Alistair pulled his helmet off as he walked into the palace, sighing softly. Things were just not going well with Ferelden's neighbors. They had reason to believe the Qunari ships were planning to attack, and that brought back memories of a friend he did not want to fight. It was tiring. How had Cailan done it? He made his way upstairs where he knew his two favorite women were waiting. But it was late, and they were probably already asleep. He stopped to remove his armor before making his way to his room.
In the upstairs hallway, though, he was caught off-guard when a silent figure jumped him, knocking him over. Once he recognized her, he laughed.
"I'd have thought you'd be asleep by now Eleanor," he said to his daughter. She was a strange case, she was. Born to two Grey Wardens, but bearing no taint herself… A gift straight from the Maker.
Eleanor wrapped her arms around her father's neck and gave him a soft kiss on the cheek. It was all she could really manage, having been born without a voice.
"Come, love, let him up," said a voice from behind them. Eleanor backed up and stood, moving to stand beside the woman who had spoken. She looked just like her mother, Alistair noted, not for the first time. He got to his feet and embraced his wife. "Welcome home," she said, smiling.
"How long was I gone?" Alistair asked, jokingly. "My, Eleanor, you've grown." Eleanor smiled proudly. "But a lady needs her beauty sleep. Off to bed with you." She nodded, turned, and walked down the hall, her ever-loyal Mabari hound in tow. Alistair laughed softly, but Elissa could hear how tired he was.
"You should get some sleep too, you sound exhausted," Elissa commented. She took his hand and led him to the room they shared. "You're home, the rest can wait until morning."
Another year passed it relative ease, the threat of the Qunari was still a rather distant one despite the fact that King Alistair worked to build the army. Then, one day…
"How is Zevran doing?" Elissa asked as the three of them sat around the table one evening.
"He's gotten better at teaching the recruits how to use a bow," Alistair admitted. "I suppose I misjudged him all those years ago."
"Well, he did try to kill us," Elissa said dismissively. "Good for him that he's finally free of the Crows though."
Eleanor stood suddenly and went to look out the window, and her parents stopped to look at her, then at each other. They'd always known there was something strange about their daughter, but they had expected as much. After all, it was unheard of for two Grey Wardens to have a child after their Joining.