A/N: Little mature this chapter, consider yourselves warned dear readers.

Chapter 71: Lullaby

Leliana could not sleep.

She tossed and turned in her bed in the warden base in Orzammar and could not find rest.

Every time she closed her eyes, those…those walking corpses were waiting for her, and if she dared flee it was right into the arms of Marjolaine…

…right into the tip of her former master's blade.

She sat up with a heavy sigh, her fingers rubbing the bridge of her nose.

She looked up to the sky, or where the sky would be, being in Orzammar again made the sky a little hard to see right now.

"I thank you for your aid oh Maker," she whispered, "For keeping me and mine safe, but must your visions torture me so? Must I find so little rest?"

Of course, no answer came, no feeling of warmth, no promise to give her a night without visions.

The bard sighed anew.

The ways of the Maker were mysterious indeed, what happened now…was…was a part of his plan. She was sure of that. He must have had some reason for her pain. She did not believe that he would torture her needlessly.

If anything, these visions were proof of his love for his wayward children. She was simply his tool in this; the visions given to her were likely his desire to aid them in fighting this Blight.

The bard frowned.

You're a predator like the rest of us.

We're the same.

Either that or he was punishing her for her past sins, letting her know that she was not yet right with him. That she still owed penance for the cruelty of her youth.

She shook her head. Whatever the reason, this was part of the Maker's plan. She realized that she should tell Alim about this, the elf had come to trust her visions, and even if he did not believe as she did, he at least took their warnings seriously.

Plus, it would be good to speak with someone, perhaps once she was done, she could find rest.

She wandered out into the compound, she probably should have found a robe first, but her nightgown was more than appropriate, plus the pale blue silk felt fantastic on her bare skin, after weeks of wearing leather and mail, it was a luxury she intended to enjoy.

The stone underfoot was also quite warm, allowing no need for slippers. She did not really know how the dwarves did it, how they lived down here with the constant heat.

Of course, Dagna, Oghren, and Seri had complained about the cold on the surface, so it was likely just that they were used to it, just as surface dwellers were used to the cold.

She made her way to the warden's room but found it empty, only Bandit sprawled out on the bed, snoring loudly.

The bard giggled, it seemed the dog had claimed the bed as his own. Alim would not likely be happy about that.

She bumped into Shale who said that Alim was in the library. As before, the Golem was glaring at the griffon statues that lined the wall.

"I am back winged vermin," the golem growled at one of the statues, "tremble in fear."

Leliana slipped past, trying very hard not to laugh. Alim had told her that Shale suspected that the statues were more than just decoration that they moved when people were not looking.

After all the strange things she had seen since Lothering, she could not doubt that such things might exist.

She made for the library. It was quite late she thought, likely after midnight, and the halls were all but deserted. She had spotted Alistair on his way to raid the pantry, but that was it.

She stopped when she heard the music.

She paused and listened. Yes, she was definitely hearing music, pipes perhaps or maybe a flute.

She smiled slightly.

It was a little rough, but the song was played slowly and with care. It was beautiful in its way, a low haunting melody that spoke of sadness, but near the end rose with few notes that suggested…hope.

Leliana expected to find a dwarven servant sitting in the library, perhaps playing to entertain Alim. The dwarves had seen the returning wardens as celebrities when they had arrived. After ending that flap with the king, it seemed that they were now all welcomed guests.

The song ended, but started again a few moments later, the player seemed more confident this time, playing a little bit faster and with more surety.

Leliana peeked into the room, not wanting to disturb him.

She was…surprised by what she saw.

Alim sat alone in the room, a small flute to his lips, his eyes were closed and his brow furrowed with great concentration. His fingers moved gently over the small instrument, playing the song with greater confidence.

It was rare to see him so…at peace. He was dressed simply this eve, a light shirt over cotton lounging pants. He had raided the armory earlier, looking for a new warden's gambeson and leggings. He had not been happy with the result.

Still, he looked good, she thought with a small smile. She knew that human men found elven women appealing. In Alim's case, the reverse was true. He would never be as muscled as Alistair, but carried himself with a slender grace; the combat and training had hardened his body over the last few months.

She would be lying is she said she did not find it appealing.

Down girl, she thought with an amused smirk.

Leliana closed her eyes and listened. She…she had never heard this song before.

The bard in her drank in the music, and the feelings that it inspired, she imagined playing it with a lute, singing a tale of some doomed love affair, bringing her audience to tears. It would have likely earned her a few silvers in Orlais, perhaps even a sovereign or two.

Alim finished with a sigh; he took the flute from his lips.

The bard fought the urge to applaud, she…she had no idea that Alim had musical talent.

The elf smiled slightly.

"Hello sister."

She startled.

"Did…did I disturb you?" she blushed, "I'm sorry."

"You didn't," he said putting down the flute, "I was just…practicing. I haven't played that since I was a boy. I wasn't sure I would even remember how."

"I…I had no idea that you had interest in music?" she murmured.

He held up the flute.

"This was my Mother's," he said, "Father gave it to her on their wedding day. She loved music, taught it to the Bann of Lothering's children."

A sad smile came to his lips.

"My Mother…she…she taught me, or at least tried to, all I could ever do with this one song," he said, "It was a lullaby; she used to play it for me when I was sick or couldn't sleep."

He gave a sad chuckle.

"It seemed appropriate hearing it again tonight."

The bard frowned.

"More Nightmares," she asked.

He nodded.

"I think it…it is being down here, so close to the darkspawn. I…I could almost feel something watching me. I could feel its anger. I…I think the Archdemon knows we're gathering people to fight it."

The elf's ears twitched nervously.

"It is not a happy tainted god right now."

"Maker save us," Leliana whispered.

Alim gave her a wry look.

"Have faith Leli," he said warmly, "We should be dead a dozen times over, and yet…here we are. A few months ago, I would have said our task was impossible, now…now, I think…I think we might just have a chance."

She smirked at him.

"Did you just tell me to have faith?"

The elf chuckled.

"It is late; I'm not myself right now."

She laughed lightly.

Her Alim.

Her dearest friend.

IOI

She sat down next to him.

Alim did his best not to stare, a bit of a blush colored his elven ears.

Leliana was a vision this eve, the light blue nightgown matched her eyes, and the airy silk left little to the imagination, not quite see through, but showed enough to fire his imagination.

It showed just enough, but far too little.

Damn.

He rubbed his neck nervously. The smell of dried wildflowers tickled his nose as she passed. He knew that she used them in her tent, some kind of perfume, to make it more comfortable.

The smell was as much a part of her as blue eyes and lovely smile.

His body stirred at her closeness, he…he tried to ignore it.

She told him about her latest vision, undead, and her old master.

The elf's brow furrowed.

"Could your old master have hired another mage?" he asked, "A necromancer perhaps?"

"I would not put it past her," the bard frowned, "though I suspect hiring such a person would…offend what she feels are her delicate sensibilities. The vision is likely warning us that she is waiting for us, and the undead maybe the next challenge we are to face, but I…I can't say for certain."

"Do you remember anything about where you saw these undead?" Alim asked, "Anything at all?"

She did her best to remember the dream, but the details faded in the waking mind.

"I…I think we were in a small village, I remember a chantry, not the kind you would find in a city, but something smaller."

Alim nodded. He still did not know where Leli received these visions from. He still suspected that she might have a touch of magical sensitivity, that the spirits of the fade were guiding her. Perhaps a spirit of compassion, or perhaps she was right, perhaps the Maker was aiding her.

Before he left the tower, he would have called such opinions insanity, but now…

He was not so sure.

Of course, he was not a true believer. He would be quite happy if the Maker stayed out of his life, too many years of Templar control had jaded him. His anger had chantry sisters had faded somewhat, but he still did not like the self-righteous chant singers. He was more open to give them benefit of the doubt on what kind of a person they were. There were many sisters that had a chant scroll where their heart should be, and there were those like Leli who actually did know something about wanting to help people, that knew something about love.

It was these people who would save the chantry from itself.

Leli was the first chantry sister he had come to trust. Which is why he was about to warn her about tomorrow.

She deserved to know.

"We're going back into the deep roads," he warn informed her.

Leliana gasped. She still had nightmares about their last trip into the darkness, most of them featuring that broodmother.

"Why?"

"Shale as asked me to," he informed her, "She remembers the location of her home Thaig. She wants to go there, see if there is any evidence of Shayle of House Kadash."

Leliana shivered, not that he blamed her.

"This mission is strictly for volunteers only. Shale says it is only a two day trip from Orzammar to Kadash Thaig. All of you that went down the first time don't have to go, though it might be safer in the deep roads than waiting here."

She gave him a curious look.

"Zev and Seri caught some assassins trying to tunnel their way in here. They were Harrowmont supporters. We also have dwarves still loyal to Jarvia who want to kill us for, what they feel was her murder. This city is not a safe place for us right now."

Leliana gave him a grim look.

"Dwarves like to hold grudges apparently," Alim said sheepishly.

"This is not your fault," Leliana said, "You did what you thought was best. The Blight demanded action."

"But aren't our lives dangerous enough?" Alim said, "Did I have to make even more enemies to oppose us?"

"You have made friends and allies too," she said, "Don't forget that."

"I'm not…it…it is just…"

He shook his head.

"Shit," he grumbled, "Being a grey warden sucks."

She giggled.

"You do it well though."

"You're a little bias I think."

"More than a little," she said coyly.

They both laughed at that, both blushing now.

Leliana gave him a warm smile.

It made his heart race.

She rubbed her arms nervously.

"I've come to like these quiet moments," she said, "Like when the two of us are on watch together in camp."

"You mean when you fall asleep, and I stay on watch," he said with a smile.

"Well…yes…but that is not the point," she sniffed.

Alim chuckled.

He was teasing her, she recognized that.

"Those nights when we talk," she continued, "Well…I talk and you mostly listen, and when I fall asleep, I do so knowing I'm quite safe, that you will protect me."

"With my life," he confessed.

Her cheeks darkened.

"It is silly is it not?" she asked, "the darkspawn do not sleep, and they strike from the shadows. Darkness should not feel safe to us."

"Nothing wrong with wanting to let go of our burdens," he shrugged, "To find a moment or two for ourselves."

His ears twitched nervously.

The way she was looking at him, part of him wanted to leave, but another part…felt rooted in place.

He did not want to leave, not tonight.

"I think back to our first meeting in Lothering," She said, "things have changed so much."

Alim lowered his ears in shame.

"I was such a little prick to you," he said sadly.

"You were angry," she replied, "knowing what I know now, I understand."

"It was still not called for, you offered to help, and I was being a stubborn child."

She touched his hand.

"Alim," she purred.

The barest of her touch sent lightning up his arm.

Oh Maker!

"We have been through so much," she murmured, "You…you have done so much. You are…you are our leader, and my friend, and…"

She laughed a nervous fit of giggles.

"Maker, some bard I am," she said, "Stumbling over my words like some ill-educated peasant girl."

Alim smiled, he felt he was seeing the true Leliana here, not the sister, not the bard, but her.

He liked what he saw.

IOI

Fear and doubt clawed at her heart, her old bardic training was screaming at her to stop, to pull away before she said something she would regret.

Alas, the flood gates were open, she could not stop herself, being here, being with Alim, her defenses had fallen away.

"It…it is just that I," she stammered nervously, Maker, she had not felt this nervous since her first night with Marjolaine.

"It…it is just that I have come…come to care about you," she said shyly, "I…I may be wrong, and this may be totally inappropriate, but I… know how I feel."

She gave him a fearful look.

"If I'm wrong, please don't be angry at me."

IOI

Alim smiled, his heart leapt.

This…this declaration had been totally unexpected, but he…he felt a wave of happiness wash over him, it was like nothing he had ever experienced before.

"I…I am not angry," he said wringing his hands, "I've…I've been trying to find the right words for some time, to tell you how I feel."

He gave her a sheepish look.

"Trust a bard to put what I wanted to say, what I feel into words."

Leliana's eyes widened.

"You…you feel the same?" she whispered.

He nodded, his ears twitching excitedly.

"And you did not do the courtesy of telling before?"

He blushed.

"I told you…"

"Well, how very awkward," she exclaimed, "here I am pouring my heart out, and you…you just sit there."

"I'm a bad person," he confessed, "I know."

"You're teasing me again."

"Yes."

She threw her hands up in the air.

"Oh, chivalry is so dead; I have half a mind to…"

Alim did not let her finish her rant. She was cute when she was all worked up, extremely cute, but there were ways to end such things, if one was brave.

He decided to be brave.

He leaned in.

He kissed her, full and on the mouth.

Leliana's eyes widened, he felt her back stiffen, stiffen, but then melt.

His arms went around the bard, pulling her to him.

He felt her arms wrap around her neck, her hands going up to touch his elven ears.

He moaned softly, humans always went for the ears it seemed, not that he was complaining. Elven ears were very sensitive.

He was enjoying the experience.

Their kiss deepened, no longer chaste, he let his hands drift down over her body.

Leliana groaned with pleasure.

The kiss finally broke; they found themselves lost in each other's eyes.

Leliana giggled.

"Well," she purred, "Um…okay then."

Alim chuckled.

"I told you I was a bad person," he grinned, "Just a…"

She kissed him again, now it was he who fell silent.

Leliana crawled into his lap, her bare legs straddling him, her hands wandering beneath his shirt; his fingers went up, sliding down the straps of her nightgown.

She broke away from him, they were both panting now.

"Not here," she murmured her voice husky.

"Where?" he begged.

He needed it.

He needed her now!

She gave him an evil smirk.

"Follow," she purred, climbing out of his lap.

IOI

He got up and let her guide him by the hand, down the hall, past Shale, past the snoring Mabari stretched out in his bed.

He was a willing slave now. Beyond these walls he was a warden, a stormbreaker, a warrior. But here and now, she had power over him. He accepted that…gladly.

She led him to her room.

She pinned him against the door, their kisses and touching had become frenzied, lost in their desire.

They almost ended up on the floor, so deep was their wanting, their desire for each other.

Leliana took the lead again; she had…a bit more experience in this kind of thing. She saw he was getting lost and guided him back.

She led him to the bed, her bed…their bed.

She helped him out of his clothes, as he helped her out of her nightgown and smalls.

Smiling, she pulled him down on top of her. She whispered in his ear, guiding his hands over her, teaching him where to touch.

She gasped when they finally came together.

They did not take their eyes off each other, so lost were they now, for a long time they had both wanted this, but fear, pride, and distrust had gotten in the way.

Passion had burned all that away.

She cried out in Orlesian, an expression of love or loving. He could not really tell.

Things would never be the same between them now, but that did not bother him.

What they had been was dying in this bed, what came next…

That remained to be seen, but that did not matter now…

All that mattered now…

…was tonight.

IOI

Theron moved down the hall, he had gotten lost, Shale had told him the larder was the third door on the right, or had it been left?

The Dalish could no longer remember.

His stomach growled loudly.

Damn warden hunger, he thought, damn it right to the dread wolf.

He heard Leliana cry out.

He turned, after the attack earlier; he feared she might be in trouble.

He stopped at the cracked doorway. The bed was in full view, as well as Alim and Leliana.

Oops.

Theron quietly and respectfully closed the door; neither of the two lovers noticed him thank the Creators.

The Dalish chuckled.

There was not much privacy in a Dalish camp, especially when there was a newly married couple. The rest of the clan tried to be respectful, but…you still heard things, you still saw things.

Poor Alistair might have died of shame and heart failure if he had seen that!

Theron was much more respectful, he would say nothing, let the two enjoy their time together. Death seemed to be everywhere the wardens travelled these days. Love was life. Mating was life; let their leader and the sister have a little life tonight.

Mating was a part of life, let the two enjoy it.

He and Merrill…they…that had had such a short time together, had only bonded once.

It was most unfair.

"Lucky bastard," he said referring to Alim. He personally did not see the appeal of human women, but it took all kinds the Dalish supposed.

He went back to trying to find the larder, he still was hungry.

He would try to leave some food for Alim tomorrow, he thought with a smirk.

Their leader would likely need to regain his strength.