All right. Here is another fic that I have begun writing. I think you'll figure out who the heroine is in the fic, lol. At any rate I dedicate this to her.

This fic is mostly humor/romance/adventure and while it follows the game at some points, there is a lot that is not game related at all. So you will be getting a lot of dialogue that is the characters taking over as well as the voices in my head. :P

As you all know by now, Bioware owns...but thank the Maker for fics, huh?

Prologue

Jinx slowed her horse down to a trot then pulled on the reins softly, willing it to stop. The white steed neighed softly and stood still as she gazed into the horizon, her brilliant green eyes scanning over the town of Highever ahead.

What she saw did not bode well with her and a hand of fear grasped her heart and squeezed it.

The banner flying over her home, Castle Cousland, was Howe's banner. A gasp of surprise followed her initial shock as she saw smoke coming up from the castle as well. Kicking the sides of her horse, she forced it into a gallop as she made her way directly to Highever and the castle, the steed's hooves pounding on the green grass before it.

Her parents had sent her away for the summer, on a trip to Orlais where she was to study its history and culture. Her father had wanted this, for she was now being schooled to become Teyrna of the castle, as her brother Fergus had no desire of taking his father's place. He was more inclined to continue his career as a warrior and had no interest in politics or securing the title himself.

Teryn Bryce Cousland respected his children's wishes, and thought it best that they should excel in what they were good at. In this case, his lovely eighteen-year-old daughter held an undying admiration and eagerness to learn more about politics and matters of the court. He also knew that she excelled in the art of persuasion and her coercion skills would put any bard to shame. She had no interest in becoming a warrior, though she did master the art of fighting with duel weapons and was quite skilled with a bow.

This was how Jinx had found herself being sent to Orlais and it was only the beginning. Upon her return to the castle, her father would probably send her packing to Antiva next.

Only now, as her horse galloped to the castle, she knew in her heart that that would probably not be the case.

She stopped some distance away, and ordered her horse to stay quietly. The castle loomed up ahead, and even though it seemed to be on fire, she could not hear any sounds of a battle taking place. Fear gripped her heart once again as she stealthily began to creep towards one of the castle's outer walls. She needed to find the door to the servant's exit that led into the larder. A lump formed in her throat as she thought about her father and mother. The rest of her family members were also present in her mind as she finally found the door that led to the larder.

Tiptoeing inside, she found herself in the tunnel that led to the food supply room and she nearly ran all the way to the door to let herself in.

She nearly screamed then. Lying directly in front of her were her parents, both dead. Her mother's green eyes were staring up at the ceiling, and she was still holding her dead father in her arms. In spite of trying to hold them back, she felt the tears start streaming down her cheeks.

There was a noise in the kitchen and she flattened herself against the wall, concealing herself behind some sacks of grain. A soldier came into the small room and helped himself to some food. He stopped for a few moments his eyes sweeping around the room and Jinx found herself holding her breath, her heart thumping wildly. The soldier turned and left the room, and started to talk to another soldier in the kitchen, but not before she had had the chance to see the insignia on his shield. It bore the Howe family crest.

"What do we do now?" One of the soldiers asked as Jinx clearly heard him sitting at the table and helping himself to some food.

"Now, we wait. Arl Howe is busy. He's in Denerim, waiting for Loghain to arrive."

"But I thought Loghain was in Denerim too? Where is he then?" The first soldier asked.

"You fool! I told you already that they are fighting the darkspawn at Ostagar! It doesn't matter. The Teyrn's son is there and should be dead by the time that battle is over anyway," the second soldier said in between chewing and swallowing food.

"What about the daughter?" Came the first soldier's next question.

"The arl has sent some men off to Orlais to find and kill her, in case she is still there. If she's back in Ferelden, then we'll get her here. She'll be dead soon enough."

"But why is Loghain fighting the darkspawn? Wouldn't it be easier to-"

"Why am I surrounded by idiots?" The soldier cried out in exasperation, pinching the bridge of his nose for a few seconds before he continued talking. "Loghain is going to desert the king, and blame everything on the grey wardens. He'll leave them all there to die. He won't want anyone surviving that battle."

"I still don't understand," said the first man.

"I didn't think you would," chuckled the second man. "This is why you are but a soldier and I am your commanding officer. Now finish eating and help me clear out the rest of the bodies."

At that moment, unable to contain her grief any longer, Jinx let out a low sob and the men stiffened. They turned to the small room and both made a run to it, catching a glimpse of a figure in silverite armor as it opened a trapdoor and flung itself inside.

"What was that?" The soldier exclaimed, the Sergeant beside him narrowing his eyes.

"That is probably the daughter! Get the rest of the men to follow her, she must be outside the castle already. Hurry, you fool!"

The soldier sprang into life, while the Sergeant disappeared into the trapdoor, chasing after Jinx.

As soon as Jinx reached the outer wall, she broke into a serious run, grateful that her horse was grazing not too far away. Reaching it, and not stopping, she used her momentum to jump right up to the saddle and urged it into a run, then a gallop. She heard the shouts and cries of Howe's men behind her and flattened herself on the saddle, keeping her head close to the horse's neck, urging it on. She smiled in spite of the seriousness of the situation because these men did not have any horses with them, and she knew that she would soon be far.

She had not counted on the archers.

The arrow pierced the horse's neck and it stumbled, falling dead on its feet.

Jinx found herself flying through the air in an arc, landing on the ground with a thud. Blackness descended on her.

Then she knew no more.

...