Chapter 20 – Epilogue: The Truths That Shape Futures

Six months later

Yvaine

It had been a wonderful six months, if a little eventful. There was the wedding, a small and private ceremony at the back of the Chantry gardens where all our friends and family were present. I had worn a simple white dress, hair adorned with flowers whilst Anders had worn a simple set of navy robes lined with silver trim. It was simple but perfect. No frills. There were titters, a few tears but most of all, it was a celebration of love and I couldn't remember a time when I was happier than when I was with Anders. His kisses were many, each filled with a different emotion – happiness, joy, lust, hope…

Then came our honeymoon and we went everywhere. I had shown Anders my roots and my hometown, Lothering, so that I could take a trip down memory lane. Anders had given me the same, showing me his past by the docks of Lake Calenhad. For safety, we didn't actually go into the Circle Tower. Redcliffe was a homely little town where we sipped on Ferelden wines. We strolled into the beautiful meadows of Highever, wandered into the Brecilian Forests and travelled back towards the coasts to visit Amaranthine. It was in Denerim that we found out about my pregnancy. During that time, Anders was introducing me to the Warden Commander and Queen, Elissa, and her husband, King Alistair. It had been a few mornings that I had woken up feeling nauseous but that morning had been the first in which I had actually vomited. To my embarrassment, it had been during breakfast with Elissa and Alistair. I covered my mouth and scampered away towards the nearest bathroom. Worried for my sake, all of them had followed me.

When I freshened up, wiping my face with a damp towel, Anders had placed his hands upon my shoulders, thinking to heal away any disease that could have ailed me but to his shock, he found only a spark of life within my womb. He had cried out, "This isn't possible! I'm not fertile. I'm a Warden!"

Alistair mentioned, "I've never heard of a Grey Warden actually having children. I'm sure there are records of a few but it is hardly common." For a while there, I'm sure Anders had entertained the thought that perhaps he was not the only man that I had slept with but if the thought ever seeded in his mind, he never spoke of it. Elissa had sagely replied, "We haven't heard of a Grey Warden sharing his body with a spirit, drinking a potion that turned him into a child that also separated him from the spirit either, it still happened."

After a bit of discussion about what the implications were for the child, Elissa had put her foot down and exclaimed, "This is all pointless conjecture. For all we know, the child could be perfectly healthy."

Anders and I had shared a concerned look before she reminded us, "He drank a potion that turned him into a child. It got rid of Justice. What if it got rid of the taint, too?"

That was why, much to Anders' displeasure, we ended up in Orzammar or more specifically, in the Deep Roads. With a small band of dwarves near the entrances to the Deep Roads, we crept forward, attempting to find stray darkspawn in the area. The dwarves were relying upon Anders to keep them notified of when he heard the call of the darkspawn.

It never came.

When darkspawn did attack, it was to our surprise and the dwarves' consternation. And we realized, Anders was no longer a Grey Warden.

There was no Calling to worry about, no thirty year limit.

There would be no nightmares, not about Justice, mages, Templars or even darkspawn.

And finally, there would be a family that could grow from me and Anders, our very own children, as many as we wanted.

We finally had that simple life we so craved, where there was time to enjoy life and love, where we could do whatever we wanted and be whatever we wanted to be. We discussed often why it was that the taint Anders had contracted had disappeared, we went through multiple theories but when the truth finally settled into Anders, he was beyond overjoyed. He had whooped, laughed, carried me to bed and there, made love to me so that he could, as he put it, 'ensure that I was pregnant'.

Men, what more could I say?

Around five months into my pregnancy, my stomach was truly beginning to round out and so, realizing that it was time to go home, we left for Kirkwall. It was a changed city. Cullen had become Knight-Commander and was a very good one at that. He was fair, strict but also very gentle. He didn't see demons where there weren't any. Even Anders had to agree that Cullen was doing well. Of course, it helped that Bethany was there to temper any Templar aggression that could ever seed into Cullen's mind. There would always be irritating nobles and Darktown would always need to be improved but it was home – it was where family was.

Anders and I strode into the Hanged Man the first night back from our honeymoon. He made it a point to keep a protective arm around me, carefully parting the small crowd of people that were always present in the tavern in order to protect the precious bundle that was growing within me.

I was greeted with open-mouthed surprise from all. Isabela cried out, "You're huge! What happened to you?" Fenris watched me through narrowed eyes.

Aveline rolled her eyes, "She's pregnant, you whore."

Varric hushed them all, "Oh stop, there's a story behind this. Blondie is a Grey Warden! There's got to be something else involved."

Anders and I shared an amused look as he assisted me into a chair. Varric questioned, "There's another man involved, isn't there?"

Anders shook his head.

"You've found a way to steal another woman's baby and stick it into Hawke?"

Anders laughed and shook his head.

Varric tapped his chin as the others carefully listened to every word and I sat back, too amused for words. Varric tried, "Okay… It's Justice in Hawke's womb."

Anders grimaced before shouting, "No!"

Sebastian poured Anders a mug of ale and said with rich laughter in his voice, "Hawke, I think this is where you come in and explain the situation."

I gestured to Anders' drink and asked, "Don't I get one?"

Anders tutted me, "No. You are pregnant. No alcohol."

I rolled my eyes until Merrill twittered, "You're pregnant. Is it Anders'?"

I nodded, "Yes, the child is mine and Anders is indeed the father."

Everyone was so quiet, if the rest of the tavern wasn't so loud, I would have heard a pin drop. It was simple, shocked silence. Fenris told me in simple terms, "Hawke. The mage is a Grey Warden. We've heard the story enough times to say it backwards."

I leaned in Anders' warmth, smiling eagerly when I dropped the news, "Anders isn't a Grey Warden anymore. We went to Orzammar. He can't hear the darkspawn call anymore." I laughed as I admitted, "Anders, well, he's very fertile and I am pregnant!" A soft blush graced my features.

As my love kissed the top of my head and I snuggled into him further, I continued to explain, "It's just a theory and I don't know whether it is true but the potion that Anders took was a potion that reverted him to a child and at that point in time, there was no Justice and no taint in his blood. The potion we've given him to turn him back into an adult gave him all of his memories but physically, it just aged him. It's not exactly the same body, if that even makes sense."

Anders took over from there, "We can't be entirely sure if that is right but it makes sense. I used to have a few scars on my legs that disappeared after I drank the second potion. I never thought twice about it, thinking that the potion healed wounds but by the time Yvaine and I sat down to discuss it, it seemed to make sense. Not to mention-" he broke off and shot me an embarrassed look, "This is completely personal but the first time we…" he cleared his throat and made a hand gesture, "Afterwards, I was thoroughly knackered."

Though he had mentioned how tired he was that night, he never mentioned the connection between the taint and sex. I had sat up straight, looking at him in shock. I hadn't expected his confession, had never thought about it at all and would never have dreamed that he felt the need to confess in front of everyone.

Isabela had a look of horror on her face, "So… you can't get it up for round two?"

Anders, surprisingly, had only laughter issue from his mouth and I cried out, "Alright! We are officially moving on from this topic. All I am going to say is that Anders is very gifted in that department and I am pregnant. I think that speaks for itself. Moving right along!"

Everyone tittered at my red face and Anders murmured in my ear, "You don't need to defend me. I don't care one way or another."

"I care," I answered vehemently and he kissed me chastely, a simple peck.

Sebastian raised his mug, standing up to toast, "Congratulations Anders and Hawke, may their family and union be blessed by the Maker." He turned to me and said with gentleness, "If anyone deserves this happy fate, it is you. I wish you all the best."

I had pulled him down beside me and smiled, "You're talking like you won't take part in babysitting my child and being Uncle Sebastian."

Everyone laughed with good-natured humour and warmth lilting the air and Sebastian had drunk deeply, announcing to the world, "I'll drink to that."

Then began the stomach petting, in which a woman's bulging stomach became public property because she was pregnant. Merrill was the first to come around and she placed her ear on my tummy. Everyone else lined up to introduce themselves to my unborn child. I wasn't sure whether to be exasperated or amused.

All the way through the process though, was Anders. He sat beside me, an arm wrapped tightly around me as our eyes locked together. I realized in that moment that I had come full circle and as a result, I was no longer waiting for dangerous quests or to right wrongs. I was waiting for my own future. I had found Anders as a child, cared for him until he became a man and then he given me the ultimate gift – the future with the family and child I had so craved.

Our lips met; each drawing gentle kisses from the other. It tasted of love, endless love and an eternity of happiness.

A/N: It's a short chapter but I really wanted this epilogue to be short and sweet. Any other details I want to leave to the individual reader. I know that there might be some unhappiness regarden the Grey Warden infertility matter but personally, I felt that Anders, as a character, really needed that change. From the beginning of this story, I had planned for this change - for him to have the family that he so desperately deserved- and I apologize to anyone who found this disappointing.

Melgonzo (Melissa) - Thank you, thank you, thank you - for every word of encouragement you have given me, whether for my fanfictions that I have written in the past or now or even for the original novel that I am currently working on. Thank you for believing in me and my work. Your words have meant more than I can truly express. I also hope that you enjoyed reading this story as much as I enjoyed writing it and hope that you find it worthy of being dedicated to you. I also most fervently hope that we will share more stories together, more laughter and joy over writing fanfiction (whether yours or mine) and more encouragement and friendship. I hope that our friendship will grow and stay true until one day, I will be able to share my original work with you and by then, we will similarly laugh and express joy over original works as we once did in shared joys of fanfiction. I look forward to that opportunity.

Anesor - You've been a constant reviewer and have given me much encouragement as well as good lessons in my growth as a writer. I cannot thank you enough for sticking with me, helping me and continually reading my works. Thank you so much.

To my other readers - I hope you have enjoyed reading this story. I hope to write more in the future and have your continued support. Thank you.

As always, you have my love.
Ann