A/N - I have always loved creative writing but this is my first novel\fan fiction so please bear with me. The story is based on my first playthrough of the game but it is slightly warped to allow for slightly different plot lines and dialog. I have no problem what so ever with criticism but it would be greatly appreciated if you could try to be constructive. I have loved the game from the moment I first played it, my love turning into a slight obsession spanning three playthroughs and counting. I have seven chapters finished but will only be uploading five for the moment, I decided that five would be a good number since I want to leave myself a little bit of room so I'm not rushing for each chapter and sacrificing quality but you guys would still get a good idea of my character and her personality. Now I've said this read the disclaimer (a slightly boring but very important part of the story) then sit back and enjoy the story.
Disclaimer - I do not own any rights, Dragon Age is owned by Bioware but Brodie is my own creation, except the name Cousland I'm pretty sure that Bioware owns that too. I am not doing this for profit it is just for fun.
1
Off to war
My name is Brodie-May Cousland and this is my story.
It started when father called me into the great hall in castle Cousland, standing there in front of father was his old friend Arl Howe. Now I've always thought that there was something more to Howe than met the eye, when I've seen him in the past he always seamed preoccupied and today was no different, if anything he was more absent today then ever before.
"Ah pup, I didn't see you there," said father, I wish he wouldn't call me 'pup'. "Howe you remember my daughter?"
"I see she's grown into a lovely young woman. Good to see you again my dear." He said in that grinding, oily voice that I've always hated.
"Was I brought here for a reason?" I asked ignoring the Arl.
"Yes," father said "I want you to look after the castle while Fergus and I are away."
"What!" I exclaimed. "Why can't I go into battle with you and Fergus?"
"I need someone to look after the castle while I'm away," said father coolly. "It's an important job."
"But I want to fight!" I whined, which was very odd because I usually throttle people when they whine.
"And I'm sure you'd more than prove yourself there but I am not willing do deal with your mother if you went, oh and there's one more thing you should know about," he turned to one of the guards. "Please show Duncan in," he said.
Five minuets later the guard returned with a tall, dark skinned man who I assumed must be Duncan. Though in his early fifties Duncan's hair was still a dark, chocolate brown colour and his eyes were the colour of Ebony.
"Your lordship you didn't mention that there was a Grey Warden in the castle." Said the Arl.
"Duncan arrived just recently in Highever looking for recruits, I believe he was looking at Ser Gilmore." Father said.
"If I might be so bold," Duncan's voice was low almost monotone. "I would suggest that your daughter is also an excellent candidate."
"Honour though that may be this is my daughter we're talking about and-"
"I think I rather like the idea father" I interrupted.
"Pup, I trust Master Ramden has taught you who the Grey Wardens are"
I blinked my emerald green eyes several times and flicked my waist-length auburn hair behind my ears. Master Ramden was mine and Fergus's tutor when we were kids. Fergus always took in every word but I only paid attention when there were great battles with lots of blood and guts. Skimming through all the lectures I'd been give over the years I finally came to the bit I was looking for,
"Didn't one of them kill a dragon a few hundred years ago?" I said.
"Trust you to come up with the smart arse answer" father sighed.
"Well they did" I retorted.
"Yes maybe they did but you don't have to put it so bluntly. You could at least show some respect to the things the Grey Wardens have done for the people of Ferelden."
"Why shouldn't I put it bluntly? No point in dressing it up too much. In fact I'm sure Duncan wouldn't want to be put too far into the spot-light."
"Since I can see I'm not going to change your mind go and find Fergus."
"Are you trying to get rid of me?" I asked suspiciously
"The Arl, Duncan and I need to make plans for while I'm away; you will make sure Duncan's requests are seen to won't you?"
"Don't strain my abilities or anything," I muttered.
"And don't strain my patience"
And with that I saw there was no point in arguing. Rolling my eyes a slouched out of the great hall and into the little ally I call Training's Walk because it's where I first learnt to stealth walk, pick locks, fight, escape run and plenty of other things besides. I hung a right and carried on. Winding my through the various allies and corridors I was approaching the kitchen when one of my father's knights came running down the path to my left.
"There you are!" He exclaimed. "Your mother sent me to find you."
"Hello Ser Gilmore" I sighed. Ser Gilmore is a friendly guy but can sometimes get a little exited, kind of like an over-stimulated puppy. "What has Ebony done now?"
"She got into the larder and… Wait a minuet how did you know?"
"The frantic barking and screeching coupled with the fact that the only time mother sends someone to find me it's because Ebony's done something or got into somewhere she shouldn't be."
"Fair point." Came the reply.
And with that we set off for the kitchen. About a minuet later Ser Gilmore spoke,
"So your mother mentioned that there was a Grey Warden in the castle is that true?" He asked, for all his puppy-dog enthusiasm he is remarkably good at attempting to keep it under wraps.
"Yes his name's Duncan."
"His weapons and armour must be extremely different to yours."
"What exactly is wrong with my weapons and armour" I advanced on him drawing one of the pair of daggers given to me by my parents on my eighteenth birthday, coupled with the elegant Dragonthorne longbow and quiver of arrows I'd received from my brother the same year I wasn't the kind of girl to pick on.
Ser Gilmore looked like he was about to retort but seeing he was on thin ice already he sensibly decided to keep his mouth shut.
So with that I stalked away, usually I don't give a rat's arse what people think of me but Ser Gilmore's jibe had riled me. My weapons are my life pretty much. When I'm not using them they're either in their sheaths or on my bed for cleaning, same goes for my armour either on me, on its stand or being cared for, which is only fair it's a beautiful set. Jet black with the emblem of a red rose with green leaves on the breastplate, gauntlets and tunic. Well my father's rank may be second only to a king on the social scale but the armour was a present and I wouldn't get another set.
Ser Gilmore was silent until we got to the kitchen, cook was screaming at the eleven servants.
"GET THAT DOG OUT OF THE LARDER!" She screeched.
"B-b-but mistress it won't let us near it" the elf stumbled.
"If I can't into that larder I'm going to skin both of you useless elves!"
"Errr… calm down good woman, we've come to help." Ser Gilmore managed to stumble
"You and you your bloody mongrel keeps getting into my larder!" She yelled.
"She is not a mongrel she's a pure blood Mabari!" I exclaimed. "Now you will keep a civil tongue or I'll cut it out."
"I… I'm sorry my lady it's just, well with all the solders to feed well I can't have a dog in there." Cook sighed.
"I'll get her out OK?" I asked.
Cook just nodded so Ser Gilmore and I opened the pantry door and walked inside.
Standing in the middle was Ebony, my sleek, black Mabari war hound. Her ears pressed flat to her square head barking frantically at the wall. Spinning round she greeted me with a lick and a cheerful bark.
"That's enough, bad girl you hear me?" I barked, no pun intended. You know it's always amazed me how smart Ebony is, you can always understand what she's saying even though she doesn't speak. But then again my grandmother used to say "animals can talk if only people listen," so maybe it's that.
Yes, your bad girl yes? She said.
"Yes you're my special little very, very, very bad girl." I said stroking her silky ears as she attempted to lick my torso. Maybe little wasn't such a good way to put it, after all she was at least half my height and I'm five foot eleven!
"Er hate to break-up the party but I think we should try to kill those things," said Ser Gilmore.
I turned see to shadows changing from shapeless bulks to huge rats, their fur matted and filthy, long claws grimy and sharpened, poised for the strike.
No match for my teeth, Ebony grinned.
"No baby. They're no match for your teeth," I murmured.
Ser Gilmore didn't bother to make a smart comment, just charged at the rats raising his sword.
What is it with blokes and charging in pointy end of sword first? Ebony asked me.
I didn't bother to reply just unsheathed my daggers and moved forward to stab any rats that slipped past Ser Gilmore, not that it was difficult. Ser Gilmore's puppyish enthusiasm could only do so much on the battlefield plus his high swings sailed over the rats' heads.
Well that's not going to get the job done now is it? Ebony charged at the rats taking up her place at my side.
Within five minuets of the battle starting it was over in a bloody wash of red.
"Those were rats from the Korcari wilds what are they doing here?" Ser Gilmore asked.
"I dunno." I said
"Well I know they're hard buggers to kill," the knight panted.
Well if you'd used your sword properly then the fight would have been a lot quicker, you stupid little man. Ebony put in.
"Well if that's sorted I'll be off," Ser Gilmore turned on his heel and left.
"Come on girl," I said to Ebony. "Time to go."
Whoo-hoo! Ebony bounded along beside me.
As we emerged from the pantry we ran into cook.
"There she is brazen as you please licking her chops after helping herself to the roast no doubt." She said.
Me? Ebony asked. Innocent little me? No clue where you got that idea from.
"Actually she was defending your larder from rats."
"Rats!" cried one of the servants. "Not the large grey ones?"
"They'll rip you to shreds they will!" The other one gasped.
"See now you've gone and scared the servants." Cook growled. "I expect those mangy beasts are dead?"
"My faithful hound made sure of that." I said.
"Hpm I'll bet that mangy mongrel led the rats here in the first place."
That's not fair! Ebony whined
"Oh don't even start with the big eyes," said cook. "I'm immune to your so called charms."
But I didn't lead the rats in. Honest. Ebony's big black eyes open even wider.
Cook sighed. "Fine take these pork bits and don't say that cook never gives you anything."
Yay! Thanks cook! Ebony gobbled them down in one. Come on slowcoach!
"Coming baby!" I called. "See you later, cook."
No reply came from behind us as Ebony and I wondered down the allies in castle Cousland. Eventually we came across my mother entertaining her guests.
"Hello darling," mother said. "I take it by the presence of that hound of yours the situation in the kitchen has been settled."
"Ebony was defending the larder from rats." I said.
"Yes well maybe she left something I can feed my guests. Darling you remember Lady Landra?"
"I think we last met at your mother's spring salon." Lady Landra said.
"Weren't you drunk." I said.
"I'm so thrilled with my pup's mastery of tact and diplomacy." Mother sighed.
"Well it was a lovely salon, from what little I remember." She smiled
"Which wouldn't be much considering we had to pour you into the carriage afterwards." Said the young man next to her.
"This is my son Diarran," Lady Landra simpered. "He's not married yet either."
"Don't listen to her." Diarran sighed. "It's good to see you again milady, your looking as beautiful as ever."
"Go soak your head." I snapped.
"Yes a true master of tact and diplomacy." Mother intervened.
"Indeed you should be proud." Said Diarran.
"Proud doesn't get me anymore grand children." Mother stated flatly.
"You are aware we're at war." I narrowed my eyes at her.
"Aware my son and husband are about to ride to fight for the king against monsters, how do you intend I not be?" She narrowed her eyes back. I scowled.
"Well perhaps we should retire to the study for now milady." Said a blond girl I hadn't noticed before.
"Oh this is Iona, my lady-in-waiting." Lady Landra seemed to have forgotten Iona herself.
And with that they wandered off in various directions leaving only me, Ebony and mother behind.
"You should say goodbye to Fergus while you have the chance, dear." Mother said firmly
"I know, I know." I moaned. "See you later mum."
"I love you my darling girl you know that don't you?" Mother brushed my flame red hair out of my eyes. "Oh and tidy your hair!"
"Stop going on at me about it!" I exclaimed "It just grows like that!"
"Of course it does." Mother sighed.
"Yeah well I've got an annoying big brother to find, bye"
I didn't even bother to wait for a reply. I wondered to the corridor with my room in it and found Fergus standing with my sister-in-law and nephew.
"I still don't like this Fergus." Oriana fretted, my sister in law.
"Don't frighten the boy love, look here's my little sister to see me off."
"Is there really going to be a war papa?" asked Oren my nephew "Will you bring me back a swoard?"
"That's sword, Oren and I'll bring you the mightiest one I can find I promise." Fergus said patiently
"YAY!" Oren yelled "Will you teach me to use a sword auntie?"
"I wish you wouldn't call me that." I complained.
"But you're my auntie!" Oren laughed. "What else would I call you?"
"I expect your auntie thinks it makes her sound old," Oriana said.
"Not as old as you mama!" Oren grinned.
"This is your influence Fergus" Oriana huffed indignantly.
"What? I didn't say anything!" Fergus laughed as well.
"Oh yeah father wants you to go without him." I said to Fergus.
"So the Arl's men are delayed, you'd think his men were al walking backwards." Fergus now looked as annoyed as Oriana. "Well I'd better be off, so many darkspawn to behead, so little time."
"I would hope dear boy that you planned to wait for us before taking your leave." Mother and father appeared behind us.
"Be well my son, I will pray for your safety every day you are gone." Mother said
"A good shield would be more useful." I retorted.
"May the Maker watch over, and protect us all," Oriana added.
"And bring us some ale and wenches while your at it," Fergus was back to his little boy grin again.
"What's a wench?" Oren asked. "Is that what you pull on to get the bucket out of the well?"
"A wench is a woman who pours the ale in a tavern," father stated. "Or a woman who drinks a lot of ale."
"Bryce!" mother exclaimed. "Maker's breath it's like living with a pair of small boys, thankfully I have a daughter."
"I'll miss you mother dear," Fergus was still grinning. "You'll take care of her won't you sister?"
"Oh just go already!" I moaned.
With that Fergus left in a clatter of armour.
"Pup you'll want to get an early night," father said.
"Alright, alright." I groaned.
So I left for my room with Ebony at my side. I undid the buckles on the sides of my black breastplate, pulled off my gloves, boots and gloved smock that I wore underneath my armour. Placing my daggers, bow and arrows in their chest, I climbed into my bed. The moment my head touched the pillow I was into my usual doze which followed into a cat-like sleep.
Little did I know of the horrors that I would face only hours later.