Bioware owns Dragon Age and all the characters, I own Jaya, though...

The King's Rose
Chapter 6: Talks

Alistair was already waiting for them when they arrived. "I felt it. The increase.. Where- Maker! What happened?" He asked as he saw the state Jaya was in.

"She was caught off-guard, something too rare for even her. Luckily, Wynne bought us time to get here." Leliana informed as a cot was brought out to lay her on.

"I apologize, Your Highness. I broke the vow to keep her safe." Tavish said, bowing.

"It is alright, Tavish. No one expected the darkspawn to attack. Right now, my immediate concern is that of Jaya." Alistair informed.

"We must move her to her room... for safety." Wynne explained as she finished scanning Jaya with her magic.

"Right. Teagan, Eamon. Cancel all the appointments I have until she is well again to nag me." Alistair informed, gently picking her up and carrying her up into her room, laying her down and stepping aside.

"Now.. I must see how grave the wound is.. Since I have no doubt you want to also see, Alistair, so, assist me. Everyone else needs to leave." She ordered, getting the others to leave. "I was surprised that one would foolishly attack her in that slim moment of weakness. She did warn us of them." She explained as they managed to uncover the wound. "Surprising. It must be the taint keeping it from being infected. A good sign.. However, it does not mean anything." She glanced at Alistair. "Do not fret, dear. We know she will pull through. Who better to get out of this than 'the Hero of Ferelden' and your love?"

Alistair sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Easy to say, Wynne. I know exactly how strong she is. When she took Oghren, Morrigan and Zevran up to face the Archdemon, I admit I was scared for her. Especially when that explosion happened." He shuddered while Wynne went about healing her. "I thought everything was over for me, until Zevran carried her unconscious body down and Morrigan disappeared."

"She has overcome a lot I hear." Wynne stated as she finished. "There. That should do it. If anything happens, just give a shout and I will be back here to help."

"Thanks, Wynne." Alistair said, smirking a little as the elder mage walked out the door. He sighed and shook his head. "I swear if you make me go gray in the hair because of this, I will be forced to return the favor." He joked right as her eyelids fluttered open. "Well, what do you know, miracles happen."

"Hmmm. Alistair? Wha-What am I doing here? I thought I had to go talk to not only King Bhelen but Teagan... Wait... I remember..." She paused before rage flooded her face. "Those dew-moss-nug-lickers! Why I should give them a taste of my blade!" She shot up before grabbing her gut.

"Hate to say it, but they got a piece of you. And you, my dear, have been around Oghren too long. Try not to open that wound or I will be forced to have Wynne rush right back in here." Alistair ordered.

"You sound so like Fergus right now. When I was sick as a kid, he would always say something similar to that... So, what's new?" Jaya asked.

"Besides the fact I lost ten years off my life by this? Teagan is here, since he did not see you arrive in Redcliffe on time." He leaned forward and kissed her forehead. "Fergus is about as mad as I ever seen anyone. He wants to tear that thing apart."

Jaya grinned and held his right hand in hers. "And you don't? If I were you, I would be making a Sixth Blight just to get payback. But, I'm well enough. Wynne did amazing. I shall just add it to the collection." She teased as she took her time to go sit on the edge of the bed, facing him. "If it makes you relax, Wynne can come finish healing me and I can go back to doing my 'royal' duties or whatever."

"No complaints? Huh. That's a switch." He stated.

"If I have learned anything about you, beloved, during the past few months, you would refuse me the opportunity to get back to fighting until I can do cartwheels around the hall. So, I will, shall we say, compromise and help you in court." She suggested, raising an eyebrow a little and smirking.

"Why you little minx. If you weren't recovering, I would surely have you." Alistair threatened lightly, even if he was laughing. "You really will tempt me to no end, won't you?"

"Probably. Depends on the day. Today I just feel like seeing how far that infamous restraint you claim to have lasts." She teased back as she was gently pulled onto his lap. "I'm no minx... Am I?" She pouted prettily.

Alistair groaned and shook his head. "You are and you know it. Between your rapier wit and this sudden minxiness, I might die young indeed."

That made her smile. "Alright... You have me at that. I'd rather not start looking into possible second husbands yet. I haven't even made it to my first one." She giggled and cuddled close.

"Maker help me if that happens. I will come back and haunt you if you do that, my dear." He stroked her back and relaxed into the chair as Leliana popped her red-head in the door. "Leli! Save me from this minx of mine, will you? She is already plotting a second husband."

Leliana laughed. "Alistair, you know as well as everyone else that she would never dream of that. She just loves seeing you get all flustered. It is very endearing." She stated and looked at her silver-eyed friend. "I see you came back from almost knocking on the Maker's door."

Jaya rolled her eyes. "I didn't die. That dew-moss-nug-licker is lucky it is dead! Perhaps I should see if Wynne would let me have a punching bag for a few days with its corpse? Nah. It would probably make the entire palace smell." She mumbled, deflated at that fact before standing as Wynne walked in. "Maker, is there some sort of beacon on me that has everyone showing up?"

Wynne chuckled and used her healing magic to finish healing the wound. "Fergus mentioned Couslands heal fast, but this is odd already with the fact the taint might be helping you along. I know that look. A few days and she'll be completely healthy. And just in time, I would say. Just be creative." She grinned as she and Leliana left, both with matching smirks.

"For as long as I've known Wynne, I still have no idea what she means sometimes." Alistair said right as the hidden meaning hit both of them between the eyes. "Maker, did Wynne just suggest what I think she did?"

"I think they all have been around Zev too much. They all picked up his uncanny innuendos." Jaya stated, holding her forehead and shaking her head. "The next horde I see, they are all getting fed to it."

Alistair burst out laughing before kissing her lightly. "Still haven't found one worthy enough yet?"

"Sadly, no. How long until the next meeting?" She asked, putting a thinking face on.

"I told Eamon to cancel all of them until you were well again. Why?" He informed.

"Well, they didn't take into account we had Wynne to heal me this good." She added before kissing him softly, giggling when he ran his hands over a very ticklish spot on her back, forcing her to break the kiss and continue giggling.

"Oh? Ticklish, are we? Who would have thought the Hero of Ferelden was ticklish?" Alistair teased.

"Don't you dare or- What are you doing?" She questioned when he easily lifted her and deposited her gently on the bed, one hand trapping hers while a wicked gleam entered his eyes. "Oh no. You wouldn't.." She began before a hand went under her and began tickling her, causing her to thrash, ineffective since he held her hands above her and pinned himself to prevent her legs from flailing about. "A-Alistair! S-Stop. N-Not fair!" She squealed in laughter when he brought his hand to a ticklish spot only Fergus knew of. "Maker! W-What did I d-do?" She asked.

"You know exactly what you did, you little she-demon." Alistair replied, kissing her forehead before releasing her hands and placing his hands on the outside of her waist. "I suddenly miss that awkward girl."

Jaya's face puckered. "I was not awkward... Just lost in thought a lot. There's a difference." She smiled. "At least I didn't 'swoop' down."

"That's still up for debate, my dear. I still think you are waiting for some nefarious deed to plant itself in that mind of yours and use it against me." He joked.

"Just like your idea of planning mutiny and becoming the group leader?" She jibed back.

"Uhh.. Yeah." Alistair replied, smirking a little bit.

"Didn't turn out so well, huh?" She thought a little.

"Not really. So, what was it like for you to fight the archdemon?" He asked, rolling till she was on top.

"All I thought was: 'Maker that thing is not at all like a high dragon!' Aldous would be sputtering if I told him I faced not only a high dragon, but the archdemon. His lessons probably would look meek compared to it." She grinned at how she would fall asleep often during his history lectures and then somehow remember the facts a few days later.

"I take it you weren't one of learning back then?" He guessed.

"Not unless it involved blades or fighting. Fergus would be the first to tell you that I hated it when I had to go to Aldous when I could have been training with him or Father." She sighed. "I bet he'd go on a rant right now about how 'my ancestors always tried to keep duty away from 'other' interests' or some other nonsense."

I hope it reads out well... I have to find 'good' spots to cut since I don't want to put 68-ish pages of story into it... So, yeah.
~~Skittles~~