A/N: Oh my! I didn't expect the outcome this story got. Thank you all for the reviews, alerts, subscriptions! As always, this is AU. Hope you enjoy reading.
When Two Are One
"If things were perfect, we wouldn't have met."
Alistair couldn't help but grin all the way back to the castle. Sure, he wasn't the smoothest with the ladies but something inside told him that he did alright tonight, even if he didn't see Brenna again, he had a boost of confidence that any many would need. "Alistair, where have you been? Eamon is looking all over for you!" He turned to see Teagan coming towards him. Oh no, not another scolding. "Why are you grinning like that?" He asked but the older man just shook his head, "Never mind that. Eamon is displeased that you weren't there to greet the Couslands upon their arrival." Oh! He had forgotten. Damn. He wasn't going to hear the end of it.
"I got…distracted," he replied. Oh yes, Teagan would have loved to hear that his named heir was in the tavern getting drunk because he didn't want to be forced into courting some noble that he had never met before. "I'm sorry Teagan, it won't happen again." The older man just smiled and clapped him on the back. Really? He was being understanding? Alistair was halfway shocked.
"It's alright, my boy, it's not me you have to worry about," Teagan replied, amused before chuckling softly. "I think you will like the Couslands. They're a long line of nobility tracing back to the early days of Ferelden." So everyone keeps telling him. Teagan leaned in a bit. "I've met the daughter." He drew in a quick breath. "You have your work cut out for you." Greeeeat. Thaaaanks. Alistair wanted to let out a loud groan but he held it in. Teagan's ending statement could've meant anything. "Dinner will be served soon, Eamon and I both expect you there."
He nodded. "As you wish," was all her could say before Teagan headed off. So much for having a nice time. This girl could be ugly for all her knew. She could have some hideous abomination to her and that was why the Couslands were in a rush to marry her off. Maybe she was a whore and sleepy around. Maybe they wanted her married because she was knocked up and they wanted to play it off like the kid would be his? Oh dear Maker, Alistair you do have an imagination. He ran his hand over his face and decided to clean up before finally meeting the famed family.
Raina decided to leave her hair down in curls, the way her mother liked it. She wore a deep a red dress. It was her subtle hint that she was in mourning without having to wear black. Why was she so? Because she was going to give up her freedom. She sighed a bit and looked back into the mirror of her vanity, surprised to see her father standing there. "You know, pup," he started as he leaned against the doorframe. "If things could've been different, I wouldn't have you here today." She turned around.
"You mean if I had been a boy. Then the worst thing you'd have to deal with was Fergus and I going at it for the title of heir?" She asked, one eyebrow going upwards. Her blue eyes showed that she was not amused. They were as cold and icy as winters day.
"No," he replied. She knew what he was talking about. "Nathanial is a nice boy but I can't help but think his father had ill intentions when he sent his boy to Highever last month." Ah. Yes. She had remembered it all too well.
"But I thought the Arl was a good friend," she started, slowly.
"Yes," Bryce Cousland replied, "But please trust me when I say, it's better for you to be with a man like Alistair than…a Howe." It was nice to see that her father wasn't thinking politically when it came to the whole thing. If this…man she was supposed to meet was really the bastard son of King Maric, if anything were to happen to King Cailan, he would have the right to the throne… Oh. Well duty did call, did it? This whole thing was…just in case. What a way to make a girl feel like nothing more than a trophy to be paraded. Was Teryn Loghain up to something that would make Arl Eamon distrust him enough to come up with an arrangement with her father? So many questions ran through her head but she knew the answer to the most important one. Why her… Because if the Theirin line ended, the Couslands had the next best claim. Lovely.
Raina sighed. "Alright father," she replied. "I'll do my best."
He came up to her and kissed her on top of the head. "That's all that I could ask of you, pup."
"Alistair I would like you to meet Raina Cousland," Eamon began introductions to his…well he didn't even know what to call her yet…after he had met her parents and brother. They all seemed like nice enough people but when Eamon stepped out of the way, it was like a blow beneath the belt. It was Brenna, excuse him, Raina, the dark haired beauty that he had met early that day. Oh, how he wished that she could see the look on her face, though if he were to guess correctly his own look was a mirror image. The Maker did have a sense of humor today.
"It's nice to meet you," he said, playing it off so nothing was suspicious. He didn't want Bryce and Eleanor to find out their daughter had been to the pub, unaccompanied. Though part of him thought that they wouldn't really be surprised. He watched a small smirk form on her lips as her eyebrow raised ever so slightly.
"Pleasure, Alistair," she said adding an extra bite to his name. Oh this was going to be fun. If they ever got a moment alone, she was surely not going to let him hear the last of it. "I've heard a lot about you." He wanted to groan, tuck his tail, and run. Women, honestly.
"Well now that introductions are done, dinner is served," Eamon announced. Dinner went by well, in Alistair's opinion. Light conversation was held by both sides. Teagan was especially pleasant to Raina. Did Alistair have no say in anything? He kept his eyes on his, what should he call her? His betrothed? Something along that lines, he supposed. When his eyes met with those blues, he found himself blushing. Maker… As soon as dinner was over and they were allowed to go, Eamon suggested that Alistair should take Raina to the courtyards to see the gardens. The dark haired woman before him seemed less than interested in going anywhere alone with him. Oh, how he wondered how her parents would react if they only knew… Alistair agreed, along with Raina even though the insisting part had been done by her mother. Once they were alone, Raina separated herself from him.
"You dirty little liar," she hissed under her breath. Alistair raised an eyebrow. Oh?
"You're one to talk, my dear lady," he said, voice only slightly amused. He watched as she put one hand on her hip. "Don't give me that look Brenna or is it Raina? I'm sorry, I don't know which to call you." As soon as the last word came out of his mouth, he felt a hard force against the side of his head. "Owww, what was that for?"
She rolled her eyes. "For being a smart ass," she replied.
"It's what I'm here for." This was going to be fun.
"And to think we're suppose to get along," she started as she walked beside him again. She was beautiful, he'd admit that, but he was starting think that she was nothing short than insufferable. Alistair let out a short grunt in response. "Oh please," she continued, "It's not like I asked for this." He turned his head to look at her.
"And what would you want?" He wondered.
Her head tilted upwards, looking at the sky and for the first time since they met each other in the pub, he saw her smile. "I want to explore all of Ferelden, maybe even Orlais, the Anderfels, and Antiva. I want to know all of Thedas. I want to say that I got to experience it all. I want to be a pirate and duel all those against me." She spread out her arms. "I want to fly…" She set her arm back down again by her side. "And be free."
It looked like they had more in common than he had originally thought.