I do not own any of these characters! Bioware owns all! I just like to imagine what they do. This is my first attempt at writing a story. Please review and let me know what you think! Be as kind as you would want people to be to yourself.

Elissa woke up this morning not knowing how much her life would change this day. Elissa ran down the stairs to the main hall, and was immediately greeted by her father, the teryn of Highever. "It's wonderful to see you pup, you remember Arl Howe?" "Of course" Elissa responds, "how do fair today Arl Howe?" "It's wonderful to see you Elissa, I am very well." "My son Thomas asked after you, perhaps we should arrange a meeting?" Elissa looked pointedly at her father and replied, "You are too kind my lord, but I don't have time to be thinking of marriage, I am quite busy with my studies." Her father knows she has no desire to be married off to the highest bidder. Yet he and her mother are continuously trying to push Elissa into the arms of some noble rich party boy. It's all about the grandchildren for them. Ever since Elissa's elder brother Fergus had Oren with his wife. Elissa's father Bryce clears his throat and changes the subject to the upcoming war and to the surprise guest. When he tells the Arl and Elissa that a Grey Warden is here, her head shoots up in excitement and oddly the Arl shifts nervously. Bryce, has Duncan brought to the main hall, and introduces everyone. "Duncan I want you to meet my youngest daughter, Elissa. Do you remember how I told you how much she enjoys history, so I'm sure she would love to ask you questions if you have some time." "Father!" I groan embarrassed by him. Duncan chuckles "It would be my pleasure my lady." The Arl asks the question I've been waiting for "Why are you here is Highever Grey Warden, shouldn't you already be at Ostagar with the king?" Duncan explains that he is looking for new recruits, and boldly he states that I would be an excellent choice. As soon as he states this I being to dream about how wonderful of a life it must be to be a legendary Warden. Bu my father gets protective and immediately says " This is my daughter were talking about! I wouldn't allow this unless you choose to invoke the right of conscription?" Duncan shakes his head and says, "She would make a great recruit but I do not wish to force the issue." My father turns to me, eager to have me leave the room, "Pup, go tell your brother to gather our forces and leave tonight, I will leave just after him with Howe in the morning. Your mother also wishes to see you before she leaves for Lady Landra's estate. You know how nervous she gets leaving you in charge of Highever while your brother and I head to war with the darkspawn."

As I leave the room, I'm stopped by one of my father's knights, Ser Gilmore. "My lady, your hound is in the kitchen again and Nan is threatening to quit. Your mother asks that you go and fetch him at once." I begin to laugh, "Oh not again! Boo sure does love to get into the larder." As Ser Gilmore and I venture off towards the kitchen I can hear Nan screaming. She begins to scold me immediately upon entering the room, just as she did when she was my nanny. "That dog is best to be put down!" I bite back an insult towards her. "I will get Boo out of the Larder Nan, I'm sorry." We walk into the small pantry room and see my dog pacing around and growling. I lean down and pet him on the head trying to relax him. "What's wrong Boo? Is there something here?" Giant rats seem to come out of nowhere and Ser Gilmore and I are forced to draw our blades and kill them. Nan is shocked, but in the end grateful to Boo for protecting the kitchen. She even gives him a little snack. Ser Gilmore bows to me graciously and returns to his duties.

I then decide it's time to head to the family quarters. My mother and her guests have strategically blocked my way. I think she did this on purpose. Now forced to greet them and exchange pleasantries, I decide to start by hugging my mother." My darling this is a wonderful surprise!" I smile at her and say "Oh mother it shouldn't be you know I love you." She returns my smile and introduces me to her guests. "This is Lady Landra and her son Darrien. I will be travelling to their estate while you rule here." Darrien looks at me and blushes and remarks on my beauty. They then decide to retire to the guest quarters. My mother turns to me and asks if I would consider marriage to either Darrien or Thomas Howe. I tell her I want to marry someone I love if I marry at all. "Mother I must go take this message from Father to Fergus, I will see you upstairs." She reluctantly nods, "remember darling I am trying to do what's best for you because I love you." Boo and I race up the steps and past our guard. He bows to me "goodnight my lady." I run into Fergus's room and pick up my nephew and toss him into the air. "Auntie Elissa!" Oren giggles and hugs me. I put him down and turn to my brother and his wife Orianna, "father sent me with this message." I hand him the note. Fergus frowns, "So it is true, Howe's men are delayed?" I shrug and tell him about the Grey Warden, "Oh Fergus his armor was so cool, I think it was dragon bone!" He laughs at me but turns his attention to his wife. "I will be alright my love, I will be back before you know it." She hugs him tightly, "I will pray for you and your fathers safety everyday till then." They kiss just as my parents walk in. "You didn't think you would leave without saying goodbye did you Fergus?" My mother hugs Fergus and kneels down to talk to Oren. I decide to turn in for the night and wish my brother and father farewell and I tell the others I will see them in the morning. "Goodnight pup, we love you." I hug him goodbye and go across the hall to my room.

I wake up to Boo growling. "Shhhh Boo be quiet." Usually he listens. This time he didn't. BANG. I jerk up. "Is there someone out there? Go get them boy!" I open my door and a servant is standing there. He screams "Help me my lady, we're under attack!" Then he gets shot with two arrows and he drops. His blood splashes my nightdress and I tear it off and change into my armor. My dog immediately runs after one of the attackers and overwhelms him. I grab my twin daggers and slit the other soldiers throat. My mother rushes out with her bow and arrow "I heard fighting and heard the worst, are you hurt?" I shake my head. "Those are Howe's' men, mother." She freezes. "Have you seen your father? He never came to bed." I look at her nervously, "no mother I haven't we need to get out of the castle. Let's fetch Orianna and Oren and get out of here." I walk across the hall and open my brother's door. My mother screams as we find both of their lifeless bodies on the floor. I fall to my knees and cradle my nephews head I my lap. "What matter of fiend slaughters innocents?!" My mother begins to cry. I grab two blankets off the bed and cover their corpses. "We need to leave mother, we need to find father and go to king Calian." She nods her head and stands up. We sweep through the castle killing every Howe soldier in our path. We manage to get to our private vault and grab the family sword, shield, and some money. When we reach the main hall the sight is grim. Ser Gilmore rushes to greet us glad we are alive. "My ladies you must leave the castle, we will keep them out as long as possible. The Teryn fled towards the servants exit you must follow him!" I grab my mother's hand, and we run toward the kitchen. The castle is burning and our people are dying but there is nothing we can do. My mother stops and begins to sob over the corpse of Fergus and my old nanny, Nan. "Mother there's nothing we can do for her now, we need to find father and leave." She reluctantly nods and we move into the other room, only to find something much worse.

We find my father on the ground bleeding from a large wound to the stomach. We run straight to him and he smiles at us. "There you both are, I was wondering when you would find me." My mother yells at him "This is no time for jokes Bryce, we need to get you out of here." "I love both of you, I want you to take the servants exit and leave." I start to cry and my mother holds on to me for balance. Just then the Grey Warden Duncan, enters the room. "Thank goodness you and your daughter are alive, this passage hasn't been discovered yet but the castle is surrounded, we must move quickly if we are to survive." My mother and I try to move my father but he grunts and cries out in pain. Duncan and my father share a look, "I know what you are going to ask Duncan, and if it allows you to take my wife and daughter to safety I will agree." "What are you talking about father?" He sighs in pain "Pup, I want you to take your mother and go with Duncan, you are going to join the Grey Wardens." I look at him in surprise but start to ask the question I am most dreading "Wha-what about you?" He looks at me with love and pain "I wont live to see my beautiful daughter become a Grey Warden, I love you Ellisa, but you must tell Fergus what happened here, and bring Howe to justice." I start to sob. Duncan puts his hand on my shoulder and says "We must hurry, say your goodbyes quickly my lady." I bite back my tongue but say, "Do you have no heart!? My whole family is dying before my eyes and you want me to just leave!?" I tear my arm from his grasp and hug my father. "I love you so much Daddy." My mother looks at us then stands up with me. "Darling, go with Duncan. My place is with your father and I will kill every bastard that comes through that door." I cry out "No mother you can't leave me too!" There is a load crash that comes from the great hall. Duncan looks around "They have broken through the main gates, we must hurry Elissa." My mother hugs me and says, "Darling, your father and I love you but you must go, I will always be watching over you." I start to shake and get dizzy "I love you both so much." I give them each one last hug and Duncan sweeps me away into the servant's passage. I try to contain my sobs as we escape.

To be continued…..

Well everyone, what did we think? I would love some reviews! And ideas, those are good too.