"Y'know, I've always thought about this, and I think this is the perfect time to do this. It's been years after all, and, uh . . . Arleea, will you marry me?"
Alistair paused. He grunted and kicked at the stone nearby. He took a deep breath and tried again, clearing his throat. He looked up at the oak tree before him and said slowly, "I've been thinking . . . it's been years since we've been together and we survived the Blight, right? And . . . I think I want to marry you." He frowned. "Maker, I am awful at this."
He placed both hands on his hips and bit his lip, tapping his foot on the grass. He looked across the corridors from the gardens where he was. He fumbled within his pockets and pulled out the knobby twigs he managed to put together as a makeshift ring. It was a terrible ring, but at the moment he and the other Wardens did not have the luxury to buy jewels or anything of the sort, nor were they permitted to. He'll have to make do — no, it was Arleea who will have to make do — his insides twisted at the thought of giving her this stupid ring.
Really, Alistair? You're going to give the Hero of Ferelden this mess of twigs you call a ring?
She was never picky though. And it is as they say — it's the thought that counts. Would she understand? Would she accept the ring?
Would she even say yes?
Alistair grunted, sitting on the bench, still staring at the ring and debating whether or not to proceed with the plan. It was going to fail, he knew it.
"Maybe I shouldn't," he muttered to himself. "I can't propose."
A bark from the corridors made him catch his breath. He looked around and spotted Pluto being pulled back by someone.
Someone. There was someone else in the garden and whoever it was, they had been listening to him mumble random things to himself.
Alistair quickly got up to his feet and went towards the source of the noise, hearing a voice say, "No, don't go in there!" He peered in behind a pillar and found Arleea herself, pulling Pluto back who jumped up and down at the sight of him.
"What —" Alistair stammered, face burning. "W-What in Andraste's smelly socks are you two doing in here?"
"I-I —" Arleea stood there frozen. She let go of the dog who bounced around the both of them. "I was looking for you. I hadn't seen you all morning, and . . ."
"How long have you been there?"
"Not long enough," Arleea muttered, glowering down at her feet.
Alistair stared at her. There was no way she did not hear everything.
"I better go." Arleea took a few steps back and turned away from him, about to head back.
"Hold on!" Alistair grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her back. "You heard all of it. Didn't you?"
Arleea was still avoiding his eyes. "I did."
"Then why didn't you say something?"
"Because I wanted to head back and get myself ready. I wanted you to do this just as you planned . . ."
"Just as I planned?" Alistair repeated.
"Yes."
He was still looking at her, confused. "Whatever do you mean . . . ?"
Arleea frowned. "Whatever do I mean? Am I not supposed to say yes?"
Alistair's jaw dropped. "You're going to say yes?"
"Of course I will! I've been dreaming of this for years. I've always wanted to marry you. I know it's impossible to fit in with all that's been happening, and all those recruits we've been training. But if you ask, I will always say yes."
"I . . ." A grin formed on Alistair's lips. He began to chuckle, still staring wide-eyed at her. "Really?"
"Oh help me, Creators," Arleea sighed in disbelief. "I will. I will always choose you. What makes you think I won't?"
Alistair pulled out the twig-ring again and showed it to her. "With this ring?"
Arleea shook in laughter. She was shaking her head, wiped the sudden tears from her eyes, and held out her hand. "Just ask me. I still want to be asked."
Pluto barked and stopped feet from them, watching eagerly. Alistair was still grinning from ear to ear.
"In all these years we've been together, you sure still surprise me." He knelt before her, looking into her eyes, lifting the ring. "Here goes." He took a deep breath. "Warden-Commander Arleea Mahariel, will you marry me?"
Arleea was smiling sweetly. Her eyes shone. She glanced at her dog who was barking wildly then turned back to Alistair, saying, "Yes, my dear Warden Alistair Theirin. Yes. I will marry you."
Alistair gently slipped the ring on her finger and held her hand. He got up to his feet and said, "Maker, I really am a lucky man, aren't I?"
"I'm very lucky too," Arleea laughed. "Don't take all the credit."
"So how's the ring?"
"A little scratchy, but I love it."
They were still staring at one another. Arleea could not stop herself from giggling, and Alistair could not, too. He kissed her forehead, her nose, her cheek, then her lips, wrapping his arms around her. They pulled away, still laughing until Pluto rushed towards them, and they gathered around him and embraced him — a little family of three.
Alistair was very lucky indeed. He initially thought his proposal was going to fail.
AN: Thank you for sticking around and reading my entries! Apologies for not being able to do all of the prompts, though. I have two full-length WIPs I'm working on and so I only chose the entries I have ideas for. I might do the rest in the future, who knows? I might eventually add an after-note chapter indicating edits I made in the other entries, but I won't be doing that anytime soon.
I also would love to do volume 1 of Stories of Thedas, but for now it's just impossible. I'll mark it as a future writing project though!
Feel free to leave reviews if you will 3 I hope all of you will have wonderful days ahead 3 I truly enjoyed working on these prompts.
P.S. Why is it always cute and fluff all around whenever I write Arleea and Alistair?