A/N: Forgive me if any of the characters' personalities do no tseem right, especially Teagan's, I often question myself if I made him too aggressive when it comes to Isolde...Also some quick info: in this story Alistair was never a Grey Warden, he was just proclaimed king at the landsmeet, and nor was he at Ostagar. Also this is set approximatley one year after the completion of Awakening.

(Prolouge Chapters: Chapter 1)

20:Dragon

(Eamon)

Arl Eamon Guerrin was looking out upon the courtyard of the castle of redcliffe from his chambers on the second floor, handing a sealed letter that bore the mark of redcliffe to a messenger hawk; it was the first of several such letters to be sent, they were officail summonings to his vassels, his wife Isolde was with child. Eamon considered this a mixed blessing, on onr side he would finally have a legitimate heir to the Arling, on the other there was the decision of what to do with Alistair.

Eamon picked at his grizzled grey beard as he pondered. Isolde was constantly hounding him to get rid of the young boy but he had come to care for the lad.

As if summoned by his thoughts Alistair ran out of the keep's kitchen into the courtyard his clothes dirty, his knees scraped, yet he appeared to be happy, he picked up a wooden practice sword and began working at the posts next to where the recruit guards were training, Eamon wass brought to chuckle as Alistair mocked the guard captain Cayn who proceeded to chase the young boy around the training grounds, some of the recruits who didn't yet know better laughed, Cayn would surely punish them with laps around the keep.

Eamon turned his head quickly as a rasping knock at his door awoke him from his thoughts. "Enter." Eamon called from his seat at his table, he was wearing his signature red and gold doublet.

Senecshal Myran entered, he was clad in a large silver robe with a redcliffe crest sewn into the breast, his once thick ginger hair had been reduced to only a few straggelers amongst a thin line of snow. "Your Grace, your brother Teagan wishes an audience." Old Myran stated. "Send him in." Eamon replied quickly.

Merely two minutes after the seneschal left Teagan entered wearing a travelers coat over his sheathed longsword. "Yes Teagan?" Eamon asked kindly.

"Brother we need to discuss Alistair before I take my leave for Rainesfere." Teagan stated as he manuevered past multiple chairs to come to the window table.

Eamon had been putting this conversation off for some time, and now Teagan forced it right before he was to leave for his home bannorn. "Speak." he did not hide his dissatisfaction.

"...Yes, well with your Orlesian wife now pregnant we need to do something with him." Teagan stated. Eamon knew Teagan bore no love for Isolde, he often thought her ill-tempered and airheaded.

As if on cue Alistair was heard yelling from the courtyard, the brothers both looked upon the scene smiling, seeing the bustle of the courtyard. "Have you any ideas on what to do with him exactly?"

"Isolde just hounds me to be rid of him-" Teagan cut him off quite quickly, "He is Maric's son and he shouldn't be reduced to an orphaned beggar because your foreign harpy says it to be so!"

"...Perhaps I could send him to the Chantry?" Eamon replied with a frown, you could sense how hurt he was to make this decision. "Isolde doesn't know the truth, it might work."

"Eamon you know that's a terrible thing to do to a child his age, bastard or not...to live within the chantry for one's whole life..." Eamon knew his brother believed in the maker well enough, just not in the chantry particularly. "What do you suggest?" Eamon asked curiously. "Why not send him to squire for some bann or arl? he seems good enough with the sword and I hear Highever's looking for boys of his age, and more importantley his skill."

Eamon thought of the idea, it was true, Alistair had proved skillfull enough in ways of the sword, but the trip to highever was a long one. "Bryce? All the way in Highever? That's quite the trip brother..." Eamon said doubtidly "Me and my household guard can escort him, I can take a detour to Highever, there's to be a tourney, I would like to take part." Teagan's pride was beginning to show in his smile as he raised his hand to his chin. "I'm unsure...do we even know if Bryce will take him, he has his own sons and that Gilmore..?" Eamon replied. "You two are old friends, I doubt he'd deny it, just send a messenger hawk, he'd be honor bound to accept."

Eamon once again started picking at his beard quizzically, he looked one last time down at Alistair who had finally been caught by Cayn and was being taken inside. After a long while Eamon finally spoke. "Tell the sensechal to bring me one more piece of paper, I need to write to old Bryce Cousland...I will tell him you are coming, I'm sure he'll give you and your men proper lodgings."

"I'm looking forward to it." Teagan said with a smile as he began his short walk to the door, as he reached the door he looked back at Eamon with somewhat of a frown. "You're doing the right thing brother, I'm sure of it."

"I hope so Teagan...I hope so..."

The next day Eamon seeked out Alistair along with Teagan. They found him in the stables feeding a large warhorse. "Alistair child come here, I have big news for you." Eamon gestured the young child of ten years over. Alistair had a great smile upon his face as he approached them, he considered them both father figures and were very much the only sentient beings he ever loved. "Yes father?" he asked with childish innocence, it did not ease the moment as Eamon had truly loved the boy as a son. "As you know, Isolde's going to have a child." Eamon stated. "Where do children come from? The fade?" at the age of ten one would think he would be wise enough to know that children do not come from the fade..."No children do not come from the fade dear boy." Eamon and Teagan could not help but smile. "Do you know what a squire is?" Alistair struggled with the question, although he was more educated than the average, he was not educated to the level of the nobles, Isolde made sure of that. "Some sort of...knight in training?"

"Indeed. How would you like to become squire to the Teyrn of Highever?"

"But my place is here! With the horses!" Alistair did truly love the horses, though he could never learn to truly ride one. 'Just like his father.' Eamon thought, it truly was saddening that Alistair had almost no interaction with either children his age or true parenting figures, true Eamon tried his best but was often swamped in work or his wife Isolde, and Teagan was excellent, but he rarely stayed in redcliffe for more than a few days and only visited when his brother summoned him.

It was then Teagan decided to speak "They have horses is Highever Alistair, a lot more in fact, plus there you will be formally trained by a master-at-arms in the ways of the sword! Just like you always wanted! Not to mention there will be more squires your age, you'll have true friends." Teagan's words touched something deep in Alistair as the lad bit his lip slowly. "Truly? I will be taught and still be able to look after horses? WILL I LEARN TO RIDE?" he practically screamed the last five words.

"Maybe, though, if I'm any judge, you won't be a true rider for many years." Teagan chuckled. Eamon spoke quickly, "You can have a horse of your own as a parting gift...take your pick." Eamon gestured towards the stables. "Truly?...why? Won't I come back?" Alistair asked, "Maybe one day, and I hope to see you in Knight's armor and chain." Eamon replied. "Very well, I'll do it!" Alistair said excitedly. "Good! We leave today, hurry pack your things when you come back you can pick your horse." Teagan said happily.

Minutes after Alistair hurried off to the servants quarters to pack his things Eamon turned to Teagan.

"You're sure he'll be alright?"

"Of course."

"What if the other squires bully him? Or he doesn't learn fast enough, or-"

"Eamon please! Alistair will be fine." Teagan said as he raised his hand to stop his lord brother.

"Make sure of it Teagan, the lad's grown on me." Teagan said regretfully.

"He's grown on us all brother." Teagan said with a polite laugh.

Alistair ran out of the servant's quarters with his pack and ran directly to the stables. Teagan and Eamon were not far behind. "I can have anyone I want?" Alistair asked as if he was a child in a candy store, which he very much was. "As long as it's not a war horse already picked out for someone, yes." Eamon said.

Alistair walked directly to a red mare, it was this horse that Alistair was always seen feeding and grooming as a young child. "I want her!" He said excitedly "I'll call her the Red Wind!" Eamon coul dnot help but chuckle as Alistair named his horse. Teagan had called over the horse master Garlen, a portly man, and told him to saddle the horse.

In a matter of two hours, Teagan's entire guard force was ready to move out. Teagan had mounted his golden bronco and looked back to Eamon, Teagan's guards were still moving about quickly saddleing their horses and mounting up. Alistair was standing next to Eamon with his Red Wind one last time. "I guess this is goodbye...father." he said holding back sadness. "For now, maybe, here let me help you into your saddle." Eamon said as he picked up young Alistair and hooked him into the saddle of Red Wind. "Thank you." Alistair said. "Alistair, I'm proud of you, remember that." Eamon said as he slapped the horse lightly, which resulted in the horse beginning to trott towards Teagan's group.

Mere seconds after Teagan's group left the gate and Eamon had turned to return to his solar, he heard a loud thud and a cry of pain. "Well." Eamon stated laughing. "He's got a long way to go before he can ride a horse..."