Hello readers! I HAD to get this plot bunny out-o-my-head. This is just a short little fluff between Alistair *cough* Alibear *cough* and my F!/Brosca. Nothing serious. Enjoy!
It was the first time that Amelia Brosca had ever been to a human city. When she left Orzammar, or Dust Town to be more specific, Duncan, her mentor, never made stops in big cities. She never confessed it to him, but in the weeks it took her and Duncan to get to Ostagar she started to consider him as more than just a Commander, but more of a father. Her own abandoned them when she was only a child and went to the surface. So it was nice to have someone in her life like Duncan, even if it was only for a little while.
Being casteless in Dust Town changed a lot of otherwise good people. It always made them hostile and made them put themselves before everyone else. Amelia was different though. She always tried to look after everyone, her sister, Rica, her best friend and partner in crime, Leske, and yes even her drunk of a mother.
Amelia didn't believe in the Chant or any higher power for that matter, but the statement "If you commit selfless acts, you will be graciously rewarded" was most definatly true. She was now surrounded by companions that care for her as she cared for them. But the one that favored her most was Alistair. They had become close in the past few weeks they'd been traveling together.
Their current mission in their grand crusade to stop the Blight was to find the Urn of Sacred Ashes. The Urn is said to have the burnt remnants of Andraste, the human prophet of the Maker. Something that Amelia thought would be a complete and utter goose chase that she was only doing to appease the frump of an Orlaisian Arlessa. The frumpy noble told them to venture to Denerim and retrieve information of this Urn from Brother Genitivi, a scholar that was studying the Urn and its location in great detail. Alistair suggested to Amelia that everyone take a day of rest and relaxation for journey when they got there and he could show her the city.
And that brings them to present time. All of Amelia's companions are scattered about the city perusing the wonders it holds while Alistair reveals to her Fereldan's crown jewel.
"And this is the Wonders of Thedas!" Alistair declared pointing at a large and weathered building. "Arl Eamon once got me a miniature Golem doll here once… when I was young… Very young." He scorned himself for slipping up and revealing a seemingly embarrassing part of his childhood.
Amelia giggled and prodded "Awww! How cute! You used to play with a little Shale!"
"I did NOT play with a 'little Shale'!" he defended.
"That's not what your blushy cheeks are telling me!" she reached up and pinched his cheeks like the first time Wynne mentioned that he was "enraptured" by Amelia's swaying hips. Which wasn't an entirely false accusation. He was staring. But only because he gets lost easily and needs to look to her to know where they are heading! Or so he would claim…
He was quick to change the subject and he peeped out "Anyway! Shall we move on with the grand tour of Denerim!"
Amelia smiled "Sure thing, Blushy!" He groaned at this new nickname.
About an hour had passed and they were almost done touring the Market District. They went to all of the taverns and noteworthy shops. And as they walked towards the large merchant's tent in the middle of the district, Amelia noticed something odd. The smell in the air didn't smell of rotting garbage and wet dog for once. It smelt magnificent!
Alistair beat her to pointing it out. He said "Oh, can you smell that! It smells like the baker is open for business!"
"Baker?" Amelia inquired. She had never experienced this wonderful essence anywhere in Orzammar. They didn't have what Alistair called "a baker" in the Commons let alone Dust Town. Perhaps they were in the Diamond Quarter but if she ever even went close to the entrance she'd be cut down on site.
"Yeah, come on! I'll show you!" he said enthusiastically. He clasped her hand in his and began sprinting towards the source of the fragrance.
"Where are we going! Slow down Alistair!" she called. He had a bad habit of remembering that she was only a little over half his height and her legs were not meant to take seemingly huge paces like the ones he was taking.
"It's only a little farther Mia! Just around the corner!" And sure enough it was just around the corner. The scent was so pungent now it was making both of their mouths water.
Amelia panted out "Alistair. Do we have to have a talk about why the lengths of our legs again? Because I think I pulled my hamstring."
"You'll feel better in a minute I promise." He reassured. Amelia knew he had something up his sleeve, but she wasn't sure what. He continued toward the small bakery with her slight hand still intertwined with his large gloved one.
When they walked past the large glass window that displayed several strange confections she'd never seen before, Amelia noticed a large one standing on a pedestal. She stopped dead in their tracks and gazed up at it.
"What is that?" she said in bewilderment and pointed to the small, white pastry with deep icing red roses on it elevated above the rest. It was one of most beautiful things she'd ever seen.
He saw what she was pointing at but he didn't realize that she had never seen one of them before. "Are you pointing at the cake right there?" he asked.
Her cheeks darkened a bit. "Is that what cake is?" she said meekly.
Alistair finally realized that she'd never seen a cake before and wasn't surprised by it. He simply said "Turn around and close your eyes."
This brought her out of the spell that the flowery confectionary marvel had on her.
"Wh-What?" Her azure eyes glimmered up at him.
"Trust me." He said calmly.
She reluctantly complied. She heard him rummaging through his pack for something and then all of sudden she felt a soft cloth covering her eyes. "Follow me." He said in the same calm monotone he used before. His voice wasn't cold. But it certainly wasn't his normal, mirthy tone that he had with her. He rewrapped her hand with his and led her into the sweet smell of the building.
A bell pinged as Alistair opened the door and the baker looked up to his next customers. He cocked his think gray brow at the armored man with the blindfolded, yet equally armored dwarven lass.
"Stand here and don't move. Don't worry I won't leave you here." Alistair whispered in her ear. Her hear leapt into her throat at the feel of his warm breath tickling her ear and neck.
"O-okay…." She stammered like a nervous peasant girl that had just been asked to dance by a prince. Which would be true if he had actually asked to dance with her. A human dancing with a dwarf however, would most likely be extremely awkward.
She waited where Alistair left her for what seemed like ages trying to pick up hushed whispers and what the nearby shuffling might be. She was startled by the sudden pressure on her hand. It was familiar welcome. She just now became conscious that his hands were very… masculine.
"Come on. Let's find somewhere to sit." He finally stated.
"Alright, where?" she asked.
"It's a surprise." She noticed that a touch mirth had returned in his voice and for that she was relieved. Amelia was a little disgruntled that the strength of the fragrance of the bakery had lessened as they walked but Alistair finally said "Alright, have a seat right here." And he patted what sounded like a wooden bench.
"Can I take the blindfold off now?" she questioned anxiously.
"Hold on one sec- Okay now."
She ripped off the offending cloth and at first saw Alistair with his signature, adorable, lopsided grin and then looked down to see…
"You didn't!" she exclaimed.
"That I did, my lady." In a gentlemanly tone.
Amelia's cheeks flushed once more and she gazed upon the beautiful, boxed up, cake that was in the bakery window. The only difference was that it was sliced into tiny pieces.
"I can't believe you actually bought it! It must've cost a fortune!"
"Well it would have. But when I told the baker that it was for the beautiful, blindfolded lass standing in the corner he decided to give it to us."
That's what did it. She was now blushing beyond redemption. Her smile glittered at him and she said in almost whispered "So… what do we do know?" she asked.
He snatched a piece of cake from the box, put it on the former blindfold and handed it to her.
She meekly took the piece and looked at it. "So after I taste this, there's no going back? I won't be able to untaste it?"
Alistair threw his head back and laughed "Consider this the beginning of the rest of your life!"
She smiled at him and took a small nibble of the cake.
Her eyes grew to the size of dinner plates. It was the most astounding taste she had ever experienced. The dark, moist, spongy, sweet pastry glided down her throat. Alistair saw the tears that almost fell from her eyes.
"Mia?" he called her by her nickname in a gentle voice. She didn't look up. He had no idea that this would affect her so. Smooth move, dumbass. He inwardly scolded himself.
The next thing that happened shocked him. She scarfed down the rest of the cake.
"That was amazing!" she squeed.
"Oh, thank the Maker…" he whispered a sigh of relief.
"Here, you have some too!" she pushed the box toward him.
He smiled at her and took a small piece. The cake to him was pretty good. He'd never met a cake he didn't like. Had he been eating it by himself he probably would've forgotten about it within the week, but the fact that he was sitting beside the one woman that he'd bared his soul to and didn't reject him in the slightest meant that this cake would be with him forever.
They talked and joked with each other until the cake was completely gone and then soon the sun was leaving as well.
"I guess we should get back to camp before Wynne starts to panic." Amelia said a little down that their merriment had to come to an end.
"Yes we'd hate for her hair to become even whiter." Alistair jibed about their somewhat surrogate mother.
"I'm so telling her you said that!" she proclaimed.
"Oh Maker! I didn't mean it! She'll stop mending my clothes!" he urgently tried to take back what he said.
"Too late! The damage is done!" she laughed.
"You are an evil, evil, woman... Alright, alright. Let's get back to camp so I can meet my fate…" he said in feign despair.
"Oh shit! Alistair I forgot something!" Amelia shouted.
"What? What is it?" he questioned with concern.
"Well… It's kind of personal…" she started fiddling with her hands.
He cocked his brow "What is it?" he repeated slower trying to figure out what she meant.
She gestured for him to come down to her height so she could whisper in his ear. Instead of doing that however, she planted a big, fat, kiss on his cheek and hugged his neck tight. "Thank you so much." She whispered in his ear.
"Y-You're welcome Amelia." He probably turned the brightest shade of red imaginable. Thank the Maker the sun is going down… There's no way I'll be able to sleep tonight.
~0o0~
As Alistair and Amelia walked through the darkening streets of Denerim, Alistair mentioned "You know, I wanted you to try some cookies as well, but the baker was all out."
"That so?" she replied. She had no sodding idea what cookies were, but if they were anything like the cake, she was kinda bummed she didn't get to try them.
"Yeeep. He said that a tan-skinned giant came in with a sword as tall as he was, and with enough armor on to take on an entire darkspawn horde bought them all the minute he opened his doors." Alistair told her.
When she finished laughing she stated "These cookies are lies."
A/N: I am so sorry about the last line. I am a terrible person and I bet you all hope rabid Genlocks nibble on my toes. Let me know if you like the rest though! 8D