Of Dominater and Bonding

by Yngvildr the Voracious

The Chantry makes them Tranquil because magic shall not rule over men. Tevinter glorifies and gives them right of life and death over the slave the Maker has gifted them with. Malcolm and Leandra don't believe any of their crap and raise their daughter Bethany as someone who won't take advantage of her power. Then Malcolm and Leto die and Leandra and Bethany are forever changed.

1. Chapter 1

For the sake of the story, Malcolm Hawke's death has occurred two years before canon. Other AU elements will be introduced.

As suddenly as it had appeared, it vanished.

It was a sunny day in Lothering, a perfect day for a funeral. However, if the whole family was grieving, Bethany felt like she was now spiralling down towards the depths of the Void. It had vanished. Just like that. It only left a weird aftertaste of mana in her tongue and a queasy feeling in her stomach.

The burning finally over, the last rites pronounced, Bethany was the first to bolt to their little farm on the outskirts of town. She was aiming for her parents' room. Well, her mother's room, now. She knew she had it still. The young girl dressed in black ransacked the place, turning cupboards upside down, using magic to make the bed levitate and sweep the dust from beneath it until she found what she was looking for underneath the bedside table.

The little hand mirror with flowers engraved in the pewter handle was broken in half, just like Bethany's heart. She undid her corset and the shirt beneath it and finally took a good look at the skin without having to crane her neck.

It was not only gone, it was burned out. The tiny silver letters that spelled "Leto" just above her heart was now a fine line that could have just meant she tattooed and then removed a shameful lover's name (that could have been called "Tits" if you didn't know what was there before…). How could it be gone? Why did it happen on this particular day? This question was so selfish, she thought. She was craving her father's counsel even more now than during the thirteen years she's known him. But Malcolm Hawke was dead now. Bethany cried until her mother came to find her room in a mess that was mirroring her daughter's distress.

Leandra Hawke, née Amell, was the most kind and supportive of women so, when she found out what had happened to her young daughter, she embraced her and hushed her until her tears dried. When the sun was set, Leandra finally showed her daughter the burned out letters above her heart that used to spell "Malcolm Hawke".

Bethany sighed. Two deaths in two days. Maker, why? Why? Why make her lose the two most important things in her whole life in two days?

Young, bright and beautiful Bethany shrivelled in her room, locked up and alone. Might as well go to the Circle, she sometimes thought. At least, her family could live a normal life. Nothing was waiting for her outside anymore.