Note from the author: If you're reading this because you're a fan of my pjo stories, then I'm glad you're here, but I'm very sorry, and I hope you've played Dragon Age:Origins.

Why am I these things? Well, I'm glad you like my writing enough to check out a different fandom, so I'm glad you're here. I'm very sorry that I haven't updated in so long but I'm starting a new story in a new fandom. (To be clear, not abandoning anything.) And I hope you played the game this is based off of because:

I don't describe the characters that are in the game. It's just a big hassle, and if you've played the game it's unnecessary. Only when the person's appearance is relevant will I mention it, unless it is an original character or one of the origins. Of course, character appearance isn't actually that important, so even if you haven't played the game, I recommend reading this story.

This story is AU: there are multiple origins, but not all of them, that's too many characters. I use the default names for those origins that I do use.

This story also has a few things changed to be more in line with my artistic vision. Some might call the changes AU, I call it artistic license.

As this is my first story in this fandom, and I haven't really read all that many, if there's any fanon I missed, please let me know.

Disclaimer: This work is not intended to infringe upon the rights of any existing intellectual property. Any characters and events portrayed belong to their respective owners.

To be clear, the flashback in italics is super cringe, I know it, and it's supposed to be. Don't think too hard-he isn't like this after the origin.

Without further shenanigans, let the story begin.

"-At least the smell will be the same," Teyrn Bryce Cousland laughed with Arl Rendon Howe, as his son, Aedan Cousland, entered the room.

Aedan walked towards the pair, clad in studded leather armor, with a steel long sword-dagger pair strapped to his waist. His straight black hair just reached his shoulders, held in place by an intricate braid around the back of his head. He scratched his stubble as he walked-he'd have to shave soon.

"I'm sorry, pup; I didn't see you there," the Teyrn apologized. The middle aged man turned to the Arl and asked, "Howe, you remember my youngest son, Aedan, yes?"

"I see he's grown into a fine young man," Howe smiled slightly as he observed. "Pleased to see you again, lad."

Aedan nodded courteously. He replied to the Arl in his natural voice, deep and smooth, "And you, Arl Howe."

He spoke with purpose, careful not to say anything too quickly or too slowly, taking just enough time to make every word seem important, but no longer.

"Is your family here?" he continued. Asking about one's family was considered a polite thing to begin a conversation with amongst Fereldan nobles in the last few years. According to his older brother, Fergus, a decade earlier the polite thing to do had been to ask how the weather had been where they lived. Aedan found it fascinating, but only in passing-he had no wish to pursue a career in politics.

"Oh, no, I left them in Amaranthine, well away from the fighting in the south," Howe answered in his grating, nasal tone. Aedan often wondered if he spoke like that to intentionally annoy others, but decided each time that that hardly made sense. "They do send their best wishes, though."

Aedan nodded politely again.

"In fact, my daughter Delilah asked after you," the Arl continued. "Perhaps I ought to bring her with me next time."

Aedan finally showed a smile as he answered, "I think I'd like that."

Aedan was certainly not one to turn down relations with a beautiful woman, and Delilah was certainly beautiful, though quite young. Aedan was twenty five years of age, whereas Delilah should have only recently celebrated her eighteenth birthday. Aedan recalled fond memories of Delilah the last time he saw her, several years prior. She was absolutely nothing like her father or her brother, Nathaniel, those two being utterly irritating and remarkably standoffish, respectively. She was much more like her brother, Thomas.

She was polite and pleasant, but woe betide the fool who thought her dependent on a man to do her thinking for her. She was not empty headed, to be sure. Aedan especially looked forward to how much she must have... matured, in the time he hadn't seen her. She was the type of woman he liked best-strong willed, and not afraid to speak her mind. Well, truthfully he preferred elves, if he was being honest with himself, but he loved women in general. He just couldn't help himself. Aedan was also not unaware that Howe was not so subtly suggesting a marriage between the Delilah and him, which he absolutely did not want at the moment. He was confident he could talk his way out of any misunderstanding, however, and replied as he did with total confidence in retaining his independence.

Though that takes time to explain, not a moment had passed before Howe exclaimed, "Good! She goes on and on about your prowess as a warrior. You're all she's talked about since she last spoke with you at a fair in Denerim two years ago. I think you have an admirer, young man."

"As does she, Arl Howe. And you can tell her I've said that," Aedan said with a laugh.

The Teyrn smiled slightly at his son's antics before saying, "At any rate, pup, I summoned you for a reason. While your brother and I are away, I'm leaving you in charge of the castle."

The remnants of the smile from just moments ago finally vanished entirely from Aedan's face as he got serious. "What?" he asked, successfully keeping calm. He had assumed this would be the case to begin with, but he still found himself surprised. "You mean I won't be going into battle?"

Bryce smiled slightly at his son's sudden distress. "I'm certain you'd more than prove yourself, Pup, but I'm not willing to anger your mother if you join the war. She'd kill me if I let you go. She's already twisted into knots about Fergus and I."

Aedan was about to argue out of instinct, but instead bit his tongue as well as his desire and said, "Very well, Father. I'll do what you think is best."

The Teyrn smiled as he said, "Now that's what I like to hear. Only a token force is remaining here, and you must keep peace in the region. When the cat is away, yes? I'm sure you understand. Don't you, Pup?"

Aedan closed his eyes and sighed before answering.

He understood his father was referring to the Cousland family motto, which had been drilled into his head each time he objected to his parents' wishes.

"Couslands always do their duty first," he said in his most regal tone.

Bryce smiled proudly before saying, "There is also someone you must meet." He motioned to the guards and instructed, "Please, show Duncan in."

A muscled, bearded man, black hair greying at the temples, walked into the great hall with purpose. He wore slim silverite plate armor, appearing Rivaini in make, and bore a long sword and dagger on his waist, mirroring Aedan's choice in weapons, though the material and design differed greatly.

"It is an honor to be a guest within your hall, Teyrn Cousland," he said, his voice a rich baritone, similar to Aedan's, as he crossed his fists over his chest and bowed, slightly.

His polite smile showed the wrinkles on his swarthy face, but Aedan decided that if he aged anywhere near as well as this Duncan, he would be quite happy.

Howe sputtered as he spoke to Bryce. "Your lordship, you didn't mention that a Grey Warden would be present."

'A Grey Warden?' Aedan thought idly to himself. 'An order comprised of only the strongest warriors and most powerful mages. Would only that father would let me join them.'

Bryce raised an eyebrow as he informed Howe, "Duncan arrived just recently, unannounced. Is there some sort of problem, Howe?"

Howe looked taken aback, firing, "Of course not! It is just that a guest of this stature, demands certain protocols. I am... at a disadvantage."

Bryce shrugged slightly as he surrendered, "We rarely have the pleasure of seeing one of their order in person, that is true."

He turned to Aedan and asked, "Pup, Brother Aldous has taught you who the Grey Wardens are, I hope?"

Aedan had to work hard to keep too much reverence from seeping into his voice as he answered, "Of course. The Grey Wardens are peerless warriors, the heroes of legend, who sacrifice everything to defeat the darkspawn, and end the Blights."

Bryce nodded in approval, before explaining, "Duncan is here looking for recruits before joining us and his fellow Wardens in the south. I believe he's got his eye on Ser Gilmore."

Duncan suddenly spoke up. "If I might be so bold, I would suggest that your son is also an excellent candidate."

Bryce stepped protectively in front of Aedan as he countered, "Honor though that might be, this is my son we're talking about."

Aedan briefly felt a dim anger at his father's refusal, but none of it broke through his usual stoic expression. "I'm sorry, father, but is there a reason I shouldn't join them?"

Bryce looked troubled as he said, "I've not so many children that I'll gladly see them all off to battle at once."

He glanced at Duncan before adding, "Unless you intend to invoke the Right of Conscription...?"

Duncan smiled as he shook his head, saying, "Have no fear. While it's true we need as many good recruits as we can find, I've no intention of forcing the issue. I'm sure you understand the delicate position my order is in at the moment."

The Teyrn seemed to accept this as he returned to his original position. "In any case, Pup, would you ensure that Duncan's requests are seen to while I'm gone?"

Aedan nodded while saying, "Of course."

Bryce nodded and said, "In the meantime, find your brother and tell him to lead the troops to Ostagar ahead of me. He is no doubt in his chambers upstairs, spending some time with his family before he heads off to battle."

Aedan gave a farewell gesture, folding his arms across his chest with a fist over each breast before bowing slightly and taking his leave.

He had barely left the great hall before a ginger haired man in a fine suit of chain came up to him and exclaimed, "There you are! Your mother told me the Teyrn had summoned you, so I didn't want to interrupt."

Aedan laughed and patted the knight on the shoulder, saying, "A good thing, too, considering father's company."

"Yes, I saw the Arl arrive," replied the knight.

"No, not the Arl, Gil! The sodding Grey Warden! Apparently he might test you for recruitment. I wish we could join together," Aedan said wistfully. He moved to the knight's side and put his arm out in front of them, presenting an imaginary scene. "Think of it, the Teyrn's son and his finest knight defeat the Archdemon and end the Blight in record time!"

Gilmore looked just as wistful as Aedan as he said, "That would certainly be glorious. Unfortunately, your father would never allow it."

Aedan looked at the ground, clearly saddened, though it seemed to be a bit played up. "Yes, well, at any rate, you said you were looking for me, Gil?"

"Yes, of course. I fear Muttlie has the kitchens in uproar once again. Nan is threatening to leave."

Muttlie was Aedan's Mabari war hound, with a pedigree older than Aedan himself. He also routinely caused trouble for the kitchen staff at the castle; Nan threatened to leave about once a month.

Aedan laughed heartily before speaking, "Haha! Count on Muttlie to drive Nan up the wall. He has a way with her. Not that she'll really leave, of course. She was my nanny before she was the cook, as you well know, Gilmore. But we'd best collect the dog before he gets me into any real trouble."

"Just follow the screaming," Gilmore joked, and Aedan laughed.

They walked down to the kitchen at a brisk pace, before finally entering the room, finding that Nan was threatening the two servants who happened to be nearby. Aedan recognized the female servant, Elen, as an elven girl he'd been with several times. She was a sweet girl, but a bit subservient. He wished she would stand up for herself more, but he supposed he had his own ancestors to blame for beating the inferiority into the elves to begin with.

Aedan had been with probably a quarter of the young female staff at the castle, who weren't already taken, but he did everything he could to help out the people he'd had relations with, from direct monetary help, to employing their relatives, to even more specific things. Once, he had even fought a duel with a man to defend one of his lovers' honor. It was because of this that he mostly still had a good reputation amongst the help, despite his promiscuous ways. As soon as he saw her, he caught her eye and winked, and she smiled and blushed as she looked down to avoid his gaze.

"Stop teasing the serving girls, Aedan," Gilmore quietly said to his longtime friend. Gilmore was far more traditional, and occasionally tried to stand in the way of his friend's philandering activities. "You don't know if she's just using you for money or... or something."

Aedan looked strangely at Gilmore and said, "How eloquent, Gil. And Elen couldn't use me if she tried, she's a total sweetheart."

Not that some girls didn't try to use him. He recalled one time, several years earlier, when a girl attempted to use him for her own purposes.

At dinner, a new elven serving girl kept shooting amorous looks at Aedan, which he happily returned. She was extremely alluring, black hair in pigtails on either side of her head, her full lips naturally a deep red. Slender waist but wide in the right places.

Aedan was positively smitten with her, as she seemed to have the fire and the passion he so liked. He could see determination in her eyes, and it was like a torch thrown into a bonfire. He was feeling hot.

After several exchanges of honeyed words, she ended up in his bedchambers that same night.

They kissed for a long time, before Aedan began to undress her, trailing his lips across her body. When he reached her most sensitive area, however, she pulled away very slightly, and so he stopped immediately.

"Is this too much? Are you not ready?" he asked gently, having sidled up beside her, their hair touching.

"N-no!" she frantically proclaimed. "No, that's not it at all!"

"Oh?" Aedan asked. "Then why did you pull back?"

"It was just... very sudden!"

Aedan shrugged and went back to work, and soon they were about to reach the land of no return. Just as he was about to begin, however, he glanced at her face, and instead of nervous anticipation and trepidation, he saw nothing but fear. Usually there was some fear that could never be separated from nervousness, but this was... terror.

He stopped before they connected and got off the bed. He went for his small-clothes before the girl shouted, "Wait! What are you doing, why did you stop!?"

He could hear the nervousness in her voice, the fear she felt. He smiled and said, "You do not have to force yourself. This... is not what you truly want, is it?"

"Of- of course it is, my lord!"

Aedan shook his head. "You don't have to worry."

He sat on the edge of the bed, and patted the space beside him. "Sit here."

After she did so, he leaned closer and said, "It's okay. You can tell me what you were trying to get from me."

"No, you're-" she started. "That's not, I wasn't-"

"It's alright. You can tell me. First though, start with your name."

She looked at him nervously, which he found absolutely adorable, and said softly, "My name is Anathea."

"Beautiful."

Anathea blushed despite herself.

"Anathea, you can tell me what's wrong. You don't have to force yourself to do this."

The girl buried her head in his shoulder and threw her arms around him as she said, "My... my family is in debt. To people we should never have dealt with. A lot of debt, actually. They said that if we didn't pay... if we didn't pay..."

Aedan protectively shifted her into his lap as she started crying and held her tightly to him. "Anathea, it's going to be alright."

She looked up at him with watering eyes and asked hopefully, "You'll pay our debt?"

Aedan shook his head but quickly explained, "If they find out you have a way to get money quickly, they'll just find a way to make sure you have to pay more and more. The solution, however, is quite simple."

Aedan found big green eyes, simultaneously adorable and unbearably erotic, staring up at him. "It is?"

Aedan laughed and said, "I'll just get rid of the creditors. I'm a Teyrn's son and one of the best fighters in Highever."

"You... you would do that for me? Even though we haven't... done it?"

Aedan smiled as he explained, "You must have heard I treat my lovers very well. But that is because I care about them a lot, not as some sort of payment. Not that I have anything against professional whores. They do the same as any of us: whatever they must, just to survive."

"So, you... me... you care about me?" Anathea asked.

Aedan laughed and kissed her brow. "I just can't help myself. Maybe some would say it's superficial. Your lips, your eyes, your nose, your hair, your breast, your legs, your arse, your everything else. Some would say, because all of these things are perfect, that is why I care. Half right. If you were a horrifying monster I doubt we'd be having this conversation."

She laughed as he continued, "But if you didn't have something about you, then we wouldn't be here either. It seems that I'm just better at seeing that something quickly. Like you. You were prepared to give yourself away to save your family. I saw how terrified you were, I know how hard it was for you to choose to do this. That strength, that fire in you. That is what I see. That is why I care. You're really something else."

She had begun blushing heavily long before this point, but now Aedan could practically feel the heat coming off her face.

He concluded, "Anyways, you can sleep on the bed. I'll just sleep on the floor, it's no trouble."

Anathea shook her head in his embrace. "No, we can both sleep on the bed. I don't mind. You're... not so bad.

He killed the dirty loan sharks the very next day, and with his power as the Teyrn's son, he easily swept the incident under the rug. Anathea became his lover some weeks after that, and she warmed his bed often in the years that followed. He was even able to secure her a room within Castle Cousland itself, a right reserved for only the most prestigious servants. However, they were under no foolish ideas their love would be able to continue once he found a wife. Nonetheless, their romance flourished, and more than once he had thought of running away with her. She had no issues with him having relations with other women, as she said that their love was doomed from the start anyways, but he thought he could tell she would rather prefer he didn't. He didn't especially plan on being unfaithful, but he just seemed to fall for practically every pretty woman who looked his way. He couldn't help himself, and Anathea understood that. It was how they met, after all.

Aedan was brought from his thoughts when he heard Nan bark, "Get that bloody mutt out of the larder!"

Aedan stepped forward and spoke strongly, "Now, now, Nan, there's no need to trouble Elen and Derek, now is there? I'll retrieve Muttlie."

Nan spun around, and pointed her wrinkled finger at the pair of men, shouting, "You! And you! Your bloody mongrel keeps sneaking into my larder! That beast ought to be put down!"

Aedan tried to protest, claiming, "Nan, please, Muttlie is a purebred Mabari! If he's in your larder, he must have a good reason! He's at least as smart as your average tax collector."

Nan shook her head as she shouted, "I don't care if he is a bleeding tax collector! I want him out of my larder!"

She turned to the elves and shouted crossly, "And you two! Get out of the way!"

As the elves got clear of the door, Aedan slyly stole a kiss from the blushing Elen and walked into the larder, much to the disapproval of Gilmore.

As the pair walked into the small storeroom, a sleek, large, brown dog began running in circles and barking, before coming to a stop before Aedan, and barking several more times, then presenting his head as if he expected to be petted.

"What? You did a good job? What exactly have you done, other than cause trouble, Muttlie?" Aedan asked curiously.

Gilmore put his hand in front of Aedan as he asked, "Wait, do you hear that?"

Suddenly, enormous rats began pouring out from the walls.

One short fight later, after all three participants were covered in rat blood, but none the worse for wear, Gilmore bid farewell, and left, presumably to clean his armor.

Aedan, whose armor was already bloodstained, walked calmly out of the larder after putting the rat bodies in a pile. They were somebody else's problem, now. Surely someone would be paid to dispose of the bodies. He didn't lack appreciation for the servants, but he could hardly clean up every mess he made. He had an important message to deliver, anyway.

As soon as he was out, Elen came running up to him, and, noticing the blood, gave a shriek.

"Aedan! I- I mean, my lord! Are you alright!?" she shouted, worried.

Aedan pressed a kiss into her brow, which made her blush even with the rest of him covered in rat blood, and said, "I'm alright, dear."

To Nan he said pointedly, "My faithful war hound rounded up and helped kill some dangerous Korcari rats. Nothing we couldn't handle."

Nan mumbled something about how he probably led the rats in to begin with, and after a long exchange with Muttlie ending in her giving him some pork bits, during which time Derek the elf cleaned up the rat bodies and Aedan fooled around with Elen briefly, the dog and Master pair took their leave of the kitchen staff, off to find Fergus.

Aedan found his way upstairs blocked by his mother, and, if he recalled correctly, Bann Loren's wife, Lady Landra, her son Dairren, and her... lady-in-waiting, perhaps? What a lovely looking elf.

"-and mistook Bryce for the king!" his mother said scandalously. "And here is my youngest son, now. I take it by the presence of your troublesome hound that the situation in the kitchens is handled?"

"Of course, Mother," Aedan replied, intending to make a good impression on the buxom blonde elf watching him. "Nan is back to work as we speak."

"You've always had a way with her," his mother smiled. "Darling, you remember Lady Landra, Bann Loren's wife?"

The grey haired woman suggested with a pleasant voice, "I think we last met at your mother's spring salon."

That salon was hard to forget. Aedan still smiled good-naturedly, replying graciously, "Of course, my lady. It is good to see you again."

He swore he saw the woman blush as she said, "You are too kind, dear boy. Didn't I spend half the salon shamelessly flirting with you?"

Dairren said, "Right in front of your family, too."

Aedan briefly wondered why Dairren would acknowledge such a thing, before Landra continued, "You remember my son, Dairren? I believe you two sparred in the last King's Tourney?"

Dairren, apparently intending to make his entire family look as bad as possible, said, "And you beat me handily, as I recall. It is good to see you again, my lord."

And it was more or less true. Aedan had won the entire tourney, not that knights were allowed to enter, so the victory was hardly meaningful. Aedan recalled Dairren's bout with ease, and though Dairren hadn't lasted more than three exchanges, after going through all the fights in his head, he decided Dairren was amongst the better fighters there, though he had had the misfortune to meet Aedan in the first few rounds. Aedan did not have a very studious mind, but remembered two things with perfect clarity: Every woman he'd ever been with, and every fight he'd ever been in.

"You're being modest, Dairren," Aedan accused. "Had you not met me in the second round, I daresay you could have made it to the quarter-finals, at least."

"You are too kind, my lord," Dairren nodded.

Landra gestured to the beautiful elf beside her and said, "And this is my lady-in-waiting, Iona."

When Iona did not respond, Landra urged, "Do say something, dear."

Iona spoke with a sort of hush in her tone, clearly nervous. Had she heard something bad about him?

"It is a great honor, my lord. I have heard many wonderful things about you."

Evidently, she had not heard something bad about him.

Landra, sort of pretending to lower her voice, but not actually doing so, said to the Teyrna, "Don't look now, Eleanor, but I believe the girl has a crush on your lad."

Iona instantly turned red, and let a "Lady Landra!" escape from her lips.

Eleanor said, "Hush, Landra. You'll turn the poor thing scarlet."

Iona seemed to be sinking back further and further in her embarrassment, so Aedan hurriedly said, "Perhaps we should speak alone some time, Iona?"

Some of her blush faded, but she was just as embarrassed, barely able to get out, "As it... pleases you, my lord."

Landra said her farewells and headed to her guest room, as the other two said they'd be headed for the study.

Before Aedan could chase after Iona, his mother ambushed him with a, "You should say goodbye to Fergus while you have the chance."

The mention of Fergus reminded him of the darkspawn, and the darkspawn reminded him of Duncan. Before he could stop himself, he blurted out, "Did you know there's a Grey Warden here, in the castle?"

"Yes, your father mentioned that. You haven't got it into your head that you want to be recruited?" she frowned.

"Would that truly be so bad?" Aedan insisted in vain.

"There's enough here at the castle to occupy you, no? If not the work, then at least the women?" As if to argue with words unsaid, she told Aedan, "Do not think I do not know what goes on in my own castle, lad. Surely the servants I hired just recently should keep you from chasing danger like your brother?"

Aedan looked shocked. "That was you?! I was wondering why so many new beautiful serving girls started appearing recently. That's a nasty trick."

Eleanor looked nonchalant and said, "I would prefer the possibility of a scandal to the possibility of your death, darling. When you have a child some day, you'll understand why I do the things I do."

Aedan sighed. "Still, I worry about Father and Brother. I would feel better down at Ostagar."

"As would I, darling. Your father and brother are marching down south to fight Maker-knows-what. All the assurances in the world don't comfort me. But believe me, it wouldn't help for us to take up arms and follow. Fergus and your father have their duty, and we have ours. You must remember our motto, after all the times your father and I have tried to make sure you don't forget it."

Aedan nodded as he repeated what he had been told hundreds of times by his parents, and as he had just said not an hour earlier. "Couslands always do their duty first."

His mother smiled and hugged him. "I love you, my darling boy. You know that, don't you?"

"Of course. I love you too, Mother. What brought this on?" Aedan laughed.

"You've grown up so fast. And now Bryce is leaving you in charge of the castle... I suppose there is no point in dwelling on it. Go do what you must, then. I will see you soon."

Elanor kissed her son on the cheek goodbye, and he headed back down the stairs to the study, and hopefully, Iona.

Note from the author: I hope that wasn't complete shite.

Also, this is rated M for explicit stuff in the future. Discretion advised going forward.

If there are any big spelling, grammar, or other syntax errors that interfere with comprehension of the story, please let me know in a review.

Also, please review and tell me how you like this so far.