Ashlyn took a difficult breath, the tight pain fading from her back after moment, and she continued her trek down the hallway. She grumbled to herself about her husband's overprotective tendencies, thinking he could keep her in one place simply because he commanded it. The Champion of Kirkwall was out there, and there was no way that Ashlyn would miss out on meeting her.

She entered the foyer just in time to hear Alistair saying, "Swooping is bad."

Ashlyn rolled her eyes. He and Teagan had made that joke a hundred times. Nevertheless, it still made her smile a bit, and the smile stayed on her lips as she walked up to her husband's side, surprising him. Ashlyn, however, was focused on who she assumed must be the Champion, whose eyes had just widened to roughly the size of dinner plates.

"I know," Ashlyn said, waving a hand at her protruding stomach. "I'm huge. I feel like I'm gonna pop any second." She grinned and extended her arm to shake the Champion's hand. "Hello, Ashlyn Cousland, Queen of Ferelden. It's an honor to meet you."

"The honor is mine, your majesty," the Champion replied graciously.

Ashlyn turned to Alistair as he scolded her, "I thought I told you to wait in the room Meredith offered you. You shouldn't be up and about in your delicate condition."

She laid a gentle hand on his cheek. "And since when have I ever done what you told me, my love?" she replied in a falsely sweet tone, then bopped him on the nose lightly with her finger. "And carrying a child doesn't make me delicate," she admonished. "Just prone to fits of anger if my husband treats me like an invalid." As it was, he had tried to get her to stay in Ferelden, saying that the travel would put undue stress on her. Honestly, men could be such nags.

She turned back to the Champion to ask them to continue their conversation when she suddenly noticed one of the woman's companions. "Now please – Isabela?"

The pirate grinned at her. "It's good to see you too your highness. You're looking…well," she eyed the queen's stomach and Ashlyn laughed.

"Strangely, that's all anyone's been able to say about my looks lately," she replied, and Isabella chuckled. Ashlyn turned to the Champion once more. "Now, please," she repeated. "Do continue your conversation, don't let my presence stop you. Were you speaking of Orlais?"

Hawke gave a firm nod, and though she spoke to both Ashlyn and Alistair, the queen did not hear, having to focus on getting through another wave of pain twisting around her spine. She hid her clenched fist in the folds of her skirts, and did her best to keep her face normal as her muscles involuntarily tightened. A glance at Isabela, however, told her the woman wasn't buying it. Her eyebrows had risen and her gaze shot from the queen's belly to her face in question. Ashlyn nodded but gave her a hard look as well.

"…but maybe that's the ex-templar in me talking," Alistair was saying when Ashlyn tuned back in, the pain having finally receded. Hawke gave a politely amused smile to what ever he had been saying, the conversation coming to a close. However, when the woman opened her mouth to reply, Isabela interrupted.

"Don't mean to stop all the pleasantries, but shouldn't someone be taking care of the woman in labor over there?"

Ashlyn rolled her eyes as Alistair's shocked gaze shot to her belly. "I was hoping to keep it quiet until the meeting is over. It's not like she's going to pop out right now or anything."

Alistair sputtered.

Hawke, however, was much calmer and said "Would you like me to fetch a healer, your majesty? I have a friend who has delivered a number of babes, and has some…experience with Grey Wardens. I don't know if that will make the birth any different, but if so, he might be helpful."

Ashlyn tilted her head, considering for a moment while Alistair's hands fluttered uncertainly around her. "Yes, actually, that would be nice. Thank you, Champion."

The woman nodded and walked off at a quick clip, waving for her companions to follow her. Isabela shot Ashlyn a thumbs up before trotting after her. Ashlyn then turned her attention to Teagan, standing beside Alistair, who still seemed shell-shocked. "I think it would be best if we returned to the inn we're staying at. Nice as the Keep is, I'd rather if my child didn't spend her first few moments being gawked at by nobles."

That spurred the king into action, and he asked Teagan to summon their small number of guards. (He actually snapped at the man, but Teagan understood the sudden pressure his nephew was under, and did not hold it against him.) Once the men had been called forth, Alistair guided Ashlyn out of the Keep with a gentle hand at her back, though his face was clouded with worry. They had been trying for years to have a child, and this pregnancy had been an unexpected – if pleasant – surprise. They had both fretted endlessly over the health of the child, and Ashlyn had almost lost the baby once, surely from the stress.

Ashlyn trailed a hand over her stomach, remembering all the magic that had been used to save the child, mostly from Wynne, who had rushed to her side instantly when she'd fallen in the Great Hall, in pain. She was eternally grateful to the woman.

Her gaze returned to Alistair, and she paused in their walk to cup his cheek.

"Hey," she said, drawing his gaze. "Don't worry so much. Our child is strong." She then grabbed his hand and laid it on her stomach, over their baby. "He will live."

His lips twitched. "A few moments ago it was a girl."

Ashlyn shrugged. "I'm having a baby. I think I'm allowed to be changeable."

He chuckled and pulled her against him, continuing their walk to the inn.

A/N: Reviews are greatly appreciated!