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[MireliA]

I've been putting this fanfic together for a while now and finally decided to post the first chapter. Its my take on what might happen if Alistair was made Warden Commander at Highever and it was four years further on from where the original game ended.

Alistair, Fergus and Zevran are the main characters who are in it from the game and the PC who died was called Mireli, after the first character I had on DA:O (and the first character I have in every game going back to DAOC - sad but true ).

One last thing - Alistair may not seem like the same person, at least not at first.



The Warden Commander



‘Mireli! NO!!!’

The red haired woman grabbed the large two-handed sword that was sticking out of the ground and ran,dragging the sword towards the Archdemon. Alistair felt his feet stick to the floor and his hands reached out ineffectually towards the woman he loved. Her green eyes met his and a sad smile played upon her lips. Even though she was a rogue, she swung the sword high and jumped on the neck of the Archdemon, sticking the blade through the head of the beast. Then a blinding, flashing light and they were all knocked off their feet; the group, the fighters and darkspawn.

Alistair woke with a start and sat up in bed. After four years of having had and lived this dream, he knew what happened next: Alistair holding Mireli in his arms, his tears of rage and pain not enough to bring her back, then the funeral in Highever, her brother Fergus, who lost his last remaining family member and Alistair, not able to say why she sacrificed herself. Sacrifice. They never tell you how deeply that duty would go when you join.

He dried the tears that had been shed during sleep with his hands and got up. Enough self-pity, time for action, he thought. Once he’d completed his morning ritual and got dressed in armour, there was a knock at the door.

‘Enter’

‘I thought you should know the new recruits have arrived with Fergus, ser’ said Alexander. He had only been Joined two years earlier but had gone up the ranks and proved an excellent aide to Alistair.

‘They’re early aren’t they?’ asked Alistair, somewhat surprised. Fergus had sent word they would arrive tomorrow at Highever Castle.

‘Yes, they managed to get a carriage from Redcliffe earlier than expected, ser.’ Alex seemed to hesitate, as if there was something he needed to tell his superior.

‘Very well, show the new recruits to their rooms and I’ll come down to talk to Fergus. That will be all thank you, Alex.’ Alistair watched Alex retreat.

On his way down to meet Fergus, Alistair passed other Grey Wardens and was greeted with nods and ‘Warden Commander’. Only in the last year had he got used to the title and felt he was growing into his role effortlessly. There were few at Highever who called him by his name but Fergus was one of the few exceptions.

Fergus was standing in what had been his father’s study when he’d lived at Highever originally. He was in front of the desk with his back to the door when Alistair walked into the room. His dark hair was flecked with grey and the lines around the eyes had grown deeper. All the deaths of his family had prematurely aged him, as Mireli’s had aged Alistair.

‘Fergus, good to see you’ said Alistair clapping his friend on the arm. Alistair motioned for him to sit down as he sat in his chair behind the desk. He’d come to Alistair a year after his sister’s death, a broken man. Fergus gave Highever to the Grey Wardens and had travelled immediately after her death but couldn’t run away from his grief anymore. He had begged to be allowed to join the Grey Wardens and knew something of the Joining, which could be fatal. He felt that he had nothing else to live for and did not care if he died. Once Alistair had seen him fight and made sure that his prowess with a sword wasn’t a rumour, Fergus completed the Joining. He was very ill, but
survived it, while younger men perished on the same day.

‘How was your journey back from Redcliffe? And the Arl?’ queried Alistair.

‘Tiring, and would have been more comfortable on foot.’ Fergus replied smiling. ‘Eamon sends his greetings.’

‘I’m sure. So what’s the news on the recruits?’

‘We have two. A man by the name of Edmund, who is an excellent fighter with a sword and shield. Originally from Rainsfere but has been living in Redcliffe, training as a blacksmith’s apprentice.’ Fergus answered.

Alistair nodded. ‘And the other recruit?’

Fergus sighed, ‘A woman by the name of Talissa, who originally lived in the Elven Alienage in Denerim but fled with her family to Redcliffe during the Blight, when she was just a girl. She fights duelist style and is a very talented rogue. Unfortunately, she’s equally good at throwing insults, as Edmund would tell you.’

The two men smiled at each other.

‘However, she has excellent leadership potential and would certainly be able to lead a group in the right circumstances’ said Fergus. ‘You should come down to the training ground and see them this afternoon. We’re due to start training them both, once they’ve had a rest.’

‘I certainly will do, if I can get far enough through the paper mountain.’ Alistair’s eyes strayed to the tray on his left, filled with supposedly urgent memos and letters.

‘Well, I’d better get on. I have a lot to catch up with.’ Fergus took his leave.

Alistair sat with his elbows on his desk, chin propped up by his hands, thinking. Fergus was the closest person to him at Highever. Once his Joining was complete, they’d had some very uncomfortable conversations about
his sister’s death. It was still raw for both of them and once he’d even challenged Alistair to a fight while drunk, when he’d found out how close Alistair and Mireli had been. For their relationship had not simply been that of the last two Wardens in Ferelden. During the year they’d travelled and fought together, they had eventually been lovers too. Alistair tried not to think too hard about that but the bittersweet memories came unbidden to mind.

‘That damn dream’ he muttered and began to move paperwork around the desk.

 

Talissa let out a scream of frustration between gritted teeth and kicked the wall outside the back of Highever kitchens. Why did she agree to share a room with the only other female Warden in the place? And how annoying she was! Just because she’d been a Warden for three years longer than Talissa had, didn’t mean she had to be bossed around by her. Were all Grey Wardens so damn maddening? Admittedly, she’d liked Fergus from the start. When she’d seen the large man with the twinkling eyes scrutinising her fight on the dummy outside her parents house, she was about to call him a pervert for watching her until he’d introduced himself. Her big mouth, nearly getting herself into trouble again. Her father said she’d always opened her mouth before she’d wound her brain up into working and yet again he was proved right.

Talissa was starting to calm down but she felt sweat trickling down her neck. Maker’s breath, she was sweating without even drawing a knife. She thought she should go to the training ground but was finding it hard to muster enthusiasm with Edmund doing his ‘Fighters are always better than Rogues’ rubbish. It was as if he was going out of his way to aggravate her. She checked her equipment, made sure she had her knives and found her way to the training grounds and waited to meet Zevran for the first time.

 

It was early afternoon and Alistair was replying to a letter. He’d lost track of time among his correspondence and was about to break for some food, when there was a knock and the door opened. 

‘Warden Commander,’ said a pretty yet angry young woman with long curly black hair ’I need to speak to you’.

‘Diandra, please sit down.’ A few years ago he would have groaned when faced with a woman so annoyed but he’d learnt to bite his tongue and let them talk before making a judgement call. A skill discovered from his time
working with Mireli, he supposed.

‘Very well. That...elven woman you’ve put in my room. I came back to meet her and she had turned the place upside down, changed drawers over and generally messed the room up. I had left enough space for her clothes but she insisted that she needed more.’

Usually, issues like this would be dealt with by their direct superiors but Diandra, like Fergus, was one of the first Grey Wardens at Highever and they helped to rebuild the place. This was the first time she’d come to him with a problem that seemed insignificant. There must be more to this than she’s initially said, thought Alistair.

‘Is it just a clash of personalities, do you think?’ Alistair looked her straight in the eyes and he knew she felt like she was ‘running to teacher’.

Diandra dropped her head then looked back at him. ‘I didn’t explain myself very well but she’s the first person I’ve met here who... I don’t think is good Grey Warden material.’ She breathed out, a sigh of relief.

‘What makes you say that? I know you and I know that you wouldn’t say that without a reason.’ Alistair leant forward.

‘It was her temper. I told her politely that I’d left enough room for her clothes. She looked at me angrily and told me I was a bossy cow and an ignorant shem and then ran out slamming the door.’

For the first time since she’d walked into the room, he got the irrational urge to laugh. The old Alistair would have laughed. Sometimes he really missed the old days.

‘She certainly sounds as if she has an attitude alright but that doesn’t mean that the attitude can’t be tamed. Fergus saw something in her and I trust his judgement. However, we can’t have her treating people like that so I’ll ask Fergus to have a word with her.’

‘Thank you’ said Diandra.

‘That’s not a problem. Now I wonder if there’s anything left to eat in the Refectory because I am starving.’ said Alistair, escorting her out of the door.

 

Alistair always wore basic splintmail armour when training new recruits. This was partly due to him trying to show that at heart, all Wardens were equals but also because he didn’t want to show he was the Warden Commander too soon. They would find out quickly enough. New recruits tended to be more honest when they didn’t know exactly who he was and he got a good idea of their immediate strengths and weaknesses. None of the other trainers called him by his title when on the field for that reason alone.

Alistair made his way down to the training grounds to watch the recruits. Today, there was only Edmund being trained by Fergus and Talissa being trained by Zevran.  He walked across to Fergus and asked if he could have a word.  Fergus told Edmund to have a two minute rest and they walked out of hearing distance.

‘What’s wrong Alistair?’ Fergus asked.

‘Talissa. Diandra has complained about her attitude.‘Alistair answered.

‘Why, what did she say to her?’ asked Fergus intrigued. He had hoped that sharing a room with Diandra might calm her down. Some hope, thought Fergus.

‘They had an argument and Talissa told her she was a ‘bossy cow and an ignorant shem’ and stormed out.’ He saw Fergus’s lips twitching, trying not to smile.

‘Bah, it’s just a time of the month thing.’ Fergus answered.

‘Doesn’t matter what it is. Would you have a word, let her know her behaviour was not acceptable?’

‘Of course I will. Wish me luck, I might need it.’ Fergus said in his sometimes flippant manner.

Alistair watched Fergus go across to Talissa and talk to her. Her olive skinned cheeks had flared red. He could tell enough by the hand movements that she was not impressed about Diandra’s complaints but she stuck with the telling off. At least she didn’t storm off from that too, thought Alistair.

Once Fergus came back to his student, Alistair watched Edmund train, who he agreed had talent with a sword and shield. He needed more confidence but he had no doubt that would be gained in time.

Alistair was trying to ignore the other training duo at the moment although he knew that she would be angry when he did go across. After half an hour he walked to the other side of the field and it was there he heard raised voices.

‘You need to be more focused, Talissa.’ Zevran said, in his clipped Antivan accent.

‘More focused? I am!  I’m focused on that b**** who complained about me!’ yelled Talissa.

Uh oh, thought Alistair. Zevran was usually able to calm the most stubborn individual but today his charming tones had the opposite effect on this angry young woman.

‘Is there a problem?’ asked Alistair innocently.

Talissa rounded on him, her amber eyes flashing in annoyance.

‘You! You’re Diandra’s lapdog! You’re the one she complained to, aren’t you?’ Talissa pointed at Alistair. Zevran smiled behind her.

‘That’s right. She told me what happened.’

‘Who are you anyway?’ Talissa eyed him up.

‘Alistair’ he said, keeping up the pretence.

‘And I suppose you’re yet another Grey Warden who thinks they know it all? I didn’t become a Grey Warden to be bossed around.’ Her eyes narrowed in suspicion.

‘No, but you’re here to fight and that’s what Zevran here is trying to train you to do. All he means is if you can control your anger, you can be a disciplined fighter.’ Alistair said calmly.

Some of the anger seemed to go out of her then.

‘Let’s see what you can do on the training dummy.’ Alistair said, walking over to it.

For the next twenty minutes, Alistair saw a young woman who could fight and had skill and speed.  She was a talented duelist, that was for sure and when she concentrated on her opponent, she would be able to do some heavy damage. But she was leaving herself wide open to attack.

‘You’ll do some impressive damage, Talissa but you’re making yourself very vulnerable. That attack where you cross your knives is good but you have to be in and out quickly. Don’t forget when you’re in a group, you won’t be fighting alone and it will be your job to spot openings and take advantage of them rapidly.’ Alistair told her.

He could see her gritting her teeth as he said this but it didn’t matter, someone had to tell her and it may as well be him.

‘What type of weapons are you trained in, then?’ Talissa asked.

‘Sword and shield.’ Alistair replied.

‘So let me get this straight. I am being advised on how to be a duelist by a man who uses a big sword and a shield and thinks his shield bash is going to save the day. Is that it?’ Talissa’s eyes flashed angrily and she stared him down while Zevran snorted with laughter.

‘That’s about right.’ Alistair replied, trying not to smile. ‘But I have enough experience in fighting to know when you’re doing it wrong.’

At that moment, Alexander ran across the training ground to Alistair.

‘Warden Commander –  there’s an urgent message from Queen Anora- ‘ Alexander said breathily.

Alistair looked at his aide in annoyance. Then he realised that he’d never told Alex to not call him by his title on the field.

‘Very well, I’m afraid I’ll have to leave. Zevran, Talissa.’ He nodded at an amused Zevran and a shocked Talissa, who now had her mouth open and looked as if she was going to hit the floor any second. He walked back to the Castle.

‘Oh no!‘ Talissa sat down hard on the floor with her head in her hands. Then she looked up and watched Alistair walking across the training ground.

‘Zevran, please tell me I didn’t just call the Warden Commander a, a-‘             

‘Lapdog? Yes you did I’m afraid. Incidentally, you insulted his combat abilities too.’ Zevran said, grinning mischievously. ‘I hate to think how long you’ll be working in the kitchens after this.’

With that he cajoled a dejected Talissa back to her feet to continue training.

Modifié par MireliA, 15 juin 2010 - 08:29 .

[Sandtigress]

Haha, I like the end. Alistair not as king....this will be an interesting take on things. Looking forward to seeing where you take it. (Psst, you have a few formatting issues at the top. This forum does not seem friendly to copy/paste)

[Sisimka]

Fergus as a Grey Warden, intriguing! I really enjoyed this chapter!

[Apophis2412]

Nice chapter. I really liked the following sentence: For the first time since she’d walked into the room, he got the irrational urge to laugh. The old Alistair would have laughed. Sometimes he really missed the old days.
It almost made me feel a bit melancholy.

[MireliA]

Thanks for the kind comments

Hoping to post the second chapter later on in the week

Modifié par MireliA, 15 mars 2010 - 11:22 .

[MireliA]

This is a bit of a filler chapter compared to the rest.


Chapter 2


Once she’d finished training, Talissa went straight to the room she shared with Diandra. She felt stupid for her temper, for what she’d said to Alistair, Diandra and even Fergus, although he just took it in his stride.

‘A Lapdog...’ she muttered to herself. Of all the things she could've called him. She’d heard stories when she was younger about the last two Grey Wardens of Ferelden, how they’d gathered an army and conquered the Archdemon, the other Grey Warden sacrificing herself. She thought that had been incredibly brave, so when Fergus had introduced himself a week ago and told her she was an excellent fighter, she was taken up with the idea of becoming a Grey Warden. All she could see in front of her was running her parents shop after their deaths. The men weren’t exactly beating a path to her door to marry her either.

She should have known when he’d said what his name was. Alistair. Damn, she thought. That man looked too young to be Warden Commander and to have done all the things that he was supposed to have. And more good-looking than she expected.

Just then Diandra walked into the bedroom she shared with Talissa. She’d heard from Fergus what had happened on the training ground. And because it had happened in front of Zevran, well, it was round the Castle in no time.  Although she thought it was amusing, she felt guilty that she’d been the cause of it. Diandra knew if it
was her, she wouldn’t want to face anyone in the Refectory, so she brought up a sandwich for Talissa’s meal. She walked in to find Talissa’s diminutive form lying on her bed, a pillow over her head.

‘Talissa, I think I should apologise to you. I shouldn’t have gone running off to Alistair like that.’ Diandra said, standing at the bottom of Talissa’s bed.

Talissa moved the pillow. Her jaw length hair was askew and Diandra saw she looked utterly miserable and much younger than her twenty years. Poor thing, she thought.

Talissa sat up and said in a small voice ‘I think I should apologise to you. You were just being nice to me and because Edmund had been winding me up, I blew up with you instead. The thing about being an ignorant shem, that was for him not you.’

Diandra smiled and sat on the end of Talissa’s bed. She liked Talissa in spite of the younger woman’s temper. Maybe Fergus was right about her, thought Diandra, perhaps she will make a good Warden.

‘I brought you some sandwiches. I didn’t think you would be coming into the Refectory after what happened today.’ Diandra pushed the plate towards her.

‘No! You heard too?’ she said, a look of horror on her face.

‘Unfortunately, Zevran is a nice man but probably the biggest gossip in the castle. He’s also not a Grey Warden, either.’

‘As if my day can’t get any worse’ Talissa groaned and was just about to put her head under her pillow again when she realised what Diandra had said.

‘Hold on, how can he not be a Grey Warden?’ Talissa’s interest was piqued now.

‘Do you know the tale about the last two Grey Wardens in Ferelden?’ Diandra asked.

Talissa nodded. ‘I thought it was a great tale when I was younger, the female Grey Warden sacrificing herself for the sake of her man.’

‘Um... right, well, anyway, Zevran was part of the original group. He was an assassin sent from Antiva to kill Mireli.’

‘Mireli? Was that her name? I knew Alistair’s name but not hers.’ Talissa replied.

Diandra nodded.

‘She was Mireli Cousland and her family owned Highever. Fergus is her brother.’ Diandra said.

Talissa’s mouth fell open. ‘I would never have guessed.’ Talissa was stunned by Diandra’s revelations.

‘Anyway, eat your sandwich or the bread will curl’ Diandra said.

Talissa began to eat as Diandra continued.

‘The reason I’m telling you this, is because it’s not the sort of thing they tell new recruits and I think you should at least realise how these people know each other. Zevran promised to dedicate himself to training new warden recruits.’ Diandra hesitated and then said ‘Also I know you think the story is romantic, but it’s about real people and Alistair and Fergus both miss Mireli a lot.  And please, don’t call Alistair his name to his face, its Warden Commander from now on.’

‘Agreed!’ Talissa was starting to feel just a little bit better.

 

Later that evening, Fergus made his way down to see Alistair. He wanted to speak to him about the new recruits but more specifically, Talissa. He knocked on the study door and walked in to find his friend and Zevran sat by the fire, enjoying a joke. He knew they had previous history and Mireli had given Zevran a chance to live after he botched the assassination attempt but Fergus was never totally sure about him.

‘Pour yourself a drink and pull up a chair, my friend. We were just talking about this afternoon’s fun on the training ground’ said Zevran, smirking.

‘Yes, I’ve never been called a lapdog before, even by your sister.’ Alistair started to laugh.

Fergus smiled and sat down, having got himself a drink.

‘It sounded like she laid into you a bit. I told you she had a bit of an attitude though, you were warned’ Fergus grinned and sipped some whisky. ‘I’ve just seen Diandra and she said that Talissa is hiding in her room, embarrassed by what she said.’ Zevran found it funny but Alistair stopped laughing. He felt suddenly like they were being very cruel and that if they were talking about it, the rest of the castle surely was.

‘So what did you think of our new recruits?’ Fergus asked, changing the subject.

‘I think Edmund is a good fighter but needs more confidence and training. As for Talissa, she’s very good but she doesn’t take orders well. Mind, it would be interesting to see how she’d handle being a leader of a group though. She might surprise us all’ Alistair said.

It suddenly struck Fergus that he’d not seen Alistair this interested in training a new recruit since they’d set up the Grey Wardens at Highever. He’d been happy to leave that to Zevran and himself and a handful of other Wardens.

‘Well I’m going to go to my bed anyhow. Goodnight’ said Fergus, finishing his drink and leaving

Alistair and Zevran sat quietly, each with their own thoughts. ‘Does she not remind you of someone?’ asked Zevran. He didn’t want to upset his friend but he wanted to know if it was just him or if there was something in her personality that seemed familiar.

‘Who?’

‘Talissa reminds me of Mireli when I first met her, the fire in the eyes.’ Zevran wasn’t sure how mentioning her name would affect his old friend but he had to try. Four years was a long time to try to ignore the past.

Alistair looked at his empty glass and sighed. He knew what Zevran was trying to say but was not sure he was ready to hear it.

‘I think she has her own personality, as I’m sure we will all find out over the coming months.’ Alistair said guardedly.

 

Next morning, Diandra had finally been able to persuade Talissa to brave the Refectory. She knew Diandra was right, but it still scared her walking in there after what had happened yesterday. They turned a corner and almost walked into Alistair, coming the other way.

‘Warden Commander’ greeted Diandra.

‘Diandra, Talissa’ nodded Alistair. ‘Talissa, may I have a word a moment? In my study’ he said pointing towards a room in the corner. She nodded.

‘I’ll wait for you outside’ Diandra said, smiling. She knew that Alistair wouldn’t be too hard on her.

Talissa thought she was going to faint and she was blushing furiously. Don’t call him Alistair, Don’t call him Alistair, she thought.

Alistair opened the door and motioned for her to walk ahead of him. As she walked into the study, there directly ahead of the door was a portrait above the fire. She knew instantly who this beautiful woman with the Mabari was.  She gasped, then remembered why she was there.

Alistair saw her reaction and smiled even though he felt he shouldn’t. She’s heard the tales and that’s why she’s here, desperately wanting to be a Grey Warden, he thought. He was only twenty eight, yet it made him feel old that his life and only relationship was reduced to a few bard songs. He wondered if Leliana might have written any of them.

Alistair shut the door and walked over to the desk and perched on the edge. He didn’t want this to be too formal.

‘About what happened yesterday... ’ began Alistair.

‘Yes I’m really sorry about that. My dad always said my mouth would get me in trouble. That and my temper and he was right about both of those. I didn’t mean to say you were a lapdog or insult your combat abilities, Al- erm, Warden Commander’ said Talissa coming to an abrupt end. Damn, I nearly called him Alistair. Don’t think he noticed though.

Alistair’s mouth twitched, trying desperately not to smile. ‘I’m not sure if you’re aware of this but the reason I pretend to be a trainer the first time new recruits meet me is so they can speak freely. If you’d known I was the Warden Commander, you wouldn’t have said a word to me, would you?’ said Alistair, looking at the elf in front of him. She looks so scared, he thought.

Talissa shook her head in reply and looked at her feet.

‘As it was, your training session was the most... entertaining I’ve witnessed for a long time.’ He laughed.

Talissa looked up. The Warden Commander was laughing at what happened and she giggled too. She looks pretty when she smiles, he thought.

‘Anyway that’s all I wanted to say’ Alistair got down from the desk and opened the door to the study ‘Oh and one last thing, it’s Warden Commander in the castle. Understood?’ he said ushering her out the door, smiling.

‘Yes, Warden Commander.’ Talissa said, trying to make it sound genuine. Damn, he did hear me nearly call him Alistair, she thought.

Once Alistair had closed the door, he sat at his desk and laughed until his sides hurt. It had been a long time since he’d done that.

 

Diandra had stood outside waiting for her roommate, when she suddenly heard Alistair laughing and Talissa too.  She was surprised. It was very rare she heard him laugh.

Once Talissa came out of the room, Diandra noticed that she had a grin on her face.  Uh oh, I hope she’s not developing a crush on him, thought Diandra. She’d be barking up the wrong tree if she is.

Talissa’s smile faded when she entered the Refectory and saw the group of men she would be living, working and training with. They didn’t all stop to watch her but there was a lot of looking over shoulders when they thought she wasn’t watching, especially when they’d heard the news of yesterday’s run-in with Alistair. Diandra and Talissa grabbed a tray, helped themselves to breakfast and sat down. The only two seats together were on a
table of eight, which included Fergus, Zevran and Edmund, the other new recruit. They all said their greetings to each other.

‘Oh hello Talissa,’ said Edmund, with a sarcastic grin ‘Have you insulted anymore Warden Commanders lately?’

Talissa blushed but ignored him. I wonder if she’s finally learning at last, thought Fergus.

‘Drop it now Edmund, the joke’s getting old’ answered Fergus.

Edmund frowned but he didn’t say anymore. Diandra smiled her thanks to him but Fergus raised his eyebrows at her.  The meal continued and ended in an uncomfortable silence. Once the recruits had gone to prepare for their training sessions and others had finished their breakfast that left Fergus and Diandra alone.

‘So what was the smile about then?’ said Fergus quietly. He didn’t want others to overhear their conversation.

‘Trapped wind’ she said grinning at him.

‘Ha ha. What was it really about Di? I’m not stupid.’ Fergus looked at her.

‘It was my way of saying thanks for shutting up Edmund. Talissa has been really embarrassed about what happened yesterday. He winds her up.’ Diandra said simply.

‘He fancies her, that’s his problem. He’s an inexperienced boy with no idea of how to get her attention. So he insults her.’ Fergus explained.

‘Ah, the wonders of male logic. I thought boys stopped doing that when they were about eight?’ asked Diandra.

‘Hey, I never said it made sense but you have to admit that it gets that person’s attention if they start insulting you back.’ Fergus shrugged.

‘Anyway I have a feeling her attentions are further up the ladder’ Diandra explained, telling Fergus about Talissa’s meeting with Alistair. He looked very surprised when she said about them laughing together.

‘And you think she fancies him?’ said Fergus incredulously.

‘I don’t know for sure. Don’t go saying anything to anyone.I think she’s had enough embarrassment for now’ said Diandra.

‘Yes ser!’ said Fergus mockingly, as they went to leave the Refectory.

Modifié par MireliA, 16 mars 2010 - 08:54 .

[Maximus741000]

It's certainly nice to have a healthy helping of Fergus humour. Considering the original warden, Mireli, died it will be difficult for this Talissa to fill Mireli's shoes, despite her skill. It will be interesting to see where she goes.

[Sisimka]

Yay, you posted again! Lovely chapter. I really like how your characters are developing!

[Sandtigress]

Nice little chapter. Actually, the perspective of a new recruit looking up to the Hero of Ferelden is a nice one, rather unique. Keep it coming. ^-^

[Miri1984]

Lovely. I'd like to see more of Zevran actually - I always wondered if he and Alistair would get on at all after the blight. Their banter is hilarious but I always got the impression that if Alistair was a nastier person he would have punched him.

[Sisimka]

I always like to think that they developed a mutual respect and understanding of one another and that this led to a friendship. (Well, that's how I write them, anyway, hehe.)

[MireliA]

Maximus741000 - I liked Fergus's sense of humour in the original game and thought he had tons of potential for a character. As for Talissa, she has certainly not turned out to be the person I had in mind when I started writing this



Sisimka - Thank you! its good of you to say so.



Sandtigress - The portrait is my equivalent to the statue of the Hero of Ferelden but more personal.



Miri1984 - There will be more Zevran in there but its more an Alistair story. I think after five years of working with Zev, if Alistair was going to smack him, he would have done it by now . Plus they're older and more mature...



Cheers for the kind comments from you all

[Miri1984]

Hey, no complaints about an Alistair story. EVER.

[Thoron Draugohtar]

Great story, nice one.



I hope you write more, the perspective is unique and its good to see Fergus in a different way.

[MireliA]

jojojordmeister - Thanks for what you said and glad ya like it

I've borrowed a name that might seem familiar at the end .

Chapter 3


Over the next eight months at Highever, life continued pretty much as it had before.  For Talissa, her fighting improved and she was controlling her temper. Edmund still had his digs at her but she ignored him. She felt she was starting to fit into life at Highever and she and Diandra became good friends. Diandra thought Talissa suited her new found maturity and was glad of her company. Talissa also got to know some of the other Grey Wardens. She’d not seen much of Alistair, except once when she went past his office and he’d come out at the same time. He smiled at her, which made her stomach turn and she’d almost forgotten to say ‘Warden Commander’.

 

Alistair meanwhile, had spent his time travelling backward and forward to Denerim on so-called ‘Urgent’ commands of the Queen. Queen Anora, or the ‘B**** Queen’, as he occasionally called her to Fergus, was wonderfully manipulative and he began to wonder if he was Anora’s Lapdog. He wondered if Talissa had been right. However, it could have been worse. He could have been married[/i] to the woman.  On these trips to  Denerim, he took Alex with him, partly for company while travelling but he was useful for finding out from other aides and Anora’s staff what was going on behind the scenes.

On the way back from the third trip to Denerim in two months, this time to meet a ambassador of Empress Celene’s, Alistair wondered if there was a problem with Alex. He still did an excellent job but he seemed as if his mind were elsewhere. Then Alex broke the silence.

‘Warden Commander, may I have a word with you?’Alexander said while they were in the carriage heading back to the castle.

‘Please call me Alistair when we’re away from the castle or palace. I find few enough people use my name as it is.’ Alistair smiled at the younger man.

‘Very well, Alistair. I have to talk to you about my future at Highever.’ Alex looked down.

‘I see.’ Alistair wanted Alex to elucidate before continuing.

‘Yes. I have enjoyed working as your aide but I feel my future lies doing something else.’ Alex breathed out.

‘And what other area do you think you would like to work in?’ asked Alistair.

‘I would like to train recruits in two-handed fighting.’ Alex replied.

Alistair raised his eyebrows. This was the one thing he did not expect but he knew on his afternoons off Alex still kept up with his fight training. They did need another fight trainer.

‘That sounds like an excellent idea, Alex. The one thing that I ask though is that you train your replacement before leaving yourself. Is that agreed?’ Alistair looked at Alex, who was now starting to smile.

‘That’s agreed.’ Alistair said as they shook hands on their deal.

‘And, thank you, Alistair.’ Alex was not comfortable calling him by his first name.

‘That’s fine. It’s much better that you do a job you’d like to do rather than struggle through with a job you’re not happy with.’ said Alistair.

 

A few hours later, their carriage arrived at Highever. Once Alistair had eaten and cleaned up from travelling, he knew what he needed to do. He found Fergus in the Refectory eating together with Diandra. He noticed that the two of them had grown closer of late and he wondered if there was something in it.

‘Warden Commander’ both Diandra and Fergus said.

‘Evening, both of you. Sorry to disturb your food like this but I need to have a word, Fergus.’ Alistair said  apologetically.

Alistair moved away from the table and asked Fergus if he and Zevran could meet him in his study as soon as possible. Fergus nodded and went to find Zevran while Alistair went back to his study.

Alistair stood in front of the fire, staring up at the portrait of Mireli. Even though it was the closest likeness of the Hero of Ferelden, it still wasn’t close enough. You can’t paint a person’s personality, especially not hers, he thought. Even after all this time, her green eyes still captivated him. There was a knock on the door and both Fergus and Zevran walked in.

‘You wanted to see us, Alistair?’ Zevran said.

‘Yes, get yourselves a drink and get one for me. I need it after the long day I’ve had.’ Alistair sighed, and sat down by the fire.

Fergus handed him a glass and sat next to his friend.

‘I don’t want to keep you too long but I’ve had some news and I need your opinions, both of you’ Alistair rubbed his temple as he said this. He could feel a headache developing. ‘Firstly,’ he continued ‘Alex has told me he would like to become a trainer in two-handed sword styles with the recruits. I have no objection because we need a new two-handed trainer, after Gregor left to go to Orzammar.’

To ‘go to Orzammar’ was the Highever euphemism for dying while killing darkspawn. Once the taint gets too strong in a Grey Warden’s blood, they begin to suffer awful dreams and hallucinations. They would rather
go to the Deep Roads and die battling darkspawn, than suffer the final humiliation the taint had in store for them.

‘That sounds like a good idea, Alistair. We needed someone and soon.’ said Fergus. ‘Although we can train the basics between us, we needed someone who has experience in fighting two-handed.’

‘I am sure he will make an excellent trainer, once he gains experience.’ replied Zevran.

‘That means I have an opening for an aide. Can either of you suggest anyone who would be able to do the job? There’s a lot of diplomacy involved, although Alex will be training whoever replaces him for a few weeks.’ asked Alistair.

A few names were bandied around and rejected again for various reasons.

‘What about Talissa?’ Zevran countered.

Both Alistair and Fergus shot Zevran surprised looks. Where’s he going with this? thought Alistair.

‘I don’t think that’s a good idea.’ Fergus replied, darkly. He’d remembered his conversation with Diandra about Talissa, just after she’d started at Highever.

‘Oh, I think it is an excellent idea. She has come on magnificently since you saw her last, Alistair. She is learning to harness that temper of hers to her fighting and has not had an argument with anyone else since she lost her run-in with you.’ Zevran grinned roguishly.

‘It might teach her some discipline.’ admitted Alistair.

Fergus felt torn, he just had a gut feeling that this wasn’t right but couldn’t say why because it would mean breaking a confidence made with Diandra. He sighed. ‘Very well, I can’t think of a good reason why not.’

‘I’ll need to meet with her to make sure she’s happy with this too. Zevran, on your next training session with her, would you tell her to come and see me?’ Alistair requested.

‘My next session is tomorrow morning.’ Zevran asked.

‘After lunch then, but don’t tell her what it’s about. I’d rather tell her myself.’

 

The next day, Talissa walked down to the training grounds to meet Zevran. It was a warm, early summer’s day and she felt happy and more at home here than she had in all the time she’d been here. Maybe this place was
where she was meant to be all along, not working in her parents shop in a town she hated, still being called knife-ears after all this time. If she’d stayed in the Alienage – well, her life would have been different. She closed her eyes, feeling the warmth of the sun on her skin while sat on the ground next to the dummy.

‘A penny for them?’ a familiar voice said.

Talissa opened her eyes to see Zevran stood in front of her.

‘I doubt they’re worth that, Zevran.’ She said smiling. Talissa liked her fellow elf even though he was a terrible flirt.

‘Before we start training, you will be pleased to hear that the Warden Commander would like a word with you straight after lunch today.‘ Zevran said.

‘Me! What have I done? I’ve not lost my temper with anyone or, or said nasty things or called people names. Or anything really.’ said Talissa, opening her eyes wide and babbling away.

Zevran laughed. ‘Calm down, it’s nothing bad. Who knows, you might even like what he has to say.’

Talissa breathed deeply. She knew she waffled when she was nervous, and boy, did the Warden Commander make her nervous.

‘So what’s the news about, Zevran?’ said Talissa, curiously.

‘It’s not my news to tell and you would need to work harder on trying to persuade me.’ Zevran put his hand on her shoulder.

‘I could try to seduce you that would work.’ she said, winking at him.

He started to laugh at his student.

‘Lesson one of seduction. If you’re trying to seduce someone you never tell them what you’re trying to do.’ Zevran said answered still laughing. He suddenly felt like he’d had this conversation before, with Mireli.

‘On with the fighting.’ Zevran stated, moving his hand from her shoulder.

 

That afternoon, Alistair was sat at his desk with a mountain of paperwork in front of him. The sun was reflected on the floor, making the room stuffy and that didn’t help his concentration.  Then there was a knock on the door and he opened it.

‘Talissa, shall we go for walk?’ Alistair said, motioning towards the stairs, leading towards the front door.

She nodded, trying to keep calm.  Alistair talked about the weather and said he wanted to get some fresh air. They went outside the main gates and the gardens that lead to the left.

‘I’m sure you’re wondering why I asked you to come and see me’ said Alistair, watching her walk besides him.

She nodded, dumbly

‘My aide Alex is due to become a trainer and I will need a new aide. I wondered if you would be willing to take the role on. It’s a challenge, I can’t deny that but I have heard from Zevran and he seems to think you’d be good at the job. There will also be a certain amount of travelling involved.’

Talissa gasped. Me, be his aide, she thought. The man must be mad.

‘There must be some mistake.‘ Talissa began ‘You must have me confused with someone else.’

‘I’m not sure that’s possible.’ Alistair laughed. ‘I think Iwould remember someone who insulted my combat abilities, don’t you?’

Talissa looked up at him and started to grin coyly.

‘Look, if you start tomorrow, why don’t you try it for a week? If it’s not for you or if you and I fall out again, then we call it quits and I look for someone else. No hard feelings. How does that sound?’ Alistair said.

‘That sounds good.’ Talissa was surprised

‘Then shake hands on it.’ Alistair said, holding his hand out to her. She put her hand in his and they shook hands, the tips of her fingers brushing his palm as they pulled away.

Alistair breathed in quickly, and soon gained his composure. They separated outside the castle and Alistair went to his study. He leant against his study door, looking at the portrait of the woman he loved and thought, Mireli, what in Maker’s name have I started?

 

Diandra walked back to her room.  She’d heard a rumour from one of her charges she was teaching Warden History to and wanted to know if it was true, that Talissa had been asked to be Alistair’s Aide. She walked into her room and there was Talissa, looking out of the window, towards the gardens, so caught up in her own thoughts, she didn’t hear Diandra come in.

‘I believe you’ve been given the job as the Warden Commander’s Aide. Congratulations.’ Diandra said, as she sat on the end of Talissa’s bed.

Talissa turned to her, smiling. She looked so happy, Diandra didn’t want to burst her bubble, yet she wasn’t sure this was such a good idea.

‘Can I ask you something, Talissa?’ Diandra said.

‘Yes of course’ Talissa said, smiling.

‘I know you and I didn’t start off on the right foot, so  I’m sorry if I seem like I’m prying but before you became a Grey Warden, did you have much experience of men?’ Diandra knew from her own experience that if you concentrated on fighting, you didn’t usually go chasing around after men.

Talissa brought her knees up, hugging them, as if she were protecting herself from Diandra’s question.

‘I’ve...not had a boyfriend if that’s what you’re asking.’ Talissa said, haltingly.

‘But I thought that elves tended to go for arranged marriages?’ said Diandra

Talissa nodded, swallowing hard.

‘So was nothing ever arranged for you?’

‘I had an arranged marriage set up in the Alienage with Neralos, but then we had to leave the Alienage when the Blight hit Denerim. He married someone else after the Blight was over and my family ended up as the only elves in a small town called Redcliffe.’ Talissa looked back out onto the garden, trying not to cry.

Diandra sat next to Talissa and put an arm round her shoulders ‘I’m sorry, I didn’t want to upset you but I don’t want you to get hurt either.  I’ve seen the way you look at Alistair, you know. I don’t want you thinking you and he have a chance together.‘

Talissa sat, feeling stupid that she’d been so transparent. ‘Do you think he’s noticed that I like him?’

Diandra giggled. ‘Come on, this is a man we’re talking about, some men never notice anything like that. No, I think it’s only me who’s noticed. But I have to stick up for my fellow female Grey Warden. With two women and thirty plus men, there’s too much machismo at Highever.’

Modifié par MireliA, 19 mars 2010 - 12:31 .

[Miri1984]

Part of me can't bear to think of him warming to someone else after the archdemon, but most of me loves this blossoming relationship. I also love the way you've set up Highever and Fergus - and Anora still makes my blood boil .

[MireliA]

Miri1984 wrote...

Part of me can't bear to think of him warming to someone else after the archdemon, but most of me loves this blossoming relationship. I also love the way you've set up Highever and Fergus - and Anora still makes my blood boil .

Thanks for what you've said:). Know what you mean about Anora.

[Sisimka]

Miri1984 wrote...

Part of me can't bear to think of him warming to someone else after the archdemon, but most of me loves this blossoming relationship. I also love the way you've set up Highever and Fergus - and Anora still makes my blood boil .

I have to agree with this!  I really like this story.

[Sandtigress]

I like this different perspective that this story is taking. Keep it up!

[MireliA]

To Sisimka and Sandtigress, thanks for your kind words. Its good to know that you're enjoying it


Chapter 4


Alistair knew he wasin the Fade and realised he was at the campsite. He felt his stomach churn. There was no-one around. He stood up and walked over to where her bedroll was. All he could hear was the crackle of the fresh wood on the fire and the wind in the trees that surrounded him. Then he felt it, a touch on his hand.

‘Alistair.’ The voice came from behind him.

He turned and there, sat near the fire, was Mireli as beautiful as she’d been in life. Her red hair seeming to glow from within. His heart swelled until it felt like it would break.

He walked over and sat down next to her.

‘I miss you so much, my lady.’ he said, feeling the tears streaming down his face.

‘I miss you too, my prince.’ His throat tightened up on hearing her name for him. He could feel the lightest touch and knew she was stroking his arm but also knew that he could never hold her. Not until they were reunited in the Fade.

 ‘Alistair, I didn’t die so that you could spend the rest of your life mourning me, that’s not what I want for you. There
are other people to live for. You know that.’ Mireli said.

‘I don’t understand.’ Alistair said.

‘You will do. I must leave you, my darling. I think you should bring that box out from your bottom drawer into the light.’  Alistair looked mystified. She gently kissed him on his lips. ’I am always with you’. Then she was gone.

Alistair woke up and sobbed into his pillow, feeling the agony of Mireli’s death as freshly as if it had just happened. When he’d calmed down, it dawned on him he didn’t have a clue what Mireli was talking about. Time to empty his bottom drawer, he thought. Alistair grabbed the wooden drawer and pulled it out. There was nothing obvious on top so he emptied it on the bed. The last thing to fall out was a small wooden box, landing smack in the middle of his clothes. All of a sudden, he knew what was in there. He must have put it there when he first moved to Highever. He felt sick and sat down hard on the bed among the discarded clothes, as if his legs had given way under him. Clutching the wooden box, he opened it and there it was; his mother’s locket. There was no tarnish and it looked the same as the last time he’d seen it. Mireli was wearing it, the night before the Battle, the last time they had been together.  He tried to block the images of them together, their naked bodies intertwined but he suddenly realised he couldn’t shut his feelings out any longer. He needed to move on.

 

Next day, Talissa came into her room and flung herself down on the bed. She never knew Alex could be so irritating. She’d spent most of the day with him, having only seen Alistair once. Diandra walked into their room
and looked at the prone Talissa and thought, this does not look good.

‘How was the first day then?’ Diandra asked.

Talissa gave an exasperated grunt. ‘Is it just me or is Alex annoying?  Yes, Warden Commander, No, Warden Commander, Three Bags Full, Warden Commander.’ she derided in an almost perfect impression of the current aide.

Diandra laughed. ‘He can be a bit officious at times but that’s just how he is.’ She shrugged. ‘As long as you’re polite and mind your P’s and Q’s, you should be fine. What about the job though, what did you think of that?’

‘From what I saw of it, I liked it. In fact, the three of us are going to Denerim to the Palace in a few days time!’ Talissa answered, with obvious excitement in her voice.

‘In that case, you will have to be polite then.’ Diandra said ‘Come on, let’s go to the Refectory and
you can tell me all about it on the way there.’

 

The day after she found out they were going to Denerim, Alistair asked Talissa to meet him in the Armoury, straight after tea. She assumed that Alex would also be there, as he seemed to follow his boss everywhere. I wonder if he stands outside the toilet and waits for him, thought Talissa. She shook her head, not believing she thought that and walked down the passage to the Armoury. She was a bit surprised to find Alistair in his splintmail armour, not the usual breast plate and no Alex. She coloured a bit, her sheltered elven upbringing coming back to her. In a room alone with a man. And such a good looking one too. Her parents would have a fit if they knew.

‘I brought you here to find you some armour that you could wear at Denerim. That armour you’re wearing now is serviceable-‘ Alistair said, looking through the stands of armour they had.

‘- but not smart.’ finished Talissa.

Alistair turned and looked at her and smiled.  Smart girl this one, he thought.

‘Now there should be some drakescale armour here that was donated by an old friend of mine. She wore it when we killed the Archdemon. She was a bard from Orlais. Ah ha, here it is.’ Alistair pulled out grey leather armour that looked a bit big for her but Talissa was keen to see what it looked like on.

‘Nice armour.’

He put the armour in her hands and said ‘Go and try it on’.

She looked surprised and glanced around. There was nowhere for her to go, as far as she could see. ‘Where would you suggest?’Talissa said. Then she saw him redden slightly.

‘Oh yes, sorry, I’ll put the lock on the door and turn around.’ Alistair locked the door and stood facing it.

‘No peeking.’ she said, before it was out of her mouth. This is bizarre. Foot in mouth again... I’ve just told the Warden Commander of all of Ferelden not to peek at me getting changed, she thought.

Alistair grinned at her telling him not to peek. He was beginning to think she’d make a welcome change from Alex, who was a bit humourless.

She put the armour on and fastened it up as far as she could reach and then told him he could turn around.

‘That suits you although – it needs fastening up at the top here. One moment.’ Alistair went behind her and fastened the armour up at the back.

She closed her eyes as he closed the armour up and tried to forget that the person behind her, occasionally touching her skin was a man. A fact she was very aware of.

He stood at the front and looked at her. ‘It’s not a bad fit. It will need altering but we can get that done after the Denerim trip. Put the helmet on.’ Alistair said, handing her the remaining piece of armour, the boots and gloves having fit perfectly. She put it on and then laughed. Her head was smaller than the helmet and it rested on the bridge of her nose so she couldn’t see properly. Alistair laughed as well.

‘All right, don’t put the helmet on for now.’ he grinned at Talissa, pulling the helmet off her.

‘Oww, that bent my ears!’

Alistair found himself about to offer to rub her ears better, as he would have done if she’d have been Mireli. Ridiculous, don’t even go there, he thought.

Talissa saw his smile slip, as if she’d overstepped some invisible mark.

‘Well, you’ll need to get this altered to fit you but for now this will do fine.’ Alistair hesitated and then said ‘We killed the drakes whose scales make up this armour.’ He tapped her shoulder.

‘Where was this?’ The words were out of her mouth before she could stop them.

‘The Temple of the Urn of Sacred Ashes. We went to get Andraste’s Ashes to cure Arl Eamon.’ Talissa looked at him surprised.

‘Arl Eamon, the Arl of Redcliffe?’ Talissa asked

‘Yes, do you know him?’ asked a bemused Alistair.

‘Not personally but my sister works at the Castle as the Arlessa’s maid.’ Talissa replied.

‘Oh. I used to live at the Castle, when I was a child.’ Alistair sighed ‘But that’s a story for another day.’

 

The day before they left for Denerim, Talissa had her first afternoon off since she started her job as Alistair’s aide, so decided to take a spare dummy and train for a bit in her old armour. She was in the middle of a training session that she found uninspiring without Zevran, when she heard a familiar voice behind her.

‘How’s the training going, Talissa?’ Alistair said, walking up to her, dressed in his splintmail. He offered her the skin of water he’d brought with him. She nodded her thanks and took the water from him and drank. She usually brought something to drink but not today.

‘It’s boring just fighting a dummy, Warden Commander.’ She smiled at him and wiped the sweat off her brow with the back of her hand.

‘Alistair, please. And that’s why I was going to suggest a duel.’ He grinned.

‘A duel? And if I should accidentally cut you?’ Talissa, as much as she liked the sound of duelling, had visions of being held in the Palace dungeons for wounding the Warden Commander.

‘Then it serves me right for playing with knives, or playing with women with knives. Besides, that’s what the healer is for.’ Alistair shrugged and took the sword and shield from his back and readied himself.

‘Very well, agreed. Any rules?’ She asked, making sure she was prepared for whatever this duel brought.

‘No backstab and nothing above the neckline. I don’t want you to cut my handsome face.’ He said in a mocking tone of voice, grinning.

‘Fine, but no shield bash and stop trying to make me laugh!’ Talissa said, trying not to smile.

‘I agree – about the shield bash anyway.’ He said bringing his sword down in front of her. She quickly crossed knives, running them along the length of his blade and pushing it away with a sharp tinging noise. He smiled at her swift response, Zevran had obviously taught her well.

‘I think you’ll be lost without the shield bash, Alistair.’ She taunted, dodging backwards and underneath as he swiped with his shield.

‘And you won’t be lost without your backstab, Talissa? I think you will.’ Talissa watched him grin at her in a way that was so damn distracting. She didn’t notice until it was too late, the sword graze across her bare knuckles. She should have worn her gloves but didn’t think she’d need them for fighting a dummy. She swore under her breath but carried on.

He knew he’d hit her but admired the way she ignored the pain. He was just thinking about this when her foot connected with his knee, causing him to stagger. ‘Oi, that’s dirty fighting!’

‘You didn’t say I couldn’t use my feet in the rules at the start.’ Talissa said, laughing triumphantly. She swirled the knives in front of her, motioning for him to move. 

He swiped the edge of the shield towards her and she dodged his attack. While his shield was up, she crossed the knives and swiped his stomach, one of the knives cutting the narrow band of leather armour between
the splints.

Alistair used shield bash and the shield, instead of stunning her, connected with both of her knives, crossed against him. The noise seemed to explode around them. He was trying to push against her and she was pushing against his shield with her arms, both trying to outstare the other.

‘I thought you said no shield bash.’ Talissa realised she was so close she could smell his sweat, fresh on leather.

‘I lied.’ Alistair said smiling.

‘That wasn’t very honourable, now was it?’ Talissa said, without thinking.

‘We’re trying to cut each other up, what’s honourable about that?’ He was so entranced looking at her amber eyes, that he didn’t realise how long they’d spent in this position. It seemed like hours. He watched her and realised that wasn’t a look of concentration on her face, she was in pain. That was when he moved back and
moved his shield away. The graze on her knuckles was bleeding, causing blood to run down the back of her hand, and both her wrists looked bruised.

‘Why didn’t you say you were injured, Talissa?’ Alistair asked, offering her the water again.

‘Oh, so if I was fighting darkspawn, I should just say, ‘Oh excuse me while I just heal and rest up before hitting you again’?’ Talissa said angrily taking a swig of water.

‘Except you’re not fighting darkspawn, you were duelling me and I wouldn’t have carried on with that shield bash if I’d known.’ Alistair shook his head at her. ‘Stubborn woman, let’s get you to the healer, before you bleed everywhere.’

Talissa blushed slightly but said, ‘Thanks for the duel.’

‘You’re welcome, only next time we’re wearing more armour and I’ll shield bash if I want to.’ Alistair smiled at her.

‘You did anyway. In that case I’ll keep my backstab.’

‘Just as long as you know that next time you try to kick me, you better hope I don’t grab your foot.’ Alistair was grinning at this woman and even sweaty, bleeding and with her hair coming loose from her ponytail, she still looked so pretty.

‘Oh yes? And why would that be?’ Talissa smiled. It had never happened to her before, but she got the feeling she was being... flirted with. And she was responding.

‘Because then I would find out if you had ticklish feet!’

‘Oh, you are going to have to be so much quicker to find out if my feet are ticklish!’ Alistair and Talissa laughed as they walked back into the castle grounds.

They walked into the healer’s room near the top of the castle, and there was Millie the elder healer. Although she’d not had to see Millie much in her professional capacity, as one of the few females in prominent jobs at Highever, Talissa and Diandra got on well with her. She had a severe lined face which wrinkled easily when
annoyed but she smiled just as often. Her once-blonde hair was lined with grey, tied back in a bun at the nape of her neck, and although she wasn’t a Grey Warden, she loved working at the Castle. To Alistair, meanwhile, she reminded him of Wynne. He got on well with her, although like Wynne, there were times she made him feel like he was straight out of the Chantry.

Once at the healer’s room, Millie decided that Talissa’s wounds were more serious than his, though nothing was broken. She made her put both hands in a bowl of cold water to help the swelling go down, while she had a look at Alistair’s stomach. Talissa was trying not to look while he took his chest armour off but it was proving very difficult, especially as he was on the next bed, not far away. When he was turned away from her she looked at his
physique, looking at his muscular shoulders and arms. She shook her head as she wondered what it would be like to be held by those arms, and tried to stare at the light coming through the window on the opposite side of the room. That didn’t distract her enough. Millie had gone to get some bandages and Alistair was lying down when she saw the cut on his stomach. It was shallow but it had certainly bled.

‘How’s the hands?’ Alistair asked turning towards her, leaning up on one arm.

‘All I can feel is the cold. How’s the stomach?’ Talissa asked trying to only look at his face but her eyes kept moving. She was glad she had the cold water, it made her less likely to blush.

Alistair put a solemn voice on and said ‘It’s agony, in fact it could be serious. That knife of yours may have penetrated major organs.’

‘I don’t believe you.’ Talissa giggled.

‘And neither do I’ said Millie, coming back into the room.’Lay down Warden Commander and we will see which organs, if any, this knife has gone through.’ she said, beginning to clean the wound up.

Millie sighed and said. ‘What on earth were you two doing fighting each other? As if I don’t have enough to deal with without you both injuring yourselves. And as for you, Warden Commander, you should know better.’ Alistair heard a giggle from Talissa.

‘You can stop giggling. If you hadn’t tried to stab me in the stomach, I wouldn’t be here.’ Alistair said grinning.

‘You challenged me to a duel.’

Millie looked at each of her patients and decided they were both as foolish as the other.

‘Well, whoever started it doesn’t matter. You should have turned him down. Talissa, I thought you had more sense than that. Get your clothes back on.’ She said to Alistair.

Alistair winked at Talissa behind Millie’s back as he reached for his chest armour. Talissa tried to ignore his wink and as Millie looked at her hands, she could feel nothing in her fingers. The cold water had stopped the bleeding and the swelling went down on the wrists. Millie put a healing potion on the knuckles, strapped the hands up and told her to not fight for a few more days.

When they both left the healer’s room, Talissa said ‘You didn’t need to wait for me.’

‘I injured you. I thought it only fair.’

‘I injured you too. Anyway, I better go back to my room. Thanks, Warden Commander.’ She gave him a small shy smile when she walked away.

Warden Commander. Damn, that title was like having cold water thrown over him, he thought.

 

Alistair sat with a whisky in front of the fire in his study. For once Fergus didn’t join him but he was spending time with Diandra, he knew. He didn’t begrudge him that, he deserved a bit of happiness after the events of the last five years.  And then there was Talissa. He smiled as he thought about her, about the duel they’d had. He was still smiling as Zevran sat down on the chair in front of his.

Zevran studied his face intently. ‘Why, that’s something I have not seen on your face for a very long time, my friend. And about a woman, too. That is a good sign, yes?’ About time, thought Zevran.

‘I don’t know what you mean, Zev.’ Alistair said trying to sound innocent.

‘I see that look on your face and I know you well enough to know what it means.’

Alistair rolled his eyes. ‘You can be sodding annoying at times, Zevran’

‘That is the old Alistair that I loved to annoy.’ Zevran said grinning. ‘So tell me, you like Talissa then?’

‘I think she’ll make a good aide, a different personality from Alex but she’ll bring her own character to the job.’ Alistair said, careful to keep his face neutral.

‘I saw you two fight today. Very impressive.’ Zevran had watched the fight and had been proud of his student. ‘By the way, she offered to seduce me the other day, to find out what you wanted.’ he smirked.

‘You didn’t take her up on the offer? ‘ Alistair said, curiously.

‘No, a young woman, with no life experience offering to seduce me? I would have to teach her more than just fighting.’

‘She’s young, Zev.’ Alistair felt he had to stick up for her.

‘She’s twenty one, that’s a year older than Mireli was. It’s her sheltered upbringing that makes her seem younger.’

‘True. Anyhow, I better get to bed. We’ve got to be out early tomorrow. Myself, Alex and Talissa are going to Denerim and will be back the day after tomorrow.’ Alistair said, finishing up his drink.

‘Oh yes, staying at the inn or the Palace?’ asked Zevran.

‘The inn, you know how I loathe that woman and her Palace.’

Modifié par MireliA, 21 mars 2010 - 09:48 .

[Sisimka]

I just love Talissa! At first I was all sad when Al had his dream and I was shaking my fist going, 'You, you', tugging on our heart strings like that. Great chapter!

[MireliA]

Sisimka wrote...

I just love Talissa! At first I was all sad when Al had his dream and I was shaking my fist going, 'You, you', tugging on our heart strings like that. Great chapter!

Talissa is really growing on me as a character (I even named my new DAO character after her ). But I thought it was time Mireli showed her face, hehe!

[moemie]

I like the story, really hope alistair will find happiness again

[Sandtigress]

The flirting was way cute. Keep it up!!

[MireliA]

To moemie and Sandtigress, thanks for what you said

Chapter 5

Talissa got a strange feeling riding through the gates of Denerim by carriage. She remembered when she and her family had left five years earlier, on foot as refugees. She took a deep breath and forced her mind back
to the present.  The journey had been long and uneventful. Alex barely spoke to her. She thought he resented her
being there, as if his last trip to Denerim was going to be ruined by Talissa intruding on a private moment with his boss. Alistair didn’t seem to notice. He spent the journey reading papers for this afternoon’s meeting with the Orlesian ambassador.

Every now and then, Alistair would glance across at Talissa. He knew that Denerim held bad memories for her and she certainly looked sad. He pulled his thoughts back to the meeting with the ambassador, a meeting he
didn’t want to be in.

They went straight to the Royal Palace. Talissa couldn’t believe that she was here. Elves only usually went through the servants’ quarters of the Palace. When they came to get out of the carriage, Alex gave her a withering look and said ‘Follow my lead and don’t say a word unless you’re directly spoken to.’ Talissa followed the two men out of the carriage and into the Palace courtyard. When they’d walked up all the steps, Alistair turned right into the Reception rooms, where Queen Anora met her guests. Alex and Talissa turned left and went down a long corridor and into an anteroom where the aides met. There were very few people there when they arrived and luckily Talissa had a good memory for faces and names or she would have been completely lost. Alex explained to the other aides that Talissa was to be his replacement. They were mostly men and there were no other elves there. Therefore, she felt like she was on display, a piece of meat at a market. Alex had explained the day before which aides were in whose pay, and who they were accompanying. She’d written it down but still began to feel overwhelmed.  Fortunately, the meeting was cut short due to a dinner to be held that night. Although the Warden Commander was invited, he rarely attended any of these dinners at the palace, Alex explained.

Alex quite liked the young woman due to take over his role but he wondered how quickly she would feel swamped by the job. He wasn’t sure if he should tell her about the reason for Alistair and Queen Anora’s polite antipathy with each other but decided it was up to Alistair to say, not him.

They made their way back in the carriage to the Gnawed Noble Inn where they’d arranged three rooms to stay in. Her room was nice enough and looked directly onto the marketplace. Talissa brushed her hair and tried to freshen up a bit and applied more make-up. They were due to have an early dinner and a bit of time to go for a walk afterwards. She decided to head over to the Alienage after dinner. The dinner itself was fairly quiet, Alistair
asked Talissa how the afternoon had gone and he told them what happened at the Palace, although mentioning no names for privacy’s sake.  At the end of the meal, Alex and Alistair stayed in the bar talking while Talissa went out.

‘Don’t take any money with you’ Alistair said ‘The market district is notorious for pickpockets.’

‘I know, I lived here. Remember?’ Talissa smiled in response.

‘Of course you did, in that case, go. If someone robs you, you’ve my permission to give them a hard time.’ Alistair said grinning.

‘Will do’

Alistair watched her go out of the door and had to drag his attention back to the conversation with Alex.

 

Talissa headed out of the front door and began walking towards the Alienage. This place has not changed much, considering there’s been a Blight since I was last here, she thought. As she approached the gate of the Alienage, a guard was stood talking to a young red haired woman. She looked familiar.

‘Shianni!’ Talissa shouted at her second cousin.

Shianni ran over to her and they hugged as if she’d never been away.

‘What are you doing back? And in that armour too! My little cousin all grown up.’ Shianni said staring admiringly at Talissa.

‘I’m a Grey Warden now and I’m here with the Warden Commander as his aide’. Shianni’s eyebrows shot up with surprise.

‘I can’t believe it. You always were a good fighter though. The Warden Commander? Isn’t that King Maric’s bastard son who tried to stage a bid for the throne a few years ago?’ Shianni asked.

‘I... don’t know.’ Talissa was really surprised. She had no idea that Alistair was of royal blood. Shianni would know things like that. Talissa’s father always said Shianni was a political animal, something no female elf should be.

‘How is everyone? Talia, Neralos and the rest of them?’ Talissa noticed Shianni looked solemn.

‘There’s something you should know about Neralos.’

 

Alistair and Alex were talking about what was happening at Highever with the wardens when Alistair saw Talissa come in through the door. She was obviously very distressed, had gone pale and looked as if she had been
crying. Talissa made to walk past them as fast as she could but Alistair stood up and asked her to join them.

‘My apologies Warden Commander, but I need an early night, I’m feeling unwell.’ Talissa said, avoiding his eyes.

‘Very well. I hope you feel better soon.’ Alistair knew enough about women to know when they weren’t telling the truth but didn’t want to embarrass her by making her divulge her secret.

Alex went to bed soon after, leaving Alistair sat with his thoughts and they led back to Talissa again. He didn’t want to pry but she seemed genuinely upset. He wondered if she’d had some bad news, possibly related to the Alienage. He finished his drink and decided to go to bed.

When he reached his door, he heard the sound of someone crying into a pillow, hoping to deaden the sound.  He turned and looked. The noise was coming directly from the room across the passageway. Talissa’s room. He groaned and put his head against the door jamb. He didn’t really want to go barging into a young woman’s room uninvited but she was very upset and he knew he’d end up feeling bad that he’d at least not tried to find out what was wrong. Maker’s Breath, what was wrong with him?

He tapped on Talissa’s door and as he didn’t get told to go away, he went in.

 

‘Talissa?’

Talissa looked up from under the covers when she’d heard the door opening. She thought she was being robbed then realised that someone who is about to rob you, doesn’t usually call your name out. She glanced out from
under the blankets to see a familiar silhouette in the doorway: Alistair. Her eyes went wide in alarm and wondered if there was a problem.

He closed the door and went over to the side of the bed. Talissa moved away from him. Instinct, upbringing, call it what you will but she was anxious.

 ‘Talissa, don’t be frightened. I heard you crying and saw your face when you came in. What’s wrong?’ Alistair sat half-way down the bed.

Talissa sat up in bed, still in her armour and hugged her legs with her arms. ‘I’m sorry, I didn’t mean for you to hear me.’

‘I know you didn’t but something is obviously upsetting you. Please tell me’ he said looking her straight in the eyes. In the moonlight shining through the window, she saw him put his hand on the blanket covering her feet.

Talissa sighed. ‘I met my cousin Shianni just outside the Alienage tonight and then she told me something about a man I used to know called Neralos. She told me he’d died when there was a typhus outbreak in the Alienage a year ago.’

‘And this upset you?’ Alistair asked quietly.

She nodded.

‘He was my, my betrothed before I moved to Redcliffe.’ she sobbed ‘Once we left, my betrothal was annulled and he married someone else. I haven’t thought about this for a while but I suppose it brought it all back to me, the life I could have had.’ She began to cry again and that was when Alistair moved up the bed and held her in his arms. He pulled her to him so her head was on his chest. He knew she needed to be comforted and he put his arm
round her.

Talissa had been told that this was wrong yet she also knew that him holding her felt right. He stroked her hair and leant her head on his chest and she could hear his heart beating. It was so good to be held by him.
And then she felt it, a light kiss on her hair, his breathing into her scalp. She looked up at him and he kissed her gently on the lips. Talissa responded in return and they started to kiss more deeply. Alistair kissed her neck and trailed kisses towards the neckline of the armour she wore and her breathing became ragged as she moved under his touch.

Alistair was so turned on. All this time, he’d tried to deny himself, his feelings, and his needs. As far as he was concerned, they had died on top of Fort Drakon with Mireli. Now he knew that wasn’t true, the feelings crashed through his defences like a flood. He knew he wanted to be with this woman and now.

‘Talissa’ he whispered,’ I want to stay the night with you.’

She froze.

‘No I can’t! I’m sorry but I can’t!’ She shoved him away from her.

Well done Alistair, he thought as he walked out of the door back to his room. He slammed his bedroom door on the way through and kicked it for good measure.

 

Talissa had had a thoroughly unpleasant night’s sleep. Not only did she have to deal with the news about Neralos, she didn’t know if Alistair was going to be angry, or even if she had a job as his aide after this. 

Meanwhile, Alistair also had an uncomfortable night’s rest. He groaned when he thought about what had happened in her room. He couldn’t believe he’d said what he did to her.  She was obviously upset. He felt as inept as the ex-Chantry boy he’d been five years earlier, when every innuendo or suggestion used to make him blush bright red. Eventually, he dropped off to sleep at about four, only to be woken up a few hours later by Alex, saying they were due to leave in an hour. After an uncomfortable silence at breakfast, they went to the carriage.

On the way home, Talissa stared out of the window and spoke few words to either of the men while Alistair fell into a restless sleep. While he was sleeping, Alex asked if she was alright, as he’d heard a man talking in
her room last night. Talissa tried not to blush but said she was probably talking in her sleep.  Alex wasn’t sure
what to make of that but didn’t query it. When the carriage reached Highever, Alistair told them they were excused for the rest of the day.

 

Alistair needed to escape the confines of the castle and to do some training. He didn’t get a chance to train as often as he would like so he gladly took the opportunity when it arose. He grabbed a training dummy and
started whacking it to vent his frustrations. He was still hitting the dummy with all his strength when Zevran came walking over.

‘What’s wrong?’ asked Zevran.

‘Leave it, Zev.’ Alistair said between gritted teeth as his shield met the dummy in a shield bash he would have been proud of years earlier. ‘I’m not talking about it’

‘Oh, I think your fighting style expresses more eloquently what words could not, my friend.’ Zevran smiled.

Alistair growled and hit the dummy so hard that the wooden stand it was on cracked.

‘Enough before you break anything else.’ Zevran held a hand out to stop Alistair.

Alistair threw his sword and shield down on the ground and sat down. He was exhausted and felt more out of condition than he ever had. Mind, I’m not fighting darkspawn every day, he thought.

Zevran crouched next to his friend.

‘So are you going to tell me what happened or do I have to guess, hmm?’ Zevran said in a low voice.

No reply.

‘Very well, it is something to do with Talissa. Something that you’re not proud of.’ he muttered so only Alistair could hear.

‘And that’s why I have to put it right.’ Alistair stood up, picked up his equipment and headed back to the castle.

On the way to his bedroom, Alistair put a note under Talissa’s door, hoping she wouldn’t see him. He asked one of the castle servants to run him a bath and tried to work out what to say to her. He certainly didn’t feel proud of himself for launching himself on her. He assumed she was a virgin because of her background. Then he remembered when Mireli had first suggested they sleep together. They were both drunk and he’d high-tailed
it back to the safety of his tent alone. He had panicked, as Talissa had last night. What a fool he’d been. Alistair ran his hand through his hair, a remnant of the old Alistair which still came out now and then. Once he’d had a bath and put some clothes on instead of his usual armour, he went to get some food before meeting Talissa.

 

Talissa was sat on her bed looking out of the window, idly watching the clouds go by. She felt so numb over the events of the last day. She was sad about Neralos dying but knew if she’d stayed in the Alienage, she might have died too or her family. The Alienage wasn’t part of her life any more. And as for what had happened with Alistair, she had no idea how to deal with it, no life experience that would help in this situation. She wished Diandra were here to talk to. It was then she noticed the letter on the floor by the door. At some point during the afternoon, a letter had been pushed under the door with her name on it. The note inside said:

Talissa,

                We have to talk. Meet me in the study at 6 today.

                                                A

She shook her head but knew she would have to be there. As he was her commanding officer, what choice did she have?

Modifié par MireliA, 23 mars 2010 - 09:07 .