Author's Note: Originally this was part of Chapter 26, but it just got too long. So here it is! The spiritual sister chapter to 26. Hope you enjoy! (Special thanks to those reviewing, your comments crack me up daily.)

Chapter 27 - The Heady Waters of Lake Calenhad

They stood outside the Chantry doors, the night air fighting a losing battle with the smell of the clash of undead earlier.

"So… here we are… all alone…" Serena murmured. She wondered what he could possibly have to talk about regarding the battle... she had barely had time to process it yet.

"Ah, maybe... not here." Alistair took her hand, leading her beyond the chantry yard and through a series of the small houses sitting on stilts by the lake. He settled on a dock that reached out over the lake, the waters lapping gently below them. "I, uh, thought this might be better, out here where there's no… you know..."

"Rotting corpses?" Serena supplied helpfully. "The disgusting stench of death?" She sat down on the dock, removing her boots so she could dangle her bare legs over the edge. Here, the smell of the lake thankfully overrode the reek from the clearing beyond.

"Yes, that." He settled down next to her, quiet as a mouse without his clanky armor on. "I just wanted to talk to you."

"About the battle?"

"No, not really about the battle. Although, you were magnificent." Alistair grinned at her, touching her braid lightly. "Your hair was whipping around as you kicked those monster's in the face... it was brilliant."

Serena could feel her face flush at his words. "I... that was... nothing! I mean, did you see Leliana spinning those two swords? Pfft, Chantry lay sister, indeed. And then you were just... crushing them. I'd never seen you move so fast..." She leaned against him, smiling at the memory. Without the armor, she could feel his muscles shift just under his tunic.

"Must of been the heat of battle," Alistair replied with a chuckle. "I'm just doing my best to keep up with you all." He sighed, shifting a bit beside her as he fished for something in his pocket. "I... don't really know how to say this..."

Serena felt her stomach start to tie up into knots. She knew she shouldn't have provoked him in the general store earlier about their... friendship, and now she was reaping her reward for her foolhardiness. He was finally going to tell her off. Although she wished he would just get on with it, instead of being all sweet and fumbling.

He pulled out a small red rose and handed it to her. "Here, I... do you... know what this is?"

"It's... a rose." Serena brought it to her nose and sniffed. It smelled wonderful; despite it's slightly wilted petals. How long had he been carrying this around? She eyed him, an eyebrow raised curiously. "Unless this is a trick question?"

Alistair laughed. "Yes, absolutely, I'm... trying to trick you. Is it working?" He leaned back on his hands, his face red. "I, uh, just about had you, didn't I?"

"Almost," Serena said, smiling at him. "Where did you...?"

"I picked it when we were in Lothering." He paused, and Serena saw his face was steadily losing it's red. "I remember thinking... 'How could something so beautiful exist in a place with so much despair... and… ugliness?'" Alistair sighed, his voice gentle. "I probably should have left it alone, but I... couldn't. The darkspawn would come and their taint would just... destroy it. So, I've had it ever since."

"That's... lovely, Alistair." She sniffed the flower again, taking in its sweet rosy scent before handing it back to him. Alistair looked down at her hand carefully cupping the rose and closed his over it, pushing it back to her.

"I thought that I might... give it to you, actually," he said softly. "In a lot of ways... I think the same thing, when I look at you."

"Really?" Serena felt her face flush again as she put the rose in her hair. She could feel her face break into a grin. "I love it... I mean, it's... it's beautiful."

"I'm glad you like it." Alistair shifted next to her, his hand sliding next to hers. "I was just thinking, you know... here I am, doing all this complaining and you haven't exactly been having a good time of it yourself." He turned, looking into her eyes. "You've had none of the good experiences of being a Grey Warden since your Joining, not a... word of thanks... or congratulations." He sighed, his eyes rolling to watch her legs dangling over the dock. "It's all been death and fighting and… tragedy."

"I thought... maybe I could say something. Tell you what a rare and… wonderful thing you are to find amidst all this... darkness." He glanced over at her quickly then ducked his head.

Serena inched her hand over to his, her fingers rubbing circles into his skin. "So... does this mean we're married now? Or do I have to wait for a ring?"

"You won't land me that easily, woman," Alistair said with a laugh. "I know I'm quite the prize, after all... " He turned his hand, so her fingers ran across his palm. "You always smell so sweet... like flowers and I thought... I guess it was just a stupid impulse. I don't know... was it the wrong one?"

"No, I... it wasn't. At all." Serena scooted closer, intertwining her fingers with his. "Thank you, Alistair."

"Well, you know. Flowers and girls and... I'm glad you like it, anyhow," Alistair said, touching her hair lightly. "Now if we could just... move right on past this awkward, embarrassing stage and right to the steamy bits, I'd appreciate it."

"Sounds good..." Serena nuzzled him, kissing him on the cheek. "Off with the tunic, ser," she whispered into his ear.

"Ohhh, ha... ah, bluff called," Alistair said, his face blushing deep red. "I didn't think you'd see through me so easily."

Serena giggled. "You're so cute when you're bashful."

"Really? You might be the only one to ever say that," Alistair replied, his hazel eyes were intently searching hers for... something.

"Oh, don't get me wrong, you're also completely awkward," Serena said, smiling up at him. "I just happen to find it absolutely adorable." She leaned forward and before she could talk herself out of it, kissed him on the lips. She could feel his surprise at first but it was quickly replaced with something else as he wrapped one hand into her hair and kissed her back. His lips were so warm against hers… Maker, everything about him was warm.

"So... I'm going to go ahead and say that was better," Alistair whispered against her lips.

"Mmm. Yes, I definitely think you're getting the hang of this." Serena kissed him again lightly, savoring the taste of him. "You just let me know... any time you want to practice, hmm?" She rested her head on his shoulder, staring out onto the lake. "It's sort of funny, you know..."

Alistair wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "What is?"

"We... we had our first kiss, just there," she said, pointing out into the lake to the island beyond. "And now ten years later... here we are." Serena looked up at Alistair, smiling. "It's just funny how things tend to... work themselves out."

"Leliana says it's Fate."

"Oh?"

"Yes, well, she told me this story the other night... about a noblewoman and how she fell in love with a soldier and then they both died and the gods made them into stars because they were both so sad and dead..." Alistair grinned. "I swear she tells it better than that. But, anyway, she was saying... maybe it was Fate, that we got thrown back together like this."

"Then let's hope Fate deals us a better hand that it did that woman and her soldier." Serena yawned, leaning into Alistair's shoulder. "I don't much care to become a star..."

Alistair laughed. "Yes, well, I don't fancy it, myself. I imagine it'd be rough, being so far away from you." He pulled Serena gently to her feet and placed a kiss on her forehead. "I ought to get you back into the Chantry, my lady, before you fall asleep in my lap."

"Long day... I'm surprised I'm still standing..." Serena murmured, leaning against him as they ambled back along the wooden walkways, their fingers intertwined. "I'm just glad we won this one. Those... those villagers just seemed so... desperate."

"It's certainly been an unpleasant homecoming for me, that's for sure. I remember simple fishing folk, friendly and hard working. It was... nothing like this..." Alistair led her towards the back of the Chantry where Leliana had already fallen asleep in her bedroll. He realized this would be the first night since they'd started where all of them could get a good night's sleep at once.

Serena slid into her bedroll next to Alistair's, smiling gently at him. She took the rose out of her hair, sniffed it one last time, and placed it next to her pillow.

"Goodnight, Alistair," Serena whispered, running a gentle hand down his arm. "Thank you, for... for everything." Beside her, Alistair grinned, slipping into his own bedroll.

"It was my pleasure, my lady."

The next morning dawned bright and surprisingly cheery for the village of Redcliffe. Serena and her companions got ready quickly, and Serena was delighted to see how much her friends' countenances had perked up after a solid night's sleep. Even Morrigan appeared to have more spring in her step, although with more spring also came more complaining.

"Ah, Warden, if I may trouble you..."

Serena rolled her eyes to the ceiling, praying silently to the Maker for patience before turning to regard the witch. "Morrigan, of course. What is it?"

"Normally, I would not... bother myself with such matters." Morrigan looked around, her golden eyes eerily nervous. "But as I'm sure you've noticed, I've... spent some time speaking with the qunari. He mentioned something to me yesterday I think you should know."

"Sten? What did he say?"

"Has he told you the story of why he is in Ferelden, Warden?"

Serena shook her head. "I... could only get a little out of him." She lowered her voice to imitate the deep rumble of the qunari's. "I like swords, I follow orders. What else is there to know?' Pfft. He thinks I'm naive, I think, because of my age." She sighed. "But from what I could tell, he came here with some other qunari, right? They were looking for evidence of the Blight."

"'Tis true. They were camped by Lake Calenhad, and were ambushed by darkspawn. He lost his sword in the process, and when that family found him, he... lost control and massacred them." Morrigan paused, eyeing Serena warily. "The qunari value their weapons above all else, it would seem. Losing that sword was perhaps what losing an arm would feel like to either of us."

"I... all right. What does this have to do with anything, Morrigan?"

"He has found his sword," Morrigan said simply. "It is here, in Redcliffe, of all places. That dwarf wields it."

"Dwyn?" Serena frowned, thinking hard. Yesterday, something had caught Sten's eye in that house. Had he recognized the sword then? Is that where he had disappeared to when she and Alistair had emerged from the smithy? Had he gone to seek out Dwyn? "Well, then... we'll have to get it back, won't we?"

"Indeed. I am curious, though, how do you suppose we do that?"

"Well, the man's a dwarf, and beyond that, a merchant." Serena raised an eyebrow at the witch. "Have you ever met a merchant that didn't like to trade?" She looked around. "Where is Sten?"

"Outside, helping clear bodies," Morrigan replied. Serena nodded, turning and heading out the Chantry's double doors. Outside there were many people milling about, some helping load bodies onto a burning pyre near the lake, others were collecting weapons and other equipment that had fallen off the ghouls. She saw Sten helping a group of men clear a section of beach by the lake of bodies. Dwyn was standing at a distance with his two ever-present bodyguards, watching the others work.

"Well, I didn't take him for much of a joiner, anyhow," Serena murmured as she headed for the dwarf, Morrigan at her side.

"Hello again, Dwyn," she said brightly, waving. "So good to see you."

The dwarf looked her up and down, a smirk on his face. She saw his eyes then flip to Morrigan, stopping at her chest. "What can I do for you, Warden?"

Serena smiled, hoping she and Morrigan were giving off the appropriate vibes to get what they wanted. She remember Morrigan's outfit and realized that at least one of them was giving off the correct vibes, at least. "I was curious... about your sword, actually. Where did you get it?"

"Ah, this beauty." Dwyn patted the sword fondly. "I haven't had it long, bought it off a man up near Orzammar. Why?"

"It just looks like a sword that belonged to my large friend there." Serena pointed to the unmistakable form of Sten, currently heaving three men at once onto the pyre. "He recently lost his sword, and I was hoping I could... purchase it off you."

Dwyn barked a laugh. "Ha! Not a chance, girl. This sword is one-of-a-kind, and the best I've ever had, surely." He eyed her again, his eyes vigilant. "Besides, what makes you think it's your, ah, friends sword?"

Morrigan leaned towards the dwarf, her yellow eyes intense. "You see a lot of qunari-made swords, then?"

"Ah, you've... a point there." The dwarf glanced at his two bodyguards, a secret code of looks transferring between them. "We've seen you in action, Warden, and your mage friend here is a force to be reckoned with alone. Perhaps we could... strike a deal."

Morrigan flashed him a predatory grin. "What did you have in mind?"

"2 sovereigns and… a kiss, from both of you," Dwyn replied, grinning rakishly. "Then the qunari gets his precious sword back."

Oh, Maker, Serena thought. Of course this degenerate wanted something like that. She glanced around, looking for Alistair, hoping he was still in the Chantry... or anywhere else he wouldn't see them. She watched as Morrigan quickly leaned forward and kissed the dwarf square on the mouth.

"Don't expect such kindness from me, Dwyn," Serena said, leaning down to kiss him chastely on the cheek. She drew a few silvers from their joint coin purse and held them out in her open palm. "The sword now, if you please."

"6 silvers? I'm almost certain I said gold. And that wasn't even really a kiss, Warden-" Dwyn began.

"And the qunari, as you so described him, massacred an entire family with his bare hands when he realized his sword was missing. And he knows you have it, now." Serena narrowed her eyes at the dwarf. "I'd hate for him to... rip your arms off." She turned to Morrigan, smirking. "Don't people need their arms? Both of them?"

"Alright, alright!" Dwyn unbuckled the sheath of the great sword and shoved it into Serena's arms. "Have it your way, Warden. By the Stone..." The dwarf threw up his arms and turned, disappearing into the maze of small houses behind them. His two lackeys eyed Serena, who was still fumbling with the enormous sword, before following Dwyn.

"That went well, I think," Morrigan said dryly.

"Well, if he wouldn't respond to simple logic, I had to resort to threats." Serena got a grip on the huge sword and hefted it over her shoulder, weaving back through the chantry yard towards the qunari. She didn't know how the dwarf had managed it, honestly. The sword was nearly as long as she. "Sten better appreciate this... this stupid thing weighs a ton."

"What is this?" The enormous qunari looked down at the two women, his face set in a hard grimace.

Serena held up the huge great sword to him. "It's... your sword." She exchanged uneasy glances with Morrigan. "Isn't it?"

"It is." He carefully took it from Serena and held it in his hands. "Strange, I... I had almost forgotten what it felt like in my hand. Asala." Serena felt self-conscious, standing there as Sten appeared to marvel over the blade. "How did you get it? I did not think that dwarf would part with it so easily."

"We struck up a bargain he couldn't refuse," Serena replied. "We also might have mentioned your, err, penchant for ripping people to pieces with your bare hands."

"This is true." Sten attached the sword sheath to his back and pulled the blade, marveling over it once again as the sword reflected in the sun. A smile, or at least, what passed for a smile on the gigantic man, appeared just briefly on his face. "How did you know this was mine?"

"Ah, well, I think you have Morrigan to thank for that. She's the brains behind this particular operation." Serena pushed lightly on the witch's shoulder, moving her towards the big man. "I have to go check in with Bann Teagan, see you." With an awkward wave, she turned and walked quickly away, a huge grin on her face.