*A/N* Welcome to the first installment of the Dragon Age tribute to Skillet. If you're not familiar with Skillet's music, first of all, you should be and second, I've posted a link to the song on YouTube. Personally, I think the best way is to listen to the song once before you read and then once after you read if you want to truly appreciate how they work together. You can try to read while listening, but it's not timed well and the song will probably end before the story - just warning you. Or, if you're like my husband, you'll just ignore the lyrics and read the story. That works too. Just erase the spaces to just the link. The sitedoesn't allow hyperlinks.
So, the usual disclaimers. First, I do not own Dragon Age: Origins, Dragon Age: Origins Awakening, or Dragon Age 2. I also don't own Skillet nor am I associated with any of the aforementioned identities.
Now that that's done, please enjoy the stories! Review, just don't flame me... I don't take it well. It hurts my feelings.
First Knight: One Day Too Late
www. you tube. come/watch?v=P_imfiEI4Lk
Kalirosa Cousland walked across camp toward the fire, still chuckling under her breath. Sandal was, quite possibly, the most adorable dwarf she had ever met. As she approached the fire, however, she saw Alistair kneeling beside it. He was lounging, arm draped across his knee, gazing longingly into the flames and she couldn't help but wonder what thoughts could have entranced him so. He looked beautiful there – his armor throwing the light from the fire all across the campsite. She thought about stopping to talk to him, but he looked so content in his thoughts that she let him be and crossed to her tent. But no sooner had she reached for the flap when she heard his voice behind her.
"Kali!" She turned and watched him cross the campsite, meeting him halfway. "All right, I guess I really don't know how to ask you this." Kalirosa looked up at him, his nervousness etched on his face like a mask.
Tick tock, hear the clock countdown
Wish the minute hand could be rewound
So much to do and so much I need to say
Will tomorrow be too late?
"Are you sweating?" She asked, poking him with her words as she watched him fall all over himself. She loved his shy type of romance – she always had.
"No. I mean, yes. I mean…" He was falling all over himself and she couldn't help but giggle. "I'm a little nervous, sure. Not that this is anything bad or frightening or… well, yes. Oh, how do I say this? You'd think it would be easier, but every time I'm around you, I feel as if like my head's about to explode. I-I can't think straight." He was talking incredibly quickly, like he always did when he hadn't thought through his words very well, but Kalirosa didn't mind so much – she loved the sound of his voice, and she couldn't help but poke him one more time.
Feel the moment slip into the past
Like sand through the hour glass
In the madness, I guess, I just forget
To do all the things I said
"Oh? Thanks a lot." She hoped he could see that she was still smiling.
"Oh! I don't mean it like that. I mean… All right, let me start over." She wondered if he was getting ready to get it together and she fought the urge to run her hands through his blonde hair as he did so himself. He took another step closer and she looked up to meet his gaze. "Here's the thing: being near you makes me crazy, but I can't imagine being without you. Not ever." The smile on Kalirosa's face began to vanish as she realized the sincerity of Alistair's statement. "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." Kalirosa was awestruck. She wanted to spend the night with him – she had for some time, but she had been afraid to approach the issue because of his background. She didn't think he'd want her that way.
Time passes by, never thought I'd wind up
One step behind, now I've made my mind up.
"You want to spend the night? Are you sure?" She asked, fearing that he'd change his mind, but he didn't seem to hesitate in the slightest.
"I wanted to wait for the perfect time, the perfect place… but when will it be perfect? If things were, we wouldn't 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." His words grew bolder as he continued and Kalirosa found herself drawn in by his confidence. "I really don't want to wait anymore. I've… I've never done this before. You know that. I want it to be with you… while we have the chance. In case…"
Today, I'm gonna try a little harder
Gonna make every minute last longer
Gonna learn to forgive and forget
'Cause we don't have long, gonna make the most of it.
Today I'm gonna love my enemies
Reach out to somebody who needs me
Make a change, make the world a better place
'Cause tomorrow could be one day too late
One day too late, one day too late.
"Don't talk like that. There will always be time later." Kalirosa said, She couldn't bear the thought of losing him for any reason, and despite the fact that she knew it was something that had to be acknowledged, she refused to – not tonight.
"Will there? You don't know that. I don't know that. I'd like to be able to say that I threw caution to the wind at least once."
Tick, tock, hear my life pass by
I can't erase and I can't rewind
Of all the things I regret the most I do
Wish I'd spent more time with you.
"Very well," She replied, taking another step closer to him as he looked down into her eyes. She couldn't look away from him – she could hardly even speak when her gaze met that of her fellow Grey Warden. "If that's what you really want…"
"I think so. I hope so." He still looked nervous and unsure, but when he pulled her into his arms and into his kiss, Kalirosa wasn't unsure anymore. She knew that this was what she wanted – what she'd always wanted.
Here's my chance for a new beginning
I saved the best for a better ending
In the end I'll make it up to you
You'll see, you'll get the very best of me.
He pulled her up into his arms and she wrapped her legs around his waist as he started walking backwards toward the tent. She loved that he could hold her like that – like she weighted nothing. She was gasping into his kisses as he dropped to his knees and laid her down on her bedspread. She looked up into his gaze, smiling when she saw his shyness.
Time passes by, never thought I'd wind up
One step behind, now I've made my mind up
"I love you, Kali. I love you so much.," Alistair whispered, "but I feel so awkward holding you."
"Why?" She asked, running her hands through his hair as she loosened the straps holding on his chest piece.
"You're delicate and beautiful and perfect and I've never held anything like you. Those aren't exactly words one can use to describe templars and darkspawn. Well, maybe I can think of one that describes all three." He smiled then and Kalirosa cocked her head and stared at him. "Deadly." They laughed until the awkwardness was gone and he wrapped his arms around her. She kissed him until all their armor was gone along with the all unpleasant things – darkspawn, Grey Wardens, demons, abominations and wild witches were nothing but fairy tales. Kali was sure that she and her lover were the only real things in the whole world.
Today, I'm gonna try a little harder
Gonna make every minute last longer
Gonna learn to forgive and forget
'Cause we don't have long, gonna make the most of it.
Today I'm gonna love my enemies
Reach out to somebody who needs me
Make a change, make the world a better place
'Cause tomorrow could be one day too late
One day too late, one day too late.
"Hmm… you know," Kalirosa looked up at Alistair as they crossed back to the central fire. The others were still in bed – and she could only hope that their exploits had gone unheard. "According to all the sisters at the monastery, I should have been struck by lightning by now."
"That so?" Kalirosa replied, laughing aloud with him.
"Yep. Lightning first and then the end of civilization as we know it. I'm a bad, bad man." He reached out and tucked her hair behind her ear. "You do realize that rest of our little party is going to talk, right? They do that."
"Why? Are you going to tell them?"
"I won't have to. Morrigan will give me 'that look', I just know it. You should really kick her ass for me. I would pay to watch that fight." She giggled and hit him lightly on the shoulder – he could probably only barely feel it though his armor. "So… what now? Where do we go from here?"
Our time is running out
You're never gonna get it back
So make the most of every moment
Stop saving your best for last
"We stay together, no matter what."
"Right. I can handle that. I hope." He smiled and pulled her close again, wrapped his arms around her waist. "Before we go, have I told you that I love you? I did? Well, it won't kill you to hear it again, will it?"
"I love you too."
"See? Was that so hard?" He pulled her into his arms again and together, they walked back to the tent until morning.
Today, I'm gonna try a little harder
Gonna make every minute last longer
Gonna learn to forgive and forget
'Cause we don't have long, gonna make the most of it.
Today I'm gonna love my enemies
Reach out to somebody who needs me
Make a change, make the world a better place
'Cause tomorrow could be one day too late
One day too late, one day too late.