Kallia took a deep breath of Fereldan air. Damp, heavy, home. Amaranthine docks were a bustle of activity with exclamations at the early arrival of the ship. The elf turned her head as fishermen shared the tale of the Inquisitor with the sailors. They ignored her as she passed them and into Amaranthine proper.
Some recognized her face and wished her good day and some offered smiles and bowed heads. Kallia returned them all with a smile. In Orlais, people had sneered when she passed. Their distrust of the wardens ran too deep for the pardon to make much of a difference. Yet, here they remembered what the wardens had sacrificed to save their city as well as their country.
It was only after she passed the gates that she stopped. Nathaniel was no where to be seen. "Andraste's flaming sword. I know you received my letter!"
"Oh he did." She spun quickly on the balls of her feet. Waiting for her was a childish grin, light brown eyes, and a rose extended in offering. "I just gave him an assignment he couldn't say no to." The Warden-Commander dropped her bags and ran into his arms, hugging him tightly and sharing passionate kisses.
When Kallia had regained her senses, she pulled away and allowed Alistair just to hold her. Not giving one damn about the people watching them. One foxy colored brow rose and she couldn't help but smirk as she remembered what he'd said. "Did you tell him there were naked women throwing stones at the keep again?"
Alistair chuckled and the sound filled her with a warmth she'd forgot had been missing. The realization that she was falling for him all over again made all those months suddenly bearable. "No," he said with a slight flush to his cheeks, "He didn't fall for that twice. I simply suggested that something could try swooping past the guards and that he should watch the perimeter."
Kallia snickered, gracing him with a genuine smile. The kind he could draw from her without any effort. She felt him pass the slightly crumpled rose into her hands. "I've missed you Alistair."
A warm hand, large and calloused, cupped her cheek and drew her green eyes back to his. "Oh my love." She hadn't cried when her first wedding had been ruined, but the mere adoration and love he'd breathed in those three words nearly brought her to her knees. "I've missed you as well."
"I should have been at Adamant."
"No," Alistair was rarely firm, but his eyes held a finality she couldn't ignore. "You wouldn't have given the Inquisitor time to decide, you would have faced that creature to buy them time. The people cannot lose the Hero of Ferelden to this." His other hand traced over her face to the tip of her ear before mirroring its twin. "I cannot lose you."
The Hero of Ferelden rose to the tips of her toes to kiss the bastard prince once more. Her husband. Her arms wrapped around his neck and he lifted her from the ground to spin her. They laughed as if the world hadn't been on the brink of destruction again.
A trip to Denerim would be in order, otherwise her father would worry and Shianni would tear Amaranthine apart in result of. Kallia should also tell Alistair the result of her journey; he needed to know. A few more minutes couldn't hurt anything though. Her feet lighted upon the ground once more and she was pulled into a familiar embrace. She was home. There was only one order of business left that needed to be dealt with.
"Alistair?"
"Yesss?" He hummed in response, the noise making her feel warm as she felt it travel down her spine.
"I'm behind on my lamppost licking."