Once Again, Alistair

She didn't know why she was here. She didn't know why she was so compelled to visit him. For Maker's sake she'd just fought a dragon, and a claimed god, been enslaved by her mother, and seen Liliana again! But she had to, for some reason. He was her's… for some reason. She shook her head. 'You haven't seen him for years. Why do you all of the sudden long to do so?' She picked her brain. 'He is a king now, and you, still an apostate. They will not let you near him.'

She would be surprised. It was as if the Maker himself had planned it. As she entered the gates of the new Lothering, that had been rebuilt after the fifth blight, he ran into her.

"Pardon me." She said. He looked at her surprised. Her hood not only cloaked her face from him, but his from her as well. She looked up at the person who had run into her, and gasped. He was just as shocked. She slowly smiled at him. "We meet once again, Alistair."

"Morrigan. I never thought i'd see you again."

"Nor I you." Her voice was a bit softer that she'd willed it to be.

"You're lying. You're here to see me, aren't you? That tone of voice is something i've never heard from you, of all people." Her face voiced her shock heavily, and he smiled. "How's the kid?"

She breathed heavily. "Fine. Keran is well."

"And you? Why did you come?"

"I came to see you. Didn't we establish that? You've gotten smarter, I hope? With being king and all."

"Hey, speaking of king, you have to treat me as such." He smiled childishly.

"Oooo…" Her eyes flared, looked away and she clenched her fists. She breathed out, slowly relaxing again. She looked at him and smiled. "Of course."

He smiled. "I'm just kiddin'. Come on." He gestured to the inside of the city, and she watched him walk slowly down the street. He was still just as ignorant as when she left him and the Hero. She rolled her eyes and followed behind, keeping a distance between them.

Seeing the castle made a smile tickle the corners of her lips. This was Alistair's home. She sighed and the smile faded. Keran could've lived here, in a castle, if she hadn't been so… stubborn, and confined, back then. And to think Alistair could've died had he not complied to her… request.

Morrigan stared up at the sturdy stone walls, and tilted her head back and forth. She held her hand in her vision and in blocked the castle from her view. She smiled slightly before dropping her hand and scoffing, and then turned back toward Alistair, who looked at her in suspicion.

"Oh, don't look at me that way. I did not curse your precious stone walls." She pushed past him and continued on down the street. He ran to catch up with her.

"What were you doing, then?" Her grabbed her shoulder and forced her to stop and look at him.

"Thinking." She attempted to turn away, but he took her chin in his hand, restricting the movement of her head.

"About what?"

"Keran, and how… he could've had better than me. But you can't hold a castle in your hand." She forced her face away from him and looked down at her boots. "He could've… met you. He always asked me," she breathed in and held it for a moment, "who his father was. And where he came from, but I could never find the heart to tell him."

"It was worse to keep it from him."

"You think I don't know that!" She practically spat the words out. She glanced at his face before turning back. She hugged herself, her cold fingers cooling her right shoulder. She sighed. "You think I haven't noticed? I'm a cold person, Alistair, and I am just as bad as my mother." The last few words that escaped her lips were clouded by the tears that had begun the roll down her face.

She let her head fall, and stood in the middle of the road, crying next to The King of Ferelden, In a place where she felt… she could never belong. She'd always been an outcast, and that wasn't going to change.

Alistair reached to touch her, and she tensed. He pulled away. Morrigan looked up at him with her amber- gold eyes, not trimmed with tears. "I-I'm leaving."

"No. Morrigan…"

"No, i'm going. I... can't stay here."

"Why?"

"Look at me. Look around. Apostates don't belong in places like this! I have to go." She turned and dashed away from Alistair, leaving him reaching for her. Once she got further away, she transformed into a bird and flew away, looking down over Lothering, her tears still screaming to be released.

She landed and reformed into herself, the tears still staining her face, sparkling in the sunset.

"Keran? I'm here." She smiled as the blonde boy came running towards her. She opened her arms, and he dashed into her hug.

"Mother!" She squeezed him gently.

"I'm here." She held his shoulders while she looked at his face, lining her eyes up with his. "What did you do today?"

"I made another bouquet!" He pointed over at the desk in the corner. A neat bundle of wild flowers lay on it, tied together with ribbons.

"Lovely. You know, our little place is going to start growing flowers if you keep making those." He looked questioningly at her face.

"Why are you crying? Did you get hurt?"

"Huh? Oh, no, no! I... I'm alright." She brushed the water off her face.

"Oh, ok! I also made another picture, and talked to Grandmother…"

"Wait, Grandmother? She was here again?"

"Yes. Is Grandma not allowed to come here anymore?"

"No, she's allowed. I just, heh, like to know when she's coming."

"She said she'll see me soon." He smiled at her once more, and took her hand. "I wanna show you something." Morrigan was dragged along behind him, laughing.

"You know, there are easier ways to get me to follow you, Keran."

Keran turned the little doll over in his hand. "Grandma said it was yours when you were my age. She said I could have it." She took the doll from him, and smiled at it.

"I haven't seen this in a long time. I'm pleased to see that you have it." They smiled at each other, and Morrigan placed it back in his hand.. "You know, this doll kept me from having nightmares."

"It did? How?"

"I would sleep with it, and then it would protect me. Maybe you should try it."

"I will." He stood up and put the doll on his bed. Morrigan followed him.

"'Tis getting late. You should get to bed. I'll join you in a minute. I have to check on some things." He nodded and slid into bed.

She walked out of the entrance and stared up at the sky for a minute. The moon was full, and the white light reflected of the stones around her. She became lost in thought until a crash from below her shot her focus downward. Instinctively, she pulled her staff off her back and pointed it at the direction of the noise.

Her eyes widened at the sight of Alistair.

"How… When… Uh, How do you get here and when did you find us?"

Well, I followed the crow in the sky that once was a woman, and then mapped the direction you were going once you entered the forest and then purposefully fell behind so you wouldn't see me. Oh, and that crash was me tripping on a branch. The armor makes really loud noises. Did I wake you?"

"No, but Keran is trying to sleep. So It would be within your best interests to keep quiet."

"Keran is in there? Is he alright?"

"He's fine. You should leave."

"Can I just…"

"No."

"But he is…"

"No."

"But Morr-"

"No! He is trying to sleep. I am about to do the same. Please, leave."

"Who's that?" The boy poked his head around Morrigan, and stared down at Alistair.

"Keran! Go back inside!" Morrigan pointed toward the opening to the cave.

"Hey, buddy." Alistair waved.

"Don't call him that." Morrigan stared down at Alistair. "Keran, inside. Now."

"Is that my Father?" Morrigan gasped, unexpectedly hit by the question. She chewed on her bottom lip for a moment, before Alistair broke her awkward silence only otherwise broken by the nightlife.

"Yes, Keran. I am your Father." Alistair walked up to Morrigan and the boy and hugged him. "Yes I am." Alistair let go of Keran, and looked up at Morrigan. He wrapped an arm around her waist and kissed her, breaking her trance caused by Keran's words. He bent her backwards, and when he stood her back up, she let an unintended smile creep onto her face.

"Yes. I. Am."

END