wip--lone warden Alistair x not-a-Warden Elissa
“Lords and ladies of the landsmeet, my betrothed does himself too little credit. He raised an army with only a handful of allies at his side, none of which were trained Ferelden soldiers. Where others might have cut their losses and abandoned Ferelden, your rightful King remained and works to try and save us all. He sought out the help of the dwarves, the mages, and the Dalish, working hard to build relationships with our fellows, seeking to replace the army we lost at Ostagar. All the while our darling Queen sat on her arse and allowed her father and his cronies to divide Ferelden beneath us! And yet it is Alistair who has brought us this far, Alistair who has given us a fighting chance to actually combat this Blight! This, from a man who has been told his entire life that he is unworthy to even call himself a Theirin! Yet I believe he has proven everyone wrong. He is our savior, as much as King Maric ever was.”
Teyrn Loghain laughed, though it was an unhappy sound. “I forgot how good a liar Bryce Cousland was. You are his daughter alright, through and through.”
“Thank you, ser.” Elissa spat, her eyes livid. “Which brings me to something else I find quite strange. Teyrn Loghain, where do you fit into this mess? You are no ruler of men. As you've said, Anora is perfectly competent, or so I’ve been told. If she’s such a good Queen, then what are you doing as her Regent?”
It was, Alistair thought, a very good point, and he wished he had thought of it before she had.
Anora snarled. “I have ruled this nation for five years! Who here could say that Ferelden has not prospered under Calian and mine’s rule? The same cannot be said of your common-raised rat.”
Elissa merely blinked, unphased by the comment. “If you are as good a Queen as you say you are, my dear, then why are we in a civil war?”
That shut Anora up fairly quickly.
Elissa turned her back from the father and daughter, facing the landsmeet once more. “Whatever your choice, my lords and ladies, remember that what Ferelden needs is unity against the Blight. The Theirin bloodline united us together once before: who is to say that it will not again? If nothing else will persuade you, know that the last of the once-noble house of Cousland stands behind Alistair in full, and, if the Maker wills is,” She grabbed his hand then, squeezing it gently. “Beside him as well.”
The landsmeet exploded with applause, and Alistair resisted the urge to kiss her in front of them.
Teyrn Loghain laughed, though it was an unhappy sound. “I forgot how good a liar Bryce Cousland was. You are his daughter alright, through and through.”
“Thank you, ser.” Elissa spat, her eyes livid. “Which brings me to something else I find quite strange. Teyrn Loghain, where do you fit into this mess? You are no ruler of men. As you've said, Anora is perfectly competent, or so I’ve been told. If she’s such a good Queen, then what are you doing as her Regent?”
It was, Alistair thought, a very good point, and he wished he had thought of it before she had.
Anora snarled. “I have ruled this nation for five years! Who here could say that Ferelden has not prospered under Calian and mine’s rule? The same cannot be said of your common-raised rat.”
Elissa merely blinked, unphased by the comment. “If you are as good a Queen as you say you are, my dear, then why are we in a civil war?”
That shut Anora up fairly quickly.
Elissa turned her back from the father and daughter, facing the landsmeet once more. “Whatever your choice, my lords and ladies, remember that what Ferelden needs is unity against the Blight. The Theirin bloodline united us together once before: who is to say that it will not again? If nothing else will persuade you, know that the last of the once-noble house of Cousland stands behind Alistair in full, and, if the Maker wills is,” She grabbed his hand then, squeezing it gently. “Beside him as well.”
The landsmeet exploded with applause, and Alistair resisted the urge to kiss her in front of them.