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A Tin Masquerade

The birds chirped most annoyingly, Melody's face was a picture of contempt as she threw her furious gaze upwards to the branches of the olive trees where the infernal, feathered things perched singing their merry songs. Finally after a moment of silent, but livid glares, she returned her attention to her cut knuckles and then absently rubbed her ringing head.

"Do you have to spar with him every morning?"

Melody's head shot up and she smiled a little nervously, "Well, no, I don't have to, but I want to get better." Alfstanna nodded her cropped head and slowly drew an arrow from the quiver which hung from her belt that was situated around a very lithe waist. "But you already know all of your lines, you said." She offered and Melody shrugged and said moodily,

"Yes, but I want to beat him one day."

The afternoon sun was strong and Melody had spent most of the morning in a state of dull and irritated pain, being thrown to the ground, misguided by feints and getting her hands, shoulders, arms and head battered by a stick which was twirling and swishing so fast that it was barely a blur. Melody cursed that bloody stick. Alfstanna had asked to accompany the girl for her morning lessons, or as Melody now dubbed them, her morning 'beatings'.

She had agreed and the dark-eyed girl had watched for the whole hour and a half quietly, observing Melody get battered by the Orlesian fool over and over again. It was true that they had ventured into more intricate areas of swordplay, Melody had noticed.

No longer was Barry pulling his blows, he was throwing them and expected Melody to parry, duck, pivot and thrust either away from him or towards him. It was strange, Melody knew that they would have no need for this in their performance, and she knew the steps of the Forget-Me-Not-Knight, but still they persisted in her lessons.

"One can never be too oiled." Barry had told her once, but Melody did not quite buy it.

After Barry had bowed and taken his leave of the girls that morning, Alfstanna had mentioned that she would head to the archery butts down by the guards' barracks, Melody shrugged and offered to walk her there, but she had remained to bask in the sun and lick her wounds.

Dressed in a ratty pair of breeches and a faded white shirt, Melody looked more like a stable lad than a young highborn lady. Her hair was a greasy tangle, sweat and her hair's own natural oiliness were making her bangs stick to her forehead and she roughly pushed them away. Sitting, irritated, sore and hot; Melody blinked in the sun.

She watched Alfstanna nock a few arrows and hit her mark dead on; it was very impressive, but the girl seemed to take no pride in any of the arrows let to fly, embedded as they were in the bulls-eye.

"My draw's still too shaky!" Alfstanna growled and sweat gleamed on her forehead. "But you hit your mark," Melody pointed out with a frown and a jerk of her head. That seemed to her to be the most important thing but Alfstanna shrugged her shoulders and shook her head, "It doesn't matter. Shaky arms and trembling fingers equate for a bad shot, I need to get stronger..."

"Can I try?" Melody asked and Alfstanna made a face.

"Have you ever shot a bow before?"

"No," Melody said weakly, "But it can't be that hard, surely."

"Oh really," Alfstanna said, there was a hint of condescension in her tone and Melody ignored it with a smile as the girl held out her bow to her, "Come on then, try it." Melody beamed and got up quickly, crossing the distance between them, she took the bow and reached for an arrow but Alfstanna stopped her sharply, "No, no." Melody frowned,

"How am I supposed to shoot with no arrow?"

"Just try to pull the string back first."

With a foolhardy shrug, Melody sniffed and said nothing. Then she tried to draw the string. Her back screamed in agony and flames of pain ignited her fingertips. She let out a yelp and dropped the weapon after a moment of holding the string tensely. Alfstanna laughed and stepped back, reaching down for her bow as Melody exclaimed,

"Maker! You must be strong as an ox to shoot that thing!"

"Not quite an ox, but there's strength needed, definitely. Did your back hurt?"

"My back and shoulders," Melody nodded and peered down at her ruined hands and clicked her tongue, "I am never going to be able to explain this to my mother..." Her complaints were cut off as Alfstanna examined her redraw fingers, "Ach, you should be fine, the redness will calm down in a bit, don't be such a baby." Melody laughed at that and snatched her hand back,

"I'm not a baby; let's see you try to swing a sword."

"By the look of your bottom, I'd say that you couldn't really swing one either and I've seen you fight, or whatever that was you were doing on the ground."

Alfstanna jested lightly as Melody giggled and Alfstanna offered, "I've tried to learn swordplay, but never had the feet for it, just like dancing. But shooting," Alfstanna drew the string back and held it for a good few moments, her eyes squinting, looking out to the distance; "I'm a fair shooter."

"More'n fair, I'd say."

"So would I, but my father's master-at-arms taught me not to let it go to my head; "the target's almost always moving, Alfstanna! They don't want to get shot just as much as you don't want to miss"!"

Her imitation was of a rough, gruff sounding fellow which reminded Melody of her father's own master-at-arms, Old Rod. It made her near-blinded by laughter, thinking of the huge, burly red-headed soldier and the way he used to clip Fergus and his son, Roderick, when they were sparing in Castle Cousland's yard with sticks. Their wooden armour bulking the boys up so much to be near immobile,

"That sounds familiar," Melody said a little weakly, her tone laced with sadness and Alfstanna caught it. Melody near jumped when the girl gently touched her arm, "Do you miss home very much?"

Melody shrugged her off, "No, not very much. I love it here in Denerim, things are...interesting."

"They are that-"

The girl's voice was cut off as the guards began to pour out of their barracks. They both frowned at the sudden commotion and Melody found that she was rubbing her hands together, ringing them almost until Alfstanna saw her doing so and put a hand over hers, "What are you fearful for?" Melody's eyes grew wide, "I'm not scared." She said instantly, but he her hands were trembling. Alfstanna raised a heavy brow but let it slide and withdrew her hand and they both watched the guards muster at the large iron gates which fed into the sunlit yard.

"Make way! Make way for the General!" One of the men hollered and Melody nearly choked.

She'd forgotten!

She'd completely forgotten that General Loghain was due to arrive today. Turning her head, Melody nearly swore. The King and most of the court were striding down to the gates to receive the General. "Shoot!" Melody hissed and gripped Alfstanna's wrist, pulling her into a shadowy alcove, the girl made an irritated noise, "Melody? What-"

"Shh!" Melody silenced her and peeked furtively around the side of the doorway; the King looked amazing and grand on this fine day, extending a hand and hailing his dour best friend and general. Loghain's party was a large one, almost two hundred men-at-arms, some of them held high Gwaren's heraldry and some had Loghain's own green dragon fluttering above their heads. Melody gulped down as she caught a glimpse of her mother; she looked near sick with anger and her father was beside her, his hands behind his back and his mouth was set in a very grim line.

Bryce Cousland did not look happy this summer's day. Melody was sure that was her fault and snapped to Alfstanna,

"I am supposed to be in that company! I forgot about the General's arrival today, oh, damn him!"

Alfstanna smothered a giggle and said airily, "So go and join them." Melody eyed her so vacantly that the other girl thought that maybe she had not heard her and was about to say something else when Melody let out a very mirthless chuckle, "What? Just go over there in soiled breeches and stand next to my mother...?" Alfstanna shrugged simply and Melody smiled.

"...No. Dimwit, if I do that my mother will ring my neck with one of Lady Landra's garters...I'll just need to avoid her for the rest of the day."

"One of Lady Landra's garters?!" Alfstanna repeated, snorting as she laughed."Very well then, I suppose we could go down to the menagerie and look at the lions if you want?"

"That sounds like a plan, can we cut through the pantry? I don't want to run into anybody while we're making our way there."

Alfstanna nodded and they set off at a sneak to the King's fantastical menagerie of magnificent beasts. One of the lions, a huge tawny goliath of a feline eyed both girls with disdainful amber eyes from behind his bars, his tail swished languidly and spitefully behind him. Melody thought that the creature was very aware that they were the source of his confined misery, but she did not fear him...

For he was caged and she was as free as the birds in the olive trees.

-ooo-

"I'm starving..."

Melody began as they made their way back to the palace. Alfstanna bobbed her head in concurrence and rubbed her tummy, "Me too. They'll be serving dinner when we get back; they'll probably be supping the General, too. So it'll be a good spread." The thought of a big dinner made Melody smile and walk faster.

When they were inside, Alfstanna departed and said she'd see Melody at dinner. Melody waved her off and turned up the passageway towards her family's rooms. Slowly she minced the door open and slinked her neck around the edge of the door and glanced inside. It was empty. Melody nearly cheered, but held off and slithered in like a cutthroat in the night and quickly got herself dressed and presentable.

While she was fiddling with her bodice, which was laid out on her knees so that she could lace up the back of the bodice and just slip it on over her head she heard a noise behind her and squeaked.

Getting to her feet, Melody spun and held the bodice up against her breast, her chest heaving; but her fear disintegrated in a flash as her eyes fell on her brother. He was standing in the doorway looking...older. Three months had changed him, his hair was longer, more unkempt and his chin! He had a full beard, well as full a beard as any near-enough seventeen-year-old lad could grow; half of his face was dark brown.

"Oh, you're in trouble." Was all he said with a grin.

Without even thinking Melody ditched the bodice of her outfit and sprang over the bed to engulf him in a huge hug. Fergus caught her and slapped her on the back so hard she was nearly winded, but she didn't care and squeezed his neck tighter in retaliation. "We missed you earlier today!" Fergus boomed, his teasing overshadowed by his genuine happiness of seeing her again. Finally he let her go and Melody smiled, "I know...I forgot. Is Mother very angry?"

"You'll get a talking to later on I should expect, but you picked a very good day to play truant. She's happy to see me, so you might just get away with it if her mood holds and for the love-of-the-Maker sister, get some clothes on! I'll wait outside and take you down to dinner. Quick now, chop, chop!"

Melody laughed, she must have looked a sight standing before him half dressed in nought but a shift and her skirt. She nodded and returned to her task, quickly and with no effort as she wanted to hear all about Fergus's time in Gwaren.

"Maker, sister, but you do take awhile to dress for dinner, don't you?"

Fergus laughed as Melody emerged from her chamber in a pale green dress, her hair was bound up and braided down her back. Melody smiled as she closed the door; Fergus was leaning up against the window embrasure, "That was me being quick as well!" Melody exclaimed and they both laughed before Fergus held out his arm for his sister to take; "Shall we?"

"Yes, dear brother and you can tell me everything about what you've been up to."

At that the young man let out a puff of breath as they began to descend the steps which led down into the great hall where they dined. Melody watched Fergus intently as he shook his head and said, "It was...good. I learned a lot while I was away."

Melody nodded wanting to hear more. Silence droned and Fergus looked at her blankly, "What?" He frowned and Melody bobbed her head coercing him on and then nudged him sharply, "What, that's it?! You didn't tell me anything."

"There's nothing really to tell, sister. I went away and now I'm back, what else do you want me to say? That I stormed a tower, slew a dragon and then saved a princess!" Melody pouted,

"Well at least that would be interesting...I suppose...wait..."

Melody eyed him closely, he was smiling, but it was not reaching his eyes. "What are you hiding? What did you do in Gwaren?" Melody's voice with thick with curiosity and her brother let out a very hollow laugh and said over-loudly, "What are you talking about?! Honestly, Melody, that mind of yours wanders places so it does. I'm not hiding anything."

"Well you're being awfully suspicious," Melody fired back as they walked. "Did you meet someone in Gwaren?"

"Meet someone!"

Fergus echoed nearly deafening Melody, making her jump. "I-I never met anybody! I was fostered in Gwaren with Teagan and Cailan all summer, Maker, Melody what's with the interrogation?!"

Her mouth was hung open. Fergus had flushed as red as a rose and was averting his gaze like one of Anora's fluttering idiot maids. A grin spread across Melody's face and she pinched her brother's arm,

"Ow!"

"You met someone?! Where is she? Did you bring her back with you?" Melody demanded rapidly. Fergus stopped and eyed her. He was almost feverish in his haste to cover up her discovery, "I didn't meet anyone, Melody, I swear..."

"Yes you did, you're blushing as hard as that fool, Delilah, when Alfstanna's brother smiled at her the other day!" At that Fergus's frown only grew deeper, before Melody veered off in a monologue of her own disdain, she uttered darkly afterward; "Maker knows he was only smiling at her because she's so bloody dull...and he was probably astounded at the size of her nose!"

"Melody?"

"Yes Fergus?" His sister answered sweetly and he burst out laughing.

Melody's confused grin spread as her brother leaned over and pressed his lips to her brow. They were almost upon the great doors which led into the hall where they had their dinner. Fergus leaned back and made a stern face at his sister; "Now, if you're quite done playing the cat..."

"Oh, but it's true! Her nose is massive..."

"Just so." Fergus smiled and then his shoulders rose, "...but don't point it out, eh?"

"Very well." Melody sighed, half-joking and Fergus winked.

At that, Fergus cocked his head at the guard who bobbed his own and opened the doors for them. The young Couslands entered the hall with all the eyes of everyone present in the hall on them. Melody felt Fergus stiffen and straighten and she gripped his arm tighter and whispered encouragingly, "Your beard suits you." She heard his scoff a small chuckle and he nudged her and uttered affectionately, "Cheers, sister."

They made their way to their tables with smiles. The two young dark-haired Couslands were whispered about; Melody could see the maids blush, mutter to their neighbours about how handsome her brother was, she could see them melt beneath the intenseness of her brother's sapphire gaze and felt like laughing. Melody would wager that her dear elder brother was in love.

Fergus only blushed when he was transfixed. Once she had seen him make that same face when he was talking of Anora, Melody was hardly surprised. Half the young men were dying of passion for the fair-haired beauty. Fergus had gotten over his little fixation soon enough, but Melody noted that his throat still jumped up and down like one of her juggling balls when he bowed before Her Ladyship. Graciously, the queen-to-be inclined her head at the heir of Highever. She ignored Melody.

"Still not made amends, I see?" Fergus noted and Melody made a face.

"I see no reason why I should build bridges, I am no carpenter." Melody stipulated frankly and aloofly causing her brother to giggle and shake his head, rolling his eyes at his sister's stubborn nature. "You'll have to eventually, you know..." Melody snapped her head round and glared, "What d'you mean?" Fergus turned an eye on her, "Please, Melody..." He began, very condescendingly, Melody wondered if he was mocking her and her expression grew tighter.

"You can't have the enmity of your future queen! That would be like Father glaring openly at the King! Think about it, you will be one of her ladies soon-"

"No. No I won't, Fergus." Melody said staunchly as she pulled her arm free. "A lot has changed since you galloped off, don't speak as if you know everything!"

"I don't know everything," He said with a smile.

"Evidently!" Melody returned stoutly, her voice shrill.

"So what will you do when Anora is queen, then?" His voice was serious, he was escorting Melody to her stool she realised and shook her head, "When she's queen?" Melody said stupidly and he nodded, "Aye. What will you do when she has the power of a country? Rivalries between Teyrna and Queen? What do you think will happen?"

"Fergus, you will be Teyrn, so this argument is-"

"Maybe, Melody." Fergus said cagily. "But what if-"

"Fergus!"

Both Couslands turned to behold the Prince. Melody's eyes averted, her face aflame with her own ire and Fergus managed a thin smile. "Your Grace," He said earnestly and Cailan thumped him on the shoulder, "There's no need for that! Have a drink! Is it not good to be home?!" Melody watched her brother as he smiled and bowed his head. She noted how high his favour with the young Prince seemed to be flying and her eyebrows rose.

"Someone's made a friend..." She purred under her breath and he hissed, "Shut up, Melody!" Making her laugh. As she tossed back her head, she caught a glimpse of the Princess eyeing her through the throng of visiting Banns; they seemed to pierce through the crowd, enough so that Melody quietened down and turned her attention to her brother and the Prince.

Cailan had grown much more than her brother. Fergus looked a pale shade in comparison to the glowing beacon on health and strength that was the Prince. His long golden hair was tied back, Melody thought that he greatly resembled his father with his newly-grown fair beard. He was no where near as grand, though. He still walked with the gait of a boy and not a man, his smiles were wry and his eyes constantly laughing. Melody doubted that the boy before her had had one thought of Kingship while his father still sat atop the throne.

Without any preamble the young man was upon Melody, he stood before her frowning down as though he could not quite place her face and then he turned a look on her brother and inquired,

"Your sister, yes?"

Fergus nodded, "Yes, Cailan. My sister, Melody Cousland."

"I know your second names, Maker!" He joked and Melody smiled. "It is wonderful to see you again, my lady. You are looking exquisite tonight, if I may say so."

Melody's eyes darted over to where the Princess had stood watching her and then back again to the Prince. Blushing, Melody found that she couldn't help but smile.

Damn her vanity.

"Th-thank you, Your Grace. You are looking well, the capital is brighter for your being here." She answered sweetly and noticed Fergus shaking his head exasperated behind the Prince's shoulder. "I thank you, my lady." The Prince returned and he kissed Melody's hand before he took his leave of them, clapping Fergus's shoulder a final time.

Suddenly Melody's brow puckered in a frown when she saw that the Princess was awaiting her betrothed of forever at the end of the row of lords and ladies. Fergus was trying to shove his sister into her seat beside Alfstanna when Melody mutely shook her head, entranced by the scene which unfolded.

The Prince seemed to stiffen upon seeing his lady love. Melody's eyes watched intently as he bowed his head awkwardly and said gently, although dryly,

"My love."

"My Prince."

Anora said tenderly, her eyes were big, so unlike her usual narrowed, blue slits, that Melody felt a pain in her chest for the lady, the poor fool looked hopeful as the Prince and she locked eyes and Melody saw that there looked to be no love between these two golden-haired scions. Lady Anora's head bent down, Melody's mouth dropped open, she had never seen the Princess bow her head. Never.

Before she could raise it, Cailan had taken her hand in his and planted a soft and quick kiss upon it. He let it drop, not unkindly, but as if he would have rathered he didn't have to hold it. Melody saw Anora's resolve, the stiffness of her upper lip and the rigidness in her spine as her boy-husband-to-be then gave her a brusque nod and an awkward kiss on the cheek before he moved on to salute some friends. He greeted them much more warmly than he did his future wife.

"Melody!" Fergus gasped, pushing her down and she finally complied.

"Are you alright?" Alfstanna asked quietly and Melody nodded her head, a grim smile on her face; "Yes, yes I'm fine..." Her eyes trailed back to the abandoned Princess at the head of the hall, seated beside her lord father and her lord father-to-be and Melody knew that Anora's pride had taken a blow. Their eyes met and Melody could guess who would pay for it.

"...But who knows what tomorrow may bring."

Melody answered her friend dourly, Alfstanna barely even heard her, enthralled was the cropped-haired girl with Melody's brother.

"Wonderful." Melody hissed annoyed and played with her food for most of the night.