OK, this is my first fic. As some of you might notice English is not my first language, so please bear with me.
I really appreciate reviews and constructive criticism.
I do not own Dragon Age
A note from Princess Iduna Aeducan
I never thought this would be my life. Never thought I would venture on the surface, cast out and exiled. There are still mornings I wake up expecting to see the stone walls of my room. Oh, great Stone. Even if over a year has passed I'm still not used to see open sky above my head, sometimes I wonder if I ever will be. My name is Iduna. I had a second name once; Aeducan, a name that is well known among my people. It is still my name, at least in my heart. Because in my heart I'm still me, still a princess, still an Aeducan. But my people would most surely disagree with such a statement. A title I can claim is that of a Grey Warden. For most people such a title would be a step up in station, but not for me. Even if I have always held them in high regard I have never had a wish to join them. But then the Ancestors play use strange jokes at times, but I guess I should not blame the Ancestors for my brother's deeds. You might wonder why a princess of Orzammar, the favored child of the king would end up like me. Well, there is a story to that. And here it is.
A note from Princess Iduna Aeducan
I woke up that day thinking it would be the start of my greatest adventure…If only I had known how right I was
Chapter 1 A day to celebrate
The young princess studied her refection carefully as the servants fastened the last pieces of her armor. When they were done she dismissed them with a nod and turned around in front of the mirror. She did not think she looked particularly fearsome; round faced, with dark brown hair that was arranged to keep it out of her face, and light blue eyes. Young noblemen often told her she was beautiful, but then of course she was princess so they probably would have told her that even if she had looked like a bronto's backside. But when she studied her reflection she had to agree that she looked kind of pretty, even cute, which bothered her a bit. A commander should at least look a bit frightening. Iduna turned her attention to the armor. It was a fine work indeed. Once worn by her grandmother Queen Landoga, consort to King Ansgar. Queen Landoga had been the greatest female warrior of House Aeducan for many generations, at least until Iduna was born. Once the news of her command had been declared the armor had been brought back from whatever treasury it had been hidden in, and modified to fit her. Some smith had probably polished it for the entire night because each part was as bright as a mirror.
Iduna turned around when she heard the door open. She smiled when she saw the man who had entered. Few men were allowed to enter the princess's private quarters, but her Second was one of them.
"Greetings, my lady. You are dressed and ready. Excellent," said the young well-groomed man that stood in the doorway.
Knowing they were alone Iduna greeted him with a warm smile.
"I couldn't find the armor's matching dagger, but I scrounged up a rather fancy longsword," the man continued a little apologetic as he showed her the sword he had brought with him. "Do you wish to wear your shield to the noble's feast?"
Iduna thought of the question for a few moments. Carrying around a shield on her back for an entire day would be tiresome, but hadn't she just been brooding over how cute she looked. Iduna nodded.
"Yes, let them see me as a warrior."
Gorim Saelac gave his Mistress a smile.
"As opposed to the Paragon of Beauty," he answered teasingly.
Iduna had to laugh. When Gorim had been assigned as her Second a few years back she had never expected that he would be her lover. But then again assign an adolescent boy to spend his entire days with an adolescent girl… and….well princess and warrior aside, things happened. They had to keep it secret of course. It was hardly fitting that a princess shared her bed with a warrior. The only person she had told was her maid, but only because she needed someone that could buy herbs from the surface-traders that prevented pregnancy. Even if her prospective daughters would always be as noble as she, a princess could not risk giving birth to a warrior caste son.
"Close the door and I will show you a Paragon of Beauty" Iduna answered teasingly.
Gorim laughed.
"Don't you remember how this game goes," he said. "I get undressed and one of your brothers or cousins appears and trashes me."
Iduna knew he was referring to the one time that they had actually been caught. Her brother Trian had come into her room and caught Gorim kissing her. Her elder brother had beaten Gorim up and then in stern words explained to his little sister that if he ever caught them again he would tell their father.
"I'll take my chances outside the palace, if you don't mind, perhaps after the feast," Gorim said as he helped her fasten the shield. "Well, thoughts for later I suppose."
Iduna gave him a quick kiss and nodded
"So what happens?" she asked.
"Few things you do not already know about," he answered. "We will have to make an appearance at the feast, but I just spoke to Lord Harrowmont and he said we wouldn't be needed for a few hours. Lord Harrowmont has also opened the Proving grounds for warriors to test their skills. The rumor has it that Harrowmont hopes you will be swept of your feet if a well-placed noble man wins the Proving in your honor."
Iduna had to suppress a sigh. The match-making again, she thought. Yes, she was an Aeducan, and yes, it was her duty to provide highborn children to the House. Sooner or later she would probably have to agree to wed some Helmi or Dace. But Harrowmont's and her father's match-making attempts were growing a bit tiresome. And she could not help but noticing the hint of bitterness in Gorim's voice when he had told her about the Provings.
Iduna gave her Second a smile.
"Should we tell him I already have all the man I need?" she said teasingly.
Gorim shrugged.
"Why not? I'll just wear a sign that says, 'Assassinate me before Lady Aeducan marries beneath her','' he answered. It was meant as a joke, but she could still hear the bitterness beside it.
He knows it cannot last. Princesses do not wed warriors, and one day I will have to agree to a match. But not today.
"Well, I might just go and win the Proving myself," Iduna declared.
Gorim looked up.
"Win the Proving in your own honor? That would be most interesting," he said clearly amused by the thought of her scandalizing all her would-be suitors.
Iduna laughed.
"Well, we will see. Won't we. Come Gorim we have an exciting day ahead of us."
They moved through the palace. The great hallways were empty except for the servants who were moving quickly and discreetly through the hallways only stopping to give deep bows to their princess. A red haired woman curiously peeked out from her little brother's rooms when Iduna passed. For half a heartbeat their eyes meet before the woman gasped in horror when she realized she had been spotted. She lowered her head and bowed so quickly and so deeply she almost threw herself to the floor in the process and disappeared back to Bhelen's chambers.
Iduna frowned as she moved on. She had noticed the casteless-mark on the woman's cheek, probably one of those so called noble-hunters that had become quite a common sight lately.
They were hardly more than fancy whores, but they all hoped to raise their families from poverty by giving birth to highborn sons. Iduna guessed it was no harm in the practice, new swords for a House was a good thing. The Ancestor knew the darkspawn had them crumpling. She knew that some noblewomen feared that their husbands would put forward their sons by casteless women as their preferred heirs, but Iduna thought there was little risk to that. If a man really was stupid enough to insult his wife's family in such a way, then he deserved all the assassination attempts and political backlash that would come with it.
If Bhelen's newest dalliance would result in anything only the Ancestors knew, but she wondered if their father would agree to Bhelen bringing his whores to the palace. Trian would not like it, but then again Trian liked few things these days. Iduna shook her head and decided to let the matter be. As long as she stays in his rooms what harm can she do.
The main street of the Diamond quarters was completely lined up with merchants browsing their wares to the gathered nobility of the city. Iduna found that she was enjoying herself. She never had the need to buy anything she need personally, but she enjoyed browsing the stores and see what the merchants had to sell.
A silk merchant tried to sell her some of his surface bought fabric only to get a reprimand from Gorim.
"All pretty ladies like a bit of silk," the merchant tried to explain.
"Lady Aeducan is warrior," Gorim answered in a stern voice. "Born of steel and bred for battle."
The merchant paled.
"A thousand pardons. Please forgive me, your Highness."
Iduna, who had paid little mind to the two men's argument as she examined a fine blue silk fabric, looked up.
"It is nice to have pretty thing though" she said and the merchant straightened up a bit.
Gorim gave her a teasing look.
"Perhaps some nice young man will get you a bolt so the servants can dress you in something frilly"
"Oh, be quiet, Gorim," Iduna said half-laughing.
"Of course, my lady," Gorim said in a slightly mocking tone.
They continued to move through the booths. Here and there Iduna would stop to ask a merchant about his wares or a smith about his craft.
"Small wonder the people love you," Gorim told her as they left a booth where Iduna had bought a small trinket and asked the man selling them about how he crafted them. The man had seemed completely overjoyed that the princess paid such interest to his humble skills.
"It doesn't hurt to know the people we rule," she told Gorim.
"And it is for that they love you," Gorim answered.
Iduna stopped as she spotted two familiar faces moving through the crowd that quickly divided itself for the two princes. The younger one followed closely behind his older brother, and almost gave the appearance of being more like an attendant than a brother. He smiled however when he saw his big sister.
"Atrast vala, big sister! How surprising to run into you out among the common folk," her little brother Bhelen greeted her teasingly.
Her older brother Trian on the other hand gave her a disapproving look which she decided to ignore has she greeted her younger brother.
"Especially since duty requires that you attend our king father at the feast today," Trian said with contempt. "Have you so little respect for him to disregard his wishes on a day set aside for you?"
Iduna open her mouth to answer but Gorim was faster.
"Lord Harrowmont told me we wouldn't be needed for hours at least," he said to his Lady's defense.
Trian did not take this well at all.
"Silence! If I want the opinion of my sibling's second, I will ask for it"
Gorim bowed his head.
"Yes, your Highness," he said apologetic.
Iduna did not like that at all. Gorim might only be warrior caste, but Trian had no right to treat her Second as if he was a mere servant.
"Don't speak to Gorim like that," she said angrily.
"I speak to lower Houses and castes as they should be spoken to. Now do as I say"
Iduna bit her tongue.
"I go where I want when I want." she said as she tried to keep her voice calm.
"Your lack of a sense of duty to your House is obvious," Trian said. "I can't imagine why you are receiving a commission. I expect after tomorrow I'll spend much time apologizing to the heads of the noble Houses for the deaths of their children under your incompetent command."
"That's a bit harsh, isn't it, Trian?" Bhelen said apparently finally deciding it was time ease the growing tension between his siblings.
Trian turned his gaze to his brother.
"As heir to the throne, it is my duty to impart wisdom and judgment upon those who need it," he said in a preachy manner.
Iduna had to bit her tongue again, but this time to stop her from laughing. And she could see the corner of Bhelen mouth twitch as if he too tired to suppress a laugh.
"Now then, you, get to the feast."
Iduna suppressed a sigh. There was no point in getting into an argument with Trian right here on an open street. She made herself smile.
"Yes, brother," Iduna said.
Trian nodded approvingly, and for a short moment he almost looked like he would pat her on the head.
"That's my proper, dutiful sister. Perhaps you were right, Bhelen, when you said our sister wasn't all useless breeding flesh. I will be along later to toast your command. Come Bhelen"
Her little brother gave her a tired look, and followed Trian. I truly cannot understand how Bhelen stands it, she thought as she watched her brothers walk away.
"That was fun. Nothing like being talked down to by the next king," Gorim words brought her back to the real world.
"Ignore him. It's my day, not his," she said.
"That it is. Let's get back to enjoying it, shall we."
"Yes, I still have a Proving to win."
Gorim smiled.
"That you have, my lady."
They continued to move through the main street of the Diamond quarter. Iduna thought of her brother as she moved through the crowd. Useless breeding flesh, for some reason those words cut deep. She knew that Trian had many reasons for disliking her. She was their father's favorite child. Everyone knew that. And she was probably more loved by the people than Trian had ever been. Trian was jealous of her. He had been for eleven years, ever since she at twelve had defeated her two years older brother at a training session. Before that she had been Trian's precious little princess. But when he had fallen to her sword that day something had changed. Their father had been there and when he had seen what had happened he had happily announced that one day she would be the best of House Aeducan and Orzammar. She had laughed and happily spun around at her father's praise, but when she turned to Trian the laughter had died on her lips. Her brother had had something dark in eyes that day, and he had left her without a word. After that nothing had been the same between them. As years passed things had only gotten worse, and with time whispers began that both the people and the Assembly would rather see Endrin's daughter on the throne. Not that I have ever given them reason not to whisper, but neither have I given them reason to do so, Iduna thought. But the heart of the problem was that Iduna wanted to be queen. Had I not I could have given Trian my full support and stopped the whispers long ago, so it's a small wonder he dislikes me As a young girl she hadn't given it much thought and had always assumed that Trian would one day take over after their father, but as the years had passed her wish for the throne had grown, neither did she think Trian would make a good king. "No, it is not that he dislikes me that upset me. But I'm a commander now; at least he could have the respect not to call me breeding flesh, she thought irritated.
"Have you seen, my lady?"
Iduna woke from her reveries.
"A magical booth," she said once she saw where Gorim was pointing. "Let's have look."
No dwarf could do magic, only humans and elves possessed the skills need for that. But she was curious about it all the same. Much of the wealth of Orzammar was because humans needed lyrium to work their magic. The stories she had heard said that magic could do the most amazing things. Heal a man at an instant, or set him on fire if the mage so desired. Small wonder that the humans kept their mages locked up if even half the stories she had heard were true. Apparently however it was harder to set a dwarf on fire than a human. Natural resistance for magic she had been told, so she saw no reason to fear magic. There were some disturbing stories about magic though. The humans seemed to blame magic for the darkspawns, and the Blights. Iduna did not know what to make of such stories. The Memories had no explanation for the darkspawn, one day they had simply been there, and that was all there was to it.
The merchant looked up when they approached. His eyes widen at the sight of his highborn customer.
"Lady Aeducan?" he managed to say "Here…in my booth…it's…an honor…" There was a soft thump as the man fell to the ground.
"He's fainted," Gorim noted as if to point out the obvious. "You make quite the impression these days."
"Apparently so," Iduna answered as she looked at the unconscious man in disbelief.
"Is it hard to be the king's child, never able to just blend in?"Gorim asked.
Iduna sighed.
"Sometimes, I guess"
"I see you for you, if that's any consolation," Gorim said warmly.
And it is for that I love you, she thought as she smiled at him and gave his hand a quick squeeze.
The crowd cheered as their princess struck down her first opponent, and the Proving master's voice was heard all over the Arena.
"And the winner is the Lady Aeducan."
Iduna waved at the crowd as she left the arena to be greeted by Gorim.
"Amazing as ever, my lady" he said.
"Aller Bemot is a good warrior though," she said.
"You were better," he said pleased. Pleased that I beat one of my potential suitors, she thought.
"Who is next," she asked Gorim as she washed dust and sweat from her face.
"That would be me, your Highness," said a voice behind her.
Iduna turned around to face Adal Helmi. The two women had known each other since they were girls. The bounds between House Aeducan and House Helmi had been strong for several generations. House Helmi was ruled with iron fist by Adal's mother, a wrinkled old matriarch who had once been a close to Iduna's mother. Old Lady Helmi was known for political wit and loyalty to her House. She had also raised four children, one son and three daughters. Adal was the second and eldest of the daughters, and her younger sister Jaylia was rumored to be the bride of Trian. If Lady Helmi got her way, Iduna herself would be matched up with Lady Hemli's only son Denek. It was actually rumored that his mother had made Denek a deshyr simply to make him more attractive as a match for the King's daughter. Iduna was not sure what to think of the match. She liked Denek well enough. His ideas about the caste system had earned him ire of many of his fellow deshyrs as well as other nobles including his own mother. But Iduna found him refreshing, some things in Orzammar could benefit a bit of questioning, however she was not sure she wished to marry him. She and Adal had on the other hand become close friends. Warrior-women were not unheard of, but it was unusual for noblewomen to train in warfare, even if most learned basic self-defense to protect themselves from assassination attempts, and some members of the nobility frowned at women who did so, unless they became Silent Sisters. Iduna herself had never had to suffer such scorn, being a princess and all. And her father had always been her greatest supporter. Adal on the other hand had never had such protection. But they had both been women in a world of men, and it had drawn them together.
"I'm surprise that you entered the Proving held in your own honor, your Highness" Adal continued. "Something out of the ordinary isn't it?"
"You know me, Adal," Iduna answered. "All please the crowd. The Proving master was a bit shocked, though."
And other woman laughed softly.
"I'm not surprised," she said. "Shall we go, your Highness?"
The two women made their way through the hallway accompanied by Gorim.
"Did the two of you hear about the scandal here last week?"Adal asked as they walked.
Iduna shook her head.
"Gorim and I have been preparing for tomorrow's battle all week," she said. "What happened?"
"As you know the Grey Wardens are in Orzammar searching for recruits, so the Warrior Caste arranged a Proving," Adal said. "The goal was for the Grey Wardens to recruit the winner, bringing him honor and a chance for glory."
Iduna raised an eyebrow.
"I take it, that didn't happen?"
"Well, yes and no," Adal continued. "You see Ser Everd, fresh from fighting darkspawn, got dead drunk before the Proving. Then some casteless bruiser took Ser Everd's armor, wore it, and won the Proving!"
Iduna stopped.
"What, are you sure?" How could I have missed this? she thought amused. The Proving master must have been spitting hot coal."
"That's what I heard, a brand won the Proving. Can you imagine?"
Iduna laughed.
"Good for him," she said.
"Him?" Adal asked. "I haven't gotten to the best part. The brand was a woman."
"The warriors must have been furious, a casteless woman defeats them all," Iduna said half amazed, half amused.
"Lady Aeducan loves to see the world shaken up, I see" Gorim commented amused.
"My brother liked it though," Adal said. "The Ancestors know he got excited when he heard about this. Well, it did shake up the world. The Proving master had to be restrained I heard."
"So what happened?" Iduna asked.
"They took the brand to jail; I assume she will be thrown into the Deep Roads as meat for the darkspawn. The Warrior Caste is in an uproar. An incident like this raises many questions."
"I guess they do," said Iduna. A pity with potential really, had she been warrior caste I would have asked her to join my service. Fighting in a Proving when you know you can be killed for it takes some courage, Iduna thought.
"Everyone is trying to figure out how the brand got in here to begin with," Adal said.
"Or how a brand learned to fight like that," Gorim added. "Considering how they are not allowed weapons."
"My brother says he has heard that they fight in the slums with the old cast-offs. I'm almost curious to see," Adal said thoughtfully.
"I doubt King Endrin would approve of that," said Gorim
Adal shrugged.
"You're probably right, ser Gorim," Adal said. "Well, I will leave you here, see you in the ring."
"A brand winning a Proving," Iduna said thoughtfully as she watched Adal leave. "What do you say about that, Gorim?"
Gorim shrugged.
"I wouldn't pay it too much attention, my lady. Most brands can do nothing except beg, but I agree with Lady Adal it would be interesting to find out how even one of them learned to fight like that. If one brand can win a Proving someone must have trained her."
"Perhaps I should send someone to investigate it," Iduna said thoughtfully. "Besides it couldn't hurt that we get clearer picture on what is actually happening in dust town."
"As long as…," Gorim began but was interrupted as the voice of the Proving master echoed from the arena's entrance.
"This is a glory Proving fought under the watchful eyes of the Paragons of Orzammar for the honor of House Aeducan. I give you the Lady Aeducan herself"
Iduna walked out to meet the cheering crowd.
"Lady Aeducan will face Adal Helmi, eldest daughter of Lady Helmi," the Proving master continued.
The two women bowed for each other.
"Honor to your House," said Adal.
"And to yours," Iduna replied.
The fight did become a crowd-pleaser. Adal fought as fiercely as ever, but it ended with Iduna's victory.
"The winner is Lady Aeducan," the Proving master's voice sounded across the Arena.
She left the arena together with Adal to once again be greeted by Gorim. There were a few other fights before her next opponent was decided. Iduna took the time to visit the box provided for guests of honor, usually her own family, it was also here the Proving master was stationed.
"An amazing fight, yours and Lady Adal's," he told her as she entered the box. "It was a long time since Orzammar had two so fine warrior-women that were not Silent Sisters, I do not even think good Queen Landoga could have matched your prowess."
"Speaking of the Sisters," Iduna said. "Isn't it one fighting now?"
"Yes, if she wins she will be your next opponent, your Highness."
Iduna watched the fight. The Silent Sister was good, all the Sisters were. They were a legendary order founded by Paragon Astyth the Grey, a woman of the warrior caste who had done much for women to be accepted as warriors. Iduna had great respect for them, but she wondered if Astyth had truly meant that every one after her should have to mutilate herself to be accepted. The Silent Sisters cut out their own tongues in emulation of Astyth, who had indeed done so when people refused to listen to her. This was the reason that Iduna had never considered joining them. She felt comfortable in her role as a warrior, but she did not wish for it to be her only role. The Silent Sisters could fight, but their lack of speech made it hard for them to do much else without a translator.
The Silent Sister did not win the fight however; instead the honor went to an old veteran from the warrior caste; ser Blackstone.
Iduna entered the arena as the old man gave her a bow.
"This is your education child," he said. "Try to learn as you bleed."
"I will," she answered. But I don't think I will bleed. Iduna raised her sword and charged. The seasoned warrior was good however. A life time of fighting in the deep roads had kept his skills sharp year after year. Iduna however avoided his blows, blocked, or redirected them. She was not as strong as most warriors, but her master-at-arms had told her how to make up for it with quickness and finesse. It took less force to give a blade a hit that redirected it and made the blow fall beside her than to block it directly. Somehow these things had always come natural to her. It was like she was born to fight. Born of steel and bred for battle, Gorim had said and it was true she supposed. She never felt as alive as she did when she danced with an opponent in the deadly dance that was battle, and steel sang around her. The end came abruptly, Iduna danced to the side to avoid a blow that would have caught her shoulder, and for the blink of an eye ser Blackstone lost his balance. Iduna went low and cut his leg from under him. The old warrior fell and the crowd cheered.
"The winner is Lady Aeducan," the Proving masters voice echoed.
The old man got to his feet.
"You are as good as they say, child" he said. "May the Ancestors look upon you with pride."
Iduna gave him a respect full node and left the Arena.
Gorim greeted her once again this time together with the Adal.
"They will be taking about this for ages," Gorim said. "Not only do you enter your own Proving but you dominate it completely."
"Seems like the darkspawn won't know what hit them, you Highness," Adal said.
"So according to my counting I should only have one opponent left," Iduna said.
"That you have, my lady," Gorim answered. "Frandlin Ivo, he is the second son to Lord Ivo, as you might know his House is relatively inconsequential, but people expect Frandlin will change that. He is expected to take a full command soon."
"This should be interesting," Iduna noted.
There was not much time to rest as the finalists were already decided, and for the final time Iduna entered the arena where Frandlin Ivo already waited for her. He was a young man with a black beard, who seemed close to her own age. Should she have guessed she would have said he was as old as her brother Bhelen. He gave her a curious look as they came face to face, for some reason that made her feel uneasy, but she could not put her finger on what it was.
"It is down to just two warriors. With backbones of stone and wills of iron they have defeated all others this day," the Proving master announced.
Frandlin bowed his head.
"You fight well. I wish you glory today and glory tomorrow," he said.
"May you be as Stone," Iduna replied automatically.
The fight began. Soon Iduna realized what Gorim had been right. Frandlin was good. The sound of steel echoed across the arena as they fought. Iduna blocked a cut to her head, and the shock of the impact ran up her arm, and sent her back staggering, but after half a heartbeat Iduna regained control and jumped to the side. She went low and forced Frandlin to retreat backwards. How long they fought she could not say. Time lost all meaning in battle, but as good as Frandlin might have been she was better. Finally she saw an opening and with a well précised strike her sword caught Frandlin's wrist. The cut would have taken his hand had the weapons not been blunt, now it only sent his sword from his hand. Her second hit caught him in chest, and he fell.
"The winner is Lady Aeducan," the voice of the Proving master sounded for the last time.
Later before a cheering crowd Princess Iduna Aeducan was awarded the ceremonial helmet commissioned by her own father for the winner in his daughters Proving.
"Your glory honors every warrior here," the Proving master said as he presented her with the prize.
Iduna smiled. This was a good day, and it had just begun.
So that was the first chapter please tell me if you like it.