I first met her when I was a child. My father worked in a livery stable and I often helped out when they were busy. It was hot even for Highever and my clothes were sticking to my body. Riders from off weren't uncommon, what with it being a stable and all but she stuck out. She was the first strange elf I had ever seen on a horse. Her gear was massively dusty. Her horse was also unusual. It was almost a pony, but underneath the thick coating of brown dirt it looked very strong and tough.

“Can I help you, Miss?” I wasn't sure what to call a female elf. I hadn't seen many since I wasn't allowed in the Alienage. But a rider of any race on a horse here meant a paying customer. And that meant I could get a tip.

She paused a bit and examined me from head to toe.

“Is this the stable where Soris Tabris works?”

I blinked. She didn't look like the Teyrn's men and elves weren't tax collectors so I answered, “Yes Miss.”

“Excellent. Would you go tell him that his cousin Amalia is here to see him? And I need a place to stable my pony.”

I blinked again. I had never met any of my father's relatives. She had his look though. I bobbed my head, suddenly shy and ran to tell him.

I saw his feet first, he was on the other side of the resident stallion, brushing him down.

“Da! Da! There's an elf here! She says she's your cousin!”

My father was one of the mildest and deliberate men I've ever known. He finished his brushing, stepped from around the stallion, Lightning, carefully skirting his rear hooves.

“Which cousin, Havy? Amalia or Shianni? And did she say what she wanted?”

“Amalia. And she has a pony. And no but she did say she wanted her pony stabled.”

“Well, let's go see her then.”

My father strode off towards the stable door. My cousin Amalia was still were I left her but she had located a bucket and was in the middle of washing her pony. She had obviously used the same bucket to cool herself off a few seconds before.

“Amalia?” My father seemed nervous. I had heard nervous before, but there was a tension in his voice I had never heard before.

“Soris!” She grinned and ran to him. He relaxed and hugged her fiercely.

“How are you?” They both said at the same time, then smiled at each other.

“What brings you here?” My father asked.

“You, and I thought it was past time to see Nelaros' family. But mostly you. I miss you.”

My father looked happy and sour at the same time. “I couldn't stay there, not after everything. So I moved and moved on.”

“I'm not in Denerim either you know. Moving was probably good for you. Too many bad memories and not enough good ones. So tell me about yourself. You're married? I heard you have many children.”

“I am and I do. Nine so far. This is one of mine. Havard, say hello to your cousin Amalia.”

I bowed, as I'd been taught. Obviously I knew that I had elves for relatives but to actually meet one was a bit much. My father never discussed his past or his family. Now both were here in one person.

“Pleased to meet you Havard. Would you mind looking after Loghain here? He's had a long day and could use a good brushing and some oats.”

My da did his slow blink. “You named your horse Loghain? What?”

My cousin Amalia laughed “It seemed like a good idea at the time. Besides he thought it was funny. He said it was an honour.”

I had been gathering the reins but I stopped and blurted out “You met the Hero of the River Dane?”

My cousin grinned and said “He's in Orlais now, but yes. He stopped by Amaranthine on his way there. We chatted a bit. He's mostly forgiven me, now. Loghain is pretty greedy, unlike his namesake, so don't overfeed him.”

Da pushed me gently and I led the pony away.

The last thing I heard was “So, how is Shianni?”

My da kept me hopping until supper. Ma obviously had prior warning about our guest as the good stuff was out. She seemed even more nervous than da had been. Cleaned up, Amalia seemed very old, easily as old as da, and he was in his thirties. She was very short and the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. Cleaned up she looked very much like da, but much better looking. She carried her saddle bags away, so even had I wanted to, I couldn't look inside them.

Dinner was spent talking either about people I didn't know or about us, which was stuff I already knew. Cousin Amalia had a way of putting us at ease and she took particular delight in the baby. She and ma were soon talking about boring stuff like clothes and children and husbands. When dinner ended she and ma continued talking as they cleaned up. Once the dishes were put away we all gathered back around the table for a chat. I was about to ask Amalia what she did when my sister Postia asked her if she had ever been anywhere 'foreign'.

“I spent a good long while in Orzammar a few years ago. That's the dwarven city and capital of their kingdom.”

“A whole city of dwarves?”

“It's very grand. It was fun being there. For once I was the tallest person on the street. The dwarves make wonderful things too. They're very deep, the dwarves are.”

Ma and da laughed immediately but it took us children a while to get the joke.

All of us asked her many questions that night. What none of us noticed was the care she took in choosing which question to answer. She answered all the questions about family and the places she had been but none about anything she did. She didn't drop any names after mentioning Teyrn Loghain.

After we were all hustled off to bed the three adults stayed up talking in low voices. I tried listening but couldn't catch any of the words. Bored, I was soon asleep.

The next day the three of us, da, Amalia and I headed off to the stables. She had mentioned looking up some people in the Alienage. I had always been told it was dangerous there, but it suddenly hit me that it would be dangerous for me, but not for her. I hadn't really thought through what being an elf was like before.

Da went off to get something for Amalia's trip.

Amalia said “You're a lucky young man you know.”

I stared at her “My father is the most boring man I know. He never does anything.” I was very young then.

She stopped, turned to face me and looked right into my eyes. “Your father is the bravest man I know. He is my hero.”

“What? Da?”

“Your father hasn't spoken much about his past, has he?”

“He never talks about it. I know he came from Denerim, but that's about it.”

“Years ago, before you were born, I was kidnapped from my own wedding with your father's fiancee and several other women by the Arl's son. Your father and my fiance rescued us. My fiance died, the Arl's son died, your father survived. He came for us and rescued those of us still alive. Afterwards the new Arl led a purge of the Alienage as punishment. The other elves made your father's life miserable because they blamed him. Soris is a good man. He has always done the right thing. I have no doubt you will grow up to be like him.”

I stared at her. It was difficult to believe that she had ever been helpless, but listening to her I could hear the terror and anguish in her voice. Da cleared his throat. We both looked around and saw him looking a little sheepish.

They hugged. They both said “Thank you cousin” at the same time. Then they laughed. It was a grown up laugh, funny and sad at the same time.

Amalia mounted her pony and rode off towards the Alienage.

The next week I learned at Chantry school that our little city had been visited by the Hero of Ferelden, Amalia Tabris. I didn't say anything. No one would have believed me anyway.