The Arl is pleased with the armies I've raised. We leave for Denerim tomorrow, well at least most of us will. I'll be branching off with Alistair, Sten and Oghren to help Levi Dryden out. Eamon argued with me, but I told him that I stand by my word no matter what. Also, if this keep is all it's supposed to be it could come in handy later. Once that's done we'll meet up with everyone at Eamon's estate in Denerim.
Dinner with Eamon and his family was a bit awkward, as Isolde started trying to kiss Alistair's ass when she realized that he might be her future king. It was amusing at first, then it just got annoying. Teagan and I tried to have a conversation but Isolde kept interrupting. I think she's still thrown off by the fact that she has to be nice to me, the elf.
Other then her, no one else seems to care about what race anyone is. Both Eamon and Teagan treat my group as equals, which is refreshing. His knights have a great deal of respect for our group after fighting alongside us in the village.
I've retired to the Arl's large sitting room, which is full of my favorite things, books. I had changed out of my new armor and into the dress that Alistair gave me for dinner. I'm still a bit bruised, but otherwise completely healed. I'm curled up in the corner of a couch with a book in my lap. Dane is curled up by the fire, paws twitching in his sleep.
"Good book?"
Zevran's voice catches me by surprise, and he looks amused as I jump in place.
"Yes actually, I love history."
Zev nods and starts to inspect a painting on the wall. Soon the rest of our group trickles into the room. Sten and Shale discussing the Qun, Oghren and Wynne talking about ale, and Morrigan studying her mother's grimoire with Leliana trying to peek at it. Alistair is the last to arrive, and he takes a seat on the couch next to me, lifting my feet so they rest on his lap. A pleasant hum of conversation fills the room, and I find that I can no longer focus on my reading. So much for enjoying some quiet solitude.
"I hope one of you brought some wine, since you all seem determined to not let me enjoy my book in peace."
My statement is met with gasps of shock and indignation. I focus on each face, and it's the glitter of mischief in Morrigan's eyes that gives them all away.
"I knew it! Who told?"
Alistair and Wynne both look slightly ashamed. I groan and press my fingers against a throbbing temple.
"Maker preserve me from you two and your sodding good intentions..."
Before either Alistair or Wynne can defend themselves, Oghren stands up and walks over to me, presenting a bottle of wine.
"Who cares about their good intentions, boss? Here, have some wine, it'll make you feel better."
I can't help but smile at Oghren and accept the bottle. Zevran quickly produces enough goblets for everyone, even a small bowl for Dane who is now wide awake. Once everyone has their wine in hand, Alistair raises his glass and offers a toast.
"To our intrepid commander. Grey Warden, mage, and friend. Happy Birthday Vaelyn!"
A cheer goes up as Alistair finishes his toast, and then everyone downs their wine. Even Sten and Shale are smiling, almost. I feel very loved, surrounded by my friends. They've become my family.
"Thank you, all of you. I count myself very lucky to have you all to call friend."
The room is filled with a happy feeling. For once we're all not in armor, it's almost as if we're normal people celebrating. Rather then a band of misfits composed of warriors, rogues, mages, a golem and a mubari. Zevran produces more bottles of wine with a flourish, and Wynne helps him refill everyone's glasses.
Alistair is rubbing my feet, while Leliana retells our story in her best bard-ish manner. Shale cheers whenever she mentions a bird being slaughtered, which sends the rest of us into gales of laughter. Eventually everyone takes a turn telling a humorous story, including myself. My story is about the time Jowan and I accidentally turned Senor Enchanter Tillus green. Wynne finds this particularly entertaining.
"Maker! I remember that! Poor Tillus was so mad that the blood in his face clashed with the green color and he turned a nasty shade of puce! It took three enchanters two days to get him back to rights!"
"Jowan was certain the templars would kill us if the First Enchanter didn't first. At the time I wasn't that worried, I was just happy to not have to sit through another one of Tillus' boring lectures."
Wynne's laughing so hard that she almost chokes on her wine. We toast the now deceased Senior Enchanter Tillus and then try to get Morrigan to tell us a story. After a great deal of prodding and making Alistair promise to keep quiet, she agrees. Her story is actually funny, and not as terrifying as I was worried it would be. It would seem that Morrigan has finally learned how to be a bit social.
Just when I thought the night couldn't get any better, they start giving me presents. Sten and Shale present me with a book they found in the deep roads. Oghren gives me a flask of his private stock of ale. Wynne's mended all my ripped clothing. Morrigan's offered to teach me how to shapeshift. Zevran gives me a beautiful Dalish bracelet. Dane even drops a soggy cake on my lap. I try to say they don't have to, but they quickly shut me up, reminding me that I expect them to always accept the presents I've found for them.
We keep the party going awhile longer, but it starts to break up when Wynne notices me starting to nod off. She sends everyone on their way and gives me a hug before heading off to her own bed. It's just Alistair and I now, my lap piled with my birthday presents.
"I hope you don't think I didn't get you anything."
"Alistair, you don't need to get me anything, really!"
"Shh, too late, I already did. But first, let's get your loot back to your room."
I gratefully accept his help and hand him half of my newly acquired items before following him back to my room. We put my things on the desk in the room, with the exception of my newly repaired clothing which goes back in my pack. The arl has been good enough to promise to have any of my possessions that I don't feel like bringing with me to Denerim delivered to wherever I wish. He's even been good enough to provide a trunk for me to put my things in so I don't have to carry so much of it with me.
Alistair slips from the room as I finish putting things away, and I decide to take my hair out of it's bun and brush it out while I wait for him to come back. The fire in the fireplace has taken the chill out of the room, but the stone floor still radiates cold, making me grateful once again for my shearling slippers. At the moment I don't feel like a grey warden, or even a mage, I just feel like a fairly normal person. It's amazing what wearing a dress and slippers can do for a woman who's used to wearing armor. I finger the fabric of the dress and smile at the memories tied to it.
"Well, here you go. Happy birthday, love."
Alistair's slipped back into the room, when did he learn to walk so stealthily? Zevran must have been giving him pointers. He's holding a small wrapped package out to me, and I accept it with a smile.
"Really, Alistair, you didn't have to. I'm not just saying that, just having you near is more then I ever hoped for."
A blush tints his cheeks, but his eyes are focused on the package in my hands. It's a small box wrapped in paper and tied with a blue ribbon. I unwrap it carefully and find a small wooden box inside the paper. It's an ironwood box, carved with a dalish design.
"Open it."
The box itself could be the present, it's that beautiful, but I open the box as Alistair commands. Lying in a bed of sweet smelling dried flower petals is a ring made of what looks to be silverite. Intrigued, I pick it up and look at it closely. A design of a dragon in flight, surrounded by stars, is etched into the metal. It's breathtakingly beautiful, and my heart stops a moment when I realize that Alistair has had the underside of it engraved with our names.
"Oh Alistair, it's wonderful! It's so beautiful. Thank you. Thank you so very much."
"I found it in Orzammar, one of the dwarves had found it in one of the lost thaigs. He was good enough to engrave it for me. The future is so uncertain, and I wanted you to have something to remind you of me, in case the worst should happen."
I slip the ring on my left hand and then place the box on the desk before getting up and wrapping my arms around my templar. We hold each other close, thinking about all the what ifs. If we both live, there will be a lot we'll have to deal with. No matter what Alistair may want, I know he won't be allowed to marry me if he becomes king. It's bad enough that I'm an elf, but being a mage is really the frosting on the cake. Ignorant Fereldens are terrified of becoming like the Tevinter Imperium. But that's a long way off and neither of us may live to see the end of the blight, let alone the crowning of a ruler for Ferelden.
"Alistair, I love you so much..."
"I love you too, Lyn. Let's go to bed."
I smile into his shoulder and only let go of him long enough to make sure the door is locked and to blow out the candles in the room. For now I'm going to pretend that I don't have to save Ferelden, tonight I'm just a woman who's celebrating her birthday with her lover. Morning and the responsibilities that I have will come all too soon.