Author's Note: Part II of a three chapter series that coincide with Ch. 31 and Ch. 32, of Blight & Bliss. I will be designating time periods for this chapter, to help with flow. This is set one day before Grace and Alistair's wedding.
One day before wedding, morning:
Duncan was not in a good mood. In spite of Sunshine he still felt panicked at his dream. He worried about failing Grace. Previously he only worried about failing Ferelden, that was a professional concern, failing Grace was personal. He already felt as if he had failed her. He wouldn't trade her for anything. He wouldn't go back and erase his affair with Flemeth for it had given him her. He could not help, however, ease the feeling that he was a failure as a father. He stared out the window feeling impotent. He looked over at Sunshine. And there was the other half of it. The Archdemon seemed unaware of her, he was glad. He had a feeling that somehow it was Grace who brought her to him; even though Grace had admitted she had no prior connection to Sunshine he couldn't help but feel that the two were connected. He watched her shift in bed, looking for him in her sleep. He smiled a little then.
"Mmmm, z'duncango," she said, stirring. He watched in amazement as she suddenly sat up, blinked twice, and looked for him. She stumbled out of bed and he had to reach out and catch her; he pulled her close to him. It took awhile for her to fully wake up and he tried his best to dispel his bad mood. "Duncan," she said when she had cleared the sleep from herself, "tell me about it?"
He hesitated, "I'd rather not."
"I know, that's why it's important to do it." She stood and pulled him to bed, wrapping her arms around him. Moving her hands to his back and shoulders, massaging him. it took him minutes to relax into her, allowing her to ease his physical tension. She waited patiently, quietly, for him.
"The Archdemon spoke to me in my dream last night. He showed me images of Grace, as a broodmother, of him making her one." He shuddered at the remembrance of the Archdemon raping Grace. "I've failed her. Maker, what will I do? What?" There was so much anguish as he saw her marred eyes blaming him.
Sunshine didn't immediately speak. Which was a blessing as he was not in the mood to cry, and he felt on the verge of tears. He hated himself at that moment for all the things that have happened. Sunshine began humming and moving her fingers through his hair, massaging his scalp, he felt her shields lower as she let some of her energy seep into him. He began to relax again as she worked.
"You have never failed Grace. The two of you may have a tumultuous relationship, but that has more to do with your love for each other. Trust me, being a parent is a lot of missteps. It's just that the two of you feel them more acutely because you are both adults as you are actualizing your relationship. Duncan, stop stiffening up." She moved her hands to his chest and held him, her head laying on his back. "The Archdemon won't take her. He is taunting you to weaken you. He is guessing at your insecurities and playing them against you. Don't let him have this power over you."
Duncan gave a bitter laugh, "oh, yes, because he is weak, he has to use these ploys to try to weaken me."
"Exactly," Sunshine said.
"I was joking."
"I wasn't. He isn't that powerful. If he was he wouldn't be afraid of you. He is. You'll get him, love, I know it. Grace will be fine. I'm more worried about unnecessary heroics on your part. Please just weld a sword to Loghain and have him land the killing blow."
Duncan laughed at the image of Loghain awkwardly running about the Archdemon, sword welded to his gauntlet. "Sunshine, I love you."
"I know, now you have to shake off the vestiges of your dark mood because it's the last full day before Grace is to enter wedded bliss. And I, for one, will not have her day ruined. Save the worry for after the fight when ya'll have to figure out how to rebuild this country with its less than wonderful infrastructure." Sunshine pulled him from bed and took her time helping him dress for the day, reminding him of the uses her mouth could get to about halfway down his body.
Having his vestiges shaken off he watched as Sunshine put on a loose skirt and some sort of top that seemed to wrap around her, he noted, first with delight and then with discontent, that her breasts were accentuated. He tried to indicate that he had another one of his tunics waiting for her, she just smiled saying that would be too obvious, two days in a row. He wondered why that should matter, she was his, after all. She just shook her head and the two went down for breakfast.
When they entered it was with chagrin that Duncan noticed that they were the last to arrive. He was glad that she wasn't wearing his tunic and that she had ignored that request. There was already too many knowing eyes, prying into their bed with their imagination. He glowered. Sunshine led him to Grace and Alistair, giving them both a maternal kiss on the cheek, they both grinned up at her. Duncan inserted himself between Grace and Sunshine as some gargoyle protector, face perpetually scowling at the men. Sunshine put her arm around his shoulders, tugging on an earlobe. "Duncan, lover, stop being so serious, you're just giving them what they want. They are enjoying teasing you more than what ever it is you think they are doing."
"Sunshine, stop calling our bluff!" Loren complained. "We haven't been able to have this much fun with Duncan since Danforth was a recruit and he put itching powder in Duncan's boots. And look out how old Danforth is, that's saying something."
"Hey," Danforth said, "It was Michael who made the powder!"
Duncan surprised them all by laughing. "Yes, and I believe that all of you had your breeches filled with itching powder. And since half of you had enjoyed the talents of a certain Adela, you were all convinced that you had gotten something from your time with her."
"That was you?" Gavarth hollered. "I paid Healer Ruskin twenty silvers to keep it quiet, bloody bastard was in on it!" Everyone laughed heartily, enjoying the lighter mood. Duncan enjoyed his breakfast, indeed. When they parted ways, Sunshine promised that she would be back by dinner. Duncan wanted to keep her by his side but deferred to her judgment that she would just distract everyone.
Sunshine headed out, once again, to the Market District. She was determined to find the perfect gifts for Anders and Zevran. Both men were a little shy with her, which she was sure had more to do with Duncan and Grace than with her. Sunshine thought that both men seem to have led highly sexualized lives and was determined to find gifts that did not reflect that. She wished they had opened up more to her, but ruefully decided that she would just have to wing it. And so she found herself in The Wonders of Thedas prowling around for a gift for Anders. She sighed at the books, thinking that none of them seemed very special. Probably all the good ones were hoarded in the Circle anyways. So instead she perused the robes and stopped when her hand hit a feathered pauldron. No way, she thought, as she grabbed the garment and examined it closely. Unbelievable! It was a very close copy to the one he wore in Act III of the second game. Black, buckled and feathered. Oh, and fully enchanted. This was perfect! Hopefully it would make Grace smile too. She frowned as she thought about Justice, better give Grace the heads up on it.
Zevran seemed the hardest to shop for. He was a closed book. She knew he liked jewelry but that seemed inappropriate and may send Duncan the wrong message. She thought about looking for Antivan leather boots, which would probably be okay, but size was an issue. It's not like in the game where every item was interchangeable and anyone from Sten to Ogrhen could wear the same piece of armor. Using the game was probably a bad idea. She was getting grumpy at the lack of an item that screamed, "Zevran," to her.
She found herself near the Chantry and was wondering what it looked like on the inside. She made her way in and felt the oppressive atmosphere of the place. Mother Lucia's influence, she supposed. She looked at the massive, overly ornate statues of Andraste and the Maker. Interesting that idolatry is so accepted here. She mused over all the nooks and crannies, making herself look in awe of the place as she scoped out the layout. She was wary of Lucia and decided that she needed to know this woman. She was wandering back towards the library area and heard two Templars talking.
"I hate it when she feels like she has to be present for the whole thing, I can't perform with her watching."
"It's only on special ones that she wants to watch everything."
"Yeah, but those are the ones I really want."
Creepy, Sunshine thought. And overheard the rest of their conversation which seemed to revolve around techniques in draining mana from mages while raping them. It never ceased to surprise her that people would talk openly about these things. She knew, from experience, that violent sex offenders really liked to talk about it. She imagined that these two were probably arousing themselves right now. She briefly debated following them, but that might make her miss tonight's dinner. She just hoped that there wasn't anyone they were going to hurt. Maybe, she could just...she released a little wild magic causing the two men to embarrass themselves with a lack of control and spilling themselves in front of each other. That should settle them for a little bit. She was curious to note that the Templars couldn't sense her magic, and was thrilled.
She moved away and found Mother Lucia's personal quarters. The study was open to the public during the day and she noted that there were a lot of convenient windows looking out to the Chantry gardens. Nice, an entrance or exit, or both. She went to the most sincere looking Sister in the place and accepted a blessing for safety and good health during these trying times. She donated some money and knelt in prayer. She didn't actually pray, but decided that it was best to go along with the Romans, so to speak, for now. The falseness of her gesture had her missing her own religion but she knew that she didn't know what direction to fact to look towards Jerusalem and felt a little sad. Religion, she had come to realize, was only relevant to one's person and one's land. Her religion could only claim her person while in Thedas.
She left the Chantry and wandered to a more affluent part of Denerim and found some high end shops. She was pretty disheartened until she found herself in front of a liquor store of some variety. Probably more of a wine shop, but she wasn't going to be pedantic about it. She went in, looked around, and at the proprietors suspicious urging to buy or leave, bought his most expensive bottle of Antivan brandy. She wasn't much for brandy herself and hoped that Zevran would actually like it. She would come back and kill the guy if he had misled her about the quality of the brandy. It was hard for her to determine if she was overpaying for things but she didn't really care. If her time here was as short as she was dreading, it wouldn't really matter.
She returned to Wade's Emporium to discuss his ability to work with the ore sample she brought in. He was over the moon about the sample and they discussed what she would need to send to him to complete two sets of armor. They discussed extra trimmings and enhancements she could add from his stock of ores and began to draw up designs for her to preview. She laughed at the absurdity of her having any idea what approve in such archaic armor, but insisted that it be light weight, very protective and easy to move it. She made some basic differences between the two sets in terms of colors and patterns but otherwise decided that they should come on and off in the same way. She suffered him taking her measurements, while he complained that her womanly body made it harder for him. She smiled, hearing the admiration in his voice, not at her body, but at the challenge this request presented. At the end, she gave instructions on where to deliver the armor upon completion along with a letter to go along with it in case she wasn't in attendance when it arrived.
Late Afternoon:
Sunshine, with the help of Fergus, planned a small dinner party for their group. She had brought a host gift for Fergus in a cask of Rainbow Wine from her clan home. She thought it was a nice touch and it would be fun to watch Duncan get giggly. It probably wouldn't happen but hope springs eternal. She had planned the entire evening with musicians, decorations and entertainers. She even carefully wrapped her presents for everyone and used them to label the seating arrangement. She went off to find Anders to help with the last piece.
When everyone arrived they went around to find their seat. She had Alistair and Grace sitting next to each other in the middle. Fergus at the head of the table, which she was informed, with not a little acidity from a maid, was where the highest ranking member sat, even during informal meals. Anders next to Alistair, Zevran next to Grace, herself and Duncan across from Grace and Alistair with her facing Alistair, and Leliana next herself and Aedan next to Duncan, also placing him next to his brother. Danforth and Gavarth sat across from each other at the end opposite Fergus, with Oghren being slightly the odd man out, seated next to Danforth. Why were there so many men, Sunshine thought with exasperation. Emily Post would surely be upset with the lack of balance.
Lite music was played, while dish upon dish of little hors d'oeuvres were served and the Rainbow wine was served. Light conversation took over and everyone was enjoying themselves. "Enough," Sunshine said with impatience, "will ya'll open your presents now?" This caused everyone to laugh. It was determined by everyone else that It would start with Oghren, much to Sunshine's chagrin, and go down and around from him, which placed Gavarth as last. Oghren opened up his present and stared in open admiration and awe. "While I'll be nug's dirty uncle! Sunshine, you sure know your way to Dwarf's dirty heart." Sunshine looked slightly embarrassed but pleased with his reaction.
Danforth looked at his unwrapped gift and looked up, "do I dare open this in front of Duncan, he looks ready to blow." Sunshine turned to Duncan and noticed the strange expression on his face, she winked and squeezed his leg under the table.
"I promise Danforth, there is nothing lurid about your gift." She frowned, "well I'm sure some people would be able to turn it into something lurid, but it isn't inherently lurid." He cautiously unwrapped the present and then cooed like a baby at the kettle and tea. And just like that everyone let out a collective sigh of relief. See, their relief said, no exploding Duncan! Anders tore into his gift with glee as he had received so few before in his life. His hand caressed the feathers and he looked up at Sunshine.
"Thank you, it's beautiful, I can't wait to wear it. Look," Anders said to no one in particular, "it even has added enchantments, and spaces for more runes and..." He trailed off. He looked up at Sunshine, his eyes looking damp, "can I really keep it?"
Sunshine, and not a few others, were shocked. "Honey pie, if I tried to wear that I would look like an oddly proportioned little boy in his daddy's overcoat. Of course it's for you, for always. I think it was designed with you in mind. It will look perfect on you." Anders impulsively jumped up and grabbed Sunshine, kissing her on the cheek, much to everyone's amusement. Even Duncan chuckled at his exuberance. Grace, a little bold from the wine, smiled widely at Sunshine and mouthed, "sexy." Sunshine was pleased and couldn't wait for Grace to be able to enjoy him in it. Duncan, thankfully, didn't see the exchange otherwise Sunshine would be in trouble.
Alistair grinned at his cheese and sampled it right then, declaring that it was perfect, and that if he wasn't in love with Grace he would marry her for her cheese selection. Grace looked at her little package and, with anticipation, opened it up. Lying within was a small box with a small ring, it glowed warmly, and had an intricate dragon carved on it. It was incredibly detailed for being so small. It felt warm to her touch, she looked up, feeling like there was something more meaningful but couldn't think exactly what it was. "Where is she going to wear that, it's tiny," Alistair asked.
"On one of her toes, of course!" Alistair looked intrigued.
Zevran opened up his present and gasped. "I...this...how?" Sunshine was worried.
"Is it no good, the proprietor assured me it was the best? I'm so sorry, Zevran." Sunshine said, feeling about two inches, or seven centimeters, tall.
"No, mama Sunshine, this is the most exquisite brandy in the world. I'm not sure I'm worthy of such a fine gift."
"I'm sure you are worthy of it, in fact you are superlatively worthy of it. I'm just glad it is what the proprietor promised it to be."
Fergus just lifted his glass in a toast to the fine wine and company. Aedan opened his gift, uncorking the cologne and smelling cautiously. "Where did you buy this? This is the cologne that our father would never allow us to wear because it was too dear to share with us. Fergus, look!" He said, while really meaning, 'smell'. Sunshine looked surprised, she didn't realize that her gifts to most of the party would be so evocative. She looked at Leliana, who smiled at her. Duncan was next and she was nervous.
Duncan took his time unwrapping his present causing Sunshine to tap her toes in impatience and dread. He carefully opened the box and gently took out one of the pens. His fingers gently moving along the glass stem. Holding it up to the light, noticing all the colors that were in it. He turned to Sunshine's apprehensive face and kissed her sweetly, "I love them." And he did.
Leliana opened her present and she was pleased with the fine Orlesian perfume and gave Sunshine a hug and a kiss. Gavarth tore into his gift, and exclaimed, "a signed copy of 'Fancy Pants'? Sunshine I love you, if Duncan tosses you aside, your dear old Gavarth will comfort you by reading to you each night before bed."
"Not going to happen, Gavarth, but I'm pleased to know that if something should happen to me she will at least not suffer from insomnia as your reading would set her right to sleep." Duncan said, laughing.
"But where is your present, dear Mama Sunshine," Leliana asked, immediately picking up on Zevran's endearment and turning it into a title. Sunshine looked content.
"Right here," she said, indicating the table, "right here." Everyone toasted to that and enjoyed the fine meal that was being brought to the table. Sunshine thought it was a little strange to have jugglers and acrobats at an adult dinner party, but had deferred to Fergus' butler on that one. Her and Grace shared private smiles across the table at how much the entertainment was enjoyed by their friends. When the final course of the meal was cleared Anders and Sunshine excused themselves and went to the cold cellar.
While they were getting their surprise for Grace together Anders asked her about the presents. She admitted that she wanted them to have a souvenir of her in case something should happen to her. He tried pressing her for details but she insisted that tonight was for joy, not maudlin expressions. He was worried for her, and for Grace and Duncan, but held it in for all of them. With the help of servants they dished up the dessert they made into fancy crystal bowls and covered them individually so that no peeking could occur, and took the two trays out themselves. It was agreed that Anders would serve Grace's side and Sunshine her's.
After everyone was served, and Sunshine and Anders has resumed their seats, Fergus uncovered his dish, took a spoon and ate a mouthful of the confection. Sunshine watched with glee as his face went through a series of expressions, settling on euphoria. "Sunshine, Anders, what is this?"
"I'm not sure. Grace, why don't you try your's? Wait! Close your eyes, Alistair give her a spoonful." Grace complied and her world paused on her moan of delight. She opened her eyes, and dug into her dish, after several bites, she said to her mostly astonished companions: "Ice Cream! Ice Cream! Ice Cream!" Sunshine laughed in pleasure and everyone dug into the frozen treat. Fergus declared that it was the finest dessert he had ever had, and it was a good thing he was going to be King soon as it would otherwise be treasonous to eat such a fine dish without the express consent of the monarch. Anders was pleased with his part as he avidly explained how he kept the butter churn at a constant cold temperature while Sunshine spun the ingredients around.
The night ended with dancing, and everyone danced with everyone else. The wine causing such a high that Duncan swirled around with Oghren and gave him a kiss on the cheek. It was a pleasure. Sunshine was very pleased with herself and knew that she would keep these memories to her, forever. This would sustain her when she looked back on it. When she went to other worlds and caught a whiff of perfume, the plume of a feather, a naughty figurine, a lover smiling at someone they loved. She would at least have this.
While returning to their quarters Leliana told Sunshine that she couldn't participate in her further plans for the evening as Aedan was determined to have some private time with her. Sunshine understood and kissed her farewell, hoping that Aedan would take her advice. Sunshine grabbed a dismayed looking Alistair and Duncan with instructions to go to a tavern or something, just no brothels, and talk about marriage. Both men were confused by this, but Sunshine insisted that it was traditional and to 'beat it'. The men were a little drunk already and went along with it. She grabbed a slightly tipsy Grace and drug her into her bedroom. She had everything she needed already laid out, including more ice cream.
"Sunshine, I love you," Grace said effusively, helping herself to more ice cream. "You know," she continued thoughtfully, "when all this blight bullshit is done we could go into business creating ice cream. We'd be filthy rich. We'd lie atop mountains of sovereigns every night instead of mattresses. It would be lovely."
"Oh yeah, I can see the look on Duncan and Alistair's face right now," Sunshine said lighting two cigarettes at once and handing one to Grace. "So sorry lovers, you want to go off and wallop Darkspawn in the deep roads, we're just gonna use our awesome powers to take over the world with the riches we make in the ice cream business." After some giggling at the image, Sunshine went and made them martinis. After handing Grace one, she downed hers and then made another. "Okay Grace, this is where we get into naughty clothes, I give you more naughty clothes to wear for Alistair on your wedding night and I tell you all about the birds and the bees, ready?" Grace laughed and went over to the outfit that Sunshine had picked out. Sunshine was already stripping and putting on her barely there red number and impatiently handed some sort of black lace contraption for Grace.
"You can't be serious," Grace said. "How do I even get this on?" She turned the garment around in her hands, trying to figure out which end was 'up' and which side was 'front'. Sunshine laughed.
"Well first you have to take off your clothes, missy. And then I'll help you get in it, Alistair is gonna flip when he sees this. So will Anders and Zev, hmm, we better make sure that Duncan doesn't see it. He'd be mad at me and deny me sex."
"You heard! How?"
"About Duncan denying me sex," Sunshine, a little fuzzy, asked. "Well he never directly threatened but he has a temper on him -"
"No about the...other thing," Grace said.
"Oh! That. Duncan told me."
"What!" Grace wanted to die.
"Yeah, he was upset, but, eh, they're great guys. I think it's sweet." Sunshine went on, oblivious, making more drinks for them.
"You do," Grace asked uncertainly. "You don't think it's perverse?"
"Grace, sweetie, shagging animals and children is perverse. What you did was make love to three men in the same encounter. I call that fun."
Grace thought about this, "you mean that?"
"Of course. I'm passed that point in my life. Not that I think you should give it up if it pleases you and them, and everyone is happy. I'm just saying that I don't think there is anyone for me but your father." She looked up at Grace and noticed her disbelief. "Grace, I've had multiple partners at the same time before. I've worn leather and collars, I've had sex with both men and women. I have never regretted those encounters. I know that you and the three of them genuinely care about each other which makes it even less worthy of regret than my encounters." Sunshine handed Grace a new martini which she gulped down carelessly. She wasn't a hundred percent sure that Sunshine was telling the truth but the alcohol was helping her believe her for now. Another thought occurred to Grace.
"Does Duncan know about it?"
"Well, yeah, I told you that he told me -"
"Oh, stop, you infuriating woman! About your past, and those...other encounters you've had."
"No, it hasn't come up, although I did assure him that I wouldn't invite Danforth and Gavarth into bed with us." This caused peals of laughter to ring out from both women as they were drunk enough to visualize a forlorn looking Duncan in bed with the two other men. "Seriously, I haven't questioned him about his past lovers and he hasn't probed me about mine. I doubt it's that big of a deal...I hope. I also don't want to hear about his past lovers, so I won't bring it up lest he feel like he has to share every sordid detail."
"Why," Grace asked, genuinely curious. Sunshine was a really open woman, it struck her as strange that she wouldn't want to talk about it with Duncan.
Sunshine scowled, and looked at her empty glass. One more, she thought, nothing bad can come of it, right? After downing another drink she finally said, "Flemeth."
"Well she doesn't look as bad as she does in the game, and she was younger then. I'm sure it wouldn't be so awful to picture."
With a grimace Sunshine said, "not the point, sweetie. She could look like the hottest woman I've ever seen and I still wouldn't want to know."
"Why?"
"Fuck, you're so persistent!" Sunshine stamped her foot. Grace remembered that she was still holding something she was supposed to be trying to get into...was it a dress, a piece of lingerie? Whatever, it was a struggle. Sunshine came and helped her into it, once fitted properly she spun Grace around in the mirror. Rhinestones glinting off of various lace strappy bits that did little to conceal her breasts, thankfully the skirt was more modest, in that unless she was bent over she wouldn't being showing the world her charms.
"Okay, so why?"
"Grrr, okay, I hate the idea of Flemeth and Duncan because..."
"Because...," Grace prodded.
"She has you," Sunshine finished lamely.
"I don't understand, what do you mean?"
"Her name was Channa." Sunshine lit up another cigarette and just grabbed the bottle of vodka she had, handing Grace the bottle of gin. Grace didn't even realize until then that she had made them separate types of martinis, but this is Sunshine, of course she did. It amused her that Sunshine assumed that she would prefer gin being from the UK. She watched Sunshine knock back a fair amount with a grimace on her face. "It means Grace."
"What?"
"My baby girl. I named her 'Grace', only in Hebrew."
"Oh, are you, whatchamacallit, Jewish?"
"Yeah."
"So you don't want to think about Flemeth and Duncan because you named your daughter 'Channa'?" This was confusing Grace.
"God! I don't want to think about Flemeth and Duncan because she's your mom."
"What does that matter?"
"I want you to be mine and Duncan's."
Grace took a swig of gin, Sunshine was confusing when she was drunk. "You want me to be your and Duncan's daughter?"
"Yeah."
"Oh. Why?"
"Because...because you're...I don't know. Your mine, Duncan's mine. I don't want that cunt...bah, Flemeth, to have any claim on you. I want to hold you in my arms like you're my baby girl. I want to have raised you with Duncan. I want to know that I created you, with him."
After awhile of morose drinking Grace said, "but he didn't raise me."
"Yeah. God, I'm eloquent."
Grace ignored Sunshine. "Instead of Duncan and you, do you know what I got? Some asshole who beat the shit out of me whenever I wasn't perfect, or Lily wasn't perfect. Hell sometimes he would just beat the piss out of us all. And you know what? Neither my mum, nor Flemeth, ever did anything. She was so weak. Fuck, I was so weak. Total wastes of space.
I spent half my life in fear for myself and the other half in fear for my baby sister. He made us live in some isolated squat of a house in the Highlands. The only good part was that the scenery there was nice, when I could fucking see it. After awhile I got so tired of living in fear. I got so tired of defending people who would never defend me. So I ran. All the way off to glorious Newcastle. And that's because I couldn't bear to run further. I don't know why I stayed so close, I thought maybe, maybe Lily would come to me. Do you know what happened instead? He packed everyone up in the car and rammed it, at full speed, into a wall! All because of me, because his precious little Grace was being so defiant.
Look at me! It's all my magic that makes me worthwhile in this world. And even that's a punishment. Oh, yeah, the other great, loving 'mother' in my life, Mother Lucia. She just loves my magic. Can't get enough of the fucking stuff. She likes it so much she drains me, has these two sick Templars take their time with me. Because without my magic I'm just a whore. I lost my mind when they had me. I didn't make enough noise for one and too much for the other. I hate me. I hate that I'm not enough for my parents, or too much, like with Duncan. I can't get it right. I'm just one perverse magic meal ticket who likes to watch her lover get fucked by another man."
Grace slumped down, tears streaming down her face. She couldn't bring herself to look at Sunshine, afraid to see the pity there. She almost pulled away from Sunshine when she felt herself being pulled into her arms; Sunshine was stronger. "Grace, look at me." Grace shook her head. "No, look at me baby girl, please." Grace hesitantly looked up at Sunshine, noticing Sunshine's tears. "This is why I want you. No one would ever do that to my little girl. It wasn't your fault. None of it. You've lived to tell your story. You lived. That piece of shit who raised you, and said he was your dad, never broke you. Those Templar fucks and Mother Lucia, who are going to be dead soon, oh I assure you they will, couldn't break you. Not now, not ever. No, they didn't. If they had succeeded you would've offed yourself or worse. And it's not because I'm here, or Duncan is here, or Alistair. It's because you're stronger than you know. Your magic is not a curse, you are not a curse. I don't know why Flemeth put you there, but I do know that her reasons were fucked. There is no excuse. And believe none that she offers. I don't know how accurate Bioware got everything but I think we can both agree that the machinations of Flemeth are pretty accurate. And sweetie, don't regret your love, ever. It's what separates us from the real monsters, everywhere."
"Right, I'm so great. What a bargain. Maybe you can pick me up from the clearance bin because I'm so fucking worthwhile. Neither of my mothers cared a snap about me. What ever I am, it's not fuckin' enough. If they can't love me, how can you? How can Duncan? Does Alistair? Oh, I'm a miserable wreck. Toss me back in the bin, they'll throw me out with the rubbish."
"Fuck that," Sunshine growled. "Listen to me, I know we're both three sheets to the wind, but just listen. If Duncan didn't love you he wouldn't give two licks about you and would dangle you from a fishing pole to get the Archdemon. He has nightmares at night thinking his failed you. Grace, Grace, Grace. Please believe me. I am born for love, but that does not mean I do so recklessly. My love for you is so genuine. I hurt inside thinking that you're not ours. I get angry at the thought that I have to share you with Flemeth. It's totally, fucking, irrational. Please...just please, believe me."
"You swear a lot when you're drunk," Grace paused, and thought, "I swear a lot when you're drunk too." Another pause, followed by more drinking. "So, you want me to be your daughter because you love my dad?" Grace finally said.
"No, I want you to be my daughter because I love you. Even if you weren't Duncan's daughter, I would want you. Knowing that you are Duncan's daughter just makes it more painful that you aren't."
"Ha, such a great time he's had with me. Nothing but trouble." Duncan was forlornly wandering the hall near his room, trying to figure out what he was really supposed to have done with Alistair. Surely the girls were done by now, right? He was close enough that he heard the last part. He wanted to break down the door, or at least open it, and grab Grace in his arms and never let her go.
"Of course you are, you're a daughter." Sunshine said, lightening the mood. "I would worry more if he was at ease with everything, and I probably wouldn't love him. You're my beautiful, talented, fabulous, trouble-making girl. I wouldn't have it any other way. And Duncan's just grouchy about the men in your life, because they are men. In your life. That's what dads do." Duncan smiled, he didn't want to ever let her go either.
Grace smiled, and giggled a little at the exasperated look her father often wore. "Hey, you're trouble too Sunshine!" Yes, yes she was, Duncan thought.
"Of course, I'm a girl too. That's what the best of us do. In the words of Mae West, 'when I'm good, I'm very good. But when I'm bad, I'm better.' Come on, let's paint our toenails and see how that cute little toering fits." Ah, of course that's how she'd put it. Wait, was she encouraging his daughter to be better at bad? He was still a little drunk himself.
They contented themselves for a while painting their toenails, gossiping and talking about marriage. "The best thing to do to improve your sex life," Sunshine noted, unaware that Duncan was joined by Alistair and were just outside the door, listening in, "is to masturbate."
"What? Are you serious?"
"As a heart attack. It makes the orgasms way better, and multiples more frequent. Huh, shame they don't have vibrators here. Hey! That could be our side business, ensuring that all the women on Thedas have a vibrator!" She is not talking to my daughter about this. She is not talking to my daughter about this. She is not...
"Yay! Sexual Women of Thedas Unite!" Grace shouted. Duncan began to bang his head against the wall near the door, Alistair just looked flumoxed, were they really talking about maturbation? "Oooh, and we could give classes on the Female Orgasm, ensuring every man knows how to please his woman!"
"And we could get that sculptor to make realistic parts to demonstrate where the clitoris is. Haha, this is going to be fantastic. What do you think the boys would say?" They both laughed The boys thought they would tie up their women and ensure that they couldn't say the word 'clitoris' and 'orgasm' in front of strange men. "Oooh, oooh, oooh! You know what, we need to do? Go find Leliana! Come on, here put these on, ooh sexy!" Sunshine looked at the shoes she handed Grace. "Woo Hoo, okay let's go." She walked up to the door, and tried opening it. "Huh, it's locked from the outside."
"How's dat?" Grace slurred. Duncan smiled grimly with Alistair, on the other side, pocketing the key.
"Don't know, well nothing to it, this way." The boys heard them giggling and making weird grunting noises and wondered what, in the Maker's name, they were doing. It wasn't until everything got dead quiet that they looked at the door, then at each other. Duncan carefully opened the door. The first thing he noticed was that the room was a smoke filled war zone of empty glasses, bottles and clothes everywhere.
Alistair frowned, "are they naked? Look, this was the gown Grace was wearing, and the one Sunshine had on." Duncan was looking in the wardrobe, under the bed, feeling frustrated. Why did he let Sunshine talk him into this? "Uh, Duncan? You don't think they went out the window, do you?"
Duncan looked up at the open window and ran with Alistair towards it, just in time to hear:
I am the very model of a modern Major-General,
I've information vegetable, animal, and mineral,
I know the kings of England, and I quote the fights historical
From Marathon to Waterloo, in order categorical;
I'm very well acquainted, too, with matters mathematical,
I understand equations, both the simple and quadratical,
About binomial theorem I'm teeming with a lot o' news –
With many cheerful facts about the square of the hypotenuse.
Sunshine and Grace were singing and dancing in the courtyard. Duncan almost had a heart attack, how did they get down? What was that song? What were they wearing? He and Alistair rushed out the door on a shared look and hurried down to the courtyard. They stopped dead when they got a better view of the women, still singing:
I'm very good at integral and differential calculus;
I know the scientific names of beings animalculous:
In short, in matters vegetable, animal, and mineral,
I am the very model of a modern Major-General.
The girls were about to continue, Duncan and Alistair were about to grab them when all of the sudden a cheering mob of Wardens began filling the courtyard. Grace and Sunshine got all bouncy, "What's the party for?"
"Aedan and Leliana just got engaged!" Danforth shot out. The newly engaged couple were being held aloft by the jolly group.
"Yay! We're all getting married!" Grace joined in the celebration. Duncan and Alistair were frozen. Sunshine and Grace began doing a happy dance, that looked obscene, to their lovers' eyes, in their outfits.
"Holy Maker! Everyone look away, don't look at them!" Someone that sounded suspiciously like Loren shouted. Grace and Sunshine looked at each other, confused.
"Wow, do we look that bad?"
"No," Loren groaned, "I want to live through tonight and so I can't look at you."
"Oh, wow, thanks Loren. What a way to make a woman feel all special and beautiful. Don't hurt yourself with all those compliments."
"Sunshine, please, I'm going to pretend that I haven't just seen you and Grace nearly naked. I like living."
"Nearly naked? Oh...fuck! Grace, Grace we forgot to put a robe on! Shit, I am so not getting laid tonight!"
"Enough, arghh, everyone come in before Duncan...crap. Evening, Commander. I see nothing unusual about the night. Oh, did you hear? Aedan proposed to Leliana and she accepted, wonderful bit of news, huh?" Loren looked hopeful.
"Indeed," came Duncan's stoic reply. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'll give my congratulations another time." He turned to Sunshine and Grace, oh Maker, they were drunk.
"I really have to pee," Grace said, hopping around.
"God, so do I. Norwegian Pee Dance!" They began an odd little dance and wandering in the completely wrong direction. The women were completely out of their heads, they had to be. Duncan sighed, trouble indeed. He exchanged an uneasy glance with Alistair, who looked bewildered.
"Just grab Grace and go, I'll get Sunshine." If I can, he thought darkly; picturing all the ways he was going to scold her. Wait! What happened to them, how could they get away so fast? They were drunk, surely they couldn't invoke any sort of pace. He had a bad feeling and heard an 'oofing' sound. He finally found them trying to scale the wall back to the room. Oh, dear Maker. Duncan and Alistair easily grabbed their wayward drunken charges and hoisted them back to their room amongst many giggles.
"Duncan let me down, I really have to go"
"You are not going anywhere!"
"I mean I have to 'go', like pee. Fuck, I hate chamber pots, they suck." Duncan set her down quickly and watched her do a strange waddle-run to the chamber pot. Sunshine moaned in relief, causing Duncan to shake his head, exasperated. When she finished and managed, amazingly given her state, to fastidiously clean herself off, as is her habit after using the pot, Duncan hauled her to bed.
Sunshine, we need to talk...No, that always ended poorly. Sunshine, what were you thinking! No, she might actually tell me. Sunshine, I expected more...No, that would be the worst. Sunshine, please never worry me like that, and never, ever, put something like that on my daughter or yourself and then crawl out the window. No, he wanted to emphasize that his daughter, under no circumstances, was to ever wear something like that again. And neither was Sunshine, well unless he was the only one who could see it. Yes, he should -
"Duncan, stop thinking so hard, you're givin' me a haddock. Yell at me in the morning, just hold me, give me a kiss and tell me that you love your trouble making Sunshine." He sighed, but complied, conceding that any guarantees made when she was this drunk would probably be void in the morning and they'd have to fight again. He evilly hoped she had a hangover to end all hangovers tomorrow. She didn't.