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“Inquisitor, you are taking in the pleasures of the garden I see”.
Ahya had been lying down on the wooden bench in the Skyhold garden, admiring the pinky hue of the evening sky. The garden was oddly quieter than usual, so Ahya decided to take advantage and relax a little. The Orlesian nobles probably thought she was a bit peculiar; lying down on a bench outside, when there was a chill in the air – but she was Dalish, and they thought her peculiar anyway, so what did she care? Ahya sat up now, however.
“Morrigan, what can I do for you?”
“Have no fear. I am in search of no favours, Inquisitor. Simply taking a stroll.” She looked thoughtfully up at the sky, and took a seat next to Ahya. “It is a beautiful place, is it not? Skyhold.”
“It certainly is, I feel incredibly lucky to have found it. Though that’s all down to Solas of course.”
“It certainly is not. There is no doubt we would not be here without the elf’s knowledge, but I hear the Inquisition would not have survived without your actions at Haven. Is that not true?”
“Well, I don’t know about that.” Ahya absent-mindedly picked at a loose thread on her leathers.
“Everyone else seems to say so. Do not discredit yourself.”
A silence passed between them for a couple of moments, but a comfortable one. Ahya leaned her head back on the bench and closed her eyes. The breeze made loose hairs tickle her nose.
“A raven.” Morrigan said, so quietly she could have been talking to herself.
Ahya opened an eye, and indeed saw a raven flying overhead.
“One of Leliana’s most likely” Ahya replied, just as quietly. Morrigan hummed in agreement.
After a moment, Ahya asked a question.
“You…you and Hero of the Fifth Blight. You were involved were you not?” Ahya did not know what prompted the question. Only that Leliana had mentioned it, and she was curious.
“Yes. We are still together.” There was a pause, “She is on a quest of her own as of late, once she returns we will be a family once again. Kieran misses his mother so.”
“Is her quest more important than the Breach?” As soon as the words fell from her mouth Ahya regretted them. The question sounded lofty of her, but she was only curious. Morrigan however, just laughed at the question.
“No, and yes.” She looked up at the clouds, “Regardless, the world has asked too much of my love. It ought to let her be.”
“Quite.” Ahya knew that feeling.
“She would do right to return to her family and rest for a while, though I fear she goes searching for people in need. She is much too kind for the likes of me.”
“Nonsense. I see how you care for your boy, you are not as heartless as you like to appear.”
To that, Morrigan did not reply. Another comfortable silence passed over the two women, the gentle breeze and leaves rustling nearly sent Ahya to sleep.
“’Tis the most curious thing, Inquisitor.”
“Hmm?”
“When I first met you at Halamshiral, I almost thought Jana had returned to me. You both look exceptionally alike.”
“Really?” It was something she had heard before. Leliana, Loghain, Cullen, and various others had mentioned that she shared a likeness with the Hero of Fereldan. Ahya had, in fact, been waiting for Morrigan to breach the subject.
“Mmm, ‘tis an odd thing.” Morrigan regarded Ahya perplexedly, as if trying to figure out a puzzle. It was the first time she had felt uncomfortable around the witch, and she found it most unnerving.
A raven, perhaps the same one that was taking flight a moment ago, cawed loudly. The noise made Ahya jump, but she turned to look at it, eager to end the conversation. She wasn’t entirely sure why. The raven was rested atop the garden, looking directly at Ahya. She had heard that the birds were omens of knowledge and prophecy.