NOTE: I don't own anything. Only the story and Natia all else is owned by bioware. Shout out to the best team of animators and story creators in the world!

Natia Broska

Beraht walked in and Natia's hands immediately tightened into fists. Nothing made her blood boil more than to be face to face with the man who ruined her life. It had been 8 long years since Beraht had approached her with his first job offer. 8 long and hard years, but it felt like yesterday.

Natia was begging in the streets. Again. Same routine day after day. Wake up, get dressed in the same dirty clothes as before, and hit the streets to beg the common folk for money. As a 12 year old with an innocent looking face she tended to bring in more money than others. People didn't like to to see a child in poverty. Not that everyone gave her coin, many thought she deserved her fate, but some people gave her a couple coppers. Not much but it was enough. Well the money should have been enough if her mother didn't drink it all.

That was where he found her, sitting on a corner begging for coin.

"Please Ser," Natia began in her sweetest most childlike voice. "Do you have a couple coppers to spare? I haven't eaten in days."

"Don't bother me duster!" The man said. He was a gruff man, with a Carta look about him. Natia knew she was pressing her luck but she decided to try again.

"I have a sister," Natia said bringing tears to her eyes. "We're both starving."

"I said get away," the man's hand flew and caught Natia in her right cheek. The blow wasn't bone breaking but it would leave a mark. It knocked Natia's teeth together and she tasted the metallic taste of blood.

Now this wasn't the first time Natia had been struck. She was hit daily by her own mother and at least once a week by random strangers. As castless you just sort of got used to it. But today something was different, today Natia had had enough. Natia's heart began to race from the adrenaline of her anger, red crawled in to the edges of her vision, and her body began to act on instinct. Her body drew itself up to her full height, about 4'3" after all she is a young dwarf, her hand drew itself back, her feet ground themselves in the dust, and she punched the older dwarf right in the throat. His only exposed skin. The blow was so effective the dwarf was stunned for a moment gasping for breath. In that split second Natia saw her chance. She had seen his coin purse dangling from his belt, and in her rage her hand flew out and snatched the purse. In the same motion she turned heel and ran.

The man regained his senses just in time to see Natia turn the first corner. Natia sprinted through makeshift stalls and fallen rubble. Over barrels and under broken arches. She dashed through back alleyways and tried to keep out of sight, but every time she looked behind her the carta man was only a few steps back. He was pursuing her like a hound, never letting up. Natia ran through the trickiest route she could think of, crashing obstacles down behind her. As she ran her senses came back to her and she realized what a dumb mistake she had made. "Stealing from the Carta? I must be crazy," Natia thought. "Now I have to lose him, or he'll kill me." Natia was just vaulting a barrel into a larger street when she felt strong limbs wrap around her midsection.

"Oomph," Natia gasped. "Let go of me." She struggled and kicked as hard as her little legs could.

"Finally," the man gasped out of breath. "What took you so long Jarkin?"

"I was busy," the other man, Jarkin, said nonchalantly. "I saw this great ax at Alimars. I had to do some haggling to get it of course but look. Isn't she a beauty."

"Yeah, yeah whatever," the man said. Natia was still struggling against Jarkin's hold as the man she had robbed turned and fixed his eyes on her.

"You're bat shit crazy duster, you know that?" He said. "Stealing from a carta man, not smart."

"What do you want to do with her Beraht?" Jarkin asked. "Maim her, kill her, throw her in the lava pits? Come on I'm in a hurry here."

Hearing the words made Natia even more afraid and she squirmed faster.

"I don't know," the man, Beraht, said. "What do you think little girl? How would you like to die?"

Natia was freaking out at this point but refused to let her fear show. "I don't care," she exclaimed. "Anything is better than looking at your ugly faces." And with that Natia spit in his eye.

"Ooh, now you're gonna pay," Jarkin said.

Normally Beraht would flay someone for a much smaller offense. But there was something about this girls spunk that caught his attention. First she punched him, then she stole from him, now she spit in his eye as they casually talk about her death. It was this sort of darkspawn may care attitude he was looking for. A person who had nothing to lose and therefore would be willing to do anything. Finally he asked, "What's your name duster?"

Natia was so shocked at the strange question she blurted out, "Natia Broska."

"Well Natia Broska, where did you learn to punch like that?" Beraht asked.

"I don't know Ser," Natia thought about it for a moment. "My body just sort of took over."

Beraht looked towards Jarkin. "Good instincts, fast, nimble, fierce. What do you think Jarkin?" Beraht asked.

"You know I don't care," He replied. "You're the boss."

"Then it's settled," Beraht said.

At this point Natia was so confused she just hung in Jarkin's arms like a dead animal. Why hadn't they killed her? What was settled? Figuring she was going to die anyway Natia spoke up, "What's settled?"

"Meet me by Tapster's Tavern tomorrow," Beraht said. "And bring that reckless spirit. Let's go Jarkin." And with that Jarkin released Natia and both men left, after grabbing the coin purse of course.

Natia was so stunned that she just sat in the dust for a moment. Not only had her life been spared but she'd been offered a job in the Carta. Not officially of course but everyone knew what a meeting with a man of the Carta meant. Rica is going to flip when she hears about this, Natia thought.

With that Natia picked herself up and practically skipped home. Things were finally starting to look up for their family.

That was 8 years ago and since that day Natia had been one of Berahts girls and Rica had been groomed to be a noble hunter.