Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Age.


Abydos Jackson must be complemented for creating a very interesting and sweet Cailan/Alistair interaction that I have tried to recreate in my story. I would recommend her work to any Dragon Age fan.


Chapter Six: Alistair and Aedan

King Cailan's Army – Ostagar

Aedan grinned as he watched the young blond man sass the arrogant mage. Mmmmm he's very handsome, lovely straw blond hair with a hint of red, tanned skin and an impressively broad and muscular physique, if all the Grey Wardens are like him then this might not be so bad. He really is very sexy, I wonder what those arms would feel like? Or what it would be like to…

Aedan's thoughts were interrupted as the mage stormed passed him. He blushed as the attractive man noticed him and approached.

"You know one good thing about the blight is that it brings people together." He said playfully Hmm who is this? Obviously some one important given that one of the Kings own guards is with them. Looks good, dark brown hair and pale cream skin so probably from the North, lithe but strong body so he probably fights with speed rather than strength. Maker those are pretty sea green eyes, I'm sure I've heard that description before. Where though?

"Oh yes, It's like a party where no one likes each other so we all get massively drunk." Aedan teased. He has beautiful lilac eyes. I've never seen that colour before.

"Yep! And then we all thing that holding hands and singing songs is a brilliant idea"

"And the Darkspawn flee unable to stand our caterwauling."

Both men looked at each other before collapsing in laughter. "So You're Alistair I take it?" Aedan asked as he recovered. If he is then Cailan is getting such a thank you when I next see him. A handsome man with a great sense of humour forced to follow me around at all hours of the day and night? I can think of worse fates. Fergus will. The pain that had so briefly disappeared slammed back with full force. Aedan tried to concentrate on what the other man was saying to avoid focusing on it. Otherwise I might just leap over that wall so I could be with you again. Mum, Dad I miss you so much.

"That would make you Duncan's new recruit. I should have recognised you immediately, I'm sorry. It's Aedan right?" He looks capable enough but why is he under guard? Duncan wouldn't have recruited some nobles son who's father just wanted him out of the way. What is going on?

Aedan noticed Alistair's glance to the Kings guard. Well acquainted with masks because of his noble upbringing he could see that Alistair's humour hid a fierce intelligence. Whether Alistair knew it or not was another matter. "Duncan asked me to find you and the two other recruits." Aedan began.

"Excuse me Warden. But the King bids that you read this." The Kings guard interrupted handing over a letter.

A frown overcame Alistair's face as he broke the royal seal and began to read. The first line had him ready to throw the letter away and only the presence of Aedan and the Kings guard kept him reading.

Brother.

I have longed to meet you again as soon as I learned that you were at Ostagar. Sadly there has been hardly a moment between all of the preparations for the coming battle and you have never been present when I have visited the Grey Warden camp.

Alistair there is so much that I wish to tell you but it is not suitable for a letter. After the battle when everyone else is celebrating I will make certain that you and I can have the talk I have longed for for so long. Hopefully I will make a better impression than at our last meeting!

Suffice to say for now that I have never agreed with our Father and Arl Eamon's actions and I have never forgiven them for them either. Since Father told me you were my brother on the road back to Denerim after our first meeting I have tried to watch out for you as an elder brother should. I have not been able to do as much as I would like but that is something to be saved for when we finally get to talk. Suffice to say that you are my little brother Alistair and you are both loved and wanted.

Now to the reason for this letter. The man before you is Aedan Cousland. The Couslands have been our family's closest allies since the founding of Fereldan, his father Bryce Cousland was King Maric's closest friend except for Logain Mac Tir and was of great help to me as an advisor in the first months of my rein. His mother Eleanor Cousland was the main reason that I did not fall apart after my Mothers death. I owe them a lot Alistair and now I seek your help for there is no one I trust more than you, not even Logain.

Rendon Howe, Arl of Amaranthine has betrayed Fereldan by using the current crisis to advance his position. When the Couslands sent their troops south to aid us against the blight Howe moved against Castle Highever with his full force. Teyrn Bryce and Teyrna Eleanor are both dead, slaughtered buying time for Aedan to escape. His elder brother Fergus is almost certainly dead as he is scouting in the wilds with only a few men and Howe would have had assassins ready to take him out.

Arl Howe cannot let any Cousland escape if he hopes to convince the Landsmeet to protect him when I turn my Army north as soon as the Darkspawn are defeated, with his immense monetary reserves I know of no one I can fully trust with Aedan's safety.

No one accept you. I know it is unfair to ask this of you before I have given you an accounting of my actions and my absence from your life but the situation has forced my hand. I know you are a good man with a strong sense of honour and an incorruptible soul and so I ask you to take care of the new Grey Warden. I know that the joining may kill him but I must stop anything else from bringing him harm. I owe his parents and family that much at the very least.

This is not an order, you may refuse this task if you wish but I would ask that you take it on for Aedan's sake if not for mine.

I hope to talk to you in person soon Alistair and try to explain everything but should you not wish to then I can offer you no better advice to trust Aedan. He is honourable and noble in the true sense of the words as well as being politically savvy a rarity amongst the Banns.

I wish you all the best until we meet again

Love

Your Brother

Cailan

Alistair felt dozens of emotions flow through him from the letter. Anger, longing, confusion and hope swirled around his heart as he allowed himself to think, just a little, that maybe his family wasn't ashamed of him after all. But by Andraste's Holy Flame Cailan has a lot of explaining to do if his regret and love are true.

"You can tell the King that I accept the assignment." Alistair said seriously to the guard before turning to Aedan. "I'm sorry about your family Aedan." He said awkwardly. After all what do you say to someone who has just lost everyone they have ever loved?

Aedan nodded his eyes misty. "So tell me about yourself Alistair." He said as they walked around the camp trying to locate the other two recruits, Daveth and Ser Jory, before meeting Duncan.

"Well there's not much to tell. I was born in Redcliffe and my mother died giving birth to me, I've only seen my father once and not for very long. It was a long time ago and I barely remember them." Alistair waved off Aedan's apologies trying to get off the subject of family. He was still far to confused by Cailan's letter and it must be bringing up the loss of Aedan's family as well. For some reason I want to spare him as much pain as possible. It's probably just the knowledge of all he's been through and the fact that he looks so vulnerable at the moment.

"Well anyway I was shipped off to the Chantry at aged 14 where I trained to become a templar. I hated it though and put off taking my vows as long as possible then Duncan came and recruited me into the Grey Wardens and that's about all there is to tell. How about you?" Alistair realised his mistake at the last minuet as he waited for a disaster. Maker I've really put my foot in it there. Why must I be such a bumbling idiot?

Aedan could tell that Alistair was deliberately leaving a lot out but mused that that was only fair. They had only just met after all. "I am the second and youngest son of the Teyrn of Highever. We're… we were a very close family but my brother was always the favorate to take the title of Teyrn and I was quite happy to let him. I have been trained in logistics, army tactics and how to run a household so that I can lead my brothers armies in battle and administer Highever when he was away."

Aedan stopped speaking and sneered as a Chantry sister passing out the blessings of the maker came into view.

"You're not a fan of the Chantry then?" Alistair asked hesitantly.

"I believe in Andraste and the Maker but the Chantry? Not a chance. Watch."

Aedan walked close to the sister.

"Hello. Will you accept the Makers blessing?" She asked pleasantly with a beautiful smile.

"No thank you." Aedan replied politely.

The transformation was miraculous, the sister's expression transformed to one of rage and disgust and her voice was harsh and cold. "Then be gone heathen! There are many more worthy than you that wait for my attention."

Alistair stood stunned.

"That's why I don't like the Chantry. They attitude is that you must worship the Maker and Andraste or you should be killed." Aedan replied shortly.

"Well I think killing is a bit far. Worship or we turn into evil harpies seems more like it." Alistair joked.

Aedan laughed sweetly making Alistair flush. "True but then we're human. The Elves marched to war with Andraste and their war leader Shartan died on the same funeral pyre as her. The free kingdoms of Thedas and the Chantry owe them a dept that could never be repaid and the Dales were given to them as a homeland on the orders of Andraste herself."

Alistair's face fell, he saw where this was going.

Aedan continued. "The Elves had their own Gods before the Tevinter Imperium enslaved them and they returned to worshiping them in the Dales. The Chantry couldn't abide that there was a nation that did not give them the tithes and respect that they felt they deserved or the political influence they had become accustomed to. So the Divine removed the verses praising Shartan and the elves from the Chant of Light and declared an Exalted March forcing the elves to scatter into the Dalish clans, always wandering without a home, or to live as second class citizens in our cities."

He speaks with such passion Alistair thought at the cold fury in Aedan's voice at the end of his explanation I have to remember not to get on his bad side.

"Yes well…" Whatever Alistair was going to say to the infuriated young noble was lost whit the interruption of a tall balding knight with red hair.

"The Chant must be heard from every corner of the world for the maker to forgive us and destroy the Darkspawn young one." The knight said in a very patronising tone. "The elves threatened this and would have seen us suffer blights forever just so that they could worship their little clay figures. Alistair, surely this is not the last recruit?"

"It is Ser Jory" Alistair replied quickly, partly to stop the fuming Aedan from exploding and partly because he didn't trust his own tongue around the knight at the best of times. When he was insulting Aedan Alistair was certain he would tell Ser Jory several unpleasant truths about himself.

"Well I best get back to Duncan. Hopefully this Joining ritual will be over soon and those of us that are worthy will be Grey Wardens." From the way he looked at Aedan before leaving it was clear that he didn't include him in the 'worthy category.'

"You know I get the feeling that he didn't like me very much." Aedan joked to break the straining silence.

"Now what gave you that idea?" Alistair teased relieved that the awkward moment was over. "I think he was about to declare his undying love for you. The women of the camp will be so disappointed."

Both laughed as they headed to the main area on the way back to Duncan's tent.

They found Daveth at the quartermaster trying to charm a young female captain into his bed.

Aedan began a slow clap as she slapped him and stormed off.

"I think your technique needs a little work my friend." Alistair said smugly at the red handprint on Daveth's face.

"Ah well it was worth a try, you never know it could have worked." Daveth replied with a mischievous look on his face. "Hey you must be the new recruit. I'm Daveth, cutpurse and pickpocket extraordinaire."

Aedan laughed at Daveth's flourishing bow. "Aedan of Highever rouge and lock pick extraordinaire." He replied taking Daveth's hand."

"Shall we head back to Duncan to get this Joining ritual over with then?" Daveth asked liking this new recruit.

"In a moment, I just need to visit the quartermaster first." Aedan replied.

What do we need to visit the quartermaster for?" Alistair asked as Daveth walked off.

"Your getting new armour." Aedan replied reaching around to pull out the top two fist sized bags from his makeshift backpack. "And I need a backpack and a couple of other things."

"Whoa back up to where I am getting new armour." Alistair panicked. Shit! I don't have the coin to buy new gloves let alone completely new armour.

"Your wearing splint mail Alistair. Ser Gilmore." Aedan stopped his explanation for a moment stumbling over the name of his friend who might well be dead. "Ser Gilmore always drilled it into me that of the medium armours splint mail was the worst because it has the disadvantages of both scale armour and chainmail and the advantages of neither. So if your going to risk your life guarding me then I am going to make sure your bloody well protected. Understand?"

Alistair stood stunned by the sudden change in Aedan, this was not the young man eight winters his junior. Before him stood the general of Highevers armies and in the face of that command presence he could feel himself do nothing but agree.

Half an hour later Aedan had bought everything he could find of use in the quartermasters store including two new daggers and Alistair was still staring dumbstruck at the new steel scale armour he was wearing. "Hey. No one has ever just bought me something before. Thanks." Alistair said shyly as Aedan paid the quartermaster with two sapphires, two emeralds and a ruby.

Aedan was about to answer when he noticed the quartermaster beating an a young female elf with a piece of armour.

"What took you so long?! It was supposed to be back hours HEY OWW! OWW! STOP!"

The quartermaster screamed as Aedan hit him several times with the flat of the blade of Alistair's long sword that he had taken before the former templar could react. "How do YOU like it? Not nice is it!" Aedan yelled at the quartermaster sending him crashing to the floor with one final vicious swipe and kneeling down to check on the young elf girl.

"Oh he's going to be a handful. Hey Duncan will have someone else to yell at for making waves!" Alistair muttered to himself happily as he glared at anyone who looked like they would help the bullying quartermaster. He wondered why he felt such pride at Aedan's actions, they were not practical as the quartermaster was unlikely to sell them ever again. Then again when he saw the bloodied girl flinch away from Aedan's gentle touch the anger and pride grew greater still. It may not have been practical. But it was right.

Aedan looked back to check that the quartermaster or one of his friends wasn't sneaking up on him. When he saw that Alistair had his back and dam the consequences his smile could have lit up all of Denerim.

You know I think we'll get along just fine Alistair thought as he returned the smile of his first true friend.


Let me know what you think of my Cailan, Alistair and Aedan and their interactions!

Review if you want me to continue! Tell me what you like and what you don't and what particular play through you would like to see in the next chapter. Obviously this is Ostagar so there are no options atm but the principle stands for later chapters.

Abydos Jackson must be complemented for creating a very interesting and sweet Cailan/Alistair interaction that I have tried to recreate in my story. I would recommend her work to any Dragon Age fan.