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One starry night beside the campfire Alistair gave Rosalind a rose. It was then she realized that she was in love. Like a poet he compared her to the delicate flower, expressing disbelief that something so beautiful could exist in a world as hideous as theirs. She peered down at the rose as he spoke, carefully turning the thorny stem between her fingers.
When it was her turn to speak, she looked him in the eyes. “That’s beautiful, Alistair.” Feeling exposed, she turned her eyes bashfully to the ground.
She chose her next words carefully. “You know, I used to think of Highever as this beautiful sunlit garden, a perfect Eden that would never wither. But when my home was taken from me my illusions shattered. Suddenly my sunlit garden had burned to ash. But I’ve realized since then that home isn’t a place it’s a person. For all the world is a garden so long as I’m with you.”
A bright flush bloomed out from underneath his collar going all the way up to the tips of his ears. He chuckled nervously. “I went over this conversation over and over in my mind. Never had I expected you would one-up my romantic speech with one of your own.”
Rosalind looked up at him with warmth in her eyes. “I disagree. If this were a competition, I’d say you won. You never fail to inspire me.”
Alistair placed a hand on the back of his neck. “Okay, that’s enough. I’m not sure what to do with all these compliments.”
She smiled warmly at him. “Save them for a rainy day.”
Without warning she wrapped her arms around him in a hug. When she pulled away, she stood on her tiptoes and kissed Alistair on the cheek. She pulled away to find him wide eyed. He brought a hand up to caress his cheek where her lips had touched. Despite his surprise the kiss was not unwelcome as a lopsided grin spread across his face.
Rosalind smiled back bashfully. “Goodnight, Alistair,” she said before turning towards her tent.
“Oh,” Alistair said. “When I told you to stop, I didn’t mean you should go.”
Rosalind turned to him. “It’s late and we have an early morning tomorrow. I think I’d like to go to bed. Unless you wish to join me?”
Alistair gave another nervous laugh. “Another time perhaps.”
Rosalind stifled a giggle of her own. “That’s what I thought.”
Weeks pass. It wasn’t until Rosalind returned his mother’s amulet to him that she realized Alistair loved her back. She found it the night they returned to Redcliffe with the Sacred Ashes. After Arl Eamon was cured of his sickness and Connor was rescued from the cold grasp of demonic possession, Isolde was so relieved that she held a banquet in honor of Rosalind and her companions.
During their celebration she noticed that Barnabas had wandered away from the party, so she went looking for him. She found the dog in the Arl’s study, his front two paws perched on top of the desk as his nose sniffed the surface.
“Barnabas! Barnabas, get down,” Rosalind hissed. The dog barked happily, but otherwise did as he was told.
Rosalind went about straightening the mess that Barnabas had made. Among the strewn leaves of parchment is where she found the amulet. It had a silver emblem depicting Andraste’s Flame. The pendant was riddled with cracks as if someone had dashed it against a wall. She recognized it. She remembered Alistair telling her about it one night at camp. The Arl must have kept it, having restored it to its complete form.
“That belonged to Alistair’s mother.”
Rosalind jumped at the voice. She spun around to find Arl Eamon propped up on crutches standing in the doorway.
“My lord,” she gasped. “You should be in bed resting.”
“I’ve done quite enough of that, I think.” His smile was weak but genuine, nonetheless. He nodded at the amulet in her hands. “I always meant to return that to him, but whenever I tried to visit him at the monastery, he wouldn’t see me. I regret leaving things the way I had. Sometimes I wonder if I did the right thing sending him away.”
Rosalind clutched the pendant in a determined fist. “You did,” she said. “You absolutely did. Right now, Alistair is exactly where he’s meant to be. The Grey Wardens have given him a sense of purpose. He wouldn’t have that had you not sent him away.”
The sad look in his eyes betrayed his smile. “I’m glad to know he’s found his calling in life. Still, I regret sending him away all the same.”
“It sounds like you care a great deal about him,” Rosalind said softly.
“I do,” the Arl said simply.
Rosalind looked down at the amulet in her hand. “If I may, would it be okay if I returned this to him? Alistair regrets how he left things with you as well. I think it would make him happy to know you’ve thought of him all these years.”
The Arl opened his mouth as if to speak but did not say anything at first. He seemed surprised to learn Alistair’s true feelings. At length he said, “You may. I’ve always intended on returning it to him. I would do it myself, but my wife wouldn’t be happy if she found me up wandering the castle.”
Rosalind smiled warmly at him. “Leave it to me.”
Later that evening as the party was winding down, Rosalind found Alistair over by the fireplace. He stared into the flames with one hand casually resting on the mantel. He looked up when he noticed her approach.
“It’s so weird being here after so many years. Everything is exactly as I remember it, but at the same time everything’s changed,” he said.
Rosalind smiled at the sentiment. “I think that comes with growing up.”
Alistair smiled back at her, though it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “It could be that. Or maybe it has something to do with my bitter exit from this place.”
“About that,” Rosalind said. “I have something for you.”
He stood up straight. “Ooh, is it a pony?” Alistair asked playfully. “I’ve always wanted one, but the Revered Mother had a strict no fun policy.”
“No,” Rosalind giggled. “This is much better than a pony. Here, hold out your hand.”
“Better than a pony?” Alistair grinned. “Now you have my interest.”
Alistair held a hand out to her, and Rosalind dropped the amulet she had clutched in her fist in the middle of his palm. When Alistair laid his eyes upon the amulet his expression fell to that of recognition.
“This is…” He turned the amulet over in his palm as he examined all its details. “This is my mother’s amulet. But I don’t understand. I thought I had broken it.”
“You did,” Rosalind said. “Arl Eamon put it back together. He had been holding onto it for you.”
Alistair’s brow knit in confusion. “He did? Why?”
“I think you mean a great deal more to him than you might think,” Rosalind said.
“Yes, perhaps you’re right. I’ll have to speak with him about this the next time I see him.” He lifted the chain in both hands and fastened it around his neck. “Thank you for this. You’ve already given me so much, and now this. I truly don’t know what to say.”
Rosalind placed a hand on his arm. “It’s the least I can do. Your companionship these last months has been the only thing holding me together. You mean a great deal to me.”
“You took the words right out of my mouth,” Alistair said. “That is to say, I feel the same way about you. In the short time I’ve known you, I’ve grown to care for you very much.”
Rosalind’s cheeks grew warm with his confession. “You really mean that?” she asked bashfully.
“Of course,” he said with a light chuckle. “Any man in his right mind would be crazy for you.”
Rosalind smiled shyly, turning her eyes downcast. Now she was the one who was speechless.
“Can I hug you?” Alistair asked suddenly. “Would that be appropriate?”
She looked up at him, warmth filling her eyes. “Yes, I think that would be quite appropriate.”
Without another word Alistair wrapped his arms around her. A short squeak parted her lips as he lifted her off the ground. She resisted her first instinct to wrap her legs around his waist—that certainly wouldn’t be appropriate—and consciously wrapped her arms around his neck instead. They stood like that a moment, Rosalind hoisted in his arms with Alistair’s face buried in her shoulder, until he pulled away to turn his face up at her. Their faces were so close that they were breathing the warm air cast between them. Their eyes locked. Alistair tipped his head back in question. In response she slowly leaned down until her lips brushed his in a gentle kiss. When they finally broke the kiss, they rested their foreheads together as they breathed each other in.
“Was that okay?” Alistair asked softly.
She opened her mouth to speak but couldn’t find her voice, so she nodded her head instead. She began to lean back in, eager for another kiss, but was interrupted by the sound of a dog barking. The two looked up at the source of the noise to find Barnabas staring at them expectantly.
“Is he watching us?” Alistair muttered.
“No,” Rosalind sighed. “He wants to go to bed.”
Alistair set her back down on her feet and looked at her with a skeptical smile. “And let me guess, he needs you to tuck him in.”
She bent down and scratched behind the dog’s ear. “I think it’s just as much for my benefit as it is for his. He likes to know I’m safe.”
“If my lady is in need of protection then I am at your service.” Alistair grinned as he flexed his muscles. “Why trust your life to a dog when you can find safety in the strong arms of your fellow Grey Warden?”
“Hmm, good point,” Rosalind said with a playful smile. She wrapped her arms around Alistair’s waist and looked up at him with a mischievous glint in her eyes. “Then I suppose you will take his place in my bed tonight?”
Alistair sputtered out a nervous laugh. “Okay, consider my bluff thoroughly called. Another night perhaps?” There was a twinge of hope in his lingering question.
“My invitation stands until then.” Rosalind stood up on her tiptoes and planted a chaste kiss on his lips. Then turning to Barnabas, she cooed, “Let’s go, Barnabas. It’s past your bedtime.”
Once she and Barnabas made it to their assigned room for the night, Rosalind closing the door behind them, she pressed her back against the door’s oaken surface and sighed happily. The garden of her heart bloomed around her and suddenly she was home.