Despite her exhaustion Elissa did not sleep. Rather than allow her eyes to close, as her body desperately wanted her to, she remained wakeful and worked to convince herself that her revelation changed nothing. Her marriage to Loghain was not, after all, made for love. But up until now she had felt that she brought value to the union. A stake in Highever, the prestige of her name and her not inconsiderable skill for administering land and households. Now she felt like an obstacle that had been overcome, nothing more than a burden.

Her discovery threatened the already fragile tenderness that she was coming to feel for her husband. She had thought there was an understanding, a sympathy, between them. Much of the time he allowed her to set the pace and course of their relationship, giving her valuable time to adjust to the sudden changes in her life. He valued her talents, both in swordplay and local politics, and she appreciated his respect knowing that another husband might have used her simply as a broodmare. What she felt for him was not love, not yet, but it had the potential to turn into it. Everything she had surmised shook her deeply, forcing her to look at the events of their marriage through different eyes.

She sat up abruptly, swinging her legs from beneath the covers to perch uncomfortably on the edge of the bed. The movement must have disturbed Loghain. Unlike most people he did not wake gradually but came instantly awake when something roused him. She felt movement behind her and a hand alighted on her shoulder. "Are you alright?" he mumbled, voice thick with sleep.

"I..." she began and faltered immediately. She was too tired, too fraught, for a fight and she felt that one would be inevitable if she broached the topic. "It's my back," she blurted, seizing on the first thing that came to mind. It was as good an excuse as any. After their training sessions at Gwaren, days in the saddle and nights sleeping on the hard ground her lower back had been throbbing by the time they reached Denerim. She had mentioned it after he saw her shifting uncomfortably at the banquet.

"This is what comes of neglecting your horsemanship," he said sternly. Her lip curled in a humourless smile. He was right, of course. She was not a natural rider and she avoided it unless she absolutely had to travel. But she was in no mood to tolerate a lecture from him. Before she could bite out a sharp response his arm circled around her waist and pulled her gently back into bed to lie next to him. He slid her nightgown up over her hips to run his fingers over the base of her back. The gesture was too light to be an attempt at easing her pain; he was trying to soothe her. Hating herself for her weakness, she leaned into the caress, unable to resist the comfort he offered. As his breathing grew deeper he moved his hand to cup her hip, anchoring her firmly against him.

While he slipped easily back into sleep, Elissa remained awake in the dark. A deep pang, close to a physical pain, struck her in the pit of her stomach at the display of tenderness. She had been unfair to him. Not about his motives for marrying her; she was certain he would have done it for Anora's sake if he thought it necessary. But she was equally sure that his signs of respect and affection were not false. There was no need for him to encourage her feelings, and he was not the type of man to play with a young woman's heart simply for his own amusement.

As light began to filter through the drapes she roused herself to action. Couslands did not lie abed all day wallowing in self pity, and while she was a Mac Tir now she was quite certain that they would not approve of it either. She slid from the bed, carefully this time so as not to wake Loghain again, and dressed hurriedly in the dim light. Pinning her hair back in an untidy bun, she left the room with as little noise as possible. Despite the earliness of the hour it took her less than a minute to find a servant. "Do you know where to find Lord Cousland?"

The woman had been blinking blearily, staring at a point behind Elissa's shoulder, but at the mention of Fergus's name she straightened to attention. Taking a closer look at Elissa, she clearly came to the conclusion that, in spite of her unkempt appearance, she was someone of importance. "Yes, my lady, would you like me to take you to him?"

"Please do."

The woman took her on a long walk to a different part of the palace. Elissa paid close attention, searching for landmarks that would help her find her way back through the unfamiliar corridors. Finally the servant came to a halt and pointed at a door. Elissa thanked her and, bobbing a curtsey, the woman disappeared back to her duties. She knocked on the door and from the other side Conobar gave an excited bark. When the door opened he surged into the corridor, pressing his damp nose into her palm in search of affection.

Fergus stood in the doorway, half dressed and bleary eyed. "Is everything alright?" he asked immediately.

"As far as I know. May I come in?"

"Of course." He stood aside to let her enter. The room was in a state of disarray, clothes spread untidily over the bed and two empty packs open in readiness. She guessed he planned to leave before the morning was over and was glad she hadn't waited to seek him out. He cleared off a chair for her, and Conobar came to rest his head on her knee the moment she was seated.

"I need a favour," she said bluntly.

Fergus chuckled. "And you have come so early in the morning to catch me off guard?" He grinned at her so she would know he was not serious, but when his eyes fell on her drawn, worried face his smile faded. "Are you certain all is well?"

"I don't know," she said honestly. "I need your help to find out."

He looked puzzled but, rather than questioning her, merely asked, "What do you need of me?"

She hesitated, uncertain of how to explain her suspicions and the events and guesswork that had prompted them. Simpler, she decided, was better. "I believe that our parents were arranging another match for me before I received Loghain's offer. I need you to find out if it's true."

"Did they mention this to you?"

"No."

"Then why-?"

"I have my reasons," she interrupted. "I would rather not have to explain them unless my suspicions are confirmed."

He stared at her silently, lips compressed in a tight line. "If this is true, why would they tell me when they said nothing to you?"

She had thought about this, and was counting on her parents' affection for her. Unlike some nobles they did not view their children as mere pawns in the game of politics. They may even have kept her in the dark about their plans in order to protect her. "Tell them you fear for my safety," she said, not without a twinge of guilt.

"At the moment that would not be a lie," he said gravely. "You are worrying me, Elissa."

"I am sorry for it. If it reassures you at all, I don't truly believe I'm in danger. It's the only way I can think of to force the truth from them."

"Small comfort when you are acting so strangely." He dropped onto the bottom of the bed with a grunt. Raising his eyes to Elissa's, he studied her intently. She was relieved to see only concern, and no hint on disapproval, in his face. "I will do what you ask," he said eventually, "but I must insist on knowing everything."

"After you speak to our parents," she promised. "If it turns out that I'm wrong I will write you a long letter about my paranoid imaginings. If I am right... Well, you will require no further explanation from me."

"You seem to be set on turning my hair grey with worry," he grumbled, glowering at her. Seeing the determined set of her shoulders, he rolled his eyes and relented. "Very well. It shall be as you wish, exactly as you wish. By now I know better than to argue with you."

"Thank you," she said with relief, rising to embrace him. When they separated she waved her arm to indicate the scattered clothes and asked, "You leave soon?"

"As soon as I can take leave of Cailan and Anora."

"I will be sorry to lose your company so soon."

His lips quirked. "Well I will not be sorry to leave when a grand mystery awaits me at Highever."

Elissa snorted and made for the door, where she was caught in a bone creaking hug. They bade each other farewell and she left, Conobar following now that Fergus was leaving. She returned to her chambers with a lighter step than she had left them, stopping every few feet to ruffle Conobar's ears. When she had arrived at Fergus's rooms she had undoubtedly worried her dog, and she wanted to reassure him that all was well. Despite her frequent stops and taking the wrong turn several times, Loghain was still asleep when she finally returned. She was surprised and relieved. Normally he rose before her, but his delay today gave her time to compose herself.

Moving around the room on tiptoe, she shed her crumpled dress for a fresh one. While they were at the banquet last night some servant had wrought a miracle on her clothes, so that no one would have guessed they had been crammed into a trunk and transported across the kingdom. She tidied her hair in the mirror, relieved to see that nothing in her face betrayed her sleepless night.

By the time Loghain woke, Elissa was the picture of tranquillity, seated in a chair near the window with a book open on her lap. Conobar padded over to the bed as Loghain propped himself up on his elbows. He held his hand out for the dog to sniff and, when Conobar bared his approval, scratched behind his ears. "Now here's a strange sight: my wife awake and dressed before me."

She didn't look up from her book. "Shouldn't you be appreciating such a rare and beautiful sight rather than complaining about it?" she said, forcing herself to keep her tone light.

She heard the slight creak of the bed as he rose and then his bare feet padding across the floor. Still, his breath against her ear surprised her into a shiver. "It was not a complaint." He a placed a swift kiss on her earlobe and then backed away in search of clothes. She resisted the urge to touch the place he had kissed, shocked by her sudden sense of loss.

"Do you feel prepared for your first full day at the palace?"

"I suppose so," she said, shutting her book with a sigh. "I'm sure it can't be as terrifying as I imagine."

He chuckled under his breath. "I can almost guarantee you'll face nothing so taxing as an abduction attempt."

She screwed up her face. "You would not make that promise so lightly if you had spent any length of time in the company of the queen's ladies."

"You think you have suffered?" he snorted. "They've spent years throwing their daughters into my path in the hope that I would marry one of them."

She could only manage a weak smile in response. His comment had set her mind back on a track that was fast becoming well worn: why had he chosen her when he had rejected everyone else?

A soft touch on her shoulder brought her out of her thoughts, and she looked up to meet Loghain's piercing gaze. For a moment she feared her thoughts had somehow shown on her face, but when he spoke his voice was concerned. "Are you alright? Is your back still troubling you?"

"Not at all," she said, smiling in a manner she hoped was reassuring. "I'm only nervous."

"You will manage."

"Thank you for the vote of confidence," she said drily.

"I would not have asked you to come if I thought you unequal to the challenge."

She smiled and thanked him, this time sincerely. When he finished dressing she rose and shook the creases out of her skirts, silently girding herself for what was certain to be a long and tiring day. He opened the door and she strode into the hallway with grim determination, ready to face not just her first day in the palace but every day between now and the time she received word from Fergus.

She started the day convinced that she would not be able to stop thinking about her brother and what he might uncover at Highever, but over the following days the buzzing activity of the palace absorbed her entirely. While she could never quite forget about Fergus, he did not occupy her every thought. She was too consumed with trying to fathom the routines of the palace and how she fit into them.

The court was not an easy place to navigate. She might be able to handle unsophisticated, predictable men like Dolan but the nobles of the capital were different creatures entirely. For the first time she realised how sheltered her life at Highever had been. Nothing in her political education had prepared her for the machinations of the courtiers, their ceaseless plotting and cutthroat ambition masked behind inviting smiles. Things were simpler at home. Her parents certainly omitted to tell her things, but they were honest whenever they could be. Sometimes embarrassingly so. She had long since lost count of the amount of times she had fled a gathering, cheeks flaming, after a very public castigation from her mother about her reluctance to find a husband.

Anora was the best of them all, a consummate player. Elissa had no idea where she had learned the skill because her father certainly did not possess it. He doubtless had schemes of his own, perhaps known only to himself. But he made no attempt to cultivate friendship or stroke the egos of already arrogant courtiers. Perhaps the queen had inherited the talent from her mother. The warm smile Elissa had been favoured with upon her arrival invited confidences, so that sometimes even the wiliest of the queen's ladies would be coaxed into admitting something that was not to her advantage. For those who looked closely enough, Anora's eyes betrayed her. They were lit by a fierce intelligence, and they never ceased to study the people who surrounded her.

For her own sake, Elissa tried to maintain a certain distance from Cailan lest Anora think she had designs on him. The resolution was easier made than kept. He was at pains to make her comfortable in her new home, seeking her out at every gathering to put her at ease. At a particularly jovial luncheon, when one of the queen's ladies called for dancing, he sidled up to her and said, "Would you care to dance, mother?"

She choked on her wine. "Mother?" she spluttered. "I am younger than you!"

"Yet you are my mother by marriage." He extended his hand to her, eyes twinkling. "Come, take pity on a poor orphan."

Somehow, against her better judgement, she found herself placing her hand in his and allowing him to lead her in a dance. From then on she thawed to him. She still tried to avoid him wherever possible but she came to realise that trying to keep him at a distance was futile. It only spurred him on in his attempts to win her over.

Throughout everything, her one constant was Loghain. His duties kept him away from her for much of the day, but he always found time to answer the many questions she inevitably thought of. Few had such a firm grasp on the relationships and intrigues of the court, and a portion of each evening was dedicated to helping Elissa sift through them. Even so, he had hinted at Gwaren that he wanted her to play an active part in politics rather than act as a passive observer. Yet he never confided anything to her that was not common knowledge. Was he allowing her time to adjust or did he simply not trust her?

When she said something that made him laugh, or when she raised her face to his in silent invitation, she founded herself scrutinising him, trying to fathom what motives lay behind his impenetrable expression.

It might have felt like an eternity, but Elissa did not have to wait long for word from Highever. The parcel from Fergus arrived a fortnight after his departure. A servant delivered it discretely into Elissa's hands while she was on her way to Anora's chambers. Biting her lip, she dithered uncertainly in the corridor. She couldn't keep Anora waiting but neither could she guarantee that she would have the privacy to read her letter later on. Making a quick decision, she called the servant back. "I need you to take a message to the queen."

"Yes, my lady."

"Tell her I am too ill to attend her at present and beg her forgiveness on my behalf." She reached into her purse and drew out a generous measure of silver. The servant's eyes widened as Elissa pressed the coin into her hand. "For your assistance and earlier service to me. I trust that news of this," she gestured to the slight bulge in her dress where she had concealed the package, "won't find its way into palace gossip."

"I know when to hold my tongue, my lady," she replied, eyes twinkling.

"If that is so I may call on you to run errands for me in the future. You will be compensated for the additional work, of course."

The woman thanked her profusely, pocketing her payment. She dipped into a curtsey and hurried away to the queen's chambers. Elissa left at her own brisk pace, worried that someone might come across her if she lingered. She was grateful to have found an obliging servant. Although not an experienced intriguer, she knew the value of cultivating servants. The woman could prove useful if for some reason her legitimate methods of communication were compromised. Her thoughts did not linger long on that prospect before returning to her hidden bundle.

Throwing open the door, she was confronted by her alarming reflection in the mirror hanging on the opposite wall. The colour was high in her cheeks and her eyes were bright. She looked almost feverish, which could only be to her advantage should Anora send someone to inquire after her health. She shut the door firmly and, after a moment of consideration, drew the bolt.

Settling herself into a chair, she retrieved the parcel from the folds of her dress and tore off its wrappings. It was a carved wooden box useful only for storing jewellery or small keepsakes. Opening the lid, she eagerly seized the rolled up paper inside. As she read the missive, however, her browed creased in a deep frown. It was a note explaining that the box was a belated wedding gift from Oriana. There was no mention of marriage schemes or her parents, nothing at all that could be of use to her.

She flopped against the back of her chair, stomach knotting in disappointment. Why would Fergus send her this? More importantly, why would he waste money and resort to unorthodox sources to get it to her so quickly? It was entirely too strange, she thought as she drummed her fingers absently against the box. An idea, highly unlikely but her only hope, occurred to her. She ran her fingers along the seams of the box, searching for something unusual. There was a slight bulge beneath the satin lining. Heart pounding, she slit the material and groped blindly inside. Her fingers brushed paper and she grasped, pulling a second letter out into the open.

It was written in Fergus's hand but the script was scrawled and hurried. He had addressed it "Dear Lissy" and the use of the nickname, used only when he was worried or feeling particularly affectionate, alerted her immediately that something was wrong.

Dear Lissy,

I apologise for this cloak and dagger nonsense, but I couldn't risk sending this openly. Better to be too cautious than too lax. You were right. This will come as a shock (or perhaps not, I don't know how much you have already guessed), but our parents were considering marrying you to Cailan. Arl Eamon wishes to supplant the queen and his first choice was you. Before the plan could proceed, Loghain proposed and you accepted.

I don't know what this means for you, Lissy, but I'm worried. Remember what I said – Highever will always be your home.

Ever your loving brother,

Fergus.

It felt like someone had yanked the carpet from beneath her feet. Suspecting such a scheme was one thing, knowing it for certain a different matter entirely. In the space of seconds her position had become immeasurably more insecure. If Loghain had married her only for Anora's sake, she thought, rolling the letter in her hands and nearly tearing it, what was to stop him setting her aside if the queen ever produced an heir? Even if that never happened, it was highly unlikely that she would ever be entrusted with any real power or responsibility. She would be trapped in the palace or sent to rot at Gwaren, denied the important positions that her name and abilities demanded.

Illogical as it might be, she felt betrayed. Her marriage had been based on convenience and good sense, but she had thought it was developing into something deeper. Even her parents had played her false, toying with her life without so much as hinting about it. The only person she felt she could trust was Fergus, and he was miles away. She was weighed down by the knowledge that she was surrounded by people who neither cared for nor trusted her.

She knew she needed to calm down, to focus and try to plan her next step, but at the moment it was beyond her. Struggling to breathe, she scrambled to her feet and fled through the door. She did not know where she was going, only that she needed to get away from the oppressive atmosphere of the palace and breathe clean, cool air. In her haste to escape she left the jewellery box in plain sight, Fergus's letter lying open on top of it.