When I Look at You (a Dragon Age fanfiction)

Redcliffe

As they approached Redcliffe Village, a man wide-eyed with panic met them, trying to turn them away from the village. "Don't you know what's happening here?"

"No, I'm afraid we don't. What is happening?" Una asked cautiously. She heard Alistair's intake of breath behind her, and knew he was wondering if the bad news was about Arl Eamon.

Introducing himself as Tomas, the man hastily explained that walking skeletons were coming from the castle every night, and had decimated the village. He offered to take them to Bann Teagan, whom Una remembered as Arl Eamon's younger brother. She knew her mother had once speculated on a match with Teagan, but didn't think anything had come of it. Maker, she hoped not. That would be awkward.

As Tomas led them into the Chantry, she saw Teagan waiting. He was squinting at them as they came up. It was obvious that he was trying to place her and couldn't quite manage. She clasped her right arm across her chest, bowing to him. "Bann Teagan. A pleasure to see you again."

He shook his head slightly. "I'm sorry, you look familiar, but I can't remember your name."

"Una Cousland, ser." She watched the recognition dawn, wondering if she truly looked that different from the last time he'd seen her.

Teagan was stunned. Not only had he heard that the whole Cousland family had been killed in the fire at Highever Castle, he would never have recognized this confident warrior as the shy, gawky girl he'd seen at the occasional social event. If he'd ever seen her like this before, he reflected, his answer to Teyrn Bryce's careful probings about a match between them might have been different. He bowed. "My lady. My deepest sympathies on the loss of your family. What a tragic accident."

Rage flashed in Una's eyes, but she held her control. "It was no accident, ser. Arl Howe's men attacked our castle after my brother Fergus had taken most of our men to Ostagar. They murdered my sister-in-law and my nephew, as well as my parents and all our household." Though her voice was even, the edge in it was obvious for all to hear.

Shocked, Teagan fumbled for words. "That is not what we had been told."

"Unsurprising," Una said, "since the only survivor is now being hunted as a traitor due to another lord's false words."

"Not all of us believe Loghain's charges," Teagan said. "My nephew was not the heedless puppy he is being painted as by these slanderous rumors."

"I am glad to hear you say that, my lord," Alistair spoke up.

"Holy Maker," Teagan said. "Alistair? Is that you? You're alive?"

"For now," Alistair said grimly.

Teagan shook his head. "This is much to contemplate. And there is little time to do so."

"Please, ser," Una said. "Tell us what has been happening here."

The Bann explained that no one had heard anything from the castle in days, that the Arl and his family may or may not still be alive, and that the walking corpses were coming in increasing numbers every night. Few in the village expected to survive the coming darkness. Alistair wanted to assure Teagan of their help, but he wasn't sure what Una would do. Holding his breath, he waited for her to speak.

"Of course, Bann Teagan. Our blades are yours," he heard her say. "What troops have we at our disposal?" The Bann laid out the situation for her—militia under the mayor, Murdock, and a few knights under the command of Ser Perth. "All right," Una said. "Let's get started, then."