Any other eleven-year old boy picking roses in the Inquisition garden would probably have been stopped and reprimanded. Keiran, however, was happily playing there under his mother's watchful eye, and she wasn't saying anything- so nobody else would either. It helped that said mother was not only the Queen of Ferelden, but also currently chatting with the Inquisition spymaster and the Hero of Ferelden in self-same garden.

"I swear, I don't know how the paperwork arrived before the personnel," Marian lamented, looking where the boy sat beside the dark-haired beauty of a six-year old girl and started to twist the flower stems as he remove the thorns completely. "I'm already practically buried under it."

"I could make it disappear," Leliana offered with a wry smile. "A small fire on your desk perhaps?"

Morrigan laughed. "If that is your aim, mayhap I am better suited..."

"We won't be destroying anything. I have a lot to go through, but a lot of it is actually important. How the Wardens managed without an overall central filing I have no clue." She shook her head, glancing back at the children. "Morrigan, what is Keiran doing?"

Morrigan looked over as well while the older boy set the newly created ring of flowers on his playmate's head. The girl squealed in gleeful laughter and kissed his cheek, causing the boy to blush. Unlike other young boys, however, he did not move to wipe it away- even when the other child bounced to her feet.

"Look mommy," Leandra proclaimed. "Kei said I'm a princess!"

"Oh did he now?" Marian asked with a glimmer of a smile. "And a lovely princess you are Lee-bug."

The girl giggled and started to twirl even as Morrigan moved to kneel down and speak with her son.

"Princess?"

"She will be," the boy remarked, almost off-handedly. "She deserves to be."

Morrigan blinked. "Keiran, you do understand..."

"I know I can't go making princesses willy-nilly, mother, even when I am king." His eyes lit then. "If I plan to make Leandra a princess, she'll have to marry into it." Then, quieter, "I spoke with father you know. I should have been betrothed a long time ago and we both know it."

Morrigan stalled at her son's wisdom. Sometimes she forgot he was more than an eleven-year-old boy. "But Leandra Howe?" she asked, looking back to where the girl had sat down beside her mother and started asking a flurry of questions the Inquisition spymaster. "Keiran, you don't have to..."

"I'm certain about this, mother. You can't claim it isn't a good match either."

Morrigan took a deep breath. She had intended to see her son marry for love, that he would seek it and find it as his parents had. And in his way, she realized that is precisely what he had done. She just hadn't expected him to understand and commit while so very young. Besides, he was right. It was an excellent match. "If you are certain I will speak to her parents about it."

Morrigan was slightly surprised to see her son's entire face light up with joy. It reminded her of his father when they had married, and that made the witch pleased.

0- 8&$8

Bethany wrung her hands as she walked up the steps to the rookery Leliana had taken to haunting. It was a strange place for a songbird, the mage thought. She brushed the idea off, collecting herself as she continued. At the top of the steps, she hesitated; the bard's back was turned, and Beth knew she could turn away if she did so quickly...

"Hawke?" The red-head turned, marring the chance. "Inquisitor. Did you need something?"

There went that option. "I...umm...we need to talk, Leliana."

"Of course!" In a second Leliana had hurried to the window they had shared months ago, tucking her feet up to give Bethany room. "How can I be of assistance."

"This isn't about assistance," Bethany admired quietly. "Thing is, I needed to talk with you about...us. I like your company, Leliana."

"I see." A smirk crossed the bard's face, knowingly. "I was unaware you like the...company... of women, Miss Hawke."

"And what if I do?" Bethany's voice came out as a whisper, though she pointedly met the other woman's eyes.

Without missing a beat, Leliana leaned back. "Then I suppose I should... what? Giggle? Look coy? I don't have that luxury! If I do, we could all..."

"I don't imagine seeing either of those things, Leliana," Bethany assured. "I see you, and you alone. The strong hand in the darkness. Even so, it is not frivolous to want to set down a burden for a time my dear Nightingale." With those words, Bethany leaned forward gently until she was inches away from the other woman's face. She paused there, considering, until Leliana raised her own hand and pulled the mage in for a kiss.

It was different, kissing a woman. Or maybe it was because Leliana was a human, and Orsino had been an elf. Their lips seemed to fit better, and these were petal soft. There was also a hunger to Leliana's kiss and embrace, one Bethany was surprised to feel. It made her want to do it again and again.

Finally, the bard broke the kiss off. "That was..."

"A long time coming," Bethany interrupted. "Tell me this won't be the last."

"It won't." Leliana's promise felt very good, and calming. "We will speak of this again, Bethany. I promise."

0 ;*^ 00

The most boring part of Marian's filing had to be the personnel files from Adamant and those that came from Weisshaupt to add to them. It was annoying, really, and she made three piles: active, out of service, dead.

Then her hands picked up a very interesting file. The name on the parchments was one word: Fiona. She opened the obviously old file, trying to determine whether it was for the dead or out of service, only for the details to give her pause. "Maker's mercy," she muttered. She jumped from her desk, sparing a moment to set a hand on Nathaniel's shoulder and assure him it was fine to go back to sleep, before throwing on her jacket and running across to the main hall. She leapt up the stairs to the lavish rooms Alistair and Morrigan had taken up and rapped loudly on the door.

Alistair answered almost immediately. Marian looked at him apologetically, handing overall he pages in her hand quietly as the only explanation. He went to close the door, but she put her hand in the way and shook her head, gesturing to the file instead. "Trust me," she whispered.

Alistair did trust her. He went to a lamplight and read. And read. Then he went back to the beginning and read again. At the fifth time he finally sighed loudly and looked up at his best friend. "May I... keep this?"

"I relinquish the information to you, your highness." Her words were carefully formal. "She is no longer a part of the order of Grey Wardens after all."

Alistair nodded, his hands squeezing around the parchments so harshly they looked about to break until Mari reached for his arm. "Alistair," she assured, "I'm sure he would never have lied if he didn't have to."

Alistair pulled her into a hug. "Those are your Wardens, your order, talking," he noted. "Duncan- was not always as honorable a man. But thank you for saying it."

The next day was marked as a start for the discussion on what need be done for mages under Fiona's control to make amends and renter Fereldan. At the very least, the upcoming meetings with the mage leader should be entertaining.