A Tarnished Cousland - 1

Title:                            A Tarnished Cousland - Practice
Author:                        mcomommy
Game:                         Dragon Age
Characters:                  Fergus Cousland, Tarnished Cousland
Disclaimer:                  Dragon Age and all characters from it belong to Bioware.   
Content Warning:         Mushiness

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A Tarnished Cousland
Practice


     A young girl hissed, dropping her sword to glare at her hand, a blister there having popped after a particularly wicked swing at the target dummy.  She glowered down at the wound, a brief pulse of blue as a healing spell started to cast.

     "That's enough of that," a boyish voice firmly said from behind her as a hand clamped down on her shoulder.

     Startled, the girl jumped, spinning to the teenage boy who had snuck up behind her.

     "Maker, Fergus, you scared the day lights out of me," the girl cried.

     Fergus Cousland glared down at his twelve year old sister.  "I scared you," he asked leaning in close to her.  "What if someone else had seen you," he hissed, shaking his head.

     The girl dropped her gaze, eyes riveted to the dirt at her brother's feet.  Tears pricked her eyes.  The only person in the world that could make her feel  this badly besides their father was Fergus.  They were her heroes, the men who could do anything, and it pained her when they looked at her with that disappointed frown.

     Fergus sighed, running his hand through his hair.  "Look, Tarn," he said, dropping to his knee before her.  "You are my favorite little sister.  If someone saw you doing that they would use it against you.  Against the family."  He hooked his finger under her chin, lifting her face till he could look into her impossibly beautiful eyes.  "I would have to kill every templar in Thedas."  She giggled at him, and he smiled, wiping away the stray tears that had escaped.

     "I'm your only sister, doof," she pointed out.  

     Fergus grinned, hugging her close.  "Which is why you're my favorite!  I have to look out for you, you know.  Big brother duty, and I take it very seriously."

     Tarnished smiled worshipfully up at her brother as he stood, ruffling her hair.

     "Go get Nan to take care of that," he said softly.  "Then get back to your practice."

     Pouting, Tarnished asked, "Do I have to?"

     "Yes, silly." Fergus answered.  "You have to work twice as hard so no one realizes the gift in your blood is magic instead of swordsmanship."  He brushed her peach colored hair back from her face.  "Train your body to be strong so you can swing your sword true," he said, brushing his hand along her arm.  "Let Aldous train your mind so that your Maker given gift serves you and you don't serve it," he brushed a kiss to her forehead.  

     "And what of my heart," Tarnished asked impishly, knowing what was coming next.  She'd heard it from her father, Bryce, often enough.

     Fergus laughed at her.  "Let the Maker guide your heart, that you walk in His light."  He ruffled her hair, shooing her on her way.

     Tarnished grinned, scampering off toward the kitchen, sure of a cookie and a kiss from Nan.  Those two things were all she really needed to make her blister better.  Fergus's last words floated after her.

     "While you're at it, pray that the Maker doesn't know how much of scamp you are!"