Public Entry

[fereldans_king]

This is not how I intended to visit Skyhold and the Inquisitor. But when has anything involving magic, upcoming heroes, or me ever gone to plan? I have a feeling that Cousland would be laughing at me and this ridiculous situation.

And perhaps not panicking quite as badly as I am. What happened to all those men and women on campaign with me? Are they safe? What do they think happened to me? Who is doing the blasted paperwork in my absence?

I am told there are quite a few of you who can read the entries in this journal. (Note to self: watch what you write. Let's not repeat the barmaid incident.) But it seems that Leliana and I are the only ones from our...blast it, what did she call it. Reality?

My morbid sense of curiosity will get the better of me, whether I like it or not. What is different? What changed?

Why is there another me, who is not the ruler of Fereldan. What did the Hero of Fereldan do to him...me...us??

Comments

[lavellanfadewalk]

Hi, I'm Inquisitor Aria Lavellan in my reality. Here, the Hero of Ferelden is this lady called Neria Surana (which is wandering through Skyhold, hunting the Envy Demon) and our Hawke is a lady too, Marian (currently being nursed back to health, she was trapped in the Fade for the past... months I guess).

From what I'm told, in my reality ser Alistair married the Hero after the Blight, though I don't know how this happened, maybe you should ask her. He... you? Well, ser Alistair still is a Grey Warden and did great helping us to fight some members of his order that had gone rogue due a false Calling thing.

Are you... King of Ferelden in your reality?
Boy, gotta tell Varric that, this will make a great story

[fereldans_king]

Hello, Inquisitor Lavellan. I wish we could have met under different circumstances.

Cousland would be scandalized to find out he turned out to be an elven woman in your...reality. And then he would try to flirt with her. And probably you as well. And I certainly can't imagine marrying him!

Sorry, somewhat distracted. My friend was Aedan Cousland, a human nobleman. We executed Loghain Mac Tir for treason, and Cousland insisted that I take the throne as Maric's son. daft idea, in my opinion, but I suppose I haven't done too bad. No major wars, no scandalized beyond all sense ambassadors.

[heromiyuu]

Perhaps I should speak for myself, instead of having Inquisitor Lavellan discuss my life, no?

Greetings.
I'm Warden Commander Neria Surana, former mage from Kinloch Hold. In my world I fought the Blight, as the tittle may imply, and I faced Loghain publicly during the Landsmeet. Toughest duel of my life, I might add. We gathered enough political support to secure the throne for Anora, since she was already doing a good work since Cailan's reign. Alistair didn't want to step up to the throne and that was something I couldn't ask from him.

And yes, in due time we married.
Seven years after the Blight, shortly before I left to search for the cure. It took him some time to convince me, actually. I was his Commanding Officer, Arlessa of Amaranthine, an elf and a mage, the political pressure was too unbearable. The nobles could stand me ruling and keeping their sorry lifes safe during the Darkspawn Uprising, but marrying the bastard son of the late King could be seen as an attempt to gather more political power and even a future coup. We had to keep it a secret, at least publicly. Small ceremony, few guests, all of them close friends.

In my reality, only lord Fergus Cousland survived Howe's plot against Highever.

I'm also very different from your Warden friend. Definitely not the flirty type.

[fereldans_king]

Well, that at least remains the same - I didn't want the throne either! Cousland and Arl Eamon went behind my back to convince the nobles at the Landsmeet to support me. With Anora revealing herself to be a snake (she tried to get us Wardens executed for treason when Cousland refused to support her), I couldn't damn well refuse the position in front of everyone.

A pleasure to meet you then, Warden-Commander Surana. I am sorry that the circumstances are not better. I am Alistair Theirin, Ruler of Fereldan and Grey Warden (even if my advisers wish I would petition Weisshaupt for annulment of that particular title).

[heromiyuu]

Yes, Anora is definitely a snake, that is for sure. We were locked up in Fort Drakon due her lies soon before the Landsmeet... she wanted... needed our help to save us from a civil war, but she wouldn't drop the act in front of the court or her father. Seems to me some people are just the same, no matter how far from home you are. But she is a good queen, can't argue about that.

I don't know how things are with Grey Wardens in your reality, but in mine, the First Warden would never miss the chance to have a Grey Warden King somewhere. And I fear Anderfels will soon experience how is it like.

Anyway, I don't see how we could've met if not under these circumstances, so I guess it is right to say they are good as they could be.

Would you allow me to ask a rather personal question?

[fereldans_king]

It is strange to hear to our story from someone else's perspective. Like listening to a minstrel tell the tale of a grand heroic battle, when you know it was pouring and miserable and you slipped in the mud before the charge even happened.

I never said that petitioning the man would be successful. Just that my advisers wished they didn't have to plan for a king with no heir running off to go cuckoo in the Deep Roads.

I don't promise to embarrass myself with the answer, but you are welcome to ask.

[heromiyuu]

But... Cousland is searching for a cure, isn't he? I can share my research, so when this is over and we're back to our worlds, maybe he can look into it.

But the question, yes.
Are you happy living your life as King?
I know you and my husband are mostly complete different persons, but seeing you I can only wonder if I did the right thing. Sometimes I feel rather selfish, and it's very hard to convince myself on those days I only did what I did to save Alistair from a future he didn't want.

[fereldans_king]

I hope he's still searching for a cure. I haven't heard from him in months - no letters, no sightings, nothing. I was beginning to think I needed to put up 'Lost Warden' posters.

Your generosity would be much appreciated, Warden-Commander. I'm sure I can find someone to explain the more complicated, mystical bits to me back home if we ever get home.

Am I happy? That's...a complicated question. And even more complicated answer. Some days, it doesn't feel real. Like being King is just another hallucination from the Fade, and I'm going to wake up in a cold, wet tent listening to Cousland snore again. The diplomats and ambassadors are annoying, and the servants are alternately frustrated with or frightened by me. It's a very lonely life - my friends all went their separate ways, after the Blight. No one in Denerim remembers Alistair the Warden, that idiot who ate too much cheese or collected roses from the side of battlefields.

Some days, though, it's worth it - seeing Fereldan rise again from the ashes and destruction of the Blight, knowing that I had a direct hand in helping it rebuild.

I do think, that if I had had to choose between the person I loved and being King....I would have given the Throne to Anora in a heartbeat.

It's not my place to say what your husband does or does not think. But I'd bet my whole cheese larder that he wouldn't want it any other way.

[heromiyuu]

Thank you for answering my question. Your insight is... valuable.

That aside, don't worry about Cousland. He is the Hero of Ferelden, after all, isn't he? I spent the last three years away from Vigil's Keep, Creators know how many times I had to go dark during my quest. I am sure he is just fine.

As for our way out of here... we have an Eluvian.
I'm pretty sure Inquisitor Lavellan is planning to reactivate it, so there is nothing to worry about.

[fereldans_king]

'There will be nothing to worry about' is exactly the kind of thinking that ended Cousland and I in Fort Drakon, hoping Morrigan and Zevran would be able to break us out. Forgive me if I am somewhat skeptical.

[heromiyuu]

Well, we're older now.
More experient, I hope, learning from our past mistakes.

We have a strong, smart bunch of people.
If there is a group capable of breaking out of the Fade, we are such group.

[fereldans_king]

...For a moment, you sounded very much like him. You are right - it can't hurt to think positive about the situation. After all, we survived impossible things before.

[lavellanfadewalk]

Not to brag about, but I entered the Fade in flesh and survived. stopped the Orlesian Civil War, stopped the Templar-Mage War and dealt with an Ancient Magister trying to crack open the Black City. Creators! I survived an Orlesian Ball!

I have a pretty positive balance of "did the impossible and survived".

Get us out of here?
Piece of cake.

[fereldans_king]

I assure you, Inquisitor, I wasn't insulting your obviously vast ability to do the impossible. I was implying that my record was less than stellar.

[lavellanfadewalk]

No offense taken, at all.

I was just trying to convince you we'll have sucess.

Alistair

[cullen_fadewalk]

Alistair. I won't ask if you remember who I am, since that seems to vary wildly depending on world. I thought you should know there is another world's version of you here. He's been helping me fortify the castle--he's a good man.

Are you equipped with armor and arms or do you need steel?

Re: Alistair

[fereldans_king]

I should hope that I remember the man who beat my ass around the training ring repeatedly.

Leliana and I found your stockpile in the War Room - I couldn't find any plate that fit, but I'm otherwise well equipped. Leliana said that she had left a note?

I haven't met the other...me. But I should hope he's a good man I hope I'm a good man, after all.

Re: Alistair

[cullen_fadewalk]

You say that as if it were difficult.

I hope she also left a mark in the inventory, but I can make the adjustment if she didn't. Welcome to...whatever this is, Alistair.

Re: Alistair

[fereldans_king]

You will find that I have kept up, and even improved my skills, since the last time we faced each other. I hope that I'm not a green as I was back then.

If it helps, we borrowed a longsword & belt, one quiver of elven-fletched arrows, and a medium-sized shield of steel. Oh, and a set of ill-fitting lamellar. Where did you find something this stuff - Bodhan's reject pile?

Alistair

[cullen_fadewalk]

You helped save the world, so I should hope so.

That does help, thank you.