A/N: I think I'm a masochist...maybe even a bit of a sadist, doing this to my poor warden.
I cried while writing this ; A; I wanted to write something about my Warden if she made the Ultimate Sacrifice, because I didn't do it in my game.
I own nothing btw~
"She is at the Maker's side now. She feels no more pain, sorrow or sadness. She is with her family and friends she had lost. She is happy."
No matter how many times Alistair heard Wynne say that, it never made it any easier. As he sat in his room in the Arl Eamon's estate, all he could see was her face as she took the Archdemon's soul within her.
:-:-:-:
Rosalind pulled the blade out of the Archdemon's skull, her once blue robes were now stained with so much blood they looked purple. She threw the blade aside as she stumbled to the right. She turned to Alistair, a blank look on her face. Her pale skin was covered in blood, her narrow grey-blue eyes half lidded.
She was still standing, all Alistair, Wynne and Zevran could do was stare.
All of a sudden her face twisted in pain, Rosalind clutched her head as her world spun.
Alistair was there at her side first as she fell to her knees, he held her by her shoulders, tears brimming his eyes as well as her's. All she could hear was the roar of the darkspawn horde, and Alistair's yelling in the distance. Why couldn't she hear him clearly? All she wanted to do was hear his voice clearly, one last time.
"Alistair..." she whispered and she slowly slumped over, her head against his armor.
"Rosalind please don't do this! Maker, take me instead!" he cried.
She was hearing him clearly now. He held her in his armor clad arms on her back now. She smiled to him, her last as his tears dropped on her cheeks.
"I love you...thank you Alistair...I know you will make a great king. I believe in you, I will always be there for you."
And then the last of her life slowly left her.
"No!" Alistair cried out. He held his love close to him. The battle field once filled with the sound of fighting was now filled with the echo of Alistair's sobbing.
Wynne had walked over, putting her gentle hand on his shoulder. "Alistair we need to leave." the old mage had tears brimming her eyes, but knew they needed to join the others.
"No! I can't leave her!" Alistair cried, clutching his beautiful warden to him. "I can't! I wont! Wynne please do something."
"You know I can't, dear. I am so sorry..." Wynne's caring voice didn't help him.
"I can't live without her..." Alistair whispered, his head hung low as he held back sobs.
"Yes you can...and your people need you now more than ever. Now come on." Wynne said firmly.
Alistair looked up at her, tears were now streaking down her face, and in the background he could have sworn he saw Zevran covering his mouth and crying himself.
:-:-:-:
A knock at the door snapped Alistair out of his thoughts. "Come in..." he said as he wiped the tears brimming his eyes away.
Arl Eamon stepped in. "Alistair...it's time."
Alistair looked up at the Arl and nodded. He was dressed up in some fancy clothes that he wasn't used to wearing. It was her funeral today, he didn't know how he was going to hold up, but he would go see her. Alistair stood and Eamon patted him on the shoulder.
"You'll do fine." Eamon said. That's right, Alistair was supposed to give Rosalind's eulogy. Alistair just simply nodded and left the room at Eamon's side.
:-:-:-:
Many people came to say goodbye to the Warden, to which Alistair gave his speech about his beloved. As he stood up there, he could hardly believe how many people Rosalind helped during her life and her short time as a Grey Warden. Now that the ceremony had ended, there were only close friends and family.
Alistair stared down at Rosalind, trying not to cry anymore. He still couldn't believe she was gone. No longer would he wake up next to her, hear her laugh or see her smile. Not only that, but he had to rule a whole country without her. He didn't know if he could do that.
"Excuse me."
Alistair turned around to meet a man with curly brownish-blonde hair. He looked very familiar.
"Oh hello, you seem familiar, do I know you?" Alistair asked.
The man nodded, he was clad in full templar armor. "My name is Cullen, you rescued me in the Circle. I'm here with First Enchanter Irving."
"Oh yes I remember you." Alistair shook Cullen's hand. "How are you since then? How is the Circle?"
"I'm alright, and the circle is rebuilding." Cullen said.
"Well if you need any assistance, don't hesitate to ask." Alistair offered. He wasn't offering soldiers to help, but himself. Rosalind grew up there, he might feel a bit better if he was there.
Cullen smiled lightly. "Thank you. I also heard you were going to be crowned King of Ferelden here soon, congratulations."
Alistair scratched the back of his head. "Thank you. It will be difficult without her but..." he looked back at Rosalind's peaceful form and sighed lightly. "but I think I can do it."
Cullen nodded. "She really had a way of making you feel stronger..." he said, speaking fondly of her.
"You knew Rosalind well?" Alistair asked, seeming a little shocked.
Cullen nodded. "Yes...we were friends." he explained. "She was the first mage to actually be nice to me when I first came to the circle. One of the few who didn't despise templars."
Alistair nodded with a smile. "She did like everyone didn't she...it was hard for her to see the bad in anyone."
Cullen nodded. "She wasn't even upset when I told her I was the one chosen to strike her down if her Harrowing went wrong. She was an amazing woman."
"She really was..." Alistair said softly.
"I...I loved her. I never told her." Cullen admitted to Alistair. His eyes went wide at the templar's words. It was against the rules for a templar to fraternize with a mage. "I wish I had..."
"I'm sorry." That is all Alistair could think of to say. He remembered how hard it was for him to tell her he loved her, and when he gave her the rose he found in Lothering.
Cullen took a deep breath, it was rare for Alistair to see this much emotion coming from a templar. "You were lucky, you got to love her openly." he looked to Alistair and smiled. "When you remember her, don't remember this or the battle, just remember her." Cullen patted Alistair's shoulder. "You'll be fine, she's watching you from the Maker's side."
Alistair smiled. "I bet she is watching you too."
Cullen just smiled. "I could only hope."
Cullen's name was called, and he looked to Alistair again. "May your reign be long and prosperous, King Alistair." Cullen bowed then was off to join First Enchanter Irving.
As he stood by and watched Rosalind's funeral pyre, his eyes turned to the sky, and somehow he knew Rosalind was looking back.