"So, Bodahn, any luck with what we talked about?" I ask. Camp's been set, our weapons sheathed, and I've finally managed to get Bodahn alone for a moment.
"I'm sorry Alistair, I haven't found anything even resembling an engagement ring. Although, I do have a nice set of enchanted rings if you want to take a look at those."
"No, that won't work. I don't want anything that's helpful against darkspawn, I want something completely and utterly useless." Bodahn shakes his head.
"I'll keep looking." Despite his obvious reservations, I grin.
"Thank you my friend." As we were falling asleep a few nights ago, Angel asked me where I saw things going between us. I panicked and made a joke about going nowhere at that moment but to sleep. She laughed and agreed it was a sound plan. She fell asleep within minutes, but as I lay awake, thanking my lucky stars I found a woman who laughs instead of yells, I realized I know exactly where I want things to go between us. War or no war, crown or no crown, I want to marry Angel Cousland.
Look, I get that I stumble over my words, crack a lot of jokes, and am generally awkward about the whole romance thing, but I do love her. I want to do this right. It seems everything we do is about defeating the blight, but not this. This is only about Alistair and Angel. So no enchanted rings, nothing useful, nothing that will carry any memories beyond her and me. Plus Leliana told me sometimes girls just like to get pretty things.
I hear Angel's laughter drift across the camp towards me and it makes me smile. I turn to head back across camp and join in the laughter, but my heart stops and my blood runs cold. She's laughing with Zevran. They're sitting apart from everyone else, heads together, and she's laughing her "aren't you charming?" laugh. He is not charming. He is an assassin that was working for Loghain. The opposite of charming.
Okay, it's fine, take a few deep breaths and calm down, I tell myself. She's our leader, we all look to her for guidance. The fact that she has a one-on-one relationship with each of us is what keeps our rag-tag band together. I am not going to be a jealous boyfriend. Who the hell am I kidding? I'm the definition of a jealous boyfriend.
"Alistair!" I hear Leliana call. I veer towards her, hoping Angel will look up at me and smile. She doesn't.
"Hello, Leliana," I say, standing next to her so I can still watch Zevran and Angel.
"Something on your mind, Alistair?" she asks, puzzled.
"So, I'm wondering something," I say, folding my arms over my chest. "What exactly would a woman see in a man like Zevran?"
"He's handsome enough for some... Why do you ask?" Nice one Alistair, didn't think that question all the way through, did you? No reason Leliana, I'm just trying to gauge whether or not I need to kill Zevran in his sleep.
"No reason." I decided to use only the first part of that sentence. "It's just... doesn't he seem to be a bit too much? The hair, the clothing..." The making Angel laugh...
"I don't understand," says Leliana, confused. If she's confused that must mean she doesn't see anything between Angel and Zevran. And if she doesn't see it then it must be in my head. Wait, did he just tuck a piece of her hair behind her ear? That is my job. I'm about to march over there and tell him to keep his hands off my hair when Leliana speaks again.
"A bit too much what? Do you have a problem with him?"
"Beyond the fact that he's an assassin who's tried to kill us more than once? No... no, not really."
"That's not fair Alistair. I only recall him trying to kill us once," says Leliana. Does she sound amused? No, must be my imagination.
"Do women go for that sort of thing?" I ask.
"Where I come from they do. Oh yes." My gaze snaps to her face. Her rather innocent looking face.
"Really? I see."
"Alistair, I'm sure there's no reason to worry," she says, placing one of her hands on my arm.
"Worried? Who's worried? Worried about what? Anyway, did you need something Leliana?"
"Yes, actually. I was wondering if you had finished sharpening my dagger."
"Oh, right, of course. Here you are," I say, handing it over. "Good as new." I feel a pair of slender arms wrap around my waist from behind. "How many times do I have to tell you Sten, I'm not interested." I hear her muffled laugh from where her face is pressed into my shirt. She spins me around and stands on her tippy toes to give me a kiss.
"I'm ready to head to bed," she says with a smile. "Care to join me?"
"What can I say? Your wish is my command." Her smile turns cheeky.
"In that case, why don't you go get us some warm mead from Oghren. And steal back my cookies from Sten."
"I walked right into that one, didn't I?" I ask with a shake of my head. She laughs.
"You really did. I'll meet you in my tent in ten minutes," she says, walking away.
"Might want to make it twenty!" I call after her. "Sten isn't going to give up those cookies easily." I watch her walk away with a smile on my face. That is, until I see Zevran watching her too. With far too much interest. He notices me looking his way and flashes me a grin I don't return. Stay the hell away from her, Zevran. I sigh. Now to go wrestle alcohol from Oghren and cookies from Sten. Should have made it 30 minutes.