A/N: Yet another idea that has actually, for once, not been running around in my head or screaming at the top of its lungs! This time, it was dashing around like the Flash and shrieking at me like a banshee. Anyways, an idea that I had come up with not too long ago and I need to get it all written down before I end up forgetting. As a note, this character being introduced will be spanning all three (or four, if I don't get my fics done before DA:4 comes around) games.
We start sometime into Origins, far past when the Warden is conscripted and such. Upon the suggestion/statement of another user on one of my other self-insert stories, I decided to skip out on a snap-shot of the character's life before being sucked into their current game-world and we'll see how this goes... Anyways, I hope y'all enjoy.
Chapter Genre: General
Chapter Rating: K+
Rating Content: Brief Mild Scenes of Violence
My name is Katherine. To them, it's Kate. Kate Trevelyan. No, I am not a noble, and no, I don't even derive from a noble family. I'm not even a Trevelyan. I'm not from Ostwick, nor am I from any place such as Fereldan or Antiva or Rivain or even Orlais. I'm from a little place known as Canada.
I know everything, know every face and name. I know their history, I know their pasts and their futures, as well as the futures of the people around them. I know the rewards or consequences of their actions, and the events in which will take place because of their choices. It is a gift but at the same time, it's a curse. They said that, with the knowledge I have, I must try to keep things in balance, to keep things steady and to prevent chaos. Of course, nobody here knows this. And they can't know this, either. Consequences can happen if people know.
That's what the voices told me, anyhow.
I don't completely trust those voices that had spoken to me, but I also don't want to be the cause of national chaos.
So that's why I waited for them.
Waiting around with the Dalish wasn't exactly an ideal spot for me to be, but hey, they helped me when I couldn't have helped myself. For the first few weeks, I didn't know how I could be helpful around them. I can cook, but not that well with the limited tools they had. I wasn't that great of a hunter and scouting wasn't my strongest area either. But, when they found I had an affinity with animals, they did some testing.
"For a Shem, you have great talent with the beasts of this world," The Keeper had said. "We should begin exercising that talent."
They had started to train me as what they would call a 'Master of Beasts' or, literally, a Beast Tamer (and to this day, I still can't say the name in their Elvish language). As the name implied, I could tame the beasts of the world. Not only that, but I could learn to understand them through their body and behavioral language. Many creatures would often take a liking to me, other more feral creatures would at least tolerate my presence. Other... wild creatures, I never dared to approach. The scar on my leg from that Dragonling was a clear indication as to why.
Well, that was over two years ago that they started training me. Over two years ago since those voices had told me to wait, over two years ago that the Dalish had found me.
I was beginning to doubt myself and I thought that we had completely missed the Warden and their companions. So, upon requesting, the Keeper had permitted me to leave the Dalish and go off on my own. "Before you leave, Shem, we wish to gift you with something,"
A young elf came forward, a paintbrush in one hand and a small pint of golden paint in the other. No, not paint... "Vallaslin?" I asked.
The Keeper nodded. "You are highly respected amongst us, Kate. You are fierce, and to some, you have been a symbol of strength. We would not wish for any harm to come to you."
The young elf gestured for me to sit on a nearby stone and I complied, setting myself on the stone and keeping my posture straight. Without another word, the young elf began to paint the Vallaslin on my face, particularly around my jawline. Eventually, briefly, he dotted the paint just under my eyes.
Once the elf was finished, he quickly lifted a looking glass to my face. I tilted my head in a curious manner, my fingers drifting along the Vallaslin along my jawline. It looked much like a wolfs' jaw. The dots under my eyes added an especially nice touch. The golden colour was especially sharp in contrast to my tanned skin and brown eyes.
The Keeper gently took my hands. "May Fen'Harel never hear your steps, Shem."
I had nodded my thanks and, gathering what little items I owned, I decided to head to the Hinterlands. We had passed through that area not even a few weeks prior, so if I headed back there, perhaps I would be able to find my way to Redcliffe. I could maybe find a job there, maybe at a bar, or, Tavern or whatever they called it.
Hopefully, nothing went wrong whilst I travelled (knock on wood).
/ / /
I sighed heavily as I went through my pack. If I didn't find any food soon, I would definitely starve before I even got to the Hinterlands! Maybe I should have brought more food... Or maybe I shouldn't have eaten so much after climbing that tree. The food should have lasted me at least two weeks!
I closed my pack and slung it back over my shoulder, trudging onward through the forest. Maybe I would find a berry bush somewhere, again. Just gotta make sure it wasn't one of the stupid white berry bushes. I don't want to end up puking my guts out again.
All was quiet in the forest, aside from my feet occasionally snapping a twig. The birds would sing their songs, small creatures would scuttle along the forest floor, some occasionally pausing to consider me a moment before scurrying away, the leaves would blow in the soft wind.
Then I heard the wolves.
I've heard wolves before in the forest, but normally they would just howl and call out to their brothers, who would respond in kind. No, these wolves sounded far less than friendly, if their snarls were any indication.
Then I heard a shout of pain and someone crying out, "Get back!"
Thinking them to be in trouble, I quickly dashed through the forest, dodging and weaving between the trees and towards the source of the scuffle. I bounded through a thicket, and jumping through a thick bush, I landed directly in front of the pack of snarling wolves. Keeping my legs spread apart and my hands out, I carefully addressed the pack, curling my own lips up in a snarl. They were in charge, but I was not defenseless either.
The three wolves growled and circled around me, addressing me just as I was to them. The Alpha approached me and I didn't dare break eye contact.
"Miss, what are you-"
One of the wolves snapped viciously at the man, making him step back and away from me. I still didn't break eye contact with the Alpha, whose snarls slowly died down to small growls. His ears slowly returned to an upright position and, seeing that the wolf had calmed himself, I gently caressed its face and scratched behind its ears. He is still the Alpha, but I am no longer a threat to him.
He gave me a small lick before retreating to the thick of the forest, his brothers following close behind him. Standing up straight, I turned to address the two people who had been attacked by the pack. "Are you both alright?" I asked them.
An elf, no older than at least twenty-five, with hair as black as the night and skin as fair as the moon, favoured her hand and looked up to me, her piercing green eyes seeming to stare directly into my soul. "How were you able to do that?"
I shrugged. "Time and practice."
The man that was with her, Alistair most likely, glared at me and aided the Grey Warden to her feet. "Look, we thank you for saving us, but we could have handled it."
I raised an eyebrow and crossed my arms. "Because those wolves totally didn't look like they were about to eat you alive."
He glared at me again but the Warden laughed. "She's just like you, Alistair!"
"Right, because I like to walk through the forest, which is most likely filled with thistles, in bare feet. And I wear weird paint on my face."
It was my turn to glare. "It's called Vallaslin, boy."
The elf looked at me with curious eyes. "But... you are a human, and not an elf."
I shrugged again. "I traveled with the Dalish for a while and, before I left, they had gifted me with the Vallaslin. Most likely representing Fen'harel." I held out my hand to the Warden. "My name is Kate Trevelyan, if there are to be introductions. And who might you be?"
The elf shook my hand. "Jaylin Tabris, my companion here is Alistair."
I held out my hand to him and he hesitantly shook it. "Whereabouts are you both headed?"
"Out." Alistair replied. "Of this forest."
I chuckled. "You're going the wrong way if you want to get out," I said. "Depending on where you're going, you'll want to head either North or Southwest. You're currently moving East. If you need my help, I can lead you out-"
"No, thank you!" Alistair quickly responded.
Jaylin tutted him and smacked his arm, to which he made a face. "You're about to trust a woman, who just petted a feral wolf, and who doesn't wear shoes, to lead us out of a forest?"
"Or, you could also get lost until nightfall and get eaten by another wolf pack; that wasn't the only one in this forest!" I placed my hands on my hips. "Your choice."
Jaylin rolled her eyes at Alistair and quickly addressed me. "Of course we'll accept your help, Kate. Anything is better than staying lost here."
I smiled. "Perfect! Now, whereabouts are you headed?"
"Back to our camp," She replied, "beyond the Coastlands."
I laughed heartily, then. "You're definitely heading the wrong way! You need to head Southwest!"
Jaylin gestured with her hand. "Well, lead on."
With a smile, I quickly turned on my heel and broke into a speed-walk, inducing the two Wardens to follow. The voices had told me it would be easy to convince the Warden to trust me and, as long as I didn't somehow break that trust, it would be easier for me to stay with them. As long as all went smoothly, things would go according to what the voices had planned.
Knock on wood.
