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[ShadowCatJen]

A/N: This is an AU I needed to get out of my system. Originally a one-shot that developed into something more.

Summary: Alternate Universe. No Blight comes and Kallian Tabris leaves home to go to the Highever Alienage to meet her future husband. Nerves ensue.

Part 1

A snippet:

Questions kept filtering into her head that wouldn't stop.

What if he was an idiot? What if he smelled? What if he was some human-ish brute who liked to beat his spouse? Would he really be able to provide for her? What if he wasn't as handsome as her father had said? What if he was as handsome as father had said? What if his family didn't like her? What if HE didn't like her? Was it really right to leave her father alone with just her cousins to keep him company? Maybe she should have ran off to find the Dalish like Soris suggested?

What about the wedding night? Would they be expected to . . . to . . . that night or could they take their time? Would they lock them in some room until she conceived? Should she tell him she's been with a man already? If she did, how would he take it? What if he's never been with a woman before? What if he has? . . . what if the love making was bad? . . . what if it was good?

Kallian knew her cheeks were flushing now as a chill breeze wafted through the street and cooled her face. She wrapped the simple wool cloak tighter about her and tried to pull her thoughts away from what might, could, or would happen in bed between them.

Meet the man first, for Maker's sake, she chastised in her mind. Then take it from there, ninny.

Somehow she could imagine Shianni telling her exactly that and had to quirk a
smile at the thought. Just then she saw an elf, roughly her own age, and wearing a blacksmith's apron walk up to her with almost a worried expression. There were black smudges on his face and a sheen of sweat across his brow. Even then, under it all he had a handsome face with a strong jaw line, a long straight nose, and light blue eyes that contrasted well with the lightness of his skin and blond of his hair. He also had broad shoulders and it was then that she remembered her father mentioning, briefly, that he was an apprentice blacksmith at his father's shop.

"E-excuse me. You're Kallian, correct?" his voice wasn't unpleasing to her ears.

"Yes," she replied, feeling her heart thump, and turned to face him. "That would be me."

She smiled and knew she looked nervous. He stared at her for some good long
moments, his mouth slightly open as if to say something. Kallian blushed a bit and he shook himself slightly, realizing he was gaping.

"Good, then that makes me-," he winced. "I mean, I'm your-," another wince, and he sighed. "I'm Nelaros." Giving a slight nervous laugh and a shrug, he added, "Your betrothed."

Modifié par ShadowCatJen, 01 juillet 2010 - 03:38 .

[ShadowCatJen]

Part 2

Summary: Alternate Universe. The Blight never happens. Kallian Tabris has married Nelaros in Highever. Two months later, in Cousland Castle . . .

A snippet:

"Father wants me to marry and marry soon," she muffled into the pillow. "I now have six months to find a husband or they find one for me."

"Well, at least he's giving you a chance to choose," Kallian said. "Last week they gave you no such concession. Week before that you declared you'd rather remain a spinster."

"I only said that in anger," she huffed a sigh into the pillow then raised her head. "I know I'll eventually marry and I will. Just . . . not now. There's just too much to do and see yet. Besides, I've yet to meet anyone who . . . well . . . you know."

Kallian smiled wide, "Meet anyone who strikes your fancy and stokes your fires?"

Elissa coughed, "Eh, yes, something like that."

The elf kept smiling and sat on the bed, "What kind of man would suit your fancy, my lady?"

"Well . . .," she furrowed her eyebrows in thought. "Someone who isn't arrogant . . . or disgusting."

Kallian made a face, "Ugh, like that Bann . . . Bann Too-Heavy-For-His-Horse that came calling."

She laughed at the moniker, "Yes, someone not like Bann Geraint."

"He smelled like boiled cabbage and the way he kept leering at you, ick!" she repressed a shiver. "It was a good thing you slugged him before I could, my lady. Putting his hands on you like that."

Elissa smiled a bit, "I appreciate the sentiment, Kallian, but please refrain from punching anyone for my sake. That could get you into trouble that I might not be able to get you out of."

Modifié par ShadowCatJen, 01 juillet 2010 - 03:36 .

[ShadowCatJen]

Part 3

Summary: Alternate Universe. The Blight never happens. Kallian Tabris is married to Nelaros and is lady-in-waiting to Elissa Cousland. Elissa has five months left to find herself a husband before her parents choose one for her. Meanwhile, the castle gets visitors . . .

A snippet:

A group of female servants were gathered near a door to the great hall, peeking around the corners of the door to within. They whispered and giggled to one another. Holding on to the wicker basket she had with her lady's dirty clothes in it, she quietly snuck forward to them.

"What are we gawking at?" she whispered, as she tried to peer passed them.

One of them on the other side of the door, Adney, waved her over and Kallian quickly flitted over there. She glimpsed the Teyrn, the Teyrna, Lord Fergus, and two others she wasn't familiar with speaking with one another in the hall.

"Their Graces and Lord Fergus are speaking to the Grey Wardens," Adney whispered, "and one of them is rather quite handsome!"

"Oh?" Kallian edged herself over to be able to peer in easier.

She couldn't see the dark haired one too well as the other blocked him from her view. It didn't matter as it was the blond haired one they were obviously talking about. He was on the tall side with broad shoulders that carried his armor well. His profile had a handsome cut to it and his short, dusky blond hair was stylishly spiked in the front.

"Well, well," Kallian whispered, "not too shabby."

"Not too shabby?" another girl gave her an incredulous look. "Handsome, well built, and a Grey Warden and you only say 'not too shabby'?"

"Oh, don't mind her, Larice," the elven girl below her said. "Kallian has a hunk of a husband back home so she doesn't need to lust as much."

Kallian clicked her tongue, "Jealousy is just so unbecoming, Frieda. Go ahead and burn the vision of the Grey Warden into your memory. Maybe the Fade spirits will let you dream of him tonight for company."

[ShadowCatJen]

Part 4

Summary: Alternate Universe. The Blight never happens. Kallian lives in Highever with her husband, Nelaros, and is lady-in-waiting to Elissa Cousland. Elissa has five months left to find a husband or her parents choose one for her. The Grey Wardens, Duncan and Alistair, visit Highever and dinner is served . . .

A snippet:

"Assassin!" Fergus shouted, and everyone was suddenly moving at once.

Her brother practically threw himself between their father and the assailant. Her mother also used her own body as a shield, draping herself in front of him to cover his chest. Elissa shot to her feet, the chair under her flying back as she kicked it, partially blocking one of the elf's escape routes. She saw Oriana grab Oren up into her arms and move away from it all quickly. She heard someone at one of the side tables shouting for the guards. The Grey Warden Duncan also got to his feet, weapon in hand and she sensed Alistair also doing the same.

The assassin was now blocked in at both ends by armed Grey Wardens and slowly being closed in on by herself and her brother. Various shocked voices sounded out as he took the only path he could. Nimbly he jumped up, passing dangerously close to Elissa's mother, and scrambled atop the table. Elissa tried to make a grab for him, but she missed.

[ShadowCatJen]

Part 5


"Are you saying that I should hide my head, then?" her father looked at them all seeming to bristle at the notion.

"We're just saying to use caution," Fergus replied, running a hand through his hair. "And not just for tomorrow or the day after. The moment we let down our guard is the moment they'll decide to strike. It could be next week, next month, or even years from now. I'll see to it that from now on at least two knights are assigned to your side at all times."

Elissa looked closer at her brother then. There was a fine sheen of sweat upon his brow. No doubt he'd been running about the same as everyone, commanding the men, seeing that things got done. Yet something seemed odd to Elissa about it. There was almost a nervousness in Fergus that she never noted before. It was very much unlike him.

[ShadowCatJen]

Part 6

A snippet:


Elissa held the scraps of what was left of Kallian's sleeve in hand as she walked through the halls of Cousland Castle. Armor on and heading to Ser Gilmore with Dog at her side, she was to join with him to go on patrol. Why she decided to hold onto it was even a mystery to herself. A reminder, perhaps, of what they had all almost lost this night or maybe as a token to gird her determination in protecting both home and family.

"But why can't we assist with finding who tried to assassinate Teyrn Cousland?" a voice said from just around the corner.

Elissa stopped, realizing it was the voice of Alistair.

"Alistair, you have to understand," it was Duncan this time and Elissa decided to stop and just listen for a moment. "Wardens do not get themselves politically involved for many reasons. One of them is to not appear as if we favor one side to another. No matter who rules the land, our only alliance is to be against the darkspawn. If we were to assist the Couslands in finding the culprit it would appear as if we have taken a side and may end up in the line of fire. Perhaps even exiled from Ferelden all together if the nobility sees enough reason to."

"But I wasn't the only one who stood up to try and prevent that assassin at dinner," Alistair countered. "You got to your feet as well. Even handed Kallian a weapon to fend the assassin off. Isn't that taking a side?"

[ShadowCatJen]

Part 7

Summary: Alternate Universe. The Blight never happens. Kallian Tabris is married to Nelaros in Highever and is lady-in-waiting to Elissa Cousland. Elissa has less than two months to find a husband before her parents choose one for her. A grand tournament and ball celebrating Ferelden's independence is being held in Denerim. Elissa will be attending both and just finished the tourney . . .

A snippet:

Kallian smiled sheepishly at Fergus as he entered the tent fully, "If you were looking for your sister, Lady Elissa is still likely being mobbed by the adoring crowds."

"Well, actually no," he said. "I know it will be a while before she makes it back here. The King's Guards and our own people have a good eye on her so she should be safe while she is congratulated by every single man, woman, and child in Denerim."

She nodded her head at that. After hearing about the assassination attempt on Teyrn Cousland, the King was fully insistent on having his own guards take part in helping protect he and his whole family while they were in Denerim. According to Elissa there was some grumblings among the nobility of the favoritism being shown. Another noble, Urien Kendall the Arl of Denerim, did die by assassination, yet the Kings offer hadn't been extended to the remaining Kendall family. Some pointed words had been exchanged over that, but it was minor compared to the outrage other nobles felt over the attempt being made on Bryce Cousland's life. Arl Urien wasn't even half as liked as Teyrn Cousland was. His son, the new Arl, even less so.

"It was you that I wanted to speak to," Lord Fergus continued, the amused air he carried slipped away to reveal something more serious. "I was wondering if you could answer a few questions for me."

Catching the shift in his demeanor, her embarrassed grin faded and curiosity overtook the awkwardness. Lord Fergus had occasionally spoke to her in the past, more so after spoiling the Crow's attack. It was always friendly and infused with the same sense of humor his father had. Mostly, it had to do with either how his sister was doing or how she and the "wee one" she carried was coming along. Somehow she had the notion that this talk had to do with neither
of those subjects.

"Certainly, milord," she said, flitting the lock of amber hair out of her eye. "Ask away."

There was a nervousness in his gait as he hesitated in speaking and, instead
of saying anything, started to pace back and forth between the armor stand and where Lady Elissa's shield lay. Her curiosity was definitely peaked now and she canted her head to the side, patiently waiting.