The day before Alistair's coronation, he was in the throne room with Azariah; he was looking up at the throne and had an unsure look on his face. "I don't know if I can do this…"

"Of course you can." Azariah walked over and placed her hand over his heart. "You have a kind heart and a strong sense of fairness and justice; those are the traits that make a great leader."

Alistair smiled softly and took her hand, kissing it. "Well, it's nice that you think so."

Suddenly, they heard someone clear their throat and they turned to see Eamon standing there with a knowing smile on his face. "Sorry to interrupt, but, Azariah, there's someone here you need to see."

"Who?" She asked and watched as Eamon motioned for someone to come in, and when she saw who it was, her eyes widened in shock. "Fergus!"

Fergus smiled at her and replied, "Hi little sister!"

Azariah's face broke out in a large smile before she ran over to her brother as fast as she could and practically threw herself into his arms. "Thank the Maker you're alive!" After being picked up and spun around, she broke the hug and looked at him, tears in her eyes. "I thought I'd never see you again!"

"Oh, there, there, Azariah." Fergus comforted as he pulled her back into the hug. "I'm alright, it was you I was worried about."

Alistair exchanged a happy look with Eamon as they watched the sibling's happy reunion before walking over and held out his hand towards Fergus. "Hello."

"Hi!" Fergus greeted back as he shook Alistair's hand. "You must be Alistair!"

"You know me?"

"Everyone's talking about you! They're all really excited about their new King," He bowed. "Your Majesty."

Alistair chuckled nervously. "Thanks, but I'm not King yet. I still have one more day to enjoy being a commoner." Changing the subject, he said, "I'm glad to meet you, though. Azariah's told me so much about you and the rest of your family."

"Yes," Fergus sighed sadly. "I wish they were here with us…"

"Oh! Sorry, I didn't mean to…"

"It's alright. I'm just glad to still have Azariah," He kissed her forehead and then ruffled her hair, "The great Hero of Ferelden!"

Azariah laughed and playfully bat his hand away. "Hero of Ferelden? Is that what they're calling me?"

"Yes, actually!"

"That's catchy," Alistair said and smiled at Azariah. "And I think it suits you perfectly!"

"I'm not a hero, though. I merely did what had to be done."

"Modesty much?" Fergus asked jokingly.

"Azariah, you've done so much more than just what had to be done." Alistair said, "I mean, yes, killing the archdemon, that had to be done, but I've seen you do things for people just because; not for reward, or gratitude, or fame… but just because you wanted to help. You are a hero to the people… and to me."

Azariah blushed and smiled. "You're very sweet, Alistair."

Fergus looked back and forth between them and then at Eamon who just smiled and nodded, immediately knowing what he was asking. Fergus then smiled and said, "Oh, I see what's going on here!"

"What?" Azariah asked.

"You two are together!"

"What?" Azariah asked again, this time, in surprise. "We- I mean, how did…?"

"Are you kidding? Just seeing how you two look at each other just screams that you're in love. I'm so happy for you, Azariah! See?" He lightly punched her arm playfully. "I told you that you'd someday meet a man who could handle you!"

"Ha!" Alistair laughed. "I wouldn't say I "handle" her; in fact, I'm fully aware that she has me completely wrapped around her finger."

"And you love it." She teased with a smirk, and then turned back to her brother, grabbing his arm, "Come on! Let me introduce you to our other friends!" She led him out of the room happily.

The next day, at Alistair's coronation, he was standing off to the side with Fergus and Azariah while Eamon addressed the large crowd of nobles and even their friends, getting ready to introduce him. "Maker, I'm so nervous."

Azariah and Fergus exchanged a glance before Fergus spoke up, "Alright, speech-giving 101. You don't want to look stupid? Talk to the crowd as if you're talking to a single person and simply having a conversation. This is especially easy if you have friends in the audience, like you do! Take your friend, Leliana, for example! If you get nervous, hone in on her and pretend that she's the only person you're talking to."

"Alright, thanks!" Alistair replied with a smile, and then turned to Azariah. "You should be up there with me, though; none of this would even be possible without you."

"Well, am I royalty?" Azariah asked and then answered her own question. "No. No, I am not."

Alistair chuckled, albeit nervously. "Funny you should say that, because… well, I've been thinking that…" He reached into his pocket. "It would be nice to… have you as my queen." He presented her with a silver ring that had a square-cut diamond embedded in it.

Azariah looked stunned and slowly took the ring, just looking down at it; she could hardly breathe, let alone reply.

"Alistair…" Teagan whispered, and Alistair turned to look at him. "It's time."

Alistair looked back at Azariah and said, "Think about it?" He asked, and then headed up to where Eamon and Teagan were.

"Azariah…?" Fergus asked.

"…Did Alistair just ask me to marry him?"

"Yeah, I think that's exactly what he did." Fergus laughed, trying to un-tense his sister. When he saw her still frozen, he frowned. "Azariah?"

"…Excuse me." Was all she said before walking away.

About an hour later, Leliana was wandering around the palace, looking for Azariah, and finally ended up finding her in the courtyard's garden. She was just standing there near a bush of flowers and looking at nothing. "There you are!" Leliana said. "Everyone's looking for you, you know; there's a whole crowd outside the gates who want to see you." Azariah didn't say anything, so Leliana walked over and tapped her shoulder, "Azariah."

"I heard you…"

"So, why are you just standing there? They're already starting to get rowdy and impatient, and Eamon's worried they'll start a riot if you don't get out there soon." Again, Azariah didn't say anything, and just continued staring. Leliana growled and walked right in front of Azariah, looking her right in the eyes, "Are you listening to me?"

"Yes."

"Then stop standing there like a statue!"

"I have things on my mind, okay?" She turned her back to Leliana.

"What things?"

Azariah sighed, "…Alistair asked me to marry him."

"Really? Well, that's great! Congratulations!" Leliana looked at the upset look on Azariah's face, "…Not congratulations? I always thought that you'd say yes in a heartbeat if he asked you. I mean, you do love him, don't you?"

"Of course I do, but that's not the issue."

"Then what is?"

Azariah let out a deep sigh and replied, "If I marry him… that would make me queen… I can't be queen…"

"Azariah… if you refuse Alistair's proposal… he's going to be heartbroken."

"Don't you think I know that? Do you think I want to do this?" She looked back at Leliana. "Well, I don't, but…" Her eyes filled with tears as she sniffed. "Wynne was right all along… she said that I'd have to someday make a choice between saving our love and saving everyone else… and I guess that day is today."

"Azariah…"

"Azariah!" Someone called, and they both looked to see that it was Fergus. "Azariah, you need to…" He stopped when he saw the upset look on her face. "Are you alright?"

She sniffed and rubbed her eye, "I'm fine."

"You are not fine, you look like you're about to cry."

"Just… leave me alone for now, okay? I'm going to go meet with the people now since everyone seems so worried about it." With that, she simply left, leaving both Fergus and Leliana worried.

Later that day, after the ceremony was over and Azariah had finished her audience with the people, she was upstairs in the library when she heard someone call her name, and she slightly winced, immediately knowing who it was. Alistair walked over to her and asked, "Where have you been? You missed the entire ceremony."

"Alistair…" She took a deep breath and let it out as a sad sigh, "We need to talk."

"Oh no." Alistair said, worriedly. "The last time you said those words was right before you told me I had to sleep with Morrigan…" He then added, "Well, you can forget it; I am never sleeping with another woman besides you ever again." He shuddered with a disgusted look on his face, "That night still haunts me."

"You might have to…"

"What? What are you talking about?"

She looked him in the eyes and said, "I can't be your queen…"

Alistair's face immediately changed to a look of pure heartache. "…What? But… why not?"

"Because I am not what's best for Ferelden. You said that the only reason you accepted becoming King is because it is what's best for the nation, and while I agree with you on that… me being Queen is not what's best. Ferelden needs a ruler, not a hero…" She took the ring he gave her and placed it in the palm of his hand. "I'm going back to Highever with Fergus tomorrow," She kissed his cheek. "But I'll miss you, and I'm sorry… this is just the way things have to be." She walked out of the library with tears rolling down her face.

Alistair looked down at the ring in his hand as his eyes filled with tears, too.

The next day, after saying their goodbyes to everyone, Fergus and Azariah left in a carriage from Denerim and started their trip back to Highever. The two of them – as well as Azariah's mabari, Tucker – were sitting in the back as it rode along the road, and Azariah was staring out the window with a forlorn look on her face.

After she let out a depressed sigh, Fergus couldn't take it anymore and said, "Azariah, I can't help but feel like you should've accepted Alistair's proposal."

"Fergus, don't. Please, just drop it."

"I can't. I mean, look at you. You don't deserve the torture you're putting yourself through. Mother and father would never have wanted you to be so depressed… and I talked to Alistair… he really loves you. He is absolutely devastated that you turned down his proposal…"

"I had to…"

About a week had passed since Azariah had gone back to Highever with her brother, leaving Alistair alone. Alistair was still in a deep depression because of it, and spent the majority of his time in his bedroom; he'd lost count how many times he'd cried. Yesterday, Isolde had made an off-handed comment that Alistair should try to find someone else if Azariah wasn't going to marry him, and he snapped at hearing that, yelling at her for a solid hour, saying how he'd sooner kill himself than marry another woman.

He was in his room again, refusing to even get out of bed that morning, forcing Eamon to handle the court session that day. There was a sudden knock on the door and Alistair called out, "Go away!"

"Alistair, it's me." Leliana said as she opened the door and walked in anyway.

"I don't care if you're Andraste Herself, go away!" He growled and pulled the covers over his head.

Leliana sighed and walked over, yanking the covers back off him. "Alistair, you can't spend the rest of your life moping like this."

"Don't tell me to try and find someone else, too. You heard what I said to Isolde!"

"I wasn't going to. I know you love Azariah, and I know she loves you."

"If she loves me, then why did she leave?"

"Obviously, because she thought that was best, but that's not the point." Leliana said. "I came in here to tell you that you can't spend all your time moping about, and that if you want Azariah back, go get her!"

"Go get her?" He sat up and looked right back at Leliana. "You think I haven't thought to do that already?"

"But have you done it yet? No!" She shot back. "Go to Highever and see her! Prove to her how much you love her, show her that you don't want anyone but her!"

"…" Alistair just sat there, stunned. "Leliana…" He jumped up and hugged her. "Thank you! You're right!" He then ran out of the room down the hallway, passing Eamon at the top of the stairs.

"Whoa!" Eamon cried as Alistair ran passed. "What's the hurry?" Alistair kept running so he called out, "Where are you going?!"

"I'm going to get the love of my life back!" Alistair called back as he kept running, straight for the doors.

'That's what I call following your heart.' Eamon thought with a smile on his face.

Alistair didn't get to Highever until early evening, and the sun had already set by the time he got to the castle, but he went right inside anyway. The guards let him pass because they all recognized him and knew that the new Teyrn wouldn't protest. When Alistair got to the main hall, he saw that Fergus was standing there by the fire; he ran over, "Fergus! I need to see Azariah… please!"

"Well, well… what took you so long?" Fergus asked, clearly having expected him.

"Excuse me?"

"I was wondering when you'd come here to try and get Azariah back, although, I must say… I expected you a lot sooner than this."

Alistair chuckled, albeit nervously, "I guess I just needed some sense knocked into me, and Leliana did just that. So, where is Azariah?"

"Upstairs, in her room."

"Which is… where?"

"Follow me." Fergus led Alistair out of the hall and up the stairs to the wing of the palace where only Couslands and certain guests and servants could go. He then stopped in front of the door on the right and looked back at Alistair, "She's all yours." He then walked away.

Alistair looked at the door and took a deep breath before slowly knocking, and he heard her say "come in", so he did; she was sitting on her bed, reading a book. When she looked up and saw who it was, she was visibly shocked. "Azariah," He walked over and sat down in front of her. "I know you probably weren't expecting to see me here, but I need to talk to you." He let out a long sigh and started, "I know that you don't think that becoming my queen is the best thing for Ferelden, but I do." When she opened her mouth to speak, he put a finger to her lips. "Don't talk, just let me." He then continued, "Being away from you is driving me crazy, and there's absolutely no way I can spend the rest of my life like this." He took both her hands into his and held them gently. "I love you, Azariah Cousland, I always have. Since the day we met, I knew there was something about you that was special, and after getting to know you better, my feelings towards you only grew. I would travel to the ends of the heavens themselves for you if I had to!" He got off the bed and down on one knee, presenting her with a ring a second time. "Marry me?"

Azariah was struck speechless again, even though, she had been expecting it this time. Over the past week, she'd done a lot of thinking, and she had been hoping that exactly this sort of thing would happen, that he'd come after her and give her a second chance. She smiled as he eyes filled with happy tears and said, "Just one question…"

"What?"

"Would you put on a dress and dance the Remigold?" She joked.

Alistair's face broke out in a large smile, "Only for you!"

They both laughed before Azariah pulled him up and kissed him passionately, and he wrapped his arms around her waist, kissing her back.

"Yes!" They suddenly heard someone cheer from outside the doorway.

"Fergus!" Azariah scolded.

"I'm leaving!" He called back and they heard his footsteps get further away.

They both looked back at each other and laughed again.

-Six months later-

It was the day of Alistair and Azariah's wedding, and they had just finished saying their vows, and were now having their first dance as husband and wife. As they moved across the dancefloor, everyone could tell they were in their own little world together, their eyes fixed on each other and showing nothing but love and adoration.

As he watched his little sister with her new husband, Fergus couldn't help but tear up and had to use a handkerchief to wipe his eyes. When he felt a hand on his shoulder, he looked over and saw Eamon giving him a comforting smile.

"They grow up so fast, don't they?"

"Definitely, but it's worth it!" Fergus replied.

"Are they going to live happily ever after, father?" Connor asked Eamon.

"Of course, my son," He replied as he ruffled Connor's hair. "Of course."

"Does this mean I can call Azariah my cousin, too?"

They all just laughed.

––

Hey everyone! I hope you all enjoyed this little story! I was in a lovey, sappy mood, so I needed to write a story that reflected that! Feedback is always welcome and appreciated!