Her Little Star

Denerim: 9:36 Dragon

It was a cool moonless night when the two arrived in the capital. The shop keeps had retired, and only a one or two guards patrolled the silent marketplace, the rest of them staying close to the palace district, a smart move considering all the problems in the realm.

Seeing the dark marketplace made Leliana smile. It brought back memories of her reckless youth, of journeying to this city to show the dog lords how Orlais commanded the game.

Her smile faltered.

Though the events of that night had set her on a path to righteousness, it had not been without blood and pain. She had suffered; as had those she called friends. That evening so long ago now had brought her soul into the light, but not before scarring it forever.

"Mama?"

The voice was soft, like the gentle coo of a dove; she looked down at the little girl gripping her hand, at the large bright blue eyes that seemed to see more than any child's eyes should.

She smiled gently.

"It is nothing my little one," she murmured softly.

"It is nothing."

Both mother and daughter were hooded and cloaked, for their safety and their protection. Leliana's name was well known, but not her face, she was not the type to pose for portraits or statues, despite being one of the heroes of the Blight. She was still attractive though, so it was best that she kept her face hidden, less someone take undo interest in her being here.

Her daughter…was quite striking as well.

Though still only a child, anyone with eyes could see the beauty that the girl would one day grow into. Her features were similar to her mother, their noses and mouths were the same. Though their eyes were the same color, the little girl's eyes were large and almond shaped. That would be enough for most to identify her having elven blood, that and her figure, more petite that a typical human child. She was also quite pale. Her skin continued to lighten as she grew older, now it was almost white, as white as fallen snow. As was her hair that she wore in two fat pigtails. The only link she shared with her mother was a single streak of bright red running down one ponytail. Some might have seen that streak as ugly, but to Leliana it was a link to her little girl, proof for all to see that she was hers.

Some might have seen it as a mark of common blood; that such a mark took away from the girl's ethereal beauty, Leliana preferred to think that it only enhanced.

It made her child seem more real.

Mother and daughter made their way through the quiet streets; a guard was to meet them at the gates that led to the palace district.

From there, it would be only a short jaunt to meet the king.

Word had already been sent to the palace informing the king of their coming.

The king understood the value of secrecy, especially now. Despite doing his duty, despite ruling for almost five years now, the land still bled. Brave men and women were even now fighting to restore the peace, but peace could sometimes be as elusive.

No war had been declared, but fighting continued, both on the fields, and in the darkened corridors of power.

As the left hand of the Divine, it was often required that Leliana travel down those dark corridors, but if recent events had taught her anything, it was that if she was to continue doing what Justinia wanted, she would need to do it without distractions.

She pursed her lips.

Especially the distractions caused by those she loved.

Haven had sheltered them well these past five years, but now people were starting to ask questions, both of her, and the darling at her side. The Templars had nearly gotten her child, if they had known who her little one was, who her parents truly were…

Leliana shook her head.

It had been a close thing, a near thing.

She did not intend to take such a risk again.

Alim had returned to Haven, with their little star in his arms. Her bright blue eyes had lit up when she had seen her mother, as soon as Alim had sat her down she had run to her, and Leliana had embraced her tightly, as if she feared that if she let her daughter go, then she would disappear forever.

It was with tears in her eyes that she realized that the time had finally come. She had done all she could for their daughter here. Alim had done all that he could.

Though she was only five, soon to be six, Alindra, daughter of the Nightingale and the Stormbreaker, would need to begin her own life, a life far from the simple life she had known up until now.

She saw it in her lover's eyes as he watched the two of them, the two great loves of his life. Her Dearest One knew what had to be done as well.

To protect their little star, to keep her truly safe from the enemies that were even now gathering around them….there was only one thing that they could do. It would hurt, but it would have to be done.

Alindra would have to be sent away, fostered somewhere safe, with those that they both trusted.

For that reason they had come to Denerim, had come to see the king.

Alistair had offered their little girl his protection.

Who else but a king could truly keep her safe?

Alindra would be hidden in plain sight, and in this place she would come to see the world, and would make her own place in it.

A star's place was never in the snow and mud of Haven, it was here, in the greatest city in Ferelden.

It was here that the girl would find her future.

IOI

The guards were told to expect them, and ushered them past without a word. Leliana kept her hood up, her face hidden behind the heavy cowl. It was rare that the king received visitors at this time of night, but not unheard of. Leliana knew very well that sometimes, the business of rule needed to take place outside the eyes of the royal court.

Occasionally she had had to pull her daughter along, Alindra had spent her entire life in Haven, and the wonders of the capital had left her spellbound. Leliana believed that Denerim could not hold a candle to Val Royeaux, but it was not without its charms.

She would have been lying if she had said she had not thought about bringing her daughter to the Grand Cathedral. In the court of Divine Justinia., her daughter would have learned much about the world and the power of faith. She might have even decided to take up the faith herself, if that course appealed to her. Yet even as she considered it, she quickly rejected the idea. As the Divine's Left Hand, she had made many enemies, enemies that would not even hesitate if they knew her child was in the capital. Such people were not above striking at someone through their children.

Leliana shook her head.

No, it was better this way.

Alistair would shelter her daughter, and give her the opportunities she needed to live a good life.

She tried to stay focused on that, here…her daughter would be one of many born of the blood of heroes; for what was a noble if not descended from greatness.

The thought made her smile.

The heroes that Alindra had sprung from were simply not as…ancient as others were.

Perhaps that would give her an advantage.

She looked down at her child.

"Do you remember Alistair, my little one?" she asked.

The girl nodded.

"Oui Mama," she said, "He is the tall man with the spikey hair."

The little girl's brow furrowed.

"He likes cheese," she added.

Leliana smiled fondly.

That was one way to describe Alistair.

"Mama?"

Leliana looked down again.

"Yes, my Treasure?"

The little girl wrinkled her nose.

"Is he boy going to be there?"

"Perhaps."

Her daughter snorted, a look of disgust on her little heart shaped face.

In that moment she looked more like her father than ever.

"He won't try to kiss me, will he?"

Leliana forced down a giggle.

"I don't think so."

The little girl snorted again.

"Good," she said.

"Boys are yucky."

It was all Leliana could do to keep from laughing.

Her sweet little girl.

Three years ago she and Alim had brought Alindra to Redcliffe, to visit Alistair and his wife. The king and queen had brought their own children with them, the two boys Duncan and Anthony, both toddlers themselves at the time.

Upon being formerly introduced, Prince Duncan had kissed Alindra on the cheek. The little girl's pale cheeks had gone pink, her blue eyes widened, and she had shoved the little prince down.

Both Leliana and Queen Allegra had been mortified.

Alim had been fighting back a smile as he took their daughter into his arms. Alistair had scooped up his own boy.

"You should not kiss girls without their permission son," he chided, "Most girls don't like that."

Alim had given the little prince a foul look.

"Their father's aren't too fond of it either," he said.

Things had gone back to being civil after that. They had all shared a meal together, though Alindra kept her distance from Prince Duncan.

Leliana was a bit surprised that her daughter remembered the incident; she had been so small then.

They made their way to the throne room, their escorts having fallen back, giving them space so they could talk if needed.

Leliana found that she had little to say, besides the fact that she loved her little Alindra. If she dragged this out, it was likely that her courage would fail, and she would end up returning to Haven with her daughter in tow. How long they could continue to shelter the child there, she did not know.

Thedas was growing…chaotic. Both the Templar order and the Circle of Magi had grown…disrespectful of the chantry in the last few months. Word of excesses on both sides had come to trouble Divine Justinia greatly.

One of the worst hotbeds of this disrespect was the city of Kirkwall. The Divine had asked Leliana to journey there, see if there was a way to defuse the situation peacefully.

Leliana frowned slightly.

If a solution could not be found, it was likely that more direct actions would need to be taken. Both Templars and the mages had grown insolent.

It might be time to correct them.

The Divine left that decision up to her Left Hand. Leliana would see what needed to be done. Before she went however, she wanted to make sure her daughter was safe and taken care of.

If she went into danger, and she knew that her daughter was not safe, she might end up making mistakes, mistakes that might get innocent people killed.

She could not allow that, there was far too much at stake.

She needed to make sure that Alindra was safe first, and then she could do what needed to be done, to be as dangerous as the Divine needed her to be. She was a dangerous woman, she had always acknowledged that, but her child had to come first.

She needed to be kept safe.

King Alistair could do that, he could give her the peace of mind she needed. He and his wife had already agreed to foster the girl.

In Denerim, she would learn more about the world than she ever could in the cold cabins of Haven.

Here she would be able to find her future.

If anyone asked, Alindra was simply the daughter of some distance noble family, a family which now desired closer ties to Ferelden. Alindra would be raised as a noble, and treated like a lady. Alistair would shield her, while Queen Allegra educated her.

In time her daughter would grow into the woman she was born to be, the woman she was destine to be.

She looked down at her child again. She showed no fear, and had not even when informed she was coming to live here. Both she and Alim had promised to visit her soon, that Alistair and Allegra would see to her safety until then.

Leliana smiled.

She tried to burn this vision into her mind. She wanted to remember this always, her sweet little girl walking hand in hand with her.

She had so few memories of her own mother, who had died when she had been so very young.

Alindra would at least be able to grow up knowing that she had parents that loved her. That did everything in their power to protect her.

They finally came before the great doors of the throne room, to Ferelden soldiers swung them open with a load resounding boom.

Leliana gently squeezed her daughter's hand, suddenly feeling afraid, daunted.

Fear raced through her.

She did not want to let her baby go, not now…

Not Ever!

"Mama?"

She looked down again, down into that pale face, and those bright blue eyes, eyes that seemed to see everything, eyes that could peer into a person's soul.

She pushed down her fear

This was for the best she thought.

She needed to see to her child's future.

Thedas was growing darker by the day, but here, at this moment.

She could protect her little star, keep her safe.

She smiled for her daughter's benefit, and led her forward.

Here she would be kept safe, until she was grown up, until she was ready.

Her father had shaken the world.

Leliana smiled to herself.

Maybe Alindra would too.