over the small form.

Our child. Our da'len. And I started crying again. Dynarin came over to me, wrapped a hand beneath my shoulders, and handed me the small bundle. I looked down at a small, scrunched face with delicate pointed ears, and a narrow nose. Dynarin bent to kiss the corner of my mouth as he wrapped his free arm around my own holding the bundle. Looking down at the infant in my arms, he whispered, "This is Juno. She's healthy, and she's ours."

…...

Note: There's going to be a major time jump next chapter! We're getting close to the time the first chapter started off at, and more Zevran! Oh, and Merrill was literally a last minute addition. I started writing and was like 'maybe I should put Merrill in somewhere...' After all, I've had mentions of Mahariel and Flemeth, so why not a little Merrill too?

Translations:

aravel: 'long journey'. - A Dalish land-ship.

Arlathvhen: A meeting between all the Dalish clans that takes place every ten years.

Abelas: 'Sorrow'. - Used as an apology.

Sabrae: The name of Keeper Marethari's clan from DAO and DAII.

lethallan: 'friend'. '-an' when referring to females.

elvhen: 'our people' – Elvish name for their race.

Ma serannas: 'My thanks'. Or: 'Thank you'.

Eluvian: 'Mirror'

da'len: 'little child'

Mamae: 'Mother'

asha: 'girl'

Additional note: Wow! This story is getting a lot more attention than I thought it would! :D All of you readers are awesome! Thank you so for for taking the time to read!