What did you do today in DA? [Spoilers]

Her parents had cherished her; a child that her parents had tried many years to conceive, which had garnered her her name. She was supposed to have been a hunter. That's how the Templars got her, actually. Eliana was out with both her parents, learning the basics of tracking, when the Templars had stumbled upon them. Apostate hunting, as they do. Eliana's parents refused to give up the location of the Clan's camp and the Templars were getting rough with them. Eliana had been so frightened...she'd just wanted them to stop, just stop frozen where they were so her parents could get away. And she'd yelled, and everything became so cold. So cold, and then the Templars were even more angry and they turned on her. And laughed as her parents begged to leave her alone, and they picked her up. And Eliana couldn't get away from that cold metal and the strong men and they tied her hands and called her a dirty dangerous knife ear. And papa tried to stop him and they killed him, just put their sword right through. And that was Eliana's last memory of her parents. Mama crying over Papa as she watched Eliana get taken away.

When she'd arrived at the Fereldan circle, she was a pitiful weeping thing. The other apprentices seemed to keep their distance due to her misery. Except for Jowan. Jowan was only 2 years older then her, but he treated her with kindness. Where her parents had been loving, his had been hateful. But still... they seemed to get along. Jowan became the brother she'd never had, and her only friend for the next twelve years within her time in the circle.  She had tried to escape a few times, but she always failed, small child as she was. Irving was patient until...Eliana just gave up. Spent more time on her books. Older mages, like Wynne, got to leave the circle. And someday, if she was good enough, she would too. 

And then her Harrowing happened. She had no fear that she would pass. She was the best apprentice out of all her peers, and it was not in her nature to doubt. The little mouse never once had her tricked into trusting him. Just as simply as that, she was an apprentice no longer, but a mage. She got new clothes. She got new quarters, although they still lacked a door for any privacy at all.  She approached the front doors of the Tower, and the Templars still stopped her. The graduation had changed nothing; she still could not be outside in the fresh air and sunlight that she knew existed from her short childhood with the Dalish. She was a mage and she still couldn't see sunlight that wasn't pouring from a window. It rankled more than it usually did, these lacks.
 

She ran into Cullen in the halls. He seemed to be looking at her. One of the nicer Templars, but still new. She approached him for a bit of teasing, and laughed as her suggestions had him scurrying away from her.  Ahh. That lifted her mood a bit from all the brooding. Even better news; a Warden was in the Tower looking for mages. Eliana was not afraid of sucking up a bit if it meant he might be her ticket out of there. Although he seemed interested, no offer was proffered.  Sigh. After delivering the Warden to his quarters, Eliana found Jowan in the hall. He was worried and wanted to discuss things alone. Or...well, with Lily apparently. There was the suspicion that they would make Jowan Tranquil due to a rumor of blood magic. This concerned Eliana greatly; the Tranquilty, not the blood magic. Her "brother", Jowan, tranquil? No longer laughing at her teasing? No longer asking her advice on a spell? Eliana couldn't even imagine. Eliana told them she would have to think about it, and immediately marched to Irving's office. Irving confirmed the rite, to her dismay. Eliana protested and Irving scoffed and said he knew better.

All that work, so she could be the best in the Circle. All the anger fueled studying so she could be free. All of it endangered if she tried to save Jowan. Eliana returned to her new quarters and thought heavily. But...She must help the only friend she'd had in this world. Even if it put herself in danger. Only for him, would she do this. So, she went back, gave her word, and they set to work. They found his phylactery and destroyed it. Eliana didn't know exactly how she felt about hers being in Denerim. On the one hand, she could go on with her plan in the Circle with Jowan safe somewhere else. It would be lonely. But on the other, it could have meant the freedom from the Circle she'd always wanted. She could have found the Dalish. Maybe even have become a Keeper. Anyway, it didn't matter. That chance was gone now.

It didn't turn out quite the way she'd hoped. Her conversation with Irving must have tipped him off to their attempts to help Jowan to escape. He did escape; right after using the blood magic he'd denied all along to do so. Lily, his religious lover, was not pleased and turned away from him. His eyes met with Eliana's one more time as he left. Not exactly religious, Eliana offered a small prayer to the Maker anyway that his freedom would bring him happiness. Then it was time for the Templar to pick themselves off of the ground. Accusations were thrown her way. Although she tried to make the crime sound smaller to hopefully not totally ruin her Circle career. She sensed more than saw that the Warden had walked into the room. This was her chance. She turned to Gregoir and said she would have done the same thing again if given the chance. Gregoir was enraged, threatened her, and the Warden conscripted her out from under that anger fueled Justice. Whew; she'd lucked out with her play. 

Her future had just changed drastically. She didn't rue her Circle career being lost at all, however. The Grey Wardens would give her a freedom she hadn't tasted in years.