by Milton Garby
"There is, enchanter." The elf answered with respect. "This man slaughtered his way through the courtyard, and claims that he wished to speak with you."
"Tch. And thus you bring the Grey Warden right into the very heart of our operation." The mage looked at Aedan with intrigue.
"Th-the Grey Warden?! B-but I thought…."
"Oh, close your mouth, dear, and show some etiquette. We are in the presence of royalty after all. If I'm not mistaken that is the bastard who would be king. Really you should get out more often, dear."
"Hah. That's rich." Alistair snorted. "A slaver is going to call me a bastard. If it isn't the pot calling the kettle black."
"Oh, well. What's done is done. I am Caladrius, Magister of the Tevinter Imperium and Enchanter of the Minrathous Circle of Magi." The bald man bowed courteously. "And I have heard a great deal about you in the short time that I've been in this country."
"You've heard of me?" Aedan asked blithely. "What have you heard?"
"Oh, one can barely speak to the regent without hearing 'Warden' these days. It surpassed even 'gold' in popularity."
"You've spoken to Loghain?" Aedan hissed.
"Oh, most certainly. He was the one who gave us permission to operate here in the first place. Even promised to keep the authorities away. And I must say the things he says about you aren't as flattering as the rumors about you say."
Aedan leaned his hands on the rail in front of him menacingly, making it creak as it threatened to break in his grip. "If you've heard of me, then you know to fear me." The angry Warden's eyes and voice were laced with murder.
"Now, now, is this how we must begin? With bluster? I was hoping for a little more…civility."
"I said show respect, dog-lord!" Devera reminded angrily. "This is no mere….! Agkh!" Aedan grabbed the slaver bitch by her hair quickly latching his teeth on to her neck and bit her throat out! Blood spurted out of the hole in Devera's neck and gurgled out of her mouth as she fell to the floor dead.
The shocked Tevinters reached for their weapons in fright as Aedan chewed on Devera's trachea, savoring the foreign taste of her blood before spitting it at Caladrius' feet. "What were you saying about civility, slaver?"
"B-business is business, dear Warden." The magister stated trying to maintain his composure. "But, still your point is very well made. You do indeed frighten me, I do not deny it. But you also intrigue me."
"Be careful, Kadan." Sten warned. "You cannot trust anything a Tevinter mage says."
"I hear you are trying to erode Loghain's support. Difficult task I'm sure. Must be like trying to wash away a mountain."
"Get to the point, slaver!" Aedan ordered.
"Well, truth be told there was always a limit to how long we would be able to operate here unnoticed, and it seems we've reached the end of our rope." Caladrius explained. "But I see no reason why we cannot both profit from this…situation."
"Oh, this should be good."
"Sarcasm is beneath us both, Warden." The mage practically scolded.
"But slavery isn't?" Aedan shot back.
"Ahem. I have these documents here, signed with the seal of the Terynir of Gwaren, sealing our partnership together. I give him gold, and he allows to take these elves. If you were to present this at your Landsmeet I doubt your fellow countrymen would look kindly on it. Just simply let us leave with our merchandise and I'll give you these documents, as well as a healthy amount of gold as a sign of good will. What say you?"
"I suggest you look into eyes of those elves before you have them hauled off to slavery, my friend." Zevran urged adamantly.
"This bald bastard ain't no different from the Carta." Oghren reminded. "And we all know what you did to those nug-lickers."
"You can't be seriously thinking about accepting this deal, Aedan." Alistair interjected. "This goes against everything Ferelden stands for."
"Well, Warden?" Caladrius waited eagerly. "Certainly you must admit that this better than resorting to barbarity."
That look of bloodlust lit up in Aedan's eyes and his companions knew they had their answer. "Barbarity? You come into my homeland. You take my countrymen from their homes to sell them like cattle. And now you think you can buy my honor? You're not leaving this building alive, motherfucker!"
Zevran's daggers flew like silver birds into the eyes of four slavers as Aedan jumped down to the floor with Starfang in hand, crushing another slaver beneath his boots. The others joined in slashing, shooting and throwing thunder and lightning at the foreign slavers. As Caladrius' men started dying around him like flies, he did the only thing he could do in a situation like this. "A blood sacrifice! For power!" He stretched out his hands towards several of his men and their blood bursted out of their flesh like wet, red serpents and surrounded Caladrius like a river of red, empowering his foul magic. But such an act was a double edged sword against Aedan. As a Reaver, Aedan fed off the entropic energies of those that died around him and the pain that was inflicted in battle. All Caladrius did was add fuel to the fire.
Aedan charged the Tevinter Magister with Starfang, his blood frenzy empowering him as he cut down every soldier he got close to, and watched their bodies burn thanks to the fire enchantment on his blade. With the power the magister had gathered from sacrificing his underlings he threw powerful blast of dragon-shaped fire at the Warden, engulfing his whole body in flames! The magister laughed at his immolated opponent. But all he did was make Aedan mad. The pain and damage from Aedan's searing flesh increased his already fearsome power. He charged at the magister again, screaming like a demon! Aedan swung Starfang at the frightened Tevinter, cutting down his staff and slashing him across the face! The magister cried and kneeled to the floor like a little bitch!
"ENOUGH! Enough!" Caladrius begged on his knees. "It seems your reputation is an accurate one."
This was incredibly pathetic. Perhaps the reputation of the power of Tevinter Magisters was overrated. Aedan loomed over his defeated enemy as Wynne doused the remained flames with magic. "I think I'm going to scalp that bald head of yours." Aedan informed pulling out his hunting knife.
"W-wait! Please! Kind ser!" The mage begged. His plea was met with Aedan boot to his face and being knocked flat on his back.
"Kind ser?" Aedan scoffed as he planted his knees into Caladrius' chest and brought the knife closer to his face. "Obviously, you haven't been paying attention to the rumors about me. I'm a Fereldan dog-lord. I am a barbarian!" Aedan sliced a long, deep gash across the mage's forehead. Aedan inserted his fingers underneath the cut flesh and started pulling back the slaver's scalp of his skull, peeling his head like an orange! Blood and screams splattered against Aedan's face, and the agony of the horrible death he was inflicting healed Aedan's burn wounds. Caladrius convulsed and sputtered in agony as The Warden ripped off all the flesh on top of his head and finally died.
There was one last slaver in the rooms, some simpering human just a little older than Aedan. He cast his weapon to the ground and got on his knees in submission. Aedan went over to slaver with Caladrius' scalp clenched tightly in his fist and kicked the survivor to the floor. "Where did you send the elves!?" Aedan demanded as he planted his foot on the side of the slaver's face.
"Mercy! Please, mercy!" The man sobbed.
Aedan grinded his heel on to the man's face even harder. "Answer me! Or I'll skin you next!"
"To Tevinter!" The slaver cried in pain, Aedan's boot was breaking the skin on his face. It was like his head was caught in a grinding press. "The last boat left the other day. They're going to be sold in Minrathous."
Aedan's rage was boiled over and pressed his foot harder on to the man's skull. "Sold!? They were people! Not cattle!"
"They were just elves!" The slaver reasoned.
The man's reasoning and pleading only served to make Aedan more pissed. "They were Fereldan citizens, you son a bitch!"
"Please, ser! Spare me!" The man begged with sobs wracking his body. "I only did what I was ordered. I was just tryin
g to make a living."
"Dying isn't much of a living, fucker." Aedan slowly applied pressure to the man's face, feeling the skin and bones break underneath his heel as the Tevinter slaver groaned and screamed in agonizing pain until Aedan felt his skull crack and cave in.
After he was done killing the slaver Aedan sprinted over to the holding pen and ripped the door off its hinges. After that gory display the elves were obviously frightened of him. "Cyrion? Valendrian? Are you here?" Aedan called.
"I am Harhen Valendrian. Cyrion is here as well." An elderly elf with long grey hair answered. After all the elve had been through he looked a little worse for wear. "Who are you, stranger? You don't look like a Tevinter."
"My name is Aedan." The Warden answered. "I was sent here to find you by Shianni."
"Shianni?" Cyrion asked. "She's alright? Oh, thank The Maker!"
"We won't trespass on this service, Warden." The harhen promised thankfully. "Let us get these people home."
As the elves left, Aedan searched through Caladrius' body and belongings and found the promissory documents he mentioned as well as a healthy sack full of gold stamped with the heraldry of Tevinter. Aedan looked over the documents and was enraged and horrified to see that it was all true. Loghain, The Hero of River Dane and liberator of the free people of Ferelden had been selling Fereldan citizens to Tevinter. The papers stated that the slavers here were free to take as many elves as they could get in exchange for a hundred soveriegns per head. Is that all the freedom of a person's life was worth? This would damn Loghain, both in the Landsmeet and in history.
The group made their way back over to the Alienage were they found Wynne still tending to the sick and the injured, joined with her was that feisty elf, Shianni who was in the middle of embracing her uncle and with them was the Hahren, Valendrian and all of the missing elves. Aedan decided now was the best time to talk with the Hahren to see if they will all be fine before he went back to discuss things with Eamon. "Excuse me, Hahren?"
"Ah. If it isn't our saviors." Valendrian exclaimed gratefully. "I understand that you are Grey Wardens. Tell me, is Duncan with you?"
Alistair's face went to sadness at the mention of his mentor's name and Aedan also felt for Duncan's loss. "You knew Duncan?"
"Duncan is a very good friend of mine, we've known each other for almost twenty years." The Hahren explained. "He would often come here sometimes looking for potential recruits. Used to say that the best often come from the worst places." The harhren's happy reminiscing was made sour by the forlorn look on Aedan and Alistair's faces. "But I'm guessing by the look on your face something bad must have happened."
Aedan paused for a moment and decided to break to Valendrian as easy as he could. "He…died at Ostagar defending King Cailan and Ferelden from the darkspawn."
Valendrian had a pained but understanding look on his face. "I heard of the reports of Ostagar and I…hoped that he had survived." Valendrian closed his eye for a moment and Aedan let him have his time to mourn. "At least he died doing his duty trying to keep us all safe from the Blight."
"Aye." Aedan confirmed. "That he did."
"How will you deal with the plague now?" Leliana asked.
"We have been through outbreaks before, I'm sure we will be fine." Valendrian answered unconcerned. "I'm sorry, but I must see to the rest of our kin here."
Aedan let Valendrian take his leave Shianni approached him in a bashful manner. "Yes, is there something I can help you with?"
"I'm sorry if I was rude to you before." Shianni let out almost in a rush. "Andraste's ass, you'd think I'd learn some more social graces. Anyway, I just wanted to say thank you. You're the first human I've ever met that has actually helped us."
Aedan decided to help her more and he beckoned Shianni over to him so that he may whisper something in her ear. "There is a small hill of gold in that hospice, enough to buy food and medicine for everyone in this Alienage for a year. Take it and put it somewhere safe."
Shianni's eyes went wide with surprise but then they had a playful shine in them. "You sure? You aren't afraid I'll just take that money and use it to get drunk off my butt for a year?"
"No." Aedan answered simply. "You seem to be the most responsible and bravest one here. This country could use more people with your spine."
Shianni didn't expect to get that kind of compliment but decided to get that gold quickly so that it could be put to good use. While Shianni left Aedan went over to Wynne who was attending to an adorable elven child with fine blonde hair that almost seemed silver, and familiar, beautiful green eyes.
"There." Wynne cooed. "Do you feel better now, little one?"
"Yes, thank you." The child said but her mind seemed elsewhere.
Wynne noticed and seemed concerned. "Tell me child, is something wrong?"
"It's my mama." The child explained. "She…went to Highever and hasn't come back yet. I miss her."
Aedan's hand dove into his traveling kit and he pulled out a picture he'd completely forgotten about, on that he hadn't seen in over a year. The resemblance between the child and the picture was striking. She was sweet Iona's lovely daughter. "Excuse me, child? Is your name Amethyne?"
"Um, yes." Amethyne answered shyly. She was understandable nervous that this huge, tattooed stranger asking her name. "Who are you, ser?"
A wave of regret and shame washed over Aedan as he looked down on this child. If he had done his duty and protected his home maybe Iona would be back her with her baby. Instead he failed and now Iona's beloved daughter was an orphan. "I was a…friend of your mother's." Aedan answered sorrowfully. "I am so sorry, Amythene. But your mother isn't coming back." Aedan felt his heart twinge painfully as he watched the tears well up in Amythene's eyes.
Even after what they had seen in Gauntlet to get to Andraste's Ashes, it was still a strange thing for the others to see sorrow on Aedan's face. After everything he had accomplished and the things he's done they had to remind themselves that he was still only human and susceptible to maladies of the heart. Who was this girl to him? Morrigan wondered.
"I…heard about what happened at Highever." The little girl whimpered. "I was hoping my mama got away." Her tears flowed freely down her young face.
"Harhen, is there anyone here who can look after this girl?"
A human's concern for the welfare of an elven child was strange to the elder, but he had no doubts about this man's character. "I'm sorry, Warden. But anyone who was kin to this child was sold to Tevinter. And with the plague and the damage done to the orphanage during the purge we'll have to send her to the Chantry."
That was a terrible thought. Aedan didn't want Iona's child to grow up in an establishment where she would be looked down on simply on the grounds of her being an elf. He had to help her. "Is it possible that I could look after her? Until there is a place where she'll be safe?" Aeden beseeched.
The harhen smiled warmly. "After what I saw in that warehouse I don't doubt she'll be safe with you. And I don't doubt the integrity of one of Duncan's apprentices."
Aedan felt relieved that he could fulfill an obligation he felt to Iona. "Amythene, if you want to you can come with me and stay at the arl's mansion. I promise you will be safe."
"Are you my papa now?" The girl asked innocently.
Aedan never considered fatherhood, and with the uncertainty of the Blight there was no way he could take up the mantle of being a parent, adopted or otherwise. "No." Aedan answered gently. "But I can make it so that you can live a good life like your mother wanted."
"Okay." The girl held out her hand, but instead Aedan picked her up and carried her in his arms. This unexpected show of generosity and kindness caused almost everyone in his company gave him that sly mocking look and giggles, but they were all quickly shut down when Aedan shot them a frightening appearance.
They all knew that inside Aedan was a swirling cauldron of unbridled anger brewing up a world of pain, agony and woe. Loghain was going to pay dearly for this trespass against Fe
reldan law and tradition. If he was allowed to reduce them to a nation of liars and hypocrites then they weren't a nation worth saving. Aedan would make sure they would remain worth of salvation.
Judgment Day: Part III
Back at his estate, Cauthrien had to deliver dire news to the regent. It was dusk by the time she finally made it back and the walk back here was harrowing. As she walked through the Denerim streets all of the common folk looked at her and her men and angry, accusing eyes. In fact, not an hour ago children were throwing horse shit at her and yelling traitor and killers of the king at her. Her armor still rank of the feces. Apparently the whole city got word of what that snake, Howe, had done. While she was glad the sniveling bastard was gone she was still horrified by the grisly end that was inflicted upon him by the Wardens. The fact that the Wardens are willing to commit that much violence on a man should speak of how trustworthy they are, but then again Howe deserved that fate a hundred times over for what he did, even if it was for their country's sake, further still, many lords and common folk seemed to believe that Loghain had murdered their king and are speaking of how he was no better than King Meghren himself! She wouldn't believe that. She couldn't believe that. Ever since he tapped his sword on her shoulders and dubbed her a knight she had seen how his whole existence was to keep Ferelden safe and free. She had no time to think of such matters she had to speak to her lord about these troubling matters and make preparations for the Landsmeet.
Cauthrien found her lord in his solar and from the looks of things, Loghain had just gotten done with some paperwork. "My lord…" The knight uttered cautiously "I'm afraid I bring troubling news."
"Is there any other kind?" Loghain sighed exhausted.
"I regret to inform you that…Teyrn Howe was murdered." She informed half lying about how she felt concerning Howe's death.
"So it's true." Loghain exhaled slowly. "So the traitor finally got his revenge. If what I've heard on the streets is true, the Warden cannibalized him."