Morrigan's POV
It seemed the minute I was thankful for the silence, more noise started up. We were once again attacked by bandits, and just a few hundred yards away from the gates of Orzammar. Exasperated I flung a spell of lightening at the bandits, accidentally I hit more than just the bandits.
"Morrigan!" Alistair yelled at me, "Lightening hurts!"
I saw I had singed the man's armor and smirked in amusement. A dark black streak went down the back of the Templar's plate.
Although the noise was annoying, it ended soon enough and we were able to head to the front gates of Orzammar. There we saw a man dressed in armor with the sign of Loghain on it arguing with a dwarf. The man had several soldiers around him, the dwarf had two dwarven soldiers behind him, blocking the gates and keeping them shut. The dwarf, although short, seemed very strong. He had a full dark brown beard and hair braided in rows that were tightly bound to his head. It was a hairstyle similar to that of Sten's.
"Wynne, Sten, Alistair," the Warden said, their attention was now directed at the Warden, "Browse the shops, keep an eye out. We may be having a battle momentarily. This man does not look like a supporter of the Wardens."
Wynne, Sten, and Alistair all obeyed and disappeared to browse the shops. I felt a smug warmth in my chest. I was proud that the Warden had chosen me to remain by him.
"King Loghain will not suffer the delay of his appointed messenger!" the man exclaimed.
"Vieta. This land is held in trust for the sovereign dwarven kings. I cannot allow entry at this time," the dwarf replied. His voice was rough and powerful. I found myself intrigued by him.
"King Loghain demands allegiance of the deshyr, or lords, or whatever you call them in your Assembly. I am his appointed messenger!"
"I don't care if you're the king's wiper," the dwarf said in response, "Orzammar will have nothing, but its own until our throne is settled."
The Warden decided this was a good time to interrupt. He stood as tall and as proudly as he could. The Warden looked strong and trustworthy. It was outstanding that he was able to bring forth these thoughts just by his appearance.
"I have urgent need to talk to your king," the Warden said.
"Who doesn't? If I don't get in, no one should," the messenger angrily said.
I saw Zevran shift uneasily and he maneuvered his way between Loghain's messenger and the Warden. The assassin had his hand hovering above the handle of a dagger on his hip.
"Orzammar has no king," the gatekeeper said to the Warden, "Endrin Aeducan returned to the stone, not three weeks ago, sick of the loss of his sons. The Assembly has gone through dozens of votes without agreeing on a successor. If it is not settled soon, we risk civil war."
"I am a Gray Warden. This treaty obliges Orzammar to aid me," the Warden said, his kept his voice calm, cool, and collect.
"Wait, who are you to speak for Ferelden?" my gaze returned to the messenger. He seemed to be a naggy man. His hair was greasy and his face, unshaven in an uneven mess. Alistair doesn't shave his face, either, but at least the Templar has the good looks to do so.
The messenger continued, "You're no messenger to Loghain, that's for certain."
"Thank the ancestors," the gatekeeper mutter and the Warden smiled charmingly at the gatekeeper.
"The Gray Wardens need their traditional dwarven allies," the Warden said convincingly, leaning on the proud side of the dwarven nature. The dwarves would be unlikely to say no when their past always said yes. The Warden passed one of the ancient texts my mother managed to save from the Wilds to the gatekeeper.
"The Wardens killed King Cailen!" the messenger exclaimed, "And nearly doomed all of Ferelden! They're sworn enimes of King Loghain!"
"Well that is the royal seal," the dwarf said as he examined the treaty, "That means only the Assembly is authorized to address it. Gray Warden, you may pass."
"You're letting in a traitor? And a foreigner?" the messenger yelled; I saw Zevran grasp his sheathed dagger, "In the name of King Loghain I demand that you execute this… Stain on the honor of Ferelden!"
The Warden glanced at me then at his elf. He then turned to the messenger, his eyes ablaze in frustration and annoyance.
"Run to your king. The dwarves will not hear him today," the Warden growled.
"You… you'll hear of this. King Loghain will see you quartered!" the messenger retreated; his soldiers following him.
"You are free to enter Orzammar, Gray Warden, though I don't know what help you will find," the gatekeeper said. The Warden thanked him as the dwarven guards opened the massive doors into Orzammar.
"Zev, retrieve our companions," the Warden said, "It appears my concern was unnecessary."
We followed the Warden into Orzammar through the Hall of Heroes and the statues of their paragons and into the Commons. The Commons were not so common, however. It was a massive city that left me in awe. The buildings were taller than any tree I had ever seen. They were also ornately decorated and gorgeous with their paragons of the past. The lava kept the area both warm, and lit. It was quite aesthetically pleasing.
Before us stood two dwarves and their lackeys. They argued for a little bit and one accused another of something. That led to a dwarf from behind the man on the left to slicing a dwarf on the right with a large axe. I looked up at the Warden to gauge hid reaction. The Warden looked almost aghast, I would have thought he'd be used to death by now.
Zevran's POV
We were set to stay the night at an inn in the Commons. This night Brenner splurged to get us all our own room, except for me, we were to share as usual.
I walked into our room; it was a long time before anyone was going to plan on sleeping, yet I found Brenner already free from his armor and sitting on the bed. He sat on the bed dejected. I sighed; he was always beautiful, even when he was sad. Removing my leather cuirass I went to my Warden. He eyes flipped upward to look at me. The bright green eyes sent a wave of surprise through me for they were brimmed with tears.
"Meu amor, você está bem?" I spoke in Antivan, asking him if he were okay.
Brenner curled a warm hand around the side of my face and pulled me toward him. His lips latched onto mine desperately. I was never one to turn down a kiss that was until I tasted one of his tears.
"Brenner, speak to me," I whispered as I kissed the teardrops off of his cheeks.
Brenner sighed and said, "I don't want to be a Gray Warden."
Brenner's POV
It was true. Although Zevran looked at me surprised, I wasn't. I had never wanted to be a Warden. I only joined because it was my father's last demand. I didn't want to save the world. I just wanted to be me again. I wanted to Brenner Cousland. I did not want to be the Gray Warden Brenner.
I wanted to live with Zev. I wanted him to meet Fergus, and my nephew. I wanted to watch him play a drinking game with my father, which would lead to my mother scolding the duo. I wanted to take Zevran to Highever, show him the proper ways to stay warm in the cold. All these things I wanted to do, but I knew I wouldn't be able to.
I am a Gray Warden. It is my duty to destroy the Archdemon. It is my duty to restore Alistair to his birthright as the king of Ferelden. It is my duty to save Ferelden.
I hated being a Gray Warden.
Zevran kissed me, and then pulled me into a hug. He held me to him.
"Eu te amo," he whispered softly to me.
Zevran slung himself around me so that he was now behind me. The elf put his tiny hands onto my shoulders and began to massage me.
"Being a Warden is not the end of the world," he said, "It is the beginning of the world. I am glad that you became a Gray Warden."
His hands slipped lower onto my back, which sent a shiver up my spine. Zevran made a half chuckle, and kissed the back of my neck.
"If you never became a Gray Warden, we would not have met," my elf continued, "Aren't you glad to have met me?"
I nodded to the trap question. I was glad to have Zevran, but was one life worth the death of hundreds? Was my being in love with Zevran worth my brother's life? Was it worth Oren's? Ser Gilmores? My mothers? My fathers? Orianna? I wasn't sure.
Zevran slipped to be in front of me again, "You are the best thing that has ever happened to me."
"I bring death wherever I go," I said in response, what if something kills Zevrab while trying to kill me? I would never be able to forgive myself. I had already have had enough people that I loved die. "Everyone around me dies."
"Then I promise you, for as long as you shall live, I will not die," Zevran told me.
I didn't say or do anything after that.
Sten's POV
I watched from the sidelines with Rabbit and Wynne. The rest were watching from the balcony, waiting for the Warden's victory. He had sided with Lord Harrowmont, who stupidly required the Warden to enter in the Proving. Right now he was fighting a dwarf named Serewryn and the Warden was winning.
The Warden pulled his favorite move; he slammed the dwarf with his shield, knocking the dwarf to the ground. He then twirled his long sword in the air and brought it slamming down into the dwarf's neck. He didn't flinch when the blood squirted into his face; instead he wiped the blood off his face and stepped away from the body.
"The Gray Warden wins!" the Proving Master yelled and the Warden walked toward us.
"A few more rounds and Harrowmont should have favor," the Warden said.
The next round was a little unsettling to watch. The Warden seemed to have struggled. It was two on one and they actually got a good hit on the Warden. The hit caused him to drop his shield. I had thought it was just because the hit was strong, but it turned out that his left arm had a deep wound now. His left arm was bleeding aggressively; the blood was draining out of his body. Wynne swooned over that arm until his next match.
This match the Warden fought without his shield. The weight was too much on his left arm. This battle he fought one silent girl. I respected her silence, but the Warden cut her down like nothing. It was a wonder that she had survived so long in the Proving.
The next match the Warden required one of us to accompany him. He decided to take Rabbit with him. The duo didn't have much trouble taking care of their opponents. The two worked better than I worked with Asala. I was once again impressed by the Warden.
After Rabbit and the Warden destroyed their opponents, Wynne and I joined the two in the arena. The Warden focused on Piotin, while I took on his right hand. Rabbit and Wynne took care of their two sidekicks. After I took care of Piotin's right hand, I looked over at the Warden who was struggling with his injury. I then went over to take care of Piotin for him for it would not do to have the Warden die because of his human error.
When we were claimed victorious, Harrowmont's butler of sorts took us to see the Lord himself. We then discovered that winning the Proving was not enough. We also have to take out Jarvia who leads a carta in Dust Town, the dwarves' equivalent to an alienage. I muttered something about this being pointless, but the Warden sent me a death stare and I silenced myself. I would not want to fight the Warden, even if he is wounded.
"To Dust Town," the Warden mumbled and we followed him into the street.
"No to a clinic," Zevran said, which started the scene.
"Wynne?" the Warden muttered looking at the mage, "Can you cast a spell?"
The mage cast a healing spell, "It won't cover the whole damage."
"But it doesn't even hurt as it is," the Warden stated.
"The cut is deeper than my arm is thick!" Zevran exclaimed.
"That's an exaggeration."
"Just go to a clinic, rest a bit," Alistair added, "The rest of us will go to Dust Town."
"Nonsense, I'm going to Dust Town," the Warden stated.
"Clinic," Zevran said.
"I'm the Warden here!"
"I'm the Senior Gray Warden," Alistair said, "You're going to go rest."
"Oh! You want to take responsibility now?" the Warden responded bitterly, "You want to lead us against the Archdemon then?"
"The dwarves surely will think highly of us with us all arguing in the streets," Morrigan added her piece to the argument.
The Warden sighed, "Fine. I'm going to rest, but Zevran you're coming with me."
The elf smirked, "Your wish is my command."
"Excuse me while I begin projectile vomiting," Alistair mumbled.
"Sten you take the lead," the Warden ordered, "Rabbit, don't let Alistair get hurt."
With that I watched as Zevran practically dragged the Warden away from us.