I apologize for the long gap between updates! The last couple of months have been very busy for me! I am going to have to try for monthly updates I think, but I will do my best to make it biweekly if possible. Once again, thanks to those who have followed and favorited so far, it's great to know that you appreciate the story! Special thanks to Musical Rain, who wrote my first ever review, it's very encouraging to know that you like it so far! Feel free to let me know if you have any questions or things you'd like to see. I had fully intended to actually get to the Tower of Ishal this chapter, and hopefully get all the way to the end of the Tower, but Aedan got in the way lol. So the next chapter will be the Tower of Ishal, for sure, and I will keep it at Ayla's POV for now. I intend to switch back to Alistair after the Tower. Hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: Bioware owns Dragon Age and all related characters, as usual.

The Last of His Line

Alistair returned within a few moments, bearing a large wooden tray that he was carefully trying to keep balanced. There were four bowls of stew on it, as well as a loaf of bread and an entire wheel of cheese. When he reached the fire, he set it down carefully by the log next to Ayla, and sat down himself as well.

Ayla couldn't keep the amusement out of her voice. "Are you afraid there will be a shortage of cheese or food in general?"

Alistair smiled sheepishly. "Not really. I'm rather fond of cheese, and I eat a lot. Aedan will want a lot to eat, when he wakes up. It's sort of a side effect of the Joining."

A side effect? Ayla thought. How interesting. Did their bodies require more sustenance because of whatever powers they gained? "All right, I'll leave it alone. Since we're going to be working together from now on, why don't you tell me more about yourself? I believe you said something about being a templar before you became a Grey Warden?"

Alistair finished the mouthful of food he had. "Well, not exactly. I was in training to become a templar when Duncan found me and decided to recruit me for the Grey Wardens. Since I was raised in the Chantry, they wanted me to become a templar. But when I met Duncan, he saw that I wasn't happy and asked what I wanted to do. He was the first person I'd ever met who cared what I wanted. So, I decided I wanted to become a Grey Warden, and help him. He thought my training as a templar would be useful against the darkspawn, so I've kept up with it. Anything else you'd like to know?"

Ayla thought about it. The Chantry sounded like it must be the religious order of this country. Was he an orphan, then? He hadn't mentioned any family. "What about your family?"

Alistair looked down at his food. "I don't have any. My mother was a serving girl at Redcliffe Castle, who died when I was very young. I never met my father. Arl Eamon, who is the lord of Redcliffe castle, raised me, but I eventually ended up in the Chantry. What about your family?"

She sighed. "I only have my brother, anymore. My mother died when I was young also, and my father was killed a few years ago in battle." She never liked to think about what had happened to her father, but she supposed it was her own fault for bringing up the subject of families. "I mean, there are other members of the Trichlor clan, uncles and cousins and the like, but my brother and I keep to ourselves mostly."

Alistair looked like he was about to ask a question, when the tent flap opened and Aedan came out. He still looked quite pale, but he wasn't as sweaty anymore and was walking on his own. He came over and sat down nearby.

"How are you feeling?" Alistair asked him. "Are you hungry?"

"I'll be all right, I think," Aedan replied. "But yes, I am hungry."

"Here." Alistair passed him one of the bowls of stew, and a hunk of bread. Aedan took them, and tore off a chunk of bread.

After he swallowed, he glanced over at Ayla. "So are you planning to accompany us, then?"

Ayla nodded. "Although I'm not actually a Grey Warden like you are now, Duncan agreed to let me stay with all of you and help with this Blight. I'd like to accompany you until the fight's over. Besides," she smiled at Alistair, "Alistair and I have a deal, right?"

"That we do, my lady," Alistair gave her a mock bow. "You defeat the Blight with us, and I'll help you get back home. Maybe Aedan will help, too."

"If we get through this Blight alive, I have something of my own I need to take care of," Aedan growled. Ayla saw a dark shadow pass over his face.

"What is it?" she asked. "Perhaps I could help you with that, as well, before I leave."

"If you do not mind helping to kill a man, you are certainly welcome to come along," Aedan retorted, returning his attention to his food.

"I assume he must have wronged you in some way. If that's the case, I don't mind helping at all." Ayla knew, after all, what it was to want revenge.

"Wronged me?" Aedan laughed bitterly. "Yes, I suppose you could say that. If by wronged you mean slaughtering my entire family and everyone around us. I would have been dead as well if it were not for Duncan and my mabari hound Striker."

Ayla looked at Alistair, who appeared to be as shocked as she felt. "By the Maker," he whispered. "Duncan mentioned that something tragic happened at Highever when he went there to recruit, but he didn't say what. Does that mean that you're a Cousland?"

Aedan swallowed and looked down at his food, his jaw working. "Yes, you might be looking at the last remaining Cousland, unless my brother Fergus is still alive. He left with my father's troops before it happened, which is why we had no one to defend us. King Cailan said that he was out on patrol and I would not be able to see him until after the battle. But I imagine that bastard Howe had a plan for my brother as well."

"You can't mean - Arl Rendon Howe killed your family?" Now the shock was apparent in Alistair's voice as well. Ayla was having a little trouble following the conversation, but her best guess was that the Cousland family to which Aedan belonged must be some sort of nobility, and from what Alistair had said about Arl Eamon being a lord, that the title of Arl must indicate nobility in general. It wasn't entirely unusual, even in Fallor, for there to be in-fighting among the nobility. She couldn't recall ever hearing of an entire noble family being slaughtered in Fallor, though.

Aedan's fist clenched, and now there was fury sparking in his grey eyes. "Yes. He was supposed to be my father's friend. They were friends since before I was born, when they fought alongside King Maric to free us from the Orlesians. I thought of him as an uncle! That's why no one thought anything of it when he claimed his troops were delayed, and my father let him and the soldiers he had with him stay overnight while he sent Fergus on ahead with almost all of our fighting men. But during the night, they attacked. They . . ." his voice broke.

Ayla could only imagine the pain he was going through. She'd lost her father, and that had been bad enough. She couldn't imagine what losing one's entire family could feel like. "It's okay. You don't have to tell us about it."

Aedan looked up at her, and shook his head. "No, if we are to fight together, you two should know what he's capable of, if we ever run into him." He took a deep breath, and continued, "They went on a rampage through the main house. They killed everyone. Women, children, servants. Nan, who was our cook, her kitchen staff, maids, a friend of my mother's who was there, the girl I was with that night, everyone. Including my brother's wife and his 7-year-old son. I was going to teach him how to use a sword while his father was away, but they cut him down. A child."

His voice became almost monotone as he continued, as though he were trying very hard to keep any emotion out of it. "With my hound's help, I killed the ones that came for me, and found my mother. Together we went to the servant's entrance in the larder, where we found my father bleeding out from the wound Howe gave him. Duncan had helped him get there. My father asked Duncan to help me and my mother get out, since we were already surrounded. Duncan agreed, under the condition I become a Grey Warden. My father and I agreed to his terms, and then my mother decided to stay behind to buy us time. That's how I got recruited, and the soonest I can, I'm going after Howe and I will make that traitor pay for what he's done."

Ayla couldn't blame him for feeling that way. She'd never heard anything as monstrous as what he'd just described. Even what had happened to her father hadn't been that horrendous. At least the people who'd killed him hadn't been his friends. She was about to tell Aedan she'd have no problem helping him kill this Howe of his, when Alistair spoke.

"As soon as this Blight is over, I'll go help you bring Howe down. You're a Warden, you're one of us now, so I'll help you with whatever you need." He looked over at Ayla. "Sorry, but I might have to take a little longer before I can hold up my deal with you."

Ayla smiled. She was liking Alistair more by the minute. "That's fine; I was actually just going to suggest we help Aedan first before we go looking for a way to get me home. After all, some people deserve death, and it sounds like this Howe deserves it several times over."

"Thank you," Aedan began, "but you do not have to help me. This is my fight, not yours. Howe is my problem."

Ayla shook her head. "I insist. Someone like that cannot be left to do as he pleases, especially if he has his own personal army to help him."

"Exactly," Alistair nodded. "Besides, like I said, you're one of us now. Your problems are now everybody's problem. And even if you try to get rid of us, we'll just follow you anyway."

Aedan shrugged. "Have it your way, then. After the Blight is done, you can follow me to Highever if you like. I will not stop you."

Ayla suspected he was more grateful than he seemed, since he once again couldn't meet their eyes. But she knew it was hard to get past one's pride to accept help. She and her brother had refused any help in their own revenge, after all. It was at that moment she heard footsteps approaching, and looked towards the ramp.

She was barely able to make out Duncan's figure approaching through the gathering darkness. She also noticed that Alistair had turned to look at the same time she did. She knew that she'd heard Duncan before anybody else should have been able to, so how had Alistair known? Was it because Duncan was also a Grey Warden? This whole Grey Warden thing was really starting to make her curious, she had to admit.

Duncan approached the fire. "King Cailan has laid out his battle plan. The majority of the Grey Wardens are to join him and several of the troops on the front line, to draw out the approaching horde. Meanwhile, Teyrn Loghain will be waiting with the rest of the soldiers for a signal to flank the horde. The King has asked that Alistair and our new recruit, Aedan, make their way to the top of the Tower of Ishal to light the beacon. And since you, Ayla, are to go where Alistair goes . . ."

"That means I get to go up there with them," Ayla finished for him. She wasn't sure whether to be pleased or not. She had to admit she wasn't in any hurry to face an entire horde of those monsters, but she also didn't see why it was necessary to send three perfectly good fighters to light a beacon. Didn't they have other soldiers they could use?

Alistair shot to his feet. "What? I won't be in the battle?" Well, he definitely wasn't pleased, Ayla thought wryly. She could see the disappointment and anger all over his face.

Duncan turned to face him. "This is by the king's personal request, Alistair. If the beacon is not lit, Teyrn Loghain's men won't know when to charge."

"So he needs two Grey Wardens standing up there holding the torch. Just in case, right?" Alistair said sarcastically.

Aedan got to his feet as well, setting down his bowl. "I agree with Alistair. We should be in the battle. I did not agree to become a Grey Warden so I could light some torches."

Duncan glared at the two of them. "That is not your choice. If King Cailan wishes Grey Wardens to ensure the beacon is lit, then we will be there. We must do whatever it takes to defeat the darkspawn, exciting or no." He stated this with a clipped finality that reminded Ayla of her father delivering orders.

Alistair sighed and scuffed his feet in the dirt. "I get it, I get it. Just so you know, if the King ever asks me to put on a dress and dance the Remigold, I'm drawing the line. Darkspawn or no."

Ayla had no idea what the Remigold was, but just the idea of Alistair in a dress dancing period made her laugh. She grinned at him. "I think I would like to see that."

He looked down at her, those hazel eyes twinkling in appreciation. "For you, maybe. But it has to be a pretty dress."

She couldn't help laughing again. "I am sure we could find you something nice if we looked hard enough."

Duncan sighed heavily and continued as if he hadn't heard them. "The tower is on the other side of the gorge from the king's camp, the way we came when we arrived. You'll need to cross the gorge and head through the gate and up to the tower entrance. From the top, you'll overlook the entire valley."

"When do we light the beacon?" Aedan asked.

"We will signal you when the time is right. Alistair will know what to look for." Duncan nodded at Alistair, who nodded in return. More Grey Warden secrets? Ayla wondered.

"What about after we finish lighting the beacon? Can we join the battle?" Aedan pressed.

Duncan shook his head. "Stay with the Teyrn's men and guard the tower. If you are needed, we will send word. Any other questions?"

He looked around at the three of them, but they all shook their heads. The orders were clear enough, Ayla thought, even if they didn't make a whole lot of sense.

"Then I must join the others. From here, you three are on your own." He looked at Alistair and Aedan. "Remember, you are both Grey Wardens. I expect you to be worthy of that title." He turned to Ayla. "And I hope you are as helpful as you say you are."

Ayla nodded. "I will do my best to be of help to the two of them."

As Duncan turned to walk away, Alistair called after him. "Duncan, may the Maker watch over you."

"May He watch over us all," Duncan replied heavily, before continuing on his way.

This Maker must be the deity they worshipped here in Ferelden, Ayla decided. She'd always been taught that the Goddess was the Queen of all the worlds, so who was this Maker they spoke of? Some demon posing as a false god, or just another face of the Goddess? She'd heard the Goddess was incapable of actually interfering in some worlds, or speaking to their people, and in those cases, the worlds would make up their own deities. There was so much she had to learn about this world, and yet, how to ask without further arousing suspicion about herself?

Alistair turned back to them. "Are the two of you ready? We should head for the Tower of Ishal as soon as possible."

Ayla nodded, patting the swords at her hips. "I have everything I need right here."

"Just a minute." Aedan went back into the tent, and emerged with his greatsword strapped to his back, along with a pack. Like Alistair, he'd already been wearing his splintmail. It appeared like neither of them went anywhere without full armor. Ayla didn't know how they could stand it. In Fallor, the most warriors ever wore was light chainmail, perhaps with some greaves or bracers. Her father had always told her that their powers didn't work as well if they wore too much armor. She didn't know if that was really true or not, but everyone in the Order swore by it. Not to mention, you could move a lot faster if you weren't weighed down by heavy armor.

Aedan looked around. "Striker should be back soon, too. He was with Duncan when we were in the Wilds, and Duncan said he'd just gone out hunting before we got back."

"I'm afraid we don't have time to wait," Alistair replied. "The battle's going to start any minute, and we can't afford to miss the signal. I'm sure you'll be able to find him once the battle's over."

Aedan nodded. "I suppose you are right. We should get moving, then."

Alistair began to lead the way through the camp towards a set of towers. As they walked, Ayla couldn't shake a sudden sense of foreboding. All her instincts were screaming at her to run. Any warrior of the Order knew it was a mistake to ignore your instincts, and any battle she'd been in before, she'd looked forward to. She'd never wanted to run before in her life.

She caught up to Alistair as they walked. "Something isn't right," she whispered to him. "I feel like something horrible is going to happen."

"Well, there is a horde of darkspawn on its way here. If that isn't horrible, I don't know what is. You've never faced darkspawn before the Wilds, right? That's probably all it is." He smiled reassuringly at her.

Ayla frowned, frustrated. It was true, she didn't know anything about those darkspawn, and it was obvious there was something corrupt or wrong with those creatures. She couldn't be sure her instincts weren't reacting to that. "I suppose that could be it."

"It'll be fine, you'll see. Duncan has a plan, and Loghain is Ferelden's greatest general. He'll help us win this battle, and then we'll take care of your and Aedan's business."

He sounded so confident, Ayla decided to let it drop for now. "All right, if you say so."

"I do," he replied. "Now come on, we've got to get to the Tower."

But as they reached the bridge that stretched across the gorge, Ayla couldn't shake the feeling. She only hoped that they would manage to live through the coming battle, because it was too late for her to turn back now.