"Do you know about Maric?" Alistair stood outside of the tent she erected for them both moments before. She was inside, changing.
"He is your father and was once King of Ferelden."
He heard the disdain in her voice and frowned. He knew she would be upset but could hear the hurt in her voice as well. "I didn't confide in you because I knew you would insist on coming. I didn't want to endanger you. I didn't think-"
"That's not good enough," she appeared so abruptly from the tent's entrance he stumbled back a couple of steps. "A Witch of the Wild? The Antivan Crows? The Magister's of Tevinter? Then the encampment of the Arishok? And you took two rogues with you, one of which who had stolen one of the holiest of Qunari relics, and the other who aided her and the Champion of Kirkwall in the mage rebellion? Are you in such a place to risk your life? Because one would never think you were of any importance, let alone the King of Ferelden!"
"He is my father! I had to know what happened to him!"
"Explain the secret correspondence with The Crows! Explain why this was a secret Alistair!"
"Because you would question me like a child as you are now! You would have taken this over from me when it was something I needed to do for myself, and for Cailan!" Her demanding stance slackened with his retort, the heat in her glare subsiding and turning to shame. Alistair's heart wrenched beneath his breast as he stepped closer to comfort her, "Emmalene I-"
"I am sorry," she shied away from his outstretched hand. "I understood that, it's why I didn't fight you when you left saying only that you had to know what happened to Maric. But after months, Alistair, months... I had to believe you would forgive me for seeking you out and to discover the truth behind why you hadn't returned. If you had died, if you-"
"I know that," he tried again to reach for her, this time denied by her turning and facing away from him completely. "Emmalene, please?"
"What did you find out?" her voice was meek.
He retracted his offered embrace at her question. "He is dead."
"There is nothing more to it?"
"There is, but you turn your back to me so I am unsure what it is you truly want: answers or to punish me further."
Tears welled in her eyes as logic combated the broken feeling in her chest. "You are not being punished, Alistair. I just... losing you is the only thing I fear on this Earth. I acted in the only way I knew how; to ensure as much as possible I did all I could to keep the one thing I cherish most safe," she turned and met his eyes as tears rolled down her cheeks.
"I," his own emotions welled up inside of him as he looked on at her grief, "I understand. I thought myself protecting you by keeping you in the dark, but we all know you don't need protecting."
"That isn't true," she admitted sadly. "I am still only human, only a wife and a woman."
They stood facing one another, insecurity blinding them to how the other was truly feeling. Emmalene knew she had over-stepped his trust in her to trust him. But she couldn't justify leaving it be and simply waiting for him to one day return to Ferelden, or worse, waiting for news of his death to return to her instead.
He spoke before realizing it. "Varric had triggered a trap by a device, the Magrallen, that was of blood magic origin. We all entered the Fade and it was there I finally got the chance to meet the man that was my father. He wished to remain, but I believed he deserved another chance at life and advised he join us back in the real world. But the Magrallen... it, it was the only thing keeping him alive. He was strapped to it, lifeless except for the blood magic utilizing him to feed the device. So I destroyed it."
She watched his face as they both took in his words. Alistair brought a hand to rub at his cheek, looking at the ground as his voice wavered, "how long had he been like that? How long? Why does there always have to be something dark, something festering and always plotting beneath the surface of this world and the lives of the people fighting to protect it?" He glanced about the ground before looking into her amber eyes, "will it always be like this?"
"I don't think so," she answered honestly.
Alistair sighed, wiping at the tear forming in the corner of his eye. "I thought I had needed him, but it turns out he needed me."
"I am sorry, love," she hesitated briefly before reaching out to gently caress his arm. "I believe he always watched you, wishing he had made the choice to watch you grow up alongside Cailan. I know that doesn't help, or make things better," she took a cautious step closer as she pulled back her hand, the disdain between them from before his explanation still lingering in the air, "but, it's something."
"It is," he looked to her lovingly.
"I am also sorry for yelling at you for doing what you felt you needed too. I was worried, but never did I want to belittle you or-"
"I was stupid for saying that," he frowned. "You have always looked out for me, despite the hurt it has caused you. I am the one who should be sorry."
"No," she didn't want him to feel bad and disagreed. She thought on his words a moment before a small smile appeared on her lips. "At least I know I'm not the only one that walks willingly into suicidal ideas of fancy." Alistair chuckled, which made her smile grow into a grin. He tilted his head with a smile as he gently caressed her cheek, his heart warmed at how she eagerly leaned into his affections.
"How is it I've held back from this until now?" he insinuated the kiss he was about to give her.
"There's always something," she managed as his lips covered hers.