A/N And so here I come back to the beginning. I come back to rewrite the tale of Arnor Edain and the rest of the crew for a story that will hopefully be better than the original. From New Beginnings will hopefully update more frequenly and move at a decent pace. This story and these characters remain close to my heart, and hopefully their story will be told in full one day.
For those of you that are new to this story and these characters, I hope you stick along to read the tale of the Human Commoner Origin I cooked up, and those other characters you'll meet along the way!
Also I'm hyped for Dragon Age 4 like everyone else. But without further ado, From New Beginnings!
By Grace of Andraste and the Maker The 29th Year of the Dragon Age,
The summer sun burned hot over the fields of Redcliffe, and for farmhands work followed the sun across the sky. There was always something that needed to be done around the place, whether it was in the fields or with the animals. It was honest work to tend the land, but striking a hoe into the dirt was not what most young men dreamed of doing all their lives.
Arnor Edain believed that growing the crops on his family's farm was meaningful work, but it did get boring after years of repetition. Rise with the sun and then your work has begun, was the old saying. Wheat grains from Redcliffe would find its way to markets around Lake Calenhad and from there elsewhere in Thedas. Arnor wasn't sure where most of these crops ended up, but at least some of it was sold in the markets at Denerim so he heard.
With a steady rhythm Arnor beat the metal hoe into the ground, sweat falling from his brow even as the cool evening air whipped through the valley. After he finished this row he would be just about done for the day. He had more than a few plans to unfold, but first he had his farm's work. Keeping track of priorities helped to keep his head on the task at hand rather than in the clouds dreaming. Farmwork, preparations, and then write that letter to Morwen.
Arnor's older sister Morwen had left years ago to become a templar, and their family was eminently proud to hear that she had been accepted as a templar recruit. While the Edains were not a noble family, many of them had joined the Templar Order through a combination of faith and martial dedication. Morwen had proved herself of being capable of something more, leaving the farm, and seeking her own destiny.
Being the only other child in the family, it seemed like it would be for Arnor to inherit the farm after his parents passed away. However, that was a long ways away yet. Arnor was only in his 20s and his parents were yet hearty and hale. It would be a long time before Arnor had to think about running the farm on his own, or maybe with a family of his own. Such things could wait, he had time. Or at least that was what Arnor liked to think as he finally tilled the last bit of earth in the final row.
The farmhand stood back and looked over his work, several rows ready for the seeds of wheat to be sown when the time was right. He stood tall and proud admiring his handiwork such as it was, gray eyes roaming over the land with a brightness to their gaze. Shouldering his hoe Arnor whistled a light tune as he made his way back to the farm's barn. Letting the tool clank on the ground next to the ground next to the barn, he walked inside to check on the other tools he was going to need in the coming days.
In the barn's left corner was the longbow Arnor had fashioned out of yew and bowstring he purchased from town. Arnor chuckled a little as he remembered how difficult it was at first to string the bow, let alone fire an arrow accurately. Time in the fields had allowed Arnor to know the land decently enough, along with some manuals purchased from traveling salesmen. If he was feeling rather proud of himself Arnor might call himself a woodsman or a ranger, but the most dangerous things Arnor had ever hunted were wild boars and one small bear.
All that hunting had been done alongside the other proud hunter in that barn: A pale colored wolf that rose from his little lie down in the corner.
"You're anxious to hunt something, aren't you Fluffy?" Arnor questioned as the wolf simply stared at him quietly, "You'll get your chance soon. We're almost ready to take that job."
Fluffy's ears perked up and Arnor could swear he saw the wolf's blue eyes sparkle just a little bit. The wolf shadowed his master around the barn while Arnor got to work setting out feed for some of the other animals in the barn. A few grains for the chickens, hay for the two cows, what exactly did the pigs get fed again? Fluffy would be the one to remind him as the wolf nudged Arnor towards the pig feed.
"Thanks, you almost know this place better than I do," Arnor mused while he poured feed for the hogs, "Three years since I found you trapped and you act like you've always been here."
Fluffy said nothing in response, but Arnor knew better than to expect a verbal answer. Instead, he walked over to one of the barrels in the far side of the barn. Arnor opened the barrel and took out some of the old dried jerky that made most of Fluffy's diet.
"You eat better than me some days, but hopefully that'll change soon," Arnor tossed Fluffy the jerky before walking over to his favorite corner of the barn.
Arnor looked at the material next to his hanging longbow on the wall. Arrows, boiled leather armor, and a handful of bandages and poultices for potential injuries. It was all coming together, it had cost him several silvers but the payout of four sovereigns would be more than worth it. This bandit group had been prowling around the woods near the village for some time, and it appeared that the chantry was more than willing to pay to have them removed. Of course, that payout would have to be split it Arnor's friend Tomas, but it would be worth it either way.
"I suppose I should check on Tomas to see if he's even got his supplies. Could be he's been doing nothing but fish all day," Arnor sighed and turned to feasting fluffy, "Keep a weather eye on the barn Fluffy."
Fluffy growled a little bit but otherwise seemed to accept the statement. Arnor gave him a light pat, and then exited the barn with a slight yawn.
The farm, the field, and the village of Redcliffe. Some things were a constant that seemed calming at the best of times. Even as his short black hair baked under the sun Arnor found himself appreciating the way the light played off the rolling hills and scarlet cliffs of the landscape. At least the dirt paths from the farm to the village were dotted with trees that provided shade.
After some time, Arnor found himself strolling through the main entrance of the village towards his destination. Lloyd's Tavern, the most likely place to find Tomas if he was done working at the docks. If Arnor was done with his work for the day, it was more than likely that Tomas was finished hauling his catch from Lake Calenhad. Pushing open the heavy wooden door, the place looked mostly quiet aside from a handful of early customers. It looked like even Lloyd was off in the back somewhere.
"Arnor! Here you who came to ruin my day!" A cheerful voice came from behind the counter ready to serve, "You'll have the usual then?"
Bella broke out the old brown casks and tapped her fingers along the barrel as if she was testing the contents with her fingers. It didn't actually do much, but habits were hard to break once they settled in at a workplace. The ale here wasn't all that good no matter which barrels she hauled out, but it was the best the village could get.
"I'm here to ruin your day, and everyone else's more like, and sure the normal is fine," His eyes scanned the room and didn't catch a glimpse of Tomas, "Bastard still isn't here, he knows we have to put in more than a little planning to take down those bandits by ourselves."
"Give him some credit, the fishmongers are absolutely cracking themselves trying to gather new hauls for the next season," Bella poured the cheap ale Lloyd had into the mugs.
"If the fishmongers find a way to pay him four sovereigns for his work let me know and I'll have my parents sell the farm and buy a boat," Arnor tossed Bella the needed coppers then took a long swig.
The door creaked open and in walked a soaking wet Tomas. From brown haired head to black booted feet the man dripped water and smelled like mud and silt. Arnor briefly wondered if his friend's job was slightly better than his own on account of cooling off in the Lake, but the smell of the water and mud disabused that idea quickly. It looked like Tomas had a story to tell as he walked through the door and then wordlessly plopped himself on the chair next to Arnor.
"Let me guess, you fell overboard?" Arnor stated the somewhat obvious with a wry grin.
"Again," Bella handed Tomas a towel, a rather dirty and ragged one by the looks of it.
"You both weren't there. The net had a haul of four dozen fish! I leaned in a bit too close to the edge to help pull it into the boat," Tomas said as he began to dry himself off.
"And you fell off into Lake Calenhad and had to be fished out along with your haul didn't you?" Bella surmised with a laugh.
"I still can't believe you don't know how to swim," Arnor had to chastise Tomas a little bit considering there were times he had to get him out of the water.
"You can harry me about that all day, but if I remember we do have an expedition to plan," Tomas leaned back in his chair despite the water still dripping onto the floor.
Arnor sighed and pulled out the small map that he had been drawing up of the forest where the bandits were said to have been hiding. Arnor had been scouting the area in some detail for the past few weeks. To his relief Arnor had not been spotted when he was scouting the area, and had the time to draw up a decent look at the bandit's numbers and the general forest they were in. It seemed like there were four of them in total, but there could always be more hidden away in the woods.
"You were able to get the parts from Owen then, for the snares and such?" Arnor asked gulps of ale.
"Uh, yeah. I brought them home. I'm still working on how to properly set them up. Been testing them on squirrels and such," Tomas' eyes betrayed something approaching nervousness.
"You should probably start practicing on something a little heavier just to make sure they still work for human sized targets," Arnor noted as Bella took away their now empty mugs.
"I'll just be here waiting to stitch you both back up when you both inevitably come back bleeding because you both weren't careful enough," Bella's comment drew raised eyebrows from both of her customers who seemed about to protest.
"We are trying to plan a bit more this time, honest to Andraste!" Arnor argued, "Anyway, I'm sure things will be alright as long as we take things slow and keep our wits about us."
The two of them talked a few hours and drank many ales as they planned out some of the more details of their adventure. Bella collected the small stack of coppers and took just a little extra for her trouble. If Lloyd wasn't around he probably wouldn't notice a missing copper or two. It wasn't as if he was also serving ale that was much good here, it seemed like it was more water than usual these days. This was a kind of tip for services rendered!
"Well, I suppose we'd better turn in for the night. Can't do great things on lack of sleep over these next few days," Tomas reasoned.
"Right then, I'll be off then," Arnor stood up and pushed in his chair.
"You two just be careful when you do go on this little excursion, would hate to pour drinks for lost friends," Bella sighed and Arnor took notice of her unusually sullen mood as Tomas had already left.
"I'm sure you're worried for us, but don't be. Things will turn out for the best, Bella," Arnor put his hand on her shoulder while his friend sulked a little.
"I never got the chance to learn to fight, so here I am not able to do much but pour your drinks and wish you well," Bella seemed to be developing quite the interest in a drying section of the wall.
"There's nothing for it right now. We just all do what we can when we can. I'm sure you don't plan on staying here serving drinks forever," Arnor took the time to pretend to be as interested in the wall as she was.
"And I suppose you don't want to just be a farmer all your life either?" Just another dry wall, sitting there with nothing to do.
"Who knows, but it's a life, it's a job, it's something. Just like this hunt," Arnor smirked and pat Bella on the back, "Maybe I'll give you one sovereign of my share after we knock down those bandits."
"I'll hold you to that," Now there came a smile, and attention back on him rather than the wall.
"It was an idea not a promise," Arnor reminded, "I still have to win first."
"That you do, but you need to get moving now don't you? I think I can hear your parents grumbling from here," Of course she couldn't but Arnor knew she was probably right.
"I'll tell them it was your fault, even if they'll never believe me. Take care then," Arnor got a farewell nod from Bella before he exited the tavern to head back home.
Back to the farm and back to the home, it was now past time that the moon was in the sky. Bright summer stars and a full white moon made the journey simple enough even without other lights around. As he approached the farmhouse Arnor could see that smoke was rising from the chimney. Father was probably sitting by the fire while mother fussed over him. If Morwen were there father would likely be regaling her with more stories of the war with Orlais. Arnor wondered if the Templars were going to knight her soon, maybe when she got back he'd have to call her ser. When Arnor opened the door his mother and father's eyes both turned to him with looks of mild impatience. Amroth and Eowyn Edain apparently expected their son back home earlier than this.
"So the ale finally ran out at the tavern?" Eowyn inquired of her tardy child, "If you spent extra hours doing a little bit more work and a little bit less drinking I think we would have a larger farm by now,"
"What I'm working on with Tomas should buy us more land and maybe even some workers. I believe that it'll all turn out," Arnor slumped into one of the chairs near the fireplace.
"I hope you are prepared then," Amroth gazed up at his old sword resting on the fireplace, "Your trip fighting bandits will be one where you fight thinking, feeling men."
"It will be different than what I have done before with my hunts, I know. But I've brought down large beasts with my bow and have practiced often with swords," The young man shuffled a little in his chair
"That's true, and I have appreciated the bearskin blanket during the night. Still, this will be different, I hope you are prepared for it," Amroth shook his head a bit before a smile then came to his face, "I know you're more than a little excited to be doing something like this, having your own little adventure. You've complained often enough about the repetition of farmwork."
"Despite the fact that it's what puts food on the table and the money for those ales you like so much," Eowyn leaned on the kitchen table, taking care not to ruffle what looked like a letter on the table.
"We can worry for a hundred years, but I believe both our children are the type to want more than a little excitement in their lives. We weren't so different as children, were we?" Amroth teased his now flustered wife.
"I recall several times making sure you didn't die from reckless wounds you got fighting Orleasians," Eowyn countered before she looked to her son, "I will worry, I suppose I will no matter what you say. I will have to trust you and Tomas will plan well and fight smartly."
"I think Fluffy will be our pack leader, so I'll have to consult him for tactical advice," Arnor chuckled.
"I think I trust him to be more mindful than you, it's just as well," Eowyn's gaze settled on the table and the piece of paper lying on it, "Well, if you are going to attempt a bandit hunt, you won't do it without writing your sister first. Some things can't just be put off all the time."
"I'll get to it, probably tomorrow. I'm exhausted!" The farmboy dramatically shook his arms, "If she's not around to sow the fields I think she can wait just one more day after I've picked up the slack here!"
"Alright, first thing in the morning then. The couriers won't wait forever on the route to Denerim. Between bandits and other troubles they say even the roads have gotten more dangerous," Amroth considered while remembering the courier's warnings.
"Well, if Tomas and I have our way there'll be just a little less bandits in the world, night then," With that Arnor strided into his room and practically fell down on the bed.
Sleep would come easy enough for the lad, he had worked hard throughout most of the day. Young men often dream of great adventure, of something to take them beyond the little corner of the world they call home. Arnor was not so different in this regard. As a mind wanders through the Fade, so too does a farmer dream of wandering through unfamiliar lands. For now, this idea of a bandit hunt would have to do. A simple job, a simple hunt, a simple life, perhaps that was all that he was going to be looking forward to.
Or perhaps not.