Summary: Even in domestic bliss, there remain battles to fight. Phaedra/Fenris family fluff, post-Kirkwall.

Disclaimer: In no way, shape, or form do any of the recognizably canon characters or places belong to Yours Truly.

Queen's Quornor: I wanted to do something with older versions of Phaedra and Fenris' children, and since I just posted a chapter with Malcolm, I figured it was time to let Rai'eena have a turn in the spotlight.

Puppy Love

The wooden dummy flew from its stand, and the young swordswoman stalked to another target, already swinging her practice blade for the new dummy's neck. It connected hard enough to shake the straw-filled analog completely free, and Rai'eena had to pause and resettle it before continuing her training session.

Phaedra shook her head, feeling a wave of sympathy for her younger daughter. The poor girl never took rejection well, but at least this time she had saved her wrath for the dummies rather than explode at the subject of her affections.

"Would you care to tell me why our daughter is tearing apart all those dummies she made?" Fenris came to the window beside her and met her gaze before returning his jade eyes to the clearing beyond their bathing pool.

"She had a rough night. You know that hunter the girls have both been visiting, Talian?" At his nod, she continued. "He finally decided which of our daughters he preferred. Leda has been singing all morning."

"While Rai'eena is raging." Fenris sighed and pushed his fingers through his snowy hair. "Is there more to this, or did she merely see him with Leda last night?"

"Talian has always made it clear that he favors our eldest, and Rai'eena is merely a friend. But she dreamed of swooping in and stealing him for herself. You know what she's like when she doesn't get something she really wants."

"That's not what I meant," Fenris muttered, playing with a loose thread on his shirt.

Phaedra studies her husband, noting the fidgeting and the way his gaze now refused to meet hers. "I assure you, our daughters are still maidens. Talian has yet to lay a hand on either of them in that manner."

"How do you know?" he asked, peeking at her through his long bangs. In the clearing, Rai'eena bull-rushed an unfortunate dummy and smashed its blank face with the pommel of her wooden sword.

"Because they both enjoy telling me everything where he is concerned, and Rai'eena was particularly vocal in her disappointment with his refusal to do anything more than embrace her. As for Leda, the most he has done is kiss her. We don't have to worry about any grandchildren just yet."

Her husband visibly relaxed. "That's good."

The mage smiled and went to him, snaking an arm about his thin waist and leaning against him. "Did you ever think having daughters would be this stressful, love?"

"I knew Rai'eena was going to be a handful when she got older. But I didn't think it would be this bad." He wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close. "Come to think of it, doesn't she have her own admirer?"

Phaedra nodded. "His name is Nalamir, and he's from the same clan as Talian."

"They're not related, are they?

"Not to my knowledge." She smiled, considering the two Dalish sniffing around their daughters. Talian was dark of hair and light of eyes, as well as exceedingly tall for an elf. He had a good foot on Fenris, who himself was taller than the average. The hunter was more than proficient at his craft, an excellent stalker and very skilled with his bow. As lean as any Dalish, he moved with an unconscious, lazy grace that stirred thoughts of great cats on the hunt. But from what Leda had described, those thin limbs held a surprising degree of power. He could pull the largest bow Phaedra had ever seen, and that alone spoke of enormous strength. Talian was very polite and kind, though her daughters' reports contained mention of hidden passion for his craft. The mage knew he was an untamed soul, in spite of his manners; she recognized in the hunter the same sort of wilderness that once ruled Fenris. Was it any wonder their daughters had been so taken with the blue-eyed Dalish?

Nalamir, the male who had come calling on Rai'eena a few times, was not quite so striking in his looks as his clan-mate. His long hair was a dark brown, and his eyes the standard deep green of his people. Average in height and build, there was little that seemed to stand out about him in comparison to the rest of the clan. But unlike Talian, Nalamir's tattoos were his most outstanding physical quality. The Keeper of their clan had encircled his eyes and filled the outlines with dark ink, then inscribed trailing vines along his cheeks and forehead, following the contours of his face. His forest-colored eyes gazed out from twin pools of darkness, drawing the sight of others directly to their depths. Within those eyes, Phaedra had witnessed a keen intellect at work, one even sharper than most mages she had known. Nalamir was a craftsman, not a hunter, but he could shape ironwood to a degree that even Master Ilen, the crafter from Merrill's old clan, could not attain. He was quieter than any elf she had met, but when he spoke it was rarely without reason. The craftsman also had a mischeivious quality that she found charming, and would sometimes make observations calculated to startle a laugh from her. Nalamir didn't always visit just to call on Rai'eena; he had managed to foster a friendship with Malcolm and their mother, and sometimes he would come by just to chat for a few hours.

Fenris had not been introduced to Nalamir yet. The craftsman would usually visit in the morning, after the older male had departed for the forest. By the time her husband returned, he had already gone back to his aravel for the night.

"I think that you will like Nalamir, Fenris," she told him. "He has a number of qualities that would balance out Rai'eena's, and he does seem to like her. I enjoy his company when he comes to visit Malcolm."

Her husband grunted. "I don't mind Talian. He's always treated our daughters well, and while I feel sorry for Rai'eena, I expected this would happen sooner or later. Leda seems a better match for him, personality-wise."

"I agree. But Rai'eena doesn't see it that way." She smiled up at him, knowing that her light green eyes were glittering. "He reminds me of you, and you know how she has always idolized her father. Finding a male who carries similar personality traits must have seemed Maker-sent to her."

Fenris laughed, watching their secondborn stomp a fallen dummy into the dirt. "I hope she took note of the fact that I preferred a woman who could calm my primal side, even when offered a choice between one such woman and another who oozed sex appeal to every man within the city. Men such as myself often seek females who can compliment us in all aspects of life, not just behind closed doors."

"I don't think it ever occurred to her that she should take us as an example. After all, we're her parents. We are not as worthy of observation as other couples would be, and Rai'eena is stubborn enough to try and force something that simply isn't meant to be." The mage shook her head, feeling Fenris' arm tighten around her. "I suppose we should consider it a blessing that she never got to know Isabela. Maker only knows what she might have picked up if she had."

"I shudder to think upon such things." The couple watched Rai'eena's sword go flying as she threw it as hard as she could, and then begin stalking back in the direction of the house. "It appears we are about to perform some damage control."

"Lucky us." She slipped out of Fenris' grasp and lightly stepped across the kitchen, pretending to check the birds she had left roasting on the spit. Rai'eena stormed in a minute later and flung herself down on a chair at the table, scowling at nothing in particular.

"I hate men," she growled.

"You seem to be in a bad mood," Fenris observed dryly from his spot by the window.

Rai'eena muttered something under her breath and smacked her hand on the table. "Father, why do they do it? Why are they always interested in Leda, and never me?"

"Surely Leda isn't the only woman they find appealing. If she was, we would have been neck-deep in Dalish by now," Phaedra pointed out.

"They always like girls like her!" The young woman crossed her ankles and leaned forward, laying her forehead upon her folded hands. "What am I doing wrong, Mother? What is it?"

The two adults exchanged glances and Phaedra went to sit beside their younger daughter, unable to see her face for the spill of deep scarlet hair that trailed across the tabletop. "You're not doing anything wrong, love. You just have qualities that not every man can appreciate, that's all."

"Don't you dare tell me that I need to wait for the right man to come along, Mother. I don't want to sit here until I'm some old hag before I finally find him."

"Don't speak to your mother like that," Fenris reprimanded, favoring her with a scowl of his own.

"Sorry," she mumbled. The red-haired girl pushed herself back up and wiped at her sweaty face, resting her cheek in her left palm as she regarded her parents with stormy green eyes. Her black kohl had run, though whether the cause was sweat or tears Phaedra could not say. "I'm just so tired of this. Tired of getting my hopes up, of finding some male that I really like, only to see him go off with someone else. I mean, I really liked Talian, Mother! I thought he liked me, too!"

"Love, you knew how much he liked Leda. Whenever he came to visit, she's the one he asked after. The only times he went walking with you were when you caught him first, and bullied him into it." Phaedra regarded Rai'eena's glare calmly, hoping her daughter would listen for once. "Then there was the time you interrupted the two of them on the trail. Remember how upset your sister was afterward?"

"Imagine how angry Talian must have been," Fenris added. "That was their first afternoon together after the clan returned to this forest. He must have been looking forward to seeing Leda ever since they left two years ago."

"Sod that. I missed him, too!" Rai'eena banged her fist on the table, making the candles jump. Her parents looked on, unimpressed with such childish displays. "The last time he saw me, I was so awkward and gangly, and Leda was so...elegant. So mature. I thought that if he saw me now, since I've finally grown into something pretty, he might realize that I'm better than she is."

Fenris seated himself next to the fuming girl, careful to keep some distance between them. Much as she loved her father, there was a good chance she might lash out at him. She had gotten better about it, but there were still occasions when her temper truly ruled her. "Looks and grace are not what attracted him to your sister. You both met Talian when you were eleven, remember? You were busy ogling Master Lanaias' blades, and she was bored."

"Then she went to the hahren's fire, and started listening to the stories. She and Talian started asking questions about one of the tales, and when Hahren Rian finished they continued chatting," Phaedra continued. "They were fast friends, and it turned to attraction through time and distance. A bond like that is not so easily transferred to another, even if it is a sibling."

"But she's a mage. Dalish don't like mages!" the young woman seethed.

"That isn't it, Rai'eena. The Dalish hold magic in higher regard than the rest of Thedas. It has always been a part of the elven heritage, even if the Keepers and their Firsts don't perform in public." Fenris met his wife's steady gaze, and favored her with a little smile. "They see magic as a powerful gift, one which is never to be used lightly. The Dalish mages do not often use their spells because they do not wish to become dependent on their power. It is a lesson I believe many could appreciate, were they to learn of it."

"Talian and Nalamir have led me to believe that she would be a welcome addition to the clan, as Keeper Enthrain does not have much talent for the healing arts." Leda had inherited not only her mother's magic, but also her affinity for mending wounds of the body and soul. The elder twin was well on her way to becoming a faith healer of high calibur, especially given her calm nature. Leda's bedside manner comforted the sick and injured as even Phaedra and Anders could not.

"I don't care about her joining the clan!" Rai'eena's fist slammed down, rattling the table. "I wanted Talian, and now she has him. Where does that leave me, Mother? I don't want to stay here in the woods forever. This isn't where I belong."

The mage echoed her husband's sigh. She and Fenris had discussed their younger daughter's behavior at length, and at times they had speculated that, in a sense, Phaedra had given birth to her brother's daughter. Rai'eena shared many attitudes with her uncle, in spite of having never met him. Just as Carver had been at a loss in Lothering, so his niece was floundering in the forest, and she knew it.

A knock at the door interrupted their gloomy thoughts, and Fenris rose to answer. Phaedra smiled when she saw Nalamir standing outside the portal.

"Good morning, Hawke. I suppose you must be her husband?" The Dalish inclined his head towards the white-haired elf, a polite smirk curling his lips. "I am Nalamir."

"It's always a pleasure to see you. What brings you out here today?" Phaedra inquired, rising to greet him. Her sharp eyes did not miss the way Rai'eena tensed when she realized who had entered the house. The rosy cast to her face, originally due to her anger and the slaughter of the dummies, now deepened into a true blush.

"I came to see how Rai'eena is today." His deep green eyes fell upon the maiden's back. "Talian seemed extremely pleased last night, and I know he spent time with Leda."

"Yes, Leda has been in a very good mood today. Such has not been the case for the entire family, as you can imagine." Phaedra beckoned for Fenris to join her at the table, pleased that he seemed to accept the younger elf's presence in their home. Her husband had long since realized that his daughters were going to grow up and find men of their own, and nothing he said or did would prevent it. Thankfully, he accepted her judgement when it came to their daughters' suitors.

"I saw the clearing. I feel sorry for those dummies." Nalamir kept some distance between himself and the young woman, although Phaedra saw in his eyes his desire to go to her. "I thought it would do some good for you to get out of the house, Rai'eena."

"Why? Because you feel sorry for me?" she snarled, twisting in her chair to face him. "Is that the only reason you keep hanging around here? Because you knew Talian would choose my sister? Well I don't need your sodding pity!"

"Rai'eena!" She wilted a little beneath her parents' reprimand. Nalamir crossed his arms and walked to the window, where she could better see him.

"You do not have my pity, because you do not deserve it," he told her. "What you do have are my ear and my shoulder, and my hand upon the trail, if you wish it. Will you come with me?"

The scarlet-topped girl was visibly surprised, and she looked to her parents for help. Fenris raised a brow at the young elf, but raised no protest. Phaedra merely folded her hands upon the table and regarded her expectantly. At last, Rai'eena rose to her feet and turned to the Dalish.

"I will go with you," came her quiet reply.

Nalamir nodded, and Phaedra detected the tiny smile dancing about his lips. He held the door open for his intended and Rai'eena threw her parents one last nervous look before leading him outside.

"So that is the Dalish you told me I should really meet?" Fenris murmured.

His wife grinned and rose to peer through the window. "He is. Nalamir has been careful in his pursuit of our daughter, but I believe he is going to chase her in earnest now. She needs a distraction from Talian, and I am certain he can provide one."

The white-haired elf joined her at the window, watching the young couple disappear between the trees. "So long as it returns some peace to our home. But are you certain that courting Dalish is truly what you want for our daughters? The clans are still nomadic, you know."

"I am aware of that, yes." Phaedra folded her arms and leaned against his side, taking comfort in the arm he wrapped around her waist. "We can't keep them in the forest forever, love. Sooner or later, they will both leave to make their own ways in life. Malcolm seems content to remain beneath the trees, but the twins want more. If they are going to leave, what better way than with a clan of Dalish who routinely return to the Brecillian? At least this way, we will see them from time to time."

"True, but will the clan as a whole accept them? Our children are all half-elven, and you know how they value racial purity."

"I believe the issue will be far easier in Leda's case than Rai'eena's. The Dalish do value magic, and she is turning into one of the best healers I have ever seen. She might be welcomed into the clan, even if she never becomes Enthrain's First."

"But Rai'eena might not find it so smooth. She's a warrior, not a mage." Fenris sighed and turned his wife to face him. "You realize that we now have the entire house to ourselves? When was the last occasion?"

Phaedra thought for a moment. "When the clan returned to the forest. Remember? Our children all went racing to the camp the moment they realized they were back."

"Malcolm and Leda are out gathering herbs, and Rai'eena is preoccupied with her suitor." The white-haired elf began edging towards the stairs, leading his wife by the hands. "What would you say to...taking advantage of our solitude?"

She took in the mischief sparkling in his eyes, the knowing curve of his lips. With an exaggerated sigh, the mage slipped past him and mounted the steps. "If you insist, I suppose I must comply." She started climbing to the second floor, making sure her hips swayed enticingly with each step.

Fenris growled, and Phaedra's laughter rang throughout the house as he chased her up the stairs.