Time passes. The Grey Wardens, led by King Cailen and his soldiers, fight at the battle of Ostagar and are betrayed by Logain. Emmalyne and an ex-Templar, Alistair Theirin, are the only surviving Wardens of the battle.
Using the treaties found in the Kocari Wilds, Emmalyne and Alistair journey to build an army to fight against the Blight. They build a party of unlikely allies along the way… Wynne, the Circle Mage, Morrigan, the Witch of the Wilds, Sten, the Qunari, Leliana, the bard, Zevran, the elven assassin, and Oghren, the Orzammar dwarf.
Over the proceeding months, Emmalyne and Alistair become especially close. They begin as comrades in arms, the last of the Ferelden Grey Wardens, struggling against all odds to fight against the Blight. And yet, over time, their relationship becomes something more…
It was late in the camp, but it seemed no one was in the mood for sleeping. Instead, they were all celebrating.
A group of us had recently returned from Orzammar, after enduring the tremendous dangers of the Deep Roads, as well as helping crown a new dwarven king and ending a civil dispute. The quest had been harrowing, the most difficult journey by far, but now that it was over we were all ready to relax and enjoy ourselves.
Most of my companions were seated around the campfire, drinking ale, laughing, and sharing stories. Zevran was enchanting Leliana with one of his exciting tales of a mission while working for the Crows, while Oghren was chortling uproariously at something Sten had said, slapping him on the back, actually emitting a small smile from the usually stoic Qunari. Wynne sat silently, observing the others, and smiling occasionally, as though laughing inwardly at some secret only she knew.
Morrigan was in her tent at the far end of the camp site, most likely poring over Flemeth’s grimoire. Or, perhaps, attempting to sleep and being annoyed by the raucous noise. I stood on the outskirts of the fire, several feet away. I was content to watch the others, rather than be a part of the fun, but I thoroughly enjoyed the air of peace and frivolity that surrounded them. It would be only temporary, I knew. The Blight was still upon us, and the Archdemon would soon appear. Not to mention there was still Loghain to deal with, the treacherous bastard. But all that would come in time. For now, it was good to see everyone in such high spirits.
I felt a presence come from behind me, and I looked to see that Alistair had suddenly appeared at my side. A warmth came over me, as it usually did, when he was near. We had been through so much together, he and I. We were the last of the Grey Wardens in Ferelden, and the duty we struggled to uphold had formed a bond between us that I never knew was possible.
And besides that, I had come to love him.
I never knew I could love someone as much as I loved Alistair. He was kind, sweet, strong and yet gentle. He somehow always knew how to make me laugh, more than anyone I’d ever known. There were times when he seemed so unsure of himself, and yet I knew that he was stronger than even he knew. I still had the rose he had given me as a gift, pressed between the pages of the journal I had hidden in my satchel, the pages nearly full now.
The first time we kissed, it was the most magical moment of my life. I had truly believed that there was no way this man could feel the same for me that I did for him. And yet, when he gave me that rose, and compared it to me, calling me a thing of beauty in this dark world, I was taken aback. And I knew I felt the same about him.
As Alistair came to stand beside me, I turned to him and smiled. I expected him to ask me why I hadn’t joined the others, but something in his expression made me pause. There was an intensity there that took me off guard, as though something of tremendous importance had come to light. For a moment I was worried, and I was about to ask him what was the matter, but he spoke first.
“All right, I guess I really don’t know how to ask you this,” he said, in a rush of words that took up a single breath. His eyes darted in all directions, but would not look at my face.
Concerned, my brows knotted as I took in his uncertain, anxious demeanor.
“Ask me what?” I said.
Alistair sighed, and he still would not look at me as he ran a gloved hand through his short, light brown hair. “Oh, how do I say this?” he said. “You’d think it would be easier, but… every time I’m around you, I feel as if my head’s about to explode… I- I can’t think straight.”
Once I realized that what he had on his mind was not something dire, a smile crept to my lips. He was incredibly sweet when he was shy, like a little boy at a loss for words, and it endeared him to me even more. Trying to reassure him, I said softly, “Alistair, I…. I feel the same way.”
Alistair’s apprehensive look transformed into a sly grin, and he finally met my gaze. “Well, I hope you mean the head exploding thing in a good way!” Then he once again shied away, lowering his head and shifting his weight from one foot to the other. He began fidgeting with his fingers held out in front of him, and I waited patiently for him to continue.
“Here’s the thing,” he finally went on. “Emma…being near you makes me crazy. But I can’t imagine being without you. Not ever.” He paused, taking a deep breath. “I don’t know how to say this another way. I want to spend the night with you. Here, in the camp. Maybe this is too fast, I don’t know, but… I know what I feel.”
I let his words sink in before saying anything. Alistair was asking to… make love with me? Now? Tonight? While part of me was overjoyed, and wanted the same thing, more than anything, there was another part…
Part of me that remembered the last time I’d been with a man.
I had thought for certain that Cullen and I were in love. It seemed so long ago now, though it had been less than a year since I’d left the Circle. I had said to hell with the consequences, I thought that they didn’t matter, all I knew was that I wanted to be with him, with Cullen, I wanted him to make love to me and I thought I’d have no regrets.
But I did have regrets. How silly I’d been, thinking that I loved Cullen. Especially now, when the man I truly loved was pouring his heart out to me, asking me to be with him, in the most intimate way that two people can be with one another.
And I wanted to. Oh, Maker, did I want to.
Yet I was afraid, worried that Alistair might later have regrets, that he might one day believe it had been a mistake.
“My infatuation with you was nothing but a foolish distraction.” That was what Cullen had said. Even now, the words were like daggers to my heart. I didn’t want the same thing to happen with Alistair.
I hesitated, licking my lips and trying to choose my next words carefully. “Alistair, I… are you sure?”
Alistair gazed deeply into my eyes, and I was shocked by the certainty and intensity that lay in their depths. He reached forward and gently took my hands in his.
“I wanted to wait for the perfect time, the perfect place,” he said. “But when will it be perfect? If things were, we’d never even have met. We sort of stumbled into each other, and despite this being the least perfect time, I still found myself falling for you, in between all the fighting and everything else.”
He lowered his gaze then, become shy again, and I felt my heart leap in my chest.
“I don’t want to wait anymore,” he went on, his voice soft and yearning. “I’ve… I’ve never done this before, you know that. But I want it to be with you. While we have the chance. In case…”
Alistair trailed off then, and I waited patiently for him to finish.
But he never did. Instead, he lifted his eyes to mine, and his stare was so heated upon me that I felt my whole body become flushed. Then he lifted a hand to caress my cheek, and my breath caught as he leaned in to kiss me.
It wasn’t our first kiss… not by any means. There had been a number of occasions when Alistair would sneak a kiss with me when he thought no one was looking. And those kisses had been so sweet, so gentle, and often playful.
There was nothing playful or joking about this kiss.
Alistair’s mouth on mine was hungry, and full of yearning. His lips were urging, willing my own to separate, to open my mouth, as his warm tongue slipped inside and began eagerly searching, tasting. I gasped, both shocked and delighted by the sudden and unexpected passion of the kiss. The timid, sweet Alistair I knew was replaced by a primal need, one that I was surprised to find that I shared.
The moment was unwelcomely interrupted by a series of cheers and laughter, and the kiss abruptly ended, much to my despair. We turned to find the others by the fire watching us, their faces lit with amusement.
Zevran lifted his cup toward us in salute, a sly smile on his face. Leliana was giggling, covering her mouth with her hand. Drunkenly, Oghren shouted, “Way to go, pretty boy!”
Sten seemed unperturbed, but I briefly noted Wynne’s look of disapproval, which I immediately dismissed. She had made known her thoughts about Alistair’s and my relationship, voicing her concerns about our duty as Grey Wardens, but I didn’t care. This wasn’t about us being Wardens, not now. She should judge us all she wanted.
Ignoring them, I took Alistair’s hand and pulled him away. He followed without resistance, as we made our way towards my tent. There were a few more lewd comments from Oghren, and a rude suggestion made by Zevran, but I shrugged them off. Apparently after seeing they would get no rise out of us, the group went back to their business of drinking and amusing anecdotes.
It was dark inside the tent. With a slight wave of my hand, I magically lit the candles that sat on the ground nearby. The bedroll was already laid out, so I sat down, legs crossed. I looked up at Alistair and smiled, reaching my hand up to him. I could see his warm smile lit up by the candle flames, and he took my hand and sat down with me. For a moment we simply look at each other, basking in one another’s presence. I placed my hand on his cheek, and Alistair put his hand on top of mine. Then he grasped it and moved it to his mouth, placing a tender kiss on my fingers.
The simple touch of Alistair’s lips on my knuckles sent a shiver of delight through me. He then leaned forward and claimed my mouth with his, gently at first, little brushes of his lips against mine, and then more forcefully, urging my mouth to open as he slid his tongue inside and tasted more. I sighed audibly, running my fingers through his hair and urging him on, tracing my tongue along his bottom lip. I heard Alistair groan, and instinctively we both rose to our knees in order to bring our bodies closer.
Alistair’s leather armor was stiff against the heavy robes I wore, and as we kissed we began struggling to disrobe. I pulled at the leather buckles at his sides while he attempted to tug and yank at the hem of my robe. It was getting us no where, we soon realized, and we laughed softly in our endeavor.
“These robes really are ridiculous,” Alistair complained. “How can you even fight in them?”
“Easier than fighting in heavy armor,” I said, grinning. “Can you imagine me in head-to-toe chainmail?”
“I’m trying to imagine you without anything,” he growled, pulling at the collar of my robe, “or, rather, I’m trying to make it happen.”
I giggled at his frustration. Then I pulled away from him, and expertly, I took the robe by the bottom hem and maneuvered it up and over my head. I was still wearing a breast binder and smalls, but when I looked back up at Alistair, the expression in his eyes made me feel naked already. He looked as though he were beholding Andraste’s ashes again at the Sacred Temple, and I felt my body heat up at the intensity in his gaze.
“You look as though you haven’t seen me in my undergarments before,” I said, referring to the moment in the Temple when we all had to strip down and walk through the holy fire to get to the Altar of Andraste.
“Well, honestly, I…” Alistair ran his fingers nervously through his hair. “I tried not to look at you. Not that I didn’t want to, because I really, really did! But it just didn’t seem… right. I guess.”
The sweetness of his confession filled me with affection. I took Alistair’s face in my hands and kissed him, softly, on the lips. Then I stopped to examine his face: his beautiful eyes, his striking nose, his cheeks, chin, and mouth. How I loved that face, how often I’d watched it- seen it smile, laugh, weep, seen its determination and strength in battle.
Then I was overcome with a sudden, unexpected sadness.
Alistair must have seen the change in my expression, even in the dimly lit surroundings, and he asked, softly, “What it is, Emma? What’s wrong?”
I paused for a long time, reluctant to confess my thoughts. But he deserved to hear them, needed to hear them, and I knew I had to be honest with him, especially now.
“I have to tell you something,” I said. I pulled away and sat down on the bedroll, turning my head to look at the dancing shadows on the tent wall from the candle flames. I wasn’t sure I could look him in the eye in that moment, but I did my best, raising my gaze to his.
“Do you remember when you asked me if I ever… ‘licked a lamppost in winter,’ as you called it?”
Alistair lifted a single eyebrow suspiciously, a signature look of his that I found incredibly endearing. “Yes…?”
I looked away again, hesitating as I tried to mentally prepare my words. “I told you that I never had… that I was a virgin, like you. But that was a lie. I’m so sorry.”
I dared a glance in his direction, expecting to see anger, disappointment, or some other heart-breaking expression. Instead, his eyes were filled with concern, and Alistair asked softly, “What happened?”
Tears came unbidden to my eyes, but determined to quell them, I blinked them quickly away. “A templar,” I said. “His name was Cullen. We had… feelings for each other. I thought we were in love, but I was wrong. We spent one night together, and a few days later I was banished from the Circle. The last time we spoke… Cullen made it very clear that he had no interest in being with me.”
I was oversimplifying the story, I knew, but it was too difficult to recall all the details, the heartbreak I’d endured. Even knowing now that I had never truly loved Cullen, the pain I’d suffered still left a hole inside me. I looked at Alistair, who was sitting back on his heels, watching me.
“I’m sorry,” I said, my voice breaking. “I shouldn’t have lied to you, it was stupid. It was just easier to pretend that it never happened.”
Alistair shifted himself so that he could sit next to me. I was hugging my knees to my chest, and he placed an arm around my shoulders. Then he kissed the top of my head, and relieved by the affectionate gesture, I relaxed, closed my eyes, and leaned my head against his shoulder.
“He really hurt you,” Alistair said- a statement, not a question.
Swallowing the lump in my throat, I nodded.
There was a long pause before Alistair said, “If I ever meet the bastard, I’ll punch him in the nose.”
I laughed at that, even knowing he was serious. I sort of wanted to see that.
“I guess I was afraid what you would think of me,” I said. “A mage sleeping with a templar. And I worried… I do worry that after we are together, you suddenly won’t want me anymore.”
There was a long silence. And then, suddenly, Alistair used both hands to grasp me by the shoulders, and forced me to look at him.
“That. Will. Not. Happen.” The fire in his eyes and the seriousness of his expression shocked me to the core. “Never, do you understand? I have wanted you since the moment I met you, and I will never stop. I love you, Emma. I always will.”
The tears I’d been holding back came in full force, trailing down my cheeks. I sniffed and wiped them away. “Alistair,” I whispered, unsure of what else to say. “I”-
Alistair suddenly and urgently devoured my mouth with his, and I could only moan at the passion of his kiss. His tongue thrust inside my mouth, and I stroked my own tongue eagerly against his. We kissed heatedly for what felt like a lifetime, both of us panting and gasping for breath, hungry for more. Alistair’s hands were on my waist, his thumbs stroking my sides, and I thrust my fingers through his hair, tugging at the roots.
We began moving backward, our mouths still devouring one another, as Alistair pressed his weight against me and I reclined back on the bedroll. Finally, Alistair’s lips left mine, much to my dismay, but I looked up at him and watched in pleasure as he sat up and frantically unbuckled the straps of his armor. I’d never seen him remove his armor so quickly before, as he laid the leathers aside, then quickly removed his shirt over his head and flung it aside. Then with impressive swiftness, he untied the knot at the front of his breeches, pulling them down over his legs and knees, and kicked them off, along with his boots.
A small strip of cotton cloth barely covered Alistair’s privates, and I marveled at the sight of the protruding bulge standing straight and stiff beneath. I hoped he would remove it as well, but instead he stopped to lean down and kiss me again. I sighed at the feel of his body against mine, our bare skin touching, warm and soft and hard, all at the same time. Alistair’s tongue traced my lips before gently taking the bottom one and sucking it between his teeth. I groaned, running my hands over him, caressing his muscular back and shoulders, stroking his hard biceps.
I struggled to catch my breath as Alistair’s head lowered, his lips and tongue making a trail down to my neck. He gave me a love nip with his teeth, and I gasped in surprised delight. Then he flicked his tongue against the mark he’d made, as though attempting to soothe it. It would probably show, but I didn’t care. Still his head went lower, and I could feel the heat of his breath against my skin.
Alistair stopped when he came to the swell of my breasts. A year ago, I was self-conscious about them, their size and weight, but now all I could think about was how badly I wanted him to touch them. I exhaled deeply as Alistair slowly tugged down on the strip of cloth which bound them, and they bounced slightly as they were freed. I heard a deep sigh coming from Alistair, and I felt my whole body become flushed with heat. Taking his time, Alistair reached behind my back to untie the laces, then he pulled the band of cloth away completely and laid it to the side.
I glanced at him as Alistair gazed at my naked breasts, seemingly in awe of them. Slowly, he lifted his hands and gently grasped the mounds in his palms. With his fingers, he made slow circles around the nipples, before finally stroking his thumbs against the tips. I cried out in pleasure, encouraging him, placing my hands atop his and guiding them. Then his mouth enveloped one of them, sucking gently, flicking his tongue against the nub, making it moist and hard like glass. I closed my eyes and threw back my head, moaning uncontrollably, as he suckled one breast and then the other, his tongue swirling around the nipple as his other hand toyed with the opposite teat, stroking his fingers against the tip, gently pinching it between thumb and forefinger.
“Alistair!” I moaned his name, and he groaned in reply, his voice muffled. He would have stayed there forever, his face buried in my breasts, and I was tempted to let him, but there was another place I yearned to feel his touch, so I took his head in my hands and pulled him upward for another kiss. I hungrily devoured his lips, reveling in the taste of him, his musky scent, before gently lifting his face away. He looked into my eyes, seeking instruction, and so I adhered to his wishes, taking his hand and guiding it downward.
Alistair’s fingers trailed over my stomach, making me quiver, and I gently lead him lower. His hand came to the pair of cotton panties, and with my help he slowly removed them, slipping the fabric over my hips and down my legs, pulling them off completely. He paused at the curls of hair between my legs, and I parted my thighs slightly, gently taking his hand once more. I held my breath, guiding his fingers to delve deeply, parting the folds of skin to slide them between.
“Maker,” Alistair’s voice was breathy and filled with wonder, “you’re so wet.”
“Mmm,” I moaned, moving his fingers, guiding him to stroke along the opening. He complied, gently sliding two digits up and over the crease. I sighed, tilting my head back as Alistair explored, his fingers becoming slick with my juices. He was watching my face, gauging my reaction, and I shyly closed my eyes. I moaned with pleasure as his fingers continued caressing me softly, and then I convulsed and cried out as, completely by accident, Alistair found the secret nubbin at the top of the folds.
Alistair jumped as though struck by a sudden bolt of electricity, pulling his fingers away. “I’m sorry,” he said anxiously, “did I hurt you?”
“No,” I gasped, “No, you didn’t. Please don’t stop!” Frantically, I grasped his fingers and lead them back, searching for the secret spot once more. He quickly found it, and I sighed in relief.
“Please,” I panted. “Here. Right here.”
Cautiously, Alistair obeyed, stroking the hard, pebble-like nub with the tips of his fingers. I moaned, keeping my hand on his wrist, urging him on. His confidence growing, Alistair increased his speed, and I cried out in pleasure.
“Yes! Oh, Alistair, yes!”
At last I removed my hand from his, lifted my hips and crying out even louder. Alistair took the lead, stroking and flicking his fingers against me, his pace steadily increasing as I found myself at the edge of no return. I shouted his name once more before screaming at my release, and thank the Maker he did not stop even as I came. It wasn’t until after I was done convulsing and panting heavily that Alistair finally took his fingers away, allowing me some relief.
“Maker’s breath, what was that?” Alistair’s voice was filled with both wonder and amusement, and I was thankful that he managed not to laugh at my expense. Slowly, though my body was heavy and felt like liquid, I managed to lift myself into a seated position beside him, as he sat on his knees. I gave him a soft kiss on his mouth, and smiled.
“You’ll see soon enough,” I told him, attempting to be mysterious.
Intrigued, Alistair lifted an eyebrow. “Is that a promise?”
I giggled. Instead of replying, I kissed him again, and he sighed. I put my hand on the side of his face, stroking his cheek, then trailed downward. I stopped my hand on his chest, taking a moment to admire the hard muscles there, and teased a nipple with my finger. Alistair gave a muffled groan against my mouth, and I smiled. Still my hand went lower, my fingers stroking against his hard stomach, until I came to the thin strip of cloth between his legs which hid the stiff protrusion beneath.
My fingers worked quickly to untie the strings that held the cloth there, as I moved my lips from Alistair’s mouth to his jawline. At last the cloth came free, and I tossed it aside. I felt Alistair’s breath catch, and I slowly, gently wrapped my fingers around him. He was warm, and rock hard, but the skin was surprisingly soft. I explored his member with my fingers, stroking him gently up and down the shaft. Alistair groaned, running his fingers through my hair as I nuzzled his neck, gently nipping and licking the warm, salty skin. I continued caressing him, running my hand down his length and back up again. My finger found the tip, and I gently circled the head, getting a shudder out of Alistair.
“Emma,” he groaned, “Maker, that feels good!”
At his encouragement, I continued circling the tip of him with my finger, then brought up my other hand to palm the shaft. I stroked him up and down with my left hand, and with my right I caressed my thumb over the peak, pleased to found a bead of moisture forming there. I coated the tip with the wet pre-cum, and my other hand quickened its pace.
Alistair was moaning uncontrollably, whispering incoherent words as he pressed his lips against my hair. I knew I should stop soon, else he would come to climax too quickly, but I found myself thoroughly enjoying how much pleasure I was giving him. Finally, I slowed my hands on him, giving him one last caress before pulling away.
Alistair took my face in his hands and found my lips, his mouth hungry on mine, and I returned the kiss with equal fervor.
“I want you now,” he whispered, his voice heated, almost desperate.
I was just as eager as he was, and I leaned back to lie down once more on the bedroll, pulling him down with me. Looking into his eyes, I reached down and took hold of Alistair’s shaft, then gently, slowly, guided it inside me. We both moaned in satisfaction as Alistair slid himself deeper and deeper, slowly, carefully. Then, instinctively, Alistair began to move, thrusting rhythmically inside me, and I groaned and pulled his head down to bury my face in his neck. He started out slowly, delving deep, then pulling back ever-so-slightly. I lifted my hips to meet his thrusts, and with some urging, I used my movements to coax Alistair into quickening his pace. He did so, calling my name as he plunged himself into me faster, harder. I groaned, wrapping my legs around his waist, taking Alistair’s ear between my teeth and suckling it.
Alistair moved with impressive force and speed, continually plunging into me, causing me to cry out with each penetrating thrust. I felt waves of pleasure flow through me, building and building, as I realized to my shock what was happening. Though I had not thought it was possible, I was about to be brought to climax once again.
“Alistair!” I cried out. “Oh, Alistair, yes!”
He was grunting and panting, ramming himself into me repeatedly, and soon his groans grew louder and louder. “Emma!” he cried out, and suddenly we were both shouting loudly and long at our mutual release. At last, Alistair collapsed on top of me, burying his head in my neck, as I wrapped my arms around him. We were both breathing heavily, slowly coming down from the peak of ecstasy together as our heartbeats returned to normal.
We laid there in silence for a long while, holding each other, basking in the aftermath of our lovemaking. At last Alistair lifted his head to look at me, and smiled warmly.
“Maker, that was… amazing!”
I grinned back at him. “Yes, it was!”
He appeared suddenly anxious. “Really? It was good for you, wasn’t it? I mean, it was my first time, I didn’t mess it up too badly, did I?”
I placed a hand on his face. “Of course it was good, Alistair! It was more than good.” I kissed him on the cheek, and Alistair smiled. We were both lying down, still naked, him on his back, as I curled up next to his side, our arms wrapped around each other.
“You know,” Alistair said thoughtfully, “according to all the sisters at the monastery, I should have been struck by lightning by now.”
I laughed. “Is that so?”
“Yep. Lightning first, then the end of civilization as we know it. I’m a bad, bad man.” He paused, then his tone turned serious. “You know the rest of our little party is going to talk, right? They do that.”
I frowned, more at his concern than the idea of our companions spreading rumors. “Let them talk,” I said. “I don’t care.”
Alistair was silent again. Then after a moment, he turned over onto his side to face me, giving me a warm smile.
“Have I told you that I love you? Well, let me say it again. I love you, Emma.”
I smiled widely, overflowing with the happiness I felt in that moment. “I love you, too, Alistair.”