Many many thanks to Kira Tamarion for her speedy beta work, and especially for her patient suggestions/thoughts which really helped out a lot :D
Warning: the second part of this chapter is NSFW

With a Prayer in the Air

Ashara leaned against the slender fringe tree, pressing her back into the friendly bark as she tried to sit up straight. Her legs were loosely crossed, and a small pile of bay leaves mixed with juniper berries burned in front of her. She closed her eyes and relaxed her palms on her knees, inhaling the smoke and trying to clear her mind of all thoughts or worries.

That seemed to be an especially difficult task that night, given that the child in her womb didn't seem to care to sit still. Ashara could feel her daughter rolling, kicking, and hiccuping, turning her stomach into a play area.

She tried to ignore the child moving around in her stomach. Though the sensation was still a precious gift, Ashara had to clear her mind of any and all thoughts if this task was to succeed.

Since that night after the fight with Asha'belannar, when Sylaise had come to Ashara to warn her about the future, the Goddess had remained silent. But, Ashara had been plagued by dreams of others. She heard booming voices predicting a time of darkness. They swore that the sun would hide its face, that the moon would be swallowed. They cried out to the skies, warning of death and destruction, demanding that Ashara find a way to stop it.

Yet no matter how many times Ashara tried to beg them for answers, or to be just a bit more specific, she always came away confused. How was she supposed to stop something when she had no idea of what it was? As time went on and the dreams persisted, she began to grow paranoid of what she was even hearing. Were the voices actually demons? Were demons trying to cloud and confuse her mind, lowering her awareness so that they could slip in and possess her? Or was it really the Creators? Ashara felt that as First to a Clan, she should have been able to tell the difference between a demon and one of the Creators, but no matter how many times she meditated or prayed for guidance, she was still confused.

The smoke from the bay and juniper floated around her, slithering into her senses. It was time. Ashara took a deep breath and raised her face and arms to the night sky. "Mythal, Mother of the Creators, your daughter begs for your help. Tell me what it is I should know." She took another deep breath. "Elgar'nan, Father of Life, your child pleads before you. God of Vengeance, tell me how to prepare. If there is darkness on the land, I must be ready! I beg both of you, Mother and Father, to help me!"

She sat in silence, her eyes closed and her palms still facing the sky. Her arms began to grow tired but she refused to lower them. She must sit like this, in the proper position with the smoke drifting around her, until she received a sign that her prayer had worked. Then, a little sparrow suddenly took flight from the tree Ashara rested against. She watched as the bird chirped happily and climbed through the night air. Everyone knew that birds were the messengers of the Creators, the only animal that could cross the Veil to the Beyond on their own. Ashara watched the bird until it disappeared into the sky; only then did she lower her arms and smile. The sparrow would take her pleas to Mythal and Elgar'nan. Perhaps the gods would listen and give Ashara an answer.

Or, perhaps she would hear nothing.

Ashara sighed deeply and ran a hand over her rolling stomach. She knew that this might all be for nothing. The Creators didn't work on mortal schedules. They took their time in giving an answer, and often the answer was more like a riddle. Keeper Marethari always said that in order to hear the Creators one must listen to the wind, the trees, and the birds. Anything could be a sign. Even the clouds passing over the sun could be a response from Elgar'nan.

Well, she had done all that she could do at this point. She had burned the mixture of bay and juniper, both herbs favored by Mythal and Elgar'nan, and she had sent up her prayer. There was nothing left that she could do. Either they would respond, or they wouldn't. Simple as that.

"Are you finished?"

Ashara glanced around at Tamlen's voice and saw him peering around the tree, looking at her with concern on his face. She smiled; it was almost like being back at the Clan, when she would disappear from camp to mediate, always secure that Tamlen was sitting nearby, keeping watch.

"I did all that I could do," she said, leaning forward as best she could and holding her hand over the small fire burning the mixture of herbs. She slowly pulled away the energy that created the flames, forcing the fire to die out. "I asked Mythal and Elgar'nan for answers. Hopefully they'll tell me what I need to know."

Tamlen sat down next to her, smiling as he always did when he looked at her stomach. He put a hand over her belly, his smile widening as he felt their daughter kicking and rolling around. But, then the smile slid from his face; he looked at her. "I don't like this, vulpasha. Your dreams are keeping you from sleeping; almost every night you whisper and cry out."

Ashara rubbed her tired eyes. What he said was true; she often woke up in the morning feeling as though she hadn't slept at all. "I know, but I can't stop it. There aren't many herbs I can take–herbs that would give me a dreamless sleep–without harming the baby, so I don't know what to do."

His frown deepened; she saw the swirling tattoo on his forehead twitch. "You need your sleep; you look drained half of the time. Even Alistair noticed, and asked me if you were all right."

Ashara tried to shift, to relieve some of the pressure she felt against her ribs, but it didn't do much good. No one had bothered to tell her that as she progressed along in her pregnancy she'd almost always feel uncomfortable. That was something she would have liked to know in advance. "I'm almost eight months; the baby will come soon enough. Then, I should be able to handle the dreams." She took care to keep her voice light, to hide her own anxiety. If she admitted how confused and nervous she was, it would only make Tamlen worry more.

Tamlen nodded, trying to feel consoled by her words, but she could see that he was still uneasy. She put her hand over his and gripped it tightly. "We're going to stop at Redcliffe before we try to find Haven. By now, the Dalish should have started gathering there. I'll ask Marethari for her opinion, and see if she can help me."

That seemed to be the right thing to say, if there was a right thing. Tamlen was used to listening to the Keeper's vast wisdom; he believed that if anyone could help Ashara, it would be her. He settled down and leaned back on his hands. "Good. Maybe she'll be able to help you get rid of these dreams."

Ashara winced as the baby delivered a particularly hard kick to her stomach. Really, couldn't she just settle down for a bit? It seemed that almost every night her daughter grew more and more active. She seemed to prefer to sleep during the day, when Ashara would have preferred her to move. It was almost like she waited until Ashara was trying to rest, and then decided to start kicking.

She put a hand over her stomach, attempting to calm the baby with her touch, but of course that didn't work. She sighed. "Should we get back to camp? I'm sure Leliana has finished cooking the evening meal, and I'm hungry."

Tamlen sat up, with a wary look on his face. "In a minute; there's something I wanted to talk to you about first."

Ashara looked at him curiously. "What is it?"

He crossed his legs in front of him and leaned forward, looking at the ground, the trees, the sky, anywhere but at her. Ashara was intrigued; it wasn't like Tamlen to suddenly seem nervous over nothing. "We decided that after the Blight you and I would be bonded, right?" he asked.

She nodded, brushing back the instant fear that he would tell her he didn't want to mate with her. But of course she was being ridiculous. Tamlen would never change his mind.

"Well, I realized that after we wake Eamon all we have left is kill Loghain and then we can bring the Archdemon out; we're almost ready to end the Blight. I was thinking about going through the mating ceremony, and I realized that you were missing something."

Ashara frowned, curious and confused. Tamlen pulled his pack towards him and carefully drew out a delicately carved wooden circlet. He handed it to Ashara without looking at her. "I thought... you might like to have this."

She turned the circlet over in her hands, her breath catching in her throat. It was beautifully crafted, three slim strips of graceful oak that twisted around each other to form a flowing crown. Vines and leaves had been woven around the twisted wood to form a stunning crown of nature, like something Sylaise, Goddess of the Forest, might wear. Tears pricked at the corner of Ashara's eyes but she hastily brushed them aside.

Among the Dalish, it was a tradition for young women, at the time of their bonding ceremony, to wear the same circlet that their mother had worn during their own Vunin'lath, or Mating Day. So much had been lost to the Elvhenan that they clung to whatever traditions they could remember from Arlathan. To this day, mothers placed the circlet on their daughter's hair, beaming with pride and reminding others that the crown had been in their family for generations.

But, Ashara's mother had belonged to another Clan, one that refused to allow her to mate with Ashara's father. Not only did Ashara's parents never go through the ceremony, but when Mother died, all of her possessions and belongings were given to her Clan; Ashara had never had anything of her mother's. She had been acutely aware of the fact that when she bonded with Tamlen, she would not have the honor of wearing her mother's circlet.

Though the Clan would never have mentioned it–such a painful detail was considered impolite to comment on–Ashara's Vunin'lath would have been a painful reminder that she had no mother by her side. Her mother would not be there to hand her to Tamlen, or dress her hair with flowers, or even give her a blessing.

She stared at the beautiful crown in her hands. "Tamlen, did you make this?" she asked, her voice thick.

He nodded nervously. "I know it's not... normal, for a man to make the circlet for his mate. But well, I just thought that with everything else going on, our Vunin'lath should be a day for you to be happy. I... don't want you to be thinking of what happened to your parents..." He cleared his throat. "Leliana helped me with the vines and leaves. I couldn't get them to fit around the wood; she heard me cursing at it and offered to help. Do you... like it?"

Ashara couldn't seem to pull her eyes away from it. "I love it! It's beautiful!" She lifted her head and smiled at him, tears pooling at the corners of her eyes. It must be the hormones that were making her get all teary-eyed. Yes, that was it.

Tamlen moved towards her and put his arms around her shoulders, pulling her to his chest while he rubbed his face in her hair. "I'm glad you like it. You can wear it during our ceremony, and when our daughter is old enough you can give it to her."

Ashara nodded, sighing at the feel of his hands winding around her shoulders. "Our child will always know that her parents came together for love."

She closed her eyes in a delicious sense of elation as his lips traveled down her neck and shoulder. Then, his lifted his head and covered her face in light kisses, sweetly brushing his lips against her eyebrows, nose, jaw, and finally her lips. She sighed, melting into his arms like snow under the sunlight and pulled him closer, running her hands through his dark gold hair.

The evening meal could wait.

oOo

Kali sat on the bank of a small stream, dipping her feet in the cold, fresh water. It was a hot night, and she was grateful that Ashara always made sure that they camped near a fresh body of water. Though the camp was a little ways away, Kali was hidden by the bushes and trees. Without anyone to see her, she felt comfortable enough to strip off her boots and leggings, and let the cold water massage her sore feet.

She leaned back on her hands, staring up at the streak of sky visible above the stream. The moon was hidden tonight; only the stars glittering in the heavens offered any sort of light. She swished her feet back and forth in the water, as if she could somehow kick away her thoughts.

If she was completely honest with herself–and with no one around she had the freedom of honesty–she was actually glad to be away from Denerim. The group had only been on the road for a few days, and though they weren't making much progress, what with Ashara's pregnancy, Kali was grateful to be away from Denerim's bustling streets and loud noises.

She could almost laugh at herself for her changing views. After Ostagar, she had wanted nothing more than to go back home and see her family, but when she actually did, and saw the Alienage again, all she wanted to do was leave. In her defense, though, she hadn't expected her home to be so... different.

Everyone seemed distant and strange to her; even Father. It seemed like, in the few short months that she'd been gone, everyone had changed. Or, maybe she was the one who changed, and everyone else was still the same. Kali bit her lip thoughtfully. Maybe that was it.

After all, Father had acted like he normally did; it was just that Kali now saw his opinions and thoughts in a different light. When he pulled her away from everyone else and asked if she could leave the Wardens and come home, she had been shocked by the suggestion. But, she couldn't blame him for asking, could she? It wasn't like he could really understand what being a Grey Warden meant.

She sighed and leaned forward, frowning at the flowing stream. Father had been disappointed when she told him that she could never leave the Wardens, but she had been honest. Besides, she didn't think she could ever go home again. Even if the Blight ended tomorrow, even if the Archdemon died and there was no need for the Grey Wardens, she didn't think she could stand to be home. Not anymore.

If anything, Kali thought that she'd like to keep traveling, with her companions, of course. Sure, at first she didn't like traveling. Sleeping on the ground was difficult, and eating only what they could find often left them hungry, but she enjoyed it. Every day brought some new adventure; each morning was a chance at learning something new.

Besides, someone had to fight for her people. She wasn't exactly sure how they were supposed to bring freedom and equality to the elves, but something had to be done. She couldn't just sit by and let her people suffer. Not anymore. The elves of the city did absolutely nothing to improve their lot in life. The Dalish might try to collect their history, but even Ashara admitted that the Elvhenan only sat around and waited for time to change things. No one seemed willing to take that first step, but Kali knew that she and Ashara would.

Remembering the fight with Caladrius, Kali's hands balled into fists and she scowled at the stream. The humans only complained about slavery in theory, but look at what happened. Loghain had been only too willing to look the other way for the promise of gold. Humans didn't really care. Elves were frequently taken in as servants, where they were paid a pitiful sum for hours of hard work, and were treated lower than dogs. Human men leered at elven women when they walked through the streets, and it wasn't uncommon to hear about an elven woman being taken against her will. But no one did anything.

She heard a snap, harsh against the soothing sounds of the rushing water; she reached for the daggers sitting next to her, ready to defend herself. But it was only Zevran. He smiled when he saw her. "Ah, there you are, my little Warden."

Kali watched him approach. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing at all. Leliana has finished with the evening meal and sent me to collect you." He looked around the area. "Well, actually Ashara, Tamlen, and Morrigan are also gone from the camp, but I have no such hopes of finding them. I suppose they will have to eat later."

"Oh. Well, I'm not really hungry." As soon as she said the words, her stomach started growling, loudly.

Zevran chuckled and sat down next to her. "For some reason, I am inclined to disagree."

Kali couldn't help but smile a bit. "Fine, I'm hungry. I just don't really feel like getting up."

"Is there something on your mind, mi querida?"

For a moment, Kali wasn't sure if she wanted to answer. Did she really want to tell him what was bothering her? But if she didn't, then she'd constantly think about it. So, she straightened up and looked at him. "Do you remember the fight with Caladrius?"

The assassin raised his eyebrows, looking at her teasingly. "Of course. It was only a few days ago, after all. Much as Wynne likes to accuse me of having only one thing on my mind, I do have quite a decent memory."

She ignored his attempt at humor. "Well, you and Ashara, and even Tamlen, acted like what I did was normal." Her fists clenched. "All Ashara said was that I needed to calm down, but none of you even looked at me like I had done something wrong! Why? You had to pull me off of him, Zevran. I wanted to kill him! I did kill him! Why did you all act like it was nothing?"

Zevran turned to look at the black water flowing gently beneath the moonless sky. "I think that each of us understood your reaction, because we have all been in such a situation."

"You have?"

"We are all of us only mortal. We all make mistakes, and we have all allowed our anger to get the better of us at one point or another." He shrugged carelessly. "In the Crows, it is something they beat out of us from an early age. Losing control like that can cause you to make mistakes, of course, but we are all guilty of it at one time or another."

"Even you?" Kali's eyes widened; she could hardly imagine calm, controlled, arrogant Zevran ever getting so lost in his anger that he simply reacted.

The assassin laughed. "Even I!" He put a finger to her lips. "But, should anyone discover such a shameful secret it could ruin my reputation; so let us just keep this between you and me, yes?"

Kali pulled her feet out of the water and rested her chin on her knees. "So, how do you keep it from happening?"

"You must understand that it is the same everywhere, my little Warden. You reacted because you were angry at the injustice forced upon your people, but I am afraid that Ferelden is not alone in its problems. Children, even humans, are sold into slavery in Tevinter; the Chevaliers of Orlais attack poor men and take their women, knowing that there is no one to stop them. And all across Thedas, in almost every country, there are Circles that lock mages away for the simple crime of being born."

He looked at her with a sad smile. "You cannot fight against everything. It is better to reserve your anger and focus on changing what you can."

"I just... I never really realized how bad the world was." After she said the words, she wished she could take them back. She must sound like a child compared to Zevran, who had seen and done more than she could ever imagine.

However, he didn't seem to notice, or if he did, he didn't care. "It is true, but you must also see that there is quite a lot of good in the world, as well. It is not all evil."

Kali lifted her head and studied him curiously. "How is it that you can think like that? I mean, with all that you've gone through, with everything that you've endured, how do you manage to laugh and act like nothing bothers you? I want to learn to do that."

"In truth? It is because I expected no better. I learned to take my pleasures where they could be found, for they did not come around too often."

"Oh." She frowned. "I don't think I could do that."

Zevran smiled. "I do not think so either, dulce mia." He saw her frown deepen and laughed. "But, there is no need for you to behave like me. You are your own person, yes? Fear not, mi querida, you will learn from this, and you will learn how to control your emotions. In the end, you will be stronger for it."

"Do you really think so?"

"I know so." He pulled her to him and gathered her in his arms. "You constantly doubt yourself, but you have no reason to do so."

She rested her head against his chest and pulled her legs up over his, so she was almost sitting his lap. His words made her feel better than she had since they arrived at Denerim. "Thank you, Zevran."

She felt his chest rumble as he chuckled and kissed the top of her head. "Oh, I think I should be the one thanking you."

"Why?"

His hand ran over her leg, up her shin to settle on her knee, grinning playfully. "I do not think I have ever seen your bare legs before. It is something I am grateful for."

Kali felt heat creep up her face until even her ears were hot. She didn't know what to say to that, but part of her felt like she should explain why she had taken her leggings off. "Well... I..."

But Zevran only laughed and lowered his lips to her ear. "You do not need to say a thing, mi querida. I am not complaining at all!"

He lifted her chin up with his free hand and brought her face closer, gently brushing his lips against hers, then kissing them. As they kissed, his other hand gently traveled up her leg, caressing her outer thigh. Kali felt that that her ears were going to burst into flame, but she didn't dislike the way it felt. Quite the opposite, in fact. His touch made her feel like she was wrapped in a fresh sheet warmed by the sun.

Without thinking, she sat up in his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck, winding her fingers through his hair. Confidence surged through her as she heard him groan. This man that she loved wanted her. Zevran was an assassin, a man who had been with countless women, and some men, but he wanted to be with her and her only. She knew, with a sudden insight, that she had the power to make him moan with desire. It was a powerful realization.

Warmth spread through her when he broke off the kiss and buried his face in the open collar of her tunic, kissing the nape of her neck and pushing the tunic off her shoulder to tease the skin of her collarbone. Shivers went down her spine, a delicious wave of pleasure that amazed her.

After a few moments, Zevran lifted his head and leaned back. His smile held a promise, an intense desire that Kali was wholly unfamiliar with. He reached towards his waist and peeled off his shirt. Kali blushed, but despite her embarrassment at being so close to his naked torso, she stared at him like a poor peasant woman confronted by a king.

Zevran really hadn't been joking when he told Alistair that he had more tattoos on his body. The same pattern on his cheek was on the side of his waist, delicately swirling around the side of his body, somehow highlighting the muscles in his stomach and chest. She was both nervous and fascinated, and almost afraid to touch him. She could see in Zevran's eyes that he understood her confusion. Gently, he gathered her in his arms, pressing her against his chest. Kali was surprised at how much she enjoyed the feel of his skin against her cheek. His warm, dark skin smelled of tanned leather and wood smoke.

Slowly, she became aware of Zevran leaning back so that he was lying on the ground, pulling her with him. She took a deep breath, willing herself to be calm. This wasn't going to be a repeat of what happened at the Dalish camp. Her heart beat wildly in her chest; the warmth was now spreading down her legs. She wanted this. She didn't want to panic again.

When she was lying on top of him, she didn't freeze. There was no moment of panic, no fear, nothing. Instead, she felt comfortable and secure; she could move away at any moment if she chose. She looked down in his eyes and saw his smile widen.

It was as if he understood exactly what she was thinking. Propping himself up with one arm, he used his free hand to cup the side of her face. "I will make this as easy as possible, mi querida." He hesitated. "But, only if you choose to continue."

He was leaving the choice completely up to her; Kali felt like her heart was swelling. Lying on top of him as she was, she didn't feel cornered or suffocated. Her body wasn't freezing like it had before, and though the memory of that guard threatened to surface, she was able to firmly push it away and focus only on this moment.

"I... I want..." she stuttered, unsure of what to say. Would it sound weird to just come out and say that she wanted to keep going? That she wanted to see where this would lead, and how it would feel? That she wanted to experience it with him?

Thankfully, Zevran didn't seem to expect her to say anything; her eyes seemed to answer his questions. His smile reflected the joy in his eyes as he unbuckled her belt and slowly traced his hands up her legs, only this time moving up to her waist, pushing her tunic with it. His movements were slow and careful; he gave her plenty of time to pull away if she wanted to. When she didn't, he lifted the tunic over her head and tossed it carelessly to the side.

Wearing nothing but her smallclothes, she felt her face redden as she watched his eyes travel over her entire body. He ran his hands down her shoulders and waist, before pulling her to him to cover her face in kisses. "You are so beautiful, mi Corazon," he said in a hoarse whisper.

Then he sat up, gently pushing her back until she was sitting on her heels. Still watching her carefully, he shrugged out of his pants before pulling her back down. They were practically naked, but instead of feeling ashamed or embarrassed, Kali felt nothing but a thrilling mixture of curiosity and desire.

The two of them lay together for a while, exploring each other's bodies while Kali began to grow more comfortable and confident. She learned that she liked the feeling of his hands on her stomach and back, that she enjoyed the sensation of his lips against her skin. She discovered, much to her own delight, that she could make him groan just by running her fingers over his chest. With gentle fingers, she learned the feel of his skin, the muscles in his body.

She lost track of how long they lay wrapped in each other's arms or when they had removed their smallclothes. Zevran looked at her, his face full of love and desire, and Kali knew that she was ready; he nodded and slowly rolled her onto her back. He looked into her eyes as he slowly and gently entered her. She felt a brief, searing pain which soon melted into a pleasure she had never known. She found that she didn't care about the pain.

She knew that she was discovering something beautiful. Now, she understood exactly why Ashara said that love was such a precious thing. This moment with Zevran was more powerful than anything she could have imagined, and she would carry the memory of this night close to her heart, forever.

oOo

Morrigan sat cross-legged amidst the grass, surrounded on all sides by trees and brush. The moon was absent from the sky, taking its light with it; she was lucky to have found this small space. What she needed to do required room, and the possibility to remain hidden.

By the light of a small fire contained in a glass jar, she carefully reached into her pack and drew out two small bowls. She set them in front of her before pulling out a few packets of herbs, some bottles of oil, and a small knife. She placed the items in front of her and then grew still, her ears straining to hear any signs of someone approaching. No one must see her. It was imperative that no one know of her plans until exactly the right moment.

After a few tense, silent, moments, she was satisfied that she was alone. Only the forest animals were aware of her presence, but they had better things to do than acknowledge a witch sitting alone, brewing a potion. So long as she did not threaten them, they would allow her to stay there.

Morrigan stared at the objects arrayed in front of her, wondering at the proper way to proceed. This potion was only the first step in a plan that must be carefully considered. The second step was to lie with a new Grey Warden. But, there were only two options available to her: Alistair and Tamlen. Which presented a difficulty. Morrigan could hardly stomach the thought of lying with the failed templar, yet Ashara most certainly would not agree to a request for her to lie with Tamlen.

The witch frowned, deep in thought. It was crucial that Ashara agree; she was the leader, and could convince either Tamlen or Alistair to lie with her, no matter their personal feelings. But, how should she go about convincing the Dalish woman? Would it be best to tell her the truth? Perhaps, but only part. A lie was best hidden amongst a partial truth. Morrigan could tell her that she needed to bear a child; she could even tell her a bit about what the child would be, but that was all she would say. Ashara and Kali had a long path set before them; Morrigan could not intervene and interrupt what was already predestined to happen. They would discover the whole truth when the moment was right, not before.

So, how should she go about convincing Ashara to agree to this important request? Morrigan tapped her chin thoughtfully. Perhaps she should claim that she could only lie with Alistair? Yes, that should work. She could explain how the ritual would save their lives, and claim that she needed Alistair to father the child. In truth, Morrigan was not sure if the mixture of a human and elf would affect the spell. So, it would be best for her to sleep with a human, just in case. She only had one chance, and she could not afford to ruin it.

Morrigan nodded to herself and poured the packets of herbs into one of the small bowls, grinding them into a fine powder with her pestle. Surely, if Morrigan asked to lie with Alistair, Ashara would agree to the request, especially if Morrigan presented the argument that this child she needed to bear would reclaim some of history's lost magic. She hesitated, wondering about Kira's reaction to such a thing. Well, that was not her problem. Alistair could either choose to tell her or not; the important thing was to get Ashara to convince him.

Once the herbs were ground into powder, Morrigan set the bowl aside and uncorked the bottles of oil with a smug smile. By now, Mother will have realized that Morrigan was no longer following the path they had agreed upon. She imagined Flemeth's fury and her smile widened. She was not fool enough to believe that Mother would simply give up her plans, but it was quite a refreshing change to be a few steps ahead of the dance.

She poured the oils into the second bowl and gently swished it around, until everything was mixed. Carefully, she tipped the contents of the bowl into the second, slowly pouring the oil mixture over the powder of herbs. Then, she peeled the glove off of her right hand, lifted the knife in her left, and cut a thin line down her right wrist. She held her wrist over the bowl, so that her blood would mix with the contents. A few drops of blood fell into the bowl, and as the liquid sizzled, Morrigan held both hands over the bowl, whispering ancient words that few understood, and sending some of her own energy into the mixture.

When everything was complete, she pressed a finger over her cut until the bleeding stopped. Then, she placed her glove back over her hand so that no one would see the cut on her wrist. She reached into her pack and pulled out a large, clear bottle. Careful not to spill a drop, she slowly poured the mixture into the bottle and set the cork on tightly, ensuring that it would not spill.

Her task complete, Morrigan straightened up and looked at the small bits of sky, visible through the canopy of trees. "You know what must be done," she whispered to the wind. Perhaps he would hear her words. But if not, it made no difference. The path had already been set. Where it ended, no one could say, but at least she knew the journey. "You know why this child must be conceived. Ashara, though unknowingly, has taken her first steps. Soon, it will be my turn."

She received no reply to her words, but it seemed as though the warm wind began to pick up, as if to cheer for her. Smiling, confident in what she must do, Morrigan carefully set the jar in her pack, gathered up the rest of her things, and walked back to the camp.

Translations:
Vunin'lath - literally means: Day of Love; used for Mating Day
Sylaise - Goddess of the Forest; she taught the elves how to use fire, how to heal with herbs and magic, and fashion clothing to cover themselves
Mythal - Goddess of the Moon, and the mother of the Creators; a goddess of protection
Elgar'nan - God of the Sun, and father of the Creators; a god of vengeance

A/N: I really do need to thank Kira again, for her help on the Kali/Zev part. I'm still working on my "intimate scenes", and she was a huge help! Also, thanks to Suilven for her suggestions on Ashara's pregnancy, and for never minding when I harass her with questions :D

The lovely and talented Reyavie (known as dayofautumn on Deviant Art) recently drew a gorgeous picture of Ashara! You can find it here: http: /dayofautumn. deviantart. com/art/ warden-commander-dalish-style-302741054
While you're there, I really encourage you to check out some of her other work. Her elves are beautiful!

Thanks to everyone reading and requesting alerts. An extra thanks to everyone who reviewed! Oh, and to the anonymous reviewer who made the comment about the Dalish language: Since I can't message you, I thought I'd just leave a note here. I don't mind if you use some of my Dalish words for your Warden. Actually, it really makes me thrilled at the thought that someone else would want to use them! I'd kind of like credit for the ones I created (mostly b/c I work really hard at trying to make up words that sound decent), but since I don't know who you are I guess it's up to you. XD