Chapter 2

A/N: Chapter two! I probably won't post this quick too often. Most likely a one-time thing, but I just got word on my computer and I couldn't wait to post. So here it is the next chapter in my great Loghain/Cousland love story! Read and Review please!

Melody was terrified. She knew she shouldn't be. She had faced much worse before. This threat, while formidable, was just another trial. Just one more teeny tiny—oh who was she kidding? This wedding would be the death of her.

She knew it was stupid. Alistair had to marry Anora. Honestly, that wasn't even what bothered her most. She was most worried about having to face Alistair. Their last conversation hadn't gone so well. She kept retracing it in her mind. There isn't any us. He had said. He was so angry that day. While she couldn't blame him for his anger, she couldn't quite forgive him for it either. Alistair was being unbelievably childish. Was Melody simply supposed to murder Loghain in cold blood? Make his daughter watch? Reduce a legendary hero to a pathetic and unfitting end? She couldn't do that.

Part of her reasoning she admitted aloud. The Anora excuse certainly stopped questions. Loghain didn't need to know her other reasons anyway. No one did.

Loghain was appalled. Cailan was enough but this….Alistair, was almost twice the fool with half the backbone. To think Anora would be marrying this village idiot was almost unfeasible.

Alright, he could admit it to himself; it was not so much the boy's demeanor he didn't like as it was the tales that the other companions shared with him about Melody and Alistair's previous relationship. Loghain had no idea what such a magnificent woman would want with Alistair. The man threw more temper tantrums than Cailan and had more of an uppity air than half the Revered Mother's he knew. Okay, so he was jealous. Really, was it such a big deal? The answer? Yes. Yes it was. Melody could never know.

She was walking past him now. It occurred to him that he had never seen her in a dress before. She was wearing one now, though. A long, burgundy dress made of Orlesian silk. Normally, he would despise anything Orlesian, but on her it was magnificent. It was just the right color for her, of course. Not only did it compliment her natural skin tone, but it was a highly aggressive color. It practically shouted out the names of the men she had killed in her life, and begged the next person who looked at her wrong to be added to the list. Loghain guessed that that was the reason behind her slight grin. She was remarkable. And for this reason, he needed to stay away from her.

Melody had missed the simplicity of noble affairs. While she never quite fit in, at least there wasn't a life-threatening urgency to these things. Her main issue here would be Alistair, of course. She had no idea what she'd say to him. She'd be required to say something, of course—

"Mel."

She stopped dead in the middle of her internal babble. She knew that voice, knew it intimately. Melody understood exactly what would happen if she turned around. Still, she didn't think. She simply reacted. She knew it was stupid, but so was love. Besides, she needed to have closure. One last conversation with Alistair wouldn't hurt anything. Not anything. Completely innocent. Maker, she was a fool.

Slowly, hardly even aware of herself, she turned to face him. He was wearing something her Alistair would never be caught dead in: noble attire. It almost made her laugh aloud at the ridiculousness of this entire situation. Almost, but not quite.

"Maker, Mel it's my wedding and yet you're looking better than I am. I could have you hung for that, you know."

"Oh come now, Alistair. We all know you've been dying to do more than just hang me for looking good. How's your betrothed?"

"Good. Well, a ball of nerves actually. And when Anora is nervous, she gets even more bossy, if you can imagine."

"I would rather not. Regularly bossy Anora is nearly too much already."

Alistair stood there a minute awkwardly for a minute more before saying, "Well, I should—" He dropped off and turned to walk away.

"Loghain is doing well, by the way, just in case you were wondering."

Alistair stopped dead in his tracks. The conversation was awkward enough, but to bring him up? What was she thinking?

"Oh. Well I suppose I should be glad. He is soon to be my father-in-law, after all. Speaking of, I need to get going. This wedding can't start without me. Have a good time here, Lady Cousland." And with that, he walked away. Every bit the noble king and nothing of the man she fell in love with.

Melody walked away with her throat suspiciously full, her eyes glinting furiously. It was as if he were an entirely different person. But he didn't matter anymore. This entire day was proof of that. Alistair was no longer a factor in the war she had to fight. The war that was necessary for the world to continue. The moment he gave up on his duties for petty revenge was the day her love died. She saw that now. Mel breathed a sigh of relief. Her most recent epiphany would enable her to move on. Just as well. All that miserable moping was pathetic. Now was her time for fun, though. After all, everyone gets laid at weddings.

Loghain was standing by a column. Of all the places he should have been standing, by Anora, next to the Maker-sent open bar, or even outside brooding about this miserable day, and he chose the column. The ceremony was over by now, of course. It was very…..ostentatious. Almost, Orlesian, even.

Anora was a good girl, but very impractical when it came to noble parties and large events. She wanted it all and sometimes that meant that quite a few sovereigns were wasted.

The reception was in full-swing now. Loghain couldn't help but notice that Melody was the belle of the ball. She was dancing with everyone, speaking to all the right people, even making jokes with the Revered Mother. She was flowing around the room, so quickly if you blinked you wouldn't be able to find her again. Maker, she was a handful; very energetic, as well as young, and beautiful. She should have lived a long, happy life as the Lady Melody Cousland. Instead, she would die relatively young as the Grey Warden Cousland. Maker knows that most of Thedas made no sense. Loghain pulled himself out of his head for a minute or so to think about what he would do now. Go up to his room or drink liberally? He was halfway to the table full of alcohol when the shadow of the beautiful Miss Cousland passed over his face.

"Why, Miss Cousland, shouldn't you be twirling around the room with the young Banns and sons of the Teyrn?"

"Why twirl with the sons when I have a Ferelden legend at my disposal? How about it? Feel like twirling poor me around?"

"Madam, I do not see how I would be a desired dance partner. Drinking Mate, possibly, but I do not dance."

"Well, too bad for you. I don't take no for an answer. I am a noble's daughter, after all." And with that, she pulled him out to the dance floor and wrapped herself into his well-built arms.

She may have been wearing a calm, slightly entertained smirk, but Melody hadn't been sure that this would work at all. Luckily, with a combination of blindly optimistic bravado and the knowledge that every person in the room was watching, Loghain couldn't say no. Melody smiled nervously, at a loss for a conversation starter. Luckily, Loghain had no such problem.

"So, did you enjoy the ceremony?"

"Well, it was very…..Orlesian."

"I thought the same thing. Actually, everyone wearing masks couldn't have made this event even more so, I fear."

"Careful. Anora may hear you and add it to her next event."

Loghain couldn't help but snort at that comment. Maker, but Melody was ravishing tonight. The dress accented her curves in just the right places and her only jewelry – a long, beautiful chain at her neck – curving down, crossing over her collarbone, and resting remarkably close to her –

"My eyes are up here, Teyrn Loghain." Melody put on a gorgeous, saucy smile. Damn, he wasn't supposed to get caught. He quickly thought up a believable excuse.

"There was a ….feather…." Oh, Great job, Loghain. He thought. She'll believe that one no problem. Andraste's flaming sword he was an idiot. To his advantage, she decided to act blissfully ignorant to the fact that his excuse made no sense. Well, except for that damned smirk.

"Ah, I see."

The reception seemed to pass in the blink of an eye and before they knew it, the party was over and it was time to get back to the matter of the Archdemon. Wow, weren't their lives fun?Bottom of Form