Upon walking into the infirmary the following morning, Wynne could not help but smile as she saw two of them laying together, Alex' arms wrapped around Leliana's slim frame protecting her from the world. It was a welcome site to the death and destruction she was used to being with Alex, sadly the Warden had her duties and love could not afford to hold her back. Hesitantly she walked up to the cot and gently shook Alex's shoulder without much success.
"Captain," she hissed getting nothing but a groan in response, "Captain Cousland," she tried again shaking the shoulder harder, "ugh Warden Captain Alexandra Cousland," she said more harshly but in a whisper trying to not wake her patient's sleeping companion.
"Huh wha-?" came the startled response before she glanced down in puzzlement as to why her left arm was not moving. Seeing Leliana next to her caused a warm smile to spread across her face, unlike her morning after cocky smirks, this one was filled with tenderness and love. "Thanks Wynne," she whispered turning away from Leliana and to the nurse, a playful glare in her eye "for Leli, not waking me up."
Shaking her head Wynne began to unwrap the gauze to reveal a perfectly healed wound with virtually no visible scar. "Good thing Wardens have superior healing abilities." She noted.
"I suppose," she replied quietly, trying not to wake up the woman sleeping besides her, "does this mean my ass needs to go back on duty?"
"Yes."
"Oh…I don't want to wake her," Alex responded lamely.
"You may be commanding officer, Alex. But you can't slack off with duty because you found a lost love." Releasing another sigh Alex covered her eyes with her right arm. "I'll be back to duty when she's awake. And Wynne, I'm going to ask her to stay in my tent with me, until this mission is over," the Warden's tone was that of one were argument would be futile, staring into the soldier's cold blue eyes Wynne nodded then left to carry on her duties. Skillfully Alex untangled herself from Leliana's hold on her and began donning her uniform and a new ballistic vet before leaning to place a kiss on her bed partner's head. Nudging a sleeping Jerry with a foot, the two quietly walked out, not before Alex stole a glance back smiling.
"How nice of you to join us Captain," Anders' cheery voice rang out as his commanding officer strode forth. Alex grunted in response before pulling her helmet off squatting to address the company she was in charge of.
"Alright guys, we're gonna be on a scouting mission. 800 yards, North side, approximately 220 minutes. It shouldn't be too bad, but prepare for anything. Remember shoot first ask questions later I don't plan on losing a single one of you today. Also this mission will consist of the entire company. Meaning if Alistair or anyone of higher rank gives you an order, you better fuckin' listen, or you'll be fighting butt naked. Capiche?"
A chorus of 'yes captain' was received before Alex slammed her helmet back on her head telling her men to meet back in ten minutes.
"Alistair! A word with you please?" he nodded ducking into Alex's tent, Jerry close on their heels. The loyal mabari would follow either soldier into battle without hesitation; his loyalty had never been challenged. When a fire broke out and the flames engulfed Alistair, the war hound risked his life to pull his master's best friend from certain death, earning him a whole new respect for the hound rose from the other Wardens. Even the greenest of recruits knew that to mess with Jerry was like dancing on the edge of a volcano nude, it was certain death waiting to happen. If Alex loved anything more than her Mabari, it would be damn most important thing to mankind and its survival, because no one interferes with that dog and his master.
"I'm going to ask her to stay with me until this mission is over," she blurted out the second her brother in arms stepped foot into her tent. Alistair stood there in shock blinking in response, blushing Alex repeated herself much slower letting him comprehend her words.
"Ah," he replied lamely, "good luck with that. What about after the mission? You can't take her everywhere you know. Besides the return of the Darkspawn is not a good sign. You'll be called out to duty more often. And remember Christina? That didn't work out too well…"
"I know…but I can't afford to lose her again. I'll talk it over with her, but last night having her in my arms without any sex? That was an amazing feeling I want that again. And honestly, if we tried, like actually tried, we could make a relationship work out," she stared off distantly a ghost of a smile on her lips, "enough of this, let's see if we can take out more of those bastards."
Hours later a groggy Leliana finally awoke only to discover that she was alone on the cot, a thin blanket covering her. Frowning she threw the covers off, getting out of bed in search of the old nurse to find out where the soldier went. Despite being squished on a cot made for one person with Alex, Leliana felt like it was the first night of peacefulness in the two years she had been on the run. Her constant fear of the Orlesian Secret Service and the mafia made sleep in hotels weary and the constant glancing over the shoulder made her look schizophrenic-although paranoia was being to become evident. The Warden's strong arms offered her the protection she had sought for the past ten years. The evacuation was evident as Leliana moved around the Chantry without pushing or squeezing past anyone. She had to admit, for a reputation of blood thirsty, gory seeking fighters, the Wardens were quite organized and had a plan for nearly everything instead of making up things as they went along.
"Wynne, where has Alex gone?" she asked approaching the nurse who sent a young boy on his way once tending to a cut on his leg.
"She is on active duty, Leliana. They're on a scouting mission, her and her whole team. News from Ostagar came in and it doesn't sound good," a worried look crossed her face as she continued, "Wardens are being wiped out by the dozens, if General Mac Tir doesn't provide back up, the future looks grim. Word has it word has been sent to the Empress of Orlais asking for some of the Chevaliers to aid us. But nothing is certain, the lines at Ostagar have been somewhat broken, Alex must destroy any scouting hostiles to ensure Lothering isn't completely destroyed. I do not know when she'll return, but I know she'll want to speak with you."
The red head merely nodded sorrow etched across her porcelain face. How stupid could she be? Did she truly expect Alex to drop her duty because they found each other? The broke up because of her decision to become a Grey Warden. The Couslands were a line of proud honorable warriors and nobles, from generation to generation they were taught duty above all else. And if anybody knew that concept inside and out it was Alexandra Anne Cousland. Her family's lineage and honor was what brought their teenage relationship to an end. Now that they were adults perhaps a relationship could bloom again. "Until they return do you need help with tending to patients? I'm no doctor but I know a bit."
Wynne nodded leading the younger woman towards the line of cots, distress carved on both of their faces.
"Take it down! Take it down!" Alex shouted frantically as she released a storm of bullets towards the twelve foot monster: ogre, that's what the drawings of old said it was. The creature was huge, the horns added at least another four or five feet to it. And boy was it nearly impossible to kill. Alex alone had gone through nearly three clips of ammo –all rounds struck the monster- and the ogre barely seemed fazed.
Combing through the forest set the Wardens on edge, they could feel the light pressure from the darkspawn but could not determine, exactly where they lingered or how many were present. Alex's frustration was clear when broke her Company up into three sub-units determined to flush the scouts out. Team beta encountered a group of fifteen and easily took them out, but when the Ogre and twenty more darkspawn ambushed them all hell broke through as three men were killed and Daveth critically wounded. The frantic shouts being radioed to Alex terrified as she ordered her team and gamma to back up the rest of her squad. After going through another magazine and having another one of her men go down, the ogre and darkspawn were eliminated.
"We need to move out now if you want him to live," Anders stated, the cheerfulness in his voice gone as he frantically worked to save Daveth's life, as the man lay groaning in agony.
Alex nodded, surveying the area, the ground was stained with blood and empty shells along with discarded clips, trees uprooted and destroyed. One of her men lay a bloody pulp while the others were filled with enemy bullets. "Jerry, go back, nudge Wynne she'll know it's an emergency," without hesitation the Mabari bolted off.
"Grab the fallen, we're going back. Lothering needs to be evacuated today. I'm not risking any more lives. And I'm sure as hell aren't leaving these good men to rest with this filth," she snarled in disgust nudging a darkspawn with her boot. Perhaps this could be a Blight like the tales of old, when the Wardens had Griffon mounts and dragons were battled by the bravest of warriors, heroes got the girl, and Kings were gallant. Sadly, those were just stories, this was the real world, people got shot and died, politicians schemed into reelection and sent the soldiers to do their dirty work and the hero didn't get the girl. And frankly to her, real life sucked, she would get rewarded, maybe become Major Cousland and earn a medal or two, but that didn't matter to her; if she could, she'd trade it all in to have those three heroes alive. Her team was one of the most decorated Company of Grey Wardens, but such an honor came at a price. The high risk missions she accepted were rewarded handsomely but the price paid for the honors were greater. In five years Alex alone lost over one hundred men all in the sake of glory.
This mission, I will lose no more than ten if need be I will finally sacrifice myself. All in the name of honor and glory.
"Alex!" turning the Warden saw a flash of red running towards her, opening her arms she caught the Orlesian, not caring about the stares as she felt her legs wrap around her middle. "Oh Alex…"
"Come on, let's go to my tent," she muttered setting Leliana down, "corporal, tell everyone to clean up and relax tonight." The man gave a curt nod before carrying out his order.
"Oh Alex, Wynne told me that things aren't looking good! That the lines at Ostagar have been broken. Does that mean you'll be sent there?" Leliana rambled pacing in Alex's tent as the soldier sat at her makeshift desk head in her hands breathing deeply. She was captain damnit! The mission should have been done within a day or two with no casualties. But this...this wasn't worth becoming a Major; she was going to lose Leliana again it was inevitable.
"Stay with me." She muttered stopping the Orlesian in her tracts, as she spun on her heel to regard the Warden.
"What?"
"Stay with me. I need you. I'll protect you from everything," she was standing now, the cold blue eyes fixed on Leliana a pleading look on her face in hopes of getting the Orlesian to stake up her offer.
"Alex…" she trailed off not sure how to respond. Of course she wanted to be with Alex! But the timing was all wrong. A war with the once thought-to-be-extinct-darkspawn seem inevitable and there was no doubt Alex would be forced to serve for her country yet again. Was following a soldier all across Ferelden worth it? It would be the safest thing, but also the most dangerous.
"Please…" Alex pleaded again closing the distance between them leaning down to rest her forehead against Leliana's, arms encircling the slim waist, "I want to wake up with you in my arms. Die knowing I did at least one thing right during my ten years of service" she muttered keeping her eyes closed. Her head slid down into the crook of Leliana's neck where she nuzzled the soft hair and pressed a kiss to the slender neck.
"I need you."
Leaning back she grasped Alex's head forcing those hypnotic eyes to look into her own clear blue ones.
"Yes."
It was all Alex needed, without a second to spare she crashed her lips to Leliana's slipping her tongue into the other woman's mouth as the redhead moaned brining her arms around her Warden's neck. Wasting no time Alex began walking Leliana back towards her bed, breaking their kiss to remove the Orlesian's shirt before gently pushing her down onto the mattress, slowly climbing on top, reclaiming those lips in another searing kiss. Drawing back she offered a small smile as she stared into those cobalt eyes.
"I never stopped loving you." Alex whispered leaned back down to kiss the slender pale neck, "always loved you."
Leliana felt her breath catch, a slow smile spread across her face at the soldiers words.
"Oh Alex," she whispered back, reaching her hands up to tangle into the cropped hair before surrendering to the passion.
Woohoo! An update! Sorry for grammar and spelling, I do not have a beta. Also I know it's a bit heavy on romance, but I'm a hopeless romantic so sue me haha.
I'm not too sure where this story is exactly going but I do not think I will follow the story line (this is set in the future after all!). I have a few ideas for chapters, and once my quarter is finished I will have a month off of school!
Thanks to those who have reviewed, favorite and are watching this story!