A first chapter of what I hope to be a long story. It takes place in the Dragon Age universe and requires a basic knowledge of the setting to be understood. It is the human noble origin, male.
Taran Cousland was born into privilege and training few could ever dream of. His father, Bryce, Teyrn of Highever had power second only to the king and matched only by Logain Mac Tir, Teyrn of Gwaren. He was a well-trained but inexperienced scout with a mischievous side; he had picked the lock to the family treasury at the age of 12 and was found admiring the sets of armor from the conflict with the Orlesians.
Taran nonchalantly walked into the main foyer of the castle he had always called his home. Standing before him were 2 very familiar men and one he did not recognize.
"Ahh, here is my youngest now, Rendon." Bryce called out.
"You sent for me, rather, why did you send for me?" Taran said in his usual, casual manner.
"Not that I stand on principle too often, but we have an honored guest." His father said gesturing towards the third man who had approached, "This is the Grey Warden Duncan. Aldous did teach you about their order, right pup?"
"Yes he did, more or less he said it's your job to kill darkspawn. And that you are exceedingly good at it."
"Hmh, that we are, though I must say it is one thing I wish I had less practice in." Duncan replied with a little chuckle. Taran was glad to see his house guest had some sort of sense of humor.
"So, what would bring a Grey Warden here?" Taran said while pushing his unkempt, dark brown hair from his hazel eyes, dancing in the fire light.
"I am here to test Ser Gilmore, though I find myself considering you as a candidate as well."
"Duncan, I am already committing myself, my soldiers, and one of my sons to this war effort, I would prefer to ensure the safety of some of my family…though should you invoke the right of conscription, I will comply." Bryce interjected firmly but politely.
"No need to worry, while we need recruits, we have not reached the point where we will take them by force. I will retire to my quarters, farewell." With that, Duncan left the room.
"Bryce, my forces will be – delayed for a time. I am afraid you must send your soldiers on ahead with your other son." Arl Howe said after their guest had left.
"Pup, go tell your brother to take the army and go on ahead without me."
"Yes sir!" Taran said with mock enthusiasm and marched out of the room. He had already had the discussion with his parents about his being left behind while the army marched south to fight the growing darkspawn incursion. Any of his reasons for going were met with a staunch "No". He felt like they didn't trust him, or otherwise still considered him a child. While he was still prone to mischief, though this was largely through words and jokes as did his brother and father, this did not mean he wasn't intelligent and skilled enough to navigate a battlefield and they even knew that. Well, it did him no good to walk around pondering rationale he couldn't understand.
"Oh, good thing I found you. Your mother said that your hound is bugging Nan and she threatened to leave. We both know he'll only listen to you, anyone else might lose a hand." Said Ser Gilmore, slightly out of breath
They went and retrieved the hound which stopped Nan's incessant shrieking that echoed through the mostly empty castle; most of the soldiers were in the barracks waiting for the orders to march. Taran saw his mother in a small alcove talking with Lady Landra, a noble woman with a drinking habit, Dairren, a knight with whom Taran had been childhood friends, and a fair-haired elven girl with piercing light blue eyes.
"I see you have that troublemaking hound in hand. I trust Nan is back to work?" said Eleanor, Taran's noble, and independent mother.
"Yes, she's back to cooking as we speak. It's not like she would ever really leave."
"You remember Lady Landra, right Taran?"
"Ahh, yes, the lady who enjoys drinking too much and flirting with younger men, how could I forget?" Replied Taran candidly.
"I was hoping you would forget that like I did. Surely you remember Dairren as well?" the noblewoman replied, slightly embarrassed and trying to change the subject.
"Of course I do. It has been a few years, but I never forget a childhood friend."
"Last I remember we got into a wrestling match and you nearly broke my arm."
Turning his attention to the elf, Taran said while pushing his long hair out of his eyes "And who is this lovely lady?" The woman blushed and looked away
"Do say something Iona!" Landra responded
"Thank you, my lord, you flatter me." Iona breathed, still blushing.
"I daresay, they have taken quite a liking to each other, wouldn't you Eleanor?"
"Well, no wedding bells yet Landra. He doesn't take well to being set up either." The Teyrna replied, knowing all too well what her son might have planned.
"I think I will head to the guest room and unpack. I will see you at dinner Eleanor." Landra interjected and she began walking down the hall.
"I think I will head to the study." Dairren replied.
"I believe I will head there too." Iona tagged along.
After everyone had left and just Taran, his mother, and the mabari Aeron, the teyrna decided to speak, "Taran, where are you headed?"
"Right this second? Probably the study, eventually I need to find Fergus and tell him to march tonight without father."
"No doubt to speak more to that Iona girl." Eleanor predicted while rolling her eyes and shaking her head, "You are not thinking you can escape with the army, right?"
"We have already argued it. Father is hard enough to convince and I didn't win there, how could I possibly convince you?" Taran replied, knowing flattery would get him exactly nowhere. Truth is if he wanted to he probably could sneak out but to go unrecognized in the army would be very hard without being in full plate; Taran hated full plate.
"Does it never cease with you. An answer for everything, I swear." Eleanor said exasperated, "Fergus is in his room with his family." She suddenly became almost tearful, "We love you, dear, we just want to keep you safe for a little while longer."
"I love you too." He gave her a quick hug turned and walked away, turned right and headed straight for the study. Taran loved to joke, but his mother was being too sincere for him to desecrate the moment. He didn't like what they were doing, forbidding him from going to fight, but he understood why they did it. Taran headed into the study past his old school teacher Aldous who was lecturing two very bored young squires. Typically he would've enjoyed pestering the old man but his business was more…important.
Taran, with mock ignorance, "Ah, fancy finding you here Iona, I was hoping we could continue our, ahem, conversation." With an excess of politeness, "Would you be amenable to that?"
Iona replied almost too quickly, too eagerly, "Yes my lord. I would like that."
"Please, call me Taran. I have not seen many elven ladies-in-waiting." Taran wondered aloud.
"I am the only one I know of, my lo—Taran."
"Perhaps this conversation would go better if we were alone, and there was a change of scenery, perhaps the crisp dark of night?" Taran suggested through innuendo, eyes glittering bright with a slight smirk.
Iona smiled and blushed a bit, "I would like that. I will come to your room after everyone else has gone to bed. Would you be—amenable to that?"
"I'll see you tonight.
Taran, at last, headed to his brother's room. He walked in on a lovely family scene which was entirely too sappy.
Fergus, his brother, reassured his wife, "Dry your eyes my love and wish me well."
"Get a room." Taran replied, fully knowing the irony of saying this while in their room.
"When you have a woman in your life you might understand." Fergus postulated
"What? Like I haven't attracted my share of girls Fergus?" Taran replied with false defensiveness. While Oriana's, Fergus' antivan wife, went wide with shock that he would say something like that in front of a child.
"I mean a real woman, not a turn in the straw." Fergus smiled
"Will you two watch your language?" Oriana pleaded gesturing at Oren, her son.
Oren replied slowly as a child who hasn't quite mastered speech, "So you like to play in the stables too?"
"If I find you clothes full of hay, I'll send you off to Mother Maliol." Oriana chastised.
Taran, with comedic overreaction, "Ahhh, A fate worse than death." Taran had never agreed with the Chantry on essentially anything, especially when he knew they were prone to abuses of their power, especially the templars. "Well, enough jokes brother. Howe's men are delayed, so father wants you to march ahead tonight."
"What, are they crawling here?" Fergus joked, "Well, I should be off my love, so many darkspawn to kill, so little time." As he finished, the Teyrn and Teyrna both walked in.
"You weren't going to leave without saying goodbye, were you?" Bryce asked with a light disposition.
"May the maker watch over you, Fergus." Eleanor added
"A shield would actually help." Taran replied sarcastically.
"May the maker bring home our fathers, sons, and husbands." Oriana prayed
"And get some ale and wenches…for the men, of course." Fergus joked
"Fergus, does it never end with you? Even in front of you mother." Oriana exclaimed.
"Wats, a wench? Issat what you pull on ta get the bucket outta the well?" Oren interjected, youthfully ignorant
"A wench is a woman who serves ale in a tavern…or a woman who drinks too much ale." Bryce explained, continuing the string of jokes.
"Maker's breath, Oriana is right; it really never does end with you, all of you." Eleanor said exasperated.
"Hehe, I'll miss you dear mother. You will take care of her, Taran?" Fergus asked
"Like she needs protecting. Mother has always handled herself, who will protect me from her?" Taran replied, beginning the joking once again.
"Too true brother. They should send her to Ostagar. She would shame those darkspawn back to their holes." Fergus said lightly
"I'm glad you take this so lightly." The Teyrna replied
Bryce said, through a few chuckles, "Enough, enough. Pup, you should head to bed. You have a long day ahead of you."
Taran obliged and headed to his room. A few hours later he heard a knock on the door and he woke up with a smile.