Summary:
King Alistair lost his Warden in the fight against the Archdemon,
Join him as he makes his annual pilgrimage to her tomb.
Sometimes even death can't keep true love apart.
Written for Dragon Age Halloween Week - Day 2
From the Ashes
Notes:
This chapter is safe for work.
All recognizable content belongs to Bioware/EA Games
All twisted perversions therein, are all on me ~ You're welcome!
Dragon Age Halloween Week
Day Two - October 25, 2017
From the Ashes
Alistair's Pilgrimage
Ruling is hard. Harder than he ever thought it would be without her by his side.
There was a time, when he thought he could do anything.
That they could do anything.
They'd gathered an army.
They fought, against all odds, to save the world and banish the blight.
They succeeded.
But at what cost?
Before she sacrificed herself against the Archdemon, they made promises.
He promised to take care of the country she fought so hard to save.
He promised that he'd carry on without her.
He promised he would love her until the end of his days.
She promised she'd find a way for them to be together again.
She was always so confident, so resourceful.
Once a year, when the veil was at its thinnest,
King Alistair would make his pilgrimage to Weisshaupt.
To her tomb.
Once a year, he would leave with a single rose,
adding it to the vase on his nightstand.
There were nine such roses now.
All wilted and brown, but no less beautiful for the joy they brought him.
Eamon had long since given up trying to get Alistair to marry.
There was no point.
He could produce no heir and his heart would never belong to another.
So he ruled; fair, kind, just, and alone, to the best of his ability.
This year would be Alistair's tenth such trek to Weisshaupt.
He looked forward to it-craved it.
Taking only his most trusted guards with him.
They knew better than to ask questions.
They knew better than to whisper words of anything they might see or hear.
Alistair entered the tomb with only the clothes on his back, a bedroll, food, and water.
He would need nothing else.
For three days and nights he stayed locked within.
His guards forbidden from entering.
Taking shifts to make sure their King stayed safe.
Sometimes, they would hear conversations, clear as can be.
Sometimes, they would hear his laughter: pure, joyous, and alive.
Once in a while, sounds would bleed through causing the guards to blush and wonder.
But no one spoke a word.
No one asked.
No one answered.
If this was the only happiness their King found in his duty-bound life,
they would give it to him.
He was their King, their country, their savior, their hope.
And if keeping this secret gave him even the tiniest spark of happiness;
it was a sacrifice they were more than willing to make.
On the third day, Alistair emerged.
A small boyish smile played on his lips.
A beautiful red rose, tucked behind his ear.
His thoughts his own.
His heart full and happy.
All Soul's Day had come and gone.
Replenishing the heart of our Sovereign for another year.
A/N - Two days down - five more delicious Dragon Age Halloween days to go!
You can follow along with all the fun on Tumblr: DAHalloween
I will be posting every day for this event! You can find me on Tumblr as Aurlyn!
End Notes:
Thank you to the ever amazing Ponticle for being my guide and task master. ;)