A Monument to Past and Future
This was a one-shot that I came up with when I read the credits on the ending of DA:O. My Warden was a blonde Dalish Elf that fell in love w/ Alistair. He stayed a Warden, and didn't become King. When I read the segment that said he briefly left her to do the monument to Duncan and came back, it tripped my thoughts. Why did he have to leave her, when in my mind those two were pretty much inseparable. I liked the idea behind the Dalish Elves traditionally being bonded, so worked it into this as well. So, I hope that my fellow DA peers like this.
Disclaimer: Bioware owns everything that is related in all shape and form with Dragon Age.
Alistair grunted as he heaved the last of the heavy stones into place. He dusted off his hands, and then stepped back several feet to admire his completed work. He had spent the last couple of days building a small monument to the man that gave him a new life, just as his own was taken away by the darkspawn. The Warden sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. It took him longer to get this built then he had expected, but he felt it was worth it. He owed Duncan that much and more.
He chose this particular hilltop that he built the monument to Duncan onto, because it looked out over a most beautiful valley. He smiled as he figured that there were bound to be numerous Dalish Elves down below him, quite possibly they even stared up at what the shemlen had done, and wondered if he lost his mind. Well, perhaps he had lost his mind, but thankfully, he hadn't lost his heart...
As if his mind had been read, he felt a welcome pair of slender, soft arms as they wrapped themselves around his middle. He smiled broadly as he felt her chin when it rested briefly above the middle of his back. Alistair brought an arm up and covered both of hers. He felt her face as it pressed into his back, and felt her smile. "I was just thinking about you, my love. Amazing how it always seems to become reality seconds after I think of it!"
He heard a light chuckle, and Alistair twisted around slightly and gazed down upon his beloved. Lyna Mahariel, the petite blonde Dalish Elf, smiled lovingly up at him and winked. "Perhaps your calling should have been a mage instead of a templar, love. Perhaps you know more magic then you give yourself credit for."
Alistair grinned. "I don't know, I think between the two of us, you are the mage. After all, you cast quite a spell upon me!"
Lyna rolled her eyes and playfully smacked him upon the chest. "Honestly, how long have you been hanging onto that one? Even within the depths of the forest I spent with my clan, even we heard of that pick-up line."
Alistair mockingly placed his hand over his heart. "Ouch, you wound me, love. Why do you think I even need a pick-up line for such a beautiful woman like yourself?"
Lyna pulled Alistair's head down to give him a quick kiss. "Speaking of wound, how is your hand?"
He pulled off his gloves, and scratched lightly at the pink scar on the palm of his right hand. "It is fully healed, love. However, it is itching from all the rock dust."
Lyna smiled warmly and laid her right hand over his, her own pink scar overlapped his. "Admit it, this was less painful then having one of the human weddings, wasn't it?"
Alistair grimaced. "Mostly. I didn't realize that once we made our commitment, that the Keeper would slice my hand right there. I mean, a small warning would have been nice."
Lyna smirked. "Like what? By the way, I hope you don't plan on needing your right hand for a few days, we need to spill some blood for a mystic Elven ritual?"
Alistair grinned. "Ok, that would probably have been the best way to put it."
Lyna gently squeezed his hand and turned to look at the monument. Alistair turned and gazed upon it too. He brought her hand up and kissed it. "I think Duncan would have been proud of you, my love. You managed to both slay the Archdemon, and became the Warden-Commander of Fereldan. You have achieved so much."
Lyna's smile faded lightly as her eyes gazed into his eyes. "No Alistair, he would have been proud of both of us, it was both of us whom achieved so much. He saw something that was buried under our individual pain and anger. He started us upon this road, and I am proud of the fact that I will travel it with you by my side."
Alistair felt his heart as it swelled with both warmth and pride while he took her into another passionate kiss. When he broke the kiss, he found the love he felt for her mirrored within her own eyes. "I wouldn't have it any other way, my love." He gazed out toward the sun as it slowly retreated further down in the sky. "How soon until we need to head to Vigil's Keep?"
Lyna sighed lightly and shook her head with an amused chuckle. "I guess you are already wanting to travel that road with me at your side, hmm?"
Alistair smiled. "Wherever you are, is where I want to be." He scratched his head. "However, unless we wish to have Queen Anora send out a search party after us, we should leave soon."
Lyna's lips came together into a pout. "Oh, if we must. Why did I help place her on the throne again?"
Alistair's eyebrow quirked. "Because I didn't want it, and you would have been miserable in the castle?"
Lyna laughed. "Point taken." With one last look at the monument to Duncan, she took Alistair's hand. "Shall we?"
Alistair smiled and kissed Lyna once more. "Of course, Warden-Commander. As always, you lead, I follow."
