No Armor Against Fate (a Dragon Age fanfiction)

Questions

"Have you told him?" Wynne's voice broke into Thora's reverie.

"Told him what?" she asked, turning to look at the mage.

Wynne fixed her with a glare. "Don't be coy with me, young lady."

They were more than halfway to Denerim, each step making Thora's boots feel heavier. Already things were different. Now that Arl Eamon was traveling with them, he and Alistair spent much of their time together. Thora told herself she didn't mind, that they deserved a chance to catch up, but even when she and Alistair were with each other, things weren't quite right. Too many words loomed dark and unsaid in their path. And he continued to sleep in his own tent. Between the spread of the Blight, the looming bulk of the battle ahead, and the ever-present worries about the baby, Thora's nightmares were worse than ever, and they always seemed to end in tears now, as she woke to find herself far from the arms that had always offered such comfort.

She sighed, looking at Wynne. "I'm glad you know," she said wearily.

"You look it," Wynne said sarcastically.

The corner of Thora's mouth quirked up. "I'm sorry," she said. "I'm exhausted. And terrified."

"Terrified about ..." Wynne looked pointedly at Thora's middle.

"You saw—her."

"The Broodmother."

"Laryn. I knew her, did I tell you that? She was ... pretty. Foolish. The last person you would expect." Thora stopped walking, looking at Wynne. The anguish was naked on her face. "Wynne, will I end up like that? Will my ... you know ... be a monster?"

Wynne sighed, looking off into the distance. "My dear, I don't know. Without books, papers, things to study, I cannot tell you." Thora nodded—she'd expected as much—and started walking again. Matching her steps, Wynne continued, "I don't think so, however."

"Really? Why not?"

"Do you want the practical answer, or the foolish, romantic one?" Wynne smiled fondly at the dwarf.

"Oh, start with the second one. I'm a little short on foolish romance these days." Tears stung at the back of Thora's eyes as they rested on the strong back of the man walking ahead of her.

"He's doing what he feels he must, distancing himself now."

"I know that, Wynne. I know him better than anyone. Even you. We've talked about it. And I'm the one causing the trouble, because I can't lie to him and promise I won't make him king. I intend to make him king, and I think he should be—a position he disagrees with, may I add. But that doesn't mean I have to like it."

They walked in silence for a few moments, then Wynne said, "Perhaps it's the young girl in me speaking, but I can't believe that a being created out of the great love you and Alistair have for each other could be evil."

"That is foolish and romantic," Thora agreed. "But I like the young girl in you. Let's see more of her."

Wynne chuckled softly. "The practical answer is this: despite the taint in the blood, you are both normal young people. Well, exceptional, but normal physically," she amended, smiling fondly at Alistair's back. "I think your ... procreation has probably been normal as well." She glanced sidewise at Thora, amused at the faint tinge of red that colored the dwarf's cheeks. "I would expect that if the taint is going to cause problems, it will be early on. Soon. If the baby survives the first few months of the pregnancy, it will probably be fine." She paused for a moment, then said, more harshly, "I could be wrong."

"Have you had a lot of experience?"

"A fair amount. In my travels, my skills as a healer have been sought many times. In birth. In conception. In preventing or terminating unwanted conception." Her voice was deceptively casual, but she glanced meaningfully at Thora.

"No."

"All right. I just wanted to ... check."

"If I knew that things would go ... badly," Thora said, "then maybe I could. But without knowing? No. It's— This—"

"Is all you'll have to cling to," Wynne finished with great sympathy. Thora nodded wordlessly. "Will you tell him now?"

"How can I? You know as well as I do that there is nothing in the world he wants more than this. He would never let me put myself in danger. He'd have me locked up, if that's what it took. And he would absolutely never allow himself to be put on the throne, far from ... us." She took a great shuddering breath. "I suppose that's one advantage of the distance between us. He's far less likely to notice anything unusual."

"Have you given any thought to when you will tell him?"

"Not until after the Archdemon has been slain. And that is far enough ahead to think for now." They walked in silence, then Thora said, "Wynne?"

"Yes, my dear."

"Will you stay with me? You know, until ... after ...?"

"Of course. I will see you both safely through the delivery. There is nowhere else I would rather be." The two women smiled at each other as they marched toward their destiny.