A/N: I've taken a few liberties here and there, so please forgive me if I go slightly off canon to fit my story (specifically with Eamon's storyline). I'm also not quite sure how titles should work here, so for simplicity's sake Teryns/Terynas/Arls/Arlessas will be referred to as His/Her/Your Grace and Banns as His/Her/Your Lordship.


The early morning air was hot and muggy as Alistair watched the servants load the many carriages carrying various belongings. Though he'd have every need attended to while traveling, he missed the days where it was him and his comrades walking from place to place, city to city, bannorn to bannorn. He remembered how anxious and frustrated he would feel over the slow speed they took with one horse and carriage. What he wouldn't give to just jump on one of the horses and ride off to Highever on his own; he was sure he'd make good time.

He rubbed his temples, already feeling a headache forming as he watched his page load a chest full of documents for him to review during his travels. It contained correspondence with dignitaries, both foreign and domestic. Letters from his citizens, nobles and peasants alike, detailing the happenings in their lands. He'd have to review them all before venturing into the respective lands - he needed to present himself as a capable king who was familiar with his lands.

Eamon approached him from behind and watched the organized chaos with Alistair. "Are you ready, Your Majesty?"

"Not in the slightest," Alistair admitted.

"That's not true," Eamon chuckled. "You've been preparing for this since your coronation. You are ready."

Alistair smiled, appreciating Eamon's confidence. For all his meddling in the past year, he was proving himself to be a trusted advisor. It pained Alistair to admit it, but he would have been lost the past several months without Eamon's help.

"I wanted to briefly discuss something with you before you depart regarding my plans for managing Redcliffe. You, of course, have the final say, and we don't need to finalize anything until you return, but I wanted to make you aware of how I'd like my estate to be settled." Alistair raised his eyebrows, curious to what Eamon had planned. "I would like to step down as Arl of Redcliffe and pronounce Teagan my heir. Both he and Isolde will greet you at Redcliffe during your travels, and then she will make her way to the Denerim to stay with me. My one son and heir is a mage and, according to Chantry laws, cannot inherit my lands or titles, and..." Eamon rubbed his eyes, looking far older than he truly was. "I don't want Isolde and I to go through the stress and heartache of attempting to produce another heir." He cleared his throat and straightened up. "Teagan will make a fine Arl of Redcliffe."

Alistair was not sure how to respond. He knew Eamon and Isolde had struggled making their family, having only one son who had been sick most of his young life, only to have him become a mage and ineligible. Anger bubbled inside of him on behalf of the couple - they were parents who shouldn't have to deal with their son being taken from them. There was nothing Alistair could do... yet. Wynne's words from not that long ago still echoed in his ear, and he promised himself he would do what he could to change the minds of the citizens of Ferelden: to show them mages did not have to be feared.

He clasped Eamon's shoulder. "I agree, Teagan will make a wonderful Arl, and I am grateful for your presence and support here in Denerim," he said, and he meant it. Eamon smiled and nodded his thanks.

"Good luck to you, but you'll do fine. Just remember to pretend to act interested and happy. Once the palace announces your betrothal to Lady Elissa, things will quiet down. Until, of course, it's your children's turn."

Alistair groaned in dismay.


They neared the castle of Waking Sea, and Alistair could see the guards at the wall's gate standing at attention. Once they were a few hours away from the castle and surrounding village, Alistair chose to ride on horseback. Elissa and Aedan both had stressed the importance of connecting with the villagers and peasants as well as the nobles. The head of his kingsguard, Ser Arthur, was wary of allowing the young king to ride in the open without much protection, but Alistair was adamant. He donned his golden armor and strapped his shield, still plain, and Maric's sword across his back. The villagers clamored to see him, shouting his name and throwing flowers in his path. He raised his hand and waved, promising to return to the village over the next few days.

Ser Arthur shouted to the guards at gate to raise the portcullis for His Majesty and bars began to rise immediately. With his guards surrounding him on horseback, they passed through the gate and into the courtyard of the castle.

Bann Alfstanna stood at the top of the steps, her chestnut hair in a sturdy braid. She was dressed in breeches and a plain linen shirt, as was the rest of her household. The population of Waking Sea took great pride in manual work and disliked the ostentatiousness most other nobles in Ferelden seemed keen on. The liked simplicity and necessities - it was rare to see gold jewelry or a silver belt. Everything had a purpose, and Alistair could appreciate that.

"Bann Alfstanna, it's wonderful to see you again!"

Alistair meant it, relishing in the fact he would not necessarily mean it every time he greeted a new noble. But Alfstanna had been a strong supporter of his and the Grey Wardens, and Alistair would always be grateful.

Though Alfstanna was little over a decade older than Alistair, she was lovely, with chocolate eyes and a wide smile. She was loved by her people, and Alistair knew many of the locals here would push for him to choose their leader as their queen. "Your Majesty, you have my thanks for attending to my lands and my people," Alfstanna said, curtseying low.

Alistair slid off his horse, thankful to the Maker that he landed solidly on his feet. "Thank you for inviting me. I am thrilled to have Waking Sea as the first stop on my tour of my country."

She gestured to an intimidating man on her right who offered a curt bow. "This is Ser Lucan, the captain of my guards. His men will show you to your chambers. Once you are rested, please join me in my study."

"Of course, my lady," Alistair acquiesced. "Give me an hour to wash and change, and to see to my men."

"As you wish. Ser Lucan will meet you outside your door in an hour to show you the way."

Alistair made his way to Alfstanna's study with Ser Lucan and Ser Arthur. His kingsguard walked behind the two men, carefully keeping an eye out for any mischievousness, but Alistair did not worry. He spoke with Ser Lucan regarding Waking Sea, how its lands and people were, how the darkspawn had affected the area. Fortunately the taint never quite reached the land, but the lack of an army and guards did cause an increase in crime. But now that the war was over, they were making their city and land great again, thanks to Bann Alfstanna's outstanding leadership.

Ser Lucan paused a few feet from the closed door Alistair assumed was Alfstanna's study. "If I may be so bold, Your Majesty," he said quietly. "Alfstanna would make a wondrous queen. She is fair and just, eloquent, and not afraid to do any work herself. You'll need a strong woman by your side."

Alistair remained quiet, unsure quite how to answer without promises or insults. Finally faced with his first proposition, all of Eamon's training left his mind. Arthur's quiet chuckle from behind him certainly didn't help. But Lucan took Alistair's silence as a slight and was quick to retract his words. "My apologies if I spoke out of line, Your Majesty," he said quietly, his head hanging in shame.

Alistair clasped the man on the shoulder. "I can see Bann Alfstanna is well loved by her people. You spoke with your heart and without insult. My focus now is to see the cities and lands of Ferelden, but I will remember your words."

Lucan nodded his thanks and proceeded to open the door to the study. The two men followed Alistair in as Alfstanna rose from behind her desk. "King Alistair, please have a seat by the fire," she said, gesturing to two plush chairs angled towards the hearth.

She turned towards the two knights. "Ser Lucan, why don't you show Ser Arthur our training grounds and new guards. I'm sure he could give us some invaluable advice how to improve it, as well as collect any information His Majesty might want."

Ser Arthur shifted uncomfortably. "Many thanks, Your Lordship, but my place is beside the king."

Alistair smiled as he dropped into one of the chairs. "Go ahead, Ser Arthur. Return here in an hour. Bann Alfstanna and her people are not our enemies, I think I should be quite safe here." Arthur did not looked pleased, though he nodded and left with Lucan all the same.

Alfstanna lowered herself into the opposite chair. "I am happy to see you are in good health, Your Majesty."

Alistair laughed. "And by good health you mean not covered in blood and dirt?" She chuckled in response. "I believe we can drop the formalities, Alfstanna. At least privately."

"If you say so, Alistair," she said, leaning back comfortably. She had a small stack of papers with figures and notes, and she began to tell him about her lands and what happened during the war. They discussed the happenings of Waking Sea for hours, not only of its wounds but of its people, its trades, its strengths. The sun's last rays were barely over the horizon by the time they finished, and Alistair was pleased to hear they had remained free of darkspawn. "I'm happy to say we can pass on any monetary assistance from the crown, though we would be glad to receive any guards you could spare to help finally destroy the gangs that had taken up residence once and for all. I think a dozen of the king's men could make a large difference."

"I'll write to Denerim tonight and have twenty dispatched as soon as possible," Alistair said. He rolled his shoulders and stretched, surprised to see to see how much time had passed since they had begun. He assumed Arthur was standing outside the door, never straying too far from his king. "You're quite popular here, I see. It's clear your people love you."

To his surprise, Alfstanna's eyes narrowed slightly. "Lucan said something, didn't he?"

Alistair felt his face flush as he rubbed the back of his neck. "He may have mentioned you... uh, would make a good queen."

Alfstanna's brows shot up, but she immediately leaned back in her chair and lost herself to laughter. "I didn't think he'd be brazen enough to say anything," she said, wiping away tears from her eyes. Alistair chuckled in response, happy and relieved that Alfstanna wasn't going to push him any further. "Let me be clear, Alistair. If you were to propose to me, I would say yes, but it's very clear you're already spoken for."

Alistair froze in his seat, his face flushing. Alfstanna smirked at him, waiting for his response. "Uh..."

She laughed and waved her hand. "Lady Elissa of Highever will do splendidly. It was obvious at the Landsmeet you were quite taken with each other."

"Was it?" Alistair gulped. "We were trying to be... that is to say..."

"Oh don't worry so much. You were very proper, nothing was amiss. I'd say most people want to forget about the months you spent combatting the darkspawn while the civil war waged on. It's known that she was one of your companions, aiding you and Aedan. She was a key member who helped end the Blight, is the sister to the Grey Warden Commander, and is from the oldest and most noble house of Cousland. She is the obvious choice."

He shifted uncomfortably in his chair. "Nothing is official... I still have to talk to Fergus."

"Of course. Highever's one of your last stops, no?" Alistair nodded. "He'll say yes, have no doubt. From purely a political standpoint, there is no greater honor than having his younger sister married to the king and become queen."

Alistair nodded again, though he didn't say anything. It wasn't Fergus's answer he was waiting for.

"In any case, while the nobility may know you are planning on choosing Lady Elissa, it's not to say they won't attempt to change your mind."

He groaned, dropping his head into his hands. "The nobility and their people alike, it seems."

Alfstanna laughed and rose. "I'm glad we finished sorting out business right away. Now you can spend the rest of your days here touring the land and villages. Come, you must be starving, and my cook makes a splendid roast quail."


"All hail His Majesty, King Alistair!"

Bann Ceorlic seemed like a jovial man, breaking tradition and running down his steps to greet the king. Alistair did his best not to scowl; he wouldn't forget how Ceorlic not only sided with Loghain, the wholeheartedly opposed Alistair. Still, he and his men fought bravely during the Blight, and he swore his fealty to Alistair at his coronation, so Alistair did his best to grin when Ceorlic shook his hand.

"Bann Ceorlic, thank you for so warmly receiving me and my men."

"The pleasure is all mine, Your Majesty! What an honor it is for me to have you grace our lands!"

Alistair bit his tongue, knowing that Ceorlic was laying it on thick after siding with the losing party at the Landsmeet. It wasn't the only lord to do so, but Alistair was still feeling uncomfortable and annoyed after dealing with them.

"The weather has not been kind to us the last few days of traveling," Alistair began as Ceorlic's servants began unloading his carriage. "I am eager to meet with you to discuss your lands, but it would be most appreciated to have an hour to rest and change."

"Nonsense!" Ceorlic cried, and Alistair had to purposely stop himself from wincing. "The sun is shining, the air is warm. You'll want to stretch your legs and take a stroll through our gardens first. You can truly see the beauty of our bannorn there. Alannah?" A meek, young girl who could be no older than fifteen appeared at Ceorlic's side. She was pretty, with wispy fair hair and pale skin. Alistair could hardly see her face with her locks covering it. She wore a pale pink gown that was more fitting at a ball than outside to greet the king. Fine gold jewelry graced her wrists and neck. Alistair bit back a groan, knowing where this conversation was heading.

"Alannah is my granddaughter, and one of the beauties of my bannorn," Ceorlic urged, grasping Alannah's shoulders and gently pushing her towards Alistair. She stumbled and her faced turned bright red. "Alannah will show you through the gardens. And please, take your time. We'll wait til tomorrow after breakfast to discuss business. Enjoy yourself tonight."

Ceorlic turned and walked back into the castle with the rest of his household scurrying after him. Alistair chanced a look at Arthur, who merely shrugged.

Act kingly. Act kingly. Act kingly.

Alannah was still staring at her feet, her hands grasped tightly together in front of her. There was no lady to accompany her, and all of Ceorlic's guards were following him into his castle. Alistair cleared his throat and extended his arm. "My lady, it would be my honor to stroll the gardens with you."

She looked up and smiled meekly at him, and took his arm. They began walking towards the garden at a snail's pace, with Arthur and a few of the kingsguards trailing behind them. It was incredibly improper to escort such a young woman alone. Alistair would keep to the yard, in full view of the castle. And he would not let Arthur leave his side this time. Ceorlic may not be his enemy, but he was certainly pushing for something Alistair did not want.


"Onto Amaranthine, Your Majesty?"

The Grand Tour of Ferelden was nearly over with. The only two stops left were Amaranthine, which Alistair had given to the Grey Wardens, and Highever.

Over the past several months, Alistair had toured dozens of lands, hundreds of nobles, and thousands of citizens. He had passed through small farming and fishing villages with no more than 50 citizens. He toured some of the greatest cities Ferelden had. He met with the rich nobles and supped with the poor, prayed and Chantries both large and small, and saw the wreckage that the Blight and civil war had caused.

Lothering was no more, just a pile of rubble and charred land. He was organizing bands of refugees and sending them to reclaim these lands from waste. He was assured in a few years time, these towns would be regrown and better than ever.

He didn't dare venture to Ostagar. Last he had heard from Aedan, any remaining darkspawn still roamed there. Once the Grey Wardens built up their numbers a bit more, they had plans to venture down them and rid the land of the monsters. Alistair hadn't wanted to visit anyway; when he returned, and he promised himself he would, he'd visit with the Couslands. They were with him when it all started.

Alistair readied himself to climb into the carriage. He thought of Elissa, and how much he missed her. Correspondence could happen easily enough when he was in Denerim, but he hadn't been able to be in touch with her at all since he left.

A million reasons flitted through his mind. He wanted to give the Wardens more time to prepare. Perhaps Fergus and Elissa would like to accompany him to Amaranthine. The weather on that part of the coast was always frightful this time of year. It didn't matter. Seeing Elissa was the only reason that mattered for him.

"No. To Highever."