Authors Notes: So with just the Epilogue to come, I'd like to thank the beautiful people for reading/reviewing/following this story. Thanks to MoonSword1994 for helping me out, when I was ready to tear my hair out. See you at the epilogue.

Back where we belong

The journey back to Highever would be a long one, at least a few days as they planned to make stops on the way. Settling into the very comfy carriage that Anora had kindly supplied, Evie pulled a book out her pack, resting her feet up on the opposite seat, while Loghain studied some letters, making the occasional huffing noise. She sighed at his restlessness, nudging him in the leg with her foot, "Relax, my love. You'll be restless for the whole journey."

He scoffed, putting the letters away, "I'm eager to get back to our children."

"As I am, love," She moved to with him on the opposite seat, "We will be home soon."

"I don't know what we'll do. We could go to Gwaren."

"Mmm, maybe. We should stay in Highever for a while first."

Both of the sat in companionable silence for some of the journey, both of them thinking about their children. But an unpleasant thought nagged at Loghain. It was something he had thought a lot in prison, "Evie, did you ever think about moving on?"

She pulled back to look at him, horrified at the very suggestion he could ever be replaced, "How can you ask me that?" She uttered through a broken voice, tears falling from her eyes as she moved back to the other seat, "I longed for you everyday. I had never felt so alone in my entire life."

His heart broke just by looking at the agony on her beautiful face. He had neglected to think about what it was like for her during those nine months. He moved next to her, pulling her on to his lap, drying her tears with him thumbs, "I'm sorry, little kitten. I didn't think about how it had been like for you. That was selfish of me."

She slapped his chest weakly, before falling into his arms, "You stupid man! There could never be another. It has always been you."

"I guess I still wonder how I got so lucky."

"Well pack it in," She sat up, gripping on to the collar of his tunic, "I love you, just you. End of story."

He chuckled heartily, the first time he had done so in a long time, "Now there is my naughty little kitten."

"Are you going to call me that for the rest of our lives?" She teased.

"When you stop being so naughty, I'll stop calling you that," He gripped on to her backside pulling her closer to him.

She nipped on this bottom lip, rolling her hips, grinding down on him, "It's your fault, you know. I was never naughty before you got to me."

He scoffed loudly, shaking his head, "I've never known you to be anything else."

She narrowed her eyes at him, pouting her lips, "If I'm so naughty, Teyrn Loghain, why did you marry me?"

He pulled her tunic over her head, deftly undoing her breast band, "Because I love you that way."

"That is what I thought," She whispered in his ear, nipping at the lope, before turning her attentions to his breeches. After making quick work of the laces, she moved to yank them down his legs, then moving to remove her own. Climbing back on his lap, she moved a hand down between them to stroke his cock, their eyes locked on to each other as she massaged him.

He growled at her teasing, "Get on me, woman!"

She sighed, pouting, "If the Teyrn wishes."

He gripped her hips tightly, holding her as she guided him to her entrance, slowly sinking down on him as he pressed his in between breasts, kissing the soft skin. She gripped on his shoulders, moving up and down him, head thrown back in pleasure. His hand slipped down in between them, fingers finding her clit. She groaned as she neared her orgasm, the man underneath her, relentlessly in his ministrations, "Oh, oh" Was all that came out her mouth, digging her nails into his shoulder as she shattered around.

He grunted loudly, nearly ready to blow, moving her up and down on, rhythmlessly and urgently, "Fuck, Evie," He growled as he exploded within her, filling her up with seed. After a few minutes, their breathing had calmed down, trying to clean a sticky mess on both of their thighs, "You are naughty," He purred, swatting her backside as she moved to get dressed again.

"Behave yourself, husband," She glared at him, trying to hide the smile tugging at her lips, "Nobles would shit themselves if they knew what we get up to."

He snorted, sorting his clothing out, "Maybe we should write a book, "How to keep marital sex interesting."

"What would be in it? don't want to give away all our secrets. We don't want people to have better sex than us," She laughed, sitting down opposite him.

"Dirty talk. You love the dirty talk."

"I love your dirty talk. Something about having a big, opposing man, standing right behind me, whispering all the ways he's going to fuck me, really makes me wet."

His blue eyes locked on to hers, a small half smirk on his lips, "Now, now, naughty kitten."

"You started it as per usual," She teased, shaking her head.

Loghain sat watching the trees go past, stroking Evie's hair as she lay asleep, her head on his lap. It has been a tiring journey, one that would be over in a few hours as they neared Highever. In a way, he was glad of the journey. It gave Evie and himself time to talk properly. They had a heart to heart about the separation, in which both of them had cried. It was hard to talk about, but he didn't want his marriage nor his children's childhoods, blighted by the memories of betrayal. The most important thing for him was to know, Evie had never doubted his innocence. He would never do anything to put her at risk or anything that she wouldnt approve of, her opinion mattered most more than anyone else's, with the exception of Anora.

He looked down at his wife, smiling at the sleeping angel that had called his name a couple of times, as if she was making sure he was still there. All he wanted was to get the children and go back to Gwaren. Call him selfish, perhaps it was, but he wanted them all to himself, his little family, that for some unfathomable reason, adored him and he wanted to show them how much he adored them, without something threatening to break them. He closed his eyes, letting sleep take for a while, hopefully when he woke, they'd be very close to Highever and he'd get to have his children in his arms again.

Their driver banged on on the roof to wake them, telling them that Highever was just a hour way. Both of them sat up, straightening themselves out. Evie saw the nervous anticipation in her husband, smiling she moved closer to him, "Not long now, love."

"I want to go back to Gwaren," He told her, his was etched with seriousness with a hint sadness thrown in, "I want you, the girls and me, to go home. I want you to myself."

She saw the sadness that lingered in his eyes, he wanted to escape, to be a family, just them. She reached up to caress his face, "We'll stay for a month or two, then we'll go back home. Just us four."

He wrapped his arms around her, pleased that she understood his need to escape, "Thank you, love," He kissed her gently, before pulling back to look in her eyes, gently caressing her cheek, "Marry me."

She laughed, the question took her by surprise, "I already did, remember?"

"I know, its just that wasn't a very happy wedding was it, you weren't talking to me and nearly called it off. I just want to do it right."

"Ok. We can do it in Highever, we should invite Anora. We should keep it to just family."

The carriage came to a halt, tell them that they were at Highever at last. The sun had set fully over the Teyrnir, everyone would be heading to bed soon. The driver opened the door for them, Loghain stepping out first, turning to offer his hand to Evie. At the steps, an anxious Bryce waited for them. He saw Loghain first, shocked at how gaunt he looked, although not entirely surprised, he had to survive on very little for last nine months. Then Evie stepped out looking tired, recent events having taken its toll on her, "Evie, Loghain," He called out, holding his arms out as his daughter ran to him, "Glad to see you in once piece, pup," He looked behind her to Loghain, breathing deeply, letting his daughter go to approach his son in law, "Loghain, I'm glad that you are here," He offered his hand to him.

Loghain shook it, somewhat pleased to see his father in law, "Glad to be here, Bryce. I..." He started but Bryce stopped him.

"I know, Loghain. You wouldnt do anything to put your family at risk. People who know you, would know that."

"Thank you. At least some believe me."

Bryce smiled at him, tapping his arm, "The ones who really matter anyway. Now come inside, the weather is starting to turn."

Together, they walked inside, Eleanor standing a short distance away, holding Ellie. She smiled, turning to Ellie, pointing to Loghain, "Who's that, Ellie?" She put her down, crouching behind her, "Look," She pointed again until Ellie saw whom she was pointing to.

Loghain crouched down, holding his arms out, losing a battle against his tears, "Hello, Ellie," He said softly as she tentatively walked towards him, sucking on her fingers. He sobbed out a laugh, when Ellie smiled, holding her arms out to be picked up. He did so, holding her close to him, her little hands playing with his hair and patting his back.

Evie wiped her tears away, watching as Ellie gave him a sloppy kiss on his cheek, "See, she does remember you," Loghain pulled her to him when his free arm, holding them as close as he could. Evie looked at her mother, who was as soppy as the staff were, dabbing her eyes with a hankie, "Where is, Mariana?"

"She's napping, although she is likely to wake for feeding soon."

"Good. I can feed her myself then," She led Loghain and Ellie up to her bedroom where Mariana would be and sure enough, she was grizzling, sucking on her fist. Evie approached her cot, leaning over the side, "Hey little lady. Mama's back with Papa," Gently, she lifted Mari out of the cot, settling her against her chest, giving her several kisses, "Let's go find Ellie and Papa."

Loghain watched as she brought Mari over to him, eyes on his youngest daughter, utterly captivated, just as he was by Anora and Ellie when they were born. He put Ellie down on the bed, taking Mari from Evie's arms. He sobbed quietly as she looked up at him curiously, smiling up at him, "Oh you are a little beauty. Just like your mother."

Evie laughed, taking Mari back from him, "She's a little beauty that needs feeding," Together all four of them got into bed, Evie feeding both of the girls as Loghain lay watching. She turned to him, a blissful looking on her face, "See something you like?" She said as she waggled her eyebrows at him.

"Just watching," He replied, leaning up to kiss her, "Feels unreal, being home with you again."

"It's real. Back in Highever with us, where you belong," Loghain helped Evie get the girls into bed, watching as they both fell asleep for a few minutes, while Evie got ready for bed.

"Are you going to join me?" He looked up to see Evie in bed, patting the empty space, "Its getting cold now, I need to be warmed up," She purred.

He shed himself of his clothes, climbing into bed. Moving on top of her, he studied her beautiful face, caressing her cheeks and kissing her nose, "I've missed you, little kitten."

"I've missed you, big bear," They kissed slowly, tenderly, no rush to scratch an itch, just a need to be with each other, to touch other, a need that would last a lifetime.

Loghain looked to his left, watching as she stood there in a scarlet silk dress, her hair set up a chignon at the nape of her neck, a ruby encrusted clip, that he had given her, keeping the hair in place. She looked radiant, glowing with love as she always did and it was he that got to marry her again. As they renew their vows, he couldn't tear his eyes away from her, nor could she tear her eyes away from him. It was obvious to everyone in the room that this was real love in its purest form, two people so in love, that you could sense it in the air.

They got married in front of more people than they thought, friends of theirs had discovered that they getting married, so decided to go to Highever, mainly to show support to Loghain, to show him that he was believed by more than he thought. Maric had come at the suggestion of Anora, although he wasn't sure he'd be welcome, although he enjoyed was his old friend get married again.

After the wedding he found, Evie standing out in the gardens, watching as Oren threw snowballs at Bryce and Fergus. He reached out to her, pulling back against him, wrapping his arms around her, "I wondered where you'd got to."

She smiled, enjoying the warmth her offered, "I've just been thinking. So I have news," She turned to face him, looking into his adoring eyes.

"Oh?" He said, intrigued.

"I'm pregnant. Two months according to the healer," Her heart stopped beating at the joy that spread all over his face, "What a virile man you are, my big bear," She teased.

"We must mix well together, little kitten. Another beautiful woman to have me wrapped around her little finger."

"It might be a boy. If it is, his name will be Loghain," She put her hand over his mouth, to stop his answer, "And before you say it, this is something you wont win."

Loghain huffed, shaking his head, "I know when I beat. You should head inside, I'll join you soon."

"Ok," She kissed him gently, "Just so you know, I'm not wearing underwear," She laughed as she ran back inside, leaving him to growl at her blatant teasing.

He stood for a few moment, enjoying the quiet solitude, until he heard footsteps behind him, "Why did you come?" He asked, bitterly.

Maric stood next to him, "Anora suggested it. You looked so happy."

"Yes," Loghain managed through gritted teeth, "Nine months of separation didn't destroy my life completely."

"Loghain, I'm sorry. I know I cant say that enough to things right, but I wont you know that I am truly sorry."

"Why?"

"I don't know. I know I should have dismissed it. I've lost Evie and you because I didn't trust my own instincts. I've taken away precious things from you, I wish I could give them back."

"You have no idea what you took from me Maric, not just from me either. My baby daughter was hysterical that night. I think of her crying, missing us, her belly empty because Evie wasn't there to feed her. I watched my wife sob in pain because her breast were swollen with milk and she couldn't feed or cuddle our baby. I missed out on her pregnancy, Mari's birth, three months of her life. I missed out on nine months of Ellie growing up. I am a shadow of the man I used to be, I wake up sweating because of the nightmares, the beatings that I took. If it weren't for Evie and the things she does to support me, I'd ended it," He turned to Maric, his face full of angst, "So don't think you know how I feel, because you don't."

Maric burned with shame so much he felt like he'd could go up in flames, "You're right, I have no idea. I've things sure, but I've never loved anyone as much as you love Evie. Cailan is the light of my life, not that I ever told him that," He stopped for a breath, head sinking down with sadness, "Then there is Alistair, my biggest regret."

Loghain felt a tightening in his chest at the mention of Alistair. He had been the one to convince Maric to give the boy to Eamon, practically forcing him to do it. Now Alistair was a grown man, a fine young man if the reports were true. He had no idea why he has insisted on it so much, maybe it was because of his Orlesian blood. It was Loghain's turn to burn with shame, his hatred of Orlesians caused him to take it out on a innocent child and burden his friend with regret, "I guess I took something away from you too."

Maric laughed humourlessly, "I could have said no."

"Perhaps."

"Please, forgive me."

"Maybe. Some day," He replied, turning to walk back inside.

"I'll wait," Maric replied sadly yet hopeful for forgiveness, no matter how long it took.