Cullen turned over in his bed, his arms reaching for his sleeping wife. His hands traveled to her bare back, his fingers brushing against her smooth skin. He carefully traced short lines on her back, connecting freckle to freckle, creating constellations with just the tips of his fingers. Gwyn shivered slightly at his touched and groaned.

"Is it morning already?" She rolled over to face him, her growing belly taking up some of the space between them. Cullen smiled at the sight of her exhausted expression.

"It's just after dawn, love," One of his free hands ran over the belly and he gently kissed Gwyn. "Good morning, little lion." He murmured softly. The nickname was something Varric had coined not long after Cullen had announced the pregnancy to nearly everyone he met. The name had become a term of endearment that mostly everyone in Skyhold utilized.

Gwyn ran her fingers over her stomach and pulled Cullen's hand towards her belly button.

"He's awake," she smiled. Cullen waited, raising an eyebrow after moments passed and nothing was happening.

"Just give it a moment," Gwyn reassured, her hand holding his in place until Cullen felt movement beneath his fingers. It was the strangest sensation. He could barely imagine what it was like for his wife to be feeling it happen inside of her. Chuckling softly as ripples of movement occurred under his hand, Cullen looked at Gwyn with sheer joy.

"It's absolutely amazing," He scooted closer to his wife to plant a kiss on her cheek. "Hang on a moment—you said 'he.'" Cullen brushed Gwyn's messed hair out of her face and a knowing smirk grew on his wife's face.

"I'm a stomach sleeper and he's so active at all hours of the night, just like his father! It's almost impossible to get proper rest. No girl would be this cruel," she laughed.

"I dunno," Cullen chuckled, "You've seemed to find ways to keep me up in the wee hours of night ever since I met you. She could be taking after her mother." Gwyn responded by giving him a playful push away from her and rolling over, her back facing him. He scooted closer, his arms wrapping around her.

"What shall we call our little lion?" Cullen asked lovingly, planting a kiss on Gwyn's shoulder.

"I honestly don't understand how Varric's nickname has caught on so quickly—particularly with you, I might add."

"I quite like it. It has….charm. What would you call her?"

"It's a 'him,'" she sighed. "And I suppose I'd like him to have a strong name like his father."

"Humor me. What if we have a daughter? What shall I call our daughter as I teach her to wield a sword a shield?" Gwyn smiled, turning slightly to allow the pad of her thumb brush lightly against the stubble on his chin.

"As long as it's better than Gwyneth. Goodness!" She laughed as Cullen reached to gently tickle her sides. She swatted his hands away and sat up on the side of their bed.

"Oh, don't get up," he groaned, a pout growing on his face. Gwyn looked over her shoulder as she ran her fingers through her messed hair.

"It's the first time in months the entire gang is coming back to Skyhold just to celebrate out little mystery lion. Of course I'm getting up. After all the work Josephine's put into planning this evening, you should too." She stuck her tongue out and began to ready her hair in a ponytail. Cullen scooted towards her, kissing her shoulder and he gently took the handful of hair from her. With little concentration, he began to braid her hair in a simple plait. He carefully planted a kiss on her neck then nibbled playfully on the skin. Gwyn turned slightly to return the favor with a kiss on the lips.

"How about we just stay here in bed all day? All three of us." He smiled as he tied the braid and placed a hand on hers.

"Tempting offer you have there, Commander, but the three of us are the party's guests of honor," she reminded him. "Besides, the quicker the party goes, the faster I can get back to bed and get some rest. Provided your 'little lion' will let me sleep!" She stood to walk to her dresser, most likely to prepare her clothes for the day. Cullen watched as she moved carefully. Despite her slowed pace, she had an air of grace that she clung to desperately.

He remembered the late nights of her throwing up in their chamber early on in the pregnancy. He'd approach, wanting to help in any way possible, only to have her gasp out "NO!" in ragged breaths. She'd slam the door, leaving Cullen sitting on the other side, his eyes tired and head unsure. Eventually he realized how difficult it was for her to let others see her at her weakest. She had spent so long embodying strength for the entirety of the Inquisition, for all of Thedas, really, yet here she was feeling undone just by retching for what had become a daily ritual for her.

He used to tell stories outside of the bathroom door—anything from the time his siblings pushed him into the lake near their home, to the moment he saw her face for the first time. Eventually the door would open a crack. Later- after more stories and even an Andrastian hymn or two- the door was left open for him. He smiled at his wife now, remembering the late nights he spent often stroking her hair as she coughed and heaved. Still so beautiful, even then.

"What are you looking at?! We've got a dinner to get ready for!" Her laughter filled their bedchamber, a musical sound that left Cullen always wanting more. He laid back in the bed they shared, sighing happily at the constant realization of just how lucky he was.

Later that night at dinner, with all of their friends gathered around, Cullen watched as his wife made rounds with each person, her face glowing as she pulled each of them into an embrace.

"What have you done to one of my best friends? Her stomach is huge, she's hugging everyone, and she makes that annoyed face only sometimes now." Dorian had always been close to Cullen. The two probably kept more in touch with each other than Gwyn did. "Pregnancy certainly seems to agree with her now. Well, y'know, as much as it can when your stomachs the size of an astrarium." Cullen rolled his eyes and took a drink of his ale.

"She's happy, that's all I can ask for."

"I watched her kill an evil darkspawn magister with one hand, I would hope you'd want to keep her happy."

Across the room Josephine was feeling Gwyn's stomach and chattering endlessly to Cassandra and Vivienne about how much it had grown. Meanwhile, Vivienne took time to interrupt and remark on how beautiful Skyhold had become since she last visited. Sera was drinking and singing with Bull and the Chargers. Blackwall and Dorian sat with Cullen, drinking and laughing. Even across the room, Gwyn shared a brief, knowing smile with Cullen as she imagined his thoughts were swimming of their bed. Then, at the same table were Varric and Cole talking quietly in heated conversation. She looked around at her group of friends, overwhelmed with a sense of gratitude and love she could barely explain.

"Hello everyone," Gwyn tapped a goblet and watched their attention turn towards her. Cullen offered a warm, reassuring smile, knowing speeches were not always a favorite activity of hers. "I just wanted to thank all of you for coming back to your second home here at Skyhold. Thanks to Josephine, of course, who tracked all of you down and…" Gwyn's voice shuddered as she stared at two empty chairs. Leliana couldn't make it; her duties as the Divine often took precedence, which Gwyn understood. It was the empty chair next to Cole that gave her pause. Solas. Swallowing dryly, Gwyn continued, "I…I am eternally grateful to all of you for reasons I can't even begin to explain—"

"You could start with the fact we helped save the world with you and looked damn good doing it. Well, at least I did." Dorian laughed heartily before Gwyn shot him a disapproving look of warning. "There's that face! Glad things haven't changed completely." Dorian whispered to Cullen. Gwyn placed a hand on her stomach, feeling the butterflies from within.

"I just wanted to say that I love all of you as if you were my very own family. As Cullen and I begin this journey of parenthood together, I am so pleased to know our 'little lion' will have a multitude of aunts and uncles to guide him."

"Or her!" Cullen interjected. Sighing, Gwyn rolled her eyes as everyone laughed and resumed their chatter. Her eyes remained on the empty chair near Cole as she approached Cullen. He wrapped an arm around her waist as she gently kissed the top of his head.

"You alright, Gwyn?" She shook her head, her eyes locked on the chair.

"I just don't understand. It's been months. No messages, no tracks Cole can find—even Leliana's best scouts haven't seen a trace of him. It's like he vanished. I just-"

"When someone doesn't want to be found," Blackwall began.

"I know, but-"

"Eventually our hobo elf friend will make himself known once more," Dorian assured. Gwyn shot another disapproving look at him. "See?! There it is again." He joked. Gwyn turned her attention to Cullen, her fingers gently running through his blond locks.

"Everyone seems to be retiring to their chambers, or will be soon. Do you mind if we check in with Cole before going to bed?" Cole had become someone Gwyn valued deeply since she met him at Therinfal-redoubt. More so, he'd easily become a sort of adoptive son to her as she fussed over him incessantly. Cullen nodded, standing to join her.

"No Wicked Grace rematch?" Dorian pouted.

"Tomorrow!" Gwyn replied.

"And I don't intend on losing a single article of clothing!" Cullen joked.

"We'll see about that, Commander!" Josephine called from across the room, her glass held high above her head.

"For your sake, I hope Varric taught you well." Gwyn noted, remembering the sight of Cullen running out of the room stark naked. "On second thought…" She laughed and Cullen swatted at her playfully.

"Cullen...Lady Rutherford," Cole nodded in their direction, causing Gwyn to laugh.

"So proper now! Have you been visiting Orlais lately? Or have you been spending time with Vivienne? Oh, I've missed you, my friend." She wrapped her arms around him tightly.

"Tired, but happy. 'Little lion's awake still.' You're having trouble sleeping. Honey would help that." Gwyn gave a small smile.

"I'll be fine, thank you. I'll get used to it eventually. How have you been?"

"Quiet, it's dark. 'Find him, track him.' No leads, no tracks. He's too clever. Something is off—he's afraid, he's…lost, yet knows exactly where he's going. Exhausted. I missed it here. It's much softer." Gwyn rubbed his back before giving a worried glance at Cullen.

"That's alright, Cole. He'll turn up eventually. And I- we- are so glad to have you back here with us." Cole looked up at Cullen, his blue eyes piercing.

"The nightmares. They're worse, darker, since the baby… I'm sorry. I'm doing this wrong, aren't I?" Gwyn squeezed Cullen's hand, knowing this was difficult and uncomfortable for him still.

"You're fine, Cole." Cullen murmured, trying to smile despite the fact his posture had become noticeably tense.

"Let me start over. Your dreams do not define you. You're going to be a great dad." Cole smiled. Cullen's shoulders relaxed as he murmured a thank you that Cole knew was genuine.

"I think Cullen and I are going to head off to bed, but you're welcome to stay here as long as you'd like, Cole." She gave him a tight hug before wrapping an arm around Cullen's waist.

"Cullen? Gwyn?" They turned to face Cole once more. "He doesn't like when you sleep on your stomach. It bothers him. That's why he stays up so often. He also likes Cullen's stories, or his voice, really. It's calmer then. Quieter."

Cullen and Gwyn stared open-mouthed at Cole before looking at one another. Cullen watched as a smug look grew on his wife's face, not unlike the one he'd seen his sister wear after winning a game of chess.

"I knew it!" She squealed, laughing hysterically. The mood shifted drastically and Gwyn wrapped around Cole in a tight hug once more. Cullen stood frozen from the initial shock as it began to settle in that he was going to have a son. He smiled as his wife squealed with happiness and went over to Varric, Dorian and Blackwall.

"I told him so! I want there to be witnesses. I. told. Him." She cackled with laughter as Cullen rubbed the back of his neck, feeling secondhand embarrassment as Dorian raised an eyebrow at Gwyn. She was walking in the direction of their bedchamber, her arms raised high in the air. There'll be no living with her now, he realized.