Second Time Around
A/N: This was an idea which came to me during my last playthrough, where I convinced Alistair and Anora to marry and rule together. I was surprised by how easily they both agreed to it. Then Anora mentioned Maric intending for a new line of Kings to start from them, and Alistair stated that there were worse things than being married to beautiful woman, so I figured they were both pretty happy with the arrangement, and things just stemmed from there.
Disclaimer: This is a work of fanfiction and in no way linked to BioWare or the Dragon Age series. All characters are used without permission.
Anora sighed deeply. It was done. She was married to the King. Again. She looked over at her new husband and inwardly cringed as she saw every similarity to her old husband.
At least Alistair had the grace to look nervous. He had also avoided drinking at the dinner which followed their wedding. Anora remembered Cailan on their wedding day. Cocky and arrogant, as always, and then he had gotten so drunk, he had confused one of the noble guests for Anora and tried to drag the poor woman off to the bridal suite. Anora frowned. In hindsight, perhaps there had not been that much confusion involved…
She glanced back at Alistair. The nervous smile he had worn for most of the day had now been replaced with a look of pure misery. He looked like a man on his way to his execution. Anora bristled at that. Did he not find her beautiful? She conceded that she was seven years his senior, but she hardly felt that sufficient enough to justify his distress.
He caught her looking at him and offered a small smile. Anora found herself confused. Perhaps something else had led to his mood.
She opened the door to the royal bedroom and stepped in. She had kept the same room, but made sure that a new bed had been made. It was strange enough to be marrying her dead husband's brother, much less share the same bed with him. Admittedly, she and Cailan had not shared the bed too often, but she was superstitious nonetheless. She also remembered Alistair had seemed relieved when he had found out, so he likely thought the same way.
"What did you think of the nobles?" Anora asked, hoping to stimulate some sort of conversation before they progressed to consummating the marriage. It was important to know what Alistair thought of the nobility as well. They would play a major part in their rule of the country.
Alistair shrugged at the question. "I'd met most of them before, at my coronation, or, you know, at the Landsmeet for the Blight." He shifted uncomfortably, likely remembering that was the same Landsmeet where her father had been executed by the Warden. "Fergus Cousland seemed nice. I spoke with him for a while."
Anora nodded. She had hoped Alistair would like Fergus. Fergus was a good leader and knowledgeable in the workings of the Fereldan political system. Alistair could learn much from him. In fact, if things had gone differently, Anora may have considered marrying Fergus and making him her Prince-Consort. But of course, that would have required her to win over the Landsmeet, and given the Warden's influence, Anora doubted whether that would have at all been possible. No, marrying Alistair had been the best way to keep her throne, and thus far, it had worked out well enough.
"I was glad he was able to be here," said Anora. "He's been through so much."
"I heard about Highever, yes. What sort of monster kills a defenceless woman and child?"
One who wants power, thought Anora. It was when her father had sided with Arl Howe regarding the Couslands that Anora knew he had truly lost his mind. The flimsy lies about them being traitors were ridiculous – Bryce had always been loyal to the Theirin line, supporting Cailan (and therefore Anora) even while being pushed to take the throne himself. And when the rumours had started about the deaths of Fergus' wife and child, it had been clear that Howe had acted only out of envy and desire for the power that Teyrn Cousland held.
Howe had been clever, too. He had kept Bryce's daughter alive and imprisoned, to marry off to his own son in an attempt to legitimise the claim to Highever. The poor girl had been found, beaten and bloodied, when Highever had been retaken. Thomas Howe had been found in the room with her, dead, but the young Cousland had not spoken since she had been found, so none knew exactly what had transpired. Few doubted that he had deserved whatever happened to him, however.
Anora shuddered, remembering her own time as Howe's prisoner. While she knew that Alistair and the Warden had not necessarily believed it (Erlina's actions certainly made it questionable), Anora had truly feared for her life. If her father had been able to leave Cailan to his death, and he had considered Cailan almost like his own son, who was to say that he would not have left Anora to hers?
Enough of that, she scolded herself. The night would be difficult enough as it was without thinking on the horrors of the past. Anora would fulfil her duties as wife and queen with Alistair, just as she had with Cailan. She assumed Alistair would do the same, when it was required of him, and at other times would seek his pleasure elsewhere, leaving her to do likewise. (She wondered whether it would be worth encouraging a friendship between Alistair and Fergus' sister. The girl would hardly be able to make a proper marriage after what she had been through.)
With a sigh, Anora started to undo her braids. It felt strange not to have her Erlina there to do it for her, but it would hardly be proper for her to have her maid with her on their wedding night!
She looked back to where Alistair was standing. He had barely walked into the room, and seemed to have a look of terror on his face, eyes flicking from the bed to Anora.
Anora frowned. "Are you coming in? Make sure you close the door."
He stammered something inaudible, but shuffled into the room. She watched him close the door and latch it, but instead of turning back to face her, he rested his forehead against the door, breathing heavily.
Readying himself, she decided, feeling annoyed again. Clearly he was not attracted to her. It annoyed her more than it should have, likely because she could not deny being attracted to him. He was a handsome man, just as Cailan had been.
"You need not worry, Alistair," she stated, stiffly. "Think of whomever you wish, if that is what pleases you."
He finally looked over his shoulder at her, the misery now mixed with confusion. "What are you talking about?"
"I'm not insulted. Men have differing tastes and I am obviously not to yours. But we are married, and we have a duty, so do what you must and I will do what I must."
"You think I'm not attracted to you?" he asked, slowly.
She frowned. "Well, yes."
To her surprise, he laughed. It was barely more than a chuckle, but it was a strange sound to hear from him at the time. "Anora, you are a beautiful woman. A man would be a fool not to see that."
"Then what is the problem? You look more like a condemned man on the way to the gallows than a man on his wedding night. I accept that it is a marriage of political convenience, but a wedding night still."
Alistair turned fully around, but he did not move away from the door. He rested against it and slid down until he was sitting on the floor, which, in his royal armour, could hardly have been comfortable. He rested his arms on his knees and hung his head between his arms.
"I've never done this before," came his muffled reply.
"You've never done what before?"
He lifted his head and gave her a plaintive look. She went to push him for a proper answer, but suddenly realised what he meant. He had never lain with a woman before. Her mouth dropped open in shock, and for quite possibly the first time in her life, Anora felt some degree of shame.
She had spent all this time assuming Alistair was like Cailan in all ways, and he had continually been proving her wrong, though she had ignored it up until now. She thought he would have no idea on leading a country. He showed himself to be a competent, if nervous, leader. Once she had accepted his abilities, she had assumed he would be uninterested in the daily duties of royalty. He had not only shown interest, but taken it upon himself to learn what he didn't know, seeking out her advice whenever he needed it.
And now, she had assumed he had been a womaniser, like Cailan, but instead, he had not even been with a woman.
"I...I'm sorry," she stammered. "I had assumed… You were very close to the Warden, and…"
His eyes narrowed. "Lyna. Her name was Lyna."
"Of course. You and Lyna were close, and I assumed you had been together."
"She was my best friend," Alistair choked out. "My sister. And besides, she was in love with Zevran. I couldn't come between that."
Anora found herself sitting beside him on the floor, her hand on top of one of his. She did not know what to say. It seemed that not only had he not been with a woman, but he had stood by while the only one he ever wanted to be with was with someone else. A woman who he had watched sacrifice herself to save them all. And now he was forced into a loveless marriage, his first time to be with a woman who had shown him nothing but scorn. Anora felt true shame with that thought.
"I'm sorry," she whispered.
He gave her a confused look. "What for?"
"We…we don't have to do anything you're not ready for. My first time was…not with Cailan, I will be honest. I cannot imagine what it would have been like if it had been. I think I would have hesitated on our wedding night too,"
He raised an eyebrow at her. "Isn't it bad luck for a married couple not to consummate their marriage on their wedding night?"
She rolled her eyes. "What the King and Queen do on their wedding night is no one's business."
He gave her a smile, which she returned, softening a little to him. And for the first time, she looked at him and instead of seeing the similarities between Alistair and Cailan, she finally saw the differences. Alistair's features were finer, more defined. His smile was cheeky, not cocky, his obvious shyness complementing the arrogance. His eyes were a warm hazel, flecked with gold, rather than the cold blue that Cailan's had been. And under the armour, she knew that his body was strong and muscular from daily training. She had watched him every morning in the training yard, sparring with the guards, who loved that this King did not let them go easy on him. Cailan had been adequate swordsman, preferring a two-handed greatsword over a sword and shield, but Anora recalled her father commenting that Cailan's form was sloppy at best. Alistair wielded his sword and shield like they were extensions of himself.
Anora blushed, as she found herself wanting to see beneath the armour.
She kissed him gently on the cheek and pushed to stand up, but before she could, she found that he had grabbed hold of her arm and pulled her back down beside him. He pushed his lips against hers, a soft and passionate kiss, the likes of which Anora did not think she had ever experienced.
She pulled away with a gasp. "I thought you said you didn't want to…"
He smirked at her. "I don't recall ever saying that."
She gave him a playful push, and he grabbed her hand again, pressing a soft kiss to it.
"Lyna sacrificed herself, sacrificed everything, so that I could be King," Alistair said softly. "So the least I can do it make sure that I'm the best King I can be, and that includes being a good husband to my Queen. I might…need some help with that part."
Anora laughed. "Alistair, I've tried to help you with every other part of being the King, and you have hardly needed any assistance. I expect it will be must the same with this."
He smirked at her again, and she felt a rush of desire. Was it wrong for her to feel this way about him? For once in her life, she decided she didn't care what was wrong or right. He was her husband, after all. She pressed her lips to his this time.
Alistair broke the kiss, and whispered, "Show me what to do."
Some time later, Anora lay in Alistair's arms, grinning in spite of herself. She could not remember the last time a man had made her feel that way. She felt alive.
Alistair himself was also smiling broadly, looking simultaneously pleased with himself and completely satisfied. She looked up at him, and he kissed her forehead.
Anora sighed deeply. She was married to the King. Again. But this time, she thought there was a chance that they could make it work.
A/N: As you may have realised, this was based on a Dalish Origin playthrough, with my PC making the Ultimate Sacrifice. I paired my Warden with Zevran in that play through, as I went after Alistair in my first game as the Human Noble (in fact, I went after him so much that I ignored nearly every other character, missing all of their side quests!). Like I said at the start, in the Dalish playthrough I decided to convince Alistair and Anora to marry, and was surprised that they both seemed rather happy with the idea. I know the "official stance" paints any marriage between Anora and Alistair as being one of political convenience, but that would leave Fereldan in the exact same situation as they were during the Blight, with no heir and the end of the Theirin line. Both of them are quite duty driven, so I could see them at least trying to continue the line. Besides, could any woman honestly resist Alistair?