Note: Big thanks to odiedragon (aka Lothering_Rose) for the beta!
"You will be a man soon, Samuel," Father says, his gruff voice softened by the appraising look in his eyes. "Soon, you will take your place within the Mountain."
Samuel looks up at Father and nods. Those chosen to serve in the Mountain are held in high regard in Haven. The only honor greater is reserved for those chosen as a sacrifice to the Prophetess Andraste. They are the true faithful.
"Father," Samuel says, straining to keep deepening his voice from cracking. "What will I do in the Mountain?"
"You will train under me, son, to one day become the Master Reaver," Father places a hand on the boy's shoulder, his eyes glistening as he smiles beneath his black beard. "Someday, it will not be Father Kolgrim that who protects the prophetess from the unfaithful. Someday, it will be Father Samuel."
The boy feels his eyes widening in shock. He did not expect this. There is no such thing as legacy in Haven. Everyone in Haven must prove themselves to make their mark.
"Me? A Reaver?" Samuel grins, hopping excitedly from foot to foot. "Do you mean it, Father?"
Father laughs and pats the boy's shoulder. "You will make us proud, Samuel."
Samuel watches as Father looks out the window and frowns. It's almost time for him to leave. The Reavers are only given leave to keep their family lines growing, to forge bonds to keep them strong. In Haven, duty and life are intertwined, as Andraste was herself with her earthly form.
Samuel is picking weeds and debris from the graveyard for the faithful behind the chantry. He has heard from others, the few who have gone outside of Haven, that the lowlanders burn their dead. In Haven, burning the dead is an insult to the prophetess. The faithful find their rest in shallow holes in the ground and feed the soil with their flesh.
As he stands to brush off his trousers, he sees it. A single bone, a finger, protrudes from the ground, pointing solemnly at the sky. Samuel crawls toward it slowly and looks up at the headstone before him.
"Sister Lynne," Samuel reads the epitaph in a whisper, staring back down at the bone in the ground. He remembers Sister Lynne. She was a quiet girl of fourteen, with blond hair and dark brown eyes when she gave her blood to Andraste's service.
Samuel was six and only beginning to understand the sacrifices. Mother said her heart beat only with love for Andraste.
He glances around to see if anyone is watching. He places his hand on the bone and it gives way slightly at his touch. He looks around again before impulsively snapping the finger bone off. It comes off cleanly, and if he hadn't been there to see it, he never would have known where the bone had been.
Samuel stares at the bone in his dirty hands and licks his lips. It's dirty, but he can clean it. It's rough, but he can polish it until it's smooth.
But no one can know about it. In Haven, it is a crime to desecrate the corpse of the faithful.
Days turn into weeks, weeks turn into months. Every day in Haven is the same. But when Samuel feels the bone in his pocket, he feels a rush of excitement flood through him. He calls her Bonny Lynne and he polished her until she was smooth. He even found a hiding spot by the docks, where the sun could hit her. Bonny Lynne, smooth and white, is his lucky charm.
Samuel's thirteenth birthday is only weeks away. Soon, he'll take his place in the Mountain. He feels the bone in his pocket, and he knows that soon he will have to say goodbye to Bonny Lynne. Men do not need lucky charms.
But for now, he keeps her, and waits to take his place within the Mountain.
A cold wind blows, ruffling Samuel's black hair. It is midday and he has finished his daily chores. Most of the villagers are up at the chantry, listening to Father Eirik's sermon. The sermon saved for those who haven't been chosen to serve in the Mountain.
The boy pulls the bone out of his pocket, and runs his fingers over the smooth, white surface, while reciting a verse he has composed.
"Come, come, bonny Lynne; tell us, tell us where you've been
Were you up, were you down
Chasing rabbits 'round the town
Come, come, bonny Lynne; tell us, tell us where you've been
Come, come, bonny Lynne; we've a bed to put you in
It is soft, it is warm
It will shelter from the storm
Come, come, bonny Lynne; we've a bed to put you in
Dear, dear bonny Lynne sleeps the peaceful crib within
A mossy stone, a finger bone
No one knows but Lynne alone
Dear, dear bonny Lynne sleeps the peaceful crib within."
Samuel looks up and sees someone new. Outsiders. Lowlanders. A dwarf and three humans, walking slowly as their eyes dart from house to house. Samuel slips the bone back into his pocket and watches them warily as they approach. He sees the village guard watching them from his post, and Samuel feels a little stronger.
"Who are you?" Samuel asks the intruders. "You're not supposed to be here."
"Who are you?" the dwarf asks in a funny accent.
Samuel almost laughs at her. "I asked you first."
One of the men, dark-haired with a dagger hanging at his hip, snorts and the dwarf shoots a look back at him.
"I'm a Grey Warden," she says finally. "Do you know what that is?"
"No," Samuel says lazily. "And I don't care, neither. Lowlanders don't belong here."
He watches as the intruders exchange glances and look back at him.
"What?" He asks, annoyance building. "Why are you looking at me like that?"
"You seem like a clever boy." The dark-haired man steps forward and kneels down to him, grinning. "What can you tell us about Haven?"
"Haven is Haven," Samuel shrugs. "But I have a secret. Do you want to see?"
The man looks up at the dwarf for a moment. "Sure."
Samuel smiles at the man. They'll be dead soon, Father Eirik will make sure of that, so what is the harm in showing them? He reaches into his pocket and pulls out the bone, holding it out for the group to see. Their eyes widen as they realize what they're looking at.
"Er," the man stumbles, pushing himself to his feet. "Where'd you get that?"
"Up the mountain." Samuel points uphill toward the chantry. "It's lucky. I keep it with me. Don't tell anyone, okay?"
The intruders exchange glances again and the man grunts a response as they begin to walk away. Samuel sees more daggers on the man's back, and more still on the dwarf's.
"Those are nice daggers," he murmurs to himself. "I wonder if Father will let me keep them?"
He watches as the group knocks on a door and walk into Brother Rodrick's home. Samuel slips the bone back into his pocket and runs over to tell the guard. The lowlanders will have to die.
It has been weeks since the lowlanders came and murdered most of the village. Father Eirik is dead, and no one has heard from the Reavers since they left. Samuel knows this means Father and the others are likely dead as well.
Mother and the others have a meeting one night while Samuel watches the other children play outside the chantry. He should be inside with the other adults, he thinks, but Mother says he needs to stay outside.
When the sun begins to fall to the other side of the mountain, Mother and the others call the children into the chantry. Samuel follows them inside and he watches as Brother Rodrick bolts the door behind them.
"Haven is no longer safe, children," Mother begins, her voice quavering as she speaks. "But, the prophetess has called us to her service."
A hush falls over the chantry as the words sink in. Samuel swallows hard, and grips the bone in his pocket.
"It will be over soon," Brother Rodrick says gently. "And when you awake, you will walk beside the prophetess for all eternity."
Samuel watches as the women prepare a drink in a large goblet. Mother picks up the goblet and walks slowly toward him.
"You are the oldest of the children," Mother whispers, as a tear slides down her cheek. "Be brave and show the young ones that it will be alright."
Samuel looks up at Mother and holds her gaze, before taking the goblet from her hands and bringing it to his lips. His hands do not shake as he tips the goblet back and feels the liquid flowing into him. He hands the goblet back to Mother and waits.
He feels heavy, and finds himself falling to the floor. He stares at the ceiling, and watches as the light slowly begins to fade to black, until there is nothing.