A/N: The world is going to hell in a handbasket. And so I return to writing fic about a world where the sky's ripped open and demons are pouring out of it because it's better than the reality. Eh, don't mind me, I'm English. Should tell you everything you need to know...

Anyway, next chapter. I had a few negative reactions to the shipping reveal in last one, but I don't mind, it got rid of them early. Although I did feel a bit sorry for the one who ranted at me for being a terrible person because Alistair is VERY YOUNG, all of twenty years old apparently, and Elisif and Madanach are not young people. (Fair points with Mads, but Elisif canonically could have been as young as 18 or 19 in the Dragon Year, making her only 25 now. I went for 23, making her now thirty.)

What this poor aggrieved reviewer doesn't seem to have realised is that Alistair was twenty in Dragon Age Origins, during the Fifth Blight (born in 9:10 DA). Dragon Age Inquisition, when this fic is set, takes place over TEN YEARS after the Blight, in 9:41. He's now thirty, maybe even thirty one. He's the same age Elisif is. Either way, more than capable age-wise of making his own decisions.

This one, and the one following it, because I'm thinking of a double-bill again, follow Elisif's return to the present. It's not without complications.

Summary: Elisif's home and safe, but the trauma of what she witnessed will live with her for some time. But she has Madanach back, and with disaster averted, it's time to unpick just what's going on.

Elisif staggered into natural light, Dorian holding her up until they were out of the portal and back on stone, solid stone, in Redcliffe's throne room… and it was quiet. No demons. No darkspawn. No corrupted Dovah that had once been her friend. Just silence as an entire room stared at her, because tears were rolling down her cheeks, she must look awful, and she surely felt it. But most of all she felt her husband, furious, heartbroken, enraged, Dorian crying his name in alarm…

There he was. Scruffy, grimy but back in his King of the Forsworn gear, ebony axe raised above Alexius to strike him down, and Alexius seemed terrified, not casting for some reason… but Madanach heard Dorian's voice and looked up sharply… and let Alexius go as he saw her.

"Madanach!" Elisif cried, not caring he was unshaven and in dire need of a bath. He was alive and well and not a pride demon and Elisif realised she didn't care about anything else. She had her husband back. Taking the Jagged Crown off, she handed it over to Cicero, who'd materialised and started squeaking at her excitedly, and closed the gap between her and her husband, crushing him in a full bear-hug.

"You're alive," Elisif sobbed. "You're OK! You're still you!"

"I'm me again," Madanach said, voice choking as the bond practically shivered with emotion. Joy, ecstasy, delight, happiness like she'd never known, sheer, unfettered relief. "We thought you'd..."

"Takes more than being cast out of time to kill a Dovah, just ask Alduin," Elisif whispered, words pouring out of her in Tamrielic so as not to alarm the Thedosian contingent, although she just bet Cicero was sidling up to eavesdrop. "Madanach, I was a year in the future, it was horrible, the Breach had taken over the entire sky, demons had conquered Orlais, Ferelden had fallen, there were demons everywhere and a full-on Blight, and Maia was dead and everyone was dead and you sacrificed yourself so Dorian and I could get back here and… and why are you smiling?"

"You disappear and the world goes to hell," Madanach said, smiling despite the tears rolling down his face, stroking her cheek before kissing her forehead. "I knew that, cariad. You're the hero out of legend sent by the gods themselves. Of course we need you."

"How am I supposed to stop all that?" Elisif cried.

"Tell me everything you learned and we'll work out a way of preventing any of it happening," Madanach murmured, kissing her cheek this time. "You've got your Inquisition, and I'm sure the mages will help too. Think they'll let us keep this place?"

Elisif honestly doubted this and sure enough, someone started hammering on the door.

"OPEN UP IN THE NAME OF FERELDEN!" a woman shouted, and off to one side, a man shrieked.

"Buggeration, she's come in person!" Alistair cried, reaching for his helm. "Maker help me, she cannot find me here, she'll execute us all for treason!"

"What?" Fiona gasped, turning to see him for the first time, the blood draining from her face. "She… execute you?"

"Yes!" Alistair cried. "I left the Wardens, she tried to have me executed, it was only Lyra talked her out of it! She finds me here, in a castle held by foreign powers, she'll assume I'm making a bid for the throne! Er, hello by the way, Alistair Theirin at your service, are you all right?"

Fiona's gaze hardened as she produced her staff.

"She will not have you," Fiona said firmly, and Elisif began to realise how the siege had got started because now Madanach had that look in his eyes, and things were about to get completely out of hand.

"I know Anora, let me..." Leliana began, but Elisif let Madanach go and took the Jagged Crown back off Cicero, putting it back on her head.

"Cassandra, watch Alexius. Alistair, get that helmet on and behind that pillar, Cicero and Eola stand in front of him. Cicero, widest smile, just like that, perfect, Eola, put your arms round him and look predatory, wonderful, no one will pay any attention to the visored warrior behind you. Fiona, put your staff away, everyone weapons down, yes Cicero, including you, Leliana, get the door, and I will handle negotiations. Madanach, don't give me that look. You're an apostate maleficar, I'm Herald of Andraste, you're not the one with the bargaining power here."

"Oh, lovely, just tell everyone I'm a blood mage, why not..." Madanach muttered, but he stood back, axe away, glaring at Alexius but not saying anything more as he took up a stance behind his wife.

"Your Majesty, it's wonderful to see you again, I can explain everything, the Inquisition were just..." Leliana began, only to be swept aside by the blonde woman in shiny armour who managed to stare imperiously enough to stop even Leliana talking, although in fairness, the phalanx of heavily armed Fereldan soldiers didn't help either.

Queen Anora swept into the room and Elisif stood up straight and reminded herself she was a High Queen as well, and a dragonslayer at that.

"I'm sure the Inquisition will give me a full accounting of exactly what has transpired here," Anora snapped. "After I speak with the Grand Enchanter – Fiona, when I gave you and your fellow mages sanctuary here, I was under the impression that you would obey the laws of the land and NOT send my people packing from their homes!"

"Your Majesty, I can explain..." Fiona began, looking rather nervous and who could blame her? Elisif motioned for Cassandra to bring Alexius forward.

"It was all this man's fault, Your Majesty," Elisif said, taking hold of Alexius's robes and throwing him at Anora's feet. "He's part of a cult of Tevinter supremacists who were conspiring to, what was it, Make Tevinter Great Again, is that the motto?"

"Fortissima Teventia Iterum Magna," Felix Alexius said, stepping out of the shadows and adjusting his clothing. "It's ridiculous, I know. But it is true. He's my father. He'd joined these cultists, they had this mad idea to reconquer the south for Tevinter. I was sick and nearly dying, he thought they could heal me."

Anora's attention had swivelled to Felix, and to Elisif's surprise a faint blush crept across her cheeks… but she'd been queen too long to let anything more show.

"I see," Anora said, raising an eyebrow. "And presumably evicting Arl Teagan was his idea?"

"Yes," Felix admitted. "He'd used time magic and various other things to undermine the Grand Enchanter as well."

Anora turned cold eyes to Alexius, who'd just hung his head in shame.

"Do what you want," he said listlessly. "I surrender, you win. Just… don't hurt my son. Please, he's all I have left!"

Anora pursed her lips before beckoning her guards forward.

"Then I'm taking this man into custody for questioning. You will come with me as well, I shall need to interrogate you closely."

From the way she said that to Felix, Elisif had a feeling Anora had something else in mind entirely. Then the Fereldan Queen turned to face her.

"I don't believe we've been introduced. Are you… Inquisition?"

Elisif held up her hand, mark visible.

"Elisif, Herald of Andraste," Elisif said calmly. "Here to prevent disaster. You understand I could not allow this Venatori cult to abscond with the rebel mages."

"They had an alliance?" Anora said, raising an eyebrow. "Collusion with an enemy power is treason, Herald."

"Hardly an alliance, Alexius was plotting to enslave them all," Dorian protested. "And we're not at war with Ferelden, and the Venatori aren't part of the Tevinter government! Archon Radonis has always disavowed them!"

"Archon Radonis shall be explaining himself to me, rest assured of that," Anora said coldly. "As it is, I will not have a faction in my country that is so easily suborned. I am withdrawing my offer of sanctuary, Grand Enchanter. You and your mages will have to go elsewhere."

"What?" Fiona cried. "But we've got elders, children, it's the middle of winter and the nearest country is Orlais! Which is having a civil war! Where will we go?"

"Haven," Elisif said, seizing the opportunity. "You'll join the Inquisition. We came here to secure the mage rebellion's assistance in closing the Breach, and we still need help. Come with us, and we will offer the protection of the Inquisition. Your Majesty, are you happy with the Inquisition taking custody of the mages?"

Anora nodded.

"Haven's far enough away that they can't hurt anyone but you," Anora agreed, assenting to this. Elisif breathed a sigh of relief and turned back to Fiona, who still looked suspicious.

"And what are the terms of this… custody?" Fiona said, eyes narrowed. "You said you supported mage freedom or was that a convenient lie to try and gain our trust?"

Anora had raised an eyebrow and the entire room had gone quiet.

"Elisif, you cannot let them loose with no oversight," Cassandra said fiercely.

"Blue-eyes, you can't treat the mages as a whole one way then negotiate convenient exceptions for your family," Varric warned her.

Dorian folded his arms, looking rather disapproving.

"Hopefully these terms will be better than what Alexius was offering – the Inquisition is better than that, yes?"

"Hope so, I need freedom to work and… research," Eola said, her tone light but her words serious, and Cicero nodded vigorously.

"Pretty Elisif would not sell mages down the Niben!" Cicero cooed. "Elisif is honourable! A woman of integrity! The Herald of Andraste is not a hypocrite! Is she."

The quiet menace in Cicero's words were clear – he'd not easily forget a betrayal of a group that encompassed his wife and kids. But the strongest reaction was Madanach's, no words but a certain expectancy from the marriage bond, a firm expectation that Elisif would side with the rebels or… it wasn't certain, but Elisif couldn't lose him again, not over politics of a nation not even their own. Most of all, Elisif thought of Maia's little face staring hopefully up at her… and Maia sobbing her heart out after another nightmare of Templars killing her father and dragging her away to be locked in a Circle.

Not her baby. Not anyone's baby, ever again. And so it was a mother's fierce love of her child that changed Thedosian history forever, as the Herald of Andraste made what would later be known as the historic Redcliffe Declaration on Mage Rights.

"I do not deny magic is dangerous," Elisif announced. "And I do not deny specialist arcane law enforcement might be required to deal with criminals using magic. But Andraste's commandment that magic should serve man, not rule over him, was not intended to supersede justice and the rule of law, nor was it intended to exchange one form of slavery for another. And so I declare that the Inquisition supports free mages, and that no law-abiding mage shall be held prisoner without just cause, a fair trial and due process of law, but that mages shall live in community with the rest of us, using their skills to serve and benefit their communities, training young mages to use their powers safely, and if need be, assisting local law enforcement to bring those who would use magic to do harm to justice. And they shall have full rights of marriage to a consenting partner, and to raise the children of that marriage, or any child of theirs born out of wedlock, in peace. Mages are people, citizens like anyone else, and they shall live as such in any territory I preside over. Well, Fiona? Did you and your people want to join the Inquisition as free mages?"

Fiona had a hand over her mouth, looking as if she were about to cry, and Elisif realised that while Fiona had been amazed throughout, it had been the reference to mages being able to raise their kids that had got to her. She really was Alistair's mother, wasn't she?

"Yes," Fiona whispered. "Of course. I – we – we never thought we'd ever have allies. Lady Herald, we'd be happy to help you."

"Then welcome aboard," Elisif said, shaking Fiona's hand before giving her the traditional Nord hug of welcome to a new friend, while in the background she could hear Cicero squealing and Eola cheering, even while Cassandra hissed to Leliana that Elisif couldn't just make decisions like that on behalf of the Inquisition to which Leliana cheerfully remarked someone had to. Fiona seemed a bit surprised but returned the hug before backing away and curtseying. Elisif nodded in return and turned her attention back to Anora… who actually looked impressed.

"Are we going to have a problem over this?" Elisif asked her and Anora actually smiled slightly.

"You have given me much to think about, Herald," Anora said thoughtfully. "In fact, you may have helped me. I must consider all this, but be sure I may be making my own announcement before all this is over. Grand Enchanter, you have one week to vacate Redcliffe with your people, after that I will be returning in force to reinstate Arl Teagan. Good day, Lady Elisif. Come, bring these two, Magister Alexius and his son – I don't believe I got your name?"

"Felix, your Majesty," Felix said, doing his best to sound humble. Anora smiled as she fell into step alongside him, and while she might be nearly forty by now, she was still a very charming and attractive woman.

"Felix! Tevene for good luck or happiness, isn't it? It's a good name! It suits you. How old did you say you were?"

"Twenty eight, your Majesty."

"Really? I had no idea, you look younger. Well, that's not so bad, not as scandalous as I'd feared."

"Scandalous, your Majesty?"

"Oh don't worry, darling, nothing to be concerned about. Are you a mage like your father then?"

"Not like him! I mean, I can do a bit of magic, if I try, but honestly I'm better with the theory than the practice, in fact I was studying maths in Orlais before I got ill..."

"Orlais? I've never been, politics you know. You must tell me all about the place..."

The door closed behind them, leaving silence in Anora's wake. Then Cicero was the first to break the silence by squealing.

"WE DID IT WE DID IT, PRETTY EOLA WE DID IT!" This was followed by Cicero pouncing on Eola and cuddling her.

"Mission accomplished," Dorian announced proudly. "Well done, everyone. Aren't we fabulous. Especially the one who rescued the Herald from the dystopic future, who was that – ah yes. It was me. Well done me."

"Is he always that egomaniacal?" Alistair sighed, emerging from the shadows and ruffling his hair back into shape, helmet off now he was safe.

"Apparently," Leliana said, grinning. "But if he did save her, we do owe him."

"I'll get the story off her later," Varric promised. "When she's, you know, free."

Elisif was paying very little attention to any of this. She'd turned to face Madanach, ecstatic relief this had all actually worked on her face, seen him smiling back at her and forgotten the rest of the world existed. He'd just stepped forward, tears in his eyes and then he was kissing her and Elisif had not a coherent thought in her head.

I missed you, I love you, I'm so glad you're back, please don't stop kissing me.

Elisif felt answering emotion from him as arms went round her and he pulled her to him, and it wasn't until they realised the entire room was cheering that they both broke off, Madanach looking a little embarrassed.

"Elisif, literally everyone is staring at me, who is the woman in the armour who is staring adoringly at us, and why is that dwarf taking notes?"

"Oh, he writes books," Elisif explained. "I think he's writing one about the Inquisition. And the Alduin story. Don't worry, I've made him promised to run them by me first."

"Do they get run by me?" Madanach said nervously. Elisif said nothing, just smiling and kissing his cheek.

"Don't worry, love, I'll make sure you come across as suitably suave and dangerous," Elisif promised, which did not help Madanach feel any better, and he told her so.

Elisif stroked his cheek, noticing as she did that he'd shaved his facial hair off entirely at some point, because the stubble from a week in jail was all fairly even. And… it was growing back blonde. Elisif looked closer and realised with horror the roots of his hair were blonde, it was all turning from an old man's silver hair to a younger man's blonde hair.

He'd had blonde hair in the future. Mara have mercy, it hadn't been a dream. The future if they failed was a nightmare in which their baby died.

Elisif put a hand to her face, feeling nausea welling up inside – Maia, dear gods, Maia, she needed to get to Haven before it was too late and make sure her baby was all right. Madanach caught the distress at once.

"Elisif?" he whispered. "Gods, Elisif, are you all right?"

Elisif shook her head and clung onto him, bursting into tears.

"I went into the future and it was horrible and Maia died and you turned into a pride demon and…"

Madanach didn't say anything, taking her into his arms and kissing her on the cheek.

"We're going back to the tavern, we're having dinner and a bath and then bed and you can tell me all about it," Madanach murmured, using the same soothing voice he used with Maia when she was upset. "And then we're going to make sure none of it ever comes to pass, hmm?"

Elisif nodded tearfully, feeling exhausted and achy and hungry and in need of several hours of sleep, and it was all she could do to cling on to her husband as he escorted her out of Redcliffe Castle.

With the Herald being escorted out of the room, there was little left for the rest of them to do, and Cicero and Eola followed them with Cicero cooing over his beloved wife, then Cassandra shaking her head and ordering the Inquisition troops out, her mind very much on how on earth to break the news to Cullen that the Herald of Andraste had publicly declared her support for mage freedom and committed the Inquisition to it.

Leaving Alistair sidling out from behind a pillar, eyes following Madanach and Elisif out, indescribably sad expression on his face. And alas for him, Leliana didn't miss this sort of thing.

"Are you all right, Alistair?" Leliana asked, coming to stand next to him. "You look upset. Something bothering you?" She glanced after Elisif and turned back, shaking her head. "Alistair, she's married. Happily so from the look of it. Madanach might be dangerous but he is no Maferath."

"I know," Alistair said bitterly, faint smile on his face. "That's the problem."

Leliana shook her head, looking faintly puzzled but not pressing him. No, it was Dorian who managed that one, coming to stand behind him and patting his shoulder sympathetically.

"Ah yes, developing feelings for older married men," Dorian sighed. "Alistair, old chap, trust me, this never ends well. It will end in tears, most likely yours, that's if Elisif doesn't execute you first. Or send her little jester friend to take care of the problem for her."

Alistair visibly shuddered, and Leliana just looked confused.

"Alistair, you're not into men. Are you?"

"No!" Alistair gasped. "I mean… no? He's just… he made the Calling go away. He listened to me and told me stories and was nice to me and..."

"Ah," Dorian said, nodding in understanding. "Father issues. I understand completely."

"Dorian!" Leliana hissed. "You're not helping!"

Dorian subsided, having learnt enough to know Leliana was not someone to rile for the sake of it… but they were interrupted by the Grand Enchanter, whose attention had been caught by something else they'd said.

"Did I – did I hear correctly? Did you say you were having the Calling?"

Alistair nodded guiltily, rubbing his forehead because the illusion had worn off and the tainted melody was starting to filter into his mind again, the sick song of the Blight.

"Yes," Alistair admitted. "I know I'm a bit young to be having it, but I am and… well, I'm going to die. So I might as well do something worthwhile with my life before I go, right? Leliana, is there room in the Inquisition for a failed Grey Warden?"

Leliana's eyes widened and she nodded, before reaching out and cuddling Alistair.

"You are not a failure and there is always room in any organisation I'm part of for you," Leliana told him. "And… for however long you've got, I'm here for you."

"Thank you," Alistair whispered, hugging Leliana, who returned the embrace and led him away, and while the years had hardened Leliana, she would always have time for Alistair.

So would Fiona, who was staring after him, pale and shaken and looking like she was about to be sick. Dorian couldn't help but notice.

"Grand Enchanter, are you well? Only if you're about to vomit, please point away from me. This outfit is my only nice one."

Fiona shook her head, looking down and wiping a tear away.

"He can't have the Calling, he's only thirty, he only took the Joining a little over a decade ago," Fiona said vehemently. "Is someone speeding it up? Is it… no, no, can't be. And Madanach stopped it?" She turned to face Dorian, eyes sparkling with fury. "Do you know any blood magic that might halt the darkspawn taint?"

"No," Dorian said, confused. "Trust me, if we'd found a cure for that, the world would look very different today."

"No doubt," Fiona said softly. "I need to speak to Madanach… after he's spent tonight getting reacquainted with his wife anyway."

Dorian watched Fiona go back to hustling her mages out of the castle, very sure that something more was going on than he could tell… and equally sure that when it did come to light, it would be absolutely delicious. Probably traumatic for poor Alistair, and if ever a man needed a drink and a hug it was that one, but Dorian could provide that too if needed.

Dorian had never been more certain of his decision to join the Inquisition. Things were going to get absolutely fascinating.

The next hour or so passed in a bit of a blur for Elisif. Madanach had looked at her, ascertained that she'd been several hours in a dystopic future while only minutes had passed for him, which meant she was exhausted, not to mention scared and traumatised, and immediately decided what Elisif needed was someone else to take charge of all the decision-making for a bit, and steered her back to the tavern.

Madanach's room was fortunately more or less as he'd left it, apart from a couple of younger rebel mages who'd moved in, thinking he might not be coming back, but obviously here you are sir, we'll be on our way sir, please don't set fire to us sir.

"Thought they don't remember you being Enchanter-General," Elisif whispered.

"Apparently I am still as intimidating as I ever was even without that," Madanach said cheerfully. "All right, let's sort you out with a bath..."

A tub of cold water, soap and some towels arrived, and Elisif was treated to Madanach heating the thing up with Destruction magic, before he turned towards her, turned her around, and began helping her get out of her armour, and it hit Elisif all of a sudden that she had a husband again. A proper husband, who could tend to her and fuss over her and help her with Maia and comfort her, and reassume full husbandly duties.

Madanach paused, and carefully leaned forward, kissing her gently on the neck, having sensed something change in her mood.

"Time for that later. Bath first, love."

So Elisif settled into a nice warm bath while Madanach started shaving, and while this helped, this definitely helped, it was going to be a long time before she felt all right again.

"The world broke," Elisif said quietly. "I've got to save the world or everyone dies and the sky gets swallowed by the Breach. Madanach, this is impossible!"

"Can't imagine it's harder than killing Alduin," Madanach said, staring into the mirror as he lathered up his face.

"That was one dragon!" Elisif cried. "This is… this is something else!"

"Yeah, it's an Oblivion crisis," Madanach said calmly. "The world survived one before."

"A Dragonborn had to die to do it!" Elisif cried, remembering the story all too well, and that did give Madanach pause, Elisif practically feeling fear-worry-anger-determination flitting through his mind.

"That will not be Plan A," Madanach said eventually, the razor resuming its journey across his face.

"No, but it might figure as Plan B, C, or D or… look, when do things ever go as planned? A week ago, I was assuming my trip to Redcliffe would be easy, I turn up, happy reunion with you, happy surprise to see Maia again, easy alliance negotiation then all back to Haven to fix the sky. Then Alexius happened, and our terrified baby turns up at Haven pleading with me to save you," Elisif sighed, before recalling what else Maia had told her and turning back to face him. "Seriously, Madanach, what were you thinking, bringing her? And you had her fighting demons?"

"I swear I don't remember!" Madanach protested, attention turning to his other cheek as he carefully positioned the mirror to keep Elisif in view, just in case she decided to throw something at him. "She can close rifts though. And I didn't want to leave her. She was traumatised by your bloody guards abducting her! She didn't want me to go as well!"

Elisif quietly let him have that one. Secretly she was pleased to have Maia back as well… but not if she came to harm.

"She's our baby," Elisif said fiercely. "And she's NOT going out demon-hunting again. Or riding dragons! Or going anywhere near the fighting! Honestly Madanach, she died in that dark future! She's not… I'm not having her in danger."

Madanach had flinched at the mention of her death, then nodded quietly.

"I promise, Elisif. No more taking Maia into danger. Although I am fairly certain Maia was not actually fighting the demons personally – I must have had Liriel or Eola or someone watching over her from a distance."

"Those terror demons can travel through the ground in seconds," Elisif snapped. "And the despair demons have impressive ranged attacks which everyone else swears are freezing. They are a bit chilly, I must say..."

"I know – look, never mind," Madanach sighed, razor moving to his neck. "This dark future then. What else had happened? I don't suppose you took notes. If we know what happened, we can prevent it. This isn't some oracular prophecy that is so vague as to be meaningless or that might become self-fulfilling because the gods don't like us trying to avoid fate or something. This is you travelling into a future where you weren't around to help, now you're back in a present where you're here to save us. What exactly did you learn?"

"I've got a timeline," Elisif said, indicating her pack. "Future you insisted on writing me a detailed set of notes, things that went wrong and the sort of thing we need to do to fix things. He wrote you a letter too. Said it was for your eyes only."

"I did?" Madanach said, rubbing his face with a towel before reaching for his toothbrush. "I mean, of course I did, I'm a genius. I'll be sure to read them later. But I'd rather hear your version. Go on, tell me everything."

So Madanach brushed his teeth while Elisif recounted how Madanach had killed Alexius, and then presumably still covered in blood, heard Anora hammering on the door, listened to Fiona who wanted to protect Alistair, and sealed the door, commencing a siege that only ended when the mysterious Corypheus the Elder One invaded, destroying first Haven before crushing Anora's army with his own force of corrupted Templars.

"And possibly a dragon," Elisif finished. "Although you weren't entirely sure if that was a tale or not as you'd not seen it personally. He killed Maia, Madanach!"

Madanach shivered, before finally rinsing his mouth out and turning to face her.

"She isn't dead," Madanach said firmly. "And the siege has been averted. Alexius is still alive, Anora's withdrawn and allowed the mages to leave peacefully, and we parted on friendly-ish terms. I think you impressed her."

Elisif allowed that this was the case, sinking back into the bath as it occurred to her history had already changed. The Inquisition and mage rebellion united, and Haven likely safer with all the extra fighters it would have – if they got back there in time. And the Fereldan Crown supportive – now that was something. Anora's help would be invaluable.

"We still have to get Haven defensible or find somewhere else," Elisif said, rinsing the soap off her legs. "And find out how he got a demon army and see if it's possible to save the Templars somehow and stop him killing the Orlesian Empress, and find out who or what Corypheus even is and how to kill him."

"We'll find out," Madanach promised, dropping to his knees behind her. "Your friend Leliana seems to know what she's doing. Now we've got a name, we can find out what he wants and where he is."

Tevinter ruling the world, if the Venatori were any judge. Not exactly something they could negotiate over. But the Inquisition was growing in power and influence every day. Elisif would find him and deal with him.

She turned to look at Madanach, considerably less dishevelled and grubby than he had been… and promptly shrieked to see a stranger with her husband's voice but a face devoid of facial hair for the first time since she'd ever known him.

A pained look crossed Madanach's face as he sighed, shaking his head.

"Not you as well, I had enough trouble with Eola," Madanach said wearily. "My hair was growing in blonde, the face-fur was particularly noticeable, I got tired of questions and staring and pointing and giggling so I shaved it off and it is staying shaved until my head hair matches. Please don't tell me you hate it and will never love me again."

Elisif reached out to stroke his cheek, not entirely sure what she felt. Truth be told, he now looked like a silver-haired version of Eola, which disturbed her a little. But he wasn't unattractive and he was still very much her husband.

She leaned into him and kissed him, her lips meeting his as he raised his hands to her cheeks, low moans escaping him as he kissed her back, and by the gods, Elisif wanted him. Alas, he broke off the kiss all too soon.

"I need to bathe properly before I'm fit to be seen with you," Madanach told her, backing off. "Are you done?"

Elisif was, and she didn't miss the lascivious grin on his face as he watched her get out and start drying herself.

"I'll try not to be long," Madanach promised as he climbed in the newly vacated bath and set about scrubbing the grime off his skin. Elisif finished drying and watched from the bed, still not used to Madanach being able to do this sort of thing for himself again, having muscle tone again, knowing who she was again! She had him back. She had her husband back.

Not if he starts lusting after Alistair.

He wouldn't do that.

Why not? Alistair's cute. Don't deny you think that.

Well, yes. But the future might not come true. She could surely influence her husband's affections.

And so she watched as Madanach finally finished, dried himself off, tipped the water from the window and left the empty tub outside the room to be collected later, along with the towels, before he turned his attention back to her.

He came to sit on the edge of the bed next to her, and while he was smiling, he suddenly looked rather nervous, genuine anxiety radiating down the bond.

"Are you… I mean, did you want to… we can just cuddle?" Madanach said, sounding a bit hesitant, and it occurred to Elisif that they'd not been truly intimate in a very long time, and Madanach wouldn't remember a lot of the last three years. No wonder he was nervous.

"Come here, lie down next to me and kiss me and we can take it from there," Elisif told him, holding out a hand. Madanach smiled, up for that at least, and as he crawled into bed alongside her, kissing led to cuddling, which led to Madanach finally realising his body wasn't going to let him down, not now, not any more, which led to Madanach and Elisif finally reuniting for good.

Of course, it was never going to be quite that easy, and once Madanach had cleaned them both up and snuggled back into bed with her, chest against her back and his arms around her, Elisif became aware he'd gone quiet… and then his fingers traced over her hand before turning it over, fingertips ghosting over her mark.

"How did you get this?" Madanach asked softly, and Elisif could hardly fail to miss the worry in his voice.

"It doesn't matter," Elisif said, instinct telling her to play it down, minimise, don't let her very bright, magically capable husband get near it because then she'd know just how bad it was…

"Well, it looks like a magical burn with considerable power still trapped in it, and you never had it before," Madanach murmured, brows knotting in a frown. "Elisif, these are serious magical injuries, you can't just ignore them..."

"It's fine!" Elisif snapped, wrenching her hand away, and for a few seconds, both stared back, Elisif hostile, Madanach surprised and hurt… and the heartfelt look in Madanach's eyes had a way of breaking her resolve.

"I'm sorry," Elisif whispered, contrite. "I just… I don't know where it comes from, but it closes rifts. We think it can close the Breach too, we just need more magicka."

"You're not using the Thu'um?" Madanach asked, raising an eyebrow. Elisif shook her head.

"No. I didn't know what words to use – I'm surprised Maia worked one out," Elisif said. "I wish I knew all three, I'd love to be able to Shout instead of use… this."

"I wish you did as well," Madanach said, worry not leaving his face. "Elisif, I've seen magical injuries like this before, this is a particularly nasty one, I'm surprised it's not spreading – do you honestly have no idea what caused it?"

Elisif shook her head. "I arrived in Thedas in a building, which I think was the Temple of Sacred Ashes right before it blew up, heard screaming and ran to see what it was. I don't remember anything else. Only waking up hours later in Haven with Cassandra shouting at me and this on my hand. Apparently they'd found me staggering out of a Fade rift before passing out."

"You ended up in a Daedric realm and your memories are gone," Madanach said, eyes narrowing. "That means some fucker stole them, Elisif. Some spirit or minion that specialises in taking memories from the innocent, and it robbed you. Don't know whose it would be, but my best guess is either one of Vaermina's or Sheogorath's. Or one of Sanguine's, but unless you woke up with a hangover, it probably wasn't his doing. Have you been experiencing any other mental health symptoms?"

"No," Elisif said firmly. "And we don't even know if there are even the same Daedra here that there are at home. All the Atronachs I know of tend to be elementals, or undead. I don't know if we have any emotion specialists back home like the Fade does here, Keirine never mentioned any."

"Keirine has likely barely told you the half of it," Madanach chuckled. "But it is true the daedra here are… different. They're definitely minions of Oblivion all right, but I have a feeling the Daedric Princes we know don't have much pull in the Fade over here. Either they've never been interested… or Thedas had Daedric Princes of its own that kept them away."

"Which do you think it was?" Elisif whispered. Madanach shrugged.

"Daedric Princes are vain, they want to be worshipped," Madanach said. "It's possible the predominance of the Andraste cult, the presence of Templars hunting down and imprisoning the mages who might turn to Daedra worship, all that might put them off. But there have always been apostates who summon demons, even here. And let's not forget Tevinter. The mages there do what they want. It's not lack of worshippers here. Something else kept them away."

Now that got Elisif thinking. What did she know of non-Andrastian gods here?

"Tevinter had seven old gods, dragons," Elisif whispered. "Dovah? They rose as Archdemons when darkspawn found them, and led Blights. They might have been enough to dissuade the Daedra. And the Dalish elves had gods as well, they've been silent for years, sealed away in the Fade, but if they were active once, powerful spirits from the Fade, they could have been a powerful deterrent. Either that or the Thedosians had different names for the Daedra."

"The names wouldn't be far different," Madanach murmured. "Daedra are vain. They want their names praised, their real ones. Their real names aren't in Tamrielic, they're in Daedric, they teach their followers the language. If our Daedra were ever worshipped here, the god names would be the same or very similar. They aren't."

Elisif knew that – Solas had given her the names of the Dalish gods, all the while insisting much of the lore surrounding them was little more than myth, and she'd asked Dorian about the Tevinter old gods, offering all she could remember on the Skyrim Dragon Cult and Dovah in general in return. Dorian had been intrigued enough to help… but none of the names either Solas or Dorian had provided had sounded like any Daedric Prince she knew. Elisif stared at the mark, suddenly wanting answers, wanting to know how she'd sustained a serious magical burn, who'd inflicted it and how to get rid of it. She had a feeling her missing memories would provide the answer.

"So what might steal memories?" Elisif whispered. "I don't think I'm crazy. But Vaermina's Skull of Corruption stole memories and replaced them with nightmares. Madanach, did a nightmare demon get hold of me in the Fade? Is there such a thing?"

"I wouldn't be at all surprised," Madanach said quietly. "There are demonologists in the mage rebellion who could look into it. Have you had any nightmares? Recurring ones?"

"No," Elisif whispered. "I mean, not really. Had a few about you since Maia turned up. But nothing weird or obviously Daedric."

"Which doesn't necessarily mean a nightmare demon wasn't involved," Madanach growled, not liking this at all. "Dammit Elisif, this whole thing is just wrong. Even if we fix the sky, someone killed the Divine and blew up the Temple. And then there's this Elder One. Corypheus. I haven't heard the name."

"Someone will have," Elisif said, snuggling into Madanach's arms. "We'll ask around. Leliana might know people. Josie might even have Tevinter contacts."

"And I'll ask around the mages – someone will know something," Madanach promised, pulling blankets over them both. "Come on, rest. We'll need all our strength for this one."

Elisif knew that all too well… but she wasn't alone any more. Despite all her advisers and new friends, no one knew her quite like Madanach… and now he was back at her side, Elisif suddenly felt her confidence take a boost, as if she'd lost all feeling in a limb, got used to not using it, then suddenly found herself able to use it again. She had her mage husband, and while arcane lore was not unique to Madanach by any means, the ability to unpick a problem like he could was something she'd struggled to replace.

She had it back now. Her source of support, her beloved battlemage, was back in her life, and the sense of responsibility on her shoulders had lifted. With Madanach back, her prospects and hopes were looking very much brighter.

What if he leaves you for Alistair?

He wouldn't do that.

But if he does?

He won't.

He probably wouldn't. In fact Madanach right now was snuggling alongside her with an arm around her and showing no inclination whatsoever to go anywhere. But as Elisif closed her eyes, the memory of Alistair kissing Madanach wouldn't go away.

A/N: The Venatori motto translates loosely as 'Mighty Tevinter Great Once More'. It was hilarious back in March/April, it's not so funny now. :/ (I should have gone for Take Back Control.)