A/N: Hello! I want to thank you for actually clicking on this story! This is just a personal project, an idea that had been gnawing at my mind since I replayed Dragon Age: Origins recently (for the millionth time). And what's the best way to get rid of such an idea? Write it and upload it here! I wanted to write a story where Alistair and F!Cousland meet under completely different circumstances, since this is an AU without darkspawn... Aside from that, all of the lore is the same.

Also! I'll be using my own F!Cousland's name, Katharyne (pronounced Katherine). As you're reading, feel free to use your imagination to change her appearance and your own F!Cousland's name while you read it. I truly hope you enjoy it… I'm really not the best writer; I'm more of a visual artist actually. (I love to draw!)

Anyhow, I apologize for the length of the prologue; I wanted to set up the situation in as much detail as possible so that what's going on is clear! And that ended up being huuuge! Anyways, on to the story…

DISCLAIMER: Obviously, the characters and locations don't belong to me; they're Bioware and EA's and I'm simply using them to fuel this thing called my muse.

.: PROLOGUE :.

Katharyne felt heavy in her heart as she watched the servants pack the remainder of her belongings in a travel case. The day she had dreaded for years on end was finally upon her. This was the day she was leaving for Denerim, to be married. Sitting on the large canopy bed and still watching the servants move about her room, she sighed as she brought her knees to her chin.

As the "daughter of Highever" and a Cousland, a family with power and influence second only to the King, she was engaged to marry King Cailan as soon as she arrived in the Fereldan capital city. They had been betrothed since her seventh year, but it had been agreed they would not marry until her twentieth.

Katharyne hopped off of the large bed when she noticed the servants had finished packing the last of her cases. They then proceeded to dress her into her travel clothes, a bottle green woollen dress with a high neckline to protect against the cold. A dark green hooded travel cloak lined with dark mink fur was thrown and tied over her shoulders before one of the servants started to plait her long chestnut-coloured hair as Katharyne's thoughts roamed back to Cailan. She cared for the man, but she didn't love him. Her heart belonged to a man she would never see again… Of that, she was certain.

Once she was readied, she made her way down to Castle Cousland's entrance courtyard, followed by the servants and her travel case. She was met by the other inhabitants of the castle once she arrived in the courtyard. As the last of her luggage was loaded onto the covered carriage, she said her goodbyes to her friends and then her family. She hugged her Antivan-born sister-in-law, Oriana, tightly and promised to write often, before turning to her older brother, the heir of Highever, Fergus.

"I'll miss you, little sister! The dining hall will truly be a bore once you are in Denerim! Who else will I fling food to?" He laughed as he hugged her.

"Just fling it to Nathaniel when he visits! Do it in memory of me!" She laughed softly as she let go and turned to her nephew, Oren.

"Will you be coming back at all, Auntie?" He asked in a whisper.

"Unfortunately not, Oren" She responded as she crouched down to face him, the hem of her dress brushing the dirt.

"So you won't be coming back? Not at all?" He asked, big tears suddenly rolling down his cheeks as he jumped into her arms, holding on tightly with his small arms. She held onto the child as he sobbed in her arms. She rocked him lightly while shushing him.

"Oren, I promise that when you're older, you can come visit me in Denerim. Is that alright? We will spend some time together and eat some sweets. Would you like that?"

"No, Auntie! I will become a knight before I come to Denerim, so you can be proud of me! And knights don't eat sweets!" He said, determined.

"By then, you'll be ruling Highever! You'll be a strong and courageous man, won't you?" She said, encouragingly.

"Yes, Auntie!" He nodded as his sobs subsided and he was simply hiccupping lightly. She kissed his forehead lightly before letting him go. He ran to his mother's skirts and Katharyne couldn't help but feel sad about leaving the young boy behind. She got up and turned to her parents, Bryce and Eleanor Cousland. Her mother's cheeks were damp with tears. She pulled Katharyne in a tight hug. "I'll miss you, my darling girl" She whispered in her ear. The woman let her go after what seemed like an eternity.

"I love you, Katharyne." She said, brushing a hand on her cheek gently.

"And I, mother…" She responded before turning to her father.

He was standing next to her mother, a sombre look on his weathered face. Katharyne thought she even saw a hint of grief and regret in his eyes. He pulled her in a tight hug, making her feel like she was a girl of three again.

"I'm sorry you can't marry someone of your own choosing, pup…" She heard him whisper lowly in her ear. He pulled away and pecked her forehead lightly before he let her go completely. She sighed and turned on her heel, walking towards the carriage, trying hard not to look back.

Everyone else from the household, from servants to knights and guards, bowed to pay their respects as she walked. She noticed Nan, her former wet-nurse turned cook, was crying silently in a handkerchief. She waved one last time before climbing in the covered carriage, followed by her personal elven servant and traveling companion, Adahari, who was heading on the journey with her.

As they departed, Katharyne locked her eyes on her family who was waving. She kept her eyes on them until they crossed above the moat and took a turn down the winding road heading towards the city. She was leaving her childhood home, to never come back. Therefore, she wanted to ingrain its image in her mind. As she watched Castle Cousland get smaller, she remembered Fergus, their friend Nathaniel Howe and her running on the ramparts, climbing towers and playing in the knights' courtyard, to the dismay of her mother. It was not until her thirteenth year that Katharyne's interests had shifted to the 'softer', womanlier arts of needlework, music, singing and art.

She fought back the tears that threatened to fall when they were finally crossing the city, the castle becoming smaller and smaller. She avoided looking at the townspeople who were cheering for her.

"All hail Katharyne! Daughter of Highever and the future queen of Ferelden!" She heard the mayor's booming voice exclaim before the townspeople's cheers followed it. She waved lightly as they crossed the city, keeping her now teary eyes in the shadows of the covered carriage. They cheered until the carriage was out of the city, a few stragglers following them to the outskirts of the Teyrnir.

After they were now finally out of the Teyrnir, she finally settled in her cushioned seat, wiping her eyes and determined to calm down. Adahari handed her a blanket and she proceeded to cover her knees. She sighed, trying to keep her emotions under control. She was to be married in a few days, there was no way she could wallow in self-pity. As she looked at the Waking Sea to her left, her thoughts drifted to the past and to her first meeting with the prince Cailan.

···

It had been the summer of her seventh year and she had travelled to Denerim with her father to meet King Maric and the twelve year old Prince Cailan. After she had introduced herself to the King, she remembered the King had pushed the prince forward so that he would meet her. The boy had grumbled as he did so.

"Good day, Lady Katharyne. I'm very pleased to make your acquaintance. " He had said, in an almost rehearsed voice while avoiding looking at her, shuffling his feet on the stone floor.

"I am very pleased to meet you, Your Highness." Katharyne had responded while curtseying, as a proper lady was supposed to.

She had noticed the prince had made to run back to his father but he had received a very stern look. The older prince had taken her hand, an annoyed and disgusted look on his face before he had leaned in and kissed the top of her hand carelessly. He had pulled away almost immediately after his lips had brushed the skin of her hand, whispering a light 'yuck' and wiping his mouth with a sleeve. Katharyne had wiped her hand on her skirt discreetly, only thinking he looked like a conceited child.

"How happy I am you could come." He had added with an annoyed sneer.

"I am happy to be here" Katharyne had replied curtly.

They had been lead into a separate room filled with books and toys so that they could be acquainted. She had learned much later that the room was Cailan's own play room. The prince had barely paid her any attention as he turned to his books and ignored her presence. Katharyne had not been certain as to what to do, so she kept herself busy on a different side of the room. For two subsequent summers, the prince had ignored her presence. By the third summer, however, Katharyne had decided to leave Cailan alone after a few days in Denerim, as she was tired of being ignored and barely acknowledged even at meal times. Instead, she had decided to give him the space he clearly wanted. She had always loved to explore the castle to find something to do, and had decided to do just that by slipping out of Cailan's study silently.

As she had walked, the sound of steel on steel and loud shouts had attracted her outside. She had arrived to the exercise courtyard where knights were sparring and training. She had then walked around the courtyard slowly, staying near the cooler stone walls when she had noticed a boy sitting on the dusty ground, polishing armour and shields directly in the hot sunlight. She had cocked her head to the side as she watched him work, realizing it was the first time she'd ever seen the boy. 'He is probably new' she had thought to herself, observing him from afar for a few moments.

"Hello!" She had then said sweetly, having decided to approach him. He had yelped in surprise, dropping his polishing rag as he heard her voice.

"Oh… what a shame..." She had said as she bent down to pick it up and hand it to him, feeling some of the oily polish on her hand. "Here…"

He had looked at her strangely, his golden eyes shimmering under the sunlight, before he had extended his hand and took the greasy rag, his small but rugged fingers brushing her soft ones. In surprise, she had pulled away at his touch.

"T-Thanks…" He had said in a whisper before quickly turning his attention back to the breastplate he was polishing.

Katharyne had wiped her hand on her dress, trying to remove the leftover polish from her hand, simply leaving a large streak of dark gunk on the light pink satin. "What are you doing?" She had asked as she sat down on the sandy ground next to him.

"Polishing armour" He had answered matter-of-factly.

"Why?" She had then asked, curious.

"Because." He replied, focused on the breastplate.

"That's a cheap answer…" She replied, pouting slightly "I'll ask again... Why?"

"Because it's what I do…" He had relented as he put the finished breastplate down.

"Why?" She had asked again

"It's part of my training."

"Your training? Are you a squire, perhaps?"

"Yes" He had replied, now polishing a shield.

"So, you'll be a knight?!"

"Yes"

"How did you become a squire? Did your parents send you here?"

"I'm an orphan…"

"Oh! I'm… I'm sorry…" She had apologized, feeling awful for asking.

"It's fine… It happened a long time ago." He had answered, waving it off.

"How did you end up here, in Denerim?"

"I was Arl Eamon's ward and King Maric brought me here this past winter…" He had responded, smiling lightly.

"Arl Eamon?! I know Arl Eamon! However, I don't think I ever saw you in Redcliffe Castle before!" She had replied, scrunching her nose as she tried to remember.

"I was never around when Arl Eamon had guests…" He had answered meekly, watching her.

"Oh, why?" She had asked, harassing him with another question.

"Just because…" He answered as he averted his gaze away once more.

Katharyne sat as she watched him work, silent. He kept glancing at her but would not utter a word.

"…How old are you, anyhow?" She had inquired after a few moments of silence, trying to change the subject.

"Ten"

"Ten? Really?! I am ten as well!" Katharyne had exclaimed happily. "Do you have a name?"

"Yes, but it's a plain name..." He replied

"I'm positive it's not plain! What is it? What's your name?" She had retorted, grinning widely

"It's... I'm Alistair..." He had replied in a small voice, polishing some gauntlets.

"I don't know what you find plain about it, I think you have a lovely name!" She had exclaimed as she clapped her hands together in excitement. "I'm –"

"KATHARYNE COUSLAND!" She had suddenly heard her father's booming voice bellowing from behind. "Young lady, what do you think you're doing?!"

She had sighed as the boy's eyes opened wide at her name, his hands now motionless on the piece of armour he was polishing. She had glanced at him one last time before she got to her feet submissively and shuffled towards her father who was standing near the north entrance to the courtyard. She could swear she had felt the boy's eyes boring into her back. That night, her father had scolded her harshly about her behaviour. However, Katharyne had barely paid any attention to his lecture, her thoughts had been roaming to the boy she had met earlier that day. She could only think of his golden hair and eyes, and how she had wanted to know him better. She had felt he was akin to a kindred spirit, someone who could be a good friend. However little he had said, he had paid some interest to her… that was more than what could be said about Cailan.

···

Katharyne sat up as the carriage hit a few bumps in the road. She had drifted off and she could tell it was now dusk outside. She shared a small supper of cheese and meats with the servant before pulling the blanket up to her chin and falling asleep with thoughts of the boy with the golden hair and eyes.

The second day of the journey took longer than they expected, when dark clouds had rolled over and started hammering rain on the roof of the carriage. The precipitation made the road muddy and hard to maneuver. As the servant was out in the rain and helping the two drivers, Katharyne was left alone with her thoughts. She had asked if they needed help and had started to get out of the carriage but she had been pushed back inside gently by Adahari who claimed they didn't need her help.

Her thoughts roamed back to her past and the summers spent in Denerim. She had been forced to make the trip between Highever and Denerim with her father every summer since her parents and King Maric were hoping to change their children's opinions of each other in order to avoid a forced marriage. Thus, making them spend their whole summers together. However, as they got older, Cailan's interest in Katharyne had never really amplified. Instead, he spent time reading and training with every weapon possible.

By the age of thirteen, Katharyne had turned to the softer arts and reading in the castle's library to keep herself occupied. When she wasn't in her quarters or in the library, she spent most of her time in the large castle gardens or wandering about the castle, questioning if her marriage would be as lonesome as their courtship… if that's what it could be called.

She had been forbidden, as future queen, to fraternize with the squires and knights, she guessed due to her first meeting with Alistair. Katharyne had never really been one to follow rules, especially if they were ridiculous; however, she tried her best, mainly to make her father happy. Nevertheless, the fates seemed to have a different plan. At first, their meetings were impromptu and mere accidents. A few fleeting glances across a hall, a few passings in the castle's hallways as she wandered about, and even a few unexpected meetings in the large library.

The servant came back as they were finally on the cobbled road again. After a light midday meal, Katharyne tried to read one of the books she had brought with her, but her thoughts drifted to her past once more. She remembered something that happened during her seventeenth year, three years past.

···

It had been only a few days after her arrival in Denerim, and Cailan and she were playing cards. Katharyne, who was lucky at cards, was winning much more than the prince and that seemed to exasperate him. She had her hair up in a simple fashion, to expose her neck and wore a dress of Cailan's favourite colour. The low décolleté exposed her newly found cleavage in just the right way and the cut was fitted at her slim hips to accentuate them. She tried her best to make him notice how much she had grown and changed, but the twenty-two year old prince hadn't uttered a word regarding her appearance and barely looked at her either. After their 8th round made her win once more, he had had enough and stormed out of the library, not even shooting her a glance. Katharyne, for a long time, had feared that her betrothed was not interested in women, since he avoided her like a curse, however, she had seen him flirt with other ladies at court and she had been told he had brought a woman to his bed during his twentieth year.

"Cailan really doesn't know what he's missing…" She heard a voice utter behind her. She turned around and saw Alistair leaning on a nearby bookcase, an open book in his left hand.

"Ser Alistair…" Katharyne said as she got up and did a slight curtsey as a greeting, a teasing grin on her face.

"Oh, please my dear lady! I will not be a knight until next year! Just call me Alistair!" He teased as he put the book on the nearby table.

"It does not mean I cannot practice." She responded, grinning from ear to ear as he approached her.

"I must say, however, you look lovely today, truly." He said, eyeing her up and down with a fleeting glance. "I really don't know why His Highness won't look at you, he really doesn't know what he's missing…"

"Why thank you, ser!" She replied, laughing as she twirled in her dress, the compliment making her feel light-hearted and cheerful. Alistair's presence always made Katharyne jubilant, which consecutively, made her enjoy his company very much. She observed her seventeen-year-old friend facing her. He no longer was the lanky boy she came to know. His eyes were now an amber colour and his hair was darker as well. She noticed some stubble growing on his chin. He had clearly become a man. She could see his arm muscles flexing lightly as he moved about. She wondered what his arms would feel like around her, what he would smell like, what he, as a whole, would feel like. Her mind had begun to get thoughts like that since she had become sixteen and she had seen him in the courtyard, training with no shirt on, the sun shining lightly on his perspiring body.

She shook the thoughts away as she twirled a few times with his encouragement, giggling loudly. As she twirled one last time, she suddenly felt a bit light-headed and stumbled over her feet. As she fell, she shut her eyes, waiting for an impact that never came. She felt some strong arms wrap around her and pull her up. She opened her eyes slowly, and saw a pair of golden eyes inches away, searching hers deeply. Alistair was holding her in his arms… and his lips were inches away from hers, she realised as she felt her heart beating like a drum in her chest.

"A-Alistair… I… Thank you…" She managed to whisper, her eyes locked with his, his body pressed against hers.

She took the time to observe him, her lips still slightly parted in surprise. He kept staring at her intently, seemingly not wanting to let go. She felt like she was in a trance, seeing his face grow closer as he was leaning in and their lips were suddenly pressed ever so lightly. The feather-light touch was enough to break the daze they were in, as Katharyne felt a small jolt run through her body. Alistair let her go quickly, stumbling over his words as he hastily left the library. Katharyne sat back at the table, reaching for her lips and brushing a finger of her bottom lip.

"He kissed me… He actually kissed me…" She kept whispering to herself, feeling elated and yet, also feeling pained.

She spent the rest of the summer trying to find Alistair and talk to him, but to no avail. The man was clearly avoiding her. Thus, by the end of the summer, Katharyne left for Highever her heart heavy with emotion.

···

As dusk approached, she had supper with her servant before trying to drift off to sleep. After twisting and turning, she awoke to find Adahari asleep in her seat. Katharyne leaned on the closest carriage window and stared at the half-moon. Her thoughts trailed to the year beforehand, her nineteenth.

After she had spent her entire eighteenth year at the University of Orlais, she had finally come back to the palace in Denerim. When she had arrived, Cailan had not been acting like himself… Or the way she had grown up knowing him at least. It seemed like a whole year without seeing her had changed him. He greeted her himself, helped her out of the carriage and proposed they spend time together as soon as she was rested. He would speak her praises to anyone who would listen every time they were accompanied around the castle, and he had been constantly complimenting her. He kept saying how he had never realised she was so beautiful, how she was so lovely and how much he loved her.

Katharyne was not sure what to think. Had Cailan become mad? They had exchanged many letters throughout her year away and they had been nothing more than personal correspondence… Not love letters in the least. People had started whispering that the prince was finally in love with the lady Katharyne. To make things even worse, Alistair was nowhere to be found. She had tried to contact him every few months throughout her year in Orlais, but none of her letters had been replied to.

After only a day at the palace, she asked a few servants and was told that he had been sent to Redcliffe while she had been in Orlais. That night, Katharyne cried herself to sleep, as she had realised what she feared had come true. She had fallen in love with Alistair… And she would never see him again.

No matter what Cailan could give her, she would never forget her first love… the man who stole her heart. Alistair.