Chapter 2 – Regicide

Dragon Age 9:57

The Royal Gamewoods outside Denerim

"Try and keep up Duncan! I could go much faster than this!" Aeryn laughed, kicking the flanks of her horse with her heels and streaking ahead like a bolt of lightning. Its hooves pounded on the grass, breath heaving in and out from its nostrils like a blast of steam.

"Aeryn! Not so fast – catch up – the guards can't – slow down!" yelled Duncan from some distance behind, his words broken up by the sound of the rushing wind. The Crown Prince was a fair rider, but Aeryn had been sitting a saddle ever since she was five. Her long red hair streamed out behind her like a lord's war banner.

Aeryn loved riding, and had mastered it from an early age. Part of it was because of her fascination with stories about knights and warriors, and they had to be good horsemen. Of particular interest was her personal heroine Aveline the First, the first ever female chevalier of legend. She had unhorsed all comers in her first tourney as a mystery participant, and in doing so won the right for all women everywhere to fight alongside men. Aeryn had vowed to do the same, and won quite a number of tourneys herself back in Highever when she came of age.

However, the real reason why she loved to ride was because it reminded her of her father. Her mother had handled every other part of her education, often sending the Highever scholar Master Alanna away in favour of teaching Aeryn herself. Leliana had taught her history, music, Ferelden, Orlesian and Antivan, and even a little bit of Ancient Tevinter. Also not to mention all the girly stuff like sewing and housekeeping and social etiquette. She had sat through all her lessons, bored most of the time. She couldn't wait for the times when Aedan had interrupted whatever she was doing with a kiss on the head and a loud shout of "Let's go outdoors, Ryn, it's too lovely a day to waste!"

After her kidnap in Denerim, he had taught her how to use the sword. Slowly at first, with wooden practice models. Then later with specially-made rapiers designed to fit a child's hand. He told her a master swordsman practised every day until his weapon became a part of his arm, and she had taken him at his word. Thereafter part of every day was devoted to swordplay. She learned from various teachers, fencing masters, soldiers, and even her father's friends Oghren and Zevran when they came to visit. But none could teach her better than her father could.

The Teyrn used a sword and shield, so she followed suit. But after much persuasion, he had convinced her mother to teach her how to dual-wield swords as well. She took to both fighting styles as easily as a duck takes to water. When he saw how much progress she made, and after pleading with him for ages, Aedan taught her the other parts of being a knight as well. How to use the lance and recognise heraldic device and the vows of knighthood. But most of all, horsemanship. Aeryn might have been skilled with a blade, but being a knight was all about handling a horse.

She had taken rides on horses before, but the Teyrn then taught her how to use one in battle. A trained warhorse was an invaluable asset, and remaining in the saddle was a great advantage to a knight. Of course, they had ridden for fun as well, sometimes with Leliana and Rolann and Darien following behind, but most of the time just the two of them exploring the lands around Highever. She loved those times. Her father was a busy man and she didn't get to see him often, but he always found time to ride alongside her whenever she wanted. They would talk of many things, of all the Teyrn had seen and done, of Aeryn's lessons and training, and hopes and dreams for the future.

It had been two years, and she still missed her father every day. She was grateful that he had managed to attend her wedding, and had the chance to give her away to her husband. She was also grateful that she had the chance to say goodbye and tell him everything that she wanted to say before he left for the Deep Roads forever. She knew most people didn't get the chance. However Aeryn was still a little bit sad. Her father had always been around for her. But she was a married woman now, wife to a prince and the future king of Ferelden, and she had to put such childish sentiments aside.

It had been an arranged marriage, agreed upon by both their fathers when they were still babes. From what she heard Queen Anora had made some noise, but Alistair had remained firm on the matter, intending for his House and the House of his best friend to be joined. She had grown up with Duncan, played with him when they were children, was courted by him when they were teens. Everyone had always assumed that they would get married, so it was a shock for Aeryn to find out mere weeks before the wedding. She'd always ignored any talk about a betrothal, never having been interested in that kind of stuff at all. Duncan was a good friend, and had grown into a wonderfully charming and erudite young man, but she hadn't been sure if she was ready for marriage.

It had been an eventful two years though, and she had to admit she was getting used to the married life. Duncan had proven to be a thoughtful, caring husband, as well as a great lover (even if she did say so herself). Her mother was also frequently around, Alistair having made Leliana a permanent member of the Royal Council before leaving for the Deep Roads. Although Aeryn loved her mother they had never really been close, but in the last couple of years things had changed. Aeryn found herself talking more and more with her mother whenever she visited the capital, and had come to appreciate her company and advice. It made for a nice change from dealing with Queen Anora on a daily basis, around whom Aeryn always felt like she was being assessed like a prize bull on market day.

She reigned in her horse and waited for the rest of the group to catch up in the shade of a huge tree, which they did eventually.

"My lady, it is not advisable to simply go tearing off at a moment's notice," said Duncan when he'd caught his breath.

"Why not?"

"There could be danger!"

"What danger? These are the royal gamewoods, Duncan. It's perfectly safe."

Duncan looked annoyed at being argued with, and Aeryn was sure a couple of the guards were trying to hide their smiles. The only thing that Duncan liked less than being talked back to was being mocked. Aeryn decided to let it go.

"All I'm asking is for you to -"

"I understand. I won't do it again."

Duncan raised an eyebrow.

"You won't?"

"Nope."

"Truly?"

"Truly," said Aeryn. She blew him a kiss. "You're so sweet, my love. I won't give you cause to worry any more."

Her husband lost his peeved expression and gave her one of his roguish half-smiles that she found incredibly endearing, for some reason. "Well, enough said then. Let's head back to the palace."

"As you will."

Aeryn turned her horse around and set off for the palace. But this time she made sure she kept pace with Duncan's horse.

It hadn't been the easiest of beginnings to their union. First of all Duncan seemed positively hostile towards her elder brother Rolann, whom after her father was probably the person she was closest to. Duncan and Rolann had never really seen eye-to-eye, but tensions had definitely mounted ever since her wedding day. Rolann seemed to understand and mostly spent his time back in Highever where he ruled as the new Teyrn. Although there was less conflict, she hated the fact that she only ever got to see her brother once in a blue moon.

Then there was the problem of her 'unique' behaviour, as her mother had delicately put it. Aeryn liked swords and horses and tourneys, and she had the scars and the muscles to show for it. She'd beaten Duncan in a sparring match when they were little more than kids, years ago, a fact that seemed to rankle to this day. Duncan probably didn't care that his wife could fight better than he could, he was an average swordsman at best. But he cared that other people cared.

In order to avoid the possibility of her husband being mocked, Aeryn had been forced to give up her armour and weapons and spend her days doing ladylike things that her mother enjoyed but which she found utterly tedious. She could never participate in another tourney, it wouldn't be proper for a future queen. Even the gift her father had left in her care, his wondrous longsword Starfang, was now taking pride of place in a trophy room, and not worn in a scabbard at her hip.

Some days she hated it, and yearned to just walk out of the royal palace and become a knight errant wandering the land, just like her younger brother Darien was doing, along with Oghren's son Ayden. But Aeryn had always done her duty, be it muck out the stables or cleaning her room or ensuring the permanent bond between Houses Cousland and Theirin. She knew her marriage was important to both her parents, and she did not want them to be worried about her.

So she had traded her steel for silks, and learned to bite her tongue when Queen Anora made a particularly cutting remark, of which there had been many of late. It had been two years, and although they had tried Aeryn was still not pregnant. It was a prickly subject especially where the Queen was concerned, because she herself had been barren for five years and more and had received much grief for it. There were complications from her side of the family as well. Her own mother Leliana had only given birth to her after seven long years, Grey Wardens like her father tended not to have children.

The realm of course thought that Rolann was Leliana's first born. But though Leliana regarded him as her child, the truth was very different. Only Aeryn's immediate family knew that her brother was the son of the witch Morrigan, the most mysterious of her father's companions during the Blight.

Duncan interrupted her thoughts with a laugh at some joke a guard had made.

"...yes, and the Qunari will sail here too! Don't be daft, Runcorn. Aeryn love, would you like some wine? It's still cold."

"No, thank you."

"Ah? Would be a shame to let this go begging," said Duncan, and tipped the wineskin into his open mouth, gulping down every drop. He then produced a silk handkerchief and wiped his mouth. Duncan wasn't the type to use the back of his hand.

"We're nearly there, we should be just in time to have dinner with Mother."

Aeryn managed a smile. "It would be a pleasure."

Denerim

The Royal Palace

Aeryn knew it was unfair to constantly compare things in her new life to the ones she remembered from back home, but she did it anyway. Despite spending two years in Denerim, Highever would always be home to her.

Take the dining room, for instance. In Castle Cousland the dining room was rather small and cosy, with windows that faced out to the sea. The smell of the salt air and the sound of the waves always gave her a good appetite, and as the room was small it meant that the diners had to sit close together. This naturally allowed for easier conversation, and a more intimate atmosphere. Aeryn had spent many happy hours there, feeding scraps from the table to her father's Mabari hound Baskerville, flinging vegetables at her little brother when her parents were busy flirting with each other and not paying attention.

The dining room at the royal palace wasn't quite as convivial. It was massive, having been built with the intent of seating every noble within Ferelden's borders. Over time it had been used to host official dinners where the royal family would entertain visiting heads of state and other dignitaries. Although there was a roaring fire at one end, and a few candles and chandeliers at the other the room remained quite dim. Impossibly expensive and ancient ornaments and paintings and other antiques hung on the walls, which were panelled in oak. Fur rugs fashioned from the hides of great beasts covered the stone floor, previous kings having enjoyed hunting. Whenever Aeryn stepped inside she always felt she had to lower her voice and smoothen down her clothes.

Of course, she also felt that way whenever she was in the presence of Queen Anora. Aeryn half-wished they were using one of the extremely long tables, that way she would have an excuse not to join in the conversation. But the Queen had ordered the servants to prepare a more normal sized square table, close to the fire.

Serving maids danced attendance on the Queen while she ate, ensuring she lacked for nothing. Her father had hated being waited upon, and usually sent the maids away once they had set the table. Aeryn picked at her food and tried to keep up with the conversation.

"You're not eating much," said Anora suddenly. "Is it the food? I can have a fresh dish served if you like."

"No, Mother," Aeryn said hurriedly. "It's quite satisfactory." To prove her point she hastily ate some of her potatoes, and the Queen's expression softened somewhat.

"We can't have you being sick, not at a time like this. Are you sure you're not with child?"

Aeryn wished she didn't blush quite so easily.

"I'm afraid not, Mother."

Anora didn't answer, but her tightened lips and the look she shot her son might as well have done.

"It's only a matter of time," cut in Duncan, coming to her rescue. He tried to turn the conversation around to the topic of the royal gardens, but the Queen was having none of it.

"This is worrying," said Anora, looking back at Aeryn. "The sooner you can give me a grandchild, the better."

Aeryn wondered idly what would happen if she pointed out the fact that Anora had been childless herself for five years. She suspected that fighting her father's archdemon would be a less frightening experience.

"All things in their time, Mother, as the Maker wills."

"Don't interrupt, Duncan. The realm has been uneasy ever since your father died, and it could do with a little stability. I have been hearing strange rumours and mutterings...the Qunari have been sighted far from Par Vollen and Rivain, and in great numbers."

"Surely you don't think they intend to come here."

"Of course not, but it's scaring the peasants. It would be good for them to know that House Theirin has a future to look forward to."

Privately, Aeryn wondered whether Queen Anora had truly ever cared about Ferelden's peasantry, other than on tax day.

"What do you intend to do about it?"

"I'm not going to do anything except to remain very alert. What are you going to do about it, I wonder?"

"I'm – we're trying very hard, Mother."

"Try harder."

'Is this what you and the realm think of me?', thought Aeryn. 'Little more than a breeding sow. No one probably even remembers I unseated seven knights at a tourney joust once.'

Despite the excellent food and wine, Aeryn was pleased when dinner was finally over and she could take her leave. She headed to the stables, intending to check up on her horse. She found a young boy rubbing down her horse, and noted with approval that its feedbag had been topped up.

"Hello Mirka."

The boy turned around, and smiled in pleasure. Aeryn had rescued him from an abusive father and found him work as a stableboy, but at the time he was a timid, scared little mouse of a thing who would jump if someone so much as raised their voice at him. Mirka had grown however, and could finally look her in the eye while talking.

"Your highness! I was just finishing up."

"Oh, don't mind me. You're doing a good job, by the way. Keep it up."

"My lady is very kind to say so."

She talked to him for a while, leaning against the stall door while Mirka went on with his work. He seemed happy and content in his new position, and Aeryn found herself wishing she could be too. She bade him goodbye and went back up to her room.

The problem was there were few people she could truly confide in, she decided. Growing up she had been a quiet and reserved girl, and she made few friends her own age. Later she had led her own band of pages and squires-in-training around Highever's lands, fancying themselves knights and helping out people where they could. She had to break contact with them after she was married however, it wouldn't be proper for the wife of the Crown Prince to spend a lot of time around young men. There were the ladies of the court, but she hardly ever spoke to them. They were mostly the wives of Banns and Arls and other nobles, and had known each other since they were little girls playing with dolls. Since Aeryn had been in a courtyard training with a sword at that point in time, she wasn't really included in that circle of friends.

She wished her mother was around, and had to smile at the contrast. A few years ago she always seemed to end up arguing with her mother, now she was about the only person whom she could talk to. But Leliana had left the capital after her monthly Council meeting, and was on her way back to Highever.

Aeryn undressed, took a bath, and got ready for bed. She liked to read a book before turning in, whereas Duncan preferred to go to sleep immediately. Tonight however he was wide awake, and waiting for her.

"My love," he said softly, stroking her long red tresses. Aeryn preferred a shorter cut, it was cooler and easier to maintain, but she knew Duncan liked it worn long.

"You are so beautiful," he whispered, then closed his lips over hers for a long, slow kiss. Aeryn responded passionately, feeling the heat rise up in her body. She ran her hands over his hard, muscled chest and opened her mouth to let his tongue in and dance with hers.

Despite everything she didn't like about her new life, she still loved her husband dearly. He had been the only man she had ever loved, as a matter of fact. Sometimes she entertained the fantasy of the two of them living together somewhere far away, beyond the reach of the palace, although she knew it could never be.

They made love slowly, sensually, then quickening the pace to a delicious extent until she locked her legs around his waist and gripped the sheets, moaning his name into his mouth. Duncan made her feel good, he made her feel loved and she would endure almost anything to be with him. She felt herself reaching her peak and nipped his neck hard. There would be a noticeable mark the next morning.

Duncan buried his face in her hair in his own moment of climax, spilling his seed within her. He withdrew and Aeryn felt the familiar sweet ache settle in her loins, a testament to the urgency of their lovemaking. She prayed for a baby to quicken within her, a strong happy healthy child whom she could raise together with the man she loved.

Duncan pulled her close and she rested her head on his chest. He whispered sweet nothings to her and after a few more kisses she drifted off to sleep.

Denerim

Royal Palace

Bechamber of the Crown Prince

A pounding at the door shook Aeryn out of her slumber. She opened an eye. The room was pitch dark, the candle having burned down and the sun not yet risen outside.

The pounding continued, and Duncan was roused. Wearily, he wiped his eyes and threw on a sleeping shift. He then went over to the door, cursing under his breath. Aeryn watched him go, blinking sleepily. The bedchambers were huge and the door was at an antechamber some distance away.

"What in the Maker's name is going on? It's not even dawn!" she heard Duncan say. The reply came back, a bit muffled. Aeryn couldn't hear it, but she did hear Duncan's sudden gasp of shock.

"Is something the matter?" she called. Duncan staggered back to the bed, eyes wide. He looked more agitated than Aeryn could ever recall seeing him.

"Aeryn," he said, in a voice that was almost unrecognisable. "It's Mother. The guards say she's dead. They say she's been assassinated."