I thought I'd try this out in between chapters.
RULES: 1. Pick a fandom/character/pairing you like.
2. Turn on your music player and click shuffle.
3. Write a blurb related to each song that plays. You only have the time frame of the song to write it – you start when it starts, you finish when it finishes.
4. Do ten and post.
I have no pretenses to any of these songs.
Thanks to mille libri who gave me this idea!
1. You Can't Hurry Love – the Supremes—Female Cousland
Rowena stared desperately across the fire at the man she loved, trying to remember the ways her mother had taught her.
She had thought it was so silly to spend time worrying about finding a husband when she was younger, but now that she wanted someone for the first time, she was beginning to see the benefits.
"Be a lady, Rowena," her mother had once admonished. "A Teryn's daughter does not throw herself upon any young man she meets."
At that point, Rowena had run off to fight in the courtyard.
Rowena sighed. This was going to take a while.
2. Just Dance – Lady Gaga-Oghren
Oghren looked up groggily from his ale.
A group of topsiders had filed into the tavern, looking very out of place.
"Weaklings," he muttered, downing the last of his mug.
"Hey, Oghren, why the long face?" a voice jeered from behind.
"You look lonely, Oghren. Why don't you go home? Oh, wait…"
"How's Branka doing, Oghren? Talked to her lately?"
"Go screw a nug, boys," Oghren mumbled, gesturing for another drink.
He downed the tankard in one gulp, not even blinking.
That was the key to staying on top of it all.
Just drink.
3. Honky-Tonk Merry-go-Round – Patsy Cline—Alistair/Male Surana
Alistair caught his breath in the carriage, harried by the crowd.
"You alright?" Eruestan asked, staring at him sympathetically.
"Maker's breath," he said, mopping his forehead. "They're mad!"
"Alistair, you're their king, and their hero. What'd you expect?" Eruestan said amusedly.
"A little bit of freedom, actually," Alistair said grumpily.
Eruestan smiled grimly. He had found out long ago that liberty was the price of power and glory. He wondered when Alistair would discover the same.
4. Boom Boom Pow – the Black Eyed Peas
The villagers screamed in terror as the darkspawn converged upon their homes. The horribly corrupt faces sneered at them, coming forward in a relentless horde.
Suddenly, there was a cry of relief as the sun came out of the clouds, and the Grey Wardens appeared.
The mage sent a wave of force flying into the darkspawn, knocking them to their feet. The red-haired girl jumped forward and cut into a pack of hurlocks, black ichor flying through the air. Her blond lover blasted into a shriek that appeared out of nowhere. Their companions soon ran up behind them, quickly pushing the darkspawn back into the forest.
The village rested easy, staring in awe at their heroes. Right then, the Grey Wardens slipped from the mortal world into the realm of legends.
5. Sky – Joshua Radin and Ingrid Michaelson—Male Surana/Leliana
Eruestan gave a terrible gasp, jolting out of his bed-roll.
Next to him, Leliana mumbled something and rolled over, still fast asleep.
Eruestan caught his breath, confused. Leliana had kissed Alistair…she had told him she never wanted to see him again…told him that she hoped he would be killed by a darkspawn…
It was a dream, he thought with immense relief.
He smiled down at the woman he loved, watching her body rise with each breath. He lay back down next to her, watching the stars shine above them. She subconsciously rested her head upon his chest, and Eruestan knew then that he was surely the luckiest man on the earth.
6. Maybe – Ingrid Michaelson—Alistair/Female Cousland
Alistair's eyes filled with tears. Rowena felt her heart break into a thousand pieces.
"I'm so sorry," she whispered. "But I can't. You know that. You need to get your throne back, and I'll just be getting in the way at the Landsmeet. We need to break this off. I…we need to focus on the Blight…we're too close as it is…"
His face was a torment to her. This was the hardest thing she had ever done, and each word stabbed in like the cruelest of cuts.
He turned away. "Just promise me one thing," he said, his voice shaking.
"Anything," she whispered desperately, pain and horror gripping her soul.
"If we kill this bastard," he said, still not looking at her, "promise me you'll come back."
She swallowed. "With all my heart," she said, tears streaming down her face.
He turned around. They both stared at each other, pain painted on their faces like a canvas…then he walked away silently.
Rowena collapsed upon herself, horrified at what she had done.
I'll end this Blight, she thought viciously through her sobs. If I have to march on the Black City itself, I will have a happy ending.
She curled up in a ball, suddenly cold.
Father, what have I done?
7. My Hands are Shaking – Sondre Lerche—Alistair/Female Cousland/Male Surana
"I can't do this," Alistair said anxiously, pacing back and forth outside the Landsmeet chamber.
"Alistair, yes you can!" Rowena said firmly.
He shook his head. "No. Bad things happen when I take charge. I can't do this! Let Anora have Ferelden! She wants it!"
"But Alistair, it's yours!" Eruestan said impatiently. "You're the last of the Therin line in Ferelden! You have to take the throne!"
He shook his head even harder.
"Alistair," Rowena said softly, "I have the utmost faith that you can do this. You are the most noble, most loyal, and most courageous man that I have ever met, and you'll be the best king this country has ever seen."
He stared at her. "Marry me."
She stared at him. "WHAT?"
"Rowena, I love you more than anything else, and I want to spend my life with you." Alistair grabbed her hand. "Marry me. Please. You said we should be apart…but I can't accept that. I need you. I can't bear this burden without you."
Suddenly, the doors to the Landsmeet chamber thundered open, and Rowena walked in speechless, completely unsure of what was going to happen next.
8. American Boy – Estelle and Kanye West—Male Surana/Leliana
Eruestan stared at the Chantry sister sitting next to him.
She laughed merrily. "Is there something wrong?"
He blushed. "No, nothing…it's just…I've never seen a sister wield a blade like that before."
"Well, I am not like most Chantry sisters," she said calmly. "After all, I'm talking to you, aren't i?"
He laughed. "Good point. Plus, you don't seem worried that I'm going to turn you into a bat, which is always a plus…"
She giggled, then put on a faux-somber face and held out a hand. "Well, ser, let us form a unique friendship – a Chantry sister and an elven mage."
"I don't even know your name," Eruestan laughed.
She smiled at him. "Leliana."
"Eruestan," he grinned back.
"Pleased to meet you, Eruestan," Leliana said cheerfully.
"You too, Leliana." As she turned to go prepare her tent, Eruestan couldn't help but get the feeling that he was going to be seeing a lot of her in the future.
9. The Way I Am – Ingrid Michaelson—Female Cousland/Alistair
Rowena lay in Alistair's arms.
"Thank you," he whispered.
She looked up affectionately at him. "For what?"
"For taking me back. For saying yes."
She smiled. "Oh, that. You don't need to thank me for that. That hurt me just as must as it hurt you."
He sighed. "Wena, please tell me you won't put us through that again."
"It was only for a week!" she teased. Then she shivered. "No, joking over, you're right. Duty be damned from now on, no matter what Eruestan or Wynne says."
Alistair bent in and kissed her. "That was a very long week," he said tiredly.
"You have no idea," she said, nestling comfortably on his chest.
10. I've Just Seen a Face – The Beatles-Alistair
Alistair's mouth dropped open.
The girl walking towards him was quite possibly the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. She had long red hair, beautiful pale skin, and a firm, muscular body protected by well-fitting armor.
"Are you Alistair?" she asked brightly, in voice that sounded like laughter. "I'm Rowena Cousland, and Eruestan here and I are the newest Grey Wardens."
He swallowed. This Blight just got a whole lot better.