AN:Alrighty! So here's the first chapter of Arlathan, a female Tabris/Alistair fic which I expect to be pretty long. As chapters will be kind of lengthy, expect one chapter every week or so (maybe more depending upon my schedule). I love DAO and though I wasn't orignally going to pursue a long fic for this game, I just love the entire plot of the game too much to focus on one section (though goodness knows I've read many WONDERFUL examples on this site).

I'll do my best to make the story both exciting and true to character but if I ever seem to slip on either of them (or my grammar seems to be lack) please PLEASE let me know :) I love feedback of any kind so feel free to send me a little message no matter what.

Thanks for reading - hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own DAO or anything you recognize - Bioware is much too amazing and powerful for me to say otherwise :)

Elisaris Tabris sat beneath the thick canopy of evergreens amidst the dark of night, the clouds all but swallowing the stars. She had traveled not more than three days away from the Denerim Alienage but already she could feel the loss acutely, as if her heart had been rend from her chest and she was left to deal with the consequences.

She had tried desperately to keep them all safe. So why had this happened?

Glancing down at the delicate golden circle around her ring finger, the young woman felt her lips tremble as the desire to weep steadily grew. It was beautiful really, the ring. Hardly the extravagant bejeweled creations she had seen her human mistress wear, Elisaris had found the unadorned golden band a more precious gem by far. He had made it for her himself, and that was all that mattered; even if he had never been able to give it to her.

A silent tear streaked down her cheek as she closed her eyes against new stab of pain. She had never wanted anything more than a happy life in the Alienage with a family, her father and the rest of her friends. The death of her mother as a child had shown her the horrors that human beings were capable of, and she had never wanted to become involved with any human ever again. Her job in the house of a lesser noble in the city had been one of necessity, and even then she had protected herself with a shroud of silence that kept away unwanted attention. She was no great beauty, nor sophisticated paragon of knowledge, but her low station in life had been acceptable, and in comparison it was actually more than most were used to. Elisaris took a several sharp breaths, trying to stem back her tears, as she recalled her rather good fortune at having secured such a good betrothal.

Nelaros.

They had written to each other in the months following their promising to each other, both half-frightened at the prospect at marrying a stranger. And yet, by the time they had met, it had hardly seemed strange at all. Her betrothed had been so kind, soft spoken and perhaps a bit shy, but Nelaros had been the one for her; she had realized it the moment he had recognized her and smiled.

She would have no others after him.

The tears came then, great rivulets wetting the dry of her cheeks until they dripped down her chin and onto the blanket Duncan had given her for sleeping.

What must that Gray Warden think hearing her cry out like a small child?

Muffling her soft sobbing with the blanket, Elisaris struggled with the memory of her fiancé, too soon taken away; the thoughts fracturing her further as she sought to make sense of events that had so changed her world and shattered her heart.

Why had he died?

Flashback:

It had been a long day and an even longer evening; Elisaris bit back a whimper of pain as she pulled her night clothes over her head and settled them around her. Every muscle ached from the work her mistress had asked this day; perhaps it was because the elf had asked for a few days without, a proverbial 'break' that was unheard of, at least to her mistress. And yet, feeling as awfully as she was now she couldn't truly remember why, sighing a little at her own confusion, the young woman merely shook her head.

No doubt she would remember in the morning, when the sleep had eased her some.

Groaning softly as she lowered herself to the softness of her bed, the elf woman sighed as the overworked muscles unclenched and softened with the warmth of her downy bed, falling almost instantly asleep as her pains were temporarily forgotten.

She would worry about it in the morning…

"Cousin…"

"Wake up cousin…"

A familiar voice was calling her out of the wonderfully inky blackness, and for a long time Elisaris chose to ignore it, content with the sated drowsiness of slumber.

"Wake up cousin!" A more forceful command, this time accompanied by a gentle shake, "Why are you still in bed? It's your big day!"

Opening sleep dulled eyes, the younger woman found herself confronted by the slowly sharpening image of her very excited best friend and relative.

"What…" Sitting upright, Elisaris rubbed the remaining sleep from her eyes, "Why are you in my room, Shianni?"

A family member and best friend, Shianni had been like an older sister despite the similarity of their ages. Elisaris had always been a timid girl, ever since witnessing the death of her mother, and it was a condition which only her ginger haired cousin could ever understand, to talk and ease her when she suffered.

Still that did not explain the early morning interruption…

Surely Shianni had better things to do then wake her up on one of her few days of rest.

Unless this had something to do with...

Elisaris sighed as her thought trailed off unfinished. She still couldn't remember what was happening this weekend, she had been so busy working this week it would seem the knowledge had been all but crowded out.

"I begged your father to let me share the good news." Shianni seemed to almost be vibrating with energy, "You do remember what today is…don't you?"

Elisaris had no choice but to respond blandly, "Summerday?"

"No you idiot!" Shianni sounded exasperated as she looked at the small woman still curled up in the thick tangle of bed sheets, "You're getting married today and Soris too!

Well that explained what she had forgotten.

Feeling foolish, Elisaris remained quiet as she listened to the rest of her cousin's news.

"That's what I came to tell you. Your groom, Nelaros, he's here early."

Nelaros…

The young woman felt her blush flare at his name. They had spent months writing to one another and she had found him to be an amiable man. And yet, she knew next to nothing about how he looked, though not a moment later Shianni seemed to answer the silent question, her lips twisting suddenly in a conspiratorial grin.

"I snuck a peek for you while you were sleeping. He's very handsome, so you have nothing to worry about in that department. And from the look of him I don't think he'll have any problem with the other celebration going on later on this evening."

Her suggestive look was only heightened by the near comical wiggle of her eyebrows. Elisaris blushed in response but could do little more, she had never been one to think about those sorts of things, but no doubt this night would change her perspective on things.

"Shianni…"

"Oh don't look so flustered cousin," the other woman was grinning broadly, "It is part of becoming an adult is it not? No sense in remaining a child all of your life is it? And what of those babies you so want, hmm?"

"I…umm…" Elisaris felt her face flush even deeper and looked down in embarrassment, "I suppose you have a point."

"Well then," Shianni smoothed the wrinkles in her dress with a last brilliant smile and wink, "you get up and find that other cousin of ours. Soris said he would be waiting for you outside…I need to go and find the other bridesmaids, so I'll see you later ok?"

Nodding meekly the young bride waited until she heard the door closing before getting out of bed, and crossing the cool wooden floors to pull out the lovely wedding dress that had once been belonged to her mother. She supposed that it was not so coincidental that she fit it properly, the light white and gold embroidered shift falling over her slim figure easily.

Apparently her father was of similar thought as his last comment to her before leaving reminded her of the gap her mother was never going to be able to fill, on this day in particular. The realization haunted her as she walked around the Alienage, lurking in her mind even as she managed a few favors for guests who could otherwise no attend the wedding.

It wasn't until she heard the familiar voice of her other cousin that she managed to think of anything else.

"Well, well… if it isn't my lucky cousin?"

Leaning idly on a familiar tree, the dark haired elf flicked an interested glance to one of the other female elves walking by before turning to fully address his cousin, his expression rueful.

"Care to celebrate the end of our independence together, hmm?"

He slung a lazy arm around her shoulders and grinned, no doubt he wanted to get drunk before the wedding. Elisaris merely smiled warmly as she guided him away from the various spirits that had been collected for the reception. She doubted his fiancé would appreciate finding him inebriated.

"Oh…I don't think it will be so bad Soris…"

"Easy for you to say," the brunette complained softly so as not to attract attention, "Apparently your groom is a dream come true. My bride sounds like a dying mouse."

Elisaris winced a little, both at his comment and for the girl…no doubt this was a conversation better not shared with the other women in the wedding party.

It was times like this that made her glad that she was lucky enough to have at least one of her parents living in the Alienage. Tradition had long since given the parents the responsibility of finding a suitable match for their children. Soris, who had no parents currently living at the Denerim Alienage, was forced to have the match that the elder had decided would be best.

She felt extremely lucky that she, at least, had gotten to know her betrothed through letters and the occasional small gift.

"Anyway, let's introduce you to your dreamy betrothed before you say 'I do'."

He took the lead as he turned this way and that, past the general store and the platform already festively decorated for the nuptial celebrations. Pausing a moment to admire the delicate white and green flowers on the corner of the wedding stage, Elisaris had only time to catch the slightest sweet scent before she was once more tugged away.

And yet, not a moment later Soris stopped short, tightening his grasp on her as he kept her by his side.

"Wha-"

"LET GO OF ME! STOP PLEASE!"

It was Nola, a friend of Shianni's and one of the bridesmaids; behind her stood a well dressed human man, a noble. Elisaris felt something unpleasant shift in her stomach as she looked at the expression on his face, cruelty etched into every smug line.

"It's a party…isn't it? Grab a whore and have a good time," His laugh was unsavory as he watched the women in the party pale, "Savor the hunt boys – take this little elven wench here, so young and vulnerable."

Elisaris couldn't hear Shianni's response, but by the deep look of rage that swept across the noble's features seemed clear enough. Indeed, the elf next to her was sent crashing to the ground a moment later, the human man striking him harshly as his eyes gazed wildly at the small crowd that had gathered.

And it was then that he laid eyes upon her, his eyes sharpening as he grew visibly interested. Elisaris felt her nausea increase with each step her took closer, and by the time he was upon her could barely manage to keep from being sick. Human men had always frightened her, the memory of her mother's death flashing before her eyes.

"What's this?" His eyes raked over her in undisguised lust, "Another lovely one to keep me company?"

Elisaris couldn't hide the way her hands trembled and so she clasped them before her, clenching them tightly until her delicate bones pressed her skin white.

"Please…let us just discuss this…" She could barely force the words past her frozen lips, but the terrified looks on the faces of her cousin and friends demanded she try.

"Perhaps you can invite her over for dinner?"

From the far corner of the clearing the other nobles lecherous grin suggest that much more would occur at this dinner party whether the company was willing or not. The fact that the leader of the group seemed to consider the suggestion only worked to frighten the young city elf all the more.

And yet, no sooner had she moved to take a step backwards when the nobleman turned away from her, just in time to crumple to the ground, the sound of an earthen mug shattering in the process.

Shianni, it seemed, had come to her rescue.

But at what price?

The timely appearance of her betrothed once the nobleman was taken away seemed to ease her, but her worried never fully disappeared from her mind this time, lingering on as a warning.

Looking back on it now, Elisaris wondered if it had not been this particular moment that had inevitably turned the wheel of fate and cast her a path a of such pain and loss.

"Hello, you must Elisaris." His eyes were warm and appreciative though more protective than amorous as he met her startled look with a comforting smile.

"You are…Nelaros then," Elisaris couldn't help but return the gesture as her lips tilted upwards in a shy smile, his letters long since committed to memory. Months of writing made this man seem less a stranger and more a good friend. Perhaps eventually he would come to inhabit the role of lover, husband and father of her children as well. The sudden sense of intimacy between the two of them was strangely comfortable despite its unfamiliarity.

"Yes," the steady look he gave her made her flush prettily as he gently moved forward to brush a stray strand of hair away from her cheek and behind her delicately pointed ears. It was, under the circumstances, a very bold move, especially as his finger lingered a moment too long on the tip of her ear.

"I hope that I may become worthy of your affections once we are married." He had all but murmured the words, and yet Elisaris heard them just as clearly as if he had spoken to her clearly.

"A-as do I," the young woman stuttered but spoke earnestly, her lips still turned upwards as she smiled shyly back. The tenderness in his gaze seemed to suggest she had succeeded.

"I shall go then, if just to see you in a few moments." The smile on his lips vanished for a moment as he brushed them softly against her cheek, "Do not take so long my darling."

Then he was gone, walking away with Soris' fiancé as they both began their final preparations.

Elisaris had only a few moments more to deal with the appearance of a secondary human, a Gray Warden, before being sent away by the exasperated elder.

And then it was time, the wedding had begun.

"Friends and family," It was the elder who spoke first, as every ceremony began with his words, so too would this union begin the same way.

"Today we celebrate not only this joining, but also our bonds of kin and kind. We are free, but that was not always so. Andraste, the Maker's Prophet freed us from the bonds of slavery. As our community grows remember that our strength lies in commitment to tradition and to each other."

Smiling as she took in the Elder's words, Elisaris found herself meeting the steady gaze of her betrothed as he too grinned back at her, his fingers gently lacing with her own.

Surely this match was to be one of more than just convenience.

"In the name of the Maker who brought us this world, and in whose name we say the Chant of Light…"

The sudden rumbling of voices drew the attention of everyone attending the wedding as three human noble men strode into view, their expressions haughty as they pushed elves out of their path.

It was the son of the arl, Lord Vaughn. He had returned, and this time there were armed guards with him.

"Milord! This is…an unexpected surprise…" Not bothering to hide her surprise, the young sister of the Chantry grew concerned, "Is everything-?"

"Sorry to interrupt Mother," The wicked laughter as he stepped onto the wide platform made all the elves in attendance flinch, knowing instinctively that all was not right.

"I'm…uh…having a party! And we're dreadfully short of female guests."

"Milord!" Never before had Elisaris heard the revered mother speak with such outrage, "This is a wedding!"

Watching their discussion unfurl, Elisaris felt unease curl in the pit of her stomach, a dread that something awful was about to occur. Taking a small shuffling step closer to Nelaros, the young bride did what she could to stave off her increasing feelings of illness, until the sudden bloom of warmth on her shoulder caught her attention, her fiancé pulling her nearer to him as his expression grew serious, almost worried.

"Now…we're here for a good time, aren't we boys?"

The laughs of agreement were more akin to the howl of wolves amidst the now deafening silence of the crowd.

"Let's take those two, the one in the tight dress and…where's the bitch that bottled me?"

Elisaris could do nothing as Shianni was brought to the nobleman's attention, her pleas for help at odds with the restraining hand Nelaros had place on her arm.

"Oh I'll enjoy taming her…"the easy amusement was gone from Vaughn's voice as he responded to Shianni's fiery rebuttal, the almost joking manner replaced with something sinister, more blatantly lecherous and cruel.

"And see the pretty bride…"

Elisaris felt herself grow pale as his darker gaze pinned her down, almost mentally undressing her as he lingered on the curves of her figure.

"Ah yes…such a well formed little thing…"

Elisaris flinched as the lord moved to touch her face, the ringed appendage smacked away in the next moment as her betrothed answered the human male for her, his voice tight with anger.

"You villain, don't touch her!"

"Oh that's quite enough…" The almost casual dismissal was lost to the clear threat in his next words, "I'm sure we all want to avoid further…um, unpleasantness. Am I right, hmm?"

Looking behind him at the heavily armed guards with fearsome features, Elisaris could barely stand the implication, "Please…just don't hurt anyone."

The words seemed to charm the human man, amuse him to no end as he took a step closer, eying the smaller man against a second assault.

"Of course not my dear, this is a party!"

But no sooner had the Lord Vaughn finished speaking when Elisaris felt all of her senses explode in pain, her small cry of distress the only sound she made as the sharp impact of a physical blow struck her across the cheek and sent her out of her fiancé's protective hold. The world faded to black moments later amidst a sudden uproar of voices and though her last lingering thoughts were of her betrothed, it was Lord Vaughn's voice that range in her ears.

Oh, we are going to have some fun…

* * * * * * *

Elisaris woke on a rough stone floor, her head pounding as she opened her eyes to find herself looking at the ceiling.

"Oh! Thank the Maker you've come to. We were so worried!"

"Where…?" Elisaris groaned softly as she forced herself into a seated position, jarring her stiff muscles, and making her instantly more aware of the swollen corner of her lip, the side of her face; both throbbed.

"They locked us in here to wait until that bastard is ready for us." Beside Shianni, one of the other elven women, wrung her hands fearfully and cast a frightened glance at the two imposing doors located at the far walls of their makeshift dungeon.

"There's nothing we can do but stay calm," Elisaris felt her timid nature recede for a moment as she smiled comfortingly to the woman around her.

"But we're five unarmed woman…" one of the women whispered back, her eyes much like the others, terrified.

"That means we can't do anything carelessly," Elisaris responded evenly despite her own growing feelings of despair, "We need to stay calm."

Struggling to her feet, the young bride paused before standing fully, the pain that shot through her legs a reminder of her weak elven body. They all had a tendency of bruising easily, but Elisaris doubted the lord Vaughn would care. If anything the notion would give him a sick sort of pleasure.

Human men tended to be the cruel towards elves, and the nobleman seemed worse than most.

Moving over to the two thick doors that had shut them in, Elisaris bent down to look at the small key-holes, her fingers probing the rest of the wooden surface as she tested for any sign of weakness, no matter how small. The lock itself was not complicated by any means, could even have been opened if she had brought along the small kit her mother had given to her upon completion of her training. Having said small bundle hidden at the bottom of her clothing trunk seemed a conspicuous shortfall.

Nothing…not a single means to escape…

Elisaris closed her eyes for a moment as if to try and stave off the inevitable conclusion that would come of their continued imprisonment. The wave of nausea at such an idea nearly made her sick where she stood. It was only Shianni's comforting hand on her shoulder that gave her the strength to walk back to the other women.

"Look…we'll do what they want…" their conversation was quickly beginning to sound like the mental conversation Elisaris had had with herself, "Then go home…and pretend this never happened."

The shared looks of terror and pale resignation only served to heighten the sense of despair.

And yet, it would seem Shianni once more refused to be subdued, her spirit unbroken as she shook her head in fervent rejection, "It'll be worse if we don't."

Remembering the words the human noble had directed as her best friend, Elisaris couldn't help but wonder if Shianni was playing directly into their hands. She shuddered against the thought but squeezed the hand that had maintained its comforting hold around her own.

She wouldn't let them take her…

The door opened then, the thick wood and metal monstrosity swinging slowly open to reveal a contingent of no less than six human knights. Feeling the women next to her tense, Elisaris couldn't help but mirror the sentiment, her eyes widening as the six heavily armed men moved to surround them.

"Stay away from us!"

Nola had spoken not a word to her since she had woken, but those four words killed her the moment they left her lips, the silvery arc of a sword striking her through before leaving her to collapse on the floor with a sickening gurgle.

The sudden, senseless, violence seemed to shock everyone. Indeed it was a while before even the soliders woke from their own stunned silence.

"Ah well…I suppose that's what happens when you try teaching whores some respect," the knight captain grinned easily as leaned forward, his eyes all but ignoring the bloody corpse that lay between them.

There was nowhere they could run…

"Now then…" Turning towards his men with an impatient air, the knight commander began to give his orders, "You two grab the little flower cowering in the corner."

Beside her, Elisaris watched as her cousin shrank back in sudden fear, the grip on her hand growing nearly painful as the pair of soldier came upon her, their expression one of amusement.

"D-don't touch her!"

Moving before she quite knew what she was doing, the young elven bride pushed her cousin behind her, her stance protective as she forced herself to face the overwhelming odds against her.

"Horace and I will take the homely bride and the drunk…and…wait…what is going on over there?"

Swallowing the fear she felt, Elisaris turned her head to look at the knight commander who was now on the approach, refusing to back down, even when his hand came to rest warningly against the sword at his side.

"Do you have something you want to say, wench?"

The words were condescending, but they weren't accompanied by the vicious sword strike she knew him capable of.

"I-I asked that you leave us alone. Let us go back to our Alienage…w-we have done nothing wrong!"

"You ungrateful whore," the sudden menace in his voice seemed to freeze the very blood in her veins; "You wound our lords pride, and then seek to dismiss the one gesture that would serve as your forgiveness. Have you elves no shame?!"

The heavy metal of his fist across her face had Elisaris on the floor before she even realized he sought to harm her, too dazed after the blow to understand the sudden flurry of movement that was occurring around her.

It was only when the human man addressed her again that she even attempted to muster the strength to focus on any one thing.

"You are lucky you are so desirous to our noble lord, or it would be your blood on this floor next," the human male was all but growling at her as his hand tightened around one of her friends, " You would do well to remember that when we come to get you later on."

Elisaris could only nod dumbly as she struggled to wipe the blood gushing from her nose and mouth, the trembling of her hand unable to fully staunch the flow of ruby from her face. The look of undiluted terror on her faces of her friends as they were led away second only to the tremendous agony of her own failing to protect them.

The bitterness nearly brought her to tears, the sharp inhale and deep shuddering breaths only barely managing to stem the tide and save her last shred of pride, frightened though she was.

She would rather die than let those bastards see her cry.

"Just remember…no funny business…"Elisaris looked up to watch the two remaining guards conversing with their commander a final time, "He'll already be upset about her face…so don't try anything. You know our noble lord prefers his ladies…fresh."

The two men merely nodded meekly before turning towards her, their faces serious but not as cruel as the others had been. Clearly the violence of their leader was news even to these new recruits.

And yet, no sooner had the door begun to swing shut behind them when it swung open once more, crashing loudly against the stone wall as it pivoted too far.

Soris walked in a moment later, his expression sardonic as he seized up the two human and found them lacking.

"Uh…hello?"

The ensuing skirmish took less than a moment, as Soris had brought additional weapons with him, and seemed to weld them well enough despite being initially outnumbered. Elisaris had only to snatch up a longsword before she too found herself in a situation vastly improved from only minutes ago.

"They hurt you…didn't they?"

Elisaris flinched as her cousin touched the still tender swelling of her lips, and the side of her face she knew was turning all shades of purple and blue. No doubt her skin appeared almost dappled.

"It wasn't as bad as it could have been..." the young elven woman winced a little as she avoided his seeking gaze but mentioned nothing else.

"Well, I don't think Nelaros will be pleased either way."

Elisaris met Soris' rather pointed gaze as he lifted her chin to check her injuries, her eyes voicing the question she couldn't bring herself to ask.

Where is he?

"Nelaros is guarding the end of the hall…he's the reason we got this far. We'll figure this…situation…out with him. First though I'm going to have a look at those cuts on your face."

The young bride didn't bother to respond, taking in the information mutely as she revealed nothing beneath the smooth stone expression she projected. Soris had often complained that this particular talent was unnerving, but under the circumstances it was better than the alternative. Her cousin wasn't equipped to manage the emotional storm brewing within her.

They had to get to Nelaros and then together rescue Shianni with the rest of the bridesmaids…they had to…

"There, all done." Soris patted the unblemished tip of her chin and gave her a silly grin, "Let's get going."

The fight from small kitchen dungeon down the hall was more a collection of quick skirmishes than full on tactical combat. Elisaris had admittedly never fought in tandem with another before, though she found it of particular advantage that the guards had the tendency to head for her cousin first before attacking her. Perhaps being female was just as important a tool to a rogue as stabbing hapless soldiers in the back of the neck as they passed by.

She should have realized sooner that all bad news came in pairs of threes; first the interruption by Vaughn at the wedding, the kidnapping and …

Elisaris ran through the now empty stone hall her mind fixed on the man waiting for her, her betrothed, the one who had come to save her despite the danger.

The need to smile seemed to suddenly seize her as she reveled in the realization that truly her husband-to-be was the one for her. Without a question, without reservation would she go to him and tell hum thus.

Nelaros was just around the corner…right…

She opened the door just in time to see him fall, a thick crimson arc of blood splattering his murderers and branding them as killers.

…dead…

"Nelaros!"

Watching in horror as his tall form arced back from the impact; Elisaris screamed in near physical pain as he landed with a heavy thud against the flagstone.

"N-no…"

"See? I told you there'd be more. Elves run in packs, like rodents."

Unable to help herself, Elisaris took several staggering steps forwards as her eyes remained fixed on the body before her.

They had killed him…they had…

"Should we keep the knife-eared bitch alive?"

Something deep inside her broke then, shattered, never to truly be repaired again. Completed the moment she saw her beloved's blood pool around her feet, the sudden wrenching

"They killed our boys…she…"

The guard didn't have time to finish his sentence as his head fell from his shoulders, the rigid silhouette elven bride filling the space he had just vacated, her eyes all but black with fury and rage.

She would kill them all…each and every one of them…the bastards

And when at last he fight was over, it was not to the minor wounds that so marked the skin of her forearms that she turned, but to the body of her fiancé, pale and still as it lay in an ever expanding pool of liquid ruby.

"Nelaros?"

Elisaris could feel the tears falling from her eyes as surely as blood had spilled from his unmoving body.

He was so still.

Dropping hurriedly to her knees, the young elven woman pressed her hands desperately seeking a pulse she had known would not be found. Choking on sobs, the hours of emotional and physical distress came of a head as she took his head in her lap, blood stained hands caressing the still warm skin of his cheek.

"Nelaros…"

The tears had started…dripping silently down her cheeks as she bent over him.

"Nelaros, wake up my love…"

Part of her knew she wasn't making any sense, was talking to a man who had no hope of responding. And yet, Elisaris couldn't help the way she repeated his name once more, calling him tenderly as she kissed him softly.

"Y-you've saved me…"

She rocked his body gently as she continued to whisper to him softly, her hands trembling as she clenched them in his blood soaked clothing and held.

"…thank you for coming to rescue me…I…"

She couldn't stop the bone-deep shuddering that racked her body as she began to sob desperately, too distraught to look at Soris when he came to kneel beside her.

"…you rescued me…Nelaros…so…

Choking roughly against the tears Elisaris struggled to complete the thought, to say goodbye and move onwards. Shianni still had to be rescued, and she was wasting time. And yet, to linger just a moment longer…

"...good bye darling…know that I loved you…"

…and that I will kill the man responsible for your death…a hundred times over…

The remaining fighting was more akin to nightmare than reality.

The blood and grimaces of pain on the faces of the humans should have made her ill, the death mask on Vaughn's face should have frightened her, even before she took her sword to his still body again…and again…and again…

The mutilated corpse of the noble, the realization that Shianni was just as emotionally shattered as she, and the death sentence that no doubt awaited her…left the now widowed fiancé with nothing.

Her Betrothed was dead by her own fault, her best friend had been raped because she had not been fast enough, and she was to never see either her father or beloved Alienage again unless she was sent back in a box to be buried.

What had happened to her wedding day? What had happened to her?

End Flashback:

The soft pressure against her shoulder woke her from the meager rest she had managed. Half-framed in moonlight, the larger silhouette should have frightened her had she not closed herself so entirely to the sway of emotions, the memories still sharp enough to wound her once more.

"Duncan?"

They had traveled for miles together, and though she continued to be wary of him, she no longer flinched from his presence or that of any other human. But the fear and anger remained…lingered…though she did her best to ignore it. She hoped she would increase in its mastery over time, it was the only belief she now clung to. Duncan had given her a road to travel, and she would do so, bodily. Her fragile inner workings would remain frozen, untouched until she found some way to meet her end.

"We must go; the ruins are not more than a few hours away. If we are to reach it by midday then it's best if we leave now."

Her small, almost wan, smile cast the moon onto the thin scar on her cheek and the bruises that had now grew green and yellow as they healed, a memento of events she believed she would never stop regretting.

"Is this the place we are to meet the other Gray Wardens you were telling me about?"

"Yes. It is called Ostagar."

"Very well then…let us go."

It had begun…