So here's the second prompt! I hope this turned out okay - I had a lot of fun writing it, but I don't know, there's probably (again) ooc-ness. (: Got a problem with it? Don't read. This is meant to be humorous/entertaining! Drop a review/favorite/alert if you liked!
This Author's Note is short because it's 12:04 AM and I can't really think about as much to talk about as I did in the first chapter. u8 Sorry.
Oh! Dragon Age doesn't belong to me. If it did, all of this would have happened. All the time.
002. REMORSEFUL
In which Morrigan almost experiences remorse for the first time in her life.
Sometimes, Morrigan likes to include herself in the petty lives of her fellow party-mates. Sometimes. A lot of the time, she prefers to keep herself above them - not because she thinks she is better, but because she knows she is better. While they have their manners and sophistication, Morrigan is born with refinement; and she is more often than naught far too refined to dawdle in the subtleties of mockery.
But there are instances in which she just cannot resist herself.
Alistair, for example, is prime real estate for biting comments. He may not look like it at first, no; he may seem innocent, dashing good looks and a pretty voice to boot, but he manages to have a serious case of foot-in-mouth disease - daily. Especially around the other Warden. She, meanwhile, seems unimpressed with Alistair's ability to both dig his own grave and humiliate himself at the same time. Sten, too, finds this lacking; but then, Sten finds everything lacking, so Morrigan supposes he doesn't count much in this sort of thing.
On a particularly sunny morning, as the four of them trudge through the woods - the Warden, Alistair, Sten, and herself - Morrigan finds that she and Sten have become spectators in a surprisingly amusing little drama between the two Wardens. She's not sure precisely what started it, because she doesn't lower herself so much as to go snooping like that, but what she is aware of is that the Warden is ignoring Alistair and Alistair can't stand it.
"Aislinn, don't you think you're being a little unreasonable?" he whines (he claims it isn't whining, but everyone knows it is), and Morrigan glances over at Sten as he visibly cringes. Even Sten, who radiates testosterone from every inch of him, is physically injured by the tone in which Alistair is speaking. Aislinn is still dutifully ignoring Alistair, bless her little heart, and slashing through the underbrush of the forest with a great amount of ferocity.
"Oh, I see, then. You're just going to ignore me forever? That's brill. Very mature of you," Alistair snorts, following after her path of destruction. Morrigan sees Aislinn's fingers twitch on the hilt of her blade, as if she might want to thrust it through Alistair's throat, but she picks up her pace and begins going at the underbrush again.
"Alistair, I hope you realize that you're speaking at a frequency of which only dogs and mosquitoes can understand you," Morrigan slides in as casually as she always does. "Perhaps the reason she is ignoring you is because the way you are so maturely whining is causing her ears to bleed with hate."
"Why are we discussing this now?" Sten breaks in before Alistair can say anything, and Alistair gives Morrigan a dirty look. "There are things to be done. Locating this group of Darkspawn, for example."
"Look at Sten, always the voice of reason," Morrigan needles. "When is he not?"
"Morrigan, is it possible for you to, I don't know, not be a total bitch for five minutes?" Alistair poses the question nonchalantly, and Morrigan's eyes flash.
"I'm sorry, Alistair, I cannot understand you over your ridiculous hair."
"Alistair is not the one wearing feathers," Sten mutters flatly.
"Morrigan is insulting my hair again! Aislinn? Oh, come on, stop ignoring me!"
It is at this point that Morrigan finds out she is not really on top as she thinks - because then Aislinn turns around and her eyes are narrowed into tiny slits and suddenly she feels almost remorseful for having started something.
"What are you two? Five year olds?" She is clearly trying her hardest not to end their lives in some gory fashion, and for the first time since their patrol set out, everyone is quiet.
"I would like to point out that she started it." Alistair breaks the silence to indicate Morrigan, and the witch is just about to wrap her fingers around his skinny throat when Aislinn sheathes her sword - a movement which is more threatening than someone might think. She crosses her arms over her chest and looks at all three of them (well, just the two of them, as Sten can't really be bothered by her look), her eyes narrowed and her brow furrowed.
Morrigan and Alistair exchange glances. For the first time, they are on the same side.
"Have I mentioned you look lovely today?" Alistair offers to the now very-angry Aislinn.
The gesture isn't very effective. Morrigan doesn't say anything - her pride won't allow her to - but she is secretly hoping that the charm Alistair possesses (the kind that a small puppy would have) will be enough to soften the wrath of their unspoken leader.
"M-My, you do look cross with me," Alistair continues meekly, and after a few moments, Aislinn pulls out her sword again, turns, and then just like that they are all moving forward again.
"This is all your fault," Alistair hisses to Morrigan under his breath, foolishly believing that Aislinn won't hear him. Morrigan flares up.
"Why you-!"
"Don't make me turn this patrol around!"