*Notes. Some small spoilers regarding Alistair's personal quest and characters' personalities. This story is written with a Fem!Cousland as the central character. I've not named her, to keep it a little more open.
This story was originally conceived as a result of a challenge posted on the swooping_is_bad Livejournal community.
There looked to be hundreds of tiny objects pinned to the velvet pad, yet there could only be a handful if that. Each one intricately crafted from metal and stones.
A sigh escaped her lips, before she could stop it. All her wealth and jewellery was long gone now. Any wealth she came into now, went into covering the ever growing expenses required to fight the Blight.
"So. Which would you choose?" soft Orlesian tones asked from her shoulder.
Turning her head slightly, the young Warden smiled. "To represent what? Me? Or you?"
Leliana get a tinkling laugh. "How about for each member of our small family?"
She liked that. In a way they really were family now. No kindred blood flowed through their veins, yet the blood spilled to defend the land bound them tighter than any oath or relation.
Standing a little straighter, a finger on her lip, she pondered the choice.
"That one." Her finger pointed to a silver owl. "Wynne. Wise and silent but deadly."
The rogue at her side nodded in agreement. "One who sees much but acts only when needed. But what for her opposite? Morrigan."
"Ah another easy choice. The golden spider with black stones. She weaves a complex web, yet is fragile underneath." Again her choice was rewarded by a nod from her bardic companion.
Returning blue-green eyes to the tray, a wide grin spread across her face. "I think that one best displays your beauty my friend." The charm in question was a delicate golden charm inlayed with red and orange stones in the shape of Andraste's flame.
Leliana smiled back, and gave a tiny bow. "Such would be unworthy of me, but your kindness warms me."
The young warden shook her head, braids dancing before her face. "You are a beauty dear songstress." Turning back to the tray to hide the slight blush heating her cheeks, she continued to review the charms.
"What of this one for Sten?" a frown creased her brow. Trying to decide upon a fitting design for her stoic companion was hard. Something about the silver wolf charm just called to her though.
A nod from Leliana, confirmed her selection choice. "A lone wolf, yet also one of the pack. A good choice. This is fun."
"Agreed," smiling the young warden, returned her gaze to the rest of the tray's contents.
A whoop of delight escaped her lips; a very childish sound for the default leader of Fereldan's Grey Wardens. "This one! This one! It looks just like him!" She was gently stroking a dark coloured mabari charm with affection.
"Yes that one is good." Leliana smiled. It was good to see the young woman sp relaxed after so much sorrow. She posed a question of her, "Could you see this one as our seductive assassin?" The charm beneath her finger was a golden ferret, with tiny sparkling stones covering it.
"A dazzling but ruthless killer? Yes that's Zevran." She thought of the assassin's attempts to seduce her, offering bed warming services, and a deep grin remained in place as she looked over more of the charms.
"Shale," was her only word regarding the solitary stone disc, its black surface infused with silver and gold flecks. "And our dearest Oghren. For what else could he be?" There was a mischievous look upon her face as she pointed to the tankard shaped charm.
Leliana could not help but let out her own laugh at that. "Yes. Fitting indeed."
"The time moves on. We'd best depart and be about our errands," the young warden suddenly said looking up at the sun. Turning abruptly she'd set off across the market place intent on carrying out the rest of their errands.
With a knowing smile Leliana had followed her leader. There's been no mention of what charm Alistair would be.
On their way back to camp later that evening, she turned the conversation back towards their earlier discussion.
"But what would I be?" She had seen no charm that she'd choose for herself.
"Why you are the chain that holds us all close. We are all bound into your heart." The rogue's insightful response brought deep colour to her cheeks. Leliana could be very surprising with her short outbursts of clarity.
The tiny charms attached to the bracelet in his hand jingled as they glanced upon each other. It was such a tiny thing, so delicate. Like she was. Except here she was, leading their growing forces against the Blight before it became too late.
Leliana had found him later that day, a sly smile upon her face.
The women had spent the day in the city market, replenishing supplies and hunting down information. His beloved had promised hat the next they would find his sister. She'd wanted to search alone first, to spare him the pain if she was no longer alive.
The bard had begun to talk of their day's adventures. Describing in great detail the time spent at the silversmith's stall. The delicate charms and the meaning they held. He may act foolish, but he was not a complete fool. So that day, after the disastrous visit to his sister, when he needed time alone, he'd wandered the market. Finding the stall, and handing over his saved coined.
Now it was evening. The rest of their companions relaxing; unwinding and enjoying the reprieve form darkspawn attack.
She was sat before the fire, finishing the last of her evening meal. Soon she'd head out to take watch. Then he'd follow; then he would ask…
Standing up, and calling to her hound, the young woman padded over to relieve Sten from his watch.
"There's stew on the fire. Morrigan's cooking." Everyone knew the swamp-witch's food tasted best, even if her words could be bitter.
With a single nod the qunari turned and left her to the watch.
"Urm…" A soft voice behind her caused her to jump in alarm. She must have dozed off at her post to not notice the templar's approach.
"Alistair," there was no disguising the warmth and affection in her voice. "You're not on watch till later. Is something wrong?"
"No. I came to see you. To talk." There was a heavy blush upon his cheeks, as he dragged a hand nervously through his hair.
Settling down beside his fellow Grey Warden, he patted the mabari that came over demanding attention.
"What did you want to talk about?" She loved being close to him. Nothing had really happened between them. There'd been the rose and talk, but nothing more yet. She was hoping for more, so much more as she knew she was deeply in love with the templar, though common sense told her it was a foolish notion.
Holding his hand out clenched around the bracelet within, Alistair waited till she held her palm out. "I heard you might appreciate a lasting memory of our adventures. For… For when this is all over." He didn't want to say the unspoken feeling that they all knew; in case one of us doesn't make it.
"Oh Alistair. Its beautiful." She held the bracelet suspended between both hands. "Do you know what they all mean?"
When the templar nodded, her smile only increased. "But what's the key for?" She hadn't chosen that charm the previous day.
Alistair looked away and buried his hands in the mabari's fur.
"The lock on the bracelet is a heart, and you are the key to mine."
She started, and could see the deep reddening of his ears. Reaching a hand out, she gently turned him to face her. "As you are mine."
They sat for what seemed both moments and hours, her hand upon his cheek, one of his holding her wrist.
"If you're both quite finished mooning over each other," Morrigan's scathing tones broke through their bubble of happiness. "Darkspawn could have devoured us all if not for that mongrel, paying attention." She pointed her staff at the mabari that barked happily at the compliment, whilst his mistress and Alistair hastily stood and moved apart. "Do not take that as an invitation to leave more half chewed offerings in my bed again," the witch was regarding the mabari, who slunk down under her stare.
"I'll… I'll be heading off. I need to rest before my watch," Alistair said making a hasty retreat, his face a deep radiating red.
"Nothing happened," she said almost wistfully after his retreating back.
"We know." Morrigan replied settling herself into the watch spot. "Zevran lost a bet to Leliana as a result."
With a shake of her head at her companions' action the young warden yawned and headed back to the main camp, all thoughts of sleep far from her mind.
"Take this, this creature with you!" Morrigan called after her, meaning the mabari that was sat devotedly at her side.
"Why should I? He knows a good bitch when he sees one," was her smug parting shot. It was good to be surrounded by such people; the bracelet around her wrist shone and glinted in the fire light, her family would be with her always now.