#her and alistair her and anora her and eamon and loghain and howe…..

[pinkfey]

the thing abt rowena and alistair that kills me is how her making him king is (in her head) an act of love in the same way her parents sending her with duncan against her will was

[wheretheresawyll]

still boggles my mind that in the year 2024 most players still ignore anora's character just to reduce her to a lying backstabber, when she only goes against you if:

you reveal her identity to ser cautherine and howe's soldiers, defeating the entire purpose of her disguise and also ignoring what she told you literally one minute before about how they can't know she's escaping with you - thereby betraying her first

you ignore her completely in denerim after she asks you to come talk to her, and only show up to the landsmeet

you bring up loghain's fate, and when she tells you that she would rather him be spared if possible, you tell her to her face that her father has to die

[vigilskeep]

do you have any opinions/speculations about the potential for a succession crisis in ferelden? ik depending on worldstate there may have already been a mac tir and/or cousland holding the throne without incident for the past 10+ years w the last living theirin dead/frolicking through a field of flowers, but breaking hundreds of years of precedent like that does seem like it could kick up some instability, even if it was offscreen? and obviously even if alistair is king his womb is barren, so like, what gives.

oh i mean we’re definitely extremely fucked and there are no good options!

the theirin line is done for, for a start. even if the sole remaining one does become king, he’s a bastard with bad chances of having a child at all. his two known possible queens are a fellow warden—making the chances of conceiving even worse! near impossible, in his own words—and anora mac tir, who never managed it with her non-warden husband, and regardless of whether or not she is actually infertile as is rumoured, seems to be actively avoiding even trying, based on loghain dialogue if she marries cousland and her unwillingness to marry at all if she becomes sole queen

since anora and alistair are both unlikely to have children either alone or together, and a cousland spouse only lessens the chances for both of them, and those are... all our options... yes we will see a succession crisis in ferelden. it’s not a maybe. if anora and/or alistair clearly declare a chosen heir before their deaths we might be able to avoid it being an open conflict but whoever they choose will definitely suffer for lack of legitimacy

assuming no royal children, the only obvious contenders for the throne are teagan guerrin and fergus cousland, and any heirs thereof. both are alive in any worldstate

the guerrins are closely related to the royal family—cailan’s mother was the elder sister of eamon and teagan—and widely respected. alistair actually suggests passing the throne to eamon in dao, and he usually has a pretty good read for what’s reasonable. i don’t think this is a bad idea. on the other hand, teagan spent his youth in the free marches, and is headstrong and not particularly politically gifted. there’s also the question of his own marriage and heirs; since the epilogue slides aren’t canon, there’s no need to accept the one where he inexplicably marries what very much seemed in game to be an underage girl, but he definitely can lose his heart to a warden of any origin in like two conversations, and all in all you’d want him settled with an acceptable queen before we could take this seriously. otherwise we’ll just have another crisis about that. i mean, one hopes he’s married and a father already by dai for this to be anything. his free marcher connections might be a boon here bc i’d like ferelden to marry into them more

the couslands are second only to the royal family, and it was suggested by some even back during ferelden’s rebellion against orlais that bryce cousland should take the throne instead of the theirins. his son would certainly be an acceptable contender. fergus may not have any living children, but he has at least proved he’s capable of having children, which is somehow as good as it gets around here. he is trained as a capable leader and ruler, is very fereldan, and maintains good diplomatic relations with factions like the inquisition. the downside to this is that it alters the political makeup of ferelden quite a bit, in that the couslands have kind of survived as the only remaining family of such power by not trying for the throne. their rule would be even more absolute than the theirins because there would be no teyrns left at all to contend with it. someone like anora in particular would be very aware of this and also simply of how dangerous it is to promise ferelden’s future to him before her death. suddenly everyone would look to the couslands as the future and not to her

there aren’t many other options that we know of at this time. there’s alistair’s kieran, but i don’t take that seriously, morrigan would never allow it and a bastard’s apostate bastard raised half in the orlesian royal court is several steps too far. if connor guerrin lives and leliana is divine, assuming the ending of the circle of magi means that mages can hold titles now, he could be a possibility

it isn’t completely impossible for anora or alistair to have children, of course. if sole king alistair actually got around to marrying at some point, that’s probably the best chance for it out of the landsmeet options?

[kiastirling-fanfic]

Happy Friday, Kia! For Robin x Alistair (or anyone else doesn't need to be a ship) how about "This is not how I wanted you to find out, but I also don't want to take it back." plus "I was damned from the very start" from the Love Confession Prompts and Dear Hunter Prompts

Thanks Lucky!! This prompt is cosigned by @breninarthur

Also if you were expecting fluff lol nope

I somehow turned this into their break-up scene.

Characters: Robin Amell, Alistair Theirin Words: 670 CW: angry yelling break-up :(

@dadrunkwriting

---

“Alistair-“

“Stop!” He bellowed before she could catch him. Robin flinched back, but Alistair turned to face her, the fierce pace of his abrupt departure from the hall finally halted. She’d run after him, hadn’t ever considered doing anything else.

She couldn’t remember if she’d ever seen him so angry, not even when she spent too long talking to Jowan about the possibility of saving Connor with blood magic.

But then she’d only been talking about doing something awful. She hadn’t done it.

“Alistair, please-“

“Please what?” Alistair’s face was twisted and red and- shiny. He was crying. “Loghain was behind nearly every awful thing we’ve endured the months! He recruited your friend to poison the arl. He encouraged that damned abomination who nearly destroyed your circle. He captured us not a fortnight ago. He killed every gray warden in the country because of his paranoid delusions, and you’re making him one of us?”

“There was no other-“

“No option? None? You should’ve let me fight him like we planned so I could kill him!” The last was punctuated by one gauntleted fist striking the stone wall of the castle. His castle, now. She swallowed past a lump in her throat at the thought that it wasn’t just his, but his and Anora’s. “It’s no less than he deserves.”

“You’re right. He deserves the worst, the most ignominious death he can be afforded.” Robin licked her lips and fisted her hands in her robes. They had blood on them now from her duel with Loghain, from the blow he landed before she transformed into a great bear and pinned him to the stone. “But this is it. This is the worst we can afford him.”

Slowly, the color receded from Alistair’s face, and the twisting of his mouth undid itself, but his expression did not soften to her. “This is the worst, you say? He’ll live as a Warden for the rest of his days, and he will die as a Warden. He’ll have the honor of dying a Warden whether it’s in three days or thirteen years. Or were you hoping he would die in the Joining? Is this what you’ve thought of us all this time?”

“You know I don’t mean it that way!”

“Don’t I? Then tell me! What do you mean?”

How could she tell him what Riordan had told her? While Arl Eamon was tutoring Alistair in statecraft, anticipating his ascent to the throne, Riordan had been teaching her the things neither of them had time to learn from Duncan. That only a Grey Warden could kill the Archdemon, and that doing so killed them in turn, and while Riordan would do his best to be the one to strike that final blow he was not the strongest of wardens, weaker than them both he admitted after his months in captivity, and in all likelihood he would not be capable.

That it would almost certainly fall to either Robin or Alistair to kill it, and one of them in the process. And Robin knew without a shadow of a doubt that if Alistair knew, he would do it without hesitation. That he would sacrifice himself to spare her without a moment’s thought.

That they were damned from the very start, and that Robin was going to spend the rest of her life without him.

Unless she could find another Warden to join them for the final battle. Someone strong, and skilled, and who she did not feel any guilt fattening as a lamb for slaughter.

And so while Alistair learned how to be King, Robin and Riordan hatched a scheme to let him live.

It wasn’t as though she hadn’t expected he wouldn’t be happy, but he had followed every decision she made. They were a team. And though this wasn’t how she wanted to find out his limits, she also found she couldn’t take it back. “It’s because I can’t bear to lose you!”

“Then you should have thought this through. Consider me lost.”

[dragonagekeeper]

Alistair Polls

Dragon Age Origins Polls

See quest and choice descriptions from Dragon Age Wiki/Keep below

Alistair died killing Archdemon

Alistair's death as he finished the Archdemon brought an end to the Fifth Blight. "…In Death, Sacrifice."

If Alistair makes the ultimate sacrifice:

Atop Fort Drakon, Alistair plunges his blade into Urthemiel, giving his own life to end the Blight. He is remembered as a hero by the people of Ferelden. If Alistair became the sole King of Ferelden he will still offer to make the ultimate sacrifice calling it "His first and last act as King". If King Alistair dies, Anora will become the new Queen and in her speech will mention that the Theirin bloodline died with Alistair.

2. Alistair was executed

Alistair stood little chance against the political machinations of Ferelden's nobles, and was eventually executed.

If Alistair is executed:

Riordan's compromise is accepted by the Warden, Queen Anora and Loghain himself, though Alistair refuses to countenance it. After being declared queen by the Landsmeet, Anora orders Alistair's execution.

3. Alistair became King

His royal blood having come to light while traveling with the Warden, Alistair is crowned king of Ferelden.

If Alistair marries Anora and Loghain dies:

Alistair's wish is fulfilled as Loghain's execution is carried out in the Landsmeet. Alistair and Anora had reluctantly agree to marry, and so are declared co-monarchs of Ferelden by the Landsmeet. Alistair goes to face the Blight with the Warden, who he appoints as the commander of the Fereldan Coalition forces. Anora stays behind in Denerim to rule in Alistair's stead. Alistair eventually rallies the Fereldan forces during the Battle of Denerim.

If Alistair marries the Warden (Lady Cousland) :

Loghain is beheaded for his crimes, though the issue of Ferelden's vacant throne remains unresolved. The Warden takes up the role of kingmaker, crowning Alistair king and unexpectedly announcing that the Warden (Lady Cousland) will rule beside him as his wife and queen. Alistair is surprised at this conclusion but does not object.

If Alistair is made sole king:

Following the execution of Teyrn Loghain, The Warden resolves the issue of the vacant throne of Ferelden by declaring Alistair to be king, his Theirin blood giving him the strongest claim. On the advice of Arl Eamon, Alistair imprisons Anora after she refuses to swear an oath of fealty to him. His first act as king is to appoint The Warden as leader of the Fereldan Coalition but he will continue to serve the Grey Wardens until the Fifth Blight is defeated. Alistair also appoints Arl Eamon as his regent while he fights the Blight. King Alistair eventually rallies the Fereldan forces during the Battle of Denerim.

If Alistair is king, he survived the Fifth Blight, and Loghain was executed:

Following the defeat of Urthemiel, Alistair is crowned by Grand Cleric Elemena. He proclaims the Warden Hero of Ferelden and strips the Howe family of Amaranthine, granting it to the Grey Wardens.

4. Alistair stayed with Wardens

Alistair stayed with the Wardens after the events of the Fifth Blight, staying ever vigilant against the darkspawn threat.

If Alistair remains a Grey Warden:

Loghain is executed during the Landsmeet though the crown passes over Alistair as Anora is declared queen. Alistair is content to remain a Warden and not be burdened by royal duties. Alistair participates in the relief of Redcliffe, which has been attacked by a host of darkspawn. He later makes preparations with the Warden, Arl Eamon, Bann Teagan and others to march on Denerim and vanquish the Blight at last.

5. Alistair became a drunk

Overwrought with burdens of both birth and station, Alistair walked away from it all, soon turning to drink in a desperate bid to forget.

If Alistair becomes a drunk:

Loghain's admission to the Wardens' ranks is agreed to, though Alistair becomes enraged at this suggestion. He issues an ultimatum, threatening to leave the Wardens if Loghain is not executed. Though Queen Anora demands Alistair's life, he is allowed to leave the Landsmeet alive. He abandons the Grey Wardens and becomes a roving drunk, wandering from tavern to tavern and eventually traveling across the Waking Sea to Kirkwall.

[ooachilliaoo]

New Armour

Bizarrely, her first instinct when he walked through the door was to bow.

She managed to stay the impulse – but only just – and only because he wouldn’t thank her for it. It was just… He just looked so much like a king thatthe impulse had been there before she could even properly think about it.

Her first actual thought could be neatly encapsulated in the word ‘wow’. While, yes, the golden armour had not been made for him, while it was possibly slightly too small and far grander than anything Alistair might have chosen for himself… there was no denying that he looked truly spectacular in it.

He’d have half the ladies of the court throwing themselves at his feet the moment he entered the chamber. Which, her political mind reminded her, would probably work to their advantage…

(If she didn’t stab them all first.)

However, her third impulse was the twist in her heart as she took in his expression. She’d seen him in a number of uncomfortable situations over the past year. When they’d needed to strip to retrieve the Urn of Sacred Ashes, for example. When they’d faced the broodmother. When Zevran had teased him after they’d spent their first night together. But she had never seen him as uncomfortable as he looked now, dressed in his half-brother’s golden armour.

“Do I really have to wear this?” he asked, adjusting one gauntlet awkwardly. “It feels… wrong, somehow. This was his.”

“You were the one who retrieved it from the darkspawn at Ostagar,” she pointed out, remembering how ferociously he’d set to the task of cleaning it after they’d lit Cailan’s pyre, and she had first suggested that maybe his half-brother had meant for Alistair to follow in his footsteps.

“Not so I could wear it,” he huffed. “I’m not… It’s too… I’m no king.”

They had debated this so many times that there was absolutely nothing left to say on the subject.

He’d start by saying he couldn’t be king, shouldn’t be king. He’d suggest letting Anora take the throne.

She’d point out that they couldn’t trust Anora, that the most important thing was deposing Loghain and turning a united Ferelden to the task of defeating the blight.

He'd suggest putting Arl Eamon forward, an idea he seemed to have latched on from the moment of Cailan’s death and had stubbornly refused to let go of.

She’d point out that Eamon was far more interested in supporting his stronger claim than putting himself forward.

In the end, they’d agree to ‘figure something out’. She’d promise that they’d figure something else out. Despite the fact that she had no idea what or how to fix it.

She was tired of the debate, and it was too late anyway. They had their plan for the Landsmeet and much of it rested on presenting Alistair as a palatable heir to the throne. Whether or not he actually ended up on it.

Stalking toward him, she reached up to wrap her arms around his neck. “Would you hate me if I said it suited you?”

He considered that for a moment. “Only a little. And I’m sure you, of all people, could think of a way to make it up to me?”

Read the rest on AO3

[eueclid]

Gwendolyne Cousland, a summary.

The sweet and shy youngest daughter of Bryce and Eleanor Cousland was trained for battle alongside her eldest brother, Fergus. She protested at first, but eventually couldn't deny the benefits of it as she aged. How sad it was that it would come of use. The first time she ever raised her blade to another was when Arl Howe's men laid siege to her castle. No matter how much she swung her sword or how much she blood she spilled, it wasn't enough to save her parents. Wracked with grief, she had to be conscripted into the Grey Wardens and forced to join against her will. Before long, Duncan was dead too, leaving Gwendolyne alone with Alistair to raise up an army and end the Blight. Despite her protests, she would lead the charge, unite the armies, and defeat the Archdemon, escaping with her life.

Story choices:

Origin:

Sleeps with Dairren.

Is conscripted into the Wardens.

Flemeth's Hut:

Gladly takes Morrigan with.

Lothering:

Recruits Leliana and Sten.

Honnleath:

Recruits Shale.

Circle Tower:

Sides with the mages, declaring all blood mages have been cleared.

Recruits Wynne.

Brecilian Forest:

Helps reach a compromise between the Elves and the Werewolves.

Orzammar:

Recruits Oghren.

Destroys the Anvil of the Void.

Places Prince Bhelen Aeducan on the throne.

Redcliffe Village:

Leaves Jowan alive.

Involves the Circle of Magi to free Connor.

Urn of Sacred Ashes:

Does not defile the ashes.

Does not kill Brother Genitivi.

Rescuing Anora:

Gets captured with Alistair rescuing Anora.

Breaks out of prison instead of waiting for Arl Eamon.

Elven Alienage:

Saves the captives and kills Caladrius.

Landsmeet:

Anora rules.

Loghain is executed.

Eve of the Final Battle:

Morrigan does the Ritual with Alistair.

Final Battle:

Gwendolyne lands the final blow and lives.

Stats:

It is always Gwendolyne. Gwen is reserved for close friends / partners.

Gwendolyne is a sword and shield warrior with no specialty.

She is quite mild mannered despite her proficiency with a sword. This often comes at her own detriment.

Her typical party includes herself, Morrigan, Alistair, and Leliana. Sometimes, she'll trade Alistair for Shale or Leliana for Zevran, but not often.

She romances Leliana during the events of the game. I will not force ship anyone who writes Leliana.

After the Blight is over, Gwendolyne returns to Highever with her brother, Fergus. She does not marry, instead choosing to travel the world with Leliana. Eventually, she leaves, going in search of a cure from the Blight. She plans to stay with her after it she cures herself from the taint.

In verses outside of her canon verse, she keeps the same origin story. A more detailed verses page will come.

[fen--harel]

mini rant / thoughts

The first time I played dragon age origins was when I was 15 and visiting my dad for the summer. I had found Fenris online and I wanted to play 2 so badly and of course I was gonna start with origins.

I had romanced alistair the first time, and I remember when I first met anora I thought she was soo mean and snooty. and i had gotten so pissed when she had ratted me out to the guards when I told them I was there to save her.

Then at the Landsmeet I thought Caulthrien was insane and I killed her and then did not hesitate killing loghain and i thought riordan was fucking CRAZY for even suggesting that I spare them.

And now im not trying to say that no one has the right to their own opinion or that there's a right or wrong way to play this game and have your choices and feelings.

But I was replaying origins the same way I always do since the third time i had ever played it: romance zevran, marry anora and alistair, and spare loghain.

But I think back to like, angry teenage me who didn't see signs ? That were blatantly there.

Anora TELLS you not to fucking rat her out because she could be killed. So of course when you tell Cauthrien you're there to rescue her she's gonna throw you under the bus. Anora has lead Ferelden with as much duty as her duty-sworn father. She married Cailan and was a good Queen and arguably ran the country herself while giving her husband the spotlight. When you tell her to marry Alistair she doesn't throw a fit or argue because she can see why having a Theirin on the throne would be good for Ferelden.

Alistair (I love him so much) is not King material. He is an emotional person, which isn't wrong to be. Lord knows im a ridiculously emotional person. But being a fellow emotional person I know how hard it is to make choices based on your brain or your heart. Especially as King you HAVE to make sacrifices. I think a good ruler actually SERVES their country and Alistair who is emotional (which is fine) deserves to find his happiness with the Grey Wardens where yes he'll still make sacrifices but not that of a King. And I think it's displayed too when Riordan says that we should spare Loghain because it would be good for the Wardens gets so emotional about it and is like "ill be king if that means he gets to die" Kind of dealio.

(Also another thing I blame on Bioware is that I truly didn't feel Alistair's like- closeness with Duncan. I think it's understandable and should be there but poorly executed where I got so confused like why he was so sad about Duncan in the first place because I didn't really see the bond he and him had. But that could also be a me problem) AND THEN SER CAUTHRIEN OHMYGOD. The way that she begs you for Loghain's life and like, how much he means to her and Ferelden was so sad this time around. And you can tell from her that she also has a huge amount of respect for Loghain. Even Eamon talks about Loghain in a good light.

And I hadn't read Stolen Throne until much later after my first ever playthrough but I think there's so many instances of DA trying to hint at you like - Loghain was a good person. And he is just paranoid about something happening to Ferelden, the country he protected and served all his life. The country he taught his daughter to also protect and serve all her life.

And then it makes me sad to see people not realize that ? And have this like - hatred towards Loghain and Anora. (Although Anora too I think it's just lowkey misogyny but that's...for another time)

But even one of my best friends romances and loves Alistair but even she can see the complexities of Loghain and likes him as well. Of course she still kills him in the end because for Alistair but she likes Loghain.

And I just think about teenage me missing all these signs that Anora isn't awful and neither is Loghain and im like what...and then (It's not really in the height of it now bc the fandom has been sleeping til veilguard p much) I see people who also hate them and im like...why ???

like i said though, everyone is entitled to their own opinion. I don't like Halsin from BG3 LOL. And he seems like a wonderful character, just not my cup of tea and I can understand why so many people do like him.

just getting my thoughts out

[videogame-ocs]

My DA Canon Worldstate family trees #1- The Cousland /Theirin family tree

I thought I’d share my (slightly headcanoned) family tree for my canon Worldstate, The Shattered Crown.

I plan on doing this again for my canon Hawke and inky at a later date because it was so fun making this. Anyway here’s the family tree and some explanations for some of the information:

Explanations:

In my head Bryce Cousland was younger than Eleanor by a year.

Oren can’t be more that 5 years old at the start of the game hence my headcanoned birth year of 9:25.

I headcanon Fergus to be 10 years older than my Cousland.

Maric dying in 9:38 Dragon is from the Silent Grove comic series set in biowares own canon, I treat these extended universe stuff as canon to my Worldstate but with some differences (similar to how BioWare treat canon in the games). But obviously he goes missing in 9:25 and is assumed dead, it’s actually Alistair who finds him along with Isabella and Varric (it’s a great comic series).

I couldn’t fit Eamon, Isolde, Connor and Tegan on there, but given they’re not Alistair’s biological family it doesn’t matter so much on the tree as I’m mostly looking at the direct line.

Ardal Cousland isn’t stated to be Bryce’s grandfather but going from his death defending King Vanedrin Theirin in the Battle of Lothering, we can presume he’s William Cousland’s father and therefore Bryce’s grandfather.

I forgot to add the Mac Eanraig family on there, I do have a head canon that Eleanor has at least one niece from her fathers side I mean she’s got three siblings but the Cousland children only met that side of the family once or twice and never met them on the Storm Coast due to how dangerous it can be.

Why Anora doesn’t have a updated image from DA:I unlike Alistair and Morrigan- she didn’t appear in DA:I unless you make her queen. Hence the origin image. She’s not queen in my canon because my Cousland Amelia basically was like ‘look no hard feelings and it’s not your fault but you can’t be trusted on the throne after all that’s happened with your father and you willingly trapping me in a dungeon to be killed even if you apologised for it’ and put Alistair and herself on there instead. I do have a headcanon on what happened to Anora in my Worldstate that I’ll get into at a later date (it’s not bad, because I do like Anora because she a) didn’t know the whole truth for most of the game and b) she was just doing what she needed to survive as a strong minded woman and new widow in court but I find her a bit frustrating).

Updated image note: I found out how old Anora is so I updated the image. According to Eamon’s letter to Cailan found in the royal chest in the Return to Ostagar DLC, Anora is approaching her 30th year, making her 29 when this letter was sent presumably not long before Ostagar, so she has to be at least 29 at the start of the game and 30 by the time the Landsmeet happens. Anyway this age gap actually helps explain why Anora never met my Cousland, despite attending some of Eleanor’s parties, and despite her father presumably knowing Bryce as the only other Teyrn in Ferelden, as she is 11 years older than her so Amelia wasn’t old enough to attend when Anora was attending her mothers events and Loghain canonically kept Anora at home most of the time when she was growing up anyway.

[cilant-lis]

rhian's time in dao pt.2

i can't stop myself from imagining just how gorgeous denerim would look if origins ever got remastered....

wahoo, romance with leli unlocked! i love her so much. kissing her in camp, kissing her in denerim, kissing her on a random battlefield, kissing her in front of the corpse of brother genitivi's assistant

perfect timing for the ghoul tamlen encounter :') on the way to the temple of sacred ashes and right after locking in leliana's romance, just as rhian got a tiny sliver of happiness, wham, gutpunch! (oh how i wish there was more companion reactivity, maybe even a cutscene of tamlen's funeral? i have to do everything myself smh)

respeccing rhian as dex dual wielding warrior because of story reasons (definitely not because i hate playing warriors)

i forgot how creepyy haven is. and how the inquisition decided to settle on top of the said freaky place.

more delicious angst for rhian with the guardian's test, but also some closure at last with the spirit-tamlen somewhat alleviating their survivor's guilt

at the urn of sacred ashes: leliana having a deep religious experience while morrigan, zevran and rhian are like 'wow, a vase....'

ugh eamon. hate that guy

off we go to orzammar and deep roads! first time going there with rhian. they're going to hate all the politics stuff sooo much

choosing the 'give me my troops' option every single conversation. i think rhian would support bhelen not because they care about his politics, but because they found bhelen less annoying than harrowmont

i think the most world-changing decision in the entire game is giving leliana a nug. in this essay i will-

bless the faster moving speed mod, breezed through the deep roads while still getting the lovely, creeping dread atmosphere <3

speaking of creepy, somehow i remember the boobmother broodmother fight being much harder. it took less than five minutes now, even though i'm playing on hard. honestly the stupid road to the anvil of the void took more time

cairdin :( i regret not bringing shale to the quest i gotta look up its dialogue during the quest

wahoo, congrats on the coronation bhelen. NOW GIVE ME MY TROOPS

back to denerim we go, and wouldn't you know it, another crash...

two elves and a mage walk into arl of denerim's estate, somehow no one bats an eye, until the arl is killed and all his prisoners are freed (except for vaughan, rest in piss)

captured! my favourite quest! this time i had rhian break out on their own and it was sooo funny. didn't expect being able to seduce the guard with my 'male' warden, but we honestly the unnamed guard is a bicon

doing the alienage quest and i'm wondering, how long ago did the riots take place? and was it during this uprising that the orphanage was wiped out? idk if i'm conflating the two but it really doesn't add up? the corpses are all bones inside, and the beggar outside of the orphanage is an adult? i guess i need to replay the tabris origin for a refresher

love how blase eamon is about what happened in the alienage. shame we can't kill the guy

i'm a queen anora truther, and nothing will ever change that. i'm tempted to play a cousland just so i can marry her <3

landsmeet cutscene is so great for screenshots, i can't concentrate on what is actually being said lmao. i briefly thought of conscripting loghain, but taking roleplaying into account, i don't think rhian would forgive him for what he did in the alienage. (and by now they no longer see being a warden as a punishment)

rhian entering their absent parent era... such an icon (WHY can't we discuss this with our love interest??? blease let me tell leliana and alistair at least) and in the wonderful version of dragon age that exists in my head, morrigan and rhian perform a blood magic ritual instead of boning

the final goodbyes with the companions ;_;

gods, i hate the final battle drag. just teleport me to the archdemon

rhian is my special little guy and they got the final blow animation on the archdemon AND the cutscene (even though in my worldstate they're not even the one to kill it but oh well)

wish the boon the warden chooses had some sort of an impact in the later games... the dalish getting a chunk of land in ferelden is kind of significant, isn't it

after the game, rhian visits their clan (the half of it which remained in ferelden) with leliana, and finally has a brief moment of respite, even if it's only a week. after that, they travel to weisshaupt to get officially recognised as the warden-commander (and in my canon worldstate report on alvea's 'death') and eventually return to ferelden

[nightingaletrash]

So what's the tea between Alistair and Solana? Why'd he leave her?

Well it mostly comes down to the whole 'putting Loghain through the Joining' thing.

Solana carried around a decent amount of guilt over the consequences of her actions in her origin, with Lilly being imprisoned in Aeonar and Jowan's poisoning of Eamon which led to Connor's whole deal. Rationally, she knew that shit was going to hit the fan no matter what she did, but as she accomplishes more and more as a Warden, it forces her to wonder if things really were that inevitable. Maybe if she'd fought harder, backed Jowan up more readily, they could have escaped without him resorting to blood magic. Or maybe she should have accepted the inevitability of the situation and just told Irving about the plan.

Either way, she carries an increasing sense of guilt that doesn't really lessen after she lets Jowan flee Redcliffe. So she buckles down on what Duncan taught her - that Grey Wardens do what they must, no matter how ugly, if it means stopping the Blight. So she gets her hands dirty working with Bhelen, she recruits every stripe of person and being that comes her way, and she always chooses what is best for Ferelden and not for herself.

Alistair, therefore, is a bit of an exception. He was someone with whom she felt safe and happy, where she wasn't just a mage or a Warden, just Solana. And that meant the entire world to her. It was the one concession she allowed herself to have against the Wardens, against inevitability.

But she knew how badly Alistair didn't want to be King, and wanted to try and find a work around for him so that his nightmare wouldn't have to come true. So imagine her luck when she's rescued Anora, freed from Fort Drakon, and is asked to have a private word with the Queen; Anora offers an alliance where Solana supports her bid for the throne, and asks that - if possible - she spare Loghain's life. It's not ideal, but Solana agrees that should Loghain stand down, she'll spare his life.

Now, Solana called a group meeting to tell the others about the arrangement, but Eamon insists that he needs to talk some things through with Alistair before the Landsmeet and so he's absent when the others discuss it. Meaning he's completely horrified when Solana not only spares Loghain, but acquiesces to Riordan's recommendation to make him a Warden.

And suddenly there's a hard line drawn in the sand - either she can be a lover and go against her deal with Anora to do as Alistair wishes, or be a Warden and uphold Duncan's principle that Wardens do as they must, not as they please.

And Solana chooses to be a Warden.

It wasn't something she did lightly. In fact, it was the hardest choice she'd made by tht point, and she even begged him not to leave. But he did anyway, leaving both of them heartbroken.

But Solana still carries a torch for Alistair. She put her foot down with Anora over the prospect of an execution, and now she searches for a cure for the Calling, not for herself and the Wardens, but for him. That the rest of them could be cured is simply a side benefit. She knows that she hurt him deeply and that he'll never forgive her, but if she can cure his Calling, then maybe he can at least live without an inevitable doom hanging over his head. And that alone would be enough for her.

As for how Alistair feels... I haven't quite decided yet. Still hurting, still yearning. Not able to forgive her, but not able to forget her either.

It's complicated for him, and quite simple for her, so all in all, it's very messy.

[greypetrel]

Alyra and Anora

Raina and Carver and/or Bethany

Aisling and Raina (technically an NPC in Inquisition, right?)

AND Salshira and any/all of your gals c:

(And back at you, whichever of these you want to write if that's too many! <3)

Oooh thank you!!! These are super interesting! And as usual I had a lot to say x°D So after the first it's all under the cut.

Ask game

Alyra and Anora.

They started very badly. As in: Alyra couldn't see her. Went to save her pretty reluctantly, and her immediate and aloud answer when Anora did what she did was "This BITCH.". She thought that sending her and Alistair to save her was a terrible idea: if they were caught, they would have lost all the credibility they gained and needed for the Landsmeet. So you see, when she woke up at Fort Drakon and she was proven right… She didn't take it well and was too blinded by rage to really think better of it. Arl Eamon played exactly on that and convinced her when she wasn't thinking much straight, that Alistair on the throne was the better idea, Anora proved herself to be a person with no issue in betraying allies, no? :) She realised the mistake when it was too late, the game were set, and all she could do was jumping right in for the duel with Loghain and convincing Alistar that a marriage of convenience was the better option if he couldn't marry her (and she proposed. In front of the Landsmeet. The good thing was that after that she had zero worry at the idea of facing the Archdemon. It couldn't have been worse than that. Dangerous and fatal was better than humiliating.). With more clarity and the knowledge she had been toyed with like a puppet, and the portrait of Arl Eamon well on top of her black list, she slowly changed her mind over Anora. Realised that she had done the only sensible thing for her position, and in the end saved them both. Staying in Denerim most often as Chancellor and mistress cough cough they talked it out and had an agreement she came to know her better and appreciate her, they're very like-minded and politically shrewd, and with time and a lot of easing to each other's presence, they came to rely on the other and form a friendship. Think in years, tho.

Raina and Bethany:

It's complicated. Raina took her role as a bigger sister all too well after Malcolm died. She felt like she had to step in his shoes and provided. Losing Carver, as much as he kept on being his merry oppositive self, didn't help her at all. If Leandra mourned, Raina being Raina swept everything under the carpet and just became hyper-protective towards Bethany. She seldom asked her to come along with her for missions and just for the ones she deemed easier. Bethany didn't quite like it and often complained Raina treated her as a child, and their relationship started to get a little bitter. Raina left for the Deep Roads quarrelling something fiercely with her and basically told her that either she returned home by herself, or she would have dragged her. Bethany left without saying goodbye and marched away. Needless to say that "My sister is in a Circle because of me" became another small tack of guilt to weigh over her, and weighted HARD. They recovered a better relationship after the Mage Rebellion, when Bethany decided to stay in the Circle to help on her own willingness… And could come home to say hi and be spoiled by her new sisters-in-law.

Raina and Aisling: They get along well! As for Aisling… She likes how sure of herself she is, how easy it is to talk to her. Sees that there are cracks in the façade. She likes to laugh and finds Raina funny, asked her to help her with her sword practice in the Western Approach, they got along pretty well. Sometimes, in her darkest moments when she really feels tired, she wishes hard that Hawke was in the Conclave and not her, as Cassandra would have wanted. She realises it's a terribly selfish wish and she wouldn't wish anything on anyone. Usually she brings Raina cookies and cake herself from the kitchen, without explanations. Raina doesn't really understands why she has cake, but she's a raccoon and never refuses food. Raina finds her sweet, if a little bit gloomy and whiny. She doesn't mind her trying to mother her, and if in the first moments she felt she was a watered-down version of Merrill, she changed her mind. No, she's a Merrill with no self-value, must protec at all cost before she hurts herself. She doesn't really understand why she saved her and not Stroud from the Fade… Took her some time to really forgive her for having another person died for her sake. She too realised it was a stupid, selfish thought. Sent her a brossum as an apology.

SALSHIRA. Alyra: She will laugh at her jokes and find her an amusing company to spend an evening with, but would probably be annoyed by her tendency to divert every serious conversation. She'd Reckon that it's a good way to get nobles out of your trail, but for anything else? Double-check everything she says, out of the convinctions that if she masks so much personally… Why not masking for other things? She would enjoy her company and be friendly, seen the context and knowing first hand how daunting being a Dalish in power around humans can be (and she also has the Chantry at her back), but will definitely takes some time in warming up and really trust her, politically in particular.

Raina: They could bond over not wanting to talk anything seriously and would be quick in befriending the other because of that, and become good friends. If they manage not to act on finding the other attractive (causing a shitshow because Raina will say she can do casual... But she can't.), they'll be besties and cause ruckus, the world may not be ready for them to team up. I just think that they'll just spur each other on and... Won't be stoppable anymore. A huge chaotic force that will stand no rivals. Halamshiral covered in "Romani ite domum" written in red paint. The whole of it. How did they manage? Not important.

Aisling: Blabbers because OMG SHE VERY PRETTY AND FUN AND TALENTED OMG SAY SOMETHING CLEVER "Roses are red / Violets are blue-". And then proceeds to walk to the garden, take a spade and dig her own grave in the elfroot patch out of embarrassment. Other than that, I agree with what you said: it would be rocky. Aisling will prod and show worry and ask personal stuff, making Salshira just run away faster. When Aisling will realise she'll just raise her hands, apologise and wait for her to start a conversation again not to upset her again. three years later they're still at the same point, smiling and waving at each other out of politeness from different parts of the room. Good with other people around or if they're working on the same thing and can talk about that, when they're alone suddenly all they can talk about is the weather. (that kind of friendship that can happen if you manage to pick a very precise set of dialogue options, ahahahahah)

[bluerose5]

At Your Service

Summary: After the Blight, Darrian stayed behind in Ferelden to serve the throne.

He never would have guessed how close he and Alistair would end up as a result.

Word Count: 6,186

Rating: M

Pairings: Male Tabris/Alistair Theirin, Male Tabris/Zevran Arainai (mentioned, established), Alistair Theirin/Male Tabris/Zevran Arainai

...

As much as Darrian wanted to leave Ferelden behind after the Blight, he couldn't.

His family was there. Too many loose ends were not yet tied up. New titles came with new responsibilities, and the nation was trying to heal from all of the wounds that were inflicted upon it.

The immediate concern was to mend what was broken, to stop the bleeding.

So much of what Darrian had done were mere drops in an even larger body of water. The ripples of his actions were still spreading, the future filled with promises of unforeseen consequences. It was impossible to foretell exactly how his choices would impact both the future of Ferelden and even Thedas, as a whole.

One thing was for certain, though. He couldn't leave, not now.

The only way for Ferelden to move forward was together. That was how they would recover. Darrian managed the impossible and united the lands against the bigger threat, but they needed that unity to do more than linger.

They needed it to persevere.

It was all too easy for a fire to die out when no one was there to stoke the flames.

If Darrian had to be the one to secure a better future for his home, then so be it.

After all, he could hardly trust the task to just anyone.

That was a big reason why he chose Alistair for the throne. While many of the nobility would probably take advantage of the ensuing chaos to sow doubts and reap the benefits, Alistair was a man who genuinely cared. People came first, and politics came after, as it should be.

He was smarter than most people gave him credit for, and Darrian had faith in his ability to run the country, more so than any other of Ferelden's so-called leadership.

Unlike Eamon, Darrian's sole motivator for supporting Alistair's bid for the throne didn't rest entirely on archaic ideals such as bloodlines.

Not to say Darrian’s decision wasn't selfish in its own right, because it was. He had no illusions about that.

Simply put, he could respect Anora's former position as Queen. He could respect the fact that she was the one running things while Cailan reigned, only for him to receive all the praise and glory. He could respect her undying loyalty to both her nation and her father, even as everything was falling apart around her.

Unfortunately for her, she crossed the one line that Darrian could not ignore.

No matter how influential Loghain was, no matter if the crimes were only committed by association, the fact of the matter was that slavery occurred —no, it was allowed by the ruling parties in Ferelden— under her reign.

Not only were the Tevinter slavers allowed to barge in as if they owned the place, as if they owned their people, but it was the elves specifically, Darrian’s family, who paid the ultimate price.

As if to add insult to injury, Denerim certainly made no secret of the purge that was carried out under the arl's command.

In such circumstances, inaction was as damning of a crime as the crime itself.

Rather than act against such atrocities, rather than speak out against the injustices committed, the alienage's suffering went by unopposed until it was convenient for those in power to use the tragedy for their own gain.

Once again, the elven people suffered because those in charge valued their political machinations over actual lives.

Darrian refused to let it continue.

Between the two candidates for the throne, Alistair might not have been the most politically savvy, but he was the better alternative by far. For the elves, for the mages, for the commoners, for the Wardens…

It was a biased opinion, sure, but Darrian's mind was already made up by the time they arrived at the Landsmeet.

With Loghain slain and Anora imprisoned, Alistair was crowned King of Ferelden.

After that, Darrian could hardly abandon him.

It was his fault that Alistair was all but forced into his current predicament, reluctant as he was to accept the throne. The least that Darrian could do was remain at his side and keep him true to himself, instead of leaving him under the guidance of someone like Eamon.

Of course, Darrian’s constant presence ruffled the nobility's feathers at every turn. Some adapted to seeing him at Alistair's side, simply grateful for his role in ending the Blight, but others refused to even entertain the notion. Either they appraised him with open disdain or concealed annoyance.

Regardless of what others thought, Darrian wasn't going anywhere. If anything, their ire only proved to him that he was exactly where he was supposed to be.

After he moved into the castle at Alistair's request, one title quickly followed after another, again and again.

At first, he was given his boon in the wake of the archdemon's defeat, declared Chancellor to the throne.

Then, he was granted the authority to act as Warden-Commander of Ferelden.

Bann of Denerim's Alienage came next, which garnered its fair share of opposition, and Royal Arcane Advisor barely had any actual sway, besides seeking and sharing knowledge. Teyrn of Gwaren only came about because Darrian was the one coordinating the efforts to redistribute Loghain's possessions, providing for the refugees who sought food and shelter in the aftermath of the Blight.

Rumor had it that Arl of Amaranthine was next on the list, but Darrian wouldn't entertain such fool notions.

Alistair had given him more than enough.

In the eyes of the public, the king favored his commander greatly, but Darrian couldn't help but feel as if stacking all these titles was an act of retribution. Each one came with over a hundred duties to attend to, and utilizing so much power eventually took its toll.

Darrian saddled Alistair with more burdens than he was prepared to carry. Perhaps it was only fair if the reverse was true as well.

Not that it mattered. Darrian made his bed. Now, he was going to lie in it.

Waking up in the castle might have felt strange at first, but it was slowly growing on him.

Typical morning routines passed by in a daze. Silken robes cascaded down over rough skin, covered in ink and scars.

Instead of fighting with his hair, Darrian simply tossed it into a messy braid and called it a day.

He departed from his room when he was ready, strolling past the servants with warm greetings on the way to the dining hall. 

Alistair was already there, awaiting his arrival while Eamon talked his ear off about one trivial matter or another.

The second Darrian entered the room, Alistair perked up. Glazed eyes brightened, and a radiant smile lit up his face like the sun. More than likely, he was simply glad to put an end to his boredom. Listening to the former arl tended to have that effect, so Darrian could hardly blame him, even if he reacted to Darrian’s appearance with the same wide-eyed excitement as Ser Barkolomew did.

Darrian’s heart skipped a beat.

A light, fluttery sensation spread throughout his chest.

In short, Alistair was adorable, and even Darrian was not immune to his charm.

As soon as he neared, Alistair stood in greeting, rushing to pull the chair out to his right.

Darrian ignored Eamon's poorly-hidden grimace in favor of taking the seat.

"Good morning, Darrian," Alistair said, pushing him carefully back in towards the table.

Warmth flooded Darrian’s cheeks as he spared him a smile.

"Good morning, Your Majesty."

"You're late," Eamon noted, then lowered his voice into a grumble. "Again."

"I overslept," Darrian said, and left it at that.

Before Eamon could retort, Alistair cut in.

"Such a grave offense. Surely, keeping me waiting for so long is an act of treason." He released a long, drawn-out sigh, smirking playfully in spite of himself. “I think that I can pardon you, though. This time, at least.”

“What a merciful ruler you are,” Darrian deadpanned.

He could practically hear Eamon fuming inside his mind at their utter lack of formality, a speech already prepared on the tip of his tongue.

“Your Majesty, need I remind you that—”

Without once looking away from Darrian, Alistair interrupted.

“Uncle, can you excuse us for a moment, please? I wish to speak with the Chancellor alone.”

Although phrased as a question, his tone suggested that it was anything but, lined with an authority that Darrian so rarely heard from him. A slight emphasis was placed on Darrian’s title, and it took him a moment to recognize it for what it was.

It was a reminder.

A reminder that, for all of Eamon’s unsolicited advice relating to matters of the throne, Darrian held the position of Alistair’s most trusted advisor. No ifs, ands, or buts about it, apparently.

A shiver threatened to run along his spine, so Darrian quickly straightened up in his seat, his back stiff with tension as he fought back the sensation.

Eamon glanced between the two, his nose in the air.

Eventually, he pushed away from the table with a bow.

“As you wish.” The words became bitter from the cold with which they were formed. “Your Majesty.” His bow in Darrian’s direction was definitely more mocking than the one prior, the corner of his lips twisting into a slight, downward curl. “Chancellor.”

With that, he departed, and Darrian didn’t so much as breathe until the doors closed loudly behind him.

Air filled his chest once more, and his head spun.

Swallowing thickly past the lump in his throat, Darrian barely had time to even think before a servant walked into the room, sporting a wary air of confidence as they approached.

“Breakfast is served, Your Lordship,” they announced.

A tray was placed in front of Darrian. Steam billowed from the hot meal once it was revealed to him. It consisted of his usual favorites in the castle, more than he had ever dreamed of eating back in the Alienage. A basic porridge, filled with fruit, sat at the center. On one side, there were two hard-boiled eggs, along with a couple of sausage links. On the other, there was a large, buttery croissant that made his mouth water.

For him to drink, a cup of tea had been prepared, giving off an aroma of multiple spices that warmed him to the core.

Once his place was set, he thanked the servant, who grinned widely at him in turn.

“It was no problem at all, Your Lordship.” They backed away, but not before saying, “Feel free to send for me if you need anything.”

Alistair frowned after them, brow furrowed, but Darrian didn’t pay them any mind as they left.

Left alone together, Darrian could feel Alistair’s stare boring into the side of his face.

Unfolding a napkin into his lap, Darrian started to dig in when Alistair finally broke the silence.

“Your grandmother is settling in well,” he stated. He picked at the table with his nails, unable to sit still. “She definitely knows how to make things more homey around here, and the staff absolutely adores her to pieces. They respect her more than anything. Plus, she’s not afraid to come to me with any of their concerns. For which, I am grateful.”

“Good to hear,” Darrian said, once he managed to speak past a bite of food.

Not that he expected any different. Being one of the Alienage’s oldest and most experienced elders, it was hardly Velora Virdan’s first time running a ship, so to speak. If anything, being the castle’s head of staff was a breeze in comparison to the crowded, hectic life of an elder.

Yet another way that Darrian felt indebted to his king.

He knew that there were many people capable of filling the position at the time. The fact that Alistair so openly entrusted such a task to not only an elf, but also to one of the Alienage’s own, meant a lot. It sent a message, clear as day, to those who claimed to be his allies.

Both her and Darrian’s presence set the tone for his reign, and Darrian had a feeling that Alistair was only getting started.

The thought probably shouldn’t excite Darrian as much as it did, but there was no denying its effect.

Clearing his throat, he didn’t even try to remain subtle while changing the subject.

“Should we discuss your agenda for the day?” he asked, one of his many duties to attend to.

Alistair watched him closely. Piece by piece, Darrian slowly but surely polished off the remainder of his meal, savoring the explosion of flavors upon his tongue, both savory and sweet, for as long as he could.

Grumbling, Alistair said, “We should do that, shouldn’t we?”

“It would be the responsible thing to do,” Darrian answered, smiling into his cup as he took a sip.

“Okay. So, say that —hypothetically speaking, of course— I cleared out my schedule for the day without consulting with you first…”

He trailed off with a worried hum.

Oh, how quickly Darrian’s smile fell.

He set his cup aside, providing Alistair with his undivided attention.

Fingers steepled together, they rested against his lips until Darrian could manage to work through his emotions enough to form a proper response.

“I guess that, hypothetically speaking, I would just be confused.” Darrian shifted in place to angle himself more towards Alistair. “Is there something that brought this on?”

“Yes, no, well, maybe?” Scratching at his jaw, Alistair scrambled for the best response. His voice grew quieter with each word. “I might have also cleared your schedule out as well?”

He sounded more questioning than certain. His responding smile was sheepish, and he made sure to avoid Darrian’s eyes.

Good thing Darrian wasn't upset, only curious.

It would be nice to have some time off, but—

"What made you do that?" he asked, the words out before he could stop them.

Alistair chewed on his bottom lip.

"I, uh, wanted to spend time with you," he explained, stuttering. "Not as King and Chancellor, but as us again. As friends. Darrian and Alistair, that's it. I don't know, maybe I'm being foolish, but it feels like we haven't really been able to take time to do that much since the Blight ended."

When Alistair paused to catch his breath, Darrian reached out without thinking, mostly to calm Alistair's nerves before he cycled into an endless bout of rambling.

He set his hand upon Alistair's and squeezed.

Such a small gesture stopped Alistair in his tracks. He stared down at their hands, warmth spreading where their skin touched.

"It's not foolish to want that," Darrian whispered. "Although, I must admit, I didn't expect that sentiment from you."

Alistair blinked owlishly at that.

"May I ask, why not?"

Darrian shrugged.

"I simply thought you found my presence here to be tolerable at best, you know, but useful enough to keep me around." Honesty was key, Darrian reminded himself. "I thought that part of you still despised me for all that I did." He took a deep, shaky breath, ensuring that his words were low enough to be heard by their ears and their ears alone. "There was Morrigan's ritual, and then there was the fact that I tore you away from the Grey Wardens. That I pushed you into being King when you clearly didn't want—"

He choked on the words. A familiar sting of unshed tears burned at his eyes.

He tried to pull away, but Alistair quickly turned his hand over, tangling their fingers together in a silent plea for him to stay.

The first tear fell down his cheek, a brand of shame that was impossible to hide.

"For all of my talk about supporting free will and deciding one's destiny, I didn't do right by you when it mattered. I failed to take your feelings into account, all because of my own selfish desires for vengeance and change. To do that to someone I care so deeply abou—"

A hand came down over his mouth, silencing him, only long enough for Alistair to get a word in.

He searched Darrian’s golden eyes for answers. 

Whatever he found, he used it as a source of encouragement to speak his mind.

"Listen to me, and listen to me carefully, Darrian Tabris." Resolute as he was in his conviction, each word was still somehow laced with the utmost affection, a tenderness unlike any other that Darrian had experienced before. "I am a man of sound body and mind, who is more than capable of saying yes or no when I have to. You did not force me onto the throne, and I certainly hold no grudge against you for me being here."

Each word felt like a weight had been lifted off of Darrian’s shoulders, but Alistair was only getting started.

Sliding his hand away from his mouth, he cupped Darrian’s cheek. Rough, calloused fingers wiped away his tears.

"Was I upset about leaving the Wardens at first? Yes. Was I upset that we had to dance along to Morrigan's tune in order to survive? Yes. Do I despise you for any of that, though?" He scoffed at the very idea, shaking his head in disbelief. "No, of course not, because —in spite of what you might think of me— I believe that we could make this work. Together.

"We can change things for the better. We can make Ferelden an example to all others, if we set our mind to it, and I swear to you now that I will never take advantage of all that you do for me and our kingdom." There was a heat underlying his words, a passion that left no room for argument. "You are special to me, and I will not let you become to me what Anora was to Cailan. You are always free to speak your mind within these halls, to claim responsibility for your achievements. That, I promise, and anyone who says otherwise will have to answer to me directly."

At first, Darrian was speechless.

He stared at Alistair in awe. His heart both raced and stopped, all at once.

He didn't even realize he was holding his breath until he inhaled, and a wave of dizziness washed over him.

Both of them had been leaning in, the distance closing between them.

As soon as Darrian noticed Alistair glance down at his lips, he sprang to his feet, sending his chair crashing to the floor behind him.

With a wince, he rushed to pick it up.

"I—I'm sorry!" he apologized, part of him bracing to be struck, but Alistair was right there with him in an instant.

"Are you okay?" he asked instead, his hand gentle on Darrian’s arm. 

Even through the fabric of his robes, Darrian could feel sparks light up along his skin.

It was too much. All of it was too much.

Yet it wasn't enough, all the same.

"I'm fine," he said, holding his head in hand. "I think that I just… need some air."

"Okay," Alistair replied, his face lined with concern. "In that case, perhaps you will do me the honor of joining me in the castle gardens?"

A beat passed between them; but as their days together wore on, Darrian always found it increasingly difficult to say no to him.

"Of course."

Beaming at him in response, Alistair offered out his arm, the remnants of Darrian’s breakfast long-forgotten.

“Shall we?” he asked.

Darrian eased up to his side and clung to his arm.

“Lead the way.”

They walked at a slow, leisurely pace, Alistair undeterred by the looks they received from staff and nobility alike. If anything, he held his head higher with pride, sneaking an occasional peek in Darrian’s direction. 

The latter stared up at him, deep in thought.

One step out the doors, and the pressure in his chest lightened.

Out in the gardens, sunlight rained down on them from above, its rays warm and inviting like a lover’s caress. Fragrant flowers filled the air with soft scents, blanketing them from all sides.

The trickle of the nearby fountain harmonized seamlessly with the buzzing of insects. Birds chirped their delight as they flew overhead. Their wings flapped in a flashy display.

Every now and then, Alistair would reach out and pluck a bloom that caught his eye. 

By the time they arrived at their destination, he had gathered a small yet impressive bouquet.

Alistair led Darrian deep into the private area, sequestered away in a corner of the castle grounds where few seldom visited.

An ornate, stone bench awaited them, covered in a layer of fallen leaves and fragile petals.

Before they took a seat, Alistair rushed ahead to dust off the bench.

He waved Darrian forward, refusing to sit until he did so first.

They settled in side-by-side.

Alistair placed his bundle of flowers upon his lap. One by one, he fiddled with them.

"Feeling better?" he wondered.

"Much," Darrian said, doing his best to ignore how close they were, lest he send his heart into a frenzy again.

Breathing in the fresh air at least helped clear his head a little bit.

Alistair's fingers, clumsy as they initially appeared, somehow managed to braid the flowers' delicate stems together while they talked.

"Good," he said, "because I would hate for you to miss this trip to Rivain."

Darrian’s head snapped in his direction, his mouth agape.

"Rivain?" he asked, bewildered. "You are going to Rivain?"

"We are going," he corrected, then amended his statement, "if you agree, of course. Officially, I am visiting in my capacity as a foreign dignitary. I'll be meeting with the seers in charge of the Rivaini Circle." He leaned in to whisper conspiratorially into Darrian’s ear, the pointed tip twitching ever so slightly. "But I am hoping to enjoy the sights while I'm there as well."

"You don't say," Darrian breathed.

"I would be lying if I said that I wasn't hoping to spend some time alone with a certain someone."

"I wonder who that could be."

"I'll give you one guess."

Laughing, Darrian ducked his head, stray strands of hair falling into his face.

A blush spread across his cheeks.

"Alistair Theirin," Darrian teased, "are you trying to impress me?"

"Actually, I'm trying to do right by those in my kingdom who have been forgotten for far too long." He shrugged. "If doing that happens to impress you, too, then I'd say that's an added bonus."

Darrian smiled.

"I'd be happy to join you," he told him, "but I guess that I'm still trying to figure out why you're doing all of this." He gestured vaguely. "Giving me the titles, moving my grandmother here, taking me to my mother's homeland. You have to admit, it's a lot, and people are starting to talk."

"Then let them," Alistair stated. "Perhaps I should care more about appearances, but I don't. You taught me that most people are ultimately out for themselves, that I should prioritize my own needs more and not let others walk all over me as much. Well, this is me doing exactly that. They wanted me to be king, so this is what they get, take it or leave it. I won't sacrifice my relationships and who I am to make them feel better."

He shifted closer to Darrian until their knees and shoulders bumped. Darrian nudged him back.

"I told you before," he whispered, "I believe in what we're trying to do here. You taught me that everyone has a role to fill if they are simply given the opportunity to prove themselves, and I want to make Ferelden a place where anyone —elf, dwarf, commoner, noble— can go and find their purpose."

"How idealistic of you," Darrian commented.

"I learned from the best."

Darrian struggled to counter that, so Alistair took advantage of his silence to present him with his latest creation. The flowers from before were successfully woven together to form a circle, a little loose and lopsided, but they ultimately served their purpose well enough.

"Here," Alistair said. He took his time to brush Darrian’s hair back behind his ear, encouraged to linger when he felt Darrian lean into his touch. "A crown fit for a king."

Darrian snorted, but accepted the gift nevertheless.

"Heh, right." After Alistair placed the flowers atop his head, Darrian adjusted them to a more comfortable position, the crown a tad too big as it tended to lean to one side more so than the other. "And when was the last time you saw an elven king?"

"Easy. I'm looking at one right now."

"Uh-huh…" Better not let Eamon hear him say that, but Darrian let him have his fun for now.

They eventually settled into a comfortable silence, only the sounds of the fountain there to accompany them from afar.

Darrian plucked some flowers of his own off a nearby bush. Alistair remained at his mercy, allowing him to place a few into his hair, already longer and fuller than it was during the Blight.

The first words came unbidden, broken Elvish pouring free from Darrian’s lips to form a tender song.

Alistair watched him closely, his weight leaned back onto his hands, and melted underneath his touch.

"I love listening to you speak Elvish."

Darrian’s fingers faltered in his hair before continuing.

"Maybe, one day, I can teach you what I know," he offered.

"Maybe so." Alistair chuckled. "Although, just so you know, I make a lousy student."

"Do you now?" Once Alistair's hair was to his liking, Darrian separated several sections from the others to form a small braid off to the side. "I'll just have to whip you into shape then."

"Promises, promises," Alistair said. "But I haven't heard many elves speak the language before, not outside of the Dalish, that is."

"Would you believe me if I said that I am, in fact, Dalish?" Darrian asked, fixated on the task at hand. "Not so much in practice, but through blood, similar to Zevran. Two of my three grandparents on my mother's side reside in their Rivaini settlement, one of whom can directly trace his ancestry back to the fall of the Dales."

Alistair furrowed his brow.

"You never mentioned that before."

"I never had reason to." His expression fell. "I was born and raised in the city, and reality didn't exactly meet my expectations when I finally did meet a clan."

"The one in the Brecilian Forest," Alistair stated.

"Yeah…" Darrian pursed his lips. "Our blood, our struggles. None of that mattered. They treated me like a child. They considered me no different than a 'shem.'" He spat the word out with a shake of his head. "As much as I love my people and our culture, I tend to feel like an outsider amongst them more often than not."

"Feeling like you don't have a place where you belong? Yeah, I get that." With the braid finished, Alistair reached up and took Darrian’s hand in his. This time, Darrian took the initiative and laced their fingers together. "Darrian."

"Yes?"

"May I ask a personal question?"

"You may. Whether I answer or not will depend on the question," he decided.

Alistair hesitated, then sighed.

"The others— Leliana, Morrigan, Zevran."

Huh, Darrian certainly didn't expect to hear those names.

"What about them?" 

"Listen, let's be honest here, they were definitely interested."

Ah, Darrian had a feeling he knew where this was going, but he needed to hear Alistair say it himself.

"Interested?"

"In you."

Well, if they were being honest…

"They were." All to different degrees. But they did each approach him in some capacity during their stay at camp.

"Did—" Alistair swallowed down his doubts and held himself tall, taking a deep breath. "Did anything ever come of that?"

"I think we both know the answer to that," he said, not that they ever hid their relationship.

After a moment, it clicked.

"Right," Alistair mumbled. "You and Zevran." He barked out a bitter laugh, dragging his free hand down his face. "I don't know why I'm even surprised. You two were pretty hard to ignore most nights. Not that it is any business of mine, feel free to tell me to stay out of it, but is it—is it serious?"

"Alistair—"

"Maker, I'm so stupid!"

"No, you're not," Darrian insisted.

"I shouldn't have—"

As soon as he tried to pull his hand free, Darrian gave it a lone, desperate squeeze before letting go. Alistair stormed to his feet, pacing back and forth between freshly-trimmed hedges.

"I let myself believe that we could be together."

The confession hit Darrian like a punch to the gut.

Instinctively, he stepped into Alistair's path to stop him.

He blurted out, "I have feelings for both of you."

Alistair blinked owlishly at him, his expression cycling through one emotion after another.

"So, what?" he asked, eventually settling on pain and frustration. "You really think that you can have it both ways?"

"And why not?" Darrian countered, calm in his approach. "If you're not okay with that, then fine. We'll leave it at that, but don't act as if I'm committing some grave sin by suggesting it." 

Alistair clenched his jaw, but Darrian wasn't going to back down as if he was somehow in the wrong.

"Is it so bad that I want all of us to come out of this happy?" After all, Darrian didn't even think that Alistair wanted anything to do with him after the Blight, let alone that he could possibly be entertaining the idea of a relationship. "Is it so bad that I care for you both?"

Silence answered him and lingered, but Alistair didn't so much as budge, remaining with him for the time being.

Darrian cautiously stepped forward.

When Alistair refused to move, he reached out and took his cheeks in hand.

"I want to be honest with you," Darrian said, "because I genuinely care for you and —call me crazy, if you must— I have a feeling that you care for me, too."

Alistair met his eyes, his entire demeanor gentling.

"I understand if you would rather not be in that type of relationship," Darrian continued. "If you do want to consider it, if you want to think it over, then that's fine, too. I'd be willing to wait, but you should know that my feelings for both you and Zevran are real. And nothing that he does will ever affect how I feel about you personally."

Thinking that over for a minute, Alistair eventually managed to respond.

"I should have honestly expected this," he admitted. "You experience life so… intensely. You let yourself act on your emotions without restraint, good or bad." Alistair placed his hands over his, resting his forehead against Darrian’s. "It's one of the things that I've always admired about you."

"Really?"

"Mm-hmm…" Alistair nodded. "With the Blight and everything else going on, I was just so afraid to act on how I felt. I didn't want to make things awkward between us when we were expected to save the world together. Maker's breath, I don't know. There was always some excuse I told myself, some reason on why I should wait, and now you’re telling me that I’m not too late? That there’s a chance?”

“There is.”

“I can be a jealous man,” Alistair said, filled with sorrow, as if that would somehow be the dealbreaker for him. “I can’t promise to change that.”

“I’m not asking you to change,” Darrian replied. “I’m asking that, if you feel that way, then we acknowledge it, and we work through it.” 

“That simple, huh?”

“That simple.”

Alistair considered that. “And Zevran? Have you talked this over with him?”

In spite of himself, Darrian snickered.

“What?” Alistair asked, unable to keep his own smile at bay.

“Nothing. It’s just that, you do realize that Zevran was the one that brought this up to me during the Blight, right? He said that he wouldn’t hold me back from pursuing you as well, if that’s what I truly wanted. He only wanted to make sure that it was okay with you.” Darrian didn’t think. He dragged Alistair closer, his face buried into the crook of his neck, cheeks burning in embarrassment. “I insisted that you weren’t interested in me like that, so he dropped it. Well, until the coronation, that is.”

“The coronation?” Alistair parroted. “What did he say then?”

“Basically, the same thing. That, if anything happened while he was in Antiva, he was okay with me exploring our relationship further, but he expected to hear about it when he returned.”

“Every juicy detail, I’d imagine,” Alistair deadpanned.

“Would he be Zevran otherwise?” Darrian joked, pulling far enough away to press their foreheads together once again. 

“Fair point.”

“Seriously though, if you need time to think this over some more, then say the word.”

“And if I don’t need any more time?” Alistair asked. “If I can’t stop thinking about how much I want to be yours? How much I want to kiss you right here, in this moment? Would I be overstepping my position as your king?”

Darrian wrapped his arms around his neck, glancing pointedly at his lips.

“Would I be overstepping my position as your commander if I said that I want that, too?”

“If you were, then frankly, I don’t care.”

“Then, kiss me.”

The words were barely out when strong hands tugged Darrian forward, muscled arms wrapped firmly around his waist.

Neither one could say for certain who leaned in first, not that it mattered.

Their lips crashed together, clumsy, frantic. 

For a brief instant, their teeth bumped, but they were quick to correct themselves.

Alistair eagerly threw himself into the kiss, but Darrian was more than happy to indulge him. Their eyes slid closed. Their breathing grew heavy. Every time the kiss was close to ending, one of them would chase after the other’s lips for more. Even the slightest distance between them felt painful, both of them unable to stand the very thought of separating.

Sweet nothings were whispered between them. Breathless gasps and needy moans slipped free.

A curious swipe of Alistair’s tongue coaxed Darrian into parting his lips.

At first, Alistair was a bit too excited when he deepened the kiss, but Darrian could understand his need for more.

With great effort, Darrian broke the kiss.

“Like this,” he instructed, only to pick up where they left off.

Alistair shivered when Darrian tangled his fingers into his hair, tugging at the roots at the nape of his neck.

Slowly, gently, he explored Alistair’s mouth with his tongue, pressing himself flush against him.

Alistair whimpered against his lips, mimicking his actions in a way that made Darrian’s toes curl.

Despite his earlier words, someone was a quick learner.

They savored the taste of each other for as long as they could, finally breaking away for air.

And even then, they exchanged chaste pecks in between each breath.

“That was—”

“Perfect,” Alistair purred with a dreamy expression.

“Uh-huh,” Darrian agreed with a playful giggle.

“You’re so beautiful,” he praised, dropping a kiss upon his cheek, then his jaw. Darrian clung to him when he felt his whisper brush along his throat. “You take my breath away.”

“Heh, one little kiss, and you’re already insatiable.”

“I’ve been waiting to do that for a long time, Commander.”

“Down, boy,” Darrian said, amused.

Alistair nipped playfully at the curve of his neck.

“Whatever you want, my love.”

Darrian didn’t get a chance to question him on that before Alistair dropped to his knees before him, brown eyes hooded with desire.

Shock shot through him with a vengeance.

“Alistair,” Darrian hissed, albeit with more surprise than anger in his tone. “What if someone hears?”

While the area was meant to be private, there was still a chance that the groundskeeper or another servant could pass by at any moment.

Darrian tried his best to listen out, but he was distracted by the fingers brushing his robes aside.

“You’ll just have to be quiet then.” Of course, it didn’t take long for uncertainty to set in, Alistair quickly backtracking. “I mean, if you don’t want to…”

He trailed off, but Darrian reassured him.

“Seriously? You’re really asking me if— Of course, I want you to.”

“Then, relax.” Alistair stroked his hands along his hips and thighs. “Let me take care of you.” He shifted closer, hooked his fingers into the waistband of Darrian’s pants. “Teach me what you like.”

“Thought you were a lousy student.”

“For you, I’ll be on my best behavior.”

Darrian sank his teeth into his bottom lip, Alistair kissing a trail down his stomach.

He slowly started to ease the fabric down over his hips.

“Maybe,” Alistair suggested, “during our trip to Rivain, we could make a stop in Antiva as well.” With a smirk, he tried —and completely failed— to copy Zevran’s accent. “It would be a grand adventure, yes?”

Darrian laughed, but truth be told?

On that, they could agree.

[vigilskeep]

(1/3) Hi Harker! You know a lot about Dragon Age and its politics, so I'd be grateful if you'd help me out with the following matter: I made a non-Warden Cousland who joins my HoF during DAO events and whose personal quest is to take revenge for Howe's betrayal and crimes. She romances Alistair.

So in the Landsmeet, a visibly elf-blooded (hardened) Alistair is supported by the HoF (not Cousland) and the power-hungry Eamon but that's not enough and Fereldans are also quite racists, so I feel like Alistair is going to need marrying Anora or Cousland in order to get more votes and become the next king.

hmm okay so the breaks from canon here are visibly elf-blooded alistair and non-warden cousland. and the question is which outcome would be best for ferelden?

even as a younger child, cousland is the daughter of a teyrn. if anything happened to her brother she would have been the future second most powerful figure in ferelden, and the people raising and training her would have been aware of this. anora has the exact same background as daughter of a teyrn, and both would have been trained to govern. while anora has experience with actually ruling the whole of ferelden, cousland is from a more established family and has no associations with loghain for those who consider him a traitor. i would say cousland’s actual fitness to rule is up to you; i can’t make that judgement on your character, it depends on who she is and what she’s like! anora is characterised as a capable ruler devoted to her country, a layered character whose dedication, practicality, and skill are equally her ruthlessness, her ambition, and her determination that she alone is the right answer. i would consider looking at your HOF’s background and considering what their idea of a good ruler is, what their perspective is on how ferelden looks under anora’s rule, etc.

considering this rule is a partnership, you may want to think through whether alistair/cousland or alistair/anora would work together best. the epilogue slides claim hardened alistair and anora work well together, a “surprisingly effective pair” who both take an interest in ruling. cousland still being around while that’s happening is a weird and interesting power dynamic; i imagine anora would feel very threatened by her overall especially if they’re still in a relationship. as for alistair/cousland, how they work together and how good cousland is at the job is again up to you, but since they’re in love i’m assuming they’re a good team. as you mention, anora would be imprisoned—i actually didn’t know that, i ran through the landsmeet dialogue for this—but i have no idea how that turns out in the long run and there doesn’t seem to be any canon information on that. anora does point blank refuse to publicly abandon her claim and i think it’s unlikely rebellion would never be raised in her name. her claim is just too good of an opportunity to miss for anyone who wanted to rebel and i don’t think anora could resist the chance if offered. possibly matters could be brought to a compromise, perhaps where she settles for the teyrnir of gwaren, but that’s still a very dangerous and powerful position to leave her in. her claim and experience will always look good whenever alistair/cousland do anything wrong, and that goes doubly if alistair’s visibly elf-blooded. frankly i could see anora being executed, eventually, if compromises didn’t work out. that’s the game of challenging royal claims and it’s what she would have done to alistair; hardened alistair very much doesn’t disregard it as an eventual option in his landsmeet dialogue, either. i think all that’s true of any version of events where she isn’t queen

personally to summarise i think it would be an odd choice in this circumstances not to put alistair/cousland on the throne because the HOF knows and presumably trusts them personally, it’s a good political solution, cousland isn’t even a warden here so those problems (with the question of heirs and with warden neutrality) are removed, and they’re in love so why actively ruin it for them. but if your HOF has a very high opinion of anora, or (accurately or inaccurately) considers your cousland personally inappropriate for the throne in comparison to anora, they might be set on the other choice. the former is more obvious but the latter may be a stronger character decision

[vonuberwald]

If he had to do it all over again, Theron still wouldn't have executed Loghain at the Landsmeet. He had thought - hoped- that Alistair would have understood his reasoning but his friend had left, too angry to face him, before he could get the words out. He had a suspicion that Zevran privately agreed with Alistair a little, but at least the former Crow had seen the poetic justice of it. Morrigan at least appreciated it.

But he was down a friend, a brother-in-arms and Anora was Queen in full where Theron would have tried to persuade Alistair that perhaps a little bit more shaking up was what Ferelden needed. Maybe that was it, maybe he'd already meddled too much, playing the mediator, the grand arbiter and now he was starting to personally pay for it. But Theron liked it, that was the trouble. Seeing humans turn to him for judgement, asking for his opinion as they never would have another elf on the street or forest. Maybe it was the Warden armour, Creators knew it made him feel more confident as well, powerful as he would never have done as just another hunter in the clan. If he had been born a mage like his father...

But that was water under the bridge, past and almost forgotten and Alistair was gone and he didn't know how to make it right or even begin to look for him.

Zevran promised he would keep an ear to the ground before he left for Antiva to wrap up unfinished business and Theron took up the post at Amaranthine. He wrote to Arl Eamon and Bann Teagan for advice since he didn't know anyone else and when their letters came back apologetic but free of any leads, he wrote to the Queen in desperation, asking for her assistance even as he knew it was barely in her best interests that Alistair was alive let alone well.

Hope cam in the form of that pirate captain friend of Zevran's, the delightful Isabela with whom they'd spent that heady night with in Denerim not so long before the last battle. She wrote to Theron out of the blue, (a short, unimpressive=looking missive handed to him as he gazed out in the direction of the plumes of smoke that had been a bustling city), telling him of a scraggly, blond of Alistair's description trying to drown himself in ale in most of the bars along the coast. A short sentence at the bottom in a postscript advised him that she was keeping an eye out for him, but Theron needed to give him time until the alcohol lost it's savour or Alistair ran out of money, whichever came first.

Heaving a wracking sigh in the privacy of the stark Arl's bedroom, Theron pressed the letter to his chest and relaxed for the first time that day, hope rekindled in his heart. He would let Alistair shout at him, rail at him, even punch him if that's what he needed, he just wanted his brother back. He was sick of losing them.

---

This started out as a meta piece and then I guess it's a drabble??

[merrilldidnothingwrong]

which DA character do you feel 'meh' about? for what reasons?

oh? here we gooooo (this gets long lol)

(this is just my opinion and i'm not condemning anyone at all)

oghren - hes so, ugh. not funny at all, very sexist. cant stand him, dont recruit him anymore

anora - too political. after warden and her meet during the rescue, when shes talking to arl eamon and is like, oh, yeah ofc we'll rescue the warden 🤭 and alistair (its clear to me she didn't want to, she just wants to be queen) , the conversation before the landsmeet, and she sees no issue with what loghain has done during the course of the game (slavery, letting so many people die at the battle when loghain took his warriors out of the fight just bc king calihan loves the grey wardens. like i know its her dad but no issues? hm

loghain - saw this coming probably? his voice annoys me (always yelling) and hes just, a war criminal, like i said above he let thousands die at the battle and kept trying to murder the warden. plus, slavery.

wynne: oh the lecturing, and how she defends the circle so much. ughhhhh

arl eamon - the way he let alistair get treated as a child, had him sent to the chantry bc of his wife

carver - i dont have siblings so take it with a grain of salt. i know bitterness can and does happen, it just urks me. i just dont get his appeal at all

aveline - shes a god awful character in general. she is responsible for so much and if you rival her she beats the crap out of hawke. for what? HER mistakes. and hawke can never kick her out. the way she treats isabela? rage enducing

sebastian - i do like how he has a sense of humor (and his voice) but the constant chantry propaganda. I know its a form of comfort for him but I get sooo uncomfortable.

every single templar in da2 -(cullen, meredith, otto) nuff said?

every single chantry member, elthina, the divine - obvious reasons.

merrills keeper (Marethari) - shes constantly gaslighting merrill, making her feel terrible about herself bc shes a blood mage and she chooses to leave the clan. i dont feel bad for her at all when hawke and gang has to kill her. i feel awful for merrill and how guilty she feels.

flemeth - shes a milf but treated morrigan horribly and never apologizes for it.

gamlen - charming? no. personality? bad. misogynistic? yes.

cassandra - the bootlicking of the chantry and the circles. shes a woman version of cullen

cullen - oh so many reasons. i think ive spoken enough about him lmao

solas - hes such a snob. i like how he's a nerd and has some great conversations with the other companions. his personality is just, meh

everyone else?