"Ungh..." I whispered in pain as I slowly regained some consciousness.
"Nymeria!" Fergus gasped as he stopped the horse to check if I was alright. "My dearest sister, it is not long till we reach Denerim. Just hold on a little longer."
"A..."
"Alistair..." I murmur as I trail back to unconsciousness.
- Meanwhile at Denerim -
"BAM!" Resounded within the castle walls as Zevran bursts through the doors. The guards unsheathe their weapons and surround him.
"ALISTAIR!" Zevran shouts with the last of his breath before collapsing to his knees.
"Zevran?! What are you doing here?" Alistair replies in a shocked tone as he makes his way through the armed guards. "Guards! Sheath your weapons! Imagine what the Queen would say when she hears you laid a scratch upon her former companion?" At those words the guards immediately sheathed their weapons and knelt down in apology to Zevran.
"Nymeria..." Zevran coughed out as he strived to get his message across.
"What about her?!" Alistair said as his voice raised in concern.
"She collapsed on her way... here. She insisted that we travel a bit further... so that we reached here earlier. Teyrn Fergus... he is taking her here as we speak... kuhk!" Zevran started to cough up everything that was in his stomach as his body tried its best to calm down.
- Back to Nymeria and Fergus -
"Ny! I can see the gates up ahead!" Fergus was shouting into my ear as I slowly opened my eyes to see the big gates looming over us. All I could think of at that moment was my smelly cheese loving idiot of a husband who was running the country.
"Who goes there?" Asked one of the gate guards towards Fergus.
"Teyrn Fergus Cousland and Queen Nymeria Theirin" Fergus yelled in reply.
"Th-The Queen! and her brother too!" Both the guards standing next to each other become flustered as the open the gate for us.
As we make our way into the city and then onto the castle gates Alistair is waiting outside with doctors ready to take me inside. "Alistair..." I whisper as Fergus passes me to him. "Nymeria, my love. Calm down, I've got you so you'll be fine." I wonder when he became so mature compared to the grey warden who let a junior warden lead him and was scared of 'swooping'. Ah, but he smelled nice... it always did reassure me when I was close to him, able to really understand that he was mine and that this wasn't a dream I was dreaming back in the Highever Castle Cousland.
- Two mornings later -
"... meria"
"Nymeria!"
As I open my eyes the first thing I see is Alistair's big head staring into them.
"Alistair!" I shout as I reach my arms out around his figure, only to be pushed back down by him.
"You stupid wife! Don't make me worry like that!" My expression turned from the joy of seeing him to a surprise that showed this was the first time he had raised his voice at me. I grabbed his left hand and held it tightly to my chest as I did my best to explain what had happened. "I... I'm sorry, Alistair. What choice do I have? With the grey wardens it is 'Duty First, Nymeria Second'! It was always like that! Ever since Duncan took me out of that castle on father's orders!" Tears started to flow excessively from my eyes but what stopped them was the stern look Alistair was giving me. I knew it, as soon as I mentioned Duncan he would loose his cool... however, this time it was different... he just stared at me the whole time like we were the only people in the whole world.
Finally, he broke the silence that had seemed to be never ending. "Forgive me, my Queen. I am the one at fault here as well. I neglected duty as a grey warden to take up Kingship over this country. I left the duty to you because I knew at least one of us had to go and you were the better out of us." I listened quietly while also watching a single tear drop onto the silk bed sheets. "Will you forgive me?" Another tear drops and I follow its path along his face with my eyes. Ah, I must say something here...
"Alistair... I love you and would follow your orders unconditionally... even though it was I who gave them many a time on our journey." At this, Alistair smiles and wipes away any remaining tears and worry along with them.
Knock! Knock!
Regaining composure and his Kingly aura, Alistair replied to the knocking, "Enter!" With one word he could command armies and open any door with this country... I liked this new Alistair. Although many would not understand the difference from before, I will always be able to tell anything that changes when concerning him. Oh, how I longed to be in his embrace and feel his warm heart beating from his chest. Ah, but I digress once again.
The double doors of the master bedroom swung open and two doctors emerged. From what Alistair had just murmured to me quietly, these were the doctors who had looked after me while I laid unconscious.
"Your Highnesses, please forgive our impetuousness but we understand that you would like to be notified on the event of any problems concerning Her Highness. My lady, it seems that you have been over working and under feeding yourself. It is a surprise that you were able to make it as far as you did, in addition to your...Ahem... 'grey warden' blood." I laid there in surprise until Alistair ruffled my hair in reassurance that he had had to disclose personal grey warden information to them as he was the King.
"Doctors, please leave us. We have much to discuss, if you insist you may check on her later but now is not a good time." Alistair said as he dismissed the two doctors.
"Of course, your Grace. Long live the Grey Warden King and Queen of Fereldan." As they left, the guards on the other side of the door bowed and closed the door. They continued to guard it as if their lives were at stake.
- Behind the guarded doors -
"Nymeria... what have you been doing to yourself?" Alistair said to me in a concerned tone.
I replied in turn: "Doing my best as Commander of the Grey Wardens... "
"I am asking seriously, how did you let your body get to this state?"
"I did my best to get matters finished quickly at Amaranthine but the work never ended. Everyday I felt so far from you and as I realised I wouldn't be able to see you for some time... I gradually lost my will to eat." I could see the concern simply emanating from him but still continued. "My outward appearance had to remain that of a strong commanding officer and leader or the men and women would loose faith in me. However, no matter how much I ate when dining at dinner, it was all later expelled from my mouth when away from prying eyes. It simply would not stay within me when I ate and so I had much less strength than I had had from our adventuring days."
"H-Had I known-"
"You would have what? Moved the entire army for me?" I replied in a slightly angry tone.
"You know I would do anything for you, my love!"
"Precisely why you, nor anyone else, was informed of this! You had your own duties to attend to!" I spoke loudly, as if it was almost a shout. I had to get my feelings and way of thinking into his head so he could understand where I was coming from.
"..." Alistair sat on the side of the bed speechlessly for some time. It made me wonder how much he had to worry about without me arriving in such a state. Ah, that was it... he cared for me so much that he was angry. I started laughing in my mind as I realised that he was still the same hopelessly innocent man in romance as he was when we first met. I guess I felt relieved that he still needed my help with something. Closing my eyes for roughly the millionth time that day, I drifted into the fade.
"Fire!" A strong voice called out from into the distance. The temperature was rising... the blur of sleep started to reveal the colours of what seemed to be a fire.
Eyes widening, my body responded on its own. Initiating the 'fight or flight' sequence within me. As a warrior I would be proud if I could say I fought... however, this faded reality showed a different outcome... a 'flight' outcome. Usually in such a circumstance that would mean I would be running away, but then why was my body moving away from the ground in a northerly direction? White feathers drifted down to the earth all around me. I looked left, then right... and in my amazement saw a bright pair of angelic white wings pulling my entirety upwards.
"Oh Maker, please let this be a dream."
I reopened my eyes to find my reality the way it was when I went to sleep. I could neither tell whether it was a good or bad dream, however I edged closer to it being a bad one.
Possibly from the fact that my face was going slightly pale, Alistair wrapped his arms around my shoulders and pulled me into an embrace. "Good morning, my love." He whispered softly into my ears which made me blush a bright pink.
"Alistair... I want to go outside." His face showed an emotion similar to possessiveness when I said those words. It was the first time I had seen it before but decided to shrug it off for now. "I can't stay inside forever... and I don't see a problem since you'll be there with me, right my dear?" I pleased to him while pouting because I knew he could never say 'no' to a request of mine.
"We can do that later, in the meanwhile you need to eat. We will be eating with your brother and Zevran. Any objections?" He had me. Of course I couldn't refuse to dine with my elder brother and the elf who made himself sick trying to get here ahead of me.
"None, my King." As I said that he simply kissed my forehead and left the room for me to prepare. Even though we are husband and wife... we haven't spent much time together and such things still become unusual done in the other's company. Even if we seem like a weird couple and I am portrayed as the mastermind behind the King controlling him, I don't care... these are my true feelings... I would do anything to be able to stay by his side, even if had to kill another Archdemon...
My feet start to loose balance as I remember that night. The night I asked my beloved to sleep with another woman. My head is turning... vision is blurring... "Al..i...stair..." I call out before my consciousness fades and my lifeless looking body falls to the ground.
"Nymeria, darling. You must wake up now." Calls an unknown voice to my ears.
Wait... was it unknown? To use the word 'darling' this voice could not be unknown... The voice gets louder and resounds within my mind.
"Nymeria. If you don't wake up, everything will be lost!" The voice resounded in a much louder tone but a touch of concern for me could be felt.
My eyes open onto Alistair's face, which can be said as a wonderful way to wake up but I was too shaken to analysis that as I usually would have. My body temperature was beginning to rise and I knew something wasn't right. Alistair had noticed my discomfort and decided to ask what was wrong. "Nymeria? Is something wrong?" Alistair said in a tone full of worry.
I got up and run out of the castle as fast as I could... I could tell something was about to happen. "Nymeria!" Alistair shouted as he run out after me. I didn't know exactly where I was running but I could feel which direction I had to go. Had my mind not been completely zoned out then I would have stopped to look behind me and laugh out in an un-lady like manner. The King had nearly caught up and there was a mass of guards trailing behind him.
My feet gradually slowed to a halt and I found myself standing outside the Alienage. My mind regained its hold on reality and I noticed Alistair standing beside me with his arms around me. The guards had also caught up and were standing around us.
"Your Highnesses!" Yelled one of the guard captains.
"The Alienage... a fire has started within." I said in a soft voice that only Alistair could hear. His face went from his usual smug smile into a face that expressed his curiosity and then his shock. As soon as he had seen smoke rising from the Alienage he knew I was right.
"Guards! Into the Alienage to help put out the fire!" Alistair yelled to the guards. "Nymeria... we will discuss this later so I would like you to return to the castle. After having just recovered and with such events as this, I will not risk you any more harm." As much as I wished to protest against his orders, I knew it was impossible. My own feet went against my will to follow his orders. I guess I no longer wished to cause him worry... and anyway, he will come back to the castle after it's settled.
Oh, plus Fergus is in the castle! Father was the only one who ever knew this, but when something bad was happening when I was little I would always run to big brother Fergus. I know this may sound bad but I'm glad that out of anyone who could have survived the attack on Highever that he was it. My thoughts begin to stop as I realise my feet have brought me home. Home? Ah yes, Denerim Castle.
As I approach the castle gates, two guards walk towards me. "Who are you?" One inquired in a loud tone while the second remained silent. I was surprised by the question as I was wearing one of my red velvet dresses adorned with golden lace that Alistair had specifically made for one of my birthdays, much to my surprise at his good taste in women's garments. As I stood there for a moment longer with a look of regality and nobleness, I realised that the guard who dared to question who I was may be a new recruit and that while we were out at the Alienage that the guards would have changed. The second guard, walking a little closer, realised who I was.
"F-Forgive us!" He said in a shaken manner while also forcing the recruit to bow. "He is just a new recruit-"
"I figured as much. So let me make this clear to your new recruit now then... I am Nymeria Theirin. Queen and Hero of Fereldan, Grey Warden Commander and former lady of the Cousland Highever Castle. Any questions?" While saying it I realised that I would be scaring the new recruit, and I had. It may be a bit cruel but I would not have someone undermine what I worked hard to earn.