Chapter 2: The Storm Before the Calm Before the Storm Before the Calm Before the Storm

9:39 Dragon

City of Amaranthine

"Well, that's a good time for a break," Mirevas suggested.

"What? You were just about to talk about-"

"Enthralled, huh, Seeker? I'm a better storyteller than I thought, apparently. It's called 'increasing the tension'."

Mirevas stood, left the room, and returned with a drink in his hand.

"Always useful to stay hydrated during storytelling," he quipped. "So, can you guess why I've gone into, some might say, unnecessary detail in my tale?"

"You are completely insane?" Cassandra guessed.

"No. I just want you understand a bit better what alienages are like, and by extension, why I feel as I do toward the Chantry. The insanity is completely unrelated. Speaking of the Chantry," he turned to address his minstrel, "Can we have a special song for our Chantry friend?"

Understanding his request, she began to strum the first notes to "Enchanters", a popular pro-Libertarian song.

"Halewell is a true artist, isn't she?" Mirevas asked, feigning obliviousness.

"I know you are trying to get under my skin, and it will not work. Continue, please."

The elf mock-pouted. "Fine. Shocking/melancholic, please," he suggested of his minstrel. As a slow tune built up, he continued, "Where was I? Oh, yes, 'everything was about to really go to shit.'..."


9:30 Dragon

Elven Alienage, City of Denerim

I walked onto the platform, resigned, if not content. A priest was standing ready to begin the weddings- a human, of course, not an elf. Everyone knows that the spirits were the Maker's first children, the humans His second children, and the elves His drunken bastards. When we arrived, she began to say things. I don't remember what—they were boring and I was only half-paying attention even then. Something about us meeting to join people together under the Maker's sight.

Then Vaughan returned. This time, in addition to the nobles who were with him the first time, he was accompanied by armed and armored guards. Actually, maybe "lackeys" would be a better word, because their focus was definitely not on guarding anyone.

"You are interrupting a wedding!" the priest asserted with uncharacteristic force.

Vaughan glanced at her for a few seconds with scorn on his face, then looked away and scoffed disgustedly.

"Feel free to dress your knife-ear pets in fancy costumes and play pretend in the slums all you like, but don't call this farce a 'wedding'." Ignoring her continued protests, he loudly announced, "Now, I've graced your dirty sewer hole with my appearance because I need a few... female guests for a party I'm throwing, and I'm sure you wonderful people will be more than happy to oblige."

Furious, I took a few steps toward him and all but screamed, "You will not-"

I was floored by a massive punch from the noble. Before I could even react, he had slashed me across my face with a hidden dagger.

Sneering at my prone form, he spat, "Take that scar as a reminder to mind your place, uppity knife-ear." Then he turned and began pointing out women beyond my view.

"Her. Her. That one. She really is... pretty. That one. That one. Her. And where's the whore who cheap-shot me with a bottle?"

"Over here, ser!" I heard another human voice yell.

"Good. Grab her too. Taming her will be fun... Come, men! We have a party to get to."

He turned back to the remaining elves and smirked. "Don't worry," he assured, "they'll be returned. Eventually." He glanced at me, just beginning to rise back to my feet, and looked at me with scorn and condescension. "Your 'brides' will be returned... well, there'll be something left for you to marry, anyway."

With a mocking wave, his troops and prisoners began marching toward the alienage's gate.

Glaring furiously at the retreating group, my fists clenched and I felt rage build in me.

"Someone get me a cloth," I muttered. Facial bleeding was definitely not how I wanted to die, especially not that day.

"Are you okay?" Soris asked.

Rolling my eyes, I responded, "Soris, I was just punched really hard in the face and given a wound that will likely permanently scar, and eight women were just taken so some human nobles, and I use both of those words loosely, can have their way with them. Do I sound okay?!"

"No..."

"There's your answer." Someone came up with the cloth I'd asked for, so I could wipe the blood off my face and stop the bleeding. "What are we doing?"

"I don't know," Soris admitted. "Valendrian is talking to that Grey Warden. Everyone's getting agitated."

"No shit. I can't imagine why. We need to help."

"Yeah. We do," Soris agreed. He pointed across the street, where Valendrian and Duncan were standing in front of a crowd of angry elves. "They're over near the vhenadahl."

As we approached, I heard Valendrian saying, "I understand your anger, but we can't do anything about this."

A woman near the front of the crowd concurred, saying, "Chasing them will only make things worse!"

"What?!" a man asked. "Those bastards took my sister! Are we just supposed to let that go?"

"We can't just let this happen!" I agreed.

Valendrian sighed. "I would normally suggest patience, but I've heard the arl's son has... strong appetites," he admitted.

"Then we need to do something!"

"What are you going to do?" the woman asked mockingly. "Attack the arl's palace? The second-most well defended spot in the city, after the royal palace itself?"

"The knights and arl have been called to Ostagar," someone informed. "There will still be guards, though."

Another elf stepped forward. "I am a servant at the palace, and I might be able to sneak a few people through the servant's entrance. No one will notice a few more of us in the palace."

I hesitated. "That would mean a fight, wouldn't it? We can't get out the same way, not with eight more people following."

"If anyone could do this, it's Soris and you," my father said. "Your mother taught you well."

Duncan spoke up, offering, "I can give you my sword and bow. No one deserves to have their loved ones threatened without being able to fight back."

"You're all insane!" the woman yelled. "This is worse than suicide! They'll get themselves killed for nothing and bring the guards' wrath on all of us!"

More confident, I said, "I'll do it."

"You think two people who are barely men can be 'heroes'?"

I turned on her, staring fixedly at her face. "I think that the shemlen who took our women have no idea who they're dealing with."

"Wow. Impulsive, suicidal, and arrogant. What a great person to 'save' us."

"Enough!" I yelled. "I've decided. I'm going. That is final. If I learned I had to storm the arl's palace armed with nothing but rage and my fists, I would. And I would succeed."

"Uh... OK," our elf on the inside said. "Meet me by the gate."

Giving one final glare to the woman, I gestured to Soris to follow me to the gate. Behind me, I heard Valendrian say, "This must happen. For our honor and the women's. May the Maker watch over us all."

The gate stood in front of us, enormous and unmoving. I had never crossed that gate, for as long as I could remember.

"I've sent word ahead. The servant's quarters will be open. Here, I have some clothes. Change on the way."

We walked to the palace. It was uneventful; the only thing sticking out in my mind from that walk is the thought Maker, all humans are that tall. The man we'd been traveling with suggested, "Try to carry your weapons like you have no idea what to do with them. Then you can pass yourself off as delivery boys." When I saw the palace for the first time, my first thought was That place is huge. The second was Wait. That place is huge. You could fit the whole alienage in there, and it's the home of one family? Damn shemlen.

When we reached the entrance, the man gave us one final warning to be careful, and we went through the door. We walked quietly through a few rooms, past a woeful guard of one man snoring against the wall, into the kitchen. We tried to walk past the cook, but he saw us and turned to face us.

"What are you lot doing here?"

"Delivering weapons, ser," I lied.

"'Delivering weapons', huh? Delivering them right into the lord's back, more like. I should call the guards to wring your scrawny n-"

An elven servant knocked him out from behind with a well place elbow-strike to the head.

"That shem had it coming," he remarked.

"No doubt," I replied. "Have you seen a group of elven women?"

"Through the building further, in Vaughan's room. Hurry. I've been here awhile, so I know he's not exactly kind or patient. Now, I'm leaving while I still can." He began running towards the entrance.

Walking past the cook's unconscious body, I tentatively opened the door. This was the dining room, as evidenced by the table. I had taken a few steps into the room when a small group of off-duty guards noticed us.

"What are you doing here?" was quickly replaced by "Why do you have weapons, elves?" and finally "You'll die quickly!" when the "delivery" excuse didn't work out.

At that, I drew the sword Duncan loaned me and my dagger, and Soris drew Duncan's bow. Thankfully, these guards were more than slightly drunk. I dodged a lurching blow from one and parried another. Soris quickly took out a crossbowman before he could shoot either of our unarmored bodies. I made a sweeping attack aimed at the remaining two, drawing blood. Then, at once, I turned away one of their blades and sunk my dagger into the other's chest. After exchanging a few parries, I struck the last with a mortal slash to the neck.

I blinked a few times. Focus first, trauma over taking life later, I decided. I pulled my dagger out with a squelching sound.

"Ugh. That is a lot of blood," I muttered. "We need to move quickly. Let's go."

We traveled through a few more halls, dodging guards here and there. His security really was not very good. Then we walked through to one of the more disturbing parts of that day. I walked into a group of armored warriors surrounding the corpse of an elven woman.

"Well, one less elf in the world," one quipped.

"Too bad we didn't have more time. That one had a nice body."

The third asked, "Well, are you that picky? She's still warm."

I couldn't suppress a sound of disgust, alerting the leader.

"What do we have here?" he asked. "Doesn't matter. No witnesses, boys!"

These ones I wasn't broken up over killing. With rage-powered strength and speed, I stabbed one through the armor-face-hole with my dagger and punched through the chainmail legging of another with a sword-thrust. Those two dead or disabled, I focused on the third, who was wielding a two-handed sword. It was slow and fairly easy to dodge, but he got in a few partially deflected hits before I managed to thrust my sword through his neck. The whole fight lasted less than ten furious, fast-paced seconds.

I regarded the man lying on the floor, blood flowing from his lower leg, alternating between whimpers and low-volume screams. He glared at me through the screams and tears.

"Hurts, doesn't it? I asked coldly. "You feel like you'll never heal, and even if you do, you'll never be the same again? That's what your victims feel like." I spat on the ground and continued to walk, abandoning the wounded man.

"I can't believe they killed her!" Soris said, temporarily stopping to regard the elven corpse.

"She won't be the last if we don't hurry, Soris. We need to save the rest!"

"Yeah, you're right. A few moments might make the difference."

Past that room was a long hallway.

"I think we can guess which is the way to Vaughan's," I whispered, pointing out a large door on the far end of the hall. "Let's be quiet. We don't want to draw any more unwanted attention."

The pair of us quietly walked past several doors and managed to stay unnoticed through the hall. The next room was what appeared to be the main entrance hall, with a big sort of roundish pair of doors on one side, presumably leading outside. We continued, and finally came to a hallway leading to a room with a guard stationed outside.

"That's probably Vaughan's room," I whispered. I motioned to Soris.

An arrow flew from the shadows and crashed into the guard with a thunk, causing him to slump to the ground.

"Let's go!" I whispered, and we rushed toward the door. I grabbed the doorknob, and turned it with such force I was almost worried I would break it. With a slam, I opened the door to see...

Shianni, lying on the floor, crying.

Vaughan, laughing and sneering above her.

White-hot fury began to build inside me.

"What do we have here?" Vaughan asked, looking to see me.

"We can deal with 'em!" another noble standing behind him offered.

"Those knife-ears might be a bit more formidable than you think, fools! They're covered in blood, and it doesn't look like it's theirs. Now, what does that mean, hmm?"

The rage inside me boiled over.

"YOU FUCKING SHEMLEN BASTARD!"

Vaughan, for his part, took this quite stoically.

"No need to be hasty. Can't we talk about this?"

"We have nothing to talk about."

Shianni, still crying, spoke up.

"Please, I just want to go home..."

"Say what you have to say," I commanded, still glaring with the intensity of the sun. "It'll extend your life a few minutes, anyway."

"You can't win. Not really. Even if you kill me, and gain your petty vengeance, you and the elves will still pay for it. My counter-offer: Take forty sovereigns and leave Denerim. No repercussions, and we never see each other again."

I faltered for a fraction of a second. Forty sovereigns was more than I expected to see in a lifetime. But the temptation didn't last long.

"I don't know what's more insulting, that you think I'm willing to sell my soul and my friends or that you think I would trust you. I'm going to enjoy this..."

"Knife-ear fools!" Vaughan yelled, drawing his sword and beckoning his allies to do the same.

The fight was not much of a challenge. Vaughan's two noble cronies weren't even wearing armor, so they were easily dispatched with thrusts and well-placed slashes. Vaughan was lightly armored, and actually a decent fighter, but he couldn't keep up with the rage-filled speed of my blades, spinning, swinging, and blocking his attacks. He was able to briefly push toward me, and hold off my attacks for longer, but eventually his blades were knocked out of his hands. That was when, after inflicting dozens of small to medium scratches and cuts, I, with one furious motion, sliced my blade cleanly through his neck, severing it.

I glared at the headless corpse, covered in blood. I spat on it, and wiped the blood from my blades on one of the few clean patches of the nobles' robes.

Shaking slightly, Soris asked, "He's dead. Did we do the right thing, Re?"

"Yes," was my blunt response. "Now, we need to check on Shianni."

"You do that, and I'll find the others." He ran off to check the back rooms.

I turned and walked to Shianni. She was still sobbing softly.

That's the problem with turning grief into anger. It can never last. Eventually, the focus of your anger will be gone, and the sorrow will return full-force.

"Please... don't leave... I just... please, I want to go home."

"Of course we can go home, Shianni," I responded gently. "Don't worry. I won't leave you."

"Thank you so much... All the blood... You killed them?"

"All of them. Everyone who hurt you. And Vaughan, well... there's his body and there's his head. Maybe the Maker Himself could heal that kind of wound, but I doubt He'll be turning His gaze on Vaughan anytime soon."

"Good..." was her quiet, simple reply.

Soris and Valora (his betrothed) walked in. After seeing the situation, Valora asked, "Is... is she going to be alright?"

"I hope so."

"Shianni will recover. She's strong," Nesiara said aloofly, also walking into the room.

"We need to get out of here," I said.

"No arguments here," Soris responded. "Lead the way."


When we returned, Duncan and Valendrian were waiting.

"What happened?" Valendrian asked.

"I would prefer to tell you alone, Elder."

"I understand. If you ladies wouldn't mind..."

Nesiara and Valora began taking Shianni home. She definitely needs rest, I thought.

"Now, what happened?"

"A lot happened. Nola is dead. She resisted, and the guards ran her through... Wow. Really bad phrasing. Killed her, I mean. I had to kill ten or so guards on the way after they attacked me. I found Vaughan, but... not soon enough to protect Shianni."

"It was all you could do," Valendrian consoled. "I suppose Vaughan is dead, then?"

"A bit more than dead, Elder..."

Duncan cut in.

"If he's dead, the garrison will be here soon."

"What should we do?"

Before he could answer, someone yelled, "The guards are here!"

On cue, a small group of guards marched in.

"I seek Valendrian, elder of the alienage," he commanded.

Valendrian walked forward, maintaining calm.

"You are here about the... disturbance... earlier, I take it?"

The guard, looking annoyed, snapped, "Don't play innocent with me! There will be justice! The arl's son is dead, lying in a river of blood running through the palace! Names!"

Soris and I exchanged glances. It wasn't easy, but I knew that Soris was a decent shot but terrible in an actual fight, so I couldn't let him get caught. I might be able to fight my way out, escape, or just survive longer. I couldn't imagine Soris locked in the dungeons or executed.

"It was me," I stated, stepping forward.

"One elf couldn't do all of that!" the captain scoffed.

"We are not all so helpless as you believe..." Valendrian said calmly.

"If that's true... I am impressed by your courage in stepping forward, if not for your sense, elf." He addressed the gathered crowd. "This elf will be taken to the dungeons pending the arl's return to Denerim. The rest of you, to your homes!"

"A word, Captain?" Duncan interjected.

"Yes, Warden?" the captain responded.

"I am invoking my Right of Conscription, removing this prisoner to my custody."

That was a huge shock. I was prepared for execution, imprisonment, torture, starvation... then Duncan said that simple seven-word phrase, "I am invoking my Right of Conscription", and all of those fears were gone. I was speechless.

"Damn—all right, Warden. I cannot challenge your right; just get this elf out of Denerim. Today."

The group marched away, grumbling.

Duncan turned to me. He said, "Say your goodbyes; we need to leave as soon as we can."

Still in shock, I muttered, "Okay... I understand."

Shaking my head, I turned to Soris.

"I guess this is goodbye, cos... Thank you. You lied to save me, and because of you, I'm not being dragged off to the dungeons. You really are a hero, aren't you?"

"I try."

"Are you going to see Shianni before you go?"

"Of course I am. Bye, Soris. Hope we can meet again under happier circumstances."

I talked a bit to Valendrian. Mostly it was just "'Goodbye, Elder','Goodbye, child'."

Then I walked past the vhenadahl to my house. Or at that point, my former house. My father was standing outside.

"If this is the Maker's plan, then good luck," he told me. Your mother would have been proud."

"Goodbye, Father. Maker watch over you."

"And the same for you. Be strong. We'll all miss you."

Blinking back tears, I continued into the house.

Valora was standing near the front, and she called Nesiara to talk to me, after thanking me for all I'd done. Nesiara addressed me.

"So. Not getting married after all."

I smiled weakly. "Probably would've been worth it, honestly. But hey! I get to 'see the world'!"

"Maybe. Maybe not. But you were very brave. Good luck. I won't forget all you've done for me and everyone. Your cousin wants to see you before you go." She walked past me out the door.

Cautiously, I walked across the room toward the nook where Shianni was.

"I heard you took responsibility for what happened. That is amazing," she said.

"Are you kidding?" I laughed. "I just did it because Soris wouldn't last a day in the dungeons. But seriously, how are you holding up?"

"I'd be lying if I said I was fine, but I am holding up. No one knows exactly what happened except you two. I don't want people treating me differently."

"I understand."

"But what you did—that was above and beyond what anyone would call reasonable. To save me, you cut through a dozen well-armed guards with nothing more than bloodstained wedding clothes and a few borrowed weapons. And there you were, saving me at the darkest moment, fire in your eyes and blades in your hands."

She paused.

"Re... make us proud out out there."

"Believe me, I'm going to try. Hopefully I can see you guys again someday."

"Maker watch over you."

I slowly walked out the door, down the street, past the vhenadahl, and stood before Duncan.

"I'm ready to go," I said quietly.

"Good," he responded. "Then we leave for Ostagar at once."


AN: Thanks to Pintsizedpsycho and Darkly Tranquil for the reviews!


AN 2: Of what I've written so far, the line I most wish was actually in the game is by far "YOU FUCKING SHEMLEN BASTARD!"