She could smell smoke. The air was thick with it, as well as the smells of death, so strong it made her want to retch. The world around her was a blur of stone and fire and a red-tinted smoke-clouded sky. The place was unfamiliar and yet suddenly present at the same time.
She felt a tugging at her mind, drawing her gaze forward. A great shadow loomed ahead with two raging orange-purple fires for eyes. It was surrounded by armed and armored men who rushed to strike it, yet the shadow roiled and batted them away as they came. She knew her duty, even as a deep primal fear told her to flee.
She cast one more glance about her, catching a glimpse of gilded armor and blonde hair, fighting it's own lesser shadows, yet reassuring her at the same time. 'He can handle himself.' Turning toward the great shadow again, she pulled a Greatsword from a corpse in front of her, the handle familiar yet foreign at the same time.
Her fear locked behind bars of steel, she issued a cry and charged the looming shadow, words she had never heard and yet felt so familiar to her echoed in her mind. 'In War; Victory' and then reality seemed to fade around her.
Alora
"Cousin"
"Wake up, Cousin! Why are you-" That was all the more the red-haired elf managed before Alora's eyes snapped open and she sat up like she was shot from a ballista. Or rather, attempted to sit up, as her head intercepted the one leaning a foot over her own with a crack, and she was lying down once more, rather more dazed than she had been a bare moment prior.
"Ow! ow! Ow!" came rather dazed words from the floor of her small room. Alora shook her aching head and grasped it. After a moment she managed to roll over to the sight of her cousin lying down in a rather less than intentional position on the floor, grasping her own head.
"Sh- Shianni?" Alora managed, "Oh, I'm so sorry Shianni." She said as she managed to slip unsteadily off her bed and on to her feet. She nearly fell as she put an arm beneath her cousin's shoulder and helped her rise to her own feet.
"What are you doing in my room?" Alora inquired as the other elf swayed rather too unsteadily for just the smack on the head
"I begged your father to let me share the good news with you, but I might have been a tiny bit more careful had I know you were going to beat me up over it." the swaying elf woman replied with a slightly bubbly giggle before taking in Alora's rather confused face. "You do remember what today is, don't you, Cousin?" Alora's nose wrinkled slightly as Shianni spoke, taking in the smell of some kind of liquor.
"Well, your breath says it is 'get drunk before noon' day." Alora replied with a slightly mischievous grin, rubbing her recovering forehead. That reply seemed to vex Shianni a litte, thinning her own smile as she replied, "No you idiot. You're getting married today! And Soris too!" Her smile and cheerfulness returned in full force as she continued, "That's what I came to tell you! Your groom, Nelaros… He's here early!"
Alora's own minor bout of mirth fled from her and her smile turned into a grimace at Shianni's words, "I still don't like the idea of this arranged match business." replied the dark haired young woman as she crossed the small room to her dresser, drawing forth her usual attire of dark brown leggings and a short sleeved tunic, in a dark green coloration.
"And who else are you going to marry? Besides, I already snuck a peek... he's handsome!" "I heard he was a smith apprentice in Highever…" she continued, "And he is built well enough for it to be true!" she said giddy with more second hand excitement then there was first hand excitement to go around. Shianni slid over beside Alora as she pulled the clothes on over her small clothes.
"I hope you aren't going to wear that to the wedding? I spent all this time picking out a dress for you and everything." She said, pointing to the pure white garment folded neatly on a chair by the small room's door. Alora spared a glance at it with a sigh before replying, "Don't worry Shianni, I'll come back and put it on before the ceremony. Just let me enjoy my last few hours of freedom… Then again, I might still be able to escape." she replied, her smile returning at the thought.
Shianni slapped her arm playfully and replied, "Don't you even think about it. There's going to be music, decorations, feasting… you wouldn't want to waste so many people's hard work would you?" The slightly younger woman continued on with barely contained enthusiasm, "Weddings are so much fun! You're so lucky!"
Alora continued to smile at the slightly tipsy display, "Maybe you should be the one getting married Shianni. You're of age."
"All in good time, Cousin. This is your big day, not mine!" Shianni countered, though she seemed to positively beam at the thought. "All right, all right, I'll stop tormenting you. I should go talk to the other bridesmaids and get my own dress." she finished, heading for the door as Alora sat on the bed to pull on her supple leather boots.
As soon as the door had closed she slid a hand under her bed cushions and drew forth the small dagger her mother had given her on her fourteenth nameday. She took a moment to examine it, proud that she had kept it sharp and clear of rust, she slid it into its sheath and then further into the inside of her right boot. Cyrion didn't approve of her keeping weapons in the house, let alone on her person. It was technically legal for an elf to bear a blade in Ferelden, but such activities were still dangerous in the presence of humans. Still, her mother had taught her how to conceal it well enough.
Alora felt the strings of melancholy pulling at her again and banished the thoughts of her mother from her mind, else she would do nothing at all today until her father fetched her for the wedding.
Getting up from her bed, she made for the door to her room and stepped out into the common area of the small house her family owned in the Denerim alienage.
It was a larger room, three other doors lined its perimeter, one to the outside, one to Cyrion's bedroom, and the last to a small larder. A fire burned low across from her, near the dining table. A large pile of suitable logs were stacked a short distance away. Ferelden always had cold winters, and though it was near the end of spring, enough wood for a week was always kept, just in case. A curtain shrouded a small indentation in the wall where a tub was housed for bathing, and the chamber pot was kept. For an elven family, they had always been well off.
Her father was waiting for her at the door as she approached, "Ah, my little girl." He said his voice warm and slightly choked as he wrapped her in an embrace. "It's… the last day I'll be able to call you that." He said. Alora could just barely detect the shimmer of tears withheld in his eyes by the rippling light of the fire. He released her and she returned his smile. "Oh, how I wish your mother could have been here!"
Alora's smile turned a bit sad at his words and she replied, "Me too father. What should I be doing until the wedding starts?"
"Well, first you could put on your wedding dress…" he replied giving her a stern expression that was ruined by the tug of a smile at the corner of his mouth. "But I know how much you hate dresses. You can come back for that after you have tracked down Soris. Shianni will be bringing the rest of the wedding party here shortly,and I am sure your new husband would appreciate having this started as soon as possible." as an afterthought, he added with a knowing smile, "And the sooner the wedding starts, the less chance you two have to escape."
Alora's own smile grew wider at that and she countered, "A small chance, is still a chance, Father."
Cyrion gave a small chuckle, "You still have your mother's smart mouth, I see." His expression turned somewhat stern for a moment as he added, "Oh, one last thing before you go, my dear. Your martial training… the swordplay, knives and whatever else your mother trained you in? Best not to mention it to your betrothed."
Alora cocked her head slightly and responded, "I take it you didn't say anything then?"
Cyrion's face became somewhat resigned as he said, "Well it isn't something that would have made it easier to find a match for you. We don't want to seem like a family of troublemakers, after all." His voice turned somber as he finished, "Adaia made that mistake."
She had, as far as Alora knew. Her mother had gone out to do some small mercenary work a few years prior, the source of her family's slightly more prosperous than usual nature. She had been mistaken for a thief or rogue by the shem guards, and killed without so much as drawing a blade upon her return.
"Mother was a great warrior." Alora stated quietly, dragged down somewhat by the memory.
"Yes. That she was." Cyrion said sadly. Seeming conflicted for a moment, he turned to a shelf beside him and drew a worn pair of leather boots from it.
"Here, take these." he said, proffering them to Alora. "Your mother would have wanted you to have them, and they are the very least I can give you as you start your new life."
Alora examined the boots in her hands, they were heavier than they looked. They were a light grey in color and would be nearly knee high, A second section seemingly attached to the main boot encircled it from slightly higher than where the foot would bend to just above the lip at the knee. She noted that there were some small lines across the front of one such section as she moved them in the firelight.
"Bronto leather, from what your mother told me." Cyrion stated as he watched her examine the boot. "The dwarves know how to treat it so that it is hard as the stone they live in and still as flexible as normal leather. Your mother said they saved one of her legs from an axe in the rebellion." he finished.
"Go ahead, try them on." Alora drew off her left boot and placed her foot in the correct bronto leather boot. It was a perfect fit. "Go on, both of them." She cast a wary glance back at Cyrion who held a knowing look upon his face and seemed to once again be fighting the urge to smile.
With a sigh she drew the dagger out of her right boot, ignoring Cyrion's chuckle, as she put on the other boot her mother had once worn, and examined them further. Each had several normal leather belts and buckles to tighten the boot to the wearer's calf, as well as a seemingly useless section of belt and buckle on the outside, just below the top of the boot.
She was about to ask Cyrion about them when he gently took the dagger from where she had placed it upon the table and undid one of the buckles, sliding the dagger's sheath into her right boot. He slid the belt loop of the sheath through the now not so superfluous seeming section of belt and redid the strap.
"There, that should keep your dagger from getting lost in your boot." He said as he stood up, letting his faint smile shine through for a moment.
"I hope you never have the need for their protection, or have need to use that dagger of yours, but we live in a dangerous world, and we don't always get what we want." he said as she stood back up, her tunic just gracing the tops of the boots, concealing the now slightly more obvious dagger on her person.
"Thank you, Father," she said wrapping him in an embrace once more. He sniffed lightly and smiled, tears once again shining in the corners of his eyes. "Go on, I still have some things to finish and Soris is no doubt trying to escape with every moment we give him." he said, releasing her and walking towards his room.
She cast one last look about the house, taking in the fireplace, the common area, the door to her room and finally turned to face the door to the Alienage's streets.
==X==
The sun was warm on her face as she stepped out onto the cobblestone street, she breathed deeply the smell of the fresh spring air for a moment, before the wind shifted and instead carried all the smells of a city and celebration to her.
She could hear the sounds of merrymaking from the main square as she started a slow walk in that direction.
Denerim's alienage was crowded, but not nearly as much so as others, from what she had heard. A large space had been re-designated for it under the old king Maric, around the time she was born, from what Cyrion had told her. Things had been fine for the elves under his rule, few and far between had been the drunken shems allowed into the alienage to steal from or harass her people.
She was drawn from her musings by a party of several quite drunken young elves singing a rather bawdy tune stumbling down the street. As she moved to pass, one slurred at her," Well hello. Aren't you a sight for sore eyes" She gave him a half smile as her nose recoiled somewhat from the smell of ale wafting off of him.
"Glad to see you're celebrating!" She replied as she continued to walk down the street, none of the young elves moving to follow. "It's a wedding isn't it?" one said loudly to his compatriots who cheered at the response and returned to their upraised tankards, before Alora rounded a corner and passed mercifully from hearing.
She walked on for a few more minutes, passing several more crowds and ramshackle houses before finally arriving at the Vehendal tree. A large gathering of elves were dancing on the wedding stage as several more played music from below, on whatever instruments they happened to have.
Several elves offered congratulations as she passed, heading for Alarith's store. Soris probably wasn't there, but Alarith was one of the people she deemed most likely to know where he was.
As she neared the only store in the square however, she caught sight of Nessa, another young elven woman, helping her parents load a cart.
They lived here in the square, right next door to Alarith's small shop, in a building owned by a human landlord. Not the most stable of arrangements for an elf to have, and Alora had several suspicions when she saw Nessa's mother return from the building carrying a large cloth sack which was placed promptly in the small wheeled cart.
She slowed as she neared and called a soft greeting to Nessa's father. The white haired man turned his head and replied, "Many blessings, young one. We had hoped to stay for the celebrations but we must be off."
Her suspicions deepening further Alora asked, "Why? What's happened?"
"The human who owns our building has decided to lease it as storage space. We can't afford to live anywhere else here, so we are leaving Denerim." The old man replied somewhat wistfully. Anyone could tell the shem landlord that leasing a building in the alienage as storage space was begging for the goods stored within to be stolen.
"Where are you going?" Alora questioned with a grimace. It was Nessa who replied before her father could speak.
"We are going to the Ostagar ruins. The army camp there is calling for laborers." she said. Alora detected more than a note of apprehension in the golden haired young woman's voice.
As her daughter finished, Nessa's mother added, "We wanted to look for work in Highever…" before her husband cut her off with a rough, "But that's just not possible."
Alora, mildly confused as to why they would choose to go to an army camp rather than the relative safety of another alienage asked," Why not?"
"Moving to a different alienage isn't easy. Travel, and the bribes to get in, cost money. Money we just don't have. And humans are a suspiciosus lot, I've heard the ones in Highever are even worse than here." The man finished, his voice turning harder, though with anger at being interrupted, questioned, or the way the humans treated elves, Alora wasn't certain.
"You could stay at our place for a while." Alora suggested, though she knew such a state wouldn't be ideal. The Tabris family had a nice home, for Elves, but it was hardly big enough for six people and two families.
The white haired elf seemed to share her concerns as he replied with incredulity, "All three of us in a house that small with your father, you, and your new husband? Are you crazy?" before he could say more his wife stepped slightly in front of him and corrected, "What my husband means is, you're very generous, but… we don't need charity to solve our problems."
'Ah so it's pride then.' Alora thought, annoyed, as she moved to walk past them, "Perhaps you should let others help you when you need it. Farewell."
She caught Nessa's father mutter, "Farewell indeed." under his breath as she passed the group.
She had gone a bare handful of steps when she heard someone moving to follow her and a soft, "Wait." She turned back to see Nessa approaching alone, her parents returned to their labors. "Can I talk to you for a moment?" the golden haired woman asked softly
"Of course, Nessa." Alora replied just as softly as she returned her attention to the young woman
"I apologize for my parents. They're too proud to accept help, much less ask for it." She continued quietly, casting a brief glance back to make sure her parents were truly distracted.
"My parents will labor in the army camp, and they'll expect me to do the same but…" that hint of apprehension had returned to her voice as she continued, "I don't like the idea of being surrounded by human soldiers who haven't seen a woman in months." Her voice was almost shaking in fear as she finished the last sentence, the implications obvious to both women.
"How can I help?" Alora said after a few moments of thought. The most likely avenue would be to simply provide enough coin for the family to stay in Denerim for a while, but Alora had little more than a few coppers to spare, and Cyrion had likely spent a good deal helping the Alienage's elder, Valendrian, arranging the weddings.
Nessa's thoughts seemed to echo her own as she said, "I don't imagine anybody would have the money to spare, but if we could get another three silvers we could find a place here for a while. If we could get another ten we could make it into Highever, and with fifty we could likely buy our own place here, perhaps large enough to even set up a shop in…" The young woman's thoughts trailed off at the fantasy both women could see in that last hope.
Alora stared at the ground by her boots, lost in thought. 'I don't think anyone in the alienage has that many silvers to spare. If we pooled our spare coin surely, but that would just give the old man's pride an even greater reason to refuse and march on to Ostagar.' She was drawn from her thoughts by a call from Nessa's father. "Come, Nessa. We are leaving!"
"Just a moment, Father." She called back, a look of desperation creeping into her eyes. A gust of wind lifted Alora's tunc slightly as she spared the ground one last moment of her time and her eyes slipped to the pommel of the now less than concealed dagger in her boot. A wrenching feeling took place in her gut as another thought occurred to her. 'Can I really do that?' She thought.
"Nessa!" The white haired elf called, more insistently. Alora looked back up and saw the young woman's pleading eyes and made an extremely difficult choice.
"One moment please, Hahren!" Alora called over Nessa's shoulder, stunning the elder elf for a moment with the honorific, elves were rarely formal in the alienage and Hahren, while technically meaning "elder", was also the title of a leader of the alienage. After a moment of thought the old man nodded his acquiescence and Alora turned back to Nessa.
"I can't help your family get to a safe place, but…" She said as Nessa's head started to drop, drawing her gaze back up with a hand. "Kneel with me for a moment please, Nessa." Alora said, as her legs moved along the proscribed course, Nessa following suit a hesitant moment later.
Alora cast a quick glance to the sides and behind her, but no one was paying the two elf women much attention with several more lively ones and their partners up on the stage dancing, and with ale flowing more freely than it did on almost any other occasion in the alienage.
She quickly swiped the base of her tunic aside and undid the side buckle on her right boot, drawing forth what was formerly her mother's dagger in its sheath.
Nessa gasped lightly at the sight of the weapon and attempted to back away slightly, but Alora's free hand grasped her shoulder and held her firm. "I can't get your family to safety Nessa, but I can let you take a little safety with you." Alora stated, the twisting in her gut continuing as she let her body cast a hard gaze into the slightly younger woman's eyes.
"But… I … I don't know how to use it!" The other woman exclaimed softly, nervously glancing around to make sure no one was watching.
"It's fairly simple, you take the end that is sharp, and you stick it into the human that is lacking in manners." Alora said in a hard voice, harder than she had meant to, but the subject was rather close to home for her.
"This is strictly a last resort, if you hurt or kill someone with it, and are caught, you can bet that the guards, or whoever is keeping order, will kill you too..." She continued, but finished softly, "but sometimes, death isn't the worst thing that can happen to a person, Nessa." The younger woman looked up at her then and back down to the dagger before tentatively reaching out and taking it from her.
Alora guided Nessa's hands to the leather travel boots she wore, and slid the dagger's sheath inside, concealing all but the grip and belt loop from view.
Alora grabbed Nessa gently by the arms and helped her to her feet. "If your parents ask what that was about, just say I was giving you a blessing or something." Alora said as she turned away, just barely catching a whispered, "I think you did." from behind her.
==X==
Alarith's store was set up in one of the larger buildings, and it wasn't in near as poor a condition as many of the others in the alienage. The inside was large enough to even warrant a timber beam to reinforce the ceiling. Ropes had been tied around it and used to hang all manner of goods. from bird cages, to dried meats, herbs, spices and Maker knew what else. There were a few oil lanterns dangling from them as well, to provide a measure of light to the large room.
Alora approached Alarith, who was standing faithfully as ever at his counter. "What are you doing here?" Alarith called in a jokingly reproachful voice as she neared," You should be getting ready for the wedding!"
Alora offered him a smile as she leaned on his counter and was quickly shooed back by the protective shopkeeper, his own face turning into a smile as well. "I am, Alarith. I'm looking for the groom of the other bride, I figured you might have heard of any escape plans." she said, only half-jokingly.
"Yeah, I think I saw Soris around an hour ago, said he forgot something at his house, I think, and that you should meet him there." The shopkeeper informed her, casting a glance at something over her shoulder.
"Thanks Alarith, you will be attending the wedding, right?"
"Of course I'll be there. Now shoo!" The man said mirthfully.
Alora turned and made her way to the door, but as she was approaching it she was waylaid by an older couple.
"Excuse us a moment, dear. we wanted to say hello to the lucky bride." the woman said conspiratorially as she drew Alora a few steps away from the door.
"Now love..." The man began, "She probably doesn't remember us." They did seem familiar, now that Alora thought about it, but she couldn't quite place their faces.
"Oh, of course." The woman said after a brief nod of acknowledgment to her husband. "I'm Dilwyn" the woman identified herself," and this is Gethon" she said introducing the man who was presumably her husband. "We were friends of your mother's. We haven't seen much of you since before she… well…"
"What can you tell me of her?" Alora asked quietly, she had been nearly sixteen at the time of her mother's passing, she liked to think she had known her fairly well, But her father rarely spoke of her anymore, and Alora didn't want to bring that grief back into his voice.
"Your father still doesn't speak of her, does he?" The elf named Gethon said softly, as if reading her thoughts.
Dilwyn gave him a slight shove and said, "Adaia was beautiful and full of life. And a bit wild" she said the last with a knowing smile, as if sensing that Alora too was a bit more than an obedient lady.
Gethon cut back in saying, "She wanted you more than anything, it is sad that she never got to see you all grown up, and on the verge of marriage."
Dilwyn took the brief silence after Gethon's statement as her cue to take up the conversation saying, "We just wanted to see you today and express our good wishes." it seemed as if there was a hint of a tears in her eye as she said it.
"Thank you." Alora replied. It seemed inadequate to her after what they had said, but it was the only words that came to mind.
"It means the world for us to see you happy." Dilwyn said before letting her husband take over once more.
"We've saved a bit of money for this day. We'd… We'd like you to have it to help start your new life." Gethon said hesitantly, before offering her a small coin purse.
"That's… very generous of you" Alora said as she took the small bag into her own hands, feeling a surprising weight in it. Even if it was just coppers, from what they said and the weight, it was likely enough to rent a house of her own for her new family.
"Maker, Bless you." Gethon finished before the older couple passed out the door and back into the celebrations.
After the door had closed she pulled on the string of the purse and was startled to find that not only was the entirety of the purse silvers, but that there were easily a dozen in the small bag.
'With another ten silvers we could make it into Highever' The memory raced through Alora's mind, and her body was out the door and traveling towards the gate to the market district at a swift jog before she had even fully placed the thought.
After a few more strides she reasoned that Soris's house was in this direction anyway, so there was no point in not trying to catch Nessa's family before they left the alienage. If they made it out the gates she wouldn't be able to help them. She could only go so far, the wedding was set to start in only a little more than an hour, she judged the placement of the sun, and as much as she loved the talk of escape, The alienage was her home.
==X==
As she arrived at the gate she gave up hope. The gate was firmly closed and she hadn't encountered the family on her path through the city, turning at least a few heads as she went.
As she admitted defeat and turned back to walk the short distance to Soris's home she came face to face with the meanest person in the alienage
"So you get yourself a big handsome hulk of a husband and you think you can just run up and down the streets like a child now do you?" Elva said in her haughty tones.
Her face was drawn back with age giving her a permanent scowl, her shoulder length reddish-grey hair unkempt. "Excuse me if I don't congratulate you" she continued with a sneer, exposing rotting teeth.
"I'm sorry, Is something wrong?" Alora replied as kindly as she could. The drunken beggar woman was always on the edge of doing something drastic, and even though Alora was confident she could take her if it came to it, she still felt a small spring of pity for the older woman.
"Don't act like you care!" The old woman best described as a hag replied viciously, "Your father has the money to get you a great match. Meanwhile, what did I get?" She replied, slipping into a more self pitying tone. "A fat old man who smells like the docks and wouldn't know what to do with a woman even if he was sober."
Losing the small strand of pity she had for Elva for a moment, Alora replied in clipped tones," And what, exactly, does that have to do with me?"
The old woman dangerously, for herself, shoved a finger into Alora's sternum " You think you're better than me! You're not!" she shouted, Alora in danger of gagging on her putrid breath.
She backed off a few steps and drew herself up as if to stand proudly, the effect ruined somewhat by the other, less than proud, aspects of her appearance. "I may have got a poor match, but at least I have some dignity, Wench!" She said vehemently before leaving in a huff.
It was only after her departure than Alora noticed the boy of about twelve years, by her guess, that had formerly been watching nearby, "Hey," He called, "You're gonna be late for your own wedding!"
"Don't worry," Alora shot back as she started taking a more sedate pace to Soris's home, "They won't start without me."
"What if you're wrong?" The boy replied laughing, "How terrible that would be." He continued as he devolved into an even stronger fit of laughter.
Alora passed from earshot of whatever Elva's boy might have said next, taking a side street and walking a bare few minutes more until finding Soris waiting patiently, leaning against a beam in front of his home with a bottle in hand.
"Well if it isn't my lucky cousin." he stated clearly. 'ah, so he hasn't gotten into it yet.' "care to celebrate the end of our independence together?" he said, uncorking the bottle and offering it to her. Alora shook her head and he replied," Well then, more for me!" before taking a hefty swig from whatever spirits the bottle contained.
After the bottle came down, and he was debilitated by a brief coughing fit, Alora took the container from his hands and poured the remainder on the ground with a small smile.
"Hey! What did you do that for!" Her other cousin exclaimed, finally done coughing and attempting to wipe tears from his eyes.
"As much as you need drink to help with your unfortunate personality, Cousin, It would probably be best if when you kiss the bride your breath doesn't smell like it came from a dragon." She said with a laugh
"Yeah well, apparently your groom is a dream come true. A smith's apprentice, and built like one of the Dalish gods. My bride sounds like a dying mouse." Soris replied, a nervous smile playing at his own lips now.
"Now, now, Soris." she said, patting him consolingly on the back as they started the walk back towards the Vhenadahl tree. "I bet she's really nice."
"Great. I'll spend fifty years with a nice girl who hides grain away for the winter…" He said as they walked, "Let's go introduce you to your dreamy betrothed before you say 'I do.'."
They walked in silence for a few minutes before Soris questioned," So… nervous?"
"Somewhat, It's just surprising, you know?" Alora replied.
Originally this had been only Soris's wedding day, her own set for several weeks distant, but Cyrion had informed her a few days prior that plans had been changed and they would both be married on the same day.
Echoing her own thoughts Soris replied, "One minute, it's a simple ceremony. The next, it is a double wedding spectacle..." He lapsed into silence for a few moments as they finally entered the plaza. "Well, let's get this over with." He said, seemingly resigned to his fate.
As they were about to round the Vhenadahl they were intercepted by a tan-skinned elf who grasped Sorris by the forearm saying, "There's the man of the hour! How are you, Soris?
"I'm well, Taeodor." Soris replied a tad more cheerfully than he had been previously, before waving an arm in her direction, "This is my cousin Alora, the bride... The other bride that is, not my bride!" He hurriedly specified, his tongue no doubt hobbled somewhat by his earlier indulgence.
"We've met on occasion." The tan elf said as Alora finally placed his face, "Blessings on the day, both of you." He intoned. Drawing a mischievous smile to Alora's features.
"Poor Soris isn't feeling very blessed today." She said, grin growing even farther.
"True enough," her very slightly inebriated cousin said, "Still, better to be married and have a real life than to remain a child, I guess."
"There is something you should know, Soris." Taeodor broke in hesitantly, "My brothers won't be coming. They…. left to find the Dalish you see."
"Really? They left to find the magical elves that wander the forests? I didn't think they even exist." Sorris replied, seemingly a bit put off by his friend's family deciding not to come.
"Well my brothers certainly believe they do. Alarith even swears that the Dalish elves saved him on his way to Denerim." Taeodor said scoffing, "Nonsense."
"I don't see any reason why they wouldn't exist." Alora interjected, Her mother had said they were real, though they did not always look kindly upon the city elves.
"Neither do I," Taeodor replied, "but they are supposed to be savages. I fear for my brothers' safety."
Soris placed a hand on Taeodor's shoulder and reassured," Don't worry Taeodor, I'm sure your brothers will be fine."
"I hope so," the other elf replied. "I should go. Best wishes to the both of you." before lightly shaking Soris's arm and pressing on in the direction the pair had come from.
"Come on, best get back to your father's. I can hardly wait to see you stumbling around in your wedding dress." The young man said as they continued on their way, earning a friendly punch in the arm as a response.
They had barely gone a dozen feet before Alora caught sight of the bridesmaids approaching, Shianni waving vigorously with one hand, with a not so inconspicuous bottle of liquor in the other.
After only a few more strides however, a man came up behind the bridesmaid on Shianni's right, grabbing her arms. "Let go of me! Stop, please!" the woman cried before shaking his grip and running towards the stage near the Vhenadahl.
With the woman no longer obstructing Alora's view of the man, she recognized him as a blonde haired human. he was slightly taller than an average elven man, and more thickly built. He appeared to be in his early twenties, with reddish-blonde hair, cut about his ears, and a stubbly goatee. She noted the fine orange doublet he wore and immediately pegged him as a Noble.
In the short time that had passed in which she took in these details he opened his mouth to say, "It's a party isn't it?" Looking about him to a pair of humans in equally fine red doublets. "Grab a whore and have a good time!" he shouted, uttering a long and somewhat sadistic laugh, before turning to face Shianni and the other bridesmaid, who had backed up to the corner of a building at their entrance of the square.
"Savor the hunt, boys. Take this little elven wench here… so young and vulnerable…" He said advancing with a hand upraised towards Shianni, as if to brush the hair out of her eyes.
"Touch me and I'll gut you, you pig!" she replied, swiping away his hand and pressing herself further into the side of her building.
A somewhat brave and perhaps rather foolish young man approached and stammered, "P-p-please, my lord! We are celebrating weddings, here!"
The young Noble yelled, "Silence, worm!" before knocking him to the ground with a vicious backhand.
Alora's eyes narrowed and she instinctively bent down to better reach her boot before realizing with a silent curse that her dagger was no longer there. "I know what you're thinking Cousin, but maybe we shouldn't get involved." Soris whispered frantically to her as she stood back up and began to cover the short distance between the two groups.
"Objection noted," She said in a hard voice, "Now, stay out of my way." Just barely catching his last, almost pleading words, as she continued her advance. "Fine! But let's try to be diplomatic, please?"
Noticing her approach, the young lord turned to face her and said, "What's this? Another lovely one to keep me company?"
She kept her face hard, raising her eyebrows as he approached before settling on equal parts sarcasm and stone," Let's just talk this over, Shall we?"
At that, one of his equally distasteful compatriots uttered a laugh and shouted, "Maybe you should invite it over for dinner!" drawing his gaze away for a brief moment. It took almost all of Alora's will to not seize on the distraction to put the vile man in a headlock.
And then the moment was passed. He uttered a bark of his own before replying," Do you have any idea who I am?" he attempted to grab her by the arms, but she darted backwards out of reach. A heartbeat later there was a loud crack and the man fell in a heap, revealing Shianni staring down at him, still holding her now broken liquor bottle.
The other two humans stared at their comrade in shock for a moment before rushing over to check on him. The one who had not spoken before cried," Are you insane?! This is Vaughan Kendells, the Arl of Denerim's son!" his gaze flying back and forth between the unconscious noble and Shianni.
Alora moved to wrap an arm around Shianni who sputtered," W-What?" before giving a seemingly nauseous," Oh Maker.." and doubling over, her head in her hands.
Alora turned to face the human who had last spoken and replied in a somewhat mocking tone, "Maybe his father should've taught him better manners." enjoying the look of rage that crossed the arrogant young man's face immensely.
"You've a lot of nerve, knife-ears. This'll go badly for you." he said taking a step forward before Alora slipped the jagged spout of the bottle off the ground where Shianni had dropped it and brandished it menacingly. Turning to his comrade for support, the enraged lordling finally took note of a rather large gathering of elves forming around the group, many holding makeshift weapons, before deciding better of it and aiding his compatriot in dragging the unconscious lordling of Denerim towards the market gate.
The crowd allowed the small group of humans to pass, and slowly dispersed. Returning to their revels, if in a somewhat forced manner now, as Shianni turned to face her cousins, her face a slightly green tinge. "Oooh… I really messed up this time." she said swaying slightly before Alora slipped an arm around her once more.
Soris half-heartedly replied. "It'll be alright, He won't tell anyone an elven woman took him down" his face saying that he didn't really believe that either.
"I… I hope so." she said, still looking for all the world like she wanted to retch. "I should… go get cleaned up" she continued as she shook off her cousin's protective arm and made her way towards a nearby well.
A few moments after her departure another pair of elves, one a fine dressed young man and the other a young woman in a golden dress approached from the street the bridesmaids had arrived along. "What was all that about?" The woman inquired. She was a bit shorter than average with golden hair tied back in braids and dark brown eyes gazing out of a plain, but far from ugly face. Her only feature of note was her long ears, even by elven standards.
Soris glanced at Alora furritively before replying with a nervous laugh, "It looks like the Arl's son started drinking a little too early is all." he said before clearing his throat and continuing," Well let's not let this ruin the day. I'm Soris, and I presume you are Valora, my betrothed?"
Alora turned her gaze to the tall elf beside Valora, taking in who must be her own betrothed.
Shianni's description of him from that morning had been well warranted it seemed. he stood as tall as a Human, with a large chest and arms. He had a strong jaw and chin, as well as finely groomed hair in the lightest of blonde over light green eyes.
He wore a finely embroidered green vest with a shining brass belt about his waist, over a white tunic that had ornamental leather and gold cuffs at the ends of the sleeves.
After a moment of taking him in Alora said, "Then this man must be my own betrothed."
"A pleasure. Soris said much about you... some of it even positive." The man replied with a nervous smile, the statement drawing a small smile to Alora's own features as she surreptitiously poked Soris in the back of the shin with a boot.
"Hey," He said taking a somewhat voluntary step forward, I just wanted to give you a sporting chance to run." giving another short laugh. "I'm sure the two of you have a lot to discuss." He said as he drew his betrothed a short distance away so that they could have their own private conversations.
After a few moments of awkward silence in which neither of the two could quite meet the other's gaze, Nelaros hesitantly stated," Well, here we are… are you nervous?"
In spite of, or perhaps because of, the butterflies in her stomach Alora finally met his gaze and gave a hint of her normal mischievous smile replying humorously, "Sort of nauseated… actually." Drawing a short laugh and a nervous smile to the the tall elf's features
"I thought I'd stay calm," He said," But now that we've met… Let's just say I'm not calm." he finished honestly, giving another nervous laugh.
The banter putting her somewhat more at ease she said almost cheerfully, "Well things can only get better then!" her smile finally taking full control of her face.
"I think you're right." He said the nervousness draining from his own smile, "I'm looking forward to seeing how life unfolds."
It was then that Soris slowly walked back to the pair with Valora, saying," Come on cousin… we should let them get ready." In a not so subtle manner, as to indicate he wanted to get out of his current conversation.
"We'll see you two in a bit." Valora said, "Don't disappear on us." she added with a slight laugh as she led Nelaros away, who added his own," Or we'll come find you." with a nervous laugh, though his words hadn't quite been the right ones to give reassurance.
==X==
The pair hastily traveled back to Alora's home in silence to acquire her dress, which she slipped on over her other clothes, happy that the white fabric concealed her more normal attire well, aside from her boots. But then again, the ground in the square was quite muddy. She doubted anyone but Shianni would notice, let alone complain.
On their way back she finally ventured a question to Soris, "What did you think about that lordling, Vaughan?" she said, the name leaving a poor taste in her mouth.
Soris shifted nervously in his stride and said, "I'm trying not to. You handled him well, but he seems the type to hold a grudge."
"He's a bully, but I think he's a coward inside, most men like him are." she replied
"I hope you're right." Sorris said, quite evidently not convinced that they had heard the end of him, a thought Alora grimly agreed with.
Changing the topic to a more light-hearted source of nervousness, she gave him a small smile and light poke in the ribs, asking, "Still eager to get married?"
He gave a slight smile back and replied somewhat thoughtfully, "I… think I'm coming to terms with it. Maybe in time I'll even learn to appreciate the ol' Mouse."
Pursuing yet another line of questioning she pressed, "Do you know who is performing the ceremony?"
"Mother Boann, I assume. None of the other priests ever bother to come down here." he finished as they finally returned to the square.
"Uh, don't look now, but we have another problem." he said drawing her gaze up to a deeply tanned human standing with his hands clasped behind his back at the market entrance to the square; eyes scanning the area. He had long jet black hair pulled back in a ponytail and a short, well trimmed beard. He was also wearing distinctive armor plates.
She had never seen armor like his before, its pauldrons were engraved with flowing patterns reminiscent of vines and flowers, with the dark breastplate bearing a large silver embossing of what looked like a two headed bird of some sort, it's wings spread wide.
"I don't think he is one of Vaughan's." Alora said hesitantly, taking note of the pair of swords slung over his back, their leather belts making an X across his chest.
She had never seen a guard carry his weapons in such a way. Usually one couldn't easily draw a blade longer than an arming sword over one's shoulder, he would have to swing the scabbard off to draw his blades without struggling. The positioning suggested that he was much more a traveler than someone immediately looking for a fight.
"Even so," Sorris said, "We need to move him along before someone does something stupid."
Alora agreed, noting the sidelong glances the Human was receiving, as well as the elves surreptitiously retrieving the makeshift weapons they had held barely twenty minutes prior.
"Right, let's go talk to him." Alora said as she led the way, waving off any that moved to follow.
As she neared, the man's gaze fell upon her. He had strong eyes she noted, though not hateful or cruel like many of the shems that came to the alienage. When she was but a few paces away the man crossed his arms in a Fereldan salute that her mother had once shown her, and bowed slightly.
"Good day.' He said kindly, "I understand congratulations are in order for your impending wedding."
"Thank you," Alora replied before questioning him warily, "Do you have some business here human?"
"I do. I believe, however, that I may have already found what I was seeking." the man replied rather cryptically in his soft voice.
"And what might that be?" Alora said, somewhat confused.
"That is my business." The armored man replied firmly, in an almost hard voice. The slight edge drawing Alora's guard back up and her senses to appraising the man in front of her. 'Armor, hitting him won't do anything, no helmet though…'
"Having found what you are looking for, I assume you will be leaving shortly, human." It was not a question, more of a statement of fact.
The armored human drew himself up slightly his face darkening a touch more as he replied, "I am sorry, but I have no intention of leaving."
"Fine." Alora countered, the word almost sharp enough to pierce the man's armor. "Perhaps we can compromise." Two thoughts running in parallel, one for if the human took the barb as a threat, and another for if he conceded to her wishes, for she did have some ideas that would allow him to stay for the occasion. Hopefully without causing a ruckus.
At her words the man smiled and turned his gaze slightly, as Alora heard footsteps approaching from behind her. " She keeps her composure, even when facing down an unknown and armed human. A true gift, wouldn't you say, Valendrian?"
Alora softened her stance slightly but did not turn away from the man, instead allowing the footsteps to resolve into the form of the smiling Hahren of the alienage approaching the man before dropping her guard.
"I would say the world has far more use for those that know how to stay their blades." The elder said as he approached the human and locked his forearm in a firm grip. "It is good to see you again, my old friend. It has been far too long. But what are you doing here?"
Alora spared a quick glance around the square to see the rest of the elven community relaxing at Valendrian's warm welcome of the human, the few that had armed themselves releasing their makeshift weapons.
Returning her attention to the unlikely pair before her, she questioned the oldest elf in the alienage softly, "You know this human, Elder?" The elder broke off his grip on the man's forearm and waved his hand at him in an introductory manner, "May I present Duncan, head of the Grey Wardens in Ferelden."
Alora had heard of the Grey Wardens, an order of warriors that dedicated their entire lives to combating darkspawn, foul creatures from below the earth that periodically attacked the surface world. She crossed her arms as Duncan had just minutes before and bowed slightly saying, "Well met, Duncan."
His voice laced with a hint of humor, the human replied, "And you dear girl." before his attention was drawn back to the Hahren, who pressed, "But my question remains unanswered. Why are you here, Duncan?"
The man's voice turned grave as he stated, "The worst has happened, Valendrian: a Blight has begun. King Cailan has summoned the Grey Wardens to Ostagar to fight the darkspawn horde alongside his armies."
The Elder responded in a tone just as grave, if a bit hesitant, "Yes… I had heard the news. Still, this is an awkward time. There is to be a wedding. Two, in fact. "
Alora's eyes narrowed a touch as she noted what seemed like a veiled attempt at deflection by the Elder, drawing her mind back to the news she had received a few days earlier that her wedding was being moved up, well in advance of what had been planned. 'Yes, something is a bit off here.'
Duncan either did not notice the slight hesitation in the Elder's voice or kept his reaction well in check as he replied understandingly, "So I see. By all means, attend to your ceremonies. My concerns can wait, for now."
Valendrian seemed ever so slightly relieved at that, as he turned back to the pair of soon-to-be weds and said, "Very well. Children, treat Duncan as my guest. And for the Maker's sake, take your places!" He added gesturing to the platform where the pair's betrothed had taken up position, as well as Shianni, the bridesmaids, Cyrion, and the Chantry Mother Boann, before hurriedly walking to his own.
"Please, do not let me interrupt further. We shall speak more later." The human said before retreating to the edge of the square.
Alora shared a look with Soris before taking a deep breath and leading the way towards the platform, the butterflies that had been forgotten once more returning to her stomach. 'How is it I can face down a drunk lordling but be so nervous about a wedding?' She wondered to herself as she took her place next to Nelaros.
Valora lightened the air somewhat as Soris moved to stand by her side, saying, "Ooh! Soris! There you are. I was afraid you'd run off." Drawing a hint of a smile to Alora's face before her cousin replied: "No, I'm here, With Nelaros's blushing bride in tow!"
Nelaros met her eyes as she moved to stand beside him, complimenting her with, "You look Radiant." She replied by letting her faint smile bloom into a full one, not quite trusting herself to speak.
Valendrain moved to the head of the platform and began the ceremony in a booming voice that belied his age, "Friends and family, today we celebrate not only this joining, but also our bonds of kin and kind." he said, pacing slowly back and forth as he looked to all sections of the assembled crowd.
"We are a free people, but that was not always so. Andraste, the Maker's prophet, freed us from the bonds of slavery." He said, stopping in the center of the platform.
"As our community grows, remember that our strength lies in commitment to tradition and each other." Turning his gaze upon the assembled couples as he finished, before making way for the Chantry Priest.
"Thank you, Valendrain." Said the only priest of Andraste that ever saw fit to visit the alienage. "Now, let us begin." she said loudly for all those assembled before facing the pair of betrothed.
"In the name of the Maker, who brought us into this world, and in whose name we say the Chant of Light, I-" The rest of her sentence was cut off by a commotion at the edge of the crowd, which rapidly parted to reveal a trio of rather unwelcome young noblemen, now bearing swords and daggers upon their belts, followed by a procession of a dozen armored guards.
'Oh sod.' Alora thought, taking in the procession, and the rather hate-filled look upon it's leader's face. 'Too many, we outnumber them ten to one, but they have real weapons... and the armor...' tens of scenarios racing through her mind in the span of a few seconds.
Mother Boann turned to face them, startled as they proceed to climb the platform. "Milord? This is... an unexpected surprise."
"Sorry to interrupt Mother," The man said in a voice full of false cheerfulness, "But I'm having a party and we're dreadfully short of female guests." He finished, standing behind Valora.
The young man shoved her forward into the waiting arms of one of his noble compatriots as a pair of guards grabbed a startled Soris by the arms before he could protest, thoroughly restraining him.
At the same time a trifecta more had taken up positions just behind the bridesmaids, ready to restrain them at a moment's notice while another pair stood behind Vaughan and the other five took up positions at the base of the platform to keep the shocked crowd back.
Nelaros moved to stand in front of Alora as the Mother shouted in outrage, "Milord, this is a wedding!"
"HA!" The vile human scoffed, before advancing to within a foot of the Chantry Priest, saying more quietly, "If you want to dress up your pets and have tea parties, that's your business. But don't pretend this is a proper wedding." menace lacing his voice before he turned to his compatriots and yelled, "Now, we're here for a good time aren't we boys?"
"HAHA!" One of his unfortunately red-doubletted compatriots laughed, "Just a good time with the ladies, that's all Mother!" he shouted jubilantly as he began examining the other two bridesmaids, Naya, and Nola.
The other, wearing a maroon doublett, returned his laugh as he passed Valora off to a guard and moved to stand beside Shianni, who's face had turned pink, likely with the same rage Alora was feeling bubbling inside her.
None of the Lordling's party saw, or perhaps cared, when the Chantry Mother hastily hitched up her skirt and made her way from the platform.
"Let's take those two," Vaughan said gesturing to the two bridesmaids who were promptly seized by the guards behind them," The one in the tight dress," He said motioning to the already restrained Valora," And... where's the bitch that bottled me?" He said looking to his compatriots.
"Over here, Lord Vaughan!" Maroon Doublet called out as he seized her, in spite of her struggles. "Let me go, you stuffed-shirt son of a-" The rest of her protests were cut short as he smacked her on the back of the head with the back of his hand.
'huh that seems to be a favorite move with these thugs.' Alora thought, even more rage building inside her.
"Oh, I'll enjoy taming her… and see the pretty bride." He said laughing as he turned finally to Alora.
Nelaros moved his large frame further in front of her yelling, "Don't worry, I won't let them take you!" a mixture of Fury and fear in his own voice.
At an almost dismissive signal from Vaughan, his escorts rushed forward to restrain the large elf, who punched futilly at one, finding out the hard way that hitting a man clad in steel was not advisable before being overcome.
"Ah, yes… Such a well-formed little thing." The vile man said as he approached where Alora stood, still as a tree, and stopped a few feet away.
"You villains!" Nelaros shouted from between his guards, drawing Vaughans gaze for a few brief moments.
"Oh that's quite enough". He stated, motioning to one of the guards restraining the elf, who drew a dagger from his belt and held it across the man's throat to forestall any further interruptions.
He laughed once more before continuing, "I'm sure we all want to avoid further… ehem, unpleasantness." He said. The guards below the podium took that as a cue to draw their swords, causing the gathered elves to press themselves backwards several feet.
Burning with rage, but knowing how a fight between the mostly unarmed elves and the armed, armored, and experienced guards would go, Alora saw her options shrink further. 'If I can convince them to only take me… they wouldn't think an Elf could be a threat…' She thought, another conversation that had taken place only a few hours prior floating to the top of her mind for a split second ' "but sometimes, death isn't the worst thing that can happen to a person." ' tightening her resolve.
"Take me, But let the others go." The words had come out as a demand. 'damn' She thought, realizing her mistake too late.
"That wouldn't be much of a party now, would it?" the Lordling said in a menacing tone before switching to a lighter one as if with the shifting of the wind. "Oh... we are going to have some fun."
She caught a flash of red in the corner of her eye and her instincts had her ducking as a back-hand sailed where her head had been a moment prior. 'Nice try red-shirt, but you louts are predictable' She thought, as the dam finally burst and she shoved an elbow hard into his abdomen, bending him over.
Her hand grasped the back of his head as she rose from her lower position and brought a knee up like lightning into the bent man's nose with a satisfying crack, receiving an even more gratifying yelp of pain.
She had the dagger from his belt in her hand the barest of seconds later and rounded on Vaughan. The lordling stood rooted to the spot with his mouth wide in shock as she leapt to his throat, dagger held tip to his apple.
"ALORA!" the shout rang out from the corner of the stage, from a completely forgotten pair of old men. Her eyes arced to them for the briefest of moments, taking in another shocked look from her father, as well as concern and fear plastered to Valendrian's face.
'Some fates are worse than death.' Her mind repeated to her, as her gaze darted back to the nobleman she held by the throat. Looking onto his hateful face only to find the eyes of a fearful child staring back at her from the man's sockets, staying her dagger another brief moment.
And then she felt a hard pain on the back of her head, and the light faded from her world.
Author's Note
Ah what the hell, have another chapter. I haven't managed to get much farther on the DA side of things though i do have a bit more of the DB as a WIP. This is gonna be the first on the DA side, though not the only POV. there isn't going to be much of the Dragonborn until we get near Ostagar, i'm afraid. And that is going to come later than usual due to the fact that I am going to be trying to make this realistic, which suddenly being recruited and dragged straight to a battlefield is not, as someone as important as Duncan wouldn't have simply left an active conflict to go recruiting random street urchins…
I am going to be following the key element of the plot, sometimes word for word. However, I simply have to twist the background, as it were.
Also... OVER 10k club WOOT!
edit 5091- there seems to be some bugginess going on where the chapter is only accessible through the link provided by email to followers, and the updated information (update day, word count, chapers etc... is only seen when filtering by "M only" or on my profile ... odd.
if it doesn't sort itself in a bit I am going to try some shenanigans, so many apologies for any spam. y can it never just work with a button press? uncle sheo must have it out for me.
