Chapter 1

"What is he like?" The question came quite abruptly but not without its queues. The war room had cleared out and it was only the two of them, both still eyeing the map while the others left after having their fill. Decisions were made, talks were discussed, and it was rather polite and, to the point, more so than the Orlesian meetings she was accustomed to. Morrigan raised her head, expecting to meet an eye but the Seeker's attention was still fixed on the map.

"What is whom like?" Crisp, clear and underlined with a viper's venom, Morrigan was not one for asking questions that stretched a conversation needlessly. But she learned to keep her fangs concealed and hold the venom at bay. It was a lesson that, though beginning only a few short years ago, was something she had mastered in Orlais. But all who've spoken to her and all who had neared a line they shouldn't cross saw the tiniest glint of those fangs. Enough of a warning.

"The Hero of Ferelden." Cassandra stood to her height, hands behind her back and clasped around each other. She knew what she was asking, knowing she wasn't standing from a place of strength asking such a thing but regardless she was interested. Morrigan's eyes returned to the map. Her eyes slowly drifted east and then darted down south. The Korcari Wilds. Where they first met. She blinked, holding her eyes close for a few seconds, no more than five before opening them with strength and looking to the Seeker. The glint of a fang was showing in the Seeker's mind if the chill running up her spine wasn't warning enough.

"Your question is vague. Ask specifically what you wish to know and maybe I'll tell you." Morrigan stated, her eyes now following a route that Cassandra could only decipher that it remained in Ferelden. She pondered for a moment wondering just what exactly was at the heart of her question. If she pondered too long Morrigan would leave in a sour mood. Of that, she was sure. As she raised her head from the map to look at Morrigan the question came out like an arrow from a bow.

"What is he to you?" If the question was such an arrow Morrigan would have burnt it to a crisp with the glare Cassandra was now on the receiving end of. Cassandra felt a chill run down her spine that wouldn't leave but that wasn't enough to cause her to lose her nerve. She maintained at attention, hands still clasped behind her back and her face solid in resolution. Morrigan stood to her full height, just three inches shorter than Cassandra, and slowly made her way around the table. Her hand glided across the wood mere centimeters from the map, her cold eyes never leaving Cassandra's. She stopped just a few inches away from Cassandra at the edge of the table. The words that came out of her mouth next were slow, deliberate and soaked with venom.

"Is your Inquisitor not good enough?"

Cassandra's brow raised and her hands released from each other falling to her sides. This was not what she had expected. Not far from the realm of possibility but she did not expect it to become this so quickly.

"What does the Inquisitor have to do with this?" She asked sternly but with bewilderment and confusion peppered throughout the question. Morrigan eyes were still as sharp, but her corner of her mouth curled upward slightly. The beginning of a smirk if Cassandra had to guess.

"Leliana already told me how you and she tried to find the Warden to be the leader of your Inquisition. And when you could not find him, you looked for the Champion of Kirkwall. And when you could find her, you took one of her friends, tied him to a chair and made him give you what you wanted to know." Morrigan spoke smoothly, no hint of the cold venom that was in her voice before. But it was still there, Cassandra could sense it. She was not one to mince words. To say things and mean a different thing. It's why she loved romantic poetry and was abysmal at writing. But she knew a snake slithering waiting to strike when she saw one.

"He obviously lied as any would do for a loved one. But when you learned he could get in contact with Hawke the whole time you were furious." Morrigan slowly bridged the gap between her and Cassandra, step by step, easing her way to her prey.

"So, tell me Seeker." Morrigan looked up to Cassandra her metaphorical fangs baring in all their glory. "Why should I tell you anything about my beloved?" Cassandra looked down at the mage and knew exactly the predicament she was in. She would not allow this to come to blows.

"I do not wish to have the Hero of Ferelden join the Inquisition though he would make a great asset if all the stories are true." Morrigan gave no hint of retreat, no hint of belief to her words. Not yet anyway. Cassandra brought her hands together. The palms touching each other and the fingers wrapping around the outside, her thumb rubbing against one of her knuckles.

"I am a lucky woman. I work alongside remarkable people whose names will go down through history. But the one I have not met yet that I would like to is the Hero of Ferelden. But I am in the company of those who do know him." Morrigan took a step back, turning her back to Cassandra and slowly making her way back around the table. She edged the corner as she asked her next question.

"Then why not ask Leliana? Or Cullen?" Cassandra watched Morrigan. Seeing her shoulders still stiff and ready, her pace a nice middle between slow and normal. It's something she's noticed all too often with those familiar with combat. They're at the ready and aren't sure if danger's nearby or they're making it seem as though their guard is relaxed.

"I have. But Leliana at times sounds like a schoolgirl seeing a knight in shining armor and Cullen's interactions with the Warden are minimal and not that enlightening." Morrigan released a light chuckle at this as she stopped across the table from Cassandra. She looked to the map once more, her eyes trailing to Orlais this time.

"That sounds about right." Morrigan released a light sigh before looking at Cassandra once more. Her eyes did all the asking she didn't feel up to anymore. Why ask her? Cassandra was no fool when it came to continuing a conversation.

"The Herald told me that you and he had spoken. That Kieran is your child and that his father is the hero of the fifth blight. You would know him better than anyone else." Morrigan's attention remained on the map seemingly lost in her mind though still paying attention. Her fangs were no longer borne but her shoulders were still stiff.

"Indeed. I know him best." Morrigan suddenly seemed tired. Her eyes drifting back to Ferelden this time stopping at Redcliffe. She breathed in slightly, looking up at Cassandra and meeting her eye. The cold stare was gone, the venom no longer hidden in any words. She exhaled and her shoulders relaxed.

"When we met, I was a girl and he was a boy though the world considered us a woman and a man. The world already had its expectations of us and offered nothing back in return. His world had crumpled and mine was bleak with no future of my choosing though at the time I was brash enough to think I could fight that." Cassandra leaned forward slightly listening to Morrigan speak. She spoke so sagely, as if this is a fact of history best kept private but all the most important to the story.

"Events brought us together and destiny sent us out. To save Ferelden and stop a terrible evil such was the role of the Grey Wardens. So, me, him and a fool were all that was expected to stop all this. He was deferred as leader, and we picked up companions. Some I was for and others I was against." Morrigan turned her head to the door of the war room. She released a grumble and returned her attention back to Cassandra.

"Everyone had their views on him. He was many things to different people. A hero, a nuisance, a pawn, a knight, a mage, a friend. But most of all he was a leader. That was the role he deigned upon himself. A role he found himself in so many times growing up in that circle that he…" Morrigan paused, feeling a gentle wave of emotion go over emanating from her finger. She glanced at her finger, and she could feel him. He was perplexed and curious. Morrigan released a sharp breath from her nose. She had become so vulnerable when it came to him. She missed him dearly.

She felt another wave wash over her for a moment. Longing. He missed her deeply as well. It was probably the most common wave of emotion she felt from him. Sometimes she felt his pride as a father for Kieran and the jovial fluttering of his heart as he remembered the ways they played. She could feel the heat of his heart as he remembered their intimate moments. He always made her forget the world she was in. How could he not? They crafted a happily ever after she never could have dreamed up. But she wasn't in that fantasy anymore. She was in reality.

"People kept placing expectations on him believing their wants was his. The Blight showed him much of the nature of man, elf and dwarf. From the most boisterous commoner to the most arrogant noble. I recall a conversation when we were just lovers. When I began to see him differently."

The night was stretching out and soon the sun would rise. Morrigan was not one to wait for the sun's arrival to decide when she would begin her activities. Nor was she one to awaken and make her presence known to anyone else that may have stirred in those early hours. Eyes opened first; body morphed second. A field mouse, a cat, a bird. This time she felt like enjoying the winds beneath her wings. She would circle the camp in her state, the edge of the forest and then she would take off into it. At first for any signs of trouble but mostly just to stretch herself and be free. New lands they were exploring, and she needed time for herself to do so freely. Away from the conversation and thoughts of her traveling companions.

She saw the Warden, standing there in a mixture of armor and robes. Staff on his back, sword in its sheath. He had taken well to the form of an arcane warrior but was still getting used to the additional weight he often carried with him. More than often, he would be the one to take the last watch, alternating between him, Alistair and Sten. She would occasionally see a companion beside him in the early mornings, usually Leliana, but on the rare occasions when he was alone, she would always take the opportunity to join him.

Morrigan couldn't help but imagine if someone like Leliana could have her power. She'd probably swoop down and throw herself on top of him in a juvenile fashion. To be cute and playful was her best guess. Morrigan shook her head. If the Warden wished to spend his time with Leliana more so that would be his choice. These feelings of jealousy were unbefitting considering the tasks ahead of them. Ahead of her.

Morrigan swooped down, drifting and losing momentum with her wings spread. She landed and the Warden's head snapped towards her. He was alert as always attempted to be. Though the light weariness in his eyes was a sign of incoming exhaustion for the later portion of the day. Morrigan transformed, energy swirling around her figure and giving her a glow as she transformed into her human form. She always made a performance showcasing her body's features. Namely her hips and chest as her robes more freely showed than Leliana's leather permitted.

The Warden smirked and returned his attention to the edge of the forest. He began to slowly walk along its edges away from the camp. A bit more privacy for them though Morrigan never cared for who heard their conversations or her moans of pleasure. He did at first, but the stresses of the road and his responsibilities made him care much less as time went on.

"A quiet night. Shame you had to watch the trees instead of me." Her voice was sultry. She knew exactly what she was doing. Priming his mind for tonight. Reminding him of what waited for him tonight if he was interested.

"Ensuring everyone slept soundly is important. Harder days will be here soon." His voice was gravely this earlier in comparison to its lighter tone. He was tired, more tired than he let on. Morrigan stood beside him as they stopped an adequate distant from the camp. They could hear the others rising and Morrigan couldn't help but notice the others looking at them. Sten, Zevran and Wynne only gave quick looks, more so wondering where the Warden was. Leliana couldn't help but stare for far longer than necessary. Morrigan couldn't help but chuckle before turning to the Warden.

"So much responsibility on your shoulders. You should have someone else watch the camp at night. Rest is important, especially for our leader." They've had this conversation before. Despite the intent behind Morrigan always made solid, rational points even if they were bereft of morality at points. He was the leader. Ensuring he was in top condition was more important than ensuring the Qunari soldier or the Antivan Crow's effectiveness.

"If Darkspawn decide to make a move me and Alistair are the only ones who can sense them." He refuted her arguments with a logical point. At first, he tried using standard points and morality in his arguments but quickly came to understand that Morrigan was quite different than many others. She thought with a cold, survival logic. At first it was irritating but eventually he began to understand the benefits of her thoughts.

"So, make Alistair take up some watches. Not like he needs to think as much as you do." The Warden chuckled. He had no rebuttal on that one. Alistair wasn't the type to need his head for much besides battle and the occasional idea. Especially when he delegated leadership to the Warden at the earliest point in their adventure. Something Morrigan figured would upset the Warden but apparently was a common occurrence in his life.

"I prefer to know that everyone is okay with my own eyes and ears. Plus, I enjoy having some time to myself to think." Morrigan shifted herself from his side, placing herself in front of him. She saw the beginnings of bags appearing under his eyes and couldn't help but be annoyed. She didn't care, refused to care but something about this just irritated her in a way she couldn't remove.

"I will never understand why you care so much for fools. Especially when you are more important." The Witch released a sigh. This wasn't her intention when she came over. She couldn't help but realize she was beginning to care more about the Warden as time went on. Much more than anyone else she had met before. She chalked it up to him just being that much better and more impressive than everyone else. He was in many ways.

"Uncared for fools will burn the home they live in. Whether or not you care more about the home or the fools an unchecked fire is never good." Morrigan took a surprised step back. He couldn't help but smile in a satisfied way at her reaction. Their time together on the road had made them both feel ignorant of many things. He regurgitated information from books when he found something that felt close to it, and she could only speak from her limited experience in the wild. Everyone else in the camp seemed more worldly to them though she would never admit that. In their conversations he always spoke from such limited experience. It was surprising to hear him speak with such wisdom. Or whatever came close to wisdom.

Morrigan shook her head and crossed her arms.

"I believe that's the first time you've used the word fools since we've left the Korcari Wilds." The Warden chuckled. His eyes drifted past the trees as the sun's rays began to cast away the darkness. The group was almost finished getting the camp packed.

"Not the first time. Granted I only used it in defense of others in our conversations." He began making his way to the group at a more leisurely pace. His tent was already packed up before he started the final watch. Breakfast would come a bit later when they found a more suitable spot. Morrigan followed behind, wanting to keep pace with him but not wanting to look like she was desperate. At least not like Leliana would on the road.

"And what pray tell has changed your views on fools?" The Warden stopped, turning to Morrigan. That smirk was on his face and his yellow eyes glowed brightly. Partly due to the sun and the other part due to the magic that coursed through him.

"Only fools need to be lead."

Cassandra and Morrigan shifted positions over the course of the story. Morrigan was sitting on the edge of the table, one leg crossed over the other. Cassandra had grabbed a chair and was fully leaned forward, hanging on every word. Cassandra seemed perplexed by the statement for a moment before she began to realize its meaning.

"I see. Seems the Warden understood the burden of leadership well." Cassandra rose up, looking upon the sky through the windows and noting the position of the sun. She had much to do before it set despite how she wished to her more of this hero.

"It's the oldest burden he's known." Morrigan turned towards the door. She raised her hand and with a heavy flick of her wrist flung the doors open. Stumbling forward and nearly losing her footing was the diplomatic advisor, Josephine Montilyet. Standing behind her was Leliana. Poised, balanced and with an unreadable face. At least one thing had changed, Morrigan thought.

"I'd say eavesdropping is unbecoming of you, but it is what you're best at spymaster." Leliana smirked at Morrigan's playful jab. She walked into the room, placing her hand on Josephine's back before sliding it off and standing before the Seeker and the Witch.

"A courier just arrived informing us of Queen Anora's arrival. She will be here in a few days." As she said this, while her eyes were trained on Cassandra and she spoke primarily to her, Leliana's peripheral was trained on Morrigan. While the Witch's facial response was minimal Leliana could see the twitch of her ring hand.

"Then we must prepare for her arrival." Cassandra stood with urgency and made her way out the door to get things prepared. Josephine stood silent, looking between Leliana and Morrigan before excusing herself and making her way as well.

"Enjoy the story?" Morrigan wasted no time to speak as the two made their way out of earshot.

"I did actually. I often wondered what the two of you spoke about during those days. Fits of jealously and all that." Morrigan rose up and the two women took their time walking through Skyhold. Walking past servants, Inquisition agents and others as they spoke.

"Can't be jealous of something that was never yours." Leliana stopped in her tracks and Morrigan turned to look at her, body at a slant rather than fully facing her. She had no intent to fully stop and found it a bit annoying that Leliana had done so.

"True. But then that always made me wonder…" Leliana paused, her eyes looking to the carpet. There it was. That little schoolgirl unsure of herself. Morrigan could never understand why or how Leliana would become this vulnerable when it came to her Warden. She was always capable. Worldly and a threat to anyone that crossed her. She could never understand this weakness of her heart. But recent years of happiness did make the Witch understand a bit better than before.

"Why me and not you." Leliana raised her head up and mouthed an almost quiet yes. She began walking again and the two continued down the hall at a bit of a slower pace.

"You shouldn't waste your thoughts on such unimportant questions spymaster. Especially considering you could have anyone you want." Leliana chuckled, turning a corner and deftly walking around a servant cleaning a mess on the floor despite the proximity to Morrigan.

"I haven't felt envy for you in a long time Morrigan. I haven't let those feelings or questions roll around in my head for years. I just never thought he considered me a fool." Morrigan turned her head sharply to Leliana, almost in insult. The bard was almost taken back at the near hostile face that disappeared as quickly as it appeared.

"He never thought you a fool. Just confused at the time. We both know whom he truly considered fools." Leliana nodded, her mind recalling vivid memories from the Fifth Blight. The two women came to a crossroads and had to separate. They knew they would see each other again and goodbyes, especially temporary ones, were not the crux of their relationship. They enjoyed the time they spent together and if they saw each other again, they would. If not, so be it.

As Morrigan walked down the hall she felt a heavy wave surge over her before the emotion hit. Elation. Joy. Anticipation. She gripped the ring around her finger with her index and thumb, pressing against it and coursing magic through it for clarity. Sending a surge of confusion to the other side. She waited for a moment before receiving a reply. Pure happiness. He's on his way to them. To her and Kieran. A tear went down Morrigan's cheek that she quickly wiped away before it even reached halfway and continued her walk. The smile on her was temporary and disappeared as soon as she sensed anyone approaching. It was a good thing Leliana and her separated when they did. She couldn't hide the very joy in her steps.