My Prince

Title: My Prince
Author: KaydenM
Game: Dragon Age
characters/pairing: Alistair/F!Cousland
Disclaimer: I do not own this world or the characters.

In the late evening, deep in the walls of Denirum's palace, King Alistair sat, brushing a frustrated hand through his short blonde hair, then pulling it down his face, past his sky blue eyes to the prickling hairs on his chin. "It's days like this that I really don't want to be king," he mumbled to himself like a child pouting.

"Your Majesty, are you sure you should say that?" said his evening guard, Peter from Redcliff.

Alistair glanced over at Peter with a grimace. "You have perfect hearing, as always."

"I have to, ser," Peter proclaimed proudly, and looked like he was about to continue when Alistair interrupted.

"I know. 'I need good hearing to sense if anyone has come to assassinate you.'," Alistair repeated as if he had heard it multiple times. He sighed heavily. "Why don't you go get me some wine or something. If I'm going to go out of my mind in your company, I might as well make use of you."

"But, Ser! What if-?"

Alistair put up his hand. "Did you forget that I was a Grey Warden? I can hear assassins too. I'm sure I'll be able to fend for myself until you arrive with my drink."

Peter gave up and decided that he would do as he asked. Alistair had gotten better with arguments since he'd been in court. Alistair leaned back in his chair and looked at the painting of his Queen, Evelyn Cousland, who had gone missing not a week ago and his chest ached. Her black hair hanging around her shoulder and braids circling her head and two were dangling by her face. Her deep green eyes and beautifully full lips seemed to taunt him.  "Maker, do I miss you."

Alistair heard the slightest step from the shadows in the corner of his room. He pulled out his sword and pointed it in the direction he heard the disturbance. "Show yourself!" he demanded.

He heard a familiar chuckle. "You are definitely not losing your touch, Alistair," a woman spoke smoothly and took steps out of the darkness to reveal his queen.

"Eve," he hardly breathed before he threw down his blade and embraced her.  The scent of deep woods and wild flowers, which she'd never admit that she would lie in for hours on end, enveloped him as he pressed her ever closer. The feeling of her arms wrapping around him and her face snuggling into his chest was one he cherished.  "Where have you been?" he asked as he set his cheek on the top of her head, not wanting to let go.

"I'm going to try and set things straight. I told you what Morrigan told me after I found her again. Something is not right," Eve whispered into the evening air.

Alistair squeezed her gently as the realization of what she was saying was settling in. "You're going to be leaving again."

"Yes," Eve said softly, trying to hide the shaking in her voice. She had wanted him to come with her. Maker knew that he wanted to join her.  He wasn't meant for sitting behind a desk giving orders. He would much rather march behind her, and following her orders, both on and off the field.

Alistair sighed. "You are my only solace in this life. If you don't come back, I'll never forgive you."

She chuckled. "We don't want that now do we?" Evelyn joked, but she stopped short when she pulled back to see the worry on his face. "I'll always come back, Alistair. I love you too much to leave you here all by yourself to sink into madness while signing documents and attending formal parties with stinky cheeses."

She always knew how to bring a smile to his face. Even when he was sure he could never smile again. She saved him when Duncan died, when she forced herself not to cry when telling him to sleep with Morrigan because she was too stubborn to give him up to the Archdemon, and when barred by his duties as King.  "I think I'd go mad way before the stinky cheeses. This paperwork is murder."

Suddenly Evelyn pulled him down and ensnared him in a passionate kiss that left him dumbfounded and unable to find his voice. "Well then, we'll just have to keep your mind off that till morning."

Alistair sense came back, but slowly. "Peter...he'll be back..." he barely got out in his now hot and bothered state.

Evelyn's lips curved into a wicked smile. "Are you kidding? I've been waiting for this since you came back from your bath late this evening. I knocked him out with a trap as soon as the door closed. He'll be confused when he wakes up so you can tell him that he suddenly fell asleep so you decided to leave him. I locked the door too," she explained excitedly.

"My bath? You little pervert," he said, obviously not caring about the guard's welfare. He knew that she wouldn't hurt anyone needlessly. It was one of the things he loved about her.

"It was most difficult thing I had to bare through in my whole life. Especially when you paraded around with nothing on, pretending you were in the fight again! That was so adorable I about died!"

"I knew that squeak wasn't a mouse. Anyway, it's my only alone time. I don't let anyone in while I'm changing...not since the incident," he said, referring to the time when a maid had ogled his goods and even had the gall to make advances toward him. Evelyn got a little angry. Poor girl, probably never had such a sever scolding in her life, nor that many death threats.

Evelyn sighed as she kissed him slowly, making promises of pleasures which she was sure to keep. This reverted Alistair back into a babbling idiot. "Come, I do not wish to waste another moment," she beckoned as she pulled him towards the bed.

~~~~

Alistair woke before the sun rose. Evelyn was still soundly sleeping in his arms. She would have normally been awake by this time, possibly gone, but she was always more at ease in his arms. He played with her hair and gently kissed her on the forehead. He didn't want this moment to end, but knew that it was fast approaching.

"Alistair?" he heard her whisper. He thought she was awake until he looked down and saw that she still had her eyes closed and the tears streaming down her face. She never let anyone see her cry, but in sleep, she let those guards down. She often spoke in her sleep, but it wasn't intelligible most of the time.

"Yes?" he answered her as lightly stroked her face, wiping away the tears.

"I'm scared," she whimpered sleepily.

Alistair cradled her close to him. "I know. I am too," he breathed.

~~~~

When Evelyn's eyes opened they felt heavy and sore, as if she hadn't slept at all. She looked up at Alistair who was staring lovingly at her. "Look who decided to wake up," he cooed and gently kissed her. It was only then that it dawned on her that she had slept in. The sun was nearly up.

"Ah!" she squealed. "I don't have much time."

She looked around frantically for her clothing she had thrown without a second thought the evening before. Alistair laughed. "I know. I went and got you breakfast. Complete with cheese!" he said emphatically.

Evelyn looked him over with curiosity. He had gotten dressed, ran down and gotten her food, and undressed. She smiled at that. She found the tray of food on the table next to her bed and began scarfing down the meal. His legs appeared around hers and his arms around her waist. "And you say I inhale my food," he laughed and took the bit of fruit, a grape, from her hand and gently slipped it in her mouth. She sighed heavily as she realized that she wouldn't experience these simple moments for a while... possibly never again. He knew that, and he was trying to saver the moment. She took her time sharing the meal with Alistair and reluctantly put her clothes back on.  He watched her and called it 'pay back' for when she had spied on him. He walked her, with a blanket wrapped around his waist, to the window where she would make her exit. Everyone in the palace was already awake and she couldn't slip out that way now. A tree, conveniently placed at the bottom of a two story fall, provided a soft landing.

Alistair kissed her softly. Evelyn felt like her heart broke with every beat. She was a seasoned warrior, but she was a woman as well. "I want to take you with me..." she said aloud before she knew it.

Alistair smiled. "I want to go with you, but I have to stay here and make sure you have a home to return to."

A home... Ever since her family had been murdered, save her brother who had worked himself to the bone as a general to forget the loss of his son and wife, she had never thought of one place as her home. She was always in a camp or staying at the Vigil. She had a home, here, with him. "I love you, Alistair," she said as if it were a bitter sweet thing.

"I love you, too," he replied confidently. He saw nothing but the goodness in her.

She looked out the window. "Any advice for me?"

"If you ever find yourself in Kirkwall, look up a woman named Hawke. She would be a formidable ally. Also, if I heard right, she had a run in with Flemeth as well," he told her. If Hawke would help her it would definitely make him feel better about this whole thing. Two woman of power had a much better chance at surviving than one.

Evelyn raised a questioning brow. "I'll keep that in mind."

There was a violent knocking at the door. "Your Highness, are you alright?!" the panicked voice of Peter leaked into the room through the door.

Alistair sighed and looked back at her. "That would be your cue. Be careful, my dear."

"You as well, my prince," she smiled.

He grimaced. "You're still not over that. Besides I'm the King."

"You'll always be my prince," she said before stealing one last kiss before fleeing out the window.

Alistair waited for the panic to grow to give her a good distraction. Finally, they found another key and opened the door to find him staring out the window. The girls immediately noticed that his state of undress and fled from the room, fearing Evelyn's wrath even in her absence. Peter was hit upside the head by a superior officer. "What the bloody hell, boy! You fell asleep on the job! Then you get us all riled up when the King is just enjoying the morning!"

The other guards left, leaving Peter confused. "I'm sorry, Ser!" he pleaded to Alistair. "I didn't mean to interrupt your good morning."

It was then that Peter took notice that the King wasn't dressed in his evening clothes. Alistair had made a point to him that he would never sleep without them because he felt too exposed. Alistair's sorrowful voice cut across the room. "It's going to be a long day..." he muttered as his eyes never wavered from the window.

Peter had only seen that look on his face when he was thinking about one person. "Ser, if you want me to leave you alone, I will," he offered.

"Thank you, Peter..." he said and Peter closed the door. "No one should see their King look so pathetic..." he breathed.