Notes: Sorry this post took longer than usual. Busy week – work, a wedding and an epileptic dog. So glad it's the weekend! Hope you enjoy! Your thoughts are appreciated as always.

54 Lesson

A soft breeze from the water moved dark locks of Amara's hair with a slow caress. The lush smell of water plants reached her nose while she stared at the clear green waters beneath her. She smiled remembering the Waking Sea as she rode on her horse alongside her father, so long ago now. The waters were so clear that day she could see fish schooling near the shores from the high meandering path they rode on.

Leliana walked towards Amara musing as she took in the Warden's body languidly leaning against the railing. Her plates shining with the sun and her hair unbound today moving with the breeze that flowed past them. In this relaxed state and despite the stern appearance that her armour conveyed, she looked more beautiful than any finely dressed noble the bard had ever encountered before. Curiously she looked at the smile that graced Amara's tranquil face as she looked across the water.

"What makes you smile so?" Leliana tilted her head, coming to stand next to the Warden. She had never seen Amara smile that way before and piqued her curiosity.

Amara chuckled a little, her gaze remaining on the crystalline water. "Every time I see the water this colour I have to fight an overwhelming urge to go to it and lick it."

Surprised and amused Leliana giggled. "What?" Her blue eyes widened, wondering if she had heard the Warden correctly.

"I know it's strange. My father and brother used to tease me about it." Amara sighed as she felt the bard's body lean against her affectionately. "One time when I was much younger, my father held me by the legs on ship and teased about dipping me into the sea for a taste." A soft laugh welled out of Amara's throat recalling that fond memory. Gently she placed her arm about the bard and pulled her in close in front of her while they both watched the waters beneath them. She found quietness in her mind, the kind she hadn't felt in a long time.

Leliana closed her eyes, savouring Amara's embrace. She wondered why the Warden was so relaxed then quickly decided to just accept this rare occurrence and simply linger in the moment with her. For a long while they held each other in silence.

"It's peaceful here, being surrounded by water." Amara closed her eyes and leant her head against the bard. Lightly her lips brushed the back of Leliana's neck while she took a breath taking in the notes of honey and flowers that she had come to know as Leliana's scent. "It almost feels like no Blight exists…" Leliana closed her eyes hearing Amara's soft voice by her ear. "I can almost pretend…"

"Like it's just the two of us." Leliana's heart skipped as the words escaped her lips, unable to be recalled. She worried if it would break the fragile peace surrounding them. She felt the Warden behind her nod, strong arms wrapping tighter around her waist made Leliana close her eyes. When a few more minutes of silence went by Leliana was relieved that the peace had remained for the Warden.

She felt the Warden smile against the side of her neck. "Thanks for being here with me."

Leliana reached up and tenderly caressed Amara's face. She turned her head and pressed a light kiss on Amara's cheek. "Je ne veux pas mettre fin à ce moment…" Amara closed her eyes as she heard the Orlesian words roll off Leliana's tongue, her heart quickened while the bard's soft breath tickled her ear. Leliana looked at her for a long moment, her eyes searching her face before looking out at the water once more.

Amara smiled and waited a heartbeat before placing her lips by the bard's ear. "Moi non plus, ma chère." She felt the bard's surprised gasp against her chest. It made her chuckle a little, seeing a sudden blush suffuse Leliana's neck.

It was a moment before the bard met her eyes blinking in astonishment. "You can understand what…"

"Oui." Eyes twinkling Amara smiled, interrupting her words. She returned a kiss on the bard's cheek then looked out over the water again seeing a familiar spire in the distance.

"How did you learn? And how come you never told me?" The bard's natural curiosity got the better of her as her questions came bubbling up. Clear blue eyes searched hers.

Amara chuckled then took a breath and held it briefly before answering. "My mother. And because you had never said anything in Orlesian till now."

"Imagine what would have happened if I had said something inappropriate." Leliana chuckled giving her head a small shake.

"Hmm… Then I suppose I would have said something appropriate in response." Amara looked out at the water, a small smile playing on her lips. She sighed and ran Leliana's words through her mind once more. She really did wish this moment didn't have to end.

"Well which is it old woman, the fact that you cannot teach me or you will not?" Morrigan crossed her arms somewhat disappointed with the outcome her endeavour was coming to.

"Becoming a spirit healer is path not to be taken lightly. It requires entering the Fade with the purpose of seeking out a benevolent spirit and gaining its trust." Wynne's voice was steady as she faced Morrigan's scowl. She held up her hand just as Morrigan began to speak. "Then you must trust the spirit to use your body and mind as a bridge to let the healing magic flow through. This is something that can't be taught."

"And what happens then if you are unreachable or unconscious when next the Warden or any one of her companions needs healing? Am I to just sit by and watch as their life ebbs away?" Morrigan was infuriated, her chest heaving as she shook her head. "I can tell you now I will not do such a thing again."

Wynne's face faltered a little, her eyes softening. Well did she remember the witch's distress as she watched her lover lying lifeless on the ground. Wynne shook her head sadly. "A healer such as I was somewhat born with the talent. Those who are not can spend their whole lives gaining the trust of a spirit and still fall short in the end. They are eternal and we are not." The elder mage looked at the witch considering for a moment. "I shall teach you what I can but be aware, without the healing essence of a spirit this could all be for nothing."

Morrigan nodded, her golden eyes meeting Wynne's stare, triumph warring with relief and apprehension. "I will heed your warning enchanter and I look forward to my first lesson."

Wynne nodded and watched Morrigan make for the hallway. "Come see me tonight after supper." Wynne called out making the witch turn around. "I see no point in delaying it." The old enchanter sighed out her words. Morrigan inclined her head in agreement then continued walking to take up her watch on the boy.

Alistair looked at Wynne apprehensively. "Are you sure you want to do this?" They both watched Morrigan recede from them. "I mean, this is Morrigan we are talking about. She doesn't strike me as the most patient person or the most trusting."

"She makes a good point Alistair. We do need another healer and out of everyone here she is the most suitable." Wynne sat back down on the chair, feeling grateful for the chance to rest. She looked at the young Warden before her with a slight apprehension. "Before you came to our assistance in the tower, I fell… fighting off a demon. I thought perhaps that was it for me. It took everything I had to fight it and in the end I felt my life ebbing away." She noted Alistair's eyes widen suddenly in surprise. "Despite what is commonly believed there are both malicious and benevolent spirits in the Fade. The benevolent spirits seldom make themselves known, for they want nothing from mortals unlike demons. It was one of these spirits that saved me. Without it I would be dead. And it has not left me. Even now it remains, bonded to me." She looked at the young man taking in her every word. His smooth brows furrowed realizing what it implied. She continued speaking. "You see I am supposed to be dead and it is the spirit who is keeping me in this world. However this is not the way of things. Perhaps it did not expect this but I feel it weakening. I am… living on borrowed time." Her breath caught a little on the words. Though her thoughts had dwelled on it almost every day since, she had never given voice to her suspicions till now.

Alistair's eyes lifted to hers, they were troubled. He was no stranger to death though that didn't mean he accepted it readily. Calming his heart he patted the enchanter on her arm before leaning on her affectionately. As much as his young mind wanted to resist, he knew that Wynne believed what she said was true. He smiled wanly at her then, his head tilting slightly to the side. "Then we will make the most of it."

Wynne smiled, feeling the sure grip of his hand on her arm. It was comforting. "Yes, that we will." They sat in silence for a long while.

Amara and Leliana opened the wooden doors into the Tower's main hall. Everything was clean and bright and had been put to rights since they last set foot in the tower. Instead of abominations, mages went about their daily activities, piecing their lives back together following the horrific events in the days past. Irving greeted them with a warm smile, thanking them once again for all their assistance.

"I'm afraid I must ask your assistance First Enchanter. The Arl of Redcliffe's son has been possessed by a demon and I am told his life can be spared with the help of lyrium and your mages." Amara's eyes settled on him while Leliana walked about the hall, admiring new tapestries that no doubt covered up scorch marks.

"I take it you hope to enter the fade and fight the demon in its domain?" Amara nodded confirming his assumption.

"It is the only way to save the boy without losing any more lives." Amara waited for the Enchanter's decision, hoping the journey to the tower had not been for naught.

"We will help you. We owe you much for saving the Circle, I will have mages and lyrium organised to be brought to Redcliffe but I only have enough to let one mage enter and make one attempt." He shook his head a little as he continued. "The treachery here has somewhat diminished our numbers, though I am grateful we managed to save some."

Amara inclined her head in thanks, relieved with gaining the assistance. "One attempt will be enough, whether it fails or succeeds, I will not risk one of my companions a second time. I have a boat in readiness for the journey. Time grows short however, the boy is currently incapacitated though I do not know how long he will stay that way."

"Then I shall come back to you once everything is ready." Irving left them in the hall.

"It seems so long ago since we were last here." Leliana came to Amara's side. "I can hardly believe it was just days ago."

"A lot has happened since." Amara tilted her head to the side thoughtfully.

"Yes, you and Morrigan have become lovers. I kissed you, you ran away. I saw your wolf form. Zevran tried to kill us." Leliana smiled as she tallied the events of the week. "We fought an undead horde. You… died." At this last point Leliana's face saddened, revealing the grief she still felt. She stood in silence for a heartbeat or two. Amara nudged her arm affectionately hoping to brighten up her once more.

"You, Zevran and Wynne brought me back. You kissed me again…" Leliana smiled, meeting Amara's eyes once more. "We got on a boat and you showed me the stars. You kissed me again…" Amara chuckled as Leliana blushed. Amara tapped her finger on her chin contemplatively. "Hmm… let's see, if I can recall the events of this morning."

"Oh stop it!" Leliana laughed lunging at the Warden to stifle her words. Amara caught at her hand playfully and held her at bay. "Ok, I'll skip ahead a little. We watched the waters. I told you I wanted to lick it." Leliana giggled. "Hmm… you kissed me again, then we spoke in Orlesian and now finally, here we are." Amara pulled the bard close resting Leliana's hand on her chest plate.

Leliana looked at her mischievously, her brow quirking up. "It seems I have kissed you many times this week."

A lob sided smile crooked Amara's mouth as blue eyes locked with hers. "Maybe I should kiss you this time and return the sentiment, non?" Leliana closed her eyes, savouring the perfectly sounding Orlesian word at the end of a perfect question. She felt Amara's fingers gently grasp her jaw tilting her face towards hers. Slowly she drew towards the Warden, heart racing with anticipation. Softly their lips brushed against the other's.

"We are ready Warden." Irving's amused voice had them springing apart guiltily. Amara's eyes flitted to the bard's before nodding to the Enchanter by the doorway. Amara led the way out of the hall and Leliana followed with a smile.

"Concentrate child. Focus on the light." Wynne's voice was encouraging though more stern than Morrigan ever expected. She sat crossed legged on a carpeted floor in a dim, disused room in the castle. Her brows furrowed as she let out a long careful breath making the candle flame dance in front of her. It had seemed like hours now that she had been sitting in the same spot, barely moving a muscle. Her neck and back ached and she longed to shake her body lose. Her ass, she thought, was well and truly numb and it drove her to distraction. Still she drew her sight deep into the flame's center. She slowed her breath and the beating of her heart. Slowly the world receded, bringing the veil within reach. She saw herself standing just outside it, looking through a wall of mist into a vast land.

"Just a little more." She breathe softly through a whisper. Gently she extended her hand, her fingertips touching the cool yellow mist. It wafted along her skin, coiling around it, closing in to envelop her hand to her wrist. She felt herself be pulled towards it, carefully she stepped forward, her foot crossing the line in front of her.

"Good. Now extend your awareness past what you see. To heal, one must straddle the line between both worlds and still be functional." Wynne carefully watched the witch's progress. She saw beads of sweat trickle down Morrigan's cheek. The witch was a quick study, impressive in her command of her powers. Still, there was impatience about her, making her more reckless than any she had ever taught. "Now I want you to take in your surroundings in the Fade while you describe the flame's colour before you."

Morrigan nodded. Her awareness walked about the largely arid land, feeling the crunch of a hard rubbly ground under her feet. Her heart thundered loudly in that vast space and the sound of her breathing amplified. "The flame… is yellow… turning orange… then blue towards its centre." Her heart raced faster with each word she uttered, near deafening to her ears.

"Good. Now describe for me the Warden's hair while your mind crosses the veil back to this room." Wynne held her breath as she watched the witch before her nod.

"Soft… but strong. Dark… like the earth…" Morrigan frowned feeling her focus start to fray. She took a steadying breath as her mind made its way back to the waking world. "She smells like the forest, wild and green." Morrigan blinked and became abruptly aware of her sore muscles again. She looked up and saw a small smile grace the enchanter's lips.

"You did well. As a mage you are quite adept at navigating the fade, but to do so while part of your awareness remains in the physical world is more of a challenge." Wynne tilted her head slightly. "Not everyone succeeds in this the first time, but I suspect you are not like everyone." Morrigan looked about then stretched languidly with a confident smile. She appreciated and enjoyed being able to move freely again. "With training you'll be able to stay in the fade for longer allowing you to seek out what you need."

"Can't I just drink lyrium and enter the Fade as I need?" Morrigan's voice sounded genuinely curious. Wynne noticed a different demeanour when she was learning. She was more open, less prone to lashing out with her wit to keep everyone at a distance.

"You will not always have lyrium when you are healing someone and you do not want to stay in the Fade for long. As I mentioned before, you will need to be conscious in both worlds to let magic flow from one to the other." Wynne looked at her considering. "In the battles we have fought together I have never seen you drink a lyrium potion to restore yourself. This exercise would have had an experienced mage exhausted."

"It has not taxed my magic much only my concentration." Morrigan looked at the candle before her. "I must admit, it took an amount of it to split my awareness between both realms." She looked the Elder mage before her once more. "Shall I try again?"

"I think it best we stop for the night. As strong as you are, you may be needed tomorrow. The Warden and Leliana will be back hopefully with the Circle's assistance." At this Morrigan smiled briefly before she quickly regained her stoic expression. She blew out the candle and got to her feet. "I know you do this for her." Wynne continued speaking in the darkness.

"I do. Her part is too important in this war and well do I know she will risk much to save any one of us." Morrigan opened the chamber door letting light from the hall stream into the room. It surprised Wynne how quietly she had crossed to the other side of the room. With a small incline of her head Morrigan bid the mage farewell.

Morrigan lingered a moment on the dock, her eyes watching the still black waters of the lake. Despite the hours spent studying her mind and body could not find the peace for sleep. Resolutely she walked the lake's edge till she got to a wooded patch of land. Her body shimmered as her wolf shape appeared. T'was good to be amongst the trees once more. She ran revelling in the night's beauty around her.

Amara dozed on the small bed she shared with Leliana. The bard beside her was awake, tossing and turning under the covers. In the dimness of the cabin Amara smiled before turning her body to embrace Leliana's lithe, warm frame. She felt her sigh and still for a moment before turning away from her.

"Hmm… Can't sleep?" Amara's sleepy voice reached the bard's ears. She shook her head a little. "Anything I can do?"

"I think the cause of it is you." Leliana chuckled.

"Oh?" Amara opened her eyes, finding the curve of the bard's shoulder in front of her. "Then there is something I must be able to do." Gently she placed her hand on top of it. Leliana huffed and stiffened a little under her touch.

"Amara, do not tease me." Amara withdrew her hand quickly.

"Sorry." Amara sighed and rolled onto her back. After moment she spoke again. "I feel much affection for you and I'm finding it difficult to hold myself back from it." She sat up slowly, easing out of the covers. "I'll let you sleep."

A sudden hand grasped her arm strongly. "Stay. Here with me." Leliana's voice was a breathless whisper. Amara's heart raced. "Just hold me." In the dark Amara nodded then lay back down. Leliana scooted right up against her, tucking her head in the crook of her neck. In silence Amara held her for a long while. She had thought sleep had finally taken Leliana over till she felt a gentle finger trail down her cheek. She opened her eyes and found Leliana's gaze. She heard the bard swallow.

"What is it my dear?" Amara's breath shook as she felt a swell in her chest.

"I'm finding it hard to sleep because I want you so much." Leliana's soft voice reached her ears. Amara felt the press of Leliana's body against hers. Gently she cupped the bard's cheek bringing her lips upon hers. Slowly they parted, yielding to her tongue, letting her deepen their kiss. A long moment passed for them, drinking in each other's taste. Amara felt hands grip her waist, enflaming her desire.

Breathing hard through their kiss, Leliana rolled Amara on her back, hitching her frame on top of hers. She felt leather cladded hips buck under her while strong hands slipped under her shirt. The Warden's touch seared her as much as her lips did. Her mind raced as fingers travelled the side of her body, determinedly heading up. She gasped breaking their kiss as she felt them envelop her breasts, long untouched by another. She cried out softly as thumbs pressed against her hard nipples, running in small circles over them. Her mind raced, her heart thumping fast in her chest. She wanted this… badly. Amara's hands strayed back down to the hem of her shirt gently easing it upwards.

"Hmm… Amara… wait." Gently she slowed the Warden's hands. Amara met her eyes and gently gripped her fingers. Leliana closed her eyes. She cupped Amara's face and planted a kiss on the Warden's brow. Slowly she eased herself off the Warden's body, taking her arm and wrapping it around herself as she lay back down. She felt Amara's sigh on the back of her neck, her heart thumping against her back as fast as her own. Tears stung the corners of her eyes. "I think we should try and sleep." Her voice was thick. Amara's heart twisted at the sound of it. She held the bard closer, not letting go till morning birds woke them.

...

Translations:

Je ne veux pas mettre fin à ce moment - I don't want this moment to end.

Moi non plus, ma chère - Me neither, my dear.

Oui - Yes

Non - No

My basic French has just about gone from memory, hopefully this makes sense... I unfortunately had to use google translate for the first sentence.