Epilogue

Little Birds Are Dirty Gossips

–

"...the throngs of dead tormented the village,

their evil ways a nightly pillage;

but against his might no demon could hold,

the beast fell to Alistair the Gold..."

Elissa sat atop the battlements, watching the road that led to Denerim with a few of her army heads. Anders leaned back against the half-broken wall, casually flicking grapes at her while she ate her own bunch. Dog the Second tried to catch the tiny projectiles, falling headfirst into Elissa's lap more than once in his enthusiasm. Oghren and Sigrun led the singing on this idle afternoon, their tankards already full with Rendon Howe's prize ale. The sun beat down on them and she was immensely glad she had taken the afternoon off to lounge around with her friends and sing drinking songs.

Nathaniel was leading the rogue training in the forest, still as strong and healthy as she had ever seen him, happily riling up Velanna whenever he had the chance. Usually Sigrun would be leading the rogues for their stealth training, but Elissa had decided that today was a very good day to have Nathaniel as far from the Keep as possible.

She adjusted her brigandine, allowing the top few ties to loosen to accommodate her burgeoning assets. Her hair was brushed and tied back in what Mistress Woolsey assured her was a flattering style and her lips had been reddened, she wouldn't let anyone with eye makeup near her. Really, though, Avernus had turned out to be her best beautician. Her breasts just wouldn't sit right in this brigandine, threatening to bust free at any moment. She had only endured the treatment for a few days last time, and having just downed her second dose that morning, making a total of thirty two days this round, she was finding out just how luscious she could get. If Oghren propositioned her one more time she was going to have to kick him. Apart from her right hand becoming her new best friend, it was much more tolerable this time around.

Elissa swung her legs back and forth over the edge of the wall, happily rolling one of Dog's ears between her fingers, much to the puppy's pleasure, and sung along with the ballad. It wouldn't be long now. The Keep was looking like a proper castle instead of a warrior's playground and her bombardiers had been given inescapably strict instructions to practise their arts elsewhere for the day. They were a veritable epitome of dignity, aside, perhaps, for the lax behaviour of their Arlessa and her friends.

They lounged in the high sunlight until the distant sounds of armoured troops marching reached the Keep. The watchman perked up. Elissa closed her eyes, basking in the sun, not watching the approaching party round the corner.

"Who goes!" The watchman bellowed, making the boneless sloths jump.

"High King Alistair Theirin," Elissa murmured. The shouted reply echoed her exactly.

"You know, one of these days you'll have to tell us the source of your newfound clairvoyance," Anders said.

Elissa didn't reply, slipping down off the wall to land in a crouch in front of the gates. The others grumbled to varying degrees and took the more sedate stairs, arriving to flank her just as the royal party reached the gates. She'd known he was alive, she'd sent word to Denerim asking after him, she'd heard of his various exploits over the last month, but to see him for the first time since her trip into surreality nearly turned her bones to jelly.

She forgot to kneel, just staring at him, a delighted smile spreading across her face.

His perfect facade of calm cracked, taken by surprise by the earnest happiness on her face. He didn't speak, an extended moment of silence between the two courts as his eyes scanned her, drinking in her appearance, his lips parting slightly. Elissa grasped her elbows behind her back, letting one hip swing out to the side ever so slightly, she bit her bottom lip under his scrutiny, aware of the figure she cut.

He was so beautiful, he didn't even know it. She should have been bowing, greeting him, but his tongue darted out to wet his perfectly rounded lips and she was captivated. Her heart beat wildly in her chest.

"Elissa," Alistair said, her name seeming to spring from his lips without his consent.

"Sire."

"You knew I was coming?"

"A little bird told me," she shrugged. His eyes were locked on hers with an intensity that was almost frightening.

"Oh."

"I'm sure you'll be very pleased with the progress the Keep has made since you were last here. This time it doesn't have any Darkspawn to speak of, unless you count Oghren."

"Hey!" The dwarf objected.

She was rewarded with a timid, off-balance smile. "Yes, I... I did come to see the Keep."

"Of course, the Silver Order has been anxious for your visit. We have a few innovative training techniques that your own guards might benefit from."

"I did hear a rumour that you've been attempting to blow up the Keep." His eyes were darting over her and then flicking back to her face, he was barely focussed on his words.

Elisa grinned. "This is the first time in two weeks our explosives engineer had given the recruits a break from grenade training, I would have liked you to see it but you may have to take a bed for the night if you want to feel the earth shaking."

Alistair choked, his ears pink, and she knew from memory that the blush extended right down his chest. She offered him her most innocent look, knowing that he'd fall for it. Sometimes it was just too easy.

"Ah, yes, I had planned to stay long enough to see the... uh... the training."

"I'll look forward to keeping you. Please consider me entirely at your disposal."

She shouldn't be enjoying this quite so much. Alistair was so easily flustered and she had him struck dumb. She didn't want to embarrass him, but he looked so adorable when his brain shorted out like that and made him fumble for something to say, something that she couldn't turn into anything dirty.

"It's good to see you looking so... well."

"And yourself, sire," Elissa said. "But I'm keeping you standing, sire, let me get my seneschal to quarter you and your knights."

She turned to beckon Varel and saw Sigrun biting down on her tongue furiously to keep from laughing. Damn drunk dwarves. Varel was at her side in seconds and she murmured a few requests in his ear, infinitely glad that he had not been there to hear her mercilessly teasing the king. The seneschal nodded to her and indicated for the king to follow him, but Alistair stepped forward, ignoring the older man for the moment.

"Elissa," he caught her eyes, all embarrassment gone. "Before I let you get back to teasing me, just tell me: Are you happy here?"

He needed to hear it, needed to know the truth, all teasing aside.

Elissa smiled at him, honest and genuine.

"Sire, I couldn't be happier if you dipped me in chocolate."

She bowed deeply and stepped away, letting the poor man be led away by Varel. She glanced over her shoulder and saw that his eyes were still fixed on her, his lips parted, even as he walked. Finally she let a grin overtake her face. The look of hunger in his eyes shot straight down her spine, giving her a blush to match his own.

"Well, Warden," Oghren said, "from the look on that boy's face, I'd call that a perfect ten."

Elissa laughed, following the dwarf back into the Keep.

He'd told her that this visit would have ended in him begging to be forgiven if not for Nathaniel. He said that he wanted her back because he regretted his decision, not because he was jealous. Time would tell. She closed her eyes and turned her face to the sun, letting it warm her skin. The Keep was happy, the warriors were skilled, the trade was flowing, her puppy was frolicking, she had her very own seneschal, her very first ten, and Alistair Theirin was alive.

She had all the time in the world.