Chapter 2 – Meeting Alyssa Cousland (Alistair's PoV)

I was deliberately sassing the mage. It was so much fun to stare at his red face and hear him sputtering. From the corner of my eye, I heard and saw someone in silverite armor approaching, but I kept my attention focused on the mage-I didn't want to be turned into a toad.

"And here I thought we were getting along so well. I was actually going to name one of my children after you…the grumpy one." To my delight, the mage sputtered and walked away to find the Revered Mother. Turning my attention to the newcomer before me, I froze.

Maker's breath! A woman! A woman dressed in shining armor. Huh? What's wrong with that picture? I take in the other details: Her dark hair was pulled up in a messy pony tail at the back of her neck. She was trying not to smile, but was unsuccessful. It seemed like she had heard every single word I had told the mage and had actually enjoyed that.

I look into her violet eyes and find myself totally hypnotized and lost in them forever. Not only had I never seen eyes like those before, she was now giving me an appraising look, and by the Maker, I had never experienced a look like that from a woman standing so close to me.

I felt myself blushing and looked away from those eyes and took in the details of her face then. Maker! A perfect nose and sweet pink mouth and lips, smiling lips. I didn't want to look at the rest because I knew I would not-no, could not control myself if I did.

My eyes snapped back to hers and I was again lost in them. She was so deliciously unexpected, I reacted the way I always did when caught in an impossible situation and quickly shot out the first thing that came into my head.

"You know, one good thing about a blight is how it brings people together!"

I find myself wondering if she was a desire demon from the Fade, and give myself a mental shake. I notice that her eyes had grown cold after what I said. No, not cold. They had an infinite sadness in them. I wondered what I had said or done to bring this sadness to them and try to come up with something witty. I needn't have bothered.

"I know exactly what you mean." Ah, sarcasm! I raise an eyebrow at her. Seeing she had a sense of humor, I carried on.

"It's like a party, we could all stand around singing songs and holding hands. That would give the darkspawn something to think about." I stopped myself, wanting to get some information out of the vision before me. "Wait, we haven't met, have we? You wouldn't happen to be another mage, would you?" Oh, great! She'll certainly think you are an idiot now. Way to go Alistair! Very smooth!

"Am I wearing a robe or wielding a staff?" she quipped playfully back at me, her eyes dancing now.

I blushed then, but quickly answered back without missing a beat, "You never know, these mages sneak up on you."

This time she laughed out loud. I stood there, laughing too, feeling proud of myself. The sadness was gone and her eyes were dancing at me again. We got through the boring introductions trying to make them as interesting as possible and then she started to ask questions about the Grey Wardens and the Blight. I found myself enjoying the conversation and suddenly wished it got more personal.

I was pleasantly surprised when she asked me about myself. Was she a mind reader too? She seemed unimpressed about my templar training, and I continued staring at her, and suddenly she was looking at me, my chest, and everything else, right down to my feet. It felt like I was being undressed. Maker's breath! My face feels redder than it has ever felt before. Holy Maker! What a woman!

We walk around the camp together, and I find myself wishing something desperately, as I see her give a prisoner some food and look sadly at a wounded soldier. I smile at the way she talks to Ser Jory whom we meet along the way.

I wish it again as we approach Duncan and when she bends down to pet a mabari hound who is sitting next to Duncan. Wait! She has a mabari hound? She keeps the twinkle in her eyes, and my wish takes precedence over the rest of my thoughts:

"Please, oh please, dear Maker, let her survive the Joining!"