Warning: NSFW

It took a moment for Cyrion to adjust to his surroundings as he woke. He hadn't slept in this bed since he was a child. It was an odd feeling, to revisit his childhood days, but he was filled with the mellow satisfaction that perhaps life was finally making a turn for the better. Not since Solyn died had he felt this hopeful. The rough patch may finally be over. Grateful that his new daughter was the change that they both needed, Cyrion decided he should visit the Chantry and offer thanks to the Maker before he went to work today. A prayer tied to the vhenadahl was essential for this gift of peace.

The floor was warm from the oven below, and he heard the familiar sounds of cooking. Cyrion tied a braid to keep his hair out of his eyes and dressed for work in the dim predawn light offered by the tiny windows. By the time he came down, his son was placing their breakfast on the table with Nesiara's left on a warming stone. Raviathan turned when he heard the creak of the ladder and smiled. Keeping his voice low so as not to disturb the sleeping elf above, Raviathan said, "She's wonderful father. She's beautiful, and easy to talk to, and so smart. I can't believe she made that ornament."

Cyrion's eyes crinkled, and the smile lines in his face deepened in a way that Raviathan hadn't seen in two years. "It does my heart good to see you two. I hoped that once you saw her things would work out."

Raviathan closed the distance and hugged him. "Thank you. I'm sorry I was difficult yesterday morning."

"Son," Cyrion said, "I only want your happiness. For years now I haven't seen you smile. I know this was quick, but I thought you needed a change." He stroked his son's hair and felt Raviathan's arms tighten in response. There was so much of Adaia in him. They both had that infectious enthusiasm that drew other people to them. When they entered a room, he could feel it even when his back was turned. Adaia had understood the effect she had on others, had been trained for it, and used it to their advantage when she needed to. Cyrion was sure Raviathan was unaware that he had the same effect. "I know you're young, but I think it's time we both started looking to the future again."

Raviathan kissed his father's cheek and whispered, "Thank you."

They sat at the table, both of them keeping their heads bowed, though there was a joyous peace to their meal that hadn't been there a day ago. Cyrion's egg was scrambled, and it seemed his son had remembered they had salt and pepper for the first time in two years. Their porridge had raisins, cream, and honey mixed in. Cyrion smiled. Today there would be a prayer to the vhenadahl and a candle lit for the Maker. Hopefully grandchildren wouldn't be far off.

Cyrion left the ramshackle apartment building and wondered if they should look for a new place to live. It had been close to ideal when his son was young and in need of a place to train. Better would have been a place with a basement that would have muffled sound, but basements often flooded, were expensive, and difficult to come by. Still, they made it work by thickening the walls and having good shutters. He hoped his son wouldn't pass on his training to his children. Adaia had been insistent, and, in his youth, he couldn't see the harm in it.

While Adaia's training of their son had been optional, even something of an indulgence, his son's training with Solyn had been vital. Those had been hard years to get through and ones he was more than glad to put behind him. Thank the Maker that Raviathan had made it, but it still gave Cyrion the occasional nightmare. Thoughts of finding a different apartment stopped as he considered his future grandchildren. He had lived in that apartment since he was born. It was home and a good one at that. He was getting too far ahead of things when he thought about expanding their home to make room for grandchildren.

His thoughts were interrupted when Valendrian spied him. It was early yet, and Cyrion could afford to spend a few minutes with his hahren without being late for work. Valendrian's baritone rang with clear confidence in the empty street. Raviathan could have the same command to his voice if he chose, but he remained soft spoken rather than authoritative. Maybe one day his son would step into the role that was natural to him, Cyrion thought as the two men met and exchanged greetings.

Feeling no need to delay, Valendrian asked, "And how goes the new couple?"

The smile on Cyrion's face was all that needed to be said, but he answered, "Well. Very well. I do not expect to wait long for grandchildren."

For the sake of his friend, Valendrian smiled back, trying to hide his relief, but Cyrion caught it. Many of the adults and elders would be heaving the same sigh of relief, though they would try to hide it as they had hidden their misgivings all these years. The banishment of a child, any child, was painful for the community, and Raviathan would have been an exceptionally difficult case. Everyone knew what happened to the lost children.

No one else was around this early, so Cyrion added quietly, "I know he's been difficult. Thank you for being patient all these years."

"Well. Solyn was very respected. Many here were willing to overlook things for her sake. And for his." There were other reasons, but neither was willing to speak of them in the open no matter how vacant the streets were. Seeing Cyrion's discomfort, Valendrian added, "I never once thought he was a bad boy. Just… just having a hard time adjusting to things. Now that he has a wife to help settle him down, I think things are going to go well for the lad."

"I… I hope so," Cyrion said with a sorrow that never left him, even in moments of joy.

Valendrian said, his voice filled with compassion, "I've watched that boy grow from a babe. Nearly every child here follows his lead. When they're in trouble, they turn to him as much as they turn to me. Give a few years, and I think he'll make the alienage proud." When Cyrion looked up with a spark of hope in his eyes, Valendrian said, "I've had my eye on him for some time now."

The elder elf felt his chest tighten at those words. "I had thought, well, hoped, but I wasn't sure."

"There's a reason everyone in the alienage knows him, my friend. Now, tell me about our newest member. She seems to be a delightful girl."

At that Cyrion brightened, and he extolled the virtues of his new daughter.

~o~O~o~

Raviathan crept up the ladder with one hand, a plate of food nestled in the other. He set the plate on the chest next to his bride. With her hair spread out on the pillow, she was even more beautiful in the dawning sunlight. He watched her for a moment, her mouth parted slightly in sleep, and wondered at the changes that could happen in so short a time. All the major events that had happened in his life had been abrupt and violent. Of the four major turning points, three involved death. For the first time a major change was for the better. His wife with her artist's hands had already lifted the gloom from his home. Raviathan leaned down and kissed her temple then her jaw. She stirred and stretched. "Wake up my darling wife."

At that she smiled. "You wake up too early."

"I have breakfast here for you."

Nesiara blinked and looked over at the chest. "In bed? You want me to eat in bed? You're weird."

Raviathan chuckled and slowly peeled back the blankets. "I want to see my beautiful wife, but I don't think she'll consent to having breakfast downstairs naked." When her breasts were exposed he leaned down to fondle one with his mouth.

Nesiara groaned and arched her back to press further into his mouth. Her fingers reached up to run through his hair. "Do that, dear husband, and my breakfast will go cold."

Reluctantly Raviathan left, his eyes on her dark pink and wet nipple. "Then you better hurry and eat. I won't wait for long."

Nesiara sat up and wrapped the blankets over one shoulder to keep warm, but she left one breast exposed for her husband's pleasure. She took her plate and ate. "So. What are the plans for today?"

"Well," Raviathan said with his gaze locked on her chest. "I'm going to be late for Alarith's. I've already decided that he should expect a newly married man to be late. I'm going to watch you eat, then I'm going to watch your naked body do all sorts of interesting things that make husbands late for work." He paused watching Nesiara's nipple stiffen. "I think I'm going to be very late."

"You should be in bed with me."

Deciding she was right, Raviathan undressed. Nesiara watched him as intently as he had watched her. Catching her gaze, Raviathan finished pulling off his clothes. He lay in bed next to her, over the blankets so she could see him. She had stopped eating, her eyes roving over the length of him. "You're going to get cold."

Raviathan worked the blankets until he was under them then curled up next to his wife. "My darling wife is already so protective of me."

Nesiara put aside her half eaten breakfast to cuddle with him. They kissed and touched, and she felt him harden in her hand. "Rav, is this alright?" He let out a little 'mmm' of pleasure, his low voice purring near her ear. She closed her eyes at the sound ready to have ten of his babies. "I… uh, I mean." His hand, cold against the inside of her thigh, pushed her apart so he was between her legs. "You don't mind, I mean, you don't think less of me?"

"Less of you?" He paused, lifting his head from her neck to look at her. She could feel him there, hard between her legs. He was moving back and forth slowly, a promise of what was to come. She still couldn't get over the feel of all that bare skin caressing her or that they didn't have to hide or hurry. "What are you talking about?"

"You don't think I'm too easy, do you? This, I mean, I'm not being wrong, am I?"

He was gentle when he kissed her. "I can't believe you're seriously worried about that." He moved inside her, and her head went back in a groan. Maker he felt good. Like he was made just for her. "Ness," he nibbled at her ear, "I think you're so beautiful. For the rest of my life, I'm going to remember last night, how you looked in the moonlight. I love it that you enjoy this. I love that you want to take pleasure from me. Please Ness. Don't ever be embarrassed."

Nesiara groaned deep in her throat. She took his hand and placed it over her breast. His thumb rubbed her nipple, irritating it in the most wonderful way. This was her husband she kept telling herself, amazed with the idea. This is the rest of my life. I'm going to cook his meals and care for his children. She saw herself at the stove, stirring soup in a steaming pot, a toddler playing on the floor and a second baby in a small crib near the window. Another little pot had carrots that she was cooking for the baby's meal. Her husband would come through the door, and though she could feel his presence, she wouldn't turn around. She would smile as he came up to her, tired from work, and hugged her from behind. Only after he kissed her did would he go to the baby, lifting the little bundle out and cradling his child in his arms. Their first born would be there, pulling on his pants for attention, so he would sit by the window with a baby in his arms and his toddler playing on his lap. The baby had his skin and fine whips of blonde hair.

The image evaporated when her body tightened. This time he didn't hold his hand over her mouth when she cried out. When he finished, he shifted to the side pulling her with him. His eyes were heavy lidded, and he lightly brushed back the hair in her face. "You look sleepy," she said.

"I love being here with you." He kissed her forehead and entwined their legs. "Do I make you happy Ness?"

"I'll give you three guesses."

"No."

"Wrong," she said and gently bit him.

"Maybe?"

"So insecure," she said and bit him again.

"Then yes?"

"Still can't get it right." She moved to lie on top of him, his hands going about her waist then lower to squeeze her rear. "You fill me with absolute joy."

They spent the next two hours in fluctuating states of arousal and fulfillment. They dozed at times or told stories between lazy, open touches. "You promised you would play for me."

"I will." He shifted then so one leg was pressed up between hers, and his head lay on her shoulder. "Right now I'm admiring your marvelous breasts."

"They are, aren't they."

Raviathan grinned in dreamy contentment. He cupped one breast, his fingers exploring the velvety soft skin of her areola. "You know Ness, I really can't believe you made that ornament."

"Why not?"

Raviathan snuggled in, holding her close with his lips caressing the nape of her neck as he spoke. "It doesn't look like something that belongs in this world. It's like you took lights from the Fade and bound them together with a memory of dance. When I look at it, I keep expecting to wake up."

"A memory of dance? What an odd way to phrase that."

"That's how the Fade works," Raviathan said and kissed her collar bone.

"How do you know about the Fade?" she asked skeptically. "All it is, is dreams. I don't even remember mine most of the time."

"What was the last dream you remember?"

"Um…" Nesiara shifted on her back as she searched her memory. "I sort of remember being in my house, but we lived inside a large tree. I was in my house, the one back in Highever, and it was inside a tree though there's no way it would fit in real life."

"What kind of tree?"

"Willow I think. I was annoyed because our stove kept breaking, and I wanted my mother to make cookies."

"I'll make you cookies," Raviathan said as he shifted so he lay half on top of her. "All sorts of yummy cookies, just for you."

Nesiara giggled when he kept kissing her neck. "Oh Maker, we're never getting out of this bed, are we."

"Never. We're just going to have to live on Fade dreams." His fingers caressed her lower abdomen, up and down just below her bellybutton, and a wanton pulse responded in her. It was amazing all the different ways he had of making her desire grow. To her surprise, he sat up and then pulled her to sit in his lap, her legs on either side. With her help, he wrapped the blankets loosely around them. "Your back is covered?"

"Yes," she said. "I've never… I don't know what to do."

Their faces were inches apart so he could kiss her easily. His kisses were tender and sweet, his arms around her back holding her securely, and Nesiara let go of the worry that she didn't know how to please him. "We're going to make love slow," he said, his voice soft and close. He started rocking his hips in slow, easy movements.

Nesiara put her arms around his neck, again that feeling that this was her future. "We are making love, aren't we?"

"Don't you feel that way?"

It looked like she would break his heart if she said no. That openness to her was drawing her in. All the jaded feelings that she, like all elves, lived with didn't belong here with them in their little cocoon. She felt like a flower opening. "I do husband." She rose up to nibble his ear.

"Keep doing that my sweet Ness," Raviathan whispered. His hands caressed down her back, over the curve of her rear, and explored the backs and insides of her thighs.

He pulled his ear away to kiss her. She wished she were a better artist so she could create something as beautiful as his eyes when he looked at her.

This position was a little more awkward, and she couldn't move more than small flexing motions, but she loved that he was so close. "Rav, are you ever going to get tired of me?"

"The sun will fall into the sea first my sweet Ness." He held one of her breasts up so he could work it with his mouth.

Nesiara let her head dip back with a moan. "I'm going to have to check to see if that tongue is made of gold."

He looked back up at her with a self satisfied smile, but as she watched, awe replaced the expression. "Oh Ness." Maker, he had pretty eyes. The black lashes and dark skin contrasted with their whites and colors making them look like jewels.

She saw it on his face then and looked over at the window. The sun hit her ornament refracting bright, compact rainbows and blinding shards of pure, white light. Blues, lavenders, and pinks shaded her skin. She smiled at her husband's reverence then blew a hard breath at the ornament. All the colors and light started shifting about the room in a merry jig. Nesiara turned back to him expecting to see the joy he had last night when he saw his gift. "Rav? What's wrong?"

A tear ran down his face, and he touched the shifting colors on her skin. Nesiara thought she could drown in his eyes. "I've never seen anything more beautiful in my life." They moved together, bodies and mouths united.

~o~O~o~

Nesiara got one bite of cold breakfast before Raviathan pulled her back to the bed. Their blankets were a jumbled mess. She laughed at his hunger. "Rav, you are so bad."

"Bad?"

She could feel him soft in the cleft of her butt. She pressed her pelvis back against him and smiled when she heard the expected pleased murmur. "You haven't gone to work. You haven't played for me. You haven't told me how you know about the Fade. Bad husband."

"I thought my natural charm made up for that. Alright then." He lay back, and Nesiara rearranged their blankets so her feet wouldn't stick out and get cold. She lay back, half on top of him, and his arm went around her shoulders. "Remember that library I told you about last night? That's how I learned. The Fade is linked to our world, and when we sleep or die, our souls go there, but it isn't like another world. It's best to think about the Fade as lying right underneath everything that exists here. If our world is solid and material, the Fade is emotional and ever changing. You know how an object can have sentimental value? It might not be worth anything really, but it's valuable to you? When that happens, you and the Fade are interacting."

"Really?"

"Yeah. An object in the Fade isn't physical. It's emotional. The emotions you put into it, like a favorite toy or flower, give it substance in the Fade. The way you think of a pot as being real, spirits of the Fade think of a memory as being real. The spirits of the Fade don't understand our world. For them it feels like they're wandering through a frozen wasteland."

"I thought only demons came through the Fade. It use to make me and my sister scared when an old auntie would tell us stories. After she told us those stories, we were afraid to go to sleep." She smiled in memory. "My parents were so confused by their hysterical daughters. My grandmother calmed us down and told us only mages could bring demons into the world."

"That mean old auntie." Raviathan squeezed her close. "Don't you worry Ness. Your grandmother was right. The connection mages have to the Fade is much different."

"I'm surprised you know all this," Nesiara said.

"I thought it was interesting. Anyway, when you dream, it isn't so much about what you dream as the significance of what those things mean in general and to you in particular. Some symbols are more powerful than others because of the collective souls who have attached meaning to a symbol. As an artist, I think you understand how that works. If you see a chrysanthemum in the Fade, it's linked to death in one way or another because it's the last blooming flower before winter. Harvest time to the Satinalia Annum is a time for remembrance of those gone, and the chrysanthemum is a reminder of their life. Think of every person who has ever mourned and remembered their loved ones on the Satinalia Annum, and you'll understand why that flower is such a powerful symbol and why the Fade is thinned on that day. It's the collective emotions of every elf and human over thousands of years that went into shaping that symbol."

"Wow," Nesiara said. "When you say it like that, it seems so weighty." Nesiara shifted and could hear the steady thumping of his heart under her ear. Her grandmother had warned her to be careful with the symbols she used. It had been mostly words thus far. Nesiara studied the crystals she had made for their marriage: lilac for love at first sight, lavender for enchantment and enduring passion, pale pink for gratitude and grace, blue for trust and depth, indigo for insight, purple for rare wisdom, silver to support and connect them all, and crystal to light their lives.

When her sister had made an ornament of greens and blues for her husband, their grandmother had warned that it would be too sedate. When Anesa offered to add red or orange to liven the energy, their grandmother forbade it. The clashing colors would cause a disastrous marriage. Harmonious colors for a harmonious marriage. Nesiara had thought of her grandmother and her wisdom when she chose romantic colors that focused on a deeper relationship. Her husband was turning out to be something of a mystic. A very sexy mystic.

"The willow tree in your dream has a particular meaning independent of you," Raviathan continued, "but there's another reason why it was in your dream. I'm guessing you think of your home as a creative place."

"That's where I learned from my mother and grandmother. Sometimes we worked at the shop because there were tools there, like a small forge, but most of the time we worked at home."

"So," said Raviathan, "the willow tree. What does it mean to you?"

"The wood is very flexible. It was useful for certain kinds of crafts, like wood weaving."

"No, that's practical. What do you feel when you think of willow trees?"

Nesiara thought it over."There's curly willow, but I always think of weeping willow. I remember the first time I heard that name, and I thought it was sad. There's this tree that's very pretty, but it's always mourning."

"When did you have this dream?"

"It was before Howe came to Highever."

"After you started hearing about marriage negotiations?" Nesiara nodded. "Here's what I think," Raviathan said. "Trees are a powerful symbol in the Fade, and each has a different meaning. Willow is a creative tree, and you associate your home with creation. There are lots of creative trees, but I think you were also sad, which is why that tree was specific in your dream. You think of the tree in mourning, and this is when you know you're going to leave your family. You and you're family are mourning the coming split when you're married and a loss of security. That's why your home was inside the tree. Cookies are a child's symbol. When adults dream about cookies, it's because they want something from childhood or the innocence of childhood. I think you wanted your mother to comfort you, but she either didn't know how you felt or was too distracted. You were annoyed because this was going to be the last of the time you had with her, but she didn't think it was as special or didn't put enough care into it."

Nesiara propped herself up on her arms and stared at him in amazement. "How did you know?"

Raviathan smiled gently at her. "That was an easy one. Some symbols are more complex or have multiple meanings. Cats for example can be innocence, birth or desire for children, death, mystery, bad luck, joyful play, being hunted, hidden knowledge, all sorts of things. Because they're so varied, it depends on the context and your own feelings about them. Things like mirrors are more complex because you're looking within yourself at something that you've been hiding away from or are afraid of. Introspection isn't easy for everyone, especially when it comes to truths we don't want to face."

"You don't think less of me?"

"Less?"

"My dream was sort of selfish," Nesiara said looking down. "My parents were never bad to me, and…"

Raviathan kissed and pulled her close so she was resting on his chest. "We can't help our feelings or dreams, only what we do with that knowledge." He stroked her hair. "Why do you think I offered to make you cookies?"

Of all things, she never expected he would be so easy to love. "Do all plants have special meanings?"

"Some more than others," Raviathan said. "Obviously people have to know about them to invest meaning, so lesser known or new plants very little. Trees, flowers, fruits and vegetables, toxic or healing plants have more. Most people don't care enough about shrubs to invest them with much meaning. Briar bush and ferns are significant."

Briar bush made sense. It was a threatening, ominous plant. Fern? "What does fern mean?"

Shifting so he could lay his head on her chest, Raviathan answered, "The fern is actually quite sacred. It symbolizes creation at the beginning. The unfurling of the fern leaves is the sacred spiral of creation unfurling from the beginning of time, so fern leaves represent the essence of creation and recreation and new beginnings."

Ideas started to dance in Nesiara's mind. She had brought her tools, but she needed some raw materials. Oh, the things she was going to create when she had time. "What about the plant downstairs? It's a strange looking thing."

"The aloe? Well, the aloe symbolizes grief."

"Why would you keep something like that around? I'm never going to look at it the same way again."

Raviathan caressed her with the back of his hand. "I get dry hands in winter and sometimes my skin cracks if I don't take care of it. Aloe has very rich sap that helps."

She raised his hand to kiss it. "I wish I had pretty hands."

Nesiara was taken aback at the wounded expression on her husband's face. "There is absolutely nothing wrong with your hands."

"I didn't say anything was wrong," Nesiara said stroking his prominent wrist bone, "just they're not pretty. You've got gorgeous hands."

He took her hand in his and kiss her palm. "I think your hands are perfect."

"You'd be the first to say so," Nesiara said with a laugh. "I saw a noble woman in a parade once. She had the most beautiful hands. Delicate and fine boned as a little girl who had spent her life surrounded by velvets and silks. Who had never so much as scraped a knee. She was very pale too. Not a single flaw in her skin. It was like she was a life sized Orlesians doll made out of porcelain. Since then, I've wished I knew how to make porcelain so I could make something as pristine. I can do some clay work, but nothing of that variety."

"Ladies' hands are as useless as they are. Give me a wild dandelion over a fussy franklinia any day. Sweet Ness, I think your hands alone are a hundred times better than any noble's, and Maker knows you're more beautiful than any of them." Raviathan said and took her breast into his mouth and flicked her nipple with his tongue. Nesiara twisted so his face was between her breasts. They were never going to get out of this bed. When she started her journey from Highever, a hundred possible future husbands waiting for her, she had never imagined this. He slid his smooth face between her breasts, kissing between them or on the sides, his lips caressing every inch of her softness. She tensed her arms to squeeze her breasts together, and he looked up at her with a sly grin. "How in the Maker's name did I get so lucky?"

She narrowed her eyes, determined to tease him with a little aloofness, but oh how her need was pulling at her again. "So, if our souls go to the Fade when we sleep or die, does that mean when we dream we could meet the spirits of those who have passed?"

"What, like have a conversation with your great, great grandmother?"

"Something like that. I'd love to be able to talk to my grandmother again. Don't you feel the same about your relatives?"

"Maker no," Raviathan said which startled Nesiara. He turned to look her in the face, his neck resting on her breast. "Ness, the people I love, I want them to go beyond the Fade and to the Maker. The souls that stay in the Fade are the lost ones. Sometimes they become spirits, but more often they become shades who never stop longing for life again. I want my loved ones to be at peace."

Nesiara grazed the edge of Raviathan's ear with a fingertip, and his eyes became heavy lidded with the pleasure of it. She hoped he was getting hard again. "But you grieve. I could see it when I came."

Raviathan kissed her breast before settling his head comfortably on her chest. "Sure I grieve. But if it's between seeing them again or not, I'd much rather their souls be at peace. Everything dies, sweet Ness. In time we'll see them again."

Deciding that she didn't care about teasing him just now, Nesiara pushed him off then straddled him. His hands roamed up and down her thighs, and he pulled her close, his hands stroking her bottom and lower back. "Dear husband. How did I get so lucky?"

"You didn't," he answered and rolled them over so he was on top and kissing her.

"Hey cousin," a female voice called from below.

Raviathan turned his head to the hole in the floor in annoyance. "Go away Shianni. I'm busy."

"Alarith's worried about you," she yelled back.

"I'm fine, now go away."

"You have deliveries to make," Shianni said.

"Shianni, go away!"

When Nesiara let out an 'oh' of surprise, Raviathan turned to see Shianni's laughing head poking out of the hole. Raviathan threw a pillow at her, and she ducked only to pop back up like a red headed gopher. "Cousin, don't tell me…"

"Maker's great hairy ass," Raviathan said and shifted off Nesiara. He covered her up then turned to glare at his cousin who was climbing up with the pillow in her hand. She set it against the chest next to their bed to lean on while she finished Nesiara's breakfast. Raviathan propped his head up on his hand, amusement glinting under the annoyance. "Shianni, I can't wait until you're married so I get to embarrass you."

Shianni covered her mouth so food wouldn't show while she laughed. "What did you expect cousin? You think the rest of the alienage fell into the abyss while you've been up here playing? Andraste's ass, people are going to be talking."

"People have always been talking," Raviathan grumbled.

"Not about her they haven't," Shianni said, and Nesiara frowned at the thought.

"We're married," Raviathan said, his arm going protectively around his bride. "Those blasted gossips can go to the Black City. We're perfectly within our rights. Aren't we my sweet Ness," he cooed at his wife. Shianni rolled her eyes and ate more of Nesiara's breakfast.

Nesiara giggled at the two before kissing her insistent husband back. "Rav, I would like to go to the Chantry today. To light a candle for my family."

"Shianni will take you."

"Not you?" Nesiara asked.

"I, apparently, have deliveries to make," Raviathan said.

"As if that's the real reason," Shianni said under her breath. Raviathan scowled at her.

Looking between the two, Nesiara asked, "What does that mean?"

"He hates the Chantry," Shianni said. "As long as I've known him, he's hated the Chantry."

"Not true," Raviathan said still scowling at his cousin. "I wasn't born hating them, but after the purge and that," he wanted to say bitch, but if Nesiara was devout, he didn't want to offend her, "woman blaming us for it, I lost any and all sympathy."

"But you believe in the Maker," Nesiara said in concern.

Raviathan's lips thinned and he looked down. "I believe in the Maker, but I don't like the Chantry."

Nesiara frowned in puzzlement at him. "I don't understand."

Raviathan sighed as he searched for a way to explain. "The Chantry isn't the Maker. They're just a pack of shems. I hate how the Chantry treats elves and their politics. And if the Chant of Light is a holy thing, they've no right to change it."

"They've changed the Chant of Light?" Shianni said in surprise. "I've never heard that."

"Oh yeah," Raviathan continued, to both women's interest. "They call them the dissonant verses when they don't like them. The Canticle of Shartan, the elven rebel who fought with Andraste, completely taken out because they wanted to get rid of the elven homeland in the Dales. The Maker might be god, but the Chantry is full of hateful shems who have their own agendas. The second they decided what to allow and what to take out, they took those words from the divine and delegitimized the entire creed. The Maker has turned his back on us, and it's a lie to say the Divine is able to talk to him. Ness," Raviathan began more calmly when he saw her troubled frown, "I don't want to take your faith from you, but I'm not the kind of person who will be able to share in it." He kissed Nesiara's temple. "Sweet Ness, don't be upset. I think these hands of yours are more divine than any priestess or building. I believe in you more than their words."

Shianni reached over and took Nesiara's hand. "It's okay Ness. I can take you as soon as you're dressed if you want. The Chantry is just on the other side of the Market, so it isn't too far."

"Thank you Shianni," Nesiara said. She was disappointed that her husband wouldn't be able to share her faith, but she wasn't disappointed in him. She shifted so her back was to him and pulled his arm so he was holding her close. At least it was something he had thought about and had conviction, and that spoke more to her than someone who was lazy in their beliefs. "Mmm," she murmured and snuggled into her husband's embrace. "I do suppose we should get out of bed."

"You two would starve if it wasn't for me," Shianni said. "Staying in bed until all hours."

"Go away," Raviathan said to Shianni. "We need to get dressed."

Shianni looked at him as if he were being rude. "So get dressed. I'm not stopping you."

"Shianni," Raviathan started but she interrupted him.

"Cousin," she said in exasperation, "like I haven't seen you naked a thousand times before. And besides, who do you think is going to measure Ness for her wedding clothes? You may know a little stitching, but you can't make clothes."

Raviathan opened his mouth to argue, but Nesiara squeezed his arm. "It's alright. Shianni is my cousin now too."

Shianni beamed smugly at Raviathan. "See," and she leaned up to kiss her new cousin. "At least you're marring a woman with sense." Raviathan and Nesiara had to pull their legs up when Shianni decided to sit at the foot of the bed. Raviathan gave his bride one last, reluctant kiss before the two left their bed to dress. Shianni absently watched her cousin pad across the room as she thought about the news going around the alienage. "One of the buildings has been sold."

"Which one?" Raviathan asked pulling on clean small clothes.

"You know the one on the southeast side next to the dripping sewage line? The one Nessa lives in?"

Raviathan paused as he searched for his warmest clean pair of patched pants. "You think her family will be okay? Her father is getting to be old." Raviathan explained to Nesiara, "Claye was married late. Was a farm hand who had to take care of his family first. It was another twenty years before they were able to have Nessa. She's only a year younger than we are, and she's really nice if a bit quiet. Actually, she's one…"

"Oh, holy Maker!" Both Nesiara and Raviathan turned to Shianni. The red head was standing on their bed and staring wide eyed at the crystal ornament. "How did I not see that before?"

Pride shown out of Raviathan's eyes, and he puffed out his chest. "Ness made it. It's her wedding gift to me."

Shianni looked at Nesiara with new eyes, and the other elf demurely continued to dress, but there was a knowing look to her small smile. Shianni turned back to the ornament and poked it a few times to see the light refract around the room. "Cousin, I don't know how you're going to get something half as worthy as that."

Raviathan straightened in indignation. "Shianni!"

"Well it's true," she said poking the ornament again. He pulled on a tunic over his shirt and gave his cousin a dark look which she ignored. "I've never seen anything that pretty before. Except maybe your mom. It's amazing."

Pursing his lips at his cousin, Raviathan strode over to Nesiara who was putting on her stockings. "Take care sweet Ness," he whispered next to her ear.

She kissed him in parting. "Don't worry about what she says."

Raviathan gave her a much more enthusiastic kiss goodbye. As he left, he gave Shianni a smart smack on the rump and grinned at her yelp. Nesiara would have told her she deserved it had she known her new cousin better. Instead she brushed out her hair and thought over what he had said about the Fade. It really was astonishing how much he knew. Shianni sat with an unceremonious thump on the bed behind her.

"Hey Ness. How you settling in?" Shianni took the brush from her and started working on her hair.

Shianni was careful over her ears, and the care Nesiara felt increased. Her new family had been nothing but wonderful. "I'm really happy here. It takes some getting used to everything. Is… is Rav always so sweet?"

Shianni laughed. "Unless he's teasing me, yeah." Hesitating, Shianni trailed her fingers through Nesiara's hair and wondered what was safe to talk about and what might already known or not. Whether Rav had told her or not, she was going to hear about it one way or another. "I know he's got a bit of a reputation. Some of it's deserved, and some of it's not, but what you're seeing is the real him. He can… well, sometimes he's a little hard to know, but he means well. Um. Has he… do you know about… uh, that he knows about… plants and things?"

How careful she was being, Nesiara thought. "He told me he knows medicine."

"Oh," Shianni said in obvious relief and started braiding her long hair as if they were sisters. "Did he tell you that it's sort of a secret?"

"Yes, but he didn't tell me why. He seemed really sad about it, so I didn't want to press."

Nesiara heard Shianni take and hold a long breath before letting it out. "You're going to find out, so I guess sooner is better. Rav learned all of that from his aunt. Solyn was never married, but she was very respected here and the most giving person I'd ever met. She was a little like one of those stern looking mothers who would sneak you a cookie as long as you didn't tell anyone. And if you needed to talk to someone, she would listen and never tell another soul if you didn't want her to. Don't mention her around Alarith though. They had sort of a thing, and Rav says she was considering marring him."

"She sounds… unusual." Marrying at a late age, but then to choose the marriage as well?

Shianni laughed lightly. "Determined, I'd say. After Rav's mother died the two of them were always together working. I know she was like a second mother to him. It was about a year and a half ago when she was killed."

"Was killed?"

"Keep your head straight," Shianni said, "or I'll have to rebraid that section. She was a really skilled healer. Ask her anything about herbs, and it was like she was reading a book. We're not exactly sure what happened, just that she went missing one day. It took us two weeks of searching all over Denerim. Rav was the one to find her. He wouldn't let anyone see except for Valendrian. Alarith threw a fit. I've never seen him that angry before or since, but Rav wouldn't budge. Because it had already been two weeks, he said there wasn't time for a proper funeral, so he and a few others took her body outside the city to be burned."

"That's so horrible," Nesiara said. No wonder he didn't want to talk about it. "Did you ever find out who did it?"

"That's just the thing. The day she disappeared, some of the men who work by the docks saw a group of four templars hanging around one of Solyn's suppliers. They thought it was strange at the time. Why would templars be there of all places, unless they were looking for an apostate."

Nesiara's breath caught. "She was an apostate?"

"Not at all," Shianni quickly assured her. "But she was a fantastic healer. You know what it's like being an elf. We're always the ones shems turn to when something bad happens. Any excuse to put us down. What we think happened was that someone turned her in. It could have been a supplier, she had connections of all sorts you know and not always the nicest of people, and maybe something went wrong. Uncle Cyrion and Valendrian think it was a bitter patient of hers. Rav will be the first to tell you healers can't do everything. Sometimes people just die, and there's no account for it. There," Shianni said and kissed Nesiara's hair. "I think that looks gorgeous. Let me see from the front."

Nesiara turned around, and Shianni smiled at her handiwork. The thick swept braids were high around her hair line then curved to the back as if her hair was an ethereal coronet. "I wish I had a sister," Shianni said. "It's so much fun to play with your hair."

"My sister and I fought all the time. Drove our parents to distraction." She squeezed Shianni's hand. "It's so strange coming to a new alienage. Thank you for being kind."

A faint pink colored Shianni's cheeks, but she looked pleased. "I… I'm sorry if I was rude yesterday. I started to feel like I was losing my cousins." She waved her hand to dismiss the thought. "Come on."

The two went down the stairs where their boots were kept. Nesiara asked, "But why think it was the templars? It could have been a coincidence. Just some thugs."

Shianni pulled one boot on with a wince. "Rav didn't want to get into the details, but he said he could tell by the damage to her body that whoever did it was trained. So, not common street thugs, and there were no guards in the area. Just the templars. Considering what some of the elves said, we think it was either a shem whose son had a disfigurement she couldn't fix, or… well I'm not supposed to give names. Valendrian said no names or rumors unless we're sure. But there was an elf whose child died from an accident and another whose wife died of an illness she couldn't cure. You know, it's weird, but sometimes when Solyn couldn't cure a patient, either they or their family would blame her. Not always, most were grateful she tried no matter what happened, but it was ugly when they got upset with her. I saw that with Rav once. The grandmother had consumption, and when she died, the father was screaming at him. Awful things. Rav didn't say anything back, not a word. Just walked away like he was carved out of stone. He stayed at my house that night where it was just the two of us and cried."

"Poor Rav," Nesiara said. Poor husband.

"It made Valendrian and Uncle nervous. That's when they forbid him to do anymore. I think they both know he still practices in secret, or at least Valendrian does. I think it helps remind everyone of what they lost and could lose from one elf's bad behavior."

"Here," Nesiara said. "I made this for my new father."

"Andraste's ass, Rav got lucky." Shianni shook her head in wonder as she examined the pipe. "Ready?"

"Let's go."