Alistair/F!Cousland (I know, I know.) Some vignettes set after certain quests, showing companions' reactions to what happened.
They trudged back into camp, tired and still covered in bits of undead gore. The new normal. What was not normal was the mood. Feeling heavy, Elena looked at her companions and saw what she expected- they all looked weary and a bit older than they had when they left that morning. Alistair looked especially dour and avoided her gaze.
They all went into their respective tents without a word. Elena pushed open the tent flap and started taking off her armor as she walked in, yanking at the various straps with a grimace. She heard a noise outside and turned around open-mouthed, ready to tell whoever it was to leave her alone, when she saw Alistair at the edge of her tent and her stomach turned.
"Elena…" he started, looking unsure of what exactly he wanted to say. "I feel like we should talk about what happened back there."
"Alistair, I did what I had to do. That's all there is to it."
"I know. I just… I just wanted to say that… maybe there was a better way. I keep thinking about what Arl Eamon will say when he wakes."
"If he wakes," Elena said, tears welling up despite her best efforts. She was being hurtful and she knew it. "If he ever wakes, Alistair. Our best hope at this point is a legendary urn that may or may not exist, and you're criticizing me about a decision I made to keep his son alive."
Alistair put his hands up, brow creased. He opened his mouth like he was going to say something and then thought better of it. "He wouldn't have wanted blood magic."
"Isolde was willing, so please don't lecture me on the dangers of blood magic. I'm sure I'll get quite enough of that from Wynne, thanks." Elena fiddled with the straps of her armor some more, not wanting to look Alistair in the eye.
"We could have gotten the Circle involved. With enough mages and lyrium, maybe we could have saved both of them."
"And what of the journey to the Circle and back? Leaving a demon to run the castle in our absence? Who knows what would have happened!" Elena was nearly shouting, tears now fully prickling her eyes. She turned away and continued trying to fiddle with her armor. She noticed her hands were shaking.
"I just thought-"
"Well, maybe just leave the thinking to me," Elena snapped. She regretted it as soon as it was said. Still turned away, she heard Alistair pause then leave the tent. Fantastic, she thought. We were just starting to be friends. She could still feel the tears springing to her eyes, but she wouldn't let herself cry. Not now, she thought. Not after everything I've been through to get here. I won't start regretting my decisions now. She knew she was right, after all- Isolde had been willing and it was the only way to save Connor that didn't require a multi-day journey. Maker only knew what would have happened in that castle while they were travelling.
Still, Elena couldn't seem to sleep that night. She felt horrible about what she said to Alistair. Well, we have to be around each other during our journey to the Brecilian Forest, she thought. I should apologize tomorrow.
The next day, none of the party members seemed particularly keen on talking. Leliana, who normally liked to chat and tell stories or sing, was quieter than Elena had ever heard before. Wynne seemed to be working up to a lecture on blood magic so Elena did her best to avoid that conversation. Elena kept near Morrigan and Sten, who she figured were the least likely to strike up an unwanted conversation. She noticed that Alistair took care to stay on the other end of the party from her. Her stomach turned again, this time from guilt. He looked so defeated, and she knew it was her fault. She shouldn't have snapped at him last night. Maybe she should try to apologize now before she ruined the small friendship that had sprung up between them.
It was then that she walked into the ambush.