"I don't get it. Why are you siding with me?"

I looked at my little brother. The brother I helped raise because his mother (Make the Stone keep her) died when he was but a year old. The brother I taught how to talk, how to walk, how to read, how to fight. The brother I had assumed would never hurt me.

The brother who framed me for murder and got me exiled.

He's staring at me now, right in the eyes. He never did that before. Part of the act, I suppose. Now he's dropped it… and destroyed everything I knew about him.

"Before anything else… before I am even a dwarf, I am a noble, descended from the Paragon Aeducan," I answered. "I have a duty to defend Orzammar. The changes you plan are what I had hoped to advise Trian of. Therefore, I will side with you. Personal feelings hold no factor."

"Advise?" he was surprised. "What are you talking about? You were first in line for…"

"I told Father just that morning to not make me the Heir," I confessed, delighting in his shocked expression. "I didn't want the throne. I had no desire to play with the Assembly like that. I wanted to defend my home from the darkspawn. I wanted to advise whoever Father chose to succeed him. I wanted to help, not rule."

"…But…"

"Not everyone is this family was ambitious, Bhelen. So, yes. You destroyed my life and reputation, Gorim's life and reputation… you killed Trian and wasted all that money bribing the Assembly… to secure yourself a throne that I would have happily given you." I raised my head, straightened my shoulders. Made myself look like the child of King Endrin again. "You slaughtered our family for nothing, Bhelen."

"…I…"

"Don't even try. My father is dead. Both of my brother's are dead. You are merely the contender for the throne that I choose to support. Nothing more." I turned away, without waiting to be dismissed. I was a Grey Warden now. I didn't need the permission of some prince to do what I willed.

"…Wait…"

"I'm going to Dust Town to kill the carta who try to strangle my home. I'm not doing it for you. You just get the credit. Like you did earlier."

"…But…"

"But know this," I bit out. "Know what Father's last words were to me. I am the honor of House Aeducan. Not you. Never you." I looked back at him to see his blank, shocked face. "I am the pride of Aeducan. I will always, forever, be your better."

Author's note:

Confession – I have actually never played this origin. It's the only one I haven't. But this… this wouldn't leave my head!

Tried to make the Warden's gender ambiguous.

And… yeah… Whoo? I have no idea where this came from.