Duty of Inheritance

A/N: This is my first full fanfiction of Dragon Age. All content belongs to Bioware and affiliates. Game dialogue used with some used as a twist. Reviews are welcome.

Prologue: A New Heir

Swiftly do stars burn a path across the sky, hast'ning to place one last kiss upon your eye…

Alriana Mahariel sighed as she gazed up at the stars, ignoring the shem that was keeping watch. Hahren Paviel had said those words when he spoke of his grief for Tamlen and now they seemed to echo the grief that was in her heart at her leaving her clan. She looked over at the shem named Duncan who was busy with whatever and glared before reverting her eyes back up at the stars.

Always the careful one… Come on, let's at least what's in there. How dangerous could it be?

That was before we found ourselves in a dark place with those creatures, Alriana reflected. She and her clan mate and best friend Tamlen had been hunting in the forest when they ran into shemlen from the village. She smiled at the memory of how they tried to bluster their way out of trouble but they were nothing when she showed up and Tamlen notched his arrow, near to firing. The shemlen had blabbed about the ruins and even handed over an artifact with Elfish written on it.

It had been Tamlen who suggested that they explore the ruins. And we ran into that bloody mirror. The mirror was responsible for the state she was in now. Alriana suppressed a chuckle at how her anger was directed at an inanimate object that was now destroyed though she still harbored angry feelings directed at her shem companion for taking her away from her home.

She had fought against going the only way she knew how and that was to appeal to the Keeper to not send her away. She had seen the pain in the Keeper's eyes when she begged her to go with the Grey Warden. That alone encouraged her to keep trying to protest.

Long ago, the Dalish agreed to aid the Grey Wardens against a Blight, should that day arrive. We must honor that agreement. This is your duty…and your salvation.

Those words finally got through to Alriana. Honor was something that she valued and her clan valued. Still she had to protest once more but it was a weak attempt. She was already defeated by honor.

If it is my duty…then I will go.

She would go with the shem and become a Grey Warden. As much as she would rather take her chances with the illness, deep down she knew that she wanted to live. She wanted to keep going not for herself but for her clan and for Tamlen. She pressed a hand to her head, feeling the headache coming on. Pressing her hand to her head, she willed the pain to lessen. She hoped that they would reach their destination soon so she could begin the business of finding this cure.

If this is what the Creators intend for you, da'len, meet your destiny with your head held high. No matter where you go, you are Dalish. Never forget that.

Duncan had been watching his recruit ever since they had left the Dalish clan. He knew that her headaches were brought on by the taint that burned in her veins but he was impressed at her own will for not letting it bother her. He was sorry that he could not slow down for her but time was of the essence. She needed to go through the ritual in order to survive.

He had to admit that he had been expecting some sort of a fight from her at going with him. When the Keeper reminded her of duty though, she protested but he saw that it was halfhearted. In the end she set a determined face and stated that since it was her duty, she would go. Ever since then she said nothing but would regard him coolly, not letting her emotions show. Most would have said that she resigned herself to her fate but he did not see that at all. He watched as she stared at the sky, ignoring him, confident that she would prove herself.

This is your duty…

Alriana heard the words echo in her mind as she notched the arrow. She had seen the darkspawn coming from behind the shem Duncan and instinctively moved to protect her fellow warrior. She knew her aim was true even though it would have looked as if she were purposely aiming at the shem. A slight smile curled about her lips as the arrow struck true.

She spotted another creature, a Hurlock the shem told her, and quickly dispatched it with a single arrow. She kept firing at the darkspawn heading towards them. It was a rather large group and it was easy to quake under the realization that there were only two of them and they were vastly outnumbered.

We are the last Elvhenan. Never again shall we submit.

Though those words were spoken of never again submitting to the shems, Alriana felt that it also meant submission to defeat. She could not back down now. Not only was it duty but an obligation. It was for the fallen friend. She would not submit and set her face in a determined way. Her keen hazel green eyes spotted a Genlock that had gotten inside her firing range. She could hit it but there was a chance that it would not gain enough force to penetrate the armor. She grabbed the arrow in her hand and using it like a dagger she thrust it in the throat of the beast and yanked it out to notch and fire at another creature.

More were coming in and Alriana knew she had to switch tactics, otherwise she would run out of arrows. Switching the bow to the off hand, she pulled out her sword that hung on her belt and wielding both, used the bow to stun while the sword made the kill.

Never again shall we submit…You are Dalish…never forget that.

The arrow whizzed within a hair's breadth from Duncan's ear and buried itself in the darkspawn that was charging behind him. Another was flying before the creature hit the ground as Alriana continued to fire arrows. She was quicker than the most experienced archers and when one of the darkspawn got inside her shooting range, she just shoved the arrow into the creature's neck and notched it for another kill.

Duncan had his fair share of darkspawn kills from that ambush but he had never seen anyone move and kill that fast. He was now certain that she would make a great Grey Warden. Even though he was fighting the darkspawn himself, he was able to see how well the young Dalish elf was able to adapt to her surroundings.

She had giving up shooting the bow and was using it similar to a sword but using it as a means to distract the darkspawn while using the sword to go in for the kill. She stood alone on the slight rise where they had been ambushed and fought until the last darkspawn lay dead. She stood there, her stance firm. Duncan knew that she would do great things as the newest heir to the Grey Wardens.

We are the Dalish: keepers of the lost lore, walkers of the lonely path.