Disclaimer: I do not own DA:O or any of its characters.
The Bear Necessities
My hand slides over to the opposite side of the bed, seeking out the warm body that should be resting there. Should being the operative word. The mattress and pillow are cold, and I wonder for a moment if our coupling had been a dream. But no, based on the dull yet pleasurable ache between my legs, all sources indicate that some major sexing had happened.
The only problem is, he's not in my bed anymore. I let loose a sigh and climb out from under my covers. I wander over to my armoire and extract a loose fitting tunic and a linen skirt. As I sit in front of my vanity and brush my hair, I wonder if perhaps our little romp had been a one time occurrence. Plenty of men profess their undying love to get a woman into bed. Why should Alistair be any different? I'm slightly sickened by this thought, mostly because if it's true, I fell for it easily. My thoughts are interrupted by a knock at the door.
"Who is it?" I call out.
"It's me, love," comes the reply. The door opens and Alistair enters. He's balancing a tray of food in his arms. "I thought you might be hungry after last night, so I brought us up some food." He winks at me and grins.
I blink several times and push away from my vanity. "You didn't have to get the food yourself, someone else could have brought it up."
Alistair chuckles and shakes his head. "The day I'm unable to get my own food is the day I throw myself face first into the Deep Roads." My respect for him increases several notches at this statement. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised, considering his upbringing. He places the tray of food on the bedside table. "You got dressed already? That's unacceptable." He reaches me in less than two strides and lifts me from my seat. I let out a startled squeak as he carries me to the bed. "Let's get you out of these clothes," he murmurs.
"But I just put them on not five minutes ago," I huff. "And I thought we were going to eat?"
"Dear lady, we'll be travelling to Amaranthine by morning's end, and spending the better part of the week on the road. I intend to take advantage of having an actual bed at my disposal for at least another couple of hours." He dips his head low and captures my lips.
How can I argue with that?
By early afternoon our merry band has set off and is making haste for the rolling hills in the direction of Amaranthine. We decide it best not to use the commonly travelled North Road, seeing as Niela confessed that mercenaries would be lying in wait. Instead we take a less travelled path, and while it makes for more difficult travel, it is nevertheless much quieter. Alistair's guardsmen lead the way, followed by Alistair himself and I, with Zev, Leliana and Bridget bringing up the rear. Our banter is light-hearted considering the circumstances of our trip, and I can't help but feel warmed at being surrounded by people whose company I actually enjoy. Leliana and Bridget are holding hands, and I inwardly applaud Bridget for having landed a woman as beautiful and cultured as Leliana. When we set up camp for the night, Bridget is more than happy to prepare dinner, much to everyone's satisfaction. I'm stoking the fire, sitting on an old stump, when Zevran takes up a seat next to me.
"Will you tell me now about the one you loved before Alistair?" Zevran asks.
I sigh and prod at the campfire with a long stick. "Why do you want to know about it? It's in the past." I reply.
"I have discovered that it helps to speak of such things. To unburden yourself…it is quite therapeutic," Zevran says. "I promise that I will tell no one."
I tilt my head skyward before answering. "I'm not worried about you telling people, it's just that I've never spoken of him to anyone. I loved him so much…I thought we'd be together forever. Only it wasn't meant to be, I suppose."
"Did he leave?"
"Not exactly. Though he was taken from me, in a sense." I exhale sharply. "I'm sorry, I know I'm being cryptic. Let me start at the beginning. I met him while travelling from Orzammar. He'd stumbled across my camp, and I nearly took off his head, fearing that he was a bandit. He certainly looked like one, clothes torn and covered in mud. But even in his disheveled appearance…he shot me the most disarming grin and I was putty in his hands. We travelled together, even made plans to settle in Denerim. When we were just a few miles outside of Denerim, we were accosted. In the heat of battle I was knocked unconscious. When I awoke, he was gone. I don't even know if he's alive. For all I know he may have fled, suddenly spooked by the notion of being tied down to a woman." I shrug a shoulder. "Who knows, right? Like I said, it's in the past."
"Yet you still wear the earring he gave you," Zevran observes.
I snort. "I suppose at first I wore it because I was in some kind of mourning. Now I wear it as a reminder not to fall head over heels so easily, lest my heart be broken yet again." Zevran smirks amusedly while glancing over at Alistair on the other side of the camp. "Yes, Zev, I'm well aware of my failure to abide by that notion. Let's just hope that we aren't attacked by a gang of-"
"Darkspawn!" Alistair shouts suddenly and leaps to his feet.
I stand and extract my daggers, twirling them as I whip my head to and fro. "I don't see anything," I say to Alistair.
He glances at me, a solemn expression colouring his features. "I can sense them nearby…a moderately sized group. Maybe about twenty." No sooner had the words left his mouth, the creatures appeared seemingly out of nowhere. The guardsmen rallied around Alistair, forming a protective human shield. Three genlocks descend upon me, blades brandished and lashing outward. I deftly avoid their attacks and manage to circle around one to stab at its exposed flanks. One of the three monsters fall, and I glance up momentarily to see Alistair pushing at his guardsmen in anger. "Stop protecting me and concentrate on her!" he shouts while pointing at me.
"But your Majesty, you are the king, we must protect you," counters one of the guards.
Alistair scowls. "She is your future queen, and you will do as I command."
My heart leaps into my throat. "What?" The momentary distraction has left me open for attack. Only it isn't metal that tears into my flesh, but a sudden blinding pain that courses through my veins. My body is lifted from the ground, my head lolls back and my limbs dangle helplessly. It feels as though my entire body is being crushed.
"Elissa!" Alistair cries out. A faint gurgling escapes my throat. As I fall to the ground, the two remaining genlocks lift me, one holds my legs, the other grasps my arms. I try to struggle, only my muscles feel like dead weights. I hear Alistair shouting, but it's no use. The camp is surrounded by darkspawn, and for some reason these two creatures have decided that they want me for dinner or something. As they carry me through some heavy brush, the sounds of the camp become fainter and fainter. I wonder idly what these two are going to do with me. Somehow I doubt they were sent to bring me back to their lair for tea and scones. I let loose a peal of hysterical laughter at this thought, and I almost miss the menacing growl. My head rolls to one side and I spy a rather large bear glaring at us. Hm, eaten by darkspawn or mauled by a bear, which is worse? I'd wager that the bear has better breath. Before the genlocks can react, the bear closes the gap between us. For some reason I still feel incredibly giddy, and just as the bear descends on us, I turn my face to one of my darkspawn captors and chortle.
"I think it thinks we're supper," I tell the monster, though I'm sure it has no idea what I'm saying. The next few moments seem to happen in slow motion. The genlock carrying my legs screams and relinquishes its hold on me. To my utter horror and fascination, the bear's jaws clamp down around its neck, breaking the bones instantly. Before the other genlock can react, the bear swipes at it with an incredibly large and meaty paw, the claws effectively tearing the darkspawn's face clean off. I'm dropped to the ground completely, and I let out a soft grunt. I rub my backside and wait to be mauled. The bear stares at me.
I stare at the bear.
I lift an eyebrow at it. "Are you going to eat me?" It seems like a sensible enough question. The bear simply grunts, as though the very thought of eating me is absolutely disgusting. "Well, I'll have you know that I probably taste very good. Much better than the darkspawn anyhow." I roll onto my side slowly, fully aware that discussing fine dining with a bear is simply absurd. I turn just in time to see Zev, Alistair and Leliana rush over to me.
"Elissa! Are you alright?" Alistair kneels in front of me, voice full of concern.
I wave him off. "Don't worry, the bear saved me."
Alistair's expression is priceless and I can't help but giggle. "A bear…saved you? I don't get it, what's so funny?" He glances up at Leliana and Zevran, but their attention is being held elsewhere.
"She was obviously stricken by a spell. She is mildly delirious, but the effects should wear off soon," says a sultry voice from behind Alistair. I peer over his shoulder. The bear is gone, and has been replaced by a raven haired beauty. "'Twould seem that you fools were incapable of protecting her, though I am hardly surprised." She folds her arms over her chest, cocking an eyebrow at Alistair.
"Oh, Maker! What are you doing here?" Alistair moans.
"Repaying a debt," the woman replies. She turns her attention to me. "You are a capable woman. Be sure to look after yourself, for these nitwits can be relied upon for naught. I counted your brother as a friend, and would hate to see his sacrifice go to waste." Without further word or explanation, she turns and transforms into a spider before my very eyes and crawls away into the forest.
"Did you see that?" I exclaim. Everyone nods. "I seem to be the only one affected by it. I take it you all know her?" They nod once again. "Riiight. Okay, someone is going to tell me what just happened, and who she is."
Alistair sighs. "It's a long story, love. I'll tell you all about it once we get back to camp."