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~Garnet

Vulana

By the time Cassandra arrived in Kirkwall, Sara's pregnancy was well underway and visible under her clothes. The first few months of her pregnancy, Varric doted over her worriedly. He visited her manse almost daily and they spent their mornings strolling around Kirkwall, usually to the docks and back to her manse before he returned home. Sara had weekly appointments Talma to make sure the child was safe and healthy.

It was all very surreal at first. For several weeks, Sara moved about her home phantom-like. Days seemed to blend into each other until one morning, after her bath she saw a reflection of her growing abdomen in the mirror. The realization of what was going to happen hit her all at once and she was as anxious as she was overjoyed.

She made two firm decisions that morning. The first was obvious: her child was her world and everything she did was to benefit them. Every action would be driven toward providing them a future worth looking forward to. Second: no one was to know that Solas was the father. The child would be safe from him if he was trapped in his delusions and not the man she came to love any longer. The secret would also protect them from any enemies he amounted. Maybe, someday, when the child was older and Solas was stopped, she would confide in them, but for now the secret needed to be kept.

She wrote letters to nearly everyone she knew, excluding Thom, because she didn't want to distract him and Sera and Iron Bull, because she didn't know how to reach them. A few weeks after sending the letters, she received a lovely basket of fine Antivan silk, pillows and a stuffed fennec from Josephine, along with a letter expressing her excitement and a promise to visit Kirkwall once the child was born.

Everyone else sent kind letters of support and well-wishes. Dorian's letter was pages and pages long and filled with excitement and disbelief. One of the last pages read:

Well, I just can't believe it, Sara. I feel like you're winding me up. But why would you do that? You never were really all that funny. Does that come off as rude? My apologies, I'm just completely baffled. I mean, look at this, Sara; I've been writing for seven full pages and I'm not sure when I'm going to stop. Not anytime soon, certainly. I wonder if you'll name them after me? You should.

Cassandra, however, needed nearly three letters to convince her that the announcement wasn't a prank from Varric. Once she was certain, she wrote that she was coming to Kirkwall at once to see her. Leliana's response was one of concern as well and she requested that Sara only ask if she needed anything.

The afternoon Cassandra arrived, she had a trunk brought to Sara's manse, even though she was not present. According to her driver, Cassandra went to see Varric first. Something about that decision gave Sara pause, so she grabbed a shawl and made the short walk to Varric's.

Once inside, one of Varric's servants led her to his solar, where the sound of arguing became louder and clearer.

"She's a grown woman, Seeker! I don't know how you blame me for this!"

"You were supposed to protect her!" Cassandra shouted. "You brought her here!"

"This isn't a bad thing. Unexpected, sure, but not bad," Varric replied.

Sara let herself into the solar and they quieted themselves. The look in Cassandra's eyes was relieved and suddenly warm when she approached Sara for an embrace. "It's good to see you," she murmured.

"You as well," Sara replied, smiling genially. "You've been in Kirkwall less than a day and you're already fighting with Varric?"

Cassandra's smile fell and she scowled in annoyance. "I was... concerned for your well-being, Sara. Varric has been the only person around you for months and I wanted to make sure that he also took your welfare seriously."

"It's isn't Varric's responsibility to supervise me, Cassandra," Sara countered. "He's done more than enough for me and what's happened has nothing to do with him."

"Thank you, Sara," Varric groaned.

"If everything is so wonderful," Cassandra said, completely vexed, "then why are you being so secretive about everything. We don't even know about the father."

"Because I'm very embarrassed, Cassandra," Sara snapped, her throat tight, almost forcing away the lie. "I can't tell you who he is." She took a heavy breath. "We stopped at several taverns on our way to Kirkwall. I was unhappy and lonely; I sought comfort. Do you understand my meaning?"

"I-" Cassandra could not meet her gaze. "Yes. I understand, Sara."

"I'm sorry to disappoint you," Sara murmured and she meant it more than Cassandra could ever know. Cassandra had an unwavering respect for Sara that was built over years of comradery. To see it collapse completely, as Cassandra let out a deep sigh and shrug of acceptance, was agonizing.

"Varric told me that you haven't hired household guards yet," Cassandra muttered stoically. "Before I left Val Royeaux to come here, I had a conversation with Ser Barris. He is leading a small group of former Templars and are in need of purpose. I asked them to come here to protect you and your new family."

Sara felt her throat swell with tears. As disappointed as Cassandra clearly was, she still cared for her and would support her in her own way.

"Cassandra-"

"It's nothing, Sara." Cassandra managed a smile. "Children are a blessing and unexpected blessings are often the ones we need most."

"Well said," Varric murmured with a firm nod. "If you can run an organization like the Inquisition, motherhood should be easy."

Sara chuckled and swallowed the lump in her throat. "You give me far too much credit, Varric."

She and Cassandra lingered at Varric's keep for another hour or so before they walked back to the manse and Sera let Cassandra get comfortable in her guest room. They shared a quiet dinner and after a while, whatever tension that was initially between them had faded.

As Cassandra anticipated, Ser Barris and a group of a dozen other former Templars arrived in Kirkwall to serve as household guards. Sara made it clear that they were free to lead lives outside of service to her. Many of them stared at her in confusion when she mentioned that, as they were unused to living for their own desires but Sara was certain that given time all of them would eventually become acclimated to civilian life.

Cassandra stayed in Kirkwall for almost two months before she received summons to return to Val Royeaux.

"Leliana has little support from the Chantry," she explained as Sara helped her pack. "They find her to be radicalized and overbearing."

"They can't be surprised can they?" Sara passed Cassandra a pair of riding gloves. "Leliana has always been outspoken and her first act as Divine was opening the Chantry to non-humans."

Cassandra chuckled. "I don't know what they expect from her."

Sara took a break from packing and rested her hand on her abdomen with a sigh. At six months along, pregnancy was becoming exhausting. Her body was heavy and often sore, though the child within her kicked and moved energetically. Talma constantly fawned over how healthy the child was and told Sara that birthing was easier with a lively baby.

"Will you be alright?" Cassandra asked suddenly.

"Yes." Sara took her hand and smiled. "Thanks to you, I'm safe here. You have nothing to worry about."

"That's very easy to say."

As they shared a laugh, Sara's butler entered to announce that Varric was visiting and they left the bedroom to join him in the drawing room.

When they arrived, Varric wasn't alone and it took a moment before Sara could put a name with a face.

"Sara, Seeker, you remember Bianca, right?"

Bianca stood beside Varric and waved, almost shyly.

"Hello, again, Inquisitor."

"Hi, Bianca. What do I owe the pleasure?" Sara asked, finding a seat.

"I'm here on a favor from the Viscount," she said mockingly with a sideways glance to Varric.

"Why do you have to say it like that?" Varric grumbled. "I'm the same dwarf I always was."

"Uh huh," Bianca murmured dubiously. "In any case, let me see your arm."

Before Sara could question her request, Bianca raised both her arms and measured both of them with a knotted string.

"What is this about, Varric?" Cassandra asked.

"The Viscount is somehow convinced that I can build a mechanized arm for your Comtesse," Bianca explained.

"Could you?" Sara asked hopefully.

"I can build anything, alright. But figuring out how to get it to move like an actual limb is giving me a migraine," Bianca replied.

"I've contacted Dagna, though," Varric interjected, "and she may have the solution to that problem."

"Brilliant idea, Varric," Cassandra complimented with a smile that clearly made Varric uncomfortable.

"Thank you, Varric," Sara said, beaming. If the arm was successful, her life would change exponentially.

"It's nothing, really," he replied.

"Nothing for you maybe," Bianca quipped. "Alright, Comtesse, give me a couple weeks. I'll have this arm finished before your baby comes."

Bianca was prompt, as in only five weeks she returned to the manse with Varric and Dagna in tow.

Dagna and Bianca's bickering was mildly amusing and ultimately they agreed to disagree. Danga wouldn't question Bianca about the mechanics of the arm and Bianca would defer to Dagna when it came to the runes and magical properties involved.

"All I asked is that you put space for the rune somewhere in the arm," Dagna stated, clearly exasperated. "That's not that hard, is it?"

"It isn't, thank you," Bianca snipped. "But I wish you would've told me sooner though. It almost ruined the design."

"Well, let's see it," Sara interrupted, hoping that they would stop arguing.

Bianca opened her velvet lined case proudly. Inside was a forearm made of polished mahogany. The arm was a solid duplication of her own arm, slightly muscular with long fingers. Intricate carvings if vines and leaves were made long the wrist and up the length of the arm. It was beautiful in a strange sculptural kind of way.

"I... don't know what to say," Sara murmured. "It's lovely."

"My pleasure," Bianca said with a wide grin.

She took to fitting it on the end of Sara's arm and fastening a garter along her upper arm.

"I made it out of wood so it would be light," Bianca explained. "I considered metal for strength but it would've weighed a ton. But this wood won't splint or anything and I can make improvements if it needs it."

"What is the rune for, Dagna?" Sara asked.

"Well, it's really sort of brilliant if I do say so myself. The magical properties within it thrive on thought and imagination. Put simply, if you think strongly enough that you can move this arm, hand and fingers, the rune will make it so," Dagna explained proudly.

"That's incredible," Sara told her, nearly giddy. Once the arm was fastened and secure, Dagna placed the rune in a small compartment near the end of the arm. Sara stared at her arm intently, her mind focused on wiggling the fingers or making a fist, but little happened.

"You'll get the hang of it soon. It'll be like writing or learning to walk. You'll need to practice before it becomes second nature," Dagna said.

"Well, if that's all," Bianca murmured. "I'll take my leave. I'm glad I could help."

"You can't understand what this means to me," Sara said sincerely. "I'm forever in your debt."

"You kept Varric alive during all that Corypheus bullshit. We're even." With that, Bianca strolled from the manse with only a little wave farewell.

"I should be leaving too," Dagna said cheerfully. "Oh, before I forget; Sera told me to tell you congratulations and that she'll be by to visit once your baby is born."

Sara giggled softly. "Tell her I'm looking forward to it."

When she and Varric were alone, her pulled on a small box, wrapping in yellow paper with a decorative silver bow. "Consider this a gift for you and the baby," he said and inside were several pairs of gloves; one pair of silk evening gloves, a thick pair of leather riding gloves and two pairs of soft, elbow length nugskin gloves. "The nugskin is very soft and fleshy," he explained. "I figured it would be most comfortable to wear when you're carrying around the baby. Just don't tell Leliana."

"That's very thoughtful of you, Varric," Sara said and embraced him tightly. She knew she'd never be able to repay him for all he'd done for her over the course of the year, but she also knew that Varric was the type of friend to never think of asking for repayment and she was grateful to have him in her life.

The final months of pregnancy were bland and uneventful. Sara spent hours learning how to use her new arm and as Dagna said, it was rather difficult. It took her a full month to bend her arm, another few weeks to make a fist and even more to wiggle her fingers. Eventually, she began carrying baskets of fruit around her manse as if it were a baby so she could at least manage that.

She went into labor a bit unexpectedly. It was after midnight when she was pulled from sleep with incredible pain. She didn't know that stomach pains could be so excruciating.

She was a hunter; she broken her collarbone and several ribs as a girl. During her time in the Inquisition, she'd been stabbed and sliced, burned and pelted with freezing gusts of ice and this, impending birth, was already putting all those other injuries to shame.

At hearing her scream, her butler, evening chambermaid and Ser Barris burst into her chambers in alarm and she didn't need to say much before they realized what was happening and Ser Barris left to go fetch Talma from the alienage. The butler left to gather towels while the chambermaid said beside Sara and stroked her hair while murmuring sympathetic noises.

After nearly an hour, Talma arrived with a small basin and jars of herbs. Despite being woken abruptly, she looked calm but thrilled, her face bright with an eager smile. She first prepared herself across the room by the hearth, heating water in a pot and mixing together a strong draught for pain before reheating water for the basin.

She shooed the butler and Ser Barris from the room but allowed the chambermaid to stay to lend an additional hand if she needed it. Throughout this time, Sara was dizzy with pain, but she vaguely felt Talma moving her body into a better position and looking gently between her legs.

"You're further along than I thought, child," Talma said with a little laugh and pat her on the knee. "It won't be long. He should be here by sunrise."

Sara nodded, her mind numb with pain. Every few minutes, Talma let her have a bitter swallow of the draught for pain and it always helped at first but stopped working after a few minutes. As Talma predicted, the sun was in the middle of rising when she was finally allowed to begin pushing and that was the worst pain yet. She screamed deafeningly to which Talma only laughed.

"That's it, child, let it out. I know. I know. It'll be alright." The chambermaid caught Sara behind the shoulders and took her hand as she pushed and screamed again.

"Mythal and Sylaise are watching over you," Talma said encouragingly. "One more. Come on, one more."

The next push made Sara see white behind her eyes, but then there was a sudden, brief, relief and gasps of delight, sing-song crooning and finally, loud, piercing cries.

"Well done," Talma said, suddenly across the room at the basin. "Well done. You have a beautiful little girl."

Sara was ecstatic, but pain wracked her and she yelped once more. The sound made Talma look up in surprise and she handed the baby to the chambermaid before examining Sara quickly.

"Oh, dear."

"What is it?" Sara demanded.

"There's another."

Part of Sara wanted to laugh at the lunacy of the situation but before she could, she felt the child pressing between her legs and immediately pushed with a sharp intake of breath. It only took that one push before the other child was free and the pain subsided all at once as exhaustion swept over her.

Talma caught the second child and cleaned them in the basin as well before walking over to the bedside where Sara struggled to sit comfortably.

"Alright, here is your firstborn, a girl." She placed her in Sara's arms gently. "And her twin, your little boy."

What may have been overwhelming to some, only made Sara glow with pride. They were both plump and pink and healthy, expressive and incredibly beautiful. Their hair was nearly white and thin, which led Sara to believe that they would favor her in appearance. She nursed the children herself and the boy took to her first and keenly. After he was fed, Sara nursed the girl and as she ate, her eyes peaked open and looked curiously at Sara. Her eyes were a soft, familiar blue.

"Oh," Sara gasped with tears in her throat. "Look at you," she whispered and stroked her head gently.

"They are lovely," Talma murmured, clearing away supplies in the room and watching Sara warmly. "What will you call them?"

"Amelie." Sara looked at her daughter, tasted the name on her lips and nodded, then looked at her son and thought for a moment, before finding something suitable. "Aiden."

She could have wept for Solas then. He would never have the honor of knowing them and never know to joy of holding them close and being so certain of love. He would never tie ribbons in his daughter's hair or hold his son's hand as he learned to walk.

She pitied him deeply.

Elven Phrases

Vulana: To give life

(Thanks to Project Elvhen by FenxShiral for the vocabulary)

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