This is going to end up as the place for various shorts relating to the characters from my various (I think I'm up to 9 now) playthroughs that didn't make it into Band of Misfits.
This particular group of shorts are about my next-to-newest character Trissana, a city elf rogue. The parts/quests of DA:O these shorts focus on/take place in are, in order: Tower of Ishal, Back Alley Justice, Unrest in the Alienage/A Day For Celebration.
Disclaimer: I'm not awesome enough to own Dragon Age or any of its locations, characters, etc.
"Trissana, watch where you're aiming that thing!" yelped Alistair as a ballista bolt passed inches from his leg.
"Sorry," said the elf rogue with a sheepish look at the elder Grey Warden, who was standing over the body of a dead darkspawn in the Tower of Ishal and coincidentally, right in the line of fire for the ballista Triss had decided to inspect. Quite obviously, an alienage elf like herself had never seen such a thing, and being a person who enjoyed tinkering with machinery, she couldn't help herself when such an interesting new object presented itself for inspecting. However, she hadn't counted on accidentally firing the thing and nearly taking out Alistair. Triss left the ballista alone after that.
Triss skidded around a corner, her companions hot on her heels. They were being pursued by Denerim's guards yet again. Just as Triss was about to round another corner, she stopped and let out a groan. Around the corner were more guards.
"You're a terrible, thief, you know that?" commented Alistar as the party stopped short just behind or next to Triss.
"You said we needed more money," argued the copper-haired elf.
"I did, didn't I?" said Alistair thoughtfully. "But I didn't mean for you to steal it!"
"Then how do you propose that I go about earning some coin? Do a stint at the Pearl?"
"Er, no…" said Alistair. He had developed a bit of a crush on the elf, and the thought of her working in a brothel made him shudder.
"You were…engaged?" asked Alistair incredulously as he stared at Triss, who had just finished talking to Shianni about the current state of the alienage.
"Yes…" said Triss slowly. "My betrothed was murdered. That's part of how I ended up in the Grey Wardens. I sort of killed his murderers and got conscripted before I could get hauled off to prison."
"And you never thought to inform me of this over the course of our relationship?" Alistair was a bit irritated, and it came across in his tone.
"In the beginning, it wasn't something that I wanted to think about, much less speak about," said Triss with a sigh. "As time went on and I did my best to forget, I felt as though it was hardly essential information." She paused. "I am sorry, Alistair."
"It's alright," said Alistair, accepting her apology, "but we will talk about this later."
"Very well," said Triss.
"Stupid, stupid shems," grumbled Triss as she traced patterns sewn into the sheets on her bed in the Arl of Redcliffe's Estate with her finger.
Alistair hadn't heard her use that term in quite some time. That was how he knew something was wrong, if her pose hadn't already given her away – she was sitting on the bed with her knees up to her chest and her chin resting on them as she traced the patterns distractedly with an index finger.
"Hey," said Alistair gently as he took a seat on the bed next to her, "What's wrong. You can tell me, you know. Is it about today, what happened in the alienage?"
Triss sighed. "The alienage brings me memories that I don't want or need. I thought I'd managed to forget…" she trailed off.
"Forget? Your betrothed's murder?" asked Alistair, genuinely curious.
Triss shook her head, causing her still-wet hair to fling a few droplets of water onto Alistair. "Not entirely. I suppose I should tell you why he was murdered before our next visit to the alienage reveals that, as well," she said, her voice suddenly very dry and agitated.
Alistair said nothing, choosing instead to pick up her hand from where it was tracing floral designs and intently study the calluses that had formed from the use of her weapon of choice, the longbow.
Taking that as his way of saying 'continue', Triss did so. "You see, the wedding was interrupted by Bann Vaughan, a horrible, lecherous shem, and his underlings. He took all of the women in the wedding party to his estate, where he proceeded to ravage us one by one. The guards were coming to get me for my turn with the Bann when Soris showed up and tossed me a sword. We killed the guards and ran to Vaughan's room. On the way, we saw my betrothed, Nelaros, being cut down by the captain of the guard. I didn't let him live."
"I killed the Bann and freed the women – well, those that were left; one of my bridesmaids had been murdered as well – and we all left, slaughtering every shem we met along the way," said Triss tiredly. "Nelaros came to save me, to save all of us, and he was killed by a pack of stupid shems. Though I didn't know him for long, I liked him. He was a nice man; he didn't deserve to die like that."
"I kept the rings, mine and his," she said as she tugged on a small chain around her neck, pulling two rings that gently clinked together out of her nightdress. Her voice choked, "All this time."
Alistair easily pulled Triss into his lap and held her close as she finally allowed herself to grieve for everything lost on that day.
