Soundtrack:

Kiss From a Rose ~ Seal

We stayed for a little over a week and a half among my clan before we returned to Denerim. I said goodbye to my clan once more and Alistair, Tristan, and I made the long journey back. Eamon was glad to see Alistair. As I was looking for Zevran, to inform him our journey to Amaranthine was again going to be delayed, I ran into my best friend. I was surprised to see Leliana was still in Denerim. And I expressed as much.

She chuckled. "I could not leave without saying goodbye to you. How was your trip?"

"It was great. It was wonderful to be home, if but for a little while."

"What happened?"

I attempted to look innocent. "What do you mean?"

"You haven't looked like this since before the Landsmeet."

"Like what?"

Leliana smiled.

"What are you getting at?"

She giggled. "You look radiant. I saw Alistair went with you to see your people." She gasped as if she suddenly realized something and put her hands to her mouth. "You didn't!?" She looked like Braylyn about to spill a secret she'd learned about someone. "You two eloped!"

"What?"

She looked around and lowered her voice. I noticed a knowing look in her eye. "You married amongst the Dalish?" Damn, she was good. Or she just knew me that well.

"It wasn't planned if that's what you're getting at. I hadn't planned on him coming along. Turned out, Alistair was granting the Dalish their own land."

"That is wonderful news!"

"What's wonderful news?" Zevran asked, walking up to us at that moment, an apple in his hand and talking around a mouthful of the fruit.

"Alistair granted the Dalish a homeland," Leliana said.

Eamon joined us. "Welcome back, Realin," he said.

"Thank you, Arl Eamon."

"You know you don't have to be so formal with me."

I chuckled. He apparently had no idea I knew about his urging Alistair to end our relationship.

"Alistair says he has an announcement to make and would like you to be at his side when he does so." I noticed the unapproving note in his voice and I knew exactly what Alistair was going to announce.

"Very well."

Leliana had a knowing smile on her face as Eamon and I went to join Alistair.

"I have entered into an alliance with the Dalish," Alistair was saying to the gathered nobles as Eamon and I entered, Leliana and Zevran not far behind us. "And I have granted them the Hinterlands north of the Kolcari Wilds, including Ostagar, to call their own."

"With all due respect to the Hero of Ferelden, but do you really wish to turn over the place where your brother was killed to wild Elves?" a noble asked. "I understand the Hero of Ferelden is a Dalish but..." He trailed off upon seeing me.

"It has already been done. There is no discussion on the matter." Alistair turned to me and smiled. "I see you're already putting the fear of the Maker into people today." He chuckled. I was sure I looked amused.

"All I did was walk into the room."

Alistair laughed and then turned back to the nobles. "As a symbol of our alliance, I will be entering into a marriage with one of the Dalish."

I heard the gasps, mutters, and protests among the nobles.

Alistair held his hands up to quiet them. "Realin has agreed to become my wife."

I could see the relief in some eyes at the queen not being a random Dalish. A few even cheered. But the nobles in general didn't seem too happy. But the reaction was actually much better than I expected.

Alistair took my hand. "The date is set for two months from now."

"I take it you've already spoken with the Grand Cleric."

"She actually refused to perform the wedding. Revered Mother Dorothea overheard us and offered to do it. Turned out she was a friend of Leliana's."

I looked over at her. Leliana was all but jumping for joy. Zevran actually looked disappointed.

"I know the perfect place get a dress fit for a queen!" Leliana said excitedly.

"Oh boy," Zevran muttered.

"Leliana...," I started.

"Not just any dress will do! It has to put all others to shame!"

"You know she will bug you until you let her take you to whatever and where ever this dress shop is," Alistair said, looking amused.

"That she will."

"It is in Orlais but she's a friend of mine and makes the finest and most beautiful dresses in all of Thedas!"

Alistair sighed and looked at me. We both knew that Leliana would not take No for an answer on this.

"Fine," I said.

Leliana actually squealed.

"Take Zevran with you to watch your back." I found that a bit funny. Alistair was sending the man that had been flirting with me since the day we met and was sure had been jealous of at some point or three with Leliana and I to Orlais. Although it was true that he no longer had anything to worry about. We were married under Dalish law and about to be under Chantry law. "Do try to have fun. And don't let Leliana get you into too much trouble."

I chuckled.

~~~

We made the long trek to Orlais' capital, Val Royeaux, without incident. Everything that Leliana had told me about it was true. Everything here was outlandish and elaborate. Denerim was a simple village in comparison. And I'm sure my eyes were about to pop out of my head with wonder. I had never seen anything in my entire life like this. Leliana led us through the streets and to the dressmaker's shop.

A woman with blond hair piled on top of her head with loose strands escaping around her face looked up. "By the Maker! Leliana? Is that you?"

"Hello, Alaina." The two women embraced. "How have you been?"

"All has been well. I hear you've been in Ferelden all this time."

"You heard correctly." She turned to Zevran and I. "Let me introduce you to my friends. This is Realin Mahariel of the Dalish and Zevran Arainai of Antiva."

"Leliana, you know I do not allow Elves into my store. They have grabby hands."

Zevran and I looked at each other. I was sure I looked a bit perturbed. He only shrugged, obviously used to this.

"This is no mere Elf, Alaina!" Leliana was quick with her defense of me. "This is the Hero of Ferelden! Her hand was the one that killed the Archdemon and ended the Blight!"

Alaina's eyes looked like small plates. "Maker, have mercy! I apologize! I didn't know it had been an Elf!"

"And this is also the future Queen of Ferelden."

Alaina looked as if she wanted the floor to swallow her whole. She turned to the others. "Clear the shop!" Noble ladies were escorted out, many giving us dirty looks. "Cari, bring out the finest cut dresses I have. Only the best for the Hero of Ferelden."

"What size?"

Alaina pointed at me. "Use your eyes, girl."

"But she's an Elf!"

"Get the dresses now. Or you can be locked outside with the rest of the nobility." Cari went to comply. She turned back to me. "Old opinions do not die just because an Elf is a hero or betrothed to a king."

"I have come to expect that."

We spent all day, it seemed, trying dresses until I found a fairly simple one. It was a fine cut, I had to admit. The neckline was cut into a square but was not revealing. The sleeves reached my elbows before the sheer fabric there flowed away from them. The skirt reached my feet and had a small train trailing behind me. It was a pale green and made of satin. And it was breathtaking. I had never worn anything so beautiful. Zevran even stopped flirting with Alaina's assistants to gape.

"You look so beautiful. It is a dress fit for a queen," Leliana said.

"The way Zev is catching flies I think he agrees."

Leliana giggled.

I turned to Alaina. "We'll take this one."

She clapped. "Wonderful! And I think you couldn't have made a better choice! This color brings out those beautiful eyes of yours. Your betrothed will not know what hit him when he sees you coming towards him in this. Stunning." After I changed back to my armor, Alaina herself packaged the dress. She clasped my hands. "May you have a blessed and happy marriage. And we are grateful for you stopping the Blight before it really started."

~~~

The day of the royal wedding came. Despite already being married, I had the butterflies again. Leliana was plating my hair into a braid and then placing that braid into a bun.

Zevran knocked before poking his head in. "Realin, you have visitors I think you would love to see." Zevran led my mother, Braylyn, and Keeper Marethari into the room.

"You came!" I cried. "I wasn't expecting you to!"

"How could I miss my daughter's wedding," she said with a smile. Braylyn giggled. I returned Elise's smile. "You look so beautiful."

Braylyn actually touched the fabric. "I've never seen anything like this," she said.

Leliana chuckled. "Neither had Realin."

I realized I hadn't introduced my friends to my family. "I want you to meet Leliana, a very close friend of mine." I motioned to my best friend.

"Pleased to meet you," she said with a warm smile and a curtsy.

I motioned to the assassin. "And the Elf that led you in here is Zevran."

He gave a bow.

I rolled my eyes. "This is my mother, Elise, my sister, Braylyn, and Keeper Marethari."

"The Dalish grow beautiful roses." He kissed Braylyn's hand. She blushed.

I gave him a dirty look. "Zevran, stay away from my sister."

He chuckled and released her hand, Braylyn still blushing.

"I'll take you back to where you shall be sitting so Lady Realin can finish getting ready for her wedding."

Marethari placed her hand on my shoulder. "You have made your people proud."

My next visitor was Isolde. Which greatly surprised me. "Realin, I want to apologize for the scorn I gave you at our first meeting. I completely made a fool of myself by assuming you were just an Elf and not a Grey Warden. You have done so much for my family and Ferelden and I will be forever grateful," she said. "If you and Alistair hadn't come along when you did, Redcliffe would have been destroyed. I thank you for your mercy in saving Conner and myself."

"I couldn't allow an innocent to be killed, Isolde. We Dalish aren't barbarians like people make us out to be," I said with a smile. "All is well now."

"That it is."

I looked past Isolde to see Eamon and Teagan. Eamon did not look very happy about the whole thing. Isolde went to her husband and kissed his cheek before the two of them left the room, leaving Teagan, a smirk on his face.

"He doesn't approve. Which makes this all the more fun," Teagan said.

I smiled.

"You clean up nicely," he added, replacing the smirk with a smile. I chuckled. "Your father should have been here to see how beautiful his daughter is. I'm sure he would have been proud of your deeds."

"I believe he would have."

Teagan held his arm out. "Are you ready to become queen?"

I took a deep breath to calm the butterflies and took the arm of the only one in his family that truly did respect me. "I am."

The Chantry's weddings involved the bride walking down an aisle on the arm of her father. Since my father had been dead for many years, I had asked Teagan to step in to do the honor. Alistair stood before Revered Mother Dorothea, his eyes on me, a happy smile on his face. Teagan gave me a kiss on the cheek before giving Alistair my hand and Dorothea began the ceremony. She spoke of the love the Maker had for his Bride. We promised to honor and cherish each other.

"You may kiss your bride."

Alistair didn't have to be told twice. He took my face into his hands and I put my hands on his shoulders. Our kiss was just as magical as that first one in the ruins of Andraste's temple. The gathered guests applauded. Dorothea picked up a thin silver crown and placed it on top of my head. Alistair and I turned towards the guests gathered in the main hall of the palace.

"I present to you the Queen of Ferelden."

I had never heard cheers and applause so loud.