A/N: Sorry I've been gone so long guys. My dad was in the hospital, and then I had tons of school work and there has been personal drama like nobody's business…But I'm back, and I'll be uploading twice a week again. Just so everyone is on track, this is set many years after Ashlyn and Alistair's wedding. :) I hope you enjoy!

Ashlyn wandered the halls of the palace restlessly, full of energy that she had no way to release at the moment. She and Alistair had received word from Wynne a week ago that she was coming to Denerim, and she was supposed to arrive today. Ashlyn had thought of her as almost a second mother during the Blight, and though she'd returned to the Circle, they wrote one another frequently, and were still quite close. The mage had visited a few times since the Blight had ended, but it had been a while since the last time, and Ashlyn quite missed her. She missed all of the friends she had made during the Blight.

Six years…she thought to herself. It sounded like such a long time ago, but the memories were still as fresh in her mind as if they had happened only yesterday. It was strange that she almost missed those times. It had been so sad at the end to have to watch all the people she'd come to love go,ef and live their own lives…but understandably necessary.

It wasn't as if she never saw them. Leliana kept in touch when she could, but as she was now the left hand of the Divine, there were times when she had to remain unseen, even by the Queen of Ferelden. Perhaps especially by the Queen of Ferelden.

Zevran was still technically the leader of their spy network, though he wasn't always around. The crows still hunted him at times, almost seeming to only chase him once in a while to remind him that he was a traitor. He fended off those who they sent and then they would forget about him for another few months, sometimes a year.

Oghren and Felsi were happily married – well, as happy as someone married to Ogrhen could be. They'd had a bump in the road back when he'd become a Grey Warden, but Ashlyn had helped him smooth things over, and she was fairly certain they had three children now. He wasn't as fond of writing letters as the others. In fact, he would randomly just show up at the palace when it pleased him to visit, and the staff would roll their eyes and tolerate he and his family for the next week or so. Begrudgingly.

Ashlyn had been certain she would never hear from Sten again, but he surprisingly did write once in a great while, only seeming to care to do so if there was actual news to report. She felt a little bit like a captain receiving word from one of her soldiers, rather than a friend, but she was glad for the effort anyway.

Shale had eventually decided to stay at the tower with Wynne, still searching for a way to regain her mortality, but now researching through the old tomes there and having research delivered to her when possible. She tended to visit with Wynne, and scoffed at the number of pigeons that Ashlyn had done nothing to stop from roosting among the battlements. The chirping always disappeared for a few weeks after they had come by.

Morrigan…Ashlyn sighed. She had found the witch years ago, just before her wedding in fact, but had not seen her since. She'd gone through the Eluvian, to a place she could not follow, even if she had wanted to. She missed her most of all. She'd had such a different way of looking at the world than anyone she'd ever met, and it had been sort of refreshing to meet someone who was so blunt with their opinions. She didn't speak in riddles, told you plainly what she wanted and how she intended to get it. Ashlyn couldn't deny that a part of her still felt betrayed due to the ritual Morrigan had failed to tell her about, but in the end she was glad she had gone through with it. Even if it hurt to think of.

Ashlyn thought to the pouch she had hidden in a drawer in she and Alistair's quarters. A final gift from Morrigan. She wondered if she would ever be able to use it. A thought that had crossed her mind many times over the years.

"Your majesty!"

The Queen turned to see a messenger trotting after her, looking a bit breathless. He'd probably been trying to catch up to her restless pace; Ashlyn winced at the thought.

"Yes?" she asked, excited. "Is she here?"

"Yes, your highness, she arrived moments ago."

Ashlyn breathed a sigh of relief. "See that Alistair is told, we'll be waiting for him in the – where did you leave her?"

"She's in the library messere, I'll inform him to meet you there."

"Thank you,"Ashlyn said quickly, and immediately set off for the library.

She was only halfway down the hallway however, when a sudden bout of dizziness had her pressing her arm against the wall to keep her balance. She looked back to make sure the messenger had turned the corner, not wanting to needlessly worry anyone. She'd been having such spells for a few days now, and though they were surprising, they were nothing she couldn't handle. She was fairly certain it was just because her appetite had been a bit odd lately. A frown crossed her face. She could admit it sounded like she was coming down with something, but at the very least she didn't want to tell Alistair. He worried endlessly, especially when she was ill, and she didn't want to cause him undue stress. Wynne was a healer however, and Ashlyn was sure she wouldn't mind if she asked her about it.

The dizziness having faded now, she stood back straight and rushed off to meet her guest.

Many minutes later, after cursing her own home and wondering why castles had to be so big anyway, Ashlyn paused in front of the door and smoothed down her curls, trying to look as though she hadn't just rushed down here in a flurry. She quickly asked for a passing servant to see that they were brought tea before entering.

Wynne looked up from a book she had been leafing through, standing in front of one of the nearer bookcases. She smiled upon seeing the Queen and immediately returned the book to its spot. Ashlyn stepped forward and gave the woman a warm hug.

"It's so good to see you Wynne, it's been far too long."

"I apologize for not visiting sooner," the mage said as she pulled away. "There were some unforeseen circumstances that I had to see to."

"What do you mean?" Ashlyn asked curiously, leading the woman to a table set up near a large window, plush armchairs sitting around it.

"Circumstances that mean it will be quite difficult to crush your pigeon infestation from now on."

Ashlyn jumped at the voice which was coming from somewhere near the height of her hips, and looked down to see a female dwarf staring at her, arms crossed and frown painted on her face. She seemed annoyed to only just have been noticed.

The queen took a moment to connect the voice to the dwarf, and another moment to take in the meaning of the words before squawking "Shale?!"

"Obviously," the dwarf said with a sniff. She had coppery short hair pulled into a tight knot at the back of her neck, and freckles dotted her face and neck. Ashlyn wasn't sure what she'd assumed Shale would look like as a mortal, but this was not it.

"I – you – how?" she sputtered.

"Sit down," Wynne chuckled, gesturing to a chair across from the one she had sat in. "It's a long story." She then glanced to the dwarven woman. "You too, Shale, the chairs are quite comfortable."

"I have no need of comfortable chairs."*

"Shale, you're no longer made of stone. Your feet will tire."

Heaving a great sigh, the woman obligingly seated herself, though she looked very much like a petulant child doing so. The effect was only heightened by the fact that her feet did not touch the ground.

Quenching the urge to laugh, Ashlyn sat back as Wynne told her of how they'd been looking through what was known of ancient elven rituals, combined with how golems were created, and even looking in to the details of how blood magic worked, though Wynne quickly assured her none had been used. At some point the tea Ashlyn had asked for was brought, though she hardly noticed. She kept glancing to Shale looking for similarities to the golem she had known, and was surprised – though she knew she shouldn't have been – to find many. She sat as unnaturally still as she had stood as a golem, likely a habit now. She still seemed fascinated by jewels, and though Ashlyn only wore a few, she did comment on them. She even winced when birds flew by the window, and Ashlyn had to continually keep from laughing.

Wynne had just finished telling the tale when Alistair finally strode into the room. "I'm sorry I took so long, you wouldn't believe the amount of paperwork I have to -" he paused as he saw the dwarven woman sitting with his wife and Wynne. "Who is this?" he asked, absentmindedly kissing his wife's cheek as she rose to greet him.

Shale eyed Alistiar up and down and looked mildly intimidated. "You're much taller than I remember."

Wynne chuckled. "She's still a bit worried about being squished."

"For good reason," Shale grumbled. "Of all species I could have been it had to be a dwarf."

Alistiar was glancing between the three of them, a thoroughly puzzled expression on his face. "Who…?"

Smiling herself now, Ashlyn gestured to the dwarven woman. "Darling, you do remember Shale, don't you?"

There was a long moment of silence that was finally broken by Alistair.

"What?!"

One repeat of a very long story later, the four of them were sitting around the table waiting on a fresh pot of tea.

"I still can't believe it," Alistair said, leaning back in his chair.

Shale snorted. "Fat lot of good your eyes are then."

"It is truly astounding, Shale, even you must admit that," Wynne interjected.

Ashlyn was not listening to the conversation as she had been struck by another bout of dizziness. Glad to be sitting down she gripped the arm of the chair, trying not to sway. She'd been wondering during Wynne's retelling of the story how she was supposed to ask the woman to check her over with Alistair now here. She'd been too caught up in the surprise of Shale's miraculous change to remember.

"I do think that – Ashlyn? Are you alright?" Wynne was saying, having glanced to her.

Grimacing that she now had all eyes on her, she tried to make her voice sound normal. "I'm…fine. Just fine."

Concerned, Alistair leaned over and touched her shoulder in a comforting manner. "You do look awfully pale dear. Have you eaten?"

"Ah…well, yes…" she neglected to tell him she'd been sick that morning.

"Why don't you let me take a look at you," Wynne said, rising from her chair.

Ashlyn glanced to Alistair whose worry was now in full swing and showing clearly on his face. She sighed, knowing there was no way out of it now. "I suppose," she replied resignedly.

"Come, let's go to your quarters. I hope you don't mind spending some time with Alistair, Shale?" Wynne said as Ashlyn stood.

"If I must," the dwarf replied. Alistair looked a little uncomfortable at the prospect but did not protest.

"Come along, child," Wynne continued, ushering the queen out of the room.

"Now," Wynne was saying when they were in the corridors and safely out of earshot. "How long has this been going on?" At Ashlyn's surprised glance, Wynne laughed softly. "I know you quite well by now, my dear. How long?"

Ashlyn sighed. "A few days."

"I see. What exactly has been happening?"

She told the mage of the dizziness, the strange changes in appetite, and with a grimace, her sickness from that morning.

Wynne was nodding when they finally made it to Ashlyn and Alistair's sitting room. "I am sorry you haven't been feeling well. However, you should have seen a healer before now."

Ashlyn shrugged, looking away. This felt distinctly similar to being chastised by her mother. "I didn't want to worry Alistair. It didn't seem like such a problem at first."

Wynne tutted at her, but let it go, ushering her to a chair. "Relax, and let me check you over."

Ashlyn obligingly sat down and watched as the mage's hands glowed blue, and began hovering around her. She checked her head first, but moved on quickly, apparently finding nothing. The queen was somewhat surprised when Wynne's hand moved on to her stomach immediately, but said nothing. After a couple minutes of the woman muttering and "hmming" to herself, Wynne pulled away, the magic fading from her hands.

"Well?" Ashlyn asked, trying not to fidget under the woman's gaze.

"Tell me, when was your last menses?"

Ashlyn blushed delicately and tucked a stray curl behind her ear. "Well, to be honest, after becoming a Grey Warden it's been sort of…sporadic." Wynne nodded, understanding. "I suppose it has been a little while though. Why?"

Wynne smiled. "Because I believe you're pregnant."

*Teehee. Couldn't help putting in a Doctor Who reference. :D

A/N: Holy monster of a chapter, Batman!

And of course there's gonna be more! Next chapter will be the continuation of this and after that it's surprises. :) Again, I'm very sorry about the long wait, but I hope you enjoy this. The next one will have more fluff, promise.

I purposely left the bit about how Shale regained her mortality vague. I doubt we'll ever see her again, but on the off chance we do, I know I could never do what ever does give her back her mortality justice.

By the way, I know it's probably not gonna happen – not that I wouldn't be elated if it did! – but if I get 50 reviews on this I will either:

Write a one-shot for the 50th reviewer (so long as it's DA related)

Write a smutty oneshot of Ashlyn and Alistair *waggles eyebrows*

You guys tell me what you would prefer! :D I love each and every one you to little bits!

Happy reading! :)