Gentle hands, soft hair and kind yet piercing eyes; these are probably my earliest memories. Not a memory of my first word or even when I first picked up a sword, but instead a clear remembrance of a boy gently stroking my hair and whispering sweet reassurances into my ear; after that every things a bit fuzzy. A heavy sigh left my lips as a pain started to spread in my head, casually I rubbed my hand across my forehead, an attempt at soothing the ache.

This always happened as I thought too hard about my childhood; I'd lost all my memories when I was thirteen years of age, and though it wasn't an important matter, it bothered me. I don't know what caused it but it must've been pretty traumatic; when I ask Mother or Father, they brush the topic aside, even Fergus won't tell me anything.

"Ah, there you are Pup!" My father's cheerful voice rang from the fireplace in the great hall, immediately drawing me from my train of thought. Whilst smiling at my father, I walked from the door I had arrived through and went to stand by the blazing fire. It wasn't until I moved nearer that I saw the small, slightly huddled figure of another. I automatically felt a shiver run down my spine.

"Howe, you remember my daughter Elissa?"

"Ah yes. I see she's grown into a beautiful young woman," The old Arl smiled, but the action itself became twisted and turned into a sneer. I forced myself to repeat the action, although mine came across as genuine and almost friendly.

"Thank you Arl Howe. It's good to see you; I trust your family is well?"

The sneer seemed to grow larger and his eyes narrowed into slits so small, it looked as if he had closed his eyes.

"Yes they are thank you. Delilah has been wondering whether the two of you will be attending this year's Denerim festival, I believe she's very keen to try out the latest Antivan fashions."

I grimaced at the thought and hoped it wasn't too noticeable. Even though Delilah Howe was one of my close friends, she was like any other noble woman who was either obsessed on finding a rich husband with a suitable title, or to buy the most expensive shoes and clothes money could buy. The very idea of being strapped into one those Orlesian corsets made my chest tighten; I preferred my armour any day.

"Yes I would very much enjoy that. Please tell Delilah I will make the arrangements personally."

The older man bowed slightly and turned back to speak with my father, however I could have sworn his eyes seemed to darken.

After talking with the Grey Warden Duncan, Father requested I find Fergus. When my search eventually led me to our small family Chantry and I almost collapsed onto one of the pews. I sat down and scrubbed my hands over my face. Howe's men were delayed and just not by a few days, but by almost a week. Fergus was to set out with some of Father's troops at dawn, while Father was to stay here and wait with Howe for reinforcements and I was to stay here alone and not to be out on the battlefield. The knot that had formed not so long ago in my chest tightened, but I couldn't determine the cause.

"I thought I'd find you in here," a familiar voice drifted from behind me. I turned to see the very man I was looking for standing in the doorway, his boyish grin spread across his face. He was already in his armour and I noted it was the set I had bought him for his twenty-seventh birthday. Unfolding his armoured arms from his chest, he came and sat next to me on the patterned carved bench. He watched me curiously then raised his middle finger and prodded the middle of my two gathered eyebrows. "You know that's not a very good look for you," he joked. "Dad told me that you were looking for me." My only response was a slight nod of the head and my gaze drifted to my gloved hands. "Liss, what's wrong?" he asked, his voice suddenly turned from light to a more serious tone. I looked up to see his mouth was no longer the grin he had as he walked through the door, but a hard, thin, straight line. At first I didn't say anything and tried to put my feeling into words.

"Do you and Father really have to go?"My voice was small and weak when I answered and I felt like a child to weak for her family. Fergus let out a low chuckle.

"What's this? My brave little sister is actually worried about me? Well I'm very touched." I could hear the smile in his voice as well as his mocking tone; he was trying to lighten the mood, I could tell, but it didn't help with this feeling in my chest. "Liss you know we have to. If this is truly a Blight, the King is going to need an army. If we want to see Ferleden through this, we need to fight."

"That's not what I meant," I sighed. "Fergus something doesn't feel right. Howe's men have been delayed for too long and there's a Grey Warden, something isn't right I can..." Fergus laughing interrupted what I was about to say, causing my eyebrows to knit together once more and stare at him in confusion. "What's so funny?" I asked almost irritably.

"I know what you mean, about the uneasy part, but ever thought that maybe it was due to the atmosphere lately? I mean Dad's been on edge with all the lands meetings and all, maybe we're just sensing it too?" I considered for a moment or two and processed what he had just said; he could annoyingly wise when he wanted to be.

"I suppose you're right, it's probably just my nerve," I mumbled as he slid an arm around my shoulders and hugged me close. It was then reader, I realised this could be the very last time I held my Brother, the last time I'd ever hear his stupid jokes or even see his boyish grin and with this possibility, my heart stopped.

"Liss when I leave tomorrow, look after Oraina and Oren. Mother will be in Denerim with Lady Landra, so you must promise me," he asked, his voice solemn.

"Yes Brother," I whispered and nodded in response.

"Good now I will make a promise of my own," he started. "I will come back. No matter what I face, I will come back for all of you, this you have my word."

After hearing these words, I felt a glimmer of hope in the horizon and a weight being lifted from my chest. Fergus really was the best brother in the whole of Thedas.

Okay guys so that's the first chapter done! yay! reviews are my friends, so drop me one by clicking the review button and let me know what you think. I do not own Dragon Age, bioware does I am just their puppet.

Chapter 2 soon...

Ren