- Chapter 2: The Plan -

"No, dear. You must hold it higher, otherwise your arrow will just fly straight to the ground."

Elissa was helping Eleanor with her bow. Even though she was just a small child, Elissa figured it was better for her to be ready before something could catch her off guard. So she had spent the last couple of weeks training the young Cousland girl in archery. She was a fast learner, but her aim needed a bit more practice.

Elissa helped her aim a little higher then let go. Eleanor's wrist was trembling slightly, but she was confident. She stretched her fingers, letting go of the bow's string and allowing her arrow to fly swiftly until it rested on the tree in front of her. Her face lit up as she turned around to face Elissa, and then she smiled. "I did it!"

"You sure did," said a familiar voice to Elissa. It was only a vague memory by now, and it took her a while to add a face to that sound. When she finally did, he was only a few steps from her.

A name came out of Elissa's lips as softly as a summer breeze. "Alistair." She turned around. He still had the same smirk, and his golden hair was as messy as always. It was strange for Elissa to see him with those fancy, regal clothes, as she was used to seeing him in his armor. But since there was no obvious threat at every step, she figured it wasn't necessary. Besides, she wasn't exactly combat-ready in her dark blue silky dress.

Alistair smiled. It was nice to see her again, even if she was still mad at him. He took time to explore every detail of that moment because it could be the last time he would ever see her – Alistair was almost certain she would just slap him and walk away this time, without even letting him explain why he was there. She is that impulsive. Her red hair was now loose instead of that ponytail she had while they were together – both literally and emotionally – letting her long hair swirl with the wind. Her sea green eyes looked cooler, wiser even, and her face was calm, with a subtle smile on her peach lips. She had on a dark blue dress that enhanced her curves perfec- Okay, I'm digressing.

Elissa turned to the little girl in the green dress beside her. "Eleanor, dear, this is Alistair, the king."

Eleanor's face revealed surprise, while she hastily but smoothly bowed. "Your Majesty."

Both Alistair and Teagan chuckled, while Elissa still supported that faint smile.

"Lady Cousland, it is an honor to meet you," Alistair said while he lowered himself to be at the child's height and bowed his head. When he looked up, he saw hazel eyes with a hint of green, possibly the prettiest he had ever seen. Her wavy dark blonde hair was adorned with a hairpin of a blood red flower. Something about her seemed familiar, but he couldn't tell what it was.

Elissa turned to face Teagan while Alistair got up. "Arl Teagan, it is a pleasure to see you again."

"As it is mine to see you again, my lady. I believe Lady Edith was planning a little tea party and was searching for Lady Eleanor. I would gladly escort her back, if I may."

"Very well," answered Elissa. "Eleanor, dear, you're late for your tea party! Run along with Arl Teagan, he will be your personal escort – lucky, huh?"

Elissa put a hand on her back and lowered herself to get a kiss on the cheek from Eleanor, who then went with Teagan with a smile. "Don't forget to come to get your tea!" she yelled at the distance, turning around to face Elissa.

"I won't, dear. I won't!" Elissa smiled and waved as she watched Eleanor go back to the castle. She and Edith were such good friends, and since their age was approximately the same, Elissa knew Eleanor would always have a true friend.

Alistair was left alone with Elissa under that big tree. He knew what he had to say, but it had been seven years since they last talked, and that would be a bad conversation starter. So he just had to start with something else. "Soooo…"

"So…" Elissa replied with a circling movement of her head.

"It has been a long time!"

"Why are you here, Alistair?" Even though the question sounded a bit aggressive, her face was calm as water.

Alistair scratched his head. "Well, huh… That's a long story, actually. Would you like to take a walk?" He extended his left arm as an invitation for Elissa to grab him. Stupid, what are you doing? She will definitely slap you this time.

Elissa looked at his arm and with her right one she took it. Alistair let out the breath he was holding and Elissa chuckled. "You know, Alistair, it's not like I'll try to beat you up or something. You have my word."

"So that means you're not going to slap me, then?" Elissa smiled at Alistair's question. He didn't need an answer. "Good. That would just ruin this pretty face and then I wouldn't be the handsome king Ferelden has been accustomed to."

Elissa smiled and nodded, as he led her across the garden to its small walls that ran through the edge of the cliff. They walked alongside and they could see the ocean below.

Alistair decided to start from the beginning. "I tried to find you, you know. During the first two years Fergus said you weren't in Highever. So I decided to look for you in Amaranthine. I figured you would take your place as Warden Commander and Arlessa… But you weren't there. So I had the most awkward conversation with Leonie, the Orlesian Warden. I was pretty sure she was flirting with me!"

Elissa let out a clean, sweet laugh. Maker, he hadn't heard her laugh since forever!

"Do not laugh!" Alistair laughed himself. "It was not remotely funny! I still have nightmares about her!" It felt so natural for him to be around her. She was the only one who actually found his jokes funny. "Anyway, Fergus dropped that story meanwhile and just told me you didn't want me to know where you were… Why?"

She looked down. Should she tell him the truth? Could he handle it? Worse, could she say it aloud and face the truth? "I needed a break from… everything. I know it's selfish, but what happened in those two years was… too much. And if you just showed up, you would have reminded me of everything I've been through, when my only focus was to get over it, to forget, to let go." The truth would have to wait. Now wasn't the time.

Alistair took his arm off of hers and placed himself in front of her. "So what changed now? You don't look that sad."

"I've grown older. Time changes you, you know?" Elissa looked at the sea. "I learned not to lose my temper so easily. To be patient. Actually, all that was taught to me by that six-year-old you just saw." She chuckled.

"Lady Eleanor?" Alistair asked with a smile.

"Yes, Lady Eleanor."

Alistair remembered Fergus mentioning Edith, but nothing about Eleanor. Wasn't Eleanor their mother's name? "Fergus never told me he had two daughters."

Elissa blushed suddenly, and Alistair noticed. She coughed a bit before answering in a rush. "He doesn't."

"So wha-"

"You still didn't tell me why you are here." Elissa crossed her arms in front of her chest. What had Alistair done to provoke that change in her behavior?

"Is there somewhere more private we can talk?"

Doubt spread through Elissa's face. Private? What does he want? "The study, perhaps?"

Alistair nodded. "Lead the way."

Elissa spent a lot of time in the study lately. She did so because it was her favorite place to teach both young Edith and Eleanor about the Cousland family, just like her old tutor Aldous used to teach her. The girls, however, were not like Elissa herself when learning the family history. Luckily, they listened to her attentively, eager to know everything about every ancestor of theirs. Elissa used to trail off and didn't pay much attention, so in addition to teaching the girls, she was also learning a bit more.

The study was filled with books, a lot of them still open on the large wooden table. Elissa closed the door behind her and stared at Alistair. "Well, I guess this place is as good as any." Elissa felt restless all of a sudden: she was alone with Alistair. "Should I get some guards to watch the door?" She wasn't afraid of him or anything, she just wanted someone around so she wouldn't do or say anything remotely unwanted.

"I don't think that will be necessary. Unless you still keep spies around…?"

"I'll never understand why you were always picking on Zevran. He stood by us and proved himself a valuable ally."

Alistair laughed. "Yes! By picking locks and vanishing between darkspawn! And let's not forget his cocky compliments directed at you."

"So what bothered you the most, that he wasn't as effective in combat as yourself, or those cocky compliments?" Elissa had her arms crossed across her chest and a playful tone in her voice. A smirk appeared in her lips.

Alistair blushed. "I don't think it is necessary for me to answer. You already know what it was."

That line made Elissa more uncomfortable than she was expecting. Even though it had been seven years, her heart still ached whenever she thought about the great time they spent together – the light in all of that darkness. Alistair made such an impact on her she hasn't been able to be with anyone ever since. Alistair would have ended that sentence with a stupid joke or Here's someone who doesn't flirt as bad as Alistair were thoughts that often went through her mind every time she was with someone who could actually be interested in her. She knew she alone was ruining her chances at a new happiness, but she was more comfortable being by herself than being with someone and constantly comparing him to her first love. She put her hands on her waist and tried to escape the subject. "So you were about to tell me why you were here…"

Alistair was lost in memories, but her voice brought him back to reality. Zevran. Well, he had had a place in all of this. All that he had left was the hope that she would listen to him throughout.

"Right. So… I came here not only to fulfill my duty as king-"

"And what duty would that be, your Highness?" Elissa giggled as she said it.

"You know, traveling across the country, waving at the crowd, making young girls sigh. The usual." Alistair cleared his throat. Here it goes. "But beyond that, I came to talk to you. I… need your help."

Elissa began to worry. Needed her help? What did he mean? A sudden fear went through her mind as she remembered all the times they had fought against the darkspawn, as she remembered how afraid she was that either she or Alistair would die right there – obviously she was also scared for her other companions, but Alistair was her beloved. "My help?"

"Yes. You see, I need to go to Antiva. But I won't be there as king."

"So you will throw your title aside for…?" All that conversation was starting to take a strange route.

"I need to search the Archive of the Crows."

Elissa's jaw dropped. She was shocked - why on Thedas would he need to go there? "Are you out of your mind? A king in the Archive of- What?!" She couldn't believe he was actually serious.

"They have… information I need." Please, Elissa.

Everything about that conversation looked utterly suspicious to her. "What kind of information?" She crossed her arms again in front of her chest.

"Information about Maric."

"About Maric? What is there to know? He disappeared at sea. His ship probably sunk." She tried to shrug it off. Elissa wasn't sure what he wanted from her. Had he gone power mad? Why would he want to know about Maric?

Alistair let out a deep sigh. He looked at his feet, trying to choose the best words to explain to her why it was so important. "He may not have simply disappeared. There are papers in the Archive that may tell me where he is. I believe he was imprisoned by the Crows."

"And how do you know all this?"

"Zevran put me in touch with Claudio Valisti."

"Zevran?" Her mind trailed off to that mysterious elf. "Did you talk to him recently?"

"Well, we did not exactly talk. He sent me a message telling me that there may be proof that Maric is still alive, and told me where to send a message to speak to Claudio."

Her face looked disappointed, but all of a sudden the other name caught her attention. "Who is this Claudio, anyway?"

"A prince… and a member of the Crows."

Elissa couldn't believe him. "Really, Alistair?" Her hands kept going up and down, left and right, trying to make sense of what he had just said. "You're involved with the Crows now? Do you know what some people in Ferelden could do with that information?! Their king is making business with the Crows!"

"You're missing the point!" Alistair was beginning to feel desperate. "Elissa, if I do find King Marric, he'll take the throne!"

Elissa was speechless. What he was saying made no sense at all; he was putting himself in danger by going on a mad quest, searching for his long lost father – not because he wanted to save his father, but because his father would take the throne – Alistair's biggest burden – from him. What happened to him? He wasn't that selfish back then. Matter of fact, he was so focused on his duty and his country that he even sent her away – sort of.

"So let me get this straight," Elissa started, trying to calm down. Her words were slow and pondered. "You want to find King Maric because, if he comes back, he'll be Ferelden's righteous king?"

"Yes." Plain and simple.

Elissa looked straight into his eyes. "And what about you? You become Prince Alistair and start having less responsibilities?" Her words were like venom – not that she meant it, but she thought Alistair's plan, besides completely crazy, was also suicidal.

"Elissa, you have no idea how much being king has affected me over the years."

"So you try to take the easy way out? So much for executing Anora to avoid a rebellion! If Maric comes back, he will take the throne – that is assuming he's alive and in condition to actually take the throne – for a limited time, because he's not exactly young. Then you'll be forced to take the throne again, to die shortly after because of the Calling. And since no one has heard about any royal marriage and your bastard's nowhere to be found – and if Morrigan stays true to her word, he won't be found – you'll just leave Ferelden kingless, and I have no doubt this time there will be a civil war!" Elissa paused to see his reaction. Her words were certainly piercing through him – he knew how crazy this plan was, and he knew he was being selfish. "Not to mention that all these scenarios are only possible if you get out of this mad quest alive! What happens if you die out there?!" She was almost yelling. Elissa was sure that no matter what she said, he would go anyway, with or without her. But maybe, just maybe, he could listen this time.

"That's why I need you with me."

"Wait, so you want me to go with you?"

Alistair's voice turned to a whisper, "I hired some outside help. But you're the only one I can count on."

Elissa crossed her arms. "I believe Wynne and Oghren stayed in Denerim."

"Oghren still has that, well… drinking problem. And Wynne… She's not the same. Her friendly spirit is getting weaker, and so is she. I couldn't possibly… Please, Elissa." He was trying his best to convince her to go. He actually needed her. She was the only one he could trust right now. He wanted her there with him to bring him to reason, to watch his back like she always did. But she seemed so distant now. "I never wanted to be king. You know that. Do you know how lonely it gets, how people just want to be around you because you're royalty and you can provide for them? Do you know how it feels when people treat you nicely not because they want to, but because you're their king and they can fall into your good graces? Do you know how it hurts knowing that you don't actually have friends that care for you just for who you are?"

Elissa couldn't answer him. Part of her wanted to tell him it was like that because he wanted to, because he had sent her away. But the other part could understand what he was saying, as she only had her brother and his brother's wife, Mildred, to talk openly to.

"I'd rather be the bastard, stupid, old Alistair with his witty one-liners. Finding Maric is my only chance of changing that, to become at least part of what I was. If you could, wouldn't you change anything that happened in the last few years?"

Alistair knew his answer: if he knew he would be in this situation right now, he would never have sent her away. She was his best friend, at the very least, and being away from her hurt too much. He missed having someone around who laughed at his jokes, slapped him in the head every time he said something stupid, and that was there for him while he talked about all that troubled him – just like she was doing now.

Suddenly, the study door flung open. The little girl that was with Elissa only a few hours ago stepped in, face slightly annoyed but trying to hide a smile. She turned to Elissa.

"Mommy, you said you would come have tea with us and you didn't, and now your tea's cold!"

Eleanor's words struck Alistair. He felt he had no air in his lungs, and then all started to seem clearer: the familiarity in Eleanor's face – Elissa's traces; the reluctance in Elissa to accept his request – she didn't want to leave her daughter for a man that rejected her and probably now didn't mean anything to her. Elissa had a daughter.

Elissa picked Eleanor up, apologizing to her for forgetting her little tea party. She then turned to Alistair while she was leaving the room.

"No, Alistair," she answered him. "Anything that depended on me, I would not have changed."

She left Alistair alone in the study, and he watched the two Cousland girls walk away.