Waking in what appeared to be the midday sun, Alexa stretched in the luxurious sheets. For a brief moment, the blight had never happened. She was at home, waking in her bed. Tiny let out a small grumble as his mistress disrupted him from his slumber and dropped off the mattress, nails clacking on the floor. The Warden shoved at her hair and sat up, the fog lifting and everything flooding back.

Amazingly enough, the archdemon was pushed into the back of her mind. The fact that Alistair had slept with Morrigan was all she could focus on now. Tears threatened and she pushed angrily at the covers. She was nearly naked, a fact which both surprised and disturbed her. It was a little sad, in her opinion, that the bruises and scars didn't shock her anymore but the lack of clothing did. Tiny whined a bit and scratched at the door, backing up as it opened.

Wynne pushed into the door, not bothering to knock. Seeing Alexa awake and sitting up, she smiled at the younger girl.

"Ah, glad to see you're awake," she commented. The mage went around the room, drawing back the heavy tapestries that covered the windows. Sunlight glinted off her silvery hair as she smiled at Alexa. "The seamstress will be happy to know she can finally fit your gown for Alistair's coronation this afternoon."

Alistair. Alexa's heart squeezed and she shook her head. "No, Gray Wardens do not wear gowns. I'll be in my armor."

"Your armor, my dear child, has been severely damaged."

"Then I'll wear that drake scale stuff that I had made." Her petulant tone made her flush but wasn't enough to wipe the pout off her lips. "I'm sorry, Wynne."

Shaking her head, Wynne smiled and sat on the bed next to her. "No need to apologize, Alexa. You have been through quite the ordeal which you handled with competance and grace. You're allowed to be a bit cranky when you wake."

Alexa leaned into her and let the older woman comfort her. After several moments, she drew in a shaky breath. "How long have I been asleep?"

"Oh not too long. Not quite two days and it is relatively early yet." Wynne leaned back to look her over, switching gears from maternal figure to healer with ease. "And now that you are awake, we will give you a quick check up and then we will get you fed. I bet you are famished."

Alexa found herself smiling at that and stood as Wynne poked and prodded, making hmmm noises in her throat. Soon after, she found herself being bustled into a hot bath while maids fussed over her long red hair. Feeling cleaner than she had in ages, the Warden took her time in the hot water. Liliana came up once she had heard her friend was awake and sat with her for a while, telling stories of places far and wide. Tiny never let her out of his sight.

Once she was sufficiently clean, she let herself continue to be fawned over as the maids and Liliana dressed her in a simple silk gown. It was a silver color, the same shade as her pale eyes, cut with simple lines. Her hair was done up and twisted so tendrils curled around her face in a way that made Liliana envious.

"You look amazing," the bard sighed. Her fingers reached out to trail along the soft silk and Alexa shifted, seeing the fire in the other woman's eyes. It wasn't a secret that Liliana had feelings for her, nor was it a secret that Alexa did not return those feelings. Somehow, through it all though, the two had managed to forge a bond of friendship that the Warden felt herself needing at that moment.

Alexa smiled in response and tugged at Liliana's Chantry robes. "You don't look half bad yourself, sister." They laughed together and made silly faces at themselves in the mirror while admiring their finery.

It was this way that Alistair found them, arms around each other's waists while one tried to outdo the other's silly reflection. His eyes found themselves drawn to Alexa's silk clad bottom. Tiny woofed at him in greeting, causing the girls to stop their foolishness and turn around.

"I heard you were awake," Alistair started lamely. Alexa's eyes chilled and Tiny let out a small whine, not sure how to respond to his mistresses icy demeanor.

"Hello Alistair," Liliana began with a small smile.

Alexa, however, dropped into a deep curtsy as she had been taught during her years of grooming as Lady Cousland. "Your majesty." She stayed that way for longer than necessary, as the King would typically have instructed her to please rise. He cleared his throat uncomfortably and Alexa made a mental note to make sure he learned the ways of court as she straightened in front of him.

"You don't have to do that," he told her, shifting. His armor glinted in the light, gold and shiny with the crest of Fereldan across his chest.

"Do what, your majesty?"

"Bow or curtsey or whatever that was." The King's brows creased. "And stop calling me that."

"Calling you what, your majesty?"

"Okay now you're doing it on purpose."

"Doing what, your majesty?" The small little smile Alexa had plastered on her face felt more fake now than it had the years she had practiced it. She knew then that even if she did leave the Gray Wardens that she could never truly become Lady Cousland again. She'd become too accustomed to not only doing things her way but being in charge. She was definitely born to lead. She was no longer sure she could defer to anyone, let alone the man whom she'd put on the throne.

Alistair, however, had never been more sure in his life that he had no idea what he was doing. Dragging a hand through his sun bleached hair, he scowled at her. "Andraste's ass, Alexa. Call me by my name, not by that blasted title."

"But it would be unseemly, your majesty," Alexa responded, pausing long enough for his agitated growl to come through, "For a lowly Teyrna as myself to address the King of all Fereldan as anything other than his majesty."

"Teyrna?" Liliana piped up quietly. "So you will be returning to Highever with your brother then?"

"Fergus?" All matters of pomp and circumstance left her and she took several steps forward towards Alistair, looking anxiously over his shoulder. "He's alive?"

"Yes. He's in the great hall waiting I believe," Alistair responded to her. Gripping a handful of skirt, the Warden ducked around him and dashed out of the room, calling to her hound.

"Find Fergus, Tiny," Alexa urged. "Find Fergus!" The Mabari barked twice as they rushed through the castle.

Alistair stood looking at the doorway, shoulders slumping down.

"There, there, Alistair," Liliana said quietly, patting his arm. "She's just excited to see her brother is all."

"No, that's not all," he whispered. He knew what he had done would cause issues between them. He knew she wouldn't like it. But it wasn't as if he had enjoyed it. And he'd only done it to save her. He would do anything for her, anything to save her. Even if it meant spending the night with Morrigan. The King slowly resigned himself to the fact that he would do anything to save her, even if it ultimately meant losing her. Liliana frowned at his words, keeping a gentle hand on his forearm. She knew what it felt like to love someone from afar. She had the sneaking suspicion she and Alistair were starting to have an awful lot in common.