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 14: As the World Falls Down

Aedan regarded the little room with a barely suppressed anger across his broad features. The aftermath of the revelation that his sister was a mage had witnessed a flood of reactions from the various people who were close to Alistair, and Elissa herself. For some, the shock had not fully abated away for other thoughts to have surfaced. For others, such as Aedan, the shock of the revelation had given away to a mixture of emotions that had turned to anger when his brother had revealed that he known all along that their sister had the magical gift.

That bloody fool! He swore angrily, as he brushed a hand across his face as he reflected on the wonderful surprise that Fergus had given him and Eamon during the hasty appointment that had been quietly requested by the Arl after Alistair and Elissa had been taken away to their separate chambers.

Aedan could well remember the frustration as he had stood, helpless, whilst Eamon had ordered his own people to remove Elissa to her chambers, and to keep her there until a resolution could be meet whilst he spoke to her brothers. And I know just how that "resolution" is going to be met. He gritted his teeth in fury. There was no denying that Elissa was a mage. A mage was always treated with suspicion that they would be tempted into the evil arts that the Chantry had warned for centuries that would happen if the mage was not properly protected, from themselves and innocents. An unharrowed mage; an apostate would be treated with even more revulsion.

A big fat salty tear rolled down his cheek on its own accord, which he did not bother to brush away. He knew so very well what would happen to his sweet little sister, and it was not fair.

Anora knew that something was going on after her servant, Erlina, had returned, rebuffed, from seeking an audience with the King and his councillors. The castle, all day, had been unusually silent as she had exited her chambers to meet with her contacts. Now, as she sat sipping lightly on the lemon honeyed tea that Erlina, had dutifully brought her, she knew that something was definitely going on.

Putting aside her half-empty cup, she rose gracefully from her seat. "Erlina, fetch me Alfolo."

It was time to find out what was going on; and use whatever information that was gathered to her advantage.

She remained, motionless, where they had unceremoniously dumped her on the floor after they had half-dragged, half-carried her into the chambers that had been allocated to her in what seemed like half a life time ago.

Her eyes were red and puffy from the hours that had been spent; as she had sat half slumped on the cold stone floor. Her parents loving protection, Brother Aldous's careful tutoring, and Bann Alfstanna's staunch wardship; all for nought as the flames had licked and melted away the flesh of that man. That man…Oh, Maker! She felt sick. She had killed some innocent with her magic. Something that she had been warned, over and over again that her magic was not used to harm, but to help; and she had definitely harmed.

Elissa's features scrunched up in pain; whatever punishment that she was to receive, she would deserve it. Magic must never be used to harm the innocent.

"Aedan?" Leliana's accented voice called desperately behind the closed door. "I know that you are in there, please, you must open this door. I must talk to you."

Aedan brushed his scarred hand across his face, wiping away the tears that had silently fallen down his cheeks. He did not wish for her to see that he had been crying. "You may come in."

The door creaked open, and he turned to meet her. He could tell from the look of sympathy that flashed on the bard but it was a testament to their friendship that she did not say anything as she floated into the room and sank gracefully down onto the bed.

"You wished to speak to me?" He said; folding his arms in what he hoped would be considered nonchalant.

"Yes." Leliana replied, "I wanted to ask you a few questions, which I hope will clarify a couple of things."

"Go on." He said with a shrug. "I can't promise that I will be able to provide an adequate answer but I will try."

She smiled gently, "I hope that Elissa is okay. I have yet to see her but I had thought…"

Aedan furrowed his brows, "I haven't seen her. Although, how you expect her emotive state to be just "okay" is pretty naïve." He unfolded his arms and clenched his hands in an attempt to control his anger. "How do you think that she would be, Leliana? The poor girl is probably terrified that we will just ship her off to the Circle of Magi and abandon her. Well, I don't know what Fergus is planning whilst he's sequestered with that hypocrite but I for one will not allow my sister to be sent to the Circle so that she just fades away. I won't have it!"

Leliana's eyes widened at his statement, but apart from that, she showed no other reaction. Aedan sighed as guilt swept through him. "I'm sorry."

"Aedan, you have nothing to apologise for." She replied, her light coloured eyes full of sympathy and concern as she looked at him. "I understand how you feel. I know how much you love your sister, and I know how awful it was to witness what happened to the mages and templars in Kinlock Hold. I know that having witnessed what happened there, and your experiences with being around mages that you would not wish to have Elissa suffer the same fate. I would not wish for her to face that fate also."

Aedan gazed at her in astonishment, unable to form the words that he wished to say. Leliana smiled, "Did you think that you were the only one who wished for mages to receive more humane treatment? I have been around mages before meeting Wynne and Morrigan, and although I am very aware the bad that mages can do, I also know the good that they can do. I do not think that Elissa is evil; how can I when I see the goodness of her brothers?"

"What do you think that I should do?" Aedan asked, helplessly. "I was in there with Fergus and Eamon. I know that the Arl believes that Fergus and I have known about it all along but I swear to you that if I had known, I would never have allowed Elissa to come to Denerim."

Leliana leant forward, "I knew that you were reluctant for the match, and after my voyage with her, I did notice that something was not quite right; even though she was very lovely. But Aedan, I know that you say that you did not know, and I do believe you but did Fergus know?"

Aedan growled, "He bloody well knows!"

Her eyes widened in shock, "But…but why would Fergus risk Elissa being revealed by agreeing to the arrangement?"

"You'll have to ask my dear brother but from what I gathered, before I stormed out of that room, it's all down to politics. I hate politics."

Wynne awoke suddenly as the chamber door opened with a profound bang. A raven haired elven woman, a servant, stood with a basket of laundry in her arms in the doorway.

"Oh, pardon me my lady," the woman exclaimed in mortification, flushing a rose pink as the mage frowned at her in annoyance. "I meant no disrespect. I went to the wrong room."

Wynne's eyebrows rose at that but she murmured reassurances, "Really, my dear there is no harm done." She soothed as the woman had launched in a heavily accented tirade of being whipped by her mistress for intruding on the King's peace.

She rose from her position next to Alistair's bed, and walked slowly over towards the Orlesian elf. "Now, if there is anything else?"

The elf murmured her apologies as she backed out the chamber, leaving Wynne bemused as she turned to her charge. I wonder where I have seen that servant from.

Alfolo, Anora realised, was an indispensible man. A reliable Antivan merchant, turned spy who had climbed the social ladders in Orlais and, during the fifth Blight, Ferelden; the man had never failed in gathering information on her sources or arranging meetings with prospective allies, and in this case he was no less than reliable. In truth, she reflected over her cup of wine as she waited for the return of her servant, she expected no less from those who surrounded her in the hopes of favours in return for their loyal services. If she had known about such servants like Alfolo, she mused, before Alistair and Aedan had entered the Landsmeet, she still would have been Queen.

And yet, she smiled serenely, if the gossip that the Antivan had provided was in fact correct then she would have another game piece to add to the board.

Alistair felt as though something heavy was crushing him. He could barely breathe or move, not that he had tried much. He could see though, and hear. He had awoken at a loud bang, and had thought for one brief moment that he was about to be charged by an ogre but as he had attempted to roll out of the way from the attack, he realised that the pain that he had woken up to had burnt so badly at his movement that he had ceased moving.

It had not taken him long to realise that he was not in the fade, as he had previously believed. There was no Aedan, no demons, and nothing furthermore bad except the pain, and the feeling that he could not breathe.

So all's well and good then, considering…

He took a cursory glance around his surroundings, realising that he was lying on a bed; in his room, no less, and Wynne was sitting in a chair that had clearly been pulled up next to the bed.

"Wynne?" He was annoyed to discover that his voice was a little hoarse, and faint.

The mage jumped in her seat and turned towards him, her weathered features playing in the shadows of the darkening room. "Alistair, are you all right?" She asked, softly in concern. "Do you feel much pain? I did not expect you to awaken so soon."

He licked his bottom lip, "I'm okay. Thirsty," he winced. "…and sore; Very sore."

Wynne smiled sympathetically as she reached out to the side table to pour water out of the jug. "That is to be expected. You took a serious wound to your shoulder." She offered him the cup of water, which he took gratefully from her. "Tell me, what do you remember before your injury?"

Alistair drained the cup before answering; his mind slowly recalling the ride in the countryside with Fergus and Leliana, and then…"I…don't really remember much. It's more about emotion really but I remember feeling such urgency to get there, and then I was fighting." He shrugged, "I might have felt some heat but I couldn't remember where it came from. I…I don't know. Just darkness. That's it." He trailed off as he looked at the expression on her face. "Why, what is it?"

"You will need to brace yourself, Alistair." She replied, "You are not going to like this."

And the world falls down (only to be rebuilt again). Thanks for reading, and thank you to the new people who have added this story to their follow/favourites. Thank you so very much for your interest.=)