"Auntie!" Oren vaulted down the hill towards his Aunt Elissa Cousland. She met him with a laugh picking him up and twirling him around. His brown eyes gleamed with innocence and happiness. His hair was getting longer and reminded Elissa of his fathers.

"Hello half-pint," she hugged him.

She looked up and saw Fergus her brother smiling at her. She had returned from Denerim when hearing her father and brother were called to war. Fergus's chocolate hair was windblown across his forehead and worry edged his brown eyes. He took after their father in looks and she took after their mother. She was his opposite with her sparkling blue eyes and golden blonde hair.

Fergus was a warrior like their father, even their mother claimed to be a battle maiden. Elissa preferred the bow and arrow to being up close and personal with an opponent. But because every fight didn't guarantee she'd always be able to keep her distance she learned the finesse of duel dagger combat. Her duty in life was not to fight in battles however, it was to make a strong alliance with another noble family. She had put off that duty as long as possible but she was getting older and soon no one would be looking at her to be a bride.

"How was your trip?" Fergus asked.

"It was uneventful. I bought some silk in the market place for a new dress. Mother shall be pleased about that. Oh and…" Elissa reached behind her and grabbed a wooden sword handing it to Oren. "This is for you!"

Oren's eyes lit up as he took the sword from her and took off running battling imaginary foes.

Fergus and Elissa stood watching him both remembering what it was like to be that age. Elissa moved towards Fergus and put her arm through his. "So the darkspawn have returned?"

"So the King has said in his message," Fergus sighed. "It worries me Elissa, to leave them alone."

Elissa's heart went out to him. Fergus and her had always been close, and now she was at a loss of words as to what to tell him. He hadn't left his family for longer than a week, two at the most since having Oren. "Maybe it will be over before you even get there, then you can just turn around and march back north."

"I hope so," Fergus sighed. "So I am told Lady Landra and her son Dairren are here."

Elissa let out a groan. "And I suppose mother is going to make sure I spend as much time with Dairren as possible."

"It could be worse," Fergus said.

"Oh yeah? You aren't the one being thrown at every available man in the kingdom," Elissa sighed.

"I was there myself before I met Oriana, Lissa. Trust me I know what you are going through. Just take it easy on him, he is riding as father's second," Fergus said. They started walking up the hill towards the castle.

Barking erupted from the castle the great doors opened and out ran a big brown blur.

"This is where I step aside," Fergus dropped Elissa's arm and stepped away just in time for the dog to collide with his mistress.

Elissa tried to brace herself for contact with the beast but really he outweighed her by more than fifty pounds. As soon as Lucky collided with her she fell down rolling back down the hill with the dog chasing after her. Elissa was glad she had changed into her armor when traveling because if she had been in a dress she'd have exposed more of herself then would be proper.

Elissa sat up dazed when she stopped rolling she heard laughter all around her but didn't have time to see who was laughing because Lucky decided he needed to smother her with slobbery dog kisses.

"Ugh! Lucky stop I already took a bath today!" She wiped her face and looked at the mabari hound. He had imprinted on her not even a year ago and when he was not able to accompany her on trips he moped until she returned. He was her constant companion and scared unwanted suitors. "How is my big boy today?"

Fergus shook his head watching his sister go into pamper mode. "The dog is a war hound Lissa not a lap dog!"

Lucky turned his head and growled at Fergus. He held up his hands in defeat.

Elissa laughed, "He can be both!"

She stood up and looked around her father's soldiers were around preparing for war and the sight of their mistress in the dirt with her hound brought smiles to their eyes. She shrugged and laughed anything that kept their minds off the march to war was good in her mind even if it meant her looking like a fool.

She saw a red headed soldier hanging out in the background with a smile on his face. Elissa bent down next to Lucky and whispered into his ear. Lucky turned and vaulted up the hill towards the red headed soldier. As soon as the poor man knew the dog was going for him he let out a shout and ran around the courtyard.

Elissa burst out laughing and Oren and Fergus came to her side. "Lissa, call the dog off of poor Roland."

Elissa looked up at Fergus who was trying not to laugh. "Oh you're no fun!"

"It's been a month since he put those worms in your hair!"

"I can still feel them squirming," Elissa shuddered and sighed. "Very well, Lucky!"

The mabari hound halted in his hunt and looked back at Elissa cocking his head. "Leave him alone we've had our fun."

The men started laughing at the sight of Ser Roland Gilmore doubled over catching his breath. Elissa walked over gracefully to him and patted him on the back. "Hello my good friend!"

"Friend? That's what you call me when you sick your hound on me?"

"You put worms in my hair!"

"A month ago, and you've paid me back tenfold!" Ser Gilmore straightened up and smiled. "Putting itching powder my undershirt, which by the way is not fun when you have chain mail on! I suffered for a week Elissa!"

Elissa smiled at her childhood friend and hugged him. He was as much a brother as Fergus was having been squired under her father since a very young age. "You Ser Gilmore need to learn the art of payback is a bitch!"

He laughed at that squeezing her. "It's good to have you back."

Elissa pulled away looking around at the preparations. "Sadly I hate that it was the call of war that brought me back. I was having so much fun in Denerim."

"I don't believe that for a minute!" Ser Gilmore said.

"I agree, you hate Denerim," Fergus came up beside them.

Elissa frowned, "It has its charms! Besides Arl Bryland wanted me to help tame his daughter Habren."

"Any luck?" Fergus asked.

"Maker no that girl is hopeless!" Elissa smiled. "She spends all her time in the market place throwing out insult after insult at all of her servants. The poor elves suffer the most. When I told her to curb her tongue she called me a churl! I swear I had to bite my tongue and force myself to the Gnawed Noble Tavern to stop myself from hitting the girl straight in the mouth. She's been listening to her father's guards so any new insult she hears she uses."

"She's really that bad?" Ser Gilmore laughed.

"I wouldn't wish her on my worst enemy!" Elissa sighed. "Arl Bryland is going to have to bribe someone to take her off his hands, mark my words!"

The doors opened and Oren saw who walked out. "Mama!"

Elissa smiled and watched her nephew run to his Antivan mother. Oriana smiled and hugged her son until she saw the wooden sword he carried and looked up glaring at Fergus. Fergus in all his might did the only thing he could think of he pointed at Elissa.

Elissa poked him in the side with her elbow, "Thanks, Fergus, that was so chivalrous of you!"

"Elissa, you know we don't want him running around with a sword," Oriana said.

"I know, I'm sorry I just saw it and thought he'd love it. When the time comes Oriana he'll have to learn to protect his home I thought starting him out on a wooden sword would be better then a blunted one." Elissa smiled apologetically. She always seemed to be walking on eggshells where Oriana was concerned. She liked her well enough but Oriana didn't agree with the things Elissa did.

Oriana sighed and looked down at Oren. "I just fear he's growing up to fast."

Fergus went over to his wife and pulled her into his side placing a kiss upon her forehead. Fergus married for love. Her father had promised her the same but so far she hadn't found anyone up to her standards. Oriana had been a wealthy trader's daughter out of Antiva but she did not grow up there so she lacked the thick accent that marked a person as Antivan.

"It is good to have you home though sister," Oriana said. "With all the preparations going on it is good to have the whole family together before the march."
Elissa smiled sadly. War was a fact in life, they were always preparing for war whether it was training or making alliances. Since the Orlesian occupation no one in Fereldan had grown lazy. It took the people of Fereldan to lose their homes once for them to be ever prepared for future attempts.