Chapter 1
It was a stunning morning. The cold wind had blown out to the Waking Sea and the sun was unencumbered by gray clouds as it peeked over the horizon. This may be the only funeral where bright skies and singing birds was more appropriate than dreary rain. Not that he wasn't grieved, he was, but he reminded himself they were only burning a body today. The soul and legacy of that body would endure as long as the Frostbacks. Alistair, the newly anointed King in waiting fit the shoulder clap of his armor into the groove and gave it a sharp rap to make sure it was secure.
He looked at himself in the mirror "you look like him", he turned around with a start to see his bride to be hugging the threshold to the master room. He had only known Anora Mac Tir for a little over a week, and he knew she was as uncomfortable with their situation as he was, but he knew it was for the best. She had sided with the Wardens against her own father and shown herself to be ignorant of his plot. On top of that she was one of the most beautiful women Alistair had seen, nearly his height with milky skin, blonde hair and light blue eyes. She definitely got her mother's looks. Her strength had held Fereldan together as her father unraveled beside her. Her father Alistair wanted to put to the sword after the Landsmeet, but she and a few others had talked him out of it. Whatever he had done he was still the Hero of River Dane, and without him we would've been fighting this blight as Orlesians. That will never make up for what he did with Alistair, but it did for a lot of Fereldens and he didn't need to start his reign by executing a national hero. In the end Anora had talked him into taking retirement back in the Hinterlands where he was originally from. The new Teryn of Gwaren would have to be selected from the Arlings in a Landsmeet.
"Funny, nobody told me that before I told everyone I was his illegitimate brother" Alistair said with a half-smile, "and it doesn't hurt that I'm wearing his armor" he added slapping his gold chest plate.
Anora gave a small smile back and walked into the room, she was the picture of regal beauty in a long blue and purple dress with gold flake trim around the neck and shoulders, "that's because nobody would've thought of it, but now…" she said stopping in front of him.
"You look very fine by the way" he said a little awkwardly. Sparing her father had gone a long way to bring them closer together but in the end this was still an arranged marriage and they had just met four days ago.
"Why, I think I'll faint now" she said with a mock swoon.
"I'm sorrrryyy, I'm not very good at this you know, and to be perfectly honest I'm not sure where the line is between us".
She nodded with understanding and linked her arm through his "come my King, we have a hero to mourn and a nation to mend". With that the two walked out the door followed by their retinue of human and elven maidens. At the palace entrance he saw Fergus Cousland, the auburn haired knight looked every inch the Teryn of Highever in his gleaming silverite plate armor.
"Sir Cousland!" he called and was greeted by the knight crossing his arms across his chest and bowing deeply, "Oh please, not from you, it's your brother I am forever in debt to" Alistair said waving him up with one hand.
"You're still my King, you must get used to it my Lord" he answered with a small smile while rising. "I must, must I? We'll see about that, join us won't you Teryn Cousland" he said making eyes of defiance at his betrothed.
"It would be my honor your highness" Fergus said ignoring the give and take between the royal couple.
The Palace doors opened to the sound of blaring trumpets playing Ferelden Fields, the royal song reintroduced by his father nearly thirty years ago…his father…Maric. The crowd numbered in the thousands, filling in every nook and cranny of Calenhad Square. The market stalls had been removed to accommodate the crowds and the bright cloudless morning allowed Alistair to see a number of youngsters on the roof of the Gnawed Noble Tavern and other rooftops. Anora's practiced wave was his cue and he followed suit, waving to his subjects with practiced grace. They got to the makeshift pyre and Alistair scanned the crowd. He saw Leliana's fiery red hair first, dressed in her Chantry robes and already dabbing tears. She and Aedan had been closest and he was sure they had truly fallen in love in their short time together. Standing by her in the front row he saw Ohgren with an…ale? By the Maker man it's eight in the morning. Next to him was the giant Qunari Sten. It was a testament to the hero's personality that Sten had stuck around the Bas this long. He had begun their quest from Lothering a sullen, angry, and undoubtedly xenophobic foreigner, only tagging along for lack of options as the Antaam, or Qunari army, would've had him executed on sight for losing his sword. But he had ended it with a newfound respect for his strange southern neighbors, and could now return to the Antaam the sword that was eventually recovered from a merchant outside Orzammar with the help of the man they were committing to the Maker this morning. Then there was Zevran, the Elf and former Antivan Crow, looking around in bemusement at what he probably assumed were some forged emotions. It wasn't until he traced the Elf's line of sight to the pretty human female making surreptitious faces while on the arm of her husband that Alistair realized Zevran was concerning himself with things other than mortality and history.
After a quick nod to his friends Alistair waved his hand and Sten, Fergus, and Zevran joined him as he walked to the side of the square, disappearing from the crowd's view. A moment later the four came back into view holding the body of their fallen comrade over their head. The crowd gasped a little as he came into view, and as they began lowering him to the pyre Alistair could hear the flags on the palace rampart fluttering in the wind over the silence. Aedan Cousland was wearing the Warden armor they had requisitioned at Soldier's Peak, silverite with gold shoulders and a gold stenciled gryphon on the chest. His family sword was back in the family's possession at Highever Castle so the Hero had a simple shield with the crest of Highever laid across the top of him. What the crowd couldn't see was the Darmisu underneath the shield given to him by the Keeper of the united Dalish clans of Ferelden, in honor of his lost love Iona who was slain by Arl Howe's men in front of Aedan the week before the Battle of Ostagar.
Moving around to the front of the pyre he held up hand though there was no need "Friends, Fereldans, we gather here this morning to honor a hero. A hero who slew the Archdemon Uthemriel atop Drakon Tower and sacrificed his life in the process, a hero who helped save the Dalish clans of the Brecilian Forest in escaping an age old curse. A hero who saved Redcliffe and the family of Arl Guerrin from the curse of blood magic and demonic possession. A hero who saved the Circle of Magi from the destruction of rebellious mages. A hero who saved Orzammar from certain destruction under their usurper king Behlen Audeucan. While it's true too many to name played such roles in this victory and gave their lives to the cause, I am not overstating it when I say there would've been no roles to play, only lives given to a futile cause had it not been for this man behind me." He paused and moved to the side of the pyre.
"I wish I could tell you I did these things, that I led this group of Wardens to victory, but the truth is four months ago I was a born follower, not the king you see before you. Even the credit for that transformation I must give to the noble knight on the pyre slab here. He taught me everything in those four chaotic months about honor, and leadership, and sacrifice for something greater than ourselves. He also taught me about standing up for what's right, not what's popular, and not bowing to tradition for tradition's sake. Look around you good people, see the elves, the dwarves, the Qunari here beside me, it took all of us to beat back this blight and it will take all of us to lead Ferelden into the future!" he let the roar of the crowd reach its crescendo, nodding at Keeper Marithari and King Harrowmount as it did.
He held up his hands to dissipate the raucous cheer, before letting his voice carry off the stones once more, "while we do it in his name" he said pointing at the lifeless body of Aedan, "we do it for ourselves, because sacrificing our petty prejudices and resentments for the greater good is the lesson we will always associate with Sir Aedan Cousland, from this day forward always remembered as the Hero of Fereldan!".
A loud thunder of applause echoed through the square again and Alistair was content to let it die out on its own. He stepped back and felt a reassuring hand on his shoulder and turned to see Fergus nodding his thanks, his cheeks wet with tears. Fingers interlaced his own and he turned to see Anora, her own wet eyes brimming with pride. He looked to Leliana who was too overcome with emotions to say anything but just nodded her thanks hidden partially by a handkerchief, and with that Alistair waved the torches over and he and the new Teryn of Highever both took one to either side of the pyre.