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Blood Bond	By : Hikari86 Category: +A through F > Dragon Age (all) > Dragon Age (all) Views: 4278 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
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Wedding Day Blues

The light threatened to take her sight as she opened her eyes. It hurt, and the throbbing in her head didn’t help any. Closing them quickly, Arawin moaned and wished she was still asleep.

“Wake up cousin!” came a familiar voice. It assaulted Arawin’s ears and made her head ache even more. “Why are you still in bed? It’s your big day.”

“Ughhh ...just a little longer...”

“Come on! Don’t make me use cold water again.”

Arawin rolled to her back and rubbed her eyes. The light still hurt them as she tried to see. Her head and body felt heavy and sore. What had she done last night? How long had she been asleep? “Did I oversleep? Argh!”

“Yes. Your father and I figured you deserved it.”

“What...” Arawin looked over to see her cousin standing next to her bed. She still couldn’t figure out what she was talking about. “Why are you in my room, Shianni?”

“Because, I begged your father to let me share the good news. You do remember what today is, don’t you?”

Sitting up, Arawin rubbed the back of her neck and stretched her whole upper body. She ran her hands through the mess of red hair on her head. The same shade and color as her cousin. This was how people knew they were related and how they knew who their mothers were. “According to your breath, it’s get-drunk-before-noon day,” said Arawin. The thought of grabbing an ale at the moment and drinking it down sounded good.

“No, you idiot!” Shianni said stomping her foot. “You’re getting married today, and Soris too! That’s what I came to tell you. Your groom, Nelaros... he’s here early!” Shianni sounded almost too excited.

Oh no! Everything finally came flooding back to Arawin. Last night was her bachelorette party, where she may have gotten a bit too drunk. She didn’t remember very much of the end, but she did know that Shianni was there. They were drinking buddies, practically sisters attached to the hip. She and Shianni had gotten into more trouble than any elf duo in history. “How come you don’t feel as horrible as I do, huh?” Arawin asked as she rubbed her temples. “I know you won a few rounds, but I can’t remember anything after that.”

“That’s because I didn’t drink as much as I usually do. I knew I had to watch you. How does your head feel?”

“Terrible. Like something hit me really hard.”

Shianni giggled. “So you don’t remember climbing the Vhenadahl?”

“No.”

“Well you did, and you fell off on your head. Almost broke your neck.”

“Sounds like me.”

“Yeah, your father threw a fit. I almost wasn’t able to come and tell you the good news about your groom.”

Arawin made a gagging sound. “That’s not good news! I don’t like the idea of this arranged match business.”

“And who else are you going to marry? Besides, I already snuck a peek. He’s handsome.”

“Then you marry him.”

Shianni crossed her arms and gave Arawin a stern look. “Lighten up. There’s going to be music, decorations, feasting. Weddings are so much fun. You’re so lucky.”

“You just want to get to the drinking.”

“Which won’t happen until you get going, will it? Now I brought you some things you’ll need.” Shianni reached into the front pockets in her apron and pulled out a small package. “This is your ‘something new.’ You wouldn’t believe how hard it was for me to find you these.”

Arawin took the package and opened it to find several green ribbons inside. They were silky and bright. “They’re beautiful, Shianni. Thank you.”

“I wanted them to match your eye color. You’ve got an unusual shade, which is why it was so hard. I didn’t think I would find them in time.”

“You didn’t have to, you know. And I’m sure these cost you a fortune.” Arawin took one of the ribbons out and stretched it. It felt good on her skin, real silk. She knew Shianni had spent a lot on these.

“It was worth it,” said Shianni. “And besides, it’s not everyday I get to see my cousin get married.”

“Forcibly married.”

Shianni only shook her head. “Over there is a gift from your father,” she said gesturing to another, larger, package on Arawin’s bedside table. “That's your ‘something old,’ and as for your ‘something borrowed’...” Shianni took off the necklace that was around her neck and handed it to Arawin.

“No, no!” Arawin protested holding up her hands. “I am not taking your mother’s necklace.”

“That’s why it’s called ‘something borrowed,'” said Shianni. “I will want it back, and I know you will take good care of it.” She placed it over Arawin’s head and stood back to see it on her. The necklace was gold with a small diamond charm. It was the most expensive thing Shianni owned, and the oldest. It had belonged to her mother before she passed.

“I promise nothing will happen to it,” Arawin nodded. “I swear.”

“I know you will. Now, I couldn’t find you ‘something blue,’ so I’m not sure what to do there...”

“It’s okay,” said Arawin. “You’ve done enough. I’m sure a blue thing is around here somewhere I can use.”

“See,” Shianni said with a smile. “You’re getting in the mood already!”

“Please stop. I think I’m going to be sick.”

“Alright, I’ll stop tormenting you. I should go talk to the other bridesmaids and find my dress. Oh, Soris said that he’ll be waiting for you outside, so move it!” Shianni hugged her cousin before departing.

Arawin had a foul taste in her mouth. She slumped back down on her bed and groaned. “Why me?”

Slowly, she got back up and took the package from her bedside table. On it was a note from her father:

Dear Arawin,

Here is the gift your mother and I wanted you to have on your wedding day.

Undoing the string, Arawin pulled back the brown paper to find a dress folded in the package. It was a beautiful wedding gown of white fabric with a beaded neckline. Arawin could tell it was old. She could see several places where there was stitching to repair rips and holes, but only if she looked hard enough. She unfolded the dress and let it dangle in front of her. It wasn’t a long dress, about the length she usually wore, to her ankles. The pattern from the neckline was also on the hem of the dress and around the ends of the sleeves and around the waist. Along with it was another note. This time Arawin noticed that it was in her mother’s handwriting.

To my little girl on her big day. I hope this serves you just as well as it served me.

Love,

Mamae

Arawin took the note and held it for awhile before gently folding it back to how it was. She then opened the top draw of her bedside table and placed the note inside along with the rest of her mother’s memorabilia.

She was holding the very dress her mother had gotten married in, and perhaps even the one that many of the women in her family had worn on their special days. It seemed almost unreal to her.

Finally, Arawin sighed and began undressing. She slipped on the dress and began placing the ribbons in her hair. She made miniature ponytails all across her head, since her hair was short and there was not much she could do with it. Walking up to her looking-glass, Arawin stared at herself. The looking-glass was not very big, and she had to move it up and down to see all of herself, but once she got a good look, she thought she didn’t look that bad. The ribbons went well with her hair, and they did match her eyes pretty nice. Shianni had done a good job. They were a tad darker than her eyes, but it didn’t matter. Nothing could be perfect.

The dress also seemed to fit, which surprised Arawin. It was interesting to see that a dress worn by so many women was able to fit her so perfectly. It was also the fanciest thing she had ever worn. Arawin was very much a tom-boy. She preferred getting dirty and wearing worn-out clothes than fancy, expensive garments that required her to act proper. In old clothes, she didn’t have to worry about messing them up. But in this dress, Arawin knew she would have to be careful. It was obviously something she would have to pass down to her own daughter, or daughter-in-law if she didn’t already have one. But there was a problem.

“What does one wear under such a garment?” Arawin asked herself. “Sod it. I’ll just do what I usually do.” She slipped under the dress a pair a of short pants that were the cleanest she could find. The dress was at least longer than them, which was all Arawin cared about.

Arawin sighed deeply once more. Her head throbbing with the sigh. “Welcome to the end of my life.”

***

The house Arawin and her father lived in was very small. It only consisted of two rooms. The smallest one was Arawin’s bedroom. The largest served as the kitchen, dinning room, and her father’s bedroom. But despite the size, the Tabris household was considered a nice home. Many elves in the alienage could not claim to live in such a way.

Slowly, Arawin opened the door of her room and stepped outside. Her father was sitting at the table in the middle of the room. He glanced up when he heard her door open and stood to greet her.

“Ah, my little girl,” he said smiling at her. “It’s... the last day I’ll be able to call you that. How so much you look like your mother. I wish she could've been here.”

“Thank you, Daddy,” Arawin said walking over and giving him a big hug. “But could we talk about this arrangement?”

“Still not pleased, I see,” Cyrion chuckled, knowing his daughter. “Of course we can talk.”

“Do I really have to get married?” Arawin grimaced.

“It’s time for you to have your own life. Unmarried you’re a child forever.”

“That doesn’t sound so bad.”

“You say that right now, but you'll never get any respect. As a child you will be looked down on and will be treated as such.”

“I guess, but why can’t I choose who I marry?”

“Tradition, child,” her father sighed. “With so little contact between alienages and so few chances to travel, you must trust your elders. The dowry has been paid, the Chantry has issued the permit, and everything is ready. All we need is you.”

“But I don’t want to get married!” Arawin moaned.

Cyrion laughed. “I understand. Before I meet Adaia, I was ready to go hunt for the Dalish. Just be glad I chose the match. Without parents to represent you, children like your cousin Soris end up marrying whoever the elder can find.”

“Instead, I have to marry who you say.” Arawin rolled her eyes. “Great.”

“What other prospects are there here?” he asked her. “Do you want to marry someone fifteen years your senior or your junior?” Arawin shook her head. “I thought not.”

“I just don’t like the thought of marrying someone I don’t know. I mean, Nelaros, that’s all I know... is his name! Not even his family name, or where he’s from, or what he does! He’s a stranger to me.”

Her father chuckled. “That’s how it is with everyone. When I first met your mother I didn’t even know her name until the priest said it at the altar. But I would have to say, that it was love at first sight. She was so beautiful with her red hair in a bun and that dress you’re wearing now. I felt so lucky.”

“You might have been attracted to her from the start, but how did you two get along at the beginning?” Arawin was always curious to know more about her mother.

“Very well, actually. I will admit, however, that your mother’s fiery nature did seem a little too much for me at times, but I eventually got to love it.”

“See, that’s what I want. I want someone who will love me for me. I don’t want to pretend I’m something I’m not.”

“You don’t have to, Arawin. You can be yourself. Just... maybe not fully today.”

Arawin gave her father a mean, but joking look. “So tell me about my groom if I must be partnered with him. I think I deserve that much.”

“Nelaros? He’s from a good family in Highever, their youngest son. He’s an expert at the blacksmith’s anvil from what I’m told. And yes, he’s very handsome. I knew you’d ask, so I thought I’d save you the trouble.” Cyrion smiled then wrapped his arm around her shoulder. “Is that sufficient?”

“I guess.”

“Alright, time for you to go find Soris. The sooner this wedding starts, the less chance you two have to escape.”

“A small chance is still a chance,” Arawin said with a wide grin.

He laughed hard. “Still have your mother’s smart mouth, I see,” Cyrion said shaking his head. “Oh, one last thing before you go, my dear. Your martial training... the swordplay, knives, and whatever else your mother trained you in. Best not to mention it to your betrothed.”

“I take it you didn’t say anything?”

“Well, it’s not exactly something that would have made it easy to find a match for you. I already was having enough trouble with your reputation. Fortunately, your name as a troublemaker hasn’t made it to Highever yet.”

“He’ll find out sooner or later,” Arawin mused.

“Later. Definitely later. We don’t want to scare him off just yet. Or seem more like a troublemaker than you really are. Adaia made that mistake.”

Arawin grew cold at the mention of her mother’s death. It was a touchy subject with her, and her father knew it, but it was something he needed to mention, and often. To keep her from making the same mistake.

“The humans who killed her made a bigger one,” said Arawin in a cold voice.

“Our world is full of so many injustices,” Cyrion said solemn. “We should learn from them, not let them rule over us.”

Arawin didn’t seem to be paying attention to him. “Mother was a clever rogue,” she whispered.

“Yes. That she was. And so are you, Arawin. Now, let’s not let this ruin your big day. Take this,” he said handing her a pair of boots. They were of worn brown leather. “Your mother would've wanted you to have them. It’s the very least I can give you as you start your new life.”

Arawin took the leather boots and put them on. “Thanks, Daddy. Now I really do look like her, don’t I?”

“You could be covered in mud and still look like her.” He smiled, and Arawin could see tears beginning to form in his eyes.

“I love you, Daddy.”

“I love you too, Arawin. Now go on, then. I still have some things to do, and Soris is no doubt waiting for you.”

They hugged, and before Arawin left the house, she stole one last glance at her father. He smiled at her and a single tear ran down his check. Arawin knew it wasn’t a tear of sadness, however, but a tear of joy.

***

The alienage wasn’t an ideal place to live. It smelled of sewage, rotten eggs, and wet dog. The streets were littered with trash, cracked stones, pot holes filled with stagnant water, and rough grass. But Arawin loved it. The alienage was her home, the only one she had ever known, and she couldn’t picture herself anywhere else.

Arawin breathed in deep, taking in the air. It was a very sunny day. Usually the alienage was mostly gray and dreary from the sun not being able to shine through the stone wall that surrounded it. The buildings, which looked more like houses stacked on top of each other, also reached high in the sky, blocking the rays. Surveying the area, Arawin saw many of the elves hurrying about, getting things ready for the up-coming ceremony. The thought of getting married made Arawin sick to her stomach. She hated the idea more than anything, but it seemed she had no choice. It was going to happen.

As she walked through the area, many of the elves she passed greeted and congratulated her. She would thank them but secretly wishing to throw up. There were a few elves Arawin noticed in a corner, laughing and having a merry time. They were already getting drunk and Arawin wished she could join them. She could use a stiff drink right about then. Not only to calm her nerves but to also help with her headache. It wasn’t as bad from this morning, but it still pecked at the back of her skull.

When she came to the center of the alienage, Arawin stopped in front of the Vhenadahl, a tree that had been planted long ago to remind the elves of their former roots. That once elves used to live free and in the forests all across Thedas. The tree was gigantic, taller than the buildings that surrounded it, and at least twice as wide as Arawin was tall. It was the only thing in the alienage that brought nature to Arawin’s world.

As she peered up at the branches, she saw a few children playing on them. It was a favorite pass-time for children to climb the tree. It had been Arawin and her cousin’s favorite as well, and they still climbed it too. Her rough memories of last night did reveal that she had climbed and when a branch gave out, had fallen on her head. When Shianni went to see if she was all right, she found Arawin laughing and wanting to do it again. She sighed at the memory. Now that she was getting married, climbing the great tree was no longer possible. It was considered a childish thing to do.

“What am I thinking?” she said. “If I want to climb, then I’m going to climb! Really! Who’s going to stop me? I would love to see them try.” She huffed, held her head high, and made her way around to the other side of the tree.

It wasn’t long after that Arawin found Soris leaning on a post in front of his house. His light red hair shining in the sun. He was also all decked out in a fancy red tunic. It made him look handsome compared to the usual rags he wore.

“Well, if it isn’t my lucky cousin,” he said. “Care to celebrate the end of our independence together?”

“Is running away still an option? Arawin asked coming over to him.

“Are you insane?” he said giving her his classical surprised look. Out of the three, Soris had always been the wet blanket in the group. Arawin and Shianni would usually find his cautions and warnings annoying, but he did serve useful from time to time. Soris had gotten them out of many situations that would have ended with them thrown in a dungeon or killed. This was one of the reasons why they put up with him so much.

“You know perfectly well my insanity level,” Arawin sneered.

“Yeah, way off, but where would you go? Into the woods to live with the Dalish elves?”

“It could happen...” Leave it to Soris to mention one of Arawin’s passions. Arawin loved the Dalish more than she loved climbing the Vhenadahl. The Dalish elves fascinated her, and one of her dreams was to run and join one of their wandering clans. It was a dream shared by many of the city elves, including her mother.

Soris on the other hand didn’t like the thought. “Live in the forest with the savages, far from humans? Sounds like a dream. Hmm. Not that we’d know where to find them.”

“I could find them,” Arawin murmured. “And they’re not savages.”

“How do you know? I’ve heard stories from humans about how they attack with no warning and with no reason. And that they're cannibals.”

Arawin stuck out her tongue. “That’s not true! You probably heard that from humans who are ignorant. I know for a fact that they are not cannibals because I read it from a reliable source.”

“And what source was that?”

“A book titled Living with the Dalish by Ser Wilhelm. He went and lived with a clan for several years, writing down what he saw and experienced. And no where in his book did he mention cannibalism or the Dalish acting like savages.”

“A knight wrote a book?” said Soris. “That should tell you right away that something doesn’t seem right.”

“And why can’t a knight write a book? Does it always have to be a scholar? Besides, Ser Wilhelm just happened to be a Grey Warden when he wrote it and lived with the clan. Are you going to question the words of a Grey Warden?”

“Hmm, I guess not.”

“Then why are you questioning me?”

“You’re not a Grey Warden,” he said. “So I can question you all I want. Besides, coming back to why we're here... Why would you run? Apparently, your groom’s a dream come true. My bride sounds like a dying mouse.”

“Well, looks aren’t everything,” Arawin mused.

“She’s not ugly, exactly... I don’t know. Maybe it’s just nerves.” Soris scratched the back of his neck.

“Or maybe you want to run away just as much as I do,” Arawin said pleased.

Soris shook his head. “Let’s go introduce you to your dreamy betrothed before you say ‘I do.’”

Arawin rolled her eyes. “Fine, if I must.”

Paraphrasing from Dragon Age: Origins
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Blood Bond