Disclaimer: I don't own DAO or any part of it, I just abuse the characters for my personal fun. In addition, I do not have any claim to the use of the name Erynnar – that's Erynnar's :D I apologise in advance, my dear, if I have used your alias in vain, however I felt I needed to credit you in some way for giving me the idea heh... you'll see soon enough XD

NOTE: I apologise PROFUSELY for the ridiculous delay! I know I said I would try and get it out soon (and I did try! Honest!) but then I had another idea which I had to try and get into this chapter... then I was in Wales for a week with family (just... gah. Yeah. Wasn't particularly relaxing) and then... well... I may have bought Mass Effect and Mass Effect 2. And finished them both... Not that I'm making excuses or anything _

Chapter Six: Highever (I)

Fergus Cousland sighed as he leant back into the soft cushions of the study's sofa and found his marked page in his book. It was midway through the afternoon on Santinalia and he had nothing to do for the rest of the day. Thank the Maker.

The study door was shut to muffle the noise drifting from the festival in the castle square. Fergus had attended the morning's festivities, as was traditional, but had elected to have a quiet afternoon to himself, free of his usual responsibilities. He was happily enjoying a bottle of last year's white from one of the castles re-established vineyards and reading one of his father's many journals (which had miraculously survived Howe's invasion).

Fergus had already read the earlier journals detailing his father's exploits and worries from the rebellion – and how he met Eleanor – to the crowning of Maric and the revitalisation of Ferelden as a nation. Those were interesting to read, but the real joys were in the books from the summer of 9:04 onwards, from when Fergus was born. The entries were less frequent than the earlier books, but they were also no longer the generic musings of Bryce Cousland – each entry was addressed to Fergus, detailing an anecdote or offering a piece of advice.

'Fergus,

I pray to the Maker that you never make the same mistake as I. I have made a grave error today and as a result made a great enemy.

It's dangerous to get on the wrong side of your wife on the best of days, but when she is heavily pregnant, well, Maker help you. It is only a matter of time before your mother exacts her revenge. In hindsight, while celebrating the fall of the Occupation with Rendon and Leonas was acceptable, recreating the battle of River Dane in the Great Hall with upturned tables and wall hangings was not.

There's nothing quite as sobering as being subjected to your mother's glare - except for perhaps a bucket of ice cold water. Even Rendon was subjected to a tongue-lashing, though Leonas managed to sweet talk his way out of it the lucky bastard – how I will never know. Must be because he's her cousin...'

Fergus paused in his reading, chuckling to himself and sympathising with his father – his mother's temper was formidable and he had been on the wrong side of the sobering gaze many a time. He was about to turn the page when a commotion not of the festival's making started outside. He heard hurried footsteps past the study door and a voice calling through the corridor.

"Milord! It's Lady Cousland! The Hero of Ferelden! She's returned!"

Fergus snapped the journal shut and growled as he stamped to the door, wrenching it open to glower at the chirruping servant in the corridor. "If this is a Santinalia prank, it is in poor taste and I'll gladly beat the living daylights out of whoever's idea it was!" The servant went pale and pointed a shaky hand down the corridor.

"B-b-but m-m-m-milord it's t-true!" the servant stammered in fear, not used to seeing the Teyrn angry at all. "Look!"

Fergus looked down the hall to see a mabari snuffling around the base of one of the wall tapestries. Fergus felt his temper rise a little further, unamused at this prank, but he paused to look at the mabari a bit closer. That white back foot, the whorl of white on his chest and the way he cocked one ear while investigating...

"Madoc?" he called tentatively.

The mabari's head shot up at the sound of his name and he gave a loud and happy yip before bounding towards Fergus. The warhound stood on his hindquarters and reached out to touch his paws to Fergus' chest.

"Madoc!" Fergus confirmed, staggering slightly under the force of the mabari's welcome. "Down, boy. Down, I said!" The mabari contented himself with performing hyperactive pirouettes, and Fergus laughed again. The teyrn turned to the terrified servant and reached into his pocket for a sovereign. "Sorry about that... Maren, wasn't it?" Fergus handed the sovereign over. "Thank you for coming to tell me – enjoy the rest of your holiday."

"You're too kind, my lord," Maren said, taking the sovereign gratefully. "Give my best to Lady Cousland. It will be good to see her about the castle again. The last I heard she was in the courtyard with quite a crowd... though no doubt her mabari would be able to lead you to her much quicker."

Fergus turned away from the retreating elf and back to Madoc. "Calm down, Mad, it's good to see you too, but I need to find Elissa. Can you take me to her?"

The hound barked in reply and dashed down the corridor, pausing at the end to look over his shoulder. Well, come on then!

Fergus spared a brief thought for what he must have looked like – the Teyrn of Highever half running through and out of his castle after a mabari hound – and ignored it. Let any who saw him think what they like, because right now he didn't care one bit.

x.x.x

No matter how far she travelled nor how many places she had seen, Highever would always be perfect.

She wondered now what she was worried about – she should have known the castle would have been sufficiently intact, not a stripped out defiled husk – Howe wanted to use it, after all, not destroy it. And with the Santinalia festivities, the castle and its grounds were more beautiful and alive than ever, with coloured banners draped over the battlements and buntings strung from wall to wall. People were dancing on and around the raised stage in the centre of the square and children racing through the crowds laughing at whatever prank they had successfully pulled.

But there were still shadows in the place. Shadows all over this beautiful place, marring its perfection. She could almost hear Oren's laughter in amongst those of the other children and see her father persuading her reluctant mother to dance with him on the dias. Oriana would be singing with the minstrels and bards and Nan would be fretting over the evening's feast...

Madoc barked suddenly, snapping Elissa out of her reverie, and vanished into the crowd. Next to her, Darrian swore. "Madoc! Oy! Get back here!"

Elissa laid her hand on Darrian's arm. "Let him go – he grew up here, he knows where he is. He'll be back soon enough."

Darrian was about to ask Elissa some more questions about Highever (she had been tactically evading his interrogation since they entered the city, and he hoped to catch her off guard) when someone bumped into him.

"Blast it! I am so sorry!" Darrian turned to the source of the voice to see a pretty girl, decked out in festival finery and her hair braided with flowers and coloured ribbons. Some of her friends were a few paces back, giggling. The girl stammered. "Good ser, forgive me, my friends and I were just dancing – we should pay more attention to where we are spinning."

Darrian smiled at the young woman, not so discreetly looking her up and down. The girl blushed prettily, which only deepened when Darrian took one of her hands and bowed, gently kissing her knuckles. "It is I who should apologise, my lady – for what manner of man am I to stand in the way of such a beauty dancing?" He stood up but kept hold of the girl's hand. "May I ask for the name of my ravishing assailant?"

"Oh!" The girl said, her blushing spreading further across her cheeks. Her friends behind her shared a look and giggled louder. "I am Erynnar, ser."

"Erynnar," Darrian repeated, "what a beautiful name. Please, call me Darrian. May I join you for the rest of the festival? I have only just arrived in Highever with my Commander, and I don't know the city at all..."

"Commander?" Erynnar queried. "You are a soldier?"

"Ah, not exactly," Darrian said. "I am a Grey Warden."

The giggles of the two other girls stopped abruptly as they shared a look and a grin. One stepped forward to whisper something into Erynnar's ear (making the girl's mouth drop in a small 'o' and a curious glint appear in her eyes) and the two vanished tactfully into the crowd.

"My friend has just reminded me of one of the tales about Grey Wardens," Erynnar said, her shyness melting away now her friends were not about to witness her flirtations. "Apparently your... stamina," she said with a teasing smile, "is second to none."

Darrian gave Erynnar a roguish grin. "Truly my lady, I have been on the road for many days and have had little opportunity to verify that piece of information. Perhaps you would care to help me... find out?"

Erynnar's eyes flickered over Darrian's shoulder. "Does your Commander not have need of your presence?"

"Ah... good question." Darrian turned slightly to look at Elissa. "Permission to enjoy the rest of the festival, Commander?"

Elissa suppressed her smirk and pretended to consider the request seriously. "Permission granted, Warden," she said, in her most authoritative voice, playing along with Darrian's mild bending of the truth. "Report to the castle by the start of the night watch. We have much to do."

"Yes, Commander," Darrian said, releasing Erynnar's hand to stand to attention and thump his chest in a salute. As soon as he relaxed, Erynnar grabbed his hand at the two disappeared into the milling crowd.

Elissa sighed to herself and stretched her arms. It was probably best that Darrian wasn't around to see her when she saw her brother again – it wouldn't do for him to see her cry, and the chances of that were high. She had started to wind her way through the crowd to try and get to the castle gates when she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Heeeeyyy you're fair pretty," the drunken man slurred, attempting to pull Elissa towards him. His two friends laughed and Elissa sighed. She turned towards the group of drinking men with a raised eyebrow.

"Kindly let me go, ser," she said, "as you have probably noted, I am quite heavily armed."

"Aye, but I like that in a woman." His first friend laughed again, his second paled and look shocked.

"Err... Jenson..." he stuttered. "She's... that's..."

"Spit it out man! Maker's breath, anyone would think you can't hold your drink."

"She's the Hero of Ferelden," the man blurted. "That's Lady Cousland!"

"What?"

"Where?"

Elissa winced and shrugged the man's now limp hand off her shoulder – people were crowding around her and making surprised exclamations as she was identified. Bollocks, she thought. All she wanted to do was get to the castle...

"Long live Lady Cousland!"

"Maker bless you, milady!"

"Put her on the dias!" someone shouted.

"Let us see her!"

"Really," Elissa protested, feeling very claustrophobic with people surrounding her as the Santinalia revellers gathered into a tight jostling crowd. "I just need to get to the castle. I've only just got back..."

Of course, no one was listening, and she felt herself being pushed towards the steps of the raised stage.

Elissa stood her ground when she heard an excited bark. "Madoc!" she called, and she brought her hands to her mouth to whistle. "Over here!"

"Coming through!" called a familiar male voice and Elissa felt her heart speed up as the crowd parted at the behest of her mabari. "Excuse me!"

The crowd surrounding Elissa fell away in her view, her eyes fixed on her brother rushing down the aisle in between the people. Suddenly she was enveloped in his arms and she felt the tears burning in her eyes as he whispered disbelievingly into her hair: "You're back. You're actually back. I've missed you so much."

"I've missed you too," Elissa choked out into his shoulder, her arms tight around his chest.

"Liar."

"It's true!"

Fergus leant back and she looked up so they could see each other's faces. Around them the crowd was cheering for the two reunited Couslands and Elissa grinned at her brother, regaining some composure.

"How's this for a Santinalia prank?" she said flippantly. Fergus thumped her shoulder.

"You utter fool. Don't joke about this! I've been worried sick!" He kissed the crown of her head then turned her around forcibly, pushing her towards the stage. "Come on you. Get on the stage and make everyone happy then we can get you out of here."

"But Fergus..."

"Shut up. Denerim got a look at you – it's only right that Highever does too. Besides, I had to do the exact same thing this morning. Go on – up you go!"

Elissa gave her brother a brief scowl before putting on a perfect face for when she stepped onto the stage. The people of Highever cheered and applauded and Elissa inwardly sighed, initially exasperated but then, after listening and registering the words in the cheers, she perked up slightly.

She was being cheered as a Cousland. Not a Warden, not a Hero, but what she truly wanted to be – a Cousland, servant to her people and valued member of her family. Her smile went from forced to genuine and suddenly her homecoming was most definitely worth it.

x.x.x

All good things bust come to an end, and of course Elissa's joy at returning home was no exception.

The shadows of her former life quickly returned once she had crossed the threshold into the castle's Great Hall and inner courtyards. The stone was new across much of the front of the keep's structure, as was the main gate to the Great Hall. The doors swung shut behind her and she paused, resting her hand on the cool carved wood.

"Go, man the gates! Keep those bastards out as long as you can!"

"Elissa?"

Elissa jumped slightly at the use of her name and saw her brother looking at her with concern. She gave him a smile which she hoped was reassuring and hastily caught up to him where he was waiting by the west side door, Madoc at her heels.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine."

Fergus raised an eyebrow but said nothing. He offered his crooked elbow to her and she gladly accepted, linking her arm with his and letting him lead the way to the study.

The bookcases in the library were not bare as Elissa had expected them to be and she was pleasantly surprised. "I thought Howe would have got rid of our library," she remarked. "All of our possessions, in fact."

"He did," Fergus said. "Most of them. Those are mainly new copies. But not everything was lost – when I got back, I managed to get into the side rooms of the study and the master bedroom."

"The ones that can only be opened with our signet rings?"

"The very same." Fergus opened the door to the study and stooped to retrieve a second glass from the cabinet behind the desk. Madoc yipped happily and jumped onto the pile of cushions in the corner, the ones they always set aside for him, and curled up to go to sleep. Elissa was surprised Fergus put them back. "Clearly Howe hadn't thought to retrieve one or other of our parents rings before he..." Fergus trailed off, not wanting to voice his thoughts, knowing his parents probably would not have got the funeral they deserved.

"Actually," Elissa said, tugging at a leather cord around her neck and pulling out a small leather pouch, "it was because they gave them to me." She held out the pouch to Fergus and swallowed, her head bowed. "I should have given them to you before I left. Even better - I should have stayed long enough to tell you the full story of what happened... I..." Elissa's shoulders visibly slumped. "I'm sorry. Leaving was selfish. I shouldn't have gone."

Fergus took the leather pouch from his sister and set it down with the glass onto the desk. He pulled her into his arms again for another hug. Without a crowd around them he heard Elissa hiccup and felt her shoulders shake slightly.

"You've nothing to be sorry for," he said. "I know you were out of sorts after the Blight, and Maker knows if half the bards' tales I've heard about your adventures are true then you deserved the break. I was cross at first and then worried out of my mind the rest of the time, but I don't blame you. Not for anything. Now," he said patting her back gently, "make yourself comfortable and I'll get you a drink."

Elissa dashed the tears away from her eyes and took a deep breath as her brother abandoned the wine to source the study's stock of brandy. "It's a bit early for this," he admitted, lifting the bottle to the light to have a look at its contents, "but a have a feeling we'll need it."

Elissa snorted and set about removing her splintmail, shrugging it off over her head and untucking her soft undertunic from her waistband. She kicked off her boots and piled her upper armour and pack in the corner of the study, padding barefoot across the stone slab floor clad in her undershirt (which ended midway down her thigh) and her metal-woven tights.

Fergus raised an eyebrow and smirked. "Sister, I believe that shirt is more patch than fabric. Anyone think you had an aversion to spending money."

Elissa looked down at her tunic. "There are only six patches! That's hardly unacceptable."

"Well perhaps you can tell me what the original colour was?" Fergus teased, looking over the extensive ruddy stains in the fabric. "Were you mud wrestling before you arrived?"

Elissa snorted. "Blood's a bugger to get out at the best of times, let alone when you have to wash your clothes in icy rivers."

Fergus thankfully was spared having to reply to that (because he had no words with which to respond) when the door to the study flew open and a whirlwind of silk barrelled in and threw itself at Elissa.

Elissa couldn't help but laugh as she felt her face peppered with small kisses and an oh-so-familiar accent filled her ears. "Elissa! My friend, you're back, you're back! Oh I have missed you."

"And I you, dear friend, now let me go so I can get a look at you!" Leliana dutifully stepped backward, her smile bright and cheerful. She was dressed in a simple but fine silk dress with long sleeves and a sweetheart neckline, the deep blue complimenting her fair skin and fiery hair. Her lute was slung across her back and a beautiful silver locket was clasped around her neck.

"You needn't have left Santinalia to see me," Elissa said, shaking her head. "Your audience is going to be disappointed!"

"Pah!" Leliana said with a wave of her hand. "Everyone is talking about your return – they were hardly going to sit still or stay quiet enough to listen to my ballads about you when you're already the talk of the city!" Leliana reached out to take both of Elissa's hands in her own. "Where is your recruit? I have to meet him!"

Elissa grinned. "He should be back at the castle in time for dinner. He's currently enjoying the festival. I think you'll like him – he's a bit of a charmer and got a good voice, though his choice of repertoire can be a bit, erm... what's the word..."

"Common?" Leliana supplied.

"I was going to say crude, but that's probably a more tactful way to put it." The two young women laughed together.

"Oh!" Leliana said in surprise as Fergus stepped up to Elissa to hand her a glass of brandy. "Your Grace, forgive my poor manners," she said, bobbing in a curtsey.

"Oh for the -," Fergus sighed. "Stop teasing me like that Leliana. You know how I dislike the pomp and circumstance. It's just Fergus for you, as you well know."

There was the sound of footsteps in the library coupled with the rhythmic hollow knock of a stick on the stone floor. "They you all are. I figured you might be in here."

The three occupants looked to the newcomer and Fergus grinned. "Nice of you to join us, seneschal. Brandy?"

"Isn't it a bit early?"

"It's Santinalia, my love," Leliana said with a smile. "Early drinking is practically encouraged."

The exchange was broken by an audible thud and the sound of liquid splashing on the floor as the glass tumbled from Elissa's lax fingers and bounced off the corner of its base on the floor. The Hero of Ferelden's eyes were wide and her skin pale as her hands flew to her mouth, not entirely believing what she was seeing.

She swallowed and forced her hands away from her face to speak. "Rory?"

Stood in the doorway, looking as sheepish as he ever could, impossibly yet amazingly was Ser Roland Gilmore. He was dressed in leather breeches and a quilted doublet, his ginger hair still cut short and flyaway and his face still clean shaven. Aside from seeing him out of armour, the only change was the addition of a finely crafted walking stick in his right hand.

Elissa ran to him, hopping over the puddle of brandy and throwing her arms around his neck, laughing and crying all at once. He brought his free arm around her waist and held her close, burying his head in her shoulder and shaking it in exasperation as a string of apologies fell from Elissa's lips.

"What happened?" Elissa said, leaning back on to his one arm. "How did you get out? I didn't dare hope... when I heard the gates fall I thought... oh Rory."

Rory hesitated and Leliana came to his rescue, laying a hand over his on his cane and reaching up to brush his hair behind his ear affectionately. "Let's all sit down, shall we?" she said. "We've got a long story to piece together."

Elissa did as she was bidden and sat down in the big armchair, curling her legs up underneath her. Fergus handed her a fresh glass of brandy and she gladly accepted it, taking a hasty gulp to steady her shaking hands. Rory and Leliana sat next to each other on the sofa and Fergus took the remaining chair. When Rory moved, Elissa spotted his stiff gait and his heavy reliance on the cane to move his right leg, and when he sat down he apparently couldn't bend his right knee as he held his leg out straight.

"What happened?" she said again once they had all sat down.

"That was what I was going to ask you," Fergus said with a sigh. Rory nodded in agreement.

"I've been holding out on this until you returned," Rory admittedly meekly. "I didn't want the Teyrn to have half a story... and I don't think I can tell it again after this," he said, his hands shaking. He looked at Elissa expectantly and she swallowed.

"Ah," she said. "I suppose I ought to start, then, shouldn't I?"

"That would probably be best," Fergus said quietly. Elissa gulped down the remains of her brandy and stood up to refill her glass, hastily knocking back that shot as well. She refilled her glass a second time and set it on the side table to her chair, clambering back into the cushions and pulling her legs up to her chest.

"I had gone to bed early, as you know," she started. Maker's breath, why hadn't she rehearsed this? She should have known she would have to recount it all in full eventually. "It must have been nearly midnight when Dairren and I woke up to Madoc's barking." She ignored Fergus and Rory's enquiring looks at the mention of Dairren – she had started now and hoped they wouldn't interrupt.

She took a shaky breath and barrelled on, not sparing the details. How Dairren had fallen immediately and she was thrown into the fray, half dressed. How her mother had flown into the hallway, dressed for battle, and how the two of them had found Oren and Oriana. Elissa noted with a breaking heart her brother's noise of distress, but didn't look at him and didn't acknowledge it, knowing if she stopped know she would break and not be able to go on. It was perhaps a callous decision, but she needed to tell him and get this out in the open, so she just stared at the top of her knees and let the words flow.

She had just reached the part when she and her mother were approaching the larder when the tears finally started. "He was bleeding so much," she gasped out, wringing her hands together over her knees. "He insisted we take the exit and leave him, adamant he wouldn't survive, and even if we had got him out the castle would be surrounded. Then Duncan arrived, confirming his suspicions. Father asked him to get mother and myself to safety and he agreed – at a price."

"What price?" Fergus whispered when Elissa's pause became a bit too long.

"That I join the Grey Wardens," Elissa whispered back. Fergus swore angrily and Rory let out a pained sigh.

"I didn't want to," Elissa continued. "I wasn't going to go. I wanted to stay, to defend my parents to the death, to go back to help hold the gates. I refused Duncan's offer... then..." Elissa ran a hand over her face and took a deep breath. "Father asked me to do it. For him."

"You never could say no to him," Fergus remarked wryly.

"No. I couldn't," Elissa confirmed sadly. "Then mother... mother said she would stay. She wouldn't come with me. Given what happened at Ostagar I suppose it was just as well... but I could have got her out. Got her to West Hill or South Reach."

"If she didn't want to go, then she wouldn't have gone," Fergus said. "You knew her as well as I. Beneath her fine lady exterior was a woman as fierce and determined as you are. She used to blame your hard headedness on the Cousland blood, but in truth it was only her seeing her old self in you."

Rory nodded. "Her strength showed later as well. Which is where my story comes in." He sighed, and Leliana gave his arm a reassuring squeeze. He smiled in thanks and launched into his tale.

"When you left to find the Teyrn, myself and the remaining soldiers held the gate as long as we could. Then one of their mages blasted it open from the other side. I was thrown back and buried under the rubble. I don't know how long I was out of it, but when I came to I was in the dungeons of the castle. And so was the Teyrna.

"I was manacled to the wall, but now I was awake and could pretend to be chained to the wall, the Teyrna freed my arms. She was rather creative with her hairpins," he added in answer to the Cousland siblings' questioning looks.

"She explained that you'd managed to escape with the Grey Warden and that she decided to stay. She defended the Teyrn as long as she could, but when the gates fell it was only a matter of time until they found her. For reasons unknown, the guards captured the Teyrna and attempted to capture the Teyrn but he didn't survive long enough. Which was probably a mercy." Rory gripped the handle of his cane tightly and took a shaky breath. "Howe... toyed with us. The man loved his own sick voice – recounting the plans for his attack and how he intended to use his newly acquired land and wealth to advance the Howe name to where it should be.

"He questioned your mother for information – I didn't hear much but he kept talking about Orlais."

"He claimed that our family had betrayed Ferelden to Orlais," Elissa interjected. "All a lie, of course, however he probably thought to get some semblance of a confession out of Mother in case Cailan survived Ostagar."

"It was a psychological attack," Rory said. "But your mother was too smart for the likes of him. The answers she gave we inconsequential and vague, and often with veiled insults woven in. Then he decided to get more forceful."

"He tortured her?" Fergus said quickly. Rory shook his head.

"No," he said quietly. "He tortured me."

"Maker's blood," Fergus exclaimed. Elissa quickly rose from her seat and dashed around the back of the sofa, throwing her arms around Rory's shoulders and hugging him tightly. He reached up with his free hand to return her hug as much as he could, covering one of her arms with his own.

"I don't know how long he had me tortured, but he ruined my leg in the process," Rory continued, tapping his straight leg with his cane. "The Teyrna... she couldn't hide her distress and that bastard revelled in it. I passed out from the pain at one point and awoke in the cell again. Howe visited once more before he was presumable called to Denerim by Loghain – he... he told us what happened at Ostagar. Said you were both dead, along with the King and the Grey Wardens. Neither of us believed him at first, knowing him to be a liar. But then Thomas was left in charge of Highever in his father's absence and he... he confirmed it."

"Thomas always was an awful liar," Elissa remarked.

"Well, he was lying well enough to fool his father," Rory said. "He was horrified at what Howe had done but managed to hide enough to avoid his father's wrath. When his father had gone he had a healer come to see me and salvage as much of my knee as possible. We were in the dungeons for weeks – months even, by this point. Howe visited again, and near enough undid the healing on my knee.

"When Howe left again, Thomas in charge once more, Thomas set about a plan to free us. It was risky – he was being watched more closely by once of Howe's vassals, left to spy on him. He made-out to the spies that I had died from my injuries and smuggled me out of the castle. I don't know the full details about the Teyrna's escape plan, I only know that it did not go well." Rory took a deep breath and closed his eyes, his hand squeezing Elissa's arm gently. "From what I could gather from various servants, Howe returned to Highever prematurely while the escape was taking place. The Teyrna was killed – and so was Thomas."

"Howe killed his own son?" Elissa exclaimed.

"The man was more insane that we had ever guessed," Fergus said grimly.

Elissa took a while to process this news. She was so shocked that it was a good moment before she realised that Rory was shaking it her arms, covering his face with his free hand. She hastily dashed around to the front of the sofa and knelt on the floor by the sofa, one hand on his good knee and the other tugging at one of his sleeves, imploring him to look at her.

"It should have been me," she heard him say. "I knew we should have got her out first."

"Don't say that!" Elissa said.

"None of this was your fault, Rory," Fergus said reassuringly. "It was all Howe's doing – you cannot wish to have been in my mother's place."

"Mother chose her path when she refused to come with me and Duncan through the servants exit," Elissa added. She had succeeded in getting Rory to show his face, taking his hand in her own. "You could have done nothing to change that."

Silence fell in the room again and Fergus finished his glass of brandy. "Take the week off, Rory. No buts," he added quickly, seeing the seneschal open his mouth to object. "I can handle the spring planting schedules by myself for a week. Go to the lakeside cottage and rest for a while. I appreciate you telling us all of this."

"As do I," Elissa said. "And I'm sorry I did not return sooner and that you held it in for so long."

Rory nodded mutely and swallowed. "It is getting late," he said quietly. "If your Lordship has no more need of me...?"

"Maker's breath, Rory, you're off duty. Quit with the formalities." Fergus stretched. "Take Leliana and enjoy the rest of Santinalia. I'm sure there is still dancing in the square," he added with a wink.

Rory flushed and started to stammer out that his dancing skills have never been that good let alone with a stiff leg but Leliana quickly rescued him from further teasing, ushering him out of the door. She gave Elissa a quick hug and a kiss to the top of her head and vanished out of the study door in a flurry of silk.

"Well," Fergus said with a big sigh, refilling the two glasses left on the table as Elissa lay back and stretched out on the sofa, "I... thank you for telling me, 'Lis," he said, his shoulders slumping. "Maker knows it can't have been easy."

"You seem awfully relaxed," Elissa commented. Fergus snorted.

"Oh it may all sink it a bit more later, nevertheless I've had two years to come to terms with the situation. I'll miss them all, always, and your story is another step to proper closure but..." Fergus sighed. "Life is too short to dwell on what could have been."

Elissa snickered. "Fergus the sage. Well you were bound to grow some brain cells eventually." Her laugh turned into a yelp as a pillow was thrown at her.

"Brat," Fergus said with a grin. He sighed and leant back in his chair. "It's good to have you home, little sister."

Elissa echoed Fergus' sigh and took a sip of her brandy. "It's good to be home, big brother."

x.x.x

Elissa couldn't sleep.

It was unsurprising, really. Every time she shut her eyes and tried to settle down, something would rouse her back to full alertness, whether it was her dreams or the change of the watch. At the toll of the third morning bell Elissa gave up and rolled out of bed, pulling on her old leathers and strapping a couple of daggers to her waist.

Madoc was fast asleep on a nest of cushions at the end of her room, snuffling quietly in his dreams. Elissa quietly slipped out of her room (well, her room in the new living quarters in the east wing. Fergus had rearranged the castle somewhat) and headed outside. The night breeze was fairly warm as she made her way up to the battlements. She sat on the edge of the crenel, her legs dangling over the sea and rocks below. Once upon a time this was a space for the sea ballistae, to defend against pirates and invaders. The ballista for this battlement was still here, but pushed right back against the castle walls and covered with a tarpaulin, no longer needed in these times of peace, but ready should things change.

Elissa tilted her head slightly to the right and tensed, hearing the barest whisper of a footstep behind her. A soft touch on her left arm bade her to relax, and she leant backwards into a friend's embrace. "You're getting sloppy," she commented dryly. "I almost heard you."

"'Almost' being the operative word there." Zevran sat down behind Elissa, his legs either side of her, his arms around her waist and his head resting against hers. "Clearly, travelling alone has sharpened your senses."

"I wasn't alone."

"Madoc, as intelligent as he is, does not count."

"You did not see my missive from Weisshaupt?"

Zevran shook his head. "I haven't been idle while you have been away. Perhaps Leliana forgot to mention that one to me."

"Ah. Well, I rescued some Ferelden elves in Minrathous. One came with me and became a Warden at Weisshaupt. His name's Darrian. I think you'll like him." Elissa smiled to herself. "He has a similar "take pleasure where you find it" attitude to yours. I was hoping you could take some time out to show him some of your blade skills and maybe a few poisons – he's good with a dagger, but he could be better."

"For you, my dear Warden, anything."

"What have you been up to then, my friend?"

"A little of this, a little of that. Nothing particular exciting – your brother asks me to keep an ear to the ground for him in Denerim, and the Queen has been hiring outside her usual network for information. Truly, I feel more like a bard than assassin these days, but the laying low apparently has worked in my favour. The Crows have not contacted me since the Blight – though they have contacted you." Zev produced a thick missive bearing the Antivan Crow seal from his pac. "I thought about opening it to check for poison, but there's no way they'd think such a thick and obvious package would work."

Elissa cracked open the wax seal and quickly read the letter from Master Ignacio. "Ah!" she said triumphantly, riffling through the folded papers. "Talk about perfect timing. These are for you," she said, handing over a few sheets of parchment over her shoulder.

Zevran leant back and unwound his arms from Elissa's waist to take the proffered papers. His eyes widened as he read the carefully inked words and he swallowed the lump in his throat. "How did you... I thought these were gone."

"I met Master Ignacio in Rialto," Elissa explained. "Turns out my sister-in-law – Maker protect her – was his niece. A daughter of House Sennabec. I called in a favour for all the hassle I was put through from the Crows during the Blight and asked that he make your "death" a little more official. It seems he went one step further," she added, looking down at the letter. "You're now – officially and legally – free."

Zevran looked over the papers in front of him – his birth certificate, his indenture contract and the (more recently drawn up) release papers. He closed his eyes and leant his forehead on Elissa's back. "This is a dream. An almost perfect dream."

"Only almost?"

"Hm. If it was a perfect dream, you'd be naked," he commented lecherously. "Though you are wearing leather, which is close enough. Ow!" he exclaimed as Elissa turned to thwack his arm.

"That real enough for you?"

"Ah... I suppose it is." Zevran smiled and kissed Elissa's shoulder. "My dear Elissa, there are no words to convey my thanks."

"None needed, my friend. I'm glad I could help." They sat in companionable silence for a while, the sound of the waves on the rocks filling the night air. Elissa sighed and tilted her head back to look at the stars. "What will you do now?"

"Well, I have a Grey Warden to train, do I not?" Zevran smiled. "Ferelden isn't so bad once you get used to the chilly weather and the smell. Oh, Antiva is beautiful in her dangerous way, but there's little there that makes a home now." Zevran stood up and offered his hand to Elissa, helping her up from her perch. "Come now, before someone sees us and thinks we're conducting some secret affair."

Elissa laughed. "As if you were ever worried about my image or status before!"

"You were an outlaw before," Zevran said, offering Elissa his crooked elbow. "Now you are a hero and a noble-woman once more! You ought to take care to avoid potentially improper and gossip-creating situations."

Elissa linked her elbow with his, still laughing. "Zev, proprietary can kiss my ass. I've never given much care to what others think – I'm sure Fergus has a number of stories about my "improper" escapades."

"Oh he has. And has retold them in great detail." Zevran laughed as Elissa swore, the two of them walking down the tower staircase. "Though I daresay you have some stories of your own about him, no?"

"Not as many as I would like. Fergus is – or was – very good at covering his tracks. I may have shared some of the more funny ones with Alfstanna when I met her on the way home."

"Oh? So Fergus has told you the good news then?"

"Actually, no he hasn't – Alfstanna's demeanour when talking about Fergus let it slip and I guessed. I don't think he knows I know yet - we've still got a lot of catching up to do."

"Of that I have no doubt."

"How long are you in Highever for?"

"I was about to ask you that," Zevran said with a chuckle. "Until the Landsmeet I expect. Or just before it, anyway – I'll probably go ahead of your brother and try and get a heads up on what's likely to be an issue."

"You're enjoying this politics thing, aren't you?"

"I've always enjoyed the "politics thing"," Zevran replied. "It's just a lot harder without poisons or violence."

Elissa laughed again but quickly covered her mouth to stifle it –she didn't want to wake anyone this early. "Oh Zev, I have missed you."

"And I you." Zev hesitated before speaking again. "I would have gone with you, you know. If you'd asked."

Elissa felt guilty again. "I know. I just needed..." Elissa trailed off. Time? Space? Distance?

Zevran patted her hand gently and smiled reassuringly. "I know. Now, off to bed with you," he said, ushering her through her door. "I will see you at breakfast."

"Night," she said over her shoulder. "Oh, and Zev?"

"Si, amica?"

"Thank you."

Zevran smiled at the Cousland sibling and patted his chest pocket where his papers were stashed. "No, my friend. Thank you."

x.x.x.x.x

Heh, so the Erynnar cameo was... well, she said in her last review she wanted to bed Darrian lol, and it gave me an idea and opportunity to have Darrian out of the way while Elissa was being reunited with her brother heh! (I hate having characters just *there* not interacting and being forgotten, so any opportunity to send one off to do something (or someone lol) is always welcome hehe). Hope you didn't mind me besmirching your name in such a way my dear XD

And I had major major issues writing the last few pages – I knew what I wanted but I couldn't (and can't) seem to write it right. Maybe I'll redo it... or more likely I'll just forget about it and keep going lol. Next chapter – more Highever funtimes! And a visit from a favourite character of mine... :D :D

Please review! They make me ever so happy ^_^