AN: Happy New Year! If you're in the Central Time, upon publishing this, there will be but a few minutes left for 2015. So I want to thank all my followers, favorites, and reviewers. This year, my first on FFNet, has been more than I could ever had wanted. Thank you so very much. Special shout outs to everyone that I know on here, you know who you are.
Now let's get on with this tale.
P.S. If there are enough requests, I could add a little smexy times between the Warden and Leliana. I wanted to add it here, but I wanted also to post it before 2015. Let me know, yeah?
"Welcome, my child." A sister welcomed the Warden. "Are you to attend today's reading of the Chant?"
"I'm afraid not, sister. I'm actually searching for a Brother Rein." Alixon replied.
"Ah," the woman said, knowledge filling her voice. "Let me get him for you."
"Thank you."
The young sister left the Warden. Alone, Alixon could only try to guess what all this was about. Shrugging, she waited for this Rein fellow. A few minutes passed, and a dark-skinned man approached the Warden. She stood straighter and nodded at his approach.
"Brother Rein?"
"You must be Alixon. Sister Leliana told me to expect you." The man said, his eyes glinting in the candlelight.
"Where is she?" Alixon asked.
"That I do not know. I do know, however, that I was instructed to give you this." He hands Alixon a piece of parchment, the same small size of the one the tavernkeeper gave her. "I hope you have a good day, Lady Cousland."
"How do you-" Brother Rein left, her question hanging from her tongue. A bit flabbergasted, she looks down at the note in her hands, the same neat script from before.
Last trick, my love. I promise this will all be worthwhile. Head to the Alienage; there is an elf there waiting for you by the elves' great tree. He'll call you out.
-Leliana
And yet another order. This was starting to get on Alixon's nerves. What was the need for all this? Why not simply tell her what they were up to? This little game was becoming slightly absurd.
But she would continue. Alixon Cousland never backed down from a challenge, and this was challenging how far her patience went, which was showing to be not as far as she thought. Alixon took a deep breath and exited the Chantry.
She walked through the narrow and dirty alleyways, passed by crowded homes filled with chatter and child laughter. Alixon had heard the stories of the Alienages, how poor they were. She had never imagined it was this bad. Some elves laid on the dirt, begging. Others tended to small shops, selling foods and other day-to-day things one may need.
At the center of it all stood their tree, proud and sturdy like the elven people. A few offerings laid aroubd the tree, flowers and trinkets. It was quite a sight for Alixon; she had never seen a tree so thick and old.
Tzz Tzz.
What was that, Alixon thought.
"Hey." Someone whispered.
Alixon turned around to face an elven boy, a teenager by the looks of it.
"Here," he said. "This note's for you." The boy handed the note to the Warden and ran. Again confused, Alixon looked down at the note and read it.
Aright, love. I believe you've suffered enough. Head back to the tavern.
-Leliana
They did all this just to have her go back to the tavern? Alixon was infuriated. How could they have ordered her to walk around all over Denerim just to have her go back to where she started? She wanted answers, and by the Maker she would get them.
She stomped out of the Alienage as quickly as her feet would take her without fully turning into a sprint. She stormed through the market until she reached the tavern. She threw the door open.
"What in the name of the Maker -! Oh..."
Her breathing stopped, her heart leaped, and her senses were overwhelmed. The entire dining area of the tavern was decorated with glass Orlesian ornaments and green garland. Small candles were placed everywhere to give the place a brighter look. The fireplace roared as the fire burned, warming the entire room. All her companions stood before her, grins on almost all of them.
"Surprise!" Alistair yelled. "Merry Andraste Day!"
Alixon was floored. She didn't move, didn't breath, didn't blink.
Leliana took a step forward, her face made into a slight frown. "You don't like it?"
That woke Alixon. She blinked quickly and looked at Leliana. "What? No, I... I love it! I can't believe my eyes. Did you truly did all this? How?"
Leliana took Alison's hands in hers, the frown turning into a smile. "Do not worry yourself over it, my Warden. For now, we will celebrate."
And they did. They ate, they talked, and they laughed to their heart's content. The other people of the tavern joined them, as did the tavernkeeper. In that instant, alongside her companions and the love of her life, Alixon felt that the world was fine.
Night came, and the laughter and ale began to settle down somewhat. Oghren and Alistair had a drinking contest. Both were now passed out on the floor. Wynne was conversing with Zevran, surprisingly not about her bosom. Morrigan and Sten were no where to be seen. It was just Leliana and Alixon, simply leaning against each other, speaking of nothing and everything.
After a while, Leliana pulled Alixon's arm lightly, motioning her to stand. She stood, tripped and almost fell flat on her face had Leliana not caught her somewhat drunk lover. They walked and stumbled upstairs to their room and sat at the edge of the bed. Alixon's eyes cleared then.
"Leliana," she began. "Thank you. For everything. I cannot tell you how much I love you, my love. I would be lost without you."
Alixon stared into her bard lover's naked eyes, almost looking into her very soul. What she saw there made her breath catch in her throat.
"Alixon. My Warden. The light in my life. I love you too. You saved me from my past, and I owe you much for it." The distance between them closed, and their lips met. Tonight, just for tonight, Alixon knew all was right in the world.