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[tuppence95]

Morning!  Yay, another prompt!  But judging from the reactions, I think I'm going to hold off on reading it until there's some happy stuff to counteract it.  I'm already fighting off melancholy this week from a sad anniversary.  Sounds like you wrote a good one, Tigress.  Looking forward to reading it!

ToP

Modifié par tuppence95, 22 décembre 2010 - 03:10 .

[Tigress M]

@Giggles - Bring us Bob! Randi misses her hero!

@Yankee - Awwww, thank you so much (and I confess it made me cry when I re-read this morning... I'm such a sucker).

@Rage - I think Nate's sacrifice is the most powerful of all. Because you know he's not stupid and you know he has to be aware of what she's doing on some level... but he lets her do it anyway. Truly being selfless in his desire to give her happiness, whether its by warming her bed when she needs companionship or letting her go off to die with the love of her life.

[rak72]

That was so sad.

[Catspaw]

So sorry Tuppence. Great pic - he looks like he has gas.

[RagingCyclone]

Ok, here I come to hopefully lighten the mood. Ceb, excellent prompt. So here goes:

There is no love without sacrifice

Dan looked down at the letter once again. The royal seal meant that his old friend had sent it personally. A request, or more to the matter, a demand by the king to meet at the palace in Denerim. He and Leliana had left Gwaren a week earlier after receiving the letter. She insisted on coming along since they had not been to the city in almost a year. Dan could never say no to his wife, and so while she was off somewhere in the palace with his cousin, he pondered what was so urgent that Alistair called for a meeting with the Teryn of Gwaren.
Dan made his way to the king's private room in the palace. The servants had stated earlier that the king had not left the room the entire week. As he entered the doorway, he noticed Alistair sitting in front of a mirror stroking his chin.
"Your Highness? You sent for me on a matter of great urgency?" Dan announced.
Alistair slowly turned and looked at Dan. His face bore a sadness Dan had not seen since the Blight and Duncan had been killed along with Cailan, Alistair's brother. His hand still on his chin.
"Come in my old friend, please. I need your advice."
"Oh? What about? And why the long face? Aren't excited about getting married soon?"
"I am. I'm just...well...your cousin is driving me crazy!"
"Crazy? Ok...um...well...is this the urgent matter that you needed to see me about?" Dan quizzed. He had introduced his cousin to Alistair two years earlier, and the two hit it off so well that their wedding was set for two months time from now. But Alistair was not being his normal jovial self. "Don't tell me that you two are...you ARE still getting married? Right?"
"Oh that is still going to happen. I love her you know. Did I ever thank you for introducing us? I mean really?"
"Yes, on more than one occasion. But I am confused. Why the urgent summons? You know I will be here whenever you need me, but I am not understanding what you need me here for. There is nothing amiss right now. The countryside is at peace. Leliana and I returned from our visit with Emporess Celene with a new treaty with Orlais. Oh, that was brilliant by the way. Leliana and Celene were like long lost sisters during that visit. Celene was even more interested once she found out Leliana was once a bard in Orlais. I think she liked the tales..."
"Yes...yes, I have heard before. But that's not why I need you here."
Dan just held his mouth open for a moment. This was not the normal calm Alistair he knew, but the nervous former Templar he met back in Ostagar.
"Well then, why did you ask me here?"
"I need you to talk to your cousin. Tell her to be reasonable."
"Reasonable? About what? I thought you two.."
"We are. She just..well.." Alistair stood up and removed his hand from his chin. Dan saw for the first time the smoothness of it. Alistair's normal chin hair and occasional goatee was missing. "She made me shave my beard off!"
"Wait..you called me here to talk to my cousin...on royal parchment with royal seal... because she made you shave?!" Dan doubled over in laughter.
"Hey, this is no small matter! Do you know how long it took me to grow it just right? I mean, I almost spend as much time grooming it as I do my hair!" Dan could not stop laughing which caused Alistair to become more flustered. "And it's your fault!"
"My fault? how is this my fault? All I did was introduce you two. Then you took over from there. I mean, I knew you would like each other, and I was happy when you announced your engagement."
"That's right. And now you need to tell her that my beard is important. She won't listen to me about it. She says it hurt her skin and wanted it gone. Especially for the wedding. She won't listen to me about it. She just said 'shave it off.'"
"And this is the urgent matter? To come here and convince my cousin that you need to keep the goatee?" Dan struggled to say amongst his laughing. He turned and started to leave the room. "I am NOT getting into that mess. You decided to marry her. It's your problem to deal with. Keep me out of it."
"Hey, get back here! I'm serious! Ah come on! Dan...Dan...I..." Alistair sat back down looking in the mirror and stroked his smooth chin while listening to Dan's laughter grow faint down the hall. "My beard....my poor...poor...beard."

Modifié par RagingCyclone, 22 décembre 2010 - 03:25 .

[Catspaw]

Oh Rage!!!:wizard::wizard::wizard:

That'll lighten things up around here!
First thing the teenage boys do when they get out of my chair is fix their hair!!! Hmmm, gives me ideas...... MWAHAHA!

[CmdrShepardsGirl]

LOL!! i love that it perfectly portrays Alistairs 'minor obsession with his hair' lol great work

[rak72]

<3Rage's  Cousins

I just want to go on the record and say, Renata refuses to go on her calling, her dead body to be feasted on by Dark spawn & Ruck.

Edit: She's not going to let Alistair go either

Modifié par rak72, 22 décembre 2010 - 03:42 .

[CeboCabo]

Morning everyone   Glad people like my prompt, although I feel it may have come at a wrong time being the holidays and all.  Didn't mean to put you all in a sad mood  But it seems Rage had come to save the day (quite a gentleman he is).

@ Tigress - that was beautiful  

@ Rage -   I feel for Alistair!  And Dan cousin reminded me of my gf in uni.  She hated my goatee and it was the only thing I could grow in terms of facial hair.

@ Catspaw - Thank you for the warm welcome   And lol! at your daughter.  Those Italians, they don't hold back. 

[Bratt1204]

Tigress M wrote...

Okay, I'm cheating on this awesome prompt, for now. I really like it though and might try to find the time to write something new, but for the moment, here's the very first ff I ever wrote, which I think fits Cebo's wonderful prompt quite nicely since it's full of sacrifices.  

There is no love without sacrifice.

The End

“Message for you, Commander,” said Nathaniel, handing Krissa a scroll.

A smile played across her lips at the formality from her old friend and sometimes lover. After all these years everyone at the Keep knew he occasionally shared her bed, but Nate was a stickler for proprieties.

The smile fled as she stared at the royal seal, the impression of King Alistair’s personal signet ring clearly visible in the wax. Alistair never wrote her directly, always electing to send any missives to her or the Wardens through Kylon, the former Sergeant of the city guard in Denerim who became General of the King’s Armies a few years after the Blight.

Long ago, while she was at the palace on Warden business, she found herself alone with Alistair for the first time since his coronation. It was then that he confessed that communicating with her was simply too painful to continue.

“I still love you,” he’d said, staring into the fire raging in the hearth on that cold winter night. “I… I think I always will.”

“And I, you,” she’d whispered, fighting back the tears that threatened to spill down her cheeks.

“I know,” he said, his voice breaking as he turned around.

His hand reached out and stroked her cheek. Her heart raced as she stood there, thinking he might kiss her. Wanting to feel his lips against hers just one more time. But he didn’t. Instead he pulled his hand away, letting it drop to his side.

“Which is why I can’t see you again,” he’d said, turning his back to her once again. “It’s too painful… for both of us.”

That was the last time she’d seen or heard from Alistair in almost 30 years.

“If there is nothing else you need, Commander, I’ll take my leave,” said Nate, hiding his feelings behind a stoic face.

Over the years, he’d grown to love this slip of an elf who led the Wardens of Ferelden. And though he knew she cared for him, he also knew she had never loved him as she loved the King.

She tore her gaze away from the sealed scroll and looked up at him. “Thank you.”

He nodded, knowing her thanks referred to much more than simply delivering a letter, and left the room.

With trembling hands she broke the seal and unrolled the parchment. Her eyes filled with tears as she read the missive within.

My Dear Krissa,

Perhaps I no longer have the right to address you so, but despite the years and distance between us, that is still what you are to me.

The time has come to take my final journey. The dreams have begun again and soon I will make my way to the Deep Roads.

But, I could not leave without writing you. I know this is selfish of me, but so be it. I could not forgive myself if I left without a goodbye to the only woman I have ever loved.

There has not been a single day in the past 30 years that I have not regretted pushing you away. The only thing that has stopped me from begging for you to return to my side has been my fear that one day, I would simply hurt you again and I knew I would never be able to live with that pain.

Please forgive me if this letter opens old wounds. I just had to let you know that I love you, and always have.

I go to my destiny now, as I am sure you yourself will, before too much longer. And I swear by all that is holy, if there is an afterlife, I will be waiting for you on the other side.

Yours Forever,
Alistair

***

“Come in,” she called.

Nate walked into her room and stopped cold as he watched Krissa pack the last few belongings into her bag. “Where are you going?”

She closed her pack and turned to face him. “It’s time.”

A kaleidoscope of emotions played across his normally impassive face. Sadness, fear, worry, and finally anger. “Yours or his?”

She flinched at his question, the pain in his voice piercing her heart. “Both.”

The answer seemed to knock the wind out of him as he slumped down on the bed beside her bag. “No,” he whispered, burying his face in his hands.

Her heart ached to see his pain. She hated herself for ever letting him get this close to her. She should have put an end to it years ago when she realized he was falling in love with her, but she had been so lonely she just couldn’t let him go. She’d rationalized it by telling herself she didn’t want to do to Nate what Alistair had done to her, but the truth was, she was simply too weak to call it off.

And now he would pay the price for that weakness.

“They started a few weeks ago. I didn’t want to say anything because I wasn’t sure. You know that sometimes over the years I’ve heard the calling as the Darkspawn get more restless. I’d hoped this was one of those times, but the dreams are getting stronger… more insistent.”

“I’m coming with you.”

“No! You have a few years left and the Wardens need you here. Your job is to stay here and finish training Bevin. He’s smart and he’ll make a good Warden Commander, but you know he’s still wet behind the ears.”

“There are plenty of others who can see to his training.”

Krissa sat down beside him on the bed and grasped Nate’s hand. “But none that I trust as much as you.”

Realization came to him and he knew what she planned to do. As much as it would pain him to let her go, he could not deny her this last chance to be happy… truly happy for the first time in 30 years.

He leaned over and kissed her cheek. “May you find all you seek,” he said before standing up and walking out of the room.

***

She spotted him before he saw her. Her pulse quickened as she drank in the sight of him. His hair was flecked with grey, a few lines were etched into his face, and he sported a beard, but none of that mattered to her heart beating loudly in her chest.

She rose from the bench she’d been sitting on in the Commons, her breath catching in her throat as she saw his eyes light up at the sight of her. She barely saw his smile before he was upon her, scooping her up in his arms, his face buried in her hair.

“Maker’s breath, but you’re more beautiful than when we first met!” said Alistair, holding her at arms length as he drank in the sight of her.

She smiled, knowing that was a lie. Her own hair was streaked with grey, the lines on her face just as deep as his own. Or was it? He was just as handsome as she remembered, those eyes piercing into her soul just as they always had.

Slowly his face turned serious, creases growing deeper across his forehead as he realized why she must be here, in Orzammar. He sat her down on the bench and knelt in front of her, mindless of all the attention their reunion had attracted.

“Why – why are you here?” he asked, his eyes full of pain.

“It’s time,” she replied, reaching out to stroke his cheek.

He grabbed her hand and brought it to his lips, drinking in the feel, the smell, of her skin. But his eyes never left hers. “So soon?”

She nodded, the lump in her throat making her unable to speak.

He leaned in close, his mouth inches from her own. “May I?”

She leaned forward, tears streaming down her cheeks. And then his lips were on hers. His hands cupping her face as he wiped the tears away with his thumbs.

Slowly, they pulled apart, his hands sliding down her arms until their fingers interlocked.

She finally found her voice. “Shall we take this last journey together?”

“Yes. By the Maker, yes!” he whispered pulling her into his arms for another embrace, his hands stroking her hair.

***

They made their way into the Deep Roads, side by side, just as they’d done in days of old. Their days were spent killing wave after wave of Darkspawn. Their nights filled with hour upon hour of passion, as if trying to make up for all the lost years.

But, they were tiring, growing weaker day by day. As she lay wrapped in his arms, she knew this would most likely be their last night together.

She had but one regret. For 30 years she had wondered what the calling would feel like. Now, she would never know. But, the price was worth it.

She rolled over in Alistair’s arms and planted a soft kiss over his heart. Oh yes, it was worth it, indeed.

<3 Lovely

[Catspaw]

@ Rak. If I don't do the LM right and Alistair dumps me, I'm heading straight to the Deep Roads and taking up with Ruck. He, at least still likes me.

[CeboCabo]

@ rak72 - I'm with you on no Calling.  Except my warden will not die a slow decaying death.  I'm working on something that involves a cure for the taint and Avernus and the Architect will have a role in it.  That's all I'm going to say.

[RagingCyclone]

Thanks everyone. I hoped it would lighten things up a bit. Tigress still has the the better fill. however.



And for those new that have not seen the Brothers in Arms. Here they are:

[rak72]

Catspaw wrote...

@ Rak. If I don't do the LM right and Alistair dumps me, I'm heading straight to the Deep Roads and taking up with Ruck. He, at least still likes me.

He'll know how to treat his pretty lady, he'll bring you shiny things.

[rak72]

CeboCabo wrote...

@ rak72 - I'm with you on no Calling.  Except my warden will not die a slow decaying death.  I'm working on something that involves a cure for the taint and Avernus and the Architect will have a role in it.  That's all I'm going to say.

That's why Avernus lives in all my games!!  And if Wynn doesn't keep her mouth shut about it, I'll send her to her own personal calling.

[Tigress M]

@Rage - That's a perfect counterfoil to my mushiness! My only question is why on earth Alistair thinks Dan can sway his cousin's thinking. Knowing all the Cousland women around here... that would be a cold day in hell, one suspects.

@tgail - Sorry I missed your post earlier. I'm glad you liked it (and that you had tissues nearby)!

@rak - I had to write an ending for my incomplete first playthrough where Krissa got dumped after the LM. But, I fully understand your feeling of never sending them to the Deep Roads. I guess we can keep hoping Avernus finds a way to change the way things are.

@Ceb - Thanks! And don't apologize for the prompt! We like heartwrenching things around here!

@Bratt - I'm glad you liked it and it's great seeing you poke your face in here!

[Tigress M]

Okay and now to help lighten things up even more, take a look at Randi. Well... you can't really SEE Randi because she's buried under that pile of books!

[CeboCabo]

rak72 wrote...
That's why Avernus lives in all my games!!  And if Wynn doesn't keep her mouth shut about it, I'll send her to her own personal calling.

LOL!  Not before having her chug down some joining ritual darkspawn blood.  Gotta make sure they could sense her.

@ Rage - Goatees ftw!  And where did you get those armours?

@ Tigress - Wheeeeere's Randi?  There's Randi!

Modifié par CeboCabo, 22 décembre 2010 - 04:18 .

[CmdrShepardsGirl]

@ Catspaw lol Awww little Ruck my heart always goes out to him when he calls my PC pretty lady smells like steam from running water lol =)

[CmdrShepardsGirl]

oh i forgot to say hello to Catspaw so hello catspaw *waves* =D hope you are well

[Skyl4rk]

@ Tigress -   Waterworks...my eyes are like....Niagara Falls right now!  That was heart wrenching beautiful. Loved it!

@ Rage - My hero!   Always there to make me laugh.  And I  those cousins!

@ Catspaw - That is wonderful news!  25 hr flight?  Who cares!  So long as she gets to come home

[Sarah1281]

@Tigress: Oh, so she went before it was even her Calling? I guess that if she still loved him for thirty years of no contact (something I can't even imagine) then she'd feel it was worth it to sacrifice a few years at the end to see him again. Poor Nathaniel, though...



@Rage: Somehow I don't quite think that that was the help Alistair was looking for...

[Schratty]

@ Tigress: That was a bittersweet story. Although, I'm glad the Warden got to face the end with Alistair.



@ Rage: Haha, what a nice bit of comic relief. I always enjoy reading your Dan and Alistair submissions. They very much remind me of this bit from Scrubs.

[ejoslin]

I want to romance schratty's avatar... wow, he is gorgeous.



sorry to interrupt the thread I just noticed that and had to comment!