Five Years After
Set after Witch Hunt. Sari and Alistair lead Ferelden, but a Warden's job is never done.
Taking a deep breath Sari moved slightly towards the gate. From where she was she could watch Jeji's group and the dwarves making the final preparations. She glanced to the sky, it was just after midday, she'd had so little time to organise everything. Her mabari, Jimmy, walked beside her obediently, surveying the people just as intently as she did.
"I'm going to need you to be watching over Alistair." She told the hound.
He whined at her. Tilting his head to one side.
Looking to her left she saw Alistair walking towards her. There was a smile on his face. She felt her heart sink, "Oh Alistair." She whispered.
"Tell me everything you know about this contract."
"Everything?" Zevran asked.
"Yes, where you got it? Who you got it from? What-"
"Alright, alright! My usual contact sold me a piece of information concerning an information trail. After a very complex and, might I add, brilliant procedure in which I," He paused upon seeing her disapproving face, "A story for another time perhaps?"
She motioned for him to continue.
"I was led back to Denerim."
"Here?"
"Only to retrieve the contract you understand. Whoever wants Alistair dead used so many spies that each one had next to no information of any use. Had I been less experienced I could have chased the chain for months."
"So this doesn't actually help us?"
"Of course it does. It has told us that his life is danger. That is more than we knew yes? We also know how they plan to kill him and when by."
Sari scanned the scroll, "These markings?" She ran her finger over some of the strange symbols amid the text.
"Yes, these particular ones mean: A slow death within six months of the contract being accepted."
"Slow death? You're talking poison."
"Of course."
"They want people to believe he becomes ill and dies, to avoid suspicions."
"Yes, but the longer the contract the more chance of discovery."
"Even so, six months... I could be gone longer than that." She shook her head and let the scroll curl up in her hands, "I can't go can I? I can't leave him. Not now we know."
He stopped in front of her, his hands behind his back.
She blinked away the memory and a forced a smile, there was no point in worrying him.
Jimmy obediently sat by Alistair's side but watched his master carefully.
Before she could speak Alistair thrust a flower into her face. A rose. So that's what he'd been hiding in his hands. Her smile became real as she took it from him. He had taken to surprising her with a rose, at random intervals, ever since she had returned from searching for Morrigan.
"Alistair, where are you getting these roses from?" She stroked the petals, "They're beautiful. I think I'm going to have to search the palace grounds until I find where you are keeping these."
"I don't know, I kind of like you not knowing."
"You like keeping things from me?"
"No, that's not what I meant. I like surprising you."
"Consider me sufficiently surprised." She leant in and kissed him.
"You're sure that's a good idea?" Zevran took the scroll from her.
"What else would you have me do? I am a Warden, yes. But Alistair is my husband."
"There are two of us and two tasks. We each have similar skill sets. Except I have more of an affinity for poisons than you. And of course, you're much more adept at fighting Darkspawn."
"What exactly are you suggesting?" She frowned, "That I go and let you stay here to protect him?"
"Why? Is that such a bad idea?" He folded his arms across his chest, "Don't you trust me?"
"I trust you with my life." She answered without a pause.
"But not his."
She bit her lip. He was right. She didn't. "You don't understand what you're asking of me. Alistair is that which is most important to me. If something were to happen to him..." She straightened her chest piece as she forced back the tears, "Well let's just say: I don't know what I do."
"Sari, I give you my word. I will commit, fully, to which ever task you assign me and I will not consider either an insult."
"Thank you, Zevran."
"So, which is it to be? Am I to be trekking into the deep roads or to be watching over the King?"
Alistair stroked her cheek. She was unbelievably beautiful. How could she still seem this way even after all this time?
"I am going to miss you, Alistair." She pulled his hand from her face and kissed his fingers.
"And I you." He cleared his throat. "I saw Zevran was back. You haven't paid him to keep an eye on me have you?"
An hour or so had passed, she'd made the necessary arrangements. It had taken longer than she'd hoped. She clutched a small bag and turned round. Zevran was already stood in the doorway. She threw it at him.
"What's this?" He caught it and checked what was inside. His eyes widened, more money that he'd have thought could fit in such a small bag, "I can't take this."
"You can and you will. It's 200 sovereign. Take it for whatever reasons you can justify to yourself. As a pre-payment for protecting Alistair, a reimbursement for the scroll or as a reminder that money doesn't matter to me. I would gladly pay you more than double that if Alistair is safe when I return and the contract has... disappeared."
"You would bankrupt Ferelden for me?" He asked.
"That kind of money won't bankrupt Ferelden. Only me, but what use does a Queen have for money?" She tied up her hair as she spoke, "Don't tell Alistair if you can help it, he already worries enough as it is. With me gone I'm sure he'll struggle enough just being King."
"You don't have much faith in your beloved."
"That's not it at all. I said he'll struggle but I still believe he'll do fine. Alistair is a good King." She sighed, "Do you have what I asked?"
Sari smirked. "Well, you have to have at least one rogue about the palace don't you?"
"Of course, otherwise I'd get to think that the shadows were safe wouldn't I?"
Her light-heartedness faded. "Be careful."
"Me, be careful? You're the one going into the deep roads." He reminded her.
"Even so. I would hate to return and find you'd died of boredom whilst in court." Or something worse...
"Don't worry about me." He kissed her, "I'm serious, my love. I know what you're afraid of in the deep roads."
"Here." Zevran pulled a flask from his bag.
Sari took it and held up the strange liquid to the light. It had an almost reddish tint to it. "This will do what I need?"
"It should. But you sprung this on me a little quick. It's not as good as I'd like. It's only going to be effective for around two or three months. If you use it after that it won't be as potent. Also, you'll have to keep it topped up with water. Just don't add too much at a time, some of the ingredients are a little... volatile in water."
She raised an eyebrow but put the flask away nonetheless. "Thank you Zevran."
"I hope you don't have to use it."
"Me too." She moved to go past him, ready to join with the rest of the group.
"Don't forget your helmet." He said handing it to her and walking out of the door.
She had no response for him, other than, "I love you."
He kissed her one last time. "You know they already left. About five minutes ago."
She span round and shook her head. Great start.
Thanks for reading. Sorry it took so long. Please review!
More soon.