The Arrangement

Under pressure, Alistair is desperate to find a suitable Queen. Only that his choice is a highly unusual young noble woman and a new danger threatens Alistair's very life- Luckily Aedan Cousland is here to help. AU. M!Cousland Warden, Alistair, Non-Warden F!Cousland and the rest of the gang!

Chapter 13: Aftermath

He was alone; alone as he floated around in the darkness that seemed to make up all of the landscape that surrounded him, and beyond that too it seemed. He could hear noises, people, all around him but his tongue and mouth were numb, and he could not form the words to cry out to them. He was alone, and scared, and if this was the fade, he was going to kill Aedan for dragging him into this again!

"How is he?" Leliana asked quietly as she peaked around the bedchamber door.

The old woman looked up from her vigil at the side of the king's bed and frowned.

"Is it that bad?" The red haired woman said in concern as she entered the room, closing the door softly behind her.

Wynne shook her head slightly, her white strands brushing against her temple as she did so. "It isn't as bad as it could have been but he is very weak. The wound he took cut in deep under his guard." Her face furrowed in motherly concern as she brushed her fingers across the unconscious man's forehead. "He is quite lucky that the blade had not been poisoned."

The younger woman stood over her older friend and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder, "You must rest. You have been in with him since we brought him back, you must be weary."

Wynne tilted her head up to look at the woman, with a wry smile. "You're correct; I am no spring chicken." She clenched and unclenched her hands, "I had hoped that the days of injuries had ended on the road but it seems as though I had been too hopeful."

"We are fortunate to have you Wynne," Leliana said, not unkindly, receiving a warm smile from the other woman as she turned back to her charge. Her light coloured eyes full of concern, hope and love as the woman smoothed back the tawny coloured strands from the tanned forehead. Leliana smiled slightly, at the obvious motherly display of affection.

"Tell me what will happen to the girl, now?" Wynne's voice cut into the gentle silence that had grown.

Leliana sighed, "I do not know. Aedan is furious; Fergus is closeted with Eamon and Teagan and as for Elissa…" She shook her head sadly, "She is currently locked away in her chamber."

Wynne murmured in sympathy. "We all know what happens to an apostate mage. She will go to the Circle, and Eamon will have to find a more suitable…"

"No!" Leliana growled, her blue coloured eyes flashing angrily. "I know you have not spent as much time as I have with Elissa but she is not dangerous. I have yet to speak with Aedan or Fergus but they would not have suggested her if they had known that she was a risk.

"We have all seen what it was like in the Circle tower, do you honestly believe that Aedan would allow his younger sister to be locked away there, and after all he has seen, do you really think that he would?

I used to believe that all mages should be locked up, I used to believe that it was the Maker's Will that magic should be kept hidden away, and controlled but I have friends who are mages; you, an elven mage who I used to know back in my days as a bard, and even Morrigan. I have seen what mages are capable of; and I, although I've seen too much blood magic and evilness, I have also seen the goodness in mages too. I..." She bowed her head, "I believe that mages must be free. It cannot be the Maker's Will for us to assume that all mages are guilty of evilness when there are many more who are good."

The room fell quiet again as Wynne mulled over the younger woman's passionate words. It was true that the horrors of the Circle in the Tower of Fereldan had been truly terrible. The events following Uldred and his follower's actions had seen so many good, loyal and steadfast friends lose their lives that day. She had been there as she had watched Uldred and his followers' battle templars and mages alike as they had tried to stand against the danger that had threatened to wipe them all out. She had been there as the Wardens and their small party had entered the antechamber where she had fought the rage demon that had been strong enough to move through the shimmering white barrier that she had dearly hoped would be enough to protect her students and the children before the templars arrived to save them. But she also knew that whilst there were many mages who would try to use their magical gifts for good, there were also those, few they may have been, who would turn their magic to harm others, as they had been harmed. She pursed her lips in consideration, although she barely knew much of the girl, the Cousland family had, before their betrayal by the Arl of Amaranthine, been well-renowned and respected by foreign and national nobility alike. The revelation of magic in one of the most ancient heraldic lines in Ferelden may have caused problems for the Cousland line if word had gotten out but it was clearly a testament of the family's love of each other and the loyalty and love that they inspired in their people that the secret had not been leaked out.

But that leads to more question! Wynne thought in exasperation.

"Tell me, do you think that Fergus and Aedan knew that their sister was a mage?" She asked, tilting her head slightly towards the red-haired bard, who had moved to stand near the window.

Leliana turned in surprise, "I don't think so, I know that when the proposal of an arrangement between the two houses was to be made that Aedan was quite vocal in it not working but I think that it was more to do with him being worried that Elissa may not have been able to handle the political intrigues at court when most of her life has been sheltered away from it. I don't think that Fergus would have suggested a match if he had known.

"I know that in some noble houses in Orlais that if there is magic in the family line that they may opt out of sending their son or daughter to the Circle in favour of not bringing too much shame on the family name but I do not believe that from everything Aedan and Fergus have told us about their parents that they would not send Elissa to the Circle in fear of her having magical talent shame on the family name." She shook her head and placed a slender finger against her lip, "I think that I will need to speak to Aedan or Fergus a little to find out more about this…circumstance. We cannot afford to jump to conclusions or actions. I do not think that Aedan would be much forgiving given his love for his sister and for his…new experiences with mages."

Wynne nodded in agreement, "I agree but I am also weary. All magic is dangerous but an unharrowed mage is even more so. I truly hope that you receive some answers from her brothers but what will happen then?"

"We take it a day by day - minute by minute. We owe it to Fergus, Aedan, and even Elissa herself that we do not leap before we look." Leliana replied, not unkindly. "In the meantime, you take rest. I will send someone in to relieve you."

It was frustrating. He could still hear the voices of, what sounded like Wynne and Leliana, around him, and although he could not make out most of what they were saying, when he could he had caught mentions of the words mages and Elissa but couldn't for the life of him understand how the two were linked together. Maker, if this was a bad joke, he was not finding it very funny.

Note:

I really wish to apologise for the long time between updates; I don't really have much to explain it with but I hope that personal issues will make sense, without going into too much detail. Let's just say that being where I was at that time, sucked. I realise that this is relatively short, and isn't adequate for the long wait. I do promise that the next chapter is much more meaty, and will include the other characters (and Alistair will wake up). Thank you for keeping by.