Velanna was exhausted.

Exhilarated.

In pain.

In bliss.

Breathing heavily she stayed on her back, her muscles unable to move, save the twitching, an urge to run shooting through her despite her state.

She was hurting all over, as if her body was one big bruise, as if someone had taken a sledge and beaten her for hours. Yet now there was a sweet relief, the pain was still there, but throbbing, a pain that oddly enough brought with it happiness.

Around her there was the buzz of insects in the grassy field she was laying on, a compromise between her wish to be in the forest and Nathaniel's demand for them to stay in the keep. Somewhere below she heard the murmur of two women, knowing one to be the old matron of the Keep and the other to be a Keeper from the Dalish that had come to honour the rulers of Amaranthine.

The sounds were minimal, yet buzzed through her, wonderful even as it stung her currently oddly sensitive hearing.

Her head was resting on a pillow, Nathaniel's knees resting on the grass just next to it, the man looking down at her with a mix of relief, worry, happiness and wonder...mostly happiness.

One of his hands came within her vision, a by now familiar cloth in it, wiping her forehead as he'd done for a near hundred times now. "You had me worried." His voice was hushed, soft, a far cry from the slightly panicked orders he'd given her before.

Velanna smirked, finding even that small effort difficult. "You always worry."

"Someone has to." Nathanial gave her a stern look, that faded a moment later, the man unable to maintain it as the smile broke through. "Damn I was...don't do that again."

"I..." Velanna managed a weak laugh. "...will try."

And then the matron's voice cut through, but it was a respectfully low voice, kind: "Do you wish to hold him?"

Velanna made a move to sit up, but couldn't even rise an inch, Nathaniel had already sensed her desire and quickly leant to his right, momentarily disappearing out of sight before returning with a small bundle of cloth in his hands.

His face was expressionless, slack, as he stared at the bundle in his arms.

Velanna managed another weak laugh, her eagerness easily defeated by the strange flood of happiness she seemed to be swimming in. "Well don't let me disturb you..."

"S..." Nathainel stuttered, then cleared his throat...only once he had blinked did he seem to finally come back to the real world. "...sorry...I just...here..."

Velanna felt a pang of frustration as she tried to raise her arms, only to find them weighing a ton, it had been a far too long delivery... Never will I-

She found herself frozen to the spot as Nathaniel leant forward to show the babe, all wrinkly skin, almost purple in colour, yet quickly turning pink before her eyes. The child's eyes were so large...staring at her with something akin to curiosity, tiny hands held in front of him, as if ready to fight even in his tiny state.

Tiny...

Velanna choked out a laugh, suddenly finding tears in her eyes. Can't believe such a tiny little thing could cause such pain...such...Gods...I thank you. "Hello you..." Her voice was not her own, small and quivering even as she smiled.

She saw the rounded ears of the babe and found herself sagging with relief as she realised she didn't care in the least about it... All she cared about was those large intelligent eyes, those tiny little fists, that tiny little belly, those tiny stumpy legs...

She had to try it, had to taste the word: "Hello...son..."

"I think he has your spirit." Nathaniel said with a smile, a finger carefully poking the raised fists of the boy, making the large eyes move over to his father, taking in the weathered features with something akin to suspicion.

Velanna chuckled back. "And your eyes..."

Silence.

Then Nathaniel, staring at the babe in wonder, echoed her chuckle, his shoulders shaking with emotion. "I can't believe we did it..."

Neither could Velanna to be truthful. Elven and human, mage and normal, Dalish and human noble...and most of all...warden and warden.

All had been against it, the odds too stacked against them to even be considered, something Nathaniel for two years had again and again pointed out, trying to curb Velanna's decisive optimism, trying to stop her from being disappointed.

But she had never lost hope, as Nathaniel had known she wouldn't, and now Nathaniel held their boy...proof of that they once more had defied the odds.

She managed a chuckle, relief slowly settling over her like a blanket, making her drowsy. "Told you, perseverance pays off..."

A soft laugh and Nathaniel was leaning forward, planting a careful kiss upon her lips, keeping their child between them, more careful then with his family bow. "Maker I love you..."

"You're going soft..." Velanna muttered back with a warm smile even as she managed to raise her right arm, Nathaniel instantly taking her hand, squeezing it softly.

For a moment they stayed like that, content, in wonder.

Then the matron spoke again: "What will we name him my lord?"

To his credit Nathaniel barely flinched, his eyes kind as they moved from the babe to Velanna. "Well? My lady?"

Velanna basked in the acceptance of the man, of having claimed her right, of what gift she held.

They had argued about it for three months, mostly Velanna doing the arguing and Nathaniel not wanting to hear it. But she had worn him down, bit by bit...until he had relented, swayed by her demands and arguments as much as by the headache she no doubt had begun to give him.

Velanna was the mother, she had the right to name the child.

And there had been only one reason for her to argue for it.

With a warm smile she looked into the intelligent eyes of the tiny child, then up to Nathaniel. "I name him..." She felt herself flush with emotion. "...Alistair..." For what brought us all here. "Howe." For you.

Nathaniel went still.

Something got caught in his throat.

Then the tears came, the man looking away. "You...thank you..."

Velanna's hand managed to sneak out of his and move up to his neck, bringing him closer as she managed a grin. "Could it have gone any other way?"

Then she kissed him.

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A thank you to Abydos Jackson for her continued help and support, without her this story wouldn't have reached even half of its potential.