Chapter 11: Redcliffe

That morning I had woken up to someone shaking me and I turned that way with my fist connecting to someone face "OW!" the person whined I opened my eyes and saw that it was Alistair and he was holding his jaw.

"I am so sorry!" I said jumping to get to him which made me tumble of the wolf skin and falling onto him. I blushed heavily and looked up at his face, he was blushing too I noticed I was practically laying on him his legs on either side of me. I ignored is light rambling and examine his jaw it wasn't broken 'thank the maker I would hate his face to be scarred forever because of me' I thought getting to my feet before anyone walked in.

I helped Alistair to his feet and looked into his golden brown eyes "I am truly sorry about everything" I said once more gathering my armor and starting to put it on.

"I...it's ooooookay I...i'll leave you to get dressed!" he said leaving the tent immediately with a heavy blush on his cheeks. Alistair walked out of my tent rubbing his jaw and Cailan saw it and laughed right out. which earned a glare from Alistair he didn't need the king teasing him about being hit by a woman much less one he was falling for.

"I actually tried to warn not to wake her like that most times you have to go in there with a stick to wake her" Cailan noted with a good hearted chuckle.

"Well maybe next time you should go wake her then maybe you could get a taste of your own medicine for hurting her like you did." Alistair seethed Kelaos turned his head from where he was putting away his tent confused it looked like Alistair didn't like Cailan. Cailan stood in front of Alistair with anger boiling in his blood and Alistair stood up straight facing him anger also fueling him, he didn't like what he had heard last night and he wasn't going to let Cailan hurt my feelings again like he did before.

"You have no..." Cailan started to say, but was interrupted

"We have no time to babysit a couple of kids who was to fight about who's toy belongs to who." I shouted coming to stand between them. I glared at both of them and the two backed off. I knew what Alistair was doing and I appreciated it so just to make Cailan a little jealous I went to Alistair went on my tip toes and kissed his cheek. "Thank you for that little show of Chivalry " I whispered into his ear.

After that I finished packing my things Kelaos was stunned he didn't know what to think on the situation, but I didn't leave him time to do so " Alistair, Hara, Kelaos, and I will head to Redcliffe Cailan you stay with the rest I'm sure Leliana or Sten will have something for you to do." I said Cailan didn't say a word he sat down on a log and Kelaos could've sworn Cailan was sulking.

Kelaos stopped and turned to me "I'm going to the circle maybe I can get their help if I was to do that and Soldier's peak spikes an interest in me so I might head there afterwards I was wondering if Leliana and Morrigan went with me?" he asked.

"Alright I guess I can't stop you, but can we at least get to Redcliffe so Cailan has a safe place to be settled in." I replied trying not to sound rude.

"I don't see why not I was just telling you what I was thinking on doing." Kelaos said with a light smile I smiled back. The four of us left camp and heading our way to Redcliffe Hara stayed back with Kelaos and watched Alistair talking away with me I laughed at a joke he said and swatted his arm playfully.

"You can tell can't you." Hara stated keeping her pace with mage next to her.

"I can this morning almost show down convinced me that Alistair is warming up to our fearless leader" he said trying to keep the conversation light. By this time I had climbed onto Alistair shoulders as an attempt to touch the sky Kelaos could both of them laughing good heartily.

"But you fear she might not show the same?" Hara asked raising a brow in questioned

"Not saying that in the least it's just that Cailan needs to see facts about what he had done in the past that he can not do here in present." Kelaos answered

"he'd be wise and listen to you " Hara said and now choose the right moment to remain silent for awhile.

"Alistair I didn't mean to hit you this morning most people don't wake unless they well ended up like how you did." I stated sheepishly I had long ago gotten off his shoulders and I placed my hands behind my back and looking up into the sky while I was saying this.

"I know you didn't, but...I don't believe a beautiful woman like you would do me harm on purpose." he stuttered I smiled warmly at him.

"It won't happen again Alistair I promise" I said linking my arm with his in a friendly way.

"So uh um Amelia?" Alistair started, however, I interrupted him

"You can call me Lia if you wish " I said kicking a rock

"I thought that nickname was reserved only to..." he started

"No all my close friends...used to call me that" I said looking down at the ground while I walked, I thought of home, thought of my parents, of my brother, and all the friends I had made during my time as a noble. I knew it was my past, but the thought of how my family died under Howe's treatment bothered me. I knew Alistair was now looking at me and he also noticed a tear escaping my eye, he turned so that way I had bumped into him and I looked up I was silently crying and he brought both his hands up and cupped my cheeks wiping the tears away with a calloused thumbs.

I kept my hands at the crease of his elbows not knowing what else to do while I kept my eyes locked to his golden brown eyes. "Hey there's no reason to cry over what he had done to you." Alistair said releasing his hands from my cheeks.

"It's not Cailan just alot on my mind" I said giving Alistair a faltering smile Alistair didn't pry as we continue our walk towards Redcliffe.

"You know if you needed a shoulder to lean on I'm here Ame." Alistair said walking beside me once more. Kelaos was somewhat dumbstruck and couldn't place any what he was thinking into the right order what so ever.

"I...Wait...What!" Kelaos stated he honestly was at a loss for words at what happened between them and man did sound like someone who liked alittle bit of gossip which probably sound true then anything by the way his mind was trying comprehend everything.

Later that night the four of them made a small camp with only there bedrolls out for that night and Alistair was stroking the fire when Kelaos walked over to him. "Alistair... Just a question if I may ask?" Kelaos spoke.

"Uh sure what is it?" Alistair said raising a curious brow at the mage

"I couldn't help, but notice the way you look at Amelia the way you do."

"Uh well I couldn't help the way Cailan just tried to cover things up like it had not happened at all." Alistair answered and Kelaos knew the warrior didn't want to talk about the subject at all. Hara and I came back from the woods with firewood and I left Kelaos and Alistair to light it.

The four of us sat around the now lit campsite we sat in silence for awhile until Alistair spoke. " So any humorous stories to tell?"

I leaned back to look at the stars in thought "I might have story, but it's not all that humorous " I said looking at them.

They looked at me like they wanted me to tell the story. "Very well it's more of a memory then a story, but I will tell it; it feels like it was just yesterday. I remember as any night, but it was special night the sky had been litter with stars shining bright like a full moon. I was out on the balcony of my home starring at them when I heard a loud noise down below and I looked down to see being curious. The first thing that I saw was my brother and his friend had started throwing mud pies at each other and I knew immediately that my brother had started it from the very beginning his friend saw me watching and to my dismay had thrown one my way not knowing what to do my first instinct as to duck. When I did I heard someone behind me; My father stood there with a face covered in mud and all I did was point to the culprit which very much was Fergus's friend.

My father was upset to say the least, but he laughed good heartily about it and left the balcony and the next thing I knew the three where having a mud fight and my a child myself I went down there as well and afterwards after all was done and over with Fergus my father and I got a well pointed out lecture from my mother."I said finishing my story.

"Fascinating story" Kelaos said trying to stop his laughing Hara cough more then once to try and control her laughter and Alistair was holding his stomach still laughing good heartily about it.

"Where'd that happen?" Hara asked I looked down and remained silent and Hara knew the story was of home. They all fell asleep soon after that and I slept restlessly. I stood in the grand hall of Highever castle watching Fergus train with father I wanted to be out there as well, but mother had me doing something completely different of which I was not interested in. I stood up and walked over to the open door that led to the training field. "Mother I want to be out there." I stated I heard her sigh before she spoke "Amelia my darling you have to learn to be a lady of high status if you are to land a husband."

"Mother! I do not want a husband! I want to be a free woman to be able to make the same choices a man can without being judged!" I said Eleanor knew she I was just like my father in alot of ways. As I was about to speak I saw blood soaked walls I turned to see my mother drenched in enemy blood and that of her own before falling to the ground. I screamed out in horror calling out to them and Alistair was next to me in an instance. I clung to him and cried my eyes out he wrapped his arms around me and rocked me back and forth.

"Shh it's okay we'll have our revenge on him soon enough I promise" Alistair said soothing me after awhile I had falling asleep against him and he noticed and blushed and didn't tried to move me fear waking me. So he gently laid me down and stay beside me just incase I had a fit of bad dreams again.

That next morning I woke up only to find Alistair asleep next to me I noticed he had kept his arms to himself and I watched his chest go up and down and I smiled slightly at the sight of his sleeping form. I got up and walked over to a tree and leaned against it Hara and Kelaos were still asleep as well which left me to think alone. 'am I leading them in the right direction or to their doom I can never tell dear maker please guide me to the right path. I never know if I'm being a good leader like my father was maker forgive me if I fail in that department.' I heard moving about and I looked that way I saw Alistair coming to me and I lightly smiled at him, he came to stand next to me.

"Hey you if you saw me next to you this morning I'm sorry I heard you scream last night and it woke me from dead slumber." Alistair explained

"Actually Alistair I had no problem with it really you were there to comfort me and stayed there in case it had happened again and that I thank you dearly for " I replied giving him a hug he wrapped his arms around me and I knew it was his way of saying 'anytime you need ' he stepped back and I smiled and walked forward now noticing Kelaos and Hara waking as well I knew we had delayed, but there was nothing we could about it.

We were on the road once more it wouldn't be long now I could see castle Redcliffe in the distance and Alistair stopped us I sighed we couldn't delay much longer. "I guess it's time to tell you guys alittle something. I'm a bastard my mother was serving girl in castle redcliffe. My father is King Maric." he said

I turned to him with surprised eyes "You're Cailan's half brother! " I said


A/n: Enjoy! :D