Chapter 94

"Mother!" exclaimed Kieran as he spotted them. However, there was no joy reflected in Morrigan's face.

"Mother," she hissed quietly.

Alistair groaned. "Why don't dead things ever stay dead?"

"Uhh." Marian shuffled her feet. "Who even knows. Certainly not I."

"We shall discuss this later," Leliana told her.

Amidst it all, Flemeth chuckled. "Pity my son-in-law couldn't join us. We could have had a true reunion then. But this is not so bad. Mother, daughter, grandson... it rather warms the heart, does it not?"

"Not in those clothes, it doesn't," Alistair muttered.

"Kieran is not your grandson!" Morrigan thundered. "Let him go!"

"As if I was holding the boy hostage." Flemeth looked right at Alistair. "She's always been ungrateful. You know, don't you?"

Alistair did know, but this was hardly the time to be agreeing with Flemeth. She'd practically kidnapped Aedan's son into wherever they were. Somewhere through an eluvian. Not exactly the Fade, but close enough for him to dislike it.

"Ungrateful? I know how you plan to extend your life, wicked crone! You will not have me!" Magic gathered in a swirl around Morrigan's arms. "And you will not have my son!"

Alistair readied his sword, thinking back to the last time he'd faced off against Flemeth. She'd turned into a dragon then. This time, she just smiled and clicked her fingers. Immediately, all the magic Morrigan had gathered disappeared, stunning them.

"What have you done to me?" Morrigan asked, eyes wide, disbelief lacing her voice.

"I have done nothing," Flemeth replied, clearly amused. "You drank from the well of your own volition."

"I knew that was a bad idea," Alistair muttered in Leliana's ear but she shushed him.

Morrigan gasped. "You... are Mythal."

"Mythal? The elven goddess?" Leliana exclaimed but Alistair shushed her.

"You can't be Mythal!" spluttered Ellana. "That's impossible! Mythal was an elven god! And you're-"

"Human?" she cackled. "Not a word many have used for me in a very long time."

She then patted Kieran on the back, who nodded, turning towards Morrigan.

"I'm sorry, Mother." He sounded calm, unafraid. "I heard her calling to me. She said now was the time."

Morrigan shook her head. "I... I do not understand."

"You hear the voices of the Well, girl. What do they say?"

Morrigan closed her eyes, her brows drawn. "That... Mythal is a part of you, just as my heart is a part of my chest."

"That's all well and good, but what do you want, Flemeth?" Alistair asked. "And don't you pull that grandmother crap on me."

"Flemeth? I've heard that name. My people call you Asha'bellanar, the woman of many years," said Ellana, and Flemeth curtsied. "But if Mythal is within you, why not reveal yourself to my people?"

Flemeth laughed. "I knew the hearts of men long before Mythal came to me. It is why she came to me. Your people do not want the truth, and I... I am but a shadow, lingering in the sun."

"Yeah, then how about you linger somewhere else? Somewhere healthier, perhaps? Far away from my best friend's son? I'd suggest Antiva."

Leliana nudged him in the ribs, but Flemeth smiled. "It is not yet time. Perhaps one day, I shall take you up on that, dear boy."

"Well, why not help us until your Antivan holiday rolls around?" Marian asked.

Ellana nodded. "You know what we are faced with."

"Better than you can ever imagine." Flemeth tilted her head. "You will have my help, as soon as I have what I came for."

Here, she looked pointedly at Kieran. Morrigan, noticing this, shook her head.

"No," she said resolutely. "I will not allow it."

"He carries a piece of what once was, snatched from the jaws of darkness. You know this."

"His is not your pawn, Mother. I will not let you use him!"

"But have you not used him?" Flemeth returned, smirking. "Was that not the purpose, the very reason why you agreed to his creation?"

Alistair grimaced. Oof, that's harsh. Not even he would have said that.

"That was then," Morrigan replied breathlessly. "Now... now he is my son."

Never in his life would Alistair have thought that Morrigan was capable of sounding so... pathetic and defenceless. Even Flemeth raised her brows in surprise.

"But what's so special about Kieran?" asked Ellana.

"I am not the only one carrying the soul of a being long thought lost," Flemeth replied.

Alistair exchanged a look with Leliana.

"He is more than that, Mother," Morrigan said.

"So am I. You do not see me complain, do you? Our destinies are not so easily avoided, dear girl."

"Mother," Kieran said in his small voice. "I have to."

Morrigan shook her head furiously. "You do not belong to her, Kieran! Neither of us do!"

"Wait." Leliana held up her hand. "If Kieran was so important, why wait until now to come for him?"

"I did not know where he was," Flemeth answered. "Morrigan cleverly hid him from me. That is... until now."

"The Well," Alistair whispered. Flemeth nodded.

"Yes. The Well. Always grasping beyond your reach, daughter, despite all that I taught you."

"You two can have all the spats you want, but I'll be taking my friend's son back, thanks."

Alistair tried to go past Morrigan, but a magic laden backhand from the witch sent him sprawling to the ground.

Maker, I hate these people.

"How refreshing to see my lovely daughter so obedient," Flemeth said mirthfully as he sat up and massaged his jaw, Leliana kneeling by his side.

Morrigan looked at him, both shocked and reviled. "Alistair, if she did not have this hold on me-"

"Then you would do something even more foolish and endanger the boy. In this place, my power is greater than all of yours combined." Flemeth dropped her smile. "Do not tempt me further."

Alistair wanted to do the exact opposite, but Morrigan dropped to her knees heavily.

"Kieran, I..."

The boy looked up at Flemeth, who smiled once again. "Hear my proposal, girl. Let me take the lad, and you are free of me forever. I will never interfere with or harm you ever again. Or, keep the lad and you will never be safe from me. I will have my due."

"He returns with me," Morrigan replied immediately, chewing out the words.

"Decided so quickly?"

"Do whatever you wish," Morrigan said as she rose from her knees. "Take over my body now, if you must, but Kieran will be free of your clutches." She looked dead at Flemeth. "I am many things, but I will not be the mother you were to me."

As Alistair stood up, he felt aligned with Morrigan in a way he had never been before. Morrigan was many things, it was true, but she was a good mother. Anyone could see that. That was something he would fight for, even if it wasn't Aedan's son who was involved.

Flemeth's expression changed at Morrigan's words, however. Her eyes softened. The corners of her lips curled down. She seemed... almost sad. Alistair didn't want to believe his eyes. Then Flemeth turned to face Kieran and held his hands. A blue sphere of light emerged from the boy's chest and disappeared into Flemeth's. When it was done, she smiled at the boy.

"No more dreams?" Kieran asked.

"No more dreams," Flemeth replied kindly. "A soul is not forced upon the unwilling, Morrigan. You were never in danger from me." She turned to walk away. "Listen to the voices, girl. They will teach you... as I never did."

And with those parting words, she was gone. Kieran ran into Morrigan's outstretched arms and she, crying, smothered his little face with kisses.

"Kieran, oh Kieran! You aren't hurt? She didn't harm you? Are you all right? Oh, my darling boy, I almost lost you-"

"But I'm right here, Mother!"

That scene humanised Morrigan for him in a way he hadn't even considered. For the first time since they met in the Korcari Wilds eleven years ago, Alistair sympathised with her.

"Is it over?" Marian asked. "Maker, let it be over."

"I believe so," Leliana told her. "Though I believe you can shed some light on how Flemeth isn't dead."

"Drat!"

While she interrogated Marian, Alistair went and knelt before Kieran.

"Hello." He smiled at the boy. "Do... you know who I am?"

The boy, still tightly held in Morrigan's arms, shook his head. Alistair looked at his mother, and she nodded, so he turned his attention back to Kieran.

"Well. I knew your dad for a long time."

"Really?"

"Yep. That's your Aunt Leli." He pointed. "She knew him too. He was our best friend."

"What's your name?"

"You've met your Uncle Fergus?" The boy nodded. "Then call me Uncle Alistair. When we get out of here, I'll tell you about how I helped your dad meet your mum, yeah? You'll see why swooping is bad. I'll teach you all about cheese and bad jokes, just you wait."

Morrigan groaned.

A/N: For all those who wanted some Cullen/Amell, you get it next time.