This story will be my take and the story i crafted in my personal role play of the game, there will be changes, but as it the synopsis I dont own any of the characters or worlds and they belong to Bioware,
Denerim in the early morning was very interesting. The normally bustling shops and children playing were nowhere to be seen; there was a small layer of fog that had rolled cross the ground that would dissipate as the town awoke with the shuffling of feet. Merchants setting up stands and customers looking at their wares. I looked over at Duncan as we made our way to the Alienage, the walled-in section of the city meant to hold the Elven people. I found it quite sickening how people treated the Elves; they were a proud people with a rich culture. Most of which sadly had been lost to them except the Dalish who grasp at anything to help them regain their heritage.
The high walls made me think too much of the Tower, I did consider it a fine place to learn and made many friends, but never a home. Just barely a family. Unlike most other's I hadn't gone to the Circle of Magi until I was at the age of twelve when I was carried into Lothering by a farmer who had found me in his fields. Blood was staining my shirt and there was a shallow wound on the side of my head. Before my mother could get to me though, the Templar's saw that the magic in my blood was knitting my skin together on it's own. Leaving a fresh, pink scar where the shallow gash had been. To the light visible scar today.
My mother, Revka Amell, had held me in her arms, crying and running her fingers through my dark hair. Apologizing over and over, as my grey eye's looked back at her's. I knew the Templar's would take me from her, I didn't cry though, it was almost as if I couldn't. I felt numb and my head ached; the scar feeling like it was burning slightly, as if trying to tell me something. But when I reached for the memory, it slipped through my fingers, escaping my grasp. I had held onto my mother as tight as I could, my shoulders shaking but no tears. When I turned back to my mother as the Templar's took me, she was still crying as my aunt Leandra comforted her with my uncle and cousins.
Bethany was crying into her father's shirt as he held her, crouched on the ground. She held her brother's hand while Carver glared at the Templar's, even though he was just barely nine, mostly though for because the situation was making his sister cry. As we got to the edge of the village I saw Garrett, he was sitting by a fence post holding the little toddler Marian, the newest to the Hawke clan. He gave me a sad glance before walking back into town, Marian glancing just over her big brother's shoulder.
The Templar's I was with seemed nice enough but didn't talk to me. When I saw the tall structure of the tower of magi in the center of the lake, it looked ominous but then I felt a surprising warmth that coaxed me out of my depression the smallest amount when I saw the expansive library with people in robes bustling around. The head Templar asked me to wait by a shelf with the guard. As I waited I was drawn to the books, as I was when I would visit my Uncle and the Chantry. I plucked a slightly older looking book off the lowest shelf and sat down, the letters in the pages looked strange but I was able to read it well enough and became engrossed in a story about a wolf tricking gods.
I was so into it, it took me a moment to realize that there was a man with a graying beard on his face smiling down at me. He looked surprised at the book I was reading.
"What's your name child?"
I got up to shake his hand and opened my mouth to say.
"...Drellin Amell, this is Elder Valendrian." Duncan said pulling me from the memory as I bowed and shook the old Elven man's hand.
"It's very nice to meet you."
...
"Come on wake up you lazy bum" I opened my green eyes slowly meeting eye's with Shianni's warm brown. She had a well done fake smile but I could see the sadness in her eye's.
"Shianni, what's going on?" I cup her cheek she hesitates but then places her hand over mine.
"Your getting married remember." I closed my eyes yanking her as she let out a yelp being pulled onto the bed as I put my head back into my pillow.
"I told you and Cyrion, I'm not getting married at least not unless it was of my choosing." I glared at the wedding clothes that Cryion set on my chair last night, though I remember throwing them out the window before I went to sleep. I couldn't understand why he kept on insisting this when he know's very well, I won't take part in their Shemlen God ceremony. I saw Cryion as a father, but he wasn't my real one, nor his late wife my mother, but at least understood my view's being Dalish as well.
I kept my name when I was brought to the Shem city after having been separated from my clan in attack by a raiders. I was found with nothing but the clothes on my back and my Mother's dagger, which I hid knowing the Shem soldiers would try to steal it. I was only in my eleventh year of age, not yet having gained my Vallaslin. I didn't talk to anyone nor I kept to myself taking the food that was given to me.
I didn't tell anyone my name, not wanting to as I knew I wasn't around 'my' people, one evening feeling everything weighing on me as I felt tears seep from my eye's on the roof I spent time on to watch the starry night, the only thing that made me feel even the semblance of home.
"Are you okay" I heard jumping slightly turning to see a red haired girl, she looked about a year or so younger than myself. I didn't say anything and wiped my eye's ignoring her until I felt warmth on my side seeing that she was hugging my side. " Don't worry, everything will be okay." I had felt my heart warm as I looked down at her as she yawned and soon fell asleep holding my side. I looked over the edge of the roof seeing a brown haired Elven man smiling up at me. I barley knew the man, but he was the one along with his wife to take me into his home. The girl was his neice and before she would often look at me from a distance or behind something.
I didn't know why but her words made me feel safe. She seemed to almost make the words seem like fact when she spoke them.
"Thryrin Mahariel" I said down at the man.
I thought about that night as I got out of bed pulling Shianni up with me holding her close my brown fringe mingling with her red.
"I'm not getting married, not today." I smiled caressing my thumb against her cheek. I walk over picking up the wedding clothes considering throwing them in the fire place, but them just threw them in the corner of the house. I slipped on my normal attire of boots and a layered weave shirt and short leather coat and belting the sheath to my dagger as the small of my back my coat hiding it as well as a pouch attached to the belt hiding it further.
When I came out of the house I was met with the face of Cryion, he looked at my clothes and sighed, before he said a word I held up a hand.
"You know my stance on this, but it seems I need to remind that fool of a elder that he dose not control my life." I used the word elder gingerly as I took Valendrian's wisdom having weight, like picking up a single grain of sand as a time. I took my leave heading to the Elder's home ignoring drunken Elves, and resisting the urge to deck them as they 'congratulated' me. As I reached his house I saw it was locked and began to look around for the 'Elder', when I see three Shemlen men just inside the gates the man in the middle seemed the ringleader.
I walked over with a look of indifference and annoyance. I may disagree with the city elves celebrations , but they didn't need arrogant shem's harassing them. I then felt a growing anger as I saw Shianni with two other women being harassed.
"What Business do you have here Shem last I checked your kind didn't want to be so much as thirty yards close to here." The Ringleader walked up to me as the other two still kept the two other women cornered while Shianni stood her ground in front of them.
"Shem? What sort of words are you Worms making up now." I could almost see the pigheadedness dripping from his mouth.
"A word that has been around longer than your races very own." I didn't stand down as he took a step closer looking down at me as he stood a few inches taller. He glared down at me with a sneer of false superiority.
"You Knife-Ears need to learn your place, under my boot."He made to backhand me as I ducked turning on my heel and back to standing keeping a neutral expression as he kept advancing throwing punches at me as I dodged while moving to my right and stood still as he through a fist aiming for my face and brought my hand to his right wrist making it veer to the right hitting the building behind me with a loud crack.
"You Filthy piece of.." he said pulling out a dagger but before he could do anything the human was punched knocking him out and to the muck. I smiled at Shianni as she gave him a small kick, she rubbed her fingers as I saw they had bruised against the Shem's think skull.
"You best make up a story that he got drunk and bumped into a pole, else someone might make a rumor." I had a slight smile on my lips as Shianni spoke to the Shem's lackeys.
"Do you realize who you just hit you knife ear bitch this is Vaughan Urien the Arl of Denerim's son!" Shianni brought her hands to her lips her eyes looking scared.
"Take him home, we wont mention this if you don't." The lackey stared at me for a second before picking up the unconscious noble. The other stepped up to me trying to glare me down.
"This'll go bad for you Knife ears" he left with the other two as I saw Soris running up.
"What happened is everyone okay? Thryrin are the women okay?" I noticed a blonde Elf girl seemingly perk up but ignored her.
"Were fine Soris, the Arl's son came by it seems and was harassing them, but Shianni knocked him out." I walked over to Shianni as she kept looking nervously at her bruised hand. I take her hands in mine getting her to look me in the eyes. "Are you okay?" She blushed and nodded as I inspected her fingers gently running the pads of my fingers against the small bruises before bringing them to my lips.
"You go and get cleaned up, I'll come and tend to it in a moment." I didn't miss the expression on the blonde girls face when I went over to Shianni, it was jealousy. I watched Shianni blush slightly with a nod. She headed toward Alarith's shop before I turned to Soris.
One of the few I could call a friend in this place, I met his shortly after Shianni got me to open up to her Uncle. We'd been friend's as I told his about the Dalish seemingly surprised that they were real, I on reaction clocked him on the head when he interrupted me saying they were just stories. I apologized followed by his own making the adults laugh at our antics at our young ages.
He saw that I wasn't wearing the wedding clothes, but didn't really look surprised, he knew how I felt and wasn't going to try and change it unlike most of the adult's. Most of them probably thinking I'll just cave in the pressure of the situation, most people like that are stupid.
"I hope that you are alright." He said looking at the other girl who I was assuming was his betrothed and smirked a bit as it seemed he found her to his liking, I remember his groaning that he might have gotten a someone twelve years older than himself. "Oh, This is Valora, my betrothed and this is Nesiara..." He hesitated for a moment before closing his mouth.
"Its very nice to meet your Cousin Soris" Valora said breaking the silence seemingly wanting to help him.
"Actually, he isn't my cousin, he's more like a brother in all but blood." Soris said chuckling nervously but with a sinsere smile.
"I was of the Dalish till my clan was attacked by raiders and i was separated and found by the city guard and brought here" I said with a sigh as Soris set a hand on my shoulder.
"Oh, i'm sorry, it must have been such a hard life to live." Nesiara said with a tad of pity, I resisted the urge to glare at her intentionally or not jab at the Dalish. " So are you nervous as we are to be wed?"
"Ah, Valora how about we give them a bit of privacy." He said guiding his betrothed away, and whispered something in her ear making her turn back sadly at her fellow bride. Said bride had not noticed as she seemed to just kept her eyes on me.
"I have to apologize that you have come all this way for nothing." I say with a neutral expression, something that seemed to annoy her.
"And Might I just ask why that is?"
"Because I made no agreement to this union, not including the fact that I do not follow the religion of the Shemlen god." She then looked at me as if I grew a second head, as a scowl grew on my brow at her ignorance. " I speak of the true god's of the Elven people, the creator's, now I must bid you farewell Ara Seranna-ma, Ma banal las halashir var vhen." I walked away ignoring her not caring for whatever reaction she made, as I made my way to Soris.
"Well aren't you mister sunshine as always." He said looking over my shoulder before turning around. " But it seems that we have another problem." He pointed to the two strangely dressed humans that had walked into the Alienage one man was in silver armor with a sword and dagger strapped to his back while the other hid his face and most of his body in a blue cloak and carrying what looked like a strange walking stick.
"Lets go sort this out, I may not be celebrating, but it doesn't mean you can't enjoy your day" He smiled and lugged his arm over my shoulders.
"It makes me so happy to know you care about me so." We patted each others backs and smiled before we made our way over to them through the bustle, noticing already that I was gaining a few glares from some of the Elves visiting from other Alienage's.
"Good day, I must give my congratulations on your impending wedding this day. " A human with a semblance of respect, a strange day it seemed.
"Ar Tu Sulvin Shiral ma Serannas" The cloaked Shem said clear making me turn to his seeing a smile had come to his lips as if happy to see my reaction.
"Las Serannas" I responded with a small sense of odd kinship to this man, not seeing any joviality in his speech. "Might you tell us why you are here, or else if you have no business here kindly leave."
"I'm afraid that we can not leave, but thank you for your patience." The bearded human in armor said "Keeping composure while facing down a unknown enemy an armed one at that, quite impressive, wouldn't you say Valendrian."
"I would say the world would do well having more that know how to stay their blades." I scowled at the elder now showing himself.
"Though it isn't the same if that blade is being stayed with force to conform , that merely makes the blade happy to rest itself in someone's gut. " The elder looked at me a frown grown onto his brow as he saw my attire.
" This is my old friend Duncan, the leader of the Grey Wardens of Ferelden."
"A Grey Warden? What is one doing here?" Duncan stepped forward a bit at my question.
"The worse has occurred and a Blight has begun. King Cailan has called upon the Grey Wardens to fight along side to face off the dark-spawn horde." Valendrian stepped forward this time.
"Yes I heard the news, but this is a awkward time, there is to be a wedding..." He paused and looked at me."...two in fact." Duncan looked to speak but I interrupted.
"I'm afraid you are mistaken, for today I am not being wed, I believed I had made that clear." I said anger brimming in my eyes at Valendrian as his ploy. " Ma Serannas Grey Wardens, Fem'Harel ma ghilana 'Elder' I say with as much calm venom I could.
I walked away not giving any of then a chance to respond as I made my way to the shop. I found Shianni trying to bandage her hand as I smiled and walked up behind her wrapping my arms around her waist, getting a giggle out of her.
"ma vhanen, let me help you." I held the bandage and slowly wrapped it being gentle and as I finished I kissed her hand. "I was ready to gut that pig if he hurt you." I said as she cupped my face seemingly now accepting that I wasn't going to bend to the so called 'tradition'. We left the shop hand in hand making our way to the stage, after Shianni straightening out my clothes. As I climbed the stairs Nesiara seemed to brighten but it soon diminished as I stood by Shianni and took her hand in mine.
After another pleading stare from Valendrian and a returning scathing glare made him sigh as they began. They began It with their speech about Andrastate, as I stood there respectfully, but it wasn't long before they were interrupted, Shianni's hand tightening around mine as I saw it was the Arl's son and a group of guards followed behind him.
"Mil'lord this is a wedding!" The Chantry Mother stated berating the man.
"Call it and dress up your pets however you like , we both know this isnt a proper wedding." He pushed his way through the crowd onto the stage. "Were just trying to have a little fun with the ladies. Grab those two, the one in the tight dress and where's the bitch who decked me?"
"Right here lord Vhaghan!" The Shem from earlier who threatened us said yanking Shianni by her bad hand.
"Let go of me you stuffed shirt son of a-"
"Oh I'll enjoy taming her." The Arl's son said as I grabbed the lackeys wrist.
"Let go of her" I said as I twisted his wrist making him let go as I then lunged at Vaughan only to be grabbed by three of the guards.
"Ah yes the little runt who thinks he can speak to me. Don't worry I'll bring back whats left for the honeymoon," I glared at him with pure rage before I was cracked in the face making everything go black.
I glared at Duncan, when I tried to intervene in the Arl's Son's interruption, he held me back telling me that it wasn't our place. I was about to ignore him when he told me if we got involved then and there, those men would then turn their blades on the elves, and we were going to help them. My glare softened, as I set my staff back into it's clasp on my back.
I still walked forward to the Elves we had met earlier the one with dark brown hair seemed to interest Duncan. I crouched down holding up my hand to the other showing I meant no harm and took off my glove and out stretched my hand as it emanated a soft blue glow the bruise on the unconscious elf's head shirking till it was gone completely.
After putting my glove back on I set it on the other elf's shoulder.
"He should be okay when he wakes up , maybe some slight throbbing but that's about it." He smiled and mouthed a thank you.
Thank you, Two words that I've heard many times but still it makes me think back, when I helped Jowan, they thought him a blood mage, so didn't allow him to take his harrowing. It wasn't the case though , he was in love with Lily. I looked up at the sky and wondered where they were and hoped them safe. I stood and made my way back to Duncan, and released a sigh. The man who saved me when the Templar's were ready to take my head then and there, and for that he's earned my respect.
I thought of those two words again once more, at another memory, one that was always unclear and always something I wanted to see most of all, I just didn't know why.
My Head was throbbing as I felt the sun hit them making my eyes burn through my eyelids.
'what happened? what hit me? Where was...' my eyes shot open as I bolted upright.
"SHIANNI!" my hand shot to my dagger feeling the hilt in my hand and the enchantments sleeping within.
"Your Okay?!" Soris said as he helped me to my feet, I swayed for a moment before I found my footing.
"Soris...Where'd they go?...Where'd they take Shianni?" He shook his head showing he didn't know as my eyes drifted to the crowd circling Valendrian.
"Please everyone, you need to calm down." He tried to calm them, when Shianni's brother stepped forward.
"They took my sister, and you expect us to just stand here!" I pushed through the crowd, getting to the front.
"No, I'm only saying we have to think of something." I looked over at Chester knowing that he worked at the Arl's estate.
"Chester, do you know a way to get into the Arl's Estate?" I asked him trying to hold my anger not to scare him.
"y-yes, theres a back entrance we can get in, they wont notice a few more elves." I smiled and gave his shoulder a thankful shake.
"Your crazy, you'll bring down more trouble than you already have you savage!" I never bothered to remember the woman bleating at me, I just always remember she complain. The Day I was brought to the Alienage he practically spat in my face, refusing to look after a 'savage'.
I just sent a glare filled with killer intent, shutting her right up.
"Then if its a Savage that's needed, I guess I'll fit the role." I turn then meeting the gaze of the cloaked man, he smiled holding out a long-sword to me. I took it giving a curt nod, he returns it and steps to the side. I make my way to where Chester was.
"Your, not going with out me." I turn and smile at Soris as he runs up carrying the cross bow he used to catch rats. "You didn't think I was going to let you go into danger without me did you." I clasped his shoulder and he did the same.
"Ready?"
"Yep" We followed Chester till we reached the Estate, we motioned he could head back not wanting him to get seen. We managed to avoid the guards outside, getting past and into the kitchens.
"Hey you! What are you Knife ears doing with those weapons?!" I glared at him.
"Don't get involved Shem, we're only here to save our people who were taken." He looked at me as if I said something insulting. He looked as if he was about to yell when he gasped only for the air to leave him, as he slumped over revealing a smiling elf.
"He's had it coming for a long time, good luck." I nodded to him as he and a few other servants ran for the exit.
I went to the door and eased it open enough for Soris to fire a bolt into a guards skull, the other two had only a moment to realize what happened before I shoved the long sword deep into the stomach and twisted it as i yanked it out using the swing back to cleave the others head from his body.
I wiped the blood on ones trousers as we reached the next room, to a sight that made my eyes widen. I saw one of the bridesmaids on the ground throat slit. I sadly didn't know her name but knew she was one of Shianni's friends. I glared at the guards as they debated desecrating her corpse. something in me snapped as I charged forward swinging the blade cutting the throat of one turning in a circle holding the blade backward shoving it into the back of the next and out his front. I pushed it harder glaring at the third man as he stood there frozen in fear.
I rentched my blade from the guard and spun the blade before slashing the air to my side flicking the blood off it splattering the ground, I walked pass the guard before hearing the bolt set free from Soris's crossbow piercing the guards skull. I bent down to Shianni's friend closing her eyes and setting her hands together, I said a silent prayer. Soris grimaced at the sight of the woman as I stood walking to one of the wall hangings and cut it in a swift motion. I brought it over and wrapped the woman in it before putting a hand on Soris's shoulder.
"We'll bring her back to the Alienage on the way back." He nodded as we hurried down the hall, We killed a few more guards on the way, hardy giving them more than a glance before cutting them down. Till we got to the door one guard said was Vaughn's, He was the only one I let live because he was the only one who didn't attack us and could tell why we were there.
I guess my opinion of Human's didn't apply to all it would seem. I pressed the door seeing it was locked and then kicked it in. We walked in as I held the long sword in my hand tighter. I saw Shianni on the ground she blouse was ripped as well as the hem of her dress, she had a bruise on her cheek and was crying. She saw me and a smile of relief spread across her face.
"My My, what do we have here?" Vaughn said turning toward us.
"Don't worry, we'll make short work of these two." The one with the big mouth from earlier said.
"Quiet you idiot, their covered in enough blood to fill a tub. what do you think that means?" He looked at me specifically as I turned my gaze from Shianni from caring concern to brimming fury to the Shem. "Surly we can work this out in some way." He said in a tone that dripped with that he expected everything to go his way.
"Please...just get me out of here" Shianni said, pulling at my heart but didn't cease my glare at Vaughn. I gestured her to move away from the men, One of them tried to stop her but stopped at hearing the click of Soris's crossbow. Shianni made it over to the far wall, away from the men but still stuck with the men in between us.
"Well, Talk." I'd give him one chance, One chance I knew he wouldn't take.
"Think for a minute, kill me and you'll ruin more lives than your own, by dawn the streets with run with Elven blood." He paused for a breath "Think about it, you know how this ends, or we could talk this through, now that you have my undivided attention."
"Like I said Shem, talk."
"I'll give you forty sovereigns, and you leave here, the city and I pretend this didn't happen." Chance gone.
"I have a better offer." I throw the throwing knife on my belt in the throat of the farthest back Shem, while Soris shot the other in between the eye's. I then engaged Vaughn in combat, I yelled to Soris to look for the others.
He kicked me in the stomach as I blocked his overhead strike, I hit the wall behind me. I bring sword up just in time to deflect and lock my blade with Vaughn.
"You should have, taken my deal, now you die, and your little whore gets to watch." I don't say anything as my rage had reached a new high to a point I felt focused, giving him a cold stare. I pulled out my dagger it's enchantment flaring to life in my left hand as I bring it up slicing through his wrist cutting off his hand, the burning of the blade cauterizing the wound stopping it from bleeding.
He yelled out looking at his stub, before looking toward me as I headbutted him sending him to the ground. I stomped onto him left knee breaking it, making him cry out. I hit him in the stomach with the pommel of the sword as I crouch down grabbing him by the hair and throwing him against the wall.
I press my forearm under him neck, as I bring up my gloved hand close to his mouth, as I brought my dagger into view with my other.
"This is Fen'harel's Tooth, not something literal but its name fits it enchantments. Fen'harel burned and scorned the Elven people sealing away the Creator's, thus leaving scars that will never go away, so the same will be left on you." I set the tip to his forehead burning the skin.
"I suggest biting down else you want to bite off your tongue, for with is the only of two kindness's you get from me the other, your life." He looks at me with fear and hate as he dose so, trying his best to try and bite through my glove.
I continue as I decide to use the Shem words for him as I left a word most knew and hated. RAPIST. The scars were closed the second they were opened, but would be there always, and no amount to magic or time will make them fade.
He passed out halfway through and left him drop slumping to the floor, I sheathed my dagger and returned the sword to the sheath on my back. I let out a breathe I'd been holding, I ran over to Shianni holding her in my arms.
"I'm sorry couldn't get here sooner." I felt her hand on my face bringing my eyes to her's seeing a teary smile on her face.
"You got here when I needed you most, I knew you would" I held her close and kissed the top of her head as I picked her up. I saw Soris enter the room with the rest of the woman.
"Come on, lets get out of here." I carried Shianni as we sped through the halls to the exit, and back to the Alienage.
The Alienage was quiet as The small group returned. Drellin helped Thryrin with Shianni as his hands lit with magic as he looked over the elven girl. After healing and looking over the rest of the taken women, they gave they're thanks as the city guard filed into the Alienage.
The man that looked to be the guard captain stepped forward with a conflicted expression.
"By order of the Arl, He demands the arrest of who was responsible for the maiming of his son." The captain didn't want to be there, he thought the arl's son deserved what was coming to him, the Arl himself disgusted at his sons action's. But none the less he couldn't let this go without action, if not the people would believe him weak and incapable.
Thryrin looked and saw some were becoming nervous, no one moved at fear to be thought of running. He felt Shianni hold his arm. He looked down at her and move her hands, he moved out of her reach as he stepped forward. He looked the captain in the eyes not faltering as he held up his bloodied hands.
The Captain looked back as the young man and he gestured for one of the guards to bring shackles.