[ No, she had no way of knowing. Some part of her never believed Morrigan's ritual would succeed. In the end, she had asked for Alistair to remain at the gate because she knew if she died before the Archdemon was slain, it would be down to him. She had never meant for him to believe she was shafting the glory from his shoulders onto hers. Her death, too, was supposed to allow him to have a family of his own, to be loved and adored by people who believed him to be the king who survived all impossible odds.

She did it because she loved Alistair, because he was her family. Because she loved them all too much to lose them. And in ten years, she has received only so many letters from him, from any of them. She has lost so much because of a poor decision she had made, and now the years have gone by while she's hardly lived. ]

I have had people lie for me for ten years. I've put up a...a charade for ten years and you aren't angry?

[ Neria looks at him with disbelief and pain and she tries so desperately not to let it show. This isn't about her; this is about the people she's lied to and cheated out of closure and answers for a decade. ]

And when we fix this? If we somehow manage to save the world, what then? The Order has already been disgraced for what they have done. The prodigal hero has come back to let everyone know she isn't really a hero, she's a liar and a cheat who is afraid of consequences. Cullen, I'm not-- I'm not the person you think I am.

[ You had your reasons. You can rebuild your life here. Why does all of it sound too good to be true? Her hand tightens over his and despite how much it hurts, she doesn't let go. ]

No one should be welcoming me and no one would if the world wasn't ending.