She knew what was coming as soon as he entered the room. In reality, she'd known this was coming for months, since the day Arl Eamon had revealed his plans to put Alistair on the throne. She should have ended things a long time ago, but she kept putting it off, trying to steal just a little more happiness for both of them before the future came crashing down around them.

"We need to talk," he said, looking directly at Tigress.

"I know. But not here," she said, glancing at the group standing around them.

He nodded and turned, exiting the room. She followed him into the hall, closing the door behind her.

Alistair slumped up against the wall, rubbing his hands over his face. "I don't even know how to begin this. But… being king… that raises some questions about us. About you and me."

"Shhhh…" said Tigress, reaching up, placing a finger against his lips. "I know."

He grabbed her hand and kissed her finger before pulling it away from his face. She could see the pain slowly turn to confusion in his eyes.

"But if you knew, why did you—"

"Make you king?" she interrupted. "Because it's not just about you and me. Or even about the Blight and the Grey Wardens. This is about Ferelden. And Ferelden needs you… more than the Grey Wardens… more than I do."

"You're right," he said, head bowed in defeat. "By the Maker I wish you weren't, but you are."

Her heart broke as she stared at the one bright spot in her life, knowing she was going to have to walk away from it, just as she'd walked away from her clan two years ago. She wasn't ready for this… not yet! "Let's just focus on the Blight, and we can deal with the future when it happens. Alright?"

Alistair looked up; his eyes wet with tears as he slowly shook his head. "I can't… I can't let this go on. If I don't do this now… I could see it becoming very hard to tear myself away from you. Impossible even. I'm sorry, I know this is—"

"Don't," Tigress said, struggling to keep the tears in check. "Love means…" her voice broke. She swallowed hard, and looked up into the eyes of this shem she'd come to love.

Standing on tiptoe, she leaned up and laid a soft kiss on his lips.

"Love means never having to say you're sorry," she whispered before turning and walking away.

The tears flowed freely, sobs wracking her chest so loudly she didn't hear the footsteps behind her.

"No! You're wrong," he said, catching up to her and grabbing her arm, stopping her escape. "Love means trying not to do things you'll have to apologize for later. And if there's one thing I know above all else, it's that I love you."

Then his lips were on hers. Hard and greedy. After what seemed an eternity, he broke off the kiss and stared at her, his eyes holding a fierceness she's never seen. "Damn them all! If they way to make me king, so be it. I'll be their king and do exactly what I want… what we want!"

A smile broke through Tigress's tears. A devious smile, but a smile nonetheless. "And now that you're king you presume to know what I want? Is that it?"

"No—no, not at all," he stammered, all fierceness gone; replaced by the boyish uncertainty that had so charmed her all those months ago. "Don't you love—that is, do you still want me?"

She laughed. Her heart soaring, so full of love for this shem… this man, before her… the man she had been sure she would lose. "Yes. And yes," she said, pulling him down for another kiss.