Disclaimers: I do not own Dragon Age it belongs to the awesome Bioware and their awesome team of writers!
Spoilers: Dragon Age 2 ending, Romance ending.
Author's Note: After writing the piece Zombie I had the idea of doing a series of oneshots. This one is of my female mage Hawke facing the end. Please leave a comment and enjoy. Thanks mousemage.
So, it has come to this moment. This pivotal point in time that I have helped fuel and hounded. It comes down to me and the few to stand in the shadows and fight for what is right down to the marrow of our bones. But what of the future? What happens after this? I have no idea nor wish to comprehend.
My breath is shallow, spells of healing are taking their time and there is no time to think on spells. I see every decision, every regret that had brought me here and all I feel is emptiness and the futility of it all. Will someone take up the Champion title after I am gone? I fail to care about it any more. I will follow my heart, like I have always done. It does no good to falter now.
He doesn't agree that this is right, that saving them is worth the risk of another Imperium. I can't guarantee anything, he knows this but he won't abandon me again. He can't. For him it would kill him and I would allow myself to die even if the outcome was different. I can't live … I can't breath … without him.
"Promise me," he whispers cupping my cheek. His green eyes burrow into mine, my soul laid bare before his piercing gaze. I have never hidden what I am to him, never felt the need to prove myself to him. "Promise me, you won't die. I," he pauses his eyes softening. "I couldn't bare it, I couldn't bare being without you." He presses his head against mine, his beautiful eyes closed as the others watch on. I feel our hearts beat in almost unison, mine eventually growing steady to match his peaceful calm that it assumes before battle. His breathing deep and steady, his body poised and ready to begin battle. My lips curve into a sad smile.
"Only if you promise me the same," I reply softly, my voice catching. I feel him grin and his arms grip me tighter.
"Nothing will keep me from you, I swear it."
Warmth fills me and as he pulls away but only to let his lips crash against mine in a kiss more powerful than anything I could imagine. And, for a moment, I don't care about the mages; I don't care that the templars are about to break down the door and attack; that possibly this is the last moment I will have with him. I don't care, that the future - now more than ever - is soaked in blood and death and it's likely I'll lose the people I've come to admire and love. I don't care. All that is certain is that I'm forgiven by the one person that matters to me now. He is my beacon of hope and my future, however short that future may be. For him, for them, all that I do care about, is that I will live minute to minute, moment to moment and breath to breath if I have to.
For them, I will live beyond this night. For I am alone no longer and I will end this age of tyranny and oppression. Let them come, death holds no surprise for me if I should fall here.
I am the Champion of Kirkwall, let them come.