A/N This is going to be a collection of unrealated oneshots about different Wardens, with different fates and partners (though I'm a hopeless Zevfanatic, so he'll be in most of the stories, in one way or another). They're mostly results of different challenges and prompts or random strikes of inspiration. :)
This first one was the Secret Santa for awesome KCousland at CMDA :)
Thanks for Seika for beta reading this!
The Vow
Leliana laughed, chatted, admired her friend's dress and hair, and tried to reassure her. She did everything that a bridesmaid was supposed to do. No one would ever suspect that she was anything but happy for her best friend. And she was. It was the sweetest romance ever, one that every bard dreamed to tell. The loveliest tale of a young noble girl, sweet and innocent, finding her true love, and marrying a man who would do anything for her, even die. Nobody deserved it more than her friend, who had to fight hard for her love, for this day to happen.
Still, she couldn't help but be a little jealous. That wasn't a sin... was it? After the Blight, she decided to serve the Maker. It was the only path for her. But... when she saw her friend, so beautiful and radiant in her wedding dress... she wished to be in her place, just for a moment, to know what it felt like. To say yes to the man she loved –
She got up. "I'm going to check if everything is ready. And to make sure that the groom hasn't run away," she joked and quickly left the room. She was a sinner.
oOo
Fergus picked up the bottle and took a long sip. He really shouldn't, but damn it all. It's not every day that your younger sister, your only family, is getting married. He had every right to get bit drunk. If only Oriana was here now, she'd know – no. He must not think of her now. This day belonged to Pup... though she was hardly Pup any more. The Hero of Ferelden. He grinned. Mother and Father would be so proud. Mother would probably say her little girl deserved a better man... but she'd say that even if Pup wanted to marry the Maker himself. Father would, of course, support Pup. She always had him wrapped around her little finger.
Don't think of them, he told himself again, blinking away the tears. Think of Pup. He peeked in her room a moment ago. Maker, was she beautiful! She was definitely the most beautiful woman in Ferelden. Probably in whole Thedas, in fact. If Andraste appeared today, nobody would give a shit. He frowned. If that dimwitted fool she's marrying ever makes her cry, he would rip him apart.
He should go and remind him of it once again.
oOo
Alistair sighed with relief. He finally managed to send away all the servants trying to help him with dressing. There were six of them, six! Why would any grown man need six people to help him put on his clothes? That was the worst part about being the king: everyone seemed insistent not to let him even move his finger. As if he was so stupid he couldn't say which sleeve was left and which was right. But he wasn't stupid, despite what Morrigan –
Morrigan. Maker knew where she was now. With his child. The child he didn't want to father. He wanted to be responsible, like a Warden should be. But he did it, in the end. Because otherwise she would die. He couldn't let that happen. He'd hate himself for the rest of his life, if he did. At first he wanted to deal the final blow himself. A selfless sacrifice made of love, something she would have to remember and regret forever. Then Zevran pointed out it was childish. And he was right, Maker damn him.
He glanced to the mirror and decided he looked kingly enough. Time to go. The best man shouldn't be late.
oOo
I, (name), take you, (name), to be my lawfully wedded, -
'Lawfully wedded'. Had anyone told him, a year ago, that he would get married, he would have given them an antidote for a poison causing brain fever. All he wanted was to find an opponent strong enough to kill him. The Grey Wardens seemed a good choice. He chuckled. That didn't work quite as he expected, did it? They didn't kill him. And yet, The Warden had defeated him, on all fronts. He swore himself to serve her, and did his best to honour it. Today, he was going to make a vow again. Zevran glanced at the paper in his hand again.
I offer you my solemn vow to be your faithful partner in sickness and in health, in good times and in bad, and in joy as well as in sorrow.
He already was that. From the beginning. He watched her back, cared for her when she was injured.
I promise to love you unconditionally, -
Without reservation. He chuckled again. There was no need to learn these words by heart – they were in his heart since he had met her. Now he would only make it official.
oOo
Kaylee walked through the Chantry, hoping people couldn't see how firmly she was squeezing Fergus' arm. This was it. In a few more moments, she would marry Zevran. There he was, standing just a few steps ahead, looking at her admiringly. She knew many guests from noble families were sneering at their relationship. An elf, and not even a rich one! They expected her to marry Alistair and become a Queen. It would be practical. Reasonable.
Fools. But she had to be just – a year ago, she would have thought the same way. A year ago, she would have done it. A lot had changed since then. She was not one of them any more. She learned to value other things more than power or titles. Life. Loyalty. Trust. Friendship. Love. Those sounded so... clichéd, back when she was the only daughter of the Teyrn. She was wiser now.
Zevran gave her a nervous smile as she stood next to him. Only after she said her vows, and placed the ring on his finger, he seemed to relax. Did he think she would run away from the altar? She didn't wait till the Grand Cleric finished.
She kissed him.