Of course, I must thank everyone who favourited/followed but my biggest thanks of course goes to my fantastic reviewers: Melysande, FenZev, Musicalrain, likarian and Eve Hawke.
Disclaimer: I do not own DA:O or any of its characters. I do however own all of my own characters and my own little nation of Nileesa.
Let battle commence!
Chapter 9: Redcliffe's Stand
The silence in the village was very telling of the nerves which were rippling through her men. Many of them had no experience of fighting save their struggles for their lives these past few days, and it had been a true trial by fire. The arrival of Arria's group had lessened their unease, but they were under no illusions of the monumental task which lay before them. 48 men had started the battle the previous night, and only 17 had survived, eight of which were trained knights; if the numbers continued to dwindle at such a rate then Redcliffe would be wiped out tonight. Including the reinforcements which came about from the Wardens' arrival, as well as convincing Dwyn to join the battle, it brought them to 27, 28 if you included Carou. Could the small difference in numbers really turn the tides of their fortunes? They were praying that was the case.
Arria surveyed the village from on high and saw the militia ready and waiting. Sten, Morrigan and Carou were down there with them, hopefully providing just enough force to help the militia hold should the main attack come from the lake. Only the bonfire in the plain outside the Chantry was lit, allowing the militia to see their way while her forces on the hillside were hidden in the cover of darkness. Two pyres were ready to be lit by arrow when the attack began, but until then they needed to keep their presence a secret. She turned to look at those behind her: Alistair, Rod and Elissa were talking quietly amongst themselves, going over the last details of their plan while Leliana was keeping lookout for the beginnings of the attack. They had been told by Murdock of the unnatural mist which preceded the undead horde, and they were hoping that tonight would be no different. Ser Perth and his men, as well as Dwyn and his two bodyguards were with them, but it was only a small band up fighters in the heights of the village. 7 knights, a dwarf and two swordsmen were not much, but unlike the rest of the village they were trained. She prayed she was right in assuming bulk of the attack would strike them before it came from the lake.
Alistair caught her eye and he wandered over to her, Rod and Elissa accompanying him. A rumble overhead broke through the quiet surroundings and the first drops of rain fell. "Oh wonderful, just what we need on top of everything else," muttered Alistair.
"It wouldn't be a good old fashioned, against the odds, life or death battle without the customary rain," added Rod.
Elissa scowled. "Since when would you know about life or death battles? As far as I'm aware you've only ever had one and that was with me at Castle Cousland, and thankfully it wasn't raining that day."
"And it wasn't raining when I faced mine," whispered Arria, hoping that the others wouldn't read too much into it. While Rod and Elissa didn't it heightened Alistair's curiosity slightly, wondering if that was where she learned her leadership skills.
The rain began pouring down and it was quite evident it had no intention of stopping any time soon. Everyone was completely soaked through within half a minute. Alistair turned his attention to the pyres on either side of the path leading down from the cliffs. "Will the pyres still light?"
"They should do," answered Elissa. "I've done this before, and we doused them heavily with oil just in case of rain like this. It might take a couple of goes to get it going, but it will light."
"Arria!" The young Warden faced Leliana at her shout and shifted her attention to where the Bard was pointing: a green haze had consumed the bridge leading from the castle. The time had come.
"Positions!" shouted Arria and a mad scramble began around her as everyone found where they were meant to be. She drew her blades and took cover behind one of the barricades. Alistair and Roderick were next to Leliana and Elissa, ready with a stone and their blades: preparing to light their arrows. The rest of their forces were standing to attention but were silent, waiting for Arria's signal. It was a silent and tense few minutes before she finally heard it. Footsteps and the clank of loose armour. Peering through the gaps in the wood she waited until they grew closer: they couldn't afford to miss and give away their advantage. She raised a single blade when the steps grew louder, signalling Alistair and Roderick. The two men had set up their shields to stop the rain from soaking the baskets at the girls' feet and brought the stones down upon their blades, creating sparks and letting them rain down on the kindling inside. Once the fires were lit they picked up their shields and took up position either side of Arria behind the barricade, waiting for the next move.
The female Warden shot a meaningful look to her two companions further back, and both women nodded before nocking their, now alight, arrows. She kept her blade raised as she waited for the first of the undead to show themselves, hoping that their plan would still work despite the pouring of rain. As a group of ten came charging down the hillside Arria brought her dagger down sharply, and both Leliana and Elissa let loose their arrows. Each arrow struck home and lit the pyres mounted up the sides of the path, and as they burned it set fire to the trail set in place from each side. The flames followed the paths of oil-drenched hay which met in the centre, timed such that as the skeletons came across the path, they were caught in the blaze and then set alight. The creatures screamed in agony as the darkness was broken and the two archers continues to fire, bringing down the defenceless creatures. Arria, Alistair and Roderick all left their defensive positions and placed themselves at the bottom of the incline, waiting for the first of the second wave to come forth.
The wall of flames burnt out quickly due to the rain, but they were ready as the next group burst through. Arria kicked and slashed away at several skeletons as both Alistair and Roderick used their shields to force some back while felling others with their swords. With Arria cutting down anything that came near her and the two men pushing back what tried to flank her, not many slipped past the trio. What did was felled either by Elissa and Leliana's arrows or by Ser Perth and his knights. Dwyn and his men were keeping as far back from the fight as they could, unwilling to step in until it was necessary. It soon became evident that whatever undead came from the cliffs were not going to prove a real threat to the village below.
The real threat to the village was just beginning to take shape.
Arria heard barking in the distance and recognised it as Carou. "Ser Perth!" she shouted as she stepped back from the fight, bringing Alistair and Roderick with her and allowing the knights to enter the fray. With greater numbers fighting their cause it allowed Arria to run to the decking and see below to the jetties. A much larger number of the creatures were beginning their attack: numbers far higher than Arria was told to expect. Muttering a few curses under her breath she yelled out instructions to her forces. "Lissa, Leliana, go!" The two women nodded and ran off to their new positions. "Ser Perth, hold the line: do not let those monsters through! Alistair, Rod, let's go!" With their new instructions all concerned parties set about their new tasks. Dwyn and his men finally entered the fray, replacing the losses of Arria, Alistair and Roderick. As they sprinted down the hill they saw Leliana begin firing from her position over the wooden bridge leading from the wharf while Elissa ran to her new perch in front of the tavern. They were in tactically beneficial positions, but well out of range of the fighting. That was what Arria wanted: to keep them out of immediate danger. If trouble headed their way their way they would have more than enough time to see it.
When the trio of reinforcements arrived the main horde of the skeletons were engaging the militia. Morrigan was casting spells from upon the Chantry steps while Sten and Carou were slowing the advance of more aggressors. Roderick went to stop Morrigan from being overwhelmed as the undead soldiers realised her as the source of the magic while Alistair and Arria rushed into the heart of the fight to defend Teagan and Murdock. The mayor's lack of experience showed and he pulled back to let the two Wardens take over as the leaders of the defence. Arria directed the forces to try and push the skeletons back and allow the archers to pick them off without the danger of hitting their own forces. As Teagan fell back to catch his breath, he spied one route into the square they had failed to close off. "Wardens!" he shouted, directing them to the street which passed alongside the Chantry. There was no danger of the Chantry itself being attacked from that angle: the front doors were now its only major weakness. What was a real danger, was that they could be out-numbered and out-flanked.
"Alistair, with me!" she cried and the male Warden didn't even hesitate in following the command. The pair of them charged into the street just as a new wave of hit, throwing them straight into a dangerous fight. They swiftly moved back-to-back, not allowing the undead fiends to flank them as they cut them down. It seemed the two lone Wardens were much more appealing targets than the militia for barely any of the skeletons joined the fray in the square: just what they were hoping for. As the numbers grew around them however, they realised they needed a desperate move to stop themselves from being overwhelmed. In this position none of their archers could help them. They were on their own.
Alistair didn't bother asking questions as Arria moved towards the wall of the building and concentrated on keeping the skeletons back. "Alistair, swing!" she directed, taking a small run up the side of the wall once he had freed his hand and latched on. As she peaked, he threw her around into a flying kick, snapping the necks of all those she came into contact with. When she landed she redrew her weapons and hacked her way through, Alistair bouncing some in her direction off his shield. Arria was forced to throw one of her daggers as a skeleton nearly managed to flank him. She slid underneath several of them to recover it, allowing Alistair the opportunity to cut them down. Her blade recovered, she resumed her merciless assault.
An explosion from nearby rocked the ground and distracted the skeletons long enough for the two Wardens to finish them off. It seemed things had escalated to the point where Morrigan had to use their back-up plan of setting fire to several barrels of oil, sealing off the lower bridge. Leliana moved from her now redundant position and joined Elissa next to the tavern. Alistair spied more skeletons heading towards them from the square, but soon realised they carried no swords, they carried something worse. "Arria!" he shouted, pulling his female companion in close as he swung his shield upon his back and turned away from them. Arria was initially surprised by the move but soon realised what he had done when she felt the impacts of the arrows into his shield. As soon as they had landed, Arria threw both her daggers over his shoulder and felled two of the skeletons. In the confusion, the last two undead paused in reloading their crossbows, allowing the two Wardens to charge in and bring them down: Arria with a spinning kick while Alistair decapitated the other.
The pair re-joined the main struggle as the rain finally began to ease off, as if to signal the end of the fight was near. Gradually less of the skeletons were joining the fight, allowing Arria's forces to continue pushing them back and be picked off by the archers above. Elissa and Leliana had decided to enter the main fray and left their perch from beside the tavern. Elissa had joined Roderick and Morrigan on the Chantry steps while Leliana had switched to her daggers and began helping Sten and Carou keep back the new arrivals until the militia had cleared enough of them to reduce the danger.
Ser Perth and his knights arrived soon after, and with the extra help the undead were reduced until Alistair finally cut the last one down. Everyone paused as they listened carefully, waiting to see when the next wave would come, but none did. They waited for the best part of two minutes before Teagan finally announced what they had been waiting to hear. "We are victorious!"
The cheer from the villagers was deafening, but unsurprising given none of them had held any realistic hope of making it through the night. Teagan swiftly found Alistair and embraced him heartily, the two men laughing together at what had been accomplished. Morrigan and Sten removed themselves from the celebrations before they could be crowded by the villagers as Carou began bouncing next to Leliana, who hugged him tightly. Roderick swept Elissa into his arms and kissed her soundly and she willingly surrendered to him, with both pouring all their relief into that single kiss.
Arria watched the joyous scenes with a smile, relieved that it was finally over, but she couldn't help the sadness that crept into her heart. She wished that this could have been what she awoke to after falling unconscious in Merlinne: celebrations of a victory, not mourning being among the last of her people. Of sharing that joy with her family and friends rather than wishing they had found a painless death and a swift journey to the Maker. A lone tear escaped her eyes but she didn't want to brush it away. It was time to face what had happened and move on from it: she had the beginnings of a new life now, and she couldn't hang onto what could, and maybe should, have been. She wandered over to the steps of the Chantry and dropped onto them, the strength in her body fading fast. Now that the battle was over the adrenaline was leaving her still recovering form. She still had not regained all her stamina, though it would take a lot more than a week to undo 8 months of damage.
Alistair saw her sitting on the Chantry steps and left the celebrations to join her. "You okay?" he asked as he sat down.
"I'm fine, just tired," she answered with a smile. "Thanks for the save."
"Well, I wasn't very well going to let you die, now was I?" He noticed the spark start to dim in her eyes and pulled her in to lay her head on his shoulder. "Rest, Arria. We're safe." She gone by the time he finished his sentence.
Elissa and Rod came over with smiles on their faces but Elissa' faded slightly when she saw Arria's slumped form. "Is she...?"
"Asleep, not hurt. She gave that fight everything she had."
"She was a sight to behold, that for sure," stated Rod as his grip around Elissa's waist tightened. He still had not let go of her since then end of their fight.
"It worries me how easily she tires, I just can't work it out," questioned Alistair as he stroked her hair. The affectionate gesture wasn't missed by Roderick, who smiled pointedly at Alistair. The Warden ignored the look, still trying to sort through his own feelings.
"It isn't surprising after having been at Howe's mercy for 8 months. It's a sheer miracle she has any fight left."
"Wh-What?" spluttered Alistair with wide eyes at Elissa.
The black-haired woman clamped her hands over her mouth, not realising that she had just revealed one of Arria's secrets. "She hadn't told you?" Alistair shook his head. "What do you know of what happened to her?"
"Nothing, apart from that she was Howe's prisoner. Has she…told you…?"
"No, but I knew some of it from my father, he had hoped to someday help her."
"Your father knew that Howe had Arria captive any did nothing to help her?" seethed Alistair. He couldn't believe what he was hearing.
"It wasn't as simple as Arria just being his prisoner, Alistair. There were other…complications. I will say this though: I would have killed myself long before I suffered what she did at Howe's hands. Honestly, I have no idea how she lived through it."
"Almost makes you wonder how much of her did survive that ordeal," stated Roderick, and Alistair's blood ran cold at the truth of that statement. He had barely found out anything of Arria, and hadn't really got to know her. There was still so much she was keeping locked away, and he thought it was maybe time to push a little harder. Reeling from the revelation Alistair picked Arria up gently and took her inside the Chantry to rest properly.
Teagan soon joined the young couple and looked around confused. "Where are our Wardens? I could have sworn I saw Alistair here a few seconds ago."
Roderick was the one who answered, Elissa's joyful mood having disappeared at Alistair's angry outburst. "He took Arria inside: she had passed out from exhaustion and he wanted to make sure she was all right. I imagine he will stay with her till she awakens."
Teagan's eyes widened. "Is she not well?"
"No, Arria only joined the Wardens at Ostagar, and for the months before that she had been a captive. She had still not recovered from the ordeal."
The Bann looked behind them to the doors of the Chantry. "From the way she holds herself, you would never know it."
"Yes, I think she almost plays the part a bit too well," added Elissa. "She would have everyone around her fooled if she could, but someday she has to face this. Ignoring what happened isn't going to change that it did." Alistair, I hope you can get the truth out of her, because she needs to say it almost as much as you need to hear it.
Arria spun and stepped out lightly, allowing the other guard to trip over her foot and fall flat on his back. Before he had the chance to recover she had her blades poised at his throat and stomach, effectively ending the fight. He yielded before she helped him up, throwing a smirk and a wink to the rest of his battalion who swiftly backed away, not wanting to be defeated by the young Dancer yet again. She skipped over to the man leaning back in his chair and delicately sat next to him as the rest of the soldiers began to train amongst themselves. "You know Arri, it really doesn't help my men's confidence when you manage to take them down in two hits."
"If they were really your men, and you had trained them, I wouldn't be able to do that then, would I?" she chirped back to her mentor's unimpressed face. "Oh lighten up Garros, I'm only having a bit of fun with them. If you don't want to whip them into shape I could always do it," giving him a wink as she finished her sentence.
Garros simply looked at her. "Hmm, now there's an idea. I could put the fear into them by duelling you."
"Not a chance in hell I'm going to duel you."
"Oh? Since when have you backed down from a challenge?"
"Since I don't care to get my arse handed to me on a silver platter. I know when I'm completely out of my league."
Garros smirked at her as he ruffled her hair, eliciting an annoyed squawk out her. She playfully glared at him before kicking away the leg of his chair, unsurprised when he stretched out a hand beneath him and used a foot on another chair to break his fall and keep him suspended. "That trick is really getting old, Arri."
"I don't think so, after all you are the one who used to use it on me mercilessly when I was younger. I'm just getting my own back."
"Touché. So, how has your first month as a Captain been?"
"Scary. I'm not sure I like the leading part so much."
"But the kicking about trainees is good fun."
"Oh yeah, I almost wonder if I'm getting too much of a kick out of it."
"Nah, it was my favourite part about being a Captain."
"Until you managed to get yourself promoted to being protector of King Mallos."
"What can I say? I'm just that good."
Arria snorted. "And now I know why you never kicked the attitude out of Tomerre: you've got it too."
"Nothing wrong with a little pride, just don't let it blind you."
Arria smiled at the man she thought of as an older brother, still amazed at the wisdom he showed. He may only be 30, but he spoke like a man who had commanded armies in wars and won. Although having grown up under his care, she knew that was how he had always been: a wise head on young shoulders. He had done his best to teach her that side of life, but raised her to always see the fun side too. Joining him in the guards had been the best decision she had ever made, of that she was sure, and not just because she got to be reunited with the man who had taught her everything she knew.
"It's the Black Captain! Run!" Both Arria and Garros turned away from each other to look at the soldiers training; or at least where the soldiers used to be. They had all run off in fear at the lone figure walking towards them, with a decidedly unimpressed look. Arria managed to keep a straight face for all of three seconds before she burst out laughing, fortunate that the man glaring at her had such a soft spot for the Dancer otherwise she would have been at the receiving end of a rather large knock to the head. Even Garros chuckled quietly.
"One month? One month and you've managed to terrify all of them? Oh if only they knew they were running away from a man younger than them, it would be priceless!"
"It's not my fault that I'm surrounded by idiots," stated their new arrival blandly. Arria managed to reign in her laughter as Garros stood. "Garros."
"Tomerre. I take it you aren't here just to scare off my recruits?"
"No, King Mallos has sent for you. Something about a potential plot against the royalty by the Crows."
"Crows huh? That bunch of flighty wimps have no right to call themselves assassins." Garros sighed. "I'd best be off. Arri, please try and stop him from scaring off all the guards, it doesn't give a good impression."
Arria mock saluted Garros, at which the older man rolled his eyes and left. She sauntered up to her best friend. "The Black Captain? Seriously?"
"Like I said before, I'm surrounded by idiots. And you haven't put the fear into all of your recruits?"
"Of course I have, but at least my lot know they are getting bossed about by a 19-year-old. Puts a little bit of humility in them, which I doubt I could say for your lot." He looked at her unimpressed. "Come on Merre, my lot beat the crap out of your boys last week, I think you need to start actually training them rather than scaring them off with your scowl."
"Why did I take this job again?"
"So you wouldn't be outdone by little old me?" She got a glare in response. "Still got a long way to go then." The edges of his mouth curled up slightly, at which she chimed, "You're smiling…"
He swiftly went back to scowling. "No, I'm not."
She winked. "Of course you weren't. Oh well, we'd best get back to our battalions. After all, an attack by the Crows would be fun!"
Tomerre snorted. "You aren't happy unless you are kicking the shit out of someone are you?"
"Nope. Come on! Let's go beat up some recruits!"
She ran off, but the scene around her began to swirl and change. The fresh smells of Merlinne were suddenly overcome by thick smoke and the smell of death. Arria coughed and spluttered, going to draw her weapons but soon realising she was unarmed. A shout from behind her caught her attention and she spun around to see Tomerre fighting an ogre on his own on the top of the Summoning Tower. The great beast brought a fist down and she saw Tomerre raise his aura to protect himself, but the beast shattered right through it and crashed upon his raised shield. His scream of agony tore at Arria's heart as she saw his shield roll away and his left arm now hanging uselessly at his side, broken and beyond all use. "Tomerre!" she shouted, attempting to run to his aid but an invisible wall stopped her. She bounced off it time and again as she tried to reach him. "Tomerre!". No matter what she tried, there was no way through, and she could only watch helpless as the beast swatted him away like a toy. Tomerre crashed against a pillar and barely managed to get back to his feet. Arria watched in horror as the ogre prepared to charge, knowing that would be the end of him. "No!" she cried desperately as it began its charge, but before it could connect the Tower exploded around them, killing everything inside.
Arria threw her hand up in front of her, but the scene suddenly changed again. Now she was in the streets of Merlinne itself, unable to stop the burning of the city around her, or the screams of the innocent lives being lost. She felt like crying at what she had just seen, but her heart was about to be torn further as a scream ripped through the air behind her, and it was a sound she never wanted to hear. Arria turned to face Garros, she was but three feet from him, but as before she was pinned in place by an invisible force, forced to watch as the mages around him raised a column of fire, trapping him inside. He screeched in pain as he was set alight inside, all his skills unable to save him from his end.
A scream of heart-wrenching denial tore from her throat as she felt her heart break.
Arria awoke with that same scream of denial as she had let loose in her dream and sat up sharply, prepared to strike at the figure nearby but he caught her hands and shook her. "Arria, it's me!" Alistair urged her as he looked deep into her eyes, seeing the raw grief and pain in them. It took a few seconds for her to come back to reality, but when she did he saw the tears which she was holding back. He brought her in for a tight hug, his own heart hurting at the pain in her eyes. "Don't hold it back, let it out." The dream still too close, she obeyed without fighting and let the tears fall. Some of his own joined hers silently as he let some of his own grief out too. Their victory here tonight had reminded him of which it should have been at Ostagar: a celebration of the end of the horde, had Loghain not betrayed them. His hatred for the man grew at the thought of what his selfishness had stolen away from not only the two of them, but all those he had left to die, and from Ferelden herself. Loghain was going to pay, this he swore.
Arria sat crying for several minutes, but eventually pulled back to look at him with teary eyes. "What..?"
"You passed out after the battle, and I wanted to make sure you were okay. It must be tough, fighting like this again after eight months as a prisoner." Arria's eyes widened as she realised that she hadn't yet told Alistair that. All he knew was what he had figured out. "Lissa let it slip, thinking you would have told me already. Don't you think you should maybe let me in, Arria? I've let you see into me, but I feel like you still won't let me get to know you." Her eyes quickly hit the floor, and it was in that moment he figured it out. "It's not a case of you won't, is it? You can't." She nodded miserably. Alistair sighed deeply, waiting a few moments before her took her cheeks and pressed his forehead against hers gently. Arria closed her eyes at the contact, appreciating his nearness. "Why?"
"I've spent too long running, Alistair," she admitted out loud for the first time. "I've run from my emotions since the day I lost my family and friends, and I don't know how to deal with them anymore. There's just so much there…I don't want to shut you out, I really don't; but I need to figure out what I am feeling first. I just don't know it myself."
Alistair nodded against her and stroked her cheek. "What was it you saw? You were terrified when you came out of it."
"I saw my brother and best friend die before my eyes."
He winced internally. No wonder she was such an emotional wreck. "Memory or nightmare?"
"Both. I had a memory of a joyful moment together before my overactive imagination decided to come up with its own rendition of their deaths. I know how they died, but not any details. If it is anywhere close to my dream though…" she shuddered at the thought that they had both suffered as much as they did.
"Arria, how do you do it?" At his quiet question she opened her eyes to look into his sad ones. "How do you go on after everything that has happened to you?"
She sighed deeply, wondering when this question would come. "My family and friends were murdered, Alistair, and I intend to avenge them or die trying. Of course I now have the Blight to deal with first, but once we have defeated the Archdemon I will find justice for them."
"You sound so sure."
"It's all I have." At his hurt expression she quickly amended the statement. "All I had. I've been alone for so long now that I had almost forgotten what it means to have someone at your side. I need you, Alistair. Please believe that."
He pulled back to kiss her forehead before leaning back completely and giving her a gentle smile. "I do. And I hope you realise that I need you just as much." She nodded with a smile on her face. He brushed away any remains of her tears as he stood up. "Come on, Teagan is waiting for us outside, along with the rest of Redcliffe. You'd better get ready to be worshipped as a hero."
She scoffed. "We haven't saved them yet: we still have to figure out what caused all this."
"Yeah, but we survived the night, and that is an achievement in itself. Let's just enjoy this for now, before the next cataclysmic event comes our way to give us trouble." She giggled as he held out a hand for her. "Ready, my lady?"
She smiled coyly. "Of course, my prince."
He groaned. "I'm going to regret telling you that, aren't I?"
"No, but I can't pass up a perfectly good opportunity to tease you, can I?"
"Just remember that two can play this game."
"Well it's boring if I'm the only one playing." With smiles on their faces, the two Wardens headed to the doors arm-in-arm, prepared to meet Redcliffe.
"People of Redcliffe! We have survived the night, and it is all down to these people beside me. Were it not for their leadership and fighting skills, we surely would have perished. Allow me to present to you those responsible for our survival: I give you the Grey Wardens!" declared Teagan to those gathered outside the Chantry. The roar from the crowd was deafening, and Alistair shyly waved to the crowd as Arria bowed her head before them. To compound their embarrassment, Elissa, Roderick and Leliana were cheering behind them too while Carou bounced around beside Leliana. Arria shot a playful glare to all of them as Teagan called for silence once more. "We may have lost three more lives last night, but thanks to the Wardens and their company, they will not have died in vain. Redcliffe survives to remember them." The Revered Mother then stepped forward to say a prayer in remembrance of all those who had fallen to the undead, and wishing them a safe journey to the Maker. Arria added her own ending to the prayer, hoping for them to have a swift rebirth, though to a better and safer world.
Once the Revered Mother finished her prayer, Teagan once again faced the Wardens. "Alistair, Arria, meet me by the windmill in half an hour. We need to discuss how we will enter the castle. Bring your companions with you, I think we may need all their help to succeed." They both nodded as Teagan left while the crowd dispersed.
The rest of their group joined them. "So, to the castle?" asked Leliana.
"Yeah, let's hope we won't face the same problems we did down here," replied Alistair.
"What is the plan, Warden?" asked Sten. Everyone save Arria and Morrigan looked at him in surprised, this being the first time they had heard the qunari speak of his own volition.
Arria stared hard at the castle. "We are going to save everyone in the castle, just like we did down here. There is too much at stake to fail now."
Phew! What a marathon chapter. As usual, please let me know your thoughts! Action chapters are always tough, but I hope I managed to convey my visions into the text.
Negative Angel