Chapter 2
I woke up to a barking mabari at my door while Darrian moved his arm away from my waist.
"Is something wrong?" Darrian sat up, naked, on my bed.
"I'm not sure, he doesn't bark unless something is happening." I said as I grabbed my blanket and covered chest with them.
"I'm sure it's nothing….wait…I hear men's voices." Darrian rose from the bed quickly, and walked over the door, in front of Cerberus. "What's causing so much…?" Before he could finish the sentence, Darrian's voice abruptly halt, gasping for air as I saw him fall to his side.
"Darrian!" I rose off my bed as I quickly rose from my bed as a soldier intruded to my chamber and spotted me, but before he was able to do anything, Cerberus leaped on him and chomped on his neck, drawing blood and a painful scream, before letting the vile man fall on the ground.
"Blasted dog!" Another man cried as he aimed his sword at my beloved mabari.
"Stay away from him!" I grabbed my dagger as quickly as I could and flicked my wrist toward his hands then his head.
"Arrgh!" He screamed as my daggers pierced his head then he collapsed to the ground along with his companion. I felt my blood boiling, these were Howe's men! Just what in Maker are they doing!
"Sephora!" I looked up and saw my mother frantically entering my room, ignoring the bodies.
"Mother!" We hugged tightly as Cerberus sniffed to check if my mother had any wounds.
"I'm alright, Cerberus, I managed to barricade the door when I heard screaming in the hall." She stated as she looked around at the floor and spotted Darrian. She let out a horrified gasp. "No! Landra's son! "
"Mother we must get out of here! Where's father?"
"He never came to bed…do you think they got him?"
"No, it's too early to think that. Wait, where's Oriana?" I rushed past mother, fully aware that I was wearing nothing but a sheet and swung open the door. I gasped at the horror.
"Darling, what is it?"
"Mother! Don't look!" But she did, she looked. She peered over my poor attempt to shield her and saw Oriana and Oren slayed on the cold stone floor.
"Oriana! Oh my poor little Oren, what manner of fiends slays the innocents? They intend to slay us all!" I grabbed my mother's arm and pulled her away from the empty shells while Cerberus whimpers as he nudge Oren's lifeless body. We cannot morn them here, not now.
"Mother, we must leave. We will get our revenge." My mother looked at me somberly but understood. We both quickly opened chest and gathered any weapons and armors available, I felt my blood pulsing through my body; I'll never forgive that man. "Can you still hold a sword?"
"I am no Orlesian wall flower, you forget, I'm the one who taught you all my skills."
I smiled slightly and nodded. Outside our tower, I saw fire engulfing my home. Death reaked everywhere as I saw bodies of Howes soldiers, servants, my own men, even Mother Mallol. How could they slay even the servant of the Maker?
"Man the gates! Keep those bastards out as long as you can!"
"Ser Gilmore!" I rushed to his side and hugged him tightly. "Are you alright?"
"Yes, thank the Maker you're alright."
"When I realized what was going on, it was all I could do to hold the door but I'm afraid it will not keep them out much longer."
"Have you seen the Bryce? Was he with Howe?" My mother asked anxiously of him.
"The last I saw the Teryn, he had been badly wounded. I urged him not to go but he was determined to find you. He went towards the kitchen; I believe he went to find you at the servant's exit at the larder."
"Bless you, Ser Gimore. Maker watch over you."
"Maker watch over us all."
"Ser Gimore, please come with us." I pleaded as I grabbed his arm.
He looked at me and patted my head, "My lady, go quickly, no arguing." Then he broke away from me to help the men at the door.
Mother grabbed my arm and we slipped through the side door while the banging at the main door continued.
We managed to slip through the flames eating away through broken pillars, crumbled walls and encountered more traitorous soldiers. I felt exhausted and my eyes becoming heavy from the heat.
"We're here, Sephora, come. We're at the larder," mother called while pulling me; sensing my exhaustion and Cerberus nudges from behind.
"There…you both are…" said a voice so weak that I almost did not recognized it. "
"Bryce!" cried mother as we rushed over to father's side. "Maker's blood, what's happening? You're bleeding!"
"Howe's men…found me first, almost did me in right there."
I began searching for cloth...any cloth to stop the bleeding. My mabari managed to pull some old sheets that were covering the old boxes and frantically tearing it into strips. "Good boy, good boy." I said to my dog as I rushed over to father's side.
"Shh…Bryce, don't speak, we'll get out of here." Mother said as I frantically wrapped the torn sheet around his waist as mother held him up.
"I..I'm afraid that I won't survive the standing."
"Father, I will drag you myself if I have to! Do not say such things!" I cried to him as I tighten the ill-made bandage around him.
"Ah my darling daughter, if only you did not see me in such a state…"
"Bryce, the servant passage is right there, we'll find you some healing magic…"
"They…have the castle surrounded; I won't make it past them."
"I'm afraid the Teryn's right, Howe's men have not discovered this passage but it will not be easy to get past them."
"You are Duncan then. The Grey Warden."
"Yes your ladyship, the Teryn and I tried to reach you sooner."
"My daughter helped me get here, maker be praised."
"I am not surprised."
"Duncan, you are under no obligation under me but I beg you, take my daughter and my wife to safety."
"Father, what are you…?""
"I will your lordship, but I fear I must ask for something in return."
"Anything!"
"What is happening here is pale in comparison to the evil that's not loose in this world. I can here seeking a recruit. The darkspawn threat demands that I leave with one."
"I…I understand."
I gasp in a mixture of frustration and surprised. "Are you serious?"
"Truthfully, you were always my first choice. I will take you and the Teryna to Ostagar, to tell Fergus and the King what has happened. Then your daughter will join the Grey Warden."
"So long as justice comes to Howe…I agree."
"I offer you a place in the Grey Wardens, fight with us."
"If I can have my revenge on Howe then so be it. I agree."
"We must leave quickly."
"Darling, escape with Duncan. You have a better chance of escaping without me."
"Elenor."
"Hush Bryce, our daughter will not die in Howe's treachery. Sephora, you will live and make your mark on this world. You are a Cousland and our beloved daughter."
I felt my throat closed up and I felt my tears stinging my eyes. "No! I won't let you! We'll make it out! All of us." I wanted to cry and scream like alittle child but I felt a tug on my armor and I looked down to see my mabari pulling me to the passage as if saying. We must go, we must go.
Mother reached over and hugged me tightly and looked at me while our forehead touched. "Darling daughter, my place is by your father's side, death and beyond. I'll kill every bastard that comes through that door to buy you time. Do not let our sacrifice be in vain."
I looked at mother and then my father as I held their hands before, unwillingly, letting them go. "I love you both so much." I said before I left with Duncan. I heard behind me the last words my parents spoke to each other, "I'm so sorry, my love, that it has come to this."
"We had a good life Bryce. It's up to our children now."
I held on to Cerberus' collar as he led the way out of the dark passage rapidly. We manage to carefully avoid action that might draw attention to us. I never thought I would have to sneak out of my home like this. We manage to climb a steep hill, away from enemy's eyes and it took all the strength I had not to look back from the screams and the clashing metals behind me.