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Chapter 36 - Explosion
Hi, my name is
You won't remember
Wait till December
Cause you thought that I was pure as snow
Guess you didn't know
Hold tight, surprise, open your eyes its springtime
Flowers blossoming, I am one of them, bet you like how I've grown
Why, should I even remember, back when you blanked me
To put it frankly
But now I'm back
I'm now attractive
And you're not getting none
That chick- Pitbull
.
.
When all was said and done, they stayed at the palace for a couple of days before heading off to Amaranthine. There were plenty of rooms there, and they had lots of cheese. He didn't think twice about it when he saw all the cheese.
They brought back their things from the inn, and settled in, Fiona barely avoiding Alistair till he passed her in one of the palace corridors and they found themselves staring at each other face to face.
"So, you are going to be king after all," she said, after a while of uncomfortable silence.
"I didn't want to before. But after the visit to the alienage in Amaranthine, and Chantalle's pain when she finally saw what an alienage is like, I felt that I had to. I think I'll be able to do some good, actually. And she believes in me," he added, his eyes holding Fiona's which had begun to flash with anger.
"We all believe in you," she snapped. "We wouldn't if you weren't such a good Warden Commander."
"I don't understand how you, of all people, could be angry right now," he retorted, feeling a spark of his own anger slowly start to rise.
"I tried to keep you away from becoming king! That was the whole point in Maric sending you away! And yet here you are!" Fiona's voice was louder now.
"Yes, you gave me to Maric, and threw me away, I haven't forgotten that!" Alistair's voice matched hers, and so did his temper.
"Ugh! I can't believe you are still going on about this! I did not throw you away!" Fiona shot back, the tips of her fingers smoking slightly. "I wanted you to have a better life! Away from court and all the political machinations that it entails, all the hypocrisy! But you've steered yourself right back into it!"
"I'm sorry, but it's been years of feeling unwanted. I can't just pretend I don't feel bitter about it!" Alistair cried out.
Fiona's chest was heaving and she was breathing heavily.
"And do you think that I wanted to give you up, Alistair? It was the worst day of my life! The wardens of Weisshaupt ordered me to, I could not be a warden and a mother! I wanted you more than anything else in my life, but I was a warden and a mage and if things weren't bad enough, I was...am an elf. I know that you will be a good king, but that is not the issue here!" She yelled at him.
Alistair's anger vanished. Yet he did not make a move to take her in his arms to comfort her.
"I'm sorry it went that way..." his voice trailed off. He looked down for a moment. "But I'm not sorry I'm taking the throne. It's about time someone moved Ferelden forward."
Fiona did not reply but was surprised that her anger had abated somewhat.
"Look, I have to go. Chantalle is waiting for me," he added. "We can talk later, when we've both calmed down."
He turned to leave but her voice stopped him.
"We have to let go of this, Alistair. It is not good to live the past like this. I felt like I would die that day, twenty-four years ago. You took my heart with you. I have never felt the same afterwards," she said.
He turned back, sorry that they had fought, his eyes gazing intensely into hers.
"But I never wanted you to become king, because of the burden you will carry. And I didn't want you to become a warden either. I don't want you to live another twenty-seven years and turn into a monster, or die in the Deep Roads. That is not the life I wanted for you. I still don't approve of you becoming king either. Your father kept running from it, and he was already king. It made him very bitter. And it eventually turned him into a lonely man."
Her words softened him then, and he crossed the distance between them and took her in his arms in a loving embrace. He did feel her stiffen at first, but then she hugged him back.
They would probably still snap at each other from time to time, he knew. But he was also sure of one thing as he held her tightly and that was that she was, indeed, his mother. And he wanted to be her son. He wanted to try.
That much he was certain of.
...
Chantalle lay back on the pillows, gasping for breath, as Alistair himself flopped beside her. She smiled at him, still panting and covered in sweat, while his eyes bore into hers and his calloused fingers traced the outline of her face and lips.
"I love you," he murmured, kissing her tenderly.
This human man had made her happier than she ever thought possible. The thought that he would be the ruler of Ferelden had filled her with pride, but had also made her fearful. She had seen the look on some of the banns' faces when he had been accepted as future monarch. She had a sneaking suspicion that they would not leave well enough alone.
"What's wrong? No unhappy thoughts allowed, you know..." Alistair said noticing the worried look in her eyes.
She felt the laughter bubbling up and escaping her lips then, and snuggled closer to him. He took her in his arms, and sighed.
She had known all along that he would end up king. Even when he had denied it passionately.
"Tell me what's wrong, my darling." Alistair's eyes pleaded, his voice warm and vibrant. It was so appealing to her right now that she felt herself tremble in his arms, and he tightened his grip slightly.
She traced patterns on his chest with her fingers, and was rewarded with a hum of approval from him.
"Don't try to avoid the question or make me forget what I even asked," he chided playfully, as he caught her hand fast in his.
"Nothing is wrong. I was just thinking how you said you never wanted to be king," she said softly, looking up into his eyes.
Now it was his turn to frown. But she tickled his nipples playfully with her fingers and his frown turned into a look of pleasure and a sharp intake of breath.
"Maker's breath, woman! You drive me crazy," he said, as he bent down to capture her rosy lips in his.
But it was he who finally broke away from her gently and looked into her dark blue eyes seriously.
"I know I said I didn't. And at the time I probably wouldn't have. But after your reaction to the visit we paid the alienage, well. I kept thinking how you said that it was terrible that nobody out there could make a difference for the elves. That they didn't have anyone to turn to and their hope was all but gone. I felt that I could do something then. That I had to do something. And that's what started it all."
She reveled in the fact that he loved her so much that he wanted to make things right. Not only because they needed to be right. This was just one of the things she loved so much about him. His sense of righteousness, his need to defend others and make it a better world for them.
"I love you so very much, my King," she murmured.
"And I love you, my Queen," his hand travelled to her shoulder and down to her waist, where it lingered for a moment. His other hand rested on her cheek. She felt him caress her lightly and trembled again in his arms, as a sigh escaped her lips before she spoke.
"This year we will be spending in Amaranthine, you will be recruiting and training others, yes?"
"Yes, that's correct," he bent and kissed the crown of her head.
"Let me recruit with you. I want to be wherever you are. I don't want us to be apart," she murmured.
"Why my darling, I have no intention whatsoever of ever letting you go anywhere. Unless it's with me."
They kissed again passionately and this time, their hands moved to explore each other and caress each other's bodies, fueling their passion anew.
Before she had time to even realize it, his mouth had already travelled down to her inner thighs and was working its way slowly to the dark blond curls guarding the entrance to her core. She gasped when he finally licked her and his tongue sought entrance as she laid back on the pillows, spreading her legs wide.
A knock on the door interrupted their late afternoon passion. He groaned, but then licked her essence with a mischievous expression on his face. She giggled.
Anders voice was heard coming from the other side.
"Sorry to interrupt you Commander, but there is someone here to see you," he said.
"No rest for the wicked," Alistair deadpanned, and was up in a flash, putting on his smalls and then a loose pair of leather trousers, while Chantalle covered herself.
"I'm coming Anders," he said, as he put on his white tunic and opened the door.
"Ah, yes...sorry about this, truly," Anders colored slightly.
"It's fine. Dinner should be ready soon, at any rate. You say there is someone here to see me?"
"Um, yes, well, I don't know how she found out you are here, but obviously word travels fast," he grinned.
"Did she say who she was?" Alistair asked, putting on his boots.
"She said she was your sister, but we know that's not true, right?"
Alistair stiffened and then his lips curled into a sardonic smile.
"Well, well, well! Looks like the Maker is on my side after all," he chuckled. "My love, I want you to come with me for this. Could you?"
Anders smiled and left them while Alistair closed the door.
Chantalle was already up, grabbing one of the dresses that Alistair had given her, and went behind the screen to wash and dress herself.
Once she was done, she quickly combed her hair, and tied it behind her in a make-shift pony tail at the back of her head. Then she walked towards her husband.
"Ah, you are so lovely my dear," he murmured as he took her hand, turned it, and placed a kiss on her palm. "Let's go shall we? We mustn't keep the vulture waiting..."
His eyes were twinkling, and she giggled and twinkled back at him.
This was going to be fun indeed.
...
"Goldanna," Alistair called out, as the red-haired wisp of a woman turned to sneer at him. He quickly held on to his self-control and forced his face into a sarcastic smile, his eyes narrowing.
"Well, sister," he hissed the word, still smiling, his eyes cold, "to what do we owe this pleasant surprise, I wonder?"
Duran happened to appear at that moment, on his way to the dining room. He froze in his tracks and then moved closer, damning his warden appetite because his stomach growled horribly. And very loudly. Alistair turned, scowling.
"Do you mind? I'm trying to have a serious conversation here!" He growled. Chantalle bit her bottom lip as she tried to keep from laughing madly at the whole scene before her.
"A king, now, eh?" Goldanna interrupted them, seething. "You, dear brother are a lying bastard, you are! You promised you would look after me and me children! I knew it! Lying bastard!" She screamed angrily.
Duran rolled his eyes at the melodrama. Chantalle caught it and looked away, praying to the gods for some seriousness to keep her from laughing. Anders walked into the room and she found herself groaning inwardly.
"Ah! A visitor! And a beautiful one!" Anders chirped.
"That does it!" Duran said sighing. "Anders, I'd have thought that Leliana had knocked some sense into you. Obviously she has not! Do you even have eyes? This ugly wench beautiful? Pleeeeeeeease!"
Goldanna's eyes turned into twin saucers as they bulged right out, not daring to believe what she was hearing! How dare they?
"'Eee's the bloody king, ain't he? He owes me, he does!" She sputtered angrily.
"Tut, tut," Anders shook his head lightly. "That kind of behavior will never get you far, my lady."
Alistair had been listening to all this, disbelief on his handsome features, his eyes darting from one to the other. He shook his head, his lips parting slightly over what was taking place.
"Ha! Lady! Tell me, Anders. Just when did you become blind?" Duran shot back, wiggling a finger at him.
Goldanna let out a shriek that would have made an alpha shriek cringe.
"Ow!" Duran said, and glowered at her. "No need to get jumpy!"
Chantalle was now biting the inside of her cheeks. She would not be able to hold on any longer...
"'Eee promised 'ee did! Promised to take care of his nephews and nieces!" She thundered at Duran, her hands on her hips.
"Nephews and nieces? Alistair! I didn't know you hadn't kept your promise! Shame on you!" Duran said in fake indignation.
"Wot's the dirty dwarf doin' here? I just want wot's mine! You promised!"
"And who might you be, my Lady?" Anders said his eyebrows shooting upwards.
"I'm 'is sister, I am! You stupid man in a dress!"
"Dress? Dress? What the-" The look on Anders's face was priceless.
"Ha! She's right about that one, isn't she?" Duran sent a grin in Chantalle's direction and she lost it.
She burst out laughing.
Her laughter spurred Alistair and he started to chuckle.
"Wot?" Goldanna gasped in disbelief as they all joined in and laughed merrily. Alistair actually found himself doubling over.
He was the first to recover, and straightened himself up, trying to give her a stern stare, but his eyes twinkled and betrayed him miserably.
"Goldanna, I will see that your children receive lessons and learn something. And will give them proper clothing as well as check to see if they have been properly fed. But I will never again give you money, you gold-digging harridan," and he burst out laughing again.
She scowled at him with anger. "We don't need your lessons, bastard! We want money, we do. I'm your sister!"
"Well, it turns out that you are terribly wrong there, my dear," Anders got out, but then frowned. "You said I'm wearing a dress. Since you have offended me, I won't explain anything to you!" He crossed his arms over his chest, looking deeply hurt and insulted.
"Wot's all this? 'ave you been drinking?" She narrowed her eyes suspiciously.
"No, Goldanna. It's just funny, because you aren't my sister at all. You were lied to, as I was. My mother was not your mother," Alistair managed to squeak out before he resumed laughing.
Goldanna's face flushed an ugly red color.
"She wasn't, eh? Then who would your mother be?"
"That would be me, you whore! And I'm giving you five seconds to leave and not come back here again!" Fiona spat from the right side of the room, having entered it minutes before. She had her staff out, and was pointing it at Goldanna, her jaw clenched in anger.
"Your mother is an elf?" Goldanna looked astonished at this piece of news.
"Two!" Fiona called from her place. Alistair was still in hysterics. Chantalle could not stop giggling either.
"Well! I wish I'd never came, I do!" She said.
"Four!" Fiona thundered.
"Wot happened to three?" Goldanna sneered. "I can count you know!"
A faint lightning bolt shot out from the end of Fiona's staff and shocked Goldanna who literally gave a little jump. She wasn't hurt at all, but not the same could be said of her pride.
Not wishing to test Fiona's threat (or anger) any longer, she took her skirt in her hands, turned heel and ran.
"Aww," Anders sighed.
"Goodbye!" Duran called cheerfully after her.
Alistair held on to Chantalle and they gradually got their breath back. Then he turned a grin to his mother.
"Thanks for that," he said once he had calmed down.
Fiona sniffed as she returned her staff to her back again. She avoided looking into his eyes and her lips twitched.
"Dinner is ready, and I'm starving. And if any of you continue to delay dinner, I'll be extremely angry," she said and turned around to leave.
"Yep!" Duran said as he patted Alistair on his arm grinning. "You're a chip off the ol' block, aren't you, old boy?"
Alistair could not help himself and grinned back at Duran.
...