Legacy
Author's Note: After reading other stories based on this game, I decided I would try my hand at one myself. I'm actually really excited, and I hope you enjoy! Welcome to my Dragon Age character's life. Beka Tabris, a city elf. It'll skip around a bit, but I'll always try to fill you in on what has happened. For this chapter I'm going to stick pretty close to the game so you can see where she came from/how she reacted.
This will be updated. Slowly.
Disclaimer: I don't own Dragon Age. I do, however, own Beka.
Warning: This is Dragon Age, people. What do you think is going to happen?
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And I'll survive, paranoid I will not! I will not bow, I will not break
I have lost the will to change
And I am not proud, cold blooded, fake
I will shut the world away
I will shut the world away
I will not fall, I will not fade
I will take your breath away
"Take another step,
human, and I guarantee it shall be your last.
My friends are dead and my life is in tatters
because of you and your kin. I have
nothing to lose, but you still possess
your other eye."
-Dragon Age: Origins Wiki
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It had been her mother Adaia who had given her the nickname Beka. Her father had been the one to name her Rebekah Tabris, as was the deal. It was Cyrion's right to name the child if it was a girl, and Adaia's if it was a boy. Adaia had found the name…nice. One day, when her father was out of the house, and six year old Rebekah was busy entertaining herself with a rag doll, Adaia had come around the corner to say, "See here, Rebekah, you're a girl but that doesn't mean you have to act like one. Come over here and I'll teach you something interesting. And I don't care what your father says - I'm only going to call you Beka from now on." Ever since then, Rebekah only answered to Beka.
This pleased her mother, to say the least.
And so her mother taught her about knife throwing and swordplay, and Beka found that she was very good at it. Adaia was thrilled, laughing when she caught her husband rolling his eyes whenever he stumbled upon the pair. However, the year Beka turned sixteen, humans killed her mother, and her training came to a halt. Her father's knowledge was limited to simple words, and he taught Beka all he could, but his skill with a sword was sorely lacking…
Her father was well off, for an elf living in the alienage, enough to find a good husband for his daughter. "I'm giving you the chance for a good life," he told her softly when he revealed to her his plans. "I love you, and I want what is best for you."
Beka had been upset at first – an arranged marriage! She had dreamed of a marriage like her parents. Cyrion and Adaia had loved each other so much, and her father mourned her loss even after all these years. Now she was nineteen and facing an arranged marriage, and though she understood that her father was just trying to give her a good start in life, she couldn't help but feel a little upset. At least she wasn't alone, Beka figured, as she would have her cousin Soris with her.
She dreamed of her mother the night before, and when she woke to Shianni insisting she wake up now, all Beka wanted was to fall back asleep.
"Come on, cousin of mine. We only let you sleep in only because you deserved it."
"A little longer," Beka mumbled, pulling the blanket up over her head.
"Come on," Shianni said again. "You do remember what today is, right?"
Beka paused, wondering whether or not to answer that or not. Of course she remembered – how in the hell could she forget? "Let me guess? Your birthday." she answered, just to annoy her.
Shianni snorted. "No, you idiot; it's your wedding." The red head ripped the blankets off her darker haired cousin, ignoring Beka's shouts of protest. "Your fiancé has arrived early, so get up and get ready. Your father is waiting for you."
Beka sighed and lifted the pillow from her head so she could peek out. Shianni was smiling, and Beka tried to find it in herself to smile back with just as much happiness.
"I guess I have no choice in the matter," Beka groaned and sat up, brushing back her hair.
"That's…one way to look at it," Shianni said with a laugh, already opening the footlocker by her bed. She took out the wedding clothes that Beka had stuffed into the bottom of the trunk the minute she gotten them, shaking out the wrinkles before tossing it over Beka's head. "Here - hurry okay?"
Beka scowled at her wedding attire. The dress was probably the cleanest thing she owned, pure white, sheer in the sleeves with delicate lace at the bottom. Her father had been saving up to buy her something suitable to wear if the situation ever presented itself for quite awhile. Beka had been touched, but looking at it now just made her sick. Swallowing hard, Beka stood to change, slipping the fabric over her head and marveling at how soft it was. Once dressed, she stood in front of her footlocker and ran her hands over her stomach, smoothing out the front of the dress, and gazed down at herself. She had never would have thought to buy herself something like this. Beka had the right body for it, of course, with long legs and a slim waist, but the fabric itself looked expensive. She cast a glance over her shoulder to where she knew her father was waiting for her in the other room and bit her lip.
Father, she thought. You've done so much for me. What have I done in return?
Shaking herself from her gloomy mood – a bride isn't suppose to be sad on her wedding day – she brushed out her long hair and tied it back. Before she left her room, she knelt to retrieve a poultice from her footlocker. She never left home without one on her person, a lesson that had been drilled into her by her mother. She went to see her father then, worrying on the inside of her lip. Twisting her hands together, she approached her father slowly, refusing to meet his eyes.
"My little girl," Cyrion said in greeting. "This will be the last day I will have a chance to call you that. You look beautiful; I wish your mother could see you."
"I miss her."
"As do I, Beka, as do I. Anyway," Cyrion quickly changed the subject, and it hurt Beka to know that her father still couldn't talk about Adaia. "You have a lot to do before the ceremony. Go find Soris, and he'll introduce you to your fiancé. I'll see you later, Beka."
Beka smiled and stood up on tiptoes to press a kiss against her father's cheek. She turned to leave when a hand on her shoulder made her pause.
"And before I forget," her father frowned. "Don't mention the knife-work your mother taught you."
Beka's face fell. "I take it you didn't tell him?" How am I supposed to live with him if he doesn't know who I am?
"I thought it would be best. I don't think I would have found somebody if I had mentioned it."
Beka pursed her lips and nodded, leaving the house as quickly as possible.
The entire alienage seemed to have gathered for the celebration, and Beka took in the drinking elves with a slight smile on her face. At least people were enjoying themselves, she figured. Setting off at a trot, Beka made her way down the street past singing elves and barking dogs. This was Beka's home, and it was the only life she had ever known. Outside of these walls, Denerim was just as busy, if not more, and Beka didn't think she could ever survive outside of a city. Cities were always so busy and full of life, and Beka liked sitting back and watching people. Beka didn't do well with the quiet.
"Beka! Come to enjoy the last minutes of our independence together?"
Beka whirled to face Soris, her cousin and partner in crime, and laughed. "Getting cold feet, are we?"
"Who wouldn't? I hear your betrothed is great, while mine is…" Soris trailed off, frowning heavily. Beka nudged him in the side with her hip.
"I'm sure she's just fine," Beka cooed, patting his hand. He looked down at her, still frowning, so Beka nudged him again, harder this time. "Oh stop being such a baby," Beka continued. "She can't be too bad. Father isn't about to match you up with some old crone."
"So says the women whose getting married to somebody handsome."
"Well," Beka said slowly, her lips twitching up in a teasing smirk. "If you're so put out with your fiancé, we could switch." She laughed loudly at Soris's blush. She let him splutter a bit. "I'm kidding Soris. C'mon, let's go meet them."
The meeting went off without a hitch, if you chose to ignore the three human noblemen – Vaughan, the Arl's son and some of his friends - who had suddenly appeared, thinking they could man-handle the women. Beka had watched with a grimace as Shianni dug herself into an even deeper hold, and before she could stop herself, she found herself saying, "Perhaps his father should have taught him better manners. Now get out." Soris had groaned. Beka had groaned.
Beka hated nobles.
At least Valora and Nelaros were pleasing enough to look at. Beka couldn't quite see why Soris was so against marrying the elven women. The more she thought about it, the more she was beginning to like settling down, even if it was an arranged marriage. It was a chance to have a peaceful life – Beka dreamed about being a mother like Adaia. She could leave behind the life of the rogue that her mother wanted her to pursue and start a family. Beka was feeling quite happy once her betrothed left them, and she couldn't even find it in herself to dismiss the Grey Warden that Soris seemed so worried about.
She was even smiling when she took her place beside Nelaros as the wedding ceremony began. At least until Vaughan returned.
And she woke up in the Castle of Denerim.
xxx
Author's Note: x-x
If there are mistakes, opps!