A/N: This fic is collaboration between myself and Aarlauna Rose.
DISCLAIMER: We do not own anything related to Dragon Age: Origins, Dragon Age: Awakening or Dragon Age II. Bioware owns all.
Thank you, Lilliwyn! You're a brave beta to have taken on this monster.
Screams. They were everywhere. Huddled behind the body of one of the great beasts that her Master fought, her eyes shut tight against the horrifying visions around her; it was all that was left to her. She was tired of them. She was terrified of them. But the battle had barely begun, and her part was not over.
A whimper brought her from the brink of adding her voice to the dying. Slowly, Rose's eyes opened. There was a dragon near, a boy barely old enough to be called a man. Her hands dropped from her delicate pointed ears. He was covered in blood, barely alive. His mouth was moving, but all he could manage were disjointed sounds. Was he asking for help, or release? There was no way to know.
But he was a dragon, and that was all that mattered to Lucas, to the one who held her leash. He must die. Rose reached for her daggers with shaking hands. This could be Nadari, her friend. Her rescuer. He might know him. And her master was nowhere near. She could help him.
The realization got her on her feet far faster than the promise of a kill. The dragon's panicked face slackened into shock when she abandoned her weapons, reaching for her pouch instead.
Panic gripped her when she felt nothing. Her potions were gone. Her fingers instead closed on a small, cool vial reserved for the gravest of emergencies. She glanced at the boy, at the blood that was beginning to choke him. Swallowing her fear, she poured the liquid down her throat and put her hands on him.
The unfamiliar sight unnerved her, but she pushed through, reaching for a connection long-severed. If there was ever a time to will her mistakes away, it was now. But nothing happened. Rose cursed, shaking with the exertion. She was startled when she felt hot hands on her wrist. She looked up from her work.
The boy smiled sadly at her, face peaceful but sorrowful. He even looked thankful. Rose clenched her fists in his bloody shirt, fighting the urge to scream at him, at his fate. He shouldn't- couldn't- give up. He shouldn't thank her, not with her Master leading the charge against his people. Slowly, he weakly motioned for her to come closer, and she leaned down to hear what he had to say.
The boy's breath wheezed painfully in his throat as he gasped. She waited paitiently, only to pull back at his sudden raspy laugh.
"It's your fault they died, blood mage."
"Wake up, cousin!"
Rose woke abruptly, fighting off the tendrils of the Fade. Her cloudy eyes could barely discern the small woman standing at her bedside, an eager smile on her face. "Why are you still in bed? It's your big day, Rose!"
Big… Oh. Oh, no. Fear of a different sort made her want to run. Or vomit. Perhaps both. She groaned. "He's not supposed to be here for another week!" she grumbled.
"I know, but this can only be a good thing. I snuck a peek- he's handsome!"
"I… I don't like this, Shianni." she admitted.
The boisterous redhead sat on the edge of her cot, smiling encouragingly. "And who else are you going to marry? There's going to be music, decorations, feasting… Weddings are so much fun! And we're all so happy for you. Don't think we haven't noticed how lonely you are."
"Maybe you should be the one getting married." Rose countered. There was supposed to be time before the hammer fell. She had agreed when Cyrion asked, but it had been out of guilt, or obligation. He had looked so hopeful that she hadn't found the voice to oppose him.
"Maybe someday, but today is for you and Soris." she said sagely. Rose's glare only made her roll her eyes. "All right, I'll stop harassing you. I need to run some errands. Soris is waiting for you outside, so move it, will you? He looks likely to bolt."
Rose waited until she heard the front door close before reaching for her boots with a sigh. Today was going to be a bad day- but that might just be her own trepidation in wake of her sudden wedding. Cyrion was likely behind this, and she suspected that he might have even told her the wrong date on purpose. She glanced at the worn chest nearby. The hideous dress her father had chosen was little more than a glorified tunic, but he had chosen it with care, just as he'd likely chosen her groom, Nelaros. With that thought in mind, she pulled the gown on. Seeing her adoptive father's proud smile when she emerged did not lighten her mood.
"Ah, my little girl." he said fondly. She tried not to bristle at the endearment. "It's… the last day I'll be able to call you that."
"I haven't been a 'little girl' to anyone for a very long time." she said, trying not to be harsh.
Cyrion's smile did not falter. "I suppose that's true, but still…" He looked at her with appraising eyes. "You are our daughter, in everything but blood. I wish Adaia could have been here. Your mother would be so proud of you."
Rose hesitated. She had been fond of the woman, but to call her mother? The word was foreign to her. She sighed heavily. "Not if she knew how I felt about it."
"Still not pleased, I see." His smile finally faded. "Do you still have doubts?" That was so like him, always willing to hear what she had to say, even if he didn't like it. It was something she was unused to, to say the least. After three years with him, it was still a struggle to speak openly. His willingness to coax her emotions out softened her anger marginally.
"I… I don't see why I couldn't have chosen for myself, at least." Of all things, it was what she wanted, to have a say in the man who married her, who fathered her children. It had not been easy to give that choice to Cyrion, no matter how much she owed him.
He shook his head. This was an old argument. "Tradition, child. You must trust your elders." Her stubborn silence spoke volumes. "The dowry has been paid, the Chantry has issued the permit. All we need is you," he finished. "We have worked hard to make this a happy occasion."
"A dowry meant for another." She said, and regretted it the instant the saw the look on his face. It did not slow her words. "A day meant for a woman whose life I have stolen. I don't belong here, Cyrion. Even if you and Adaia wished it."
"Listen to me, Rose." he said. "I loved Adaia dearly. I was just as nervous as you. I almost went to find the Dalish. The Maker puts us on our path for a reason. I believe that we were meant to guide you, to help you move on. This is your life, child. You will be happy with Nelaros."
"There's more to life than getting married. I am most definitely not a child, and I don't need a husband on my arm to prove it." She snapped.
Cyrion's face twisted into an expression that somewhat resembled pity. "That part of your life is over, daughter. It's time you allowed yourself to be happy." He took her hands in his, and the feel of them, warm and calloused from work, soothed her. "You must trust me in this. I believe from the bottom of my heart that this is what's best for you." Without waiting for her reply, he reached behind him to hand her a pair of boots. Rose felt her jaw drop in shock. She knew them. They had been painstakingly created by a woman whose hands were much more comfortable wielding a dagger than a needle. Adaia had refused to tell her what they were for. "She made them for you, a gift as you start your new life."
Rose traced one of the patterns reverently. "She should have been here." Rose said softly, fighting to keep the tremor from her voice. She had almost demanded that Cyrion let her hunt the humans who had killed her, but she had been forbidden. They would have known who did it, and brought slaughter to the Alienage. The humans would take any excuse to butcher them. "You have both done so much for me. I- I'm sorry if I seem ungrateful."
Cyrion pulled her into a tight embrace. "I understand, child. I really do. I am here for you, always." With a last squeeze he shooed her away. "Now, go find your cousin. The sooner this wedding starts the less time you two have to plan a daring escape."
"A small chance is still a chance." Rose shot back, only half joking.
His laugh was still comforting as she left. She almost forgot the foreboding from earlier. Almost.
A few hours had passed, and all she and Soris had managed was to look thoroughly miserable. They sat on the roof of the house that Shianni and Soris shared, watching the others bustle about with preparations. Valendrian would have their heads for ignoring their matches for so long, but Rose found it hard to care what the old fool thought and Soris was loathe to meet them on his own. Of everyone in the Alienage, he was the only one that Rose could trust to understand her motivations. Her cousin was one of the few in Denerim who knew that she had no relation to Cyrion or Adaia. She was one of the few who knew that Soris had accidentally killed a human two years ago. They cleaned each other's messes and were therefore friends- an idea that was still taking some getting used to as far as Rose was concerned.
"So, I don't suppose you've had a stroke of brilliance during your attempt to glare the vhenedhal into cinders." He commented, gesturing towards the towering tree.
"About as much as you, pining after Taeodor like a lost puppy." She shot back. The poor fool had stopped her twice during her morning rounds, looking like someone had punched him in the stomach. When Rose had finally dragged Soris to him, the painfully awkward conversation about the Dalish had driven her to their current vantage point.
"I'm sure you have a reason to be upset, too." he said evenly, used to her barbs. "Why are you so against this?"
He was met with silence. Soris was about to give up asking when she finally said, "I don't want to trade one set of shackles for another. Not again."
Soris opened his mouth to reply, but was cut off by a shout below.
"Let me go! Stop this, please!"
Crime was not uncommon in the Alienage, but it had dropped substantially in the last years. Most knew why. Those who didn't quickly learned that a certain red-haired girl considered this her turf. Soris had to scramble to catch up when Rose dropped from the roof, graceful as a cat.
The man in the center of the group laughed at the cowering girls. "Grab a whore and have a good time! Savor the hunt, boys." Rose was watching the human with a single-mindedness that Soris didn't like. He grabbed her arm before she could storm up to them.
"I know what you're thinking." He said softly, watching Shianni hold the trembling girl away from the humans. "But we shouldn't get involved. Not today."
The look she gave him was meant to be poisonous, and based on his reaction, she'd succeeded. Looking at the humans, lost to their 'sport', all she could think of was a young elven boy, cowering at the feet of his master. His hair was matted and bloody, his feet torn to shreds, his skin lacerated- but he could not, would not, speak for himself. She had been equally bound by their master's words. Soris was looking at her as if he could see her hate manifesting before his eyes. "Objection noted." She said coldly. "Now get the hell out of my way."
He barely had time to step aside as she stormed up to the group. "What's this?" one of the humans sneered. His fine clothes marked him as one of the nobility of Denerim. If there was anything that could have made Rose like him less, that was it. "Another lovely come to keep me company?"
"More like the one who's going to enjoy tearing your eyes out if you insist on acting like dogs in heat."
She heard Soris groan behind her. The human dropped his smug air and stepped closer to her. The height difference did nothing to impress Rose- she'd fought things that this soft noble couldn't have dreamed up in his worst nightmares. "Do you know who I am, knife-ear?" he growled. "My father-"
"I don't care who you are, and I don't give a rat's ass what sort of entitlement you think you have." Her hands itched for her knives, but she had been forbidden to carry them today. Looking at them, she decided she'd have a fair shot at winning unarmed. "You're intruding on a private celebration and you need to leave-" she grinned as Shianni snuck up behind him. "-before someone gets hurt." she finished.
He opened his mouth to speak just as the vase shattered over his head. The crowd that had gathered gasped. One of the remaining humans pulled the barely-conscious man up and led him away. The last turned on Rose and Shianni. "Are you insane? That's Lord Vaughan, the Arl's son!"
"This will go badly for you knife-ears." The other noble didn't even have the nerve to glance behind him as he made a quick getaway with Vaughan.
The remnants of the vase fell from Shianni's fingers. "Oh, I really messed up this time."
Rose wrapped her arm around her. Soris joined her. "It'll be alright. He won't tell anyone an elven woman took him down." He comforted.
"I hope you're right." Rose sent her home to get cleaned up, along with the other girl that had been harassed. "Is everyone else all right?" she gave the two remaining elves a cursory glance. The woman was petite, which was saying something considering her race. Her huge eyes made her look even more vulnerable, and Rose had a sudden sinking feeling that she knew exactly who this was, and the man beside her.
"Just a little shaken." she said softly.
"Um, hello. Again." Soris looked decidedly uncomfortable as he turned to look at the pair. "Rose, this is Velora, my betrothed. And that is Nelaros."
"A pleasure. Soris said… much of you. Some of it was even positive." Rose had never felt more childish. She hated him. Hated his good looks, his warm voice, and hated the natural if anxious smile he wore. It took great effort to not cross her arms stubbornly and glare.
"Good man." she mumbled to no one.
"Hey, I just wanted to give you a sporting chance to run!" Soris cleared his throat after getting a good look at her. "You might still want to."
Nelaros looked behind him where the humans had stood moments before. "On the contrary, it's comforting to know that my betrothed knows how to stand up for herself."
A rather unlady-like snort ruined the moment. "Ah, well. Come on, cousin. We should let them get ready…?" Soris prodded. Rose could have hugged him just then.
"Well, we'll see you two in a bit." Valora said, looking disappointed. "Don't disappear on us."
To her horror, Nelaros hesitated. It was her shock alone that allowed him to lean forward and kiss her on the cheek. "I know you don't want this, but… I promise. I'll spend every waking moment learning to make you happy." Valora grabbed his arm and led him away with a hint of panic to her quick stride.
"Well." Her cousin tried unsuccessfully not to laugh at Rose's expression. "That was interesting."
"Shut it. This is a nightmare. Please tell me this is all a bad dream."
"Don't look now, but we have another problem."
"Anything to put the wedding off for a while." Rose followed his gesture to the street across the square. Behind the crowd she could make out a human, dressed in fine armor. That insignia looked vaguely familiar…
"Could be one of Vaughn's."
Considering his stance, how he gave the elves a respectful distance, his proud demeanor… she thought not. Someone like that would sooner see the disgusting man on a spit. "Let's go talk to him."
She was already moving, fascinated by his civility, when she heard Soris follow. "Let's try not to incite a riot." It was more of a plea. Soris was really underestimating her. It wasn't like her preference to stab first and negotiate later was a real problem, here. Right?
"Maker keep us, Maker protect us. Maker keep us, Maker protect us."
Rose jerked upright with a sharp breath. Shianni grabbed her shoulders, steadying her while the room gradually stopped spinning. Rose reached for her head, fingering the large knot behind her ear. What was with her and head wounds? They always went for the head, not the knee or the stomach or- Ugh. What did it matter? She needed to figure out what was going on. The rogue took in the panicked faces surrounding her and thought back to the ceremony. Lord Vaughan had returned, lackeys and a small troupe of guards in tow, wearing his wounded pride like a trophy. It stung that no one had lifted a finger to stop him- but what else could she expect? These city elves were so docile. Where Rose or any Dalish would have fought to their last breath, they simply stood aside and hoped for the best.
"Maker keep us, Maker protect us. Maker keep us, Maker protect us."
"Is everyone all right?"
"We're scared but unharmed- so far. They locked us in here until that..." Sweet little Valora seemed to be going through a multitude of possible adjectives in her mind. "...bastard is ready for us." Rose couldn't help but feel a bit of pride. Maybe this one wasn't such a mouse after all.
Shianni glanced at the door. "We can't just let them do what they want to us. We need to get out of here. We need a plan."
There was a reason that Rose had always liked her, and she was beginning to regret her decision to keep the elf at arm's length. She was spirited and capable- but also kept asking questions that Rose had no desire to provide answers for. But Rose did have a plan- and a simple one at that. "We kill the first human that opens the door."
Tania, one of the few dark-skinned girls in the alienage, spoke up. "We're five unarmed women," she objected. "What makes you think we can kill anyone?"
"Because I'm here, that's why. I don't expect any of you to fight." Rose managed to get to her feet with her cousin's support. "I'm not going down easy. I'm not going down like this."
"Maker keep us, Maker protect us. Maker keep us, Maker protect us."
"Look, we'll do what they want, go home and try to forget this ever happened."
"Tania's right. It'll be worse if we resist." Rose glared at Valora. The Mouse returns. Creators, she wished that Nola would shut up-
"It'll be worse if we don't!" Shianni barked.
The tension in the room was rising, panic and fear and frustration making the air difficult to breathe. They were at an impasse, and Rose tried to think of a way to get the meek ones to cooperate.
"Someone's coming!"
Rose instantly went to the front of the three girls, leaving only Nola, kneeling in prayer, before her. "Be quiet," she ordered. "Don't do anything until I say."
Five guards sauntered into the room, leering at the girls. "Hello, wenches. We're your escorts to Lord Vaughan's little party." The captain frowned when Nola rose, her tone frantic.
"Stay away from us!" Deaf to her pleas, he drew his sword and sliced her chest open with one movement. The others gasped. Rose heard Tania begin to sob helplessly.
"I suppose that's what happens when you try teaching whores some respect." Rose took several deep breaths as he sheathed his sword. She was trying to remind herself that she couldn't win, not unarmed. The captain gestured towards Tania. "Now, you grab the little flower cowering in the corner; Horace and I will take the homely bride and the drunk. You two, bind the last one. She's the scrapper." Rose's heart skipped a beat, but Shianni shook her head before she could try to intervene. As much as she hated it, her cousin was right. They were all nothing to these men- it was better to wait for a better opportunity to strike. Still, seeing them led off to Creators knew what fate, a familiar fear began to creep into her conciousness- she would fail them. Once again, she would be too late.
"Don't worry, we'll be perfect gentlemen." Rose gave the guards her attention. There was no use worrying about the others if she didn't make it out of this room.
"Now, you heard the captain. Be a good little wench or you'll end up like your friend there."
"Try it. See what parts you lose first." The leg below the knee, maybe. That would make it damn hard to fight back.
Despite her bold words, Rose stepped back when they advanced. She could beat them, perhaps, if she could get a weapon. After everything she'd lived through, surely she could disarm a couple of filthy shem-
"Uh... hello?" The guards turned, more than a little shocked to see Soris, looking smaller than usual holding a longsword awkwardly in his hands. He glanced around nervously as they demanded to know where he'd gotten the weapon. Rose's joy was doubled when they locked eyes, and he nodded. Her smile was primal as the sword slid across the stone to stop at her feet. The guards turned again, their faces filled with fear.
"Oh, sod," the first one cursed. Rose and Soris made quick work of the two- she had thought him unarmed until he produced a heavy crossbow. It had been a long time- nearly three years- since Rose had spilled blood without reservation. It was invigorating to put muscles to use that had been long idle, to recall techniques and skills that were specific to her training. When the last one fell, her cousin rushed to her side.
"I can't believe they killed her. Are you all right? They didn't hurt you, did they?"
It took a moment to pull herself from the kills, to focus on the anxious elf beside her. He was horrified, looking at the blood-soaked floor. Rose swallowed the words that first rose to her lips. "Nothing rattles me. You know that." It was only for Soris' sake that she measured her words. She had never been one to make or keep friends.
"Thank the Maker. Hopefully we can still save the others."
The others. Shianni, Tania and Valora. She forced herself to focus. They were the only ones who could help them- the humans certainly didn't care about them. "What do we have to work with?"
"That Gray Warden, Duncan, gave Nelaros and me his sword and crossbow. But that's all-"
Rose gaped. "Nelaros is here?"
The look he gave her was somewhere between annoyed and anxious. "Yes, he's the reason we're here. He lost it on the others who wanted to 'hope for the best'. I- I didn't know what to do, Rose. I'm sorry."
Perhaps she'd been wrong about her groom. She had certainly never expected him to stand up to humans- to armed guards, specifically. He was a city elf. It wasn't in their nature. Rose embraced her cousin. "You're here now, Soris. That's what matters. If you'd tried, you'd be dead."
The stiffness of his body revealed just how shocked he was by this sudden affection, but he hugged her back nonetheless. After an awkward moment, he released her and said, "Nelaros is guarding the end of the hall. Let's figure this out with him."
Unfortunately, their luck seemed to have run out. First there was the cook. They had unexpected help from one the kitchen staff, who delivered a very helpful blow to the cook's head. Rose had asked him for help, but he'd scurried off. Just as well- she and Soris would likely be hanged for this, and she didn't want anyone else to go down with them. She would not let Vaughan go unpunished.
Then they stumbled into the mess hall- one of the few rooms that was almost never empty. For all the rows of tables, luck had provided them with only a half-dozen guards. They froze just outside the kitchen. As one, three of the humans stood and approached them. "Where did you get a weapon, elf?" Rose's usually clever tongue seemed to have run out of bright ideas.
"Better talk quick, scum."
Rose swallowed, her mind racing. "I was... er- he was-" she sighed. "Oh, sod it." With a flash of silver one of the guards fell to the floor, blood rapidly spreading across his chest. The others reacted instantly. Her only hope was that the ale they'd been chugging would slow them down.
She ducked under the guard's sword and brought her blade across his unarmored shins. He screamed and went down. It was a moment's work to stab him through the heart. Rose jerked her sword from him, hating the awkward feel of the weapon. She worked with daggers for a reason. A cry brought her attention to Soris. Two guards flanked him, taking advantage of his ranged weapon. Rose crept up and drew her blade across one's throat while Soris' arrow went through the other's eye.
They put their backs to the wall, ready for the others, but the room was empty. Rose didn't want to consider where they'd gone. "Let's go." She wiped her blade on her thigh, heedless of the wedding gown. She doubted she'd get the chance to go through with the ceremony, anyway.
Soris stayed close, content to let her lead. They cut their way through a half dozen guards. Rose picked the corpses clean out of habit. Why waste a good opportunity? By the time they reached the end of the hall, she had a few coppers, a dagger and some half-haphazardly strapped leather armor. Soris only took the time to put on a leather helm.
"Almost there," Soris said breathlessly. "Nelaros is in that room-"
Rose's heart leapt into her throat once she realized what had happened. Soris nearly ran into her when she stopped. Nelaros' body slid off the captain's blade and crumpled. He never even had a chance to react. She was frozen, her eyes locked on the man she was supposed to marry.
"See? I told you there'd be more. Elves run in packs- like rodents."
"Should we keep the knife-eared bitch alive?" Horace asked, eying her.
Nelaros had come to save her. The only one in the alienage who had the courage to do the right thing, and he was dead. For a moment, despair threatened to crush her. Rose had run so far, tried so hard to be normal. She had left the bloodshed and death behind her. This was supposed to be the day she moved on, the day she started her new life as just Rose. Her eyes went to the captain. She held her weapons with a steel grip. Perhaps this was how it had to be. Perhaps it was her fate to deal death.
If so, then the Creators had given her a perfect target to test her theory on.
"They killed our boys. She dies."
Rose wiped her blade on her tunic again, never breaking her icy glare. She smiled sweetly at him. A sort of wild giddiness was bubbling up inside her. "I am going to enjoy this," she crooned.
"Stupid wench. I'll show you how men fight." Rose simply continued to smile. Their dance was brief, but heated. He moved first, angling his strike for her sword arm. She stepped closer to him, knocking him back with a swift punch to the nose. Her knee came up between his legs and she punched him again for good measure. The captain dropped his sword, falling to his knees. The others finally sprang into action. One cried out as Soris' arrow hit home. The other managed to pierce her side shallowly with his dagger. A swift twirl saved her life.
There was a perfect opportunity for her to sever the captain's spine, but she ignored it. He would suffer. She did lean forward over the recovering captain and slice open one of the guards' chest over his head. He staggered back towards Soris, who fired an arrow that passed right through him. The projectile whizzed past her ear, spattering her with blood. The captain took advantage of her distraction and elbowed her, taking the chance to stagger to his feet. He lurched towards the door, seeking an escape as she slowly paced after him, dagger in hand and poised for the kill. "You know nothing," she spat. "You are ignorant and cruel. All shem are. You don't deserve an easy fate."
"Rose," Soris cautioned. She ignored him. "Cousin. We need to help the others. We don't have time for this." Rose had been forced into the mold of normalcy for too long. She wanted nothing more than to make this man suffer- but Soris was right. She nodded reluctantly. The girls were more important than this slime. Without warning, she stepped over Nelaros' corpse and ran the captain through without warning. Blood gurgled from his mouth and his eyes bulged. Rose twisted the blade for good measure before she let him fall.
Soris knelt beside her betrothed. "Nelaros. I'm... so sorry."
She was silent as she regarded her former fiancé. He had proved a much better man than she had given him credit for- and she would have resented him, for as long as her stubborness lasted. It was suddenly clear to her why she had been so determined to push him away. If Nelaros had been mean, prideful, ugly or even a coward, Rose could have fought the fate Cyrion wished on her. The more she learned about Nelaros, the more certain she was that falling into a simple life would have been easy, with him. He had never deserved her bitterness.
Her cousin opened one of Nelaros' pouches and held a small item out to her. It was a ring, of simple make but well crafted. The gold was inlaid with a simple filigree. Her wedding ring. Rose placed it on her finger, throat sore with tears she'd never admit were there. Such a gesture almost seemed worthless, but she vowed she'd never forget his sacrifice.
"Come," she cleared her throat before the tears could choke her. "Let's find the others and leave this place." Soris gave her a long, searching look.
All he said was, "Of course."
It wasn't far to Vaughan's quarters, and they met little resistance. But they were still too late- it was obvious from the moment they entered. Rose's stomach lurched as she took in Shianni's tear-streaked face, her torn dress and the human's shameless panting. When the door slammed behind her he rose slowly, taking time to pull up his trousers. His lackeys pulled Shianni to her feet and held her. Rose barely noticed when she passed the point of caution and rational thought. The calm before the storm, she'd heard it called. Her master had used it often in his training.
"My my, what have we here?" She wanted to slice his face so badly no one could even find a trace of the lips that made that sanctimonious smirk-
"Don't worry," Lord Jonaley said, drawing his sword and passing Shianni to the other man. "We'll make short work of these two."
But the arl's son had paused, taken those moments to really look at the intruders. For the first time, he looked like he believed the promise of death in her stance. "Quiet, you idiot!" he snapped. "They're covered with enough blood to fill a tub. What do you think that means?"
"It means you're going to die."
"A-All right. Let's not be too hasty here," Vaughan took a step back. "Surely we can talk this over."
"You really think you can talk your way out of this?" Soris asked, incredulous.
Rose took a step forward. "You filthy shem, you nobles, are all alike. Take what you want and leave the defenseless and downtrodden to the wolves. You will not walk away alive, human. You will pay in blood for what you've done."
A sob broke her from her advancement. Her eyes went to Shianni. "Please," she begged. "Just get me out of here. I want to go home." The sight of her, pale and trembling, only intensified the keen loss she felt.
"I would never leave you, Shianni." she said softly, her heart in her words.
"Think for a minute!" the noble cut in quickly. "Kill me, and you ruin more lives than just your own. By dawn the city will run red with elven blood. You know how this ends." He gained confidence at her hesitation. He knew he was right. "Or- we could talk this through... now that you have my undivided attention."
That slimy, spineless ass- "If you have something to say, say it."
That suave smile snapped right back into place. "Here's our situation. You are skilled, obviously. We fight here, perhaps you could even manage to kill us. You take my offer- forty sovereigns- and leave Denerim tonight. No repercussions, and you can go wherever you like. Just leave us to our... fun."
Rose couldn't believe what she was hearing. She gaped at him, couldn't believe his gall. But then she saw Shianni again, and suddenly her tongue was frozen. It was the war all over again, her the catalyst, the only thing between life and slaughter. The situation was so similar that she was suddenly gone, wrapped in memories.
I knew you couldn't resist. You always were too weak. Your former master should have beaten it out of you.
Don't hurt her, Master. Please. She didn't know anything-
You should know better than anyone, Rose. You can't lie to me.
"Rose."
Make your choice. I know your dragon is out there, waiting for you to betray me. What will it be?
"Rose!"
Then the vision was gone, leaving her with silence and determination. "You expect me to take your filthy gold and leave my family to your abuses?" she growled. "You really think me so low as to abandon these women for the sake of a handful of worthless metal?" Rose drew the dagger taken from Nelaros' body. The hilt, like Duncan's sword, was inlaid with the Gray Warden insignia. She found herself hoping something of the man's strength remained in the blade, to help her strike true. "All I want form you, shem, is your head."
"Bah!" He took his sword from Jonaley. "I always regret talking to knife-ears! Now I'll just gut your ignorant carcasses, instead!"
Rose had heard enough. Time to shut him up for good. She lunged and swept her weapons in an arc, forcing him back. He was fast, and she only managed a shallow cut. Lord Braden took the chance to strike at her exposed side. The sword sliced across her previous wound, making her drop her own sword with a cry. Shianni echoed her, crawling towards the wall. Cold metal tore into her shoulder. Rose whipped around and struck Braden's arm with her dagger. There was a clatter as she tore Braden's weapon out and threw it across the room.
Soris managed to hit him in the thigh. There was a clang as Jonaley went at him, forcing him into close combat. Rose backed away from Vaughan and Braden, breathing shallowly. She waited for them to make the first move. She parried Braden easily. His gut suggested he'd spent more time feasting than training. She was not so lucky with Vaughan. He knew she was crippled and knew exactly how to exploit it. He twisted around her, and she was forced to turn in almost a full circle to spare herself pain. He easily knocked her off balance and pinned her to the ground. Rose thought she was done for. She was choking on her own blood, preparing for the blow. Then she saw the glint of metal protruding through the young lord's chest. They both stared at it disbelievingly for a few seconds before Soris pulled the crossbow free.
There was still Jonaley to deal with, and Rose noted with apprehension that her cousin had run out of bolts. The young lord had recovered from Soris' last assault. Fueled by fear, he managed to pull the crossbow away from Soris and throw it straight at her. Rose turned quickly, but it still dealt a glancing blow. It took precious time for her to regain herself. Once the room stopped spinning, she retrieved Duncan's sword, just by Shianni's feet.
A single well-timed strike, and he fell. Rose allowed herself a small pang of regret that Soris had stolen Vaughan's life, but no more. There was nothing to be done about it. She went to Shianni.
"He... He's dead. Tell me we did the right thing, Cousin." Soris' voice trembled.
"It's a little late for regrets." she shot back, checking Shianni for other injuries.
"I'm not regretting it," he said defensively. "It's just... never mind. I'll check the back room for the others."
Once satisfied that Shianni had no further wounds, Rose reached out and gently took her hand. She was intimately familiar with how she must be feeling, the pain and the terror and the shame. Rose found herself at a loss for words and instead wrapped her arms around the girl.
"D-Don't leave me alone... please. Please take me home."
"Yes. Let's go home." Rose knew that the worst of it had yet to hit Shianni. It was too soon. It was the shock. She took a deep breath. She had her own demons to deal with today. Only once she saw Shianni safely home would she think about it, about the inevitable consequences. Rose had to be strong a little longer, for this woman's sake. Just a little longer.
"So much blood. I... I can't stand to look at it. It's everywhere." She looked at Rose imploringly, her expression one of fear and awe. "You killed them, didn't you? You killed them all."
It took her a few tries to speak. "Like dogs, Shianni."
"Good," she said with a hint of her old fierceness. "Good."
The others entered the room just as Rose helped her cousin to her feet. Valora rushed over. "Is she going to be all right?"
Rose shot her a look. "Would you be?"
Valora took no offense to her tone. "Shianni's strong," she said confidently. "She'll recover."
"Er, we should go. Soon. As in now." Soris cut in before Rose could reply. Without waiting for her to respond, he retrieved his weapon. "I'll take the rear guard. I can't wait to leave this place."