Jan 4, 2025
20 years later
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20 years later
for @theshirallen (the self-indulgent one)
“Iander,” the King looks surprised to see the elf that he once spent every waking moment with.
There’s a fondness in his eyes, a definite softness as well. He smiles despite– well, everything. The crown on his head is heavier on his brow than he might like, and he shifts it with a hand.
“It’s good to see you again,” he says. “I thought– well. I guess I don’t really know what I thought.”
Everyone had gone so far away, scattered to the wind. He’d removed himself from them when Loghain– well.
His cheeks tint a bit, pressing his lips together for a moment before he clears his throat.
“Are you… working with the Inquisition, then? Are they… I mean, there’s a lot of rumors. What’s it like? And, um,” he lowers his voice some, leans closer. “I– heard Inara was in Redcliffe, too. Teagan mentioned that she was… guarding Connor. You… haven’t seen her, have you?”
OK SO PROMPTS. bethistair. choice between three: "Too much?” “Not enough.”, "Why are you smiling?” “Because you’re here.”, or "You did not just compare me to a cat / mabari / nug / [Thedosian animal of your choice].”
Nonnie! I love all of these prompts!! I might still do the others, but here is the first one that came to mind. This is going to be TEOS Bethistair (ex-Circle!Bethany and King!Alistair). Rated T for very mild sexual content at the end. @dadrunkwriting
~
“You did not just compare me to a mabari,” Alistair complained, springing up onto all fours on the bed and causing Bethany’s hand to fall away from his hair where she’d been massaging it for the past half hour.
“You’re right,” she replied, putting down her book and leaning toward him. “The way you were purring, you were more like a cat.”
His indignant expression melted into despondency. “That’s worse.” He collapsed onto the mattress with a dramatic huff, and Bethany bounced into the air and rolled toward him on the landing, not that he noticed with his hand draped over his eyes. “The King of Ferelden, a cat? They could have me beheaded for that. That’s sacrilege, that is. That’s practically Orlesian.” The word dripped off his tongue with disdain, but Bethany rolled her eyes.
“Show me your belly, kick your leg out a little and the balance will tilt back toward dog.”
He snatched her wrist before she could succeed in pulling up his shirt and asked, “What about a lion? Lions are nice. Strong. Roaring and regal and things like that.”
She snickered. “That’s a cat, Ali. Just a big cat with extra hair.”
“Lions are cats?” He couldn’t keep the disgust out of his voice. “No wonder we don’t have any. What about a bear? I’ve fought bears before. Good, Fereldan animals. I could stand being Alistair the Bear.”
“Yes, Zevran did refer to you as a bear once, but I don’t think that’s what he meant.”
After a moment of serious reflection, he conceded, “If Zevran said it, better not.”
“Alistair the druffalo?” she suggested.
He considered this like a man considering his own death. He began ticking characteristics off on his fingers. “Large, hairy, yes. Very strong, basically a mobile battering ram, and yes, the comparison has been made before. Most damning, though, a druffalo will follow anyone anywhere, whether or not they really want them to.”
“Do they?”
“When I was a Warden, one followed us across the bannorn. Stayed with us for three days, no matter how many times we tried to shoo it off, spending the evenings standing in camp, staring at us and chewing. Oghren was halfway to convincing Darrian that we should carve it up for supper when the owner showed up.”
“Would you have eaten it?” she asked, “The little druffalo who just wanted to be a Warden and save the world?”
“There were moments we considered eating Darrian’s boots we were so desperate for food. There were moments I would have considered eating Darrian.” Bethany snorted. “Luckily it didn’t come to that. We did eat some rather suspicious mushrooms, eggs that Zevran said came from a goose, and one very dodgy potato.”
Bethany grinned. There was only one animal with a diet like that. “I have it. Alistair the—”
“Don’t say nug,” he groaned.
“… horse,” she blurted out, trying to think of any animal that wasn’t a nug.
He rolled onto his side, his mouth curling into a smile. “You hate horses.” He pushed her hair out of her face. “You’re afraid of them.”
“I am not,” she lied. “In fact,” she said, pushing on his shoulder until he was flat on his back again, “I’ll prove it.” He raised an eyebrow at her. “I’ll ride one right now.”
She swung her leg over his hip, straddling him, and after he settled his laughter and cleared his throat three or four times, Alistair finally agreed, “Alistair the Horse it is.”
Just struck me that Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here" is a (potential, depending on worldstate / headcanon) King Alistair vibe. "Did you exchange / a walk-on part in a war / for a lead role in a cage."
the model swap mod for DAI has ppl doing Alistair romance screenshots in DAI and i am L I V I N G for all of it omfg im just so sad that my laptop isnt powerful enough to run DAI the way it’s meant to run so i cant use the mod myself B U T pls omfg send me your DAI!Alistair model swap romance screenshots i want to screech my joy at all of you
Legacy
Evelyn learns to appreciate just how wonderful parenthood is, and how fatherhood suits Alistair.
*This was written for Dragon Age Christmas Week, which I guess I returned just in time for and inspiration struck (so thank you @elfrooted and @froschkuss)!!! This really is the first thing I’ve written in... ages, so forgive the rust around the edges.
Evelyn Cousland x Alistair Therin
1118 words | General | Ao3
Evelyn stared into the bassinet, softy humming as she trailed her fingers against the tiny hand. Barely a week old, born just in time for Santinalia. Despite arriving early, he was perfectly healthy, albeit smaller than most newborns. With a full head of sandy brown hair and that Theirin nose, there was no doubt who the father was.
Alistair.
The man was made to be a father, and had almost forgotten he had a country to rule the moment Evelyn went into labor. He rarely left their chambers and put in more work caring for the babe than the nursery staff. Evelyn was thankful for the help as she recovered from the delivery, her body taking longer to mend due to the taint that still lingered in her blood. She was surprised she survived at all, but was thankful she was alive to raise her—their son.
Duncan.
hello! maybe these are some things you can work into a prompt: jewelry shaped like insects, a liquor of an unusual color and taste, thickening mud, a bird call. For the pairing of your choice!
Thank you for the prompt! I couldn’t think of a damn thing for the mud, but I tried to incorporate bird calls as a way for Alistair and Elissa to mess with the Orlesians and it just wasn’t working. So we ended up with only the jewelry and the liquor. I tried!
For @dadrunkwriting!
Alistair/non-Warden Queen Cousland
It’s a sweeter look at their relationship than the last one…
“A gift for you, myqueen,” Alistair said as he approached Elissa. She smiled at hisreflection in greeting, then raised a brow curiously.
“I thought wetalked about buying my favor,” she admonished fondly as sheadjusted a pin in her hair.
Alistair chuckled. “I’mgoing to hate today’s meetings and especially tonight’s banquet. I’mgoing to be expected to-” he shuddered, exaggerating themovement, “-mingle! Do you know, Eamon wants me to dance withthe Viscomtess of Monstimard? The horror! All those buckles must makeher shoes weigh a hundred pounds! Bid my feet goodbye, my love!”
Elissa laughed, turningaway from her vanity to face him. “And what exactly does thisridiculousness have to do with a gift I’ve yet to see?” sheasked him, grinning. He gave her a boyish smile and swirled a fingertowards the ground, asking her to turn back around. She shook herhead at him but complied, facing her mirror again.
She watched hisreflection as he pulled a flat, square box out from behind his backand opened it. “The point, El, is that today will be terriblefor me but if you’re wearing my gift I think I might just get throughit,” he told her, his tone tender, all joking put aside. Thenecklace he draped around her neck made her gasp, a thin silver chainthat sparkled in the morning light that filtered through the windowholding up the most delicately-wrought dragonfly she had ever seen.It’s body was made of jewels set in silver and its wings… Shewasn’t entirely sure but it looked like tiny panes of the thinnestcrystal had been set in silver for its wings.
“Alistair, it’samazing… I’ve never seen anything like it!” She met his eyesin the mirror again as he clasped it for her. “Where did you getit?”
A pleased smile spreadacross his face as he helped her to her feet and kissed her powderedcheek. “There’s an elven jeweler in town who specializes in themost delicate-looking jewelry you’ve ever seen. I found his shop whenI was inspecting the new water ducts and I had to get you something.If you like it, maybe I’ll surprise you with his wares more often.”His eyes crinkled with is smile and she kissed the little wrinkles,her arms around his shoulders.
“I think I wouldlove that,” she admitted. She turned back to her mirror andtouched the necklace gently, admiring the way it reflected the light.“It’s so beautiful…”
Alistair watched herwith a blissful smile for a moment before suddenly jumping andreaching into his pocket. “Oh! I almost forgot. Here, it was aset, but I asked the jeweler to make the chain on this smaller. ForNehna.” He handed her a long, thin box and she opened itcuriously to find a perfectly child-sized version of the pendant shewore but on a bracelet. She put a hand over her heart and kissed himin thanks.
“She’ll love it,”she promised him. “Now go confer with Eamon before we have to beat the meeting. I’ll join you after I give this to Nehna and ask herto wear it for the banquet tonight.”
That night, as promised,Elissa sat with Alistair at the head of the banquet table with thedragonfly necklace proudly on display. Beside her sat her adopteddaughter, who was only not Alistair’s adopted daughter as well forreasons of state that he didn’t personally agree with, and herdragonfly was also proudly shown. She used her left arm carefully, as dexterous as a five year old could possibly be with a delicate thing.
“She squealed overit,” Elissa whispered into Alistair’s ear as he watched Nehnacarefully spread her napkin in her lap and take a sip of her water.“She gave me a huge hug when I showed it to her. I told her itwas from you and she tried to run off to find you and give you a hug,too. Expect to be showered in kisses at story time tonight.”
Alistair grinned andkissed Elissa’s hand. “As long as she likes, I’m satisfied,”he told her. She smiled back at him, then turned to Nehna to tuck afew stray strands of golden hair behind her pointed ear and whisper areminder about which fork was which and to wait until after the toastwas given to start eating. Sometimes Alistair worried that the girldidn’t get to be a child enough, caught as she was between princessand peasant, but Elissa assured him that she was happy and her elventutors taught her about her roots even as her human tutors taught herdancing and manners. She had plenty of trips into the city to playwith other children as well as time spent with the children of thenobles in the palace. And she seemed happy and she would never gohungry, so maybe that was enough. That was what her mother had wantedfor her before she died, in any case.
Elissa sighed as she satback in her chair, gazing at the child with love in her eyes. “Shelooks more like Iona every day…” she murmured. He tightenedhis hand on hers and she squeezed back.
The Comte of Montsimardstood from the table and gestured, and servants began passing outtiny crystal glasses of the brightest purple liquid Alistair had everseen in his life. He took his cup and sniffed it, detecting fruitsand a hint of licorice under the scent of alcohol.
“A great manythanks to our hosts,” the comte began, holding his own cup as hebowed to the Fereldan monarchs, who nodded politely in return. Hethen held up his cup and delivered a ridiculously long toast toFerelden-Orlesian peace and trade, the wealth of both countries’respective rulers, economic development in general, and probablyother things Alistair didn’t hear because he’d zoned out less thanhalfway through. He preferred to watch Nehna play with her newbracelet, touching the dragonfly’s wings as gently as she could andturning it this way and that under the candlelight. But finally, thetoast ended, and he only knew about it because Elissa, who knew himtoo well, squeezed his hand as the rambling came to an end.
Alistair raised hisglass to the comte and declared, “Here, here.” He had noidea what they were toasting but it didn’t particularly matterbecause it was just protocol and etiquette that didn’t have any realmeaning. Everyone else lifted their drinks, including Nehna, who hadfor whatever reason ended up with a glass of the strange liquor.
“Ah-ah,”Elissa told her, putting her hand over the mouth of the crystal glassand putting it out of the girl’s reach. She was pouted at as everyonetook a sip. It was odd, for sure, but it wasn’t bad. Elissa put a cupof grape juice in Nehna’s hand instead, hoping to appease her. “It’sliquor, my dove. You don’t want it.” That seemed to work becauseNehna made a face and happily took a drink of her juice.
The banquet progressedswiftly after that and Alistair’s head got fuzzier as the night woreon. He didn’t realize he was genuinely drunk until he found himselfstaring at the way Nehna’s elven eyes reflected the candlelight forfar longer than was polite, ignoring the question of whateverOrlesian noble happened to be at his elbow. “I’m sorry, what wasthat?”
The viscomte ruffled herfeathers, but repeated herself, “I said, what do you think ofour wine? It is a special vintage made only in Montsimard.”
“Oh,” hereplied, quite eloquently. He looked at his tiny crystal glass andfound it was full again. How had that happened? “It is quitegood. Stronger than I might expect, but tasty.” He was havingdifficulty getting his tongue to cooperate, it was time for anemergency stop. He couldn’t believe he’d let himself get drunk and hesignaled to Eamon that it was time to wrap it up.
Fortunately, that wentswiftly, and Nehna’s fatigue made a good excuse for the royal familyto bow out almost at once. Elissa carried to exhausted child,Alistair’s arm around her waist. When they got to their rooms, Nehnawas already asleep and Elissa vanished to her room to get herundressed and in bed.
By the time shereturned, Alistair was in his underwear sitting on the bed. He smiledat her as she sat at her vanity to take down her hair and remove herjewelry and makeup. She carefully put her new necklace in a place ofhonor and his smile widened. “Do you really like it?” heasked her. She smiled a him in the mirror.
“I really do,”she confirmed again. “So does Nehna. She loved that we matched.Was there a pin like this?” She touched the dragonfly as sheasked the question. “You should match us, too. A pin on yourcoat would be perfect.”
His eyes brightened.“You’re right, it would,” he murmured, slurring a little.“I’ll ask the jeweler if he has one, or would make one for me.”
Elissa’s gaze sharpenedon his reflection as she started peeling herself out of her dress.“You’re drunk.” He sighed.
“What was thatdrink? The viscomtess claimed it was wine, but it hit me like rum…”He put a hand on his head and groaned despairingly. “Am I reallysuch a lightweight?”
Elissa chuckled andreturned to him wearing only her silk nightie. His hands settled onher hips on their own as she stood before him, mahogany hair spillingaround wide shoulders and grey eyes piercing through the fog ofdrink. She smiled as she told him, “You’re not a lightweight andI’m fairly sure that drink doesn’t qualify as a wine. You keptsipping, they kept refilling your cup when you were lookingelsewhere. I’m not sure if it was courtesy or if they wanted you tobe drunk and slip up. Regardless, you did remarkably well.”
“Ah, praise fromyou is the sweetest ambrosia, my queen,” he told her, pleasurethudding in time with the sluggish beat of his heart. He kissed herbelly, the closest part of her to his lips, and she giggled while shecombed his hair with her fingers.
“And you are thesilliest king who ever lived,” she replied, but it was fond. Shepulled away, despite his pitiful whine, and climbed into bed. “It’stime to sleep, you drunkard. Come here and hold me.”
He crawled to her with awolf-like grin that only made amusement burn brighter in her eyes.“And what if I want to do more than hold you?” he asked,only tripping over the words a little.
“Alistair,”she admonished, but a smile was on her lips. “You are drunk, youwill fall asleep in the middle of it. Just come to bed, you sillyman.” He sighed, but he knew she was right, so he curled himselfaround her body as she blew out the last candle beside their bed.
Vigilance, Chapter 63 - “Far Removed”
New chapter update up on Ao3! Lyna, Zevran, and Falke -- and another beloved member of this franchise -- are finally ready (?) for Denerim.
FINALLY, amirite? I know, it’s been ages for me too. And I am hella stoked, y’all. There’s a *lot* coming. I have so many tumblr drafts for notes now, it’s crazy.
Musical inspo: Sting, “Fortress Around Your Heart” Sting, “A Thousand Years” Vance Joy, “Like Gold”