A Note: This is a rather angsty piece. But then, The return to Ostagar is! I loved it in the game and could not pass it by. There's also another reason. If you read it I think you will understand ;-) Reviewers, love you! Poor Beta, once more I edited after your corrections. I know I'm a horrible person. Thank you for putting up with me. :-)

Disclaimer: This has gone on far too long already I think.

Alistair's breath was forming mystical patterns in the air as he gazed to the distance. Judging from the number of fires there was still a considerable amount of Darkspawn hanging around the ruins of Ostagar. Part of him wanted to go there and see with his own eyes the place where he had lost so much, the other part cried out to let go and forget, to keep focus on his goal. Irritated at his own indecisiveness he kicked at a pile of stones, sending them hurling down the cliff side. He could hear Elissa's voice echo in his head, "Stop fidgeting for blights sake, what have the poor stones done to you?" With a lopsided grin he recognized the fact that she was always embedded in his mind, like a burr. They had been together less than a week and yet he felt her absence keenly. He had no idea how that had happened, maybe it was the way of these things, he did not know.

As if conjured by his imagination he could sense her approaching. They held each other for a while, affirming their bond, Elissa broke it by raising her eyes to the sky.

"Look at the stars. Why do they always seem brighter when it's cold?" He smiled, he knew her well enough to know that this was one of her maneuvers to postpone something unpleasant she did not want to say, but felt she must.

"Perhaps they grow more heat to warm themselves."

"Mm, maybe." She hesitated before blurting. "I may never have actually apologized for the way I spoke of Duncan, before I mean." "Ah there it was." He smiled, pleased with himself as he tightened his arms around her.

"You know very well you haven't. He did not mean the same to you as to me. Leave it alone." He kissed the top of her head to show that he was sincere.

"As you wish." As he had expected she sounded relived, they stood in silence for a while both watching the distant lights. "We must go there you know." Elissa suddenly stated. "I have to look for my brother, and you for Duncan. There will be no peace in our hearts until we do."

He sighed. "I know." When she said it, it made perfect sense. "Tomorrow then."

"Tomorrow." She affirmed.

Alistair blankly refused to put on any part of his brother's armor that they found on the freshly slain Darkspawn, instead offering them to Sten, who accepted each with a graceful nod. They were much more suited to him anyway. Elissa could not keep from wondering what had possessed Cailan to enter a battlefield with an armor shouting 'I am the King. Come and kill me and the field will be yours'. For once Elissa was glad to have Wynne's company, the sorceress seemed to find the right words for Alistair when she could not.

The place was as she and Alistair had suspected, crawling with Darkspawn. They had to battle hard every step of the way. The party had been moving on when Elissa spotted a frozen corpse wearing the Highever heraldry and turned back to take a closer look when a giant Hurlock sprang upon her as if out of nowhere, she slipped in surprise and hit her head hard on the frozen ground, she was still trying to clear it as the blighted creature raised his sword to finish her off. The commotion had alerted the others. Alistair shouted to Morrigan to do something, anything, while he started running. He knew he would be too late to save her, except for a miracle, but nothing could stop him from trying.

Elissa tried to roll away from the blow that would end it all when she suddenly felt a spray of Darkspawn blood hit her neck. From the corner of her eye she saw something large and dirty with flashing white teeth worrying at the throat of the giant Hurlock. She blinked rapidly, surely her mind was playing tricks on her but it looked like her Marbari. "It was her Marbari! How could he have survived the carnage at Highever?" Scrabbling to her feet she sank the axe in the Darkspawn's brain, twice for good measure before embracing the dog.

"Prince! Oh Prince! Have you any idea how glad I am to see you. You monster!" Elissa felt tears rising in her eyes. Alistair came running, she called him off. "It's all right. Can you believe it? It's my dog."

He frowned, carefully eying the muscled beast. "You called your dog 'Prince'?"

Elissa laughed, while shaking her head. "No. His name is 'The Prince' actually. I thought it was a perfect name. Don't you see. Tell 'The prince' to stop stealing food from the larder. Someone clean up after 'The prince' It was hilarious. Fergus loved it as well, even if my mother didn't. And you love your name don't you Prince?" She allowed the dog to slaver all over the side of her face, while she was speaking to it in a baby voice. The beast certainly seemed happy. Alistair made mental notes to not kiss that side of her face anywhere in the near future. Who knew what the mutt had been eating lately.

Elissa was still rubbing the dog's ears. "I was sure he died at Highever. He must have followed my trail all the way to Ostagar and lost it here. Yes, I love you baby, I'm so happy to have you back." Elissa smiled a rather malicious grin at Alistair. "Now I have not only one, but two princes to love. Isn't my life getting brighter."

Alistair was pretty sure his wasn't, but he tried to be happy for her sake. He saw the potential of the name all right. Gingerly he held out his hand for the dog to sniff. 'The Prince' snorted with disdain, just as he had suspected. A Marbari was a one person dog. The mongrel would defend Elissa to death and beyond, anyone else be damned.

"We should move on." Alistair said, snatching back his hand.

Not far away they discovered an ornate chest containing letters in which Cailan had declared his intention to ally, even marry, himself to the empress of Orlais. Elissa's estimation of the former King actually rose. That was actually a sound plan for once. She suspected that Loghain had also come to know about it, one way or another. Cailan had probably signed his death warrant right there. She and Alistair locked eyes before Elissa pocketed the letters. Neither of them could see any way to turn this knowledge to their advantage right now, but who knew when they might be useful.

Not much later they found Calian's body. Arranged on the same bridge they had passed to get to the tower of Ishal for what seemed a lifetime ago. It was hung on stakes and filled with arrows, as if having been used for target practice. Elissa turned her eyes away, she had no real liking for the former king, but his resemblance to Alistair was uncanny when you knew what to look for. She was almost relieved when they were attacked again and had to move forward.

Alistair was temporary blinded as he stumbled out from the tunnels below the tower, but as soon as he regained his sight he knew this was the place. The last time he had seen it had been from a different angle, and shortly after he had been severely wounded, but every detail was still engraved in his mind. If he closed his eyes he knew he would see the sky darkened with arrows and hear the screams of dying men.

Slightly to the right lay the body of an Ogre, strangely undisturbed as if not even the leanest of scavengers had wanted anything to do with it. He was advancing carefully when the shape suddenly came to life. When the undead monstrosity turned to face him he recognized the twin blades embedded in the chest.

"Duncan" Alistair breathed before smiling his one sided smile Elissa dreaded so much. he could sense her steeling herself, standing back, gesturing to the others to do the same. This was Alistair's nightmare, he had to conquer it alone. Wynne would keep him alive, all Elissa could do was watch. It was one of the hardest things she had ever done.

As the Ogre finally fell with like so much rotten timber it had Alistair's sword embedded in it's throat. He rolled from the body and got as far as his knees before realizing that tears was flowing freely down his cheeks, he did nothing to stop them. Without a word Elissa drew Duncan's weapons from the monster's corpse as well as his own before embracing him. This time freely offering whatever comfort he could draw from her.

"If I had been there I could have saved them." He whispered.

Elissa stroke his hair. "To my mind this proves that you could have bested them as well. Keep that in mind."

Despite the turmoil in his brain Alistair tried to take in this unknown concept. Elissa was giving him unconditional support. He knew she was mistaken in her assumptions, at least as far as Duncan was concerned, but he also felt her determination not to back an inch in her loyalties. He had no words to express his feelings, but the rush of emotion brought fresh tears to his eyes. "You'll be fine, trust me, you'll be fine" she murmured.

Afterwards they searched the entire area for Duncan's remains without success, except for the two blades there was nothing but their memories to prove he had even existed. "We should prepare a pyre for Calian, he should be sent off in the manner of kings." Elissa whispered when she felt he needed the distraction. Alistair was relieved that she referred to the body as 'Cailan' instead of 'your brother'.

As they were watching the flames greedily consuming the remains of the King he found had no tears to offer for the man, they had all been for Duncan. He took Elissa's hand and kissed it, reminding himself that he loved her, and most important, that she seemed to feel the same.

The addition of 'The Prince' to the company seemed to enliven everyone. An unholy alliance quickly was formed between Sten and the Marbari, and as Alistair had suspected the Witch quickly caught on to the possibilities with ill concealed glee.

"Ugh, The prince is eating his own vomit again. Oh not you Alistair, I was referring to the dog this time."