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Hoping One Day We'll Make A Dream Last	By : kruemel Category: +A through F > Dragon Age (all) > Dragon Age (all) Views: 3679 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: Dragon Age and the characters of the game do not belong to me. This is a no profit fanfiction

Chapter List
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Much to everybody's surprise Anora did swear fealty in front of the Landsmeet. Too bad most of the nobles weren't present but their representatives. I still hoped Anora's change of mind would make some impression. It was so quiet in the hall you could hear a pin drop. There was no pin, just Oghren farting. It still was a grand moment due to Anora. She just knew how to make her appearance. Rori fidgeted around uncomfortably, when the former queen entered the hall in all her graceful, cool perfection.

"How can anybody be so... flawless?" Rori complained unhappily in a hushed whisper. With her fingers she unsuccessfully tried to brush her too short hair to cover the bump at her forehead. My own bump was hidden by my crown. Where that one came from? Let's just say I might have teased Rori a bit too much by calling her my little unicorn and she threw a book at me. She didn't intend to hit me and if I hadn't dodged it would have sailed past me but that way I had stepped right into it. "Look at her, she's like a piece of art! And I'm a doodle..." She started tugging at her dress to make sure everything was in the right place. "How she holds her head up high, and that porcelain complexion. Not a single hair sticking out in the wrong direction. I will never be like her!"

"Thank the Maker!" I exclaimed, making her smile in reply.

Anora was very convincing. Nobody dared to interrupt her, nobody questioned her motives. At least they didn't dare say anything out loud. There were rumours already, Rori had dug them up. How I had threatened Anora, how she had sold herself away, how she was going to come back at me and so on.

At this very moment at the Landsmeet it was Anora's grandeur that silenced the gossipers. She had been defeated, now she returned and although she accepted me and thus lost her claim, it was a victorious moment for her. For the first time ever Anora had done exactly like she had promised. Rori let out a sigh of pure relief and finally released my hand she had been squeezing nervously. I was relieved myself. I had never been sure how Anora would react. Still I had to try.

Much to Anora's surprise I kept my promise and confirmed her Teyrna of Gwaren. Sure, she didn't yet know of the territory granted to the Dalish or of the Gwaren senate that put the people of Gwaren in power over their own town... I wasn't looking forward to explaining this to her later but I hoped she wouldn't bite of my head or worse...

In addition to her teyrnir I offered her a position in my council as my advisor. I had no time to discuss this with Eamon or Rori so it hit them like a hammer - and honestly I didn't even think about it before I opened my mouth and then it was already too late. What can I say? It seemed like a good idea. Eamon was still gasping for air when Rori recovered from her shock and in front of the whole Landsmeet went: "Are your fucking mad!?"

"Language," Wynne's voice sounded from the far end of the hall. She and Shale planned a long journey together but Rori had persuaded them to stay for our wedding. It was sad to see how everybody went on with their own lives after we had spent such a long time together. Next to all the terrible things that happened during the Blight, there is this fellowship I will always remember fondly. It sounds strange, but really, this one year of the Blight was the best time of my life ever. Far better than being stuck with never content nobles for the rest of my life.

"Why would you offer me such a position?" Anora asked suspiciously.

"Only a united Ferelden can deal with this crisis after the Blight. We have to trust and help each other for the sake of our beloved nation..."

"Alistair! Trusting this backstabbing bitch is like handing her a dagger and turning your back to her, marked with a huge X! 'Please stab here!'" Rori exclaimed, not giving a damn that Anora was standing right next to her. Eamon tried to stop Rori from arguing with me right in front of the Landsmeet. Needless to say he failed. "We trusted her in the past - several times - and she betrayed us every single time!"

"I only tried to do what I believed to be best for Ferelden!" Anora hissed, her face blushed with anger.

"Maker preserve us from your next tries!" Rori retorted hotly.

"Rori, I am the king..."

"Not for very much longer. Anora will make sure of that!" Rori cried out in anger and frustration.

"Could you please shut up and let me say what I have to say?"

"Sure. Dig your own grave. Just don't come running and say I haven't warned you!" Rori sulked and crossed her arms in front of her chest.

I couldn't help grinning. It took me some effort to put my kingly face back on. "How can I expect others to act on that maxim when I, their king, ain't willing to accept anybody but my supporters as my advisors? I can only ask for their trust and support when I listen to their concerns as well and consider them equally important." Rori, Anora, Eamon - they stood there in a row, all slack-jawed and gawked at me as if I had sprouted a second head. They reminded me of a flock of extraordniarily sheepish sheep. "Oh come on! I was so proud of that thought. It can't be that stupid."

"Wow," Rori was the first to recover. "No, it is not stupid. It's..."

"... wise," Anora finished the sentence for her. Her voice rang out clearly, reaching the farthest corner of the hall. Then everything happened very fast. Someone shouted "Long live King Alistair!", the cry was answered by more and more throats, people clapped their hands and stomped their feet. Okay, some only joined in with delay and halfheartedly, but the majority was swept away by my royal wisdom. Whoa! Strange! That usually was the moment when I would wake somewhere in public without my pants on...

"You forgot to add 'uncharacteristically'," I pointed out, feeling myself blush violently when the cheering didn't stop and the Mac Eanraigs started to roar "For he's a jolly good fellow". "Pinch me," I muttered to Rori. She obeyed instantly. Ouch! Nope, no dream. All real.

"I am beginning to believe it is not as uncharacteristical as I thought," Anora admitted hesitantly and with much dismay.

"Yeah, well..." I shrugged uneasily and shuffled my feet.

"You've planned this," Eamon muttered proudly next to me. "The designation, the argument, the explanation... well done! Like father, like son. Maric would be proud of you." I couldn't make myself tell him I had not planned anything at all. Inviting Anora into the council had been a spontaneous idea. I had not wasted a single thought on the consequences.

This was becoming unbearable... So I raised my hands to silence my audience. Ha! Who would have thought anybody would ever listen to me? For a moment I was tempted to tell them we all now would dance a polonaise through the palace just to see if it had worked. Instead...

"The Grand Cleric can also be part of my council...," I hurried to add before they could go on patting my shoulder.

"You are too magnanimous. your Majesty," the Grand Cleric said icily. By the look on her face, wise wasn't the word she would have used to describe me. I groaned inwardly. I didn't know what I had done wrong - AGAIN! - but she was still mad at me for whatever reason.

Zevran wasn't as delighted as everybody else. He banged his head against the back of the throne repeatedly. "Remember what I told you about the popular royal bastards?" he asked sourly when I wondered aloud about his behaviour.

"They get home-made socks for birthday?"

"Alistair, my naive friend, you can call yourself lucky if you live long enough to celebrate your next birthday," the elf said gloomily.

Two days later when we left for Redcliffe still nobody had tried to murder me. Levi had certainly been tempted when we left him alone with the state business because Rori and I were going to attend first Oghren's, then Teagan's wedding. In between I was supposed to travel around, make myself known and show interest in the concerns of my people. I had a long agenda of first official visits. Rori planned a trip to Haven to see if Andraste's ashes could heal us and would meet me in Orzammar for a state visit. On our way back we would drop by Highever for Fergus' wedding and return just back in time for our own.

"Eamon will return right after Teagan's wedding," I assured Levi. Eamon had to take Connor to Kinloch Hold and although he was reluctant to leave Denerim, he wouldn't hand his son over to the local templars. He loved Connor too much to abandon him, although the boy was convinced he didn't deserve anybody's love, least of all his father's, after what he had done at Redcliffe. "Bann Angus will stay with you until then."

We bid farewell to Levi and to Bodahn and Sandal. They were about to leave for Kirkwall for business. They had become part of the trade connections Levi was spinning all across Thedas. I had so many horses in the race of different businesses I had already lost track of most of them. Anyway, Rori cuddled and hugged Sandal. Dagna cuddled and hugged Sandal. And then it was my turn.

"Enchantment!" Sandal beamed at me happily, took my hand and dropped two almost identical rings into it. One small, one larger. Two filigree bands of gold, spun across an obsidian core with one white diamond at the center of a golden crown. "Enchantment! Enchantment!"

"Maker's Breath! You made wedding rings for Rori and me? Thank you, Sandal. I... wow... this means a lot to me." I was so moved by his gift, I wanted to hug the young dwarf again but he was already thoroughly saying goodbye to Barkley. I had grown fond of him and his father and it was sad to see them leave as well. Bless Rori, she made them promise to return for our wedding.

Back on the road again it felt like the old days. Zevran was making saucy remarks about Wynne's bosom. Shale complained about the birds and the weak flesh creatures. Oghren was drunk before we even passed the gates of Denerim. Sten munched on cookies and glowered gloomily at everybody who dared to look his way. Leliana was chatting endlessly about shoes. Rori and I fooled around. Yep, just like the old days minus Morrigan. At least as long as I did not look over my shoulder at the entourage following us. I still wasn't used to all the things that seem necessary when a king travells. And all the soldiers to keep me safe! Men and women willing to risk their lives for me and defend me against any threat. It had been my part to protect for such a long time I kept forgetting I was the protected one now.

So when the cart came into sight, I was the first to spur my horse, ignoring Eamon's cries. It had toppled over at the side of the road, half stuck in the ditch it buried a man beneath it. His legs were stuck and he didn't have the strength to lift the heavy cart on his own. I jumped of my horse, waded through the mud, rolling up my sleeves.

"Hold on! We're going to help you!" I grunted, trying to lift the cart. It didn't move an inch. Blast! It was heavy. Oghren and Zevran joined me, Rori and Leliana knelt down in the mud, ready to pull the man out from under the cart when we lifted it. "Another try. One, two, three..." The blasted cart still didn't move.

"If the uselessly weak flesh creatures would step aside," Shale droned behind us, shooing us away. And then she lifted the whole cart with one hand and tossed it aside as if it was a toy. "It is my former master's son," she then observed with one look at the unfortunate man. "How very ironic!"

"Mattias of Honleath?" He was in a terrible condition. His legs were a pulp of bones and blood and flesh, his breathing was ragged and pained.

"Now look at that mess!" Shale snorted disgustedly.

"A-amalia!" the blond man gasped, his voice hardly audible. A shudder ran through him and he groaned in agony, unable to say more.

"Hush," Wynne said softly as she knelt down beside him, summoning her magic. "Quiet now, don't waste your strength."

But Mattias wouldn't listen. "Amalia! They took her!" he croaked, lifting his arm to point the direction.

Rori asked "Who?" when I was already hurrying back to my horse. A little girl was in danger. No time to waste! Especially not with a girl like Amalia. She had a way to get into trouble. And off I rushed down the road, Rori at my heels, a desperate Eamon shouting after me. We had lost too many horses during the battle so most of the soldiers were walking. No way they could have caught up with me in time. Eamon couldn't leave his son alone and before my personal guard could react Rori and I had already disappeared in the woods...

Amalia was nowhere to be seen. We followed the main road through the forest for a while until Rori spotted a plush cat on the ground of a path leading towards a tavern.

"It looks exactly like Kitty," Rori said, fishing the cat off the ground with her sword. "It's Amalia's for sure."

We rode towards the tavern, a small wooden house on a clearing in the middle of the woods. In front of the inn benches and tables stood in the sun. Only one of the tables was occupied by a group of unpleasantly merry templars. They had slung the end of a rope around one leg of the table. The other end was winded around a child's waist, her head covered by a sack, her hands bound at her back. Her smudged dress was torn, her bare feet were smeared with dirt and blood. Her shoulders were twitching as she cried silently.

"Thirsty?" a bearded templar laughed and poured a pitcher of water over the child's head. His companions joined in his roaring laughter when the girl cried out and gasped for air in panic.

"Hey Percy, I think she wants some more," a younger dark haired templar smirked. "It's such a hot day." Grinning Ser Percy reached for a second pitcher.

"Enough! Stop that now!" I roared, hurriedly climbing off my horse. A bit too hurriedly as I got stuck in my stirrup and now hobbled around on one foot, trying to pull it free. "Blast it!"

The templars turned to me as one, regarding me with squinted eyes. I admit, I didn't look very kingly that moment, covered in mud, sweaty, wearing only one boot, the second still stuck in my stirrup.

"Ha! It's good old Alice!" Ser Percy laughed. "How have you been, loser?"

"Alice?" Rori muttered next to me. "You know them?" Unfortunately I did. We had been trained together. They were the trio that had stuck sharp pebbles into my shoes, had put living snakes into my bed, had hidden my books, had spat into my bowl at lunch and once had thrown me into the latrine where I had stood in excrements up to my throat until Brother Lorenz had appeared for his afternoon sitting... Mind you, this recollection is not complete. Percy, Garth and Linus were everything templars shouldn't be.

"Leave the girl alone, Sers," I pressed through gritted teeth, putting my boot back on when Rori handed it to me.

"Hey, Percy, I think Alice is threatening us," Linus, the younger one, giggled.

"Or you will do what?" Ser Percy smirked and emptied the pitcher over Amalia's head.

"Or I will lambast you," I said coolly.

"You and which army?" Ser Garth blurted out, tears of laughter stinging in his eyes.

I pointed at Rori. Rori grinned and waved.

That had the templars laugh so hard, they could hardly breathe anymore.

"Alice, Alice, here's a piece of advice, you two little ladies better slip off before you get hurt and start crying." Ser Percy gasped, tears of laughter stinging in his eyes.

"Oh come on, Percy, give them a chance," Linus chuckled unpleasantly, his eyes raking over Rori. "I'm sure we can have some fun together."

Rori and I looked at each other, nodded, rolled our sleeves up and lambasted three templars in full plate armour.

Rori went for leering Ser Linus. He was still mocking her for being a little girl when she threw sand into his eyes. Then her fist met his nose. The very moment her knuckles collided with his face, she twisted her wrist, not only breaking his nose but mashing the bones to a bloody pulp. Linus toppled over and Rori slammed her arm down on the back of his neck. Using his momentum, she hauled him around and slammed him onto the ground. When Garth came for her, she let herself drop down, rolled out of his way, kicked his legs from under him and sent him down. She was on top of him before he could get back to his feet and knocked him out with one well aimed blow to the side of his head.

Meanwhile I was boxing with Percy. We danced around each other, searching for a gap in the cover. While Percy could land low blows as I wasn't wearing any armour, I only could effectively punch him straight in the face. I was lucky he didn't wear his gauntlets when he rammed his fist into my stomach. I saw it coming, pushed all air out of my lungs and tensed my muscles when dodging was no option anymore. He still threw me to the ground and jumping back to my feet, I wrapped my arms around his waist to drive him back against the table. Percy hammered his fists onto my head and I had to let go, stumbling out of reach. He blocked my blow, I dodged his, crusing under my breath when I realized the armour was his biggest advantage. Some blows hit their mark, I didn't manage to cover both my body and face and soon blood was dripping from my nose. Bloody blast it!

That's when Rori called: "Need any help?" and Percy for a moment didn't watch out when he became aware of Garth and Linus both down and out.

"What the...?" he breathed, never finishing his sentence as I punched him straight in the face with all the strength I could manage. Ser Percy rolled his eyes, he staggered and fell like a chopped down tree.

"Ha! I have wanted to do this ever since I first met that prick!" I cheered, wiping my bloody nose. Rori didn't even show a single scratch while I rapidly began to resemble a racoon. People just tend to underestimate her. They see a little girl with huge blue eyes, how much damage could she possibly do? And then they got no time to regret their error.

We freed Amalia from the sack and bonds. The poor girl was so scared she had no control over herself or her power and I had to use my templar skills on her to counter her unintended spells.

"Hush, Amalia, you are save now. They will not hurt you again," Rori whispered soothingly when the sobbing girl crawled away from us, crying for her father. "Mattias is alright. Wynne took care of him. You remember Granny Wynne?" We had just managed to calm her down and maker her take a seat when the templars recovered and rose to immediately draw their weapons.

"Playtime is over, Alice," Percy growled as they began to circle us, swords raised.

"Amalia, hide inside," I ordered, unsheathing my sword. Rori shooed the girl towards the door of the inn, blocking her from the templars.

And that was the very moment when Eamon, our Blight companions and part of my entourage arrived.

"Bad timing," I muttered sullenly when Percy and his buddies dropped their swords as soon as they found themselves surrounded and outnumbered. I wouldn't have minded sending Percy and his buddies back to the Maker.

"Your Majesty!" Eamon gasped when he caught sight of me, eyes swollen, face and shirt covered in blood.

"I'm fine," I hurried to say.

"Majesty?" Percy croaked. "Who? Alice?"

"Surprise, surprise!" I smirked. Their faces! Priceless! And there I had thought being king meant nothing but trouble. I leant back and revelled in the moment when Eamon smacked the back of Percy's head and my soldiers forced him to kneel down.

"Show some respect! You are talking to King Alistair Theirin of Ferelden!" Eamon barked.

"Alice!?" Garth exclaimed in mere disbelief. "Is this some kind of joke?"

"None you would find funny," I replied merrily. "Although I have to admit, I sometimes wonder the same. It's Queen Alice by the way if you please. Royals stand on ceremony."

"Maker preserve us!" Percy breathed when it finally dawned on him.

"Arl Eamon, what is the penalty for attacking the king and his betrothed?" I asked nonchalantly.

"Death, your Majesty," Eamon answered without hesitation.

"What!?" Linus shrieked, as white as a sheet. "But we didn't know he is king! We only did our duty! This girl is a mage! We take her to Kinloch Hold! It's our duty! We didn't know..." He began to cry. "Please, please, your Majesty, show mercy!"

"Like you showed mercy to Amalia?" I asked.

"She is a mage. She burnt down a tavern with her uncontrolled magic," Percy insisted, he tried to get up but was pushed back to the ground by Ser Cauthrien. Angrily he brushed her hand off his shoulder. She kindly reminded him of his position by smacking the back of his head with her gauntleted hand. "This is Chantry business, not yours... your Majesty," Percy added, rubbing the back of his head.

"Taking young mages to the Circle is a templar's business, torturing them isn't," Rori snapped furiously. "And what have you done to her father?"

"He wouldn't let us take her away," Linus pouted. "And what do you care? It's just a peasant's child,"

"Wrong. This is the granddaughter of Wilhelm of Honleath, the mage who fought at King Maric's side during the rebellion. His heroic deeds were rewarded by King Maric with the allowance to live a life outside the Circle in service of the Arl of Redcliffe," Rori said in her high-and-mighty tone. Shale snorted loudly but kept her mouth shut when Rori shot her a look.

"A mage is a mage, they cannot be trusted and for sure shouldn't be rewarded," Percy grunted. "We've been sent here from Kirkwall as a reinforcement for the Fereldan Circle. Knight Commander Meredith chose us personally for this mission."

"She either wanted to get rid of them or she is nobody I ever want to meet," I observed. Percy sneered but kept his mouth shut. By templar standards I was a complete failure - but so was he. Templars were suppose to be honourable knights. Men like Percy compromised the integrity of the order.

"It seems the Fereldan Circle lacks the proper leadership. We will go to Kinloch Hold and we will take this mage with us. Are you going to stop us?" Garth demanded to know.

It was a challenge. He knew as well as I did that I couldn't just hang three templars, king or no, without risking serious trouble with the Grand Cleric. Maker! She would have spat glowing embers if I had harmed their templars. Nobles cannot exercise power over templars as they please. That applies to the king, too.

"No. I will accompany you," I said softly after a moment of contemplation - that I used to stare menacingly at the three templars. As menacingly as anybody can stare with both his eyes black and swollen.

Forcing them to travel with me, I could make sure Greagoir learnt of the templars' actions. I couldn't order him to send them away, not without the consent of the Grand Cleric. As she didn't like me - not at all - it was very unlikely she would yield to a royal request. I somehow had to make her do what I wanted her to do without her realizing she was doing me a favour. Greagoir's words she would listen to, so he was an essential backup. One look at Connor was enough to convince me I didn't want these men anywhere near the Fereldan Circle. The boy had been scared of the Circle, now - after witnessing what templars had done to Amalia and her father - he was terrified. Percy, Garth and Linus were the incarnation of what was wrong with the templar order. It was about time the Chantry changed its policy and I was going to make that change happen... I just didn't know how. But, hey, where there's a will, there's a way. Or to say it like Rori: I bloody blast it would give it a try!

Amalia was so frightened her magic kept errupting and I had to keep her close to control her. Same with Connor. For once Eamon didn't object although babysitting two little mages certainly wasn't part of a king's job description. I patiently explained to the children what I would do should their magic get out of control, made sure they understood it didn't hurt and that there would be no punishment for their lack of control. They also did not hav to fear hurting someone as I would prevent it. I still felt like a complete ass when Amalia stared at me with huge frightened eyes as if there was a monster hiding beneath the surface. Finally when I handed Barkspawn to her when the puppy was tired from walking, she offered me a shy smile. She sat on her father's cart next to Mattias' sleeping form, craddling my dog in her lap and wiping her father's brow from time to time. After Wynne's healing he still was in a critical condition but he would survive.

"Not all templars are like them," I assured Connor as the boy kept regarding the templars fearfully.

"They should be," Connor answered in a low voice thick with guilt. "Mages are dangerous. They do not deserve any better."

"You are a child, Connor. You did not know what you were doing. You did not want to hurt anybody..."

"Don't say I am not responsible because I am," Connor whispered hoarsely. "I wish I was dead..."

It wouldn't have made any difference if I had told him the people of Redcliffe held Isolde responsible not Connor. I only would have caused more harm. I could relate to how he felt. The mere thought of having to walk in his shoes was too much to bear. I didn't know what to say so I just put my hand on his shoulder for comfort.

Later that day when the children had fallen asleep on the cart, Eamon came to talk to me. "I don't want these men anywhere close to my son. I know you cannot order them to leave. You could demand them to be handed over for attacking you and then put them to justice, but the Grand Cleric would expect a favour in return." We both knew it wouldn't be a small favour.

"Travelling nowadays is so incredibly dangerous," Zevran's voice sounded from behind us when we rode in thoughtful silence. "Rampant darkspawn, bandits, bolting horses, and this lake... how good can templars swim in their armour?"

Maker forgive me but I was tempted.

"Lady Isolde gets along well with the Grand Cleric, doesn't she?" Leliana asked before I could put Zevran's ideas into action.

"She is deeply religious," Eamon confirmed.

"If she asked the Grand Cleric for a favour..." the bard suggested with the sweetest smile. "The Grand Cleric wouldn't send away a caring mother seeking to protect her only son, would she?"

"Not if the caring mother donates a fortune to the Chantry every year," Rori grinned. "Elemena cannot afford annoying Isolde." She gave Leliana high-five.

"She'll only send them away," Zevran sulked, profoundly huffy that his services weren't required. "They will cause harm some other place."

"Ain't I supposed to head up the royal expedition to find out more about the darkspawn and broodmothers?" Leliana chirped, her voice venomously sweet.
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Hoping One Day We'll Make A Dream Last