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His name hadn’t always been ‘Soldier’. He hadn’t always been kind. Soldier remembers what it was like before Cullen had found him. Puphood had been wonderful, living on a Ferelden farm with his father’s human Torvald. Torvald was kind, compassionate and he had never wanted for anything. Back then he had been called “Bright Eyes” for they had always been full of such joy. Soldier was a direct descendant of hounds who had fought, and survived the war with Orlais to Free Ferelden. They had Survived, had pups of their own and grown old on the farm. Life had been wonderful on the farm. There was always someone to play with, something to smell and work to do. Room to run as fast as you could for miles and roll down the hills in Spring through the wildflowers with his brothers and sisters.
Once he had bulked up into adulthood that changed. Some of the land had been sold, and Soldier and his sister Molli had been traded to a man from Tevinter as working herders. The problem with this was that to the Tevene man, they were not Mabari, but 'clever dogs.' So when the Tevene was short on coin to keep from loosing his own farm, he took Soldier and his sister to the fighting rings. They had been raised to not pick fights. They were not war beasts as their ancestors were but working hounds. Kart pullers and herders. His sister Molli had been the sweet sort. Never one to lift a paw unless it was to defend others or the goats and sheep they guarded. It was always her and Soldier’s mother who would lick the tears from the faces of Torvald’s children, Nurturing and kind. Soldier remembers standing in the cage on the side and watching. Dogs barking and snarling, vicious tormented hearts that took their anger out on each other. He remembers his sister cowering and scared in the cage next to him. Molli’s opponent was a large wrinkled creature, with many scars and a heart of anger. Thick skulled and boned with legs like tree trunks.
The bell rang and Soldier watched the beast charge Molli before she got the nerve to leave her cage, and maul her. Soldier snarled and spat, teeth biting the cage wall as he heard his sister cry and smelled her bleed out into the cobblestone. FIGHT MOLLI! FIGHT!! DON’T GIVE UP!! MOLLI! MOLLI!! The panic and grief drive him mad. So strong was his bite that the wiring of the cage bent and broke in places. He lost his trust in humans then. This Tevene, He failed Molli. The one that killed her was no Mabari, but a hound with dead eyes. No life in him past killing others. Soldier had lost himself in anger and the loss of his sister, the anger over the Tevene’s betrayal. The beast dragged Molli out by her broken leg as the humans screamed and jeered. A deaf noise on Soldier’s ears.
The humans pried the bear of an animal from her dead body and back into the cage. Soldier had refused to stop snarling, and his gaze has not left the beast on the other side. The bell sounds again, the cages open and he plows into the great brute. The fight is short, bloody and deadly as Soldier rips him apart, yowling and begging for his life. Soldier breaks the limbs, the beast curled on his back and crying with his tail between his legs as Soldier’s jaws go for the neck, latch on and throttle him. Soldier ignores him. Molli had begged and she was gone. Soldier forgets himself, his honor, and becomes no better than the Dead Eyed Beast in his jaws. Not a proud Mabari but a beast like any other, fighting just to live.
When the dog lies dead, he starts mauling the people trying to drag his sister’s body away. He refuses to leave her. The clubs bear down on his side and his muzzle, Soldier fights on breaking legs and arms alike. It’s not until an Orlesian mage jumps into the ring and starts helping him fight that Soldier pulls himself out of it and feels shame for what he’s done. He’s not sure where loyalty ends and being a monster starts anymore. By the time the Orlesian has chased the others from the pit, Soldier has lain himself over Molli and grieved. His fur is thick with her blood and he tries to nuzzle her awake. Is there any chance? She's still warm. Molli? Molli? Please get up, the world isn't as bright without you.
The Orlesian pays the Tevene’s debt and for the Mabari. He weeps as he approaches Soldier and Molli. “Andraste keep the poor girl at your side. Gods…Gods…These animals…Shhh…I know boy. I will not leave you here Courage. Come with Pierre mon ami and you can have peace.“ His head hangs the whole way home with the Orlesian. He sits numb in the tub of water as Pierre washed the blood from him and cleaned the shallow wounds by his ears and shoulders.
For Three years his name was Courage and he guarded the Orlesian's children and the household from burglars. The Orlesian wept on his behalf and grieved with him. But despite this kindness Soldier was aloof and wary, though loyal. He never forgot Molli and the farm in Ferelden nor the sound of her joyous bark as they threw themselves down Ferelden hillsides. The man took him back to Orlais and while Orlais was nice, all of it was tile and wooden floors. No grass or hills. Where did outside start? There was tile there too. The Orlesian was always kind to him, A good man. But soldier was still only a Dog. Spoken over and not to. A shadow in the house with the occasional ‘hello’. The Orlesian took him to the Winter palace, telling him to sit in the Gardens and simply never returned. Soldier never knew, but the Crows had taken the man. An angry slaver mad at the Orlesian for helping his slaves leave the country. Again, Soldier was alone. He knew it. They were all the same. But then a voice…
“You there, Soldier!” Tired eyes lift and there was Cullen with a stick and a smile. He hadn’t played with sticks in years. This man reminded him of Torvald. Not because he was another Ferelden, but because Cullen saw him, a Mabari and not just any dog. There was an ache in Soldier’s chest and he knew. This man would not let him down. His eyes were warm, tired and kind, he smelled like fur and metal and leftover lyrium. A templar!! Soldier spent the entire evening chasing sticks eating treats and getting the best belly rubs he had ever had since he was a pup. As the man left, Soldier thought to himself. ‘You. I will grow old with you. I will stay by your side, unafraid of toil, for you came to mine when I was alone and I cannot thank you enough. You saw me…..But will he take me with him? What if he doesn’t understand?’ Soldier lingered behind.The man had said he wouldn’t leave him here but was it true? Cullen looked back over his shoulder as they made to leave. “Well come on, you don’t want to stay here in Orlais do you? I meant what I said, I’m not leaving you here. Ten hut Soldier!”
Soldier attentively heeled at Cullen’s ankle the whole way home, and those hands rubbing his ears were the kindest touch he’d felt in years. Not just a half noticed beast underfoot, but a comrade and a friend, the way it should be.
So when days came to pass and Cullen trained him in tactics and battle, Soldier never let his attention sway from the task and the two of them became a formidable team.
When nights followed and Cullen couldn't sleep, Soldier would lay himself across Cullen's chest until the nightmare abated, or tired hands rose to gratefully pet his ears and face. He knows its hard on the human, those nightmares. Cullen's heart will race, he grows cold panicked and distressed, mind unsettled and frantic until Soldier is there to remind him he has a friend.