AU: The Prince and the Pauper (for alistair_theirin)

[snarky_tabris]

It had been several months now since Bianca Tabris had become involved with the King of Ferelden, Alistair Theirin, and they were some of the best months of her life. They'd been practically inseparable, with Alistair coming over for dinner practically every night, and Bianca visiting him just as frequently.

It was becoming very obvious that this was a serious relationship, and it was becoming a cause for concern among the nobility of Ferelden. Having a tryst with an elf was one thing, but an actual relationship...that was something very different.

Combine that with the number of changes that Alistair was trying to implement, to make lives better for all the people of Ferelden, which included his plans to give the elves representation in the Landsmeet...

Alistair was going away for a while. There were tensions with Orlais, and he needed to go deal with them personally. Bianca was staying behind, as her family needed her.

"When do you think you'll be back? Promise me you'll stay safe, and not let those Orlesians go to your head..."

Comments

[alistair_theirin]

Alistair doesn't like this. He doesn't like this one bit. Leaving her and her family behind, being unable to defend them... He sighs, tightening his hold on her.

"I don't know when I'll be back. Those blasted Orlesians are stubborn. But believe me, love, the only thing of theirs that will get near my head is their cheese."

[snarky_tabris]

"They do have good cheese, it's true..."

She gives him a small smile, leaning up and kissing him.

"Don't worry, Alistair, we'll be fine here. Just keep us in the loop, okay?"

[alistair_theirin]

"I will, as much as I can. Remember that I'll likely have to write under multiple fake names, and word things vaguely, to make sure my letters don't get intercepted." He sighs again nervously, and then leans in to give her a long passionate kiss. "I don't like this, it's gonna be like talking to you through a foggy mirror."

[snarky_tabris]

Bianca kisses him back passionately, wrapping an arm around him. She doesn't want to let him go, but she knows she needs to...

"I'd rather talk to you through a foggy mirror than not talk to you at all...just be safe, love."

She knows he has to go soon.

"We'll be all right here, don't worry."

What could go wrong?

[alistair_theirin]

Alistair kisses her desperately, then wraps his arms tightly around her.

"Agreed... and you be safe too. Please... be safe."

[snarky_tabris]

"I will. I promise."

She sighs, looking over his shoulder. His guards are waiting, as is Teagan."

"You'd better go..."

[alistair_theirin]

Alistair looks over his shoulder at them and then looks back at her, sighing.

"I guess..." He runs his hand up and down her arm a few times, then leans in for another passionate kiss. "I love you, Bianca."

[snarky_tabris]

"I love you too, Alistair. Stay safe."

She knows he has to go, but she kisses him one last time before he leaves.

"Let that hold you over until you come back, okay?"

[alistair_theirin]

Alistair nods, the pain of leaving her clearly showing in his face. He kisses her forehead, then brings each hand to his mouth and kisses it. Giving her hands a squeeze, he slowly starts walking away.

[snarky_tabris]

Bianca watches as he rejoins Teagan and the guards, waving as they leave Denerim for Orlais. She sighs quietly, biting her lip to stop from crying. She's going to miss him.

When he's out of sight, she goes back to the alienage, to her father and cousins and nephew. She's got them, at least...

[alistair_theirin]

Alistair is quiet for most of the trip to Orlais. People keep trying to talk to him - plans, diplomatic strategies, etc. - but he's having none of it. Eventually they give up and leave him his space.

He can't help but think that it kind of feels good to be on the road again. To be free of walls, to be camping, to be out in the open and in the changing scenery. It brings back good memories. But it's all bitter without her.

[snarky_tabris]

If things had been different, Bianca would've done with him. But she couldn't.

Things were all right in Denerim for the most part. Visits to the palace stopped, as Eamon was in charge while Alistair was gone, and he'd made his dislike of Bianca quite clear...So she'd stuck to the alienage for the most part, doing work in and around the market district. It was boring, and she missed him, but for the first week or so, everything was all right.

[alistair_theirin]

Orlais was, well, boring. Stubborn was an understatement, the Orlesians are hard-headed fools. And arrogant ones, at that. But this is common knowledge. Alistair's only entertainment has been abusing his King status to get ahold of all the cheese he could get.

[snarky_tabris]

It was about a week later when something happened in Denerim. Before then, it had just been a normal routine of work, family, the usual.

Bianca had gone out with Shianni and Isidor to the docks, to go shopping for fish. It was easier to get good food when it was fresh, after all...that was all very normal.

It was on the way back, when they took a shortcut, that things changed very quicky.
Bianca saw the assassin first, out of the corner of her eye, and moved quickly, pushing Shianni and her nephew out of the way before they got hit. She barely missed getting hit with the dagger that few out of the shadows.

Everything happened so fast after that. The assassin leaped out of the shadows, and followed by several other attackers. Shianni would have fought back, if her son hadn't been there with them...

"Shianni, GO. I'll hold them off, buy you time! Get home, get help!"

Shianni had hesitated, but ultimately agreed, rushing back to the alienage, leaving Bianca alone, surrounded by their attackers.

She was able to subdue a few of them before ultimately being outnumbered and taken down. When the backup finally arrived, the attackers--and Bianca--were gone.

[alistair_theirin]

"NO!" Alistair slams his fist against the desk. Teagan jumps, unsure of what to do. Eamon sent word of Bianca's disappearance, and Alistair knew full well how long it takes for mail to travel from Denerim to Orlais... Anything could have happened to her by now.

"If you want to go, Alistair... I can hold down the fort here" Teagan offered.

"I'm grateful Teagan but, I can't even hold the fort here and I'm the blasted king! Bah, why'd I do this again? I should have given Anora the job."

Teagan cringes at the mention of her name.

"I know, I know. For the good of Fereldan. To the void with the good of myself and those I love, right?"

Teagan and Alistair both sigh, and the room goes silent.

[snarky_tabris]

Bianca's tried to escape 5 times now since she was kidnapped. So far, despite her best efforts, it hasn't worked. The people who kidnapped her had tired the Crows to make sure she stayed there...

She hated this. She hated feeling so helpless, being used as a tool against the people she cares about.
She didn't know who exactly was holding her here...but she knew why she was here. The nobility didn't want the changes Alistair had been trying to bring to Ferelden, so they were going to use her against him.

Bianca refuses to let that happen. she's going to get out of here or die trying, dammit...so she tries to escape again.

[alistair_theirin]

Another two weeks has gone by, and no progress with the Orlesians has been made. None.

"Go."

Alistair looks up at Teagan. "Are you sure?"

"Yes. Go."

He doesn't need to be told again. He gathers up his belongings and hits the road, heading back to Denerim.

[snarky_tabris]

She was no closer to escaping than she was two weeks ago. She hated it.

She still didn't know who had her, or why exactly...all she knew is that every so often, one of the hired Crows would come in, ask her questions, and when she refused to answer...

She shuddered. She didn't like to think about it.

All Bianca wanted to do now was go home....

The alienage hadn't stopped looking for her since she'd gone missing. Shianni had led the search personally, blaming herself for her cousin's disappearance, trying desperately to find her...but there was nothing so far. Nothing.

[alistair_theirin]

Finally back in Denerim, he doesn't even bother to go see Eamon yet. He knows full well that Eamon will have done nothing to look for her. He heads to Bianca's house, hoping that her father or Shianni will have any sort of lead... but they don't. He doesn't even know where to begin.

[snarky_tabris]

Her last escape attempt was the one that worked the best...granted, she didn't manage to get out, but she made more progress than ever before. She got to the nearest window before they got her back. She'd managed to toss her hair ribbon out the window, but that was it.

She was still in the city...but that was all she knew. It gave her hope that her family might be able to find her soon...

"Maker, what do you want with me..."

"You? Nothing. You're nothing but a means to an end to us."

[alistair_theirin]

As predicted, Eamon knew nothing - and had done nothing. Noone at the palace cared, and their lack of compassion ate at him like acid.

He rounded up the elven guards and organized them in a search. They got as much help as they could from the alienage, and Alistair was very surprised when the kitchen staff all pledged their help. Bianca was popular among them, since she treated them so politely.

Alistair was standing out on a balcony when Mara, one of the kitchen servants, came running in calling his name. She handed him Bianca's hair ribbon, and his face fell.

"Take me to where you found this." She nods and leads him off.

[snarky_tabris]

"A means to what? Alistair isn't stupid, he's not going to do what you want because you've got me..."

She winced as she was slapped hard.

"You give him too much credit. He was foolish enough to mess with the way things are, what makes you think he won't do what we want the minute he knows where you are?"

She glares, struggling against the bonds they put her in since her last escape attempt. One of her captors pulls out a knife, and she pales a little at seeing that.

"And of course, we need to show him that we mean business..."

Bianca bites her lip, trying to to cry out as they run the knife across her palm, drawing blood.

"This is just a preview, of course..."

[alistair_theirin]

Alistair and Mara had donned black cloaks with hoods, and she showed him the area. He'd thanked her and they'd returned to the palace, he wanted to do some research first.

He could find nothing about the owners of the building. He did station undercover guards to watch the building from a distance, and keep track of who entered and left.

He debated bringing a few guards with him when he went back, but, he decided against it... since more people meant the more chances for mistakes to be made. So he went back alone, after nightfall, in his dark cloak and hood.

[snarky_tabris]

Her captors had left a few hours ago, going to one of the other parts of the building, leaving her alone, chained up in the room. She just wanted to go home now...she couldn't even escape like this...

[alistair_theirin]

He's been working his way around the outside of the building, looking for loose windows... finally he finds one, and manages to slide it away and lower himself in.