- Chapter 1: The Welcoming Party -

Highever. Seven years later.

Castle Cousland stood before him. Alistair let his guards and Arl Teagan go to the front gate to announce their arrival. He wasn't sure he would actually see her, let alone talk to her about anything.

The gate opened and he was led to the main hall.

"Alistair!" shouted Fergus with a smile, coming up to him with his arms wide open.

"Fergus!" Alistair replied while they shared a hug. "I hope you received the message about us coming here."

Alistair's friendship with Fergus grew over the years. As the new Teyrn of Highever, Fergus often traveled to Denerim on official kingdom business, becoming both a friend and an unofficial counselor to King Alistair. Whenever he tried to talk about Elissa, however, Fergus's response was always the same: "I was asked not to say anything about her. She's stubborn, as you probably remember, and she's the only family I have left. I'm sorry, Alistair." The last time they spoke, however, during a dinner in the Royal Palace in Denerim, Fergus let out something he should not have, and he did not even notice it: "I am still not to say anything about her. I'm sorry, Alistair, but she's all the family I have… and I like having her around." Well, the ale was that good. So she has been around. Thank you, Fergus.

"I did, although you did not mention why you were visiting." Fergus looked at him doubtfully.

Alistair smiled. "You know, official king business, I have to travel all over Ferelden from time to time, see if people are happy, if there aren't any darkspawn eating their rice plantations…"

"… Or is this about my sister?"

Alistair looked at Fergus blankly. "Why would you say that?"

Fergus sighed. "When I got back from Denerim two months ago, I suddenly remembered our conversation at dinner. I was hoping it would not have a great impact on you."

"A great impact? It's not like –"

Alistair was struck down. His face was all wet and he couldn't open his eyes. When he finally did, the huge Mabari hound was standing on top of him, tail waggling, looking extremely happy to see him.

"Hey, Bawoof!"

Bawoof was Elissa's Mabari. His presence in Castle Cousland only reassured Alistair that she was indeed there – Mabari war hounds only have one master, and they never leave him.

Fergus got a hold of the huge goldish dog and tried with all his might to pull it off of Alistair. The dog, however, only stepped aside when he felt like it.

"I'm so sorry, Alistair, Elissa just lets him hang around… I guess he never learned how to behave."

Alistair remembered the great dog's braveness and loyalty during the time they were all together. "Believe me, Fergus, he has." Bawoof let out a loud bark in approval.

Suddenly, the door on Alistair's right flung open. A little girl in a dark red dress walked into the room. She had blue eyes and dark brown hair, tucked perfectly in a braid that went to her shoulders. "Daddy, do you know where Eleanor is? It's time for our tea party and I can't find her anywhere!"

"Well hello, Edith," replied Fergus. "I believe she was with your aunt in the garden." He then turned back to Alistair. "Alistair, this is my daughter Edith. Edith, dear, this is the king."

"Very pleased to make your acquaintance, Lady Edith," Alistair said with a smile, while kneeling to be able to be at her height and holding her little hand in his.

"Welcome to Highever, your Majesty." The girl was no older than 4 or 5, but she had been brought up in nobility; her manners were impressive. Still, she was so innocent and adorable, it just made Alistair chuckle.

"Well, thank you very much." He let go of her hand and stood up.

"Edith, pup, why don't you go to your bedroom and start preparing your little tea party? I'll tell someone to go get Eleanor…"

Alistair seized the opportunity. "I can do that. You said she was with Elissa. I need to speak to her anyway."

Fergus just looked puzzled at Alistair. "Very well, if you say so. I'll accompany you to the gardens –"

"I can do that, Fergus. I still remember where they are." Teagan smiled at his old friend.

"Well, I guess I'll just go with my daughter and help her prepare her little tea party then. Make yourselves at home." With that, Fergus smiled at both men and left the room with her daughter.

Teagan signaled Alistair to follow him. "So you're really serious about this plan of yours. Who are you leaving the kingdom to?"

Alistair followed Teagan out of the room through the corridors to the back of the castle. "Eamon will watch over it while I'm gone."

"And if something happens to you?"

"Teagan, I've been in a battle with the Archdemon and lived to tell the tale, it's not like some Antivan Crows or the sort will take me down."

Teagan sighed. "You keep telling yourself that, Alistair, and you might be surprised to find yourself in very unpleasant situations."

"As long as there aren't any other men involved, I think I'll manage it."

Teagan rolled his eyes as they walked into the gardens. It was a wonderful sunny day, and it wasn't long until they both saw a familiar red-haired figure in the distance, along with a small child holding a bow. Alistair stopped walking; suddenly his cockiness was all gone. Seven years later they would meet again – would she still be angry at him? The last memory he had of her were those piercing green eyes full of hurt and anger.

Teagan noticed him standing still. "Are you alright? Are you up to this?"

Snapping out of his nostalgic state, Alistair took a deep breath. "I am. It has been too long."

Author's note: Sorry for this very small chapter. I promise the next one will be bigger and surprises will follow! I'll try to upload a new chapter with no more than a week apart, or if I'm lucky and my mind is working nicely enough, a little earlier (as this was). Once again, many thanks to my beta reader sarahannmarie123 for her reviews and comments on this chapter :)

Please leave a review, I'll be forever grateful (really, please do :P)! Thanks for reading :)