"Oh for the love of Andraste, quit fidgeting!"

Alex winced as another hairpin pricked at her scalp, and she was sure it drew blood as Josephine fixed another flower through her tresses, pinning them with her veil. Her neck was starting to hurt badly, mainly because while Josephine was pinning flowers through her hair, Marianna was busy brushing and curling the rest of her mane so that the half of it flowed down her shoulders… all while standing up, as Vivienne was making sure her Orlesian wedding dress flared out perfectly.

"My dear, I know you're tired, but you know you must look perfect for today." Vivienne said as she adjusted one of Alex's many petticoats so that it hid under the wedding dress' puffy skirt.

Alex rolled her eyes, earning a scowl from Vivienne who had told her to not make faces as to not mess up the coloring on her face, "Cullen has seen me in a formal dress, scortched by a dragon and bloody from a fight, and he still thinks I'm beautiful. I doubt this would be any different."

Marianna released a strand of her hair from a curling iron she held in her hand, "Yeah, well… there's beautiful, and then there's perfect… for the Orlesian's, anyway. At any rate, I think Josephine and I are done."

"Ow!" Alex cried out one more time as Josephine affixed the last flower on her head, and the Ambassador huffed, "You fought in a war against a darkspawn magister, and a single hair pin pains you. Honestly, Inquisitor."

"Well, you'd be hurt too if I pinned the damn thing almost directly into my brain!" Alex pouted just as somebody knocked on the door, and Alex looked up to see a woman, with long curly blond hair and amber eyes, smiling as she held a gigantic bouquet of Crystal Grace in her hand. "Here's the bouquet!" The woman, Cullen's sister, Mia, said, entering the room. Like Marianna, Josephine and Vivienne, Cullen's sister was dressed in a lilac and white, Ferelden style dress, its bodice embroidered with silver threads. She gasped as she looked up at her, and tears sprang into her eyes, "Oh, Alex… you look perfect!"

Vivienne clicked her tongue and snapped her fingers gracefully, "And that is precisely the compliment I was looking for." She turned towards the woman, "Mia, darling, please don't cry just yet. My artist did such an excellent job with your make-up, and I would hate to see efforts erased even before the wedding."

Mia sniffed and waved ahand at her face in an effort to quell the upcoming tears, "You're right… sorry, sorry! Anyway, here are your flowers. I just met with Maxwell along the hall, he's on his way over to get you."

Alex nodded as she took the bouquet, turning it in her hand, and smelling them in an effort to calm her nerves. But as she breathed, she coughed, lamenting at how tight the corset was around her waist, "Maker, did you really have to make this blasted contraption so tight?"

"Well, maybe if you had gotten rid of that post-delivery chubbiness you got during your pregnancy, the dress would've fit you perfectly." Marianna said as she laughed, but she patted Alex's face, "But you really do look beautiful, cousin."

Alex groaned out loudly as the door opened again, and Maxwell peeked in, his red hair slicked back regally. He blinked at the sight of his sister, and he went inside the room, dressed in a deep violet tunic, black pants and boots, with a white shash on his waist. His eyes widened as he drew nearer, "Maker's breath, sister, you look perfect!"

She rolled her eyes as Maxwell came forward and hugged her gently but awkwardly, as she didn't want to rub any make up on his tunic or get her hair undone, "Well, Marianna said otherwise. She thinks I'm fat."

"Well, you are… a little." Her brother said, and she smacked him on the arm, "But a little meat on you makes you look more… voluptuous, I suppose."

The door opened again and they all looked up at it to see Dorian, wearing the same clothes as that of Maxwell, looking slightly harassed. "Festis bei umo canaverum, woman, you're late!" Dorian said, scowling a little at her, "Come on! The Divine is at the altar already, and Cullen is fretting horribly! He was thinking of heading in here just a moment ago!"

The women in the room became a flurry of movement, gathering their own bouquets, helping Alex as she made her way out the door of the War Room (where they decided to dress her), which was rather troublesome with the large, puffy Orlesian style wedding dress she had on. Dorian herded them towards the end of the hall, and the mage kissed Alex and Maxwell, entering the Throne Room before them and snapping his fingers to tell Maryden to play the wedding march on her lute.

Alex's chest felt like it was bursting, and Maxwell took her left arm and wrapped it around his, patting her hand, "Breathe, sister. It would not do to have you faint at your own wedding."

She chuckled a little, before sighing, "I… I just wish Solona was here."

"Me, too, sister. But we're here for you." Maxwell said again, and he bent down and kissed her hand, "You really do look beautiful. Cullen is a lucky man to have you."

She smiled up at him just as Dorian opened the door again, and Marianna, Josephine, Vivienne and Mia started slowly walking towards the middle of the Throne Room, holding bouquets of Crystal Grace. Alex and Maxwell trailed behind them, walking slowly in time with Maryden's lute, and she looked around and smiled as she saw the familiar faces of her friends and acquaintances.

Bull was standing beside his Chargers, smiling widely at her and giving her a thumbs up sign, his mercenary band wearing matching purple tunics and nodding at her. Sera sat beside Scout Harding and Arcanist Dagna, looking positively amused at being in the middle of two dwarves. Varric stood beside Carver, wearing a violet tunic which exposed his hairy chest, while the taller man was wearing his Grey Warden armor, but he had tied a violet cloth on his arm. Cassandra and Daylen sat together, their hands entwined, her other brother smiling fondly. Beside them was Cole, his hat temporarily replaced with a new, white one, and her smile grew wider as the boy grinned at her and waved the arm of her daughter, Alona, in his arms. Born just two months ago, Alona was peacefully sleeping in the boy's arms, as she seemed to find him comforting, and Cole became fond of her even while she was in still in Alex's womb, rubbing on her tummy and telling her if the baby was uncomfortable or hungry, as he could sense the infant's pain.

Cullen's other siblings, Branson and Rosalie, sat beside her adoptive father, Bann Trevelyan at the front pew. Alex and Cullen's family had met a week after she had delivered Alona, and both families were ecstatic to finally meet each other and greet the newest member of their joined families. While Cullen and Mia's hair was light blond, Bran and Rose (as Cullen called them) were slightly darker, although Bran had similar square features as his younger brother.

Some of her acquaintances were also there, as well as the family of some of her Inner Circle. She immediately saw the faces of Mother Giselle and Gereon Alexius, who worked for the Inquisition as a researcher, looking slightly happier despite of everything that had happened a year ago. Magister Halward Pavus, Dorian's father, was also there, as the man had business in Ferelden and had decided to stay for the ceremony. Josephine's sister, Yvette, was also there, as was Ambassador Briala, who was attending in behalf of Empress Celene.

As they finally approached the front of the hall, Alex's eyes watered at the sight. Leliana was smiling brightly at her, wearing the robes of the Chantry, as she had been named Divine Victoria. Dorian and Blackwall stood to the right of the altar, serving as Cullen's best men. Dorian looked pristine as he always had, but she was surprised to see Blackwall, his beard brushed and trimmed elegantly, and his hair slicked back into a pony-tail, wearing the same violet tunic and white sash. To the left of the altar were Marianna, Josephine, Vivienne and Mia, all smiling at her in their lilac gowns.

Her eyes finally saw the man she wanted to see, and she felt the joy rise up to her chest at the sight of him. Cullen was staring at her, his mouth open a little in shock at the sight of how beautiful his soon-to-be wife was. He was clean-shaven, his curly hair tamed and slicked back, and he wore a white tunic, black pants and boots, and a violet sash… a contrast to the color scheme of her entourage. Blackwall nudged him, making him blush when he realized that he was staring too long at her, and he shook hands with Maxwell. "Messere Trevelyan." Cullen said as the man held on to Alex's hand, and passed it towards him.

Maxwell's eyes watered a bit, but he nodded as he gave Alex over to him, "Take care of my sister, Commander."

"You know I will." Cullen said as he took her hand, and they faced each other. Alex bit her lip nervously as she looked up at him, and he sighed as he stared down at her, "You're perfect." He whispered adoringly, making her blush. Marianna and Josephine giggled behind her, and Vivienne had to shush them up as Leliana started to speak.

" 'The one who repents, who has faith, unshaken by the darkness of the world, she shall know true peace.'" Leliana said, quoting the Chant of Transfiguration, "Before us stands two people, whose faith was once broken, but now renewed, despite of the trials they have been through. They are the Maker's children, as we are all, and we all wish them well. They have been our friends and for some of us, our family. May the Maker continue to bless them both, and may their love continue to carry on."

Varric came forward, bringing a pillow, and Alex looked down to see two exquisite rings, forged into thin bands made of silverite. "I met a dwarf named Gorim who married a woman from the Smith Caste that made it to the surface." He said with a wink, "Consider this my wedding present. They forged this for you two. Dragon bone and silverite."

Alex's eyes watered with tears as she took the larger ring, intended for Cullen, while her husband took the smaller one. "Thank you, Varric." She whispered towards the dwarf, and he bowed low before returning to his seat.

Leliana raised her hand, and Cullen smiled at her, "I swear unto the Maker and the Holy Andraste to love this woman for the rest of my days." He said, as he slipped the dragon bone ring into her ring finger, next to her mother's engagement ring that he had put there a year before.

Alex bit her lip, and she smiled as she said the same vows, "I swear unto the Maker and the Holy Andraste to love this man for the rest of my days." And she slipped his ring into his finger.

Leliana grinned as she raised her arms, "Then by the power vested upon me as Divine Victoria of the Andrastian Chantry, I now pronounce you man and wife." She laughed a little as she turned towards Cullen, "I know you've probably done this often in the battlements before, Commander, but you may kiss your bride."

Cullen laughed, "I may have, but now…" He smiled down lovingly at her as he drew her close, "But now… I'll be kissing my wife."

Alex laughed as she wrapped her arms around his neck, giddy at her new and most important title. Cullen bent over, kissing her tenderly, as the whole room exploded into cheers and shouts of exhilaration, and she finally felt truly at peace and content, knowing that is now Alexandra Irene Rutherford.

The rest of the party after the wedding was a blur, with her Inner Circle dancing with her for the most of the night. Cullen didn't seem to mind, letting her mingle with everyone in the hall to extend their congratulations to them. He also seemed rather busy, speaking to his siblings and to the various dignitaries in attendance.

But as the night quieted down, Cullen finally got the chance to dance with his wife, and she smiled, energized to be in his arms again, despite of being positively exhausted from being prepped, primped, and danced during the night.

Alex sighed as she leaned against his chest, thankful that Vivienne had at least let her lessen the make-up on her face, that she could now rest her face on hs tunic without tainting it with color. "Maker's breath, as much as I love knowing that I'm married to you now, I can't help but feel like I want to end this party as soon as possible."

Cullen chuckled, and she heard the rumble of it from his chest, "I actually share the same sentiment, Mrs. Rutherford."

The way he said her new name made her shiver a bit, and he looked down at her in alarm, "Are you alright, Alex?"

Alex looked up at him and grinned, before kissing his lips, "I'm fine, Cullen. I'm excellent. I just… love the way you said my new name, husband."

He blinked in surprise, before he sighed and raised his hand so that he cupped her face, drawing her to him, "Then, as before, I vow to always say it… wife."

"Alex!"

They jumped a little in surprise as they turned, seeing Cole carrying Alona in his arms again, awake and positively bawling. She smiled at how precious it all looked, even though her daughter seemed so irate, "She's starved, surly, shaking… too many people, touching her face… and pain, rumbling from within. She hates the crowds… and you should feed her." The boy said, looking panicked, and Cullen chuckled.

"I got her." Cullen said, taking their daughter in his arms and making Cole looked relieved, and he laughed, "It seems my daughter inherited her parent's dislike for parties. I'll see what I can get for her from the kitchens. I'll be right back, wife." He said, bending over her and kissing her cheek.

"I'll be here, husband." Alex said, watching as father and daughter walked away, with the man trying to calm the child's cries by carefully cuddling her. At the sound of their neice's cries, Maxwell, Daylen and Marianne immediately went towards Cullen, and they fawned over the child as they headed to the kitchens.

"Protecting and proud, loved and loving, happy and content… you never thought such a feeling exists, but it does." Cole said beside her, smiling at her gently, "And now you've found it."

She smiled as she put her arm around the boy, "I do. I never thought I'd find it, but now it's here."

Cole nodded, but he lowered his head, "You are happy, but she is not. She's still searching, seeking… sorrowful but still hoping. I must never give up. I will not."

Alex blinked when Cole suddenly took hold of her hand, pulling her as he walked, with her Inner Circle looking at them curiously as they went down the hall. She waited for the boy to speak, but he kept pulling her, making his way through Solas' old rotunda and through the battlements. Finally, Cole stopped in front of Cullen's office, and he put his hand on the door.

"She's hurting." He said sorrowfully, "Pain… sharper than the arrows that pierced her in Ostagar… or the Archdemon's fire. Hurting at speculating the death of one who was not dying…"

Alex blinked at the boy's words, and she pushed the door open. A woman stood behind Cullen's desk, looking at a map, hugging a shield with a hole in the middle to her chest, her bright green eyes red with tears as she looked up.

"Sister…" Solona said as she held up the shield, and by the firelight she realized that she was looking at a Grey Warden's shield… Alistair's shield. "I need your help."