Dragon Age: Origins is owned by Bioware, as with all its characters, the story as it deviates from canon is mine however, as with the personalities of characters as they deviate from those in the game.
This is a very minor spin off of my main story Vhenan'ara. It involves the same characters, in the same world. There will be others in the future, only being a chapter or two each.
Just as Vhenan'ara primarily surrounds Riel and Zevran, so too these snippets will primarily revolve around Alistair and *spoiler*. These really aren't a separate story in and of themselves, just an added dimension and inside look into two other important characters within my headcanon universe.
So PLEASE! Don't read this before reading the rest of the story leading up to this point. Because this and other similar short snippets I will be posting WILL contain spoilers if you are not up to date with the listed chapter reference!
This particular short takes place between chapters 60 and 61.
Thank you guys so very much and I hope you guys enjoy! And please, I would appreciate any reviews! Reading all of your responses is a true joy for me!
It had been a full day since they had returned from the hidden ruins where they fought the werewolves. It had infuriated Alistair to be left out of the main room, even with Riel's attack on him. Lashing out at him as she had had been enough to cause his anger to rise, but to be left behind and wait idly by while she and Leliana left him and the others alone? That had truly angered him. He had paced back and forth that ancient room, futilely trying to ignore the growls and snarls from the remaining werewolves, his mind awash with all the horrible things that could be happening to the women just beyond the guarded door.
After a long while, Leliana appeared at the door, pushing past the werewolf guard and going straight to Wynne. The women shared a few whispered words before they both hurried back to the door in which Leliana had come from. Alistair had tried to ask Leliana what was happening, let she only shook her head, telling him that she would explain later. At first the werewolf guard growled menacingly, not moving enough to let the women through. However a moment later he stepped aside and opened the door, letting the women pass. Alistair had tried to follow after them, but was slammed back by a heavy paw to his chest. Alistair drew his blade and pointed it at the werewolf, eliciting a chorus of growls and snarls from the half dozen werewolves around him. His anger boiling, Alistair sheathed his sword and continued his pacing, resolving himself to cutting them all down if he didn't receive some answers soon.
Just as he was about to fulfill his desire to slice down the werewolves blocking his path, a bright light flashed, and standing in the spots where the werewolves had been were now various humans and elves. They looked as stunned as he was, although their own shock quickly led into excited joy while Alistair remained cautious, his hand still clasped tightly to his sword. Without a word to him or the others in their group, the newly transformed sprinted past him and into the ruins, no doubt seeking their freedom.
Alistair had wasted no time and entered the room beyond where Leliana and Riel were. There he witnessed a human male attempt to sneak up on Zevran's turned back, but was stopped by both Leliana and Morrigan. The human male quickly fled through another door, hidden in the far back of the room. And there, laid across a stone sarcophagi as if she were some kind of offering, was Riel.
Zevran pulled the unconscious woman into his arms and turned, his face grim and pale as he held her tightly to him. Immediately Alistair had tried to ask what had happened, yet the Antivan elf ignored his questions, pushing past him without even a glance in his direction. Next Alistair asked Leliana, yet she only shook her head, her head hanging low as tears gathered in her eyes. Alistair had followed behind them, forcibly biting his tongue to keep from asking questions. Yet even when they returned to the Dalish camp and Zevran disappeared with Riel into one of the Dalish landships, Leliana still refused to speak to him. He had then gone to Wynne, hoping the old mage would tell him what had happened within the ruins. Yet she too only shook her head and sent him away, saying she had to see to Riel's injuries.
Frustrated and angry, Alistair had returned to their camp and waited. And waited. For the rest of the that night, none of the group's women returned to give word on the state of their leader. Sleep that night was incredibly slow in coming, and was filled with nightmares of a redheaded woman screaming, being turned into one of those ravaging beasts. Or being devoured by them as he stood helplessly by.
The next day was no easier. Again, Alistair had gone to the Dalish camp, yet no answers awaited him. Leliana had spent the night in the Keeper's landship, and when Alistair had sought her out, she continued to refuse to speak. All she would tell him was that Riel was alive. When he tried to push her for further answers, she shut down and would say no more.
Angry, Alistair had gone into the forests to practice his sword work. Yet even the rhythmic forms he practiced could not take his mind off the image of Leliana's face when he spoke to her. She was more than merely horrified. She was completely distraught. Instead of being happy that Riel was alive, Leliana was sullen and withdrawn. There was something very wrong, and no one was telling him what it was.
"You're good at that, you know?"
The soft lilting voice surprised Alistair, causing him to misjudge his swing and nearly fall over onto his rear end. And the giggling that came after it did little to ease his embarrassment.
"Leliana! You're here! Wh-what are you doing here? I mean, you're welcome to be here. I mean I thought you were back at the Dalish camp?" Alistair's face flushed, ranging through various shades of red as he spoke.
"I wanted to apologize," Leliana replied, her eyes once more carrying a sadness to them. "You deserve a better answer than what we have been giving you."
"Um… You don't have too… I uh, of course I want to know. You don't have to apologize I mean."
Leliana lightly treaded closer to him, her footsteps soundless as they met the forest floor. Her hands were clasped in front of her, fingers wringing around each other. Leliana approached him with a smile on her lips, yet her eyes remained sad and carried the same distraught look as before.
"I know you want answers, Alistair. However, they are not mine to give. Things… happened in the chamber with the Lady of the Forest. And I swore not to say anything until Riel recovers. Please understand that."
Alistair pulled off his metal gauntlets and tossed them to the ground before offering his hand out Leliana. Smiling when she placed her hand in his, Alistair pulled her closer to him. "Are you okay, though?"
Leliana smiled at his concern, feeling a small blush come to her cheeks. "I should be asking that to you. Riel nearly killed you!"
"Meh," he shrugged, his shoulders rising and dropping again. "I've been travelling with her for a while now. It seems almost killing me is just how we seem to get along," Alistair joked with a grin. "Besides, I think that I am getting used to it. It lets me know that she cares…"
Leliana shook her head and giggled, amazed that he could even joke about such a thing. "What am I going to do with you?" Leliana mused with fake exasperation.
"Oh, I can think of few things…"
Leliana raised a questioning brow up to him as a wicked grin formed on her lips. "Is that so? Well, do tell…"
Alistair blushed and inwardly cursed, realizing that she called his bluff. Well, not so much a bluff, exactly. More a revealing of his inexperience, as his mind suddenly went blank and a sheen of sweat appeared on his brow. It didn't help that Leliana burst out with another round of giggles, adding further insult to his embarrassment.
"Well! I uh… Right…" Alistair all but squirmed as he tried to form something to say. He tried to turn away to his no doubt fully red face, yet Leliana stopped him by placing a hand on his cheek.
"Alistair, look at me…" he crooned, pulling his face back to hers.
"I'm sorry, Leliana. I'm just… not very good at this it seems…" he confessed, his face growing warmer.
"Tell me something, Alistair…."
"Anything."
"When you fell asleep last night, whose face did you think of?"
Alistair turned fully towards her, his eyes locked on her own. "Yours. Only yours."
"And whose face did you think of when you woke up this morning?" she asked as she took a step closer to him.
Alistair placed a hand on her cheek and used his thumb to lightly caress the skin there. "Yours. Only yours."
Leliana felt her breath increase and her heart beat harder as she pressed herself up against his metal armor. "And whose lips do you imagine kissing when you are alone in your tent at night?" Her voice was a whisper, pulling him down closer to her.
"Yours. Only yours…" he whispered back, his words barely audible as he closed the distance between the two of them.
The kiss was light at first, a simple touch of lips. It quickly grew more intense, with Leliana's fingers curling around Alistair's short brown hair. His hands found their way around her waist, one holding her tightly to him while the other slid up her spine. And when Leliana's tongue came out and licked the bottom of Alistair's lip, he melted before her. Clumsily he tried to return her kiss, his teeth knocking against hers which brought forth a giggle from her.
"Sorry…" he mumbled against her lips.
Leliana ignored his apology and continued the kiss, guiding him with her own tongue in the ways to kiss. Within moments he caught on, his eagerness to please her aiding him as he learned how to kiss her in return. Far too soon Leliana pulled away, seeking air. Still she remained close, her eyes sparkling as she looked up at him.
"Wow…" Alistair mumbled, his own eyes starry. Slowly a wide grin took over his face as he leaned his forehead against her own. "You are…"
"I care about you, Alistair. A lot…" she suddenly blurted out. Immediately her face reddened and her face shifted downward to hide it. Alistair gently placed his fingers on her chin and once more brought her eyes up to meet his.
"I care about you too… A lot…" he replied, a silly grin on his face. "I want you to know something…"
Leliana tried to hide her worry, the small voice in her mind once more speaking to her of all the doubts that plagued her. "Hmm? And what would that be?" she replied, placing a smile on her lips that she didn't quite feel.
Alistair brought his hand to her face where he let his thumb trail lightly over her bottom lip. "You are the first woman that I have ever kissed… And the only woman that I ever want to…"
Leliana's face brightened. "I think we can arrange that…" she giggled. Leliana then took his hand and began to lead him towards the Dalish camp. "Come. I would like to check in on Wynne and see how Riel is doing. Then perhaps I can see about teaching you a few more things?" she added with a seductive smile on her lips.