"Wake up cousin," a voice said to Áine, "why are you still in bed? It's your big day!" Áine looked up at her cousin Shianni, and groaned. She pushed herself up into a sitting position in the bed, her shoulder length brown hair in tangles, her warm brown eyes looked at her cousin sleepily. Shianni smiled at her, Áine had always been extremely pretty, many of their fellow elves called her beautiful. Áine was tanned, with some curved tattoos along the sides of her face, they were fairly light and if you didn't look close enough, you might not even think they were there.

"Ugh...just a few more minutes," Áine said. "Come on, don't make me use cold water again," Shianni said teasingly, "you do remember what today is, don't you?" "Summerday?" Áine asked, looking at Shianni. "No you idiot, you're getting married today, Sorris too!" Shianni said, "That's what I came to tell you, your groom, Nelaros...he's here early!" Áine was standing up as Shianni said this, and made a face of mock horror, Shianni laughed slightly.

"I'm not sure I like this arranged marriage business," Áine groaned. "Well who else are you going to marry?" Shianni asked, "Besides I already snuck a peek...he's handsome! There's going to be music, celebrations, feasting, weddings are so much fun! You're so lucky!" "Maybe you should be the one getting married," Áine said to Shianni with a raised eyebrow. "All in good time cousin!" Shianni said chuckling, "This is your day not mine. Alright, I'll stop tormenting you, I should go talk to the other bridesmaids and find my dress. Oh! Sorris said that he'll be waiting for you outside, so move it!"

Áine sighed before walking over to the chest and taking out her wedding dress. It had a blue bottom, with a cream top half and some gold lining along it with some other designs as well. Áine pulled her trousers on underneath it, before also pulling on her brown boots and hiding two daggers in her boots, along with putting one in her belt on her trousers, underneath her skirt.

Áine walked out into the main room of the house to see her father standing there. "You look beautiful," he said, "now, hurry the sooner the wedding the less chance of you and Sorris escaping together." "A small chance is still a chance," Áine replied. Her father chuckled, "You have your mother's tongue alright, unfortunately the mistake she made was using it in front of the wrong people." Áine held her father's hands, squeezing it reassuringly. "The humans that killed her made a bigger one," Áine replied.

"Oh, yes about these skills of yours that your mother has taught you, best not to mention anything to your betroth about them," her father said. "He'll find out sooner or later," Áine replied shrugging. "Later, much much later," her father said, "now you better hurry or you'll be late."


Áine walked around the Alienage until she found Soris leaning against a tree. "Well, if it isn't my lucky cousin," Sorris said, grinning at Áine, "care to celebrate the end of our independence together?" "Don't worry Sorris, it'll be fine," Áine said, although she didn't exactly believe it. "That's easy for you to say," Soris said, his brown hair looking a bit red with the sunlight shining on it, "apparently, your groom's a dream come true. My bride sounds like a dying mouse."

Áine giggled at her cousin. "I'm sure she's quite nice," Áine managed to say between giggles. "Great," Soris replied, grinning at his cousin, "I'll spend the next fifty years with a 'nice' girl who hides grain away for the winter...Let's go introduce you to your dreamy betrothed before you say 'I do'." Soris and Áine ran through the Alienage, they made their way over to Shianni and two of the other bridesmaids. Shianni waved at them, grinning. Áine groaned when she saw three humans walking up behind Shianni.

The head of the humans, a nobleman that Áine recognized as the Arl's son, Vaughan, grabbed one of the bridesmaids. "Let go of me!" the bridesmaid shouted, "Stop, please!" "It's a party, isn't it?" Vaughan asked, "Grab a whore and have a good time. Savor the hung, boys. Take this little elven wench here...so young and vulnerable.." "Touch me and I'll gut you, you pig!" Shianni hissed at him.

"Please my lord, we're celebrating weddings here," Shianni's brother said. "Silence, worm!" Vaughan exclaimed. Soris looked at Áine's face and shook his head. "I know what you're thinking, but maybe we shouldn't get involved..." Soris tried. "Objection noted," Áine said, "now get out of my way." "Fine," Soris sighed as they walked over, "but let's try to be diplomatic, shall we?" "What's this?" Vaughan asked, looking at Áine with interest, "Another lovely one come to keep me company?"

"Dream on, human," Áine sighed, her had slipping slightly, and rested on her dagger underneath her skirt. "Do you have any idea who I am?" Vaughan scoffed. Áine smiled slightly, as Shianni ran over to a glass bottle standing on a box. Sorris spotted her and began to shake his head, but it was too late, Vaughan turned around and got a bottle to the head, knocking him unconscious. "Are you insane?!" one of the other humans, Lord Braden, Áine recognized him as, said, "This is Vaughan Urien, the arl of Denerim's son!"

"W-what?" Shianni asked, "Oh, Maker...!" "Then just imagine what we'll do to you two," Áine said, but looked slightly apologetically at Lord Braden, he had always been nice to the elves when Vaughan wasn't around, and fairly easy to get along with. Even when Vaughan was around, he was a bit nice. "You've got a lot of nerve, knife-ears," Lord Jonaley said, and Áine resisted the urge to punch him in the face, "this'll go badly for you."

The two of them carried an unconscious Vaughan away, while Shianni made her way over to them. "Oh, I really messed up this time," Shianni said, shaking her head. "It'll be all right," Soris said to her, smiling, "he won't tell anyone an elven woman took him down." "It would hurt his pride too much," Áine added in. "I hope so," Shianni sighed, "I should get cleaned up."

As Shianni walked away, Áine and Soris walked closer to the other bridesmaids. "Is everybody else all right?" Soris asked Valora, a pretty enough elf."I think we're just shaken," Valora answered, "what was that about?" "Looks like the arl's son started drinking too early," Soris said laughing nervously. Another young elven man came over to join them, he had short blonde hair and green eyes. "Um, well let's not ruin this day," Soris said, "uh, this is Valora, my betrothed."

"And this man must be my betrothed," Áine said looking the man up and down. "A pleasure," the young man, Nelaros, said, "Soris said much of you-some of it was even positive." "Hey," Soris said, smiling, "I just wanted to give you a sported chance to run. I'm sure the two of you have a lot to discuss." Soris and Valora went slightly away so Áine and Nelaros could speak privately.

"Well, here we are," Nelaros said, "are you nervous?" Just then, Soris and Valora came back over. "Let's leave them to prepare, Soris," Áine said, ignoring Nelaros' question. "Uh, yes, of course," Soris said, "I'm sure they have a lot to do." "We'll see you two in a bit," Valora said, "don't disappear on us." "Or we'll come find you," Nelaros said, joking and they both walked away. "Do that, and I'll slit your throat," Áine muttered, and Soris chuckled, and elbowed her gently.


Soris then turned around. "Don't look now, but we have another problem," Soris sighed. "Anything to put the wedding off for a while," Áine said grinning, and turned around in the direction Soris was facing. "Another human just walked in," Soris replied, "could be one of Vaughan's men of just a random troublemaker." "One human shouldn't cause much trouble," Áine reasoned. "I'm more worried about some of our boys," Soris said, thinking of two in particular, "wine is flowing, and I don't think we want another incident." "True," Áine agreed, "and Eric and Jamie don't even need the wine."

Then Áine saw who Soris meant. A human stood beside the tree in the middle of the Alienage, he wore some armour that Áine thought she recognized, and was fairly tall. He had dark skin, black hair tied back in a ponytail and a slight beard. He had a sword and a dagger on his back. "Right," Áine said, "let's go talk to him." "Let's do this quickly," Soris said.

They both walked over to the man, he seemed to be in his late thirties or early forties. "Good day," the human said to them, "I understand congratulations are in order for your impending wedding." "Thanks, but please go," Áine said to him, quietly so the other elves wouldn't hear them, "I'd rather avoid any unpleasantness."

"What manner of unpleasantness might you be referring to?" the human asked. "The Alienage just isn't a good place for humans to be," Áine said, before muttering, "especially now." "I'm sorry, but I have no intention of leaving," the human replied. "I will ask once more, politely," Áine said, carefully keeping her temper in check, "please leave."

"And I refuse, yet again," the human replied, amused, "now what?" "I'm not backing down," Áine said, barely able to stay polite with the human, "this is no place for you." "Surely it has not escaped your notice that I am both armed and armoured," the human replied, "any fight between us would be rather one-sided." "I'm no stranger to battle," Áine said, "bring it on!"

"Try not to die," Soris said, helpfully, "I'll run for help!" "No need," the human said, "I am not here to fight you. Still, I find such bravery most impressive...do you not agree, Valendrian?" Áine smiled sheepishly at the keeper as he made his way over to them, he sighed bemusedly when he saw Áine. "I would say the world has far more use of those who know how to stay their blades," Valendrian replied, "it is good to see you again, my old friend. It has been far too long."

"You know this human, Elder?" Áine asked. "May I present Duncan, head of the Grey Wardens in Ferelden," Valendrian said. "He's still a human," Aine replied, "he shouldn't be here." "The Grey Wardens are deserving of respect, no matter who wears their crest," Valendrian said. "I think she means, Elder," an amused voice said from the side, "that she doesn't want a repeat of what happened to Vaughan when he was here."

The group all looked in the direction of the voice to see a young man and a young woman standing there. It was the young woman who had spoken. "Aisling!" Soris exclaimed. "Shianni's handy-work we presumed," the young man said. "You believe right, Connor," Áine said, grinning at the Cousland twins. "Why haven't you two been to visit the Alienage recently?" Valendrian asked, amused. "Ah, well you see Elder," Connor said sheepishly. "He got us on Vaughan's list of people he hates, so now we have to try to sneak into the Alienage without him seeing us," Aisling said very quickly.

"Why am I not surprised?" Valendrian asked, before turning back to Duncan, "but my question remains unanswered, why are you here, Duncan?"


*Yes, I know I skipped the whole castle attack bit but I wanted to introduce Áine into the story or she might kill me! (by the way Áine in case you got any ideas from that last sentence, I'm hiding behind Connor) Anyway, yeah the next chapter there'll be the 'Wedding' and the rescue. Chapter after that you'll be meeting Kathryn, Sarah, Killian, Jamie and Eric. And this story will be a mix of Dragon Age: Origins and Dragon Age 2. Review if you want, I really don't mind. Hope you enjoyed it, and Áine's unique personality!