#anora mac tir x cousland

[ziskandra]

No-pressure writing ask: what's a line or a scene you've written that you still think about because it makes you happy?

‘Happy’ isn’t my usual writing forte, but when I sat down to think for something that actually elicited some of that vibe instead of just like, a passage I was particularly proud of…

… and I immediately thought of this scene near the end of To Find a Cure, an Anora/f!Cousland epistolary fic I wrote a few years ago which takes place during the events of Inquisition!

A flash of hot panic runs through Elissa’s belly. Her hands shift to grasp Anora’s shoulders. “Anora. Anora. Listen to me.”

Anora stares back at Elissa, intently hanging onto her every word. Is this really it? Their final goodbye? There are no words that can truly capture the magnitude of the moment.

Elissa wets her lips. “Anora. When I die…” She takes a deep ragged breath, stopping short. She’d never actually confronted her inevitable death before, like it was something that was absolutely going to happen instead of something she was desperate to prevent.

She’d never been the type for wills or testimonies or succession planning. That had been her wife’s forte. She doesn’t know what to say.

She goes with her gut.

“When I die,” she finally continues, blood roaring in her ears, “I don’t want another fucking statue.”

Cauthrien laughs before Anora even has a chance to process what Elissa's said. There's a moment where they're all laughing, the three of them, and even Dog seems to be joining in.

[kiivg]

.A Royal Scandal.

[ndostairlyrium]

"where is the queen?" "she's having an urgent meeting with the hero of ferelden"

[ayrennaranaaldmeri]

[heylavellan]

anon period ended a few weeks ago for the Dragon Age Poly Exchange, and i'm finally getting around to sharing what exactly i got up to! my main work was Two of Your Finest Vints, a lovely kremdoribull fic! but i also had fun writing some treats. i had so much fun writing these!! and if you have time, check out the entire collection!

Two of Your Finest Vints - E, The Iron Bull/Krem/Dorian. Bull and Krem shared a platonic bond deeper than friendship. But when they met Dorian Pavus, they both realised they wanted him. Like sensible people, the only solution is to share.

Red Skies at Night - M, m!Hawke/Isabela/Merrill. After fighting a dragon, Hawke gets badly injured. Isabela takes her girlfriend Merrill to check in on her boyfriend. Also, t4t4t!!!

From Ferelden, With Love - G, f!Cousland/Nathaniel Howe/Anora. After all they've been through, they found their way back to each other. And despite it all, they still love.

Sharing is Caring - M, Zevran/m!Amell/Nathaniel Howe. Nathaniel simply wanted to inform Daylen's partner that he had been injured. He didn't expect Zevran's response. Epistolary fic.

[frelynart]

Warden and Anora 🌿 for NoirAngelXD

[queenofferelden]

Meanwhile, in Denerim, Loghain seized power. And declared himself the leader of Ferelden. His daughter Anora was apparently not too troubled by the death of her husband, King Cailan.

But some banns came out strongly against Loghain.

And also against calling the Grey Wardens traitors.

[mxanigel]

after the Battle of Denerim

A bit beyond six sentences for this particular Sunday~ ^_^

Queen Anora Mac Tir learns of the Archdemon's fall and her father's death. Features forced-betrothal awkwardness with Alistair and a vulnerable moment with Heather Cousland.

-----

“My queen, I bring news regarding the fight against the Archdemon.”

The messenger’s hunched posture and inability to meet Anora’s eyes convey more than enough, but she must hear the truth from the woman’s lips. “Report.”

“The burst of light we saw did mark the creature’s death. The Blight is over.”

Over, at long last. But at what cost? “Who survived?”

“Most forces led into battle by Warden Surana remain with us, though many soldiers are injured.”

It is still strange to hear others refer to that mage as a commander. “What of the Wardens themselves?”

“Warden Riordan was killed mid-battle. Warden Surana yet lives. But Teyrn— Warden Mac Tir…”

Her heart twists. Her throat clenches. Her emotions do not—cannot show on her face. “I said, report.”

The messenger gulps. “According to Warden Surana, Warden Mac Tir died while delivering the final blow that killed the Archdemon.”

Surana did not claim the credit. Anora sets aside that detail for later consideration. “So it is defeated.”

“Yes, your Majesty.”

“By my father’s hand.”

“That is what I was told.”

Then he fell protecting the country he loved. A mixture of grief and relief she will not reveal builds pressure behind her eyes. “Thank you for the report. Ensure what we know is recorded. Once Denerim recovers, we will celebrate this victory.”

“Yes, my queen.” The messenger hesitates.

Anora narrows her eyes. “You are dismissed.”

The woman bows and flees the room.

There is much to be done—Denerim still burns, soldiers and civilians alike are injured, and even the healthy will require rations, shelter, a place to sleep. Anora is not so naive as to believe that no hostiles remain within the city walls simply because the Archdemon was slain. And she did not spend nearly every waking moment ruling this nation in Cailan’s absence and after his death to watch it fall apart now.

Hour after hour passes. Only her steward’s intervention ensures she eats meals at reasonable times. It’s long past sunset when a gentle tap on her elbow startles her out of her focus. She glances up to find Alistair’s face creased with concern. “You should rest.”

“Later.”

He grips her shoulder. “I don’t think you’ll enjoy me being the one to remind you of your duty to our people.”

Anora shakes off his grasp. “I accept your point. I will retire for the evening.”

“I’m not sure right now still counts as ‘evening,’ Anora.”

A realization of weariness unexpectedly doubles the weight of her limbs. “I will retire for the night. Alone.”

He exhales and steps back, his hands raised in defense. “We aren’t married yet. I wasn’t going to ask.”

She blames exhaustion for her words, her tone. Exhaustion and repressed sorrow. “Thank you, Alistair. For checking on me.”

He blinks. “Of course I checked on you. And… you’re welcome.”

Anora nods once in acknowledgment. Then she pushes herself away from the desk and wraps herself in a veneer of weary calm en route to her chamber, offering tired greetings and words of thanks to those she meets along the way. But once she closes the door behind her, she slumps backward against it and sliding down to the floor, burying her head in her arms. Yet tears do not fall.

“I knew you wouldn’t relax until you were back here.”

Anora bolts upright, grabbing the nearby bronze candlestick—not much of a weapon, but it is preferable to empty hands. Then her alarm eases enough to recognize the woman seated on her bed. “Maker take you, Heather. When did you sneak into my room?”

Heather Cousland yawns while languidly stretching her arms above her head. “Some time ago. You kept me waiting.”

Anora opens her mouth to protest the absurd claim and then decides against it. Heather is goading her into a retort. “I asked you to support civilians in finding shelter. Why are you here?”

“Because after I heard about your father, I needed to be at your side.”

Admitting her selfishness instead of declaring she did this for my sake is unlike her. Moisture stings Anora’s eyes. “What game are you playing?”

Heather quickly crosses the space between them to grasp her hands. “No game, Anora. You’re hurting, no matter how well you hide it. When you hurt, I hurt. If you don’t want me here, say the word, and I’ll leave. But if there’s anything I can do to support you, name it, and it’s yours.”

Anora stands perfectly still as a battle rages in her mind. She must maintain her own strength. Any cracks will only confirm the belief that she should not be queen. Despite Surana’s surprising machinations, her betrothal to Alistair—and thus her position—is not set in stone, and she will not provide Arl Eamon further reason to argue against it.

But Heather’s gentle, earnest gaze overpowers her weakening defenses. She collapses into her arms, finally releasing her grief.

[alistairsprayerwarrior]

Listen Before I Go

"It was a love match, you know."

Sereda hesitated as she snatched the handle to Anora's temporary chambers. She'd heard enough of the woman's insistence on being queen, especially her implications with regard to Alistair.

"...What are you talking about?" Sereda asked, humoring her. It had been years since she'd spoken of Cailan, and her last meeting with him was bittersweet, just before his death.

Anora casually ran her fingers along the wood of her sleighbed as she spoke, knowing she'd struck a chord. It was unnerving how well Anora sensed it. "Don't insult my intelligence, Lady Cousland. You know full well as to what I am referring," she said.

She dropped her hand, defeated. All Sereda knew about Cailian ending their brief courtship was his 'duty to the throne'; after his father went missing, and marrying Anora as a result. He never fully explained why, just that he was to do as he was bid - and nothing more. It vexed her for years until she was able to push it into the deep recesses of her heart.

And now the woman who claimed him had the audacity to mention him.

"...Fine, I'll bite," Sereda said softly, still avoiding the woman's hard gaze. Yet, she continued to speak so casually of Cailian, the man she had wed, her dead husband.

"I found him, once..." Anora paused, as if considering her next words. Unbeknownst to Sereda, she was opening her own wounds. Perhaps, she hoped, if she reached out to the Warden, heart to heart, woman to woman, she could convince her that she would be the proper ruler that Ferelden needed, and not the bastard that she was so utterly in love with.

Oh, the irony of it all.

"He was asleep in our bed, from a night of drinking," she scoffed bitterly. "It was supposed to be a night of celebration. I was pregnant, with his first child. He was so happy. The kingdom, was happy..."

Sereda recalled the gossip and rumors, the stories from her mother and father of the announcement. She still remembered how bitter she felt, but did her damnedest to ignore it all the same. Sereda fought to urge to ask her to get to the point.

"He fell asleep, with some missive in his hand, close to his chest. I thought he was in the middle of some last-minute paperwork, some notice. My curiosity got the better of me," Anora had been slowly pacing about the room, consoling her own growing anxiety from the memory.

"It was one of your many letters, from what I learned later on. I knew you both had corresponded in the past, that he once courted you. I accepted that. 'Twas the nature of men and their politics," she paused, her tone changing into something soft; vulnerable.

"But, this letter... it was different. It was worn, unlike the others. As if he'd read it on many ocassion. I knew I'd regret reading it, but I did it anyway. I... I had to know. I had to know what you had that I didn't..."

[milesmentis]

MANIFESTING AGAIN!

art by the incomparable @tobio-fish

Their Majesties

[qunaricatnip]

Hiiiii it's me the person who reblogged your post about the Cousland x Loghain marriage (this is my main blog but 99% of my tumblr activity is through my side blog queenmelisende sorry for the confusion lol). Lets talk about Ferelden nobility. Their marriage would be an insanely good political alliance -- the two teyrnirs of Ferelden uniting? Cailan should be quaking in his boots. You said she would eat him alive??? I am desperate for more elaboration.

hi!! this is a sideblog too so no worries! but yeah cailan absolutely should be worried but the best part is, at least in my little au, he’s like…. 12 when all this is happening so all he really knows is that uncle loghain is leaving him (and anora) and it’s gonna be a while before they can see each other again :( it’s really maric that should be worried (and is) because he had to make a lot of concessions to the couslands for bryce and eleanor to be okay letting their baby girl go clean up maric’s mess (even if she really wanted it for spite reasons).

Tl;dr siobhan cousland was planning a coup from jump because she was raised to be queen and got told no and then maric dropped the perfect opportunity in her lap with a bow and his blessing, loghain was both collateral and a prize

siobhan in this au was born before the occupation technically ended and so her parents, still in the rebellion mindset of “ferelden first” was sort of groomed to believe that she’d one day be queen of ferelden because she’s the only noble girl within marrying age of cailan right up until anora is born and maric and/or rowan lose their minds. the couslands are Important, second to only the royal family and that shows in siobhan’s upbringing- she’s very politically minded, everything is duty/responsibility/optics with her and that’s something that (imo) would and should drive loghain crazy.

Politically on paper, her and loghain are an amazing match after celia dies right up until we remember that a) the couslands have already married their son and heir to a well known/regarded antivan trading family creating ties to a foreign, unallied country without the crowns express permission right after a war and b) loghain for all his accomplishments is not a man made for politics in any capacity that man is a Follower, he’s the type of person that need to be wholly devoted to a person/cause and c) uniting the only two surviving teyrnir’s is actually a recipe for disaster because oh my god why would you even think that maric that’s giving your subjects too much power and influence even with ferelden’s weird political structure

and siobhan knows this!! she knows that the people of gwaren don’t feel safe or supported by their teyrn and abandoned by their king and she’s also been personally slighted by the crown twice now!! so she graciously concedes to step in and throw the weight of her name around to build gwaren back up to the prominence it once had before the occupation gutted the city all while subtly reminding people that it was the couslands that actually care about the people of ferelden, its cousland gold bolstering the economy, its cousland trading partners bringing ships back into port without even saying anything because she’s a mac tir now after all that would just be gauche to rely on her maiden family name. its siobhan that runs the show and every single person in gwaren knows it, loghain is just insurance in the beginning (before whoops they’re actually in love your honor)

[ziskandra]

I received two extremely delightful gifts in the The Black Emporium exchange for Dragon Age rarepairs, and they have just tossed me right back into the depths of my Mac Tir feelings!

So Tangled Up Its Hard to Know (Loghain/Female Cousland) Set during the Inquisition era! I just love the intimacy of two old comrades reconnecting and it leading into something more 💖

open your heart like the gates of hell (Anora/Morrigan) Morrigan and Kieran end up living at the royal palace after Morrigan becomes Anora’s arcane advisor, and there is PINING and COMPLICATIONS in regards to Kieran’s parentage 👁

Looking forward to reading more of the collection and collating more recs over this coming weekend!

[alienturnipp]

Commission for @milesmentis, of their character Daren Cousland with Anora and Zevran 🌹🗡

[ndostairlyrium]

Verses from Guido Cavalcanti's La forte e nova mia disaventura

[ayrennaranaaldmeri]

Alexander married Queen Anora in a lavish ceremony six months after her coronation, becoming the prince-consort of Ferelden. Many said that if the two did not end up vying for control of the throne, they would usher in a new golden age not seen since King Calenhad first united the barbarian tribes.

[deviousspleen]

Dragon Age: Origins (confession)

Okay so I recently started to play DAO again. I havent touch the game for like... 4 or 5 years and I have to admit, I am conflicted of how I am playing rn. I used to have a perfect state of world as in :

Cousland daughter

side with the mages

side with the elves

side with Harrowmont

romancing Alistair - hardening him - making him a King with the Warden

I mostly kept the originals points in my current game, but the last one... The last one is problematic to me. You see, I decided to play the Cousland at the point "We are Cousland, we do our duty first"... And the Landsmeet is different from what I did. So the Cousland are a noble family that do what needs to be done, including your duty before your love. So as a Cousland, Elissa decided to think about Ferelden first. That is possibly one of the most angsty thing ever for my heart. Alistair is ready to be king but he lacks of perspective. As a warden with the taint in his blood, he has at least 20 years to live, hence him leaving probably until his 40s. After that, Ferelden will have (that's for sure), a crisis of succession. Anora canon told my warden "Cailan had his women"... Bastards ? The point is that I believe Alistair would make a fine king but to have this state of the world a bit... successful, he needs a wife. And yes. Anora. Anora ruled Ferelden. She is untainted by the joining unlike Cousland, she is clever, she knows the way of politics when Alistair's blood is what makes his claim stronger. Tradition and stability, that's what Ferelden needs. Even if there is a small chance Alistair and Anora could have a child, this is a big bet that would secure 20 years of stability and possibly more ! So...

Cousland daughter

side with the mages

side with the elves

side with Harrowmont

romancing Alistair - hardening him - making him a King with Anora and retiring the Warden looks like the better option... (because in time, I learned as a woman to like Anora!)