After the king left the room, Zynalla could barely breathe. She couldn't believe she had fallen right at his feet. Nothing had ever happened to her before that was quite as embarrassing as this. And just when things had seemed to be going well. Her family was never going to believe her when she told them she met the king and he had actually spoken to her. Torin was still talking to Kellin so Zy picked up some napkins and went over to clean up the oatmeal that she had thrown on the floor when the cup had gone flying from her hand. Luckily, it had been almost empty so it wasn't a big mess. She was still mentally flaying herself and ready to be sent back to the kitchens when Torin broke the silence between them.

"It wasn't that big a deal, you know. It was an accident," Torin said.

Zy looked up at him disbelievingly. "I'm sure the king wants a graceless elf taking care of his son," she said scathingly.

"I think he quite likes elves. At least I know one he really does," Torin said with a smile.

"Oh, right," replied Zy, now really feeling like a fool. She decided her best course of action was just to keep her mouth shut.

"I like elves," added Kellin helpfully.

Torin just laughed. "Go ahead and load everything back up on the tray and put it outside the door in the hallway. One of the staff will be by later to return it to the kitchens," Torin told her. Zy proceeded to clean up the breakfast dishes, re-make the prince's bed, and generally pick up while Torin helped Kellin clean his teeth, wash up, and get his boots on.

Torin stuck his head out the door and called Corporal Ross into the room, informing the other two men on duty to stay and guard the rooms so no one could enter them while they were gone. "Now, Corporal Ross will lead. Mistress Zynalla, if you would be so kind as to take Kellin's hand and walk with him, I will follow behind," Torin said.

Zy held out her hand to the young boy, and he didn't have any reservations about taking it. He grasped her hand firmly and led her out the door and down the hallway behind the corporal. "Let's go, 'Nalla," he said excitedly. "I want to see Mamae!" He was racing ahead of her and pulling her down the hallway, almost past the corporal in front of them.

"Kellin," she said sharply and then modulated her tone. "Please, don't yank on me. I will come with you, but let's walk together calmly."

Kellin made a face, but said, "Yes, 'Nalla." He slowed down and walked beside her. "You'll like my mamae. She's the bestest one in the whole world."

Zy wasn't sure she was up to encountering both of the prince's parents in one day, especially if meeting his mamae went as well as the introduction to his father. She glanced back at Torin with alarm in her eyes.

Torin took pity on her. "You can wait outside the door if you really want. You don't have to go in with us," he offered.

Zy let out her breath in relief. When they reached Elandria's rooms, Torin sent Corporal Ross to the kitchens for his meal break and then took Kellin in to see his mamae while Zy waited beside the door for them. Zy was glad to wait outside as she could hear the voices of quite a few people in the room. She imagined that with the wedding this afternoon that Kellin's mamae was being attended to by all her friends. Zy was standing down the hallway just a bit from the door and was busy trying to remember all the nursery rhymes she knew so she could tell them to the prince. She wasn't paying any attention to her surroundings or the people passing her in the hallway.

"Girl, I said, what are you doing just standing around?" a harsh voice broke into her thoughts.

Zy looked up the passage to see a large human woman bearing down on her.

"Why are you loafing around up here?" asked the woman. "There is plenty of work to be done on the first floor before this afternoon. Get yourself down there now," she ordered.

Zy bobbed a small curtsey. "I'm sorry, Mistress. I'm to wait here for the young prince," she said in her soft voice.

"And I'm the Hero of Ferelden," said the woman. "Get your lazy butt back to work right this instant."

"I-I'm sorry," stammered Zy, "But I really can't. The prince is inside his mamae's room here and I'm to wait for him."

"No more lies, girl," said the woman as she cruelly gripped Zy's arm and started to pull Zy along behind her.

Zy wrenched her arm away and ran for the door that Kellin and the guardian had disappeared through. She hurriedly knocked before the woman could grab hold of her again.

Torin had been staying as far away from the group of women who were crowding around Elandria as he could. He just didn't understand this fascination women had for weddings. He was leaning against the wall by the door as Kellin was fussed over and petted. Therefore, when the knocking started, he turned to answer it.

He opened the door and was greeted by the sight of a human woman dressed in the palace uniform holding Mistress Zynalla's arm firmly at what had to be a painful angle as she started forcing her down the hallway.

"Let go of her," he barked at the woman.

The woman, surprised at Torin's appearance and tone of voice, let go of Zy's arm. Zy rubbed it with her other hand as she scooted over to stand by Torin.

"What's the problem?" he asked, looking at Zy, not realizing how intimidating the tattoos on his face made his frown look.

"Mistress wishes me to help with the work downstairs. I tried to tell her that I was to wait here for the prince," said Zynalla.

Torin looked at the woman, "Who are you?" he asked.

The woman was a little taken back at this elf's attitude and body language, but with a sinking feeling she realized who he must be, especially with the tattoos and daggers on his back. The talk of the wild elf who was the prince's personal guard had quickly traveled through all the servants in the palace. "I'm Mistress Alma," said the woman. "I'm in charge of the maids."

"This girl isn't a maid," said Torin. "She is assigned to the prince. She will not be accompanying you anywhere."

By this point, Elandria had noticed that Torin was occupied in the hallway and had come to investigate the situation. "Torin, is something wrong?" she asked from just inside the door to her room.

"It's okay, Elandria," he replied. "I'll take care of this."

"All right," she said, but stayed standing where she was.

Alma's face went pale as she realized exactly how badly she had misjudged the situation with the girl she had thought was simply goofing off. "Fine," Alma said. "I'll just be getting back to my own work now."

"Very well," said Torin and he turned away in dismissal.

Alma was taken off guard by his abruptness. She had never had an elf act like this around her before as she only had experience with the subservient alienage elven servants in the palace. Someone needs to take him down a peg or two, she thought as she moved down the hallway.

Zy couldn't believe her luck this morning. First falling in front of the king and now this.

"What was that about?" Elandria asked Torin.

Torin said. "This is Mistress Zynalla. She started this morning in helping to take care of Kellin. It seems that one of the other servants wanted her help elsewhere and was being rather insistent. Mistress Zynalla, this is Elandria, Kellin's mamae."

Zy was even more flustered meeting her than she was the king. The Hero of Ferelden! She was a legend in the alienage. After the Blight, the Denerim Alienage had been proud to claim her as one of their own. Zy started to drop into a deep curtsey.

Elandria said, "None of that now. You don't curtsey to me and no 'my Lady' nonsense either. It's Elandria or Warden, if you prefer."

Zy stopped awkwardly in mid motion and returned to a standing position, not sure what she should say. Elandria turned and called for Kellin. She draped her arms around his neck affectionately as he came over and leaned against her.

"Are you being a good boy for Mistress Zynalla and Torin, today?" she asked.

Kellin smiled sheepishly up at his mamae, "Sort of," he answered honestly.

Elandria looked at Zy questioningly.

Zy cleared her throat and said barely above a whisper, "He didn't want to have his breakfast, but he did eat it eventually."

"It was oatmeal, Mamae. Yucky," he said earnestly.

Elandria laughed. "I know you don't like it. Perhaps, we can send down and let the kitchen know what you really prefer for breakfast. Let me think…hum," Elandria pretended to concentrate. "It couldn't be PANCAKES, could it?"

The little boy giggled and yelled, "Yes!"

Zy smiled in spite of herself.

"Elandria!" Wynne called. "Come on, we need to start getting you ready."

"Coming, Wynne," she answered in a long-suffering tone. "Mistress Zynalla, it was nice to meet you. I'm sure I'll be seeing more of you.

"Just Zynalla, please or Zy," she replied. "It was an honor to meet you."

Elandria smiled at Zy and then moved back into the room taking Kellin with her.

Once Elandria was gone, Torin looked over at Zynalla with a grin on his face, "I don't know who gets into more trouble, you or Kellin."

"It wasn't my fault," said Zy blushing. "I was just standing by the door waiting like I was supposed to."

Torin was still grinning as he said, "Let's head to the stables. Hopefully, you can stay out of trouble there."

After the wedding was over, Torin took Kellin and headed back to their rooms where Zynalla was waiting. Luckily, their jaunt to the stables and back had gone without a hitch. She and Kellin were now firm friends as they had checked all the horses in the stable, and Zy had to admit that Halla's nose was indeed the softest. Zy wanted the guardian to understand that she wasn't trouble and that she was a dependable person he could rely on to help with the prince. Zy was to accompany them to the reception later that evening to help keep an eye on Kellin during the event. He was being allowed to go for a bit before his bedtime as a treat and also to allow him to interact with the assembled guests. As much as Elandria hated the idea of political motives affecting Kellin's life, she knew there were certain things that just had to be done because of who he was. Torin had apologized for keeping Zynalla late this evening and explained he didn't expect her to work such long hours everyday. Zy had quickly brushed aside his concern by commenting it was much easier work than she was used to in the kitchens.

As Alistair and Elandria left the small Chantry in the palace where the ceremony had taken place, she couldn't stop smiling up at her new husband. He held tightly to her right hand as if he would never let her go. Elandria couldn't quit playing with the simple gold band that Alistair had placed on her left hand during the ceremony. She kept rubbing it with her thumb as if to make sure it was really there. She was as happy today as she had ever been. She just couldn't believe she was really Alistair's wife and nothing could ever come between them again.

Alistair knew how lucky he was. If circumstances hadn't happened in just the right order and at just the right times, he never would have been able to marry Lanie and retain the throne, but the important thing was they had and he did marry her. She was his from this day forth, and no one would ever be able to keep them apart again. When the wedding had started and she had walked up the aisle to him, he thought she had never looked more beautiful. She had almost taken his breath away with her smile.

The contrast between his two marriage ceremonies had been striking. His wedding to Briana had been an affair of state with all the pomp and circumstance that had called for. They had made grand formal promises to each other in front of what had seemed like half the country and had been married by the Grand Cleric herself. At the time, he'd had every intention of honoring those promises he had made to Briana, but circumstances had changed those intentions. The vows he made today to Lanie were simpler, those from a man to a woman instead of a king to a queen, but to him, they carried more meaning. Every word they had spoken had rung with the honesty of their feelings for each other, and they had both had unshed tears in their eyes when Sister Theohild had pronounced them man and wife. He thought even Eamon was happy for him today.

Since the wedding itself had been private, Alistair's household staff had arranged a special informal gathering before the main reception that night. Those invited included only the upper reaches of the nobility such as Fergus Cousland, Teyrn of Highever; Ranald Stewart, Teyrn of Gwaren; Arl Wulff, Arl Bryland, Arl Teagan, Arl Vaughn and their families.

Eamon was chatting lightly with Arl Wulff when Alistair and Elandria walked in. He thought that they made a nice-looking couple as her petiteness and mane of blonde hair contrasted nicely with Alistair's build and his darker coloring. There had obviously been some planning done between the servants who dressed them because Elandria's blue, red, and silver was matched by Alistair's silver and blue attire. Eamon was worried about this marriage and whether Elandria would really be accepted as Alistair's wife, but he had noticed how happy Alistair had seemed since she had re-entered his life. He hoped that for Alistair's sake things would go smoothly for the pair.

First person Elandria

As I walked into what Alistair and I were jokingly calling "the nobles' reception" on Alistair's arm, that's when it truly became real to me. Alistair and I were married with all the rights and duties that state conveyed. In all the whirl the last few days, I had put off thinking about what it meant or what my life would be like afterwards. I had honestly been expecting that something would stop the wedding at the last minute. I was amazed it had gone off without a hitch.

As I turned my gaze across the sea of faces looking at us, a few other realizations hit me. Alistair and I had touched on this in our talk the other night, but it hadn't really sunk in until now. For the first time in my life, I really had no position except for what Alistair decreed for me; I filled no job or function in the palace except to make the king happy. The past years we had been separated Alistair had spent growing into his role as king while I had lived quietly in isolation with the Dalish and rearing our son. Even my role as Kellin's mother would be diminished as he would be raised to be a prince and a king, and my skills would not be appropriate for what he needed to learn to satisfy those expectations. Yes, I could insist on the Warden title, but was I really a Warden anymore if I wasn't working for the order and killing darkspawn? I wasn't a mage of the Circle anymore either, but that had been true since Jowan and my subsequent departure from the tower at Duncan's side. Just who was I now? That was a question I would have to answer, if only for myself.

As I walked across the room with my feet already aching from the unaccustomed fancy shoes, I thought that I would have to get used to them. I would be expected to follow fashion and dress appropriately for events that I would have to attend with Alistair. At least I felt I looked good today. Ciannata's skill as a lady's maid certainly couldn't be called into question. I had just placed myself into her capable hands and allowed her free rein in attire and adornment. She hadn't let me down.

I must admit I felt a little flash of panic at the thought of how dependent I was on Alistair and his goodwill. His actions these next few days would determine just how I was treated by those around us. I must have either clutched at his arm at that thought or he was picking up some of my disquiet. He softly said, "What's wrong, my love?" as we were drifting to the next group of people Alistair needed to talk to.

With those words, some of my panic left me. Alistair would never treat me as any less than his equal. He wouldn't allow others to treat me badly, and there was the rub. I wanted and needed to earn my place here and not have it issued from another, no matter how much I loved him.

"Nothing," I replied to him just as quietly. "I was just thinking about how life changes and hoping I don't embarrass you tonight."

Alistair stopped walking and leaned down to put his lips to my ear. "You could never embarrass me. Just imagine them all in their small clothes. That was the advice Teagan gave me the first time I had to brave a roomful of nobles." My eyes flew to his in surprise and a grin spread across his face.

"Boys, both of you," I said with a laugh as he banished my worries for the moment. While I looked up at him, I saw his eyes change as our glances locked and held. I wasn't prepared for the open expression of desire on his face. I stood frozen, captured by his gaze, much as a mouse does before a cat, knowing it is prey. I was only freed when Fergus Cousland came up to Alistair and claimed his attention. Alistair turned to speak to the teyrn, who was on his other side, thereby giving me a minute or two to recover. I listened to Alistair's conversation with Fergus and had regained my composure by the time I was required to speak.

"Thank you, your Grace," I replied to his well wishes.

"Fergus, please," he said unctuously.

Before I could reply, another man and woman joined us.

"Ranald! Aileen!" exclaimed Alistair. "How good to see you again. You must meet Elandria. My love, this is Ranald, Teyrn of Gwaren and his wife, Aileen."

The teyrn was an older man with his hair trending toward steel gray. He was of medium height and had dark brown eyes. You could still see the strength in his body, although muscle was being overcome by a layer of fat that showed good living was starting to take its toll. His wife was a few years younger, still retaining some of her light brown hair mixed with the gray, which was done up in braids and two buns at her neck, just like the fashion Anora used to wear. I wondered if it was a Gwaren style.

"Nice to meet you both, Teyrn Ranald and Teyrna Aileen," I said with an incline of my head.

"Warden, it is our honor to meet the person who saved us all from the Blight," said the teyrn with a small bow and a smile. The teyrna gave me a slight smile and returned my nod.

I knew Alistair genuinely liked this man. He had explained to me that making Ranald Stewart Teyrn of Gwaren had been his first decision without Eamon's approval. Eamon had wanted to select one of the known loyal banns from the north for the position. Alistair had disagreed and wanted to choose one who had been sworn to Loghain. He thought the resentment the men of the south felt would be reduced that way. Ranald Stewart had been one of the few who had come to Alistair's coronation from Gwaren, and Alistair had liked him immediately. Alistair had told me earlier that he had never regretted giving the man the title.

"Where is that son of yours?" asked Alistair. "I was hoping to finally meet him."

"I was expecting him by now, your Majesty," admitted the teyrn. "He was supposed to have joined us at our Denerim estate, but he must have been held up. Perhaps late fall storms made the roads worse than expected."

"Ranald! How many times have I told you the name is Alistair?" the king asked.

"Many, your Majesty," replied the teyrn. Alistair just gave a rueful shake of the head.

"Ranald's son has been studying in Tevinter for the past five years. I was looking forward to finally meeting him now that he has returned home," Alistair explained to me.

"I hope your son arrives soon and in excellent health, your Grace," I said. "I too shall look forward to meeting him."

We continued on greeting and talking with the nobility of Ferelden. I stayed at Alistair's side saying as little as possible. Most of the men were friendly enough. No, the men didn't worry me; it was with the women that I knew the trouble would lie. I would have to watch out for the snakes in the grass that would be looking for a chance to trip me up and make me look a fool. There may be one or two in the crowd that meant the kind words that poured from their lips, but I knew better than to take any of it at face value. My years in the tower and the traveling and interacting with all levels of society that had been necessary when fighting the Blight had taught me many lessons. Trust was something I had learned to extend to very few. I knew I would have put a wrench in more than one woman's plans when it came to Alistair. After the annulment of his marriage, he would have become the object of many matrimonial matchmaking plans. I just didn't know which of the gathered women had seriously thought they could have captured the king's attention and become queen, or had held the same hope for their daughters.

As we were leaving the room, I took the opportunity to glance back over my shoulder and see if I could catch any clues to what people really thought when they didn't think they were being observed. I almost fell as my vision blurred and the room seemed to spin around me for a moment or two. Only my natural agility and my hand on Alistair's arm kept me from landing on the floor at his feet.

"Are you all right?" Alistair asked as he steadied me.

"Fine," I answered him as my vision cleared and the hallway settled around me. "Just a combination of too much excitement, not enough to eat, and these sodding shoes!"

I was slowly becoming used to the guards that were a continuous part of our lives. Alistair had even retained a few for me. I had argued with him long and hard against it, but had eventually given in when he had stood firm. The guards, both his and mine, fell in around us as we left the dining room where the small party had been held and started up the hall. Alistair stopped and turned to me as our entire entourage came to a halt when he did.

"Have I told you today how gorgeous you look?" he asked .

I was embarrassed with all the men surrounding us, but Alistair seemed to think it the most natural thing in the world. At times, I was caught by surprise at the changes in Alistair from how I remembered him as I came up against totally new aspects of his character. Underneath he was still Alistair, the man I had fallen in love with years ago, but the new layers that made him the king of Ferelden still seemed strange to me.

I furtively looked around, but the guards all seemed to have blank faces and to be acting as if they weren't hearing any of our conversation. I went up on tiptoe and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you for the compliment," I said softly. "Just how much time do we have before the main reception?"

He dropped his voice, "Not enough. When I finally get you naked against me again I plan on not having a time limit."

I blushed as I didn't dare look at any of the men standing around us. I could be bold in private when it was just he and I, but we had never been openly demonstrative in the past, even in front of our friends in camp. Alistair laughed and then caught me up. "Get used to it, Lanie. The guards are here to stay," he said. He continued in a louder voice, "Turn away, gentlemen, I wish to kiss my wife."

I barely had time to notice the guards obediently facing away before Alistair consumed all my attention. He covered my mouth with his with an intensity I wasn't expecting from him, and all worries about the guards flew out of my head. I was helpless under his onslaught and melted against him like chocolate on a hot summer's day. As all my longing for him over the past four years came roaring to the surface, he was my only stability, and I wrapped my arms around his neck and held on for dear life. Alistair murmured my name as he kissed up my ear and ran his fingers through my hair, pulling out pins and discarding them, so that it cascaded freely down my back. He buried his fingers in my hair as he continued his assault upon me. He disrupted all of Ciannata's hard work from earlier in the day, but I didn't care. Feeling his touch again was worth all the time it would take to repair the damage. I was too caught up to notice the swift turning of the head of one of the guards when my magic flared unbidden as I began to lose myself in the feelings Alistair was stirring up. I knew Alistair had felt my magic spike and that was why he pulled away as he rested his forehead against the crown of my head. We both stood there, chests heaving like bellows, as the hunger for each other coursed through us.

"Wow," said Alistair softly, still not moving away from me.

"Wow, indeed," I replied as my breathing slowly returned to normal,.

"I think marriage to you agrees with me. Want to skip the reception?" Alistair asked with a devilish look in his eye and a smile lurking on his lips.

"More than you'll ever know," I answered, understanding that wasn't possible, but desperately wishing that it was.

Reluctantly, Alistair pulled away from me. He ran a finger across my bottom lip. "I guess we'll have to go to our rooms so your maid can fix you up again. I much prefer this well-kissed look, but I think I'll keep it for my personal pleasure."

I reached up and ran my finger across his lips removing the smears of cosmetics that Ciannata had painstakingly applied to mine this morning. "I'm not the only one needing attention," I said.

He was quick to come back with, "Is that an offer?"

I laughed in response and playfully batted him in the arm before I took it once again. Our entire retinue started to move down the hallway as we headed towards our quarters for the first time, leaving a scattering of abandoned hairpins behind us. Surely, I can survive one reception. It's only a couple of hours. How bad could it be?

A.N.: Many thanks as always to melismo and to everyone who reads, reviews, and adds the story to alerts and favorites. Those email notices really keep the mind churning out ideas.