Hello! and welcome to my story. This will follow the story of Dragon Age Origins and my hope is to continue it through all three games. please leave comments and criticisms for me. this is my first time posting a story and i hope you enjoy! Bioware and EA own everything, well except for my OCs. THank you for reading!

-DerpyWolf

3 sided coin

Merissa ran her hands over the fresh brown leather. The light from her window causing strikes of blue to fly around her room. Smiling at Varric's most recent tale and happy for the part she played in it. Placing it on the stand next to her larger bookshelf and exited her room. However Merissa hadn't noticed the small figure that hid on behind her desk. The little lioness crept from her hiding place and ran to the stand. When a new book was added to her mother's personal library, Raina new it was special. Falling to the ground with book in hand, the little lioness opened the book to find the smell of fresh ink and new paper brimming with one of the greatest stories of all time.

Sweat dripped off my face, if mother walked in now she would most likely send me to some obedience school for "troubled young ladies". I never understood what she had against me training and pushing my body. Maybe she was angrier at the fact I didn't pick something more delicate, like a bow, like she did. But the first time I picked up a sword, I swear it spoke to me. And when I picked up the large two-handed great sword, it sung. So here I was swinging a great piece of metal around a training dummy with my mabari, Rorick, barking for encouragement. My heavy metal armor squeaked from my sweat and my makeup was most likely running if the stinging in my eyes was any indication. I only stopped for a moment when the door to my privet training room open and Rorick stopped barking.

"Hello dear brother." I quipped, continuing my practicing.

"You know, if mother saw you, she would make sure you never hold a sword again. Oh the sight of her having a near heart attack as she watches her youngest and only daughter swing a great sword around with her hair a mess, looking like a commoner." Fergus retorted with a chuckle.

"Let's be honest, mother wouldn't be that surprised. I'd be more shocked if she didn't know what I was doing right now." Putting down my sword. I reached down for the cloth sticking out of my belt buckle. Wiping the sweat, dirt and smuggled makeup away I followed with trying to untangle my wavy golden locks. The one and only factor that showed I was still a woman behind the muscle and scares from too many hard practice fights and rough lessons.

Many people outside of the castle believe that Elisa Cousland is a beautiful young woman with blue eyes like the sea and hair like corn silk. The courts of Ferelden believed I was a soft girl with only a witty mouth and who lets her guards and mabari do all the fighting. While to those closest to her, it is quite the opposite. The soft silks and dainty shoes are replaced with thick iron armor that covers everything from the shoulders down and her trusty longsword. She is the one that the guards go to if they want a challenging sparring match or to learn new techniques.

"Now is there a reason to you bothering me Fergus, or did you just want another lesson on how to be beaten by your younger sister?"

"Now my dear girl, I might not wield a great sword, but I do work the shield better then you do. And there is an actual reason for my interrupting you training time."

"Please, the shield is there so you can hide behind it. I don't hide dear brother."

"Yet here you are. Father wanted to see you in a bit. Arl Howe will be here shortly which means I will be leaving soon as well. Go clean up, father wants you there to greet the Arl." Fergus started to walk out the door when he added. "And if memory serves, I won our last bout Elisa." With that he closed the door.

As I left my room, Rorick rushed off ahead of me, no doubt to see what was being made in the kitchen.

I hope he doesn't go into the ladder again, Nan would have both of our heads.

I reached the main hall with little difficulty and meeting Howe was easy enough. It only grew tiresome when he tried to convince me to marry one of his sons. Something lucky both father and I agreed would never happen.

I refused any marriage proposal made for me, I would marry for love, and nothing short of it. Maybe it was childish it want a dashing prince to sweep me off my feet but also fight and stand beside me. But hey, a girl can dream.

The conversation didn't truly become interesting until father announced he has a guest that not even I knew about. A Grey Warden. In fact the Warden Commander of Ferelden. His name was Duncan and he was my chance for me to make a name for myself.

"And this is my youngest, Elisa." Father introduced me and I gladly shock his hand. He must have the best stories to share.

"Greetings lady Cousland." He said stated.

"Greetings Sir Duncan, if I may, why are you visiting now? Shouldn't you be at Ostigar?"

"I will be leaving in the morning with your father. But I am also here looking for recruits for the Grey Wardens."

Maybe it was the way my eyes lit up, or maybe it was just my father being who he was. But the second recruiting was mentioned, he stood protectively in front of me.

"I believe you had your eyes on Ser Gilmore, correct?"

"If I may suggest Teyrn Cousland, your daughter is a very promising warrior as well. If rumors are true, much stronger then Ser Gilmore."

"I'm sorry, but I have very few children as it is. While I would gladly serve, I would like to look to other options first."

"Of course, I have no means of pressing the issue." The grey warden retorted.

"Now pup, go tell your brother that I will leave tomorrow with the arl's men. He is most likely with his wife." Father said turning to me.

"Very well father. I would like to continue to you Sir Duncan, if you get the chance at dinner. But farewell for now. As to you to Arl Howe." Giving each men a quick but respectful bow, and my father a quick hug.

After retrieving Rorick from the ladder, and an encounter with my mother (who scolded me of my disheveled self) and refusing another proposal, even though this one was for sex, a one-night stand with some power hungry noble's child is not what I wanted to do tonight. Finally reaching the door to my brother's room, I entered with the biggest puffed chest I could manage and with an extra-large stride. Acting this way always brought a smile to my nephew's face, and even some times to my dear older, and bigger brother.

Oren is going to need a little smile with Fergus leaving and all. I thought to myself. And indeed he did. Just by looking at the child's face, anyone could see how tears were threatening to fall and his mother was no better. When I had first meet Oriana, I thought her to… well girly for Fergus's liking. But I had been proven wrong by her many times over. Both were completely smitten with each other in a matter of days, almost to the point of sickness, something that both Oren and I agreed on and bounded over. But as time passed, I had grown to love my new sister-in-law, and while she didn't agree with how I spent my time, she too came to like me.

And so I went to sleep wishing I could have joined my brother and father instead of watching the castle and sitting on my ass all day. But I was a better help here then on the battle field, for now.

-0-

Blood…. Blood everywhere. The blood of my family. The blood of my friends. Blood of the men that followed that bastard Arl Howe. Their blood was on my blade. On my skin, in my hair, in my mouth… or was that my own? The three of us were covered in it. Blood from so many as my mother, Rorick and I all fought towards my father.

Rushing towards the ladder, I burst through the door to see him lying there, near death. Now his joined the other blood on my hands. A sickening thought that I pushed away. I focused only on trying to stop the crimson from pouring out of him.

"Father, please! We must move now! Howe's men are close and the exit is just there!" I whimper with tears in full force now. Please, please don't leave me alone. I can't do this without you. I hear the sound of a door opening but it distant, far away from my pain. Before I know it, Duncan is next to me. As I look up at him, I finally heard what he and my father had said.

Duncan would take me away, and my parents would stay. Fighting to the death.

"NO!" I scream. I don't care who hears, I will not leave them here. "If I go, they go. If they stay, I stay." I look to my father now. "Please father, I… I'm scared. Don't leave me." But it is too late. I know it would be hopeless begging. Duncan conscripts me into the Grey Wardens to save me, but it feels like he just landed the killing blow. When he realizes I won't, or maybe can't, stand on my own, he picks me up and leaves. I watch from over his shoulder as my home burns, turning the night sky to an eerie orange.

"We are heading to the Circle of Magi next. I have some business with the first enchanter there. You can come along or stay at the inn near the tower. For what it's worth, I'm sorry about what happened." Duncan says when we have finally stopped a long way from my home.

"I will come along. And it helps, all be it a little."

We rest for a few hours, surrounded by trees. But I can't sleep, I hear the screams is my ears constantly, when I close my eyes, I see red. I wonder if I'll ever sleep again. For now, it seems I won't. Tt feels like everything, from my skin, to my weapon, to my armor is covered in the blood of my enemies and my family. So that night, as i lay staring at the stars, i swear that i will get revenge on every Howe I see, I will destroy his family and he has mine, as for the demon himself, for him i will give the slowest most painful death I can.