A/N: Second chapter! Trying to crank these out fairly quickly in order to get to the juicy bits. Sorry about the slight wait; it's sometimes hard to get inspired during the build up, at least for me.

And thank you to my one reviewer, hannahhobnob!

Chapter 2: The Inquisitor's Ball

"May I have this dance, Lady Inquisitor?"

A week had come and gone and there was no longer any doubting it - Era was with child. Hawke had confirmed it after Era had taken to bed for two whole days and Josephine had began insisting upon a healer to come check her over. The situation was delicate and Era didn't trust just anyone to come check her over, therefore Hawke, who'd specialized in spirit and healing magics, was a natural and agreeable choice for the Inquisitor.

Julissa Hawke was not a midwife - was not cut out to be a midwife, either - and so her way of confirming the pregnancy had been... rather unorthodox. When Morrigan had asked her how she'd come across this manner of magic, she'd mumbled something about living with elves and how strange their customs could be. Then she'd gone off on a tangent on how gross druffolo meat was and how the elves she'd stayed with had insisted upon her getting the honorary dish which consisted of large chunks of druffolo heart and pancreas. Just hearing about it had the bile rising in Era's throat again.

The ritual had involved Era laying in her bed, on her back, while Lissa stood over her, hands on her still-flat stomach. Lissa's hair had been pulled back into a messy twist, blonde tendrils hanging in her face where they'd come loose. Josie and Morrigan were present as well. Josie stood just a few feet from the bed, practically wringing her hands to the bone, while Morrigan was poised and relaxed, leaning against the wall.

Hawke began to chant, so low that it was nearly inaudible and it certainly sounded elven, whatever she was saying. At first, it didn't seem like anything was happening and Era was starting to think this was one of Lissa's ridiculous jokes, but before she could say something along the lines of, "ha ha, very funny," or, "come on, this is serious" or anything of the sort, Lissa's hands began to glow a bright blue. The magic disrupted the air around them and had Lissa's tendrils of hair swirling around her face, faster and faster. Slowly, Era felt the magic seeping into her, first at skin level, but then deeper. It was like being struck by lightning in a way, the way it tingled, but instead of it jolting through her entire body and damaging it, it coursed through her womb alone and felt absolutely invigorating.

For a moment, Era could feel it - all the life forces in the room and it was a wonder. They all felt different. Hawke's was strong and dominating and if it were to be a color, it was a bright, pulsating red. Josephine's was golden and light and airy, but had a certain... command to it. Morrigan's was dark and mystical with small sparks of hopefulness in it. Her own was hard to describe, but she felt another, pure and new, and very small, coming from within herself.

Lissa stopped chanting and the light faded out of her hands. Slowly, the feeling of the other life forces faded into nothingness once more. Hawke opened her eyes and looked at Era, who had tears in her eyes. "Congratulations," she said. "I'd guess you're just about two months along."

Era was simultaneously unbelievably happy and filled with dread. She was having a baby - Bull's baby! There was going to be a person in this world who came from the two of them and their love for each other and that was an amazing thought. But at the same time, the letter she'd received a few days ago weighed heavily on her mind because that meant that her child was in serious danger and it killed her to think of this poor little pure thing inside of her as unsafe in any shape or form.

She began to sniffle and she couldn't stop the tears from coming.

"Lady Trevelyan?" Josephine asked. When her only response was a smile whine, she moved forwards and grabbed one of the crying mage's hands. "What troubles you? I thought you'd be happy to have a child."

"Maybe it's not The Bull's. What have you and Sera been up to on all those long overnight missions, you little minx?" Hawke joked, but quickly amended with, "Sorry, wrong time for a joke, I suppose," when she saw Era's glare, which while watery and interrupted by small sniffles, was still piercing.

Josephine was still very concerned. "Era?"

The Inquisitor took a moment to compose herself and sighed. "Alright. The truth is, I'm thrilled to be having Bull's baby, but..." Her voice caught and cracked and she stopped and stared at her linens for a second while she tried to reign in the emotions that still overtook her. "But there's a problem. Someone I know from my time in Ostwick, a witch of the wilds, named Lorna, wants my baby, and what's worse is, I kind of owe it to her."

There was a ringing silence in the room. Era could not bear to look at any of their faces and so she stared steadfastly at the sheets.

"You... owe her your baby?" Lissa crossed her arms and looked down at the younger mage in absolute wonder and confusion. "How's that?"

Era didn't want to say anymore than she already had. It was embarrassing that she'd fallen into this situation in the first place. Who else in Thedas could actually say they owed an apostate witch their first born? That was such a strange thing to even think. But they deserved an explanation.

"Okay," she started, taking a large inhale to level herself. "A long time ago, I ventured out of the circle at Ostwick with a small group of other apprentices. I got separated from them and fell down a ravine. I was stuck in there for almost two days and ingested some poisonous berries. Lorna found me and told me she could save me - but only if I agreed to a favor. She didn't specify what the favor would be until after the fact..." Era's voice cracked a little, but she pushed on. "She took me back to her little hut, fed me a potion, and after I'd recovered, demanded my first born." She looked around the room but no one met her eye. "I could hardly refuse her - I'd already agreed!"

More silence. It sounded like something out of a fairy tale that a mother would tell their child to keep them from talking to strangers but it was Era's reality, and because of it, she'd lived her life afraid of becoming a mother. She didn't want to hand her child over to a witch and even worse, she didn't want her child to be hurt or killed in the crossfire in the event of a fight with Lorna.

"Well its clear what we must do," Hawke said, uncrossing her arms and placing a hand on each hands, looking very in charge and every bit the Champion of Kirkwall she was famed for being. Sometimes, with how silly she was, it was difficult to remember that she was basically the hero of two low-scale wars, first between Kirkwall and the Qunari and then between the mages and templars of the city she'd saved from the Qunari in the first place. All eyes turned to her, and she grinned cheekily. "We don't let her near you. You no longer go anywhere alone - you always have a personal guard. Whenever Bull gets back, I'm sure he'll wish to take on the position and he'd be ideal as you sleep together," in classic Hawke fashion, she inserted a wink and an eyebrow waggle in Era's direction here, "but until then, we'll assign people to guard you in shifts. You're not to have a moment alone. When the witch comes for your baby, we'll catch or kill her."

It was such a simple solution, but it hadn't occurred to Era to use the forces and allies she'd amassed as Inquisitor because she'd thought of it as more of a personal problem than something for the Inquisition to deal with. And maybe it still wasn't something to concern the entire Inquisition with but that didn't mean she couldn't ask for the help of those she'd come to know on a more personal level.

"Thank you, Lissa."

~The Feeling of Fear~

Era wasn't left alone for a moment over the next few days. Not even to use the chamber pot. "Oi, if you gotta shit, just fuckin' do it. We all shit. Don't expect yours to smell as rank as us common people, though," had been Sera's reply when she'd coyly tried to ask her to at least retreat into the small study area where she kept her books.

The weird part for Era was the sleeping arrangement that had been drawn up. Lissa and Cullen had become romantically involved - apparently rekindling something that had began in Kirkwall a few years back, before the Templar and mage situation had developed into an all out war - and she'd moved into his chambers. Well, he was loathe to lose her for the night so on night's where Lissa stayed with Era, he slept on her couch on the other side of the room. Lissa had reasoned that another mage had to stay nights with Erathine so that they could both cast barriers over her bed so she'd be plenty protected in her sleep. Sleeping in the same bed as Dorian had been an... interesting experience to say the very least. For one thing, he slept in fine silk pants and shirtless and for another, he talked in his sleep. A lot.

The former Tevinter mage was babbling something about Alexius and his son Felix - presumably a lesson about magic from when he was studying under the Venatori cultist. Not all of it was clear, but Era had definitely heard the other two men's names and some exasperated 'Vint curses - the morning before the Inquisitors Ball in the summer palace. That meant they'd have to set off today. Cole and Morrigan had both opted out of the journey, but Dorian, Blackwall, Sera, Hawke, Cullen and Josephine would all be attending and Leliana would be there, but not overtly.

Era used a dispell in order to escape the barriers cast by both her and Dorian and grabbed her dressing robe, though she'd been wearing a night dress with the Bull having been absent from her side for just over two weeks by this point.

The Inquisitor began packing for the journey. Everything from her armor to her new ball gown, which Josephine had sneaked into her closet sometime between yesterday afternoon and that morning. However, this new gown was far more suited to Era's current condition, as it didn't include the steel-boned corset that most formal gowns did. It merely was cinched by ribbons in the back to accentuate her still slim figure. Era wasn't showing at all just yet.

The young mage girl also packed some herbs and roots that Hawke had prescribed, saying that many elven mothers swore by their power to help in the making of a strong, healthy babe.

She'd just shut her suitcase when she heard the tapping of a beak against the glass of her balcony. Her blood froze in her veins as she looked out of the window to see a bird perched on the railing, similarly to the one who'd brought Lorna's foreboding message. But ignoring it wouldn't make it go away and so Era crossed the room, wiping her sweaty palms against her dressing gown before pulling the door open and taking the message off the bird. There was no fragrance when she opened it and she relaxed as she laid eyes on familiar, if somewhat messy, handwriting.

"My dearest Kadan,

So sorry to have kept you waiting so long for a message. A storm delayed our arrival to Kirkwall by a few days and then Varric had trouble getting us another room and Dalish kept stealing all the paper to make butterflies and other paper shit. But we did get here, safe and sound.

So here's an update for you: Kirkwall is batshit insane. There are efforts to rebuild, but half of the city is still in shambles and there's a small quarter occupied completely by mages on the outskirts and if any non-mages even come close, they get fried by lightning runes. We sent Dalish in to talk to them and she came out with a healer named Aros practically attached to her, but other than that, no progress whatsoever.

Most of the Templars have been run out of Kirkwall entirely - a few remain, but they no longer answer to the order and they're using their abilities as private citizens contracted as guards for anyone without magic who has a bit of loose change. It's a big change from all the progress we've made back home.

I don't know what Varric wants from me and the chargers, but I know we might be here a little longer than first anticipated. Which I'm sure you'll be fine with, seeing as you finally got all the covers to yourself and don't have to steal them off of me. And then entire time I've been writing this, Krem has been asking me to inquire about the well being of Lady Josephine - discreetly, though we both know that's not my style. I think our dearest little Krem has taken an interest in the ambassador. Give me minimal news so I can drive him nuts, if you'd be so kind, Kadan.

Also, I've been to a place called the Blooming Rose to grab a Charger or two. It's a quaint little brothel, but what I walked in on Stitches and a lovely lady named Kalinda doing reminded me of a few of our encounters. I get rock hard every time I think about it. Can't wait to get my hands on those supple tits of yours again.

I'm not entirely sure this will reach you before your fancy ball, but I hope it does. Eat some of that food for me.

Your other half,

The Iron Bull."

Era smiled to herself, her fear about another letter from Lorna forgotten. She crossed the room to her desk and began to jot out a reply. She'd almost finished the letter, having mentioned that Josephine was "doing well," and no more and was just about end the letter in much the same way that Bull had when it occurred to her that she'd made no mention of Lorna, nor even her pregnancy. The young woman sat with her quill hanging over the parchment, torn on what to do. Part of her wanted to tell Bull about everything, but she knew he'd come rushing back as soon as he heard about everything and Varric needed his help. But another part felt like she should tell Bull in person that he was going to be a father.

In the end, she decided not to tell Bull just yet. It really did feel like a face to face announcement, especially since they'd never had any prior conversations about children. Telling him through a letter just seemed cruel.

She'd just sealed the letter when she heard a rather large thump. She jumped out of the chair and whirled around, hand raised to defend herself. However, there was no threat to be found. Rather, Dorian had fallen out of the bed and was groggily shaking himself awake. "Ugh, what happened?" He took stock of where he was, the mattress high above him and Era standing across the room. "This all seems very familiar - just replace you with a young man who looks a fair bit like Cullen and add a throbbing headache and it's quite exact."

"Well everything becomes a bit of a blur when you're such a man whore, yes?"

Dorian didn't respond; just shot her a dirty look and picked himself up off the ground.

~The Feeling of Fear~

The ball wasn't as enchanting this time around. It was the newest in a long line that she'd attended at the Orlesian palace and she was already quite bored of all the masks and the double speak. And she hadn't recalled conversations with Vivienne being quite so exhaustive before. She'd only been able to take it for a short time before she'd had to extricate herself and start dancing with the first man without a partner she could find. But he turned out to be dreadfully boring as well and so she'd high-jacked Sera away from an absolutely lovely looking woman, much to the blonde elf's displeasure.

But she still danced with Era with minimal grumblings. Especially since when three songs had passed, the tall woman asked to cut in and twirled a giggling Sera away into the night.

Era was left alone and she was just about to exit the dance floor when someone caught her hand. She looked over her shoulder and saw a man in a mask, green eyes peering at her intensely. "May I have this dance, Lady Inquisitor?" he asked. And because Era could not think of a reason to refuse him, she merely nodded.

The man pulled Era close, but it was far from a warm or flirty embrace. It was cold, there was nearly 3/4 a foot of space between their chests, he held their hands almost awkwardly high and his hand was barely placed on the small of her back. It was quite different from the intimate dances she'd shared with Bull in the past. Very technical and... cold.

She'd never danced with someone lacking quite so much passion before. He wasn't a bad dancer, but it felt like he wasn't comfortable with the length of his limbs and he was very stiff, but he knew the steps and knew how to lead, so it was an interesting style of dance. The most passionate part of the dance was when he spun her out and then spun her into his chest, dipping her back slightly as his eyes captured hers in an almost electric gaze. But his eyes widened, he broke the stare and clumsily spun her away from himself, almost tripping her with how quickly he jerked her away.

The dance ended and he bowed to her quickly. "Thank you for the dance, Inquisitor Trevelyan. It was a delight and an honor," and then turned and pushed his way through the crowd.

Era was left entirely bewildered and looked around to see the reactions of those around her to see if this was some sort of rouse or part of the Game that the Orlesians loved to play so much, but no one was looking down at her through their eyeholes. In fact, you'd never know this ball was in her honor with the way everyone seemed to have forgotten her existence. The band was taking a small break and so the dance floor was clearing and everyone who was standing along the raised balconies above the dance floor was preoccupied in small group conversations.

Era exited off the floor herself and wasn't quick enough to notice the Empress before she was intercepted by her royal highness. "Lady Inquisitor," Celene greeted brightly, dropping her many skirts with one hand in order to offer it to Era, who accepted it and curtsied low. "Milady, you need not curtsy to me. I owe you my life - I think a little informality will do."

The young mage fought the urge to raise an eyebrow. Era had no doubt that Celene meant it wholeheartedly. She was a sweet woman as well as a capable monarch. However, if she had failed to curtsy to the Empress, she had no doubt that even her position as Inquisitor wouldn't save her from becoming the subject of the gossiping of the courtiers in attendance tonight. She was already slated to be the center of attention next year in her own mind when she'd arrive with a five month old infant in her arms (or simply decline arriving at all, though she felt that Celene would insist) and didn't feel like drawing attention to herself before then. She could just hear them. "Inquisitor didn't bow to Empress Celene. Who does she think she is?" "She's let the power go to her head." "Has she forgotten her low origin already?"

The blonde tore the girl from her musings about those around them by saying, "So what do you think of the ball?"

"I wish everyone would take off the masks," Era said, unthinkingly. It hit her a moment later, what she'd just said, her eyes widened so much so that they looked as if they might pop free of her skull and she only just stopped herself from slapping a hand over her mouth. It was too late to take it back. She'd fucked up. Oh, how she wished Bull was here to take the heat off her by saying something worse.

There was a pause in which Era was really uncertain of how bad a faux pas she'd just made. Was suggesting the removal of the masks worthy of a beheading? If so, well, it was unlikely that her punishment would be that bad, as she'd once saved the Empress and the world as they knew it. Would this mean there'd be no Inquisitor's Ball next year? Hold on, this mistake might have some bright consequences after all.

However, all Era's worry for naught as Celene laughed. "It's all part of the great Game Inquisitor," she reminded her, light of heart and voice. But then she said something that Era did not expect; "However, this ball is in your honor, and surely one night without the masks will not send the Game crumbling into the dust." And as if it were no great deed, Celene reached back and unfastened her mask and brought it away from her face. There were some gasps from people around them, but Era paid them no mind. It was the first time Era had ever seen Celene without her mask. For someone of the Monarch's age, which she'd never heard explicitly stated but she gauged to be around her mid-forties, she looked very young and extremely pretty. Her hair was tied back as always, but a few tendrils fell forward from where they'd been pulled out of the up-do by the removal of her mask. "You are staring, Inquisitor," she said as she handed the mask to one of her attendants, who took it with a small bow.

"My apologies, your Highness," Era said, sort of dazed by what had just happened. She hadn't even meant to comment on the masks, let along actually have the Empress remove hers. But here they were.

As people took notice of Celene's bare face, a few others began to unfasten their masks, followed by even more. It was... unreal, to say the least. Era and Celene parted ways with a goodbye and a kiss on the cheek and Era went on her merry way around the ball. Without the masks, things seemed... easier. Less intimidating. She could see both displeased and happy looks on people's faces and it made her feel more at ease to not guess at any given moment what the person she was speaking to was feeling.

About an hour later, there was nary a mask to be seen. All were bare of face and it might have been Era's imagination, but she almost thought the Ball seemed more lively than before. There was more dancing and she heard people laughing every now and again where before, the event had felt somewhat dour. She knew tomorrow, this very hall would be filled once more with masked people with their own best interests at the forefront of their mind and the merrier manner of tonight would be forgotten, but for now, she basked in the loveliness of the ball.

She was so enchanted that she didn't notice a figure hovering by one of the glass doors that lead out to one of the many balconies the palace possessed. Not until it grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her through the doors and straight onto a freezing glyph. She didn't even have time to scream before the paralysis took hold of her body, freezing the sound in her throat. The doors gently shut behind her and the man who'd pulled her through the door circled around to her front. A mask and the same green eyes she'd seen peering at her during the dance. "I'm sorry," he said, sounding earnest and shaky. "I'm so sorry."

Era was scared and confused as he stepped back and out of the shadows, a booted foot appeared. "That's all, Messere Roquer. You'll find that your daughter has been returned to her room back at your estate."

With one last regretful look at Era, the man she'd danced with fled, running back through the doors and shutting them quietly once more, and he must have drawn the curtains so no one could see, as the light on the terrace dimmed considerably. But Era didn't need light to recognize it was Lorna who'd spoken. The voice of that witch had haunted her for nearly twelve years now.

And yet, she looked the same as the last time Era had seen her. Ashy gray and blonde hair was swept up into a braid nearly to her knees, her face was lined, but not old and wrinkly. She looked... maybe fifty at the most. But Era knew she had to be older than that, since she'd looked that way when Era was a mere fifteen year old and now she was encroaching upon twenty-seven. As she looked at Era, her face broke out into a sickly sweet smile. "Era," she cooed venomously. "How have you been, my dear? Taking care of that baby, I hope."

Era wanted to scream as Lorna took a step forward and placed a hand on her stomach and she felt magic stab through her, so different from the gentle flow of Hawke's precise ritual.

Cat-like eyes darted up to meet hers with a sinister smile. "Ah, yes. A healthy little boy. You should be very proud, Erathine."

A boy? She was having a baby boy? Bull would have a son?

Lorna stepped back and leaned against the balcony very nonchalant, her body language. "Anyhow, I was just stopping by to pay you a visit. I know you've had a guard on you at all times for a week or so now, but I just wanted you to know this." She leaned forward, eyes intent and hungry. "I have eyes everywhere. I know all. And you're not safe, my dear. Not until your debt is repaid and I have your sweet little boy in my arms." She paused and took a deep inhale. "That was all. And I must be going before one of your friends happens upon us. Ta, Era."

With a flourish of her hand, she'd turned into a raven and flew away. The paralysis glyph disappeared and Era crumpled onto the ground, sobbing and gripping her stomach for dear life, and that was how Cullen found her ten minutes later.

He stooped to her side and gently tried to coax what was wrong out of her, but she was completely incoherent, and so, he picked her up and carried her out of the ball, sending Hawke to notify all other Inquisition constituents of their departure. He held her face to his chest so no one would see the weakness and devastation written all over the Inquisitor's face and she let him, desperately wishing it were Bull instead.

A/N: And that's chapter two! Please let me know what you think of it. I was somewhat surprised by the amount of favorites and follows I got, but also incredibly flattered and I hope more people find and enjoy this story as it continues.

I think that's all so...

Signing off -

Lass of the Lake