Chapter Two
A bloodcurdling scream pierced the night's air causing Skylar to abruptly sit up straight in her bed. She wasn't sure if the scream was real or residue from her nightmare when she heard Craver's intense growling. It was then she noticed he was gone from her bed which was a rare thing for him to do.
Feeling suddenly on edge, she quickly got out of bed and went in search for Craver. She found him standing in front of the door in his defensive stance while his growls got angrier and more intense. Acting on Craver's instinct that something was terribly wrong; she raced to put her battle gear on.
Just as she harnessed her two daggers to her back, her bedroom door flew open and two armored men with bloody swords came crashing in. Craver lunged at the first man, taking him down to the floor before he could start swinging his sword to defend himself. Skylar drew both of her daggers out and quickly engaged the other man before he could attack Craver. In no time, both Craver and she killed both of the intruders when another set of men armed with swords attacked them.
Unlike the first two who weren't prepared for the ambush and were easily dispatched, these two men were ready for her and Craver. Each swipe Skylar made with one of her daggers, the man would parry and deflect her blows. It was clearly obvious the man was a better fighter than she was, and knew if she and Craver were going to live through this, she would have to fight dirty.
As the soldier was about to strike her with his blade to make a fatal blow, she tucked and rolled just in time to get out of the way. Now having the advantage, she used her speed and agility to quickly get up and jumped on the soldier's back while slitting his throat killing him instantly.
Her eyes automatically went in search for Craver and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw him ripping the other soldier's throat out. Normally that grizzly scene would have made her queasy but the fact these men not only invaded her home but tried to kill them made her lustful for revenge.
"Skylar, are you alright?" Teyrna Eleanor called out as she raced toward her.
Again Skylar breathed another sigh of relief thankful her mother was still alive while noticing she was wearing her battle gear and was armed with her bow and arrows. "I was going to ask you the same thing," she replied.
"I'm fine, darling. They couldn't get through the door," her mother answered.
As Skylar started rummaging through the bodies, taking coins and anything else she found of value, she heard her mother gasp in shock. Expecting a lecture on how it's not lady-like to take from the dead, she stopped cold in her tracks when her mother said appallingly, "These are Arl Howe's men."
Skylar took a closer look at the men who attacked her and Craver. She noted that each one of them wore harden leather armor but none of the boots, gloves, body armor itself, and helmets seemed to match as a full uniformed set. There was also no insignia, nothing to identify them. They looked more like a group of bandits than soldiers.
She turned toward Teyrna Eleanor and asked, dreading the answer she already had a sinking feeling she knew, "Are you sure, Mother?"
Teyrna Eleanor walked over to one of the corpse and pointed at him, "Yes! I recognize this man as one of Howe's personal guard. In fact, he was the one that Howe sent out right after the evening meal to see what was keeping his men." Then she looked at Skylar, "You don't think his men were delayed on purpose, do you?"
Before Skylar could response to that, she watched Teyrna Eleanor's face turn from questioning to complete horror and gasped, "Bryce!" She ran up to her and frantically grabbed at her shoulders, "Have you seen your father?"
To her own distress, she shook her head, "No, I haven't seen him since he sent me to retire early for the night because of the busy day tomorrow."
"The last time I've seen him, he and Arl Howe were in The Great Hall…" she started and then turned to the man she had identified, "Waiting for that man to return with news." Her head shot back around to face Skylar again and replied panic stricken, "We need to find him!"
Using her most soothing voice she could muster while trying to shove down her own fear, she said gently, "Calm down, Mother. We need to see if Oriana and Oren are alright."
"You're right, darling," her mother answered. Skylar automatically took the lead position as she, her mother, and Craver headed toward Fergus's room. She didn't have to prompt Craver to follow her for he was right by her side doing exactly what a trained Mabari War Hound was suppose to do in the battle.
She feared what she was going to find but silently prayed Oriana and Oren were still alive. Any hope she may have had was ripped away when she found her brother's door unlocked. She turned to her mother and Craver and silently signaled them to wait. When Teyrna Eleanor nodded and Craver sat down in his spot alert and ready, she turned back toward the door. The creaking sound of the door's hinges caused her to cringe inside as she slowly pushed it open. She listened very intently for any sound that may alert her that someone was lurking in the shadows ready to pounce on her but only heard dead silence. Taking a deep breath, she pushed further into the room and rushed to cover her mouth from screaming out loud at the horrid sight.
Bathed in moonlight from the window and laying in a pool of their own blood were the lifeless bodies of Oriana and Oren. Oriana's throat was slit and her clothes were viciously torn away from her body exposing her breasts. It appeared to Skylar her attackers were looking for more from her other than just her death. Shame consumed her as the realization the scream that woke her up must have come from Oriana when she was killed, and she wasn't there to protect them like she had promised Fergus.
Forcing herself to look at Oren's body, she spotted what had killed him. There was a nasty diagonal slash that went from his right shoulder down the middle of his chest to the left side of his hip. He still had his wooden sword clutched in his little hand as if he was ready to fight and defend his mother.
"My little Oren!" Teyrna Eleanor exclaimed in grief behind her.
Before Skylar could stop her, Teyrna Eleanor shoved passed her and kneeled at the bodies, not caring their blood was staining her knees. "Poor Fergus, he will be devastated when he hears the news," she cried, "What type of man orders the slaughter of innocence?"
"I'll make them pay, Mother," Skylar promised angrily, "I'll make them all pay for this!"
Her mother quickly got up and faced her, "Arl Howe isn't taking hostages. He means to kill us all. We need to find your father and get out of here quickly."
Skylar ordered, "Go back to your room and gather what you need and anything of value we can use on the road. I'll meet you back here in the main room."
"Where are you going, darling?" Teyrna Eleanor asked in concern, as she started to leave to go to her room.
"I need to grab a few things out of my room," Skylar answered.
Just before she left Oriana's and Oren's room, she gently took the wooden sword out of the little boy's hand and slid it into her belt. She was thankful Oriana still wore her wedding ring and took it as well. She knew Fergus would want these things and it was the least she could do for him when she failed to protect them. In one last act of preserving their dignities in their deaths, she covered both of them up with a blanket.
After she was done, she rushed back to her room. She went straight to a wooden chest where she kept a leather pack that held a sharpening stone for her blades, a few health potions, and an injury kit and retrieved it. As she poured the valuables she had collected from the dead soldiers into the pack and swung it over her shoulder, the irony wasn't lost on her that this was the pack she intended on taking with her when she thought she was going to Ostagar. She also grabbed a small bag that contained all her lock picking tools and hooked it onto her belt for easy access.
When she and Craver arrived once again in the main hall of the family quarters, Teyrna Eleanor was anxiously waiting for them with a few items in her arms and a small coin purse. "I figure these items would be good enough to sell to merchants if we need the coin to survive," Teyrna Eleanor commented as she placed them in Skylar's pack.
Skylar nodded pleased in how her mother's cunning mind worked. She wasn't a bit surprise though for her mother, back in the day when the Orlesians occupied Ferelden, was a rebel fighter along with her father and learned many skills on the road to survive.
Knowing their time was short before more men came looking for their missing comrades; they raced down the hall into the guest quarters. They found Lady Landra first dead in her bed with an empty wine bottle on the nightstand. In Iona's room, she wasn't a bit surprised seeing Dairren and Iona lying next to each other naked. It was their murders that disturbed her. One thing was for certain, her mother was right about Arl Howe meaning to kill all of them and his men were being extremely thorough about it.
"I shouldn't have invited Landra or her son to stay with us or they would still be alive," Teyrna Eleanor grieved as she stood in the hallway where she could still see the bodies of her friend and her friend's son.
"Mother, now isn't the time to mourn. We got to focus on saving who we can and getting out of here alive," Skylar said gently as she dragged her mother with her toward the door that would lead them out into the main outside corridors of the castle.
The moment they stepped outside, they could hear the warning bells being rung and swords clashing against swords in the far distance. Dark smoke bellowed in the night sky while smells of burning flesh and wood perminated the air. Skylar stood there shell-shocked; thinking only several hours before everything was at peace and right with the world despite of the threat of the darkspawn. Now it was a bloody nightmare she wished someone would wake her from. She violently shook her head while mentally chastising herself to pull herself together like she had done with her mother moments earlier.
"It sounds like Arl Howe's men have broken through the gate," Teyrna Eleanor replied solemnly.
"Then it's safe to say they are no longer delayed," Skylar added bitterly. "Any suggestions how we should proceed?"
Her mother thought for a moment and answered, "There's a secret servants' entrance in the larder. If we don't find your father in the Great Hall, he would go there. We also need to go to the vault. The Cousland's family sword mustn't fall into Arl Howe's hands; it should cut off his deceitful head."
Skylar nodded in complete agreement. There was no way she would allow that bastard's bloody fingers have the pleasure of touching such an honorable blade as her family's sword. If one thing had to escape this horrid night, it would have to be the sword.
As she looked around trying to get her bearings, she found herself at a complete lost. Under normal circumstances, she knew exactly where the vault was and how to get there but with all the chaos and destruction, nothing seemed the same. She turned to her mother for guidance and without a word, her mother took point.
Just as they turned into another corridor, a man she recognized as one of the groundskeepers came running toward them in a panic while screaming out for help. Before her mother or she could do anything to aid him, he was violently struck down with an arrow killing him on the spot.
Seeing another unless and merciless killing before her eyes enraged Skylar and heightened her bloodlust even more. Without thinking what she could be running into, she went charging into a hornet's nest of soldiers - slashing and stabbing the first one she came to, taking him by surprise. Craver, who was right on her heels, took out the soldier next to her ripping him to pieces. She wasn't even aware of her mother's arrows flying above her head but only the end results of men dropping like flies all around her from the kill shots.
When she pulled her dagger from the last fallen soldier who was choking on his own blood, Teyrna Eleanor ran up to her and hugged her. "Skylar!" she shouted angrily as she pushed Skylar away, "Don't ever do that again! You could have gotten yourself killed."
It took Skylar a moment to register what she had done and suddenly felt sick to her stomach. She raced to one of the castle's walls just as the bile escaped from her mouth and started heaving. It was then her former training master Sinclair's voice rang out in her head, reminding her harshly that losing one's head in battle and acting so reckless is a sure way to die. She knew she couldn't die not when her mother and Craver were counting on her for getting them out alive and Maker willing, so was her father.
"Get it together, Skylar!" she could hear him shouting at her as if he was standing right next to her. "Fall back on your training and let your instincts take control. And for Maker's sake, use that brain of yours that's full of wit and cunning instead of acting like it's an empty skull. Are you a fighter or a coward?"
Skylar stood up straight and fought the last of the nausea while wiping her chin. She was a fighter, damn it! She wasn't about to give up nor give in to defeat. She was going to get her family to safety and bring Arl Howe to justice but after that was done; she would allow herself to fall apart but not before.
She turned to Teyrna Eleanor who was watching her with concern and said with a new sense of battle-calm, "Mother, scavenge whatever you can find off those bodies and then we need to get to the vault. After that, we find Father."
Teyrna Eleanor stared at her for a moment eyes filled with pride and nodded. When she had seen Skylar getting sick, she feared that Skylar might crumble knowing it was her first real combat situation like she herself had done during her first life and death fight. Instead she watched her darling girl become the woman Bryce and her had hoped and raised her to be – strong, capable, and have a will and spirit that never stop fighting regardless of the odds.
Knowing she was wasting precious time they didn't have, she hurried and gathered what valuable things she could find off the dead soldiers. As she place the items into Skylar's pack, she worried the weight would be too much for Skylar to carry and hinder her in defending herself.
"Darling," Teyrna Eleanor gently asked, "Can you fight with all this stuff?"
Skylar nodded, "Yes Mother, I can." Then she smiled confidently, "When we're on the road and hungry, we'll be thankful having this stuff to trade or sell," and added with a sober tone in her voice, "We need this stuff."
Teyrna Eleanor sighed, "I know but if the weight is too much I…"
"No Mother," Skylar stopped her, "I need your aim to be sharp and true. If you carried the pack it will throw you off."
Skylar watched her mother reluctantly agree with her about not carrying the pack. She wouldn't admit to her that the pack did slow down her agility and speed in which was her greatest advantage against her foes but she believed in Craver and her mother's shooting to make up the difference. If the pack got too much, she would empty some of the loot but she wanted to be prepared for all kinds of situations and the coin that came from the loot guarantee safety if not survival.
Teyrna Eleanor once again took the lead while Skylar and Craver followed closely behind. When they finally reached the vault, they saw two of their guards fighting valiantly against a small group of Arl Howe's soldiers and were on the verge of being overrun.
Skylar watched Teyrna Eleanor raise her bow and take aim at one of the soldiers. She quickly stopped her signaling her to wait for her and Craver to sneak up on the enemy. When Skylar backstabbed the first soldier killing him instantly and Craver helped her with the next soldier, her mother began shooting her arrows into the rest of the group. By the time it was over, Howe's men didn't know what hit them which was exactly what Skylar wanted.
"Thank the Maker you came, your ladyships;" one of the guards said in relief, "We didn't know how much longer we could hold them off."
"Have you seen the Teyrn?" Teyrna Eleanor asked, trying to keep the panic out of her voice.
Both of the guards looked at each other in dismay while one of them answered, "I'm sorry, my ladyship, we haven't seen anyone since our captain told us to stay here and defend the vault until reinforcements came."
Before Skylar could question further, the other guard added, "Just before the fight broke out here, I heard one of the Arl's soldiers ordering some of their comrades to get back to the Great Hall to help bring the gate down while they finished us."
Skylar turned to her mother and replied sourly, "That makes sense. Take the heart of the castle and the rest will fall."
Teyrna Eleanor looked at both of her men, "Are you hurt? Do you need some healing?"
Again both of the soldiers looked at each other and then turned back to her and shook their heads. It was then Skylar took charge and told them to go straight to the Great Hall and kill any bastard that wasn't one of their own. In unison, the guards answered proudly, "Yes sir," and raced toward the Great Hall.
Skylar went to the door and true to the guards' word; it was still intact and locked. The problem was the lock was one that she couldn't pick and there was no way she could break the door down with just her mother and her.
Even though the thought made her raw inside of leaving the family sword behind, she was about to walk away when her mother said while holding out the key, "Here darling, you'll need the key to get in."
Relief flooded her as she raced toward Teyrna Eleanor and gave her a big kiss while taking the key. The moment the door was unlocked, they hurried inside grabbing the family sword and anything else they could find. Skylar even found a larger pack where she placed her smaller one into knowing it was close to its full capacity.
From the corner of her eye, she spotted a chest hiding in the corner and went straight for it. When she tried to open it, she found it locked and automatically went for the pouch that held her lock picking tools. The lock itself was a little more complex comparatively speaking to the average locks she practiced on but it was still no match for her skills. In no time, she heard the familiar click of the tumblers and the chest popped open.
What she found in the chest didn't hold any real value but to a Cousland, it was priceless. There were scrolls and books documenting the Cousland's bloodline as well as her mother's family bloodline as far back before Ferelden became its own nation. There were other trinkets in the chest - baby shoes she suspected that once belonged to Fergus and her, swatches of cloth, and small family portraits. Things she knew her mother treasured. As she closed the chest and made sure it was locked, she wished she could bring the chest with them. The idea of leaving it behind for Arl Howe to destroy broke her heart.
In one last act of trying to preserve the chest, Skylar grabbed articles of rags and anything they weren't taking to hide it. She hoped by doing this it will keep it safe until she, her parents, and Fergus can reclaim their castle.
"Where did you learn to pick locks?" Teyrna Eleanor asked.
Skylar spun around and faced her mother nervously, "Ah… what makes you think I pick locks?"
Teyrna Eleanor's eyes narrowed, "Because I just watched you do it with that chest," and then she pointed at the picks in Skylar's hands, "And what are those… lock picks? Where on earth did you manage to get those?"
"Well… um…" Skylar started, not sure what to say.
"Skylar, really," her mother replied while shaking her head. "A lady in your station shouldn't possess the skills of a rogue."
"There good skills to have," Skylar answered weakly.
"We'll discuss this later," Teyrna Eleanor commented evenly, "Now we need find your father," and started heading toward the door, ending the conversation.
Skylar stood there for a moment feeling completely chastised. It was obvious to her that her mother was clearly upset in discovering her daughter's special skills, and if she didn't know any better possibly disappointed. That was one thing Skylar never wanted to do was disappoint her parents and Fergus or letting them down.
She looked down at Craver, who was sitting next to her leg, and muttered bitterly, "I'm doing such a good job of failing that tonight."
She tapped her leg and Craver and she both raced after Teyrna Eleanor. They found her speaking to another one of their guards outside the vault. The only things Skylar could pick out of the conversation were there was heavy fighting in the Great Hall and Teyrn Bryce was wounded.
Not bothering to wait around to hear anymore, Skylar started running toward the Great Hall. She didn't have to look back to see if her mother or Craver were following her for she had no doubt they would.
The closer they got to the Great Hall, the sounds of clashing swords and shouting intensified signifying this was the heart of the battle. There was one voice that stood out above the rest and that was Sir Gilmore's. Even though she couldn't make out his orders, she knew the tone of his voice telling her he was in deep trouble.
Pushing back the panic and fear of what she might find while trying to retain the battle-calm and not lose her head, she rushed to one set of doors leading to the Great Hall and burst through them. There she saw Sir Gilmore and a couple of his fellow knights that stayed behind fighting several of Howe's men while three more knights held the main wooden gate from crashing in from the outside assault.
Now armed with the family sword in her main hand and her dagger in her other, she joined the fight. It was a perfect setup that even she couldn't have planned any better. Sir Gilmore and his knights kept the attention of the enemy soldiers while she did sneak attacks and backstabs causing critical if not fatal damage. It worked like a charm until the soldiers wised up and realized she was a vital threat.
The next thing she knew a pair of large strong arms snaked around her from behind, lifting off her feet, and suddenly slamming her hard onto the stone floor to the point her bones rattled knocking the wind out of her. She was so stunned by the blow, she didn't have time to defend or protect herself from the kick to her midsection which made it more difficult for her to breathe. As she tried to crawl away from her attacker, her ponytail was viciously yanked backwards and upwards causing her head to follow the same direction making her back arch uncomfortably and pulling her up to her knees.
It was then she knew she was in serious trouble. In a matter of seconds of being taken off guard, she managed to lose not one but both of her blades and found herself in a compromising position. If this was a training exercise, the blade of a knife or sword would be a mere inch away from her throat while Sinclair having the pleasure of berating and humiliating her in front of all the knights and soldiers.
She always believed being disgraced like that and losing the respect of her fellow warriors including Sinclair's was worse than death. But now with her life hanging in the balance, she reconsidered the idea. She could win back their respect and have done so many times over but she couldn't win back her life.
Once again Skylar's self-preservation kicked in and started struggling against the hold her captor had on her hair. She would be damned if she was going to die on her knees like some rabid mongrel when her family was depending on her for their survival. Unfortunately another violent tug on her hair ceased any attempt of her freeing herself.
She still couldn't see her attacker but she could smell his pungent breath and felt him leaning toward her as he whisper menacingly in her ear, "Too bad I can't kill you, but his lordship Arl Howe has plans for you." He chuckled sinisterly, "Maybe you do wish for me to kill you knowing what he has in store for you." He paused for a moment or two, "Unless you have something better to offer. I've never had a noblewoman before."
The implications were loud and clear to her, not only Howe's plans but what her captor was suggesting. It was well known she was still a maiden, and the idea of someone ripping that away from her with no regard if she wished it or not scared the holy crap out of her. Her captor was right even a brutal death would be a hell of a lot kinder than that.
"Okay Craver," she called out silently in her mind as her panic was quickly rising, "Anytime boy, of making mince meat out of this bastard."
Her prayers were suddenly answered as she was knocked down to the floor once more but the tension on her hair was released. Realizing she was free, she tried scrabbling to her feet expecting to be assaulted again but instead she heard Sir Gilmore's voice in a tone she never heard before.
She turned toward the direction where she heard him and was completely stunned to what she was seeing. Sir Gilmore was on top of a man who she suspected was her attacker and slamming the man's head into floor over and over again while raging at him, "Keep your bloody hands off of her!"
In all her years she had known Sir Gilmore, she had never seen him once lose control like that. He was always calm, easy-going, and practical - the complete opposite of her. But witnessing this side of him, she didn't know if she should be scared or turned on. Not liking where that thought came from, Skylar quickly squashed it.
She continued to watch Sir Gilmore until she couldn't stand it anymore and raced over to him. It was clearly obvious to her despite Sir Gilmore constantly bashing the man's skull in that the soldier was already dead.
"Stop, Gilmore! That's enough!" she shouted at him.
Either he wasn't listening to her or couldn't hear her but he kept on with his assault. It wasn't until she grabbed one of his arms and tried to pull him off the soldier, he turned to face her with his eyes blazing madness and rage causing her to quickly step back. Before she knew it; he jumped up, pulled her into his arms, and held her tightly to him.
This wasn't his normal type of hug he had given her countless times in the past especially when no one was watching. This felt more intimate like a lover's embrace that she had only heard or read about but truly never experienced herself, and it frightened her more than the crazed look he gave her moments ago.
"Don't you ever put yourself in danger like that again!" Sir Gilmore scolded and he brought her closer to him, "I don't know what I would do if I lost you like that."
When Skylar hear the underlining emotion laced in his words, she suddenly felt like she was betraying his friendship and it shamed her greatly. She couldn't take him holding her like that not when she didn't feel the same about him. Trying to find a way to break free of his embrace without making it too obvious, it was her mother who unexpectedly came to her rescue.
The moment they saw Teyrna Eleanor approach them, Sir Gilmore quickly released Skylar and took a step back while her mother asked, "Skylar, are you alright?"
Skylar nodded, "Thanks to Sir Gilmore."
As Skylar searched the room for her weapons that she had lost, she heard Sir Gilmore say, "Thank the Maker, you both are alive. I feared the worse when we discovered it was Arl Howe's men attacking us. Why would he do this?"
Not bothering to censor herself this time, Skylar popped off angrily, "Because Arl Howe is a bastard."
"Skylar!" her mother exclaimed.
"Would you like me to call him an asshole or any other choice names running through my head?" Skylar asked sarcastically.
Before her mother could response, Craver started barking getting Skylar's attention. She breathed a sigh of relief when she spotted him, not only sitting next to her dagger and family sword but he didn't look any worse for wear. Needing to know for sure, she rushed over to him and placed her hands lovingly on his body. Craver's coat was sticky with blood splatter but as she continued her inspection, she found no injury on him therefore none of the blood was his.
She gave Craver one last loving pat on his head and bent over to retrieve both of her weapons. As she harnessed them back on her back, she and Craver headed back over to where Teyrna Eleanor and Sir Gilmore were talking. She turned toward Sir Gilmore and asked, "So what do we know?"
"The castle is complete surrounded, my lady. My men and I were able to bar the main door but unfortunately as you well know some did manage to slip past us," he answered grimly
"And my father?" Skylar pushed.
"As I was telling the Teyrna, the Grey Warden helped the Teyrn to the larder where the secret servant's entrance is at. I think he hoped to find you both there," he replied.
"We heard Bryce was injured," Teyrna Eleanor commented, "Do you how badly?"
The bleak look on Sir Gilmore's face spoke volumes but before Skylar or her mother could push further, loud pounding erupted with intensity from the main door in the Great Hall. All the guards raced to hold the door close while the bar that went across it showed signs of weakening. Even one of the guards shouted out, "Sir, I don't think the door will hold much longer!"
Sir Gilmore shouted back, "It must!" He then turned toward Skylar and Teyrna Eleanor, "You must go."
"Come with us," Skylar pleaded.
He shook his head and answered, "My place is here."
Teyrna smiled sadly, "Maker watch over you, Sir Gilmore."
He answered automatically, "Maker watch over us all." Then he did the most unexpected thing and placed his hand intimately on Skylar's cheek. It was there she saw the depths of his soul shine brightly in his eyes as he said, "I love you, Skylar. Live for both of us and make sure this bastard and all who follow him pay for this treachery." With that, he turned and rushed to join his men.
Skylar stood there motionless while feeling completely and utterly stunned. It was one thing to hear him come out and tell her he loved her but add his final goodbye along with it was too much for her to bear.
Knowing she couldn't just leave him to his fate even though it could mean the same for her, she took one step toward him when her mother grabbed her. "Skylar, no!" she shouted as she pulled Skylar back, "We must go to the larder!"
"But…" Skylar started as she stared helplessly between Sir Gilmore and Teyrna Eleanor.
"Don't let Sir Gilmore's sacrifice be a waste. You're a Cousland and it's your duty to survive," Teyrna Eleanor replied sternly.
Skylar sighed and nodded. But before she followed her mother out of the Great Hall to the kitchen, she took one last look at Sir Gilmore with tears in her eyes and whispered, "Goodbye, my friend."
When they entered the kitchen area, Skylar was shocked to see Nan's body among the dead lying on the floor with the other servants. She was the last person Skylar would think to be taken down so easily. Despite her age, Skylar always saw Nan as a force to be reckoned with.
The thought of never hearing the stories Nan would tell her or scolding her to be a prim and proper lady tore relentlessly at her heart. Despite all the hard times Skylar had given her since she was a little girl, she adored and loved Nan as a second mother. It was all she could do for the second time not to tear through the castle in search for Arl Howe and slitting his throat.
She heard her mother's panic filled voice calling out to her bringing her back to the task at hand. She quickly reminded herself that soon enough Arl Howe will pay for his crimes and justice will be served but now wasn't the time to seek it. She had to find her father, and get them all out of there.
Making a mad dash toward the larder with Craver on her heels, she stopped suddenly in her tracks at the entrance of larder where Craver nearly bowled her over. Of all the gruesome terrible things she witnessed that night, what she saw before her she knew without a shadow of a doubt would forever haunt her. There was her father so pale and weak lying on the cold dirty floor of the larder surround in a pool of his blood. Her mother tore fabric from the sacks that were nearby, trying frantically to use them as bandages to stop the bleeding while begging him to stay with her.
"Father!" Skylar screamed and ran to him.
"Pup," he responded weakly, "Thank the Maker, you both are alright. When the castle was attacked, I feared the worse."
"Bryce, don't talk," Teyrna Eleanor replied gently, "Save your strength."
Ignoring his wife request, he continued to look at Skylar, "Pup, you must go to Fergus and tell him what has happened here."
"You can tell him yourself, Father," Skylar said trying to keep her voice light knowing deep down it was a lie.
He shook his head as he coughed up some blood, "It's too late for me, Pup."
"No," her mother cried, "The servants' entrance is right there. We can make it and get you healing magic."
"I don't think I can make the stand, Eleanor," Teyrn Cousland answered sadly.
"Where's the Grey Warden?" Skylar asked. "Maybe he can help us."
"After he got me away from Howe and his men in the Great Hall and brought me here, he went in search for the both of you," Teyrn Cousland replied as he coughed again.
"As we feared, your lordship, the castle is completely surrounded," Duncan said grimly as he approached them from behind and looked to both Teyrna Eleanor and Skylar, "I'm glad to see both of you are safe."
"Thanks to my daughter," Teyrna Eleanor replied proudly.
Duncan smiled at Skylar, "I'm not surprised."
Skylar turned to Duncan, "Thank you for saving my father."
Duncan gave her a sad look, "That may be premature. By the time I reached your father, Arl Howe was gone and the damage was already done."
He turned his attention toward Teyrn Cousland and commented, "I do believe that Arl Howe's men have yet to discover this exit though but it's only a matter of time when they do."
"Duncan, please take my wife and daughter to safety," Teyrn Cousland begged.
"I will, your lordship," Duncan started and sighed hating what he had to do next but knew it was the only way, "But this evil we are seeing tonight pales in comparison to the evil of the Blight. The Blight demands I leave here with a recruit."
Teyrn Cousland closed his eyes while physical and mental pain shot through him. He hated knowing he was sending his daughter off to war but he had no choice in the matter. At least as a Grey Warden, Skylar had a fighting chance. "I understand," he sighed.
Skylar at first had no idea what her father and Duncan were talking about until it finally dawned on her. "What! Wait?" she exclaimed, "What about Gilmore?"
Duncan stared into her eyes and stated, "Like I had said, you have always been my first choice, Skylar."
Skylar looked back frantically between her mother and father expecting one or both of them to protest this. Even her own voice sounded panicked when she continued while the rest were silent, "What about Fergus? Arl Howe? I can't just…"
"Pup," her father called out to her, "You're a Cousland and we always do our duty first. Go with Duncan, become a Grey Warden, end the Blight, and see that Arl Howe is brought to justice. Make your mark in the world and do us proud."
Skylar nodded solemnly and answered, "For you Father, I will do it."
As she reached out toward Teyrna Eleanor, she pulled back and said with conviction, "I'm staying with your father."
"Eleanor, no" her father pleaded.
"Hush, Bryce," her mother ordered gently, "Duncan and Skylar have a better chance without me. I'll kill any bastard who walks through that door."
"But Mother…" Skylar cried out.
"My place is with your father – death and beyond," she stated evenly. "Go now. We love you."
As Skylar got up with the help of Duncan and headed toward the entrance, she overheard her father apologizing to her mother while her mother consoled him saying it was now up to her and Fergus to make things right. It was then she wanted to go back and make her mother come with them but Duncan's hold on her arm prevented her from doing that. The only thing she could do was to follow Craver through the servant's passage way while Duncan picked up the rear and pushed her forward.
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The passageway was dark as a tomb and smelled of earth reminding Duncan of the Deep Roads in Orzammar which made him apprehensive to say the least. He was thankful there were torches embedded into the walls but he wasn't prepared to light them just yet. If the passageway was discovered before they were able to get out, the light would give them away making them sitting ducks. The prospect of being trapped in there was worse than dealing with the darkness and he hated the darkness.
He felt Skylar timidly reach for his hand and grabbed it like a lifeline without realizing how badly he needed the contact to stabilize the underlining panic attack he was trying to control. He felt a tiny squeeze which humbled him that she was trying to reassure him where as it should have been him reassuring her. She was the one who lost everything that night, not him and it shamed him greatly.
"I'm sorry," he replied quietly, "This wasn't the way I wanted to recruit you, Skylar. I hope you believe me."
"I do," she answered honestly.
He was relieved to hear her say that knowing the faster she accepted herself as a Grey Warden, the easier the transformation would be for her.
As they hit what Duncan guessed was the midway point of the tunnel, he asked, "Do you want to light up the torches now? I figure we're far away enough from the entrance, it would be safe."
"Only if you want to," she replied. "Craver and I know this passageway better in the dark."
Duncan chuckled, "Why does that not surprise me."
Skylar giggled, "Yeah, well don't tell my parents that I know about the secret servants' entrance. For one; they would never forgive me, and two; they will realize that's my escape route out of the castle."
He didn't realize she had suddenly stopped until he nearly ran into her and felt her squeeze his hand but tightly this time almost to the point it hurt. He assumed she was signaling there was trouble nearby but his well honed warrior skills sensed nothing out of ordinary. If there was danger lurking, wouldn't the Mabari War Hound alert them with snarls and growls instead of making distressful whiney sounds?
He was about to ask her what was wrong when her last statement hit him at full force. It finally made sense with her squeezing his hand and stopping like she did. It was a knee-jerk response to the pain and grief she must be going through.
He knew he should say something to her, try to console her but in truth he didn't know how. He was a warrior and the Warden Commander; he saw and dealt with death and loss all the time especially fighting the darkspawn.
Regardless that Skylar was a woman, he couldn't coddle her. He needed her to be strong and grow a thick skin with a will of steel. The destruction she witnessed at Highever Castle is only the beginning to what lay before her and it was only going to get worse.
He wasn't completely cold and heartless and understood what pain and grief felt like especially when he lost a fellow Warden. But there was a time and place to mourn and sadly here wasn't either of them.
Just as he was about to point that out to her, she spoke in a hollow voice, "When we clear the passageway, we'll be in the forest about a mile outside of Highever. The foliage is pretty thick and the entrance from the outside is well hidden unless you know what to look for."
"Then let's hope Arl Howe's men don't know what to look for," Duncan replied.
He felt her leading him once again but at a much faster pace this time. Both of them knew their time was running out if there was any chance of escape and getting out of there alive.
When they finally reached the exit, he noticed it was covered with leaves and branches as if a bush had grown there to hide its secret. He couldn't wait to breathe in the fresh air of the outside and feeling its open spaces once again. He wanted to rush right out but knew that would be suicide not knowing who could be waiting out there for them.
"So far so good," Skylar thought to herself as she cautiously approached the exit.
She listened carefully for several moments trying to hear sounds that didn't belong. When she couldn't find anything, she turned to Craver who was sitting next to her waiting for her next command. She kneeled before him and scratched behind his ears while saying, "See if it's safe and come back unharmed."
The moment Craver licked her face and dashed out into the open, she found herself wanting to call him back. As Mabari War Hounds went, Craver was the most cunning, loyal, and fierce out of them all even if she was bias about it. She knew he could take care of her and himself for that was what he was trained for but that didn't stop her from worrying about him. Other than Fergus, Craver was all she had left and couldn't bear the thought of losing him too.
As she sat down on the ground and leaned against the wall while trying not to go crazy from waiting for Craver to return, she took a moment and studied Duncan. The branches that covered the exit let in some of the light from the moonlit night but not enough to fully see his face, just the silhouette of him standing quietly there. Still she could feel his eyes watching her and most likely assessing her to see how close to breaking she was. The sad truth was she knew she was on the very edge and didn't know how much more she could take before she fell apart into a weeping hysterical mess.
She had to admit she was thankful Duncan hadn't said anything at least not as of yet of his condolences on what had transpired that night. To her, they would be empty words and all the sympathy in the world couldn't take away the pain, grief, anger, and guilt that were gnawing at her at an excessive rate.
The moment Duncan and her heard some rustling of the branches, she shot up from her sitting position while Duncan raced to the exit ready to draw his sword and dagger. To their relief, it was Craver burrowing his way through the branches with his stubby tail waggling uncontrollably and a big goofy doggy grin on his face.
Skylar wrapped her arms around Craver's thick strong neck and held him close while silently thanking the Maker and Andraste for keeping him safe for her. It seemed Craver understood her need of reassurance and leaned his head around hers. In that tiny jester of his let her know she hadn't failed him like she did with the rest of her family.
Duncan had seen bonds between animals and their people before especially among the Danish with the hallas, a deer like creature and the ash warriors with their Mabari War Hounds, but those bonds couldn't compare to what he witnessed between Skylar and Craver. If he could describe it, he would call it almost mystical even surreal.
Feeling like a complete bastard for interrupt the first peaceful moment Skylar had since the attack, he said firmly, "Skylar, we need to leave."
Skylar pulled away from Craver and looked at him, "Is it safe out there, boy?"
Craver barked once and started jumping and practicing around her. He even went as far as gently taking her wrist in his mouth and started pulling her toward the exit.
She pulled back her arm from Craver and turned toward Duncan, "It's safe so we shouldn't have any trouble getting out of here."
Duncan replied skeptically, "Still we should be cautious."
"Of course," she answered diplomatically but she knew by Craver's playful behavior, he hadn't run into any unwanted visitors.
Once they were all outside, Duncan looked up into the night sky noticing that it had lightened up some as the stars were slowly disappearing and the full moon was starting to fall toward the horizon. "We may have an hour or possibly two before sunrise. We need to put as much distance between us and castle before then."
Skylar nodded in agreement, "The main road is three miles east of us which more than likely be heavily patrolled. So I suggest us stick to the west side of the forest. Outside of that, I have no idea where to go."
"We're going south to Ostagar," Duncan answered.
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The taking of Highever Castle worked precisely as Arl Howe had planned but of course he knew it would. He even had the pleasure of taking Eleanor several times believing it should have been him she married and not Bryce Cousland. Still it gave him gratification knowing the last touch she felt before seeing the Maker was his and not Bryce's. It was a pity though that Bryce didn't live long enough to watch the deeds he performed on his beloved wife. It would have made the victory of stealing everything back from him even more satisfying.
He sat smugly in the Teyrn's chair feeling the power it signified, knowing it now belonged to him with no one to dispute it. He had no worries about Fergus coming after him for he and his army were marching to their deaths in Ostagar, and there was no escape for them.
Still there was a small twinge of concern about the youngest Cousland - Skylar and the Grey Warden who was staying at the castle. His men had yet to find either one of them dead or alive.
He could care less about the Grey Warden, it was Skylar who he wanted even more so than Eleanor. He wanted to teach that brat manners and how to respect those who are better than she. The only question was how long would he allow Skylar to live once he was done with her?
He watched his captain of the guard enter hesitantly in the Great Hall. As the captain bowed respectively in front of him, Arl Howe demanded, "Did you find her?"
"No, your lordship," the captain started, "My men has…"
Arl Howe stormed toward the captain cutting him off, and before he could say anything more, Arl Howe slugged him. "How hard is it to find one sniveling little girl? Are your men so incompetent or is it just you?" Arl Howe shouted as he stood over the man who now was on the floor.
"Your lordship," the captain replied weakly, "We learned from one of the servants that Lady Skylar and the Grey Warden escaped through a secret passageway in the larder during the main attack."
"So she decided to run off to be a Grey Warden then," Arl Howe sneered as he walked back toward the main chair and sat down. "I always knew she was a coward."
"Your lordship, do you wish for me to peruse her and the Grey Warden?" the captain asked as he slowly got off the floor.
"Don't bother. I know where they are going," Arl Howe answered. Then he snapped his fingers, signaling to the two guards who stood on either side of the Great Hall's entrance to approach the captain. The last thing the captain heard just before his head rolled away from his body was Arl Howe saying, "As for you my dear captain, you failed me for the last time."
