Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Age.

Chapter One: Sweet Dairren

Castle Cousland - Highever

Aedan Cousland fumed as he strode out of the great hall. The young man, only 20 summers of age, was lithe with porcelain skin and dark brown hair that fell to just below his ears. The second son of Teryn Bryce Cousland lacked any appreciable stubble, a fact his elder brother Fergus teased him about mercilessly, but was in possession of beautiful sea green eyes that had pretty much everyone falling for him immediately.

The reason for Aedan's foul mood was of course the King's summons of House Cousland's troops to join his army in the south, more more to the point, the decision that he was to be excluded from those summons.

"There you are!" The heavily built Ser Gilmore exclaimed brushing his carrot hair out of his eyes as he approached as fast as his heavy chain mail would allow him to without appearing undignified. "Your mother told me the Teyrn had summoned you, so I didn't want to interrupt."

"Good thing to considering fathers company." Aedan replied exasperatedly venting at his friend. "Really Arl Howe makes vipers seem personable! And he still hasn't given up on matching me with his daughter!"

Ser Gilmore snorted in amusement at his friends plight before continuing. "Cain has gotten into the larder again, the kitchens are in a right state and Nan is threatening to leave."

"She was my nanny before she was the cook. Nan won't leave." Aedan replied exasperatedly.

"Your Mother disagrees." Ser Gilmore replied with a chuckle. "She insists you get him and quickly, you know these Mabari war hounds. They listen only to their master, anyone else risks getting an arm bitten off."

"He knows better than to hurt anyone outside of battle." Aedan replied heading towards the kitchen.

"I'm not willing to test that." Ser Gilmore replied as he fell into step behind his lord.

"So are you as displeased as me about staying behind?" Aedan asked bluntly.

"Yes, your father insists that as your captain of the guard while you command Highever Castle and the lands rather than going with him and your brother to the south." Ser Gilmore replied just as bluntly. "Not that I don't wish to serve you my lord but…"

"You hate seeing them ride off and feeling helpless. I know." Aedan replied. "Still I have some good news for you my lucky lucky friend, there's a Grey Warden in the castle."

"Really?" Ser Gilmore replied breathlessly. It had been his dream to be a Grey Warden ever since he was young. "But I expect he's here to recruit you not me."

"Why would he recruit me?" Aedan asked confused.

"Surely you jest my lord, your strong skilled and easily the equal of men twice your age. The Grey Wardens would be fools to overlook you."

Aedan blushed under the praise. "Sadly my father would never allow it. I'll be sure to mention that you would like to be recruited though."

"Thank you my lord." Ser Gilmore blushed embarrassed by how easily his friend could read him.

The two of them pushed open the door to the castle kitchens and were immediately met by Nan's yelling.

"Get that bloody mutt out of the larder or I'll skin you both!"

"He's not a mutt! He's a pureblood Mabari!" Aedan shot back indignantly.

"A bloody Blight wolf is what he is! How am I supposed to work like this? I have enough to worry about with the castle full of soldiers! I'll quit! Inform the Tern I'm heading off to cook in a nice quiet country estate in the bannorn."

"Relax Nan I'll go and get him." Aden replied laughing as he and Ser Gilmore entered the larder and closed the door behind them.

"Look at that mess!" Ser Gilmore groaned as Cain wandered up to them and wagged his stubby tail.

"What a smart boy you are! Oh, yes you are!" Aedan congratulated him kneeling down to pet his Mabari.

"Oh encourage the hound why don't you!" Ser Gilmore replied with a laugh . "No wonder he keeps giving Nan fits! He does seem to be trying to tell you something though."

Just as he finished the sentence giant rats poured out of the holes in the walls.

"You just had to say it didn't you?" Aedan griped as he drew his twin daggers from their mountings on his back and began what was known throughout Highever as the dance of death. While his elder brother Fergus was a traditional warrior fighting with a sword and shield and heavy armour Aedan was a quick striking rouge preferring light leather armour and twin daggers. He relied on never being where an enemy was striking whilst threatening them from every angle with fast efficient strikes.

After the two of them had dealt with the rats they left the still screeching Nan to yell at the kitchen staff and got out of there as quickly as possible.

Ser Gilmore headed back to his guard duties as Aedan went to find his mother.

A genuine smile lit his face as he noted who his mother was conversing in the Atrium with.

"Ah here is my younger son." Teyrnna Eleanor Cousland announced to her guests. "I take it by your presence and that of that troublesome hound of yours that the situation in the kitchen is handled?"

"Nan's head exploded and my hound ate the kitchen staff." Aedan replied getting muffled laughter from the guests. Even Eleanor felt a smile tug at her lips but she wasn't going to let him get away with it.

"Well at least one of us will have had a decent meal. Hopefully your hound will have left something that I can feed my guests." Teyrnna Eleanor shot back to outright laughter. "Darling you remember Lady Landra? Bann Loren's wife?"

"Hello again, I think we last met at your mother's spring salon." Lady Landra greeted.

"Of course. It is good to see you again, my lady." Aedan replied dutifully.

"Your to kind dear boy. Didn't I spend half the salon shamelessly flirting with you?"

"Right in front of your family too." A young man with short ginger hair replied. At twenty one summers he was only a year older than Aedan.

"You remember my son Dairren? He's riding with your father tomorrow."

"It is good to see you again my lord." Dairren greeted, he seemed to be trying to drink in Aedan's appearance with his bright blue eyes. Thankfully no one else noticed sparing him the embarrassment.

"And you Dairren." Aedan replied with a sultry smirk making the poor young man blush.

"And this is my lady in waiting Iona. Do say something dear." Lady Landra continued on obliviously.

"It is a great honour, my lord. I have heard many wonderful things about you." Iona said stutteringly. She blushed when Aedan gave her a kind smile and nod in return.

"Don't look now, Eleanor. But I believe the girl has a crush on your lad."

"Lady Landra!" Iona said scandalised.

"Hush, Landra. You'll turn the poor girl scarlet." Eleanor replied with a smile.

Aedan shot a look at Dairren as the guest departed giving him some tome alone with his mother.

You know if you didn't wear your armour everywhere you wouldn't turn half as many poor girls heads." Eleanor said exasperatedly as she took in her son's appearance.

Aedan wore the standard light leather armour for Fereldan archers. Boots with knee guards and gauntlets with elbow guards left his biceps and thighs exposed. The shoulder pads and main chest piece were very tight fitting leaving little to the imagination but the part below the waist was the most unusual. Like all light armour movement was paramount and so the lower part took the part of two main side pieces of leather and lots of smaller weighted strips formed a skirt that fell to half way down his thighs. *

"I like my armour! It's comfortable!" Aedan replied indignantly.

"Really Aedan If you could you would wear it to bed! Now you should say goodbye to Fergus while you have the chance."

"Why can't I go with Father and Fergus? Aedan decided to try one more time.

"I know it's difficult to stay in the castle and watch others ride off, but we must see to our duties first. You understand that don't you?" His mother replied calmly.

"But what if they fall without me?" Aedan whispered giving voice to his biggest fear.

"It's in the makers hands now and we must cope as best we can. Now be off with you." Eleanor said kindly giving her younger son a hug.

Aedan set off for the study, he had something to do before seeing his brother off.

Men's underwear in Fereldan was a distinctly practical fare. A simple leather strip had a piece of fabric attached at the front and back, whilst this covered everything at the front it left the sides completely bare and covered barely half of the wearers arse and this was precisely what Aedan had been counting on since he first met Dairren at his mothers spring salon six months ago.

Aedan sauntered into the study and leaned against the door frame trying to look casual.

"Hello again Aedan. Your castle's study is wonderful. Might I ask who's collection this is?" Dairren greeted Aedan as soon as he caught sight of him.

"It was my grandfathers but I often come here to read." Aedan answered truthfully. He crossed his arms and tensed liking the way Dairren's eyes were drawn to the wiry strength of his upper arms that was on full display thanks to his armour. "Is there something I can help you find?"

"I don't suppose you have a copy of the 'Dragons of Tevinter' by Brother Timious?" Dairren asked hesitantly.

"Of course, here let me get it for you." Aedan answered with a smile. In actual fact he knew perfectly well what book Dairren would ask for. He had found out as much as he could about the stunning ginger haired young man after his last visit.

Dairren's eves widened as Aedan climbed one of the ladders to the book he had deliberately placed on the top shelf. His breathing grew heavy as the younger man's armoured skirt rode up his strong thighs as he climbed the ladder.

"Dam it's just out of reach, could you hold the ladder for me Dairren?" Aedan asked with a smirk that the older man thankfully didn't see.

"Uuummm sure." Dairren panted as he took hold of the ladder. He tried to resist but the urge to look up was to great and he indulged himself. Stretching out to reach the book Aedan was on full display. At the sight of the tight white linen stretched across Aedan's tight arse Dairren let out a low groan. Aedan made sure his skirt got caught on the ladder giving Dairren even more of an eyeful on his way down.

He handed over the book to the blushing young man who had taken refuge behind one of the study desks to hide the little problem that Aedan's display had caused.

"So do you have a favorate book?" Dairren asked desperately searching for a way to hide his reaction to the view he just had of the young lord.

"I think 'The Art of Passionate Love' by Brother Capria is my favorate, we have one of the only surviving copies you know but then my family has never been one to obey the Chantry's banning of anything they deem… inappropriate." Aedan said with a smirk. He knew what Dairren was doing and had no intention of turning down the heat.

Dairren bit his lip stifling a groan at the idea of the lithe young lord before him reading that particular book. "I've never read it myself." He whispered breathlessly.

"I could tell you all about it." Aedan said with a sultry smile.

"Oh… that's not… necessary. Perhaps another time?" Dairren answered gulping as Aedan moved around the desk.

"Why don't you come to my room later tonight?" Aedan asked nervously, this was the conclusion of six moths of planning.

"I…I…" Dairren stammered but as Aedan slipped closer to him Dairren's hand brushed between the leather straps that formed the front of Aedan's armoured skirt to encounter the warm taut flesh of his thigh the last of his resistance crumpled. "I look forward to it." He whispered breathlessly before clearing his throat. "If you'll excuse me my lord I believe I have some important business to take care of before dinner.

Aedan punched the air in victory as soon as Dairren had left the room. Nothing could spoil this day for him now.

Review if you want me to continue.

*This is how the light leather armour looks and most light armours in history had skirts rather than trousers as armoured skirts were a lot easier to maneuver in than armoured trousers. Aedan is NOT a cross dresser this is just how the armour I have him in in the game looks. And personally I think it looks dam sexy!