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Some smut/fluff ahead-ahem-M warning, just to be safe...*giggles*

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Chapter 21 - What, me lead?

As he stood in front of the Lady of the Forest, who commanded the werewolves and heard the whole story, he suddenly understood. He knew that she was right.

He had to get Zathrian to lift the curse. This was why the werewolves had ambushed the Dalish in the first place, they wanted to spread the curse to the Dalish elves, in hopes that their keeper would finally lift it. Zathrian had, in fact, been the creator of the curse several centuries ago. It was thanks to him that they were in this predicament.

There were other things he understood also. He knew why Alyssa had sent him out here.

Suddenly he wished fervently he hadn't reacted the way he had two days ago when they had separated and she had sent him into the forest to search for Witherfang. He felt his love for her grow and threaten to make his heart burst.

He also knew, then and there, that he had married a remarkable woman. He wanted to see her, to hold her in his arms and to beg forgiveness for having doubted her, for having given in to anger, instead of realizing that she was doing this for him.

He now knew what it felt like to lead and what she felt when she had to make the decisions. And he knew what she went through in order to make them.

He looked up at the Lady of the Forest and nodded. "Very well, I shall bring Zathrian,"

He was aching to take her in his arms, thinking that they had to go all the way back to the Dalish camp to get Zathrian. As it turned out, he was wrong. Zathrian was waiting for them at the entrance of the underground ruined temple.

"Ah, and here you are already," he said to Alistair.

"What are you doing here?" Alistair asked unthinkingly.

"I just wanted to make sure you arrived here safely, of course."

"You mean you wanted to make sure that we got the heart," Alistair replied feeling slightly annoyed.

"Yes, did you?"

"No, I didn't. And before you ask me why, I'll tell you. I've been sent to bring you back to the Lady of the Forest."

"Ah!" Zathrian gave him a bright smile. "And what would she want with me?"

"She won't summon Witherfang unless you break the curse," Alistair answered quietly.

"You understand that she actually is Witherfang? The curse came first from her-"

"The curse came first from you," Alistair interrupted.

Zathrian went on to tell him that they were beasts that didn't deserve to be defended. That he would go with him, then help him kill her and take the heart. Alistair looked at him sadly. "I'm not going to help you do that," he said.

"If you don't help me get the heart, then my hunters are not cured and you get no assistance against the darkspawn!"

"Do you still have so much hatred for them? After all this time?" Alistair asked him wearily.

"You were not there! You did not see what they did to my son, to my daughter! You are not Dalish! How could you know what we suffered and what we have to suffer in order to survive?"

"But, it is your own people that are suffering now! Don't you care about your clan? I assure you that the werewolves have regained their minds. All I ask is that you come with us and speak to them and to the Lady of the Forest."

"You wish me to go speak to her? Very well, I will. But what if it is more revenge that they seek? Will you safeguard me from harm?"

"We will, unless you attack first," a voice Alistair knew and loved said in the shadows behind Zathrian.

Alyssa and Leliana stepped out into the center of the ruined temple where they were standing. She stood beside Alistair and smiled up at him. He smiled back at her tenderly and lovingly and took her hand and squeezed it gently.

"Very well," Zathrian said, and sighed. "It has been many centuries. Let us see what the spirit has to say."

They all turned and walked down to the chamber where the Lady of the Forest stood waiting for them.

Alyssa kept quiet through the whole thing. She saw how well Alistair handled the situation and her heart swelled with pride.

...

Zathrian turned to Alistair and angrily said, "See? They turn on you just as quickly! Do what you have come here to do, Grey Warden or get out of my way!"

"I don't care Zathrian, I won't help you do this," Alistair shook his head.

"We're standing for what is right here, no matter what!" Alyssa said as she looked at Alistair proudly. Alistair grinned.

Next thing they knew, the whole chamber had turned into a battleground. Zathrian was a very powerful blood mage, but they fought the sylvan trees and after Alistair had cleansed the area and drained him of his mana, the fight turned in their favor.

When they had defeated Zathrian, he surrendered and they all stood by quietly as he talked to the Lady once more. Alistair persuaded him to end the curse. "Think about your clan! Would you let them die for this?"

When Zathrian finally ended the curse, he died, as his spirit was keeping the curse alive. The Lady also passed and the werewolves changed into men and women before their very eyes. They thanked Alistair and the rest of the group and ran off.

Alistair turned to Alyssa, his heart thumping wildly in his chest. "Thank you so much, my love," he murmured as he took her in his arms.

Alyssa sighed and held him close. "Thank the Maker you are alright. I followed Zathrian here. I was so worried. You'd been gone for two days!" Then they kissed each other.

"Well, we'd better head back to the camp and explain what happened to Lanaya. She was Zathrian's apprentice, so I suspect she will be keeper now," Alyssa murmured in between kisses.

Wynne chuckled and Alyssa turned to look at her, still in Alistair's arms. She gave Alyssa an 'I told you so' look as they all walked out of the chamber back to the Dalish camp.

...

They got no sleep that night, but didn't care about feeling tired the following morning. They were together, they were in love and they were pleasuring themselves. They groaned, licked, kissed and tossed and turned on their bedrolls, melting into each other's arms, reaching to the sky and beyond. They felt spent and tired as dawn approached.

Alistair looked into her eyes, hazel into violet - love, tenderness and lust bound together tightly. His adoration for her knew no boundaries. He vowed to himself that he would never doubt her word again for as long as they lived. Then he promised this to his love, and she smiled sweetly at him, proud of him, proud of what he was becoming: a true leader of men.

It was this thought that kept her smiling all day as they trekked towards the village of Redcliffe.