So here is the first chapter of my Gorim/Aeducan story.

Big big thanks to my beta author in this Kae Westu, for agreeing to help me with this story and for adding a few interesting bit to this chapter. You my friend are awsome!

Enjoy =]

(I do not own Bioware or Dragon Age etc etc)

Prologue

Sereda ran as fast as she could down the corridors of the royal palace. In the distance she could hear her brother Bhelen counting up to ten, thus she didn't have much time. Sprinting into the throne room she stopped as she saw her father, King Endrin, talking to his second, Andor. With a devious smile she skipped over to her father. Endrin's gaze followed his eight year old daughter as she hid behind his throne. Turning his head he looked down and met her green eyes with his.

"Daughter what are you doing?"

Instead of answering Sereda merely put her fingers to her lips, getting a wink off her father as he knew what she was doing. He turned back towards the door as he heard approaching footsteps.

"Coming ready or not," Bhelen shouted walking into the throne room. It was obvious he had followed her instead of counting.

"Ah my younger son," Endrin called at the five year old boy walking towards him.

"Father, is Sereda here?" Bhelen asked innocently while continuing to glance around the room knowing full well she was there somewhere.

"I haven't seen her,"

Andor chuckled at his king's failed attempts to conceal his daughter's whereabouts.

Bhelen sighed continuing to look around.

"But I saw her come in here,"

A gasp from behind the king brought their attention to the brown haired girl now crawling from her hiding place, a scowl on her face. She stood up brushing the dust from her leggings and smoothing her back into the three pigtails she always wore it in.

"You cheated, it's not hide and go follow," she shouted pointing a finger to her brother's chest. Bhelen shrugged.

"I don't like that game anyway," he huffed. Immediately Sereda launched herself at her brother, pinning him to the ground in a play fight. King Endrin watched his two youngest children play for a while before deciding enough was enough and raising his voice causing them to stop. Sereda looked at her father and back to Bhelen before pushing herself up and helping her brother to his feet.

"Sorry father," she mumbled. King Endrin chuckled.

"It's fine my child, but you have not welcomed our guest," King Endrin gestured to where his second was standing.

Sereda turned to Andor confused. She had known the man all her life and he had never been presented to her as a guest. It was then she noticed a boy standing next to the man, clutching at his leg. The boy was about her age with ginger hair and bright blue eyes that reminded Sereda of the colour of lyrium in books she had read. He smiled lightly and bowed at her, something his father had likely told him to do. Sereda returned the smile and nodded her acknowledgment.

"Why don't you show young Ser Gorim around the palace, my daughter? After all it is time for Bhelen's lessons at the shaperate,"

This last received a low groan from Bhelen who hated his tutors. They were so dumb, he used to say. Sereda bowed to her father and signalled for Gorim to follow her, leading him out into the main hall.

"It is an honour to meet you my lady," Gorim spoke as they walked side by side down the corridor. Sereda smiled at him. She was only just getting used to people calling her that.

"So you are Ser Gorim, Andor's son?"

Gorim gave her a short nod

"Yes my lady, Gorim Saelac of the warrior caste,"

"Then you have experience with sword play?" Sereda grinned slyly and started heading to the armoury.

Once there she picked up two wooden swords, passing one to Gorim who stared at it stunned.

"My lady, are you sure,"

Sereda rolled her eyes

"Yes Gorim I am, and please call me Sereda,"

With that she moved herself into a battle stance, sword ready. Gorim mirrored her actions and stood before her. He still looked a bit unsure. He didn't no if there was a punishment of some kind for hurting a princess during practice, but it was not the thing that made him feel like that. He simply didn't want to cause pain to the young lady. Sereda saw right through him and smiled at him, her voice warm with the passion only fighting can evoke.

"Ready?"

"Always my lady,"

Springing forward Sereda thrust her wooden sword forward. She had been training for a year now and her father had admitted to her, in secret, that she was progressing better than her elder brother Trian did and at this rate she would be a commander in her early twenties.

Sereda however found that Gorim was just as trained with a sword as she was – though as a warrior's son, he must have been practicing for several years – , blocking her every advance.

Well he is a warrior caste she thought.

The fight continued this way with her striking and his blocking until Gorim caught her sword with his and disarmed her, leaving her standing with her arms in the air in defeat. Lowering the wooden sword to the ground Gorim bowed to her as clapping was heard from the doorway.

"I thought I might find you here daughter," King Endrin smirked as he walked towards the two children and ruffling Sereda's brown hair. Turning to Gorim the King knelt down and clasped a hand to the boy's shoulder

"Well done Ser Gorim, you will make a worthy second one day, maybe even to my daughter,"

Sereda looked at her father and smiled. She already liked the young to-be-warrior and she also had a secret fear that she'll have to take Bhelen as her second when the time comes.

"I would like that father," she replied with glittering eyes.

Sereda stood patiently in her noble armour, as her father spoke the orders to his men, the heat of the deep roads making her feel uncomfortable. She looked to her left at her second, dressed in his own dwarven iron armour, and smiled. Gorim smiled back at her, giving her a reassuring nod. She was now eighteen which meant it was also time for her to go on her first expedition into the deep roads. Armed with her sword and shield along with Gorim, she signalled to her father that she was ready and followed the first troop, made up of her father, Andor and four other soldiers from her father's guard, into the tunnels.

However it wasn't just a test for her. It was also a day for Gorim to prove his worth as a second to Sereda. He had been her active second for eight years now, helping with her training and preservation of her armour and weapons. Today was a day he could prove that he would protect her as well as look out for her, something every second had to be capable of.

Cautiously the group continued down the tunnel, sticking to the shadows. The scout at the front eyeing every inch of the tunnel for signs of movement. With a quick movement of his has arm the scout lifted his fist, signalling for the group to stop. King Endrin nodded and directed two soldiers to go forward. As the two soldiers crept closer to the corner a low grunt was heard and four Hurlock's ran forward engaging the startled soldiers.

Immediately Gorim stood in front of Sereda with his shield held out in front of him and his sword at the ready. Sereda's heart jumped as she saw Gorim's willingness to protect her.

He had grown handsome since they had been younger. His ginger hair was now longer with some of his hair braided at the side going round his head to form a long ponytail at the back, and his eyes still the bright blue that Sereda remembered upon first meeting him.

Unsheathing her sword and shield she stood behind him, ready for battle. But it didn't come. The two soldiers at the front had managed to kill two Hurlock's while the other two had killed the remaining darkspawn.

Sereda sheathed her sword trying hard to hide her disappointment but as always Gorim noticed.

"We will get our chance my lady,"

Sereda titled her head at him

"How is it you can read me so well," she chuckled. Gorim smiled at her while sheathing his own weapons.

"I have been you companion every hour of each day for eight years my lady, in that time I have learnt much about you," he answered, a cunning smile on his lips. She shook her head at him as he stepped aside and encouraged her forward in front of him so that she could not see the blush creeping up his cheeks at the familiar knot in his stomach he got every time she smiled at him.

As they walked, Gorim couldn't help but admire the princess in font of him. She was beautiful with her brown hair in its usual three short pigtails, but most of all her green eyes that shone like emeralds. Gorim smiled to himself as he thought what it would be like to kiss her.

No Gorim it could never be, she is a princess and you are a knight of the warrior caste he thought, banishing anymore images from his head and snapping back to reality just in time to avoid walking into the back of Sereda.

The scout had stopped them again but this time had gone forward to investigate further. Gorim took his positing in front of Sereda again while his father did the same with the King, and the four soldiers stood as a barricade at the front.

It was a while before the scout returned which made Gorim anxious. He didn't like to stand idly in the deep roads, it was unnerving.

As the scout came into view Gorim could see he was bleeding badly.

"My king….the darkspawn….you must run,"

Gorim's heart began to beat faster. He turned to Sereda and saw the worry on her face mirroring his own.

With a short signal the King ordered a retreat but it was too late. A small contingency of darkspawn spilled into the tunnel, making their way to the small group.

"RUN," someone shouted and Sereda felt Gorim pushing her backwards urging her to move. There were shouts as the soldiers and the injured scout engaged the darkspawn to buy the King and his daughter, accompanied by there seconds, time to get out.

However some darkspawn managed to bypass the soldiers and continued after the group of four.

Sereda's vision was a blur as she sprinted through the never ending tunnel. There was a shout and Sereda glanced to her side in time to see a Hurlock had caught up to her father and Andor had engaged it killing it, but not before the darkspawn had struck it's sword through the man's stomach. She heard a grunt behind her and knew Gorim had seen it too, but he continued to push her forward.

She could feel her heart burning in her chest as they slowed down at a cross roads.

"We've split up from my father," she panted. Gorim didn't acknowledge her but instead continued to stare at the ground, breathing heavily, the pain evident in his eyes at having seen his father's death.

"May the stone guard you father," he whispered just loud enough for Sereda to hear.

A growl caused them to look up and they were faced with a Hurlock, an evil looking sword in its grasp.

Gorim quickly drew his sword and stood in front of Sereda, protecting her.

"Stay behind me,"

The Hurlock grunted again and advanced on them but Gorim was ready. Using his shield he hit the Hurlock in the chest. The Hurlock recovered quickly and sliced his sword hitting Gorim in the arm. Grunting in pain Gorim raised his sword and sliced through the air, severing the Hurlock's head from its shoulder, before collapsing to the ground and grasping his arm.

"Gorim!" Sereda shouted running to his side, worry gripping her stomach.

Pulling him to a nearby boulder she eased him to sit with his back against it and removed his breastplate and gauntlets so that he was sat with his undershirt on. Carefully she checked the gash on his lower arm and, using bandages from her pack, wrapped it up as best she could. Once done she sat with him cradling his head. Her sword within reach.

"Sereda?" Gorim groaned as he regained consciousness.

"Gorim I'm here," she answered stroking his hair back.

He looked up at her, his blue eyes drooping from the loss of blood.

"Sereda I must tell you something," he grabbed her hand and continued.

"I know I shouldn't. I am a warrior and nothing more. But I can't deny it from myself. Not now, after my father… well, after his return to the stone. I stand alone in the world now and there is only one person I still care about." He drew a deep breath and finished it:

"I love you my lady,"

Sereda felt her heart skip at his words. She has been waiting to hear it for a long time, or it felt long to her at least. Sometimes she played with the thought of asking him, but it seemed unfair to her. And though she felt terribly sorry for Gorim just loosing his father, and she worried for the life of her own, she couldn't hide her joy.

Leaning down to him she smiled.

"And I you Ser Gorim," she whispered before brushing his lips with her own in a passionate kiss, knowing that once they were rescued they would have to hide their feelings once again.