Asking Aedan Cousland what reward he wanted for his part in saving Ferelden infuriated King Alistair of Ferelden no end. Given the opportunity, the murdering bastard would have gotten the same fate that Aedan had once planned for Alistair – swinging from the gallows as a traitor to Ferelden. The Cousland lordling had planned to execute Alistair so that he had a clear path to the throne by marrying Anora, but the surviving Theirin scion had other plans, and for the first time in his life, Alistair had taken his destiny into his own hands and accepted the position his blood demanded of him.

However, regardless of what plans Aedan had once had against him, Alistair could not execute the man who had made saving Ferelden possible. For it had been his methods, no matter how distasteful and violent, that had made killing the Archdemon possible and therefore, he had to make the offer of reward no matter how badly it sat with him. Still, he had one card up his sleeve that his Warden Brother didn't know about.

Aedan smiled viciously at Alistair; he might have had the throne ripped from him, but there were other ways to skin a rabbit and if he couldn't have the throne directly, well, there were other ways to gain power in his backwater kingdom. 'I want money, and position in you court, Your Majesty.'

The King smiled pleasantly, having been perfecting his court smile for just such an occasion. 'Then you shall have Gwaren, and a reward of ten thousand gold,' he announced without hesitation.

He had already guessed what the Cousland lordling was going to ask for and so, earlier in the morning he had decided to let him have it in the form a small part of the country where he could do little harm. Gwaren had been one of the worse hit areas of Ferelden due to the fact that the darkspawn had poured out of the entrance near the town that had once been an Dwarven outpost. The darkspawn had decimated the area and any possibilities of the area becoming re-inhabitable were remote, at least in Aedan Cousland's life time.

'Traditionally, Your Majesty, the Cousland's hold the lands of Highever,' replied Aedan politely as he glared at the King as if he were a moron. 'I should very much prefer to return to my home.'

Again Alistair smiled his perfected court smile and inclined his head towards the crowd were Fergus Cousland stood, dressed in the formal finery of the Teyrns of Highever. 'I am sure you can, as the guest of your brother.'

Hatred flared to life in Aedan's face as he glowered at Alistair before turning his gaze on his older, supposed to have been dead, brother. As early as last night, Alistair had feared he would have to hand over Highever to Aedan, but then, like a miracle, the Maker had revealed Fergus Cousland awaiting an urgent audience late in the night. At first, he could not believe that the older brother of Aedan was alive, for Ostagar had been a total loss bar Loghain's retreating force and then, when he had gotten his head around the fact there were other survivors, Alistair had been weary of an audience given what he knew of Aedan, but it soon became clear that the two brothers were thankfully, nothing alike.

Aedan forced himself to smile, although no one was convinced by its sincerity. 'Fergus,' he said inclining his head to the Teyrn of Highever. 'It is good to see you alive.'

-…-

'Your Majesty, if I might be so bold,' ventured Arl Eamon once he, Alistair and Fergus Cousland were safely ensconced in the King's study away from the on-going celebrations that were currently filling the palace with joyful music and cheerful voices as the relief really started to settle in that they were safe. 'But do you honestly think it wise to give Aedan Cousland the Teyrnir of Gwaren? He isn't exactly stable.' The elder statesman cast an apologetic sideward glance at the new Teyrn of Highever. 'I mean no disrespect to your bother, Your Grace, but his actions in the Blight are more than questionable.'

Fergus smiled grimly, waving off the apology. 'No offense taken, my Lord, you assessment of my brother appears to be quiet generous if half of what I hear is true,' he shot a look at Alistair who hung his head.

'I fear it most likely is,' admitted the young King.

The Teyrn sighed heavily. 'What the Maker was thinking when He saved him instead of Elissa is quiet beyond me.'

Alistair frowned at the reference Fergus made about the middle Cousland sibling. Not once, during the entire Blight had Aedan mentioned his older sister. Yet Fergus Cousland had mentioned her on more than one occasion, lamenting her loss as deeply as the rest of his family. Aedan hadn't really seemed to mourn his family that Alistair had noticed, distracted as he was by the so-called exotic Morrigan, not that Alistair had seen the appeals; his idea of a beautiful was not some scrawny swamp witch who was a bitch.

Despite himself, Alistair had asked Fergus about this sister and why Aedan wouldn't hadn't mentioned her and Fergus had laughed bitterly, informing him that Aedan hated his older sister.

'She was the favourite,' he explained during his audience the night before, 'the Rose of Highever everyone called her and Aedan, well, he couldn't see anything bar being in the shadow of the pair of us really. It's a shame because had he looked, he'd have seen a great deal of paths open to him that neither of us had.'

But she, like her parents, her sister-in-law, nephew and rest of the household had been slaughtered during Howe's attack on the castle as the Blight was beginning. It was a needless slaughter on a powerful well-respected family, but at least they still had Fergus to uphold the family honour.

'I can't not reward him,' said Alistair, rubbing his temples. 'Regardless of how he did it, his actions paved the way to preventing a Thedas wide Blight.' He sighed. 'Whatever we think of his actions, the people will remember him as a Hero for his part in all this.'

Although, in the long run, Alistair was hopeful the Cousland lordling would show his true colours so that he might be ousted. He had learnt to play the long game when it came to his Warden Brother and there was also a matter of concern he wished to get to the bottom of that required keeping Aedan close until the Warden's interest in them waned. For Alistair was quite certain that Aedan had been indirectly involved in his survival atop of Fort Drakon and while being blissfully unaware as to the reasons why he had survived so far as the Wardens were concerned, Alistair could not let it slide. Riordan had been quiet clear that the Grey Warden who took the killing strike would die, and as Alistair had face down the crippled Archdemon, he had been sure he was going to death to commit his first and last act as King, only he hadn't died. He had woken up a few days later in wide bed with Eamon hovering nearby in a state of agitation. Alistair had his suspicious though, and they included the Swamp Witch.

So for now, he would play the game, as it where, a let Aedan have his moment and some reward for his 'brave actions' in mobilising Ferelden to defeat the darkspawn, but time would come when the façade would fall and when it did, Alistair would be waiting with a dagger to drive home into his heart.

'There is still the matter of Anora,' said Eamon, changing the subject as the matter on Aedan was now closed.

Alistair nodded his head thoughtfully. The situation regarding Anora had been on his mind since he had watched her be taken away at the Landsmeet, the former Queen pulling herself out of the guards hold as she exclaimed that she could walk herself to her new prison. Had she not been so quick to ally against him, then perhaps she would have been the best choice for his wife, but she had shown her true colours by consenting to marrying Aedan and proving she would do anything for power. She was a danger to his hold on the throne, particularly with Aedan strutting about like a pompus peacock. It would not do to have them both being able to get their heads together.

'She was planning to have me executed had she won the throne as she saw me as a threat,' he said heavily, shifting in his chair uncomfortably. 'I believe she represents the same threat to me, particularly as she was willing to ally herself Aedan to strengthen her claim.' He closed his eyes, sighing, not wanted to say this, but knowing he had to. 'I will have to call for her execution,' he said regretfully.

'Is that necessary?' asked Fergus, shifting in his seat to sit a little straighter.

'I wish it were not so,' said Alistair, 'but already there are voices stirring that she is the rightful Queen and that my claim is nothing more than a coup to give Eamon more power, thus they are looking to Anora and Aedan as a viable solution.' He sighed. 'I took the throne to unite Ferelden, not just for the Blight but to rebuild it after and I don't believe Anora and Aedan have Ferelden's best interests at heart.' He nodded solemnly. 'It is my final decision.'

Arl Eamon stood and bowed. 'As you wish, Your Majesty, it shall be done.'