by Milton Garby
"No. I swore an oath to help and protect my people, even the mages. I will not murder the innocent simply to weed out the guilty.
"Thank you." Said Wynne. "I knew you'd make the rational decision."
"Rational!? How is this rational!?" The Templar raved. "Do you not understand the danger of these mages!?"
"I know full well the dangers of magic, Cullen." Wynne said calmly as she tried to reason with the Templar. "But killing innocents because they might be maleficarum is not justice. I know you are angry…"
"You know nothing! I am thinking about the future of the Circle! Of Ferelden!"
That got Aedan's goat. How dare this sniveling Templar make such a claim? "What the fuck do you know about serving Ferelden, Templar?! Have you ever fought for Her? Have you ever killed for Her? No! You just sit here and let some clerical cunt from another country tell you how people must be treated. I serve Ferelden. I have shed blood for her and for no one else! And I will not let your fear compromise mine or my country's honor!"
"I am just willing to see the painful truth, which you are content to ignore! But what can I do?" The Templar argued.
"Not a damned thing, Templar. So you're not going to interfere with me, lucky you."
Cullen shot a spiteful look at Aedan. "My cage is of Uldred's doing, or one of his mages. Once they're dead I will be free and I will carry out my duty."
"If you get in my way, you sniveling cunt, I'll rip your head off."
"No one ever listens. Not until it's far too late. Maker turn his gaze on you. I hope your mercy has not doomed us all."
Aedan laughed at the imprisoned Templar. "Save your pale god's blessing! He doesn't live here."
The Grey Warden and his mage companion went into the Harrowing Chamber. Cullen fell to his knees and prayed to The Maker and Holy Andraste to help the Warden would stop these mages and give him the wisdom to do what was necessary. Not long after the Warden went in Cullen heard the most horrifying screams yet! And the sounds of demons echoed throughout the tower. Cullen closed his eyes and tried to drown out the terrible noise by reciting the Chant of Light. The screams were almost too much to bear!
And then there was dead silence. Cullen opened his eyes and raised his head to find the barrier gone. He couldn't believe it. The Warden actually managed to slay Uldred! But what about the rest of those mages? Suddenly the doors to the chamber opened and the Grey Warden emerged. Maker's breath! He was covered from head to toe in blood black as tar! Behind him were the rest of his companions and the senior mage was helping the First Enchanter walk along with the other mages who were in the chamber.
"How…how is this possible?" Cullen sputtered. "Why haven't you killed them?"
Aedan looked at Cullen with annoyance and contempt painted on his face. "What the…? Are you still here? Look, I don't have time to babysit you! If you want to stay here that's your problem but I got what I came for. I'm out of here."
They all made their way down the tower, Cullen trailed behind them at a safe distance, keeping a watchful eye on those mages.
When Gregoir heard the doors pounding he thought more abominations were about to come though, until her heard, "Hey! Greogoir! I'm done doing your job for you! Open the fucking door!" Greogir couldn't believe it. It was the Warden!
"Men, stand ready." The Knight-Commander ordered. He wasn't going to be caught unprepared this time. "Open the doors!" The doors swung open and Gregoir couldn't believe his eyes. The Warden emerged from the doors and he had Irving with him! Gregoir had all but given up hope! "Irving? Maker's breath! I didn't think I'd ever see you alive again."
"It is over, Gregoir." The First Enchanter groaned. "Uldred…is dead."
"Uldred tortured these mages, hoping to break their wills and turn them into abominations." Cullen interrupted. "We don't know how many of the have turned."
"What!? Don't be ridiculous!" Irving denied.
"Of course he'll say that! He might be a bloodmage! Don't you know what they did? I will not let this happen again!"
"I am the knight-commander here." Gregoir reminded his subordinate. "Not you."
"Well? What's the knight-commander's decision?" Aedan finally asked.
"We have won back the tower. I will accept the First Enchanter's assurance that the Circle has been made safe."
"But-but they may have demons within them! Lying dormant…lying in wait!" Cullen protested."
This whiny little Templar was really becoming annoying to Aedan. "Hey! Shut your ass-kisser, wussy. The adults are talking."
"Enough!" Gregoir shouted. "I have already made my decision. Thank you, Warden for what you've done here. You have proven yourself a friend of the Circle and the Templars."
"So I have your word? You'll honor this treaty?"
"I promised you aid, but with the Circle restored, it is up to the First Enchanter to honor this treaty. What say you, Irving?"
"None of us would be alive right now if it weren't for your actions, Warden." The old mage praised. "The least we can do is aid you against the Blight. Let me be formal; As First Enchanter I swear you will have all the aid the Circle Tower of Kinloch Hold can muster."
"Thank you, First Enchanter."
Wynne stepped forward, "Irving, I have a request: I seek leave to follow the Grey Warden."
"Wynne…we need you here. The Circle needs you."
"I appreciate the sentiment, Irving, but the Circle will do fine without me, it already has you. This man is brave and good, and capable of great things. If he will accepts my assistance, I will help him accomplish his goals."
Aedan nodded his head to her. "I would be most honored to have you join us, Wynne."
Irving laughed quietly, "You were never one to remain in the tower not when there was adventure to be had somewhere else."
"Why stay when I can be of service elsewhere?"
"Then I give you leave to join the Grey Wardens, Wynne. Know that you will always have a place here. May the Maker guide your path."
Aedan and Wynne walked out of the tower where the others were waiting for them and Aedan properly welcomed her to their merry little band. "None of us got a proper introduction, Wynne. As you may remember, I am Aedan. This Alistair, my fellow Grey Warden. This is Leliana our bard and songbird. Zevran, formerly of the Anitvan Crows. Morrigan, another mage. And Sten of the Beresaad."
"I am pleased to meet you all." Wynne greeted politely.
"Oh, not as pleased as I am, my dear woman." Zevran chimed as he affectionately kissed her hand to greet her, and made the older woman feel very uncomfortable. "You are a teacher, yes? I never received a formal education. Perhaps you can give me private lessons."
Wynne gave him a disapproving look, "I don't think you'd make a good student."
"I admit I'd be an unruly student, so please don't be afraid to spank me with a ruler. In fact, I insist upon it."
Wynne scoffed in disgust and withdrew her hand. How is it the Warden could travel with someone as deviant as this elf? But then again he did speak for the mages' mercy, so you couldn't be that bad.
Aedan clapped his hands together and eagerly made his to the boat. "Alright, everyone, let's see about getting a boat and we can paddle down to Redcliffe."
"Oh, um, I'm afraid that won't be possible." Wynne stated.
"Excuse me?"
"Well, you see the Templars burned all of the Circles boats to ensure no abominations would escape, the only one left is the one you came in one, and that is the mage's only means of getting ashore."
Aedan sighed in exhaustion. "So you're saying we have to walk all the way down south to Redcliffe?"
"I'm afraid so."
"If there's a god out there, he must really hate my guts!" Aedan groaned in mixed despair and anger.
On The Road Again.
~XoXoXo~
And so Aedan and his company headed south. It was a tedious journey as they all knew they were backtracking and the fact that they were all still tired from their little episode in the Circle made
the trip all the more tiresome. Leliana tried to liven their step with a song but it didn't have the effect that she hoped for. Alistair and Zevran attempted in vain to strike a conversation with but were met with spoken silence. Wynne, despite her age, kept pace with them with seemingly little effort. In fact, to look at her you'd think she was just taking a happy little stroll without a care in the world. Aedan walked in utter silence, the painful memory of seeing his home, of holding his family again only to discover it was nothing more than a cruel illusion. It felt like someone had ripped open an old wound with a hot knife and poured salt into it. He felt so dead inside.
Morrigan saw the vacant look in Aedan's eyes and knew that his mind was elsewhere and knew where it was. She had seen his dream; that beautiful memory turned into a cruel lie to make him compliant to the demon's will. He could have stayed if he wished. The demon put so much effort into Aedan's dream even she almost believed it. He could have been with his family for the remainder of his life in complete happiness, but forsook that in the name of duty. He knew the truth, and he knew he couldn't just turn his back on it. But still, she also knew it takes a special kind of man with character to turn his back on something like that just to go back into a world that caused him so much anguish. Morrigan had always been taught that to love is to be weak and that anyone who believed otherwise was lesser, but to see the love that Aedan had for his family…she couldn't help but feel sympathy for him and she, ever so slightly, envied him.
"So tell me," Alistair asked Aedan. "How did you escape your dream? I'm a little curious."
"I didn't." Aedan answered.
"Well…how did you get out then? I mean we'd all still be stuck in the fade if it weren't for you."
"Morrigan saved me. We'd all still be in the fade if it weren't for her."
"Oh. I did not realize that."
"If you want to thank someone, thank her."
At camp that night Aedan stood by himself away from the group and thought to himself. His mind was still lingering on his family, on how real the illusion was. Perhaps he could have stayed? Perhaps he could have….No! That wasn't his real family. He knew they were dead. If he had chosen to stay they still be dead and would never have been avenged. He couldn't let the Sloth Demon's lies plague him like this! He had to keep moving. Aedan reminded himself of his resolve and tried to hold on to it. But still, it he couldn't shake the one question that had been haunting him this whole time from his mind. What do I have that's worth fighting for?
Aedan walked over to Wynne and was surprised how quickly and easily she rigged her tent, obviously this wasn't her first time outdoors. Aedan was impressed with how well she kept up with them on their walk, in fact Aedan thought they'd have to stop twenty times for her before they made camp, but the only time they had to stop was when Alistair was attacked by a giant spider when he went to use the bushes. She did seem tired, however, but that shouldn't be a surprise.
"Oh, it has been a long day." She said. "Rest. Rest would be so welcome right now."
"Are you alright?"
"Oh, yes, I am. And thank you for asking. As you may have noticed I'm no spring chicken."
Aedan chuckled at her humility. "You certainly got quite a spring in your step for someone your age."
"Thank you, that's kind of you to say. There have been occasions in which I've been out of the tower, I had to learn very quickly how live out of doors."
"It seemed like you knew Duncan. Have you ever been with the Grey Wardens before?"
"Not exactly. I wasn't there for it but twenty years ago King Maric and the Warden Commander at the time, Genevieve, came to the Circle Tower on official business. Duncan and I were much younger then, and we became acquaintances when he returned from his business with the king."
Now that was a piece of news to Aedan. "Duncan knew King Maric?"
"I don't really know. What I do know is that after whatever business the king and the Wardens had King Maric rescinded the Wardens exile from the kingdom and Duncan became the new second-in-command of the Order and a few years later became its new Commander. And from time to time he'd come to the tower seeking recruits as well as advice."
"Well, it sounds like he was a well accomplished man."
"Indeed he was." Wynne agreed as chuckled nostalgically. "I am curious, how did you become a Grey Warden."
Aedan didn't like thinking about that day. "…He saved me…after Arl Howe destroyed my home and killed my family."
Wynne couldn't believe her ears. "Arl Rendon Howe? The Arl of Amaranthine? Why would he do such a thing?"
"He wanted Highever. My family's teyrnir."
Wynne's eyes went wide with shock. "Y-you…are the last of the Couslands? My lord!" Wynne bowed her head in respect.
"Don't!" Aedan spoke his face bitter. "I am not a lord anymore. I am…nothing."
"No. Not nothing. You are one of the two remaining Grey Wardens left in Ferelden and it may not seem much, but sometimes it gives me comfort that things happen for a reason. You were chosen for a reason. You survived the Joining when others did not it was all for a reason."
This was no comfort to Aedan. "Fate? Is that what I should believe? That the Maker let my family be butchered in our own home just so I alone could live and become a Warden? If that's the Maker's will then he is one sick bastard! I only survived the Joining because I refused to die until I rip out Howe's beating heart and eat it!"
Wynne was slightly disturbed by his desire. "You are a Warden now, Aedan. You cannot let your need for vengeance cloud your mind." Wynne reasoned.
"What could you know about my need for vengeance? The youngest of my house was only seven years old! Howe's men cut his throat open after they killed his mother right in front of him, and I found him in a pool of his own blood! For six hundred years my family has stewarded Highever; we didn't even let the Orlesians take it from us! And you're saying I should just forget all that? Forget what Howe did to me?"
Wynne's heart grew heavy from Aedan's description. "What happened to your family was a terrible crime, I don't deny it. But I believe that any son of House Cousland is better than that. You have a duty as a Warden to be better than most. Would you truly ignore your duty to pursue vengeance?"
"Have you ever had a family? Ever got to see a child of your blood be born and watch him grow?"
That question almost broke Wynne's heart. She never got to see her child grow up. "N-no. I never…had that blessing."
"It is a blessing. One that I was trusted to protect. And what would you do if someone just stole that from you? Just to take what was yours?"
Wynne had no answer.
"But you're right. My family would not let me forsake my duty and I will continue to do my duty as a Warden until my homeland is safe. But I will never know peace until my family is avenged and I hear Howe scream on his way to hell."
She could see now the pain he was in. And he was right about her not knowing how this pain felt.
The anger suddenly melted from Aedan's face as he regained his composure. "I'm sorry, Wynne. I didn't mean to get upset. I know you're trying to just give me advice."
"It's alright, Aedan. I'm sorry for making assumptions. I can understand you're angry, you haven't even had time to properly mourn your family and the world is asking so much of you. But you must remain strong of heart. I am certain that no son of House Cousland could be any less."
She was really reminded Aedan of his mother, always trying to give him advice. "Thank you…for trying to council me Wynne."
"It is no trouble. Even the best of us stumble a little. It is human nature."
As Aedan walked away Wynne couldn't help but feel her heartbreaking for him. It took her years to come to terms with the Chantry taking her son away from her and during that time she wished she could just die instead of dealing with the pain. And here was Aedan, a young man from a proud and beloved house, could have been a general or a diplomat or anything he wanted, but instead his family was murdered and now he was being tasked w
ith saving the world and not even have time to weep for his family. She could understand now why he seemed so angry with everything. She could only hope that his anger would not lead him to his downfall.
Aedan walked over to Zevran and decided to satisfy his curiosity about the Antivan elf and the Crows. Zevran surprised him by telling him a little of the Crows' history and their origins. About how they were originally an order of Chantry monks in the Treviso Hills of Antiva who opposed the rule of a despotic duke with their herbs and poison, and over the years their methods became more sophisticated they realized they liked being powerful and not answering to anyone but themselves. Eventually split from the Chantry entirely and became the driving political force behind Antiva; they even give the Qunari reason to back off. "Does your ink have any meaning, Zevran? Or are they purely decoration?"
"Some are." The former Crow answered. "Others are designs sacred to the Crows which I'm not allowed to reveal to anyone. I must say you have an impressive collection of tattoos as well. Do they hold any meaning for you?"
"I wouldn't have them if they didn't."
"Good point. Would you be interested adding another? I could place a rather fetching mark on you if you wished."
"You're not going to put some picture of a naked lady on me are you? Cause I know where to find women when I want them."
"Oh, please, you wound me. That sort of thing is fit only for pirates and drunk sailors. We assassins take pride in everything we do."
"Alright, Zevran. I am always interested in getting more ink."
"Ha-ha! Very good just sit here while I get my ink and needles."
Aedan sat next to Zevran's tent while the elf stabbed ink into Aedan's hand with a sharp needle. Zevran was impressed with how stone-faced Aedan was as he repeatedly pushed the ink under his skin; he had seen grown men cry just getting their mother's names tattooed on their arm. Feeling a little awkward doing this in silence Zevran tried to strike a conversation, instead of just listening to the stabbing noises Aedan's skin was making.