Note: I really enjoyed writing this chapter. I hope you enjoy reading it. As it's quite essential to the Warden's character, I'd love to know your thoughts on it.

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21 Revelations

The fire was blazing tonight. Alistair watched them come towards him, raising a hand in greeting as Amara came to the light. She rubbed her hands to warm them, her eyes staring deep into the flames.

"Was that the Archdemon?" Her voice barely reached Alistair's ear.

"Yes." Alistair looked at the fire. "It called me too, but it's much worse when you're asleep." Amara stayed quiet. Morrigan rubbed her back gently. Alistair continued. "The first time I dreamt it. I thought I was going crazy. I felt it pull me under, into darkness." Amara shut her eyes as Alistair spoke. Quickly she turned and walked to the edge of camp and threw up. Shakily she washed her mouth out with the rest of the water from the canteen and returned to the fireside. Morrigan looked at her with concern.

Alistair continued. "It gets easier with each contact. Eventually we may even be able to understand what it's saying."

"I can understand it. It wanted me to kill everything." Amara cleared her throat. "Alistair, it's mustering its forces."

"What!?" Alistair's eyes went wide at her words. "You understood it the first time?"

Amara nodded. She sat a moment wondering if she should continue. "When I was born, my mother was sick. Really sick. Father brought her to the elves as she laboured to birth me." Morrigan looked at her intently. "There was a ritual to save her life and mine."

Amara hugged herself as she continued. "It required the blood of a Halla, their most sacred beast. The blood was placed on my mother's belly as I was born. Then on her breast, before I suckled." Amara closed her eyes against the fire's light. "The blood made me strong, among other things." She heard Morrigan's intake of breath. "I had been through one blood ritual before the joining. Duncan knew this. He told me he didn't know what would happen at the joining." Amara sniffed. A small laugh came from her lips. "I guess this is one of the effects."

Alistair was speechless. Morrigan shifted to closer to her. "Alistair." Her fellow Warden looked at her in shock. "I don't think it will get easier for me." A small tear fell from her eye. Quickly she wiped it away and cleared her throat. Amara smiled at her fellow Warden. "Rest now brother. I'll take my watch. I don't think I can go back to bed." Alistair silently nodded and handed Amara his sword. He went to his bedroll leaving both women by the fire.

Silence grew as Amara waited. Morrigan looked at her. "Your eyes?" Amara nodded.

"Your strength?" Morrigan continued. Amara nodded again. Morrigan's mind raced, she shook her head to herself. Hesitantly she asked. "The way you know when I'm near?"

"Yes." Amara met her stare. "I... feel you... sense your presence."

"You can feel me?" Morrigan cleared her throat.

"Yes, I can feel all creatures."

"What do you feel?" Morrigan stared at her intently and waited for the Warden to answer.

"Fish, pulse. Hare are like small sparks." Amara looked at the fire before her.

"Alistair?" Morrigan continued. Amara closed her eyes.

"A big rock." At this Morrigan laughed softly. She looked at the Warden next to her.

"Sten?" She watched as Amara close her eyes again.

"A deep river." Amara took a deep breath. She waited.

Morrigan crossed her arms about her waist. She hesitated to ask. The Warden glanced at her from the side. "And Leliana?"

Amara blinked and took a breath. "Leliana..." She breathes out the bard's name. "She's like warm sunlight on my face." Silence followed.

"Oh..." Morrigan's voice caught in her throat. She gave the warden a sidelong glance once more. Amara saw her swallow. "And me?"

"You Morrigan." Amara breathe deeply. "You're like staring at a full moon. You are like awe and wonder flowing through my veins." Amara smiled and closed her eyes feeling the witch's presence surround her as she continued. "You are the wild hunt, the rush that quickens my heart." She opened her eyes and met the witch's golden stare. "I want to howl down the moon when you're near."

Morrigan's breath was quick. "Oh! All that for me?"

"To me, all that is you."

Morrigan smiled. She took the Warden's hands in her own and held them tight. "I didn't know..." Amara gave her a smile.

Amara placed her forehead on Morrigan's shoulder. "I wanted to tell you." She drew a ragged breath. "But I was afraid you'd pull away. I didn't want to lose you before I even had a chance to know you." Morrigan caressed her face. "And now that I know you I feel really stupid fearing all those things. I'm sorry; I should have told you earlier."

Morrigan placed her arm about Amara's shoulder. "Hush, it's ok." Morrigan stroked her long hair way from her face. Morrigan's heart quickened in pace as she tilted Amara's head towards her and stared into those amber eyes. Slowly she brought her lips closer towards her and kissed her so deeply. Amara leaned into that kiss, her body pressing against the witch. Morrigan's mind and heart raced as she felt Amara's warm lips dancing with hers. She trembled as she felt the Warden's body so close to her, warmth suffused them. Her cheeks reddened as she remembered their conversation by the stream. Quickly she broke the kiss, her body burned with desire for the Warden. She took a shuddering breath and smiled. Amara's amber eyes locked with hers. Morrigan found desire there mirroring her own, their breaths quick between them.

Morrigan tore her eyes back toward the flames. "This doesn't change my decision." She spoke quietly in the night.

"I know, but it changes mine." Heart hammering, Amara looked at her intently till the mage looked back. "I know it's going to be a hard journey, fraught with danger and pain. I'll respect your decision and I won't pursue you so... ardently." Amara took a deep breath. "But I'm not giving you up." At this Morrigan's breath caught in her chest. She closed her eyes and turned her head back to the light.

"This will hurt you." She opened her eyes again and shook her head slowly.

"Maybe. But I won't regret a single moment of it." Amara hugged her knees and stared into the flames. She then drew her eyes to the tree line and cleared her throat. "Morrigan..."

Morrigan looked her way once more. "Yes Warden?"

"There's something else about me and that ritual." She shifted uncomfortably. "I want to show you but I can't tonight." She stared at the witch for a moment. "It will leave us too vulnerable."

Morrigan nodded. "When you feel the time is right, that will be enough for me."