And here is the epilogue, the happily-ever-after. It's very fluffy, so you can't say you weren't warned! I like being able to settle everything happily after that kind of angst and drama. Of course, I find myself charmed by Hawke's new life, and I think it might be fun to work some of the new DLC into it – like Legacy, and depending on how it goes, Mark of the Assassin. I also find myself thinking up more adventures for the gang to get into, even after they've fled Kirkwall. After all, Orana has no problem babysitting! Would anyone be interested in reading more of this AU if I wrote it? Let me know!

Also, I'm pondering what story to write next, as I have a few sitting around, just started. Not all of them are Dragon Age, and I admit I wouldn't mind taking a slight DA break for a bit: my options right now are F!Cousland/Nathaniel Howe(from Awakening era), Valen Shadowbreath (from Neverwinter Nights 1: Hordes of the Underdark), and Sand (from Neverwinter Nights 2). I want to write F!Hawke/Varric, F!Hawke/Sebastian, and F!Hawke/Anders (Awakening/AU), and possibly even a very angsty F!Hawke/Anders/Fenris triangle, but those will probably come later. Anyhow, if anyone has any thoughts or interests, just let me know what you'd be most interested in reading.

For everyone who has read this, or will read this, thank you from the bottom of my heart. This was the first fan-fiction I ever finished and the first I've ever posted, and the responses have been overwhelming! You guys are why I was able to stick with it. I still welcome any feedback – I can't grow as a writer if I don't get critique. And keep an eye out. I can't keep from writing for long – I'll definitely be back!

Ch. 37 - epilogue, and happily-ever-after.

"Mistress Lise! Mistress Lise? Are you here?"

Lise looked up from her herb garden, where she was harvesting the last of the basil and elfroot. It was mid-fall yet, but frost came quickly to Tairlaw forest, buried in the mountains around Starkhaven, and this was her last task before her garden was ready for winter. The Minanter river, not half a mile from Glenarrow Lodge, would be frozen soon - long before they would even have started looking for snow in Kirkwall. She gave a call of "over here" and waved her trowel; Wolf brightened and came running through the garden, careful not to step into any of the now-covered flowerbeds.

"They're here, Mistress Lise, and Orana sent me out to fetch you."

"Already? Maker, they weren't supposed to arrive until tomorrow, and here I am, all over dirt." She began to get up, slowly, but Wolf stooped to her side.

"Here, use my shoulder. Merrill already says you shouldn't be out here so much anymore."

At fourteen, Wolf was already as tall as Lise, or taller. She smiled at him, taking his arm. "Bah, I need to take care of my garden. I've still got a month – the baby will be better off with fresh air than she would if we were cooped up all day, and it certainly helps my temper." She pulled her wrap tightly around her shoulders. "Have you seen Orsino?"

Wolf shook his head. "I think he and Fenris are still out."

Lise stood, carefully dusting off her hands and knees, and let Wolf lend her his arm until she got into the house. She could have made it on her own, but he was always so eager to help that it was hard to refuse him. They'd never adopted him, as was her original plan, but that was because, in his words, "'e was already close to bein' a man, an' then 'e'd be takin' care o' them." Orsino had started teaching him soon after they'd settled in, and now no one would ever associate the street urchin that he'd been with the earnest young man he'd become.

Before they stepped into the house – Glenarrow was a sprawling estate, and it fit three families quite easily – Lise looked back at her garden, smiling. In the four years since they'd come it had grown far larger than hers in Kirkwall had ever been. Of course, that was possibly because she was always getting a new cutting of some flower she'd never seen, or a "particularly fine breed of tomato" from someone or other in Glencairn, the closest village to the estate.

When they'd first gotten to Glenarrow, it was mostly Merrill and Orana that had gone into the village to barter and do business; people were taciturn and a little suspicious of the newcomers, but once Varric had dropped several sovereigns over several nights on local ale in the tavern, and spent several evenings telling stories, the atmosphere lightened considerably. Lise had a sneaking suspicion that he'd started a rumour that she was the sister of that 'Champion of Kirkwall' and she'd come to Starkhaven to 'get away from the memories,' but she didn't care. Then, once word got around that Merrill was an herbalist and the first few farmers who visited to get cures for fevers or broken bones instead left fully healed, the villagers accepted them completely, and now talked fondly of 'the folks up at the Lodge'.

Walking into the massive kitchen, Lise saw the two visitors sitting at the table – both dark-haired and in Grey Warden uniforms – and handed Wolf her basket of herbs so that she could rush into her sister's arms. "Bethy, you made it! I was beginning to think I'd have to have the baby without you!" Bethany laughed, and Lise turned to the other guest. "And to think that the new Warden-Commander of Ansburg Keep has come to visit!" She dropped a laughing bow, though it was awkward, given her size. "Welcome to our 'humble abode', messeres."

Nathaniel smiled, giving her a kiss on the cheek. "Senior Warden Bethany just couldn't stay away from her sister any longer, I'm afraid. It's good to see you, Lise."

After Lise sat down, Orana bustled over to pour tea for the trio. In her wake came a small, blonde, elven girl, who carefully, but silently, held up a bowl. Orana tsked at her. "Leandra! You're supposed to say, 'sugar, messere?'"

Bethany laughed, taking a spoonful. "She's adorable, Orana. You say she's showing signs of mage talent?"

Orana nodded. "That she is, messere. It worries us a bit, I'll admit, and Fenris was a bit put out, but since Orsino is here to teach her he hasn't been as upset as I expected him to be."

Nathaniel, who'd picked Leandra up, sugar and all, and was now bouncing her on his knee, looked at Lise. "Speaking of, where is your husband?"

She smiled, but before she could answer, there was a crash and a wail from the other end of the kitchen. A small boy with red hair and faintly pointed ears, perhaps a year younger than Leandra, sat on the rug, crying, with the remnants of a ceramic plate and what appeared to have been a loaf of gingerbread scattered around him. Just disappearing out the far door was his doppelganger – but the small fugitive's getaway was cut short by Merrill, who came walking through the same door just at that moment. He ran into her legs, and she picked him up. "Malcolm Carver Hawke, what did you do to your brother?" He shook his head, burying his face in her shoulder, but not before his wide green eyes sparkled at the group mischievously. She walked over to join the others, handing Malcolm to Bethany, who'd held out her arms for her nephew. "Hullo, Bethany, Nathaniel. How was the trip? No problems with bandits, I hope."

Orana, meanwhile, had fetched Malcolm's twin and handed him to Lise, who dried his eyes and kissed his forehead. She was just turning to Merrill when the back door opened again and Orsino and Fenris walked in. Orsino dropped a kiss on Lise's cheek and the boy in her lap raised his arms. "Papa. Up!"

Everyone laughed, and Orsino picked up his son. "Have you been behaving yourself, Anders?" The little boy nodded earnestly, and the mage turned to the newcomers. "So, have you two settled in at Ansburg?"

Nathaniel nodded. "Things are quiet now, and we've been focused on recruiting. There's not as much to be done in the winter, so we got leave to take a month's 'vacation' with the idea that I'll be spending most of my time discussing an alliance with Prince Vael."

Lise nodded, as Orsino sat down beside her. "That's not so bad, then. Sebastian and Flora come out here often, anyhow, so perhaps we can get them to visit for Midwinter and you can have your 'talks' here. Starkhaven is nice, but Glenarrow is nicer, especially in the winter. How has everything else been?"

"Really, there's nothing new with us that you don't already know about. Have you heard any news from the others?" Bethany accepted a new plate of gingerbread from Orana and placed it on the table, and Malcolm immediately reached for it.

His mother reached forward to pull the plate away, but gave him a small piece, which lightened his mood considerably. "Well, you hear from Varric as often as I do, and by extension, Isabela. Whatever possessed him to ship out with her – especially since he gets so seasick – I'll never know, but he says he's got a new supply of stories and is ready to settle back down in Kirkwall and 'amuse the natives'. From what I hear, the Hanged Man is still there, and is as ale-soaked as ever."

"I wonder if Corff ever got his book about 'speed griffons' written."

Lise chuckled. "Maker only knows – I'd think he probably has too much to do, cleaning up after that lot. Aveline writes to me when she gets time, which isn't often, but she tends to stick to information about politics or 'criminal news' – it's like pulling teeth to get her to give me any gossip, and she never talks about herself and Donnic, though I gather they're happy. They and Varric might actually come for a visit when the snows let up – now that Brett Harimann has been Viscount for a few years, things have finally finished settling down. She says that he matured a lot after his mother died, and that the support he gives the guards is 'adequate', which, in Aveline-speak, means she's quite happy with it." They all laughed. "And apparently she gets along well with Knight-Commander Cullen, so things run a lot more smoothly than they did before."

After putting Malcolm down so that he and Leandra could run off and play, Bethany leaned forward. "How is the new First Enchanter working out?"

"First Enchanter Finn? From what Aveline says, he seems to be doing well. Ferelden sent him over, if you recall, shortly after the catastrophe with Meredith. I was worried, since Orsino had heard rumours that he'd once been a bit of a prankster, and knowing what the Kirkwall Circle is like, well…" She shrugged. "But it seems my fears were unfounded. The number of escapes dropped rapidly once he took over, and he's been working with Cullen to keep the atmosphere open and accessible."

Orsino smiled. "I almost suggested once that Feynriel would make a good First Enchanter, but after Tevinter I don't think there's any way he could go back to living in the Circle."

Merrill looked up. "Feynriel? I got a letter from him yesterday, Lise. He says he's almost done studying under Master Trenthian, and he's tired of Tevinter, and wants to get away. Do you think… there would be room here, for another mage?" She smiled, blushing slightly.

Orsino brightened up. "I think that would be a wonderful idea. I'm curious to hear his thoughts on the new theories of magical amplification progression and-" he paused, when Lise blinked at him, and chuckled. "Sorry, love. You know how I am with research." He looked around. "I'd be all for him coming to stay, but I defer to the rest of the group."

Fenris scowled, but it was more habit than actual feeling, and shrugged. "What's one more mage? In for a copper, in for a cask, I suppose." They all laughed.

"Oh! Speaking of magical theory and new letters, I got a note from Bodahn the other day." Lise brought out a folded sheet. Clearing her throat, she began to read.

"Dear Mistress Hawke,

I hope these tidings find you and your companions well. It's still difficult to find my way around Val Royeux – you humans do look so much alike! There aren't many dwarves here, but we do our best. Empress Celene was so impressed with Sandal's skills when we came to court last year that she's put us in with the mages at the Circle. They've been working with him, trying to gain a greater understanding of how his enchantment works. I always knew my boy was special! He sends his best, as well, and wanted me to 'tell the doggy hello'.

Yours faithfully,

Bodahn Feddic"

"Did you hear that, boy? Sandal says hello!" Rufus, who'd been dozing on the hearth, stuck his head up and barked, then jumped to his feet – albeit more slowly than he once would have – and spun around a few times. Lise smiled. "That's more excited than he's been all month, I think. Dear Rufus. He goes along sometimes when Sebastian and Fenris go hunting, but he's usually content to stay home these days and play with the children."

Just then, Orana – who'd been carrying platters and tureens from the kitchen while everyone else was talking – popped her head in from the next room over to tell them that dinner was ready. Orsino handed little Anders to Bethany, then gave Lise his arm, and everyone convened to the dining room. Merrill fetched the two little ones who'd run off; when she came back, she announced that it had just started to snow.

Lise smiled. "Our guests are here and my garden is covered – I say let it come!"