Attack on the Couslands
Castle Cousland I always loved it here it was my home after all.
My name is Raziel Cousland but don't let the name fool you I'm no noble I gave that up the day I was blessed (or cursed) with magic I was always gonna be useless anyway my brother Fergus was first so he was always going to be tyern and I couldn't be married off like my sister Elissa.
"hey little bro hows the tower been?" my sister said as she ran up to me and ruffled my hair I always hated her calling me that I'm 22 for Andraste's sake! yea she was 20 minuets older but how is that important?
"fine hows knowing your gonna be sold to the next nobles son who gives dad some land?" She punched me playfully in the arm we were twins so we often tormented each other, we looked nothing alike though she had short (for a woman) blond hair I kept mine long (my friend Solona Amell said it suited me) and it was jet black, her eyes were emerald green, mine were a deep blue.
She was wearing Leather armour with a bow strapped to her back and twin daggers on her belt unlike Fergus she was a rouge I was just wearing Noble clothes I didn't like wearing my robes outside the circle to much attention.
"so whats new here" I asked her
"well a strange man came to talk to father and Howe"
"Redon Howe? " She nodded at my confused look
we decided to go and see them they were talking to a man I had never seen before he had dark skin and hair tied into a pony tail, he had a thick beard the he often stroked while talking he was wearing a type of medium armour light but protective.
"I'm sorry pups I didn't see you there" Dad smiled as he saw us "Howe you remember the twins?"
"I see they have both grown into a fine young man and woman pleased to see you again" Howe said I always was mistrustful of his tone it sounded like a viper or some kind of snake.
"pleasure to see you again Howe you will have to forgive my brother he's not very talkative" Elissa smiled at the noble
"I understand it must be the mage thing" Howe huffed
"a mage?" Duncan asked looking very interested in me
"yes i have magic don't start with the whole cursed by the maker crap bec.."
"you misunderstand I have the greatest respect for mages" Duncan inturupted me "they are powerful in both offence and defense any mage is welcome in the grey wardens"
"your a grey warden?" me and Elissa asked at the same time we used to finish each-others sentences when we were young old habits die hard I guess.
"yes he's looking for recruit's I believe he's got his eye on Ser Gilmore" Dad explained
"If I might be so bold I would suggest that your children are also both excellent Candidates" Duncan suggested
"honor tough that might be these are my children we are talking about. Dad snapped with a bit of venom he was always protective of us even when the Templar's took me away to the circle of magi he made the 3 of them scared as hell, Imagine that 1 man scared 3 Templar's!
after a lot of talking and arguing I didn't care about Dad asked us to find Fergus so we could give him a message.
As we walked along our squire Ser Gilmore arrived he mentioned something about my Mabari Baxter He was a gift from my parents when I completed my harrowing I had to leave him here the circle doesn't allow pets.
we found him in Nans kitchen larder he lept on me as we walked in knocking me to floor as he licked my face.
"yea Its good to see you to boy" I said as I scratched him behind his ears he kept barking and pointing to a hole
"I think he's trying to tell us something wait what was that?" Ser Gilmore asked as Giant rats crawled into the kitchen I froze them with a simple Frost spell I always had a talent for the primal school I was good with spirit and entropy spells as well but I was awful at creation I only barley scraped a pass and that was only because Solona let me copy her notes.
"Giant rats? Its like the start of every bad adventure tale my grandfather used to tell" Ser Gilmore complained as he wiped rat blood out of his ginger hair.
After a long boring talk with my mother we finally met Fergus out of all of us he had the most resemblance to our Father the same pale skin the same blueish grey eyes , the short brown hair (Dad's hair was grey but it was brown when he was young) He was saying good by to his wife Oriana she was kinda pretty but not really my type, Elissa loved her however, she was like the sister she never had.
"Is there really gonna be a war papa will you bring me back a sward" Oren asked I always think it's cute when he said words wrong.
"That's 'sword' Oren" Fergus corrected his son "and I will bring you back the Mightiest one I can find I promise" Fergus was wearing his battle armour It was a simple Iron Heavy chain-mail suit with a simple Iron Long sword on his belt, and an ash shield stamped with the Cousland crest.
"and here are my little brother and sister to see me off so dry your eyes love and I will beck within a month or two" Fergus cracked a smile at his wife
"you two are nauseating me" I Joked
"When there is a woman in your life Razeil you'll understand" He smiled at me
"no fewer than three if you please" I smiled
"bold words little brother I mean I real woman not a turn in the straw" He chuckled
"Fergus language" Oriana scolded her husband she was always a bit scrict with that stuff
"you like to play in the stable too uncle? I like to hide in the hay" Oren said to me he always called me uncle in the 7 years I have know him He has never used my name once
"Don't you listen to this if I catch you with your cloths full of straw again i'll send you to Mother Mallol"
"but mama she talks forever" Oren complained I had to admit I agreed with him but I never liked Mallol ever scince I discoverd my magic by freezing her plants she despised me calling me a monster I was 8 for crying out loud!
After we gave him the messege and we all had a rather nice talk me and Elissa went to our room.
"its really nice having you back here Raz" Elissa smiled at me as she removed her armour and changed into her nightgown.
"well the Circle gets boring plus the food all tastes like cold deepstalker" I joked as I took off my boots shirt and trousers, and put on my satin pajama shorts. yea they looked a bit odd on a guy as skinny as me but they were comfy.
after only a few hours of sleep we were awoken buy Baxter's barking
"Raziel shut him up" Elissa snapped disturbing my sisters sleep was probably the least intelligent thing in thedas .
"hey calm down boy" I said as I pated his head suddenly I heard a bang Elissa grabed the dagger she kept under her pillow,
"help the castle is under attack!" a servant yelled as he was shot in the neck with an arrow and died,
the man in leather armour shot at me but I deflected it with a magic barrier, before he could draw another shot I blasted him with lightning and set his friend on fire.
"darling are you and Elissa ok" Mother yelled as she ran out in studded leather with a long bow on her back
"im fine I took them out with my magic"I gasped
"Her scream woke me up did you see their shields?" I shoke my head "those are Howes me why would they attack us?" She half asked half snaped
"maby you could ask him yourself" I Joked I know it wasnt good timeing but It was how I dealt with issues
"did you see your Father he never came to bed" Mother looked very worried
"lets go and find him" Elissa suggested as she put on her leather armour and grabbed her bow and daggers
"wait Raziel you'll want these" She said as she passed me my robes and staff I slipped on my robes over my shorts and grabbed my staff It was good at amplifying my powers and it made a great blocking tool.
"we should check on the others" I said as I ran into Fergus's room but I gasped at what I saw
"NO my little Oren what manner of fiend slaughters Innocents?" Mother asked as she wept at the corpses of my sister-in-law and my nephew
"I'll paint these wall with their blood" Eliss snarled I normally hated my sister when she was like this she was so cruel but this time I agreed with her
"when I'm done with them they won't even be body's to clean up" I snarled as my hands became alive with blue arcane fire
"oh poor Fergus lets go I don't want to see this" mother said as she wept into her gloved hands.
we fought through our home Mom was splitting skulls with her bow Elissa was cutting out hearts left and right I was sending waves of fire ice Lightning and arcane energy everywhere and Baxter was really living up to his breed reputation he slew at least 6 men in the time it took Elissa to kill 3.
we arrived at the hall and our men were being slaughtered like nugs I sent a wave of magical force to knock Howes men down then I created a blizzard on the end of the hall shielding my Family and Ser Gilmore with an arcane Barrier when it passed I let it down so we could talk
"your ladyship, my lord, my lady thank the Maker you are all safe" Ser Gilmore gasped " I was sure Howes men had got through"
"they did!" Elissa hissed
"they killed Oriana and Oren" I explained
"go to the kitchen get out though the servants exit I last saw the teyrn there badly wounded"
"bless you Ser Gilmore Maker watch over you" Mom said to our squire and friend with tears in her eyes
"Maker watch over us all" He replyed as he ran to keep the door bolted I sealed it with some magic
"that should buy you some time" I gasped I haven't been a full grown mage for very long it would only last an hour at the most.
"thank you my lord now please go" Ser gilmore said as he pushed against the door
we ran into the kitchen and the larder to see Dad laying on the floor bleeding
"there you all are" Dad said with his teeth gritted
"Bryce!" Mom gasped
"I was wondering when you would get here" He moaned in pain
"maker's blood whats happening your bleeding" Elissa gasped
"Howe's men found me first" he coughed up blood "almost did me in right there" I placed my hand on his wounds and tried to heal him
"Raziel that won't do any good" He shaked his head at me
"then we will simply drag you out" Elissa snapped as here eyes started to water
"only if you're willing to leave pieces of me behind pup" he chuckled
"BRYCE this is no time for jokes!" Mom half snapped half cried
"we can flee together find you a real healer no offence Raz"
"none taken" I replied to my sister "I'm terrible at healing magic no point in denying it"
"the castle is surrounded I can not make it" he choked on his blood
"I am afraid the Tyern is correct they have not found us yet but they surround the castle getting past will be difficult" Duncan said as he walked in placing his sword on his back
After a long Debate we agreed to leave with Duncan and to become Grey Wardens Elissa took more convincing than me but she reluctantly agreed.
" goodbye darlings" mother said as she stood to defend her nearly dead husband
I heard a large crash they either had mages or catapults or both!
"they have broken through the gates we have to go now" Duncan said calmly but firmly he ran into the servants entrance Baxter ran in after him I followed dragging my sister with me.
As we got out we jumped into a carriage and rode off into the distance away from my home that was now bathed in flames.
Disclamer: I don't own dragon age Bioware does I wrote this for fun only.