Chapter Thirty-Five

Next Steps

I hummed thoughtfully, "Okay… who's staying back with Morrigan and who is going to fight the Dragon with me?"

"Dragon?" Sten asked.

"Oh, yes – a High Dragon Matriarch; witch of the wilds; Morrigans' mother; add titles as applicable. Rulen is going with me – hands down, no choice since he's my body guard. He can't guard my body if he isn't with me. Alistair looks like he doesn't want me going – but I'm a dragon – so he'll go with me."

Alistair snorted, "Damn right, I am – you're my wife. No way am I leaving you to the Dragon alone."

I chuckled at his wording but didn't comment. Sten said, "I am coming with."

Rulen held up his communicator, "The High King says he's coming too – like Void are you leaving him out of a Dragon Fight, he says."

"The old Hag is no match for me alone – you're all coming as spectators! Why did you… ugh, fine. I'll open a portal…"

I muttered to myself as I summoned a portal for my Azerothian mate. Heavens help me – my mates were far too protective of me.

Oh… he brought Talia Fordragon with him. She was 6'5 with tanned skin, brown hair cropped to her shoulders, green eyes, and a small smile. She was carrying a huge 'I'll squish you and say Oops' war-hammer in sea-green and silver. She was wearing the armor of the Proudmore knights – no longer just a squire.

She rushed to hug me, "Fae – I mean, Tara. How are you?"

"I've been worse – I'm weak at the moment from that bit of business in Ardenweald yesterday, but I've come out of worse scrapes feeling more than just weak. Tae, this is one of my other mates, Alistair Theirin, Crown Prince of Ferelden and Prince-Consort of Stormwind. Alistair, this is Taelia Fordragon, daughter of Highlord Bolvar Fordragon of the Ebon Blade – the former Lich King, Jailor of the Damned, and a previous regent of Stormwind. Taelia was fostered to House Proudmore – Jainas' father, Daelin, picked Taelias' mentor himself."

Alistair extended a hand and took her wrist to shake – a Ferelden custom. Taelia took it in stride and said, "An honor – Anduin tells me you are much like him?"

I flushed and reached out to lightly hit Anduins' arm, "You ass."

He gave me a grin, "You said it first."

I coughed, "Killing a dragon… can we go… do that?"

"You said you were weakened – will you be able to do this?" Lyna asked.

"Most likely, yes – unless Flemeth somehow got a lot more training against bigger enemies. Besides – Anduin is very, very powerful with his healing light; he can heal wounds almost before they happen. I'll be fine."

Anduin preened at my praise. Like he actually straightened proudly and had a flush on his cheeks. So I had to continue, "Besides – my mates are all so handsome that the enemies will want to stop and stare. I have distractions."

Taelia laughed as Anduin went bright red – almost as red as Alistair went. I winked at Lyna, "Then there's that – I think it's adorable that they get red like that."

Anduin pulled me into a hug, "I love you, very much."

"So – killing a Dragon, right?" Alistair asked.

"This is getting repetitive," Sten muttered.

"Then what are we waiting for?" I quipped back. He straightened and we – Sten, Rulen, Alistair, Taelia, Anduin and I – all headed for the hut.

Flemeth looked over out group in consideration. Sten and Alistair were the only two originally from Thedas and the other three from Azeroth were all massively tall comparatively.

Anduin glanced at me in confusion, but said nothing as I approached Flemeth.

"Aneth Ara, Flemeth!" I smiled. She looked amused, "So… Morrigan, then?"

"You and I both know this isn't… personal. Besides, I know you won't be actually…" I saw grinning at her. She laughed, "Just as well, then. But why try to kill me at all if you know?"

"I promised Morrigan a staff made from your horns in return for a few lessons in shape-changing."

That's when Taelia asked, "Aren't you already a shape-changer?"

"Well, yeah – but I would love some other forms. Spider, Wolf, and other Thedas forms; can't learn those on Azeroth without going and making pacts with unsavory people. Here, shape-changers can take on the forms of actual wolves instead of going crazy or becoming Worgens. Spider forms? I can freak out Inas – he's scared of spiders. Especially if I can learn the forms that look blighted." I explained.

Flemeth laughed, "Very well – take my horns… if you can." And she shifted. I smirked and followed suit – taking the form a large ruby dragon that was only slightly bigger than her. Cinder cawed and flew above us as I battled the Witch.

Silverite had stayed back with Fiona. The two were becoming fast friends.

Anduin looked impressed, "She's a black dragon? And we're killing her?"

Alistair spoke, "She had this talk with Inas too. Flemeth doesn't belong to the Dragon-flights. Her dragon form is more purple than black anyway."

Anduin was keeping me covered in Power Word: Shield so I was healing even before Flemeth could take a bite or scratch.

When it was over, I cut the horns off the dragon head and made them into a staff – Sten looked interested in the process.

"No one tell Morrigan what exactly I said to Flemeth – after reading the Grimoire, she'll figure it out herself but for now… I am protecting Morrigan for now. Just know that." nods went around and we headed back.

I handed Morrigan the new staff and said, "Proof of death and Grimoire as promised. We good?"

She chuckled, "Thank you, my friend – we're good."

Anduin kissed my temple, "Wrathion will be interested to know about Flemeth – even if she wasn't a true Black Dragon, she was close enough to catch his interest."

"If you say so – she was closer to Bronze in abilities and interests though. She was one of those people that nudge the timelines."

"Like… you?" he quipped.

"No – I'm closer to emerald; powers of nature… or blue with the whole mage powers thing."

Alistair snorted, "Right – Ostagar and Flemeth taken care of. Anduin, are you staying here tonight?"

"Well, if you're offering, I won't say no," he smiled.

"I love when my men play well together," I hummed. Taelia sniggered, "I admit – it would be nice to have a miniature harem like you have. All those powerful people…"

"Cullen isn't all that powerful…" Lyna pointed out.

"Yet," Anduin and I said together. I added, "He'll be very powerful in about a decade. Part of a movement that saves the world and he'll be commander and blah, blah. Anyway, point is – all my mates are powerful in their own way; two kings and a commander."

We set about making Camp.

I was laying on the ground with my head in Anduins' lap while Zevran cooked and Alistair set up his and my tents. He'd offered – I didn't ask.

Taelia was staying as Anduins' guard tonight so I'd pulled out one of my extra tents for her. All of my tents were big enough for 2 10-foot Worgens with room to spare on either side for bags.

Anduin was petting my hair – he knew I loved it. Damn… I also knew that Kayn had given him a very detailed layout of what I like; hair petting, back rubs and such.

Morrigan spoke, "Was my mother much trouble?"

"No more than your average dragon." I shrugged.

Anduin snorted, "My sweet – you killed her fairly quickly. The rest of us were obsolete."

"Not true – she got a few good hits that didn't do much damage thanks to your amazing shields." I smiled.

He chuckled, "Then I'm glad I was here – though Rulen could do the same with his abilities as a Paladin."

"Mmmh – could. But it's better to have my mate closer to me whenever I can."

He beamed, "And that's the only reason I didn't have to have Jaina open the portal, isn't it?"

"Well – if I really objected to you being here, I wouldn't have opened it." I snorted.

Alistair sniggered as he sat beside us, "That is a good point."

I stretched and moved to lay my head on Alistairs' lap. Anduin pouted but said nothing. I rolled my eyes, "It's so hard to train men."

Both my mates exclaimed but Rulen said, "What do you mean?"

"Anduin wanted me to keep my head in his lap – but he didn't say anything because he's deferring to Alistair like Anduin is an outsider. Technically speaking, Anduin is my first mate and thus, the one my other mates should defer to. I've known him longer and even mated with him first. But Anduin, Cullen and Alistair are all the type to suffer in silence. I'm trying to train them to speak up if they want something – because despite evidence to the contrary, I am not a mind-reader. Besides – I'm not really the leader in relationships; I prefer to languish in the attention and go with the flow and such – it suits me more if they step in and take control in that respect."

Anduin reached over and scooped me into his lap – my arms going around his neck as he asked, "Like this?"

I hummed and rested my head against his shoulder, "Yeah."

Leliana cooed as Daylen snorted, "So you're a submissive?"

"Kind of – at least in relationship personality. I'll try anything once, though. Maybe twice – I guess it depends how persuasive my mates can be." I replied.

Alistair said, "That wasn't appropriate to ask, Daylen."

Anduin nodded, "Our mate may not have boundaries in conversation, but I'm a jealous man; and I'm sure Alistair is too. She'll answer pretty much anything – but I'd prefer you don't ask those things."

I gave a small whimper – trying and probably failing to be cute – and said, "I'm sorry… I didn't even think…"

"That's just how you are; you believe information is there to be shared – I don't blame you. But Daylen isn't your mate and he's with another woman anyway – a woman that might fight you for trying to ask those questions of her mate."

"No – Morrigan… remember at the tower? She simply told Daylen to wash the stink off – well, she started to. But I wouldn't answer questions about you three if asked – I should have realized that it would make you uncomfortable. I'm sorry." I let my head fall in shame.

Alistair replied, "Nah – I'm still gonna blame Daylen."

"Good plan," Anduin commented.

Lyna burst into laughter, "Tara can do no wrong, huh?"

"Pretty much," the two men agreed.

Sereda snorted, "So in Orzammar – I know we're supporting my traitorous, kin-slaying brother… but why?"

"He makes the better king even if he is a nug-humping son of a bitch. Harrowmont leads the dwarves into an extinction cycle and has no power – a puppet king. Bhelen leads to prosperity and higher birth rates and such. So – I mean…"

"Got it – and how do we get the nug-humping ass on the throne? I take it the Assembly is deadlocked?"

"I'm gonna need Magni for one thing. For another… we're going to go find a paragon in the darkspawn infested Deep Roads. But for now, we need to focus on the Dalish Elves… we should have Genn come on down – we'll be dealing with Werewolves and I'm not in the mood to kill them."

Zev lifted an eyebrow, "Will they not attack us?"

"No – they regained their minds; much like the Worgen of Azeroth… but they couldn't regain human forms – and won't until the curse is lifted. And then they'll be like the Worgens of Azeroth… they think they'll be straight up human again."

Anduin flinched, "Genn will come – he knows what they'll be going through at that point."

"They've been wolf for too long to go human again. The curse is entrenched."

Lyna frowned, "And the infected elves?"

"Humans only club – elves will stay elves. Sorry, no cool powers for you," I quipped.

She snorted, "Not interested – just asking."

"Will you sing?" Aedan asked. Carver snorted, "Topic shift much?"

"What? She sings really beautifully. You heard her song at the funeral for the King and Commander."

"Yeah – but you asked without a lead in to it." Wynne pointed out.

I sighed, "Not tonight, Aedan. I'm too comfy here. I'd be comfier squished between both my mates here and asleep just curled in their arms, but hey – I'll take what I can get."

Anduin chuckled, "As long as it was just sleeping, I suppose I could concede to Alistair sleeping on your other side tonight."

"Well… I could do that," Alistair was flushed. He and I had let people think that he and I were already fully mated – but I think they knew the truth since no one had ribbed us about it yet.

My suspicion was confirmed when no one even commented on the situation. I sighed, "Alistair – it looks like they all know that you and I haven't gone that far yet."

Leliana blinked, "It was obvious – was it not? You make no noise – but when Anduin is here, you do not… let us sleep."

"Fair," I hummed.

"Wait – you two haven't…?" Anduin frowned, "I was hoping for that child before the Blight ended."

Taelia choked on her drink – she had been content to just sit and listen until then, "Child?"

"My first child will be Alistairs – and sometime after the Blight. For all we know, it's days after the Blight ends – or I could be months or years. We don't know. We just know that the first will be Alistairs."

"You mean to tell me that… that is the reason the King here commissioned a room in the family wing of the palace to be painted green and set up as a nursery? We thought…"

"Thought he was planning for a child that was biologically his? It'll still be his kid, but birthmarks will say that the first is Alistairs. And the child will be an Emerald Dragon. Hence the green room."

Taelia sighed, "Your father is going to lose his mind."

"Uh-huh – but I'm not there yet anyway… obviously."

"When he heard Anduin was decorating a nursery, you realize that your father could do no less? He's expecting a child born within the year." Taelia pointed out.

I rolled my eyes and called the man in question. He sounded like he was forcing himself to sound nonchalant. "My Daughter?"

"I'm not pregnant yet – just had a vision of my first being a boy and an Emerald Dragon with no magic. He'll be genetically Alistairs son, but of course, all of my mates will be fathers to the kiddo. The fact that Alistair and I haven't made things official yet should tell you that I'm certainly not with child yet."

I could hear the pouting, "But… aren't you married to him?"

"He's untouched, Dad – I'm letting him set the pace! You would want the same if it was me, right?"

"I distinctly remember threatening Kayn when I heard you two had been intimate, so yes. Very well – but I wish to know as soon as you know!"

"Daddy… you'll be the fourth to know."

"Fourth!" he exclaimed in indignation, "Why fourth?"

"Well, I'll know first, then Alistair as the genetic father, then Anduin and Cullen at about the same time, then you. Does that sound fair?"

"…" he grumbled a bit before relenting, "Very well. Thalyssra asks if she needs to prepare juice."

"Yes – as a Dovahkiin he'll need it to nurture his dragon side without magic. I love the Arcberry wine – and the Juice version will be good for Du… my son."

"Uh-uh! You've already picked out a name?"

I flushed, "It's… a name that's important to the father."

Alistair looked confused before realization then awe and… he yanked me from Anduins lap and into his and kissed me when I squeaked in shock. I melted into the kiss. When he pulled back, I cleared my throat, "I take it… you agree with the name?"

"You're going to name him Duncan?"

"Well… yeah… Duncan Varian." I flushed. Anduin smiled softly, "I agree with it too."

Lor'themars voice cut in, "Well – now I know what to have the blankets monogramed with – Duncan Varian Theirin. Hmm… it's acceptable. But to clarify… you really aren't with child yet?" dear Elune – he was pouting.

"Nope – and you know my blessing mark would turn a different color if I were. And I certainly wouldn't have fought a dragon a few hours ago if I were."

"… Tsk – you make an excellent point. You realize – I am not the only one preparing rooms. Other than your husband and I, Genn is preparing a room, as is Vanessa VanCleef, the Illidari, and even your deplorable uncle Malfurion. Magni too, of course – and the Proudmore family."

I sighed, "I don' know why Malfurion thinks I'll ever let him be alone with my child after how he treated me. Vanessa lives in my Northshire estate, so it's acceptable for her to prepare a room – it's my estate. Magni is my uncle – I'd be surprised if he didn't. Genn will love my kid like it's his and Liam will treat my son like a brother. The Illidari will see Duncan as their Prince of sorts – at least until… well, he'll be a prince. I am surprised about the Proudmores though; I thought Kathrine disliked me greatly."

"Are you kidding? She adores you – you aided in saving her daughter and now you are their Queen. In her book, you are family." Anduin pointed out.

I shrugged, "Regardless, this topic has come up far too soon."

"Blame your Kingly Husband – if he hadn't begun decorating a room in the Stormwind Palace, the rest of us wouldn't have followed suit. Well, I will inform the others of this… I'm keeping the room." Click.

I sniggered, "He's like a big child – how he ever became a Ranger on almost par with the Banshee Queen I will never know. Kay – I'm tired now… bed time?"

Anduin smiled as Alistair jut stood with me still in his arms and carried me to the tent that the three of us would be sharing tonight. I was very warm that night.

The next evening, I made a portal for Taelia and Anduin to go back to Oribos before we headed out toward the Dalish. Anduin had said that he'd ask Genn about coming with me when it was time to confront Werewolves.

"Hey – I have a question…" Lyna asked halfway through the night.

"Hmm?" I hummed back at her – I was so relaxed today.

"You're a Duchess, a High Queen, a regular Queen, a crown princess and a Goddess… why do you even bother getting involved in the fighting?"

I blinked at her, "Uh… huh; I guess I'm just… used to it? I mean, when I died as a human, I woke up smack in the middle of a Dragon attack – that fucker wanted to kill me very much; and then I spent the next century killing Dragons, overturning a civil war, killing an Emperor because I was hired to – though…" I sighed, "I suppose that hit wasn't all bad."

"What do you mean? You killed a man you were sworn to protect," Rulen frowned.

"Titus Mede II knew he was going to die – he didn't fight me or plead for his life. He took the hit out on himself through a third party – he knew he was a crap emperor and he was old. He couldn't just step down or his heir would be derided and overlooked. It was complicated. And the man that contacted the Brotherhood for the hit… well, he knew he was going to die too. He was a loose end and the Emperors' last request was to tie that up. Understand – the emperor didn't tell me he put out the hit on himself; he just requested that I kill the one that ordered his death after I received the payment for it. 'A dying mans' final wish' he called it. I didn't find out until 50 years after that moment that he was the true originator of the contract. I found his journal; half-burned. I finished burning it – the next emperor was a good one. If that journal came to light, the emperor would have come under fire."

"That… is scary. So the emperor that you swore to honor, obey and protect… ordered you to end his life. Makers' Ass – I think you can stop feeling guilt over that one; you were following orders, even if you didn't know it at the time."

I shrugged at Carvers' words, "Yeah – but at the time, I was given conflicting orders but bound to uphold both by vows. How could I protect someone I was sworn to kill? I vowed to protect him first – but then I took a vow to the assassins' guild and ended up receiving the contract to kill him. I shouldn't have killed him in that case, right? I swore to protect first. Then again, the guilt didn't come until my rebirth; as the Dovahkiin, I thought I was untouchable – an arrogant godling. I was more like Morrigan and Zevran mixed together somewhat. In my eyes, I could do no wrong back then. I had 4 months of solitude to contemplate."

"… you mean you were reborn into Azeroth… before you were even born?" Alistair looked scandalized.

"As I said – rebirth is not a fun process. And going from full grown to infant… man, it is so tiring being born, the bright lights after months of darkness are harsh, you can't stay awake for longer than a few minutes directly after, you have to re-learn how to walk and talk though you advance quickly, and this isn't mentioning the inability to bathe yourself and having to be dependent on taller beings for everything. I'm sure it was worse for me – those taller beings hated me with a passion and I learned quickly not to cry for anything unless I absolutely had to."

Leliana frowned, "Who all knows that you remember all of that?"

"Outside of this group? No one ever asked. Inas doesn't know that I was never comforted when I cried as a babe; he doesn't know that I never cried as a child because, by then, it was a learned habit not to. He doesn't know that the reason I never asked for his time was because I was worried that I was bugging him and that he hated me like everyone else. I was depressed, low on self-esteem, beginning to hate myself for the perceived wrongs they thought I'd committed and the wrongs I had committed. So no – no one there knows that I remember all of it."

Rulen looked somber, "No child should have to go through that."

"To be fair, I wasn't a child…" I muttered.

"You were – anything before 500 is just a child when you have longevity." Rulen pointed out.

"And then you're a toddler," I snarked.

"See – you do remember," Rulen snarked back.

I stuck my tongue out. Alistair cleared his throat, "Do you think our child… will be a reborn one?"

"Not precisely. I mean, all souls these days are sort of reborn, but Duncan won't remember his last life. As it should be," I said.

"How long to the Dalish?" Sereda asked.

I consulted a vision and sighed, "A week – week and a half, tops."

"I do not understand why we cannot just use your mounts," Morrigan asked.

"If we do things too fast then the Darkspawn will not be where we need them to be so that we can fight the Archdemon – it needs to be brought down… I can't do that by flying up and taking it down; things will go very wrong."

"Oh… so we are stalling for time until the enemy gets into position?" Sten looked fascinated.

"Yeah; pretty much. Also, this particular clan wouldn't accept our help until the wolves make a big enough problem, we can't take care of Orzammar until Endrin actually croaks – cause if we do it before then, we lose troops – and we couldn't take care of the Circle until it fell or the blood mages would have completely overthrown the circle while war preparations were being made. If we get to places too early then we lose people or worse."

"Huh – that… I can see that."

I snorted at Zevrans words.

Silverite cooed – he was getting very big at this point.

Fiona and Lite had taken to sleeping in a pup pile with the two hounds – they seemed very happy.

Lyna frowned, "But the Clan will be… okay?"

"Mostly – for sure, I know of one death; and that's because she will insist that we kill her because the pain is too much. If we don't grant her wish, she will attack so that we have no choice. Another possible death is also only if we kill him or don't take him back to the clan where he can recover. Other than that, I don't know that any of the clan dies after we arrive. I know that saving this one clan will net us enough aid that we don't need to search out any other Dalish. Though, with help from Azeroth, we don't actually need to fulfil the treaties to end the Blight. We're doing this for the future."

"Explain," Sten said. He wanted an explanation on why we were doing things we didn't have to in the Blight.

"Okay – easy. We took care of Ostagar so we could get Cailans' heir naming papers for a stronger voice in the Landsmeet; we took care of the tower because Cullen is needed to save the whole fucking world in the future. We are taking care of the Dalish so that when Lyna askes for her people to receive land as her boon in the Landsmeet, Alistair has a reason to say yes – and with support from Azeroth and an Elven Queen, it should work instead of humans being asses and driving them off. We're taking the long way to cure Eamon when I could have done it myself because Haven – the place with the ashes – will be the epicenter of that world saving event where the Ben-Hassrath send a person to aid; and you, as Arishok, will want to make an official temporary alliance with that force. Think on that. We're taking care of Soldiers Peak when we get to that because if we don't then demons join the Darkspawn; can't have that. We're taking care of Orzammar, because we need to see Bhelen crowned as king if we don't want the Dwarves of Orzammar to go extinct – and I kind of need them in the world-saving event too. We're saving Eamon, because we don't have enough voice without him to call a Landsmeet – and Alistair needs to be king. And we're taking care of Honnleath when we get there – I haven't told you about that yet, but I will explain later – because my in-laws are there and Wynne will need the Golem there to save her son and his Templar lover in the future. Any other questions?"

"… No." Sten replied, "You have adequately explained things – my thanks."

Wynne coughed, "My son… has a Templar Lover?"

I couldn't help it, "Like mother, like son. Oh – sorry; I shouldn't have said… I'm sorry."

"No – it's quite alright. It isn't like you've named who my templar is." Her eye twinkled in amusement.

"Yours indeed – that man doesn't look at anyone else. Eyes only for you, even now. You know that he gave me a stern warning when it was decided that you were coming with us? I revealed to him that I knew what you meant to him and promised that I wouldn't let anything happen to you. So on and so forth." I smirked at her. She flushed like a school-girl.

Zev pouted, "Why did you not tell me that you were taken!"

"Like it would stop your flirting," I snorted.

Lyna giggled. She loved Zevs' flirting just as much – if not more – than Wynne did.

I smiled, "Anyway – are there any other questions on why we're doing all of this?"

"Nope," Alistair said, putting his arm around my shoulders, "But you want to tell me how to go about granting boons?"

"So – you already know Daylen will ask for the Circle to govern itself and we've already taken steps in getting that ready. Lyna will ask for land for the Dalish – find a place that's been abandoned but not blighted and give it to them. Sereda will ask for assistance in reclaiming Dwarven Lands and you'll send people who will help so much that they can reclaim relics rom Bownammar. Aedan will ask for… either that the Howes pay or a land and title."

"Howes." Aedan snapped.

"Right – so you strip amaranthine and promptly give it to the Grey Wardens since Soldiers Peak is no longer fit to be a Warden base of operation. Though we will have people move valuable records and such from the peak to amaranthine. Though, truth be told, you'd do that no matter what Aedan asked for."

Aedan blinked, "He would?"

"Yeah – after hearing you bitch the whole Blight long; you don't think he'd do something about it even after Howe is dead?" I snarked at him.

"So if I asked for land and title?"

"Well, Alistair already promised it to me for the embassy, but you would have gotten Gwaren." I shrugged.

"Denerim is available. Urian died at Ostagar and Vaughn was killed by Darrian Tabris for taking his cousin and… er… doing things," Sereda pointed out.

"Yup – so, if Aedan really wants land and title, he can have the Arling of Denerim. Now – this looks like a good place to camp."