Game: Dragon Age: Origins

Characters Involved: F/Coulsland, Alistair, Anora

Couple: Alistair & Elisa Cousland

Synopsis: Once giving the announcement that Alistair is to marry Anora, Elisa stands to see her lover be given to another woman to be crowned King. However, nothing ever goes to plan after a marriage that was never meant to be now does it?

She watched from the back of the great hall with great sadness to see the only man she loved waiting for the arrival of his soon to be queen.

Elisa and Alistair had been through so much together throughout the years to now. Once Elisa's fate was chosen for her when Arl Howe betrayed her family and her parents being killed, she had no option but to join the Grey Wardens. On the day of the attack, Bryce Cousland was to be riding South with his son Fergus to get ahead of the ever growing Darkspawn hoard. The horde had threatened the other villages nearby as most of them were already burnt to the ground. The Arl and his son wanted to oversee the proceedings for the attack. However, Bryce's most trusted friend and ally, Arl Howe had betrayed him and his men stormed the castle which lead to both Elisa's parents dying in the attack.

The Grey Warden Duncan had taken the Arls daughter to the high ruins of Ostagar to where the Grey Wardens were preparing to set up for the arrival of the horde that were heading in their direction. Many more recruits were being drafted in from other races for the fight and many; to which Elissa would come to find, would perrish under the exact ritual which would ake them all into Wardens. With the group that were sent out with Alistair, only Elissa remained. Until that very day, she met the one man who could see past her hard and rough past and be there for her when she needed him most.

Both of them both had a hard path when it came to saving everyone and expressing how they felt for each other as both of them didn't really know what to say. Even from the start Alistair knew that he had feelings for the woman who had just come out of hell. She never got the real "greetings" of the Wardens as the Darkspawn nearly wiped her out in the tower, but all of that was a thing in the past. Today was a celebration but for all this time... both of them were hurting inside.

The hall doors opened and everyone looked into their direction. Elissa moved more into the shadows as she diddn't want Anora to know that she was present at the wedding. The Queen knew how close both Alistair and the Warden was but she knew that this was a much better way of trying to keep the kingdom and it's people under 'her' rule.

She looked beautiful. The silky and smooth white dress fit Anora better than it would have fit Elissa. Anora looked stunning but just seeing her like that made Elissa more and more hurtful inside. She knew Anora wouldn't give in until she got her way which lead to Elissa making the announcement. Seeing Alistair's face that day made the Warden flinch as more and more pain threatened to show on her features and heart. She had just announced the give away of her lover and knight. How could things get any worse?

"Elisa, how could you?" Alistair questioned as he stormed into the side room to where the Warden and their companions were stationed.

"Alistair you know it is the right thing to do. Anora wouldn't give in until she got her way. Worse of all she could have killed me or you if she didn't" Elissa replied as she looked to her knight.

"I don't care! At least i would die by your side but living without you would hurt me more than ever."

The room fell silent. Both their feeling for each other were inflicting upon every decision. Both being without each other would have to be a burden that would have to be as Elissa knew that he would be the leader that the country deserved. If they were to run off together.. they would be hunted, hated. She didn't want him to have a life like that when there was always this option on the table.

The Warden slowly took one step towards him and took him in her arms.

"I love you more than anything and you know that but this is something that needs to be done. If you were to be with me right now we would be hunted, hated. I don't want that kind of life for you when there is this on where people need you more." The words were painful as she could feel the warm tears falling from his eyes and onto his cheek and hers.

"But that is a life that i am willing to take. I want to be with you! I love you!" He shouted as more tears began to fall. Elissa's own tears were falling but she tried to hold all the last moments she had with him as loving ones. She pulled back from the embrase and pulled him into a long and pasionate kiss. The others looked to the lovers and felt their pain; except for Oghren who was drunk as always; but they all knew of the adventures and wonderful times that the lovers always had together and as a team.

Slowly pulling back from the kiss, Elisa looked to Alistair once more and wiped away the tears with her fingers and smiled.

"I know you will make a great King."