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Language:
English
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Published:
2015-01-24
Updated:
2015-09-14
Words:
149,415
Chapters:
30/?
Comments:
38
Kudos:
77
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12
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2,254

At the Edge of the Abyss

Summary:

Elissa Cousland has spent most of her life hiding a secret affliction, undergoing years of brutal tutelage to control her inner demons. But with the Blight looming and her family massacred, her control starts to crumble. Will she embrace who she truly is or destroy herself and everyone around her in the process? Who will be left to pick up the pieces after she breaks...the stubborn Highever knight who loves her, or the gentle Grey Warden who holds her to a higher code?

This is my personal take on the events of DAO, but with a darker spin on the story (there is fluff too!). Rated mature for a reason (language, violence, and eventual smut), but there is a lot of cheese too, so it is a mixed bag. Multiple POVs to keep it interesting. Read a few chapters and see what you think!
Still a work in progress, so only posting the early chapters (but I have loads of stuff written for later chapters).
Feedback is welcome, but I wrote this for fun more than anything! Not beta'd, cause it is long and who has the time for that?

All characters belong to Bioware.

Chapter 1: Prologue

Chapter Text

Loghain paced in front of the King. “Your father and I fought for years to keep those bastards out of Ferelden, and yet you open your gates to them! This is foolish, Cailan.”

The King shook his head. “It is not foolish. The Grey Wardens are sworn to fight the Blight. It doesn’t matter that they are Orlesians.”

“You are inviting a foreign army into Ferelden! A well trained, highly disciplined army who does not answer to any ruler in any land. And there is no evidence that this is a Blight. Merely an uprising of darkspawn, nothing more.”

“Our own Grey Warden commander thinks differently. The Grey Wardens are necessary to defeat the darkspawn. Whether it is a Blight or not, I want them here with us.” Cailan crossed his arms like a petulant child.

Loghain sighed, loudly. “Your Majesty, the dwarves fight darkspawn every day, without the Grey Wardens. If you must have them on the battlefield, then Duncan and his men should be enough. They are Ferelden, at least. We need to keep those Orlesians out! What would Maric say?”

Cailan stood. “My father is the one who believed in the Grey Wardens. I will send for the Orlesian reinforcements when we reach the south. You are my general, and the father of my wife, but I am the King. I want the Grey Wardens here, and that is final.”

Loghain bit his tongue. “Very well, Your Majesty. The darkspawn outbreak in the Kokori Wilds is growing. Our men are ready to march to Ostagar. Let the Grey Wardens meet us there. We cannot wait for them.”

“Agreed. Duncan is rallying new recruits to join the order and will meet us there with his Ferelden forces. Now, if there is nothing more, I would like to rest a while.”

Loghain stood, signaling to his commander to follow him. As they walked down the hall, she spoke to him. “Does he really intend to just let the Orlesians march in here? After they occupied this country for over a hundred years? What does your daughter say to this?”

“Unfortunately, he is the King, though Anora has more sense in her little finger than our King. Maric would never have done something so reckless. His son is fascinated with legends. It is no matter. Cailan won’t send for the Orlesians until after we reach Ostagar. I will make him see reason before then.”

“And if he doesn’t see reason?”

“Then Maker help us all.”