When I Look at You (a Dragon Age fanfiction)

Brother

If Alistair had thought there was chaos at his coronation before the sudden appearance of Una's brother, he had no word for what occurred afterward. It said much about Fergus himself and the Couslands as a whole that the Landsmeet immediately surrounded him with enthusiasm and affection and deep respect, asking question after question and not waiting for a response. It was fortunate that they didn't, because Fergus and Una in the midst of it all had completely lost control and were weeping in each other's arms, oblivious to anyone else.

Alistair was overjoyed at the new arrival—he knew better than anyone what Una's family meant to her and how much it would mean to have her brother back ... but he felt shy, as well. King he might be, but that was just today; at heart, he was still a bastard, raised in a stable. Would Una's brother truly think him an acceptable spouse for his sister?

At last, Alistair decided he couldn't let the uproar continue any further, and as King, it was his duty to bring it to an end. "My lords and ladies," he called. "Early as it is in the day, it's already been fairly momentous for all of us. I'd like to ask your indulgence so that my fiancee can have some time in privacy to spend with her brother. We all welcome Teyrn Cousland back, but I think he and his sister have much to talk about before either of them are ready to share their experiences with the rest of us."

There were nods and murmurs of agreement, and a tear-stained glance of gratitude from Una over her brother's shoulder, and the Landsmeet stepped aside to let them through, Fergus and Una still clinging to each other, arms around each other's waists. Neither of them had said a word since Una's shriek of her brother's name.

Alistair followed them through the crowd, hoping that Eamon would have the good sense to hang back with the rest. He glanced over his shoulder at the older man, who nodded briefly, deep in conversation with a man Alistair dimly recognized as a Bann from somewhere in the south.

Back at Eamon's, Alistair made hasty introductions of Fergus to the rest of the team. Una's brother looked a little overwhelmed by the day's events, and so, with promises to their companions to explain as soon as he could, Alistair ushered Una and Fergus off to the room he and Una shared. He stayed with them, because—well, because this was his intended bride, and if there was going to be any objection from her last remaining family member, he wanted to be there to refute it.

Once the door had closed behind them, Una and Fergus embraced fiercely once more, then each took a step back to study the other one's face.

"Little sister, what have you been doing to yourself?" Fergus murmured, tracing a scar that ran along Una's jaw.

"I could ask you the same thing." Fergus was covered in scars; Una could see one on his neck, one that sliced through an eyebrow, one especially thick one that ran across his forehead and up into his hairline.

"Darkspawn," he said simply, closing his eyes for a brief moment.

"Same here. Fergus ... you know about—" She stopped as his eyes snapped open again, blazing. "You know," she finished sorrowfully. Tears rolled afresh down her cheeks. "Fergus, I'm so sorry—I was too late. They took us by surprise, and I couldn't get there—it was all over by the time I knew ... I'm so sorry!"

"Tell me," he said hoarsely. "Tell me everything."

"Howe's men; they came right after you left. They waited until late in the night when everyone had gone to bed. Howe stabbed Father and left him for dead; his men raided the family quarters. They—they went for your rooms first. Grenli woke me, but by ... by the time ..." Her voice failed her, sobs taking over as she relived the horrors of that night.