Alistair awoke and looked over as Isla whimpered again. He reached out to her and she cringed from his touch. Lightning lit the room and was followed by a boom of thunder. She cried out and sat up. Alistair moved to her trying to calm her, but she pulled out of his arms and ran into her room. He followed after her and looked for her in the flashes from the lightning as her fire had been banked for the night and there was no other light in the room. He finally found her curled in a corner shaking.

"Don't touch me." She cried as he reached for her. He dropped to his knees in front of her, but kept his hands back.

"Isla, you're safe now. No one is going to hurt you." Alistair said trying to sooth her.

"But they did. They hurt me. I tried to get away and they hurt me. I did what they said and they hurt me." She rocked and cried. She cringed back when Alistair reached for her. Just then he heard a scratching at the door. She looked up and whimpered. "Sampson. I want Sampson." Alistair rushed to the door and Sampson burst in. He raced to her and she wrapped around him and sobbed. He growled softly when Alistair moved to sit by them.

"Easy, boy. I won't touch her." Alistair promised. He wanted to do something. Anything to make her pain go away. Her sobs finally calmed to snubbing and she lifted her head up from Sampson. She stroked his face.

"Did you break out or did someone let you out?" She asked. Sampson gave her a pitiful whine. "It's alright. I'm alright. I was scared though." He nudged her. "I know he wouldn't, but I couldn't calm down." She sighed and patted him. She jumped as a quiet knock sounded on her door. Alistair went to it, not caring about the fact he was only in his cotton pants and in Isla's room.

"Your Majesty, forgive me. Sampson was acting so strange and I feared he would wake the children. I opened the door and he ran." Becca said wringing her hands.

"It's alright, Becca. He's here. Isla doesn't do well in thunderstorms. That's why he ran." He explained quietly.

"I'm sorry about the intrusion. Is there anything I can do?" She asked.

"No, I'll have other guards sent to the nursery for the rest of tonight." Alistair said.

Isla and Sampson joined them then. "It's not necessary. Sampson will go back now. I'm sorry I caused you all so much trouble." Isla said blushing.

"It is no trouble, my lady. Are you sure you don't want Sampson to stay?" Becca asked. Sampson cocked his head at her in question.

"No, Sampson pointed out that the king wouldn't let anyone hurt me again. I'll be fine." Isla said looking up at Alistair. He reached out and took her hand.

"Sleep better, I hope." Becca said as Sampson followed her after one more rub from Isla. Alistair shut the door and barred it. He was surprised when Isla wrapped her arms around him.

"Forgive me?" She asked.

"There is nothing to forgive." He said putting his arms around her and lightly rubbing her back. "Are you alright? Do you want to talk about it? Do I need to go and get Zevran?" He whispered the last question. It killed him that she was turning to Zevran more over the last couple of weeks.

She looked up at him and hurt as she saw how bad he was hurting. She reached up and laid her hand on his cheek. "I don't want Zev. I want you. I'll talk with you about it if you want me too. Unless you want to go back to sleep. Alistair, I'm sorry. This is crazy. Why do you put up with me and my problems?" She said moving to the couch and resting her head in her hands.

"I do this because I love you and I want to help you. And if that means you need Zevran, then you get Zevran." Alistair said and moved to the couch and hesitated. She took his hand and he sat down beside her.

"I love you, Ali." She said quietly. "Will you hold me while I tell you?" She asked. He wrapped her in his arms and cuddled her to his chest. He stroked her hair as her tears fell down his chest. She took a shaky breath and told him about the night she had been kidnapped. "And then Aedan and Fergus were there. Fergus killed the man who was…" She trailed off and looked up at him. "My brothers are Fergus and Aedan. Are they alive?"

"Yes, they are." He felt his heart hammering. She was remembering.

"Thank the Maker! I feared that Aedan didn't make it out and…wait…Aedan…is he the Hero of Ferelden?" Alistair nodded and she laughed then. "So he got to be a Warden after all. He must hate that title. You know my brother…Alistair…I'm a Cousland. I…am the youngest of the Cousland's. I am a noble! And my family were wonderful! Oh, Alistair! My mother would have loved you. And so would my father…They didn't make it. They are the ones Alaric said were gone…" She clung to him then and cried. Alistair held her tightly, letting her cry. She finally calmed down and looked up at him. "Do my brothers know I'm alive?"

"Fergus does. He was going to go to Amaranthine and tell Aedan. Fergus came with Wynne when we were at the ruins. Zevran was worried that I wasn't waking up. You weren't ready to see him, so Wynne put you to sleep and Fergus confirmed you were a Cousland. I'm sorry, Is. I didn't want to hurt you more."

"Wynne? Alaric's Wynne?" She asked trying to absorb all of the things he said. "I…why would Aedan be in Amaranthine?" She asked puzzled.

"He's the new Arl of Amaranthine. I awarded the lands to the Grey Wardens as their new headquarters. He's the Warden Commander." Alistair explained so happy she was remembering and not panicking. Maybe now she would agree to marry him.

"Arl of Amaranthine…but Howe is the…" She gasped then and began rocking again. "He did this. He killed my parents…our people! Ser Gilmore! Did he…"

"Yes, he survived. He's in Redcliffe. He married a girl there a couple of years ago." Alistair said worried.

She gave him a small smile. "Don't be jealous. I have never loved anyone but you." She then frowned. "What happened to Howe?"

"Aedan and Fergus killed him when we went to rescue Anora."

"Good. I…this is overwhelming. I'm not ready to let anyone know that I know. Can you give me a few days to…come to terms with this?" She asked remembering all the good times she had with her family. As much as it hurt knowing her parents were gone, she couldn't help but feel happy. Her bloodline was worthy of being married to Alistair, and her brothers, sister-in-law, and nephew were alive.

"You can have as much time as you want, so long as you finally give me a real answer. Will you marry me and be my queen?" He asked watching her fearfully. She smiled at him and laid a hand over his heart.

"I would be honored to marry you, my king." He grinned and kissed her.

"You have made me the happiest man in the world." He said lifting her up in his arms and carrying her back to his bed. "You are going to make me wait to announce it, aren't you?"

"Just for a bit." She said biting her lip.

He sighed dramatically and pulled her into his arms as he laid down. "Fine."

"So, are you and Aedan friends? Cause it is going to be hard to convince him to let me marry you, if you aren't."

"We are friends. More than that. He's my brother. And I have gotten close to Fergus over the last couple of years. Your family are amazing people."

"Don't say you're my brother's brother. That would make the things I am planning to do to you even more dirty than they already are."

"In that case, Aedan who?" He grinned kissing her.

"Is he happy?"

"Very. He and Leliana are very happy and you don't know about Leliana. She was an Orlesian bard who was one of our companions. They married a year after the Blight ended."

"He's married? I never thought the day would come when a woman could tame him enough to marry him. I can't wait to meet her. Is she nice? Well, she would have to be. Aedan wouldn't be with someone who wasn't." Isla said shaking her head. "Fergus and Oriana? Do they have more children?"

"Yes, they recently had a little girl that they named Eleanor for your mother. She would be around seven months old now maybe a little more." Isla looked at him shocked.

"I have a niece? I…Alistair, can we go and see them? I know that you are busy for the next month or so, but maybe after the ball?" She asked looking at him hopefully.

"Of course. We can announce our engagement at the ball. Eamon was hoping to make me find a bride there. Little does he know, I already have one." Alistair said running his hands down her back.

"Is that so?" She asked laughing as he tickled her.

"Yes, she is the most beautiful, smart, brave, and wonderful woman I have ever met. And I really want her out of her nightgown now." She grinned at him and rose up to her knees.

"As my king commands me." She said and pulled the gown off. As Alistair pulled her back down to him, Isla realized thunderstorms weren't so bad anymore as they spent the rest of the night celebrating her remembering and their engagement.