Mutatio Hospes

The sun glinted off the sword as it spun around, though instead of finding its mark it only found air and so continued into the next arc. Instead of becoming another attack, this swing moved to block as two daggers came slashing in. The powerful arm steering the sword twisted, using the locked blades as a pivot, trying to land a blow with the elbow on his opponent.

The opponent realised the sword wielder's intention just in time, shifting balance from pressing the attack she leapt back, managing to make even this hasty retreat look graceful. This move in addition to the loss of weight against his sword forced the man to swing one of his legs around to catch his balance. He immediately assumed a defensive stance, watching his opponent warily.

"Easy there Gil, you almost got me!" Elisa called. She was, as was the norm during practice sessions, only wearing her leather armour. Gilmore on the other hand was wearing the armour that had been commissioned for him for his knighthood - full silverite plate.

"Isn't that the purpose of a duel, M'lady?" the ginger-haired man said with a half-smile. Despite what the young Cousland had said, it had been years since Erik, or he had managed to best her in a fight. While they had surely learned how to deal with a rogue's approach to fighting, she had picked up on traditional styles too and it seemed second nature to her to change tactics on the fly.

There was a trend among the nobility to have three children, each with their predestined roles. While the Couslands were three, it seemed that the mentality of the twins was that of the one destined to fill the role of the second child and they complimented each other accordingly. Elisa was skilled on the battlefield, quick-witted and adaptable. Erik on the other hand was steadfast and reliable; he saw the greater picture and had foresight that seemed uncanny. He tempered her recklessness and she spurned his reluctance into action; together they were the commander of Highever.

Ser Gilmore and Elisa were still watching each other for the next opportunity, for the next attack, when a squire came running in. "Lady Elisa, Lady Elisa!"

"Yes, Seth?"

Elisa and Gilmore shared a glance and nodded, lowering their weapons. They had both been wielding blunted counterparts to their normal weapons, the better to be familiar with the weight of the real thing. While it was more dangerous than using wooden practice weapons, the risks of being unfamiliar with a weapon in battle were undoubtedly greater.

"Lady Elisa, your father requests your presence in the great hall. The guests have arrived." The boy blurted out his message before scampering off.

"Hmm, I think I'll need to talk to that boy's teachers. He should know to wait for confirmation that the message was received before running off like that," Ser Gilmore said, looking at the doorway the boy had disappeared through.

Elisa pulled off her leather cap, grinning. "Says the knight who couldn't even bring himself to convey the first message he was sent to deliver as a squire to a girl." Her hair had come loose from its bun and was spilling down around her face in a cascade of gold.

Gilmore turned a bright red, "That's not fair! You know what you do to men when dressed up and I was ignorant to the wiles of women back then."

"'Wiles' he says…come to think of it, I think mother was indeed having me try out some of those silly dresses that day."

"Speaking of dresses, should you perhaps change before going to meet these guests?"

Elisa rolled her eyes, throwing her arms into the air with exasperation. "If there's any chance that I can chase away those poncey child-noble suitors by merely not bothering to clean up, I'll take it."

With that she entered the castle, still covered in sweat, grime and dust. Ser Gilmore chuckled to himself as he gathered up their discarded gear and headed to the armoury. "Never change, my Lady, never change."

~o~

Erik was already with their father and the guest. Elisa grimaced when she saw who it was that they would be entertaining for the evening, but quickly composed herself before she walked up to the trio; she increased her pace a little when she noticed one of the visitor's armed escorts leering at her.

"Ah, nice of you to join us daughter dearest – in such a presentable state too." the Teyrn said, upon noticing her arrival.

She smiled at how her father poked fun at her, but also noticed that he did not openly reprimand her. "I thought it would be appropriate, considering the times and perhaps also as a deterrent."

"Of that I have no doubt; may I present our guest, Arl Howe. He will be joining us in our fight against the darkspawn." The Teyrn gestured politely to the man he and Erik had been conversing with.

"A pleasure, my lady. Might I say that my son Thomas is around your age and would be very interested in meeting you." The Arl's voice had a nasally quality; that combined with his appearance of hooked nose and long thin chin immediately put Elisa off. She was not normally one to judge by appearance, but the rumours she had heard of him had given her enough cause not to filter any thoughts of him on this matter. The man was a weasel - and while he'd been a long standing friend of her father's she had picked up on talk of his recent dealings in their neighbouring hold of Amaranthine that put her ill-at-ease.

She looked at him flatly. "I'm not interested in arranged marriage."

The Teyrn laughed, breaking the tension that had built. "See what I have to deal with, Rendon? It's no wonder I've gone grey this fast."

They were then interrupted by the arrival of an exotically armoured man in the hall. He had tanned skin – that of a man who spent more time outdoors than inside. He seemed to be slightly past his prime with deep brown eyes that looked like they had seen too much of the world, and a scruffy but not long beard with long brown hair tied back into a warrior's tail.

"And here we have the guest of honour!" Teyrn Cousland exclaimed. "Children, this is Warden-Commander Duncan, commander of the Grey in Ferelden." Both Elisa and Erik slapped their right fist against their chest in salute and bowed slightly.

"Duncan, meet my youngest, Erik and Elisa, Commanders of Highever."

The Warden-Commander raised an eyebrow at this. "I have heard of the Soldier of Highever, I was under the impression that they would be a single person – as is usually the case."

"In battle we are one," Elisa said.

The Teyrn nodded. "They are twins, as their appearance might suggest – they were responsible for saving us a lot of grief with that mess with the Maleficar a few years back. First command too." He then turned to address his children. "Duncan is here to assess new recruits for the Wardens. I hear he has taken an interest in Ser Gilmore."

"If I might be so bold, my lord," Duncan interjected, "I was also hoping to try and recruit this 'Soldier' of yours. Although seeing the state of things, I suppose that may no longer be ideal."

At this the Teyrn moved to stand between his children and the Warden-Commander. "I do not have so many children that I would have them all set out to war at once." He said defensively.

Duncan chuckled – a good natured sound. "Have no fear, my lord. I will not invoke the right of conscription; we are not so desperate for new Wardens that I would tear apart the family of a good friend for one – no matter their potential."

But Elisa's curiosity was perked. "I think joining the Wardens would be awesome, a chance to make a real difference!" she said leaning around her father's shoulder.

"Yes Sister, but we have a duty here. Less glorious perhaps, but the people here need stability too," Erik countered, trying to calm his ever excitable twin. "While Fergus does all the boring noble stuff, we get to kick the snot out of anyone who challenges his – what will no doubt be a tyrannical – rule."

"First Highever, then the world!" Elisa dramatically exclaimed punching the air.

The Teyrn had moved back to his former position and covered his face with his palm. "I'm not about to die just yet. I would prefer it if you determine how to ruin my realm after my eulogy."

There was a short silence which was then broken by the Teyrn again. "Arl Howe's soldiers have been delayed and will only be arriving tomorrow, understandable since this threat in the south appeared so suddenly." He looked at his children. "I will be leaving with him in the morning; Fergus is to set out with our soldiers this evening. I want you to tell him to prepare, I'm sure the rest of the things we have to discuss will only bore you."

"But I wanted to talk to the Grey Warden!" Elisa exclaimed, but before anyone else could respond Erik grabbed her by the shoulders and began steering her out of the chamber. "Yes Father, we will also start preparing for our duties."

"Hey!" Erik steered his sister out of the room, despite her protests.

Duncan chuckled at these antics. "They take after you and your wife a great deal my lord."

The Teyrn sighed heavily. "I just hope that eventually she manages to find someone besides family that will put up with her – that said, the chances of it being a noble are slim indeed."

~o~

It had been a decade since they moved to Lothering, three years since the death of their father. At the time it had seemed unreal; their father had been invincible in their eyes. A master of the mind and magic, it had been his careful tutelage that had allowed them to live as apostates all their lives without discovery.

In the end it had been the desire to protect the anonymity and image of his family that had killed him. Surrounded by bandits while travelling to the local Arl's estate on business, he had been unable to fight them all off without the use of magic and so had been struck down. His body had been found later by a patrol and returned to the family. Sorana and Carver had been away then, still working as caravan escorts. When they eventually found out it had taken a while for the family to recover, but time heals all wounds and eventually they put it behind them. His lessons still followed them in whatever they did, something that would serve them well in the days to come.

Sorana walked into their home, closing the door behind her. Carver was sitting in a corner, whittling at a piece of wood. Bethany was helping their mother prepare supper. "Heard the news in town?" the eldest of the Hawke children asked as she moved to sit at the table.

"About the darkspawn to the south?" Carver asked.

"Yes, they say it is the start of another Blight. If it spreads, one of the first towns it will hit is here." Sorana looked to everyone in the room in turn. "I will go and join the army to fight it."

"No, you can't! It's far too dangerous." Her mother said worriedly.

"I must, this is my home…our home."

Carver stood up from where he was sitting. "I want to go too."

Sorana looked at him earnestly, searching his face, and then nodded.

Leandra stopped stirring the stew she had been preparing, frustrated. "But what if you get caught? Will you refrain from using magic just to protect us like your father?!" A sob escaped her, "and the darkspawn are monsters, you know the stories, of the corruption. You've never fought anything like them before."

Sorana stood up and walked over to her mother, placing her hands on her shoulders. "There was a time when I hadn't fought anything. Running is not always the answer."

"Neither is fighting…."

"True, but if I can help protect others while protecting my family; I must…I must serve the best in me."

Leandra pulled away from her eldest. "I hate it when you use his words against me like that."

"I hate it too, but that does not make them any less true."

"Fine, but Bethany stays."

Bethany looked up at them from her work. "Don't I have a say in the matter?"

Sorana looked over at her, smiling gently. "Yes, but this is not something I would want to risk exposing you to. For me and Carver fighting has been a way of life for the past few years and Father never reached the level in martial training with you as he did with us."

The eldest Hawke returned to her seat at the table. "I promise I will train you from where he left off once we return."

"I'll hold you to that," Bethany said, smiling as she always did.

So when the columns of soldiers started passing through the small town, Sorana and Carver prepared themselves for the journey. They signed up with one of the lesser noble's forces and attired in the auxiliary armour they were provided, set off with the other recruits. Sorana had stashed her staff among the rafters of their home, asking Bethany to look after it in her absence. Carver took his own sword, stating that he trusted it far more than any blade produced on a large scale. Sorana took a spear, deciding it would be wisest to use a weapon she was familiar with.

The fifth Blight had begun.