In The Land of Ever - Ch. 1

Hours passed as they walked down the winding passages in silence. Her silhoutte danced in the circle of light at the end of the tunnel as she walked before him. Of all thoughts that crossed his mind only one narrowly escaped his lips.

"Morrigan - will you be my wife?"

Her haloed form stopped its careful saunter and slowly turned.

"What was that?"

"Ah, will you... will you marry me?"

Still cast in silhoutte, the Warden had no idea the expression locked in her features. Was she upset? Puzzled? Happy? Her tone spoke nothing but of the weariness of their journey since entering the Eluvian.

"Your. Wife", she repeated.

What was left of the cheese the Circle Mage, Finn had shared with him before his party entered the Dragonbone Wastes began to sour in his stomach.

"Oh I- just that... maybe since," he stuttered. Having addressed nobles, troops, commoners, and foreign envoys as both King and Commander of the Grey Wardens of Ferelden, this woman - this Witch of the Wilds was the only one who could halt his usually silvered tongue.

"Listen here, my Warden, and listen well", she spoke as she closed the distance between them. "Beyond good reason and all logic, throwing out everything I've ever been taught and learned through either Flemeth or experience, I waited for you beside that mirror. The urge to cross without you was very great but the temptation you pose to the- the weaker parts of my soul were far greater than I will ever admit to anyone either than my or your self."

A pregnant pause fell heavy across the tunnel, her words echoing into the shadows and dark.

"Now you ask me to marry you - to cage myself, bind my very existence to you through pomp and ceremony that has no meaning in the world we have just travelled to. Through traditions that also have no meaning to me other than some form of lawful slavery in the land of Ferelden."

Slowly the Warden's eyes adjusted as her features swam into his view, stern eyes slowly softened.

"You. You are my lover. The father of my child. And the only friend I've ever had in my life. You ask me to marry you, wear a label like some pet for the comfort of polite company and thus I say to you 'No'. But I do promise that I- I will remain loyal to you, My Love."

Her eyes searched his for a response. Or simply hurt or tears. Rather he dropped to one knee.

"Ugh, honestly-"

"Just give me a moment I want to give you something."

"I already said, 'No'.T'is no time for bedroll bantering we have somewhere to be."

Like a child he trimumphantly raised the cloth enveloped item over his head in a somewhat silent victory before standing back up and offering it to his partner.

"And what is this?"

"What? Its strange that I give you gifts? You never questioned them before."

"Fine."

Morrigan's hands pulled the item free of the thick, carefully folded material that swaddled it, and she winced as bright light pained her eyes for a moment.

"Your gift has blinded me so."

"Sorry."

She blinked away the spots and in her hands rested a mirror. Its delicate gold inlays depicting the exact scenes and creatures as the mirror Flemeth had shattered in her youth.

"Where?"

"Orzammar. From that lyrium addled merchant that kept asking you if lunch was ready."

With fingers tracing the details crafted into its surface, she looked back to the Warden and simply stared at him her lips just barely parted.

"I purchased it after we returned from The Deep Roads while you and Ohgren were arguing."

"The drunken oaf."

"It was I who made a point to cast his gaze on your - assets."

"You fiend."

"It's the Taint it compels me to most devious ventures."

"I- thank you. But that was years ago and you gave each of us many treasures in gratitude why hold back- this one in particular?"

"Its a tradition. The groom often gives the bride a token of affection on the morning after the wedding night. Yet the gift cannot just be any bauble or silks but something significant. Something from the heart, and since yours has been broken all these years I thought this could begin its mend."

Morrigan hugged the mirror to her chest and shut her eyes.

"I already said that I am not your bride."

"As I understood from your very subtle warning, but since we've reached the precipice of our relationship and understand where we- uhh- stand, I thought this was the appropriate moment to give you this."

The Warden approached even closer to his love and witnessed her tears. The slow trickle running down her face and neck and wetting the mirror's finish. He brought his face close for a kiss but...

"You do know this is the most you've ever spoken to any one person, yes?", Morrigan breaking the moment, her eyes still firmly shut.

"Yes," the Warden whispered, "but I do believe you deserve the very most from me".

She blinked away the tears, "Fool."

And they kissed.