There weren't many choices, living in the Circle Tower.

Wear these robes. Eat this food. Make this potion. Take that class. Solona was dressed and fed and instructed and collared, just like all the others.

"Now, class, it's time to tend the gardens." Enchanter Wynne, mouthpiece of the templars, herded them outside. The mages were granted fresh air, three times a week, provided the weather was nice.

Solona looked at the clouds on the horizon and wondered what it'd be like to get rained on. What it'd be like to swim Lake Calenhad. What it'd be like to fall - to fly - from the roof of the tower, to feel the wind catch her robes and to finally make one choice for herself. Not that that choice would do her much good.

Jowan gave her the first choice.

"There it is! There's my phylactery. Hurry, destroy it!"

She broke one, then another, and another, until the floor was stained with innocent blood. Her first choice. Not that it would make much difference: the templars would simply take all the apprentice phylacteries again. Still, it felt good.

There were lots of choices, after that. Should I eat stale bread, or Alistair's mystery stew? Should I wear robes or armour? Should I kill the assasin, or spare him? She travelled - travelled! - from Calenhad to Denerim to Redcliffe and back again. She got drunk and got frostbite and tried to see how long she could sustain herself on just rejuvenation spells.

Solona saved the Circle, only to have Wynne try to follow her out of it. Wynne who said "mages belong in the circle" and "it is best for mages to stick together, so we can learn from each other" and "don't antagonize the templars, apprentice. It is better to let sleeping dogs lie." Solona left her to rot in her precious tower.

Some choices weren't hers to make. Alistair wouldn't sleep with Morrigan. She respected that.

It all ended on a tower. The sky was thick with unshed rain. The demon was screaming louder than any templar. There was no wind, she wasn't wearing robes. She picked up the sword, eyes locked on her last choice, and flew.