Chapter 4: Betrayal

Castle Highever is under siege! The Cousland's have been deceived and Aurelia must survive the onslaught and find the teyrn. But is she already too late?

Aurelia woke with a start, a feeling of unease settling over her. Moonlight spilled through the windows and a menacing growl drew her attention to the door where Orthos stood alert and battle-ready.

Wary, Aurelia slipped silently out of bed, bare feet noiseless on the cold stone as she reached for her blade. Her fingers curled with familiarity around the hilt as the door burst open and Orthos attacked.

The soldier at the door let out a startled shout and stumbled backward under the heavy weight of the hound, his dagger jarred from his grip as he fell hard to the floor. Aurelia charged after her hound, reaching for the discarded dagger and thrusting her sword sharply to the right. The soldier lying in wait outside her door gasped, axe clattering to the ground at his feet as Aurelia whirled, raising the dagger. The sharp, reverberating sound of metal on metal rang loud in the corridor as she deftly swung her sword in a quick arc, her blade scraping against armor and then flesh.

Torchlight cast flickering shadows on the walls, illuminating the unmistakable emblem on the breastplate of her assailant as he collapsed at her feet.

"Darling!"

Aurelia stared, her gaze fixed on the Howe crest as disbelief warred with rage.

"I heard fighting outside and feared the worst!" her mother gasped, eyeing the carnage with astonishment. "And here I find you, battling soldiers in little more than your… corset! You're fortunate you weren't killed! Are you hurt?"

Aurelia shook her head then froze in dawning trepidation, her eyes lifting to the door ajar across the corridor. "Maker's breath!" she breathed.

Dropping the soldier's dagger, Aurelia hurried to the door and barreled inside.

Aurelia froze, her sword slipping from her grasp as unshed tears blurred her vision.

"No!" cried the teyrna, racing forward and collapsing over Oren's small, bloody figure. Oriana lay nearby, eyes wide and empty.

Struggling for breath, Aurelia's legs buckled beneath her and Orthos whimpered at her side.

"What manner of fiend slaughters innocents?!" her mother sobbed, lifting her grandson's limp body into her arms.

Inhaling a deep, shuddering breath, Aurelia clenched trembling fingers around the hilt of her blade and slowly got to her feet. "Howe," she growled in response.

Eleanor Cousland's gaze snapped to her daughter's in disbelief. "Howe? But… why would he attack us?!"

"We need to find father," Aurelia responded before marching back to her room to dress.

Whatever Howe's excuse, thought Aurelia fiercely, his weasley face filling her mind's eye, it would not save him.

Castle Highever was under siege and through blades and blood, the teyrna and her daughter were swift and merciless in their search for the teyrn.

Bodies lined the corridors and spilled from the chambers. Lady Landra lay in a pool of blood in her doorway, her horrified gaze on the body of her son, Dairren, who had fallen just beyond her reach. Scribe Aldous was slumped in the wide archway of the library, grey eyes startled.

"Listen, darling," the teyrna whispered urgently as they neared the main hall, eyes red-rimmed and voice thick with tears. "If we can't find your father—"

"We'll find father," Aurelia interjected. "And Howe."

"Aurelia—"

"I want him dead!"

The heavy stone of the castle did not conceal the sounds of battle. The clash of swords. The shouts of men.

"Then survive, darling, and visit vengeance upon him!"

I intend to, Aurelia vowed darkly, gripping the hilt of her sword.

"Your Ladyship!" Ser Gilmore gasped, clutching his side. "My lady! You're alive!"

Orthos whimpered.

"You're injured," Aurelia noted with concern.

"It's nothing," he insisted through clenched teeth.

The main hall was littered with bodies, both familiar and not, and several men stood at the gates, battered and weary and resolute.

"Ser Gilmore, have you seen Bryce?"

The knight shook his head. "No, your Ladyship. He told us to hold the hall as long as possible then went out looking for you and Lady Aurelia. It was all we could do to shut the gates."

"Oh, Maker!"

"I believe he thought to find you at the servants' exit in the kitchen."

"Go, find Father," Aurelia told her mother. "I'll help to hold the gates."

"They won't hold!" said Ser Gilmore, frustration raising his voice and curling his brow. "It will only delay the inevitable!"

"No!" Aurelia snapped. "We can fight! We—"

"My lady." Ser Gilmore's voice was grave, his expression resolved. "Please."

Aurelia swallowed hard, shaking her head.

Her mother gently took her by the hand, leading her away. "Come, darling."

"Come with us!" Aurelia breathed.

Ser Gilmore smiled valiantly. "If I do that, my lady, you will not escape before the gates fall."

"Come away, love," the teyrna murmured.

"Maker watch over you, my lady." And with one final bow, Ser Gilmore rejoined his men at the gates.

"On your guard," her mother whispered, pausing at the kitchen door.

Aurelia nodded and Orthos hunched low as she slowly pushed the door open.

"There… you both are… I was wondering… when—"

"Bryce!" The teyrna's blade slipped from her fingers, clattering on the worn stone floor as she and her daughter raced into the kitchen.

Teyrn Cousland sat propped against the far wall, hands clenched at his side, blood oozing thick between his fingers.

Orthos whined.

"Maker's breath!" Aurelia gasped, covering his hands with her own in horror.

"Howe's men… found me first," he rasped, eyes glazed with pain. "Almost… did me in right there."

"Bryce, how did you…?" Tears streaming down her cheeks, the teyrna could not finish her question.

"Duncan… found me. Brought me here."

"Father, we have to get you out of here!"

"I… I won't survive the standing, I think."

Dread turned Aurelia's blood to ice and her determination to stone. "That's not true!" she shouted back. "You'll be fine!"

The teyrn offered his daughter a brave smile as he struggled for breath. "Ah, my darling girl… if only will could make it so."

"I will drag you out if I must," she promised breathlessly, desperately.

Chuckling, he replied weakly, "Only… if you're willing to leave… pieces of me behind, pup."

"Bryce! This is no time for jokes!" the teyrna sobbed. "Once Howe's men break through the gates, they will find us! We must go!"

"Yes," he agreed. "Must… reach Fergus… tell him what has happened…"

"You can tell him yourself, Father," Aurelia snapped, feeding her temper to keep the swelling void in her heart at bay.

"I… wish I could go." He gasped and doubled-over with a groan.

"Bryce, no!" The teyrna took her husband in her arms, stroking the hair from his forehead. "The servants' passage is just here! We can flee together, find you healing magic!"

"The castle… is surrounded… I cannot make it."

"I'm afraid the teyrn is correct."

Startled, Aurelia whirled to her feet, sword at the ready.

"I assure you, my lady," Duncan assured her from the doorway, "I've no intent to harm."

Aurelia slowly lowered her blade.

"Howe's men have not yet discovered this exit," Duncan continued, "but they surround the castle. Getting past will be difficult."

"You are… Duncan, then? The Grey Warden?"

"Yes, your Ladyship."

"Thank you for saving my father."

Duncan's eyes met Aurelia's. "I fear your thanks may be premature."

"Duncan…" the teyrn gasped. "I beg you… take my wife and daughter to safety!"

"No!" Aurelia cried. "I will not abandon you here!"

"Howe thinks he will use this chaos to… advance himself," her father breathed. "Make him wrong, love. See that… justice is done! Our family… always does our duty first. The darkspawn… must be defeated. You must go. For your own sake, and for Ferelden's."

"No," Aurelia whimpered. "No, I won't leave you."

"Darling, go with Duncan," her mother pressed. "I will kill every bastard that comes through that door to buy you time."

"Eleanor…"

"No!" Aurelia persisted, sobbing now. "We can find another way. We can fight!"

"So we all die?" her mother reasoned. "No, darling. You must do what is right. You must warn your brother."

Aurelia shook her head stubbornly, no longer able to speak when a shuddering crash echoed through the halls and corridors of Castle Highever.

"The gates!" the teyrna gasped, eyes wide.

"Duncan!" her father shouted desperately. "Take her!"

The Warden did not hesitate and before Aurelia could react, he set his shoulder to her stomach, lifting her off the floor.

"NO!"

"Goodbye, my darling."

© BioWare