I know the Chantry says you dream about your babies and the good Fade spirits take them out of the Fade and leave them in your arms... but that's not true. Actually what happens is that when a girl and a boy really love each other-

Andraste's flaming sword! I know where babies come from!

- Wynne and Alistair

His eyes were beginning to burn, and Anders was vaguely aware that he may be forgetting to blink. He looked up from the text as he finished the passages on Mensana, and his understanding hadn't increased in the slightest. He had been hoping there was something that could help him find an effective way to train Arais in her abilities, but there had never been a successful attempt to train someone of her power. Though that discouraged him significantly, Justice kept whispering that Arais was different from the others. She was a Grey Warden, which could make all the difference, though exactly how not even Justice could peg for certain.

Perhaps the Warden Commander knows of someone who can help? Anders had to admit that Justice had a good point. Shaking his head at how insane that sounded, he sat back in his chair, looking around the now empty clinic. He was surprised he hadn't heard Arais leave with Alistair, but more so that the former Grey Warden had been capable of walking on his own already. It seems he is stronger than we thought.

Nodding, Anders stood and began picking up his clinic, getting it as clean as he possibly could. Once he was done with that, he'd head out in search of Arais. He needed to speak with her as soon as possible about finding someone who could help them learn more of her abilities.

"Where have you two been?" Isabela asked as Arais and Alistair entered the Hanged Man, the slight mage supporting the significantly larger warrior as they moved to a table nearby.

"Anders' clinic," Arais answered, helping her companion into a seat. "Alistair met Justice up close and personal last night, and it required quite a bit of healing to undo the damage."

Isabela chuckled despite herself, her experiences with Anders' better half causing her imagination to run wild. "Did Justice throw another temper tantrum?"

"To say the least," Alistair said, wincing as he shifted in his seat. "He broke nearly every bone in my left side throwing me against a wall. Not the most pleasant experience I've had, though I suppose it's no worse than becoming an ogre's ragdoll. That's one of the things I was glad to get away from when I left the Wardens."

Eyes wide, Isabela was only able to manage a quiet, "Shit." She knew Justice could be a son of a bitch, but this was a level even she hadn't witnessed. She almost wished she had though. Maker, she had a twisted mind.

"So who do I talk to for a room?" Arais asked, smiling. "Sleeping on one of that clinic's examination tables doesn't make for a good night's rest."

"Agreed." Alistair shifted uncomfortably. "I think these aches are due more to that than being thrown by a possessed mage."

"I can think of another cause for your… aches, Alistair," Isabela said slyly.

His face turned a faded shade of red at the innuendo. "Maker, Isabela, you haven't changed a bit, have you?"

"Not at all," she replied with a wink. "For a room, you'll want to speak to Norah. She's the pretty little brunette that's slapping the drunk over there upside the head." She pointed to the corner by the fireplace, snickering at the surprised look on the man's face, and heard a similar sound from Arais. "Men here never learn that Norah is off limits, and will remind you with force."

With that, Isabela sauntered back to the bar, ordering a cup of the rat-piss they called whiskey, for once allowing her mind to wander to wherever it wished, missing the freedom of the open see more than ever.

"How severe is the pain?" Arais asked an hour later in their room, sitting on the edge of the bed.

He rolled his shoulder, wincing conspicuously. "Remember the time in the Deep Roads, when one of the Broodmother's tentacles grabbed Zevran and beat him against the ground a few times, before tossing him across the cave for good measure?" She nodded, resisting the urge to laugh at the memory of Zevran whining the rest of the way to the Anvil of the Void. "That's pretty much how I feel right now." She frowned, taking a moment to think before ordering him to lie down. "What? Why?"

"I want to try something," she replied, waiting as he slowly moved to lie on the bed. "Just hold still. I'm not sure exactly what I'm going to try."

"That's not ominous in the slightest."

She gestured for him to be quiet, then moved her hands over his body. She could sense the dull throb of magic from the intense healing he received, a completely normal side effect, and she also felt the pain in his muscles burning at her palms. Completing her once over, she held her hands in the same position she had with Gwyneth above Alistair. She closed her eyes, concentrating on the pain as she took deep, even breaths.

Alistair grunted. She felt the fabric of his tunic against her palms as his body arched upwards, so she opened her eyes and lifted her hands so they were hovering barely an inch above him. The first thing she noticed was that rather than the blue glow of lyrium, a red cloud was surrounding her hands, and for a moment she was worried that she was unintentionally performing blood magic. The fog of red traveled up her arms and began to surround her entire body, and suddenly her muscles were aching. This wasn't blood magic, it was something entirely different. It was as if she was transferring his pain to herself, and she had to force herself to concentrate despite the pain.

As Alistair's body relaxed, Arais doubled over, letting out a strangled cry as her muscles clenched and twisted, pain causing her vision to blur. She tried to focus on the red glow surrounding her, and noticed the color begin to lighten, gradually fading to a glistening white sheen. The pain subsided, replaced by warmth that turned her muscles to jelly, and she slumped forward, resting her head on Alistair's stomach, facing him. She was on the verge of tears from the intense pain she had just experienced, knowing full well that was exponentially more pain than Alistair had been feeling.

"That was... something, I'll give you that," Alistair said. He brushed the hair from her face, placing his hand on her cheek. "Arais, your skin is practically on fire. Are you alright?"

"I think so. That just took a lot of energy."

"I'll say. Though whatever just happened, my pain is completely gone."

Arais sat up, and she felt Alistair staring at her. She looked over at him to meet his gaze. Propping himself up on one elbow, he patted the spot next to him. She gave him a small smile and climbed into the bed, sighing contentedly as he wrapped his arms around her and held her close.

As her eyes fluttered shut, exhaustion flooding her every limb, she felt Alistair press his lips behind her ear, and then drifted into a deep, restful sleep.

Standard thanks to twixtnightandmorn for being awesome. Not much else to say. Hope you enjoyed!