AN:

This story is one I uploaded a long time ago, and then it got lost and I just couldn't find it within me to continue it. But now we're back and I'm almost done with it so updates should come thick and fast! This is an OC story with cameos from original characters that may eventually expand further. Thanks for giving Lyonna a chance!

XoX

Prologue: The Other Sister

It was nearly the end of first watch; it had been an altogether quiet affair. The only sounds to be heard throughout camp were the merry crackle of the camp fire, the mabari's occasional whine, and Alistair's annoying pacing. Elissa was sat by the fire, working to repair her torn shirt and trying her best to ignore him. Standing watch with him was a rare event, since they were the only wardens in all of Ferelden and therefore the only ones able to sense darkspawn. She'd arranged this watch specifically to give him the opportunity to approach her with whatever was bothering him. He'd worn her patience this last few days; they couldn't afford him to have only half his mind on the job. If he didn't come out with it soon she was going to beat it out of him. She watched, out of the corner of her ice blue eyes, as he made to approach her only to turn around again.

"Maker's Breath, Alistair!" She huffed, throwing her shirt to the ground and flicking her ebony hair over her shoulder, "what's wrong?!"

He turned giving her his 'guilty school-boy' look and fixing his hazel eyes to the ground, "I... Have I told you how beautiful you are recently?"

"Yes." She smiled, "Now out with it."

He paused and ran his hand through his dirty blonde hair, "Well, do you remember my half-sister, Goldanna?"

"Oh, you mean the charming, red-headed, gold-digger in Denerim? Yes Alistair, I remember her... Wait you don't want to go back there, do you? 'Cause honestly, if you want to be shouted at and insulted that much you could always go share Morrigan's fire for a while..."

"No no, nothing like that, 'Liss." He replied with a nervous chuckle, "You see the truth is... Uh... She may not be my only relative..."

Elissa raised one long eyebrow at him as he sat beside her. Family was a big thing to Alistair, having never actually had one of his own. It was very strange of him to keep something like this from her. Her memory stubbornly dredged up the fact that he hadn't told her about is lineage in the first place until he absolutely had to.

'That's different' she told herself, 'He's still the only one who knows a Cousland survived...'

She sighed, "Why didn't you say something sooner?"

"Well, at first it was easier and much more likely we'd find Goldanna... Since I knew her name and where she lived... So I just thought we'd try her first... Then with the way she reacted, I just thought that... Well, I guess I was scared that..."

"Goldanna was a bitter shrew of a woman, Alistair." Elissa sighed gently, resting her head on his shoulder, "If this other relative is anything like you I'm sure they'll be delighted to have found you. Tell me what you know."

"Well I only know her name really. She's a few years younger than us so she'd be around sixteen. Oh, and I know she's a half-blood, her mother was an elven servant at the castle."

Elissa bit her lip, "so, we're looking for a young, female half-blood of noble descent..."

Elissa felt her mind start to work as she tried to gauge the best way of finding the girl. Zevran had once told her that the Antivan Crows purchased elves to be moulded into assassins because humans view elves as beautiful. As a noble, she knew this to be true. There had always been court gossip circling about some nobleman or woman bedding an elven servant. Still, half-bloods were notoriously difficult to carry to term, especially if the mother was elven. So she shouldn't be difficult to find and having Theirin blood should make it easier still.

"Her name, Alistair?" Elissa asked finally, drawing her companion out of his thoughts, "you didn't tell me her name?"

"Lyonna." He murmured with a smile, "Her name's Lyonna Surana."