The week after the family meeting was when I decided to announce everything I had presented to my family to the Assembly. I was diligent in my efforts to give the deshyrs time to prepare for a lengthy session as I had a great many things to present them with, and they would need to consider and discuss the nuances behind each topic. I also assured them that every deshyr needed to be present for this monumental meeting; no substitutes or stand-ins would be accepted.

Such was the seriousness of my demand that I had royal guards deliver notes which the deshyrs would need to sign, swearing they would be there. Typically, this was something only the ruler of Orzammar could do. I took the liberty anyway. Not a single complaint was made, however, as they were curious what could be so important that I would take such measures. I even received several letters inquiring as to my health, or offering aid if I needed any for whatever it was I was going to present to the Assembly. I took special note of those who sent such messages.

I spent a great deal of time practicing my presentation and working alongside House Orodum's to outfit all of my warriors with the lyrium well gauntlets. Faren drilled the warriors constantly on the formations and sequences they would be using in the Assembly. Dagna and Bhelen worked tirelessly on a new set of armor for Faren. All the while, Trian and Father assured the nobles that they knew what it was I intended to speak with them about, and that it would be historical in nature.

Rumors and curiosity abound in the city as everyone tried to guess what I was going to announce. On the few occasions I took a break and went walking around the city to see what the market or craftsmen were working on, I was inundated with questions and speculation. There was also a fair amount of well wishes and encouragement from the populace who had no doubt that whatever it was I was planning, it would be in their best interest. It made me smile to see how much faith they had in me and helped to reaffirm my convictions.

The day of the Assembly arrived with a great deal of anticipation. What I was going to do was going to change Orzammar and the lives of dwarves forever. Kalah picked out a brilliant teal dress with gold trim and robin's egg blue sleeves. She wanted my outfit to compliment my eyes.

"Will you at least tell me if you're announcing the name of the man who has caught your eye?" Kalah laughed as she braided my hair, intertwining gold ribbon in with the braid.

"I doubt that is something worthy of calling a special meeting of the Assembly," I smirked up at her. "People might be curious, but they're not that invested in my choice of a husband."

"I think you underestimate the interest the people have in you, My Lady," Kalah shook her head. "Do you know that Faren won't even give me a single hint about the topic for today? I know he knows."

I could only chuckle, "He's as loyal as they come when it concerns my wishes."

Kalah sighed, "Frustratingly so, My Lady. Oh, how I wish we were nobles. If you don't mind my saying so, the two of you would make a lovely couple. You interact so well together."

"Do you really think him not being a noble is a reason not to marry him?" I asked, her comment causing my curiosity to rise.

"That's not my place to say," Kalah responded tactfully. "But I would think you would prefer to have someone closer to your own status. A noble, as an example."

"Well, when I accepted you into House Orodum, you were granted status," I replied in a diplomatic tone. "That status, while not nobility, at least allows you and your children to marry nobles as a matter of principle."

"A matter of principle, perhaps," Kalah said hesitantly. "But as a matter of practicality… It has limitations."

"Well, I suppose that's just one more issue we need to address at some point, isn't it?" I smiled at her in the mirror.

I stepped out of the estate and found Faren standing at attention in formation with the House Orodum warriors. I smiled at him as he was wearing the new set of armor I had fashioned for him.

He offered me a bow and the rest of my warriors did the same, "Princess, your warriors are assembled and are prepared to demonstrate the effectiveness of your technology. We're prepared to show the Assembly its effectiveness and bring House Orodum further glory in its debut."

My smile widened as the warriors roared in expectation. I stepped forward and cupped a hand to Faren's cheek, "I thank you all for your diligent work and practice. Today, we will demonstrate how strong the dwarves can become by utilizing our gift to wield and manipulate lyrium in ways the other races of Thedas can only dream of!"

Another resounding roar came from the warriors.

My bronto was brought forward and Faren helped me up onto it, "Are you ready?"

Faren smirked and nodded firmly, "I am,My Lady. We'll show them how much safer you can make our people."

"Then let's make some history," I smiled and directed my bronto forward. Faren fell in behind me and the warriors marched in formation behind him.

We arrived at the doors to the Assembly hall soon after. The guards stood at attention as I dismounted. One of them bowed, "Princess Merida, the Assembly is gathered and ready for you. Shall we announce you?"

"Yes, please do," I smiled as Faren moved up to my side. "Also, inform them that my House's warriors will be taking up some of the space for part of the time. There will be a demonstration that needs to be made."

"As you please, Princess," the guard bowed again and moved inside to announce our arrival.

Faren turned and barked out, "First company, fall in behind the Princess. Those remaining will await our return and assist the city guard in protecting the Assembly."

The warriors acknowledged their orders and set positioning themselves around the building.

We entered the Assembly building and marched straight the Assembly Hall where my arrival was being announced. The deshyrs were all standing as I made my way down the stairs to the center of the room. I smiled wide as my eyes caught Father, Trian, and Branka sitting together. Branka gave me a wave and I bowed my head to her. My warriors fanned out around the Assembly, at least four to a tier.

Steward Brandelor took my hands as I approached and gave each one a small kiss in turn, "Princess Merida. You look lovelier each time I see you. Are you prepared to address the Assembly?"

I tittered and placed a kissed on the old man's cheek, "Steward, it's so good to see you again. I am ready to address the Assembly."

"Very well," he replied and stepped back. He raised his arms and looked around the Assembly, "Lords and Ladies of the Assembly, Deshyrs all, here now is Princess Merida Orodum some to speak to you this day. Listen close and hear what she has to say."

He looked back to me and bowed low, "Princess, the floor is yours."

I offered him a bow of my head in thanks then looked to the Assembly, "I wish to begin by thanking all of you for attending. I have a few matters to speak to you about, and then I have an announcement to make. I would appreciate your patience until I have finished making my announcement."

There was a general nod of agreement throughout the gathered deshyrs.

"First, I would like to announce that House Orodum has developed a special defense system for Orzammar," I began. "This system is called the Lyrium Well system. Lyrium wells are a mixture of lyrium and magic which can shift people and objects into different dimensions of the Fade. They can also be used to secure items or lock doors so that they can only be interacted with in the dimension they're tied to."

I held a hand up as a murmur began to rise through the Assembly, "This system requires very little maintenance and cannot be exploited since anyone in the different dimensions can be easily seen as you can see by my warriors switching into those dimensions."

The warriors I brought used their gauntlets to shift between dimensions, leaving them to look like different colored specters of themselves. The deshyrs ogled at the spectacle and spoke in excited murmurs.

"The lyrium wells are already set up for the city and are active," I continued. "We can create pedestals for citizens to use in the case of an emergency so that everyone can be safe during an emergency or an attack. We will be able to set the pedestals up over time."

I moved closer to Faren and motioned to him ready to use the dial on his gauntlet, "Now, you may have noticed that my warriors are accessing the system using their gauntlets. Faren, who I know needs no introduction, convinced my scholars and craftsmen to create portable units built into gauntlets so that warriors can use this system to move around the area unfettered and unable to be harmed until they choose to shift back to the physical world."

I rested my hands behind my back and smiled, "In fact, he has also proposed a new standing military force outfitted with specialized gauntlets so that they can protect the city around the clock. He has also proposed that the funding for this force, as well as for the defense system, come from the annual lyrium shares. If dwarves agree to receive ten percent less in their share from the sale of lyrium each year, we can maintain the system and pay the warriors without any increase in our budget."

"Further still," I continued as the Assembly began to chitter amongst themselves, "Faren has chosen some of our warriors to train warriors from the thaig in order to create similar forces in each dwarven bastion so that all dwarves can be protected by these warriors. House Orodum is also willing to create lyrium well systems for the thigh if they request systems of their own. We would only ask for each thaig to provide the materials for the wells, as well as payment for the services of our craftsmen, who I believe we can all agree deserve fair compensation for their work."

There was a small clamor at the idea of having to pay for the systems creation for the thaig but I pushed forward to give them more to think about, "House Orodum will also gladly delay payment for our services until the annual lyrium shares are distributed and collect from that. This way no thaig loses out on its revenue or is forced to dip into their reserves to have the system set up."

That seemed to settle down the protests, since the crown and the Assembly kept a fair portion of the lyrium shares as reserve currency for emergencies or public works. I allowed the deshyrs to take a few moments to discuss things among themselves before moving on to the next topic.

"House Orodum would normally offer these systems free of charge," I sighed as a way to show some regret and remorse before I looked up with a smile. "However, we need the compensation as I have personally negotiated with King Maric of Ferelden to purchase the Tynir of Gwaren. Some of you may know that Gwaren was formerly a dwarven outpost which was turned into a human port city. The city and its lands are now mine. And, as a show of my love to our people, I am donating it to the dwarven kingdom. It is a well established port city with access to the Deep Roads. This new thaig will give our people access to our own port so that we can expand the reach of our merchants to the Free Marches, Tevinter, and more!"

The Assembly was abuzz with excitement over the news, the excitement that the possibility of a port city sent the deshyrs into a frenzy of discussions. It took a minute for them all to calm down so that I could speak again.

I chuckled once they were focused on me again, "I can appreciate your excitement. However, the port is simply a fringe benefit. I see Gwaren as a place where we can establish a place for dwarves to show how talented we are when it comes to the use of lyrium and technology. A place where things like the lyrium well system will become everyday items and seem mundane by comparison. To that effect, I would ask that we name my younger brother, Bhelen Aeducan, as the lord of this new thaig. Bhelen has studied under the most experienced and knowledgeable arcanists in Orzammar, and is one of the dwarves responsible for helping create the lyrium wells, as well as the technology for the gauntlets. I ask that this be considered."

There was a rumbling amongst the deshyrs in response to this request and I took a few moments to consider what the general consensus was. As the deshyrs discussed the possibility of appointing someone as young as Bhelen as the lord of Gwaren, I was allowing my stone senses to reach out into the depth of the mountain where I kept the harvesters. I had been keeping them alive and imprisoned so that I could use them against Solas or Seven. However, I was now going to release them onto Orzammar to give Faren the chance to use House Orodum's warriors to stop them and prove himself a hero.

No one would know I had set them loose. There would just be a sudden attack of monsters and Faren would lead the only warriors who could safely traverse the city to put a stop to them. He would prove himself worthy and then I would be able to announce our engagement. Just as I was willing the stone to open itself to allow the harvesters their freedom, a thought occurred to me. Faren simply needed to prove himself. He was one of the most capable warriors in all of Orzammar. I chastised myself for the horror I was about to commit just to convince the Assembly and other nobles that he was a worthy choice. I would beat myself up about it for the rest of my life.

I shook the very idea of it and brought my senses back to the Assembly. I plastered a brave smile on my face and raised my hands, "As I always do, I will provide all the information needed for these proposals so that you can look them over, discuss them, and vote on them in the coming weeks. However, before I end my time and allow you to debate the merits of my proposals, I have an announcement to make. I would like your undivided attention for this."

Silence slowly tightened its grip on the room as I waited patiently for every voice to stop and for every eye to be focused on me. I drew a deep breath and spoke with a humble tone, "As you all know, I will be celebrating my twenty-fourth birthday soon. I should be long married by now and the loss of my betrothed struck me deeply. Your families honored Frandlin's sacrifice by allowing me a generous amount of time to grieve and settle into my life once again."

"Your patience and understanding during that time is more than anyone could ask for," I continued softly. "I don't pretend to be ignorant of the value I hold as a daughter-in-law to your families, or how desirous some are to make the best offer for my hand. I have discussed this matter at length with my family and we have come to a conclusion; that there is no man who could be offered up to me as an equal in station or deed."

I held a hand up as some protestations were presented, "Understand that I mean no disrespect to anyone. I am the Princess of Orzammar. I am a Paragon. I am a mage, a hero, and the founder of the Surface Caste. There is no prince in the world to match my achievements be they dwarf or otherwise. So I have decided how my husband will be chosen."

Now the Assembly was silent. Every deshyr was present but you would be forgiven for thinking that the hall was empty with how deathly silent it was as every dwarf in attendance listened for my decision. I could see Father and Trian staring at me wide-eyed, wondering what I had come up with.

"I am asking for a Proving to be held in one month's time," I looked up with an excited grin. "Anyone who wishes to seek my hand in marriage, be they commoner or noble, may enter for the chance to become my husband."

A clamor rose immediately but I summoned my mana to enhance my voice, "This is my decision! There is no dowry that could now meet my demand, and no individual who matches me in deeds or station. I have lived my life trying to show that every dwarf regardless of their station can become greater if given the chance. I will continue to live my life this way in every aspect. If you have an issue with my decision, then you may voice them with a champion in the Proving. I will take no husband who has not proven himself worthy and capable of protecting me."

As the cacophony of surprise rose, I smiled at Father and Trian who had both burst into laughter. They understood my plan to pit anyone who would try for my hand against Faren; a dwarf trained by Ohgren, King Maric, and Loghain. I was a highly respected fighter in my own right, but Faren's martial combat put mine to shame. I turned on my heels and made my way out of the Assembly Hall, followed closely by Faren and the warriors of House Orodum.

The news spread like wildfire. By the end of the day the entire city was buzzing with my announcement. Messengers were sent to the thaigs and to the surface. Word spread from Orzammar quick as lightning and within the next two weeks, the dwarven capitol was bursting with renewed activity. Dwarves from all over Ferelden, Orlais, Kal-Sharok, the Free Marches, and even Tevinter arrived in the city. There were tens of thousands of merchants come to sell their wares during the Proving, to watch the spectacle, or to participate in the event itself. Every noble House had multiple representatives preparing to fight for my hand, as well as proxies who would be paid to offer my hand to another should they succeed.

The event had gotten the attention of foreign nobility. The other Fated, along with King Maric, Cailain, and Anora, as well as a gaggle of other nobles arrived to watch the event. There was even a small group of Orlaisean nobility who arrived hoping to watch what would happen.

Because this Proving would have an unprecedented number of participants, there were alterations made to the arena. The first round would take three days to get through all of the initial participants, so the arena was divided into twenty different even spaces for two fighters each. This way there could be twenty fights going at once. While this required some minor alteration to the ceremony, it meant that more fights could be gone through faster. If the matches were done one at a time, the first round would have taken nearly a month. The second round would go much like the first, making it a two day affair. The final rounds after that would take place over the next two days over that. Overall, this one Proving would take a week or longer.

The first day of the event arrived and Kalah had a magnificent gown made for me. It contained thick garnet cloths with gold and silver accents, polished brass armor pieces, silver House Orodum studs, and was accessorized with gold and emerald rings and a necklace. Father insisted I wear my tiara as well. By his reasoning, if these warriors were fighting for the hand of a princess, I should absolutely look the part.

Today the Household would join me as I left the Orodum estate. Every servant, craftsman, warrior, and member of House Orodum was already outside and ready to go as I stepped out the door. There was excitement and anticipation in their eyes. Their Lady was leaving today to begin the process that would find her husband and their Lord. They had served me since I was a child and they would all be a part of the journey that found my life's partner.

Faren stepped forward and bowed, "Princess, House Orodum is ready to accompany

you to the Proving Grounds. We await your command."

He helped me up onto my bronto and I smiled out at the hundreds of dwarves who served under my patronage, "I want to thank you all for taking this next week to accompany me. I understand that it will slow many of you down in accomplishing your duties. You will not hear a single complaint from me. You have all helped to take care of me and raise me since the founding of House Orodum. It makes me happy that you would take the time to support me in this. Thank you all for your love and support! Now! Let's go show our support to the participants!"

The dwarves of House Orodum cheered and followed behind the warriors as I steered my bronto forward. The city streets were packed with dwarves. Merchant stalls lined every inch of the streets and each one sent someone to our procession to offer a gift, which would be taken and carried by a House member. Cheers went up as we wound our way to the arena, and the bridge that connected the arena to the rest of the city was cleared so that we could make our way across without delay or obstruction.

I dismounted from my bronto several yards from the entrance doors and entered alongside Faren and Bhelen. The rest of my House entered and quickly filed through the large, open lobby to find their place in the stands.

Faren smiled at me, "Wish me luck."

I returned the smile and shook my head, "You don't need luck. You'll win. I believe in you."

Bhelen snickered and looked at us both, "I'm surprised anyone is willing to participate knowing Faren was going to enter."

We smirked back at Bhelen and I quipped, "No one knew he was going to enter. He's putting his name in as a late entry. Such is the privilege of being my champion."

Bhelen laughed and clapped Faren on the shoulder, "You sly dog! The spectacle should be amazing! If she won't wish you luck, I will. Luck to you, Faren. I can't imagine anyone being more worthy to wed my sister."

If it wouldn't have shown favor, I would have kissed Faren's cheek. Instead, I simply bowed my head to him and we parted ways. Bhelen and I made our way up to the viewing platform reserved for the most honored guests. This space was typically reserved for the individual whose honor the Proving was being held in. This time, however, it would have my family, King Maric, and the other Fated. When we stepped through the doors and into the platform, all heads turned to gaze at us and everyone stood.

Trianna stood and made her way over to me, giving me a tight hug, "Merida, you look beautiful."

I hugged her in return and smiled wide, "It's wonderful to see you. I hope you saved me a seat."

That got a laugh from everyone as Trianna followed me to my chair. King Maric bowed to me, "You look absolutely stunning, Princess."

I dipped into a curtsy, "Thank you, Your Grace. I'm surprised you would come so far just to watch a Proving."

Maric laughed, "This is no ordinary Proving. This will decide who the consort of the woman who will be my kingdom's greatest ally, and my good friend, will be. How could I not oversee such an event?"

"He speaks for all of us," Serena smiled and stood to rest a hand on my shoulder. "Only you could inspire so many with the possibility of marriage, Merida. How could your friends not come to stand beside you while it happens?"

"I can't help but notice we're not all here," Allen almost purred. "Where is Faren? The dress you're wearing is lovely, but you almost seem naked without him by your side."
Morrigan slapped the back of Allen's head with a derisive hiss, "Do not be so crude, Allen. Apologies, Princess. I am slowly working on his manners. However, his observation, while crude in nature, is not without merit. You do seem to be lacking a bodyguard at the moment."

I chuckled and nodded to Morrigan in thanks for her timely chastisement, "Faren is here." I turned and looked down into the arena where all of the participants were gathered. "He's entering the arena now."

"What?!" the collective Fated shouted and moved to the edge of the platform to look out onto the arena.

"I knew it!" Allen laughed. "I knew he wanted you!"

Morrigan snatched Allen by the ear and drug him back to his seat, "If you cannot learn to be considerate of your friends and their personal relationships then I will need to teach you. Now remain silent until the Princess allows you to speak again."

Everyone laughed at Allen as Morrigan disciplined him.

Trianna just offered me a soft smile, "I'm glad he's there fighting for you. I didn't believe for a single moment that the two of you weren't meant to be together."

I smiled back and responded confidently, "He'll win."

"He has no equal as far as I know of," Trian said from his chair. He was sitting between Father and Nerav.

"It shows a great deal of faith in him, Merida," Father stood and approached me. He pulled me into a warm hug, "I think you found the perfect solution for your problem. No one can argue with the results of a Proving. And I have no doubt you will get the man you're hoping for."

"I expect a warm welcome to the family when he wins," I winked and hugged him back.

"Of course, my dear, of course," Father chuckled and took his seat once more.

"Princess?" the Proving Master called. "Are you ready to begin?"

I turned and nodded, "No sense in making anyone wait any longer."

"Very good, Princess," he bowed his head then turned to signal to dwarves around the arena who blew into horns which caught the attention of the crowd. He waited for everyone to settle down before stepping to the ledge. "People of Orzammar! Today is the first day in the grand Proving which will decide who among these brave warriors will become Princess Merida Orodum's husband."

The crowd roared in excitement.

"The changes to the Proving are as follows," the Proving Master continued. "Multiple bouts will be fought at the same time, with a judge watching each match to assure that both combatants fight with honor. Any match thought to have been fought with anything less than each warrior's best effort will be considered suspect, and each participant will be disqualified. Next, if any third parties are discovered to have influenced a bout, the warriors for that bout will be disqualified and the third party, regardless of rank or station, will be severely punished. Finally, because our Princess does not wish for anyone to receive permanent harm or death in the proceedings, all weapons used will be blunted, and any attempt at causing permanent injury or death will cause the offender to be disqualified."

The words hung in the air for several moments while everyone processed them. The Proving Master looked to me, "Princess? Would you like to address the crowd?"

I smiled and nodded, "Certainly."

He turned back to the crowd and raised his hands, "Now, I bid you all to stand as Princess Orodum addresses you all!"

The crowd roared once again as I stepped up to the side of the Proving Master and waved to everyone in attendance.

It took some time for the cheers to die down before I could say anything, "First, I want to thank all of the warriors who are willing to participate in this Proving. Your bravery for entering the arena with such odds speaks to your opinion of me, and I am both honored and flattered. Just by entering the arena you have shown me that I am loved by my people in a way I've never considered before. And to those in attendance, and those who have come from outside of Orzammar, it does my heart good to see the city so lively again."

"The creation of the Surface Caste and the retaking of the thaigs has spread our people out over the expanse of the Deep Roads and Ferelden," I smiled wide. "This feels like seeing all of my family coming home again. Thank you all for coming to this event, and good luck to all of you brave enough to step foot inside the arena!"

The roar of the crowd was deafening. I waved at everyone for a few more moments before returning to my seat. The Proving Master instructed those not scheduled for the first bouts to exit the arena, and then the battles commenced.

Regardless of my wishes for the warriors to try and battle in as safe a manner as possible, the bouts were displays of sheer aggression. The warriors fought fiercely, digging deep into their skills and their determination to offer their best effort in every match. Bones were broken, blood was spilled, and the ferocity and skill of the dwarves were put on display for all to see. Each series of bouts lasted only a few minutes, with combatants resting until the final match in their group was finished, then squires and physics would rush onto the field to aid the warriors out of the arena. A large group of field hands would then quickly clean each of the combat areas of blood or broken equipment pieces so that the next group was allowed onto the Proving floor.

So it went for the next six days. Warriors rose and fell. Underdogs rose amongst the ranks while some favorites surprisingly fell. Commoners were making a name for themselves and nobles raised the prestige of their families. There was excitement in the air as people placed bets on who the winner would be in individual bets or who would win overall. The fights continued for ten hours every day for six days until only a handful of warriors remained on the final day.

True to my expectations, Faren was among the finalists. Each night he'd come home I had Trianna work her healing magic on him to soothe any wounds he suffered or fatigue he might have been feeling. Compared to the others in the final round, he was still in just as good of shape as he had been on the very first day. That isn't to say that other families hadn't hired mages to help their fighters as well, but none of them were looking as fit as Faren was as they all stepped out onto the field for the morning ceremony.

The Proving Master stepped forward and looked over the final four competitors, "People of Orzammar, I am proud to present to you these final four warriors. At the end of the day, one of these four men will have won the hand of our beloved Princess Merida Orodum!"

The crowd cheered with a palpable excitement.

"Today's battle will adhere to the standard format of two combatants in the arena at a time," he continued. "There will be two matches, each match between two of these fine warriors. Then we will allow the warriors to rest for an hour before the match to decide the winner. Warriors, are you ready?"

All four nodded their readiness.

"Then I invite Faren Orodum and Mersh Brodens to remain in the arena and for-"

The Proving Master's words were cut off in a gasp as a magical portal opened in the middle of the arena. Faren and the four other warriors went into a defensive stance, but the other Fated and I cursed in fear as a ridiculously tall human stepped through. The man had ungainly long arms with fingers that ended in long, talon-like nails. His body was stretched flesh over open wounds, covered by feather pauldrons and a long, black robe. His face was contorted and seemed to be pulled back across the left side of his head.

Corypheus. It was Corypheus! How had he managed to get revived? We all collectively looked at Allen.

"How is he here?!" we shouted at him.

Allen could only shrug in panic, "I have no idea! My cousins are safe in the Tower and my Father keeps in regular contact! None of my other relatives have gone missing!"

Corypheus was an ancient Tevinter Magister and high priest of Dumat that Allen's uncle had sealed away with his blood magic. To be free, it would mean that someone from Allen's family had to have had their blood used in a ritual to release the seal. There he stood, surveying the arena. Then he looked up and stared directly at me.

"Ah," his voice rumbled through the arena with bass enough to cause me to turn my head as it ached, "there you are. The dwarf who would claim the souls of the gods, who would dare to step into the Fade and claim it as her own whilst spitting in the face of her betters. I will show you the fate of those who would tread in the path of a god."

The threat was made, but Corypheus' arrogance failed to let him realize that he was surrounded and that four of the strongest dwarf warriors were within striking distance. Faren and the others charged the cursed magister, enlightening Corypheus to the precarious situation in which he found himself.

As the warriors began to attack Corypheus, I stood and moved to leave the stands so I could join them in battle. The Proving Master put his hand out to block me, seeming to understand my intentions, "Princess, you can't. I understand your intentions, but look at the crowd. They wish to leap into the arena and aid in the battle as well. But this is a Proving. None but the participants may enter the arena no matter what happens. Unless the four warriors fall, we can do nothing unless we dishonor their effort and the will of the ancestors."

I glared at him in fury and defiance, frustrated understanding. I turned back to the arena and clutched the railing, "If they die, I will kill him…"

"You will not get the chance, Princess," the Proving Master said with a sure tone. "You will have to try and get to him before the thousands of dwarves ahead of you do. They will cut him down in vengeance for the valiant warriors already fighting him, and to protect you."

I looked back out on the scene unfolding before me and prayed quietly for Faren's safety. I knew I could use my abilities to kill or at least incapacitate Corypheus, but everyone would know I interfered. So I watched, waited, and prayed.

The prowess of the warriors was impressive. Even without magic they were keeping Corypheus on his heels with coordinated strikes and deft maneuvers that the ancient mage couldn't predict. Each time Corypheus was ready to cast a spell, a shield would slam into him, a sword would cut into him, a mace would swipe his arms out of synch, a hammer would fly into his twisted face. Faren seemed to take charge, commanding and coordinating the others to dash in and out to keep the monstrosity off balance and guessing.

Corypheus was no fool, however. He certainly wasn't harmless without his magic. His lithe, wiry form was far more powerful than it would lead you to believe. Every so often he would retaliate, swiping out with a powerful clawed hand and sending the offending dwarf cascading away from him and disrupting the flow of the quartet's attacks. Corypheus was taking damage, but the dwarves were suffering more. Regardless of his appearance of a withered human, Corypheus was much more durable than he seemed.

One dwarf charged in to strike at Corypheus' back when the creature wheeled on him and snatched him up by the neck; his elongated fingers comfortably twisting around the dwarf's neck. He raised the dwarf up, the opponent kicking and clutching at the mage's powerful hand as Corypheus scowled at him. With an almost dismissive flick of his wrist, Corypheus snapped the dwarf's neck before releasing him and letting his lifeless body drop unceremoniously to the ground in a heap.

Corypheus' disapproving growl could be heard from the platform I watched from. He turned and looked up at me, "Pathetic. Will you not come down and face me yourself? How many of your people will you allow to die before you summon your courage to test your power against me?"

I wanted to kill him then and there. I wanted to show him the power of a titan, to teach him fear beyond comprehension before ending his wicked life. The fury on my face had to be apparent, but I straightened myself and put on an imperious air as I responded with all eyes on me, "You are a diseased worm. You do not warrant my intervention. You have entered the Proving Arena and the warriors you face now are more than enough to end your miserable existence. You will not conquer them. And as you lay bleeding in the sands with them standing over you, you will understand the power of our people and how far below us you are. If you think you are my equal, prove your power in the arena. Defeat these warriors. Only then will I deign to come down and face you."

Corypheus macabre features contorted into a sickening grin as he laughed, "You think these vermin are a threat to me? Very well, Princess. I will slaughter your warriors and then I will flay you alive. Enjoy the show, for as soon as they are dead, your end will be close behind them."

I was betting on Corypheus' pride to get the best of him. His arrogance had made him sloppy in the game and it played out to my advantage now as well. Corypheus turned to face the three remaining dwarves as Faren gave the order to surround him.

"Mersh!" Faren shouted as the dwarves spread out. "Look for openings. Spine and ribs. Keep him protecting his center! Serrimo! Watch the arms! Disrupt the somatic gestures!"

The two others acknowledged the orders. Corypheus was cunning, however, and was capable of weaving the somatic movements of his spells into melee strikes. His vitals were much higher than the warriors were used to attacking; similar in height to an ogre's, though more compact.

Another minute or so passed as the trio jumped in and out of the former magister's range, striking and hindering him to the best of their ability until Corypheus found his footing for a moment and jabbed him arm out in blinding snap, pointing his clawed fingers forward like a spear to impale Serrimo Helmi. The skewered dwarf defiantly slashed his axe across the inside of Corypheus' elbow, rending the muscle from bone and causing the limb to go limp. Corypheus roared in pain and whipped himself to the side, flinging Serrimo's corpse like a missile so that it hit Mersh square in the chest, knocking him out cold from the force of the impact.

Corypheus turned to face Faren and snarled, "Now little warrior, you are alone. I shall toy with you first; torture you in front of your princess, make you beg for mercy until the whim to kills you finally comes to me. Then, I shall take that cow of a ARHG!"

The sound of pain Corypheus let out confused everyone but me. I understood what had happened because only I could sense it. Faren had wiled the very stone beneath his feet to jump up into a spike to skewer the beast's foot.

"You have made your final two mistakes, wretch," Faren snarled. "While the others were alive, I was limited to fighting according to the limits of my peers. Your first mistake was leaving me for last. Now that you are my only opponent, I can use my abilities to their fullest. Your second mistake was insulting the woman I love. Before you die, I will reach into that gaping hole you call a mouth and rip out your tongue and let you drown on your own blood. Now ready yourself, creature, for I am your end and I do not fear you."

The arena cheered in response to Faren's defiance. Corypheus, now with time to maneuver, worked his magic to cast a spell of caustic green magic at the remaining warrior. Faren quickly shifted in the blue spectrum of the Fade using his lyrium well dial, allowing the spell to pass through him harmlessly.

"What blasphemy is this?" Corypheus spat as Faren's spectral form charged forward. He summoned an arcane shield to protect himself but Faren's spectral sword passed through it and materialized back into the physical realm just in time to bite into his gut, quickly puncturing the monster's innards and spilling its black blood in a fierce spurt.

"I am Faren Orodum!" Faren roared as he raised his shield to deflect a swipe of Corypheus' claws. He stepped in quickly and slashed at the magister's robes to bite at his ankles.

"Bodyguard to Princess Merida Orodum!" He phased into the red spectrum and repositioned himself to Corypheus' flank as the monstrosity summoned a circle of flame around himself in an attempt to get Faren away. Faren reemerged from the Fade and rammed the edge of his shield into the back of Corypheus' knees, causing the giant to topple forward.

"Gifted grace by the Titans!" Faren roared as he summoned a pillar of stone to quickly crash into Corypheus' head, sending him falling backwards as quickly as he had fallen forward.

Corypheus had tried to rise using his good arm, but Faren was already swinging his sword, twisting his body to add all the power in his form to the strike to lop the limb off through the bicep. The magister roared in pain as his body flopped back to the ground. With one arm gone and the either useless, he was now prone and nearly helpless. He tried to collect himself and roll to get his feet beneath him but Faren was too fast, kicking him hard in the face to force him back on his back.

Faren planted an armored foot on the ancient magister's neck and glared down at him, "And as my Princess said before, you are nothing but a diseased worm, unworthy of her intervention. You have witnessed the power granted to the dwarves through her ingenuity. You have faced her champion and been found wanting. And now, as I promised…" He slammed his fist into Corypheus' mouth and took hold of his tongue, ripping it out with a bloody spray, "You will die, drowning on your own blood."

Corypheus panicked and twisted beneath Faren's boot as he struggled to save his life somehow. Faren's hold on him was too strong, however, and he would not be budged. The flailing became more and more desperate and just as the death throws came to a climax, another portal opened and Faren was forced to jump back as a massive blade swung out from it in an attempt to cleave Faren's head from his body.

Faren brought his shield up just as Seven stepped out from the portal, a horribly wicked grin on his face. He looked around and found Faren before him, and the sight caused him to laugh, "You? The magister fell to you? It is good, then, that I allowed him to fall. You have done the work for me…" He looked around till he noticed me in the stands. "Ah! There she is. You should punish your bodyguard, Princess. For has unknowingly granted me the power of a magister!"

As everyone tried to register what the Fated darkspawn meant, Seven threw himself down and bit out Corypheus' throat. The magister arched his back he tried to fight or delay the inevitable, but the blood loss and injuries took their toll and his life left him. Seven stood and laughed as Corypheus' soul leapt to the closest darkspawn in the area… Seven itself…

Seven roared in a way that seemed offensive to the ears of all. Corypheus' soul and power fought Seven's will for dominance over his body and Seven dropped to his knees. There was a moment of silence and Faren charged in, ready to end the threat before it could manifest itself. The attempt was too late. Seven waved his hand and sent a burst of concussive force to send Faren toppling away from him. It seemed like he was still struggling with the power and will of Corypheus as he stood shakily to his feet. It looked as if he wanted to do more but resigned himself to a mocking grin in my direction before leaping back through the portal.

Everyone stared at the remains of the area as the portal closed. We waited with baited breath to see what would happen next. After several agonizing moments, Faren stirred and slowly stood to his feet. There was a collective inhalation of breath before everyone screamed in victory and joy.

I didn't wait for any announcement or ceremony. I rushed through the door of the platform and down the stairs and path that would lead me to the area. I willed the doors open and rushed through, sprinting across the arena jumping at Faren and wrapped my arms around his neck and kissing him deeply. He crushed me in his embrace, the black blood of Corypheus staining my gown but I didn't care. The crowd's cheers grew to a fevered pitch in celebration, but I didn't care. There couldn't be any doubt now. Faren was worthy in the eyes of the ancestors and every dwarf that witnessed the battle, or that would be told about it afterwards.

I smiled up at him, relief washing through me at his safety, "I love you so much…"

"I love you too," he rested his forehead to mine, his eyes locked to my gaze. "I will never let anyone hurt you."

"I would have stopped him if-" I tried to explain.

He shook his head in understanding, "I know. The rules of the Proving. You don't have to apologize. We trained to fight like this. So we were ready together."

I nodded as my eyes began to well with tears. I sniffled to keep from crying and took his hand. Turning, I raised his hand into the air, "People of Orzammar! I present to you Faren Orodum, my betrothed as willed by the ancestors and proven in combat against the greatest warriors of dwarves and monsters!"

The arena shook with the cheers of the crowd.

Faren and I moved together to check on Mersh who had been knocked out. We moved Serrimo's body respectfully and helped Mersh to his feet. Dwarves from the stands rushed forward, to carry the body of fallen warriors respectfully back into the waiting area that warriors used to prepare for their bouts. The next few hours were a surreal mixture of celebration and mourning as the people knew who I would wed while weighing that knowledge against the loss of fine warriors in the defense of Orzammar against a sudden, powerful threat.

Over the next few days a funeral was prepared for the fallen dwarves who would be interred in the arena with statues raised in their honor. As that was being taken care of, I had to try and figure out how Corypheus had been freed, how he and Seven had known to appear in the arena, and how they managed to do so when there would be so few warriors in the arena. The questions would plague me for some time, but they would also force us to begin an investigation. Trianna, Allen, Morrigan, and I would begin creating wards around the city to prevent such magic being used to enter unwarranted again.

For all of the questions and work the intrusion had caused, Faren's triumph was celebrated. He was hailed as a hero among the dwarves and his battle was put to song and story. Now when we walked the streets we could do so hand-in-hand and be met with glad tidings and cheers. There was no need to hide our affection. It was a somber relief considering the cost.

There were many questions that needed answering. However, Faren's display of the lyrium well system during his fight against Corypheus brought a unanimous vote for its implementation in Orzammar and the thaigs. Because of the lyrium well system's crucial role in the battle, Bhelen was chosen to be the Lord of Gwaren in the hopes that he would spearhead new lyrium technologies to further protect our people from such magical incursions. In the end, Corypheus only served to strengthen the resolve of the dwarves and push my agenda forward. However, the expression Seven gave me before he left made my blood run cold whenever I thought about it.

It seemed to me that he had manipulated the events hoping Corypheus would be killed… hoping that he could swoop in and claim the old magister's power. I wondered with dread in my heart if we hadn't done his dirty work for him. Only time would tell.