The Crossroads, as Morrigan called them, never seemed very welcoming to Aedan. Ever since he first set foot on the place, he felt like he shouldn't be there. The sky was grey and dead and the laasndscape was just dead. There was no other word to describe it. Happily for the Warden, Morrigan was not living there. Once they crossed the Eluvian in the DragonBone Wastes, Morrigan showed him the way to another Eluvian, which led to na abandoned Chateau in the Emerald Graves, in Orlais. Morrigan had set some magical defenses and was raising their son in there. At the time Aedan got there, the baby was yet very small, but just the sight of him brought tears to the Warden's face. So obviously Morrigan spent the next week calling him the Weeping Warden.
They spent the next few years there, with the warden often venturing out into the village nearby to get supplies while Morrigan kept the place secure, specially from the Crossroads's side. During these years, they were a family, which often reminded the Aedan of his years in Highever, with hundreads of serveants and his late parents. Now, more than ever, he understood his parents's sacrifice. Especially his mother's. A parent's love for their child is something fierce.
Every now and then Aedan would catch air of the news around the world, often looking for news about Flemeth. He never actually heard anything about her, but that didn't surprise him. His two favorite topics were, however, the state of the Warden Order and news of King Alistair, his old friend and battle companion. He learned that after his disappereance, the Wardens sent na orlesian woman to command his forces in Ferelden. "Can't blame them." He thought. He did disappear without warning, but after all, the blight was over and the threat was gone, at least for now. His family, however, needed him, and he would not fail them.
Years passed by before Morrigan alerted Aedan to something strange. An Eluvian was being restored. She said that very few people have the power or knowledge required to do so and that they shold be as careful as possible. The signs were showing that it would be restored soon, and that they should be prepared. And so there he went again, into the Crossroads. Morrigan showed him the mirror and before she said anything, he knew. It is restored. "All it needs is a burst of magical power to open the portal. We might wait for whoever is on the other side or we can strike first." Said Morrigan.
"Too risk. What if it's Flemeth on the other side?" He knew why Flemeth wanted Kieran, and he would die before letting her lay hands on him. "Tys a wise question. Let us hope it is not her." Aedan looked at his beautiful wife, still wearing robes that left most of her upper body showing. "I will go. If it's Flemeth I will destroy the mirror and attempt to kill her. You stay here." He said, before Morrigan had time to protest. "Kieran must be protected, my love. You must protect him." Morrigan said nothing, instead she leapt in his arms and gave him a kiss more warm than any fire, more wild than any witch. "You will not die. 'Tis I know." She opened the portal, and Aedan went through it, sword in one hand and shield in the other. When got out of the portal, he was standing in some sort of wooden hut, with books and a ball of twine almost touching his feet. In front of him, na elven woman looked surprised. She was skinny and pale, with short black hair and a gentle and innocent face. Behind her, a man with black hair and beard wearing spiked armor and a beardless dwarf watched him. All of them had their weapons ready.
"Who are you?" Said the elf, in her best try at a threatning voice. "He came out of the mirror?" Asked the man. "More crazy shit. Great." Said the dwarf. Aedan sheated his sword, a lot more reliefed than he expected. It was not Flemeth after all. "My name is Aedan Cousland. I'm sorry about the sudden entry. I thought it would be someone else on this side." They sheated their weapons too. "Cousland? Hero of Ferelden Cousland?!" Asked the dwarf, his jaw almost reaching his exposed chest hair. "The one and only." Answered Aedan. The elf looked back at the man, who steped foward and offered his hand. "I'm Garret Hawke, Champion of Kirkwall."
