A/N: Flashback chapter. Enjoy. Bioware still owns Dragon Age btw.
Chapter 6: My Name
It was an arlathvenn, the gathering of the clans. The Sabrae were always the smallest clan that arrived, and thus, always the clan that brought the least elven artifacts and manuscripts from their Dalish people's past glory. And this was in addition to the Sabrae's last Keeper, Mahariel, being ardent supporter of improving relations with the humans. The sentiment wasn't always spoken of publicly, but many of the other clans always felt that the Sabrae deserved whatever ills fell upon them.
The Sabrae faced passive aggressiveness every year they participated in the arlathvenn. The children were bullied, the adults were treated as lesser elves, and it was just a generally unpleasant experience. No one hated this time of the year more than Vaela Mahariel. Out of respect for everyone involved, Vaela's parentage was kept secret from here. Still, Keeper Marethari always worried about the young elf particularly during the arlathvenn.
A commotion erupted near the halla stable. Some elven children had gotten into a fight. Someone called Tamlen a piece of Sabrae garbage and Vaela knocked the kid out instantly. The kid's friends joined in and a melee broke out. The adults broke the fight up and asked who started it. The blame was of course placed on the smaller Sabrae clan.
"Those damn Sabrae… always starting trouble."
"They fight our people, but want to work with the humans, pathetic."
"What are they teaching those children over there?"
Vaela had finally heard enough. "That's it! My name's Vaela Mahariel! And some day I'm gonna be the greatest hero we've ever had! And… you're all going to beg me, beg us, to lead your sorry clans! We'll finally be treated with some respect! Like your equals! Believe it!"
Tamlen, Fenarel, and Merrill rose up to stand beside her in front of the other clans. "Yeah! Even if we are the smallest, the Sabrae clan's gonna be the strongest around!" Tamlen declared.
Even the normally cool and calm Fenarel was swept up by the emotion of Vaela's speech. "Hmph… yeah, we're the Sabrae. And we don't need your second-rate clans dragging us down anyway. We're gonna be just fine without you losers."
"You keep clutching at the past, we'll create the future," Merrill said.
The crowd was stunned by these four elves: fierce, loyal, unrelenting in the face of impossible odds. Maybe these Sabrae were doing something right with the future of the Dalish after all.
"Did she say her name was Mahariel?"
"She looks just like him."
"She has her old man's guts, I'll say that."
"Keeper Mahariel would've said the same thing with that same look on his face."
"Alright, children," Keeper Marethari said. "That's enough." Before the four young elves could protest, the Keeper gave them a warm, reassuring smile.
"I'm proud of you. Now, let's go home."