How about this, for the skeleton of the pitch? (Feel free to accept, reject, or modify as needed- it touches some fairly standard fantasy novel tropes, certainly)
The (insert family name here) have fallen far from their noble roots, like many of the other old lines. All they have are their name and the family estates, far from the capital- over the last 50 years or so (?) they have even fallen so far that they have taken to raising sheep/cattle/whatever on the sprawling rural estate- while some of the other nobles deride them as farmers, the quality of the beasts (And their wool/milk/whatever) have provided enough wealth to keep them afloat.
The estate staff has few true guards- mostly retired soldiers; instead most of the guard work (including escorting their 'goods' to market fall to the huntsmen and herders (think cowboys). My character is one such, and her father was the lead herdsman- she was trained to fight, but also as a tracker and scout.
Due to the rural nature of the estate, she was also an occasional companion for the youngest daughter of the family, for they were of similar age. The noble daughter was always a bit odd, but the two became friends, at at least some level- perhaps they wandered the estate together and got into all manner of mischief, to the despair of both sets of parents. But childhood does not last forever.
In time, the family received a marriage offer for the youngest daughter, and she was packed up and shipped off to court to complete the transaction, as efficiently as any of their livestock- in part because the other family was quite rich and respected, and this was a step back towards the family's old fortunes. Her friend was only one of her guards on the trip- their adventures, and their bond, seemed at an end.
But it didn't work out. Shortly after arriving, the noble daughter vanished. Perhaps she had known of her own 'talents' and arranged an escape (or a teacher, through some correspondence?). Perhaps someone sensed her powers and took her- either benevolently, to be an apprentice, or cruelly, to experiment on or use in some sorcerous plot. Who can say? Whatever happened, she was gone, and the marriage alliance went up in smoke.
Most of the family retainers retreated to the estate in disgrace. Her friend, however, stayed on in the city- she could not believe the noblewoman was lost forever. And whatever had happened, she was right.
If the noblewoman had disappeared on her own, she was simply found. If she had been taken, she escaped- though perhaps she was still hunted. Either way, the two friends found each other.
But they couldn't just go back. The alliance was lost, and a return home was impossible (even if she wanted to go home). So they had to make their way in the world- perhaps in the courts, perhaps by finding out more about themselves...
This could work just as easily for most of my ideas, if we have enough 'physical' characters that a melee ranger is unneeded. (Except perhaps the dwarf)- a noble family might have many different retainers/servants/staff, whose daughter might be a friend to the young noblewoman. Even the dwarf might work, as the child of a dwarven smith on the estate.
We could also see some connection to others, as people ran into in the city- an inquisitive rogue or mercenary fighter type might have been met while trying to 'escape' or trying to find our place; another noble might have realized we aren't what we seem.
Anyway, like I said, just a thought...
