Kallian and Soris overheard Shianni screaming from the room next to them. Kallian kicked the door in, fuming at the sight before her. It took all of her restraint to not kill him right there, but he was too close to Shianni for her to risk it,
"Get the fuck away from her you disgusting piece of filth!" She shouted, demanding the monster's attention.
Vaughn laughed as he got up and walked, no sauntered over to where Kallian was standing. He placed a hand on her waist, the blood on her dress staining his hand a vibrant scarlet,
"You're not nearly as beautiful when you scowl like that. What do you say, forty sovereigns we forget any of this ever happened?" he smiled at her, voice like auditory slime.
Kallian snarled as she buried a sword in Vaughn's chest. Kicked him in the chest and swiftly beheaded him with her other blade. Kallian was dripping blood, it had soaked her from head to toe. Her wedding dress, once as white as the frostbacks was as red as the bloodstained path she'd left in her wake throughout the arl's estate. All of it, all her actions over the past two hours, had led to this glorious moment of pure vengeance,
"No deal." She said as his head rolled toward her. She lifted her foot and rested it on his head, catching her breath for a moment. Breathing deeply she sheathed her weapons and ran over to her cousin,
"Shianni, we're going to get you and the others out of here okay?" Soris went over to Shianni and helped her to her feet.
"They took the others…" Shianni trailed off.
"I'll find them" Kallian locked eyes with Soris, "You get Shianni out of here."
Kallian kicked open virtually every door in the estate, rescuing all the other women Vaughn and his shemlen bastards had kidnapped. She led her fellow survivors out of the estate and back to the alienage. When she and the others got back to the alienage she immediately went to her house to check on Shianni,
"Shianni, I know you're not exactly okay but, how are you?" She asked her cousin.
"I'm fine, the others just think Vaughn roughed me up a bit, and I'd like to keep it that way." Shianni said. Kallian nodded. Kallian and Soris exited the house only to be confronted by a city guardsman. He towered over five foot three Kallian but she still stood tall under his scrutinizing gaze.
"We know it was an elf who killed the Arl's son, I suggest you tell them to confess before we purge the entire alienage." He said stoically, hand on his sword as if he were ready to cut them down at any sudden movement. Kallian's eyes briefly darted to Soris, he had visibly paled. Kallian knew what fate they would suffer at the hands of these humans. She stepped into the guard's personal space, tilted her head back so she was looking him dead in the eye,
"It was me."
"You? All by yourself?" The guard seemed to doubt her.
She scowled, "Find me another arl's estate if you don't believe me."
"I do not envy your fate, but you've spared many by turning yourself in. Maker have mercy on you."
"That won't be necessary." Deadrick, the Grey Warden she'd met earlier stepped forward.
"This young woman has shown herself beyond capable in battle and willing to sacrifice herself for the greater good. I am invoking the right of conscription, her crimes are the Warden's she is now my ward." The elf said as he stood beside Kallian, barely an inch taller than her.
"I'm not going to fight a Warden over one knife ear, but that doesn't mean I have to like it." The guard shook his head as he walked out of the alienage.
"Sir, I appreciate it but you didn't need to do that." Kallian didn't want this man's charity, even if it had spared her life. The humans would want justice and if they couldn't get it from hanging her then they'd find some other way. Her finger ran over the wedding band she'd taken from Nelaros' body. The shems would take what they wanted.
"Oh, I didn't do that out of charity, or to get that guard to leave. I'm actually recruiting you. You killed an entire estate full of armed guards with a stolen sword and sheer willpower. You're exactly the kind of recruit the wardens need."
"But my father, my family you can't just ask me to abandon them!" her mind raced as she thought of all those who relied on her. She had on more than one occasion left "random gifts" of stolen coin for the Suranas since Amadin vanished and Danya could hardly find any decent work since the incident with the templars. Her father shouldn't have to work, she needed to stay and support him.
"I'm not asking. You should say your goodbyes, we have a long way to go to Ostagar." Deadrick said, crossing his arms. Kallian looked at Soris,
"Well, you've always been my hero since we were kids. This just makes it official. I'll take care of Cyrion, you go save the world." He hugged his cousin, Kallian had been nearly inseparable from him and Shianni since they were kids. Leaving them would not be easy. She went into her house, for the last time. She hugged Shianni and Cyrion,
"This may be the last time I see either of you. I love you more than anything, please please stay safe." She bit her lip hard to distract herself from the tears that threatened to fall. She exited the house quickly. She spotted Chartan Surana, an old flame of hers. She walked over to him,
"I heard what you did Kallian, I couldn't be prouder to know you." He said, looking at her like she had descended from the stars above. She couldn't help but think how Nelaros had looked at her in much the same way before Vaughn's guards cut him down. Her voice became choked,
"Yeah, I just did what I had to. I'm off to Ostagar. Apparently the wardens like bitchy elven mass murderers, you take care of yourself Chartan." Kallian said.
"If you're ever in the deep roads… Keep your eyes out for Amadin okay?" He asked.
"Of course I will." Kallian promised. She took Chartan's hand in her own for a brief moment before walking back to the Warden. The ghosts of memories bitter and sweet surrounding her. Seeing her childhood friend dragged away by Templars, Shianni smashing that bottle to Vaughn's head, her mother…Her mother. She shook her head, no point in dwelling on the past of a city she might never return to.
"I'm ready, well ready as I can possibly be."
Deadrick nodded,
"We have no time to lose then." He brought her over to his horse. He got on first and helped her on afterward. She'd never ridden a horse before and was a little intimidated.
"Off to Ostagar." He said as they left the Alienage.
"Off to Ostagar." Kallian said as she watched her home vanish before her.