The Issue of Issue

Aedan sighed with relief as the familiar stone walls of Denerim loomed into view. He beckoned his horse on faster as the rain picked up its own momentum in the night sky. The wet slap of hooves from both his and his entourage's horses on the muddy path beat a steady rhythm along the road and soon enough the Warden-Commander was back within the walls of Ferelden's capital.

"Don't know about you all, but I'll be glad to get out of this rain." Anders groaned to his side.

"We're nearly there now." Aedan said over the drumming of rain on his hood and cloak. "The palace is just on the other side of the city."

"This is nothing." The elf Velanna declared, her back straight even under the weight of the rain hammering down on her sodden cloak. "Merely a shower, if anything. Try trekking through the Ferelden forests in a torrential downpour. At least the ground here won't fall out beneath us, drawing us into a mud pool."

"How are you even alive?" Sigrun asked the elf from atop her pony. The dwarf preferred a steed that she could mount on her own. "You'd think nature would just whittle you Dalish down over time through landslides, sinkholes and stuff?"

"We're not as fragile as these here humans." Velanna smirked.

"Fragile we may be, but I'd rather be warm, comfortable and fragile than cold, wet and tough." Anders threw the elf a smirk of his own.

Velanna rolled her eyes but didn't respond.

"Can't wait for a nice hot bath after all this." Anders declared with a sigh.

"I'd have thought you'd be heading straight to the brothel, Anders." Nathaniel quipped to Aedan's other side.

The mage opened his mouth to retort then paused as he seemed to give the idea some consideration. "Actually that's not a bad idea, Howe. The Pearl isn't that far from here."

"Creators preserve us." Velanna muttered in annoyance, more to herself than anyone else.

"You could be in and out before we even reach the palace steps." Nathaniel said, utterly serious, though Aedan was sure a sly smile could be seen under the archer's hood if not for the dark of night.

"Ha ha ha." Anders droned with a heavy dollop of sarcasm. "How about you join me, Howe? Not in bed before you get any ideas."

"No thank you." Nathaniel said dryly.

"What about you, ladies?" The mage turned to the elf and dwarf.

"No!" Velanna declared as if there was any doubt to her answer. "Keep your filthy perversions to yourself, shem."

"Thanks for the offer, but casual sex isn't really my kind of thing." Sigrun smiled good naturedly. "Thanks for the invite though."

Anders shrugged. "Fair enough. Commander, care to make one in?"

Velanna leaned over to scowl at Nathaniel. "This is your doing."

"I was only joking, Velanna." Nathaniel held up his hands in a display of innocence.

"Are you really discussing whether to visit a brothel with the Prince-Consort of Ferelden?" Aedan laughed, only half joking.

"Why not? They'd probably offer you a royal discount if anything." Anders snickered. "And you know, I think you're the only man in the world who could take pride in that title."

"What's wrong with my title?" Aedan frowned.

"All human titles are meaningless." Velanna said. "One noble is just as oppressive as the next."

"It helps us keep a track over who is the most oppressive though, Velanna." Nathaniel quipped with a hint of a smirk. "We like to have our hierarchies beyond race."

Velanna merely scowled at the archer again.

Nathaniel turned to Aedan. "Well, with regards to yours, it's not king, is it?"

"But I'm not a king." Aedan said, slightly confused. "It's self-explanatory really."

"Makes sense to me." Sigrun offered helpfully.

"Exactly." Anders clicked his fingers as though he'd hit upon a wondrous idea of genius. "You had the kingdom in the palm of your hand. The terrible reign of King Aedan 'The Dragon Slayer' was almost about to begin, but then you let it slip out between your fingers."

"'Dragon slayer'?" Aedan eyed the mage sceptically.

"Yeah, you've killed a few dragons before, right?"

"Well, yes, but I think most people remember the Archdemon though, that's what earned me the title 'Hero of Ferelden' after all."

"True, but 'Archdemon Slayer' doesn't exactly roll off of the tongue, and Archdemon's are basically just dragons with darkspawn evil in them anyway."

"And why is my reign terrible?" Aedan narrowed his eyes.

"You're missing the point." Anders waved the irate Prince-Consort off with a mischievous grin. "The point is that you could have taken the throne all for your own, but instead, you chose to bow down before the mighty Queen Anora."

"You say that as though it is wrong for a woman to lead." Velanna narrowed her eyes at her fellow mage.

"Do you have any chips that are not on your shoulder?" Anders smirked.

"Do you have anything remotely intelligent to say, or are you just going to bore all of our ears off with your pointless, inane prattle?" The elf countered.

"Well, pardon me if my conversation is too common for your overly large ears, milady." Anders sketched a bow with a put upon air of faux nobility.

Velanna's cheeks exploded into colour. "My ears are not large!"

"Children, please." Aedan attempted to calm both human and elf with a look. "Stop it."

Though still clearly disgruntled, and with cheeks still bright red, Velanna shot Anders one last glare before manoeuvring her steed to walk on the other side of Nathaniel, putting her further away from the other mage.

Anders chuckled but didn't attempt to rile her further.

"Returning to your previous point." Aedan began pointedly. "Anora has a far stronger claim to the throne than I do, and she has first-hand experience of running the kingdom." Aedan countered, eye narrowing even further. "And this conversation is straying awfully close to treason, you know."

"Details, details." Anders dismissed his Commander's words with a wave of his hand. "The real question though, is the prize of the beautiful queen worth the lowly title of Prince-Consort?"

"Here he goes again." Velanna muttered, barely within Aedan's earshot. She looked to Nathaniel. "Nothing but filth on his mind."

Nathaniel for his part merely inclined his head slightly, amusement colouring his expression.

Aedan turned an irritated glare to the mage. "I am your Commander as well as your Prince, remember? Do you really want to keep going down this road?"

"Wait, does that mean you haven't?" Anders' smirk only grew, in spite of the promised danger in the Warden Commander's eyes. "Does she even let you anywhere near her bed?"

"I'm not deigning that ridiculous question with an answer." Aedan snapped, back inadvertently straightening. He was inwardly annoyed by how defensive he knew he sounded. Of course he'd shared a bed with Anora, nearly every night since their wedding in fact, except when Anora had left the capital on business without her husband a few times or when Aedan was working with the wardens in Amaranthine of course. That closeness in proximity hadn't yet manifested in a closeness of the variety Anders' was clearly hinting at however.

The mage's chuckle sounded more like a cackle to Aedan's ears. He did his best to ignore it.

"There's nothing wrong with that." Sigrun piped up helpfully. "Let them figure it out in their own time."

Aedan nodded graciously to the dwarf, though he still felt his cheeks reddening.

"Not that I want to be put on latrine duty for the next year." Nathaniel began carefully.

"That's an attitude more people should have." Aedan muttered acidly with a side eyed glance at the human mage.

"Anders has sort of stumbled on an important point though. Have you thought about, well, siring an heir?"

"Not you as well?" Velanna crinkled her nose slightly in distaste. "Urgh, men."

"Typically, you make it sound so boring, Howe." Anders chuckled.

"I'm serious." Nathaniel persisted with nary a glance at either mage. "What do you think will happen after you and Anora pass on?"

"They'll be time to plan for that." Aedan murmured. "In case you've forgotten, I'm still a Grey Warden. Having children isn't exactly a guarantee in our position."

"Thankfully so, for some of us." Velanna gave a pointed glare towards Anders.

The human mage ignored her. "That doesn't mean you shouldn't try." Anders supplied helpfully, surely grinning from ear to ear under his soaked hood. "Trying's the fun part."

"If all else fails." Aedan continued, deciding it might be best to simply ignore the troublesome mage. "We could designate an heir. Name whoever's best suited to be the next ruler."

"Wouldn't it be better to pass the kingdom onto an heir born of you and Anora though?" Nathaniel asked, concerned.

"Why would it be better?" Velanna asked of the archer. "Why not select whoever is best suited to the role, like we Dalish do. It's more meritocratic that way, and is better for the whole clan."

"And who would that be if not the children of the current rulers?" Nathaniel looked to the elf. "Most people aren't afforded the education to learn how to rule and govern a kingdom. Even among the nobility, there are few who could be considered capable enough to rule a country."

"Then maybe your whole system is broken." Velanna shook her head.

"It's worked for us for hundreds of years, and in case you haven't noticed, people are resistant to change."

"It didn't work for Cailan." Anders piped up with a sly smile. "He was the son of a king and look what happened to him. And if you hadn't noticed, Howe, neither of our current rulers were born into royalty."

"I won't pretend it's a perfect system, and of course it has its exceptions, but how much upheaval and bloodshed was there between Cailan's rule and now? Yes, I know there was a Blight heavily involved in all that, but I'm sure Loghain planned his betrayal before the true extent of the Blight was known. Having the crown in the hands of one lineage fosters stability, which is something Ferelden needs right now after everything she's been through."

"So have your peace and stability, there is no Blight or war right now, is there? In the meantime you should find someone with the aptitude to rule and foster that talent, wherever it is found. So that when it is time to pass the reins of power, that figure is ready." Velanna said.

"Are you putting yourself forward for the role?" Anders asked with a smirk.

"Absolutely not." Velanna scoffed. "I wouldn't lower myself by ruling over humans."

"All good points, but we're forgetting something." Nathaniel now looked to Aedan directly. "You and I both know that there are plenty of nobles who won't just blindly accept whoever you and Anora may choose as heir, no matter how well suited to the job they may be. Look at my father, if you want a cautionary tale, and he betrayed the son of King Maric of all people. Picking an heir from the nobility may end up just starting another war, with the Bannorn fighting over which of them gets to become king. I think we can all agree that another civil war is the last thing that Ferelden wants."

Aedan said nothing, contemplating Nathanial's words.

"Or they'll be fighting over who gets to become Prince-Consort." Anders snickered into the silence.

Aedan didn't even turn to glower at the mage. Instead, he just sighed, and reached out to give him a quick shove. Anders squawked as he tumbled off his horse and fell into a large puddle, further drenching the already sodden mage. Sigrun had to lead her pony around in order to avoid trampling him.

The Prince-Consort heard Nathaniel and Velanna's chuckle even through the smack of rain on their hoods.

xxx

The wardens soon made it to the steps of the royal palace. They were welcomed with about as much fanfare as the soaked guards on duty could muster. The Prince-Consort could hardly blame them. Having lived on the road for so long, Aedan could sympathise with the plight of the common soldier, certainly more so now than when he had simply been a spoilt brat of a noble's son.

Entering the palace proper, the wardens shed their soaked cloaks. Aedan and most of the wardens' riding gear were still moderately dry despite the downpour. Aedan smirked a little to himself in satisfaction at the sight of Anders sopping wet, literally dripping onto the stonework.

"There you are."

Aedan turned, his wife, Queen Anora was approaching him with a cordial smile on her lips. She looked just as beautiful as he remembered, though it had only been a few weeks since they'd last laid eyes on each other. Her bodyguard, Ser Cauthrien was shadowing Ferelden's monarch, on alert for threats as always.

"It's been a while. I trust you've had safe travels, dear husband? I was beginning to worry." Anora asked Aedan with a hint of a smile.

"Most safe, thank you." Aedan smiled in return. "Sorry for the prolonged absence. We'd come across a larger pack of darkspawn than expected. It's all dealt with now."

Anora nodded in gratitude. "I'm glad to hear it, and … are you well?"

"Yes, very well thank you." Aedan almost chuckled. "Are you? Well, I mean?"

"I am, thank you for asking, dear." Anora smiled warm. Then, her gaze diverted from her husband's face to glare at something behind him.

Aedan followed her gaze to find his wardens. It looked as though Nathaniel had just elbowed Anders roughly in the abdomen, for the archer's face bore a faint scowl of annoyance and the mage was almost doubled over. Velanna was rolling her eyes while Sigrun seemed to be supressing an amused grin. For his part, Anders seemed to be struggling to keep his face and spine straight.

Aedan threw a warning glare at them all for good measure. Just what are you all up to? That was probably unfair on Nathaniel, Velanna and probably Sigrun at least. It was obviously Anders being a nuisance as usual. The Prince-Consort was sure he probably didn't want to know what had the mage smirking so.

"Will your comrades be requiring a room for the night?" Anora raised an elegant eyebrow, still scowling slightly at whatever slight she'd witnessed.

"Yes, they would be most grateful. That is, if they can behave themselves." Aedan gave Anders a particularly hard look.

"Of course, of course." Anders smiled. "We're always on our best behaviour, aren't we?" The mage nudged the archer's ribs with an elbow, only earning him a slight scowl from Nathaniel.

"Well, I'm sure we can have rooms prepared." Anora nodded to a nearby servant who bowed and ran off to see to it. "Maker knows we have enough of them."

Nathaniel bowed his head respectfully. "Your Majesties are most kind."

"Thank you, your Majesty." Velanna gave a slight incline of her head.

Anora stepped forward to address the wardens. "I trust you are all well and unharmed?"

The wardens nodded their assent.

"Well, thank you all once more for your work in keeping Ferelden safe." The Queen smiled graciously.

"Just doing our job, your Grace." Sigrun beamed. "Killing nasties so no one else has to."

Anora's lips quirked in light amusement. "Well, know that your sacrifice is appreciated, by both Ferelden and myself, so I thank you all again." Anora smiled diplomatically. "Now, if you would all forgive me, my husband and I have some important matters to attend to. Our servants can see you to your rooms."

"Of course, we thank you for your hospitality, your Grace." Nathaniel smiled, ever the gentleman.

Curious, Aedan quirked a suspicious eyebrow at his wife.

Anora said nothing in response. She merely turned on her heel and walked a few steps before pointedly throwing a look over her shoulder to indicate the Prince-Consort should follow.

Aedan glanced back at his wardens – scowling at the salacious look Anders sent his way in particular – before dutifully following his Queen. The wardens were led to the guest rooms by a clutch of servants.

Anora led him to their private quarters, to the bedroom they shared. It had been a while since they had shared it last, Aedan smiled vaguely at being back in the familiar four walls. Anora opened the door and bade Aedan to follow suit. Ser Cauthrien had already retreated outside of the cluster of rooms that made up the Queen's solar to stand guard at a distance, giving the royal couple some privacy at last. Once Aedan had walked inside, Anora wasted no time in shutting the door behind him.

"Anora? Is something wrong?" Aedan asked, concerned. "Are you well?"

"No, nothing's wrong." Anora sighed, turning to face her husband, she chewed on her lips slightly. "It's just a … delicate matter that is best discussed in private." The Queen rubbed her hands together distractedly, interlocking her fingers in an almost erratic rhythm. This was most unlike her. She was normally one for just getting straight to the meat of the matter.

"Alright." Aedan murmured. "What is it?"

"Yes, well … I have been thinking and …"

"You are very well practiced at that." Aedan quirked his lips, hoping to break the tension.

"Aedan, please!" Anora snapped. "You can see this is not easy for me say, so just- give me time to say it. Can you do that for me?"

Aedan swallowed thickly, he'd misjudged the mood by a country mile it seemed. Perhaps he was still tuned into the general teasing that he shared with his wardens. "Yes, of course."

The Queen sighed before continuing, cheeks tinged pink. "We are married now, I, a Queen, you as Prince-Consort. I'm sure it will have crossed your mind that … at some point, we would need to … to procreate, to ensure that the line of succession continues after us."

Ah, Aedan thought, swallowing another lump in his throat. His conversation with his comrades among the Grey Wardens barely an hour earlier leapt back to the forefront of his mind.

"You have been respectful of my personal space, to date." Anora continued, cheeks reddening even further. "And that is appreciated, but …" A heavy sigh. "To be frank, I am not getting any younger. If we are to do this, I think it would be prudent to … well, make a start."

"Anora …" Aedan began quietly, wholly unsure of how to continue. The conversation with his warden's earlier on the very same topic only seemed to make him even more unsure now. "Are you sure this is what you want?"

The Queen blinked several times. Then, her visible surprise gave way to a scowl. "What do you mean? Of course I do! I would hardly have put myself through these last few agonising minutes if I wasn't certain!"

Aedan licked his lips nervously. Maker, they were so dry. "But … are you ready? Do you really want a child? With me?"

"I wouldn't have married you if I wasn't prepared for that vague possibility." Anora snapped with scorn.

"I'm not sure you're hearing me." Aedan half grimaced. "Forget having an heir to the throne, do you really want a child? A son or daughter, to raise as our own?"

"Yes." Anora answered immediately, eyes fixed on her husband. Aedan saw she was serious. She even smiled a little. "I really do. You may think me a brooding, aging, bitter woman if you want to-"

"I don't think any of those things." Aedan almost laughed.

"-But I do want a child of my own. And when I think of having a child with you, it somehow … seems right. I can't really explain why." Anora smiled softly, before her scowl returned. "And as soon as they were old enough, I'd make sure to teach them not to ask such stupid questions."

"Of course you would." Aedan snickered, before a dark cloud crossed his features. "Anora, you do know I'm a Grey Warden, don't you?"

Anora sighed with a weary roll of her eyes. "I am moderately aware of this fact, oh Hero of Ferelden."

"I just mean- that it may not be possible for me to … sire a child. We wardens have limited fertility. It's a side effect of our joining. You do know that, don't you?"

Anora gazed up into Aedan's eyes for a long moment. Though her expression was neutral, Aedan could have sworn he had just witnessed something break inside. Though he couldn't for the life of him see what it was.

"Anora?" Aedan probed gently.

"You don't want a child, do you?" Anora asked quietly.

"No, that's not at all what I'm saying." Aedan shook his head softly.

"You're awfully keen to question the whole idea." Anora's voice picked up in volume and venom. "You seem to be throwing up obstacles at every opportunity."

"That's not what I meant, Anora. I just- I want to be honest with you about my situation."

"I know full well that your warden biology might not be … amenable to the whole idea, but that's no reason to not even try."

"I know that, I just … I don't want you to get your hopes up in case it doesn't happen as you want it to."

"Oh, how chivalrous of you." Anora spat, eyes narrowing dangerously. "How would this poor little woman cope without you to prepare me for every little pitfall?"

"Anora, you know I didn't mean anything like-" Aedan reached out a hand, but his wife slapped it away with the force of her words alone.

"Or perhaps it's simply because you don't want to make the effort with me?"

"What?" Aedan shook his head, equal parts frustrated and confused.

"You've never reached for me in bed. You're objecting now. Perhaps I am just so unappealing to you?"

"You know you couldn't be further from the truth." Aedan couldn't help but chuckle.

"I know that, do I?" The Queen folded her arms irritably. "You've told me plenty of pretty words, but I've yet to see any real evidence of your supposed 'attraction'."

"I was giving you your own space! You said so yourself, you appreciated that!"

"And now I'm saying that I wish for that to change, do you object?"

"No, of course I-"

"So what's preventing you now, husband?" Anora demanded, the challenge emblazoned in fire in her eyes.

Aedan stared at his wife in silence for a long moment, his infuriating, argumentative, beautiful Queen.

Then, he lunged, his lips chasing hers urgently.

Anora let out a slight gasp of surprise but quickly recovered. Her hands seized the back of his head as Queen and Prince-Consort clashed feverishly.

"I knew you'd see things my way eventually." Anora breathed as Aedan pressed hot kisses down her neck.

"Shut. Up." Aedan murmured between kisses.

"Absolutely not." Anora enunciated each and every syllable so exquisitely through smirking lips. "I outrank you."

"You can be so damn frustrating." Aedan moaned against her collarbone.

"So, what do you intend to do about it?" Aedan could hear the self-satisfied smirk on her words.

Aedan growled deep in his throat as he picked Anora up by the waist. She barely had time to yelp before she was thrown onto the bed the shared. Aedan was upon her again in an instant, laying loving kiss after heated touch upon her body, again and again and again. Anora stared at him transfixed, already panting slightly.

"I intend to make up for lost time. You know, we never did have a proper wedding night." Aedan smirked as he gazed up at his wife, expression torn between loving adoration and bestial lust.

"You won't receive any complaints from me." Anora was biting down on her lip in a vain effort to contain her smile.

"Anora?" Aedan crawled up the bed to lean over her, face to face.

"Hmm?" The Queen straightened her neck slightly, as though to keep hold of some semblance of her usually flawless regal bearing as she lay below her husband. Such an innocent motion, yet so beautiful. Everything about her was beautiful.

Aedan stared right into her eyes. He reached a hand up to brush a stray lock of blonde away from her face and caress her cheek lovingly. "I want to have children with you. I really mean it."

Anora clearly struggled to keep her wide smile from taking over her face. "Then I'm sure you know what to do." She murmured, barely a whisper.

"Yes, my Queen." Aedan smirked before kissing her once more.

"Maker, I do love the way you say that." Anora sighed in delight.

Aedan quietly resolved to say it a great many more times. He peppered it in between kisses and touches and strokes. He said it in gasps and cries and moans. He made it his mantra, and his Queen revelled in each and every moment of it.

xxx

"So … do you think it worked?"

Anora raised herself from the mattress to aim a glare down at her husband. She held the silk sheet to her chest to protect her modesty.

"What?" Aedan asked, nonplussed.

"It takes a bit longer than a few minutes to find out, dear husband." She spat his marital title with a heavy measure of scorn.

"I'm sorry, I don't know!"

"Honestly." Anora fell back to the sheets with a weary shake of her head. "You think that a woman just feels it happen instantaneously? As- As though we whistle like a damn teapot or something, confirming it was a success?"

"I didn't mean- I just-" Aedan spluttered, cheeks blushing.

"A high pitched whistle means it's a girl, of course." Anora rolled her eyes theatrically, voice dripping in sarcasm. "A low one means a boy is on the boil."

Aedan somehow manage to scowl through his obvious embarrassment. "I was raised to fight, taught the way of the sword and history and things like that. Not in understanding the … the female experience."

"Clearly, and you never picked anything up from all your tavern wenches, or servant girls, or whoever else you spread your wild oats with?"

"Ok, first of all, that is a horrid expression. Second, I was never that promiscuous."

"Oh really?" Anora eyed him with a scowl. "I seem to remember you saying something about spending your nights with 'a serving girl or two' in your youth. Or am I mistaken?"

Aedan opened his mouth to retort, before closing it again with a sigh. "Alright, I had a few … encounters in my younger days." He conceded lamely. "But I want you to know that those relationships are all in the past now, as well as that … well, lifestyle."

"I'm not trying to shame you for your romantic history, Aedan." Anora sighed. Then, she threw her husband a murderous look. "Although, do I have to worry about any bastards popping up out of the woodwork?"

"No! Absolutely not."

"Are you certain? You didn't seem too aware of the fundamentals of nature till just now."

"Yes, I am!" Aedan sat up in bed in order to gesticulate properly. "I swear to you Anora, there's no children, nor any lovers hidden away. If you must know, you are only the second woman I've … properly lain with."

Anora raised both eyebrows, expression quickly morphing from annoyed to amused. "Properly?"

Aedan sighed, cheeks reddening. "Yes, as in- in a way that would make- that could potentially … Maker's breath, you know what I'm trying to say!"

"Oh, Aedan." Anora shook her head with a smile that equal parts amused and pitying. "I won't ask what you did with the others. Should I be impressed or should I feel sorry for the poor girls?" She chuckled.

Aedan wearily rubbed at his eyes with a sigh as he suffered his wife's amusement.

Anora audibly sighed herself as she stopped chuckling. She turned an appeasing smile towards the Prince-Consort. "Well, if it makes you feel any better, that's the same number that I've 'lain with'."

Aedan opened his mouth to say something else, and then paused as he eyed Anora with a quizzical look.

"Total, I meant total!" Anora amended belatedly, cheeks flushing. "I meant we've had the same total number of proper partners!"

Aedan breathed a chuckle. "I was about to say, I wouldn't have thought you were the type."

"Shut up. That's not what I meant and you know it." Anora sighed. "Very well, go on then."

"Go on?"

"Who was your other proper conquest? You know mine was Cailan, that much is obvious. It's only fair if I learn of yours."

"Are … are you sure you want to know?"

"I wouldn't ask if I wasn't, as long as you don't compare me to her, like cattle in a market." Anora added with another stern look. "Otherwise heir or no, I will kill you tonight."

"I wouldn't dream of it." Aedan's smile was more than a little nervy. "Well, she, err … her name was Iona. She was an elven lady in waiting, to a friend of my mother's."

Anora nodded with a decisively neutral expression for a moment before frowning slightly. "Was?" She asked quietly, the sharpness in her tone all but vanished.

"Yes, she, well, she died the night Arl Howe attacked Highever."

Anora let out a noise that was somewhere between a sigh and a hiss. She sat up as well in front of her husband. "Aedan, I'm sorry. You don't have to say anything else if it's too painful. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have pushed."

"Anora, it's fine." Aedan reached for her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "You didn't push, really. I'm happy to continue."

Anora eyed him carefully, eyes narrowed in concern. "Are you certain? My curiosity's not worth any more pain."

"There's no pain, I swear it." Aedan smiled reassuringly.

"Don't lie to me, Aedan, not about this." Anora narrowed her eyes sternly but her voice was still soft as she reached up to caress his cheek. "Of course there is pain. I can read it in your eyes, and I know you're not the type of man to take any woman with a pulse to bed, not any more at least. She must have meant something to you."

Aedan's gaze fell to his hand that held Anora's. "You are too smart for me, my Queen." He smiled.

"Then heed my words and stop." Anora held his face gently in both hands, forcing him to look her in the eyes again. "I know all I need to know. It's not worth any more pain to know a little more."

"I'm no stranger to pain, Anora, I'm a warrior. I can cope with a few unpleasant memories, truly."

"Well I don't want you to have to cope. I don't want you to have to go through any unnecessary pain. Especially not on my behalf, so stop." Anora all but commanded.

Aedan sighed. I'd bear through any kind of pain for you, he thought. Looking into Anora's eyes though, the warrior knew a losing battle when he saw one.

"Alright, consider it dropped."

"Good." Anora nodded, and then grimaced. "Unless … unless you need to talk about it? In a healing way I mean, not in a 'sate my curiosity' manner. I'm more than happy to listen to you, if you need me to."

Aedan couldn't help but smile wide. "Too smart and too sweet for me, my Queen." He leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to her somewhat flustered cheek. "I'm fine, but thank you. I really do appreciate it."

Anora's cheeks reddened even more. Her expression settled on slightly irritable but endearingly awkward. "Well, going back to your earlier query." She changed the subject with a clearing of the throat. "It will generally take a few weeks to see if it worked."

Aedan quirked the side of his lips awkwardly. "I'll trust in your superior knowledge on the subject."

"At least one of us should have some." Anora agreed with a hint of a smirk.

Aedan leaned back, his gaze falling to his wife's stomach, covered by nightgown and sheets as it was. "It's almost … exciting, isn't it? The mere prospect of it, I mean."

Anora glanced down at her own belly with a smile. "I know what you mean." She bit down on her lip for a moment. "I know the chances may be slim, but I'm glad we're trying at least."

"Oh? Pervert." Aedan winked.

He earned a substantial, unamused glare in response to that remark.

"You're not complaining about that part, are you though?" The Prince-Consort aimed a knowing look at the Queen.

Anora sighed, the barest hint of a smile breaking through her facade. "That is hardly the important part of the process."

Aedan chuckled. "Spoken like a true politician."

"You are well aware of who you married." Anora leaned onto her side, propping her head up on her arm.

"I certainly am." Aedan smiled back lovingly, raising a hand to play with her golden locks. "You know, I didn't really expect us to become this close, I find it easy to talk to you now."

Anora murmured in assent. "Indeed … I never expected we'd ever get to the point where we could discuss our pasts so freely, particularly about our previous partners. of all things. With Cailan, it was never so … open."

Aedan stroked Anora's hand with a thumb for a few quiet moments as she stared off into the distance, deep in thought. "Were you happy with him?"

Anora was silent for anther few moments before answering. "For a while. You know, when we were young, before we were married even, we would get into all sorts of ridiculous exploits together."

"You never?" Aedan laughed incredulously.

Anora smiled fondly at the memories. "I'm sure it will surprise you to hear that in my youth I had a bit of rebellious streak."

"I can't even imagine it." Aedan smiled wide.

"Don't expect me to regale you with any fanciful tales however." Anora's lips quirked up slightly before falling slightly more.

"Oh come on, you can't dangle a treat like that in front of me and not expect me to pry." Aedan smirked.

"Well, maybe one day if you're lucky." Anora rolled her eyes in good humour. "Of course that was all a different life ago now. We realised quickly that if we were to rule one day, we'd have to grow up. At least, that was my epiphany. Cailan, well, he tended to shirk any responsibility that didn't keep him entertained for long. But …" Anora trailed off, expression contemplative.

"You don't have to go on if you don't want to, Anora." Aedan murmured softly.

The Queen smiled slightly. "I am aware, but thank you. Its fine, in truth, it will be nice to speak to someone about … well, things for once." Anora sighed slightly, expression thoughtful.

Aedan didn't respond in the silence, waiting patiently for Anora to find whatever words she was searching for.

"In spite of his foolishness, I won't deny I was still fond of him, in part because of it. He always had such an easy charm about him that couldn't be hated." Anora smiled warmly. "I daresay I even loved him, even when he … strayed from our marriage bed, and then there was the scheming with the Empress of Orlais." Anora shook her head softly. "I didn't expect that to hurt as much as it did. And after all that, when I learned of his fate at Ostagar, I still felt the pain of his loss."

"I'm sorry." Aedan murmured. He moved his hand seek out hers and give it a reassuring squeeze.

"That's all in the past now." Anora was quiet for a moment before levelling a sly smile at her husband, eyes twinkling. "And are you sure about feeling sorry? If things had happened differently, you may well have never have even had the chance of marrying into royalty."

Aedan frowned. "That's not- I'm still sorry that you went through all that pain, you didn't deserve to be treated like that."

Anora shrugged slightly. "I'm hardly the first woman to have had an unfaithful husband. I daresay I won't be the last." She shook her head ruefully. "Regardless, life isn't about what we deserve, Aedan. Everyone makes their choices and we all have to live with the consequences. I think I'm content to live with mine." Anora looked to Aedan curiously. "Are you with yours?"

"Absolutely." Aedan answered immediately, nodding gently in certainty.

"So confident?" Anora quirked a smile.

"Well, my choices led me to be here with you, haven't they?" Aedan smiled back at his wife. "There are certainly things I'd love to change if I could of course, but if this is my fairy tale ending, I daresay it's turned out to be a pretty good one, wouldn't you?"

The Queen regarded the Prince-Consort with an almost confused look, perhaps it was more surprised? "Oh, Aedan." She murmured with a small smile on her lips.

"What is it?"

Anora chuckled, shaking her head softly. "You have been such a strange, yet pleasant surprise, Aedan Cousland. I confess, when we married I just didn't really know what to expect from you at all."

"Let me guess." Aedan smirked as he propped his head up on the plush pillows. "I wouldn't be surprised if you had some sort of contingency plan ready, in case I attempted to steal the crown away from you?"

Anora chewed on her lip for a long moment, keeping her attention on the edge of the sheets as she played with them. Was she blushing? "Not a contingency … there was more than one." She murmured bashfully.

Aedan laughed out loud, shaking them both.

"Shut up!" Anora snapped, swatting at his chest irritably. "I didn't know you, not at all! We'd had, what, only four or five full conversations before our wedding day? How was I supposed to truly know you from those few moments?"

Aedan finally calmed. "Oh no, I understand completely. It's just, so very you. I should have expected nothing less."

Cheeks decidedly red, Anora somehow found a smirk of her own. "Now that I have gotten to know you however, I find that you are insufferable, and childish, and grossly inexperienced with the real world outside of a sword fight."

Aedan breathed a chuckle. "I won't deny any of that."

Anora's smirk gave way to a warm smile. Her fingers walked their way up the Prince-Consort's chest leisurely. "But you are also kind, and sweet, and supportive, and … athletic." Anora put emphasis on every syllable of the word.

Aedan was certain his cheeks were burning. He smiled at his wife. "And you are so very thoughtful and intelligent, you are utterly charming, and the most beautiful woman in all of Thedas."

The look of bashful surprise on Anora's face made everything he had suffered through during the Blight worth the pain tenfold.

Anora breathed a nervous chuckle of her own. She reached up to brush her golden hair away from her face. "No one … erm, has ever said anything like that to me before." She murmured, barely more than a whisper, seeming more vulnerable now than he had ever witnessed.

"Then no one has ever truly seen you, not like I do now." Aedan smiled sincere.

Anora bit on one side of her lip while the other smiled a little goofily. "You know, I was intending to take the conversation … somewhere else."

Aedan chuckled. "Sorry, in the spur moment, I just couldn't resist."

"No, no. Don't apologise, not for that."

Aedan raised a hand to gently caress his wife's cheek. "Still, I think I could make amends for foiling your plans, if you'd still like to, my Queen?" He murmured, slow and seductive.

"I think that would only be fair, my Prince." Anora still smiled a tad stupidly. It was strangely out of place on a regal face more accustomed to glares and harsh looks, but, by the Maker, it was such an endearing expression.

Then, the Queen leaned in and laid a soft kiss to the Prince-Consort's lips. Then one became another, and another, until they rolled back into the sheets to the giddy sound of laughter.