When I Look at You (a Dragon Age fanfiction)

Nothing

Una bowed to the Arl again, and they all headed back to their rooms. The door had barely closed behind Alistair when he said hotly, "What were you thinking? 'That's a great idea'?!"

Una sank down onto the bed, sighing. "Of course it's a great idea. And Arl Eamon was completely right—they need someone of the Theirin bloodline to challenge Anora's claim to the throne."

"And you just agree to this without even asking me what I want?"

"Darling, I know what you want. You want what's best for Ferelden. And right now, that's you."

He turned toward the window, seeing the castles he'd built in the air falling, one by one. "Nothing in my life ever goes the way I want it," he muttered.

"What was that?" He was so focused on his own unhappiness, he didn't hear the dangerous calmness in her tone.

"I said," he repeated loudly, "nothing in my life ever goes the way I want it."

There was silence behind him. It was so unlike her not to have a response that he turned back to look at her. Una's face had gone completely white, and her eyes were flashing. "Nothing," she repeated quietly. She bit her lip, taking a deep breath. "Nothing." She turned around, picking something up off the floor. When she handed it to him, he realized it was his pack. "Get. Out," she ground out between clenched teeth, unable to trust herself to say anything more.

"What?" He looked at her in surprise. She was more enraged than he had ever seen her. Then he realized what he had said. He paled. "Una, I didn't mean that. Not that way," he said in horror.

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" she asked, still in that quiet tone. "You're right, that's so much nicer, that you didn't think enough of me to consider what you were saying." She thrust the pack forward again. "Seriously. Out. Now."

"No, Una, you have to let me explain," he said.

"I can't talk to you right now," she said, turning away from him. "I just ... can't."

He frantically cast about for something to say, something to do—he knew if he left the room, the damage would be done and he was afraid it would be too late to fix it. "Practice field?" he said hopefully. "Rematch?"

She turned to look at him, studying him. "If I win, you go."

"And if I win, you let me explain."

"Fine."

They met on the practice field in the courtyard of the castle, both in full armor. Una had no intention of going easy on him this time.

Leliana had met Una in the hall and been drawn to watch. She'd seen this before, but never with such a grim look on her friend's face. Something was clearly wrong. Leliana followed the other woman, leaning on the stone wall around the castle walkway, watching as the two got set. A moment later, she felt a presence next to her.

"Full armor?" Zev murmured. "No jokes? It seems that something has gone awry in paradise."

"It does look like that," Leliana agreed. "I'm worried."

"You do not think they can work this out, whatever it may be, by fighting about it?"

"You didn't see the look on her face."

"I wonder what could have happened. Our beautiful Warden seemed able to forgive her lover anything," Zev said.

Leliana shrugged, her eyes focused on the two people getting into position on the field.