Bioware owns Dragon Age and all the characters, I own Jaya, though... Hush, Little Baby is a popular lullaby...

The King's Rose
Chapter 23: A Mother's Bond

Jaya stirred when she heard the crying of her son from the next room. Although they had nursemaids running around, she always wanted to be the one to raise her children, since she wanted that bond her mother had with her and Fergus to be passed down to Duncan and Eleanor. Slipping on a robe, she left the bedroom and went a few doors down, seeing that there was a nursemaid about to pick her son up. "There's no need, Líadan. I'll do that..."

"But, Your Majesty... It is my..." The woman began.

"I know it's your duty, but allow me this. Since I might need all the time I can get with them. You understand what I mean, right?" Jaya asked as she lifted her wailing son up and began rocking him like she once saw Oriana do to Oren when he was a baby.

"I-Of course, Your Majesty... Forgive me." She replied, bowing and leaving.

"Now... Duncan... Hush... Mama's here..." She cooed, going to a rocking chair and began humming a little tune before singing softly. "Hush, little baby, don't say a word, Mama's gonna buy you a mockingbird. And if that mockingbird don't sing, Mama's gonna buy you a diamond ring. And if that diamond ring turn brass, Mama's gonna buy you a looking glass. And if that looking glass gets broke, Mama's gonna buy you a billy goat." She smiled as he calmed down and looked up at her, his black eyes trying to find her. "There we go... Better?" She said softly before looking up to see Leliana. "Hey, Leli... Aren't you supposed to be sleeping?"

"I could ask you the same thing..." She replied. "Was that you singing?"

"Erm... Yeah.." Jaya replied shyly. "It's a lullaby that my mother and Oriana sang to me, Fergus and Oren respectively."

"Well, I must say you have a lovely voice..." The bard said, leaning on the doorframe. "I see you've begun to tell what a child needs, eh?"

Jaya giggled lightly and continued rocking while staring at her son. "I'll get the hang of it to a point I'll be changing diapers with my eyes closed... Eventually. Until then, I'll take these moments."

"Take em while you can... Soon, there'll be no rest for you." Leliana said before smiling. "Well, goodnight and sleep well, sister..."

"I'll try..." Jaya said as her friend left her and Duncan. "Your godmother is a sweet being, Duncan. Sometimes too sweet..." Placing him back in his crib, she kissed his forehead and did the same to her sleeping daughter, chuckling lightly at how Eleanor didn't stir when her brother woke up. 'Probably a heavy sleeper like her father..'She shook her head and gently closed the door before heading to rejoin her husband in sleep.

Three months later, the two monarchs had adopted a system to a point where each had time for a nap or two, along with the kids. Jaya smiled one day when Oghren and Zevran were in there, watching over the two. "Any trouble yet?" She teased.

"Nah. These two nug-crushers are Paragons in behaving." Oghren replied. "Aren't you supposed to be with the pike-twirler?"

"Just picking these two up to do so. You know they love 'helping' Alistair with his work." Jaya said, picking Eleanor up while letting Zevran put Duncan in her other arm. A few weeks ago, she finally regained the ability to balance both without issues, a sign that her training had returned. The two followed her and she smiled. "You two love them already, don't you?"

"Of course, my dear Warden. They are our godchildren. We have to love them else you feed us to a high dragon." Zevran replied before they left her at the open door. "Farewell, little ones." He bowed before leaving.

Jaya rolled her eyes before entering and seeing Alistair looking over a few documents before he looked up. "Anything interesting in there?" She asked.

"Just the usual. Except there's something in here from the First Warden all the way from Weisshaupt. For you." He replied, taking Duncan from her.

Using her free hand, she picked up the parchment and kept it out of Eleanor's grabby hands. Her eyes scanned it a few times before blinking. "Well... Interesting... It's nice that they think these two are 'miracles' and that they congratulated us... But to say I have to go to Amaranthine to investigate some incidents... Really?" She huffed a little. "Luckily Wynne said if something like this came up, these two'll be fine without me for a while, just long enough to deal with whatever's going on there."

"You aren't serious, are you? Jaya, you just gave birth..."

"Nearly three months ago. I have it on good word that I'm able to resume my duties as Warden Commander. Or have you forgotten that little bit, love?" She asked.

Alistair sighed and shook his head. "I haven't... It's just the fact that the First Warden would send you in for 'investigating'. And I can't do much to stop it. I may be king, but he commands the Grey Wardens, which I still am." He looked at his daughter, seeing her reddish brown strands and figured she'd look like her mother.

"Hey... If it makes you feel any better, I don't want to either... But if I say no, who knows what would happen..." Jaya replied before blinking. "How about I bring Zevran with? Would that make it better?"

"I guess it would. I'd feel better if I were going." He added, earning a kiss on the cheek from his wife.

"But you are the King now, that outrules any Grey Warden thing. While I'm Queen, I still hold the very famous mantle of Hero of Ferelden." She stated as the elf entered. "Ah, Zev. Just who I was looking for..."

"What did I do now? Or whom am I assassinating?" He asked.

"You'll be going with Jaya to Amaranthine... She got orders from the First Warden to investigate there. Her life will be in you hands." Alistair said, digging in the desk for one of the toys that Caican had found for the kids, after having a maid clean it, of course. He watched his daughter blink and grip it before sticking it in her mouth.

"Why, of course I'll go, my friend. I would guard her as I would my lovely bard." He vowed, nodding. "When is our departure?"

"A few days from now... But I have things I have to get from not only Wade, but Gorim said Bhelen sent me something. But, you know me... The quicker I can get this done, the quicker I can come back home." Jaya said, giving Duncan to one of the nursemaids, Líadan, before stretching. "That way I can work off the baby fat. Plus, I get to do a Joining, after getting Avernus to hand over the darned documents."

"I'm beginning to think you miss the fighting, dear." Alistair teased.

"Nope. I just guess I miss training for some reason." Jaya giggled before kissing her husband then her daughter. "I'll be fine."

"Better." He said as he followed them to the hall, waving with one hand and holding Eleanor with the other before looking at his daughter. "Your mother will return. She wouldn't miss any more time with you if she had a chance... Ah, Fergus!" He greeted.

"Where's my sister off to?" Fergus asked.

"Amaranthine... Orders from the First Warden." He explained as he took Eleanor to the nursery to join her brother.

"Sounds important..." Fergus stated, smiling at his niece and nephew.

"Yeah... Right now, I can only pray everything ends well and she can come home quickly." Alistair sighed as he and Fergus went to a meeting between the lords of the lands, something smaller than a Landsmeet.

Yup. Time for Awakening part of the timeline... Where my personal favorite shows up. ^.^
~~Skittles~~