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

[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.