Alistair

And what do you think you'd ever say?
I won't listen anyway You don't know me
And I'll never be what you want me to be

And what do you think you'd understand?
I'm a boy, no, I'm a man
You can't take me and throw me away
And how can you learn what's never shown?
Yeah, you stand here on your own
They don't know me Cause I'm not here...

He couldn't remember when he'd last been so nervous. They'd entered the small house that smelled strongly of lye soap and hot water. "Err…hello?" Alistair called nervously.

A short woman emerged from a back room. "Eh? You have linens to wash? I charge three bits on the bundle you won't find better. And don't trust what that Natalia woman tells you either, she's foreign and she'll rob you blind." Her voice was crisp and businesslike, but her hair was a shade similar to Alistair's, only hers had more red in it than his.

Regaining his voice…Alistair still nearly stuttered. "I'm…not here to have any wash done. My name's Alistair. I'm…well, this may sound sort of strange, but are you Goldanna? If so, I suppose I'm your brother."

The woman's pinched expression tightened even more. "My what? I am Goldanna, yes…how do you know my name? What kind of tomfoolery are you folk up to?"

Alistair didn't know what to say and then Maddie's quiet smoky voice spoke into the silence. "He's telling the truth, listen to him."

In the moment of silence after her works Alistair spoke in a hurry. "Look, our mother…she worked as a servant in Redcliffe Castle a long time ago, before she died. Do you know at that? She—"

Goldanna's expression was anything but welcoming. "You! I knew it! They told me you was dead! They told me the babe was dead along with mother, but I knew they was lying!

Alistair blinked his surprise. "They told you I was dead? Who? Who told you that?"

Goldanna's words spewed out like vitriol. "Them's at the castle! I told them the babe was the king's and they said he was dead. Gave me a coin to shut my mouth and sent me on my way. I knew it!"

Oh this was uncomfortable…Alistair fought the urge to squirm. "I'm sorry, I…didn't know that. The babe didn't die. I'm him; I'm…your brother."

Goldanna scoffed at the sentiment. "For all the good it does me! You killed mother, you did, and I've had to scrape by all this time? That coin didn't last long, and when I went back they ran me off!"

Maddie's soft voice was slightly acidic, a glance at her face revealed a set jaw and darkening eyes. "That's hardly Alistair's fault is it?"

For her efforts Maddie received a sneer from Alistair's sister. "And who in the Makers name are you? Some tart, following after his riches, I expect?"

Alistair frowned angrily, Maddie was only here because he'd asked for her to come. She didn't deserve to be called names. A quick glance at her face revealed a slight blush; she'd been embarrassed because she wanted to help him. That just made him angrier. "Hey! Don't speak to her that way! She's my friend and a Grey Warden! Just like me!"

"Ooohhh, I see. A prince and a Grey Warden, too. Well, who am I to think poorly of someone so high and mighty compared to me?" Goldanna mocked. "I don't know you boy. Your royal father forced himself on my mother and took her away from me, and what do I got to show for it? Nothing. They tricked me good! I should have told everyone!"

She looked Alistair up and down in dismissive appraisal. "I got five mouths to feed, and unless you can help with that, I got less than no use for you."

"I…I'm sorry, I…" Alistair stumbled over his words. "I don't know what to say…"

Maddie, thank the Maker, spoke up then, supporting him even though this had to be a nightmare for her. "Goldanna, Alistair came here hoping to find his family."

"Well, he found it." The washer woman sniffed as if unimpressed. "And what good is that to me? None, that's what, unless he can see to it that his family lives as it should!"

Alistair murmured to Maddie quietly. "I suppose maybe I could give her some money…for my nieces and nephews? Fifteen sovereigns, maybe?" He knew they didn't have a lot of coin. "Would you let me give her that?"

His friend, the one Alistair knew worried more than she should about coin, smiled a little sadly. "Yes, go ahead if you like." Maddie pressed the coins into his hand, her fingers curling around his in a tangible indication of her support of his wishes.

"Then here, Goldanna…take this money." Alistair gave the sovereigns to his older sister. "I know it's not much, but—"

She didn't take it in the spirit it was meant. "You, a prince, marching in here with your fancy armor and such, and this is all you got to offer? You must think I'm very stupid."

The so called prince shook his head. "No, wait, I don't think that at all! I want to help, if I can…"

"You want to help?" Goldanna folded her arms. "You go to whatever high-and-mighty folks you run with, and you tell them you've got nephews and nieces that aren't living as they've a right to! You do that!"

Maddie clearly didn't care for Goldanna's attitude and it showed in her tone, her husky voice was dry as dust. "This is the family you were searching for Alistair."

Alistair looked at Maddie who was standing closer to him than normal, as if to throw herself between he and Goldanna should his sister attack. He couldn't help but contrast Maddie's attitude with Goldanna's. Goldanna was definitely coming up short. "Mmm. Yes, apparently so."

A sigh escaped him. No matter what, he would do his duty by his family, even if it was less than that family hoped for. "Then let me promise you this, Goldanna. I'll do whatever I can, speak to whomever I have to, to ensure you and your children are taken care of."

Goldanna sniffed again. "Mmm. That sounds all well and fine, but you'll have to forgive me if I don't exactly hold my breath."

Alistair felt his jaw set. No one questioned his word. "You have my promise. I can't give you more than that." He looked down at Maddie. "I…lets go. I want to go."

She nodded and moved towards the door, turning as Goldanna made one last derisive remark. "Someone needs to cut out that tongue of yours." Maddie's low smoky voice was dark with fury, her grey eyes snapping like storm clouds.

Alistair touched Maddie's shoulder and shook his head slightly. Her eyes left Goldanna and met his, and he was startled to see how protective her expression was. "Please don't," he said quietly. "It is her house after all." Maddie nodded slowly and stood by the door. Alistair looked at Goldanna, her folded arms and pinched expression. "Good bye Sister."

Alistair turned and looked at Maddie once they'd left Goldanna's house, conscious of Morrigan, Cogburn and Zevran waiting across the road in the shade of a building. Sten, Leliana and Rooster were one house down, in an alley. "Well that was…not what I expected. To put it lightly." He sighed and looked at Goldanna's door. "I'll live up to my promise, I suppose, but…this is the family I've been wondering about all my life? I can't believe it."

He couldn't remember when he'd last felt like such a fool. And in front of Maddie too. Here he'd been thinking this was his family at last…someone he'd be able to talk with, make a home with, somewhere Maddie could visit him someday…at least he hadn't blurted any of that out before meeting Goldanna. "I…I guess I was expecting her to accept me without question. Isn't that what family is supposed to do? I…I feel like a complete idiot."

Hesitantly Alistair turned his gaze back to Maddie and was surprised to see a fierce look on her face. He'd seen that look before. The delicate girl looked like a storm cloud about to burst, her hands fisted and ready to do battle, and apparently on his behalf. So amazed was he by her expression that Alistair almost missed her words. "You don't need her. You have others who care for you."

A bitter laugh escaped him before he could keep it back. "Such as? The only person who ever cared about me was Duncan. And he's gone."

Maddie's voice as fiercely protective as her expression and her words blunt as an anvil. "I care about you."

Alistair couldn't bring himself to smile, not completely, but she did have a way of making him feel better. She was the most wonderful girl. "I…thank you. I'm glad you came with me." He sighed and looked at the door again before turning his eyes back to Maddie's beautiful face. "Let's just go. I don't want to talk about this anymore."

TBC