Dragon Age: A Bard's Love
Chapter 10
The visit to Redcliffe Castle was short lived, it seemed as if the moment they entered the grand hall Arl Eamon was already ready for them, dressed in exquisite Arl apparel, his guards at his side and at attention, their faces hidden behind deep and dark helmets. That was it? A long trip nearly a month long and all the Arl needed was for them to take 1 step into the hall for him to proceed to Denerim for the Landsmeet?
That was one major pet peeve Cogdale had of nobility, he hated it when he was raised by his kin and he hated it now. He held back the major urge to punch Eamon into oblivion the entire trip back to Denerim. Cogdale was ordered to be at the right hand side of the Arl the entire trip, separating him from the rest of his friends. Not even Alistair was allowed to be at the front of the convoy. Even though Arl Eamon's goal was noble and honorable he still was selfish. Something Cogdale never had or lost the past year giving his life for Ferelden's protection.
It only took another 3 weeks to arrive back in Denerim, Everyone settled into Eamon's Estate in the city. It was a nice change from the cold bitter wilderness they had come to assimilate with during their adventures. The warmth of several fireplaces throughout the estate brought a new skin tone to everyone including Cogdale. Memories of his past were brought back when he saw elven servants working around the hall. Running around his family's manor with his brother as children was the only happy memory he had, or could remember. That was something he hadn't been doing very much; remembering.
The past 3 months were making new memories, but he hadn't reminisced of what had made him him. Although Cogdale loathed his upbringing he loved his family. His father was a strong and bold man, one who was written in books as a knight, a vassal and a loyal servant to the Couslands. His mother was the most caring, loving woman he had ever met, she comforted him through the sprained knees and the cut elbows and she taught him every form of chivalry that was created. Which in the end proved useless, he never met a woman he could preform said chivalrous acts to. And unlike many marriages of nobility in Ferelden, his parents' was one of love and not arrangement or planning.
Cogdale was told his father's tale of meeting his mother. His father was only but a young boy not even 12 when one fateful day while playing around in Denerim during the many visits to the city he bumped into a young girl who was playing around with the courtyard flowers. They became best of friends. When his dad returned to Denerim every 4 months, he would find her and they would adventure around the city. They still knew each other into adulthood and when Cogdale's father was nearing his Oath to Vassalage, he realized he had fell in love with his friend. Trying several attempts to let her know his feelings and humiliatingly failing at all of them.
Until one day she admitted her love. Some what ironic to how Cogdale and Leliana came to together. But even that, Cogdale knew his spontaneous love with Leliana was speeding too fast. He had been blinded by the moments with her and needed to focus on the more serious threat. The Blight.
The Landsmeet was to be held in the next 2 days giving the group some time to rest and not travel so much. But it wasn't like they could get off easy. Cogdale was consulted by Eamon to gain some evidence against Loghain, the best bet for some would be the Alienage. Cogdale decided to go alone on this investigation, everyone deserved to rest in warm beds. Convincing Leliana this was difficult and both of their stubbornness clashed heads. Cogdale in the end prevailed, with help from Wynne and Alistair.
Cogdale was greeted by hundreds of people who had been told the stories the lone Grey Wardens had done in Ferelden. He didn't like crowds and got easily stressed when in the center of them. Denerim's militia had to pry the people's hands off of Cogdale's armor, now smeared by kiss marks and dirty hands. Nothing that Wynne couldn't get out. The guard at the Alienage entrance only nodded as he pulled the doors open for him. The smell alone from the Alienage could knock out a darkspawn. Not wanting more attention from the elves, Cogdale equipped his helmet to hide his identity.
The Alienage was utterly a mess, supposedly from riots the elves had started months before. But Cogdale's intuition said otherwise. As he finally crossed the bridge he was greeted by the sight of a crowd of elves protesting a group of Magi who were blocking one of the buildings. Being a human didn't really put his image as one of a helping sort. Several elves spotted the armored human approach them.
"Oh great more shems to take away our family members!" one shouted "Go back to your fancy home or we'll knock you out cold!" another followed. Cogdale put his hands up, he didn't want to be rushed again by a more hostile crowd of angry elves. Several elves saw his gesture as a sign of peace the inebriated ones however didn't want anyone new in the Alienage. A chalice still full of ale slammed right into Cogdale's helmet. The bitterness made Cogdale try his best to spit out any from his helmet without exposing himself.
"You! Good knight come here!" one of the Magi shouted waving Cogdale over. Cogdale approached the man as he tried to hold off the children from running into the building. "Why are you here? We didn't ask for any more help" he said throwing an elven child into the crowd. He turned to Cogdale awaiting an answer from him. Cogdale didn't say anything and only shrugged. The mage was upset from the gesture and angrily shoved another elf away as he watched Cogdale converse with one of the elves.
"Whats happening?" Cogdale asked one of the elves, she seemed smart and had red hair. The elf turned and instantly scowled at Cogdale once she noticed he was a human. "What?" she said with an unpleasant tone. "We don't need more shems causing more pain here" she said shoving Cogdale away with all her might. Correcting his balance Cogdale asked again "Whats happening?" The elf lowered her hands and rested her face seeing that Cogdale wasn't like the other humans.
"Ever since this supposed plague hit the alienage and these mages came to help cure it our family members are disappearing." she said pointing toward the building. "Whenever one of us goes in there to get cured they never come back." Cogdale took a long look at the building the mages were guarding. Something wasn't right about the scene. He walked up to the mage who he had shrugged off earlier to speak to him.
"What are you doing to these elves?" he asked. The mage only shrugged and continued to be hostile towards any elf who tried to get passed him. The other mage completely ignored him a smirk permanently marking the edge of his mouth. If Cogdale couldn't get the mages' side of the story he might as well take sides with the elves. As he turned to walk back to the elves he noticed an alley that could lead a way behind the hospice. He took it and found an unhygienic greeting from several rats. He kicked them off his boots and continued on down the alley. Turning the corner Cogdale found an elf wearing silverite armor.
"Who...Who are you!" he said clumsily taking his large blade off his back. "I don't mean you any harm elf" Cogdale said, again his hands up. The elf's grip was shaking extremely fast, his stare widened and exposed his emaciated look. Cogdale walked into the light for the elf to see him. But the elf still kept the blade in hand as it wobbled left and right.
"Calmed down, I only want to get in the building to see what is happening to the elves" Cogdale said as he took a step forward. "Sorry, I.I..I can't let you do that!" he said nervous as he was the elf still showed courage... or idiocy. "You really willing to give your life for these men?" Cogdale threatened the elf, although not his style of convincing someone it seemed to work as the elf dropped his sword and ran off without saying anything.
The door was unlocked, slowly opening it Cogdale finally saw the culprit of the entire farce. Tevinter soldiers, more specifically Tevinter Slave traders. He knew what they looked like he had read about their operations in books from authors who were elves that claimed they did still did their slave trade which always came with the author's crude illustration of them. But what really stood out was their weaponry, saw blades. Something that Cogdale's own sword was designed after. These men were well trained in combat as well.
But Cogdale had the best thing on his side, the element of surprise. The Tevinter men were to busy playing a board game to notice the back door slowly open. Cogdale finally had the opportunity to use his throwing daggers which were getting pretty dusty on his belt. He slowed down his breath to steady his hand and aim. The guards laughing from a naughty joke one of them had told. Cogdale quickly released both daggers from his fingers as they found their way into the mens' necks. Both sprayed blood at each other, covering their board in the red liquid. Cogdale eased his stance and walked up to the dead men and ripped his daggers out of their jugulars. Turning his gaze behind him Cogdale found another hallway down to a lone door. Deciding to take it, his boots leaving a distinct clanging sound as they hit the floor.
The hallway was decorated by bloody marks and weapon damage. The next door was already opened and the sound of voices chattering echoed from the room. Still the element of surprise was on his side. Cogdale unsheathed his blade and planned out his path of attack from what he could hear from the room.
Cogdale bursted through the door catching all 4 tevinter men off guard as they stumbled from the shock of a well armored knight bursting into the room, sword full swing. The closest one ended quickly as Cogdale's blade chopped into his neck. Another spin and the blade unlatched from the 1st guard and found itself stabbing into the gut of one of the men who was sitting down. He only gurgled an indescribable word and fell backwards off his chair. The 2 remaining guards were at the other end of the table and were setting themselves for Cogdale's blade. Cogdale jumped over the table causing cutlery and dishes to fly in the air as a way for a distraction. Both men fell as his blade slashed their ankles followed by him slamming his heel into their skulls. Yet again not his style of fighting but it proved successful for the moment.
Knowing the ruckus he had caused, Cogdale set his daggers again to be thrown as a lone guard entered the room. Cogdale kept to the shadows until he could almost touch the man's neck. He abruptly ended the man's life as he dug the dagger into his neck. Trying to quiet the man down Cogdale hushed the man to the maker. So far so good, but still no proof of what they were doing to the elves. The complex was deeper then he thought though so continued to go through it. From the looks of it, the slavers had been in the alienage for months. Furniture and prizes riddled the walls and floors. But poorly placed since slavers didn't really have a sense of design when it came to whipping people to death, why have it for furnishing a big building?
A sound of footsteps clammered in front of him, Cogdale steadied himself yet again. But they weren't of more tevinter men. Elves who were emaciated and fear plagued their emotions. Cogdale sheathed his sword and grabbed one of them.
"Can you tell me where I can find any of your friends?" Cogdale asked, but the elf only shivered from the torment he had endured. "Could you at least point me in the direction? any of you?" They pointed down the hallway they had just left. "Thanks, now get out of here, I don't know how long until they realize some of their men aren't at their posts." he said advancing down the hall. The hall had several doors on both sides but 1 at the end that seemed to be a important one. Cogdale entered the room to be greeted by several tevinter men, too many to count and a tevinter magi. They had been waiting for him.
Behind the mage were elves in cages and crates being ready to be shipped. Just as Cogdale thought, slavers. Cogdale then realized there was another 2 guards with swords at either ends of his throat. Cogdale submitted and dropped his sword. The men escorted him down the steps to the front of the mage and shoved him to his knees.
"So, the great Grey warden has found our little slaving operation here has he?" the mage snorted twirling his staff. Cogdale didn't answer. "Oh don't play coy young warden! I know you came here for the elves." Cogdale still fell silent and only stared at the mage who was dressed in red garments, nothing Cogdale had ever seen on a mage before. The mage cracked his staff across Cogdale's helmet, knocking it off.
"As I suspected, young." the blades that were still pressed against his neck pressed deeper releasing some blood. Cogdale winced at the pinch of pain. "Now, what shall I do with this, Loghain has put a pricey reward for your head but if I were to give him you alive I could be rewarded even more then just getting rid of the elves for him." the mage said running his fingers through his beard. "Oh I'm quite rude, before I give you to Loghain I must introduce myself shouldn't I? I' am Caladrius." Cogdale remained resilient and kept quiet.
"This grows quite cumbersome, I will make you talk" he said starting a fire in his palm and a grin on his face. The men all watched as he crept closer towards Cogdale, flame glaring towards his face. They all began to laugh as the spell scorched Cogdale's cheek. "Now talk, tell me where the rest of your group is" he said through his teeth. Cogdale didn't talk and took another face full of fire, thankfully a spell of fire wasn't as damaging as the real thing.
"Tell me!" Caladrius shouted setting his whole arm ablaze to slam into Cogdale. "I'm not whispering a word" Cogdale said spitting at Caladrius' face. Cogdale felt a warm stream of blood run down his face yet it cooled down his burns bringing a sudden sense of peace and content to him.
Suddenly several of Caladrius' men fell to the ground, arrows in their chests. "WHAT?!" Caladrius shouted as he looked up to see the culprit. "Who are you!?" Cogdale turned to see it was Leliana. He hadn't been so glad that she didn't stay at the estate. "You want to know where we are? Well here we are!" Leliana shouted as she flipped over the railing down to Cogdale's floor. She handed him his blade. Alistair and Wynne came running in as well and ready for a fight.
"Shit!" Caladrius shouted as he tripped over one of the corpses of his guard. Cogdale wiped his blood off his forehead, smearing it on his armor. "Glad to see you Lily but I had it under control" Cogdale said followed by a grin. "From what I saw you were about to be knocked out cold.... well burned anyways" Leliana laughed.
"Enough of this!" Caladrius shouted as he threw a spell at the group. Wynne did her best to block the sudden wave and grunted from the impact. Alistair hit Caladrius with his own magic, one of the templars disabling Caladrius from any other spells. "No more magic show for you." Most of the men in the room charged the 4 of them but were met by a barrage of arrows launched by Leliana simultaneously. The last 2 stumbled out of the room screaming. Leaving only Caladrius.
"Hold on! Hold on! Maybe we could make a deal!" he desperately said trying to stop Cogdale's advance on him. Cogdale stopped his approach. "I'm listening" Cogdale said waiting to see what the mage could think up. "I can give you the agreement documents Loghain signed to take slaves from this alienage. In trade for my life!" he said his hand between him and Cogdale showing fear.
"Don't trust him Cogdale, he is a tevinter mage and a slaver no less, they have no morales and will betray anyone for their own self gain." Wynne said crossing her arms. Wynne knew best and it seemed Leliana and Alistair agreed.
"I'm sorry but I can't let you live with what you've done" Cogdale said finishing the mage with a brutal decapitation through the floor. "We'll find the documents ourselves" Cogdale said Leliana nodded and went to search all the furniture in the room as did Alistair and Wynne. Cogdale stared at Caladrius' corpse for several more seconds seeing the last amount of blood gush out from his body. Every body he watched die made him more and more sadistic in some way, he just kept it inside him, trying to hide the effects. But sooner or later he would be as mad as a darkspawn, the one thing he feared for himself.
"Found it!" Alistair said as he waved in the air like a little boy. Alistair snapped Cogdale from his thoughts and brought him back to his senses. "Alright lets get back to Eamon. This should be enough to get the Landsmeet on our side." Cogdale said going out the door that he had entered. Without the Lead slaver the slaving operation here would wither and die and the Alienage could get the time to rebuild and hopefully have a chance to flourish.
"How did you find me?" Cogdale asked Alistair, as the blond bastard caught up with him. "Oh! Some weird, shaky, paranoid elf told us a human dressed in AMAZING armor had threatened him and entered the building we only had to guess it was you so we entered ourselves... through the front door, those mages were bit stringy if you get my drift." He said nudging Cogdale with a chuckle.
"Just wanted to say thank you for rescuing me" he said putting his helmet back on as they left the compound and back out to the crowd. "You people won't have to worry about those men no longer" Cogdale said as the crowd cheered. But the document was more important then receiving praise so they quickly left the alienage. Although several elven children followed them all the way to the gates, some even gripping onto their legs for the ride. Cogdale didn't mind and went along with it. There were only few things in the world that brought a smile to Cogdale and children are one of them along with Leliana.
After walking through the back streets the group arrived back at the Market District, the crowd that had swarmed them before was gone and only merchants were out. A sense of relief rushed over Cogdale that one thing he didn't want, a crowd of citizens wanting attention. Just to be careful though they ran to the estate. With document still in hand Cogdale rushed up to Eamon's room, hopefully he could get a good night's rest for the next 2 days the Landsmeet will need him and everyone's full endurance knowing Loghain has gained a foothold with the nobles.