Alex felt exhausted, but she had never felt more alive. She laughed and drank with Cassandra, Varric, Bull and Sera, with the dwarf retelling some of her more… humorous moments throughout her journey, and the Seeker sitting on a chair to relieve her sprained ankle. Blackwall, Dorian, Maxwell and Daylen all asked her to dance, and she did, the four men taking turns to twirl her about the floor at her audience's enjoyment. Josephine, Vivienne and Leliana were given a moment to plan a shopping trip with her, under the First Enchanter's insistence, saying that she needed new clothes to show her importance. She even had a moment to give Cole dance lessons, a moment that the boy seemed to enjoy so much that his normal, small, shy smile became a full, adorable grin as Maryden played for them.

She relished every moment she had with her companions, as some of them had already expressed their intent to leave soon. Maxwell and Dorian would be returning to Tevinter, Varric would be heading for Kirkwall to meet with Hawke and rebuild the town, and Vivienne would be returning to Orlais with Leliana, as the spymaster has been declared the new Divine, with help from the Inquisition's support. It saddened her to realize that they would soon be going in their separate ways, but she knew that the journey they took would never break the bonds of friendship they had formed.

But as the night drew on, she became increasingly tired… after all, she had just defeated an evil magister a few hours before. She excused herself from her companions, smiling happy as she hugged them all goodnight and kissing Cole on the cheek as the boy looked strangely at Maryden, before she headed towards the door that led to her room.

"You managed to slip away."

Alex turned around to see Cullen standing behind her, smiling widely as he strode forward, "I thought I might claim more of your attention after all."

She smiled seductively at the man, "Is there something on your mind?"

"Everything." Cullen said, smirking at her, making her feel tingly, and she walked backwards as she opened her door, leading the man inside. They made their way up towards her bedroom, holding hands, silently enjoying each other's company.

When they reached her room, Alex heard Cullen sigh as he turned to her, reaching for her and burying his fingers against her fiery red hair as his thumb caressed her cheek. "Battle's over." He marveled, "There will be a new Divine… yet I don't care about anything other than you being alive."

Alex's heard tightened with emotion as she reached for him and wrapped her arms around his waist, "Cullen…"

He sighed again as he hugged her and kissed her forehead, "I don't know what's going to happen after this."

Alex stilled a little in his embrace, and she looked out of her balcony, at the peaceful greenish clouds outside, and she let go of him as she slowly strode forward to stand outside. She gazed at the vast Frostback Mountains, at the green overview of their garden, and at the various people celebrating at the grounds. She looked up again, seeing the sun slowly rise from the horizon, and reminded her of the future that, though uncertain, was ahead of them. Cullen came up to stand behind her, and he gently wrapped his arms around her waist as he leaned over, his chin resting upon her shoulder, making her smile, "Neither do I."

"INQUISITOR!"

Alex and Cullen turned around quickly, looking confused, as the door of her bedroom burst open, revealing Maxwell and Daylen, panting and looking scared. She gasped at the sight of the younger twin, as Daylen had a hand wrapped over his forearm, his blood staining his sleeve red. She ran towards them as Maxwell straightened.

"You have to get down to the basement!" Maxwell managed to gasp out.

"The people of Skyhold are in danger!" Daylen seconded.

"The others are fighting, but it's too much!"

"Cassandra is already injured! I can't let her fight again!"

"Wait!" Alex raised her hands at them, "Slow down! What's happening? Why are the others fighting?"

"There's a Rift that opened in Skyhold!" The twins said simultaneously, and Alex paled as she looked at them. She looked up at Cullen, who looked as shocked and alarmed as she was, but when their gazes met, he scowled and nodded. Alex nodded back as she rushed down the stairs, with the three men following her.

"How could this happen?!" Alex said as she ran, and the twins spoke one after the other.

"We thought that the magic we felt here was merely elven magic, but we were wrong…"

"It was actually a tear in the Veil…"

"It was small at first, barely a danger…"

"But overtime it grew larger, turning into a Rift…"

"And now it's spewing out demons."

"We've evacuated everyone in the castle…"

"But we still need to close the Rift!" The twin's said together as Alex opened the door to the throne room, seeing the remnants of the party and the feast, devoid of people since the twins had evacuated the area. She took in a breath and huffed as she headed towards the doors towards Josephine's office, and taking a left down towards the basement and the vault, throwing the door open.

But she blinked in surprise when she realized that instead of a Rift, the basement hall was full of people, which included her Inner Circle, Josephine, Leliana, Mother Giselle, Scout Harding, the Chargers, Maryden, as well as the various allies she had acquired from her various travels. They were all wearing wide smiles as she stared at them in shock, and Maxwell and Daylen passed over her, grinning widely, before standing beside Dorian and Cassandra in front of the crowd.

"What the… what's going on?" Alex said as she looked over at Daylen, who stood up straight, seemingly unhurt, despite the blood on his sleeve. "Daylen, I thought you…"

Cassandra chuckled as she ran a finger down Daylen's sleeve, the red substance clinging on to her finger, and she put it up to her mouth and licked it, "Hmmm… I've never been fond of condiments, ketchup in particular."

She blinked, confused, looking at her brothers as they laughed out loud, "Ketchup? You mean you're not… there isn't…" but soon comprehension dawned on her features, and she scowled angrily at the twins, "That is some messed up prank, brothers."

The twins laughed together, sounding almost alike, as they said simultaneously, "It wasn't our idea, Alex. It was his!" They said, and they pointed a finger behind her.

Alex turned around to see Cullen, who was smirking at her, his serious expression a moment ago gone and instead was replaced by a look of mischief. He chuckled as he walked towards her, "You know, Varric always said that I spend too much time with a serious expression on my face.", causing the dwarf in the statement to chuckle, "This seems pretty fun. I should prank people more often."

Her breath came out in a huff as she turned towards her lover, "Cullen, what's the matter of this?"

"Now, now Alexandra… no need to be upset." Cullen said as he stood beside her, still smirking, "I knew there wasn't a chance that I could get you to stand in front of a crowd, so I had to… trick you, to do it."

"But why?!" Alex demanded again, but Cullen remained silent, and he reached out and put his hand on her cheek, rubbing it with a thumb.

"Alexandra…" Cullen said softly, but loud enough for everybody to hear, "You… are the most, amazing, beautiful… brave woman I have met. If all the pain… the fear… the torture I endured in all of my years was the Maker's way to bring me to you, then I thank Him, for He had given me the greatest gift I could ever want in my life. I… dwelled in darkness and guilt for a long time in my life, until I met you, and you saved me from my destruction. I love you… more than anything I could ever love in my life… and I want to spend every single day of my life with you. I told you that I don't know what's going to happen after this, but I am certain of one thing…"

Alex's breath froze as she watched Cullen lower down, kneeling on one knee, and she heard Josephine and Leliana giggle in delight at the sight. She stared at him, her emerald green eyes wide in shock as the man reached into his pocket and pull out a box, opening it to reveal a familiar ring, one that she had not seen since she was eight. She looked at it before looking up at Maxwell, who smiled at her, "I gave it to him." He said simply, "Mother would've wanted you to have it."

"Alexandra Irene Amell Trevelyan…" Cullen spoke again, and she looked down at him with wide eyes as he smiled widely, raising the ring towards her, "Would give me the greatest… most immense pleasure… of becoming my wife?"

Alex bit her lip as she looked down at the man, tears forming in her eyes, before she took a deep breath, "Only if your promise… to take care of us, Cullen."

It was the man's turn to blink in surprise, as her Inner Circle gasped in shock. Alex smiled brightly at the man before her, before running a hand down her stomach, revealing the tell-tale bulge, and she laughed a little, as tears ran down her eyes.

"I'm pregnant, Cullen."