Disclaimer: I do not own the Dragon Age games, nor any of the characters.
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Lothering hadn't changed very much. Well, at least, from my memories.
Burning, everything is burning. The screams from behind, the side, everywhere. I can smell charred flesh and fell the fear coming from all directions. My lungs burn and my legs are numb, on autopilot. 'Get them out, awayawayaway.
Gutted through the abdomen with a rusted, twisted sword. Legs crushed under a cold maul, with arrows sticking out of my arms, one in the head.
Dead again.
Not everybody was the same, but I remembered mostly everybody. Old man Barlin was still there, like always. I had grown fond of the grumpy man after all the time I spent with him. Then there would come the newest Chantry sister, though I was never really that close to her, even in my memories, something always seemed...hidden about her.
And then there were others like the boy standing in front of me, smiling. Dark tanned skin with a light shade of brown hair, and blue eyes looking down at me. He seemed only a few years older -physically, of course, but no one needs to know- than myself. He was a farmer, like most of the town's men; I could seen muscles through the cloth shirt.
"Can I help you with something?" I raised an eyebrow for the extra effect.
"Well, you're new, so I was hoping to show you around the place maybe, I mean, if you would allow me." Oh? Well, this was a first.
Well, not really. If I remember correctly, this is exactly the third time. But oh well. Different time and people.
"Ah. No, I believe I'm good, thank you, Ser. I was just taking a quick look. Though perhaps, do you maybe own the farm outside of town? My brother and I will be looking for work soon, and now is as good as any to ask." I could clearly see the boy's face light up, and he didn't even try to hide his grin.
"Of course! We need new workers, anyways. I'll ask Father and get back t you on it, okay?" Not giving me a chance to reply, the boy turned and walked away.
Well, at least I have a job for us. For the moment at least.
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The boy from a while ago was called Samson. Carter and I did end up working on his family's farm. It was tiring work, but we worked hard for the money. Samson was always around Carter and I, helping us whenever he could or just chatting, sometimes bringing some water jugs with him. It was...surprisingly nice.
I would train my brother on our days off, or even after work it we weren't too tired. Besides, I might be a mage this time, but I still can remember my skills with a blade from before. No more just relying on magic. Bethany, however, was a little harder to train. Her body wasn't built to wield a large sword. And although she might be quick, she's more comfortable with range, though I have given her decent training with a dagger at least. We still had a few years until anything major happened.
"Come on, push harder, Carter! You wouldn't be able to cut through pumpkin with this kind of force!" Duck, avoid magically dulled blade, reach out.
He avoided my arm at the last moment, darting to the side with a twist and then the cold metal was at my throat.
Smirking, he said, "I win." I sighed and looked down, his eyes following my vision until they rested on the small dagger aimed at his stomach, nearly touching.
"Wow, those were so fancy moves!" Startled, I swung around, the dagger flying out of my hand to the disturbance.
Intruder. Get rid of it, danger. Liability.
"Sister, no! It's-" Target dodged, barely missing a deathly blow to the chest. Carter grabbed my arm and squeezed, probably bruising it. But I felt the pull before I could stop it, rising from behind my eyes as red and orange licked across my eyes. Then I was on the ground, Carver's body weight crushing me. It wasn't him that stopped me, though, it was the word that I heard murmured from the person's lips.
"Mara..." Everything slowed, until it seemed I was looking at the world as it was frozen in time, wide blue eyes staring into mine, a tiny, bitter smile locked on his face. Flames surrounding him.
Samson.
Then time started again, and I could smell the fire -no smoke, not magical fire- and hear the muffled screams of pain.
"Samson!" And I pulled. Fire was always harder for me to control, harder to reign in. But I did, until just a darkened spot marred the grass and Samson laid on the ground, not too badly burnt but shocked.
Of course he is, he was just attacked by a mage; a 'maleficar'. Oh god, we have to go, Bethany will be found out if the find me, they'll search the house, we need to leave.
And then, as I was pushing my brother up, I realized I wasn't running away from the body, but towards it. Samson's skin was too hot, his breathing too shallow. But his blue eyes were open and he was smiling softly at me. At me, who had just nearly killed him.
"Mara, I won't tell," he whispered.
And I believed him, with the promise in his eyes and the touch of his hand on my cheek.
So, it's been a while...but hey! this chapter just seemed to not like me at all. It was a pain to write, and I'm still not okay with it, but today is a special occasion. No time for a longer AN, but I will say this; this story will be going majorly AU for a while. Just saying.
I'm now 17. Yep, today is my birthday so I thought I'd give ya'll a present!
Thank you everyone for review/favoriting/following! I'm really happy!
Kiukun-Nadralexe- Thanks for reviewing! I'm glad you like it so far, even if there's not much to it.
Pintsizedpsycho- Haha, I'll get into more of her sanity in the later chapters, maybe in this one too