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In good times and in bad	By : kruemel Category: +A through F > Dragon Age (all) > Dragon Age (all) Views: 14749 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: Dragon Age and the characters of the game do not belong to me. This is a no profit fanfiction

Chapter List
- 32
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- 34
"Do you feel that? This place is practically infused with magic." Wynne breathes when we enter the old ruins.
"We... we must be close. This is holy ground. I can feel it." Leliana exclaims excitedly. "Do you feel it? Oh, this is amazing! I have never before felt so close to the Maker. This is such a grand, such a magnificent moment!"
"It is, isn't it?" Wynne sighs.
"I don't feel anything, do you?" Rori whispers to me.
"Nothing. But I guess, after what we just did we probably can be happy we didn't get struck by lightning on entering," I reply in a low voice. This place is made for whispering. It's impressive for sure, and imagining we are close to the remains of Andraste - it makes me shiver in awe.
"You know, I don't believe in this lightning theory," Rori ponders. "I bet we could do it right in front of Andraste's urn and nothing would happen. We could probably wallow in the ashes while doing it and - still nothing would happen."
"Blasphemy! Shame on you, Rori Cousland! You're such a naughty girl. Can't you think of anything else anymore?"
"No. Can you?"
That's such a typical Rori-remark, it makes me laugh out loud. Leliana spins round to pierce me with an icy glare. "What? Is it not allowed to laugh in the presence of Andraste?" More like in the presence of what is left of her.
"Show some respect, both of you!"
I try to be respectful and force my mind to think about something less deviant. Like the Chant of Light. I know it by heart. I begin to recite it to myself silently when Rori whispers next to me: "I so loved what you did with me out there. It was so... intense. We really should do that again... soon."
POOF! go all my respectful thoughts. Now I can't remember a single line of the Chant of Light anymore. Instead I have these pictures in my head of Rori bent over that rock.
"You do that on purpose, you beast!"
She blushes when she casts an upside glance at me apologetically, biting her lips ever so sweetly. "Sorry," she gasps. A desire demon could learn from her. She's so not sorry at all.
"Temptress."
"Guilty as charged," she admits. "I can't help it. You just have that effect on me."
"You'll need to be disciplined, young lady."
"Oh? Are you going to spank me?" she teases.
"What? No! Of course not!" Why is this thought so incredibly arousing? I try to fight the images in my mind but I can't. Oh blast! If I can't control myself I'll walk into the temple that probably holds the holy ashes of Andraste with a hard-on. "Stop it!" I growl at Rori. "Or I might really spank you. You deserve it for sure."
Wynne clears her throat to gain our attention. I haven't noticed at all that Rori and I have been trudging behind. I only had eyes for Rori and she only for me. "One day both of you are going to stumble over a cliff because you don't look where you're going. Now, I think this gentleman over there wants to talk to us." She nods at an apparition, standing in front of the gates that lead deeper into the temple.
"I bid you welcome, pilgrim." The apparition greets us.
"Pilgirm? Oh... err... yeah." Now Rori blushes for real. Seems she at least has the decency to feel a little bit ashamed.
"I am the Guardian, the protector of the urn of sacred ashes. I have waited years for this."
"Really? For me?"
"You are the first to arrive in a very long time. It has been my duty, my life to protect the Urn and prepare the way for the faithful who come to revere Andraste."
"Err..." Rori is so obviously uncomfortable now, I should feel sorry for her. Well, I don't. It serves her right. She looks so compunctious ... okay, I do feel sorry for her. "Can I see the urn?"
"You have come to honour Andraste and you shall if you prove yourself worthy."
"Oh... now I wish I had paid better attention during religious instruction - at least the times when I didn't skip it all together," Rori mumbles, shifting her weight uncomfortably.
"It is not my place to decide your worthiness. The Gauntlet does that."
"Worthy to see the sacred urn," Rori whispers. She looks as if she's about to become sick. "One moment, please." She grabs my arm and drags me away from the patiently waiting guardian.
"Alistair," Rori whines once we're out of earshot. She clings to my arm. "I cannot do that. How can I be worthy? I am not a religious person. I've... I've had terrible thoughts when coming in here... I've only just... outside... I will never pass that test!"
"Rori..."
"I've been a terrible daughter. I've caused my parents so much trouble. I've abandoned them, left them back to die alone..."
"Rori..."
"And now I am running around aimlessly trying to stop the Blight, although I know, that's too big for me... I just stumble around... so many rely on me... Sometimes I think it's mere luck... like when saving Connor... It all could have gone so wrong! Arl Eamon will die if I fail... So many have died because of me already..." If I don't calm her down she's going to hyperventilate.
"Rori, breathe!"
"I cannot do this, Alistair!"
"So, you're going to run away? That's not the Rori I know. The Rori I know would say 'Bloody blast it!' and give it a try."
"This is the sacred urn, for real! How can I be worthy?"
"That's probably one of the many things that make you worthy, that you think you aren't."
"That's not really convincing."
"Well, you can either try or walk out of here and tell Sten we climbed that mountain for nothing."
"You're supposed to support me!" she says sullenly. and hugs herself. "In moments like that I so miss my father. He'd say 'Pup, don't worry about this.' and then he'd make it right."
I take her hands in mine. "Hey, look at me." When she doesn't I gently lift her chin to make her face me. "He's not here, love. But I am."
She leans against me and I hold her close. It's alright. We all have doubts. We all falter. I still feel guilty for having not died with Duncan and the other Grey Wardens. Rori... she makes me happy. Happier than I ever thought I could be. And the happier I get the more I believe I don't deserve it. Why I? Why am I allowed to live when all the others are dead? And then I think about what lies ahead and about what Rori told me - that I have to look after myself more. Always it's Rori that pulls me away from the gloom. And that moment of ultimative guilt and regret sinks back into the shadows of my soul.
Rori inhales deeply, then she straightens. "Oh bloody blast it! Let's go and get this done."
"That's my girl."
So we return to the Guardian and answer his questions. It's as if he's been eavesdropping. Or read our minds. Or looked into our souls. Creepy. But at least we are allowed to enter the Gauntlet - and we don't get hit by lightning. We receive a last warning not to remove the urn from the temple or more of the ashes than we are allowed to take for Arl Eamon's healing. The guardian sounds dead serious about that, so I think we better listen to him. Apart from that actually everything's just fine - although Rori really could have paid more attention during religious instructions. Luckily Leliana, Wynne and I can solve the riddles for her.
And then her world comes crushing down on her again. We walk through the door into the next room and Rori stops dead at the sight of the man standing there with his back turned to us. For a moment I'm afraid she's going to faint. A heartbreaking sob escapes her and I quickly grab her arm to support her.
The man turns and his lips curl into a sad smile at the sight of Rori. "My dearest child..."
"Father...," she whispers. "Oh, Papa... I am so sorry."
Oh blast! I tighten my hold on her. Tears are streaming down her face and she's shaking. I wish I could ease her sorrow, I wish I could make things right for her like her father used to. But I can't.
"You know that I am gone and all your prayers and wishes will not bring me back," Bryce Cousland says softly. "Pup... I know you miss me, but my death and my life, no longer have a hold on you. This is how it should be. Set your eyes on the horizon, do not look back, and do not falter. You have such a long road ahead of you, and you must be prepared. Farewell, pup, this is our last goodbye."
"Papa!" Rori cries when the apparition vanishes in front of our eyes. Her legs finally won't carry her anymore and I catch her, sinking to the ground with her to cradle her in my arms. I whisper soothingly to her and stroke her hair, as she lies in my arms and cries out her grief with tears hot and wild.
Her eyes are puffed and rimmed red when she shrugs out of my embrace. She snuffles - and wipes her nose at her sleeve. Does this girl never have a handkerchief? I give her mine - again. "You can keep this one as well," I smile. "It can keep the ones you already have company."
Rori sadly smiles back at me. "What would I do without you, Alistair?" she whispers hoarsely.
"Wipe your nose at your sleeve and run around all covered in snot. You'd be for sure the sweetest snotty-nosed brat ever."
Now she's grinning. It looks a bit crooked and forced, still... mission completed.
Wynne and Leliana stay in the background. Only when I help Rori back to her feet, they come forward to gently pat her shoulder. It's a gesture of comfort Rori answers with a small smile of thanks.
"Ready to move on?" I ask gently when she pockets the handkerchief.
"Well, we can't sit here forever, can we?"
It takes us ages to solve the riddle. Well, it's actually Leliana solving it. She claps her hands together and giddily orders Rori, Wynne and me around, moving us as if we were pawns in a game.
And then, finally, finally, we are there. The Urn of the Sacred Ashes of Andraste is right there in front of us - behind a wall of fire.
"By the Maker, it's... it's the Urn of Sacred Ashes! That's it! That's really it!" I exclaim. It feels... I feel... no, I cannot describe it. Rori next to me seems speechless.
"I... I... I don't know what to say..." Leliana breathes. She lays her hands over her heart in awe.
"I... I thought it was a legend. I didn't believe..." Wynne whispers.
"How do we get there?" Rori finally asks after everybody else has expressed their veneration. I grin. Always the practical type.
The trick is... we have to undress.
"What!?" I squeak. "Everything? We certainly can leave on our underwear, right?"
We can't.
Blast!
I am the only man here with three women - and one of them could be my granny! Alright, I wouldn't like it any better if it was Zevran and Sten here with me and Rori - because then they would get to see my woman naked.
"Alistair, we have all heard you," Leliana points out. "This cannot possibly be any more embarrassing."
"You may have heard something, but you didn't see!" Cursing under my breath I slip out of my underwear and cover myself immediatelly as good as possible with my hands. And I squeeze my eyes shut.
"Nice," Leliana comments and I just know she's staring at me.
"Very nice," Wynne agrees.
This is not funny! "Andraste has a strange sense of humour," I grumble. I hear the soft padding of Rori's feet on the stone floor. Then I feel her near me. She tiptoes to kiss me softly.
I groan. "Merciful Andraste! Rori! I know you are naked. Please don't make this extra hard for me!"
"Extra hard," Leliana giggles.
Haha!
Oh, that wicked bard!
Rori carefully tests if we can cross through the flames now - we can. They seem to have disappeared. I see nothing of it because I keep my eyes shut. Well, one time I dare a glimpse. I mean, Rori is all naked here. I just can't stop myself. I think she's over there so I turn and open my eyes and see... Wynne!
Doom!
I will never be able to sleep well again.
This is so awkward!
Boy, am I thankful when I can put on my clothes again!
"He has such a nice ass," Leliana whispers to Rori. "And these abs and pecs. No wonder you can't take your hands of him."
Hello? We're here with the ashes of Andraste! Show some respect!
When we are finally all covered again, we slowly approach the urn. "I didn't think anyone could succeed in finding Andraste's final resting place... but here... here She is," I gasp. "Seems you are worthy after all." I nudge Rori.
"The Maker only knows why," she murmurs. "I just cannot believe we made it." She lifts the lid off the urn ever so carefully and peeks into it. "Anybody has a little box? Or... a handkerchief..." She reaches into her pocket.
"Whoa! Rori! Take a clean one!" I give her another of mine. Boy, am I glad the Revered Mother insisted her templars always have enough handkerchiefs with them.
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In good times and in bad