An Interlude
This chapter takes place between chapters 31 and 32 of A Second Chance, while Kallian is recovering from her battle with the archdemon. Members of Eamon's household were rescued from his safe room the day after the fall of the darkspawn hoard and Alistair pays Anora a visit to see how she is doing. Bioware owns all, I just touched their junk, to paraphrase Oghren. Anora may be a bit OOC here, depending on what notions you've got about her...As always, I love hearing from readers, so please feel free to comment. If you are not familiar with this series, check out 'A Second Chance' and 'A Second Chance: Awakenings'. Cheers!
Alistair raised a hand to knock on Anora's door, yet another twinge of guilt tugging at him. Before it could take hold, Anora's maid Erlina opened the door. She looked exhausted and upon seeing him she froze, uncertain what to do. Settling on a quick curtsy, she stepped back to let him into the sitting room of Anora's suite.
"Good evening, Erlina."
"Good evening, your…"
"Alistair will do for now if you don't mind. Everything's so…" his voice trailed off as he waved his hands in the air. "We're just lucky to be alive, and I am relieved you and the others were able to hold out in Eamon's safe room."
"Thank you...Alistair. My lady will be a moment." He was a far cry from his brother and father, Erlina thought to herself, wondering how he would settle into life as the king of Ferelden.
There was an awkward silence between the two of them and after a short spell, Alistair broke it.
"Ser Aiden tells me Anora was the one to lead you to the safe room." He felt the same swelling of pride now as he did when he first heard the news.
"Yes, my lady armed herself, barricaded the gates and took us to the basement. She did not train with armor and weapons much until you encouraged her, and I think that helped. She was very brave."
Alistair wanted to tell Erlina he was proud of Anora, but he did not get the chance. The door to Anora's bed chamber opened and she stood in the doorway, freshly bathed and dressed in a cream colored silk sleeping gown and robe, long hair slightly damp and hanging loose about her shoulders, her eyes resting on Alistair. He was clean and groomed, wearing dark brown leather breeches and a tan linen tunic, every bit as handsome as she remembered. Her pulse quickened. Alistair sucked in his breath at the sight of her and he blushed immediately. Erlina looked back and forth between the two, realizing her presence had been momentarily forgotten. She suppressed a smile and deliberately yawned.
"Oh, I am sorry for being so rude, my lady."
Anora came to her senses and smiled. "Nonsense, Erlina. We have all had a difficult and trying time. Please go get a good night's sleep. I should be fine for the rest of the evening on my own."
Erlina curtsied. "Thank you, my lady. Ser Alistair." She turned and slipped out of the room.
The door clicked shut behind her and there was silence again for a brief moment while Alistair and Anora looked at each other. She inclined her head toward a heavy wooden cabinet.
"I was about to pour myself some wine. May I offer you some?"
"Yes, please."
Alistair watched Anora move across the room to the cabinet, take out two goblets, open the decanter and pour them some wine. She moved with an effortless grace, the silk of her robes shifting along her curves, but her hands shook slightly. She was nervous, he realized, and he couldn't help smiling about that. Thank the Maker I'm not the only one. She handed him a goblet and waved to two chairs by the fire. They sat and took a sip of wine, both staring into the flames.
Anora spoke first. "We have heard rumours about the battle. The Warden, Kallian, is she…will she be all right?"
Alistair shrugged, feeling the stinging prickle of tears behind his eyes. It had only been a day since they brought her down from the roof of Fort Drakon, and she was in rough shape. The mages were doing all they could, but Petra had said it would take time before they'd know if she would wake up.
"We don't know for certain, yet. She is badly injured, but several mages are working to heal her. We lost Wynne and so many others, but it's over."
Anora's breath hitched and she reached out to him. Alistair took her hand without thinking, as though it were the most natural thing to do.
"I shall pray for her, Alistair. How…how is Zevran handling it?"
He was surprised she would ask after Zevran, considering the tension that had existed between them after the Fort Drakon incident. "He won't leave her side. He is absolutely devoted to Kallilan and I worry that if anything happens to her…" his voice trailed off and he felt her squeeze his fingers. He squeezed hers back, comforted by her closeness.
"If…if it comes to that and he desires it, we shall find him a position here, Alistair, but have faith." He sighed and nodded, taking another sip of his wine.
After a pause, Anora spoke softly. "It is good to see you, Alistair. I was afraid…we felt the explosion, and I was so worried about you…"
Tears rolled down her cheeks and Alistair forgot all sense of propriety until he was kneeling before her about to pull her into his arms and he paused, uncertain. She turned her blue eyes to his face, resting a delicate hand on his chest, and that settled it. He embraced her and held her tightly, feeling her arms slide under his and around his back.
"I was worried about you, too," he said. "When we arrived at Redcliffe to discover the hoard was headed here, I was terrified. I'm sorry we didn't look for you and the others after the battle. I should have come for you myself, I should have…"
She was shaking her head, pulling away from him. "Alistair, it doesn't matter, we will all be fine and I understand."
Alistair's eyes found hers and before he could stop himself, he was slipping his hands into her hair and kissing her. She sucked in her breath and he pulled back, afraid he'd overstepped his bounds.
"I'm sorry, Anora. I shouldn't have…"
Anora's finger on his lips silenced him. "Alistair, I…" she blushed. "I missed you." Her eyes searched his as she held his chin with her thumb and forefinger, pulling him forward.
Alistair leaned in and kissed her, grateful that she had more or less invited him to do so; he didn't want to seem too forward. Anora responded, one hand caressing the base of his neck, while the other clutched the fabric of his tunic at his chest. She smelled of wild flowers, tasted like cinnamon, and was pressing against him in a way that made it clear she had missed him quite a bit. Alistair realized he had missed her, too, a great deal more than he had expected. He began kissing Anora more passionately, sucking her bottom lip, swirling his tongue around hers, and he felt almost giddy when she responded in kind, pulling him back up onto his feet and standing on her toes to close the gap between them. He slid his hands into her hair once again, enjoying the feel of it against his skin, and she sighed softly, pressing against him.
"Anora," he gasped at last, pulling back slightly. He wasn't sure if he should follow his instincts or leave for the evening. "I…ah…what…"
She took his hand and tugged on his arm lightly. "Alistair, I…would you stay with me tonight?" Her final words rushed out of her and she lowered her eyes from his face as her cheeks turned pink.
Alistair cupped her chin in his hand and tipped her head up so he could kiss her again. "Are you sure?" he whispered against her lips. This wasn't quite what he had expected, but now he realized it was what he wanted.
"Yes," she replied, trembling. "I am sure."
He scooped her up in his arms and kissed her forehead as he moved into her bed chamber. Placing her on her bed, he knelt before her, taking her hands in his. She was shaking and he smiled. This woman almost always appeared to be in complete control of herself, cool and calm, but now she was nervous and blushing and looked to be feeling every bit as awkward as he had felt with Morrigan.
As if she knew what he was thinking, Anora smiled. "I must admit I am…nervous. I have only been with one man." She laughed a little then, a lovely sound that pulled Alistair closer to her.
"Me, too. Nervous, I mean. I was raised in the Chantry, after all." He wanted to be honest with Anora, to a point.
She looked away from him. "I am older than you, almost too old…"
"Anora, you're hardly an old woman. You're beautiful," Alistair interjected.
"Oh...I, ah…Why, thank you, Alistair, that's very sweet. It's just that I worry I might not be able to get you an heir."
"Why are we talking about that now?" he asked, leaning in to kiss her neck while he untied the belt of her robe.
She sighed, arching against him, and promptly forgot what she had been talking about. In the next moment she nearly forgot her name. Alistair's mouth had found a nipple through the fabric of her sleeping gown and was sucking on it. He moved on to the other, stopping when her hands worked to free him of his tunic. Once she'd bared his chest she couldn't help but run her hands over his broad and muscular shoulders and chest, and down over his abdomen. He was quite handsome and she was beginning to ache with longing. He was sliding his hand down her leg and under the hem of her gown, pushing it up, and she stood briefly so he could remove it and let him lay her down on the bed. She felt self conscious, but was reassured by the way he groaned as he brushed a calloused hand across her belly and up to cup a breast.
"You are beautiful, Anora," he whispered again. Her skin was pale and perfect, her breasts small and firm. He wondered briefly how old age would change their bodies, but he was distracted by the feel of Anora's hands at his waist. She was having difficulty undoing his laces.
He chuckled, shifted his weight, and pulled the laces apart so he could remove his breeches and small clothes. Alistair looked up again to see that Anora had sat up and was trying not to stare at his hardening member in the flickering firelight. She blushed and looked away, but he caught her chin and pulled her down onto him. Their mouths met and they kissed, tongues exploring, teeth nipping at each other's lips. Anora could feel Alistair's manhood pressing against her, hard and insistent, as one hand slipped down her back to cup her bottom. Sensing he was ready, she pulled away from him and stretched out on her back beside him, eyes closed, waiting.
"What are you doing, Anora?" he asked, propping himself up on one arm. He brushed a few strands of hair from her face.
"Aren't you ready?" She spoke in a bare whisper, eyes still closed, looking for all the world like a frightened virgin.
"Ready…?" Alistair thought back to the night he'd spent with Morrigan and the lessons she'd taught him, Zevran yammering on about how to please women, and finally to Cailan.
Cailan, with his long blond hair, so handsome in his golden armor, women swooning at the sight of him, men as well for that matter. For all that, was he not a good lover to his wife, his only concern getting an heir upon her? If the rumors were true, his relations with Anora served that purpose and he found his pleasures elsewhere.
"Look at me, Anora, please." He caressed her cheek. She opened her eyes slowly. "I want us both to enjoy each other's company, not to use you for my own pleasure."
Her eyes widened with surprise as Alistair bent down and kissed the tip of her nose, her lips and throat. He trailed kisses along her collar bone and down to her breast, pausing to suck her nipple until it was stiff and red. Anora's pulse was racing, her breath coming quicker as Alistair's mouth worked its way further down her torso.
His kisses were creeping closer to her groin until he was finally gently pushing Anora's thighs apart and kissing the small patch of blond curls there. Eyes flying wide open, she gasped and pushed herself up onto her elbows. Surely he doesn't intend to…oh! Looking up at her, Alistair dragged his tongue along Anora's lips and kissed the folds of her flesh. Her expression was an almost comical mixture of horror and fascination. With a smile, he spread her apart with his fingers and, using his tongue, found the sensitive button of flesh hidden there.
Anora squirmed with embarrassment and started to protest when a most delightful feeling began to spread through her body. Alistair gently pushed a finger into her and moved it within her while he continued to suck and tease the small ball of flesh there, and she began to feel too weak to hold herself up. Anora collapsed onto the bed as Alistair slid a second finger into her and continued his ministrations. An unfamiliar sensation spread through her and her body convulsed as an orgasm took hold of her. She cried out, arched her back and clutched at the bed sheets, wanting to get away from Alistair and yet pull him closer at the same time.
"Please," she panted, reaching out to touch him. "Please, Alistair."
He pushed himself up and hovered over her. "Anora, look at me."
She found herself staring into Alistair's amber eyes. They sparkled with desire and humor, and she felt safe. He shifted his weight and slowly pushed into her, filling her, and she thought she might cry. It hurt a little at first – not as it had when Cailan had claimed her virginity, but it had been a while and Alistair was well-endowed – and then it became…wonderful. She had cared a great deal for Cailan, perhaps even loved him. He had loved her in his own way, of that she was certain, but nights with him had never been anything like this. He would come to her chamber, make brief attempts to woo her, get himself ready and mount her, thrusting into her until he spilled his seed. He usually fell asleep shortly thereafter or returned to his own chamber. Cailan had never touched her…that way. He had never made love to her like this, slowly and deliberately, telling her she was beautiful, and she couldn't recall a time when he had looked at her the way Alistair was looking at her now. She felt a strange mix of guilt, pleasure and happiness, and under it all that wonderful wave of sensation was building up again until it consumed her at last.
"A-Alistair, OH!" she gasped as she gripped his hips, bucking hers up to meet them.
His lips crushed against hers, his arms pulled her tight to his body, and he shuddered as he reached his own climax. "A-Anora, oh Maker," he panted.
He kissed her again as he withdrew from her and pulled the sheets up. Tucking the sheets around them, he settled in beside her, an arm draped across her, fingers stroking her hip. "Would you…I mean, should I leave?"
Anora turned so she could look at him, her eyes moist. "No. Please stay with me, Alistair." She probably should send him away, probably shouldn't have asked him to share her bed in the first place, but they had been on the verge of annihilation and against the odds they had been victorious. She was betrothed to marry this man and she cared for him, where was the harm?
"Then I will stay. I should warn you, however, that you are a beautiful woman and I am, well…I am a man who truly appreciates your charms."
She was about to ask him what exactly he meant by that when she felt his manhood hardening against her again. In another life, she might have been shocked. Now, however, she laughed. She felt truly desirable for the first time in months, years if she were to be honest with herself, and it was a wonderful feeling.
"I think I can forgive you that, Alistair."
They made love again that night before falling asleep in each other's arms and in the morning while she was still half asleep, Alistair had caressed and teased her, stirring desire within her and she had welcomed his affections. Alistair introduced her to positions she had only ever seen in a book her father had confiscated from a soldier once, bending her over her vanity and taking her from behind, sitting her on top of him as he stretched out on the bed, from behind while they lay side by side. She had not wanted him to leave, but they both had other duties to attend to and instead agreed to have supper together.
When Erlina arrived to attend to her mistress, she found the queen awake and dressed, sitting at her vanity brushing her hair and humming to herself. There was a distinct scent lingering in the air and Anora looked far happier than she had in quite some time. Loghain never would have allowed such a thing to happen, Erlina knew, but things had changed a great deal in a short time and they were no longer obliged to live by his rule. If Anora could be happy in this new marriage, if Alistair was the man he seemed to be, Erlina would do what she could to give them the time and space they needed.