When Fate Summons (a Dragon Age fanfiction)

I'll Stand by You

They'd been climbing steadily into the mountains for several days now. Anawyn was sure their next stop was going to be Orzammar, and she was so excited she could hardly restrain herself from running ahead. She'd always wanted to see Orzammar—the statue of her mother in the hall of Paragons, the palace where her mother grew up, Tapster's Tavern that Uncle Oghren always talked about, maybe even the Aeducan thaig in the Deep Roads. She gave a little skip of pure excitement.

Granny looked down at Anawyn, her face creasing in a frown. "All right, that's far enough today," she called out abruptly, and led the girls to a small clearing not far off the road. You could see the circle where a campfire had been once. As Granny knelt with some dead branches she'd picked up, building another fire on the ashes of the old one, the girls busied themselves unpacking their bedrolls. When the fire was crackling, Granny put on a pot to boil for tea and gave the girls some bread and apples. They ate quickly, the sharp air of the mountains having put a keen edge on their hunger. "Anawyn," Granny said abruptly, watching the little girl over the flames.

"Yes, Granny?"

"We're going into Orzammar. Did you know that?"

"I was hoping so." Anawyn couldn't stop the smile from spreading across her face.

Granny nodded slowly. "You are not to tell anyone who you are."

"What do you mean?"

"You are not to let the dwarves know that you are your mother's daughter."

Anawyn stared at Granny wide-eyed. "Why not?"

"It could cause disruption—there would undoubtedly be a fuss, and we cannot train properly if we are constantly attracting an audience of curious dwarves. Do you understand?" Her voice was sharp.

"Of course, Granny," Anawyn said. She took a bite of her apple, chewing thoughtfully. Did Granny think that just because she'd never been to Orzammar, she'd never met any of the dwarves? Kal'Hirol, the ancient city deep under Amaranthine, had been reopened only a couple of years ago, and Anawyn had been there for the ceremonies. Her mother hadn't let her be too prominent, not wanting Anawyn to get embroiled in all the politics, but Anawyn had met King Gorim, an old and dear friend of her mother's, and another old friend, Nerav Helmi, one of the deshyrs. Anawyn kept her eyes on the fire, chewing her apple. If Granny didn't know they knew her in Orzammar, maybe she could get a message to King Gorim somehow, and maybe he could get in touch with her mother.

Once the girls had finished eating, Granny looked up into the trees, squinting against the setting sun. "We won't have enough daylight for training, but you girls should go scavenge for some more wood. In these forests, we don't want to let the fire die, lest some of the creatures get too curious." Opening up her grimoire, Granny began to read.

Anawyn was thrilled to have an opportunity to explore the forest. The chances of this being the camp she was hoping it would be were slim, but it was worth looking

"What kind of story would you like tonight, my girl?"

"Something about you and Father on the trail, before you fought the Archdemon. A happy story," she had added hastily when she saw her mother's mouth droop. Anawyn didn't know what had changed between her parents, but she wished it would change back, so they could all have fun together.

"All right," Mother sighed, looking off into space. Suddenly she smiled, a soft, happy smile that Anawyn saw rarely and then only when they were alone. "We made camp as usual that night. Everyone was very nice to me and let me off most of the camp chores. We were getting close to Orzammar and I was nervous about going back after such a long time. Your father was particularly concerned. Since he was with me nearly all the time, he got the brunt of all my moods, poor man."