#ofthewildes

There is, I believe, two ways to answer this question. Firstly lets focus on how others perceive Kieran in comparison to his mother: Like Morrigan, Kieran is often seen as weird, mysterious, both in a positive and negative sense though far more frequently it is seen as something overal NEGATIVE. It marks both him and Morrigan as strange and sometimes untrustworthy, as supsicious and weird. While Kieran was blessed ( if you want to call it that, it is certainly debatable ) with a more normal childhood which allowed him to be far more well adapted to the ' normal ' world with much less effort than his mother he still has odd habits and interests that make him stand out even when he tries to fit in. However, he also has little desire to fit in. While his mother observed nearby villages and dreamt of being able to live a normal life, Kieran never saw his weirdness as something to be corrected. He is aware that there are situations in which it is necessary to appear like someone else but he has far less trouble putting the mask DOWN again when possible.

Furthermore thanks to his appearance he could be Morrigan's doppelgänger, both because he is very clearly her son and because he moves and dresses in similar ways. Anyone who knows Morrigan will be able to tell he is related to her even if they should be unaware that she has a son ( and that is something I imagine Morrigan tried to counteract during their time in Orlais ). There are differences even outsiders observe of course. Kieran smiles more than his mother, there is always a spring in his step and he is far more OPEN in a way that is clearly more genuine than when Morrigan interacts with others.

On the inside things get more complicated. Kieran shares his mother's intense thirst for knowledge and desire to preserve all kinds of magic, he shares the notion that things such as blood magic are tools to be used rather than being something that should be categorically forbidden and looked down upon as unethical. The love Morrigan has for her son is clearly reflected in how much he loves her and their bond is likely as equal as any mother-son relationship CAN be regarding the respect and love shared within it. But Kieran is not a carbon copy of his mother and a lot of that is directly influenced by Morrigan's work! It is because of her loving, guiding hand throughout his life that Kieran does not share her bitterness or her suspicion of the world at large. He is far more willing to help strangers and more likely to expect the best of people rather than the worst as his mother would. He is far more soft spoken and even somewhat shy compared to Morrigan because unlike her, he was never challenged with the same hatred and mockery that she experienced in her formative years ( and beyond ). In a lot of ways I imagine Kieran is a reflection of who Morrigan could have been if her mother had loved her properly and if the world had been a little more kind to her. Kieran has his own problems of course, he is obsessive at times, marked by June's influence in a way that he will never shake fully but — he also was raised with unconditional love, grew up in what he experienced as incredible SAFETY and comfort and was encouraged to pursue his interests and hobbies in ways Morrigan never was.

The plate has been shed, leaving him in a tunic and trousers, far more bare than he is used to. It's a relief, if only a minor one, for his mind is a torrential storm enough that heavy armor would only make it worse. He stands at the farthest end of the room as he looks out the window that offers a view into the courtyard. There's an anxiety in his limbs, arms tightly wound around his broad chest as he absorbs what she's saying. The silence isn't uncommon between them, but it weighs heavy with a thickening tension; he exhales slowly as if to ground himself.

The impulse is to crack a joke, something unseemly to get her to roll her eyes, scoff and take it all back. But as he slides amber hues to find hers, she is looking upon him with a seriousness she's not ever shown him until now.

She means what she says.

" You can imagine how hard this is for me to swallow. " Alistair remarks plainly, foregoing any ill-fated attempt at humor. Nothing about this is funny. What she speaks is a dark magic, magic he doesn't trust. And trust they themselves have yet to forge between one another not already borne from necessity. Any vitriol he's ever held for her seems to fade the longer they sit in this unbearable rigidity. She would not bring this to him if there was no other option. She who has spent all this time remarking on his meager intellect, his foolish pride, and yet she stands before him now with a more human gaze than he's seen since the day they met. And he's nervous.

" You're asking me to lay with you, Morrigan. " 

The mysterious Witch of the Wilds that had been gifted to their party was a miasma of elusiveness and scathing commentary. At times, Cassian wondered why Morrigan bothered with adhering to Flemeth's wishes at all lest for the undeniable freedom the opportunity presented. Not being contained by the boundaries of the Korcari Wilds was a tempting offer well enough on its own. That did not stop her from leaving the party, nonetheless.

Cassian would not raise the subject. While perhaps it was due to more selfish reasons, he had spent much too long within the grips of the Circle to throw away a chance to learn from an apostate. About anything, really. The magic that festered uninhibited by Templars and the near-constant threat of the Rite of Tranquility ... he could only dream.

The Warden remains stretched out on his bedroll, even while golden eyes scrutinize him, no doubt. The gash marring his flank is angry and a deep red. The Hurlock had gotten to him a smidge quicker than Alistair's longsword.

"Yes, yes," Cassian replies, face partially obscured by his draped arm, "You are a fearsome Witch of the Wilds who cares not for the welfare of any man. Perhaps you are preparing me to cook me in a fragrant stew," he jests, the slight turn of his face exposing half of a wry smile while he searches out her gaze.

@ofthewildes asked: you've been on my mind.

leliana glances up from her paperwork. it isn't the voice that she expects to hear in her doorway-- she hadn't really been expecting anyone, but morrigan 𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐓 of all.

and the statement is 𝐂𝐑𝐘𝐏𝐓𝐈𝐂, as ever. in what sense had leliana been on the other's mind, she wonders. pen is laid down against parchment and she turns in her chair.

He both understood what transpired at court, and could not fathom how the nobles continued to live in such willful ignorance of the suffering just outside their doors. He had seen enough of it, taking flight over Halamshiral, always careful that he came and went unnoticed as he knew his mother would want it to be — and he always returned more CONFUSED than ever. Even the voices in his head remained willfully quiet about some of his questions. He could visualise being a leader of such status thanks to them but they did not offer him more than a glimpse of the thoughts that determined their work nor did they hand him any solid answers.

" The empress calls you her friend and yet she would strike at those like us. " Disappointment, heavy for a boy of his age, rang in his voice. Celene's hypocricy, her ignorance, the DECEIT that drove everyone at court in Orlais ... he could not understand it. Sometimes he truly felt like his mother was the only one who made any sense and even she confused him at times. Still, she was the most reliable discussion partner for him, always willing to hear him out and to offer her perspective in return, always feeling SAFE to him. He liked talking to his mother. " They have a duty to do better — " But they strive to be Gods and yet are still mortals. They can never be more than that.

Lake Calenhad is quiet for the night, though Kinloch Hold is ominous in the dark backdrop of it all. They did not know what was going to greet them in the morning when they crossed over on the boat, and it may have left an air of apprehension within the party. Cassian himself does not jump for joy at the thought of returning to the tower in any such capacity—but even he frets for the condition of his former peers. They had never cut themselves off like this.

Their party had dispersed quite shortly after speaking to the Templar guarding the docks. Cassian tried nearly to no success to worm them into the boat—but then their gatekeeper displayed a frightening infatuation with Morrigan and somehow that was what garnered them safe passage. The look upon his face must have been poorly hidden—surprise, plain irritation, amusement at his companion's quick-witted reaction—or else Morrigan hardly would have commented upon the exchange.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were jealous."

Well. Cassian has to imagine a steel rod keeping his spine straight to prevent any sudden twist of his body to observe the witch's expression. Rather stubbornly, he continues trudging along the quiet path back to the village in silence filled with a roiling tension.

"I cannot imagine what would have given you such an impression," Cassian finally replies dryly. He still very decidedly keeps his eyes on the way in front of them. Peering yellow eyes burn holes into the side of his head he is sure of it. "I—" The Warden begins, watching Alistair and Leliana's shadows retreat towards the Mages Collective to collect payment, "Damnation. He was just—I was not jealous." An odd irritation bubbles up within him that he tries to quash to no avail. "If he had spoken of any one of us in such a manner I would be equally as upset, Morrigan. Like an object—a barter."

Send a 👫and I’ll write four headcanons I have about our muse’s relationship

Imari was from the very beginning fascinated by Morrigan. A mage who had never seen the inside of a circle? A woman who seems to carry herself with such confidence despite how much of the world is against her? Of course they were incredibly interested in Morrigan early on. Of course they ended up infatuated with her.

Will forever remain kind of in love with Morrigan even if their relationship types do not align well enough for this to work out long term. You will not catch Imari speaking badly about her ever, even when she does questionable things ( it is not like she is Imari's only morally questionable friend ).

The Dark Ritual is a very awkward, very tragic situation for them both. Their break up is very fresh, tension and awkwardness around each other remains high, the situation itself is already quite difficult and Morrigan asking Imari to promise not to try and contact her after this is said and done and not expecting to be a part of the child's life weighs heavily on Imari ( which is part of why they try and go after her anyway during Witch Hunt ). They will forever consider themself in Morrigan's debt for offering this alternative to death, no matter how selfish Morrigan's motivations may or may not have been.

Imari tries their best to hide the worst consequences of suffering from the taint when spending time with Morrigan and always attempts to exude an air of calm around her. They know she worries and would rather she has one less thing to worry about, especially during the time when Kieran was still very young.