I do not own Dragon Age, Skyrim, or any of the characters. I only own the plot and any characters I create myself. Thank you.
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A.N
I know this chapter is a bit short, in fact most of them probably will be but I will be updating at least once a week on either a Monday or a Thursday. This is just a story I have been obsessing over for a little over a year and have finally started typing it to hopefully get it off my mind. As of right now the pairing is Cousland/Leliana because it just works the best out of all of them.
P.S There will be some major changes to the beginning plotline that will influence the sequel that I have in mind as well so please don't hate….I can't even play the game anymore without wanting it to be this way now.
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Chapter 1 - Arrival
Leaning against the thick, oaken, railing I let out a small puff of breath that was quickly carried away by the crisp morning breeze traveling across the Sea of Ghosts. A strange yet fitting name given for the ominous fog that creeped across the murky water two to three times a week at the wee hours of sunrise and the late hours of sunset. During those times, when the fog practically slithered amongst the waves, a strange moaning noise would echo across it. No one, not the strongest Nord to the lowly beggar, would travel across the water during these times.
'Finally, after all these years I can finally go home.' The feeling was almost bittersweet for I had come to love the stark beauty that Skyrim was. Skyrim was a harsh and cold land, constantly testing the limits of my strength, willpower, and endurance, but through hard work I made a home for myself here. Surrounding most of the country were tall mountains that seemed to stretch into the very clouds themselves, only showing their snowcapped top when the sky was clear. Grasslands stretched as far as the eye could see only to crash against the dense forests that turned their color with the turning of the seasons. At the north border rested the sea that continued on further than I had ever traveled and to the south border rested the lands of Cyrodil.
Over six years ago I was on my way to Antiva to 'learn the ways of a proper noblewoman' as mother had so eloquently told me. Only fourteen and my mother was trying to send me off to learn the ways of the courts, a most depressing thing for me. My skills were no use to me in silk dresses, being pampered by snobbish Lords who thought themselves better than everyone else. My particular set of skills were better used to pick their pockets of small valuables and sneaking into places where I wasn't supposed to be….mainly the larder at most points.
We were well into our second week of sailing when a powerful storm rolled upon us. I had managed to persuade the panicking captain to not 'tie my noble ass' to the railing, informing him that I had some skill when it came to sailing. With a quick 'stay' to my mabari warhound I shimmied up the mast, joining the crew in their attempt to propel the ship out of the storm, it's turbulent winds, and ten foot high swells tossing us around like ragdolls being played with by a child.
After what seemed like hours of fighting through the terrible storm, the winds lessened and waves finally calmed, my heart stilling in muted joy at the thought that this could finally be over. It was like fate truly wanted to prove me wrong by shooting one single bolt of lightning down from the still black clouds, hitting the mast. The strike splintered the wood and with a sickening 'crack' the mast split in half, falling into the ocean and leaving us with no way to catch the winds in order to propel the ship forward.
Once the storm finally dissipated the crew immediately began cleaning up what they could, their spirits high, praying to the maker that land wouldn't be too far off. I helped where I could, picking up wood, or patching up holes that would have to be properly mended when we next made port...wherever it may be. After a few days Captain Hodan called me in, star charts littering his desk along with any map he could get ahold of, his face downtrodden and tired. My heart had clenched at the news I had been fearing for days. "Forgive me M'lady but I am unable to track our position anymore. I had hoped that we would be find and that the current would pull us into Orlais or Antiva but two days ago I became unable to track the stars anymore. They are different that the ones we see in Ferelden, though I didn't believe it possible at first, leaving me completely unable to learn our position."
That would mean we would be simply drifting, hoping that we found land before our food stores and fresh water ran out. Three long weeks we drifted, the currents slowly taking us somewhere unknown, and the crew's moral rapidly declined. While no one said it to my face many of them blamed me for the current predicament since I was the reason for the voyage in the first place, the looks they shot me when they thought I wasn't looking would've made any regular fourteen year old girl give up and wither away. I pushed through the looks and harsh words, constantly staying with Koji or the Captain...who shielded me from the men whenever he possibly could.
With the passing of days the crews anger slowly turned to hopelessness, their words no longer harsh, and their ire all but spent. Bundled up in one of my lighter leather jackets I sat by the helm, staring out across the moonlit ocean, when a sudden chill shot through me. It was something my father once called a warrior's instinct, always able to detect something is wrong without actually seeing it. The hair on the back of my neck stood up at the chill and I noticed Koji start to pace next to me, the fur on the back of his neck ramrod straight as his clear blue eyes scanned the ocean.
Wary I looked around the empty ocean, trying to find the source, when a thick fog creeped in. It acted almost like it was alive, wrapping and slithering about the ship as if it was a snake, causing the crew to shift about nervously near the railing. Grasping the daggers I kept on me at all times I scooted back towards the Captain, looking around in concern. "You've stayed strong through all this lass, now show that courage through this as well." He had said, a calm look on his face as he looked over at his men, long given up on trying to steer through still waters.
Just then one of the younger crew members screamed out loudly, his eyes wide and unfocused, mind lost in his own terror. Before anyone could stop him he charged the railing, clearing it with a single leap, before splashing into the black waters below. The fog only allowed us to see a bit of him swimming away, his form becoming lost in the unrelenting greyness that surrounded the ship.
We waited for a few tense minutes when a sudden, haunting, pain filled scream echoed across the fog. All of the crewmen ran to the railing and looked down, myself joining them, hoping that the man might actually make it back alive. The Captain held a lantern over the railing, its glow lighting up the water and it now...red...tint. It wasn't difficult to realize what that color meant and it sent waves on nearly mind-numbing terror through the crew like a contagious disease.
As if the night couldn't get any worse a roar, the likes of which I had never heard before, replied to the man's dying screams. It sent ice through my veins, chilling my very core as fear set in, and seemed to sap away all the heat my body could possibly produce. Everyone stopped what they were doing, eyes gazing out across the fog blocked ocean, afraid of whatever could produce that sound.
At first it was faint, the sound, but as it got closer I could've sworn it sounded like wingbeats...of something very, very, large. It was ominous, the fog preventing us from seeing what could be heading in our direction the sound getting closer and closer with every beat it's wings produced. Koji had suddenly stopped pacing around me in order to turn his massive head towards the front of the ship, a deep, guttural, growl escaping between bared teeth.
Just then a pair of glowing red eyes pierced through the fog, their gaze focused solely on our little ship. I could barely think, the very sight of those demonic eyes reminding me of all the horror stories my father told me about fade demons, though this was no story and not something that I could simply wake up from….no matter how much I wish it was.
The sound of something inhaling was our only warning before fire shot out of the fog, catching our tiny wooden boat aflame. Rushing down towards the fire, focusing my fear on something besides the blood red eyes watching us, I attempted to put out the fire with a blanket that was lying nearby. Once the crewmen saw me attempting to do something it must have struck something in them because some started helping while others loosed arrows upon the unknown creature.
(Hi sahlo, sahlag, jul. Dir, vos zey wah du hin sil ko Sovenguard!) It was almost startling, hearing the strange monster of the fog speak. Its voice was deep and guttural, obviously male, and seemed to echo with a thousand voices as its own bounced across the fog. His language was one I had never heard or read about but something inside me told me that the language was familiar somehow. (FUS ROH DAH) The ship all but exploded under the force of whatever it was, sending all of us careening into the dark, murky, ocean. I faintly recall the eyes staring down directly at me before a piece of flying wood from the railing slammed into my temple, sending me spiraling into blackness.
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A.N
I hope you all enjoyed the first chapter. The second chapter is already mostly written and I will be posting it either Monday or Thursday. If there is anything wrong then please do not hesitate to tell me. As I said at the beginning of this chapter the start of the Dragon Age storyline will have some changes but the story itself will still stay fairly close to the original gameplay….minus a few things I believe should have happened.
Hi sahlo, sahlag, jul. Dir, vos zey wah du hin sil ko Sovenguard: You weak pathetic man. Die, allow me to devour your souls in Sovenguard!