Authors Notes: This fic I wrote ages ago is an alternative ending to To claim a Queen, where Maric dies, leaving Raina a widow and with a request from Maric to marry Cailan.

"No! I'm not leaving you!"

"Please, just go. Oliver needs you!"

"I need you!"

"Watch out!" Maric screamed as he pushed Raina out of the way. A large section of wall fell on him, crushing his chest, his armour crumpling under the weight of the wall.

"Maric!" Raina ran to him falling to her knees beside him. The darkspawn were either dead or had scattered. She moved his head onto her lap, wiping the blood from his mouth. "Maric, please don't leave me." She sobbed, her tears down her cheeks onto his forehead.

He smiled at her, caressing the hand that held his head. "I love you."

She sniffed, smiling sadly. "I love you, too."

His grip on her hand became less and less and she knew he was gone. She closed his eyes, kissing him gently. The battle carried on around them as she sat there by his side. She would not allow him to be alone now and she laid her head on his chest and laid there for hours.

The battle had ended and none too soon for an exhausted Cailan. He took stock of his surroundings, spotting his brother on the floor, holding his injured leg. He ran to his brother, kneeling beside him. "Is it bad?"

"I'll live. Help me up." Alistair took Cailan's hands and got to his feet. "Where is father?"

"I don't know. Come with me." Together they went in search of him, eventually finding Raina laying against a person in golden armour. They knew it could only be one man. "Raina?" Cailan knelt beside her, placing his on her shoulders.

"He died for me." She said quietly, not moving from his chest.

Alistair stroked her hair, looking at his brother with sadness. "I know, Raina."

At daybreak, the soldiers moved Maric's body, taking him back to the palace. Raina had disappeared, leaving everyone worried about the young widow.

Hours later, Cailan found her sitting on the bed in the cabin where Maric and herself had shared many nights. "Raina?" He walked in and sat on the bed. "Sophie is looking after Oliver, so don't worry about him for now."

She hugged her legs, resting her head on her knees. "It's not fair, Cailan. Two weeks we have been married and now I'm a widow. Where is the justice in that?"

He moved next to her, pulling to him. "I know. I'll make sure you are looked after."

"What about Oliver? He's only a baby and he'll never know how wonderful his father was. Then there's Alistair. He's only just found him and now he's lost him again."

"Oliver will know, we will tell him. We'll look after Alistair." He kissed her gently on the head, letting her cry into his chest.

After a while, Raina eventually stopped crying, sighing as she wrapped an arm around Cailan. "When will the coronation be?"

"Next month, I believe. I knew I'd be in this position one day. I just didn't think it'd be when I'm twenty six."

She laughed a little. "I never thought I'd be a twenty two year old widow with two marriages behind me."

"It doesn't seem real, does it?"

"No, It doesn't. Never going to see my husband again." She started to cry again, holding tightly on to Cailan. She wanted something to take away the pain she felt, even if it was just a brief reprieve. To ease that ache in her heart, she would do anything, all she wanted was to forget if only for an hour. She look up at Cailan and their eyes met. He was an attractive man and he looked like Maric, one night was all she wanted, she could regret it in the morning. She kissed him gently, her tongue running across his bottom lip, trying to tease it open. She pulled away, sensing his discomfort, looking at him, "Cailan?"

"We shouldn't. Father isn't even cold yet." He tried to move of the bed, but she held him down, her eyes pleading with him.

"Please, Cailan. I just need to forget for the night." She sobbed out.

Cailan was in a dilemma. His father had only just died, but the agony in her eyes was clear and he needed to forget his own pain. His father had been a lucky man, she was a beautiful woman, with grace and charm to match. He cupped her face, watching her briefly before kissing her passionately, taking a sharp inhale of breath as he pushed her down on the bed. He pressed his body against hers, her decently sized breasts pushing into his chest. His lips left hers, finding a sweet spot on her neck, grazing his teeth over it as he suckled on the delicate skin. He felt her pulling at the fabric of his tunic, pulling it up his back. Slipping off the tunic, he threw it on the floor before, getting to work on hers, pulling it out of her breeches, placing a kissing on her stomach, before pulling it up over her head. She removed her breast band, discarding it somewhere near the abandoned tunics. He sat on the edge of the bed to remove his boots and breeches, momentarily questioning his actions. Could he really sleep with his father's widow? He groaned as he felt her lips on his neck, her nails dragging against his chest, breasts pushed into his back. He turned to her, covering her body with his again. He entered her quickly before he gave his head a chance to change its mind.

She dug her nails into his back as he moved in and out of her, his hot breath between her breasts. She pushed all thoughts of Maric from her mind, concentrating on the man inside of her. She gasped as he took a nipple into his mouth, sucking and nipping on it, maintaining a steady rhythm. "Harder." She demanded.

Cailan growled, pinning her down on the bed, forcing her thighs upwards, pumping in and out of her brutally.

She felt her climax building, body starting to ache. She wrapped her legs around his body, tilting her pelvis to allow him to go deeper within her. She threw her head back, crying out and groaning as her body shivered and shook as she came hard, her breathing, quick and erratic.

He groaned as she tightened around him, a mixture of arousal and relief. With a tight jawed groaned, he came inside her, spilling his seed, the horror of what he'd just done, coming to the front his mind. He pulled out of her quickly, sitting on the edge of the bed, not wanting to look at her. He just slept with his own father's widow, even worse than that, he may have gotten her pregnant. No child needed to be born in those circumstances. He got dressed quickly and left the cabin, still not looking back at Raina.

Raina laid in bed, the door slamming shut, making her jump. She sobbed into the pillows that still had Maric's scent on them. She saw Maric's robe still hanging off the end of the bed. Reaching out for it, she pulled it around her, sobbing herself to sleep. She knew the funeral would be tomorrow and she couldn't bear the thought of saying goodbye to her beloved husband.

She looked at herself in the mirror, placing the crown on her head. Dressed completely in black, she was adorned in her funeral wear. Part of her felt like running away with Oliver and never returning, but that wouldn't be fair on him. He already lost his father, she didn't want to take away his family. She made her way to the entrance, where some mourners had started to gather. Her family waited for her, so they could escort her to the grounds were the funeral would take place. Together, they walked to the rose garden, a place special to Maric and Raina. It was where they got married just two weeks before, now there was a pyre, right where they had said their vows.

The choir started to sing as Maric's body was carried to the pyre by chosen pallbearers, Cailan, Alistair and Loghain being three of them. Bryce, Teagan and Arl Bryland had offered themselves as they had known Maric for a long time. Raina agreed, Bryland and her father had fought along side him. Teagan had been close to Maric, ever since he had married Rowan. They placed Maric's body on the pyre, paying their respects before they stood back. Raina stepped forward, kissing him on the head, placing a love letter she had written to him, in his hands, to take her love to the afterlife with him. After the reading by the Revered mother, Raina stood forward to speak of him.

"My husband...he was a wonderful man. Kind hearted, gentle, funny, intelligent. All qualities his three sons possess." She swallowed hard, trying to remember to talk without crying. "But more than that, he was my hero. He gave his life so I could live mine, our son would have his mother. He would do and did anything he could to protect me and his family. For that, I am grateful, but I wish it was a choice he didn't have to make. We had been married for just two weeks but I'm blessed to say that those two weeks were very special to me." She whimpered involuntarily, just looking at him laying on the pyre, so peaceful he merely looked like he was asleep. The tears fell down her cheeks, dropping from her chin. "He worked so hard to liberate his country from threats, no matter who they were, his heart and soul went in to every battle, determined to win for his people. I hope that Ferelden remembers him for everything he did. I'll remember him for being a loving husband and I'll ensure our son knows just how wonderful he was." She kissed his lips, resting her head on his, tears falling on his forehead. She stood back as the Revered mother, made one final reading. Loghain, Alistair and Cailan stepped forward with torches to light the pyre.

Raina watched as Maric was overcome by the flames. She couldn't bear to watch and she rushed away, disappearing into the cabin. She slid down to the floor, overcome by grief. It was just too final, she would never see her husband again, never feel his warmth surrounding her, never joke with her again. All that they had were now ashes.

Sophie rushed to the cabin, knocking on the door gently. "Raina, sweetheart. Can I come in?" She had no reply, so she squeezed in the door, finding her sister slumped against it, sobbing her heart out. "Oh Raina," She sat down and wrapped her arms around her sister, letting her cry it out.

Cailan and Alistair stood by the burnt out pyre, holding what was left of their father. Cailan held the urn in his hands, dreading the moment he would have to give the ashes to Raina, a woman who he couldn't look at, out of shame. Cailan turned to his brother, giving him the urn, "Give them to Raina. I don't think I can do it."

"I will. What will you do with Raina and Oliver?"

"That is up to Raina. She can stay if she wishes, be Queen Dowager or she can return to Highever and be Lady Theirin. Either choice isn't much when she'd rather have father back."

"I think you should convince her to stay. I don't want Oliver to grow up without us."

He sighed, swallowing his shame. "You're right. I want to see Oliver grow up. We can be the father that he wasn't allowed to have."

"I'm going to check on Oliver. Poor little guy wont have a clue what is going on." Alistair walked away from Cailan, desperately needing to give Oliver a cuddle. He felt Oliver and himself were on the same page, never really getting to know their father, but Alistair would make sure Oliver knew that Maric loved him.

A few days later, Raina started to pack her and Oliver's belongings, ready to go to Highever. She didn't want to stay in Denerim, it held too many painful memories for her. At least Highever was her home and she could feel happy there. Cailan had yet to speak to her after that night in the cabin. It was a stupid thing to do and she regretted it just as he did. Her leaving meant they would never have to address it and no one would ever know what they did. "Come in." She called out as someone knocked on the door.

Cailan entered her room, noticing trunks of belongings scattered around. "Raina, going somewhere?"

"Yes. Oliver and I are returning to Highever. Denerim has too many painful memories for me." She placed some books into a trunk, before picking up Maric's sword. "Not sure what I should do with this."

"You could save it, give it to Oliver when he's old enough." He moved to sit down on the bed, amongst some trinkets that were yet to be packed. "Raina, I wanted to talk about that night."

Raina froze, closing her eyes, shame burning her skin. "Why? It shouldn't have happened, we both know that."

"I know it shouldn't have happened but I don't want it to be what drives you away. I said I'd look after you both and I meant that."

"No, I think it's best for all of us if Oliver and I go home. I'll go back to being Lady Theirin and Oliver will be Lord Theirin. I don't anticipate that I'll make it to marriage number three. Who would want to marry the king's widow, anyway?" She picked up her marriage certificate, given to Maric and herself on the day they married, holding it to her chest. It was all so unfair and she sobbed again, holding on to the dresser to keep her upright.

Cailan listened as she sobbed, turning to look at her. His heart broke all over again, listening to the pain that she felt. He had been so selfish to ignore her. They made a mistake but neither of them were in the right state at of mind at the time. He promised his father when they married, he would take care of her if anything happened to him. He was failing in that promise. Approaching her, he pulled her into his arms, letting her cry into his chest. When she had quietened down, he pulled away slightly, drying her eyes with his thumbs. "Raina, please stay. Father would want you to stay and enjoy the life he would have given you."

"Ok, but I want to move into the Queen's bedchamber. This room doesn't have the warmth it once did." She rested her head on his chest again, grateful for his comfort.

"You can have anything you want, Raina."

She pulled away from him, grabbing a hankie to dry her tears. "I better carry on packing."

"Do you want some help?"

"Please. Want to get it all done before dinner."

Cailan picked up a trunk, moving it to the door, ready to be moved. "You know, I always wanted this room when I was little, now it doesn't seem so appealing."

"He proposed to me in here. He told me that he wanted to make Oliver and me happy. We only had three months together after that. But he did make me happy." She laughed slightly. "Oliver was always happy around him. Maric just had to look at him and he'd start giggling." She sniffed, wiping a way a threatening tear. "Oliver knows he's gone. He isn't happy and smiley any more."

He approached her, placing his hands on her shoulders, "He's not happy because he knows his mama is upset. Let me finish this, you go and spend time with Oliver."

Raina sighed."You're right. I have neglected him a little bit." She left the room in search of Oliver. She found him with the servants, sobbing, calling for her. She took him in her arms and walked into the sitting room, where they used to cuddle up together. She sat down with a book, cuddling Oliver into her chest. She read to him, watching as he fell asleep. Rocking him gently, she kissed his forehead. "We'll be ok, baby. Papa is watching us now.t" She decided to let him have a sleep before dinner, he deserved it and hopefully Maric would find a way to him.