First meet Tori!</p>
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<summary>Not The Natural</summary>
Four year old Torania Cousland, daughter of Bryce and Eleanor, breezes through the warm up exercises and stretches that the master at arms gives her. Oh yeah she has this fighting thing down! A few hours later when she is sprawled face down in the mud wooden sword in one hand, wooden shield in the other she is forced to admit grudgingly that things might be a little more complicated. But only a little! She is still the heir to Calenhad the great. The greatest warrior Ferelden has ever seen! Her mabari Chompers says so.</p>
<p>By six she has put away such childish notions. She is not heir to Calenhad she will excel him! There is only one problem. She still often finds herself in the mud during combat practice. She watches her brother with envious eyes. He is a natural the master at arms says. Torania just is not.</p>
<p>At eight she spends a good deal of her time hacking at training dummies and sparring. The master at arms admires her determination but she is just never going to be a great warrior. Not like her brother. Only her father believes in her. Keep trying pup!</p>
<p>At twelve she decides to stop playing by other’s rules. So she can’t seem to handle a shield. She can bend farther than anyone in the warm up exercises. So she is not as strong as the others. Perhaps speed can overcome that. Torania has fast reaction timing and fast reflexes. It comes from training with a mabari. She starts training herself. Learning her own brand of combat.</p>
<p>By fourteen she has trained her movement speed and reaction timing to be faster and faster. She uses a sword and a dagger now. She learned criminals do that and she thinks it will suit her well. She has trained with acrobats and even one man she thought was rogue before he disappeared one day. She challenges her brother to a mock duel. He beats her soundly.</p>
<p>By sixteen she has gone back to the master at arms. She has gotten him to agree to teach her what he can to work with her unique fighting style. She has built up some muscle though not as good as most warriors. She starts using a real blade and fights her first fight against some bandits while trapped with some villagers. When the bandits get between them and the castle Torania orchestrates the defense of the village. She becomes famous with the commoners of Highever. The fact that she is wounded in the fight seems to bother no one but Torania. Well and her family. But they are not upset for the same reason</p>
<p>By eighteen she has refined her technique. She has not been in any more battles. Her parents like to keep her close, but she has never forgotten how alive she felt fighting. She challenges her brother again. He beats her but not badly. She trains more and more. Refining and adapting. People say she is a good fighter. Gifted even. Torania still just wants to beat Fergus</p>
<p>At nineteen she beats him. Word comes about the darkspawn the next day. Torania wonders what it would be like to fight a darkspawn. She knows she will never find out.
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<p>

Sometimes we find what we seek in the most unlikley places. The Favorite of my drabbles takes place before Alistair and Torania are a couple.</p>
<p><details>
<summary>Something Precious</summary>

Alistair knew it should be Duncan still alive instead of him. Duncan could lead an army, Duncan could punish Loghain for his treachery, but most of all Duncan would not misread signs of darkspawn and lead them straight into an ambush. He should know by now bad things happened when he gave advice. He groaned staggering yet again. The darkspawn blade wound in his side screaming it’s protest to having to move.</p>
<p>“Oh, does the baby want a blanket? It might be good for snuggles”</p>
<p>“Morrigan so help me…” he gasped.</p>
<p>Torania, their leader, was strangely silent. Pale faced and tight lipped. Speechless with furry at his stupidity knowing her.</p>
<p>“There’s a cave up ahead. At least that will get him out of the rain, Alistair can’t go much farther.” The warden’s voice was low. Deliberately even toned. It made Alistair feel horrible.</p>
<p>“What good will a cave do. He’ll die without healing poultices and an injury kit and we have none.”</p>
<p>“Then you’ll have to go to the nearest town and get some.”</p>
<p>“All alone? Did you not promise my mother you’d take care of me? Not that I need it of course”</p>
<p>“Morrigan. He’s dying. Please”</p>
<p>“Oh very well” as the witch stalked off into the rain. Alistair couldn’t help but feel a hint of glee at her annoyance. At least something good had come out of this.</p>
<p>Torania helped him maneuver into the cave. The warden who was usually talkative had gone oddly silent again. Giving him the silent treatment he supposed. He deserved it.</p>
<p>Alistair lay down on the cold hard stone. He saw the warden change the bandages wincing at what she found.</p>
<p>“How bad is it? This can’t be worse than the time I singlehandedly managed to ruin the first day festivities. Oh they beat me within an inch of my life. I still get chills thinking about it.”</p>
<p>“Bad” Torania answered with one word. Bad. She would not look him in the face now.</p>
<p>Alistair swallowed. It must be bad if she was this determined to hold back from yelling at him. He had never seen her hold back before; though luckily he had managed to avoid being the one on the other end.</p>
<p>They remained there for a while in silence before she broke it.</p>
<p>“Hey you’re sweating,” she placed a hand on his forehead. “Do you feel dizzy or anything?”</p>
<p>“Noooo. Oh there we go”</p>
<p>Torania bit the inside of her cheek. “Fever lovely. Stay here I’m going to go get some water to boil.” She took one last look back at the mouth of the cave as if hesitating “Try to sleep it off.” Then marched off.</p>
<p>Alistair closed his eyes.</p>
<p>When he woke it was with a roar. “Maker’s breath woman what are you doing!?” Torania had her dagger still wet from the water now boiling on a small fire and was sticking it in the wound. Maker he knew she was angry but this!?</p>
<p>“Stop squirming! I have to let the pus out!” Alistair gritted his teeth and let her do her work. To his embarrassment he must have fainted though. Because next thing he knew he was opening them to see a face he thought he never would again. “Duncan?”</p>
<p>Torania looked at him wide eyed. “What?”</p>
<p>“Duncan!” Alistair smiled at the black man who gave him an answering smile. “How did you survive?”</p>
<p>“It was a very close thing. I was grievously wounded but taken in by a local family who came to scavenge the battle field.”</p>
<p>Alistair laughed “We thought you were dead. I should have known.”</p>
<p>“Not yet I’m afraid.”</p>
<p>“Alistair, Duncan is dead.” Torania looked at him warily</p>
<p>“No he isn’t. he’s right here. Can’t you see him? Why would you say that!”</p>
<p>&quot;Alistair you’re hallucinating.&quot; The female warden scooted over and lifted his head laying it on her lap “I’m sorry”</p>
<p>“No” Alistair shut his eyes but somehow he believed her and that was the most horrible part. Duncan and the wardens had been his family. They had taken him in. They had not really needed him. No one really needed him. But with the wardens he had not been in the way at least. He had not been an inconvenience. What did he have to live for now? He should have died. Maybe this wound was a sign for the maker. Maybe he should just die. He must have passed out again become the next sound he heard was a pathetic pleading whimper.</p>
<p>“Alistair! No Alistair please! Open your eyes! Just drink some water. I need you to drink some water. I was lying about Duncan! He is alive! He is! He’s right here. He wants you to open your eyes too. Alistair please.” It took him a moment to place the speaker because the tone was so foreign. Torania? He opened his eyes. She was looking down at him. Face still pale from what he finally realized was not rage but worry. She beamed. “Oh thank the maker Alistair! Here you need to drink some water.” She held the flask to his lips. And suddenly he realized what was happening. She was caring for him. Not like he was some burden that had troubled her by getting out of commission. But like he was something precious. How many times had he prayed for someone who would do that as a child only to never have them come. As he drank his mind flickered back. The tone of her voice when she was begging him to open his eyes. Perhaps… for the first time in his life there was someone who needed him. Not for his skills and abilities. That had been demonstrated tonight. But maybe… just maybe… for just being who he was.
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No relationship is one sided. A good relationship makes you better than who you were before. Many insisted on calling Alistair an idiot. But sometimes he taught her the wisdom she needed to learn. <details>
<summary>Another Way</summary>
(Drabble based on prompt words noble sacrifice + water) It only took his eyes a split second of contact with hers to realize what she was going to do.</p>
<p>No. He shook his head. Of all the insane crazy… Alright they were in trouble. Real trouble… He’d give her that. Running from a group of darkspawn was not his idea of a good day. Not Torania’s either. Though she was more agitated than anything. Still they were badly outnumbered and exhausted.</p>
<p>The river they found themselves stumbling upon was rather wide, and they were lucky, he guessed, to find the rope bridge to cross it. Especially as it seemed that just beside the bridge was a large waterfall that current seemed to sweep into. Any other time he would have marveled at the falls, but there was no time now. He did note the sharp rocks at the bottom. Wouldn’t want to fall on those rocks.</p>
<p>He should have known better. He knew Torania. He should have picked her up and physically carried her across, but he did not.</p>
<p>They were all exhausted, nearly collapsing on their feet. Didn’t darkspawn ever get tired? They crossed, Torania bringing up the rear. As he stepped onto solid ground he turned. Saw her eyes take in the lot of them exhausted and aching a ways ahead of her, then the dark spawn just behind her. He could guess what she was thinking. How far could they jump? Then her eyes shifted to him and he knew. He knew what she planned to do.</p>
<p>“No! Don’t!” Her blade came down cutting the robe bridge from beneath her drumming her and the darkspawn into the churning water and over the waterfall.</p>
<p>“No!” Alistair whispered. “NO! Maker curse it!” The waterfall. The bottom of the waterfall! She would have ended up there. He didn’t factor in the darkspawn. He didn’t factor in the rocks. He just knew if there was even the slightest chance he had to get to her. “Wynne?”</p>
<p>The formidable healer was already on her feet. She nodded at Alistair and they took off down the steep incline to the water below. It took far too long to climb down for Alistair’s liking. He looked around franticly. The rocks had not been kind to the darkspawn. Skewered ogres were already starting to color the water with their blood. But maybe someone lighter… oh please Maker.</p>
<p>There! Alistair spotted her and felt his stomach drop. His ears started to roar. She lay facedown in the water. Motionless. “No!” He ran to her and pulled her out. “Oh-No” Alistair Theirin looked up at Wynne who had finally caught up with him. “Do something! Save her! You’re the best healer in the world! Aren’t you?”</p>
<p>“I wish that were so young man, I truly do,” Wynne looked down at the redhead’s pale form with uncertainty and concern written all over her face. “but I will do my best” she extended a hand casting blue light over the limp body. Alistair looked up at Wynne’s face. He didn’t want to look at Torania. He didn’t want to see her motionless, serine, face. Face the possibility… There was sweat running down Wynnes face now. “Are you all right?”</p>
<p>“I will be fine. I am not a bottomless well of mana.. I…”</p>
<p>Coughing… gurgling… sounds interrupted them.</p>
<p>“Torania!”</p>
<p>“Warden!”</p>
<p>Alistair looked down at her. Her eyes were closed but she was starting to cough and vomit up water. Wide eyed, he sat her up and leaned her over forward a bit. “Is she?”</p>
<p>Wynne let out a sigh and sat on a rock. He tore his gaze away from Torania for a moment “Wynne? Are you?”</p>
<p>“Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine. I’m tougher then I look” He nodded, then looked back down at Torania. His warden was done coughing now, instead taking in deep gasps of air. But she was there. Oh Maker she was there. Maker… she almost. Alistair shifted Torania a bit and wrapped his arms firmly around her as if to make sure she was not going anywhere. He cradled her, pressing his face into the wet red hair. When her arms finally slipped around him in return he had to stop himself from breaking down and crying. No not yet.</p>
<p>“I can walk”</p>
<p>“Not if I don’t put you down”</p>
<p>“Alistair put me down”</p>
<p>“No.”</p>
<p>Alistair!</p>
<p>“NO!”</p>
<p>She went quiet, staring at him.</p>
<p>The others had made camp by the time they got there, and most chose not to make a comment on their leader’s miraculous survival upon seeing Alistair’s face.</p>
<p>He set her down in their tent then got in after her</p>
<p>“H-how could you do that!”</p>
<p>“They would have gotten you!”</p>
<p>“You don’t know that!”</p>
<p>“I should have risked it?”</p>
<p>“You nearly killed yourself! There was an option… a way that didn’t require that and you didn’t take it!”</p>
<p>“I didn’t know…”</p>
<p>“You didn’t know anyway! Life is never knowing! Did you ever consider what it would mean if you died? To Ferelden… To our group… To me…”</p>
<p>“I…”</p>
<p>She was thinking now. Good. Finally. About time. “I thought. You. Were. Dead. When I pulled you out of the water… I thought you killed yourself!” He was shaking.</p>
<p>“Alistair I… I’m sorry” She put a hand on his arm.</p>
<p>He pulled away. He had to make her understand.</p>
<p>“What if it was me?!” He could see her picturing it. “What if it was me whose body you were pulling out of that water!?” He could see her clenching her fists.</p>
<p>“Sometimes…” He continued “Sometimes choosing the option that is better is worth it… Despite the risk”</p>
<p>“You’re right” Her fists unclenched.</p>
<p>It took a moment for what she said to register. “I’m? right?” did you just say I’m right?”</p>
<p>She nodded. “I was wrong. I can’t just sacrifice, not when there is a chance to make things better. Perhaps sometimes we have to take risks to see if we can get what is best.”</p>
<p>“So you won’t do that again…” He held her at arm’s length and looked at her seriously. What was she thinking what was behind those black eyes? “You promise?”</p>
<p>She nodded “I was stupid. I was only thinking of the now not the bigger picture. I can’t do that. I know I’m stubborn Alistair. But I can also admit when I’m wrong…” She smiled wryly “Sometimes”</p>
<p>He let lout a sound that sounded like something between a groan and a laugh and pulled her to his chest. “Never again Torania. Never again. “</p>
<p>“Never again” she agreed. Never again.

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