Thank You! I'm glad that you are enjoying it. And fear not, the dark ritual will be addressed.
The Rose of the Alienage: Chapter 19 is up 11/8/2010 :)
Débuté par
VioletTheirin
, mai 02 2010 03:49
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#53
Posté 15 juin 2010 - 05:29
Gilgamesh1138
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Thanks Lin! I really just could not come up with what it meant. Stupid brain!
#54
Posté 15 juin 2010 - 09:57
Lintanis
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Gilgamesh1138 wrote...
Thanks Lin! I really just could not come up with what it meant. Stupid brain!
Wouldnt worry we all have those moments, know I do
#55
Posté 21 juin 2010 - 10:58
Lyna357
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Bumping this for others to read and enjoy.
#56
Posté 22 juin 2010 - 03:53
VioletTheirin
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Awww, thanks Lyna! New chapter will be out very soon!
#57
Posté 22 juin 2010 - 03:57
Gilgamesh1138
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WOOT to Lyna for bumping! I will have to do that in the future!
#58
Posté 24 juin 2010 - 07:50
VioletTheirin
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"What happened between the two of you?" Alistair looked at Zev with curious eyes "In her letters she states that you and Morrigan were the only ones that still supported her after the Landsmeet; yet she didn't want Morrigan around and she didn't trust herself with you. I understand her pushing Morrigan away; but what happened with you? Leliana told me that something occurred in camp but that she was not there so could not elaborate. What happened?"
A pained look fell across the elf's face of all of the memories that could have been thrown his way, this was one of the hardest for him to think about. "First Alistair I must say, Ruthi was not herself in the weeks that followed your leaving. She felt completely alone and felt as though something inside of her was missing; she was looking to fill a void."
Alistair shook his head. "I understand; what happened?" He noted a slight look of fear in the elf's eyes. "What was it for ?" he pondered to himself.
Zev settled back into his chair and took a deep breath. "About a week after you left, Ruthi got an urgent message from Gorim to meet him in the market district. He said it had to do with the Grey Wardens. So Ruthi went off on her own."
"What would Gorim have to do with the Grey Wardens?" No sooner had the question escaped Alistair's mouth an alarm began to sound in the back of his head...."Duncan's Shield."
"Si, and she was in an awful fit when she returned to camp." Zev leaned his head back as he remembered the day.
Alistair furrowed his eyebrows and leaned forward in his chair. "But I told him to sell it, I never told him to give it to her!"
"Yes well, our fine merchant friend did not feel it right to sell what he amounted to being a piece of history; so Ruthi got the call." Zevran shrugged and let out a sigh. "And what happened from there shall eternally be etched in my memory."
"Sten and Oghren were sitting by the fire eating some leftover supper while I sat alone leaning against a tree by my tent; sharpening my daggers if memory serves me. Our sweet Leliana and buxom friend Wynne were staying with your Arl Eamon in Denerim." Zev reminisced
Alistair shot Zevran a confused look. "Why were they staying with Eamon, did they become too good for camp?"
"Mmm..something of that nature I suppose; you see Alistair you were a far more popular man that you give yourself credit for." Zevran smirked "They were quite upset by what happened at the Landsmeet and if they could be somewhere other than in camp, that is where they were."
Alistair's cheeks turned red in shame of his own self pity, more and more he was realizing that he should have just stayed and been the bigger person.
"Loghain had been taking Emaba for a walk when he came bounding in remarking that someone was in a 'tissy', the next thing I knew Logain was being knocked to the ground by a flying shield." Zevran chuckled to himself. "It hit him so hard in fact I was in shock that he was not permanently branded with a griffon on his shoulder. Ruthi came in behind the shield crying, saying that she supposed that she really did mean nothing to you since you had sold Duncan's shield as well as his blades. She nearly threw them in the fire but our good Qunari friend rescued them before they landed too close."
Alistair shook his head. "You have no idea how hard it was for me to sell those; but I thought that if I left them behind the memory of Ruthi, Duncan, the whole damned Blight would stay in Ferelden with them."
"Such things are not so easily forgotten, but I suppose you know that already." Zevran shook his head.
Alistair merely grinned in agreement as he urged Zevran to continue his story.
"After nearly killing Loghain with your shield and scarring the life out of our companions around the fire Ruthi just stood there with her face in her hands crying. I walked over and placed my hands upon her shoulders, trying to provide some comfort to her." Zevran shook his head. " I was fully expecting our friend to turn me away, or even hit me in the state that she was in."
Alistair raised a curious brow. "I take it that was not the case then?"
"Mmm...just the opposite. One minute I'm standing behind her, the next thing I know she had me pinned against a tree and was doing everything short of gnawing off my armor." Zev stood and looked out the large picture window. "I told her to stop, I kept trying to push her away but she would have none of it."
"So did you..." A mixture of curiosity and jealousy bubbled within Alistair
Zev let out a low chuckle. "No, though it was like a damn war going on at my waist. The top half of me knew it was wrong but the bottom half...well....it had other opinions." Zevran turned to look at Alistair. "But my conscience won the day, I could not do that to her. I would not take advantage of her in that state."
"So how did you get her off of you?" Alistair questioned "I know as well as anyone how strong she was and when she was determined to accomplish something she was nearly unstoppable."
"Oh yes, had it been left merely to me I would have never gotten her off of me; luckily Sten saved the day." Zevran laughed. "Looking back the scene was quite comical. Me stripped half naked lying against a tree with Ruthi hovering over me like some sort of over-sexed puppet with Sten holding her by the back of her armor." Zevran shook his head as he looked to his feet. "No one knew what to do to help her or to calm her. She just kept shouting 'Why won't you love me?', it broke my heart."
"Zevran...I'm sorry." Alistair stood and placed his hand on the assassin's shoulder. "I'm sorry for doubting you and I'm very sorry for you having to go through that."
Zevran turned and patted Alistair on the shoulder. "Yes well, the past is the past is it not? Let us not dwell on it."
"So what became of the shield, the blades?" Alistair asked as he sat back down.
"I have them." Leliana walked in the room carrying the large shield; the sword and dagger resting on top of it.
A lump caught in Alistair's throat as he caught sight of them. Eight years had come and gone since he last laid eyes upon them. He reached out and ran his hand over the curved blade of Duncan's dagger; he picked it up studying it closely. He then laid it down upon a small table near the chair where he had been sitting and took the sword and shield from Leliana. Something within the cold metal broke down every last defense he had so carefully put in place and he broke down. Alistair dropped the sword as he fell to his knees. He clutched the shield and weeped; not speaking a word. Zev reassuringly squeezed his shoulder as Leliana knelt down and pulled him into an embrace; allowing him to cry upon her shoulder.
Silence was finally broken as he looked at Leliana with tear soaked eyes. "I was so wrong."
Leliana smiled kindly as she brushed away one of the tears that rested on Alistair's cheek with her thumb. "You were hurt. Ruthi never really blamed you for leaving nor was she ever really mad at you. She had a moment of weakness when Gorim gave her Duncan's things but I think that she was more heartbroken knowing that you truly were gone than angry at you for going. She knew you would come back one day and you did."
"But I was too late." Alistair shook his head.
Zev knelt down and placed a hand on the weeping templar's back. "Trust me my friend, you are not too late. Eruthiawen knows you have come back and I know she is looking down and smiling. And no matter what happened in the past you are here now and you can be the father that your daughter needs."
"But you have done so well with her Zev, she is so kind hearted and loving and..."
Zevran interrupted Alistair. "But I am not her father. I would raise her as my own until my dying day but no love can replace the love of a father." He smiled at Alistair as he helped him to stand.
As Alistair composed himself the trio heard the sound of small feet bounding into the room.
"Rose, mi bendicion what are you doing ?" Zev noticed that the girl looked quite upset
"You're my father aren't you." Her eyes stared into Alistair's like daggers. "Your name isn't Al, it is Alistair."
Leliana walked over to the girl and gently grabbed her by the arm. "Rose, listen..."
"Don't touch me Aunt Leli!" She jerked her arm away from her Auntie "You lied to me." Then the little girl's green daggers turned toward her beloved "Uncle" Zev as tears began rolling down her face. "Why would you lie to me?"
With one last angry look Rose ran out the door towards the gardens. "I will talk to her." Zev began to follow her out the door.
"Zev wait." Alistair grabbed him by the shoulder and pulled him back. "I started all of this and as you said she is my daughter. Let me talk to her."
Zevran and Leliana nodded in agreement. "You should know Alistair, she is just like her mother." Zevran warned.
Alistair chuckled lightly. "In that case, please pray for me." He then turned and strode out the door.
A pained look fell across the elf's face of all of the memories that could have been thrown his way, this was one of the hardest for him to think about. "First Alistair I must say, Ruthi was not herself in the weeks that followed your leaving. She felt completely alone and felt as though something inside of her was missing; she was looking to fill a void."
Alistair shook his head. "I understand; what happened?" He noted a slight look of fear in the elf's eyes. "What was it for ?" he pondered to himself.
Zev settled back into his chair and took a deep breath. "About a week after you left, Ruthi got an urgent message from Gorim to meet him in the market district. He said it had to do with the Grey Wardens. So Ruthi went off on her own."
"What would Gorim have to do with the Grey Wardens?" No sooner had the question escaped Alistair's mouth an alarm began to sound in the back of his head...."Duncan's Shield."
"Si, and she was in an awful fit when she returned to camp." Zev leaned his head back as he remembered the day.
Alistair furrowed his eyebrows and leaned forward in his chair. "But I told him to sell it, I never told him to give it to her!"
"Yes well, our fine merchant friend did not feel it right to sell what he amounted to being a piece of history; so Ruthi got the call." Zevran shrugged and let out a sigh. "And what happened from there shall eternally be etched in my memory."
"Sten and Oghren were sitting by the fire eating some leftover supper while I sat alone leaning against a tree by my tent; sharpening my daggers if memory serves me. Our sweet Leliana and buxom friend Wynne were staying with your Arl Eamon in Denerim." Zev reminisced
Alistair shot Zevran a confused look. "Why were they staying with Eamon, did they become too good for camp?"
"Mmm..something of that nature I suppose; you see Alistair you were a far more popular man that you give yourself credit for." Zevran smirked "They were quite upset by what happened at the Landsmeet and if they could be somewhere other than in camp, that is where they were."
Alistair's cheeks turned red in shame of his own self pity, more and more he was realizing that he should have just stayed and been the bigger person.
"Loghain had been taking Emaba for a walk when he came bounding in remarking that someone was in a 'tissy', the next thing I knew Logain was being knocked to the ground by a flying shield." Zevran chuckled to himself. "It hit him so hard in fact I was in shock that he was not permanently branded with a griffon on his shoulder. Ruthi came in behind the shield crying, saying that she supposed that she really did mean nothing to you since you had sold Duncan's shield as well as his blades. She nearly threw them in the fire but our good Qunari friend rescued them before they landed too close."
Alistair shook his head. "You have no idea how hard it was for me to sell those; but I thought that if I left them behind the memory of Ruthi, Duncan, the whole damned Blight would stay in Ferelden with them."
"Such things are not so easily forgotten, but I suppose you know that already." Zevran shook his head.
Alistair merely grinned in agreement as he urged Zevran to continue his story.
"After nearly killing Loghain with your shield and scarring the life out of our companions around the fire Ruthi just stood there with her face in her hands crying. I walked over and placed my hands upon her shoulders, trying to provide some comfort to her." Zevran shook his head. " I was fully expecting our friend to turn me away, or even hit me in the state that she was in."
Alistair raised a curious brow. "I take it that was not the case then?"
"Mmm...just the opposite. One minute I'm standing behind her, the next thing I know she had me pinned against a tree and was doing everything short of gnawing off my armor." Zev stood and looked out the large picture window. "I told her to stop, I kept trying to push her away but she would have none of it."
"So did you..." A mixture of curiosity and jealousy bubbled within Alistair
Zev let out a low chuckle. "No, though it was like a damn war going on at my waist. The top half of me knew it was wrong but the bottom half...well....it had other opinions." Zevran turned to look at Alistair. "But my conscience won the day, I could not do that to her. I would not take advantage of her in that state."
"So how did you get her off of you?" Alistair questioned "I know as well as anyone how strong she was and when she was determined to accomplish something she was nearly unstoppable."
"Oh yes, had it been left merely to me I would have never gotten her off of me; luckily Sten saved the day." Zevran laughed. "Looking back the scene was quite comical. Me stripped half naked lying against a tree with Ruthi hovering over me like some sort of over-sexed puppet with Sten holding her by the back of her armor." Zevran shook his head as he looked to his feet. "No one knew what to do to help her or to calm her. She just kept shouting 'Why won't you love me?', it broke my heart."
"Zevran...I'm sorry." Alistair stood and placed his hand on the assassin's shoulder. "I'm sorry for doubting you and I'm very sorry for you having to go through that."
Zevran turned and patted Alistair on the shoulder. "Yes well, the past is the past is it not? Let us not dwell on it."
"So what became of the shield, the blades?" Alistair asked as he sat back down.
"I have them." Leliana walked in the room carrying the large shield; the sword and dagger resting on top of it.
A lump caught in Alistair's throat as he caught sight of them. Eight years had come and gone since he last laid eyes upon them. He reached out and ran his hand over the curved blade of Duncan's dagger; he picked it up studying it closely. He then laid it down upon a small table near the chair where he had been sitting and took the sword and shield from Leliana. Something within the cold metal broke down every last defense he had so carefully put in place and he broke down. Alistair dropped the sword as he fell to his knees. He clutched the shield and weeped; not speaking a word. Zev reassuringly squeezed his shoulder as Leliana knelt down and pulled him into an embrace; allowing him to cry upon her shoulder.
Silence was finally broken as he looked at Leliana with tear soaked eyes. "I was so wrong."
Leliana smiled kindly as she brushed away one of the tears that rested on Alistair's cheek with her thumb. "You were hurt. Ruthi never really blamed you for leaving nor was she ever really mad at you. She had a moment of weakness when Gorim gave her Duncan's things but I think that she was more heartbroken knowing that you truly were gone than angry at you for going. She knew you would come back one day and you did."
"But I was too late." Alistair shook his head.
Zev knelt down and placed a hand on the weeping templar's back. "Trust me my friend, you are not too late. Eruthiawen knows you have come back and I know she is looking down and smiling. And no matter what happened in the past you are here now and you can be the father that your daughter needs."
"But you have done so well with her Zev, she is so kind hearted and loving and..."
Zevran interrupted Alistair. "But I am not her father. I would raise her as my own until my dying day but no love can replace the love of a father." He smiled at Alistair as he helped him to stand.
As Alistair composed himself the trio heard the sound of small feet bounding into the room.
"Rose, mi bendicion what are you doing ?" Zev noticed that the girl looked quite upset
"You're my father aren't you." Her eyes stared into Alistair's like daggers. "Your name isn't Al, it is Alistair."
Leliana walked over to the girl and gently grabbed her by the arm. "Rose, listen..."
"Don't touch me Aunt Leli!" She jerked her arm away from her Auntie "You lied to me." Then the little girl's green daggers turned toward her beloved "Uncle" Zev as tears began rolling down her face. "Why would you lie to me?"
With one last angry look Rose ran out the door towards the gardens. "I will talk to her." Zev began to follow her out the door.
"Zev wait." Alistair grabbed him by the shoulder and pulled him back. "I started all of this and as you said she is my daughter. Let me talk to her."
Zevran and Leliana nodded in agreement. "You should know Alistair, she is just like her mother." Zevran warned.
Alistair chuckled lightly. "In that case, please pray for me." He then turned and strode out the door.
#59
Posté 24 juin 2010 - 08:06
Gilgamesh1138
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Aw, I love that Ali has come around, and they are all still his friends. Oh, Rose is like her mother.... yeah pray for Ali!
LOVE this chapter, needed lots of tissues...
:wub::wub:
LOVE this chapter, needed lots of tissues...
:wub::wub:
#60
Posté 25 juin 2010 - 01:18
Lyna357
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This story just keeps getting better. Thank you for another great chapter, Violet.
#61
Posté 25 juin 2010 - 02:00
VioletTheirin
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Thank you Lyna! I'm really glad that you are stayin' with me, even if I am agonizingly slow to update. 
#62
Posté 25 juin 2010 - 03:22
ladyames
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Awww ... sweet Ali gets to play "daddy"! Wonderful chapter!!!!
Wonderful chapter!!!!
#63
Posté 25 juin 2010 - 12:05
Lyna357
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VioletTheirin wrote...
Thank you Lyna! I'm really glad that you are stayin' with me, even if I am agonizingly slow to update.
You're welcome. The anticipation is worth the waiting.
#64
Posté 25 juin 2010 - 02:24
Lintanis
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Another great chapter in an excellent story , Alistair got some explaining to do 
, Alistair got some explaining to do
#65
Posté 25 juin 2010 - 04:16
VioletTheirin
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Thank you Lintanis. I'm so glad that you all are stickin' with me and enjoying it!!! And yes...Alistair definitely has some "splainin'" to do!!
#66
Posté 30 juin 2010 - 02:18
VioletTheirin
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~Chapter 13- The Apple Doesn't Fall Far From The Tree~
The sun was beginning to set on the horizon as Alistair stepped out the door into Leliana's yard. He noticed a small figure shimmy it's way up an apple tree on the far side of the property; near the garden of Andraste's Grace. "Definitely climbs like her mother." Alistair thought to himself as his memories began to return."Oh Alistair, I can't just leave it up there." Ruthi giggled as she swayed backwards, holding onto the tree trunk; smiling playfully.Alistair crossed his arms. "Get it if you want, but if you get scratched don't come crying to me; I will not kiss it all better Ruthi, I swear I won't."Ruthi rolled her eyes as she scuttled up the trunk of the tree. "Andraste's ass Alistair, it's a cat, not a genlock!" She grinned as she lowered her voice "And as for the kissing, it seems to me you look for almost any reason that you can to do that."Alistair's cheeks flushed "You will be the death of me, I swear it."Ruthi wrinkled her nose as she laughed. "There are far worse ways to meet your demise I'm sure."Ruthi gingerly picked up the small orange cat that had made it's way up the tree; spooked by Emaba. "Did that silly hound scare you sweetie?" She held the cat up to her, nuzzling it's pink nose with her own. "I'll keep him under control, and while I'm at it I'll speak to the mabari as well." She gave Alistair an impish grin."Heeeeeyyy." Alistair protested as he watched Ruthi jump from the branch with the kitten under her arm. "Why do you always have to be picking on me."She set the kitten on ground and threw her arms around Alistair's neck. "If I didn't you would swear that I was mad at you.""I suppose that is true." Alistair kissed Ruthi and gently pushed her back toward the tree she had just lept out of. "I love you, you know."Ruthi ran her nimble fingers through his short red hair. "And I love you."Alistair quickly shrugged away the tears that threatened to come to his eyes. "Gotta be strong man, you can do this."Alistair walked across the lawn and when he got to the tree he leaned his back against it and looked up. Though he couldn't quite see her he knew Rose was in amongst the thick green leaves. "You want to come down, so we can talk?""Leave me alone." Came a small but insistent voice from the trees."I won't do that Rose, I did it once; I refuse to do it again." Alistair squinted, trying to figure out exactly where amongst the foliage Rose was hiding.Suddenly an apple came flying from amidst the leaves, catching Alistair squarely between the eyes. "I said to leave me alone! I don't want to talk to you...ANY of you!"Alistair shook his head trying to regain his composure. "I see what they mean, JUST like your Mamae."Suddenly Rose leapt from the tree, landing inches in front of her father. "What do you know about Mamae? You were gone!"Alistair knelt down so he could look into his daughter's eyes. "Yes I was." He motioned to the little girl and beckoned her in the direction of the stone bench within the garden. "Please, let's just talk?"Rose crossed her arms in front of her as she bound toward the garden. "Fine."Alistair sat upon the bench that Zevran had sat upon only days earlier as he went through his own personal hell. Rose sat down in the grass and leaned against a nearby tree.Alistair patted the bench. "There is plenty of room here, you don't have to sit on the dirty ground."Without looking at her father Rose replied "I prefer the dirt, thank you."Father and daughter sat in silence for what seemed like an eternity. Rose picked up a small stone and began playing with it; rolling it around in her hand and examining it closely."You know, when your Mamae and I were traveling together during the Blight, one of our companions was a great stone giant." Alistair slowly slid from the bench, seating himself directly in front of where he had been sitting.Rose continued to stare at the stone in her hand. "Yes, Shayle. Mamae told me a lot about her; so did Nana Wynne.""But did they tell you about Smuzzy?" Alistair shifted his head, trying to get Rose to look into his eyes.Rose's green eyes met her father's brown ones. "Smuzzy?""Why yes, he was Shayle's pet rock. Your Mamae gave him to her for Satanalia." Alistair carefully scooted an inch closer to the girl. "Shayle used to spend hours talking to Smuzzy."Rose raised a quizzical eyebrow. "They...talked?""Why yes, deep philosophical conversations about the nature of the universe." Alistair did his best to keep a straight face."Really?" She asked giving him a speculative glance from the corner of her eye.Alistair chuckled. "No, not really; usually it was just about the best way to kill a bird; but the rock did talk, and it's name was Smuzzy...Maker's honest truth," He added, raising his hand in a semi-solemn oath.Rose couldn't help but giggle at the thought of the stone giant and her pet rock. Alistair took the opportunity to scoot beside his daughter as the air between them became light.After the giggling stopped Rose turned to look into Alistair's eyes. "Why did you leave us?""I'll be honest with you Rose, I left because I didn't get my way." Alistair gave the girl a shy grin. "Immature, I know; but there you have it. Sometimes adults can act a lot like children."Rose raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Really?"Alistair chuckled "Oh yes, sometimes even worse. You see there was this man, a man that I felt deserved one punishment, your mamae decided to give him a punishment that I felt was not enough so I got mad...and I left.""Well, had Mamae never disagreed with you before? Is that why you got so mad?" Rose was doing her best to understand."Well..." Alistair's memories trailed off again at the girls question. "I suppose not, we had our share of disagreements in the past; there were quite a few times really that we did not see eye to eye." One particular memory stood out in Alistair's mind, the day that Ruthi allowed for a blood mage named Jowan to perform a ritual to exorcise a demon out of his cousin Connor. A ritual which left Connor's mother Isolde dead. He remembered how mad he was at Ruthi for allowing Isolde to sacrifice herself as opposed to going to Circle Tower to seek the aid of the mages. Ruthi contended that it would have taken too much time to get there and back; she was unwilling to risk a whole village of people to save the life of the person who indirectly caused all of the turmoil from the start."But why could you forgive her all of those other times but not this one time?" Rose questioned. "I don't understand."Alistair thought about it for a while. He had to admit he was taken back by the intuitiveness of his daughter, just how perceptive her eight year old mind was; and it was becoming abundantly clear to him that in many ways, his own daughter had surpassed him in maturity. "You know Rose," he finally replied, "I don't know that I understand it myself.""Did you know about me?" Rose questioned shyly.Alistair shook his head. "No, no, no...I never ever would have left your side had I known. Never!""But why did it take you so long to come back? Where have you been all of this time?" Rose asked him with tears filling her dark green eyes.Alistair looked at the ground trying to hide the shame that he felt spreading across his features. "I went many places; Rivain, Seheron, Orlais, even Antiva, where your Uncle Zevran is from; while I was gone I did a lot of things...things I'm not really proud of. But I am here now and I'm not going to leave you ever ever again.""But what if I do something that you don't like? What if you get mad at me?" Rose's eyes pierced through Alistair like daggers.A lump caught in his throat. He wanted so badly to just evade her questions; throw his walls back up but he resisted. He knew that she deserved answers and it was he that must provide them. "No Rose, no matter what I will be here for you.""So why stay for me and not for Mamae?" Rose was trying so hard to understand what she found to be completely illogical. "Didn't you love her?""Yes Rose, I loved your mother with all of my heart." Alistair found himself getting extremely frustrated, not so much by Rose's mountain of questions but by his own inability to respond to them; because as he was finding out there really was not a reasonable answer."So why didn't you forgive her; do you forgive her now?" Rose questioned "You really really hurt her, she could not talk about you without crying. I always thought that it was because you had died and she would never see you again; but now I know you were alive and it makes me mad to know that you could have made Mamae better, so she wouldn't be sad and maybe she wouldn't have died.""I was very selfish Rose, I did not mean to hurt her but I felt like your mother chose someone else over me, like my feelings meant nothing to her." Alistair felt his own grief welling up inside of his belly. "I know I should have stayed but I hurt too; and I stayed away because I really didn't think that I was missed. I had no idea that your mother was grieving the way that she was and I didn't know about you. I have missed so much of your life and I only hope that in time you can forgive me.""Why did Mamae, Uncle Zev, and Aunt Leli lie to me? Everyone lied to me." Rose's cheeks glowed crimson with a combination of anger and sadness. "Why did they say you were dead when you weren't?""Don't be mad at them Rose; they were only doing what they thought was best for you." Alistair took the little girl's hand in his as she finally looked into his eyes. "The person that I was back then is not the kind of person I would want you to see. I want to be a Daddy that you can be proud of. I want to be there for you, get to know you, be everything that you deserve. I love you Rose."Rose looked into her father's eyes and could sense his sincerity. With tears in her eyes she wrapped her arms around the man that sat before her. "Daddy?""Yes, I'm your Daddy." Alistair wept as he stroked the girl's soft strawberry blonde hair. "And I promise Rose, I swear, I will always be there for you.""Are you okay Zevran?" Leliana looked at the assassin as they watched the scene unfold from the edge of the yard.Zevran nodded. "Si, she needs her father, and this is what Ruthi would have wanted." He turned and walked back into the house, doing his best to hide the tears that were cascading down his face.
The sun was beginning to set on the horizon as Alistair stepped out the door into Leliana's yard. He noticed a small figure shimmy it's way up an apple tree on the far side of the property; near the garden of Andraste's Grace. "Definitely climbs like her mother." Alistair thought to himself as his memories began to return."Oh Alistair, I can't just leave it up there." Ruthi giggled as she swayed backwards, holding onto the tree trunk; smiling playfully.Alistair crossed his arms. "Get it if you want, but if you get scratched don't come crying to me; I will not kiss it all better Ruthi, I swear I won't."Ruthi rolled her eyes as she scuttled up the trunk of the tree. "Andraste's ass Alistair, it's a cat, not a genlock!" She grinned as she lowered her voice "And as for the kissing, it seems to me you look for almost any reason that you can to do that."Alistair's cheeks flushed "You will be the death of me, I swear it."Ruthi wrinkled her nose as she laughed. "There are far worse ways to meet your demise I'm sure."Ruthi gingerly picked up the small orange cat that had made it's way up the tree; spooked by Emaba. "Did that silly hound scare you sweetie?" She held the cat up to her, nuzzling it's pink nose with her own. "I'll keep him under control, and while I'm at it I'll speak to the mabari as well." She gave Alistair an impish grin."Heeeeeyyy." Alistair protested as he watched Ruthi jump from the branch with the kitten under her arm. "Why do you always have to be picking on me."She set the kitten on ground and threw her arms around Alistair's neck. "If I didn't you would swear that I was mad at you.""I suppose that is true." Alistair kissed Ruthi and gently pushed her back toward the tree she had just lept out of. "I love you, you know."Ruthi ran her nimble fingers through his short red hair. "And I love you."Alistair quickly shrugged away the tears that threatened to come to his eyes. "Gotta be strong man, you can do this."Alistair walked across the lawn and when he got to the tree he leaned his back against it and looked up. Though he couldn't quite see her he knew Rose was in amongst the thick green leaves. "You want to come down, so we can talk?""Leave me alone." Came a small but insistent voice from the trees."I won't do that Rose, I did it once; I refuse to do it again." Alistair squinted, trying to figure out exactly where amongst the foliage Rose was hiding.Suddenly an apple came flying from amidst the leaves, catching Alistair squarely between the eyes. "I said to leave me alone! I don't want to talk to you...ANY of you!"Alistair shook his head trying to regain his composure. "I see what they mean, JUST like your Mamae."Suddenly Rose leapt from the tree, landing inches in front of her father. "What do you know about Mamae? You were gone!"Alistair knelt down so he could look into his daughter's eyes. "Yes I was." He motioned to the little girl and beckoned her in the direction of the stone bench within the garden. "Please, let's just talk?"Rose crossed her arms in front of her as she bound toward the garden. "Fine."Alistair sat upon the bench that Zevran had sat upon only days earlier as he went through his own personal hell. Rose sat down in the grass and leaned against a nearby tree.Alistair patted the bench. "There is plenty of room here, you don't have to sit on the dirty ground."Without looking at her father Rose replied "I prefer the dirt, thank you."Father and daughter sat in silence for what seemed like an eternity. Rose picked up a small stone and began playing with it; rolling it around in her hand and examining it closely."You know, when your Mamae and I were traveling together during the Blight, one of our companions was a great stone giant." Alistair slowly slid from the bench, seating himself directly in front of where he had been sitting.Rose continued to stare at the stone in her hand. "Yes, Shayle. Mamae told me a lot about her; so did Nana Wynne.""But did they tell you about Smuzzy?" Alistair shifted his head, trying to get Rose to look into his eyes.Rose's green eyes met her father's brown ones. "Smuzzy?""Why yes, he was Shayle's pet rock. Your Mamae gave him to her for Satanalia." Alistair carefully scooted an inch closer to the girl. "Shayle used to spend hours talking to Smuzzy."Rose raised a quizzical eyebrow. "They...talked?""Why yes, deep philosophical conversations about the nature of the universe." Alistair did his best to keep a straight face."Really?" She asked giving him a speculative glance from the corner of her eye.Alistair chuckled. "No, not really; usually it was just about the best way to kill a bird; but the rock did talk, and it's name was Smuzzy...Maker's honest truth," He added, raising his hand in a semi-solemn oath.Rose couldn't help but giggle at the thought of the stone giant and her pet rock. Alistair took the opportunity to scoot beside his daughter as the air between them became light.After the giggling stopped Rose turned to look into Alistair's eyes. "Why did you leave us?""I'll be honest with you Rose, I left because I didn't get my way." Alistair gave the girl a shy grin. "Immature, I know; but there you have it. Sometimes adults can act a lot like children."Rose raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Really?"Alistair chuckled "Oh yes, sometimes even worse. You see there was this man, a man that I felt deserved one punishment, your mamae decided to give him a punishment that I felt was not enough so I got mad...and I left.""Well, had Mamae never disagreed with you before? Is that why you got so mad?" Rose was doing her best to understand."Well..." Alistair's memories trailed off again at the girls question. "I suppose not, we had our share of disagreements in the past; there were quite a few times really that we did not see eye to eye." One particular memory stood out in Alistair's mind, the day that Ruthi allowed for a blood mage named Jowan to perform a ritual to exorcise a demon out of his cousin Connor. A ritual which left Connor's mother Isolde dead. He remembered how mad he was at Ruthi for allowing Isolde to sacrifice herself as opposed to going to Circle Tower to seek the aid of the mages. Ruthi contended that it would have taken too much time to get there and back; she was unwilling to risk a whole village of people to save the life of the person who indirectly caused all of the turmoil from the start."But why could you forgive her all of those other times but not this one time?" Rose questioned. "I don't understand."Alistair thought about it for a while. He had to admit he was taken back by the intuitiveness of his daughter, just how perceptive her eight year old mind was; and it was becoming abundantly clear to him that in many ways, his own daughter had surpassed him in maturity. "You know Rose," he finally replied, "I don't know that I understand it myself.""Did you know about me?" Rose questioned shyly.Alistair shook his head. "No, no, no...I never ever would have left your side had I known. Never!""But why did it take you so long to come back? Where have you been all of this time?" Rose asked him with tears filling her dark green eyes.Alistair looked at the ground trying to hide the shame that he felt spreading across his features. "I went many places; Rivain, Seheron, Orlais, even Antiva, where your Uncle Zevran is from; while I was gone I did a lot of things...things I'm not really proud of. But I am here now and I'm not going to leave you ever ever again.""But what if I do something that you don't like? What if you get mad at me?" Rose's eyes pierced through Alistair like daggers.A lump caught in his throat. He wanted so badly to just evade her questions; throw his walls back up but he resisted. He knew that she deserved answers and it was he that must provide them. "No Rose, no matter what I will be here for you.""So why stay for me and not for Mamae?" Rose was trying so hard to understand what she found to be completely illogical. "Didn't you love her?""Yes Rose, I loved your mother with all of my heart." Alistair found himself getting extremely frustrated, not so much by Rose's mountain of questions but by his own inability to respond to them; because as he was finding out there really was not a reasonable answer."So why didn't you forgive her; do you forgive her now?" Rose questioned "You really really hurt her, she could not talk about you without crying. I always thought that it was because you had died and she would never see you again; but now I know you were alive and it makes me mad to know that you could have made Mamae better, so she wouldn't be sad and maybe she wouldn't have died.""I was very selfish Rose, I did not mean to hurt her but I felt like your mother chose someone else over me, like my feelings meant nothing to her." Alistair felt his own grief welling up inside of his belly. "I know I should have stayed but I hurt too; and I stayed away because I really didn't think that I was missed. I had no idea that your mother was grieving the way that she was and I didn't know about you. I have missed so much of your life and I only hope that in time you can forgive me.""Why did Mamae, Uncle Zev, and Aunt Leli lie to me? Everyone lied to me." Rose's cheeks glowed crimson with a combination of anger and sadness. "Why did they say you were dead when you weren't?""Don't be mad at them Rose; they were only doing what they thought was best for you." Alistair took the little girl's hand in his as she finally looked into his eyes. "The person that I was back then is not the kind of person I would want you to see. I want to be a Daddy that you can be proud of. I want to be there for you, get to know you, be everything that you deserve. I love you Rose."Rose looked into her father's eyes and could sense his sincerity. With tears in her eyes she wrapped her arms around the man that sat before her. "Daddy?""Yes, I'm your Daddy." Alistair wept as he stroked the girl's soft strawberry blonde hair. "And I promise Rose, I swear, I will always be there for you.""Are you okay Zevran?" Leliana looked at the assassin as they watched the scene unfold from the edge of the yard.Zevran nodded. "Si, she needs her father, and this is what Ruthi would have wanted." He turned and walked back into the house, doing his best to hide the tears that were cascading down his face.
Modifié par VioletTheirin, 01 juillet 2010 - 12:17 .
#67
Posté 30 juin 2010 - 02:48
VioletTheirin
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Alright, I don't know why this thing is insisting on posting as one big paragraph...I apologize! I will come back and try again to fix it once the urge to throw my laptop out of my living room window has abated.
#69
Posté 01 juillet 2010 - 02:27
Gilgamesh1138
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WOOT! Another fantastic heart rending chapter! Boy you know how to tug at my heartstrings girl! LOVE this story so much! Damn now I need more tissues! 
#70
Posté 01 juillet 2010 - 11:08
Lyna357
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Alistair 'splained things nicely, but awwww, poor Zevran.
#71
Posté 01 juillet 2010 - 03:06
Lintanis
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wow what a wall of text made my eyes water lol, hard to read but another good chapter
#72
Posté 02 juillet 2010 - 03:15
VioletTheirin
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Ya, I appologize for the wall of text but the stupid thing just would NOT cooperate with me and I didn't want to end up hurting my computer via throwing it against a wall. Gonna try again tomorrow to fix it. Glad you enjoyed it other than the watery eyes!
#73
Posté 02 juillet 2010 - 08:17
Lynn01
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I just stumbled across this story and I love it!!!
Well done, I can't wait on the next part
Well done, I can't wait on the next part
#74
Posté 02 juillet 2010 - 09:21
VioletTheirin
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Thank you Lynn01...I'm glad to have you along!
#75
Posté 11 juillet 2010 - 08:27
Lyna357
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I just got around to reading Painful Mercy....omgoodness girl! You write some amazing, heart-rending stuff. I need to make an account there.
Looking forward to the next chapter of "Rose of the Alienage".
Looking forward to the next chapter of "Rose of the Alienage".
Modifié par Lyna357, 12 juillet 2010 - 12:14 .
