So this is my first crack at a Dragon Age story, I hope you enjoy it.
I do not own Dragon Age Origins.
The Couslands
Artimus sat at her vanity brushing her short, blonde hair through. She put it up in her usual ponytail with a few strands framing her face. She set the brush down and made her way to the bigger of two beds in the room that she shared with her younger sister, fourteen year old Elethea. Artimus herself was eighteen as were her brothers Raven, the eldest triplet, and Remus, the youngest triplet. She started to dress into her leather armour.
Artimus was a rouge with a lithe, small body and excellent reflexes. Raven was as well and well was tall with a strong build he was lithe like her, though where she excelled as an archer, he was better suited to short swords and daggers. Neither were born to be warriors. Remus was the warrior with broader shoulders and bigger muscles and he fought with a long sword and shield; he was more like their eldest brother, twenty eight year old Fergus.
Thinking about her siblings, her thoughts turned to the youngest two. Elethea was already expressing an interest in being a rouge like her, their mother was moaning about not having any girly daughters. Mather, her twelve year old youngest brother, wanted to become a warrior and had taken to watching Fergus and Remus training in the yard.
With so many siblings it tended to get a bit cramped at Cousland castle; especially when they had guests around, they were the biggest generation of Couslands in centuries. Fergus had his own room that he shared with his wife, twenty six year old Oriana. Raven and Remus shared a room across from his. Of course she shared her room with Elethea. Mather shared the room across from them with their nephew, eight year old Oren, Fergus' son. That left the biggest room at the far end of the castle for their parents, Bryce, fifty eight, and Eleanor, fifty five. Fergus, Remus and Mather had all inherited their broad builds from their father along with his green eyes. Raven, Artimus and Elethea had inherited their mother's lithe build and her blue eyes.
She looked over at the other bed and smiled. Her only sister was still sleeping peacefully; well it was six in the morning. She grabbed her bow and arrows and eased the door open before patting her leg. A big mabari padded softly out of the room and she silently closed the door.
"Come on Arrow," she whispered, "let's go hunting." They quietly hurried down the hall, through another door and out of sight. They had been gone seconds when another door opened and a young man in leather armour with a pair of daggers on his back and short, black hair with a tall, spiked fringe sneaked through the room, a mabari quietly following him. The dog sneezed and his owner froze before spinning around.
"Wolf, keep it down," Raven hissed, "There are rumours about a Grey Warden coming today and I want to know if they're true. I don't want to get caught sneaking around." The dog cocked his head at his owner. They continued forward and left through the same door his sister had left through. Silence fell once more upon the small corridor, the faint sounds of chirping birds coming from outside. No more than a few minutes after Raven had left, the door opened once more. The young man that was heading out side was quite a bit loader than his siblings. He and was wearing studded leather armour with a sword and shield on his back and had messy brown hair. A third mabari followed him to the door.
"I wonder where Raven and Wolf went," Remus wondered aloud, "any ideas Padfoot?" his dog looked at him and whined. "Oh well, I guess it doesn't matter," He opened the door, "let's head to the guard barracks to train." They too disappeared through the door.
Soon the castle started to wake up. The Cousland parents got up to attend to their duties as Teyrn and Teyrna , Fergus headed off to the barracks to get the men ready to march and Oriana took Oren away to get dressed before he joined Mather and Elethea on their way to their lessons with Aldous. Eleanor went to greet her friend Landra and her son, Dairren, while Bryce went to the grand hall to await his friend Arl Rendon Howe.
It was Midday before Artimus returned from hunting carrying and few hares with Arrow licking his chops behind her, specks of blood on his muzzle. She sent him off and dropped around the kitchens to give Nan the hares. Then she wandered about looking for her brothers. She bumped into Raven who was also wandering about on his own.
"Hey big bro, where's Wolf?" she asked.
"I sent him off to find some fun," he answered with a smirk on his face, "I'm guessing you did the same with Arrow?" she smiled and nodded. She heard someone calling their names and turned around to see Remus jogging up to them.
"Hey guys," he said when he reached them, "father wants to see us in the grand hall." The triplets turned around and walked towards one of the side doors to the hall.
"You send Padfoot off too bro?" asked Raven and Remus nodded.
"I wonder why father wants to see us," Artimus wondered aloud.
"It probably has something to do with the Grey Warden that arrived this morning." Raven said and his siblings stopped and looked at him. "What?" he asked when he noticed the stairs.
"How do you know that?" asked Remus.
"Oh, right, well," Raven said while rubbing the back of his neck, "I may have gone snooping around the castle this morning to see if the rumour was true, and it was." He smiled sheepishly at his brother and sister and they continued their journey.
"Who is he?" Artimus looked at Raven as she asked.
"Don't know," Raven shrugged, "All I do know is that his name is Duncan." They finished their journey in quiet contemplation. Raven opened the door and stood back to let his sister in first and then his brother. They might not always act like it, but they were Nobles and they did have manners. Artimus was a Lady Cousland, as was Elethea, and Raven was a Lord Cousland, as was Remus, Fergus and Mather. Their parents were The Lord Cousland and The Lady Cousland.
Their father was talking to Arl Howe when they entered, but it didn't take him long to notice them there.
"Ahh here are some of my children now," he said with his arms open wide, his grey hair practically shining with the fire behind him, "Rendon, you remember the triplets, don't you?"
"Quite." He said. Artimus shivered at his oily voice. None of the triplets trusted Howe, they didn't know why, but there was just something about him. "You know my youngest Thomas and Delilah have been asking about your Artimus and Raven, respectively of course." He said to their father and Artimus and Raven shivered, it felt like he was trying to get their father to offer them up in marriage contracts.
"If it's all the same to you," Artimus said to him with as polite a voice as she could, "None of us are interested in arranged marriages." It took all of her will power not to sneer at him.
"You see that," their father said with a grin, "You can't tell my children to do anything, their so strong willed, and stubborn, like their mother." The grin let them know that their father was joking.
"What did you need to see us about father?" asked Remus, speaking up for the first time since entering the hall.
"While your Fergus and I are gone, I need you three to look after things here." He told them, his smile gone in the seriousness of the current topic.
"We're not going with you!" Raven exclaimed while Artimus opened and closed her mouth in shock.
"I've been training for weeks though." Remus whined.
"I know, I know," he tried to placate them, "but your mother would kill me if I let you all go. Besides, I need you to take care of the Teyrnir. I trust you for this most important of jobs." They looked like they wanted to argue some more but he looked at them with his serious face and they knew that it would make no difference to argue.
"Yes father." They intoned together.
"Good," he said, brightening up, "There's someone I want you to meet," he turned around to face one of the guard's, "send Duncan in." the triplets exchanged glances and waited quietly. A few minutes later the door opened and older gentleman entered the hall. He was wearing a weird battle robe and had a sword and dagger on his back. His hair, which was starting to grey, was tied back in a warrior's ponytail.
"Good Afternoon Teyrn Cousland, Arl Howe, My Lords and Lady Cousland." His voice was deep, wise and experienced.
"Good afternoon Duncan," their father shook his hand, "Children, this is Duncan, a Grey Warden."
"You didn't tell me there would be a Grey Warden here." Howe said.
"He just arrived this morning," Bryce said before turning to look at Howe, an eyebrow raised, "Why? Is there going to be a problem?"
"No, of course not," Howe simpered, "But a guest of this magnitude desires certain protocols, I am at a disadvantage." Howe sounded scared to the triplet, panicked, like something had disrupted a well-made battle plan, but their father didn't react to it, so they guessed that Howe was just being his slimy self.
"You know who the Grey Wardens are, don't you pups?" he asked. They did in fact, they remembered from their lessons with Aldous.
"Yes father," Artimus said, "They were an order of great warriors who fought against the blights of the past.
"Duncan is going to be staying here for a few days, I need you to make sure he's taken care of." Raven muttered something about stretching their abilities and got an elbow in the side from Remus while Artimus said that it would be done.
"He's going to be testing some of the guards while he's here, including Ser Gilmore." Duncan chose this moment to speak up again.
"If I may," he said, "your children would also make excellent candidates."
"Excuse me," Bryce said, his tone had cooled and he moved in front of the triplets, "But these are my children we're talking about."
"Is there a reason we can't join father?" asked Remus.
"Yes, you did just agree that they were great warriors." Howe practically sneered.
"I am an old man and I would not willingly watch all of my children march off to war." He explained. "Pups, I need you to go find your brother Fergus, tell him to lead the troops to Ostagar ahead of me."
"Where will we find him father?" asked Artimus.
"Most likely up in his room saying goodbye to his wife and son." The triplet bid their father goodbye and left the room the way they entered. They made their way towards their living quarters. They'd just reached the top of the first incline when Ser Rory Gilmore caught up to them.
"Milords, Milady, your mother told me the Teyrn had summoned you, so I didn't want to interrupt," he called as he reached them.
"Hello to you to Ser Gilmore." Artimus smirked at him as he blushed, she so enjoyed making him blush.
"Ah, yes well, I need to borrow Remus, I fear your hound has the kitchens in uproar once again, Nans threatening to leave." He said trying to avoid looking at Artimus.
"Did my dog get into the larder again?" while their dogs were all similar, being siblings as well, there were thankfully differences to tell them apart. For one thing, Arrow was a girl, while Padfoot's fur was a couple of shades darker than the other two.
"No matter how the maids try to keep him out, he always finds a way in," Ser Gilmore said amused, "you know these mabari hounds, they listen only to their master. Anyone else risks having an arm bitten off."
"He knows better than to hurt anyone." Remus was a little offended on Padfoot's behalf.
"I'm not willing to test that," Ser Gilmore said shaking his head and waving his arms in front of him. "You three are quite lucky to have your own mabari war hounds you know. 'Smart enough not to talk' my father used to say. At any rate your mother would have me accompany you until the matter is settled." Remus looked at his brother and sister. Artimus gave an exasperated sigh.
"Fine, go and control your mutt," she huffed, ignoring Remus' squawk, "let's split up and meet back at the incline to our living quarters." Her brothers nodded so she spun on her heal and walked towards the library. Remus sighed and shooed Rory to lead the way. Raven was left on his own and decided to wander around, check on security and all that.
They met up about an hour later, Artimus was carrying a book from the library, Raven's pockets were a little bit fuller and Remus was covered in blood, as was his dog. His siblings stared at him.
"What the hell happened to you?" Raven blurted out.
"Oh, there were giant rats in the larder," he explained, "Ser Gilmore, Padfoot and I had to kill them all." They accepted that, but neither would let him touch them while he was covered in blood.
They headed up the incline talking about what Raven and Artimus had done while Remus saw to Padfoot. Artimus had popped in on Brother Aldous' afternoon lesson with the squires, their younger siblings and nephew had their lessons in the mornings. Raven had gone to the treasury and caught the guard's playing cards, he'd told them that he would forget about it once and they got back to their posts. They came across their mother who was talking to her friend Lady Landra and her son, Dairren, and her lady in waiting, Iona.
They stayed for a small chat and their guest left. They were just about to go find Fergus when their brought up sleeping arrangements.
"Dears, Oren will be staying with Oriana tonight and Landra and Iona will be sleeping in his and Mather's room. Dairren will be sleeping in yours and Elethea's room, Artimus. I was thinking that tonight, you three and Mather and Elethea could have a sleep over of sorts. We will all be leaving tomorrow and you can go back to your own rooms." The triplets grudgingly accepted this and left after telling their mother that they loved her. They had just entered their living quarters when they were being hugged by their younger siblings. They were scared; they could tell something was up in the castle.
"Listen, Elethia, Mather," said Artimus, "We have to give up our rooms for the night for our guests to use. Do you mind having a sleepover in Raven and Remus' room?" They smiled brightly and hugged them tighter. They weren't the most talkative kids in the world.
"Hey guys," said Raven, "do you want to come see Fergus with us?" they both nodded really fast and started pulling the triplets along.
They entered Fergus' room to see him having a family moment, only for Raven to ruin it.
"So should we wait outside until you finish?" He received an elbow in the side again, this time from Artimus.
"Don't worry about Fergus Oriana," Remus said confidently, "no Darkspawn could harm him."
"He is as human as the rest of us." She sighed.
"Father wants you to leave without him." Artimus cut to the chase.
"So the Arl's men are delayed," he said, "you'd think his men were all walking backwards. Well I'd better get underway. So many Darkspawn to behead, so little time." He turned to Oriana and gave her a kiss, not noticing Mather pretending to throw up or Raven high fiving him. "Off we go then, I'll see you soon my love." He told her.
"I would hope dear boy that you planned to wait for us before taking your leave." The triplets spun around at their father's voice.
"Be well my son," said their mother, I will pray for your safety every day you are gone."
"You could have delivered your message yourself father," Raven yelped when he got elbowed from both sides. He was so outnumbered it wasn't even fair.
"And miss the chance to have all of my family in one place at one time," their father laughed. Oriana said a prayer and Fergus cracked a joke and the convocation rapidly started degrading. Before long the triplets were being sent to bed. They took their younger siblings with them and waved goodbye. They stayed up until about an hour after sunset just talking, trying to reassure each other that their family would be fine. Eventually sleep caught up with them and Mather and Elethea fell asleep on the bed furthest from the door, while the triplets slept on the other bed and the three mabari's slept on the floor.
So tell me what you think. I hope I did ok. I'll try to update regulary, but I can't promise that I will.